THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, June 15, 1996 TAG: 9606130288
SECTION: REAL ESTATE WEEKLY PAGE: 16 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Cover Story
SOURCE: BY GINGER ADAMS, SPECIAL TO REAL ESTATE WEEKLY
LENGTH: 135 lines
So you've bought the American Dream. Maybe it's your first house and you're proud to make an investment rather than pay rent to your landlord. Or maybe you've bought a ``fixer-upper,'' and you're excited to see what a little elbow grease can do.
Whatever the situation, we've all had it happen. Just at the worst possible time - during 100-degree heat, your air-conditioning goes out. Or just before your out-of-town relatives visit your sewer pipe backs up.
Emergencies happen. And some of them can be costly to a homowner.
It pays to know the systems of your house, and experts agree that the best way to avoid major breakdowns is to regularly perform preventative maintenance. Service agreements help you stay punctual, or you can dig in and do it yourself.
But let's say you've bought a 25-year-old two-story house with a two-car garage, and you don't know how well the systems were maintained by the previous owner.
It's the middle of July heat and suddenly your power bill soars. Since the A/C seems to be on all the time but you just can't get cool, you narrow it down to the air-conditioning compressor.
Good call, according to Carl Adcock of Papco Oil. If there is a refrigerant leak in the air-conditioning, the compressor must work harder to get down to the right temperature. If a leak is not detected immediately, it could damage the compressor and require $800 to $1,000 to replace.
Since the compressor is the heart of the system and it costs only a few hundred more, most people go ahead and replace the condenser as well so they can be assured the entire system is good. For an average home, this could total $1300 to $1,500.
Other symptoms of an ailing system would be noise or unusual cycle patterns. Black soot out of a register may indicate a problem with the heat exchanger of an oil furnace.
In order to prevent unpleasant surprises, systems should be checked or serviced once a year. Technicians will also check for damaged parts, like a cracked heat exchanger, which can emit deadly fumes. Gas furnaces can discharge carbon monoxide into the air, and oil furnaces can give off carbon dioxide.
Many climate control systems are combinations, with air-conditioning and heating in a single unit and a lot of the same rules apply for heating systems.
So what do you do when you're shivering inside when the temperature dips into the 50s next October.
Let's say your house has a boiler for heat. If you find you have to replace either a gas or oil boiler, it can run between $3,200 and $4,000.
A note about heaters: When an older system needs to be replaced, have an energy audit before purchasing anything. Quite often the existing system needs to be downsized due to better technology and because other variables determining the load may have changed.
Adding better insulation, a lighter-colored roof, double paned windows or just having trees mature will decrease the need. And smaller systems are more efficient, because they cycle on and off more often, maintaining the temperature better.
Another unpleasant and often unexpected problem is a sewage problem. All the plumbing down to the curb of the street is the homeowner's responsibility. Older homes can get roots in the sewer lines, especially if they have cast iron or terra cotta pipes.
A home that has sat vacant for any amount of time can have clogged lines, due to grease buildup. Cooking oil, soap, even body oil can coat the inside of pipes and get as hard as concrete if let sit.
Garbage disposals used improperly can lead to clogged lines. Bones, potato peels, corn husks or any fibrous material will clog a disposal or the drainage pipe beyond it.
To clean the main drainage system, a typical charge is $70 to $200 for 1 1/2to three hours of labor. Charges for any other plumbing jobs depend on where the problem is and how the house is plumbed.
Should you need a new sewer main, you may be looking at spending $1,000 to $1,500, says Sandy Tolbert of Tolbert Plumbing. It can be more, she says, if the old pipe ran through concrete or your yard has a lot trees.
If your water heater is 10 years old, and you're brutally brought to attention by a cold shower in the middle of winter, you most likely have a water heater problem. To replace an electric heater, it will cost $320 to $900 (installed). The average life of a water heater is eight to 12 years.
Problems can also spring on a homeowner from the outside. Shingles on the roof age and the caulking can crack, allowing water to seep in. The flashing between the layers of shingles can lose its hold or moss can deteriorate the roof.
The best solution for all these situations is to replace the roof, according to John Kurtz of Kurtz Construction. Most roofs last 18 to 20 years, so a 25-year-old home is most likely in need of a new roof. To replace a 3,000 square foot roof, it will cost about $3,000 and take one to two days of labor.
If your house has a 20-by-50 foot driveway that is between 15 and 25 years old, there are a several factors which may necessitate a new driveway. In winter, the top 1/8 inch gets wet and freezes, which causes just this layer to expand. This, along with salt and other chemicals, can cause the surface to deteriorate, or ``spawl.''
``The earth breathes,'' explains Jim Leland of Leland Enterprises. ``When it rains, it (the pavement) swells, and after it dries, it shrinks. Just a little tension can cause it to crack.'' Tree roots also can force the concrete up.
Leland rarely recommends repairing a driveway because removing and repairing a section will be close to the amount of labor as completely replacing it. The new section will also be a lighter color, not matching the existing section.
To remove and replace your driveway, it will take two to three days and $3,500 to $4,000. For the exposed aggregate, ``pea gravel'' look, it will take an extra day or two and around $6,000.
This time of year, from spring to late summer, catastrophes can strike in the form of trees. Either hit by lightning or blown by high winds, your summer shade can fall on your house, your neighbor's house, or into the street. During the winter, ice storms can cause damage.
Emergency tree service often requires a minimum fee and then an hourly rate. Removing a large branch can cost up to $300.
To remove an entire tree can cost up to $1,000, says Wayne Tate, owner of Tate Tree Service in Portsmouth. ``Every job is different,'' Tate says. ``It depends on where the tree is, whether it's dead, whether it's threatening the house or utility wires.''
Home inspector Pete Sessa offers advice on maintaining your home. ``No inspector, no contractor, and no agent can take the place of what's between your ears,'' he insists.
He admonishes homeowners to enjoy their home - even as they look for things that might go wrong. According to Sessa, if you adjust your attitude and have fun, it will be easier to understand your home and will cut down on the unexpected surprises. ILLUSTRATION: [Cover, Color photo]
HOUSEHOLD HORROR STORIES
GARY C. KNAPP
The Virginian-Pilot
Roger E. Miles of Virginia Beach ponders the cost of having
professionals remove a fallen tree from his property. by CNB