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Home & Garden Articles
Building Maintenance Essentials
Tue 15 Jan 2008 - 08:02
Building Maintenance Essentials
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Sylvia_Kittens]Sylvia Kittens
Building maintenance is important both for old buildings and for new; a little time spent each year on a building health check can stave off costly repairs and restoration. If a building is neglected major problems can arise; a blocked gutter for example can lead to water getting into the building. The hardest time of year for a property is winter, when bad weather really tests its defences. A maintenance check should be carried out just before this time of year to ensure the building can survive unscathed.
Before you start any maintenance, make sure that you have the right equipment. Protective gloves are essential, and if you're working at a height be sure you have safety gear and another person with you to help. If you're unsure about doing any of the checks yourself, for example if some parts of the property are difficult to access, get a professional in to do them for you.
Perhaps the most important part of any building is its roof, and roof checks should be carried out regularly. If your roof is hard to access, you could try using a neighbouring building to see if there are any obvious signs of disrepair. Tiles that have slipped should be replaced as soon as possible, as holes in the roof can lead to both water and animals such as pigeons getting in. A chimney is a vulnerable area that should be checked closely, and flues should be cleaned out to avoid blockage. Any lead on your roof should be inspected for cracks. You should brush any moss from your roof, as overgrowth can block gutters and lead to drainage problems.
Gutters play the essential role of carrying rainwater away from your building, so it's essential that they're clear all the time. If the property sits amongst trees with falling leaves the gutters may need more attention. Gullies beneath the building should also be cleared out regularly to avoid rising damp.
The walls of your building will also need regular attention; although stone erodes naturally, major erosion is obvious and can cause problems. If you see mortar that is very eroded it should be re-done, using the same mix as the original. Cracks in walls should be filled in with mortar if they are small, and this may provide adequate [http://www.yeomanshield.com]wall protection. If the crack reopens however it should be looked at straight away by professionals. It may be the result of underlying problems such as subsidence. Air bricks, like guttering, should be cleared regularly to allow for ventilation beneath the building. For very old properties ground levels may have risen over the years; this is natural, but the ground height should be kept below that of internal floors.
External wood such as doors and windows should be checked for signs of rot; if you do find any, a carpenter should be able to carry out repairs rather than replacements. This is always more sympathetic to the character of the building.
Remember that any repair or replacement you need to carry out should be done using sympathetic materials. Listed buildings will have guidelines as to what exactly you should use, and not sticking to these can bring you into conflict with your planning department. Sometimes you can replace an old material with something similar, if the aesthetic effect is the same.
Sylvia Kittens lives in Harrogate, England
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sylvia_Kittens http://EzineArticles.com/?Building-Maintenance-Essentials&id=928862
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