The Biggest Home Rip-offs and How to Steer Clear Of Them

There are some people in the world that will generally, not think twice before taking advantage of homeowners with regard tohome repairing jobs. However, with a little thought and effort, you can make sure that you never become a successful target for these scammers.  

Scam #1: Leaky Roof Wrangling

Majority of the times, the reason that roof leaks occur is because either the sealing around the vent pipes has failed, or the metal flashing on the chimney has deteriorated or the connections between the roof sections have eroded. Often enough, a mere replacement of the flashing or sealing will get the job done, which won’t cost you a lot as well. 

Hence, tearing off a bad roof isn’t a good idea, unless the demand is being made by your building code. In many towns, they allow homeowners to install a second or even third asphalt roof, if the house’s framing can support it.

Scam #2: Basement Boondoggle

You may not know this, but in actuality, the causes of many basement leaks are; an overflow from clogged gutters, un-sloped land around the home, misrouted downspouts and even lawn sprinklers that are improperly aimed. 

Before calling in for professional help, you can try and reduce the moisture that is found along the foundation of the home by cleaning and de-clogging all the gutters, re-positioning the sprinklers, etc. 

Another cause of damp basements is high humidity. Attach a piece of aluminum foil to a wall, to test for humidity. If in a day or two some moisture shows up, this is a sign of condensation, for which you’ll need a de-humidifier. If there is water still seeping from the walls, the best thing to do is repair wall cracks using hydraulic cement which is widely available at home stores. Finish it off with good quality water proof paint.

Scam #3: Chimney Sweep Swindle

You should get your chimney checked annually according to experts, for creosote buildup and to check the structure of the chimney. This will cost you no more than $100 to $250, plus an additional $100 to $150 if cleaning is required. Be sure to hire only chimney sweepers who are certified by the Chimney Safety Institute of America. 

Paying close attention to what the technician is doing is also a recommended idea, during inspection and the actual work. Due to technological advancements, sweeps are using video cameras from which you can view everything that is happening inside the chimney.

Scam #4: Dealing With Mold Mayhem

A simple fact is that healthy people have very little to worry about, as far as their health is concerned. For people already plagued with asthma and allergies, however, molds put them atgreater risks. Nevertheless, most types of mold are very easy to remove. You can easily clean non-porous areas and surfaces with the help of just soap and water, paired with a solution of one cup of bleach and one gallon of water. It’s very easy to control future mold growth as well, by simply eliminating excess moisture by keeping humidity levels low and fixing leaky pipes immediately.