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Renovation Checklist: 3 Things to Inspect In Old Homes

Renovating old homes will naturally demand more attention than modern structures. Before you can get started on finishes and exterior additions, you need to consider your building’s structural stability. This applies to your building’s foundation as well as its connected utilities. Unless you want your renovation to go to waste, it’s best to fix these areas before making minor or major improvements.

How to Renovate Old Homes

Besides its exterior components, it’s vital to assess its internal components. This includes your plumbing, electrical wiring, and even your typically neglected roofing situation. All these components can have deeper issues beyond surface-level complications. For this reason, you need to revisit your renovation checklist to prioritize these areas.

To completely prep your old home for renovations, here are three things you need to do:

1. Inspect Plumbing Fixtures

Homes typically experience wear and tear in unlikely places like plumbing pipelines. Leaking showerheads, sinks, and faucets can be a sign of considerable damage within your home. For this reason, you need to inspect their condition physically and functionally.

Pipes typically last for 80 to 100 years, whether they’re made from iron, galvanized steel, or copper. Additionally, replacing them with the wrong material can cause them to rust faster. This is why you should check your drains and pipes regularly.

Your plumbing and drain systems will typically affect your roofing systems and bathroom areas. If you plan to make a major renovation to your home, make sure these utilities are safe and secure. Doing so will prevent potential damage to your newly-built installations.

2. Look for Signs of Wood Rot

If you already have an existing plumbing issue, there’s a good chance that water damage and moisture may be present where they shouldn’t be. This affects areas like roof gutters and bathroom fixtures. It can also manifest in wood rot along walls or ceilings where your pipes are located.

Wood rot typically appears as a darkened or faded area around your wood structure. It can also look warped or bloated due to standing water. If you see these signs around your house, you may want to repair your plumbing instead of simply replacing or painting over these affected areas.

3. Inspect Your Home’s Electrical Fixtures

Besides pipelines and water damage, another component to inspect in older homes are your electrical fixtures. All appliances like televisions, computers and even washing machines need to be compatible with your home’s electrical capacity. Since these devices will demand higher energy output the more advanced they become, it’s vital to check your home’s electrical system.

Performing an electrical inventory will help you confirm how much electrical load your home can handle. If you have appliance systems that consume a lot of energy, like HVAC systems, you need to ensure that their connections are still intact. Since inspecting these components can be dangerous, it’s better to let professional electricians perform the appropriate diagnosis and treatments.

Conclusion

Dealing with a delicate home situation can be incredibly complex. While performing the tasks above by yourself can minimize potential damage from renovations, it’s still best not a reliable measure of your home’s condition. For this reason, hiring a professional will give you a more accurate perspective regarding your home’s utilities.

After identifying the vulnerabilities in your old home, you should identify which areas require professional attention. Doing so will be a viable solution against future complications that can compromise your renovations. If you need handyman services in Rockville, MD, contact us today!

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