The Golden State: Where & How to Live, Secure, Visit, Enjoy and Thrive in California
Care And Repair Of The House
If the house is of frame construction, examine the siding for loose or decayed boards. Look for blisters on painted surfaces and indications of cracking or of the paint peeling off. As blisters are generally caused by moisture back of the paint film, look for the possible sources of such moisture, as, for instance, leaky roofs, down spouts, or water pipes.
Exterior Side of Windows.
See whether flashing is provided over the widow caps to turn the water and, if so, whether it is in good condition.
Look for holes or large cracks at window sills. They will appear if the inside stool, or ledge, is not well nailed down. They may exist where parting strips and pulley stiles meet the sill, or where the top sill joins the wood or brick sub sill.
If backhand molding is used around the top and sides of the outside casing, see that it is nailed tightly against the casing.
Probe between the frame and the wall at each side of the window to see whether calking is needed to keep out dampness and cold.
While looking over the windows examine the putty around the panes to find out whether it is firmly in place.
Roof, Flashing, and Gutters.
Leaks in the roof are seldom easily detected from the outside. If the attic is unceiled, holes in the roofing are often readily visible from the inside, in which case they can be marked by pushing straws or wires through the holes to protrude above the roof surface. If the attic is ceiled there may be stains on the plaster indicating leakage.
If the roof is of slate, tile, wood shingles, or composition shingles, examine closely to see if any pieces have been broken or blown off, or are loose. In the case of wood or composition shingles, see if they are warped, or partly decayed, or disintegrated.
If the house is covered with metal roofing, look for holes, cracks, or open joints. See if paint or special coating has worn off. A similar examination should be made where roll roofing has been used.
Examine carefully the flashing around the chimney and vent pipes and in the valleys of the roof, and note whether there are signs of its rusting or of its being out of place.
Leaves, rubbish, and birds' nests in gutters may stop up the down spouts if the debris is not removed. If there are strainers over the mouths of the down spouts see whether they are clear. Also notice the condition of gutters and conductor pipes and determine whether they need replacing or whether they require a coat of paint.
