Small leak, BIG waste!

Is your toilet leaking and costing you more on your water bill?


Do you feel as though you're spending a lot more on your water bill than you should be?

Take the leaky toilet test!







One in four toilets is silently leaking, wasting up to 28 bathtubs full of water every month - that's about enough to cost you $100.00 on your water bill per year. Considering that the average Canadian home as two bathrooms, you run a higher risk of one or both of your toilets falling victim to untraceable leakage.

So how do you check your toilet to see if there's a leak on your own, without having to call a professional?

Step 1: Check your toilet flapper first.



Inexpensive and easy to replace, the flapper is the number one culprit for most leaky toilets. Your toilet's flapper holds water in the tank, but over time its seal can wear out, causing a silent leak. If it's no longer sticking where it should, water's going to snake through the seams and you wouldn't even know it.


How to check your flapper:

• Rub the bottom of your flapper with your finger.  If you get streaks of rubber, the flapper should be replaced.
• Take your old flapper with you to the store when purchasing a replacement.  This ensures you get the right part for the job.
• Install your new flapper and take the leaky toilet test again to ensure you've stopped the leak.

Another quick test to see if you have a leak is to put a few drops of food colouring into your tank, give it 20 minutes and then check your toilet bowl.  If the colour has seeped into the bowl, you definitely have a leak!

Next you have to determine where this leak is coming from.

To check, look at the waterline.  If the water level is below the overflow tube, follow Step 2 below.  If the water is spilling into the overflow tube, follow Step 3 below.

Step 2:  Flapper Leak - The chain that controls the flapper may need to be adjusted for the flapper to sit properly on the valve seat.  If the chain is kinked, replace it with a ball-type chain.  If needed, tighten the nut that holds the toilet handle to adjust the trip lever properly.  Your toilet may run on because the valve seat is corroded or covered with mineral deposits.  Drain the toilet tank by flushing, then dry the valve seat and sand it smooth with sand paper.

Step 3:  Water Level - Your tank water level might be too high, allowing water to run into the overflow pipe.  Turn the float rod adjusting screw clockwise to lower the water level one or two centimeters below the overflow tube.  Replace the screw if it's corroded or stripped. Make sure the refill tube is securely inside the overflow tube and no deeper than five centimeters.







And that's all there is to it! You've now been able to check your toilet for the dreaded silent leak, and hopefully with these easy steps you're able to save $100.00 - money that you no longer are literally flushing down the toilet.

Cracks - How you can recognize serious damage in your foundation.

Foundation Cracks

Cracks in your foundation can be a serious defect, or they can of no real concern - so how do you tell the difference? What's kind of issue is going to end up really costing you? Hopefully the following will help you recognize the difference when looking at your own home, or one you propose to buy.

As concrete dries it shrinks, which often causes small cracks along the foundation, commonly known as hairline cracks. The faster the concrete dries, the more it shrinks. The higher the water content in the mix, the more it shrinks. It's going to happen to young and old homes alike, so don't feel too concerned about the small cracks running along the foundation of your newly-built house.

These shrinkage cracks normally develop at windows, doors, beam pockets or other penetrations. Usually these hairline cracks, no bigger than the thickness of a dime and no cause for concern. They're relatively unavoidable, and are the most common type of crack, almost every home is going to have them.

Larger cracks may or may not be a concern but should be checked by a qualified individual. The Alberta New Home Warranty Program Performance Guide states: “Cracks are not unusual in concrete foundation walls. Such cracks greater than 1/8 inch are considered excessive.”

Well that's good to know - right? Most often the cracks in your home won't cause you much grief. So which ones will?

The main concern is Structural Movement in the foundation.

If there is displacement, the concrete will be uneven from one side of the crack to the other. This movement usually indicates external pressure on the foundation wall, which must be investigated, or it could be that the wall was damaged during construction. Older buildings are more susceptible to this time of crack, but poor construction or architectural design could be at fault. Sometimes it could've been a bad home renovation or as serious as decay.

Horizontal cracks in a foundation are more uncommon but can be stabilized without major expense as long as the cause is not ongoing and there has not been large displacement in the foundation.

There are a number of factors that will cause horizontal cracking or movement.

Backfill heights:

Backfill is a type of water drainage placed around your home's foundation. Overfilling this can cause pressure and form horizontal cracks.

Frost, heavy traffic and tree roots:

Overgrown roots and overloaded vehicles can cause pressure on your foundation.

Movement in the foundation can be caused by any number of factors. Larger type cracks in foundations are caused by settlement in the footings or pressures from below forcing the footings up or pressures from the outside of the foundation. Foundation walls (footings) that have heaved upwards are caused by inadequate frost protection for the footings or expansive soils.

A high clay content in the soil below the footing, together with water can cause extreme damage to foundations. The source of the water must be found and eliminated.

The amount of movement and age of the structure should always be taken into consideration.

Some examples for foundation movement are as follows:

Soil types and water pressure:

Certain soil types may be looser or have inadequate water drainage. If your home is settled on various different soils, it may not sink evenly and part of your home may begin breaking due to the uneven surfacing.

Frost pressure, Lot Configurations and Excavation Differences:

Movement in a foundation wall is usually more serious and should always be analyzed by a professional.

Common Foundation Repairs

These types of repairs need to be designed and approved by a person specializing in foundation repairs preferably a structural engineer. These repairs can be quite costly.

Wall or Footing Settlement

Mud jacking or hydraulic jacking and under pinning of the footing may be required to stabilize the foundation that is dropping or settling.

  

Displaced foundation wall cracks may need to be reinforced or stabilized. 

  

The vast majorities of foundation cracks are of no concern, but should be investigated and reported on by an expert. The expert’s written report is not only important for your purchase and peace of mind, but to show to a future buyer when you sell so that you, nor your possible future buyer are investing in hidden risks.

We hope this helped you understand a little bit more about your home, new or old, and will prepare you for the future you have together!

Spring is here, Spring is here!

We're well into May already, so it's time to talk about spring cleaning.

I know, I know, now you have to start cleaning the windows and beating down the rugs. It's going to be a long day, but isn't it always great to start the year off fresh and new?

However, spring cleaning should not just be limited to the usual airing out the home and packing old belongings away into boxes for the summer garage sales, no. Something that every home owner should consider when you break into your spring routine is regular home maintenance. This is a good time to do an annual check to make sure your home is still running smoothly and that the appliances and various structures around the home are still going to serve you faithfully for the years to come. Not only functionally, but aesthetically as well.

If you own or rent an apartment or condominium, some of these may apply and some you may have to speak with your building manager, landlord or condo board about seeing to some of the maintenance checks down below.

There are many things to look at, and we've provided a comprehensive list to get you started.

Why not start by taking a walk around your house?

To maintain a quality image of your home, make sure to check if the exterior of your home is clean and well painted. After months (or years) of rain, snow, wind and who knows what else, the outside of your house may have taken something of a beating. Normally it takes about five or six years for a home's paint-job to start to wear thin, but if you notice loose paint you should sand it off. Use this walk around as a chance to inspect the caulking (sealant) as well. Since caulking helps control the inflow of outside noise and to prevent heat loss and moisture damage in the home, it is important that if you see any deteriorating areas to scrape it out and reapply new sealant to the area.

While you're doing this walk around be sure to check your window and door sills for similar issues. The caulking may need reapplying there as well, or bent frames may need replacing. You should also be looking to ensure the door screens are clean and if there are holes that need to replaced to prevent insects or other pests from coming indoors. After all, it doesn't take a big space for a mosquito to climb in and make themselves right at home. It follows to double check that the door fits in the frame correctly, leaving no spaces along the frame where it may be crooked or warped. You'll let out heat and let in bugs with an unsecured door, and can also be an issue for your home's security as well.

Next, it would be a good idea that if the weather is agreeable, to clean out your gutters and downspouts. Gutter neglect can be common because you don't necessarily see everything that gathers up in there, but there can be costly structural damage if they're not regularly maintained. Too much debris can cause the troughs to sag or become unsecured. It's also important to see that there aren't any damages in the gutters as you're cleaning them such as leaks or sagging, and to make sure the downspouts are secured to the side of the house. If you're unsure if an area is damaged, run a hose through to ensure that it's draining properly.

Since you're up there, you might as well check your roof out. Now, as a rule of thumb you should not climb onto your roof, and if you have major concerns you should contact a licensed professional to look at it for you. A damaged or aged roof can be dangerous and can do you more harm than good. Call a Home Inspector or Roofing Professional to do it for you! Don't take an unnecessary risk.

However, from up on a ladder you should be able to inspect the flashings for damages, and if there are any problems with the style of roofing. For asphalt damages you are looking to see if there are any asphalt granules collecting in the eaves, or curling of the shingles, which is a clear sign of aging. For wood, considerable warping in the roof could be a symptom of wood rot. Metal roofs come in many different styles so they each have different signs of wearing or aging, but you would most commonly look for rusting or corrosion. Also to be sure to check for wear on all interruptions on the plane of the roof such as chimneys, vent pipes, and etcetera. As mentioned previously, if you notice any grievous issues with your roof, call a professional to do a more in depth investigation. Safety first!

Now, if you have a deck, you should try to have it treated every couple of years (along with wooden fencing if you have it). Decks take a lot of weather wear in general, but they also take on pets, children, guests that you may have over, and yourself. If the stain is looking dull or the wood is muddy-grey, make sure to have it retreated. Give it a wash with a pressure washer and make sure to replace or fix any damaged boards. Not only can it be an eyesore, but brittle or warped boards can cause a major safety hazard for you and anyone on the deck.

Last, but certainly not least, it is imperative that you check the landscape and foundation of your home. While most may want to just fertilize their lawn and be done with it, you should look to make sure that the ground around your home slopes away from the foundation. If it is level or worse yet, inverse, this can cause pooling of moisture against these walls and seepage/leaks can occur in your basement to cause significant water damage.

And then you can fertilize your lawn.

And weed it, trim it...you know. The works. Keeping vegetation around your home trimmed can prevent scratching off the paint or damaging the siding.

Another word of advice about maintaining the landscape around your home would be to not fall victim to the current trend of paving over your front or back lawn. Lawn maintenance may be laborious and tedious and more room for more cars may sound preferable but it can have serious detriments. Vegetation helps to naturally and effectively drain water, and the more lawns that are converted into driveways, the more likely there will be an occurrence of flooding. A little bit of extra convenience may end up costing you heavily, as flood damage can not just cause detrimental water damage to your basement, but also ruin stored valuables or even ruin the foundation of your home forcing it to be condemned.

The flood in 2013 caused over 5 billion dollars in property damages and also cost many people their homes and belongings, so keep it in mind before you pave the yard over. When water was nowhere to go, its going into your home.

But after all that, that's all! You've just done a top to bottom check on the outside of your house, now you can make it presentable for that garage sale we were just talking about. Remember, maintaining your home will not only ensure that it will last a lifetime for you and your family, but it will mean that if you ever plan to sell your home it will be more attractive to buyers. You will also be more likely to pass a conditional home inspection, since these are just some of things we keep an eye out for when looking at your house.

If you aren't sure about what needs doing around your home, you should call HomeCrafters Home Inspection Services - we will be happy to go through the checklist for you!