Articles

Discover articles and tips on everything related to maintaining your home—inside and out.

HOUSETIPS - 9 Home Inspection Categories

9 Home Inspection Categories

Home inspection protocols were developed for the real estate community to help buyers of houses learn about the condition(s) of the house they were...
HOUSETIPS - The Value of Tuck Pointing

The Value of Tuck Pointing

What is tuck pointing? Tuck pointing is a term used in the repair of masonry walls and veneers on houses – specifically referring to...
wall base flashing

Wall Base Flashing

What is wall base flashing? Well, it is never seen but especially important in the water management in the exterior wall of your house....
The goal of HOUSETIPS is to help homeowners better understand the various systems of their house and provide insight to common and unusual issues that may occur. With decades of experience as forensic engineers, plan designers, home inspectors, and contractors, our team has unique experience in diagnosing failure patterns in houses. Our team has witnessed needless, costly repairs without repair of the actual cause of the damage. We want you better informed to save time and money so we tailored our content to help homeowners identify issues, possibly solve problems, and consider practical repairs. We hope you enjoy and benefit from the content presented by HOUSETIPS.

The Purpose of the Backflow Preventer

What is this thing in my yard? It is ugly and not easy to hide with landscape plants. Well, this is a Pressure Vacuum...
The goal of HOUSETIPS is to help homeowners better understand the various systems of their house and provide insight to common and unusual issues that may occur. With decades of experience as forensic engineers, plan designers, home inspectors, and contractors, our team has unique experience in diagnosing failure patterns in houses. Our team has witnessed needless, costly repairs without repair of the actual cause of the damage. We want you better informed to save time and money so we tailored our content to help homeowners identify issues, possibly solve problems, and consider practical repairs. We hope you enjoy and benefit from the content presented by HOUSETIPS.

Common Wood Destroying Insects

Wood-destroying insects are always a concern for homeowners, with the most egregious of the insects being termites. Common wood destroying insects in houses include...
GFCI receptacle

What is a GFCI receptacle?

So, you have heard the term “GFCI receptacle” but do not know what it means.  First, the word “receptacle” is often interchanged with the...
Florescent Light

Florescent Light Problems

Florescent lights are inexpensive to purchase and install making them an appealing light source for homes, workshops, utility rooms, and storage rooms.  Installation of...
The goal of HOUSETIPS is to help homeowners better understand the various systems of their house and provide insight to common and unusual issues that may occur. With decades of experience as forensic engineers, plan designers, home inspectors, and contractors, our team has unique experience in diagnosing failure patterns in houses. Our team has witnessed needless, costly repairs without repair of the actual cause of the damage. We want you better informed to save time and money so we tailored our content to help homeowners identify issues, possibly solve problems, and consider practical repairs. We hope you enjoy and benefit from the content presented by HOUSETIPS.

What are Flex Duct Installation Defects?

Flexible duct or Flex duct is often used in the installation of residential Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems to distribute treated air...
Estimate mortgage

How Do I Estimate My Monthly Note?

As you prepare to purchase a new house or perhaps refinance your existing house, estimating your new monthly note (obligation) to plan your financial...
The goal of HOUSETIPS is to help homeowners better understand the various systems of their house and provide insight to common and unusual issues that may occur. With decades of experience as forensic engineers, plan designers, home inspectors, and contractors, our team has unique experience in diagnosing failure patterns in houses. Our team has witnessed needless, costly repairs without repair of the actual cause of the damage. We want you better informed to save time and money so we tailored our content to help homeowners identify issues, possibly solve problems, and consider practical repairs. We hope you enjoy and benefit from the content presented by HOUSETIPS.

What causes ceiling stains in my house?

Common Causes of Water Stains on the Ceiling What causes water stains on the ceiling of your home? There are many reasons for why...
concrete joints

Why Are There Joints in Concrete?

Perhaps you have often wondered why joints are placed in your concrete driveway and sidewalk.  They detract from the smooth look of the driveway...
Roof Vent

What Are The Different Types Of Roof Vents And How Do They Work?

Attic vents come in a wide variety of styles to accommodate the ventilation and aesthetic requirements of the wide range of roof designs and...
Crawl Space

What Are Common Problems With Crawl Spaces?

Basically, they are typically dark, dirty, damp, cramped, and littered with bugs, critters, plumbing and gas pipes, trash, debris and maybe insulation that has...
Type of Attic Vent

Should I Have More Than One Type of Attic Vent?

Absolutely, yes! Your attic ventilation works on the simple property of physics in which hot air rises. For that principle to apply to your...
Attic Ventilation

What Is Attic Ventilation?

It’s summer time in the deep south and that means heat. Not the “dry heat” that some say you don’t feel as much. Down...
what does a sagging roof mean

What Does A Sag in My Roof Mean?

Houston, we have a problem! How much of a problem depends largely on how large is the roof sag? And we are going to...
how to identify a load bearing wall

How Can I Tell If A Wall Is A Load Bearing Wall?

How can I identify a load bearing wall? - This question is easy to answer, although getting the needed information can sometimes be difficult....
how to repair home foundation

How Do I Repair Foundation Failure?

Foremost, foundation repair is beyond the ability of most homeowners, due to the equipment and knowledge required. The foundation of a home supports the...