An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure and will help you avoid expensive repairs for your home. The truth of this adage comes to full light when you’ve decided to put your home on the market. Just imagine a potential buyer walking through your house and try to imagine it through their eyes. Unless your home is brand new, you’ll soon realize that you’ll be pouring even more money into the property in order to sell. These expenses could range from low-cost quick touch-ups to major structural fixes, which can run into the thousands, especially in older homes. The following are the most expensive repairs homeowners face when selling their homes in Pittsburgh and how you can avoid them.
Foundations
Water and foundations simply don’t mix well. Problems with a foundation can be one of the most expensive repairs homeowners face when selling their homes in Pittsburgh. Is there water pooling or around the outer edges of the foundation? Are there any cracks on the floor? Have doors or windows become squeaky or difficult to open from having gone out of square due to the foundation sinking? You can avoid issues like these with your foundation by ensuring that the soil slopes away from the house. You can take steps to avoid allowing the soil to dried out during dry periods without rain, which can cause serious issues as well. You also want to check the foundation during rains to be sure that you have good drainage.
Roofing
Roof repairs can be an incredibly expensive surprise for homeowners to face when selling their homes in Pittsburgh. Water damage can escalate quickly, not only by weakening the integrity of your home and leaving stains on the ceiling but in the potential for hazardous mold growth. Mold remediation is a very intricate and expensive process that is best left to professionals. Quick action is called for in order to avoid serious water damage. This is why it’s important not only to keep a close eye on the roof for yourself but to have the roof inspected every 3 to 5 years by professionals. You’ll want to watch for any worn shingles or weak spots that may appear.
Plumbing
Depending on the material used when your home was built and the manner of installation, plumbing leaks can become highly expensive repairs homeowners face when selling their homes in Pittsburgh. It’s highly recommended to check for Polybutylene piping (PB) which was used from 1978 to 1995, resulting in a class-action suit which ended in 2007. Replacement, which runs in the thousands, is the only resolution. You can avoid most plumbing issues from becoming far more serious by acting quickly. If you notice that your water bill has gone up mysteriously, you’ll need to be certain there isn’t a leak behind the walls, under the flooring, or even underground. Look around your water tank for signs of a leak at the base.
Heating and Cooling System
Neglect is the key culprit when it comes to the heating and cooling system. Repairs or even replacement can be among the most expensive repairs homeowners face when selling their homes in Pittsburgh. You’ll want to keep up routine maintenance and have your air conditioner checked and cleaned yearly, also helping you avoid damage from condensation leaks.
Paying for repairs before you ever realize a penny of profit from the deal is disappointing if not impossible for some. If you’d like to avoid paying for the most expensive repairs homeowners face when selling their homes in Pittsburgh you can avoid these and many more unexpected costs by selling directly to Pittsburgh Cash Home Buyers LLC! Send us a message or call (412) 900-8261 today!