Top 10 trouble zones in your home

Some areas in your home are more at risk for problems than others. Read on to learn our top 10 home trouble spots and what you should watch out for.

#1 Tub & Shower

Symptoms: Failed caulking, grout, or soft flooring

Risks: Rooted flooring, structural damage

Costs: $5,000+

Recommended Action:

Inspect caulking and crawl area; re-caulk, grout, and seal as needed

#2 Roof

Symptoms: Curled or missing shingles, roof debris, or moss

Risks: Roof leaks; water damage to floors, walls

Costs: $15,000+

Recommended Action:

Inspect and clean roof, flashing, and skylights; remove debris quarterly

#3 Gutters & Downspouts

Symptoms: Debris, leaky seams, or inadequate drainage

Risks: Damage to foundation, siding, gutters, and eaves

Costs: $1,000-$75,000

Recommended Action:

Inspect and clean gutters, downspouts, and drainage quarterly

#4 Water Heater

Symptoms: Rust, dirty water, leaks, or lack of heat

Risks: Water heater bursts, house floods, and floor damage

Costs: $5,000-$15,000

Recommended Action:

Inspect, clean, and flush water heater annually; replace anode rod

#5 Doors & Windows

Symptoms: Leaks, gaps or cracks in caulk, wood damage

Risks: Walls, windows, trim, siding need replacement

Costs: $5,000-$15,000

Recommended Action:

Inspect flashing, caulking, paint and weatherstripping annually

#6 Furnace

Symptoms: Soot at vents and doors; broken flues and ducting; high utility bills

Risks: Carbon monoxide poisoning

Costs: $200+

Recommended Action:

Test, inspect, and service furnace and filters, test for toxic gas emissions annually

#7 Deck

Symptoms: Splitting, rot, weathering, lifting nails, splinters, or loose railings

Risks: Deck failure, premature replacement, and safety hazards

Costs: $6,000+

Recommended Action:

Inspect, clean, seal wood annually, reset nails, and replace boards

#8 Garage door

Symptoms: Loose hardware, noise, faulty reverser or spring malfunction; jerkiness

Risks: Personal injury, damage to car, or failure of door opener

Costs: $750+

Recommended Action:

Inspect, test, lubricate, tighten, and adjust hardware of door and reverser annually

#9 Sinks

Symptoms: Leaks under sinks, clogs, and rusted traps; faulty shut-off valves

Risks: Damage to cabinets, walls, floors, and rot

Costs: $600+

Recommended Action:

Inspect, test and service plumbing annually

#10 Attic & Crawl Space

Symptoms: Insufficient ventilation, moisture, mildew, rodents, insects, and foundation cracks

Risks: Hidden rot, foundation damage, and structural damage

Costs: $5,000

Recommended Action:

Inspect spaces and foundation; ensure adequate ventilation

RMS Can Help

Our preventative home maintenance contracts inspect these areas of your home and more, looking for small issues before they develop into major problems. Want to learn more? Contact our team today!