Keep The Rain From Damaging Your Home

It is quite possible that we will set a new record for the amount of rainfall in Atlanta this year. And with all the rain comes moisture problems. This is a quick checklist of things to monitor to protect your home:

~~Check the weather stripping and seals around all of your exterior doors. Make sure water is not getting on or under your floors.

~~Look at your landscaping immediately after it has rained. Is water puddling near your foundation? Your yard needs to be sloped so that water drains away from your home.

~~If you have a crawl space, please check it after every rain. There should not be any water in your crawl space and the humidity should be under control (50% or less humidity) or serious damage can occur to your home.

~~Clear your gutters of leaves and debris. Clogged gutters cause rainwater to pool, and if you've got an older roof, that rain will find its way into your house. Check the down pipes as well. Make sure the output has somewhere to go, to avoid pools near your foundation.

~~Get your roof inspected. Granules or roof debris in the gutters are not a good sign.

~~Keep large trees around your home trimmed and inspect for dead and dying branches that could come down in a storm.

~~Caulk cracks around windows and doors to prevent water from seeping inside. Check old caulk every year for chips and cracks, which indicates the caulk has dried out and needs replacement.  ~~If water damage occurs, get help right away. It only takes a few hours for bacteria growth, mold, and mildew to start.

~~entire bathroom walls covered in tile

Tile Style

Tile is one of the oldest flooring options; in fact it has been used for centuries.  You might think for this reason tile is not very fashionable.  We find that tile can be just as trendy as skirt lengths!  Some of the fashion forward tile designs we are seeing, and loving, include:
~~tile backsplashes going all the way to the ceiling

~~rectangular tile installed horizontally

~~texture, especially in wall tile

~~large format tile size (we used to think 20" x 20" was big!)

~~tiles that emulate other material, such as wood, stone, concrete, even leather (for the look without the maintenance and upkeep)