From the category archives:

Home Improvement

Fixing Home Water Damage

by Bill Gassett on June 4, 2011 · 8 comments

If you have ever been in the unfortunate position of having a pipe burst in your home, a washing machine hose give way while you were gone for the weekend, or a finished basement become flooded by a 100 year storm, you know what a royal pain in the $#@ it is to clean up and remedy water damage!

There are few things that can damage a home more than water. One of the most important things you can do when faced with a water damage problem is to tackle it right away.

Without taking immediate action the threat of getting mold becomes very likely which can further increase an already expensive proposition.

If you can get take care of the water in under 48-72 hours you stand a much greater chance that you can keep the mold at bay.

If it all possibly the 1st thing that you are going to want to do is take everything out of the area where the water damage has occurred and get it into a warm and dry environment. Even if it means taking these things outside that is what you should do.

The next step will be to either get in touch with a water damage and restoration company or take the same steps they would make in getting the water re-mediated from the home.

Open doors and/or windows ~ It goes without saying that you want to get as much fresh air circulating throughout the home as soon as possible.

Purchase or rent high powered fans ~ Most of the time opening the windows is not going to be enough to dry out serious water infiltration. You are going to need to get a hold of a few large fans that circulate a tremendous amount of air. Most of the fans needed to solve a water issue are going to run at least a few hundred dollars to purchase. Renting a fan could run you about $25 – $50 a day.

Water in the basement ~ If the water is in the basement an additional suggestion would be to use a large dehumidifier which can suck all the moisture right out of the area.

Of course one of the 1st things you should determine is how the water actually got into the basement in the 1st place. Was it ground water, water from a crack or surface water that is being improperly directed towards the home. Sometimes something as simple as a gutter or downspout coming away from the home can be the culprit.

See fixing basement water problems for a complete list of possible basement water problem solutions.

Check the sump pump ~ If your basement has an operational sump pump you will want to make sure it is working properly. On many occasions a sump pump can fail causing the water to flood a basement. If you find this is the case you can always purchase a pump to get a significant amount of water out of a basement. For smaller jobs a wet vac should suffice.

When water damage occurs in your home you will be able to salvage some things but definitely not others. Some of the items that potentially can be saved include sub-flooring, hardwood flooring and linoleum provided you dry them quickly. Draperies and other such cloth goods can also be salvaged with a cleaning and disinfectant.

Most of the time you are not going to be able to save such things as insulation, drywall, plaster, laminated furniture, and carpet padding. These items absorb water very quickly and offer the perfect environment for mold to grow.

If the water damage in the home is extensive you may want to really consider hiring a professional restoration specialist that will come to your home with the whole gamete of remedies including dehumidifiers, air purifiers, fans, and special equipment to dry floors. A professional water damage specialist will also employ cleaners to quickly and efficiently dry out a water damaged home.

Beyond these typical steps, a water damage specialist may also employ the use of wall driers, sanitizers, and mold and mildew remediation techniques to ensure that what is already a bad situation doesn’t get worse over time.

When fixing water damage in a home, addressing the problem head on becomes paramount. Keep these tips in mind if you are faced with this unforeseen issue.

Other Real Estate articles worth a look:

Removing radon from well water

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About the author: The above Real Estate information on Fixing home water damage was provided by Bill Gassett, a Nationally recognized leader in his field. Bill can be reached via email at billgassett@remaxexec.com or by phone at 508-435-5356. Bill has helped people move in and out of many Metrowest towns for the last 25+ Years.

Thinking of selling your home? I have a passion for Real Estate and love to share my marketing expertise!

I service the following towns in Metrowest MA: Hopkinton, Milford, Southboro, Westboro, Ashland, Holliston, Medway, Franklin, Framingham, Grafton, Hopedale, Mendon, Upton, Northbridge, Shrewsbury, Northboro, Bellingham, Uxbridge, Sutton, Worcester and Douglas.

Tagged as: Fixing Basement Water Issues, Fixing Home Water Damage, Fixing Real Estate Water Damage, Mold Prevention After Water Problem, Water Damage Repair, Water Damage Restoration

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Tax Breaks on Home Improvements

by Bill Gassett on November 17, 2010 · 3 comments

There is no question that there are far less people today that have the kind of equity in their home that they did five to ten years ago. In most areas across the country Real Estate values have dropped by a substantial margin decreasing the amount of folks who have capital gains concerns.

One of the great benefits of home ownership has been the fact that equity growth to an extent does not always get taxed.

A very important capital gains tax law went into effect in 1997 and is known as the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997.

The current Real Estate capital gains tax law when selling your personal residence allows for an exclusion of up to $250,000 in profit if you are single and $500,000 if you are married. In order to be eligible for the tax exclusion you must have lived in your home for two of the last five years. The home must also be your personal residence and can not be considered an investment property.

If you move often or do not have substantial equity in your property then tax breaks on home improvements are not going to be much of a concern.

For those that are fortunate enough to have lived in their home for a long period of time and have built up a sizable equity position, there is good reason to keep track of what you have spent on home improvements.

By keeping track of the home improvements that have taken place in your property you are able to increase the cost basis which will decrease the amount of taxes you pay when it comes time to sell.

How do home improvement tax breaks work?

In order to figure out how to calculate your tax break from home improvements you are going to need to figure out what your initial cost basis was when you 1st purchased your home.

This will be what you actually paid plus any closing costs such as attorney fees, transfer taxes, surveys, commissions or any inspection related charges.

You will then need to figure out all the home improvements you have made to your home since the purchase. As an example lets say you purchased your home for $400,000 including all the closing cost expenses.

Lets further assume you also have $50,000 in home improvements since you purchased including a new bath room, a finished basement, a large deck and brick patio. if you add the purchase price and improvement costs together you get an adjusted basis of $450,000.

Going back to the qualifications of the capital gains tax law for Real Estate outlined above, lets assume you have met the litmus test and have lived in the home for two out of the last five years as your primary residence.

You find out you are going to be moving out of the area you are located in and sell your home for $700,000. If you are single the tax law says you can exclude up to $250,000 in profit or gain. Using the $700,000 sale price minus the adjusted cost basis of $450,000. You would not pay any taxes on the sale.

Here is where the tax breaks on home improvements come in. If you had not kept track of what you spent making your home better you would be paying taxes on $50,000 because that would be become what is considered profit to the IRS.

By keeping receipts on the home improvement dollars you have invested you will save $7500 0n your taxes! As of this writing the current capital gains tax rate is 15%. $50,000 x 15% = $7500. This is obviously a nice chunk of change to save just by being a little studious.

What counts as a home improvement for tax purposes?

When calculating tax breaks the one thing you don’t want to do is fool around with the IRS. While you may consider every dollar you spend on your home an improvement the IRS certainly does NOT! As a matter of fact most Realtors or buyers won’t either. See home improvements with the worst return on investment.

According to the IRS an improvement increases the value of your home while a non-eligible repair just returns something back to it’s original condition. The IRS further states that a capital improvement has to last for more than one year, add value to your home or prolong it’s life.

Home improvements must also be there when you sell your home as well. For example if you spent money putting tile flooring down in your kitchen fifteen years ago and then five years ago put in new hardwood floors you can’t claim both as improvements.

It is important to note that repairs do not count as improvements. Again according to the IRS, repairs are things that are done to keep up a homes condition without adding value or prolonging it’s life. There are real slight differences in comparing an improvement to a repair. An example of a repair would be fixing a window pain. An improvement would be replacing a window. If you are unsure on whether an improvement you have made to your home can be counted or not I would recommend speaking to a qualified tax professional or look at page 9 of publication 523 which details tax issues when selling a home.

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About the author: The above Real Estate information on tax breaks on home improvements was provided by Bill Gassett, a Nationally recognized leader in his field. Bill can be reached via email at billgassett@remaxexec.com or by phone at 508-435-5356. Bill has helped people move in and out of many Metrowest towns for the last 24+ Years.

Thinking of selling your home? I have a passion for Real Estate and love to share my marketing expertise!

Tagged as: Home Improvement Tax Credit, Home Improvement Tax Deductions, Real Estate Capital Gain Reduction, Reducing Taxes From Home Improvements, Tax Breaks on Home Improvements, Tax Reduction Home Improvements

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Solving Basement Water Problems

by Bill Gassett on October 20, 2010 · 10 comments

Working as a Massachusetts Realtor for almost twenty five years, I can say without question that one of the greatest fears of any home owner is having a water problem in their basement!

When buying a home, the uneasiness of having a water issue will be magnified ten fold if the intention of the owner is to finish the basement as additional living space.

Having a little bit of water in an 2oo year old colonial with old stone foundation walls and a dirt floor is far more acceptable than seeing even a drop of water in a luxurious finished lower level that you find in many high end homes today.

When you have a beautifully finished space with plastered walls, fancy wood work and plush carpeting the last thing you want to deal with is a water issue. Not only will a wet basement have a serious impact on a homes marketability and value, it can create health risks due to the possibility of mold.

When you have mold you also have another very costly problem to fix as well! I won’t even mention the fact that where there is water there is also insects not too far behind. Water issues can lead to termites and carpenter ants…two things you want to avoid!

If you own a Massachusetts home solving a basements water problems boil down to how and where the water penetration occurs.

Fixing surface water

One of the easiest fixes to a basement water issue is when the water is coming from improper drainage around the home. Some wet basements are easy to cure just by unclogging the exterior gutter system. It is amazing how many times I have come across a home that has a couple years of leaves that have become lodged in the gutters, completely rendering them useless. When it rains you see the water just pouring right over the gutters into the ground below causing a serious back up where the water has no where to go.

Another possible issue with basement water problems occur when the downspouts of the gutters are not extended far enough away from the foundation again causing the water to pool. One solution besides extending the downspouts is permanent underground piping that is capable of moving larger quantities of water further from the house.

If the gutters have been cleared of all debris and the water from them is taking the intended path it may be that the yard is improperly sloped back towards the house.

Most experts recommend that your yard slope at least 6 inches to a foot away from the house. In other words there should be a crowning effect that carries the water away from the foundation.

Correcting a drainage problem such as this can usually be fixed by consulting with a professional landscaper. Be careful that you do not add to much soil close to the foundation of your home. After listening to numerous home inspectors over the years the recommended amount of concrete showing from the ground to the siding should be six inches to avoid insect and water damage.

Repairing water penetration through a crack

If the water penetration into the basement can be seen coming through a crack this is generally an easy fix as well. There are times where a home owner could fix this themselves if the crack is small enough. If this is the case mixing up some hydraulic cement and plugging it into the crevice should suffice.

When the crack is on a large scale the recommending treatment is through an epoxy injection. The process of epoxy injection closes the crack and restores the structural integrity of the wall. The company that is highly regarded for repairing foundation cracks in Massachusetts is Crack-X.

I have recommended them for crack repair on a number of my clients homes and they have always done an excellent job. Fixing a crack with Crack-X will be far more costly than doing the work yourself but in the long run will be worth it.

Repairing/cleaning footing drains

If water is leaking the basement at the bottom of the wall or at the seams where the wall meets the floor, the issue probably isn’t surface water but hydrostatic pressure pushing out water that is in the ground.

If this is the case check to see whether you have footing drains. A footing drain is underground pipes installed when the house was built to carry water away from the foundation. There should be a drain or manhole in the basement floor or a clean out pipe just above the floor line. The drains could be clogged, in which case you can just flush them out with a garden hose.

Another avenue to try if you don’t have footing drains is to create what is called a curtain drain. A curtain drain is a type of French drain system that is underground in a trench with gravel that diverts the water away from the house before it gets there. This type of drainage system would be far less expensive than either an interior or exterior water proofing method.

Interior drainage system with sump pump

An interior drainage system can be a less costly fix than an exterior drainage system as long as the basement is unfinished. If you cant keep water penetration occurring from the outside this is the way to go. An interior drainage system is one of the most common you will see. An interior system is created by sawing out a channel of concrete around the perimeter of the foundation. Perforated pipe is put in the dug trench. The pipe drains to the basements low spot where a sump pump will remove the water.

Outside water proofing system with French Drains

An outside water proofing system can be one of the most effective means of keeping water out of a basement but also one of the more expensive solutions. With an exterior system a French Drain is installed around the perimeter of the home.

The reason why this is the most costly method is because some serious excavation work has to take place around the entire home. It is possible you may have to remove brick patios, walkways, decks and mature landscaping! You could easily spend ten’s of thousands of dollars with this method but if you have water penetrations from multiple locations it could be the best solution.

One of the more well known Massachusetts Basement water repair companies that solves the whole gamete of water problems is a company called B-Dry Waterproofing.

The company offers the only water proofing method that permanently stops all the ways water can enter your basement. According to the company the will stop water:

Through floor cracks
From under the footer
From over the footer
Through wall cracks and mortar joints
Bleeding and sweating of the foundation walls
Allow a permanent means for water to drain

B-Dry is located in Lexington Massachusetts and they can be reached at 781-861-7897.

The other well know Massachusetts basement water repair company is Basement Technologies.

The Basement Technologies company also does a wide variety of water penetration fixes. They are well know for their jingle 1-800-busy-dog. For all your basement water proofing needs you can visit their website at Basement Technologies.

Keeping your basement free of water will go a long way in making sure you are able to get top dollar from your home when it is time to sell!

Other Real Estate articles worth reading:

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About the author: The above Real Estate information on solving basement water problems was provided by Bill Gassett, a Nationally recognized leader in his field. Bill can be reached via email at billgassett@remaxexec.com or by phone at 508-435-5356. Bill has helped people move in and out of many Metrowest towns for the last 24+ Years.

Thinking of selling your home? I have a passion for Real Estate and love to share my marketing expertise!

I service Real Estate needs in the following towns in Metrowest MA: Hopkinton, Milford, Southboro, Westboro, Ashland, Holliston, Medway, Franklin, Framingham, Grafton, Hopedale, Mendon, Upton, Northbridge, Shrewsbury, Northboro, Bellingham, Uxbridge, Worcester and Douglas.

Tagged as: B-Dry System, Basement Technologies, Basement Waterproofing, Busy Dog, Crack X, Fixing Basement Water Issues, How to Fix a Leaky Basement, Massachusetts Basement Water Repair, Solving Basement Water Problems, Stopping Basement Water Problem, Wet Basement Repair Options

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Home Energy Saving Tips For The Winter Months

by Bill Gassett on October 12, 2010 · 9 comments

It is no secret that energy prices have been a big part of every Massachusetts home owners budget for the last few years.

As we head towards Winter there are some fairly easy and inexpensive things you can do to save additional money and conserve energy. Some are fairly obvious and easy.

Easy energy saving tips for your home

Turn back the thermostat - People automatically assume that turning back the thermostat will save loads of money. The key here is not to turn it too far back! When you are heating a home everything in the house gets warmed as well. So all the furniture, cabinets and other items in the home act as a sponge absorbing heat.

When you turn the heat down it actually makes the furnace work harder to raise the home temperature as well as everything in the home back to the original temp.

What I would suggest is to upgrade to a programmable thermostat and set the temperature down during the time when you are not home. You want to make sure however that you are not turning the temperature down drastically.

For example, I would not change the difference in temperature by more than 5 degrees. So if you are normally comfortable at 70 degrees I would not set the thermostat back to more than 65 degrees.

As an additional thought, if your home is equipped with a multiple zone system, I would also suggest that you may want to keep the area of your home where you sleep a little bit warmer than the rest of the home. If all of your bedrooms are on the 2nd floor there is no sense in keeping the downstairs the same temperature as the bedroom area. Have your thermostat set to go down at night on the 1st floor by a few degrees and then come back up in the morning.

Close the fireplace damper – This is one of the easiest things to forget about but also a place where a lot of heat loss can occur in a home. Don’t let all that heat get lost going up and out the chimney.

Give your heating system a tune up – Proper maintenance is vital to keeping your heating system running as efficiently as possible. Make sure that you have your heating system cleaned and inspected at least once a year if you have oil heat and at least every two years if you are using gas as a fuel source. During the heating season make sure that your filters are changed once a month.

Fill the gaps with weather stripping and caulking- make sure all your doors and windows are tight. Just the other day I noticed a draft coming from the interior door leading to the garage. I had not noticed that the weather stripping was missing. You can pick up an item like this at Home Depot or Lowe’s for under ten dollars. If you have a home with older windows make sure you caulk and gaps. Using the locks also provides for a tighter and less draft resistant fix.

Window air conditioners- If your home is not cooled by a central air system and you are using window air conditioners make sure that all the gaps between the window and exterior have been filled. This is a notorious problem for air penetration.

Add additional insulation to the home – Adding additional insulation to your attic, basement and outside walls is a low cost improvement that returns money the longer you stay in the home. This can be done either with insulation bats or with blown in cellulose.

Keep furniture away from vents – If you have furniture blocking your vents you will drastically cut the efficiency of the heating system. In one of the rooms in my home I happen to have long draperies. This can be a problem as well if they are not tied back. Keeping your drapes away from blocking the vents is an important consideration.

Keep the vents clean – Make sure you keep your baseboard, radiators and registers dust and dirt free. This will not only have a drag on efficiency but who wants to breath lousy air. If your home has a forced hot air heating system it is easy to accumulate dust and debris. There are many companies that you can call to have your ducts cleaned.

Seal your duct work – If you have FHA (forced hot air) make sure the ducts are properly sealed. Over time the tape used to seal openings and joints can start to open or even fall off.

Unplug appliances not in use - One of the biggest drains on energy consumption is having an extra appliance like a fridge. There are many that folks that have them. Of course guys are notorious for wanting to have that extra place to store their beer. Things like extra televisions and other household appliances that do not get use often should also get unplugged. These appliances although are not being used still drain energy and cost you money. The term often used to describe this is “leaking energy”. Look at the electrical meter on your house before and after doing this and see what I mean.

Use power strips – Plug home electronics devices, such as TVs and stereo equipment, into power strips; turn the power strips off when the equipment is not in use.

Clean the refrigerator coils – Once a year you should vacuum or clean the fridge coils especially if you have a pet. Dirt, dust and pet hair on the coils will impede air flow and make the heat transfer less efficient forcing the appliance to work harder. It is estimated that dirty coils can cut the energy use by 6%. This would save around 15$ per year on an older fridge.

Turn off bath fans – After taking a shower make sure the bath fan does not stay on longer than necessary. This is an opportunity for heat to get sucked out of a home.

Turn down water heater temperature – In most homes the water temperature set on a water heater is between 130-145 degrees. Setting the temp back to 120 is more than enough for a hot shower. It is estimated that a 10 degree temperature reduction can reduce water heating costs by 5%. Lowering the temperature by 20 degrees could save the average family around 50$ per year.

Low flow shower heads – Install low flow shower heads to conserve heated water. Also keeping the time in the shower down also helps.

Wrap the water heater – You can buy a water heater wrap at most hardware stores, Home Depot, or Lowes for around 25$. The blanket will pay for itself in a year and offer saving after that. According to the Department of Energy this will save the average household around 4-9% of their annual total water heating costs (around 12$-48$ for most homes.) It will also help to insulate the first 6 feet of the hot and cold water pipes connected to the water heater.

Purchase energy star products – Energy Star Products are much more efficient and designed to save energy. For example an Energy Star fridge uses about 20% less energy than a standard refrigerator. Over time the savings can really add up.

Open shades and curtains – Opening shades and curtains on the South side of the home is something that will give you a little something extra on those sunny days with a solar effect. Remember to close them at night to help keep the heat inside.

Interested in getting an Energy Star Audit on your home? Visit the Energy Star Audit website to get an evaluation done on your property. An energy star audit could really help you save some cash.

You can also visit the state by state Energy Star directory to find out if Home Performance with Energy Star is offered near you. For additional energy savings tips I would suggest visiting the Department of Energy website. I hope this advice provides some cost savings and helps reduce your homes energy bills!

Hail Damage to Roofs|Insurance Claims From Hail

September 21, 2010

Massachusetts Hail Damaged Roofs If you live in the Metrowest area of Massachusetts there is the strong possibility that the roof on your home may have been damaged by the hail storm that took place in May of 2009. You may be thinking to yourself that you remember the hail storm but looked up at [...]

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Rhino Shield An Exterior Painting Alternative

September 8, 2010

Rhino Shield is something you may be reading about more and more in the near future. It is just starting to become popular as an alternative to painting a home. If you live in Massachusetts or any of the other the New England states you already know that our varied seasons can do a number [...]

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Massachusetts Moving and Storage With PODS

July 27, 2010

If you are pretty observant like I am you may have noticed a white container in a local yard that had in big bold lettering the word PODS and wondered what it was. PODS is short for portable on demand storage. More than likely a home owner who has one of these units is either [...]

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Home Warranty Benefits For Massachusetts Homes

June 22, 2010

Home warranties are something you see every now and then being offered by a Massachusetts home seller who is looking to provide a perk and piece of mind to a prospective home buyer. The seller pays for the warranty upfront and the Realtor advertises that the property comes with a home warranty. A home warranty [...]

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