Fox Mountain Property Inspections

Home Inspection

Fill the Gap!

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Caulking the Wide Open Spaces 

 

Have you ever filled that wide gap in the exterior trim with the best caulk you could buy, and the next year it pulled away from one surface, leaving a large gap? Or you tried to fill a wider gap, and the caulk just fell in the hole?

What went wrong? No backer rod.

Before professionals fill a large gap with caulk, they bridge the wide opening with a stiff foam backer rod. The backer rod is wide enough so friction holds it just below the gap’s surface. The rod supports the caulk applied in an hourglass shape with a height-to-width ratio of about 1:2.

Why? Caulk needs to expand and contract as surfaces move. The hourglass shape allows the caulk to bond to only two surfaces; the narrower section easily expands and contracts with movement. Caulk should never completely fill a space. It should never be applied to three sides or an unbridgeable wide gap, or it will quickly fail. Caulk can’t expand and contract when it is pulled in three directions or when the cross-section is too thick.

You will find backer rods in larger paint and hardware stores. It is sold in lengths like rope, and it comes in various diameters. Choose a diameter that is wider than the gap to be filled, and force the rod into place with a blunt tool or putty knife.

 

Will a FHA 203K allow a swimming pool?

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As 203(k) renovation mortgages gain in popularity, many of you have recently asked me whether cosmetic repairs and upgrades are eligible.
While there are limitations to the things you can do with a 203(k) renovation loan, they are small when you consider what your clients CAN do!
The FHA 203(k) loan was designed to rehabilitate a home that has safety and soundness defects such as unsafe electrical wiring or a failed roof. However, it also allows the homeowner to make many wonderful improvements to the home, such as renovate an outdated kitchen, install central air conditioning, add a bathroom or even create additional square footage and living space.
A 203(k) loan will allow the homeowner to perform desired improvements to a property up to 10% over the after-repaired appraised value of the home. So no, unfortunately, it will not cover the addition of a new swimming pool, however it will allow repairs to an existing pool structure up to a specific amount.
As an FHA-Certified consultant, one of my roles is to inspect a property and determine which repairs are mandatory (necessary to reach FHA Minimum Property Standards), recommended (for example, replace older, poorly functioning windows) and desired (cosmetic or other upgrades). From there, I assist the homeowners and their mortgage professional with every remaining step in the process.
The 203(k) loan is able to be used for any property up to a four-family dwelling. The loan holder must occupy the property, but in the case of a multi-family dwelling, the borrower can use the other units for tenants.
Call us at 301-685-3145 to schedule a 203(k) consultation or to ask questions about the process.