Maryland and D.C. Home Improvement and Home Inspection discussion and Repair Advice

Hey Fynches ! Here in Baltimore/ Washington we are expecting an old fashion Nor’Easter on Tuesday with accumulations upwards of 12”.  We are not one to panic BUT, a snow this late in winter typically is WET and HEAVY. Forecasters are also expecting strong winds and potential for structural damage, downed trees, and power outages will be present. Below are some tips that we recommend every homeowner take before Tuesday. Before the storm, we recommend you do the following:         - Inspect the underside of your roof (check attic): Any damage or signs of leaking should be treated as an emergency and repaired immediately. Do a visual inspection outside: Gutters, deck, etc.         - Organize shovels and winter clothing: If you power goes out- sleeping bags, and blankets by the fireplace are key.         - Cooking: Lighters, bbq grill or camp stove (with full tank of fuel) are useful if power g...

CLEARING YOUR HOME’S SIDEWALK: Does Salt really hurt? By EFynch, homeowner advice Baltimore, MD- Does salt really hurt the concrete around your home? The short answer, yes. The old fashioned rock salt is cheap and plentiful but in most cases can damage your concrete driveway, patio and sidewalk. Concrete is porous and when salt is applied it can be absorbed, freezes, etc.- causing flaking and cracking. If the concrete was done properly, the chances of this happening are reduced however in our estimation (based on gut feelings and not facts), 90% of the concrete that we see may be subject to salt degradation! There are also cases where too much salt can be applied to correctly cured concrete so therefore no sidewalk is immune- we recommend avoiding rock salt in any case where concrete (or pets) are present. As an alternative, you want to find a product which contains Calcium, Magnesium, Potassium Chloride or (the more expensive) Glycols as the main ingredient. There are...