Natural and Sustainable

When it comes to buying or even renting a home, you should always do a walk-through before signing your name to anything. The hidden details are super important when you are wanting to fork over your money to anything to live in. There are many pitfalls that a lot of home owners and even renter fail to look for and you could end up paying a lot more money to repair it, or be blamed for it when the time comes to move on. Here is a simple list of those hidden details to keep your eyes open for.

1. Is there adequate insulation: A lot of homes, especially older homes are missing insulation in the attics, crawl spaces and even the most obvious of spaces. Make sure the insulation isn’t discolored around the edge either. This can indicate the there was some sort of leak that occurred, be is air or even water. Be sure to check all of these and make sure the insulation used won’t harm your health or the environment. Cellulose insulation is a great way to go and ask about it before signing. This option is more environmentally friendly and won’t cause air leaks like with other forms. Fiberglass insulation is so five years ago.

2. Check the furnace and make sure it’s up to date: A lot of older homes still contain older models of furnaces. Older models and even midrange furnaces contain a metal exhaust piping that continue on to the outside of the home. Newer furnaces will have plastic PVC piping that is white. Check the furnaces rating as well. Make sure it is an energy efficiency model.

3. Always check for mold: This is a definite no no in a lot of older homes, but unfortunately, a lot of homes still contain mold. Check the carpet edges, in closets and doorways, discoloring of the floor in any area. Even newer homes that are sealed up can harbor mold from the shower moisture to cooking moisture.

*Natural and Sustainable Living Tip: When you go to replace your home’s roof, choose a light color is you life in a region that has hot summers, and make sure your roof is Energy-Star labeled, this option will also help keep you home cooler.