When you first move into an old home, the most important repairs you need to do are often the ones you can’t see. You may be dying to pull down that peeling wallpaper or replace those 1970s kitchen cabinets, but there is no point if the house is crumbling beneath you. Repairs first, facelift second.
Here are the top areas to check in your old home right from the beginning.
Structural Repairs to Identify First
When we talk structural repairs we are talking about the bones of your home – the foundation, roof, even the chimney.
The best advice here is to spend time observing to identify your problem areas. When it is pouring rain, go outside and watch the gutters and downspouts. Look for areas of pooling water near the foundation.
Go into the basement and note any moisture. Try to trace it back to its source. Is it coming through the wall, a basement window, or the ground under the floor?
Do the same with the attic. Look for drips. Check the area around the chimney. Is there any water getting through the flashing?
Even the smallest amount of water getting into your home can lead to major repairs down the road. Address it early and check often.
System Repairs for Your Old Home
The most prevalent repairs in an old home are system-based ones, such as heating, electrical, plumbing, and septic. Unless your house is fully renovated (which I assume it’s not otherwise, you wouldn’t be visiting this blog!), these systems will each need to be addressed and updated at some point. But sometimes, they can be put off for a bit and worked on piecemeal, which is a more budget-friendly approach.
Heating
You will have a better idea of your needs in this area after your first winter season. There are a lot of temporary repairs you can do until you are ready to do a major overhaul of your heating, like upgrading to a more energy-efficient system. Do make sure your heating pipes are properly insulated in areas where they may be exposed to cold, such as against exterior walls or if you have any in your garage. Most likely drafts will be your biggest problem in the beginning.
Electrical
In older houses knob and tube wiring gets missed during the original home inspection. This can happen because the wires are covered or outlets have been updated to grounded ones but may still be tied in to knob and tube. This type of wiring can be dangerous, especially if the wires are surrounded by insulation or if a part of the wiring is damaged. You may not discover you have this issue until you start pulling down ceilings and opening walls. But if you do discover it this is an update that will need to be made immediately and by a professional.
Plumbing
This is one of the more challenging but most likely needed repairs in your home. With old homes come old pipes. Long-term corrosion could be hidden, and even a small drip from a pipe can accumulate moisture over time and lead to major damage. Check for low pressure from your faucets.
Turn on several faucets and flush the toilets notice any major pressure fluctuations, this can be an indication of a clog or issue down within the pipes. This area is one where we strongly recommend you bring a professional. You can handle small plumbing issues like dripping faucets and running toilets, but major pipes should be handled by the pros. They most likely will upgrade the pipes to PVC, which will be far less likely to corrode over time. Plus, they will ensure everything is up to code. Did you know some states don’t allow P traps anymore? We didn’t!
Septic
Depending on what state you live in this may have been addressed before you purchased the home. The best situation (from a repair perspective) is to be on town/city sewer. But if you do have your own septic/cesspool be sure it is emptied right when you move in. This will allow you to track how much waste you are accumulating and also if it isn’t draining to a leaching field properly. Be sure to have it pumped on a regular schedule (typically every 2 years) after that. Set a recurring task in your phone calendar so you don’t forget.
Additional Areas of Repair in an Old House
Two other critical repairs that may need to happen immediately and that homeowners typically overlook are toxic hazards and bugs.
Asbestos
Asbestos was used for decades as an insulating material. It could be in your exterior siding, in your insulation, or wrapped around your pipes. If there is any asbestos in your home you need to hire a professional removal service. Our advice is to do it first and before you move into your home. That way you will not have to worry about moving things out of the way or any of your belongings getting contaminated. We did this with our first home. We affectionately called the furnace the abominable snowman as it was completely encapsulated in white asbestos insulation. Having small children at the time, we chose to have this removed from the house before we even stepped foot into it. Best choice we could have made.
Lead
You may or may not be aware if there is lead paint in your home. Odds are if your house is older than 1978 you have some. This can be toxic to children and pets. There is a process to encapsulating or removing lead paint, and depending on who lives in your home, this may need to be the first major repair for you if there are areas of flaking or peeling paint.
Insects
Most old homes are made of wood and are extremely susceptible to bug damage. Think termites, carpenter ants, and powderpost beetles Have a pest inspection done, and if needed, have a spray of your residence before you move in. Also, have them set up a termite monitoring system around the perimeter of your home so you can know immediately if you do develop any bug activity.
We know this seems like a lot but not all of these repairs need to be done at once. These are areas you should look at and assess. They are all critically important to the health of your home and should not be ignored. If any of these issues are spotted then those are the repairs to do first. Honestly, the moisture-based ones are a top priority because moisture will quietly destroy your beautiful home.
Did you have any different repairs you did first? Or are you thankful you did one of the above repairs immediately? Comment down below.