Sunday, 27 May 2012

Exterior Wood And What It Means When Buying A House

By Cole Harris


When house hunting, you have to consider a number of things before making the purchase. For one thing, if there is wood and brick in the house's exterior, there are several issues you need to be mindful of.

Without a doubt, wood looks just spectacular when it is used to frame a home's exterior. In fact, we honestly wonder why stucco and other materials are a big hit and wood isn't. But then again, it may be perfectly understandable because when compared to those other materials, wood is just not that durable in comparison. If you are looking for a home that is accentuated with exterior wood siding and trim, consider the following tips when deciding whether such a home is worth the purchase or not.

The first thing is a little-known fact that is definitely not that obvious to the uninitiated - wood's appearance and condition are not directly correlated. While that piece of wood trim you saw in a prospective new home may look fabulous, it certain isn't fabulous to have termites eating away at the wood, which is a possibility. When inspecting wood exteriors, never trust your eyes.

The degradation of wood is another important issue to consider. When looking at particular areas, make absolutely sure you physically touch the wood. You want to give the wooden areas a generous little poke to get a better idea of where it stands. Remember that you are looking out for soft spots in the wood. If the wood is soft, you have every reason to be worried, because this signifies some sort of rot. If you find rot in one area, then it doesn't take a Vegas gambler to bet that the rest of the structure is festering with rot. Honestly speaking, I suggest that you move on and look for other homes you may have in your shortlist.

As bad as it is to find soft spots in the wood, we're not yet done with the worst part. If you poke or squeeze a piece of wood and dust or bits fall off, run for the care. This type of degradation is often a sign of termite problems. Termite problems are a deal-breaker for any prudent house hunter. If you still insist on buying the house, you will need to have the house tented in order to annihilate the malevolent little critters and to pay for repairs and further inspections to take care of any damage. But you wouldn't really want to buy such a house, right?

There's no argument - wood is attractive as an exterior. But remember once again, that what is essential IS invisible to the eyes, and it is essential to inspect your prospective home thoroughly before buying it.




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