Termite repairs

You see: Wrinkled wood.Cause: This could be an indicator of dry rot. Wood should look smooth. If you see wrinkled or wavy wood, or if your trim or siding looks different than other parts, it’s cause for concern. This mostly affects the exterior.Who to call: A home repair specialist.You see: Insect wings on windowsills or in spider webs.Cause: Don’t panic, but this could be a sign of nearby termite swarms. It doesn’t mean you’ve got termites, but if you’ve already got moisture problems, like a black look on the walls or bubbling paint, you might want to call a termite specialist. Moisture attracts termites. It’s hard to tell inside the walls, but if you see any mud tubes coming out of the walls or on any pieces of wood, you’ve got termites. Who to call: A termite professional.You see: Black streaks or black circles around nails on hardwood floors.Cause: This most often occurs near doors. If you’ve got an old home with exposed nail flooring and you see blackness around those nails, chances are that you’ve got moisture getting underneath the door sill, and it's corroding the nails. If the wood is cupping up, the problem is really bad. Who to call: A home repair specialist to do the preliminary fix, then you’ll need a flooring specialist to refinish the area.

12. What shape are the windows in? Is there rot in the window frames? Are the frames shot? If the windows are in really bad shape, it is probably best to replace them with modern ones that have double glazing and a greater R-value (a measure of the efficiency of insulation).If the old windows are in decent shape or have an unusual shape, size or true divided lights, consider putting the money and hours into saving them. It will probably be more expensive to replace them with something comparable.

Black streaks or black circles around nails on hardwood floors

12. What shape are the windows in? Is there rot in the window frames? Are the frames shot? If the windows are in really bad shape, it is probably best to replace them with modern ones that have double glazing and a greater R-value (a measure of the efficiency of insulation). If the old windows are in decent shape or have an unusual shape, size or true divided lights, consider putting the money and hours into saving them. It will probably be more expensive to replace them with something comparable.

You see: Black streaks or black circles around nails on hardwood floors. Cause: This most often occurs near doors. If you’ve got an old home with exposed nail flooring and you see blackness around those nails, chances are that you’ve got moisture getting underneath the door sill, and it's corroding the nails. If the wood is cupping up, the problem is really bad. Who to call: A home repair specialist to do the preliminary fix, then you’ll need a flooring specialist to refinish the area.