Your home is probably the biggest purchase you will ever make, therefore its imperative that you maintain it and keep it in good condition. Should you ever have to sell the property and move on, you will be assured that problems will not arise during the transfer due to lack of proper maintenance.

Architects Belfast offer architectural services that can carry out annual inspections of your home and report on what repairs, if any, are necessary to keep the property in good condition. In addition the report could highlight any repairs that require attention immediately or list out those regular repairs that should be carried out on a ongoing basis, for example cleaning out the rain water gutters.

You could however carry out your own inspection by following this simple checklist:

Chimneys – check that the chimney pots are not tilting slightly to the side. This would suggest that the sand cement fillet that secures the pots has become loose. If it is a brick chimney inspect the sand cement pointing between the bricks. Re-pointing may be necessary in some cases. Use a set of binoculars to have a close up look at the chimney stack. Also look for missing or loose lead flashings between the roof and the stack.

Main roof – Check that none of the roof tiles are cracked or slipped out of position allowing water to penetrate.

Rainwater goods – if metal gutters, make sure no parts are rusting. The gutters should be thoroughly inspected for leaking joints. Look out for water staining on the ground suggesting a leak overhead. Make sure the gutters are cleaned out including the downpipes and they are flowing correctly. The gutters should be falling towards the downpipes otherwise ponding will occur.

Fascia and barge boards – the fascia board is positioned at the bottom of the roof slope that supports the rainwater gutters. The barge board is on the roof overhang on the gable walls. They are usually constructed in wood. Look for any signs of rot or pieces missing.

Doors and windows – check each window sash for weather tightness and that all the window catches are fitting correctly. The window sills should not be damaged and have sections broken off. Check for dampness internally below the sills. Also check external doors for close fitting to the frames. If door are sticking adjust as required.

Brickwork – poke at the sand cement pointing between the joints with a screw driver for soundness. Some repointing may be necessary

Render – tap on the walls for unsound render or cracking that could allow water to penetrate.

Paintwork – look out for blisters or flaking paintwork. Sound paintwork is essential to protect the timber or metalwork below. Faulty paintwork can lead to more extensive remedial action later.

The above kind of scrutiny should also be applied to paths, driveways, fences and outbuildings. Remedial action should be carried as soon as possible after detection. Failure to act in sufficient time could lead to major repairs in the future.

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