Most people have forced air heating and some are not aware that the filters need to be changed twice a year and the ducts cleaned once a year.

Water Intrusion

Rain water and spray from sprinklers gets into siding, framing, windows, foundations and insulation causing mildew and wood rot.

Remedy: all cracks and open seams should be cleaned and caulked with a good quality weather seal just before the onset of winter. This will prevent water damage and mildew.

Wood Rot

Rot, fungus infestation and mildew are; a major cause of structural damage in wood frame homes. They are to wood as cancer is to humans, insidious, relentless and ultimately consuming.

Remedy: Cut back vegetation 1 foot minimum away from the sides of the house, prevent wood/soil contact, keep outside of house well caulked and painted, encourage adequate ventilation under house, check under house for water leaks around plumbing in kitchen, bathroom and laundry. Cut out and replace rotten wood. Don't pile firewood or allow water absorbing debris to collect next to house.

Termites!

Yikes, now you are in trouble: Those little wood gnawing pests sneak into our home uninvited and proceed to have our house for lunch! They usually enter through a wood/soil contact area where there is alsoalso dense vegetation and moisture.

Remedy: Follow remedy for wood rot and buy a vial of nematodes, mix with a gallon of distilled water and pour one cup of the solution in one foot deep holes 3 feet apart around your house. Nematodes are microscopic parasites to termites which infest and destroy termite colonies. You can also can fill a hand plant sprayer with the mixture and spray the termite colony directly if you uncover areas where you can see the termites.