Atlanta, Georgia Home Maintenance

DriveWay

A driveway with problems is one of those areas of the house that often goes unnoticed until it’s too late. And by then the fix can be very expensive.

Major driveway problems often are the result of poor drainage. During the winter water seeps into cracks, continually freezing, thawing, expanding and contracting until the surface becomes loose. Most problems are accelerated with neglect. But you can put the brakes on driveway problems.

-- Fill holes and cracks immediately to prevent water damage.

-- Clean driveways annually to remove gas and oil stains.

-- Keep a watch out for weeds that may grow into the cracks and pull them out immediately.

-- Seal asphalt driveways every other year with a top quality oil-based sealant.

With proper construction and regular maintenance you can steer clear of problems and enjoy a driveway that should last more than 25 years.

Basements

If your home includes a basement, your basement foundation walls are generally treated on their exterior surfaces with materials designed to minimize dampness on the interior basement walls. However, during periods of excessive moisture, some dampness may nonetheless occur. Over time, natural compaction of the soils in the backfill areas adjacent to the basement foundation walls will help minimize such dampness. Careful maintenance of exterior drainage and of the foundation drain/sump pump systems will also help minimize dampness. Regular and close observation of dampness conditions is important to help avoid water-related problems such as mold and/or incidental and consequential damages to personal property.

Tuckpoint Mortar Joints

Fortunately the need to repair a mortar joint is more common than having to replace a brick. The mortar joint plays a significant role in the structure and structural integrity of the wall. It holds the bricks together, it bears the compressive weight of the wall just as the bricks, and it keeps water out of the wall. It is also the weak link in the brick wall system because if water is allowed to get past the mortar and into the wall, brick failure may occur such as cracking or popping (spalling).

The process of repairing a mortar joint is called tuckpointing This term is derived because you are tucking mortar into the damaged mortar joint with the point of a trowel called a "pointing trowel".

We strive to earn your continued business with each and every visit to your home. Our goal is to provide you
with the extraordinary service you should expect, while treating you and your home with respect and care.