Do you spend much time thinking about and examining the drywall in your home? If you're like most homeowners, it rarely crosses your mind even though you are surrounded by it most of the time—and that's fair. Drywall is definitely not the most noticeable or thrilling building material. In fact, it's kind of designed to fade into the background. But when it has suffered ugly problems such as holes, cracks, water stains, peeling joint tape and other issues, suddenly, everyone can't stop looking at the problem area every time they enter the room.
Drywall damage isn't just an unsightly cosmetic issue, though. It affects more than just the appearance of your Renton home and can make it a lot less comfortable for you and your family. It can also cause your monthly utility bill to increase, wasting money that should be safe in your bank account.
Here are some of the unpleasant problems that can occur with damaged drywall:
- Holes in your drywall lower your home's energy efficiency by allowing warm and cool air from your HVAC system to escape inside the walls. That means your furnace or air conditioner must operate longer and use more energy, significantly increasing your energy costs.
- Drywall damage reduces the sound separation between rooms, which means you can hear every whisper or bump from the next room. That's especially a problem for multi-family dwellings or people who like to crank up the tunes.
- It encourages rodent and insect infestations by giving pests an access point into your house—and once one of them finds a way in, dozens of their little friends will soon follow.
- Problems such as water stains or softened drywall often indicate a much bigger problem lurking behind the wall, like a leaking pipe or roof. While you may not be excited to discover water damage, it is much easier to deal with the earlier you find it.
So, what should you look for in a drywall repairman? You want to hire an experienced Renton handyman who will take care of the entire process from start to finish. Our drywall repair services include:
- Putting down drop cloths to help contain the mess
- Removing the old, damaged drywall
- Hanging new Sheetrock
- Covering the joints between panels and the corners with drywall tape
- Applying joint compound over the tape
- Sanding the dried compound to create a smooth, even surface
- Painting over the patch so the repair is invisible
- Cleaning up after ourselves
- Rehanging your framed photos and curtains for the finishing touches
Tile Installation
Tile has a lot going for it. It's attractive, durable, long-lasting, and incredibly versatile. That explains why most of the homes in Renton have some tile on the floors, walls or both. It comes in a vast array of shapes, sizes, patterns, colors and textures, which means a new tile installation is the perfect way to put your own stamp on your home by infusing it with your sense of style. Or, you may be thinking of selling your Renton home in the near future. If that's the case, it's a good idea to choose a classic, neutral tile look that will encourage prospective buyers to imagine themselves living there.
When choosing the perfect tile for your home, consider the location and the purpose of your tile installation. For example, is function or aesthetic most important for this area of the house? Does it need to be low maintenance? And how important is water resistance?
The types of tile our team of skilled handyman pros can install include:
- Ceramic and porcelain
- Natural stone such as slate, marble, or travertine
- Quarry
- Mosaic
- Glass
Wood Rot Repair
Have you noticed softened, crumbling wood on the exterior of your house? Wooden elements of your house, such as trim, siding, porches and decks, are particularly vulnerable to the Renton homeowner's worst enemy, wood rot. That's because wood rot is a form of decay caused by wood-eating fungi that require timber to have a moisture content of 20% or higher to begin growing, and in our climate, the outside of your house is constantly being soaked by the rain, sometimes with no chance to dry out before the next rainfall.
Wood rot can cause serious structural issues if it is left to fester for too long. It can also eat away at the wooden exterior trim around windows and doors, letting in cold air drafts that change the temperature in your home and cause your HVAC system to operate for longer. That wastes energy and can cause a significant increase in your monthly utility bill.
Not sure if your Renton property needs exterior wood rot repair? Grab a screwdriver and examine exposed timber carefully for these signs:
- Patches of wood with a white, yellow or purple hue or discolored patches that appear lighter or darker than the rest of the timber
- Changes in texture where the wood appears spongy, stringy or webbed with cracks
- Wood is breaking into cube-shaped pieces, which is called a cubical fracture, or is crumbling into "sawdust"
- There may be mushrooms sprouting from the wood in very advanced cases
If you see a possible rotten area, press your screwdriver against the suspicious patch. If it sinks into the wood with little or no resistance, you are, unfortunately, dealing with wood rot. There is no way to restore rotted wood to its former condition, but if there are only a couple of tiny patches of rot, your handyman may be able to repair it by scraping out the rotten parts and filling the holes with epoxy wood filler. We have plenty of experience with wood rot repair in Renton and can restore your home to sound, appealing condition.
