Owning a house is a major milestone in your life, and homeownership is a major investment. Not only are homes so prohibitively expensive that they necessitate that the average person takes out a loan to afford it, but then you have to worry about keeping the house in good condition to maximize your quality of life and, potentially, its value when it comes time to sell. Here’s what you need to know about making your home more livable.

Foundation

The foundation has become the ultimate metaphor for first steps, and so it should be the first thing you look at when moving into a new home. Cracks in the foundation are initially a minor problem, but it can become much more devastating if left alone. The warning signs of a faulty foundation are tilted walls and cracked windows and door frames, but the worst possible side effect of this problem is that it can eventually cause the house to collapse entirely. Have your home’s foundation inspected when you move in, and try to find foam foundation repair Tulsa OK, when it comes time to make repairs.

Water Damage

Another problem that might seem insignificant at first is water damage. Like a crack in the foundation, a spot of water damage can be all but meaningless in the moment, but both also worsen over time until the problem threatens the structural integrity of the house as a whole. Water damage is particularly insidious because affected lumber will need to be replaced entirely. Excess moisture can contribute to other problems, such as weakening the foundation to cause a crack. Water damaged wood will first warp and then rot. Both cases present an irreversible problem that necessitates replacing the lumber outright. Moreover, water damage is often caused by leaky pipes or roofs, so you’ll need to root out the cause of the moisture to prevent the worst.