Spring Home Inspection in Whitmore Lake, MI

Spring Home Inspection in Whitmore Lake, MI

As life slowly returns to the earth…

Its time for you to take your annual walkabout the house to learn what winter has done to your home – unbeknownst to you – over the winter!

Much can be learned from a visual inspection.  Your house is trying to talk to you…so open yours eyes and listen!

Trees.  Everybody loves their trees and loathe to cut them down or back, but keep in mind that trees and tree limbs should not overhang the house and branches should not touch the roof of the house in any way.  Damage will ensue to your shingles or siding materials when you disregard this immutable law of home ownership.

Gutters. Winter and Ice are very hard on gutters.  Look for burst seams in the gutter and leaking from standing water in the corners.  For those of you unfortunate to still have the spike & ferrule gutter attachment systems –  look for loose and missing spikes – which are sure signals – that your gutters are slowly being forced off of the house and will eventually fall to the ground – without your intervention.  The Spike & Ferrule Attachment system is an obsolete method of attachment which requires that your gutters be pierced in two places and causes fascia rot and water to be introduced into your house – every time it rains.

Downspouts.  Often overlooked – downspouts play an important role in keeping your basement or crawlspace dry.  Downs are often completely packed and blocked-up with last fall’s leaves/needles/dirt and debris.  Sometimes the only effective remedy is to dismantle a blocked downspout and clean out the elbows and pipe.  Check the downspout back seam to see that it is not burst from ice expansion and contraction.  Most downs should have a 3’ kicker – the part that touches the ground should stick out away from the house at least 3’.  Remember also, that you should have a positive grade so that water moves away from your foundation wall and not back towards it.  With a negative grade water has no where to go – but down.  Hydrostatic pressure can force water into and through your basement walls – even if they are sound!

Roof:  Stand back and visually inspect your roof.  Look for missing and cracked shingles – especially at the eaves.  Ice dams are generally the culprit.  When water gets up underneath the shingles it lifts the shingle when it freezes.  Freeze/thaw cycles are very hard on modern shingles which lack flexibility due to low oil content – become brittle and break easily.  Curling of shingles at the bottom edge is the first sign of impending roof failure and is caused by lack of ventilation and insulation in the attic.  If you notice long dark vertical streaks on your shingles – that is algae eating away at the limestone content in asphalt shingles. It is estimated that 80% of new roof jobs are the direct result of damage and or appearance problems caused algae growth.  Don’t go with any roofing contractor who does not include an attic inspection along with his price and evaluation.

General:   Look for algae and mildew growth on your siding.   Sometimes it’s a good idea to power wash your house for general cleaning principles but especially before you paint.  Don’t go with any paint contractor who does not intend to power wash your home (and use detergent) before he starts to paint!

March Financing Offer

**Financing Terms: Subject to credit approval. Consult with our design team for more details.

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Labor Discount Terms: New orders only. Offer not valid on previous sales or estimates and cannot be combined with other offers. TV Valued up to $599. Expires on 3/31/24. CBL: 2102182001. Financing Terms: Subject to credit approval with minimum purchase made at initial appointment. Atlas Home Improvement is neither a broker nor a lender. Financing is provided by third-party lenders unaffiliated with Atlas Home Improvement, under terms and conditions arranged directly between the customer and such lender, all subject to credit requirements and satisfactory completion of finance documents. Interest is billed during the promotional period but is waived if paid in full within the promotional period. 0% APR if Equal payments are made over 36 months. Offers expires on 3/31/24. Consult with our design team for more details.

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Customer Reviews

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"WOW! Our gutters look great! Josh And Kamrin arrived right on time and got quickly to work. They were very friendly and didn't mind our 6 year old grandson asking questions. I would recommend Atlas to our friends."

– Kathy S.

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"I have been impressed with Atlas home improvement they do things the way I would. Kelly was our installer and was unbelievably hard-working very conscientious and even went the extra mile and called in a grizzly Veteran plumber when presented with a problem. We have used Atlas before and will again soon!"

– Tony M.

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"Just a quick note to thank Atlas Home Improvement for the new Gutter Helmet install we received today . From the sales representative Hunter who answered all our question about the product and the company itself to the office personnel that scheduled and kept us informed about the date and times the install crew would arrive (Brook). Kevin and Rick did a great job installing and cleaning up afterwards . Thank you Rick for calling us the morning of install just to verify that indeed you would be arriving shortly . Undoubtably one of the best companies I have dealt with . Atlas made it so very easy to keep myself Safe and my home secure from gutter water damage ."

– Harold B.

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"This was our second experience with Atlas. The shower in our last home was truly a primary selling feature. We returned to Atlas because of the quality of the job and the professionalism of the install. We were happy to see the same installers we had at our other house three years ago arrive here today. Chad and Bill did an excellent job. We received the same professionalism and quality we expected. They arrived with all the materials they would need, no hidden surprises, quality materials. They truly live up to everything they promise!"

– Rob R.

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"Chris and Brandon did a great job on my Kitchen, I love how it looks! Chris had to come back to fix some things and he fixed all of it."

– Linda B.

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"Recently, Atlas Home Improvement finished the second phase of my bathroom remodel. Matt and Chad were here every morning on time, stated in their morning phone call. They were friendly, efficient, knew their job and the job site was always in order and clean. They even went out of their way to make sure I was aware of all aspects of the job. They were GREAT!!! This is a great company!!! Very clean and considerate while putting in my new shower. Time the sales consultant was wonderful and really listened to what I want and was never pushy or tried to sell me something I didn't want. David did a wonderful job installing my shower. Great product they sell. I recommend this company highly!"

– Donna P.

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"Dave put in a stair lift for me and I was very, very pleased with the whole experience. He assessed the situation with an eye on my safety and recommended changing the side of the staircase the lift was to be installed on. He did the installation quietly and quickly and without creating any mess. And he made sure I understood how the equipment worked and watched me test ride it. I could not have been more satisfied with the whole process. I would highly recommend Atlas to any senior looking to modify their home so that they can age in place."

– Dorrie R.

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"We were experiencing temperature problems with our brand new walk-in tub, in that the temperature would not get very hot. After a call to Atlas we were scheduled by the office staff for an appointment within 2 days, which we very much appreciated. Dave arrived on time and immediately diagnosed the problem - and he quickly fixed it. Dave was very professional, pleasant, friendly, and knowledgeable. Our problem has now been fixed! Thank you Atlas for having such a great installation, office, and repair staff."

– Norv S.

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"We had our shower completely re-done by Dave. It was a custom job that involved replacing a sub floor and some plumbing issues. They were friendly, hard workers, our shower turned out perfect! I strongly recommend Atlas Home Improvement they stand by their work!"

– Sherry G.

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"Our dealings with Atlas Home Improvement have been nothing but a delight. We had booked them through Home Depot Home Services which had a salesman come out and was easy to deal with and took his time to explain all of the steps to the process. Atlas delivered the exact way they had promised we were in the loop knowing when our materials were ordered when they came in and to finally setting up the appointment. The workmanship was 5 star excellent and we could not have been happier with our new shower enclosure it really made a difference!"

– Sharron R.

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