HOMEOWNERS Regular Home Maintenance Helps Avoid Costly Repairs (NAPSA)—Showers may bring flowers, but they can also bring leaky basements, moldy walls and costly clean-up. So when you start your spring cleaning, don’t forget to check the outside of your home to makesureit’s protected from water damageand natural disasters. ZZ. These tips from the Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) can help you avoid many unpleasant surprises. Make sure gutters are clean and stable. This ensures proper drainage and lessens the chance they will become flying debris in high wind. Make sure downspouts are sloping away from the house and carrying water at least five feet away from foundation walls. e Examine your roof carefully, looking for worn, curled or missing shingles. If you can’t inspect your roof easily, look for moisture or surface discoloration in yourattic. Examine window seals or weatherstripping. Lawn sprinkler heads should not spray the walls of the house. For more information visit the IBHS Web site www.disaster safety.org, or call toll free 1-866657-IBHS (4247).
