5 Home Improvement Projects for Under $25

HouseMaster Provides Homeowners With Easy Do-It-Yourself Fixes to Keep Repair Costs Down

BOUND BROOK, NJ--(Marketwire - Aug 8, 2011) - Today's cost conscious home owner is focused on two things: reducing costs and protecting the value of their home. Accordingly, HouseMaster, the first and one of the largest home inspection franchisors in North America, provides homeowners with simple tips on how to maintain and update their homes with fixes that they can inexpensively do on their own.

"One of the biggest mistakes homeowners make is letting small problems turn into big ones," said Kathleen Kuhn, President of HouseMaster. "Home maintenance is crucial since a home is typically the largest investment an average person makes in their lifetime. Proper home maintenance can alleviate the need for large and often costly repairs and protect the value of the home."

HouseMaster provides homeowners with the following five tips that can all be completed for under $25 and can save homeowners thousands down the road.

1. Be aware of termite or carpenter ant damage. Homeowners who diligently check their property and foundation can alleviate serious termite or carpenter ant problems. Before selling or purchasing a home look closely for any signs such as "mud tubes" or wood damage. Also, moving wood piles and debris away from the home can eliminate termite or carpenter ant problems.

2. When it rains, it pours. One of the most common places for water damage is in a bathroom. When grout breaks down water can easily get behind the tiles and cause them to come loose. An easy solution to this is to re-grout, caulk and use sealant on bathroom tile and surrounding fixtures. In other cases, where water penetration is affecting the foundation of a house, a splash box is a cost-efficient solution to direct water away from the foundation.

3. Clean the Gutters. Stained siding under a gutter indicates overflowing, which can cause structural damage. In addition, overgrown vegetation on gutters can cause clogging or potential termite issues. Trimming vegetation away from the house and cleaning gutters offers many advantages and minimizes the risk for potential costly repairs in the future.

4. Replace Rusting Roof Flashings. Flashings deteriorate over time and can allow water penetration, resulting in expensive damage to the underlying roof structure. For under $25 replace roof flashings or apply sealant to the problem area.

5. Seal your Deck. If not properly maintained decks are very susceptible to the effects of weather exposure. Once wood becomes rotted it is more likely to be infested by termites, carpenter ants, etc. Purchase deck sealant at an inexpensive price to seal your deck and prevent future damage.

For additional $25 tips for homeowners or more information on HouseMaster, please visit www.housemaster.com or call (800) 526-3930. For more information on HouseMaster franchise opportunities, please email franchise@housemaster.com.

About HouseMaster:Headquartered in Bound Brook, N.J., HouseMaster is the oldest and one of the largest home inspection franchisors in North America. With more than 365 franchised areas throughout the U.S. and Canada, HouseMaster is the most respected name in home inspections. For over 30 years, HouseMaster has built upon a foundation of solid leadership and innovation with a continued focus on delivering the highest quality service experience to their customers and providing HouseMaster franchisees the tools and support necessary to do so. Each HouseMaster franchise is an independently owned and operated business. HouseMaster is a registered trademark of DBR Franchising, LLC.

For more information please visit www.housemaster.com or call 800-526-3939.