iday, November 1, 1991 — North Shore News ~ 21

JNIO

PRODUCED FoR MEMBERS AND FRIENDS OF NorTH SHORE CREDIT UNION

_ 842 With rates so low, and

‘apparently dropping even further,

your savings are losing their earn-

| ing power. Well, of course, term

| deposits are a good, secure
solution. But rates on these have
been dropping, too.

What do you do?

-We have a solution to this
interest rate roller coaster.
Hi, ?m Phyllis Carlsen. If you -
‘turn to the back page, I’ll tell

you about our solution. 1/4

ADMINISTRATION OFFICE
301 - 1112 Lonsdale Ave.
North Vancouver, B.C. V7M 2H2
Phone: 980-6728

Mon. - Fri, 8:30 - 5:00

‘How to protect your single bi.

- AUTUMN/91

est investment

The home check-up

I t’s a persistent but accurate _

cliche — your home is the biggest:

personal investment you're likely
to make. But do you give it a yearly
check-up? Most often we wait for
something to go wrong then. fix it. At
that point, we frequently have crossed
the line between “investment” and
“money pit’’.

Below is a simple 10 point check list
to protect the value of your home.
We also recommend a Canada
Mortgage & Housing (CMHC)
booklet called, Homeowner's and
Homebuyer's Inspection Checklist for
Maintenance & Repair. Available in
Vancouver from the CMHC office at
400 - 2600 Granville Street, the
publication identifies symptons,
causes and cures,

Foundation:

Look for water stains, water
seepage, damp spots, crumbling
mortar and efflorescence, (white,
powdery deposits on concrete or
brick). All are signs of water damage
that should be corrected. Look also
for cracks in the foundation. It’s
normal for houses to settle 2nd the
concrete to shrink, cracking the
foundation. But cracks that are
expanding, however, are a sure sign of
structural problems.

Crawispace/basement:
Most houses have a structural beam

- Electrics: _

running down the centre. —
Check it with a level. Sagging
or warped beams spel! trouble —
it’s overspanned or carrying’
too much weight from above.
Take an ice pick or sharp
% knife with you when you
crawl under for a look.
Poke the wood. If _
you've got soft spots,
you've got mould,
fungus or rot, usually
caused by leakage or
poor ventilation. :

Heating:
_ Unusually high .
We heating bills?
Uneven heat in the house?

A smokey smeil? Oily dirt around
the registers? All are signs you should _ |-

have. your heating system checked. =

Blowing fuses constantly? Circuit
breakers kicking out? You're :
overloading your home's electrical.
capacity, a situation which is
dangerous. Start unplugging or
upgrade your service. ;

Piumbing:

-Moisture is a major killer of houses.
Obviously, any leak needs fixing. |
Most of your plumbing, however, is
hidden in the walls. Look for damp
spots. Low water pressure is a
warning sign of another serious -
problem — pipes that are clogged with
rust or lime deposits. © © =.

Floors: .
Springy, sagging or warped? A sign
that the supports underneath are
inadequate. Squeaking floors? Not to -
worry, most floors eventually squeak

-in places.

‘Attic:

Check yours after a rainfall. Look
for water stains or damp spots that
would indicate a leak in the roof.
Also check the attic during a dry
speli. If you see water stains or spots
(frost during the winter), your attic has
inadequate ventilation. The resulting
moisture build-up will damage your
investment no end. co

Continued page 3

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ro CREDIT UNION

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