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In _ncarl{ four out of every five houses examined by home inspection companies, the fumace filters need replacing. _ Most people don‘t think of their homes as mechanical devices. Simple, inexpensive maintenance chores that are ignored now often lead to expensive maintenance headaches tomorrow. If problems aren‘t discovered until the homeowner is ready to sell, they could take big bites out of the homeowner‘s profits. 3. Doors, improperly fitted or non-wcalhcrslri[g)cd windows _ and doors are discovered in 60 per cent of the houses that are 20 or more years old. Take fumnace filers, for example. You can spend $5 or S10 on a permanent filter, or you can buy cheap throwaways for about S1. But if you don‘t buy either one â€" and use them â€" you may have to spend thousands. Accumulated dust and debris on the fumace and filter require the motor and fan to work harder to pull the air through the filter. The harder they must work, the shorter their life expectancies. Windows and doors that don‘t open and close properly can be life threatening if they are needed as an escape route. If they are loose and improperly sealed, they allow conditioned air to escape. creating climate control Fmblcms. This not only drives up your monthly heating and cooling bills, it forces your fumace and air conditioner to run overtime to attain the desired temperature, _ shortening _ their _ life span significantly. 4, Leaky plumbing: Leaking water supply valves under sinks and faucets, found in one of every two houses, cause the floor (or wall if the faucet is also_ leaking) to deteriorate. If neglected, it could cost anywhere from $200 to $1,000 to repair the damage, depending on how long the leak has been ignored. Even when some owners are aware of this problem, the typical solution is duct tape and a bucket. ?l_()vcrgrowth:_ Ivy growing up the side of your iouse is beautiful, but terribly damagi:g. So are trees that hang over your roof. Yet, both conditions are found in two out of every five houses examined. 845â€"66071 PUBLIC NOTICE TO TAXPAYERS Over the long huul‘f(ou might have to fork over several hundred dollars to replace the fan and motor. Or, you might have to come up with $2,000 to $3,000 to replace the entire furnace. When listing the 10 conditions most often neglected by homeowners, filthy filters top the list. They need to be replaced in 80 per cent of houses inspected. 1994 Interim Tax Bills have been mailed with installments due February 23, 1994 and April 26, 1994. Any ratepayer who has not received a tax bill should contact the Tax Department at 338â€"4222. Please note this does not apply to homeowners whose taxes are paid by their mortgage company. Late payments incur penalty in spite of bills not received or payments delayed in the mail. Tax payments are accepted at all major banks and trust companies in Oakville for a nominal charge. Payments are accepted at the Town Hall Finance Office Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For your convenience, a 24 hour drop box is located to the right of the main door of the Town Hall, 1225 Trafalgar Road. E. Mathews, B.A., C.M.T.C. Manager of Revenue/Taxcollector Town of Oakville _ Here are the other nine. Note that most involve water, which is the No. 1 culprit when it comes to the deterioration of a property. , Water behind walls: In three out of four Houses, the caulking between the tub and surrounding wall (or shower pan and shower walls) is _ cither deteriorated or _ missin altogether. If not corrected, this condition wi allow water to migrate behind the walls, promoting dry rot and mildew. Eventually, the wall will fail. The removal of tie walls can run as high as $5,000. 1225 TRAFALGAR ROAD + OAKVILLE, ONTARIO + L6KH 2L1 Retained water in vegetation contributes to accelerate deterioration and rot; ivy‘s root system is so.strong that t can move mortar to get SsSOUNDINGBOARD 338â€"0566 Experienced Educated In Social Work Call In Confidence Homeowners‘ 10 most common maintenance mistakes behind siding and pop it out, and leaves deposited on a roof are a breeding ground for degencration. Depending on the extent of growth, you may have to reâ€"roof or reâ€"side your house at a cost of several thousand dollars. At best, your roof‘‘s life expectancy will be reduced by 20 per cent. 6. Poor grading: About a third of all houses have grading problems. Even if the lot was graded properly when the house was built â€" it should slope away from the structure â€" the grade can shift over time. The cause is usually heavy rain and erosion from overwatering shrubs placed too close to the house. But sometimes the ground simply settles. If the ground within 10 feet of the house slopes toward the house, water will pond adjacent to the building. This can be eliminated by a few wheelbarrows of dirt and some spade work. If water is allowed to remain over a period of time, it will migrate under the structure and weakened the foundation. 7. Clogged gutters: A third of all houses also have gutters and downspouts clogged by roof debris of dead vegetation. This wifi allow water to back up on the roof, causing not only the roof to deteriorate more quickly but also erosion that leads to a negative grade at the foundation. 8. Broken exhaust fans: The exbaust fan in bathrooms without windows is either disconnect or inoperable in one out of every three houses inspected. This will allow condensation to accumulate, _ causing _ moisture . damage. Eventually, the walls and flooring can rot out completely 9. Wornâ€"out caulking: Fifteen per cent of the houses examined have either worn out caulking or none at all. Deteriorated or missing caulking on exterior walls where dissimilar materials meet can allow. water to intrude into wall cavities, where it will cause the framing or rot. Caulking wears out. It shrink, cracks, blisters and hardens, so it needs to be evaluated annually. If it‘s not checked and, when necessary, replaced, you may end up replacing sill plates, interior studs and framing at a cost of several thousand dollars. 10.Blocked â€" attic vents: Many homeowners following good advice from utility companies add new or additional insulation in the attic, and in many cases block the necessary attic ventilation passages. Blocked vents can create moisture buildâ€"up, mildew and rot in the attic. Dan Cooper is an awardâ€"winning associate broker with Countrywide Town Centre Realty Inc. and can be reached at 338â€"6550. Calling all heroes! The Halton Region Safety Council is looking for Halton citizens who have saved a life or attempted to save a life within the region of Halton or elsewhere. CALL NOW â€" DONT MISS THE GREAT SAVINGS! *bgédlinc for nominations is March 1st. Nominations must be sent to Sue Robertson, 756 Frobisher Blvd., Milton, Ontario, L95 3H8. The 'a{\;Qéfdé ceremony will be held Thursday, April 14th at the Muddy Duck Banquet Hall in Milton. Anyone needing further information is asked to call Robertson at Anyone 878â€"8568. If you haven‘t already heard of the many benefits of the ROTOâ€"STATIC system, call us. Our friendly staff will be happy to explain them to you. Heroes wanted Women‘s Nike Air JUST ARRIVED Reebok Fitness Walker Women‘s Reebok Metro II Walker Men‘s Women‘s Cross Trainer Reg. 99.99 Men‘s Greatland Deck Shoes Reg. 69.99 for best selection! Prices in effect until Feb. 23rd, 1994 * ? i‘\_/c Shop early SAVE March 1st deadline 0 ON ALL INâ€"HOME CARPET | 0 8 UPHOLSTERY CLEANING Y% T TA T A PV ROTOâ€"STATIC 827â€"9511 IN JANUARY (some conditions apply) 125 Cross Ave. Trafalgar Village Batao‘s J WORLD Women‘s Nike Cross Trainer Reg. 79.99 More New Athletic Shoes Arriving Daily Ladies‘ Reebok Princess Expected Monday, Feb. 15/94 Men‘s Suede Casual Shoes Reg. 49.99 6M# JUST ARRIVED Men‘s Ladies‘ Ground Level (Doc Martin Imitation) 3â€"hole Reg. 69.99 Maurice Strong at Canadian Club February 23rd Men‘s Nike [ Air Uitimate Cross Trainer Reg. 99.99 Women Just Fun Summer Shoes Reg. up to 39.99 Girls sizes also available Maurice Strong, Chairman of Ontario Hydro, will be the guest speaker at the Feb. 23rd meeting of the Oakville Canadian Club. Strong will speak on ‘The Road from Rio: Toward a Sustainable Future‘. In addition to being Ontario Hydro chairman, Strong was also the chief organizer for the 1992 United Nations‘ conference on the environment in Rio de Janeiro. Canadian Club members are encouraged to bring a guest to this meeting since anyone attending will pay the $18 member fee. The meeting will be held at 6:16 p.m. in the Howard Johnson Hotel on Argus Road. Those interested in attending should make cheques payable to The Canadian Club of Oakville, c/o 307 Robinson St. Box 52148, Oakville Ont. L6J 7N5. 8