5 Most Common Home Repairs in Durham Region

We've been working on homes across Oshawa, Whitby, Ajax, Pickering, Bowmanville and the rest of Durham Region for years, and the same repairs keep coming up. That isn't random. It comes down to the region's housing stock, its climate and the way a lot of these houses were built.

Here are the five common home repairs we see most often in Durham Region, and what you can do about each one.

1. Failed Bathroom Caulking

This is the single most common repair call we get. Durham Region has a lot of homes built in the 1990s and 2000s, and in most of those bathrooms the original caulking is well past its useful life.

Black-stained or crumbling caulk around tubs, showers and vanities is a moisture problem and a hygiene problem. It's also one of the best-value repairs you can make. It typically costs $150 to $300 and heads off far more expensive water damage.

2. Deck Rot and Structural Deterioration

Wet springs and freeze-thaw cycles in Durham Region are hard on wood decks. On homes built from the 1990s through the 2010s, the original decks are now 15 to 30 years old. We regularly find rotted boards, damaged post bases and failing ledger attachments on them.

The goal is to catch problems before the whole deck has to come out. A yearly deck inspection takes 15 minutes and can spot trouble while it's still a matter of a few boards rather than the structure.

3. Eavestrough and Fascia Damage

Ice dams show up most winters in Durham Region. Heat escapes through the roof and melts the snow, and the water freezes again when it reaches the cold overhang. Over time that wrecks eavestroughs, forces water behind the fascia boards and can push it up under the shingles.

We repair and replace a lot of damaged eavestroughs and rotted fascia, especially in Bowmanville, Courtice and the rural parts of Clarington.

4. Drywall Cracks and Water Stains

Settlement cracks along ceilings and around door frames are common in older homes, particularly on the clay-heavy soils around Oshawa and Whitby. Most of them are cosmetic. The right compound and taping technique takes care of them.

Water-stained ceilings are another frequent call. The old leak has been fixed or has dried out, but the stain is still there. A proper primer, followed by paint matched to the ceiling, gets rid of it.

5. Door and Window Air Leaks

Winters in Durham Region are long and cold. Air leaking in around doors and windows makes the house less comfortable and drives up your heating bill. Worn weatherstripping, missing or worn-out door sweeps and failed window caulking are all simple fixes, and you'll feel the difference right away.

A lot of the homes we work on across Durham have weatherstripping that's gone hard, flattened or torn. Often the doors have been repainted several times over the years, and every coat squeezes the seal a little more.

If any of this sounds like your house, call (289) 928-5689 for a free estimate.