Owning an older home in Colorado Springs can be a great thing. Rooms are larger. Lots are larger. Neighborhoods are established. And more than likely, you have some awesome mature trees on and around your property. (As we all know, most trees are not native to our area…).

However, once your home hits the 50 year old mark there are some key things to look out for. If you drive around almost any Colorado Springs neighborhood west of Academy, you will notice that many Colorado Springs homes were built in the 1960’s and 1970’s, which means that hundreds of homes will be celebrating their 50th birthday over the next few years.

Here are a few things to look out for when your Colorado Springs home hits that Big 5-0:

1. Basements: If your basement has been finished (which many have been), you may want to check for hidden moisture. 50 years of untamed moisture can lead to structural issues  – and even health ones (if mold exists). Now, you may be thinking, “Um. I live in Colorado Springs. I go through 6 gallons of lotion a week. How can there be a moisture problem?”

Well, as you know, it is dry here. If moisture wants to survive, it needs to hide in a cool, dark place … like your basement. Don’t let our low humidity fool you. Have your basement checked for hidden moisture.

2. Foundation: This is different than the basement. This is the part of your home that keeps it from falling into a hole, or from floating down the street.

• Remember those mature trees that you love? Well, many of those trees have a very nice root system that could be compromising your foundation, if they have gotten too close. And many trees WILL try to befriend your foundation if you have poor drainage from your roof, as trees LOVE water.

  The Wagner iTeam recommends Mountain View Landscaping for all of your tree needs: (719) 930-7870

• Termites are an issue for many Colorado Springs homeowners. There are several Colorado Springs neighborhoods where homes have gone through massive reconstruction because of the devastating effects of termites. Caught early enough, a termite problem can be taken care of with minimal cost.

3. Roof: More than likely, the shingles on your roof have been replaced several times over the past 50 years. However, the roof itself  – the structure – should be inspected by a professional roofer. There is 50 years of cold-hot-cold-hot-snow-rain-sun-rain-snow-sun-snow-sun (in that order … all in one week, sometimes …) potential damage to an average home in Colorado Springs.

A recent article in Realty Times (that talks about maintaining older homes) offers some great roof advice:
“Chimney deterioration is common, the flashing materials may have rusted, the wood facia may have rotted beneath the repeated layers of paint, or the roofline itself may be sagging.”

In addition to the actual roof, make sure your gutters are functioning properly, and draining rainwater far away from your foundation.

The Wagner iTeam recommends Josh at Quality Roofing for your roofing needs: (719) 210-0035

4. Heating and Electrical Systems: We now live in a day and age where you can be warm (or cool) and your house can be light and bright while conserving tons of energy. Homes in Colorado Springs that were built half a century ago, were not built with energy conservancy in mind.

• There are some amazing new furnaces out there that will lower your energy bill enough to offset your cost of replacing it. Well worth it. Energy-Star thermostats can also help maintain a more energy efficient home – even with an older furnace.
• In addition to replacing your light bulbs to energy efficient ones, you may also consider upgrading some of your outlets to more modern ones – offering better breaker control and safer usage.
• Get your fireplaces inspected and cleaned. You would be surprised at the amount of debris that can collect in a chimney – which can be a horrible fire hazard.

Check out the Colorado Springs Utilities site for details on energy conservancy and special discounts that you can get through them.

The Wagner iTeam recommends Whitney Electric for your electrical inspections and servicing needs: (719) 260-0266

5. Insulation: You will want to really check the insulation in your older Colorado Springs home. There needs to be a perfect balance of adequate insulation AND ventilation for a home to maintain a happy home environment.

6. Plumbing: You will want to check your home for hidden leaks, improper drainage and pipes that may need to be replaced after 50 years of heavy use.

These are all very important things to check on when owning a home in Colorado Springs that is close to its 50th birthday. Now, don’t feel like you need to tackle all of this at once. I would recommend maybe approaching one item a year until you check them all off your list. This will not only be easier on your wallet, but will also help keep you sane.

I would also recommend investing $200-$300 on a full home inspection. An inspection will give you a very good idea of what needs to be replaced vs. what needs to be just fixed. A competent inspector will also be able to tell you which items should be dealt with first, or immediately, as well as recommend other professionals to deal with major issues like mold or termites.

The Wagner iTeam highly recommends “BJ” at US Inspect: 1-800-US-Inspect

If you are thinking of buying an older home in Colorado Springs, you will want to keep these in mind, as the current homeowner may not have dealt with any of these issues before selling, and these may be added expenses for you, as the new homeowner. And if you are looking to sell your older Colorado Springs home, these are items that, if taken care of ahead of time, can really expediate the inspection process.

Thanks for reading our Colorado Springs Real Estate Blog!
Posted By: Mariana Wagner - Colorado Springs Real Estate Agent - Wagner iTeam
The Wagner iTeam is a power team of Keller Williams Realty,
specializing in Colorado Springs Real Estate and Monument Real Estate
Pictures of Colorado Springs
(719) 434-7525