April & Springtime Home Maintenance

April is here!! Well Almost.


Spring is here!!! Well almost. It sure doesn't feel like spring. This is Nebraska, maybe tomorrow?

Here's a good amount of work to try to tackle in April to keep your home repair cost down.

1. Clean and inspect insect and critter screens. Spring is officially here even if winter is still trying to hang on. Window screens should be inspected for cuts, rips and bent frames. The bugs will be trying to get in once you open up the windows for fresh air. An intact screen will keep them out. To clean window screens, carefully remove them, lay them flat on a picnic table or a pair of sawhorses and scrub them with a soft bristle brush and a mild detergent solution. Rinse with a garden hose and allow them to dry thoroughly before re-installing them. Eve and roof vents help to ventilate your attic and will keep critters out of the attic. Inspect and clean them as well.

2. Inspect the outside of your home and other wooden structures for deterioration -- especially signs of rot. Use a screwdriver to probe suspect areas of wood rot. If the tip exposes any soft, mushy areas it should be added to this year’s maintenance and repair list and tackled very quickly to prevent more costly repairs in the future. Areas to check include railings, window sills and trim, wood siding and corner trim and the bottoms of the trim around doors as well as the threshold. For the higher areas like the top of the chimney you may prefer to hire an insured professional like Mr. Handyman.

3. While performing the inspection for wood rot or deterioration, check the caulking around windows and doors and apply where necessary.

4. Inspect the crawl space or basement after rains for water accumulation or excessive moisture. Look for signs of water damage on the subfloor and joists beneath bathrooms, the kitchen and laundry. Find and fix leaks now or pay the price later.

5. Shut off the water to the washing machine, remove the water supply hoses and examine them thoroughly. Laundry room floods are very costly. Replace cracked or checked hoses and always install a new washer on each end of each hose. Every year at this time inspect and clean your dryer vent ducting. A plugged dryer vent is the #2 cause of home fires in the US. Keeping the dryer vent system clean will also allow your dryer to operate more efficiently and can save you up to $80 per year.

Garage Door Maintenance & Repairs

One of the most overlooked components of your home is the garage door. It usually operates flawlessly several times a day but when it gets neglected and sub sequentially fails it can interrupt your daily routine.
Because a garage door is a very large, heavy, moving part, it’s prone to fall out of adjustment with daily use. When this happens, the door becomes harder and harder to lift and lower.

A garage door looks rather simple but it has many moving parts that need yearly attention to keep it in great working order. The best way to prevent a failure and high repair costs is to inspect it every year for loose or worn hinges, springs, and other hardware and, when you notice a problem, address it immediately before it has a chance to deteriorate.

Then lubricate the moving parts. Apply penetrating oil to all rollers and hinges at least once a year. If you notice any loose screws, bolts, or nuts, tighten them so parts won’t fall out of adjustment.

The most common garage door problem is that the door becomes difficult to lift and lower. This may be something that can be resolved with a few simple adjustments and basic maintenance, or it may be more serious. If the door is connected to an opener, determine if the problem is with the door or the opener. The first step is to disconnect the opener mechanism from the door by pulling the release cord or lever. If the door works fine manually, the problem is with the electric opener.

A door that seems unusually heavy to lift may have a problem with spring tension. Garage door springs are under extreme tension because of the loads they must lift, and this makes them dangerous to adjust. If your door’s springs are out of adjustment, do not attempt to work on them yourself. Call in a professional. If the door seems to bind in the tracks an adjustment and maintenance may be all that is needed. If it sags in the middle when opening or once it is fully open it may need a few bracing members.

With proper care and maintenance a quality garage door should last 30-40 years. The key to this longevity and lowest cost benefit is to spend about an hour a year on the maintenance if you can do it yourself or $100-$130 to have a professional service it. Again, spend hundred$ now in maintenance or thou$and$ later in repairs (or replacement). An average mid-grade replacement double wide door will run around $1800-$2700 installed.

Spring is ........nearly here!

The Chill of February is behind us and coming up – March Madness!


The weather in March bounces from cold and wet to semi-warm days that bring out the longing for spring. March is the perfect time to get a great jump-start on sprucing up your home…….. Almost spring cleaning, or spring cleaning-‘lite.’

If you have accumulated quite a bit of winter debris and do not know where to start….begin with the curb appeal, specifically, your front porch or entryway area. Knock down the cobwebs; hose down the dirt on the front of the house and clean the area friends and neighbors see first. Caulk and paint any exposed wood and repaint the front door if needed. It’s a great start and will invigorate you to proceed with another section when you see the results.

Another task to accomplish during these random periods of great weather is to perform a thorough evaluation of the exterior needs of your home. You may have some tax money returned to you so knowing the financial needs of your home maintenance will be key to making sure you do not ‘unwisely’ spend that windfall on something desired rather than on something very much needed. Some bubbling or spongy siding or trim should be placed first on your list of repair tasks to keep the costs to a minimum.

Remember…for every dollar you spend maintaining your home you get to keep about $10 off your repair bill.

Storage 'Stuff"

Spring cleaning is right around the corner. If you are like most Americans you have accumulated quite a lot of “stuff” over the winter months and the holidays. The newer, shinier and sleeker stuff probably has displaced the older, yet still good “stuff” that you are still very fond of and are not quite ready to ship out or get rid of.

When it is all said and done we Americans accumulate a lot of “stuff.” Our homes can only handle a fixed amount of this “stuff” before it becomes a mess or potentially a fire hazard. We like our “stuff” and we hesitantly get rid of it. Cyndy Salzmann, 'The Clutter Coach,' states “If you don’t love it or use it….lose it!” But let’s face it; we seem to love all of our “stuff.”

The good news is that as we accumulate all of our “stuff” we can live out our normal, structured lives if we learn to keep our “stuff” somewhat organized.

The two most popular and least costly means to add structure to the mounds of “stuff” are to add storage shelving and/or storage shed. Many will opt for the rented storage units instead of building or purchasing an on-premise storage shed but the concept is the same, it’s just a convenience and cost issue.

Adding shelving space is an inexpensive way to allow us to accumulate more of our “stuff” and to keep it organized and at our fingertips when/if we do decide to use it. Mr. Handyman has built many shelving units in garages, storage rooms, basements and attic crawl spaces for dozens of our customers over the past 4 years. The key to turning that empty space into a valuable storage option is planning and budgeting. You cannot expect inexpensive shelving materials to hold up to heavy use with heaping, full storage totes. In the same regard, the least-expensive pull-down attic ladder will not last if it is used many times each year.

Adding that extra storage space could be as easy as purchasing and installing a heavy-duty shelving unit or having one custom tailored for a particular spot in the basement or garage. The pull-down attic ladder with planking and shelving installed in that unused area is the most requested storage option we have accomplished. The long-term costs are favorable compared to renting an off-premise storage unit. Oh, and maybe some focus on pairing down on how much “stuff” we think we need to retain.

Prepare for the spring melt down

We've had quite a bit of snow this winter and a possibility of more on the way between now and spring. With the potential for a lot of moisture soaking into the ground around your home a wet basement is the last thing you will want to complicate your life.

Many newer homes are built with the addition of a sump pit in the basement but usually do not come with a pump. It is left for the homeowner to determine if they need one and to have it installed.

With the spring thaw (can't wait!!!) a few weeks away one of the most important maintenance tasks a homeowner can accomplish to prepare for the melting snow is to ensure their sump pump is operational. A sump pump is normally located in a "sump pit." This is usually in the basement under a round plastic lid and has an electrical cord and a drain pipe routing through it (if a pump is installed). The purpose of the pump/pit is to collect water that normally would enter the basement and pump it out to a location in the yard keeping moisture out of the basement. Not all homes have a sump pump though.

The sump pump system is very susceptible to failure due to long periods of inactivity and "critters" such as rodents and bugs clogging the drain pipe. The maintenance is very easy for most homeowners.

1. Remove the lid to the sump pit and remove any debris that might clog up the pump.

2. Slowly pour at least 3 gallons of water into the pit to verify the pump automatically operates and evacuates the water from the pit. If it does not operate have the pump serviced or replaced before the big meltdown.

During warmer weather it is a good idea to run a garden hose to the pit letting a slow stream of water run and allow the pump to operate more than a few moments at a time. This will also lubricate the seals and knock off any build-up of calcium that may have accumulated inside the pump.  The drain end (outside) can be a nice nesting place for bugs and critters so a screened end cap is recommended.

The Truth about Doggy Doors

Twice over the past few weeks a customer has called to ask how to seal up their doggy door because the cold wind is blowing right through.

There are many more options for doggy doors than what is available at the local big-box and pet stores.

The options available online and at some local pet stores include:

Keyed entry dog doors. Your dog wears an electronic collar that unlocks the doggy door as the pet approaches for entry. These units will help to keep stray pets and wild animals out of your home. There are ways to lock-out the doors so they remain locked.

There are pet doors that install in the door, the wall, a sliding patio door, screen doors and window units in the case of a few cat doors.

There are pet doors that are double-paned to assist in keeping the cold weather out of your home with high quality weather stripping to seal the edges.

 

The "Cadillac" pet door is made by Plexidoor and opens like a saloon-style door with 2 side doors and spring-loaded so it closes automatically.

Cutting a hole into your door or wall and installing the "cheaper" style doggy door may cost you more money over time in lost energy than installing a high quality door from the beginning. As it goes with most things in life, the cheapest price does not add up to the best overall value. The $30 doggy doors could cost you an extra $30/month in energy loss during the extreme cold or hot months. Add that up over a few years and you'll quickly see that the best doors are the real bargain.

January Maintenance tasks

There is not a whole lot of winter time maintenance to tell all of our listeners about except a few items to be aware of. The amount of snow we received last year in the Omaha area lead to many homes with ice damming, roof leaks, interior damage and insurance claims. It should be a high priority to get the snow removed from the lower 3 ft of roof to prevent the damage.

Other maintenance tasks that should be accomplished this month include:

1. Change or clean the furnace filter (should be accomplished each month. Save money with the type you can clean and reinstall. I would advise to purchase two, one to clean/let dry and the other installed in the system and rotate them.)

2. Check the operation of your whole-house humidifier. Inspect the unit to be sure it is not leaking water onto the furnace or floor and be sure the wick (filter looking device) is not clogged up with too much calcium deposits.

3. Clean and inspect any room-type humidifiers you may have throughout your home. They also have a wick that should not contain so much calcium deposits that it restricting the flow of water. Keep an eye on a humidistat in your home to be able to tell if either humidifier type is working. If you do not have a humidistat you can purchase an inexpensive one at a local hardware store. Many times they are attached to a thermometer. (the kind that show temperature, humidity and barometer, see photos of older and newer style units). The goal is to keep the humidity near 35% through the winter but it also depends on your comfort level.

4. VERY IMPORTANT! Inspect your home for leaks, build-up of ice on the inside of the home and for any visible gaps or cracks in the foundation, walls, siding or drywall. Especially look in the basement around the pipes that protrude to the outside of the home (water spigots). If any are frozen and split they can be isolated (shut-off and/or add a valve to keep them from flooding the basement when they defrost later). The whole point of this inspection is to limit further damage by noticing something that has the potential for failure.

Here are other tasks that usually get neglected and can be completed easily in January:

Take photos or videos of all of your personal property like furniture, stereo equipment, computers, bedroom sets etc. If you ever have a fire or other major damage you'll have a record of the items in your home. Make a listing of model and serial numbers of appliances, tools, electronic equipment etc. Also make an account of #'s of clothing items, CD and DVD listings, etc. It will be so much easier dealing with the insurance company with a good record of your household items. Make a couple copies and have relatives store them for you or keep it in a safety-deposit box.

Set up your annual savings plan to tackle your home maintenance and repairs. Industry experts suggest 1-3% of the home's value per year should be set aside for maintenance. To figure out your home value you can visit the county tax assessor's website (Douglas, Sarpy and Pottawatomie counties are online). Multiply that figure by .01 to .03 to get the annual savings amount. Take that new number and divide it by 12 to get the monthly amount you should put aside to have that kitty of money for home maintenance and repairs. I'd keep it in a separate savings account so you'll be less inclined to spend it for other items. If your home is new or very well maintained I would save near the 1% figure; If it is older or not well maintained I would save at the 3% level.

REMEMBER: Spend hundred$ now in maintenance or thou$and$ later in repairs. The sooner you notice maintenance needs the less likely it will turn into full repairs. It is usually about a 10:1 ratio. What you could spend for $100 in keeping the home maintained will cost you $1000 to have repaired if the maintenance is neglected. Visit this site monthly and complete (or have someone like Mr. Handyman complete) the maintenance for you to save you thousands over the life of your home.