Here’s a great list of tips you can use as a check list of “to-do” items this winter. Install extra insulation. Install plastic sheets on windows requiring extra protection from the wind (kits are widely available at hardware stores or home centers). Add weather stripping around doors if necessary....
Timely Tips
Dryer Fires
Be safe with your dryer. In 1997, according to the United States Consumer Products Safety Commission, there were 16,800 residential fires reported and responded to by fire departments where the source of the fire was the clothes dryer or vent. These fires caused $97.3 million in damage, 430 injuries,...
Spring Checklist
Here’s a great checklist to follow every spring to be sure your home is in great shape and your family is safe. Replace your furnace filter. Clean the kitchen exhaust hood and air filter. Check your electrical system. Always have a multi-purpose fire extinguisher accessible. Make sure the light...
Cleaning Your Gutters
Clean your gutters. During a rainstorm, gutters route runoff from a very large surface–a home’s roof-to where it can drain away from the house. By doing so, they protect siding, windows, doors, and foundations from water damage and help prevent flooding in basements. To do their job, gutters and...
Ice Dams
They may make for a pretty winter scene, but ice dams are damaging. Ice dams occur when a snow-covered roof over the attic is warmer than the eaves—the overhang of a roof. If the roof is warm, it will cause the snow to melt and run under snow along...
Inspecting a Home for Water Damage
Small nuisance or major home damage? From broken pipes to leaking appliances, water damage can wreak havoc, destroying a home, personal property, and irreplaceable family heirlooms. In many cases significant water damage can be avoided with routine maintenance and assistance from qualified contractors. Early detection could mean the difference...
Removing Stains from an Oak Floor
It is possible to remove stains from an oak floor. Refinishing oak floors is just like refinishing oak furniture. You can repair any type of imperfection without complete sanding (or stripping) and refinishing. However, floors are often sanded and refinished because this is the easiest route to a perfect...
Re-Roofing
Should you replace your roof? Sunny, warm weather provides the ideal opportunity to replace your roof. If you haven’t re-roofed before, you’re likely to have a number of questions: What type of preparation is required? What materials are most appropriate? Should re-roof yourself or hire a contractor? Use the...
Roofing
Don’t wait for a leaky roof, have your roof inspected once a year. Roofing problems make themselves known in the form of leaks and drips. Repair leaky roofs before ceilings and walls are damaged. Better yet, check your roof at least once a year before the storm season (and...
Chimneys
Don’t take your chimney for granted. Chimneys are designed to safely funnel smoke and hot gasses away from the interior of your house. Inspect your chimney at the beginning of each heating season. Shine a flashlight up inside and look for obstructions such as leaves or birds’ nests and...
