By following these steps you will avoid more expensive repairs later and keep all parts of your home functioning safely and efficiently. See the “do-it-yourself” section of our web site at http://www.lewisville.handymanmatters.com/ for more details.
• Check Outdoor Paint for Peeling, Cracking & Proper Coverage – Peeling & cracking can allow moisture to get behind the paint and cause rotting and possible interior leaks. You’ll want to take care of this before it gets cold in the winter.
Tools required; wire brush, paint scraper, paint brush, caulk gun
Instructions; visually inspect the paint on your home, scrape areas of loose paint with a scraper or wire brush (be sure to remove all loose paint), caulk any seams or cracks, apply primer and touch up paint
• Inspect Attic for Insulation and Leak Stains – insulation should be at least R-19 and you need to look for stains to determine leaks. Water will stain the insulation and since insulation can hold 30 times its weight and still feel dry to the touch, feeling it is no good. Make sure no insulation is covering any soffit vents and add an exhaust fan if ventilation is inadequate.
Tools required; ladder
Instructions; Get up in your attic (be sure you walk on roof trusses or planks in the rafters so you don’t step through your ceiling), look for daylight coming in around any roof protrusions i.e. plumbing vents or furnace flue stacks (do this when the sun is shining), If you see light water came come in, repair holes as necessary, Visually inspect insulation for stains, bag up and remove wet insulation, replace as needed,
• Inspect Caulking, Weather Stripping, Door Transitions, Exterior Trim, – if you can see outside or feel air coming in thru these areas stopping the air flow will keep the heat inside your home in the winter and reduce your heating bills.
Tools required; screwdrivers, hammer, utility knife
Instructions; look and feel around windows and doors for daylight or drafts, remove and replace worn weather stripping as necessary, (there are many different types of weather stripping, find your exact replacement at your local home improvement store).
• Inspect Gutters, Clean and Re-Attach as necessary – look for roofing nails or pieces of shingles in the gutters, which indicate the roof may need inspecting. Check for rusting on the bottoms of the gutters and to make sure the gutter extensions discharge water at least 6’ away from the house. Also check to make sure you are not dumping water uphill. Water too close to the foundation can cause flooding and deterioration. Clean gutters and downspouts. Clogged gutters cause water to back flow into your house.
Tools required; ladder, putty knife, garden hose, screwdriver, nut driver
Instructions; CAUTION Be aware of overhead power lines. Visually inspect gutters for debris, remove sludge with putty knife, use garden hose to rinse down, if down spouts are clogged use nut driver to remove downspout from gutter, clear clog or replace downspout, re attach to gutter, ensure gutters are firmly attached to fascia
• Change Furnace Air Filters – to filter out allergens and keep your furnace running efficiently. We recommend microbial type filters. Change monthly or as recommended by manufacturer.
Tools required; Phillips, slotted screwdriver, nut driver
Instructions; Remove access cover to furnace filter, remove and replace filter, ensure new filter is correct size and air flow direction is correct (look for flow direction arrow on filter edge), replace access cover.
• Test All Smoke or CO Detectors – A few minutes doing this each month could save your family’s life in a fire.
Tools required; Hands with opposable thumbs.
Instructions; depress the push to test button on the device and listen for tone, clean device of any built up dust, replace batteries every 6 month (whenever you change the clocks for daylight savings time).
Go Through the Garage/Sheds and Move Temperature Sensitive Products to a Warmer Area – any water-based products like latex paint will freeze and be damaged.
About Handyman Matters
Handyman Matters bases its business on preferred pricing, an hourly rate plus materials model benefiting the customer. All craftsmen are background-screened employees and are bonded and insured, not outside sub-contractors. We provide a 1 year warranty on our work.
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