Fall is a good time of year to start thinking about preparing your home for winter, because as temperatures begin to dip, your home will require maintenance to keep it in tip-top shape through the winter.
Here are ten tips to help you prepare your home for winter from Handyman Matters Lewisville:
1) Furnace Inspection
• Call an HVAC professional to inspect your furnace and clean ducts.
• Stock up on furnace filters and change them monthly.
• Consider switching out your thermostat for a programmable thermostat.
• If your home is heated by a hot-water radiator, bleed the valves by opening them slightly and when water appears, close them.
• Remove all flammable material from the area surrounding your furnace.
2) Get the Fireplace Ready
• Cap or screen the top of the chimney to keep out rodents and birds.
• If the chimney hasn't been cleaned for a while, call a chimney sweep to remove soot and creosote.
• Buy firewood or chop wood. Store it in a dry place away from the exterior of your home.
• Inspect the fireplace damper for proper opening and closing.
• Check the mortar between bricks and tuckpoint, if necessary.
3) Check the Exterior, Doors and Windows
• Inspect exterior for crevice cracks and exposed entry points around pipes; seal them.
• Use weatherstripping around doors to prevent cold air from entering the home and caulk windows.
• Replace cracked glass in windows and, if you end up replacing the entire window, prime and paint exposed wood.
• If your home has a basement, consider protecting its window wells by covering them with plastic shields.
• Switch out summer screens with glass replacements from storage. If you have storm windows, install them.
4) Inspect Roof, Gutters & Downspouts
• If your weather temperature will fall below 32 degrees in the winter, adding extra insulation to the attic will prevent warm air from creeping to your roof and causing ice dams.
• Check flashing to ensure water cannot enter the home.
• Replace worn roof shingles or tiles.
• Clean out the gutters and use a hose to spray water down the downspouts to clear away debris.
• Consider installing leaf guards on the gutters or extensions on the downspouts to direct water away from the home.
5) Service Weather-Specific Equipment
• Drain gas from lawnmowers.
• Service or tune-up snow blowers.
• Replace worn rakes and snow shovels.
• Clean, dry and store summer gardening equipment.
• Sharpen ice choppers and buy bags of ice-melt / sand.
6) Check Foundations
• Rake away all debris and edible vegetation from the foundation.
• Seal up entry points to keep small animals from crawling under the house.
• Tuckpoint or seal foundation cracks. Mice can slip through space as thin as a dime.
• Inspect sill plates for dry rot or pest infestation.
• Secure crawlspace entrances.
7) Install Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors
• Some cities require a smoke detector in every room.
• Buy extra smoke detector batteries and change them when daylight savings ends.
• Install a carbon monoxide detector near your furnace and / or water heater.
• Test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors to make sure they work.
• Buy a fire extinguisher or replace an extinguisher older than 10 years.
8) Prevent Plumbing Freezes
• Locate your water main in the event you need to shut it off in an emergency.
• Drain all garden hoses.
• Insulate exposed plumbing pipes.
• Drain air conditioner pipes and, if your AC has a water shut-off valve, turn it off.
• If you go on vacation, leave the heat on, set to at least 55 degrees.
9) Prepare Landscaping & Outdoor Surfaces
• Trim trees if branches hang too close to the house or electrical wires.
• Ask a gardener when your trees should be pruned to prevent winter injury.
• Plant spring flower bulbs and lift bulbs that cannot winter over such as dahlias in areas where the ground freezes.
• Seal driveways, brick patios and wood decks.
• Don't automatically remove dead vegetation from gardens as some provide attractive scenery in an otherwise dreary, snow-drenched yard.
• Move sensitive potted plants indoors or to a sheltered area.
10) Prepare an Emergency Kit
• Buy indoor candles and matches / lighter for use during a power shortage.
• Find the phone numbers for your utility companies and tape them near your phone or inside the phone book.
• Buy a battery back-up to protect your computer and sensitive electronic equipment.
• Store extra bottled water and non-perishable food supplies (including pet food, if you have a pet), blankets and a first-aid kit in a dry and easy-to-access location.
• Prepare an evacuation plan in the event of an emergency.
Friday, December 3, 2010
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Monday, November 1, 2010
Mess Free Painting Tips!
Follow these tips to make your painting projects easier to do and cut your clean up time in half. Mess Free
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Halloween Facts and Ideas!!! Happy October!
October is a great time to relax and have fun — decorating, costumes, trick-or-treating and lots of candy for the kids … and an occasional pet like our friend here. Halloween is a time when we get to appreciate the community where we live, and all the special events we have to enjoy all year round. This sense of community is even more important as people stay closer to home to save money.
Depending on where you live, there will be different festivals and fairs to visit. Some of the more traditional fall trips include fall foliage, apple picking, finding the perfect pumpkin and don’t forget the hay rides, which the kids absolutely love. All of these activities are great as they support your local businesses, who like you are having to work extra hard to survive and thrive in this challenging economy.
Don’t forget to decorate your house or maybe a scarecrow. Children love to get involved and this is a project where you can work side-by-side with younger ones to create that special look. If your children are grown and gone, maybe you’ll simply put out a nice display of pumpkins and mums to show your appreciation for everything good that we have.
If you’re searching for fun activities for your family, a great website to visit is WhoFish.com (more than 30 states and growing) where they list local events and send you a weekly update so you can always find something fun to do. You’ve simply got to find (make) the time to relax and have fun.
History of Halloween
Halloween began 100s of years ago. Celtic farmers believed that spirits rose from their graves on the last day of summer. They used huge bonfires and disguises to repel and confuse these spirits. In the 8th century, Pope Gregory the 3rd, created All Hallows Day on November 1st, in an attempt to distract the Celts. This quickly became All Hallow’s Eve as the Celts didn’t want to give up their traditions.
During the Irish potato famine, more than a million people immigrated to the US and brought these traditions with them. Bonfires turned into Jack-O-Lanterns and disguises became costumes. The tradition of Trick-or-Treat is less clear.
Watch the History Channels video, Haunted History of Halloween
Pumpkin Facts & Figures (watch the pumpkin video)
Maybe you’re a fan of pumpkin pie, love carving pumpkins or eating pumpkin seeds. Bet you haven’t memorized all these pumpkin facts …
Pumpkins originally came from central America.
American farmers grow more than 1.5 billion pumpkins each year … that’s a BIG number!
The largest pumpkin grown (so far) weighed 1700 lbs.
Pumpkins contain an average of 500 seeds.
There are 30 different varieties of pumpkins. The ones we carve are usually Connecticut field pumpkins.
Pumpkins are good for you, containing potassium, vitamin A and fiber.
Pumkins were originally thought to cure snake bites, freckles and more (gotta watch the pumpkin video).
Depending on where you live, there will be different festivals and fairs to visit. Some of the more traditional fall trips include fall foliage, apple picking, finding the perfect pumpkin and don’t forget the hay rides, which the kids absolutely love. All of these activities are great as they support your local businesses, who like you are having to work extra hard to survive and thrive in this challenging economy.
Don’t forget to decorate your house or maybe a scarecrow. Children love to get involved and this is a project where you can work side-by-side with younger ones to create that special look. If your children are grown and gone, maybe you’ll simply put out a nice display of pumpkins and mums to show your appreciation for everything good that we have.
If you’re searching for fun activities for your family, a great website to visit is WhoFish.com (more than 30 states and growing) where they list local events and send you a weekly update so you can always find something fun to do. You’ve simply got to find (make) the time to relax and have fun.
History of Halloween
Halloween began 100s of years ago. Celtic farmers believed that spirits rose from their graves on the last day of summer. They used huge bonfires and disguises to repel and confuse these spirits. In the 8th century, Pope Gregory the 3rd, created All Hallows Day on November 1st, in an attempt to distract the Celts. This quickly became All Hallow’s Eve as the Celts didn’t want to give up their traditions.
During the Irish potato famine, more than a million people immigrated to the US and brought these traditions with them. Bonfires turned into Jack-O-Lanterns and disguises became costumes. The tradition of Trick-or-Treat is less clear.
Watch the History Channels video, Haunted History of Halloween
Pumpkin Facts & Figures (watch the pumpkin video)
Maybe you’re a fan of pumpkin pie, love carving pumpkins or eating pumpkin seeds. Bet you haven’t memorized all these pumpkin facts …
Pumpkins originally came from central America.
American farmers grow more than 1.5 billion pumpkins each year … that’s a BIG number!
The largest pumpkin grown (so far) weighed 1700 lbs.
Pumpkins contain an average of 500 seeds.
There are 30 different varieties of pumpkins. The ones we carve are usually Connecticut field pumpkins.
Pumpkins are good for you, containing potassium, vitamin A and fiber.
Pumkins were originally thought to cure snake bites, freckles and more (gotta watch the pumpkin video).
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Friday, September 17, 2010
Consider the tasks one can do for you
If you have lots of projects around the house that need to get done, it is not uncommon to keep putting them off. Rather than stressing yourself out about such tasks, consider getting a professional to help you out with them. Most people have no problem hiring an electrician or plumber to finish the jobs that they cannot do on their own, but they feel odd hiring someone to complete small chores that do not require a specialist. However, rather than spending your days off completing your to do list, think about just relaxing and getting a handyman to do it all for you.
You might be wondering what kinds of tasks most handymen are capable of completing. The answer is that it varies depending on the person, but most can do all of the typical chores that homeowners tend to put off. For example, most people are perfectly capable of painting, but do not have the tools or patience to do it quickly. Whether you need a room with high ceilings painted, a wallpaper border put up in a new nursery, or a chair rail added to a room, consider hiring a handyman to do it instead of spending hours trying to do it yourself.
Some homeowners find it hard to get around to tasks that do not directly affect them on a daily basis. For example, you might have purchased a ceiling fan long ago, but never installed it because you are not sure that you can do so correctly. If it is fall or wintertime, you may feel that it can wait, but it would be great if you could have it put in place before it begins getting warm where you live. In this case, you can call a handyman to install it, whether the ceiling is prewired for the fan or not. Consider doing the same for large mirrors or pictures that you have never gotten around to putting up on the walls, as your house is missing out on these decorations while they sit and just take up space on the floor.
If you are unsure if a local handyman can do the job you need him to do, all you have to do is call and ask. Do not forget to ask for hourly rates, whether he is licensed and insured, and the soonest time that he can make it to your home. Many homeowners think that they are saving money by trying to do chores on their own, but they often never get around to completing certain tasks. Spending a little money on a professional can bring you peace of mind and allow you to relax and enjoy your days off.
You might be wondering what kinds of tasks most handymen are capable of completing. The answer is that it varies depending on the person, but most can do all of the typical chores that homeowners tend to put off. For example, most people are perfectly capable of painting, but do not have the tools or patience to do it quickly. Whether you need a room with high ceilings painted, a wallpaper border put up in a new nursery, or a chair rail added to a room, consider hiring a handyman to do it instead of spending hours trying to do it yourself.
Some homeowners find it hard to get around to tasks that do not directly affect them on a daily basis. For example, you might have purchased a ceiling fan long ago, but never installed it because you are not sure that you can do so correctly. If it is fall or wintertime, you may feel that it can wait, but it would be great if you could have it put in place before it begins getting warm where you live. In this case, you can call a handyman to install it, whether the ceiling is prewired for the fan or not. Consider doing the same for large mirrors or pictures that you have never gotten around to putting up on the walls, as your house is missing out on these decorations while they sit and just take up space on the floor.
If you are unsure if a local handyman can do the job you need him to do, all you have to do is call and ask. Do not forget to ask for hourly rates, whether he is licensed and insured, and the soonest time that he can make it to your home. Many homeowners think that they are saving money by trying to do chores on their own, but they often never get around to completing certain tasks. Spending a little money on a professional can bring you peace of mind and allow you to relax and enjoy your days off.
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