Home Maintenance Tasks for September - Winter's Coming

- Look for cracks and holes in house siding or paint. Replace caulk if necessary.
- Good time to paint interior rooms or shampoo/replace carpets while it's still warm enough to leave windows open.
- In cold-climate areas, remove window air-conditioners, or put weatherproof covers on them.
- Check heating system including filters, pilot lights, and burners, and have the system serviced by a qualified professional.
- Drain hot water heater. Flush and refill. 
- Clean and vacuum dust from vents, baseboard heaters and cold-air returns.
- Check that foundations are properly graded. Soil should slope four to six inches for a distance of three feet out from the foundation walls.
- If you haven't already, check basement for cracks or leaks. Seal if necessary.
- If you have a sump pump, test, clean and lubricate.
- Wash out garbage cans, disinfect, and then rinse thoroughly.

Replace an Old Shower Head

Most DIYers should be able to replace a shower head easily. To remove simply unscrew the old head from the water pipe (check for and remove any set screws). Most can actually be unscrewed by hand. If not, use masking tape on the jaws of a wrench or a pair of Vise Grips (to prevent marring) and unscrew it. Turn slowly and hold the water supply line while you are unscrewing the showerhead - you don't want to break the supply pipe. Clean off the base and threads of the stem and then apply plumbers dope or tape around it. Visually inspect to make sure the shower head is straight and then hand tighten the new shower head on the stem and turn on the water to test for leaks. Not sure which shower head? ConsumerReports.org has points to consider and ratings (members only) or see a retail site such as Neatitems.

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How to Find Roof Leaks in Your Home

Finding that pesky, annoying roof leak can be a real pain and is best left to professionals. That said, most roof leaks happen at flashings. Flashings connect a roof to something that is not a roof such as chimneys, valleys, where a roof bumps into a wall, skylights, plumbing stacks, etc. Check the flashings before spending any time looking at the shingles. Danny Lipford says, “Roof leaks can be hard to find, since they often run down the underside of sheathing or rafters to show up far from their actual source. The best time to try and find a leak is when it’s raining outside, or you can also mimic rain conditions by spraying water on the roof. Go in the attic and look for damp spots or water stains, trace them back to their highest point, then examine that part of the roof for any potential problems.

Use Clove Oil to Freshen Air, Repel Ants and Mosquitoes and Sweeten Stinky Odors

Cloves have a great aroma and, in addition to their ancient use for aching teeth and gums, can be used in a variety of ways in place of aerosols or other artificial air fresheners to remove offensive smells. Make an atomizer in a spray bottle mixing 10-15 drops of clove oil per ¼ cup of water. You will need to shake well before each use. Use as a mosquito repellent by spraying lightly on exposed skin.  This is also good mix to relive insect bites and stings. The aroma alone from cloves will deter flies and a mix of clove oil, cinnamon oil and water will kill ants. A cotton ball soaked in clove oil will freshen up stinky garbage. It will work for shoes too, but be sure to place the cotton ball on some plastic wrap so as not to stain the insole.

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Some Useful Information About Furnace Filters

We all know that we should replace our furnace or air conditioner filters (they are the same thing) regularly, but many of us gape in confusion at the many, many options available and we don't really know how to determine what might be best for our specific purposes. Here are a couple of resources you might want to try for information to help you decide. Filter Furnace Care (a retail site) is good place to look for some important things to consider and a simple, but detailed comparison chart of the various filter types. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is a good, but technical, resource for a comprehensive guide to air cleaners in the home including sections dealing specifically with types of furnace filters and how efficiency ratings are determined

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NEWS 

CNNMoney.com says: "Sales of newly constructed homes leaped unexpectedly in July to hit their highest level since last September. ..The news followed other positive housing market reports earlier this month, including a spike in existing home sales, home prices and affordability. Plus, the psychology of the market is changing, according to Peter Morici, an economics professor at the University of Maryland. "The notion that prices will drift down forever is gone," he said. "Now people are thinking the window of opportunity will not be open forever."

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Fast Facts

• Bullet proof vests, fire escapes, windshield wipers, and laser printers were all invented by women. 

• Your nose and ears never stop growing.

• Proportional to their weight, men are stronger than horses.

• All the women in the world put together would weigh just about 85 per cent as much as all the men.

• Tigers have striped skin, not just striped fur.

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Easy Home Maintenance Tasks for August

Even in the August heat there will be some days when you can begin to get ready for the busy fall season. Here are some easy things you can do around your home. Check faucets for leaks and replace washers or repair the faucet as necessary. Use a vacuum with a narrow nozzle to clean condenser coils on the back of or underneath your refrigerator. Clean underneath range hood. Remove and clean or replace range hood filters. Clean window balances. If windows stick, clean the tracks in which the sash slides with a mild detergent. Lubricate with silicone spray if the window drags. If a furnace is part of your air-conditioning system, check the filter. Clean or replace it, if necessary. Carefully vacuum dust away from your heating and cooling thermostat. If needed, now is a good time to have your furnace serviced for winter.

Tips to Service Your Air Conditioner Between Professional Inspections

Turn off the unit before you begin. Start with the coils. Dust and dirt act to reduce heat flow, so cleanliness is practical. Central air conditioners have two coils. One, located inside (usually connected to the furnace ductwork), absorbs heat from the house, chilling the air and removing humidity. The second, outside the house, expels heat as a large fan blows air over the coils. A good shop vacuum should be up to the task. You may want to use a spray cleaner to loosen accumulated debris and dirt. Air conditioning removes moisture that drains into a pan and then to the outside. Clean the drain pan. Keep this drain system clean to prevent mold, etc. (A pro can add a tablet to the pan to keep bacteria from growing.) Make sure the condensate drain system and all filters and fans are clean. Clean or replace filters each month during the periods of use. Source: Minnesota Office of Energy Security.

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Try This for Carpet Stains

First mix a teaspoon of mild detergent with a cup of lukewarm water. Dip clean cloth into solution and gently blot the stain; continue until no more stain is removed. You could also use a cleaner such as Shout or Carpet Science Foam Carpet Cleaner. Then mix 1/3 cup white vinegar with 2/3 cup lukewarm water. Apply a small amount, then blot; repeat if necessary. Finally, place a half-inch layer of clean, dry tissues or other white absorbent material over damp area and weigh them down with something heavy, such as books. Allow to dry. 

How to Unclog a Drain

A clogged drain can be a pain. Sometimes a moderate clog can be cleared with this homemade mixture: pour 1/2 cup of baking soda down the drain followed by 1/2 cup of vinegar. Be careful. There will be foaming and fumes, so replace the drain cover loosely. Leave for about three hours, then run the water. For a slow drain from grease, try pouring in 1/2 cup of salt and 1/2 cup of baking soda followed by a teakettle of boiling water. Let it sit overnight. For weekly maintenance, combine 1 cup baking soda, 1 cup table salt, and 1/4 cup cream of tartar. Mix together thoroughly and pour into a covered jar. Pour 1/4 cup of mixture into drain, and immediately add 1 cup boiling water. Wait 10 seconds, then flush with cold water. Flushing weekly with a generous amount of boiling water also works well. If the homemade drain cleaners don't work, try How Stuff Works for helpful plumbing tips.

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How to Dispose of Latex and Acrylic Paint

You have some old or leftover paint. What now? You cannot throw it into the trash, it is not accepted at landfills, and you certainly can't just dump it down the drain. A paint solidifier (available at your local paint or hardware store) is an environmentally acceptable option for quick, easy and safe disposal. Just add to the paint and shake or stir. Within minutes the paint will thicken into a solid that can be safely disposed of as trash in most localities. If you leave a stir stick in, it will make a great handle. This is also a great way to handle paint spills. Simply sprinkle, mix and sweep your surface clean and dry. Keep a bag of solidifier handy for annoying spills that would otherwise take a lot of time to clean.

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NEWS 

On July 31, 2009 the AP said, “The economy sank at a pace of just 1 percent in the second quarter of the year, a new government report shows. It was a better-than-expected showing that provided the strongest signal yet that the longest recession since World War II is finally winding down.

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Fast Facts

• Hypothenar refers to three muscles of the palm that control the motion of the little finger.

• A violin contains about 70 separate pieces of wood!

• Your body is creating and killing 15 million red blood cells per second!

• Skepticisms is the longest standard word in English that alternates hands when typing!

• Canada is an Indian word meaning "Big Village".

CPSC Grill Safety Tips

Okay, backyard chefs, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has some safety tips to follow when using gas or charcoal grills. Each year about 30 people are injured as a result of gas grill fires and explosions. Many of these fires and explosions occur when consumers first use a grill that has been left idle for a period of time or just after refilling and reattaching the grill's gas container. Charcoal produces carbon monoxide (CO) when it is burned. CO is a colorless, odorless gas that can accumulate to toxic levels in closed environments. Each year about 30 people die and 100 are injured as a result of CO fumes from charcoal grills and hibachis used inside. We have excerpted the CPSC grill safety tips, find them here.

Is Your Tap Water Safe? Do You Need Bottled Water?

Lately, there has been considerable discussion about the purity and environmental impact of bottled water. You might find Lori Bongiorno's February article on Yahoo Green useful to help you decide what's best for you. She says, "The general consensus is that tap water is a safe, healthy, and economical choice for most Americans. What's more, experts say it's preferable to bottled water." The article includes websites for various resources to check the quality of your local water and has a discussion of things to consider and resources for information regarding the use of water filters to get rid of contaminants or improve the taste of your water.

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Clean a Remote Control

Think about it. You, and your other household members, probably touch the remote controls for the TV, DVD player, cable box, etc. dozens of times a week. This is not a comment on your hygiene of course, but even the cleanest hands can transport dirt, dust and debris to the remote control. Clean it regularly to help it function properly and to protect you and others from easily transmitted sicknesses. Cleaning the remote is relatively easy, but you have to be extremely careful not to damage the battery contacts or the circuits or it will stop working. See two ways to clean a remote.

Window Washing Hints

Summer rains and water sprinklers often leave streaky windows. If you use vertical strokes when washing windows outside and horizontal for inside windows it is easy to tell which side still has streaks. Generally, straight vinegar will get outside windows really clean, but be sure to be careful of shrubbery or flowers underneath. Wash your windows on an average day. An extremely hot, sunny day can dry the panes too quickly and just leave more of the very streaks you want to get rid of. Newspapers seem to work very well for drying windows. They are lint free and the ink seems to make windows shine.

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NEWS

On May 28, 2009 CNNMoney staff writer wrote "April sales are a sign to some economists that the worst of the housing downturn may be over. Sales of newly constructed homes were almost flat in April -- but in a sickly housing market, economists saw a few reasons for hope." The Commerce Department said new home sales ticked up 0.3% last month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 352,000. That was from a downwardly revised reading of 351,000 in March. See the complete article here.

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Fast Facts

• An acre is a plot of land with an area of 43,560 square feet (4047 sq meter)

• A US gallon (.8 imp gal) of water weighs 8.34 lbs (3.78 kg)

• An inch (2.4 cm) of rain per acre (4.405 hectare) equals 27,152 gallons (21,722 imp gal)

• The weight of one gallon of water on one acre = 22,6448 lbs = 113 tons (102,715 kg/114,813 imp tons)

• One mile is 5280 feet and hence a square mile has area 5280 x 5280 = 27,878,400 square feet (2.59 sq km)
  

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