Winterize your home!

10/26/2011 09:13:00

So you've pulled your sweaters out of mothballs and found your mittens at the bottom of the coat closet. But what about your house -- is it prepared for the cold months ahead?

We've boiled down your autumn to-do list to 10 easy tips and our Handyman Service department is ready to help you winterize your home! Call us at 615-443-1629.

1. Clean those gutters
Once the leaves fall, remove them and other debris from your home's gutters -- so that winter's rain and melting snow can drain. Clogged drains can form ice dams, in which water backs up, freezes and causes water to seep into the house, the Insurance Information Institute says. Also, make sure the downspouts are carrying water away from the house's foundation, where it could cause flooding or other water damage. The rule of thumb is that water should be at least 10 feet away from the house.

2. Block those leaks
One of the best ways to winterize your home is to simply block obvious leaks around your house, both inside and out, experts say. The average American home has leaks that amount to a nine-square-foot hole in the wall.

First, find the leaks: Check the most common drafty areas: recessed lighting, window and door frames, electrical outlets.

Then, install door sweeps to close spaces under exterior doors, and caulk those drafty spots. Outlet gaskets can easily be installed in electrical outlets that share a home's outer walls, where cold air often enters.

Outside, seal leaks with weather-resistant caulk. For brick areas, use masonry sealer, which will better stand up to freezing and thawing. Even if it's a small crack, it's worth sealing up. It also discourages any insects from entering your home. Randy Armstrong Construction can help you with all of your brick and stone masonry repairs!

3. Insulate
Another thing that does cost a little money -- but boy, you do get the money back quick -- is adding insulation to the existing insulation in the attic. Regardless of the climate conditions you live in, in the (U.S.) you need a minimum of 12 inches of insulation in your attic.

Don't clutter your brain with R-values or measuring tape, though. Here's the rule of thumb on whether you need to add insulation: If you go into the attic and you can see the ceiling joists you know you don't have enough, because a ceiling joist is at most 10 or 11 inches.

Randy Armstrong Construction can help you with all your home insulation needs!

4. Check the furnace
First, turn your furnace on now, to make sure it's even working, before the coldest weather descends. A strong, odd, short-lasting smell is natural when firing up the furnace in the autumn; simply open windows to dissipate it. But if the smell lasts a long time, shut down the furnace and call a professional.

It's a good idea to have furnaces cleaned and tuned annually. Costs will often run about $100-$125. An inspector should do the following, among other things:

Throughout the winter you should change the furnace filters regularly (check them monthly). A dirty filter impedes air flow, reduces efficiency and could even cause a fire in an extreme case. Toss out the dirty fiberglass filters; reusable electrostatic or electronic filters can be washed.

5. Get your ducts in a row
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, a home with central heating can lose up to 60% of its heated air before that air reaches the vents if ductwork is not well-connected and insulated, or if it must travel through unheated spaces. That's a huge amount of wasted money, not to mention a chilly house.

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Ducts aren't always easy to see, but you can often find them exposed in the attic, the basement and crawlspaces. Repair places where pipes are pinched, which impedes flow of heated air to the house, and fix gaps with a metal-backed tape (duct tape actually doesn't stand up to the job over time).

Ducts also should be vacuumed once every few years, to clean out the abundant dust, animal hair and other gunk that can gather in them and cause respiratory problems.

6. Face your windows
Now, of course, is the time to take down the window screens and put up storm windows, which provide an extra layer of protection and warmth for the home. Storm windows are particularly helpful if you have old, single-pane glass windows. But if you don't have storm windows, and your windows are leaky or drafty, they need to be updated to a more efficient window.

Call Randy Armstrong Construction for replacement windows. 615-443-1629

7. Don't forget the chimney
Ideally, spring is the time to think about your chimney, because "chimney sweeps are going crazy right now, as you might have guessed," says Ashley Eldridge, director of education for the Chimney Safety Institute of America.

That said, don't put off your chimney needs before using your fireplace, Eldridge advises. "A common myth is that a chimney needs to be swept every year," says Eldridge. Not true. But a chimney should at least be inspected before use each year, he adds. "I've seen tennis balls and ducks in chimneys," he says.

Ask for a Level 1 inspection, in which the professional examines the readily accessible portions of the chimney, Eldridge says. "Most certified chimney sweeps include a Level 1 service with a sweep," he adds.

Woodstoves are a different beast, however, cautions Eldridge. They should be swept more than once a year. A general rule of thumb is that a cleaning should be performed for every ¼ inch of creosote, "anywhere that it's found." Why? "If it's ash, then it's primarily lye -- the same stuff that was once used to make soap, and it's very acidic." It can cause mortar and the metal damper to rot, Eldridge says.

Another tip: Install a protective cap on your chimney, with a screen, advises Eldridge. "It's probably the single easiest protection" because it keeps out foreign objects (birds, tennis balls) as well as rain that can mix with the ash and eat away at the fireplace's walls. He advises buying based on durability, not appearance.

One other reminder: To keep out cold air, fireplace owners should keep their chimney's damper closed when the fireplace isn't in use. And for the same reason, woodstove owners should have glass doors on their stoves, and keep them closed when the stove isn't in use.

Don’t have a fireplace! Randy Armstrong Construction builds custom Indoor and Outdoor fireplaces! Call us today for a FREE estimate and design consultation! 615-443-1629.

8. Reverse that fan
Reversing your ceiling fan is a small tip that people don't often think of. By reversing its direction from the summer operation, the fan will push warm air downward and force it to recirculate, keeping you more comfortable. (Here's how you know the fan is ready for winter: As you look up, the blades should be turning clockwise.)

9. Wrap those pipes
A burst pipe caused by a winter freeze is a nightmare. Prevent it before Jack Frost sets his grip: Before freezing nights hit, make certain that the water to your hose bibs is shut off inside your house (via a turnoff valve), and that the lines are drained.

Next, go looking for other pipes that aren't insulated, or that pass through unheated spaces -- pipes that run through crawlspaces, basements or garages. Wrap them with pre-molded foam rubber sleeves or fiberglass insulation, available at hardware stores. If you're really worried about a pipe freezing, you can first wrap it with heating tape, which is basically an electrical cord that emits heat.

10. Finally, check those alarms
This is a great time to check the operation -- and change the batteries -- on your home's smoke detectors. Detectors should be replaced every 10 years, fire officials say. Test them -- older ones in particular -- with a small bit of actual smoke, and not just by pressing the "test" button. Check to see that your fire extinguisher is still where it should be, and still works.

Also, invest in a carbon-monoxide detector; every home should have at least one.

Call our Handyman Service for all your home maintenance needs! 615-443-1629

How to hire a Handyman Service

10/23/2011 08:32:00

Finding a good Handyman Service is kin to finding a good mechanic. Many things can go wrong with your car, same as with your house. A good Handyman can fix plumbing and electrical, he can build small additions, decks, demo walls, paint, tile, and caulk. Before you just grab the first one you see, there are some steps to make sure who you have is who you want.

Before You Call:

Walk through your home and list the small repairs needed. Ex, dripping faucet, loose cabinet doors, faulty light switch, etc.

Get organized before you make the call. Keep a list of all repairs needed near the phone so you can give the repair person a good idea of the job size before they come to your home.

Make a list of other items of concern or ones you think might get worse.

Decide if you will be able to afford all the repairs at once or if you want them done in phases. If you want them in phases, prioritize what you want done first.

When Your Handyman Arrives:

Walk through your home and describe each of the repairs to the handyman.

Decide on an hourly, or per job rate.

Ask for references and examples of other jobs if you still aren't sure about his work.

Handyman Service

10/22/2011 13:24:00

Randy Armstrong Construction provides professional and reliable Handyman Service:

Decks: Repair, Replace, Pressure Wash & Stain

Doors: Repair or Replace Interior & Exterior Doors

Drywall & Plaster Repairs

Interior & Exterior Painting

Replacement Windows

Carpentry: Repair rotted or damaged wood & trim.

Installations: Ceiling Fans, Light Fixtures, Door Knobs, Bathroom Hardware, Shelves

Emergency Services: Board-ups, Roof covers

All Home Repairs!

Call today for a FREE estimate!

615-443-1629

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