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May Feature |
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Home Maintenance for Dummies | |
A great resource for the diy-er in you!
maintenance tips & schedules, cleanser recipes and tool kits suggestions to keep your home ship shape! |
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Quote of the Week
'A part of recreating a culture of caring is to revalue the maintenance
function in our daily lives, and an important part of that process is to learn
to love our buildings through their maintenance.'
-Clarke Snell, The Good House Book. |
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Quote of the Week #2
'One only needs two tools in life: WD-40 to make things
go, and duct tape to make them stop.'
G.M. Weilacher
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Pass Us Along
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Greetings!
There is no doubt that spring has officially sprung! Each spring I find myself and my wife doing all of those little spring cleaning chores around the house. One of my responsibilities is to take care of all of the maintenance projects in and around the house that have surfaced since last fall. Cleaning the gutters, washing the windows, painting any unruly paint spots, the list goes on. As an architect I can honestly say that these little home maintenance projects are actually the key to a long lasting and beautiful home.
I go to homes all the time that have slowly slipped into disrepair. Most of the problems I see originated from simple maintenance tasks that, for one reason or another, were never done. I always find it astonishing that someone had a leaking roof or a rotting window and it didn't seem bad enough to them to really worry about fixing it. I have a message for those folks ... get it fixed! Now I know that not everyone is a handyman, not everyone can paint, and not everyone knows what to look out for. Therefore, I always suggest that these folks seek professional help! A painter, a carpenter, a plumber, or your neighbors are all there to help you. Some of you are reading this and saying, yea buddy, how much is that going to cost? I can tell you that it will not be as much as it will be if you wait! For the next few issues of our newsletter we will spend some time talking about home maintenance. So, break out the paint brush and the hammer, I know you can do it and we are here to help!Regards,  |
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Take a Closer Look at ...
Home Maintenance
Ralph Waldo Emerson said 'A man builds a fine house; and now he has a master, and a task for life: he is to furnish, watch, show it, and keep it in repair, the rest of his days.'
Any property owner knows truer words were never spoken. Keeping routine house repair from becoming costly emergency work can be as simple as employing a little preventative maintenance.
Take note of a few tips for your Spring & Summer to-do list:
Outside
- Clean leaves and debris from around the outside air conditioner. - Have AC checked and serviced.o Invest in an annual maintenance contract from a trusted HVAC company. The yearly expense can save thousands in labor costs.
- Clear debris from window wells, storm drains, gutters and downspouts.- Inspect gutters for signs of sagging or damage. Repair as needed. Check downspout extenders to make sure they are firmly attached.- Trim back overhanging limbs on trees. Trim back shrubs overgrown around the house.- Move wood piles away from the home or outbuildings. - Check weather stripping on windows and doors. Repair or replace as needed.- Clean screens on roof vents and louvers.- Have the chimney cleaned and inspected, including chimney cap.- Inspect for and destroy early signs of bird and insect nests in key spots like eaves, ledges and overhangs. Check for signs of termite problems. - Inspect and repair damage in the roof, siding, trim and windows.- Inspect for signs of water and wind damage including curled, damaged, loose or missing shingles.- Inspect wood surfaces - decks, porches for signs of damage and/or rot. Pressure wash and seal as needed.
- Examine edges for damage to roof sheathing.
- Check flashing around chimney, vent stack, skylights, roof edges and dormers.
- Remove insulation from outdoor faucets and pipes in unheated spaces.- Check pipes and faucets for drips and leaks.- Check sprinkler heads and repair as needed.- Clean and repair screens on windows and doors.- Inspect and repair caulking.- Inspect wood siding for peeling or chipping paint. Spot scrape, prime and paint as required.
- Check grading around the house to assure proper water drainage.
- Check hard and soft surfaces (soil, asphalt and concrete) for depressions and settling.
- Check for broken or cracked glass on storm windows.
Inside
- Check attic for signs of water damage and pest entry or nests.
- Check faucets, hoses, toilets for leaks and inspect shutoff valves for all plumbing. In no shut off valves exist - install them!
- Test smoke alarms and replace weak batteries.
- Install carbon monoxide detectors.
- Test all ground-fault circuit interrupters.
- Clean drains in sinks, tubs and showers.
- Replace furnace filters.
- Check for loose putty around glass panes.
- Inspect electrical cords for wear.
- Inspect washer hoses and dryer vent both indoors and out.
- Check pressure levels on fire extinguishers. Purchase fire extinguishers if none presently exist!
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Taking Aim ...
Thought you might like to know a few findings from our April survey.
Top Five responses on how to
improve the newsletter content:
1. Design Tips
2. Home Maintenance
3. Community Information
4. Design Books Reviews & Recommendations
5. Give the ability to comment on Features
We aim to please, so we've taken your cue and designed the May issue to just that. Watch for a new feature - a monthly Design Tip with shopping suggestions. And we'll help you get started with some routine maintenance tips because an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!
Thanks again for all your input and suggestions. Enjoy!
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It's all in The Details
good tidings from past newsletters
What Wood you Think?
July/August 2001
We have a woodpecker at our house, in fact, we have two of them. Every morning they show up a f a ritual of rat-a-tat-tat at an ear-splitting level. I haven't decided yet if I should refer them to a psychiatrist or they just need some guidance in where to look for food. You see, they think our fiber-cement siding is wood and they work diligently to peck a hole in it. Now here is the point - if our cement siding looks that much like wood to a wood expert like a woodpecker then what is the guy off the street going to think it is? Right, he can't tell it isn't wood either.
So if it means so much to me to have people think that I've used wood, why wouldn't I just use wood? Let me use my house for an example. My home is located at the edge of a heavily wooded ledge. These woods extend down through a river valley that is home to a lot of wildlife, including people who smoke or otherwise use (or play with) fire. Mother Nature of course could at any time send down a bolt of lightening that could start a fire. I like to think that along with a really good roof, stone veneer and a lot of prayer, that perhaps fiber-cement siding might be a little safer hedge against catching on fire than wood would be. I also like the fact that it holds paint better than wood and termites don't find it very attractive.
Fiber-cement siding is made of sand, cellulose and portland cement so no trees are cut in order to get these planks. It doesn't contain any asbestos, formaldehyde or glass fibers. If the siding planks are cut with anything other than an electric hand shear when a dust mask is recommended because of fine silica dust. Most companies guarantee fiber-cement siding against splitting, warping, buckling, swelling or rotting for 50 years. It is resistant to rain, hail, snow, termite and insect damage. If you live on the coast it is nice to know it is also resistant to salt air. One of the best qualities though is that since it is mostly cement and silica, it is noncombustible. It comes in several different finishes such as cedar (wood grain), beaded cedar, smooth, and smooth beaded. The siding can be bought primed, unprimed or with a finish coat of paint. When painted it looks as great as wood and is usually cheaper to install than cedar siding, and similar in cost to stucco. So maybe my woodpeckers have good taste after all!
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Design Tip of the Month!
Spring has sprung and summer is hot on her heels. Lighten up the look of your room by removing those heavy wool area rugs. Consider replacing them with lighter cotton or dhurrie throw rugs, or keep the heft of wool, but choose rugs that are lighter in hue and theme. Botanicals and eclectic prints are a nice warm weather alternative to the heaviness of winter's oriental rugs. The Paula Deen Rug Collection from Kaleen offers traditional and fun patterns to suite any decor and any room. The Wymberly pattern offers a soothing palate appropriate in a sophisticated and urban space alike. Or take a departure from the norm and experiment with carpet tiles from FLOR - easy to install and available in ready-made designer patterns or express your individual style with your own design.
Looking for a local source? Check out The Great Rug Store located at 7501 Burnet Road, Austin.
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