People who live in colder climates can become victims of condensation. Water can collect on both visible and hidden surfaces. If you see visible condensation on windows, walls, etc., it is a sure sign that your indoor humidity might be too high. Water can collect in wall cavities and attic spaces if you do not take aggressive action to lower the humidity and/or ventilate the hidden spaces.

Bathing activities (hot showers and baths) probably cause more indoor humidity problems aside from humidifiers that are set too high. Try to take shorter showers and/or ones that use less hot water. Install and use a bathroom exhaust fan. Turn it on during your shower or bath. Leave it on after your bath for 10 minutes or so. Be sure the exhaust air is piped to the outside of your house. DO NOT dump this air into an attic space.

If your home has a crawl space, the soil in the crawl space is liberating vast quantities of water vapor into your house. Cover the soil with a vapor barrier to lower your indoor humidity. For homes with basements, indoor masonry surfaces can be sprayed with a sealer to stop moisture transmission.

Cooking liberates lots of water. Boiling water for noodles, vegetables, etc. puts lots of moisture in the air. Try to minimize these activities or install a ducted kitchen exhaust fan. Once again this must be vented to the outside - not the attic.

Window condensation usually lies in the fact that the windows are doing too good of a job! The old windows leaked vast amounts of cold air into the house. This very dry air mixed with the indoor humid air and lowered the overall humidity in the house. To minimize new windows from fogging or condensation, be sure to have ones with soft coat Low-E glass. This type of coating produces a warmer interior glass surface. The warmer the glass surface, the less chance of condensation. Also look for windows that offer warm edge technology. This refers to special spacers that are used to separate the pieces of insulated glass in your new windows. The spacer strips are made so that the cold outer pane of glass conducts a minimum amount of cold to the inner pane of glass.

Duct cleaning generally refers to the cleaning of various heating and cooling system components of forced air systems, including the supply and return air ducts and registers, grilles and diffusers, heat exchangers heating and cooling coils, condensate drain pans (drip pans), fan motor and fan housing, and the air handling unit housing. If not properly installed, maintained, and operated, these components may become contaminated with particles of dust, pollen or other debris. If moisture is present, the potential for microbiological growth (e.g., mold) is increased and spores from such growth may be released into the home's living space. Some of these contaminants may cause allergic reactions or other symptoms in people if they are exposed to them. If you decide to have your heating and cooling system cleaned, it is important to make sure the service provider agrees to clean all components of the system. Methods of duct cleaning vary, although standards have been established by industry associations. Typically, a service provider will use specialized tools to dislodge dirt and other debris in ducts, and then vacuum them out with a high-powered vacuum cleaner.

The National Fire Protection Association Standard 211 says, "Chimneys, fireplaces, and vents shall be inspected at least once a year for soundness, freedom from deposits, and correct clearances. Cleaning, maintenance, and repairs shall be done if necessary." This is the national safety standard and is the correct way to approach the problem. It takes into account the fact that even if you don't use your chimney much, animals may build nests in the flue or there may be other types of deterioration that could make the chimney unsafe to use.

The Chimney Safety Institute of America recommends that open masonry fireplaces should be cleaned at 1/8" of sooty buildup, and sooner if there is any glaze present in the system. Factory-built fireplaces should be cleaned when any appreciable buildup occurs. This is considered to be enough fuel buildup to cause a chimney fire capable of damaging the chimney or spreading to the home.

Insurance companies love it when you have an ample supply of de-icer (either rock salt or calcium chloride pellets) available at entry doors. Keep a covered 5 gl. pail with a scoop inside (a plastic cup works fine) near entrances. Be sure to check de-icer levels in the pails after each major snow or ice event and replenish as needed.

As snowfall totals increase, many flakes will find there way into your common areas, especially entrance lobbies and foyers. These floor areas will have to be mopped and cleaned more frequently, including any walk-off mats. Make sure to use clear water or a neutral cleaner (pH 7) to remove corrosive salt residue before it interacts and damages your flooring.

 

 

Carpeting in common areas will also feel the adverse effects of winter. High-traffic carpet paths should be professionally cleaned every month if possible. Then in early spring have a complete carpet cleaning of all areas. This will ensure that winter dirt and salt is removed and will help extend the life of your carpeting.

Now is the perfect time to start planning your spring and summer projects! For most contractors the winter months represent their off-season. They will be more readily available to work with you, and provide proposals and quotes for your upcoming projects. 

"One Call to S&D Does It All"

• Garage floor scrubbing/power washing/line striping
• Carpet and tile cleaning
• Gutter cleaning and repairs
• Exterior painting/wood replacement
• Blacktop seal coating/line striping/patching

After the holidays, consider formulating your RFPs (Requests For Proposal). Develop and communicate your project specifications so all contractors will be bidding "apples to apples". You may even be able to secure more favorable pricing as many contractors look to fill their planning boards prior to spring. Then, with proposals in hand, you will be prepared to prioritize, budget and schedule your projects well before the actual work needs to begin.