Sump Pump Testing & Maintenance – With fall just around the corner and the potential of heavy rains and snow melt, take the time to test your sump pump and make sure it is working properly.

To test your sump pump, start by filling a 5 gallon bucket of water and dumping it into the sump pit where the pump is located. If this activates the pump and the water pumps out, then you know everything is operating correctly.

It is also very important to make sure the outlet pipe in your yard is free and clear of debris.This will keep the water from being trapped in the pipes and potentially backing up into your basement. Additionally, make sure that the discharge happens far enough away that it drains away from the foundation. If it is too close, it simply seeps back into your basement.

Smoke Alarm Maintenance – It is very important for you and your family’s safety to make sure your smoke alarms are working proper. Checking the batteries is one of the easiest things you can do to ensure the alarms are working properly. A great way to remember to check the batteries is to do it in the fall when you change your clocks back from daylight savings time. Be sure to also vacuum dust and dirt off your smoke alarms to keep them from malfunctioning – they can be set off from dust building up around the housing of the alarm.

October is a good time to take a look around the outside of your home to make sure everything is put away and in good working order before the cold winter air sets in. Take notice of anything that may need your attention and be sure to take care of it now before it has the potential of turning into a much larger issue.

• Disconnect garden hoses from your house and store them. To minimize the possibility of a pipe burst, turn off the water to the pipes that leads to the outside spigot (from the inside).
• To keep your furnace in the best working order, contact your HVAC company to schedule a furnace checkup. Besides giving your furnace a good cleaning, they will also inspect it to see if there are any parts that may need replaced so that it stays running all winter long.
• Check the weather stripping around doors and windows. These naturally break down over time, so to minimize drafts, replace them, as needed.
• An on-going fall chore is to clear fall leaves from gutters and downspouts to keep the water moving away from your home.
• October’s cool nights and warm days are a good time to aerate your yard and reseed and/or patch areas. This is the first step to creating a fuller, healthier lawn to enjoy next spring.
• Inspect your wooden deck and stairs for loose/cracked boards. If you have boards that are worn, warped or cracked, replace them now. This could prevent someone from slipping during the icy winter months.
• Check your roof. Your roof is your home’s first line of defense, so if you notice anything, contact a professional roofer. A little money invested now could save you a bundle later.

Over time, the average person will spend hundreds (if not thousands) of dollars on small kitchen appliances. While some of the smaller items aren’t too expensive to replace, some of the larger ticket items (such as food processors and high-end mixers) can be costly. Taking proper care of these items is easy and takes little effort.

Here are some tips to help extend the life of your appliances and keep that cash in your pocket.

• Always clean and dry kitchen appliances as soon as you’re done using them.
• Pay special attention to drying anything made out of metal, such as blades found in food processors and blenders. This will prevent rust.
• For toasters, make sure to clean the slide-out tray located near the bottom. Keeping this space clear of crumbs will reduce the chance of fire or attracting bugs.
• The best way to clean a microwave is to boil a mug of water in it. The steam from the water will help to loosen any food that has been stuck to the insides. Using an abrasive-free cloth or sponge will allow you to easily wipe away old food or residue.
• To clean the inside of appliances such as the blender or food processor, a simple solution of water mixed with vinegar does a great job. Generally, a half-cup of vinegar to one gallon of water works best. This cleaner also works well for floors and even windows.
• Vinegar works best with coffee makers (including your Keurig). Run a cycle of vinegar-only through the coffee maker, and then flush it out with two additional cycles of water-only. If you use your coffee maker often, you may want to do this every month.
• While not technically a “small appliance,” to keep the garbage disposal clean, put a little liquid soap into it, turn it on and run the cold water on high for about 3 minutes. Keeping the water cold will help to solidify any grease and then allows the disposal blades to break it up. If you’re looking to get a fresh scent for the disposal, cut a lemon in quarters and drop it in, then turn on the disposal. The fresh scent of lemons will last for several hours. In addition, one of the best ways to keep the garbage disposal in good working order is to use it frequently. This allows the blades to rotate and the keep the unit from rusting since it is constantly exposed to water.

Remember that with any item you are cleaning, make sure to keep the cords away from water. It is also important to remember to keep appliances unplugged for safety.

Using these tips will help to keep your appliances in good working order and looking good as well, but remember to always read the manufacturer’s instructions that come with each appliance when purchased. Some units have pieces that come apart and others do not. Knowing exactly how your unit works helps to keep it working properly.

September is one of the best months to take care of a few items around the house. While the season is turning, it still is quite nice outside, yet it is pleasant enough to open up the windows and let some fresh air back into the home after running the air conditioning most of the summer.

Here are a few chores you should tackle this month, in between football games:

• Check weather-stripping around your doors and windows. Weather-stripping comes in a variety of forms: foam, plastic, felt or metal are the most common, and over time, it deteriorates. To keep air from coming into your home, inspect the weather-stripping and caulking around your windows and doors, and if it is cracked or torn, replace it.
• Attic insulation. Now that the outside temperature is a bit cooler, you can get up into your attic to inspect the insulation. If you have pink insulation, the pink side should be facing you, not the reflective side. If you see areas where the insulation is compacted, that is where you’ll want to add more. Also look for wet spots, which are a telltale sign that you have a leak in your roof.
• Check gutters. Do a quick visual inspection of your gutters and drains to make sure they are still solidly attached to your home.
• Keep critters out. Mice can squeeze through an opening as small as ¼ inch, and autumn is the time they are looking for a winter home. Make sure your vents are screened and that there aren’t any gaps around the garage door. Mice, and other critters, like to enter through pet doors, too.
• Clean dryer vents. The best way to clean your dryer vent is to move it away from the wall, unhook the vent and use a vacuum. But that’s only half the job. Now go outside and use your Shopvac to clean the outside vent. This is something you should do every spring and fall – to prevent lint from clogging up your vent, which makes your dryer run longer, and to prevent a fire hazard.
• Schedule furnace maintenance. To keep your furnace in the best working order, have your HVAC company do a “preventative maintenance” check on your furnace. Your gas fireplace should also be vacuumed before you use it for the first time this season.

The home is a sanctuary for your family, and there is nothing more unnerving that realizing that your home has been broken into. According to the FBI, over 2 million burglaries occurred in 2010 – a decrease of 2 percent when compared to the year before – and although crime is a serious concern, our homes and neighborhoods are safer than ever before – much in part to awareness and the preventative steps we are taking.

Still, summer into early fall is typically the time of year when homes are susceptible to burglaries. In summer, many families are out of town for vacations. Once school begins, people are in and out of the homes more frequently – for after-school activities and sports or to run a quick errand – and they often get lax in securing their home.

Here are a few things you can do to keep your home secure:

• Never allow strangers in your home, even if they look hurt or in distress.
• Make sure your front door has a peep-hole and/or locking storm door. A peep-hole will allow you to see who is at the door before opening it, and a storm door acts as a line of defense.
• Most contractors, such as HVAC or pool companies, will wear uniforms, show a badge and/or drive a company vehicle. If they are a smaller firm where their employees don’t have those items, they will present you with a business card and notify you ahead of time of what to expect when they show up to your home for the pre-scheduled appointment.
• When you go for a walk or leave your home for a quick errand, take the time to secure your home. Lock your doors, put your garage door down, and close and lock any sliding doors or windows that can easily be entered.
• When you leave for vacation, inform a trusted neighbor. Ask them to pick up your mail, paper and other items that can make an unscrupulous person quickly see that you are away. Put your lights on timers so your home looks lived in.
• Invest in a safe to store valuable items such as jewelry and important documents. You may also want to consider buying one that is flood and fire proof.
• One of your home’s easiest entry points is the garage. Keep your garage door closed at all times and lock the door that leads from the garage into your home.
• Don’t leave ladders and tools unsecured outside. These items can be used to gain access to your home.
• Shrubbery around your first-floor windows can deter a robber from entering your home – especially if they are thorny. If you don’t have any, you may want to plant a few.
• Neighborhood watch groups help to deter people from targeting your area. Get to know your neighbors and their habits, and ask them to do the same, so you can watch out for each other.
• Technology can also play an integral role in keeping your home secure. There are several home-monitoring companies in the area, but the one we work with and recommend is LLomar Alarm Company. The advantage to hiring a professional company (and not doing it yourself) because they can monitor your home around the clock.

Most break-ins can be avoided when you take some precautions. To get more home and neighborhood safety resources, visit the National Crime Prevention Council’s website.