Category: Home Tips

When summer rays are shining, it is tempting to grab your book and relax in the hammock. But before you do, take some time during a cooler summer morning to walk around your home and inspect it with a keen eye – to ensure that there isn’t anything that needs your attention.

Keep Your Gutters Free from Debris
Inspect your gutters and remove any debris. Here in Lancaster County, flash thunderstorms are common, and your house can suffer from water damage as a result of debris and water accumulating in your gutters

Clean Your Garage
Summer is a great time to organize your garage and get rid of the clutter. Also keep in mind that in the summer, temperatures can rise to new highs every day. Heat-sensitive materials such as paints and solvents should be stored in a cool, dry place or, if no longer needed, disposed of properly.

Examine for Pests and Insects 
Inspect your deck and other wooden areas for termites. For humid climates, like ours, watch for puddles around your yard and other standing water – which is a perfect breeding ground for mosquitoes (and the West Nile virus). Check your lawn for holes created by moles, chipmunks or other furry creatures. Finally, examine the eaves around your home for hornets’ nests. Depending on the type of insect or pest, you may want to consult a professional for extermination.

By pinpointing problems early, you can usually avoid larger repair headaches (and bills) down the road – and have more time to relax in the summer sun.

No matter what the season, Lancaster County sees its fair share of extreme weather. With shifting temperatures in the spring and early summer, this time of the year seems to be one of the most volatile for extreme weather. Thunderstorms, hail and driving winds all can appear rather quickly, which is why it is important to be prepared just in case the power goes out.

J.K. Mechanical put together this handy info-graphic on extreme weather emergency essentials (see below). With these tips you can prepare your family and your home for any situation in any kind weather.

Tip #1: Standby Generator

A standby generator will help keep the most essential items running when the power goes out (refrigerator, freezer, cell phone charger, medical equipment, etc.). If you live in a neighborhood where your experience frequent and long power outages, a generator should be a top purchase consideration.

Tip #2: Adequate Food and Water

If there was a local disaster (ice storm, flood or tornado), would you have adequate food and water for your family? Make sure you store one gallon of water per person per day (3 days is recommended) and store enough non-perishable food (and a way to cook it – think camping) for your family, too.

Tip #3: Prepare Your Home

There are some things you can do around your house to prepare it against extreme weather. Check the roof, caulk windows and doors, insulate, keep gutters clean and bring your pets inside.

Remember, by taking the time to plan ahead, you can ensure the safety of your family.

Source: JKMechanical.com

A bathroom can be one of the most relaxing places in the home, yet it is also a room that is one of the hardest to keep clean and sanitized. Here are a few ideas for keeping your bathroom clean and fresh:

• To remove soap scum, lime scale and dirt from your shower and other bathroom surfaces, use a mixture of dishwashing liquid, ammonia and vinegar. Having said that, if you have marble in your bathroom, be sure NOT to use vinegar, as it will break down the marble.
• White vinegar can also be used to remove soap scum from glass showers. Just put it in a dollar-store spray bottle to use. Vinegar can also be poured into toilets to keep them sparkling.
• Use a razor blade to scrape lime scale around faucets. Just be super careful as you scrape that you don’t cut yourself.
• Keep a bottle of soap scum remover in your shower caddie, and every few days, spray it after your shower. It keeps the scum from building up and significantly decreases the time and elbow grease needed to clean your shower.
• Don’t use fabric softener when washing towels, as this will create a coating on them – making them less absorbent. Instead, use white vinegar to keep them fluffy and soft.

Summer is here, and the change of the season brings many severe thunderstorms to the Susquehanna Valley. They move in fast and furious and can often produce several inches of rain in a matter of minutes.

These rainstorms are also brutal on our homes, but there are steps you can take to minimize the potential damage:

• Make sure the dirt around your home is graded away from your foundation. If you find places where water can pool, fill them. Water nestled against the foundation can cause major issues to your home.
• Keep downspouts and gutters clear of debris. Also make sure that your downspouts are long enough that they don’t dispense water too close to your home’s foundation.
• Check sump pumps regularly to make sure that they work properly. To do so, fill the sump well with water until it triggers the pump. Additionally, just like downspouts, make sure your sump pump pipe releases water far enough away from the home and that it is free of debris. Also, be sure your sump pump is not discharging into the septic or sewer pipes. This could result in a failed septic system or higher sewer costs.
• After a rain, wind or hailstorm, check your roof for damage. If you suspect any damage, call a professional roofing company to inspect it.
• If you frequently lose power, you may want to invest in a generator. These come in a wide range of types and costs. You can get a small one for just your sump pump, or you can invest in a larger generator that can keep a few items running, such as your refrigerator and cell phone chargers, until power is restored.

Spring is here!  Time to get outside and stretch those legs and arms. 

Winter months can be harsh as we have seen this past winter with several snow systems coming through. Now is the time to check over your home’s exterior and do a bit of repairs and maintenance.

 

Replace caulk around windows and doors.  Spring brings low overnight temps and warmer days, and this can cause cracking in the caulk around your windows. Those cracks can result in cold air drafts entering your home and the rainy days of spring can seep through, too, and cause water damage. 

Find and fix leaks in your crawl space or basement.  Look for water accumulation and moisture after the melting snow and rain.

With another bought of snow approaching next week it’s the best time to decide which de-icing salt will be best for your home. 

There are four de-icing salts available, but each have different qualities and characteristics about them.

If the temperatures are below freezing and you are seeking excellent traction for your walkways and driveways, then Safe -T-Salt is the brand.  Thinking of making ice cream?  Safe-T-Salt is safe to use.

Calcium Chloride Pellets/Flakes gives off heat while dissolving, which speeds up the melting process.  Calcium Chloride works quickly because it attracts moisture from the surrounding area and quickly turns into a solution. It continues to be effective even when the temperatures drop below -25 °Fahrenheit.

Searching for a pet friendly product?  Blizzard Wizard is pet friendly and continues to provide an ‘ice-shield’ for upcoming storms.  It is 30% to 40% less corrosive than rock salt and delivers aggressive melting power to -20 °F.

Our last suggestion is Snow Glo.  This de-icing ‘salt’ is green-tinted, high performance that contains sodium chloride, calcium and magnesium chloride, Potassium Chloride, Urea, and CMA for faster, colder temperature melting than regular rock salt.  The purpose for the green-tint is for people to see coverage on ice and packed snow.  Minimal to no staining will occur once melted.

Winter will be here soon, so now is the time to check around your house to make sure it is ready for cold and blustery weather when it arrives.

• Gutters. Do one final check of your gutters to make sure it is free of leaves and other debris, as it can cause water to dam up and freeze. Keep in mind that if you are unable to safely check them yourself, hire a professional who can take care of it for you.

• Shrubs and Tree Limbs. When the wind is blowing, the trees and shrubs close to your home can scrape against the exterior of your home. Besides keeping you awake at night, they can also cause damage. Trim them back so that they aren’t hitting your house.

• Furnace. Your furnace is what keeps your home and family comfortable all winter long, so make sure you keep it in good working order. If you haven’t already done so, have your HVAC professional do a furnace check-up where he can clean it and detect any potential issues.

• Outside Items. If you still have patio furniture, flower pots or garden hoses outside, move them back inside. Also, make sure that your outside spigots are drained and turned off from the inside. This will prevent  potential pipe bursts from happening in below-freezing temperatures.

• Kitchen Sink. Before holiday cooking and baking get in full swing, clean your garbage disposal and also your faucet aerator.