GET YOUR HOME READY FOR 2012!! By Cameron English

On New Year’s Day, we usually begin to think about what resolutions and changes that we can make in our everyday lives. It may be to get fit or to stop a bad habit but we tend to leave out on how we can better take care of what we have. You have been blessed with a beautiful home. We have to remember that “To much is given, much is required” and that “Preparation is never lost time”. Maintenance your home regularly for upkeep of your home and to avoid major money being spent to fix what could have been avoided… The transition from winter into spring is only a few months away, and you can get your home ready for spring by keeping it simple and easy with doing these few things that will help save you time, energy and money in 2012!!

Inside

• Caulk around windows and doors. Check the gaps between siding and window or door frames and if they are bigger than the width of a nickel, you need to reapply exterior silicone caulk. In the colder months, it is the perfect time to caulk joints and cracks because in wintertime, caulk may shrink because of less moisture and heat. Doing this will help you avoid double work. If you do your caulking in the summertime when moisture and heat expands, when you get into the winter months you will most likely see cracks again. Seal drafty doors and windows and replace seals as needed. Think about this: If you added up all of the small cracks where heating and cooling escapes from a home, it would be the same as having a window open!!
• Close vents in crawl space. This will help you save money on your electric bill. This will help avoid cold air coming up from the bottom of your home causing your heat to continuously be running to maintain a certain temperature. If you have a basement, check the basement walls and floor for dampness. Be sure to clean the dehumidifier regularly, if you have one.
• Change air filters. Remember to clean or replace filters once a month, or as needed. Check and clean the dryer vent, air conditioner, stove hood, and room fans. Keep heating and cooling vents clean and free from furniture and draperies. Failing to regularly clean permanent filters or replace disposable ones reduces efficiency and can cause the heat and air unit eventually to shut down from overworking, which costs big bucks to replace.
• Replace light bulbs in the interior and exterior of your home. Use energy saving LCD/florescent light bulbs.  It is a great investment to make sure your home is illuminated and well lit.
• Check Safety Equipment: Ensure that all smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, and fire extinguishers are in good working order. Replace batteries in appropriate devices as needed, or at least twice each year.
• Refrigerator: Make sure your refrigerator door seals are airtight. Test them by closing the door over a dollar bill. If you can pull the bill out easily, the latch may need to be adjusted or the seal may need to be replaced. In addition, if you have a coil-back refrigerator, vacuum the coils at least twice each year. Your refrigerator will run more efficiently with clean coils. Also, stock up! A full refrigerator uses less energy than an empty one.
• Faucets: Check for leaky faucets in the kitchen, bathrooms, and laundry rooms. This will definitely help you preserve water and save money on bills. Replace washers as necessary. Even a small amount of dripping water can, over time, can cause extensive damage to drywall, cabinets and flooring, as well as unseen structural supports such as wall studs and floor joists.

Outside

• Trim your bushes and manicure your yard. Horticulturalists advise waiting to prune until late winter for most plants, when they’ve been long dormant and just before spring growth begins. January is a perfect time to get your yard ready for Springtime. Clean up fall leaves by raking the yard or turning leaves into mulch with your lawn mower.
• Clean your gutters.  If your gutters are full of leaves or other debris, water can back up against the house and damage roofing, siding and wood trim, or it can cause leaks and ice dams during the remnants of winter. Clogged gutters can divert water into places you don’t want it to go, damaging the wood trim and the roof of your house. Overhanging limbs can cause debris buildup and eventually damage your roof. Limbs also create a bridge for crawling insects, such as carpenter ants, to gain access to your home.
• Drain and Turn off exterior faucets.  Un-drained water in pipes can freeze, which will cause pipes to burst as ice expands. Disconnect all garden hoses and draining the water that remains in faucets. If you don’t have frost-proof faucets (homes more than ten to 15 years old typically do not), turn off the shut-off valve inside your home. Ensure that they drain away from the house to avoid flooding.
• Scan the Roof: Check the roof and around vents, skylights, and chimneys for leaks. Repair if you see anything necessary.
• Siding and Paint: Look for cracks and holes in house siding or paint. Replace with caulk if necessary. A carpet knife can work well for cutting away old caulking from house siding. Slice down alongside it from both directions with the hook-like blade, and then use the knife to lift out the old caulk bead intact. This helps the curb appeal of your home as well as keeping you dry and warm during the cold months.