Everything Under YOUR Roof – Spring Home Improvement & Maintenance

Welcome to the Everything Under YOUR Roof home improvement and maintenance page.

Home ownership is a very expensive investment. Home owners are constantly trying to reduce the costs associated with running their houses, and the easiest way to do that is by regularly maintaining the property to keep things running efficiently, as well as preventing costly problems in the future. 

I'm not going to lie to you - the maintenance list is a long one, but it's my intention to break it down each month into a manageable checklist. 

Today's topic: Good bye winter, hello spring!

• The beginning of Daylight Savings marks not just a change of time on the clock, but it also marks the time of year you should change the batteries (and backup batteries) in your smoke detectors.  After you change the batteries, test each smoke detector to make sure it is working properly.
• Plan ahead and schedule your central A/C annual maintenance now. Annual maintenance will prevent breakdowns, as well as keeping your unit running efficiently, which means you pay less money to the electric company. Not to mention, service schedules for HVAC companies are light right now, which means they can better accommodate your busy schedule, AND you can shop for pre-season discounts. The 2 companies I recommend are R&B Refrigeration and East River Energy. Both have agreed to extend a $25 discount toward your A/C annual maintenance if you mention this article!
• Inspect your washer machine hoses for cracking, bubbling or stress points – having a water line burst can cause severe water damage to your home. It is recommended that rubber hoses be replaced every 5 years.
• Pour a cup of distilled white vinegar into your dishwasher and run a regular wash cycle. This will help dissolve mineral accumulation and soap residue.

If you have any home improvement/maintenance questions, comments, or want to suggest a topic - I invite you to leave a comment below.

Stay tuned... next month's topic "April showers bring May flowers, and also wet basements and mold... gross!"

Cheers!
Kim

Kimberly Spanier, Owner