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Posted at 02:26PM Mar 27, 2009 by Abbey Turner in General | Comments[0]
Home Maintenance
Recommended Maintenance
Every home will show some wear and tear as it ages. Your paint may peel, windows get stuck and floors squeak. All of these are normal signs of aging, but what will hurt a home is neglect! Routine preventative maintenance is recommended to protect your home. Ongoing maintenance will minimize problems; extend the life, appearance and value of a home.
Structure
1. Have a licensed and bonded pest company check for termites. Termites can cause extensive structural damage to a home. We live in an area where termites seem to be active so it’s a good idea to maintain a termite bond annually for your home.
2. Have a professional check your crawl space for dry rot and ventilation. Just like termites, dry rot can cause structural damage. Crawl spaces are susceptible because of the vulnerability to water and dampness.
3. Check your foundation walls for cracks, bulges and deterioration. Cracks in brick and block indicate structural movement. Bulges or horizontal cracks show serious force against the foundation wall. Mortar falling out from between brick or block joints could indicate water intrusion.
**These are just a few of many structural tips, next week I will touch on the maintenance of your heating and cooling system.
Until then, Have A Great Day!!!!
The Turner Team
Posted at 01:53PM Mar 12, 2009 by Abbey Turner in General | Comments[0]
Home Safety Tips
Additional Safety Tips
There are a lot of safety features around a home that we really don’t think about. Today, I will try to touch on a few!
1) A sump pump & floor drain on the lowest level of your home is very important for water related emergencies. These devices help reduce the damage to a home when it comes to storms or flooding. A water alarm is also available to detect leaks or seepage.
2) A smoke detector is required by code to be in every home. In newer houses they are powered by electrical circuits with a battery back up. When the batteries are dying the smoke detector will make a “chirping” noise. If you have an electric only unit, it is recommended to upgrade to a battery back up unit. Remember to test and replace your batteries.
3) A fire extinguisher is also a very important safety tool. You should have one on every floor of your home.
4) A carbon monoxide detector is important for a home with any gas, oil, fireplace or stove.
5) Identification tags should be on all shutoff valves & emergency switches.
6) Last but not least! Always have a “family plan” when it comes to house fires & natural disasters.
I hope these tips have been helpful to you! Next week wee are going to start a series on recommended maintenance for everyday wear & tear of a home! Hope to see you then!!!
The Turner Team
Posted at 02:02PM Mar 05, 2009 by Abbey Turner in General | Comments[0]
Electrical System and the Gas & Oil Equipment
Electrical System
Just like plumbing has shutoff valves, circuit breakers & fuses are the shutoff valves in the electrical system. You have to have instant access to the main panel or fuse box incase of an emergency. The house may be dark in an emergency situation so keep a flashlight available to use to find the panel.
If a fuse blows you will need extra fuses to replace the blown one. Make sure you use the correct # of amps in replacing the blown fuse. Most lighting circuits are 15 amps. Also, the circuits should be labeled in the panel or fuse box to assist you in any repairs or upgrades.
Gas & Oil Equipment
Gas shutoff valves usually have a narrow flat extension on top that can be turned 90°. When the extension is running parallel to the gas line the gas flow is open. When the extension is perpendicular the gas flow is blocked. If your extension has a hole in the middle you will have to use a screw driver to turn it.
Oil shutoff valves usually have a round handle that closes by turning to the right and opens by turning to the left.
Types of Gas & Oil Valves
· You will have a main shutoff valve that shuts off all the gas or oil to the house.
· All appliances have individual shutoff valves that shut the fuel off without affecting the appliance.
A service or emergency switch will turn off power to the equipment preventing it from operating. The switch is usually near the equipment on the wall. With oil equipment this may be at the type of the basement stairs. Most oil equipment has a reset button that trips if the line is clogged. If the button is out the burner can’t operate, if in it will. If the button is tripped only push it once, if it won’t ignite call for service. Always refer back to the manufactures instructions for any reset button or switch.
We will see you next week with great new tips on maintaining your home!!!!
The Turner Team
Posted at 03:12PM Feb 12, 2009 by Abbey Turner in General | Comments[0]
Plumbing
Hopefully this section will help you locate the shutoff valves found in your home. All adults and older children should know where they are. Most plumbing system shutoff valves are like faucets; you turn the handle to the right to close and left to open. If you have a newer ball valve you will have a handle that moves 90 °. If the handle is parallel to the pipe the water is flowing, if the handle is perpendicular the water is blocked.
1) The main water shutoff valve shuts the water off to the entire house. A house has one or two main shutoff valves. In older homes you can usually locate the valve in the front yard or in the street in front of the house. In most houses the main water shutoff is located inside the house close to the main water line. If your home has a basement the water line will enter through the foundation wall or basement slab. If your home is on a slab the water line enters through the slab. In a home built above a crawl space the water line is through the foundation wall or through the soil.
2) Fixture shutoff valves shut the water off to one fixture at a time. These valves are usually located on the water line under the fixture. (ex: sink, toilet, laundry tub.)
3) Appliance shutoff valves are located on the water heater’s incoming cold water supply and a boiler’s incoming water line. On a washing machine it is located on the hot and cold water lines and only the hot water line of a dishwasher.
4) Sprinkler system shutoff valves are usually inside the house near where the main water line enters BUT after the main water shutoff. This allows the system to be winterized.
5) Older outdoor faucet shutoff valves shut the water off to the outdoor faucets in an emergency. In older homes they can be used to winterize faucets in cold climates.
Now that we have scratched the surface of the plumbing features in a home, next week wee will go over the basics of the electrical system and gas and oil equipment.
Happy
The Turner Team
Posted at 10:20AM Feb 03, 2009 by Abbey Turner in General | Comments[0]
