Auto Repair Articles ? Home Care Reminders for the Fall

You can?t fight it, fall is here. Those days of lounging on the deck in the warmth of a summer of evening are over, at least for now. It is time to prepare the home for a cozy winter away from the rain and wind outside. There isn?t much, especially if maintenance is kept up annually and repairs are attended to fairly quickly. Let?s take a look.

Check for gaps around outer doors and windows, places where cold air can enter. Run your hand along door and window seams to feel for a draft. Alternatively, wait until it is dark and have someone shine a flashlight along the seams while you watch on the other side of the door or window. The places where light can shine through are the places where weather stripping or spray foam insulation is required. Check attics, basements and soffits for cold air ingress as well. Using a closed cell polyurethane insulation will stop up any gaps, as well as resist moisture. Proper insulation in cold zones can dramatically reduce the cost of heating the home during fall and winter.

If your home has a central air conditioning unit, there are few little things to do that will keep things up and running smoothly. First of all, check the evaporator coil and condenser coil for dirt at the beginning of the cold season, as well as the beginning of the warm season. To prevent winter debris and cold air from entering the outdoor unit of the air conditioner, cover it with a tarp or barbecue cover. This will also extend the life of the unit. Keep foliage trimmed back from the unit so it can work more efficiently and critters will be less likely to make their homes there during the winter. Most importantly, run the system at least once during the winter months. Like a vehicle, it isn?t good for the system to sit idle for extended periods.

In the case of a furnace heating system, the maintenance tasks are similar to those of a central air conditioning unit. Before doing any maintenance work, be sure the power to the furnace is off. Replace the air filter before the start of the cold season, but more frequent replacements may be necessary if there are pets in the home. Don?t forget the fresh air intake as well. Clean the outer grill and replace the filter. If the furnace is used daily during the cold months, have the unit serviced and ducts cleaned by a professional at least once a year.

For electrical heat including baseboard heaters, ceiling units and floor registers, vacuum out all the components to remove dust, dirt and pet hair. On baseboard registers there are dozens of metal ?fins?, be sure they are straight so that heat can be produced efficiently. Keep all furniture, draperies and other items at least six inches away from heat sources. Never have a working register under furniture, even if there is a gap or the register is fully closed. Having the register closed decreases the efficiency of heating in the home, but most importantly the register still becomes warm and if covered could cause a fire. The same is true for electrical heaters.

When the colder temperatures arrive overnight, it is very easy to hike up the thermostat and get the heat pumping. To keep the home at a comfortable level of warmth without bursts of heat, keep the thermostat at a mid-range setting. For example 72F degrees is adequate. As people move around the home, more heat is generated. Also, keep in mind that many heating systems have a five minute delay. So setting the thermostat and changing it within that five minutes will result in another five minute delay. If you are not sure whether the temperature is right, wait until the system is actually working to see. Then change the setting.

Many, many homeowners are choosing to augment their home heating with wood burning fireplaces in order to save a few dollars on the utilities bills. The romance of a wood burning fire is certainly attractive, but there are maintenance tasks and costs involved. The chimney must be cleaned at the beginning of each season, especially if the fireplace is used more than once a week. Seasoned firewood must be accumulated; green or unseasoned firewood should not be used as it will cause a build of creosote in the chimney. Creosote buildup is the number one cause of chimney fires. Do not burn garbage is the fireplace for the same reasons.

Check the chimney for structure deterioration, water penetration and loose bricks. Since the chimney is out there in the worst of the weather every day of the year, as well as extreme heat and soot pouring out of it during the winter, it can experience a lot of wear and tear. Check the chimney cap to see if it is in good condition or is clogged. If there is a damper in the fireplace, make sure it is working properly and not blocked.

For those homeowners who do not want the bother of a wood burning fireplace, they often choose gas or electric instead. Although the maintenance is less, there are still a few things to be done each year. Have a professional come in at the beginning of the cold months to check the system for gas leaks and overall function. Clean the glass on the front door often and check for signs of cracks developing. Never burn wood in a gas fireplace, it could result in a major explosion. One thing to look out for: if the flame of the fire continues to be blue after about 30 minutes, call a professional to have a look. There may be an issue.

Mark Munns is a representative of Spray Foam Direct. We supply quick and easy do-it-yourself foam insulation kits which will save you money and energy.Visit us online today for more information about our foam insulation kits!

Source: http://autorepairarticles.com/2011/10/08/home-care-reminders-for-the-fall

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