Q. I'm a new home owner and don't know a thing about home maintenance. I change the air filters about every 2 months, but that's about it. What do you do to maintain/care for your house? any help would be appreciated.
A. I touch up paint the baseboards annually. Clean the vents over the stove weekly to prevent grease build up which could cause a fire. Clean out the aerators on the faucets monthly because little rocks and impurities accumulate affecting water flow. I remove the screw off drain caps on all of the sinks to remove hair and really yucky gunk that accumulates and impedes the sink for draining properly. At the same time, I dump a cup of white vinegar and 1/4 cup of baking soda down the drains to keep them flowing freely.
I utilize the free services provided by my utility provider to have the AC inspected prior to the first use in the summer season and my gas heater inspected before the cold weather sets in. Annually, I drain my hot water heater to keep impurities and mineral deposits from accumulating on the elements to keep it operating efficiently. I have a fireplace and have a chimney sweep clean it out, check the flu and spark arrestor once before burn season starts and then every cord of wood thereafter. Although I have animal and debris guards on my gutters, I still get up there and make sure they are clear before the rainy season starts. Although my smoke detectors are hard wired, they do have battery backup and I check them to make certain they are still good with my battery tested twice a year when we change time.
I check my automatic sprinkler system every 3 months to make certain that all of the heads are adequately watering the plants and not the cement, no pipes are broken and they aren't clogged. I power wash my house in the autumn after our windy season (we get a lot of dust accumulation after Santa Anas) and have my windows, tracks, and screens both inside and outside cleaned twice a year. I test my burglar and fire alarm system every three months and check the battery back-up every 6 months. I inspect my driveway for rust, fluid drips and tire marks which I clean up every 3 months. I use the free inspection services from the pest control companies to have my property inspected annually for pests, termites, rodents, bees, etc.
I have my very tall trees pruned annually if needed and hard prune back all of my bushes and woody stemmed shrubs that bloom on new wood, generally in the autumn. I inspect my landscape lights to make certain they don't need bulbs and are illuminating areas that could be attractive to burglars. I have my lawn aerated either in spring or autumn to prevent soil compaction. I over seed the lawn in autumn because our rainy season starts then. I use a pre-emergent weed and feed on my lawn in the spring and a winterizer in the autumn. During the spring bloom season and throughout the summer, I use liquid fertilizer on my plants and beds as needed (about every 90 days). I have dogs and have a lot of wildlife in my area bringing in fleas and ticks that are dangerous to my pets. So I not only treat them, but I treat my lawn and beds every 90 days.
I live in an area prone to devastating wild fires. So, I clear all brush and debris around my home and 100 feet from any structure to create a fire break. I make certain all leaves, pine boughs, dead branches, etc. are removed prior to fire season.
I clean out my dishwasher by running an empty load on the longest cycle with a cup of vinegar on the bottom and the soap dispenser filled with baking soda to keep grease from accumulating. I also clean out the filter at the bottom where food particles accumulate. About every 4-6 months, I pull out the fridge, clean the coils and anything that has accumulated under and behind it. At the same time, I check the date on the ice maker filter to determine if I need to change it. I also pull out the washer and dryer to clean behind them. I inspect the dryer venting system and check that the animal guard outside is still in place and not clogged with lint.
Finally, annually I review all of my insurance coverages to make certain that I have not made improvements which could impact my coverages or create a situation where I am underinsured.
A lot on the to-do list to be a responsible home owner, huh?
I utilize the free services provided by my utility provider to have the AC inspected prior to the first use in the summer season and my gas heater inspected before the cold weather sets in. Annually, I drain my hot water heater to keep impurities and mineral deposits from accumulating on the elements to keep it operating efficiently. I have a fireplace and have a chimney sweep clean it out, check the flu and spark arrestor once before burn season starts and then every cord of wood thereafter. Although I have animal and debris guards on my gutters, I still get up there and make sure they are clear before the rainy season starts. Although my smoke detectors are hard wired, they do have battery backup and I check them to make certain they are still good with my battery tested twice a year when we change time.
I check my automatic sprinkler system every 3 months to make certain that all of the heads are adequately watering the plants and not the cement, no pipes are broken and they aren't clogged. I power wash my house in the autumn after our windy season (we get a lot of dust accumulation after Santa Anas) and have my windows, tracks, and screens both inside and outside cleaned twice a year. I test my burglar and fire alarm system every three months and check the battery back-up every 6 months. I inspect my driveway for rust, fluid drips and tire marks which I clean up every 3 months. I use the free inspection services from the pest control companies to have my property inspected annually for pests, termites, rodents, bees, etc.
I have my very tall trees pruned annually if needed and hard prune back all of my bushes and woody stemmed shrubs that bloom on new wood, generally in the autumn. I inspect my landscape lights to make certain they don't need bulbs and are illuminating areas that could be attractive to burglars. I have my lawn aerated either in spring or autumn to prevent soil compaction. I over seed the lawn in autumn because our rainy season starts then. I use a pre-emergent weed and feed on my lawn in the spring and a winterizer in the autumn. During the spring bloom season and throughout the summer, I use liquid fertilizer on my plants and beds as needed (about every 90 days). I have dogs and have a lot of wildlife in my area bringing in fleas and ticks that are dangerous to my pets. So I not only treat them, but I treat my lawn and beds every 90 days.
I live in an area prone to devastating wild fires. So, I clear all brush and debris around my home and 100 feet from any structure to create a fire break. I make certain all leaves, pine boughs, dead branches, etc. are removed prior to fire season.
I clean out my dishwasher by running an empty load on the longest cycle with a cup of vinegar on the bottom and the soap dispenser filled with baking soda to keep grease from accumulating. I also clean out the filter at the bottom where food particles accumulate. About every 4-6 months, I pull out the fridge, clean the coils and anything that has accumulated under and behind it. At the same time, I check the date on the ice maker filter to determine if I need to change it. I also pull out the washer and dryer to clean behind them. I inspect the dryer venting system and check that the animal guard outside is still in place and not clogged with lint.
Finally, annually I review all of my insurance coverages to make certain that I have not made improvements which could impact my coverages or create a situation where I am underinsured.
A lot on the to-do list to be a responsible home owner, huh?
Who can I contact to do maintenance on foreclosed properties in southeastern michigan?
Q. Who can I contact to do maintenance on foreclosed properties in southeastern michigan?
I own a lawn maintenance and home maintenance (inside and outside) and would want to work on these homes to maintain for the lender, realtor, bank etc.
But I am unable to finds out who to contact, does anyone have and leads that I can geta hold of?
I own a lawn maintenance and home maintenance (inside and outside) and would want to work on these homes to maintain for the lender, realtor, bank etc.
But I am unable to finds out who to contact, does anyone have and leads that I can geta hold of?
A. This can be complex. In many cases, the lender hires a loss mitigation company to handle their foreclosures. This can be subbed out to yet another company. From my friends that work in foreclosures, there can be about 5 companies involved in financial decisions on these properties.
Your best bet is market yourself to Realtors who will ultimately list these properties. Most have weekly meetings, ask if you can make a short presentation at a meeting. Or get some inexpensive flyers printed up with pricing or information about services you offer and drop a few at every RE office in your area.
Your best bet is market yourself to Realtors who will ultimately list these properties. Most have weekly meetings, ask if you can make a short presentation at a meeting. Or get some inexpensive flyers printed up with pricing or information about services you offer and drop a few at every RE office in your area.
Do men make a naturally better stay at home parent in this day and age?
Q. In the modern workforce, women seem more suited to the office routine, social scene and nature of much of the repetetive work. Men today, while staying home are more apt to keep the children active, can become adept at most housekeeping skills, and perform other home maintenance duties that women typically refuse to do. Also, in most families, fathers handle most of the discipline. Should women now work to support a husband and children?
A. Like Helena said, natural roles are myths. You should figure what your strong points are and apply them in life. Some women are more suited to be a stay-at-home mom and some are not. Same goes for men. Some are suited to be a stay-at-home dad while some are not. And some men shouldn't get married or father children at all. Vasectomy is the best option for them.
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