How to Prepare Your Home for Winter 0

How to Prepare Your Home for Winter

As the dog days of summer usher in autumn, I begrudgingly face the reality that it’s time to buckle down and handle a few important chores around the house. These are the kinds of tasks that aren’t particularly rewarding now but, on a cold, wind-swept winter night, let me sleep a little better knowing they’ve been done. Once winter blows in, houses have to get serious. Roofs must shed rain and snow, windows and doors must reject the cold, and the heating system must keep rooms comfortable. If any of these components fails to hold up its part of the bargain, we have to scramble around in the wet, cold, and/or dark to fix them. So let’s get started. By handling these few, important, reasonably easy tasks now, you can avoid considerable grief later. 1) Inspect the roof. If possible, go up onto the roof to check its condition, but only do this if you can do it safely. Look for cracked or missing shingles, bald spots on shingles, missing or damaged flashing, and other conditions that might allow leaks. If composition shingles look aged, bend back the corner of one; if it crumbles or breaks, figure it is time for replacement. In most cases, you can seal minor cracks or tears with roofing cement or do minor repairs yourself. Do not climb onto a roof that is steep, wet, or icy. Instead, consider checking the surface from a ladder or, if you can't safely climb a ladder, use a pair of binoculars to scan for broken or missing shingles. From the top of a ladder, you can check the gutters along a typical asphalt-shingle roof for fine gravel-like granules that wash down from the roof’s surface. An accumulation of these usually means the surface is wearing away and replacement time is near. If the situation is serious, call a roofing contractor. 2) Check the gutters. While you’re on the ladder, look into the gutters. If they are clogged with leaves and debris, either call a gutter specialist or clean the gutters yourself. Gutters prevent basement and foundation flooding and water damage to siding, windows, and doors. When clogged with leaves and debris, they will fill with rainwater and overflow. To make matters worse, the added weight of the water may pull them loose from the eaves. 3) Inspect the siding. Check the siding for cracks, damage, and separations. In most cases, you can seal up any leaky spots with clear caulking compound (or buy paintable caulk and touch up with paint). Either handle more serious siding repairs yourself or call a siding contractor. If close inspection of the paint reveals problems such as blistering, peeling, alligatoring, wrinkling, or chalking, either touch them up (if areas are minor) or call a painting contractor. 4) Check the weatherstripping. Also look to see if windows and doors are effectively sealed with weatherstripping. Weatherstripping will prevent drafts and winter heat loss. If weatherstripping is damaged, it’s usually easiest and most effective to entirely replace it rather than try to repair it. 5) Service the heating system. If your home is heated by a forced-air furnace, turn off the power to the unit and replace its disposable filter or clean its permanent filter according to the manufacturer’s recommendations. While the furnace cabinet is open, brush and vacuum the blower blades. If you see potential leaks around air ducts, seal them by wrapping them with duct tape. If you are not familiar with doing this type of work, call a furnace technician. 6) Sweep the chimney. If you can see past the damper in the throat of the chimney, shine a flashlight up from inside to look for black, scaly creosote buildup on the inner walls. Creosote buildup on the inner walls of the chimney must be removed periodically to prevent chimney fires. The amount of buildup inside the chimney will depend upon how much wood you burn seasonally (especially resinous wood such as pine) and how long it has been since the last cleaning. Cleaning is generally recommended at least once a year for an active fireplace. Call a chimney sweep to have this done. Also see our DIY chimney cleaning and repair advice. 7) Adjust storm doors. A storm door can reduce energy costs and prevent drafts. To keep your storm door working properly, put a couple of drops of light oil or spray a little WD-40 on the hinges and latches. Be sure the door closer is adjusted and working smoothly; to adjust the closing speed of a pneumatic closer, turn the adjustment screw in the end cap. If you have a storm-and-screen door with interchangeable glass and screen panels, switch from screens to glass panels. (For more information, see our reports on screens and storms.) If your storm door needs replacement, see the Home Tips storm door buying guide.

How to Prepare Your Home for Winter

Home Improvement & Remodeling Resources In Your City 1

Are you embarking on a kitchen or bath remodeling project or a major home improvement? If you are, you'll find lots of helpful information here at HomeTips to guide you through the many facets of your project.

In addition to a wide range of buying guides, step-by-step DIY tips, and more HomeTips now meets you where you live--with local hometown information that can help guide you through improvements specific to your area. You will find links to your local building department, zoning and planning departments, special local programs and incentives for home improvements, and much more.

Home Improvement & Remodeling Resources In Your City

Water Heater Problems & Repairs 0

Water Heater Problems & Repairs

Expert advice on how to troubleshoot and maintain a gas or electric water heater

Water heater problems normally become self-evident: A hot water faucet fails to summon hot water, you see dripping or puddles near the water heater, or the tank emits strange gurgling or popping sounds. Though many gas utility companies will make a free house call to solve problems with a gas water heater’s burner or the gas supply to the tank, it helps to know how to solve basic outages yourself. For more difficult issues, contact a qualified local hot water heater repair person. Typical water heater problems include a leaking tank, not enough hot water, water that is too hot, water that is not hot enough, strange noises in the tank, and discolored water. Most water heater problems are easier to diagnose and relatively easy to handle if you understand how they work. For more about this, see How a Storage Water Heater Works. Note: Leaking natural gas can be dangerous. If you smell natural gas (it smells a bit like garlic) near the water heater, shut off the pilot light, close the gas shutoff valve, and call a plumber or your gas utility company for assistance. How to Flush & Drain a Water Heater Before draining and flushing your water heater, turn off the gas or electric power (depending on whether it is a gas or electric water heater) and let the water cool a little. Close the incoming water valve and attach a hose to the drain valve to run the water into a large bucket or to a drain or the outdoors. Open the drain valve and open one hot water faucet somewhere in the house to let in air. When all water has drained from the water heater, turn the cold water valve on and off until the water from the drain runs clear. Then close the drain valve and the hot water faucet, open the cold water valve, and turn the water back on. Water heater tips Set the temperature control to about 150 degrees F. or lower if you have no dishwasher or if you have small children or elderly people in the home who might scald themselves. To minimize the energy it takes to heat the water, insulate your water pipes if they run a long way from your heater to your faucets. Also consider installing a point-of-use water heater. Always shut off the power to an electric water heater before working on it. Periodically check the temperature-pressure relief valve, which keeps pressure in the boiler from building up too much. Lift or lower its lever on this valve. Water should drain from the overflow pipe. Do not work on an electric water heater if there is standing water pooled on the floor near the appliance. Shut off the circuit to the water heater and call a qualified water heater repairperson.

Water Heater Problems & Repairs

How to Install a Water Softener 0

Hard water is more than an unpleasant nuisance; it can stain sinks, reduce the cleaning power of detergent, cause buildup in faucets and pipes, and shorten the life of a water heater. Though several types of salt-free water softeners are available, a salt-based (ion exchange) softener is still the most popular choice. (See the Water Softener Systems Buying Guide for more information on choosing a water softener.)

Though most homeowners choose to buy and maintain their own water softener, a viable option is to rent one. Over the long run, renting will cost more than buying, but it can save you the trouble of installing, maintaining, and repairing a system.

Installation Basics

Installing a water softener calls for basic plumbing skills. Unless you’re simply replacing an old water softener, you may need to cut into and connect new fittings and pipes. (If you have copper pipes, see Cutting & Joining Copper Pipe for how-to help.) If doing it yourself looks like too much trouble, consider hiring a local prescreened water softener installation pro.

Cabinet-type water softeners are installed as a single unit, which houses both a softening tank and a salt brine tank. Some water softeners have a separate salt brine tank that sits to the side of the softening tank.

If you don’t have an existing water softener, the first step down the path of installing one is to choose a location for the appliance. (See How to Choose a Water Softener Location.)

An important note: In households where sodium in the drinking water may cause a health risk, it is often recommended that only the hot water be softened or that certain drinking water faucets be bypassed by the softened water. If you intend to install your softener so that the cold water system is not served by it, place it after (downstream from) the water heater—but keep in mind that you will lose all of the benefits of water softening in your cold water system. Another option is to select a salt-free water softening system (see Salt-Free Water Softeners).

Plumbing a Water Softener

Most water softeners come with a bypass valve that you must assemble and attach to the unit. In addition, some local plumbing codes require that you install shutoff valves to the pipes that lead to and from this bypass valve so the water to and from the softener can be turned off easily. If your softener has such a bypass valve, attach it to the softener, following manufacturer’s instructions.

Position the water softener where it belongs so you can easily measure for the connecting pipes. Turn off the water at the water heater and shut off the house water supply valves. Then open a couple of bottom-floor faucets or hose bibbs to drain the water from the pipes. (For more about shutting off the water supply, see How to Shut Off the Water to Fixtures and Your House.)

Using a pipe cutter, cut into the water supply line and install elbow fittings so you can run two lines, to the inlet and the outlet ports of the bypass valve. Hard water from the water supply will run into the softener’s inlet, and soft water will run out to supply the house's fixtures and faucets. If you want an outlet, such as a hose bibb, to carry hard water, install a T fitting prior to the softener and run it to the outlet.

Cut and install the pipes that lead to the bypass valve. Solder all the fittings and nipples before attaching them to the plastic bypass valve (the heat from soldering could damage the plastic). If the pipes are too large, use a reducing fitting to install pipes of the correct size. Use the compression fittings supplied with the softener to attach the pipes to the unit.

Clamp the drain hose to the softener, and run it to a drain or utility sink. The end of the hose must be at least 2 inches above a drain hole and should be securely clamped. Connect the brine tank’s overflow tube, and follow the manufacturer’s instructions for any additional assembly.

Following the manufacturer’s instructions, set the bypass valve to the “bypass” position and turn on the water to run through the softener for a few minutes to flush out sediment and expel air in the pipes. Set the valve to the “service” position and plug the unit into a nearby receptacle. Fill the tank with water and salt as directed by the manufacturer.

How to Install a Water Softener

15 Home Security Tips 0

Having a house alarm doesn’t mitigate the need for responsible watchfulness. Following are some tips to ensure your home is safe and protected:

1. Be particularly vigilant during the holiday season because burglars know there are gifts in the house and also know homeowners are more distracted than usual.

2. The summer still rates as the most opportune time for thieves due to homeowners taking extended vacations and leaving windows open.

3. Lock yourself out (leaving someone inside) and see if you can get into the house without the use of a key—if you can, then so can a professional thief.

4. If you like dogs, consider getting one, because thieves will be less likely to break into your home if they have to deal with one.

5. Make sure all entrances are well lit at night.

6. When you go out for the evening, leave on a few lights as well as a radio to an all-talk radio station.

7. Do not put the packaging for your new HD 40-inch TV out on the curb; instead, take it to a recycling center.

8. Close the curtains when you’re out. If you want to display your lovely Christmas tree, you could also be showing a thief all the gifts stashed under the tree.

9. Don’t leave valuables in the obvious places, such as the underwear drawer; instead, invest in a safe or leave your valuables at the bank.

10. Have deliveries go to a neighbor if you can’t be home to receive them, or arrange to pick up packages at the delivery station’s main office.

11. Keep hedges trimmed so you don’t give burglars better cover. Gravel beds around the house also make it easier to hear anyone lurking outside.

12. Foster good relationships with your neighbors as they will be more likely to call in something suspicious. Also, give trusted neighbors a spare key rather than planting one in a flowerpot.

13. Make sure your doors are as strong as your locks. Entry doors should be made from solid wood or metal, not foam core. If you have sliding glass doors, place a pin or bar in the track.

14. When on vacation, arrange to have someone pick up your newspaper and mail, mow your lawn, and/or clear snow from your driveway and sidewalks. Consider also leaving a car parked in your driveway while you’re away.

15. Secure existing windows with removable eyebolts in the locks (built into the sash), locking scissor gates, or fixed metal grilles.

15 Home Security Tips

Addressable Smoke Detector Systems 0

Addressable smoke detection systems provide knowledge of the exact location and status of every device. The alarm decision is generally made by control equipment rather than an individual detection device.

Addressable system features include:

* The alarm can be investigated before a fire service is called.

* The system can tell you which device needs maintenance.

* Each detector is uniquely identified, and the exact location of each unit is displayed at the fire control panel.

* Any cut wires or short circuits do not generate nuisance alarms.

* Each sensor can be adjusted to its own unique environment.

* Nuisance alarms are less likely because the system uses multi-sensor detection

* Many incorporate strobe lights as a means of alerting the hearing impaired.

Addressable Smoke Detector Systems

House Alarm Monitoring Companies 0

Alarm companies charge a monthly fee in addition to the installation fee. The monthly fee is based on the options you have chosen and the length of your contract.

Monitoring companies receive an intruder signal when the system is tripped and the control panel sends relevant information to the central monitoring station over standard phone lines. You are then contacted by the station within 10 seconds, either by telephone or over the intercom system. The station asks you to verify yourself using your name and pass code. If you cannot provide the pass code, the monitoring station sends the police.

When you sign up with a monitoring station, you provide information on the primary, secondary, and tertiary contacts to be notified if you are not at home. Smaller alarm companies often contract with third-party monitoring stations. Typically, this arrangement costs you less but is riskier because smaller alarm companies do not have to adhere to the same standards as the large ones.

Large home security monitoring companies usually have in-house central stations that simultaneously watch over thousands of homes and businesses. These services cost more because they are verified by the independent non-profit Underwriters Laboratories (UL), which tests their products and services for maximum safety and reliability. Larger, internally managed stations must also contact authorities within 45 seconds and have a reliable back-up system of 10 to 15 days in case of a power outage.

House Alarm Monitoring Companies

Security & Locks for Windows & Doors 1

Keeping would-be intruders out is an important concern for most homeowners. Though hinged doors are relatively easy to protect with proper latches and deadbolts, windows and sliding glass doors are not as simple to secure. Windows and doors that slide can be forced open or lifted off their tracks, and glazing can be broken.

In addition to installing locking devices, you can enhance security by replacing all ordinary glass with tempered, laminated, or wire-reinforced glass or with plastic, as well as by installing perimeter alarm systems.

Several ready-made devices are available to make prying open a window and/or removing a sliding glass door from its track more difficult. The right locking device to choose will depend on whether you need to secure a sliding window or door or a double-hung window.

To keep a panel from sliding, use track grips, which are tightened by a thumbscrew or key, or use metal stops that straddle the lower track and are secured with a lever or thumbscrew that clamps them in place. Or use a spring bolt, which is screwed to the sill or base track and has a pin that snaps through a hole drilled into the edge of the lower track and the bottom of the sash.

Even more secure is a bar that screws to the doorjamb and swings up into a saddle on the edge of the door to lock it in place; an advantage of this type of bar is that it can be adjusted to allow the door to be partially open.

The easiest way to keep an inside panel from sliding is to drop a dowel or a piece of stiff tubing into the empty portion of the lower track. Cut it 1/4 inch shorter than the distance between the panel and the jamb.

Double-hung windows can be locked with wedge locks, key-operated latches, or locking pins that go through one sash and into the next. (See also Security for French Doors.)

Sliding window lock	Keyed sash lock	Window latch	Sliding window latch
Keyed patio door lock	Patio door pin	Patio door bar	Deadbolt

Copyright Sunset Publishing Corporation

Security & Locks for Windows & Doors

Home Security 0

Would you like to make your home more secure against burglary or fire? Or would you like to enable an aging parent to get help in a hurry if needed? An electronic security system can offer both protection and peace of mind.

There are limitless options in the world of home security. Modern home security systems can range from simple motion-control sensors to hard-wired window and door devices to wireless video cameras and high-tech property surveillance systems that are wired right into your home computer network. Some systems can be self-installed in a couple hours, while others require professional installation and monitoring.

In this section of HomeTips, you will find information on selecting and installing the right home security system for your needs.

Home Security

Home Alarm System Options 0

Alarm systems come with the following options:

* Standard for all systems, the hidden control panel, with its power source, is the brains of the system and is connected to all other components, including one standard phone line.

* A security keypad is also standard and designed for easy arming and disarming. For convenience, the keypad tells you whether your system is armed correctly or not. For an additional cost, you may have additional keypads installed.

* PIR (Passive Infrared) Detectors, commonly known as motion detectors, use sensors to detect changes in infrared energy levels in the form of heat and motion. Typically, they are installed high up on walls, or over doors or windows. Look for sensors that meet American National Standards Institute and SIAC standards. Installers should be certified with The National Burglar & Fire Alarm Association and/or by state.

* Door and window contacts are magnetic devices placed along door jambs and window frames to trigger the armed alarm system if doors or windows are opened. Some systems include a chime that goes off whenever a door or window has been opened—very useful if you have young children with the urge to explore the great outdoors.

* Audio discriminators are sensors that convert the acoustic shock waves of glass breaking into an electrical signal that sets off the system.

*. Sirens come in the form of bells, horns, or strobe lights. Sirens can be installed inside (usually in an attic) or outside the home and usually draw immediate neighborhood attention to an intrusion.

* Signs and stickers usually come as part of the alarm system package. Both are useful as warnings to potential intruders your home is protected.

* A 24-hour back-up system kicks in if your phone line is cut or your power is shut off.
There is also a back-up system that can maintain your alarm system using a battery for up to 72 hours. Back-up systems are essential if your home uses a VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) primary phone system because most alarm systems are not compatible with VoIP. A cell phone back-up allows the monitoring station to contact you on your cell phone.

* Certain keypads act as two-way intercoms with your monitoring company, allowing for instant voice communication. Instead of phoning the house to verify an alarm, the monitoring company simply speaks to you over the intercom.

* A remote control can disarm your system from a few feet away and without the need to enter a code into a keypad. The disadvantage of a remote control is that you cannot confirm if your system is on, which makes tripping the alarm possible. Also, if the remote control is stolen, thieves have an easy way to disarm your system.

* A monitored smoke detector will send a signal to the central monitoring station if smoke is present in your home. Units usually have separate channels or zones for burglar and fire sensors.

* There are two options if you have indoor pets. One is a device that can identify the difference between a human and a pet that weighs up to 100 pounds. It has a dual-element sensor, which requires two sets of beams to be tripped simultaneously. It is difficult for one pet to trigger both alarms; however, be aware that multiple pets playing or fighting could accidentally set off the alarm. The second option is creating a pet alley by placing beams high enough above the floor so that movement by a pet won‘t be detected.

* A single video camera and monitor can be added to your system, as well as a complex closed circuit television (CCTV) with several cameras, multiple operators, and digital recorders.

Home Alarm System Options

How a Home Alarm System Works 0

You want your family and your property protected from harm, be it a home invasion or a fire. Fortunately, home protection has become more sophisticated and at the same time simpler.

House alarm systems are about peace of mind, ensuring the safety of your family and your property while dissuading potential intruders. Unfortunately, most people only consider a house alarm system when they’ve just been robbed.

The most common type of home protection is the house alarm. Security alarms have sensors that are connected to a control unit via either a high-voltage hardwire or narrowband radio-frequency signal that interacts with a response device. The most common types of sensors indicate the opening of a door or window or detect smoke. Most infrared sensors are for indoor use only. Outside sensors are available but are costlier and are not false alarm–proof.

If there is an unauthorized entry, an active alarm system sends a signal to a central monitoring station, which monitors systems every minute of every day. If necessary, the central monitoring station alerts local police to send an officer to your home.

Quality alarm systems combine audible and silent alarms triggered by sensors placed throughout the home, not just on doors and windows. It is recommended to use a combination of both hardwired and wireless sensor technologies for fewer false alarms. Some alarm companies do not offer the wireless option, even though it is the easier of the two types to install.

Entry-level wired systems utilize a “star network” topology where the panel is placed centrally and all devices “home run” their wires back to the panel. Installation of a hardwired system is obviously much cheaper if wiring already exists in the home.

If no pre-wiring exists, wireless is a less costly option because installers do not have to drill any holes, lift any carpets, nor string any wires throughout the house. Wireless systems, however, do require frequent changes of lithium batteries to maintain their effectiveness. One or two wireless repeaters may be required to get the signal reliably back to the alarm panel. Wireless systems are also easier to expand outdoors because they do not require any ditches to be dug.

The main control panel for an alarm system is usually hidden in a closet or garage because hiding the “main brains“ lowers the risk of a burglar disabling the system. A keypad is placed inside the house, usually by the front door, where residents can easily arm or disarm the system as they come and go. Another keypad near the bedrooms allows for convenient arming of the system at night.

How a Home Alarm System Works

Non-Monitored Home Alarm & Security Systems 0

A non-monitored alarm system, which is not linked to a central monitoring station, costs a lot less. This type of system dials the local police directly when your system detects an intruder or sounds a siren and/or flashes your home’s exterior lights.

If you want to skip paying the monthly fee to have a central monitoring station, you run the risk of being fined by local police per false alarm. In addition, response time by the police is not guaranteed, and, if you live in an urban area, you may not be able to count on neighbors responding, especially given the time of day of the break-in.

A standard warranty should come with your contract and a 90-day guarantee on parts and labor. For an extra $100 to $200, you might want to consider adding an extended warranty for maintenance and repair that would cover any needed parts, labor, or base fees.

Non-Monitored Home Alarm & Security Systems

Electrical Systems 0

If your home has ever lost electrical power during a storm or other type of electrical outage, you're probably well aware of how dependent we've become upon electrical power. Without it, practically nothing works, from appliances and lights to computers and air conditioners. Even some types of phones and heating equipment become worthless. Electricity is integral to our way of life.

A home's electrical system includes the incoming power lines, electric meter, service panel, subpanels, household wiring, electrical boxes, receptacles (or outlets), switches, and, of course, the appliances, lights, and equipment that put the power to work. Other electrical systems in a house include wiring for home entertainment, such as cable television, home theater, audio systems, and such. And wiring for home communications, such as telephones, security systems, doorbells, and intercoms.

Working on home electrical systems can be justifiably intimidating. Home wiring can be dangerous, depending upon the type of wiring. Standard-voltage electrical wiring, which serves electrical outlets, lights, appliances, and such, must be handled carefully to avoid shock or electrocution. But it you follow expert DIY instructions and turn off the power to circuits and devices before working on them, you can do this type of work safely. Low-voltage wiring for cable television, speakers, security systems, and the like is very safe for do-it-yourselfers to handle.

This section of HomeTips offers information on a house's electrical systems.

Electrical Systems