Home Maintenance and
Appearance
· Show Your American Flag Properly
·
Don’t Get Scammed By a “Contractor”
·
How to Prevent Cold Weather Pipe Breaks
·
Are Your Roof Shingles Discolored?
· Are Your Window Shutters Faded?
This page last updated 11/01/15
Home
Maintenance and Appearance.htm
Smoke Alarms Should be Replaced At Least Every Ten Years
If your home has the original smoke detectors,
they are long overdue for replacement.
The US Fire Administration / Department of Homeland Security recommends
replacing smoke detectors every 8-10 years, whether they appear broken or
not. See
http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/citizens/all_citizens/home_fire_prev/alarms/
Sidewalk & Driveway Maintenance
Tips
·
Never,
ever, ever use rock salt (sodium chloride) on the driveway or sidewalk to melt ice or snow. Salt eats away concrete in the blink of an
eye. Although using salt to melt snow
and ice is convenient in the short run, you'll pay for it over time. If you must use an
ice or snow melting chemical, make sure the package says it will not damage
concrete.
·
Do
not pressure wash your concrete. Some
folks pressure wash moss and tree droppings to brighten up their concrete. The high pressure water will gradually wear away
the surface of the concrete, exposing the rock aggregate. Once the aggregate is exposed, the concrete
will begin to break up. If you must
clean, do it the old fashioned way -- with a stiff brush and detergent. (HF Newsletter,
Kirk Randall, 2003)
Call “Miss Utility” Before You Dig
Miss Utility is a one-call notification center that alerts subscribing
underground utility owners of your proposed excavation plans (from private home
owners to major developers). This is a
free service provided by various local and regional utility companies for the
purpose of identifying the location of their underground transmission lines or
pipe systems.
For Miss Utility purposes, excavation is anything that disturbs existing
grading (any digging, drilling, tilling, fencing, etc.). Any excavation activity requires a call to MISS
UTILITY – this is the law.
By calling MISS UTILITY, you will be able to excavate safely without
endangering yourself or others and at the same time avoid disrupting service to
yourself, your neighbors and the community as a whole.
To submit a location request, call 1-800-552-7001 between the hours of 7 AM and 5
PM, Monday through Friday or visit
www.missutilityofvirginia.com. After submitting your request, there is a
waiting period of two business days until you can begin any excavation. By that time, all the affected utilities will
have marked the ground surface with paint and/or flags indicating their
utilities underground position. The color codes are as follows:
White –
Proposed excavation Red
– Electric Blue –
Water
Orange –
Telephone or cable TV Yellow
– Gas Green –
Sewer
Show Your American Flag Properly
It is inspiring to see the flags
flying around the neighborhood, especially on holidays such as Veterans Day and
Independence Day! On the subject of flag
etiquette, here are a couple of pointers (adapted from the Public Law governing
display of the flag):
·
The
flag itself should not be used as bunting.
Don’t Get Scammed By a “Contractor”
From time to time, we see an
increase in paving scams and other "home improvement scams"
throughout the region. Transient groups of
scam artists travel up and down the East coast, scamming folks along the
way. They will seek you out and offer to
pave your driveways and provide other home improvements. They perform below standard work and
materials used are substandard. They
will give you contact numbers that roll over to voice mail. They do not have legitimate businesses or
addresses. Once they take your money,
they are gone. With the substandard work they perform, you have no recourse
when it falls apart. Sometimes they will
quote a price in the beginning but increase that price once the work is
completed. They will use intimidation to
get the higher price. This is seen a lot
in the senior community where individuals do not feel they have any other
choice. Always have the company provide
a written quote of the work to be done along with price when you are looking to
have repair work done at your home.
Anyone performing this type of work
who seeks out customers must have a Fairfax County Solicitors License which
they are required to have on their person when soliciting. You should also question if they are licensed
and bonded. Do not make a decision right
then and there. If they are legitimate,
they will allow you time to decide. Take that time to check their credentials
with
Every few years, we seem to have a rash of water pipe breakages. For some reason, some of our water pipes (the
pipe that runs from the street to your home) are prone to failure. When this pipe breaks, you pay to have it fixed, and it could cost thousands of
dollars. Protect yourself with a water
line insurance policy before the pipe
breaks. Dominion Products (a cousin of
the electricity folks) offers an inexpensive water line insurance program for
which most Hickory Farms residents would pay no more than $60 per year; I'm
sure there are other companies that offer similar insurance. Call Dominion at 1-866-645-9810 or
visit
http://www.dom.com/products/home-repair-programs/water-line-replacement/water-line-replacement.jsp Insurance could be especially helpful if your
water line is particularly long.
Dominion also insures gas, sewer, and electric lines.
How to Prevent Cold Weather Pipe Breaks
Every year, the fire department
responds to hundreds of minor water pipe breaks. Although generally not a real danger, water
freezing in cold and hot water pipes can cause serious problems. While the freezing takes place, the pipe
begins to swell and may burst. In most
cases, the actual break doesn't appear until the water begins to thaw. The following tips may help prevent frozen
pipes in your home:
·
Shut
off water to unheated areas of your home and to outdoor faucets. Don't forget to drain these pipes. Open cabinet doors and service access ways so
heat can get into these otherwise hidden areas where pipes are located.
·
Leaving
a faucet on with a slow trickle may or may not keep the pipe from freezing – you
can't count on this method. There are some specially designed, UL-approved heat
tapes that can be used in unheated areas, but, you need to be cautious. If these are used, be sure to follow the
directions exactly; a slight variation could cause a fire.
·
Locate
the shut off valves for both the hot and cold water, and the power shut off for
the hot water heater. If a pipe freezes,
first shut off the water valve to that pipe (and the water heater if it's the
hot water pipe). Then slowly thaw it
out. Never use a torch; it thaws the
water too quickly and weakens the pipe, almost always guaranteeing the pipe
will break. Room temperature heat and
careful use of a hair dryer are good methods.
·
If
the pipe breaks, quickly shut off the water valve. Call a plumber to fix the break
correctly. At this time you may consider
having the pipe or pipes rerouted through less vulnerable areas.
·
When
should you call the fire department?
Call if the water gets in or near electrical outlets or panels, or if
the water threatens a pilot light or power to a water heater or furnace.
If you have any further questions,
please contact your local fire and rescue station, Fairfax County Fire and
Rescue Department's Public Information and Life Safety Education Section at
703-246-3801 or visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/fire. (From
Are Your Roof Shingles Discolored?
I was amazed to discover that, after being squeaky clean since our house was built, a veritable garden has sprung forth on the roof this spring. In addition to some new dark algae streaks (which are common in Hickory Farms), I now have lichens and moss. All of these growths retain water and hasten the breakdown of shingles. To prevent new growth, nail or glue 2˝“ zinc strips (www.zincshield.com) just below the peak of the roof, the entire length of the roof. Note that the solid zinc lasts much longer than the cheaper zinc coated steel. The zinc reacts with rainwater to create a chemical which retards new growth. Unfortunately, the zinc chemical is too weak to kill existing growth, so you should also treat the roof with a product such as Roof-Be-Clean (www.roofbeclean.com) or Moss Out! (Home Depot) Don’t use a power washer or stiff brush on the roof, because they will damage the shingles. And, the next time you reroof, consider specifying a shingle that contains a mild chemical that helps prevent new growth. For more information, read www.inspect-ny.com/roof/ShingleMoss.htm (July 2009 Newsletter)
(
New technology has made it possible
to produce a low-cost, reliable carbon monoxide (CO) alarm for the home. But why do we need a CO alarm? Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless and tasteless gas.
It causes about 300 accidental fatalities in homes each year; thousands
more are treated in hospitals for CO poisoning.
Carbon monoxide combines with hemoglobin in our blood and robs the blood
of the oxygen our body needs. Early
symptoms of exposure include headache, fatigue, nausea
and confused thinking (so victims cannot think clearly enough to get
assistance). Without treatment, the
victim will lose consciousness, and if no help is given will lose their life.
·
Carbon
monoxide is produced by combustion. Common causes are:
·
Defective
gas or oil furnaces and water heaters.
·
Cracked
chimney flues.
·
Indoor
use of charcoal grills.
·
Use
of a gas oven or range to warm a room.
·
Running
a car in an enclosed area.
·
Closing
the fireplace damper before the fire is completely out.
Carbon monoxide accidents are
preventable. Actions you should take to
protect your family are:
·
Every
fall you should have a qualified technician inspect your gas furnace and
appliances.
·
Never
allow your car to run in an enclosed area, especially if it is attached to your
house.
·
Make
sure your fireplace is in good repair and do not close the damper before the
fire is out.
·
Install
CO alarms to give your family a warning if CO is building up in your house.
Another very important point to
remember is that you still need a working smoke alarm on every level of your
home. The CO alarm does not sense smoke
or fire. Smoke alarms are needed to give
your family early warning if there is a fire or smoke in your home.
If you are concerned about whether
your furnace and/or appliances are working properly, contact your contractor to
have an inspection. If you have
questions about your gas furnaces or appliance, contact your gas company. If your CO alarm activates, leave the
residence and call 911 from a neighbor's house.
For more information about home
safety, call the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department's Public Information
and Life Safety Education Section at 703-246-3801, TTY 711.
Nearly half of our
homes have had our vinyl siding replaced in the last four years. If it's getting dirty, you may consider
cleaning it. Wash vinyl siding with a
soft cloth or ordinary long-handled, soft bristle brush. For textured surfaces, use only a soft
bristle brush to keep the grooves in the texture stain-free. For best results, start at the bottom of the
house and work up and rinse the cleaning solution completely before it
dries. If your house has brick facing,
cover the brick so that it is not affected by the runoff. If you use a pressure washer, you should read
the washer instructions carefully before use.
When cleaning, hold the power washer straight at eye level to keep the
water on top of the siding where it can clean most effectively. Do not aim the power washer upward as water
may collect behind the siding. You can
visit the www.vinylsiding.org
website and there you can find Vinyl Siding Cleaning tips. Click
"About Vinyl Siding" and then "Caring for Vinyl Siding" for
cleaning tips.
Are Your Window Shutters Faded?
Many homeowners had their shutters replaced in 2004 during the siding/windows/roofing group purchase that I organized for the community. Some folks have noticed that their shutters are prematurely faded. Mid-America Siding Components will replace faded shutters under their lifetime warranty. If you want to submit a claim, call 1-800-521-8486 and describe your shutter-fading problem. Mid-America will send you a claim form through the mail. You will need a copy of your receipt from the installation contractor (Sunshine Contracting, if you participated in the 2004 group purchase). You can also submit the claim online at www.thetapcogroup.com/warrantyclaim The replacement shutters will then be shipped directly to you. Raised panel shutters seem to be fading faster than the louvered shutters. If you are submitting a claim for raised panel shutters, you might ask for louvered replacements. Mid-American’s warranty is for the shutters only; you will have to reinstall them yourself or hire a contractor/handyman to do the work for around $25+/- per window. You might consider Newsletter advertisers Solutions of N. Va. (703-906-6525), Sunshine Contracting (703-499-8654), as well as David Cortez (571-313-9550) whom I used. (November 2015 Newsletter)