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Goodbye Snow, Hello Spring  |
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Home improvement is a top New Year’s resolution for 2010 with 37.7 percent of Americans saying they will dedicate themselves to the task, according to a national survey conducted by Move.com. And with snow hitting the ground in all 50 states this year – causing closed-down interstates in Texas and $1.5M in damages at the Maryland Zoo – Handyman Connection knows there’s a lot of work to be done.
“Heavy snowfall this winter has resulted in damage to hundreds of homes throughout the country,” said Rick Rasley, owner of Rolling Meadows’ Handyman Connection, a nationwide company specializing in worry-free small- to medium-size home improvement, repair and remodeling services. “Regular maintenance can relieve your homes of these problems, prepare them for spring and preserve them into the next year.”
Handyman Connection’s employees are professional craftsmen who are licensed, bonded and insured and have a minimum of 10 years’ experience in trades such as carpentry, plumbing, painting and remodeling work. Following is Rasley’s advice on how to fix up the home after the winter storms have passed.
1. Check gutters and clean them if necessary. Clogged gutters can result in basement flooding when the snow melts. To aid drainage once cleared, create a slope in gutters of about one inch per 10 linear feet. On long runs, provide an outlet every 35 feet. Warmer temperatures and sun will gradually melt snow and ice – so be patient. Boiling water has little effect and torch melting can cause an accidental fire!
2. Replace broken or rotten deck boards before they break completely. Boards that have been bowed or warped will also need to be replaced, because they hold water and make deck surface uneven and unsafe. If you’re replacing those boards with pressure treated lumber, maximize the life of your deck by using stainless steel or high-grade galvanized fasteners designed to combat corrosion. And lastly, guarantee your deck lasts throughout summer and next winter with a high-quality finish and preservative.
3. Swap out the heavy glass inserts in your storm door for something cooler. The new screen panel should slide into the frame as neatly as the glass panel did. Secure the screen panel to the door using the spring clips or screwed brackets and then replace any weather-stripping or concealment devices. Good to know: Galvanized steel screens are the least expensive and unlikely to tear but the coating can fade. Aluminum screens withstand corrosion (except in seaside areas) but are not as strong as galvanized steel and have an inclination to darken. Fiberglass screens are resistant to corrosion and the easiest to install. Bronze screens last the longest but are the most expensive.
4. Replace any roof shingles that are missing or damaged. If possible, insert a water repellent layer under the shingles when building your roof. It’s also a good idea to lay de-icing cables over the shingles and weave them through the upper gutters and along the roof; it’s important to try and cover as much as the lower roof as possible. In addition, the cable should run down the downspouts. And to help minimize temperature changes on the roof, you'll need to insulate your attic.
5. Inspect and seal the premises. Remove old weather stripping on all doors and windows and caulk where necessary. Clear the area around exhaust pipes and air vents on heaters and furnaces and check for cracks around pipes and electrical outlets entering or exiting the wall; they should not be blocked by snow, leaves or any other debris. Next year, prevent pipes from freezing by putting foam covers on outdoor faucets.
6. Review your homeowner’s policy. A homeowner’s policy will usually cover burst pipes, a tree falling on a house, wind and sleet damage to the roof, melting snow dripping through the shingles and water wreckage caused by ice that blocked gutters. Flooding caused by melting snow, however, is usually covered under a separate flood policy that you must purchase through a federal insurance program. If you’re fully covered by insurance, make a claim only if the damage is extensive.
For more home improvement tips, visit http://www.handymanconnection.com. To find a Handyman Connection near you, call 800-884-2639 or visit http://www.handymanconnection.com/find-local-handyman-connection-us-canada.aspx
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