Tag: home maintenance

Fall Maintenance Guide

 

Summer is breathing it’s last breath, kids are preparing to head back to school and here in New England the weather can turn fast. Prepare now for the impending chill of Fall and winter with some easy home maintenance tasks you can do yourself and some you may want to call in the Pros for. 

Indoor Fall Maintenance

For you…

  The introduction of the heating season brings new potential for fire hazards, so take a moment to review fire safety in your home as well performing some yearly routine maintenance tasks listed below.                                                                                                                                             

  • Check and replace fire extinguishers if necessary.
  • Change the batteries in your smoke detectors.                                                                                                                  
  • Go over the home fire evacuation plan with your family.
  • Clean the lint from your dryer vent lines. 
  • Change the air filter in your furnace and stock up on several more filters for the winter.                                                                                                                             
  • Ensure all vents and returns are clear of debris and open.
  • Check your windows and doors for any air leaks that may compromise energy efficiency
  • Prepare your seasoned firewood and store it covered, at least 30ft from your home.

For the Pros…

  • Call in an HVAC professional to test the heating output and give the system a tune-up. This technician can also check for and correct possibly hazardous carbon monoxide levels generated by your heating system.
  • Have your duct system cleaned and sanitized.
  • Install a programmable thermostat to help lower your energy costs.
  • Have any door weather-stripping in disrepair fixed
  • Call a chimney sweep company for an annual sweep before the start of the season.
  • Have your attic insulation inspected and added to if necessary

Outdoor Fall maintenance

For you…

  • Cover or put away outdoor furniture for the winter
  • Disconnect garden hoses and, if practical, use an indoor valve to shut off and drain water from pipes leading to outside faucets. This reduces the chance of freezing in the section of pipe just inside the house.
  • Empty out unused fuel from any gas-powered equipment because sediment can build up and clog the fuel lines. Store gasoline in tanks out of children’s reach and have it ready for use in your snow blower or emergency generator.
  • Test your emergency generator & snow blower. Make sure they are in good working order and remember never to run a generator in any enclosed space as this presents a carbon monoxide hazard.

For the Pros…

  • Have your gutters inspected and cleaned.
  • Have inefficient windows/doors replaced or repaired.
  • Install a Storm Door 
  • Install an electrical sub-panel for your main circuits to be routed to your generator in case of a power outage.

For help with your seasonal maintenance needs call 508-279-0656 or inquire online

 

Solar Attic Ventilation Fans

Product Spotlight

Solar Attic Ventilation Fans

Have you ever had to run up to your attic to grab something in the middle of a hot day in summer? Do you ever notice how stifling hot it can get up there? Believe it or not that heat can transfer into your main living space and cause your cooling system to work overtime, even more so if your cooling components are located in the attic. A system that has to work harder is much less efficient and ultimately could be costing you a lot more money. Increased temperatures in your attic can also cause added wear & tear on your roof shingles and reduce their longevity. The solution? Active Attic ventilation.

Why do you need an Attic Fan?

In summer, temperatures in an unventilated attic can exceed 160 degrees. A properly sized attic ventilation
system will reduce attic temperature to 5-10 degrees F above the outdoor temperature. Ventilating
the attic reduces the amount of heat transferred from the attic to the home, decreases the load on the air
conditioning system (reducing your electric bill), and extends the life of your roof shingles.
In winter, heat trapped in the attic may melt snow on the roof, which trickles down and creates destructive
ice dams in the colder eaves.
Everyday home activities such as cooking and showering create moisture which collects in the attic and
promotes mold and mildew growth, reduces the effectiveness of insulation, and attacks the wooden attic
structure. Year round fresh air circulation from an Attic Fan removes this moisture and helps prevent
moisture related problems.

Attic fans offer an environmentally friendly and economical solution to summer time cooling problems
resulting from attic heat penetrating your home’s insulation. . The higher the temperature of your attic,
the less effective your attic insulation will be at stopping heat from entering your home.
Installation of an Attic Fan on your home minimizes the amount of heat entering through the attic by
reducing your attic temperature. By minimizing the amount heat entering your home, you will save
money on your summer cooling bill and make your house feel more comfortable (see diagrams below).

Things to Consider

• The cost savings due to reduced air conditioner load depends on the price of electricity in your area, and can be
even greater when installing a solar unit. Other factors include: the amount of attic space in your home, the efficiency
of your attic insulation, and the amount of ventilation your attic vent is able to provide. A typical installation
will usually pay for itself in savings within 1-2 summers of use.

• An Attic Fan should not be used when air from the living areas of the home can freely enter the attic. This would
result in conditioned air being removed from the home. Any openings between the attic and the home should be
sealed before an Attic Fan is installed.

Want to make an attic fan installation part of your next renovation project? Contact us and let’s start planning!

Why Replace Your Windows?

 

When assessing whether you should replace your windows, ask yourself the following questions:

• Do my windows get condensation or a frost buildup?
• If you touch the interior pane of glass is it cold to the touch in the winter? How about in the summer;
is the interior window pane warm to the touch?
• When sitting next to your window in the winter does it feel colder than the rest of the house?
• From inside your home, take a lighted candle and hold it so the flame is in line with the window
frame and slowly trace the entire frame of your closed window. Does the flame flicker anywhere
around the frame?
• Take a look at your windows outside; is the trim rotting, cracking or missing?
• Is the glass broken or cracked anywhere?
• Do your windows ever get stuck closed or open or won’t stay closed or opened?
• Are you unhappy with the way your windows look?

If you answered yes to any of the questions above, it is time to replace your windows and here’s why…

• Utility bills are significantly lower when older windows are replaced with energy efficient windows.
The amount of money saved in energy costs adds up quickly and the windows often pay for
themselves.
• If your windows get a condensation or frost buildup it means that they are not insulating your
home well enough. This extra moisture can cause serious problems from rotting frames and increased
heating costs to dangerous mold growth that can harm your family’s health.
• If your window is cold to the touch in the winter and hot to the touch in the summer it means that
your window is not insulating your home correctly and is putting an extra work load on your
HVAC system and costing you money.
• If sitting by your window in the winter feels colder than the rest of the house it means that there is
either a draft, your window is not insulating properly, or both. This means more money spent on
your heating bill.
• If a flame flickers next to your closed window it means there is a draft. This can lead to water infiltration
causing mold growth, water damage to carpet and furniture, rotting window frames and
extra heating and cooling costs.
• If the glass is cracked or broken anywhere it is extremely dangerous for your family and can cause
accidents or injury. In addition, cracked windows put an extra burden on heating and cooling costs.
• If your windows don’t operate correctly it is a sign that they are too old and are beginning to fail.
The frame is most likely warped, which can create multiple problems.
• New windows allow you an opportunity to update the aesthetics of your home, with various finishes,  grid patterns and window styles, windows are becoming an important design element. 
• Newer windows provide better UV protection and can prevent fading and home damage as well as
keep your family safe from the sun’s harmful radiation.

If you would like to incorporate new windows into your next project call 508-279-0656 or inquire online