Features: Spring Tips for the home

Kevin Gillies

I t seems that winter is not really the Lower Mainland this year, with all records of warmer temperatures. However, spring is approaching, and that means preparing your home for a new season.

From spring to spring cleaning of the interview is the peak season just around the corner.

Prepare the list spring work is a good way to ensure this spring is a production of around the house and help you to save money on energy costs this summer to improve the appearance of your home and go Repairs high price the road.

Some tips on how to prepare your home for the hottest month:

• Control Air Conditioning - about $ 75-200 a melody is found your cooling system technician, the effectiveness of the manufacturer and do not sweat so hot in the first week with an air conditioner that is out of service.

Dirty filters make air conditioners work harder, increasing energy costs and potentially damaging equipment.

Check to be replaced every month and as required or at least every three months.

To test the drains during an outbreak, too.

• Set the temperature on autopilot - to save a programmable thermostat for heating and cooling costs over $ 180 per year if you live with high temperatures in summer and cold in winter.

In the summer, you can adjustments bearable if you installed ceiling fans.

Remember that ceiling fans cool people, not rooms, so turn them off when you leave the room.

• Sealing cracks - if the spaces around doors or windows are wider than nickel, the outer sealing must apply again. Check putty plate also that the glass seals in the window frame.

Add caulking around doors, ensure that daylight is visible from inside. You save on air conditioning and you do not have to repeat this in the fall.

• Cleaning Gutters - decomposed leaves, twigs and flowers spring and seeds can be worse than in early autumn.

Channels cleanup costs 90 to $ 225 for a 2,000 square meters with 180 meters of gutters.

Extend downspouts to carry water for three to four feet from the foundation of your home, with corrugated plastic pipe four inches.

• Roof Repair - check your roof for damaged, loose or missing shingles. You can Binoculars, if safe to use.

If necessary, hire a handyman to fix the tiles, but if the damage is extensive, a roofer is required.

You also need to check and repair joints breaks to chimneys and forced ventilation chimneys.

Clean all gutters or roof openings in the wall, the water can drain.

• High pressure cleaner - Spring Cleaning the outside of your house, all accumulated dirt, mildew and stains siding, patio, sidewalk, driveway and garage floor, fences and garden furniture to remove.

Rented a pressure washer 40 to $ 75 cost per day for such a task.

• Washing windows - only if the windows are clean and the spring sunshine seems to realize how dirty windows.

Before washing the glass, clean edges and lines in the window with a soft brush or a vacuum connection.

A small amount of water into the holder to ensure that the rain water drain holes that run, not blocked.

And do not forget to mosquito window because they collect dust and other contaminants.

• Repair of sidewalks and driveways - Fix error in concrete or asphalt before it gets worse. You can assign or fill surface cracks, chips or loosening of the concrete on their own, with concrete repair in local stores DIY products.

For deep, settling or poured concrete cracks, call a professional if a tradesman or contractor of concrete.

Asphalt is difficult work, call a professional for the job.

To increase the life of your driveway, closed tar every two to five years, depending on weather and wear, concrete and closed every one to three years. You might be able to do the work yourself concrete.

• Preparation -a cutting blade is dull mower not cut, but instead of tears grass, so prone to diseases, damage caused by the sun and insects.

A blade usually has one or two times a year, sharpening, or more often depending on the size of your garden and how often you mow.

You also need to set your mower after 25 hours in order to increase efficiency and reduce emissions.

Change the filter plugs, oil and oil (or not).

A professional overhaul costs of more than $ 75 but you can do the work yourself, about $ 25 to do for the oil and parts.

• Loss of lint - even if the lint filter is cleaned in the dryer before every use, even vent lint builds up over time as plaque in the arteries.

A clogged vent can reduce the efficiency of the dryer and thus a fire hazard.

The Internet and YouTube also provide information about these tasks.

Complete the game can now help to make 2015 one of the best sources of history.

Kevin Gillies is a freelance writer for Black Press.

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