Bath Fan Cleaning

Ventilation fans are typically installed in bathrooms and laundry rooms or other areas where moist air is expected.  They are also frequently found near toilets where odor control is desirable.

All vent fans should be cleaned periodically because they pull dust and dirt through them and some of that gunk gets caught inside the fan.  Over time dirt builds up on the fan mechanism and grille and air flow becomes seriously impaired.  Dust buildup around the fan motor also causes friction in the bearing and reduces motor cooling, which may result in a burned out fan motor.  This is particularly true near a toilet because toilet paper is very fibrous and lint goes straight up into the fan.

Cleaning

Must-Have Tool: Power Screwdriver

One of the most useful tools a handy homeowner can have is a cordless (battery) screwdriver.  It has numerous applications and is particularly useful for doing a lot of electrical and appliance work.  Many screws on fixtures, receptacles and switches are an inch long or more and take dozens of turns to tighten or remove each screw.  This power driver makes short work of all that turning.

Same thing for working on appliances where you have many sheet metal screws that must be removed to get inside.  If you have ever assembled furniture or a tool or toy (Some Assembly Required), you probably wish you had a power driver.  Hanging window blinds and driving mounting screws in walls also begs for a cordless screwdriver, as does installing a ceiling fan (especially the blade screws).  If you work on cars they come in handy as well since you often have to remove many screws to get inside certain compartments.  Almost anywhere you need to turn a screw, a power screwdriver

Refrigerator Coil Cleaning

If you keep your refrigerator condenser coils clean it will save monthly operating costs by allowing it to run more efficiently.  It will also save you big bucks in the long run because making the fridge more efficient means it runs less frequently and will last longer.  The compressor won’t have to work as hard to keep things cool inside.

This applies to freezer-only units as well.  After all, a refrigerator compartment simply borrows cold air from the freezer.

Details and instructions are found in the  Refrigerator Coil Cleaning  topic.

Washing Machine Water Hoses

Have you checked your washing machine water hoses lately?

If not, you could be in for a nasty surprise soon.  The cheap, basic washer hoses have a life expectancy of only five years or so.  Some won’t last that long; hopefully yours will, but you won’t know without inspecting them.  If a hose fails you could have hundreds of gallons (or more) of water on your laundry floor, spreading throughout the house until it finds a place to leak out.

Washing machine hoses tend to fail

Garage Door Maintenance

Your garage door opener quit or the power went out!  How do you get your car out?

Did you know there are several maintenance items related to your garage door and opener?  Keep the door and opener running smoothly by performing these maintenance tasks.

Your garage door opener should also have a couple of safety features which must be tested regularly.

Learn all about these things in the  Garage Door Maintenance  topic.

Central Air Conditioning Maintenance

Does your central air conditioning struggle to keep up with the heat or does it run constantly?  Maybe you should clean your AC condenser and change your air filter.

Notice water dripping from a mysterious pipe above a window, front porch or bathtub?  Most likely your AC evaporator drain is backed up.  This is a warning sign of impending water damage inside your home.

Just want to lower your electricity bill?  Regular AC maintenance can help keep it running most efficiently.

Learn about the importance of central air maintenance in the  AC Maintenance  topic.  One or two of these tasks are often overlooked by homeowners.

Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCIs)

Outdoor power outlets gone dead?  No power in kitchen, bath or garage?  Sounds like your GFCI has tripped.

Ground fault circuit interrupters have saved untold numbers of lives.  However, they can be a real nuisance when they trip unexpectedly.  Outdoor receptacles are especially prone to tripping because of exposure to moisture and minerals and tools that can cut through power cords.

Don’t wait until a trip happens to locate your reset button.  Map out each protected outlet so you know where to reset the circuit quickly.

Also learn how GFCIs work and how to test them properly (regularly and in a particular manner).   Do not rely on the built-in test button!  A false sense of security is almost worse than having no protection at all.  Dive into the  GFCIs  topic.

Appliance Tips

Useful and sometimes surprising tips on operating and maintaining appliances.  Mostly geared towards major appliances but a few small appliance tips are included.

Highlights of the topics include:

Smoke Alarms

Alarming statistic (pun intended) that in 1 out of 5 homes surveyed, none of the smoke alarms worked!  Smoke alarms are one of the most useful and life saving features of any home, yet residents usually ignore them until they cause problems.

Did you know that smoke alarms should be replaced every 10 years?

Did you know that smoke alarms should have regular maintenance (not just replacing batteries and pushing the test button)?

Did you know that several smoke alarms should be installed (and are required by code)?

Did you know there are different types of sensors and features and batteries for smoke alarms?

Learn all about these considerations, plus how to properly test and troubleshoot a nuisance alarm in the  Smoke Alarms  topic.