Concrete Joint Replacement

Tired of trimming your sidewalks and driveway?  Don’t like those ugly gaps in your driveway?  Worried about the neighbor’s kid hurting himself when his scooter wheel gets stuck in your sidewalk joint?

There are lots of reasons to replace your decayed or missing concrete expansion joints.  It will look much nicer and stop the grass or weeds from growing in the middle of your driveway and just maybe keep the lawyers from suing you for trip hazards.

Whatever your motivation, learn how to mind the gap in the  Concrete Joint Replacement  topic.

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.

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.

Underground Utilities

Ever wonder….

….what some of those strange utility boxes are in your yard?

….where pipes and wires are located in your yard?

….how deep they are?

….how does power/water/gas/sewer/phone/cable get to my house?

….can I paint, move, disguise or conceal some of these things in my yard?

We’ll try to answer some of these questions and more.

Digging a hole in your yard?  You really should know what’s below the surface!  There are legal requirements to locate utilities before you dig.  Cutting into electrical or gas lines can be highly destructive and cause death or injury.  Tearing up sewer, telephone and cable lines can also be disruptive.  Even damage to irrigation and landscape lighting can be an expensive headache.  Avoid this by knowing what’s where under your grass.

Learn more in the  Underground Utilities  topic.

Utility Shutoff

Know how to shut off utilities in an emergency or other necessary situation.  Teach older, responsible family members how to do this with info from the  Utility Shutoff  topic.  It may just save lives and property someday.

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.

Water Heater Safety Valve

Deadly and damaging water heater explosions occur hundreds of times a year in the US.  Usually this is because the required safety valve is missing, incorrectly installed or inoperative.  Test your water heater safety valve regularly to protect against explosion.  Learn all about it in the  Water Heater Safety Valve  topic.  You’ll also learn how to replace it if needed and how it should properly be installed.

Dryer Vent Cleaning

Clothes dryer fires are one of the leading causes of home fires and are almost always due to lint in the vent.  Minimize this risk and improve clothes dryer efficiency at the same time.  Save your home and save money by keeping your dryer vent free of lint.

Make sure you are not using a plastic or thin foil vent hose, either.  Find out what you should be using instead.  Read all about these important safety issues in the   Dryer Vent Cleaning  topic.