Dave Your Home Inspector

Fall.....last chance for maintenance before winter.

No matter what I do it seems that winter is still coming.  I thought summer was really going well, but I woke up a few days ago and it was fall!  How did that happen?  Maybe we will have a few days of ‘Indian Summer’, but we may as well face it, summer is gone.

Now that we are all in agreement that winter is coming, we need to get some work done to make sure our homes are ready for the months ahead.  Living in the Midwest can be tough on your house.  A little fall maintenance will go a long way.  Here is a list of actions you can do to lessen the effects of winter on your home.

• Make an appointment with a reputable HVAC company to service and clean your furnace.
• Inspect your roof for any missing or torn shingles.  If any are noted, call a roofing contractor to have them corrected.  This is one area you do not want surprises.
• Inspect the weather stripping around doors, windows and garage doors and repair or replace as needed. 
• Ensure windows and exterior doors are operational and airtight when locked.
• Inspect your landscaping.  Trim tree branches, shrubbery and plants away from the siding and roof.  Branches rubbing on the siding or roof can cause major damage.
• Drain and remove garden hoses from outside spigots.
• Ensure outside water spigots are frost proof type.  If they are not, locate an interior isolation valve to shut off the water and drain the line to help prevent frozen pipes.
• Remove debris from gutters. 
• Call a professional chimney sweep to clean and evaluate your wood burning fireplace. 

This is a great place to get started.  Some of these items may not pertain to you, and some homes may need more maintenance.  A lot is determined by the age of the home, the materials on the exterior, and the location.  If you have specific questions about your home, feel free to call our office.  If we can’t answer them over the phone, it would be a great time to schedule a Maintenance Inspection.

Thanks for reading.

David Novalinski

About Your Home Inspection, Inc.

847 669 9040

Hopefully by now everyone has taken my advice and had their Air Conditioning units serviced for the hot summer ahead.  If you don’t remember hearing that advice, go back a few weeks and read the blog titled ‘Is Your AC Working Right, or Just Working?’. 

If the HVAC technician gave your Air Conditioning unit a clean bill of health but your home is still too warm, there are some things you can look at for answers.  Let’s start with the most simple, but often overlooked ideas.

• Keep windows closed and latched.  Check to make sure there is no hot air leaking in.
• Check the weather stripping on your exterior doors.  If you can see light coming in around your door, you can bet the hot air will be getting in too.
• Keep the registers open allowing the conditioned air to enter the rooms.
• Running fans (ceiling or portable) helps circulate the air and make it feel more comfortable.
• Keep blinds or shades adjusted to allow light in without letting in the heat.  Curtains or blinds on windows with southern exposure should be closed in the afternoon to keep most of the heat out.

Sometimes these ideas, although simple, are overlooked.  If you have checked all these ideas and still have not found a cause, you may have to dig a little deeper.  Here are a few places you may need to examine, or have examined, to find the answer.

• Attic insulation is a key component in keeping your house cool in the summer and warm in the winter.  Insufficient attic insulation can allow the hot attic air to penetrate through the ceilings.
• Ensure that there is sufficient ventilation in the attic.  Keeping the air moving through the attic keeps it cooler and reduces the risk of transferring heat to the rooms below.
• If your home has an attached garage, make sure there is sufficient insulation in walls common with the house and in the ceiling if there is a room above.
• Determine if there is adequate insulation in the exterior walls.  The heat from the sun and outside air can transfer through the walls into your home if there is not enough insulation. 

This list points out some of the most common discrepancies found in today’s homes, but certainly not all of them.  If you have checked all the ideas listed and you still think it’s too hot in your house, it is time to schedule a Maintenance Inspection. 

Feel free to post a comment or ask a question.  If your need is more specific, or if you are ready to schedule an inspection, call our office today.

Thanks for visiting!

David Novalinski

About Your Home Inspection, Inc.

847 669 9040

Whether you want to admit it or not, winter weather is just around the corner.  During the next couple weeks there are some maintenance items you should perform to winterize your home. 

1. Garden hoses should be disconnected from the spigots to prevent the possibility of freezing even if it is a frost proof valve.

2. You should have your furnace cleaned and serviced by a qualified technician.  Also remember to change your furnace filter monthly.

3. Gutters should be cleared of all leaves and other debris.

4. This is a good time to make sure your sump pump is operating properly.  Don’t wait for the spring thaw to find out it quit!

5. Check the weather stripping on all exterior doors and replace if necessary.  This includes garage doors.

6. Change batteries in smoke and CO detectors.  It’s often easier to remember if you change the batteries every time you change the clocks.

7. Storing firewood is always an issue.  It is not recommended to store it in the garage.  It is best stored outside, but you may want to cover it to keep it dry and don’t stack it too close to the house.  Don’t give the bugs an easier way to access to your house!

8. Make sure windows provide an airtight seal to the outside.  No use making your furnace work harder to heat the outside.

9. Remember to close the fireplace flue when not in use, and to open flue before starting a fire.

10. Get that snow blower tuned up and check your shovels.  It can be difficult to do this if you wait for the first snowfall!

Huntley, IL
office: 847-669-9040
cell: 847-772-0997
email: dave@aboutyourhomeinspection.com