By Gates Dearen
It’s almost fall and time to roll the clock back and
hour for Daylight Savings Time.
Since it's approaching fall, I want to touch base on the
subject of regular prevention. That is, keeping your house in order using some easy
preventative maintenance. However, instead of talking about spring cleaning, I want
to talk about preventing fallout in the fall. What I mean by fallout is keeping
little problems from becoming big problems by just doing a small amount of fall
maintenance on your gutters, shaded exterior walls, and, of course, all your windows
and doors.
Let’s start by cleaning out your gutters. Removing
all the leaves and other trash that may plug them up allows your gutter to do
the job of keeping excess water away from your walls, windows and foundation. I do this every quarter just to be sure.
Next, I tackle the job of removing any possible
mildew that has built up over time in an area where the house gets a lot of
shade. I like using a product called “Awesome Cleaner” that can be had at most dollar
stores but you can also find commercial products that do a good job of removing
mold, algae and fungus at any DIY store. To remove any dirt or mildew that is
up high and out of reach I use my pressure washer set on low along with the
awesome cleaner. This makes my job quick and easy.
I then go around the entire house and check all the
doors and window openings for cracked, loose or missing caulking. If I find
any, I use my putty knife to clean out the damaged caulking and then re-caulk
the area with fresh caulk.
I follow my caulking inspection routine with an
inside inspection of all the windows and doors by testing all of them for
proper operation. I check to make sure the windows and doors open and close
properly. I look for worn seals, squeaky movements, rough or stuck operation,
etc. If I find a problem, I correct it with oil, replacing a seal or making the
proper adjustments to the hinges.
My next
step is to check all the windows and doors for drafts with my lit candle test.
I talked about this in
a previous article called Three
ways to know when you need new windows.
It is a simple test but it is very effective.
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| When I'm cleaning windows ... (Photo credit: horrigans) |
Once I have done this, I clean all the windows and
doors so they look crystal clear and beautiful. This provides me with the best
views when looking out my windows. I have found this little routine saves time
and money. By doing it each season or at least in the spring and fall, you will find that you never have to deal
with any big problems. Also by doing this maintenance regularly, you will have
less work and it will also get done more quickly. Best of all, it saves money on
my energy bill and helps make my windows and doors last longer.
In this article, I discussed a seasonal
maintenance ritual that saves time and money by keeping your home (especially the
windows and door opens) in perfect working order. If you found this article useful,
pass it on to a friend. If you have a comment, please leave it in the Comments section below. I have enjoyed sharing this seasonal maintenance tip with you.
Until next time, enjoy your beautiful home.
Gates Dearen is the co-owner of HomeRite Windows and
Door in
Jacksonville Florida. Owners Gates Dearen and Richard
Walden have been serving the building products industry in
Florida for over 25 years. They know the products, the industry, the
market and what adds great value to a home. Their approach is a
little different. They're simply looking to match the home owner with
the right windows for their home and budget. Home improvements are enough of a hassle ―
they’re here to make life easier with first-rate, energy efficient products,
affordable prices, installers that know best practices and who
have respect for your home.
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