Spring Home Improvement 2020 by Bangor Daily News

Spring Home Improvement • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • March 27, 2020

5 Common Household Problems

and how to fix them

BY JOSH DEAKIN

Purchasing your first home is an exciting investment that can also seem overwhelming. If something needs to be repaired, there isn’t a landlord to call. Keeping this in mind, it can be fun to work on your own home. Here are a few common problems – and simple solutions – to keep things running smoothly.

Fixing a Running Toilet When a toilet starts to run nonstop, your water bill is in serious danger of skyrocketing. More than likely, your running toilet is due to a damaged or worn-out flapper or a fill valve. The first thing you will need to do is diagnose the problem by removing the lid to the toilet tank and taking a look. If the water is constantly rising and flowing into the overflow tube, the problem is most likely the flush valve. If it’s running on and off but not flowing enough to hit the overflow tube, it’s probably the flapper. The flush valve can be adjusted with a basic screwdriver. Turn the screwdriver counterclockwise on the spine that’s near the side fill valve to lower the float cup. This will lower the water level so it doesn’t reach the overflow tube. To replace a flapper, you’ll need to shut off your water and flush the toilet a few times to ensure all water has drained from the tank. With a dry tank, you’ll be able to examine the flapper and remove it from the fixtures inside as well as the chain connecting the flapper to the flush handle. Once the old flapper is free, you can attach a new one. You’ll need to adjust the chain to the new flapper to ensure that there is a proper seal to prevent running water.

Unclogging a Sink A clogged sink can be a smelly problem that nobody wants to experience. Instead of going for the Drano at your local supermarket, consider alternatives that are easier on your pipes. A plunger small enough to fit the drain and a drain snake are a few low-cost items that can assist in unclogging a drain just as well as the chemical compositions. After the clog is removed, pour a cup of baking soda in the drain. Immediately follow this with four cups of boiling hot water and finally adding a cup of vinegar. This will cause a chemical reaction to knock free any remaining fragments of the clog, as well as give the drain a clean smell.

Clean Your Gutters and Downspouts Clogged gutters can cause a lot of problems for home, such as water damage to your roof and possible leaking throughout your home. Luckily, preventing a clogged gutter is an easy task to accomplish. It’s best practice to do so twice a year, in the fall before the snow comes

and in the spring when the winter’s melting away. You’ll need a few tools to get the job done, including a ladder, a hose with running water, and probably some work gloves as it’ll most likely be a fairly messy affair. To start, position your ladder near a downspout and start removing any pieces of rubbish that have gotten stuck in the gutter. This could be anything from leaves or branches from nearby trees to other dirt and grime that has been lodged up in the gutter from wind and storms. Once the gutter is clear, use your hose to clean out the dirt that may be stuck on the gutter. This will also help determine if your downspout is clogged. If the water isn’t flowing out of the other end, you may need to remove the downspout and clean it out. For really clogged areas, you can use a handheld snake to retrieve the blockages. It’s also important to remember proper ladder safety when cleaning your gutter.

Clean Your Refrigerator Coils Cleaning your refrigerator coils properly is essential to preserving the life of your refrigerator and save you lots of money in repairs, as well as an emergency trip to the appliance store to buy a new one. Refrigerators work constantly to keep your food at a proper temperature to prevent spoilage and as such, the components are constantly running. A refrigerator with unclean coils makes it work harder than it needs to and thus shortens the longevity of the appliance. If you have pets, you’ll definitely want to keep an eye on this as shedded hair can pile up under and behind the fridge. The coils will be located either on the back of the fridge or underneath, and cleaning them is as simple as using a vacuum hose attachment to clear them of hair and other grime that may accumulate in a typical day. It’s overlooked but it’s essential to maintaining your fridge.

Cleaning Grout If you have tile in your home, and chances are you do, you’ll want to keep an eye on it regularly to keep it clean. Bathrooms are notorious for having brown and black streaks in between tiles. Your instinct will be to go at it with the most severe components you can find, but be careful. Grout is fragile and bleach can cause it to crumble. Your best bet is to start with regular water and a firm brush. If this doesn’t do the trick, you can try a mixture of baking soda and vinegar with brushing. If the stain is too deep, you may need to replace the grout completely by removing the damaged pieces and replacing it with a new mix. The materials for this can be found at any local hardware store and is relatively easy to complete. These are just a few common household problems that are easy to fix for a new homeowner with the right tools and advice. For more complex issues, consult your local hardware store for proper solutions. If the problems are too advanced, the best solution may be to contact a professional in that field.

Spring Home Improvement â&#x20AC;˘ Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section â&#x20AC;˘ March 27, 2020

How to safely handle a prolonged COURTESY OF METRO CREATIVE

Accidents and storms can disrupt the electricity that powers everything in homes and businesses. A short-term loss of power can be a nuisance, but extended power outages can cause damage and may even be dangerous. Widespread power outages are often anticipated during or after severe storms, which can disable entire power grids. Because damaged power lines and infrastructure must be carefully assessed after severe storms, it may take anywhere from hours to several days before power is fully restored. If you have a generator, run it safely. The Consumer Product Safety Commission says generators should be operated as far away from the house as possible to avoid deadly carbon monoxide fumes. Also, use appropriately-gauged, outdoor-rated extension cords to power up generators. The Food and Drug Administration says that food spoilage is one of the hazards of longterm power outages. If a storm is imminent, you can be proactive by freezing the contents of the refrigerator when possible so that items can stay at safe temperatures longer, advises the FDA. Food can remain safe for up to two hours at refrigerator temperature before it

power outage

starts to spoil. Grouping food together in the freezer also can help it stay colder longer. Having extra ice on hand or freezing containers of water also can provide a chilling effect, as well as serve as a water supply if faucet water is unavailable -- which can be a concern for those with well-pumped water. Your barbecue can turn out to be your best friend during power outages. Many stoves, even gas ones, will not light because of electric ignitions. A gas camping stove or barbecue can serve as the primary place to cook food until power is restored. Always have a secondary propane tank on hand. Keep plenty of bottled water on hand, especially if your water supply is well-fed and requires an electric pump to activate flow. Stock up on blankets and warm clothing. Power outages during the winter can be especially challenging because of the lack of heat in a home. Family members can huddle together in small rooms to conserve heat. People with wood-burning stoves can use them to keep warm. Fireplaces tend to be more show than ambient heat providers, but they can still serve as a heat source in a pinch. It is also important to stay put and avoid the road after a storm that causes a power outage. Wires may be down, traffic lights may not work and dangerous debris may be littering the roads. Hunkering down is the best approach until power is restored.

Widespread power outages are often anticipated during or after severe storms, which can disable entire power grids. Because damaged power lines and infrastructure must be carefully assessed after severe storms, it may take anywhere from hours to several days before power is fully restored.

Spring Home Improvement • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • March 27, 2020

Signs it is time for COURTESY OF METRO CREATIVE

new windows

Windows help regulate the temperature in a home, let in natural light and keep insects, weather and outdoor elements outside where they belong. The right windows also can add value to a property by providing aesthetic appeal and increasing curb appeal. Although homeowners can typically get many years out of their homes’ windows, ultimately windows will need to be replaced. Homes that are more than 20 years old and still have their original windows could be due for an upgrade. Aluminum- or wood-framed windows also may be ripe for changing. Here are some signs that it’s time to replace windows, courtesy of Good Housekeeping, Centra® and the real estate website Redfin. · Drafty feel in the home: Window frames can begin to shrink as they age, allowing air to flow from the outdoors in and vice versa. Homeowners may notice drafts when standing near windows or hear whistling on notably windy days. · Rising energy bills: If energy bills are inexplicably on the rise, then old windows could be to blame. Aging, drafty windows can make it necessary to run HVAC systems more often and at higher or lower temperatures in order to keep homes comfortable. · Windows are difficult to open or close: Homeowners may get used to the quirks of their windows, but those that are difficult to open or close may require replacement. In addition, if windows need to be propped open, it’s time to replace them. · Water infiltration: Warping or decaying window frames can make it easy for rain or snow to get into the home. Wood frames are particularly prone to moisture decay. If frames are warping or allowing water into the home, it’s time for an upgrade. · Condensation on windows: Fog or condensation buildup on windows can occur if the seal between panes is broken. In this instance, replacement windows are necessary.

Spring Home Improvement • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • March 27, 2020

Affordable features to consider when

Revamping your Kitchen COURTESY OF METRO CREATIVE

Kitchens are popular gathering spots in many homes. That popularity is reflected in various ways, including how many homeowners choose to remodel their kitchens. A 2019 report from the home renovation and design resource Houzz found that kitchens were the most popular room to renovate in 2018. Homeowners considering kitchen remodels should know that the Houzz report also indicated that spending on kitchen remodels increased by 27 percent in 2018. Homeowners concerned by the cost of remodeling a kitchen should know that there are ways to give kitchens a whole new feel without breaking the bank.

Appliances Consumer Reports notes that luxury home buyers expect high-end features, including professional ranges and built-in refrigerators that match the surrounding cabinetry. However, many mainstream brands offer “faux pro” features that can

equal more expensive alternatives. Consumer Reports even notes that many budget-friendly faux pro appliances outperformed their high-end counterparts in terms of reliability.

Countertops Countertops tend to capture the eye’s attention when walking into a kitchen. Outdated and/or damaged countertops grab that attention for all the wrong reasons, while updated countertops made from today’s most popular materials provide that wow factor homeowners seek. If granite is a must-have, Consumer Reports notes that homeowners can save substantial amounts of money by choosing granite from remnants at the stone yard. If marble is your ideal countertop, save money by choosing a domestic product as opposed to one imported from overseas.

Cabinets Custom-built cabinets may be a dream, but they tend to be a very expensive one. Such cabinets are designed to adhere to the dimensions of the kitchen, and Consumer Reports notes that

they can cost tens of thousands of dollars. If that estimate would bust your budget, examine the current layout of the existing cabinets. If the layout is fine but the cabinets need work, you can give them a whole new look by refinishing them. If the cabinets must go, stock units or semi-custom cabinets can provide a new look without busting the budget. Kitchen remodels can be expensive. But there are many affordable ways to revamp a kitchen.

Spring Home Improvement â&#x20AC;˘ Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section â&#x20AC;˘ March 27, 2020