Helpful Hints Courtesy of Household Hub Handyman Service
Smoke Detectors - Be sure to test your smoke detectors at least once a month. Change the batteries every 6 months to ensure you have a good safe fire detection system!
Leaks - If you notice a leak beneath one of your faucets, don't wait, get it stopped or fixed ASAP, waiting can only add to the cost of repair to your cabinet, floor or even the ceilings beneath the faucet! Examine the grout and caulk around your bathtub/shower every 6 months. Make sure there are no cracks. Water can seep in through the cracks and get behind the tile and you will not notice any damage until the tiles start falling off the walls......then you will have a really expensive repair job.
Furnace Filters - Change your furnace filter at least every heating and cooling season, this prolongs the life of your furnace and keeps the air being sent through your vents clean and safe to breath! Good filters also minimize the dust and allergens that are abundant in southern Nevada.
Carbon Monoxide Detectors - Did you know that 2009 building code in Henderson and Las Vegas require "all homes for sale or rent will require a carbon monoxide detector within 15 feet of all bedrooms" and recommends having one on each floor of the house! Why wait to sell or rent, Household Hub can install Carbon Monoxide detectors in your home now for your safety and security as well. Just another piece of mind Household Hub offers!
Garbage Disposals - One of the most abused appliances in the home is the garbage disposal. Many manufacturers will tell you that you can put anything down a disposal. This could however, cause an early breakdown of the disposal and then you have to buy a new one. You should put plate scrapings only in the disposal. Do not put vegetable peels in the disposal, especially potato and carrot. Large quantities of starchy foods like noodles and rice should not go into the disposal. When running the disposal, let the water run at least 15 seconds to wash the debris all the way down the sewer pipe. You can use hot water to get rid of greasy debris. Hot water will not harm your disposal. Be sure to run the disposal at least once each day to clean any debris and keep it turning freely. If your disposal blades don’t turn and you hear a humming sound, you may have something lodged in the blades. Turn the disposal off. Get a wooden broom handle. Put the handle in the disposal at an angle and catch one of the blades. Hold the handle high and firm for leverage and torque to twist and turn the blades in the disposal. Twist it both directions and this should free the blades. Remove the broom handle, turn on the water and run the disposal for about 30 seconds if it spins freely. If this does not work, you may need a repair. There is also usually a key that fits in the bottom of the disposal that can be used to free stuck blades. This is what it looks like and you can get it at Home Depot.
Gutters - Clogged or damaged gutters cause a myriad of problems. Water can seep under your roof and then you have ceiling and wall damage. Left unattended, the damage can be extensive and costly. Clean the gutters every fall to prevent a water dam from building up in the gutter and also to prevent costly rust from forming. If you need to rake leaves in your yard, you probably have leaves in your gutter.
Insulation - Although it is recommended that attics in Southern Nevada homes be insulated to R49, we recommend that you add insulation to bring your insulating properties to R60. You will notice a vast improvement in the heating and cooling of your home. Hire an insulation company who will seal the attic and then blow-in cellulose material. Household Hub does not do this kind of work, but we are happy to give you a referral. More leaks - If you notice a new water stain on your ceiling, take a screwdriver and punch a hole in the center of the stain. Place a bucket underneath to catch any drips. This will allow the water to run out and not soak into the drywall. When the leak causing the stain is repaired, then the repair to the ceiling will be minimal.
Happy to help - We cannot do everything. However, we maintain a list of service providers that we trust. If you have questions or need a referral for a service we cannot provide, please call us. We are happy to help in any way we can, and we are not compensated for the referrals.
Clogged Drains – See post here
Try our service - We are more than ready to help you with your "honey-do" lists, so you can go on about your day knowing your house is as ready as you are, for quality home maintenance and repair, Call Household Hub today!
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