IN THE NEWS & EVENTS
Detroit News August 6, 2010 by Master Handyman Glenn Haege
"Ounce of prevention saves ton on home bills"It seems I preach the value of preventative home maintenance every week on my radio show. My philosophy is that fixing things before they turn into problems is the best way to eliminate headaches and save you money. Preventative maintenance will cost you some money.
But it is much cheaper to pay to maintain something now than to have to deal with the costs of repair or replacement when a big problem occurs. However, there are so many things that need to be maintained around the home that it can be overwhelming, so here are some things I recommend you focus on:
Clogged drain lines in the basement can lead to water backing up into your basement. And even if you have never had a drain backup, there are tell-tale signs that a problem is imminent.
"If you hear gurgling sounds in the drain when doing laundry or even flushing a toilet, it may mean your drain is clogged," said Matt O'Rourke, vice president of Plumbing Professors, (800) 654-1300, www.plumbingprofessors.com.
O'Rourke said drain lines are often clogged with debris or tree roots that have grown into the drain pipe and are blocking the flow of water. The best way to determine if there is a potential problem is with a special video sewer camera that is inserted into the drain and can see what is clogging it. In many cases, simply snaking out the drain will fix the problem, although with tree roots, snaking may only get rid of 30 percent to 50 percent of the roots. If you have a more serious tree-root problem, it is best to have a plumber use the hydro-jetting process.
"We use high-pressure water and shoot it into the drain at between 3,000 to 4,000 PSI at 18 gallons of water per minute, and this process will eliminate 99 percent of any tree roots that are clogging the drain," O'Rourke said.
Basement walls are another area where preventative maintenance can make a huge difference. Dean Teaster from Mr. Sponge, (800) 491-4686, www.mrsponge.com, said wall cracks and tie rods account for about 95 percent of the water leakage he sees in basements.
"We see a lot of people that have had new drain tiles put into a home, but that doesn't fix the leaks that are coming from rod holes or cracks," Teaster said. "It is better to fix the source of the problem so you don't have anymore leaks."
To fill a crack, it is best to inject polyurethane, water-activated resin into the crack. Mr. Sponge uses this injection waterproofing method and has its own SP-3 proprietary urethane formula that is designed to create a lasting, pliable seal.
Fixing tie rod holes is also an important preventative maintenance tactic to keep your basements dry, but just using hydraulic cement to patch the hole is not always the solution. For a more permanent solution, Teaster and Mr. Sponge developed a patented hydrophilic swell plug that fits tightly into the typical 5/8 -inch rod hole opening and seals the hole, eliminating rod-hole leaks.
While you are in the basement, you should get into the habit of draining 3-5 gallons of water from your 40-gallon hot water heater every six months to remove sediment that builds up. If you haven't done this regularly, you can clean the sediment out by using two gallons of canning-strength vinegar (five percent) per full water heater. Turn off the burner, drain the tank and let the vinegar soak in the water heater for two hours. Rinse out the tank, then refill it with water and turn on the burners.
And if you haven't had your air ducts cleaned in the past seven years, now is a great time to do it to help your heating and cooling system work more efficiently and improve the indoor-air quality of your home.
Make sure you call a company that is a certified member of the National Air Duct Cleaners Association, such as Dalton Environmental, (800) 675-2298, Dusty Ducts, (313) 381-7801, Fresh Air Solutions, (800) 341-4076, or Safety King, (800) AIR-DUCT.
With our recent run of warm weather, you can look for your energy bills to rise right along with the thermometer. This is a great time to consider having your home's insulation brought up to code: R-49 in most ceilings. Rebates are in effect and you can save real money when you heat or cool your home.
Detroit News Master Handyman Glenn Haege February 16, 2010
"Hire a certified company to clean out the air ducts" Dear Glenn:I am considering hiring an air duct cleaning service to clean my home ducts as well as rid my basement of some minor mold. I have been researching local companies as well as a few franchise companies who say they can complete the work. Do you have a preference as to who would be more reliable and cost-efficient to do the work? Thank you and best regards. Carl, via e-mail
Dear Carl: I have many reliable duct cleaning companies listed on my help site, www.masterhandyman.com, under the Duct Cleaners category. If you don't have Internet access, here are some of their names and phone numbers: Dalton Environmental, (877) 325-8667, www.daltonenvironmentalcleaning.com; Dusty Ducts, (877) 381-7801, www.dustyducks.com; and Safety King, (800) 247-3828, www.safetyking.com. They are all certified by the National Association of Air Duct Cleaners (NADCA), www.nadca.com.