Monday, January 12, 2004
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

AROUND THE HOUSE: The Well-Tended Home

A month-by-month outline aims for timely maintenance and prevention

Illustration by David Stroud.

On my honor as a homeowner who is paying thousands of dollars on a mortgage, I promise to not ignore and neglect my house this year.

In 2004, I resolve in fact to clip out, post and religiously adhere to the following maintenance schedule for keeping my home sweet home in tiptop tone.

Many of the maintenance items can be done any time of year. The schedule is a tool to make the tasks manageable, by spreading them over 12 months.

However, the suggested timing puts the homeowner slightly ahead of the seasonal curve. Avoid picked-over hardware aisles by purchasing your seasonal supplies ahead of the pack. Don't wait until the dead of summer to schedule a visit by the air-conditioning repair service, or you'll be joining a long queue.

The schedule has been devised with input from repair professionals -- the same folks who will charge you dearly when you postpone a small repair that deteriorates into the need for a large repair.

JANUARY-FEBRUARY

Look for frozen pipes: Given the Las Vegas Valley's recent spot of frigid weather and the tightened landscape watering restrictions, Home Depot spokeswoman Annette Corbo tells homeowners to check their yards carefully for unexpected moist areas. They may be a clue that an irrigation pipe has frozen, then subsequently cracked and leaked.

"Now that we're down to one day a week of watering, that's less water moving through the pipes," making them more vulnerable to freezing, Corbo explains.

If a wet patch develops suddenly, the homeowner needs to dig up that portion of yard to check pipes and joints, replacing any broken parts.

Improve storage: Winter is a perfect time for indoor jobs. Adding or improving shelving in storage areas is a practical task that many people undertake when the weather is inclement.

Control pigeons: Pigeons nest and breed year-round, but the peak of their breeding is usually March-April, according to Russ Hedland, general manager of Desert Pest Control, 1211 Industrial Park Road in Henderson.

If you have had a pigeon problem in the spring before, or an ongoing problem, make the birds' gathering place uncomfortable for them.

Tactics include removing food and drinking sources. "If you feed other (species of) birds, the pigeons will come," Hedland says. Some pigeons feed at outdoor pet food bowls, some drink at shallow water ledges created, for example, by a spa spilling over into a pool.

Pigeons also are attracted to rooftop shelter formed by gutters, small ledges or where two roof lines come together. In some cases, they can be discouraged by attaching strips of tall spikes to the nesting area.

Sometimes, a section under an overhang may have to be screened off entirely. Hedland discourages the use of chicken wire, which pigeons can eventually defeat by repeated pecking, pushing or pulling. Instead, his company uses cable-anchored netting, which bounces back, inhibiting pigeon sabotage. Desert Pest Control sells supplies and gives advice to do-it-yourselfers.

MARCH-APRIL

Check roof tiles or shingles: The valley's blustery winds can be especially intense around March. Visually inspect the roof for loose tiles or shingles. Repair or replace immediately. When exterior roofing is missing -- aside from potential rain damage -- the layer of roofing below is at risk of "cooking" in the year's coming heat, which will then make it more prone to leaking.

Curling, cracked or blistered shingles are signs of an aging roof, says John Irwin, an estimator for Prestige Roofing, 3405 Bunkerhill Drive. Other warnings include: shingles that are losing their protective granules; flashing that is bent or missing around vent pipes, chimneys and roof "valleys"; and caulking around flashing that is shrunken, cracked or missing.

Control heat transfer through windows: Window films applied on the interior and solar screen installed on the exterior are two ways to keep summer air-conditioning bills down and prevent fading of carpet or furniture. Films and screens reduce the amount of sun's ultraviolet light and heat that penetrates glass into a home.

Corbo says the films are not hard to apply, but require patience. "They get those little bubbles (in the film) just from not taking their time."

Some homeowners keep solar screens on their windows year-round, some prefer to remove them in winter to allow more sunlight in. The latter group needs to take their screens out of storage and reinstall before summer.

Use solar screens for at least the period of March through October, recommends Shawn Dybdahl of Pacific Solar Screens, 4300 N. Pecos Road. When screens are not in use, store them upright, then hose to clean before reinstalling. While screens are drying, wash the windows, too, he advises.

Do exterior painting: Spring is an ideal time for working with paint. The weather is comfortable for the painter, and mild enough for paint to properly dry. The same is true in autumn.

"In summer it dries too fast, and doesn't set up right," Corbo says.

If you notice any peeling paint on wooden roof overhangs, patio covers or elsewhere, scrape off the loose paint with a wire brush before applying new paint.

Stucco patching, followed by painting, is another good task for spring. But make sure to first remove the situation that damaged the stucco, or the damage will recur.

Stucco that has been damaged by water repeatedly hitting it from poorly aimed sprinklers tends to fall off in clumps, Corbo explains. Often, a water line also will be visible on a stucco wall that regularly gets wet. Adjust sprinklers to avoid stucco before repairing that wall.

Do interior painting: Take advantage of balmy outdoor spring temperatures to paint indoors with the windows open, for easy, thorough ventilation of fumes. Or do it in fall, when balmy temperatures return.

MAY-JUNE

Drain water heater: The task should be done at least yearly to remove natural sediments that build up in the tank. Getting rid of the sediments enables the heater to work more efficiently, which will cut energy consumption.

Insulate garage door: A hot garage full of trapped summer air will "bleed" coolness from the attached house, resulting in a higher cooling bill. Minimize this phenomenon by attaching foam insulation to the inside of garage door panels. Precut kits are available at home improvement stores. Insulating the garage door is less important if the garage door faces north, the exposure with the least sunlight.

Improve attic ventilation: Despite the vents that home builders install, some attic spaces still lack adequate airflow. When air is trapped in the unfinished attic, it heats up the space, leeching coolness from the house.

Inadequate attic ventilation also shortens the life of a roof -- either asphalt shingle or tile -- according to Irwin. Shingles or the "felt" layer below a tile roof cooks like an egg on a griddle when an attic is unreasonably hot.

Irwin tells consumers who aren't handymen to get free estimates from at least three roofing companies. Techniques to improve attic ventilation vary based on the volume of attic space as well as the roof design.

Before selecting a company, call the Nevada State Contractors Board at 486-3585. The board can confirm if a contractor is licensed, and share reports on the contractor's past performance.

JULY-AUGUST

Install energy-conserving devices: Indoor ceiling fans and electronic thermostats will both trim power use. Ceiling fans create air movement, which has a cooling effect, so that the thermostat for air conditioning can be set slightly warmer. Electronic thermostats can be programmed to change settings automatically, based on day and time of day. "You're not cooling the house all day long (when occupants are at work)," Corbo explains. "You're only cooling as needed."

Check ceilings for signs of leaks: Late summer is one of the rare times of year with predictable rainfall, when Southern Nevadans can easily check for roof leaks.

Irwin contends that few homeowners actually crawl into their attic spaces to hunt for leaks, where the earliest evidence of roof damage appears. A second-best tactic is to react immediately when signs of water intrusion appear below the attic, on ceilings or the tops of interior walls.

Some insurance companies do not cover water damage caused by the homeowner's failure to do regular roof maintenance.

Start kitchen makeovers: To have your kitchen ready for the fall-winter holiday season, begin now. The process takes time, because it entails measuring space, selecting materials and fixtures, then actually executing the job.

SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER

Service smoke alarms: Change batteries in smoke alarms yearly. Bob Leinbach of the Clark County Fire Department recommends that homeowners do this at the same time as they change clocks away from Daylight Savings Time, so the habit becomes ingrained. Timing the battery change with the spring time change would also work.

Beware that many of the smoke alarms that are wired into the home's electrical system still use a battery as backup.

Test smoke alarms monthly, Leinbach adds. Don't assume, just because the alarm's light is on, that it actually is functioning. Smoke alarms need to be replaced at least every 10 years.

Sweep the chimney: Wood-burning fireplaces and stoves need regular cleaning.

"Gas burns pretty completely, wood leaves a residue, called creosote, which builds up," Leinbach says. Chimney sweep services remove creosote and visually inspect the heating system.

Even gas-burning appliances need regular visual inspections. Above all, don't burn wood in equipment that was designed solely for a gas flame, he cautions.

Repair the doorbell: The task can be done anytime, but why not ensure you are ready for guests during the coming fall-winter holiday season.

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER

Lighten the load: Take a winter hiatus from home maintenance. Tackle only essential spot repairs that crop up. Enjoy the holidays.