Posts made in January, 2014
Low dough birthday parties for kids.
When I was a kid, I always dreamed of an throwing a birthday pool party outside in the summer sun, but having a birthday in the dead of winter made that dream impossible. Now that I’m the mom of a winter birthday child, I’ve given a lot of thought to the easiest and least expensive way to throw a winter birthday bash.
Read MoreA Home Maintenance Check List For 2014
The New Year is a time for resolutions, and if maintaining a clean and safe home is one of yours, here’s a quick list of tasks to get you started. You can also print this handy check list as a reminder. Clean A/C Drainage Pipes Don’t wait until algae and other debris clogs the drainage pipes of your air conditioner. Make cleaning the pipes on your A/C unit an annual task. You can hire a professional, or use this DIY guide. Flush Hot Water Heater Mineral build up can cause your hot water heater to run less efficiently. By flushing out the minerals annually, you can ensure your hot water heater is functioning at its peak and you may even extend it’s lifespan. Step-by-step instructions can be found here. Lubricate Garage Door Springs If you don’t want your garage door to start squeaking ominously every time it opens and closes, then you’ll want to make lubricating the garage door springs part of your annual check list. It’s not just about the creepy noises either; all that wear and tear will eventually cause the metal springs to break. According to this entertaining video guide, you’ll want to use a lithium or silicon based grease to lubricate all the moving parts of the door. Check Smoke & Carbon Monoxide Detectors Everybody knows that smoke detectors save lives, but it’s a good idea to set a side time at least once a year to fully test the functionality of your smoke detectors. That includes making sure they can be heard from all points in the home, and even buying a can of smoke detector test spray to test the functionality, not just the hitting the test button to make sure the batteries still work. A complete step-by-step guide can be found here. As covered in a previous blog post, most carbon monoxide detectors don’t detect low levels of carbon monoxide. You may wish to consider upgrading your detectors or purchasing a hand held detection device. No matter what type of detector you’re using, these instructions will help you ensure yours is working properly. Change Furnace Filters Some furnaces have filters that you can pull out and clean, while others require a filter replacement. Regularly cleaning or replacing filters will help prevent break-downs and keep your furnace working at maximum efficiency. Furnace filters actually need to be checked more often that just once a year, but it can depend on a number of factors including the type of filter being used and whether or not pets are present in the home (pet hair can accumulate in filters rather quickly). Here’s a quick guide to how to replace or clean a furnace filter. Clean Clothes Dryer Vent Lint from you clothes dryer can make it’s way into the dryer duct and cause a fire hazard. Cleaning your dryer vent annually will prevent a fire and keep your appliance operating smoothly. You may also wish to consider swapping a flexible foil or plastic duct for a solid metal one to help prevent a build-up of flammable materials. Here’s a link to instructions and helpful tips for cleaning out your clothes dryer vent....
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