They Can Cost You a Lot of Money

By Danny Lipford, Today's Homeowner, as published in BottomLinepersonal July 1, 2016

Replacing an air conditioner filter...lubricating a lock... cleaning dust off a refrigerator coil; what could possibly go wrong? More than you would expect! Make a mistake with seemingly simple home maintenance tasks, and you could create a big home repair bill. Here's what home owners need to know before tackling six common and commonly mismanaged maintenance chores...

MISTAKE: Backward furnace and air conditioner filters. Most home owners know that furnaces and air conditioners have filters that should be replaced every few months when they are in use. (Certain filters can be cleaned rather than replaced.) But some home owners do not realize that these filters are designed to work in only one direction, and even home owners who do realize this often get the direction wrong. Install them backward, and not only will they do a poor job filtering airborne particulates; they will inhibit airflow, making the system less energy-efficient and potentially burning out components. Look for the arrow on the side of the replacement filter. This arrow should point in the direction of airflow; which almost always means it should point toward the furnace or air conditioner, nor away from it, because air going through the filter should be flowing into the unit, not out of it. Most home owners also neglect to vacuum out the filter compartment when they replace these air filters. This is an important step that is easy to do with a vacuum or shop vac wand.
Similar: Even home owners who change their furnace and air conditioner filters usually ignore the air filters in their oven range hoods. These should be popped out and cleaned at least a few times a year. Most can simply be washed in the dishwasher. Failing to do so can reduce a range hood exhaust fan's ability to remove smoke and cooking smells from the kitchen by as much as 50%.

MISTAKE: Cleaning central-air drain lines without checking for clogs. You might already know that in order to inhibit mold and mildew growth, once or twice a year it's smart to pour one cup of bleach down an air conditioner system's condensate drain line; the plastic pipe through which condensation produced by the evaporator coil drips off. But if you're like most home owners, you probably don't bother to check this line for clogs. Clogs caused by mold, algae or insect nests could cause water to back up in the line, potentially leading to musty odors in the home and even water damage, particularly if the air conditioner evaporator is located in the attic. Before pouring bleach into the condensate drain line (there typically is an access opening in the drain line near the internal component of the A/C system), ask someone to watch the other end of the line where water from the line drips outside the home or down a basement drain. If you're not certain where to find the end of your condensate drain line, follow the PVC tubing leading away from the A/C unit inside your house. If you pour water in and your helper does not see water flow out, you'll need to clear away clogs before treating the line with bleach. The easiest way to clear clogs is to use duct tape to create a seal between the end of a shop vac hose and the external end of the condensate line (or purchase a shop-vac hose adaptor), then turn on the shop vac to suck out the obstruction. You'll save $150 or more by avoiding a maintenance call. (The bleach method does not apply to systems that pump condensation upward. Check with the pump maker if you suspect a clog.)

MISTAKE: Wrong lock lubricant. Home owners typically spray lubricant into keyholes when door locks start sticking. Unfortunately, they usually use the wrong lubricant; the most common household lubricant in the US is the multipurpose WD-40, which is poorly suited to this job. A multipurpose lube might provide some short term improvement in a lock's function, but soon it will start gumming up the intricate mechanism, leaving the lock worse than ever. Graphite is a far better lubricant for sticking locks. Graphite lubricants are available in home centers and hardware stores, but you don't even need to buy these. Just rub a #2 pencil liberally all over the surfaces of the key that will enter the sticking lock, then insert this key into the lock several times, turning it each time. (Wipe any remaining graphite off the key afterward so that it doesn't make your purse or pocket messy.)
Similar: Home owners tend to use a multipurpose lube on garage door hinges, wheels and chains; if they bother to lubricate their garage doors at all. This is the wrong lube here, too, because it tends to drip all over the garage and cars below. Lithium grease lubricant, available at home centers and hardware stores, is a better choice because it is more likely to cling without dripping.

MISTAKE: Damaging floors when cleaning refrigerator coils. Most home owners know that they're supposed to remove dust and pet hair from their refrigerator condenser coils a few times a year. Doing this helps refrigerators work efficiently, reducing energy bills and ext ending the life of fridge motors. But cleaning these coils has become more difficult. Traditionally, a refrigerator's coils could easily be accessed by removing a kick plate on the front of the fridge. But the coils of refrigerators made in the past decade or two often can be accessed only from behind the fridge; and home owners sometimes damage their kitchen floors when they try to slide the fridge away from the wall to access the coils. To avoid this, slip a thick piece of cardboard or a carpet remnant under the fridge before sliding it.

MISTAKE: Using chemicals to clear clogged sink, tub, toilet and shower drains. Not only are drain cleaning chemicals often ineffective, they sometimes damage pipes and septic systems. The best way to clear drain clogs is almost always with a plunger. Buy a small plunger; this will be easier to fit over sink drains. When plunging a bathroom sink, cover the overflow drain hole with your hand so that the plunger can create suction. Try moving the plunger up and down in a series of small, quick movements; that's a good way to form a seal and dislodge drain debris.
Similar: To avoid garbage disposal clogs, run cold water when you use the disposal, not hot. Hot water tends to soften food debris, increasing the odds that it will stick. Cold water tends to solidify food debris, making it easier for the disposal to chop it up and send it down the drain.

MISTAKE: Cleaning out gutters but neglecting to clear the roof. Removing dead leaves and other debris from gutters is an essential autumn home maintenance chore. Fail to do this, and leaves might clog your gutters and downspouts in the winter, leading to ice dams and, potentially, water damage. But while most home owners do clear leaves from their gutters (or hire someone to do this for them) once tree branches are bare each year, some neglect to also clear leaves and debris off their roofs. This roof debris eventually gets swept into their gutters by rain or wind and ends up causing the clogs they worked so hard to avoid. When you clean your gutters, clear off your roof, too.

By Danny Lipford as published on April 15, 2016 in BottomLine PERSONAL

Young children are not the only ones frightened by things that go bump in the night. Fully grown home owners often become terrified when they hear bumps, bangs or other noises emanating from their houses. That's because these unfamiliar noises might mean steep home repair bills. Although some house noises do indeed mean that it's time to call in a pro, others point to simple problems that home owners can fix on their own, and certain sounds can be ignored entirely. Here's what home owners need to know about 11 worry inducing types of house sounds...

HEATING AND AC NOISES

Heating and air-conditioning can make any number of noises...

Pings and dings from ducts and radiators are perfectly normal and can be safely ignored, they're just metal expanding and contracting due to temperature changes.

Frequent clicking sounds from a furnace or air conditioner often mean an electrical relay is malfunctioning. This too, requires a call to an HVAC pro, but the repair bill shouldn't be much greater than the basic service call rate, usually less than $100.*

ELECTRICAL HUMMING

Humming or buzzing sounds from an outlet or switch usually mean that a wire has come loose. (Dimmer switches can hum for other reasons, see below.) If so, the switch or outlet might be warm to the touch as well, although not necessarily. A loose wire is a fire hazard, so call an electrician right away to check out the humming or buzzing. If it is just a loose wire, fixing it should cost no more than the basic service call rate, typically less than $100. *

*All repair prices cited include parts and labor and are based on typical component and service rates. Prices may vary by region.

Humming or buzzing noises from a lighting fixture could point to a loose wire as well, but with lights, there's a good chance that something else is to blame. If the humming light is on a dimmer switch (or the dimmer switch itself is humming), replace the bulb with a different type of bulb or one made by a different company. Some bulbs mention on their packaging that they are designed to work well with dimmers. If that doesn't end the sound, replace the dimmer. If a fluorescent bulb is making the noise, the fixture's "ballast" might need to be replaced (the ballast is the part of the fixture that controls voltage to the bulb).

WALL OR ATTIC SOUNDS

Scratching or scurrying from within a wall or ceiling. You can probably guess what this means a rodent (or some other small animal) has gotten into your house. Get it out as soon as possible. The longer this uninvited houseguest lingers, the greater the odds that it will chew through wiring die in your walls causing an unpleasant lingering odor or give birth to babies. A pest-control professional should be able to solve the problem for between $100 and $300* (potentially more with major infestations or in expensive areas). Or purchase and set traps, avoid poisons which could be consumed by your pets or result in the pests dying and rotting inside your walls. Do not just evict the pest, also search for and seal the opening that it used to get into your home so that other animals can't get in. Expanding spray sealants are a simple and effective way to fill small gaps. One spot to check: If you have a crawl space under your house, look under tubs and showers, builders often fail to properly seal off the openings beneath drain assemblies.

Dripping. A water leak inside a wall can destroy wallboard and insulation and lead to mold or mildew problems. Fortunately, not every water sound signals a problem sometimes the water is safely inside pipes. First, check your basement or crawl space below the spot where you hear the water sound. If there is a water leak, that water likely would find its way down there. If you see water or water damage, call a plumber immediately (or a roofer if the water dripping sounds occur only when it is raining and/or when there is ice or snow on the roof). If you do not find water beneath the location of the dripping sound but the troubling water sound persists, conduct a water-loss test. Stop all water use in your home for 30 minutes and instruct family members to refrain from flushing the toilet and using the sink, tub, shower, dishwasher and washing machine during this time, and turn off the ice maker, sprinkler system and any other systems in the home that use water on their own.

Note the exact reading on your water meter at the beginning and end of this half hour. If this reading has not changed, it's unlikely that you have a leaky pipe. If it has changed even slightly, shut off the water to your toilets and redo the test. Leaky toilets are the most common source of phantom water use. If this second test still shows water use, consider replacing the toilet's flapper valve or call a plumber.

Alternative: If you have a heating system that uses hot water or steam, the leak could be from there. Monitor the boiler's pressure gauge, if the system is leaking, this is likely to show a loss of pressure over time.

If you have a well: You won't have a water meter to check, so instead, stop all water use and then stand near your water pump for 30 minutes. If you hear clicking sounds from the pump, that could mean you have a water leak.

BANGING OR THUMPING PIPES

This is called "water hammer" and is caused by water changing direction or being brought to a sudden halt in pipes. Water hammer almost never causes any problems for the home, but the noise can be annoying. If you want it to stop, install "water heater arrestors" in the waterline near appliances and fixtures that tend to trigger the noise. These cost just $10 to $15 at home centers and provide a cushion of air that absorbs the force of the water, greatly reducing the noise. If you call in a plumber, it should not cost much more than $100* (you can save $85 by doing it yourself).

WATER-HEATER NOISE

Water heaters fueled by natural gas or oil make a subtle "poof" noise when the gas ignites at the start of a heating cycle. Other than that, water heaters should operate almost silently. If you hear gurgling or popping noises coming from your water heater, that means it's struggling to operate and might soon fail, most likely because sediment has built up around its coils. You might be able to save the water heater by draining it to flush away this sediment. Check your heater's manual for specific instructions, but typically the procedure involves shutting off the water and electricity to the water heater, attaching a hose to its drain spigot near the base, running the other end of the hose to a drain, then opening the drain valve. After the water heater has drained, close the drain valve and turn on the electricity and water to the tank. Do this every year.

WELL PUMP CLICKS

Occasional clicks from a well pump are normal, it just means that the pump is working. Frequent clicks when no water is being used in the house suggest that either an electrical relay in the pump is faulty or that there is a water leak in the house. Use the leak-check procedure described in the water-dripping section above. If that does not turn up a problem, call in a well professional to see if there's a faulty relay switch. Replacing the switch shouldn't cost more than $100.* Don't let this problem linger, until it is fixed, your well pump is under unnecessary strain, which could shorten its life.

FIREPLACE DRIPPING SOUNDS

If you hear dripping from your fireplace when it rains, it could mean that rain is finding its way down your chimney. You need to put a stop to this or the metal firebox inside your fireplace could rust, creating a fire risk. The source of the problem could be as simple as loose flashing or a dislodged chimney cap. If so, a roofer probably can correct it for less than $100.* You even might be able to solve this yourself, perhaps using caulk to seal gaps between the flashing and the chimney if you are comfortable walking on your roof. If bricks are coming loose, you might need a brick 2 mason, which could cost hundreds or thousands of dollars depending on what's needed.

8 Easy To Make Homeowner Mistakes

Walking On Roofs - Walking on tile roofs and other brittle roofing materials is a very bad idea. They can easily crack or shift out of place even with gentle walking. Asphalt roofs can stand a minimum of walking, but will lose some of the granules that protect them every time you walk on them.Better Idea - If you have a tile roof and need to get something off it, use a ladder (against the house with padded ends) and pole to retrieve the item. It may be best to hire a licensed and insured roofer to go up and inspect the roof or repair something as most warranties will not cover damage due to you walking on the roof.

A Whimsical, Practical, & Interesting Hint Sight:

Removing Recessed Light Bulbs

DOWNLOAD DIGITAL USER / OWNER MANUALS

Are you using store bought plastic or stainless steel water bottles for you're on the go needs? Ever left them behind? Whoops! I was reusing ice tea glass bottles at work and play but switched to Gatorade plastic bottles because they are 20 oz. and have a wider opening to get ice cubes thru. Also they don't break like glass can and if they get lost, so what. I am well into the plus column.

NEW USES FOR OLD ALUMINUM FOIL

Email Question - Is It Safe To Use E-15 In My Car?

Newer cars can tolerate up to about 20% ethanol blend without ill effects; with 10 to 12% being the sweet spot. Ethanol is an oxygenator for gasoline in small quantities making it a great fuel extender. However ethanol has about 1/2 the BTU's per gallon of gasoline. Therefore you burn almost twice as many gallons of pure ethanol per mile as compared to pure gasoline. Right now ethanol is being marketed and subsidized by the government as the 'Holy Grail' for high oil prices. Keep a log book of your gas mileage and cost for at least a month. Then try the E-15 (75% gas / 15% ethanol) blend and see if there is a drop in mileage. Also compare $ / mile. If you come out ahead keep using it. I would recommend you change your fuel filter if you stay with it after 2 or 3 months, and then every year just for luck. Every other year maximum. Most people do not change the fuel filter often enough. Keep in mind that ethanol burns hotter than gasoline and may cause the early death of your catalytic converter.

Cleaning rusty tools

Today's Dishwasher Detergents Are Less Effective

The new formulas lack Phosphates which are bad for the environment but great for cleaning. USA Today reports that tablets and packets clean better then gels or powders and running the hot water faucet nearest the dishwasher until the water is hot helps the dishwasher start with hotter water for better cleaning.

To remove the white film from dishes place 2 cups of vinegar in a bowl on the bottom rack with the film covered dishes. Wash without detergent, then with detergent.

More things to do with Dental Floss

Oil Change Recomendations

Cars with Flat Tappet Camshafts (pre 1995) and Classic Cars:
YOU MUST use a 'High Zinc (ZDDP)' additive or an oil especially designed for older cars! This additive is NO LONGER USED in current motor oils nor is it needed in roller camshaft equipped engines. I use Cam-Shield additive for my 1974 Duster, or for vehicles which are used only on special occasions Joe Gibbs 'Hot Rod Oil' which also has an extra anti-corrosion additive.

Keeping your house cool.

With energy costs going up, here are a few tips for keeping your cool:

Check your air condition's efficiency occasionally by letting it run for at least 15 min to cool the room. Place a thermometer on the incoming air vent closest to the air conditioner. After 5 min read it and move it to the return vent. Wait 5 min and read it again. If the incoming air temp is 14 to 20 degrees cooler than outgoing air the system is working properly. Less than that or more than 20 degrees cooler your system may need cleaning or other service work. It is a good idea to get your Heating Ventilation & Air Conditioning (HVAC) system cleaned and checked at least every other year.

There are several simple things to help your AC run less:
Closing the blinds in rooms with the sun shining in. Change your furnace filter every month for a potential saving of 9%. Get an AC tune-up every other year. Clean dirt and debris off the outside unit. Run dishwashers and other heat generating appliances at night. CFL light bulbs are considerably cooler than incandescent bulbs. Turn your thermostat up a few degrees and use ceiling or box fans to compensate. Potential saving of 14%. Apply mastic tape (regular duct tape dries out in a few years) to duct seams to prevent air loss. Close all stairway doors. Otherwise the cold air will flow across the floor and down the stairs to the lowest floor. Using your programmable thermostat to dial back the AC when you are not home can save up to 10%.

A little more expensive items are:
Adding insulation and better ventilation to your attic. Adding awnings or solar screens to sun facing windows. Plant trees and shrubs on the sunny side of the house. Replace any AC system that is more than 10 years old due to advancements in energy efficiency. You could reduce your AC bill by as much as 40%. Put a ceiling fan in each room. Ceiling fans blowing down help you feel cooler and on low blowing upward help keep a room at a more constant temperature during the heating season. Mine run 7 or 8 months a year.

Do without.
If humidity is not high you can use a whole house fan, or a pedestal fan blowing out a window. A whole house fan blows air from the house out thru the attic drawing cooler air in from the windows. If you don't have a whole house fan you can accomplish the same thing placing a fan in one window blowing out. Then open wide the windows at the other end of the house and just barely open one window in each other rooms. We use a window in the upstairs hall and can cool the upstairs only by closing the stairway door, or the whole house with the door open.

CFL Bulbs and the Facts

Proponents claim CFL Bulbs can save you bundles of money, use less electricity, and are better for the environment. At first I bought into it. I started to change over the lights in my house as the incandescent bulbs burned out. But I noticed several disturbing things:
1. CFLs take up to 1 minute (cheap ones take longer) to get to full brightness. Not too good for a hallway in the middle of the night.
2. CFLs are not as bright, especially the cheaper ones.
3. The color was funny. Not a nice warm white like incandescent bulbs.
4. They are expensive!
5. My electric bill did NOT go down.

So I decided to do a little research. First let us agree on some terminology.
A. Watt - a unit of power. A measurement of the amount of electricity used.
B. Lumen - a measure of the power of light perceived by the human eye. In other words how much light is produced, or how bright the light is.
C. Lifetime - how long the bulb will last under ideal laboratory conditions.
D. Color Rendering Index or CRI - what color the light appears to be. Yellowish (called warm or soft white) to white (called cool or bright white) to bluish (called natural or daylight). An incandescent bulb = 100. 99 to 80 = good, 79 to 60 = average, 59 down = poor.
E. Estimated Lifetime Savings - How much money the CFL bulb will save you over its entire lifetime. I would take these claims with several grains of salt.

Now do you know what is the biggest user of electricity in your house? The Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioner system. Followed by your appliances, i.e. Washer, dryer, refrigerator, water heater, dish washer, etc. Then at less than 20% of total electric usage is lighting.

Spring Hints

1. Change the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, alarm clocks, thermostats, and anything else that has a backup battery. Even if you have hard-wired electric detectors, they have backup batteries too. You might want to change the batteries in your key fob and garage door openers before they fail.

Unclogging Toilets and Drains

If you have a new 'low flow' toilet, you need to buy the correct plunger. Instead of the traditional red domed plunger, you need a black one with a fold out flap. This flap enables the plunger to seat properly in the new toilets shape. Don't work that plunger hard. Resist the temptation to push down hard to the bottom of the bowl. Gently work it up and down about a 1/2 to 1 inch several times to establish a good seal. Now pull firmly but gently up and out to remove the clog. Repeat as necessary.

Drain augers. Like me you probably bought one with a 7/8 inch head. Guess what? Unless you are working with a 1 to 2 inch drain, it is probably too small and can pass right thru a clog without breaking it up. That is exactly what happened to me on my 2 1/2 inch cast iron main drain for my master bathroom. Go to a plumbing supply house or a really good hardware store and get a larger (1 3/8 inch or so) head or second auger for larger pipes.