{"id":6982,"date":"2016-03-17T11:00:05","date_gmt":"2016-03-17T15:00:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.diycontrols.com\/?p=6982"},"modified":"2023-05-08T11:51:41","modified_gmt":"2023-05-08T15:51:41","slug":"dont-hire-a-handyman-this-spring-8-easy-diy-tasks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.diycontrols.com\/index.php\/dont-hire-a-handyman-this-spring-8-easy-diy-tasks\/","title":{"rendered":"7 Spring Home Maintenance Tasks that Don’t Require a Handyman"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you are looking for ways to save money on home maintenance this spring, start by tackling the easiest chores yourself instead of paying a handyman or contractor. \u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0Most homeowners can handle many routine home repairs and spring cleanup chores themselves and save hundreds and even thousands of dollars in expenses by doing so. \u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0So instead of calling your local handyman, put these 7 home maintenance chores on next weekend’s agenda…and channel your savings towards a really great summer vacation!\"spring<\/a><\/p>\n

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1. Check for Damage on the Roof<\/em><\/h2>\n

Interior water damage often originates at the top of the house on the roof. \u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0Grab a ladder and check your roof for missing or broken shingles and inspect flashings and joints around chimneys and skylights. If your roof is less than 20 years old and the damage is limited to a few cracked or missing shingles, you should be able to handle the repairs yourself following these step-by-step instructions for replacing shingles<\/a><\/strong> and re-caulking<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Also, crawl around your attic and look for water stains or drips. If you see evidence of leakage, wet that section of the roof with a garden hose and check the attic again for drips. To monitor a suspect area in the attic, setup a simple simple water sensor alarm<\/a><\/strong> that will alert you of new leaks.<\/p>\n

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2. Give Your Chimney a Sweep<\/em><\/h2>\n

\"Sooteater<\/a>If you used your fireplace or wood stove this past winter, spring is a good time to give the chimney flue one last cleaning so you won\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u201e\u00a2t smell soot and creosote all summer. Instead of paying a professional chimney sweep, invest in a do-it-yourself chimney cleaning system<\/a>\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0<\/strong>that makes chimney cleaning a easy chore any homeowner.<\/p>\n

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3. Unclog Blocked Gutters<\/em><\/h2>\n

Prevent spring rains from backing up and leaking into the house by cleaning branches and leaves out of gutters and downspouts. \u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0For easy and fast gutter cleaning, get a\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0do-it-yourself gutter cleaning tool kit<\/a><\/strong>\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0that lets you remove leaves and debris from your gutters and rinse them clean without having to get up on a ladder.<\/p>\n

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4. Prevent Basement Flooding<\/em><\/h2>\n

\"TheSpring thaws and heavy rains are a major cause of basement flooding. If your basement is prone to flooding<\/a><\/strong>, installing a\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0sump pump will draw water out from under the basement and pump it far away from the foundation. \u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0Here’s a do-it-yourself sump pump kit<\/a><\/strong><\/span> that includes everything you need to install a sump pump in less than an hour. \u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0Another good idea is setting up a\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0water alarm\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0and flood sensor<\/strong><\/a>\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0that will alert you if water is collecting in the basement,\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0before<\/em> extensive damage is done.<\/p>\n

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5. \u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0Flush Hot Water Heater<\/em><\/i><\/b><\/h2>\n

Over time, sediment can build up in your water heater tank and compromise its energy efficiency, shorten its life and lead to clogs in fixtures throughout the house. \u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0A periodic draining and flushing<\/a><\/strong> is the best way to prevent hot water heater problems. \u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0To prevent catastrophic flooding if your hot water heater does spring a leak, hook up a leak detection and automatic shutoff system<\/a><\/strong>\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0that automatically shuts off the feed water intake and sounds an audible alarm if a leak is detected.<\/p>\n

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6. Seal Doors and Windows<\/em><\/h2>\n

Don’t overlook the importance of exterior home maintenance. \u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0Do a visual inspection of all windows and doors. Look for air leaks around doors and windows and for places where caulking has become brittle or loose. Also check for cracked windows and torn screens. Recaulk joints, replace broken windows, and repair ripped screens.<\/p>\n

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7. \u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0Get Ready for Swim Season<\/em><\/h3>\n

\"LIFE<\/a>Why not try opening the pool yourself this spring instead of calling a professional pool service? \u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0Follow the tips in “Pool Opening Made Easy: 10 Steps for Do-it-Yourselfers.”<\/a><\/strong> \u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0Be sure to check with state and local governments to ensure that your pool and spa complies the\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0latest\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0pool safety codes (such as the 2007\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act<\/a><\/strong>). \u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0Most towns require a minimum 4-foot\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0tall fence<\/a><\/strong> with a self-closing gate<\/a><\/strong>. \u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0Some municipalities also require a\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0pool gate alarm<\/a><\/strong>\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0as\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0an additional layer of protection. For triple protection, safety guidelines recommend including a\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0pool alarm<\/a><\/strong>\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0to protect children who succeed in getting over the fence and past the gate alarm.<\/p>\n

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Other Home Maintenance “How To’s”<\/em><\/h2>\n

Still have extra time on your hands after completing these 7 home maintenance tasks? \u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0Congratulations! \u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0Here are a few other “how to” articles for accomplished DIY-ers like yourself:<\/p>\n

How to Prevent Flooding in an Upstairs Laundry Room<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

How to Pick a DIY Wireless Security System for Your Home<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

How to Prevent Drowning Accidents in Your Backyard Pool<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

<\/h2>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

If you are looking for ways to save money on home maintenance this spring, start by tackling the easiest chores yourself instead of paying a handyman or contractor. \u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0Most homeowners can handle many routine home repairs and spring cleanup chores themselves and save hundreds and… Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":7021,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[396,32,9,5,900],"tags":[651,578,487,488,685,754,666,4,413,38,678,25,698],"class_list":["post-6982","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-child-safety","category-flood-intervention","category-home-monitoring-security","category-pools-alarms-accessories","category-pool-safety","tag-automatic-water-shut-off-valve","tag-chimney-cleaning-tools","tag-chimney-sweep","tag-chimney-sweep-rotary-cleaning-system","tag-featured","tag-hot-water-leak-detection-system","tag-leak-detection","tag-pool-alarms","tag-pool-fence","tag-pool-gate-alarm","tag-simple-water-alarm","tag-water-alarms","tag-water-leak-detection-system","clearfix"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.diycontrols.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6982","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.diycontrols.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.diycontrols.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.diycontrols.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.diycontrols.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6982"}],"version-history":[{"count":26,"href":"https:\/\/blog.diycontrols.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6982\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11204,"href":"https:\/\/blog.diycontrols.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6982\/revisions\/11204"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.diycontrols.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7021"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.diycontrols.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6982"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.diycontrols.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6982"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.diycontrols.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6982"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}