DIY Fall Homeowner Checklist: 10 Things You Need to Be Doing Now!

1.) Change Your HVAC Filters

If I sound like a broken record about this it’s because it’s one of the simplest and beneficial things you can do for your heating & air conditioning system. So many potentially problematic issues can be avoiding if you just change your filters out regularly. (Every 3 months if you can) For more info on the benefits of changing your filters regularly, check out this previous article I wrote.

2.) Flush Your Hot Water Tank

I’m always surprised by how many homeowners I talk to that have never drained and flushed their hot water tank. Understandable I suppose, it’s not something you learn about in school. Flushing your water tank is really simple and it helps prolong the life of the tank. Over time, lime, calcium, and other minerals in your water can create deposits in the tank. (Especially if you have hard water) Periodically draining your water tank doesn’t allow those sediments to build up and cause problems with the heating elements that can shorten the life of the tank. The middle of the winter is the worst time to not have hot water in your home!

While you’re at it, it’s not a bad idea to turn the water temperature down on your tank a few degrees. Warm water in the winter months feels warmer as the air is cooler. Save yourself some energy costs by decreasing the temperature a little bit. You won’t notice and it’ll help your wallet.

3.) Clean Your Gutters

This is a big one! Cleaning gutters makes sure that your gutters are working properly and can drain the water away from your house as snow, rain, and ice freeze and thaw. If you don’t have clean gutters, water can turn to ice and build up in the gutters which can build into ice dams that can get under your roof and cause major water damage inside. Not only that but gutters that are frozen solid can get really heavy and separate from the house which can fall and cause major problems. A quick cleaning can save you a lot of potential headache.

4.) Seal Drafts

A drafty house in the winter is no fun. Finding leaky areas now and sealing them up not only keeps your house more comfortable in the winter months, but can also save you big money on your energy bill. Common culprits of drafts in your home are around electrical outlets, worn out weather stripping on doors, and older single pane windows. For more tips on how to seal up drafts, areas to target, and ways to save on energy costs this winter check out this article.

5.) Winterize Your Pipes

If you’re in an area that freezes, it’s time to winterize your pipes. Any outdoor plumbing like sprinkler systems need to be drained of any water that could potentially freeze and cause a rupture. Any hose bibs or piping that sticks up from the ground should be wrapped with insulating pipe tape or insulating foam and UV Proof tape.

Inside the house it’s also not a bad idea to wrap any water lines or piping that runs through the foundation, sills, or is in close proximity to exterior walls. If you commonly battle freezing pipes in the winter you’re likely familiar with trouble spots. Wrapping pipes helps insulate to prevent freezing.

Ruptured pipes can cause big problems both inside and out. Do yourself a favor and spend a few minutes now and potentially save yourself a huge headache.

If you want to save yourself a hassle of draining exterior hose bibs down the line, consider updating to a House Hydrant from Aquor Water Systems. 

6.) Clean & Fertilize Your Lawn

Homeowners commonly overlook their lawn when preparing their homes for winter, but a simple winterizing fertilizer can help your lawn rebound quickly come the spring. Do your best to rake any leaves and debris around the lawn and apply a winterizing fertilizer all around the lawn. There are a ton of great products out there, but a slow release, nitrogen rich fertilizer will continue to feed your lawn all winter long. Make sure your lawn and home are prepped for winter and ready for spring.

7.) Fix Chips and Cracks in Concrete

If you have a crack in your driveway, sidewalk, foundation, or walkway going into the winter months you can bet that it’ll be worse come the spring! Frost heave is a nightmare for concrete cracks. Water penetrates the crack, freezes and expands, and then lifts and separates the crack even more. If there’s a spot where this can happen around your home it 100% will happen. You’ll be left with a bigger mess to deal with in the spring. Look around your home and make the small fix now before it turns into a bigger fix later.

8.) Tune up Your Small Engines

Now is the time to do all the small engine repairs and maintenance on your snowblower, lawnmower, and make sure your snow shovels are in good shape. Doing basic maintenance on your small engine items like oil & filter changes, carburetor cleaning, and air filter changes can make sure those machines are ready to go when you need them. Tuning up your snowblower may seem an obvious one but doing end of season maintenance on your lawnmower also makes sure it’s good to be stored for the winter and will be ready to go when the spring rolls around.

9.) Have Your Chimneys Cleaned and Inspected

There’s nothing better than sitting around a fire on a blustery winter night but they’re also a leading cause of house fires every year. In fact there are over 25,000 chimney fires every year in the United States. These fires cause hundreds of millions of dollars in damages each year. Making sure your chimney is clean is a critical part of making sure your home is prepped for winter.

As fires burn, a dark tar like substance called creosote is formed from the combustion process. It builds up and condenses on the walls of the chimney over time. If not cleaned regularly, this buildup can reach a highly flammable threshold. Once a fire is lit and reaches the creosote lined chimney, it will quickly ignite and be extremely difficult to extinguish and contain. These fires can easily spread to other areas of the home and are extremely dangerous.

Click here to learn how you can clean the chimney yourself. Or you can hire a professional to typically clean your chimney for around $200-$500. Find a certified chimney sweep in your area.

10.) Check Your Smoke Alarms and Carbon Monoxide Detectors

Whether you have hard wired or battery smoke alarms and CO Detectors make sure they are working properly by testing them. Make sure the batteries are changed and working. For hardwired units, use the test button to make sure they’re working properly.

Carbon monoxide is caused by the incomplete burning of fuels including natural gas, oil, coal, propane, and wood. Carbon monoxide is a tasteless, odorless, and potentially fatal gas. It can quickly become a problem in a closed up winter home without adequate air flow. Many of the mechanicals in our homes are powered by one of the fuels that cause carbon monoxide poisoning. Make sure you have the added protection of a quality detector for the safety of you and your loved ones.

For more information about the dangers of carbon monoxide, check out this article by the CDC.

I hope you enjoy this content and I hope it helps you get your home prepped for winter!

To view all my recommended tools, and winterizing products, make sure you visit my Amazon storefront.

Here are a few other articles and DIY home maintenance tips you may enjoy.

5 DIY Ways to Make Your Home More Energy Efficient

Warm Your Home & LOWER Your Heat Bill

I’ve come across spray foam insulation being used by many DIYers in just about every way imaginable BUT just because you can use it for a variety of purposes, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you should! Today I’m going to share with you the ways that I use spray foam insulation in my remodeling projects and some applications where I don’t recommend it, or think a better solution is required. 

This project contains a paid product integration from Loctite and affiliate links to the The Home Depot. All opinions are herein are my own. Visit my disclosure page for more information on affiliate and compensation this site accepts. 

DO: Use Window & Door Foam to Seal Around Rough Openings

Whenever I’m installing windows and doors, the rough openings are always slightly larger than the window or door itself. That means you’re always left with a small gap that can create drafts, air loss, or be an avenue for pests to find their way in. In this case, you should definitely use the window and door spray foam. The window and door foam expands at low pressure compared to other types so you won’t risk bending or bowing the door or window jambs causing problems with their operation. 

DON’T: Use to Address Structural Cracks in Foundations or Concrete

Next, let’s talk about cracks. Not all cracks are created equal. For example, if I come across a crack in a foundation, spray foam insulation wouldn’t be my go-to fix. Foundation cracks can be superficial, or they may be structural so understanding the problem is essential to creating the right fix. I would never use spray foam to address a structural problem like a foundation crack. The same goes for most cracks in concrete including sidewalks, driveways, patios, etc. 

DO: Use to Air Seal Attics & Crawlspaces

One of the best uses for spray foam applications is to use it for air sealing. When I recently replaced the insulation in my attic, I first went through and sealed all the visible cracks and penetrations I could see in the attic before adding the blown in insulation on top. Filling any voids with spray foam makes sure you have a tight envelope between your living space and the attic. I climbed around in the dark in my attic and looked for light leaks from below and filled those areas. The same can be said for crawl spaces beneath the house that can be spots where air loss occurs. 

DON’T: Use to Address Issues with Improper Framing or as a Wood Substitute 

One of the biggest no-no’s I have seen from DIYers is using spray foam to fill structural gaps in framing. I’ve opened some walls and found that people sometimes will mis-cut a piece of lumber and rather than recutting it the proper size, they just slap it in place and fill the gap with spray foam. You might be surprised how often this happens especially in DIY flip houses. Just because something looks decent on the outside doesn’t always mean it looks great underneath. Don’t use spray foam to fill any structural gaps as it’s not a structurally rated product. 

DO: Use On Small Penetrations to Seal Out Insects and Pests

I have a really old house so there are a lot of unseen areas where there are small holes or cracks. I typically find them after I have some unwanted visitors in the house. Probably my favorite application for spray foam is to fill those areas to seal out ants, spiders, and other insects. Typically with ants I can follow their trail to see where they are coming in from outside and then use spray foam to fill those areas. Now if the hole or penetration is larger, like something a mouse or a rat can get through, I don’t recommend using spray foam UNLESS you add some wire mesh to the area first. Larger pests like that can sometimes chew their way through the foam and get back in. 

DON’T: Use to Fill In Eave & Soffit Areas that Effect Attic Ventilation

Another area to be careful of is using spray foam in eaves and soffits. These are common trouble areas for bees nests and many homeowners elect to spray foam to seal out the bees. However, you always want to be careful that you’re not interfering with your home’s ability to breathe properly. Some homes have vented eaves and soffits that allow your attic to vent properly and by filling in these areas, your attic space can’t vent properly. If it’s one trouble spot it’s not a big deal but be conscious if you find yourself sealing larger areas. 

DO: Use to Seal Around Electrical and Plumbing Penetrations (Code Permitting)

Electrical and plumbing penetrations into a home is another great use for spray foam. However, it’s important to make sure a fire rated foam isn’t required by code in your area. I always like to seal around exterior electrical boxes and any plumbing pipe penetrations around the perimeter of my house because these are really common points of drafts as well as can act as super highways for critters coming in and out of your house. 

DON’T: Use to Seal Water Leaks in Plumbing

Another huge fail for spray foam is people using it to try and stop leaks. Rather than fixing the underlying issue, I have seen some homes where people have attempted to stop a leak from a pipe or water line with spray foam. Please don’t use spray foam for this. Most of the time all it does is create a larger issue down the road. It won’t solve the problem and will most likely result in larger damage taking place once the water finds a way out. Depending on the application, the foam can actually allow the water to build up which can lead to serious mold problems so do yourself a favor and if you’re experiencing any kind of water leak, avoid using spray foam as a bandaid. 

DO: Use in Moderation! 

My last tip is just that use spray foam in MODERATION. People have a tendency to spray things and trying to find extra uses for it and end up using the whole can before the nozzle gets all plugged up and they can’t use the can anymore. Trust me, I know that can be frustrating. BUT here’s what I would recommend instead. Use the can in moderation and only use as much as you need. Remember that these products expand somewhat exponentially. As far as reusing the can, I recommend that you just buy a bunch of extra straws. You can snag a whole pack online for just a few $$ and keeps you from wasting a bunch of money on new cans. 

So that’s it for this article! If enjoyed it, please consider subscribing to my YouTube channel so you never miss out on any of the new content I post. 

Thank you to Loctite for making this video possible and allowing me to share how to properly use spray foam. If you guys do need some spray foam for your next project, I encourage you to check out their products which you can find at your local Home Depot. 

If you found this article helpful, here are some other articles you may enjoy! 

5 DIY Ways to Make Your Home More Energy Efficient

Warm Your Home & LOWER Your Heat Bill

Summertime means cranking that air conditioning in the house to cool it down which can really impact your home’s energy consumption. Today I’m here to share a few things that you can do around your home to help make your space more comfortable and energy efficient, which reduces your impact on the environment.

So let’s get started!

#1: Replace Your Indoor and Outdoor Light Bulbs with LED’s

Replacing your light bulbs is one of the simplest and most cost-effective ways to make your home more energy efficient. Typical CFL or older
incandescent bulbs use anywhere from 40w-100w a piece and the newer LED equivalents typically range from 10-20w for the same light output.
They’re a little more expensive on the front end, but their bulb life is exponentially longer and the cost savings on your energy bill adds up quickly.

Many people may think to replace their interior bulbs. Also, consider replacing exterior landscape bulbs and motion lights. It’s not uncommon for exterior bulbs to be 150w so replacing them can add up to
significant savings over time.

#2: Inspect Your Attic Insulation and Replace it if Necessary

One specific area to consider is your attic. If you’re like me, it’s not an area you particularly like to work in. Still, it’s a vital part of keeping your home as efficient as possible. It keeps heat in during the winter, but it also helps keep the heat of your roof from radiating into your living space in the summer.

Go into your attic and make sure that insulation coats the entire living space. It may be blown in, in batt form, or a combination of the two. If your insulation is sporadic, very thin, or has been infested with critters, consider having it replaced or adding additional insulation on top.

#3: Update Your Old Thermostat to a New Smart Thermostat

Upgrading your HVAC themostat provides
another environmentally friendly tool in saving energy. A programmable thermostat allows you to set back your home’s temperature when you’re away, such as at work for the day or on a lengthy vacation. For instance, you can program up to 4 schedules a day, 7 days a week. Smart versions like the Trane Connected Thermostat – XL 824 or XL1050 – expand those capabilities and give you the ability to adjust settings from anywhere when preferences or plans change.

In fact, these thermostats are so advanced, they also come with other key features like Wi-Fi connection, built-in
Nexia Bridge (which gives you the flexibility to remotely monitor and control over other smart home devices such as your home’s lights, locks, and even your garage).

#4: Clean Your HVAC Condenser and Change Your Air Filters

One of the easiest ways to make sure your HVAC system is functioning properly and not overworking is to connect with your local HVAC technician for a seasonal maintenance. Trane provides an awesome certified contractor locator to help you find a company nearby to come evaluate your system. Another option is to follow these basic steps to cleaning the outside condenser and change the air filter inside. 

1.) To clean your condenser coil, first make sure power is shut off to the unit by turning off the power at the disconnect near the unit. 2.) Use a shop vac with a soft bristle attachment to vacuum any loose material or debris that may be inhibiting the cooling coils from working properly. 3.) Use a foaming condenser cleaning product to spray all over the condenser and let it soak for about 10 minutes. 4.) Then rinse the coil with clear low pressure water to remove remaining dirt and debirs. 5.) After that, you’re good to turn the power back on. 

You should do this about once a year to make sure your condenser is clean and working properly. Also, while you’re at it, make sure that there are no plants or obstructions within about 12” all around the unit that make it hard for the unit to breathe properly. If there are, make sure to trim it back. Changing your filter is simple. Just find your air intake for your unit and replace it with the proper size filter. You can find the size you need written right on the side of the previous filter. I recommend you do this around every 3-6 months. 

#5: Replace Old Single Pane Windows with New Energy Star Rated Options

Adding replacement windows or updating windows around your home during a remodel project is a great way to improve the overall energy efficiency of your home. Old single pane windows allow the heat of the sun’s rays to radiate into the home. This can significantly raise the interior temperature which means your A/C system needs to work harder to cool the home.

New double paned windows have an insulating gas between the panes which allows for less heat energy transfer into the home and thus are much more energy efficient. A local window expert can help you decide on what types of windows are right for your home.

Hopefully these tips help give you some ideas to get your home’s energy consumption under control. Not only will it help save you money, but it can help lessen your environmental impact. If you are considering making some energy efficient improvements, I recommend looking at your local utility company’s website. Oftentimes, you can find rebates for energy efficient upgrades to your home that can help you offset those initial costs. Your local and state governments may also have some incentives to take advantage of. All it takes is a little research. 

I’d like to thank the Trane team for sending over the XL824 connected thermostat I installed in the video and for making this project possible. If you’d like some more information on additional energy efficient upgrades you can do around your home, check out Trane’s website.

Thank you, for watching and if it’s your first time visiting the channel, please hit that subscribe button and hit that notification bell so you never miss out on any of the new content I put out. And as always, I encourage you to leave me a comment
down below and let me know what energy improvements you plan on tackling down the road.

Thanks so much for watching and I’ll see you next time.

Top 5 DIY Ways to Get Rid of Ants

5 DIY Electrical Tools Every Homeowner Should Own

In this project I’m going to show you how to monitor your home’s energy usage by installing a Sense Home Energy Monitoring Device that you can monitor right from your phone or tablet. This device allows you to view your home’s energy usage in real-time on your phone. With that information you can determine which areas of your home to focus on improving.

Disclosure: This video and article contains an unpaid product integration by Sense. All views and opinions expressed herein are my own.

One of the things I’m very passionate about is finding ways to make my home more energy efficient. A few months ago I learned about a product called Sense. Sense is an energy monitoring device that installs into your breaker panel and allows you to see how much power each device in your home uses. You can use that information to make more energy efficient improvements to your home. 

Disclaimer:

I’d like to remind you that I am not a licensed electrician. If at any point you are not comfortable tackling this project on your own, please reach out to an electrician that can help you with the installation. This is designed to be a guide to show you how it can be done, but does not replace the expertise or knowledge of a licensed electrician. 

Installing the Device:

The first step to installing this device is unpacking the box and taking a look at all the components. The package contains with a device monitor, an antenna, 2 sensor clips, a power cable, and an optional mounting bracket.

Next you’ll have to get access to your main breaker panel, and shut the power off. Remove the cover panel and have a look at your breaker setup. This device requires that it be wired into a dual pole 220v breaker which is not included in the kit so if you don’t have one available that you can tap into, you’ll have to buy one that matches your panel. If you do need to purchase a breaker, you’ll also have to verify that your breaker panel has space available to install it.

Installing the Antenna

Once you’ve verified you have space available for the install, remove a knock out from the panel box and install the antenna into the hole. From there you can connect the antenna to the device monitor itself. If you don’t have room inside the panel, you can use the optional monitor bracket to install it outside the panel.

Wiring the Device

Install your new breaker if you need to or connect the wiring to your existing breaker. The black and red wires connect to the breaker itself, and the white wire attaches to the neutral bar in your panel.

Connecting the Service Clips

Now this is where things get dangerous if you’re not familiar with your panel box. You’ll need to connect the current sensor clips around the service legs coming into your panel. These 2 wires ARE ALWAYS LIVE even if your panel box is shut off. DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES TOUCH THEM. In my case, these wires are hidden underneath the meter on the panel which is secured by the power company with a lock which I didn’t have a key for. So I called my local power company and asked them to come out and shut off the power and remove the lock so that I could access those wires. Since they shut the power service off to the house, there was no danger of me being shocked when I connected the clips. Once I had them installed, they replaced the meter and turned the power back on.

Once I had the wiring all connected, I removed the necessary knockouts on the cover of my breaker panel, reinstalled it, and turned the main power back on at the breaker. From there, the device fires up and starts it’s process.

Download and Set Up the App

Next I downloaded the Sense App on my phone, and began the setup process. It connects via WiFi and prompts you to setup your device. Once logged in, it takes a couple days to calibrate and then it starts the process of identifying devices around your home.

Identifying Devices

The device shows exact energy usage in real-time and starts to identify different devices around your home automatically. It has a smart learning algorithm that can determine which devices are which and starts to label them around your home. You can verify or change the name of the device right in the app. As more homes connect to the app, it continues to learn and define new devices.

You can go around and flip devices on and off and see the effect on your energy usage in real-time. And you can set goals with notifications to keep your energy consumption down, see which devices are using the highest percentage of power, get pretty accurate estimates on your energy bills by inputting your typical costs. They also offer a solar option which will tell you how much energy your solar panels are producing and how much they are offsetting your energy bill if you have solar panels.

Review

Overall, this is a really cool device. It’s helped me realize how inefficient my home is when it comes to heating and air conditioning. I didn’t realize how many hours those devices run on a daily basis which drastically affects my utility bill. Moving forward I’ll be taking that information to continue to invest in ways to offset that energy usage.

I think a device like this can definitely be useful for someone like myself who owns an older, fixer upper that is looking to improve its efficiency. The Sense device can help tell you where your energy and thus where your money is going. This can help you prioritize where you focus your remodel efforts. And over time, this could save you a lot of money. 

I hope you guys enjoyed this project. I’d like to thank the Sense team for sending over this device and allowing me to test it out. 

Check out some of my other home energy & electrical tutorials:

10 DIY Ways to Warm Your Home and Lower Your Heat Bill

How to Install a Post Lamp