Q  -  As a first time home owner, I’m always wondering if I know what home maintenance I should be doing.  Are there any routine tasks I should do in the Spring?

Jeremy – La Porte

A  -  It seems like we are entering our 5th month of Spring, so spring cleanup this year should be a snap. No storm damage to worry about, no ice dams on the roof, no clogged gutters, no overtaxed furnaces trying to keep up.

Unless you’ve put off routine upkeep for eons, the repairs which your house does require may not be as expensive as they might have been. So what most pro-active homeowners are doing now is planning maintenance and repair tasks and setting priorities.

There are also a few jobs you can actually tackle, especially if April continues to be warmer than usuall:

Swab the deck. If you’ve been itching to clean the mold and mildew from the surface of your deck, get started. You might have it done by the time the weather is right for re-staining and waterproofing.

Remove mildew with a commercial cleaner or bleach diluted with water. You can scrub, but sometimes that raises the wood grain. Repsink or replace any deck screws that might have come loose.

Hit the bricks. Past freeze/thaw cycles may have resulted in “spalling” — mortar cracking and deteriorating in joints between bricks and stone on your walls, chimney, and other areas. You’ll need to hire a mason to determine the extent of the deterioration and how much re-pointing will be necessary.

If the mortar isn’t sealed, water gets into the joints. When water freezes, it expands and forces the mortar out of the joints. Eventually, they will be undermined, and water will leak inside.

Check the chimney. Have it inspected and cleaned. Creosote builds up every time you use a fireplace; it must be removed periodically to prevent fires.

If you don’t use your fireplace frequently, buy a chimney cap, which will prevent branches, leaves, debris, and wildlife (birds and squirrels) from getting inside.

Focus on the furnace. Though the days and nights are still relatively cool, determine whether your furnace remains up to the task.

Look at last year’s heating bills for January and, if possible, February and compare with this year’s. If you are using more gas, electricity, or oil this year despite the warmer temperatures, it’s time to determine whether you should be looking into something more efficient.

The sooner you determine whether there is a problem, the more time you’ll have for research and comparison-shopping before next winter.

Assess the air conditioner. With just a few months left before the summer shrouds us in heat and humidity, have your central air-conditioning system checked out.

If you use window units, now (or the late summer clearance sales) might be the least-expensive time to replace older, clunkier, and less-energy-efficient models.

Be a vet to your ventilation. How well have your windows and doors kept out wind and cold? You might find you don’t need to replace or refurbish every window, just the big offenders.

Look carefully, too, at windowsills and wood trim, keeping an eye out for water intrusion and cracking, open seams, and rust damage from nails.  This usually starts at the bottom of the trim, so pay careful attention there.

The same care should go into checking your exterior doors. Old caulk can be weathered away from where a door sill meets concrete foundation or wet ground, resulting in leakage or rot. Instead of replacing the door, simply wait until the weather is warm (above 55 degrees) and re-caulk where necessary.

On the roof and at the edges. Stay off steep roofs. Use binoculars to look at the roof from the ground. Are there any broken shingles? Do some of them curl or look as though they have been worn away? What about the gutters and downspouts? Is the water draining away from the foundation?

The next time it rains, see where the runoff goes. If the water flows toward the house rather than away, you’ll need to have the area re-graded or the gutters and downspouts adjusted.

Check the condition of the foundation before plant growth hides it, to find cracks that could bring water into the basement.

Even if the gutters and downspouts are operational, you’ll need to check behind them. Water overrun and freezing can damage paint and wood in those places, resulting in rot. There also could be subsurface damage and dry rot along roof eaves.

If there are problems, the best time to book roofers is now, before they get really busy in the spring.

Insulate and protect. Even relatively colder outdoor temperatures offer the chance to target spaces where tightening up is necessary.

Although snow was scarce for us this year, unfrozen ground tends to hold moisture that can corrode garage-door frames and metal railings. Rust-proof or safeguard the surfaces accordingly.

Prepare to paint. It’s best to wait until the daytime temperature remains consistently higher than 55 degrees and nights stay above freezing. But the weather might be right for quickly scraping, sanding, and priming smaller areas to get ready for the bigger job.

In a heated garage or properly ventilated basement, you can prep and paint pieces of the exterior such as shutters or window boxes.

Keep a running list. You might not get to all the projects now, but if you get a head start, you might be able to enjoy the warmer days of spring, instead of spending them doing home chores.

 

A  -  As with most interior design choices, you have several options to choose from.  Generally, the best placement for drapery panels is on the bay window’s return, or side walls.  They should frame the bay, not clutter it or obstruct the view, so choose fabrics wisely. To prevent draperies from looking short, you have the option to hang them as high as possible. Raise the rod to two inches below the crown molding to visually raise the ceilings in any room.

A top treatment, like a valance, makes a room open and inviting. In a formal room you could use shutters with a fabric valance, with coordinating seat cushions and pillows. In other rooms, using a fixed valance with operating shades underneath for privacy.

You could also update your bay windows with a functional yet elegant window treatment such as Roman shades.  Use flat Roman shades because they frame the window but still provide a colorful and textural window accent.  When these shades are pulled up, they create their own valance.

With a bay window configuration, it can be difficult to find a rod that works well.  Most people will hang a standard rod on the wall above the bay window.  However; using hinged elbows that swivel will allow for a continuous rod application that can follow the angles of the window.

For window seats, use ceiling-mount brackets to extend the hanging drape into the room a few inches so the fabric will not rub against a seat cushion for example.

 

 

I was told that, beyond treating the mold, it would cost several hundred dollars more just to replace the insulation on the ducts. Is this really necessary?

Mike – Michigan City

 

A  -   First, determine where the ducts are. If they are in an unconditioned crawlspace or attic, then they literally are located outside the house. The ducts are exposed to the same cold, heat and humidity that exist on the outside. Insulating them is essential in colder climates, optional in milder ones and necessary in humid climates to prevent condensation.

In all cases, the ducts need airtight seals at all joints, seams and takeoff points before the insulation is applied. If the ducts are inside the house but in a basement ceiling or between the first and second floors of a two-story house, condensation can form and leave water stains on the ceilings below. If the ducts are accessible, insulate them to prevent condensation.

Before applying insulation, make sure the ducts are not already insulated on the interior. Homes with electric heat more than likely have ducts that were insulated during the fabrication process. The insulation is glued inside the sheet metal before it is bent and formed to fit your specific needs. You can check the duct to see if it has an insulated lining on your furnace’s filter box.

Simply remove the filter and shine a flashlight inside the ducts. If you see bare metal, the ducts are not lined with insulation.

Before insulating the exterior of the ducts located in a crawlspace, check with local and state building officials concerning fire codes. The insulation may have to meet stricter standards when located in the crawl.

When installing exterior duct insulation, use a metallic/aluminum tape (not duct tape) to secure the materials. Although duct tape has a thousand and one uses, it does not hold up well on ductwork. For more information on duct wrap insulation, go to http://www.certainteed.com/resources/3036081.pdf.

Deb – La Porte

Q  -  As my husband and I get older, we have less energy to spend gardening.  We love our garden and landscaping, but are there any ways to just spend less time working on it?

Betty – La Porte

A  -  If you’re gardening more but enjoying it less, maybe it’s time to add some labor-saving ideas to your spring garden plan.  Those can range from downsizing to mulching, from using native plants to switching to raised beds.

There’s no such thing as ‘no maintenance’ gardening… we all know that.  All gardens require some effort.  But one good way to reduce the workload is consolidation, and you can do that by going with raised beds.

More crops can be grown — and grown more easily — when concentrated in small areas. That simplifies adding organic matter to the soil, and it also makes plants more accessible for watering and weeding.

Start in one corner and put in a few raised beds per year. You’ll find it takes a lot less energy and produces higher yields in the end.

Other low-maintenance, smart gardening suggestions include:

• Using less fertilizer.

Recycle as many nutrients as possible by leaving grass clippings on the lawn or foliage over plant beds. Base fertilizer use on soil tests.  Over-fertilization leads to excessive growth that needs frequent pruning or mowing.

• Mulching.

Mulch is the ultimate low-tech, high-impact gardening tool.  It conserves water, cools temperatures in summer and warms them in winter. It also keeps the weeds down and enriches the soil as it slowly breaks down.

• Native plants.

Choose plants adapted to your environment. You can always be a pioneer, but it takes more effort to grow plants not native to your environment.  For example, if you want to ease your garden chores, then choose low-maintenance plants like day lilies that, once established, can be left to fend pretty much for themselves.

• Containers.

You can manage water and fertilizer use more easily in containers. The biggest mistake people make with containers is getting them too small. Start almost at the whiskey barrel size and then scale down to what your plants really need.

• Xeriscaping.

Choosing drought-tolerant plants saves on water and watering time, two big pluses for busy gardeners. All plants within a (planting) zone should have the same water requirements and be watered as a group. Avoid high-maintenance plants, or put them where they can be reached easily with a soaker hose. Choose day lilies, iris and other perennials that require little attention.

• Reducing lawn size.

Replace it with perennial beds, decks, trails, sidewalks or mulch. Grass is one of the highest input plants that we grow. Turf means watering, mowing, fertilizing and pest control.

• Naturalizing.

Incorporate your surroundings and let plants grow wild.  If you even own a scrap of woodland, you can make an extension of your garden by edging it with a few berried and flowering shrubs. Or try to naturalize daffodils on the forest floor.  They will get plenty of light before the tree leaves shade them, and they will reproduce every year.

• Easing Up.

If all else fails, simply relax your attitude about gardening. Training yourself to enjoy a more chaotic look is the single most important thing you can do to reduce the amount of time you spend in the garden.

I often get calls from homeowners who are concerned that their windows are ‘sweating’ or leaking either inside or outside the home because they see moisture on the glass.

It’s important to know the difference between condensation on the glass and between the glass panes of the window.

If you see moisture, fogging or cloudiness between the panes of glass in your window, this indicates that the seal of your window has failed and it’s time to get a new window.  Failed seals lack the energy efficiency and features necessary to help you keep energy bills low and enjoy comfortable living in your home.

If the inside glass surface on double- or triple-glazed windows show excessive moisture, you can be reasonably sure that the moisture is also collecting on your walls and ceilings. This means you should take steps to reduce the humidity level in your home by using exhaust fans and dehumidifiers.

A lot of the water vapor is created by the inhabitants.

A family of four can add a half pint of water vapor every hour to the home just through normal breathing and perspiration. And, if you take a five-minute shower, you produce another half pint of water vapor. Even the simple act of cooking dinner on a gas stove can produce two and a half pints of water vapor.

Water vapor is part of our lives and our homes. To help control the amount of condensation in the home, here’s a short list of things to consider:

Use kitchen and bathroom exhaust fans.

If you have a humidifier, set it to the correct outside temperature.

If your home is overly humid, or if you have a damp basement, use a dehumidifier.

Properly vent clothes dryers, gas appliances and stoves.

Open a window in the bathroom.

Make sure your attic, basement and crawl spaces are well-ventilated and free from obstructions.

Store firewood outside. Freshly cut wood can consist of up to 45 percent water, which adds water vapor to the home. Even well-seasoned firewood generally has a 20 percent to 25 percent moisture content.

Open curtains and blinds to allow more air circulation around your windows.

 

 

Q  -  I just inherited a tall 3-panel room screen from a relative.  It’s beautiful, but I’m not sure what to do with it.  So I wondered if you had any ideas?

Nicki – Michigan City

A  -  Screens are amazing (and under-utilized) decorating tools.  They can be rustic to stylish, and they can be used to solve a host of decorating dilemmas.

They can single-handedly ground a room without eating up much space or making the area feel cluttered. No matter what style you like, you’ll have countless options to choose from. How about a simple wooden screen featuring louvered shutters? A regal screen featuring an Oriental motif? Or one featuring a rustic leather veneer or tarnished mirrors? Once you find a screen you like you’ll discover a million ways to use it. Here are a few suggestions:

In your dining room, you can put a screen behind a buffet. In a living room, stand one behind a furniture grouping to pull all the pieces together. Or you can use two matching screens to flank a sofa, placing an end table or side chair in front of each one. I also like to put shorter screens that measure just 4 or 5 feet tall on top of buffets, fireplace mantels or bookcases to serve as oversized pieces of artwork.

Screens are masters at separating different spaces in your home. If your home has large, lofty rooms, like a loft condo, or rooms that flow into one another with no natural break, use a screen or two to define and separate spaces.

Screens are also great tools in bathrooms that have a floor plan that’s more open than you’d like. You can use a screen to partition off the bathtub or stool, or to create a private dressing area.

You can also use a screen to conceal less attractive features. For example, a friend placed a screen in front of her washer and dryer so her laundry room looked more inviting and less utilitarian when it wasn’t in use.

Then, on wash day, she just folded back the screen and got to work.

Do you have a stagnant spot in your home that just needs something to spice it up? Maybe it’s a dark corner or a blank wall that could use some kind of spark. In my home, it was an awkward corner in the living room, a spot sandwiched between two windows. Nothing seemed to look right there, until I tried a hand-painted screen. The instant I put the screen in that do-nothing corner, the seating arrangement felt more intimate and cozy.

You can also use screens as window treatments. Put a pair of tall, matching screens on either side of a window, unfolding them just a bit so they cover a few inches on each side of the window, just like drapery panels. They do a great job of framing the window without blocking the light. Or, put a screen between a piece of furniture and a particularly sunny window to help filter out some light and protect your textiles from fading.

 

 

Naturally, there are exceptions. For shrubs that bloom in early spring, like lilac, forsythia, and weigela, prune immediately after the blooms fade or you’ll remove next year’s flower buds.

But if you have shrubs with broken or intersecting branches, too much dense growth, or simply want to improve their health, landscape effect and value, here are some basic principles:

Make sure you have the right tool for the job. For cutting stems up to about the diameter of your thumb, one-half inch or so, use scissor action, “bypass” pruning shears to make close, precise cuts, and anvil shears for deadwood cuts. Loppers with long handles give more leverage for cutting branches up to about two inches in diameter. Pole pruners have a hooked top blade to grab high branches and a bypass-cutting blade.

Pruning saws cut branches more than two inches in diameter. Their razor sharp triangular teeth are set to make a wide cut that won’t bind the saw. When cutting diseased branches, always disinfect cutting blades between cuts with a solution of 9 parts water to 1 part bleach.

The right cut in the right order is important too. There are two basic pruning cuts: heading cuts and thinning cuts. Heading cuts control the direction of new growth. Select a bud that’s pointing in the desired direction and cut about a quarter-inch to the front of it. Make the cut slope down and away from the bud to shed moisture.

Thinning cuts remove entire branches close to the trunk or growing from larger branches. They can “open up” a dense shrub without stimulating new growth. Make these cuts parallel to the larger branch or trunk, as close to the trunk as possible. Don’t use paint, tar or other wound dressings. If you make the proper cut, the tree will heal naturally.

It’s tough to make a pruning-mistake, but you should have a pruning-plan. The goal is to create or maintain the shrub’s natural shape. Start by removing all dead, diseased or broken branches where they grow from the trunk, or at a strong, healthy branch. This often opens the structure enough that you don’t need to prune further.

Cut back branches pointing down, into the center of the plant, or that change the desired shape. Leave some growth that is starting to fill in bare spots and wait to fine-tune its shape in the seasons to come. Trim away weak, narrow crotches that can break under wind or snow load stress.

To shorten mounding shrubs, prune the longest branches by making thinning cuts deep inside the foliage mass, where they won’t show. Thin cane shrubs by cutting or sawing out the tallest canes near ground level, and thinning canes growing into the center or in unwanted directions.

Tree-like shrubs need their crowns opened to light and air with careful thinning cuts. Remove downward pointing branches, crossed, rubbing or damaged branches and suckers growing from the roots.

Winter is a great time for rejuvenation pruning of an older shrub, too. First remove up to one third of the oldest, most unproductive branches, all the way back to the trunk or the ground. Then next year, take another third of the remaining branches.

Finally, prune out the remaining old wood in the third year. It takes longer to complete, but the shrub will stay more attractive in the landscape throughout the rejuvenation period, and you can continue making heading cuts to improve the overall form. Once you complete the rejuvenation, maintenance will be easy with an annual light pruning.