Show Notes: Home Maintenance Quiz – On the House
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Show Notes: Home Maintenance Quiz

By on December 3, 2017

Are you a home maintenance guru? Take our quiz and rate yourself. Be sure to put a star on your forehead for every correct answer! Is a new electric car on you wish list? Than you will need a new charging station. We have a great guide to help you cross this off your to do off your list.

 

Thank you to our guest Larry Harnish with Moisture Shield Composite Decking

 For more information visit:

   www.MoistureShield.com

 

Install An Electric Car Charging Station Yourself? Yes, You Can!

 An electric car charging station is quickly becoming a must-have for new home builders as construction and design companies get ahead of the curve and include this feature in modern developments. What to do, then, if you live in an older home that wasn’t originally intended to make use of this type of eco-friendly technology?

Not to worry — it’s not that difficult to install a charging station should you buy an electric car that needs to be plugged in on a regular basis. Whether you go with a pro or tackle the job yourself, it may be easier than you think. Check out these tips and you’ll be able to decide how best to go gas-free in no time.

Consult An Electrician

An electric car charging station doesn’t need any more power than a clothes dryer. That is to say, the vast majority (common Level Two designs) require a 240-volt source to operate properly. It shouldn’t be an issue for you to find a spot in your garage where you can tap into this level of power but you should still double-check with a professional electrician to make sure your home’s wiring can support 240-volts in the garage area. Follow this step even if you decide to do the work on your own. And don’t be afraid to call on a residential or commercial electrician to do the job if you aren’t comfortable working with electrical wiring.

Find A Safe Spot

If your electrical entry or fuse panel is located in the garage itself, then it’s relatively simple to dedicate a circuit to your electric car charging station. If your power point is not quite as accessible, then you might have to get creative when it comes to choosing a spot to locate the unit. You will need to consider traffic — will it get bumped by kids, passengers or people moving in and out of the garage? Also, take into consideration the length of the charging cable when connecting the car.

Pro Tip: Put the charger as close to your garage door as possible to allow you to top up your vehicle in the driveway if necessary. Plan for at least 18 feet of cable for maximum flexibility.

Get The Right Permits

Some cities and counties require you to apply for a permit prior to installing your electric car charging station. Typically, you’ll be asked to certify that your home is capable of dealing with the electrical load of the charger, as well as outline where the vehicle to be charged will be parked and the exact location of the unit itself. Again, this is an area where hiring an electrician may be the wiser choice.

Once you’ve gone through these steps, purchase the charging station and get started on the installation. If you’ve ever done electrical work in your own home before, you shouldn’t have any trouble adding the 240-volt access that the charger needs. If you’re more comfortable letting a pro handle the work, they’ll be grateful to you for having laid the foundation for the job at hand.

https://www.mnn.com/lifestyle/eco-tourism/sponsorstory/install-electric-car-charging-station-yourself-yes-you-can?utm_campaign=treehugger-native&utm_source=taboola&utm_medium=referral

 

Quick Holiday Fix-Up Tips

Removing Stains or Marks on Wall:

For non-permanent stains, use a mild solution of warm water and dishwashing soap and wiping clean with a microfiber cloth.

For permanent stains such as Sharpie doodles on the wall, you will need to repaint the portion of the affected wall. If you are unsure of the exact color and don’t have sample to refer to, take a knife and peel off a thin, 1-inch square of the top layer of paint. Take the swab into any local home improvement store and they will have a computerized color matching technology that can assess its exact color.

Tips from Molly Maid and Five Star Painting

    

 Home Maintenance Quiz

Your home may be the biggest investment you will ever make. Taking good care of it with regular maintenance is necessary to maintain its value and ensure it will provide a comfortable, safe shelter for you and your family for a long time.

Here is a short home maintenance quiz that will test your maintenance knowledge. While this quiz does not address every home maintenance project, it does provide helpful tips and reminders for chores you may have overlooked.

How often do forced-air furnace filters need to be changed?


At least every three months during the heating season.

What part of the faucet usually needs to be replaced when you have a water leak?


The washer.

 Should you run hot or cold water through your garbage disposal?


Cold water.

 How often should the moving parts of garage doors be oiled?


Every three months.

 What tools can you use to unclog your drains?


A plunger and a plumber’s snake.

 What tool can be used to unclog a toilet?


Coil spring-steel auger.

 What faucet part needs to be cleaned every three to four months?


Aerator — the screen inside the end of the faucet.

 What can you use for traction on icy sidewalks, steps and driveways?


Cat litter or sand — never use salt because it damages the pavement.

Where should the fire in your fireplace be built?


On the andirons or grate, never on the fireplace floor.

 What will prevent soot and add color to the fire in your fireplace?


Throw in a handful of salt.

If you would like to see the entire 29 question quiz visit the website

https://www.nahb.org/en/consumers/homeownership/homeownership-highlights/home-maintenance-quiz.aspx

 

 

Funky Odors Only Your Holiday Guests Can Smell

We can help!

 Here are some of the most common nose blindness culprits, and how to ban them from your home.

#1 Pet Funk

 There’s one easy way to tell if your home smells like pets: Do you have them? Then yeah, unless you’re an obsessive cleaner and groomer, your abode has at least some Fido funk.

It could be pee, but more likely it’s just hair, gunky ears, and weeks-old slobber.

The first step to cleaning up pet smells is — sorry, pets — cleaning the pets themselves. Bathe and groom them regularly.

Then, vacuum, vacuum, vacuum. If they have a favorite couch or cushion, cover it with a blanket and run it — and the cushion cover — through the wash weekly. Every time you vacuum, start with a hearty sprinkle of baking soda on the carpet.

And use that crevice tool liberally; pet hair loves tight spaces like the border between the carpet and the wall, the edges of your steps and that little crack of space between the stove and your cabinets.

Hopefully urine isn’t the issue, but to be sure, you can use a black light to out any dried stains your pet was hoping you’d never notice.

Use more of that baking soda followed by a half-water, half-vinegar solution to neutralize the odor. Lots of people also swear by store-bought neutralizers, like Nature’s Miracle.

#2 Mustiness

 Fortunately, nose blindness only affects one of your senses, and you don’t need your nose to verify a basement with a musty smell.

Mustiness is caused by mildew and mold, which — for better or for worse — your eyeballs can easily detect. Do a careful inspection of your basement, from the darkest corner to the surface of every cardboard box or bookshelf. If you find gray or white splotches anywhere, it’s probably mildew. If it’s fuzzy, (oh no!) it’s mold.

First, you’ll want to bust up those existing odors. Then, you’ll want to make sure they never return. Some elbow grease with regular household cleaner will scrub away mildew. Bleach isn’t the cure-all for mold. If often can exacerbate the problem.

To prevent mildew and mold from returning, consider running a dehumidifier or improving air circulation and sunlight exposure in the affected area if possible.

For chronic mustiness, you can deodorize rooms by setting out bowls of vinegar, cat litter, baking soda, or — as crazy as this sounds — an onion also will do the trick. Cut one in half and let it sit in a bowl in the room. The onion smell goes away in a few hours, and so will the dankness.

#3 Smelly Bedding

 Similar to pet odors, knowing if your mattress could smell is easy: Do you have a human body with skin and oils? Do you sleep on it?

Eventually, all the dead skin and body oils you shed while sleeping are going to build up, and stink they will, especially if your bedding is older.

You can’t exactly toss your mattress in the washing machine, so you’ll have to deal with it where it lies.

But it’s an easy fix: Sprinkle baking soda on it, let it sit for an hour or more, and then vacuum up the soda. (This works for memory foam, too.) Add a couple drops of essential oil to the soda (drip directly into the box and shake it well to mix evenly) for a pleasant smell. Bonus: Lavender has been shown to help you sleep.

#4 Fridge and Freezer Grime

 It’s your fridge and freezer’s job to keep your food fresh, but they need a little help staying fresh themselves.

Itty bitty food bits hang out long after you’ve tossed the item from which they came. Although you might not notice the odor creep, you may notice your ice starting to taste funny or see those food morsels start to accumulate in the corners of your fridge shelves.

If you see or taste something icky, you can bet others can smell something icky.

To zap odors from from your freezer and fridge, unplug and empty them and do a thorough cleaning with a mix of hot water and baking soda.

You can sanitize with a solution of one tablespoon bleach and one gallon of water. Let it air out for 15 minutes. Try wiping it down with vinegar for extra odor eliminating, or even leave the door open for a few days.

 https://www.houselogic.com/organize-maintain/cleaning-decluttering/noseblind/?site_ref=spotlight

 

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