I Don’t Use a “To Do Check List” – What Could Possibly Go Wrong?

One of our business mentors has a saying “What are you tolerating?” as a way of pointing out the things that might be distracting you from your goals.  This saying might seem like it only has intellectual or financial consequences as far as one’s business is concerned – but there are also consequences to tolerating those little annoying things in your home.
 
We come across this kind of thing all the time, and we’ve written about them before. Things like the wobbly fan (Is it dangerous when it does that?), the sparking wall outlet (Is it normal for that to happen?) and failing to clean the chimney (What’s that smell?).
 
Recently, one woman we know threw her back out because the sticky sliding glass door she had been tolerating decided to stick in place, right in the middle of opening the door to let her dog out (ouch!).
 
While the sliding glass door story is funny (sort of) some things homeowners tolerate are truly life threatening.
 
We heard about a homeowner whose garage caught fire. This was someone who never had a “to do” check list because “what could possibly go wrong?” Never mind the dryer was taking longer and longer to dry a load of laundry. (Hint – if that’s happening to you, it’s time to check the dryer exhaust for lint)  The dryer vent was packed solid with lint and, with no where for the heat to go, the lint ignited.  That’s just one example of how failing to do a simple “to do” item was both dangerous and expensive. Here’s one that got very expensive.
 
Meet “Bob” the busy homeowner who “never got around to” the annual gutter clean out.  Out of sight out of mind, right?  And in spring when weeds began to sprout from the gutters, you think that would be a clue, because now, it was no longer out of sight. The gutters would probably have cost less than $300 to clean out. Sadly for Bob the busy homeowner, procrastinating on this task will now cost at least $6,000, because water seeped from the clogged up gutter on to (and in to) the roof, causing part of it to buckle.
 
Our fall and winter to do check list (attached here as our gift to you) will keep those little things you’ve been tolerating from becoming dangerous, expensive things you wish you had done.
 
We invite you to print out the check list and actually walk around your house  with it in hand and ask yourself, “When was the last time this was done?”  If it was more than a year ago (or – yikes you don’t remember) time to break out the tool belt and get to it!
 
If the thought of doing any of the tasks on the list seems overwhelming, dangerous, or you’re sick of nagging your significant other to take care of it  Just give us a call.  
 
Read on for our January Check List Check Up Special

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Mixing Water With Electricity

We do that a lot around here in January. No, no. It’s not what you think!!  Of course you never want to mix these two together. What we mean is that during January we do a lot of repairs of water leaks and electrical problems.
 
It’s been an especially dry winter so far here in northern California, but it’s never too wet or too dry to inspect your inside water supplies for leaks and drips. It’s also a good time to check your electrical outlets for overloading or those forgotten extension cords you used to power holiday decorations.
 
Here is a handy checklist so you can discover any problems BEFORE they become dangerous or expensive.
 
Water:

• Check under your kitchen sink for drips or wet areas.
• Inspect under your bathroom sinks and fixtures for leaks.
• Is the seal around your toilet dry?
• Does your toilet run when it hasn’t been flushed?
• Does water pool anywhere in your bathroom after you’ve bathed?
• If you have a second floor bath or kitchen, go to the room underneath and check for wet spots on the ceiling.
• Inspect your ceiling for water marks or damp spots.
• Check for flooring that feels soft, which indicates structural damage.
• Check around windows for cold air or dampness.

Electricity:

• Check your outlets for overloading.
• Do you have any extension cords left over from the holiday décor?
• Make sure you’re not using an extension cord as a permanent power source.
• Do your lights flicker or dim at any time (but you don’t have a dimmer switch)?
• Do you frequently have breakers switch click off?
• (Please tell us you don’t) have breakers taped in an on position.
• Do all outlets have covers or plates as needed?
• Has your GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter) outlet been installed (and is it working) properly?

It should be noted that proper installation of a GFCI is crucial. This device is meant to monitor electrical flow and if it detects an imbalance, it trips the circuit. So if you’re doing something dangerous, like standing in water operating an electrical device, the GFCI senses the imbalance in the flow of electricity and cuts off the electricity to the outlet. That’s why proper installation is so important. If you’re not sure, ASK!
 
BONUS – if it seems dangerous, it probably is. We’ve recently had calls asking if something was dangerous and what should they do about it if it is.  Our guidance is, if it seems dangerous, it likely is. Things like:

• Cabinets leaning or pulling away from walls
• Ceiling fans that wobble
• Wires hanging out of or off of walls
• Appliances sparking at the outlet when you plug them in
• The wall near an outlet is hot

These are all indicators that you have a problem that should be fixed without delay!
 
Important Note: Your safety is the most important thing! Many of the problems we describe in these check lists aren’t dangerous for most people to repair. The challenge is that unless you do these things all the time, it’s likely it will take longer than you want it to and the repair won’t turn out as well as you like. When it comes to electrical problems however, unless you are an electrician, it’s best to have someone else take care of it.
 
If you’ve discovered any items with our handy check list that need work, don’t just worry about it! Call in the experts (that’s us) and get it fixed before it becomes a big problem! This month, we’ll include one free hour of handyman work when you hire us for 3 hours of handyman or electrical work (Remember, electrical work is $100 an hour and handyman services are $60 hr.)  
 
Read on for our Check List Check Up Special

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Holiday Clean Up Without a Slip Up

In a family album, one of our friends has a photo entitled “Merry Christmasmess.”   In the picture you can see mountains of crumpled wrapping paper, boxes, gifts, decorations, and empty dessert plates surrounding happy holiday guests.
 
That got us to thinking that regardless of what holiday you celebrate, it’s quite possible you now have (or are about to have) your very own version of (insert holiday greeting here) mess.  Here are 5 tips for an easy holiday clean up without hurting yourself in the process.
 
 
Tip #1 Make sure you have the proper supplies
 
Before you begin, make sure you have everything you need, so you won’t have to head out into the holiday “after party crowd” for supplies. Do a quick inventory to be sure you have enough garbage bags, cleanser, soap etc. for the level of mess with which you need to engage. If your holiday tree is “fresh cut” chances are it’s not so fresh anymore.  While you’re out, consider getting a tree bag for an easy tree tidy up.
 
In fact, get two tree bags – One for this year and one for next.  Pack the extra bag in with your tree decorations. Next year, put the bag down first, then just add tree!  It can be easily hidden by your tree skirt and any under the tree decorations – and of course presents! That way the bag will be conveniently waiting for you when you’re ready to put everything away.
 
Important note for this year, if the tree is dropping needles, it is quickly becoming a fire hazard. Don’t procrastinate packing it up if it’s dry.
 
Tip #2 Inspect for hidden spills
 
Your best chance of getting stains out of your floor and carpet is attending to them early.  Now is the time to inspect your floor carefully for post party “spillage.” Pay special attention to areas where you might not ordinarily be in your home or where guests have gathered with food in hand.  Be sure to consult your flooring manufacturer’s guidelines for cleaning up stubborn spills and stains.  And don’t forget to check surfaces. Coffee tables, side tables and corners of cabinets can sometimes have sneaky messes too.
 
Tip #3 Staging Area
 
As you prepare to take down your holiday décor and put away the “good china,” you’ll find the whole thing less daunting if you have a clean location set aside as a staging area.  Chose one room, such as the dining room and get it cleared of as much stuff as possible. Use this area to sort, clean and wrap up items from one room at a time. This way if you need to spread your clean up over more than one day, you have somewhere to leave things during the pause that won’t be in the way.
 
Tip #4 Clean décor before you store
 
Your holiday decorations most likely are up for more than a day or two. Certainly long enough for dust to gather, random spills to occur and day to day dirt and grime to settle.
 
Be sure you inspect everything that’s been out, up, used, or displayed, and clean as necessary.  Next year when you go through the exercise of decorating, you’ll have sparkly NOT dusty things to put out.  What a time saver for 2014!
 
Tip #5 Delegate
 
If you have able bodied people besides yourself in your household – GET HELP!  There is no reason that other people can’t help you clean up.  Young children can put unbreakable ornaments in a box or stack silverware in its drawer or box.  Older kids can help with doing the holiday dishes, sweeping or vacuuming.  You could even make a game out of “find the stain” and reward your “mess inspectors” with a prize of leftover holiday goodies. Of course, able bodied adults or older teenagers should be the ones who climb the ladder to put away decorations or take down holiday lights.

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