Eight Quick Home Projects to Tackle This August

August is a great time to roll up your sleeves and knock out some easy home improvement jobs before fall rolls in. Whether you’re looking to boost your home’s value or just give it a little glow-up, these projects don’t require a contractor or a ton of time. Just a weekend, some elbow grease, and maybe a cold drink or two.

1. Clean and Seal the Deck

Your deck’s taken a beating all summer through the sun, rain, foot traffic, and maybe a few BBQ sauce mishaps. Give it a good power wash and reseal it. You’ll prevent wood rot, keep splinters at bay, and extend the life of the wood. Bonus: it’ll look brand new heading into Labor Day.

2. Swap Out Air Filters

Your HVAC system’s been running hard. Dirty filters make it less efficient and kick dust and allergens back into the air. Swap in clean filters and breathe easier. It’s cheap, fast, and makes a real difference for indoor air quality.

3. Caulk Windows and Doors

Feel a breeze where there shouldn’t be one? August is your last call to stop drafts before cooler weather hits. A $5 tube of caulk can save you serious cash on heating bills down the line.

4. Add a Smart Thermostat

Speaking of heating bills, installing a smart thermostat is an easy DIY with big returns. It helps you manage energy use and can pay for itself in a year. Many are compatible with Alexa or Google Home, if you’re into that kind of thing.

5. Declutter and Donate

This one’s less about tools and more about tackling the post-summer mess. Sort through the garage, basement, or that closet you’ve been ignoring. You’ll make space for fall gear and maybe even uncover something useful you forgot you owned.

6. Freshen Up the Front Door

Curb appeal matters, even if you’re not selling. A fresh coat of paint on your front door or new hardware (like a modern handle or knocker) can give your entryway a whole new vibe. Go bold or classic, just make it intentional.

7. Clean Out the Gutters

August is dry, which makes it the perfect time to clear out gunk from your gutters. You’ll be glad you did once the leaves start falling. Bonus: you’ll prevent water damage, mold, and unwanted pests.

8. Test Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors

It takes five minutes, and it could save your life. Replace batteries, test the alarms, and make sure you’ve got one in every key area. Safety first, always.

You don’t always need a full-blown renovation to make your home better. These projects are simple, affordable, and perfect for that August energy before school starts and the busyness of the fall season begins.

Bob O’Donnell is the owner of O’Donnell Bros. Inc., a Bristol-based home improvement company established in 1975. Email your questions for Bob to info@odonnellbros.com with the subject line “Ask the Pro.” All questions may be considered for publication. To contact Bob for your remodeling needs, call O’Donnell Bros. Inc. at (860) 589-5155 or visit http://www.odonnellbros.com. Advice is for guidance only.

Five Resolutions for Homeowners in the New Year

As we approach a new year, it's the perfect time for homeowners to reflect on their living spaces and set resolutions that will not only enhance aesthetics but also contribute to long-term comfort, savings, and sustainability. Here are five resolutions to consider for a more vibrant and efficient home in 2024.

1. Home Maintenance Schedule

One of the most practical resolutions for homeowners is to establish a comprehensive home maintenance schedule. This roadmap can be a game-changer when it comes to preserving the integrity of your home. Include routine tasks such as gutter cleaning, HVAC system checks, and roof inspections in your plan. By consistently adhering to this schedule, you can catch potential issues before they escalate into costly repairs. 

2. Energy Efficiency Improvements

In the spirit of embracing a more sustainable lifestyle, resolve to make your home more energy-efficient in the coming year. Consider upgrading to energy-efficient appliances, sealing drafts in windows and doors, and adding insulation where needed. Additionally, installing a smart thermostat can optimize your heating and cooling systems, providing not only environmental benefits but also long-term cost savings on your energy bills.

3. Declutter and Organize

Amid the chaos of life, maintaining an organized and clutter-free home can be a challenge. This year, make it a resolution to declutter and organize your living spaces systematically. Take one room at a time, donating or discarding items you no longer need. Implement practical storage solutions to keep things organized. A clutter-free home not only looks more inviting, but it can also contribute to a more peaceful and stress-free living environment. 

4. Home Security Enhancement

Safety should always be a top priority for homeowners. This year, resolve to assess and enhance the security of your home. Consider upgrading locks, installing a comprehensive security system, adding motion sensor lighting, and reinforcing doors and windows. A secure home not only protects your loved ones and belongings but also provides peace of mind. Investing in security measures is an investment in the well-being of your household.

5. Water Conservation Efforts

Water is a precious resource and every drop counts. Pledge to be a responsible homeowner by implementing water conservation efforts in and around your home. Promptly fix any leaks, install water-efficient fixtures, and consider drought-resistant landscaping. Conserving water not only aligns with environmental consciousness but can also result in lower water bills. In the pursuit of sustainability, small changes can lead to significant impacts.

As you embark on these resolutions for the New Year, remember to break them down into manageable tasks and create a timeline for implementation throughout the year. By doing so, you can track your progress and ensure that these resolutions become lasting improvements for your home. Here's to a year of positive changes, a refreshed home, and the satisfaction of being a proactive homeowner. Cheers to a Happy and Home-Enhanced New Year!

Bob O'Donnell is the owner of O'Donnell Bros, Inc., a Bristol-based home improvement company established in 1975. Email your questions for Bob to info@odonnellbros.com with the subject line “Ask the Pro”. All questions may be considered for publication. To contact Bob for your remodeling needs, call O'Donnell Bros, Inc. at (860) 589-5155 or visit www.odonnellbros.com. Advice is for guidance only.

Organize your garage with these simple steps

If your garage looks like it has recently been hit by a cyclone, spring is the perfect time to get it back into usable shape.

Start by taking everything out of the garage and separate items into categories on the driveway - tools in one area, sports equipment in another, automotive materials in a third, and so on. As you’re categorizing, think about what you use and what you don’t. If you haven’t touched an item in 12 months, you probably don’t need it. Create three dumping piles; one for goodwill, one for garbage collection and one for safe waste disposal. Be realistic and efficient during this process because there’s little reason to clean clutter just to put it all back again. I’m pretty sure no one needs four pairs of pruning shears or a collection of broken, uncomfortable snow shovels. If you don’t use it, let it go.

Once you’ve removed everything from the garage, take care to clean the floors thoroughly. It’s always a good idea to safely discard any sand, salt or melting activator that’s still scattered around from our recent snowstorms. Also, make sure you clean any fluid that may have spilled or leaked from the car. These materials can often be fire hazards and are very harmful to pets and small children. Did you know just one tablespoon of antifreeze is enough to kill a cat? Don’t take the risk.

Once you’ve cleaned, it’s time to assess the area and decide on appropriate shelving and storage solutions. You can find everything you need at your local home improvement store, but make sure you think out of the box and use as much wall and ceiling space as possible. Personally, I love ceiling mounted racks to hold items that are used infrequently, such as holiday decorations. I also hang my mountain bikes from hooks mounted to the ceiling as they take up too much floor room otherwise. 

Once you’ve analyzed what you can hide up and away, it’s time to tackle the walls. I am a big fan of slat wall panels and pegboards because they are so versatile and customizable. You can hang anything from hooks to containers, which means ladders and large tools can have space off the floor and smaller hand tools and other items can be organized into category-specific bins. The key here is to be able to hang as much as possible so you free up your floor space for items that can’t be suspended, such as the lawnmower.

I always suggest keeping your floor as clear as possible so you can access what you need easily, and you can clean frequently too. If you must use floor space, consider investing in rolling cabinets or tool chests, which will be much easier to move as the seasons change and you need access to different areas of the garage.  

A clean, organized space will make your life a whole lot easier because it will allow you to find what you’re looking for and will help you keep an eye on items or materials that can leak or attract unwanted insect or rodent company. It’s not the most fun project, but it can be a huge time and patience saver for years to come.