Decorating Mistakes That Can Damage Your House

After last week’s column about sprucing up the outside of your home for fall, I got a good follow-up question: What’s the best way to decorate without damaging the house?

It’s worth talking about because we’re entering several straight months of outdoor decorating. Pumpkins and Halloween decorations will soon give way to Thanksgiving wreaths and then holiday lights and garlands. And every year, homeowners unintentionally make holes, trap moisture, or damage parts of their homes in the process. So before you start decorating, here are a few things I’d avoid.

Don’t Put Holes in Your Siding

This is probably the biggest one. Vinyl siding is designed to shed water, and putting a screw or nail through it creates a hole where there shouldn’t be one.

Instead, look for siding hooks and clips designed to slip into the seams of vinyl siding without puncturing it. There are also exterior-rated removable hooks that work on certain surfaces.

The same rule applies when the Christmas lights come out. There are inexpensive clips made specifically for attaching lights to gutters, shingles and other surfaces without putting holes in them.

Be Careful With Brick and Masonry

Brick may seem indestructible, but that doesn’t mean you should start drilling into it every time you want to hang something.

If something truly needs to be permanently mounted, it should be done with the proper fastener and in the proper location. For temporary seasonal decorations, look for alternatives such as brick clips that grip the brick without drilling.

And if you do need to drill into masonry, know what you’re drilling into first. Brick, mortar and manufactured stone aren’t interchangeable.

Don’t Hang Heavy Decorations From Gutters

Gutters are another tempting attachment point, particularly during the holidays.

Lightweight light clips are one thing. A heavy wreath, garland or decoration pulling on the gutter is another. Gutters aren’t designed to support much additional weight, and a heavy decoration combined with wind, rain, snow or ice can pull sections loose or affect their pitch.

Use gutters for products specifically designed to attach there, not as an all-purpose hanging system.

Watch What You Put Against the House

Some of my favorite fall decorations are also some of the messiest. Pumpkins, hay bales, cornstalks and live plants all hold moisture. If they sit against wood trim, siding or a door for weeks, particularly during a rainy stretch, they can keep that area damp.

Give natural decorations a little breathing room. Check underneath pumpkins and planters occasionally, too. A pumpkin that looked great when you bought it can turn into a soft, leaking mess surprisingly quickly.

The same goes for outdoor rugs. If one stays soaked after every rain, periodically lift it and let the surface underneath dry.

Think Twice Before Using Adhesive

Not every product marketed as removable behaves perfectly on every surface. Adhesive hooks and tape can be useful, but check whether the product is rated for outdoor use and appropriate for the material you’re putting it on. Painted doors and trim are especially worth treating carefully. Pulling off a decoration in January and taking a patch of paint with it isn't the way anyone wants to finish the holidays.

When removing adhesive products, follow the manufacturer’s directions rather than simply pulling them off.

Remember That Decorations Move

Something that looks perfectly harmless when you put it up on a calm afternoon may behave very differently during the first windy October night.

Signs, wreaths, metal decorations and other hanging pieces can repeatedly bang or scrape against siding, doors and trim. Over several weeks, that movement can scratch paint and finishes.

Secure decorations well and pay attention to what they'll touch if the wind starts moving them around.

Don’t Forget About the Door

The front door tends to get more decorations than just about any other part of the house.

Before hanging a large wreath or sign, make sure it isn’t interfering with the storm door, weatherstripping, lock or door operation. Over-the-door wreath hangers are convenient, but very thick ones can sometimes prevent a door from closing or sealing properly. If you have to force the door closed once the decoration is installed, find another way to hang it.

A Little Restraint Saves Repairs Later

I’m all for decorating the house. Fall and the holidays are some of the best times of year to make the front of your home feel welcoming.

Just remember that most seasonal decorations will only be there for a few weeks. It doesn’t make much sense to create a permanent hole, stain or repair for something temporary.

Use the right clips and fasteners, keep moisture in mind, and pay attention to what you're attaching decorations to. When January rolls around and everything comes back down, your house should look exactly the way it did before you started.

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 odonnellbros.com. Advice is for guidance only.

Grill Season Is in Full Swing. Is Your Backyard Safe?

By now, most of us have settled into the rhythm of summer. The grill is getting plenty of use, dinner is happening outside whenever the weather cooperates, and weekends are filled with family and friends. But since it’s been a month or two of regular grilling, now is a great time to take a quick look around your backyard and make sure everything is still in good shape. Here are a few things worth checking before you fire up the grill tonight.

Give Your Grill a Little More Space Than You Think It Needs

Every year we replace melted vinyl siding because a grill was sitting just a little too close to the house. People are often surprised to learn that it doesn’t take direct flames to cause damage. The heat coming off the grill alone can warp siding, discolor trim, and even damage nearby windows.

If possible, keep your grill at least ten feet away from your home, deck railings, fences, and anything overhead like awnings or low tree branches. A little extra distance can save you from a repair you never saw coming.

Your Grill Could Probably Use a Mid-Summer Cleaning

If you’ve been grilling a few nights a week since Memorial Day, your grill has earned a little attention.

Grease builds up faster than most people realize, and that’s one of the biggest causes of flare-ups. Spend a few minutes brushing the grates, emptying the grease tray, and cleaning out any debris underneath. Not only is it safer, but your food will cook more evenly too.

Take a Walk Around Your Deck or Patio

While you’re at it, give the area around your grill a quick once-over.

Look for loose deck boards, popped nails, wobbly railings, cracked steps, or anything else that doesn’t feel quite right. You’re carrying hot food, propane tanks, and serving trays back and forth all summer long. It’s much better to tighten a loose railing today than discover it when someone leans against it tomorrow, especially considering the storms we’ve had.

Give Your Propane Tank a Quick Check

Look over your propane hose for cracks or signs of wear, make sure the connections are tight, and if you ever smell gas, don’t light the grill until you’ve figured out why. A little dish soap mixed with water can help you spot a leak by creating bubbles around the connection.

Clear Out the Backyard Clutter

Summer has a funny way of filling up the patio.

Pool toys, bikes, sports equipment, gardening supplies, and coolers all seem to end up around the grill. Before you start cooking, clear away anything that could become a trip hazard or accidentally end up too close to the heat.

Don’t Forget to Look Up

Most people remember to check what’s behind the grill. Fewer people remember to check what’s above it.

Tree branches, patio umbrellas, string lights, pergolas, and roof overhangs can all be affected by the heat rising from your grill. A quick glance overhead before you start cooking is always worth it.

Keep Safety Within Reach

Hopefully you’ll never need it, but it’s always smart to have a fire extinguisher nearby and know exactly where your garden hose is. And as tempting as it is to run inside to answer the phone or grab another plate, try not to leave a lit grill unattended.

It only takes a moment for a small flare-up to become something much more serious.

A Few Minutes Now Can Save You a Lot Later

One thing we’ve learned over the years is that most expensive repairs don’t start with a major disaster. More often than not, they begin with a small issue that nobody noticed until it became a much bigger problem.

Taking ten minutes to look over your grill, deck, and backyard today can help keep your home safe, your family protected, and your summer focused on what really matters - good food, good company, and enjoying the season.

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.

A Home Maintenance Checklist After a Storm

If your neighborhood looked anything like ours after last week’s storms, you’ve probably spent more time than you planned dragging branches to the curb, filling yard waste bags, or listening to chainsaws in the distance.

Central Connecticut took a pretty good beating. High winds and heavy rain left plenty of downed trees, broken limbs, and debris scattered across neighborhoods. Thankfully, many homeowners escaped with only minor damage, but storms like these are also a good reminder that your home’s exterior takes more of a beating than you might realize.

Once you’ve finished cleaning up the obvious mess, it’s worth taking a few extra minutes to walk around your property. A quick inspection now can help you catch small issues before they turn into expensive repairs later.

1. Start with Your Roof

Before you even grab a ladder, take a slow walk around your house and look up. You’re looking for anything that seems out of place such as missing shingles, lifted ridge caps, damaged flashing around chimneys or vents, or branches that may have scraped across the roof.

Not every problem is obvious from the ground, but if something catches your eye, don’t ignore it. Even a small area of damage can allow water to work its way underneath the roofing materials, and the leak often doesn’t show up until the next heavy rain.

2. Give Your Gutters Some Attention

After a storm, gutters have a way of collecting everything from leaves and twigs to pine needles and seed pods. Once they’re clogged, they can’t do the job they’re designed to do.

Instead of carrying water away from your home, overflowing gutters can send water behind your siding, damage fascia boards, wash out landscaping, or even contribute to water finding its way into your basement.

If you’ve already been outside cleaning up branches, this is the perfect time to make sure your gutters and downspouts are clear and draining properly.

3. Don’t Forget the Trees That Stayed Standing

Most people notice the branches that came down. The ones that are still hanging overhead deserve just as much attention.

Look for cracked limbs, split trunks, or branches that are now hanging over your roof or rubbing against your siding. Storms often weaken trees without bringing them down immediately, which means the next windy day could finish the job.

If you have mature trees close to your home, it’s worth having an arborist take a look if anything seems questionable.

4. Walk the Outside of Your Home

Wind doesn’t have to knock something over to cause damage. Flying debris can loosen siding, crack trim, or damage the caulking around windows and doors.

Take a slow walk around your home and look closely. Small gaps may not seem like a big deal today, but they can allow water, insects, and moisture to find their way inside over time. Catching those little problems early is almost always easier and less expensive than waiting until they become major repairs.

5. Keep an Eye Out for Hidden Water Damage

Not every storm leaves behind obvious damage. Sometimes the warning signs don’t appear for several days.

Over the next week or two, keep an eye out for new water stains on ceilings, damp spots in the attic, peeling paint, musty odors, or discoloration around windows. Those subtle changes are often the first indication that wind-driven rain found a way into your home.

The earlier you catch a leak, the simpler and less costly the repair is likely to be.

6. Use This as a Chance to Get Ahead

One thing we’ve learned over the past several years is that severe weather isn’t as unusual as it once seemed. Strong storms have become part of life here in Connecticut, and the best time to prepare for the next one is while this one is still fresh in your mind.

Ask yourself a few simple questions. Are tree branches hanging over your roof? Are your gutters getting old? Is your roof nearing the end of its life? Are your windows and siding still doing the job they were designed to do?

You don’t have to tackle every project this season, but having a plan is always better than being caught off guard.

Once the branches are piled at the curb and your yard starts looking like itself again, spend just a little more time giving your home a careful once-over. A few minutes of maintenance today can help prevent a much bigger headache tomorrow.

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.