10 End of Summer Jobs for a Fantastic Fall

Summer may be coming to a close, but with the first day of autumn still a few weeks away, there is plenty of time to get your home and yard in tip-top shape before the cooler weather sets in. With the countdown on, I’ve rounded up the most important jobs for you to tackle to get ready for the fall. Let’s get busy!

Clean windows and inspect for gaps.

If you have window A/C units, tack this job on as you’re removing them. Windows are a prime culprit for heat loss, so have a look at all the windows in your home to see if you have any gaps. Small cracks and crevices can be sealed with caulk, but you’ll want to fill larger gaps with insulation or expandable foam. If you have single pane aluminum windows and you’re freezing every winter, it might be time for an upgrade.

Clean and store outdoor furniture.

If furniture is left outdoors during the winter, it will likely crack, split or rust - depending on the material.  Before you turn it in for the winter, be sure to clean it well to avoid rot or damage and check for signs of mold and mildew. A thorough wash with hot soapy water or household cleaner will do the trick.

Reseal your deck.

The summer sun can be brutal on your deck, but so is the onset of snow, sleet, and freezing rain that we can expect over the next several months. Protect your wood by removing any leaves, sticks and those pesky helicopters, and follow it up with a good power wash. When the wood is dry, apply a protective sealant to condition the deck and help it stand up to winter.

Inspect your doors and apply weather stripping.

Just like your windows, your doors are prime areas for air leaks. Inspect the areas around your doors and make sure they are air tight by repairing any old weather stripping or broken door sweeps. Heating a home all winter costs a lot of money so don’t make it more expensive than it should be. An energy efficient home is a happy home.

Patch that leaky roof.

If the summer rain uncovered a leak in your ceiling or attic, don’t wait to have it looked at. The unpredictable winter can be a disaster for a roof that’s already damaged, so don’t hold out until it’s too late. Often times a small repair can stop the problem in its tracks.

Clean your gutters and check for clogs.

I went into detail about this one last week but it’s worth another mention. We’re in for a stellar leaf peeping season, but for us homeowners that also means a lot of headaches in the clean-up department. Make sure your gutters and downspouts are prepared for the seasonal shed and flush everything through to ensure the water flow-through is up to par.

Get adequate insulation.

If you’re dreading another teeth-chattering winter, it’s time to add some insulation to your home. Over 75 percent of houses that I visit in our area don’t have enough insulation and because of it, I get too many calls from frozen homeowners wondering what they can do. Insulation is inexpensive to install, can be done in less than a day and adds more to the resale value of your home than any other project. This one is a no brainer.

Scrub out your garbage cans.

As the cold sets in, our furry friends get more desperate for food and will start visiting your trash looking for a free meal. Their sense of smell is uncanny so make sure your bins are cleaned out and future garbage is bagged properly. You don’t want rodents making their homes too close to yours.

Replace your air filters.

If your A/C has been cranking all summer, it’s a great time to clean and/or replace your air filtration systems. While you’re at it, have a look at all your vents including the dryer and remove any built-up debris. The harder those appliances have to work, the more they are going to cost you.

Inspect the hot water heater.

Don’t wait until it’s too late. Check your water heater for any decay or sediment build-up and be on the lookout for leaks or faulty pipes. If you have an inkling that the unit might be on the fritz, call in a pro for a routine inspection. It’s better to be safe than sorry come winter.

Bob O’Donnell is the owner of O’Donnell Bros. Inc., a Bristol-based home improvement company established in 1975. Email your questions 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.

A Case of the Late-Winter Blues

This month’s crazy weather has many people practically begging for spring to come, and nearly every day I get calls from customers telling me they are sick of freezing in their own homes. Believe it or not, the people who have suffered through the cold this winter nearly all have one thing in common: they live in 60+-year-old Cape Cod homes.

Back in the 50’s and 60’s the residential boom in Bristol meant that Capes were built en masse. At that time, building codes were much more relaxed and energy efficiency was unheard of, so homes were built with very little insulation or ventilation. As time has gone on and the winters get colder, people who live in Capes (and many other styles of homes built during that time) can literally feel the outside weather is coming in. Because there isn’t enough insulation to protect these homes against the intrusion of freezing air, it’s getting trapped in the attic with nowhere to go but down into the second floor of the home. What’s worse is that the moisture in the air is also getting stuck, exposing residents to a potentially dangerous and very messy mold problem.

So what should you do if you’ve been frozen out this winter? First, take advantage of a free insulation inspection from a local area contractor to see if your attic is up to scratch. If you haven’t had the house insulated since it was built, I can guarantee that whatever you have is not enough. If you’ve recently bought a 1950’s or 1960’s home, now is the time to pay close attention.

Today, we measure insulation by its “R-Value” and the higher the R-Value, the better the insulating properties. In the 1960’s, R-Value wasn’t a popular unit of measurement and instead, most insulation was measured by its thickness in inches. To give you an example, if a typical 1960’s home was insulated at all, it was probably fitted with an R-10 value, which equates to a little over three inches of thickness. The recommended R-Value for Connecticut’s climate according to EnergyStar today is between R-49 and R-60 for an uninsulated attic and between R-38 and R-49 for a home with a few inches of pre-existing insulation. So as you can see, times they are a changin’. 

If your house is the victim of extreme temperature changes, the easiest and best way to regulate it is to build that barrier of protection. A professional can tell you how much insulation you need and can also perform an assessment to see if any mold has formed in the attic and walls. It’s key to remember that adding insulation will change the way your home breathes, so make sure it is fitted with proper ventilation to allow for appropriate airflow. If you just experienced a cold winter at home with energy bills to beat the band, this springtime project is one you can't afford to ignore. 

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.

Let Your Home Breathe with Proper Attic Ventilation

Last week we talked about how poor ventilation can cause frost and icicles inside the attic and dangerous ice dams outside at the base of the roof. These warning signs should set off alarm bells for homeowners as they can lead to major leaks and expensive damage to shingles, walls, and insulation. So let’s take a look at how to mitigate any potential problems with a quick crash course on attic ventilation.

An attic that’s well ventilated will reduce heat build-up in the summer and allow moist, warm air to escape the house in the winter. A house that can “breathe” properly is more energy efficient, keeps the home dry, and reduces the potential for ice build-up in the winter.

Have a look at your roof. Do you see any vents under the eaves, at the top of the gable or along the ridge? Some vents can be tough to spot, so if you’re unsure, think back to our recent winter storms. Did the cold temperatures result in a build up of thick ice near your gutters? If so, this is a telltale sign that your home isn’t properly ventilated. You can also check by grabbing a flashlight and heading up into the attic. If you see dampness, frost, or icicles, it means you have a ventilation problem. In the summer, just simply touching the ceiling can tell you if your vents aren’t adequate. If the ceiling feels hot, your attic is effectively acting like a solar panel, increasing your cooling bills by trapping hot air that can’t escape.

Proper ventilation works as a system with different vents controlling air intake and exhaust. As heat escapes the main living area of the house, a correct system will allow that air to flow through the attic instead of getting trapped inside it. It works like this. Escaping air from the main living space of the home will flow through a soffit vent at the base of the roof near the gutters and along the underside of the eave. As this air enters the attic, it rises up and will then look to exit, which will often be through a gable vent or a ridge vent at the very top of the roof. If the air is flowing properly, the attic will stay cool and dry and you won’t have to worry about those dreaded ice dams.

So how do you know how many vents you need for your home? Ventilation is determined by area, so start by figuring out the square footage of your attic. For example, a 30-foot x 50-foot attic would equal 1,500 square feet. Professional contractors estimate about one square foot of vent opening for every 150 square feet of attic area as per Connecticut building codes, so in this case, you’d be looking at 10 square feet of total vent area. Each vent will come with a net free vent area (NFTA) measurement to help you calculate your vent size, and the total area should be split evenly between intake and exhaust vents. Remember that vents need to be free and clear in order to work properly, so if you feel like you have enough vents but are still having issues with airflow, make sure to check that they aren’t being blocked by insulation or accidently covered over.

Have a question about ventilation, insulation or roofing? Feel free to shoot me a message on Facebook at www.facebook.com/odonnellbros.

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.