Give Your A/C a Routine Check Before It Gets Beat by the Heat

Now is about the time when your central A/C or window units start to get some heavy play time. But with the first day of summer barely behind us, there are a lot of hot days left for those appliances to continue to perform at their best. A quick maintenance check now will give you peace of mind and ensure that your cooling units won’t kick the bucket during the most critical part of the summer. Plus a regular check-up will likely extend the life of the appliance too. Here are some of the things that you can do.

1. Pick a cooler day, such as tomorrow, to work on your A/C as you’ll need to shut off the power. This means both flipping the switch on the button and either unplugging it from the wall or locating the exterior shut off box on a central A/C unit. Remember, these are run on electricity so it’s always better to be safe than sorry. If you have a breaker box, you can cut the power there too.

2. For those of you with an exterior compressor, it’s time to remove the fan. First, unscrew the fan cage with a screwdriver and then take the fan right out of the unit. You’ll be shocked to see how many leaves, pollen, and debris can accumulate here. Clean the interior of the unit out with a regular or wet/dry vacuum and wipe down the fan blades too. Any dust, dirt or pollen will slow your A/C down and since there has been so much this year, it’s worth doing a thorough job.

3. Next, use a garden hose to clean the fins from the inside out. I know I spoke about the wonders of a pressure washer last week, but A/C unit fins are delicate and a pressure washer will break them. For this job, stick to the garden hose with a light flow of water. After you clean the inside, you can repeat on the outside. If the exterior is really dirty, you can apply a non-toxic cleaning solution, but just be careful not to damage the fins by scrubbing.

4. Like I said, those fins are easy to break and you may notice that the metal is bent in some places. This can cause air flow reduction and less power in and out of your machine. Using a butter knife, straighten any misaligned fins, taking caution not to pierce the tubing underneath.

5. Now you can put the unit back together. I would clear all debris from around the base of the unit as anything that is constricting the airflow will make the unit less efficient. This is a good time to take a level to it as well. If the unit is out of alignment, this can cause improper function. Remember, the ground often shifts so checking it periodically is a good idea.

6. Finally, it’s time to move inside and clean the vents and filters. Most HVAC specialists will recommend changing the filters at least twice a year and for window units, I recommend cleaning them at least once a month. Not only will your air flow be more efficient, you’ll also reduce the amount of dirty air blowing through the house. When replacing filters, make sure to match the airflow rating from your previous filter to ensure that it will work properly.

Now it’s time to breathe easy and turn your units back on. Remember, there are some jobs that should only be tackled by a professional, so if you come across a leak, major rusting, or something else that doesn’t seem quite right, do yourself a favor and get in touch with an HVAC expert. An early catch might just save you from suffering through a stifling, uncomfortable summer and an expensive bill.

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.

Rent a Pressure Washer for the Day and Clean All Around the House

I think we can all agree that no one likes chores, especially cleaning. This time of year is especially tough since we want our yard and garden to look its best despite the pollen that just keeps on coming. Luckily, I have a trick that will help you make light of all the hard work around the house - heck you might even have a little fun.

The secret, my friends, is the pressure washer! I am lucky enough to own one of these handy machines but you can grab one for yourself for between $30-40 for the day and say goodbye to dirt, mold, and caked on debris. Here are just a few of my favorite ways to use it.

The Patio. The winter can be tough on stone or concrete patios and wood decks, but months worth of dirt is no match for a pressure washer. Forget the sweeping and scrubbing - a once over with a 2,000 pounds per square inch machine will have your backyard looking as good as new. If you’re thinking about refinishing your surfaces, make this your first step to get everything as clean as possible. Just leave plenty of drying time.

The Patio Furniture. Once the deck is done, the patio furniture is next. I store mine in the shed over the winter, but even in storage, everything tends to get a bit grimy and moldy with the moisture in the air. I love pulling everything out, wetting it down, and giving it a good scrub with some Spray Nine. Because it doesn’t contain any corrosive chemicals, you can use it right in the grass without having to worry about killing your lawn. Rinse with the pressure washer and your furniture will sparkle.

The Car. A car wash is convenient but they never quite get into the nooks and crannies like you can if you’re doing it yourself. Of course, a manual wash is time-consuming and with the pollen in the air, it’s nearly impossible to keep the car clean for longer than a few days. This is another reason why I love the pressure washer! It gets grease and gunk right off the tires and tough to reach places and it’s so easy and fast! Just be sure to use a lighter setting such as 1,400 PSI so you don’t dent the exterior.

The House. I love vinyl siding because it’s so low maintenance, but it’s not a bad idea to give the house a good spray down every once in a while. A pressure washer can be used everywhere from the roof to the shutters and will make your siding looks like it’s brand new again. It’s just as easy as using a hose, but so much more effective. You can use it on brick or stone exteriors too - and don’t forget the windows!

The Gutters. If you’re getting up on the roof, you mind as well get the gunk out of those gutters. A pressure washer makes this job easy but the clean-up from the ground can be a bit of a mess so make sure that you look for an angled attachment that will help you control the debris. If you can get it all towards the downspout, you can either run it through and down or pull everything out in easier to manage sections.

One thing to remember before renting your pressure washer is that they do come in either electric or gas models. Electric machines are generally reserved for lighter jobs around the house while gas models have a bit more oomph. Before you choose your machine, make sure to chat with an expert at the store about what kind of jobs you have in mind. Too much power might damage your goods; too little will make you wish you stuck to the hose and saved yourself a few bucks.

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.

Keep Pests at Bay with These All Natural Repellents

I don’t know about you, but this early summer seems worse than ever for pests of every kind. Homeowners are struggling with ants in the house and even my yard has more chipmunks than I’ve seen in recent memory. Lots of people I speak to are determined to get rid of their newfound neighbors, but many don’t want to resort to environmentally damaging chemicals or toxic ingredients in the home. So what can we do?

Let’s get those pests in check! I’ve rounded up a bunch of my favorite all natural repellents and deterrents to reduce the unwanted company in and around your home without putting toxins or pollutants into the environment. Let’s check them out.

Hot Pepper - for unwanted garden bugs, hot pepper is a fantastic solution. Simmer three tablespoons of red chili flakes or five finely chopped fresh jalapenos in a large pan of water for 15 minutes. Let it sit for a day and then strain the mixture into a spray bottle with a few drops of dish soap.

Coffee - did you know that coffee is fatal to ants? If you can find where they are entering your home, you can use recycled grounds to deter them. Simply place them in a shallow bowl or bag right at the entry point. One sniff and they’ll be doing a one-eighty.

Mint and Garlic - this is another garden concoction that you can use as a plant spray. Blitz a few garlic cloves and mint leaves in a food processor and then boil it with some cayenne pepper. Add a few drops of dish soap to the spray bottle and pour in your solution for a simple, effective plant spray.

Cornmeal - if you have pets, cornmeal is an easy non-toxic remedy for ants. Put a small dish or a plastic cover full near their entry point and the ants will soon start to carry it away to their colony. They love to eat it, but can’t digest it. Problem solved.

Rosemary - I love balmy summer evening in the backyard but I can’t stand mosquitoes! Citronella is a common natural deterrent but if you don’t have any handy, try throwing some rosemary or sage on your firepit. It smells wonderful to us but mosquitos can’t stand it.

Basil - if you get flies coming in and out of the house every time someone opens the door, trying potted basil. The flies will immediately retreat in their tracks and you’ll have plenty of fresh leaves for a delicious pesto. If you’re worried about pots getting kicked over and making a mess, a vital of basil essential oil will do the trick too.

Cayenne pepper - this is probably your best bet for a chipmunk problem. Just like other pests, chipmunks are very sensitive to the smell and taste of hot peppers and they’ll go out of their way to avoid it. A generous spray of cayenne and water or oil solution around your immediate garden should help to deter them from hanging around.

Do you have a favorite all-natural solution that gets rid of the pests at your home? I’d love to hear about it. Email me or send 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 http://www.odonnellbros.com. Advice is for guidance only.