How often do you think of the maintenance required to keep your home systems and appliances up and running? If you are busy like most homeowners, probably not often enough.  Here are a few tips to keep things running smoothly.

Roof:  Clean all debris out of the gutters .  Check for missing or damaged shingles.  Cut all tree limbs away or back from the roof to prevent damage.

Structure:   Check to make sure there are no areas around the foundation that are holding or “ponding” water. Make sure downspouts extend out of flowerbeds and away from the foundation.  Are there any exterior cracks or siding damage that need attention?

Air Conditioning System maintenance: To ensure efficient operation, check filters monthly.   Remove debris from overflow pans and around outside condensers.

Heating System maintenance: Visually inspect exhaust vent for rust, damage or deterioration.

Electrical System maintenance: To help prevent power outages, make sure there are not too many appliances plugged into one circuit.

Smoke Detectors:  Check and test quarterly.  Replace all batteries and backup batteries yearly.

Fireplaces:   Have the flu and inserts cleaned to prevent creosote build-up if used often.  Make sure the chimney cap is secured w/o holes.

Plumbing System maintenance: Check for leaks under cabinets and “running” toilets. Toilet paper should be the only paper product flushed down a toilet.  Clean all faucet aerators.  Address any sluggish drains and clean out any clogs.

Washer maintenance: Make sure your machine is level to prevent uneven wearing of parts. To adjust, turn the legs clockwise to lower them or counter-clockwise to raise them. 

Dryer maintenance: Clean the lint screen after each load and clean out the inside dryer vents and outside dryer caps. 

Water Heater maintenance: Drain and flush sediment from the tank twice a year.

Range/Oven maintenance: If you have a self-clean oven, run it twice yearly or more frequently if needed.

Refrigerator maintenance: Clean the interior shelves, shell and gaskets every three months.

Garbage Disposal maintenance: To clean, feed a full tray of ice cubes through it while running cold water.  You can also add lemon/lime slices or baking soda to help with odors.

These are just a few suggestions offered for your home systems and appliances.  If you do not feel comfortable in safely and properly attempting any that may apply to your systems or appliances, just call a qualified professional.   Proper maintenance goes a long way in extending the life of your systems and major expenses down the road.

We have been doing a lot of inspections lately that feature homes that have “vessel” or bowl type sinks. These sinks are quite popular these days, not to mention cool to look at.

The only caution about “vessel” type sinks is that they have no overflow, so be careful when filling them up. They are not compatible with distractions of any kind! It is a good idea to never fill one up while you are on the phone, texting, changing the baby’s diaper or letting small children use them without proper supervision.

Many learn the hard way about the lack of an overflow, including inspectors!

Hope everyone has been enjoying the Holiday Season. We have been busy this week with those taking advantage of the low interest rates.

” Here’s wishing you more happiness than all the words can tell.

Not just alone for New Years Eve,

But for all the year as well!”

Let’s make the most of the New Year & may it be your best year yet. Happy New Year & Best Wishes from the Runnels Family & Excel Inspections! Hope to see you all next year!

With temperatures beginning to drop, its a good time to make sure all of your pipes are protected.

Freeze protection for plumbing pipes should be installed in areas where the air is not heated, such as crawlspaces, garages, workshops and sheds. This will prevent them from bursting during an overnight freeze when temperatures drop.

Exterior hose bibs should be covered and insulated. Any home improvement store will carry products made specifically for this purpose. All garden hoses should be disconnected from the hose bib and drained.

Outside water well tanks that are not in a well house should be covered and insulated, along with pipes. Fire-rated heat lamps or lights can also help keep pipes from freezing.

Swimming pool and spas/hot tubs should also be included in your freeze protection checklist.

For interior pipes, turn on your faucets to allow the water to trickle/drip into the sink. Opening cabinet doors inside can help expose the pipes to warmer air. The slow flow of water will prevent the liquid from freezing within the pipes.Taking care of small problems now prevents bigger problems later. Be proactive on your winter home maintenance.

This month we are focusing on seasonal safety tips and posting one each day on our Excel Facebook and  twitter pages:  https://twitter.com/#!/excelinspects

When purchasing an artificial tree, look for the label “Fire Resistant.”
If purchasing a live tree, check for freshness. In setting up a tree at home, place it away from fireplaces, radiators or portable heaters. Place the tree out of the way of traffic and do not block doorways.

Use caution with holiday decorations and whenever possible, choose those made with flame-resistant, flame-retardant or non-combustible materials. Keep candles away from decorations and other combustible materials, and do not use candles to decorate Christmas trees.

Carefully inspect new and previously used light strings and replace damaged items before plugging lights in. Do not overload extension cords.

Before using lights outdoors, check labels to be sure they have been certified for outdoor use. Plug all outdoor electric decorations into circuits with ground fault circuit interrupters to avoid potential shocks.

Don’t mount Christmas lights in any way that can damage the cord’s wire insulation (i.e., using clips, not nails). Lots of fires start that way!

Turn off all Christmas lights when you go to bed or leave the house. The lights could short out and start a fire.

Keep children and pets away from light strings and electrical decorations. Turn off all light strings and decorations before leaving the house or going to bed.

Keep all matches & lighters out of sight and reach of small children. Test all smoke alarms regularly, & let guests know what your fire escape plan is.

Unattended cooking is the leading cause of home fires in the U.S. When cooking for holiday visitors, remember to keep an eye more on the range than the calories!

House full of Holiday guests? If you have smokers, provide plenty of ashtrays and check them frequently. Cigarette butts can smolder in the trash and cause a fire, so completely douse cigarette butts with water before discarding.

Happy Holidays and stay safe!

I recently read a very well-worded thank you that I would like to share:

Today is a day to remember that our country has had many brave men and women volunteer to defend our country. These men and women come from all over our country and, who during times of war and peace, are on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and spend countless holidays, birthdays and special events away from their family and friends. They are mothers, fathers, aunts, uncles, sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, cousins and friends. We may not always agree in the wars and battles that we fight, but this should not deter us from the support we give to these men and women in uniform. It is through the sacrifice that they and the numerous individuals before them have made, which provides us with the freedoms we have today.

While words cannot pay what we owe you and your families, we give thanks for your sacrifice.

To the families who have lost loved ones, we offer our most heartfelt condolences. Many of us have never endured the pain you must feel, but our hearts hurt for your loss and wish we could help ease your pain.

Let us never forget the people who did not make it home.

Remember those still serving in our prayers and never take for granted the sacrifices they make.

Thank you and may you be blessed.

 (And our own special thanks to our National Guard 36th  “T” Patch division, past and present), http://36thinfantry.us/.

One of the best home inspection tips I can provide to home buyers is to inspect your home inspector before hiring him to do your home inspection.

How does one go about inspecting ones home inspector? First, ask questions before, during and after the process.

You should go through exactly the same process you do when selecting any other trained professional. Seek referrals from friends who bought homes to determine what they thought about the process. When friends tell you they had a good experience with the home inspector they hired, take that into consideration for your decision. Also, realtors can be a good source if they have an inspector that they have worked with in the past that has a good reputation.

But the best tip I can give anyone looking to hire a home inspector is to hire an experienced home inspector. Rest assured a home inspector with 25 years experience knows at least 25 times what a new just out of school home inspector knows. Home inspecting requires not only technical knowledge, continuing education, but also the ability to communicate that knowledge to others in such a way that they can understand it.

Now you are ready to have your new home inspected with confidence.