Maintenance and Repairs

From time to time, we all have to perform basic household maintenance and simple repairs. The tips on this page can help make the process easier!

General Maintenance and Repairs Tips
Summertime? Time to look around the exterior of your home for any damage or dilapidation that may have occurred over the winter. Plan to make necessary repairs as soon as possible: as fall approaches, so do wind and rain that can make matters much worse.

Attach a small magnet to a string or rubber band and keep it handy while doing small repairs. It’s practically inevitable that you’ll drop the screws or nails you need, and having the magnet on a string helps keep you from dropping that as well while locating the miscreants.

Even if you aren’t experiencing any problems and don’t think it’s necessary, it’s still a good idea to have your HVAC system inspected regularly. Also, change filters at least as recommended, especially if you live with furry animals or have breathing or allergy issues.

Need a little privacy in a hurry? If you have bare windows that are screaming out for protection, purchase attractive meshes or screening at local fabric stores, which will usually cut material to your measurements. Use a little Aleene’s Tacky Glue to glue the material directly to the window glass for instant privacy. This glue is remarkably easy to clean up: it washes with water from most soft surfaces, and it peels away from hard surfaces, leaving no residue. This works great where curtains aren’t suitable.

Do not underestimate the power of Gorilla Glue. We use it for everything from mending furniture to replacing a brick that fell from the chimney. [That may not have been on the list of recommended uses.] Glue is a great option for many fibromites, as more conventional tools are often heavy or tiring to use.

Affix a piece of sticky weatherization tape (the grey foamy stuff that goes around your windows and doors) to your hammer’s face, where it will ideally hit the nail and more frequently hit your thumb. This will protect you from the worst blows without significantly impeding your hammer’s function. You could try using a rubber mallet instead, but the nail is likely to get stuck in the mallet’s head. If you’re using an older hammer, you might also want to consider a lightweight new model to prevent fatigue.

Whether you’re entering fall or spring, September is a great time to have your HVAC system checked to prevent any surprises in the months ahead. While you’re at it, inspect your weatherstripping for gaps to keep both cold and hot air where they belong.