Storing paint cans and preserving old paint can be a pain. We all keep left over paint since we never know when we may need it in the future or for touchups. One problem with keeping left over paint is that it dries out, the paint lid gets glued and is nearly impossible to open. Ever open a paint can after a few years of sitting in storage? Usually the top layer of the paint is a hard skin due to the air in the can that dries the exposed paint. The less paint in the can, the more it dries. Sometimes you can skim off the top paint skin and mix the paint, but it usually has dried chunks of paint left over.
Here is a tip that may save that can of left over paint.
Making sure that the lid is securely fastened, simply store the paint can upside down. That way, the hardened paint skin will at the bottom of the can and fresh paint will be at the top. Just be careful when remixing the paint to not mix too deep as not to puncture or disrupt the dried skin.

Technology was caught up with heating and cooling thermostats. With more and more internet based devices coming out, tech savy people can utilize this technology to save money. Since the heating and cooling of a home makes up the majority of the utilitiy costs, it makes sense to keep a tight rein on how long and often it cycles off and on.

The thermostat has evolved somewhat over the years from simple manual controlled units with a mercury switch to programmable ones that gave people the ability to have their air conditioning or furnace temperatures set back during the night or at work to the newest version that can be controlled through the internet. Programmable thermostats may not benefit everyone, for example if someone is at home all day it may not make sense to have automatic set back feature. But depending on the lifestyle of the household, having greater control may prove to provide significant savings.

One problem with standard programmable thermostats is that your household may have an unpredictable schedule with people coming and going and leaves programming the thermostat usless. The new internet controlled thermostats, or “smart thermostats” are controlled through a wireless gateway connected to the home’s internet connection and transmits signals to the wall mounted thermostat to lower and raise temperatures and even switch between heating and cooling modes. This allows you to remotely control the thermostat through any internet connection from anywhere, even with internet enabled phones and PDAs. Most of these have the ability to control up to four different thermostats so if you lived in a two story home for instance, you could turn on the air conditioning to your upstairs office before you get there and leave the downstairs set back.

Not all electric providers have the service, but may in the future. TXU is offering these at a low price if you join their energy conservation program. For more information, you can visit their website at: https://www.txupartners.com/thermostat/programdetails/index.php

Kent Keith

www.fortworthinspector.com

Fort Worth / Dallas Home Inspections

Holidays are a very busy time of the year for everyone….including plumbers. In preparing holiday dinners, the garbage disposer gets a workout and if not careful, you may just find yourself calling a plumber and having to pay up to double the normal rates for emergency and holidays. Here are some tips on garbage disposers that may prevent you from calling Mr. plumber.

Garbage disposer

Tips on operating your disposer

* When placing food in the disposer, take time to put small amounts in at a time. Don’t pack the disposer full then try to grind. This will increase the chances of stopping up the unit and puts extra stress on the motor. If your home is on a septic system, it is more critical of the amount of food that is put in the system.
* Don’t run hot water through the disposer when grinding food. Cold water will keep the food more solid and will allow the disposer to grind the food more efficiently.
* After it sounds like the food has finished grinding, leave the water running for about 15 more seconds to wash the food down the drain.
* When leaving on vacation or for a long period of time, operate the disposer with the water running for about 30 seconds to ensure there is no residual food in the unit. This can prevent you from returning home to a stuck disposer.
* Never put your hand down a disposer with the unit plugged in or the breaker still on.

What to do if the disposer won’t turn on

First determine if there is power to the disposer. If you can hear a humming sound from the unit, then there is power and just may be jammed. If you do not hear any sound coming from it, then check these items.

* Is the reset button on the bottom tripped? Most people don’t realize there is an overload breaker on the bottom of the disposer. This may trip if the disposer is under too much stress and prevents the motor from burning out in case it gets jammed. The reset button is located on bottom of the unit and is usually red, but not always. After pressing the reset button, see if the unit comes on or hums. If not, check the breaker at the breaker panel and some circuits may be wired through a GFCI receptacle above the kitchen counter, so see if that may be the problem. If you have checked all these and still don’t have power, the disposer may be broke or jammed.

How to unjam a disposer

If the disposer makes a humming sound or trips the reset button, then it may be jammed. To manually turn the unit and unjam it, follow these steps.

* First disconnect the electrical power from the disposer for safety. There should be an electrical outlet under the sink that the disposer is plugged into that you can unplug or if it is hardwired, go to the breaker box and turn off the breaker.
* Next get the disposer wrench to manually turn the disposer to loosen it. If you don’t have the wrench, look under the sink at the drain pipes. Sometimes I have seen plumbers that installed the disposer tape the wrench to a drain pipe near the disposer. If not you may have a 1/4 hex wrench (allen wrench) in your toolbox or these are available at any hardware store or large department store. The wench is inserted at the port in the middle of the bottom of the disposer. Turn it around a few times then reverse it a few more that that should do the trick. If you simply can’t get a wrench, try putting a broom handle or something similar down the disposer opening and try to push the grinder around this way

What if the disposer operates but won’t drain?

If water backs up in the disposer and won’t drain, try checking the drain pipes for blockage. The easiest way to do this is to remove the ‘P’ trap. Put a large pan or bucket under the ‘P’ trap and remove the two pipe nuts. These should only be hand tight, but the may require a large set of pliers to remove. Remove and check for blockage in the trap pipe and the pipe going to to the disposer outlet. A wire coat hanger can be used for this if you don’t have a pipe auger. If this is not the problem, the blockage may be further down the pipe and a plumber may have to be called.

P trap

What not to put down a garbage disposer

* Grease. Grease will eventually solidify and clog a portion, or all of your drain.
* Egg shells. Some people think egg shells will sharpen the disposer blades but will only help in clogging the drain pipes.
* Large bones. Needless to say large bones will dull the blades, could get caught and jamb the disposer and clog the drain pipes.
* Rice, pasta and potatoes. Residual Starchy foods can swell and jamb the disposer.
* Fibrous and stringy foods like celery, asparagus and corn husks can wrap around the motor and jamb it.
* Coffee and tea bags have acid that can deteriorate the inside of the disposer.
* Don’t clean your fish aquarium at the kitchen sink. Hard pebbles can get stuck between the grinder and outer lining of the disposer and may permanently jamb the unit.

How to keep your disposer fresh and clean

Here are some ideas to keep your disposer clean and fresh.

* Run plenty of hot water and soap down the disposer daily.
* Grind small ice cubes to clean the grinding teeth.
* Grind orange or lemon peels.
* Flush a cup of baking soda through the disposer.
* Place a couple of drops of mint oil through with hot water.

Kent Keith

www.fortworthinspector.com

Fort Worth Home Inspector

I was doing a little painting today and thought I would pass along a little trick that I do to all new paint cans that I open. It only takes a minute and saves a lot of aggravation. Who hasn’t tried to open a paint can that was previously opened after sitting a long time and the can’s lid is glued shut with old paint? All you do is take a large nail and punch holes around the bottom lip of the can about one inch apart. This way, the paint that gets in the can’s lip will simply drip back into the can…viola! No more stuck lids!

Kent Keith
Fort Worth / Dallas Home Inspector
www.fortworthinspector.com

Razor blades in crawlspace

I was inspecting a crawlspace of a home in an older neighborhood and while I was crawling around under the bathroom area, I kept feeling something strange under my body……not exactly dirt or a liquid but slippery. To my surprise as I shined my flashlight around me, I realized that I was lying on a thick bed of literally hundreds of double edge razor blades! I carefully rolled off them and took this picture. The ones you can see are the ones that slid down the small hill, there were many more above on the flat area. I have always heard about the slot in the rear of old medicine cabinets that people used to deposit used razor blades, but never ran into this before. There is no telling how many of these blades were in the wall cavity that didn’t make their way to the crawlspace floor. I am always careful to suit up with the proper protective clothing with gloves included, but this will prompt me to make sure I get my tetanus shot updated. They say every 10 years, I’m sure it’s been longer. When customers ask why I charge extra for pier & beam homes, I mention spiders, snakes, possums and pesticides. Now I can add another danger….razor blades!

Home Inspection….it’s a dangerous job, but somebody’s gotta do it!

Fort Worth / Dallas Home Inspector
http://www.fortworthinspector.com

Web Worms

Been noticing all the trees with the webs lately? In the Dallas / Worth area, they thrive mostly in the pecan trees. They are called webworms, latin name Hyphantria cunea.

These inch-long green or yellow caterpillars, bristling with silky hairs, are actually moth larvae. In summer and early autumn they weave expansive webs that bind together the ends of branches. They eat every leaf within reach, continually building larger webs until late autumn, when they pupate. Resembling dirty rags and filled with black droppings and wriggling worms, the webs ruin the aesthetics of any garden.

One way to combat these is to get a long pole and rip the web pocket open in the morning. With the web open, birds throughout the day will feed on the worms.

To plan an effective schedule of prevention and control, it helps to understand the life cycle of Hyphantria cunea. In early spring, moths come fluttering up from cocoons carefully hidden in the bark of tree trunks and in ground debris. The adult moths are about 2 inches from wingtip to wingtip and are white spotted with brown. They lay eggs in clusters on the leaves of suitable host plants.

The eggs hatch within a week. Out come tiny caterpillars, the first generation of the growing season, spinning webs and eating leaves. This first infestation is so mild that sometimes the webs go unnoticed.

The first-generation caterpillars have eaten their fill by early summer. They form cocoons and pupate, usually in the bark, of a tree or underneath leaves or other debris on the ground. By midsummer they re-emerge as moths. A second generation follows — this time larger and more destructive.

Because the webworms — in one form or another — are present year-around, it’s possible to devise a year-round strategy for dealing with this pest. Here are some tactics that have worked for me:

* In winter or early spring, remove fallen leaves, ground debris and mulch, which may harbor overwintering webworm pupae. Replace the debris with fresh, pest-free mulch.

* Inspect susceptible plants for the greenish egg masses, which are typically laid on the undersides of leaves and are protected by a woolly or scaly covering. Eggs are deposited from late spring through fall. Remove any affected leaves and destroy them. This strategy requires time and sharp eyes and is obviously impractical for tall trees.

* Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) is a microbial pesticide that can be applied as a dust or spray. It kills many types of caterpillars but has no effect on warm-blooded animals or bees.

With fall webworms, Bt is effective only if its application is properly timed. Once the caterpillars have enshrouded themselves in webs, they are more difficult to kill. Check on susceptible plants frequently, beginning in late spring, and apply Bt at the first sign of hatching webworms. Bt loses effectiveness after about two days, so it must be reapplied as long as more larvae are hatching.

Always use Bt with care, because it also can kill the larvae of non-pest moths and butterflies.

* When you see webs, clip the infested branches and burn them, or drown the larvae in a bucket of soapy water. A pole pruner with a lopper blade will help you reach webs within 16 feet or so of the ground.

Home inspection pests

As a professional home inspector, I see so many homes with problems that could have been avoided with simple home maintenance. Not sure what to look for when determining what items need attention? Why not consider hiring a home inspector to evaluate your home for necessary maintenance tasks? What better person to know what to look for and care for a home that a home inspector? If you can perform your own maintenance, here is a list of fall maintenance items I hope you will find helpful.

Early fall is the best time to start getting your house ready for the cold winter season. Most people don’t get into the winterizing “mode” until the first cold snap, but he reason early fall is better than late fall is because it is just easier to perform some of the different tasks when the temperatures are warmer. Roofing shingles are more pliable and easier to work with, caulk is applied easier when warm and it’s just nicer to work outside when a cold north wind isn’t blowing on your face!

Here is a good checklist for fall maintenance items

1. Clean those gutters

If your house has gutters, be sure to keep them debris free and if you have large trees over the house, you may have to clean them more that once before they lose all their leaves. Many people think, “I’ll just wait until all the leaves fall, then I’ll clean the gutters”. The problem with this is that it does not take many leaves to stop up the drain spouts and if a hard rain comes, water could overflow the gutters and cause water damage to the roof edges and get under the roof’s flashing.

2. Inspect your roof and repair shingles

Perform necessary repairs to cracked and torn shingles. Use roofing cement to seal in areas that you feel may cause leaks and to secure shingles that you may feel will blow off in high winds. Also make sure tree limbs are not touching or rubbing on the roof. Trim any tree branch that may rub on the roof surface. During my routine home inspections, I have seen several roofs that will require expensive repairs simply because tree limbs were rubbing on the roof surface.

3. Cut back shrubs

Shrubs rubbing against the house can invite insects and rodents to enter the house and can cause siding damage when the branches rub on the house in winds.

4. Caulk Windows

By the time the fall rolls around, more that likely your windows probably have cracked caulking around them. Sealing around your windows on the inside as well as the outside of the house can really cut back the amount of cold air that enters your home and warm air that escapes. You may think that these cracks look so small and insignificant, but when you consider all the cracks around all the windows, that could be a lot cold air coming in! Especially pay attention to those north windows.

Here is a tip if you have those older single pane windows with no storm windows installed.

Take some thick clear plastic and cut it to the size of the window frame. Attach it to the inside of the window around the frame and it should create an air space between the glass and the plastic. This will really help insulate the window and keep the room warmer. I have seen people put the plastic directly on the glass, but that will not create the air space. It’s the air space that insulates the window.

5. Clean the fireplace and flue

If your home has a fireplace, make sure it’s clean and clear of creosote buildup before a heavy season of fireplace use. What is creosote? It’s a black flaky substance that builds up in the flue and the opening of the flue. This substance can become flammable in high temperatures, so keep it clean! Also keep in mind that poorly drafted fireplaces can cause carbon monoxide to enter the living space, so always have CO detectors installed in the home when fireplaces are present as well as gas appliances.

6. Winterize external plumbing pipes ad fixtures

Don’t wait until the first freeze comes to rush out and do this. Calling a plumber to come out and repair a freeze busted pipe is expensive, not to mention the damage that this can cause. Wrap exposed pipes on the outside of the house and the garage with pipe wrap and install covers on the hose spigots. These are easily removed and reinstalled if you need to use the hose in the meantime.

7. Store outdoor furniture

Most outdoor furniture is made of some sort of plastic material that can crack and break in cold temperatures. If you can’t store it in a protected area, at least wrap the furniture in a thick protective covering.

I hope you find this information useful and again, the best way to get a complete analysis of your home’s condition before the cold weather sets in is to get a professional maintenance home inspection. Call or email me if I can answer any question you may have.

Fort Worth Home Inspector
Dallas Home Inspector