Author Archives: mikew
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Wanna Build a Fence?
Posted on April 30, 2020 by mikew in Fix It & Use ItThere are some things I am grateful to have learned after inspecting hundreds of fences. They are one of those components that dramatically alter the look of a house and overall yard and provide a level of security for outdoor living areas and safety for children and pets. As you prepare for the repair or […]
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Ways to make your painting project pop!
Posted on April 20, 2020 by mikew in Fix It & Use ItThe upkeep and painting of our house siding is a big deal. There is nothing that will cause a more drastic improvement in the appearance of our house. Years can be erased from the stylistic appearance and years of longevity can be added with the well done painting project. If only the same could be […]
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Removing rodent ladders
Posted on April 10, 2020 by mikew in Fix It & Use ItSince we are all out doing house projects and yard work with all this extra time on our hands I wanted to offer a little reminder that little creatures are moving into eaves and attics. Some of them have been watching hedges and trees get ever closer to top floor access and this spring may […]
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More of Mike’s Favorite DIY Repairs
Posted on March 30, 2020 by mikew in Fix It & Use ItNerf Sewer Cap In this inspection an RV sewer line had been installed to the septic tank and they decided that the best way to seal it is with a $10 solution – a nerf football. It looks like a nerf cannon – and if sewer gases built up there is a good chance of […]
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Creature Colonization Prevention thru Crawlspace Covers
Posted on March 20, 2020 by mikew in Fix It & Use ItWhen it comes to crawlspace access covers there are some that work better than others. This may seem obvious but as you will see, there have been some notable efforts. The goal of a crawlspace cover is two-fold: 1) Keep moisture out, 2) Keep rodents and pests out. Here are my grades on several I […]
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Airing out (and in) our houses
Posted on March 10, 2020 by mikew in Fix It & Use ItAir must get in. Air must get out. How’s it going in your house? I find that most new construction is not doing enough to ensure proper air exchanges. The air that we are breathing at the beginning of the week is often the same air at the end of the week. Who enjoys breathing […]
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Time Change, Time to Change
Posted on February 29, 2020 by mikew in Fix It & Use ItThe time change is a great reminder of some essential household maintenance chores. Here’s a list of twelve items: 1 – Replace the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. While you are at it, test these and push the button to make they are all working. These have an estimated life of about […]
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Garbage disposals are not garbage disposals
Posted on February 10, 2020 by mikew in Fix It & Use ItI have a complicated relationship with garbage disposals. These small appliances installed in kitchen sink drains are a helpful aid to those of us frequently on dish duty, but they often leak and can cause dishwasher issues. Hopefully this will help clear up a few misunderstandings about how to use them. First, garbage disposals are […]
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Settling fears about fire sprinklers
Posted on January 30, 2020 by mikew in Fix It & Use ItIf an actor is trapped in a building and needs to create a diversion for her escape, what is the best diversion? Dozens of Hollywood movies have this dilemma and the common solution is to set off the fire sprinklers. In the resulting pandemonium she escapes as water rains from the ceiling and floods the […]
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Checking out the “behinds”
Posted on January 20, 2020 by mikew in Fix It & Use ItThis is a home maintenance article so let me clarify that I’m referencing behinds in your house 🙂. There are a few behinds for you to check out as a home owner where issues can be addressed before they become major problems. Behind #1 – Furnace in the garage. In many homes this will be […]
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