Tag Archives: Roof

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  Autumn Home Hacks

  Posted on August 23, 2024 by mikew in Fix It & Use It

  12 Ideas to Save Money and Improve Quality of Life this Fall! Our houses are in a constant state of decline and disrepair. Seasonally they call for our attention and a short, intentional spurt of care. In the spirit of decreasing expenses and increasing home enjoyment I offer these home hacks. Clear the gutters of […]

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  What’s-in-the-Chimney? Series

  Posted on August 19, 2024 by mikew in Fix It & Use It

  Standing with incredible views I take time to walk and inspect most roofs. When accessible I peer down the fantastical chute responsible for brightly wrapped presents Christmas morning – and I imagine. Or sometimes I don’t have to imagine. There are interesting finds when I shine my flashlight into chimney flues. Here’s quick photo series […]

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  Pressure Washer Rules of Play

  Posted on May 6, 2024 by mikew in Fix It & Use It

  Guidance Using the Popular Spring Home Owner Cleaning Device The best of every child’s world is joined in the ever-important pressure washer! Anyone who has grabbed the plastic wand shimmering with pent-up power knows the brilliance of a gas-powered engine, water hose and Star Wars photon-torpedo blast. This spring essential is being borrowed, rented and […]

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  That Scary Place Where “Monsters” Live

  Posted on May 2, 2023 by mikew in Fix It & Use It

  What to Know Before Hiring an Attic and Crawlspace Service Part 1: Shuttered closets and underside bed caverns are dark places that can be scary for children. Peering into those spaces is to face the worst fear imagined. From a distance shadows cast frightening possibilities. The safest space seems to be pulled tight under the […]

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  Little Things That Make a Big Difference

  Posted on March 30, 2023 by mikew in Fix It & Use It

  In the work break and sun breaks we all balance the could dos, should dos and will dos. Let me offer some simple ways on sunny days to make headways on the house keep. This article will focus on worthwhile chores for the outside in dry weather. Estimated time on for each category: 20 minutes […]

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  Solstice House Check Up

  Posted on December 30, 2022 by mikew in Fix It & Use It

  Essential House Maintenance Chores Repeated every December and June The summer and winter solstice are great times to perform needed house maintenance so let this article be a “maintenance needed” dash light to gently prod you toward some simple house care. Addressing these tasks will make you familiar with possible repairs, alleviate the worry of […]

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  Snow is Coming, So What?

  Posted on December 10, 2021 by mikew in Fix It & Use It

  20 minute projects that will count in the cold! We prep the car for snow, school districts send out their cancellation plans, parents stock up pantries, grandparents knit winter caps, but what can home owners do? It is easy to forget or even know what to do in preparation for the upcoming winter storms and […]

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  Roof Maintenance – plumbing vents

  Posted on November 30, 2019 by mikew in Fix It & Use It

  There are open pipes sticking out of our roofs. And you might wonder, Aren’t holes in a roof bad? Not in this case. Let me explain what they are and then offer a suggestion for keeping these in good working order in the future. These are plumbing vents so that when you pull the plug […]

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  Treating gut(ter) indigestion

  Posted on November 10, 2019 by mikew in Fix It & Use It

  Some of you started reading this with concern – I’ll give Mike one paragraph and he better not gross me out. Some of you have dealt with some intestinal issues and thought a home inspector’s perspective might be helpful. And still others of you enjoyed my play on words and hoped more cleverness was to […]

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  Up Periscope!

  Posted on June 20, 2019 by mikew in Fix It & Use It

  This was a peculiar sight in a recent attic. This picture is of a plumbing vent pipe improperly terminating in the attic. In short, there are pipes sticking out of most roofs to allow water to drain quietly and smoothly when we flush toilet and pull stoppers on drains (see the next picture). This one […]

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