3Rs Tips for Transitioning from Winter to Spring

Feeling cooped up inside your home? Now is the time to tackle some indoor projects before it's time to turn your attention to outside once the weather becomes more mild.

1.  Change your furnace filter.  When the heat is working overtime during the winter, the filter needs to be changed every month.

2.  Wash your windows.  The clash of cold, wintery weather and warm, toasty indoors can result in condensation around your window sills/casings which can then result in mold! Use diluted bleach or ammonia as a preventive fungicide to clean your windows, protect your indoor environment, and improve your view!

3.  Insulate water pipes.  Adding insulation around the pipes that carry hot water will not only save you money, you also won't have to wait as long for hot water when you turn on the faucet.

4.  Examine and clean the ducts of your forced-air furnace.  Seal any leaks with duct tape.

5.  Dye-test your toilet.  Most homeowners whose toilets are wasting water don't even know it! Constantly running water can be very costly when, in fact, it may be a very simple and quick fix. Put 5 drops of food coloring in your toilet's tank, wait 10 minutes and see if the color bleeds into the bowl.  If it does, you know you have a leak. The most common cause for a leak is a defective flapper.

6.  Check labels on the switches in your electrical circuit-breaker panel.  Update and re-label if necessary.  For help with this consider a service like the Healthy Home Club of America.  You can check out their website at www.hhcoa.com.

7.  Organize your home improvement files.  Review warranties and product manuals to check on recommended maintenance for furnaces, equipment, appliances, and tools. Mark your calendar to track scheduled upkeep and service.

8.  Inspect furniture, doors, cabinets, and vanities for loose knobs and hinges.  Tighten or repair as necessary.

9.  Happy houseplants - real or fake!  Simply wipe leaves with electrostatically charged cloth.  For silk plants, use a hairdryer to blow off the dust.

10.  Change the shower curtain.  Damp shower curtains can grow unhealthy mold and mildew, so swap yours out periodically.

Soon, very soon. Spring will burst through with buds, blossoms, and bulbs and we'll be turning our attention back outside! If there is anything 3Rs Construction & Remodeling can do to assist you in getting a jump on warm weather projects - re-doing your landscaping, re-roofing your home, building a deck, remodeling your kitchen or bathroom, please be sure to give us a call at 503-363-1059 or visit our website www.3rsconstruction.com.  The folks here at 3Rs Construction & Remodeling are always available to provide excellent service and expertise!