Home Warranty Site

When you’re working, wrangling the kids and generally living a full life, it’s easy to let taking care of your home fall to the bottom of the priority list. But you need to stay on top of maintenance chores if you want to keep your home and all the good things in it functioning smoothly.

As fall approaches, it’s time to start thinking about a top-to-bottom inspection to check for any damage and to prepare for the upcoming cold winter months.

Bite-sized projects

When it comes to staying one step ahead of maintenance headaches, we have to admit, our preference would be to bury our heads in the sand and hope that someone else takes care of any problems. Fortunately, we learned a trick that helps us overcome that mental block. If we break a big task down into smaller tasks, and then put one task on our to-do list each week, we will surprise ourselves by tackling something we didn’t think was possible.

For example, Sarah recently moved into a new house and there were about 50 little maintenance issues, such as a knob that had fallen off the dresser drawer and a leaky faucet that was keeping her up at night, which she knew she had to deal with. So she broke it down. Week one, she created a checklist. Week two, she went to the hardware store for all the supplies she’d need to fix the broken things. Week three, she fixed the broken knob. And so on. When you’re feeling overwhelmed, break the project down into smaller bite-sized steps, and you’ll be off to the races in no time.

Getting help

If you keep putting off maintenance tasks because you’re too busy, reach out to others who can help you. I am happy to admit that I am out of my depth in many areas of home maintenance. Why? Because that means my job as a homeowner is really about finding the right people to help me for the right price.

Here are three essential chores to tackle this week to get your home ready for the transition to fall.

No. 1. Change esssential batteries

Don’t wait until your smoke and carbon-monoxide detectors chirp at you to be changed, since that usually happens when you’re busy doing something else (like sleeping). Buy a few extra batteries when you’re at the grocery store this week and swap out the old batteries for new ones in all of your detectors.

No. 2. Change the filters

As much as half of the energy used in your home goes to heating and cooling. A dirty filter will slow down air flow and make the system work harder to keep you warm or cool — thus wasting energy. A clean filter will also prevent dust and dirt from building up in the system, leading to expensive maintenance and/or early system failure. If it’s been more than three months, buy some new filters and put them in your heating and cooling systems this week.

No. 3. Sweep the chimney

Chimneys need periodic examination and thorough cleaning to maintain efficiency and to reduce the chance of a chimney fire. Book an appointment with a chimney sweep to have yours professionally cleaned and checked for loose or missing mortar.

By: Sarah Welch and Alicia Rockmore
Detroit News; September 20, 2008

Fall is upon us, and it won’t be long before you look at your roof and see snow piling up. While that isn’t an image many people enjoy, it reminds us that it is a good time to check your roof to make sure it is ready to handle the harsh winter weather.

While fall is often a time when homeowners focus on some indoor home improvements, one of the most important home improvements may be putting on a new roof (see if this is covered under your home warranty ). Sure, a new roof doesn’t have the "wow" factor that a new kitchen or finished basement has, but it is vital in eliminating the potential for serious water damage in your attic. If you have an older home, or even one built in the last 20 years, there is a good chance you need a new roof.

Of course, one of the most common questions I get from callers is, "How do I know if I need a new roof?" If you have any obvious leaks in your attic or ceiling, that’s a sure sign that you need a new roof. Even if you don’t have a problem with leaks, it doesn’t mean your roof is fine. To determine if your roof is in need of repair or replacing, take a pair of binoculars and inspect your roof shingles. If they are cracked, discolored or curling, you should call a full-service roofing contractor to get it inspected.

Once you determine that you need a new roof, you should learn all you can about roofing and roofing products. For example, in the past, many homeowners that had one layer of shingles on their roof would elect to have the roof "re-covered." That’s where the contractor would put a new layer of shingles over the old ones. While that is certainly cheaper than a complete "tear-off" of the old shingles, it is not the best solution to your roofing needs.

ORA Warranty is one company that doesn’t recommend re-covering. According to experts, if you do a re-cover, it means you are assuming the wood underneath and the original shingles are in good shape. However, you can’t really know that unless you tear off the old shingles and inspect the wood. If that wood is rotting or in need of repair, your roof could still leak even after a re-cover.

Home warranty and construction experts also say that re-covering a roof doesn’t enable a roofer to address other important areas of the roof’s integrity, such as flashing walls and areas around chimneys or stack-vent pipes.

When it comes to roofs, you get what you pay for. Therefore, saving some money by doing a re-cover could unfortunately lead to paying your deductible on an insurance claim when your ceilings are damaged by water leaks.

Cost of shingles

You also get what you pay for in terms of roofing products.

While most contractors may be similar in pricing for installation of a new roof, the bigger cost differences are in the type of shingle you choose. There are two categories where the cost for a shingle can vary dramatically. One is the style of the shingle, while the other is the shingle warranty.

In the past, most shingles were the flat, three-tab variety, and only came in a few basic colors, such as black, gray or brown. Fortunately, today’s homeowners can choose from a variety of architecturally designed shingles in a several colors that complement the look and color scheme of your home.

So, today’s shingles can actually bring better curb appeal.

Of course, these architectural shingles are more expensive than the flat, three-tab version, but there are various price points for you to choose from to help you stay within your budget.
Warranty

The other important price factor when considering roofing shingles is the warranty. Obviously, a shingle that is warranted for 50 years is going to cost more than one warranted for 25 years. But it also will be better then the 25-year warranted shingle, so it will last longer.

When it comes to warranties, you need to know what the warranty covers before you can decide whether it’s worth the investment. The best warranty is one that has a "No Dollar Limit." Which means that no matter how bad the problem or the cost, the shingle manufacturer will take care of the problem.

If you are planning to get a new roof, it’s important to familiarize yourself with the common terms used in the roofing industry to help you make an educated decision when choosing a contractor and roofing materials. See the accompanying story for some of the most common terms used in the roofing business.

Once you have settled on the type of roof shingles you want, make sure you have enough roof and soffit ventilation to improve the shingle’s life. With the proper amount of insulation on your attic floor, your attic temperature is closer to the outdoor air temperature, which eliminates the potential to "cook" the underside of the shingles. Most roofing contractors will recommend and install the proper ventilation system for your roof.