HOME SECURITY ALARM COMPANIES

Today we all understand the importance of protecting our home and families with a quality home security alarm system. Before buying a system, however, a homeowner should talk to several good alarm companies as ask about the different types available. There are wired systems as well as wireless systems. The initial costs will vary depending on the type you choose. Some systems will have cameras, for example. Some systems run on the home electric grid and some operate on batteries. Some can be turned on and off remotely. All of the systems must have monitoring capability so when something happens, the alarm is sent to a center, then they contact the homeowner, and/or the police department. There may be some false alarms also. You need to find out how many false alarms are allowed by the alarm company before they charge you an additional fee, as well as the fees charged by the city for any false alarms. If there are too many false alarms, the police department may actually no longer respond and that makes the whole thing useless.

The costs involved are the initial installation, and ongoing monthly monitoring fees, and false alarm fees.

Its best to get referrals and then contact current customers on how they rate their alarm company; the costs, and the service. Contact local police for their input on the different alarm companies being used in the area. Take your time to do the research and in the end, this will pay off in better service and lower overall costs.

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FIXING A FROZEN PIPE

What should you do if a water pipe freezes? When water freezes, it tries to expand inside the pipe, and it pushes against the sides of the pipe, as well as any nearby valves, seams and faucets, and this results in costly damage if not taken care of fast. Whatever caused the pipes to freeze you need to get them thawed out as soon as possible so you can have running water again. If the pipe is not leaking that means that the water inside is frozen, or is ice. You’ll discover you have a leak only after the ice starts to melt.  If you’re not at your Vancouver home when the pipe thaws, it can cause major damage.

There are several methods for thawing frozen pipes. What ever method you use, always open the faucet the pipe supplies. Thawing the pipe will create steam inside and it could burst the pipe if there is no way for the steam to escape.

• Method #1: Use electric heat tape on the pipe, and wait for it to thaw out. This is a good method to use because it slowly thaws the pipe.
• Method #2: Wrap the pipe with several layers of cloth or toweling and pour hot water over the cloth or toweling. Repeat several times until the pipe is unfrozen.
• Method #3: Direct a heat lamp on the pipe itself. Place the lamp at least a foot away from the pipe. Be sure that the heat lamp is grounded properly.
• Method #4: Hold a hand-operated hair dryer to the pipe, and slowly move up and down the length of the frozen section. You will know the pipe is thawed out when water starts to trickle out of the open faucet. Let the water run for a while to completely clear the pipe. Then, close the faucet and check for leaks. Now you must find out why the pipe frozen and fix the problem.

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The Family Home Office

School has started and the kids need a good place to study and do home work.

Bedroom, den, living room, dining room table?  These are the traditional places that most of us have used for generations for studying or doing homework. Today, with many of us working at home either full time, or part time, we have set up home offices with all of the amenities that are ideals for the kids to do their studying and for completion of homework assignments. Most of us have up to date computers, copiers, scanners and the needed supplies for the kids to do an excellent job when having to complete an important assignment or for research needs. Most home offices have internet access to provide the needed research results for them.

Consider letting your children have access and use of your home office for a period of time each evening to do their homework and study. This will allow you to get out of the office for a set time and it sets an exact time and schedule for them to work and complete their assignments according to a schedule each day. Many people have adapted this policy in recent years and is is proving to be successful for both parents and the children. It can provide a quiet place for them to work and study and the tools to get that work done with properly. Set some guidelines and make sure the kids know what those rules are and agree what results are going to be required.

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Fireplace and Wood Stoves – Ready for a New Season

As fall quickly approaches and the evenings are getting cooler, we automatically look forward to a nice cozy fire. Wood burning stoves and fireplaces are common in many Vancouver homes here in Washington and Portland, and it is important to remember to be careful when building and burning fires in them. Routine maintenance and cleaning is the best way to prevent accidental fires from happening.

A good spark arrestor at the top of the chimney is a must and will stop sparks from coming out of the chimney and starting roof fires on your own roof or your neighbors roof.

Cleaning the fireplace or stove regularly can help guard against fires. Ash or creosote buildup in the flue can catch fire if the buildup has accumulated over a period of time and the fire temperature is hot. Creosote can be eliminated by maintaining a big, hot fire instead of small, smoky or wet fire which leads to creosote build up. The best solution is to hire a professional, licensed chimney sweep to properly clean the chimney flue and damper at least once a year. Learn the types of wood that is best for your needs.

Have a good screen or glass enclosure on the front of your fireplace to keep sparks from coming out of the fireplace and onto the floor or carpet in front of it.

Don’t leave a fireplace burning, or wood stove burning when no one is there to monitor the fire. Don’t go to bed with a fire burning..this can be very dangerous and life threatening.

Take time to check your fireplace or wood burning stove before the cold weather arrives. If you are not able to do this yourself, hire a professional chimney sweep to do the job. A good chimney sweep will also advise you on any important fireplace or stove repairs needed.

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CURB APPEAL IMPORTANT IN WINTER ALSO

If you are getting ready to put your home on the market, or listing your home for sale with winter coming on, remember that having good curb appeal is important and isn’t just applicable for summertime. 

The lawn may be sparse and brown in spots, the flowers all gone and some trees may have lost most or all of their leaves, but that doesn’t mean that the first impression of your home has to be negative.  There are some important things that you can do to make your front area look neat and clean and inviting.

Keep papers and clutter picked up. Be sure the front porch is clean and free of many clutter or leaves and branches. Keep sidewalks and driveways free of debris and any clutter. The lawn area can be kept raked and clean and trimmed with what ever grass may be left, trimmed and mowed. Clear away any dead flower plants and trim any evergreen plants to keep the flower beds neat and clean. The doors and window trim should be freshly painted and gutters clean and open. Be sure the garage door is painted along with any other garage trim. Hoses should be out of the way and rolled up neatly. Any maintenance tools should be out of the way and out of site. Clean the area along the curb and along any fences. Make sure the fences in the front yard are painted and repaired if needed. Clean any trash along fences and the needles and leaves around and under the trees so the yard is neat and clean and inviting.

Potential buyers want to see the yards’ potential when spring and summer comes next year.

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