November 1, 2010
Dear Readers: Many of you "snow birds" go away for extended periods during cold weather . So, here are some tips to get the house ready:
First, I'm not a believer in shutting off the heat entirely. You risk freeze-ups of standing water in the clothes-and dishwashers as well as residual water pipes inside wall cavities; plus the super cold temperatures are brutal on woodwork, furniture, electronic devices and appliances. So, set the thermostat at no lower than 55 degrees. Then flush each toilet and remove the water in the bowl and tank with a large car washing sponge. That leaves a hole that can let sewer gas into the house, so stuff a couple of plastic shopping bags in there--but not too far. Invert a piece of Tupperware over the shower drain and, finally, close the pop-up stoppers in each remaining sink.
It's also a good idea to relieve the pressure in the system. Turn the water heater off--including the pilot--and then close the main incoming water valve in the basement. Let some water dribble out of the lowest bathroom sink to let atmospheric pressure into the pipes. To ensure that the icemaker won't keep calling for water from a dry pipe, lift up that little lever in the freezer compartment. It's also a good idea to open cabinet doors under sinks on outside walls to let some warm air waft through those spaces.
Security is a consideration also. Turn on a talk radio station at a loud volume, plug lamps into random on-off timers and either unplug the garage door opener or push the "locked" button on the control if it has one. Finally, police say you should leave all window coverings partially open so no one can have free rein inside the premises.
Remember that winter watering is a must here if we have a dry, warm season. So, you'll have to hold a class in basic plumbing at your house for a kindly neighbor-so they can easily turn the water back on, un-winterize the sprinkler system, run it and the re-winterize it.
Water-using appliances, like the aforementioned clothes- and dishwasher, don't do very well if they are left unused for long periods. So, if you'll be away for more than six weeks or so, have that same friend come in to exercise them for a short period.
Dear Ken: How do I get graffiti off a concrete wall. Or should I just keep repainting it? Tim
Concrete is so porous that it absorbs paint like the proverbial sponge. Usually, no amount of power washing or chemical stripping will help remove the offensive artwork. So, check with a paint store for their version of graffiti- resistant, water based paint. While not perfect, it does allow you to easily wipe away the work of these "artists". It may eventually discourage them altogether, so they'll then move on to the next target down the street.
Dear Ken: How can I tell if the heat tapes under my manufactured home are working? Al
Remember that they only turn on when the temperature gets near freezing (usually around 37 degrees and lower). One way is to turn off all the circuits in the house except the one feeding the heat cable; if the meter still spins, you know it is on. If you have one of the new digital electric meters, you can look for a series of dashes moving left to right on its face. That indicates that current is flowing.
Finally, you can use a clamp-style ammeter to check for current flow. Remember that you must surround only one cord wire at a time-not both Otherwise, you'll get a zero reading.
