Experts In Your Home Blog

Many Chico area residents have heard of the Grinch who stole Christmas. What they don't know is the identity of the Grinch who “stole” the tax credits on insulation, windows, doors, skylights and roofs.

Experts in Your Home doesn't know, either, though it's obviously someone affiliated with a high-level federal agency. We do know that this is one of those times where looking at the proverbial glass as half-full helps since 2017 tax credits are still available on some solar projects.

It's difficult to argue that saving some money is better than saving none at all. So allow the Experts to explain how the IRS-U.S. Department of Energy program works.

Many people hit the roof, go through the roof or act like a cat on a hot tin roof when they’re dealing with a roof leak.

And Experts in Your Home should know, because this is when we field the greatest number of calls for roof inspections. But a roof shouldn’t cave in – literally or figuratively – for you to schedule a roof inspection.

Instead of watching their favorite reality show on TV, many Chico area homeowners have witnessed a different reality: that of water streaming through the ceiling and splashing into their kitchen, family room or living room.

Water leaks are the most obvious sign that the recent rains have permeated the most important part of their home's outer “envelope”: the roof. (The other components include the attic, doors, windows, exterior walls and subfloor.) But water leaks are not the only sign.

Maybe you've noticed this phenomenon in your home: each new maintenance or home improvement task triggers a mad dash to your favorite home improvement store.

Need to plug some cracks around the windows? Better buy some caulk and a gun. Want to wrap that leaky pipe? Now you need duct tape. Want to hang pictures? Now you have to buy hooks and picture wire.

Some of these mad dashes cannot be avoided. No homeowner can be expected to have every tool within arm's reach, and many people build a tool collection over time. But if you're planning ahead and want to fortify your collection while you're at the store anyway, Experts in your Home recommends that you put these 20 must-have tools on your shopping list:

You might be single, divorced, married to someone who'd rather not be bothered by home maintenance tasks or a newly minted Chico homeowner.

But you're a woman, and you're also thrifty. While you don't necessarily seek to become a “home Jedi master,” you'd settle for knowing how to capably address some common tasks that can save you a significant amount of money over the long term.

Fewer amenities bring homeowners greater pride – and joy – than a newly installed wood deck. This large, stunning expanse of honey-brown wood, solid and sturdy but soft underfoot, provides added living space and quickly becomes a focal point for outdoor activities.

But then, invariably, alarm sets in. And that's when homeowners call Experts in Your Home in an alarmed state. What happened to my beautiful deck? It looks terrible!

In our recent article, “Increase Curb Appeal with New Exterior Home Painting”, we noted that Realtors often say that painting can enhance a home's “curb appeal.” And yes; we put the term in quotes, only because it's a term Realtors seem to favor. Then we said, “The painting contractors at Experts in Your Home believe this may be too limiting; painting improves your home's overall appeal, from any vantage point.”

We were trying to make the point that painting is a worthwhile investment that can enhance the pride the owner feels in a home, regardless of whether he or she is making improvements to placate an anxious realtor who is trying to sell it. 

So how many miles have you put on your air conditioner in the last year?

Since we don’t log miles on an air conditioning system as we do on a car, this is actually an impossible question to answer. But the bigger point is worth making: just as you put miles on your car every time you drive it, you put “miles” on your air conditioning system every time you use it. And for the same three reasons you take your car into the shop for a tune-up, you should schedule an annual maintenance check – an air conditioning system tune-up – with Experts in Your Home.

A better question, then, would be: Would you remind me again why it’s so important to get my air conditioning system checked before summer?

You should record yourself now, just as a friendly reminder of how a pet can wear down your resistance. “I'll never let him sleep on my favorite chair,” you might say – and genuinely mean it – until you find the the little fuzzball curled up and looking so docile and adorable that you let him stay put.

The fur he leaves behind is one thing – a nuisance you'll adapt to with time. But hazards are something else again, and you'll want to protect your new puppy or kitten from those household objects that could injure or make him or her physically sick.

Circle your home, room by room, to assess the potential hazards to your pet. There may be no such thing as truly “animal proofing” your home – unless you want to part with your favorite chair – but you can eliminate or minimize many hazards with proactive steps.

Most of them aren't particularly difficult. And most of them don't take much time or create much mess. But when it comes to certain home maintenance tasks, any reason – or excuse – will do when we just don't feel like dealing with them.

Experts in Your Home has a very good idea about what these tasks are – mostly because we've seen the consequences of avoidance. In other words, we've seen things malfunction and break down. We've seen homeowners grapple with flooding and fires. And most often, we've watched in frustration as homeowners confront huge repair bills – all of which they could have avoided if they had only “put their dread to bed” and tackled these 10 home maintenance tasks: