Many birds and the weather are headed the same direction this time of year.
They are going south.
This is the time of year to get ready for winter. It is when homeowners should join the ranks of contractors and owners of repair outlets who are busy taking care of jobs that need to be wrapped up before the weather prevents them.
They all have a list of chores, many of which are linked to last February.
“I’m still doing repairs on roofs that go back to that stretch,” says roofer Lou Holzer from Robinson, talking about what has become known as the Month of Snow. “I drive around, and I still see gutters hanging.”
Bob Smith from Wexford Ace Hardware agrees.
“If you remember last winter, I wouldn’t hesitate getting some gutter cables,” he says of the electric heating cables that can help prevent gutter ice dams and leaks.
Hank Michaels, a private contractor from Shaler, says getting up on the roof is a crucial step right now. It is important to make sure the shingles are in place and nails haven’t come loose. Check the chimney to make sure mortar joints are tight and the top is solid. Don’t forget the flashing and the gutters, he says.
One of the major keys to this season is lead time, says Jeff Moeslein, president of Legacy Remodeling in Dormont. Make these checks now so repairs or replacements can be made before it is too late.
Working in advance is important in another way, too, according to him and Paul Boyle, president of Thermo Twin, the window-maker from Oakmont.
A tax credit of up to $1,500 is available from the Internal Revenue Service through this year for energy-related improvements, Boyle says, but the windows have to be in place and operational by Dec. 31, not simply ordered.
“All of our windows are custom-made, and that can take eight weeks,” Boyle says.
Moeslein agrees, and adds the program has not been extended to next year, so acting now is important for any window issue.
Moeslein says air leaks cause the “No. 1 energy loss” in houses, so one of the most important actions is to make sure windows and doorways are keeping out the cold.
That generally is a simple matter that can be handled with weather stripping or rubber seal strips at the bottom of doors. The low-cost, do-it-yourself job can be an effective money-saver. Naturally, those jobs are easier now than doing them when the leaks have pointed out the problems.
Checking glass also is important, Boyle says. A cracked single-pane window reveals itself quickly, but faulty insulated glass can be determined through a foggy or dark appearance. Now is the time to check, Boyle says.
Michaels says that insulating water lines and water heaters can be a money-saver by creating quicker heating times.
Naturally, this also is the time to have an annual furnace checkup to make sure it is running correctly. Moeslein and several furnace service companies say they offer such examinations for about $70.
He and others also suggest home-energy audits, which can be arranged through utilities, home-improvement firms or organizations such as Conservation Consultants in the South Side, a group founded to help low-income people deal with energy issues.
Home-energy audits can be done anytime, but their value seems to rise as temperatures sink.
There are jobs that cannot be ignored on the outside, either.
All of the checks that are done on the roof should include the cleaning of gutters and downspouts. Micheals and Moeslein stress the importance of that job to give water a place to flow; otherwise, water can back up in them and freeze.
Smith and Moeslein both comment on the importance of sealing cracks in driveways. Water can seep down them, freeze and cause bigger cracks.
This also is a good time to do work around the garden or yard, reminds Al Sanfilippo, a Penn State master gardener from Hempfield. Besides cleaning up the lawn and keeping it clean for its winter dormancy, this is the time to:
• Get ready for the final fertilization. Sanfilippo says Penn State recommends a holiday-oriented schedule for applying fertilizer: Memorial Day, Labor Day and Thanksgiving. The last one “encourages root growth” through the cold months.
• Get a soil test through the Penn State extension service. The test measures the chemical condition of a lawn and can be done through a mail-in program. Costs sometimes vary from county to county, but they are about $9. Check for information in any county at www.extension.psu.edu and go to the Soil Testing Information link.
• Compost growth beds in the garden.
• Plant bulbs for spring.
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