Planning To Renovate

   1) If there are any exterior wood surfaces that need painting; then paint them now before the temperature dips below the freezing point. If the paint is peeling off from the wood, this is a sign of moisture in the wood. All of the moisture must be removed from the wood before painting. You can purchase chemicals at your local building supply stores to help dry the moisture. Using a good quality exterior latex primer and two or three coats of an exterior grade acrylic latex paint will give you a finish that should last for years.

 2) If you have a forced air heating system do the following: Before turning your furnace on have your chimney checked for any obstructions such as nests or dead animals. A furnace operating with an obstructed chimney can cause carbon monoxide poisoning to anyone in the house. High efficiency furnaces do not use a chimney, they vent through a small plastic pipe usually going out the side of the house; check this pipe for nests as well as clearing all foliage that may have grown around it. Have a technician check your furnace thoroughly; a cracked heat exchanger in the furnace can also cause carbon monoxide poisoning.

  Install new filters, clean the humidifier, and install a new sponge or cell for it.

  If you have a hot water heating system do the following: Before turning your boiler on have your chimney checked for any obstructions such as nests or dead animals. Bleed all of the radiators to remove all air from the system.

  Turn the circulating pump on and check that there are no leaks around the pump. The seals in the pump may develop a leak if the pump has not been running during the off season. Turn the thermostat up to a high enough temperature setting to activate the boiler and make sure that all of the radiators are getting warm.

  It would be a good idea to have a qualified technician check your boiler or furnace system now, rather than when it starts getting really cold, because then you may be faced with a hefty emergency service charge! (Sort of like waiting for the last minute to buy flowers on Mother's day, if you know what I mean.)

  3) Check all the weather seals on the exterior doors and windows. Replace any worn seals or door thresholds; these can be purchased at most hardware stores.

  4) Check for any broken windowpanes or failed seals on thermo-seal units. Moisture between the two pieces of glass is a sign that the seal has failed and you will have to get the entire thermo-sealed unit replaced.