Cold Weather Maintenance

If you’re a first time homeowner, you’re probably not aware of all the little responsibilities that go along with winter maintenance of your home. Even for a long-time homeowner, the list always seems to grow. Here’s a quick snapshot of the top 10 things we recommend you do this winter.

1. Test smoke alarms and carbon dioxide detectors. You never know when a big storm is going to hit, and the last thing you need is to run out of batteries for these necessities.
2. Check your driveway. Small cracks can turn into big ones with snow, ice and changes in temperature. Fill cracks before the next big storm if you can. 
3.  Change out furnace filters. You might think filters do the most work during the warmer months when windows are open, but they’re still working hard in the winter.
4. While you’re down inspecting that furnace filter, take a look and see if it’s time to have a professional out to clean out the furnace and air ducts.
5. Clean out your gutters. Leaves, debris, birds nests, wasp nests. It all piles up in your gutters and can really cause a problem when winter comes. Backups can cause melting snow to freeze and weigh down gutters, which can then end up on the ground.
6. Clear out drains. Winter is a great time to clean out drains because if, for whatever reason, pipes freeze, you definitely want them to be clear of debris. Send ½ cup Baking Soda followed by ½ cup vinegar down each drain, wait 15 minutes and then pour boiling water down.
7. Here’s one even a long-time homeowner probably isn’t doing: cleaning out refrigerator coils. Pull out your fridge and vacuum around the coils as best you can. This will save you some money on energy costs, and prolong the life of your fridge.
8. Our skin tends to get very dry in the winter. Don’t forget to add salt (and stock up on it if you can) to your water softener. Your skin will love you.
9. If the ground is still malleable enough, check and make sure the grading in your yard is favorable for drainage. Snow can pile up and make the situation worse, so fix it while you can.
10. Save your outdoor pipes from bursting and remove those hoses. You can also buy winter guards for each spigot to ensure pipe safety.

Do you have any other tips for winter home maintenance? Share them in the comments!

Keeping Your House Clean with Pets

Hair. Dander. Slobber. While we love our dogs and cats, these are all common grievances of pet ownership. As the weather starts to turn (we promise it will happen soon), you’ll begin to notice less dander and more hair, as winter coats give way to warmer temperatures. Slobber, on the other hand, is a year-round ordeal.

Whether you’re a new pet owner or a seasoned caregiver, there’s always a certain amount of vigilance that goes along with owning a furry companion and keeping your house looking (and smelling) like you don’t own a zoo. It is by no means easy work, but here are some tips on keeping your house fresh for all. 

 For those with furball-tumbleweed producers, it can sometimes seem like keeping floors and carpets clean is an endless chore. Brushing your dog or cat regularly will decrease the amount of hair in the air and on the floor.

Brushing at least twice weekly will really make a difference, and if you’re able to brush your pet outside, you can really reduce the amount of airborne hair. If you’re unsure about what type of brush would suit your four-legged friend best, consult your vet.

Not only will brushing your pet more frequently help with keeping hair accumulation at bay, for cats, tidy coats will help to eliminate hairballs, which will certainly help keep your house cleaner.

Bathing might seem like a natural solution to stinky, shedding dogs, but frequent bathing can sometimes result in dryer skin, and even more dander. Cats will clean themselves unless they are sick or elderly. Dogs, however, should not be bathed more than once per month, unless they’ve been rolling around in dirt or mud.

Having just spent the past few months cooped up inside due to cold weather, it’s likely your air filter has been picking up a lot of stray dust and hair. Be sure to check your filters every couple of weeks, depending on how much your pets shed.

As far as solutions for slobber, there isn’t too much you can do, aside from keeping damp cloths available. For larger dogs with droopy jowls, narrow hallways tend to collect drool, so definitely add a wipe-down to your weekly routine.

Don’t settle for an old home

Television shows like “Flip this House” or “Love it or List it” are fun to watch, and many believe they possess the true passion and expertise to renovate old homes. But in reality, it’s a much riskier game than some would lead you to think. Oftentimes with old homes, flooring jobs become structural nightmares, and creating more space in an old bathroom can mean thousands in unexpected plumbing fees.

Simply put, old homes are unpredictable, and can lead a homeowner down a never-ending path of constant work and dwindling funds.

Generally speaking, the oldest homes in America are found in the Northeast, according to a recent report by the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Interestingly, the report also revealed that New York State has the oldest median age of homes at 57 years. Houses that were built in the 50’s have their advantages (beautiful wood floors, for example), but more homeowners must invest in heavy upgrades to keep their older homes energy efficient and modern. There were less stringent structural requirements, including wiring and insulation, both of which can make a big difference not only in energy efficiency, but safety as well.

Across America, the median age home is 23 years--so why has New York fallen so far behind? Thankfully for those looking to move to Rochester from out of state or in state, Faber Homes can be a saving grace.

New York is a beautiful place to live, and Faber makes it easy to build the home of your dreams. Visit our website today to learn about our growing communities and modern floorplans: www.faberhomes.com.