2020 New Year To-Do List for Your Home

Once every 365 days, the world gets a fresh start — a new beginning — and the opportunity to make changes. For homeowners, the home is a great place to start with New Year-inspired changes. After an entire year of sheltering the family, providing water, light and heat, the home deserves a thorough check-up and some upgrades. Here are a few to-do’s every homeowner should have on their list to make sure their home is in top shape.

Check for water leaks.

Water leaks may be easy to miss. Whether it’s a steadily dripping faucet or water pooling around your shower, tub, washer hoses or toilet, a small leak will eventually turn into a plumbing disaster if ignored. If you spot an unusual spike in your water bill, wet or damp floors, foul odors, lush growth in your lawn or cracks in the wall, then you may be seeing the beginnings of serious water damage. Don’t delay in contacting Hamilton Plumbing, Heating, A/C, Rooter for a proper inspection and repair.

Check for air leaks.

Air leaks are sneaky. You may feel a draft of cold air in your home, but not know where it’s coming from. A few air leaks here and there can add up to significant heat loss and decrease the efficiency of your heater, leading to higher utility costs.

One quick and easy way to check for an air leak is to shut a door or window on a dollar bill. If you can easily pull out the dollar bill, then you’ve got an air leak. A few common air sealing trouble spots include:

• Air barrier and thermal barrier alignment
• Attic air sealing
• Attic knee-walls
• Staircase framing at exterior wall
• Porch roof
• Flue or chimney shaft
• Attic access
• Recessed lighting
• Ducts
• Whole-house fan
• Exterior wall penetrations
• Fireplace wall
• Garage/living space walls
• Cantilevered floor
• Rim, joists, sill plate, foundation, floor
• Windows and doors
• Common walls between attached dwelling units

Air leaks can be sealed by caulking, weather-stripping, or insulation. Reach out to the 4 Eco Services for more information on what you can do to improve the efficiency of your home heater.

Add insulation to keep pipes from freezing.

The winter months can be brutal in Missouri. While your family may be safe from the cold, the pipes in your home may be at risk of freezing and cracking. To protect your water pipes, wrap outdoor spigots with foam covers and or use foam pipe insulation. If you notice cracks in water pipes, turn off the water immediately and use sealant to temporarily seal the crack. However, we recommend having a professional inspect more serious and extensive cracks in water pipes.

Check and/or replace sprinkler heads.

You may have a sprinkler problem on your hands if you notice the following:

• Low water pressure
• Spurting water
• Inconsistent spray pattern
• Excessive water pressure

If it’s been a while since you’ve replaced your sprinkler heads, it may be time to install new ones. Reach out to Hamilton Plumbing, Heating, A/C, Rooter at (913) 227-4943 for eco-friendly sprinkler brand recommendations.

Inspect the water heater.

The water heater helps you enjoy a nice hot shower at the end of a stressful day. But every now and then, it’s your water heater that needs some stress relief. If you spot any leaks under the water heater, under or around the relief valve, or at the piping to and from the water heater, then your water heater needs professional attention.

It’s a New Year and the values of the 4 Eco Services team have not changed. We are as committed as ever to servicing your home in a friendly, efficient, and eco-friendly manner.