HOME MAINTENANCE: Flush Your Water Heater

Post by ShowMeOKC.com. There’s no better day than today to take care of some regular home maintenance. They say you should drain your water heater every few months to get rid of sediment build-up and extend it’s life. Here’s how you do it:

How To Stop a Thief with a Zip-Tie

Can thieves get into your home with a coat hanger? The answer is YES, it may be that easy for someone to break into your home. Kinda scary, huh? Here’s how you can stop them for less than a buck: PLEASE BE SURE YOU SHARE THIS WITH EVERYONE YOU KNOW!

Your Reminder: Don’t Be Like Me

If you’re like me, you probably don’t change your HVAC air filters often enough. If you’re like me, you probably wait until temps get into the 90s or 100s before you remember how much trouble your HVAC system has keeping the house cool without fresh new filters. If you’re like me, you know (from experience) […]

Home Maintenance #11 – Leaky Toilets

I once heard that 9 out of 10 complaints to the water company can be traced back to leaky toilets. Personally, I’ve had experience with high water bills and water damage, neither of which are fun, not to mention how expensive they can get. It’s a good idea to do your own quick and easy […]

Home Maintenance #10 – Rake or Blow Leaves

It’s likely that you, like many, don’t think of raking and blowing leaves as home maintenance, but around here all but the hardiest of leaves have left their branches and created unsightly, and potentially damaging, piles of waste up against your foundation. These piles can cause you problems down the road because they increase the […]

Home Maintenance #9 – Grading

Have you ever paid attention to the grading around your home? Or maybe you’re thinking “What’s grading? That’s OK. Grading is simply the slop away or toward your home. The Soil near your home’s foundation should slope away from your home. If it doesn’t, rain and/or snow melt will get trapped next to your home […]

Home Maintenance #8 – Programmable Thermostats

Consider replacing traditional thermostats with programmable ones. According to ENERGY STAR, the average household spends $2,200 a year on energy bills and could save $180 a year by using a programmable thermostat to maintain proper heating and cooling settings. Seems like a no-brainer to spend a couple hundred dollars to save that same amount every […]

Home Maintenance #7 – Weatherstripping

In Oklahoma, it’s generally pretty easy to tell if your home is drafty, but even if you don’t feel drafts, you could still be wasting energy. Try this quick test: Close one of your outside doors on a sheet of paper. If the paper pulls out fairly easily and doesn’t tear, you’re likely losing energy. […]

Home Maintenance #6 – Christmas Lights

Did you know that each year, fires occurring during the holiday season claim the lives of over 400 Americans, injure 1,650 more, and cause over $990 million in damage? Those are the statistics that the U.S. Fire Administration has posted. Since many of you are already, or will soon be, putting up those beautiful light […]

Home Maintenance #5 – Hot Water

It may seem like a no-brainer, but when it’s cold outside, your hot water heater has to work harder to heat your water. It also has to re-heat it more often, but did you know that you may be able to boost your water heater’s efficiency by simply wrapping it in a thermal blanket? According […]