Squeaky Floor Repairs…

Here are tips and instructions on how to effectively eliminate squeaky flooring. Article was tapped from eHow.com, and written by Murray Anderson.

For original article, click here…

             Things You’ll Need:

• Hammer and flooring nails
• Screws (square headed – 1 1/2 to 2 inches long)
• Shims
• Stud finder
• Talcum powder
• Powdered graphite
• 1 x 4 lumber for bracing or blocking

Eliminate squeaks from the top

1. Step 1 Often you can’t get to the underside of your floor to work on the squeak (the squeaky floor is on the second story or there is a finished ceiling below the squeak).
2. Step 2 Eliminate small squeaks by sprinkling some talcum powder or powdered graphite (NOT liquid graphite lock lubricant) along the seams of the floorboards. (Graphite is messier to work with than talcum powder). Cover the powder with a paper towel or a cloth and step on the boards a few times to work the powder into the seam. Then vacuum up the residue.
3. Step 3 The powder will often provide enough lubrication between the boards to stop them rubbing against each other.
4. Step 4 Still squeaking–fasten the floorboards more securely to the sub floor.
5. Step 5 Install 6d or 8d flooring nails at least 1/2 inch from the edge of the floorboard right down into the subfloor. Predrill holes slightly smaller then the nail shank to prevent the floorboards from splitting.
6. Step 6 Sink the nail heads below the board surface and patch with wood filler color matched to your floorboards.
7. Step 7 Alternatively you can use small screws to fasten the boards, since over time, screws hold better than nails. Countersink the screw heads below the floor surface and patch the hole with wood filler.
   

   Eliminate squeaks when you can get to the underside of your floor

8. Step 1 Check the cross bracing between your floor joists. If it’s loose, reattach it–using screws.
9. Step 2 Try putting shims on top of the floor joists directly under the floorboards. Push the shims in tightly but don’t pound them in or you might actually push the floor up from below.
10. Step 3 Alternatively, fasten your sub floor to the floor joists by installing extra screws driven at an angle through the floor joist up into the sub floor.
11. Step 4 Another option is to install extra 1″ x 4″ bracing between floor joists. Screw the bracing firmly into the sub floor using screws just long enough to go through the sub floor, but not all the way through the floorboards themselves.
    

    Eliminate floor squeaks under your carpet

12. Step 1 Roll back the carpet if possible, so you have direct access to the floorboards. Use one of the techniques suggested for working from above.
13. Step 2 If you can’t remove the carpet you can nail right through the carpet and the flooring directly into the sub floor.
14. Step 3 Use a stud finder to find your floor joists then drive your nails into the underlying joists.

Add a Loft, and Add Square Footage…

We have a friend who recently added a loft inside her home, and in doing so, added a much needed movie/entertainment area that was separate from her one main living room on the first floor. Lofts are typically plausible with, but not limited to, two story homes with an exposed high ceiling area, and add a whole new element of function for people who feel their home is not quite big enough for their needs. In turn, this is a great way to add property value as well, as you are killing two birds here…

1) with improving the condition of your home 
2) with adding square footage
 
The report we got from our friend, who used Loftcrafters in Irvine CA, sounded like a fairy tale as far as home improvement stories go. From what she says, they were very engaging with the project from the start, the project was soundly engineered, once the project started it didn’t stop until it was completed, every step of the way was attended to in a very hands on manner, and turn time was minimal. Additionally, there was not one complaint about any phase of the construction, the workmanship, or the pricing.

“All in all, a joy to due to business with.” 

If you’re in Orange County, are thinking of adding a loft and would like to speak with the right company from the start, ask for Doug or Tom at Loftcrafters… 

The Loftcrafters, Inc.
8 Hammond, Ste 102
Irvine, CA 92618
949.456.1234… Office
949.266.9688… Fax
info@loftcrafters.com
http://www.loftcrafters.com/default.aspx

Installing Recessed Lighting…

There’s alot of negative speculation and opinion circulating right now about housing, our economy, the current administration, and other matters that will take years to unfold and work itself out. How about we turn our attention to helping ourselves and performing activities that enrich our lives, and our property values as well!

Here’s a installation guide for putting in your own recessed lighting improvements, written by Dave Donovan for DoItYourself.Com. At the very least, it will give you a heads-up on the proper way camb lighting should be installed, and better prepare you for overseeing an electrician or finish carpenter’s handy work…

Always a good idea. 

For full article, click here…
To familiarize yourself and/or order Tools, Fittings, Handy Devices, Parts, and Switches, click here…

Recessed Lighting (article)

Is your home feeling a little outdated? Are you tired of looking at the old coffee table lamps that just don’t shed suitable light? Do you cringe when you imagine what that 300 watt halogen lamp is doing to your electric bill? If you answered “yes” to any or all of these questions, then you may be interested in installing recessed lights to solve your lighting needs.

Recessed lights are basically lights that are installed above your ceiling, so all you get is directional lighting without all the cords and mess. If you’ve ever been to an art gallery or a fine restaurant, you may have noticed recessed lights in use. Art galleries use them to showcase works of art. Fine restaurants use them to cast a warm glow throughout the restaurant, without the glare of traditional lamps. Now you can add that touch of class and warmth to your own home, and it’s easier than you can imagine.

Tools

• Drill
• Volt-Ohm Tester
• Wire Strippers
• Romex Stripper
• Screwdrivers
• Wire Fish
• Metal Coat Hanger
• Pencil
• Tape Measure
• Stud Finder
• Drywall Saw

 

Materials

• 12/2 Romex Wire (or wire compatible with the rest of your lighting)
• Romex Connectors
• Electrical Tape
• Drywall Screws
• Drop Cloth
• Goggles and Face Mask

 

1)  Take an in-depth look at the room you want the lights in. You may want to draw the room on a piece of paper and map out how the lighting will affect the room, and where the lights will be placed. If you like to move the furniture around often, keep in mind how the furniture arrangement will be affected by the lights. You can move the furniture, but you can’t move the lighting. Unless you’re working with a drop-ceiling, you’ll want to find out which way the ceiling beams run with the stud finder and lightly mark them so you can easily know where they are located. The recommended distance between fixtures is about 6 feet, so the tape measure will help you find the right distance.

2) Decide on the type of recessed lighting that will work best for your room. There are many choices to pick from, such as directional “eyeball” fixtures, standard downward pointing fixtures, and multiple choices in light bulb intensities. Eyeball fixtures are ideal if you want to spotlight some art on the wall, but for overall light, downward facing fixtures shed more. Also, you’ll have to choose between fixtures that attach to the ceiling beams or the ceiling drywall itself. Attaching to the beams adds the most support, but some ceilings are not easy to access and the fixtures that attach to the drywall will prove easier to install there. In a drop-in ceiling, fixtures can come with clamps that grab onto the metal rails for support.

3) Next, you’ll have to make sure the circuit you’re adding the lights to can handle the additional load. For this tutorial, we’ll assume there is already a light installed in the center of the ceiling that we will be removing to facilitate the recessed lights. Turn on the ceiling light and any other lights or equipment that are supplied by the breaker. Go to the electrical panel and take the cover off. Be careful, the panel is live! If you already know which breaker is the controlling circuit, then set your Volt-Ohm tester to Amps and probe the wire attached to the breaker. Some VOM’s have a clamp that gets connected to it instead of the regular wire probes, and some have a “U” shape at the end that slides over the wire. Check the VOM’s directions to make sure you are doing it correctly.

Now that you know the amps that the breaker is pulling, put the cover back on the panel. We next need to see if the breaker will handle the load. You will need to combine the amps that the breaker is drawing with the amps that the new lights will add to it. Here is the equation to figure out the amps the new lights will add: AMPS=WATTS/VOLTS. Add up the total watts of the new lights and divide them by your house voltage. For example, if your house voltage is 120 volts, and you are adding six 40 watt lights to the circuit, the equation will be AMPS=240/120, so the answer would be 2 amps. Now, if the breaker is a 20 amp breaker and it’s only drawing 10 amps, then the new lights will only raise it to 12 amps, so you’re good to go. Keep in mind, that even though a breaker is rated for a certain amperage, it really shouldn’t be handling more than 80% of the listed rating. So, a 20 amp breaker should really not be handling more than 16 amps of load.

4) Once you figure the lighting load and your light locations, cover the furniture with the drop cloths and drill a tiny hole in the ceiling where you want your fixture to be installed. Unwind the metal coat hanger and stick one end through the hole. Most recessed fixtures need about 8 inches of clearance above the drywall. Do this with each location so you know you won’t run into any trouble later on.

5) Use the cutout blueprint that came with your lights to trace the hole for your lights. Use the drywall saw to cut out the fixture holes (Make sure you have the goggles and face mask on during this part!) Now go back to the panel and turn the breaker OFF.

6) Once all the holes are cut, use the wire fish to pull the wire from hole to hole, starting at the last light-hole in the line. Cut the wire at each hole, leaving about 24 inches both coming and going from each hole. Disassemble the original ceiling light and remove it. Fish the wire from the “first” light to the junction box.

Now you should have all the holes cut, and there should be wires both coming and going from each hole, except the last one in the line (only one set of wires coming into the hole). Now it’s time to start installing fixtures. It’s best to start at the last light in the line.

7) Use the romex stripper to strip back the plastic romex sheath to expose the individual wires. Open the junction box on the light fixture. Slide the wire through the romex connector and tighten the screws on the connector, leaving about 8 inches of wire available.

Take the knockout on the junction box out and slide the wires through. Use the locknut to connect the romex connector to the junction box. Connect the wires together (black to black, white to white, and ground to ground) with the wire nuts and tape the wires with electrical tape where the wires meet the nuts. Stuff the wires back into the junction box and close the cover.

9) Lift the can into the hole and secure it with the retaining hardware that came with it. To finish the installation, attach the decorative outside ring to the canister and screw in the light bulb.

10) Follow these same directions with each of the remaining lights. Once you get to the main junction box, simply connect the wires together (again, black to black, etc.) and install a round blank plate to cover the old box. Make sure the switch is in the OFF position. Turn the breaker back on. Turn the switch on and admire your new recessed lighting.

All that’s left now is to remove the drop cloth, clean up the mess, reposition the furniture, and enjoy your new lights. To get the most out of your new lighting, you may want to look into adding a dimmer switch to the mix to get just the right amount of warmth and ambiance for your room.

 

Air Conditioning Repairs…

Summer is coming, and it’s time to make sure your AC is in working order. Here is an article from HomeTips.com that pretty much covers the basics.

For full article, click here…

Air conditioner doesn’t cool
A central air conditioner that runs but doesn’t cool may just need to be cleaned. Plan to do this on a relatively warm day. Follow the instructions in your owner’s manual.

1) Before you begin, turn off the power to the unit. There is normally a shut-off or disconnect panel on the house wall next to the outdoor compressor. Otherwise, shut off the air conditioner’s 240-volt circuit at the main electrical panel.

2) Rake leaves and debris away from the outdoor condenser.

3) Remove any protective grille or cover from the condenser’s fins.

4) Use a soft brush to clean dirt and debris from the fins, and then vacuum them with a brush attachment (be careful not to damage the fins).

5) Unscrew and lift the top grille off the unit, if possible. If the fan is attached to the grille, be careful not to pull any wires loose.

6) From inside the unit, hose down the fins (protect the wiring and motor with plastic sheeting). If your owner’s manual calls for lubricating the motor, do that now-but don’t overlubricate.

7) Reassemble the unit.

To test it, turn the power on and set the thermostat to turn the unit on. Let it run for a few minutes, and then feel the two pipes that connect to the condenser unit (slide any insulation back). One should feel warm, the other cool. Otherwise, call an air-conditioning technician-the refrigerant may need to be recharged.

Important note: Avoid straining an air conditioner’s compressor by waiting at least five minutes between turning it off at the thermostat and turning it back on.

Air conditioner doesn’t turn on
If your central air conditioner doesn’t go on automatically:

1) Be sure the thermostat is set to “cool” and below the current temperature.

2) A central air conditioner should be on a dedicated 240-volt circuit; check the main electrical panel and any secondary circuit panels for a tripped breaker or blown fuse. If you find the problem here, reset the breaker or replace the fuse.

3) Make sure the furnace power switch is turned on and that the outdoor condenser’s power switch, mounted on the outdoor unit, hasn’t been shut off. Also, be sure the 240-volt disconnect next to the compressor (in a metal box, usually mounted on the house wall) hasn’t been shut off.

4) Turn off the power to the air conditioner and check the thermostat.

5) Remove the thermostat’s cover and unscrew the wire from the Y terminal.

6) Turn the power back on.

7) Holding the wire by its insulation ONLY, touch the bare end to the R terminal and hold it there for about two minutes. If the compressor kicks on, the thermostat is faulty; replace it or call an air-conditioning technician. If the compressor doesn’t go on when you hold the two wires together, turn the power back off and call a technician.

Major room temperature swings
When room temperatures swing more than about 3 degrees between when the air conditioner goes off and on again, it generally means that the heat pump isn’t cycling on often enough. See “Adjust Thermostat Heat Anticipator.”

Room temperature drops too low
When room temperature drops lower than the set temperature on the thermostat, it usually means that the thermostat is improperly calibrated or installed where it doesn’t sense a proper sampling of room air.

Air handler squeals
Squealing sounds from a forced-air heat pump generally occur when the belt that connects the motor to the fan slips. If the blower is making a grinding noise, shut off the unit and call a heat pump repair technician-the motor’s bearings are probably shot.

In most cases, the belt is improperly aligned or worn and needs replacement. Refer to your owner’s manual.

This job involves removing the access panel, loosening a couple of bolts that hold the blower motor at the proper tension, and realigning or adjusting the belt. In many cases, it’s a good idea to remove it and buy a replacement.

When reinstalling the belt, be careful not to overtighten it as this can wear out the motor bearings.

Water pools next to air conditioner
Air conditioners and high-efficiency combustion furnaces create significant condensation, which exits through a plastic drain tube. This should go into a floor drain or be carried away by a small “condensate pump.” If water is pooling at the base of the appliance, something may be blocking the water’s flow, or leaking, or the pump may not be working.

1) Look to see if one of the tubes is leaking. If it is, replace it.

2) Test the condensate pump by pouring water into its pan. If the pump doesn’t start, either it isn’t receiving power or it is broken. Be sure that it’s plugged in and test the circuit. If it’s broken, either get it repaired or replace it.

3) If the pump runs but doesn’t empty the pan, the ball-like check valve just before the discharge tube is probably stuck. Unscrew the check valve, loosen the ball inside, and look for an obstruction.

If it appears that a condensation drain tube is clogged with algae, remove it if possible (you may have to cut it and replace it later with a coupling). Run a wire through it to clear it. To kill the algae, pour a dilute solution of bleach (1 part bleach to 16 parts water) through the pipe.

4) Ice may be blocking the tube. If this is the case, be sure the filter isn’t dirty. If the filter appears to be fine, the air conditioner’s refrigerant supply is probably low. This is when it’s time to call an air-conditioning technician.

Air ducts are noisy
Many heating/cooling ducts are metal so they conduct noise quite readily from the air-handling unit to your rooms. To break the conduction of sound, you can have a heating contractor insert flexible insulation ductwork between the heating/cooling system and the ductwork runs.

If you hear a pinging or popping sound coming from the ductwork, this may be caused by thermal expansion or by air blowing past a loose flap of metal. Track along the duct runs, listening for the sound. If you find it, make a small dent in the sheet metal to provide a more rigid surface that’s less likely to move as it heats and cools.

10 New Tax Breaks For Homeowners…

Here is an interesting article from Forbes Magazine that outlines 10 of the new tax breaks, enviormental home improvement incentives, and help in general for distressed home ownership situations. The list of 10 is provided below…

For full article, click here…

1) First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit

In order to pass the $787 Federal Stimulus Plan, the proposed $15,000 first- time home buyer tax credit was rolled back to $8,000. While that might not entice you to buy a home, Congress did adjust the terms such that the $8,000 loan doesn’t have to be repaid so long as the homeowner stays put for three years.

2) Higher Reverse Mortgage Loan Limits

The Federal Housing Administration previously had $417,000 limits on what they’d insure, but bumping it up to $625,000 means that many more homeowners with depressed stock portfolios and thus little money to draw on will be able to tap into home equity cash.

3) Higher Conforming Loan Limits

The government is also empowering the Federal Housing Authority to insure more expensive loans by upping the conforming loan limit to $729,750. For those under that new umbrella it means access to lower mortgage rates, because this insurance makes these loans less risky for banks to issue.

4) Underwater Mortgages

At around 4.8%, mortgage rates are the lowest they’ve been since the Second World War. Ordinarily, those with debt in excess of their home’s value have not been able to refinance. In an effort to help underwater homeowners, those with a maximum of 105% debt on their home’s value are eligible to refinance as long as Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac backs their loans.

5) Lower Interest Rates

Homeowners who are in owner-occupied units, not those that own second homes, and didn’t misrepresent their income or utilize no-documentation loans, are eligible for a five-year grace period where their mortgage rates are dropped such that monthly payments equal 31% of gross income if the loan is held by Freddie or Fannie and was written before January 2009. Make your payments on time for those five years and you’ll get $1,000 per year in bonuses.

6) Geothermal Heat Pumps

In October, Congress issued a credit to cover 30% of cosys of geothermal heaters up to $3,000, yet few were taking advantage. The reason? Geothermal heat pumps often cost $20,000 to buy and install, making $3,000 nice, but not helpful enough. The stimulus package removed the $3,000 cap, but left the 30% of costs benefit.

 7) Solar Hot Water

Solar water systems are eligible for a 30% credit of the initial purchase and installation cost. That’s good news as systems often run between $6,000 and $10,000. The credit is available through 2016, a sizable window to cash in on the benefits of lower cost energy, and is available to those who use the solar system to heat their home’s water, not that of hot tubs or pools.

Weatherproofing

By design, much of the stimulus money will be doled out through programs at the state level, including $5 billion for weatherproofing homes. Homeowners buying foam sealants, caulk and weather stripping are eligible for up to $1,500 in credits for improving the energy envelope of their home, available through 2016.

9) Fuel Cells

Not many people have fuel cell technology (essentially a giant battery system) in their homes, but if you have enough space, for a cell or microturbine system, the government will kick you back 30% of your costs up to $1,500 per 0.5 kilowatts of power capacity. Put simply, the more energy you can generate, the bigger your credit.

10) Windows, Doors & Roofs

In bringing back the tax credits of 2007, the government will cover 30% of costs up to $5,000 for windows, doors and roofs that improve energy efficiency. However, homeowners will have to demonstrate that their improvements are expected to last at least five years through the inclusion of a product warranty included with their tax form.

Well Received Kitchen & Bath Upgrades…

Here’s an article from Ben Roberts, a real estate professional in northwest Arkansas. Ben is associated with www.exitrealestate540.com, and this recent post on his site covers what buyers perceive to be the right upgrades in the homes they are looking at. Most of his suggestions here are right on the money. A couple of his “green” suggestions make me wonder just how many ”green-centric” buyers are out there, and just how cross-appealing water restrictive devices would be.

Overall, a very good collection of appropriate home improvements for maximum appeal.

Read the full article… here.

Contractor Tips…

Here’s a short article from the OC Register pertaining to few home fixing topics, referral companies included…

Chipped Tile…                   Marshall & Sons Ceramic Tile, Costa Mesa 
Garage Door Problems…    Mako Overhead Door, Anaheim
Accurate Measuring…        KB Kitchens & Floors, Anaheim