Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers
November Maintenance
NOVEMBER Just Do It!

Squeaky Floors and Stairs

Have someone move around where the floor squeaks and go to the basement or crawl space looking for gaps between the subfloor and the joists. Apply carpenter's glue to a wooden shingle or shim and use a hammer to drive it tightly between the subfloor and joist.

The same trick works if there's a squeak at the back of a stair tread. When the glue is dry, cut the shingle or wedge flush with the face of the riser with a utility knife.

If the squeak is at the front of the stair tread drill 1/16-inch pilot holes through the stair tread into the top edge of the riser. Angle the holes towards each other, then drive 6d finishing nails into the pilot holes. Sink their heads below the surface of the treads with a nail set and fill the holes with wood putty.

Paint High Traffic Areas

The rooms in a house that get the most wear and tear need frequent painting so give a quick coat of paint to the hallway and mudroom where handprints can be a problem. Wash the scuff marks with a detergent solution so the surface is clean. When dry, remove any detergent with a cloth dampened in water and allow it to dry before painting. Choose a paint designed for washability for previously painted walls in high traffic areas. An eggshell finish withstands repeated washings without fading and it's ideal for walls and trim.

Garage Door Check

On a segmented or sectional door use a 20-weight oil on the hinges connecting the door sections, the rollers along the side tracks and other moving hardware.

On a manual swing-up garage door lubricate the large pivot hinges at each side which you'll find in the middle of the door jamb. Apply a light all-purpose grease on the hinges and all moving hardware. If the mounting bolts and hardware are loose or missing replace them.

Fireplace and Wood Stove

Gather fallen tree branches and cut and stack them for kindling. Use a pruning saw for thick branches and break thin pieces by hand. Stack them in a sheltered area so they'll be dry and accessible.

Get a fireproof hearth throw rug to prevent sparks or ashes from causing a fire or creating damage to the flooring.

Snow Shovel Tune Up

Inspect your aluminum or fiberglass snow shovel to see that the corners of the blade are straight and sharp. If the reinforcing metal bar is bent at a corner straighten it by placing the shovel on a sturdy surface like a workbench or on top of a vise and pound the steel strip flat with a hammer. Whenever striking or using a striking took be sure to wear eye protection. Then give the blade a light coating of oil to keep it from rusting.

written by Gene and Katie Hamilton

copyright HouseNet Inc 1996

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