Section V - As the Seasons Pass

1. Protect outside faucets by removing all garden hoses, turn off inside valve, and then turn on outside valve. This will allow water to drain from the pipes and prevent winter
   freezing.
2. Keep areaways free of debris to prevent overflows and water damage to basement.
3. Change air filters to protect your Heating and Cooling Unit and to cut down on energy bills.
4. Keep gutters and downspouts clear of leaves and debris to prevent ice damming and water damage. A clogged downspout can cause flooding of basements and water leaks into your home.
5. Change the batteries in your smoke detectors.
6. Check your sump pump for proper operation and be sure that water is draining away from the home at the discharge line.
7. If you have ceiling fans reverse to fan direction to blow up for the heating season.
8. Seal driveways to prevent damages from salts and other ice melting chemicals that may be carried in from the public streets.
9. Check outside caulking for cracks and touch up as necessary to prevent air and water leaks.
10. Maintain positive water flows away from home by filling settled areas.

WINTER TIPS

1. Keep downspouts and gutters clear of leaves to prevent ice build up.
2. Make sure all outside hose bibs are turned off and garden hoses are disconnected to prevent freezing.
3. Keep snow and ice off doorsills and out of sliding glass door tracks.
4. Check sump pump for proper operation.
5. Check areaway drain for debris to prevent icing.
6. Never use salt to remove ice from walks or driveways. Salt will destroy the surface of the concrete. For slippery surfaces use sand or kitty litter.
7. Lube outside locks to prevent freezing.
8. This is the time of year to make sure your refrigerator coils are clean by pulling off the bottom kick panel and vacumming.
9. Keep snow away from outside heat pumps and fresh air inlets for proper airflow to unit.
10. Always check furnace filters each season for top performance.
    
    

1. Check gutter and downspouts for leaves to prevent overflow.
2. Check sump pump for proper operation by making sure that the areaway drain is clear and that water flows away from the sump pump discharge properly.
3. Lawns should be over seeded and fertilized.
4. Turn on outdoor water supplies.
5. Clean window and door sills to allow water to drain properly.
6. Dryer vents should be cleaned to prevent lint buildup.
7. Outside air conditioning units should be hosed off to rinse dirt from coils, also inside filters should be changed for top performance.
8. Vacuum under refrigerator to clean built up dust from coils.
9. Driveways and walks should be hosed to remove any salt or chemicals.
10. Outside caulking and painting should be touched up to prevent water damage.
11. Wood decks should have loose nails hammered down, washing and sealing is recommended.
    

SUMMER TIPS

1. Maintain lawns by daily watering. Fertilizing and over seeding is strongly recommended.
2. Keep gutters, basement areaways and window wells clear of dirt and debris. Keep it on the schedule after mowing the lawn. This will protect your home from water damage during heavy rains.
3. Maintain positive flows away from home by filling settled areas and washouts.
4. Change the filter in the HVAC unit. This saves money and lengthens the life of the unit.
5. Vacuum under the refrigerator to remove dust that will impair airflow.
6. Clean window and doorsills to remove any dirt or debris. This will stop weep holes from being clogged and water damage to home.
7. Keep up on outside caulking and painting to prevent water damage to wood trim and door jams.
8. Caulking and grout on tubs and showers should be inspected. This is very important to prevent damage to tile and vinyl surfaces.
9. Inspect sump pump for proper operation and positive flow away from home.
10. Follow the Homeowner Maintenance Tips and Guidelines in your Owner's maunual listed under the maintenance tab. It will help you understand your new Gemcraft home.

BALANCING AIR FLOW FOR CHANGE OF SEASONS
It is most desirable to maintain a reasonable level of relative humidity inside the house during the winter. If the moisture in the air falls too low, we may find ourselves with dried up nasal passages, dry skin, and even building up static electricity when we walk across carpeted floors; this is why some homes are equipped with automatic humidifiers on their heating systems. These units add moisture to the air when we need it. When it gets very cold outside, you should lessen the moisture setting on the humidistat for the humidifier.

Adjust the duct registers to deliver two-thirds of the air to the first floor. During the winter season more air is directed to the lower levels and in warm months more air is delivered to the upper levels. This is accomplished by manipulating “duct damper” levers on trunk lines and adjusting the register grill dampers.

STORMY WEATHER
Be aware that a phenomenon known as “ice damming” may occur when there is a heavy snow on the roof. Look for ice blockages in the guttering and if you find it, be aware that leakage from snow melting above may get into the house. If you find leakage, use cookie sheets or sheets of plastic to catch dripping water in the attic.

Generally speaking, it is not wise to attempt to remove the ice from the guttering since you can easily slip and fall. If you feel you need help, consider calling a roofing company which may be able to send men by to sweep the snow off the roof. If you find that snow orice has collected around the heat pump unit, turn the thermostat to “emergency” or “supplemental heat” until you are able to shovel the snow from around it.

Avoid using salt on driveways, steps, or walkways. The salt can destroy the surface of materials used in these areas and leave you with unsightly damage and springtime repair problems.

To avoid frozen pipes, leave cabinet doors open so heated room air can help warm the pipes, and consider allowing the faucets to drip so that water will not be allowed to stand in the pipes. Fresh (and warmer) water will flow and the standing water which has lost its momentum will get to the fixture and flow down the drain before it has a chance to freeze. Consider obtaining safe space heaters for comfort, to augment the system in exceptionally severe weather or the odd space which never seems to warm up adequately.

Never attempt to heat a frozen pipe so that the steam from melting water will be unable to escape. Never heat frozen pipes with an open flame torch, lest you ignite nearby combustibles. An open flame is difficult to control and potentially very dangerous. If you lose electric power during a cold weather storm keep the windows and doors closed. If you have a fireplace or wood stove, use it. Do not open the refrigerator or freezer any more than is absolutely necessary. If the power is expected to be off for a long time, drain the water from the water piping. Close the main shutoff valve and open the taps at the lowest fixture in the house. Open the taps on the rest of the fixtures to allow the water to drain. Open the petcock on the main shutoff valve. Turn gas water heaters to “pilot” and shut off the circuit breaker to electric water heaters.

If very high wind storms occur, take some blankets and cluster your family in the basement or lowest level until the storm passes.

During periods of prolonged drought, houses that are sited on or near expansive type soils may benefit from soaking the soil near the foundation. Those houses with wood roofing may benefit from intermittent waterings of the roof materials. This is not a waste of water, but a sensible safety precaution.

Hail storms may cause damage without leaving visible evidence. Asphalt roofing shingles may be damaged even though their upper surfaces display no dents or obvious damage. Consult your insurance company if you believe the storm has been severe enough to cause any damage, which may not show up immediately.