A roller is only as good as the frame it goes on. Make sure your frame is clean, in good shape, and that the roller fits it snugly. Quick-release frames make clean up at the end of a project a bit easier.

Manual Rollers

Manual rollers are the most common type of paint roller. These rollers are typically used to apply paint to walls and ceilings and, as such, have handles that feature connectors for handle extensions. Because of the length of their handles, manual rollers are particularly useful in painting high surfaces. In fact, if the handle is long enough, you can paint a ceiling with a manual roller without having to incorporate the aid of a ladder. One potential drawback to this type of roller is the fact that it tends to produce a fair amount of paint drips if even a little too much paint is applied.
TIP: Our painting consultant Pam Estabrooke, of ProTect Painters, says that, “Ceilings that will be painted with flat paint can take a thinner, 1/2-inch, nap roller. Walls with flat or satin paint will do well with a 3/8-inch nap. Surfaces that are textured, stucco, plaster, stipple ceilings, require a regular paint roller, but with a thicker nap, usually ¾ to 1-inch.”

Pad Rollers

Pad rollers are an effective tool for painting trim or edging. These unique rollers utilize a highly absorbent, flat pad to apply paint in straight, even strokes. They feature small wheels along their edges that help keep the paint application nice and straight. Whereas other types of rollers have a tendency to splatter paint as a result of the circular motion through which they operate, pad rollers are able to lie flat on surfaces, virtually eliminating splattered and dripped paint. Because of their flatness, pad rollers tend to hold paint better than other types of rollers and are the best paint rollers to use when painting a single surface more than one color.

Textured Rollers

Textured rollers are specifically designed to paint a texture onto a surface. These rollers feature special foam covers that have certain patterns etched into them to allow the paint to go into the wall in a certain way, like a faux finish. There are rollers that simulate wood grain, brick, stone, tile and many other patterns. Like manual rollers, textured rollers are best suited for use on large surfaces, like walls and ceilings.

Specialty Rollers

Textured paints, like suede, stone, and light plasters, usually have a specialty roller the paint manufacturer wants you to use to apply their product. They typically don’t produce as much paint splatter. As many texture paints have a very heavy consistency, these rollers tend to be quite absorbent.

Mini Hot Dog Rollers

Mini hot dog rollers are miniature paint rollers whose popularity is steadily on the rise. As the name suggests, these unique rollers are shaped like hot dogs and are the perfect tools with which to paint areas that are difficult to reach. They are particularly adept at applying paint to surfaces located behind heavy fixtures, such as sinks and toilets. In addition, mini hot dog rollers are very useful when it comes to painting cupboards, shelves and rolling doors. Also, like pad rollers, they’re good for applying paint to trim and edging. However, given their size and shape, mini hot dog rollers can give way to quite a bit of paint splatter if too much paint is applied.
TIP: Pam says, “Take a long length of painters tape and wrap it around your roller before you put it on the frame. This acts like a lint brush and will remove any loose pieces of the nap before they can get loose in your new paint and end up stuck on the wall. Wrap your roller in plastic at the end of the day or for a prolonged break. This will keep it moist until you are ready to paint again.”

The kitchen is one of the busiest areas in an active home. The family gathers there to eat their meals each day, often lingering over coffee or dessert to catch up with each others’ lives. Guests arrive on holidays and often congregate in the kitchen as the other areas of the home overflow with company. 

Therefore, it is important to keep the kitchen as clean and fresh smelling as possible. Even with the daily and weekly cleaning tasks that we perform, there’s still a bit more that we can do to guarantee a nicely scented kitchen. Cleaning the garbage disposal properly and frequently happens to be one of them.

Cleaning the Garbage Disposal

Even though the garbage disposal is designed to pulverize and remove kitchen waste from food products, food particles often become trapped in the nooks and crannies of the garbage disposal and kitchen drainpipe. This provides the perfect environment for mold and bacteria to grow and create unpleasant odors, as well as unhealthy spores.

At first, the odors may not be noticeable. However, given enough time and lack of cleaning, the unpleasant odors may become stronger as the bacteria and mold continue to grow. Cleaning the garbage disposal at least once a week with one of the following methods will help to keep it free of nasty bacteria and unsightly mold.

Method 1: Pour one half cup of baking soda down the kitchen drain. Carefully pour one cup of white vinegar down the drain on top of the baking soda. Place the drain stopper in the sink to close off the drain. If you have a double sink, you should do this for both of them. The mixture will fizz and make a bit of noise or fizzing sounds. Allow this to work its magic for a few minutes while you boil some hot water. Use a full teakettle or medium size pot of water. Once this has boiled, pour it down the drain.

Method 2: Using a clean container, mix a gallon of water with one tablespoon of liquid chlorine bleach. Carefully and slowly, pour the solution down the drain and allow it to sit for several minutes. Flush the drain thoroughly with cold water for several minutes.

Freshening the Garbage Disposal

Maintaining a clean garbage disposal using one of the above methods will help to keep it smelling fresh and odor free. Additionally, you can encourage this by grinding ice cubes in the garbage disposal to clean the cutting blades. Simply place several cubes in the drain and grind.

If you want to add a little bit of scent to the area, you can add rinds from any of the citrus fruits in the drain with the ice cubes. The citrus fruits include oranges, lemons, limes, and grapefruits.

Step 1 – Prep

Make sure the new thermostat you are using to replace the old one with is compatible to your 110-volt housing circuitry.

Step 2 – Switch off the Power

Always turn off the electrical power to the home thermostat at the power panel or circuit breaker box. Once you’ve located the correct circuit breaker and have switched it off, place a piece of masking tape over the switch so no one will turn it back on during your replacement installation process.

Step 3 – Remove Old Unit

Remove the old unit by snapping the cover off or unscrewing it if is attached by set screws. Pull the unit away from the wall and slide it off the mounting plate. Be careful not to damage the wires.

Step 4 – Disconnect Wiring

Remove the electric power supply wiring from the back of the thermostat. Be careful not to allow the wires to fall back into the wall. Wrap these around a pencil to keep them from being able to go through the entry/exit hole. If the wires are not color coded to the new thermostat, mark each one noting which terminal to which they were attached. Remove the mounting plate.

Step 5 – Attach New  Mounting Plate

Place the new mounting plate for the new thermostat against the wall in the same spot as the old one was. Now pull the wires from the wall through holes in the back of the new mounting plate. Screw it onto the wall. Make it is square to the wall before tightening the mounting screws. Adjust the unit for leveling before fully tightening the screws.

Step 6 –Carefully Connect Wires

When connecting the wires, make sure the green wire is connected to the terminal marked “G” or the same color. This operates the furnace fan blower. The white colored wire colored wire goes to the “W” marked terminal to operate the heater while the “Y” is for the yellow wire that connects to the air conditioner. Make sure if the wires were not color coded when you remove the old thermostat that you mark each correctly before connection to your new unit. Do not cross wires. If in doubt, call a professional electrician.

Step 7 – Place on Mounting Plate

Place the unit on the mounting plate by sliding it into place. Turn your power back on and check to see if your new thermostat is working properly. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for setting up the LED display panel that gives you access to temperature control.

If there are more than three wires coming from the wall, ignore them. They were put there by the original homebuilder for possible use for another item that was never installed.

Start by understanding the makeup of your garage door

• Your garage door consists of a number of parts that all need to be aligned and working together for it to work properly.
• The front panels are attached to each other with hinges and all are the panels bolted together to form a solid door that can articulate when raised or lowered.
• Rollers run in steel tracks along the sides of the door opening and are attached to the end of the panels.
• Finally, there is a strong spring to help open and close the door.

Stay away from the springs

• Garage door springs are very powerful and under a lot of tension making them potentially very dangerous, particularly if you don’t what you’re doing. Routine maintenance on your garage door springs should consist of checking the springs and cables for fraying or rusting. If you see any cables are badly frayed or have more than surface rust it’s time to call in a professional.
• If your garage door is difficult to raise or closes with a significant “bang”, the springs likely need adjusting. This is also not a job for a DIY’er, call in a pro and stay safe.

Maintenance you should do

• Check all the bolts on the hinges holding the panels together, since over time they will work loose and the panels  end up out of alignment. Use the appropriate size wrench and simply tighten the bolts.
• Also check the bolts holding the rollers are tight, the rollers themselves are turning freely and staying inside the track when the door is opened and closed.
• The manual that came with your garage door will tell you how to lubricate the rollers as well as what type of lubricant to use. Motor oil probably isn’t the right choice since it will hold dust  and create a clog on the rollers.

Protect the door panels

• Just like metal car parts, metal door panels will rust when exposed to salt. Since melted snow from your vehicle will have road salt in it, you need to protect the panels from rusting.
• Spray cans containing protective oil (similar to car rust proofing oil) for your garage door  is available at home and hardware or auto stores. When you spray on the oil, it spreads and protects the panel from the salt water.

Outdoor Maintenance Tips

You should always dress properly before beginning any outdoor maintenance. If you will be doing any climbing, be sure that your shoes aren’t slippery and that the laces aren’t hanging all over the place. Good tread on the bottom of your shoes will make a lot of difference when you are climbing on the roof.

Gather your tools together, including trash bags before you actually begin. Invest in a pair of sturdy work gloves to prevent damage to your hands from sharp objects or splinters.

Whenever you perform outside maintenance on your home, it is always a good idea to let someone know what you are doing. Outdoor accidents, while not common, can be serious. Who knows when the neighbor’s dog will decide to chase the neighborhood squirrel and knock down your ladder with you on it?

Outdoor Faucets and Hoses

• To prevent problems that arise from freezing water, turn off the inside valve to each outdoor faucet.
• Once the valves have been shut off, go outside and turn the faucet handle slightly to release any remaining water from the pipes.

Gutters and Roof

• Remove the debris that has gathered on the top of your roof. Use a soft bristled broom to prevent damage to your shingles. Gently sweep all of the debris into small piles in several areas of the roof. Bag the debris for proper disposal.
• Next, clean the gutters by removing any debris. Leaves, roofing grit, feathers, and even trash have a way of finding the gutters for their final resting place. Removing them now could prevent blockage and water damage. First, remove any large pieces by hand. Dispose of these properly. Use a small hand tool, such as a trowel, spade, or dust brush to remove smaller pieces.
• Clean out the downspouts next. Typically, these are found where the gutters meet the corners of your home. Use a pair of tongs to remove any debris within easy reach. Use a flashlight to look down through the gutter to check for further debris. If a buildup exists, you may have to invest in a metal snake to clean it out. Investing in this project can prevent a buildup of water on the roof that seeks a different path of exit, such as your ceiling.
• Repair any fittings now. Minor damage generally involves a simple retightening of the fittings to secure the downspouts and gutters to your home.
• Major damage to the fittings will require replacing them. Measure them for size before going to the hardware store.
• Repair minor damage to the downspouts and gutters. Use a bit of silicone caulk and small pieces of aluminum to repair any small holes or tears. Small holes only enlarge over time and can lead to extensive water damage later.
• Flush the roof with water to completely remove any small pieces of grit or debris.
• Consider covering your gutters with a hardware cloth to prevent any future buildup of debris.

Doorways and Windows

• Check windows and doors to get an idea of the extent of necessary repairs.
• Check for caulk that is beginning to pull away from the surface. Remove the old caulk completely and dispose of it properly.
• Clean the surface area exposed by the removal of the old caulk.
• Allow the area to dry completely. Re-caulk the area.

Wooden Decks: Pool and Other

• Gather large pieces of trash and dispose of properly. Sweep all debris from the deck area and dispose of properly.
• Clean all outdoor furniture. Cover furniture to protect it form the harsh winter weather.
• Clean and put away all pool toys, floats, and accessories including skimmers, thermometers, footbaths, etc.
• Remove and replace any loose deck screws or nails with new ones. Dispose of old ones properly.