Crawl Space Venting (Answer)

Hey J.T.,

You are correct, it is important to keep from building up excessive moisture in the crawlspace. It is also important to keep the pipes from freezing. This is always a source of confusion when we talk about venting in the cold weather.
In attics, heat rises up from the house to meet the cold air of the eaves,
creating a condition for moisture if not properly vented. This makes the cold months a prime time for moisture problems in the attic.
The summer months create the best conditions for moisture in a crawlspace. However, anytime you have two different temperatures getting together you have moisture concerns.
I recommend leaving the crawlspace vents open until the temperature gets below freezing. This will keep the pipes from freezing. Make sure to re-open them when the temperature rises.

Thanks for your question.

Please send questions to agarrett54@hotmail.com Please put "Hey Al" in the subject box.

Crawl Space Venting (Question)

Hey Al,

I have a question about the winter checklist article. One of the suggestions was to close the vents to the crawl space (especially near plumbing).

I have heard you should close these vents unless it is going to be below freezing for a long period of time. I was under the assumption that venting under a foundation and an attic was just as important in the winter as it is in the summer.
Am I wrong?

Please let me know your thoughts on this.

Thanks J.T.


I will post the answer tomorrow.

Please send questions to agarrett54@hotmail.com Please put "Hey Al" in the subject box.

Safe Holidays are Happy Holidays

Every year we hear of household accidents taking lives around the holiday season. To keep the holiday season a happy season we need to practice safety awareness. The simple fact is this season brings an increased use of electricity, candles, fireplaces, extension cords, live trees indoors, and holiday lights both in and out doors, all of which can increase the risk of fire.
With the holidays approaching, excitement fills the air with the anticipation of lots of food, lots of new toys, and seeing the family members that you only see on special occasions. To ensure the holidays are truly a wondrous event here are some tips to keep you and your family safe:

 Test your smoke detectors
 Test your carbon monoxide detector—if you do not have one, get one- it is worth it
 Check to make sure your fire extinguisher is operable and easy to get to
 Do not leave burning candles unattended
 Dispose of fireplace ashes outside and in a metal container
 After guests have left, take all trashcans outside—in case sparks or a cigarette may have gotten in
 Use indoor extension cords indoors only
 Use only outdoor lights outside your home
 Connect no more than three strands of lights together
 When connecting outdoor light strings together, cover the connections with plastic or something to keep out moisture
 Read the warning labels on decorative lights and follow them
 Check to make sure that all light strings are in good condition
 Unplug light strings before replacing the bulbs
 Do not overload electrical outlets
 Use only UL-approved lights

Remember if you are entertaining guests that smoke, provide plenty of ashtrays, check for cigarettes left burning, and again remember to remove all waste-cans before going to bed.





If you have a live tree in your house for the holidays, here are some tips for you:

 Do not purchase a tree that already has the needles falling off
 Trim a couple of inches off the bottom of the tree just before you put it in water- this will help it absorb water
 Locate the tree away from fireplaces and heat sources
 Water the tree regularly
 Use low voltage bulbs or “twinkle” type bulbs- these types of bulbs generate less heat
 Never use candles, even on artificial trees
 If you use a metallic tree, do not use electric lights on it
 Turn off lights before going to bed

After the holiday season, when it is time to dispose of the tree, you can call your local sanitation office to see what provisions they provide for disposal, but for safety’s sake never burn it in your fireplace.

If you have that hard-to-shop-for person on your gift list, or just want to give someone you love that gift of safety, here are some gift ideas:

 Smoke detectors
 A fire extinguisher
 A carbon monoxide detector
 Flashlight and batteries
 A first aid kit

We all are aware of the danger of fire and smoke and most of us have smoke detectors, and most of us check the batteries. But what about “The silent killer” carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide is generated through incomplete combustion of fuel such as natural gas, propane, heating oil, kerosene, coal, and charcoal, gasoline or wood. This incomplete combustion can occur in a variety of home appliances. The major cause of high levels of carbon monoxide in the home is faulty ventilation of funaces, hot water heaters, fireplaces, cooking stoves, grills and kerosene heaters.
Faulty or improper ventilation of natural gas and fuel oil furnaces during the cold winter months accounts for most carbon monoxide poisoning cases.
Carbon monoxide (CO) detectors are affordable and easy to install, and in my opinion a must for every home.

Youth groups often sell these items to raise money during the holiday season, so they are easy to find.

Remember the first step to keep your family safe begins with keeping your house safe!!!!

“The very best of holiday wishes to you and yours from all of us”

Lady Bug (Answer)

Hey Allen,
Don’t worry the ladybug (Asian lady beetle) will not feed or damage anything in your home. They are really only nuisances more than a pest. They cannot sting or harm you, and they will not breed indoors. It is normal to see a lot of them in late fall, because they are getting ready to hibernate. Once indoors they will hibernate until early spring. The best way to control them is with a vacuum cleaner.

Thanks for your question.

Please send questions to agarrett54@hotmail.com Please put "Hey Al" in the subject box.

Lady Bugs (Question)

Hey Al,

We live in an area that has wooded lots all around and we have some pest problems. This year we have had a late fall and along with that a lot of ladybugs. We have noticed them on the exterior walls, but recently they have invaded the interior of our home. What kind of damage can they do, or have they done to my house? The next question is what do I have to do to get rid of them?

Thanks in advance for your help

Allen


I will post the answer tomorrow.

Please send questions to agarrett54@hotmail.com Please put "Hey Al" in the subject box.

Window Air Conditioners and Cold Weather (Answer)

Hey Ed,

If you are going to leave the air-conditioner units installed, you will need to cover them to keep out the cold. You can buy fitted covers for most models of window air-conditioners, if you prefer. But the inexpensive way works great, and is easy to do.
To cover these units the inexpensive way, you will need to buy some large plastic leaf bags, and some duct tape. Take one of the leaf bags and pull it over the air-conditioner, make sure it is pulled up tight. After the bag is on tight, run the duct tape around the bag and the air-conditioner close to the window. Now cut off the excess end of the bag. Take another bag and pull it tight over the unit, this time you can cut off the excess bag, but leave about three inches of the bag. Fold the left over end so you can tape it to the face of the opening. To make this tape job last trough the winter, you can spray it with some cheep hair spray.

Thanks for your question.

Please send questions to agarrett54@hotmail.com Please put "Hey Al" in the subject box.

Window Air Conditioners and Cold Weather (Question)

Hey Al,

We live in a sixteen hundred square-foot brick ranch that we bought last summer. The house has hot water heat, so there are no ducts to have central air-conditioning installed. The house is cooled with two window air-conditioners and ceiling fans, this does a great job. The problem is since it has been getting colder, we feel a lot of cold air coming in from the air-conditioner. We would take them out for the winter, but they are bolted in and insulated very well. We want to leave them installed, but we want to stop the cold air.
Can you help us with an inexpensive cure?

Thanks

Ed

I will post the answer tomorrow.

Please send questions to agarrett54@hotmail.com Please put "Hey Al" in the subject box.