Top 10 Spring Repairs

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During these milder spring days, take stock of storm and water damage to your home—most houses sustain at least a few problems during the winter months. Make the repairs now, before starting on remodels or other major warm-weather projects.

Repair water-stained ceilings. Following a roof leak, there is usually a yellow or brown stain on the ceiling below. Don't try to paint right over the stains—they're likely to show through. Simply seal a stain with a stain sealer, then repaint the ceiling. You can try to touch up the area, but, for uniformity, you're likely to find that the entire ceiling needs to be painted.
Fix missing or damaged roofing. Look for trouble spots on top of the roof—but only in good weather and only if you can do so safely. Or, during the day, go into the attic with a bright, portable light to check for wetness or water marks. Look for pinpoints of daylight showing through. (On a wood shingle roof, you'll probably see many such places, but these tend not to leak because they're protected by the shingles' overlap.) In the attic, step only on secure framing members—never on the insulation or topside of the ceiling below—this won't support you! Get more information on roof repair and putting on a new roof.
Fix leaking roof flashing. Many serious roof leaks are not caused by missing or damaged shingles; they're due to broken or improper roof flashing. Find out how to easily fix flashing.
Repair siding leaks. If you've discovered any areas where your home's siding doesn't hold Mother Nature out, repair it now.
Clear gutters and downspouts. Water damage often comes from clogged gutters and downspouts; dry weather offers a good opportunity for cleaning them out. If they need more than cleaning, learn to repair them. For replacing gutters, check out "Gutters: A Buyer's Guide."
Eliminate water in the basement or crawl space. Keep these spaces dry to protect against dry rot, prevent moist air from being drawn up into the living space, and prevent the growth of mold. A sump pump might prevent this in the future. Check out "Sump Pumps—Keeping Your Basement High and Dry."
Repair storm doors. Winds can take a toll on storm doors. Often, the door closer becomes bent, breaks, or pulls away from the doorjamb. Get information on fixing a storm door.
Block air leaks around windows and doors. Mitigate drafts and save energy by installing or repairing weather stripping.
Repair rotted woodwork. Where wood sills or sashes have taken serious abuse from weather—resulting in rot—use epoxy wood filler to repair the area. Use a chisel to dislodge most of the loose, rotted wood. Drill a few 1/4-inch holes into the damaged wood. Soak the entire rotted area with liquid epoxy "consolidant" to transform the area into a sturdy base for filler. Let the wood absorb it for about 5 minutes, then reapply, wait, reapply, and continue until the wood ceases to accept consolidant. Knead a batch of epoxy filler, according to label directions, and mold the repair. As the material cures, dip a putty knife in solvent, and use it to sculpt and shape the repair. Sand, file or rasp as needed, and paint the area within 3 days. Learn to replace windows and door saddles.
Service your furnace and/or air conditioner. With forced-air systems, air returning to the air handler's blower first passes through an air filter designed to catch dust and debris and help clean the air before it's recycled to your home. Change filters quarterly or sooner if they look dirty.

Green Spring Cleaning
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Remember the Environment
Longer days. New flowers. Birds chirping. They could only mean one thing: Spring. And just as the animals begin cleaning out their dens after months of hibernation, we start our annual ritual of spring cleaning. At this time we can remember our environment and save money at the same time. Here are some tips that can help you and the environment, from Earth Share, a nonprofit organization that focuses on environmental education.

Planning to refinish some furniture this spring? Use water-based or vegetable-based paints, stains, and varnishes. Remember, don't wash paint thinners, household cleaners, oil, or pesticides down the drain. Instead, use them up or give leftovers to friends or a charity. Also, you can call your local City Hall to find out about the next hazard collection day.
Adding new color to your walls this spring? When painting, don't sand or burn off paint that may contain lead. Lead particles in the paint could cause lead poisoning. If your paint is peeling, use a wet sponge or mop to clean up the debris instead of sanding. Never vacuum the dust or chips from lead paint; it will only disperse more lead dust into the air.
Getting rid of the junk in your garage or attic? Hold a yard sale. Talk to your neighbors and organize a community yard sale. You can increase neighborhood relationships, earn some extra cash, and help the environment at the same time. If a yard sale seems like too much work, donate your stuff to your local nonprofit thrift store.
Does your water bill seem a little high? Wasted water hurts the environment and your checkbook. Always fix any leaky faucets in your house. Often a five-minute project can save gallons of water. You can also place a large rock in a toilet's tank to save water when flushing. Be sure to check hoses and sprinklers periodically and fix any leaks.

Cleaning with a Conscience
Americans spend millions of dollars a year on cleaning supplies. This spring, make your own cleaning agents with these recipes from EarthShare and Earth Ways, two nonprofit environmental organizations. The recipes are friendly to the environment and your bank account.

Countertops, cupboards, and walls
Dip a cloth in warm water, then add dish soap and baking soda (the baking soda serves as a soft abrasive to remove tough spots and light scratches).

Air fresheners
Simmer a small amount of cinnamon, orange peel, and cloves on the stove to give off a pleasant fragrance in your home.

Glass cleaner
Mix 2 tablespoons borax or washing soda with three cups of water for sparkling windows and mirrors.

Carpet freshener
Sprinkle dry cornstarch or baking soda on the carpet and vacuum.

Rug stains
Rub borax into dampened area, let dry, then vacuum or repeatedly blot stain with a mixture of vinegar and soapy water.

Mildew build-up
Make a paste of vinegar and salt, and apply to built-up area.

Furniture polish
Combine 1/2 cup lemon juice to 1 cup vegetable oil, olive oil, or mayonnaise. Apply to rag.

More cleaning tips
When you buy cleaning products, look for ones that are non-toxic, biodegradable, phosphate-free, and chlorine-free.
Use natural fiber sponges.
Reduce paper use. Use rags instead of paper towels and cloth napkins instead of paper napkins.