Mr. Handyman shares winterizing tips for homeowners

Winterizing Tips from Mr. Handyman:

If you’re like a lot of folks, you’ve been looking for ways to cut back on the utility bills around the (gasp!) upcoming winter months. Also, with people growing more eco-friendly, perhaps you’ve been searching for ways to become part of the solution towards a healthier Earth. We’ve got you covered. Here are nine cost-effective ideas to “winterize” your home all while going green. These small investments in energy conservation can pay big dividends in your wallets and towards achieving a cozier home this winter. (Handy men Jim and Tim O'Neil at right.)

• 1. Ceiling fans aren’t just for summer. Although using ceiling fans do cut air conditioning costs by 40% in summer, they also work to circulate warm air from the ceiling back down to the floor in the winter.
   
• 2. Insulate your home from head to toe. For maximum energy efficiency, your home should be properly insulated from the roof down to its foundations. This will keep warm air in and cold air out.
   
• 3. Install a hot water heater timer if you have an electric water heater which can turn hot water off at night and on again in the morning.
   
• 4. Replace old windows with new high performance dual pane windows with low-e coatings. Or self-adhesive reflective film on the windows. These films reduce heating bills. In addition, reflective film can eliminate interior upholstery fading by blocking harmful UV rays.
   
• 5. Insulating your hot water pipes. Not only does this raise the temperature with a lower water temperature setting, you also conserve water since you don’t have to wait as long for warm water whenever you turn on a faucet or a shower! Or install a hot water recirculating pump and get almost instant hot water every time you take a shower—perfect for a cold January morning.
   
• 6. Install shades, drapes, awnings or sunscreens. On colder days, closing these drapes retains warm air. It’s amazing how something as simple as closing the blinds can prevent that all-too-familiar “drafty” feeling. This may seem like an old-fashioned and low tech, but it’s surprisingly effective and time-tested tactic.
   
• 7. Sealing cooling and heating ducts with duct wrap or mastic sealant can save up to 25% on your heating bill.
   
• 8. Insulate your hot water heater. Doing so can cut your home’s CO2 emissions and save you around 4% to 9% in water heating costs. With the upcoming winter months, performing this act is a wise investment. You also reduce standby heat costs by 25%-45%. To see if you need to insulate, touch your heater. If it’s warm to the touch, it needs additional insulation.
   
• 9. Plug overlooked energy leaks around the house! Use low VOC caulk and foam strips around windows and door frames that leak air. Add door sweeps and door shoe gaskets. A 1/8” space around your door is like having a brick size hole in your wall. Imagine one of these for every door in the house! Did you know that your light switches can be an overlooked source of air leaks? Hold a wet hand in front of a light switch plate or outlet and if you feel air, you have a leak. Installing foam gaskets behind all the light switches and outlets can stop these energy leaks.

In many cases, you will save more on your energy bill by making these changes than you will spend on making them!

Q.: Welcome, Mr. Handyman. How long have you had that title?

A.: Well, my wife Tracey and I began our Mr Handyman franchise in June of 2009. That said, I’ve been a handyman at heart for much, much longer.

Q.: And can you share some of your background with us?

A.: Tracey and I along with our 3 sons migrated from Southern California to beautiful Oregon in late 1993 and settled into our home in Lake Oswego shortly after arriving. We were motivated by the desire to raise our sons in the Pacific Northwest and by a job opportunity—we both worked at a high tech firm in Wilsonville for a number of years.

Q.: Where are you located?

A.: We live in Lake Oswego, but our business serves Beaverton, Lake Oswego, Portland, Sherwood, Tualatin, and West Linn.

Q.: Typically, what are some of the jobs you do? Also, do you arrive with: tools? a contract? with a bid? How would a customer generally work with Mr. Handyman?

A.: Every home and business owner has a “Honey Do” list that generally never gets completed, something is always in need of repair or maintenance… this is Mr Handyman’s sweet spot. The majority of our work focuses on the 2 to 20 hour residential and light commercial jobs.

Q.: Why should homeowners contact a business such as yours?

A.: There is a reason why Mr Handyman is America’s leading handyman service. The list is quite long in fact so let me try to be concise. Possibly the most important aspect of calling on Mr Handyman for all your service needs is the assurance that your family and home is in safe hands. To begin, every member of our staff undergoes a thorough background check and random drug screening; our employee’s picture appears on our web site so the customer can have a sneak preview of who they can expect to see at the front door; the tech arrives on site in a clearly marked Mr Handyman logo’d company van, dressed in a clean Mr Handyman uniform (check-out our web site to see an example, www.mrhandyman.com ); we are fully licensed, insured and bonded to meet or exceed minimum state and company requirements.

Another value is our “One Stop Shop” solution for all of your repair needs eliminating the need to schedule multiple vendors in on different days and incurring separate service charges for each. We serve you with nothing but the best… Our service techs require a minimum of 12 years cross-functional trade experience prior to employment. And last but certainly not least, all work is guaranteed for one year by my franchise and backed by our Corporate Headquarters located in Ann Arbor Michigan. Mr Handyman.

Q.: You have provided some great “winterizing” tips for Home and Living Readers. Now, be honest, do you get the time to work on your own house?

A.: We are all aware of the real threat, or is that a promise? of higher and higher energy costs. That said, I’m not sure how many understand the various solutions available to make your home more efficient. Many of the more common ones such as low volume toilets, new windows, attic insulation and continuous hot water systems in place of water tank systems come with government rebates that end soon; others such as solar panels and small residential wind mills to augment energy are on the horizon.

You asked if my house was in order!!! how funny… of course not, just ask my wife. I’ve made progress for sure but a home is a life-long list of “Honey-Do’s” that if ignored turn into major very costly projects.

Q.: How has the economy affected your business?

A.: The downturn in the economy affected every business including Mr Handyman. Many pulled back on spending altogether and rechanneled their cash into low risk savings accounts. But think about this, typically a person’s home is by far the largest investment they make in their lifetime, I would caution anyone not to ignore those day-to-day maintenance items so long that they begin eroding the value of your home while making 3-4% in a Money Market Fund.

Q.: What would you say that homeowners should absolutely do to keep the value up in their property?

A.: Think long-term and think green, replace inefficient appliances, insulate, take measures to save water by replacing old toilets and fix those leaky faucets. (water is quick becoming a global concern and many governments including our own are working to implement large penalties on those who waste… Call Mr. Handyman for a consultation.