On a House - What Should You Know About?

[LOL!]

If you have an automatic sprinkler system understand how to program the controller.

And where the sprinkler heads are and where the valves are buried and where the PVC pipes run under the driveways and sidewalks and other places.

 

[Purron]

And where the sprinkler heads are and where the valves are buried and where the PVC pipes run under the driveways and sidewalks and other places.

With all due respect LOL, I have no clue about sprinkler heads and PVC pipes. Hope I never need to acquire this knowledge.

 

[clifp]

Or use Outlook Tasks, iPad calendar, etc. ... I have all mine on Outlook, including a haircut every 4 weeks until I die.

This is awesome. I am going to put my house maintenance tasks on my newish Samsung S3. This will require me to learn more about how to use the phone. Then I can spend time putting all the tasks on the phone.

Which should result in no time to actually do the yucky house work.

 

[MBAustin]

Main water shut-off tip: the last plumber we had come over here said that he gives water main valve tools as housewarming gifts to all of his friends. He tells them to hang it accessibly in the garage and several of them have already thanked him. I was headed out to the big box store that day already and bought one which is now hanging by the door into the garage.

We don't have gas so I don't need one this fancy, but here is a multipurpose version of the tool
Emergency Tool-26097 at The Home Depot

 

[Lisa99]

With all due respect LOL, I have no clue about sprinkler heads and PVC pipes. Hope I never need to acquire this knowledge.

If you ever plan to plant a new shrub or tree yourself I highly recommend you know where the sprinkler pipes run. One good whack with a pick ax in the wrong spot and you'll know why this advice is golden! DH has trashed more PVC than he will ever admit to.

 

[KB]

AND pop the few extra bucks for the braided stainless steel. A BURST HOSE IS NOT GOOD!

I've read this recommendation before but am not sure exactly what kind of hose this is. Can someone post a link; I'd like to replace mine so I don't have to worry about it. Thanks.

 

[kyounge1956]

If you ever plan to plant a new shrub or tree yourself I highly recommend you know where the sprinkler pipes run. One good whack with a pick ax in the wrong spot and you'll know why this advice is golden! DH has trashed more PVC than he will ever admit to.

Likewise if there are any trees or shrubs you plan to have removed. I mentioned to the person who came to turn on the gas to my water heater and vet the fireplace that I plan to get rid of the tree on the corner of the property (growing into the power lines and already been topped once) and a big rhododendron that is growing right next to the gas meter. He suggested I call utility line marking (he "call before you dig" folks). The house is on a corner and he didn't know which street the gas line comes in from. The water meter is in such a location that the service line could be coming from either street as well. I definitely don't want damage to the water line or worse, the gas line, while having the stump of the tree ground, or the roots of the big rhody grubbed out.

 

[Lazarus]

I've read this recommendation before but am not sure exactly what kind of hose this is. Can someone post a link; I'd like to replace mine so I don't have to worry about it. Thanks.

Looks something like this

Amazon.com: Washing Machine Hose (PBLSPWE601212): Appliances

Places like Lowes and Home Depot ext. should carry it.

 

[JOHNNIE36]

Lots of good advice/hints in this thread. One thing I haven't seen mentioned is the dual control for your cooling/heating system. I'm talking heat pump here as it's the only system I'm familiar with. Good for systems installed in high humidity areas like mine. I have, in addition to the standard thermostat, a humidistat that will operate your A/C unit based on humidity and not the temperature. If you live in Florida or Texas as an example, and you leave your home for an extended period of time, you set the humidstat for 60% and the thermostat for 90 degrees. This dual system allows your cooling system to keep the humidity at 60% and the temperature at a much higher degree than you normally would. Can really save you some utility cost.

 

[Purron]

If you ever plan to plant a new shrub or tree yourself I highly recommend you know where the sprinkler pipes run. One good whack with a pick ax in the wrong spot and you'll know why this advice is golden! DH has trashed more PVC than he will ever admit to.

Ahhh, there's the problem. Sprinkler pipes are pretty rare in Virginia. Never had them in any house we lived in. Thinking it's more of a dry climate thing.

 

[Lsbcal]

If you have an automatic sprinkler system understand how to program the controller.
...

It's good to replace the backup battery (maintains your program if power is out) in your sprinkler system controller. I do it in the spring before going on vacations.

Same for smoke detectors, CO2 detectors, etc.