Homeowners Tips That Will Save You Money Part 9 of 9

In part 9 we will provide easy tips that will prevent large problems from arising.

Don’t Neglect The Dryer Vent
You already know about cleaning the lint trap after every use. But once a year, you should also clean lint from inside the dryer cabinet and vent duct. (Lint buildup is one of the most common causes of home fires.) Unplug the dryer, turn off the gas valve if your model has one, and pry off the access panel. Vacuum inside the cabinet, especially around the motor and gas burner or electric heating element. You can disassemble the vent duct and clean it by hand or simply disconnect the vent from the dryer and feed a vent brush into it from the outside of your home.

Check Your Shutoff Valves
A cracked pipe or burst hose can do thousands of dollars of damage in minutes. Shutoff valves can stop the flow of water instantly. They’re typically located under sinks and toilets, behind the washing machine, and above the water heater. Shutoffs for tubs and showers are often hidden behind a wood or plastic access panel (often on the wall behind the faucet in an adjoining closet or hallway). Your main valve—which shuts off water to your entire house—may be indoors or out. Shutoff valves can go unused for years, and mineral deposits can make them impossible to close. So it’s a good idea to make sure yours work. If you have standard valves, turn the handle clockwise. If you have ball-type valves, crank the lever one-quarter turn. Ball valves rarely fail, but it’s good to check anyway.

Reinforce Doors
Burglars don’t usually pick door locks—it takes them too long. Instead, they kick or pry the door open. The dead bolt usually survives that brute force, but the door or strike plate gives way. Prevent your door from splitting with an edge guard (available at home centers). Remove the dead bolt, slip the guard over the door, screw it on, and reinstall the dead bolt. Larger models back up both the dead bolt and the doorknob.

Secure Windows The latches on most double-hungs are no match for a burglar with a pry bar. Cheap pin locks are much tougher. To install one, all you have to do is drill a hole. Most crank-open casement windows are a little harder to pry open, but it’s a good idea to add locks to them too. Find special casement locks and latches online.

Check out all 9 articles starting with part 1.