When it comes to caring for your home, do you ever feel like you do the same things over and over and over again? It may seem like you are diligently attending to the needs of your property, but could you be working smarter instead of harder?

When you are performing maintenance tasks around the house, in many cases there is a fix--and then there's a solution. The fix often only involves treating and repairing the symptom of a problem. And when we simply fix the issues around our homes, we often find ourselves back out to do the same task next month or next year because we never really solved the root problem.

So in honor of Groundhog Day (and as a tribute to one of my favorite movies), here are some of my personal household  "repeat offenders." If you have some of the same issues around your place, this time try the root fix, and break the cycle for good!

• My dishwasher smells. You keep running sanitizing cycles, flushing with vinegar, cleaning the rubber seals, you've even occasionally used a scented powder pack like we've suggested on this blog to deodorize and refresh your washer. But have you cleared debris from around the drain? Did you know that you can remove the grate at the bottom of the washer? You can. You'll need to unplug the washer for safety and be careful not to drop any screws as you work. Here are some great how to instructions.
• My sink gets clogged/is slow to drain. You use drain cleaner regularly to keep your sink drain clear and functional. But if you don't want to keep buying chemicals over and over again, you might want to delve a little deeper into the problem (pun intended). One thing that is often overlooked is habits. Anyone using the sink should remember not to rinse debris, nail clippings, strands of hair, or hair gel down the drain. I had a habitually slow sink drain in my master bath, and since my husband and I don't normally use it at the same time, I actually didn't know that he had been trimming his beard into the sink. Now, he uses old newspaper and the clippings go in the trash--voila! That sink no longer clogs. 
• I am constantly repairing water erosion in my yard. Do you spend much of the fall and spring fixing bare spots in the lawn, replacing mulch in flower beds, repairing and replacing decorative borders and wood elements around your yard due to water erosion and damage? I did too...until I happen to observe my yard from an upstairs window during a rainstorm. It helped me to notice that I had a huge grading and water drainage issue. When I took the time to redirect the water properly, the other issues melted away.

What are some of the solutions you've found around your house--after weeks, months or even years of fixes that didn't work long-term? We'd love to hear them! (And save ourselves from a Groundhog Day nightmare of our own).

Posted By: Chrissy Doremus, U.S. Inspect Blog

Happppy New Year, everyone! With a New Year theme, here's my most recent featured content in the print library of the U.S. Inspect Agent Resource Center. Feel free to add your logo and use in your marketing! 

Description:  It’s a New Year. That means it's time for the ever popular list of New Year's Resolutions. What is on your list this year? Some of the most popular resolutions are to get more organized, to be healthier and to spend more time with the people we love. Well, how about a few resolutions for your home (yes, your home) that can help you accomplish all three? Here are a few maintenance "resolutions" for your home that will help you get more organized, be safer and healthier, and allow you to spend more time with your friends and family—because taking care of maintenance now, saves lots of time and money later!

Posted By: Chrissy Doremus, U.S. Inspect Blog

Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse. Or so I thought!

Do you think it's possible to ever find just mouse droppings? And nothing else? Hmmm, I'm betting that's pretty unlikely...sigh...I went down to the kitchen this morning to find my husband, all dressed for work, standing at the kitchen sink hand-washing all of our silverware. Now my husband can be sweet, but I highly doubted that he had suddenly decided to treat me to some extra shiny forks, so I reluctantly asked, "What are you doing?"

"Do you really want to know?" he asked, and he gave me a look that made it clear that I did not. I waited for the answer anyway.

Mouse droppings...he had found what he thought looked like mouse droppings in our silverware drawer. Yiick! My mind instantly flew to the little black "thing" I found on my desk yesterday. Had I touched it? I couldn't remember. Later in the dining room, I found more :( Well, there you go, it's settled, we have a little, furry, unwanted holiday guest! And especially with a house with two young children, this Christmas Mouse definitely has to go!

So what's next? Here are some tips for dealing with house mice:

• Clean, clean, clean. Although good sanitation will seldom eliminate mice, poor sanitation is sure to attract them and will permit them to thrive in greater numbers. Good sanitation will also reduce food and shelter for existing mice and in turn make baits and traps more effective. I will also be taking some time to disinfect the areas where I have had mouse traffic and/or droppings (yiick) in order to protect my family from bacteria like salmonella, which can be present in mouse feces. (Double yicck).
• Eliminate holes, cracks. Our home is under construction and it really is no surprise to me that a mouse (yes, I'm hoping it's only one) has found its way indoors. We have had holes between the basement and the outside for a couple of weeks, plus frequently open doors. A first order of business will be to keep doors closed from now on and to seal any tiny passageways that exist. 
• Set Traps. It's time to set some traps. The style of trap is up to preference mostly, but for most household mouse problems, traps are a good course of action. I have used glue traps before and I think they are more torture than anything else. Plus I had an incident with one getting stuck on the end of a broom handle during "disposal" that I'd rather not repeat. So, we'll skip those. In our case, since we hopefully have a very low rodent population and because I have young children, I will be skipping poisons as well and will be using traditional snap traps. (Though we will use quick set "alligator jaw" traps rather than the old school ones). An advantage to the snap traps that is also important to me, is that we can keep track of the rodents and easily remove carcases (rather than having poisoned animals disappearing somewhere in the house possibly causing fowl odors or unsanitary conditions).
• Strategize. Placing too few traps is a common mistake among homeowners. Mice don't like to venture far from home, so place a trap every 10 feet in active areas. To increase your success, let the mouse take the bait once, before setting the trap.
• Bait. Bait choices are as varied as trap types. Pellet packs that mice can gnaw through are popular, but I imagine we'll probably just be using something we have on hand like peanut butter or chocolate.
• Dispose. Always wear rubber gloves when setting or clearing traps. If you dispose of a dead rodent, double bag it, dispose of your gloves afterwards, and wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water.

So, with that, I'm off to the hardware store--wish me luck!

Posted By: Chrissy Doremus, U.S. Inspect Blog

Here's my most recent addition to the U.S. Inspect video library in our Agent Resource Center. As always, feel free to use on your blogs and websites!

Making our homes a safe place to be is so important during the holiday time of year, especially when it's the last thing on our mind.

From picking out a safe tree, to hiding dangling electrical cables, to avoiding edible decorations, this two-minute video provides a few great safety tips for around the home so you can focus on celebrating the joys of the season.

Posted By: Chrissy Doremus, U.S. Inspect Blog

Here's my most recent featured content in the print library in the U.S. Inspect Agent Resource Center. As many of you know, I recently had my second daughter, so this one hits close to home! Feel free to add your logo and use in your marketing! 

Description: Will you have little ones in your home this holiday? Whether they are your own children, or those of family and guests, it's very important to be sure your holiday trimmings are child-safe. These eight tips can help you do just that.

Posted By: Chrissy Doremus, U.S. Inspect Blog

Here's my most recent featured content in the print library in the U.S. Inspect Agent Resource Center. Feel free to add your logo and use in your marketing! 

Description: This season, many of us will be on ladders decorating our homes inside and out. So this holiday time and always let's take some time to reiterate and practice ladder safety.

Posted By: Chrissy Doremus, U.S. Inspect Blog

Today is Thanksgiving and though, throughout the year, we all have lots that we wish for and want for when it comes to our homes, I'm happy to sit down today and take some time to be thankful for what I've already got--and as it turns out, it's quite a lot.

I am thankful for...my dishwasher. I have decided that no mother should ever be without a dishwasher. And ever since I got one myself, I never want to be without one again. It's one invention that I'm not ashamed to admit, I feel like reaching out and giving a well-deserved hug to at the end of a long day.

I'm thankful for...my dining room table. We don't have an eat-in kitchen and we don't have a formal occasion dining room (like my dream home does), but what we DO have is a modest, 6-foot, wooden table in a "kitchen slash dining room" space. It's weathered and worn and there's a long scratch down the middle it got when we first moved it in, but I love it. It's the table where my two-year-old daughter is learning to say grace each night before dinner and the one where my 6-month old is tasting her first foods. It has held 17 birthday cakes, three Easter dinners, and somewhere around 2000 family dinners over the years.

I am thankful for...my windows. There are quite a few things about the location of my home that are not ideal, but sunlight knows no gender, race, or neighborhood status. It seems that no matter where you live, it finds it's way to you. I am blessed with great light in my current home--and i don't know if it's the vitamin D or what, but it's amazing what a little electromagnetic radiation can do for the mind, body and soul.

I am thankful for...my front porch. Now this one truly is a luxury. This is actually a dream-home wishlist item that I could quite possibly never have again in a home. So I plan to enjoy it to the fullest. We always wanted a porch on our home and added one a few years ago. We spend a lot of time out on the swing, during all seasons, we decorate there for every holiday, and I truly love that it is the very first thing I experience of "home" each time I walk up to my house.

I am thankful for...my office. I am extremely lucky to have a very handy husband, and one who not only loves me, but loves to make my creative projects a reality. One such recent project was my home office. A former closet, this room has quickly become one of my most favorite spaces in the house.

I am thankful for...my old radiators. I live in an older home, built in 1924.This has brought its own collection of challenges over the years, but one thing I love is my toasty steam radiators. I grew up in a home where I was always cold (this is not hard as I'm easily chilled) but I have never felt this way in my current home. Low square footage in this case is on our side and when the heat kicks on, it's never long before I am cozy and content.

I am thankful for...the whole ball of wax. Okay, so you might have gathered by now, that while my home has it's quirks, I do love it and love being a homeowner. In fact, I am truly blessed to be a homeowner at all and to have any roof over my head, not to mention this one! When I'm flipping through magazines and making wishlists, it can be easy to lose sight of what's really important about my home and that is the family that lives inside it.

Happy Thanksgiving to all from the entire U.S. Inspect Family!

Posted By: Chrissy Doremus, U.S. Inspect Blog

I created my first video blog in the U.S. Inspect Agent Resource Center! It is our most recent addition to the video library and covers some great tips for the holidays. Feel free to use on your blogs and websites!

'Tis the season for turkey dinners, gift-giving and throngs of descending house guests. That makes it the ideal time to make sure your home is safe and prepped for your friends’ and family’s arrival.

This two-minute video provides a few tips to help make your holiday-time maintenance a bit easier so that you can get on with celebrating the joys of the season.

Posted By: Chrissy Doremus, U.S. Inspect Blog

It's inspection day! The last last thing you want to do is leave the buyer or their inspector with questions about how the home has been maintained and cared for over the years. It's time to put your home's best brick forward, so here are 10 things you'll definitely want to avoid!

The Top 10 Ways to Make a Bad First Impression on Inspection Day

1. The front door is in need of repair; weather stripping is loose, exposed, or dragging on the floor.
2. The doorbell is not intact and/or does not work.
3. What's that smell?! The house smells musty, moldy, or tired. (Dirty carpet plays a big part in this impression).
4. The home is cluttered. (You want the buyers and their inspector to be able to access all areas of the home. An obstacle course will not be welcomed with too many smiles).
5. There are water stains at the ceiling, around the windows, within the sink cabinets, or beneath the shower/bath areas.
6. Windows are inoperable or do not open and close easily.  (You'll want to address any cracked glass or missing hardware as well).
7. Kitchen appliances are not in working order or surface lights and/or fans are inoperable.
8. There are loose, uncovered, or painted electrical outlets and non-working switches.
9. There are no visible smoke and CO detectors. Or they are not working.
10. There is damaged drywall from door knobs, picture frames, etc.

Maintaining and repairing the above items (and anything else on your to-do list) before the inspection will always be to a seller's advantage. And who doesn't want to make a great first impression on buyers during the selling process anyway? But do remember to call in a professional when necessary. A repair done improperly could end up being more of a headache than the original condition!

Posted By: U.S. Inspect Blog

Have you ever wondered how long the various components in your home will last? Here's my most recent addition to the print library in the U.S. Inspect Agent Resource Center. Feel free to add your logo and use in your marketing! 

Description: How many years do I have left on this roof? Which is the better investment, wood or tile flooring? Too bad our homes don’t come with “freshness dates!” You never really can know for certain how long something will last, but it doesn't seem to stop us from trying! And it's not a bad practice. Knowing approximately how long things will last in your home can help you make decisions to stagger your big purchases, and better plan your "rainy day savings" habits so you are more prepared when those items do decide to conk out. And this 2 PAGE flyer of estimated life expectancies can help!

Posted By: U.S. Inspect