After the recent rains and cool temperatures, swimming may be the last thing on your mind.  But it is mid-March and as anyone who has spent a few years in Texas can tell you, it is going to get hot fast.  Now is the time to make sure your swimming pool is ready for summer.

Following is a basic guide to preparing your pool for summer fun.

1.      Remove the pool cover and clean it.

If you have a solid pool cover then it should have come with a cover pump for removing excess water from the top of it.  For both solid and mesh covers, remove leaves and debris and lay it out to dry.  (Be careful when drying a solid cover on grass since leaving it on the grass for too long can damage the lawn, especially on a hot day.)  Store it according to your manufacturer’s instructions, ideally indoors and away from rodents.

2.     Inspect the entire pool’s surface for damage.

Look for leaks, tears in the vinyl liner, damaged tiles or cracks.  There is no sense in adding water if you will have to drain the pool to repair it.

3.     Add water until the level reaches halfway up the skimmer opening.
4.     Turn on the pump.

Prime the pump then turn it on.  Closely monitor the pressure gauge and be ready to immediately turn off the pump if the pressure starts rising well above normal.  If you are not getting pressure, check pipes for leaks, re-prime and try again.

5.     Ensure that your skimmer and filter are working correctly.

If you did not clean your filter at the end of last season, do it now while the pump is running.

6.     Perform a safety and equipment inspection.

Over the next few days, check for leaks or damage.  Carefully monitor the water level   Check all electrical connections to ensure they are in proper working order and in good repair.  Remove any tripping hazard.  Make certain that all entry points to the pool area—such as gates or doors—are secure and working properly.  Be sure that rescue equipment—life preservers, catch poles, etc.—are in good condition and in place to be ready for an emergency.  Also, be sure a first-aid kit is easily accessible in case of falls, cuts or other non-drowning emergencies that can happen near your pool.

7.     Clean the pool.

Skim, vacuum then brush the pool.

8.     Run the pump for five (5) hours then test the water.

After thoroughly cleaning the pool, run the pump for at least five (5) hours.  Then, test the water’s chemistry using a quality pool water testing kit.  (Many pool supply/cleaning businesses will allow you to bring them a water sample for testing.)

9.     Add chemicals to balance the water’s chemistry.

Carefully read and follow the chemical manufacturer’s instructions for adding chemicals to your pool.  Because of the potential hazards of working with and storing chemicals, many people opt to have this step performed by professionals.

You can save a bit of money by doing some or all of the maintenance yourself.  But if you either want some help or prefer that a professional handle every aspect of your pool’s care, there are companies eager to help.

You can find service providers for Cypress by visiting our Service Providers page.

With the endless list of chores homeowners face, those of the “out of sight, out of mind” variety are easy to keep putting off.  But while organizing that mess of a closet can be put off for months or years without serious consequences, neglecting some chores can prove very costly.  Cleaning the gutters is one such chore.  Fortunately, a small investment of time and money now can save you a lot of both later.

Rain gutters are like shield-bearers for you homes foundation, basement and some other aesthetic factors.  They keep excessive water from attacking it by routing the water away from it.  Since their job is to defend against water, they need you to fend off the debris that is also attacking them.  By keeping them clean and enabling them to do their job, they help prevent problems such as:

• damaged foundations
• rotted wood
• mosquito, termite and roach infestations
• growth of mold
• damaged landscapes

Of all of those potential problems, preventing damage to your home’s foundation can be the most expensive and troublesome.  Water can damage your foundation in two main ways.  First erosion can simply wash out the dirt the supports the foundation.  With enough erosion, the foundation can shift.  The shift in the foundation itself may not be noticeable but it put it put increasing stress on the structure of the house and can cause cracks.

The second main way is that excessive water can cause damage is by oversaturating the soil.  When this happens, the ground may no longer be able to support the weight.  As with erosion, the foundation is likely to shift down toward more solid ground.

Cleaning gutters can be a time-consuming seasonal headache.  If you have a lot of trees that drop leaves onto your roof then it can require even more frequent cleanings.  Further deterring people from tackling the chore is that it almost always requires either climbing a ladder that must be frequently moved in order to reach access all of the gutters or instead trying to work from on top of the roof.  Either way, it is laborious task that puts the cleaner at risk of falling and being injured.

With all of those downsides, it is not surprising that companies have created ways to make the chore easier.  Perhaps the most popular solution is installing gutter guards.  While gutter guards come in a wide range of styles and colors, they all perform the same basic function:  keep everything but water from getting into your gutters.

You can either pay a company to install gutter guards or you can do it yourself.  If you are comfortable with working on a ladder and are willing to dedicate a short afternoon to the job then the do-it-yourself option may be right for you.  Installation is usually a simple matter of snapping the strips of guard into your gutters.  The most demanding part of the job is having to necessity to frequently move the ladder and thus repeatedly climb up and down it.  Still, with prices as low as about 50 cents per foot of cover, it can be worth the effort.

Poorly maintained gutters can cause costly damage to your home.  Additionally, some prospective buyers may see a damaged foundation as a deal-breaker.  While keeping your gutters clean can be a tedious chore, gutter guards can be an inexpensive way to make it simpler.

You can find service providers for Cypress by visiting our Service Providers page.

Winnie-the-Pooh author A.A. Milne once said, “One of the advantages of being disorganized is that one is always having surprising discoveries.”   Does the clutter in your garage makes you feel like an unglamorous junkyard version of Indiana Jones?  If so, now is the time make some discoveries—and gain some perks fit for a queen or king.

Make More of Less:  Time

There are two things people often wish they have more of:  time and money.  The desire to squeeze more productivity from each hour has made multi-tasking an essential work skill for many people.  Fortunately, you can apply that valuable skill to your garage.

The first thing you can multi-task your way to is time.  How?  Have a garage sale the same weekend that you are organizing your garage.

Announcing a garage sale gives you a deadline which can provide extra motivation to tackle your garage.  When people sort through their belongings, it can be very easy to lose time in reminiscing or otherwise prolonging deciding whether an item needs to stay or go.  Having a mental clock ticking away the minutes can give you a sense of urgency.

It can also save time by keeping you from duplicating work.  For example, if you can leave your car parked on the street overnight then you can sort through your belongings one night and leave the items you are selling where the car normally goes.  Then all you have to do the next morning is move the items you are selling to the spot where you are going to sell them.

If you plan the organizing and garage sale for different weekends then you have to sort it, store it then get it out again.  Plus, you run the risk of delaying the garage sale—which can attract another clutter-monster.  Remember, Indiana Jones is a great adventurer because he doesn’t stop until he has achieved his goal.

Make More of Less:  Money

It’s been said that, “one man’s junk is another man’s treasure”.  Making less in your garage can lead to making a little more money.  If you’re really lucky, you may even find a long-lost treasure like some of the people on Antiques Roadshow.  Indy never had it so easy.

Of course, you could also forego the garage sale and instead donate the things you no longer need.  The feeling that comes from helping those in need may be more valuable to you than the money you could get from a garage sale.

“It’s Good to be King” or Queen

An organized garage offers more than the chance to make a few dollars and the benefit of being able to find things.  Because you may see your garage two or more times each day, a cluttered garage can be a frequent source of frustration.  If your home is your castle, then a cluttered garage is like a guilt-monster wreaking havoc on the peace.

And if you are trying to sell your house while you live in it, the clutter monster can make a frightening impression on potential buyers.

So grab your whip, don your fedora and embark on your adventure.  Then slay the beast, become the valiant monarch and proudly stand in the orderly kingdom of your garage.

You can find service providers for Cypress by visiting our Service Providers page.

Before the widespread use of 911 for emergency calls, people had to have a list of phone numbers for their local police, ambulance and fire departments.  Now, we know that in an emergency we should dial 911.

But locking your keys in your car or locking yourself out of your house is usually* not a 911-emergency.  However, it is a situation you want to resolve quickly.  It is also a situation many people are unprepared for.  The combination of being unprepared and desperate creates the perfect opportunity for scammers.

Scams are Very Common

A prevalent scam involves companies that place large ads in local yellow pages.  These ads offer an enticing price and give the impression that they are a local company.  Frequently, they will have several listings with different names and phone numbers, all of which will be routed to the same place—which is usually out-of-state and to an entity that is not even a locksmith company.

When you call, you are either not given a price or are given one that is cheap enough to dissuade you from calling other locksmiths but reasonable enough to fend off suspicion.

Then, the locksmith shows up, opens your lock and charges you significantly more than you were told.  The work is typically poor or even unnecessarily destructive.

How to Avoid the Scam

Preparation is the best way to avoid being scammed.  Assume that at some point you will lock yourself out of your house or car.  There a couple of ways to prepare.

The least expensive and lowest risk method is to give a copy of your house and car keys to a couple of trusted family members or friends.  While a spouse may seem like an obvious choice, remember that this only works if your spouse always has the spare on them when you are together.  Leaving a set with someone local but who does not live with you ensures you have a set of keys outside of your vehicle and home.

The next best method—and you should make this your Plan B even if you implement the previous tip—is to find a locksmith before you need one and keep their number with your emergency contacts.

The best source for finding a reputable local locksmith is to ask friends and family for a recommendation.  If you have to resort to searching the Yellow Pages or internet, follow these tips:

• Call them before you need them.
• When they answer, if they give you a generic business name or no name, ask for the legal name of the business.  If it does not match what you called, hang up and keep searching.
• All Locksmiths in Texas have to be licensed—ask for their license number.  If there is any hesitancy or if they cannot provide it, hang up and keep searching.
•  Ask for their address.  If you are calling a “mobile locksmith” they may not have one—but they should be able to tell you they are a mobile-only service.

Remember:  The best way to avoid being scammed is by having your solution ready before the problem arises.  Make your plan now.  It may save you frustration and money later.

* What constitutes an emergency that warrants calling 911?  According to 911.gov, “An emergency is any situation that requires immediate assistance from the police, fire department or ambulance. …  If you’re not sure whether the situation is a true emergency, officials recommend calling 911 and letting the call-taker determine whether you need emergency help.”

You can find Cypress service providers by visiting our Service Providers page.

It was a dark and stormy night….

While fiction writers are taught to avoid that cliché opening line, home security companies have made that image a staple part of their television advertising arsenal.  If you have seen the ads then you know that a few moments later, someone will break into the house and either the villain will trigger the home security alarm or someone in the house will hit the panic button.  Either way, the villain flees and the family is safe—the home security system has saved the day.

As over-the-top as those ads may seem, they touch on a concern many people can relate to—keeping yourself and your loved ones safe.  While modern home security systems can do much more than simply detect a break-in, personal safety is still the main selling point.  The ads ask an implied question:  “how much is you and your loved ones’ safety worth?”

As it turns out, the price for that security may be lower than you expect.  Indeed, a home security system could pay for itself.

So how much does a home security system cost?  While that depends on the company, their specials and the options you select, most companies seem to offer a comparable basic package.  That basic package will typically include at least the following items:

• One or two door sensors
• Approximately three window sensors
• A motion detector
• A lighted keypad with a panic button
• Exterior security signs
• a 3-year contract

Companies typically offer more than this with their basic package but it varies from company to company.  For example, several companies offer a key fob that allows you to arm the system or activate the panic button remotely.  And, of course, you can always add more features for more money.

There are typically three costs to consider when shopping for home security.  Two of them are the installation charges and the monthly monitoring charges.  Installation charges are typically advertised for $99.  Some companies offer free installation and others run specials that lower the price.   Monthly monitoring charges are typically around $30.

(Note:  if your home already has a home security system installed—such as from a previous owner—then you can expect to pay approximately a $99 activation fee and $20/month to have a company monitor it.  One of the reasons for the higher monthly price of a new installation is that, over the course of the contract, you are paying for the basic equipment that is installed.)

The third cost to consider is an enjoyable one—how much you will save on your homeowner’s insurance premiums.  Many insurance companies give discounts to people who have an active home security system—sometimes up to 20% off.  If you have a $1,500 annual premium, then with a 20% discount you will save $25/month.  With monthly monitoring prices on an existing system costing less than $25/month, if you got free installation then the system could pay for itself immediately.

A home security system can offer safety, peace of mind and savings on your homeowner’s insurance premiums.  Plus, if you decide to sell your home then having a home security system already installed can be attractive to buyers.  Given those factors, homeowners should explore their home security options.

You can find a local Cypress Home Alarm System provider along with other local service providers on our Service Providers page.