Here’s a list of the top five actions homeowners should take to get their houses in shape:

Gutter Installation/Cleaning

Gutters, one of the most underrated aspects of any home, will extend the life of the roof, soffits and fascia of a house. For the integrity of the roof, having the gutters cleaned is highly recommended.

Window Frame Repair

It’s time to let in the fresh air and cool breezes. This is especially tricky with a busted window, which happens frequently when the weather is cold.

Power Washing Services

Getting the house, deck, and patio furniture professionally power washed can really increase curb appeal. Not only does power washing reduce wear and tear, it makes everything look good as new.

Deck Repair

Perform a careful inspection of the deck to determine areas that will need attention. Are railings solidly fastened? Is the surface splintered or have nails exposed? Does any framing need to be replaced? Make a list of all the work to be done to stay safe this summer.

Wood Rot Repair

Wood rot usually means there is underlying damage caused by water leaking behind the siding or between seams. Oftentimes, the leaking and rotting began years before, hidden from sight. Underneath, however, soaked wood has begun to rot and may be infested with insects.

Written by Mr. Handyman, found at www.marketwatch.com

1.) Keep your gutters clean and make sure you have downspout extenders that carry the water at least three or four feet from your home.

The purpose of gutters is to collect water from your roof and direct it away from your house via downspouts and downspout extenders. If water stays near the foundation, it could leak into your basement, causing water damage.

If water finds its way under your sidewalks and driveway, it will heave the concrete during periods of freezing and thawing.

Or if the water splashes against wood siding that stays moist, you might be inviting termites into your home.

Another point to remember is that the ground immediately around your house – whether it is covered with plants, mulch, or some kind of rock – needs to slope away from the foundation, or it could cause significant damage to your house’s foundation.

2.) Have a plunger handy, and know how to use it.

It might be surprising, but many people don’t know how valuable it is to know how to use a plunger – a tool used to break up clogs in toilets or sink/tub drains to keep them from running over.

Save yourself a costly visit from a plumber by learning how to use a plunger. What would’ve spent hours of waiting for a serviceman to arrive could get done in mere seconds if you take a couple minutes to learn how it works.

If a plunger doesn’t fix the problem in your drain, use a chemical drain cleaner, which can clear any clog in minutes and costs less than ten dollars.

3.) Know where your water shut-off is located.

If you’re planning to spend a week or more away from home, turn off the water before leaving to prevent any problems from occurring while you’re gone.

Also, know where the water shut-off is located for each individual toilet and sink in your house, so if either starts overflowing you can stop the problem from getting worse – without cutting off the entire water service in the house.

4.) Do not ignore problems such as a little wet spot on your ceiling.

By the time the water has seeped through your ceiling, it has gone through the sheathing under the shingles, followed the trusses down through the insulation and gotten to the drywall. At this point, it’s time to act immediately.

On the same line, periodically check your roof to make sure the shingles aren’t worn, missing, or curling. If they are, you need new shingles. By ignoring these signs you could develop a gap in your roof, inviting in water, unwanted birds and other unexpected wildlife.

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Spring is the “perfect time” to indulge in some carpet cleaning and breathe life back into old carpets, experts have noted.

Dander & Daughters Chem-Dry carpet cleaning service in Seattle offered some advice on how best to get rid of the grime that tends to build up in the flooring, especially when it comes to high traffic living areas.

One tip is to move furniture around in order to fix any dents in the carpet, with several methods able to reduce such indentations like wet towels, hot irons and ice cubes.

It is also a good idea to hire a professional carpet cleaning service they note, as the simple fact that people stay indoors more in the winter means that dirt gets trodden into the carpet much more.

People tend to walk over the same patches of carpet, directed by furniture, meaning that some sections of flooring get particularly dirty. One way to rectify this and thereby lengthen the life of a carpet is to rearrange furniture to create new walkways.

Just vacuuming frequently can vastly improve the lifespan of a carpet, noted the experts, who urged homeowners to resist the temptation to be lazy.

By Marta Boshnakova, published on www.fastklean.co.uk

HGTV Spring Cleaning Checklist

Spring break gives busy fans another opportunity to take time for spring cleaning. The HGTV spring cleaning checklistkeeps people organized as they journey through the rooms to tidy up.

Windows get yucky after the long winter and need to be washed with the sills wiped down and the screen cleaned. Drapes should be removed and fluffed in a dryer with a damp towel for a few minutes. A damp cloth cleans those dusty blinds. In fact, the entire house need to be dusted including those shelves filled with decorations. Also sure to be dusty are baseboard, areas above cabinets and ceiling fans.

Smelly trash cans need to be washed out and sprayed with disinfectant. Carpets and floors should be deep cleaned or professionally cleaned, especially under furniture. Upholstered furniture should be cleaned and pillows vacuumed. Deal with the grout between tiles in the bathroom and kitchen.

As the weather gets warm, air conditioning might get turned on and the filters should be changed. Also search for drafts by windows and doors as well as places where water can get in to seal these areas.

The kitchen is a hot spot where the refrigerator should be cleaned out and the lime around the faucet removed. Make chrome shiny with a mix of half water and half rubbing alcohol. Clean the oven and microwave after all that winter and holiday cooking. Get rid of the expired food in your pantry.

If the faucets in the bathroom are covered with mildew or hard-water scale, soak them in vinegar. A vinyl shower curtain can be tossed in the washing machine with determine, a cup of white vinegar and some towels then air dried.

In the bedroom, change and launder bedding and remember to turn the mattress. Clean and store those winter sweaters then take out your spring and summer garb. Vacuum and clean out your closet and search for bugs. Step into your home office to get papers in order and store files from last year. Step outside your door to sweep the porch and wash outdoor furniture.

HGTV Spring Cleaning Shortcuts

There are easy ways to get through the HGTV spring cleaning checklist above. A few spring cleaning shortcuts and tips from HGTV get the job done faster.

Salt and soda water is the perfect combo for cleaning your refrigerator. The lime buildup around faucets and fixtures is removed with vinegar. It softens so it can be wiped away in about an hour.

Windows can be cleaned with soapy water and a rag or a windshield squeegee from the local auto parts store. The screens from those dirty windows can be cleaned with a carpet scrap, which acts as a cleaning brush. Drapes can be fluffed for 15 minutes in the dryer with a wet towel to make them fresh.

The ceiling fan covered in dust is a breeze to clean using a coat of furniture polish. The extra is wiped off and used to buff the fan blades. If those winter pillows, blankets and comforters do not need cleaning, bring them outdoors and hang them on a clothesline to soak up the fresh air. Kelly Edwards of HGTV’s “Design on a Dime” shares more spring cleaning shortcuts in the video below.

HGTV Spring Cleaning Tips for the Backyard

Now that people will be spending more time outdoors, HGTV offers spring cleaning tips for easily maintaining outdoor spaces. After being dormant or under snow during the winter, outdoor spaces need to be cleaned up and made beautiful.

Check the gutters, clean them out and divert water on the roof. Also check the plumbing inside and out. Look for spots on the roof that need repairing after the long winter before they get worse. Check the paint and fill in areas that are chipping.

Take care of lawn maintenance by raking and mowing. Cut away the overgrowth from shrubs, plants and trees. Change air filters and search around for pests and access points for pests that could also cause leaks. Close and seal these areas to avoid water seepage and unwanted critters. Wash lawn furniture according to instructions. Most lawn furniture cleans up well with water and dish detergent.

HGTV spring cleaning tips for inside and outdoors are quick and help keep everything beautiful. Once the house and yard are clean, people are ready to redecorate for the spring and summer seasons.

By Stacey Doyle, published on www.huliq.com

The updated spring flood outlook for Grand Forks and East Grand Forks from the National Weather Service is more than a foot above the 50-foot level listed two weeks ago. The record is 54.35 feet in 1997, the year of the flood disaster.

By: Kevin Bonham, Grand Forks Herald

The Red River has a 50-50 chance of rising above 51.1 feet at Grand Forks and East Grand Forks — the second-highest on record — this spring, according to the National Weather Service’s latest spring flood outlook.

The new forecast is more than a foot above the 50-foot level listed two weeks ago. The record is 54.35 feet in 1997.

Warm temperatures over the past week have contributed to melting throughout the basin. However, much of that moisture remains in the snowpack, according to Greg Gust, meteorologist in charge at the weather service’s Grand Forks office.

Here are some major points, according to the weather service’s latest outlook:

_ All points along the Red River have a better than 90 percent risk of major flooding.

_ Fargo and Oslo, Minn., have a better than 20 percent risk of meeting or exceeding their 2009 floods of record. In 2009, Fargo hit 40.84 ft, while Oslo hit 38.19 ft.

_ With mainstem Red River flows now expected to be slightly higher overall, the risk for 2009-scale flooding near Grand Forks has risen from about 60 percent to about 80 percent.

_ The risk for reaching or exceeding the 1997 flood of record for Halstad, Minn., and Grand Forks remains roughly 10 to 12 percent. The 1997 record crest is 40.74 feet in Halstad and 54.35 feet in Grand Forks.

_ Hendrum, Minn., on the Wild Rice River, stands a 20 percent risk of exceeding its 1997 flood of record of 33.85 ft.

_ Highlanding, Minn., on the Red Lake River, has a better than 70 percent risk of breaking it’s 2009 flood of record (13.64 ft) largely due to high levels on the Red Lakes.

_ Neche, N.D., on the Pembina River, and Grafton, on the Park River, could experience levels near those of 2009. Grafton has a 25 percent risk of exceeding its 1950 flood of record of 16.52 ft.

_ “Warm temperatures this past week have helped to melt some of the existing snowpack and even to evaporate or sublimate some of the snowpack moisture, leading to a loss of from one-tenth to one-quarter of an inch of moisture,” Gust said. “So, overall net moisture gains since January have been quite low.”

However, tough conditions remain throughout the region.

“Our snowpack has become quite dense, compacted, and in some places soil is exposed,” Gust said, adding that tough outlook conditions persist throughout the valley, including:

_ High snow water content. The actual moisture from the snow is still present either in the dense snow, in the near soil layer or in ditches. “It has not gone away,” Gust said.

_ High soil moisture. Soils that were very wet last fall are still frozen and very saturated.

_ High base streamflows. River and lake levels (though frozen at the surface) have remained near winter season records.

The weather service indicates wintery conditions are on the return, with a colder and snowier than normal pattern expected for the later part of February and beyond.

With La Nina conditions expected to continue in the Pacific through early summer, an active weather pattern should persist well through the typical March-April snowmelt runoff period, according to the weather service.

The following locations have a near-50-percent or greater chance for reaching or exceeding major flood stage: Valley City, Lisbon, Kindred, Grafton and Neche in North Dakota; and Climax, Crookston and High Landing in Minnesota.

A better-than-even chance of moderate flooding exists at Enderlin, Mapleton, Hillsboro, Minto and Walhalla in North Dakota; and at Sabin, Hawley, Dilworth, Twin Valley, Shelly, Alvarado and Roseau in Minnesota.

Reach Bonham at (701) 780-1110; (800) 477-6572, ext. 110; or send e-mail to kbonham@gfherald.com.

Tags: 2011 floods, gf and egf, north dakota, updates, news, fccnetwork, floods, minnesota, fargo

Associated Press — The National Weather Service says odds of major flooding along the Red River in Minnesota and North Dakota have increased slightly.

The weather service said Thursday that it believes there’s a 22 percent chance the river will surpass the record crest of 40.84 feet set in 2009 in Fargo, N.D., and neighboring Moorehead, Minn. Last month’s prediction was 20 percent.

Meteorologist Greg Gust says recent warm weather has decreased the depth of snowpack in many areas, but the water content remains high and the recent thaw will have little impact on the level of flooding.

On the upper Minnesota River in western Minnesota, the chance of major flooding at Montevideo has risen to 90 percent. On the Mississippi, the threat at St. Paul is now 95 to 98 percent.

Steve Karnowski contributed to this story from St. Paul, Minn.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Public health officials in Fargo and neighboring Moorhead, Minn., want to create registries of vulnerable people before expected spring flooding.

The Fargo Forum newspaper reports that the registries would include the frail elderly and the disabled. The goal is to enable public health officials help people who aren’t in regular contact with service providers such as hospitals and nursing homes. If there is severe flooding, the database could be used to help with relocations.

During spring Red River flooding two years ago, hospitals and nursing homes in Fargo-Moorhead evacuated about 2,700 people as a precaution.

Homeowner Adrienne Eider already has plans to move her belongings out of the basement in anticipation of a third-straight year of major flooding in Fargo.

“We were lucky we didn’t have to sandbag last year, but with the current predictions it’s a little bit scarier this year again,” the south Fargo Woodhaven neighborhood resident said Tuesday.

Eider was one of more than 200 residents who came out during the first of two community meetings Tuesday to hear the city’s plans for protecting their neighborhoods.

While flood fatigue may be running high for some homeowners, starting preparations this early and staying informed is going to be the key in resilience, said Dr. Andy McLean, medical director of the North Dakota Department of Human Services.

The National Weather Service predicted last month that the Red River has a 10 percent chance of exceeding 42 feet, a level that would top 2009’s record crest of 40.84 feet.

“It’s very early, but it’s also a very high forecast,” said Senior Engineer April Walker.

Engineers have identified and created protection plans for south Fargo’s critical areas, which include areas near the Fargo Country Club, River Drive South, Rose Creek, River Vili, Oak Cree, Timberline, Drain 27 and Drain 53, Walker said.

Staff is breaking the city into 13 districts, each of which will be assigned an engineer and firefighter to help coordinate efforts.

The city will provide a plan, supplies, volunteers, engineering staff and levee patrols, but homeowners will have duties of their own, Walker said.

The city advises homeowners to:

Organize neighborhoods and provide a point of contact.
Prepare property by removing fences, decks, gazebos and other debris that may get in the way of sandbagging or levee construction.
Assist volunteers and city staff in constructing line of protection.
Maintain sandbag levees.
Pump seepage.
Be aware of personal safety.
Secure pets.
The city is also asking that homeowners fill out a right-of-entry form to allow city staff, equipment or emergency agencies on their property.

Not all of the homeowners at Tuesday’s meeting live directly in reach of flooding from the Red River.

Tom Hubbard said his home north of Rose Creek is out of immediate danger, but the whole city is at risk if a line of protection fails or the sewer system was affected.

“It can indirectly affect us all,” Hubbard said.

Readers can reach Forum reporter Heidi Shaffer at (701) 241-5511

If you go

What: Fargo neighborhood flood meeting

When: 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday for neighborhoods north of Interstate 94. Doors open at 6, with a presentation at 7.

Where: Fargo Civic Center, 207 4th St. S.

Resident resources

For general flood information, visit www.cityoffargo.com/flood.
For a right-of-entry form to allow city staff, equipment and emergency personal on property, visit: www.cityoffargo.com/CityInfo/Departments/Engineering/FloodInformationCenter/ConsentForm/

For property information, call (701) 476-4199.
To see when sandbag volunteers are needed, visit: http://volunteerstatus.cityoffargo.com or call (701) 476-4000.
Tags: news, flood