Why Chimney Repairs Are Important

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Chimney repairs may seem like something you don’t have to address immediately. A small crack may appear cosmetic, and you may not want to pay for them because you think they may be too costly; especially right now with Christmas right around the corner. However, it’s also right before the weather turns cold and it’s in cold weather that you will use your fireplace more than any other time of year. You can also rest assured that if you do not take care of chimney repairs immediately, they will become more costly than you could ever imagine.

What you may not understand is the chimney affects the entire foundation of your house. After all, your house is built around your fireplace, so if there is a serious issue with your chimney, you may be dealing with much more than a simple repair. Chimney cracks and unsightly damage may be a sign of a much larger problem in your home, so it’s important to address any and all types of mortar repairs before they become a potentially disastrous situation. If your chimney is not working properly, you may not even know it. To this end, it is very dangerous to use before having it inspected for any and all necessary repairs. Since the weather is turning colder, make major repairs to your chimney before winter sets in and stay both warm and safe.

Be aware that chimneys are the crux of your entire home. Properly maintain them by having them inspected by a professional and qualified chimney inspector before they need to be used each winter. Ensure your home is kept warm, and make sure your fireplace is in safe operating condition before putting your home and your family at risk. Don’t wait for small chimney repairs to become major headaches in your life. Repair your chimney the first time you are aware of it, every time.

Concrete Repairs Made Simple

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Have you ever observed concrete problems? If you took a walk outside today I would say you have. Especially in the areas of the U.S. with freezing temperatures. We all know about how the freeze thaw cycles effect concrete and when one puts a patching material down it simply does not last a winter season. So what usually happens is a maintenance staff member will apply more of the same material once the weather warms up.

Wouldn’t it be great if one could put down a material once and have that material last for more than one year? Take an exterior stairway at a shopping mall. After years of the freeze thaw cycle and salt being applied to the stairs in the winter the concrete is eroding away. Now comes one of two choices for the operations manager. Choice one is to hire a contractor to come in and repair that stairwell using ready mix concrete or a Portland cement patching material. Choice two is to have internal staff make the repair using a polymer modified material.

Now we will evaluate both options. Its great when a contractor can quote a job and complete the repair for a lower cost than having to replace an entire stairway. Your problem comes when the winter arrives, because the bond on concrete to concrete is not strong enough and when your freeze thaw cycle occurs and your chloride sinks into the surface your repair is not going to last more than a few years. Now there are ways to protect the concrete from chloride attack and ways to get a stronger bond to your surface but some contractors are concerned with profit and will make that shortcut more often than not.

When using non cement polymer material such as the Enecon Duraquartz one will not have to worry about bond strengths or chloride resistance. The material can hold up to the chloride in the wintertime and has a bond strength that is so strong that it cannot be broken without ripping out existing concrete in the process. What about a curbs in a parking lot? The material is nearly four times as strong as conventional concrete which means when a repair with conventional patching material has failed the Duraquartz will not.

Small Engine Repairs You Can Do Yourself

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When your lawn mower, garden tiller or hedge trimmer won’t start, you would naturally perform basic troubleshooting. After checking the gas, oil and blades, you might not have to call the repairman yet. Here are some small engine repair procedures that you can do.

Spark Plug Replacement

One of the easiest small engine repair tasks on this list, replacing the spark plug usually does the trick. Being the onset for combustion, it receives the most power in the shortest amount of time. This is why it easily gets charred, oily, or busted. When it comes to spark plug substitutions, it’s always a good idea to go for more expensive plugs of better quality than the cheap kinds that need constant replacing.

Carburetor Cleansing

After a long time in the shed, the carburetor can get gummed up. There’s also the chance that some parts might have also corroded if proper maintenance was not performed. If you’re willing to give this small engine repair procedure a try, download its manual complete with carburetor parts assembly and helpful illustrations. If you can’t find one, have a camera handy and take pictures as you disassemble. Soak the parts in carburetor cleaner for an hour and then reassemble.

Spare Belts and Valves

Both belts and valves experience wear and tear and naturally come up in small engine repairs. Instead of paying to get the task done, find out the usual lifespan of these parts and make its replacement part of your maintenance checklist. With a manual and the right tools, you can easily buy the right spare parts and perform the substitution as needed. Think about the time you saved by not waiting in your mechanic’s repair queue.

Alternator or Battery Repair

Knowing how to troubleshoot your battery and alternator is not only economical, but also practical. Believe it or not, most battery problems are caused by loose connections. A simple adjustment here and a simple tap there could save you a lot of time and money.

If you know a lot about maintaining and tinkering with your outdoor machines, you can probably do some small engine repairs by yourself. Aside from saving yourself from the additional labor costs, it’s also a good way to get to know your machine for all its little quirks. Not only will you be able to prevent the things that could make the machine go awry, you would also get a better idea of the cost of parts involved in small engine repairs.