KEEP CURRENT ON ROUTINE MAINTENANCE
One of the most important things you can do as a homeowner is to make sure routine maintenance is part of your plan. Catching problems early can often help you avoid larger issues down the road. What is now a minor plumbing or roof leak can cause major problems if not detected and fixed immediately. Check around your home for cracked or peeling paint, have the chimney and fireplace inspected and cleaned, and make sure the driveway and walkways are not cracked or lifting.

UPDATE YOUR HOME INVENTORY FOR INSURANCE PURPOSES
If you’re like many homeowners, it’s probably been a while since you’ve reviewed your home insurance policy and reassessed the value of your home’s contents. An updated home inventory of your possessions can help you determine if you have the proper type and amount of insurance. Your insurance company may make forms available to help you organize and record your inventory, and there are several home inventory software programs available. You also can download a free program from www.knowyourstuff.org. Should you have an insurance claim for property loss or damage, a current and accurate inventory can help make the process and accurate valuation easier.

AUDIT YOUR HOME FOR ENERGY SAVINGS
There are simple things that every homeowner can do to improved energy efficiency and save on utility bills. Check around your home for any fixtures that still have incandescent bulbs and replace them with CFL or LED bulbs wherever possible. This saves money and makes things easier for you, too; for example, bulbs in awkward places will need replacement far less often. Make sure windows and doors are caulked and in good repair; this will save energy in both winter and summer. If you’re planning to replace any appliances this year, shop for and compare efficient, energy-saving models.

CREATE A FIRE SAFETY PLAN FOR YOUR FAMILY
Everyone knows the importance of having a plan in place should a fire occur in your home. But each year, tragedy strikes homes and families who didn’t think about it or who promised to make a plan “one of these days”. The basics include working and properly installed smoke detectors, fire extinguishers, and an escape plan for every room. Your local fire department is an excellent resource for directions on creating a plan designed to keep you and your loved ones safe. Give yourself some peace of mind by making 2012 the year to put that plan in place.

For more information about home inspection and for additional resources, please contact David or Pam Wall at david.wall@pillartopost.com or pamwall@look.ca

 Christmas Carolling at Portage Park – Whitby Shores

This Friday December 16, 2011 at 7:00 pm

Join with family, friends and neighbours for festive community carolling in our park. Word is Santa will be popping by!

Bring candles, flash lights, blankets & mugs for hot chocolate (compliments of Tim Horton’s Whitby Shores). Feel free to bring non-perishable food items for Feed the Need Durham.

Thanks to the Carew and Zarzour families for organizing this event for the 2nd year in a row! 

Seal Drafts – Seal holes, cracks, and openings in your home to stop the flow of heat through the walls and ceiling. Replace worn weather stripping and those worn out door threshold sweeps. Caulk the exterior doors and window frames to reduce drafts and water penetration.

Keep Your Pipes Pumping – Pay less for hot water by insulating pipes. This will also decrease the chance of pipes freezing especially if plumbing runs along and outside wall or in a crawl space.

Clean Those Gutters – Once the leaves fall, remove them and other debris from your home’s gutters so that rain, melting snow, and ice can drain properly. Install downspout extensions to water drains away from the foundation. Install window well covers to keep leaves and snow out and reduce leaks.

Roof Tune Up.- Secure curled shingles with roofing cement, caulk the flashings at the chimney and step wall. There are reputable companies that will clean the gutters and do a roof tune up.

Turn off and drain the exterior hoses. – Turn off the hose valve in the basement, open the small drain on the valve to drain the water. Open the exterior valve and remove the hose.

Furnace Care – A simple way to keep your home warm while cutting down on energy waste is by replacing your furnace filters or cleaning them as needed. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Gas and oil furnaces and fireplaces require annual cleaning and inspection by a qualified contractor.

Insulate – One of the most effective ways to keep a home warm is to install adequate insulation. This is especially true in attics and crawlspaces. Insulation helps keep the home cool in summer and warm in winter. There is some government funding available until March 2012 for upgrading obsolete furnaces, windows and adding insulation.

Check the exterior grading. – It is a long winter and lots of snow is anticipated. Make sure the grading is sloped to drain water away from the foundation and basement windows. If there a lot of snow built up and a quick thaw or rain occurs. Good grading could save you from water penetration into the basement.

Install Smoke and Carbon Monoxide detectors. These can literally save your families life.

Source: David Wall: Pillar to Post

Granddaughters

Our 3 year olds grand daughters (3 weeks apart in age) up to the lake for the weekend. Next year the third grand daughter will join us.

We hope everyone is having a great summer with this outstanding weather.

Peter

The next big step was to build all of the interlocking patios on the front, side and back yards. The backhoe dug out all of the back yard except the trees. After the interlocking patios, walkways, steps and walls were completed, we added 2 dump trucks of top soil. With the help of a landscape designer we bought a number of plants. I did the basic design for all of the patios and gardens, but I had to be flexible, since my plans didn’t always work.

We stayed with most of the plan of using perennials, evergreens, rose bushes and other decorative bushes for the gardens and kept most of the curves that I wanted in the patios.

2005 was the ultimate year with the main growth filling in all of the gardens for the Whitby Communities in Bloom award. We were one of twelve residential winners. 

 It is now time for a spring cleanup. I have to edge the front gardens and add soil to most of the gardens. I have 3 small pine bushes, a rose bush, multiple irises, lilies and hostas to give away,  or, trade. If you would like to be contacted when we thin out and divide our plants, please email me peter.dewsbury@sympatico.ca

The name was selected from 53 submissions.

http://ddsb.durham.edu.on.ca/Pdf/trustee/Board_Highlights/HL-2009-10/HLT2010_03_22.pdf

here : http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20081010.reShorelands1010/REStory/RealEstate/home