As a plumber’s wife, I have heard job stories for 30 years. As an industry expert and business consultant, I’ve had the opportunity to visit hundreds of service shops. Often, I put on the company uniform and ride along with the plumber or heating professional.
So, straight from the trenches, here are my best homeowner tips.
Do it yourself• It’s a good idea to educate yourself about your equipment. Plan to be home when new systems and components are installed, so you can communicate with the contractor who does the work. Learn how the system functions. Ask what you can do to keep it operating at peak performance.
• Many service calls can be avoided by addressing things yourself. You could try unclogging your sink garbage disposal with the provided Allen wrench. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions, and watch what you are putting in the disposal in the first place! It’s not a good idea to put the potato peelings from six potatoes in the disposal all at once. Yep, I did that, too, on my 15th wedding anniversary.
• Regularly replace your furnace and air conditioning filters. Don’t go for the filters that snag every molecule of dust. Those thick layers restrict airflow and cause the motors and other components to work too hard, and break down sooner. Use the recommended filters and change them often. If your house is super dusty, you may have a leaky house. Instead of struggling to filter the inside air, you could prevent dust entering the house in the first place. Consider a whole house energy audit – use a pro for this, and ask about utility company rebates.
• Regular cleanings are good for your humidifier or dehumidifier. And, you could change your water filter cartridge without losing life or limb. The manuals are probably available online for your brand, if you lost the originals. And there are great instructional videos at YouTube.com.
• Learn how to use your programmable thermostat. Modern thermostats are a key element of high efficiency equipment. They can be set to ramp up and down based on when you are going to be around. Alas, so many people failed to use these thermostats properly that the Energy Star organization revoked the label in 2010. The best ones now available connect wirelessly to the Internet and can be managed from anywhere via cell phone.
Call in the proJust because you could, doesn’t mean you have to DIY. From my experience, I have learned the pros only make it look easy.
One of the things I love about my husband the plumber is his mastery of the physical world. He has the tools, education, experience and passion to identify and fix – or replace – broken things. I would rather garden. Or read. Or watch a movie. Or workout. Or stick a needle in my eye before I would do any kind of home repair myself.
Ellen Rohr is an author and business consultant who helps entrepreneurs start, fix and grow their businesses. She conducts a monthly webinar, and her books include “Where Did the Money Go?” and “The Bare Bones Weekend Biz Plan.” She can be reached at ellen@barebonesbiz.com.
