Ace Handyman Services always follows CDC best-practices safety guidelines. Masks are no longer in those guidelines. We will ask all customers, when scheduling their work, if they would like us to wear a mask – We want you to be comfortable with how we work in your home.

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Father's Day is Approaching! What better gift for Dad then to give him the backyard of his dreams! 

Traeger and Ace Handyman Services can help you with that. 

Go to your local Ace Hardware, get a Traeger Grill, then call Ace Handyman Services so you and your family can have a summer to remember.

 


How To Maintain Your Deck

  1. Prep, Clean, Repair
         a. Clean it right
         b. Check the condition
         c. Complete simple 
  2. Test It
         a. The water test helps decide if you need to re-stain your deck
                 i)  Pour water onto your deck, if it beads up, then wait a few weeks to test it again.
         b. The bleach test helps decide if your desk has mold or mildew.
                 i)  Hold a rag with bleach on it to fuzzy gray or black areas. If the mark is gone, you have a mold problem.
         c. The fingernail test helps decide if you need to treat your wood before you stain.
                i)  Press your finger nail into the wood. If it leaves an indentation, you need to treat your wood.
  3. Clean It
         a. Special cleaners are specific for each issue.
         b. Pressure wash it
         c. Scrub your with your cleaner into the deck with a deck brush.
         d. Sand it lightly after
  4. Fix It
         a. Repair any simple issues
    i. Nails
    ii. Joists
    iii. Lumber
    For more tips, go to tips.acehardware.com

 

If the Thought of redoing your landscape overwhelms you, you’re not alone. It can definitely be overwhelming.

 

How to Prep your Yard for New Landscaping

 Here are four of my tips to help get you started.

Tip #1: Mapping Out the Area

You want to get a good idea of the space you’re working with. To get my ideas going for a landscape, I like to use a tape-measure to get an idea of the spaces I’m working with. I either then draw it on a notepad or, if you like, you can use Google Maps/Earth and print out a bird’s eye view of the property. That acts as a great cheat sheet to get your ideas down. Once I get my base plan, I start to draw in the different plants and materials that I’ll need so I can go shopping.

 

Tip #2: Understanding Landscape Functions

Next, you want to figure out what the function is that you want to get out of your landscaping, who’s going to use it, and how are they going to use it. It’s important to think about who will be using your yard; do you have children or pets you have to take into consideration? Now is the time to think about your entertaining needs and how you’d like to use the space. You also want to consider your storage needs, like do you need a shed to store your lawn equipment, etc.

 

Tip #3: Taking Site Inventory

Now you’ll want to take a site inventory, figure out the good the bad and the ugly. What do you want to highlight? What do you want to screen out? Find areas you want to highlight by creating a focal point. Identify areas that you need privacy. Understand where the sunny and shady areas are in your yard so you can pick the right kind of plants.

You’ll want to consider the slopes around the property and make sure that water is draining away from your house. If you have to break up some soil, you might consider using something like the Yard Boss from Stihl. It’s a multi-is great to use to break up the soil and level it out.

Tip #4: Preparing the Site

Next, you want to start preparing the yard. You want to start clearing and cleaning up. I used a Stihl Blower to clear all the dead leaves and then cleaned them up. After visualizing what you want your yard to look like, you can decide what projects you want to tackle yourself.

 

Hopefully these tips get you excited about working on your landscaping.

What You May Not Know About Fire Prevention

 

by Lou Manfredini, Ace's Home Expert

Since 1922, October is nationally observed as Fire Prevention Month.  It commemorates the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. Although we have come a long way since this tragedy, there are many American’ s who are still unclear on how to fully protect their homes.

What You May Not Know About Fire Prevention 

Understanding the most common causes of fire around the home and what you can do to protect yourself is a good place to start.

Common Causes of Fire

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) lists these as some of the most common causes of home fires:

  • Candles. Christmas, New Year’s Day and Christmas Eve are three top days for home candle fires. Why not try a safer alternative – LED candles glow just like the real thing and you can even find products that look like a real flickering flame..
  • Smoking.  It’s the leading cause of fire deaths in the U.S.
  • Cooking. Keep a watchful eye on what you’re cooking. Follow instructions by the book for electric and gas appliances and turkey fryers, grills and smokers. And take precautions to prevent scalds from overheated beverages, steam, and hot oil.
  • Portable generators and fireplaces. Fuel, electrical shock, open flame or carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning are some of the dangers associated with careless use of these devices.
  • Electrical. Overloaded circuits, shorts and unsafe wiring can put everything and everyone in your home at risk.
  • Heating. Not surprisingly, most home heating fires happen in December, January and February.
  • Dryers and washing machines. Lint build up can ignite in the venting and start a fire.
  • Flammables. Store gasoline, kerosene and paints in proper containers, keep them tightly sealed and store them away from heat and flame. Never store any of those items near a furnace or hot water heater.

Fire Prevention and Protection Basics

 

  • Install Smoke and CO Alarms Properly. You need at least one on each floor where they can be clearly heard in an emergency. Pay special attention to the manufacturer’s recommendations on where to place them. Humidity from laundry rooms or bathrooms are just one thing that can effect their operation. Test them once a month and keep the batteries frersh. Replace smoke alarms every 8-10 years and CO alarms about every 5 years..
  • Have your Heating Equipment Checked. Have your furnace serviced by a reputable inspector. When operating portable or fixed space heaters, be conscious to keep them away from items that could ignite, including drapes and articles of clothing.
  • Keep Fire Extinguishers Handy. Keep them on every floor to create an escape route if needed. Keeping an extinguisher rated for grease and electrical fires in the kitchen and garage is a good idea. Replace them about every 3 years, or if the dial indicates they need replacing. When your extinguisher expires, instead of throwing it out, use it to practice using one so you’re ready if an emergency happens.
  • Practice an Escape Plan. Map out a plan, practice it and tweak it if your run-through doesn’t work. You can find detailed information at www.nfpa.org.

 

For more helpful tips and advice, visit Tips.AceHardware.com.

 

 

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