Bathroom Maintenance

Toilets
Most toilets are made of vitreous china, although other materials are occasionally used. There are many different styles of toilets, the most common being the two-piece. This type of toilet has two separate components, the bowl and the tank. For the most part, these units are generally inexpensive and replacement parts readily available.

One piece toilets, or siphon action toilets, are usually somewhat expensive. When flushed, the entire bowl surface is covered with water, however a quiet and smooth operation is associated with these units.

Toilet Maintenance

• Check for any signs of leakage at the water supply, the tank connection, the bowl, and the toilet connection to the drain.
  
• Make sure the toilet is tightly secured to the floor.
  
• Inspect the flush mechanism for proper operation.
  
• Be sure the toilet is ade-quately caulked to the floor.

TIP: Your drain plunger can become a more effective tool by smearing a little petroleum jelly around the edge of the suction cup. The jelly will create a better seal between the drain and the cup.


Bathtubs
Bathtubs can be either built-in or free standing. Typically they are made of enameled cast iron or steel, fiberglass or plastic. Some of the problems as-sociated with bathtubs are leaking water supply or drain connections, corrosion, and chipping of the enamel finish.

One option for providing an old tub with a new look is reglazing. This is a relatively new process and the results do not appear to be long lasting. The advantage of reglazing is that it can be done in place and is much less expensive than replacing the fixture.

Another common source of leakage is the intersection where the tub meets the enclosure. The enclosure may be ceramic tile, plastic, or simulated marble. Modern, one-piece fiberglass or acrylic enclosures are also available.

If properly installed, all of these materials are acceptable. To avoid problems, it is critical to keep the area where the tub meets the enclosure well sealed! Loose ceramic tile at the tub rim may be a sign of water penetration.

Bathtub Maintenance

• Occasionally check the underside of the bathtub for any signs of leakage or wood decay.
  
• Periodically inspect the tub surround for any signs of failure (loose tile, etc.).
  
• Keep the intersection of the tub and surround well sealed.
  

Sinks & Faucets
Bathroom sinks can be made of stainless steel, enameled steel, cast iron, vitreous china, plastic, marble, simulated marble, or a variety of other materials. All of these sinks are fairly reliable and each have their strengths and weaknesses. Leakage is the most common deficiency found with a faucet.

Faucets come in a variety of styles and quality. Regardless of the style, leakage is the most common problem discovered.

The popular compression faucet uses a washer to turn off the water when the washer is compressed against a seat. If water leaks out of the faucet this is usually an indication of a deteriorated washer. If water leaks from the handles it usually indicates deteriorated packing. Both of these problems are considered minor and are inexpensive to repair.

Modern faucets use a valve, cartridge, or ball to direct the flow of water. These mixing valves allow the control of hot and cold water, and the volume of water with a single handle.

Sink& Faucet Maintenance

• Periodically inspect under the sink for signs of leakage from the water supply lines and the drain piping.
  

Ventilation
If a bathroom does not have an operable window an exhaust fan is usually required. Although fans are not required when a window is present, they are beneficial. It is unlikely that a person would open a window every time they took a shower.

Heavy concentrations of moisture in an unvented bathroom can lead to mildew damage on the walls and ceilings.

The exhaust from the fan should discharge to the exterior of the building to prevent excessive moisture build-up in the attic.

Flooring

• Check for loose, cracked or missing ceramic tile.
  
• Inspect for deteriorated or missing tile grout.
  
• Be sure the edges of resilient flooring are kept well sealed.
  
• Keep the joint between the tile and the tub/shower well sealed to prevent water damage to the subfloor.

Article Source: All Bay

Care and Maintenance Tips for Solid Surface

• Regular cleaning is easy using a non-abrasive cleaner and a damp cloth or sponge. If the product has a factory matte finish, then abrasive cleaners may be used. Follow the manufacturer's recommendations.
  
  
• Prompt clean up of spills will minimize even stubborn stains such as food dye, tea, fruit drinks, and some juices. For stubborn stains on polished surfaces, use full strength bleach for two to five minutes followed by a general cleaner, then flushed with water. On a matte finish, follow the same procedure or use a bleaching abrasive cleaner.
  
  
• Cigarette burns on the surface are usually a nicotine stain or scorch that can be easily removed by cleaning with an abrasive cleaner or buffing with a plastic (not metal), abrasive household sponge.
  
  
• Never set hot pans directly on a solid surface. Use a trivet or potholder to protect the top. Using your countertop for a cutting board will result in unnecessary damage that may require professional repair.
  
  
• Repairing superficial scratches is a breeze on solid surface products. Sand lightly with 350 grit sandpaper or buff with a plastic (not metal) household sponge. Deep scratches or chips should always be removed professionally.

Article Source: ICPA

Prepare your house for Fall

Even if it’s still hot where you live, fall is definitely on its way, so it’s time to get your house ready for the change of seasons. Getting some this preparation done in advance means you can spend time on outdoor projects when the weather finally does turn cool. Besides that, once all this work is done, you can concentrate on fun projects for the holidays – maybe a new makeover for your dining room?

A pretty house is nice, but a functional, clean, and well-maintained home is a real joy. It’s also safer for you and your family. Clip this checklist and post it on the fridge (ahem, I mean the new corkboard you’re going to install!) to help keep you on track for all your fall home preparations.

Do important cleaning and maintenance

• Call your heating and air conditioning company to come out and light your heater pilot and check your heating unit. Don’t wait until it’s cold or you’ll be in line with everyone else.
  
• Check seals and weather stripping around doors. This will help stop drafts and keep bugs out.
  
• If you have a wood-burning fireplace, have your chimney cleaned and inspected to prevent chimney fires or smoke back-ups.
  
• Do paint touch-ups outside and inside your home.

Make necessary changes

• Change household filters, such as water filters, whole house water filters, and air conditioning filters. Buying a three-month air filter will take you into the winter season. Try to change these at marked times, such as change of seasons or when we change our clocks to help you remember when to make the changes. Purchase new batteries for smoke detectors and have them ready for the Daylight Savings time change on October 30th.
  
• Install smoke detectors if you don’t have them.
  
• Dust your smoke detectors and used canned air to clean dust out from the inside of your smoke detectors if there is any build-up.
  
• Consider adding a carbon monoxide detector if you have a gas heating unit.
  
• Clean out the pantry. Throw away old or unused food items and clean or replace shelf liner. Consider using a plastic coated shelf liner that can be cleaned as needed.
  

Organize closets, cabinets, and garage

• Install organizers in spice cabinets and pantries to make holiday cooking easier and create more storage for baking and cooking needs.
  
• Buy and install closet organizers to straighten out messy closets.
  
• Purchase 10 sets of plastic hangers and then replace as many wire hangers as possible. Wire hangers bunch up your clothes and make them hard to find.
  
• Organize the garage and get ready to bring all the outdoor things like patio furniture indoors for the winter. Install shelving and purchase tubs to hold miscellaneous items in the garage. Give the garage a good cleaning by washing the floor, wiping down the walls with a broom to remove cobwebs and cleaning the windows.
  

Clear out excess

• Clear the clutter. Clutter collects dust and it makes it hard to clean.
  
• Clear off the tops of everything you can – kitchen counters, dressers, bathroom counters, etc.
  
• Go room to room and clear out excess clutter and unused items and then schedule a garage sale.
  
• Donate items to your favorite charity and get the tax deduction before the end of the year rush.
  
• Make a space for holiday purchases now before you start bringing them home.
  

Clean up

• Clean light fixtures and chandeliers before holiday parties and family dinners.
  
• Get silver polished and china washed and it will ready for your holiday dinners and will be one less thing you have to do then.
  
• Schedule to have your carpets and upholstery steam cleaned.
  
• Turn mattresses, and then take comforters and bedspreads to the cleaners for dry cleaning or laundering.
  
• Wash silk plants while the weather is still warm and they can dry outside. You can spray these with a hose or you can spray them off with a nozzle in the shower.
  
• Clean the surfaces in the kitchen. Make a corkboard area close to a phone or desk area where pizza coupons and fridge art can go to clean off the refrigerator. Next, clear off the counters of anything you haven’t in the past week. This will give you more space and look neater, too.
  
• Clean exterior surfaces and wash sidewalks, front porch, and windows before the weather turns cold and you can’t get them cleaned.

Article Source: BellaOnline