Three jobs for September

[Ahorsesoul]

1. Pull out your dryer from the wall (unplug first). Pull off the dryer vent, usually attached with a metal ring that has a scew in it. You might need a screw driver. Then take the vacuum and get out as much of the lint from inside the wall (any type of brush can help get the lint loose) and then from out of your dryer. Then reattach a NEW dryer vent (easier than cleaning it). This will help your dryer work better and prevent a fire. Wash the floor under the dryer and all four sides of the dryer. Now push the dryer back. Looks nice, dryer works better and you deserve a break. I also took the time to place four of those plastic mover disks under the feet of my dryer. Now it will be easier for me to move. Oh, now turn on the dryer and go look outside to be sure the outside vent is working. This can be cleaned also.

Info on fires
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vixNauSDz4
How to tell if you dryer vent is working or not
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9I54Rh57IQw&feature=related


2. Grab a can of WD40 (or some other oil) to oil all the door hinges. House and car!! Also do the shut off valves under the sinks and behind the toilet tanks. If your kids door squeeks you might want to leave it alone. Also nice to know when they are coming out of their room.

3. Change the batteries in your mouse and keyboard if you have wireless ones and change them in your garage door remotes. Therse are things often overlooked until they stop working.

 

[candysprinkles]

Yeah...we really need to do that dryer thing. Our washer and dryer are stacked front loaders though which makes it a little harder. I'm going to put it on the honey do list. Definitely neeeds to be done. Thanks.

 

[luludou]

Don't forget - replace the batteries for the fire detectors!

 

[MinnieCo]

You know, I've been asking my husband to do this for years, but I think I'll just do it myself and put it on my to do list when doing my laundry room this time on HGP.

 

[AnnieClaus]

Great list, Ahorsesoul! Thanks for the reminders!

Annie

 

[Ahorsesoul]

A stacked washer and dryer might be harder to do. Moving that washer is the pits. lol

Moving a dryer is easy. Just go slow moving it side to side to get it started.

 

[Ahorsesoul]

I will say since we had to replace an element in our water heater my dh will help when I say something needs to be done. All those years I was telling him to drain some water out of the water heater went unheeded. Now he's doing it monthly.

 

[HouseElf]

I do the dryer thing at basement week during the HGP, several years ago we had wasps over the summer trying to nest in the outside vent area.

 

[Ahorsesoul]

The neighbor (we are a twin home) had a bird starting to next in her dryer vent on the outside wall one year because she was missing one of the little tabs. I pulled out most of the nest and put tape over the hole. Didn't want my house catching fire. lol

 

[candysprinkles]

A stacked washer and dryer might be harder to do. Moving that washer is the pits. lol

Moving a dryer is easy. Just go slow moving it side to side to get it started.

I was thinking that maybe it would be easier (since the dryer is on the top) to just turn it a quarter way around to do it. Not sure that it would work, but it would be easier than pulling out both.

 

[teachermomof2]

Great list! Fortunately our smoke dectectors are hard wired. We just did the dryer vent in Aug., but I'll have dh check it again.

Another thought...seal up any holes or cracks on the outside of your house to prevent rodents from coming in during cooler weather. DH did that yesterday and found a brown bat living in the corner of the siding.

 

[Christmaslvr]

My 3 jobs for September:

1) Clean out and organize our bedroom closet

2) Re-organize hallway built-ins

3) Hmmmm...have to come up with another!

 

[AnnieClaus]

With holiday shopping around the corner, this would be a good time to check your online passwords and change them!

Remember to add symbols (@$!#*), numbers and Capital letters.

You don't want your email (or worse- online accounts) to get hacked like mine did. It is a pain in the bootie!!!!

Annie

 

[Colleen in PA]

Great reminders! We clean out our dryer vents every 6 months...I can't believe how much accumulates! DH says what can I expect when it's the hardest working appliance in our house!

I change the batteries in our smoke/carbon monoxide detectors every 6 months on Time Change Sundays.

This is also a good time to stock your medicine cabinet - cold & flu medication, cough drops, etc. And to change over your emergency kit in your car if you have one (add blankets, warmer clothes, gloves etc.)