2nd floor heating/ radiators:
--Two years ago we moved our bedroom to the first floor, and left the 2nd floor unused most of the time unless we had overnight guests. The 2nd floor radiators will need to have the air bled out and be checked for proper operation. The radiator valves are not all the same; some turn on or off with a quarter turn, and others have multiple turns of the handle between fully open and fully closed.
General plumbing maintenance
--Kitchen and laundry drains, catch basin: Maintain this part of the plumbing system with regular use of an enzyme treatment such as Zep Drain Care. First, warm the pipes by running hot water for several minutes, then pour 1/2 cup of liquid enzyme treatment into the drain and don't run water there for at least 6 hours. Best done at night so the enzymes can work while you sleep. This treatment works to break down fats, grease, and soap residue. This easy maintenance is for the kitchen drain, the laundry drain, and to keep greasy residue from building up in the catch basin*
*Catch basin is a grease trap located in the back yard near the basement stairs enclosure. You'll see the manhole cover there. After years of maintaining the drains with enzyme treatment, there's barely any grease/ soap residue in the basin. The catch basin is also an access point for sewer rodding. I rodded the main sewer line in 2024, and I would predict that it may not need rodding for several years. When/if it does need to be cleared, the catch basin will provide the best access.
There have been three occasions on which water from heavy rains has come up in the basement. This happened all over the area during those occasions because the public sewer system--a combination storm drain and sanitary sewer at the time--got more rainwater than it could handle. Since that time, the city has installed a new storm drainage system in the area to alleviate flooding. However, should something go wrong and if water comes up in the basement, I have left an emergency pump at the house, along with flexible hoses to take water from the pump to the alley. There are steps to do in this emergency situation:
--Tie a rope to the C-shaped handle at the top of the pump. The rope must be long enough and tied securely enough to lower the pump into the catch basin, and to lift the pump out again.
--Attach drainage tubing to the pipe attached to the pump.
--The straight steel rod at the side of the pump head is the switch for the pump. It has two positions: Up turns the pump on, and down turns the pump off. There's a float to switch the pump on and off (a white, 2-inch diameter capsule-shaped thing) that is also there, but it came unattached from the pump. The last time I used the pump, I just lifted the switch rod manually to run the pump, and used an extension cord connection to turn it on or off
--Use an extension cord to power the pump. Make sure the connection between the pump cord and the extension cord doesn't fall into the basin or get too wet. SHOCK or ELECTROCUTION HAZARD if this direction is not followed.
--Do an emergency drill before there's a flooding situation so you can make sure you're familiar with all the steps, and can act quickly, safely, and effectively.
The waste disposer/"garbage disposal" in the kitchen sink is a basic one that I installed 16 years ago, which is far beyond the expected lifetime for a basic waste disposer. It is still operating quite well because I maintain it weekly by using a dish sponge and Dawn dish soap to clean the inside--making sure to keep all other humans well away from the disposal switch while I have my hand in there. I also make sure to run the disposer with plenty of water every day, and to use it lightly. Make sure not to drop anything into the disposer that is not soft, grindable food waste. The disposer can get a piece of tableware (fork or spoon) or a bit of broken glass, a bottle cap etc, inside that must be removed from the disposer by hand before running it. If you turn the disposer on and there's an unusual grinding/ clattering sound, turn it off immediately, and once it has fully stopped, reach inside to remove the object. Use all due caution! and avoid personal injury.
Hose bibbs/ sillcocks: There are two spigots for outdoor watering/ carwashing etc. both located in the gangway on the west side of the house. The only essential maintenance needed for these frostproof sillcocks is that you don't leave a hose or any other item--such as a sprinkler timer--connected during the freezing months of the year. Disconnect any hoses, timers, etc. in about November. A small amount of water will drain from the spigot, and then the sillcock is prepared for winter.
Special note on basement toilet, bathtub drain, and floor drains: There might be an occasional sewer odor in the basement. When and if this happens, the solution is usually to run or pour some water into these drains so they have a water seal trap. The trap seal in floor drains can evaporate. The toilet in the basement bathroom does not refill the water in the bowl automatically. When you flush this toilet, you have to follow up by depressing the flush handle slightly for a few seconds to put water into the bowl to keep the trap seal. If the basement bathtub and lavatory sink are unused for a period of time, these fixtures can also lose their trap seal (the water in a drain trap). All that's needed to stop the sewer odor is to run some water into the drains.
The basement has no dedicated heating. It gets *some* heat from the water heater and furnace. During a deep freeze, I always place a space heater in the laundry room to keep the pipes from freezing. There is a pair of one-inch copper pipe stubs--valved and capped--above the furnace. These stubs can be used to run pipes to new radiators or baseboard heaters in the basement.
--The main water valve is in the front of the basement, and is a 1/4 turn valve. The main gas valve is outside at the gas meter. It is also 1/4 turn.
--The electrical panel is on the east wall of the basement in the laundry area. I have labeled all of the circuit breakers in what I hope will be a logical way that you can understand.
--The concrete in and around the house is a century old. I've done extensive patching and crack-filling, and as of September 2024, there's no seepage. Some areas might occasionally need some cracks filled. I left a partial container of concrete crack filler for this. The best and most durable thing is mortar that is mixed very runny/ with "too much" water so that it settles as deep as possible into gaps...but a winter and summer will probably pass before this is needed at all. The strange little closet-like room under the front stairs/stoop could use a bit more mortar patching that I never got around to, but even that has been water-tight in recent years.
You may be thinking by now that this is a house that requires a lot of maintenance. The Chicago Bungalow is often called a craftsman-style home for good reason: there is maintenance to do and things to learn about the house, and a bungalow's best ally is an owner who cares. In a few years, all the maintenance will be easy for you.
I hope you love this home as I always did. Fill the house with love, and it will always be a loving home.
My best to you
Bob DeVore
No comments:
Post a Comment