‎"You control your future, your destiny. What you think about comes about. By recording your dreams and goals on paper, you set in motion the process of becoming the person you most want to be. Put your future in good hands - your own." .~Mark Victor Hansen

At the beginning of the year, most people set their golas for the year. As we approach the last quarter of the year, it might be a good idea to see just how well you are progressing, and make adjustments to attain them. What good are goals if you simply write them down, but never look at them? 
Think big this week and have a successful week . . of excellence! On your terms, by your design!

Weekend "Honey Do" tip - Check the Oven

A lot of people don't realize the appliances in the house need maintenance too. 

This week's tip is on what to do for your appliances.Check the oven and elements. Is the oven in need of cleaning? Some spills on the oven deck can cause pitting of the surface that can eventually lead to corrosion to the floor of the oven. If the oven is in need of cleaning, do so now. Before cleaning, check the oven door. Does it stop at the proper intervals? It should stop with an open position of about 2-3 inches without the door closing or completely falling open. If the door is in need of repair, call an appliance specialist. If you have a range, Remove the burner grates, reflector pans and elements. A lot of ranges have the ability to lift the cooktop portion for cleaning. Make sure you clean this area. Take a look under the range. Spills, dust and other debris can end up under the range and along the sides. If you have a gas range, do NOT move it. There is a possibility of kinking, or damaging the gas supply piping. After cleaning everything, check the lower burner of an electric oven. Then turn the oven to broil, and make sure the element is working.

Challenge Yourself Daily

As an Entrepreneur and student of success in today's world and tomorrows we must continue to challenge ourselves and often take good measurements as tomorrow you will be further along than today. Challenge yourself daily. What can you do today to move yourself along your goal path?

Checking Your Roof After The Storm

Checking Your Roof After the Storm

After a storm you should always check your roof for missing shingles, missing rain caps on furnace and water heater vent stacks, and natural gas appliances that require vents. You don't necessarily have to climb on your roof to check these out; using binoculars works just as well and is much safer. Make a habit of looking up at your roof whenever you approach your house, either from the front or back yards. This way you will notice immediately if something is wrong.

Furnaces are expensive and a missing rain cap on the vent stack can shorten the life of the heat exchanger by more than half. Note that not all pipes sticking up on your roof need rain caps, some of them are plumbing vent pipes.

We encourage you to look at your roof as you are driving up to your house, since you can get a good view of the roof that way.

Cracked Chimney Cap

A cracked cap allows water to penetrate the chimney causing premature deterioration and in northern climates, freeze/thaw damage.
The purpose of a chimney cap is to prevent water from penetrating the top of a masonry chimney. The chimney cap should not be confused with the rain caps which sometimes cover the tops of chimney flues to prevent rain water from running down the flues. A chimney cap is usually constructed of concrete; however, some are stone or metal. A good quality cap normally overhangs the sides of the chimney at least one inch to provide some protection for the chimney from water which is dripping off the cap.

In many cases, a proper cap is not provided. Bricklayers often put a thin coat of mortar over the top of the chimney (exclusive of the flues, of course). With time, this thin layer of mortar cracks and eventually becomes loose. The rate of deterioration to the top of the chimney which does not have a cap depends largely upon the type of masonry used to build the chimney and the quality of the mortar. There are many chimney

Plumbing: Water Hammer

Water Hammer - Sometimes we are asked, "why are my plumbing pipes so noisy?" The noise they are usually referring to is known as the water hammer. Water hammer noise is usually caused when a rapid flow of water is suddenly halted. It happens frequently when a faucet is turned off by hand or by an appliance, such as an automatic washing machine. The best way to stop this noise is to install air chambers in the lines, which will act as cushions for the water. Your plumbing system may already have air chambers which have filled with water, and all you have to do is drain the system to let the air back in, then refill the system with water.

Thank you for visiting my blog. The purpose of this blog is to provide a forum to share housing related information, ask questions and be a single point of contact for Abundant's clients and colleagues.