DC Metro Mom

By – Jeannine Miller ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it )

January 20-22, 2012
Home & Remodeling Show
Dulles Expo Center
 

Moss Building & Design has launched a new series of workshops for moms' groups in Northern Virginia who are ready to tackle some of the smaller jobs around the house and just need someone to show them how.

Moss offers the full spectrum of home improvement services from a fully built-out addition or basement to a maintenance or one-time issue serviced by Moss Home Services. With the HandyMOM 101℠ program, Moss hopes to cover some of the smaller items on homeowners' "honey-do" lists by empowering women to tackle those items themselves.

Being indoors may be giving you more time to think about better ways to use the space in your home. Winter is becoming a popular time to complete indoor projects, as people realize how much easier scheduling can be than during activity-packed warmer months. As you look around your home, Moss Building & Design offers some simple advice about what to tackle first:

Ready

We asked Home Improvement Specialists, Moss Building & Design,  to share their customers' biggest home improvement and maintan questions and concerns. See the Q&A below.

1. In the Metro DC area, do we need to turn off the supply to the outside faucets in the Fall before the freezing weather arrives?
It's a good idea, even though we don't typically have consistent days of temperatures below freezing. In northern parts of the country, it's an absolute necessity.

Turning off the water supply is not enough. You also need to disconnect the garden hose connected to the hose bibb and leave the hose bibb open to allow the water in the pipe to expand and drain out. This will allow the piping to withstand the cold weather.

2. Recently, I noticed an increase in my water bills. I don't see or hear any leaky faucets. What else could have caused the bill to go up?

You may want to check to see if a toilet is leaking. First, check the water level in the tank to ensure that water is not overflowing the tank by way of the overflow pipe. This is the pipe in the middle of the tank. It has small tubing connected to it. If water is running into the overflow, adjust the fill valve to stop the flow approximately one inch below the top of the overflow tube or to the water level mark stamped on the side of the tank.

My title for this blog might be a bit extreme...but it is true!!!

After my husband discovered a leaky ceiling in the basement during the late evening, we were desperate to find a plumber.  Of course the task got delegated to me.  While he was submerged in a 4 hour conference call...I had the task of wrangling a toddler and calling 9 plumbers!!!  While I have a litany of contractors that I trust, a plumber has just never come up until now.  Oh joy...a new opportunity.

First issue, no one answers live.  Second issue, no one wants to call you back.  Third issue, some plumbers will come out for a $60.00 charge just to tell what is wrong.  Are you kidding me!  This appears to be one industry that is not feeling the recession.

The ending, one of the plumbers that I called actually returned my call.  He was in a crawl space without cell reception so I see why he couldn't contact me immediately.  Here is my happy ending, he not only called me back but he said he could come over immediately.  He met with my husband, surveyed the damage, fixed the problem and DIDN'T overcharge us!!  I LOVE HIM!!!!