3 things that may go wrong if you don’t winterize your house (BPT) – Fall is here, which means, like it or not, cold weather is just around the corner. While most of us would prefer not to think about turning on our heat just yet, this is actually the best time to check your heating to ensure everything is operating as it should. Neglecting to winterize your home and letting small issues pile up can have big repercussions. Ahead of the winter season, HomeServe, a leading provider of service plans, repair and installation services for the home, wants to make sure you’re aware of three major things that may go wrong if you don’t winterize your house or neglect your heating system. 1. Your utility bills may skyrocket. Utility bills often jump up in the winter due to the increased hours of darkness and the cost to heat your home. But if your heater is on the fritz or your filters are clogged,
you could be in for an even bigger surprise. Dirty filters cause your furnace to work harder, which leads to inefficiency and a shortened lifespan for your heating system. Replacing filters is often an easy task for homeowners. A yearly tune-up is an inexpensive way to help prevent a costly system breakdown in the coming months. Also, keep in mind that some warranties require annual tune-ups, so don’t let your warranty go invalid by skipping this year’s tune-up. 2. The threat of carbon monoxide is very real. Do you know how old your furnace is? Do you know how long it’s been since a professional checked it over? Carbon monoxide poses a health threat when the heating system flue, vent or chimney becomes blocked from debris or other material. During a heating system tune-up, a professional service technician can check to
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make sure all your vents are not blocked and are working properly. Drains and traps also need to be checked and combustion gases should be analyzed and compared to the specifications of your furnace or boiler to make sure everything is running safely. Installing a carbon monoxide
detector in your home is another smart way to help with early detection. 3. Water pipes can burst. It’s not just your heating system that needs to be winterized. All too often it happens - we wake up to realize our pipes are frozen, or even worse, leaking. Before the cold sets in, make sure outside hoses are put away and water is turned off. Evaluate which pipes are at the greatest risk for freezing during cold weather. For example, if your water pipes come up from an un-insulated crawl space, or if they are in or close to an uninsulated outside wall or vent, they are more likely to freeze and burst in low temperatures. Inside pipes should be covered in insulation to keep pipes warmer
longer. Pipe insulation is easy to apply and available at most hardware stores and home centers. By having an annual tune-up in the fall, you can catch small issues now, instead of experiencing bigger problems in the dead of winter. A
tune-up can also save energy, reduce heating costs and prevent a system breakdown in the coming months. For more information on National Tune-Up Day, including a heating system check-list, visit nationaltuneupday.com.
Real Estate Auction for The Estate of Elmer Blush Saturday, October 12th • Noon 627 Main Street • Olean, NY 14760 Historic 1915 - 18 Room 2,888sq.ft. Home w. Full Basement Separate Living Quarters or Home Office and Large Walk Up Full Attic located on a corner lot next to Olean Medical Center with large 6 car garage and fenced in lot - a real dream home. Terms 20% deposit on day of Auction, balance at closing, 10% buyers premium, call for info 585-721-8844 to Richard G Mason Auctioneer/ Salesman, Pepper & Crandall Broker 716-372-7200.
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5 simple ways to update your bathroom’s style (BPT) – Do you have a bathroom that’s starting to look a little dated and drab, but perhaps doesn’t need a complete remodel? If you’re craving a change, you can update the space’s style with a few strategic steps. Not only will you elevate the appearance of your bathroom, but you’ll be boosting your home’s value as well. Here are five ideas for updating your bathroom space with fashion and function in mind:
Flooring replacement The floor in your bathroom gets used and abused, with frequent foot traffic as well as moisture from baths and showers. Replacing the flooring gives the space a noticeable face-lift. New tile is always a great choice for the bathroom, with options in virtually every shade, so you can select a new color palette if you please. Add a heated floor element to give the space upscale appeal. Not into tile? An
alternative is luxury vinyl flooring that gives the illusion of wood but with better durability.
Vanity upgrades Your vanity is a main focal point of the bathroom, but replacing the entire unit is costly and difficult. One way to update a vanity is to replace the top portion with a durable material, such as granite, quartz, marble or concrete. This can change the entire look of the vanity and update it with modern style. Want to go one step further? Consider updating the hardware as well. By replacing the handles and knobs you are enhancing the look of the piece while adding to the overall aesthetic of the room.
Mirror and lighting One of the hottest trends in bathroom design right now is lighted mirrors, adding both elegance and function to a bathroom. Upgrade your mirror to a new Sunfield Lighted Mirror from Ster-
ling Plumbing and you’ll enjoy natural, purposeful lighting in a sleek design. Sunfield lighted mirrors create a flood of natural light from the perimeter of the mirror with a true-to-daylight Color Rendering Index (CRI) greater than 90, providing accurate reflection and color representation. Learn more at www. sterlingplumbing.com.
Shower style Replacing the shower is a massive project, but if you want to update the style with less effort, replace the shower curtain or door. If you have a shower door, it can be difficult to keep the glass clean and eliminate water deposits that build up over time. A new crystal-clear door
Chimney maintenance a part of home safety
As temperatures drop and thoughts once again turn to lighting fires and sitting down with a good book, it’s important to revisit chimney maintenance. Even though chimneys do not require daily upkeep, regular maintenance efforts help chimneys operate safely and prevent deaths and injuries while protecting homes from fire. Various problems can
arise when chimneys are not well maintained. Such problems include chimney fires, carbon monoxide poisoning and early failure of the chimney and heating sources that the chimney vents. Carbon monoxide can be scary, as it is virtually invisible without a proper detector. The National Vital Statistics System says that, in 2015, 393 deaths resulted from uninten-
tional carbon monoxide poisoning in the United States. When carbon monoxide is breathed in, it builds up quickly and combines with the blood, reducing the blood’s ability to carry oxygen. The Canada Safety Council says that body tissue and cells can’t function without oxygen. Chimney fires are another potential byproduct of poor chimney maintenance. The Chimney Safety Institute of America notes that chimneys expel the byproducts of combustion, including smoke, water vapor, gases, unburned wood particles, hydrocarbon, tar fog, and assorted minerals, which can condense on the inside of the chimney flue. The
residue, called creosote, is highly combustible. With the right conditions, a chimney fire can occur. To avoid chimney fires and other risks, take these precautions, courtesy of CSIA, HomeAdvisor and Popular Mechanics. • Have chimneys inspected annually and properly cleaned by a professional chimney technician. • Make sure tree branches and other obstacles are cleared away from the top of the chimney. • Use seasoned hardwoods that have
from your local home improvement store will add a clean, updated look to the space. If you have a curtain, swap out old material for one in a fresh hue that evokes just the right feel for the space.
Linens and rugs Last but not least, to update the style of your bathroom space, don’t
forget about fresh linens. New hand towels, bath towels, rugs and more in a coordinating color will update the visual appearance of the room in an instant. Simply swap out new for old and you’ll not only love the look, but there’s something luxurious about wrapping yourself up in a fresh plush towel after a long bath or shower.
bricks and mortar in the chimney. Repair any damage promptly before lighting another fire.
been split for several months to a year. “Green” wood creates more creosote. • The top-down method of building a fire produces less smoke. This means using larger pieces of wood on the bottom and the smallest twigs and kindling at the top. The fire will burn from the top and down, igniting the wood beneath as it goes.
• Open the damper and fireplace doors so that air supply flows freely and can vent the smoke promptly, reducing residence time in the flue; otherwise, creosote can form. • Install smoke and carbon monoxide alarms throughout the home and routinely check the batteries.
• Put a cap on the chimney to keep out rain, snow and small animals.
Learn more about chimney maintenance • Keep fires small; and find a certified chimotherwise, the intense ney sweep at www.csia. heat may damage org.
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401 West State Street • Olean, NY • 716-372-7100 • www.realpros.biz PROPERT Y AUCTIONS Auction Date : October 12 @ Noon 627 Main Street, Olean, NY 1915 Historic Brick Home with 18 Rooms, 4 bedrooms, 2,888 sqft Home with full basement with home office and large full walk-up attic. Detached 22x44 garage on large corner lot. Step back into time with this home that has been preserved with lots of natural woodwork and custom fireplaces.
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Auction Date October 16 @ 5PM 2621 W. River Road, Olean, NY Old Style Cape Cod - 2 bedroom 1 bath home with about 1300 sqft with an open 2nd floor ready to be finished. One car garage under house. Basement could be finished with some work. Over 3 acres with large 28x44 barn.
For additional details on the real estate auction & contents to be auctioned, please visit www.rgmason-auctions.com
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