February Newsletter Winter TLC for Your Chicago Home

Hello, Chicago Homeowners!

As we embrace the heart of winter, our homes continue to provide us with warmth and shelter. We’re back with another essential home maintenance tip to keep your abode cozy and well-maintained during the chilly month ahead.

Tip of the Month: Love Your Plumbing – Prevent Frozen Pipes

Chicago’s frigid February temperatures can bring about the risk of frozen pipes, which can lead to costly damage and inconveniences. Taking preventive measures to protect your plumbing can save you from headaches down the road.Here’s what you can do:

1. Insulate Exposed Pipes: Identify pipes in unheated areas such as basements, crawl spaces, and attics. Insulate them with pipe insulation or heating tape to keep them from freezing.
2. Drip Faucets: On especially cold nights, let faucets in vulnerable areas (usually the ones farthest from the main water supply) drip slightly. This keeps water flowing and reduces the chance of freezing.
3. Open Cabinet Doors: If you have plumbing along exterior walls, open cabinet doors to allow warm air to circulate around the pipes.
4. Maintain Heating: Keep your home adequately heated, even if you’re away. A consistent indoor temperature helps prevent freezing.
5. Disconnect Outdoor Hoses: If you haven’t already, disconnect and drain your outdoor hoses. Close the inside valve that leads to the hose connection.
6. Seal Leaks: Seal any gaps or cracks in your home’s exterior to prevent cold air from seeping in and potentially affecting your plumbing.
7. Travel Precautions: If you’re planning to travel during winter, keep your home heated or consider shutting off the main water supply and draining the pipes.

1. Inspect for Leaks: Before the snow arrives, inspect your attic and ceilings for any signs of leaks or water stains. Addressing leaks promptly can prevent further damage, especially when the snow melts.
2. Clear Debris: Make sure your roof and gutters are clear of leaves, branches, and other debris. Accumulated debris can trap moisture and lead to mold growth or ice dams.
3. Check Shingles and Flashing: Examine your roof’s shingles and flashing for signs of damage or wear. Damaged shingles can allow water to seep in, while damaged flashing can lead to leaks around chimneys and vents.
4. Seal Any Gaps: Inspect the areas where pipes, vents, and chimneys penetrate your roof. Seal any gaps or cracks with appropriate materials to prevent water infiltration.
5. Trim Overhanging Branches: Snow accumulation on overhanging branches can lead to breakage, potentially damaging your roof. Trim any branches that could pose a risk.
6. Attic Insulation and Ventilation: Ensure your attic is properly insulated and ventilated. Proper insulation helps prevent heat loss, which can contribute to ice dam formation.
7. Professional Inspection: If you’re not comfortable with heights or roof work, consider hiring a professional to inspect your roof. They can identify potential issues and make recommendations.

As many homeowners prioritize natural beauty and ease of maintenance in their living spaces, hardwood floors have become a popular flooring option. And for many consumers, that means refinishing existing wood floors that need a little help to regain their original luster.

If you’re considering sprucing up your floors, you may want to pay close attention to the environmental impact of your plans. It’s important to factor in the processes and products that will optimize your family’s health and wellness instead of exposing them to potentially harmful chemicals.

Happily, today’s new hardwood floor refinishing systems and products offer better options for a safe and efficient process. Here are five steps you can take to ensure your floor project ends with a gloriously lustrous, durable, beautiful floor that won’t adversely affect the inhabitants of your home.

(1) Choose A Credible Contractor.

Shop around for a professional who understands how to work with the specific floors you’ve installed without introducing toxicity into your home environment. The best alternative may be a Bona Certified Craftsman® who’s been trained on how to revive, recoat and refinish wood floors of all kinds without using potentially harmful chemicals.

(2) Make A Joint Plan.

Instead of simply handing the entire project over to your contractor, work with him or her to create a refinishing plan that specifies how, when and where the work will take place and what kinds of products will be used. One way to make that easier is by using Bona’s Floor Visualizer, a new online tool that can help you visualize how different flooring choices will look in various rooms of your home.

(3) Go Dustless.

Insist that your contractor use a certified dust containment system that will eliminate virtually all floating dust particles from the floor sanding process. OSHA advises that airborne wood dust is carcinogenic, which can lead to respiratory issues or even cancer.

(4) Opt For a Waterborne Finish.

While some contractors offer less expensive options such as acid-cured varnishes, conversion varnishes, or “Swedish” finishes, those varieties contain high levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that can adversely affect your home’s air quality. The formaldehyde in acid-cured finishes can agitate respiratory illnesses and/or cause nausea, dizziness, headaches and irritation of the eyes, nose, or throat. Another problem? Those harsh finishes can keep emitting problematic chemicals for up to 90 days as it cures.

In comparison, water-based finishes are lower in VOCs, emit minimal odor, dry much quicker, and are overall safer and more convenient for people, pets, and plants. Further, they’re durable, beautiful, and clear-drying on all kinds of hardwood floors.

(5) Know Best Practices for Maintenance.

Once your waterborne finish is cured, you can best maintain your new gorgeous wood floors by avoiding the use of vacuums, steam cleaners, vinegar-and-water solutions, oil soaps, paste waxes, furniture polishes, and other harsh cleaning products formulated for other surfaces. Instead, look for cleaning solutions like Bona’s Hardwood Floor Cleaning solutions that are developed for wood floors, are biodegradable, use plant-derived ingredients, and are Safer Choice certified.

With today’s technology, there’s no reason to settle for hardwood floor renovation techniques that are harmful to the environment and your home. Choose wisely when it comes to the health of your family. For more information on safe and environmentally sound care of your hardwood floors, visit US.Bona.com.