| home maintenance

After turning the clocks back last weekend, we've got Spring on our minds! Even though we are still experiencing colder temperatures, it's a good idea to start thinking about getting your home ready for the Spring season. During the winter our homes take a beating. The freezing temperatures, ice and snow can cause damage so it’s important to perform seasonal maintenance to keep your home in tip-top shape. To help you prepare, we’ve put together this list of spring home maintenance tips.

Limited free time and too long a list? We can help! 1. Buy a case of furnace filters (12) and replace it each month. 2. Deep clean the the inside of the house to reduce allergies. Hire a pro if needed. 3. Be sure gutters and downspouts are clear of leaves and other debris.

Q: Should you have your air ducts cleaned? A: Signs your air ducts need to be cleaned: 1.) You can see substantial mold growth inside your ducts or on other parts of our HVAC unit. Mold can only be determined by an expert and may need to be sent to a lab for confirmation.

These are five, universal tools that everyone can use. Enjoy chores made easy! 1) Autobit screwdriver from Woodcraft in Kentwood or online. 2) LED Flashlights - buy yourself a 3 pack and stash them around the house. One place I keep one is in my dresser, another is the junk drawer in the kitchen. Another clever spot to stash one is at the electrical box. When the lights go out, I know where to find one. Here is an example from Amazon. 3) Folding Ladder - Little Giant or I bought a simple Werner version at Menards for $89. Here it is on Amazon. 4) Basic blow torch - My primary purpose for this is as fire starter. Pistol grip is easiest ($25ish) or the old school valve that you'll use a flint sparker to start is the manliest for $8ish. You can buy the propane canisters at any hardware store. 5) No clog rakes by True Temper - cushy handle prevents blisters and tine design saves the hassle of releasing leave clumps from the tines. Buy on Amazon or at a local hardware store. Bonus Tool: Log Tote A log carrier allows you to carry more, stay clean yourself, and not have to sweep your floors after you bring logs in the house to start a fire. Inexpensive + Smart = Cool. You can buy it on Amazon. Fun note: This content was shared on the final LIVE episode of the Thompson Remodeling Home Improvement Show on Newsradio WOOD 1300 & 106.9 on 9/3/11 www.woodradio.com

Can you believe that it was 1986 when Crocodile Dundee came out? Well, moves are stress relieving entertainment for a lot of us and John gives us a term I'd like to steal for my own purposes. I'll call this stress relieving activity a Walkabout.

I recently had coffee with Bill Moss, Firm Foundation Home Inspection, LLC (616-260-0779, ffhomeinspection.com). An interesting part of our conversation was about common problems he sees in homes every day.

Last week I was in a safety seminar that our staff attends annually and as we were moving through slides I grabbed my smart phone and posted these 10 Safety Tips on the Thompson Trio Facebook page. I have not posted the catastrophic photos that illustrate the importance of these tips as a courtesy. Here they are for the benefit that heightened awareness will bring you.

The belief that people want to Love Where They Live is the central theme for why our firm exists. When I hear that phrase it's like hearing a musician play the most perfect cord on his guitar. When I just reread it I heard a harp this time. It's just right on - you and I want to love where we live - and it may mean something entirely different for you and for me, but it's the same dream.