Jeff and Stephanie Jones have a great house, but like most of our homes, it had a few issues. There were dings and dents on the outside that needed attention, some loose fence boards, and the pergola they loved so much was rapidly decaying. By using our 4 Seasons of Home Ownership summer checklist as a guide we were able help them address the problems one by one.
We also took care of some issues in musician Jeff’s energy-hogging office, where he often plays drums. We called in the experts to install a ductless AC unit from Carrier. And, adding Roxul stone wool insulation not only helped keep the area cooler, it also provided a sound barrier for Jeff’s drum sessions.
Repairing the Deck and Pergola
Once we started removing the deck boards, we realized the damage was more extensive than we thought. We ended up needing to replace all of the deck boards and several of the joists. Check out Three Key Steps for Wood Deck Maintenance and Repair for more info.
To protect the new deck boards from the constant flow of water, we had a piece of custom metal bent by a fabricator to act as a gutter between the roof and the pergola.
But, before we could install it, we had lots of vine chopping and lopping to do, as vines had grown over the roof.
The last chore was the addition of some skirting around the bottom of the deck to keep out Jeff’s unwanted nocturnal guests – opossums.
Cleaning the Outdoor Grill and Furniture
We made our way down the top 10 must-do items on the checklist, including cleaning the outdoor furniture and grill.
The pressure washer we used from Briggs & Stratton allowed us to adjust pressure settings, so we could move from delicate items like the grill and patio chairs to cleaning the posts on the pergola.
See How to Clean Outdoor Patio and Deck Furniture for more cleaning tips.
Other Tips from This Episode
Simple Solutions with Joe Truini:
Tip for Storing Hand Tools in a Drawer
Lining the drawer with a piece of carpet, lightly coated with spray lubricant, will keep them from rolling around and getting damaged. Watch video.
Best New Products with Jodi Marks:
Ryobi Drywall Repair Kit
This drywall repair kit from Ryobi is perfect for repairing holes caused by door knobs going through the wall. It comes with everything you need to complete the repair. It is available at The Home Depot. Watch video.
By using our 4 Seasons of Home Ownership summer checklist as a guide, we’re able help Jeff and Stephanie Jones address some problems around their home, one by one. Here are a few things we did:
- Repaired the deck and pergola
- Trimmed overgrown vines
- Cleaned the grill and outdoor furniture
- Added stone wool insulation
- Installed a ductless AC unit
Check out the 4 Seasons of Home Ownership: Summer 2017 episode article for more info.
