Nailing It Down
By Dave Murnen and Pat Beaty
From cleaning closets and attics to washing houses, fixing fences, staining decks and putting in gardens, it’s clear that many of us are using our “shelter at home” time during this pandemic to improve our homes.
Of course, we are all for that! In fact, we here at NeighborWorks might be able to help you in some very practical ways. Read on.
Transfer station open
If, like so many, you’ve cleaned out closets, garages and attics (or plan to do that soon), you may already know that, as of right now, most charities are not open to receive donations. So, you’ll probably need to store those boxes of reusable items a little bit longer.
However, the good news is that you can go ahead and take care of the stuff that just needs to be thrown away. The LeMay Transfer Station, which is now located at 29 Gavett Lane North in Montesano, is available to take your junk. It’s open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. Look them up online or call 360-533-1251 if you have questions.
Paint protects home
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: A good paint job not only improves the appearance of your home and your neighborhood, but also protects your house from mold, rot and bug infestations — thus lengthening the life of your major investment.
Houses in our climate typically need to be repainted about every five to seven years, especially on the south and west faces. However, often a good scrub can extend the life of your paint job by a year or five, making your house look a lot better while saving you time and money.
Washing your house
To wash your house, we recommend using 30 Second Cleaner on the siding — with or without mold or mildew on it, even if you’re not going to paint this year. At the very least, you might consider washing the north side; you’ll recognize it by the green-black mold and mildew.
How do you know when a wash will be sufficient? Take a closer look at your current paint job. If the surfaces are intact, a good scrub and a little touch-up here and there will buy you more time.
You can pick up 30 Second Cleaner at most home improvement stores. Apply it with a soft boat-type scrub brush on a broomstick or extension pole, then use a flood-type garden hose to spray it off. It’s great for vinyl siding, too.
Follow the directions carefully. Remember to rinse each section off away from the next intended dry surface to apply the cleaner and any plants in the overspray zone. You will be happy and surprised how quickly this cleaning chore can be accomplished. Wear rubber gear or old clothes.
We do not recommend the use of a pressure washer for this job. Over the years, we’ve just seen too much bubbled paint from saturated siding damaged by overzealous owners who ended up doing more harm than good. A 30 Second application and rinse will be far cheaper and faster.
Time for paint?
If you have cracked and peeling paint, a simple wash will not suffice this year. Summer is the best time to paint, but you can start the prep work now.
Not everyone is a do-it-yourselfer, so you may need to hire out the job. If that’s the case, we suggest getting two or three bids. It’s unclear when painters might be allowed to work again, but it wouldn’t hurt to start leaving phone messages now if you need bids.
Once you’ve settled on a contractor, make sure to have a short written contract addressing such issues as total cost and tax for prep; body colors and trim; type of paint sheen (satin, flat, etc.); when payment is to be made; who is buying the supplies and paint; and when the job is to be started and finished.
Ask around and see which licensed and bonded/ insured professional painters your friends and neighbors have been happy with, and invite those companies to bid.
Need tools?
Thanks to a generous donation by Cosmo Manufacturing in Cosmopolis, we have a very practical way of helping you. Instead of investing in your own prep equipment, you can borrow from our painting and house-washing equipment.
This includes tools such as pump sprayers and long-handled brushes, rollers and roller racks, caulk guns, putty knives, scrapers, wire brushes, dropcloths, buckets and ladder stand-off attachments for safety. (Sorry, but we do not lend out ladders, paint sprayers or power washers.)
If you would like to borrow some of these tools, simply email Dave at dmurnen@aberdeen-nhs.com. We can make an appointment to meet at our Aberdeen office and — in a socially distanced way — get those tools to you.
Before you wash or paint
For DIYers, before you begin the tedious prepping of your siding, first take a look at other things that might affect your new paint job if done out of order. For instance, do you have a mossy roof or plugged gutters? Now’s a great time to address those situations, before you clean or paint the siding.
If you have a mossy roof, take a stiff broom and remove as much as possible. To kill the roots, use the powdered or liquid variety of Moss Off. If you use the liquid hose-end sprayer application, you may want to cover plants below roof edge with plastic tarps ti protect them. Then, simply follow the manufacturer’s directions.
Once that’s done, clean the gutters, downspouts and fascia with soapy water and a soft brush. Don’t forget to rinse thoroughly.
Does the siding or trim need repairs, too? First things first; prep is 90% of the job.
Dave Murnen and Pat Beaty are construction specialists at NeighborWorks of Grays Harbor County, where Murnen is executive director. This is a nonprofit organization committed to creating safe and affordable housing for all residents of Grays Harbor County. For questions about home repair, renting, remodeling or buying, call 360-533-7828 or visit 710 E. Market St. in Aberdeen. Our office is fully ADA-compliant.
