.	home features services what's new FAQ delbe pointers principals Sign-up Forms Franchise Information contractor registration contact us! affiliated organizations DELBE MANAGEMENT	The Delbe Pointers newsletter is a bi-annual newsletter providing homeowners with simple tips and tricks to use when it comes to maintaining, repairing or improving their home. Articles and tips from the Fall '98 edition can be found below. If you have a tip or a trick you would like to share with your fellow homeowners, please forward them to us. If we use the tip in our newsletter we will be happy to send you a small gift in appreciation. DHS Turns 3! Since DHS's conception in late 1996, we have been striving to provide you, our members, with a unique, personal and convenient service that alleviates you from the frustrations associated with maintaining and repairing your home. For the past two years we have painstakingly screened close to 200 contractor and contracting firms. Today, 80 of those contractors and contracting firms have met our standards for professionalism and customer service. All of these contractors are licensed, insured and highly skilled in their trade. The relationship DHS has built with these contractors allows us to offer you services that range from the ordinary, such as general household maintenance and repair, to the unusual, such as electronic painting of appliances and the tinting of skylights. In addition to the maintenance and repair services, DHS provides you with many unique personalized services. Key Service is one of those unique services. One of the features of this service is home security. With the holidays approaching and many of you traveling out of town to visit with family and friends it may be wise to have your personal home services representative check the security of your home, collect the newspaper and mail, water you plants and feed your small pets. In closing, all of us at DHS would like to wish you and your family a happy and healthy holiday season and we look forward to assisting you with your next job. Sincerely, David and Scott Burka 8 Fall & Winter Tips Tip 1 - Your Roof Before cold weather or winter storms are forecasted your home's roof should be inspected for buckling. Roof buckling or movement may have been caused by previous storms and will need to be addressed before the onset of this cold weather Tip 2 - Your Gutters Gutters need to be inspected to allow the free flow of water. In the event water is not allowed to flow freely to downspouts there may be a tendency during cold spells for the water to freeze and create ice dams. These ice dams cause water to penetrate your home's eves and may cause damage to shingles, flashing walls and ceilings. Tip 3 - Your Shingles Shingles that have been broken by age or weather should be removed and replaced in order to prevent any further deterioration to your roof. Tip 4 - Your Ceiling Fans Remember that this is the time of year to switch the blade direction of your ceiling fans. The blades should be switched from turning clockwise to counter clockwise. The counter clockwise movement of the blades forces the warmer air back down into the room helping you to save on your heating bill. Most ceiling fans have a small black switch attached to the motor housing which controls the fan's blade direction. Tip 5 - Your Air Filters At the beginning of the heating season throw-a-way furnace filters need to be replaced and reusable filters should be either replaced or cleaned and washed. Curing the heating season, when doors and windows are kept shut, it is important to remember that throw-a-way filters need to be replaced and reusable filters need to be washed on a monthly basis. Tip 6 - Your Detectors During the Fall and winter your home is sealed tight and your furnace is often asked to work overtime. Because of the possibility of smoke and carbon monoxide leaks, it's a good idea to check your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors to see if they are operating properly and that you replace the battery in each unit. Tip 7 - Your Fireplace It is always a good idea to check the draft going up your chimney before you start each fire. A good draft will keep the smoke from backing out of your fireplace and into your home. Now is also a good time to inspect the fireplace an chimney for cracks in the masonry and bricks. Tip 8 - Your Outside Spigots Unless you have freeze-proof outside water spigots, you will need to turn off the small inside water shut-off valve for the spigots. This value is usually located near where the pipe to the spigot runs through the outside wall of the house. Once the valve is turned off, the spigot must also be grained and the hose should be disconnected. Back -to-School If your child comes home from school before you get home from work, instruct him or her to never open the door to a stranger, or let a phone caller know he or she is home alone. also, make sure your child knows the code for your security system, so that his or her departure or arrival won't set off the alarm. Healthy Painting Tips It is possible that with radon, carbon monoxide and other indoor hazards grabbing the spotlight you might overlook the hazards interior painting may have on you. To avoid eye irritation, headaches, nausea and dizziness we recommend you follow these simple suggestions. * Schedule painting for early fall when windows are more easily left open for ventilation. * Keep windows open for at least 48 to 72 hours. * Choose paints with no volatile organic compounds. * Take frequent fresh air breaks, and use a mask or other respiratory protection. * Keep pregnant women and young children from freshly painted rooms. * Avoid painted rooms for at least 72 hours. (Adapted from The Washington Post 10/15/98)