Every year I remove the vent pipe from behind my dryer and vacuum as much lint as I can. I also vacuum inside the dryer, sometimes removing the lint assembly or front of the dryer to fully clean it. I last did this on May 6.
Recently the dryer started to take longer and longer to dry clothes. Heavy items like bedding never seemed to fully dry.
My dryer has a flow sense meter that indicated the ducts may be partially blocked. Online troubleshooting guides advised that I may need to clean the dryer vent. Or change a few parts. Or buy a new dryer.
I decided to start with a thorough cleaning of the ducts. Since I had just cleaned the pipe from the dryer to the ceiling in the laundry room and the HOA had recently cleaned the exterior of the vent above the roof, I concentrated on the exposed vent pipe in the attic.
I removed a 4 foot middle section (it was just taped together) and cleaned the exposed pipe and the removed pipe using a special brush and a vacuum. (see photos)
I was shocked at how blocked the vents were. The section just below the roof was about 50% clogged.
This was a easy to moderate DYI project but it took some time. If you do not feel comfortable walking around your attic or if you vent is not as accessibly as mine, I would hire a professional (see hvac cleaning for one recommendation).
The Board of Directors has tentatively set May 20th as the date for the Pool Opening this year.
The HOA’s pool vendor will ensure that all equipment is working properly. The pool committee is checking the pool furniture and deck for needed repairs.
Update April 2023: The Board of Directors recently sent a letter to all homes in Peterkort Woods, similar to the message below. It was for general instruction and not a notice of violation. If you still have questions about landscaping, please contact the Landscape Committee or a Board member.
When people talk to me about why they love living in Peterkort Woods, they frequently mention how beautiful the landscaping is. When people complain about the conditions at Peterkort Woods, landscaping is also number one.
It’s hard to please 223 homeowners.
It is one of our most visible assets. When it looks nice, it increases the beauty and value of our homes. When it doesn’t, it is hard to see anything else.
This is why the builder spent so much effort in the landscape design of our community. It is why the Board of Directors spends an inordinate amount of time and resources on landscape issues.
If you want to be part of the process to improve our landscaping, here are some tips.
Do
Learn about our landscaping. Talk to a Landscape Committee person or one of the Board of Directors. See landscape website for more.
Alter the landscape yourself. see PKW CCRs especially 5.16. This means: no yard art, no planting, trimming, removing any item in the beds around our homes.
Complain directly to the Landscapers. If you have an issue with them, contact the Board.
Dig. Besides being prohibited (see #1), you could damage the sprinkler system or hit a utility.
Trim the trees. (see #1)
Do you agree or disagree with my list? Have any questions, comments, or concerns? Let me know by filling out a contact form.
If you are an original owner in Peterkort Woods, your JELD-WEN windows have a lifetime warranty. According to a customer service representative I spoke with, this warranty transferred to secondary owners but was only good for 10 years from the original installation.
I am aware of 5 homes in our community that have dealt with failed window seals this year. One original homeowner has completed the installation of new windows from Jeld-Wen. Two original homeowners are in the process of obtaining new windows (including this author). The other two homeowners are not original owners and are not covered by the warranty.
My process started when I noticed what I thought was a haze on the outside of the window. A contractor for the HOA was doing some warranty repairs on the outside of our house and confirmed that the haze was inside the windows. In his opinion, the seal on the window had failed.
I filled out a form on JELD-WEN’s website and requested an inspection. After several emails back and forth, they located the original purchase order for my windows and set up a virtual inspection.
During the original request for service and the inspection, I also reported that most of my windows were very difficult to open and shut.
Following the inspection, I received a message that a window was going to be delivered to a technician next month and it would be installed at a later date. There was no mention fixing the opening problems.
I will give a full report when the process is completed, but there are a few things I have learned that may help.
The warranty mentions “skilled labor” which is only good for two years. According to the warranty : “Skilled labor” refers to tasks where specialized technical knowledge, experience, methods or tools are required to properly identify, diagnose and/or correct product-related issues. This is the reason they gave for only providing a virtual inspection.
When I asked about “regular” labor to install the window, I was assured this was included. My neighbor (also an original owner) was told he had to find his own installer.
Also be advised that you will be responsible to removed any shutters, blinds, or other items obstructing access to the windows.
During the virtual inspection you will have to give the inspector access to your smartphone or tablet. You will have to take several measurements and you may have to use a few tools.
Below is a photo of the window in question. It is clean on both sides. the streaks and haze is in-between the panes.
Update June 28
The failed window has been replaced at no cost to me.
The Jeld-Wen technician also worked on six other windows that were hard to open and shut. The majority of the “adjustment” was to lubricate the locks and the inside of the window frames. No parts were replaced.
The tech did remove several windows to inspect them. He does not recommend that owners do this. Other than that, he did not do anything that homeowners could not do themselves
In my opinion, the windows are now only moderately easier to open and shut. They technically function but are more difficult to operate than I think is reasonable. If you are paying for replacement windows, I can not recommend this particular model.
I will say that Jeld-Wen Customer service and the technician ‘Tim’ were very professional and easy to work with.
Jeld-Wen will not be doing any work outside of warranty at this time. For that, I would recommend Culver.
I have attached the receipt for the original windows in 2006. Note that the Color is Colonial Sand.
Peterkort Woods is a unique townhouse community. The quality of design and construction is far above other attached home developments in the metro area. This can sometimes present a challenge when trying to find replacement hardware or fixtures that fit our space.
Most of us have electric fireplaces. Until recently I have not heard of them failing. A neighbor reported that their fireplace produces heat, but no light. They are having difficulty locating a repair person.
Has anyone experienced a similar problem or has a recommendation for a repair person?
“We recently had our windows washed. In the process the washers indicated
that a few of our windows had lost their seal. As original owners we
contacted JeldWen for an inspection.
Today the representative of JeldWen conducted his examination of our
windows. He identified 42 windows in our end unit for replacement.
Currently, scheduling for the replacements is out beyond the middle of August.
Fortunately, as an original owner we are covered by the warranty. Others
may not be as fortunate.”
The warranty I read stated, “We warrant to the original owner for which the products and components as identified below are initially installed…” It appears that secondary owners may not be covered.
If you have questions, I would call Jeld-Wen (or other manufacturer if applicable).
One of the most underappreciated home appliances is the water heater. We seldom give them a second thought until we take our first (unplanned) cold shower.
{You may consider switching to Heat Pump Water Heater for economic or environmental reasons. If so, please read Heat Pump Water Heaters and HPWH update .}
If you are considering a new water heater because the current one is not working properly, there are a few things to consider first. It is my opinion that in most cases, unless it is leaking, your water heater can be fixed for a fraction of the cost of purchasing a new one.
The oldest water heater in PKW is probably about 12 years old. This is about the time that some of the parts may start to fail. In this article I will discuss: recirculation pumps, reset buttons, thermostats, and heating elements.
Recirculation Pump (see photo at bottom of page)
In theory, this pump provides instant hot water to the farthest sink or shower. It is my opinion that it is not needed for most of our homes. I have unplugged mine.
These pumps are advertised to work for 15-20 years. I have heard several reports the pumps not working in our neighborhood after 3-5 years. It will cost $200-400 for a new pump.
I did notice that the pipe on my water heater leading to the RP was corroded. Eventually it started to leak. The cause of the failure was “galvanic corrosion.” An electro-chemical reaction to two dissimilar metals being joined without using a “dielectric nipple”. Basically, the plumber who installed the water heater connected a copper pipe directly to a galvanized pipe. This may be an anomaly in our community, but is easy to check. (see photos)
No hot water
The first thing to check is the breaker switch for the water heater. This is usually located in the back of the garage.
If it is not tripped already, you will want to turn it off for the next step.
Reset Button
This red button is located on the upper thermostat (see photos). If you push on it and it clicks, then it means that it had been tripped. Resetting it should turn your HWH back on.
But what caused it to trip? Possible causes are: a bad thermostat, shorted heating element, or loose wiring.
If you do reset the button without identifying any problem, be careful. You may have scalding hot water in a few hours.
Thermostats
The thermostat controls the operation of the heating elements, keeping your water at 120 degrees Fahrenheit. When this fails, the water heats uncontrollably. The reset button on the thermostat kick out, automatically turning off the water heater when it reaches 180 degrees F.
The links below will walk you through how to test and replace your thermostat. I am not a plumber or an electrician and I found the process fairly easy. You can get the upper and lower thermostats for $14 and $9 respectively at Home Depot.
If the thermostats are working properly and the reset button trips, you may have an element that is shorting out. If you suspect this, make sure the breakers for the WH are turned off, then test the elements.
If the reset button and the breakers have not been triggered and your water is warm, you possibly have one element that is bad. If you are not sure which one, I think it is best to replace both. Continue reading Water Heaters→
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