1034 Northfield Place N, Reynoldsburg, OH 43068

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1034 Northfield Place N, Reynoldsburg, OH 43068

Lots of extras! This quiet subdivision is behind Brookside with lots of long-time residents. Culdesac location, full divided basement w/finished rec rm & work out area. Wood floors, WBFP in living rm, large family rm, dining rm & large deck with hot tub. Lots of extras included: frig, dishwasher, electric range, microwave, washer & dryer, freezer chest, dehumidifier and work bench with peg board in basement,
riding lawn mower. Priced to sell. Make your offer, won’t last long!

SOLD:

1034 Northfield Place N, Reynoldsburg, OH 43068

 

 

 

 

997 Leona Avenue, Columbus, OH 43201 – Value-packed for investors!

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997 Leona Avenue, Columbus, OH 43201

Value-packed for investors!

Nice tenant-occupied single family 2 bedroom/2 story home on corner lot with fenced in backyard. Features living room, dining room, full bathroom, kitchen and unfinished basement. Washer / dryer hookups, off-street parking . Great working
condition, High return on your investment …over 20% return. Fully remodeled … Convenient location close to highway 71 and downtown. Won’t last
long. Submit your offer. Note: Do not bother tenants. Contact agent for showing, minimum 24 hour notice. 

Learn more at: http://besthomes-realestate.com/homes-for-sale-details/997-LEONA-AVENUE-COLUMBUS-OH-43201/215038705/35/

Fall Maintenance Checklist

By: John Riha

You’ll be ready for winter’s worst and head off expensive repairs when you complete this checklist of 10 essential fall maintenance tasks.  leaf_raking

1. Stow the mower.

If you’re not familiar with fuel stabilizer, you should be. If your mower sits for months with gas in its tank, the gas will slowly deteriorate, which can damage internal engine parts. Fuel stabilizer ($10 for a 10-ounce bottle) prevents gas from degrading.

Add stabilizer to your gasoline can to keep spare gas in good condition over the winter, and top off your mower tank with stabilized gas before you put it away for the winter. Run the mower for five minutes to make sure the stabilizer reaches the carburetor.

Another lawn mower care method is to run your mower dry before stowing it.

1. When the mower is cool, remove the spark plug and pour a capful of engine oil into the spark plug hole.

2. Pull the starter cord a couple of times to distribute the oil, which keeps pistons lubricated and ensures an easy start come spring.

3. Turn the mower on its side and clean out accumulated grass and gunk from the mower deck.

2. Don’t be a drip.

Remove garden hoses from outdoor faucets. Leaving hoses attached can cause water to back up in the faucets and in the plumbing pipes just inside your exterior walls. If freezing temps hit, that water could freeze, expand, and crack the faucet or pipes. Make this an early fall priority so a sudden cold snap doesn’t sneak up and cause damage.

Turn off any shutoff valves on water supply lines that lead to exterior faucets. That way, you’ll guard against minor leaks that may let water enter the faucet.

While you’re at it, drain garden hoses and store them in a shed or garage.

3. Put your sprinkler system to sleep.

Time to drain your irrigation system. Even buried irrigation lines can freeze, leading to busted pipes and broken sprinkler heads.

1. Turn off the water to the system at the main valve.

2. Shut off the automatic controller.

3. Open drain valves to remove water from the system.

4. Remove any above-ground sprinkler heads and shake the water out of them, then replace.

If you don’t have drain valves, then hire an irrigation pro to blow out the systems pipes with compressed air. A pro is worth the $75 to $150 charge to make sure the job is done right, and to ensure you don’t have busted pipes and sprinkler head repairs to make in the spring.

4. Seal the deal.

Grab a couple of tubes of color-matched exterior caulk ($5 for a 12-ounce tube) and make a journey around  your home’s exterior, sealing up cracks between trim and siding, around window and door frames, and where pipes and wires enter your house. Preventing moisture from getting inside your walls is one of the least expensive — and most important — of your fall maintenance jobs. You’ll also seal air leaks that waste energy.

Pick a nice day when temps are above 50 degrees so caulk flows easily.

5. De-gunk your gutters.

Clogged rain gutters can cause ice dams, which can lead to expensive repairs. After the leaves have fallen, clean your gutters to remove leaves, twigs, and gunk. Make sure gutters aren’t sagging and trapping water; tighten gutter hangers and downspout brackets. Replace any worn or damaged gutters and downspouts.

If you find colored grit from asphalt roof shingles in your gutters, beware. That sand-like grit helps protect shingles from the damaging ultraviolet rays of the sun. Look closely for other signs of roof damage (#5, below); it may be time for a roofing replacement.

Your downspouts should extend at least 5 feet away from your house to preventfoundation problems. If they don’t, add downspout extensions; $10 to $20 each.

6. Eyeball your roof.

If you have a steep roof or a multistory house, stay safe and use binoculars to inspect your roof from the ground.

Look for warning signs: Shingles that are buckled, cracked, or missing; rust spots on flashing. Any loose, damaged, or missing shingles should be replaced immediately.

Black algae stains are just cosmetic, but masses of moss and lichen could signal roofing that’s decayed underneath. Call in a pro roofer for a $50 to $100 eval.

A plumbing vent stack usually is flashed with a rubber collar — called a boot — that may crack or loosen over time. They’ll wear out before your roof does, so make sure they’re in good shape. A pro roofer will charge $75 to $150 to replace a boot, depending on how steep your roof is.

7. Direct your drainage.

Take a close look at the soil around your foundation and make sure it slopes away from your house at least 6 vertical inches over 10 feet. That way, you’ll keep water from soaking the soils around your foundation, which could lead to cracks and leaks.

Be sure soil doesn’t touch your siding.

8. Get your furnace in tune.

Schedule an appointment with a heating and cooling pro to get your heating system checked and tuned up for the coming heating season. You’ll pay $50 to $100 for a checkup.

An annual maintenance contract ensures you’re at the top of the list for checks and shaves 20% off the cost of a single visit.

Change your furnace filters, too. This is a job you should do every two months anyway, but if you haven’t, now’s the time. If your HVAC includes a built-in humidifier, make sure the contractor replaces that filter.

9. Prune plants.

Late fall is the best time to prune plants and trees — when the summer growth cycle is over. Your goal is to keep limbs and branches at least 3 feet from your house so moisture won’t drip onto roofing and siding, and to prevent damage to your house exterior during high winds.

For advice on pruning specific plants in your region, check with your state extension service.

10. Give your fireplace a once-over.

To make sure your fireplace is safe, grab a flashlight and look up inside your fireplace flue to make sure the damper opens and closes properly. Open the damper and look up into the flue to make sure it’s free of birds’ nests, branches and leaves, or other obstructions. You should see daylight at the top of the chimney.

Check the firebox for cracked or missing bricks and mortar. If you spot any damage, order a professional fireplace and chimney inspection. An inspection costs $79 to $500.

You fireplace flue should be cleaned of creosote buildup every other year. A professional chimney sweep will charge $150 to $250 for the service.

Visit HouseLogic.com for more articles like this. Reprinted from HouseLogic.com with permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®.

 



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What’s Causing Those Footsteps in the Attic, Spooky Sounds and Smells?

spooky house

Spooky house issues? Let’s take a CLOSER look….

By: John Riha

Are you haunted by strange noises and weird odors? With the proper maintenance, you’ve got more than a ghost of a chance to rest easy.

Creaking and Popping in the Night

The many materials that make up your house — wood framing, plywood, glass, metal ducts, nails, plumbing pipes — all expand and contract at different rates.

When a house cools at night, these materials may move slightly, rubbing against each other and making noises. Occasionally, they’ll contract with an audible pop.

These sounds tend to be more noticeable in fall, when warm days give way to rapidly cooling nights. The bad news? Not much you can do about it. The good news? Those sounds are harmless and normal.

Zombie Odor

It’s either time to throw out the garbage, or you’d better call your gas utility to check on your gas lines and connections.

Natural gas is odorless, but natural gas suppliers add a foul-smelling odorant — butyl mercaptan — to alert occupants to any leaks. The smell is like rotten eggs.

Leaks can occur at your gas-fired water heater, fireplace, clothes dryer, and any gas line. Leaking natural gas is potentially dangerous — leave the house and call your natural gas provider to assess the situation. Most utility companies perform safety checks for free.

Footsteps in the Attic

Amplified by an unfinished attic space, a raccoon or even a good-size squirrel on your roof might sound like an ax murderer is doing the polka overhead.

These rooftop transits are normal for critters — roofs offer a nice long unobstructed highway.

Make sure your soffit, rafter, and gable roof vents are covered with screens and in good shape, or your rooftop buddies might find their way into your attic for real. Trim back branches that provide critters easy access to your roof.

Something’s Burning

You can smell the odor of burnt wood, but the smoke detectors aren’t going off and there’s no smoke in the house. The culprit could be your fireplace — even if you haven’t had a fire for days.

The probable cause is a drafty chimney and negative air pressure in your home, meaning that outside air is infiltrating down your chimney, bringing stale burnt smells with it.

Stop drafts by making sure your damper has a good seal. Regulate air pressure by adding more cold air return ducts to your HVAC system. You’ll get rid of the odor and save on your energy bill, too.

Moaning and Clattering

These classic spooky sounds often show up when the wind blows and there’s a storm brewing.

Vents for clothes dryers, bathrooms, and water heaters exit out the roof or the side of the house. To prevent backdrafts, these vents have dampers — flaps designed to let vented air out and prevent outside air from coming in. These flaps sometimes move and rattle in high winds.

Because dampers often are located in attics or in between floor joists, the sound can be difficult to pinpoint. You may need a new damper ($85).


Visit HouseLogic.com for more articles like this. Reprinted from HouseLogic.com with permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®.

 



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Fall Fun in Ohio

Ohio sure offers lots of beauty and fun for all ages. Here are some links to pages that may offer awesome photos, activities, recipes, events and more for your family to enjoy. Note: at the time of researching them, they were for general audiences, so if their content has changed or the links no longer direct to the right places, apologies in advance. Have any links to share? Feel free to let us know and we’ll add them here, too.  Thanks!

Discover (Fall) Ohio www.discoverohio.com/season/fall

Ohio hiking

Take a hike!

Discover Things to Do in Ohio here, a Calendar of Events, Seasonal Guide, Lodging info and Free Publications that you can get, including a free Ohio Travel Guide and free Ohio Calendar of Events. Take a hike. Enjoy a nice ride and lots of fun activities, rest and relaxation, fine foods and a whole lot more. Just click the link above.

Ohio Traveler www.ohiotraveler.com

Ohio mazes are amazing!

Ohio mazes are amazing!

Find a maze near your and treat your family to some seasonal fun! Check out other seasonal activities and events and explore your options 😉

Ohio.gov www.ohio.gov/tourism

Ohio State Parks

Ohio State Parks &  more….!

How about a fishing trip combined with a camping weekend at an Ohio State Park? Discover information about the parks at this site.  Plus education yourself about Ohio in general. If you are considering relocation to Ohio, this site boasts a tons of useful info: learn about educational opportunities here, jobs and more.

 Fall Recipes

fall recipes

Fall recipes

– Lighten up some fall favorites at US News & World Report  health.usnews.com/health-news/blogs/eat-run/2015/10/16/4-easy-ways-to-lighten-up-classic-fall-recipes

Cooking Light – Fall Recipes www.cookinglight.com/food/in-season/fall-recipes

–  Taste of Home – Seasonal Fall recipes www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/seasonal-recipes/autumn-recipes

MidwestLiving – Fabulous Fall recipes www.midwestliving.com/food/holiday/25-fabulous-fall-recipes

 Fall Downloadable Worksheets  

fall worksheets

Fun Fall Worksheets!

Education.com – Download some coloring sheets, tracing pages and more at www.education.com/worksheets/autumn-fun

Crayola – Find lots of seasonal fun here: scarecrows, leaves, pumpkins and more to color, paint, trace, etc.  www.crayola.com/free-coloring-pages/seasons/fall-coloring-pages