A Quick Guide to Fixing Your Sump Pump

You can fix a malfunctioning sump pump all by yourself. Here’s how.

Today’s how-to video is the first of a two-part series where Todd Hansen joins us at one of our model homes to show you how to fix a malfunctioning sump pump.

As you can see in the video, the first thing Todd checks in this situation is whether the pump itself is full of water, which it is. Next, he checks whether the GFI outlet is tripped (which it is) and resets it.

After this, he checks to see whether the pump will work by unplugging the float and pump cords from the outlet, disengaging them from each other, and plugging just the pump cord back into the outlet. After the pump starts running again, he unplugs the pump cord so the pump doesn’t continue to run and burn itself out, and then reattaches both cords to each other before plugging them back in.

"To check the impeller, you have to separate the pump from the discharge pipe."

If this doesn’t take care of the problem, there are a couple of potential issues with the pump: Either a piece of debris got sucked up into its impeller or the pump itself has burned out.

To check the impeller, you have to separate the pump from the discharge pipe. First, unplug both cords from the outlet and remove the water alarm from the pipe. Then, use a screwdriver to unscrew the clamps around the pipe. As you loosen the clamps, let the water drain out of the pipe.

Stay tuned for the second part of this series to find out what to do next. As an added safety measure, if you try everything we discuss in these videos and the pump still won’t work, use a utility pipe or a bucket to drain the excess water until you can get the pump fixed.

As always, if you have any real estate questions, don’t hesitate to call or email us. We’re here to help.

How to Apply Grout on a Backsplash

 

I’ve gotten a couple of requests lately for how to deal with the backsplash grout caulking separating from the countertop. That’s why today I’ll teach you how to apply grout on a backsplash.

You will need a grout sponge, a putty knife or scraper, a caulk gun, and the grout caulking. Begin by using the scraper to remove the old, dry caulking. Wipe the old stuff off the counter or use a vacuum. Sometimes it comes off in a neat string, and sometimes it comes off in bits and pieces.

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Fixing the grout is fairly simple.

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You want to keep your grout sponge as dry as possible. Get it damp and wring it out very well. If you put too much water on, the caulking will come out light-colored and watery-looking. Taking the caulk gun, cut the tip off an eighth of an inch. Apply a small bead between the backsplash and the counter and draw it across. 

Finally, take the sponge and wipe it across a couple of times. This keeps the line smooth so there’s not too much product on there.

If you have any questions, give me a call or send me an email. I would be happy to help you!

Know anyone who's interested in building a home? 

If you have any friends, family, or co-workers who are looking to own their first or second home - would you forward this message to them? We'll be happy to show them our 8 new construction home plans along with the benefits of owning a Charleston Home so they can make a decision that's right for them.

Quick tips for maintaining your kitchen sink and garbage disposal

Here are some quick fixes to your garbage disposal & more.

Today we’ll explore all areas of the home’s kitchen sink, and we’ll give you some tips for quick fixes.

From time to time, we’ll receive calls from clients who state that their garbage disposal isn’t functioning properly. The common diagnosis is that the electrical cord at the back of the disposal and the pull-down weight to the faucet become interlocked and the disposal is unplugged. As a rule of thumb, the first thing you want to do if your disposal isn’t working is unplug it and be sure it has a good connection.

If waste becomes lodged in the disposal, avoid injury by first unplugging the unit before reaching in from the sink.

From there, find the disposal key contained within the base cabinet, and insert the key into the slot found at the bottom of the disposal. While rotating the key, guide a shop vac through the sink into the disposal to remove the waste; the suction power will usually do the trick.

Also under the sink, you’ll see some shut-off valves, the water supply to your dishwater, and the hot and cold water supply to the sink itself. If you experience any leaking here, simply turn the valves to the off position.

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When it comes to caring for the sink, be sure to use non-abrasive cleaners.

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Another issue we receive calls about is leaky faucets. Largely, these are easy fixes, and the common culprit is hard water if the homeowner doesn’t have a water softener. If the faucet seems to be losing pressure or is dripping, it can often be attributed to sediment buildup in the screen. An easy remedy is to use CRL, a scrub brush, or a vegetable cleaner to periodically scrub the screen.

To remove the screen, locate the tool clipped to the water supply line underneath your sink. The tool will be circular-shaped and fits perfectly inside the screen. By applying a little pressure toward the faucet head and turning the tool counterclockwise, the screen will eventually detach.

Once it’s been cleaned thoroughly, you’ll line the screen up with the end of the faucet head and again use the tool to secure it back onto the faucet head.

When it comes to caring for the sink, be sure to use non-abrasive cleaners; Norwex rags, 409, and Windex are all examples of environmentally friendly cleaning products you could use.

If you have any questions for us, feel free to check out our website at CharlestonHomesOmaha.com and view some of our models. We’re happy to help!

Know anyone who's interested in building a home? 

If you have any friends, family, or co-workers who are looking to own their first or second home - would you forward this message to them? We'll be happy to show them our eleven new construction home plans along with the benefits of owning a Charleston Home so they can make a decision that's right for them.

How GFCI Outlets Keep You Safe

GFCI outlets help keep homeowners safe from electric shocks. Here’s how.

What are GFCI outlets and how do they keep homeowners safe?

GFCI outlets are required by the National Building Code, and they essentially protect you from receiving an electric shock from any faults in your home’s electrical devices. They function by comparing the current on the input side of the outlet to the output current on the neutral side. If you have a faulty blender, for example, and the outlet detects an arc, it will trip the power to it so you don’t get shocked.

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GFCI outlets essentially protect you from receiving an electric shock from the faults in your home’s electrical devices.

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You’ll find these outlets anywhere in your house where there’s recurring moisture (kitchens, bathrooms, basements, etc.). In all of our homes, all the bathroom outlets are connected to the GFCI in the master bathroom, and all exterior outlets are connected to the standalone outlet in the utility room. You’ll also see a GFCI outlet wherever your sump pump connects.

If you have any more questions about GFCI outlets or you have any other real estate needs, don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We’d be glad to help you.

Know anyone who's interested in building a home? 

If you have any friends, family, or co-workers who are looking to own their first or second home - would you forward this message to them? We'll be happy to show them our eleven new construction home plans along with the benefits of owning a Charleston Home so they can make a decision that's right for them.

Tips for Maintaining Your Charleston Home During This Heavy Winter

After heavy snowfall this winter, you might be wondering about how you should be taking care of your Charleston Home. Here are some tips from our Warranty Manager to keep everything in check.

Today we’re delighted to be joined by assistant warranty manager Todd Hansen. Since it's been a heck of a winter this year with all the snow we’ve gotten, I wanted to talk to him about some of the questions he’s been getting.

As far as snow on the roof is concerned, this is something that’s more of a concern with older homes. In our homes, we use roof trusses that are actually designed for a heavy snow load. Our homeowners don’t have to be concerned about any kind of snow on the roof, unless we have six or eight feet up there. Most have under a foot, which isn’t anything to worry about.

Another thing we’ve noticed a lot is overflowing gutters and downspouts full of ice. Although some of the ice will melt as a result of the dark color of the roof, he recommends using some heat tape in the gutter to keep water from freezing and help it drain to the ground. It’s important to keep the ends of your gutters clear, however, to make sure water flows away from the foundation of the house. If things are backed up and water flows towards the house, that could make things dicey.

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We don’t recommend using any traditional ice melt.

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For ice and snow-packed areas, we still don’t recommend any ice melt. The freezing and thawing will cause driveways and walkways to peel off, which is called spalling. It wears away at the finish a lot faster than it should. Instead, we recommend putting down sand, gravel, or kitty litter to add traction and protect your concrete.

Finally, make sure to keep your garage swept out. You don’t want to spray it out in the winter, so use a broom or shop vac instead. In the spring, we do recommend that you hose out your garage to get any of that salt residue that’s left behind out. We also recommend caulking and sealing your driveway once things warm up.

If you have any questions for us, don’t hesitate to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Know anyone who's interested in building a home? 

If you have any friends, family, or co-workers who are looking to own their first or second home - would you forward this message to them? We'll be happy to show them our eleven new construction home plans along with the benefits of owning a Charleston Home so they can make a decision that's right for them.

These Brand-New Spec Homes Are Just Waiting for the Right Buyer

We have some great spec homes available in our area that are just waiting for the right buyer.

Snow is still on the ground, but here at Charleston Homes, we’re ready for spring. With that in mind, today we’re excited to show you some great spec homes available in our area. We have properties in Arbor View, Stratford Park, Pebblebrooke, and other great communities just waiting for the right buyer. If you like what you see, all you have to do is reach out to us and we’d be happy to take you on a home tour.

Know anyone who's interested in building a home? 

If you have any friends, family, or co-workers who are looking to own their first or second home - would you forward this message to them? We'll be happy to show them our eleven new construction home plans along with the benefits of owning a Charleston Home so they can make a decision that's right for them.

Tips for Maintaining Your Charleston Home This Winter

If you have a new home, it will start to lose moisture after a few years.
In the cold, you need that moisture to keep your home structurally sound.

When you buy one of our new homes, there is typically a lot of moisture in the home at first and it takes a while for it to dry out. However, by the second or third winter you have in the home, things will start to dry out. It’s important that you are aware of this and that you take steps to control the humidity in your home during the winter. We’ve got some things for you to look out for today that will assist you in the process.

The first thing to look out for is the settling, or drying out, of your drywall, your trim, and your wood floors. When it gets colder, the wood will start to shrink and you might see a little gap in some of the floorboards. If you have a wood floor, you don’t want your moisture reading to be any lower than 45%. If it is, you may have to invest in a humidifier.

Another thing to keep in mind in the winter is to make sure you turn on those exhaust fans when you shower. Their purpose is to help eliminate moisture content in the house. The excess humidity that comes from hot water isn’t good for the materials in your home. Too much humidity can cause damage if it sticks around too long. Let that exhaust fan run for an extra 15 minutes after you turn the shower off.

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Wood tends to dry out

and shrink in the winter.

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As the weather turns colder, you’ll also start to see some shrinkage cracks on your tile and backsplash on the counters. The backsplash has a caulked joint that can separate a bit as things dry out. You might also see some hairline cracks at the top of your ceiling. Doors may stick or rub a bit. The key to combatting this is controlling that humidity level in your home.

Finally, let’s talk about your HVAC system. The warmest areas in your home will be the areas nearest to the furnace, or the upstairs if you have a two-story home. The rooms that are furthest away from the furnace will be cooler in the winter months. As a homeowner, you will need to fine-tune and tweak the system to your liking and needs. You can close vents in some of the warmer areas to allow air to move to other parts of the home.

If you have any questions for us, don’t hesitate to give us a call or send us an email. We would love to hear from you!

Know anyone who's interested in building a home? 

If you have any friends, family, or co-workers who are looking to own their first or second home - would you forward this message to them? We'll be happy to show them our eleven new construction home plans along with the benefits of owning a Charleston Home so they can make a decision that's right for them.

How to Maintain Your Home's Exterior This Spring

Spring is upon is here in Omaha, so today we’re going to talk about the upcoming weather conditions and how it relates to the exterior of your home. We are going to take a look at one of our model homes today and show you some things you can do to make sure your home is fresh and ready for the year ahead. 

One of the most important things to pay attention to is the caulking and sealing of your driveway. We use self-leveling caulk, which most hardware stores carry. To reseal your driveway, follow these steps:

1. Cut the caulking bag open.

2. Load it into a caulking gun.

3. Clean out all of your control joints

4. Slowly apply the caulk in 2-foot sections.

5. After applying, spread evenly by using your finger (make sure to have a rag handy).

Another important part of your home that may get overlooked are your downspout extensions. These extensions carry the rain and melted snow from your roof down away from the foundation. If they break off at the connection, they will drain right into your foundation and just recycle the water back into your sump pit. It’s important that your downspout flows away from your home.

There are a few things to keep an eye out for on the sides of your home’s exterior. On one side, you will have your A/C as well as a furnace exhaust pipe and a furnace intake pipe. For the exhaust, make sure the area where the tubes meet with the house is sealed and caulked tightly. For your air conditioner, give it a light spray from the hose to make sure there aren’t any cotton or dust particles in there. 

Settling is another thing that gets overlooked often. To remedy any uneven or low surfaces on the ground outside of your home, pull the sod up, add some dirt in underneath, and pull the sod back over. Any low-lying areas next to your home could be holding water that could ruin your foundation and cause your basement to flood. 

The home in the video above has vinyl siding, but a lot of our homes have either LP or Hardboard siding. Regardless of the type, there is going to be some caulking you will need to maintain periodically. 

It’s important to check all of these things periodically throughout the year to avoid costly repairs and maintain your home’s value. Watch the video to learn even more tips! If you have any questions for us, don’t hesitate to give us a call or send us an email. We would love to hear from you!

Know anyone who's interested in building a home? 

If you have any friends, family, or co-workers who are looking to own their first or second home - would you forward this message to them? We'll be happy to show them our 8 new construction home plans along with the benefits of owning a Charleston Home so they can make a decision that's right for them.

Do New Lending Regulations Impact Omaha?

Know anyone who's interested in building a home? 
If you have any friends, family, or co-workers who are looking to own their first or second home - would you forward this message to them? We'll be happy to show them our 8 new construction home plans along with the benefits of owning a Charleston Home so they can make a decision that's right for them.

We’re here with Eric Almquist from First National Bank to discuss the new lending requirements. How have these new guidelines affected loans after October 1st?

The new regulations were supposed to be enacted in August, but got delayed until October. These regulations intend to make it easier to understand and more accurate to the disclosure process for customers. It holds lenders accountable to accurately quote fees and costs. It ultimately helps the consumer.

We’re still in the trial stage. We’re still figuring it out. Six months down the line, you’re going to see lenders have things in order. It will benefit consumers eventually. There are delays and frustrations now because these changes were recent.

Although this hasn’t directly impacted Omaha lenders severely, we now maintain better conversations. We’re building awareness and educating our clients through transactions, such as identifying new paperwork. We have a long time period to adapt with, so it’s a gradual process we can work with.

If you have any questions about the new regulations or more, give us a call or email. Thanks for tuning in.

How to Maintain Your Tiled Shower

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If you have any friends, family, or co-workers who are looking to own their first or second home - would you forward this message to them? We'll be happy to show them our 6 new construction home plans along with the benefits of owning a Charleston Home so they can make a decision that's right for them.

Today we're going to be giving you some tips on how to maintain the tile in your shower. Most of our homes have tiled showers, and after a few years you're going to have to do some maintenance on them.

Tiled showers are caulked with Tec Brand Grout Caulking, and this is used where the floor meets the wall or on any of the corners in the shower. You'll want to ensure that there is no cracking in the grout joints, and if there is, you can simply apply more grout with a grout sponge.

When you repair the grout caulking, make sure you have a matching color. If the original caulking is too cracked, you can scrape it out with a putty knife, or you can simply apply new caulking right on top of the old stuff if it's not too damaged. After applying the new grout caulking, you need to run a grout sponge over it and smooth it out.

We recommend sealing the grout annually because most grout sealers only work for about a year. There are other grouts that last for 4-5 years, but an annual check up is still necessary.

If you see any mold or mildew building up in the corners, applying bleach to a stiff bristled brush should remove the mold. If you have a buildup of mold in the corners of the shower you can apply bleach to a paper towel and squeeze it into the corner. Letting it sit overnight and removing it in the morning usually solves issues with mold building up in the corners of your shower.

Hopefully this has been helpful for you. Check back often for more helpful homeowner tips!

What We Do to Help Prevent Settling

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If you have any friends, family, or co-workers who are looking to own their first or second home - would you forward this message to them? We'll be happy to show them our 6 new construction home plans along with the benefits of owning a Charleston Home so they can make a decision that's right for them.

Sinking can happen after fresh sod has been put down. We water soak and compact the soil with a tamper to prevent this, but sometimes the ground will still settle.  

Today, we're at one of our beautiful homes that's under construction to talk about how the ground around your foundation could sink or settle. 

But first here's how we start with excavating the basement. The CAT operator, after going through all of his calculations and carefully measuring the lots, will scoop by scoop remove dirt to complete the over-excavated basement. This means your basement will be 2-3 feet shorter than the hole itself; the extra space is used for water proofing and draining in order to prevent too much sinking. Later, that space is filled with loose dirt that is never quite as packed as the original dirt. Because of this, rain and snow melt can cause the sod or dirt above ground to sag or sink. 

To prevent these common problems, Charleston Homes does things a bit differently. We water soak the area to compress the ground; we manually probe the ground around the foundation with water to help the dirt settle. Another thing we're doing is back-filling and then packing the dirt down to make the loose dirt more compact. 

If you have any questions about settling foundations, or if you need real estate assistance of any kind, give us call or shoot us a quick email. We would love to hear from you! 

What Should Be on Your Spring Checklist?

Know anyone who's interested in building a home? If you have any friends, family, or co-workers who are looking to own their first or second home - would you forward this message to them? We'll be happy to show them our 6 new construction home plans along with the benefits of owning a Charleston Home so they can make a decision that's right for them.

Today we wanted to take a moment to discuss our spring home exterior checklist. People are always excited to do spring cleaning indoors, but often neglect the outside of their home in the process. A lot of damage can happen to your property over the long winter, so let's run through a checklist to make sure your home is prepared for the summer. 

• Check the caulking and sealing on the cracks in your driveway and see what effects the winter months have had on your concrete.
• If you have stone or mortar walls on the outside of your home, check for cracks. Also, check the seals on your windows for any possible leaks.
• Double check your downspout extensions. Winter weather and high winds can often cause these to become separated. Reconnect them if you need to.
• You definitely want to check the sealing on both your air conditioning and your fresh air exhaust and intake. If they have separated, reseal them with putty.
• Sump pipes can be disconnected. If yours came undone during the winter, you want to get that water away from your foundation. 
• If you have areas of sod that need some sprucing, overseed with a bluegrass/fescue mix and those areas will come back over time.

Over the winter, a lot of things can  happen to the outside of your home. Hopefully, this list will help you have less worry when it comes to getting your home ready this spring. If you have any questions, we are just a phone call or email away!

What Are Buyers Asking About?

Know anyone who's interested in building a home? If you have any friends, family, or co-workers who are looking to own their first or second home - would you forward this message to them? We'll be happy to show them our 6 new construction home plans along with the benefits of owning a Charleston Home so they can make a decision that's right for them.

Today we are happy to be joined by Eric Almquist, of First National Bank. Eric is our primary lender, and he's here today to talk about the market and what he sees going on in the mortgage world. 

The most common question Eric is getting right now is about where he sees rates going. As of right now, they are in a really good spot and have come down even more in the last few months. This has buyers wanting to lock in rates now, which is a good idea. Rates have been pretty steady as of late, but there is no promise of that in the future. The Federal Reserve has discussed raising rates for a while now. Although they haven't pulled the trigger yet, it may happen soon. 

The benefits of getting a mortgage through First National Bank with Eric are numerous. First off, you get a $1500 credit from us, on top of a $500 credit from Eric himself. This is a free $2,000 towards the purchase of your home. This could cover all your closing costs if you want it to. 

It's a great time to buy and, if you have an existing home, it's an even better time to sell. If you have any questions for us, feel free to give us a call or send us an email. Talk to you soon!

How You Can Combat Frost Heave with Your Exterior Concrete

Know anyone who's interested in building a home? If you have any friends, family, or co-workers who are looking to own their first or second home - would you forward this message to them? We'll be happy to show them our 6 new construction home plans along with the benefits of owning a Charleston Home so they can make a decision that's right for them.
We've had a pretty cold winter, with a lot of temperature swings and moisture changes. This has caused many of our streets, sidewalks, and driveways to fall victim to what is known as "frost heave." This is when extreme cold temperatures and moisture get into the small cracks in the cement and cause the cement to rise. This happens every year, but this year in particular has caused a lot of extra frost heave.

Since temperatures have risen here in the last few weeks, the cement has returned to its original position, but it has left behind some imperfections that you'll need to shore up. After frost heave happens, you tend to see a lot of little hairline cracks that will start to form in the cement - seal those up once temperatures get above 50 degrees.

Your home may have this problem as well. On many driveways, between the driveway and the garage, there is an expansion joint. The joint is meant to be there so the driveway can't be pushed into the house. When frost heave occurs, it will be pushed up. You can't really push it back down, so the best thing to do in this situation is to try to cut off the excess expansion joint safely with a knife. Then, get some polyurethane sealant and apply it to the crack. Doing this sooner than later will help prevent against frost heave next winter.

If you have any questions, you can always give us a call or send us an email. We look forward to hearing from you!

Keep Your Fireplace Safe this Winter

Know anyone who's interested in building a home? If you have any friends, family, or co-workers who are looking to own their first or second home - would you forward this message to them? We'll be happy to show them our 7 new construction home plans along with the benefits of owning a Charleston Home so they can make a decision that's right for them.  

Today we’re joined by our warranty manager, Shaun, to discuss fireplace safety and maintenance. All of our homes have similar fireplaces, and these tips are similar for most modern gas fireplaces. Today, we want to walk you through a few safety and maintenance procedures that will make your fireplace run smoothly and safely when it needs to. First, let's talk about cleaning the glass panel on the front of your fireplace. 

The process of cleaning this panel is quite easy, it's getting the panel off that is the tricky part. For a lot of our fireplaces, there are two latches underneath the glass, next to the pilot light. Undo these latches, and the panel should hinge out and lift right up. To clean the glass, we recommend using Cerama Bryte, or another ammonia-free glass cleaner. You should clean this glass at least twice a year. Once at the beginning of the winter season, and once at the end.

Now that we have the cleaning down, let's talk about lighting that pilot light. It's something you have to do at the beginning of every season, so let's go through the step-by-step process of getting that pilot light lit.

1. Open the door beneath the fireplace to expose the gas line and pilot light switch. 
   
2. Look for the red handle that controls the gas line. When the lever is perpendicular to the gas line, the gas is off, if it is parallel with the gas line, the gas is on.   
3. Push in the control button on the left, and turn it to "pilot"  
4. Press the ignite button, up to 20 times.  
5. Once the fireplace is lit, hold the gas valve for about 30 seconds, then release and turn the left-hand control knob to "on."

There you have it, some basic fireplace maintenance to keep your home clean and warm this winter. If you have any questions, or would like to check out the great new fireplaces we have in our models, give us a call or send us a quick email.