Kaiser Construction Inc.

Butler Mfg. photo from 1939.

Diamond Certified Expert Tip: Drain about a gallon of water from your water heater tank every three months to help remove the sediment that accumulates on the bottom. Also, periodically inspect your water heater burner the flame should be colored blue with yellow tips. If it's mostly yellow or the area is sooty, your flue may be clogged, which is a dangerous situation.

Diamond Certified Expert Tip: If the water in your toilet's tank is running into the overflow pipe (in the middle of the tank), adjust the fill valve until the water stops one inch below the top of the overflow tube. Test the flush valve mechanism by adding a few drops of food coloring to the tank. If the water changes color after 15 minutes, the ball or flapper is leaking and needs to be replaced.

Diamond Certified Expert Tip: If you have a wood plank deck, it's important to clean the leaf matter and animal dander than accumulate on top of the joists between the deck boardsthose materials hold water and can foster decay if not properly removed. If your deck boards are heavily weathered, you can power wash or sand them. Remember to set the nails below the deck surface before sanding, otherwise they'll rust and stain the deck.

Diamond Certified Expert Tip: Keep a can of paint around the house so you can ensure an exact color match when you need to perform touch-ups. Paint can only be stored for about two years before it starts to degrade, but even paint that's three or four years old can still be used for minor jobs. Make sure you store it off the ground at a moderate temperature, and thoroughly mix any old paint before applying it.

Diamond Certified Expert Tip: To eliminate moss on your house, spray the surface with a 50/50 mixture of bleach and water. Wait 15 minutes and scrub the area with a stiff brush. If you're removing the moss before painting, add TSP (tri-sodium phosphate) to the bleach and water solution. You need to let a stucco surface dry for two days before applying any paint. A wood surface needs up to seven days to completely dry out.

Diamond Certified Expert Tip: Properly organizing your home office is all about creating plenty of surface workspace. Control clutter by installing a wire management system. Use upper cabinets that are at least 12 inches deep to store large binders. Don't skimp on slides for file drawersyou don't want heavy drawers falling out of the desk when you try to open them. Make sure the edges of your work surface aren't sharp.

Diamond Certified Expert Tip: If you have a wood-burning fireplace, make sure you periodically check the interior of its chimney for creosote buildup. Creosote is a dark colored or black substance that can accumulate if wood doesn't burn completely. Because it's flammable, creosote buildup is a fire hazard and should be cleaned with creosote remover as soon as possible.

Diamond Certified Expert Tip: To protect your car's finish, rinse off bird droppings, bugs and pollen as soon as possiblethey contain acids that can cause corrosive damage if left undisturbed for long periods of time. If you use a commercial product that claims to remove bugs and tar, read the directions thoroughly and test it on an inconspicuous area of your car before applying it to the whole thing.

Diamond Certified Expert Tip: If you work out of your home and want to convert a guest bedroom into a home office, one of the best ways to get the most utility out of the space is to add a wall bed (also known as a Murphy bed). You'll only open it when needed, and it can fit neatly behind a cabinet just 19 inches deep. Also, if your home office doubles as your guest bedroom, it's a good idea to keep papers and files out of sight.

Diamond Certified Expert Tip: To determine if your home's foundation needs to be repaired, look for the three most obvious signs: cracking and crumbling of the foundation, exterior bulging or rotation of the foundation due to weakening of the underlying soil, and floors deflecting three to six inches due to sinking. Also, look for curling sheetrock and cracks in interior walls near the corners of windows, doors and fireplaces.