* As I write this in my home office, I hear a hammer banging, banging, banging, somewhere in my neighborhood. And yes, I suppose I could (should) think, “How exciting! A home repair or improvement is getting done. A local service pro is earning money that will help keep his business afloat and boost the local economy due to the multiplier effect. And, bonus points, the overall value in my neighborhood is being maintained.” But, no. What I’m thinking is, “Headache, headache, headache” (as in, the one I’m getting). And frankly, even after all this, even after almost a year of writing this blog and nine months of getting Kudzu Must-Do 52 enewsletters every week, I still think of home repairs as a headache.
* Case in point: one of the Kudzu Must-Do 52 suggestions last week said to insulate pipes. Yes. Great idea. In fact, Georgia Power told me to do this years ago when it did a free energy audit of my home. Have I done it? No! Do I have any idea how to do it? No! Do you know where “research how to insulate pipes” falls on my to-do list? Um, I’d say somewhere below colonoscopy. How about simply hiring someone to do this? Well, I believe it’s a pretty small thing to do (Re-nest, where I found this photo, says it takes from 1-2 hours and costs $1.50-$7.50 for a 6-foot section of insulation), even though the fact that I don’t know how to do it means it never gets done. But hiring someone? That feels like throwing away money to me, and I don’t have money to throw away, especially now, with the economy doing its let’s-just-not-even-talk-about-it thing, and kids inching closer and closer to college-age. So, yes, I’m in an insulate-the-pipes holding pattern.
* Okay, fine, I stopped procrastinating and just now searched for “how to insulate pipes.” I got a direct hit on DIY Network with video and directions for how to do this, but the first line tripped me up already. It mentioned hot water pipes and cold water pipes. Sounds basic, I know (and if you’re saying “moron” right now, listen, I know other things that you may not), but , you know what? Being able to tell them apart down there where the pipes live is now starting to feel like a commitment, and frankly, my fix-it needs have suddenly become more pressing (a leak), I don’t want to figure this out just yet, and my garden is (constantly) calling me (pictured is this week’s harvest). The insulated pipes, and the colonoscopy, will just have to wait.
* Next step may be checking to see if my state offers any home energy rebates, special offers, advice, or other homeowner help. Efficient Vermont makes it easy for homeowners in a nice simple-to-use website. Check websites for your state, and for your home energy provider. Also, consider finding a company that offers “weatherization services.” Perhaps it would be more worth it for me to have one company come in and seal air leaks, insulate the pipes, and add insulation to the attic (I like the eco-benefits of the recycled blue jeans insulation) all at the same time. In fact, yes, that makes sense.
Find service pros on Kudzu who can help you with these seemingly small things, get them off your “must-do” list, save money by saving energy, and use it doing the things you like to do.
