8 DC
the checklist District
L OCAL LIVING
Limit outdoor chores in the July heat by Jeanne Huber
Hot and humid July isn’t the greatest month to tackle outdoor chores. So push through the tasks you can’t avoid, then reward yourself with indoor projects or, at least, outdoor ones that keep you out of the sun.
Poke your deck
If you own a deck, you probably know that you should clean and seal the wood every few years. But do you know to regularly check for rot and other problems?
Because decks are
elevated and exposed to the weather, they don’t last forever. Ten people were injured in June when a deck collapsed at a townhouse in Kingstowne in the Alexandria section of Fairfax County. At least 30 people died in deck
collapses between 2000 and 2008, according to the North American Deck and Railing Association. Test for rot by stabbing the wood with a sturdy screwdriver. If you find spongy spots, that means the wood is probably decaying. If only a few boards are damaged, replace them. If many are rotten, especially if you also find soft spots in the support posts or beams, you may need to rebuild the deck (a job that requires a building permit). Also assess whether the
structure seems solid and is properly attached to your house. The deck association has a checklist of things to inspect at its Web site,
www.nadra.org. When decks collapse, it’s usually because they weren’t attached properly. So pay particular attention to inspecting the beam that links the deck to the house. The beam should be solid and held on with a row of half-inch- thick bolts or masonry anchors, not just nails or skinny screws. The fasteners shouldn’t be loose or corroded. When you walk on the deck, you shouldn’t feel it move. And it shouldn’t tilt. The railing should be firm, as well. If you find signs that the deck might be unsafe, avoid using it while you arrange for repairs or reconstruction. Avoid having a party there. Deck collapses often occur when a lot of people are on the structure. If you decide to rebuild, you can download a free how-to guide from the American Wood Council at
www.awc.org.
MARYLAND
ANNAPOLIS Regal Paint Centers 222 Chinquapin Round Road (410) 266-5072
BELTSVILLE Will’s Home Decorating 10508 Baltimore Avenue
(301) 937-6100
BETHESDA Glen Echo Hardware 7303 Macaurthur Boulevard
(301) 229-3700
Strosniders Hardware 6930 Arlington Road (301) 654-5688
Discover Aura® Color Lock®
technology
Delivering truer hues and richer color with exceptional durability. Quite simply the finest paint we’ve ever made®
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DEALE Regal Paint Centers 647 Deale Road (410) 867-8171
FREDERICK Regal Paint Centers 1111 North East Street (301) 662-8242
GAITHERSBURG Regal Paint Centers 23 West Diamond Avenue
(301) 670-7016
HAGERSTOWN Regal Paint Centers 17758 Garland Groh Boulevard
benjaminmoore.com (301) 393-4420
Even if you aren’t doing the work yourself, knowing the right details equips you to check on the work a contractor does.
Create or clean a home office On a day when you’re loath to
leave your air-conditioned home, take the time to establish a home office or make the one you have function better. If you’re lucky enough to have a dedicated room, you might just need to sort through stacks of bills, catalogues and whatever else is piled up. Cull what you no longer need, and set up files or bins to organize and store the rest.
If you don’t have an office,
create a miniature one in a room that also has another purpose. You might be able to fit a desk into a corner of a dining room that you don’t use very often. Or set up a mail-sorting area in a mudroom or laundry, especially if it’s by the door you use most
MOUNT AIRY Regal Paint Centers 1001 Twin Arch Road (301) 703-4340
POTOMAC Strosniders Hardware of Potomac 10110 River Road (301) 299-6333
ROCKVILLE Luu Color Center 5022 Nicholson Lane (301) 984-0066
Regal Paint Centers 500 Hungerford Drive (301) 424-8555
SILVER SPRING Regal Paint Centers 8211 Georgia Avenue (301) 589-2284
WHEATON Regal Paint Centers 2200 University Boulevard W. (301) 946-0323
VIRGINIA
ALEXANDRIA Potomac Paint and Design Center 3610 King Street #E (703) 379-5800
Old Town Hardware 809 S. Washington Street
(703) 879-0475
ARLINGTON Potomac Paint and Design Center 5701 Lee Highway (703) 534-4477
CHANTILLY Potomac Paint and Design Center 13900 Metrotech Drive
(703) 961-1200
FAIRFAX Color Wheel Paint Center
2802-D Merrilee Drive (703) 356-8477 x2
Vienna Paint of Fairfax 11000 Fairfax Boulevard
(703) 273-5030
FALLS CHURCH Vienna Paint of Barcroft 6349 D Columbia Pike (703) 914-0220
GAINESVILLE Vienna Paint of Gainesville 7466 Limestone Drive (571) 222-7900
HERNDON Vienna Paint of Reston/Herndon 282 Sunset Park Drive (703) 733-3899
LEESBURG Leesburg Paint & Decorating Center 305 V. East Market Street
(703) 771-2612
MANASSAS Carter Paint & Decorating Center, Inc. 7767 Sudley Road (703) 368-7385
ISTOCKPHOTOS
frequently. Another possibility: Clean out one shelf of a bookcase and add trays or file boxes (like ones made for storing magazines) to hold bills and the like. Getting rid of books you no longer need or have room for is
the checklist continued on 9
MCLEAN Color Wheel
1374 Chain Bridge Road
(703) 356-8477 x1
SPRINGFIELD Jerry’s Paint & Wallpaper Ctr., Inc 6715 A Backlick Road (703) 569-2622
STERLING Vienna Paint of Ashburn/Sterling 22135 Davis Drive #101
(703) 450-0300
VIENNA Vienna Paint & Decorating 203 W. Maple Avenue (703) 938-6115
WINCHESTER Regal Paint Centers 1650 Valley Avenue (540) 665-1949
WOODBRIDGE Pineapple Paint Co. 12551 Dillingham Square
(703) 680-5715 WASHINGTON DC
Monarch Paint & WallCovering Co. 5608 Conn. Avenue NW
(202) 686-5550
Monarch Paint & WallCovering Co. 2130 Wisconsin Avenue NW (202) 625-2600
Monarch Paint & WallCovering Co. 504 K Street NW (202) 289-1601
Fragers Hardware 1115 Pennsylvania Avenue
(202) 543-6157
WHITE FLINT MALL 11301 Rockville Pike North Bethesda,MD 20895-1021 Visit our Color Station at theWhite Flint Mall
THE WASHINGTON POST • THURSDAY, JULY 1, 2010
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