Stephen Alberts

Jan 29 2022

Why DIY Rotten Wood Replacement in Your Home Is a Bad Idea

At One Man & A Toolbox, we fix a lot of different things at a lot of different houses. And what we see at so many places of residence—nearly every single one of them—is wood rot.

Sometimes it’s just a little and sometimes it’s a lot. In some cases, it looks like the paint is unwilling (and unable) to bind to a certain place because the wood can’t hold onto it—thanks to the rot. But sometimes it’s even hidden by paint, and homeowners are surprised it’s there once the paint comes off.

The unfortunate truth is that the environment for wood rot growth starts the day the house is built. If the ends of a cut piece of wood aren’t sealed, it creates a great opportunity for moisture to get in there and rot to begin—if there’s one thing that wood loves to do, it’s soaking up water like a sponge.

Wood Rot Prevention

The fact of the matter is that there’s not a great way to prevent wood rot. It’s simply a part of nature. But there are ways that you can detect it once it starts to show up so you can stop it in its tracks. The first key is knowing where to look.

Take a peek in these places:

Rake board ends
- These aren’t covered by roof shingles, making it easy for moisture to make its way in.
Window sills
Window side casings
Corner boards where downspouts are attached
- This happens when people don’t clean their gutters (gutter cleaning is also a job that we cover!) and the water overflows and saturates the downspout.
Water table trim
Skirt boards surrounding a deck

While we appreciate homeowners knowing where to look for rotten wood, when it comes to actually replacing the damaged area, we recommend leaving that up to us—the pros.

Don’t Let It Go

It’s tempting to let rotten wood fall by the wayside and put it on your to-do list for another month. But with this issue, time is of the essence. If you let rotten wood stick around, it could get worse as time passes, and a replacement for one single section could turn into a replacement for the entire area surrounding it.

Instead of waiting for rotten wood to get bad, give us a call. And remember—don’t try and replace it on your own. Here’s why.

Steer Clear of DIY Replacement

We’ll make sure that your rotten wood replacement is done right the very first time. If you try and take on this project yourself, you put yourself at risk for serious health and safety issues. By allowing us to take care of the replacement, you can avoid the following:

Respiratory Issues
- Rotted wood isn’t the cause of respiratory problems, but its presence points to moisture in the air that can support the growth of fungi like black mold. In damp conditions, mold spreads fast and releases dangerous spores into the air that can lead to breathing issues, coughing, sneezing, and lung inflammation.
Skin Irritation and Rashes
- If mold is to blame for your rotten wood, it can also lead to skin rashes, eye irritation, headaches, and exhaustion. So the fungi that cause the rot also cause these side effects.
Gaps, Open Space, and Cracks
- Rotten wood can leave your home vulnerable. It can compromise the integrity of your home and leave the interior exposed to external factors like pests and the elements. We can get rid of the rotten wood and make sure your interior is sealed against the outside world.
Weakness in the Structure
- This might be the most harmful side effect; rotting wood means that the physical building itself is on its way to failing entirely.

Rotten Wood Replacement Experts

To keep your home or building free from too much excess moisture, we recommend that you keep your gutters clean, use dehumidifiers, use better insulation, and improve your ventilation. That will lessen the likelihood of rotten wood.

Rotten wood is all too common, and the fungi that are known for partnering with it can do many harmful things to your body. To keep you and your family safe, check the common places that we listed for rotten wood, and if you see any trace of it, let us know as soon as possible so we can do something about it.

At One Man & A Toolbox, we care about keeping our customers safe, and that’s why we insist on being the pros who wipe out the rotten wood in your home and replace it with something brand new. Give us a call today to talk more about this process.

Jan 11 2022

How Commercial Maintenance Pros Make Life Easier for Your Business

If you’re a property manager or a business owner, you know what it’s like to be overwhelmed. There are so many moving parts to keep track of when you have a business and a building to control, and you probably know the feeling of wanting to keep everyone happy and your facility running in the way that it should. It’s not always an easy feat.

While you’re trying to balance everything else, the last thing you want to be worried about is chipping paint, grimy exterior, or leaky pipes in your building. And that’s where commercial maintenance pros can be a lifesaver.

A team like this has the specific intent of maintaining regular upkeep that preserves or improves the condition of a commercial property—we’re talking a commercial building, industrial facility, office space, strip mall, etc. Commercial maintenance pros will protect your real estate from falling into disrepair and keep the place looking (and running) at its top potential.

A few main things that commercial maintenance pros can take care of are

replacing equipment and materials,
repairing damage,
hauling trash,
cleaning,
pressure washing.

With all of these duties taken care of by an outstanding team, your commercial building will look its best and perform its best too. By having commercial maintenance pros on your side, you also cut down on future renovation expenses from small problems that grow into something unmanageable.

Plus—you can stop stressing about the condition of your business. Leave that to us, and we’ll let you handle running the place!

Here are a few ways in which having a team of commercial maintenance pros can make life easier for your business.

They Make Moving Simple

Whether you’re moving in or moving out, the team can turn what was once a harrowing job into something stress free. They can clear the area you’re vacating, haul heavy items (like machinery and furniture), throw out garbage, fix minor damages, and clean the place up so it looks as good as it did the day you moved in.

They Keep Your Property Clean

We’re big fans of the pressure-washing service that we offer that includes spraying dirt, debris, mold, and loose paint from concrete surfaces and buildings with a high-powered hose. It also does a great job on windows, walkways, sidewalks, awnings, and more. Pressure washing can turn a dingy building into something shiny and new. And by eliminating mold and mildew, you lessen the chance of your building falling victim to rot in the future.

They Eliminate Graffiti

Graffiti has the potential to ruin your property for good. It can also encourage repeated tagging, which creates the opportunity for theft and loitering on your commercial property. We can eliminate the graffiti problem with environmentally-friendly abatement techniques and also apply an anti-graffiti paint coat to prevent paint, stickers, and markers from sticking to it.

The Details Are Covered

You don’t have time in your day to worry about the small details at your property—and a team of commercial maintenance pros does. That’s why they’re there. They’ll replace trash receptacles, apply a fresh coat of paint when it’s needed, patch up the asphalt, and more. No “small” job is too small for them.

Quality commercial maintenance pros want your property to be clean, functional, and aesthetically pleasing at all times.

They Help after a Storm

Sometimes your worst nightmare comes in the form of a severe thunderstorm or a tornado, but commercial maintenance pros take the worry out of weather events. They can come in after a storm and clean up the storm drains, gutters, and rooftops while clearing the debris that’s blown onto the property. They can also fix any damage that the building/property sustained due to the storm.

They Keep Out Clutter

A lot of commercial properties are places where people tend to dump their trash, supplies, or furniture. But the team can take that junk off of your property and transport it to a facility where it belongs.

They Handle Repairs

It’s smart to be prepared for anything—you never know what might need to be repaired next. And with commercial maintenance pros, you don’t have to worry about the next break because they’ll be there to fix it up—whether it’s surface or internal damage.

Your Commercial Maintenance Pros

At One Man & A Toolbox, we can fix just about anything, and we would love to offer our commercial maintenance services to your facility. If that’s something you’re interested in, give us a call to set up a consultation.

Dec 15 2021

How to Relax and Hire the Best Handyman with Confidence

While you might have some expertise when it comes to fixing certain things around your house, there are bound to be some issues that you just don’t know how to repair. That’s where a handyman comes in.

But how do you go about hiring a handyman that’s right for the job, right for your wallet, and right for you?

In this article, we’ll share some tips on how you can confidently hire the best handyman. Of course, you don’t want things around your house to break—but with a good handyman on your side, disrepair is no cause for distress.

Where to Start

Here’s how you can hit the ground running to find a handyman that’s perfect for your situation:

Make a list of your problems.
- Many handymen charge by the hour, so you want to make sure you have everything prepared to get the best deal possible.
Know the difference between a handyman and a contractor.
- If a job takes more than a day and requires someone who’s licensed and trained in a specific field, then it’s a job for a contractor. A handyman has a broader scope, but there’s no “one size fits all” when it comes to training and licensing.

Handyman Tasks

As we said, handymen have a broad scope of things they’re capable of. To hire the best one possible, it’s good to know what kinds of jobs you can expect from a run-of-the-mill handyman.

These jobs include

installing shelves or cabinets,
hanging curtains/picture frames,
painting (usually just for singular rooms or touch-ups—if you need a full house painted, you should consider hiring a painting crew),
caulking,
assembling furniture,
decorating or setting up holiday displays,
assembling a swing or treehouse,
cleaning gutters, and
minor woodwork.

Hiring a good handyman also involves knowing what they don’t cover. When it comes to big jobs like remodeling, installing drywall, electrical work, and plumbing, that’s when you should call a contractor.

Know Your Options

Now that you know what a handyman’s job entails, you’re probably wondering where to find one.

The internet is a great resource, offering sites like HomeAdvisor and Angi (formerly known as Angie’s List). These sites don’t just provide names of handymen, but they also provide reviews, verification of licensing, and background checks, so you can feel good about who you’re letting into your home.

There are also a couple apps that you can use to find a quality handyman. Check out TaskRabbit and Handy—you’ll be surprised at how many resources you can find there.

Word of mouth is never a bad idea either. Neighbors are great for recommendations—whether that’s in person or in Facebook groups for your specific neighborhood. You’re sure to find people who are more than happy to share their handyman; many people develop a working relationship with their handyman and are eager to find more jobs for them in the area. And if the handyman does good work for your neighbors, it’s likely they’ll do good work for you too!

You can also find quality handymen through real estate agents because they commonly keep a list of contractors and handymen that they work with, and they make sure that who they hire provides good work.

Do Your Research

Once you’ve found your handymen, make sure you put in the time and do adequate research on their background. This includes looking for their website (if they have one) and checking out their social media profiles. Search around for public reviews and ask for references from their previous clients. If they don’t have references, they’re probably not someone you should hire.

Ask Questions

Before you start working with a handyman, get curious and don’t be afraid to ask questions:

How much do they charge?
What are their areas of expertise, if they have any?
Are there jobs that they won’t do?
What’s their availability?
How long does it take them to finish jobs similar to the one you’re proposing?

Test Them Out

A test run is the best way to figure out if you’re going to enjoy working with a handyman or not. By providing them with a smaller list than what you might have, you can get a feel for their work ethic and quality of work. If they pass the test, you can give them a longer list. But if you don’t like the work, you can feel free to move on to your next choice.

Our Handymen

At One Man & A Toolbox, we value our customers and their experiences, which is why we put our best foot forward with the work that our handymen provide. Give us a call today to see if our team can help you out.

Nov 29 2021

Deck Maintenance: Everything You Need to Know

Keeping your deck in working order over the years is a continuous effort. Making sure it’s prepared to face the elements every day and stand up to anything you throw at it may seem daunting, but you’ll learn everything you need to know right here at One Man & A Toolbox.

From building a deck and choosing its materials to keeping it protected against the weather with proper washing and staining, this article will help you through it. Even if something should happen to your deck that calls for replacement parts, there’s a solution to your problem.

1. Choosing the Right Material

If you don’t have a deck yet and are in the market to build one or have one assembled, the decision of what material to use couldn’t be more critical. As Better Homes & Gardens recommends, classic wood options such as cedar, redwood, and pressure-treated pine, are one surefire way to go.

If you decide to get a pressure-treated option, you’ll be setting yourself up to deal with insects and water damage a bit less, but it will involve just as much sanding and proper cleaning. Alternatives to wood altogether include composite materials and even aluminum.

Regardless of what you choose, you should be aware of the proper maintenance of each material and the unique drawbacks they might have. Needing unique steps to clean is no reason to be afraid of choosing the material you want, but make sure you know what those steps are before buying.

2. Properly Washing Your Deck

Before you start washing, make sure to remove leaves, dead bugs, and any small bits of the great outdoors that you don’t want accidentally sprayed onto your deck. Our One Man & A Toolbox overview on deck maintenance has some simple steps to follow, like mixing OxiClean with the water you use at a one-cup-to-gallon ratio if your deck is especially messy.

Using water from a hose is fine for your deck as long as you properly apply sealant or wood stain at regular intervals. If your water has particularly high mineral content, you may want to consider mixing in OxiClean or applying an extra sealant to compensate for the abrasive nature of your water. This bit of extra care can go a long way in preserving your deck.

3. Staining Your Deck

Applying a wood stain to your deck is an almost identical process to using a sealant. There are subtle differences, such as wood stain protecting your deck from UV rays that can dry out your boards and cause them to crack and lose their desired color.

Regardless of if you are sealing or staining your deck, make sure you know what variety of wood your deck is built out of. You must get the appropriate sealant or stain. When you plan out your staining, Home Depot recommends allowing for at least two days of clear weather and staying off the deck to make sure it dries properly.

4. How to Replace Damaged Parts of Your Deck

Keeping a lookout for even slight structural damage in the individual components of your deck is crucial to avoiding damage for as long as possible. The base, railings, floorboards, and any support beams are all vital components of your deck and could end up rotting without proper care.

If your deck gets damaged, be sure to reach out for help before the issue becomes significant. Finding the same materials to replace damaged parts of your deck is a good first step, but getting in touch with a service like ours at One Man & A Tool Box will be your best bet.

Conclusion: How Difficult Is It to Maintain Your Deck?

Deck repair and maintenance do not have to be overly involved or challenging. Though you are rewarded by keeping consistent upkeep habits, it won’t take all of your time.

At One Man & A Tool Box, we provide comprehensive services for both homes and businesses and can assist you with a team of professional handymen.

Nov 10 2021

Four Repair Tips for Drywall Cracks

Drywall gives your interior walls the perfect completeness and form. Unfortunately, one hairline fracture on your wall will be enough to throw away its entire aesthetic. If you observe drywall cracks, don’t worry. It happens, and while you can do little to prevent it, it’s better if you act fast to repair the fissures.

1. Identify the Cause of Drywall Cracks

It’s only by identifying the cause of drywall crack that you can approach its repair correctly. Drywall consists of several sections that diverge seams. In most cases, this is where the fracturing will occur. At these joints, this is where drywalls are weakest. This increases susceptibility to common upsets—cracking being one.

Cracking at seams can be a result of different stresses. For instance, vacation homes with no full-time climate control may experience temperature changes. These changes result in constant expansion and contraction of the drywall, and the subsequent pressure on seams will cause cracking.

Another major cause of drywall cracks is the settling of the home itself. If you observe vertical cracks that extend along door jambs, corners, and windows of your house, this may be due to settling, especially for new homes or older homes settling on the foundation.

Also, faulty drywall installation may result in cracking issues. If the drywall seams were not well taped or covered with enough drywall mud, you may observe thin, straight cracks in your drywall.

Establishing the root cause of drywall cracks is essential in preventing repeated repairs, and especially from the same drywall stress. It’ll save you a lot of money, and in the current economic situation, a dollar means a lot.

2. Ensure That You Have the Necessary Materials

The kind of cracks evident in your drywall will determine the tools and materials you need for your repair works. Cracks range from the deep, nail, corner bead, and surface cracks.

For deeper and wider cracks (more than ¼ inches wide), you may have to replace the entire panel. Alternatively, you may have to undertake a deeper repair with professional assistance.

For hairline fractures and slight cracks, the repair is easy. The tools and materials you require for the work include the following:

Tools

Dust mask (for protection)
Mud pan
Taping knife, utility knife
Putty knife

Materials

Paper drywall tape
Setting compound
Premixed joint compound
Painters’ tape

3. Prepare the Area for Repair

The first step toward repair involves cutting a V-shape notch to clean the crack. Ensure you don’t leave any debris hanging from the cracks. This allows you to repair them well, ultimately getting a professional finish.

Also, you need to protect the surrounding surfaces. Therefore, use the painter’s tape to cover these areas, especially if the crack is near any trim or woodwork.

4. Going about the Actual Repair

After preparing the cracks for repair, it’s time to carry out the actual repair. Follow these steps:

First, apply a premixed joint compound over the crack, and introduce a strip of drywall tape. In case of any excess joint compound and air from the strip, the putty knife will help you squeeze it out.
Apply a thin layer of the joint compound on top of the strip of tape and smoothen it out. Allow the compound to extend a few inches on both sides of the strip and give it time to dry completely.
After it completely dries, remove any rough spots or excess compound using the putty knife.
Next, use the taping knife to apply more joint compound over the strip. You can add a second or even a third layer.
Employ long strokes to smoothen it out, ensuring the compound extends some inches on both sides of the tape.
Finally, sand or scrape off any excess or rough particles and go ahead to paint.

Wrapping Up

While a crack in your drywall can be heartbreaking, it doesn’t mean that’s the end of your beautiful interior space. Take your time to identify the cause of the cracks, gather the necessary tools and materials, and get down to work. If you follow these tips and repair properly, fractures will be a thing of the past in your home.