Maintenance Tips

This is a reference post to collect in one place links to all of the previous posts containing tips for maintenance of your home.

Note also that we have an unofficial Residents-Only Warranties & Repairs Forum on Facebook where residents help each other. Many of these posts originated as questions and answers posted there!

Emerson Annual Inspections Checklist:

• Emerson Annual Inspections 

Useful Links for Autumn Walk:

• Builder Materials - original paints, flooring, and other materials used by the builder (this is a work in progress, please help if you can) - last update 7/3/15
• Autumn Walk Friendly Lawn Care Reminders - includes chart explaining what the HOA covers and what is the homeowner's responsibility
• Homeowner Responsibilities - breakdown of homeowner vs. HOA responsibilities
• Architectural Review and Landscaping Changes - where to go to request permission to make changes to the exterior of your home
• (Draft) Revised Emerson Architectural Guidelines Posted - Emerson's HOA Board has updated the guidelines and will vote on them 9/28/15
• Fall Maintenance Tips (10/13/16)
• Winterizing Your Home - preparing your home for winter
• Homeowner Summer Maintenance Checklist

Heating and Cooling Systems:

• Whole-House Humidifier Tips - tips on installation and maintenance for a whole-house humidifier
• Adjusting Your HVAC Vents (Heating and Cooling) - how to change the dampers in your HVAC ducts to adjust the heated or cooled airflow
• Heating Company Offer - original warranty info
• Water Heater Pilot Light - relighting your gas water heater's pilot light
• Air Duct and Dryer Vent Cleaning

Lawn and Garden:

• 2013 Landscaping Contract (Autumn Walk) - what to expect from the landscaping contract
• Autumn Walk Winter Pruning - one of your landscaping services provided through the HOA
• Mowing Has Started in Autumn Walk - how to prepare for lawn mowing by the contractor
• Me and My Snow Shovel - in particular, remember to clear snow from the street gutters to allow melt-off to drain
• Let It Snow, Let It Snow - homeowner versus HOA responsibilities after snow storms
• Greenfest: Deterring Deer - practical actions you can take to discourage deer and other plant-eating varmints
• In the Garden - pruning the ornamental grasses in your flowerbeds
• The Case of the Mysterious Night Visitor - dealing with lawn damage from raccoons
• Grub Control - Watering Your Lawn - one-time watering after application of pesticide
• Pulling Up (Tree) Stakes - removing tree stakes when no longer needed
• Repairs to Autumn Walk Common Areas - an example of how the HOA maintains the public property on our street

Trash and Recycling:

Our Curbside Collection Days on Garden Ranges are:

• Trash: Tuesdays
• Recycling: Fridays (note that a separate truck picks up yard trim)
• Slide Days:
• Collection slides by a day for 6 major holidays (New Year's, Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas)
• There may be ad hoc slide weeks due to inclement weather (major snow storms, hurricane, etc.)
• Please use hard-sided, enclosed trash and recycling containers
• This will keep your trash from being torn apart by the wildlife in Emerson so the trash/recyclables don't get blown by the winds all over Emerson

• All Things Trash - securing your trash and recyclables for curb-side collection
• Labor Day: Trash Sl-i-i-i-de Week - trash slide schedules plus disposing of unusual items
• Howard County Merry Mulch Recycles Holiday Trees - how and where to recycle your trees
• Cleaning Up After Your Pets - a reminder that removing pet waste is the law
• Trash Slide Days Schedule for 2015 - snow days will be added as they are announced
• Additional Household Hazardous Waste Collection Dates - HHW collection mostly goes on hiatus during the winter

Miscellaneous: 

• Basketball Hoops: Emerson's bylaws do not permit basketball hoops in townhome communities due to the close proximity of the units
• Garage Doors, BBQ Grills, and Emergency Numbers - tips for BBQ grills plus emergency numbers
• Hurricane Preparation Guidelines - how to prepare for a hurricane
• Streetlights
• BGE maintains the streetlights and pays the utility bills
• Lighting Outage Form: go to the "Outdoor Lighting" page, then click on the "Lighting Outages" link.
• Zoom in until the map changes and shows you the streetlights.
• Click on the lamp in question. It will tell if any outages have been reported, and if not click on "Report this Light." 
• The pole number should match the plate bolted up on the streetlight (fairly high so it may be hard to read

).

• Snow Removal
• Per Howard County: After a major snow storm, if your street was missed or the storm drain is blocked, call 410-313-2200.
• When freezing rain is expected overnight on top of heavy snow, the County sometimes may leave an inch of snow on the roads overnight to prevent icing, and then clear it in the morning.
• Taxes
• Maryland Homestead Tax Credit: You can apply to have increases in your property taxes limited to no more than 10% per year on your primary residence. 
• Separately, the Homeowners' Property Tax Credit also limits property taxes paid based on annual income and net worth (up to $300K in assessed value).