Question: The high winds we had 2-3Â months ago managed to get behind one of my shutters and break it. With the nice weather, it’s time to replace it, but where do I get a replacement?
I have a Buckingham purchased in 2014. In the folder received at the time, I can find no information on shutters. If it helps, the vinyl siding is “pepplestone clay,” the exterior trim is “desert sand”, and the door is “tram gray.” The shutter is plastic, not wood. I have contacted Pulte via their web site but have received no response.
Where can I get a replacement? I know that initially it won’t match the remaining shutters but with time it should fade to match them.
Answer: The big box stores do carry a limited number of shutters, but if you canât find what you need in any of them there are several vendors on the internet that carry hundreds of different shutters. One that seems to carry a very large assortment of types, sizes, and colors is www.exteriorsolutions.com. If you canât find the color you need or if your shutters have faded, many can be painted, but check this before purchasing them. Take a sample of the old shutter to the paint stone and have them scan it to give them the exact formula to mix the paint.
Question: We love your column. We see some homes with downspouts that drain directly into the ground. How can we do that? What is involved with that instead of draining onto the property?
Answer: If you want to do this yourself you need to start by buying the parts. You will need a length of 4-inch black drain hose with a rectangular 4â by 2.5â opening on one end to fit over your down spout. This hose is typically 15 to 20 feet. As an option there is a green connector to slide over the end of the down-spout and connect to the drain hose. On the outlet end there is a popup terminator that allows the water to flow onto the lawn.
To install the drain hose, dig a trench from under the downspout to a location on the lawn where you want to release the gutter water. Save the sod pieces you remove to put back after you refill the trench. If you need to go under a sidewalk, dig a hole just large enough to feed the drain hose through using a trenching shovel. Mount the popup terminator at the end of the drain hose and make sure it is positioned so that it pops up freely. You will have to trim the grass around it about twice each summer to keep it working properly.
If you donât want to do this job yourself, most of the landscaping vendors can do it.
If you have suggestions for future tips or have questions about maintenance around your home submit them toask.the.woodchucks@gmail.com
