This Month in Gaithersburg Homeowner News: November

All the leaves have fallen from the trees, there’s a chill in the air, and we’ve had enough time to recover from the Nationals’ latest playoff disappointment. You know what’s next: the holiday season! Thanksgiving arrives this week, followed by Black Friday, December, holiday lights, Christmas trees, snow (eventually), Santa Claus, and New Year’s Eve. And somewhere in there, our football team will probably disappoint us, too.

This time of year is crazy for Gaithersburg residents and everyone in the DMV. Don’t neglect upkeep of your home during the coming weeks. Putting off an important repair until after Christmas is tempting (and, sometimes, unintentional), but the draft coming through your front door is as much a problem in December as it is in January. In other words, even though life is busy during the holidays, make the time to attend to your home.

Gaithersburg News

Gaithersburg is great for car prices

A new report ranks Gaithersburg as the most affordable place to buy a car in Maryland—$720 below the state average. See how other Montgomery County cities stacked up.

Swarm stings 32

With winter almost here, this news item isn’t an immediate concern, but it’s worth noting—32 people were treated for insect stings after a swarm disrupted classes at Quince Orchard High School in October. Although initially reported as honeybees, the stings were caused by a hive of yellowjackets. Read more about the angry swarm here.

Help a family in need

The City of Gaithersburg is now accepting monetary donations for its 2017 Gaithersburg Holiday Giving Program. For 20 years, the city’s Community Services Division has worked with community groups, nonprofit organizations, businesses, and individuals to provide food and gifts to families in need during the holidays. For more information or to make a donation, visit the city’s website.

Homeowner Happenings

Deep-fry the bird, not your home

Using a deep fryer to cook a holiday turkey is a bragging-rights challenge for some ambitious homeowners/cooks. Part of the challenge is preparing a delicious bird; another part is not setting your house or yourself aflame. This post details step-by-step processes for safely deep-frying a turkey either outside or inside.

Light up your home for the holidays!

With Thanksgiving almost here, many homeowners start thinking about putting up their outdoor Christmas lights. Get into the holiday spirit with these tips for lighting up your home.

Gaithersburg Events

After Hours series at the museum

The Gaithersburg Community Museum is hosting an After Hours speaker series, offering evening programs geared toward adults. The next event in the series is “Universal Life: The Race to Discover Life Beyond Earth,” at 7 p.m. on December 8. The cost for this event is $10, and preregistration is required. More information and future After Hours events can be found here.

No humbugs allowed

Arts on the Green and the Kensington Arts Theatre are staging A Christmas Carol November 25 through December 10 at the Arts Barn, 311 Kent Square Road. Tickets are $20 for adults and for children older than 14 and are $12 for children 14 and younger. For more information, including performance days and times, visit the City of Gaithersburg’s website.

Gaithersburg Chorus concert

The Gaithersburg Chorus will celebrate its 30th anniversary with a free concert at 7:30 p.m. on December 5 at the Rosborough Cultural Arts Center, 301 Odendhal Ave.

Home Improvement Tip of the Month

The idea that your roof is beginning to fail—or at least needs some sort of urgent repair—is not appealing to many homeowners. But ignoring the signs that something is amiss can lead to bigger problems and greater expense down the line. Some of these signs are:

• Leaks and sunlight into your home
• Damaged shingles
• Missing shingles
• Granules collecting in gutters
• Failing flashing
• Drooping and sagging
• A roof that is decades old

We wrote an informative blog post that delves into these warning signs. If you start seeing indications of a roof problem, don’t hesitate to call a professional to assess the situation. Repair or replacement may not be the answer you were hoping for, but at least you will know what that missing shingle means and can take action accordingly.

That’s it for this month’s newsletter. Happy Thanksgiving!