mr-fix-it

Space Heater Safety Tips Everyone Should Know

Thu, 02 Jan 2020 17:53:34 GMT

Space heaters are super useful and affordable appliances, but it’s important that you know what safety tips to apply so you can avoid any accidents. The first safety tip I’m giving you today is that you make sure you get your space heater from a provider with all the clearances necessary to guarantee that their product is safe.

You will also need to select a model that suits your area the best. Some space heaters require little space because they can be hung on the wall, but others will need more room. Make sure you place it at least 3 feet away from any furniture, curtains, rugs, and other combustible materials. This is one of the most important space heater safety tips because they can cause a risk of fire if they encounter such materials. It’s also important you don’t place anything on top of the space heater and make sure it’s placed on a hard surface.

When you’re choosing your space heater, do make sure the model you choose has safety features including overheat protection, tip-over protection and cool-touch housing so you can avoid any issues.

Once you get a proper space heater, you must plug it directly into an outlet with the necessary power capacity. Don’t use extension cords because it can cause the risk of electrical shock injuries, fires, and overheating. If you don’t have a choice but to use an extension cord, make sure you choose one that’s properly sized and rated for this appliance.

Another important safety tip is to make sure your space heater is well kept and maintained. Inspect the cord for fraying or damage and keep it clean from dust and hair so it can work without any issues whatsoever. Do this upon first use out of the box along with the beginning and end of each season of use.

Whenever you’re not using your space heater, make sure you turn it off and unplug it. Many space heater models nowadays include the option of programming automatic shut down and turn on, so make sure you use that feature if available so that your space heater is not on when it doesn’t need to be.

Your space heater should also be kept away from water and humidity, so don’t place them in damp, humid spaces such as basements or bathrooms. Also, make sure never to touch your space heater with wet hands because this creates the risk of electric shock. If you need a space heater in your bathroom, make sure you purchase one that’s safe and designed for this kind of use.

When you have a space heater at home, it’s important that you learn about safety and you teach everyone in your family as well. To use your appliances safely, you need to learn the do’s and don’ts. Feel free to ask your provider for advice as well, but also make sure to do your own research and take the necessary measures to use your space heater safely.

How to Avoid Mildew and Peeling Paint in Your Bathroom

Thu, 02 Jan 2020 17:52:47 GMT

Your bathroom is one of the most humid rooms at home and it’s one of the most prone to water leaks as well. This means that there’s a high risk of peeling paint, which leads to mildew and bacteria buildup. Not to mention peeling paint makes your bathroom look in bad shape, which is not something you want.

That’s why today I want to provide a few tips to help you avoid mildew and peeling paint in your bathroom and a few solutions in case it’s already happening!

How to Prevent Mildew and Peeling Paint in Your Bathroom

The very first thing you need to do to prevent peeling paint and everything else that comes along is have a family meeting. In this family meeting, it’s important to discuss water usage and to promote the idea of taking shorter showers. This won’t only help you be a bit greener at home, it will also save you money in the long run and it will preserve your bathroom for longer.

Another important thing you can do to prevent peeling pain is to install an exhaust fan if you don’t already have one. If you do have one, then make sure you maintain it by keeping it clean and operational. Remember the fan blades and the motor gather dust and grime, so make sure you clean it with warm soapy water on a monthly basis. Also, make sure the fan is large enough for your bathroom. Proper ventilation is important.

Your exhaust fan shouldn’t only be the proper size, it should also be properly ducted to your house’s exterior. If it’s ducted to the attic, for example, this will only create excess moisture and it will lead to rot. Also, it’s a good idea to have both your light and your fan operating on the same light switch so that it works every time you turn on the light.

Finally, you should also have a timer installed in your bathroom. If everyone tends to take half hour showers, make sure you teach everyone at home to use the one-hour mode on the timer. This will allow the fan to fight moisture for the duration of the shower and an additional half an hour after that.

What to Do if You Already Have Peeling Paint

The first thing you need to do is to remove all the chipped paint with a paint scraper or a putty knife. Remove them all, and make sure you protect your eyes and wear a mask so you don’t inhale the dust and paint. Once you get rid of all the chipped paint, you’ll have to even out the surface by patching it out. Apply thin layers and let it dry well.

Once the patched areas are dry, sand them with sandpaper so you can have a smooth surface. Next, you’ll want to prime the bathroom walls with an oil-based primer so you can prevent water marks and peeling paint in the future. Let it dry well. Now it’s simply time to repaint your bathroom walls and ceiling!

Call Classic Handyman at 847-651-5847 for more tips and help on completing this project

What Are These Black Stains on the Walls? Understanding Ghosting on Walls vs. Mold

Fri, 20 Dec 2019 15:31:14 GMT

Oftentimes, inspectors and contractors will receive phone calls from homeowners who describe a mold problem that has recently developed on the walls and ceilings of their homes. Sometimes, they describe the mold patterns as black stains on the walls and ceilings that seem to be following the framing of the house.

The good news for these homeowners is that the stains are not mold and they are unlikely to present a health hazard to the occupants or a structural hazard to the building. The problem they are describing is called “ghosting” or “thermal bridging,” and, though innocuous, it can be a nuisance.

If you are out touring homes you will occasionally find a house with this unusual staining pattern and it is helpful to understand why it is happening and what can be done to correct it.

Understanding the problem of ghosting

To visualize thermal bridging, let’s think about a house in the wintertime – say, in the cold climate of Salt Lake City. You are inside your cozy warm home cooking and cleaning and breathing and showering and this creates humidity inside the home. You might also be burning candles, incense or wood for a fire. In the winter, the insulation in your house, if it is doing its job, will help keep the cold out and the warm in. The insulation is installed in the stud bays inside the walls and on the floor of the attic. The limiting factor for most insulation is that it does not cover the wood framing of the building, just the empty spaces between the framing.

Ghosting happens when mildly damp, warm and possibly sooty interior air condenses on the sections of walls and ceiling that are colder because they are that uninsulated section of the wood frame. The result: black sooty stains on your walls and ceilings that follow the patterns of the framing. Sometimes you can even see the nails in the sheetrock which, because they are metal, are even colder and more prone to becoming a condensing surface. Typically, the amount of condensation is not enough to cause a mold or structural problem, but it does create irritating lines on your walls and ceilings. So … how do you fix this?

Understanding how to repair ghosting and black stains

The first thing you need to do to stop ghosting is eliminate indoor air particulate: Stop burning candles, firewood or incense. The next step is to monitor your relative humidity inside the house: Buy an inexpensive relative humidity and temperature meter and try and keep your indoor relative humidity below 55 percent during the cold winter months. You can typically do this by turning on bath fans, which will have a drying effect on your building as you vent moist warm air to the outside and replace it with dry cold air. Finally, you will need to use a stain-killing paint to seal up the stains and then repaint the walls and ceilings. This is the expensive and inconvenient part.

If you see the staining developing in larger patterns on the wall or ceiling, in places between the framing, this indicates the wall or ceiling is likely not insulated correctly. The repair, in that case, unfortunately, is to open up the wall or ceiling and insulate it properly.

What if the black stains are actually mold?

If you call a professional and determine that the black stains are actually mold, you have a few options depending on how severe the mold is. Regardless of what you do, it essential that you contact an expert to appraise the situation and determine the health risks and the extent of the issue. Once you’ve done so, you can call in a cleaning company, which will scrub the infected area down with special detergents and cleaning agents. Or, if the mold is less severe, you can create a mixture of cleaning agents and scrub the mold yourself. To do this, follow the steps below:

Create a solution that is 1/4 bleach and 3/4 water.
Thoroughly soak the affected areas of the wall until it is saturated with the solution.
Let the solution soak into the affected areas for ~5-10 minutes.
Scrub the affected area with a brush until the mold stains are removed.
Repeat until stains have been cleansed.

If you determine that the mold is actually beneath the surface of the wall, you can spray the affected area with a mixture of white vinegar and water and let it dry. Either way, it’s important to consult with your local mold removal expert and/or your local cleaning experts. They can help you determine the severity and extent of the problem, whether it’s ghosting and black stains on the walls or mold.

How can I prevent mold from forming?

To prevent mold from forming, check out the following tips:

Make sure to run your bathroom’s fan while bathing and after to prevent moisture from accumulating. If possible, shower with the door open to encourage circulation and proper ventilation.
Mop up any significant spills from water or other liquids quickly.
Use mold-resistant paint in bathrooms and other rooms where there is significant moisture.
Clean your bathroom frequently.

We hope this helps you better understand what you are seeing in your own home or in homes on the housing market you are evaluating to purchase. Enjoy your house hunting! Remember, knowledge makes it fun.

Originally published by Ryan Smith

https://www.redfin.com/blog/black-stains-on-the-walls/

Pet Safety Tips to Apply During the Holidays

Thu, 19 Dec 2019 21:55:37 GMT

The holidays are finally here and we couldn’t be more excited. But, there’s one thing we need to keep in mind: the safety of our pets at home. There are so many Christmas decorations, so much food everywhere you look and so many people coming and going that accidents can happen. Consider these pet safety tips and enjoy your peace of mind this holiday season!

1. Pet-proof your Christmas tree

Your Christmas tree may be the single most dangerous thing for your pets during the holidays. Okay, that was a bit dramatic, but in all seriousness, you must pet-proof your Christmas tree no matter what. This is one of those things you shouldn’t skip because pets are super curious, and a Christmas tree is impossible for them to just ignore. This can result in upset stomachs and accidents, which leads to expensive veterinarian bills. What you can do is create a barrier between your pets and the Christmas tree by placing a baby gate or something similar. Also, anchor the tree securely so it doesn’t come crashing down if your cat or dog manages to jump onto it. Trust me, it will happen, so prepare for it.

2. Keep the tree water out of reach

If your Christmas tree is natural or you bring other live plants into your home during the season, make sure the water reservoir is out of reach from your pets. Your Christmas tree can release toxic sap when it drinks water, and because the stand smells so good, your pets will be in danger of ingesting that sap. To keep that from happening, make sure you block their access to the tree stand.

3. Pet-proof your Christmas lights

Christmas lights can be a real threat to the safety of your pets, not just because they could get tangled in them and get injured, but also because of potentially deadly internal injuries, intestinal blockage or electrocution due to chewing on the holiday lights. To make sure this doesn’t happen, fasten the Christmas lights tightly and keep the cords out of reach from your pet’s mouths. Also, block their access to loose cords or cables of any kind, which is something you should do year-round.

4. Keep ornaments out of reach as well

Ornaments look like toys to your pets, so you can bet they will try to chew on them or maybe even eat them. This poses a threat because they could get cuts in their mouths, throats, digestive systems, and it could cause other serious injuries. Especially if the ornaments get eaten. Make sure you hang them just out of reach and place a barrier between your pets and your Christmas tree.

5. Keep gifts and candy away

Your beautifully wrapped gifts look amazing under the tree, just make sure your pets don’t have access to them. I recommend you place them under the tree on Christmas morning, not before. Candy should also be kept away because your pets could easily get sick from eating something they shouldn’t. Hang your stockings high, and just keep an eye on things!

How to Maintain Your Sump Pump

Thu, 19 Dec 2019 21:54:16 GMT

Sump pumps are vital appliances because they keep your basements and crawl space safe from water buildup and it also protects your home from floods. The sump pump achieves this by collecting all standing water and pumping it to the outside of the house. This appliance is wonderful because it works on its own and you simply feel better having it because you know it can prevent a disaster.

If you live somewhere floods aren’t common, you might not even be aware your home has one. But every home should have one because it prevents water buildup, which can lead to health issues, structural issues, and mold growth, among other things you want to avoid.

Sump pumps can be incredibly resilient, and they don’t need much from you, but they still need some level of maintenance to make sure they have a long-life span. If you notice your sump pump is not working as it should, make sure to call a professional so they can check it out.

To avoid neglect, here’s what you can do:

Every three or four months you must: Clean the sump pump screen or inlet opening gently. Make sure the power cord is in good condition and plugged into a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter outlet. Also, test the sump pump by pouring a bucket of water over it and seeing how it responds. It should turn on immediately once the water raises the float. If it doesn’t, make sure the float is well-adjusted. During this test make sure the sump pump is level and upright.

Once a year, preferably during rainy season, you must: Do a visual inspection of your sump pump. If you notice it’s not working as it should, call a professional to see if there are any issues you need to solve. You also must remove it and clean it once a year, religiously. Flush it with water, replace the pump, and clean the pit as well.

Every two or three years you must: Replace the batteries. Check your basement for cracks on the walls or windows and check your home foundation as well. Make sure the drain of the sump pump is not blocked and check that the drainpipe is pointing away from your house. Also, clear your downspouts and your gutters to make sure your sump pump can drain the water effectively.

As you can see, your sump pump needs you to check up on it throughout the year. The good news is that maintenance is super easy and simple. Just follow these steps and your sump pump won’t only function better, it will also last longer.

These appliances are necessary, and they could save you the trouble of serious flooding if you just keep them alive and working. This is particularly necessary if you live in an area where floods are quite common, so make sure you understand what your sump pump does for you and keep up with its maintenance.

How to Lower Energy Costs During Winter

Thu, 12 Dec 2019 20:13:59 GMT

During winter, we need to use a lot more energy than the rest of the year to keep our house warm and cozy. Therefore energy bills tend to skyrocket during this time. But guess what? You can keep your energy costs low if you practice these useful tips!

1. Upgrade your thermostat and keep it low

A thermostat that’s programmable will allow you to customize a heating schedule so you can save money by only having heat when you really need it. A smart thermostat is even more effective when it comes to saving both money and energy because it has a lot more options, not to mention you can control it from your smartphone. If you don’t have one of these, the best thing to do is upgrade. When you have it, make sure to keep it low. Set your temperature back 7 to 10 degrees, and during winter, make sure you set it at 68 degrees when you’re not home and when you’re sleeping.

2. Keep your filters clean

The filters on your HVAC system need to be properly maintained if you want it to work efficiently and help you save money and energy during winter. You need to make sure they’re clean and check them regularly to see if they need to be changed. Also, make sure you always use the correct filters for your specific system .

3. Don’t heat uninsulated areas

Rooms and areas that haven’t been insulated lose heat very quickly, which means they’ll drain your energy quite a lot. Therefore it’s not a good idea to heat areas such as garages and crawlspaces. And if there’s an area in your house where you spend a lot of time and it’s not insulated, you should definitely consider the investment.

4. Check your home’s insulation

Speaking of insulation, it’s very important that you keep an eye on it. Good insulation will keep your home comfortable during the entire year. One of the areas that really need to be insulated is the attic because heat rises and if it’s not insulated correctly, during winter, the warm air will escape from your house and that’s not at all what we want.

5. Change your light bulbs

If you’re smart about the kind of light bulbs you use, you’ll save a lot of energy. LED bulbs, for example, need 75% less energy than incandescent bulbs and they last about 25 times longer. This means they’re a great investment not only because they will help you keep your energy costs low, but because you won’t have to replace them as often. Also, practice good habits. If you leave a room, turn off the light. If you’re not watching the TV, turn it off. These changes will allow you to save quite a bit of energy and therefore money.

It truly doesn’t take much to save energy during the winter, all you need to do is make sure you use your resources more efficiently.

The Ugly Truth About Popcorn Ceilings

Thu, 12 Dec 2019 20:01:19 GMT

Popcorn ceilings , also called textured or acoustic ceilings, grew popular in the late 1950s. The appearance varies from a very think texture like popcorn to something like cottage cheese and even very fine like sand.

During the era when textured ceilings were popular, builders used them in homes because they were inexpensive and could hide imperfections with ease. Popcorn ceilings were made to bolster the room’s acoustics via the reduction of ambient sounds and echoes.

However, acoustic ceilings have become somewhat obsolete in new homes and modern homeowners and buyers do not find them aesthetically appealing as they also give the home an outdated and old appearance.

Here’s a rundown of the pros and cons of popcorn or acoustic ceilings.

Pros

Although popcorn or textured ceiling has become outdated, some benefits are still attached to its usage. One of such is that they help to conceal imperfections on the ceiling. Such imperfections include the tape and dirt seams used for your plasterboard. Although a flat or non-textured finish will appear nice, finishing neatly is often difficult because each dent or ripple may show. Moreover, popcorn ceilings hide damage, leaks, cracks, and poor workmanship.

That's not all, these ceilings reward owners with low-cost and easy installation. These ceilings also have noise dampening qualities. It is specifically nice for multi-story homes and apartments where the goal is to reduce noises or sounds from a higher level.

Cons

Opting to install or purchase a home with popcorn ceilings has many disadvantages. First and foremost, the texture is pretty heavy. This means it is much harder to paint acoustic ceilings than that with a smooth surface. You should consider this factor if you’re big on frequent redecorating.

Moreover, repairing textured or acoustic ceilings is quite tasking. If this ceiling gets broken or damaged, you must cut off the damaged portion, and then match the color and feel once the repair is done. So, although several products may help fix the ceiling, there will be signs of inconsistencies. If you want a uniformed repair, you may need to redo the ceiling from scratch.

Also, textured ceilings are rough to the touch, so this makes cleaning quite difficult. Because of this, they don’t suit bathrooms and kitchens well. You should settle for a different style of finish in these rooms.

The major difficulty of acoustic ceilings is removal. For one, removal is expensive and labor intensive. You may need to hire a professional to remove the ceilings throughout your home. Although some homeowners may want to take this as a do-it-yourself task or project, the process is time-consuming and difficult. You must plan several days to conclude the project.

There is also the problem of asbestos, which many older, textured ceilings have. This complicates removal and makes the process hazardous. Do well to test the ceiling for asbestos before taking up the removal project yourself. Asbestos fibers can cause lung cancer, lung disease, and scarring of the lungs when inhaled in large quantities.

In all, the cons of popcorn ceilings outweigh the pros. Consider your time, money, design choices and the process of removal before you make a decision.

Fireplace Safety Tips to Practice During the Holidays

Thu, 12 Dec 2019 19:52:10 GMT

As days get colder and colder, it’s important we prepare for winter. If you’re one of those lucky people who have a fireplace at home, it’s about to get a lot of use. And that’s great, because you’ll be able to save energy and keep your bills low. However, it’s important to practice safety, so here are a few tips you help you out!

1. Keep your fireplace maintained

It’s important that you keep up with your fireplace’s maintenance, otherwise it can be dangerous once you start to use it. Chimneys are recommended to be swept once a year, have you done that? If you haven’t, you’ll need to so you can remove all the debris and soot. Another thing you should do every year is check that the chimney cover is secure so you don’t have to deal with animals or outside debris. Make these things a yearly habit and you’ll be much safer.

2. Stock up on seasoned hardwood

Seasoned hardwood should always be your first choice when you’re stocking up for the winter. Seasoned wood means it has been dry for at least six months and it’s quite dense, so it’s perfect to keep your fire burning smoothly. Plus, seasoned hardwood creates less dark and thick smoke, which leads to build-up. Also, remember not to put too much wood in when you’re setting up your fireplace. A small fire means less smoke and less heat, which helps you prevent cracking and soot build-up.

3. Prepare the area surrounding the fireplace

This is one of the fireplace safety tips you need to pay more attention to. You need to make sure the area that surrounds the fireplace is prepared for the winter. That means you should remove any hangings, furniture or decorations that are too close to the fireplace. I don’t mean you shouldn’t decorate your fireplace for the holidays, just make sure you take these things down when you’re building your fire. Also, make sure your home is prepared as well by checking that your smoke alarm works perfectly, especially the one closest to the fireplace.

4. Get a carbon monoxide alarm

Having a smoke alarm is great, but also having a carbon monoxide alarm is better. Slow burning fires can lead to a build-up of carbon monoxide, so you should definitely get an alarm for this because otherwise this dangerous gas is undetectable until it is sometimes too late. They’re a little expensive, yes, but they’re a great investment, especially when you consider that they’re really easy to maintain and they will give you a lot of peace of mind.

5. Always clean your hearth

Every time you make a fire, make sure you clean your hearth afterwards. Remove all debris and ashes and dispose of them safely. Wait for them to cool down first and then add a little water before throwing them out.

Fireplaces are wonderful and they allow you to create a cozy environment for your family on cold winter nights. Make sure it’s safe for everyone!

How to Keep Candle Soot off the Wall

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 15:06:50 GMT

Candles smell and look nice, but after burning and enjoying them it starts to become apparent their impact on our homes and interior décor.

Although beautiful, candles can deposit soot on surrounding surfaces, including tables and walls. Your first impulse might be to just clean it off, as you would any speck of regular dirt or dust, but the mere use of a normal sponge will spread and smudge the stains. There are special sponges available at hardware stores, made specifically to clean surfaces stained by soot. You can use these sponges to clean and dry the wall as they remove much of the soot on the surface of the wall before you use a liquid cleaning solution.

But how do you keep the soot away from the wall in the first place? Find tips below to avoid candle soot.

How Candle Soot is Formed

Mere burning of candles near vents, open windows or fans can cause soot formation. When the breeze blows the candle flame around, the size of the flame changes. When the flame is still, a constant amount of fuel is used. A bouncing flame, on the other hand, feeds the wick with fuel at a different speed. Sometimes the moving speed is too much, but at other times, at a speed that’s too little. If too much oil is absorbed into the wick and the flame becomes smaller, not all of the fuel is burned. The excess oil is expelled as soot and passed into the air.

How to Prevent Candle Soot

Put Candle Cappers on Jar Candles

Jar candles usually produces more soot as the candle burns further down into the glass. If your jar candles have an opening of around 3 inches, you can buy caps, (they are less than $4). These simple candle accessories will separate the hot air that rises from the cooler air falling and this reduces the turbulence in the jar.

Trim or Cut the wicks

One of the easiest ways to prevent candles from producing soot is to cut or trim the wicks –it’s as simple as that.

Buy only high-quality candles

Make sure to only buy good quality candles for the store or online. A candle of good quality is not necessarily the most expensive candle, but it is very well made.

Of course, anyone can melt wax through a string and then call what they’ve done a candle. Is that a candle? Of course, it is. Will it burn? Sure, it will. Should you spend a penny of your money on such a candle? Surely not. One of the first things you could do is observe the brand of candles you already have and whichever of them produces the most soot, eliminate them from your list.

Preventative Home Maintenance Measures

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 15:04:42 GMT

Regardless of the time you spend on routine maintenance to ensure everything in the home is working fine, you should always be prepared for unforeseen failures and breakdown of appliances and equipment in the home. However, with proper maintenance, you can spot these problems before they get out of hand. Consequently, you save yourself money, stress and time.

Persistent, nagging problems at home can and will get worse if you do not address them quickly. In this article, we explain what you can and should fix before they become quite expensive to repair.

1. Your basement
Not only do musty basements smell, but they can lead to the rise of harmful mildew and mold. A poorly graded, or leveled yard is a common cause of damp basements, since water traveling toward your home and ultimately your basement, can cause serious problems. The installation of downspouts and gutter extensions can help channel rainwater away from the basement as well.

2. Your furnace
Clogged return air filters block the flow of air to your HVAC unit, making the motor work even harder and consequently, costing you more money. Replace your filters twice a year. Do the first replacement at the beginning of summer and the next replacement at the beginning of winter. This easy maintenance will make the unit work more efficiently and also last longer.

3. Your deck
Wooden decks are prone to decay and degradation, especially if they do not get a lot of sunlight. Sometimes only a few of the boards or a certain section of it will rot but in other cases, the rotting may be more widespread. This has the potential to make the structure unsafe to use and may cause the rail to loosen.

You must replace all of the rotting boards. For all cutting and repair work, you may use a reciprocating saw, like the ridged X4-volt cordless model. It has earned good DIY points because it is portable.

To fix it, cut the boards back to the next joist. For the old decks, it is advisable to replace every one of the boards so that they are firm and sturdy. This gives the structure a fresh and uniform appearance.

If you want an option that will not rot, then you may consider composite as a replacement. Although it may come more expensive than wood, it does not rot. If you have tree branches that cover the deck and block the sun, you should cut the branches back to let some light shine through and keep the deck dry.

4. Your yard
As briefly mentioned above, grading your yard is very important for proper drainage. Doing so will bring your yard to the proper level around your house foundation. You should ensure that the slope is away from the foundation at least 2%. This will prevent a pool of water from building up around your house. If there is a pool of water around the house, it can lead to a damage and leaky foundation.

Simple Winter Home Maintenance Checklist

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 15:02:19 GMT

Being a homeowner includes preparing your house for brutal temperatures and harsh weather, especially in the Winter.

While doing this may not be on your holiday checklist, it is important to do so to keep your home safe and bills low. The choice is whether to save now or spend money on repairs later. Do the latter, and your wallet will thank you. The following in this article is all you have to do to get your home prepared for the cold months and weather ahead.

Top winter home maintenance practices

Weatherproof the doors and windows

It's important to stay one step ahead of the cold winter and ensure your home is quite ready for the cold. Carefully inspect your doors and windows for spaces or gaps and some other areas that can cause drafts. Use caulks, sealants and weather strips to seal off the cold air or even consider replacing windows or doors that are no longer keeping the draft out.

Check your drainage and gutters

In the Winter months, there will be an increase in rain and snowfall, so make sure your gutters are ready. A blocked gutter is more likely to overflow or break, therefore putting more pressure on your property. It may also be filled with ice, which brings about thawing damage and puts strain on the gutters.

Although cleaning your gutters may not be fun, it saves you money in the long run. A well-maintained gutter can remove the need for replacements and also reduce or eliminate the risk of damage to your property.

Check the window wells

Window wells are a great way to allow the natural light of day into your basement as well as providing ventilation. They also help keep soil off the window fixtures. But if they are not properly maintained, they may cause a great risk to your basement.

One of the main causes of window well flooding is liner failure. If the liner is separated or detached from the foundation wall, there will be increased pressure between the wall and the liner, which allows water to enter when the soil is oversaturated.

Before the winter period begins, check your window wells. This is the season when the problem can be worse. Examine the liner and replace those that are loose.

Avoid ice dams

If your home had a lot of ice last winter, or even worse –an ice dam, the melted water can buildup and flow into your home. Ensure you take active measures to avoid similar damage this year. You may need a home energy auditor or a weatherization supervisor to identify and correct air leaks and insufficient insulation in the attic of your home. Not doing so can lead to an ice dams.

Ensure you take active measures to make sure your home is safe and cozy during the winter season. You will not only be saving a lot of money if you are proactive about your home, but you will also be saving yourself the stress and troubles that come with broken systems.

3 Simple Ways to Keep Rodents Out of Your Home

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 15:00:00 GMT

Autumn and Winter are the best time for rodents to try to enter a warm and comfortable home. For you the homeowner, it's never too early to start protecting your house from the invasion of mice.

Not only can mice chew through your walls and every one of the boxes in your pantry, but they can also destroy your home as a whole. In particular, they can eat away at cables and wires which lead to household fires. And boy do you know, that these rodents carry several diseases and bacteria. A build-up of the droppings from rodents can also aggravate allergy and asthmatic conditions.

What do rodents need in the home?

Rodents and humans all have the same basic needs and humans provide these essentials that the rodents need to survive, these include:

Water
Food
Shelter

Why are rodents –like mice dangerous?

Mice (and all rodents) cause different problems and should not be allowed to stay in the home. There are dangers for allowing rats a place to stay in your home, and these includes:

Damage to your property, documents, and files.
There may also be a spread of disease, some of which may be very fatal.
They may also cause contamination of food storage or food preparation areas.
There is also a risk that your wires may be chewed upon, and that may trigger a fire.

I just saw a mouse; does that mean there are more mice in my home?

We hear that question a lot and the short answer is –yes when you spot one mouse in your home, it is certain there are more mice in the home.

Mice are all looking for the same thing we humans are looking at all the time, be it in the winter or autumn, and those are; food, water and of course, shelter. Now, mice are so good with living with a human, so much that it is difficult to see one without others in the same home. And what’s more? They multiply quickly.

How do you keep the mice at bay?

1. Fill every hole, gaps, and cracks

A mouse can slide into a hole as small as a quarter. Look for any opening of this size or bigger in your home, and of course, seal them with the appropriate materials. These may include using a ball of steel wool, caulk, hardware cloth, cement or even plaster. Replace weather stripping on your doors and windows if there are any cracks or holes in them.

2. Do not feed the rodents

Mice are very resourceful. They can go around the property looking for things to eat, so in dealing with them, you must be diligent. Ensure that your garbage cans are covered at all times. Choose products from your trees and garden as they ripen. Collect and compost all the fruits and vegetables as they fall to the ground. Feed your pets during the day and do not leave any leftover food lying around the home. Do not store your pet food outside, and wherever they are stored, ensure they are placed in rodent-proof containers.

3. Set traps in the house

If you may have done all of the above and still observe traces of rodents in your home, all you need do is set traps in strategic locations. When these rodents pass over or attempt to go through the trap, they are caught. There are lots of traps that are safe to use around kids and pets, such as cage, tunnel and electronic traps.

You can also rid your home of rodents by removing anything that promotes their comfort in living in your home. Trim your shrubs, leaves, and trees as well.

How to Keep Your Pipes from Freezing During Winter

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 14:56:06 GMT

Winter brings with it plummeting temperatures in most parts of the country. As soon as the leaves begin to fall, we begin the countdown to the first snowfall and homeowners should begin to prepare their homes for the winter.

Frozen and broken pipes are common and an expensive disappointment many people face in their homes. During the cold season, pipe breakage is a common cause of property damage and the potential water damage resulting from the pipes freezing cost at least $5,000 to repair, and in some cases, even more.

However, you can take steps to avoid frozen pipes and ice blockages while also protecting your water supply system. Although keeping your pipes warm in the winter months may slightly increase your heating costs, the inconvenience and frustration that can be avoided are worth spending a little extra money to avoid.

How to avoid frozen pipes

For those who have never experienced a broken pipe, believe me, it's not something you want to go through. It is important to remember that the homeowner is responsible for taking the necessary precautions and appropriate measures to prevent pipe-freezing or breakage. If this is not done, your insurer may not meet your escape of water claim.

It's better to be safe than sorry when caring for your pipes beforehand than to spend the large amounts of money required to repair them.

How to Thaw Frozen Pipes

If you turn your faucet on and water trickles, more than gushes out, then a frozen pipe is possibly the cause. The probable locations for a frozen pipe include the exterior walls or the area where your water supply system enters your home, around the basement or foundation of the home.

To thaw your frozen pipe, keep the faucet on. When the pipes start to thaw and the ice begins to melt, water will start flowing through the frozen area. Running water through the pipes will help the ice melt more quickly.

There are several methods available to thaw the pipes yourself, many of which you probably already have at your fingertips. Always be sure to use caution, but items such as electric heating pads, hairdryers, portable heaters or even towels soaked in hot water can be used to get the job done. Blowtorches, propane or kerosene heaters and anything with an open flame should never be used.

Apply the heat until the water pressure is restored fully. If the frozen area cannot be identified or if the area is inaccessible or cannot be thawed, contact an authorized plumber.

Check the other faucets in the house as well for any more area with a frozen pipe. If a pipe is frozen, others can also freeze as well.

Do’s and Don’ts of Gutter Cleaning & Maintenance

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 14:53:02 GMT

Most people don’t think too seriously about whether or not their gutter system is working properly or not but it is very important. And the only way to make sure it continues to work is to maintain it regularly. Not everyone can perform your gutter maintenance correctly, but anyone can assist a specialist in creating and sticking to a professional maintenance plan. All you have to do is to be sure you follow a schedule of maintaining your gutters regularly before any problem occurs.

If your gutters are not working properly and doing what they are designed for, water will enter your home from any angle and the home will become moist, moldy, or musty.

In taking care of your gutters, there are rules –the dos and don’ts of gutter maintenance. In this article, we have listed the main Dos and don’ts of properly maintaining your gutter or doing your gutter maintenance:

Do:

Clean your gutters at least twice a year

This is one of the most important tasks you can carry out on your gutter system because the accumulation of leaves and debris can cause a buildup of water inside the gutters, which can cause serious water damage inside and outside your home.

Invest in downspouts

You surely need a downspout both on the upper roof and also at the foundation. The roof downspout guarantees that there is a proper flow of water and that your shingles are protected from damage.

The downspout close to your foundation will carry water from the home, this is important so the water does not seep into your basement. You may also install a downspout about 40 feet apart in order to ensure no overflow.

Use seamless gutters

Seamless gutters are currently in great demand because they are optimized and have a lower potential for leaks. As a result, seamless gutters do not only save money, they are also more durable.

Don't:

Forget calling in a specialist for inspections

You may want to do your gutter maintenance and repair yourself but be sure to have the appropriate materials and/or equipment to do so. Don’t hesitate to call in a professional should the job become more than you were prepared for. A professional will carry out a close-up examination of your gutters using the required, state of the art tools to help you fix whatever is going wrong. A good professional will also help you with the solutions to keep minor concerns from becoming major problems in the future.

Neglect repair of small issues

More often than not, homeowners think the problems from their gutters are so small there is no need to take action or to call a professional yet. In these cases, the problems may escalate and rapidly become serious.

You should not neglect or put off small problems or concerns as they generally turn into big problems. Monitor issues as you see them and keep track of their progression.

How You Could Be Killing Your Grass

Wed, 11 Apr 2018 21:50:00 GMT

A great way to increase your home’s curb appeal is by having a nice green lawn. Luckily, you do not have to have a green thumb to turn that dream into a reality. However, there are a few common mistakes that many homeowners make when it comes to their lawns that could be causing more damage than good. To keep your lawn looking its best this summer, make sure you’re not guilty of these common lawn care mistakes.

The first common mistake that homeowners make with their lawn is cutting it too close. Depending on the type of grass that you have, this could be the reason your grass is getting too thin. Some people believe that if they cut their grass really short, they will not have to mow it as often. The downside of this logic is when grass is cut too short, it can either stunt the growth of the grass, or just kill it altogether.

Another factor that can contribute to your grass not doing well is if it is getting too much shade. If you have a lawn that is heavily shaded, it can be very challenging to get grass to grow there, no matter which type of grass you have. Instead of continuing the battle that you most likely are going to lose, you might want to consider turning that area into a landscape bed or another type of landscaping option.

Some homeowners also do not know what to look for in terms of when their grass is telling them it needs more water. When your grass starts to turn a lighter shade of green or if the blades are starting to wilt, it needs more water. Certain types of grass will require more water than others, so it is best to just pay attention to what your grass looks like and water it when it needs to be watered.

There are some lawns that have areas that are dying and there is not an obvious reason as to why this is happening. In these instances, you might have a certain type of fungus or insect that is causing the problem. Fungus problems tend to grow in a circular pattern, and will start to increase in size over time. Fungus can be controlled by utilizing a fungicide or another similar application. Insect damage does not tend to grow in a circular pattern like fungus does. Instead, it will most likely be a section of your grass that just looks thinner and not as healthy as the other areas on your lawn. You will need an insecticide application in order to control this problem.

The last mistake that homeowners make is buying fertilizer, herbicides and insecticides, but not utilizing them appropriately. Each application has very specific instructions for how to use them, but not all homeowners take the time to read the instructions thoroughly. If you use these applications incorrectly, you could be causing more harm than good.

When caring for your lawn, make sure you avoid these common mistakes so you can have a beautiful lawn.

Be a Better Home Owner: Avoid Appliance Abuse

Wed, 11 Apr 2018 20:25:00 GMT

We are all guilty of misusing and abusing our appliances, but if you want to be a better homeowner and keep your appliances in their best shape possible, you should make sure you avoid these common appliance mistakes.

The first major mistake that homeowners make is that they do not have a surge protector for their appliances. If you do not have a surge protector, then a power surge can easily fry your appliances, since they are not being properly protected. It is a very worthwhile investment to install power surge protectors throughout your entire home instead of relying on power strips.

Another way that appliances are abused in a home is if you have a small appliance with a damaged cord. If you notice that a cord is frayed or if the plug is actually sparking, you need to unplug it immediately. To be extra safe, you might even want to cut off power to the source. Many homeowners believe that they have an appliance that is broken and needs to be replaced, when actually, it is just the cord that is damaged. With some appliances, you may be able to remove the old and damaged cord, and install a new one. You will want to be sure to read any instructions and follow safety guidelines on how to do this safely.

Washing machines in a home often suffer a great deal of abuse, because doing laundry can be tedious, and some homeowners do very large loads of laundry, so they do not have to do two smaller loads. However, when you have a heavy or off-balance load, it puts a lot of stress onto your washing machine. Even if you have a large tub and your machine can be filled with a lot of laundry, it will last a lot longer if you do smaller loads.

The main problem with dryers is that homeowners do not always empty the lint tray after their clothes have finished drying. Over time, lint will build up inside of your dryer and in the vent line. This can be very hazardous and could potentially even cause a fire. In addition to clearing out the lint after each load, you should also have a professional take apart and clean out your dryer every few years and have the vent line cleaned as well.

Dishwashers are often a very important appliance for homeowners, but some homeowners do not do a very good job at rinsing and washing off their dishes before loading them into their dishwasher. Some people believe you do not have to remove all of the food from the dishes before loading them, but if you do not remove the food, you are at risk for those little pieces getting lodged and clogging the pump or the drain lines. This can easily be avoided simply by thoroughly rinsing off your dishes.

If you take care of your appliances and have them serviced routinely, you are much more likely to get longer use out of them and you will also be keeping your home safe.

Refrigerator Problems: You Better Go Catch It!

Sun, 08 Apr 2018 15:06:00 GMT

A lot of homeowners tend to take their refrigerators for granted...until something goes wrong. When there is a problem with your refrigerator and things go wrong,it tends to be messy and expensive. Here are some common refrigerator problems and their solutions.

The first very common problem is that your freezer isn’t cold enough. Before calling in a repair person, you will first want to check the back wall of your freezer. If the back wall is not as cold as it should be, then the problem you are having is probably due to the compressor. However, if the back wall is cold, then you will want to check if you can hear the evaporator fan running or if there is air flowing from the freezer vents. If you cannot, then the problem will most likely be your freezer evaporator fan. If you can hear the fan running and feel the air, you can check the compressor. You can try to clean out any dust that might be blocking the air from reaching the coils.

Another problem that homeowners face is having water leak on their floor. In addition to being a falling hazard, water on the floor also is a sign that something is wrong with your refrigerator. One reason that your fridge might be leaking is that the defrost drain is blocked. The defrost drain usually is situated on the back wall of your freezer. If this is the problem, you can try to drain the hole from the inside using warm water. You can use something like a pipe cleaner to try and help to get the clog out.

The other common cause of water on the floor is if you have a clogged or frozen water supply. If you have this problem, you might notice that your ice maker is not functioning properly. Before you try and fix this issue, you will want to unplug your refrigerator and find the shut-off valve. Once you have done that, then you can look to see if there is a noticeable issue in the supply line. If the supply line is broken or damaged at all, you will need to replace it.

Sometimes homeowners have the problem of their food freezing when it is in the refrigerator. If you are experiencing this issue, you probably have a problem with your thermostat. You can test to see if the thermostat is working by switching it from its lowest setting to the highest setting, while listening for a clicking sound. If you are able to hear a click, your thermostat probably is functioning as it should be. If you do not hear the click, you most likely need to replace your thermostat.

Having your ice maker overflowing is another problem, and there can be several different reasons for this happening. If the water pressure in the valve is set too low, it might not be able to close completely when the power is off. Because of this, the valve will leak water into the ice maker, which causes the over abundance of ice. You can check and test your water pressure and if the pressure is okay, your water inlet valve might need to be replaced.

Easy Energy Efficiency Hacks

Thu, 05 Apr 2018 20:02:00 GMT

Not only does an energy efficient home conserve precious resources, it also saves you money. There are a ton of large efficiency updates you can make that will have a huge impact. Some examples include updating your home with a new tankless water heater, putting in a new HVAC system, and installing solar panels. In addition to these larger updates, there are also small updates that you can make that can make your home significantly more energy efficient. Even if you only have a few hours to spare over the weekend you can perform these simple energy efficient home.

Installing a thermostat that you can program is a very easy way to make your home more energy efficient and it will also save you a lot of money. Homeowners are able to set and control the temperature more efficiently and you can program the thermostat to reduce the temperature when you are not home or when you are asleep.

Adding more insulation to your attic is another easy way to reduce costs and keep your home warmer, without having to turn the heat up. Homes that are newer and were built more recently are more likely to have a sufficient amount of insulation, but older homes most likely could stand to have more added. Hot air rises, which is why your attic not having enough insulation could be a big reason as to why your home is suffering from heat loss.

Switching out the lighting in your home is another way to save money on your electric bill. By switching all of your lights to LED or CFL bulbs, you can dramatically reduce your lighting costs. This is one of the simplest and most inexpensive ways to become more energy efficient.

Installing new windows and doors is a slightly larger project to take on, but it is also a great cost savings down the road. When doors and windows get older, they often become drafty and are letting in unwanted outside air. Newer models of windows do a much better job at regulating the temperature inside your home, since they are better not allowing hot or cold air to get out. If you do not have the budget to replace all of your windows, in the meantime, you might want to simply re-caulk around all of your windows to seal off any cracks or gaps.

Larger appliances such as your furnace, air conditioner or boiler do wear out over time, and if you have not replaced these items within the last 15 years, you might want to consider getting new ones. The newer versions of these appliances are much more efficient than the older models and you will see the savings on reflected on utility bills.

One final way that you can have your home become more energy efficient is to install ceiling fans. Ceiling fans are a great way to take some pressure off of your air conditioning unit, while still circulating cool air throughout the room. It is much less expensive to have a ceiling fan running, than an air conditioner.

Pool Maintenance Made Easy

Wed, 04 Apr 2018 23:43:00 GMT

Not only does keeping your pool clean all year long help to keep your backyard looking great, it will also make your pool maintenance painless. Here are some ways that you can make that happen.

Have a rule about not having any clothes in the pool. Normal clothing tend to have certain fiber and dyes that can be harmful to your pool. Whenever someone is swimming in your pool, make sure that they are wearing swimwear.

Take the time to collect fine debris when you notice it in your pool. Some debris is too small to get caught in your pool’s skimmer. A trick that you can utilize is to take pantyhose and wrap it around the skimmer basket. This will help contain small debris that would otherwise slip through. You also want to make sure that you are taking the time to skim your pool and get rid of debris on a daily basis. If this seems to be too tedious, you can invest in a robot vacuum that will clean the bottom of your pool.

In addition to getting rid of debris from your pool, you also want to protect your pool from an algae buildup. In order to do this, you will want to scrub the sides of the pool and remove any algae growth you find. Unlike skimming, this is a task that you should only have to do twice a month.

Your filter in your pool is a really important feature that you want to make sure you stay on top of. The filter is removing all of the unwanted debris from your pool, so you want to make sure that you are cleaning out the filter baskets at least once a week. In addition to cleaning out the baskets, you will also want to clean out the pipes in your filter system once a month. When you do this, you will simply turn the filter to “backwash,” take out the basket and clean it. Then you will need to turn on your pump and run it in order until clean water is coming out of the waste pipe.

In order to have a properly maintained pool, you need to make sure that the chemical levels in your pool are always properly balanced. When the levels are off, it can cause problems such as skin irritation, eye irritation and your pool can become infected with bacteria. The levels should be tested at least once a week and all you need to do is buy testing kits and fill it with a sample of the water from your pool. If any of the levels are imbalanced, you will need to adjust the levels until it is properly balanced again. When the levels are balanced, your pool should have crystal clear water, should not have a strong odor and it should not leave behind a residue on your skin.

Having a pool is a wonderful luxury and in order to keep it nice, you need to make sure that you are providing it with the maintenance it needs.

Exterior Home Maintenance Made Easy

Tue, 03 Apr 2018 17:43:00 GMT

Stay up to date on your exterior home maintenance and repairs to keep your home in tip-top shape and it’s curb appeal high. Here are a few ways to make your exterior home maintenance and repairs simpler.

Make sure that you periodically checking on your mower blades to look for when they need to be replaced. The blades on your mower may seem dull, but it may not be why they aren’t cutting as well as they used to. It might not be that you need to replace your blades, but could actually be caused by grass build up on your blades. To keep grass from sticking, you will want to spray your blades with WD-40.

Take a visual scan of the exterior of your home every once in awhile and when you notice an issue with the paint, you can spot paint. Whatever color you have chosen for the outside of your home, it would be a great idea to keep an extra gallon of your exterior paint in your garage. Then, when you notice a spot or area that needs a touch-up, you can easily fix it without having to repaint the entire exterior of your home.

Cleaning out your gutters is another exterior home maintenance project that you will want to be sure to do a few times a year. Gutters and downspouts can become very clogged when the leaves start to fall off the trees, and you will want to have them cleared out before it becomes winter and everything freezes. This will also prevent water from backing up in your gutters and causing potential water damage from having an overflow in a particular spot.

You also want to remove any dead trees or shrubs that are close to your home and if you have trees and shrubs that are still healthy, you want to make sure you trim and prune them so they are not actually touching your home. When trees or shrubs are touching your home, you are providing a very easy entryway for insects to get into your home.

Your windows are another area that you will want to keep an eye on, and if you are in an older home that does not have newer windows, you may need to re-caulk them. Over time, windows will start to get drafts, due to gaps that occur and in order to prevent water or bugs from getting in, you will need to fill in those gaps with caulk.

Your mailbox is an area that not too many people think about in regards to providing maintenance, but mailboxes do take a beating and can get worn out over time. You may need to put in a new mailbox, or you may simply just need to strengthen the support for it.

Sidewalks and driveways are the last area on our checklist. If you have any holes or cracks, they can become a tripping hazard and could cause an accident. You will want to seal any cracks or if the damage is severe, you may need to have your driveway repaved.

Keep Your Cool: Insulating Your Home

Tue, 03 Apr 2018 17:18:00 GMT

If you want to keep your home cool in the summer and warm in the winter, you want to make sure that your home is properly insulated. With a few easy, do-it-yourself insulation tips, you will be able to keep your home at a comfortable temperature and also keep your utility bills low.

If you are not ready to replace the doors in your home, but you need a temporary door fix for doors that have a draft, here is a home hack, since sometimes we need a fix in a pinch. If you noticed that the draft guard on the bottom of your door is not sealing properly and is causing a draft, you can lessen air loss by using a rolled up towel. They also sell door guards that you can use, that are not very expensive. By using this trick, it will keep your home from losing heat and provide it with more insulation.

Another way you can insulate your home is to have heavy curtains on the windows. Windows can get very drafty, especially on very cold winter days, and if all you have is a thin, sheer curtain, it is not going to block the draft. Heavier curtains, however, will act as more of a shield and will not allow for as much cold air to get inside of your home. Then, when it is summertime, all you need to do is simply open up the drapes to let the sunlight in.

Adding more insulation to your attic is another great way to keep your home warmer. Newer homes are more likely to have the appropriate amount of insulation in them, but homes that are older than 15 years probably need to have more put into their attic. In addition to the benefit of making your home warmer, it is also a great way to reduce your energy costs.

Changing out your screen door for a storm door during winter is another way you can help to keep your home more insulated. Screen doors are meant for the warmer weather, whereas storm doors were made for the colder months. You may also want to put foam weatherstripping around the inside of the door, since this will create a seal.

Before the cold winter months come, you will want to have your furnace and HVAC system inspected and cleaned. If your furnace is not working at its full capacity, it is going to be working way too hard and will not be heating your home properly. Routine maintenance will also help to prolong the life of your furnace and you may be able to fix small problems before they become irreparable.

You may also want to caulk around your dryer and bathroom vents. The dryer vents and bathroom vents do require holes in your wall and these are areas in which cold air can come into your home. By simply putting some silicone caulk on the outside of these areas, you can keep the cold air out and keep your home warmer.

Breathe Easy: How to Clean Your Home's Air

Tue, 03 Apr 2018 16:48:00 GMT

We can take something as essential as good air quality for granted so we tend to forget about it. Neglecting the air quality in your home can lead to lung issues, increased allergies and lingering odors. You can help keep your home’s air clean with these tips.

Make sure that you have a regular routine for changing your filters. You can do a lot to help keep your air clean by changing your HVAC filters every 2 to 4 months. Filters get dirty very quickly and this is a very easy thing to overlook doing in your home.

Some people think that spraying air fresheners will help to clean the air. Unfortunately, air fresheners are simply causing more pollution in the air of your home. Most air fresheners contain chemicals, and these can actually cause more harm than good.

Let fresh air into your home. Open up all of your home’s windows in the spring. Since we tend to keep our home closed up tight during the winter our home’s air can get very stale. Even if you only open your windows for five minutes a day, you can help alleviate some of the air pollutants that have accumulated inside of your home.

Adding in live house plants is another great way to keep the air in your home fresh and clean. There are even certain plants that are known for reducing formaldehyde, benzene, xylene and carbon monoxide. A few of the plants that can do this are spider plants, aloe, gerbera daisy, golden pothos, snake plants, and weeping figs.

Although this trick may sound a little odd, taking your shoes off when you enter your home is an excellent way to improve the air quality. There are so many harmful things that can get stuck to the bottoms of our shoes, including pesticides, bacteria, feces, fungi and pollen. Not only will taking your shoes off when you get home help to keep your floors cleaner, but it will actually help to keep the air quality in your home better.

Air purifiers are another great and easy way to keep the air in your home clean. Air purifiers can be extremely effective at lessening the harmful particles that are in the air. Air purifiers are great for adults or children who have allergies and can also be helpful for people who have asthma. If you do have an air purifier in your home, you will want to make sure that you are checking the filter and changing it when it gets dirty.

When choosing cleaning supplies at the store, you should consider buying products that do not contain toxic chemicals. Chemicals in cleaning supplies can cause lung irritation and can also cause skin, eye, throat and nose irritation. Fortunately, there are many options that use more natural ingredients. You may even decide to make your own cleaning solutions with baking soda, vinegar, citrus juice and essential oils. You can find many different recipes online that will tell you the ingredients you need to make green cleaners.

Windows, Walls and Washing

Tue, 03 Apr 2018 16:09:00 GMT

You could be wasting a lot of money in utilities and setting yourself up for some costly maintenance and repair bills if you neglect your windows and walls. There are things you can do to help keep your windows and walls in their best condition and listed below are a few of these maintenance tips.

If you need a quick chip fix to prevent the chip or crack from spreading or getting worse, you can take clear nail polish and paint it over the area until you can hire a handyman to repair or replace it. Just keep in mind, this is only a temporary fix and you will need to take care of the bigger problem.

Windows are often overlooked when homeowners are cleaning their houses, but it is important to take the time to clean them. When cleaning your windows, you will first want to dust any dirt off of them and you can do so using your vacuum’s attachment. Next, you will take the window cleaning product that you like best, and make sure you spray plenty of cleaner onto the window. If you do not use enough of the product, your windows can look very streaky. After you have sprayed, you can use a microfiber cloth to dry them, in order to have your windows look crystal clear.

Another window maintenance tip is to routinely check your windows to see if they need to be re-sealed. Over time, windows will start to get cracks or gaps around the seal. In order to prevent moisture or insects from getting inside of your home, you will want to seal your windows with caulk, from the outside of your home. This will help to keep your windows in better condition, so you will not have to replace them sooner than you would like to.

It is very easy to neglect your baseboards when you are cleaning, but they do accumulate quite a bit of dust and grime over time. Cleaning baseboards is actually very easy, but you may have to move some furniture to get full access to them. You can first dry off your baseboards with a microfiber cloth, or you can also use your vacuum attachment. Then, you can fill a bucket with warm water and add a few drops of dishwashing soap. You can use the same microfiber cloth and put it into the bucket and wring it out. You do not want it to be too wet.

Then you simply wash the baseboards, making sure to take extra care on the corners and edges. By taking care of your baseboards, you will also be able to notice if any of the baseboards have suffered from any water damage or if they are pulling away from the wall. Both of these issues would signify that there is a bigger problem going on and you will want to call a handyman to come and take a look and figure out what the problem is. When washing your baseboards, it also gives you time to take a look at your walls. Then you can look to see if there are any cracks and if there are, you can make sure to get them fixed.

Appliance Maintenance: Keep Them Going Longer

Tue, 03 Apr 2018 15:22:00 GMT

The best way to help your appliances last as long as possible is to give them a little TLC, but performing appliance maintenance is something that most homeowners tend to forget. Appliances are very expensive, so you want to make sure that you are doing everything you can to help them to last longer. By using these hacks, you can help keep your appliances running like new, without too much of a hassle.

Doing laundry is not always a favorite task for homeowners and to avoid doing several loads, some homeowners push their dishwasher too much by having too big of a load. Even if your washing machine has a large basket, that does not mean that you should fill it to the top. Having an off-balance load puts a lot of stress on your machine and will ultimately cause it to break down. You should also make sure you follow the instructions as to which type of detergent should be used for your machine. Some machines require high efficiency detergent.

A dryer is an appliance that is used very often and there is not much maintenance you need to do for it. However, many homeowners forget to keep their lint trap clean. After each load of laundry has dried, you should empty out the lint trap. If the lint is not cleaned out, it can start to back-up and it could potentially even cause a fire. You may also want to call a handyman in to clean out the vent from your dryer, or even replace it every couple of years.

For your refrigerator, there is something very simple that you can do to help it last longer. Do not overload your fridge with food. When there is too much food inside, the air cannot circulate freely, and this causes your compressor to work way too hard. It is also a good idea to clean the compressor coils every couple of months. You can check the manual to find out where on your fridge the coils are located and then you can use a vacuum that has a soft-bristle attachment.

Dishwashers are a wonderful appliance to have and some people take them for granted. You need to make sure that your dishes are rinsed off completely before you load them into the dishwasher. If even a small particle of food is left on, it can cause your dishwasher to stop working. There are many places inside of your dishwasher where food can get lodged, and you can avoid the repair by simply making sure your dishes are clear of food before you load them.

Vacuum cleaners are another appliance that you can help to keep running for longer. If your vacuum has vacuum bags, you want to make sure that you routinely check the bag and change it when it needs to be changed. You should also avoid vacuuming up large objects, since they can easily get lodged and can cause your vacuum to stop working. If you have a bagless vacuum, you want to make sure that you do not let the bin get filled to the top, because that puts stress on the motor.

Leave Your Dirt At The Door: Cleaner Floors For Longer

Sun, 01 Apr 2018 19:05:00 GMT

Having nice floors is a luxury and it can be difficult to keep them clean, since people are constantly walking on them. There are a few simple things that you can do though, which will help to keep your floors clean.

If you have a pet in the home, it will help your floors if you bathe them regularly. Before your pet comes back inside the house from being outside, you can brush off any outside debris, dirt or loose fur, so it will not get tracked inside of your home. Keeping your pet groomed and clean is a great way to prolong the life of your floors. You will also want to make sure that your pet’s nails do not get too long, since long nails can scratch and damage certain types of flooring.

Robot vacuums have become increasingly popular, and they are another great way that you can keep your floors clean. In between when you do a deep and thorough cleaning of your floor, you can have the robot vacuum going around and doing the work for you. If you do invest in a robot vacuum, you want to make sure that you do clean it out and change the filter if your model has one.

Having a doormat at the front door, or a side door if you have one, is another great way to keep your floor looking nice and clean. There are so many things that get stuck on the bottom of your shoes, including dirt, pollen, feces, pesticides and other allergens, and if you have a doormat when you first walk in, it is a visual reminder to wipe off your shoes. This will help to lessen the amount of dirt that you are bringing into the house. An even better option is to take off your shoes once you get home. Not only will your floors be cleaner if you take off your shoes, but it will also help with the air quality in your home, since you are not bringing in all of the outside allergens.

You will want to vacuum your floors at least once a week to make sure that you never get a huge build-up of dust. If you have small children living in your home, you may need to vacuum the area in which they eat more frequently, since there is a very good chance that a lot of their meals will end up on the floor.

In between when you vacuum, you will probably want to sweep. Sweeping should be done several times a week, especially in the kitchen. If there are a lot of spills that happen in the kitchen, you are also going to want to mop. Mopping should also be done at least once a week, but you will need to more frequently in the kitchen. Staying on top of floor cleaning is going to prolong the life of your floor and will also make it look beautiful and clean on a daily basis.

Creative Kitchen Maintenance Hacks

Sun, 01 Apr 2018 18:38:00 GMT

The kitchen is the heart of your home. It’s where you start your morning and where you end your day. It is where your children and the neighborhood kids hangout on the weekends and after school and it is also where you entertain guests. However, the kitchen is also where the dirt, dust, grease and grime from all of that entertaining quickly builds up.

Everyone knows the basics of keeping a clean kitchen. We all know to wash the counters and wipe down the stove and microwave after using them. There are some kitchen maintenance things that most homeowners do not do though. If you would like to keep your kitchen filled with smiling faces but hate dealing with the mess, these kitchen maintenance hacks with help keep the heart of your home shiny and clean.

Garbage disposals can be a wonderful addition to your kitchen sink, but they can get very smelly. Some homeowners notice a bad odor in their kitchen, but they can’t quite pinpoint where it is coming from. There is a chance that it is your garbage disposal. In order to eliminate that smell, you can simply cut a lemon into small pieces, drop them into your garbage disposal and then turn on the disposal and run it until it sounds like the lemon has been broken down.

In addition to rinsing off your dishes thoroughly before putting them into the dishwasher, another kitchen maintenance task is to actually wash your dishwasher. At least once a month, you should wipe down the outside of your dishwasher to remove any food or grime that has build-up. You should also look inside and remove any food that has gotten into the drain. If your dishwasher has a manual filter, you can take it off and actually wash it out in your sink.

Backsplashes can add a lot of character and design to a kitchen, but sometimes homeowners forget that they need maintenance too. Backsplashes are often located behind the stove or sink, and there is a very good chance that food or liquids have splashed up onto it. In order to keep your backsplash looking new and beautiful, you will want to use a cleaner to wipe it down on a regular basis. If your backsplash is made from tile, you will also want to get a small grout brush and scrub the grout. If there are grease stains that are not easily removed, you can make a mixture of baking soda and water and put it directly onto the stains. Once it has dried, you can then wipe it down with a cloth.

Sometimes pots and pans are part of the aesthetic of the kitchen, and some people choose to hang them decoratively. Others might have kitchen utensils out on the counter in some sort of container. If this is the case, you want to make sure that you are washing these items regularly, since dust is very likely to get onto them. Food can also get splashed up onto them if they are placed above a stove.

Brilliant Bathroom Cleaning Hacks

Sat, 31 Mar 2018 17:22:00 GMT

Bathroom, restroom, lavatory, washroom, it has many names and many uses. We use it to get clean, to get ready for our day and to do our...business. It’s one of the most used rooms in a house and because of this it’s pretty much impossible to keep clean for more than a few days at a time. If this causes you some bathroom maintenance anxiety, don’t fret! Here’s a few bathroom hacks to help make your bathroom cleaning and maintenance a little easier so you can focus less on those water stains on

Painting Problems: What They Look Like and How to Fix Them

Thu, 29 Mar 2018 17:02:00 GMT

Tackling your home’s paint job is a great first DIY project to take on. Painting does not require expensive tools or materials and you can paint a room by yourself in less than a day. Interior house painting can be simple enough to handle without prior experience, but exterior house painting can be a little more challenging. If you have never performed an exterior paint job before, there are a few things you will want to know in order to get the best results and a few ways to troubleshoot any issues you might encounter.

Blistering paint is a very common problem when painting the exterior of your home, and there are several possible reasons why this might have happened. You may have painted while in direct sunlight onto a surface that was hot, you may have painted when it was damp or rainy and humidity got into the paint while it was drying or your house might have given off moisture to the outside if there is not good ventilation.

In order to fix blistering paint, there are a few steps you will need to follow. First of all, you will need to scrape away any of the paint that has blistered and sand it down. You will need to sand, prime and repaint the area, but you need to make sure that you are not doing it when there is direct sunlight or if there is humidity. Make sure that you are using high-quality latex paint, because the quality of the paint is very important.

Alligatoring is the term given when the surface of the paint cracks and the result looks very similar to an alligator’s skin. If alligatoring happens to your exterior paint job, it could be that the second coat of paint was painted before the first layer had dried completely or it could have been caused by painting a second coat of paint using paint that was incompatible with what the first layer was. In order to fix this painting problem, you will need to remove the old paint, sand the area, prime it and then repaint. You will want to use a high-quality latex paint.

Chalking is another issue that can happen and this is when there is a fine chalk-like powder that appears on the surface of the paint. This can happen if an inexpensive paint was used, if you used interior paint for an exterior project, if the paint was too thin before it was painted on, or if there were porous surfaces that were not sealed properly before the surface was painted. If chalking happens, you need to remove the paint before you repaint. You can remove the paint by power washing the area. You will need to let it dry before you repaint it. You want to be sure to use a high-quality latex exterior paint.

Another issue you may encounter is sagging and this is what happens when the paint has a droopy or dripping look to it. This can happen if too much paint was applied in the first place, if the humidity was too high or if the outside temperature was too low, or if it was applied to a surface that had not been primed. You can potentially catch this issue while it is still wet, and can use a roller to redistribute the paint. If it has already dried, you can then sand down the area and reapply the paint.

Using The Right Paint: When Labels Matter

Thu, 29 Mar 2018 16:09:00 GMT

You finally have the time to repaint your guest bathroom over the weekend! So on your way home after work you stopped by the hardware store to pick up your paint. You have all the preparation done and your plastic tarp is down, everything has been taped and all of your paint brushes and paint trays are ready to go. You are just about to go and open up your cans of paint when you notice something: the cans are both the same color and sheen, but one of the cans is for exterior paint and one is for interior paint. You have already committed to this project and you begin to question if it really makes a difference if you use two different kinds of paint. It absolutely does!

First we are going to discuss why the quality of paint is important. When you go shopping for paint, you will notice that there are all different brands and there are all different prices of paint. It can be very tempting to simply choose the least inexpensive type of paint and call it a day. Unfortunately though, inexpensive paint is typically not the quality of paint you want to use for your home.

It can be so exciting to repaint a room in your home and that fresh coat of paint can transform a room and make it bright and new. However, if you used a low-quality paint, that paint is going to lose its shine and start to look drab pretty quickly. High-quality paint makes your walls much easier to clean and it is more effective against wear and tear. This means you will not have to repaint the room for a very long time.

It is also important that you understand there are two different main types of paints. Paints are either oil-based or water-based. Oil-based paints take much longer for drying and curing, it is more difficult to clean the brushes, but it is also more durable than water-based paints and can provide a smoother looking finish. Water-based paints are not quite as durable, but the cleanup is much easier and drying and curing does not take as long as with oil-based paints. Oil-based paints should be used on surfaces that take more of a beating, such as on floors, doors, the exterior of the home and furniture. Water-based paints are a better choice for the interior walls and ceilings.

In addition to having different kinds of paint, it is also important to know and understand that there are different sheens to paint as well. There are paint sheens that are not shiny or glossy, and those are called “flat,” “matte,” “satin,” and “eggshell.” Matte paint is more durable than flat paint, but they are both good choices for a ceiling. Eggshell and satin paint are slightly more glossy than the other two, and these are often chosen for walls.

You also have “semi-gloss,” and “gloss” paints, and these are the most durable and they are easy to clean. These sheens are generally a good choice for kitchens and bathrooms.

With all of the paint options out there, make sure you educate yourself so you find the best paint for your project.

Wall Cracks: More Than Unsightly

Thu, 29 Mar 2018 14:48:00 GMT

If you live in a condo or a duplex you’re probably used to sharing a few things with your neighbors. Things like cooking smells, barking dogs and loud conversations for example. For now let’s focus on the physical things that you share with your neighbor. I’m talking about your shared wall.A shared wall AKA a party or demising wall are any walls that separate your home from your neighbor’s. This is that wall that you get to listen to your neighbor’s dog and conversations through. You know the

How To Save On Home Maintenance and Repairs

Thu, 29 Mar 2018 13:50:00 GMT

It can be very expensive to own a home. This is especially true if you have to do any major repairs, which eventually you will need to do. All homes are going to need work over time and the easiest way to ease the pain of a repair bill is to be prepared. If you are willing to put time and effort into your home maintenance, then when something goes wrong, you will be able to anticipate it and be ready. If nothing else, just realize that the big repairs are something you will need to save up for. In the meantime, here are a few things that can help to save you in the long run.

The first thing you need to do is know your property. All of the land you own and the area surrounding your home can have a huge impact on the maintenance your home might need. You will want to be aware of trees that are growing close to your home and if there are any branches touching your roof. This could cause damage to your roof. You should also pay attention to the slope of your yard. If your yard is sloping downward to your home, this could cause significant problems with flooding and water getting into your home. You will want to add soil around your home and grade the lawn so that water is running away from your home, and not towards it.

In order to prolong the life of major appliances and tools in your home, it is a great idea to have regular maintenance. You should have your furnace checked and cleaned at least once a year, and you may also need to have service on your air conditioning unit. You should test your furnace and air conditioning unit a month before you think you will need them, so you can have any maintenance or repairs completed before you actually need it. This will help you save on paying an “emergency fee,” if a repairman needs to come out at an inopportune time.

In addition to having professionals clean and check your appliances, you can also clean them on a regular basis. Dust can cause blockages and backups in a variety of appliances. Filters also need to be changed regularly to keep your appliances working at their highest capacity. When you have a routine of checking and cleaning your appliances, you can often catch small problems and address them before they become a very big problem.

It is also a great idea to have a handyman that you have developed a relationship with, who can come out and assess any work that needs to be done or let you know of any potential problems. Some homeowners simply do not know what to look for in terms of preventing a problem, and that is where a handyman can come in to help.

Keeping and looking through user manuals is another great way that you can make sure you are properly caring for and maintaining your appliances. Some of them might even give you a timeline or maintenance schedule, so you know exactly what your appliances need to stay efficient and running smoothly.

All of these tips will help you avoid large repairs for as long as possible and prolong the life of your appliances.

Take Back Your Weekends: Low Maintenance Materials

Tue, 27 Mar 2018 18:46:00 GMT

Your home should be a place of comfort and joy, not constant work and labor. The easiest way to help ensure that you will be spending more time hanging out on your deck BBQing and less time scrubbing your bathroom grout is to pick low maintenance materials when remodeling your home. Not only will these home remodeling materials make your home look fantastic and reduce your home maintenance needs, but they will also give you back time on your precious weekends.

Fiber-cement siding is an excellent option when you need to replace your siding, and although it does cost more than vinyl siding, it also outlasts vinyl siding because it is resistant to wind, rain, fire and insects. FIber-cement siding can be used in any type of climate, but it is especially an ideal choice if you live in a hot or humid area. Fiber-cement siding can outlast vinyl siding by several decades, which makes it more cost-effective in the long run.

Low maintenance flooring is a really great idea of homeowners, since it is not as difficult to keep them looking clean and they are more scratch-resistant. They have laminate flooring that looks like hardwood or tile, and these are very popular choices for homeowners. If you are using flooring in a bathroom or for your basement, you want to make sure that the flooring you choose is resistant to water. There is nothing worse than suffering a massive flood and having to rip up all of your flooring because it was not water-resistant and it was ruined.

There are many different kinds of beautiful countertops for a kitchen, but some of them can be a bit high-maintenance and hard to keep looking clean. Quartz countertops are engineered and are constructed from natural stone chips, pigments and resins. They look very similar to granite or marble, but you do not have to worry about staining or sealing them. Quartz is also more resistant to heat, scratches and chips.

In terms of your windows, fiberglass windows are a good choice, since they are moisture and rot-resistant, unlike your traditional wood windows. They will not warp or change shape at all when there are changes in temperature and since they have bonded seams, there will not be any separation. You will not have to re-caulk or repaint them as often either, which means they are lower-maintenance.

With your lawn, you might want to consider putting in an irrigation system. The systems they have now feature weather sensors that actually calculate when your lawn needs water and just how much it needs. This means you will spend less time going out to water the lawn yourself and you will not have to spend time putting in new grass seed because your lawn got dried up and died.

Metal roofs are a final low maintenance material option and the material is a lot tougher than asphalt shingles and come with a 40-50 year warranty. Metal is also more resistant to fire.

Anticipating Home Maintenance and Repairs

Sun, 25 Mar 2018 19:17:00 GMT

For many people, owning their own home is an indication of true financial security and independence. However, your bank account will not get any rest even after the sale has gone through. When you own your own home, it means that any home maintenance and repairs that need to be made will be coming out of your pocket. When you first purchase your home, you are most likely aware of some things that need to be repaired, since you most likely had a home inspection. However, once you have been in your home for a bit of time, you will notice more and more home maintenance issues that arise that need your attention.

The amount of maintenance that your home will need is dependent on a few different factors. You need to consider how old the home is, since older homes do tend to need more updates and repairs. You also need to take into consideration how well the home has been maintained over the years. If the previous homeowners were diligent and stayed on top of repairs, you may not be hit too hard. If the home is in an area where the weather can be extreme, with freezing temperatures, ice storms, high winds or heavy rain, this can also have an impact on how much exterior home maintenance your home will require.

Often when you are buying a home, the seller will advertise what updates they have made and will often state the year in which the updates were made. This is very valuable information for the buyer, since they know what big ticket items they will not need to worry about for some time. If this information is not provided, you can ask your realtor and see if they can get that information for you.

The general rule for anticipating costs for how much you will spend on home maintenance per year is called the 1% rule. This rule states that you should expect to pay 1% of the purchase price of your home, per year, in maintenance costs. Now of course there are exceptions to this rule, but this is a good general guideline that you should consider and factor into your budgeting for the year. There may be some years in which you spend less than this, and there may also be years in which you spend more.

When you are buying a home, it is also good if you are able to find out what year all of the major appliances were installed, since there is a chance that some of them came with a warranty and repairs might still be covered. It also will give you a better idea of when you can expect to have to replace those items. There can be warranties for a variety of things in your house, including kitchen appliances, washing machine/dryers, ceiling and exhaust fans, plumbing, heating and electrical system components, water heaters and garbage disposals. If the previous homeowner saved any of the original user manuals, this will also be a very helpful tool for you.

When you are able to budget for and anticipate home repairs, it will make it a lot less painful when those home repairs need to be done.

Home Maintenance and Repairs You Should Leave to a Pro

Sun, 25 Mar 2018 18:34:00 GMT

There are all different types of home repairs that you can safely and successfully perform on your own, without the help of a licensed professional. However, certain complex and dangerous repairs are best left to a professional handyman who has the knowledge and experience to safely and correctly perform the repairs. Performing these types of repairs on your own can cost you some big bucks if anything goes wrong and you can also be putting you and your family’s safety at risk. To avoid these costly mistakes and avoid safety hazards, it is best to let a professional handle these repairs.

The number one type of repair that you should not do yourself, unless you have had professional training are electrical repairs. Dealing with electricity can be very dangerous, if it is not something you know very much about. There are certain codes that electrical work needs to follow and if things are not wired or done correctly, it can be very dangerous and could potentially cause a fire. Homeowners may be able to install a basic light fixture on their own, but if there is any more complex type of electrical work, it really is best that you hire a licensed electrician to do the job for you.

Plumbing work is another type of repair that you are going to want a professional for. Although improper plumbing is not going to be as hazardous as improper electrical work, but if you do not do the repairs correctly, it is most likely going to cost you a great deal to get it fixed. Homeowners may be able to tighten a leaky faucet on their own, but when you get to dealing with a hot water heater, hot water pipes, or changing out a toilet, you are going to want to hire a professional.

Dealing with gas appliances is something that homeowners should not do by themselves. If a problem arises with a gas appliance, it can be very dangerous if something goes wrong when you are trying to fix it. Unless a homeowner is qualified to work with gas appliances, all work pertaining to gas furnaces, ovens, dryers and water heaters should only be worked on by a licensed professional. If there is a gas leak, it can be extremely hazardous not only to your health, but it could also cause a fire or an explosion.

Homeowners should also not take on structural work by themselves. The idea of having an open concept for homes is extremely popular and after watching a lot of home improvement type shows on tv, you may think it looks very simple to start removing walls in your home. Unfortunately, you would need an engineer to come in and make sure that the structures you are taking out are not load bearing, otherwise your house could collapse.

Although there are likely to be many home projects that you want to tackle on your own, it is important to be aware of your limitations and make sure that you hire a professional for the tasks that are listed above.

Are You The Bad Neighbor?

Sun, 25 Mar 2018 16:19:00 GMT

Ignorance is bliss, until your local HOA starts hounding you about the appearance of your home. Sometimes you can be completely unaware that you are the neighbor that everyone gripes about. Take a look at this list to see if you might be the rotten apple of your neighborhood.

The first thing is if you are not taking care of maintenance on your furnace, then you might be a bad neighbor. If you could make a sweater with the fur found in your furnace filter, this is a serious problem. If you want to keep your HVAC system running like a champ, you need to make sure that you are replacing your furnace filter once a month, otherwise it will keep clogging particles like pet hair and dust.

One of the most obvious ways that you can be a bad neighbor is if you are neglectful of the outside of your home. If your lawn is completely overgrown, you have weeds everywhere, there is trash or other debris on your lawn, this is not going to make your neighbors happy. If your house has a dumpy appearance, it is going to bring down the property value of the neighborhood, because nobody is going to want to live near a house that looks bad from the outside.

Similarly, if the exterior of your home has shutters that are falling off, shingles missing on the roof, windows that are broken, or paint that is flaking on the outside, these are all signs of not taking care of your home, and it could be upsetting to your neighbors. When you have a home, you want to take pride in it, and that starts with the curb appeal of your home. You want to make sure you keep up with exterior maintenance projects so your home never gets to the point of looking like it should be torn down.

Also, in terms of keeping up with the exterior of your home, you want to make sure that your sidewalk, walkways and driveway are not hazardous. Over time, all of these elements will start to deteriorate, and if there are big cracks or holes, you want to make sure you have that repaired. You may need to have your driveway repaved or seal off cracks on your walkway. Not only will this make your house look nicer, it takes away the hazard of someone tripping and getting hurt on your property.

It is also important that you are aware of and respect the property boundary lines. If you have pets or children, you want to make sure that they stay on your property when you are outside, unless you have been given permission by your neighbors to go onto their property. A great way to ensure this happens is to have a fence. Fences can add to the aesthetic of your home, and are also a great way of clearly defining the property line.

Nobody wants to have the house that all the neighbors are talking about in a negative way, so make sure that you keep up with exterior home repairs and keep your home looking nice.

Home Renovation Pitfalls: How to Avoid Them

Sun, 25 Mar 2018 04:04:00 GMT

Some homeowners are very handy and they are able to complete home renovations and repairs on their own. However, homeowners need to be aware that they could be making a few mistakes, that could ultimately cause difficulties and delays to the project. These types of mistakes are especially common for new homeowners. How are you supposed to avoid the mistakes that you didn't even know you were making? Below is a list of common mistakes that homeowners make when taking on home renovations without professional help.

The first mistake pertains to setting a budget for your project. Unfortunately, most budgets that are set are unrealistic. Whether it is because materials cost more than you thought or because you encountered an unexpected problem, you should build in an extra 20% to your budget, so you are better prepared. You never know what you are going to encounter when you start on a big home project, so you want to do everything you can to make it less stressful and be realistic with the costs.

Another renovation mistake that homeowners make is when they are adding an addition onto the home. Additions are a wonderful way to give you more space without having to move, but there are important factors to consider. Often times, the addition does not complement the original architecture structure, so there is not a seamless flow to the home. When an addition is done correctly, nobody should ever be able to tell where the addition was added on.

Buying your materials too early is another common mistake. Before you go out and buy your flooring, new appliances or any other materials, you want to make sure that your plan is completely finalized and that you have taken exact measurements. You do not want to run into a situation where your appliances don’t fit or you have ordered way too much or too little of flooring. Taking accurate measurements is very important and if you are even the smallest fraction of an inch off, it can cause a lot of problems for your project. You should measure everything at least twice.

Speaking of flooring, most homeowners buy the exact quantity that is needed for the project. When you are working with flooring, you need to factor in that some pieces may have a defect and some flooring might need to be cut, so you should plan to purchase 20% more flooring than you need. It is better to have some left over, than to not have enough.

The quality of the materials you are purchasing must also be considered. Although it might be tempting to cut corners on your materials, that is only going to cause you more problems down the road, because lower quality materials are not going to last very long.

Since home renovations can be extensive, it really is a good idea to consult with a professional. Professionals are going to see things that most homeowners cannot and they can give you ideas on how to make your design more efficient and functional.

Unexpected Storage Solutions

Sun, 25 Mar 2018 00:12:00 GMT

If you have found yourself storing things underneath your bed or cramming things haphazardly into drawers and cabinets, you have a problem. It is not that you have a shopping problem (Don’t let anybody tell you that! That new towel set you bought for the guest bathroom matches the tile perfectly and you needed it). No, the only problem you have is a storage problem. There is no need to stress yourself out trying to decide what to keep and what to get rid of just because things are getting a little tight. Below are some creative storage solutions that can help to declutter your home and provide you with the organization you need.

Think up. Many people think to store things under beds, but you can also store things overhead. You can add a shelf above your bathroom door to provide more bathroom storage. This is also a great place to store bathroom cleaning products if you have little kids, since they will not be able to access them. You can hang pots and pans from a rack in the ceiling to provide you with more kitchen storage. You can also build in overhead storage in your garage, where you can store outside seasonal decor or other items that you do not need readily available.

Another way you can add storage to your bathroom is to add some hooks to the side of your vanity, where you can hang your blow dryer, curling iron or other tools that you use. Similarly, you can also do this same thing to the side of your dressers, where you can hang belts, purses or other clothing items.

Many homeowners complain that they do not have enough closet storage, but in many cases, it is simply a case of not utilizing the closet space that you have to its fullest. In order to maximize space, it is a good idea to either move your hanging rack so it is higher up and closer to the ceiling, or you can add shelving above the hanging rack. There is a lot of wasted space towards the top of a closet, so these are some ways that you can get that space back.

Also in regards to your clothing closet, you should assess your wardrobe a few times a year and get rid of clothing that you are not actually ever wearing. Some people tend to hang on to clothing for sentimental reasons, or they think that perhaps one day they will fit into something they have outgrown. All of the clothing in your closet should be pieces that you absolutely love. If they are not, find a charity and donate the clothes to someone who will actually wear them.

You can find storage on the front or back of doors as well, since they make hanging shoe racks and other pocket-type storage. This is a great way to fit all of your shoes into one space, or you can also use this type of storage on the inside of your pantry, to fill with snacks for the kids. Other uses for this type of storage could be for jewelry, ties, purses, or any other accessories that you currently do not have storage for.

Avoid These Common Summer Bummers

Wed, 21 Mar 2018 21:37:00 GMT

Everyone gets so excited when summer finally arrives, but when summer comes, there are a few things that come to mind that you probably would prefer not to deal with. However, do not despair, because you can get your home ready to combat these annoying summer problems and make your summer the best one yet.

One of the most annoying aspects of summer is mosquitoes. After being cooped up in winter, you want to spend as much time outside as possible and you should be able to do so without becoming a smorgasbord for those blood sucking bugs. Some things that you can do to repel mosquitoes are to get rid of any standing water (such as in a kiddie pool, water table, fountain), since mosquitoes go to those sources and could be laying their eggs in them. You can also add some plants to your yard that are known to repel mosquitoes, such as lemon balm, lemongrass, lantana, lavender and other mint-type plants. Using cedar mulch is another way that you can repel mosquitoes.

Getting to spend time out in the sun is a wonderful treat, but there are some precautions you need to take to make sure that you are protecting yourself from getting too much sun. Sunburn is very painful and harmful for your skin and if you spend too much time in the heat, you can also suffer from heat stroke or heat exhaustion.

In addition to making sure that you are wearing sunscreen, you can also consider other ways to make sure that there are still shaded areas for you to get a break from direct sunlight. You can invest in some really nice patio furniture that comes with a table with a large umbrella. If you can purchase an umbrella that is able to tilt, this will provide you with even more coverage, since you can easily maneuver it as the sun moves throughout the day. You can also have a gazebo built in your yard, which will also add some beauty to your home.

Grilling and having barbecues is a favorite past time of many homeowners during the summer months and if you are someone who loves to spend time cooking outside, you might want to have a grilling station built into your yard. It is important that you stay safe when you are eating though, and there could be a problem for people who have raw food sitting out in the heat while the grill is still warming up.

A solution for this is that there are some grilling stations that come with a little refrigerator, which is a great way to make sure that meat, fruit and vegetables are kept at a safe temperature before they are cooked. If you have a little sink outside as well, it just adds another way to make sure that you are not contaminating anything with raw meat.

With these few tips, you can make sure that you are going to enjoy all of the benefits of summer, without having to experience any of the bummers.

Common Home Accidents

Mon, 19 Mar 2018 19:50:00 GMT

Your home is supposed to be your safe place, so many times we can forget about the dangers that exist. If you are aware of and keep in mind some of these common household dangers, it can help to prevent accidents from happening.

Carbon monoxide poisoning causes many harmful symptoms, including headache, confusion, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, shortness of breath and unconsciousness. Needless to say, carbon monoxide poisoning is very dangerous. One of the main ways that carbon monoxide gets into a home is from an old or broken furnace or from a gas appliance. In order to prevent this from causing problems for anyone living in your home, it is crucial that you have a carbon monoxide detector near where your furnace is located and another one near your bedrooms. If you keep up with routine maintenance and service on your gas appliances, this should prevent a carbon monoxide leak from ever occurring.

Slips and falls are another very common home accident and they can be caused by a variety of things. There may be water leaking from your refrigerator, which caused you to slip and fall. It is important that you pay attention to your refrigerator and call a repair person if you notice any water or if it seems like it is not functioning as it should be. Another reason for falls could be if you have uneven flooring or a carpet that is loose. If a floorboard has come loose, you will want to get that repaired and if any carpeting is loose, you can use double-sided tape to help keep it in place.

Another way that you can prevent falls in your home could simply be to improve the lighting. If you keep your home well-lit, it may reduce accidents that happen at night. You can switch out your light bulbs for LED lights, which are also more energy-efficient. Stairways are often neglected in terms of lighting, so you will want to make sure you do have lighting near your stairways.

Also with stairways, it is important that you have a guard rail on all stairways in your home. This is especially important if you have young kids or anyone elderly who live in or visit your home. You also want to make sure that your guard rail is tight enough and that the screws do not loosen. If you notice that they have become loose, you will want to tighten it immediately so it does not cause an accident.

Similarly, you may want to have a guard rail installed in your bathtub. A mounted side rail gives extra support for helping you to climb in and out of the bath. Bath mats are another way that you can keep your bathroom safer and you want to make sure you are using non-slip mats in your bathtub and outside of your tub. Bathroom floors can be very slippery since they are likely to get wet and you want to make sure that you are being extra safe when getting in and out of the bath or shower.

Kitchen Remodel Mistakes

Fri, 16 Mar 2018 14:32:00 GMT

There are many reasons why someone would want to tackle a kitchen remodel on their own instead of hiring a professional handyman or contractor. It could be anything from wanting to be self-sufficient to trying to be budget-conscious. Whatever your reason, it will only be worth it if the job is done correctly. A poorly remodeled kitchen can end up costing you more than it would have to hire a professional to do it in the first place. So if you’re really set on performing your kitchen remodel yourself, make sure you are aware of these common kitchen remodeling mistakes.

The first mistake that is often made is in regards to the layout of the kitchen. There are three main aspects of a kitchen, and they are the stove, sink and refrigerator. Some homeowners make the mistake of placing all three of these next to each other, but that actually makes it very challenging to be able to prep and cook, especially if more than one person is in the kitchen. Instead, you should create a triangle with these three items, so you have more room to work and have a better workflow.

The second big mistake is choosing your appliances at the end of your project. Appliances all have very different measurements, and if you install cabinets and counters before you have the appliances, there is a chance that the appliances you have chosen are not going to fit. You need to have the measurements of your new appliances at the beginning of your project, otherwise you could cause major delays to your renovation.

Taking precise and accurate measurements is crucial in order to have a successful renovation. If you are even the slightest bit off, it can cause major problems. You need accurate measurements to order your materials and to ensure that everything will fit together. Make sure you measure everything at least twice.

Some homeowners put a lot of focus on a few aspects of the remodeling project, such as the cabinets, countertops, flooring and appliances, and they forget about all of the other details. It is also important that time and consideration are also given to the backsplash, cabinet hardware, faucet and lighting. Although these items may seem small in comparison to some of the bigger items, they have a great impact on how the end project is going to turn out.

Another mistake that homeowners make is not working with a kitchen designer and not having a picture of what the final finished kitchen will look like. Some people are more visual and if they do not have the ability to picture how all of the elements will come together, they may not realize that some of their colors, and material choices do not actually go together. You want to make sure that you have a clear picture of how all of the elements are going to work with each other, otherwise you could be very unhappy once the kitchen is finished.

Make sure you avoid these common mistakes and you should end up with your dream kitchen.

Kitchen Nightmare Materials

Fri, 16 Mar 2018 13:45:00 GMT

Are you considering a kitchen remodeling project? If so, it is very important that you use the right materials for the job. The kitchen is one of the highest traffic rooms in the entire house and is often considered to be the heart of the home. Since the kitchen is a working room, you are going to want to make sure that its new upgrades can handle the job. There are a few factors to consider when choosing a material for a kitchen remodel. You need to think about everything from durability to ease of cleaning, and these will be the key aspects to consider.

One material you should definitely not use for your kitchen is laminate countertops. Although laminate is very inexpensive and might be appealing for that reason, you should not choose this for your kitchen renovation. They do come in a variety of colors, textures and patterns, but laminate countertops are not scratch-resistant, stain-resistant or heat-resistant. When you are cooking in the kitchen, you are going to be working with hot pots and pans and if you have laminate countertops, you can never put hot items onto it. Instead of laminate, you should choose granite or quartz. Both of those materials will hold up much better over time and they are both heat-resistant are not going to stain or scratch.

Vinyl flooring is another big no no to use in your kitchen. Yes, there are lots of different looks and textures and some of them can be visually appealing. Vinyl is inexpensive, but this is not a good flooring choice for a kitchen. Vinyl does not do well with moisture, so if there is a leak from your dishwasher or refrigerator, it can cause bubbling that cannot be fixed. It will also lose its color over time and it does not take very long for it to look dingy. Stone, wood or tile are much better choices for a kitchen floor since they are all much more durable and will be able to withstand water without getting ruined.

Using flat paint is appealing for some homeowners, but flat paint is not the finish that you want in your kitchen. When you are cooking and eating in your kitchen, the walls are likely to get splattered with different foods and liquids and you want to have walls that are stain-resistant and are easy to clean. Flat paint actually absorbs stains and is not stain-resistant at all. A better paint choice would be semi-gloss or high-gloss, since these finishes are much easier to clean.

One last material that you should stay away from are thermofoil cabinet fronts. Thermofoil is actually vinyl, and this material is not heat-resistant, it will warp and fade with age, and the wood that is underneath is low quality and will not last very long. You want to make sure that you are choosing high-quality cabinets. Not only will they look nicer, but they will hold up much better and will last a lot longer than thermofoil cabinets.

Should You Hire a Pro?

Fri, 16 Mar 2018 13:04:00 GMT

When you buy a home, you are likely going to be very proud of it and you might want to take care of your home by yourself. It’s understandable because being a self-sufficient homeowner is important. If you are able to learn how to take care of most of your home maintenance and repair needs, not only will it help with your confidence as a homeowner, it will also help your wallet. It would be great if we were able to tackle every home maintenance and repair on our own, but realistically some things are better left to the professionals. So it is important to understand when you can handle things on your own and when it is time to call in a professional handyman.

One of the main benefits of calling in a handyman to do a home repair is that you can have peace of mind in knowing that the job will be done correctly the first time. Although there are DIY projects you can do in your home, they are likely going to take you a lot more time and effort. A professional will be able to complete the project quickly and efficiently. A handyman will also notice other things in your home that might need fixing that you might not even be aware of. You can get a lot of things off your to-do list in one visit.

When you are looking to change a light fixture in your home, you are probably going to want to call in a professional to do this. Electricity is not something that you want to mess around with and unless you are qualified to do electrical work, you will want to leave those home projects for someone who is experienced as an electrician.

Although you do not need to have experience to paint walls in your home and you may want to take this on yourself, there are definitely benefits of using an experienced painter. Yes, you can paint the walls yourself, but it may end up looking like you painted it yourself! A paint job by a pro is going to be high-quality. A pro knows exactly which kind of paint and sheen to use and also uses high quality paint brushes and rollers. A pro also does not need to spend hours taping like most homeowners, because they are so experienced and proficient with painting. They will be able to finish a project very quickly and there is an added bonus of you do not have to do the clean-up!

Another reason you may want to hire a pro for some tasks is due to safety reasons. Yes, you can get up on a ladder and clean out your gutters, but if you do not have a high quality ladder and are not used to being on one, there is a higher chance of an accident happening. The same goes for changing light fixtures that are very high up or painting your ceiling. You should highly consider calling in a pro if a ladder is going to be involved.

It is important to know your limitations and know what types of projects you can safely do yourself, and when it is a good idea to call a professional to safely complete the project and have high-quality results.

Goodbye Dingy Disposal!

Fri, 16 Mar 2018 01:01:00 GMT

Garbage disposals are an amazing invention and they have made our lives so much easier since they’ve been around. Sadly, a great deal of homeowners take their garbage disposals for granted, to the point that they actually break. Garbage disposals are often overlooked when it comes time to do home maintenance and cleaning tasks. Newer models of garbage disposals are even self-cleaning now, but even so, it is a good idea to give them a nice deep cleaning at least once a year in order to keep it functioning to its fullest capacity and to reduce unpleasant odors.

One of the ways that you can ensure that you are properly caring for your garbage disposal is to use plenty of water while you are running the disposal. Before you turn on your disposal, you want to make sure that your water is running and you want to keep the water running the entire time that the food is being ground up. Even after you hear the grinding of the motor turn more into a soft whirring noise, you should still let the water run for at least 10-20 seconds longer. By having the water run for that extra amount of time, it ensures that any little food particles are removed from the disposal and it makes sure the pipes are being flushed out.

When you are running water for the disposal, you should be using cold water. Hot water is not going to cause any damage, but hot water can liquefy any fats or greases. If this happens, that grease can actually stick to the blades of the motor and over time, it will build up and could cause your disposal to stop working.

Another way you can protect your disposal is by making sure you are not overexerting its capabilities by putting food that is really big or hard into it. Garbage disposals were designed to break down small bits of food and they are not meant to grind down everything that was left on someone’s plate. You never want to put popcorn kernels, seeds, meat bones or fibrous foods into your disposal, because this could cause the motor to break.

Garbage disposals can give off an unpleasant odor over time and if this happens, there are some things you can do to get rid of that smell. You can put a combination of baking soda and vinegar into the disposal and let it set while the unit is turned off. You can also grind up small bits of lemon or orange peel to give it a more pleasant smell. Grinding ice cubes is another maintenance tip that will help to sharpen the blades and clear off any food or grease that has adhered to the blades.

You want to make sure that you never use a drain cleaner on your garbage disposal. The harsh chemicals in these cleaners can cause damage. If you have a clog, it is better to call in a plumber to fix it.

By using these tips, you can help to keep your garbage disposal running smoothly and help it to last for many years.

DIY Backyard Lighting Ideas

Thu, 15 Mar 2018 23:36:00 GMT

Any homeowner can go out and buy light fixtures for their backyard. However, you are not like most homeowners! You are someone who likes to challenge yourself with new DIY home projects, so why not use that drive to make your own backyard light fixtures? Below are a few simple and inexpensive ideas to make your backyard the talk of the block.

Mason jars have a variety of uses and purposes and are often used for DIY projects. A DIY project that many people do not think about though, are using mason jars for lighting purposes. A beautiful way that you can incorporate this into your backyard lighting is to hang up mason jars that have little tea lights inside of them. These jars can be hung up on trees, wire, or you can get shepherd hooks. This unique and creative lighting idea will definitely draw attention and have people asking how you came up with such a cool idea.

Another usage of mason jars is to make “stained glass” out of them. In order to achieve this effect, all you need is different colored tissue paper that you will break up into small and different sized pieces and adhere them to the mason jar. Then, just as with the option above, you use tea lights to light up the jar. This will illuminate your backyard with beautiful colors and is a very unique and interesting way to add light.

Another idea is to make a light fixture out of a basket you bought from the dollar store. You simply take the waste basket, use wire cutters to cut a small hole in the bottom, insert the lightbulb and hang it upside down. This could work for a porch or for your backyard.

If you have a patio area in your yard, another idea is to take four wooden posts and put them into buckets that you have filled with cement and put the four posts on the four corners of the patio area. Then, you can take a strand of lights and hang it from the top of the four posts. Clear bulbs will make the area a lot brighter, but if you are looking to add some fun or color, you can absolutely use colored lights as well. You also have the option on the size of the bulbs so if you ever get tired of the look, you can simply switch out the color and size and you will have an entirely new look.

You can also make your own tiki torch type light out of old glass bottles, tiki torch oil and replacement wicks. You can use whatever colored bottle you would like and these can be placed around your porch or deck.

These are just a few DIY outside lighting projects that you can do by yourself that will give your backyard a unique look and will give it some flair. You will definitely have people asking where you bought your lights and they will be so surprised to hear that you made it.

Painting Tips For Beginners

Thu, 15 Mar 2018 22:28:00 GMT

As far as DIY projects for a new home owners goes, painting is one of the easiest. A new paint job can transform a room or piece of furniture overnight. Here’s a few tips to help you achieve the best painting results possible. Press the Tape against the Baseboard – Make sure when applying painters tape that you carefully press down on the edge of the tape to ensure that there is no paint leakage. Keep Your Brushes - You’ll most likely use your paint brushes a few times but after a while they’re

Summer Maintenance Fun

Thu, 15 Mar 2018 20:01:00 GMT

The state of your home throughout the year can change greatly depending on the season. This means that your home maintenance needs will vary as well. We know it can be hard to remember your home maintenance tasks when you’re lounging in the sun in your front yard so we’ve made a list of summer home maintenance tasks to help you keep your home in its best condition all year long. Here are some summer maintenance tips.

Since you are definitely going to be having some summer bbqs at your home, you are going to want to make sure that your wood deck is in good condition. Although you do not need to stain your deck every year, you will want to stain it at least every 2-3 years to keep it looking its best. If this is the year that you need to stain it, you want to make sure that your deck is clean and completely dried first before you apply the stain. This will help to keep the results for longer. Most stains will contain a protective sealant, but if the stain you are using does not have it, you should make sure to re-seal your deck every year.

Once you have your deck looking its finest, you then want to make sure your grill is clean. Before the start of the grilling season, you will want to give your grill a thorough cleaning. If you have a gas grill, you will want to turn the heat up to high and allow your grill to cook for about half an hour with the lid closed. Once it has cooled down, you can then use a grill brush to scrub the inside. You can wipe down the outside of the grill with a damp cloth or sponge and you will also want to clean the drip pans.

If you have a charcoal grill, you will want to empty the grill completely and wipe out any ashes that were left over from the previous season. Then you can clean it with hot water and a little bit of dishwashing soap. Before you use your grill, make sure that it is completely dry.

Summertime is also the perfect time of year to wash all of your windows on the exterior of your home. If you have a two-story home, you might want to consider hiring a professional to do the job, to ensure that you are kept safe. Ladders can be dangerous for someone who is not experienced working with one.

This is also the time that you should be sure to inspect your air conditioning unit. If you have not had service on your air conditioning unit in recent years, you should probably call to get an inspection to make sure that everything is operating and running smoothly. The last thing you need is for your air conditioning unit to stop working during the peak of summer’s heat. Be proactive and have your unit looked at before there is an issue. This will help to ensure that you are not charged for emergency service.

Bathroom Storage Dilemmas

Wed, 14 Mar 2018 20:35:00 GMT

Thinking about remodeling your bathroom? Make sure to think about storage space before you decide on the floor plan. Not everyone has a massive bathroom in their home allowing for storage wherever. Most of the time we have a limited amount of space to work with especially if it’s a guest bathroom or half bath. So you’ll have to be smart with the space that you do have.No need to worry though! We have a couple tips on how to increase the storage space in your soon to be remodeled bathroom.

The Dos and Don'ts of A New Home

Tue, 13 Mar 2018 20:31:00 GMT

It can be equally exciting and nerve-wrecking to be a new homeowner, so if you are a new homeowner, take some notes! Here are some tips on what you should do and what you should avoid doing after moving into a new home.

Some prospective buyers spend hours online looking at homes that are on the market and they may even fall in love with a home before actually seeing it. It is not enough to simply fall in love with the home though. You also need to fall in love with the neighborhood. Once you have found a home you are interested, you should drive around the area, or even better, park on the street and take a long walk.

Take a look at what is in the area and see if it feels right for your family. If you have young children, you might want to consider if there are parks or schools nearby. If you have school-aged children, you will want to do some research and find out how the schools are ranked and what people think of them. It is also a good idea to drive around the neighborhood at different times of day throughout the week, so you really get the best idea of what the area is like. Is the neighborhood quiet? Are there other families around your age? Does the area feel like a community? These are all important factors to consider before you decide to put an offer on a home.

Although it can be challenging, you should try not to get emotionally attached to a home before the deal is finalized. A home may look beautiful and have all of the features you want, but you will want to get a home inspection before making a decision. A home could have many hidden issues and it is important to have as much information as possible before you purchase a home. Is there asbestos in the home? Does the home have radon? Has there been flooding issues? A home inspection is absolutely a must-have.

Another common problem that new homeowners have is rushing their decision. Many fall into the trap of thinking that this is the only house they could ever love and they will never find another home. This is not true and you will absolutely find your dream home. You need to be patient though and make sure you have put enough time and consideration into your decision. Have you considered how far of a commute you will have to work? How far away are the grocery stores, pharmacies, etc.? Is it close to any family and friends you want to live by? Buying a home is a huge decision and you want to give yourself enough time to truly make the right decision.

The last thing you want to do is make sure that you factor in any work that needs to be done on the home into your budget. You do not want to purchase a home at your max budget if it needs to have a lot of work and repairs. You want to make sure that you are keeping yourself financially stable.

Kick The Mold

Tue, 13 Mar 2018 19:31:00 GMT

As a home owner, mold is something you always want to keep an eye out for. If you find mold near any type of water fixtures like plumbing fixtures, dishwashers or refrigerators then you probably have a leak nearby. Make sure to never ignore mold. Out of sight, out of mind only works for so long. Eventually you’ll have a bigger problem on your hands.If you find mold on your ceiling but there’s no immediate sign of a leak, the mold may be due to poorly insulated duct work. This can cause

DIY Garage Hacks

Mon, 12 Mar 2018 04:02:00 GMT

It’s always a shame when a decent garage goes to waste because out of necessity it ends up becoming nothing but a glorified storage container. We’ve got a couple little DIY life hacks for you that will help make better use of your garage space.Fishing Rod OrganizerLet’s start with our fishermen! Dealing with fishing rod storage can be a pain but with this simple to make fishing rod organizer you’ll be able to spend more time fishing and less time untangling lines. All you need is a 3 inch piece

All Decked Out

Sun, 11 Mar 2018 19:09:00 GMT

There’s nothing quite like that first day hanging out on your newly built, newly finished wood deck. After a while that special feeling might fade a little bit once you get used to your new deck, but that doesn’t mean your deck’s finish has to fade too! Within a couple days and with a little bit of work you can bring your deck back to its once radiant self.First you’ll need to examine your deck to see what TLC it’ll actually needs. Make sure the structural integrity of the boards is solid. If

Tiny Tips for the Home

Sun, 11 Mar 2018 18:02:00 GMT

Home Maintenance Tips and TricksKeeping up with your home can be frustrating and intimidating if you’re not the handiest person around. So even the smallest techniques can improve your outlook on home maintenance. Here’s a few random helpful tips that will hopefully help ease your house related stress.CROWN MOLDING Anytime you’re cutting something to size that involves angles you have an added likelihood of miscutting. To help you avoid wasting materials and driving yourself crazy make sure that

Childproofing For Dummies

Thu, 08 Mar 2018 20:23:00 GMT

There are plenty of horror stories out there about parents turning around for just a second, and before they know it they’re in the hospital because their toddler pulled the bookshelf over on top of them or they took a tumble off of the couch onto the corner of the coffee table.If you’re a new parent or you’re about to watch your niece or nephew for the first time and you have accident concerns, take a gander at this childproofing checklist. Main Living/Family Room Tie up curtains with bungees,

Your Easy Home Maintenance Checklist

Thu, 08 Mar 2018 19:29:00 GMT

Proper home maintenance can help you avoid large and costly problems down the road. Take a look at this home maintenance checklist to help you keep your home in tip-top shape. Interior Change HVAC filters every 2 to 4 months. Inspecting your double pane windows can help detect heating and AC loss, saving you money on your utilities. Deep cleaning your kitchen and bathrooms at least once a year will keep the grime at a manageable amount. Once mold sets in or grout becomes discolored it’s hard

All the Ways to Paint an Archway

Thu, 08 Mar 2018 18:52:00 GMT

Picking a paint color for one room can be stressful, let alone a whole house. So it’s safe to say that painting a room with a large archway can become a challenge. The technique you use will depend on how you want the two rooms to interact with each other. The best thing to do is think about the relationship between the two rooms and whether you’d like them to feel like one continuous space or if you want two distinct feelings when walking from one to the other.Using a Single ColorOf course the

Wide Open Spaces

Thu, 08 Mar 2018 15:50:00 GMT

If you’re in the market for a new home or thinking about remodeling your current abode, the floorplan of said house is something you’ll want to consider. So today I’d like to discuss the ever popular open floor plan.First of all, what is it?Simply put, an open floor plan is a term used to describe an interior space that uses one large space for what would normally be separate enclosed rooms. One of the most common is the combination of the kitchen space, living room and dining room.Open Floor

Fix it or Ditch it?

Thu, 08 Mar 2018 14:51:00 GMT

Everything good must come to an end. Meaning that eventually everything you own will wear down and break. This is a sad fact of life but that doesn’t mean you have to suffer because of it. You have options! There’s nothing wrong with replacing something when it breaks. However, comparing short-term costs against the long-term benefits will help you determine whether repairing an appliance or fixture is the better option. Leaking FaucetsSince the cost of replacing malfunctioning parts can be

Tile Tragedies: What You're Doing Wrong

Wed, 07 Mar 2018 15:55:00 GMT

Tile floors are an interior and exterior design staple and updating a space by installing new tile can make a world of difference. Everyone is capable of installing tile themselves but there are common mistakes that people make that can take a great idea and turn it into a renovation nightmare. If you decide to high a professional handyman or contractor great! But if you're determined to live a DIY life then be aware of these mistakes during your install to guarantee the best results.Unprepared

Sink or Swim

Wed, 07 Mar 2018 15:00:00 GMT

Upgrading your kitchen can a rewarding and creative experience for a homeowner. However, it can also be a challenge and a little intimidating if you don’t know where to start. One easy and successful strategy is to start with one new fixture as your focal point and design the rest of the kitchen around it. The kitchen sink is a great example of a key fixture to start with. Now it’s time to narrow down your sink options. There are a plethora of sink designs that each have their pros and cons so

Know Your Drywall Textures

Thu, 01 Mar 2018 22:10:00 GMT

Most people tend to focus on the color of a wall but don’t normally notice the texture that the paint covers. Proper drywall texturing is an art and different texturing techniques can drastically change the look of a room. Getting to know your options will help you decide what texture will work best for your walls. Texture CategoriesBased on the technique of application there are two different style groups of drywall texturing. There are certain textures that require a machine to create even and

Avoid Kitchen Island Fever

Thu, 01 Mar 2018 20:55:00 GMT

There’s a lot to consider when designing a kitchen island. Will it have storage? Are you going to be entertaining? With a little brainstorming your kitchen Island can be more than just extra counter space.Anyone that loves to entertain or has a big family understands that the kitchen can become the most important communal space in your home. This makes your kitchen island the heart of your home. Having a functional kitchen island will make your cooking experience efficient and enjoyable. We’ve

Accent Walls Made Easy

Thu, 01 Mar 2018 16:33:00 GMT

Accent walls are a pretty big deal in the interior design world at the moment. It’s a great way to add character and harmony to a room. There are a million different colors to choose from and a variety of application and texture techniques that can be used. The color you paint it and the location of the wall itself is up to you. However, there are a few things you might want to be aware of before you start painting.It’s okay to be bold! A lot of people are concerned about picking a paint color

Build Your Basic Toolbox

Tue, 20 Feb 2018 18:14:00 GMT

We can’t all grow up to be the MacGyvers we dreamed of being as kids. Being tool savvy just isn’t in the cards for everyone and that’s okay, we all have our own talents. There’s no shame in hiring a handyman to take care of your home repair and maintenance needs. However, even if you’re not the handiest person in the world it’s always a good idea to at least be prepared to deal with a home repair on your own in an emergency. Whether it’s hanging pictures on the wall, fixing a wobbly chair or

Lose The Wallpaper, Not Your Sanity

Mon, 19 Feb 2018 22:55:00 GMT

If you intend to paint, then the wallpaper has to go. It’s not going to be fun, but hopefully these tips will help keep you from burning the house down in order to avoid finishing the job.Know What You’re Getting Yourself IntoYou’ll want to give yourself a few days to tackle this one. At least one day to remove the paper completely and another day to prep the walls for new paint or if you’re crazy...new wallpaper.Always protect your floors and woodworkSince water and glue will be running down