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Summer Is The Perfect Time To Start Your Home Improvement Project

14 Apr

Summer Is The Perfect Time To Start Your Home Improvement Project

you may want to spend your sunny weekend afternoons enjoying the summer weather, it’s also a great time to start moving forward with important home improvement projects you’ve had in mind. If you’re looking for smart ways to save money on major renovation projects, then summer is the time to do it. The following are a few reasons why:

Firstly, you can save yourself a great deal of money. There are more people out their avoiding major renovations in the summer. This means that contractors may be offering significant discounts on their work. Take advantage of these savings by scheduling contractors during what is traditionally a dry period.

Secondly, the weather in the summer season helps projects move smoothly. In the spring, seasonal showers can quickly slow down your home improvement project and snow and cold weather in the winter can bring them to a halt altogether. But, in the summer, there’s less chance of rain or frigid temperatures. This ensures that big, expensive projects are completed on time and on budget.

Lastly, you’re going to want to spend most of your time outside, right? While renovations are moving forward, you can enjoy the great outdoors! If you’re going to have to be outside, it might as well be during one of the more pleasant seasons. So, plan your day trips when the contractors are in and head to your grocery store to pick up food to cook outside on the barbeque. Come fall, you’ll be glad you got your biggest projects done with during the summer.

Common Sense Hurricane Preparation for Your Home

14 Apr

Common Sense Hurricane Preparation for Your Home

Hurricane season kicked off in June and will last through the end of November. If you live in a coastal area, then you need to know how to prep your home to prevent costly damage.

To prevent structural damage to your home, focus on your windows, doors, roof and garage. The following are a few tip to help you prepare:

1. Cover your doors and windows with 5/8-inch marine plywood that is cut to fit over the entire frame. Taping your windows won’t prevent hurricane damage. You can also think about buying permanent storm shutters if you live in a hurricane-prone area.

2. Use straps or clips to secure your roof to the top of your home’s frame.

3. Talk to a professional about reinforcing your garage door well before a hurricane is in the forecast. Ask the contractor to assess the wind load requirement that your door should be able to bear. A garage door’s counterbalance system is complicated, so this isn’t a DIY project.

Also, follow these additional safety tips:

Trim your trees and shrubs so that they’ll be better able to resist wind.
Clear out your gutters and downspouts so that water doesn’t pool around your foundation.
Bring in any outdoor items that aren’t tied down. These items may include outdoor furniture, garbage cans, and lawn decorations.
Turn off your propane tanks. If local authorities instruct you to turn off other utilities, then follow their directions.
Have fresh water on-hand. Fill your bathtub and other containers before the storm strikes.

Thanks to CoreBurn for the picture of a hurricane on a radar screen.

Green Plumbing Solutions

14 Apr

Green Plumbing Solutions

Homeowners just like you are interested in saving money on monthly energy bills, but also look for ways to promote environmental awareness and green living. Ecofriendly systems and solutions are available for almost every aspect of your home. From energy-efficient windows and doors to solar panel electricity and heat, a small investment in your house can reap large dividends in the long run. Plumbing is no different. We have three ideas of ways you can reduce your water use which, in turn, helps conserve our planet’s precious resources and saves you money.

For many do-it-yourself homeowners, examining and replacing faucets and fixtures is the easiest way to reduce water waste. Your local hardware store stocks low-flow and other energy efficient fixtures for your toilet, shower, and sink. Simple to install, low-flow fixtures can literally save thousands of gallons of water each year.

Stop buying bottled water and reduce your overall carbon footprint. Instead, we recommend installing ecofriendly water filtration systems in your home so that you can enjoy fresh-tasting and healthy water right from your kitchen faucet. Clean water filtration can also help you use less water and save on your overall monthly bill.

When trouble arises, it may be time to replace part or all of your plumbing system. Instead of tearing up drywall and kicking up toxic dust into the air, we encourage you to seek minimally invasive ways to repair leaks and cracks. Epoxy is a type of pipe lining that can make your current plumbing system more efficient without water waste or leakage. With minimal investment, you can literally turn your existing pipes into an energy-efficient and ecofriendly system.

There are many more ways to make minor investments in your plumbing system that will pay off with ecofriendly and financially sound water saving results.

Make Plumbing Repairs Guests

14 Apr

Make Plumbing Repairs Before Having Guests Over

Entertaining at your house can be great fun, whether you’re having a holiday party or just watching football. But you should make sure your plumbing is up to the task of handling all your guests before you invite them over. After all, lots of homes have little plumbing quirks that the residents get used to rather than actually addressing. Having friends over is the perfect excuse to finally get these plumbing issues fixed.

Perhaps you have to hold down the handle on your toilet in order for it to flush, or maybe you have a sink faucet that requires you to turn it a certain way so it stops leaking. Though you might now be used to these minor inconveniences, your guests are not. They might become confused or anxious when the toilet doesn’t flush right away, or they could accidentally leave the sink running if the faucet is tricky to use. Getting these problems fixed can prevent embarrassment for them and even avoid damage to your house.

For some minor problems, you might be able to make repairs yourself. Just make sure you have some clear instructions and the right tools. If you cannot do the job but can see that it is pretty simple for most people, you might want to hire a handyman. However, more complex repairs require a plumber. No matter who you decide to hire, make sure you make the appointment as soon as possible so you can have the repairs done by the day of your holiday party or football gathering. That way, you can relax knowing that your plumbing system is finally in good shape.

Thanks to www.homejobsbymom.com for the photo of the toilet.

Tagged With: plumbing

14 Apr

Plumbing Issues Plague Oakland Athletic Stadium

If you want to go to a baseball or football game soon, make sure it’s not at the Coliseum where the Oakland A’s and Raiders play. That’s because that stadium has been experiencing some plumbing problems, and this is not the first time. The most recent issue is said to be due to rain. Apparently, …

Make Plumbing Repairs Before Having Guests Over

How to Handle Plumbing Emergencies

When faced with a plumbing emergency, most of us don’t hesitate to call in an expert. But many homeowners wonder what steps they can take in the few minutes it takes for someone to come and save the day. Instead of wasting precious minutes and watching the water level rise, there are a few things …

Green Plumbing Solutions

Tagged With: plumbing

13 Apr

Plumbing Issues Plague Oakland Athletic Stadium

Make Plumbing Repairs Before Having Guests Over

How to Handle Plumbing Emergencies

Green Plumbing Solutions

Tagged With: home improvement

12 Apr

Make Plumbing Repairs Before Having Guests Over

Common Sense Hurricane Preparation for Your Home

Hurricane season kicked off in June and will last through the end of November. If you live in a coastal area, then you need to know how to prep your home to prevent costly damage. To prevent structural damage to your home, focus on your windows, doors, roof and garage. The following are a few …

Summer Is The Perfect Time To Start Your Home Improvement Project

Do Your Homework to Avoid Home Improvement Scammers

Several months after Hurricane Sandy roared ashore, pummeling a large swath of New York, its residents are finally starting to get back on their feet and rebuild. Now another tragedy has barreled their way: home improvement scammers. New York State Senator Joseph Addabbo Jr. issued a warning recently to be wary of unsolicited contractors who …

3 Easy Ways to Refresh Your Home For Spring

12 Apr

3 Easy Ways to Refresh Your Home For Spring

Now that spring is upon us, it’s time to shake off the winter blues and start fresh with a clean home. Organizing closets and cleaning dirt and grime can breathe new life into your house, while some simple changes in décor can change the mood of the entire space.

1. Cushions, Throws, and Covers

There’s no simpler way to create a new look in your home than to add some fresh prints and accent items. There’s no need to replace existing furniture, simply add a pop of color with a fun upholstery cover. Bold prints on throw pillows or accent rugs can also bring an interesting edge to the room.

2. Organize Your Closet

Purging your wardrobe is a great way to create space and usher in the new season. Getting rid of clothes can be tough, but there are some factors to help you decide what goes and what stays:

If it has any ink stains, dye stains, rips, tears, or a weird smell

It hasn’t fit in over a year

If an item never really fit in the first place, you need to let it go.

Clothes often have an emotional pull, but hanging on to a pair of jeans in the hopes you’ll lose those extra pounds only takes up space and picks at your body image.

3. Reorganize Bookshelves

If you keep your library on display, keep your books looking their best by removing any ripped or damaged book sleeves. Instead of lining them all in a row, line some horizontally, vertically, and in a rhythmic pattern. This will create a more aesthetic look for the eye by breaking up the monotony of rows.