Month: September 2021

Types of Home Repair Every Homeowner Should Be Aware Of

Many responsibilities come with be a homeowner. Not only are you financially responsible to support your home but you’re also responsible for the upkeep, aesthetics and overall maintenance of every aspect of your home, its structure and your yard.

Unexpected problems can cause significant stress – especially if you’re already struggling to make ends meet. When it comes to owning a home, there are 4 areas of home repair every homeowner should be aware of. If something breaks, you should have knowledge on the subject so you can take appropriate precautions to fix the problem.

Below are 4 areas of home repair every homeowner should become abreast of:

Plumbing Repairs. Plumbing problems can be some of the most expensive things to fix – especially if you don’t know a professional plumber who can help fix your problem for free. Plumbing repairs include anything from pipe leaks to toilets that won’t flush to sinks that won’t drain.

Electrical Repairs. Electrical repairs can be costly, depending on the specific problem. If you’ve encountered a small problem with broken appliances, it might not be as big of a deal as it would be if you’re experiencing difficulties with the electrical wiring of your home. Talk to a professional about what the problem is and the best steps to take to fix it.

Heating Repairs. Every homeowner has probably faced heating problems in the home. Whether you’re dealing with furnace problems or fireplace problems, heating challenges are important issues to address – especially for individuals and families in colder climates. Likewise, air conditioning problems should be addressed immediately for homeowners living in warmer climates.

Window Repair. Window repair can also be costly, depending on the extent of the damage. If you’re simply repairing one or two windows in your home, overall costs should be minimal (under a few hundred dollars). On the other hand, if you have to replace all of the windows in your home, it can end up costing you a lot more (we’re talking thousands). It’s important to make sure your windows are in good condition and functional – especially if you plan to resell your home in the future.

It’s hard to predict what’s going to happen in your home. If you’re fortunate enough to live in the same home for years without having to make any major repairs then you’re extremely lucky. If we could leave you with a piece of advice, it would be this: If something is broke, don’t fix it. But if something is broke, fix it as soon as possible. Waiting will only make things worse and will end up costing you more money in the end.

We hope our tips have helped!…

A Draft Stopper Will Cut Your Energy Costs

Saving energy is at the top of people’s minds these days. Often we run around turning off lights and unplugging electrical items, or maybe even nudge that thermostat up a degree or two. What we should really be looking at is the integrity of our windows and doors, as this is a primary source of wastage. Did you know that up to 25% of your energy bill could be saved in the course of a year if you simply look at this?

You may live in a brand-new home or in a treasured older building, either way it is likely that expensive conditioned air is being affected by leaks. The first thing that you need to do is to find the sources and then put draft stoppers in place, as part of your most cost-effective solution.

Once you have found the source of leaks around your home, you want to be sure that you can fix the problem once and for all. A draft stopper has been made to last as it is constructed from durable polypropylene.

The draft stopper has been created as a result of extensive testing, during which it was found that ground corn cob was the best filling material available. You can be sure that you will not feel the effects of any leaking air if you put these in place.

When you purchase window or door snakes, as draft stoppers are also known, you will be able to fit them in and around any particular door or window configuration that you may have. In other words, they are ultimately flexible.

In particularly adverse conditions, sometimes a lot of condensation can form in and around Windows. You do not need to worry if the draft stopper gets wet in these conditions as they are designed to be air dried and to be as good as new when you replace them.

We all need to be “green” these days as we have heard all those news reports telling us that over use of energy contributes to global warming and climate change. We need to do our bit to make sure that our living environment is as efficient as possible.

Environmentally, we know that we need to look after our surroundings and there has never been more focus on energy saving. None of us can afford to waste money and from our climate perspective we should all aim to be as “green” as we possibly can.…

Why Pervious Paving Is the Answer for You

Being as environmentally concerned as we all undoubtedly are, the latest solutions to surfacing and driveways should be starting to catch on really soon. Pervious paving – try saying that quickly five times – is a way of trying to ensure that water runoff doesn’t actually get into the sewer system, but rather percolates to the ground beneath instead.

You see there is a big difference between groundwater and runoff. There are increasing state and federal rules about just how much runoff can be allowed from a residential structure. There are many reasons for this including the fact that when water “runs off” it doesn’t go into the aquifer, but is more likely to make its way out to sea. Run off which is not controlled can lead to flash flooding in certain circumstances.

With pervious paving, water permeates directly to the ground where naturally occurring bacteria helps with pollutants. It is hoped that when these systems become more mainstream, that complex drainage systems, retention ponds and all associated costs can be alleviated to an extent.

Some people believe that pervious paving does not attract or trap heat as much as its regular counterpart, which may be an advantage from several perspectives (globel warming?), however it is expected to be rather more expensive to install initially.

Many homeowners wonder about the upkeep of their driveways, especially if they park vehicles there on a regular basis. We will still need to guard against regular spillage of oil, or the buildup of pollutants on the surface. We do not want to have a stained surface even if a lot of the pollutant is going into the bedrock layer beneath rather than into the storm system.

If we do choose pervious paving, we may still need to ensure that we have a solution in place to help collect excessive oil. After all, we don’t want too much of the pollutant from our vehicles getting into the aquifer, from where our drinking water comes, either.

Is it possible to use pervious paving on your garage floor as well? While this area does not of course get pummeled by heavy rain showers on a regular basis, the floor still tends to get very wet when you return from a trip in your car.

It’s good to know that new technology is constantly on the horizon to help us balance our daily needs against environmental considerations. Little by little we are being less intrusive, without too much additional hardship!…

Essential Facts About Home Repair Grants That An Applicant Should Know

The government of United States has provided certain grants that have been allotted to the citizen of the nation. In fact, the individual who would be offered such grants does not essentially have to repay back. Hence it is understandable that these grants are extremely difficult to obtain. The individual has to present a detailed application and enter all the data required for the same. The application brochure can be availed from the government agency or even those organizations dedicated to serve the nation’s citizens.

If you urgently require restoring your present property and simply cannot afford the expenses, the home repair grants will be the best for your needs. The grant is aimed to those citizen’s who are living in extreme conditions and cannot afford to repair their homes at present. It is also applicable for those whose homes have been destroyed by a natural calamity. In such cases the government of United States has set aside certain funds to help these people deal with their restoration plans financially. Since costs of restoring homes and even repairing major ordeals can be quite expensive. Applying for such grants can always help in the process.

The government has set aside certain terms and conditions that the applicant has to fulfill before being entitled to receive such grants. It is extremely important that the applicant should understand all the requirements prior to submitting a request for such provisions. The governmental agencies or those organizations that are working in this regard can be the best people to seek assistance from. There are several websites over the internet that provides adequate information about such grants. They offer extensive data about the prerequisites and also the reviews of several people who have been benefited from the same. You can also consult those who have been awarded such grants. Knowing the essential conditions can be extremely beneficial before applying for such grants. The more adequate your data is more are the chances of your plea being approved. If you happen to meet all the necessary requirements, then there’s no way your application will be turned down.

The most important aspect of availing such grants is that you should be the owner of the home you wish to restore or repair. Only if you meet this condition then there are chances that you may be awarded a grant. Include all the necessary documents in support of your request.…

Uncovering Some Of The Better Spring Cleaning Ideas

Who likes spring cleaning, certainly not I. Some people say it’s like going to the dentist, because it has become so out of hand during that long and lazy winter time and we haven’t been good at keeping up with it. Not surprising that we’re all looking for spring cleaning ideas now, as we try and shortcut all of this process as much as possible.

When you’re getting ready for spring cleaning, the important thing to remember is not to panic. Why not try and get others involved in what you’re doing? You may have to come up with an ethical bribe of some kind, but many hands certainly do make light work.

Where on earth should you start when you are getting ready for a good quality cleaning of your home? Is there a more logical place to start or should you simply roll up your sleeves and get ready? just remember that you don’t want to be cleaning the same areas twice, so start as far away from the kitchen as you can get and work your way back.

Looking for spring cleaning ideas online will probably help you to find a variety of different lists. Most of the better lists will tell you that if you don’t get on with it and stop pontificating, nothing will ever be done. Do remember however that you don’t need a wide array of chemicals, solutions and cleaning tools, as you’d be amazed how productive you can be just using whatever you find around the home.

When you have to deal with existing items of furniture, this can be one of the biggest obstacles especially if you live alone. Cleaning here can be difficult unless you move one corner of the furniture at a time, clean behind it and then move it back.

The bathroom is one of the most difficult areas in the home to keep clean. The shower tends to build up a lot of grime when you can’t really see it, soap scum and so on. Areas behind the toilet bowl and underneath bathtubs are equally difficult to get to. Make sure you find the tool with a special wand, allowing you to pivot. Use disposable cloths as you go.

If you think the bathroom is difficult, wait until you get to the garage. No surprise that we are looking for specific spring cleaning tips that are focused on this area. Trying to contain the mess and stopping this from getting worse requires you to treat oil stains and leaks and specifically to make sure that they don’t happen in the future.

You may have vehicles that have a propensity to leak, and as such you should consider putting absorbent pads underneath them. By doing this, your spring cleaning job in the future is guaranteed to be a lot easier.…

This Is Why It Might Be Time For You To Use A Garage Floor Cover For Your Concrete

Concrete is an interesting substance. It is composed of a mixture of calcium compounds, silica, alumina and iron oxide. To this mix are added limestone, shale and clay. Everything is placed into a kiln which rotates slowly and then heated. A lot of the water and carbon dioxide is removed, leaving what is called clinker. This is then used to produce finely ground cement.

It’s very important to cure the concrete that’s made to harden it and so it becomes durable. Temperature extremes can affect it and if not properly handled at this stage, the concrete can crack. This may be the problem that you are noticing now in your garage and also may be why the surface is absorbing all those oil stains.

Concrete is almost guaranteed to crack as it dries out and if it is not laid perfectly, those cracks can be very uneven and random. Cracks allow all kinds of stains to get through and can be a real problem to clean. It’s at times like these when you start to look for a garage floor cover to cover the problem.

Harsh chemicals may be your answer or even heavy duty processes such as planing, scouring, sandblasting and shot blasting. Do be careful using steel wire though as particles of that wire can come off, rust and stain the concrete in any case.

Substances may be dissolved by using chemicals, but those chemicals can in turn stain the concrete if you’re not careful. There doesn’t seem to be a palatable answer to the problem, unless of course you fit a garage floor cover.

Whenever you try to cover the entire surface of the garage, you have to select the type of paint for epoxy covering carefully. Before that though, the surface must be as clean as possible and you’re advised to use a pressure washer. There again, you need to choose the right type of day and must be sure that it’s relatively dry and clear, otherwise humidity will hang around stubbornly and cause difficulties when you try and set the paint.

The majority of problem areas can be dealt with right now by selecting a purpose made garage floor cover. This is designed to absorb liquids and oil stains before they get to the surface. Polypropylene-based solutions fit underneath each vehicle and will definitely cut down on the amount of time that you might otherwise have to resort to clean up.

When you are designing a new garage and getting ready for concrete, pay particular attention to your process and procedure. Otherwise, it will have a propensity to crack in the wrong places. You can always fall back on an absorbent mat if this happens though, to guard against the likelihood of spill absorption in the future.…

Avoiding Home Repair Rip Offs

In the current economy, more people are choosing to hold onto their homes as opposed to trying to sell them. While doing so, they are taking advantage of the opportunity to do some home repair and improvement, no doubt hoping that it will benefit them in the future when the home market turns back around.

Of course there are always those who would seek to make a profit from somebody else’s misfortune, and there is an entire industry of scam artists that has grown up around the home repair industry. Many of these scams are quite convincing at first, but in the end are only designed to part you from your money.

Here are my top five home repair scams:

The Leaking Roof. Who among us hasn’t had someone knock on our door and offer to have our roof replaced in order to prevent more serious damage to our home? The removal and replacement of roof shingles typically costs $5000 or more, with deck replacement (the wooden base beneath the shingles) adding thousands more. Remember that roofing shingles are designed to last 15 to 20 years. You should only consider replacing your roof if you have a lot of shingles missing or of granular material residue from shingles is accumulating in your gutters. As for the deck, full replacement is rarely required. Repairing the

damaged portion is usually perfectly adequate.

Waterproofing The Basement. This is the crazy first cousin to The Leaky Roof, where somebody tells you that in order to stop your basement water problems that you will need to dig out your entire foundation and have it waterproofed, usually costing somewhere between $5000 and $15000. In fact, most basement water solutions are much simpler and less expensive.

Termites. The ubiquitous termite letter is a vital part of any real estate transaction. Unfortunately, too many people buy into the myth about termites being able to literally destroy a house, which makes it open season for scam artists who will use such misinformation to bilk people out of $3000 or more. Don’t just take anybody’s word for it. You house isn’t going to cave in. Take the time to research and hire a local, qualified pest control company, preferably one that will give you a five year guarantee.

Chimney Sweeping. You get a knock on your door from a gentleman who has just cleaned your neighbor’s chimney and is offering to do yours for the low price of $39.95 (or whatever that day’s low rate is). Once inside the chimney, however, he finds additional problems that can be repaired at additional costs. In no time at all, the $39.95 quote is a distant memory. Hire only chimney sweeps that have been certified by the Chimney Safety Institute Of America, and be prepared to pay a minimum of $250 for an inspection, and more if cleaning is actually required.

The Fungus Among us. Fears about mold run rampant, especially if you think there might actually be mold in your home. Scam artists will try to talk you into paying out $500 – $600 for a mold inspection, then route you to a mold removal company that they are in cahoots with. When dealing with any kind of mold problem, hire companies that have been certified by industry leaders such as the Institute for Inspection, Cleaning, and Restoration Services (IICRC). They will be able to identify any mold problem and carry out appropriate remediation procedures.

So when taking the time to do your home improvements, also take the time to do your homework and research on anybody who tells you that a certain job must be done at a certain time. Taking that time to do so may save you thousands of dollars and a lot of headaches.…

Spring Cleaning Your Mind – Uncluttering Your Emotional Closet!

1. Clean out your Mental Cobwebs – Along with cleaning out the closets, Spring is a great time to focus on “Spring cleaning” your mind. Clean out the cobwebs of old, tired ways of thinking that lead to negative self-talk, self-doubt, and the inner critic within. It has been estimated that the average person thinks about 50,000 thoughts per day. If even 10% are negative thoughts, which is an understatement for most people, that comes to up to 5000 negative thoughts a day on average!

2. Emotionally Unpack – As you pack up your cold weather clothing, and bring in the springtime wardrobe, use this as a time to “emotionally unpack.” What old thoughts and memories keep you stuck in old ways of thinking and feeling, and take out those thoughts, memories and feelings, perhaps give them a good cleaning, and repack them in a different way. Do you just need to get them out, dust off them off as although they lay dormant, they still stick around like musty old clothes needing to get aired. As you re-evaluate your wardrobe, re-evaluate your thoughts and keep what works for you and repack old ways of thinking in a way that helps you spring into spring and not stay in the dark days of winter – in your mind.

3. Do an Inventory of your Mental Media – Examine the tapes and recordings that are constantly going through your mind. Do you keep playing tapes that are not even true? Do you have mental tapes that are negative and critical, both of yourself or others? Are there people that you can’t forgive, do you tell yourself stories about why they are bad, or do you tell stories about yourself that are not true, such as you are not thin or smart enough, or worse yet, that you one of life’s losers? Where do those tapes come from? Upgrade those old tapes to digital recordings that are present focused and show new ways of thinking!

4. Springtime can be a state of Mind all Year Long – So when you Spring Clean your Mind, realize that Spring is a state of mind any time of the year. Whether you live in Boston or L.A., the weather on the outside matters less than the season of your mind. Is it often cloudy or rainy in your head? This spring, give yourself the gift of cleaning out that bad weather between your ears. Keep in mind one of our favorite sayings, think straight-feel great!

5. Spring is a Time for Rebirth! – All around us we see change, as flowers bloom, and nature evolves. This Spring, let yourself see the wonders of creation reflected also inside of you. Use this as a time for reinventing yourself and trying new things. By committing yourself to personal renewal, you can re-evaluate what in your life no longer works for you, and how you can grow, change and transform to become the best “YOU.”

6. Spring offers You a Fresh Start – With the freshness of Spring around you, use this time of mental spring cleaning to give yourself the gift of a “fresh start.” This spring is the most important spring of your life, as only the present gives you the opportunity to renew yourself. Build on the winters of your disappointments and regrets to breathe new life into old issues. Perhaps there are no do-overs-but there are second chances!

I wish you a wonderful season of new beginnings and fresh starts!…