Home Improvement Tips For The Average Person

by Laura Posted on

Knowing how to care for your home is important, but getting what you need to maintain it can be hard to do. There are many different tools, designs and regulations to know about. Here are just a few steps to make sure you do a safe, effective job.

Changing your air filters is really essential. In addition to making your home’s air more healthy, it’s also helpful for air conditioning and heating units. Most service calls that get repairmen out to homes are thanks to dirty filters building up crud in the machines.

Use aluminum foil to cover your wall outlets before painting. Conveniently placed aluminum foil can do a good job of protecting your covers from paint and is easier than tape to apply. Your cleanup will be simple! Prior to removing and recycling the foil, make sure that the paint is totally dry.

Every bathroom, kitchen and laundry area needs an exhaust fan. By getting rid of moist air, you can limit the opportunity for mold to grow in the house. Also, if you are able to reduce the amount of humidity inside, you can prevent rot from occurring.

You need to calculate exactly how much paint your walls need before beginning any painting projects in your home. You might spend more than you wanted to if you do not know what you are doing. Take your time and be sure to take measurements so you know the exact amount you’re going to paint.

A new front door could increase significantly the value of your home, sometimes up to 10 percent. It is possible to freshen the appearance of your entry door by purchasing one of the many styles of knob and lock combinations available on the market.

Put a new glaze on your bathroom fixtures. Having the glazing redone can make all the difference in the world to the way a bathroom looks and feels. It will cost less to glaze a bathroom than it would to replace the floors and fixtures in it. The value of a home can be increased at a bargain price through glazing.

If you live in an area surrounded by undeveloped land or wooded areas, you might want to invest in a tall privacy or chain-link fence for your backyard. This can help keep annoying animals out of your yard.

As you undergo a bathroom remodel, don’t forget to install adequate lighting. People tend to focus on fixtures when remodeling their bathroom and forget that lighting is important. Fixtures in the ceiling should be selected with some thought given to how easy it will be to replace bulbs in the future, and you can improve the room’s utility by adding accent lights to the sink and mirror areas.

As you have discovered, home improvement is vital to your home maintenance, but you need to have the right understanding. Always plan a job ahead of time and make sure you have the right equipment for it. Following the tips laid out here …

Be Ready for the Emergency Home Repair

by Laura Posted on

A little bit of knowledge can save you big money with repair bills, whether you plan on doing the repair yourself or if a professional contractor will have to be called in. With proper advance planning and preparation, you can keep a malfunction from becoming a major and costly damage crisis.
Electrical
Know the location of the shutoffs for the home electricity. Make sure the circuit breakers or fuses are all appropriately marked and that the identifiers can easily be read by the light of even a dim flashlight.
Just because you have shut off the electricity to a room or appliance, don’t assume that there is no voltage to the appliance or outlet. Check and double check to make sure that there is no electricity running through to avoid property damage or injury. Use a voltage tester to make sure you won’t get an unexpected shock.
Gas
Locate the main shut off valve for the gas line into your home. Make sure every family member knows the location. Make sure you are familiar with how the valve works. In an emergency like a leak, shut off the outside main valve first to keep leakage to a minimum. Once the main line has been closed, you will have the time to access the shutoff valve for the appliance without being overcome by fumes.
Water
A broken water line can quickly cause a lot of damage. Most sinks and toilets, as well as electrical appliances that use water have a shutoff valve in the vicinity of the fixture. But it’s always important to know where the main shut off valve is located in case the damaged water line or pipe is spewing water before it gets to the shutoff valve.…

The Different Types Of Basement Flooring

by Laura Posted on

There are many reasons why you may be looking into replacing or upgrading your current basement flooring. You may wish to convert your existing basement space from a storage area to a recreational room for your family to spend time together. You may want to install a working wet bar and a big screened television to football parties on the weekend. Or perhaps you would like to have a guest room available for when company drops by. Whatever the particular plans for your cellar happens to be, there is a plethora of flooring choices available for purchase on the market today.
Before shopping for or installing basement flooring, it is always a good idea to bring a professional in to examine your cellar for moisture. The most common sub flooring used today is concrete, which comes in direct connection with the earth. This is why getting your basement checked for moisture accumulation is imperative to the proper functioning of the new flooring you wish to have installed. Once you have determined whether or not your current concrete flooring is properly sealed and ready for a new layer, you can move forward.
The most general flooring choices being used in a basement setting are often installed throughout the rest of the home. Hardwood and laminate flooring, carpet and tiles made from porcelain or ceramic are all popular choices for basement flooring. Depending upon your specific aesthetic goals and design aspirations, which flooring you choose to utilize really comes down to taste. Again, as long as your concrete sub flooring is sealed and you do not live in an area that is exposed to continual flooding, you have a pretty wide selection of flooring. However, if your region is prone to excessive rain, perhaps finishing your current basement concrete floors is the best option for you. For many who find themselves in this situation, painting lends an affordable and easy solution. For those seeking a fancier method of sprucing up their basement floors, stenciling or painting on a faux finish are two other options.
An economical basement flooring option is vinyl or linoleum. These two types of cheaper flooring come in one of two ways: on a roll or in pieces. When found on the roll, a special adhesive is used to attach the cut piece of flooring directly onto the cellar concrete. This same type of adhesive can be used on tiles that do not already have a sticky back. Tiles with sticky backs come pre-measured and once the piece of paper is removed from the underside, they can be applied to a clean surface. A benefit to using the pre-measured sticky back tiles is they oftentimes can be adjusted once or twice before permanent placement, which gives some room for error.
More expensive options that include hardwood and tiling are not suitable for every home. However, the aesthetic value added by these types of flooring is almost unmatchable by other contenders. Hardwood floors must be installed in extremely dry basements …

Top Tips on the Eco-Friendly Way of Redesigning Lovely Kitchens

by Laura Posted on

Homeowners are now challenged to make a stand for the rehabilitation of the environment. Some homeowners think that this is quite a huge task and a heavy responsibility; others think otherwise. One consideration here is that everyone does something everyday in their own kitchens and perhaps something environmentally positive and beneficial can be done within this situation.
Recreate your kitchen by having windows that can let in much bright light so that you can reduce electricity needs. You can also use patio doors, skylights, and entry doors with glass panels so that the sunlight can penetrate through spaces and add some light into dark corners and sides.
Note that this day-lighting is environment-friendly and priceless. On the other hand, you must make sure that the design of such windows and doors must be quite flexible since winter can cause lesser heat and colder temperature while hotter and warmer during summer.
If you are not remodeling, repairing, replacing, or renovating your kitchen windows and walls, you may consider purchasing or keeping an energy-efficient storm window and other weather-stripping window materials you can easily install or remove anytime.
As you shop for kitchen materials, equipment, and fixtures, look for materials that are recycled from post-consumer, post-industrial, or agricultural waste. These eco-friendly materials for kitchens can comfortably match the structure and function of your kitchen as long as you have the proper planning for your new or renovated kitchen.
Another green task that you can make as you fulfill your kitchen project is purchasing and using materials and products that can be recycled, reused, and reconditioned once you are done using them. This also means that you have to make sure that all things you put into your kitchen structure are durable so that you can avoid any repetitive repair or costly replacement along with the usual stressful feeling of having made a mistake.
Look for products, tools, and small fixtures of kitchens that are considered rapidly renewable. Use approved natural resources for the renovation or installation of some major parts of your kitchen instead of harmful chemicals, toxins, and environmentally destructive products.
Kitchensare supposed to make people’s lifestyles well-nourished and healthy and it is awkward and outright incorrect to find in a kitchen some products that are highly contaminated, made of chemical pollutants, and/or practically non-friendly to the environment. Therefore, include eco-friendly options and solutions when planning your new home including the kitchen or when you are planning a kitchen remodeling project or renovation.…

Kitchen Decorating Ideas and Themes

by Laura Posted on

Kitchen decorating ideas allow you to transform your room without spending a lot of money. You might want to give your space a fresh new look every few years. You use your kitchen every day in some aspect so you want to make sure that it’s a space that you truly enjoy. Here are a few tips for kitchen decorating ideas.
Start off with one item that you truly love and then work on from there. This could even be the jumping off point for the rest of your room. Mosaic glass tile comes in a variety of colors and finishes and it has a very contemporary or modern feel to it. You could add in a backsplash to give a little character and color to a room that is completely neutral. This allows you to put your personal stamp on the space without it being a complete remodel. The tile that you choose will completely affect the rest of your design style. For instance, you could choose a hand painted Spanish tile for more of a warm feeling by bringing in a lot of beautiful cobalt blues and terra-cotta colors.
Pattern is used in a lot of different design styles but for some reason it’s almost always left out of the kitchen. You can bring it in several different ways to really give a little bit of life to your room. For instance, you can try using a very subtle stencil on your cabinets. You could also go with a raised stencil that will really give you more of the look of an architectural element. These are often made from plaster. If you do go with something like a stencil you want to make sure that you change out the colors so you keep it sophisticated. Stencils aren’t just for the country design style; they add a very custom touch to your cabinets or walls.
Another popular theme for kitchens is just to go with a specific design style. This would be a lot more sophisticated than a basic theme room. It will also have a lot of versatility and a lot of different color palettes and styles that you can go with in each design style. Some basic design styles are shabby chic, country, French country, classic, Art Deco, modern, contemporary, and Tuscan. Any of these design styles will help you choose items in a specific color palette. It will also give you some direction to really create a cohesive space in your home that speaks to who you are.…

Cut Costs Through Refacing Your Cabinets

by Laura Posted on

If you’ve ever endeavored on a home improvement you know that the most important part is to have the right materials, the time, and plan to make an effective project. When you’re dealing with your home you don’t want to use the cheapest materials and cheat on time when you’re trying to increase the value of your home or just trying to improve the look of your home for you and your family. As you look into redoing your kitchen you want to make sure you have the best of all of these things. But most of us don’t have the money to pay a professional to come into our kitchen and tear it all out and put in brand new appliances, countertops, and cabinets.
Don’t worry if you can’t afford this because like the majority of us you can change the look of your kitchen just by refacing your cabinets and drawers. But again as you embark on the refacing project make sure you don’t go too cheap on your materials.
To determine if refacing is all your kitchen and maybe bathrooms need go through all the cabinets and drawers and do a thorough check. Check to see if the outsides are in good conditions without any chips or dents in the surfaces. Then you need to determine if you like the general layout of your cabinets. If you hate the setup of all your cabinets than you might have to think about investing into tearing down your current cabinets and reinstalling new ones into the arrangement that you prefer. But as long as you like the current arrangement then resurfacing your cabinets may be the better and cheaper way for you.
Go check out products and prices at your local paint store. They will be the experts dealing with paint and will be able to let you know exactly what you need and the best prices to do it. You may run a risk if you go to your large home improvement store because who’s to say the paint guy there isn’t from the home and garden department covering for someone who called in sick. You want to get the best advice from the most knowledgeable source and that’s normally at the paint store.
Refacing your cabinets through a new paint job is a project that you can do on your own. Get the supplies that the professional at the store recommends and get home and get to work. It may take a lot of sanding and primer to get the base going but by the end of your project your kitchen can look as good as new just by adding some paint to the surface of your cabinets and drawers, and it didn’t even hurt the bank too much.…

Discovering Why Berber Carpet is the Best For Your Home Carpet Solution

by Laura Posted on

When an individual looks at home carpet its usually determined to be a founding factor in a homes’ appearance. The floor covering of a home represents the basis of any style or decor found in the home and the home carpet could either blend into that appearance or horribly clash. In addition, the situation of your home carpet goes a long way in portraying the type of inhabitant you are. If you are trying to sell a house with home carpet in poor condition it leaves the buyers feeling dirty and questioning the condition of the rest of your home. If you are hosting guests with your dirty home carpet, questions are raised regarding your hygiene and living conditions.
So, how can an individual improve the look of their house and display the image they think would be ideal to them? To begin, you must look into the advantages of home decorating carpet. Home decorating carpet goes far past the conventional solid color house carpet introduced in houses.
With home decorating carpet you can identify various color schemes and decorative patterns that could aid you to set the basis of your new decorating palette or accent an existing style. When considering the widest selection of colors and styles available for an individual, one of the finest carpets to look into is Berber carpet.
Berber carpet has a long history of being a durable carpet that’s benefit can charm to the interest of any house owner. Berber carpet could come in a selection of colors to fit the home owners color palette including a large number of color mixtures to break up the monotony of solid colored home carpet.
Berber carpet even is available in a large number of designs which could assist an individual in laying a foundation for their style or highlighting an existing flair to assist the flow of a room. Whatever your home carpet needs might be, you’ll be able to discover a decorating solution making use of the versatility and top quality of Berber carpet.
When you look into the benefits of wool Berber carpet, quality is often the highest concern to rapidly be followed by cost. Most consumers still make the mistake of going to big corporate businesses to acquire their carpet, only to be met with higher costs to include the purchase, profit and costs of the third rate distributor. If you are trying to invest in the highest quality wool Berber carpet and save a tremendous amount of cash in comparison to big retailers, seek a leader in the carpeting industry.…

Laminate Floor Cleaning & Maintenance

by Laura Posted on

Laminate flooring has emerged as an extremely popular alternative to traditional wood flooring. When you take into consideration the beauty of these floors, cheaper cost, and its ease of installation, it is easy to see why.
Laminate flooring is pretty easy to maintain. The most important weapon in your arsenal is a trusty broom or vacuum (with beater bar turned off!). This is true for any floor surface in your home. Side note: If you ever hire a professional cleaner (carpet, tile & grout, etc.) always ask what their first step is. If they don’t vacuum or sweep first, then you need to immediately look for a more “Professional” cleaner. Once you have gotten all the excess “dry soil” off your floor, then basically all you need to do is a quick mopping. I highly recommend a microfiber mop, as they are perfect for these floors.
For weekly maintenance you can just use water. Make sure you ring out the mop as much as possible, as you want to avoid too much moisture. The pad should just be damp. You should also avoid vinegar on your laminate floors. I see a lot of people on the internet that recommend this as a budget cleaner, however, vinegar is an acid. If you repeatedly expose your floor to acid it can potentially damage the aluminum oxide coating of the laminate, thus dulling your floor. If your floor requires more cleaning power than a damp pad, then there are cleaners available that were engineered specifically for that.
Avoid waxes and polishes as well. Again, there are other products available that will restore your shine without any of the adverse effects. Finally, there may be no better defense for your flooring than a strategically placed mat or mats. This can make a huge difference, especially if your laminate floor is by an outside entry point.
Perhaps a bigger problem for laminate floors are scratches from pets or furniture. The reason scratches give laminate floor owners such a headache is that a laminate floor is actually a picture of wood placed on melamine which is placed on a particle board and coated with aluminum oxide. The aluminum oxide coating – which is the top surface (wear layer), is very thin. Unlike wood, laminate cannot be sanded down and refinished. Therefore if you get scratches your options are limited. At this point you basically have 3 ways to go. You can replace the entire floor, buy a special repair kit and try to fill in the scratches by hand, or buy a laminate cleaning product that can hide those scratches. Obviously this will also depend on the severity and frequency of those scratches, but needless to say replacement is the “if nothing else works” option.
Laminate flooring does require some special attention and care, but all in all, it is a very easy to maintain flooring option. They are designed to last up to 20 years, and with the proper care and maintenance, there is no …

Kitchen Flooring

by Laura Posted on

Choosing the right option for kitchen flooring is essential for any homeowner looking to remodel or refurbish an outdated kitchen. Since the kitchen is one of the most highly-trafficked rooms of the house, it is essential that flooring options are durable and reliable, as well as easy to clean. The ideal flooring options can safely take a beating from drops, spills and more, as well as a constant flow of foot traffic in and out. Choosing a stylish, yet affordable option from a reputable dealer is the best option for experienced renovators and DIY home improvement aficionados alike. Wood, vinyl and tile are often the most common materials used, and all have their benefits and drawbacks that need to be considered prior to making a final purchase.
Vinyl
Vinyl is the most affordable option to homeowners on a budget, and it is available in an almost endless supply of styles, designs and colors for any desired d?�cor. Vinyl is also easy to clean and maintain. However, because vinyl is so inexpensive upfront, it is less durable than some of the other options out there, and it may need to be replaced regularly in order to avoid damage.
Tile
Ceramic tiles can be a longer-lasting alternative to vinyl while still being budget friendly. Tiles are easily maintained and easily cleaned, and are able to withstand scratches, dents or other damage commonly experienced in high-trafficked areas. However, if the structure of the house experiences movement, it is easy for ceramic tiles to break or crack and damage the floor. Tiles are also more slick when wet, and can raise some safety concerns that need to be taken into account especially if there are children in the household. Ceramic tiles do come in a variety of options though, and a textured surface can reduce the possibility of accidental falls or injuries.
Wood
Wood floors may seem a risky choice when considering flooring options for the kitchen given its susceptibility to moisture damage. But wooden floors offer a unique and pleasant feel to a very popular room of the home, and are easily maintained when installed properly. Wood is very resilient to high volume traffic and can withstand a lot of impact that would otherwise damage an alternative floor surface. If a wooden floor has been selected for your kitchen, it is imperative that it is coated with a substantial protective finish to keep out moisture and spills common in the kitchen or bathroom.
When shopping for a new flooring solution for the home, it may be tempting to peruse the selection often found in big retail chains specializing in home remodeling, but that’s not always the best option available. Local dealerships that specialize in home flooring often offer better deals as well as higher quality products than those offered in mass-production alternatives. By locating a reputable and trustworthy local dealer, customers can get higher satisfaction as well as specialized advice in purchasing their kitchen flooring, and are sure to get products that match …

Kitchen Remodeling – Creating an Efficient Kitchen

by Laura Posted on

When you are trying to create an efficient kitchen, before remodeling, you want to consult a professional. A person that is experienced in kitchen remodeling can help you lay out the best plan before you get started.
When kitchen remodeling you want to keep your appliances such as the stove/oven, refrigerator and microwave in a triangular shape along with your kitchen sink. By keeping your main appliances and sink in a triangle shape you are getting the most efficient use out of your kitchen. You will take less steps when the items you need as you are cooking are all close to each other. If your current kitchen layout is not like this, you need to make this the number one priority. A professional will know how to make this happen for you in your kitchen.
When kitchen remodeling are you planning on purchasing new appliances? If so, choose a color you can live with for the next 15 to 20 years. Some folks like stainless steel while others like white or whatever fad color is in at the time. You need to measure your kitchen to make sure that the new appliances you are about to buy will all fit nicely into your kitchen.
The kitchen may be the main room you and your family eat in. If so, you want to make sure that your kitchen lighting is spectacular above the kitchen table. You can choose a new chandelier to spice up your kitchen.
Skylights are another viable option when kitchen remodeling. In the long run you will save money on electricity as you will use less lighting when you are in the kitchen. Consult with a professional so you know how many skylights in your ceiling is the perfect number for your kitchen.
You may decide on putting new kitchen floor in your kitchen. By putting in a new kitchen floor, you immediately update the look of your home. You may choose tile flooring, wood flooring, laminate wood flooring, carpeting, cork flooring and more. Consult with a professional instead of doing-it-yourself as a professional will let you know which type of flooring is best for you. Even if you do not agree with the professional, you can have the flooring of your choice installed, after all, it is your home and you are the one who will be living there.
Another kitchen remodeling idea is to get a new sink. Choose a funky red color if it matches your d?�cor. You may stick with another stainless steel sink. Whatever color of sink you choose make sure it is a color you will love for the rest of your life in case you never move from this home.
Now may be the time to install a laundry room right off of your kitchen so that you do not have to traipse up and down the stairs every time you do laundry. A professional may need to knock a wall out or overhaul a spare room that is close …

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