Basement Remodeling

Having A Hard Time With Landscaping? Keep Reading

Laura

Whether you are looking to do a small maintenance project or a major overhaul, take the time to do some research first. If you don’t know what you’re up against, you’re highly likely to fail. Reading this article will help you get your landscaping project under control.

Fill your yard with native plants. Native plants require less maintenance as they are already in their ideal climate. Thus, they are a great choice for anyone who is unwilling or unable to spend a lot of time on maintenance. Information is readily available at any local gardening store regarding which plants may be native to your location.

Choose quality products over cheap ones. In many home improvement stores you will normally find low-quality products. Visiting a store that specializes in landscaping will net you higher quality products with the added benefit of being able to get advice on your product choices from the employees. You may pay slightly more at these stores, but in the long run the products and help you get will be worth it.

You can save money by timing purchases. For instance, winter is the best time to purchase lumber, while shrubs, mulch, and tress should be bought later on in the season. When a new species of plant is introduced, you can save money by waiting a few years before buying your specimen.

Measure the area in which you will be working before you start buying plants or other supplies. You will be able to determine the quantities of products needed much easier with proper measurements. Doing this will ensure you buy the right amount of various products.

Next time you mow the lawn, consider leaving the cut grass where it falls. This will give good nutrients to the lawn and grass and you won’t need to add as much fertilizer.

Don’t underestimate the importance of quality plants and products. There are many places to buy discount supplies, but the quality is often questionable. If you are a landscaping novice, a specialty store will cost more, but have the quality and advice that you need.

Use curved borders on your plantings when you’re landscaping your yard. Use rounded shapes to have better visual appeal as opposed to straight, squared-off borders. When people look at your yard from the curb, they will see a softer design that stands in pleasant contrast to the sharper lines of the home itself.

If you choose to landscape your property by yourself, sit down and figure out what the costs will be. Just take a bit of time to think about what additions you want to make and do some research on them. Next, figure out where you can get all of the materials. Depending on where you live, prices can vary greatly. Do your research to figure out where you can buy high quality items within your budget.

Landscaping is similar to any renovation you do in your home and just a small about of knowledge can go a long way. …

House Improvements

Unhappy With An Aspect Of Your Home? Do Something About It!

Laura

Many people assume that professionals are always needed when it comes to home improvement, but that’s not always true. The tips from this article will allow you to make any home improvements you desire. You’ll find that handling the work yourself can be a lot easier if you heed the following advice.

Go with real floors over laminate if you have the money. Although laminate might look real and be easy to clean, you cannot refinish it. Having real wood floors means that in a decade or two, you or the new home owner will have the option of refinishing instead of replacing the floor.

Lampshades all look the same. Get cheap stencils at the crafts store, an ink pad or acrylic paint, and try dabbing the designs around the shade. This will add a little personality to any room, and give your lighting source an interesting effect.

If you door still squeaks despite your best efforts to remedy the situation, it may just need a new hinge. It’s easy to buy door hinges at any home improvement center. Removing the old hinge and installing the new one is an easy project. Line up all the parts and put in new pins.

Think about installing insulation. Put in weather stripping around your windows and doors. Your heating and cooling systems will be more efficient if you can reduce the amount of outside air entering your home. That is going to mean savings on your utility bills.

Shut off your house’s water supply when your home improvement work takes you into the kitchen or the bathroom. Find the shutoff for water in your home before you begin any kind of work on rooms that use water. This will ensure a flood does not happen.

Use light colors to create a soothing atmosphere: purple, green or blue often work well. When choosing fabrics, use airy materials such as linen or cotton. A bit potpourri and a scented candle can go a long way to maintaining the peaceful aura.

If an older person lives with you, you should plan your house in a way so that it’s safe for them to live in. Showers that are easily stepped in are safer and easier for them to use and will reduce the chances of slip and fall injuries. Other things that can be incorporated include 36-inch doors and grab bars in the bathroom.

Apply a glaze to your bathroom to improve its looks. A fresh coat of glaze will help your bathroom look new. While replacing your bathroom floors or fixtures is costly, a bathroom can typically be glazed for only a few hundred dollars. This is a good way to increase your home’s value without spending very much money.

With any luck, the information you’ve just read will help you in your future projects. The fact that you have chosen this article tells us that you have big plans for your home! You can get the work done yourself and achieve your goals …

Home Contractors

Improve Your Home Security With These Awesome Tips

Laura

Just how much does home security matter to you? Do you think that most major security companies are too costly? Do you wish there were cheaper solutions available to you? Well, they could be hiding directly under your nose. Read on for home security tips, both big and small.

Once you buy a house, switch out the locks. You don’t know the exact number of copies of that key the previous owners have or have handed out. Hire a locksmith so that you can be sure you are the only person who can access your home. Also, if you ever lose your keys, do the same.

Home security systems offer other triggering features besides having an alarm sound. The majority of systems are able to be set to put out an alert when any individual enters the home. This can be valuable to parents with small children as they are made aware their child has opened or closed a door.

Be sure to keep your car in your garage rather than filling your garage with stored belongings. In this way, your car will be safer. You will not have to worry about thieves taking your car if it is inside your garage. Keeping your car out of sight is also good for thwarting burglars’ attempts to determine when you are likely to be away from home.

Don’t be afraid to know the people who live near you. Build up a rapport with the people who own homes close to yours. Ask them to keep an eye on your home, and do the same thing for them. It’s best to be in on any rumors in the area. You can learn of important security information, including if strangers have been lurking.

People who live rurally often don’t think about home security. Some people think that country folk are mainly targeted since they don’t have nearby neighbors. Still, many believe that rural environments are less frequently targeted by burglars.

Even the wires inside your home are worth something. A lot of people do not know this until a thief steals them from the house. Copper is expensive and most wiring is composed of it, so stripping it is a great way for crooks to make a quick buck. In order to protect yourself from this risk, make sure wires on your house are difficult to find and hard to access.

If your home isn’t new, replace the locks. Although the tenant before might have turned their key in, they might still have a duplicate key. You can install locks yourself to make sure you’re the only one who has a key.

Ask for ID before letting anyone into your home. They might not be who you think they are. This is dangerous for your family and your possessions. Be deliberate in preventing hazards.

Your budget will tell you which security measures you can put in place. Use the inexpensive methods of securing your home if you cannot afford the more expensive ones. …

Home Renovation

Sound And Easy Steps To Effective Home Improvements

Laura

All homeowners want to make improvements on their houses. This article has a lot of tips that can help you. Imagine the sense of accomplishment you’ll feel when see the results of your home improvement efforts. Read the next few paragraphs to get more information.

A great tip for home improvement is to personalize any project you undertake. You will enjoy your home much more if it reflects who you are.

You can freshen up the look of any room by changing the flooring. You can choose to get it professionally installed or do it yourself. Be sure to seek advice before deciding which method is preferable.

Even if certain home improvement supplies look like a great deal, you should do some comparison shopping before you buy them. For example, new flooring prices can greatly vary. You can enlist the help of bargain basements and discount supply houses.

Refrain from purchasing sofas or couches with a lot of designs on them. Your whole home gets decorated around that busy pattern. Buy your furniture in solid tones such as green, brown, blue, black or beige and use your accessories to benefit your furniture. Patterns can then be easily updated at a later time, so as never to look dated and old-fashioned.

Try insulating your home for your next project. Put weather-stripping onto all of your windows and doors. Your energy bill will be more affordable as you weatherize your home. These small measures will add up to big savings in the long run.

Sealant strips and draft excluders can keep air from seeping out door cracks. Draft excluders are used under a door to stop warm air from escaping and prevent cold air from entering. Find sealant strips that go around the door frames. Just about any hardware store will have them in stock.

Things like gutters and chimneys are forgotten about when most people are making home improvements. Make sure to inspect these parts of your home so you can make necessary repairs. If your chimney is not cleaned regularly it may catch fire, and downspouts and gutters may become obstructed with debris, this can result in water damage when not addressed.

It is normal for the caning on chairs to begin to sag with time. Thankfully, there’s an easy way to restore your old caning back to its original state. Wet a sponge and apply it to the bottom of the caning that’s sagging. It’s got to be warm water. Let the caning dry overnight. Keep repeating until it’s repaired.

Use old baby food jars to add organization to your workspace. Glue the screw tops underneath some shelving. Use the jars to store small items like screws or beads. Arrange the jars under the shelf. You’ll maximize the use of the shelf and get a second use out of all those jars.

Do you want to start making some improvements to your home? If so, you are certainly not the only one out there. Clearly, the right tips and …

General Article

Replacement Windows – 12 Questions to Ask Before Investing in New Windows

Laura

Replacement Windows – 12 Questions to Ask Before Investing in New Windows

Unlike ordinary everyday purchases, consumers do not invest in home improvement projects very often. As a result, they do not really have the experience or knowledge to properly evaluate the competency and business ethics of the person or company who will be working on their home.

Major investments require major understanding. Do not let your education come from a bad experience. Investigate the following twelve questions before choosing a contractor and committing to any major home remodeling project.

How do you know you will pleased with the final outcome of your project? Find the right contractor by visiting their place of business, talking with their past and present customers, and by viewing photos and samples of their work.

Why is it necessary for all parties to be present for discussions? All concerned parties need to be present for all discussions so that all expectations can be met.

Is the contractor legally and adequately insured and bonded? Contractors need to have four types of insurance to protect themselves, as well as you and your home.

Who is the company you are investing with? Ask what affiliations the contractor belongs to, such as professional networking groups and chambers of commerce. Professional affiliations are a way for a contractor to constantly learn about their industry, keep current on industry trends, connect with other professionals in their field, and lend credibility to their business.

Does the company put an emphasis on customer satisfaction? Information such as customer satisfaction survey results and information about how a conflict was resolved, will give you a better idea about they way the contractor does business.

What options are offered to enhance the finished job? It is nice to have options to make your project even better than you imagined.

What is important to include in a contract? If it is not in writing, it is not happening!

What is involved in the right installation? Get details regarding what the contractor is responsible for and what you may be responsible for before, during, and after the installation.

What is really covered in the warranty? Ask questions regarding the warranty up front. Find out what is covered, how long it is covered, who to call if service is needed in the future, and if labor is included in the warranty.

How to evaluate long term performance? Evaluate the value, strength, durability, and long-term maintenance of the contractor’s product and installation.

How to evaluate energy saving potential? Evaluate the entire system, not the individual parts of the product. Ask about money saving tax credits and energy saving pledges.

What is the right price? Beware of unexpected add-ons at the end. Most consumer dissatisfaction involves the low bid contractor who does not provide the long-term value that a homeowner wants and needs. Look for value, not just a cheap price.

After you have asked potential contractors these important questions and received relevant answers, you should feel comfortable making an informed …

Bathroom Renovations

Brilliant Pest Control Tips You Can Start Using Today

Laura

Distress. Frustration. Both of these words aptly describe the feelings you experience when you find out that you are sharing your home with pests. Not having the slightest idea how to go about fixing the problem can be even worse. Thankfully, you have come the best place for learning how to quickly eliminate them. This article will give you some great tips for getting rid of pests that have invaded your house.

Use steel wool to plug in openings where rodents can enter. This metal is too strong for their teeth. Any opening bigger than half an inch should be plugged. Small pests can squeeze through these tiny openings.

One effective approach to control your pest problem is to vacuum every rug in the house. This will get rid of anything that you don’t see that may be contributing to the problem. You should toss the bag afterwards.

Get to the root of the problem. If pests are an issue for you, find out what is causing them. Things such as food, water and available shelter all make your home tempting to pests. Search for and eliminate leaks, exposed food and structural damage that allows pests to enter your home.

If you have a problem with mice, use mints to address the issue. Mint around your foundation of the house will help, and it’s a perennial. This will keep mice from wanting to live there. Mint leaves are a great tool when trying to ward off mice. This will get rid of the mice if you use fresh leaves.

It is wonderful to have light outside but it might bring bugs. Choose bulbs in colors of pink, orange or yellow if you want pests to be less attracted.

It can work really well to use an electronic repellent for pests in and around your home. If you plug these gadgets into a wall socket, they emit noise that rodents do not like. Even though humans can hear it, the sound does not harm people or animals at all. Rodents will leave the vicinity since the sound bothers them.

Be sure to store dry goods in sealed plastic storage canisters. Most dry foods come in bags or boxes, which means pests can get through easily. Transfer dried goods into sealed bags after every trip to the grocery store. The use of plastic containers allows you to keep food fresh for a longer time and keep pests out.

Try killing flying insects in your home with hairspray. This is entirely safe for you as well as any pets, but works to eliminate the insects. Hairspray adheres to the insects, preventing them from reaching water and food. This is particularly useful for fighting bees that fly into your home.

Your outdoor lights will attract pests. Try to keep these lights away from the entrances of your home. You can also reduce the chances of these bugs getting in your home by using yellow or orange lights that bugs are not attracted to as …

Home Remodeling

Solid Advice To Help You With Pest Control

Laura

All sorts of animals look for ways to enter homes and make it their permanent residence. These pests carry disease with them and present serious health risks. Continue to learn more about getting rid of these unwanted pests.

Stuff steel wool into holes that pests could enter through. Rodents are unable to chew through the steel fibers. Be sure to fill all openings larger than 1/2 an inch. Mice can easily squeeze in the tiniest cracks.

Airborne pests can be thwarted if you fix any tears or holes in screens on doors and windows. Such screens are great for preventing the entry of flying insects, but they also keep crawlers out too. Fix or replace any holes or tears in your screens to seal off pests.

Plant new trees farther away from your home to cut down on rats and mice in your house. Rodents can actually climb the trees and gain access to the home through the roof. Trees should sit no less than 15 feet from the house.

Be sure your recycled goods are properly rinsed. Soda cans especially are important to rinse because of the sugar. Be sure they are thoroughly cleaned before putting it in the garage or outside.

To control pests, take a look at your plumbing. Be sure that there are no clogged drains or sinks around or in your home. There is delicious organic matter in the pipes that bugs love. Check drains once a month to ensure they are free of clogs.

You may be concerned about rodents entering your house. You need to look at your home’s exterior for small openings that animals can squeeze through. Try putting some steel wool in the holes. Mustard oil may work as well.

Make sure mosquitoes have no place to hang out in your home. If you notice any standing water, make sure you drain it. Mosquitoes do not need large amounts of water to thrive. A mosquito could lay eggs in some dirty dishes or in a food can.

Mice and other rodents love to sleep in campers stored outside throughout the winter months. There are natural repellents out there that can discourage them. Bags of repellents that smell good aren’t poisonous, but keep mice out of your camper or RV.

Make sure that you do not incorporate rat poison in your pest control regimen if you have a dog or cat. A dog or cat can easily ingest poisons that are on these rodents if they should happen to catch one. Also, you will want to avoid this if you have babies or young children around the house. Young children have a tendency to put everything they find in their mouths.

Getting these pests out of your house is hard, but the advice described here should give you a good start. In order to get results, you have to invest the required effort into the task. Use what you learned from the above article and get those pesky pests out of your …

General Article

Why Old Windows Are Worth Saving

Laura

Why Old Windows Are Worth Saving

Historic windows, most notably double-hung windows were brilliantly designed. They have several benefits that are simply not found in a replacement window today that make them an important architectural feature to save. And I believe that once you understand how they work and their ultimate value to your home you’ll want to save them if at all possible.

1. They Are Efficient

Contrary to popular belief old windows can be an efficient part of your home’s envelope. The problem is that many old windows have either lost their weather stripping or never had it to begin with. Adding this important element can really increase your old window’s efficiency and make them competitive with a replacement window.

And if efficiency truly is important to you, the addition of a historic storm window can bring an original window’s performance up to 94% of the efficiency of a replacement double-paned, low-e window at a fraction of the cost.

2. They Add Value

A large part of the value of any old or historic home is the presence of original details like windows. Most buyers of these types of homes appreciate and expect to find these original details and will pay a premium for homes without replacements. And to find to house with restored original windows along with other original elements is a rare gem that commands a much higher selling price.

3. They Are Incredibly Resilient

Original wood windows on homes built before WWII are more than likely made from “old-growth” lumber. This wood came from the huge virgin forests that once covered North America. As this supply of wood was depleted we slowly turned to tree farms to keep up with our growing demand. But “old-growth” wood is a far superior product than any wood you can buy today. Due to the slower growth patterns “old-growth” wood is stronger, more stable (less prone to cup and warp), and more resistant to insects and rot. Why you would ever plan on replacing this far superior wood with a vinyl or aluminum clad replacement window is beyond me.

4. They Are Simple & Easy to Repair

The more complicated something is the more likely it is to break. And windows are no exception to this rule. Historic windows operate on a simple rope and pulley counterweight system. Sash cords are fit into holes mortised into the side of the sash and then run over a pulley and tied to a iron weight which is hidden in a pocket inside the window jamb. These weights provide perfect balance and a smooth almost weightless operation to the window.

In addition, there are no seals to wear out or gaskets to dry up on an old window. It is a simple solid wood frame with a piece of glass held in place by little metal points called glazing points and then glazed with a natural putty that provides a flexible seal for decades. When the putty dries up after 40 years …

Renovation House

Organic Gardening Advice That Everyone Should Know

Laura

Organic gardening is a hobby that anybody can do in order to relax. However, for a beginner, the whole gardening experience can be a very intimidating thing to enter into. So, what exactly should a novice learn and do when they want to start growing plants? Well, a great place to start is with the following helpful article!

When you are organic gardening, ask your children to lend a hand. Helping a garden grow is an excellent learning experience for kids, and it allows your family to spend time together while creating healthy, nutritious foods.

Don’t underestimate pine as a great mulch. Some plants are more acidic, and prefer soil that contains higher acidic levels. For these types of plants, pine needles are wonderful for mulching. Spread a few inches of pine needles on your organic beds so that it will put the acid into your soil.

Try using coffee grounds on the soil. Coffee grounds are filled with nutritional elements plants need, such as nitrogen. Many times, nitrogen is a limiting nutrient in soils. Adding coffee grounds or compost can add nitrogen to your soils will help your plants grow tall and healthy.

Paying attention to spacing is important. Many people don’t realize exactly how much space a plant needs when it grows. The plants will inevitably need to unfurl and spread, but they also need the circulation of air from open spaces. Plan accordingly and put an appropriate amount of distance between seeds.

Within your composting heap, ensure that there is an equal split of dried and green plant materials. Garden wastes, such as grass clippings, are classified as green materials. Dried material includes straw, shredded paper, and cardboard. Do not include charcoal, ashes, meat, carnivorous animal manure or diseased plants.

If you are planting seeds in containers, a good rule of thumb is that the seed’s depth should be around three times its overall size. Certain seeds are an exception to that rule, since they require sunlight to germinate, so they should be barely covered or not at all. Petunia and ageratum seeds need direct sunlight, for example. If you are not sure whether your seeds need to be exposed to sunlight, resources are usually provided with the seeds or can be found online.

If slugs are disrupting the balance of your garden, you can diminish their population by using a beer trap. Place a jar into the soil so that the top of it’s mouth rests parallel with the soil. Now, fill the jar with beer to approximately an inch below the lip. Slugs are attracted to the beer and become trapped in the container.

Your authenticity as an organic grower is solidified when you obtain the organic gardening certification. With this, you and your crops are credible and 100% legitimately organic. This is important for your business and to your customers. This can boost sales and tell loyal customers that you’re providing the best to them.

It should now be clear to you why so …

Home Improvement Contractors

Can’t Go With The Flow? Try These Solid Plumbing Tips

Laura

It really shows when you take the time do learn how to do the plumbing yourself. It shows in the aspect that you obviously care about your property and want to make sure things are done properly. These are great attitudes to have. There is always room for improvement regardless of your initial abilities. Read on for some handy advice.

If you discover a frozen water pipe, turn on a nearby faucet so that thawed ice has a place to go. This will relive some of the pressure, and could prevent cracks from appearing.

You do not give the plumber all the money until he is finished with his work. Although you might be required to pay a down payment before the job is initiated, never pay the bill in full until you are certain that the job is completed to your satisfaction. If you pay everything up front, you have no recourse if the plumber doesn’t finish the job or doesn’t do it correctly.

If your toilet gets clogged, there is a low level of water in toilet, and the plunger is not working, you may fix the problem by dumping warm water from a bucket into your toilet from about waist level. After the water level in the toilet bowl has gone down, you can repeat the procedure until the blockage is cleared.

Feel the floors around the toilets to see if they are soft; this will help you know if you have any damage. Sit in a reversed position, putting one foot on each side of the toilet and shift your weight from side to side to check if the floor feels slightly unstable. It could potentially save money by discovering any problems before too much damage occurs.

You should put a strainer over your drains to catch anything that could clog your drain up. Clean debris from these strainers after each use. Keep the bathroom drains cleaned out too.

To maintain your garbage disposal and avoid malfunction, you should regularly clean it. Prevent unsavory disposal odors through regular use of citrus peel, cherry pits and dish detergent.

Regularly check your overflow holes to make sure they’re not clogged. Overflow holes are used in case the sink starts to overfill, which may not seem like a big problem–until it is. Take the time to clean out the overflow holes as you go through your house doing your regular checks for various issues.

Use a cleaner that is enzyme based if you want to clean clogged pipes. Enzyme cleaners contain bacteria that digest through solid sludge, making it weak enough to be flushed out. Enzyme cleaners should be your first choice.

No matter what plumber you use, you should know a little about him before he comes to the door. Even if your insurance company assigns a plumber to you, you can get online and learn his name and the quality of his work. Even if your insurance provider has assigned you someone of their choosing, find out …