Remodel

Home Maintenance – Extend The Life Of Your Siding

May 13, 2022 Comments Off

All to often vegetation too close to the home is the reason for dry rot and siding damage. The sad part is this is totally avoidable and almost always happens due to either neglect, misinformation or the belief that your landscaper is taking care of it. In homes with wood siding, trim, or overhangs, this always turns up on home inspection reports.
So where do I start?
Start Simple: check to make sure that all sprinkler heads are at least 18″ from the structure and that the sprayers are pointed away from the home. Make sure that all plants are at least 6″ away from wood siding. Remember moisture is woods worst enemy and the more your siding can breath the dryer it will stay. Make sure that all of your gutters & down spouts are working correctly, effective rain water directing can make a huge difference in only a 10 year period.
Go a Step Farther: Check to see that any brick veneer has all edges caulked so no water can get behind. IVY IS BAD. if you have ivy growing on your home and it is a wood frame structure, you need to cut it down. The feelers from the ivy break through the cracks in the weak mortar of brick veneer and delivers moisture to the wood framing year round. Ivy follows the sun upwards and works its way into roof sheathing and eventually roof composition. If you have an entire brick or stone building ivy can not hurt you until it reaches the roof line, the ivy should always be kept off of the overhang.
Keep It Off The Ground! Wood siding and mudsills need to be a minimum of 6″ above grade when dirt and 2″ above grade when concrete. If you do not have this clearance then you need to dig down the soil grade to achieve this. After lowering the grade it needs to have a grade away from the home of 2″ down for 18″ out. if you don’t have this clearance on concrete, your options may be limited. the first step is to locate the hight of the mudsill. if the mudsill is 3″ off grade or more, then you can just cut the siding 2″ off the concrete and still maintain a good siding overlap. if the mud sill is lower than 3″ then the best bet is to cut the siding up 1/4″- 3/8″ off of the concrete grade with an undercut saw. clean out new gap at bottom of siding and fill with Sikaflex premium waterproof caulking.
Keep It Painted! A good coat of primer and paint every few years isn’t just to keep up with the jones’, it’s also to keep up to date the proper protections against sun and rain.…

Things to Consider in Your Bathroom Designs

May 4, 2022 Comments Off

It is important that you should consider the right bathroom designs. Your room design will assist you in creating an ideal interior appearance of your bathroom. It will make the room amazingly attractive and lovely.

Here are the vital parts of the bathroom that you should greatly consider when creating it or making some necessary improvements. Use these guidelines in making a new look for it.

Consider the shower curtain. The curtain is one of the most important parts of your bathroom. Take into account the curtain’s design, color and material used. This will all contribute to the total ambience of the room.

It is significant that you should only use the curtain that blends to the appearance of your bathroom designs. It must fit to the theme of the room as well as to other fixtures.

Consider the bathtub. The bathtub provides a great impression to the room design. It can tell whether the designer is a traditional type or a modern type. This can be based on its design such as the normal rectangular tub or new tub with different sizes and shapes.

In addition, it is best to choose the tub that will make you comfortable in using.

Consider the bathroom flooring. The flooring provides a great impact to the mood of the room. It creates an addition appeal to the user. It is important that you should take into account the material used for the flooring.

The material used creates a significant difference to the room. This refers to average flooring and stunning flooring.

Consider the pedestal sinks. This also adds to the ambience of the room. Choosing the best pedestal sinks can make your bathroom impressive. They come in decorative forms and style. Choose only the best that could fit your taste.

Always choose the best fixtures that you will include in your bathroom designs. This will help you enjoy a great bathroom experience.…

Summer Home Maintenance Checklist

April 17, 2022 Comments Off

Here’s a home maintenance schedule to help you and your home get through the summer no matter the climate where you live. Check off our summer home maintenance checklist to keep track…

Keeping cool will entail some work – stay indoors with this summer home maintenance schedule:

Inspect ceiling fans making sure the blades are well balanced and rotating in the right direction for proper cool air dispersal.

Repair stuck or sticking windows and doors.

Spray lubricant or silicone to sliding window tracks to withstand the constant opening and shutting. But first apply a good degreasing cleaner to the track, let it soak awhile and scrub the track with a screwdriver wrapped in a rag.

Replace washing machine hoses if they’re cracked, bulging or a few years old. Ditto for the drier.

Change the air conditioning system filter monthly.

Have chimneys cleaned through and through.

If necessary, spray for insects in gaps and around ducts and outlets.

Lubricate locks, hinges, and latches. Test the alarm system.

Lubricate garage door rolls and guides; ventilate the garage well – you don’t want to melt equipment that can’t handle the heat.

Don’t let the heat distract you – stay on task with this outdoor summer home maintenance checklist

Repair cracks in gutters and downspouts after clearing out all debris.

Mend fissures in the exterior house siding; look for holes that pests might use to get inside.

Touch up paint or stain on the house, any fencing or other woodwork.

Check the driveway – does it require repairs or resealing?

Examine and repair caulking in windows.

Trim trees and shrubs away from home and roof.

Look closely for carpenter ant and termite infestation. Survey trees for insect holes. Treat fire ant mounds with grits or borax.

Repair or replace rotten or peeling patio and deck floorboards – don’t forget to reseal them. Smooth out sharp corners too.

Clean the barbecue and grill; ensure that valves/connections/hoses are working and in good condition.

Inspect outdoor furniture for mildew; wipe it down before entertaining.

Inspect children’s outdoor play equipment. Tighten loose bolts and cover them with plastic protectors.

Eradicate garbage can odor – spray well with water and follow up with disinfectant. Rinse well after 10 minutes and flip over to dry.

Mow the lawn weekly, but not golf-course short – the grass retains water better and soil quality is healthier.

Sadly for summer lovers it’s also time to think ahead to fall. Beat the autumn home maintenance schedule and cleaning rush: find price breaks from carpet cleaners, gutter installers, window washers and heating specialists with , your community connection!…

Ideas For Your Bathroom Remodel

April 9, 2022 Comments Off

When you go to sell your home, you will find that potential sellers are very interested in your bathrooms and kitchen. This is because the kitchen is a central meeting and gathering place in any house and a fair amount of time is spent in the bathrooms as well. Additionally, the guest bathroom needs to look nice as all your guests will use it and it is a reflection of you.
Bathroom design is big business and you will need no more evidence of that than a trip to your local home improvement store. It used to be that about all you could do to liven up your bathroom was to buy a new shower curtain but now you can easily spend hundreds and even thousands of dollars making improvements. You can buy designer faucets, mirrors, bathtubs, sinks and all sorts of other bathroom accessories. The things you can do to improve the look of your bathrooms is almost limitless.
Anytime you set out to do a bathroom remodel, you should remember that the cabinets are one of the most important parts you need to get right. When a person enters your bathroom, the first things they see are your shower curtain (assuming it is pulled closed) and the cabinets. You need to have cabinets that are proportionally the right size for the bathroom and are the right color as well. You can always buy custom made cabinets if you don’t like the ones for sale in your local stores.
Bathroom mirrors and proper lighting is also an important aspect of a nice bathroom that you should not overlook. People use the mirror in bathrooms for grooming and you need to make sure they are large enough and well lit. Bathroom mirrors now can be bought in all sorts of sizes and shapes to fit well with all sorts of decors but you always need to make sure they function well first as a mirror. A mirror that is fancy or small may look good but it may not be functional which is not good.
Finally, make sure the colors in your bathroom all work well together. Nothing makes a bathroom look sillier than the wrong colors that don’t look right. While the colors in your bathroom don’t necessarily have to match those of the rest of the house, they should look appropriate for the setting. Dark shades of colors might not be the best choice because they will make the room look darker and people need to be able to see what they are doing in the bathroom. The colors you choose will set the tone for the room so choose them carefully.…

How To Choose The Best Bathroom Designs?

April 7, 2022 Comments Off

Our concern during the redecoration has been limited to the living room and the bedroom, ignoring the bathroom completely. It was usually only after the tiles behind the tub ballooned into a mess that the homeowner would pay attention to it. Nothing, however, ever remains the same. Bathrooms are not considered a corner of the house which can be ignored anymore. The idea of a bathroom has gone through an immense change in people’s mind lately.
Their bathrooms are being designed and decorated with as much care as any of their other rooms. The myriad styles and range of colours offered in the market when it comes to bathroom finishing is a major reason behind this. Whether it is a large bathroom at a mansion, or perhaps a smaller apartment bathroom, this range of finishing is great at adding value to it. Whatever equipment is used in the bathroom has also become a tool to make the bathroom look better. There’s much more to the imagination. One can select from numerous tiles and accessories available today. Then again, one needs to keep in mind about the space of the bathroom when it comes to major fixtures. Everything, ranging from whirlpools to saunas to bars, is widely available today.
And it is obvious that most of the changes are defined by limited space. Whirlpools have become the rage in the ’80s, but most were designed to fit the space of the tub they are trying to replace. But nowadays, showers and whirlpools are the best combination. Pedestal sinks have also gained popularity because of their ability to utilize space in the best manner possible. The size of the room, as a result, seems large.
A shower stall can be used in place of the bathtub and it comes with a whirlpool. With ample space available, people now give a higher priority to luxury, over practicality and prefer to spend more on, say a bathtub. If you can afford space and some extra money, a luxurious and wide bathtub will be the best buy. Shape and size considerations have taken a back seat, people prefer going in for something that it is different.
Homeowners have always given preference to practicality even though the ideas of comfort, luxury and looks are catching up. A bathroom that tidies itself up will still take time to develop. People will have to clean up their bathrooms themselves since the idea hasn’t been materialized just yet. Bathroom wash basins have long-necked taps which can be comfortable cleaned, at the same time shower stalls also add style to the room and keep the room clean. The bathroom will remain problem free if better materials, like cast iron are used. Cast iron bathroom fixtures are very strong and do not sink into the ground.
Getting your bathroom renovated is an expensive job and many people do not want to add the high cost of cast iron, so they buy porcelain or any similar material. The most popular material used in bathroom renovation is porcelain.
To redo a complete three piece bathroom would cost at least $6,000 for materials and installation. Few people bother only about the product, not about the money. One such person spent $40000 on the renovation of his bathroom. After the person spent this amount, he could boast of having black marble tiling, smoked glass mirrors and gold plated fixtures in his bathroom. The modernization of the bathroom had nothing missing when the pictorial windows and skylights were installed.…

Becoming The Handyman Of The House

March 27, 2022 Comments Off

For most homeowners even the simplest repair may seem daunting. They can be baffled by something as routine as changing a light bulb. Small wonder now that we are converting to fluorescent lamps from the old incandescent, in an effort to go “Green.” They don’t even follow the same rating system they we are all familiar with. The question becomes “where to begin?” But this article isn’t about light-bulbs, it’s about stepping back, taking a deep breath and putting your brains together with your muscle to tackle the basic home maintenance tasks that most of us must cope with routinely. With a little effort you’ll build the confidence to take on that leaky faucet or broken window.
Sizing up the job: Adding a garbage disposal, changing a ceiling fan or light switch, or replacing a window screen all involve the same process: selecting the proper tools and materials, and learning the necessary steps to completing the task at hand. So the first thing is to do a little research to find out the proper technique specific to the job.
Troubleshooting the problem: Developing good troubleshooting skills is vital and begins with acquiring knowledge of how things work. You cannot isolate a problem if you don’t understand how a particular system and it’s components are intended to function, whether were talking plumbing, electromechanical or structural systems. You can start by doing a little online research. You’ll find a number of useful sites for the rookie or the expert. Once you have a basic understanding of how “it” works you can begin the process of isolating the location of the defective part of other difficulty. Water leaks are often easy to spot.
Getting advice: Project clinics are offered at home improvement outlets like The Home Depot and Lowe’s. Check their schedules for upcoming events and plan accordingly. Community Colleges also offer useful adult education courses. Your public library can be a good source for reference material. This will provide you an opportunity to review texts that you may eventually want to add to your personal collection of how-to manuals. This could save you money by avoiding unnecessary purchases. If you are repairing a minor problem with one of your home’s appliances you can often refer to a technical support number for assistance.
Size matters: You’ll find that when it comes to nuts & bolts, plumbing & hardware parts or building materials, you name it there can be a variety of sizes and grades to meet the needs of every job. When it comes to replacing parts that you understand there may be an assortment and not all are interchangeable. Call ahead before going to the local hardware and builder’s supply to determine your specific needs. Take the old part along for matching purposes just to be sure. The fact that fasteners come in Metric and SAE standards as well as fine and coarse thread can necessitate a return trip that wastes time, gas and energy.
Selecting the proper materials: There are often different grades and quality of parts and materials. This is true of lumber, drywall, plumbing, electrical and most other types of construction materials. The pipe specified for your project will depend on whether repairing/replacing/installing a gas, water-line, or drain. There are many factors to consider. Develop a rapport with your local hardware store and you’ll find a wealth of knowledge at your disposal. Most businesses pride themselves on providing you with the basic knowledge in addition to quality customer service. Helping you get the job done right insures a happy customer and repeat business for the merchant.
Safety First When attempting to do any type of home repair you should always make safety a top priority. Following common sense rules such as – always using tools for their intended purpose – is the simplest way to prevent unnecessary injury. When you are working on plumbing or electrical circuits you will always want to shut off the power or water supply. Turning off power at the breaker box will insure against electrical shocks; simply turning off a wall switch before changing a ceiling lamp or fan does not properly interrupt the supply. When changing a faucet it may be possible to use a shut-off valve located below the sink. For other jobs it may be necessary to turn off the supply to the entire house.
Always consult the safety instructions when using power tools. Be sure to use the right tool for the job. This means selecting a durable tool with enough capacity for the job. A broken tool can result in injury or damage. A quality tool is worth the price and can provide years of faithful service if cared for properly. While using a ladder, it is best to follow standard rules of safety, and never exceed your ladder’s …

Advanced And To The Point Tips On How To Avoid Plumbing Disasters

February 26, 2022 Comments Off

Residents of any house must be ready to face the challenges of any emergency. The residents must prepare themselves accordingly. There may be an emergency due to some plumbing disaster. You must take necessary actions and do essential security measures to know how to avoid plumbing disasters.
These disasters could occur at any time, but in winter there is large number of chances. In winter, there are greater possibilities of freezing of water inside the pipes and it may cause you some serious injuries. Also, the bursting of pipes could cause lot of expenses and fatal consequences. You must be extra careful and must get full calculated information about how to handle a plumbing nightmare.
You can avoid freezing of water inside the pipes though excellent precautionary measures. Before the winter season, you must disconnect all outside hoses and do the draining of water from these pipes. For disconnecting outside garden hoses and taps from inside the pipes, you must use an inside valve for closing. All these actions will help you in avoiding the bursting of out-siding pipes.
After having sufficient information about how to overcome disasters, you will be able to avoid any fatal disaster. Although, there is hot area inside the house, but still there is an option of some freezing of water in some less hot areas. So, you must cover these pipes and faucets with proper insulation. Insulation of such pipe can be made by the use of heat tape, insulating sleeve, or thermostatic heat cables. It is strongly suggested to follow the guidelines of manufacturers in order to apply any method of insulation.
In order to avoid any plumbing disaster, you must also seal all the doors and air ventilations. As it is necessary to have proper ventilation of water heaters or ovens, you should not plug these ventilations. You must remove air leaks around the electrical wirings, pipes, and dryer ventilations. In case of any leaks, it is necessary for every member of your family to know about how to overcome this type of disaster. Every member must have basic knowledge about main valve, which must be closed in case of any emergency.
Necessary steps must be taken by you to keep the pipes warm and also to maintain temperature at some safe level. For this purpose, you must maintain the temperature of your house at 55 degrees Fahrenheit. Even you are not at home, you could do it easily. If you are away then you must close the main valve of your water supply system.
In order to avoid any plumbing disaster during the cold nights, you must left taps open to continue flow of water. Because, it helps in raising the temperature of water and as a result water does not freeze. You could see the natural example of lake water and water falls.
If you are living in a moderate climate and you do not have much protection then you must know about how to avoid plumbing disasters. There may be a surprise change in the weather conditions of some areas, so it is necessary to do excellent precautionary measures.…

CASTLEMANAGER

Because Care begins at Home