Preventing and Clearing Clogged Drains
Clogged drains are a fact of life that virtually everyone is going to encounter at some stage. Preventing clogged drains is far preferable to clearing them and can save a lot of More »
Best Gutter Protection System Available
Which is the Best Gutter System? Are you tired of spending your weekends cleaning your gutters? Have you been searching for a real solution to win your weekends back? We all know More »
Common Cause of Flooded Basements
Owning your own home is great, but it does require a bit of maintenance. Many homeowners will experience a flooded basement at some point. This can be a major problem if it More »
Does Painting Add Value To Your Home?
Will Painting Your Home Add Value? Painting is an inexpensive way of adding value to your home. This is true: of all options painting improves the appearance of your home, making it More »
Why Hiring a Fully Insured Contractor is Critical
What Homeowner’s Must Know Before Hiring Any Home Improvement Contractor You have decided to do a home improvement makeover for your home. Maybe a small addition, new deck and some roof repairs, More »
Preventing and Clearing Clogged Drains
Clogged drains are a fact of life that virtually everyone is going to encounter at some stage. Preventing clogged drains is far preferable to clearing them and can save a lot of time and money.
Clogged drains are ultimately the result of non-liquid substances finding their way into the drain. Most incidents are as a result of the build-up over time of waste that is poured into the drain.
The biggest culprits in clogging drains are fat and grease, hair, food particles and solid items that fall into the drain. The latter problem areas can be almost completely eliminated by fitting a fine mesh cover over the sink outlet. If objects fall into the toilet, remove them by hand and not by flushing. Never pour liquid fat or grease into a drain. These will congeal into a sticky mess to which other debris can adhere.
Clearing clogged drains ultimately means dislodging or removing the blockage. There are chemicals that are designed to essentially burn away whatever is causing the obstruction. The biggest problem with using these is that they can damage the pipe itself. Another drawback is that they often fail to remove the entire blockage and build-up begins again immediately.
For blocked sink drains, a plunger will usually get the job done. Run enough water into the sink to fully cover the plunger head. Place the plunger head over the drain outlet and push and pull vigorously.
If this does not work, carefully insert a wire coat hanger through the outlet and work it around. Then try the plunger again.
Next, if you can access the u-shaped sink trap, remove this and clean it out. If there is still a blockage, use an auger in the pipes. This is a tool like a corkscrew that is used to break up the blockage. A toilet auger is different to a sink auger.
If you have not succeeded by this stage, it is time to call the experts in. It may well work out cheaper to pay somebody who knows what they are doing than to fumble around and possibly do damage to walls, floors or pipes.
When you do call a professional service, make sure that you know who is going to be responsible for any damage in the event that the job goes wrong (if they accidentally burst a pipe for example).
Some professional services try to remove themselves from liability by using third-party contractors or franchisees to actually carry out the work. If the contractor causes damage, then your policy is unlikely to cover the damage and if the contractor is not insured you may end up having a massive bill.
Best Gutter Protection System Available
Which is the Best Gutter System?
Are you tired of spending your weekends cleaning your gutters? Have you been searching for a real solution to win your weekends back? We all know how important it is to maintain our gutters. We know that if gutters are not continuously cleaned and unclogged, then they will stop functioning as they are supposed to. Clogged gutters lead to broken gutters which have to be repaired or replaced, but that is the least damage a clogged gutter can cause. Clogged or damaged gutters do not divert rainwater away from the house as they are designed to. When rainwater is not diverted away from your home it can create major structural damage to your home. On the surface rainwater can damage siding and shingles, inside standing rainwater can destroy underlay, insulation, ceilings, and walls. There are several gutter systems on the market that are designed to modify your gutters to make them maintenance free. Installing one of these gutter systems means no more weekends spent cleaning damp leaves and debris from your gutters. How do you know which system is the best? How do you know which system will work? What is the difference? Below we have compiled a list of the most popular gutter systems available to provide a side-by-side comparison.
Gutter Screens – Gutter screens are mesh screens that sit on top of your existing gutter. There are several options on the market for gutter screens. You will easily be able to find these at your local home improvement store. They are secured by a clip that locks onto the outer edge of your gutter. Gutter screens aim to prevent leaves and debris from entering the gutter thus leaving the path clear for rainwater to travel. Gutter screens will keep leaves, sticks and large pieces of debris from entering the gutter. The risk with gutter screens is that smaller pieces of debris can enter through gutter screens. Leaves that are lodged atop the gutter screen may also disintegrate and enter the gutter. If this happens you will be stuck once again cleaning the gutters but, this time you will have to remove and replace the gutter screen as well.
Gutter Inserts – Gutter inserts act as filters for the gutters. As with gutter screens, there are several manufacturers of gutter inserts and filters. They are usually made of foam and fit snugly inside the gutters. Gutter inserts filter the water entering the gutters to ensure that no debris can enter or clog the gutters. Gutter inserts are a great choice for gutter systems as it is very unlikely that any debris will escape the filter. Gutter inserts will disintegrate overtime however, so they are not a permanent solution.
Surface Tension Gutter Covers – Gutter covers cover the gutter nearly completely. Surface tension gutter covers are available through several independent companies and require professional installation. The edge of the gutter cover rolls up just before the end of the gutter. This design allows rainwater to enter the gutters while preventing debris from rolling in. Gutter Guard covers are a long term option for maintenance free gutters. As with the other options we have explored, the only drawback is that there is a possibility that objects may enter the gutter. With gutter covers it is more difficult to remove any debris that does enter because these are professionally installed.
Water Management Systems – Newer to the market, water management systems effectively become an extension of your existing roof. There are two names in water management systems currently available, both of which require a simple professional installation. Options for water management systems include Gutter Pro USA and Leaf Slugger. Both companies provide this revolutionary water management system that seamlessly connect to your roof and fit over your gutter. These systems completely re-direct the flow of water using the science of how water flows. It is virtually impossible for debris to enter your gutters with water management systems installed.
With so many options you may feel the need to do a bit more research. It is obvious that there are pros and cons associated with each type of gutter protection system. Some are designed to act as temporary solutions while others offer more permanent safeguards. We suggest running the numbers over the lifetime of your home. While it may seem most economical to go with one of the options that are self-installed, the disposable nature of these may end up costing you more in the long run.
Common Cause of Flooded Basements
Owning your own home is great, but it does require a bit of maintenance. Many homeowners will experience a flooded basement at some point. This can be a major problem if it is left untreated, but you can avoid this by learning what causes the basement to be flooded. The most common cause of a flooded basement is due to a clogged drain. This happens because twigs, leaves, and other debris can create build up in your gutters or drain lines. Cleaning a gutter or drain is such a hassle, and you could be spending your time doing something else.
Climbing ladders can lead to huge doctor bills if you should fall. According to the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission, about 165,000 Americans require medical treatment for ladder-related injuries each year. So, you will either have to risk cleaning the gutters and drains yourself or hire a professional to do the job. However, if left unattended, the clogged gutter or drain will cause a blockage to form, and it allows water to enter your home usually into your basement. This will destroy your furniture and the interior walls. The water will seep into the walls, where mold will form and could be a possible health concern. Water can ruin the houses foundation, making it extremely weak. If this should happen, you will need to repair the foundation. You can DIY, but this is not advised because you could get hurt. Cleaning the problem yourself is not a good idea because you can make the problem worse. Calling a professional is the easiest way to handle this situation. Professionals know how to repair your home, and fix these problems in a timely manner.
Gutter Pro USA and LeafSlugger offer a Water Management System that creates a new drainage system to stop clogged gutters and drains. These are specially designed covers to fit right over your existing gutter, eliminating any kind of blockage. They come in 12 different colors to compliment your home. This product has been proven effective and it keeps leaves out of your drain. You will not have to spend any more time cleaning those gutters and putting yourself in harm’s way. Buy a Gutter Protection System today to save yourself time and money of cleaning up that flooded basement.
Does Painting Add Value To Your Home?
Will Painting Your Home Add Value?
Painting is an inexpensive way of adding value to your home. This is true: of all options painting improves the appearance of your home, making it look much newer and cleaner, while being relatively low cost. A good, fresh paint job creates an excellent first impression and will be remembered when potential purchasers review all the homes they have looked at in the course of the day. “Curb Appeal” is known to be an important factor for getting a better price.
But be careful! Painting your home a garish color to make it “stand out” doesn’t work, it will be remembered all right, but not in a good way. Such colors substantially lower the value of a house, by far more than the cost of repainting. It is not for nothing that classy neighborhoods on TV programs usually have white houses. And this helps to subliminally reinforce the appeal of the color white, it is associated with a better class home.
Important points to consider:
• Your home should blend in with the neighborhood. A neighborhood attracts a certain type of buyer who is comfortable with a particular color scheme, so a home that complements the general ambience of the neighborhood usually fetches a better price. A color that doesn’t fit in makes a home hard to sell.
• White (or slightly off-white) with trim in a tasteful complementary color is a safe and popular choice for most neighborhoods. It has the advantage that it only takes one coat to keep it looking good and be acceptable, while changing the color of a house painted in something like red, orange, green or any really bright color, takes several coats.
• Try not to use the exact same color as your neighbors on all sides, but keep within the general appearance of the neighborhood.
• A neat painting job is important. That first good impression can be totally ruined by an uneven, messy finish, visible on closer inspection. So if you decide to save money by painting the house yourself, be sure you know how to finish it off properly or you may simply waste your money.
Apart from these factors you may need to fit in with neighborhood guidelines or there may be specific mandated guidelines for homes of historical significance.
Painting is indeed a good, relatively low-cost way of giving your home greater appeal and better value, as long as you use your common sense and do not stray too far from these guidelines. You could get advice from a local real estate agency before making you final decision, they would know which colors have the most appeal in your neighborhood.
Why Hiring a Fully Insured Contractor is Critical
What Homeowner’s Must Know Before Hiring Any Home Improvement Contractor
You have decided to do a home improvement makeover for your home. Maybe a small addition, new deck and some roof repairs, whatever it may be. During the construction, all of a sudden one of the contractor’s employees falls off of the roof and is injured. The next thing you know the injured employee is suing YOU for medical expenses and damages. The worst part is they will probably win. That is why hiring a fully insured contractor is critical.
If you were not aware before, you will be aware now. It’s not just sufficient for the contractor to show you a copy of his/her companies insurance certificate, you need one from the contractor’s insurance company that names you as an additional insured. With the homeowner being listed as additional insured, the homeowner would then be notified about any changes to the policy. These changes could be anything from the contractor decreasing his coverage, failure to pay premiums or possibly the contractor canceling the policy right after issuing you a certificate of insurance. Your contract should also include verbiage that full insurance coverage must be maintained for the complete duration of your project. Homeowners should also make sure they are aware of their current state laws concerning Worker’s Compensation. Some contractors are notorious for claiming their employees have all signed a Worker’s Compensation Release form. That may be true, but most states no longer acknowledge Worker’s Compensation release forms when there is an injury claim.
Most states require contractors to carry liability insurance along with workers compensation. There are some contractors that circumvent that obligation immediately after the contract has been signed. An additional form of insurance that you might seek is a policy that protects you from liens in the event the contractor fails to pay his suppliers or employees. Homeowners should request a state specific Wavier and Release of Liens form, from your contractor, suppliers and from any sub-contractors that were used on your project. Make sure you receive all Release of Liens forms before making final payment. Final payment conditions should also be included in your contract.
Of course the best insurance policy out there is free. This would be the contractor’s references. Check with the contractor’s previous customers, his suppliers, sub-contractors and the various local regulatory agencies. Any problem that shows up there will either bring peace of mind or raise great big red flags. Don’t forget to check with the Better Business Bureau as well.
Don’t get caught short by trying to be a “nice guy” and hiring a contractor just because he seems very nice and legitimate. This is your home, your pocket book and your life that you are putting on the line. Check, check and check again to make sure you have insurance coverage for any home improvement project where you hire a contractor.
5 Ways to Save Energy and Money Thru Home Improvements
Here are the Top 5 Energy Saving Home Improvement Tips. Remember, cut energy use and waste and you save money. It’s that simple. Heating accounts for 63% of home energy use according to statistics from the US department of Energy, with space heating accounting for 45% and water heating 18%. Cooling adds a further 9%.
Tip #1 – Install insulation or check how good your current insulation is and improve it. Barrier insulation is reasonably-priced and can help keep your home considerably warmer and cooler. Make sure the insulation isn’t damaged and hot water tanks and pipes are properly insulated. Remember most heat escapes thru the attic and roof, so barrier insulation really helps. Improving the insulation of your attic is one of the best ways to stop wasting energy.
Tip #2 Adding automatic timers to take advantage of time-based energy rates to reduce heating costs. Your timer could turn off the water heater and other big users of energy at peak times. Have a chart of peak times prominently displayed and time showers and cooking for off-peak times, if possible.
Tip #3 install an energy-efficient hot water heater and insulate it and your piping as well. Turn the hot water thermostat down to 120º or even lower – plenty warm enough for a comfortable shower – and take short showers. Check your heating system and drain air from hot-water radiators at least twice a year. Use reflectors on the wall behind radiators to throw heat back into the room. Save a third of the energy normally used for water heating and you save more energy than you use in cooking or for refrigerators and freezers.
Tip #4 Check for air leaks and drafts and seal. This should be done before you insulate, otherwise it may be difficult to access and seal leaks. A lot of energy can be wasted by air leaks.
Tip #5 Install energy efficient windows. This pays for itself in the long run. Heavy drapes are part of your system of insulation – open and close them as appropriate to control heat entering and leaving the home and reduce energy lost thru the windows.
Apart from these tips, turn equipment off when not in use and air dry dishes and hand washing whenever possible. Tumble dryers and dishwasher heating cycles use a lot of energy which can be saved. A comprehensive guide to saving energy can be downloaded from http://www.energysavers.gov/pdfs/energy_savers.pdf.
The more energy we can save at this the less dependent we as a nation are on foreign energy sources. Saving energy is one of the best things we can do for our country at this time – and you can benefit personally from lower charges as well.
Energy Saving Window Film or Window Replacement
Saving Energy – Window Tinting or Window Replacement
Window tint vs window replacement – what drives the choice? If your windows are in a bad state and the frames have reached the end of their useful lives, there is really no choice but to replace. If this is not the case then the options should be considered carefully.
Firstly, replacing windows (especially frames) is an expensive business, and energy savings don’t justify this. Savings on maintenance would help, but the payback period is probably still in the region of 10 years or longer, depending on the individual factors of each situation.
Applying a window tint is much lower cost and justifies itself economically much sooner. In fact, new windows would preferably be tinted as well. A low-e coating (the most effective type in terms of energy transmission) can substantially reduce the amount of energy entering and leaving the home thru the window area. As 54% of energy used on average in a home goes to heating and cooling the interior, this can represent a considerable saving from lower energy charges.
Another advantage of window tinting is increased privacy and security. Casual peeping toms are deterred and home security is enhanced by making it more difficult to locate valuables with a cursory glance. A much closer inspection would be necessary, and criminals are less likely to make themselves conspicuous in this way. Special security films are also available if security is a major issue.
Application of a tint film is straightforward, while repairs are also possible and inexpensive. A range of different colors and strengths of tint is available to suit the requirements of different environments and the owners’ preferences.
Many homes already have tinted windows. For those that don’t, improved tint film available today makes window-tinting a good, inexpensive option. Window tint vs window replacement isn’t really mutually exclusive, although their benefits do overlap to an extent: they are complementary products and the choice is driven by different factors and both may be needed in a particular case. But for pure cost-effective energy saving, the low-e window tint is the clear winner.