Month: January 2020

Whether you’re still picking up pine needles and tinsel from the holidays, or just bored from being cooped up inside all winter long, you may want to consider a mid-winter deep clean of your home. Not only will it feel good to clean up the space, but it’ll help get rid of some of the wintertime germs that may be trapped and floating around your home.

Here are a few ways to keep your home tidy and germ-free throughout the winter this year. 

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5 Home Cleaning Tips for Your Mid-Winter Deep Clean

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1. Change your air filters

If you haven’t changed your HVAC air filters in the last three months, now’s the time to do it. If you don’t, your system will be sending dust and grime back out into the air you breathe in all winter long.

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Winter Home Maintenance Tip:
If your filters are in great shape but the house just isn’t staying warm, try sealing up windows with caulk or weather stripping to trap warm air inside.

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2. Disinfect carpets

Steam cleaning your carpets can help you stay healthy through the winter and extend the life of your carpet as well. You can rent a steam cleaner at your local hardware store for around $30.

And don’t worry about opening the windows afterward – because your home’s air is warmer and usually drier in the wintertime, the moisture from your cleaned carpets will dissipate more easily into the air. With the help of a fan or two in the room, you won’t have to worry about mildew developing. 

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3. Wipe down furniture

Keep winter germs off your couch, coffee table, and other furniture with a quick wipe down.

Leather furniture can be vacuumed with a soft brush attachment and then wiped down with a damp cloth using an equal-parts mixture of water and white vinegar.

Wood furniture or ceiling fans can be wiped down using a two-to-one mixture of water and white vinegar (a few drops of dish soap can be added if needed).

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4. De-grease the oven

If your oven got a lot of use over the holidays, there may be grease or burnt food on the inside. Give it a thorough cleaning to keep it working properly and safely.

Cleaning your oven can prevent fire hazards and make your oven work better. Most ovens come with a self-cleaning feature, but you can also scrub your oven down with different mixtures.

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5. Sweep the chimney

There are over 25,000 chimney fires per year in the United States, with the majority being caused by a build up of creosote over the years. That’s why cleaning your fireplace chimney is a must to keep your home safe this winter.

If you’re noticing more smoke than usual when you light your fires, you may have an issue with your damper, or need to have the chimney professionally cleaned. Chimney sweeping is not a DIY job, so always call a professional to take care of it. 

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Need help with winter maintenance?
Call the home experts at Handyman Connection

Call Handyman Connection today. We’re a general handyman services company offering a variety of services – including snow removal – to help maintain and repair your home all winter long. 

The post 5 Home Cleaning Tips for Winter appeared first on Handyman Connection.

A paint job is the most cost-effective way to completely transform the look and feel of your home. A fresh coat of paint can turn a shabby space into a clean, modern and updated one. If you are planning on selling your home now or later, Surrey Painters can help you make a better impression on those future buyers. Plus, painting the home will increase your property’s resale value too.

Painting to sell a home should be approached a little differently than painting for personal taste. When done wisely, it can have a great return on investment and help with the sale of your property. Here are some tips from Blue Chip Painting in Surrey:

Touch up the trim.

Interior trim, including the baseboards, window and door frames, can take a beating over the years. Sometimes just painting the trim with a fresh, semi-gloss white can improve the look and feel of a space. If the trim looks worse for wear and is covered with dings, dents and blemishes, touch it up before you list your home for sale.

Choose colours that appeal to the masses.

Every experienced real estate agent will tell you to choose neutral colours when painting a home to put on the market. Light, natural colours will appeal to a greater number of people than bright or bold colour choices. Colours like light grey, white, cream and beige are all good options. It will lighten up the space and allow buyers to imagine their own furniture and décor in the room. A bold colour, while it might be your favourite, could turn off potential buyers. Read more about fool-proof paint colours that will sell your home.

Avoid using products that are not environmentally friendly.

When you hire painters in Surrey, like Blue Chip Painting, they will use paint products that have low or no VOC. VOCs are volatile organic compounds and they’re found in some construction products including paint. While they’re becoming less common, cheaper products can still contain VOCs. These products emit and off-gas that produces a chemical smell. It’s bad for the environment and your health too. No buyer will be impressed with your paint job if it stinks and is toxic to their health.

Don’t forget the exterior.

Some homeowners won’t want to invest in an entire exterior paint job before selling, but there are some smaller things you can do to increase curb appeal and resale value. One of those things is painting the front door and trim. If your front door is worn out, a fresh coat of paint can completely rejuvenate it and help your house stand out on the block. Just like touching up your interior trim, painting the exterior trim can also give your home the facelift it needs for a quick and profitable sale.

Ready to paint? Contact Blue Chip Painting!

 

This post first appeared on https://blog.renovationfind.com

This post first appeared on https://www.homebuilding.co.uk

When undergoing home renovations, you may seek the expertise of a general contractor. General contractors are knowledgeable about home projects and renovations. They have years of experience and know-how to get any job done right. However, when using a general contractor, it may be difficult to know if you’ve found a good one.

4 O.A.K. Construction in Edmonton is a professional general contracting and home renovation company. They share some important tips on how to find a quality contractor:

They check in with you frequently

House renovations can be full of surprises. There may be things behind the walls that weren’t originally anticipated, layout changes that have to be made, or design choices that won’t work out. The general contractor on your project should be informing you of these issues when they arise. Not only that, but checking in with daily updates shows that they care about and consider your needs throughout the process.

In addition to checking in, they should let you if they are ever behind schedule. That way, you and the people working on your home can adjust accordingly, and look at what steps need to be taken in the future.

They respect your home

General contractors are stepping into a space that isn’t their own. They should be taking necessary precautions to keep your space clean and prevent unnecessary damages. This can be evidenced by covering furniture when painting or sanding, watching out for walls to avoid denting or watching out for features that aren’t part of the renovation process.

They give you an accurate quote

Renovations to your home aren’t cheap. When doing a project with the help of a general contractor, they should provide an estimate of what the project will cost. This includes materials, labor, and perhaps a contingency for any problems that may arise. They should communicate clearly whenever something ends up costing more than the estimate, or unexpected expenses are encountered. If you find that your general contractor isn’t giving you accurate numbers or can’t provide a solid cost estimate in writing, hire someone else.

General Contractors in Edmonton

The general contractors at 4 O.A.K. Construction can take care of any project. Big or small, interior or exterior. At 4 O.A.K. we understand that your house isn’t just a building, it is your home. All of our work is done in a manner that respects your property and your family.

If you are in need of a quality general contractor, contact 4 O.A.K. today!

This post first appeared on https://blog.renovationfind.com

Making sure that the water tank in your home is properly functioning is an important responsibility of any homeowner. With a few easy maintenance steps, you will be able to keep your hot water tank running properly, and have it last long into the future. Here are some ways to maintain your hot water tank to improve its lifespan from Loewen Plumbing & Gas Fitting Ltd. in Edmonton.

Flush your water tank once a year

Depending on which model of hot water tank you have, this may vary. You can probably find instructions on how to do so somewhere on the tank. Still, flushing it out once a year will improve the efficiency of the tank. There may be a build-up that can accumulate in the tank, which can cause problems with the tank. It can lead to a decrease in the lifespan, and the complete replacement of the tank. Flushing it out will ensure that it remains effective, and cause fewer problems in the future.

Check the anode rod

The anode rod is a metal piece of the hot water tank that hangs inside. It’s responsible for protecting your hot water tank from rusting. A sign that it may need to be replaced is if it’s beginning to show signs of corroded material. This can be harmful to the water and the tank. The anode rod can be replaced as a solo part if caught early, but if left to long may result in damage to the entire tank.

Give it a visual inspection periodically. 

Hot water tanks are usually fine – until they’re not – and then you can have a leak or even a flood. If you have an older tank, it’s important to give it a visual inspection periodically. Look near the top of the tank where the pipes enter and check for leaks or corrosion. If there is an issue at the top of the tank, it can usually be fixed.

You should also look around the bottom of the tank for signs of wear or possible leaks. Sometimes, there is corrosion near the bottom of the tank caused by settled sediment. This can cause the bottom of the tank to leak or even come off if it’s not caught quickly. If your tank is showing signs of wear and leakage at the bottom, or it’s more than 10 years old, it might be time to replace it.

Insulating the tank

Insulating your hot water tank will improve how efficient the tank heats up. If you were to insulate it, it takes less energy for the tank to warm up the water. It only has to be done once rather than periodically, making it an easy task to do. You’ll save money on your bills, have hot water, and have a properly functioning tank.

Plumbers in Edmonton

Your home is as important to you as the service is to Loewen Plumbing. With their friendly, reliable and quality workmanship, you will always feel confident choosing them for your plumbing needs.

Looking for help with your hot water tank? Contact Loewen Plumbing & Gas Fitting Ltd. today!

This post first appeared on https://blog.renovationfind.com

This post first appeared on https://www.homebuilding.co.uk

This post first appeared on https://www.homebuilding.co.uk

While the holidays have come to an end, the cold winter weather has not in most places. How is your home standing up to this year’s wintry test?

Winter weather is harsh on even the sturdiest of homes, but with a little foresight and the help of a local handyman, you can make your home safer and stop cold-related home wear-and-tear before it starts. Here are a few winter maintenance tips to keep your home protected from the cold all the way through to the spring.

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5 Winter Maintenance Tips to Keep Your Home Warm and Safe

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1. Seal leaky doors and windows

Have you noticed a gap between your door seal and the frame? You might benefit from sealing your doors and windows with either weather stripping, self-stick plastic or even an insert. In addition to staying warmer, you’ll also enjoy your lowered heating bill even as the coldest winter months approach.

2. Get rid of gutter icicles

Anyone who’s seen A Christmas Story knows the dangers of gutter icicles – but they can also be damaging to your home. Because water expands as it freezes, ice can crack or warp your gutters, causing major drainage issues come springtime. If you notice that your gutters have frozen, have a home maintenance professional help you clear them out before things get out of hand. And if you’re looking to replace them in the spring, make sure to choose the right gutters for your home’s look and climate.

3. Check your outdoor dryer vent

If you’ve recently had a major snowfall, check your exterior dryer vent to make sure that it hasn’t been covered up by snow. A blocked dryer vent can eventually freeze, causing your dryer to not function properly, or worse, catch fire. In some cases, a blocked dryer vent can cause carbon monoxide to build up in your laundry room, which can be dangerous to yourself and your family. If your dryer vent’s placement is the problem, an experienced handyman can help you reroute it to a safer spot.

4. Test your sump pump

Sump pumps are meant to prevent floods and water damage to your home, but winter’s freezing temperatures can complicate their jobs. While you shouldn’t unplug your sump pump in the winter, make sure the discharge hose is disconnected prior to a bout of cold weather – if it freezes, it’ll be useless. Also, make sure to have a backup hose on hand in case your primary one freezes or cracks in the cold. Check the sump pump pit to make sure there’s no ice or debris and test it regularly. When in doubt, call in a plumbing professional to make sure it’s ready to handle the melting snow come springtime.

5. Protect exterior pipes

You’ll want to protect your pipes from the cold air as well. Unless you catch it early, a frozen pipe can crack, unleashing a flood of water into your home and costing you a fortune in repair bills. There are several different ways to adequately protect your pipes from freezing, but the right solution will vary from home to home – you can call an experienced local handyman to make sure the job is done right.

Need help tackling your winter home maintenance list? Call Handyman Connection

Handyman Connection offers general handyman services to help you with every aspect of winterizing your home, from top to bottom. Our team of experienced craftsmen will evaluate your home’s needs, walk you through the solutions and implement the right one for you.

The post Winter Maintenance Tips to Protect Your Home appeared first on Handyman Connection.

The reason is simple, it is a lack of insulation!

The first question is: why is there a lack of insulation?

The second question is: how do I fix this?

Energy Savers Insulation explains why below

The answer to the first question is builders rarely insulate the subfloor of the bonus room. They insulate the ceiling of the garage, but leave a void above the insulation and below the floor or the bonus room. Their solution is to run heat ducts into the cavity, commonly referred to as a hot box. This does not work in Alberta’s climate. The temperature inside the cavity will be the same as the temperature outside. The idea with the hotbox is that your furnace will heat this space. However, your furnace runs for approximately two minutes, every 20 minutes or so. Now the air and the metal pipes for the ducts are going to be very cold, so your furnace spends energy just trying to heat the ducts. This is why your heat registers in the bonus room blow cold air for the first minute of the furnace cycle. Once the ducts are warmed up, they will blow warm air, by that time the furnace shuts off as the rest of the house has warmed up. It’s a tremendous waste of energy and never works. The answer I most commonly hear from builders as to why they do this, “it’s the way we’ve always done it”.

So then, how do you fix it? It’s actually fairly simple. If it is a new build and the garage ceiling has not been put up, the subfloor and perimeter of the cavity can be spray foamed. If it is a home already finish then we can offer a process called a blow-in blanket. We remove a small section of the garage ceiling, directly below the bonus room (20”x20”). Once we have access to the cavity we will fill it completely full of chemical free insulation. By removing all the air and space the cold will no longer fill the cavity, your bonus room will be warm and your heating cost will go down!

For more information, contact Energy Savers Insulation.

Also, visit the Energy Savers Insulation Blog for more helpful tips.

 

This post first appeared on https://blog.renovationfind.com

Fireplaces can be a centerpiece in a home. It’s a place where the family or guests can gather together and spend time with one another in a comfortable space. Choosing the look of your fireplace can change the look and energy of your home, as well as be a focal point in the space it’s found. Typically, a type of stone may be used to design it, and professional masonry is a great choice to consider.

Justin Avery Masonry in Edmonton shares how you can use the masonry design to customize your fireplace.

Choosing your stone

First and foremost, you’ll need to choose a material to design with. There are many different choices, including brick, thin brick, metamorphic or sedimentary stone, limestone, quartz, and other types of stone. All of these different kinds of stone have different textures and looks, so choosing a specific material for the fireplace design you want. For example, something like brick may be more rustic looking, but at the same time can be painted or framed in a certain way to suit your vision. This is something Justin Avery Masonry can help with.

Choosing the pattern

Once you’ve decided on the stone, it’s time to decide how you want to lay it out. You can stick to the basic pattern with straight rows, or play with the stones and create your own pattern to individualize the look as much as you choose. This may depend on the thickness of stones, the length, or various textures. You can also decide if you want the stone around the firebox, to include a hearth and if the stone will be installed up the wall to create a chimney-effect. With gas or electric fireplaces, there is no official chimney, so adding can really make your fireplace look authentic.

Installing the stones

Hiring a masonry contractor to help install the stone on your fireplace is very beneficial. They will be able to make your vision a reality, as well as offer expertise on different things you may want to try. They will get the job done quickly and effectively, completing the space to your liking for everyone to enjoy. Installing brick and stone is something you should always leave to the professionals.

Masonry Contractors in Edmonton

Justin Avery Masonry specializes in face brick, thin brick, manufactured stone, natural stone installations and more. They have decades of combined experience in the trade, offering design and solutions with regards to any masonry install. Whether it’s a new build or renovation you can trust them to guide you through the process and selections. They make it simple and saving you time and worry while making positive changes to your living space!

Check out Justin Avery Masonry today!

This post first appeared on https://blog.renovationfind.com