Everyone knows the value of getting a strong workout at the gym or on the track several days a week. Take care of your body and it will last. The same concept goes for your home. Take care of your home and not only will it last, but it will increase in value. Follow these tips from the experts on how to assess the condition of your home and increase curb appeal through some basic weekend projects. Grab a pad and pen, walk across the street from your home... ❯❯❯
Energy is money – that's a statement we keep hearing all the time, but what does it mean for the average homeowner in the United States? According to experts and recent studies, our homes are, by far, the largest energy consumers around. Cooling and heating our homes, cooking and other home related activities gobble up more energy than ever. Our homes are growing in size every year (data shows that the average American home is now 10% larger than 20 years... ❯❯❯
Tap water has featured quite a lot in the news as of late, and not for the right reasons. The controversy over the tap water in Flint, Michigan has led to a lot of paranoia about what exactly is going through pipes. Most of the time, these fears are baseless. The government keeps most taps safe and pure through rigorous inspection. The water is also treated to remove chemicals, bacteria, and other dangerous elements. The addition of chlorine, which is... ❯❯❯
As we swelter in the Florida summer the question is often asked: can I cut my electric bill by running the air conditioner less and using fans instead? The answer is yes, but it’s not as simple as just turning off the air conditioner and turning on the fans. If you want to cut down on your energy costs, it will take some planning, especially since the temperatures will be firmly in the 90's for the next few months. AC units use a lot of energy, with the... ❯❯❯
As a homeowner, it may sometimes feel like your work is never done. But between that noise the AC is making and the living document that is your honey-do list, it can be easy to forget how important your gutters are to the health and life of your home. But these, too, require a bit of elbow grease from time to time -- after all, they're not just there for decoration. Your gutter system serves the vital purpose of routing rainwater from the roof away from... ❯❯❯
Selling a piece of commercial or residential property at an auction may seem a little outdated, but that is in part because there are many misconceptions regarding this procedure. Selling property at an auction is easy and effective, and often beneficial cost-wise. In fact, selling property at auction can result in a faster sale and can increase the interest level in the property itself, which are two things often not found on the open market. Auctions... ❯❯❯
In house design, being transparent is not always an advantage. The humble window is the perfect example, often relegated to a secondary role both when it comes to making decisions about home improvements and looking at the various elements of a new house. Yet windows can be one of the most crucial parts of a house, influencing the quantity and quality of natural light as well as the temperature and energy requirements. To help you understand what a great... ❯❯❯
It’s impossible to prevent accidents from occurring, especially around the home. When they do happen, we can get into such a flap about things; it can be tricky to think straight. One of the easiest ways to calm down during one of these situations is to have handymen’s phone numbers saved in your cell phone. That way you cut out all the hassle of looking one up online. Having a handyman’s phone number at hand all the time helps you get things fixed as... ❯❯❯
Designing and building your ideal home is a fantastic opportunity. Instead of buying a new or used home, you can create somewhere that has the space, style and comfort that you require. It also allows you to incorporate certain materials such as glass or wood and create a practical layout. But it requires dedication, hard work and time to complete. Before you get started on building the house you’ve always dreamed of, read through these vital do’s and... ❯❯❯
When your water table is higher than the level of your basement, it essentially means that your basement is surrounded by water trapped in the earth. Left for long enough and without the necessary protective measures, your basement is bound to “absorb” some of this water. And when it rains heavily, your ground water level will rise, resulting in an increased likelihood of your basement becoming flooded. Rainier climates can see the risk of this at any... ❯❯❯
The UK housebuilding market might be enjoying a slow growth but homeowners are more and more reluctant to spare budgets for expensive home remodelling. Home improvement doesn’t have to be all about lavish property projects and complete home overhauls though. Most of the time, it’s actually the little things that can make a big difference and help you attract prospective buyers when the time comes to sell your property. A bit of wear and break down in... ❯❯❯
Image Source Getting locked out happens to everybody once in their lifetime. It’s very annoying, embarrassing, and can be dangerous if appliances have been left on, or a baby is stuck inside. A lot of people leave their keys inside the home, or perhaps something has become trapped in the door. Here’s what people should do if they do get locked out. Check the gate After getting locked out, the best thing to do is to wait in the back garden till help... ❯❯❯
Picture by Wikipedia So, it’s raining pretty hard, and you’ve found that the roof is leaking right?! You might not find it to be a massive problem just yet, but it could be if you don’t do anything about it. There are all sorts of reasons why your roof might be leaking, and it’s not always easy to diagnose the cause yourself. Some of these issues are potentially quite costly while others aren’t so much. Unfortunately, it’s something that has to be fixed,... ❯❯❯
Restaurant owners who have taken the plunge to include outside eating spaces are seeing big payoffs from their investments. An article featuring various restaurant owners and managers across New Jersey showed that the restaurants had experienced an increase in sales within a short period of setting up the outdoor spaces. One restaurant in particular saw an increase in 10% within a month of setting up. Setting up outdoor seating for restaurants is not... ❯❯❯
If I thought long and hard about all of the things I take for granted, hot showers would certainly be among them. Even in the heat of summer, I religiously enjoy at least one hot shower a day. These hot showers wouldn’t be possible without an under-rated fixture of the modern home: the water heater. You've probably got a tank hiding out in a closet somewhere, and I'm sure you're familiar with the basic premise. But there is actually quite a bit of... ❯❯❯
If you work in a building that contains warehouse facilities, then you know that you have countless tall racks lined up end to end. These racks no doubt contain many heavy and often valuable objects, and if they were to fall or become damaged, the toll could be immense. This is why it is essential that you guard these racks against any sort of foreseeable accident. To effectively prevent these sorts of accidents, your company needs to invest in the top of... ❯❯❯
When beginning the home buying process, most buyers start out with a list of their must have and nice to have features. After looking through several options in the resale market though, many buyers often come to the conclusion that they are just going to have to compromise on some things and likely not get exactly what they’re looking for. This doesn’t have to be the case, however. Although choosing a complete, ready to move in resale home may seem like... ❯❯❯
A rain gutter is a trough or a narrow channel that makes up an entire roofing system. It is responsible for collecting water as it runs off of the roof of your home and diverting it away from the roof and the foundation of the house. As you will see after reading this article, there are a number of advantages to installing rain gutters on your roof. Advantages of Rain Gutters Protection of Your Basement -- One of the leading reasons for water damage... ❯❯❯
Being a homeowner gives you plenty of opportunities to flex your creative muscles and test your DIY mettle. And this year could be a great time to start that new project, or get stuck into that home improvement at last. Of course, if you’re stuck for ideas, here are a couple of the best to inspire you: Garage Conversion So many people with integrated garages wish they could use that space for a good sized living area. It is also one of the most common... ❯❯❯
You’re moving into the big leagues, from tiny internet business to hulking, bulking brick-and-mortar enterprise. It’s the process that every overnight success story has to go through, elevating to a headquarters that isn’t your childhood bedroom. But finding a shop for sale isn’t as simple as jumping headfirst into a lease agreement and keeping your fingers crossed. Well, it is, but you’ll be regretting your risky decision-making within six months. Take... ❯❯❯