Blog (Page 26)
Asphalt Driveway Repair Tips for Homeowners
Asphalt, also known as blacktop, is not only a durable substance to use for a driveway, but it has some advantages over other options like concrete and parking pads. Concrete, for example, is not terribly malleable once it hardens, which can be problematic if the earth moves, if it is hit by hard objects, or if cracks form and water gets inside and freezes. Asphalt, on the other hand, is somewhat more elastic and therefore better equipped to handle cold... ❯❯❯
5 Internet Controlled Thermostat Benefits for Homeowners
These days, everything is smarter – from the phones we carry in our pockets to the appliances we use in our homes. With the advances made in digital and wireless technology, not only can people communicate on a more global level, but we have also been given the opportunity to complete basic tasks remotely. This is the case with Internet enabled HVAC thermostats. If you are due for a new air conditioner, you may want to think about equipping your home with... ❯❯❯
Spray Foam Insulation Benefits for Homeowners
If you’re someone who’s serious about energy efficiency, then we’re pretty sure that you are constantly looking for ways to make your home “greener”. You may have solar panels. You may have appliances with the Energy Star label on them. You may have double-pane windows too. But did you know that there’s another effective way to reduce the energy costs that you have? All you have to do is make sure that you have the right amount of insulation in your... ❯❯❯
How to Conduct Your Own Home Energy Audit and Evaluation
Conducting your home energy audit is easy, but it is first important to understand why it is so imperative to conduct and energy audit in the first place. If you suspect that your home is using an excess amount of energy, there could be a chance that you are widening your home’s carbon footprint and contributing to the greenhouse gasses that are being released into the atmosphere. As these gasses build up, it is causing strange and catastrophic weather... ❯❯❯
5 DIY Home Improvement Projects You Can Tackle Now
Home improvement projects often sound daunting and overwhelming. Some changes can require lots of prep work, money and experience. However, there are other projects that are simple but dramatic as well! Here are 5 home improvement projects that you can tackle now when looking for projects to do around the house. Caulk windows and doors to improve home insulation. Over time and through the cold and hot seasons, windows and doors with expand and... ❯❯❯
How to Eliminate Phantom Loads to Save Energy at Home
If you’re someone who prides yourself on being proactive when it comes to conserving energy in your home, then there’s a pretty good chance that you’ve done things like install a programmable thermostat, add some LED lights and put full loads into your dishwasher and washer and dryer. But what have you done about the phantom loads that are in the various rooms of your house? If you’re not sure what phantom loads are, basically they are devices that... ❯❯❯
5 Fall and Winter Home Energy Conservation Tips
Winterizing your home is a multi-step process that usually involves taking down screens, putting up storm windows, and cleaning the fall leaves out of gutters and downspouts before they freeze. But while these activities will certainly help to protect your home during inclement winter weather, they aren’t really enough to offer you the energy-efficiency that will keep you warm and lower your utility bills throughout the long months of this chilly season.... ❯❯❯
How to Screen a Home Service Contractor Before You Hire
There are all kinds of tasks that could require you to hire home service contractors. When you hear the word “contractor” you might think of someone who owns a contracting business that hires out for home renovations. But home service contractors can also include the skilled and experienced technicians you hire to inspect, clean, and repair your HVAC system, or the companies that contract out for a variety of home maintenance tasks like cleaning gutters,... ❯❯❯
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Hiring a Pool Contractor
Not everyone is lucky enough to have their own private swimming pool. In some areas the winter weather makes the prospect of an outdoor pool downright ludicrous. But even if you live in a region that enjoys temperate climes year-round, you still need yard space large enough to accommodate a pool, as well as the cash or credit line to build and maintain this pricy aquatic structure. That said, if you’re keen to beat the summer heat with the aid of your own... ❯❯❯
Building a Natural Swimming Pool: 5 Things to Consider First
If you’re someone who loves to swim, so much in fact that you’re seriously considering building one in your backyard, have you ever considered forgoing a conventional swimming pool design and going with a natural swimming pool instead? By taking this approach, not only do you end up exposing your body to a lot less chemicals but natural swimming pools are better for the environment overall. If this seems like something you would be interested in doing... ❯❯❯
Is It Better to Rent or Buy Your Dream Beach Home?
Owning a beach home is a dream for many people. While living in the city can certainly offer you access to amenities, and life in the burbs provides a lot of bang for your buck, you may be ready for something a little different. And a beach home can offer you the gorgeous views, lilting water sounds, wildlife sightings, and general ambience that you won’t find anywhere else, all in one neat package. The main downside, of course, is the cost. And if you’re... ❯❯❯
Horse Stable Design Tips for Equestrian Property Owners
If you’re someone who owns horses and you have enough property to build some stables for them, you might be curious about the types of designs that will be attractive on your land and more importantly, suitable for your horses. That’s actually what this article is all about. So, before you look into hiring a contractor to start building a stable for you, we wanted to take out a moment and offer you a few suggestions on what you should consider when... ❯❯❯
Should You Resurface or Remodel Your Swimming Pool?
If you haven’t noticed – the weather is getting warmer. This means that the painfully long winter is over and it is time to enjoy some fun in the sun. It also means that you will be spending time in your swimming pool. But what happens when you pull back your pool cover and realize that your swimming pool suffered through the winter worse than you did? If this is the case, you are in a bit of a predicament, because now you have to make a decision – do you... ❯❯❯
Tips For Those Planning to Self-Build
In the modern technological world where things are constantly changing, evolving and trying to improve to become better, it seems like you can’t own a phone or a laptop for three months without it becoming obsolete. It seems like in the past few years the same rule of ‘newer is better’ seems to apply to houses as well. There has been a rise in popularity of buying run down old homes in ideal locations, demolishing them and then building entirely new,... ❯❯❯
Preparing for a Renovation
When it comes to a large scale renovation of an important room in the house, such as a kitchen or bathroom, it is important to remember that you will not be able to use that room for the next few days or even weeks while renovations are taking place. It may seem like common sense, but in reality many people do not seem to realise how long full scale renovations actually take, particularly if you are making home improvements like knocking down or building... ❯❯❯
Effective Ways to Keep Your Home Warm in Freezing Weather
When it’s freezing outside, the last thing any of us want to do is come home to a house that is chilly too. Yet depending on the temperature outdoors and how tight our budget is, sometimes it can be a bit of a challenge figuring out how to stay nice and toasty without spending our entire paycheck in the process. Luckily, there are some effective ways to keep warm in bitterly cold weather; ways that can still keep some dollars in your pocket. If you’d... ❯❯❯
Common Mistakes Homeowners Make With Their HVAC Systems
When it’s burning up or freezing cold outside, one thing that we find ourselves being extremely thankful for is our HVAC system. After all, that is what helps to keep the rooms in our homes at a comfortable temperature all year-round. And since we’re pretty sure that you don’t want to go a day without being able to use your unit, it’s important to know about some of the common mistakes that homeowners tend to make; just so that you can avoid them and also... ❯❯❯
How to Reduce Heat Loss Through the Roof of Your Home
Anyone who paid attention in science class in elementary school knows that heat rises, so it should come as no surprise that your roof is one of the primary areas in your home where the heat you pay for can escape into the outside air. Unfortunately, this can lead to reduced energy efficiency in your home, as well as rising utility bills. And if you do nothing to pinpoint or correct the problem, your costs only stand to increase. However, you can find... ❯❯❯
Top 5 Tips and Tricks to Make the Ceiling in Your Home Look Higher
When you were first in the market for a house, one of the things that you might have found yourself looking for was a place that had high ceilings. Not only does it help to provide the illusion that the rooms inside of a house are larger than they may be, but high ceilings also bring about a lot of elegance and charm as well. Of course, if you’re reading this article, then it’s a pretty safe assumption that you didn’t get ceilings that were as high as... ❯❯❯
The Art of Home-improvement and the Practical Side of Refurbishment
Whenever you begin a home-improvement or domestic remodelling project, there is a tendency to become preoccupied with your choice of contemporary design trends. While this is an important aspect of the project, however, it is important not to lose sight of the practicalities involved with refurbishing a home or commercial property. These need careful consideration and attention to detail, as otherwise you will create a sub-standard quality of workmanship... ❯❯❯
