Part of being a homeowner is making sure that your house is well-maintained and in good repair. While some homes may require more attention than others, there’s usually something that needs taking care of every year. The average homeowner will usually spend one to four percent of their house’s market value on maintenance and repairs. As houses age, or when they are subjected to extreme weather conditions, they will usually require more attention.

Taking Care of Your Roof

Experts recommend that roofs should be inspected at least once or twice a year under normal conditions. Houses that are located in areas which experience inclement weather tend to need more frequent inspections and repairs, however. In some instances, homeowners may choose to have metal roofs installed because they can withstand high winds, hail, snow, and debris.
Making sure gutters are in good repair is also important. Since debris can clog gutters and prevent them from functioning optimally, h

Every homeowner has encountered the inevitable clogged drain. It’s tempting to fill your sinks and showers with Drano and to forget about them, but this comes at a high cost. Lye-based unclogging products eat away at glue holding your pipes together, and as the chemicals react with the other chemicals in your plumbing system, they can generate heat that results in any number of plumbing disasters. Here, we’ll look at four of the biggest causes of clogged drains, what you can do to prevent them, and how you’ll know when it’s time to bring in a professional.

Grease, Fat, and Oil

Plumbing experts agree that buildups of cooking grease and fat can cause major blockages in your kitchen draining system if they accumulate over time. It may be tempting to put all of your cooking leftovers down the garbage disposal, but unless you have a grease disposal, leftover fats f

Your plants need nourishment just like you do, and if you want to keep your plants healthy ad growing you need to make sure they get all the nutrients they need. Food for rooting plants is essential to their health, especially if they’re in the process of rooting, and here are some ways you can promote that health using root enhancer and root starter, which, when combined with a fertilizer, will ensure your plants achieve their maximum potential for growth.

What Is a Root Enhancer?

A root enhancer, or root booster, helps your plant to expand the reach of its roots. The root enhancer works with the roots your plant already has in order to keep both the enhancer and the roots healthy.

How Does it Work?

All plants need six important nutrients. Three are available from the air and from water (carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen), but there are three that have to come from the soil or from something like a deep root fertilizer. Those three are potassium, phosphorus, and nitro

Parents often do everything within their power to make sure that their children are safe. They carefully screen babysitters; they meticulously go through the house looking for sharp corners that need to be covered; they painstakingly put up any and all chemicals and medications that could be harmful. In all of these efforts that they make, however, many parents overlook the one thing that they should be doing to make sure that their entire family is living in a safe home. They do not take the time or invest the money to conduct radon testing.
Although the majority of homes that are bought and sold in many parts of the country require radon testing before a deal can be closed, paying attention to this tasteless, odorless, and invisible gas is often ignored once the final papers have been sold. Even buyers who know that the seller had to go through extensive Continue Reading No Comments

Summer is just around the corner — and that means the heat is on its way too. While summer is enjoyable when you’re at the beach or having a nice picnic, hot summer days can be miserable if your home isn’t properly cooled. So it’s important to make sure your house is prepared to handle the heat. Consider these few tips to keep you and your family cool this summer.

Plant some shade trees: If you’re someone who enjoys gardening and landscaping in spring, then you may want to consider planting your trees and shrubbery strategically. While it may seem like greenery won’t do much to help keep your home cool, a well-placed tree can actually make a big difference in keeping you cool. By planting shade trees in particularly sunny areas on your property, you can enjoy some added shade to your home and some added beauty to your property at the same time.

Maximize airflow: For cool air to flow properly throughout your home, you should have everything as open as possible. This may mean keeping doors open, ensuring registers are open, and getting your ceiling or floor fans ready. To ensure airflow is maximized, you should make sure any furniture that may be blocking vents is moved. Additionally, you may want to make sure all of your windows are in good shape so you can keep them open on those cool summer nights. With the right air flow, you can be sure to enjoy a cool, comfortable home this summer.

Get your HVAC maintenance done early: Unfortunately, many homeowners fail to keep up with their HVAC maintenance. But the reality is that to keep an HVAC system working as efficiently as possible, you should have maintenance inspections done twice a year. Preventative HVAC maintenance, and HVAC repair if necessary, is key to ensuring your air conditioner starts up without a hitch when summer arrives. If you fail to have your cooling system serviced now, you may end up facing a broken unit when you go to turn on the AC. So to avoid being left in the heat, get your HVAC system looked at now.

Lack of preparation can be detrimental when it comes to preparing for the summer heat. But if you follow these tips, you’re sure to have a nice cool and comfortable summer.

There are dozens of magazines about remodeling that could be found on any given newsstand today. Some are greater than others, encapsulating the main elements of putting together quality publications that actually mean something. So there are, for the uninitiated, some elements that separate great magazines about remodeling from poorer ones. Four in particular are explained in greater detail below. Most strong magazines about remodeling will often use professional remodelers to write their columns and help fill up their editorial pages. These publications know that they are not the end all and be all of information about remodeling, so they leave these specific topics to highly trained experts who are in the field every single day. These articles often come through as tutorials or as explanations of how s

Most people today think of hot tubs as sources of fun and leisure, but modern spas have several therapeutic uses. In fact, the first modern jacuzzi was invented to mitigate the symptoms of arthritis. Other researchers have begun to look into the effects that spas can have on physical and mental well being. With that in mind, here are just a few of the ways that hot tubs can heal your body and soul.

Soaking in hot tubs can reduce joint pain.

You may have noticed that you’re more buoyant in a swimming pool or bath. That’s because you only weigh about 10 % of your total body weight when you’re submerged. This means that taking a dip can reduce the pressure that gravity naturally puts on your joints.

Relaxing in a spa can help with diabetes and prevent weight gain.

In the United States, hot tubs and spas are generally heated to about 100 t

If you’re wondering about the levels of radon in your home, you’re not alone. There are serious dangers associated with continuous exposure to radon. In fact, statistics show that about 6% of homes throughout the United States have homes that are either at or above the EPA’s action level. It’s important to know that homes with high levels of radon are extremely dangerous. Considering that, it’s important to have radon testing conducted within your home. With that in mind, here are three tips to follow while preparing for a radon test.

1. Leave Windows and Doors Shut Before Testing
   While many learn the importance of keeping home openings closed before a radon test, there are misconceptions. One of the biggest misconceptions is how long to keep windows and doors shut. Experts recommend that you leave these openings shut for at least 24 hours be

There are a lot of things that can blast your glass, and glass door manufacturers are always looking for the best way to make high impact glass for hurricane sliding glass doors. Here’s why glass door manufacturers are so busy, how impact glass doors and windows work, and what you need to think about before you buy.

Why Hurricane Glass Doors Are Crucial

During the 20th century there were 158 hurricanes that hit the United States. Florida saw the most hits, with 57 impacts, and Texas was second with 26. But hurricanes can and do strike all along the lower East Coast and Gulf regions, especially during hurricane season, which runs, officially, from June 1 through Nov 30 each year. As if hurricanes weren’t enough for glass door manufacturers to have to plan for, it’s also not uncommon for a hurricane to spawn a tornado. In 1992, Hurrican

Father’s Day is a funny kind of holiday. After another full year of providing for their families, many wives and children give gifts that only encourage more work!
From lawn mowers to bags of mulch, there are many families who are convinced that Dad wants nothing more than to spend another day outside working in the yard. Other families, however, are taking a different approach, and instead of expecting their Dads to do even more work are planning for the work to be done by someone else.
In fact, by purchasing a gift card for barkdust specialists to come out and take care of the work, a family is giving a real gift. Landscape improvements are a great achievement, but if you want to make sure that your Dad really has a great day, instead of giving him another tool or power toy, instead pay for an expert like a barkdust specialist to come out and help upgrade