Archive for the ‘Home Repairs’ category

Water Hammer Woes

February 15th, 2012

Does your plumbing system suffer from water hammer? Is there a loud banging throughout the home every time a faucet is shut off? Have you been ignoring the noise in hopes that it will go away on its own? Well, if so, your hopes have been in vain. Water hammer is a serious plumbing problem that will only cause bigger problems if left unattended. Depending on the age of your home, you can probably guess which of the two major causes of water hammer that is plaguing your home. The repair or maintenance checkup must be performed by a professional plumber if you will have any hope of seeing this problem eliminated in your home.

Solving Your Air Hammer Problems

When there is not adequate ventilation within your pipe system, abruptly shutting off the flow of water will cause backlash throughout the plumbing system. This reverberation is what causes the hammering noise and it can cause real damage to your pipes if not taken care of quickly. » Read more: Water Hammer Woes

New Year, New Home!

January 25th, 2012

The beginning of a new year is usually taken a symbol of new beginnings, and maybe 2012 can be a year of new beginnings for your home. We all have our to- do lists and if you haven’t done much to make that list shrink odds are it is just getting bigger. These problems are not going to solve themselves, and we need to be honest when it comes to our limits as amateur handymen and women. Take a moment to assess your list or sit down and compile one if you haven’t done so already. Don’t just look at what you think you can handle, consider everything that goes into a job before you ever take it on. Over reaching could increase the cost of the repair and hiring a handyman pro may be a better option.

Consider This Before Tackling a Repair:

  • Time: Many of the jobs on your list will take more than a day to complete, especially if you have no experience with the repair. Many of us only have a couple days on the weekends to work with when it comes to finding time for these repairs, and if you don’t have the time, you need to accept that you are never going to get these jobs done on your own. The pros will be able to check many of those repairs off your list in one day!
  • Tools: Another aspect of performing repairs in the home is the supplies that are needed to complete the job. Many of us don’t have power tools, painting supplies, and other basic tools of the trade, and renting or buying them could make doing the repair on your own pointless. Consider all of your costs before taking on a job by yourself. » Read more: New Year, New Home!

Mounting Your New Flat Screen: Safety Concerns

December 14th, 2011

The hottest Christmas gift the past few years has been the flat screen TV. If you have not yet upgraded, you and your family are in the minority because these high tech televisions are not going away any time soon. If anything, they are just going to keep getting bigger and more popular. Whether you get one as a present or you invest in the upgrade on your own, our biggest concern when it comes to that television is safety. If you have small children in the home, the flat screen is a bigger hazard than you may have initially thought.

The Safety of Small Children

Flat screen televisions are very insecurely balanced upon their stands. One tip forwards or backwards could send that TV falling off an entertainment center and onto whomever may lie below. Small children love to climb on furniture and one moment of distraction could lead to a disaster in your home should your child decide to use the television for support. This is an accident that has been growing in frequency over the past few years, and falling televisions have cause very serious injuries and even death. » Read more: Mounting Your New Flat Screen: Safety Concerns

Cleaning and Organizing Your Garage

December 7th, 2011

As the temperatures continue to drop, it is only a matter of time before the snow begins to fall. Those of us that have been using the garage as a dumping ground are going to find it very difficult to fit the car in with all of the other items in the way. Leaving the car out in the snow is not an option unless you want to dig your car out every morning before work. The only real solution is to get that garage cleaned and organized, and why not make improvements that will allow you to keep it that way for good?

3 Steps to Organization:

  • Sorting: The first step towards creating a cleaner garage is to look through and organize the things that are currently occupying this space. Assess which items you want to keep and which can be thrown out or donated. You will be surprised how many things you are holding onto that you haven’t used in years! Create two distinct piles: what you want to keep and what you want to go. Once you know what you are going to need to store, you are one step closer to a clean and organized garage.
  • Permanent Storage: There are two ways to tackle garage storage. You can either do it yourself or enlist the help of a professional. Slapping together wire shelves that can be purchased at nearly any hardware store is easy enough for most people to handle on their own. All you need are some plastic storage containers to place on the wire shelves and you are set to store the items you want to keep. For a more polished and professional look, you may want to consult a contractor. Professionally installed cabinetry, wall hangers, and work stations can truly transform your garage. These jobs are more complex, and if you are going to be hanging or storing heavy objects, you are going to want to make sure that these storage solutions are installed correctly! » Read more: Cleaning and Organizing Your Garage

Prevent Problematic Plumbing

December 5th, 2011

You would think that most homeowners know what they can and cannot put down the drains in their home, but you would be surprised by the crazy things we have found clogging pipes. Even if you have a garbage disposal attached to your sink, there are still certain items that should never be forced down a drain, and doing so could cause a costly plumbing repair. The holiday season usually means big business for plumbers across the United States. With all of the turkey, grease, and potato skins, it is no wonder so many homeowners find themselves with a backed up sink during this season, but it can all be prevented with a few proactive steps.

Watch What Goes Down the Disposal!

  • Bones: Turkey bone, chicken wings, ribs, and any other animal bone that may be left over after a delicious meal need to make its way into the garbage can and not your garbage disposal.
  • Pasta and Rice: Putting pasta or rice down your garbage disposal has got to be the easiest way to impact your sink. We have pulled out full sections of piping that are literally packed with noodles that had expanded and backed up the sink. The homeowners assumed the garbage disposal could chop them up into small enough pieces but even small pieces of pasta swell with exposed to water. » Read more: Prevent Problematic Plumbing

Wood Floors and Moisture Don’t Mix!

November 23rd, 2011

Many homeowners that are looking to add value and beauty to their home add wood floors to one or several rooms. This is a wise investment for many and could end up increasing the selling price of the home down the line. However, if you don’t keep these floors in good shape, it could have an opposite effect. Repairing wood floors is much more costly that simply protecting them from damage in the first place. Moisture and lack of moisture are a couple of your wood floors biggest enemies and unless you can maintain proper moisture levels in the home, you may find yourself spending more than you wanted just to maintain or repair this large investment.

Moisture Levels and the Changing Seasons:

  • Summer’s Moisture: The summer months in most areas of the states are plagued by extremely high humidity. This is the kind of moisture that can creep in between your floor boards and cause warping, discoloration, and rot. A fully functional central air conditioning system can remove this humidity from the home if used on a regular basis during the summer. You could also consider a whole house ventilation system coupled with a dehumidifier if you do not want to invest in central air conditioning. Either way you will be able to bring the humidity level down to a tolerable and safe level. » Read more: Wood Floors and Moisture Don’t Mix!

An Impressive First Impression

November 9th, 2011

When it comes time to sell your home, they say that the kitchen, the bathrooms, and the home’s exterior are what sell the place. The kitchen and the bathroom are important for obvious reasons, but the appeal of the exterior may not be so obvious because it doesn’t have much of a function. However, your home’s exterior and landscape provides the first impression for your home. It is the first thing that family and visitors will see, and from a buyer’s perspective, this aspect of the home needs to be impressive. Beef up your home’s exterior with a few small improvements, and it could make a huge difference when you decide to put your home on the market.

Curb Appeal Improvements

  • Window Replacement: Rotting or warped wood framed windows have to go! You will be hard pressed to sell the home with them in that condition anyways, so opt for an affordable and energy efficient alternative. Choose new vinyl windows that complement your home’s design.
  • Entryway Remodel: The front door creates a first impression on its own, so if should be a beautiful focal point not a distraction. Consider having elegant double doors installed or simply upgrade the door to a higher quality energy efficient entrance that looks clean and pulled together. » Read more: An Impressive First Impression

Do It Yourself or Call a Pro

October 17th, 2011

“Do it yourselfers” have the best intentions at heart. They want to be hands on when it comes to taking care of their home and they want to save a few bucks along the way. For some projects, a homeowner truly can save some money by manning the work on their own, but for others, attempting them without professional experience could be disastrous. Knowing when the home repair is out of your league may be hard for some, but not assessing this possibility could cost you more than a little extra cash when you have to call in a professional.

Electrocutions and Floods

My father was one of those “do it yourselfers” that didn’t know the limits of his abilities. Many times, he would attempt a project with little more knowledge than that which he gained from a book. Sometimes he got lucky, but once he started messing with the electricity and the plumbing, things got ugly. It wasn’t until he electrocuted himself a few times and flooded the upstairs bathroom that he called a professional. I’m sure many of you are reading this thinking that you or someone else in your home fits this description of a determined “do it yourselfer,” but I am here to encourage you to take a step back and assess your limitations. » Read more: Do It Yourself or Call a Pro

Spots on the Ceiling, Moisture in the Attic

September 5th, 2011

The last time you painted your ceiling did you notice spots around the outside walls? Those spots are usually an indication that the insulation in the attic is starting to loose its R value, and condensation may be the source of your problem.

Attic Insulation and Year Round Condensation

During the summer and winter the poorly insulated attics will accumulate condensation. In the summer this moisture can leak into the lower level ceilings of the home once it soaks through the insulation, and it could also become a source of mold growth. Once wet, insulation is useless and no longer carries an r-value. In the winter this moisture becomes frost in your attic that further diminishes the effectiveness of what little insulation you may have up there. This situation can be corrected by adding blown in insulation to your attic. This blown in insulation will help to minimize future spots from occurring on your ceiling, but more importantly it will help cut your heating and cooling bills. » Read more: Spots on the Ceiling, Moisture in the Attic

Stop Clogging Your Drains!

August 22nd, 2011

If you find yourself de-clogging the drains in your home on a regular basis, you are not alone. Clogged drains are the most common plumbing problem, and unfortunately, the majority of the time the homeowners are to blame. Allowing the wrong things to flow down your drain can cause bigger problems down the road, and no amount of drain cleaner can prevent a sewage spill if you aren’t taking the necessary precautions. So, here are a few tips to help you keep your drains clear. By putting these tips into action and setting some new group rules about what can go down your drains, you could prevent costly plumbing repairs in your home.

  • Watch What You Flush: Your toilet may be a bigger drain than those in your sinks and tubs, but it should follow the same rules. Keep children from flushing toys and keep a garbage can close by to discourage your family member from flushing anything besides what should go down the toilet.
  • Hairy Mistakes: Hair is great at creating clogs in your drains. It collects at bends and can easily cause backups in your home. Discourage your family members from dumping shavings down the drain, and do what you can to clean out the drains after each shower. » Read more: Stop Clogging Your Drains!
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