Minimize trips and falls

Remove a loose rug or secure it with double-sided tape or a rug pad. For carpet tears, mend with carpet glue or staples. If you have a flight of stairs, use textured no-slip strips and ascertain that handrails are secure. Another consideration is a chair lift. For the bathroom, a rubber mat in the tub prevents slippage. Also, you can browse your local medical supply store for grab bars to install near the shower, bathtub, and toilet. You may also look for a toilet seat riser to ease getting up. Place electrical cords away from high traffic areas.

Remove obstacles

Clear the pathway of any chairs, appliances, bags, or boxes that can impede the walkway and cause someone to lose their footing. Add low-level shelving to store extra items that are lying around.

Hire a professional to audit your energy consumption. This will enable you to understand your appliance usage and determine where the loss occurs.

Conserve Lighting. Turn off lights in rooms that are not in use. Switch to energy-efficient light bulbs, and use a dimmer switch or motion sensors.

Reduce temperature setting. Lowering your thermostat even by one degree can make a difference. Experts recommend 68 degrees Fahrenheit. Control your heat use in each of your rooms with a programmable thermostat. If still drafty, hang drapes and blinds to retain heat. Use cold water for laundering whenever possible.

Disconnect appliances not in use. Power, although at a lower level, still surges; thus, energy is still in use. Use a power strip that is easier to turn off when not in use. Unplug items not constantly in use, such as toasters, blenders, and blow dryers.

Avoid overcharging your electronic devices. When your phone is 100% charged yet still connected to the charger, the electricity is still running.

Keep appliances clean for better usage. Getting rid of dirt, dust, and grime can help them operate more effectively. Periodically update your refrigerator, microwave, and other equipment as needed.

Weather-proof your windows and doors. Check weather strips and sealing to prevent heat escape. Install storm doors for your front and back. Glass prevents thermal loss.

Use good insulation. It is especially important to use quality materials for your roof and heating ducts. Also, proper insulation of an attached garage will help keep heat from escaping. Air seal any cracks, gaps, and leaks. Provide extra insulation in older homes.

Pay attention to above and below you. Ceiling fans can ensure better air circulation in summer and winter, so that heat and cool air are evenly distributed. Providing suitable floorings, such as vinyl or carpeting, can help reduce heat loss.

Use energy-saving and low-usage technology and equipment. Use energy-saving modes when running your washing machine, dishwasher, and dryer. Turn off the heated dry setting on your dishwasher. Install low-water usage taps and showerheads. The less water you consume, the less energy you heat it. It’s also good practice to only run full loads, so you are not wasteful.

Look for alternatives to heat water. Solar or geothermal water heaters are the most economical.

Service your heating system. All systems accrue wear and tear with daily usage. Periodic servicing can keep them running efficiently. Clean and replace all filters.

Cut your energy costs and live more comfortably by taking some time to incorporate these adjustments. By carefully maintaining your household appliances, cutting waste, and consistently practicing conservative habits, you will see your energy usage and dollars well spent. You may have to incur some expenses to get there, but you will make your home more energy efficient in the long run.

Start simple with cleaning, painting, and other resurfacing

Always begin with sparkling up the floors, walls, fixtures, and cabinetry which you can easily do with minimal expense. Sanding and repainting, wallpaper, and retiling can give a new look to what has grown old and drabby. Also, replace old appliances and countertops when you can find items on sale. Another way to eliminate eyesores is to hide them with a photo or painting. You can also cheaply replace old handles, knobs, locks, and outlet plates with a newer style to create a unique look. If preferred, you can paint over these fixtures and tile and tubs. It’s important, though, to match the colors and style of your room, furniture, and appliances. Consult a professional to recoat ceramic, porcelain, or fiberglass.

Give the illusion of space, and don’t waste what you have

Do you have an unused room? Why not turn it into a functioning space, such as a comfortable den or extra bedroom? You can add new furniture, rugs, pillows, a TV, or a free-standing wardrobe closet. Add mirrors to a small area to make it appear more spacious. Install visible storage, such as floating shelves, to allow others to see the capacity. Rid your home of bulky furnishings to free up space.

Refurbish, Reupholster, and Refinish

You can minimize the cost with these suggestions — whether you want to change cabinets, furniture, flooring, or curtains. For cabinets in fairly good condition, you can opt to repaint, reface with a contemporary style, or add new doors. For furniture and curtains, trade the worn-out, faded material on your couches and chairs with a different texture and color. You can save additional money by using the same curtain rods and rings and finding fabric you can sew yourself. Refinish or recoat hardwood floors without replacing them. There are peel-and-stick flooring options that you can apply over the existing surface. The old carpeting can be removed to reveal useable hardware flooring you can restore cheaply.

Protect your home and property by reserving some autumn weekends to check the interior and exterior space for proper drainage, protection from winds, and insulation from the cold. You also want to ascertain that all your heating appliances are in tip-top shape. Here is a checklist to help you get through your maintenance schedule in time for the onset of old man winter.

INSULATE PIPES. Pipes that run along unheated areas can freeze and burst when temperatures drop to 32F and below. Protect them with foam or blown-in insulation you can purchase at a hardware store.

CLEAN OUT GUTTERS. Avoid clogs that can damage your shingles or roof. Use a strong ladder or get a handyman to help. Use work gloves to scoop out leaves and other debris that can block proper drainage. You can also purchase gutters with leaf guards to keep maintenance minimal.

DRAIN SPRINKLERS, UNHOOK HOSING, AND TURN OFF EXTERIOR FAUCETS. Like pipes, these can expand and crack when frozen. Remove any residual water or get help from a contractor who can blow out the water with compressed air.

INSTALL INSULATION. Block drafts by stripping around windows and door frames. Silicone caulk is best for exterior use because it is impervious to the elements. For baseboards, use paintable caulking.

GET YOUR FURNACE CHECKED. Hire an HVAC Contractor to inspect all parts and replace the filter with one that will easily trap particles. Ensure it is operating efficiently and that there is no carbon monoxide leakage.

FIREPLACE CLEANING AND INSPECTION. Gas fireplaces should be inspected every three years. However, wood-burning fireplaces require annual cleaning by a certified Chimney Sweep to prevent the ignition of soot build-up.

TEST YOUR SUMP PUMP. Slowly pour several gallons of water to check that it will turn one, especially during a previous dry season or before rainfall.

INSPECT YOUR ROOF. Check for damaged, loose, or missing shingles that could cause a leak from melting snow and storms. Hire a handyman for small repairs or a roofer for larger sections.

PREPARE FOR SNOW AND POWER OUTAGES. Be ready for an emergency and proper snow clearance. Restock rock salt and check that your snow removal tools are operational and in good condition. Have a generator handy in case you need a backup of power.

MAINTAIN OUTDOOR PLANTS AND TREES. Trim dead branches that could fall and cause major damage. Add mulch to insulate plant roots from low temperatures. Cut back perennials to eliminate harmful insects that may hibernate and resurface to impede spring growth.

Fall is fun for pumpkin carving, farm festivals, and comfortable, cool-weather hikes. Set some time to enjoy activities and appreciate nature. However, don’t put off the tasks needed to prepare and protect your greatest asset, your home. The fall months fly by, and before you know it, you are faced with the unforgiving harshness of mother nature. Be ready and armed with that first snowflake, a gust of wind, and a dangling icicle until you can let your guard down again in the spring.

Things to Consider

There are several things that you should think about before picking out a specific paint. One of the big considerations that many people overlook is stopping to look at the colours of your existing décor. Even if you don’t have a specific theme to your furniture and decorations, there may be predominant colours that you should keep in mind when choosing paint. Even thinking about whether most of the décor is on the darker side or the lighter side can affect your colour decision.

You should also consider the type of finish you want on your walls. Depending on the paint options you’re considering, you might find colours in everything from flat and eggshell to the high-gloss paints that are typically used for trim and accents. The finish affects the shininess or flatness of the colours and can produce significantly different effects with similar colours. It can also affect how resistant the paint is to stains and dirt, with flatter colours being harder to clean while higher sheen paints are easier.

 

What Kinds of Animals Enter Chimneys?

When it comes to chimneys, there are a whole host of creatures that might come inside. Generally, you’re going to encounter animals that aren’t terribly afraid of people and that are either very good at climbing or very good at flying. For example, birds often make nests in unused chimneys.

Other animals commonly found in chimneys include raccoons, squirrels, and bats. If your chimney has a damper (most modern chimneys do, but older chimneys may not), you may not even know they’re in there, since the damper should be creating a tight seal that would minimize noise. However, if you open the damper, evidence of the animals may fall down into your fireplace, as well as any animals (often babies) that were hanging out on top of the damper at that moment.

Evicting Animals From Your Chimney

Although some people still suggest smoking out animals that are in your chimney, we live in far more enlightened times. Smoking out animals is a great way to ultimately smoke yourself out, or even start a flu fire. Rather than trying this method, you can do a few different things to encourage the animals to move along.

Remember that if the animals have young that are too small to carry themselves out of your chimney, they may not be able to leave just yet, no matter how annoying you get. Check for breeding seasons for the animals you suspect are your problem before proceeding. A few are federally or locally protected, in which case your window for eviction is limited.

For most animals, chimneys are nice places to raise a family because they’re quiet, dark, and safe. Your goal is going to be to disrupt this. You can turn the lights on by dropping a caged work light attached to an extension cord about half way down your chimney. Leave it on all the time until the animal is gone. Often, lighting the place is plenty of motivation to convince an animal to leave.

If they need more motivation, play loud music into the chimney from below for prolonged periods. Again, if they have young babies, this is unlikely to work simply because the babies can’t be moved yet. Time your eviction and rave accordingly.

What Is an Attached Rental Unit?

An attached rental unit, formally called an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU), is typically a smaller living space adjacent to a main home. It might be a tiny house in the backyard, or something more like self-contained mother-in-law quarters attached to the house. It can even be a small apartment over the garage. There aren’t a lot of rules about what an ADU has to be, except that it should be fully autonomous.

The reason for autonomy is that this is what it takes to really have solid rental income potential from a secondary dwelling on a regular lot. Imagine if you were renting an apartment somewhere, you’d certainly want to have your own kitchen and bathroom, wouldn’t you? It’s difficult to rent units without these features, so typically, they’re part of any successful ADU.

Protecting Your Home

The most well-known way to protect your home from a lightning strike is the installation of a lightning rod. These devices provide a simple but effective means of attracting lightning strikes and then diverting it to the ground instead of allowing it to strike and damage other parts of your home. They are an effective solution when it comes to direct lightning strikes, but you may be surprised to learn that even with a lightning rod in place your home can still suffer significant damage from lightning.

The problem is that lightning from nearby strikes can also damage your home as they gets conducted through wires, pipes, and other materials in your house. Unfortunately, a lightning rod isn’t going to help with this. Instead, it’s recommended that you have a whole-home lightning protection system that includes lightning rods as well as protection on main conductors, grounds, and other elements that can divert and redirect lightning electricity even if it isn’t coming from a direct strike.

What Is a Climbing Plant?

The term “climbing plant” is kind of a giant catch-all term that includes a range of plants with long, flexible stems, and some mechanism that allows them to reach great heights in their native environments. However, some climbing plants will also just become shrubs if they have nothing to climb, and others will climb for a while, then set roots where they land before shedding their climbing tools all together.

But in most cases, when people think of climbing plants, they think of plants that are vining. These plants climb over structures and other plants using several different mechanisms. This can include stems that twist around supports, leaves that twist around objects or one another, curly tendrils that wrap around supports, long roots that help them cling to solid surfaces, or hooks like thorns that help them move upward.

Although it’s common to see vines sold as ornamentals, there are also a number of climbing plants that are part of the vegetable garden. For example, cucumbers and tomatoes are both vining plants, which makes them perfect for vertical gardening.

Are you Moving