home maintenance Archives - Page 17 of 17 - Bruzzese Home Improvements

How To Give Your Home A Makeover Without Breaking The Bank

April 4, 2016adminDIY Projects, Home Improvement Tips, Home MaintenanceDIY projects, home improvement, home maintenance, springLeave a comment

You love your home, but the look is beginning to get a little stale. Fortunately, there are things you can do inside and out that will make your home look better than it has in a long time. Here are five tips that will ensure your makeover attempt is a success.

Get Rid of the Clutter

Take a look around each of the rooms and identify things that serve no purpose or that you could live without. Even if you can only reduce the number of items found on shelves and tabletops by half, the impact on the space will be significant. Best of all, you won’t have to dust those things any longer.

Deep Clean Every Surface

Now is the time for some deep cleaning. Scrub every nook and cranny of the house thoroughly. Call in professionals to clean the carpeting and the upholstery. Don’t forget to take the window treatments to a cleaner. When the surfaces shine and the house smells fresh, you’ll be well on the way with your makeover.

Paint the Walls

You can opt for a solid paint color or consider adding a chair rail and going with a two-tone look. If you really want to do something different, consider rag painting with a lighter color to add some contrast. New colors for the walls will make secondary colors in the rest of the space stand out more and give everything a new look.

Rearrange the Furniture

Consider exchanging some of the furniture in each room so that chairs, tables, and other elements are now in a different part of the house. You will find that moving a chair from the living room to the den, or taking the recliner from the den and creating a reading corner in a bedroom adds some zip to the space. Employ the same approach with wall art and other decorative elements. You’ll be amazed how some of those pieces look and function better in a different area.

Replace the Doors and Windows

Nothing makes a home look tired like worn out doors and windows. Consider opting for aluminum or vinyl windows instead of going with wood again. For the doors, try a new color or possibly a different design that still blends in with the style of the house. You can even replace the interior doors and update the look inside. For energy-efficient options that can also make your home look great, consider Fas Windows and Doors.

Making over your home does not have to break the bank. With the right choices, you’ll even save money in the years to come. Start brainstorming today and it won’t take long to determine what you can do to make your home look better than ever.

Furnace Facts: How to Troubleshoot Your Home Furnace

March 12, 2016adminHome Improvement Tips, Home Maintenancehome improvement, home maintenance, home repairsLeave a comment

There’s a very specific reason all manufactured home furnaces are shipped with a “User’s Manual.” Unfortunately, among the most common furnace facts is that few homeowners take the time or trouble to read this manual. By ignoring the user’s manual, home furnace owners miss some of the most crucial details they need to know should repairs become necessary. Read your home furnace user’s manual to discover:

How many major parts your furnace actually has
What materials furnace parts are manufactured from
Which size furnace filters are best
Frequency furnace filters should be replaced
How often the furnace should be inspected and tuned up

Once you understand the major parts of a furnace, it is easier to choose the best repair service for specific repairs like the fan or heat exchanger. If you study the user’s manual, you have a better idea of the nature of the cost of repairs and the allocation of furnace parts.

What Other Furnace Facts: Troubleshoot Your Home Furnace?

In addition to having some knowledge of the furnace parts, it is also important to understand the general operation of the furnace. In this way, unusual furnace noises can be more easily located so that when you contact your furnace repair service, the service takes less time.

Treat Your Home Furnace to Regular Care and Maintenance

A furnace is really not much different than a human body. It functions according to design. Just like a human body, a furnace needs regular care and maintenance. A licensed furnace repair service provides annual inspections and tune ups to keep furnaces in top condition to provide longer wear and avoid costly repairs.

Just like a regular physical exam at a physician’s office, Doctor Fix-It and similar companies will provide a general analysis of the condition of a furnace. A malfunctioning furnace can be as debilitating as a lingering flu and why repairs should be done as soon as they are discovered. There are also sources where suggestions for repairs and replacements to troubleshoot your home furnace can be of assistance.

Once you have studied the manufacturer’s recommended size and type of furnace filter and how often this need to be changed, the next important troubleshooting tip is to maintain a regular schedule of professional inspections and tune-ups. Your furnace expert can provide these services for a relatively inexpensive annual fee. Report any unusual changes in the operation of your home furnace and keep records of furnace maintenance.

Anica Oaks
Freelance writer and web enthusiast
Read some of my published work on my Google+ page.

Step-by-Step Guide for Five Easy Faucet Fixes

February 28, 2016adminDIY Projects, Home Improvement Tips, Home Maintenance, PlumbingDIY projects, home maintenance, home repairs, plumbing2 Comments

Your sink faucets may never be a cause for concern, that is, until they start to leak. With a little extra knowledge, you may be able to diagnose and fix the faucet’s problems on your own, or, you can call an experienced plumber for more assistance if the issue is beyond your abilities to repair. Try these five steps to fix a leaky faucet before you call for help this time around.

Turn the Water Off
That leaking faucet can turn into a gushing river if you try to fix it while the water is on. Turn off all sink handles, as well as the knobs or switches under the sink that control the main water line’s connection to the sink. This will ensure that water can’t come gushing out while you attempt a repair.

Unscrew Decorations and Take the Faucet off the Stem
Use a flat-head screwdriver to remove any decorations from the handles. You’ll find a screw that fixes the handle to the stem underneath each knob. Unscrew that screw, and then you will need to use that screwdriver to remove the handle. You can use a penetration oil to help loosen the screw if necessary.

Check Stem for Damage
Use a wrench to remove the packing nut after loosening it. Now you can remove the stem. Your stem will either twist off or pop off. Inspect it for any damage to see if that is causing the leak.

Inspect O-ring and Washer
If the stem looks fine, you may need to replace the washer that goes in the seat of the valve. Inspect the O-ring to see if it is causing water to drip out of the faucet. Replace the O-ring if necessary to strengthen the faucet and allow it to work properly. Make sure the replacement washers and O-rings fit correctly.

All Done
It’s time to put the faucet back together. Tightly secure everything before turning on the water. If your faucet still leaks, there’s nothing else you can do on your own and you will need to enlist the help of a professional. Experts like Rakeman Plumbing can figure out the real problem with your faucet and fix it quickly.

Fixing a faucet can be easy as long as there isn’t a more serious problem. Try your best to fix it on your own with these simple steps. And remember, a plumber could make all the difference in difficult situations.

Home Maintenance Tips Your Average Homeowner Should Know

February 24, 2016adminHome Improvement Tips, Home MaintenanceDIY projects, home improvement, home maintenanceLeave a comment

After buying your first home, you may be wondering if you’re handling all the maintenance properly. After all, your home is likely the most expensive purchase you’ll ever make, and you want to protect your asset. If you’re new to homeownership, here are some aspects of maintenance you don’t want to forget.

Proper Roof Drainage
The next time it’s raining, grab an umbrella and go outside. Look up at the gutters. No water should be leaking out of them. All the water should be coming through, downspouts and directed away from the house. If there isn’t any water coming out or you see water leaking out of the gutters, it’s possible there is a blockage of leaves or a bird’s nest impeding the flow. Either check out the situation yourself, or hire a roofer to come take a look, as poor drainage can cause a lot of expensive structural damage to the house itself.

Change Your Air Filters
Your furnace and air conditioning unit both have filters in them that remove dust and other irritants from the air. You need to know how to replace these filters to keep air flowing through the unit. If you don’t know how to do this, call a heating and air conditioning company to do it for you or check professional sites like http://www.aircontrolspokane.com for tips. Not only will this cut down on allergy symptoms and dust, it will make your furnace and AC unit last longer.

Inspect Your Windows
Modern windows have two or three panes of glass. Between the panes is a vacuum that acts as a buffer between the inside of your home, and the outside world. This helps keep your heating and cooling costs under control by acting as insulation as well. If the vacuum seal has failed, you’ll see a gritty buildup or condensation inside the window. If this has happened, the window is no longer providing insulation and needs to be replaced. If your windows have only one pane of glass, they need to be replaced.

Handle Plumbing Problems Quickly
If you have a leaky faucet or a toilet that won’t stop running, fix it immediately or hire someone to do the job. While a small leak may seem harmless, it is wasting water and could be a harbinger of bigger problems to come. For example, a corroded spigot that was just leaking yesterday may snap off in your hand the next time you turn it, flooding the bathroom and damaging the floor and the ceiling below it.

Maintaining a home can be a challenge, especially if you are new to owning your own place. By keeping these tips in mind, you can keep your utility costs low and avoid damage to your house.

Winter Storms: How to Combat any Cold Weather Damage to your Yard

January 27, 2016adminDIY Projects, lawn and garden, Winter Tipsgarden, home maintenance, winterLeave a comment

If you’ve invested a large amount of time and money in building and maintaining your yard, it seems an awful waste to let it decay from the harsh winter season. And while some level of damage is unavoidable, homeowners can minimize damage using these five simple tips.

Combat Frost Heaving

Frequent freezing then thawing of yard soil during fall or spring seasons can cause the ground to expand and contract, which ultimately causes damage to the roots and uprooting of shrubs and new plants off the soil. To combat frost heaving, apply 4 to 6 inches of mulch to maintain constant ground temperatures.

Combat Salt Damage

Salt is applied to sidewalks and roads to melt ice during the winter season. Unfortunately, as helpful as salt is to de-icing the ground, it can also cause or amplify Winter-induced injuries and plant decay including bud decay and twig dieback. Salt running down underground can get absorbed by plants and damage their roots and foliage. To avoid salt damage, try to plant flora as far away as possible from highly salted areas and from where there is heavy foot and vehicle traffic.

Combat Pests

Mice, rabbits, deer, and vole are all potential suspects that can cause serious damage to flora during the cold weather. These animals can consume soft twigs, bark, and plant foliage. Deer can inflict serious damage to trees when they rub their antlers against it. If a tree becomes too unstable and damaged to be near you and your family, make sure to contact tree removal service providers like Pete & Ron’s Tree Service.

Maintaining Deciduous Flora

Deciduous trees and shrubs lose their foliage during autumn season and have adapted to the cold climates by becoming dormant during winter season. While they have adopted to protect themselves, homeowners can practice techniques to make sure that plants enter dormancy state before temperatures drop down to significant levels. For instance, you can install plastic or wire guards around trees to protect young, tender barks from chomping mice and rabbits

Because plants and trees respond differently to Winter stress, it is of utter importance to learn and research about the ones you have in your yard. Some cold hardy trees like Larch and Lodge-Pole Pine may require less to no maintenance at all during winter, and intervening may only cause more harm than good to it. The same goes for several hardy shrub roses that require no winter protection.

Sneaky Pests: 4 Signs Your Home Is Infested

January 22, 2016adminDIY Projects, Home Improvement Tips, Home MaintenanceDIY projects, home maintenance, pest controlLeave a comment

Pests can be a serious nuisance to homeowners. In some cases they can do real damage to a home. Not all pests are easy to spot. Some keep a low profile and you have to look carefully to find clues of their existence. Here are four possible signs that you have sneaky pests lurking in your home.

Damage to Your Home or Furniture

Sometimes you don’t see the pests themselves but only the damage that they cause. Termites and carpenter ants, for example, leave holes in wooden beams, floors or furniture. Another sign of wood-destroying pests are small piles of sawdust. Rodents may gnaw through food packages or anything made of wood or plastic. If you notice teeth marks or signs of gnawing anywhere around your home, chances are you have pests. Pests that are causing visible damage are a serious threat to your home. If you see evidence of damage, you should call an experienced pest control service as soon as possible.

Droppings

Droppings are another clue that pests are around. The droppings of rodents and larger pests are easiest to spot. These are usually small pellets, which may appear on the floor, in the sink or on counter tops. Mice in particular are good climbers, so you may find droppings in pots, on the stove or anywhere that they might be searching for food. Insect droppings may appear as dark spots. Bedbugs leave feces in the form of blood specks. Search for droppings in out of the way places, including closets, basements and storage spaces.

Sounds

Larger pests such as mice may not be visible during the day. They’re more likely to be lurking around the house at night, when they hunt for food. You may hear them scurrying across the floor or jumping on tables or counters. You can set traps for mice and other rodents. You should also be careful to seal food in airtight containers as rodents can easily gnaw through cardboard packaging.

Carcasses and Body Parts

If you find dead insects or body parts, such as wings, around your home, chances are there are live pests nearby as well. Places to look for this evidence includes windowsills, closets, attics, basements and under furniture. If you’re not sure what species of pest you’re dealing with, you should consult with a pest control service in Arlington or your particular locale.

Insects, rodents and other pests can cause serious problems in your home. Even apparently minor infestations can quickly become worse if you don’t deal with them promptly. You can take basic measures and precautions to get rid of your pest problem. If these don’t work, it’s advisable to seek professional help.

Guest Post By:

Anica Oaks

Freelance writer and web enthusiast
Read some of my published work on my Google+ page.

Homeowners: Save on Your Heating & Cooling Bill

January 8, 2016adminDIY Projects, Energy Efficiency, Home Improvement Tips, Home MaintenanceDIY projects, energy efficient, home improvement, home maintenance, summer, winterLeave a comment

Understanding how an HVAC unit works and how to best maintain it can enable you to avoid common HVAC repair problems and save money on heating and cooling. As this resource from refrigerationschool.com explains, even though HVAC equipment is mechanically complex, it is not hard to find ways to lower your energy bill while keeping the home at a good temperature.

Understanding the Basics

The four main types of HVAC units are the air conditioner, heat pump, boiler and furnace. Hot or cold air is distributed via a forced air, radiant or gravity-based system. Research has shown that radiant heating and cooling systems are particularly energy efficient but the fact is that any type of system has both advantages and disadvantages.

Saving Money

HVAC units need to be maintained both by a homeowner and a professional. Homeowners should replace or clean filters at least once a month, as doing so can reduce energy consumption by up to 15%. Yearly DIY maintenance jobs include cleaning the coil fins, heat exchanger and evaporator coil. Drains should be cleaned as and when needed. A professional HVAC technician should be called in to tune up the HVAC unit twice a year to extend the unit’s lifespan.

Adjusting Settings

A thermostat controls a home’s HVAC system. The United States Department of Energy recommends that the thermostat temperature be set at 68F for the winter. This setting can be lowered when sleeping or out of the home. For summer, the temperature should be set at no lower than 78F. Raising the temperature by a single degree in the winter (or lowering it by a single degree in the summer) can increase your energy bill by up to 1%.

Why It’s Worth It

An average monthly electric bill ranges from $279 to $359 depending on your geographical location. Up to 48% of all energy consumed in the average home is used to heat or cool the home and a single Kilowatt of electricity costs an average of 12.12 cents. Thankfully, you do not have to spend large amounts of money every month to keep your home at a pleasant temperature. The tips outlined above and in the following infographic can help you save a significant amount of money while still keeping warm in the winter and cool in the summer.

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