Archive for the ‘Home Maintenance’ Category

October’s falling leaves, cold nights and daylight savings time alerts homeowners that winter is around the corner. This means it’s time to de-summerize your home by covering the patio furniture and cleaning door and window screens. Yes, even screens need fall maintenance.

We advise homeowners to clean screens at least once a year. Some professional window washers offer screen cleaning with their services, but homeowners can easily do this themselves. Most people don’t realize that the screening material has four sides. The best way to clean screens is to lay them flat on a porch or driveway, use mild soap and water and scrub on both sides with a soft brush. Rinse from top down with clean water, and then “snap” the screen to knock off most of the water so it dries clean.

Most screens today are vinyl coated fiberglass so homeowners can use a vinyl protectant to extend the life of the screens. However, most vinyl protectants will attract dust and dirt, and it’s hard to evenly cover the entire screen. For sliding screen doors, we recommend using a furniture polish, such as Pledge. It’s a silicon-based lubricant that doesn’t attract dirt like oil-based lubricants, and furniture polish can also be used to clean the tracks of the sliding doors. It makes the doors work great!

Fall is a great time to take a close look ar your entire home, and that does not exclude your screens. If some do not fit or are bent, then they need to be replaced. If they fit correctly, then just clean them with the above steps. And if white strands are apparent, then it’s time to re-screen.

About the Author: Scott Walker is the president of Screenmobile, the national at-home screen installation company, For more information about Screenmobile and their locations, visit www.screenmobile.com.

I’m in the process of moving. Again.  Its easy to get stressed out when your home is in boxes, and having moved my fair share of times throughout the years (twice since I’ve been authoring this blog alone), I’m more than willing to admit it does not get any easier. 

It may be getting harder in fact, as I find I’m accumulating more and more stuff.  I was lucky enough to have friends to recruit to help me face the daunting task of getting my drawers and closets and bookshelves into boxes.  Sometimes you need an outsider’s opinion to help you through the purging process, so you don’t convince yourself everything you own has sentimental value and is worth keeping (my preferred approach). 

Practice Purging

Photo Credit: OneClick

Since I find myself too close to the situation, often without even realizing it, an impartial observer can be crucial to help you evaluate what is junk and what is not. After all, who wants to waste time and energy moving junk from place to place?  The Unclutterer suggests that moving is a great opportunity to prioritize your belongings and get organized. 

Organization is not my strong suit, but using some simple guidelines, I was able to feel a little bit like I could take control of the situation.  Unclutterers suggest asking yourself simple questions like:

• Have I used or worn this in the past year?
• Do I absolutely need this item in my new home?
• Do I really like this item?
• Does this item work as intended?

(If the answer is no, that’s your cue to junk it.) 

Take Things One Step at a Time

I’m proud to report I purged a lot over the eventful moving weekend.  And I’m not ashamed to admit it felt good. Really good.  Make it feel even better by taking advantage of craigslist: list items on there and you might even find you make some extra spending cash.  And if you’ve got the time and the ambition, a yard sale is an equally feel good approach. 

Moving your home can be stressful, but it dosen’t have be if you invest the time to get yourself organized, get some unbiased help, make a plan, and stick to the plan.  Deep breaths can do wonders too.

Helpful Resources If You’re Moving

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration: Resources to help homeowners avoid problems, such as fraud, during the moving process.
MyMovingQuote.com: Website that offers free estimates from movers in your area.
American Moving and Storage Association: Helpful resources on planning your move.

Ah Halloween: it’s the season of sugar rushes, repurposed white sheets, and humiliated pumpkins.  Aside from all the fun things there are to do to get ready for the spookiest night of the year, it’s a good idea to take quick stock of your home’s porch and walkway areas. 

If you’re expecting little goblins and Bob-the-Builders to arrive at your door come the evening of the 31st, you’d better be ready to receive them in safety, and style.  If you’ve ever been a kid, you remember how excited you got at Halloween, and having to scramble around in a floor length sheet? Add to the mix that you were probably already a little bit clumsy, and then add large amounts of sugar… forget about it…it was a small miracle I managed to get anywhere on Halloween as a kid. 

Photo Credit: Superstock.com

When Your Porch Takes Center Stage

Parents and kids alike are sure to be appreciative if you’ve spent just a little time clearing your walk of fall leaves, and any other debris that could potentially prove slippery.  Also double check for cracks in the pavement or cement and patch them if you can.  If you’ve got steps up to your door, clear and inspect these as well so the sugared-up little Cinderellas and Spidermen don’t wipe out on your doorstep. 

Remember also that lighting is crucial to make your home’s exterior inviting and safe.  (It’s also a good way to improve curb appeal so you can enjoy the benefits long after the toilet paper has been removed from your trees.)  Line your walk and porch in solar powered garden lights, and you’ll be ready to warmly welcome family and friends for all the coming holidays.

It’s starting to get colder, and there might be less sunshine, but it’s still a great time for remodeling projects. Here are my top picks for Fall Home Improvement and Remodeling Projects.

1. Window Replacement
Do you know how old your windows are? Old windows can be a big energy waster in your home. In the fall and winter, when keeping warm air in is important, having old windows that don’t do their job can cause your home to be less than efficient, and definitely not as warm. So why not update your windows before the cold really comes in this winter and keep your house cozy all year long.

2. Kitchen Remodel
With all the cooking and baking that goes on during the holidays, why not spend some time sprucing your kitchen space up. No matter your budget, there are options for making your kitchen feel warmer and more inviting. Try installing new countertops, refacing your cabinets, or adding a kitchen island to create more workspace.

3. Roof Replacement
Fall maintenance is an important part of the season. Having your roof inspected should be one of your top maintenance priorities. The last thing you want going into the colder months is a roof that’s not in perfect shape. If your roof is older, you may find that it lets cold air, or worse, the other elements, leak into your home. If this is the case, it might be time to start a roof replacement before you encounter bigger roofing problems in the winter.

4. Window Seat Addition
One of my favorite ways of enjoying the sun in winter, is to enjoy it from the indoors. Adding a window seat in front of a window that gets lots of sunshine is a great way to still get some sun while staying warm. Any carpenter should be able to create an area for you however you imagine it. Perhaps a bench with built in storage would fit perfectly in your living room.

5. Fireplace Remodel
If you have a fireplace, you’ll likely start using it this winter. Using your fireplace creates warmth, and encourages the family to gather around it. To get your fireplace spruced up for winter, think about giving it a little love this fall. Add a new coat of paint, hire a carpenter to create a custom mantle, or maybe install some interesting tile work around your fireplace. Whatever you choose, adding new life to your fireplace will make it a space to enjoy all winter.

Does anyone else have any winter projects lined up?

Some houses get lightly lived in, and then there are those abodes that weather the perfect storms of kids and pets and indoor floor sock hockey.  Among other things.  Do you have a house that works hard?  Ok maybe you don’t exactly have floor hockey tournaments going down on the kitchen tiles, but your house is definitely well lived in. 

Maybe the kids are rough on it or you’ve got a favorite furry friend who likes to be every bit a member of the family as the two legged ones.  These kinds of houses sometimes end up needing some special attention, especially in the kinds of paints and coatings we choose to live our lives around.  Paying a little attention to surfaces and other aspects of hard lived homes also means homes will wear better for the long run.  And you’ll feel better living in a home you know is ready to be truly lived in. 

 There are many products and ideas out there you to help you get started protecting the places that see the most wear and tear in your house.  The first place to look might be your floors.  Protecting your floors with a durable coating will do wonders for the longevity of your flooring, and might even mean you’ll have less work to do in maintaining it.  I don’t know any homeowner who wants to spend more time mopping or sweeping. 

Walls are another big ticket feature of your house that are bound to show wear more than other places.  Durable paints and protective coatings do wonders here too.  It might be worth it to you to take a little action now, rather than making a much bigger and potentially costly investment down the road. 

 We liked looking around General Polymers and Sherwin Williams for some ideas and advice.  Check it out and you can get started.  What else do you worry about in your home? Maybe we can look into how you can solve those problems too? Let us know!

Looking toward fall, we’re closing the windows more often and putting down the weather stripping.  Among the other emotions that come with preparing for the colder seasons, what you don’t want to be experiencing is the negative effects from VOCs lurking in your home as you’re sealing it up tight to keep out the cold. 

We’re making the effort to make our homes more energy efficient and to save on our heating and cooling bills.  However, this can sometimes have some unintended consequences.  We’re talking VOCs: Volatile Organic Compounds, and not only can they damage your home’s indoor air quality, they can make you and your family sick. 

How-to’s for Healthy Homes

Photo Credit: Healthy Building Consultants

Homeowners tend to experience the effects of VOCs more often as a result of sealing up their homes, because keeping the cold out often means keeping the fresh air out as well.   Where do VOCs come from? Well, if you’ve recently had carpets installed, bought new furniture, or happen to be an enthusiastic user of household cleaning products; you’re going to want to pay attention:

In addition to carpets and cleaning products, VOCs can come from new beds.  Mattresses can be big contributors to decline in indoor air quality as most are treated with chemical fire retardants.  Good for your bed’s chances of surviving a blaze, not so good for your lungs.  Carpets are big culprits for similar reasons, fibers trap and store chemicals, and synthetic carpet pads can off-gas harmful chemicals, mainly polybrominated diphenylethers, (PBDEs) that can cause illness and respiratory problems like asthma in high concentrations.  Eeek.  New furniture can also add to the problem for the same reasons. 

Another big contributor? Paint.  We all know it smells, and there’s a reason.  Traditional paint is packed full of VOCs whose effects can linger long after the paint has dried. 

Get the VOCs Out

So, what’s a homeowner to do?  Short of freezing out your home in the dead of winter, there are a lot more practical options you can take to make your home’s air a bit safer: 

Step 1: Replace all vinyl shower liners in favor of non-toxic nylon ones.  Your vinyl liner releases chemicals (toluene and methylene chloride to name a few) that can cause allergic reactions.

Step 2: Use low or no VOC paint. (Available from most major paint suppliers)

Step 3: Stop chemically cleaning carpets and furniture- look for organic cleaning solutions that don’t use harsh, highly concentrated chemicals.  Try to ditch home chemical cleaners entirely in favor of more organic options like vinegar, baking soda, etc.

Step 4: Stop dry cleaning.  Not only is it expensive, but evidence suggests that the chemicals used in the process are carcinogenic and can accumulate in your home whenever you bring your comforters, bedspreads, drapes, rugs and clothes back from the cleaners.

Step 5: Cut down on carpet.  If you’ve got the option, switch it out for hardwood or tile flooring options that don’t require chemical rich mats or stain treatments. If you can’t kick your carpet habit, clean it thoroughly with an organic cleaner and air out extensively afterwards.  You can also opt for organic fiber rugs to keep the soft under your feet.

Step 6: Invest in solid wood furniture.  Believe it or not, manufactured and pressed wood products can off-gas chemicals like formaldehyde over time as well, leading to decline in your home’s environment.  Make sure you air out rooms where you’ve got a lot of particle board products frequently, and if you’ve just bought a similar product, set up a fan to vent fumes out of your home.

I live with someone who is very organized.  If you can relate, it’s no secret that this can be a somewhat stressful endeavor.  The benefits of living around such individuals though is that it provides a constant drive to find more easy ways to get and keep your home orderly. 

And have we ever. 

The season provides great inspiration to get organized as well, with kids setting off for school and schedules filling up, making the aspects of your home more streamlined will add up to more leisure moments during a time of year where play is generally at a premium. 

I’m personally a big fan of hooks because they can be handy in any room in the house:

Use them next to your front door to house keys, pet leashes, hats, and coats.  Mount them in your closet to organize belts, necklaces, ties, scarves, hats, or ribbons.  In the kitchen, hang dishtowels, measuring cups, and large utensils. For the bathroom, mount them on the wall or behind the door for more places to tuck drying towels, robes, brushes and scrubbers. 

  Photo Credit: Better Homes and Gardens

Pegboard is another way to create more unique storage and order in your home.  Frame it for a more sophisticated look, and get started placing organizer boxes and bins, note pads and pens.  This element is particularly useful and appropriate for a laundry room or garage entry space. 

Get your home office buzzing with efficiency using magnetic strips to hold ‘to-do’ items, reminders, and calendars.  Also, never underestimate the power of new shelving.  If you’re running low on space, shelves can be mounted higher walls to add an interesting visual element, as well as an out of way place to store less frequently used items.

I don’t want to let myself admit it, but we’re slowly creeping towards fall. The weather will start to get a little crisper, and you might find yourself grabbing for blankets more than you used to.

Insulation = Energy Efficency

As the weather starts to shift, you’ll want to consider insulating your home so that it can be as snug and warm as possible this fall and winter. The better your insulation, the better your energy efficiency will be. And who doesn’t want that?

One place that often gets overlooked when it comes to insulating your home is the garage. Upgrading or replacing your garage door can make a big impact overall.

If you want to replace your garage door, you may want to look at models that are steel with a polyurethane core. Wood and fiberglass doors are generally considered to be less energy efficient than their steel counterpart.

It’s often popular to choose garage doors with windows in the door to allow for some natural light in your garage. If you choose this design, be sure to check that the windows are just as energy efficient as the rest of the door.

Easy Garage Door Maintenance Can Save You Money

Even if you’re not ready to do a full garage door replacement, you can check and replace your weatherstripping to ensure you’re not letting in any extra drafts. You’ll want to have proper weatherstripping around and between the door panels. This is an easy weekend project that can end up saving you money on energy bills.

As fall approaches we’ll have more tips on how to insulate your home, and get it ready for the colder season.