home--garden

The Benefits of Routine Water Testing
Ensuring the quality of the water you consume is crucial for maintaining good health and well-being. Routine water testing is an essential practice that offers numerous benefits, from safeguarding your health to protecting your property investments. Here are some compelling reasons why regular water testing should be a priority. Protects Health and Safety Water contaminants can pose serious health risks. Routine water testing helps identify pollutants such as bacteria, heavy metals, and chemical contaminants.

Materials to Consider When Replacing Your Old Gutters
If you're replacing the gutters on your roof, choosing the perfect gutter material for the new gutters is more than just an aesthetic decision; it is a crucial investment in safeguarding your home's structural integrity and preventing water damage. Gutters play a vital role in directing rainwater away from your foundation, protecting your landscape, and combating the risk of erosion and basement flooding. With so many options available on the market, it can be overwhelming to decide which material best suits your needs.

Assessing Your Home's Drainage Needs: Signs You Need Gutter Installation
If you own a home, it's essential to understand the importance of properly maintaining the drainage system around your house. Without a functioning gutter system, you risk encountering a variety of issues, such as water damage, foundation problems, and even landscape erosion. Sagging or Detached Gutters One of the most apparent signs that you need gutter installation is sagging or detached gutters. Over time, gutters may start to pull away from the fascia board or sag due to age, debris buildup, or poor installation.

The Undeniable Benefits of Standby Power Generators
Power outages can be a nightmare for homeowners, especially during natural disasters or critical situations. During these scenarios, people often rely on backup generators to keep their properties running, and that is where standby power generators come into play. Standby generators are lifesaving devices that are connected to your home's electrical system and are designed to recognize power outages automatically. When the electricity is disrupted, standby generators kick in, providing power to keep your home or office running until power is restored.

An Overview of Professional Duct Cleaning Techniques
If you have never had your air ducts cleaned before, the process can be somewhat daunting. However, it does not need to be! This post will discuss the methods utilized by professionals during duct cleaning. By the end of this article, you will be able to understand and appreciate the process, knowing exactly what to expect during your duct cleaning appointment. Pre-Cleaning Preparation First and foremost, professionals will need to prepare your home before commencing the cleaning process.

The Purpose And Benefits Of Rain Gutter Guards
Your home's gutter system plays a crucial role in directing water away from your house, protecting it from potential water damage. Unfortunately, gutters can quickly accumulate a buildup of leaves, twigs, and various debris. This accumulation poses a multitude of potential issues and complications. That's where gutter guards come in. They are designed to keep your gutters clean and functioning optimally. Understanding Gutter Guards Gutter guards are protective coverings placed over or inside your gutters to effectively prevent debris from clogging them while simultaneously allowing the smooth passage of rainwater.

The Importance Of Mold Remediation In Office Buildings
As a business owner, keeping your staff and customers safe is important. One prominent issue that many offices face is mold growth, which can lead to serious health problems if left untreated. It is important to know what mold is, how it forms, and how to prevent it from becoming a problem. Here's a closer look at the importance of mold remediation in office buildings and where your responsibilities lie as a business owner.

Protect Your Investment: Why Use Storage Containers For Your Tools
If you have tools for do-it-yourself projects, it's time to think about storage. If your tools are in the garage or basement, you might not think you need to worry about storage, but that's not the case. That's especially true if you leave your tools out on the counters. If you do leave your tools out in the open, you need to invest in storage containers. If you're not sure you need better storage for your tools, read the list below.

Gutter Talk: Why Seamless Gutters Are A Great Choice For Your Home
Gutters may not seem like a big deal when it comes to home improvement, and they probably are not something you are spending a lot of time thinking about. However, all homes need gutters, and choosing the best gutters for your home is important. Seamless gutters are a great choice for several reasons. Seamless gutters are durable It is hard to beat the lasting durability of seamless gutters. Constructed with heavy gauge metal, they are much more durable than less expensive sectioned gutters that are often manufactured with lightweight materials that may crack or break over time.

When Is Kitchen Cabinet Refacing the Right Choice?
Cabinet refacing is a good way to restore or update the appearance of a kitchen. It isn't always the right solution, especially if there are some structural issues with the kitchen or the cabinets. How can you tell if kitchen cabinet refacing is the right choice?  The Box Is in Good Condition The main box that forms the cabinet's shape needs to be in good condition. You don't want to spend money on refacing if the box isn't going to hold up.

Protecting Your Garage Flooring With Epoxy Coatings
Your garage floor's needs can be somewhat unique due to the different types of wear that it will experience. In order for a person to be able to minimize the effects of this issue, there are flooring systems that can offer a degree of protection. One example of this could be the installation of epoxy floor coatings for the garage. Clear Out The Garage To prepare the garage for the installation of an epoxy floor coating, its interior will need to be fully cleared out.

Benefits Of Professional Chimney Cleaning
Your chimney is crucial in ensuring you and your loved ones enjoy a reliable source of heat during the cold season. Therefore, your chimney requires regular maintenance to ensure its efficiency. You should enlist a professional chimney sweeper to clean your chimney after every few months. Here are some benefits of professional chimney cleaning. Promotes Clean Air When your chimney is at its best, it pulls smoke from the fireplace and out of your home.

How Homeowners Can Purchase The Right Lighting Control System
If you care about the lights around your property, you may want to invest in a control system for them. Then you can adjust their settings and monitor their performance using just one central system—such as a Lutron lighting controls system. As long as you use these tips, finding the right lighting control system for your property will be easy. Think About System's Purpose You can find lighting control systems that do different things based on the features they come with.

Why It's Not A Good Idea To Waive The Home Inspection
It is typical for offers on a home to be made conditional upon inspection of the home. However, in really hot housing markets, it is not unusual for buyers to agree to waive the home inspection in order to make their offer more appealing to sellers. Sometimes this works out for the buyer, but often, it is not a very good idea. Here are a few key reasons why waiving the home inspection isn't typically wise.

Designing Your New Bathroom? 3 Reasons To Choose A Wide Spread Faucet
If you're in the process of designing your new bathroom, and it's time to choose the faucets, don't settle for the standard center set design. Instead, give yourself some room for customization by choosing a wide spread faucet instead. One of the problems with the standard center set faucets is that they come in one component, which doesn't provide you with many options. That's where the wide spread faucet comes into the picture.

Tips To Choose And Install Blackout Curtains For Your Home
The windows in your home are great for allowing natural sunlight to come into your space and also provide you with a wide view of the outside. However, when you want your interior space to be darkened to block out sunlight, you can install and use the right types of curtains to make your space comfortable and of good use based on your needs. Here are some tips to help you choose the right blackout curtains for your home's interior space.

Should You Have Architectural Or Three-Tab Shingles Installed?
Has the time come to put a new roof on your home and you're debating between using architectural or three-tab shingles? If so, it helps to know some of the major differences between them so you can make an informed decision. Three-Tab Shingles One of the biggest differences with three-tab shingles that you will instantly notice is the look of them. They are notably thinner than architectural shingles and they lay very flat on the roof.

Factors To Help Guide Your Decision To Buy A Lawn Tractor
A lawn tractor can significantly reduce the difficulty and work that is involved with managing the length of your grass. However, these can be major tools that may be somewhat expensive for you to purchase. Therefore, you will need to be sure that you are aware of the various factors that will influence the performance and comfort that you experience when using this tool. Choose A Lawn Tractor That Has A Bumper On The Front

Buying A New Mattress? Look Out For These Things
Has the time come to buy a new mattress, but you feel like the buying process will leave you feeling confused about which one to get? Here are some tips that will help guide your decision-making process. Innerspring Mattresses One of the most common types of mattresses you'll see is the innerspring mattress, which has been around for many years. They have coils inside the mattress that give you plenty of support, and work great for those that sleep on their back or stomach.

Banish Blind Boredom In Your Home By Choosing Custom-Made Blinds
If you walk into a store looking for window blinds, you may not find much difference between styles and designs. In fact, most blinds are pretty boring and do not allow much room for creativity. You can avoid blind boredom by selecting custom blinds, which give you more flexibility in style and color. Quality matters You can avoid getting blinds that are poorly made when you choose a custom-designed product.

Leave It To The Experts: Five Reasons Why Cabinet Painting Is Not A DIY Job
When looking at homes, many buyers make their decisions based on updates in the kitchen, followed closely by the bathrooms. Out of all possible kitchen renovations, a fresh coat of paint on the cabinets can give a fresh, luxurious feel to your space. You may consider trying to do this yourself to save money, but cabinet painting is not a simple DIY job. Here are five reasons you should leave the painting to a professional:

Housing The Neighborhood Pests? What To Do
If your house has become that house that everyone calls the mouse house or the cockroach house, you have a problem. Not only is your house the one that the neighborhood talks about most, but you also have these pests in your home living among you and your family. To help you get rid of the pests and the not-so-cute nicknames for your home, read on for some helpful tips.

Bought A New Refrigerator? 2 Tips To Keep It In Good Condition
If you have just purchased a new refrigerator, you know how expensive they can be. Fortunately, there are things you can do to keep it in good condition for you so that it lasts you a long time, two of which are listed below. Install Water Softener If you have hard water in your home, it wreaks havoc on many appliances, including an ice maker in a refrigerator. There are a lot of dissolved minerals found in hard water and these minerals can make your ice look dirty and your water taste bad.

Modern Ideas For Your Backyard Fire Pit
If you have any style of contemporary home, you'd probably like a modern patio to match the house. Modern style is characterized by the clean lines of geometry. Quite often designs feature an industrial theme, though any kind of clean minimalism promotes that contemporary ambience. While an outdoor fire pit may make you think of rustic style homes, you can add a modern version that fits your contemporary patio. These fire pits work best with a gas feed, which necessitates having a gas line installed to the pit area.

Options For Dealing With Old, Dirty Blinds
If you are doing a deep cleaning in your home and are really trying to get everything sparkling clean, the blinds on your windows could seem like they're trying to thwart you at first. Blinds are often neglected in quick cleaning sessions, and it's not until they've become noticeably caked with dust that they finally receive attention. By that time, a simple swipe with a duster won't do. It's time to look at more involved options.

Two Tips To Help Your Small Business Get Affordable Office Chairs
If you own a small business that's just getting off the ground, money can be a major issue for you.  It can be quite pricey to keep your established stocked with furniture, especially office chairs, since they are such a major component of any office space.  Although you may be tempted to use fold-up chairs because of their affordable price point, you have to remember that your team will likely be sitting for hours for several hours each day, so it's important the chairs you use are comfortable and ergonomically correct.

Grass-Care Tips for a Healthy And Vibrant Lawn
Are you tired of having a lawn that is patchy and brown and that barely even looks like a lawn? Do you want to make your front yard the envy of the entire neighborhood? Lawn care is sometimes promoted as being a huge mystery, but it's actually very easy once you get the hang of it. Here are some things that you should do so that you are able to grow the best lawn that you've ever had.

3 Reasons To Use Copper For Your Roof
One of the most versatile and desirable materials that you can use for your roof is copper, mostly because of the many benefits that copper roofing tiles can provide. Listed below are just some of the many reasons to choose copper when building or replacing your roof. Light Copper roofing tiles are typically much lighter than other high-end roofing materials, which is why copper is a great choice for just about any size structure without having to spend money modifying the structure.

Temporarily Repair A Leaky Pipe Underneath The Bathroom Sink In Your Company's Restroom
If a small pipe section is leaking underneath the bathroom sink in your company's restroom, it can temporarily be repaired by completing the instructions below. Once you have stopped water from seeping through the pipe's surface, set up a time to have the plumbing inside of your business inspected and repaired by a licensed plumber at your earliest convenience. Supplies Needed mop towel steel wool pad emery cloth lint-free cloth waterproof plumbing putty plumber's tape disposable gloves small bucket of water scissors Clean Up Water And Remove Residue From The Pipe's Exterior

4 Tips For Keeping Small Animals Out Of Your Garden
When you put a lot of time and effort into the garden in your backyard, the last thing you want is for it to be destroyed by the natural wildlife in your area. Rabbits, squirrels, raccoons, feral cats, birds, groundhogs, skunks, and other small animals can wreak havoc on your garden if you don't take measures to protect it. If you're tired of small animals ruining your garden, use the following tips:

Steps To Design A Water Feature To Attract Birds And Wildlife
Creating a landscape that welcomes wildlife, whether it's the four legged or winged variety, requires water. Most people aren't lucky enough to have a natural stream or pond on their property, though. The following guide will help you add wildlife-friendly water to your land-locked yard. #1: Determine what you want to attract Birds are usually the first to visit running water. They are then followed by smaller mammals, such as raccoons, foxes, and other woodland creatures.

Want To Buy Christmas Lights Early? 4 Ways To Incorporate Them Into Your Home
Many people will buy Christmas lights sometime shortly after Thanksgiving to decorate their home, but this is not the only time to buy them. You can get your hands on noteworthy sales after Christmas, and you can have the best selection to choose from when you take care of your Christmas light shopping early on. While you might think that you have to wait until late November or early December to make use of these lights, you can actually incorporate them throughout your home in numerous ways.

6 Common Weed Control Products
Controlling weeds that are cropping up in your lawn can be a difficult task. Although isolated incidents can be taken care of simply by pulling up the entirety of the weeds, roots and all, and larger areas can be taken care of by taking preventative care of the issues, there is a certain in between area that demands controlling the weeds. Throughout the course of this brief article, you will learn of some weed control supplies and product types that will help you control the spread of weeds throughout your lawn.

LED Garden Lighting Systems: Illuminating Trees In Your Garden
With spring just around the corner, now would be a good time to start preparing your yard with a new garden lighting scheme. Investing in a set of LED garden lights can be an innovative way to light up your garden and transform it into your own outdoor magical setting. LED lights can be installed behind a shrubbery to create ambiance, or they can be positioned on walls, lamp posts and behind vegetation to light up the space.

3 Easy Home Upgrades To Make In Advance Of Super Bowl 50
Hosting the perfect Super Bowl party is an art and a science, with the challenge renewing itself every year for the past 50 Februaries. In order to make this year's watching party more fun to commemorate the big 5-0, it helps to make a few small upgrades around the house. Even if you don't live in a movie theater or have your own sports bar in the basement, you can still recreate these environments in small ways around your home.

How To Fake Occupancy To Protect Your Home From Burglary While On Vacation
Winter and spring break are some of the most popular times of year for vacations, but with any vacation comes the risk of a break in, especially if your home clearly looks like it's not occupied. In order to mitigate this danger, it is best to give your home the appearance of being occupied even when you aren't there, since thieves are less likely to target a home they think is being lived in.

Exploring Fast Growing Shade Trees For Your Yard
If you are looking for trees to shade your home, you will realize during your search that there are many types of shade trees, both slow growing and fast growing.  There are a few things to consider if you want fast growing shade trees.  Because of their rapid growth, some tend to be weak and others may host various insects and other pests.  In addition, if planted in the wrong location, the rapidly growing root system may be damaging to some of your other property.

4 Reasons To Install An Outdoor Water Fountain In Your Yard
As a homeowner, having outdoor space is probably really important for you. It provides a space for you to relax outdoors while still being around the comfort of your own home and it provides space for friends and family to spend time outdoors for meals, which can be more relaxing, especially on summer nights. In order to increase the appeal of your outdoor environment, you may consider including certain outdoor features, such as an outdoor water fountain.

How Can You Tell If Your Tree Is Dying?
Summer's gone now, which means it's time to evaluate the health of the trees on your property. Trees that show signs of illness or approaching death can be a danger during the cold days of fall and winter, when wind, ice and snow are common problems. Unhealthy trees can come down easily in winter storms, and when this happens, property can be damaged and people can be injured. The following signs are what you may see if any trees on your property are dying.

Remove Candle Wax From Shag Carpeting
If a candle tipped over and wax spilled onto the shag carpeting in your living room, the following steps will instruct you on how to remove it. After the wax has been eliminated and you have brushed and vacuumed the carpeting, it will look as good as it did before the accident occurred. Materials ice pack plastic scraper large, paper bag hand towel iron rubbing alcohol soft-bristled scrub brush damp sponge carpet powder vacuum with brush attachment Freeze The Wax And Loosen It

Don't Let Weeds Destroy Your Wildflower Garden
You sprinkle wildflower seed mixes throughout your flowerbed and most of the flowers grow as you anticipated. You are beginning to really love how your garden is coming along, but life gets in the way and your garden begins to become overgrown with weeds that compete with your chosen wildflowers for nutrients. You will need to pull out the weeds without damaging the wildflowers. Remove Weeds Before Planting Weeds have a tendency to sprout more quickly than wildflowers.

Creating The Ultimate Backyard
If you're a homeowner and you're searching for ideas for decorating your backyard, then you're probably aware of the abundance of choices available. From various landscaping ideas to numerous types of furniture, the many choices may make it difficult to pinpoint the exact design to suit your needs. Here are some tips to help you create the ultimate backyard that will make you and everyone else who spends time in it very happy:

Three Ways To Open Your Driveway Gates And How They Operate
Now that you have these big, beautiful driveway gates, you need to find a way to open and close them easily. If you did not enjoy getting out of your car repeatedly to open and close your garage door, that is nothing in comparison to the weight of driveway gates and the frequency with which you have to open and close them. Here are three solutions for your gates that will keep you in your car and keep you safe and dry.

Are You A New Writer? Stop Dreaming And Start Designing Your Own Affordable Writing Studio
If you've taken the plunge into the exciting world of becoming a writer, you probably dream of having your very own space to write. If you're like most new writers, you probably don't have a lot of extra cash to spend on a home improvement project. You may think writing studios are only for well-known writers, and you may push your dream aside until the future. However, having your own writing studio is easier than you think.

Incorporating Metal Plant Stands Into Your Small Space Landscaping Plan
If you have a smaller yard or patio that you are landscaping, finding space-saving pieces for your look is a must. Incorporating foliage and decor into a small space can be a challenge, but can be done. Achieving a great outdoor look while still saving space can be done with metal plant stands, found at stores like Audge's Magic Moments. Here are four ways to bring to life a small outdoor space by incorporating metal plant stands into your landscape.

Questions To Ask Before Having An Aluminum Storefront Installed
Having an aluminum storefront designed and installed on your commercial property can be an excellent way to set yourself apart from nearby storefronts and draw more attention to your business as a whole. Plus, using aluminum provides a number of advantages, including the fact that aluminum is durable, relatively inexpensive, and lightweight (making it ideal for construction). Before you commit to having an aluminum storefront installed, however, there are some important questions you'll want to ask the designer.

Park Model Recreational Vehicles: A Vacation Home Wherever You Need One
If you have considered having a vacation home, but can never decide where you would want it, having a park model recreational vehicle can solve your problem. These mini homes on wheels have more to them than the typical motor home, more familiar than staying in a hotel and much less expensive than buying a vacation home. They are comfortable, and can be set up to give each member of your family a bit of privacy.

Does Your Home's Basement Require Waterproofing?
When is the last time that you've truly taken note of the moisture accumulation in your basement? Even though your basement might not be the most pleasurable room in your home, it's actually one of the most important. That's because the basement is built right on top of your home's foundation, and if there's moisture seeping into the basement, then this is a good indicator that your home's foundation has cracks.

Things To Consider When Seeking Pest Control
Having a home full of pests can be the most irritating thing in the world and enough to make your skin crawl. If you happen to encounter these kinds of problems, you should make sure that you get the help from a pest control expert who can look after your needs. However, if you have never had to call a pest control expert before, you might not know how to go about it or what to expect.

The Advantages Of Using Calcium Hypochlorite To Maintain Your Pool
Installing a pool at your home is a great way to get the most out of your space and enjoy exciting recreation on your own schedule. A pool, however, requires a great deal of maintenance and upkeep, and keeping yourself informed about all of your options is the first step in making sure you're completing that maintenance successfully. Below, you'll find a guide to using calcium hypochlorite to help clean and maintain your pool.

Stop Slime Mold From Growing In Your Yard
Dead and decaying matter attract slime mold in your yard. If you notice it, do not worry too much because the mold will not harm your vegetation. However, you may not like how the slime mold looks and may wish to remove it. Shovel Away the Mold The moist, damp and dark parts of your lawn can be susceptible to slime mold. Given that slime mold depends so much on moisture, drying the area out can be the best and most environmentally-friendly way to eliminate the mold.

Stylish Ways To Protect Your Patio Furniture From Spring Showers
With spring arising and the cold weather drifting away, it's likely that your attention has begun to turn to your outdoor space. If you enjoy using your patio, but are unsure of how to keep your furniture in great shape year after year, it's important to look into how you can reduce the wear and tear that the elements can do. Spring showers can be especially damaging to some types of furniture, making the following ideas for patio covers a great investment to look into.

3 Of The Most Affordable Flooring Options On The Market
A fresh, new floor covering can transform your home from drab to fab practically overnight. Even if you don't have a lot of money spend, there are plenty of low-cost flooring options on the market to spruce up your home's outdated interior. Consider these three affordable flooring options if your current floor needs a makeover: Nylon Carpeting When replacing an old carpet with a new one, consider choosing nylon carpeting. Nylon makes up about 65 percent of all carpet sales in the U.

Replacing Your Cracked Granite Countertops? Recycle The Old Stuff With These 5 Ideas
Now that it's time to replace your cracked granite countertops, you may not have thought of doing anything with the old stuff aside from throwing it in the trash or taking it to the local junkyard. But because there are so many nifty things you can do to recycle those cracked countertops at home, it's worth considering taking on a small side project or two when time permits. Here are five fun ideas that might pique your hobbyist interests:

How To Move To NYC When You're Poor
You're making the move out to the city. You're told that it's great—you're also told that it's expensive. Getting yourself and your stuff out there is part of the money-sucking deal. Read on for some tips to make one of the most stressful events in life—moving—a little more manageable. Throw stuff out If you're poor, you likely are counting pennies at every step so that you can have enough left to eat when you finally arrive.

Three Security Issues That Could Be Putting Your Home In Danger
You take the time to install security features to keep your home and family safe from intruders. However, what most homeowners do not realize is that common maintenance issues that get put off are often standing in the way of a truly secure home. Just by taking a walk around the property, a trained security professional can often point out simple things that are blindly disregarded by the untrained eye. Here are three common security issues that could be putting your home at risk.

Dual Purpose Furniture Options For Your Home's Patio
When you are looking for new patio furniture, it is a good idea to find ones that have more than one purpose. Even though having a table and chairs adds a place for people to spend time, you may need or want other features such as storage. For this reason, you should look through all of your outdoor furniture options so you find the right ones for your patio. Seats With Ottomans

Helping Your Family To Survive The End Of Holiday Gift Giving
If you have small children, you know the sensory overload that can come with the end of the holiday season. With so many gifts and special events, they can become easily overwhelmed, and all of the giving and doing can leave your house looking like a tornado came through. Here are some tips for making sure that your holiday gift giving, with gifts from places like Eve & Nico Crafts Home Decor, doesn't leave your family singing the blues in January.

Incorporating Granite Countertops Into Your French Country Kitchen
If you love the look of old world craftsmanship and deep, rich colors, you may be fond of a French country theme for your kitchen. French country design incorporates many natural elements along with colors that create a bold statement. Your focal point will be the countertops. Granite (from outlets such as Alma Granite) provides a stunning and sturdy base which will become the workhorse of your kitchen. Here are some ways granite can accent every element of the kitchen.