Getting the Kids Organized Before the First Day of School Laurie Pizans Sep 1, 2009 Whether a child is entering first grade or high school, back to school time can be stressful, but with a little of imagination, the year can get off to a great start. When back-to-school time rolls around, many parents simply load up the kids and head to the local mall for clothing and school supplies without first taking inventory of what the child already has. It is better to check closets and drawers first, then hit the back-to-school sales. Sorting through and removing clothing that is too small or outdated makes room for new items and it will be easier to determine exactly what new clothing is actually...
Are you having problems with some of the plumbing in your home? Or maybe you are considering a home improvement project like a new kitchen or bathroom that will involve making some changes to your plumbing? There is more to the project than just figuring out a budget and picking out your new appliances. Any project or repair job that involves your piping must comply with the plumbing regulations in your area. Failure to meet these regulations could mean not only serious damage to your property, but it could also mean getting slapped with sky high fines and even jail time. Before you embark upon any project, it is absolutely critical that you do your homework and find about these regulations and...
Safe Painting is About Preparation, PPE, MSDS, Storage and Disposal Deborah Read Jul 31, 2009 Elements of a safe painting project can easily be overlooked by the first-time or novice D-I-Y. Once you know what to be aware of, you can keep you and your family safe. Preparation for a painting project in your home is not just about brushes and rollers, masking tape and spill rags. Take the time to ensure that you and all others around you will be safe and remain safe during the job you’re taking on. You’re not properly prepared until you do. Rules for safe work practices are in place because employers have learned what can happen from actual occurrences. With the proper information,...
As a home improvement journalist, I already knew that modern appliances don’t last as long as they used to. My neighbor’s washing machine recently bit the dust. For several months, he had to set a heavy container of laundry detergent on the top-loading unit to keep it running during its cycle. In answer to his frustration, I set out to determine exactly why today’s major appliances don’t live up to the rest. Answer #1: What the Internet Says As a quick reference, the Internet has no equal. I asked Google: “Why don’t appliances last as long as they used to?” Scanning the search results, I read a few of the articles and discovered from Stephanie Moore...
The idea of installing solar home lighting may sound like a bit of a headache, but it is not as hard as you may think. You can go about it several ways. You can purchase lights that you can install yourself, or you can hire a contractor to do the work for you. Choosing to use solar powered lighting can pave the way to other “green” changes for you in the future. Installing the Solar Lights Yourself You can purchase solar lights at any department store or home improvement store. Most of them work by running a cord from the light fixture to a solar panel outside. It is relatively easy to replace every light in your home with these fixtures. They range in size and affordability....
In every newsagent in every street there are several home improvement magazines to choose from. These magazines are available for all different sorts of home improvements. You can improve your home in anyway that you like, these magazines are here to give you some good guidance and advice on how to get optimum performance from your budget and other factors that come into consideration when you are re decorating or improving your home. Home improvement magazines are not jut jam packed with great ideas for re decorating and re styling your home, but they are also full of great products and stores where you can get some really nice things for your home improvement. Some people see home improvement...
When doing any kind of home improvement it requires supplies! They can be purchased anywhere though, so you dont have to worry about where you are going to get them. Supplies can be anything from tea light holders to a brand new bathroom suite. They should all be available at your local hardware, home decorating or crafts store. Depending on what home improvement supplies you purchase your cost will vary greatly. Obviously a new kitchen or bathroom is going to cost a lot more than a set of candles or a new carpet. Home Improvement supplies are not only limited to buying in shops but you can also purchase them from the internet. Be careful when using the internet; make sure that the online shop...
The other day, I ended up going to our local Walgreens to pick up a box of ant traps. After looking at a couple different brands, I ended up buying the store brand “Ant Control Systems” simply because they were much cheaper than the other brands.At the time, I figured they would work about as well as the others and thought I was a smart shopper for saving roughly $4. Boy, was I wrong about that.We live in a one-story house on a slab. And, as is the case with most summers, we have been having a problem with ants getting into our house (there is a gap on the bottom of our screen door and they come in when we leave the front door open to let air in).When I purchased the “Ant Control...
Troubleshoot Tank or Storage Unit Thermostats and Heating Elements Kelly Smith Jul 2, 2009 There are three types of hot water heaters: tankless (instant), solar, and the tank (or storage). This article is focused on basic tank-type repairs and maintenance. The tank, or storage-type, is powered by either electricity or natural gas, just as a tankless water heater is. All repairs dealing with gas connections should be done by the local gas utility company or a qualified and licensed plumber. Work done on natural gas connections by an untrained and unlicensed person is dangerous and most likely in violation of local regulations and building codes. Typical Water Heater Problems This appliance...
Pouring concrete is probably one of the hardest challenges for a home owner to take on by themselves without professional help. If you’re not up to the challenge physically, mentally and mathematically then you will fail. If you fail with concrete, you will possibly cost yourself thousands of dollars and you will have a slab that will be of no use causing you to tear it out and restart from scratch. Not a very promising outlook is it?I can’t stress it enough. If you haven’t ever poured concrete before, don’t. Have a professional do it.Scared yet?You should be. However, it can be done and done well. But with that said and out of the way, and your still thinking of pouring...