Green home remodeling is more attractive now than ever thanks to tax incentives for use of energy-efficient building materials. But the benefits of green remodeling go far beyond cash back from the government. You also save in monthly utilities, help reduce your carbon footprint, cut down on pollution of air and water, and help beautify the environment. While you’re putting together your remodeling plans, here are some ideas to help get you greener.Spruce Up Your Kitchen In many homes, this is the most used area of all. It’s also usually the most wasteful. Think of all those energy-consuming appliances, wasted water, pollutants and materials used in construction that are non-sustainable....
If you’ve got plumbing questions or need plumbing help, be sure that others have probably encountered the same issues. Take a look at the following Q&A’s, which address a variety of common plumbing problems. Q. What should the water pressure be in my home? A. 40 to 60 pounds is “normal.” Over 80 is too high and will cause problems with your plumbing fixtures and water heater. You can buy an inexpensive test gauge that attaches to an outside faucet. Just be sure to run the water a bit before hooking it up so you do not get a false reading from air trapped in the gauge.Q. I am doing a new bathroom my second floor. On the work permit the approver wrote “no...
Your plumbing system: you probably only think about it when something goes wrong. Plumbing tends to be the sort of thing we take for granted, but actually, it has a much storied history that dates back centuries. Plumbing has been at the center of an incredible amount of both scientific research and political conflict throughout history. It remains a contentious issue in the politics of developing nations, and inadequate plumbing costs hundred of thousands of lives every year. The story behind the pipes in your home is a lot more interesting than you may have first imaged. The word plumbing comes the from Latin word plumbum, which means lead. This name came from the fact that many pipes were...
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...
No matter where you live, once pests invade your home or property everyone can agree it becomes a concern. Once you have any suspicion of a pest problem, do not hesitate to deal with it immediately. Pest problems left alone can lead to infestations, property damage, spreading diseases, and more complicating troubles. Your best bet in dealing with the unwanted nuisances is to call an environmentally friendly pest control service immediately after you have any belief there is a problem. Living in Minnesota can mean having to deal with an array of insects and pest. Lets take a look at the common pests in Minnesota, and the benefits of an environmentally friendly pest control service compared...
Hiring a company to do electrical contracting work for your home or business can be a very stressful decision. What if the costs soar half way the job and you can’t afford to continue? This article attempts to provide a good step-by-step guide for choosing the right electrician for the job. Just follow the simple steps below and you will be well on your way. STEP ONE: Get Appropriate Credentials Electrician services companies working in your home must always be licensed and insured in case of problems. Every electrical worker you consider hiring should be bonded, licensed, and insured. They should be willing to let you know their individual state license number. Also, check to see if...
Dangers in the home are everywhere. Some are easy to see while others may be hidden. In order to keep one’s family and guests safe, a homeowner should inspect their home in five main dangers zones.The first item that should be inspected is the outlets. First, all grounded outlets should be tested. An inexpensive tester can be purchased to complete this task. If the tester has a negative response, seek the help of a contractor to ground the outlets. If the outlets are not grounded, it could cause shock even possibly death. Also if the outlets are not grounded properly, it could cause damage to appliances and may even void warranties. In the bathroom and any outlets near water should be GFCI...
What to Consider when Entering into a Home Improvement ProjectAs crazy as it might sound, employing one particular Clint Eastwood catchphrase from a “Dirty Harry” movie comes in handy when it comes to a home improvement or remodeling project. Clint Eastwood tells us in the movie “Magnum Force” that a “man’s got to know his limitations.” This is an appropriate yardstick by which to measure whether or not one needs to hire a contractor or engage in a home improvement project oneself. There are three avenues one can take to tackle a home improvement remodeling project: hire a general contractor, hire a specialized contractor, or do it yourself.The former...
Swiffer Dusters: Off with that DustI have been asthmatic since birth. That is why it is imperative that our house be spic and span at all times. My wife always makes sure that there would never be an event in the house that would trigger my ailment. My wife gets really terrified when I experience attacks, because it’s really not a good sight – I always look like I am about to drop dead any moment. I do not like the feeling, and she doesn’t either. One of the things that can really trigger my asthmatic attacks would be dust. That is the reason why my wife keeps every corner, every space, and every object in our house dust-free. While it is easy to remove dust from large spaces...