Home Series Archives - Page 3 of 12

December 26, 2019

Looking to Move? Here is What You Need to Consider

Location of the House

Buyers want to find a location that allows easy access to the places they frequent the most (work, school, shopping, recreation, place of worship, friends and family). Look for easy access to the main roads and check traffic flow. Checking this out before a purchase can help save you from hassles getting out of the neighborhood and onto the main thoroughfare or from an unreasonably long commute. The location of the home within the neighborhood is also important to many people. Some people prefer a lot near the main entry, while others like to be away from traffic and further into the development. If there is a park, pool or recreation area, some owners would choose the closest available lot. Cul-de-sacs are favored by some, and some people like living on the main boulevard.

Determine Your Overall Budget

To make relocating and buying a house easier, you should always determine your overall budget first. Start by figuring out how much money you have to work with for both the move and the home purchase. Then, research the cost of packing supplies, moving services needed and home prices in the new city. If you plan to use a full service moving company, be prepared to pay several thousand dollars for an interstate move. If purchasing a home, assess your savings and monthly income to figure out how much you can reasonably spend on a home. In addition to a down payment and monthly mortgage payments, you will need to cover closing costs, realtor fees, homeowner’s insurance, property taxes, and utilities.

Cost of Selling a House

Several costs are incurred when buying/selling real estate, and they can add up to as much as 10% of the sale price overall. The cost of selling a house is something that seriously needs to be taken into consideration. Buyer’s agents generally include any costs they want the seller to pay in the purchase contract, so sellers are forewarned. But they should clarify with their own agents which fees are customary and which are not. You won’t pay for the new buyer’s insurance, title registration, or taxes if you sell your car, but selling a home is different.

Get Prequalified and Preapproved for Credit

Before you start looking for a home, you will need to know how much you can actually spend. The best way to do that is to get prequalified for a mortgage. To get prequalified, you just need to provide some financial information to your mortgage bankers, such as your income and the amount of savings and investments you have. Your lender will review this information and tell you how much we can lend you. This will tell you the price range of the homes you should be looking at. Later, you can get pre-approved for credit, which involves providing your financial documents (W-2 statements, paycheck stubs, bank account statements, etc.) so your lender can verify your financial status and credit.

Purchase Price

Before even looking, you should determine your price range and get pre-approved for a loan. Buying a single-family home is a huge investment, and there’s always more to it than just the purchase price. Think about how all costs will affect your finances and stick to your decision on price range and mortgage payment.
[,,,]
How To Make Your Home Energy Efficient in 5 Steps
5 Interesting Costs of Home Ownership You Should be Ready to Manage

November 25, 2019

DIY Tips for Fixing Leaking Pipes

With the help of modern technologies, and with a bit of will, you can learn any house job. Just think of how much money you could save if you repaired all the breakdowns all by yourself. Some of them, like leaking pipes, are really easy to handle. The reasons why this breakdown happens, find out on the following source:

https://blog.homestars.com/leaky-pipe-causes/.

Secure the Working Area

You need to remember this for good – before any housework which includes electricity or water, turn off the supply to the system you’re working on. Even when you are in a hurry, and you think the repair will take only a few minutes, don’t forget to secure a workplace first. Just a few seconds can be enough for things to go wrong.

Water running from everywhere can be a scary sight. So before you start fixing the leaking pipes, you need to stop the water supply temporarily. Be sure to turn off all devices connected to the system (washing machine, dishwasher).

Avoid Power Tools

Try to do as much as you can with your hand tools, especially if the water is all over the floors and walls. Fixing leaky or crack pipes usually don’t require power tools. Use it only if necessary, and only when you are sure that the location of the breakdown has dried.

Always wear safety gloves, no matter it’s just a tiny hole. Metal conducts electricity very quickly, and you can never be sure where the power installations are. Be especially careful if you have to break the wall to reach the pipe.

Have an Emergency Plumbing Kit

Any problem is easier to solve when noticed on time. As this is not always possible, the malfunction can sometimes escalate and require immediate reaction. In this hurry, you can’t remember where your tool is and what you need at all.

An experienced Fairfax plumber suggests preparing a small kit with the tools required for a quick fix on the water supply network. Some of the essentials are gloves, a flashlight, a few screwdrivers, a repair tape, a monkey wrench, and if there is a flood in your home, you will probably need a bigger bucket for cleaning up the mess or collect the water.

As for an emergency fix, it is advisable to get epoxy, a specific plumbing adhesive. It should be applied to the pipe where it is leaking and let it thicken for a few minutes. It is a quick and reliable but temporary solution. In the next few days, you need to replace the pipe or call a plumbing expert to permanently fix the problem.

Patch Solutions

If you have already decided to be a DIY handyman, at least until the professional plumber comes, you need to know how to close the hole in the pipe temporarily. Consider that it should last for a few days as all good plumbers are very busy.

Epoxy adhesive is quite easy to work with. It has a consistency like clay so it should be softened first. Hold the required amount between your palms until it softens enough to fit on the tube. The epoxy patch should be larger than the hole. After it hardens, you can turn on the water supply. Apply another layer if you still notice traces of leakage.

While epoxy fits for copper and metal pipes, it is best to put rubber or silicone repair tape on PVC fittings. It is easy to use and very flexible so that you can use it anywhere on the pipes or joints. Patch made of rubber and hose clamps can help, too.

Critical Leakage

Patches will help with minor damage. However, when the hole is bigger, you should replace part or the entire tube. It’s not complicated to do, but it requires a bit of skill and a steady hand. Drain and dry the pipes before you start.

Keep in mind that not just the hole but a wider area around it is damaged. So when removing that part, don’t hesitate to cut off the larger piece of pipe. The fixing cement fastens quickly; as soon as you apply it, insert the replacement part, and wait a bit. This way, you’ll be sure everything is connected properly.

Think of Prevention

In most cases, bursting occurs in worn out installations. Copper and cast iron pipes are more likely to crack than fittings made of PVC or CPVC. Almost always, these are water supply channels in the ground; over time, they rust and thin.

The same is the situation with pipes intended for hot water supply. Water from the boiler generates negative ions during heating. While passing through ducts, these ions act like acid and erode the tube walls.

It’s of great importance to replace worn-out water pipes on time. Plastic pipes are a good choice, but their thickness should also be taken into account. PVC and CPVC fittings are not recommended for hot water, as they cannot withstand high temperatures. For this purpose, experts recommend PEX tubes. Find out more about this and other plumbing pipe materials here.

No matter if you live in a house or flat, there’s always something to do. If you are skilled enough, you can do most of these things on your own. But if you’re not handy with using the tools, don’t have the time, or you think you could only worsen the problem, you should call the professionals.
…
Top 3 DIY Plumbing Hacks
Are You Ready For The Plumbing Emergency?
Professionals Every Homeowner Should Have Listed in Their Contacts

November 22, 2019February 19, 2021

Ariens Snow Blowers: Types of Snow Blowers According to Source

One of the most hated seasons is winter. There are so many reasons as to why that is the feeling so many people, even those who grew with it. The season is usually connected with sadness, misery and being alone amongst many people. It is such a poignant time when almost every plant life succumbs to the chill. Animals either hibernate or hideaway to their shelters. Insects die one by one as their eggs waiting for the spring. It is a time known for the end of life, where all people try to rest and hope that it will pass without any losses.

However, there is another thing winter brings that causes more disdain than anything else even the drop of temperature. Snow might look beautiful at a distance. After all, it is a frozen ice crystal that descends to the mortal world. Winter flakes look ethereal in a way that no two is ever alike. Hence, this is also a term for people who are too thin-skinned or feeling special about themselves. On the other hand, winter is also hated because it is cold, irritating and it gets everywhere. Most would rather have the cooler temperatures than wisps of ice forming mountain ranges right in front of your house. Here are ways you can combat the winter blues: https://homespunseasonalliving.com/10-tips-to-enjoy-winter/.

How Technology Helped Make Winter More Manageable

Fortunately, science has provided us with technology that can make this easier. Before, humans just waited for the sun to melt the ice away. They can also do it by hand but it is an unbearable job. When shovels became a thing, people started using them to make the clearing faster. When the modern period arrived, there is equipment that is innovated to clear winter debris out like a lawnmower. This was the birth of the snowblower. Since its introduction to the public, many people wanted to acquire them because it makes the plowing a whole lot easier to do.

The question is: Do you really need a snowblower? It is a well-known fact that the best blowers don’t come cheap. The more “affordable” ones tend to break down after a season or two which doesn’t give you the same bang for your buck. If you are considering buying one, you need to check whether how much snow your area receives in a year. You also need to observe the length of time of light storm or blizzard so that you can roughly estimate the amount properly as well. If you don’t even receive that much snow each year, then why buy this machine?

Things That You Need To Check Before Buying One:

Stages

As you may know, there are a lot of different kinds of snow blowers. Sometimes, they are differentiated through stages. The stage being referred to here is the auger, which pushes the snow to the chamber that spreads it to other areas. The single-stage snow blower uses only the auger as a way to disperse the powdered ice. This is best for where it pours less than four inches thick. A two-stage one can perform even better than the single chamber because you can cover more spaces as well as you can control where the snow should go. There is a mechanism inside that lets the user control where the snow would land after it is adjusted through the controls. Also, there is another type called triple-stage which lessens the effort you use to clean the lawn on your own. Check out products like this in reviews like Ariens Xompact 24 review

Wheels

You also need to check what kind of wheels your snowblower has. Mosts single-stage blowers have a wheel in them so that it would be easy to maneuvers. However, turning can be a challenge since most single stage only for one way. After you are done, you need to position it correctly, otherwise, you need to try and remove it again. For two-stage blowers, most of them have tracks. These are special types of wheels that can go over rocky or uneven ground. With these tracks, two-stage blowers can go practically anywhere. Sometimes, these machines are so powerful that their augers can even pick up gravel and rocks. Be careful with these though as they can jam the passage of snow and be the cause of the malfunction.

Power

The last consideration that you need to think about is what kind of power source the model has. Electric powered blowers are very popular these days, but they can’t cover for as long. They are just limited to areas near the house. Plugged-in blowers might be alright as it has its uses, but it is not really for your driveways. The cord might get stuck on the snow or get destroyed by its own auger. If this is the only one you have, look for extension cords or simply shovel everything away. On the other hand, if you are covering for an entire lot then it would be best to have the gasoline or fuel-powered snow blowers.
…
Home Improvements Before Winter
How Winter Tests Your Home
Signs That your Roof is in Need of Repair

This post may contain automatically and manually added affiliate links,
which means I might receive a small commission if you make a purchase using a link at no extra cost to you.

November 21, 2019February 18, 2021

How To Prevent The Toilet In Your Property From Becoming Blocked

If you own a commercial property and you have ever experienced a blocked or clogged toilet in your commercial or residential property, then you will know it can often be an inconvenient and messy experience. Indeed, blocked toilets can also cause serious problems to the plumbing system as well as to the flooring in your property. In order to make sure the toilets in your commercial or residential property do not become blocked, you should implement a number of preventative measures. Furthermore, it is also important to understand that everybody that uses the toilets in your property should be aware of the etiquette around what can be flushed into the toilet. By following these simple tips, you can help to prevent the toilet in your property from becoming blocked.

Make sure everyone knows the rules

There are only two materials that should never be flushed down the toilet. Indeed, toilet paper and human waste materials can be flushed into the toilet system. However, you should also be aware that flushing other unsuitable items into the toilet can cause blockages in the plumbing system. For more information about blocked toilet plumbing services , you should think about consulting an online business directory that can provide you with the contact details of several plumbing contractors in your area.

Correctly flush materials away

Many people are not aware that flushing unsuitable materials into the toilet can cause a blockage to occur. Indeed, you should be aware that other items, including tissues, baby wipes, and other products should never be flushed down the toilet. These materials can build up in the pipes, preventing the correct material from passing through the system. As a result of flushing these types of items down the toilet, people can experience serious problems with the plumbing system in their property. In order to prevent this problem from occurring, you should make sure everyone knows the protocol about using the toilet in your building.

Do not flush large amounts of toilet paper

Furthermore, it is also important to understand that you should never flush a large amount of toilet paper away at a single time. This can also create negative consequences for the plumbing system in your building while it can easily cause blockages to occur. The process of flushing too much toilet paper into the system can cause clogs or blockages to occur. This can be especially pertinent if your family or employees use a considerable amount of toilet paper on a daily basis.

Keep the drains clean

In addition, you should be aware that if you notice the drainage system in your commercial or residential property is draining away slowly, you should hire a plumbing company as soon as possible to undertake an inspection. This symptom may indicate serious problems with the plumbing system or even a blockage in the pipe. To make sure more serious issues do not occur, you should always address these problems as soon as they are identified.

Therefore, in conclusion, if you want to prevent the toilet in your property from becoming blocked, you should implement a number of preventative measures while making sure everybody knows to only flush away certain materials that can help to avoid this particular problem from occurring.

If you’re a landlord, make sure your tenants know and follow the rules, advises Orlando Property Management, otherwise it’ll become a problem of landlord vs. tenant in who’s responsible for plumbing repair and maintenance.
[…]
5 Important Questions to Ask Your Plumber Before Hiring

This post may contain automatically and manually added affiliate links, which means
I might receive a small commission if you make a purchase using a link at no extra cost to you.
Green Bathroom Cleaning