Home Repairs Archives - Page 2 of 9

May 6, 2021April 30, 2021

Home Renovations You Should Not Do Yourself

Home-Renovation-Image-Julie-Whitmer Do it yourself (DIY) projects are more popular than ever. They’re a great way to ensure you get the exact update you want, and they can save you quite a bit of money in the process.

Paint the walls, switch out light fixtures, and tear out the carpet, but when it comes to other projects, they’re best left to the professionals.

Here are four home improvement projects that you should never do yourself.

Replacing a Roof

Roofing systems can be expensive, and it’s easy to see why. They are a home’s first defense against the elements. Unfortunately, many homeowners make the mistake of trying to replace their roof on their own only to end up with the very thing they were trying to avoid—a damaging leak.

It’s really best to hire a professional for the job. They will make sure everything is installed properly. You can even look into roof financing options that will make the replacement more affordable.

Electrical Work

There are some electrical home improvement projects you can do on your own. Changing outlet covers and replacing light fixtures are two DIY projects that most homeowners can handle, but when it comes to in-depth electrical work, you need to hire a professional electrician.

Dealing with electricity can put you in danger of being shocked. A bad electrical job can even cause a fire and destroy your home. If you’re looking to install an outlet or a light fixture where there isn’t one, or the wiring in your home needs an update, don’t do it yourself.

Major Plumbing Repairs

Electrical work is especially dangerous for a homeowner. That isn’t the case with major plumbing repairs, but doing it wrong can end up costing you a lot of money.

Without the right plumbing repair or replacement, you could end up with a leak, or worse yet, flooding your home. All that water can result in mold growth and costly remodeling repairs.

A few plumbing projects that should be left to the professionals include:

Toilet installations
Shower and tub installations
Water heater installations
Valve and tube replacements
Sewer pipe work

Structural Changes to Rooms

Tearing out a wall sounds like the easiest DIY project of all. You just need a sledgehammer and a strong arm! Unfortunately, it’s not that easy.

Before you tear down the wall, you have to consider what’s inside it. There could be electrical wires or plumbing located in the wall. If you’re living in a two-story home, you could be dealing with a load-bearing wall. In order to make sure you don’t end up with even more costly repairs, it’s best to leave knocking down any walls to the professionals.

When in doubt, it’s always a good idea to call in a professional team to assess your project. It costs less in the long run to do it right in the first place than it does to botch the job and end up calling a professional to fix it anyway.

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if you make a purchase after clicking on a link.

April 24, 2021

How to Know When You Need a New Boiler

A boiler is the most widely used appliance in the home. There’s no gainsaying that boiler technology has evolved in recent years. Nowadays, we have boilers with safety features, smart control options, and greater efficiency levels. You see, boilers can’t keep working their best forever.

Time will always come when your steam boiler will no longer work as efficiently as it used to in the past. Although regular maintenance can help keep your boiler in top condition, boiler faults don’t give prior warnings before they break down. On that note, continue reading to discover some telltale signs that you need a new steam boiler.

1. Frequent Breakdowns

Frequent-breakdowns-or-the-boiler-could-mean-time-to-call-a-repairman

If your water takes a long time to heat up, then you likely need a brand new boiler. This can be a stressful experience since you’ll have to shop around for quotes and make sure you’re getting the best person to do the job—on top of that, your water is freezing which adds to the stress!

Start with a simple online search of “need new boiler” followed by your location and you’ll be on your way to getting your new replacement. Make sure to read other customer reviews when making your decision. If your boiler keeps breaking down all the time and constantly undergoes repairs, no amount of repair work can get your boiler working at its optimum again. So, it’s probably time to get a brand new one. Besides, you can save the money you spend on hiring a technician for repairs, spare parts, and call-outs towards a new, reliable boiler for your home.

2. Increased energy costs.

Whether for a home kitchen or commercial kitchen, you have to make sure your new kitchen is equipped properly to meet your cooking needs. This includes having an efficient boiler in place. Increased energy costs certainly indicate that there’s something wrong. What’s more, old equipment affects energy efficiency over time. No doubt, a boiler that has seen better days can significantly impact your energy costs. Regular on and off invariably means increased energy consumption. The bottom line is that a drop in efficiency will cost you more money on energy bills than expected.

3. Reduced performance.

Boilers that have been operational for years experience a reduction in energy efficiency. You can check the ERP energy rating to determine your boiler’s efficiency. Boilers or furnaces are rated by AFUE – Annualized Fuel Utilization Efficiency. A boiler with a high AFUE rating means greater energy efficiency. More so, a high-efficiency boiler has an AFUE rating of 90 and 97 percent.

Boilers rated “A” are considered the most efficient, while those with a “G” rating are less efficient. Overused boilers usually have a “G” rating, so you need to get an A-rated boiler.

4. The boiler becomes very noisy.

One telltale sign that your boiler is due for replacement is that it starts making all sorts of noise when in operation. You may have probably noticed a gurgling, kittling, or banging sound whenever you switch on the central heating or open the hot water tap.

If you have a noisy boiler or radiator, it’s a telling sign that your boiler is faulty. Homeowners who ignore these sounds may end up regretting them at the end of the day. Chances are, the fault may get worse and result in a complete breakdown of the boiler. Besides, you wouldn’t want your boiler to break down in the winter season.

5. Radiators take a lot of time to heat up.

Like a ductless HVAC system, when you switch on your boiler, it starts to produce heat to increase the temperature in the home. Sometimes, radiators may take longer hours to heat up, depending on the type of boiler. While this shouldn’t cause any concern if you have a new boiler, it could, however, mean that your boiler is wearing out. This is especially true if you have an old boiler.

The good news is that a good boiler service can fix a radiator that’s slow in heating up. However, if it takes a long time to heat your water after the servicing, you might need a boiler replacement.

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March 18, 2021

Maintenance Tips To Help You Prepare for a Home Birth

If you are pregnant or an expecting mother, you might be considering having a home birth. It’s important to know how to prepare for labor whether you plan on having your baby in the hospital or at home. We will focus on things to think about if your birth plan includes your child being born at home on the big day.

1. Take classes or read books on home births.

As soon as you realize you want to have a home birth versus a hospital birth, it would help if you started reading up on the process. From hiring a midwife to preparing your home with necessary supplies, you will want to be well versed in what you can expect before, during, and after childbirth. Many hospitals offer free birthing classes such as prenatal massage and Lamaze to help with pain during labor and delivery.

Of course, you can’t know exactly what will happen on your due date, but if you anticipate anything that might occur, you will be better prepared at the moment.

2. Maintain and repair faulty appliances around your home.

If you plan on having a home birth, you will want to make sure all necessary appliances in your home are up and running in good condition. You might be surprised how a properly running furnace, dishwasher, washer, air conditioner, and dryer will come in handy on the big day.

If you suspect something is wrong with a major appliance, such as your HVAC system or furnace, you should get it checked out as soon as possible. For example, if you have smells continuously coming from the vents in your home, you should contact an HVAC technician to come to check it out in advance of your due date.

3. Connect with a reliable midwife.

Having a midwife and/or doula to attend and assist in your home birth is one of the most important steps of the preparation process. A midwife will help you prepare for childbirth, provide prenatal care, provide technical expertise during labor and delivery, as well as provide postpartum care and support.

If you haven’t chosen a midwife for your home birth, be sure to check online and see who is available locally. Having a midwife close to your home is important so they won’t have to travel far when you go into labor. They should also have some backup plan if things don’t go as smoothly as you anticipate during labor and delivery.

4. Finish any incomplete home renovations.

If you have any home renovation projects that aren’t completed, this is the perfect time to get them done. Not only will you feel more organized while preparing for your home birth, but you will have fewer things to worry about when the time comes.

It’s a good idea to try to get home renovations completed as early in the pregnancy as possible because many projects can be risky in the second and third trimester. Renovations such as painting, laying hardwood floors, and moving large appliances are risky in the later stages of pregnancy.

5. Make a postpartum care plan.

Most expecting mothers focus on prenatal care and childbirth when they are preparing for the big day. There is something many people call the fourth trimester of pregnancy, which is the postpartum period. You will want to prepare for things like breastfeeding, caring for a newborn, sleeping situations, and their first trip to a doctor’s office for a newborn checkup.

Many mothers describe the fourth trimester as trying, exhausting, and a big learning experience for both baby and mom. Everyone parents newborns in different ways, so try to find out what makes you comfortable while caring for your baby.

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March 18, 2021

Portable Air Conditioners – All You Need to Know!

What-You-Need-To-Know-About-Portable-airconditioners Knowing where to start with choosing a portable air conditioner for your home can be a daunting task. As with all big purchases, a google search can often throw up more questions than answers, and it is about trying to pick through the different marketing and sales tactics to find the best solution for your needs.

Balancing cost and performance are the juggling act that you somehow need to achieve. Making the wrong choice can leave you with a poor machine that is not in warranty. In the event of any problems, you then risk being left with a decision to write off the unit and start again, or to pay for repairs out of your own pocket.

When portable air conditioners are a great fit

During hot summers, homes and offices can become uncomfortably hot places. If you rent your space or it is unsuitable to install a permanent air conditioning system, a portable air conditioner can be the ideal workaround.

This short article will help you to select the best option for your home or office. It will look at the main considerations you should make, and the things to look out for when making your choice.

The technicalities of portable air conditioners

One of the first things to check when making your decision on the best portable air conditioner is its energy rating. As a rule of thumb, cheaper models tend to need around 1000 watts per hour to function, while better and more energy efficient alternatives tend to be closer to 800 watts per hour.

In short, the better the unit you buy, the more chances that it is more energy efficient. This means that you get better bang for your buck in terms of cooling capacity compared to the amount of energy required.

The workings of portable air conditioners

One of the major advantages portable air conditioners have over fully installed versions is that they do not require ventilation. They operate by pulling in warm and hot air in the room and passing it through damp pads that cool it down. This then also serves to make the water evaporate, thereby reducing the air’s temperature even further. Cool air is then dispersed around the room using a fan.

While it is not essential for the operation of portable air conditioning units, placing them next to a source of ventilation, doing so has some benefits. Greater energy efficiency can be achieved by running your unit close to a door, vent or window that can serve as a source of clean air.

Getting the most from your portable air conditioner

One of the best ways to get the most value from your portable air conditioner is to ensure you pick the right model to suit your space and requirements.

Choosing the cheapest model will likely mean that you struggle for performance and warranty; choosing too small could mean your unit struggles to keep a medium or larger space cool; and choosing a unit that is too large for your space could mean you are saddled with a noisy and unwelcome addition to your home.

This post may contain affiliate links and I might receive compensation if you make a purchase after clicking on a link.