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Home ownership is expensive and time-consuming, as any homeowner will tell you. Some estimate that up to three percent of a home’s value is spent in annual maintenance costs. There are ways to reduce costs while maintaining your home.
A great tip for home improvement is to personalize any project you undertake. Choose home improvement projects that really reflect your own personality and sense of style.
Don’t make improvements that are impractical. Things like adding a sun roof in Seattle would make nearly no sense. Stick to what is liked, and don’t reach outside of what local climate allows.
Safety Escape Routes
You can greatly improve the safety in your home by gathering your family members and discussing safety escape routes. People often incorrectly assume that discussing an escape plan isn’t necessary, because everyone will know what to do during an emergency. Working out safety escape routes before an emergency strikes can save you and your family members’ lives. Discuss and make a plan for every possible experience imaginable.
Building supplies are valuable and are prone to theft most of the time. Whenever you are not working on a project, the building supplies associated with it should be locked up tight. If you have a secure indoor place to put them, do it. If your home is not secure enough, consider a storage container or unit that can be locked.
Before starting a new project, you should alert your neighbors of the schedule for your project. Living next-door to construction is extremely annoying. Your neighbors will be significantly less annoyed if they know what to expect and for how long.
Install a fence around the entire perimeter of your home. It will keep you and your family safe from wild animals. It will also prevent your dog from roaming around. Do not hesitate to design an original fence yourself.
When you are working on the outside of the house, a thing to think about adding is some lights that will detect motion. These type of lights are only active when someone needs them, so you save money on electricity bills. Motion detecting lights are also a crime deterrent and can prevent burglaries.
Do you hate your old bedroom furniture? You can make it look brand new by refinishing it. Not only will it instantly bring an old item back to life, you will have saved all the money you would spend purchasing a replacement. There are a variety of staining options available for any type of furniture.
Schedule a hot water heater draining at six month intervals. A properly maintained heater will have greater longevity and efficiency. All you have to do is attach a hose to the drain valve, turning it on just like a spigot.
Toothbrushes are great for cleaning crevasses. These old toothbrushes are great at cleaning engine parts, your faucets, and the bathroom. Best of all, they’re free! Why buy a new brush and throw away something that still has a lot of usable life left in it? Save your money for other things.
If you are planning to do a DIY plumbing home improvement project, don’t forget to turn the water off. This can help you avoid any potential messes.
Ceiling fans are a great way to boost air circulation in your house. Fans can help make your furnace more efficient by pushing the warm air to the floor, and they can also keep you from overusing your air conditioner. Depending on the temperature, you can switch most fans to either blow air down or draw it up for maximum comfort.
Think about the best way to throw out the dirt and trash that will inevitably result from your work. Many projects around the house require forceful demolition, but you must remember to constantly remove the debris along your trail. Decide where you want to trash this debris before starting and you will have a better road ahead. Try renting a dumpster or finding someone you know with a large truck. Use these to clear out debris so you can get on with home improvement.
Gas Supply
Be safe when it comes to any type of home improvement project. Always cut off gas supply lines when you are dealing with anything that is related to your gas supply. Doing any construction near gas can be very dangerous. You need to know how to shut it off. Always determine the location of all gas lines before you begin and project that involves digging.
You should check your chimney, wall steps, skylights and low spots if there is a leak in your roof. Gutters may also be responsible for your leaks. In many cases, leaky roofs are caused by damaged gutters, as the water that should run through the gutters runs straight down your home’s exterior.
Consider freestanding units when purchasing new bedroom furniture. Furniture that is built into your bedroom definitely saves space and presents an appealing image, but when it comes time to move, it is impossible to take those pieces of furniture with you. Also, individual pieces are versatile. They can be rearranged within your home to change up your look or sold, if you don’t want to take them when you move away.
If your roof is in need of repair, consider replacing your current roof with white tiles. Using dark colored tile can cause an attic to become hot. Choosing lightly colored tiles prevents heat from being absorbed into your attic. A trip up to the attic to fetch things out of storage will not be as much of a stifling ordeal.
Make sure a contractor you’re considering hiring has the proper documentation before you sign them on. You can easily find out this information by looking at your state government’s website or by calling them. If you find a contractor that does not have a license, it is a sure bet that they lost their license for some reason or that they are a scam artist.
After reading the tips for home improvement discussed in this article, you can rest assured that your next trip to the large home improvement stores won’t break the bank! Home improvement projects can turn your home into a more enjoyable place.