Going away on vacation? kinda nervous about leaving because you always forget things? Here is a easy list:
Arrange for someone to check on the house while you are away.
Alert a neighbor that you trust that you’ll be away so they can be on the lookout for suspicious activity.
Set timers on lights or TV so it appears that someone is home.
Lock doors, windows, garages and sheds and set any alarms that you have. Don’t leave hidden keys outside.
Stop delivery of your mail and newspapers or arrange for a neighbor or friend to pick them up.
turn off water valves on external hoses and the washing machine, especially if the hoses are old.
Unplug small kitchen appliances, especially the toaster and coffeemaker.
Check the thermostat and check the weather forcast and adjust accordingly to conserve energy
Plan to eat any food before you go that will perish while you are gone
If you have a trusted neighbor leave them your cell number and the phone number of where you’ll be incase they need to contact you.
We always make a list in advance of all the things we need to do and set it by the door and check it the day before so we can set the times and lock everything up. As we get ready to leave we check the list again to make sure everything has been taken care of. This gives us peace of mind that we did not forget anything. Have a happy vacation!
If your showerhead pressure is lower than it used to be and the water is squirting out in directions that it should not be then mineral buildup in the showerhead could be the cause. Remove the shower head and use a paperclip to poke the minerals out the holes of the showerhead. Rinse the showerhead with clean water to remove any mineral pieces. Soak the showerhead in white vinegar for about an hour to remove any mineral deposits inside that you can’t reach with the paperclip. Rinse the showerhead in water and place back on shower pipe. Turn on water and test the clean showerhead to remove any of the remaining vinegar solution.
If you want to find out home values on a home on your street you can use the Zillow Real Estate Values website to find information on house values, real estate values and neighborhood home values. Our favorite secret is www.Zillow.com and look for the find homes search box on the top of the page. Enter the address including city and state or zip. The results will pull up a detailed Google map of your street listing the information about the property, when it was last sold, annual taxes, square footage and more useful information about the homes value. I like to look at the aerial shot of neighborhood home values to give me a good idea of what my neighbors home value is. Use the hand to move the map down different streets in your area to see real estate values on streets near your home.
New article added to the Resourceful Remodeler website that helps you compare replacement windows. Most of the time when you call a remodeler to come out and give you an estimate he suggests one of the windows that he carries and that may be drives by him making a bigger profit margin or using cheaper materials that window may not be the right choice for you. Now you can do your homework and be informed on everything you need to know so you can pick the right window for you and your budget.
If you have concerns about the chemicals you are using in your home to clean with you can try out a couple of make it yourself recipes for all-purpose cleaners, floor cleaners, furniture polish, carpet spot removers, rust and mold removers. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has published a guide to make some of those recipes http://www.pca.state.mn.us/publications/w-hhw1-09.pdf
You can print off this article and cut it inhalf to share with a friend. Happy cleaning naturally done!
Lets face it we pour everything down the kitchen sink and after a while it starts to smell pretty foul. You can disinfect your sink pipe and drain by mixing a gallon of hot water with a cup of chlorine bleach and pouring the solution down the drain. If your sink is made from delicate material such as natural stone you’ll want to carefully pour it down the drain so it does not come into contact with the sink. You can also keep a sink smelling clean just by pouring several buckets of boiling water down the sink each week. After you use boiling water to cook food such as pasta or making tea, pour the boiling water down the drain and it will kill germs and flush them away.
If you did not clean your paint brush properly the last time you used latex paint it may still have paint in it and it will be stiff. To fix a stiff paint brush pour vinegar into a glass container and put it into the microwave until it is hot but not boiling. Pour the vinegar into your cleaning bucket and throughly soak just the bristles for about an hour. Wash the paint brush throughly with soap and water and your brush should be in much better shape.
Cleaning walls of spots and dirt the day before you start painting is a smart idea. When you spot clean a wall it is best to let it dry for one day before you paint. For a guide on cleaning dirty walls visit http://www.resourcefulremodeler.com/how-to-clean-dirty-walls.html
Then when painting an entire room you’ll want to take logical steps. First remove all the furniture or pile it into the center of the room and protect it with a plastic tarp or sheet. Second you’ll want to use blue painters masking tape to protect any trim from spatters or stray brush strokes. Next you’ll want to protect the floor by taping down a tarp, sheet of plastic or trash bags taped together.
Start painting the ceiling first, then paint the trim, windows and doors, then the walls. Make sure you let the paint dry in between each step so you don’t mess up the work you just did. Check the cure time on the can of paint to allow plenty of time for the paint to dry before removing painters tape and starting the next step.
Choosing the proper type of sandpaper is very important when finishing a home remodeling project. Sandpaper is measured by grit from 24 up to 1000. The grit number refers to how many grains are found per inch of paper. Each piece of sandpaper is stamped with a number on the back for easy identification. The higher the grit number the smoother the sandpaper. You’ll want to start sanding with a lower number to remove larger pieces of unwanted material and then gradually reduce to higer numbered smoother grades to produce a smooth sanded finish. Sandpaper packages are available in sets which include various grit sizes in course, medium, fine and extra fine grits.
If you are considering a energy saving project without going through the blower door test you can perform a free DIY air leak test to help you determine where the biggest leaks in your home are coming from.
Close all your doors and windows, the turn on all the exhaust fans (furnace, bathroom, kitchen, etc.). Hold a candle or incense stick near different areas in your home where hidden drafts may occur. Before you start make sure that the flame or the tip of the incense does not get near curtains or furnishings.
You’ll want to check around doors, window frames and near electrical outlets. By using this inexpensive method of testing for air infiltration you can start with the project that will have the most impact.
