How to Prevent Major Issues From Surfacing in Your Home

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There’s something very satisfying about owning the place you live in. It gives you a lot more freedom to create a home that is just the way you want it and avoids the risk of having your rent increased because your landlord felt like it. Of course, being a homeowner comes with plenty of responsibilities, including addressing any major issues that might surface. The good news is that there are things you can do to prevent just such a thing from happening.

Keep Up With Maintenance

One of the best things you can do to prevent major issues from popping up in your home is to keep up with regular home maintenance. Most people tend to think of indoor cleaning and maintenance, but it’s important to not neglect the exterior of your home either. With all the tasks that need doing, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. According to House Method, you should do yourself a favor and break up your home maintenance tasks into a seasonal maintenance list. You can even break it down further and assign different tasks to different months or weekends, depending on how you prefer to organize yourself.

Get an Inspection

Of course, it’s a bit tricky to address problems when you don’t know what needs fixing. That’s where getting your home inspected on a regular basis comes in. According to J Bixler Inspections, your home should have a full inspection every five years. Home inspectors look at what is readily able to be seen and provide you with a report of their findings. This can give you a good indication of what portions of your home need to be addressed and the level of priority they should be given.

Don’t Put Off Repairs

Even the best maintenance list isn’t going to be enough to keep everything from needing the occasional repair. If an inspection brings a problem to your attention, or if you happen to notice something on your own, it’s best to address the problem sooner rather than later. Homes don’t fix themselves. If you neglect it, it’s only going to get worse and turn into a bigger, more expensive, and more complicated problem to fix. According to Fixd, there are some projects that are best handled professionally. Don’t handle repairs that you aren’t confident in your ability to complete properly.

 

The reality is that it’s not actually possible to prevent all major issues from surfacing in your home. Natural disasters and other unforeseen circumstances can create situations that cause major issues. Barring those, however, regular maintenance, inspections, and repairs can go a long way towards heading off serious problems that you would otherwise be faced with.

 

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Finishing Touches That Take a Room to the Next Level

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Your home is more than a refuge from the outside world. Your home is an expression of who you are, what you enjoy, and what you hope to be. The way you decorate and style your home can make a big impact on your overall utility, mood, and satisfaction with where you live. Consider adding finishing touches that can take your room to the next level.

A New Paint Job

The colors in a room can significantly impact your mood and how you feel in a space. When you are finishing a room, the colors you display in furniture and on the walls will indicate the level of finish you have given the room. A new paint job is a sure way to tie a room together and make it feel fresh. Consider touching up the space to get rid of old marks and potentially adding an accent wall. This will not only give your room a finishing touch but will communicate the kind of mood you want when occupying that space.

Luxury Touches

Luxury touches can complete a room and make it feel fancy. If you have hard floors, you may consider adding plush rugs to offer dimension in floor texture and make the floor a part of the room rather than a default feature. You may also consider adding a fireplace. Fireplaces have quite a few benefits, along with making a room feel more luxurious. Finding elements that tie the room together while adding a luxurious feel will transform your space into a whole new level.

Mood Lighting

If you want to take your room to the next level, you need to make it seem that everything is intentional, including the lighting. Adding mood lighting will transform your room into a whole new space and give it utility throughout the day. Consider adding dimmable, app-controlled LED bulbs which will last for years and let you adjust the lighting exactly to your tastes. Never underestimate the effect of natural lighting. A central lighting fixture with supporting fixtures also adds dimension and brings light to dark corners.

The way you style your home is completely up to you. The end result will always pay off because of an increase in value and personal satisfaction. Take your rooms to the next level with finishing touches like a new paint job, luxury touches, and mood lighting.

Read this next: How to Mix Up Your Interior Design and Achieve a Bolder Look

How to Know When It’s Time to Remodel Your Home

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Every homeowner puts a big investment into their home. The money it takes to purchase and maintain is not cheap. As your home ages and deteriorates over time, it will become outdated and need a remodel. You know your home needs a remodel when you feel the need for some change, it’s in poor condition, or the floor needs to be replaced.

You Need Some Change

Following the COVID-19 pandemic, many individuals spent more time inside their homes than ever before. This has led to an increase in home remodels because individuals are looking for a change in the space they live in. Simple remodels can make a big difference in the way you feel about your home and the freshness of the space you are in. For example, painting walls that need a fresh coat of paint can brighten and transform your space into something that feels like new. According to Medford Design-Build, visual appeal and custom design will go a long way in creating a unique space that you can take pride in.

It’s in Poor Condition

Appliances that don’t work, cabinets that don’t hang straight, warped baseboards, and several other issues are sure signs that your home needs a remodel. According to J Bixler Inspections, inspecting your home is an important part of making sure it’s in good condition. It’s a good idea to have a home inspected every five years after you own it. If you find your space worn down and not functioning properly, investment in a remodel will significantly improve your quality of life.

The Floor Needs Replaced

Natural wear and tear from everyday use will affect the quality of your flooring. One of the first signs that your home needs a renovation is when your floors’ tiling starts to detach. According to The Lenders Network, this means that the tile grout is wearing off. Other flooring surfaces should be put on rotation. For example, carpet should be replaced every five years. Hardwood surfaces, on the other hand, should be replaced every ten to fifteen years depending on their durability and use. Replacing your floor protects it from moisture, excessive wear, and protects the people and items in your home.

The primary reasons for a remodel stem from two categories: something needs fixed, or you’re looking for a change. Knowing when it is time to remodel will help you stay on top of maintenance requirements and stay trendy. Increase the value of your home and your overall satisfaction by investing in remodels.

Read this next: What You Should Know Before Proceeding with Home Renovations

Health Hazards in Your Home You Need to Fix Promptly

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Taking care of your home is important for your quality of life but also for your sheer safety. There are so many things that can affect your safety in your home, but it’s important to pay attention to these things specifically. Eliminating these hazards from your home will have long-reaching positive consequences.

Mold

Mold is one of the worst things to develop in your home because it can be difficult to get rid of. It can be a major difficult point for potential buyers to get over down the road. Of all the areas of your home where you should beware of mold, you should pay particular attention to your bathrooms.

Because of the moisture that is constantly built up in your bathroom, there is a much higher possibility of developing mold. Make sure that your ventilation system works well. Check the actual fan to make sure it isn’t just noisy but is actually circulating the air.

Source: https://azbigmedia.com/lifestyle/7-common-signs-you-have-mold-in-your-house/ 

Dirty Water

Another issue you might encounter is dirty water coming up through your faucet or up into your toilet or tub. When this happens, there are a variety of things that could be happening. Sometimes, this indicates a leak in your main water line where dirt and other contaminants are getting into the water stream.

Sometimes this means that your sewer water is actually coming back up your pipes and out your faucets. A backflow prevention device ensures the water that comes out of your faucets is clean. Installing this device can give you a lot of peace of mind and can save you from a disgusting repair in the future.

Source: https://www.podium.com/article/backflow-prevention-devices/ 

Clogged Gutters

Your gutters might not be one of the main things you think of when you think about immediate household repairs, but it should definitely be on your list. This is especially true as fall and winter get closer. Having working and clean gutters will help ensure that water runoff from snow and rain will not run down the side of your house, potentially causing damage to your siding and eventual mold.

Source: https://www.mywindowwashing.com/blog/2020/05/21/5-big-benefits-of-gutter-cleaning-this-summer/ 

Keeping your home a safe place starts with simple maintenance. But in addition to simple maintenance, there are things that are easily forgotten that you should make sure are functioning properly. Start by setting aside time to have things like your gutters and your plumbing checked to ensure it is safe.

Read this next: How to Ensure the Safety of Your Commercial Property

How to Save Money During the Home Renovation Process

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Renovations can be small or huge, span a couple of weeks or last months or entire years, depending on your goals. No matter the scope of what you’re trying to accomplish, however, every renovator has one thing in common: you have a budget. In fact, you may even be searching for ways to end up spending less than your current projections for the renovation, and if so, you’re in the right place. Here are three ways to save money while renovating your house!

Budget Every Step of the Way

As so often happens, costs end up being higher than you think on some areas of the renovation as you go through the process. When this does occur, however, you either can continually keep expanding your budget or take the opportunity to re-budget for the next stages of the renovation. According to Elle Decor, if the new flooring ended up more expensive because of a really beautiful hardwood that caught your eye, you can mitigate the hit to your budget by replanning how much you’ll spend on furnishings, or only paint one wall in some of your rooms.

Do it Yourself

The internet is chock-full of renovation hacks, so why not take advantage? According to Pierce Design + Build, if you’re willing to do the research, a DIY renovation may be a good approach to some of the more pricey projects you’ll already be spending a lot on materials for. One way to make sure things still look professional is by watching videos, not just reading articles, so you can better visualize how to complete each step of adding a backsplash to your kitchen or carpeting bedrooms. You can also find a lot of DIY ideas that are custom and wouldn’t be completed by a professional without extra payment, saving you money on looking unique.

Choose Cheaper Materials

Have you ever thought a floor looked amazing only to find out it was made of wood-imitation vinyl? Or commented on a person’s gorgeous mirror only to learn it was from a thrift store? There’s a lot of ways to save money during the renovation if you are creative with your materials. Repainting kitchen cabinets instead of installing entirely new ones, for instance, according to Low Country Style & Living, is a great way to save. When you can, opt for the choice that is durable long-term as well, ensuring you won’t have to spend more money fixing it later.

 

If you’re prepping for a home renovation, it can feel like money is spilling out of your ears! With careful planning and a little elbow grease, however, you can do a lot of things to stay within budget. In fact, with enough thrifty, DIY methods, you might even go under budget!

 

Read this next: How to Make Your Bathroom Look Bigger

What You Should Know Before Proceeding with Home Renovations

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While you may be totally excited to rip out your old carpet or redesign your living room, there is a lot you need to consider before you go completely crazy with design. Home renovations take a long time. If you aren’t careful you can end up with a lot of money wasted on pointless pursuits.

Know Your Plan

The best way to reduce wasted money is by having a plan before you do anything else. Your plan should encompass your entire process—every step of the way. Think about the type of materials you want to use, the overall cost, when you might want to hire help, how long you want it to take, and so on and so forth.

 

While it may seem like a lot to think about, major changes require major plans. Don’t skip this step, or you could be in for a rude awakening after the project has already begun. Planning is everything.

Hidden Costs

Even if you are an excellent planner and think you have everything on paper, there are always hidden costs associated with home renovations that you will need to factor into your budget. For instance, your home equity will rise after the project, driving your property tax higher. You’ll also need to pay more for services.

 

This is why some renovations are more effective than others. Homeowners receive a 100 percent tax exemption for solar panels. The incentivization leads more people to use cleaner air and may be something that will help you compensate for higher equity costs. Always have a small percentage of money dedicated to these hidden costs just in case.

Basic DIY Skills

If anything, you should have a basic understanding of DIY skills before you move forward for home renovations. Unless you are hiring a full team to do the job for you, you’ll probably need to have some firsthand knowledge to get the job done quickly.

 

Thankfully, it’s never been easier to learn. There are thousands of websites that can give you good instructions and pointers. Talk with contractors to see what they recommend. At the end of the day, you’ll save more money, and that’s always a good thing.

 

These are just a few of the problems and situations you’ll face. But going in prepared will reduce the chances these issues become dire. It is worth it to be educated, be prepared, and be confident in your plan and process.

Read this next: Unconventional Features That Can Help Your Home to Sell

How to Stay Safe While Working With a Power Saw

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An electrical saw is a useful tool that can shape and define all sorts of materials, whether you’re working on a house renovation or just constructing a birdhouse. The only issue is that its power can also be very dangerous for any person using the saw or around it being used. To stay safe while you’re at work with your power saw, don’t forget about these precautions.

Wear a Mask

One of the most vulnerable parts of you while handling a saw is your face—it can’t be covered in protective gear the same way the rest of you can. A handheld power saw can stir up a lot of things into the air, so wearing a protective mask is important to avoid itching, coughing, and other breathing problems that can also turn into allergic reactions and lung damage if used a lot over time. A dust respirator is a great idea to keep anything from entering your lungs at all, or even a cheaper cloth mask will filter some, depending on how often you use a power saw.

Protect Your Eyes

Injuries involving the eyes can be serious and life-altering. If you have no protection around your eyes when using a power saw, you’re asking for trouble. You should look for protective glasses made with polycarbonate, a light but nearly indestructible material. You should wear a pair of eyewear that follows ANSI standards for maximum protection. Using power tools can be dangerous to multiple parts of your body, but the eyes are organs that really won’t heal well.

Read the Instructions

Every power saw will come with a manual, and it’s imperative that the instructions are read. How else would a first-time user know never to stand directly behind the saw, while using it or otherwise? Or that keeping a blade sharp and only cutting in straight lines reduces kickback? That you should never handle a power tool too heavy for you to comfortably carry? These examples of power saw safety protocols are just a few—read your manual, and you’ll be a lot safer.

 

Power saws are an invention worth their weight, even if they can be a bit dangerous. If handled correctly and with the proper gear, you will reduce the hazards of working with a power saw significantly. Follow these tips and you will be much less likely to experience an accident while using your power saw!


Read this next: How to Spend More on Your Kitchen When You Have Room in the Budget

How to Make Your Bathroom Look Bigger

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Your beautiful bathroom can’t shapeshift, so you’re mostly used to how small it is. But, if there’s something you could do to make it seem larger, that would be wonderful! Small spaces can be tricky, both in design and décor. What can you do to make your smaller bathroom seem bigger than it is?

Use the Right Paint Color

One great way to make your bathroom look bigger is by using the right paint color. Shades of white colors are particularly good. According to MyDomaine, this means very pale colors with a white underlay that brightens the whole room. If possible, choose to also paint the ceiling, which can cause it to recede into the background in the mind. This can create an illusion of more space as well.

Use Glass and Mirrors

Light gives the appearance of space and lightness, so you need to fill your space with both glass and mirrors. Replace a smaller mirror with a dark frame with something larger, painted a pale color to compliment the new wall color. This gives the mirror the chance to reflect more light into your space as well. According to Clearview Frameless Glass and Mirror, glass shower doors make your bathroom appear larger than it is. This is both because the modern glass doors can give the illusion of a lack of barrier, and also because clean glass gives the illusion of space on its own.

Coordination

To avoid overwhelming the senses in a small space, it’s important to use coordination. This doesn’t mean that all of your world has to be matchy-matchy, but instead, try to use coordinating colors which are not jarring in the newly brightened space. Using plants is a great way to do this.  Finding pottery for them which can also coordinate creates the ability to bring warmth and life into the space, which few other objects can do. Try plants that are accustomed to rainforest floors, as they don’t require a great deal of light, and also enjoy humidity!

 

Most homes have at least one bathroom which is extra small and needs the illusion of growth. By painting it a tinted white color, you get both the color you love, and also the illusion of the room being larger than it actually is. Adding in mirrors and glass for reflecting light gives you a boost of space as well. Finally, make sure to not overly clutter and use coordinating elements to help everything come together!

Read this next: How to Spend More on Your Kitchen When You Have Room in the Budget

How to Mix Up Your Interior Design and Achieve a Bolder Look

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It’s time to update the design of your room… any room! If you are thinking about revamping a space in your home, consider mixing up the colors, textures, and décor to achieve a bolder, brighter look you can feel excited about!

Mix Colors

Use the color wheel to pick colors that both contrast and complement each other. Look for colors that draw the eye but don’t clash. Bluish grays and oranges, emerald greens, and neutral off-whites. Using a more natural, earthy color as the base of your design will allow for versatility in your designs, also allowing for easy changes in the future. Use colors as accents or as the theme for the entire room. According to Mansion Global, you should experiment with different colors, or find inspiration in smaller decorative pieces and pull color options from there! Be daring in your choice of color; let this be an opportunity to try something you wouldn’t normally.

Add Some Wallpaper

Another accent you can use is wallpaper. While wallpaper has largely decreased in its popularity for covering an entire room, it is a perfect piece to make a wall pop. According to Complete Dezign, wallpaper can be used to highlight one wall or a certain area of a room. This is a great way to implement a pattern into your room, invite a color scheme, add texture and a little “noise” or something particularly interesting for the eyes to look at. You can be as loud or as neutral as you want with wallpaper! Plus, wallpaper is actually a great way to make your walls more durable, adding a protective layer to your walls that you can clean and wash later. If you want an easy-to-remove way to dress up a room without requiring a lot of time or potentially harmful paint and decoration, use wallpaper.

Add Interesting Pieces

According to Home Designing, fun, funky pieces of décor will give your room the final touches it needs for that bold new look. Walls don’t have to be the only way to create an accent. Large features like chandeliers, mirrors, curtains, rugs, or wall hangings can all be a focal point for your room. Whether you choose to make your room a themed area or simply a creative space, look for decorations that will add little bits of texture and interest without overwhelming the space.

 

It can be a lot of fun to design an exciting and bold space using colors, patterns, and pieces. Make it different and experiment until you feel the perfect balance between function, comfort, and style!

 

Read this next: How to Spend More on Your Kitchen When You Have Room in the Budget

How to Spend More on Your Kitchen When You Have Room in the Budget

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The kitchen is one of the most important rooms in your home, and if you have the extra budget, you can make it something really special. A good kitchen should be a gathering place for you and your family and friends and a place where you can make memories. When you spend your budget the right way, you can maximize its use and make it look amazing.

Buy Better Appliances

Appliances run the gamut on prices, so you can find high-quality appliances that can help you use up your budget and improve your kitchen. If you are into baking and cooking, a nice oven and stove can make your life in the kitchen a lot more exciting. Gas stovetops provide great even heat and are an excellent investment for home cooks. Getting smart fixtures like a fridge that can show you its contents is another way to spend your budget while making your grocery runs even more convenient.

Install High-Quality Countertops

Your countertops will take a lot of wear throughout your time in your home, so investing in high-quality options can help them to continue looking good no matter what you put them through. Some countertops are beautiful but require a lot of maintenance, like marble for example. It needs to be sealed or it will stain easily and ruin the look of your counters. Quartz countertops don’t require sealing of any kind. That makes them a great option that will look awesome in your kitchen for years.

An Intricate Backsplash

Your backsplash is your opportunity to show off your personality in your kitchen. Choosing a beautiful and intricate backsplash is a way to infuse your personality and make your kitchen unique. Mosaic tiles are a beautiful option and can be done in a variety of colors and styles. You can even create a custom color mix so that your kitchen looks like no one else’s. A backsplash may seem like a small thing, but it can make a huge impact on your space.

You have an opportunity to show off real craftsmanship in your kitchen and that is a great way to use up your budget. Creating the perfect space is all about the little details that bring it together like quality appliances and a unique look. Any kitchen can be beautiful if you use your budget effectively.

Read this next: Unconventional Features that Can Help Your Home to Sell