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Do You Really Need a Home Inspection?

October 11, 2018

As a home inspector, there is no question that I am going to be biased toward people using the services of a competent home inspector, whenever they are in the process of buying or selling a property. However, people don’t have to take the word of a home inspector; all they need to do is ask a REALTOR®, a mortgage broker, a lawyer or even Mike Holmes. All of these professionals will come back with the same clear recommendation: You should always have your home inspected by a qualified home inspector. If you do a quick search on the Internet for “common mistakes by first-time home buyers,” you will find that not having a home inspection is always near the top of this list. Sadly, it’s not unusual to see first-time home buyers become overwhelmed with all of the various costs associated with purchasing their first home. Some will even look for creative ways to stretch their limited home-purchasing budget and choose not to hire a home inspector to try to save money. But that old saying, “penny wise, pound foolish,” certainly comes to mind. Another important point to consider as to why home buyers should hire the services of

6 Essential Fall Lawn Care Tasks

October 5, 2018

The air is crisp and the trees are changing colors. That must mean fall is here! Even if your yard isn’t fully blanketed in crunchy leaves just yet, you can still start on these essential fall lawn care tasks. 1. Rake the leaves. It turns out that the quintessential fall chore really is the most important one. If you love the look of a blanket of fall leaves, you’ll want to listen up. They may be pretty and fun for kids to play in, but a covering of damp autumn leaves is awful for your grass. Not only do leaves block sunlight, they also trap moisture, leading to a soggy, decaying mess come spring. There’s no need to cut into your fall fun too much, though. You can always rake leaves as you see them, dividing a couple afternoons’ worth of work into more manageable 10- or 15-minute tasks. 2. Don’t winterize the sprinkler just yet. It’s a myth that cooler weather means your lawn needs less water—it might even need more! It’s true that there’s less evaporation in cooler weather, but dew and rainfall isn’t always sufficient for keeping grass healthy. Just like in summer, you’ll need to pay

How to Use a Candle: 6 Common Mistakes to Avoid

October 3, 2018

No matter what you think of them, you have to admit scented candles are kind of amazing. Nothing’s better at creating ambience and a relaxing atmosphere in your home than a few well-placed candles, but you should know how to use them to get the best effect. It also helps to be aware of the hazards that come with having an open flame in the house. Believe it or not, it’s more than just knowing how to wield a lighter. 1. Lighting and Forgetting About It We’ll start with one of the worst things you can do—lighting a candle and just walking away. Directions for use on most candles advise only burning under direct supervision, for a number of really good reasons. If you have curious toddlers or pets, for example, a candle can lead to burned fingers or singed whiskers. Candles can also become dangerously hot if they’re left burning for too long, which is why you should only keep them lit for two hours at a time. 2. Not Leaving It Lit Long Enough Have you ever had to throw a candle out because the wax around the outside didn’t melt? It could be a poorly designed candle,

Home Maintenance Myths You Shouldn’t Bet On

September 26, 2018

Sometimes, those home maintenance “shortcuts” you learned from your parents are anything but. Some myths about home maintenance were born out of good intentions, and some of them may have even been true at one time or another, but following them today can waste money or even cause damage to your home. Here’s a rundown of the worst offenders that can end up costing you in the long run. 1. Turn off your AC when you leave the house to save energy. This one seems to make sense—why pay to cool an empty house, right? Well, turning off your AC isn’t the way to save money. The problem here is that when you come back home and turn your system back on, your AC unit will have to work overtime to cool your house back down, negating any energy savings you’ve accrued. To really save energy, just adjust your thermostat 5 or 10 degrees when you leave the house. 2. More insulation is always better. Lots of attic insulation is the key to regulating your home’s temperature in summer and winter, isn’t it? Not quite. While you want enough insulation to prevent heat escaping into the attic, going overboard can

A Pajama Lounge? What It Is and Why the Trend is Taking Over

September 21, 2018

Have you heard of a pajama lounge? If you haven’t yet, you’ll probably be seeing the concept everywhere soon! We’ll give you a quick rundown of what a pajama lounge is and the different ways you can adapt it to your taste and living space. What is a Pajama Lounge? Short answer: just about anything you want it to be. But a pajama lounge does have one particular feature that makes it a pajama lounge, and that is its location. Pajama lounges are always located on an upper floor of the home, typically the second or third. They’re basically a common space, similar to a home’s living room or family room, located close to its bedrooms so that residents have the novelty of padding right down to it instead of going all the way downstairs. But that’s where the similarities end from home to home. You can do just about anything you’d like with an upper story common area, aka a pajama lounge. Check out the list below for some of our favorite ideas. Create the Themed Common Room of Your Dreams Since the living room is often one of the first spaces visible when you enter a home, many

What is Paint Primer and Do I Need It?

September 19, 2018

When it comes to painting rooms in your home, you want the process to be as fast and easy as possible, which is why a lot of people tend to skip primer. Paint primer is actually one of the most important steps in getting a professional-looking job with less time and effort. We’ll break down what paint primer is, what’s it’s for, when you want to use it and when it’s okay to skip it. What is Paint Primer, Anyway? Paint primer is just what it sounds like—it’s a white-colored base coat that you apply first, before you start in with your expensive latex paint. It “primes” the surface you’re painting, so you get better adherence and coverage in fewer coats. Even though it adds an extra step, paint primer is a great time-saver in most instances and actually makes your paint job more durable, long-lasting and less likely to chip. When You Should Use Paint Primer There are some jobs where paint primer can be optional, but most of the time it’s a good idea. Before you break out the brushes and rollers, see if your job is on this list. When It’s Okay to Skip Paint Primer Call

Folding Fitted Sheets Made Easy

September 14, 2018

Here’s a familiar sight—your sheets are fresh out of the dryer, and now everything needs to be folded. You take care of the flat sheet, no problem. Pillow cases, easy. Fitted sheet? Hold on a second. If you think the only way to fold fitted sheets is to crumple them into a messy ball and throw them in the closet, you’re not alone. Sure, fitted sheets are unruly, but there’s a better way to fold them that’s a snap to learn. Before We Get Started Why are we going through this in the first place? Isn’t it enough that your fitted sheets get sort of folded and stuffed in the linen closet? At least they’re not ending up in a pile on the floor, right? Well, there are a few good reasons to take the extra minute and do the job correctly. First, your sheets will stay wrinkle-free, which we all know deep down is better than the alternative. Second, folding your fitted sheets actually saves a ton of room in your linen closet, so if you’re one of those people who keeps more sheets, towels and other linen-closet-y things than you probably need, anything you can do to create

How to Organize Your Garage in One Weekend

September 12, 2018

The garage is one of those spaces that often serves as a “dump” zone. Not only does it house bikes, tools and lawnmowers, anything that can’t be stored inside tends to get shuffled off there. And before you know it, you can’t see the floor! While we realize everyone’s storage space and belongings are different, we have a few tips to help you organize your garage in a stress-free way that makes sense. It’s Not Just You Before you go feeling ashamed at the state of your garage, know that up to 57 percent of people with a two-car can’t even park one vehicle inside due to the sheer volume of clutter. Whether you want to blame it on consumerism, the homeowner DIY movement, or something else entirely, Americans have a lot of stuff. And with our busy schedules, we don’t make a lot of time to think about how we store it. Because we’re betting on there being several years’ worth of clutter to sort through, we recommend setting aside one full weekend to conquer your garage with your undivided attention. It might not be the most fun you’ve ever had, but it’ll be worth it. Make it a

Wet Bar vs. Dry Bar: Which One is Right for You?

September 5, 2018

If you’ve been thinking about updating your basement or patio by putting in a bar, you have a lot of options, starting with whether you want a wet bar or a dry bar. But what’s the difference? Both are great for entertaining your family and friends, but they’re each suited to specific purposes. Read on to learn the difference between wet bars and dry bars and which one will suit your home best! Wet Bar vs. Dry Bar: A Simple Difference In some ways, a bar is a bar is a bar. They all provide an additional place in your home for friends and family to gather, chat and have fun while they watch you mix up their favorite beverages. What type of bar you choose is going to depend largely on what kind of space you’re working with, and where you want to put it. The difference between a wet bar and a dry bar is simple—a wet bar has a sink built in, and a dry bar doesn’t, but this leads to some key differences in installation and usage. Wet Bar Pros and Cons First of all, wet bars are more versatile than their dry counterparts. For instance,

How to Flush Your Hot Water Heater the Easy Way

August 30, 2018

We’ll bet on the fact that you haven’t thought about flushing your hot water heater in awhile—if ever. But, while it’s one of those tasks that’s easy to forget, it’s necessary for maintaining an efficient system that lasts for the duration of its life expectancy (about eight to 12 years). Why is Flushing Your Hot Water Heater Important? Over time, hot water heaters collect sediment, or mineral deposits, at the bottom. These mineral deposits are typically the result of hard water. If your hot water heater doesn’t get flushed over the course of years, it can lead to a premature breakdown or even a burst tank. How often you’ll need to flush your hot water heater depends on how hard your water is. Coastal and southeastern states typically don’t experience hard water to the degree that Midwestern and western states do. For those living in states with softer water, once every three years is a good rule of thumb, and for those with harder water, flushing once a year is a good idea. How to Flush Your Hot Water Heater Hot water heaters generally fall into two types: gas and electric. How each type is flushed is similar except for