Tag: winter

How to Protect Your Hardwood Floors from the Cold

January 17, 2022

Wood floors provide a classic look to your home that really makes it stand out. However, they require special care in order to maintain their uniqueness. As the cold rolls on, it can be the toughest time of the year for your hardwood floors. The good news is with some diligence, your floors will stay looking like new through wintertime. Changing Temperatures As the weather starts to cool off, it can cause your floors to change as well. Major differences in temperature make the wooden planks shrink and create gaps. Then when they warm back up, they can crack. If you like to crank the heat inside your home, consider dropping it back a few degrees. That way the difference in temperature won’t be as extreme. It also helps to use a humidifier to keep some moisture in the air that can be absorbed by your floor. Tracking Things Inside There’s a whole assortment of debris that you track in your home during winter. Sand, salt, and snow all make a mess of your floors and cause lasting damage. The tiny pieces caught in your boots can scratch up the surface, and if you don’t clean the water and de-icer

Controlling Radon in Your Home During Winter

January 3, 2022

Radon is one of the leading causes of lung cancer in the United States and Canada. The odorless, colorless gas can go undetected in a home for years and only get noticed when it’s too late. During the winter, radon levels can spike indoors and pose even more of a threat to you. With January being Radon Action Month, it’s a great opportunity to lower your radon risk during the colder months. Radon and the Cold As the temperature begins to drop outside, radon levels can start to rise in your home. Winter is almost equal to summertime in terms of radon spikes. Although everyone has minimal exposure to radon at all times, certain factors can contribute to you being exposed to unsafe levels. A few of the causes of higher radon during cold months are: Stuck Inside Winter brings with it chilly temperatures that usually keep us inside. However, being stuck inside for several months can be dangerous. If your home already has above-safe levels of radon, you’re increasing the chances of severe health risks by staying shut in. Especially if you have a below-ground level that you like to spend time in, you’re putting yourself even closer to

10 Easy Ways to Create a Festive Home

December 13, 2021

We all love decorating our homes for the holiday season. Achieving that Hallmark movie look gets us into the spirit and ready to celebrate. However, it can be easy to go overboard and get overwhelmed with your holiday decor. Here are some easy tips you can use to get a festive feel and avoid getting stressed out. Don’t Overload Your Tree Decking out your tree with tinsel and ornaments can really make it pop, but too much can make it look like a whirlwind of trimmings. This year, remember to keep your arrangement simple. Only use your favorite ornaments instead of jampacking every single one onto the branches. You can also create some handmade pieces by tying sticks of cinnamon together with ribbon. It’s something different and it’ll give off a great smelling holiday aroma! Play Some Background Music The right music will really bring that holiday magic to life. As you go about getting your home ready, turn on your favorite festive playlist. If you’re hosting guests, having a little background music will eliminate awkward silences. You can also ask for suggestions and play musical games like “Guess That Song” or karaoke! Display Your Holiday Cards Getting greeting cards

What to Do with Your Pets for the Holidays

December 6, 2021

The holiday season can be stressful for both yourself and your furry friends. While you’re mired in the whirlwind of throwing the perfect celebration, all those guests in the house, loud noises, and new smells can put animals on edge. Here’s what you can do to keep your pets calm and happy during your holiday festivities. Create a safe retreat for your pets. All the hustle and bustle that comes with preparing for a holiday party puts unnecessary stress and anxiety on your animals. Especially as your home fills up with people, it can throw them into overdrive. The best thing you can do is make a private, calm space for your pet. Whether it’s your bedroom or a room on a different floor, try to make it as relaxing as possible. Place their bed and some toys along with their bowls in the room to give some semblance of normalcy. It can also help to let your guests know not to enter the room where your pets are staying. If guests want to visit with your animals, it’s best to have a family member present and to only allow one or two additional people into the room at once.

Prevent Your Pond From Freezing

November 29, 2021

A man-made pond can transform your yard into your own personal oasis. They offer a place for you to relax after a long day and make the perfect spot to entertain guests. As the temperature starts to drop, you might not use your pond as often. To ensure it’s ready come springtime, here’s what you should do. Should You Turn Your Pond Off? A frozen pond can look just as beautiful as one in full effect. Especially if you have a large waterfall feature, icicles and snow make the perfect wintery backdrop. However, they can also take a toll on your pond. Ice build-ups make it harder for water to flow through the system and can crack the piping. A pond de-icer or pond heater can help break up these ice dams, but generally it’s better for your pond overall to shut it off for the season if you live where the temperature can hit zero. If you experience more mild winters (50 degrees or above), you’ll likely be fine leaving your pond running. Clean and Keep Leaves Out Leaves can turn your beautiful pond into a puddle of muck. In addition, they can also ruin your pond’s pump system

Turn Up the Heat: Prepping Your HVAC System for Winter

November 8, 2021

As the colder months roll in, it’s time to start preparing your home for chilly weather. One item you need to have on your weatherization to-do list is readying your HVAC system. Especially in locations that get sub-zero temperatures, your heating system will start working overtime. But before you flip on your heater, you need to ensure that it’s ready to go. Change out your air filters. Prior to turning your heater on, swap out the old air filters. These are one of the most important components of keeping your HVAC running efficiently. Clean air filters will also help if you suffer from allergies by cutting down on the amount of dust that’s recycled through your home. There are certain filters that are less porous and catch more dirt to cut down on allergens. However, these styles can hinder airflow and make your HVAC overheat. Clear space around your heater and vents. Being able to easily access your heater is essential to maintaining it. That means moving any furniture, boxes, or kid’s toys that are blocking your path. Keep about a three-foot radius around your heater to allow for maintenance work and prevent anything nearby from catching on fire. If

How to Have a Healthy and Jolly Virtual Holiday Season

December 21, 2020

More than 115 million people traveled for the holidays in 2019, but this year will look a little different. Many are forgoing their usual party plans and opting to stay at home and celebrate. But just because you might not be able to be close, doesn’t mean that you can’t still celebrate some of your favorite festive traditions. Host a virtual baking day. The holidays wouldn’t be the same without festive food. While your meals may be smaller, you can still have fun making all those delicious dishes and desserts you make just once a year. Set up a virtual event with your friends so everyone can prepare their favorite food and swap recipes. You’ll also likely learn fun facts about the history of a certain food or tradition you might not have known before! Put a new spin on holiday arts and crafts. Along with gingerbread houses, there’s an assortment of holiday projects you can do. Have each family purchase the same craft box and get to building. To make it even more exciting, set a time limit and have incentives for the winners. The shorter the time, the higher the chance for creative projects and guaranteed laughs. Stream

Top 5 Christmas Catastrophes and How to Avoid Them

December 14, 2020

Christmas Day is fast approaching, which means now’s the time to get those last few decorations in place. It’s easy to get into a frenzy and rush around, but don’t disregard your own safety to put on a Yuletide spectacle. Here’s how you can avoid injuring yourself and still put together the perfect setup for Saint Nicholas. Don’t string yourself out with the lights. If you’ve ever seen National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, then you’ve witnessed exactly what NOT to do when hanging your lights. Clark Griswold finds himself in a comedy of errors by stapling his shirt to the siding, not securing his ladder properly and of course trying to accomplish his master design by himself. Nearly 6,000 people are injured during the holiday season each year due to falling off of a ladder. To keep you and your home protected, remember to: NPI’s Decorating Tip: You don’t have to knock out your town’s power like Clark for an eye-catching presentation. Sometimes a simple, thoughtful layout is all you need. Make sure your tree won’t come crashing down. Whether you have an artificial tree or one straight from the forest, it’s important to keep it from tipping over onto someone.

Spend Your Gift Card on These Home Improvement Tools

January 17, 2020

If you still have a gift card from the holidays burning a hole in your wallet, we’re here to give you some ideas to spend it on. Here are some of the best home improvement tools you wouldn’t think to buy for yourself, but won’t know how you lived without. Bosch Laser Distance MeasurerMiles ahead of your traditional tape measure, we love this pocket-sized tool for its accuracy and 165-foot range. It’s especially useful for contractors who bid by the square foot, or anyone who needs to quickly and accurately determine (to 1/16th inch) the size of a room. You can also sync it with a variety of Bosch measuring apps via Bluetooth, which makes this a must-have for us. WORX Universal Gutter Cleaning KitThinking ahead to warmer weather, why not spring for a tool that makes the most odious household chore, gutter cleaning, just a little easier? This gutter cleaning kit is designed to keep you on the ground, with a tube system that extends up to 11 feet. It fits most standard gas or electric leaf blowers so you can blast that gutter-clogging debris into next week. It works best on dry leaves but depending on the power

10 Last-Minute Hostess Gifts to Give This Holiday Season

December 23, 2019

If you’re not hosting a holiday gathering this year, you’re in the lucky position of being somewhat flexible. With the extra time on your hands, consider showing your hostess how much you appreciate them with a small token. A bottle of wine or champagne is a classic option, of course, but why not think outside the box? Here are 10 inexpensive options that will show your hostess you see all her hard work and you’re thankful for her. Not to mention, earn you a repeat invite. 1. Cozy Blanket Simply put, you can never have too many throw blankets. Depending on your climate, you can choose a lightweight knit or an ultra-warm fleece. Just remember, a neutral color like beige or gray, is always the safest bet so it’ll go with any décor and be appropriate to display all year round. 2. No-fuss Succulent Add a little green to your hostess’s home by gifting them a plant that requires almost no work at all to keep healthy, like a succulent. Even better if you pick a stylish planter to put it in! Be sure to include a little thank you note with care instructions so your hostess doesn’t have to