Home Repair (17)
It's so important that you understand how and why you ought to keep your home in good repair. Some people simply ignore problems as they don't know how to deal with them and think it will cost too much. This is a very bad idea; every single homeowner really needs to know about this subject.
Getting Paid to Save Money in Edmonton
Written by aaron k
With a climate that ranges from hot to cold every year, anyone who owns a house, townhouse, apartment, or condo in the Edmonton area likely has heating and cooling systems in place. Concerns over unsustainable consumption and climate change have fostered innovation in energy-efficient technologies and moved governments to provide rebates and incentives for "green" upgrades. Currently, there are several government-sponsored programs to pay people who own homes in Edmonton to make them more environmentally friendly by reducing their energy consumption. In essence, the government will pay homeowners to save money on their electric bills! If you are a current resident or prospective buyer looking at Edmonton real estate, you probably want to know about the many programs that can help you retrofit a property that has outdated appliances and insulation.
For Heating Systems:
Heating our homes in the Edmonton area is one of the biggest contributors to our carbon footprint. One of the most important steps in reducing greenhouse gases - and our utility bills - is replacing inefficient furnaces and boilers with more energy-efficient technology. The Energy Star Standard is an industry and government recognized rating system that allows consumers to make responsible choices on appliances and other products. In cooperation with the Government of Alberta, 3C or Climate Change Central can help secure incentives of four to six hundred dollars ($400-$600) for purchasing and installing an Energy Star replacement heater or boiler after January 1, 2009. Mobile home owners who replace a zero-clearance furnace with an Energy Star qualified gas furnace may be eligible for a $400 rebate. Low Income households may also qualify for additional assistance up to $2000 to replace their furnace through the city of Edmonton's Carbon Dioxide Reduction program (CO2RE).
For Insulation:
Obsolete, damaged, or missing insulation can rob you blind in your sleep. A properly sealed home without adequate insulation will require a huge increase in energy to maintain a comfortable and healthy temperature inside, during both summer and winter. Older homes in particular can almost always benefit from an upgrade to their insulation. Properly insulated houses require much less energy to maintain than temperate living space, and this occurs at a much lower cost to the homeowner, not to mention a drastically smaller carbon footprint. CO2RE provides rebates of up to $250 for upgrading your insulation, and this rebate piggybacks on Federal and Provincial rebates within program restrictions.
For Windows, Doors, and Skylights:
These are also called "fenestration" products, from the Latin word fenestra (window). Upgrading to Energy Star compliant fenestration products can save between 7 and 12 percent on home heating and cooling costs. Condensation, humidity, and heat loss are the most common problems associated with outdated and/or worn out windows, doors, and skylights. This means that substandard fenestration products can damage the structure of your home while they simultaneously rob your heating and cooling budget and contribute to greenhouse gas emissions. These are more than enough reason to consider improvements. Replacing your less than efficient windows, doors, and skylights may help you qualify for a regional incentive under the eco-energy retrofit program.
For Weatherstripping and Air Leaks:
Worn weatherstripping excels at one thing and one thing only: transferring your money to the utility companies! While there are specific tests that can gauge the condition of your weatherstripping, when it doubt you should generally swap it out. Leaks around doors and windows are typically the biggest money and energy wasters in the home. Good weatherstripping, when properly installed, makes all the difference in the world, especially for homes in Edmonton where the climatic differences between winter and summer are so significant. Sealing leaks can take hundreds of dollars off the heating bill on some houses, especially older ones. Countrywide grants may be available for such improvements through the federal government's Eco Action program.
For Cooling Systems:
Not only do old and inefficient cooling systems, window units and central units contribute to excess pollution and high utility bills, but they may also contain harmful chemicals and pollutants which are hazardous to your health. Replacing your existing home cooling system with an Energy Star compliant system may help you qualify for grant money whether replacing window or central units, and newer technology poses much less danger in terms of chemicals. In this way, an Energy Star compliant unit can be an important part of your ecoRefit.
While Edmonton may be the "Oil Capital" of Canada, climate change, concerns over pollution and unsustainable consumption, a struggling world economy and a renewed sense of responsibility all are strong arguments for replacing and upgrading fittings and appliances. Government grants and rebates are just the icing on the economic cake. So what are you waiting for? Save yourself some money now by replacing your old appliances, fittings, and insulation with help from the government!
How To Clean Natural Stone Tile
Written by AprilIf you already have natural stone installed then you will still want to learn about it to make sure it stays looking great. A lot of people can get lazy when it comes to natural stone cleaning and allow the tiles to get ingrained with dirt. Getting the tiles cleaned will then become a much more difficult task and might not even be 100% successful.
First of all you should consider the issue of sealing natural stone. Although stone is a hard substance, it can also be very porous. So any dirt, grim and mold and quickly get stuck in the pores and be a nightmare to get rid of. Even just using a cloth or mop to clean the tiles can cause the dirty water to become ingrained. If the tiles are sealed however, it’s going to have a protective layer on it and won’t get dirty as easily.
There are different sealers on the market depending on what kind of natural stone you have. Some stone is more porous than others however they should all be OK if you use a sealer that is fluoropolymer-based. This impregnate the stone and can even help protect it from oil-bases stains. This is what professionals recommend as it’s even better than the silicone-bases sealers. StoneTech Professional and This Old Grout & Stone are two brands you can search for however there are many others.
When it comes to cleaning natural stone the quicker you deal with any dirt or spills the better. Generally when you wash the stone you can just use warm water. Make sure you use a soft sponge, cloth or mop and don’t use anything harsh like wire wool. There are products on the market that have been developed for the use on natural stone so you may want to use these too in order to be extra sure that your stone will be kept in the best condition.
Make sure you are very careful about the detergents you use when cleaning natural stone. Don’t any of those multi-purpose cleaners because they will probably be too harsh. Products that are pH neutral are good and this includes pure soap. This also means you need to avoid natural products that are acidic such as lemon juice and vinegar. When you are finished you should rinse the stone with clean water to make sure all the residues are removed.
Although natural stone can look absolutely fantastic for many years, it’s important that you know how to clean your tiles properly. Whether you have marble, granite, slate or sandstone, you will have beautiful tiles for years. Don’t be lazy when it comes to caring for the tiles because it’s better to prevent any troubles before it gets too bad.
How To Get Rid Of Termites In Your Home
Written by April
If you own your own home you will really want to do everything in your power to keep it in good condition, both cosmetically and structurally. However it’s amazing how often people will allow problems to go for years without proper repair and this can really make things a whole load worse than they need to be. As soon as you notice any problems, such as termites, you need to do your best to deal with it.
Sure, it can be very expensive to have professionals come into your home to deal with any repairs but its better that you do this anyway. Don’t underestimate the destructive power of termites in your home. It’s not just a termite exterminator that will tell you this. Anyone who has experienced an infestation of termites will know only too well. Sometimes people buy properties only to find that there are termites in the house causes untold chaos.
You will find termites in many countries around the globe and they can totally destroy a home if left unchecked. Of course, this is the worse case scenario but it shouldn’t be overlooked. However the problem is actually knowing you have a termite problem because it can take as long as 5 years for the problems to become apparent. You could be sitting there in your home blissfully unaware of these termites scuttling about.
This is a major reason for having a termite inspection by a professional company with experience in termites. It doesn’t have to cost a lot of money to have an inspection carried out. A local pest control company might even offer a free termite inspection so ring around to see what’s on offer. By doing this every year you will be able to detect a problem before any real damage has been done. Termite control services can also set up monitoring stations which will alert you without doing a full inspection. Look at sentricon.com for further info.
When termites are left undetected you might only notice a problem once you begin to see sagging floors or holes in the wood of your home. Ideally you should look for a free termite inspection otherwise it will cost you a few hundred dollars. Doing the inspection yourself is possible but not recommended. Certainly this is the case if you are looking to sell your home.
If you do want to have a look around your home for signs of termites you need to know that termites like to eat the inside of wood. Sometimes a hole appears in the wood and the termite will actually try to cover it up using dirt and their own faeces.
Termites also drop their wings so many people see wings lying around on the ground. There are in the region of 40 different types of termites so the wings are going to look a bit different from each other. This is another reason to get a profession termite inspection.
Another way to see if you have termites is to use a blunt object to tap on the support beams, floor beams, walls and pillars of your home that are made from wood. If your tapping creates a hollow sound then there might be termites in there.
If you know for sure that you have termites you can see about doing the work yourself of get termite exterminator in. With the DIY approach you can use baits to kill of the colony. The bait systems that you buy normally come with a monitoring station to you put into the ground outside of your home. This lets you know whether the termites are around or not. If they are you put the bait in the station and then the termite will take the bait back to the rest of the colony.
Alternatively there are liquid treatments out there that you can buy however they aren’t used as much as the bait method described above. The liquid treatment isn’t environmentally friendly plus they aren’t as effective in destroying the whole colony. However if your home has been badly affected by termites and you want something that will work quickly you will need to go for the liquid treatment option. Termidor is a good product to use.
If you are still building your home you can use a borate termite treatment however it’s not so good for homes that are already built. It can still be used on a home that’s already been built by coating exposed wood with the borate however the treatment on its own will not be 100% effective.
As you can see, getting rid of termites isn’t a straightforward thing to do and there are many different considerations to make. This is why you might just want to get a termite exterminator in. This way you won’t constantly be worrying about whether you have done a good enough job or not.
How To Kill Green Mold In Your Home
Written by AprilFirst of all it’s imperative that you understand why the green mold is growing in your home in the first place. This is the case with any mold that you find growing in your home whether it’s white, black or whatever. All mold love the same things. These are moisture and warmth. If you fail to provide these conditions you will find that mold won’t grow. The mold spores could be in your home but they won’t actually grow into mold unless these conditions are provided.
The reason you home might be a breeding ground for mold is that you are getting a leak from somewhere. This could be from your roof, rising damp or perhaps you don’t have enough ventilation for condensation to disappear. The rooms in your home that you will most commonly find green mold include your basement, kitchen, attic and bathroom. Kitchens and bathrooms have a lot of water in them for obvious reasons. The attic can have mold because of the roof leaking and the basement can suffer these problems because of rising damp and perhaps leaking pipes.
So make sure you find out what is causing the water in the first place and get it fixed. If you keep trying to clean and kill the green mold it will just keep coming back and it will be a real uphill struggle. Having a ventilation system installed in your bathroom and kitchen might be all that’s required. Some people even buy a dehumidifier to deal with the high humidity levels in their homes.
When you have sorted out the problems with where the excess moisture is coming from you can then set about killing the mold. You might want to tackle this task yourself or you could call in a household mold remediation company. Make sure that the household mold remediation company is fully qualified to carry out the work. Generally it’s a good idea to use professional household mold remediation because they can properly identify the mold that you have and the best course of action on getting rid of it. If you tackle it yourself you might think you are saving money but really you could be making matters worse.
Anyway, if you want to kill the mold on your own then you need to know what products you should use. A lot of people say that you should use beach however the EPA says that it’s not always needed and that professional judgement is normally required. If you do use bleach then please make sure that you have properly ventilated the area. If you are working outside then you will be OK but if you are indoors then opening the doors and windows is strongly advisable.
Normally you can just use detergent and water to scrub the area affect by the mold. Make sure you dry the area as well as you can because, as mentioned above, mold thrives in moisture. Some people don’t think it’s necessary to clean mold and that you can simply paint over it. This is not a good idea in the slightest. You must clean the mold off first before you can even think about painting. Also, if you have mold on porous items you will more than likely need to throw it away because it’s very difficult to get rid of mold on porous surfaces.
By now you should have a pretty good idea of what you need to do in order to kill the mold in your home. It’s essential that you both deal with the causes of the excessive moisture in your home and also clean off the mold with the appropriate detergents. If you are in any doubt as to what you are doing you should contact your local mold remediation firm for assistance.
How To Clean Tile Grout Lines
Written by AprilThere are numerous different methods to clean grout lines. You can take the very lazy option of just calling up a grout cleaning company or you can choose to do the work yourself. First of all you need to understand that grout is naturally porous. Meaning that any dirt and grime will get stuck into all the tiny pores. If you are cleaning dirty floor tiles with a mop you will simply move the dirty water into the grout pores.
To help prevent this from happening you ought to have your grout sealed. This will add a layer of protection on the grout and prevent dirt from seeping into it. Also, most people have tiles in the kitchen and bathroom. Both of these rooms are notorious for mold and mildew and just love to lurk in your tile grout. Mold is very unhealthy so you want to avoid having it grow in your home at all. Any grout cleaning company will tell you that.
If you don’t want to use harsh chemicals to clean the grout lines then you can look for a couple of natural alternatives. Steam cleaners have become really popular in recent years because they are very versatile. You can clean a number of different surfaces including laminate flooring, carpets, kitchen work surfaces and also dirty grout lines. You can buy steam cleaners in both hand-held and upright forms. They all work by using the power of steam and no chemicals are needed at all.
Another non-toxic product that you can use is Oxygen bleach. Basically the oxygen ions within the product attack the offending molecules and breaks them down which makes it very easy to wash away. You just mix up the oxygen bleach powder with warm water and leave it on the grout lines for about 15 minutes. This will allow the mixture to do it’s work. When you scrub the dirt away you should add on more of the solution to let it work even more effectively.
Once you have cleaned your dirty grout you should make sure you don’t allow it to get really dirty again. You should do this just by using the steam cleaner or oxygen bleach every now and again as a maintenance measure. By doing this you won’t allow the dirt to get so bad that you need to call on the services of a grout cleaning company.
How To Clean Chocolate Out Of Carpet
Written by AprilOh well, there’s not much point in crying about it, instead you just need to take action so that you can get rid of the problem. The quicker you can clean it off the easier it’s going to be however the problem might be so bad that you’d be better off phoning up a local carpet cleaning service so that they can do the cleaning up for you. You might even see it as an opportunity to have all of your carpets professionally cleaned so they look brand new again.
Anyway, if you want to tackle the job yourself you will first of all need to get rid of as much of the chocolate as you can with something like a butter knife. Just make sure you are very gentle with the carpeting because you don’t want it getting damaged whilst you hack away at it with a carving knife!
Now you need to know what kind of carpeting you have. Carpets can be made from a variety of different materials these days including natural and manmade. Natural fibers can include wool, sisal, jute, coir and seagrass. Man made fibers could be polypropylene or polyamide. A lot of carpets these days can also be a mixture of both natural and man made fibres in order to give you the best of both properties.
When it comes to cleaning a carpet you have to be extra cautious with natural carpets. This is perhaps one of the main reasons you would want to contact the best carpet cleaning service in your area. They will know exactly what type of carpet you have and therefore what treatment is needed for eradicating that chocolate stain.
Natural carpeting should never be cleaned with a liquid stain remover. This is because natural fibers absorb liquids and it will cause them to become damaged. You don’t even want to use water on natural fibers if you can help it. Instead you need to look for a dry cleaning solvent. Some brands include Host, Chem-Dry and Capture.
If you have a man mad fibre carpet then you can use basically any carpet cleaner that says it’s suitable for the purpose and follow the instruction. Popular brands include Oxi-Clean, Vax and Hoover.
Whenever you are treating stains on your carpeting it’s a very good idea to do a patch test. It might be that you have bought the wrong product and it ends up damaging the carpet. So test it in an area (such as behind a house plant or item of furniture) because if it causes damage to your carpet it won’t really be visible. If you find that it’s not working as well as you would’ve liked then you really need to contact a carpet cleaning service who can do the job properly.
Remember, carpets don’t come cheap and you don’t want to ruin yours by tackling a job such as a chocolate stain only to find out you’ve ruined your carpet. You would then have to live with it looking a mess or spend a lot of money having a new carpet installed. So be careful.
How To Get Rid Of Rust On Metal
Written by April
If you have anything that is made from metal and is starting to show signs of rust then you will really want to have that attended to in order to prevent it from getting any worse. It’s a very sad fact that many people turn a blind eye to rust and other defects that need repairing. I guess people just have to many other things to do. It’s a shame because if rust is left alone it will only get worse and worse. It can happen so quickly and before you know it the rust is beyond repair.
So if you don’t want to be like this and would rather attend to your rust problem then this is great. There’s no shortage of products on the market intended to help you get rid of rust from metal. Many of the products are created with the DIY enthusiast in mind so should be pretty easy to understand and follow the instructions they provide. There are also products being sold to help prevent the rust from occurring in the first place which is truly something you want to consider.
OK, so when it comes to getting rid of rust from metal you need to scrape and sand the rust away from the inflicted area. Be careful that you use the appropriate tool depending on the item you are wanting to repair. A wire brush and sandpaper can work well in most cases. Sometimes the area of rust is so great that you can’t possibly do all the scraping and sanding by hand. In these circumstances you should use a power tool such as a sandblaster or a wire brush attached to an electric drill.
Other approaches to getting rid of the rust include products that you place onto the rust and it will then eat away at it to make it easier to remove. Phosphoric acid is frequently used for this purpose and is often sold as “naval jelly.” It’s a thick gel which can be applied to many different surfaces, even surfaces which are upside down! When the product as done its job you can simply wipe it away and you will have nice metal underneath. If it doesn’t work fully the first time you may need to reapply it.
An anti-corrosive primer can then be applied. Make sure you have cleaned the area before applying it. The primer will really help to protect the metal and keep it in tip top condition. You can then apply a couple of layers of primer to protect the metal even further and to give it a good base for the final coat or sealer or paint.
If you want to paint the metal you can basically use anything you want however it’s very much a good idea to look for paints that are specifically designed for use on metal. There are even paints that have been developed to help prevent rust from occurring. Have a look out for the paints by Rust-Oleum and Benjamin Moore.
So when you are dealing with the topic of rust you need to act quickly to prevent it from getting any worse. Then you need to remove the rust before treating it with primer to protect it from getting rusty again. Hopefully these tips can be put into practice and you’ll end up with beautifully rust-free metal.
How To Make Your Home More Energy Efficient
Written by AprilDid you know that that on average, half of the heat from your home goes out of your walls and loft? That's a heck of a lot of money when you think about it. You're paying a lot for your heating and yet about half of it's just being wasted. This is why it's so important to have your home well insulated. There are many different types available and which ones you opt for really depends on where you are having it installed.
If your home has cavity walls then having them insulated is really good and you will truly notice a difference. About a third of the heat lost from a home is through the walls so cavity insulation should be high up on your list of priorities. Some people worry that it will take many years for them to see any kind of financial benefit however with cavity wall insulation you will get your money back in 2 years. It also helps with condensation which is great if that's a problem you experience. However you shouldn't try to save even more money by doing the work yourself. This is very much a job for the experts.
For those with solid walls then you can use different types of insulation better suited for this purpose. There is insulation you can get which is for internal and also external purposes. Which type you choose really depends on how much work you want to put into it and what your personal circumstances are. Talking to a local installer will allow you to get a much better idea.
If you are happy to have your floorboards lifted up then you can have insulation fitted underneath. This might not be to everyone's liking because it involves a bit of upheaval. However you can also do things like seal up any gaps between the floorboards and also between the floor and the skirting boards.
Roughly a quarter of the heat lost in your home is through your roof so insulating your loft is an excellent idea. Your loft might already be insulated however insulation in the past hasn't been all that brilliant. You might feel that's it's time to have it upgraded. Ideally you should get insulation that's 270 mm in depth however there are different kinds of insulation and they aren't all the same. Loft insulation can last for about 40 years, so once you have it installed you can enjoy the benefits for a good long time. If you are good at DIY then you can save even more money by installing the blankets of insulation yourself. However if you are opting for "blown insulation" then you need to have a professional installer in.
In addition to insulation, you need to consider what draughts there are in your home. Basically you need to fill in any gaps that allow cold air in from outside. By filling in these gaps you will notice that you don't need your heating on as much to keep your home warm. If you notice draughts coming in under your doors then you can have draught excluders installed. They are very cheap to buy and you can fit them yourself. If your windows are old then you should either have them replaced with modern ones or you could have the old windows renovated.
If your windows are old they also probably will just be single glazed. These days most windows are double glazed and even triple glazed. The air is trapped between the layers of glass which in turn creates an insulating layer. Not only can it help with heat insulation, it can also be great for sound insulation if you live on a busy street with lots of traffic noise.
Hopefully this article will have given you some ideas on how to make your home more energy efficient. Some people go even further by having solar panels, wind turbines and ground-source heat pumps installed. Not all homes will benefit from these things however insulation will always be beneficial so have a look around your home and try to decide what insulation is required.
How To Get Rid Of Silverfish From Your Home
Written by April
The insect known as silverfish is a very primitive insect and is even older than the cockroach. However if you have silverfish in your home you probably don’t care too much about their history, you simply want to know how to get rid of them as quickly, cheaply and simply as possible.
What you do need to know however, is what living conditions they thrive in. If you understand this fact then you’ll be better equipped in eradicating them from your home. Fist off, they absolutely love humidity. This means you will normally find them in rooms such as your bathroom, kitchen and basement where humidity can be a problem.
If you have any problems with your plumbing leaking then this could be a contributing factor to why you have a problem with silverfish in your house. This means you need to get your plumbing fixed to get rid of these leaks. You should also consider having ventilation installed and even a dehumidifier.
In addition to humidity, they also love a temperature which is between 70 and 80° F. So, ideally, you will want to heat your home to above 80° F or cool it down to below 70°F.
When silverfish need to get something to eat they can actually eat the glue from your wallpaper. This means if you have wallpaper that’s peeling away you ought to repair it or even remove it altogether. Silverfish can also eat cereals, silk, paper, starches and just about anything that is of an organic origin. So make sure you do your best to store food away tightly and clean up any spillages as quickly as possible.
Silverfish can also enter your home via a variety of different cracks in your home. So if you really want to get rid of silverfish and keep them away you need to go around your home to fill up as many cracks as you possibly can. Plaster, expanding foam or caulk can work well.
OK, so now you know what conditions they hate, now you need to know how to kill them off. Well, there are products on the market that will help you do this. The first step is to use residual insecticides that can be sprayed in areas where the insects enter your house and they can also be used in the foundations. The products are odour-free and the wettable powder (WP) from Demon WP and Cyper WP will leave a light film that you will be able to see on dark surfaces. However Cyonara 9.7 leaves no such film.
If you are still having trouble getting rid of them then you might find them hiding in insulation, boxes, light fixtures and under siding. You will therefore want to use dust or bait in these areas, just make sure the areas are hidden rather than visible. Silverfish Paks are also available and they are basically very thin packs that you hide under your carpets, in wardrobes, drawers and behind curtains. The silverfish will be attracted to the paks, eat their way through them and then die.
Hopefully you will now have the know-how to get rid of your horrible silverfish insects and keep them away for good. If you carry out these measure you will also find yourself preventing other nasties such as mold, rot and mice. Just make sure you do your research and understand what you are getting yourself in for. Don’t use products intended for outdoor use indoors and keep pets and children away from any poisons.
How To Get Rid Of Woodworm
Written by April
You would be forgiven for thinking that woodworms are actual worms, however they are in fact the larvae of a number of different insects including moths, weevils, death watch beetles and house long horn beetles. In most cases, however, woodworm refers to the larvae of the furniture beetle.
The woodworm will bore into pretty much anything made from wood including furniture, floorboards and structural timbers. It’s unlikely you will ever see the actual larvae however you will see the tiny little holes they create in your wood. Basically the larvae emerge as adults and leave the holes behind as they leave during the summer months.
Woodworm can come into your home if they are brought in via antique furniture however the beetles can also fly into your home from outdoors. The furniture beetle particularly loves damp wood and plywood so if you have any damp problems you ought to get it checked out. Damp can occur due to faulty plumbing work or a leak in your roof.
Of course, if you have damp problems this can also cause mold and wet rot so it isn’t something you ought to ignore for long. Woodworm itself is slow acting so you needn’t be sent into a mad panic about it. Having your home properly surveyed by a professional company is very much advisable. Make sure you get quotations from more than one company so you can get a true idea of what the treatment should cost.
Before you go on to have the woodworm treated you ought to find out whether the woodworm is old or active. The way you can tell if it is active is to look out for any wood dust created by their boring.
If you are looking to take a DIY approach to woodworm in your wooden furniture you can buy surface treatments or you can buy products that are injected into the holes. There are also insecticidal furniture polish products on the market.
For treating structural timbers you need to be able to have good access to them by removing insulation and you also need to cover up the water storage tank and electricity cables. Floorboards should be lifted up so you can reach underneath them. You can them treat them with woodworm treatment products that can be bought from DIY and builder merchant stores.
Of course, if you have really bad woodworm you should consider using a professional as they can guarantee the work. You might think that treating woodworm yourself will be really easy but if you do it yourself you might to have the experience to do the job properly.
