Childproofing Your Windows

Childproofing your home can be a big job. It seems like virtually every little thing in your home can potentially be dangerous to a baby or a young child. As you look around your home for things to secure, you’ll probably start by doing some of the obvious things: putting gates on doorways that lead to stairs, securing TVs and bookshelves to walls, putting locks on cabinets, and getting covers for your electrical outlets. But as you try to make your home as safe as possible for your child, don’t overlook your windows.

Thousands of children are rushed to the hospital every year after falling out of a window. Young children are naturally very curious about the world around them so it’s understandable that they might want to take a look at what’s going on outside. But when children are very young, they don’t realize how dangerous a window can potentially be. Here’s what you can do to make your windows childproof.

Window Locks and Stops

If the windows in your home have locks on them, keep them locked as often as possible. If your windows don’t already have locks on them, you should be able to find window locks at your local hardware store. If you’re planning to get new vinyl replacement windows installed in your home, be sure to look for windows that have locking mechanisms already in them.

Don’t want to keep your windows locked all the time? Another option you might want to consider are window stops. When installed, these will prevent your windows from opening widely enough for a child to fit through.

Window Guards

Many parents make the mistake of thinking that having screens on their windows makes their windows childproof. But the reality is that many of the children who fall out of windows fall out of windows that had screens on them. For more security, you’ll want to install window guards. Window guards are bars that go over windows to prevent children from climbing or falling out of them, so you can have your windows open on warm days without losing security. Just make sure you choose window guards that have an emergency release so they can easily be removed in the event of an emergency.

Window Films

Window films aren’t strong enough to stop a child from falling out of a window, but they can still help protect your child. Shatter-proof window films will prevent glass from flying all over the place if the pane gets broken, perhaps by your child learning the hard way that it’s not a good idea to bang on the glass or throw things inside the house. Best of all, window films are very inexpensive, easy to install, and can be cut to fit any size of window. If you have windows that are low to the ground and easily accessible to a child, picking up some window films could be very worthwhile.

Secure Cords on Window Coverings

The cords that we use to operate blinds and curtains can pose a strangulation hazard for young kids. If your blinds or curtains came with kits to secure the cords, make sure you use them. If your window coverings didn’t come with a kit to secure the cords, the Window Covering Safety Council website has tips for retrofitting window coverings. Or, better yet, you may want to replace your window coverings with cordless versions.

Check Areas Around Your Windows

Anyone who has ever spent time around young kids knows how resourceful they can be when they decide they really want to reach something. They’ll grab anything nearby that can help them reach what they want and they’re too young to realize how unsafe this can be. Look around the areas near windows for anything that a child could easily use to stand on to see out a window.

The Best Ways to Improve Your Home’s Curb Appeal

Curb appeal is very important. If you’re planning to sell your home, improving your home’s curb appeal can help your home sell faster. But even homeowners who are planning to stay in their home care about curb appeal. Most of the people who see your home are just passing by and will never see what it looks like on the inside. And when you invite someone over for a visit, your home’s exterior is what makes a first impression. Think your home could use a little facelift? Here are a few of the best projects to help you improve your curb appeal.

Maintain Your Yard

You don’t necessarily need to have elaborate landscaping in your yard to impress the people who see your home. Of course, a well-planned garden with lots of beautiful flowers and plants is very eye-catching, but basic yard maintenance is very important. Simple things like keeping your lawn watered and mowed, trimming back overgrown shrubs and trees, raking leaves, and removing plants or trees that are no longer healthy are all excellent ways to keep up your home’s curb appeal.

Exterior Lighting

Exterior lighting not only helps keep you safe, it can add visual interest to your home’s exterior and help your home stand out even after the sun has set for the day. Small solar-powered lights are perfect for illuminating pathways and won’t drive up your electricity bill. Other exterior light fixtures such as porch lights, lampposts, and other exterior lights don’t have to be terribly expensive and are a great way to enhance the overall style of your home.

Replace Worn Doors and Windows

Doors and windows that are old and worn out can really drag down a home’s curb appeal. Even if everything else about your home’s exterior looks great, windows and doors that are past their prime will detract from the beauty of everything else. Simply giving your front door a new coat of paint can work wonders to boost your home’s exterior. Completely replacing your door not only helps improve your home’s energy efficiency, if you’re planning to sell your home soon, a new front door typically has a great return on investment. Getting vinyl replacement windows will also help significantly improve your home’s curb appeal and your home’s energy efficiency.

Update Your Hardware

Sometimes, it’s the little things that make a big difference. Switching out some of your old hardware like house numbers, mailbox, or door handle on your door can really help your house stand out. None of these things are terribly expensive to replace, but they can help give a new dimension to your home’s exterior.

Tips for Taking Care of Your Vinyl Replacement Windows

One of the top reasons why so many homeowners choose vinyl replacement windows for their homes is because they don’t require the high level of maintenance that other types of windows, such as wood windows, need. Nobody in the world has an unlimited amount of free time and we’d all much rather spend what free time we do have doing things that are much more fun or interesting than scraping and painting windows.

While vinyl replacement windows are, indeed, low maintenance, they’re not quite maintenance free. They still do require a little attention to stay in good working order. But a few very simple maintenance steps will help keep your windows working and looking great for a very long time to come.

Cleaning

Although you’ll never have to paint vinyl replacement windows, cleaning them will help keep your windows operating smoothly. If the tracks on your windows are dirty or become blocked by debris, they can become more difficult to open and shut. Vinyl windows commonly have “weep holes,” which allow water to drain outside your home if the sill or track gets filled with rainwater. Make sure these aren’t being blocked by dirt or debris. If simply cleaning your window tracks isn’t quite enough to keep your windows moving easily, try applying a silicone lubricant to the track. Just be sure to apply the lubricant using a cloth rather than spraying it directly on the window or the glass. This can cause a mess that’s difficult to clean up or leave permanent marks on the glass.

If you see dirt or smudges along the vinyl frame of your window, simply use a mixture of water and a mild dish soap to clean them off using a soft-bristle brush. Never use petroleum-based cleaning products, nail polish remover, furniture polish, solvents, or any household cleaner that contains chlorine bleach because these products may damage vinyl. Also, do not try washing your windows with a power washer since the high pressure can be extremely damaging to both window frames and the glass.

Seals and Weatherstripping

If windows aren’t well cared for, they can become a major source of drafts in your home which, in turn, will drive up your energy bills and make your home very uncomfortable. A couple of times a year, it’s smart to take a few minutes to inspect your windows and look for worn-out weatherstripping and gaps in the caulk around the window. If either of these things happens, it’s very easy for your home to lose heat from the furnace or cool air from the air conditioner. The sooner you catch these problems, the better off you’ll be so that you’re not wasting as much money on higher energy bills.

Replacing weatherstripping is a very easy and inexpensive fix. Replacing old caulking takes a little more effort, but it’s still certainly the sort of thing you can do on your own without hiring a professional. If you need to replace caulking, the Department of Energy recommends that you do so on a day when the temperature is at least 45℉, so the caulk set properly and adhere to the window correctly. You’ll also want to make sure you replace caulk on a dry day with low humidity levels. Since humidity can cause cracks to swell, replacing caulking on a low-humidity day will help you avoid any problems with that.

How a Whole-House Humidifier Can Benefit You and Your Home

Cold winter weather is just around the corner, which means it’s time to get your furnace up and running. Although the idea of spending a cold day in your nice, warm house may sound like a very nice idea, furnaces have the side effect of making the air in your home very dry.

Trying to keep a comfortable level of humidity in your home can be a challenge. Too much humidity can cause problems like mold and mildew or damage wood flooring and furniture. But air that’s too dry can cause problems too, not just for your home but for your health and overall comfort. If you’ve ever had problems with dry skin in the winter, a lack of humidity in your home may be the source of the problem.

If you don’t already have one, you may want to consider having a whole-house humidifier installed as part of your home’s HVAC system. A whole-house humidifier can offer a tremendous amount of benefits.

Lower Heating Bills

If you’ve ever been outside on a humid day in the middle of summer, you know exactly how high humidity levels can make the temperature seem much higher than it actually is. The same basic principle can be used in your home to lower your heating bills. When air is warmer, it’s able to hold more moisture which will, in turn, will make you feel warmer. If you don’t have a lot of humidity in your home, you might keep turning up the thermostat without feeling much of a difference. But by maintaining a good level of humidity in your home, you might actually be able to turn your thermostat down a little bit while still staying nice and warm.

Healthier Air and Improved Healing Times

We all know that winter is peak cold and flu season. But did you know humidity levels can play a big role in how easy it is for illnesses to spread? Studies have shown that in low-humidity environments, 77% of viruses can be spread through coughing, but that number dropped to just 14% in environments with a humidity level of 43% or higher. Even if you do end up coming down with a cold or the flu, the extra moisture in the air can help you recover more quickly.

Live More Comfortably

Some of the most common problems that come with living in a home with too little humidity are dry skin and sinus problems. Either of those problems can make the winter months absolutely miserable, but a home humidifier can help put an end to those problems. If you have asthma, the added humidity may help to make your symptoms more bearable.

Not So Shocking

If you don’t have enough humidity in your home, you’ll inevitably deal with a lot of static cling and electrical shocks, both of which are extremely annoying to deal with. Instead of constantly buying cans of Static Guard, a home humidifier will help you say goodbye to static cling and all those unexpected shocks.

Protect Your Home

Although too much humidity can be damaging for wood furnishings and other materials in your home, very low humidity isn’t necessarily good for your home, either. When humidity levels drop too low, the air can start drawing moisture out of things like wood and plaster, which can cause them to crack or look more aged than they really are. But a healthy level of humidity will help keep these things in good condition.

Creative Ways to Use Wallpaper Around the House

For a long time, wallpaper was something homeowners dreaded dealing with. Old wallpaper can be difficult to get rid of, trying to hang new wallpaper can be a chore, and it had a reputation for looking garish and dated. But lately, wallpaper has been coming back into favor again thanks to nicer patterns and improved wallpaper quality.

One of the biggest trends when it comes to using wallpaper is to use it for things other than walls or just on sections of walls. When you have a wallpaper with bright colors or bold prints, a little bit of wallpaper can go a long way. Whether you have a little bit of wallpaper left over after a project or are just looking for some ways to add pops of color around the house, here are a few ideas for how you can make the trend work for you.

Line Drawers and Cabinets

One of the most popular uses for wallpaper (aside from decorating walls, of course) is to use it to line the inside of drawers or cabinets, adding a pop of color to an area where people don’t often expect to see it. If you’re using peel-and-stick wallpaper, all you have to do is cut the wallpaper to fit the space and stick it on. But if you don’t have peel-and-stick wallpaper, you can simply use some double-sided tape to hold the paper in place so it doesn’t shift as you move things around in the drawer or cabinet.

Line Stair Risers

Stair risers are a great opportunity to incorporate a bright color or a bold print in a way that doesn’t overwhelm a room. Since stairs do get a lot of foot traffic, just be sure to choose a vinyl wallpaper or one that has a coating on it so it won’t be permanently damaged by scuffs.

Give Furniture a Makeover

Have a piece of furniture that’s still functional, but looks a little worn down or just doesn’t suit your decor anymore? Many people have used wallpaper to cover tabletops or to cover the sides and shelves of bookcases.

Frame It

Putting a piece of wallpaper in a picture frame is a perfect way to add a little bit of contrast to a solid-colored wall. Best of all, it’s a project that involves very little effort or energy on your part! Another option is to apply a scrap of wallpaper to the wall, then use trim moulding to act as a frame for it.

Fake a Headboard

Don’t have a headboard on your bed? Wallpaper can help you create a designated space for your bed without having to spend hundreds of dollars on a real headboard. Simply take your wallpaper, use it to cover a piece of wood that’s been cut to the size you want it to be, then attach it to the wall by your bed. Apply trim moulding around the edges of your new headboard to make it look more finished.