Keep Your Home Safe During Renovation

A common problem among many homeowners is that their home needs renovation, but they don’t want to go through the process. The fact is that living in your home while a renovation is being done is difficult. The noise, dust, and strange people in and out of your home is enough to make anyone put off a renovation. However, the following are some tips that you can use to help you survive the home renovation: Protect Your Belongings A renovation is going to be dirty and messy. No matter what part of your home is being renovated, take the time to remove your belongings in the area being worked on as well as the rooms surrounding the area. Dirt and dust will spread and it can damage your items if left in the middle of the mess. The construction crew may put up a plastic over the doorways, but you can be guaranteed that the dust will still get through.

Move Essential Items If you are having the downstairs renovated, move all of the essentials into one room. This may involve moving the refrigerator and microwave into your bedroom, but it will allow you to have what you need close by. You may have to live out of just one room in your home until the renovation is done. You may feel crowded, but it is better than the alternative of not being able to get near your food when you are hungry.

Forget About Cleaning You may cringe when you walk through your house when you see all of the dust and debris lying around, but you must remember that it is a renovation in progress. If you spend your time trying to clean up after everyone is gone for the day, you will lose your sanity. Put your blinders on to the mess that happens during a renovation and remember that it will all be clean when the renovation is complete. The decision to renovate your home is a big one. If your hold up is worry about how you will survive during the renovation, you are not alone. However, by following the above tips, you will get through the renovation and be able to enjoy your home when it is complete.

Give Your Home Character with Crown Molding

If you have finished decorating your home, remodeling the outside with new replacement windows and cleaning and reorganizing the inside, and it still looks as though something is missing, it may be that your home is simply lacking character - that special something in a home that makes it stand out. Crown molding is a great way to give your home some character. It is simple to install and it can make all the difference in the world.

Styles of Crown Molding If you go to a home improvement store and look at the variety of styles in crown molding, you will be shocked at the number available. From the rose vine crown, which has roses and vines entwined on the trim, to the egg and dart that has a line of small egg-shaped designs, the choices in molding are many. The right one for your home depends on the style of your home and your own particular style.

Material Types The material that makes up crown molding is either wood or composite material. Crown molding made from hardwood is going to have the highest cost, while the composite molding will be the least expensive. While wood molding is perfect for those that want to simply stain it and enjoy its natural beauty, the composite is much easier to paint. The decision you make will depend on budget and the look you are trying to create.

Installation While the installation of the crown molding is easy as it simply requires it to be nailed in place, you will need to be careful when cutting it. When cutting it, you must make sure that the angles are correct and that the patterns line up. If this is something that is above your expertise, you will find professionals will be able to install it quickly for you. By putting the finishing touches on your home, you can give it the character you have been missing. Crown molding is one of the most popular ways to add character to a home and it is also one of the most economical changes you can make.

Entertaining Guests for the Holidays

When people are expecting a houseful of people during the holiday season, the host or hostess want their guests to feel like they are at home. There are a few essential things that every homeowner can do to achieve a peaceful season that spreads joy to everyone. Having vinyl replacement windows installed in the home at the end of summer is an excellent way to maintain the comfort level in the home while saving some money for the essentials needed for the celebration. Stockpile the Essentials A great way to make people feel more welcome is to have plenty of extras of everything. Running out of clean towels during a morning shower marathon is likely to create a bad atmosphere. Some of the most important things to stock up on ahead of time include facial and toilet tissue, hand and bath soap, first aid supplies, towels, blankets, and more.

Food - Something for Everyone The great thing about food is that no matter what your tastes, there’s always going to be something for anyone - the bad thing is that not everyone agrees on what they like, so when you’re expecting long-term company it’s best to have a wide variety of snacks and foods for everyone. Keep all sorts of beverages around, from soymilk to caffeine and caffeine-free options, or even something just for the grownups, and double-check on everyone’s food allergies to make sure you’ve got something to match any taste or lifestyle.

Decorate Accordingly Finally, purchase decorations for every room of the house. Homeowners can decorate bathrooms, bedrooms, and dining rooms with shabby chic or sleek and contemporary decor to achieve the exact look they want. Use personalized seating cards with names for every guest, make a photo collage for the people staying in each room, or add a favorite theme for each guest like NFL teams or holiday themes to make the space inviting.

Weatherize Your Doors

Every year, you get out the extra blankets and keep the thermostat as low as possible in hopes to keep your energy bills low. This year, take it upon yourself to get to the bottom of the problem. In most cases, it is the door that lets in too many drafts. If your feet are always cold and you want to save more on your energy costs even after installing some replacement windows, consider the following clever ideas to get your door properly weatherized:

Door Thresholds The door threshold is the piece of metal or wood that sits underneath your door. Most are adjustable, which means if you find cold air coming in under the door, you can adjust it higher. After adjusting it, you must still make sure your door is able to open and close properly, but this will keep the cold air from coming into your house.

Replace Worn Out Weather Stripping You may also find that the weather stripping around your door is old and worn. The weather stripping can be purchased at any hardware store and it is easy to replace. Weather stripping is going to seal your door tight to help you keep your house warmer.

Create a Draft Stopper If you are still finding the door is letting in drafts at the bottom, do not be discouraged. A lot of people use draft stoppers in the winter to help them reduce their energy costs. A draft stopper can be made out of just about anything. A rolled up blanket might sound good, but it won’t be a flexible as it needs to in order to stay put up against the door. Consider creating a tube of material and filling it with rice. It will stay in front of the door and keep out the drafts. By weatherizing the exterior doors in your home, you are going to notice an immediate difference in how well it heats. If you can look at your door and see light underneath it, there is a definite problem that needs to be corrected as a lot of heat is escaping. These simple tricks can save you hundreds of dollars this year on your energy costs.

Moving from Fall into Winter

Try as you might, you can't stop the days from marching by. Fall has begun, which means the bitter chill, wind, snow, and shorter days will be here before you know it. Now is the time to prepare your home so you'll be ready when the change in weather comes. By giving your home some attention, you will protect your house and stave off problems. You'll also be able to trim your utility bills.

Inspect the Exterior of Your Home Start by taking a close look at the exterior of your house. Check your windows and look for any gaps. If you have older windows, you'll want to consider swapping them for vinyl windows. Replacement windows will mean an initial investment, but you'll have future returns when you see the savings on your utility bills. If you can't make the move to energy efficient windows right now, you can winterize your windows to get similar results and it will be easier on your budget. Check your doors and take care of any drafts. If you've lost some vinyl siding during the year, replace any missing pieces. Give your home the TLC it deserves and you'll be able to enjoy your living space even more.

Check Your Furnace Now is the time to perform maintenance on your furnace. Bring in a heating technician to evaluate your furnace in order to clean it out and detect any problems. The last thing you want is for your furnace to quit when you need it the most. If there are any issues, essential repairs can be taken care of in a timely manner to ensure that your heating system will be working at optimal levels when the temperatures start to drop.

Don't Forget Your Ceiling Fans If you have ceiling fans and they have a reverse function, make sure you switch the direction of your blades once the heat kicks on. You'll be able to take advantage of the heat that rises to the ceiling and send it back down into your home to make it toastier this winter. Make your home more efficient and you'll be able to reap the benefits. It doesn't take a major investment or a lot of your time. With a little savvy and planning, you won't be shivering when Old Man Winter arrives.