Easy Ways to Improve Your Home's Security

Easy Ways to Improve Your Home’s Security

One of the last things any homeowner wants to discover is that their home has been broken into. Your home is your sanctuary and having an intruder can be deeply unsettling, so home security is a top priority for many homeowners. Fortunately, many of the best things you can do to improve your home’s security aren’t very time consuming or even very expensive.

Check Your Doors and Windows

When it comes to finding ways to get in your home, burglars aren’t all that creative -- your doors and windows will be the first places they look.

Your home’s front door and first floor windows will be a burglar’s first targets, so stay diligent about locking them and make sure there’s nothing nearby that could help them get in. Overgrown shrubbery, for example, can offer a great place for a burglar to hide while they try to open a window. Back doors and the doors and windows leading to a garage are also common points of entry since many people tend to be more lax about securing them. And don’t be tempted to leave a spare key under the welcome mat, in the mailbox, on top of a doorframe, or in a fake rock -- burglars are on to that trick.

Does your home have wooden entry doors? Replacing them with new steel doors will offer you a lot more security. If you use a window air conditioner unit, you’ll want to be sure it’s secured with brackets or braces and a window lock to make it harder for someone to push the air conditioner out of the way.

Make sure all of your windows have blinds or curtains to cover them. A thief will be less tempted to break into your home if they can’t tell if there’s anything worth stealing.

Upgrade Your Door Locks

If you’ve just recently moved into a new home, now would be a good time to either replace the locks in your home or have them rekeyed. You never know how many copies of the key the previous owner handed out or who they gave them to.

While some people are very diligent about remembering to lock the door anytime they leave the house, others are a little more forgetful. If you have a hard time remembering to lock the door behind you when you leave, you might want to look into getting smart locks for your home that can automatically lock behind you. If you also have a hard time remembering to take your key with you, some smart locks can be programmed to be unlocked with a numerical code or with your smart phone.

Fake It

Two things that are sure to make a burglar think twice about trying to break into your home is a decal saying your home is protected by a security system and a “Beware of Dog” sign. Don’t have either of these things? Just pretend that you do. You can easily pick up a “Beware of Dog” sign at any hardware store for a couple of dollars and fake home security system decals can be found on sites like eBay. Most burglars won’t be willing to push their luck to find out whether or not you actually have these things.

Light it Up

Burglars love having a cloak of darkness to work in. Motion-activated lights outside of your home can be a great way to deter someone thinking of breaking into your home. But it’s important to remember that the majority of burglaries in the United States happen on weekdays during times people are typically at work or school. To prevent daytime burglaries, you might want to look into putting a timer on your lights, TV, or radio so these things will go on and off throughout the day, making it seem like someone is at home.

Choosing the Best Material for Your Kitchen Counters

Choosing the Best Material for Your Kitchen Counters

Out of all the things you can do to change the look of a kitchen, having new countertops installed is something homeowners don’t typically do unless it’s absolutely necessary. New kitchen counters can be an expensive purchase, so homeowners typically only replace them as part of a complete kitchen renovation or because their existing counters are getting too damaged and worn out.

Since new kitchen countertops definitely aren’t an everyday purchase, you’ll want to make sure you choose the right type of materials for your new counters so you know you’ll be happy with your decision for years to come. If it’s been a long time since you last thought about getting new kitchen countertops, you might be surprised at just how many different options are available nowadays. All of these options have their advantages and disadvantages, so which option is best for you all boils down to what your budget is and how much maintenance you’re willing to deal with. Here are the pros and cons for a few of the most popular types of countertops:

Quartz is currently the most commonly requested type of kitchen countertop. Quartz counters are a combination of crushed stones, resins, and coloring and it’s easy to see why it’s become so popular. These countertops can withstand just about anything you do to it and requires little special maintenance. You can cut directly on it, put hot pots and pans on it, spill things on it, and the countertop will be fine. They’re resistant to bacteria without having to be sealed. Unfortunately, quartz counters aren’t the most affordable option. In terms of cost, quartz counters can cost roughly the same as granite or marble counters.

Granite and marble countertops are two of the more expensive options for countertops, but they’re still extremely popular choices. Many people absolutely love the look of granite and marble counters and with the natural variations in the stone, every countertop is a little bit unique. They’re both pretty durable and can stand up well to being cut on and having hot things set on it. However, they the corners and edges can chip easier than quartz countertops can. Granite countertops also need to be sealed regularly to prevent staining while marble counters can get stained and scratched with use, so they’re not quite as low maintenance as quartz.

On a budget? Laminate or Formica counters are your best bet. If you hear the words “laminate” or “Formica” and immediately start getting flashbacks to the kitchen counters your parents had decades ago, don’t worry! The quality and appearance of laminate has improved greatly over the years and there are lots of very nice-looking options available nowadays. Laminate counters can look great and cost a fraction of the price of quartz or stone options, but they’re not as durable as other options. You won’t be able to cut directly on the countertop and it can burn if you set hot things on it, but as long as you remember to always use a cutting board and are careful not to set that cherry pie directly on the counter right after it comes out of the oven, you can get years of use out of laminate counters.

If your kitchen has more of that classic country look, wood countertops can help give your kitchen the warm, natural look you’re looking for. Wood countertops, also often called butcher block counters, can look fantastic, but they’re a bit more high maintenance than other options since you’ll have to sand it and seal it regularly and they’re not quite as durable as other options.

Another popular, yet low maintenance option is solid surface countertops. This is another man-made countertop material that’s more affordable than many other types of countertop materials. Solid surface countertops are made out of plastic resins and can mimic the look of stone counters, but while they don’t need as much upkeep as natural stone counters, they aren’t nearly as durable, either.

How to Find Air Leaks in Your Home

How to Find Air Leaks in Your Home

If you want to keep your home as energy efficient as possible, one of the best things you can do is check your home regularly for air leaks. The seals around doors, windows, and other areas of your home that lead to the outside can break down over time, so what was once a perfectly fine air-tight seal might not be so effective as it once was. Since we’re sure you have other things you’d rather spend your hard-earned money on than high energy bills, here are some ways you can check for air leaks around your home.

Since doors and windows are two of the main places air can escape through, those are good places to start. Other important places you should check for air leaks include electrical outlets, light switch plates, recessed lights, outdoor water faucets, baseboards, mail slots on doors, dryer vents leading outside, doors leading to attics, around your home’s foundation, the area where your chimney meets the side of your home, and where cable and phone lines enter the home. If your home has skylights, don’t forget to check around them, too.

First, visually inspect these areas to see if there are any obvious gaps or signs that the caulking or weatherstripping has become worn out. Simply putting in new caulking or weatherstripping might do the trick. When checking windows, try seeing if you can rattle them. If the panes of your windows are able to shift, you might be better off getting some vinyl replacement windows instead. Vinyl replacement windows would also be a good idea if it’s been a very long time since your windows were last replaced since they might be more energy efficient than your current windows.

Ideally, you’ll want to check for air leaks on a cool, windy day since those conditions will make it easier to locate leaks. Before you get started, shut all your windows, doors, and fireplace damper if you have one. Turn on any exhaust fans to direct as much air out of your home as possible and turn off your furnace and air conditioner so you won’t have to worry about air coming from them interfering with your tests.

The colder it is outside when you look for air leaks, the more apparent it will be if you have an air leak. You should be able to feel any drafts with your hand. But if you’re checking for air leaks on a warmer day where drafts won’t be as immediately apparent, you might want to use a laser or infrared thermometer to detect changes in temperature around your doors, windows, and other areas that might be prone to air leaks. Many people also like to take a lit candle or incense and move it around close to areas that are prone to air leaks. If there is an air leak, the flame of the candle or the smoke from the incense will change direction. If you decide to try the candle or incense test, just be very careful not to drop it as you look for leaks.

Another option is to have a professional come out and do a blower door test. With this option, the person you hire will come out and attach a giant fan to the door of your home to blow all the air from your home outside. When this happens, the only air coming into the home will be coming from air leaks so the contractor will go through your house and try to find them.

Does My Home Need a Dehumidifier?

Does My Home Need a Dehumidifier?

We all know how damaging moisture can be for your home. Diligent home owners regularly check their gutters to make sure they’re effectively directing water away from their home, look for signs that water is getting in in the basement, and keep an eye out for water getting in around their windows. But a source of moisture that often gets overlooked is the moisture in the air.

It’s very important to maintain appropriate levels of humidity in your home. Not having enough moisture in the air can make you very uncomfortable and too much humidity can foster mold and mildew growth and damage wooden floors and other wooden objects in your home.

So, how do you know if your home has an appropriate level of humidity? A hygrometer measures the level of moisture in the air and can be purchased quite inexpensively at hardware stores or online. Ideally, your home’s humidity should be under 60% during the summer months and between 25% and 40% during the winter.

You don’t need to have a hygrometer to see the signs of excessive humidity around your house, though. First of all, you might notice a musty smell or spots of mold forming on ceilings or walls. Since musty smells are a sign of mold, you’ll want to be sure you find where it’s coming from and make sure it gets taken care of. When you notice spots of mold on a wall or ceiling, make sure to clean the area with a cleaner that will inhibit mold re-growth. A solution of equal parts white vinegar and water can do the trick. Make sure you repaint the area using a primer and paint designed to resist mold and mildew.

If you have hardwood floors or wooden doors or windows, excessive humidity can cause them to warp, buckle, or become creaky. Does your basement tend to flood? A dehumidifier can be helpful in removing moisture from the air in your basement, but just remember you still have to address the root cause of how water is getting into your basement.

Your windows can also be very good at letting you know when there’s too much humidity in your home. Is there frequently condensation on the interior pane of glass of your window? While it’s very common for condensation to form on windows if you’re doing something like taking a shower or cooking, having condensation on your windows all the time is a telltale sign of too much humidity. If you have wood windows, all that condensation puts you at a higher risk of wood rot. If you have vinyl replacement windows, you won’t have to worry about wood rot, but you’ll still have to address your home’s humidity levels.

Whole-house dehumidifiers can be helpful if you live in a very humid climate, but In many cases, people who could benefit from a dehumidifier only need one in specific rooms like bathrooms, kitchens, basements, and laundry rooms. Portable dehumidifiers work great in these situations and only cost a few hundred dollars. Many types of portable dehumidifiers have sensors that will automatically shut it off if its water tank gets full, so you won’t have to worry about your dehumidifier overflowing if you aren’t there to shut it off. You might not even need to run your dehumidifier at all times. For example, portable dehumidifiers are very popular to have in bathrooms that don’t have exhaust fans or windows. Since people aren’t taking showers around the clock, the dehumidifier would only have to be run while people are showering and for a little while afterward.

If your home has an air conditioner, you might think you don’t really need a dehumidifier since air conditioners also remove moisture from the air. This is true, but only to a certain extent. Although air conditioners can help with humidity, they typically aren’t effective at doing that until the temperature gets to be 80 degrees or higher. When temperatures are in the 70s, your air conditioner probably won’t be running enough to remove a lot of humidity from the air and a dehumidifier would be more effective.

Things to Consider Before Building a Deck

Things to Consider Before Building a Deck

Since the weather is about to start getting nicer, you might be thinking about all the fun things you’re looking forward to doing during the spring and summer. One project many homeowners start looking into this time of year is building a deck. Decks can make wonderful additions to any home. During the summer months, they’re an ideal place to relax by yourself, to have fun with the kids, or to host friends for a cookout.

But before you get started, here are a few important things you should keep in mind.

Check the Building Codes

Before you get too carried away with planning the deck of your dreams, check with your city to see if there are any building codes you’ll need to adhere to. Depending on the size of the deck you want to build, you may need to get permits before construction can begin. Building codes can vary from city to city, so you’ll want to be sure you’re fully in accordance with the rules where you live. Don’t try to cut corners by trying to do it yourself to skirt the building codes. Decks can be a great way to add some value to your home, but if you try to sell your home and an inspector discovers your deck isn’t up to code, you’ll have to pay to have it fixed later.

Can My Deck Be a DIY Project?

If you have some carpentry experience, building a small deck can be the sort of project you might be able do yourself, particularly if it’s a free-standing deck that isn’t directly connected to your home. But in most cases, it’s best to hire a professional to build a deck, particularly if you’re looking to build on a sloped area or want a more complex deck. Decks can require a lot of planning and special consideration to make sure it’s safe and structurally sound. A professional will be certain your deck is strong enough to support the weight of multiple people, plus furniture, a grill, and anything else that you might have on your deck. And since many decks are directly connected to the home, a professional will make sure it’s secured in a way that won’t damage your home. Professionals will also be able to come up with any blueprints or renderings your city might need to approve.

The Right Materials

Choosing the right materials for your deck is essential. The material you choose to have your deck made out of are a major factor in how much your deck will cost and how much maintenance you’ll have to do on it. Wood is a very popular choice, but will require staining to protect it from the elements. Some types of wood are naturally resistant to wood rot and/or pests, but can be more expensive than other types of wood. PVC and composite wood both stand up well to moisture, insects, and won’t warp or swell the way wood can, but they’re not the least expensive option out there and some types of PVC or composite materials aren’t as convincingly wood-like as others. Pressure-treated wood is the least expensive decking material option, but isn’t as durable and requires more maintenance than other types of materials.

Adding a deck to your house can do a lot to make your home more enjoyable during the summer months. Being sure to take these steps before you get started will help save you headaches later on so all you’ll have to do is sit back, relax, and enjoy your new deck!