Choosing the Right Type of Flooring for Your Home

Replacing the flooring in your home is a big decision. It’s a significant project that makes a big difference in your home and is something that will be part of your home for years to come, so it’s only natural to want to be completely sure you’re making the right decision. As you look around for your new flooring, you’ll have many different options to choose from, but how do you know you’re making the right choice? Here are a few of the most important things to keep in mind.

Practicality

There are a lot of excellent types of flooring out there, but not all of them may right for your room. Before you start shopping around for new flooring, consider the environment of the area; things like how much time people spend in the room and the things people do in the room. This will help you figure out which type of flooring would work best for you.

Rooms like kitchens, bathrooms, and basements can get pretty humid, so hardwood wouldn’t be the best choice for those areas since wood can warp. Flooring for rooms where people spend a lot of time needs to be durable enough to hold up well over time. If it’s a room where people tend to do a lot of standing, such as a kitchen, remember that certain types of flooring are more comfortable to stand on than others. Does your family tend to make a lot of noise? Carpeting and cork will help keep sound levels under control.

Price

Most of us don’t have unlimited amounts of money to spend on home improvement projects, so of course, it’s important to find an option that will fit your budget. Many people don’t have the budget for marble or natural hardwood flooring, but the good news is that there are many alternatives out there that are are both high quality and affordable. Love the look of hardwood floors? If 100% natural hardwood floors are out of your budget, laminate or engineered wood flooring can help you get the look for a fraction of the cost.  

Maintenance

How much time are you willing to spend taking care of your new flooring? Various types of flooring require varying levels of maintenance. If you want a truly maintenance-free option, you may want to consider a concrete floor. Cork floors can naturally heal themselves if something gets dropped on them, but should be resealed every couple of years to avoid water damage. Vinyl, linoleum, and ceramic flooring are also very easy to clean.

Environment

If you try to live an eco-friendly lifestyle, you’ll definitely want to look for an environmentally friendly flooring option. You’re in luck, because there are quite a few different green options for flooring out there. Cork, linoleum, bamboo, and sustainably-sourced natural hardwood flooring all make stylish and durable flooring options.

3 Ways You Can Save Money With Vinyl Replacement Windows

Vinyl replacement windows are an excellent investment in your home. They’ll help make your home more comfortable and if you’re getting ready to sell your home, they have a great return on investment. But unlike many other types of home improvement projects, getting vinyl replacement windows can also help you save money.

Replacing your windows naturally involves an upfront cost and it might seem counter-intuitive to spend money to save money. So how exactly do vinyl replacement windows help you save money in the long run?

Lower Energy Bills

By replacing your windows, your energy bills are the main place you’ll see savings. In fact, one of the most common reasons why people decide to get vinyl replacement windows is because they want to reduce their energy bills and make their home more energy efficient. By getting rid of old windows that have become drafty, you’ll be eliminating a major source of heat loss in your home. Your heating and cooling bills will go down since you won’t have to keep adjusting the thermostat to compensate for the heat/cool air you’re losing through your windows.

Modern vinyl windows are also designed for energy efficiency. The fact that they are made of vinyl means they are not a good conductor of heat, so you won’t have to worry about your window frames conducting heat out of your home the way aluminum windows would. If your replacement windows have glass with a low-E coating, that will reflect heat back toward its source, helping to keep your cool in the summer and warm in the winter. New double pane windows are also insulated with argon to further prevent heat loss.

Less Damage to Your Home and Belongings

There are a couple different ways old windows could damage your home and your belongings. First of all, if a window is so worn out that water leaks in when it rains, you’ve got a potential source of water damage. Even just a little bit of water damage can very quickly turn into a much bigger, more expensive problem, so it’s extremely important that any source of potential water damage be remedied as soon as possible.

Also, if your old windows don’t have glass with UV protection, replacing them with new windows that do will help prevent your belongings from becoming faded over time because of exposure to the sun, saving you the trouble (and the expense) of having to replace them.

Less Maintenance

By far, one of the best things about vinyl replacement windows is that they’re very low maintenance. Not only does this save you time, it means you’re not going to have to go out and buy special products to care for them. They can easily be cleaned with ordinary water and dish soap that you very likely already have around the house. And unlike wood windows, vinyl windows don’t need to be painted or stained, so there's another thing you won't have to spend money on. 

How to Fix Common Problems With Your Gutters

No homeowner ever wants to deal with water damage. Even a fairly small amount of water can cause very expensive problems. If you want to avoid ever having to deal with home water damage, one of the best things you can do is take good care of your gutters. Since gutters are intended to direct water away from your home’s foundation, they’re an important line of defense against water damage.

To keep your gutters in good shape, the best thing you can do is have them cleaned at least once a year, or twice if there are a lot of trees near your home. But if you’re noticing other problems with your gutters, what can you do to fix them?

Gutters That Pull Away From Your Home

Added weight from clogged gutters often causes the gutters to sag or pull away from your home, but it’s not the only thing that can cause this to happen. This can also happen if your gutters aren’t being supported by enough hangers/fasteners or if the hangers/fasteners attaching them to your home have become worn over time. New gutter hangers and fasteners can be purchased very inexpensively from any hardware store.

Improperly Pitched Gutters

If you’re not seeing much water coming out of your downspout during a rainfall or see standing water in your gutters, your gutters are not pitched correctly and their placement needs to be adjusted. Gutters that have been installed correctly should slope down toward the downspout a quarter of an inch for every ten feet they run. If this isn’t taken care of, the standing water can cause gutters to rust through and cause leaks. Many homeowners prefer to hire a professional to reposition their gutters, but you can absolutely do it yourself. All you have to do is measure the slope from the peak to the downspout, use chalk to outline how your gutters should slope, and adjust your gutters accordingly.

Gutters That Leak

A gutter that leaks is an extremely easy problem to solve. If water is leaking from a joint in your gutters, all you need is some silicone-rubber caulk to fill in the gap. Small holes can be patched up with roofing cement or gutter sealant. If you have a larger hole, you’ll need to patch it up with a piece of metal. Gutter patching kits are very easy to find at hardware stores, but you can also use a piece of metal flashing to patch up the hole.

Downspouts Draining Too Close to Foundation

Downspouts should be set to drain water a few feet away from your home’s foundation to prevent flooding and other water damage. If your downspouts are too close to your home, all you have to do is get some downspout extenders. They’re inexpensive, easy to install, and can easily help you prevent thousands of dollars in water damage.

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.