In humid and damp climates a dehumidifier can pull as much as 50 pints of water from the air each day, depending on the size of the system. Keep your dehumidifier’s reservoir clean and dry; don’t let water spill over or stagnate when not in use. A dirty or...
Timely Tips
12 Easy Ways to Keep Your Basement Dry
You can avoid or solve most basement seepage problems by following these simple corrective steps, which are listed in order of priority. Keep gutters and downspouts clean and direct them away from the basement. Downspouts must be routed to a storm sewer or at least 6 feet away from...
Basement Seepage
It’s that time of the year again! Unfortunately, heavy spring rains bring water problems to many basements. Basement leaks not only make life miserable for a home owner, but they can weaken the foundation of your home. Basement walls should seal out a moderate amount of water, but few...
Efflorescence
Masonry or plaster with white-ish crystallization is called efflorescence. Efflorescence is primarily an appearance problem that occurs with masonry and often plaster. Rarely do these deposits of crystalline salts do any harm to masonry surfaces. In most cases, the efflorescence appears as a white dust or deposit on the...
Fire Safety
Have a plan in case of a fire in your home. Fire can and might happen to you! You must be prepared and have the knowledge to escape safely. Fire is darker, smokier, hotter, and faster than you can imagine. You must know what fire is like in order...
Home Safety Tips
A safe home is a happy home. Well, one would hope it is anyway. I do know an unsafe home is definitely NOT a happy one. You should always be on the lookout for ways to make your home safer for you, your family, and your guests. They do...
Mulch
There is good mulch and bad mulch. Good landscape mulch is made up primarily of composted bark. When this type of mulch is prepared for use in landscaping through the composting process age and heat stabilize the product, which already is partially decayed when it is spread. While I...
Exterior Painting
Protect your home’s exterior with paint. Keeping your exterior paint in good condition not only makes your house look better, it is also important for general maintenance. A good coat of paint protects wood finishes from the elements and from insect damage. You can also paint nearly every other...
Improvements that Payback
What home improvements should you “invest” in? Thinking about a home remodel, but not sure if you’ll get your “investment” back when you sell your home? Recouping your remodeling investment may be your goal when you sell your house, but when it comes to resale value, all home improvements...
Test Your Well Water
For the safety of your family and your pets, you should have you well water tested. Having the water tested is something that takes little time and effort on your part, but can be very important for the health and well-being of the loved ones in your home. Independent...
