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Experts for a Reason: Why You Should Always Consider Hiring a Contractor Before Doing Home Improvements Yourself

When people think of home improvements, they usually think of things like remodeling the kitchen, building up a new garage, or upgrading the flooring in your home. Since home improvements are usually very expensive and time-consuming, it’s only natural to plan ahead to ensure that your improvements are worth the money and can be completed within a decent time frame so that your home can resume its normal functions.

It’s extremely common to start home improvement projects on your own, but you run the risk of taking a long time to complete them. If you try to remodel your kitchen on your own, then you need to make sure you have a way to cook food or stay fed while you replace kitchen appliances and fill the room with construction materials. For many people, it’s just not feasible to attempt home improvements by yourself or even with a team of family members, especially if it’s a large project that needs a lot of work. That’s where contractors come in.

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What Are the Advantages of Hiring a Contractor?

One of the most obvious advantages is that it saves you time and effort. Contractors are experts at what they do and there’s no doubt that they have the skill, expertise and experience to handle any job you throw at them. It’s even better if you can hire a contracting company that’s been around for a long time because they are almost guaranteed to have a long list of happy customers and successful jobs or else they wouldn’t be in the business for such a long time.

Let’s imagine you wanted to replace the siding in your home because the outside of your property looks depressing and worn out. Instead of worrying about dimensions or how much material need to buy, you can simply put your feet up and browse ideas at fergusonroofing.com/siding/lp-smartside-siding/ and show them to your contractor who’ll take care of the rest. It’s convenient, it’s simple and it’s worth the cost.

Health and Safety Reasons

Another major advantage that comes from their experience is health and safety. When taking on a dangerous job like relocating appliances and electrical outlets, you run the risk of electrocuting yourself or bursting a pipe if your home uses gas for central heating and cooking appliances. Water pipes might also be a risk—you don’t want to end up flooding your home with water.

Messing with the inner workings of your home isn’t a laughing matter. Gas leaks could lead to carbon monoxide poisoning, and trying to rewire electrical outlets could turn them into dangerous hazards to your entire family. The last thing you want to do is break or damage an expensive appliance in the kitchen or to put you and your family at risk.

Large Jobs

When you think about replacing the flooring in your entire house or just a single room, think about the amount of work it’s actually going to take. Chances are, it’s a tall order and you won’t be able to handle it on your own or even with a couple of helping hands. Firstly, you’ll need to move all the furniture out and place it into another room or a storage area. This alone could take an entire day depending on how heavy the furniture is or how big the room is.

Next, you’ll have to strip the carpets or existing flooring which could total up to another day. Then comes scrubbing the floors, fixing up any gaps, and then finally placing the new flooring. But of course, that’s not until you’ve calculated how much new carpet or flooring you need before you start laying it down. And don’t forget that if you make a mistake, you’re probably going to have to start all over again.

If this sounds like a fun job then you can attempt to handle it yourself. However, your contractor isn’t going to be happy if you ask them to take over a shoddy half-finished job because they’ll most likely have to start from scratch.

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Outdoor Improvements

It’s not just the inside of your house that needs improvements. The outside of our house is usually neglected when it comes to home improvement (besides the front yard or garden) because it takes so much work. Replacing a roof is tough, getting new siding installed takes forever, and let’s forget ever trying to raise a separate building on our properties by ourselves.

Whether it’s replacing the siding or creating a new attachment to your home, it’s tough work that isn’t suited for a single person. It requires a lot of planning and expertise to do large-scale improvements outdoors, and even something as simple as building a shed in your garden can take days worth of research, sourcing materials and building. Don’t try to do it by yourself because you’ll end up frustrated, tired, or possibly even injuring yourself.

Painting Jobs

Let’s be honest—many of us have thought about tackling paint jobs on our own. Whether it’s a small spot of chipped paint behind a door or an entire room that needs a colour facelift, we think to ourselves “it’s just paint, what could go wrong?”.

But then you head to the local DIY store and you forget what colour your wall is. You run back home and take photos and videos, but as soon as you get home with a fresh tin of paint you realise the colour is completely different. Then you start painting on regardless, but you realise you forgot to prepare the walls with primer and you neglected to cover your furniture, and now the paint is all over your favourite shirt and your carpets have paint splatters all over them. You keep painting anyway because there’s no going back, and the next thing you know your walls look like an art canvas from a preschooler’s art class.

The morale of the story is: don’t attempt a paint job in your home if you don’t know what you’re doing. Leave it to the professionals.

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Contractors are Efficient

No one wants to start improving their garden, only to leave it half-done. You’ll have plants all over the place, storage bins full of soil and gardening tools, and of course, an incomplete garden that looks like a dumping ground. Similarly, no one wants to start a bedroom improvement and be forced to sleep on a sofa while they slowly finish the room.

When you request a job from a contractor they’ll be able to carry out the job while you’re at work or relaxing in another part of your home. They’ll give you an estimated time for how long it’ll take, and you don’t have to stress about making time in your schedule to work on a home improvement.

Do You Have a Building Permit?

You don’t want to start a DIY job and then suddenly have police knocking at your door. People don’t realise it, but there are laws that protect you from building certain extensions and home improvements to your property. Whenever you plan an external or structural modification to your existing home you’ll need to seek permission from the relevant authorities before you are legally allowed to start building. You’ll also need a permit for things like electrical changes, plumbing work, window modifications and even a fireplace.

A licensed contractor will already have the necessary permits and qualifications to legally carry out the work. Although there might be some papers to sign and conditions to accept, most of the work will be done for you and you won’t need to worry about all the complications that could arise. An unlicensed contractor could cost you a lot of money in fees and there’s no guarantee that they understand the safety precautions that experienced contractors have to consider, which leads to the next point.

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Don’t Skimp on Fees—Pay Full Price for the Service You Need

You pay contractors to cover their labour costs, material costs, legal fees (if there are any) and most importantly, you pay for their expertise. A lot of people scoff at the high costs that a contractor demands for their work, but not everyone appreciates the experience and skill that a veteran contractor has.

It’s a tough job that demands a lot of patience and effort. A contractor that’s been around for several years will have thousands of completed jobs under their belt. They understand the risks and potential pitfalls of each job and they know how to avoid or fix those issues. Chances are, your home improvement project is nothing new to an experienced contractor and they can offer you advice on whatever you are planning.

If you hire an inexperienced or unlicensed contractor because they cost a bit less, then you’re forfeiting the expertise and experience of a skilled contractor and you’re risking the health and safety of your family members just to save some money. There are horror stories of electricians suffering from electrical shocks and being hospitalised because they’re called to fix electrical issues that were mishandled by inexperienced workers.

Expert Tips For Increasing the Value of Your Home on a Budget

Owning a home can be seen as an investment. So as such, we all want to make sure that we can get a good deal on that investment. Depending on the market, just leaving your home as it is could add some value. But why wouldn’t you want to add even more? Then when it comes to selling, you could have a much larger deposit for an even larger home. You can, of course, spend a lot to add value to your home. But you don’t have to. Here are some ideas of repairs or changes that can add value to your home. None of them break the bank either.

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Paint

One easy way to make any room look like new is to give it a fresh coat of paint. It might be the skirting boards need to be painted as they have become chipped over time. It might be door frames or even just the walls. It will make it look fresh and clean and like new. That is attractive to anyone that is looking around your home. It might not add hundreds and hundreds, but it can make the difference between someone making an offer or not. It is also inexpensive for you to do. So why not go for it?

Check the Exterior

The state of the outside of your home will make a difference when it comes to what offer you get. If the paint on the outside is chipped, the windows are in a bad state, or there are cracks in the walls, then it could put a lot of people off. So looking into all of those things can make a difference to the resale value that you get. If you think you’ve got some structural damage to the exterior, then you should look into foundation repair cost. Then you can factor it into the resale value of the property, for example.

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Improve the Garden

Like with the exterior of the home, the garden can make or break a sale. If a buyer likes the inside but not the outside, they will offer a lower amount as they’ll factor in costs of changing the garden. That is if they even make an offer at all. So make sure that the driveway and yards are looking neat and tidy. Take anything too personalized out of the equation. So hideaway kids yard toys and swing sets, for instance. Then it will make the space look much more attractive.

Make Your Home More Energy Efficient

People don’t want to spend a large amount when running a home. So the more efficient the home is, the better. Good places to start could be the attic, for example. Is there any insulation up there? If there isn’t, then, it is a straightforward thing to fix that doesn’t cost a lot. You could look into cavity wall insulation, as well as how well insulated your windows are. You’d be surprised just how much of a difference it will make to the prices you get offered.

Simple Ways To Give Your Home More Personality

Giving your home more personality will make it feel more welcoming to guests, as well as tell them a bit about you when they come inside. Who wants to live in a house with absolutely no character anyway? These simple ideas will help you to give your home more personality:

Mix Your Furniture Styles

Mixing your furniture styles might sound strange, but it can really help your home to stand out with a quirky feel. Say you’re choosing chairs for a dining table, you can have two of each chair to keep some uniformity there if you like.

Get Your DIY On

Creating something yourself is always really satisfying, and you’ll have something in your home that nobody else has. You could built a table, chair, or just about anything else you can think of. There are tutorials all over the web. Start with something simpler if you haven’t done this before.

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Show Off Artwork You Love

Instead of showing off artwork for the sake of it, show off artwork that you truly love. This could even be something you’ve created yourself, or had somebody else create for you. You could create a feature wall out of it in your living room area. Having a couple of focal points in the home is a really good way to add personality to your home.

Display Your Favorite Pictures

If you have pictures of friends, family, pets, or anything else you really love, display them in a cool way. This helps to show people who and what you really care about.

Add A Splash Of Color

Don’t be afraid to add a splash of your favorite color. A bright color can look great against a neutral backdrop, even if you only use it in a few accessories, maybe even a single chair. You could even go against the grain and do this with the help of your ceiling, or a new carpet. Check out sites like http://www.onlinecarpetsale.com.au/ to see what’s available to you. Use color in unexpected places to really have fun.

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Create Displays

If you collect something, have holiday souvenirs or anything of the sort, it could be a good idea to create a display out of them. This could help to show people where you’ve been, your hobbies, and what you’re interested in. You could do this with the help of dedicated shelving, for example.

Mix And Match Textures And Fabrics

As well as mixing and matching other things in your home, mix and match textures and fabrics to add personality. Mix up your linens, sheets, cushions, throws, and anything else you can think of to create a unique and fun look.

These simple tips will help you to create more personality in your home in no time at all. Have fun with it and make sure you really love it. Don’t worry about what anybody else thinks – this is your home to enjoy and live in! Leave your own thoughts and tips below!

Home Improvement Jobs You Need To Leave To The Professionals

Many of us like to think that we have a vice-like grip on our own lives. We may be trained in DIY, so we’ve essentially built up our homes from scratch. Some of us might have a good knowledge of cars, so the minute the bonnet starts smoking, you know exactly what to do. But generally, we will all some instances in life when we all need professional help. Often, things far beyond our control can go wrong and it requires a person with specific specialist knowledge to be able to come and sort it out. Taking on a job yourself that you don’t know all that much about can be risky, and could potentially cause damage to you and your family. Here are some scenarios where it’s always best to leave it to the professionals.

Oklahoma City,OK, June 22,2010–A roofer repairs a roof that was damaged by tornadoes that ripped through Oklahoma in early May 2010. FEMA is working with local, state, private and federal agencies and businesses to help individuals and business with their recovery. Photo by Patsy Lynch/FEMA

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Roofing

When you see a few missing or damaged tiles on your roof, your first thought may be to go straight up there yourself and see if you can fix it up. After all, how hard can it be, right? Wrong. A wrongly placed foot may not just cost you more damage to your roof; it could also cost you your life. There are certain areas in roofing where you could easily put your foot through the roof and go straight through. Plus, the everyday ladder really cannot match up to the sturdiness of a professional roofer’s equipment – depending on how serious your roof damage is, they may even bring scaffolding for extra support. If you notice that you have a roof leak or if it is damaged in some way, visit a site such as roofingservicesqld.com.au before attempting any repairs yourself.

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Electrics

When the power goes out in a house, most of us tend to wait a few minutes before opening the fuse box, switching it off and then switching it back on again. More often than not, the electrics come straight back on and that’s the end of it. But if they don’t, you need to be really careful when it comes to the next steps you decide to take. It is always best to call your local authority to alert them to the power loss issue and then speak to an electrician, rather than attempting to find the cause of the problem yourself. Of course, there are some basic electrical repairs you can carry out alone, such as re-wiring a plug or changing a light bulb. But for anything more serious, you could put yourself at risk of electrocution – call the professionals.

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Motoring

If you’re a bit of a petrolhead, you probably like to think you know a lot about cars. This knowledge, however, does not qualify you as a mechanic. Plus, you may know a lot about one particular brand of car – and this could be completely different to the one you actually own. Learning the ins and outs of how every vehicle works can take years of work. By all means, check your tyre pressure and change your oil from time to time. But anything that involves brakes, gearboxes or engines is best left to a trusted specialist.

A Dreamy Place to Dream: Making Your Bedroom More Luxurious

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The bedroom is your own little sanctuary. A place to retreat from the world, relax and completely unwind after each long day. So if yours has seen better days or you’re unsatisfied with how it looks, it’s well worth making a change! A lovely bedroom will make you feel happy and promote feelings of relaxation. Here are some of the ways you can go about it.

Get It Spotless

Before considering anything else, getting the space clean and free of clutter is a good idea. Label three boxes ‘bin’ ‘charity shop’ and ‘friends’ and anything you no longer have a use for can go straight into these. It helps you to make decisions quicker and means you can power through with less hassle. Once the clutter is gone, give everywhere a deep clean not forgetting underneath large furniture items like the bed and wardrobe. If you’re able to remove everything out completely, that’s even better.

Repaint The Walls

Color has been shown to have a significant effect on our mood. Certain shades will help to make you feel more relaxed making them good choices for the bedroom. Go with a very light shade or a light neutral which will help to open up the space and make it feel bigger and brighter. A coat of paint can instantly make a dull and drab room feel fresh and new and gives you a blank canvas from which to build up the room.

Think About The Bed

The most important feature in the bedroom is of course the bed. Since we spend so much of our lives sleeping, it makes sense to invest here and buy something that’s comfortable and supportive. Go for the biggest size you can which still works well in the room. Queen sized beds for example are larger than a standard double if you want extra room, but won’t overpower a smaller space in the same way a king or super king would. Another important thing to get right when it comes to the bed, is the bedding. Duvets and pillows can harbour dust mites and bacteria and should be replaced every few years. If yours have seen better days, fresh new ones will make you feel extra cosy and fresh. Go for high quality cotton sheets and duvet covers which are soft on the skin.

Add Soft Furnishings

The way you can really make the bedroom look luxurious is with the use of soft furnishings. Soft, sumptuous throws draped over the bed, lots of pillows, a cosy rug on the floor and good quality curtains will all bring a richness to the room. They also bring in color and texture, decide on an accent shade or two and use these colors through your soft furnishing choices.

Finish With Decorative Accessories

Once everything else is done and dusted, you can bring in your personality to the room. This could be with unique lamps, framed photos, flowers and plants or anything else. Try not to go overboard and leave the room looking cluttered, but a few personal touches add a homeliness and will make you feel happy and at home each time you go to bed and wake up.

The Clean Up: Steps To Take After The Worst Has Happened

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We don’t like to think about disaster striking our home. Apart from putting the relevant precautions in place, we tend to put it out of our minds. But if the worst does happen you will need to act quickly. So it’s useful to have some steps in place to ease the burden.

Flood

In the current eco-climate floods seem to be increasing. Householders are spending thousands each year to protect their properties and families. But if disaster strikes and your home is flooded, there are several steps you should take regarding the clean up.

Always take precautions where water is concerned, to avoid electric shock
Contact an expert for a quote on the price per square foot to fix water damage
Contact your insurance company
Remove furniture, furnishings and other clutter
Scrape up as much mud from floors, ceilings and walls as possible
Salvage as many appliances as possible and wash and dry them quickly
Dry wooden furniture outside after removing drawers
Dispose of any food exposed to water

Depending on the severity of the flood, it may be some time before you can redecorate and live in the house again. It will need to be completely dried. This process should begin as soon as possible to avoid structural damage.

Fire

A fire in your home can be terrifying and life-threatening. Once the fire is under control, and your home is deemed safe to enter again, the cleaning can begin.

Fire and smoke cause massive damage, as do fire extinguishers. Often you will find a layer of soot over your home and possessions. Remove as much of this as possible using a vacuum cleaner. Wherever possible, you should enlist the help of a professional. Soot and the chemicals required to clean are harmful, and masks may need to be worn.

Once the cleaning is complete, you may still find that you’re left with the lingering odor. Again, a professional cleaning company should be able to deal with this. Their processes and chemicals work at a deep level removing odors from burning and smoke. Sometimes they will use a fogger to penetrate surfaces and remove the smell.

If you’re looking for a household solution to lingering odors, wiping over affected surfaces with white vinegar can help. Another tip is to place bowls of baking soda in each room. The powder will absorb the odor, and you can then dispose of it.

Storm Damage

Storm damage is usually caused by falling trees or debris flying into the house. Always take care where trees or limbs are still leaning. They may still pose a threat. You should also be aware of the proximity of power cables. The house will need to be assessed for structural damage and safety issues.

Once any potential threats are removed, and the house is deemed safe, you can begin the clean up. Again, it’s likely you will need expert help to remove large trunks and branches. Some of these may need to be cut before removing.

Take steps to clear any hazardous materials such as broken glass. Get rid of any debris. Windows may need to be temporarily boarded before you can arrange for them to be fixed or replaced. This will avoid further damage caused by inclement weather.

Next remove any furniture or possessions that are beyond repair, including carpets. If items can be salvaged, then take steps to mend/clean them. Some rooms may need drying and the use of dehumidifiers and heaters. Ventilate rooms as much as possible by opening doors and windows. Remove carpets to allow floorboards to dry thoroughly.

There are steps you can take to reduce the risk of household disasters. But sometimes things happen beyond our control. Safety should always be your priority. Ensure your family know what to do in case of emergency. And once the danger has passed, act quickly to avoid further damage.

How To Pick Up The Pieces, Whatever Mother Nature Throws At You

We’re all proud of our homes, to a greater or lesser extent. Certainly, we’re all defensive of them, even if we’re not at a Martha Stewart level of housekeeping. The more effort we put into keeping them looking sparkling inside, though, the more reward we will get. And we can do a lot just by following simple rules. No shoes in the house, don’t pour anything thick down the sink, that kind of thing. Follow these, and your family home should be in good shape.

But then there are things that happen to our homes just because. There’s nothing we can do to stop these problems and all we can do is protect the property from damage. You can control what comes into your house, and what you put out of it. The one thing you can’t control is what goes on outside. Climate, weather and environmental factors are there, and will be there whatever you do. So you need to look out for problems they may cause.

If You Live In A Hot Climate

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A home in a hot climate is something that a lot of people prize above all others, but they don’t come without their problems. It is during the hotter months that a home is more prone to pest infestations. These infestations can run the gamut from large rats and even raccoons to something as small as termites or wasps.

Infestations can be attracted by something as simple as incorrect storage of garbage. Always make sure bags are not split, and that garbage cans are kept well away from the house. Additionally, perform a twice-yearly check for signs of infestation: droppings, eggs, structural damage.

If You Live In A Cold Climate

Homes are built to last, but the problem with any building large enough to live in is that there are stresses involved just to keep them standing. And when you apply extremes of temperature, the materials involved can expand and contract. Eventually, this can tell and can create gaps where there should be none.

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If you live somewhere that gets snow often, it can be even worse than that. If snow lies on the exterior of a building, the cold contracts the materials while the water caused by it melting can weaken them. Before long you can end up with cracks that need treating. Speak to an expert if you see signs of water ingress in your rooms.

If You Live In A Rainy Climate

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Although homes are built with external factors in mind, it’s a fact of life that problems can build up over time anyway. You can’t fight nature. In a four-season climate, which sees plenty of rain, the soil expands and contracts over time. This can affect the foundations of the home and cause serious structural damage if left unchecked. Speak to foundation drainage repair experts if you’re finding cracks or bowing anywhere in the home.

It’s worth noting that, even if your home has been built relatively recently, these issues can still occur. While due care will have been taken to protect them against it, weather happens every day. Over time its impacts accumulate – so it doesn’t matter how strongly your house is built. You still need to keep a firm eye out for any signs of damage, and get them fixed as they occur.

Tips On How To Give Your Laundry Room A Fresh Spin

Give your laundry room a fresh start

Photo from: Flickr

Ok, so doing the laundry may not be a luxurious task but that doesn’t mean we can’t take pride in our laundry room. And if yours is a chaotic mess now is the time to take charge of it and turn it into a functional and pretty space. With everything more organized in the laundry room, the chore is less likely to be a bore. The more efficient your space is, the more quickly you’ll get the job done. Below are some ideas on how to create a super space you can launder in style.

If you have space, it’s a good idea to create a laundry room. This means your fresh washing is kept away from the cooking area and can be dried and folded in this extra space. The best laundry rooms feature a washing machine, dryer, and sink for hand washing. They also include and an array of beautifully designed shelving and storage units. Also, make sure to design the room with lots of counter space, so you have plenty of room for folding. Butcher block tops work really well in the laundry room. If you are looking for some inspiration, check out http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/the-worlds-most-beautiful-laundry-rooms-229078 for some great photos of super swish

laundry rooms.
Choose a stylish faux tile or wood print vinyl flooring for this room. There will be spillages and leaks, so there is no point investing in too expensive a floor. Vinyl is a great choice as it is practical, durable and easy to clean. Color wise choose something fresh and stylish. White and duck egg blue are a beautiful combination for a laundry room, as is yellow, gray and olive green too. If you need some quick fix design ideas that you can use in the laundry room, take a look at my blog post right here.

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Storage wise keep all your detergents and stain removers in high up cupboards away from eager children’s hands. You can take a look here http://www.cleanhappens.com/collections/laundry for some ideas on what kind of products to fill your laundry room with. On the lower shelves, you can store extra bales of white towels on any extra bed linens. Also use any free space under the countertop to keep three separate laundry baskets. One for whites, one for colors and one for darks. Keep a smaller linen basket for your delicates. Keep hand soap and hand lotion by the sink and create a special tray filled with all your alternative stain-removing ingredients. These can be anything from baking soda to vinegar and toothpaste to lemon juice. Write a small label for each bottle saying what type of stains they get out. This way if anyone else (read teenagers or husband) is in charge of the laundry, they’ll know what to. Check out this website http://www.savorylotus.com/5-tips-to-remove-laundry-stains-naturally/ for ideas on getting stains out of clothes. Use pretty glass containers to keep everything from pegs to spare buttons in, and also have one for lost socks. Any miscellaneous socks can be thrown in here and checked and matched every two weeks. If the sock doesn’t find a soul mate after this time, it goes in the bin. Other things you may want to store in the laundry room are your ironing board and vacuum. But don’t just shove them in there. Think about designing a cupboard which can be used for the vacuum with a hook inside the door to hang the ironing board on too.

Keeping everything neat and tidy and a little bit stylish in your laundry room will make the tasks feels a little less tiresome. And once you have established a special place to get the sorting, washing, drying and folding all done in one, your time will be used much more efficiently.

Home Security Made Easy With These Essential Tips

When it comes to buying a home, it can be one of the biggest purchases you make. So it’s essential to make sure you protect your assets at all costs. While you can control how others behave, you can control how secure your home is. With burglaries on the rise, it’s a sad fact that we have to be more proactive about safety and security.

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However, you may think that adding security measures to your home can be quite costly. But sometimes making informed choices and changing a few things can be all it takes to ensure your home is protected. So I thought it would be an excellent idea to share with you some of the essential tips to make securing your home easy.

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Think like a burglar

This may seem like a strange thing to suggest but thinking as a burglar could highlight potential problem areas. Or perhaps some parts of your home that need extra protection. Take a long hard look at your property, on the interior and exterior, and work out the main entry points. Consider things like doors and windows, even cellars or balcony access. If there is a way to your home, then it’s a potential security breach.

Consider an alarm system

An alarm system is another potentially great tool to deter intruders or burglar entering your property. Especially if the alarm itself is visible on the exterior of your home. Sometimes even just seeing it is enough to put someone off. An alarm system can be used in different ways. But primarily you will activate it when you leave and deactivate it on your return. Often done by a key fob or secret code. However, some systems only work on the doors being opened. So it may be worth extending the sensors to things like windows as well. Some people consider adding motion sensors to the interior property. So if someone happens to gain entry, then they could potentially be rumbled when those sensors pick them up. In each case, a loud alarm will ring if it hasn’t been deactivated alerting everyone around that something untoward is happening. Some smarter systems can even ring your mobile or alert your smartphone if something has happened with your system.

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Why not add a security camera system?

You may want to take the security one step further and consider adding cameras to the exterior or interior of your property. Again if these are visible, they can be enough to put off anyone even trying to enter your home. Especially because of the risk of being caught on camera is greater. Security Camera System Pro rated the best outdoor cameras around and offered some great tips and advice. A camera system could also be the difference for catching these criminals and can aid police in their investigations. These work well for bigger properties that have a lot of outdoor space and interior rooms to cover. It enables you to ensure there are no weak spots on your property.

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Make practical changes to your home

Sometimes the simplest of security measures you can take are the most useful. If your windows have locks on them, make sure they are locked, and the keys are hidden away. If your doors have added security latches or top locks, make sure you use them. Sometimes it’s these practical ways of securing the home that have the biggest impact in protecting it.

Add warning signs as a deterrent

Adding visible signs to windows and doors letting people know is a great little tip. Even if you don’t have some of them in place, no one is likely to take that risk. People consider dog warnings, camera alerts or alarm pictures. All of which can work well to deter intruders.

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Consider getting a dog

Sometimes a practical approach can give the best results. While dogs shouldn’t just be bought for security reasons, they can be a huge deterrent to a burglar. Dogs can bark and alert neighbours or people around them if something untoward is happening. They’re great for when you are out and about locally. However, when taking vacations, you might want to add other measures in place.

Make sure your boundaries are secure

Finally, make sure all your borders are secure. It is especially important for properties that have large gardens or outside space. Using things like high fences or gated access is an additional security measure. Often those things will be the first hurdle a potential intruder will have to cross. Making things difficult for them right from the start may put them off even attempting to gain entry.

Getting Environmentally-Friendly in the Kitchen

Environmental Kitchen

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Homes are producing a lot of waste these days. One of the most concerning areas in the average home is the kitchen. If you want to start living your life a little greener, you should make the kitchen a focus area!

Recycling

Recycling seems like such an obvious point that it’s not really worth going into too much detail about it here. You’ve heard it all before, right? Make sure you have recycling station, in the form of a bag, can, or bucket, in which recyclable materials can be placed after use.

Using things that will last

It’s amazing how many households use disposable cookware and utensils. You probably wouldn’t have thought it was that common a practice. But for a long of people, it makes more sense. They’ll buy things that they can throw away after using them to prepare and eat meals just so they don’t have to wash the dishes afterwards. This is a practice you shouldn’t be tempted to get into. It creates so much unnecessary waste. Some people may think that it saves on water, but the benefit there simply isn’t big enough to justify this.

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This doesn’t only apply to disposable items. You also need to think about the general quality of the items you use in the kitchen. Dishes and pans that are built to stand the test of time will save you money in the long run. It will also reduce waste.

Garbage disposal

If you believed everything you see on TV, you’d think that everyone in America has a garbage disposal unit. Actually, the majority of homes don’t have a garbage disposal unit. A lot of people aren’t actually all that keen on having one. They wonder how such a unit could possibly do you any good in the kitchen. (They also probably don’t think much of the grinding noise!)

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But garbage disposal systems are actually great for the environment. Food scraps make up between 10-30% of the waste in your average household. For the most part, that’s all sent to landfills. But a garbage disposal unit turns food scraps into liquid, getting rid of it through the plumbing. It reduces landfill usage and saves on the emittances of waste transport. If you’re interested in one, why not try here?

Invest more in fresh food and home cooking

Way too many of us are buying frozen meals and using various methods of defrosting and cooking them. This results in an enormous amount of energy usage. You also have to consider all of the plastic and cardboard materials that come with these things. Not only that, but producing these meals also requires a lot of energy in manufacturing and transport. Takeout meals suffer from the same problem.

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It’s important that you start buying fresh foods and start cooking meals yourself. Not only is this healthier, but it’s also so much better for the environment. Sourcing the ingredients yourself means you can keep a close eye on the overall processes that result in your meals. If you really want to take it to the next level, you could try growing your own fruits and vegetables. Not everyone has the time for that, though!

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