In home improvement, many resources exist for those who are both novices and old pros. You can find information online or at your local hardware store. Use these tips to begin your next home-improvement project.
If your roof has developed cracks, use aluminum tape to repair the cracks. Separate its paper backing and place the sticky tape on a clean surface. The tape covering the cracks creates a waterproof seal that will keep the rain out.
Make sure you keep the filter for your air conditioning unit clean. When the filter is clogged, your house uses more energy. You may also be using way more electricity than necessary. To prevent a buildup of dust and debris, change the AC or furnace filter monthly.
Buying new furniture can be very costly. Look at yard sales and thrift stores for furniture to update the look of your home. You could find a true treasure in a collection of used items, like furniture. Some pieces of furniture may require work. It could be well worth the investment, though.
Energy Efficient
Keep a drill handy at all times when you are improving your home. This tool will create different-sized holes by using screws, as well as utilizing special attachments for driving the screws. You should have a 9-volt cordless, battery-powered drill and some 1/32, 1/16, 1/8, and 1/4″ drill bits. Get attachments that can drive Phillips and flathead screws, too.
Install weather stripping on the doors and windows to make your house more energy efficient. This is a cheap method to make your home more energy efficient. It can even reduce those drafts that always seem to appear on chilly nights.
You can use sealant strips or draft excluders to prevent heated or cooled air from seeping out around your doors. Draft excluders slide beneath the door to prevent hot air inside from leaking out during the winter, as well as keeping warm air in the summer. Sealant strips can be used for this as well. They can be found at any hardware store.
If you have building materials to store, put them between your floor joints or ceiling rafters. You can place longer strips of molding and large materials, especially two by fours in these areas. Just put some furring strips across rafters or exposed joists and store the material beneath them.
It can be simple to make window screens if you can’t find any you like. Frame kits can be cut to any window size, and then it’s just a matter of attaching the screen with the cording and an inexpensive tool. Some windows may require a particular screen, but an external screen can be added to nearly any window with the use of adapters.
Two-liter bottles can be used in your kitchen as storage containers. They are quite useful in that you can see through them and will hold up well when protecting sugar and flour or other dry goods. You can keep them in the freezer, on your shelf or in the refrigerator. Just open and pour when you need to use the contents.
Before starting a home improvement project that involves a bathroom or the kitchen, make sure that the water has been turned off. It seems common sense, however many homeowners often make the error of overlooking this step and end up with major flooding, which actually requires more renovations.
Have your list ready before you go shopping for home improvement items. When you know exactly what you need, you’ll never forget anything.
If you need more space or want a change, consider a renovation project. A renovation project will let you design your home how you always envisioned it, instead of moving into someone else’s vision. Plus, a home renovation is financially much less than a new home purchase.
Proper planning ensures that your home improvement project will go more smoothly. If you wait until you start work on a project, this can be disastrous, since you may be indecisive or make hasty decisions. Planning ahead will help the work go faster and will keep last minute costs to a minimum.
One good investment to make is finishing your basement. You gain extra space for your family when adding in a finished basement. Shop around for the best values to keep costs down. It’s said that a basement which is finished can improve home values by 30%.
Don’t forget about landscaping when planning your home improvement projects. When people come to see your house, they will notice your front yard first, so it will pay to have a nice lawn. Keep your grass neat and tidy, and add a border of flowering plants and shrubs to add additional beauty and dimension to your yard.
Installing a shower should probably be a high-priority home improvement project for you if your home doesn’t have one. Not only is it easier to get into and out of a shower, but a shower reduce the quantity of water consumed by your household, particularly if there are children in the home. The numbers don’t lie. A quick shower consumes only 25% of the water that a full bathtub does.
Remember that your bathroom needs to have plenty of ventilation to function properly. Humidity from showering with hot water creates the perfect place for mold to cultivate. Painting over mold will not totally kill it off. It is better to make a change to prevent it from forming in the first place. Install a ventilation fan or a window to reduce the humidity in the space.
Do not let your contractor strain your home improvement budget by saying they will get the job done in an unusually quick time. Contractors have solid reasons to complete work fast. They may want to rush their workers so they can move them to other jobs. This can be negative as well as positive, as they may try to charge extra for a job that took too long, but should not have.
The long blind cords in your home should be cut, tied or put in loops. The cords can easily strangle pets and children, if left dangling. Make sure that you leave enough cord to allow you to move blinds the way that they are meant to move. Eliminate the extra to avoid accidents from occurring.
Be sure to get an estimate from each contractor you contact. Also be sure that the estimates are apples-to-apples comparisons. Be clear about what you want to replace or repair, and keep your request the same for every contractor you speak to. If your project keeps changing, none of the estimates you get will be comparable, so you will not know who is offering the best price.
Replacing the flooring in any room can be an expensive project. It’s easy to stain existing flooring instead of getting fancy hardwood. It will create an industrial look that is versatile can can be changed with the decor.
Home improvement isn’t about spending money, but rather saving it. Updated appliances will create energy savings. Make appropriate repairs or updates to your roofing and/or insulation. Your heating and cooling costs will be reduced. As you begin to run down the list of your different improvement options, you will learn which improvements will save you some money in the long term.
Don’t purchase blinds until you’ve thoroughly measured the space in which they will be installed. If you don’t, you could end up with blinds that you aren’t able to install. Blinds come in different sizes. Some blinds are meant to be fitted to the inside of the window frame, while others are intended for the outer frame.
Doing so can wear out the bristles of your broom. Hang the broom off of the floor and it will last much longer. Mops should also be hung up in a way that allows them to dry thoroughly and avoid mildew.
It is not necessary to change the kitchen cabinets of your home to obtain a new look in your kitchen. Just a coat of paint can make things look so different! Cabinets can be spruced up with new finishes. So, research techniques online, pick the one that works best for your space and do-it-yourself to save money and update your style.
It can be a real hassle to have home improvement projects going on while trying to live in the home. If you want to avoid bothering anyone, work on the project at specific times or wait until no one is around. This will minimize the amount of stress for everyone involved.
Beautifully enhance the aesthetics of your home and property by starting a new landscaping project. You can plant lovely flowers, bushes or vines with whimsical trellises and strategically place stepping stones about the yard. You never get a second chance to make a first impression, and your landscaping does just that to visitors; it also increases home value.
Consider using light-colored tiles when you’re replacing your roof. The paler shingles reduce the amount of heat absorbed by your attic, which helps your home stay cooler and reduces your dependence on air conditioning. This will result in lower energy bills.
Asphalt driveways need regular maintenance to stop cracks turning into pot holes and damaging vehicles. Proper driveway maintenance includes removing debris from the drive.
Do not jump to a demolition when you decide to renovate. You may want to get it over with to move on to your new renovation. Make sure that you do your homework, otherwise you could create more work.
Now that you have digested these concepts, you should know what home improvement jobs are likely to require. There is quite a bit to take in regarding home improvement if you want to do it correctly. By doing so, you can improve your skills and make your home look great.
If your house has a deck, look for signs which let you know when repairs are needed. Search for uneven surfaces or imperfections in the wood, as well as faulty nails or loose screws.
