2014

2 Cheap Ways To Keep Your Garage's Plumbing Pipes Warm When Your Boiler Goes Out

When your boiler stops working in the middle of winter, you need to find ways to keep the plumbing pipes in your attached garage warm until a technician arrives, especially if your boiler is in the garage. If your boiler's pipes freeze and thaw out, the thawed water can eventually burst through the pipes and flood your home's foundation. To avoid these expensive and troublesome issues, here are some cheap tips you can use to keep your garage's plumbing pipes warm.

You Break It; You Lose It -- 4 Tips For Packing Portable Storage Units

Those portable storage units are immensely convenient. The storage company brings the container right to your home and drops it off, and you take your time filling it with your belongings.Sometimes people forget, however, that the container is eventually going to be picked up an moved to a new location -- at least if you're using it as part of a move. And if you fail to pack your portable storage container securely, you'll be left with broken and damaged items and nobody but yourself to blame.

Choosing A Fire-Resistant Sofa: What Homeowners Need To Know

When you're choosing a new sofa, it's important to select a product that is durable, comfortable and looks great, but you also need to consider fire safety. Upholstered furniture is probably the highest fire risk in your home, and a single sofa fire can engulf a home in toxic smoke in just a few minutes. If you're looking for a new sofa, learn more about the fire risks and why it's not always easy to find products that will keep your family safe.

Great Tips For Using Drapes With Plantation Shutters

On their own, plantation shutters combine function and form with their brilliant appearance and equally-brilliant ability to filter light and provide privacy when needed. Combining plantation shutters with carefully-selected drapery can further enhance their appearance and add a new spin to just about any room. Here are a few tips to consider when combining window treatments with plantation shutters: Keep the Depth in Mind One of the challenges of fitting drapes to plantation shutters involves clearance.

3 Ways To Get Rid Of Annoying Sidewalk Weeds

After you have spent hours carefully manicuring your yard and pruning those hedges, nothing is more frustrating than noticing weeds pop out from between your sidewalk cracks. In addition to being an eyesore, these pesky plants can harbor bugs and create tripping hazard for pedestrians. If you are looking for a way to clean up those cracks, try using one of these three ways to get rid of annoying sidewalk weeds.

3 Tips For Keeping Your Home Pest-Free After Fumigation Service

You recently eradicated your pest infestation by having your home fumigated. Although fumigation removed all the pests that were already in your home, it doesn't prevent new pests from finding their way back into your walls or closets. Instead of assuming that your home is safe from all future infestations, follow these tips to ensure that pests won't invade your home once again: Replace Any Torn or Poorly-Fitting Window Screens

Ways To Incorporate Trees Into Your Landscape To Save Money On Heating And Cooling

With the high cost of heating and cooling, many homeowners are taking aggressive steps to save money on energy costs. The HVAC system in most homes accounts for the majority of the entire home's energy use, but you can see a big difference in your overall energy costs by making adjustments to your outdoor landscaping.  A well-designed landscape can work for you, rather than against you, when it comes to heating and cooling your home.

How To Remove 3 Tough Stains From Vinyl Floors

In many ways, vinyl is one of the best flooring choices around. It's affordable, durable, and it comes in a great variety of colors and patterns, which should ensure that you have no trouble finding a style and color that works for any room in your house. If vinyl has a drawback, it's that it's a porous material, which means that it's easy for vinyl to absorb materials that leave tough stains, especially if a spill or scuff isn't noticed or dealt with quickly.

How To Keep Heating Oil Sludge From Clogging Your Boiler

If you have an oil boiler in your home that provides your house with heat, then it is wise to contact a boiler repair specialist if the appliance is not heating your house properly. Your boiler may need a tune-up or a repair, or there may be too much sludge flowing through your fuel line. A repair specialist may suggest an oil tank cleaning when this is the case. These cleanings should typically be performed every three to five years to reduce the build up of sludge on the bottom of the tank.

4 Items That Will Help You Enjoy Your Fireplace To The Fullest

During the colder months of the year, it is nice to be able to build a fire in your fireplace to enjoy the heat and cheery feeling it adds to your home. There are several important accessories you need with your fireplace so that you can enjoy your home's fireplace to the fullest. It would be a waste to regularly clean your chimney, but not get the most enjoyment out of it possible.