Window treatments let you control light, privacy, and temperature while adding style to your space. But which should you select? Blinds and curtains each have benefits and drawbacks. Blinds are cheaper to make and quicker to install, so they are cheaper. Curtains, on the other hand, are usually more expensive and take longer to install. Blinds offer more light control, with many adjustment possibilities. But their slats also allow some light to enter even when the blinds are closed. Whereas some curtains can block virtually all light. Blinds have a hard surface, so dusting and wiping the ..read more

Flash floods happen suddenly, in a flash, with very little warning, sometimes being created in minutes while the storm is still overhead. They often begin in small streams, canyons, or dry river beds that just don’t have enough drainage. Because of how quickly they can begin, it’s difficult to predict flash floods, so you should always be aware of the following conditions that lead can to them: Flash floods only occur within six hours of rain. Look for news of dam or levee failures. Watch for slow-moving storms over the same area. Hurricanes are another big source of inte ..read more

We all have many appliances that help make our lives easier and more efficient. And many of them we’ve become reliant on. But there are many important guidelines, buried deep in their instruction manuals which can can make our appliances much safer and long-lasting. Many tips may seem obvious, such as not using appliances in or near water or “read the instruction manual”. But did you know that a voltage surge can damage smaller appliances? Because of this, you should unplug them when they are not being used. Also, high-wattage appliances like Air conditioners or heaters can be a serious risk ..read more

Electricity fills almost every home today. While power in the home is common, it can still be dangerous if not used correctly, so it’s crucial that both adults and children learn how to make use of electricity safely. The most important way to maintain electrical safety in the home is to use your plug points properly. Make sure to always switch points off at the wall before connecting or disconnecting any plugs, and leave them switched off when no plugs are connected. Overloading a plug point can be very dangerous. To avoid that danger don’t connect appliances to low-power light sockets and c ..read more

Windows are the culprit in many energy-loss mysteries. It is a weakness in the wall where cracks and holes easily can form, and on top of that, while double-pane windows are fairly good at blocking heat transfer, they aren’t perfect. If they have a broken seal they will no longer function as intended and cost you money. If you want to find out where there are issues, thermal imaging can be a very helpful tool, showing you exactly where the issues lie, but you can also try using the buddy system, even though this only will show you major issues. Having a friend using a flashlight, they can aim ..read more

When using your garbage disposal, do you ever have strange smells emanating from the sink? Some homeowners think that this is just the price they have to pay for the convenience of having a garbage disposal, but that isn’t the case. In fact, it is quite possible to keep your garbage disposal from smelling just by being a little bit careful in how you use it. Smells from your garbage disposal are usually caused by organic matter breaking down that is stuck in the blades or somewhere in the machinery. If you throw fibrous vegetables down the garbage disposal, the fibers can easily get tangled up ..read more

How many items do you have plugged into wall receptacles around your home? Most likely, it adds up to quite a lot, and not all homes have as many receptacles as you might want. This is especially a problem in older homes. The way we use electricity has just changed over the years. So if you live in a home that is lacking when it comes to wall receptacles, the natural solution is to get a power strip for plugging in several devices using only one receptacle, but it is important that you are careful not to overload the power strip. There are limitations on what current a power strip is built to ..read more

Formaldehyde is not a very pleasant chemical. There are many adverse effects from being exposed to it, even if you don’t have an allergy or sensitivity to it. Formaldehyde in your home can cause discomfort, but large levels have been tied to many ill health effects, even as serious as cancer. So, why is this a concern for you as a homeowner? Well, there are many applications of formaldehyde that could add this chemical to your home. It has been used for insulation, glue, fabrics, and pressed wood. From there it could seep out into the air and cause damage. Naturally, it is difficult for most o ..read more

When you are looking to buy something expensive, you probably take your time getting to find it as cheaply as you can, isn’t that right? But you wouldn’t stop there, would you? If you do, you could end up with a sub-par replica, or you could deal with a company that has terrible customer support. You probably would look at reviews and ratings online to make sure that you’re not just getting a good price, but also a good product. When shopping around for a home inspector, some homeowners make the mistake of going with the cheapest option on the market. Doing so would not just affect your experi ..read more

Odors in your home are usually a difficult thing to deal with, but there are few odors that are more stubborn than tobacco odor. Unless you are a smoker yourself, you are probably going to have a hard time living in a home where a smoker used to live. The unfortunate thing about tobacco smoke is that it leaves a residue everywhere in your home. It gets stuck on walls and ceilings, which you can see when you clean the walls off after a smoker has moved out. The yellow-tinted water gives you a good idea of how much is left behind. It even gets stuck on the lightbulbs, which means that when a lig ..read more