The 2016 Houzz Landscaping and Garden Trends Study reports that about 50% of homeowners who upgrade their outdoor spaces spend at least six hours there per week. But depending on where you live, lounging in your yard may not be an option year-round. To enjoy the beauty of the outdoors while staying sheltered from the elements, a three or four season sunroom is an excellent room addition. Which home addition design is best for your lifestyle is up to you. Let’s take a look at the differences between the two. Construction A three season room is a true…
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A common mode of indoor transportation is elevators, and ever since the 1800s, elevators have transported people and cargo up and down many buildings. Until the late 1800s, elevators were hardly even necessary, since buildings were never more than four or five stories tall. During the Industrial Revolution, however, steel beams and other new construction method allowed buildings to reach literal new heights, and indoor transportation had to keep up. Walking up stairs to the 20th floor would be tiresome, so residential lifts began to appear, and a commercial elevator or cargo elevator may be found in a factory or…
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Induction grow lighting has many benefits over standard lighting systems. This is because these systems do not have electrodes or filaments, the parts that often make traditional lights burn out quickly. Therefore, induction grow lights are able to last up to 100,000 hours. The History of Induction Grow Lighting Original induction lights were developed by Nikola Tesla in the 1890s. While it may not have been the most efficient system at that time, further development has brought it to the point of the highest efficacy. Sometimes these lights are able to provide over 70 lumens per watt, along with the…
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Every time your energy bill comes around, you can’t help but notice the heating and cooling costs are taking chunks out of your savings. Why? It might be time to schedule maintenance on your home’s HVAC systems. What is HVAC? HVAC is an acronym that means heating, ventilation and air conditioners. It encompasses all the different and unique systems that heat and cool your home. What’s Hiking My Bill Up? It can be one thing or a number of things. Has the sealing and insulating in your home been properly installed? With properly installed insulation and sealing, your heating and…
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So you’ve finally bought that house you’ve been fawning over. It took months to close the deal but now that it’s over and you can finally do some much needed modeling. Because some things just aren’t looking too good. It’s time to throw out that old bathroom and bring it up to your standards, all the while adding to the growing number of 14.2 million bathroom remodels done every year. However, you also don’t want to break the bank. And you certainly don’t want to create more problems. How was the original bathroom placed? If the toilet, tub or sink…
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When decorating the nursery in your home, there are many options for safe paint for the nursery. Safe decorations, in general, are important when it comes to the nursery, and things like organic materials for wall, ceiling, and floor updates are helpful. Additionally, safety can be maintained with low VOC paint, eco friendly primer, and other materials during the painting process. Safe Paint for The Nursery There are many ways to confirm that you safely paint the nursery and other rooms inside your home. Some things could be the need to avoid the side effects of polyurethane fumes during the…
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Heat pumps play a vital role in regulating cool air in specific HVAC and refrigerator systems devices. There are various components of a heat pump HVAC system and regular maintenance is important. Here are 3 ways to tell that you may need a new 2-ton heat pump or one of different size is by observing the following: #1 The bills while using the cool setting are high When it comes to using your air-conditioning system or another cooling device that relies on a heating pump to keep areas cool, it shouldn’t raise the bills. HVAC gauges read the liquid pressure…
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Every house has plumbing, whether connected to a public utility or a private well or septic tank. In rural areas, septic disposal of solids is common, and a septic tank needs cleaning every so often. In more urban areas, homes are connected to public sewage facilities instead, but either model of sewage disposal may sometimes face clogging issues in the pipes. When this happens, grease disposal may be essential for clearing out backed-up plumbing. Plumbing services can be called upon to clear out the pipes, and grease disposal is certainly something to take seriously. If not, pipes can become clogged,…
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Radon is a danger to many people all throughout the United States, but because so many people don’t even know that radon is present in their homes, it can be hard to combat indeed. After all, radon is unable to be seen with the naked eye and is also virtually odorless. Unless you’re performing radon testing, it’s unlikely that you’d easily be able to know whether or not radon was present in any given home. And the dangers of radon can certainly be many. In fact, radon exposure has even been declared the second leading cause of lung cancer, second…
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If you have a small bathroom that you are planning to renovate, you are not alone. Bathroom renovations are very popular around the country. About 90% of homeowners who are remodeling their spaces say that they plan to work on at least one bathroom in their home. Small bathroom makeovers can make the space seem larger and more luxurious. Heat the floors. This can feel like the ultimate in luxury living. It is always nice to step out of a bath or shower to a warm floor. It also helps on cold mornings when the tile has chilled overnight. Make…
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It’s one thing to see a few ants scurrying around, but it’s another thing to discover rodents inside your home. Rodents such as rats and mice cause diseases and damage your belongings. Rodent removal companies are your best bet in getting rid of these pests. Rats and mice reproduce quickly, so it’s essential to act fast. They need to be eliminated using traps or using natural scents to deter them. Remove food and water sources. Identify and seal entry points. You must keep your surroundings clean. It’s better to hire pest control experts. You can book pest control online. Search…
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This is the time of the year when you can only think about the outside work that needs to be done on the outside of your home. As the nation’s temperatures again plunge into the teens and below, home owners may indeed be growing wearing of this long winter. Fortunately, even though property owners cannot be working on outside projects, they can tackle the inside work that they need done. From the installation of strand bamboo floors to upgrading to moisture-resistance molding throughout your home, there are many inside projects that can be completed while the nation waits for spring…
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There are dozens of important factors to constantly consider when running a business. If you want to run a successful company, not only do you have to offer a quality product or service, hire hardworking employees and keep them happy, and handle all the logistical and financial aspects of your organization, but you have to address and correct any structural concerns right away, as well. Water and mold damage, for instance, is a common occurrence that can ruin a company’s structure and finances. According to Farmers Insurance, there has been an uptick in mold-related claims in the last decade —…
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You may not think about the condition of your home’s pipes very often, but the smallest problem with your plumbing can waste water, cost money, and cause damage. This is especially true with 10% of homes having leaks that waste at least 90 gallons of water every day. So to avoid any further issues, winterizing your plumbing should be on your “to do” list. Plumbing winterization isn’t difficult, and it’s extremely important. So let’s take a look at a few important steps to take when you’re completing your plumbing winterization. Have your pipes insulated: This is one of the most…
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Septic tanks manage your household wastewater, especially in areas that aren’t connected to a sewage system. The waste separates into three layers – a sludge, a liquid, and a scum layer. If you have a septic system, it’s imperative to have a septic cleaning service provider regularly clean the tank, remove the waste, and dispose of it safely. You may have questions such as ‘do suburban houses have septic tanks’? Suburban houses are mostly connected to a sewer system. Septic tanks are common in rural areas. You need to check the property records to confirm whether you have a septic…
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Spring is around the corner. It’s still not quite warm enough to neglect your furnace and boiler. The average American home today is spending too much on heating and cooling costs. If you feel you’re one of them, reaching out to a contractor might be the best idea you’ve had in a while. There are a lot of small and major factors that go into affecting our home’s ability to use energy properly. From old HVAC systems that need to be replaced to an improperly installed boiler, these are best figured out with the aid of a professional. They’ll help…
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Finishing your basement is not only a big project to improve your personal comfort, but the average basement remodel can have as much as a 70% return on investment, according to Home Advisor. With such significant financial implications, you want your basement to be finished properly by a trusted basement contractor. Know these tips and you won’t miss a thing when you finish your basement. Be familiar with building codes One of the biggest challenges of basement finishing is making sure that it all follows the strict building codes. Knowing these codes ahead of time will help you manage your…
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Over the years, studies have been conducted on what scientists refer to as VOC paints, which are composed of volatile organic compounds. These paints are composed of solvents that get released into the air when the paint is drying. CBC Marketplace did a study that found that VOC levels of over 500 ppb could cause problems to those who have chemical sensitivities. Because of this, many people who are picking out paint for their children’s nurseries wonder what type of paint is best so that they can protect the livelihood of your child. Low VOC paint might be the answer…
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As the number of freelance and remote employees in the U.S. continues to grow, creating a productive home office space will become a priority for even more Americans. But it’s not enough to merely establish that office space; you’ll also need to organize your home office to maximize your efficiency. That may seem like a difficult task, but there are actually a number of ways to make your home office work better for you. Here are just a few to consider. Choose Your Desk and Keep It Uncluttered Regardless of your industry, it’s likely that having a functional and attractive desk space…
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Natural disasters commonly put residential water drinkability at risk. Hurricanes and rainstorms can overwhelm water treatment plants with an unexpected influx of runoff and flood waters. When this occurs, bacteria from streets, sewage, and other undesirable sources can contaminate the water supply. Even if your home has a private well, storm runoff can bring fertilizer, chemicals, or manure from surrounding fields into your well, resulting in polluted water. If the forecast indicates a major storm is on the horizon, take action to ensure you’ll have access to potable water throughout the event. Here are 4 steps to protect your drinking…