June 2017

It may be a bit of a surprise to you, but as a homeowner, floods are something that you truly need to prepare for. In fact, floods are the #1 natural disaster in the U.S., and 98% of basements in the U.S. will experience some sort of flood damage during their lifespans. As a result, this is less of a freak occurrence and more of a consequence of homeownership.

One thing that you need to realize is that part of handling a flood is calculating how you handle it. Part of this is preparing your home to minimize the chance of a flood happening. Also, you need to know what to do when it does happen. This starts by figuring out how quickly it takes for your home to flood, as well as what stands to get damaged first.

Time Is Of The Essence

Whether it’s the weather, a busted pipe or, a faulty appliance, there are several common sources that a flood will stem from. At the same time, every house is different. As a result, seeking out a generic number for how quickly your house floods won’t really be accurate. Luckily, online tools like Alder Security’s Flood Calculator help avoid incurring extra costs by getting an estimate. Wondering how this works? Enter the square footage of your home and the various appliances you have to get a real-time look at how your house will flood up, how long it will take, and the type of costs you may be incurring in water damage. However, estimation is only half the battle here. You also want to see what you can do to mitigate damage before it happens, as well as recover from a house flood without incurring massive costs.

If you want to take a more active stance, buying various gadgets and products may help you lay out how a flood will take place, as well as provide early warning. Examples include water alerts and freeze sensors that detect temperature fluctuations and water leaks. Portable generators can keep your pipes from freezing and bursting. Sump pumps can clear basements or be a last-ditch effort to deal with water.

What Can You Do?

When it comes to disasters, one of the best things that you can do is prepare. Unfortunately, the one nasty thing about flooding is that there is no (margin) of safety other than elevation,” says Tim Reinhold, senior vice president of research and chief engineer at the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety, or IBHS. Every area and region has a different flood level—a measure of how high floodwaters can reach. The online flood maps on FEMA’s website are a good place to start, but your local building department and home insurance agents can help you as well. Other things you can do to prepare are raising your outdoor equipment. Consider important maintenance like cleaning your gutters, checking your pipes, and attending to cracks in your foundation and windows. If you plan on doing any extensive changes, be sure to consult with licensed professionals.

At the same time, there is also the inevitability that all your efforts will fall short, and the flood takes place. In this case, the decisions that you make in those first 24 hours can make all the difference, from recovering your valuables to working through with an insurance company. Here are a few tips you should follow during this crucial time.

Don’t Incur Additional Risk: If a flood was enough cause for concern for you to leave your home in the first place, you should be extremely cautious when you return. Be sure to turn the power off, if you did not already do so before leaving. Wear protective clothing like rubber boots and gloves, and be very careful what you come into contact with. You’re not just dealing with floodwater itself, but what it comes into contact with.

Dry Out The House: We mentioned sump pumps before, but whether you use these, buckets or a wet vacuum, you are going to have to deal with everything still being damp. This is doubly so if poor weather paid a role, as heavy rains increase humidity. A worthy investment here is a dehumidifier, as it does not require extra action on your part. However, major house floods will likely render dehumidifiers a supplemental use.

Cleaning Time: Post-flood cleanup is a multi-faceted plan. These include removing drywall, insulation and flooring. Also, look through your possessions and see what is salvageable and what can be thrown away. Whether you do things yourself or bring in professionals, there are a lot of things you need to look out for, and quickly. Mold can start growing within these first 24 hours. If you’re not used to dealing with mold, it is best to bring in professionals to be cautious.

Floods can take hold quickly, and rack up damage as well. However, good preparation and planning can soak (no pun intended) up these costs. Use all the tools you have on hand and you will be ready for anything that comes your way

No one wants to watch their home slowly sink into disrepair, but that doesn’t mean its issues are always readily apparent. Even if you maintain a watchful eye, there are just certain parts of a home that can slowly get ignored until they become a real problem. With that in mind, and to help you avoid this problem in the future, here’s a quick overview of just some of the many common areas that people tend to overlook when repairing and maintaining their home.

The Foundation

When it comes to the strength and stability of the foundation, it can be difficult to notice any issues ahead of time. Luckily, there are plenty of services available that can help you strengthen the foundation without spending a considerable amount of money. Underpinning services, like those offered by C. Daniels Foundations, can help you reinforce the strength of your home’s foundation, especially if it’s a brick home. In addition to underpinning the house, you can also seek out geotech reports to help you get to the bottom of any issues with the soil, which is yet another area that is commonly overlooked. If you want to avoid foundation issues in the long run, then it might be a good idea to invest in strengthening services today instead.

Draining Issues

Depending on how the house is sloped, there could be potential problems with drainage. At first, this might not seem like a problem at all, but as water builds up, it can have a serious impact on both the foundation and various crawl spaces in the home. Unfortunately, there’s no simple solution for this problem, as it can be costly to fix if not noticed quickly enough. If you’re concerned that your home might have drainage issues, then look for signs around your home, such as rot in the walls, or strange gaps in the doors and windows as the house’s foundation becomes uneven.

Building Materials

If your home is built with a stucco exterior, then there is a good chance that it can last a long time without any issues. On the other hand though, if the weep screed, a crucial component of a stucco exterior that is designed to protect homes from water damage, is completely buried by additions to the house, then it can have a negative lasting impact. In order to avoid this type of complication, make sure that any patios, porches, or other concrete type fixtures aren’t covering the weep screed around the house. As long as it is able to perform its function and release water back from inside the house, then you can be confident that your home won’t fall into sudden disrepair.

While these tips can’t ensure that you save money after the fact, they’re worth keeping in mind so that you can address issues before they become a bigger problem. By being aware of what to look out for when it comes to foundation damage, water drainage problems, and stucco issues, you’ll be able to not only maintain your home, but you’ll also know exactly what to look out for the next time you decide to purchase a house. With that in mind, these tips are great for both homeowners and potential future homeowners to be aware of.

“Each night, when I go to sleep, I die. And the next morning, when I wake up, I am reborn.”  – Mahatma Gandhi

Do you battle to fall asleep at night; ergo, do you lie awake for hours on end tossing and turning, trying to relax and find a comfortable sleeping position? If this sounds like you, then you will no doubt know the feeling of having to wake up in the morning feeling drained after just a few hours of sleep.

On the other hand, do you perhaps believe that your body only needs a few hours’ sleep a night? After all, there is too much to do and very little time to rest. If this is your story, no wonder you are exhausted when you wake up, and you need several cups of coffee to feel as though your brain is functioning again.

The need for quality sleep

Have you ever wondered why sleep experts recommend a good night’s rest seven days per week, especially, as research has shown that, even as adults, it is vital to get between 7 and 9 hours of sleep per night?

Contrary to popular thinking, our minds and bodies do not shut down when we sleep. Our brains have to take in an incredible amount of information during any given day, and we need time to process it and file all of the information away; ergo, sleep allows our minds process what happened to us during the day. According to the SleepFoundation.org, “sleep is an active period in which a lot of important processing, restoration, and strengthening occurs.”

Furthermore, unfortunately, we cannot build up a sleep debt or many hours of sleep deprivation, and then pay back the sleep debt every now and again. Therefore, it is far better to get into a routine of sleeping a consistent number of hours per night.

Reasons to purchase a new mattress

There are many benefits or advantages to as well as grounds for buying a bed mattress. The primary reason being that you cannot sleep at night. Additionally, here is a list of several of these reasons:

Your current mattress is old

The recommended lifespan for a mattress is between seven and ten years. However, there are several factors such as your sleep habits, your environment, as well as how long you spend on your bed in any 24-hour period.

You are uncomfortable and in pain

If you toss and turn all night, and you are in pain when you try and get out of bed in the morning, it might be your mattress. There are different types of mattresses such as memory foam, open coil, pocket coil, and continuous coil bed mattresses. Therefore, not all mattress-types suit everyone.

You are ageing

Ageing is an unfortunate fact of life; however, there is nothing you can do to change it. Ergo, as your body ages, you will need to consider purchasing a new mattress-type. Your body will more than likely need additional support as well as support in different places as opposed to when you were younger.

When it comes to construction of your home, your foremost consideration would be the flooring of the house. The house flooring would make quite an impression on the onlooker. Consequently, you may look forward to spend plenty of money on your home decor. When talking about tiles for your floor, your best bet would be to search the internet. A wide number of options have been made available for your perusal. It would best suit your style and budget. Moreover, you would be given an option of colours to choose the one that suits your requirements and style needs.

Searching for a suitable supplier

It has been deemed of great importance that you should search for a company that would provide to your tile needs in the best manner possible. Among the several options available in the online realm, you would be required to choose the one that would help you construct your home in the best manner. They should hold a reputation in the industry. Home construction has been deemed a daunting task. Therefore, you should be certain of the kind of material you would use in your home. A good option for flooring need would be tile. However, you would need to find a suitable supplier for your tile needs. In case, you were searching for specific material for your flooring, as good option suitable to your style needs would be marble tile stuart fl.

Why choosing marble tiles for flooring

A number of benefits have been associated with marble tiles for your house flooring needs. Marble tiles are durable and offer great value for money. In case, you have been searching for timeless tiles, marble would be your best bet. However, when maintained properly, they would last for decades. You could transform your home into your dream home by choosing marble tiles for your entire house flooring needs.

Does it come into your budget?

The biggest question when constructing your home would be the budget. You would be making everything available suitable to your needs, but well within your budget. However, when it comes to using marble tiles, the foremost question would be, does it fall within your budget? Without any reasonable doubt, marble tiles are expensive tiling option. However, it has been deemed highly cost-effective. In the end, you would not have to spend a fortune on its maintenance. It is a highly durable option for your house construction needs.

It can often be exciting to list your home and preparto move to a new property. When it comes to listing the house on the real estate market, it’s important to improve its overall condition to make it more appealing. When you’re ready to sell your home, there are a few tips to follow.

Schedule an Inspection

Hire a professional to inspect each part of the building to look for areas that have suffered from wear or damage. The inspector will examine the electrical components in the home and will also take a look at the plumbing. The foundation and basement will also be reviewed to check for cracks or mold that is present. Being informed on the issues that are present will allow you to determine the overall value of the house and what repairs you may want to make. It will also avoid any surprises when a potential buyer performs an inspection before making an offer.

Perform Repairs

Buyers don’t want to purchase a property that they’ll have to perform repairs on or invest money into after moving in. From leaky faucets to broken doorknobs, there may be several areas that need attention. Hire handyman services Orange County to rely on a professional that can perform random repairs on the property and make the space more functional, which can boost the property value. You’ll also avoid costly mistakes with the repairs with the help of a handyman instead of doing it yourself.

Increase the Curb Appeal

Boosting your home’s curb appeal will allow the property to stand out in the neighborhood and will attract more people to the property. Increase the curb appeal by adding a new mailbox, installing new address numbers, placing potted plants on the porch, and improving the quality of your lawn. Installing a water feature, a pond, or an arbor can also create extra visual appeal that allows the setting to look inviting.

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Remove Clutter

Clutter is a turn-off to buyers who will quickly become distracted by the junk and personal belongings that are sitting out in each room. Remove stacks of paper in a home office and children’s toys in the bedrooms to allow visitors to take notice of the features of the house. You’ll also want to remove clutter from the yard and hide personal items that will remind buyers that someone is still living on the property.

When you’re looking to find buyers to purchase your home when you’re ready to list it, you’ll need to show off its potential. By making a few changes, you can feel proud to show off the setting and make it competitive on the market.

Your morning would begin with your bathroom. However, if you do not feel the sense of rejuvenation in your bathroom considering the amount of time you have been spending in it, the time has come for bathroom refurbishment. You cannot deny the importance of the fact that one would need to find some solace from the stresses and strains of routine life. You would look forward to a place where you could spend some time with yourself. Most bathrooms in the older homes have been designed to be purely functional and not your escape room.

Refurbishing your bathroom

You do not have to accept the things as they are. As a result, you should look forward to bathroom refurbishment for adding class and style to your boring and dull bathroom. It would be a great way to take away the stress of your daily routine.

How to make a difference

You may often wonder how to make a difference in this part of the house. Foremost, if your bathroom is on the smaller side, to begin with, you should extend it. You would need to be creative in your bathroom refurbishment project. It would require your wits on reconfiguring the size and shape of the adjoining room or you could co-opt a smaller unused bedroom. It could add space in your bathroom while providing you with a completely new bathroom experience.

Adding bathtub to your bathroom

Now that you have ample of space in your bathroom, you could think of adding to its decor based on your needs and requirements. Are you contemplating on adding a bathtub to your bathroom? Do you actually intend on using it? Regardless, it would be a nice addition to your bathroom refurbishment project. A bathtub would add grace to your bathroom. On the other hand, you could make your shower large, if you do not add bathtub to it. Better still, you could add shower to your bathtub. You could also add a vanity area with a counter-top for spreading your personal care accessories.

Making the area a wet room

You could also make your bathroom a wet room. It would make the entire bathroom a large shower area. However, you would need to make the area waterproof. Nonetheless, you would have freedom that you may not have in a confined shower cubicle.

For your entire bathroom refurbishment needs, you should choose a reliable and reputed company. A good option would be hiring the services of KlukConstruction.

Shifting to a new home? Well, the entire process can be stressful, clumsy and time consuming. Most homeowners prefer to hire movers to keep things easy, but there are others who like to save money on these services. In this post, we will talk about the 5 benefits of hiring a mover.

• Professional work eventually pays. Once you have found the new house, the whole work of packing your goods and shifting your belongings can take days. With professional movers at work, you can be relaxed about the entire job, because they know the possible hassles that may crop up in due time and ways to manage the same.
• Save your time. If you take a quick look around the house, you will realize the time required for the entire packing and moving work. In today’s times, time is money, and moving is a serious decision beyond the shifting work. You can save your time for other aspects that need more personal attention.

• It’s about accountability. Movers will offer full services for your shifting and moving needs, and they will be responsible for the management of your belongings. In case something is lost or broken along the way, the company will be accountable for the mess and will have insurance to pay for the damages.
• Great pricing for every budget. Well, there are many companies that would offer a free quote on a single call. In most cases, they will check your house and belongings and provide an estimate in writing. If you choose the right service, you don’t need to be bothered about hidden charges or extra expenses. You will pay what is quoted, and that price is nothing as compared to the time and effort you would save.

• Avoid unwanted accidents. The things in your house include heavy furniture and other belongings, and it’s unsafe to handle these goods without adequate experience. With a mover, you are always safe. The professional handlers know their job and have the tight tools for managing the movement of heavy goods.

If you are confused about selecting a mover, start by asking around. Talk to your friends and neighbors to find the best movers in the city, and make sure that you check their license and insurance papers. Also, read the terms and conditions of the service contract, especially with regards to liability cover, so that possible disputes are managed without added hassles.