Blog - Home Design Plans

24Jul

By Vincent J. ThomeNo Comments

Reasons Why You Should Consider Hiring A Licensed Home Inspector

Even if you have decided to sell your home, you still need to care about your homes condition. If you are ready to sell you need to realize that potential buyers will be looking at your home and its current condition which is important to them when looking for a home to buy.As a seller you need to keep in mind that prospective buyers will likely hire a home inspector before closing on your property. This can be a problem for a seller if there are issues with your home.If you are planning to sell your home it may be in your best interest to hire a licensed home inspector before you put your home on the market. A home inspector is licensed to check for damages or problems with fixtures and wiring in your house.Having your home inspected before you begin allowing guests to view the house c...

24Jul

By Vincent J. ThomeNo Comments

Energy Efficiency

Vampire Electricity – Draining Your Electricity Drop by Drop

It is always in your house, lurking. It is in your kitchen, your bathroom, your bed room and your living room. It never sleeps, it only feeds. It is invisible yet makes a huge impact on your carbon footprint and your power bill. We call it Vampire Electricity.What Is Vampire Electricity?Vampire Electricity, also known as Phantom Power, is the power your household appliances draw while they are shut down. That's right, even though your new home theater system has been shut down for the night, it is still drawing energy from the wall socket. While the amount of power it draws is relatively small, when you think of all the appliances you have in the house, add them all up and then multiply by 365 days, the drain can really add up!!How Can I Prevent Vampire Electricity?Luckily, solving this po...

24Jul

By Vincent J. ThomeNo Comments

Storage Garage

Some Reasons for the Popularity of Steel Garages

Metal garages are becoming more popular alternatives to traditional garages. They have many more practical functions and services than traditional ones. They are easier to maintain, easy to keep clean and are esthetically more pleasing than traditional models. For these and other reasons, metal garages are becoming the choice of more home and business owners.These newer structures are easier to build and maintain. Unlike the traditional structures, they are quicker to build, more cost effective and can be custom made to order. Unlike the older structures, they are prefabricated. That means that they are already constructed and simply have to be set into place. They are much less labour intensive, meaning it saves the owner money in terms of man hours. Traditional parking spaces would take ...

24Jul

By Vincent J. ThomeNo Comments

Kitchen Improvements

What To Consider When Buying Appliances For Modern Kitchens

Modern kitchens aren't just simply about utility, but also offer an enriching and enjoyable cooking and dining experience. This is achieved through perfectly executed kitchen layouts, designed to bring out a specific atmosphere, complemented with efficient and presentable appliances. You can easily enlist the services of a kitchen installation company to design modern kitchens. However, selecting the right appliances would require some extra work on your part.Here are two important considerations to make when selecting the best appliances for modern kitchens:Cooktop - A kitchen is never complete without the right cooktop. Here, you have the choice between electric, gas and induction cooktops. Although you may be inclined to believe that electric stoves are more efficient than gas stoves, t...

24Jul

By Vincent J. ThomeNo Comments

Heating and Air Conditioning

The Potential Hazards of Water Damage

Millions of Americans must deal with the adverse effects of water damage to their home or property each year. Thousands will find that had they been proactive and arranged for restorations immediately it would have been cheaper in the end or in extreme cases had saved their residence. Water damage is one of the leading causes of loss of property in the United States. It is vital that homeowners be able to identify possible water damage and more importantly find experienced and certified professionals to assess the damage and restore their home. There are several dangers associated with water damage that can put the property and the residents at risk. Often times the severity of water damage is underestimated leading to one of several unfortunate scenarios which will be discussed at a later...

24Jul

By Vincent J. ThomeNo Comments

Roofing

Things You Must Know About Pesticide Residue Analysis

The term "pesticide residue analysis" is used for the process of checking samples such as water, living organisms, or prepared foods for traces of pesticides. This procedure is also often used for checking the above mentioned samples for traces of herbicides and fungicides. You can get this process done either for safety reasons and quality control or for eliminating concerns regarding pesticide contamination.During the process of pesticide residue analysis, the material you want to analyze will undergo several tests. Ideally, you should buy the services of a laboratory for getting these tests done. Lab technicians use pesticide residue solvents for identifying contaminants in food, water etc. When you rely on laboratory technicians for carrying out trace analysis, you will get a detailed ...

23Jul

By Vincent J. ThomeNo Comments

Pest Control

Here Are Some Roofing Tips To Remember

It is just there. So many times it will not get the attention it needs until something noticeable goes wrong.There are some basic roof maintenance procedures and roofing tips homeowners can follow to extend the life of their roof and put off the need for an expensive re-roofing job. Just as you change the oil in your car every so often, the roof needs regular maintenance as well. Clean the dust and cobwebs from your exhaust vents and ventilation system at least once a year. Caulk around vents and pipes and give any exposed metal a coat of paint to prevent rust.Also, take a good look at your roof several times a year with an eye out for any problems. Signs of problem areas will include buckled or curled shingles or areas of an asphalt roof that are missing granules. Look for rusted flashing...

23Jul

By Vincent J. ThomeNo Comments

Kitchen Improvements

Reasons to Invest In a Wood Burning Oven

Wood burning ovens have been in existence since the dawning of civilization. Today, wood fired ovens are commonplace in homes that enjoy pizza and barbecue grill. The benefits derived from using a well-designed wood-fired oven cannot be compared with benefits derived from using a conventional oven.There are many stores available online or offline where you can buy a wood fired oven of your choice. The most recent ovens show very little variation of the original design, featuring a round, domed chamber constructed using local stone or bricks, and vented at the front.· Uses of wood fired ovensWood ovens have stood the test of time and continue to go strong. Although most of these ovens are called wood fired pizza ovens, they come handy in preparing practically any meal. You can bake bread, r...

23Jul

By Vincent J. ThomeNo Comments

Cleaning Tips and Tools

Professional House Cleaning – On the Seats, Clean and Done

Even for the mature housewife, it is sometimes a temporary balancing act, to handle all the cleaning chores of their home. House management for a mid sized house is not an easy job these days. The polluted air wreaks havoc on the beauty of your house and it becomes harder to clean it alone. The boss and the employee must do other tasks, and even the owner of the house cannot do it by himself. A possible alternative to this is a cleaning company.What does it includes?The tasks included in such services depends, of course, on the wishes of the customer. In most cases, professional house cleaning offer almost all the services to ensure that your home or office is spick and span. The wiping of floor is the main concern of this job. Dust wiping, dust suction, and damp wiping are second priority...

23Jul

By Vincent J. ThomeNo Comments

Plumbing

Alexander And The Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Drain Clog (Or How To Choose A Good Plumber)

It was time to stop wading in his shower, and dive head first into his problem! Just like you, Alexander knew that every time he took a shower (or bath on occasion), there was all kinds of particles, hair, and who-knows-what entering his drain. Ideally, most of it passes through and goes... where does it all go? Well, it goes away. But some of that stuff seems to stick around, probably hanging out at a turn, maybe even backing up all the way to the top. And once that water flow becomes restricted, it only becomes worse and worse, which is about where this story comes in. Alexander had heard all kinds of ways to handle something like this, so he hopped onto Google, and went to work.The first thing he tried was using a plunger. It worked for his toilet, so why not the shower? He ran some hot...