DIY

 

Coziness is one of the main reasons why people love the winter season. Most places have that warm and fuzzy look with dimmed lights, where you can relax and spend time with your friends or family. Cozy places like this can make you unwind from work, inviting you in another world to feel warm and spoiled. Now, imagine that kind of feeling in your home! It’s like therapy! Your home should be the place where you feel the most relaxed and pampered.

The cold months of winter are here, and all you can think about while you’re at work is to come home to your cozy sanctuary. A long hot shower, a hot chocolate, and a good movie can make you release all that stress accumulated throughout the day. But, although nothing compares to the comfort of your own home, lately, you felt like there’s something about your it that needs improving. You either don’t like the elements of your home anymore, or you just feel the need to add something new, for your own pleasure. Cozy doesn’t have the same meaning for everyone, it depends on how you want to improve your home’s comfort. However, cozy induces feelings of warmth, relaxation, and comfort. Do you wonder what could bring more comfort to your home? Maybe reorganizing your space? Bringing some new decorations? There are tons of interesting ways you can make your home feel so cozy and welcoming. In this article, you’ll find 7 steps to make your home cozier.

Organize Your Home

Have you ever been invited to a place where you couldn’t feel relaxed and comfortable? Maybe it’s because it was filled with too much stuff. A home can’t be welcoming and comfortable if it’s filled with mess. When a place is visually full of clutter, it may disturb your focus. If you think about the hotel rooms, you’ll realize that there’s almost no decor. The purpose is to leave the space cleaner and choose just a few items and put aside the rest of it. Your home will look more open and comfortable. You can look through magazines and see the latest trends in home decoration.

Create a Space for Ultimate Coziness

Your entire home can be cozy, but not everyone can afford it. Some have kids or pets and it might be difficult to keep everything organized. So, design a corner in your home where you can display many candles, small fuzzy pillows, a blanket that can replace a rug, and many other seasonal decorations. Also, you can put a bench where you can relax or maybe you can use it as a table to place all your decorations. Ribbons are colorful, fun, and can be used for different things around your house. You can decorate your curtains by hanging a few ribbons on them, they’ll look more stylish and fun! There’s always a chance to find a discount ribbon in bulk if you do some research on the internet.

Throw Blankets All Over

Blankets are perfect for creating that cozy atmosphere, especially the soft ones made out of cashmere or cotton. Throw a few blankets around the house, so you can easily grab one if you ever feel cold. For maximum coziness, choose a chunky knit blanket and put it on your bed. Also, flannel sheets will give you that soft feeling to your skin and make your bed look much more comfortable. Now, imagine when you get into your bed, after a long working day. Mm, so cozy!

Bring the Elements of Nature in The Decor

For a minimalist look, get inspired by Japanese interiors. Many homes get that cozy look by bringing elements of nature in their décor. The mixture of plants, water, stone, creates a nice contrast and really makes the atmosphere look so calming and have that zen-vibe. If space allows you, get bigger plants, a fountain, and create a garden inside your home. It’ll look awesome and unique!

Introduce Art to Your Cozy Space

So many homes with no art hanging on their walls are simply missing the chance to bring some charisma into them. Art can bring so much coziness into a home but people rarely step out of their comfort zone. This is the element that’ll make your home feel welcoming and interesting. Art is a personal choice, so it should represent you and your lifestyle. Before you hang it on your wall, think about what inspires you the most, it’ll be easier and less scary to introduce it to your home.

The importance of Good Lightning

Do you know those cute cafés with dimmed lights and a warm, comfortable atmosphere? The right lighting can make you feel more relaxed and lift up your mood. It’s an essential ingredient to make your room cozier. If you tend to spend more on the furniture, consider that lightning can completely make the space look warmer. The goal is to create a comfortable, cozy place, and get rid of that boring feeling when entering the room. For extra ambiance, add a few scented candles. The delicious smell will freshen up the room in a moment. But don’t forget to turn them off while you are away.

Decorate with Books

Books can be a super cheap décor method for making your home cozier. You can purchase them from your local store, or just use the ones you already have at home. There are so many different ideas on how to decorate your home with old books that can add a vintage touch. Decorating with books can be fun but it also brings knowledge and life to your home. Transform your living room into a library by adding a wall of books.  Guests will be impressed with your idea! Place books in different areas of your home, on the coffee table, for example, on the kitchen counter, or even in the bathroom. You can decorate the entire home with books, just pick the right colors that complement the rest of the house. However, the point is to make sure that these decorations ideas stand out visually.

Hopefully, these wonderful, warm tips will help you transform your home into a cozy place where you and your family can spend quality time together.

 

 

As a homeowner, being proud of both the interior and exterior of your home is important. When guests pull up outside your property, the last thing you want is for them to get the wrong impression. If you have a concrete driveway, keeping it well maintained should be your top priority, so to make sure the surface looks its best and stands the test of time, here are five top tips you can use.

Regular Cleaning

 

To keep your concrete driveway gleaming, it’s important that you factor in time to clean it. If left untouched for a long time, concrete can begin to look really dirty, which can set a bad tone for those coming to visit your property. Giving your driveway the attention and care it needs is important, so using a pressure washer can be a great way to keep it clean.

Seal the Surface

 

No matter how great your driveway sealer is, it will ultimately wear out over time, regardless of how much money you shell out. The main purpose of a driveway sealer is to stop water from getting into the porous surface, as this can cause major damage. It can also help protect the driveway surface from UV light degradation and spillages, so make sure that you reseal the surface every 3-5 years.

Avoid Using Chemicals

 

When it comes to driveway maintenance, there are some harsh chemicals that are best to avoid, such as deicer. Deicers are known to eat into the surface which results in gradual deterioration. If your driveway becomes icy or slippery, it’s best to use sand which will provide traction. Sand can also be easily brushed to one side or swept away once the summer months draw in. If you have any grassy areas at the front of your property, chemical products will only cause damage in the long run.

Avoid Spillages

 

Another way to keep good care of your concrete driveway is by avoiding spills. Your car oil may be the root cause of a spillage or stain that can cause major damage to your driveway’s appearance. If you notice any spillage, make sure that it’s cleaned up quickly and appropriately by using a professional driveway cleaning solution.

Seek Professional Help

 

If you’ve lived in your property for many years and feel the damage done to your concrete driveway is irreversible, it may be time to hire a professional who can lay down a brand new one. Richfield Blacktop is a company you may want to consider using, as they specialize in concrete driveways, asphalt driveways, and commercial paving.

While concrete is known as the easiest surface to maintain when compared to other driveway types, that’s not to say there aren’t measures that can be taken to make sure it looks its best. If you have noticed any changes to your driveway, there are lots of tips that you can take on board, but you may also want to seek out a professional to help.

 

 

There are plenty of reasons that could make you want to renovate your bathroom. Maybe you are moving into a new house and the bathroom isn’t up to par. Maybe you just want a change of scenario for your bathroom and want it to look more modernistic. Usually, the first and foremost step to changing the look and feel of your bathroom involves looking up custom shower doors online. 

If you search for ‘custom shower doors near me’, you will find Fab Glass and Mirror as one of the top results which are also one of the best options. However, let’s focus on that later. Currently you must be wondering what exact kind of custom glass shower doors will be suitable for your bathroom. Should you look for custom frameless shower doors or semi-frameless one? You might also be wondering how much do custom glass shower doors cost. In general, shower doors do tend to cost a lot. However, it’s utility and long-time use easily makes up for the cost. Let’s focus on different types of custom made shower door ideas that will be perfectly suitable for your bathroom.

Frameless Shower Door

If you keep popularity in mind, frameless shower doors are in high demand among homeowners. To explain a frameless shower door, let’s just say it’s a kind of tempered glass door that’s on the sturdy side, with about ⅜ or ½ thickness properties. Unlike other shower doors, there is no need for a metal frame to surround the exterior of this one. As such, the bathroom enclosure looks clean and modern and the bathroom looks bigger. One of the reasons frameless shower doors have become popular is that they offer no obstruction to the beautiful stonework or other such artistic details that one’s bathroom has. However, you must keep in mind that the cost of a frameless shower door is usually double the cost of a framed door.

Semi-Frameless Shower Door

You can opt for a semi-frameless shower door if you want to maintain your budget. While it will have some of the characteristics of the frameless door, such as better visibility, the top edges of the door and some parts of the sides might be framed. Make sure the glass is ⅜ tempered and the hinges are permanently bonded. Do check that the handles are solid. Also, it is better if you choose the ones which are taller than the standard height, as it gives a sleek look.

Framed Shower Doors

Framed shower doors might be cheaper than their counterparts. However, if you are smart with your choices, they look and are just as good for your interior design. You can order custom made models that are sturdy yet have a chic feeling to it. This is mainly due to the aluminum framing, which if done right, makes the bathroom look classy. What’s more? This type of shower door looks just as good in a contemporary bathroom as it does in a traditional one.

Glass Tub Enclosures

Do shower curtains bore you now? Well, you can opt for a thicker ⅜ treated enclosure that makes the tub and the surrounding area of your bathroom look sleeker. It’s best to go frameless in this situation and you can even have a steel track bar at the top of the enclosure. The door glides back and forth over the stainless steel wheels, making it effortless for you to get inside and outside of the tub. Now that we have discussed different shower doors, did you know that you can choose different styles and mechanisms for opening your shower door?

 

Let’s take a look at some of them. 

 

Sliding Doors for Small Space

The kind of door style you should have depended mainly on your bathroom. For your tub enclosure, sliding shower enclosures are the best choice. They are also quite the perfect fit for bathrooms that are too small where the walls are a bit too close. A sliding door will be able to show off the bathroom without having you accidentally collide with the glass shower door.

Pivoting Door for Traditional Setting

Pivoting doors are also known as swinging or hinge doors. They are like the day to day doors we have in our home, pivoting inward or outward depending on the mechanism you choose. They look best at home in a traditional setting, giving the bathroom a more sophisticated look.

In case of pivoting doors, you will have to ask the company you are ordering the glass shower door from to take a measurement of the bathroom and the surrounding area of the door and its frame. You should also make sure that you have enough space so that the door doesn’t collide with the bathroom fixtures after you install it.

Bi-Fold Shower Doors

In case you don’t want a sliding door, and your bathroom does not have enough space to fit in a pivoting door, you can look for bi-fold shower doors. You can choose one with a frameless design and install it over a tub or shower stall. Bi fold doors are nothing but glass shower doors with two doors instead of one. They divide the space that the pivoting shower door will take, into two halves. As space is divided, the length of each door is smaller, which takes up much less room when opening the door.

Partial Tub Enclosure

A partial tub enclosure is quite new in the glass shower door scene. This European style glass silhouette covers only half of the space of the bathtub that is protecting the area where the water will hit while saving up on precious space at the same time. There is also no need of a door for a design like this. Another thing you might have wondered while looking for a glass shower door is the type of finish that you should buy. In total, it can be broadly categorized into two. Let’s check them out.

Simply Use Clear Glass

Clear glass door finishes are glass shower doors with crystal clear and transparent glass that has an overall modernistic feel to it. However, the chances of scratches are greater with this one. As they are transparent, the dust and dirt collected over time are visible easily. If you want clear glass finish, be prepared to wash or at least wipe it daily.

Textured Glass

Tempered glass is different from clear glass in the sense that it is not as transparent and has a foggier or frosted texture. You won’t be able to look through the glass and see what’s happening on the other side easily. As such, it offers you more privacy if you aren’t comfortable with the idea of a lack of barrier, even if you live alone. The textured finish also makes the scratches less visible to the naked eye, so you can be a little more careless with cleaning. Now you have all the information you could possibly need to order your own custom glass shower door. The only thing you might be a bit hazy about would be the price of the door, but that’s something you are better off discussing with the company you are ordering from.

At Fab Glass and Mirror, custom shower doors are a part of the company’s specialty. Especially, if you are looking for frameless shower door, you will find yourself surrounded with a variety of options ranging from Neo Angle shower to corner showers. If you want more information, you can consult a shower door expert on the site who is always available for a live chat. Don’t hesitate to order from this wonderful company that has all your glass related needs taken care of.

 

 

A lot of the times, it is difficult to emulate the picture-perfect bedroom looks you see on the covers of famous interior design magazines. However, with a little redecorating and a strong vision, a plain room can become a luxurious centerpiece of your house. It doesn’t mean that the furniture or accessories cost a lot of money. If you’re on a shoestring budget, check out 5 tricks below, that will make your bedroom design look like it has been decorated with impeccable taste.

Get Rid of Clutter

The first step to making your bedroom look lavish, is de-cluttering. A clean and dust-free environment will not only provide more storage space, but also give your room a major transformation. Removing excessive bedroom items such as unread books, stuffed animals or even ottomans, immediately make the room more spacious and livelier. When you take out all the unnecessary accessories and organize your drawers, a feeling of cleanliness will radiate from the room. It is a process, not a one-off project. You have to constantly vacuum, remove folded clothes from your bed and change sheets in order for the room to shine and look its best.

Style Key Areas

Styling your bedroom isn’t only a matter of style and preferences, but it is a skill. How to make a small number of items look expensive and modern? Another way of achieving an expensive bedroom look with a little money is by styling your nightstand or shelf. There is a difference between a stack of unread books that only collects dust and organizing the bookcase in a stylish way. By putting some bold-colored clocks, colorful vases or metallic trays on your nightstand or a bookcase, you can elevate the space and cut down on visual clutter.

Bedding Richness

For a completely polished look, add texture to the room with a perfect bedding. People tend to neglect the importance of a high-quality bedding and mattress. Adding a pop of color and texture to you bed, really makes a difference, all without making you break the bank. Foam beds provide the utmost comfort and their classy white color goes well with every color and shade you can think of, which makes it a perfect choice for your new bedroom look. Fold the edges of your sheets at the end, layer the pillows and daydream on your perfectly made bed.

Curtains All the Way

When you think of curtains, it might seem that they are too old-fashioned to be incorporated into a modern-looking bedroom. However, if you’re having privacy concerns and want to upgrade your bedroom space, monochromatic sheer white curtains will fit any bedroom like a glove. Classic curtains match your bedding perfectly and add a touch of elegance and luxury to the room. You can match the color of the rods with the aesthetics of the room, but classic white ones are the safest choice to open up the space.

Color Play

Some new colors for 2020 interior design trends are emerald green, terracotta or mustard yellow. Apart from adding greenery to your bedroom, opt for these colors for your accessory statement pieces, such as pillows, paintings or lamp-shades. With a white bedding and white drapes, these are the strong colors that will seamlessly tie into the bedroom decor.

The key is in making the furniture arrangement look expensive, even though it is essentially the same room, only with more style. “Less is more” approach will never go out of style for a bedroom transformation, so these five tips are the perfect simple ways to make your bedroom more appealing. What strategies have you employed so far? Tell us all about it in the comment section below.

 

 

When people think about the basement, they immediately imagine a scary place. Decorating the basement can be weird, but that doesn’t have to stop you from turning it into a home living space. Whatever you want and need, there are lots of choices of how to reconsider your basement’s improvement. Give it a chance and make it as stylish as your main-floor living room. With fresh paint, ambient lightning and finishing touches, you will transform it into a cozy space you will actually want to spend time in.

Basement Colors

Start by installing lights that will make the room feel bigger and make up for the lack of windows. Also, table lamps will add style to the room. A TV attached to the wall will create that home-theater effect for movie lovers.

Since many basements don’t have windows, curtains can be used to create a room divider. This is also a great idea for unfinished walls or just an idea for decorating the space. Most basements are dark spaces, so if you want to brighten yours, paint the walls white or very light shades. This will make the room look fresh and airy. To add more light and add continuity choose a flooring material that is the same color as the walls.

Make Sure Your Walls Are Insulated

The basement is one of the most important areas of your home that needs insulation. Basement insulation controls the temperature and keeps the mold out. A bad smell can be a common problem for many people and this usually happens because basements have concrete walls, which absorb moisture and create that bad smell.

Insulation products are optional, but the investment is worth it. Make sure you invest in quality products for insulating the walls and ask for advice from a professional worker. Also, there is an important thing you should know about insulation: many people are using cheap products just because they think basements don’t need that much investment. Being located under the ground, they think they are more protected and sometimes, they start the insulation by themselves. In this case, consider that the insulation really needs to be done correctly, otherwise the space where the insulation touches the wall is empty, mold and moisture will install.

Consider the benefits of closed-cell foam to insulate concrete basement walls. It has excellent moisture resistance: it can fill in all the gaps and it gives you the best protection against mold. It is true that is a lot more expensive but you will save money on energy bills.

Create Storage Solutions

Even though your basement usually serves as a general storage area, you can give it a higher value by decorating it with shelves and furniture. This can help you hide all of your unwanted stuff.

If you use your basement properly, you can add that much-needed storage space to your home. If you have multiple storage boxes, label them so you can choose what you need easily. Walls with labeled baskets are great as well, especially for storing small items that you can’t place anywhere else.

Wine lovers can transform their basement space into a winery. Build a wine rack or buy one that comes in units, each storing more bottles. You can go up to the ceiling if needed.

Add Heating

Adding heat sources to your basement is necessary, but it may not be enough. If it is the only way of keeping your basement warm, unfortunately, this source of heating will be mostly wasted. The best way to add heat to your basement is to extend your heating system already supplying heat to the rest of your house. Click here for tips on how to improve your heating systems.

Insulating the basement walls and floor will help to hold in the heat, preventing its loss through the space that is not protected. Before installing any supplemental heat, make sure you seal all the gaps and insulated the walls that could cause heat loss. Also, you can install a floor heating system and add rugs for a warmer feeling.

You can locate cold spots with a thermal camera. It is highly recommendable to invest in this tool or just rent one from a tool rental center. With a thermal camera, you can view the areas where your energy losses are occurring. There is also a cheaper version available but requires more moving around the room to detect the spots where the energy is lost.

Don’t Forget About Art

The basement has limited natural light and it often needs more attention when it comes to decorating. For the way the basement will look is up to you, but it’s important for it to be consistent with the rest of the home décor and reflect your family vibe. Give the basement space a personal touch and attach family pictures on the wall or different art that you like.

Artwork is a perfect way to add personality to your basement and create that warm and cozy feeling. It is up to you how you want your personal magic space to look like. Choose abstract paintings and hang them on the walls for a realistic look. Take photographs of things that inspire you or bring your old magazines and photos and hang them above your desk. Hang things from the ceiling like sparkly Christmas ornaments, colored lights, your childhood’s favorite tiny stuffed animals or things that have a meaning to you.

Many artists find it hard to create their own little working corners. A negative and cramped space can affect your creativity and make you less productive. Having your own art studio can be inexpensive and easy to set up. Artificial light is important because it gives you control over your studio. It is best if the light comes from the ceiling because it will illuminate more of your work.

Exploring various basement decorating ideas isn’t that hard, so don’t let that space be occupied by loads of unnecessary stuff. You can spend quality time with friends and family in a space that you’d never thought you’d get to bring to life in such a stylish way. You really are a creative person, so be creative with your space too.

 

 

Homeownership is one of life’s greatest milestones, and owning a property is often one of the biggest financial investments we will make in our lifetimes.

Most people will pay a lot of attention to the interior spaces of their homes. Every year, millions of dollars are spent on interior design, home appliances, and features that add both conveniences and value to a property; but not enough people take the time to add some value to their gardens or yards.

Here in this quick guide, we are going to look at the three best ways to add some value and features to the outside of your home to make it one of the most desirable houses in the neighborhood and help you make a quick and profitable sale when the time comes to move on.

Use Decking to Take the Inside Outside

One of the most popular uses for a garden or yard is to use it as a cooking or dining area when the weather permits.

Having a space in your garden for dining is a great way to add value and character to a property and having a barbeque or outdoor oven nearby means you can take your mealtimes outside and enjoy good weather all day and into the night.

Use wooden decking to designate a dining space in your garden or yard, and give you a flat and even surface for a dining table or garden furniture. Decking can be incredibly good value and easy to install. Features like this are fun for you to use, and more than pay for themselves in property value.

Landscape Your Garden or Yard

You may well have a lovely garden on your property, but with a little extra work and investment, you can take a garden to the next level and give your home the ‘wow’ factor with a landscaped and themed garden or yard.

Giving a garden a theme can be a fantastic way to show off your outside space and give you more reasons to make better use of your garden or yard. A Hawaiian theme is a popular choice with a lot of homeowners as it is easy to achieve, uses hard-wearing and low-maintenance plants, and can incorporate desirable features like a hot tub or a fire pit.

Re-Lay Your Driveway

If you have a driveway in the front of your home, you have a great opportunity to increase your home’s ‘curb appeal’ by re-laying and recovering your driveway with a new surface that is easy to maintain.

Asphalt, or blacktop, has become the driveway covering of choice recently as it is inexpensive, quick to install, is easy to maintain and lasts a long time. At Richfield Blacktop, you can get a comprehensive planning service and a professionally laid surface for less than ever before. Having a blacktop surface also creates an opportunity to use your drive for sports like basketball and street hockey, which are popular with teenagers. You can even get ‘court markings’ painted on your asphalt, adding a feature to your home.

Our homes are one of our life’s biggest investments, and many of us will have our financial future tied closely to our home’s resale value. Small, high-value investments like these can make a huge and profitable difference to a home’s resale value, and our retirement.

 

If you’re itching to fix up your home, but don’t have the cash to pay a professional to do the work for you, fortunately, there are many projects homeowners can do themselves to improve their home’s value, look, and functionality. Don’t be afraid to get creative and get your hands dirty – these DIY projects really don’t need a pro, just a little time and effort.

Backsplash

Professionals typically charge around $60 per hour for labor costs to install a new backsplash. Although they make look very difficult to install, any homeowner can do it themselves with a little research and a few tutorial videos. The only tools and materials you need are a level, tile cutter, spacers, adhesive, grout, and of course, the tile. Intricate tiling or mosaics come with a mesh backing for easy installation, so don’t let the beautiful detailing scare you.

Outdoor Fire Pit

 If you own Raleigh real estate, you might want to enjoy some evenings outdoors in the warm summer season. An outdoor fire pit is one of the easiest projects to do yourself and a fairly inexpensive way to add a spot for outdoor entertainment.

You can purchase cement pavers from any major home improvement store, such as Home Depot or Lowes. Before you buy spend some time thinking about how large and how tall you want your fire pit to be. You might even try playing around with them at the store to get a better idea of how it might look. Once you’re home, you can wrap them around an old barbeque ring or place them freestanding. Small square pavers can be used for the bottom or flooring of the pit or you can use gravel or rock. Sand, cement, or mortar can help to fill in any gaps.

Refinish Wood Floors

If you have nice wood floors under those dirty carpets, it’s time to rip those old carpets out and refinish the beautiful wood underneath. While carpeting is preferred by most homeowners in the bedrooms, the look of wood floors in common areas is a popular trend. It’s rather simple to refinish them, too. Start by renting a walk-behind sander from your hardware or home improvement store – the type of sandpaper depends on the finish you currently have. Thick finishes or painted floors initially require coarse sandpaper. Every floor should be followed with a medium and fine paper to achieve a smooth finish; be sure to thoroughly clean up the dust with a vacuum and tack cloth. Next, choose between three finishes: polyurethane, varnish, or a penetrating sealer. Each has its own distinct look and various durability. Follow the instructions closely on the finish you choose.

 

 

There is a definite drive from homeowners to integrate more efficient upgrades into their homes. One of the most popular home additions has been to mount solar panel arrays on the roof to help owners go off the grid.

The trend toward a more sustainable and environmentally responsible lifestyle has pushed the popularity behind making your home solar sufficient. Not only can you save a bunch of money on your energy bills, but you can also drastically reduce your carbon footprint when you decide to go solar.

Before you make the switch, there are a few things that you should consider, including getting a new Allstate Home Insurance quote to accommodate your updates. Switching over to solar is not as simple as just mounting some solar panels. Here’s what you will need to know before making the decision to run your home using solar power.

Incentives

One of the largest driving forces behind the solar trend is money savings. Once you get past the initial investment, which can be large, you can enjoy lifelong savings and even make some money back. The great thing about this initiative is that you could even get help footing the installation bill for your solar system.

Check with your municipality and talk to your accountant about available grants or tax breaks for adding solar that you can take advantage of. Making updates to your home to convert it into a more eco-friendly dwelling can actually make you money in incentives.

Warranties

Each solar dealer will have their own guarantees to cover the installation process, but it’s important to understand exactly what their warranties will cover. You don’t want to get stuck with panels that are only warrantied by the manufacturer. Standard warranties should cover your panels for up to 25 years and your inverter for up to 10 years.

Property Value Boost

If you still need more convincing that going solar is right for you, you should know that converting and adding a solar array can increase the market value of your home. Projects like adding solar, a kitchen remodel or developing a home heat recovery system are among the most popular home updates.

Along with saving money on your energy bills, you can expect an increase of up to 4% on your home’s value. This can make for an impressive return on your investment.

Inverters

When you are shopping for the elements of your solar power system you will need to choose an inverter that is best for your array. There are two different kinds of inverters; central or micro. A central inverter will be wired to draw in power from all of your panels at the same time. Microinverters are attached to each individual solar panel.

Size

The most common question that dealers get from homeowners is, “How many panels will I need to run my whole house?”. There are too many variables to answer this question to suit everyone. The number of panels that you will need will depend on the square footage of your home, how solar reliant you want to be and the wattage of your panels.

Any easy way to estimate how many solar panels you will need for your home is to follow this formula. Take your hourly household energy needs and multiply it by the number of hours of prime sunlight that you will get. Then take that number and divide it by the panel wattage.

 

# hourly energy needs  X  Peak sunlight hours

Panel Wattage

  

Conclusion

If you are interested in creating a more self-sufficient and greener home by adding solar, make sure to do your homework before you invest. Get help with funding, learn about the equipment and increase the value of your home with a solar power renovation.

 

 

When you have children, change is to be expected. Not only do you have to adjust your life so it works around your children, but you will also have to adjust your home. When you make changes to your home, you need to make sure you choose wisely. Wrong decisions can reduce the value of your property and can end up costing you a lot more money than the improvement was worth, but when something is done right, not only will your property go up in value, but your family will be happier for it. To help you make the right decision, here are five home improvements you should consider if you have children.

Convert Rooms

Reinventing a room can increase the value of your home as well as make your life easier. You can convert spaces that aren’t being used, such as a garage, basement or attic space, into something that could be used. You could change them into an extra bedroom, a second living room, a games room or a room that can be used by your child if they have a particular hobby they want to excel in, such as music, craft or exercise.

Consider a Playroom

A playroom is another good idea if you have the space and they have many benefits. This can keep the rest of your house tidy and in good condition because your children will have their own area where they can play and make a mess. If you decide to move home, this feature would appeal to buyers who have or plan to start a family.

Add an Outdoor Play Area

Exercise and fresh air are essential for child development. If you have a good-sized back or front yard, then installing an outdoor play area for your children is a great way to ensure they get outside, and it will be a safe area for them to do so. If you don’t have the time or skill to create your own outdoor play area, you should contact KG Landscape to help you create a safe, fenced play area.

Increase Storage

Nowadays, people like a minimalist look when it comes to their homes. This can be a hard thing to achieve when you have children, but it isn’t impossible. Making alterations that increase the amount of storage your home has will increase the value of your property and will make it look neat, tidy, and modern while you live there. It can also make your home safer, especially if you have young, curious toddlers walking about.

Improve Your Home’s Efficiency

There is no denying that children are expensive, so making changes that help to save you money as well as increase the value of your property whilst helping the environment are always great ideas. One of these changes would be to improve how energy efficient your home is. You can do this by adding installation, adding renewable energy sources, and installing double glazed windows. These are just a handful of things you can do.

To summarize, when you decide to make changes to your family home, space, efficiency, and usefulness are the key things you need to consider. If the alterations will help you, then there is a high chance it would help someone else, which leads to a rise in property price.

 

Every homeowner wants the best for their family. From cozy living rooms to serene bathrooms, we all want to improve the way we live by considering home improvement projects that help us achieve a more appealing home.

But when it comes to making a home that’s safe and healthy, we will have to look for green solutions. After all, this is the first step to achieving a healthier home.

Let’s check out a few important tips to a greener home.

1. Ditch commercial materials

Whether you’re mopping up the living room floor or repainting the exterior walls of your home, the materials you use may contain chemicals that not only pollute the air but also cause a wide range of health conditions on your family. You may need to update your shopping list and get rid of brands that are known to contain high traces of cancer-causing chemicals such as glycol and benzene.

If you’re making a change for the better, you might as well look online for shops selling organic materials for your next home improvement project.

2. Think of a redesign

Often the best way to build a green home is to start from scratch. Fortunately, if you’re planning to settle in a home that’s both functional and eco-friendly, there are local builders who can help you along those lines.

If you live in Baltimore, you’ll find Maryland home builders who can provide custom designs that help reduce your carbon footprint. But if you already have a home, you can always opt for a redesign by using proper insulation, as well as materials and concepts that allow for better cooling and heating.

3. Upgrade your lighting

If there’s anything that passes as an eco-friendly solution, changing your light bulbs will do the trick. Especially if it has been a while since you last upgraded your lighting, swapping your bulbs with LEDs will really keep your energy consumption low along with your power bills.

4. Prepare a compost pit

Managing a garden is tough work, but choosing a safe alternative to commercial fertilizers has to be tougher. Sure enough, familiar fertilizer brands could be more acidic and, in effect, harmful to your plants.

Commercial fertilizer might give your garden the lushness it needs, but when it comes to keeping the soil healthy, preparing your own compost using kitchen scraps has to be the better option. It’s organic and it won’t pollute the ground much as synthetic fertilizers do.

5. Improve your insulation

Whether there’s a blizzard or a heatwave, the thermostat has to be your best bet in keeping your home’s temperature well-regulated. Then again, you will have to pay a price for keeping your home well heated or cooled during extreme weather. By keeping your home well-insulated, you won’t have to set the thermostat high or low.

 

A greener home is possible, so long as you use the right approach. That way, you won’t have to worry about putting your family’s health and safety at risk.

 

 

As contract attorneys who provide a range of realty and mortgage associated legal services, including genuine estate closings and dealing with estate conflicts, we at Mcgrath Spielberger, PLLC know that most customers actually don’t comprehend private mortgage insurance. Referred to as PMI, private mortgage insurance is to benefit the lending institution, not the debtor.

PMI is generally required if the circumstances consist of a private mortgage loan in which less than 20% of the list prices/ appraised worth is put down in advance. From the lender viewpoint, PMI is an extremely good thing as the debtor needs to pay for an insurance coverage which names the lending institution as the recipient, with the lending institution (or whomever winds up owning the loan) possibly having the ability to make a claim on the policy if the debtor defaults on the loan as default leads to the loan provider not being paid back completely.

In many situations, according to the professional advise of https://mcgrathspielberger.com,  the premium payments the borrower needs to produce personal mortgage insurance are rolled into the debtor’s regular monthly “mortgage payment”. The details regarding the original PMI arrangement, including the payment amount, are understood in advance of the realty closing. Borrowers/purchasers ought to be asking concerns about PMI prior to closing as compared to after (although much better to ask later on and know than to not ask at all).

It’s likewise very crucial to understand when you may be able to cancel your PMI– and the associated payments, thus reducing your month-to-month payment. Make sure to get into the details of your contract with a local real estate contract attorney in charlotte nc areas to learn more about your specific situation.

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The cold weather can send you in frenzy, especially if your furnace system is acting up or has some hiccups. However, keep in mind that there are some common problems that you can fix solo, as opposed to calling the professionals to repair it.

Here are some common furnace problems you are bound to experience occasionally and how to fix them.

1.     No heat troubleshooting

If your furnace is not producing any heat then you could try some DIY things before calling in the experts. Some of them are:

• Verifying that your thermostat setting is on heat
• Checking your pilot light and gas valve, you can turn the gas valve to an ON position and relight your pilot light to see if they are both working
• Reset the furnace motor, as chances are that it may be overloaded. Just press the reset button once if nothing happens then try again after 30 minutes
• Also ensure that your furnace has power, by flipping its switch ON
• You can also check if your fuse or breaker that powers the thermostat is ON and working and not blown. You can turn it ON if it is not and if it is blown just replace it

2.     Thermostat malfunctions

If your furnace thermostat is not working properly, you can try some home DIY tasks to get it running again. For instance, you could turn the power OFF and remove the cover before cleaning it with a soft brush or vacuum.

Also, check if there are corrosion signs before removing it with an electronic contact cleaner. You can then change its battery if this is the problem.

3.     Faulty pilot lights

If your furnace pilot lights keep going out, then there could be a couple of problems like a loose or faulty thermocouple. You can just tighten it if it is the issue. Another thing is that you pilot orifice may be clogged. You can try to clear this clog with a wire piece.

It could also mean that your settings are too low for the pilot flame. You can make the flame adjustment by turning its screw for a proper size, probably between 1.5-2 inches of flame with no yellow. You can consult your furnace manual for better adjustments.

In addition, remember to shut off the gas, switch or circuit breaker before starting this kind of inspection and fixing.

4.     Broken fans

You can check if your fan is actually broken by turning your heat OFF on your thermostat, then turn to Fan Only or Auto position. If your fan does not turn ON, then it is broken.

You can then check if your circuit breaker has tripped if not, then you will need to replace your broken furnace fan.

5.     Bad electrical connections

If your furnace does not have any power, check your breaker box for a blown fuse or a tripped breaker. For the blown fuse you can replace it but for the tripped breaker just turn it OFF and ON again. If both do not work then your connections might be faulty and you may need the services of a furnace technician like Advanpro Calgary, to fix it.

6.     Air flow problems

This problem often means that something is preventing the air from flowing within your furnace. So just check your furnace filter, it can be dirty or not installed properly. Put it in the correct position.

You can also check the vents ensure they are open, as closed vents can lead to unnecessary heat buildup within your furnace.

If the problem persists, try pressing the rest button. You can try resetting it again after 30 minutes if it does not get any better.

7.     Dirty or clogged air filter

In case you have a dirty or clogged air filter, just replace it. You can buy the same one in your furnace. Take a picture and ask the store owner to help you locate it.

Take note that most filters will have arrows showing the direction of airflow. These arrows should face your furnace duct work.

8.     Blower runs all the time

If your furnace gives you this problem, check your thermostat switch, if it is set to ON, then your blower will always be running. Change the setting to Auto, this way it turns itself ON and OFF as required when it reaches the set temperature.

If problem persists, call the furnace experts.

9.     Furnace age

Furnaces are built to last for long, but none can run forever. So maybe it might be time to replace it, especially if it has reached or passed its manufacturer warranty. So be informed and up-to-date with your system.