A Perfect Facelift for Your Home’s Exterior

Everyone always thinks of updating their home’s interior, but what about the exterior? The exterior is your first layer of protection and the first thing people see. Here are several ways to enhance the exterior of the home from professionals in the industry.

A Safe Space

Hardie siding is the first big step to take when you are upgrading the exterior of your home. Good quality siding will help defend against storms, exterior fires, and pests. The siding will not do its job if it is not installed by a professional.

“A product that has withstood the test of time is important. But so is selecting a qualified contractor,” says Evan Crow, a custom homebuilder.

Minimal Upkeep

Protecting your home is not the only thing that siding is important for. You want the siding to also be easy to maintain. “To take care of your Hardie siding, inspect your gutters and downspouts regularly. Other than that, I encourage an annual soft wash with mild detergent, to prevent both aesthetic and integrity damage,” advises Crowe.

Personalized Curb Appeal

Any home renovation can be both fun and stressful all at the sametime. But it is nice when a visitor, or you drive up to a wonderful home with great curb appeal. Not only will Hardie siding give you protection, it will also give your home a great new look. “From trim boards to smooth lap siding to stucco-like panels, James Hardie has a number of authentic , cutting edge products,” says Crowe.

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What To Do and Not To Do When Choosing a New Garage Door

 A garage is an important part of a home, in fact, it is front and center and plays a big part in a home's curb appeal. Replacing an old garage door can give you curb appeal a big lift. Not only will it look better, but it will also perform better. Here are some do's and don'ts when it comes to choosing a new garage door.

DO select the right style.

A home's curb appeal is important when it comes to resale. A worn-out garage is not a good first impression to a potential home buyer. Replacing a garage door will enhance the exterior of your whole home. It is very important to choose the right style of door. The most important tip is to choose a door style that complements your house. If you have a Craftsman bungalow, then you would want a door with deeply overhanging eaves, extensive woodwork, and divided-light windows. If you have a modern home you will want a simple garage door with clean lines.

DON’T forget insulation.

Many homeowners skip the front door and use their garage door as their primary entrance. If this is the case, then it is a good idea to insulate the garage door. Insulation will allow a more comfortable garage when entering and exiting your home. A garage is usually 10 to 20 degrees different from the temp outside. This is a big opening in your home, and insulating it can also save you money on energy expenses. A room next or above a poorly insulated garage will be very hot in the summer and very cold in the winter.

DO choose a practical door type.

Just like there are different styles of garage doors, there are also different types of garage doors. Some homeowners want to have a traditional swinging door that opens outward from a central split or others want an old barn door that opens right to left. The most popular are overhead sectional doors because they roll up and down on mounted racks and are easy to pair with an automatic door opener.

DON’T ignore care requirements.

The garage door is one of the most important entryways of a home. It needs to be maintained properly and perform its bests. Wood garage doors are very popular nowadays but they require refinishing. If you want the wood look, composite is the way to do it. Steel is a good choice no matter what climate you live in.  Understand the upkeep requirements of any door on your radar, and don’t commit to purchase one that you’re unable or unwilling to take care of.

DON’T underestimate severe storms.

Even though a garage door is big, a storm can still hurt it. They can be very vulnerable to high winds such as a tornado or hurricane which can break through a garage door. It is important to become familiar with the code-compliant doors. A local garage door dealer can tell you what the regulations are in your area.

DO experiment with visualization tools.

A dealer showroom is a great place to start. There you can see how different styles, construction and colors actually look and feel. There are also online tools that can help you visualize a certain door on your home. A great online tool is the Door Imagination System. You can simply upload a picture of your home and see different designs, colors and hardware on your home.

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Small Tasks You Can Do All Year To Keep Your Home Clean and Organized

 

Little chores can add up to big results in your home, just taking one small task at a time can keep your house in check. Here is a great plan to follow that will help accomplish this. 

Weekly Home Maintenance

Here are some great tasks to tackle each week. Floors are a big area of your home. Vacuuming your carpet or dusting your hardwood floors each week can make a big effect. Taking about 30 minutes a week on small tasks in your yard can do wonders for your curb appeal. Pruning your shrubs or trees, blowing or raking leaves up, cleaning up debris from your sidewalk, and painting your mailbox are examples of a few of these tasks.  

Bathrooms are a big traffic area in your home and can be a breeding ground for bacteria. Along with cleaning your bathroom, take time to also make sure your drains are cleaned and not clogged. A good tool to use for this is a Zip-It tool. Along with cleaning your shower, renewing or repairing dingy or damaged tile grout can also help with your bathroom’s esthetic looks. Something that is not thought of is the build-up in your shower head. This can hinder your flow of water. Cleaning the mineral sediment out of the showerhead will help with water flow.

They say the heart of the home is the kitchen. This is another area that can use some weekly maintenance. Freshen up your garbage disposal each week to eliminate odors. A good way to do this is to take a tray of ice cubes, baking soda or lemon rinds and run them through the disposal. Cleaning the outside of your appliances can freshen up the kitchen. Take it a step further and clean the insides each week as well. Take one appliance a week in the kitchen. For instance, clean out your refrigerator one week and then your dishwasher the next and the following week could be the oven.

Monthly Home Maintenance

Rome wasn’t built in a day. Some projects can be done monthly and still keep a house clean and organized. The range hood in your kitchen can get really dirty. Every month check the filter and clean the hood. Grease and dirt can build up and cause a thick layer which is hard to clean but cleaning it monthly can help resolve this. A good way to help with utility bills and keep the air quality up is by changing your furnace’s filter each month. Dust collects overtime around the house. Dust is not healthy for you or pleasing to the eye. A quick fix is to polis wood furniture, dust light fixtures and wipe down your home’s baseboards each month.

Safety concerns can also be addressed each month. Check your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors to make sure the batteries are good and they function. Another thing that can be overlooked is your fire extinguisher. Check to make sure it is fully charged each month. Take some time each month to also inspect the outside of your home. Make sure there are no problems or issues that need to be resolved. Things to look for are loose shingles, damaged siding, insect nests or overgrown trees or shrubbery.

Yearly Home Maintenance

Bigger tasks that can be done once a year can be done in one or two days each year or during each change of season. Typical projects include cleaning and organizing your garage, basement or attic. Get rid of unwanted items and find some treasures that you had forgotten about at the same time.
Springtime is a great time to wash your windows and screens. This will let more light into your home. Clean your gutters and make sure it is clean under the eaves. Remove ways for pests to enter your home. Remove shrubs or trees that encroach your home. Also, make sure there are no holes to let litter critters in and if there are install wire grates over the holes.

Each season you can choose a room to freshen up. A great way to do this is to give it a “mini-makeover.” Do this by repainting a room, moving furniture around or adding new plants and knickknacks. In just a few years, your whole house will be done!

Remember that keeping it simple and smart is the way to go.

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