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Improve The Air Quality In Your Home With These Ideas

June 22, 2011 By

 Many homeowners today are concerned about the quality of air in their homes, since we spend so much time indoors. Here are some ways that you can achieve superior air quality while improving your family’s respiratory health. This is what you can do, moving from room to room.

  • Basement: Since the furnace is in this space, you must have it inspected and cleaned yearly to avoid leakage of dangerous gases. Also, many basements can be damp and therefore may grow mold. You must make sure your gutters are doing their job of keeping water runoff away from your home. Installing a dehumidifier or air conditioner can keep even the most moist basement dry.
  • Garage: Install a weatherproof door between this room and the rest of your home. It will keep gasoline odors where they belong. Your lungs will thank you.
  • Kitchen: If you have a gas range, you should have a hood fan that exhausts outdoor air. Turning on that fan, or simply opening a window while cooking will remove gas fumes. All fuel burning appliances must be professionally inspected yearly to prevent possible carbon monoxide poisoning.
  • Family/Living Room: Dust accumulation can be simply eliminated with the reduction of clutter. Keeping toys, books and other items nicely stored away in closets is the way to go.
  • Bedrooms: Vacuum, vacuum, vacuum. Dust mites and allergens are also greatly reduced by washing bedding in hot water. Choose area rugs that are easy to wash.
  • Bathrooms: Ventilation is so important in this well-used room. Exhaust fans work to remove moisture and chemicals that you clean with. Change your cleaning products to ones that have no pesticides or toxic ingredients. See www.grist.org for a list of green bathroom cleaners.
  • Attic: Have your duct work inspected if it runs through an uninsulated attic. Why? Because humid air condenses and can cause mold and rust. Consider having your attic insulated.

Throughout your home always leave doors between rooms open for better air circulation Opening windows from time to time is a no-brain er, but some forget to do it.

Filed Under: Home Maintenance, Misc.

Home Ownership Basic Maintenance

March 17, 2011 By

Home ownership requires basic home maintenance.  Buying real estate is one of the biggest investments that most people make over a lifetime, taking care of it once you buy it is merely taking care of your investment.  No homeowner likes to be caught off guard by bursting pipes, failing heating systems or a hole in the roof.  While not all catastrophes can be avoided, most can be averted by routine maintenance. 

A checklist of exterior home items:

  • Roof Check for missing roof tiles, holes, or any leaks and make necessary repairs to avoid total replacement.
  • Siding Check for cracks, chipping paint, any repairs that need to be made.
  • Gutters Clear your gutters at least once a year to avoid clogging that could lead to roof issues.
  • Exterior Water Faucets Disconnect hoses before Winter to avoid frozen, burst pipes.
  • Chimney  Have your chimney cleaned annually.

A checklist of interior home items:

  • Heating System/Air Conditioning  Have an annual service completed to avoid being caught off guard by problems with your system.
  • Windows and Doors  Check for broken seals and draftiness, especially before Winter arrives.
  • Hot Water Heater For a longer, healthier life of your water heater drain it once a year and remove sediment from the bottom of the tank.

Keeping on top of regular maintenance can save a great deal of money in the long run.  The better you take care of your home, the better you take care of your investment.

Filed Under: Home Improvement, Home Maintenance Tagged With:

Septic System Maintenance Tips

February 12, 2011 By

Many rural parts of Wisconsin run off septic systems, rather than sewer connections. While this may be foreign terrain for new homeowners or city slickers moving to the country, the good news is that septic systems work perfectly fine as long as they’re properly maintained.

Here are some tips to help you ensure a carefree transition to your new home:

  • Have your septic tank pumped every 2-3 years to prevent sludge buildup.
  • To pump your tank, call a certified septage servicing operator.
  • Conserve water and spread out your usage to prevent solids from accumulating.

-          Limit laundry loads to 1-2 per day.
-          Install low-flow water fixtures on faucets, toilets and appliances.
-          Take showers instead of baths.
-          Turn faucets off when brushing your teeth or shaving.
-          Repair any leaks in faucets or toilets immediately.

  • To manage solids…

-          Do not flush diapers, cigarette butts, tissues, paper towels or hygiene products.
-          Be sure you have a lint trap filter on your washing machine.
-          Do not dump oils or grease down the drains.
-          Use liquid detergents, rather than powdered.
-          Do not overuse the garbage disposal.

  • Never use your septic system to dispose of:

-          Pesticides, herbicides or insecticides
-          Paints, thinners or solvents
-          Excess medications
-          Excessive amounts of cleaning products like bleach or drain cleaner.

  • Keep your drainfield cleared so water can flow out freely:

-          Keep vehicles, animals, plants, trees and construction projects out of the area

  • Maintain records of pumping, repairs and maintenance.
  • Keep a vigilant eye for signs of trouble, including…

-          No pumping or cleaning in the last 5 years.
-          A wet standing pool develops near the drainfield
-          Toilets run slowly or the basement starts to flood
-          Septic odors can be smelled around the house

Source: Wisconsin Dept. of Commerce
Source: USA Plumbing

Filed Under: Home Improvement, Wisconsin

Well Maintenance Tips

February 12, 2011 By

Nothing beats the exhilaration of finding the perfect home. Your mind rushes through color schemes, decorating ideas and envisioning uses for each room is a breeze. You can just see the dogs and kids playing in the yard or the quiet evenings by the fireplace. Yet, there’s one hang-up: your dream home has a well! If you don’t know the first thing about wells, then this could be a real deal-breaker. On one hand, you won’t have monthly water bills to deal with, but on the other hand, there is some maintenance involved.

Here are some well maintenance tips to help you decide if a home with well water is for you:

  • Test your water annually. You may send samples to:

The State Lab of Hygiene

2601 Agriculture Drive, Box 7996

Madison, WI 53707

  • Keep a record of who constructed your well and when. You may call:

Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey

608-262-7430 for an information request form.

  • Your records should also include: age & depth of your well, the length of its casing pipe, and the types of soil/bedrock/water supply problems in your area.
  • Make sure the top of your well casing is 18 inches or more above ground level.
  • Grade your lot, if necessary, to ensure surface water runs away from the well.
  • Check that your well cap or seal is secure (to keep insects & vermin out!)
  • Replace an old well seal with a two-part cap containing a rubber seal.
  • Do not use gasoline, pesticides, animal waste or lawn chemicals near the well.
  • Avoid piling snow or leaves near the well and do not plant trees nearby.
  • Be careful mowing / working near your well to avoid damaging the casing.
  • If you want your well sealed up or suspect that it may require repairs, you can get assistance through the Wisconsin Well Compensation Grant Program.

 

Source: Cooperative Extension
Source: Wisconsin Dept. Health Services
Source: Gallatin Local Water Quality District

Filed Under: Home Improvement, Home Maintenance, Wisconsin

Focus on the Kitchen

February 7, 2011 By

Focus on the kitchen when considering a remodel of your home.  The kitchen is a focal point of the home and is so much more than just a space in which to cook or clean dishes.  A kitchen is a place where people sit and eat, pay bills, do homework and socialize.  When a kitchen is comfortable and inviting, as well as functional, it will make your home more appealing to potential home buyers when you decide to sell.
Georgia Island Kitchen
Some details of a kitchen to consider:

  • Add an island.  An island provides extra counter space, extra eating space, and additional seating space.  An island can expand the functionality of a kitchen.
  • Comfortable seating.  Instead of hard wood or metal choose upholstered seating for your stools and dining chairs.  Even better, is there room in your kitchen for a window seat or arm chairs?
  • Lighting.  Pay attention to the lighting in your kitchen when remodeling it.  There are so many unique lighting options today, from track lighting, recessed cans and funky glass pendants, choosing lighting with character is a possibility that can change the mood of your kitchen.

There are so many options to consider when remodeling a kitchen.  Creating a warm inviting space that people can enjoy is important.  When it comes to selling your home a kitchen can reel in the right buyer.

Filed Under: Home Improvement, Interior Projects, Real Estate Tagged With:

Flooring Options for Your Home

February 3, 2011 By

There are many flooring options to consider when remodeling or upgrading your home.  Carpet, tile, hardwood, engineered wood, laminate and cork are merely a few and each comes with its own subset of choices.  Of course there are benefits to each flooring option but what often dictates the flooring choice is price.  Price can, however, be broken down in a couple of ways: the overall upfront cost and the cost over the time that you will own your home.  No matter what the flooring option, price tends to run the gamut, from less expensive options to extremely pricey alternatives.
Wooden texture 2
What should dictate your choice?

  • Style.  Are you looking for practical or a new design for your home?
  • Comfort.  Are you looking for the warmth of carpet?
  • Cleanliness.  Whether you choose carpet or tile you will have to vacuum or sweep, but it is much easier to mop a tile floor than get your carpet steam cleaned (an added cost over the lifetime of your carpet).
  • Environment.  Green is in and certain flooring options are made from sustainable materials.  Cork for example is an environmentally friendly and anti-microbial choice.

Flooring is an individual choice that is made easier with a little bit of research.  One thing to keep in mind is how long you plan on being in your home.  If you are remodeling your home to sell, then the upfront price of your flooring matters.  If you will be in your home for many years then consider what you would prefer to step on every day.

Filed Under: Home Improvement, Interior Projects, Real Estate Tagged With:

Renovating? Think Bathrooms

January 21, 2010 By

BathroomWhen considering renovating a home it is important to think about bathrooms. Bathrooms and kitchens have traditionally been important features when it comes to real estate and should not be overlooked when remodeling a home. From green fixtures like energy efficient shower-heads and low flow toilets, to environmental flooring options like bamboo, updating a bathroom can become an environmental issue as well as a design issue.

When remodeling a bathroom it is important to consider what is current in trends and design, especially if selling your property is in the future. That said, here are some features that can make a great bathroom.

Light. Of course light is important in every room of a house, a bathroom should not be overlooked. From adding a skylight to a large picture window, the ability to shed natural light in a bathroom is key.

Cabinets. When choosing cabinet space or a vanity for your bathroom consider what kind of storage the room has or needs. For example, a powder room needs storage for what? Toilet paper, soap, hand towels. A pedestal sink can work in a powder room if you have a shelf or basket for toilet paper and a rod for hand towels. If a master bathroom has a linen closet in it then a simple, sleek vanity is possible if lots of storage isn’t necessary in the vanity. If storage is need the choose a vanity with a lot of space.

Design. Is your home modern in feel? Classic? Choose fixtures, shelving, vanities and other items that fit in with the feel of your home. If your home has an old-time Victorian feel, don’t add a trendy, modern vessel sink that doesn’t fit the style of your home.

Bathrooms are fun to design and remodel. The best part of a new bathroom is a fresh, clean start, and considering the ease of cleaning it should be at the forefront of your decisions.

Filed Under: Interior Projects, Real Estate Tagged With:

Going Green With Your Home

January 2, 2010 By

Green homes are becoming more attractive for the environment and the wallet

When it comes to your home going green no longer means painting your house a shade of the color, it means you are taking steps toward improving both the environment and your wallet.  In real estate green improvements can mean more energy efficient appliances like refrigerators, stoves, toilets and lighting fixtures to major improvements like adding solar heating, recycled materials and wind energy.  Green improvements are not only becoming more popular but they are also becoming more attractive financially due to tax savings and long term cost effectiveness.

Choosing renewable products and making environmentally friendly decisions when it comes to your property can make a big difference.  While being green is often a state of mind, for people who dedicate themselves to recycling, turning off lights, and bicycling instead of driving a car, making green improvements in the home has proven to make quite a difference.

Filed Under: "Green" Living, Real Estate Tagged With: