How to Childproof Your Home

Perhaps you already have a toddler in the house or maybe you are expecting soon. In either case, childproofing your home can save you a lot of headaches. Remember that just about anything in your house can be a potential threat to the safety of your toddler. But don't panic. Here are a few tips to child proof your house:

See it from the perspective of your baby

Your baby will soon be crawling all over the place. To ensure that their safety is not compromised, what you need to do is to see things from their perspective. Investigate your space. By making a few minor adjustments here and there, you can childproof your home.

Inspect your kitchen and bathroom

Childproofing your home doesn't involve redoing your bathrooms and kitchen. You only need to make minor changes. Take a look at your stoves and kitchen cabinets. If you have a stove with front knobs, you should consider getting it replaced by a model with rear knobs. Or you may want to buy a model with a stove lock.

Your kitchen cabinets should have childproof locks. If your existing cabinets cannot accommodate childproof locks, you should install new doors or handles. Slamming toilet lids can harm your baby's little hands. You should consider installing a toilet lid that closes slowly. Installing a good toilet lid lock is another good idea.

Secure your furniture

Secure your shelves, bedside tables and dressers to the wall. This is very important if you have a little climber in the house. Ideally you should secure all freestanding structures that may fall over.  If you have blinds that operate with strings, you should find some other arrangements. This is of utmost importance.

Install childproof locks

Toddlers are an adventurous lot. Your windows and doors should have childproof locks. If you don't have them, you should get them installed. Besides ensuring your peace of mind, childproof locks may impress potential buyers with young kids should you decide to sell your home in the future.

Install safety gates on stairs. You can also use them to prevent your child's access to certain areas like workshops or garage.

Get it fenced

If you haven't already installed a fence around your property, you should definitely get it installed. This will prevent the child from straying onto the road. If you have fencing around your property, you can let your children play outside without having to worry about their safety.

Install smoke detectors

Smoke detectors are a must whether or not you have young babies in the house. Installing and maintaining a smoke detector is easy. You should also keep a fire extinguisher in your kitchen. You need to ensure that your baby will have no access to it. In all likelihood you will not have to use it; however the fact that it is there should give you some peace of mind.

Develop safe habits

A few good habits will go a long way in childproofing your house. Always close drawers, lids, and doors behind you. Small objects are choking hazards. If you find any on the floor don't forget to pick it up and put it away. You also need to clear clutter.

Cover all electrical outlets. Check your stove and electrical appliances frequently just to ensure that they have not been bumped on. These are simple precautions that every parent can take and they make your home safe for your child.

Monthly Maintenance for Your Home

If you keep up with your home's monthly maintenance, you will be able to reduce repair costs.

Most homeowners understand that repair costs can be very high if things go wrong unexpectedly. Still they forget to perform monthly maintenance. By conducting a routine inspection every month, you can keep tabs on things that are wearing quickly. Quite a few things in your house need monthly attention. When you take care of them properly, you will be able to avoid many big headaches and huge repair bills.

Fire safety devices

Your fire safety devices need monthly maintenance. As you probably know, even a small fire can cause extensive damage. That is why you need to keep these devices in good shape. A fire mishap not only damages your home and belongings but also risks the safety of your family.

Fire extinguisher

You have to ensure that your fire extinguisher is fully charged. Recharge it if it was used recently. Make sure that you have a sufficient number of them in your kitchen, basement, and garage. The placement of your fire extinguisher is equally important. It must be easily reachable. If you place it in a spot where you can't find it easily, it is unlikely to be helpful when you need it.

Smoke detector

The smoke detector is another important device. People often forget how important a device it is until there is an emergency. Test the battery periodically and replace it if necessary. Remember that the battery may drain even if you do not use it.

Maintenance for your bathroom and kitchen

People often forget to notice their shower drains and sink until a problem surface. However, by taking some simple steps every month, you can keep your bathroom drains and kitchen sinks in good shape.

Tub stoppers and sink

You need to flush your tub stoppers and sink with a solution of baking soda and hot water.

Garbage disposal

Check the safety valve and the steam pressure gauge of your garbage disposal system. If you detect problems, replace them. You also need to inspect water level gauge. Add water if necessary.

Heating and cooling

Your cooling and heating systems play a significant role in making your home comfortable. When these systems work properly, you probably won't realize their importance. But if things go wrong, these systems can be quite costly to repair. Make sure that your home maintenance checklist includes a quick monthly inspection of your cooling and heating systems.

Forced-air heating system

You have to check the blankets and replace them if necessary. Check air flow and clean unit.

Steam heating system

Check relief valve and if it is faulty replace it. You also need to check pressure gauge. The expansion tank may need to be drained.

Evaporative air conditioner maintenance

Clean air filter and replace it if it is faulty. Clean evaporator coils and condenser and condensate drain. You also need to remove snow and debris from the outdoor portion of the unit.

 

Heat pump maintenance

Clean filter, evaporator coils, condenser and condensate drain.

If you overlook the need for monthly maintenance, your home will be much less efficient. Worse still, you will have to deal with safety issues and huge service bills. If you take care of these important things at least once a month, you will be able to run your home more smoothly and efficiently

How to Fix Odd Noises Around the House

Are you hearing weird noises around the house? Sometimes these noises are a warning that something really unpleasant is going to happen. But before you can do anything you need to know what you are hearing. Here are some explanations of some of the sounds you might hear:

Gurgling noise from the toilet

This can happen for two reasons. First, your sewer line might be blocked up. Tree roots can grow into the pipes. And to make the matter even worse, you might have flushed a few baby swipes down the pipe. These items can snag on the roots, causing the sewer line to get blocked partially.

A gurgling sound may also suggest that your toilet valve has been worn-out. If that’s the case, you should get the gasket in your tank reservoir replaced. Call a plumber if you notice these problems. If you are really handy, you can fix the problem with a sewer snake.

Knocking inside the walls

You might hear these sounds when you turn the faucets on or off. When the faucets are turned on or off, air pressure may build up inside the pipes. When this pressure is released, it can cause the pipes to vibrate. The pipe probably was not properly mounted or it may have loosened over time. In either case, vibration can cause the pipes to bang against the wall studs and then you will hear the sound. You should open up the walls and put sleeves over the pipes. You will probably need help, and a home repair technician is the right person to call.

Hissing and groaning from the radiator

Expanding metal can cause your radiator to hiss and groan. There is hardly anything you can do to improve the situation other than buying decorative boxes for the radiator. They might reduce the noise a little, but they don't solve your problem. Ideally, you should call an HVAC expert.

Humming from the fridge

The compressor motor inside an old refrigerator can cause a humming noise. There are several electrical devices inside your refrigerator and they can cause all kinds of problems and noises. That said, new refrigerators don't usually make noises. If you hear humming noises from your refrigerator, you should call an electrical appliance repair specialist.

Squeaking noise from the dryer

Old washing machines may have a belt wrapping around the drum. A loose or worn out belt may cause squeaking noises. If you suspect this problem, you should get the dryer repaired by an electrical appliance repair technician.

Thumping noise from your washing machine

When the washing machine is overloaded, the clothes can get bunched up on one side. This can cause the spin cycle to be thrown off balance. In this case, all that you need to do is to open the lid and spread the clothes more evenly.

Creaking stairs and floors

Loosened wooden boards moving up or down against the nail may cause creaking noises. Wooden planks rubbing against each another may also cause this noise.

What you need to do is tighten the planks by screwing or nailing. Or you can glue them. That said, these sounds might add to the charm of an old house and some people may not want them to disappear. However, if you can’t stand the creaking, you can get it fixed by a home repair technician.

Rattling windows

Strong winds can cause your windows to rattle. Try covering old windows with storm sashes. You may also consider installing a block-frame or Tilt Pac windows. A window repair technician can fix this problem.

Hissing faucets

Old faucets with faulty washers can cause running or hissing sounds. Homeowners can usually solve these problems on their own. You can buy washers from a local hardware store.

Chewing or scratching in the walls or ceiling

If you hear constant scratching noises in the ceiling, you should suspect a rodent problem. Call a pest control specialist to get them expelled them from your home.

The Home Loan Advisor is a tool that was built to provide homeowners with insight into opportunities available in the current market, without having to shuffle through all of the clutter on the Internet. Not only does the Home Loan Advisor analyze your property, current market conditions, local market comps, and other variables in our proprietary algorithm, but we match you with potential lenders who have products that may help you and provide you with a sense of stability.

As a homeowner, you should know the value of your home. You can get a free home valuation report from Neighborhood IQ to find out your home’s worth to help you decide if you should refinance now.

Furnace Maintenance Tips

Have you checked the condition of your furnace lately? The furnace is an important element of your house. Unless it works properly, you cannot ensure the safety and comfort of your family.

 

You should get your furnace checked for potential problems before there any detrimental effects on the heating in your home. If your heating system receives good maintenance on a regular basis, it will work efficiently.

There are quite a few things you should do to keep it working in top form. Here are a few:

When was the air filter changed last?

The air filter of a gas furnace needs to be changed regularly. You can purchase air filters at nearly all hardware stores and they are not very expensive. Dirty air filters will make the furnace inefficient and cause it to produce less heat.

Notice gas leaks

Gas leaks can be spotted easily.  You can feel the foul smell of gas. You can also notice the buildup of gas on the floor. If you suspect that gas is leaking from the furnace, you should get it fixed by a professional.

Oiling

Your furnace motor may have oiling points. Apply 1 or 2 drops of SAE 20 non-detergent oil during every heating season. That said, don't over-oil.

Regular servicing

Get your cooling and heating systems professionally serviced at least once a year. You should consider getting the furnace serviced towards the end of a heating season. Since this is an off-season, you will probably get a discount. You will also receive prompt service. Don't forget to get the air conditioner checked, too.

Examine burners

While inspecting the furnace, make sure that the professional completely removes the burners for cleaning. You should also get the inner parts of the furnace checked for holes, rusted areas, separated seams, or cracks.

Once the service person has removed the dust and debris from the burners, they will reassemble the burners and other components if they don't detect any other issues with the internal structure of the heating unit.

Checking for dirt

Dirt can reduce the life of your heating systems. Besides lowering the efficiency of your furnace, it also causes the wastage of fuel. Since dirt can affect all three basic components of your heating system, you need to clean it on a regular basis. It is also important to properly adjust the belt at the furnace.

Sealing the venting ducts

Your furnace venting ducts help remove flue gas from your heating unit. You certainly won't want gas to leak into your house. So ask the service person to check the vents and ensure that they are well sealed. If there are loose joints, you will have to get them resealed with metal screws.

The Home Loan Advisor is a tool that was built to provide homeowners with insight into opportunities available in the current market, without having to shuffle through all of the clutter on the Internet. Not only does the Home Loan Advisor analyze your property, current market conditions, local market comps, and other variables in our proprietary algorithm, but we match you with potential lenders who have products that may help you and provide you with a sense of stability.

As a homeowner, you should know the value of your home. You can get a free home valuation report from Neighborhood IQ to find out your home’s worth to help you decide if you should refinance now.

Don’t Try Doing These Home Repairs Yourself

 

Some years ago I was a bold do-it-yourselfer when it came to home repairs. I thought going online, reading stuff, and watching videos would be enough for me to handle everything myself.  I learned an important mantra that it’s best to leave the expert stuff to the experts. In my attempts to save some cash, I landed up with greater expenses and more headaches.

 

Sure, there are some jobs that can be tackled if you have modest experience. But it’s best to stay away from doing repairs that can prove really dangerous to you and your house if they’re not done right.

The following jobs are best handled by professionals and you’d be better off paying rather for than doing yourself:

Plumbing repairs

It’s a well-known fact that water will find its way out through the smallest crack. A tiny leak can cause damage to the tune of thousands of dollars if it's not attended to in time. It’s ok to change a faucet or shower head if you’re knowledgeable about it. But you can land up into lots of trouble if you attempt major modifications to your plumbing system -something like extension of hot water lines or sewer pipes re-routing.

While plumbing jobs aren’t as dangerous as electric ones, plumbing issues can quickly get out of hand and then you’re in for a wet and expensive future.

Electrical repairs

Anything to do with electricity requires a very cautious approach. If you’re not sure about what you’re doing, wires can prove incredibly hazardous.

As with plumbing, you might manage minor electrical repairs such as installing a fan or replacing a light switch - so long as you’re careful that the power is off before you begin. Replacing or extending circuits can be dangerous work. When repairs go beyond simple fixtures, it makes good sense to get a professional electrician in.

Remember: A single error can cause your entire house to catch fire and shocks can result in serious injuries and even death.

Asbestos removal

Asbestos has insulating properties, is electricity and heat resistant and provides a good acoustic barrier. Because of this, it was used on a large scale in the past and you’ll find a lot of it in older constructions. Later, its use was banned in many fields after it was found toxic.

Often special teams are hired to rid properties of toxic asbestos insulation. It is possible to perform a do-it-yourself asbestos removal, but definitely not recommended. Other than toxicity dangers, there are certain laws governing asbestos removal because it’s likely to detrimentally affect people in the close vicinity. So think twice or thrice before doing it yourself.

Roofing repairs

The main reason that roof r­epairing on your own is not advisable is because there’s a good chance of falling off. Though repairing a couple of roof shingles isn't the world’s toughest job, the procedure of going up, getting down, and carrying tools with you can prove potentially dangerous. This work is also extremely tiring and more mistakes happen when you’re tired. A simple slip can take you right over the edge.

 

If you have a roof low enough to be repaired using a ladder, it can still be dangerous. Try to have someone around so that if something goes wrong, help is at hand. Apart from the danger aspect, experience is required to get roofing work just right. If you’re trying to do a job that’s beyond your capability, you might land up with a leaky roof and related water damage expenses.

The Home Loan Advisor is a tool that was built to provide homeowners with insight into opportunities available in the current market, without having to shuffle through all of the clutter on the Internet. Not only does the Home Loan Advisor analyze your property, current market conditions, local market comps, and other variables in our proprietary algorithm, but we match you with potential lenders who have products that may help you and provide you with a sense of stability.

As a homeowner, you should know the value of your home. You can get a free home valuation report from Neighborhood IQ to find out your home’s worth to help you decide if you should refinance now.

 

Winter Home Maintenance Checklist

January brings cold weather, and with it comes a lot of tasks that you need to complete to keep your home comfortable and secure. It is also the right time to prepare your home improvement plans for the coming year.

The first big snowfall of the season usually hits this time of year in many parts of the country. This annual ritual also gives you an opportunity to learn a few things about your home.

Is snow melting fast from your roof? This could suggest that heat from the house is escaping through the roof. Add some attic insulation to prevent this heat loss. Inspect the insulation on the attic floor; and if you discover any gaps, you need to fix them. The attic insulation should be of uniform thickness. Also it has to be dry.

There are quite a few things that you need to do after a snowfall:

You need to clear the walkways. Sprinkle some salt or sand on the snow and use a shovel to remove it. Check your roof to see if there is any ice buildup. If you discover an ice dam, you need to break it up. If you let the ice accumulate along the eaves, melted snow may leak through your roof. Tree branches may break if you do not knock snow from them.

To prevent your pipes from breaking, you should consider blocking all crawl space vents on the north-side with pieces of plywood. You may let the bathtub and sink faucets trickle slowly. This will prevent the pipes from freezing especially on those days when you turn your heating system off because you are away.

If you use an oil burner, you can save money and fuel by cleaning parts of the burner yourself. Cut off the power supply to the system and remove the blower cover. Now you have to dust the blower blades. Pour some oil to lubricate the motor. If you are really handy, you can also replace the filter and clean the strainer.

If you have a forced air distribution system, you should inspect the ducts routinely to check for leaks. If you discover leaks, you need to seal them with duct tape. You also need to dust the duct grilles periodically, and get the entire system cleaned annually.

Be tough with rats or mice that invade your home. They may chew your house's wires and cause a short circuit which can even burn your home down. Buy traps of appropriate sizes to catch the rodents.

Make sure that your emergency kit is well-equipped. You must have blankets, first-aid kits, gallons of potable water, a radio (battery-powered), candles, matches, flashlights and handy tools for turning off water and gas lines. If the winters in your area are extremely cold, you should have a backup heating system. It could be a backup generator or a wood stove.

If your house is in an area prone to experiencing strong hurricanes, you should keep sheets of plywood to protect your windows. People living in earthquake-vulnerable areas must have food and water to last a week. Campers should keep their camping supplies near their emergency stash.

Winter is the right time to create a list of things you would like to change in your home. If you just moved into your home, you should live in it for at least one year before undertaking any major remodel. Watch how your house interacts with your surroundings through the four seasons. This will give you a better understanding of what you really need to change.

The Home Loan Advisor is a tool that was built to provide homeowners with insight into opportunities available in the current market, without having to shuffle through all of the clutter on the Internet. Not only does the Home Loan Advisor analyze your property, current market conditions, local market comps, and other variables in our proprietary algorithm, but we match you with potential lenders who have products that may help you and provide you with a sense of stability.

As a homeowner, you should know the value of your home. You can get a free home valuation report from Neighborhood IQ to find out your home’s worth to help you decide if you should refinance now.