On the House

By on October 22, 2017

 

It’s another week closer to winter and we are getting ready for a safe halloween by repairing our creaky, freaky stairs.  And, don’t let a broken toilet scare you, our guest today, Sondra Dean with Danco has tips for your much need toilet repair parts. Don’t get trapped by a faulty old garage door and opener in the garage this winter. Sarah Schram with Wayne Dalton, shared suggestions for selecting a new garage door.  Remember, it’s fall fix up time, so don’t let it slip away, do it now.

Thank You To Our Guests:

Sondra Dean: Danco – Brand Manager

For more information visit : www.danco.com

 Sarah Schram

Wayne Dalton – Brand Manager

For more information visit:

http://www.wayne-dalton.com/

http://www.wayne-dalton.com/carriage-house-steel-garage-doors-6600

 

Shopping To Buy A Tiny House?

 Thanks to Amazon, you can get a tiny home delivered to your door.

If you are looking for a new home, Amazon probably isn’t the first place you’d turn.

But the e-commerce giant — beloved for delivering everything from toilet paper to designer duds (not to mention these secret brands) to your door in just two days — is expanding into the housing market.

 The tiny home movement is growing bigger by the year. And now Amazon is making small space-living more accessible than ever.

Guess we shouldn’t be too surprised given that between Prime Music, Prime Video, Prime Now, Prime Pantry and AmazonFresh (and how could we forget the news that Prime member will get special Whole Foods discounts?!), the online retailer has permeated virtually every other facet of our lives.

Anyway, back to — what could be — your next crib.

It’s basically move-in ready!

Amazon now sells a prefabricated tiny house by MODS International. The fully furnished, 320-square-foot residence is made from a new shipping container and features a bedroom, bathroom, kitchenette and living area. It’s also equipped with insulation, appliances, bath fixtures (toilet, shower and sink), heat, air-conditioning and hookups for plumbing, water and. electricity. Oh, and it has double patio doors.

It’s basically move-in ready: All you need is a solid concrete slab or Sonotube footings for the foundation and to access the aforementioned utilities.

https://www.today.com/home/amazon-sells-tiny-homes-delivery-t117648?cid=eml_tes_20171017

 

 

Halloween Safety Tips For Homeowners

 Dogs – Keep “Fido” out of the way. The constant ringing of the doorbell and the Halloween hustle and bustle gets dogs excited. The oddly dressed people on the other side of the door don’t do much to calm Fido down. It’s best to make sure that the dog is occupied or kept away from the door so that he does not feel the need to protect his turf or playfully jump on trick or treaters, knocking them to the floor.

Fire – Practice extreme caution with candles. While the orange glowing effect of a candle adds to the Halloween ambiance, it can cause a fire if the candles are not carefully placed and monitored. Better yet, use battery operated candles.

Safety – Illuminate walking paths for trick-or-treaters. It is possible to decorate a home for Halloween keeping with the dark and gloomy tradition while simultaneously providing enough light for the walking path. Whether the walkway is lined with glowing pumpkins or the muted illumination of solar lights, it is important for the homeowner to properly illuminate the walking path to avoid unnecessary trips and falls.

Wires – Keep all wiring off the walking path. Along with proper theme related lighting, homeowners must take care to keep the extension cords off the walkway or cover them with mats in such a way to prevent tripping and falling.

Tactics – Be careful of the ‘shock and awe’ affect. The Halloween celebration invokes thoughts of horror, fright and shock.It is recommended to refrain from tactics such as suddenly jumping out from darkened bushes or other such scare tactics. These blood rushing tactics may be fun at an amusement park fun house, but it not for small children having fun.

http://remlandinsurance.com/halloween-safety-tips-for-homeowners/

 

 

Quick Fall Tip: Direct Your Drainage

Take a close look at the soil around your foundation and make sure it slopes away from your house at least 6 vertical inches over 10 feet. That way, you’ll keep water from soaking the soils around your foundation, which could lead to cracks and leaks.

Be sure soil doesn’t touch your siding.

     https://www.houselogic.com/organize-maintain/home-maintenance-tips/fall-checklist/

 

 

Important Tips For Staircase Maintenance

 Creaking or Damaged Treads

Treads in the stairs are typically wedged tightly in position, keeping the stairs secure. Over time and heavy usage, these wedges will loosen. Creaky and insecure stairs occur as a result of loose wedges and worn treads. When this happens, check each stair, starting from the bottom. If it’s only a few steps, you can get away with a few repairs on it. However, if the majority of your steps are creaking and begging for replacement, it’s not a bad idea to consider an entirely new staircase design.

Loose Railings, Post and Balusters

During maintenance, you’ll want to remove any loose railings, posts, or balusters for cleaning. After cleaning, you can usually replace them and tighten them back to where they should be. In some cases, the staircase may be too old and they would remain loose. Again, if only a few parts need repair or replacement, that’s a budget-friendly way to go. However, when railings and posts start to go, that’s a sign of aging on a staircase, so it’s not a bad idea to go all-in for a new design.

Maintenance

It’s important to keep your staircase as attractive as it is safe. Many homeowners hang on to the idea that old and original staircases are good selling points, and they’re not entirely wrong. However, safe and attractive staircase designs will provide a much larger benefit than nostalgia. Updating or replacing an unattractive or unsafe staircase will dramatically increase the value of your home.

     https://www.acadiastairs.com/six-important-tips-about-staircase-maintenance/

    

                             

Quick Fall Tip: Test Your Outdoor Lights

You don’t want to slip and fall on the ice in the winter, nor do you want to pay the unnecessary medical bills that will come as a result. So, make sure your outdoor lights are in working order for the winter ahead.

Scrub them with a scouring pad and spray their frames with rust-repellent paint.

Check to make sure the bulbs are working and replace them if needed.

If you think the walkway needs more lighting, invest in additional as accent lighting — whether it’s along the pathway or around your trees and shrubs.

http://realtytimes.com/consumeradvice/homeownersadvice/item/38445-20150918-7-quick-and-effective-fall-home-improvement-projects

 

 

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