Search Results for: blog keeping your basement dry

Keeping House While Working From Home

If you work from home, people may have this strange idea that you have oodles of spare time that you could use to keep your house looking immaculate. While that may be true for some home – based professionals, most of the ones that I know are either very busy looking after their children while running their businesses or very busy with their businesses if they don’t have kids or have older children. We probably have approximately the same amount of time available for house cleaning that anyone else does. That said, when you work from home a clean house … Continue reading →

Keeping House When Life is Busy

You know you are busy when you forget to eat. I come from a long line of Italians. Eating is ranked just below breathing. Someone is considered too skinny and near death if their pants size falls below two digits. So you can see that things have come to extremes in our household. My husband has a full time job with several important projects. He is also working on finishing our basement work as a freelancer and have taken on many extra hours in the last two month, partially from the needs of my clients and partially from our goal … Continue reading →

Cleaning Dryer Vents

Last week my washing machine died. The agitator went belly up, but that wasn’t the worst of it. When the fix-it guy came over, he accidently ripped the dryer vent hose. Needless to say, I had a ton of cleaning to do when he left. Unlike some homeowners, who have their laundry rooms in the basement, we have ours on the main floor. This means that the dryer vent lines snake around the interior walls and often gets clogged with lint. When the mechanic went to fix the dryer vent he also helped clear the line and gave me some … Continue reading →

Spice Up Your Cleaning Routine

Cleaning and Christmas seem to go hand in hand, at least if you ask the moms I chat with in the lobby of my daughter’s school in the minutes before the dismissal bell rings. You’ve never heard so much commiserating about collective cleaning routines, or lack thereof, or lack of time to implement thereof. A few of us joke about ways to multi-task while we dust, mop and fold laundry. One mom shared a great tip: she places all her long-distance calls to friends or family members while she does the laundry or dishes. By talking on a hands-free device … Continue reading →

Protecting Your Home from the Weather

The weather can wreck havoc on your home no matter where you live. Here are some of the common weather occurrences and what you can do to protect your home from extreme weather, both in the short term and the long term. Hail Yesterday was a crazy weather day for us. There was rain, snow and finally hail. Of the three, I was most worried about hail. It can really cause damage to your home requiring major repairs even damaging your belongings. One way to reduce your risk of damage from hail is to install impact-resistant roofing. There is a … Continue reading →

How to Care for Your Roof

There is a reason that people talk about having “a roof over your head.” Roofs are one of the most important parts of a house. They keep you and your possessions safe and out of the elements. A problem with your roof could lead to problems through the rest of your house. Taking proper care of your roof is essential. Here are some things you need to know about how to care for your roof. Make sure that there is good ventilation in your eaves and attic. This can extend the life of your roof because there is a less … Continue reading →

Keeping Your Basement Dry

Late winter and early spring are prime times for getting flooding in your basement and water damage to any belongings that you might have stored there. Melting snow and ice can create plenty of water that seeps in to your basement. At the same time, heavy spring rains can find their way in to your home through the basement. There are several things that you can do to prepare your home and keep your basement dry. If you have frequent flooding in the basement, consider purchasing a sump pump. A sump pump system will remove any water from the basement … Continue reading →

Spring Proofing Your Pet: Allergies

Spring brings a lot with it, like warmer weather, blooming flowers, and spring cleaning. But just as people suffer from springtime allergies, so do pets. Below are the most common irritants pets suffer from at this time of year, along with tips for reducing their discomfort. Pollen The attack of itchy eyes and runny noses plague humans allergic to pollen. Pets get the itchies too –in the form of itchy skin that is. There are lots of ways to treat the itchies, such as: • With supplements to ease them (e.g. fatty acids or vitamin A and E oils). • … Continue reading →

Giving Your Home A New Year’s Physical

In a previous blog I addressed New Year’s resolutions and how homeowners should resolve to create a comprehensive home maintenance plan. Not only will it get 2007 off to a great start, it will likely prevent costly problems in the months to come. Sure, like many resolutions the concept may sound terrific at first, but once it’s time to actually roll up your sleeves and get to work your enthusiasm may wane and your resolution to whip your home into shape fall flat. This is where I find having a checklist and a prodding (I mean helpful) spouse comes in … Continue reading →

Asthma-Proofing Your Home

Often, allergies and asthma go hand in hand. Some of the triggers are the same — allergens can cause an allergy attack OR an asthma attack. Or both! Keeping the triggers under control in your home can help reduce the number of asthma attacks and even help decrease the need for inhalers and other asthma medications. What triggers an asthma attack? Allergens like pollen, mold, or dust Irritants like smoke, perfumes, or room deodorizers Exercise Infections, especially the upper respiratory kind Emotions like anxiety, fear, or anger The best thing you can do to keep your home free of allergens … Continue reading →