There is no doubt that heavy duty construction equipment costs an arm and a leg. Since construction equipment handles extremely tough jobs, they are vulnerable to wear and tear. The good thing is that your equipment can last for many years as long as you don’t neglect it. It’s actually important to make plans for the equipment to be maintained on a regular basis to ensure that it doesn’t break down when you are in the middle of a project. In fact repairing such an equipment is much affordable than getting a replacement. At the end of it all, you want to make good returns from your investment without having to rob a bank. Below are tips that can help you prepare for routine maintenance.

1. Have a Chat with Your Operators

Construction equipment doesn’t break down without giving warning signs. Although you own the equipment, it’s the people who operate it that are more intimate with it. They are the first to know when the equipment is not functioning normally. It’s therefore advisable that you ask your operators whether they have noticed anything that’s unusual with the equipment. This is because most parts produce some noise as they are wearing out gradually. You should note down the concerns that were reported by operators so you can forward them to your service company. Such information is used during equipment diagnosis to determine what could be the problem.

2. Clean the Equipment

You should clean the equipment a few days before the scheduled maintenance. Dirty equipment is difficult to inspect because most of the parts tend to be covered by dust and mud. The filters and breathers should be kept free from debris and dirt to ensure that the oil that lubricates the moving parts is not contaminated. You should also inspect the electrical wiring to make sure that all cables are intact in the trunk. If the cables are hanging loosely around major components, they can be damaged and result in short circuits.

3. Give the Equipment a Break

Your equipment should not be on any project site a few days to the date of scheduled maintenance. This is because it should be in your garage waiting for the technicians to inspect it. You should never store the equipment outside because it will attract rust. It’s also recommended that you stop using the equipment for a while if it has given any signs of malfunctions such as vibrations and overheating. Vibrations are actually caused by loose nuts and bolts. If you continue to use the equipment when it’s not in good shape, it’s likely to be damaged further. Having such nuts tightened will cost you less money than replacing them.

4. Keep Operations Records

You should keep a record of how your equipment is maintained. In fact, it’s recommended you have a checklist that shows what parts were repaired in the previous maintenance schedules. This will help in knowing the parts that were still in good condition and the parts that were replaced. The record can also be used to tell when you should budget for new equipment. You should consider buying new equipment if you have already replaced most parts but the machine is still faulty.

5. Call Equipment Technician

Once you have prepared your equipment for routine maintenance, you should book a date with a certified equipment repair technician from a reputable company. The advantage is that there are so many equipment technicians on the internet.  However, you should opt for technicians that have many years of experience under their belts such as fortistracks.com because you can’t afford to take chances with your expensive tools of trade.

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Space is something that homeowners are usually concerned with, especially when they discover the lack of it. After years of living in the same household, it’s pretty natural for things to build up, leading to less available space inside the home. This is the reason why many people consider loft conversion as a way to increase the home space or add a new room.

No matter how big the available space there is, the loft can help with creating additional space. Lofts are great for a variety of purposes such as guest room, children’s bedroom, vanity room, meditation area, home office, or entertainment center. By using the loft, you can get the most out of small spaces.

Key Reasons Why Loft Conversion is the Best Option

Many homeowners like the idea of converting a loft for various reasons. Here are three of them:

To make the home unique

Some homeowners like to have a home that stands out from the rest. Not all homes have lofts, for starters. That is why making use of the loft for a specific purpose can turn your home into something that your visitors will gush about.

In other words, making modifications in the house – such as a loft conversion project – allows you to become creative in designing your home.

To maximize the space

It may be expensive to extend your existing home or to move out into a new one. Financial difficulties may lead some homeowners to maximize the space, and converting the loft may be a great option.

A loft conversion can create more space for your home, since you’re essentially making a new room without chomping off a significant portion of your existing floor area.

To have more privacy

You can turn the loft into a solitary room situated above the rest of the house, in case you’re looking for more privacy. Depending on the orientation and design, the loft can be ideal as a meditation room, office space, study room, or a bedroom. Adding soundproofing materials can increase the level of privacy as well.

If you have plans of building a loft in your existing home, make sure that you check with a loft conversion guide to know if your home can handle these slight modifications.

Things to Know Prior To Building a Loft Conversion

Before embarking on a loft conversion project, here are a few things that you need to know:

• Does your loft have access to utilities that you need for your intended purpose? For example, if you’re planning to turn the loft into a bathroom, are there water pipes leading to the loft?
• Do you need major construction work to convert the loft? You may need to seek approval from the local building safety department.
• Do you have enough money to spend for converting the loft? Make sure that your conversion plans will be aligned to your spending capacity.
• Can you do the conversion yourself? Unless you’re a seasoned DIY expert, your best option might be to hire a professional or contractor to do the loft conversion for you.

Loft conversion does not only provide extra space, but it can also add value to your home, should you plan to sell it in the future. Whatever its purpose is, making the most out of the loft can make your living space a whole lot better.

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Even if you live in a city, you can still grow your favorite crops. All you need is enough space in your home to put up a large greenhouse. In fact, large greenhouses look like large farms in an urban setting. The beauty of it is that you are the one who will determine how your crops will grow. As a matter of fact, a large greenhouse comes with many benefits that are outlined below.

1. Space for More Plants

With small greenhouses, there is usually little space for growing plants. In such a case, you have to give priority to the plants that you need the most. This is because planting many plants in a small area will cause them to be malnourished due to lack of adequate nutrients. Besides that, a small greenhouse may not produce enough vegetables and fruits for your household.

It actually makes no sense to buy some food supplies when you already own a greenhouse. A large greenhouse gives you unlimited space for planting any plant that you want to grow. You can partition it into small sections so that you can separate the plants based on their category. You can grow flowers in one area and then grow fruits in another section, which makes your garden look organized.

2. Saves You Money

Fruits and vegetables are consumed on a daily basis. Buying them from your local green grocer can be very costly. You can therefore save a lot of money by owning a greenhouse and use the money you have been spending on vegetables for clearing other bills. In fact, you might sell some of your vegetables and fruits to your neighbors after satisfying the needs of your own family. Having a large greenhouse is therefore a viable business idea that doesn’t need a lot of capital to start. The good thing is that there is a ready market for fresh farm produce.

3. Easy to Navigate

When your greenhouse is small, you have to be very careful when walking around your plants. This is because there is a risk of breaking plants in a crowded greenhouse. A roomy greenhouse is much better because it provides enough space that’s needed when you are tending to your crops. In fact, you can have several people in the greenhouse to remove weed, spread mulch material, apply manure and other stuff without worrying about your plants. The other advantage is that your plants are much healthier because they don’t compete for the little nutrients that are available in the soil.

4. Multi-purpose Use

A spacious greenhouse can be used for different purposes. You can actually use one section of your greenhouse as a seedbed for planting seedlings before transferring them to the main garden. This saves you from the hustle of having to buy seedlings from other farmers. Additionally, you can store the tools that you use the most such as trowel, fork and shovel in the greenhouse. This makes the greenhouse very convenient because you can walk straight into the garden and start working right away on your crops without having to get the tools from the garage.

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Theft is every homeowner’s worst nightmare. It’s very traumatizing to return home only to realize that thugs broke into your house and got away with your valuables. They actually steal without any mercy. Whether you bought those valuables with your own money or they were gifts from friends and relatives, losing them to mere thugs that don’t understand how you are fond of them really hurts. This is because it takes a lot of toil to save money that’s enough to replace items that were stolen by thieves in your absence. But in this day and age, you can easily protect your home assets without breaking your back. Below are some tips that can help keep your valuables safe when you are away.

1. Get Insurance Cover

The best way of protecting your home assets is by covering them with an insurance policy. This strategy is highly recommended for expensive appliances, gadgets and devices such as electric cookers, fridges, TVs, jewelry and computers among many other things. When your valuables are covered by insurance, you will be compensated by your insurance company with brand new items or money that’s equivalent to the worth of those items.

But you should prepare a record of your valuables because the insurance company will want specific details of those things. The good thing is that finding insurance companies Dayton Ohio is pretty simple. However, the insurance company will expect you to provide receipts for some items so that they can confirm their true market value. If your valuables include jewelry, an expert might be consulted by the insurance company to help in determining its worth.

2. Install Surveillance Cameras

Installing surveillance cameras in your home can help keep thieves at bay by a great deal. As long as there are warning signs in your compound, thieves will not even attempt to gain forceful entry into your house. This is because they know that they will be traced by authorities and finally land in jail. In fact, there are some security cameras that are synchronized with alarms that get activated by motion detectors. The advantage of these surveillance cameras is that they can be monitored remotely. This means that you can still see who is approaching your house when you are on vacation or business trip.

3. Keep Doors Locked

You can tempt thieves to steal from you by not locking your doors. In fact, some thieves are fond of strolling around the neighborhood, targeting homes where the owners forgot to lock the doors. You should make a habit of double checking all the doors before you leave your home. And if you are sure you will be away for a few days, you should make a point of notifying your neighbors so that they can keep an eye on your home. You should exchange phone numbers with your neighbors so they can alert you when they notice strange walking around your home.

4. Dispose Gadget Boxes Wisely

When you buy expensive items, you should be very smart when disposing the boxes that were used to package them. If possible, you should burn such boxes instead of putting them in your trash bin. This is because criminals can know the things you have bought recently by just inspecting the contents of your trash bin.

5. Don’t Show Off

When you are on vacation, it’s obvious that you will take some nice photos of the places you have visited. However, sharing those pictures and videos on social networks is a huge mistake. This is because you never know who is stalking on you. Though you may not believe it, thieves are usually guided into your home by a person that knows you very well. This is because thieves don’t go to homes that they are not informed about. When you share your pictures on Facebook and Twitter, you are simply telling thieves that they can get anything they have ever wanted from your home because you are not around.

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There is no room in the house quite like the kitchen. As soon as you enter, you are immediately hit with either an abundance of aromas or the overwhelming thought of being able to start a brand new culinary adventure yourself. However, you can’t enjoy the kitchen and all it has to offer without a proper kitchen design. You see, an efficient kitchen design is important because it allows the work process within the kitchen to have an appropriate flow. Kitchen design brings utility and functionality to your home’s kitchen, and we have a couple of suggestions for you. Here are some great kitchen design ideas that have proven to be great for the many people that have tried them.

The work triangle

This is one of the most important kitchen designs out there, and there’s a reason behind it.  When it comes to sheer functionality, the working triangle is among the top because it is very simple to implement and yet yields very impressive results. The concept of this layout is to imagine a triangle which has its three angles anchored in the middle of the cooktop, the fridge, and the sink. These are considered to be the three main focal points of a good kitchen layout, and as a result, you need to focus building your kitchen around them, as part of the work triangle layout.

L-Shaped

An L-Shaped kitchen implies that you use two walls to create your kitchen layout. You use a wall, and then the connecting wall next to it to form more kitchen counter space. Here, you get to play around a bit with what goes where, but it’s still important that you respect the working triangle rule and position your three main items to maintain the triangle. Some people don’t enjoy feeling cramped or surrounded, and the L-Shaped layout can help with that since it offers an entire wall area free of appliances. You can even use this space to provide more utility to your kitchen and make it a great place to hang out as well, not just for dinners and cooking.

U-Shaped

While the L-Shaped kitchen uses two walls for its design, the U-Shaped wall uses three walls. You get a wall filled with kitchen goodies on each wall as you walk into the kitchen. The main thing to remember here is that this design allows you to have one of the three major items on each wall so that you can create a perfect triangle. In smaller spaces it can feel quite cozy, not to mention that you would have most of the things you need close to you. If you were to implement this design in a large area, you could even incorporate a small island.

Designing a kitchen can be hard work, but one of the best things about being able to choose between these different layouts is the fact that you can also implement more design variety when you get to working with kitchen worktops designs.

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Picking trims for a home renovation project, like skirting board, architraves (to surround your doors) and dado rails may seem like a small inconsequential detail in the grand scheme of a renovation. However, combined together, it is lots of small details which build up the character and authenticity of a building. When it comes to choosing mouldings, lots of DIYers (and contractors alike, actually) find themselves quite surprised with the amount of choice available today.

This article will help narrow down the type of moulding which may suit your home.

Choosing Sizes

As a general rule of thumb period (Georgian, Victorian, Colonial) properties always tended to have higher skirting boards (6”/150mm upwards) and wider architrave (4”/100mm upwards) than those typically found today. From a design perspective the larger mouldings did two things. They firstly tied in with the elaborate design of buildings in those eras by adding an additional layer of ornate decoration, but they also allowed the room to look visually proportionate, since ceiling heights used to be far higher than what we are now used to. Practically, the larger skirting boards served to the walls of the building from damage often caused the tall boots which were typically worn.

Today however the majority of contemporary building designs have far lower ceilings and are more minimalistic with detailing. Therefore current trends tend to focus on skirting boards from 3”/70mm to 6”/150mm and architrave typically 3”/69mm wide.

Choosing a design

As touched on above, traditional period properties were lavish with decoration, therefore a moulding featuring a high amount of elaborate detail should tie in with period properties. Be aware of how big the shape is going to be on the board – you don’t want to end up with a tall skirting board featuring a small bit of detail running across the top. Most look to achieve a shape that is proportionate to the board size.

In contrast contemporary properties with standard ceiling heights can use smaller shapes, as this will be proportionate to the board, but can still make use of large shapes to create a standout feature of the mouldings. In terms of style contemporary builds tend to be more simplistic therefore a plainer design can be more appropriate – especially for the super modern. Grooved designs also tend to be popular among contemporary building owners.

Mixing

Although above lays out some general guidelines they are by no means rules, and fantastic results can be achieved by contradicting them e.g. using a large decorative moulding in a contemporary building. What it really comes down to is deciding a theme for the interior and applying it to your moulding selection process while bearing in mind the above guide points.

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Your windows are one part of your home where you can readily see just how dirty its state is. It does not take much to dirty a window. From the dust and dirt floating around your home, to the handprints of your kids or kids of your guests, or even nose prints of your pets, they can all cause your windows to look soiled and not as pristine as you would like them to be. Not many people love the idea of cleaning their windows, with all the spraying of the cleaning solution, having to use a ladder to clean the hard to reach areas of your window. But it does not have to be that hard. Check out the 5 tips below on how you should clean your windows.

1. Have a regular cleaning schedule – even if window cleaning may be tiring or time-consuming for you, it’s important that you have a regular cleaning schedule. Note that it does not have to be every day. But putting it off will just leave your windows very dirty and when the sun gets too hot, the dirt might be harder to remove.

2. Clean the windows on a cloudy day – you might think that it’s better to clean the windows on a sunny day. While it is true that the bright sun will cause you to see all the dirt and smudges over your windows, making it easier for you to clean them, the downside is that the bright sun can cause the windows to dry very fast. That will cause streaks to be left on the glass, and your time spent cleaning will just be wasted.

3. Use the right cleaning materials – make sure to invest in the right cleaning materials if you want your windows to have that professional finish. Some of those materials will not cost you a lot of money. You only need a squeegee, sponge, bucket, some microfiber cloth, and a cleaning solution to get you started. Don’t forget to stock on a newspaper as they can help in drying your windows.

4. Experiment with making your own cleaning solution – while there are ready-made cleaning solutions available in hardware stores, you can actually make your own cleaning solution. This way, you know what exactly goes into the solution and there is less health risk, which is important if you have children in your home. Many homeowners swear by the vinegar solution, claiming that it’s very effective in cleaning their windows.  Just research on how you can eliminate the odor so that your windows will look clean and smell fresh too. 

5. Hire the services of professionals – if you are a busy person and you admit that you do not have the time nor the patience to regularly clean your windows, it’s better that you hire the services of professionals. These experts not only have the experience to clean windows, meaning they can do the job a lot faster than you, they also have access to equipment and tools to ensure that the job will be done efficiently. Check out http://www.quakepropertyservices.com.au/window-cleaning/ for any window cleaning service your home might need.

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We don’t want to discount Thanksgiving here, but Christmas gets closer with each passing day, and it’s almost time to start decorating (if you haven’t already done so.) There are literally endless ways to decorate your home for the holidays, which can make those of us who are super indecisive stress out hard. If you’re looking for some simple ways to decorate your home this holiday season, look no further. Clint Cook, a home builder in Jackson, Wyoming, has compiled this list of simple holiday decorations that can go with any home’s interior. No matter what the color scheme or style of your home is, these decorations are so versatile that they’ll go with any home.

Candles

Candlelight really adds a homely and cozy ambiance that makes it feel like Christmas. You can find candles with scents like fresh pine, pumpkin pie spice, or cinnamon to really set the tone for the holiday feels. Red and white candles go well with just about any home’s style. You can dress them up in a glass vase, place them in a centerpiece with fresh (or faux) pine branches, or place them in some cute mason jars on your fireplace mantle.

Pinecones

Do you just have to have those cinnamon scented pinecones in your home every year? The incorporate them into your decorating. Pinecones are the perfect touch for rustic holiday decorations. You can make it as simple as placing the scented pinecones into a vase or decorative bowl. You can use them in your candle centerpiece or as accent pieces among candles and pine branches on your shelves or mantle. You can even use them as a rustic touch to your present wrapping. Pick up scented, or non-scented, pinecones at your local craft store and get creative with them.

White and Gold

White and gold are about as versatile as it gets. You can use them with almost any color scheme you have in your home, and can even add other colors like blue or red to add some accents. Find or make Christmas decorations in these colors – ornaments, lights, garland, candles, lettering. The possibilities are endless. Place some cute white and gold holiday pillows on your couch, string gold garland in your tree and from your mantle. Let your imagination run wild.

There are so many more options out there beyond snowmen and Santas to decorate your home. Pinterest is a great resource for finding unique ways of decorating that fit within your home’s style.

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Building your very own dream house is an exciting and at the same time, very challenging adventure especially if you’re new to it. Building a customized house can take six months or even longer if you have very specific details you want to incorporate and the house requires materials that are not readily available. Whether you are starting a family, building a house for your parents or a creating a place to spend holidays, it is no surprise that the process is long, can be expensive and will require a lot of planning and making smart decisions. For this, here are the top four tips for building a custom house.

1.  Think About the Perfect House for the Perfect Location

First on the list is the location. You want to build a house suitable for the neighborhood, the establishments around you and the environment in general. For instance, if you want to build a house made of bricks, you must think very carefully whether a tropical place is a right environment. On one hand, you might want to reconsider building a bungalow in a town where the weather is always cold.

2.  Hire the Right People

Building a house requires expertise not just in design but also in carpentry, architecture, plumbing and much more. Unless you are all of these, you need help from the expert builders. Hiring the right people is very important to make your dream house a reality. You need to find people who are trustworthy, dependable and knowledgeable. Do your research first and ask around the neighborhood about their recommendations. A great builder also knows where to find the best materials, tools, and equipment to construct your house that will guarantee value for money. Rental services like Rent1 Heavy Equipment Rental has some of the trusted heavy equipment and machines good for excavations, loading of sand and gravel, digging trenches and clearing debris post-construction.

3.  Think About the Overall Design of Your Home

You don’t want to finish building a house without thinking about the placements and installation of furniture and appliances first. Decisions like where to put your dining table, which side the bed is facing, how big or small the sofa should be are just some of the things you have to work in your furniture layout. You can ask your architect or work with an interior designer about how each and every corner of your house should be laid out. This will save you time and money by purchasing only the appliances and furniture that will fit your home.

4.  Be Prepared to Change Your Mind

You can plan way in advance, hire the right people, create a house layout and still experience moments of indecisiveness during the process. This is not something that you should be worried about. There is a difference between a plan and a reality and the truth is, there will probably be a few things that you want to eliminate or add. Perhaps, your initial tile idea for the floor proves to be a mismatch for the Victorian windows and stairs. Maybe altering the size of your bedroom windows can help get more light in.

Building a house is a project with an end goal but it is also a worthwhile experience. So, don’t forget to have fun with it.

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Living in an old home means that it asks for maintenance or repair after every couple of years. Here at Total Home Windows and Doors, owners are rest assured that new windows maximize comfort and allow inhabitants to live a healthy and relaxing life. Sometimes, windows need replacement because they are not in a condition to work any longer and repairing would be just a waste of money as well as efforts. What people usually do not realize is the fact that window replacement is a significant investment and so, they have to invest some time and do research before making a decision.

Homes are usually the place where people have gathered a lot of memories and captured some lifelong moments that spread happiness whenever they are remembered. Since the living space is responsible to keep everyone together and united, why not give it some attention? Why is it always ignored? Just keep in mind that it is responsible to keep everyone in comfort and ease.

Considering its performance and function, homeowners usually encounter a lot of problems apart from damaged windows. They may have to deal with rising energy bills, decreased insulation, warping, rotting etc. The thing to keep in mind is that window replacement is usually the most appropriate option because it resolves all types of problems and leave owner with satisfaction that things would work in the way they want. Frankly speaking, nothing would work properly if windows are not in good condition. Would be wondering why? Well, it’s because of the fact that windows are the primary components in home’s overall efficiency and doors, even, depend upon how they work. It is, therefore, necessary that homeowners keep track of the symptoms in the existing windows. Let’s know some of them:

• Condensation: Condensation is usually formed between the window panes that cause damages in the seals, thus causing heat/energy loss. This problem usually leads to rising consumption expenses that can only be solved with superior insulation.
• Hard to Operate: As the components get older, it’s quite hard to open or close them. Since there is a lot of friction due to humid climate and swelled windows, Total Home suggests to go for window replacement right away.
• Draftiness: Air usually finds its way into the home and disturbs internal temperature. During winter, damp and cold air causes discomfort and influence inhabitants to keep on changing thermostat’s setting to create an ideal environment. The reason behind is that the components have broken/damaged seals that need to be replaced right away.

After finding out the reason of window replacement, the only thing is to come up with the best possible alternative and hiring a professional installer who has professional skills as well as equipment to handle any kind of project. If needed, Total Home is available 24/7 for assistance. Homeowners just have to approach them and ask for help.

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The furnace is your ultimate companion during winter. This is because it keeps the entire house warm and can protect you from the freezing cold. On the other hand, the furnace is like any other machine – it can break down when you need it the most. Such malfunctions can be kept at bay by investing in preventive maintenance and regular repair. This is because faulty parts can be noticed in advance. In fact, preventative maintenance will cost you less money than buying a new furnace. Besides that, you should never attempt to do these repairs on your own because you might tamper with some parts and cause the entire unit to stop functioning. It’s therefore recommended that you make arrangements with a reliable HVAC technician to maintain the furnace on a regular basis. Here are some reasons as to why routine maintenance should not be ignored.

1. Extends Furnace Lifespan

Even if your furnace is functioning normally, it should be checked regularly by a technician. This is because furnace malfunctions are caused by damages that start gradually. You should not wait for the furnace to stop functioning to have it repaired. This is because resurrecting a dead furnace might give you a run for your money. And there is no guarantee that it will start running like a brand new. A furnace that’s repaired regularly can last for many years without requiring a replacement.

Routine maintenance is actually very affordable. This is due to the fact that the technician will only examine parts such as the belt, combustion chamber, vent, burner flame, blower wheel, filters and oil.  A simple task such as wiping out the accumulated dust in the combustion chamber can help in preventing poor lubrication in the moving parts. Moreover, examining the furnace for traces of carbon monoxide can help in early detection of leakages. 

2. Low Monthly Bills 

A faulty furnace will cause your monthly expenses to go on rampage. It’s very irritating to be slapped with a fat heat utility bill. This is because a furnace that’s not functioning well consumes a lot of energy. For instance, if there is dust build up in the filter, the furnace will require more energy to draw in fresh air from its surroundings.

This will later translate into a higher monthly bill. Such a problem can be avoided by cleaning the filters frequently. Similarly, if the moving parts are not lubricated with oil, the furnace will require more energy due to more friction. Besides that, you could lose the warranty of the furnace that’s provided by the manufacturer. There are actually some furnace manufacturers that will refuse to cover your appliance unless there is enough evidence that it has been maintained by certified technician such as Denver furnace repair.

3. Keeps You in Good Health

A furnace that’s not functioning well reduces your chances of staying healthy. For a start, a faulty furnace will produce carbon monoxide that will eventually be emitted into the air. When the air in your home is contaminated by carbon and other impurities, you become vulnerable to respiratory diseases. This means you will be spending more money on your medication. Such expenses can be avoided by ensuring that the furnace is maintained frequently.

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In order to keep things around the house running smoothly through the winter and well into spring, there’s always winter preparation that needs to be done – for the lawn, the house, the car, and even your driveway. Don’t wait to make your winter preparations until it’s too late.

Some professionals in the asphalt repair business have put together this list of ways to help you prepare your asphalt driveway for the winter snow.

Clean up

Clear your driveway of any debris, like rocks, branches, leaves, pinecones, etc. This will ensure easier snow removal and will reveal any cracks or potholes that need to be repaired. Cleaning up your driveway will also prevent large pieces of debris from freezing and damaging the surface of your asphalt. You can use a broom or leaf blower for quick removal of small debris.

Repair

Now is the time to make any last-minute repairs to your asphalt driveway before winter really hits hard. Fill any potholes to prevent the chance of them filling with snow or ice and getting even larger. Likewise, fill any cracks in the pavement to prevent water from seeping in and expanding when it freezes. You can also seal coat your driveway to protect it from harsh weather conditions.

Stock up

Stock up on any necessary items you might need for snow and ice removal before the snow hits. Pick up a good shovel, deicing salt, and make sure your snow blower is ready to go. If you have a large driveway, you might even want to consider professional snow removal services.

Do yourself a favor now and start preparing your driveway before winter arrives and it’s too late. It’s much easier to clean up now and make small repairs than it will be to make large structural repairs in the spring.

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Any major renovation can cost a lot of money, even in small spaces like the bathroom. It might not be as big as a bedroom, but it can still require you to spend. There are tips and tricks that you can employ if you want to save on certain aspects of a bathroom renovation.

But know that there are also some things that you should not sacrifice. You want to make sure that your bathroom not only looks good but also functions well. When planning the renovation of your bathroom, while you can skimp on some areas, the four things listed below should always be a priority on there you should spend your money on.

1. Tiles – you might think the tile is not a luxury to splurge on when it comes to bathroom renovation, but if you want to set a tone for the room, you can do that with your choice of tiles. What most homeowners would do is to paint over their old tiles, which is still plausible when you have a really tight budget. But if you have the money to spare, don’t hesitate to buy new designs. If you don’t want to spend a lot of money but still want new tiles, then splurge on the accent tiles you will be using instead of all the tiles in the bathroom. A few distinct tiles here and there can still create a dramatic effect to the end result of your bathroom renovation.
2. Toilet – the number one priority of the bathroom is to function well, and the equipment that needs to function well is the toilet and showers respectively. Even if you have beautiful interiors, with your tiles coming from the very best Italian artists, but if your toilet does not function well, then the bathroom is useless. Invest in a quality toilet, one that will last you for years. There are so many varieties available in the market today, and some even employ advanced technology like sensors and heated seats. Do your research and look for brands that are known for their durability, but also make sure that whatever you choose will fit in with your design aesthetic.
3. Shower – while most people know that showering is a necessary daily habit everyone does, it does not mean that it can’t feel relaxing and luxurious. By investing in a wide shower head that gives out heavy droplets of water, you are able to relax and wash away the stress of the day. Don’t go for the cheap ones as they may not last you years.
4. Storage space and vanity unit – you also want to make sure that you have extra storage in your bathroom for all your towels and other things. Your vanity units must also be durable. You want to invest in a good material as you will be opening those drawers every day and cheap boards may not cut it. Check out some of the designs at Bathroom City vanity units. There are so many designs to choose from and you will surely be able to find one that is perfect for your home.

partnered post • cc-licensed image by Jeremy Levine