Home improvement chores help us to keep our properties safe, cleanly and looking beautiful. When you’re looking to give your home a bit of TLC, it can be tricky to know where to begin. To get you off to a nice start, check out these ten chores and tips.
Check doors and windows
Inspect your doors and windows for signs of wear and tear, including gaps and drafty spots. Seal gaps using caulk, or where gaps are too large, replace the frames. Drafty windows and doors result in increased heating bills and wasted energy. When you are looking to replace your windows, triple glazed windows are the most energy-efficient option. These windows are also durable and help to improve the security of your home.
Clean your air conditioning unit
If you have an air conditioning unit, you should clean out the filter every 2-3 weeks at least. You can use the smaller nozzle of your vacuum, or take a cloth of warm water and regular dish soap. After a few years of use, you may notice signs that your air conditioner needs replacing, for example, you might see signs of moisture or leaks around the system. You might also hear unusual sounds coming from the unit or experience high humidity levels, despite the unit being turned on.
Clean out your drains
It’s advisable to clean out the drains in your home at least once a month; this will keep your drains fresh and help you to avoid any foul smells around the home. To clean out your drains, you can use a combination of baking soda, white vinegar and hot water. First, pour approximately half a cup of vinegar and half a cup of baking soda into the drain. Next, plug your drain and leave for around twenty minutes. Once twenty minutes has passed, you can pour a kettle full of hot water into the drain.
Check your boiler
If your boiler needs to be replaced, you may notice that it drips or leaks. You may also find that your taps do not always produce hot water as they should. Perhaps your boiler is making unusual noises? Or maybe you’ve noticed that the pilot light is out? Both of these are also signs that you may need your boiler repaired or replaced. It’s not a good idea to attempt to carry out any work on your boiler yourself. Problems may worsen if left unattended so you should get a new boiler quote as soon as you can.
Simple paint job
One of the easiest ways to improve your home is to give your rooms a fresh coat of paint every few months. In 2020, eco-paints are all the rage. These paints are made from ingredients like clay, milk protein and botanical extracts. Brands such as Bioshield and Earth Pigments have a wide range of beautiful shades on offer.
Test your alarms
You should aim to test your carbon monoxide alarms and smoke alarms at least once every month. If you find that your smoke alarm is over sensitive, and goes off frequently, this is an indication that your alarm needs to be replaced. To test your carbon monoxide detector, you can use the test button to ensure that the alarm is still active. You can also buy test kits which come with a canister of CO.
Inspect the roof
Your roof is just about the most important part of your property, and so you should aim to inspect your roof around every three months. Look for shingles that are broken or curling. Replace these yourself, or call in a roofing contractor if you are unable to do this safely. In most cases, you should be able to replace the broken parts of your roof individually. However, if your roof has incurred too much wear and tear, it might be that you need a whole roof replacement.
Depending on your roof type, in some instances – for example where a shed or garage roof is damaged, you may want to look at using something like polycarbonate sheets as they are strong and affordable.
Clean your driveway and fences
There’s nothing worse for your curb appeal than an unsightly fence and driveway! Summer is the ideal time to get outside and give everything good spruce up. If you have a pressure washer, this is the most effective way to clean up the exteriors of your home. You can use soapy water, baking soda and vinegar, or a green cleaner of your choice. Once you’ve cleaned your fence, apply a stain to protect the wood and keep your fence in great condition.
Tidy up your garden
If your gardens are looking a little overgrown, it’s time to get rid of the weeds, mow the lawn and plant some new flowers. During the summer months, planting some buddleja and red valerian will help you to attract plenty of butterflies to your garden. To keep pests from eating your lovely plants try sprinkling some diatomaceous earth on your lawn.
Home improvement apps
To help you improve your home even further, there are plenty of handy home improvement apps which offer great advice. Let’s take a look at some of the best ones:
DIY Tip Genius: This application is an excellent resource for DIY tips, whether it’s remodelling, painting or taking care of your lawn. DIY Tip Genius was designed by the creators of ‘Family Handyman Magazine’. Home improvement projects can be good fun if you’ve got a plan, and this app can help you to tackle your next projects with confidence.
iHandy Carpenter: The iHandy Carpenter app offers five handy measuring tools
including a ruler, a bubble level bar, a protractor, a surface level and a plumb bob. When it comes to your next DIY job, you’ll be sure to get perfectly accurate measurements.
Photo Measures: The photo measures app allows you to take photographs of a room, log the measurements and save the info. You can use these photos to help you when you’re shopping around for furniture and accessories.
Spotless: Spotless is a cleaning based app, helping you to keep your rooms sparkling and free from clutter. Users can create task lists for different rooms and create deadlines to stay on top of the chores.
Tody: Another cleaning favourite, the Tody app makes it simple to organise your cleaning tasks, set notifications and even claim cleaning credits!
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© Copyright 2020 Antonia, All rights Reserved. Written For: Tidylife
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