4 Dashing Ways to Upgrade Your Home's Exterior

Every home exterior looks different based on its location, climate and materials. You may see a lot of siding damage or grow tired of looking at the same design. Either way, consider these four ways to upgrade the outdoor look and function of your home.

Siding Replacement

Your home's siding is the first layer of protection against external elements. You don't have to replace it only when you find damage, but if you've had damage before, upgrade to a newer, stronger material. Natural wood is not the best material, but engineered wood, brick and aluminum are good choices. Due to the weather, the wood must be very strong to resist all forms of damage, and the metal should be designed to avoid rusting.

Window Replacement

When you look at the outside of a home, you notice the windows but never give them a second glance. There are countless designs available to replace your old windows for a unique, memorable look. In addition, a window replacement increases the amount of light and ventilation allowed into the room.

Door Renovation or Replacement

Remodel the front door by turning it into a totally different color or design. Replacing the door is recommended to change the color, material and design all at once. Improve home security by installing a stronger door with a more secure locking mechanism.

Many homeowners replace their doors with enhanced window designs like stained glass. A door window does not have to be all functional since you can change its shape, size and shape. Change any detail from the color of the glass to the types of window accessories.

Lighting Replacement

Every old home has patio lighting that is outdated, wastes a lot of electricity and burns out very easily. Many homeowners hate having to replace the bulb every few months. Today, there are LED lighting solutions that are more energy efficient and last years longer without being replaced or maintained. In addition, there are unique lighting fixtures to add as decorative elements to your front or back yard.

People have different reasons for enhancing their home exteriors. Some of them want to save energy and money by installing energy efficient lights or windows. Others want to stand from a neighborhood full of similar-looking houses. You have hundreds of different housing styles and materials to choose from. Regardless of your budget and tastes, you'll find the perfect upgrades for your home.

4 Steps to Restore Your Home from Flood Damage

Homeowners are worried about how to restore their houses to how they looked before flooding hit them. Most of the affected homeowners concentrate more on decorating the house than fixing the damages. After your house has been hit by floods it takes more than just cleaning up the water, laying a new carpet, or re-painting. The first thing you should prioritize is safety.

Flood damage house provides the perfect environment for mold to grow hence poor air quality leading to sneezing, skin rashes, running nose, and red eyes. These kinds of health conditions are caused when the post-flood restoration is not done to the very best. Whether the flood is caused by a water system malfunction, groundwater, or falling water, it is crucial to act fast and start doing repairs on your house as soon as the water is cleared out of the structure. What do you do with a flooded house inside? The first thing is, by all means, necessary you should find a way to stop the flow of water but if the water source if from outside then the best way to prevent this is by using sandbags

To conduct a professional flood and water damage restoration in a flooded house you will need to bring on board professional labor to ensure you don’t miss anything. Before gaining access to the house make sure that electricity is turned off from the main switch. Below are steps to guide you when your house is undergoing repairs.

1. Claim insurance

The homeowners who have flood insurance should contact the respective insurance company for them to send an adjuster as soon as possible. Before the adjuster arrives make sure to take photos that will be used as an inventory. After you have done taking the photos of the house both in and out, begin cleanup, drying, salvage, and restore. Cleaning the house will give the adjuster a better view of the damages caused. For the damaged items, keep them as proof of loss. When the adjuster arrives he will assess damages done to the house and later the owner will sign a proof of loss document. If you don’t have flood insurance then the homeowner’s insurance won't cover the damages but if the government declares the floods a disaster you should apply for assistance.

2. Turn Off the Gas and Electrical Services.

Before gaining access to the house it is very important to be cautious and hire a professional to check your flooded house for gas leaks and electric wires. Failure to do this may lead to further damages like getting hurt by fire or electricity which in some cases may cause death.

3. Dealing with the Interior

After the house is declared safe, take your team into the house remove all the furniture, carpet, and bedding take them out. Replace the carpets and rugs because they might be contaminated by the floodwater. In case you want to salvage the carpets then take them out and spread them out, have them cleaned professionally using carpet shampoo, and later rinsing them with a solution consisting of 2 tablespoons of chlorine lead mixed with 1 gallon of water. If you own a wool carpet do not use bleach. After cleaning make sure to dry the carpet to avoid it getting damp after installation.

4. Check the Walls

To prevent mold, prolonged structure delay, and odor all walls should be opened even if they look undamaged. Drain all the water from the structure. When washing the walls use a phosphate-free cleaner of disinfectant starting from the top going down. Dry well after cleaning if possible use a fan, heater, air conditioner, or dehumidifier to speed the drying process.

It is very crucial to act quickly after such a disaster has affected your home to prevent further damages that might increase the cost of repair in cases where homeowners have no flood insurance. It is advised that even if you don’t live in an area that has frequent flooding disasters you should get flood insurance. If left unattended a flood-damaged house will be a new breeding ground for pests and diseases making it hazardous.

How To Create a Minimalist Living Space

The goal of minimalism is to live simply by owning less and not having unnecessary expenses — debt included. The focus is shifted from owning physical items to having and creating experiences. While this looks different for everyone, the result is typically the same: greater peace.

There many benefits to minimalist living including alleviating depression, increased energy and focus, and reducing overwhelm and mental load. This is because the clutter around your space can start to clutter your mind as well. 

With so much talk about minimalism and its benefits, it can be hard not to want to take a step down that road. And while getting started can be difficult, knowing specific things you can do makes the process less daunting. To get you started, check out a few of these minimalist living tips.

1. Get Rid of Anything Unnecessary

The first thing you want to do is declutter your space. Getting rid of anything that isn’t serving a purpose will lead you to a more minimalist lifestyle. This can be difficult at times, especially for those things with some form of sentimental value. Ask yourself these questions when deciding whether to get rid of something: 

• Is it serving a purpose? 

• Do I have duplicates of this item?

• Does it bring me joy? 

• Does it tug at my heartstrings? 

Some people hold more sentiment to things than others. Having a friend there to support you as you make these decisions can prevent you from holding on to items you don’t need, thus halting your progress.

2.Clear Your Surfaces

A quick way to make your home feel more minimal is to rid surfaces of knick-knacks and other clutter. We’re all guilty of collecting random items at times, but removing them from surfaces like kitchen counters, coffee tables, and nightstands can help make your home feel clean and simple. 

3.Use Simple Decor

Choosing decorations can be difficult, especially if you’re unsure what style you like. With minimalist living, this becomes much easier. Stick to a few pictures hung on the wall — consider going frameless to complement your minimalist style — and maybe a few plants to add life to your space. 

4.Stick To a Color Palette

By keeping the colors you use simple and mostly neutral, you’ll ensure things look coordinated and clean. Painting your rental properties with white or light grey paint gives yourself freedom to decorate with one or two other complementing colors like blue or green, without clashing with the wall colors.

5. Make Everything Dual-Purpose

When you strive to live with the least amount of things possible, it becomes necessary to maximize what you do own. It’s important to focus on dual-purpose items: making the most of what you already have while only making purchases that will serve more than one purpose will help you stay on track. Even things that may seem simple can make a big difference. Building cubbies in closets or adding built-in shelves in small hard-to-use spaces are just a few examples.

Creating a minimalist living space can provide a calm, peaceful environment to come home to or work in. For more ways to create a minimalist living space, check out this guide from TurboTenant so you can achieve the clutterless lifestyle you’ve been looking for.

How to Start Preparing Your Deck for Outdoor Entertaining

Spring is almost here, which means those summertime barbecues, bonfires, and cocktail parties are only a few months away. With the warmer weather so rapidly approaching, it’s time to get your deck into summertime shape. That means taking care of all the little projects that will make it easier to host guests in your outdoor space. Here’s what you need to accomplish to get your deck ready for entertaining this summer.

Power Wash All Surfaces

The base of your deck, any wooden railings, and the steps down to your yard have probably acquired a nasty layer of grime during the fall and winter. This brownish, greenish scuzz might hardly be noticeable at first, but it seriously takes away from your deck’s appearance. Unless you want to spend weeks scrubbing on your hands and knees, a power washer is the only way to solve this problem. With a purchased, borrowed, or rented machine, you should have your deck sparkling in a single afternoon.

Install Lights

Sometimes, afternoon parties are so much fun that they last right on into the night. This can get awkward if your guests are left in near-total darkness. Instead of relying on candles or hastily-strewn holiday lights, consider installing fixtures that will permanently illuminate your deck. You could even opt for modern solar models that help the environment while lowering your bills.

Get Your Grill Ready

Nothing enlivens a summer party like the sizzling sound of the grill and the aroma of meat wafting among the crowds. If you really want your guests to enjoy your deck, you’ll need an operable grill that can keep the burgers coming. Your grill is probably a little worse for wear after months of disuse, so give it a good cleaning before summer. You should also check your propane levels if you’re using gas, or stock up on charcoal if you’ve got an old-fashioned grill.

Add Some Aesthetic Embellishments

Once your deck is completely clean and the practical concerns have been taken care of, you can consider some aesthetic upgrades that will give your outdoor space extra flair. Wind chimes and statues should be available in local stores, while you can find a glass baluster deck railing online.

Getting your deck ready for guests is a simple matter of making a plan and sticking to it. Consider adding the projects listed above to your to-do list. Your future guests are sure to appreciate your efforts.