Guest Post - The Best Home Projects to Begin in the Summer

Depending on your home’s location, the summer may be an ideal time to get involved in outdoor activities. On the other hand, dangerously high temperatures leave southern residents housebound. Each region of the world has its summer renovation perks.

You may begin to evaluate some portions of your property that need sprucing up. Performing summertime home improvements can increase the value of your home, increase its efficiency, and elevate residential comfort.

Decorate Your Patio

Last summer, the government persuaded individuals to bring their gatherings outdoors. The uncertainty of this season’s recommendations leads society to upgrade backyard hosting regions just in case. If you live in northern areas, patio upgrades can open a world of opportunities for summertime fun.

Homeowners can transform unused patios into the ultimate lounge space. Hanging up sheer curtains can add a level of privacy while increasing the deck’s aesthetic appeal. Residents may also add outdoor chandeliers and string lights, adding versatility to the region.

You can host morning brunches or evening cocktail hours in your illuminated space. Including an outdoor rug, couches, and floor seats may create an inviting atmosphere. If you value social time, this is the optimal summer project for you.

Replace Your Roof

The fall and winter present challenging weather patterns that place wear on a home. High hurricane winds, fallen branches, rain, hail, and snow can cause significant damage to roofs. Repairing leaks and displaced shingles can offer temporary relief.

Over time, the cost of small patch-ups adds up, and your roof’s security drops. The summer is a good time to replace your roof to protect your house and your wallet. Longer days and moderate temperatures allow professionals to complete this project quickly and effectively.

Install Smart Devices

In warmer regions, high summer temperatures increase residents’ utility bills. You can limit your home’s energy use and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by installing smart appliances.

Smart thermostats may significantly reduce one’s electricity costs by maintaining an energy-efficient home temperature. The system turns off and on depending on the occupancy of a house. Smart shades also reduce electricity costs by automatically shielding your home from excessive sun exposure in the summer.

Renovate Your Basement

Many homeowners use their basement as a residential storage unit. As outdoor temperatures rise, the warm air in your home expands. The air becomes less dense and travels upwards, increasing the temperature of your attic and cooling your basement.

You can conserve your air conditioning energy by creating a basement den. Consider adding a wall or shelving unit to divide the room into storage and living space. Homeowners may add a little paint, furniture, lighting, and entertainment devices to transform their basement completely.

Where to Start?

Whether you are replacing your roof or adding fresh paint, it may help to consult a professional first. You may feel ambitious and wish to start your home improvements right away, but remember that Rome wasn’t built in a day. It’s essential to optimize your summer projects to ensure their longevity and your satisfaction.

Author bio: Rose Morrison is the managing editor of Renovated, where she offers advice on home renovation, maintenance, and organization.

4 Signs Rodents Have Started Living in Your Home During the Winter

Now that you're ready for Spring cleaning, this is a great time to look for evidence of mice or other rodents having moved into your home over the winter. While they are often nocturnal and more likely to be seen at night, here are some signs to look for that may indicate the presence of these pests.

Mouse Tracks

Rodents tend to creep along the walls and drawer edges as they move around your home. You can usually find mouse tracks, which is their fecal droppings, when they are in the area. You've probably seen them, but if not, they look like small, dark pellets or seeds about a quarter inch in length. Don't handle them directly, as they are germy, but clean them out with tissue or a cloth and then sanitize the area.

Unusual Openings

Inspect the outside of your home or small openings that should not be there. Cracks in the concrete foundation or small torn spots in the siding may provide an entrance for pests. Look in the basement and attic or cracks or damage in the walls that may reveal an opening from the outside. Check the baseboards in your house as well as the floors of closets and cupboards, which is where rodents prefer to nest.

Nesting

You may find signs of rodent nesting in stacks of newspapers or magazines that are mostly undisturbed. Mice also look for dark corners in cupboards where the shelf liner can be scratched loose to make a nest. You can even find them in dresser drawers where old books or pictures are loosely stored. Shredded paper, cardboard, and similar substances could mean that rodents are your new boarders, and they may be having a family!

Burrowing Sounds

Although less common, you might hear the faint sounds of rodents in your house, especially at night. Sometimes they enter through a hole in the roof, so you could even hear them scratching around in the ceiling or walls. Coming down through the chimney is another common entryway, so keep the flue closed. But even if you don't hear them, they might be getting comfortable in your home. If you are not sure, call mice removal experts to evaluate the signs you have noticed and eliminate the rodents from your house.

No one wants to share their home with pesky creatures from outdoors. Look for evidence they have invaded your property and take steps to remove them before they multiply.

How to Utilize Your Garage as an Organized Storage Solution

For most people their cars are an expensive investment that needs to be taken care of well, therefore a well-built garage is a must-have for almost everyone. The garage can be used for a lot more than just housing your car, with proper technique and organization you can use your garage as an organized storage solution. There are a few steps that can help you organize and plan your garage; the first step is setting aside a day for the cleaning and repair of the garage. Set aside three zones on the day of your cleaning. The pile to be kept, the sell or donate pile, and then get rid of piles that should also contain all expired chemicals that require special disposal and broken beyond repair household items and toys.

Draw a Floor Plan for Your Garage

The second stage is to draw a plan for your garage; take down measurements of your garage, pay attention to switches, space your car takes, windows and doors. Then the plan should follow the criteria; heavy items put on the corner to avoid people tripping on them. Things used together should also be stored together for ease of access. Everyday items like bikes should always be closer to exits, this is to make it easy to access them and finally seasonal items should be kept at the furthest points as they are rarely required.

Garage Storage Solutions

You should then research garage storage solutions, things that will help you organize your space. You can also customize your garage storage equipment; this would make it feel like part of the house and also help organize your space by fitting into tight spaces. It is also important to consult a professional to help you plan and organize the garage. Get storage bins that can be stacked on top of each other to conserve space, also lockable storage to store chemicals safely. Add open shelves and vertical storage to help with organization.

Store the Sorted Piles

The final stage after the planning and installation of the shelves is the packaging of the items from the keep pile. The packaging should be orderly and according to usage, with items used for the same purpose packaged together. The packaging bins should be stacked together to conserve space.

The garage is a space when properly organized can help you store a lot of the extra stuff you have laying around that you don't want to lose.

Safety Updates to Make When Moving Into a New Home

When settling into a new living place, you want to not only feel safe there but actually be safe. There is danger from intruders and fires in every home, and there are other dangers that a person should protect against, as well. If you are moving into a new home, you should take steps to stay safe. The following are a few precautions to take. 

Invest in Security Features

Most people have been told that it is important for them to change out the locks when they move into a new home, but it can be all the smarter to invest in security doors and have those installed in a home. Special doors can keep a family safe while they are inside their home. A person should also invest in other security features, such as cameras and video doorbells. The more security features that one sets up, the more relaxed they are going to feel both when they are inside their home and when they are away from the place. While you are changing the doors of your new home, consider having special locks installed. Something with a keypad feature will make it even more secure. 

Invest in Monitors and Alarms

There are things that can get into the air in a home that can make things turn dangerous quickly. Carbon monoxide monitors can help a person be alerted if the air in their home is no longer safe for breathing. There are smart monitors available today that make it easy for a person to keep an eye on the air in their home. You should invest in new fire alarms for your new home, as well as smart carbon monoxide monitors.

Invest in an Air Purification System

Even when there is not carbon monoxide in the air, breathing certain pollutants in a home can be dangerous to a person's lungs and body. In order to make a home as safe as possible, one should purchase an air purification system and have that installed. This will take care of the dust, smoke, and germs that are in the air. This will also help with the smell of the air, and it will help you feel comfortable in your new home. An air purification system can be set up to clean the air in the entire home.

When a person makes certain safety updates to the home that they are moving into, they can make that home feel safe and comfortable. Some of a person's stress will go away when they focus on making their home safe.