Best Ways to Protect Your Patio or Deck From Summer Heat

Is sitting at the deck or patio, enjoying the fresh air and pleasant sun rays, your favorite thing to do? Then you will definitely want to have proper protection that will keep you away from heat waves, unbearable high temperatures in summer and UV radiation. That way, you can enjoy nice weather to the fullest. Here is how to organize your patio or deck, protect it from the sun in the most effective and stylish way, extend the use of your outdoor space and get that magazine look your house deserves.

Install Massive and White Sun Umbrellas

If you need a quick solution that will serve you for a couple of days, eventually weeks, then installing massive, white sun umbrellas on your patio can be an acceptable solution. It will give you some shade and protect you from direct exposure to the sun. However, the feeling of high temperature will still exist since there is no possibility to install overhead fans.

Sail Awnings and Canopies

When you want to cover some larger area in your garden, or you want to create a detached area from the house for the afternoon rest, you need to consider installing sail awnings and canopies. Sail awnings are especially popular in exterior design since they are pretty affordable and they give this beachy, boho vibe to any backyard. Still, have in mind that both sail awnings and canopies are very demanding since they require frequent changes of the canvas and are very hard (almost impossible) to clean, meaning they are not so durable.

Wooden Pergolas

Wooden pergolas are another way to protect your patio, deck or porch from the sun. They are always trendy, and in the last couple of years, the design of wooden pergolas has become astonishing. These constructions are usually made of wood and canvas, so when speaking of maintenance and longevity, be prepared to dedicate some time each year to prepare it for a new season. Varnishing the wood and changing the canvas is something you’ll be required to do regularly. Although effective in the summer, because of a possibility to install overhead fans, they are definitely not a good solution for bad weather as they can get moldy. So, if you strive for a more resistant and durable way to protect your outdoor space, check some other options.

Retractable Roofs

If you’re looking for a long-term solution that is easy to maintain and highly resistible, constructing a retractable roof is the right key for you. Retractable roof systems resist the heat or bad weather - they are entirely waterproof, absorb the UV rays, and yet allow 18% light to pass through. Moreover, they add this special stylish look to your house, providing it to look good even during the night since there is a possibility to install dimmable LED lights.

Retractable roofs can cover larger areas up to 1000 square feet. Making an open kitchen or outdoor space for dining is quite possible to perform. They are fully customizable, so you can match them to your home’s exterior design. Another benefit is they also have this built-in guttering system, which gives them an additional advantage of effortless maintenance, and moreover, they are super easy to clean. So, easy maintenance, a few years active warranty against UV and mold, longevity and complete protection from UV rays are benefits that no other solution will provide.

Ready To Enjoy Your Patio or Deck All Year Around?

Having a possibility to enjoy your outdoor space all year round, without fear that some of the solutions you’ve chosen for your patio or deck will be damaged during the bad weather conditions, is one of the greatest advantages you can provide for your home. Not only will it be the most elegant and design-effective option for your home exterior, but it will also increase the value of your property. Having such a durable solution will also impact the quality of spending your free time outdoors since heat waves will not be a limiting factor anymore.

What To Know Before Starting House Flipping

Regardless of the state of the market, one thing is always true: people need homes to live in. What’s more, there’s never a shortage of homes that need attention to recoup their true value before they’re sold. As such, for those willing to do the hard work, house flipping is a lucrative and exciting business.

Unsurprisingly, just like any business, many nuances go into pulling off house flipping successfully. What to know before stating house flipping includes budgeting responsibly, financing repairs, and thoroughly understanding your local markets.

Set a Budget and Stick To It

Just like many businesses, successfully flipping homes requires close attention to finances. It’s no use to buy and sell homes—regardless of how beautiful or affordable they seem—if there’s little to no margin of profit after each sale. Each home has to fit within a strict budget based on your limited finances. What’s more, homes have to have a chance to sell higher than your initial investment.

Other times, some homes may be extremely tempting. Inexpensive price tags often disguise a slew of repair costs. Unless you’re willing to do all the work yourself, make sure to buy within your means, including potential repairs.

Decide Whether To Renovate

What to know before starting house flipping should also include a healthy awareness of the potential work ahead. Affordable homes that sell under their projected value are likely priced as such due to problems. While it’s not a good investment to purchase homes in severe disrepair, almost every house will need at least a few fix-ups.

Whether or not it's affordable to hire contractors depends heavily on the potential profit margin and state of each home. For many, you can likely expect to work on them yourself, including disposing of any debris. Luckily, these days there are many affordable and eco-friendly junk removal methods to dispose of garbage, abandoned appliances, and construction waste.

Explore Your Local Housing Market

The success of any house flipping venture starts with identifying potential prospects. Depending on where you are in the country, these prospects will vary wildly in price point, features, and condition. Even within a wide local radiance, neighborhoods and property types often vary dramatically. As such, it’s crucial to understand your local markets. Explore homes for sale in your areas and keep an eye out for changes in listings over a few months.

Chances are you’ll be able to spot homes handled by other local flippers, which will give you an idea of your competition. Figure out what people near you are looking for and the average value of homes by type and area. Once you understand these elements, it will be much easier to spot and plan for strong investments that will turn a good profit.

What You Can Do to Regain Control When Bugs Are Overrunning Your Home

It's that time of year again when insects start invading your home to take over the premises. You might find them in the kitchen or bathroom as well as in the cupboards and closets. Some like ants or flies prefer the window screens or door thresholds. Wasps and hornets may be found making nests under the porch eaves or garage roof. Watch for those water bugs in the basement. Here are some things you can do to get rid of those unwanted invasions.

Look Around Outside

Walk around your house, garage, and lawn to look for telltale signs of busy insects. You might find anthills near the house, which means they could soon be moving in when the windows are open or the door is left ajar. Sometimes they find their way indoors through cracks in the roof tiles or gaps in the foundation blocks. Make any needed repairs to keep the creatures out.

Check the Usual Indoor Areas

Examine under the sink, in the basement, and around the toilet for signs of infestation. You can often hear buzzing through the windows if flying insects are building nests near or on your house. Look in the drawers and cupboards to see if any crawling bugs have found their way inside. If you see one or two, there's a good chance that a colony is growing somewhere nearby.

Remove Insect Attractions

Don't leave any food sitting out or any standing water without a cover. Insects can easily find crumbs and food particles on your kitchen counter or on the floor. Most bugs need a steady supply of food and water to survive and will make their nests near these essentials. Put away the sugar bowl and cover it with a rubber sealed lid or a screw-on top. Make sure opened boxes or bags of cereal and other staples are securely closed, as insects will be drawn to the smell of the food.

Get Professional Help

If the bugs start taking over your home, and you are unable to eliminate them completely, contact a pest control company for assistance. They can use eco-friendly products to get rid of your insect invaders and keep them away. Depending on the type of bugs you are dealing with and the extent of the invasion, your home may need just one treatment to take care of the problem.

Don't wait for the bug problem to get out of control. Take steps now to get rid of the pests before they become entrenched in your home.

10 Facts to Know About Painting Tile Roofs

If you’ve decided that you want to paint your tile roof, there are is a number of things you should know first. Even though it may seem like a relatively easy job to do, there are certain difficulties you may encounter during your task. For that reason, here are 10 facts you should know about painting tile roofs that will save you a lot of trouble and extra work.

Don’t Do It on a Hot Day

This is a very important step to follow. You should never paint your roof on a very hot summer day, as it can be hazardous to your health. Trying to find time to do it on a cooler day is the way to go, as there are serious consequences to working in high temperatures. Many people have passed out due to dehydration because they worked in very high temperatures, and working on a roof in the middle of July is can do that to you.

Choose Appropriate Colors

Depending on the colors of your house, you will want to choose an appropriate color for your roof. Try not to make a huge contrast between the two, as that will make the aesthetic of the house a bit silly. Achieving a subtle contrast is the way to go.

Wear Safety Equipment

If you’re painting your roof without hiring anybody, make sure that you’re wearing the appropriate safety equipment. Just because you think you’re handy, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you can’t make a mistake and accidentally fall off the roof. That’s why having safety gear on yourself at all times will ensure that you’re safe if something happens.

Get a Hold of Quality Ladders

When we’re talking about ladders, you should always try and find yourself quality ones. This is recommended, again, because of your safety. If there is something wrong with the ladders you’re using, you may fall from them and create an injury that won’t go away that easily, and that’s something nobody wants to see happen to you.

Different Colors Attract Sunlight Differently

This is another reason why you should carefully choose the color you’re going to paint your roof. Darker colors attract more sunlight. That means your attic is going to be much hotter in those summer days. If you’re leaving in a particularly high-temperature area, we recommend that you color your roof with a lighter color.

Consider the Cost in Advance

Depending on your financial situation, you will want to check how much the painting of your roof will cost you in advance. You can do this by calculating the cost of materials combined with the help of professionals if you’ve hired some. It’s easy to go overboard with your spending and that’s why you should always consider in advance.

Hire Professionals

If you think you’re unable to paint the roof yourself, you should always consider hiring licensed professionals. Looking up roof painting Sydney will you a good idea of what people have to offer when it comes to their expertise in painting your tile roofs. If you were to hire someone to do this for you, you’ll know they are going to do a great job.

Consult with Your Neighborhood

Before you decide on the color of your roof, you should first consult with the rest of the neighborhood on the painting policies. Many modern neighborhoods have strict policies when it comes to paint jobs, and you should be met with them before you start painting.

Don’t Stress

If it’s your first time doing this type of work, try and not to stress yourself out too much. It’s easy to lose temper when doing this type of work, especially in a hot climate, and that’s why keeping your cool is very important.

Look Up Ideas on the Internet

If, by any chance, you’re uncertain on how your roof should look like, you can always consult with the almighty internet. There are thousands of roof ideas posted online that may give you inspiration on how to handle yours.

In conclusion, these are some of the most important facts about painting tile roofs. By following them, you should be able to have a clean new roof in no time, with no stress.