Suspicious Signs of a Water Leak Somewhere in Your Home

Water damage is one of the worst things that can happen to a home. Left unchecked, it can undermine a home's structural integrity and cause thousands of dollars in damage. Here are four suspicious signs you could have a water leak somewhere in your home that needs to be addressed as soon as possible.

You're Starting to Find Mold

If you're finding small patches of mold growing on walls, in cupboards or in other places throughout your home, it's a good sign you could have a water problem. Generally, mold on the walls indicates that you have a roof leak that's allowing water to drip down into the structure of your home. Be sure to bring in a mold remediation specialist to help you eliminate the problem once you have located and fixed the leak.

You're Noticing a Musty Smell

Like mold, mildew can result from building materials getting wet over time. In the case of mildew, the most telltale sign is usually a musty odor. This odor is usually strongest in areas without windows, such as closets or attics. If you're noticing this kind of odor, it could indicate that you have a mildew problem springing from a leak. Be aware, though, that this odor isn't always a sign of water problems. In some cases, mildew can grow without a leak and produce minor odors under normal conditions.

Your Floors Are Sagging for No Apparent Reason

If you notice that your floors have become uneven or are beginning to sag, it could indicate that you have a leak in your basement or crawlspace that is doing damage to the support structure under the floor. This can be caused either by a leaky pipe or by foundation damage. If a pipe is the problem, a plumbing professional can help you stop the source of the damage. For foundation issues, you'll need to bring in a construction contractor to repair the damage.

Your Water Bill Is Unusually High

Speaking of plumbing issues, another possible sign of a leak is an abnormally high water bill. If your bill starts to spike and you aren't using more water than usual, it's a good indicator that there's a leak occurring somewhere. Check all of your pipes and fixtures to find the leak, then bring a competent plumber in to repair it.

If you're seeing one or more of these signs, there's at least a chance you're having water problems in your home. Fixing the issue now can save you time, money and hassle repairing severe water damage later on.

Planning Home Renovations This Summer? How to Prepare for Your Projects

Home remodeling is such an exciting project, but the process can be overwhelming. Thinking about the chaos that will be in your home for the next few months can be incomprehensible. To have an easy and wonderful encounter, you’ve to prepare adequately in advance. Below are some ways you can prepare for your future home renovation projects.

Upgrade Your Security System

Contractors, designers, and transferors are some of the people who will be accessing your home during the renovation period. Since you may not be home throughout, install a safe to protect your essential documents and a video doorbell for monitoring delivered goods while away. It puts you at ease because you can follow the progress and raise the alarm in case of any misdeeds.

Plan on How to Handle the Dirt

Home renovation can be messy, and you should expect it, especially if it involves tearing walls down and burrowing floors. You will have a lot of garbage to handle throughout the period, thus the need for dumpster rentals. Most companies have various roll-off dumpster rentals, so you’ll only need to choose the right size depending on the nature of your projects.

Have Extra Cash for Unexpected Expenses

Even if you plan everything well, avoid operating on a fixed budget. Construction-related projects almost always have money concerns, which can make you anxious. Having extra cash of about 10 to 20 percent of the estimated cost will go a long way if unforeseen issues come up. But, let your contractor know you’re sticking to the set budget; don’t allow them to know you have something extra for the project.

Remove as Many Items as Possible and Cover the Rest

Renovations leave your entire house very dirty; plan on where you’ll all sleep in advance to save on time when renovations begin. It’s only prudent to move everything from the rooms to be renovated and cover them because dust will get into every room. Move things like mattresses out or keep them in distant rooms covered properly to save them from collecting dust. Also, declutter all the spaces that your workers will be accessing.

You will have a tough period, but the results are worth the wait if you get a reliable contractor. To make things even easier, you can identify the traffic areas because the laborers will need clear paths to walk on with their equipment. On this, you should liaise with your contractors to develop a favorable traffic plan that will protect your floor from damage.

Things To Look Out for When Choosing Alarm Systems Company for Your Property

Getting the right alarm systems company for your home or office is very important. There are a lot of factors that you have to consider before making your choice. Here are a few things that you keep in mind when making your selection so that you are able to select the right contractor. If you select the right company, you will be able to get an excellent security system installed in your house or office and keep everyone safe.

Do your research before selecting:

You will have to go through some of the companies that install alarm systems in your neighborhood before you make any decision. You can ask your neighbors or colleagues to make suggestions and get their recommendations. Word of mouth publicity travels far and more rapidly as compared to any other form of marketing; hence you can get good recommendations by asking around. You can also do some research online to get the most reputable contractor in your area.

There are many qualified contractors all around Australia who are very good at installing a different types of security systems. You can check out the website and social media profiles of these shortlisted companies. Make sure you read all the comments and reviews by their existing customers. You can get a good idea by reading the reviews on their work. Many people like to check out the reviews of influencers and bloggers who regularly review these types of services, but you need to understand they may not be using the services themselves as they are paid to advertise different products. Always select a company that has a good reputation for professionalism and quality service from customers.

Look for experience and accessibility:

When looking for a company for alarm systems you have to look for someone with proper experience in the different security systems. A company that has been in operation for a longer time will have more idea on various types of security systems and other related services. They should know about the alarm systems you are trying to get otherwise it is of no use. They should also be accessible in times of emergency as most modern systems will send out a distress call to the security system in case of a break-in. This is why a local company that has easily accessible headquarters is a better option for alarm systems. They will also be able to co-ordinate with the authorities and help you in case of a break-in or any other situation.  

Hire a legal company that is within your budget:

When hiring a contractor for installing alarm systems you must make sure that the contractor is licensed and approved by local authorities to carry out the job. They should be fully authorized to install any type of alarm system in your community. They should also be able to get the job done within your budget. You can get quotes from multiple contractors. They will inspect the property and analyze all the points before presenting you with an estimate. Do not go with the cheapest option available, instead, you should select a contractor who provides the best value for money with more number services. A good contractor will provide you with a flexible estimate so that you can get the right alarm systems without overspending.

Conclusion:

Even though if you get a shoddy contractor you may end up spending a lot of money on a system that is not full proof. When it comes to the safety of your family or your workspace, there should be no compromise and always select the best security company.  This will ensure complete peace of mind and not to mention better security. 

Guest Post - How to Organize and Keep Track of Your Kids' Hand-Me-Downs

Sorting through piles of your children's clothes is quite a chore. Kids typically grow out of their clothes in months, leaving you with more stuff to organize and store as hand-me-downs for your younger kids. 

Admit it or not, you’ve tried in the past to avoid the chore, wishing the clothes would magically organize themselves. Well, we all know that’s not going to happen, and you’ll still need to start organizing at one point, so we made this simple to follow guide to make the task less dreadful for you: 

Why should you start organizing your kids' hand-me-downs?

Organizing your kid's hand-me-downs not only helps you get rid of unusable clothes, it also keeps money in your pocket as you get to save on buying new clothes for the younger siblings.  And if you're sentimental about clothes, you'll remember the moments tied up to them when you see your kids wear something their older siblings used to love. 

Even when you don't have many kids, you get the chance to donate grown-out clothes to a charity that needs them more. Also, the thought of having an untidy wardrobe has a way of affecting your productivity at work or parenting. Thus, it's worth the time to organize and store hand-me-downs once and for all.

It's a win-win situation here; you get to declutter, save clothes for your younger kids, give out clothes to others, and free your mind from the stress of having a messy closet.

The things to consider as hand-me-downs

• Pajamas

• School uniforms

• Sportswear

• Casual wear

• Formal wear

• Shoes

• Pants

Things to toss out

• Underwear

• Trendy clothing (they need to be handed over soon as the trend dies down)

• Socks

Materials needed

• Pens

• Labels

• Storage bins

• Closet for hand-me-downs

Steps in organizing and storing your kid's hand me downs

1. Categorize minimally.

Don't go overboard in organizing just yet—you'll be overwhelmed if you classify items by season, age, gender, and purpose. Not all children's wear is same-sized, gender-specific, and suitable for one season only. So the most straightforward approach to classify things is categorizing by:

• Newborn wear

• Toddler wear

• School uniforms

• Shoes

• Toss out/To donate

2. Fold clothes neatly.

Now that you have classified them into five categories, you can start folding them up neatly. This will minimize fabric wrinkles as you store them and help you save up space in storage.

A great folding approach is by enabling them to sit upright on storage. This means that you won't be stacking clothes, which is a recipe for disorganized and mess-prone storage. Having clothes upright and inserted from front to back allows you to see things quickly and avoid digging through piles that ruin tidiness.

3. Pile clothes according to similarity.

Before you store the clothes in their designated bins, you should strategically pile items of the same size, fabric, purpose, and gender. This way, the clothes are not randomly bunched together and placed in a bin.

For example, you should pile together all the girl's toddler clothes and keep a separate pile for the boys.

4. Get your bins and label accordingly.

Now get your bins and label them according to the five categories you identified. Labels will help you easily identify the containers and their contents. You can get creative by color coding and printing the labels. You'll use these labels in the bin itself and the dividers that you'll use to segment different types of clothing in each bin.

Some of the labels you need to prepare are the first five categories, the types of clothing identified based on age, season, and gender. You may even use your child's name to specify who will wear the clothes next as labels. The idea is you need labels for dividers that you'll insert in between the segregated hand-me-downs.

5. Put the clothes in bins and place the dividers.

Now that the clothes are categorized per category and subcategory, you may add them to the labeled bins. Clear plastic containers are preferable, but you may use any bin if you don't have clear ones. 

Insert the dividers to separate sections by age, gender, season, and purpose. Then, tidy up the clothes before you set them aside for storage.

6. Pick one centralized location for storing hand-me-downs.

Find a spot that can accommodate all hand-me-down bins. The centralization will prevent you from forgetting where you stored the containers. The best location can be the top shelf of your indoor wardrobe or under the bed—places that are easy to find yet are usually out of your way.

You may store them in the basement. However, beware of molds that may accumulate over time. The best spot must be dry, clean, well-ventilated, and dust-free.

7. Pick up your "to donate" stash and give them away.

Your "to donate" stash may also include clothes that you may give away to other kids you know. The idea is as soon as you acquire them, think of how you'll get rid of them. This is to lessen the load you have in your children's wardrobe. You won't have any use for them anyway.

Other reminders when organizing and storing your kids' hand-me-downs

• Toss out ripped, stained, or too worn-out clothes. 

• Donate right away the trendy clothes that will go out of style.

• Give away clothes that your kids won't use regardless of how expensive or cute they are.

• Use a timer to encourage speedy sorting.

• If there are any extras, you may scale them down and move them to your "to donate or give away" bin.

• If your kids don't want to get rid of their unusable clothes, you may consider sorting them out when they aren't around.

Conclusion

Going through your children's old clothes doesn't have to be overwhelming. While it may be time-consuming, you can have fun doing this as a form of stress-reliever or bonding time with your children. With the mentioned steps, you can surely find your way to seamless hand-me-down storage.

About the Author:

Hazel Santos is an experienced Content Writer for Skill Success who also has a knack for DIY home redesign and organization. When she isn't writing, she keeps herself busy by browsing through home organization blogs and redesigning her space at home.