When Should You Hire a Professional Plumber or Do it Yourself?

When a water problem develops in your home, are you ready to handle it? Most homeowners can tackle the smaller issues of replacing a sink faucet or unplugging a backed-up drain. But sometimes even those tasks can be difficult to manage. Here are some ways to know if you need to schedule an assessment with a licensed plumber.

New Problem

Even if you are handy with making minor repairs to your home's plumbing fixtures, when an unfamiliar problem develops, you may not want to spend time trying to figure it out. By the time you watch online tutorials, your water leak with an unknown cause could be causing extensive damage. If you don't know how to handle the situation promptly, and it is damaging your home, it may be a good idea to call a professional plumber.

Major Appliances

Unclogging a toilet is often doable for many people. But when it comes to a leaky dishwasher or a malfunctioning hot water tank, few have the experience or training to repair it. Any appliance that uses water, even an ice-maker refrigerator, could develop a problem that requires expertise the typical homeowner doesn't have. A malfunctioning sauna tub or a garden fountain may also require the help of an expert plumber. Trying to fix a small issue could turn into a much bigger problem for someone who does not know much about plumbing.

Serious Damage

A burst water line in your basement or a flooded bathroom floor requires immediate attention. If you have an important meeting to attend or are not feeling well, even if you know how to address the issue, you might not be able to. Maybe you lack the tools or parts that are needed, which would take time to run out and buy them. The longer you wait on a major water problem in your home, the more expensive it will likely be to repair. There can also be collateral damage when furniture and household items are affected, which will cost money to replace.

Unmanageable Issue

Sometimes a seemingly simple plumbing issue becomes a nightmarish problem that you cannot solve despite previous experience with similar issues. You might give it your best shot, but if the problem persists, it's time to call a pro plumber. If you aren't sure who to contact, check with a professional service provider like Manta.com that recruits and screens contractors for various needs. Oftentimes, these types of resources will also have reviews that you can consider when choosing what professional

Plumbing problems can be a real headache. If you can't fix it readily, it might be worth the cost of paying an expert plumber to handle the problem for you.

5 Ways You Can Give Your Home a Classy Interior

Once you build your dream home, there is no guarantee that its interior will last in the same state forever. As time goes, the interior of your home slowly begins to fade and lose its desirability. With time, you start to lose the excitement you had for your home. Once you notice that your house's once classy interior look is deteriorating, here are five ways you can consider restoring its touch.

Painting

One of the noticeable things about the interior of your home is usually the painting. As time goes by, the paint on the walls begins to fade. As soon as you notice the paint fading, ensure that you apply a fresh coat. While doing so, it would be ideal for you to go for the color that improves the glamour of your house more than before. You can make the look even more appealing by using decorative fabrics or drapes like decorative silk, especially if you only have a small budget.

Lighting

Another option would be to change your home's lighting. Lighting plays a significant role in improving the interior look of your overall. If you have a shadow in the wrong place, or the lighting is inadequate, your home will look dull and dark instead of the vibrant modern look you may be going for. Ensure that you insert proper bulbs that will make your home look lively. Also, you can consider installing larger windows that will allow maximum light into your home during the day. If you decide to do this, consult a professional before doing so.

Add Accessories

You can never go wrong with adding various accessories into your home as you consider improving its look. There is a wide range of accessories that you can find with any budget and preference. Some ideas that would enhance the interior of your home include art, golden frames from your family photos, or even a few small flower jars.

Change Cupboards Handles

Your well-used drawer handles could make your home look outdated. If you are looking to improve the details of your interior, consider this simple task. It would be ideal to replace the handle of your drawers if you don’t have time to paint or even change the style. In the event that the wear is extensive, ensure that you replace the entire drawer with quality material.

Use Curtains with Colorful Prints

The way that your curtains look plays a huge role in the overall look of your house. Avoid thin and poor-quality materials for your curtains as they deprive your house of the rich quality you deserve. If you love color, it would be better to get bright or warm-looking curtains, even those with colorful prints, as they would make your home look appealing. If you are looking for a more sophisticated look you may go for a deeper darker look.

Arriving home after a long day of activities and being welcomed by a well-balanced home is an underrated feeling. Therefore, maintaining your house in a comfortable state should always be a priority. When you consider the tips mentioned above, you are guaranteed to give your home have the coziest look possible.

Make a Splash: Quick Steps for Dealing With a Burst Pipe Behind Your Walls

Hidden pipes are likely something that you rarely think about until they begin to cause a problem. Burst pipes are common in the winter time when temperatures dip below freezing, but they can also happen due to failing materials and other issues. Seeing water leaking from the walls is stressful, but you can quickly deal with the issue before too much damage occurs by taking these essential actions.

Shut Off the Water and Drain the Faucets

Stopping the water from flowing into the rest of the building is your biggest priority. Locate the emergency shut off valve and turn it until the water stops flowing. Keep in mind that these valves can sometimes be hard to shut off if it has been years since they’ve been touched. Once you get the water turned off, you can then open up the nearby faucets to get any remaining water out of the pipes.

Call for Professional Help

A burst pipe is considered to be a plumbing emergency. Plumbers know how to access the pipe in ways that minimize the damage to the wall. Your plumber will also be better able to locate the source of the leak since water might be running down from a different part of the wall than you suspect. Once they fix the broken part of the pipe, they can make recommendations to help you avoid dealing with this problem again.

Begin Cleaning Up the Visible Water

You can start cleaning up any obvious water puddles while you wait for the plumber. With the water shut off, you shouldn’t see much more water coming outside of the wall other than what might still be dripping down the walls. Mopping up the water helps to prevent damage to the floor and any other items that are located nearby.

Finish the Drying Out Process

After the final pipe repair, you can get started getting things completely back to normal. Depending upon how much water leaked out, you may need to replace parts of the drywall. Or, you might be fortunate enough to be able to use fans to help speed up the drying process. If the weather is nice, you can also open up windows and doors to stimulate more air flow to the area.

The time clock for preventing damage begins as soon as the first drops of water come out of the pipe. Always use caution when checking out plumbing leaks since there may be electrical wires nearby. Working quickly to get a professional on the scene helps to keep your family safe and potentially prevent you from needing to replace expensive building materials.

The Best Tips for Preserving Wood Furniture

Wood furniture is a beautiful addition to any home. Some interior design styles rely on natural wood furniture and finishes to complete a room entirely. But natural wood can be a bit tricky when it comes to upkeep, as it requires some extra effort to take care of it. Keep reading to discover the best tips for preserving wood furniture to make yours last for years to come.

Treat Wood With Care

Natural wood furniture has the benefit of being resilient and durable, which is why natural wood tables are superior to other materials. However, even the sturdiest wood materials will suffer damage when you don’t take care of them. Common ways that people mistreat wood furniture include chopping and cutting directly on them, leaving damp glasses without coasters on them, placing hot pans on them, and more. Avoid these bad habits around your wooden furniture so that it will last much longer.

Keep It Clean

You must be ready to regularly clean and dust wooden surfaces to keep them shining and sparkling. When dust and debris collect on your wood furniture, they can create scratches. Don’t let dust form a thick layer by dusting regularly with a soft cotton t-shirt, cloth, or microfiber towel. Never use all-purpose cleaners when you need to clean a particularly stained or sticky spot. Only use a specialty wood cleaner or a simple mixture of water and dish detergent with a soft cloth. Always make sure to dry the surface when you finish cleaning.

Protect the Surface

If you want your wood furniture to remain as protected as possible, you can add a layer of polish or wax to guard it against spills and stains. Most wood furniture polishes will also give your furniture a shiny finish, which will help give old wood furniture a much-needed makeover. If you notice the wood has a dull finish after applying these products, that means you need to buff the polish or wax it further. Just give it a bit more elbow grease.

Now that you know the best tips for preserving wood furniture, you can make your traditional wooden pieces last for years to come. They’ll continue to shine like when you first purchased them.