Helpful Tips to Keep the Unseen Areas Clean in Your Home

How often do you get motivated to clean an area of your home because you'd be embarrassed about someone else seeing it like that? In an ideal world, you'd keep every space clean just for yourself, but life rarely works out that way. If others coming by makes you clean the seen areas of your home, does anything get you to keep the unseen spaces clean? Knowing some helpful tips about this makes life easier.

List The Knooks and Crannies

The first thing that you need to do is make a list of the unseen spaces in your home that don't get cleaned regularly. Then, you can create a rotation to visit each of them on a regular basis and touch them up when needed.

Make a Bucket

Your unseen spaces might range from cabinets underneath sinks to your entire attic or basement. Find one space to hide a bucket full of cleaning tools and supplies. They might not be enough to help you clean an entire room, but anything simple to carry around and do some cleaning with makes it easier to get this chore going.

Add the Right Things

Do you see dirt and mud tracked into your basement a lot? Add a good floormat by the door. Do you see things get warped by temperature changes in the attic? A radiant barrier can help maintain a more level temperature. It might even help keep critters and dust out to some degree. Help spaces keep themselves cleaner.

Find the Right Days and Times

Your schedule for cleaning unseen spaces should be flexible. Be honest with yourself about when you're most likely to clean. Some households do it on Saturdays, but others do it on Sundays. Also, are you more likely to get it done in the morning when you're fresh? Or do evenings give you more free time?

Take a Photo

Once you do clean a space, take a photo of it. You can refer to it next time to see how clean it was or still is. That will help you know how much to clean it if any when it's a space you don't lay eyes on every day.

Keeping your unseen areas clean in your home means there are no surprises waiting for you or anyone else the next time someone accesses those spaces. The peace of mind and lack of later work are well worth a bit of consistent effort.

5 Strongest Security Doors to Consider Adding to Your Home

Home security is an essential topic for homebuyers and homeowners alike. There are always some concerns about intruders—from simple burglars to hardened criminals, professional thieves, or hooligans intent on harming others—that make you want to secure your home. You should never go the route of buying a cheap security system and hoping for the best.

Main Door Mahogany Entry Door

It is a more traditional design but still provides impressive security. Most entry doors are made of steel or aluminum and are easily spotted by a criminal. That's why this door is a more appealing alternative. The mahogany entry door is made of solid wood and won't show shoddy artistry. It's also an attractive piece. The natural wood is accented by the red doorknob and knocks with the gold doorknob pulls, giving this entry door a natural "cabin feel." The solid mahogany entry door also includes two deadbolts and a reinforced lock.

Unique Home Designs for an Entry Door

If you can believe it, this entry door is stylish, masculine, and fun. Suppose you're afraid of intruders, then those aesthetics will put your mind at ease. The entry door is solid wood with a red frame and beveled glass on the front and back. This design also allows for a warming glass panel to help keep the temperature in your home toasty warm. A set of chain locks are included as well.

Prime-Line Wood guard Security Door

You can get the Prime-Line Wood guard entry door for a little more money. You can be assured of the best quality materials used in its construction. The door is made from solid wood, with a mahogany finish with minor accenting. This door also has a glass panel on the front and back for an intricate look that won't look like your kids just played building blocks.

GlassCraft ThermaPlus Entry Door

It is one of the top-of-the-line security doors. It's made from solid wood and comes with a lifetime warranty. Like the other models on the list, this door is available in any size. You can choose between eight different styles of sidelights and six different styles of transoms.

Viz-Pro Quick Mount Door

This entry door is perfect for the person who wants to save time. You don't have to be a builder or even a handyman to install this security door on your home. It's made of solid stainless steel with a black enamel finish and comes with an easy-to-install mounting system. The locks and deadbolts come included, so you can focus on finding the right size for your home and opening up your front door in no time.

Conclusion

By now, you should have a better idea of where to start when it comes time to select the right security doors for your home. These top names in security doors are popular due to their quality and excellent looks.

When Is It Time to Replace Your Home's Insulation?

When it comes to making your home as energy-efficient as possible, one factor you don’t want to forget about is your home’s insulation. Insulation prevents outside air from coming into your home, which helps to keep your HVAC system from working as hard to maintain temperatures. It’s not just your attics and walls that need insulation—crawl space insulation is just as important. Below are five signs that let you know when it’s time to replace insulation in your home.

Animal Infestation

Once pests take up residence in your attic or crawlspace, it’s hard to remove them. Not only do they leave feces and urine in the insulation, but they also use insulation to make their nests for their beds and for raising their offspring. If you’ve recently had to call pest control to get rid of rodents or other animals moving into your home, it’s a good idea to call an insulation company too. They can assess your home and let you know how much, if any, insulation will need to be replaced.

Higher Energy Bills

The most significant sign that you need to add or replace your insulation is that you have higher energy bills. If your power company hasn’t raised their rates and you’re not using more energy than usual, your power bills should remain fairly consistent. If you notice them rising quickly, call an electrician to help you figure out the source of the problem.

Outdated Materials

Older insulation, especially crawl space insulation, breaks down and loses thickness. However, that’s not the only problem that you face with insulation. Building codes change over time, which means that the thickness of the insulation your home has may no longer be in accordance with recent building code changes.

Unpleasant Odors

If your home has a lingering unpleasant odor that doesn’t seem to have a source, the problem might be with your insulation. Not every type of insulation is waterproof, and fiberglass insulation absorbs water. As for your crawl space insulation, melted snow and humidity impact your insulation leading to mold and mildew growth.

Water Damage

If you notice puddles on your floor or wet spots on your ceiling, these are a couple of signs that you have a leak. Not only do leaks lead to water damage that causes the wood structure of your home to rot, but water damages your insulation as well. Additionally, insufficient and ineffective insulation indirectly causes water damage. One example would be if your pipes aren’t adequately insulated and burst during the middle of winter.

Unless the insulation in your home becomes damaged, it should last anywhere between 80 and 100 years. Even if you believe that you don’t have a problem with your insulation, a home energy assessment is a great way to find areas of improvement. Contact your local insulation company today and prepare to be surprised at how much money you save when your home becomes as energy-efficient as possible.

Tips for Helping Your Outdoor Furniture Last Longer

The backyard is an oasis during the warm summer months, but winter is harsh on your patio tables and chairs. You must protect your furniture to ensure it lasts more than a few seasons. These are tips for helping your outdoor furniture last longer, so you can enjoy it for years to come.

Clean It Regularly

Keeping your patio furniture clean is a vital step in maintenance and preservation. How you clean it depends on what kind of furniture you have. Here are some various maintenance strategies for different types of outdoor furniture:

• To ensure hardwood furniture lasts a long time, wipe it down with penetrating oil to keep out the moisture.

• Wicker furniture has a lengthy cleaning process. Spray down the wicker with water and then mix a soap and water solution. Using a soft brush, scrub down the hard-to-reach places and leave them out to dry in the sun to prevent mold and mildew.

• Weatherproof metal doesn’t require much cleaning besides a simple wipe down with soap and water.

• Cushions and covers also need cleaning. Ensure that they’re completely dry before storing them.

• Remove the canvas from your cloth furniture and toss it into the washing machine on a gentle cycle.

Store It Away

The best tip for helping your outdoor furniture last longer is to store it indoors during winter. Patio furniture has a tough time with the harsh and intense elements of the colder months. Use vinyl covers to protect against unwanted moisture and scuffs.

This tip is essential for wooden furniture. Temperature fluctuations and moisture can wreak havoc on wood. Storing it indoors will help it last longer.

Cover It Up

Covering up your tables and chairs will suffice if you live in a region with mild winters. There are table covers on the market equipped with UV ray protection and water resistance. When looking at which cover to purchase, remember that double-stitched covers are higher in quality and will last longer.

Pro-Tip

Don’t neglect covering up your grill. It’s also exposed to the elements.

When springtime comes, and the weather warms up again, your patio furniture will be ready for use.