Home Care Blog Ways to Stop Thanksgiving from Sending Your Energy Bill Soaring Like turning down the heat when you crank up the oven. Your home gets a serious workout on Thanksgiving. While you may be packing on the pounds, your home is sweating from increased usage — more people coming in and out, and more digital devices to charge so everyone can keep up with their favorite […]
Home Care Blog Easy Ways to Seal Windows & Air Leaks Around the House There’s a 10-second fix for the most surprising offender: recessed lights. Insulate Around Recessed Lights Out of all the possible air leakage sites in a house, recessed lights, also called can lights, cause the worst leakage. The Pennsylvania Housing Research/Resource Center found this fact as part of an inspection protocol involving blower door testing and […]
Home Care Blog Tricks to Keep Your Pipes from Exploding This Winter Even if you think they’ve already started to freeze. #1 Turn On Your Faucets If the temperatures have dropped to freezing and intend to stay there, turning on your faucets — both indoors and out — can keep water moving through your system and slow down the freezing process. There’s no need to waste gallons […]
Home Care Blog Trick-or-Treat Safety Tips Every Homeowner Should Know Some Halloween tricks can really cost you. Plenty of people love a good Halloween scare — as long no one gets hurt. And that includes your house. Hot lights and kids on foot present some real risks to homeowners. Follow these seven tips for trick-or-treat safety:   #1 Make Your Outdoor Lights as Bright as […]
Home Care Blog Crucial Cold Weather Tips for Preparing Your House for Winter Our winterizing your home checklist will help you keep your house cozy and safe from winter’s frigid assault. Preparing your house for winter may not be on the top of your to-do list right now. After all, most of us wouldn’t rather spend their down time doing home maintenance tasks when they could be enjoying […]
Home Care Blog Hack Your Home for Better Sleep Here’s how to DIY your way to the best zzzs — and mood — ever.   We spend a third of our lives passed out, tucked between the covers, drooling all over the pillow. But when it comes to home improvements, most of our projects benefit our waking selves. (Hello, new kitchen.) Good sleep is […]
Home Care Blog Must-Haves for the Easiest-to-Clean Bathroom, Ever No matter if you keep your home sealed tight, leave the windows open, have a steady stream of visitors stopping by, or prefer to be alone, dirt (and, worse, microbes!) will worm their way into your pad. And bathrooms are the worst for collecting the yuckiest of grime and germs. Check out these upgrades that’ll […]
Home Care Blog Money-Saving Landscaping Tips Perfect for Fall Fall is a great season for yard work — the weather is nice, plants are cheap, and veggies are hardy. Here are three projects that’ll transform your yard without hitting your bank account too hard. #1 DIY a Compost Bin If you’re serious about a good-looking yard, blooming azaleas, and lush bushes, you need fertilizer. […]
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Home Care Blog Striking Ways to Add Color to Any Room Paint a door super bright yellow or the trim on a window for amazing results. Buying a house — it’s such an adult thing to do. And putting work into it is another mature choice. But when personalizing your home, the instinct to keep things adulty can also keep things pretty dull. Gray walls. White […]
Home Care Blog Home Improvement Ideas That Stretch Your Dollars the Most Enjoy your home more today — and sell it for the best price tomorrow. When it comes to home improvement ideas, some are more financially savvy than others. And if you’re on a limited budget, it becomes even more important to be savvy. Here are seven affordable home improvement projects that’ll help you enjoy your […]
Home Care Blog Guest Room Tips for the Warmest of Welcomes Opening your house to guests is one of the many joys of being a homeowner. You can make guests feel welcomed and comfortable by following these simple tips.   Create the Ultimate “Flex” Room Flexibility is key in getting the most out of your guest quarters. If you host frequently, the room will likely be […]
Home Care Blog Guide to Paint Finishes (So You Won’t Waste Your Money) Choosing the wrong type of paint finish could mean a do-over that costs twice as much. There’s a basic rule of thumb to follow when choosing paint sheens: The higher the sheen, the higher the shine — and the higher the shine, the more durable the paint will be. Flat paint has no shine; high-gloss […]
Home Care Blog Smart Strategies for Bathroom Remodeling Here’s how to get the bathroom of your dreams without making your budget a nightmare. 1. Stick to a Plan A bathroom remodel is no place for improvisation. Before ripping out the first tile, think hard about how you will use the space, what materials and fixtures you want, and how much you’re willing to spend. 2. […]
Home Care Blog Deck Makeover Projects That Cost Less Than a Fancy Dinner Out Want to upgrade your deck but watching your budget? Here are easy deck makeover ideas, many well under $300. #1 Install a Stone Landing at the Foot of Your Deck Stairs Dress up the transition from your deck to your yard with a little hardscaping — a stone landing at the bottom of your deck […]
Home Care Blog Zinc Countertops: Pros and Cons A zinc countertop is hip, trendy, and very cool. But is it worth the price? What’s Likeable About Zinc? 1. Zinc is a less-pristine alternative to stainless steel because it’s a “living metal” that changes color over time in reaction to its surroundings. 2. It’s naturally non-porous, so you can clean it with just soap […]
Home Care Blog 4 Ways to Erase Ugly Scratches From Wood Floors Get your crayons out for the coolest solution of all. Use Crayons and Sharpie Pens to Hide Small Scratches Take some artistic license to hide minor scratches in wood floors by rubbing on stain-matching crayons and Sharpie pens. Wax sticks, such as Minwax Stain Markers, are great scratch busters because they include stain and urethane, […]
Home Care Blog Ideas and Tips for Finishing a Basement Ceiling Finishing your basement ceiling instantly turns your basement into a living area.  Hiding Everything with Paint One of the fastest and most economical ways to finish a basement ceiling is to paint everything. A monochromatic ceiling disguises all the pipes and ductwork — it’s a technique often used in urban spaces that are converted to coffee houses […]
Home Care Blog Smart Tips for Choosing Bathroom Flooring Choose the right bathroom flooring based on your priorities — cost, kids, safety, and eco-friendliness. Mimics Wood but Is Durable Luxury vinyl plank flooring comes in many styles and feels and looks like hardwood flooring. The planks are usually thicker and more durable that standard vinyl planks, which means they’ll stand up to wear and […]
Home Care Blog Questions and Answers About Adding a Fireplace If you want to add a fireplace to your existing home, ask yourself what value it brings to you and your property. 1. Is It Possible? With the variety of fireplace options available today, from traditional wood-burning masonry to wall-mounted ventless units, it would be difficult to imagine a situation in which it would be […]
Home Care Blog Simple 5-Step Guide to Concrete Painting Painting concrete surfaces requires more skill, tools, and time than throwing a coat on drywall. Here’s how to do it right. 1. Clean the Concrete Cleaning concrete is a vital first step because the porous surface tends to trap dirt, grease, and oil. 2. Strip Old Paint Strip peeling or blistering paint indoors with a […]