Spring Showers Bring Wet Basements

BasementsGuest Blogger: Mark Madans

It is every homeowner’s nightmare, you go downstairs to your basement and the floor is wet or worse the entire area has flooded. Well, you are not alone, the American Society of Home Inspectors, based in Des Plaines, IL, estimates 60 percent of U.S. homes have wet basements, and 38 percent run the risk of basement mold. But a wet floor is not the only indication that you may have a problem. Other signs to look for include: musty odors, rusty metal, dampness on walls, white powder on walls or floor, and bowing or buckling of doors. So now what do you do?  Read More


Home Maintenance Tip: Flush Hot Water Heaters

HomeZada Home Maintenance Flush Hot Water HeatersThis home maintenance is a timely one.  Your hot water heater accumulates sediment from your water source. That’s right water that flows through your home has other minerals in it.  This is not to say that your drinking water is not safe.

Water that flows through your home undergoes a filtration and chlorination process before it reaches your home, however not every mineral can be eliminated through these processes. If you do not periodically flush your hot water heater, the sediment will keep building up within the Read More


Home Maintenance Tip: Spray Pest Control Around the Home

Home Maintenance Tip: Spray Pest Control Around the Home

Almost anywhere you live there are  opportunities for insects and pests to enter your home. There may be different types of insects based on the climate and soil conditions of where you live. However, to prevent these little critters from invading the interior of your home, it is good practice to spray pest control around areas of your home. It is important to focus on areas that might allow for these pests to enter your home.

Determine the typical kinds of pests in your neighborhood or area. Then, determine what products will eliminate them or prevent them from entering your home. Some people spray around their home themselves, while many others hire a pest control service to minimize insects around and in the home. Which ever you choose, remember your pets. Many of these sprays contain toxins that would make your pets sick or worse, they could die. So when you are spraying around your home, keep your pets inside away from these chemicals.

Read More


Hiring a Handyman: How to Get the Job Done Right the First Time

hiring a handymaYour patience and ingenuity with that funky self-assembly bookcase was, by all accounts, astonishing. People were talking about it for days afterward, and the bookcase in question is still standing.

But now you have another major project — one that doesn’t come flat-packed and requires tools you didn’t even know existed. You need a handyman…or handyperson.

Unfortunately, hiring a handyman to attack your walls with a power drill is pretty risky. You don’t want to spend half your life trying to explain why the door should open the other way or invest a small fortune correcting the mistake.

To avoid beginning a long and painful relationship with a second-rate handyman, use this guide to help you find the perfect person Read More