If you can see your trees and you are not blasted with snow or ice, it is a good time to trim your trees for spring and summer growth. Trimming your trees can help give them life in spring with fuller leaves and fruit. It is also wise to trim trees and shrubs that are especially close to a home. Overgrown trees and shrubs can damage the exterior of your home. During storms throughout the year, trees and shrubs can bang, scratch and damage the exterior of your home. Damage to exterior walls, gutters, roofs, and even windows can occur during any Read More
Maintenance Tip: Check Roof and Gutters for Ice Dams
There has a been a lot of snow across parts of the United States this year and living in climates where there is snow and temperatures that get below freezing can cause different risks to our home. Ice Dams are some of the risks that can occur during cold temperatures. Ice dams form on your gutters and roof and generally occur after heavy snowfall followed by really cold temperatures. Ice dams that build up can cause serious damage including destroying gutters and eaves which ultimately can cause water leaks in your home’s exterior walls or attic. Making sure your walls are protected will prevent ineffective insulation and thus increased utility bills and mold and mildew problems which can lead to damage, rot or an unhealthy environment. It is important to be diligent and prevent them Read More
Home Maintenance Tip: Sprinkle sand or salt for traction
Well with all the snow hitting various parts of the United States this week, we wanted to remind those living in cold weather climates to protect themselves during snow storms. When snow and ice form on your driveways and walkways during the winter, after removing the snow using shovels, snow blowers or plows, remember to sprinkle sand or salt on these areas to help further eliminate the snow and ice.
Black ice and other thin layers of ice are an extreme Read More
Home Maintenance Tip: Check Air Ducts In The Attic
Getting the air heat delivered via your HVAC (Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning) systems to your actual living spaces involves several parts of a HVAC system. One part is the large rectangular duct work in your attic that helps to deliver hot or cold air. This is one part of your HVAC system. Sometimes the air that gets forced through these ducts can leak out through loose or broken connections. This is a great time to conduct home maintenance and check to make sure no air is leaking from this duct work. If it is, you are wasting money as the hot or cold air is not being delivered to the living areas of your home and Read More
How to Keep Your Fireplace in Tip-Top Shape This Winter
Nothing beats relaxing and reading a book by the fireside. But before you snuggle up and enjoy the comforting crackle of a fire this winter, make sure your fireplace is safe.
Four out of five fire-related deaths occur in the home. What’s more, 33 percent of house fires are caused by unkempt fireplaces and chimneys. That’s why it’s vital to make sure your chimney is clear and that you properly tend to your fireplace — your family’s safety depends on it. Nothing is worse than a home that is expected to be cozy but instead is on fire because of the lack of care of the home. Home maintenance is key to keeping a home safe, healthy and efficient for the entire family.
In this article, Elizabeth Dodson, cofounder of HomeZada, discusses the importance of maintaining a fireplace and provides tips you can use to make sure your fireplace is safe this winter. We hope you have a cozy and delightful winter.