Housekeeping

Backflow preventers are necessary because they prevent contamination and pollutants from entering your home’s water supply. The last thing that you need is for waste and pesticides to flow backward and contaminate your water. However, it can be just as frustrating and confusing if your backflow preventer leaks, so what causes it?

You’ve been thinking about this for a while now: Eventually, you would love to have two adorable babies with your partner. But first thing first, you need a house that will allow you to build a happy family. So, you’ve probably wondered how many bedrooms would you need if you have a family of four.

Pocket doors are pretty cool when you are trying to save space. In fact, these types of doors can add a modern and sleek look to any room. Mounted inside the wall, the door just slides in and out of the wall, so when it is open, it looks like there is no door there at all.

Water heaters are a modern convenience and luxury that you can find in just about any home. At first glance, the only difference between short and tall water heaters is their height, but that isn’t entirely the case. So, besides the obvious height gap, what is the difference between short and tall water heaters?

Having a sprinkler system for your yard can be a beneficial thing. Keeping your garden and landscaping looking lush and healthy is a difficult job and a sprinkler can ease the burden. It can be especially helpful for larger properties.

When you think of great holiday deals, the words “Black Friday” and “Cyber Monday” probably come to mind. These two shopping days provide stellar deals on gifts, but they aren’t the only days worth hunting for bargains. In fact, the days after Christmas can be the best shopping days of the year for those looking for holiday-themed merchandise.

While carpets are typically easy to clean, wax stains on them can prove a little stubborn. However, there are ways to get that wax off. With the appropriate use of a few household items, you can get rid of every trace of wax on your carpet.

You come home ready for a nice shower.  After a few seconds in the shower, you notice something just isn’t right.  What could be going on in your shower or bathtub?  What could cause your shower to work poorly or not work at all?  How do you know if the diverter valve on your tub or shower is bad?

Mildew smells damp, unpleasant, and pungent. When carpet smells of mildew, finding a solution is often high on most people’s priority list. If there is mildew on your carpet, you have a problem to solve. Luckily, you can get rid of it using a few household products.

Finding a new air conditioning system can be a difficult choice and a major financial investment. It’s important to choose one that has high efficiency as this will end up saving you energy and money in the long run. Many homeowners find themselves asking the question: “How much more efficient is a 16 SEER vs. a 14 SEER?”

Resin furniture, also known as Polywood, can be an attractive and versatile addition to a patio. Affordable and with a wide variety of styles to choose from, you can furnish your outdoor living space with tables and chairs, which will last for years. However, in common with other materials, unless they are correctly and regularly maintained, they can deteriorate over time. Your furniture can start to look dirty, chalky, and worn. So, how do you clean them when this happens?

Coconut oil has become one of the most popular “superfood” buzzwords of the last decade, and rightfully so. It can be used for almost anything from massage oil to a delicious additive to your food. Unsurprisingly, it’s also found itself on many unsuspecting carpets across the country in unprecedented quantities. So, how do you get this oil out of your carpet?

Even the most professionally painted rooms in the home will need a touch-up eventually. This is especially true for high-traffic areas such as bathrooms, hallways, and living rooms. The spots on walls that are around light switches are also subject to heavy wear, necessitating a refresh once in a while. Additionally, if areas have become damaged or were missed during the initial paint job, a touch-up is absolutely necessary.

Mold can be one of the most troubling things that you will find in your home. The spores travel everywhere, and mold can actually be quite dangerous if left unchecked. You can find spores from mold all over your house; however, mold spores really love to flourish in warm, moist areas, like your bathroom.

While ceiling fans are great for keeping your home’s temperatures low in the summer and your cooling costs even lower, they may be noisy, distracting, and unattractive in your living spaces. Not to mention, they can also be incredibly difficult to clean.

Home improvement presents are gifts that keep on giving. When you decide to buy items for the people you live with that everyone can enjoy, it’s always money well spent. Sometimes, you can even give thoughtful home improvement gifts to your loved ones that will increase your home’s value.

Pet allergies tend to become amplified in the winter months. This is due to breathing in recycled air and the fact that people and pets spend more time inside in the winter. Therefore, it is entirely possible to have a pet allergy that you never notice in warmer months, only to struggle with it throughout the winter.

Depending on how old your house is, your furnace may have an inducer motor. This is a handy dandy piece of equipment that keeps harmful chemicals, like carbon monoxide, out of your home.

Bread pudding is a rich, sweet dessert that warms you up and has a comforting vibe. It comes in different flavors; you can jazz it up with a whiskey sauce or mix in various additions like raisins and chocolate chips.

Getting blood stains on your carpet can be a very problematic experience. Whether you get a small or large amount of blood on the carpet, it can have a staining effect which can seem quite irremovable at first. Fortunately, however, there are a few surefire ways to clear up the mess.

Cleats are used to play a variety of sports. When these are brand new, they’re pretty nice to look at and they even smell good too. But cleats don’t stay in good condition forever, as soon after they’re out of the box they’re hitting the mud or dirt and absorbing all the sweat from your feet.

There are over 51,000 residential electrical fires every year. This results in around 500 deaths, over 1,400 injuries, and $1.3 billion in property damage. One question people often ask is, can an outlet catch fire with nothing plugged in?

One popular dog breed for those who are prone to canine allergies is the Maltese. This pooch may be known for its flowing white hair, but don’t let it scare you off. This dog breed sheds very little, and hanging on to most of its coat also prevents dander and allergens from spreading around your home.

When moving into a new home, one of the first things most people do is change the locks. You want to feel secure in your new home and changing the locks helps with that. This is the time when a lot of people make a common mistake.

Nobody enjoys washing clothes, but it has to be done. And you want to make sure you have the right size washing machine for your needs. If you have a large family, you know you need an extra-large washing machine. But for a single person or couple with a king-size comforter, what size washing machine are you going to need when you wash that oversized bedspread?

Cleaning your toilet can be a big pain, but it’s one of those chores that you must do on a regular basis. Thankfully, bleach can make the job a whole lot easier and a lot less gross. If you’ve had to deal with stubborn stains that won’t seem to fade in the past, you may have found yourself wondering if you could leave bleach sitting in the bowl to do the hard work.

Mr. Clean’s Magic Eraser really does live up to its name, and any cleaning guru will agree. Magic Eraser can remove nicotine stains from walls, clean up stubborn stains on tables, and even remove Gorilla Glue. It’s safe to say that most people use Magic Eraser as a go-to product for all things cleaning related, but grout’s a little different. It can be demanding. So, can Magic Eraser tackle grout problems too?

You should tell your landlord that your apartment is dirty if you just moved in. It’s a great idea to take pictures and even videos of the mess before you talk to your landlord. This will come in handy if they try to dispute your claim. 

Fall marks not only the end of unbearably hot weather, but also the start of pumpkin season. In addition to pumpkin spice everything at your local markets and cafes, fall is a season where you find fresh pumpkins and squash in nearly every grocery store and garden center. With so many of these iconic fall vegetables to choose from, you may find it difficult to choose the perfect pumpkins and squash to bring into your home.

Sliding glass doors are a wonderful addition to any home. Sliding glass doors are typically characterized as a large glass window opening that provides door access. This door leads to the outdoors, it provides fresh air and natural light. Sliding glass doors are typically made as one single unit with two panels, and a screen running along one side. 

How many times have you caught yourself getting ready to set that hot pan on your laminate countertop? And you probably have cringed every time you see one of your kids do exactly that. Even though you tell them not to. While laminate is a nice and inexpensive countertop material, it is not known for being the strongest one.

Instant Pot’s multi-cookers have grown more and more popular over the years. More homeowners have started turning to them as they have sought faster, more versatile, and more convenient cooking appliances. Does that convenience extend to maintenance though? Can you count on your dishwasher to handle your Instant Pot or do you have to hand wash it?

While it can be relatively simple to strip paint from wood, ceramic, or metal, plastic requires a little more careful attention to ensure that the material stays undamaged. The more conventional stripping methods that involve harsh chemicals will not work, as they can easily melt or damage the plastic. Lucky for you, since plastic is non-porous and smooth, it’s actually exceptionally rare for paint to form a permanent bond to it.

Carpet on stairs presents a few extra challenges when it comes to cleaning. It’s not like you can quickly run your vacuum across the steps. However, knowing how to clean carpet on stairs doesn’t take a lot of specialized knowledge or tools.

We often don’t understand how essential electrical outlets are to our daily lives until one stops working. If you’re experiencing only one outlet that’s dead and the others are unaffected, you may simply have a dead outlet. An outlet that isn’t functioning is not only inconvenient, but it can also be a fire hazard. That’s why it needs to be addressed as soon as possible and if you ever feel uncomfortable with the tasks you’re doing, call a professional.

The existence of a sewage smell is unfortunate but has happened to homeowners at least once. You awake on a rainy morning or enter your home after a rainstorm, and it just doesn’t smell quite right. Instead of the clean, fresh scent, you are accustomed to welcoming you, your home reeks of sewer smell. It’s a strong, pungent odor that is reminiscent of a backed-up sewer.

Mobile homes are vulnerable to cold weather. Have you ever wondered why bridges have signs that read “may be icy”? The reason, unlike a road on the ground, is that cold air is traveling above and below the bridge.

It always seems like something is getting spilled on your carpet. It may seem like an easy-clean, but milk can leave a nasty smell even after it looks like it is gone. The person who said not to cry over spilled milk must not have noticed the lingering stench. We are going to help you get rid of that.

Thrift stores are one of the best places to shop for hidden treasures. There are amazing discounts throughout the year at thrift stores, but the start of a new year is usually the best time to score one-of-a-kind deals. Post-holiday decluttering, combined with last-minute tax write-offs, creates a surge in the appearance of exceptional items at secondhand stores around the country. These factors, and more, make January the perfect time to find unbelievable deals on many items at a thrift store.

Dusting your home is a chore that never goes away. Some parts of your home likely get dustier than others, and it can be quite difficult to keep up. Many homeowners have asked themselves the question: why is my bedroom so dusty?

While ironing might not be everyone’s favorite chore, it’s sometimes part of the laundry process. Maintaining your ironing board and washing your ironing board cover are essential to keep your clothes from getting dirty all over again.

If there is one vegetable that’s a classic, all-American dinner table favorite, it’s broccoli. The cruciferous vegetables are some of the most widely eaten, not to mention the most detested by children. If you’re like many frugal home chefs, you will want to store broccoli for as long as possible. The question, of course, is how you can do that without making your broccoli soggy or brown.

Rugs make for a great complimentary design feature in a home. They come in a ton of different color and fabric options, allowing for mixing and matching to create the perfect design aesthetic. Braided rugs are often handmade, providing that one-of-a-kind look to a room.

It isn’t something that happens often, but there will come a need to disconnect your gas stove. Whether it is to perform a thorough cleaning, to replace a damaged connector, or swapping out the appliance entirely, it helps to know how to disconnect everything properly. Whatever the case, it can be easy to properly disconnect the gas line.

Dish soap is one of the best household remedies for many problems, and that includes dirty hardwood floors. It’s the best way to clean hardwood floors without damaging them, especially if you use natural or mild dish soap. First, sweep or vacuum your hardwood floors to remove dust and debris before you mop them.

When it is clean and given the chance to shine, aluminum can be stunning. There are a ton of retail products out there that claim to be able to polish the surfaces of aluminum items, but there are some caveats.

Screen porches have been so popular in the past few years. They are fashionable, practical, and allow weather-proof outdoor chilling. But how much does a screened porch cost?

America’s top-selling cookware brand, Copper Chef is known for their Cerami-Tech nonstick coating that makes sautéing and pan-frying fast and simple. Believe it or not, nothing will stick to the surface of a Copper Chef pan, which eliminates the need for cooking with added fats and oils. Since nothing sticks, Copper Chef pans are incredibly easy to clean. Oftentimes, all you’ll need is one pass with a soapy sponge and cleanup is done in a matter of minutes.

With the weather quickly taking a turn to the colder, the topic of heating quickly becomes a priority. If you’re like most people, having a furnace that’s going bad might be an issue you want to take care of sooner rather than later. One of the more common issues people deal with is a bad HVAC blower motor. But, how can a casual DIYer figure out if a furnace blower motor went bad?

When a bathtub is installed, there are gaps that are purposely left between the tub itself and the wall that is to be adjoined to. This is what is known as an expansion joint. The purpose of this is to allow for a little movement between the position of the tub and the wall it is adjoining.

While there are standard hanger dimensions, there is no universal size standard. For children’s clothing and narrow closets, you should buy narrower hangers. For large jackets, you may require hangers that can handle more weight and are wider than a typical hanger.

If there’s one thing that took me by surprise, it was the sheer variety of fuels that are used to heat up a regular home and provide power to it. Two of the more common fuels that you can use are home heating oil and kerosene. Both are used to bring up heat in a home, so some people might feel the need to pool the two together. But, is this really a good idea?

Outdoor living spaces are a fabulous way to expand your home and provide a restful retreat or extra entertaining area. Laying a rug on your grass or patio helps define zones and transform spaces into more of a room. Of course, it’s still outside, which means it’s prone to more dirt and grime, so how do you clean an outdoor rug?

Whether you’ve entered into a race or want to go on a journey, bringing your bike with you is an option. People bring their beloved bikes all over the world. If this is something you’re interested in, you may be wondering how much it will cost you.

Patios are a great opportunity to extend the aesthetic and feel of your home to the outside while adding space. Outdoor spaces, such as patios, add value to a home, but they also are exposed to the elements which can do them harm. Because of that, many homeowners choose to install a patio cover over their patio to protect it and add visual flair.

What do interviewing for a job, applying for a loan, and enrolling in college all have in common? You have to prove your residency, and merely showing your ID won’t cut it.  Typically, you need two different identification forms, such as your license and a utility bill with your current address.

Imagine the following scenario. You and your neighbor have been living next to each other for years, and you never really had any issues. Yet, one day, you notice a construction crew near your yard. They’re putting up a fence! You’re confused because you’re not really sure whether or not they are allowed to do this. Is this even legal?

The hole in the middle of your basement floor serves an important purpose: to prevent flooding and water damage. Whether you have a washing machine, a sink, or a water heater in the basement, this drain plays a crucial role in making sure your basement doesn’t flood if something goes wrong. Furthermore, it prevents flooding from inclement weather since basements are situated underground.

Installing a home sauna is a big step, but many homeowners find it worth the time and money. However, it’s only worth the cost if you prioritize maintenance, or else you’ll experience problems, like mold. You’re not alone if you’ve ever wondered how to prevent mold in a sauna.

Protein Per Serving: 8 grams (⅔ cup cooked)