Housekeeping

If you’ve just moved into a new home, there might be a homeowners association to join. Homeowners associations are known for beautifying neighborhoods and raising property value. However, not all communities come equipped with one from the outset.

No home is complete without a refrigerator. While modern refrigerators are impressive, they are not infallible and are prone to many problems. We all want our refrigerators to be cold, but not cold enough to freeze the food. Many homeowners have asked themselves the question: why is my refrigerator freezing my food?

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.

Leeks are a vegetable closely related to the onion and often have a very similar flavor profile. This vegetable is commonly used in salads, sauces, stews, and soups. With a softer flavor than an  onion, the leek is a perfect vegetable substitute in many familiar recipes.

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.

Showerhead clogs can be caused by deposits of calcium, magnesium, lime, silica, and other minerals in hard water, especially well water. This mineral deposit may block the canal, which will prohibit your showerhead from operating at full force. This is especially true in bathrooms and kitchens, hard water can leave off-white or brown stains on ceramic or glass surfaces.

The mini fridge is a smart way to keep things cold in spatially-challenged places, such as dorm rooms or the garage when you’re working on a project.

Persian rugs are considered to be the gold standard when it comes to luxury carpeting, especially if they’re hand woven. Unfortunately, they’re not exactly easy to clean. Unlike commercially-made rugs, Persian rugs do not come with instructions neatly printed on tags. However, they still need to be cleaned, and most of the time, it has to be done by hand. But…how?

If you live along the coast, or in a region prone to severe weather, then you are likely aware of the danger of hurricanes and tropical storms. They can completely demolish homes and entire communities in their path. In some cases, you might even be ordered to evacuate your home when a hurricane is expected to hit. In other circumstances, it is your responsibility to hope for the best but plan for the worst. As you begin preparing your home and gathering emergency essentials, you might wonder exactly what you should buy at the grocery store to properly prepare your pantry for a hurricane.

Create a schedule for tidying up and review it with your family members. Post it where everyone can see it.

Your ceiling fan has two jobs: to circulate air and light your room. When your ceiling fan stops doing one of these jobs, it can be a major frustration. A flickering ceiling fan light is not always something to worry about, though it can indicate larger electrical issues. 

A flooded septic tank is nothing to mess around with. Your septic tank is responsible for draining all the wastewater from your home, so a flooded one poses a problem. A flooded septic tank can cause sewage to back up into your home’s drains and emit a foul odor. This is a stinky problem you’ll have to deal with sooner rather than later.

When you’re redoing your kitchen, you may be presented with some minor problems when it comes to figuring out the layout. Once in a while, you end up with a gap that’s just difficult to work with. For many of us with a “row-style” kitchen, this gap area is between the stove and the refrigerator. So, what can you put there to make things easier for people who are cooking in your kitchen?

Having an efficient swamp cooler in the summer results from taking care of your cooler in the winter. In this article, we will give you a step by step process to winterize your swamp cooler properly. Preparing your swamp cooler for the off-season is not difficult, and it will increase the life of your unit.

One of the most popular aftermarket accessories among four-wheel off-road enthusiasts is LED lightbars.  The advances in LED technology afford amazing lighting performance at remarkably reasonable prices. However, mounting these lightbars poses a problem for some vehicle owners.  The question of how to mount a lightbar on a vehicle roof without drilling comes up often.

Think about how you feel when your house is a mess or cluttered. Now, think about how you feel when things are tidy, clean, and fresh. Which one do you prefer? Most likely, you enjoy how you feel when your house is somewhat in order (it doesn't have to be perfect).

Oil leaking from your KitchenAid mixer is a lot more common than you think, and no cause for concern. However, over time, your mixer runs the risk of leaking all of its oil out of the appliance, which means that your gears will not be as lubricated.

There’s no way around it: cat litter will always smell bad. However, you don’t have to let that smell permeate your home, especially when there are several easy ways to help get rid of the litter box smell in your house.

When one season transitions into another, there are many changes happening in the air. This is why there are unique allergies you must think about every time the seasons change. While the spring is the most synonymous with pollen and seasonal allergies, autumn has its own irritants hiding in the air. There may even be some fall allergies you didn’t know existed.

Homeowners come across many new discoveries about their house as time goes on. Sometimes it feels like you learn new things about your home every day.

Mushrooms are underappreciated ingredients that deserve to be included in more dishes. The earthy flavor they feature pairs well with so many other ingredients. Mushrooms work great in sauces, soups, and you can sauté them with garlic and butter to create a delicious appetizer.

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.

Eucalyptus has become one of the most popular plants among the natural health scene, not to mention the organic gardening scene. It’s a plant that is famous for repelling pests, turning a shower into an amazing aromatherapy bath, and promoting healing. The question is, where can you get a hand on some eucalyptus for your own home?

You might be the breadwinner and adult, but you should always get your child’s input before preparing a school lunch. If they don't like what you make, then there’s a good chance it will go uneaten.

If you survey 100 professional loggers and arborists on whether they prefer a Stihl or Husqvarna chainsaw, you are likely to get a clear-cut, 50/50 split.

Have you ever had mice activity in your home? If so, you know that their urine can leave an unpleasant odor behind. Mice can set up shop in just a few days, and they leave their droppings wherever they go. Not only can the smell be offensive, but their urine can also pose a health hazard to humans.

Believe it or not, many homeowners don’t realize they need to pump their septic tank regularly. Usually, the tank will back up throughout the house before anyone realizes what’s wrong. For those who live on land with a septic tank, the day will come where you need to pump it. How much will it cost you to do this?

Parchment and wax paper are sold right next to each other on the grocery store shelf. The packaging is often so similar, you might mistaken one for the other. While both of these papers are used in food preparation and food storage, they have very different uses. 

Have you ever gone into the crawl space under your house and smelled the mildew and musk? This scent indicates that there’s a lot of moisture, which is a universal issue in crawl spaces. But this moisture leads to mold which causes lots of damage, so you need to know how to get rid of mold on floor joists in a crawl space.

Popular grains like rice, corn, and wheat are farmed and modified constantly and have been for more than one hundred years. These species are constantly being altered for various reasons, including lasting longer in the pantry, and higher yields. 

If your neighbor just moved in, there’s a good chance they haven’t settled in and made their house feel lively yet. In that case, you can help inject their house with personality if you give them a houseplant or two. That said, the last thing your neighbor wants is a houseplant that’s demanding and hard to take care of.

One of the main contributors to all sorts of mold in the home is humidity. When your home has a lot of moisture, it makes it easier for mold to form. This is also true for mold on leather. You must remember that leather is a natural material. 

What’s not to love about springtime? The sunshine, flowers, cute baby animals, picnics in the park, spring cleaning — oh, wait. You might not love to clean (who does?), but spring is the perfect time to refresh your home and enjoy a sense of renewal. 

If you are someone who gets bitten by mosquitos in the summer months, then you will be happy to know Epsom salts can help. Not only will an Epsom salt bath help your skin feel better, but dissolved salts can also help relieve itching associated with mosquito bites.

If there’s one thing that never ceases to amaze me, it’s how many different types of paper we have created and how many different uses they have. Butcher paper is no exception. This handy paper is excellent for storing foods, keeping tools clean, and even lining areas while you paint. The hard part of using butcher paper, though, seems to be finding it. Where on earth do you buy this stuff?!

Your water heater is an essential part of your home. It is responsible for heating all your water, from sinks to showers to the washing machine. 

It’s no secret that drinking reverse osmosis water can have many health benefits. The higher quality water contains fewer contaminants and tastes better than regular water. The reverse osmosis filtration system is commonly sought out by many others because of these health benefits. Surprisingly, though, this filtration system isn’t expensive, as one would think.

One downside of a wet climate is that dirt turns into mud, which can damage cars and dirty up houses. This doesn’t bode well for dirt roads or driveways primarily made up of soil and gravel. Luckily though, there are ways to fix your muddy driveway.

Steps can be tricky to build. However, if made correctly, a set of wooden stairs can be safe and sturdy. There are endless uses for a group of freestanding steps. Whether leading up to a deck or needing a little extra reach in your shed, a low set of stairs can take you to high places.

Grout lasts for an average of 12 years, but it can go bad long before then. Regrouting tiles is never a fun process, but does it mean that you have to remove all of the old grout?

A well-functioning toilet flapper is necessary to the function of any toilet. There are only three main toilet flapper types available: tank ball, seat disk (or disc) and rubber.

There are a ton of different attic and roof vents to choose from. When you’re looking to improve your home, it’s critical to use high-quality products that get the job done. 

So, you had mice, but you got rid of them. And maybe you got a cat to help keep them away. But what about that horrid smell that is left behind? The strong scent of urine in the carpet and wood floors just will not go away.

As one of the best fall treats around, pumpkin pie is a delicious and delightful treat. Saving pumpkin pie after it is made doesn’t have to be difficult, and many people can preserve their pie for weeks on end.

Laminate countertops are a great addition to any kitchen. They’re durable, look great, and are long-lasting. Just like anything else in your home, it can be affected by water damage. 

Kids these days have some very odd toys that they play with. Flarp is one of the weirdest. Actually, adults seem to like it too. It is just putty-like Silly Putty, but it makes a farting noise when you play with it. But Flarp is not so much fun when it is stuck in your carpet.

When you’re building your home, you are in control of everything, including the orientation of your house. That small detail is something most people don’t think about but can make a huge impact on how you experience your home. After all, the direction your house faces will impact your heating, parking, as well as the amount of sunlight you get. So, what is the best direction for a backyard to face?

A condemned house is one that the government has decided is unfit for any occupants. The government will seize any condemned property and all occupants must then vacate the property.

Everyone has to clean to maintain a desirable and sanitized home. Daily, weekly, and seasonal cleaning tasks are all essential to keep a home tidy. In addition to regular cleaning, one must remember there are correct and incorrect ways to clean different surfaces in your home. If you clean incorrectly, your home may appear even dirtier than it did before you started.

Ants are not a big deal when you see them outside but having them crawling around in your house is not so great. Nobody wants to open up a box of cereal and see ants in their breakfast. And if you have fire ants, their bite is painful, so you want to get rid of them fast.

The sight of mold in your dishwasher can make you think twice about using your dishes again. Dishwashers are the perfect place for mold to grow because of the moisture, heat, and darkness. Many people struggle with how to get rid of mold in the dishwasher, however, you can prevent mold growth and get rid of what’s already there by taking a few precautions.

If you have a damp house or maybe just a damp room, you may be considering purchasing a dehumidifier. Or, quite possibly, you already have one and wonder if it’s safe to run a dehumidifier constantly. Dehumidifiers are great for reducing moisture in your house, but if moisture is a major issue, a dehumidifier might not be a permanent solution.

Log cabins are a part of old school Americana. Lincoln lived in one. Settlers had them. Even today, camping in a log home is considered to be a great way to enjoy a slice of the country. But, log homes aren’t common anymore. Did you ever wonder why that is? Well, it has to do with a lot of the problems that they tend to bring.

Anyone navigating life with asthma is used to making some compromises. After all, you must always think about how certain activities or products will affect your asthma, even at home. You’re not alone if you’ve ever struggled with how to make your home asthma-friendly.

So, you’ve decided to remodel your kitchen and are thinking about purchasing slate appliances. Slate is a relatively new color option and a unique alternative to stainless steel.

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?

The water coming from our faucets may be purified, but that doesn’t mean it is pure. City water often has fluoride in it, and the pipes in your home can put other minerals in your water, too. Sometimes this can cause water discoloration, especially if you turn the water off for a period of time.

Bananas are one of the best and most popular fruits to freeze. This yellow fruit is usually cheap and sold in bunches. Bananas are also a fruit that should not be put in the refrigerator, as this allows bananas to ripen naturally and quickly.

Baseboard heaters are a great convenience, which is why many builder owners choose them for their homes. They are highly energy-efficient and give you control over the temperature of each room of your house. However, it can be quite unsettling when you go to turn off your baseboard heater and nothing happens.

People who are prone to seasonal allergies often have mixed opinions about the spring and summer. While the weather is great in many areas, the pollen count can go off the charts. Can outdoor pollen affect you indoors?