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5 home renovation ideas that pay you back big

Mar
03

3 home renovation ideas that pay you back big: Choose a low-flow toilet – It’s good for the environment too! If your toilet works fine but looks worn out, replace the lid and the seat instead of the whole thing. Rather than spending money everywhere, splurge on just a few high-end items to elevate the whole bathroom look and feel. Countertops and wall coverings make particularly big impacts. Keep any new plumbing close to where the old plumbing was to avoid the cost of moving it. Keep two words in mind as you design the layout of your bathroom: functional zoning. That means foregoing style for a layout that’s useful to you in your lifestyle, if you have to choose between the two.

Home design is getting more and more in touch with nature, from eco-friendly practices and materials to actually bringing the best looks of nature indoors. Wood-like laminate and stone-like porcelain are perfect ways to easily and affordably get the earthy feel that nature-lovers and luxury-lovers alike are crazy about.

When we built our home two years ago, I told the designer that the bathrooms weren’t my first priority. Since we had limited resources and a tight budget, I planned to DIY our bathroom upgrades later, when it was more realistic. Now that time has come. I’ve been focusing on designing a beautiful guest bathroom, and I’ve found some impressive DIY bathroom upgrades that I didn’t realize were possible! Most of them involve very little money, and minimal work. These do-it-yourself bathroom makeovers are perfect as a long-term addition, or even as an inexpensive but stylish revamp to hold you over until you can do a full remodel.

A well-designed bathroom with updated features not only increases the overall enjoyment of the space but also increases the value of your home. Homebuyers look for specifics, with respect to bathrooms. They want to envision the space as an escape from the stressful interactions of daily life. An updated, user-friendly bathroom is a big selling point for most homes. For this reason, bathroom renovations and remodels are the quickest way to add value to your home. Whether you’re looking to sell your home or plan on staying, a remodeled bathroom can increase the enjoyment your family gets from your bathroom. Find additional details on home remodeling.

Bathroom windows can pose a bit of a design dilemma. You want ultimate privacy in the bathroom, but natural light is helpful for most personal grooming tasks. In small bathrooms, there aren’t always options when it comes to the location or size of the window—and interior rooms prevent the luxury of having a window at all. But before you resign yourself to unflattering overhead lighting, check out these bathroom window ideas for inspiration.

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Tree removal firm in Colorado Springs

Feb
29

Stump removal firm in Colorado Springs: Do you want to keep your trees in good shape? First we will write some tips on tree care and after that we will introduce Tree Artisans, a tree services company in Colorado Springs. To direct the growth by slowing the branches you don’t want, or to “dwarf” the development of a tree or branch, pruning should be done soon after seasonal growth is complete. Another reason to prune in the summer is for corrective purposes. Defective limbs can be seen more easily. For trees that bloom in spring, prune when their flowers fade. Trees and shrubs that flower in mid- to late summer should be pruned in winter or early spring. Because decay fungi spread their spores profusely in the fall and wounds seem to heal more slowly on fall on cuts, this is a good time to leave your pruning tools in storage.

If your area constantly deals with drought you will want to consider trees listed as drought-tolerant. Some drought-tolerant species include Arizona Cypress, Japanese Zelkova, White Fir, and Kentucky Coffeetree. On the opposite side of the spectrum if your area deals with a large amount of moisture or wet conditions, here are a few trees that will do better in wet conditions: Baldcypress, Shellbark Hickory, Red Maple, Silver Maple, Paper Birch, River Birch, and Weeping Willow.

Compacted soil: When you plant a tree in your backyard, the roots need room to spread out. This can be difficult when planting in compacted soil and heavy clay. Poor quality, compacted soil is an especially common problem if your home has been recently built, as many contractors use construction fill – soil scraped from other sites which may include debris – to shape the landscape. If the tree’s roots have no room to grow and face constant soil pressure, the result may be crushed roots, poor water and nutrient uptake, and stunted growth. You can counter this threat by using best practice planting methods along with vertical mulching or mixing in organic matter into the compacted soil. The Morton Arboretum has an excellent video primer on planting trees.

Mulching is the most beneficial thing a home owner can do for the health of a young tree. Mulches are materials placed on the soil surface to improve soil structure, oxygen levels, temperature and moisture availability. Properly applied, mulch can give landscapes a handsome, well-groomed appearance. Ideally, growing trees should be fertilized throughout the year. The greatest amounts should be applied during the early spring and summer months. Several light applications a year are preferred as the tree gets older. The selection of trees for gardens and public landscaping should be made responsibly. The climatic particularities in Colorado make some trees better to be planted than others. Besides resistance to local weather conditions, other tree planting considerations must include the growth rate, the form of the trees and their size at maturity, as well as pest resistance and maintenance issues. Find extra information on Tree pruning and removal service in Colorado Springs.

As a tree ages, it becomes less able to adapt to major changes and is more susceptible to decline. The key to mature tree care is maintaining stable conditions, avoiding disturbances to the root system, and proper pruning to preserve structural integrity. Pruning of mature trees should be limited to dead branches. Foliage removal is recommended only when absolutely necessary. Soil management goals include: Simulate ideal conditions found in nature by mulching as far out to the drip-line as possible. Fertilize by prescription to correct nutrient deficiencies. Irrigate as needed to avoid drought stress.

Looking for the best choices if you want to cut down the tree maintenance costs? Start with picking the right trees for Colorado! Nancy is a big fan of American Hornbeams, in part because of the striking patterns on their bark. The beautifully textured bark is sinewy, like well-developed muscles on an athlete. No surprise that the tree is also known as a “Musclewood!” Another remarkable feature of this Hornbeam is the pagoda-shaped fruit it produces in the fall. Fall leaf color is a mottled yellow and red. The fruit and the bark give this tree an especially elegant appearance in a winter landscape. American Hornbeams grow 25 to 30 feet tall and wide. They have a moderate growth rate. This Hornbeam should be watered normally for the first three years. They are somewhat drought tolerant once established.

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Some pest control tricks

Feb
27

The best pest control company in Jakarta, Indonesia offering some pest control guides? Where one ant is, a trail of ants is ready to follow. Thankfully, water, sugar and Borax can put an end to their marching. Mix half a cup of sugar and 1 ½ teaspoons of Borax thoroughly. Add this mixture to 1 ½ cups of warm water and stir until all particles have completely dissolved. Find some clean, shallow plastic lids that you’ve saved from disposable food containers, turn them over, and fill them with the solution. Place the lids in areas where ants are known to travel. The ants will be attracted to the sugar, eat the solution, and take it back to their queen, too.

Mice and rats are attracted to food sources and items that can act as shelters. To significantly reduce an identified population in your home, prevention is key. Store your food items in glass or plastic containers with lids. De-clutter areas, especially garages, so that they won’t be attractive to rats or mice as potential habitats. Place as many items on shelves as you can. Remove organic material, such as wood or compost, from near the exterior of your home. If you’re interested in planting a garden, design it so that it is as far away from your home as possible. Think about adopting a natural predator, such as a cat, so that it can hunt down a wayward mouse. Inspect the interior and exterior of your home for cracks and crevices, like those located in foundation or walls, that rodents can slip through, and seal these potential entryways. Place glue traps or other humane rat traps around your home to begin manually removing the rodent population.

As currently stressed out, checking your house is vital in pest control. It will not take huge holes in order for insects to penetrate your house. Pests are rather small and they can easily gain entryway from small holes. Mice on the other are excellent escape artists and they would just require a quarter of an inch-sized hole to enter your home. Your house will have a host of entry holes and so you much better check on them, check your cable television lines, telephone lines, garage and especially the attic. Holes in these locations are often forgotten or taken for granted. This is now the very best time to see them if you wish to get adequate control over your well-known pests. Explore a few more details at PestControlJakarta.com.

For our indonesian readers:

Sangat menyedihkan menemukan bahwa taman yang telah Anda luangkan selama berbulan-bulan telah disusupi oleh kelinci. Anda dapat menghentikan kelinci dari memperlakukan kebun Anda sebagai prasmanan dengan membuat campuran air dan rempah-rempah yang tidak beracun yang rasanya terlalu kuat untuk dinikmati dan diaplikasikan kelinci pada tanaman Anda. Untuk melakukan ini, cari kendi susu kosong dan isi dengan air. Tambahkan tiga hingga lima sendok makan cabai rawit ke dalamnya. Biarkan campuran selama sekitar tiga hari sebelum menuangkannya ke dalam botol semprot dan oleskan ke batang tanaman Anda. Rasa yang kuat akan membuat kelinci menjauh.

Di alam bebas, rayap biasa dikenal sebagai semut putih yang sebenarnya sangat berguna untuk sistem ekologi karena rayap membantu mengurai nutrisi dari tanaman atau pohon yang sudah mati. Rayap justru dapat menjadi ancaman yang serius pada saat mereka memasuki tempat tinggal manusia. Rayap terkenal sebagai hama yang paling sulit untuk dikendalikan, dan mereka mampu menyebabkan kerugian finansial dan kerusakan struktur untuk bisnis dan rumah. Temukan info lebih lanjut di situs web ini Jasa Pest Control.

Sejauh mungkin, posting ini akan berkonsentrasi pada tips pengendalian hama yang akan membantu menjauhkan hama sebanyak yang Anda bisa. Beberapa saran yang diberikan di sini akan menangani hama tertentu tetapi sebagian mungkin berkonsentrasi pada pedoman umum. Disinfeksi produk makanan diperlukan oleh otoritas makanan untuk membatasi kemungkinan hama yang tersesat berkembang dalam barang-barang seperti makanan anjing, tepung, dan biji-bijian lainnya. Pedoman yang bagus untuk mencegah mereka menginfeksi makanan Anda jika mereka kebetulan ditemukan pada beberapa adalah dengan benar-benar menyegelnya dalam wadah kedap udara. Ini tidak hanya akan mengurangi paparan produk makanan tetapi juga dapat menghentikan tikus dari mencemari mereka.

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End of tenancy cleaning London tricks

Feb
24

End of tenancy cleaning London tips? Few carpet stains are as obvious as blood. But suffering a paper cut on your finger and getting a few drops on the carpet doesn’t mean your shag is ruined. “Hydrogen peroxide will get out blood all day long,” Tarbox says. First, loosen up dried blood with water mixed with a mild detergent. Then scrape off as much blood from the fibers as you can. To get the remainder, apply hydrogen peroxide directly to the stain. The solution will immediately foam when it contacts the blood, so don’t be surprised. Then dab the hydrogen peroxide with towels to dry the carpet.

Clean your hairbrush quickly with washing up liquid and water: We don’t really think about cleaning our hairbrushes (other than to remove hair) but when you think about it, it makes sense that they get grubby with grease and product build-up, just as our hair does. Get rid of residue from hair spray, dry shampoo or any other hair products by mixing washing up liquid and warm water and giving it a dip.

Who provides the cleaning materials and equipment? Our end of tenancy cleaning team is fully equipped with all necessary chemicals and professional equipment. You only need to provide access to your property, water and electricity. Can you carry out the job when I am at work? Yes, of course. We just need someone to let our end of tenancy cleaners in and ideally come at the end to check the cleaning. If thats not feasible, on completion we can close the door behind us. We can also collect keys from estate agents for your convenience. Explore extra details on End of Tenancy Cleaning Prices.

Do-it-yourselfers are more likely to encounter these problems because they often don’t remove all the furniture from the room when cleaning, and they often don’t have ready access to the foam blocks and foil-backed cardboard squares that the pros use to keep the furniture off the carpet until it is dry. One carpet-cleaning method, dry extraction, isn’t technically a “dry” procedure; it’s more a “moisture-controlled” process. That is, it applies a controlled amount of moisture to clean the carpet and still leave it dry. This process is similar to the do-it-yourself “dry” method, but the equipment is larger and much more thorough.

Some cleaning advices: Discount pros depend on making volume sales rather than establishing ongoing client relationships. They typically spray soap on your carpet, suck up the water and are gone in 30 minutes. These services leave behind a soap residue that will actually attract dirt to your carpet. Those “three rooms for 50 bucks” offers also get them into your house so they can sell you high-priced add-ons like spot removal and deodorizers-services that quality pros include for free. Quality pros charge according to the type of carpeting, the services you need and the size of the job. The entire process can take one to three hours.

We at Citi Clean understand the stress you might be going through when moving houses. That’s why we are here to help. We can provide you with specialised removal service that is tailored to suit all individual needs. Our movers are fully vetted, insured, experienced and will provide you with the best service possible. Our vehicles are clean and tracked to ensure we follow the most efficient route to your new property. We can also help you with packing, unpacking and cleaning your property professionally. Upon request, we can provide you with boxes and packing materials. Find even more details at cleansimply.co.uk.

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Ledgestone retaining wall building firm in Colorado

Feb
23

Cobblestone retaining wall repair advices: NFC can either be mixed on-site for smaller areas or purchased from a reputable concrete supplier and trucked in for larger commercial applications. NFC is mixed at a 6:1 ratio by volume of 20mm max size clean aggregate and cement. Water content should be such that the cement slurry evenly coats the aggregate and retains a wet/glossy appearance without excess slurry running off, this is typically around 40 litres per 100kg of cement. With the use of NFC, we are able to build Block Retaining Walls in areas and situations where normal construction methods would not work. Some of these situations are: In areas where excavation behind the wall is limited either due to being on a boundary or close to other structures or footings.

Why you should backfill with stone? Versa-Lok recommends compacting the angular stone as you backfill, but check the installation instructions for the type of block you’re using. Backfill about 8 to 10 inches below the top of the capstones. This will allow enough room for the topsoil and turf. Secure the capstones with a specialty landscape block adhesive, which stays flexible over time. Make sure the blocks are dry before applying the adhesive. Overhang the capstones about 1 to 1-1/2 inch. Joe and Jake use a scrap 2×4 as a guide.

Reducing soil erosion, turning steep slopes into terraced backdrops, creating focal points in the landscape—retaining walls serve many purposes. Indeed, they are some of the most common ways to correct problems caused by hilly areas! Well-built retaining walls transform unworkable inclines into usable outdoor space for the garden. Despite their simple appearance, though, these walls require a good deal of planning—sometimes professional engineering—to keep their shape. Soil is heavy, especially when soaking wet from a recent rainstorm, so a basic retaining wall (four feet tall and 15 feet long) potentially has to support up to 20 tons of soil pressure. With every additional foot of height, the pressure of the soil increases substantially. Miscalculate your construction plans, and you could end up with a weak wall that risks bulging or, worse, collapsing altogether. For just this reason, retaining walls taller than four feet should be designed and constructed by the pros.

Designing very tall walls gets rather complex when accounting for lateral pressure, as do the reinforcement options. For example, a retaining wall 8 feet tall is not just twice as strong as a wall 4-foot tall. The 8-foot wall actually needs to be four times stronger. For walls taller than 4 feet, hiring a licensed engineer to develop a design would be a smart move. At the very least, remember to follow the system manufacturer’s instructions to the letter. Plus, keep in mind that building big walls means moving truckloads of soil, gravel and heavy block. Find even more details on Best Retaining Walls Colorado.

We also repair existing retaining walls. Many railroad tie walls or older concrete retaining walls which may or may not include rocks or boulders are beginning to show signs of failure. Often times a homeowner will build a DIY retaining wall that needs help after years of service. Colorado Retaining Wall specializes in the building and repair of retaining walls. Whether the wall is for a backyard or driveway of a residence or a commercial Shopping Center, we design and build large block walls for all Earth retention requirements. We have the ability to fortify the wall with shotcrete or soil nails which would include helical tie-backs or micropiles. Nearly every wall we build requires engineering and we have deep relationships with engineers that work hand-in-hand with our foremen regardless of the size of project. Please read our reviews and look and our photo gallery.

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Residential roofing repair company Colorado Springs

Feb
18

Gutter repair service Colorado Springs: 1st important thing is to maintain your roof properly. Trim your trees: Tree limbs hanging down over your roof, or even on it can be a serious hazard. Not only do they put you at risk for broken limbs falling on the roof, they can wear down and damage shingles. Tree limbs can also encourage squirrels and raccoons to gain access to your home. Keep in mind that they may be closer to your home than you think: tree limbs are often flexible and can swing several feet during a storm.

Once the roof has been cleared, the roofer should inspect it for any potential problems or red flags that could spell trouble down the road. He should complete this inspection twice annually (we recommend spring and fall). This will give him the opportunity to make note of anything suspicious, as well as complete small fixes or minor repairs before they turn into big issues. As a roofer, keeping a close eye on your client’s roof will help you become familiar with it, which gives you the advantage of knowing when something has changed – a key factor in catching problems early. Also check for any evidence the ventilation system (intake or exhaust) is malfunctioning or may need maintenance or cleaning. (Some obvious hints may be condensation inside the attic or ice dams.)

True Nature Roofing specializes in making the roofing process as simple as possible. In return, our customers are faced with the least amount of time, money, and heartache necessary. We are a leader in customer service and we focus on what matters most… you! With every job we commence, there is a secure feeling of knowledge, experience, and integrity that is embedded in our work. The insurance claim is arguably the most important part of the restoration process. Aside from the deductible, provided you are properly insured and your claim is handled accordingly, you should not be out of pocket for any of the necessary repairs. In addition to providing roof estimates and inspections, our Colorado Springs CO Roofers, can help with a free consultation regarding any other exterior home improvement projects you are planning for your home or property. Check out our Services Page to get more information on what we can do, including painting, siding replacement, and seamless gutter repair.

Lets talk about Front range roofing services from Colorado Springs to Denver. While running through your roof maintenance checklist, make sure you check out your chimney for cracks or missing mortar. Structural damage of any size can cause bricks to start falling out, which can damage your roof, let alone cause your chimney to collapse. You can either hire a contractor to patch up any mortar cracks, or break out a trowel and do it yourself. A sloping or leaning chimney can be caused by issues with your home’s foundation as well. If you notice your chimney has moved, call a contractor to have it fixed right away and check the rest of your home for signs of foundation problems.

Moss might seem harmless, but its growth can actually damage your roof. If you want to keep a well-maintained roof, then conducting an inspection and occasional moss removal procedure is going to dramatically extend its longevity and prevent damage from occurring. Moss traps moisture, and homeowners know that moisture means problems—you don’t want any moisture near your home’s structure because it leads to things like weakening in the structuring and compromising its integrity. The moss must go! Use an environmentally safe pesticide to remove the moss and consider placing zinc strips if the moss likes to keep coming back. Find extra information on Roofing Services in Colorado Springs.

We all know how important a roof over our heads is. Just as important is maintaining that roof. You spend a good penny to make sure that your roof is strong and sturdy and can bear all kinds of weather, but none of that matters if you don’t take care of your roof as well. A roof, like anything, needs maintenance and taken care of. Below I’ve listed a few do’s and don’ts that will be a great help in increasing the longevity of your roof and making sure it stays strong over your home. Keep water off your roof: The most important thing in order to maintain your roof is to make sure water stays off your roof. Clean your drainage system and the pipelines from time to time. Make sure there are no leaks in your roof. If you have a proper system to get rid of the water on your roof, it will most likely give the roof an extended life.

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