How Long Does It Last?
By homejack | July 6, 2008
The National Association of Home Builders and Bank of America Home Equity has issued a February 2007 report “Study Of Life Expectancy Of Home Components”. The report is based on information gathered and analyzed by the National Association of Home Builders in 2006.
While the report is to be used as a general guideline, it confirms that nothing lasts forever. The report also reminds us that a house of any age performs better, looks much nicer and certainly will last longer with proper maintenance of all its parts.
And remember, proper maintenance also increases the value of your home.
Materials Example Life expectancies.
Masonry Chimneys, fireplaces . . lifetime
Brick walls . . . . . . . . . More than 100 years
Stucco …………….. 50to100years
Foundations . . . . . . . . Lifetime-with proper
construction
Roofing (slate, clay) . . . 50+ years
Wood Decks ……………… 20years
Siding . . . . . . . . . . . . lifetime
Roofing (cedar shakes) 30 years
Shutters . . . . . . . . . . . 20 years
Windows . . . . . . . . . . 30 years
Metal Gutters . . . . . . . . . . . 20 years if aluminum;
50 + if copper
Aluminum windows . . . 15 to 20 years
Exterior doors Fiberglass, steel, wood. Life of house
Asphalt Roofing shingles. . . . . . 20 + years
Driveway 15 to 20 years
Plastics Vinyl Siding Lifetime
HVAC Furnaces 15 to 20 years
AC Units 10 to 15 years
Misc. Insulation lifetime if kept dry
Paint up to 15 years
Window Glazing 10 + years
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Secure The Hatches - Help Prevent Break-Ins
By homejack | June 29, 2008
Yep, it’s true. Most break-ins occur at the most obvious places. Statistics from the Burglary Prevention Council show the following information. The number one choice for a burglar is the front door, closely followed by a ground floor window, or a side entrance.
The good news is you don’t have to install an alarm system. With a few preparations and a small investment, you can secure your home and help prevent a break-in. Remember, nothing can make the home totally secure.
Front Entrance: 34% of break-ins happen here. All exterior doors should be solid wood (or quality metal) without glass inserts or side glass panels. A peephole can be placed in the door, even one lower if needed for children. Install solid, pick-resistant locks in the doors.
Place a timer on the outdoor entrance light to illuminate the house at night.
Windows on First Floor: 23% of break-ins happen here. The windows should have a quality sash lock. Wireless alarms for windows are also available. If the window is opened, an alarm is sounded.
Side Entrance: 22% of break-ins happen here. Remember the suggestions for exterior doors above. If a glass sliding door exists, several inexpensive and some homemade remedies are available. Place a rod in the bottom track to prevent the door from sliding and a gadget (hardware or home store) at the top to keep the door from being lifted off the track.
Garage: 9% of break-ins happen here. An electronic door opener is not a security device and is easily decoded. A simple and inexpensive side lock on the inside track will do the job here. Yes, it can be inconvenient for you. Don’t forget that side entrance door if you have one.
Basement: 4% of break-ins happen here. Any doors or windows should be treated as above. Place motion-activated detectors on lights to announce a presence.
Second Floor: 2% of break-ins happen here. Check any windows or doors and make them secure.
Around the House: Keep all shrubbery trimmed and small enough to prevent someone from hiding there. And remember, to increase value and help prevent a break-in, any precaution made will not work if you don’t use it.
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Increase Or Decrease In Value! What’s Up?
By homejack | June 22, 2008
In the housing market, some home improvements actually pay off by increasing your home’s value. You may be surprised to learn that other projects will do little to improve the value, and some may actually decrease the value. If not that, at least make it more difficult to sale.
In general, updating your kitchen and bathrooms are always smart investments and offer the best home improvement value. Adding a pool is on the other end. You rarely, if ever, recoup the expense for a pool and in most cases a pool will hinder the sale.
The kitchen is where much of the family interaction occurs. For this reason, the average return-on-investment for kitchen improvements range from 80 to 93 percent with an average cost of $15,000 and up. Suggested projects are adding new tile flooring, re-facing existing cabinets, and updating appliances with new energy efficient models.
Bathroom renovations yield a return of between 85 percent to 90 percent especially if you only have one bathroom. Adding a new bathroom can give very positive results and enhance a sale. Just be careful not to overdo the project. Some good improvements to consider include installing double sinks, tile floors, new bath fixtures and faucets.
Larger improvements that increase value include adding a fireplace, building a deck or patio, or adding a new heating or cooling system.
Simple cosmetic improvements can also go a long way to alter the minds of prospective buyers. Change the cabinet hardware, the door hardware, the electrical plugs and switches or the kitchen sink. Take down the curtains and put up blinds to let more light in. Install a ceiling fan.
Some improvements rarely pay off but are fine if you and your family will enjoy them, such as adding a swimming pool. Just keep in mind that they rarely increase the value of your home and may even make your home more difficult to sell.
Avoid making expensive improvements that go beyond what is typically found in your neighborhood. You don’t want own the most expensive home on your block when it’s time to sell your home.
The last piece of advice is to avoid getting too fancy. Everyone’s tastes are different, so choose colors and materials that appeal to the majority. This will make a quicker and easier sell.
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Soap To The Rescue
By homejack | June 13, 2008
Well, since it’s not quite time for the Saturday bath, here are a few other ways to use that bar of soap. Use it for maintenance on windows, and cabinets as well as help with screws and nails.
If you are putting nails or screws in wood, particularly hardwood such as furniture, cabinets, or molding, try this. A coating of soap will make the screw or nail penetrate the wood with ease.
Lie the nail or screw flat on the soap and twist to place a coating on it. This is helpful even if the hole is pre-drilled.
Another use is on the metal insulation guide of wooden windows. Rubbing a piece of soap on the guide will make the window sash much easier to raise and lower.
Another job is the wooden guides of cabinets, dressers and chests. If the guides are metal with rollers, don’t use the soap.
One thing. Don’t get carried away with these tasks. Just be sure to save a little of the soap bar for Saturday night. If you are short on soap, use a wax candle.
Topics: General, Interior Repairs | No Comments »
Say It With Color - Choose The Right Flowers
By homejack | June 8, 2008
Do you catch yourself admiring the beautiful and color coordinated flower displays at garden centers? Ever wish you might be able to do something like that?
Well, guess what? You can! There is a simple, easy, no-fail way to do-it-yourself. How to do it? Just look at the color wheel and match your choices with the flowers that produce those colors.
What better way to increase home value and enjoyment than with vibrant, beautiflul, colorful plants. Even greater still, this can be done both inside and outside the home.
Red, yellow and blue are PRIMARY COLORS that can’t be mixed or formed by a combination of other colors. However, all other colors are derived from these 3 hues.
Green, orange and purple are SECONDARY COLORS that are the colors formed by mixing the primary colors.
Yellow-orange, red-orange, red-purple, blue-purple, blue-green and yellow-green are TERTIARY COLORS. They have a two-word name, such as blue-green, red-violet, and yellow-orange because they are formed by mixing a primary and a secondary color.
One way to create a vibrant color scheme is by selecting colors on opposite sides of the wheel. Complementary colors are any two colors that are directly opposite each other, such as red and green and red-purple and yellow-green.
For instance, you can find several variations of yellow-green in plant leaves and several variations of red-purple in the orchid. These opposing colors create maximum contrast and stability.
Another way to create a color scheme is with Analogous colors. These are any three colors that are side by side on a 12-part color wheel, such as yellow-green, yellow, and yellow-orange.
To create a more formal combo, choose hues next to each other from the primary, secondary color palette. For example, choose red, purple and blue, or yellow, orange and red.
Want a more sophisticated option? Use a monochromatic scheme. For example, an entire box of white petunias.
Feeling courageous? Spin the color wheel and get a selection of three random colors to use for your creation.
If you need help, go to the internet search engines, such as Google, and enter color wheel. Then look for flower colors. Also check books at the library and garden centers. Don’t forget to consult with the knowledgeable garden center employee.
The bottom line is – just do it. And have fun – don’t worry about rules. Be creative and try something new.
Topics: Lawn/Garden | No Comments »
DO IT WITH FLOWERS – USE WINDOW BOXES
By homejack | May 31, 2008
What A great way to increase value to your home by adding visual color appeal. Window boxes and a few creative ideas give you a way to do it like the professionals.
If you are buying the window boxes, measure the width of the window including the trim. Choose a box that is at least as wide as this. Two to six inches longer will be better. The depth of the box should be a minimum of six inches to allow for root growth.
Be sure to use proper mounting brackets for your box. These can be purchased along with the boxes. If the box does not have drain holes and is made of wood or plastic, drill several holes in the bottom. Mount the box before adding the soil.
When mounting the boxes, leave a few inches of space between the bottom of the window trim and the top of the box. Have someone hold a box for you so you can judge what looks best. Remember to allow for flower growth height as well.
To keep the soil from falling through the drainage holes, place one or two layers of newspaper in the box, then add soil until the box is about 2/3 full.
The soil should be mixture of fresh potting soil and peat moss or pine bark. If the potting soil does not contain fertilizer, follow package instructions and add slow-release pellets.
Take the plants out of the containers and place them in the box. Use a hand trowel to make a space for them. Follow any instructions for placement that allows for growth and the look you desire. Gently press the soil around the plants.
Add additional soil as needed. Leave the soil height one or two inches below the top of the box. After placing the plants in the box, don’t forget to water the plants and soil.
Plants in boxes and pots require more water than if they were planted in the earth. If the temperature is hot, water every day. In about two weeks, begin adding a minimum (1/4) amount of liquid fertilizer to the water once a week to supplement the original fertilizer.
For help in choosing plants with color to place in your window boxes and outside pots, look for my article, ‘Say It With Color - Choose The Right Flowers’.
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GARDEN PROBLEMS? TRY THESE TIPS AND HOME REMEDIES!
By homejack | May 25, 2008
Healthy plants are much less likely to be affected by bugs than weak ones. The 1st goal is to produce a healthy plant. Sounds simple, but how do you grow healthy plants?
Improve the soil, mulch around plants, supply proper nutrients along with water and sunlight, control weeds and bury or mulch dropped fruit. Also helpful is to choose native plants that are suited to existing conditions.
Consider a selection of insect-resistant plants. You can find these in fruit, vegetable and ornamental plants. If you have had a previous problem with pests, plant what they don’t like. For instance, if the green beans have been attacked, maybe the purple kind will not be eaten.
Try companion planting to confuse flower and vegetable pests such as planting chive or garlic among the roses and use crop rotation.
Inspect daily and remove the first few pests before they become a hundred. Wear gloves if handpicking the critters bother you.
- Aphid problems: Try a spray of water from the hose. If this is not successful, spray the plant’s leaves with a soap and water mixture. Repel the aphids by planting chives and garlic among the other plants.
- Weeds between concrete, brick or paving stones: Pour a vinegar and water solution on the weeds or use a salt and boiling water solution. ( 36 oz net wt. (1 kg) of salt to about 2 gal (8 L) of water)
- Caterpillars, flies and aphids: Try oils from citrus fruit peels (orange, lemon, lime).
- Confuse the pests: Pests love gardens with just one type plant and no weeds. So diversify. Plant a variety of plants, not just one type.
- Use mulch: This keeps the soil surface cooler which promotes earthworms, microorganisms and plant roots, holds moisture, eliminates weeds, and repels pests.
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CHOOSING THE RIGHT PAINT TO INCREASE VALUE AND LOOKS
By homejack | May 17, 2008
The best way to increase home value with the least expenditure of time and cash is to paint. After proper preparation, the choice of which paint, sheen and color to use has to be made.
While some paint brands may be better than another, the main point to remember is to choose the best quality of the brand you can afford. A quality paint will adhere better, resist dirt and stains better, fade less and be much easier to clean.
The next step is to match the type of paint to the use of the area. What may be good for one room may not work well for another. The paint chosen for a bath might not be good for a bedroom. If you are painting a busy playroom or family room, you want a durable finish.
The sheen, or gloss you choose will definitely affect the look of your room after painting. Smaller rooms will look and feel larger if a high gloss paint is used because the light will be retracted. The down side is that surface imperfections will be more visible.
A wall in older homes or one with cracks, high and low spots or other imperfections would usually need a flat paint. A flat paint will hide many problems. But wait! Flat paints don’t clean well and are not good choices for high traffic areas.
For a high traffic area or a kid’s room, consider Semi-gloss paint. These paints are easy to care for and highly washable. They can appear a little shiny or produce glares on occasion.
The most versatile and many times most expensive are the Eggshell and Satin finishes. They offer a soft finish and are highly washable and durable.
FLAT - Any room other than kid’s room, kitchen or bath.
EGGSHELL/SATIN - Good choice for any room. Good for doors, windows, trim, cabinets and furniture.
SEMI-GLOSS - Good for hallways, kid’s room, kitchen and bath. Also use for doors, windows, trim, cabinets, shutters and furniture.
HIGH GLOSS - Good for kitchen and bath, doors, windows, trim, cabinets, shutters, molding and furniture
Colors can also significally affect the way you feel. Red is full of energy. But did you know red could actually raise your heartbeat and energy levels along with your blood pressure? Hey! Need passion and intimacy in the bedroom? Consider red. It also has been known to increase the appetite. Look out, dining room.
Want a warm friendly feeling in the family room? Consider the color Orange. Yellow is great for dark foyers and hallways and even kitchens.
If you want a calm, tranquil feeling rather than the passionate one in the bedroom, consider the color Blue. Green is another calm and relaxing color. It makes a good color choice for family living areas, bedrooms and kitchens.
After choosing a quality paint, just remember, go with your feelings in choosing the sheen and color. So what, if you later realize a mistake was made. You can always paint again!
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HOW TO MAKE THAT PAINT JOB LAST – PREPARATION!
By homejack | May 10, 2008
Nothing can increase home value in less time with less cash outlay than an exterior paint job. But to make the paint stand up to the elements for years to come, the task requires proper preparation on the existing paint and wood.
CLEAN UP TIME. The first task is to remove all dirt, mildew and oxidized paint film. A professional can use a pressure washer, but a safer and effective method is a scrub brush and a hose.
Before beginning, protect plants and shrubs around the house by covering with fabric drop cloths after wetting the plants and the soil with water. (Be careful if you use plastic. Plants can cook.)
In a bucket, mix a cup of bleach and a cup of phosphate-free cleaner (such as TSP-PF) per each gallon of water.
Wet the walls (or area) and then begin scrubbing from the bottom to the top. This prevents streaking. Use a scrubbing brush with a short or long handle as needed. Yes, a little elbow grease is required, but well worth the effort.
After scrubbing a small area, rinse well with a hose before the wash dries. When finished, wait at least a day for the material to completely dry.
SCRAPE IT GOOD. Place drop cloths next to the house to catch the debris.
All peeling and loose paint should be removed. This can be done with a hand scraper or a PaintShaver.
SAND IT SMOOTH. To help remove and smooth bumps and ridges in the paint, use a random-orbit or pad sander with a 50 to 80 grit paper.
If needed, first coat the edges with an exterior spackling compound such as SYNKOLOID before sanding. Also, if needed, follow with a 100 to 120 grit paper.
In extreme cases, the paint may need to be removed. Use infrared (such as Speedheater) or chemical (such as Multi-Strip) strippers. Follow with 100 to 120 grit sanding.
If the paint is not loose, but just very rough, another alternative to stripping the paint is to use a thick primer such as Peel Bond.
FILL AND REPAIR. Remove and replace any rotted material. Fill any small holes and scratches with a filler material such as Ready Patch or Plastic Wood. (Caution: Don’t caulk yet!)
PRIMER TIME. Use an acrylic primer to cover any bare wood or a chalky surface. If the wood is cedar or redwood, use an oil-based primer. The primer will seal the wood and allow the paint to stick to it.
Be sure to cover any cracks and corners with the primer.
CAULK IT NOW. After the primer dries, caulk all cracks and joints with a quality caulk. Pure silicone is not good since paint will not stick to it. Use a siliconized or urethane acrylic caulk.
PAINT TIME. Finally! You’re ready for the main treat. After all this prep work, make sure you don’’ skimp here. Use a quality paint. You don’t have to use the most expensive, just make sure to choose quality.
For more information on choice of paint, look for my article “Choosing the Right Paint”
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Laminate Or Hardwood Flooring - Which To Choose? - What To Use?
By homejack | May 3, 2008
Hardwood floors can certainly be beautiful. The finishes of today remove the waxing and upkeep of yesteryear. The choices of style and color can satisfy almost any desire. So, why wouldn’t everyone want a hardwood Floor?
Hardwood floors can be very expensive. Choose certain grains, board sizes and finishes and watch the $$$$ add up. Not only that, we haven’t even started the installation. Normally, this is not a do-it-yourself venture. Professional installation is usually needed.
Even so, hardwood is still the popular choice for the more expensive home. Hardwood has a long-lasting reputation for its beauty and appearance. It helps increase a home’s value more than laminate, lasts a long time, and actually improves with age under proper conditions.
Well, hardwood has a few drawbacks. If you have pets or small children, consider the fact that it will scratch. Areas of high traffic, pet nails, and children’s toys can play havoc with the floors.
Hardwood in not recommended for high-humidity areas such as bathrooms and basements. Some include the kitchen due to water and liquid spills.
Difficulty can also occur when going from hardwood in one room to
carpet or tile in another.
Back to the good news. Hardwood does not have to be replaced when worn or badly scratched. It can be refinished or recoated and does look better with age. The new finishes of today make daily care and maintenance easy.
High-quality laminate flooring today can match hardwood and in some cases even be more durable. This presents a real problem when choosing which type floor to install.
For the do-it-yourself type and most remodeling jobs, the choice is pretty clear - laminate. Consider the following.
Laminate is much less expensive to buy and install. In fact, it can easily be installed by a beginner.
Laminate can be found that looks like wood, tile or stone. It is very durable, easy to care for and has practically no maintenance. It is great for those pets and small children.
Laminate is made from recycled materials, can easily be matched room to room with other types of flooring, and lasts 15 to 30 years.
Wow! So why doesn’t everyone choose laminate? Well, guess what.
Laminate also has a downside.
When it finally begins to show wear, laminate cannot be refinished as can hardwood. It has to be replaced. Nor can one or two boards be replaced and finished to match like hardwood.
Laminate adds a little less value than hardwood to the home in today’s market. Also, if not properly installed, it can make a swooshing sound, especially if the underlament is not level.
Whatever you choose to use, traditional hardwood or less expensive laminate, you’ll be pleased to know your flooring choices are greater than ever before. The final choice will depend on the type of family, lifestyle and budget as much, or more, than the availability or quality of the materials.
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