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Posts Tagged ‘maintenance’

Keeping Your Floors Clean And Bright

by admin, 10:57 AM on May 10th, 2012, Comments Off

Your new floor is an important part of the investment you’ve made in your newly remodeled space.  Proper maintenance and care will help it give you a lifetime of comfort and beauty.  Here are a few tips for cleaning the most common floor coverings.

Hardwood Floors

Moisture is your floor’s greatest enemy. Wipe spills immediately. If you have wood flooring in your kitchen, put an area rug in front of the sink.  Dirt and dust can scratch your floor. Sweep, dust mop or vacuum regularly, but never vacuum with the beater bars operating. Use doormats at all exterior entrances to trap dirt and clean them regularly too.  Make sure the heels of shoes, especially high heels, are in good repair. Unprotected heel tips or nails can damage a floor.  Use felt glides on furniture and periodically check to see that they remain clean.

Carpet

Regular vacuuming is the most important cleaning activity for carpet, but deep cleaning is required to remove stubborn dirt and stains. The Carpet and Rug Institute recommends that carpet be deep cleaned at least every 12 or 18 months. No matter what method you choose, follow the manufacturers’ directions on all cleaning products.

Your carpet’s fiber determines the appropriate cleaning method. Most carpet manufactured today is made with synthetic fibers like nylon, polyester or olefin, and may be cleaned with most cleaning methods.  Natural fibers may require specialized care.  Ask your carpet installer for advice on the best cleaning method for your floor.

Tile and Stone

For regular granite maintenance, use a solution of a mild non-abrasive cleaner or clear non-sudsing ammonia and water. Natural stones (travertine and limestone) can be cleaned using a neutral or slightly alkaline non-abrasive cleaner with a pH between seven and 10.  For routine maintenance of ceramic tile use a non oil-based all purpose cleaner Rinse thoroughly with clean water to remove all traces of cleaning solution.  Dry with soft white cloth to prevent streaking.

Spring Cleaning Should Include Gutters

by admin, 8:53 AM on April 18th, 2012, Comments Off

It might seem like a fall job, but gutters can collect leaves and other junk during the winter and spring, too.   Rain gutters protect you and your home from water damage.  With that in mind, here’s a reminder of last fall’s post on gutter maintenance.

Wet leaves and debris can cause water to back up in the gutters. That can force water to overflow the sidewalls or worse can pull the gutters away from the fascia boards. It can also cause erosion around the foundation, wet basements, and siding rot.

Cleaning Gutters

You should inspect and clean your rain gutters at least twice a year, once in the late fall and once in early spring. By cleaning rain gutters in late fall you can be sure to remove any leaves, branches and other debris that may have accumulated during the summer and fall seasons.  You also ensure that gutters work properly during the winter, or at least minimize ice build-up.  Spring cleaning gutters gives you a chance to check for any ice damage and to remove any debris that may have accumulated.

Gutter cleaning typically requires a ladder, garden hose with spray nozzle, and a pair of rubber gloves. Make sure the ladder is properly and stably positioned on the ground. A stepladder works well but, make sure it is tall enough that you can safely use it without having to stand on the top two steps. If you need to use an extension ladder, place a piece of 2×4 lumber inside the gutter to keep the gutter from bending when you lean the ladder on it.  Remove the leaves and debris by hand where you can reach them.  Use the hose to clean hard to reach areas.  Before you finish, be sure to spray out the down spouts.  Leaves can accumulate there as well.

Gutter Shields and Gutter Guards

Though your rain gutters may be outfitted with gutter shields or gutter guards don’t think you are immune from gutter cleanings. These systems help minimize gutter clogs but they are not perfect. Small debris inevitably finds its way underneath them and into your gutters.

Protect your biggest investment with regular gutter cleaning.  Your new home addition will thank you!

Dealing With Water In Basement Remodeling

by admin, 2:47 PM on March 22nd, 2012, Comments Off

Basement remodeling adds significant space to a house.  Homeowners need to keep certain basement-specific requirements in mind, however.  Water is a big challenge in many homes.  Humidity and leaks are two common sources of water damage in basements.

Humidity

Humidity can be difficult to notice, but can cause long-term damage from mold and stagnant wetness in walls and flooring materials.  Before we begin a basement remodeling project, we check for humidity.   You can check for condensation by hanging a mirror in the basement–if the mirror fogs up after a few hours, condensation is present in the basement.  Fans and humidifiers can help to reduce the impact of humidity.

Leak Prevention

Controlling surface water and waterproofing basements are important parts of any basement remodel. The yard around the foundation should slope downhill away from the house.  This will prevent many of the conditions that lead to leaky basements and water damage to the foundation.  It’s also possible to coat the interior of the foundation walls with a mix of concrete paint that blends with the masonry of the foundation walls.

Floors

Remodeled basements often see heavy foot traffic.  If your basement is prone to water leaks, we can use materials that can withstand heavy use as well as excessive water.  Tile can be one durable, water-resistant flooring material option.

Talk to our design team today.  We can help you determine what water challenges your basement might face and the kinds of things we can do to prevent and minimize the impact of water on your new basement.

Preparing For A Home Remodeling Project

by admin, 12:43 PM on February 9th, 2012, Comments Off

Home remodeling projects are exciting.  The dream of a new kitchen, bathroom or family room brings smiles to the whole family’s faces.  But remodeling projects are disruptive by nature.  A favorite coffee cup can go missing, cooking meals in a microwave gets old and the loss of that convenient shower can be frustrating.

A few easy prep steps can dramatically reduce the disruption of any home remodeling project.  The better you prepare your home for the displacement, dust and traffic in your house, the smoother your project will be.

1.  Gather supplies. You will need boxes, newspapers, packing materials, packing tape, masking tape, quart size and gallon size plastic storage bags and markers.

2.  A week before the project begins, start packing up the contents of your cabinets, beginning with the least-used items.  Unpack in reverse order – it will streamline the process.  If you’re remodeling your kitchen, pack eating utensils in the gallon size plastic storage bags. Use a bag each for knives, forks, spoons and cooking utensils.

3.  Take down window treatments and wall decorations. Put the hardware in plastic storage bags and label them.  This is a good time to clean and dust the items if you will be using them again in the remodeled room.

4.  Move any pictures, mirrors, furniture, and other items in neighboring rooms away from walls adjacent to the room to be remodeled. Vibrations from the construction could knock them off and break them.

5.  Set aside things you don’t use anymore for donation. Make a list and estimate the value before you take them to your local donation center. Throw out anything broken or unusable. This is a great time to reduce clutter.

6.  Protect what you can’t remove; floors should be covered, dust curtains hung and a pathway defined for workmen to enter and exit the workspace. Use plastic sheeting and tape to seal off doorways into other rooms and cover bookshelves, furniture, and electronic equipment.  If you have a basement below the demo area that is open, cover anything there as well.

We’ll do our best to make the remodeling process as pleasant as possible.  With a few extra steps, you’ll be enjoying your new room in no time!

Protect Your Home Addition With Regular Gutter Cleaning

by admin, 11:10 AM on October 20th, 2011, Comments Off

You’ve made a significant investment in your new home addition.  An important part of protecting that investment is proper rain gutter cleaning and maintenance.  Rain gutters protect you and your home from water damage.

Wet leaves and debris can cause water to back up in the gutters. That can force water to overflow the sidewalls or worse can pull the gutters away from the fascia boards. It can also cause erosion around the foundation, wet basements, and siding rot.

Cleaning Gutters

You should inspect and clean your rain gutters at least twice a year, once in the late fall and once in early spring. By cleaning rain gutters in late fall you can be sure to remove any leaves, branches and other debris that may have accumulated during the summer and fall seasons.  You also ensure that gutters work properly during the winter, or at least minimize ice build-up.  Spring cleaning gutters gives you a chance to check for any ice damage and to remove any debris that may have accumulated.

Gutter cleaning typically requires a ladder, garden hose with spray nozzle, and a pair of rubber gloves. Make sure the ladder is properly and stably positioned on the ground. A stepladder works well but, make sure it is tall enough that you can safely use it without having to stand on the top two steps. If you need to use an extension ladder, place a piece of 2×4 lumber inside the gutter to keep the gutter from bending when you lean the ladder on it.  Remove the leaves and debris by hand where you can reach them.  Use the hose to clean hard to reach areas.  Before you finish, be sure to spray out the down spouts.  Leaves can accumulate there as well.

Gutter Shields and Gutter Guards

Though your rain gutters may be outfitted with gutter shields or gutter guards don’t think you are immune from gutter cleanings. These systems help minimize gutter clogs but they are not perfect. Small debris inevitably finds its way underneath them and into your gutters.

Protect your biggest investment with regular gutter cleaning.  Your new home addition will thank you!

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