Negotiate Yourself Into A Unique Custom Home Builder

How to build your own house: a self build beginner’s guide

Bringing your perfect home to life is an exciting venture, but it requires careful planning, organisation and budgeting. Our step-by-step guide will help you #breaknewground and ensure your self build project runs smoothly.

What is self build?

A project is defined as a self build if the homeowner directly organises the design and construction of their new property, according to the National Custom and Self Build Association (NaCSBA).

Fear not – this doesn’t mean you have to shoulder the bulk of the work. Self builders can take on as much or as little as they want; some choose to get their hands dirty with construction while others will order from a package home company.

Typically, it can take around two years to build a home, from finding a plot to moving in, but this depends largely on the complexity of your project. So is self build for you? It’s important to do your research and make sure you know what you’re getting into before you embark on building your own home.

How to finance your self build

Arranging finance is the first crucial step in the self build journey. Taking your home from paper to plot in the can cost somewhere between $1,000 and $3,000 per square metre, but the final figure will be dictated by the location, scale, design and specification of your dwelling, along with how much of the work you undertake yourself.

 

Steps to building a new home

Building a home can give you the freedom to enjoy a brand new property that’s been designed just for you and your family. However, it’s a big project that needs to be carefully managed at every stage.

Choose a home design

There are many options for building your home, from house and land packages and project homes to custom-built properties or DIY kit homes. Each has its own benefits, disadvantages and costs, so it’s important to work out where you want to build, what you can afford and which option best suits your needs.

Find your land

If you’re not rebuilding on your existing block, make sure your building design is compatible with the land you want to buy. This can have a significant impact on building costs, so it’s a good idea to hire an expert to inspect the site before you commit to buying the land or building design

Choose a builder

It’s important to spend time finding the right builder for your project. Get recommendations from friends, contact the Master Builders Association and Housing Industry Association and invite various licenced builders to quote on your new home.

Apply for a home loan

Staying on top of your finances is key to the successful construction of your home. Work out how much it’s likely to cost and make sure you have your home loan in place before you begin.

 

Home Builder Guide

The Home Builder Guide has been prepared to assist homeowners or contractors who are unfamiliar with building and municipal Code sections in planning residential construction, alteration or repair work. This guide is intended to assist in planning, obtaining the necessary permits and inspections, and successfully completing work. We invite you to contact the Department of Community Development, in person or by telephone for any questions regarding specific code requirements

Q: What may I build?

A: What can be built on your property depends primarily on the how it is zoned. Properties have various zoning designations as stipulated on the Huntington Beach Zoning Map and General Plan Map. Development requirements such as lot coverage, building setbacks, floodplain compliance, building height, etc…will vary depending on the zone of the property.

Q: Where may I build on my property?

A: Depending on the zoning of a property, various minimum building setback requirements will apply. Building setbacks identify front, rear and side areas of a property where the construction of a building, fence or other structures is prohibited (except as otherwise stated in the zoning ordinance). For example, if you’re located in the Residential Low Density (RL) zoning district the minimum rear setback is 10 feet, the minimum interior side yard setback is 5 feet, and the minimum front yard setback is 15 feet. All setbacks are measured to property lines.

Q: How big can I build?

A: Lot coverage is another factor that is important for any new construction or additions to existing structures. Lot coverage is the maximum area of a lot (your property) that may be covered by a structure or structures. Most lots permit up to 50 percent of the total lot area. Swimming pools and lattice patio covers are not counted towards lot coverage.

Q: How big can I build?

A: Lot coverage is another factor that is important for any new construction or additions to existing structures. Lot coverage is the maximum area of a lot (your property) that may be covered by a structure or structures. Most lots permit up to 50 percent of the total lot area. Swimming pools and lattice patio covers are not counted towards lot coverage.

 

HOME DESIGN: A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE TO DESIGNING YOUR DREAM HOME

Every self builder has their individual expectations and ambitions in terms of the final result of their Self Build project. The process of designing a home is very demanding and challenging, as it is a crucial stage that is responsible for making your vision a reality. The series will take you through the three main stages in developing an empty plot into a well-organised construction site equipped with experts who can successfully build your dream home.

Before starting to create your project brief you need to think simply: “why?”. Why do you want to build your home instead of buying it directly from a mass home builder? Every self builder’s reason can be different. Some of them want to build a safe and joyful environment for their children. Others may want to build a house to then sell on, to gain maximum profit.

Throughout the whole project, it is important to remember ‘why’ you want to build your own home. By doing this it will help you get through the most challenging moments. There will be a lot of them.

At first, we need to answer the question what is a brief and what is it used for? The brief sets out all of the crucial requirements for your project and needs to be created before you engage with your design team. The brief will help you obtain accurate fee proposals from your design team and will be an evolving document throughout the life of the project.

First thing you need to include in your brief is the basic room information and room sizes. It is helpful to use the measurements of your current rooms, as long as they meet your expectations. The second aspect you need to consider is your building flow – the layout/structure of the internal rooms.

 

Residential Building Information

A Guide for the Homeowner

To repair, alter, add to or construct a new home, carport, garage, sundeck or other work. The aim of this guide is to assist the home owner or builder who wishes to alter or construct a new one or two-family dwelling or accessory building. These guidelines are for general information only and should not be used as a substitute for city bylaws and regulations.

Zoning Information

Prior to making a building permit application or to change the use of a property, it is important to confirm the heights, setbacks, permitted uses and other considerations as part of the Zoning Bylaw. Zoning regulations is one of the due diligence checked by the designer and/or professionals.

Tree Protection Information

The purpose of the Tree Protection Bylaw is to protect Richmond’s urban forest by restricting tree removal from private lands and ensuring replacement trees are provided when trees are required to be removed.

Demolition, Move or Salvage a Building

In an effort to minimize the demolition of livable houses as well as expand on the homeowners to post their houses on the City’s House Moving and Salvage List for the purpose of offering to move or salvage their house, prior to applying for a demolition permit.

Obtaining & Viewing Building Records

Permit records and survey certificates are available for viewing at the Information Centre of City Hall and may be viewed by anyone. Building drawings are also available for viewing to the registered owner of the property. If not the owner of the property

What Tools Do You Need In Your Residential Roofing Investing Toolbox

A Letter From The Best Roofing Repair Company

uncompromising principals that foster excellence, transparency and integrity. At Roofing Company understand that your roof is one of the most essential pieces of your home or business, so take pride in commitment to protecting your shelter with the most reliable materials possible by only offering top of the line roofing products that are tested, approved, and comply with all of United States top standards.

like to think that the warranty of work is matched by the pride personnel takes in their craft, and the expertise they have developed over the decades of repairing and completing roofing projects. As general contractors, hold top tier state licensing in roofing and construction, so you can be assured comply and follow all safety and state requirements in roofing repair company

brand brings a background in building extremely high-end homes, where attention to detail and quality craftsmanship is a top priority, so apply those same standards to your roofing needs. excellent reputation in the community has been built on quality service, competitive pricing and unmatched reliability.

RE-ROOFING

​​At some point, every roof reaches a state beyond repair. When re-roofing is your only option, dedicated professionals will work with you to deliver the best application for your residential or commercial roofing needs.

ROOF REPAIRS

Best roofing repair company -Understanding roofing is paramount in proper diagnosis for repair; with 30 years of construction and roofing, can diagnose, understand, and repair any roofing issues. provide the most economical and effective solution.

 

High-Quality Roofing Materials Delivering Superior Performance

Investing in roof replacement will require careful consideration, especially with your choice of material. You have to make sure that your new system can provide the exceptional weather protection and lasting performance that your home deserves.

Roofing Options: will guide you pick the right one!

Construction can help you make more informed decisions in your roof replacement. carry some of the highest quality roofing materials available today. They offer a host of rewarding features that isn’t limited to keeping the harshest elements at bay

Slate. When it comes to longevity and durability, slate is the undisputed champion. In fact, with proper installation and maintenance from a trusted roofer like Construction, slate roofing can last for a century. This exceptional choice can handle most extreme weather conditions, including hail, rain, snow, and wind. Slate is available in a number of colors and thicknesses. Over time, it wears down to a lovely, silvery gray that provides a timeless look for your home.

Metal. This option offers the same money-saving benefits of shingles due to its light weight. Aside from that particular feature, metal offers other advantages that set it apart. Metal can reflect radiant heat back to its source, keeping your home cooler and more comfortable. Because you don’t need to rely as much on your air conditioning, you can enjoy significant energy savings.

Tile. You’ll usually find tile on style homes. Made of either clay or concrete, tile roofing offers superior weather performance, while adding a warm, inviting look to your home. Like slate, this roofing material can improve your home’s insulation, allowing for comfortable and energy-efficient living spaces.

 

Experts in Residential Roofing

When your roofing system is not working as it should, you need to make an informed decision about what needs to be done. The problem is that most homeowners aren’t involved with roofing projects on a regular basis, and don’t understand what’s involved with the process or even if they are making the right choices.

Solutions wants you to have confidence in and know that are the right contractor for your roofing project. make sure your home makes a striking impression and stands out in your neighborhood in a good way. Attention to detail, quality products and quality craftsmanship are key to success.

Your choice of roofing material is an important decision when protecting your home from the elements, bringing out the beauty and extending the useful service life of your roof system. Homeowners have numerous choices of products, styles and design options.

Comprehensive Services

Residential Roofing

Commercial Roofing

Solar Roofing

Storm Damage Repair

Siding

Doors

Decks

Gutters

Interior Remodeling

Room Additions

Windows

Flooring

Drone Roof Inspections

And more!

Why You Must Choose the Right Contractor

Solutions is the right choice if your property has been damaged by hail and high winds. provide comprehensive service, starting with a thorough inspection to locate even hidden damage. equipped to handle all of your storm-related repair needs and stand behind work. also work with most major insurance companies.

 

Residential Roof

Have You Experienced Roof Damage Wind And Storms?

If you are in the area and your roof has sustained wind damage, team of expertly train roofers at On The roofing have the expertise and training to make the necessary repairs. If your roof has sustained wind damage, and you need repairs done efficiently, effectively, and quickly, call On the Roofing today. Wind damage is one of the most common types of roof damage.

ROOF WIND DAMAGE

Roof Wind Damage can result in many different issues including leaks, mold, and flooding. At On The roofing, are passionate about serving occupants of the are however needed.

Number one has to be fallen tree limbs. It can cause extreme roof damage and is easily preventable. High winds can cause limbs and branches to fall of your roof and cause serious damage. Limbs and heavy branches from trees can fall on your home during major storm surges. Not to mention, the tree could be weakened by old age and disease. It is very common and easy for limbs like these to crack and fall. Take care to occasionally check the trees around your home, and remove any potential falling hazards

Fallen leaves, sticks and pine needles from nearby trees can pile up on your roof and form a pile of mulch. This wet pile will cause shingle deterioration and rot

 

Understanding The Layers of a Roof and Why They Are Important

There are layers of a roof that create layers of protection. Done right, you’ll never need to know what all these layers are. But if your roof is facing an issue, it’s important to know what each layer of your roof does to protect your home.

Framing

The first layer of any roof is the framing. This is what gives the roof its shape and is the foundation for the rest of the materials. The framing is made up of trusses that support the weight of all the roofing materials– their triangular shape helps support and distribute the weight.

Insulation

Technically not on your roof but underneath it in the attic is a layer of insulation. The insulation helps minimize heat loss in your home and protects the various layers of your roof from extreme temperatures that can damage and break down the materials.

Ventilation

Also, in the attic, ventilation gives hot, moist air somewhere to escape to instead of staying trapped underneath your roof. Improper ventilation can lead to mold and damage to your roofing frame and deck.

Roof Deck

Directly on top of the framing is the roof deck. Commonly made up of sheets of plywood, the roof deck connects the trusses and joints of the framing together and provides a solid surface to layer the rest of the roof onto.

Pros, Cons & Costs Of Hardwood Flooring

How to clean hardwood floors the right way

Hardwood floors add a beautiful touch to just about any room, but there’s some debate about the best way to clean them. “There are several different mixtures to use for hardwood floors, and you’ll want to be sure to try any cleaning solution on an inconspicuous area first,”

author of “Cleaning Plain & Simple,” offered a word of caution, “Some hardwood floor manufacturers recommend using a mop dampened with water only, and may even void a warranty on new floors that have been cleaned with any other cleaning solution.”

Routine cleaning

In high-traffic areas, like the dining room and kitchen, sweep or vacuum daily if possible and mop hardwood floors once or twice a week. Mop less-trafficked areas once a month or once a season.

How to clean wood floors

Remember: Water is wood’s worst enemy (even on sealed floors!), so use a damp mop rather than a soaking wet one.

Do’s and don’ts

Do use a floor-cleaning product recommended by the floor finisher or opt for plain soap and water. If the recommended product is hard to find or costly, and other floor cleaners contain ingredients that violate your floor’s warranty, try soap and water. Try 1/4 cup of mild or pH-neutral soap (like liquid dishwashing soap) or Murphy Oil Soap (despite the name, it doesn’t contain oil) to a bucket of water.

 

Guide to wood flooring

Getting Started

Replacing carpeted or tiled areas in your home with wooden floorboards can breathe new life not only into the room in question, but your whole house. As well as adding value to the price of your home, they may improve the health of your family, as nasty bugs and germs have nowhere to hide on wooden surfaces.

If you have some DIY ability, it should also be possible to do the work yourself – which will save you money on installation costs. But there are plenty of companies out there willing to do the work for you and so, if you decide to go the professional route, you should be able to get a competitive price. Try your local Yellow Pages or ask a friend or neighbour who has had similar work done for a recommendation.

What does it involve?

For many years, installing hardwood flooring in your home meant a team of professionals arriving at your house with large strips of oak or maple, which would then become your floorboards. It would take a team of four or five people to install the flooring, which then needed to be sanded and varnished several times before it was ready to be used. During this process you would have to leave your home, as the varnish could not be walked on and could take several days to dry. The costs at the end of this laborious process would be huge

Real Wood Floors

Real wood is also known as solid hardwood and there is very little substitute for this traditional hardwood style of flooring. If money and time were no object then real wood flooring would win hands down every time. Real wood flooring is available in a range of wood types, such as Oak, Cherry, Steamed Beech, Maple and Ash and many other more exotic alternatives.

Engineered Wood Floors

Engineered wood flooring consists of a plank that is made up of several layers of different woods, which are topped off by a veneer top layer of your selected wood type such as Oak, Ash etc.

 

Alternatives to Hardwood Flooring

Wooden floors are a timeless and classic choice for any home. However, sometimes wood floors might not be a practical option for your home, due to either cost or function. Fortunately, there are other flooring materials that imitate wood so you can have a cozy atmosphere that costs less or is more durable than traditional wood flooring.

So how do you go about deciding if real wood is the best flooring option for you or if you should go with an alternative? Here are a few things to consider when it comes to your flooring options.

Hardwood Flooring

Hardwood is a durable and attractive type of flooring. It goes well with pretty much any style of home. It also has a long life, since you can refinish it multiple times. Hardwood floors keep their value over time, as is evident by their resale value: Fifty-four percent of homebuyers are willing to pay extra for hardwood floors. If you think you might sell your house in the future, it could be worth it to invest in hardwood floors now.

Other Options for Wood Floors

Maybe hardwood isn’t the right choice for your home. What other types of floorings are there for you to choose from? Some popular alternatives to hardwood floors are laminate, vinyl, and ceramic tile. All of these can imitate the look of wood. (yes, even tile!) They each have their own positives and negatives, and they vary in price points.

Laminate Flooring

Laminate flooring is a popular alternative to hardwood flooring. It is durable and can withstand heavy traffic, making it a good choice for large families or families with pets. Laminate comes in a wide variety of colors and styles, so you’ll likely find the perfect match for your home. Laminate is going to be one of the more affordable flooring options, costing between 2 and 13 dollars per square foot. In addition, you can install laminate over the already-existing flooring.

 

Solid Hardwood Flooring

Perhaps one of the most desired and treasured part of a homes décor in consumer’s minds is a home that has hardwood flooring. Ask any home realtor they will confirm that a home that has hardwood flooring will sell faster and for more money. Hardwood flooring will add warmth and beauty to any home and it is the most desired floor covering and will increase the value of any home.

The real value of hardwood flooring

If you stop and analyze the true value that quality hardwood flooring can add to your home it’s a real deal. You can spend $20,000-$80,000 for kitchen cabinets that do not have anywhere near the amount of square footage of valuable wood compared to 6-7 rooms full of solid wood flooring for about $8,000-$10,000. Hardwood Flooring will add warmth and beauty throughout your home. You can refinish or re-coat solid Hardwood flooring several times, which adds to their appeal and to their long life. There are solid hardwood floors that are well over 100 years old and are still in good condition.

There are hundreds of styles and colors available

When we think of a solid Hardwood flooring we generally think of the standard strip red oak wood flooring that is 3/4″ thick by 2 1/4″ wide, but solid Hardwood flooring is also available in various sizes from 3 to 6 or more inches wide (called plank floors). Prefinished versions of solid wood flooring are available in various thicknesses from 5/16″ – 3/4″ thick are sold as random lengths anywhere from 12″ – 84″ long.

If you need flooring a particular size not commonly available in prefinished versions then you can obtain Custom Milled unfinished wood planks in sizes less than 2-1/4″ wide or wider than 6″ wide which are available in different thicknesses made to order. Custom Milled unfinished wood planks lengths can exceed 12′ long.

What to expect when choosing a hardwood flooring style

One of the tips in choosing quality solid wood flooring is to know what you’re purchasing there are several grades that have their own particular price points and visuals. Prefinished flooring is available in most all wood species and stain colors. It is important to remember that wood flooring is a product of nature and no two pieces are a like. Wood flooring is not perfect and it is recommended that you purchase 5-10% more than you need for cutting and culling waste. For more information on What to expect check our article on Customer Expectations.

 

How to Protect Wood Floors

Both engineered and solid hardwood floors are a great asset to any home. Learn how to avoid scratches and protect wood floors (and your investment!) with these simple tips!

My husband and I both grew up in old homes, and while that didn’t always mean fancy, it did mean solid hardwood floors. That’s just what we were used to. And when we married, we lived in two 60+ year old homes – again with solid hardwood floors. When we bought this 1990’s home, we knew that we wanted to replace the tile and carpet with hardwoods, and we settled on two types of engineered white oak. All that to say, we have a lot of experience with hardwood floors… and with four kids, we have had a lot of practice protecting them! Read on for five tips on how to protect wood floors.

HOW TO PROTECT HARDWOOD FLOORS

Preventing scratches on hardwood floors doesn’t have to be difficult! Knowing how to take care of your hardwood floors is key, and it helps to have some simple rhythms and routines,

LAYER WITH RUGS, ESPECIALLY AT ENTRIES

Area rugs are not only fun decorative elements, they provide incredible protection for your floors. By layering rugs throughout our home, especially in high traffic areas like entryways, we’ve managed to minimize the wear and tear on our engineered wood floors. Additionally, having rugs near entries traps much of the dirt before it makes it onto the wood floors, avoiding more scratches and damage throughout the home. Shop our home and its rugs here if you’re interested.

LEAVE SHOES AT THE DOOR.

Speaking of entryways, I think it’s helpful to try to establish a system of leaving shoes near the door. It is not a hard and fast rule in our home (we wear shoes throughout the house often), but we do have a shoe box (a piece I built to replicate an antique firewood box) near our front door. This not only helps to prevent scratching by limiting the amount of dirt tracked into the home, it also keeps mom from losing her sanity every time the kids need to put their shoes on to leave. ? It also goes without saying that soccer and baseball cleats and particularly sharp high heels are best left at the door, too.

Tips For Chiropractic Marketing

What Your Chiropractor Wishes You Knew

Don’t you love a fresh start! Push the reboot button, sweep the past to where it belongs and step forward with new resolve. It’s exciting just imagining where this could lead us

And a great place to start is with a visit to your chiropractor. When your spine goes back into alignment, it reconnects the central nervous system tucked inside with your brain and your body’s receptors. It’s like two old friends falling over themselves, putting everything back in order!

But the healing doesn’t end there. That is what chiropractors wish more of their clients took to heart, reinforcing the stage set in the office. It’s a jump-start to a full life … if you follow through.

Here are a few things to keep in mind:

  • Chiropractic care is proactive, not reactive to symptoms. Don’t wait for back pain to send you to the chiropractor. Regain the balance that will prevent the pain in the first place! (Too late? Chiropractors’ success in easing chronic pain is well-documented, and the subsequent changes often prevent a relapse.)
  • Your chiropractor often can tell you what put your spine out of alignment and what you need to do to prevent it from happening again. Stand tall – posture counts. Eat better. Get a good night’s sleep. These aren’t just the obligatory follow-up to a chiropractic session. They are your marching orders, decreasing inflammation, training the spine to stay in position, and giving your body the resources it needs to heal itself.
  • Don’t fall into the same old habits expecting different results because you had an adjustment. If sitting at your desk for eight hours straight with hardly a bathroom break brought you to the chiropractor, make some positive changes. Set a timer, and every hour, get up and walk around the room a couple times. Buy sensible shoes. Pick up a body pillow that keeps your spine in position while your body recharges every night.
  • Live life to the fullest! Enjoy all the restored mobility, new energy, and a nervous system firing on all cylinders. And when someone notices, let them know what gave you a fresh start on life. According to the Gallup-Palmer College of Chiropractic 2018 report, the vast majority of people who visited a chiropractor for the first time did so on the recommendation of a friend. Be that friend – not a bad way to start a new year!

 

How safe are the vigorous neck manipulations done by chiropractors?

The chiropractor had just worked on Lynne Beliveau’s neck when she became dizzy, unable to see or move. Rushed to the hospital, Beliveau had a shunt inserted to relieve pressure caused by swelling in her brain. The Ashburn woman suffered a series of strokes and today, eight years later, the 41-year-old mother of three suffers from constant vertigo.

Approximately 20 million Americans visit chiropractors each year, according to the American Chiropractic Association, seeking relief from back pain, neck pain, headaches, sinus problems, ringing in the ears and more. For many, the manipulations provide relief. But one of the techniques chiropractors use, called cervical neck manipulation or “cracking the neck,” has raised concerns that it can cause serious harm.

Neck and spine

a District chiropractor who has practiced for more than 30 years, said every patient comes with “two neurological snags,” or problem areas: the neck and the spine. “It’s important to work on the neck if we are going to cure their problems,” he said. sits on the guidelines committee of the national Council on Chiropractic Practice, which describes its mission as providing evidence-based guidelines that “serve the needs of the consumer and are consistent with ‘real world’ chiropractic practice.”

Evidence of the effectiveness of chiropractic ma­nipu­la­tion is inconclusive, in part due to a lack of large, rigorously designed studies. Some studies suggest that spinal manipulation may be helpful for lowering blood pressure, dealing with some headaches, helping colicky infants, limiting migraines, easing some types of lower back pain. Others, however, have raised concerns specifically about the sudden powerful thrusts used in cervical neck manipulations and the possibility that they might tear the carotid or vertebral artery leading to the brain. Such tears can cause a blood clot that travels to the brain, causing a stroke

A 2010 study of deaths after spinal ma­nipu­la­tion found 26 published cases, and seven unpublished ones, mostly due to a tear, or “dissection of a vertebral artery,” and suggested that many more cases had not been reported. A 2007 survey of adverse effects published in medical journals between 2001 and 2006 found that “spinal manipulation, particularly when performed on the upper spine, is frequently associated with mild to moderate adverse effects. It can also result in serious complications such as vertebral artery dissection followed by stroke.

 

WAYS TO MAKE CHIROPRACTIC ADJUSTMENTS LAST LONGER

hhh… So, now what? You’ve invested time and money to ease your discomfort and make sure your spine, joints and muscles are all firing optimally… and THEN..! Something slips back out of place. Wouldn’t it be great if you could make chiropractic adjustments last longer?

USE THIS EASY CHECKLIST TO MAKE YOUR CHIROPRACTIC ADJUSTMENTS LAST LONGER.

What are the biggest complaints of patients that seek chiropractic care? It boils to just two big concerns:

patients are apprehensive about adjustments being little scary (or even painful),

and that it might take constant, frequent adjustments to stay feeling optimal

But your chiropractor’s technique is only a part of the equation. If the chiropractic patient doesn’t participate in the process, she’ll not only waste money and time…but she’ll likely experience more discomfort and for longer.

This saying is true always, but especially so in the care of your health. Your visits to your chiropractor need to be full sessions, without any corners cut. To take full advantage of the health beneifts, plan your schedule knowing that it’s not just a 2 1/2 minute “crack session”.

A good chiropractor will take the time to do these three things:

find subluxations and other issues,

make necessary adjustments, and

recommend a course of action to get the most out of that treatment!

 

Researched Benefits of Chiropractic Adjustments

If you frequently deal with symptoms like joint pain, backaches or headaches, but are yet to ever visit a chiropractor for help, then you may be missing out on an effective and natural treatment option. Millions of people around the world have experienced the incredible benefits of chiropractic care, a holistic, non-invasive treatment approach that has been shown to help treat dozens of different conditions.

One of the best things about receiving chiropractic adjustments is that they are a completely drug-free path to healing the body naturally. Chiropractic benefits including helping to naturally improve problems such as:

Back pain

Headaches

Bowel regularity

Improved mental clarity

Ear infections

Neck pain

Arthritis and joint pain

Scoliosis

Asthma

Blood pressure

Healthy pregnancy

Organ function

Surgery prevention

Despite its popularity, there are still a lot of misconceptions about the field of chiropractic care, including how the practice works and how chiropractors are trained. For example, did you know that many chiropractic programs incorporate an entire year of PhD-level advanced nutrition training?

What Are Chiropractic Adjustments?

What is the meaning of chiropractic? There are a number of chiropractic definitions depending on who you ask.

According to the World Federation of Chiropractic, the meaning of chiropractic medicine is:

A health profession concerned with the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of mechanical disorders of the musculoskeletal system, and the effects of these disorders on the function of the nervous system and general health. There is an emphasis on manual treatments including spinal adjustment and other joint and soft-tissue manipulation.

 

things you need to know about TMJ pain

TMJ pain can be debilitating When she was in middle school, she started experiencing severe headaches. Her jaw would get stuck in place and sometimes dislocate. The pain was so severe that she could not concentrate at school and was unable to participate in extracurricular activities.

was born with a small jaw and needed surgery to relieve her pain, but she could not have it until she was off the pain medications that were getting her through the day for six months. Unsure how she would manage this pain without medication, her surgeon referred her to a chiropractor

The causes of TMJ pain

The bones of the TMJ are separated by a disc of cartilage to keep your jaw moving smoothly. When those muscles become irritated, the disc is displaced. Common symptoms include popping, a clicking sound or sensation, muscle tenderness, joint tenderness, and being unable to open your jaw wide

There are three main categories of TMJ pain:

The most common is in the muscles that control the jaw and the connecting neck and shoulder muscles;

Internal disorder of the joint, or a dislocated or displaced disc; and

A degenerative joint disease in the jaw joint, like arthritis.

Managing TMJ pain

There are several things you can do to treat or reverse TMJ-related pain:

Eating softer foods

Applying ice packs

Avoiding extreme jaw movements

Learning techniques to relax and reduce stress

Practicing gentle stretching of the jaw to help increase its movement

Soft tissue massage

Tax Preparation Time Tips

Can A Tax Preparer Save Me Money?

As the old adage goes, there are two things that you cannot escape in life – death and taxes. Filing your tax returns is never easy since it means going through a mass of cancelled checks, bills, receipts, and other financial documents. This could overwhelm you and you should, therefore, consider hiring a tax preparer to do the job. You actually save money when you hire a tax preparer. So, are you asking yourself, “how can a Tax preparer save me money?” There are several ways through which this is possible.

You will save money because the tax preparer will ensure there is deduction maximization. If you use a computer software program, there is a risk that you may not find all possible deductions that are relevant to your situation. A tax preparer, on the other hand, asks targeted questions and this ensure that deductions that might have been missed are made.

A tax preparer will have the relevant training and experience to know the tax credits that you are eligible for. If you do not make a claim for a tax credit, it is not the responsibility of the government to tell you that you are entitled to them. You need not worry about tax preparer fees because these can be deducted on the following year.

Hiring a tax preparer saves you money because you will get future help if you find yourself in a sticky situation tax resolution services are necessary. If you have problems with tax penalties or back taxes, a tax preparer who understands your taxes will help you deal with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The case will take a much shorter period with the tax preparer who handled your case as opposed to a tax attorney or an accountant who is seeing your tax filing for the first time.

If you are wondering, “can a tax preparer save me money?” another way through which this is possible is that you can get a preparer who does tax preparations online. More and more people are turning to online tax preparer because of the convenience and anonymity this offers. Online rates are lower because of the intense competition.

The tax law changes with every budget reading and you need a tax preparer because he/she will be up to date with the latest changes. Hiring a pro ensures that you take full advantage of any new law and you do not get into the bad books of the IRS. As the old adage goes, ignorance is no defense.

A professional will have the time to double check for mistakes. Were you to do the tax preparation yourself, there is a risk that you might miss some things. Tax preparations errors are more common than most people thing. These errors could be costly. A good tax preparer will use a software program for the tax preparation and will then check this manually.

 

Saving money by saving the tax preparer’s time

I found a tax preparer using these tax tips. After checking the accountant’s credentials and a free consultation phone call, I set up an appointment.

But my work isn’t done. I could show up with a stack of papers and a shoebox full of receipts, if I want to pay for the time he’ll need to sort through the mess. My tax preparer knows this all too well, which is why he provided a guide to speed up the preparation process — ways to save him time that will save me money. I’ve expanded on that list using other sources, and came up with the following 8 documents, numbers, and data to organize, locate, or calculate before you meet with your tax preparer:

  • A copy of last year’s tax return, including the state return, if applicable.
  • Original W-2s, 1099s, 1098s, and K-1s (make copies for your records).
  • Birth dates for you, your spouse, and your dependents.
  • Do you want your refund deposited directly into a bank account? Have your bank account routing number and account number.
  • Do you pay for childcare? Provide the Social Security or Employer Identification Number for all child care providers for Form 2441.
  • Did you sell shares of stock or a mutual fund? Have the following: Date acquired, number of shares acquired, purchase price, and sales commissions and fees, adjusted by reinvented dividends and stock splits.
  • Did you invest? Bring a copy of your broker’s year-end tax report that shows interest, dividend earnings, and proceeds from sales of securities. Also bring copies of any booklets they mailed you, which can include information on income from government obligations that can be used to prepare state tax returns.
  • Did you earn interest at a bank or credit union? List each bank and the amount earned.

 

Consider before hiring a tax professional:

Advantages

Filing Your Own Taxes Can Be Incredibly Time-Consuming

In 2007, the IRS estimated that the average person spent 24.2 hours completing their tax returns, a number that I had easily surpassed when attempting to handle my own taxes. For those who had to file a Schedule C for business or a Schedule E for rental properties, this number quickly jumped to 52.2 hours.

To put this number into perspective, if you assume that the average person’s time is worth $25 an hour, that is a cost of up to $1,305 dollars. Money and time that could be saved, invested, or in my case, put towards the down payment on a new car. A tax professional will be able to work quickly and efficiently and save you not only time but a headache that is sure to follow.

Tax Preparation Fees Can Be Deductible

Assuming you itemize, any fees you incur while preparing for your taxes can be deducted on Form 1040 as long as the sum of your miscellaneous deductions you are claiming here is greater than 2% of your adjusted gross income.

Difficulty

Filing a tax return cannot only be complicated and confusing but is also constantly changing. The Federal tax code is adjusted each year making it nearly impossible for the average taxpayer to be fully aware of all changes that may apply to them. If you must claim any of the following, as I had to, it is especially advised that you speak with a tax professional as these scenarios will instantly complicate your tax return:

  • You own, sold or started a business
  • Have many investment losses or gains
  • Capital asset transactions
  • Real estate transactions
  • Change in marital status
  • Your income and residence are not in the same state or country
  • Trust Fund Transactions
  • Completing a Schedule for Self-Employment Income

 

Deciding Point: The Complexity of Your Finances

As a general rule, the more complicated your tax situation is, the more advantageous it might be for you to bring in a tax professional. What constitutes complexity? If you have any of the following situations:

  • You own a business. Whether your business is a full-time endeavor or simply a sideline, there are some special rules that you may want to discuss with a tax pro. For example, if your business purchased equipment, there are several ways to write off the cost; the best way to do this depends on your current tax situation as well as your prospects for the future. You can, of course, handle many of these situations with appropriate tax software (TurboTax Home & Business, for example, will help you prepare a Schedule C for a sole proprietorship), but you won’t get personal advice.
  • You had a major life event this year. For example, if you sold a business, went through a divorce, bought or sold a home, or had any other major life change, a tax preparer can alert you to the relevant rules you’ll have to follow and the breaks to which you may be entitled
  • You want to itemize. Again, software lets you feed this information into the mix, but a tax preparer can provide strategic advice about deductions you’re entitled to, the substantiation you need, and other matters that could help you reduce your tax bill while avoiding problems with the IRS.

 

How do you find the best tax preparer for your needs? Consider these points as you search.

  • Credentials and Expertise – You want someone who is registered with the IRS and has a Preparer Tax Identification Number (PTIN). Anyone who fills out your returns for a fee is legally required to have one.CPAs, EAs, and tax attorneys will undergo different levels of tax training, but that does not necessarily mean they have filed any returns. Even if they have, their expertise may be in different areas, and they may be more familiar with deductions in a specific area (such as the self-employed or very active investors). You want a preparer with expertise in returns for your field.Ask about their credentials and professional memberships such as the National Association of Tax Professionals and the National Association of Enrolled Agents. If you don’t feel comfortable with their answers, keep searching.Finally, make sure your preparer is familiar with state tax issues as well as federal ones. If you live and work in different states, that is a non-trivial issue.
  • Costs – Fees will vary by area of the country, complexity of the tax return, expertise of the preparer, and your level of organization. The stereotypical shoebox full of crumpled receipts will earn you a higher bill – as it should.Generally, greater expertise commands a higher fee, but this is not always true. Chain preparers can be unusually expensive, and CPAs/EAs can be a bargain. Comparison-shopping often pays off.Avoid anyone who tells you the fee will be a percentage of the return or promises you a higher return without even looking at your records.
  • Reviews – Check online reviews, the Better Business Bureau, and professional organizations for feedback and complaints. If anyone you trust has had personal experience with the preparer, ask him or her for an honest assessment.
  • Experience – Choose a preparer with both longevity and experience in your field. You want to be confident they will be available in case there are issues with the return.

How To Tackle A Dog Bite Lawyer Cases

Do I need a lawyer if my dog bites someone?

Out of a total of about 4.5 million incidents of dogs biting per year, there are more than 350,000 that end up in US emergency rooms. Only a small percentage of those bitten sue the dog’s owner, but do you want to be one of the few who loses your dog, loses a home, or even goes to jail as a result of a dog bite?

Why Do Dogs Bite?

  • Some dogs bite because they have been trained by their owners to be aggressive; the owner may not even be aware he is teaching this behavior.
  • Some dogs bite because of previous incidents of maltreatment, like being subjected to misguided “trainers” practicing alpha rolls, being sprayed in the face with a water bottle, or being slapped with a rolled-up newspaper.
  • Some dogs bite because they feel trapped by a human’s inappropriate attempt at affection.
  • It doesn’t matter why he does it, though, because if your dog ends up biting someone, you are in for a lot of headaches.

 

Dog Bites and Other Injuries: A Dog Owner’s Legal Defenses

When a dog hurts someone, its owner might be able to avoid legal responsibility based on the victim’s actions. Dog owners are usually responsible when their pets bite people or hurt them another way (such as by knocking them over or chasing them). That means that the injured person may sue the owner to seek compensation for the damages, including medical expenses. But it’s not always fair to hold the owner responsible if the victim was to blame for the injury. Depending on the circumstances, dog owners (and their homeowners’ insurance companies or attorneys) may fight back by arguing that the injured person:

  • provoked the dog
  • was trespassing or breaking the law at the time of the injury
  • voluntarily risked getting hurt by the dog, or
  • contributed to the injury by being unreasonably careless.

 

My Dog Just Bit Someone, What Do I Do?

Most people see their pets in a light similar to their own children. So, when a dog misbehaves it may be easy for an owner to overlook the bad behavior and forgive the errant puppy. But, what if the dog bites someone? Are there legal ramifications? What should an owner do?

When a dog bites someone, initial reactions can range from humor to shock and panic. But, it is important to take swift action to make sure the incident does not escalate and to avoid liability. It is critical to remain calm, even if the bite is serious. Immediately confine the dog to a crate or another room and offer first-aid to the bite victim. Be sure to clean any wound thoroughly and immediately to avoid infection. If the injury warrants, contact 911 for emergency medial attention.

Exchange information with the victim much as you would after a motor vehicle accident. Get their name and contact details and be prepared to provide your homeowner’s insurance information (it will be the most likely policy to cover the dog bite). Avoid becoming confrontational with the victim or blaming them for the incident, as this may invoke their anger enough to file a lawsuit against you and/or seek the destruction of the dog by animal control.

If there are any witnesses to the incident, be sure to get their contact information, as well. As soon as you are able, be sure to get a copy of your dog’s medical records, and particularly their vaccination history. If necessary, inform local authorities of the incident and comply with their orders. It may be frightening to discuss your dog’s fate with animal control, but it will usually be better if you are the one to report the incident than the injured party.

As a general rule, though, owners are liable for the damage caused by their pets, even if someone was trespassing on the owner’s property at the time of the incident. Warning signs are generally required to avoid some liability to trespassers, but even this may not fully protect the owner under some circumstances. Check with your attorney to find the best course of action for your location.

From the state’s perspective, dogs that bite people may pose a serious risk to the community. It is not uncommon for a dog to be quarantined at a state facility for a period of time to ensure the dog is not rabid or otherwise infected with a communicable disease. If this is not the first time the dog has bitten someone, the government may designate the dog a “dangerous dog.” This could lead to enhanced supervision requirements for the owner or even the euthanization of the animal in question.

The state may also hold you, as the owner, responsible for the dog’s actions in a criminal setting. The attack may be considered a form of battery, and the dog may be considered an “aggravator” (i.e., something that makes the battery more dangerous, like a weapon). Such charges are very serious, even if the injury caused by the dog seems minor, and must be taken seriously. Otherwise, you could end up with a criminal record, heavy fines, or even jail time.

While you may or may not end up being found either criminally or civilly liable to pay for the bite victim’s medical expenses, it is a good idea to offer to do so anyway. If possible, this offer should be made immediately after the biting, as this may soften the victim’s resolve with regard to reporting the incident to authorities or hiring an attorney to pursue legal action against you. It would also moot a portion of the damages to which the victim would be entitled, making it difficult for them to pursue legal action against you should things turn sour later.

As a responsible dog owner, it is your duty to ensure that your dog does not bite people. Make sure your dog is properly trained, that you have warning signs if your dog is allowed to run free on your property (even behind fences), and that you know how to treat a dog bite should it occur. If it is already too late, act quickly to mitigate the situation, as your rights (and your dog’s life) may depend on it. And, contact an attorney at once if a dog attack does occur to be sure you take all of the appropriate actions to protect yourself and your pet.

 

Can a dog bite lawyer help me if I was bitten?

Most of a dog bite lawyer’s cases involve helping the victims of a dog attack. A dog bite lawyer can pursue compensation for the victim’s injuries. Victims could have been hurt when the dog bit them, jumped on them, or knocked them down.

Dog bite lawyers pursue compensation on the victim’s behalf. The attorney does this by:

Proving that someone else is liable, or legally responsible, for the victim’s injuries, and

Recovering compensatory payments from the liable person or party.

A dog bite attorney may pursue several legal theories:

  • California’s dog bite statute, which can hold the owner strictly liable,
  • The dog’s owner or caretaker knew or should have known of the dog’s dangerous propensities,
  • Someone acted negligently and failed to prevent the dog bite, and
  • The keeper of the dog violated a local law or regulation in a way that was negligent per se.
  • Once a lawyer has established a defendant’s liability for a dog bite, he then must find a way to collect compensation. This can be difficult if the defendant or dog owner was not insured.

 

Avoiding a lawsuit

If you have a big dog or one that shows signs of aggression (whether because it likes to eat, likes to sleep, likes to hoard its toys, or likes to bite people — the reason doesn’t matter), you need to protect yourself by keeping the dog away from people, muzzling it when it is around people, and strictly following all animal control laws (like leash laws, anti-trespassing laws which apply to dogs, and anti-running at large laws). If your dog bites someone or causes injury in other ways, you might find yourself on the receiving end of a dog bite claim. Before it escalates, there are measures you can take.

The best and easiest is to be very, very nice to the dog bite victim (and his family). Show concern without necessarily accepting blame, and take the other steps described above. Be sincere, don’t be defensive, and don’t blame anyone.

Insider Budgeting Tips From Top Event Planner In The Industry

What are the advantages of event management?

The benefits of event management are many for all kinds of events whether it’s a social or a business event including conferences, concerts, trade shows, sports events, charity events, business meetings, and ceremonies but it all depends on the event management solutions provider you choose.

Event management benefits for business vary based on the type of your business, the type of your upcoming event and the event management company you choose to plan, manage, execute and evaluate the event performance.

What is event management?

Event management is the process of planning the event concept and them, coming up with creative ideas & solutions for the event, discussing the allocation of dedicated budget, planning the event management process, monitoring the execution of the event and evaluating the event performance based on the predefined goals.

The benefits of event management for businesses

If your business consists of many departments including marketing and public relation departments or not, you’ll have to seek external help from an experienced event management agency to achieve the most of possible benefits including:

  • Promotion of new products or services
  • Achieving the desired exposure and brand awareness
  • Attracting more prospects and clients from exhibitions and trade shows
  • Improving brand positioning through professional events and conferences
  • Creative solutions to drive the highest level of satisfaction from the guests
  • Handling all permissions, permits, insurance and security concerns
  • Saving valuable time, efforts and money when hiring experience event managers

 

Event Management vs. Event Planning

Event management and event planning tasks and duties may overlap but the main difference is that event planners are responsible mainly for planning every stage related to the event according to the defined schedule while event managers are responsible for all details starting from the meeting with the client till evaluating the event management process performance.

The event management experienced specialists should possess certain characteristics to succeed in their mission including:

  • Detail-oriented: to plan and take care of all possibilities
  • Good listener: to transform the client expectations to a tangible reality
  • Creative: to come up with new ideas and customized solutions
  • Flexible: to negotiate and coordinate between all parties involved
  • Problem solver: to handle unfortunate incidents and deviations from defined schedule

 

Benefits Of Event Management Companies

Event management applies the basis of project management in the creation of events, conferences etc. It is a way of outsourcing occasions that may be beyond the scope of the business. In the past decade, there has been a tremendous growth in the event management sector seeing more and more participation of the people with good managerial skills. The range of events an event management company takes care of is magnanimous. Here are the benefits of event management companies.

Smooth execution:

Event management firms engage in smooth execution of ideas as planned. They brace themselves even for contingencies that might crop up like a sore thumb. They have personnel with a wide range of experience which they bring in onto the scenario to ensure that only the best be delivered. It is a multi-faced profession and often demands specialists that cater to different aspects.

Saves time and money:

By outsourcing event management to companies who deal with them, a company saves time and money, though this fact is still a hot debate. Truth is: an event management company has direct links with suppliers and other concerned people who help them get good rates for requirements concerning a particular event. It saves time because the customer would just have to pick the dates, the rest being borne by the event management company. Even in the matters of personal events for instance, weddings, it is great to hire an event management company to look after the proceedings and save the customer from the hassles of single-handedly organizing the wedding themselves.

Inflow of creative ideas:

Event organizers come up with new and exciting ideas for holding events. Depending on the requirements of the clients, event managers can do a lot of things with any event to bring it alive. Event managers also bring a lot of their experience into play which is an added asset for customers. They also give customers the opportunity to have customized events.

 

Skilled Teams

What would happen if you needed a themed gala dinner or if your CEO now wants your company to start hosting its own staff annual awards? Event management companies know the right people with the right skills – who’s most suitable, who’s available and their rates. Short notice demands can be really stressful, but outsourcing them not only solves the problem but will make things easier for you too.

Measurability

Ultimately, an event management company’s success is based on customer satisfaction – yours, as the client but also the attendees at your B2B events. You’ll be able to measure that via feedback mechanisms most suited to your audience. Budget management, cost savings, leads generated, audience interaction – you can define what you want to measure and will have definitive cost:benefit results.

 

No Stress and Worries

Regardless of the size of the event, planning such a corporate endeavour is going to be a stressful affair.Even small corporate events involve a big number of considerations. The right venue will have to be chosen. Catering and entertainment professionals will have to be hired. The organiser will also need to think about security, the technology to use during the event, partnerships, sponsorships, finding the right lecturers and many others.Event management professionals who have a lot of experience know what steps to follow and how much time will be needed to organise an impeccable event. They will handle every single aspect of the planning process, enabling a client to focus on popularising the event and getting ready for it.

Water Heaters Maintenance And Extension Of Product Longevity

Benefits Of A Water Heater Inspection For Safety

Water heaters are an important part of our lives. We usually take them for granted until the first time we find icy water awaiting us in the shower. It’s a chilly reminder that we need to take care of our water heater. Water heaters come in many types, shapes and sizes. Natural gas (or LP) or electric tank type are the most common. Like everything else in the house, a little bit of maintenance and periodical inspections can work to get the most life out of a hot water heater.

Inspecting your water heater regularly is a very important, but often over-looked home maintenance step. Water heaters typically last for 8-13 years, and if your water heater is over 10 years old, inspecting it at least annually is very important. An inspection can identify a small problem before it becomes a larger one. Leaks, rust and other issues only get worse with time, which means that the sooner you can deal with them, the better.

There are several steps you can take yourself to keep the water heater running smoothly:

  • Inspect the Pressure Valve: Make sure your pressure valve is working correctly by turning off the power and water to your hot water unit and then tripping the valve. Air, water or vapor should come out – if they don’t, you need to replace the valve. A malfunctioning valve could cause an explosion if the tank becomes over-pressurized.
  • Flush out Your Tank: It’s a good idea to empty the tank once a year or so to remove any sediment that has accumulated inside, and it’s convenient to take care of this chore at the same time you check the pressure valve. With the tank disconnected from water and power, hook a hose up to the drain valve and place the other end somewhere where it’s safe to discharge hot water. Next, with the pressure valve already open, flip open the drain valve and let all the water flow out. Finally, hook up the water to the hot water heater again and turn on your hot water faucets. Wait until water starts coming out before you power up the heater again.
  • Check on Your Anode Rod: The anode rod helps prevent corrosion in your hot water tank and is an essential tool for prolonging the life of the equipment. You can check on it while the tank is drained by unscrewing the hex head at the top of the tank and pulling out the rod. If it has become very thin, or if it’s coated in sediment, it’s time for a replacement. In general, anode rods should last about five years, but it’s a good idea to check on them annually.

 

Gurgling or Groaning Noises

Don’t worry about any gurgling or groaning noises coming from the heater. That sound is just air entering the system as water drains out. If the drain valve won’t close tightly when you’re done, drain the tank completely, unscrew the old valve and screw in a new one. To restart the water heater, open the shutoff valve and let the hot water run at any faucet to purge air from the system. Then turn on the power or relight the pilot.

Set your water heater’s dial to 120 degrees F. If the dial doesn’t have numbers, check the water temperature with a cooking thermometer. Higher temperatures increase sediment buildup and the risk of scalding injuries.

 

Reasons to Have Your Water Heater Inspected

Water heating accounts for approximately 14 percent of your home’s annual energy costs. That makes it the third largest “energy consumer” in your home.  Only your heating and cooling systems consume more.

That’s reason enough to schedule a water heater performance and safety inspection from Service Pros.  But just for good measure, here are four more:

  • Over time, sediment deposits build up inside your water heater storage tank; these can hinder its performance and cause your tank to crack and leak.
  • Gas water heaters are capable of leaking carbon monoxide gas. That can lead to serious health issues for you and other family members.
  • Other things can go wrong with your water heater, too, including temperature fluctuations, internal corrosion that causes rust-colored hot water, leaking around the bottom of your storage tank, and more.
  • The average lifespan of a water heater is only about 12 years, and yet with annual preventive maintenance, yours can perform better and last longer.

 

Tankless Water Heater Maintenance Tips

Tankless water heaters heat water on demand, instead of storing it in a tank, but they still need regular maintenance. Many such units will indicate when maintenance is required, but you should plan to perform maintenance yearly, or more often if you have hard water.

Flush the Water Heater

To flush a tankless water heater, turn off the gas or power and cold water to the unit. Shut off the hot water valve that sends hot water from the unit to the house. Attach a garden hose to the outlet of a sump pump, and to your unit’s cold-water isolation valve.

Attach a second length of hose to your unit’s hot-water isolation valve. Place both the end of this hose, and the pump, in a five-gallon bucket. Then fill the bucket with five gallons of fresh, food-grade white vinegar.

Open both the cold and hot isolation valves on your unit, turn on the pump, and let the vinegar circulate through the unit for about 45 minutes. Throw out the used vinegar, fill the bucket with plain water, and flush the unit again for about five minutes.

Clean the Air Intake Filter

While you are flushing your tankless water heater with vinegar, you should clean the air intake filter. The air intake filter keeps debris from getting into your tankless water heater. Cleaning it keeps air flowing smoothly into the unit.

You can access the air intake filter by removing your unit’s face plate – check the user manual for specific instructions. Once you’ve got the filter out, rinse it thoroughly with clean water, then dry it with paper towels before reinstalling it. Disconnect your hoses, screw on all service caps tightly, then open the cold and hot water valves and restore power and, if necessary, gas to the unit. Check for and address any leaks.

Upkeeping Your Water Heater Maintenance

Water heater maintenance may not be fun, but it can help you save the money you’ll need to do the things you will enjoy, because it can drastically improve the life of your water heater. Take care of your water heater today, or tomorrow you could find yourself shelling out hundreds to replace it before its time. When you invest in American Home Shield, you will enjoy robust coverage for your water heater because many parts and components are included in the warranty.

 

What Are The Four Key Action Items Of Preventive Maintenance?

Preventive maintenance takes a proactive approach towards maintenance and involves four key action items: inspection, detection, correction and prevention. Let’s take a closer look at how each concept is fundamental to a successful preventive maintenance program.

  • Inspection: Inspections are a necessary part of preventive maintenance and aid organizations in two ways. First, facility inspections ensure that equipment is safe to use. Regular inspections help prevent workplace injuries and provide a business with increased liability protection. Second, regular inspections protect property. Inspections ensure that equipment is functioning as the manufacturer intended.
  • Detection: Operating on a run-to-failure approach can end up costing a facility department significant money, which is why many facility managers choose to utilize a preventive approach to maintenance. Preventive maintenance helps facility managers detect problems early, when issues are still relatively easy and inexpensive to fix.
  • Correction: Preventive maintenance encourages facility managers to take a proactive approach towards equipment care and correct issues before they occur. If an issue (or potential issue) is detected, facility managers take steps to promptly address the problem before it worsens or shuts down operations.
  • Prevention: Facility managers can combine inspection records and maintenance notes to learn from past mistakes and correct repeated issues with equipment. Prevention of asset failure reduces stress and increases productivity for facilities teams. When equipment works as inspected, staff can focus on proactive (rather than reactive) maintenance tasks.

Do Exterior Painting Yourself Or Hire A Pro

The paint colors that can boost your home’s value

If you’re planning to list your home on the market, one of the easiest and most cost-effective ways to increase its value is also one of the simplest: paint.

Interior paint – select warm neutral colors

Your home is more likely to sell with a fresh coat of paint, which is the very first thing buyers see. Neutral colors make it easier for potential buyers to imagine themselves living there because the paint goes with just about anything. Many buyers also don’t want to shell out extra cash to paint after closing. The three experts we spoke with all recommended warm neutral colors. Norris suggests using beiges, tans, golds, grays and “greige”—a blend of gray and beige. Avoid white, which is too stark.

Paint types matter, too

Paint holds more than just color. Different finishes and sheens can impact how the paint color pops, how easy a wall is to clean, and other factors. following when it comes to choosing specific types of paint:

  • Stick to flat or eggshell sheens on broad walls, as they will not show off the nail pops and unevenness in walls as much as a satin will.
  • Satins and semi-gloss coats are better for durability and stain resistance.
  • Use semi-glosses on the trim and doors to make it easier to clean dust and handprints.
  • Price can be a good indicator of quality level. Spend a few extra dollars on a high-quality paint, or at least something mid-tier. With a cheaper paint, you might have to use more coats, and it won’t go on as smooth.
  • If you’re painting yourself, purchase high-quality brushes and rollers for an even, flawless finish.
  • Use eggshell or semi-gloss in the bathrooms where there might be moisture, advises Norris. And don’t forget to paint the trim and ceiling, not just the walls.

 

Exterior paint – no more than three colors

The exterior of your home is the first thing potential buyers see. Some homes, like those made of brick, won’t require fresh paint. But exteriors like stucco or siding might. There should be no more than three colors on the exterior of the house, says Norris. She recommends following the 60-30-10 percentage rule: 60 percent is the body of the home, like stucco or brick, 30 percent is the garage doors and trim. The final 10 percent is the front and shutters, with just a pop of color.

That you don’t want to use too many colors on the exterior. A variety of colors can be distracting and make the house appear choppy or smaller—distracting the buyer’s eye. One of her favorite color schemes is a neutral gray for the body, white for the trim and garages and a front door with a pop of color featuring brown or blue.

A full exterior paint job is best left to the pros, since many homeowners lack the necessary equipment, like ladders, scaffolding, and spray tools.

“Homeowners can definitely freshen up their trim around windows or repaint a garage, or front door, but the body of the house should be done professionally if it was painted before,”

 

Break out the paint

A quick, inexpensive way to increase the value of your house is to paint. A fresh coat of paint can make rooms look like new. But don’t get too wild when choosing paint colors. Your best bet is to stick to neutral shades because they will appeal to a greater number of potential buyers. However, not just any neutral shade will do. A Zillow study found that it’s best to steer away from colors such as dark brown and terracotta when it comes to interior paint colors. If you do choose to use these colors for the interior, your home’s price might sell for $469 (when using dark brown) or $793 less (when using terracotta) than Zillow’s price estimate. Homebuyers generally don’t care for these colors.

 

Don’t Over-Improve

While you want to improve your property and increase the value, you also want to be cautious so that you do not over-improve your property. You don’t want to spend an amount of money on a renovation where you will not see a return on your investment. For example, putting high-end Viking appliances in a home in a middle-class neighborhood would be an over-improvement.

Before you renovate, do some research on your area to find out how much the property will be worth after the renovations, also known as the After-Repair-Value or ARV. Once you accurately gauge this new value, you can deduct the price you paid for the home and what you are left with is the maximum price you should spend for the renovation and any soft costs such as financing charges, closing costs, and holding costs if the property will sit vacant while the renovations occur.

 

Low-Cost Tips

There are simple things any property owner can do which can boost the appeal of your property. While these simple tips may not add tens of thousands of dollars to your property’s value, without doing them, you may not be able to realize the full potential value of your property. These fixes can be done without having to hire any outside help. Although they are low cost, they can make a huge difference in the way your property looks.

  • Clean: Making sure your property is clean will have an immediate return on the value of your property. This includes both the outside and the inside. Garbage, dirt, and strange odors are not attractive features.
  • Paint: You will be amazed by the difference a fresh coat of paint can make. It can revive and brighten a tired space. Neutral colors are universally appealing.
  • Add Curb Appeal: A few strategically placed plants, a new mailbox, outdoor lights or shutters can make your property more inviting. Higher cost and potentially higher return projects include new siding, new walkways or driveways, and adding a deck.
  • Change Fixtures: Change out a doorknob, light switch cover, cabinet handle or even a light fixture. It’s a simple method to breathe new life into a space.
  • Stage the Property: De-cluttering a space and giving each room a function can add value because many buyers lack imagination. Proper placement of furniture, the size of furniture, and the amount of furniture are also crucial.

Deep Cleaning Made Easy

Best-ever house cleaning tips

You may have heard the phrase ‘work harder not smarter’, but when it comes to cleaning a house, it’s all too easy to continue doing things the way you’ve always done them without realising quicker, more efficient ways exist.

KITCHEN CLEANING TIPS

To clean a stainless-steel sink, put the stopper in the sink with two denture-cleaning tablets and half fill with water; leave for several hours or overnight and the next day it should be sparkling. Then use the water to clean the draining board, too.

To stop ants entering your house, draw a chalk line on the ground where you want them to stop. If you live in a rainy area where ants are a problem, you must re-draw the chalk lines each time it rains.

To clean a microwave oven, add four tablespoons of lemon juice to one cup of water in a microwave-safe bowl. Boil for five minutes in the microwave, allowing the steam to condense on the inside walls of the oven. Then wipe them with a soft cloth.

To stop drawers from sticking, rub a bar of soap across the runners to make them glide smoothly.

To pick up small fragments of broken glass, press pieces of bread onto the affected area.

LIVING ROOM CLEANING TIPS

To remove furniture indentations from pure wool carpet place a tea towel over the area and then press with a warm iron. The heat will lift the fibres. Do not attempt this with synthetic or a wool/synthetic mix carpet.

To clean glass windows, add about one tablespoon of cornstarch to about one litre of lukewarm water. Wet and a rag or squeegee, remove excessive water and wipe down glass as if using regular glass cleaner. Dry with either a soft cloth or paper.

Use a vacuum cleaner with a brush attachment to clean the tops and creases of Roman blinds.

To prevent ash from flying everywhere when cleaning out a fireplace, use a spray bottle filled with water to cover the ashes with a light mist.

BEDROOM CLEANING TIPS

To locate light switches in the dark, put a dot of luminous paint on tape and stick to the switches.

Vacuuming a mattress, particularly along piping and crevices, removes dead skin cells that attract dust mites.

CLOTHING CARE TIPS

Stop clothes with thin straps falling off hangers by sticking small felt furniture pads onto the hanger just beyond where the straps sit.

To keep spiders or any other nasty surprises out of shoes you keep outside, (such as your gardening shoes or work boots), place old stockings over the top of them. Make sure the stockings don’t have holes in them, and if they don’t fit snugly over the top, use an elastic band to secure them.

To prevent buttons from becoming loose or undone, dab a little clear nail varnish on the top thread or onto the stem of the thread and leave to dry.

 

Things you can do to get surfaces squeaky clean

House cleaning has become something of a cultural phenomenon in recent times with so called “cleanfluencers” telling us how to scour and tidy up our homes. The arrival of coronavirus has brought a new focus on washing and disinfecting at home, as well as work. So much is still unknown about the virus that it isn’t possible to say definitively what kind of deep clean, if any, would eradicate it. However, it’s always better to take action, if only to avoid feeling helpless.

The website points out that many cleaning and disinfectant products sold in supermarkets can kill coronavirus on surfaces and recommends first cleaning the surface as usual and then using a disinfectant. It suggests paying particular attention to counters, table tops, doorknobs, bathroom fixtures, toilets and toilet handles, phones, keyboards, tablets and bedside lamps.

Here are some more cleaning tips:

1) Get rid of textile cloths, mops, tea towels and sponges. Use disposable ones instead, including good quality kitchen roll. If you’re loathe to do that, at least make sure you wash the more durable kind of cloths regularly at 60 degrees. Microfibre ones are good at cleaning up and can be washed umpteen times.

2) Use detergent and hot water on countertops and focus on fixtures that get a lot of hand traffic. These include obvious ones such as toilets, sinks, taps and door handles, but also less obvious ones such as keyboards, phones, remote controls and light switches.

3) If you have them, wear disposable gloves and a plastic apron when cleaning surfaces, clothing or bedding, it says. Clean your hands after you take off the gloves and apron. Throw the gloves and cloths in a bin after you use them.

4) Floors should be washed daily, ideally. Always clean the dirtiest areas in your home last. That is, do the kitchen before the bathroom, and the sink and shower before the loo.

5) If there is risk of infection in the home, make sure everyone has their own personal hygiene items such as towels and facecloths, and don’t share razors.

6) If you touch something you know is soiled, wash your hands with liquid soap and keep the infected person’s clothes, sheets, pillows and linens away from the rest of the laundry to wash separately. As with towels, wash at 60 degrees or more and tumble dry clothes at as high a temperature as possible.

7) The services of good professional cleaners are rare but the Sproose platform (sproose.ie) offers a handy online option. You can simply log on and book a deep clean.

It also provides a collection laundry and dry cleaning service, if your own washing machine is straining under a heavy load right now. Of course, if you’re self-isolating, do not bring in any outside cleaners and do not send your clothes anywhere until you get the all-clear.

 

Why deep cleaning your fridge is important to stay healthy?

The first and foremost step towards leading a healthy life is to keep your surroundings clean and sanitised. Then comes eating a clean and healthy diet that helps in keeping your insides healthy too. But to keep up with all of these healthy habits, one of the most important appliances to keep clean is your refrigerator. Ideally, a refrigerator that is being used regularly to store fresh groceries, cooked food and all kinds of sauces, should be deep cleaned every 2 months. Not only is it important to keep your food fresher but also to keep food-borne illnesses away. Studies show that illnesses caused by food are mostly because of dirty refrigerators as they become breeding ground for dangerous bacteria like salmonella, E. coli and listeria.

The most important reason behind keeping your fridge clean is to prevent the breeding of germs that can further cause diseases like food poisoning. We tend to pile up groceries without finishing the ones that we have stored already. This causes the old vegetables and fruits to decay and make space for germs to start breeding. The same thing happens when there is curry or sauce spilt in the fridge and is not cleaned on time. The refrigerator being the backbone of the whole kitchen and the kitchen is the backbone of your house, it is highly important to keep up with its maintenance.

If you stock up your fridge with fresh food every week then it is only human to spill milk and other liquids like sauces and curries quite often. In that case, it is advised to clean your fridge at least once every month with warm, soapy water. But if you are not so regular with any of these activities, clean your fridge at least once every 2 months

The right way to do is deep cleaning. You will need to empty your fridge entirely and then take out all the shelves too. Wash each shelve with hot soapy water and use the same water to wash the insides of the fridge too. Make sure you have turned it off from the main switch before you begin. Wash it properly with clean water and use a clean and dry cloth to wipe off all that excess water. The same steps are to be followed to clean the freezer too. Check for the food that has passed its expiration date and throw it away. Similarly, look for the fruits and vegetables that have gone bad and get rid of them too. Dry the shelves completely before putting them back.

While cleaning the fridge regularly is one of the best ways to keep it sanitised and to maintain a healthy environment for food, you can always keep other things in mind to prevent food-borne diseases to a greater extent.

 

Ships, Planes And Other Spots Are Getting A ‘Deep Clean.’ What’s That Mean?

All announced that they’ve undergone a “deep clean” in recent weeks after discovering that a person infected with the novel coronavirus had been there. That’s just the tip of a tall stack of businesses and consumer gathering spots that say they are stepping up cleaning protocols.

While cleaning for the coronavirus is not that different from disinfecting for other viruses, like those that cause the flu or a common cold, industries are tailoring the cleaning in keeping with what makes sense for them. Public health officials suggest a few common steps can be used by both businesses and individual households: increasing the frequency of cleanings, using disinfectant products that federal officials say are effective, cleaning “high-touch” spots and making hand sanitizer readily available.

But there is no universal protocol for a “deep clean” of highly trafficked public or commercial spaces to eradicate the coronavirus. Ridding it from smooth surfaces is easier than getting it out of upholstery or carpeting, for instance. And the key to blunting the spread of COVID-19 hinges on good hygiene practices, and a recognition that minimizing the amount of virus spreading in the community is the goal.

Deep cleaning is not a scientific concept and likely means something different to individual businesses or consumers. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued guidelines for community facilities that have had people with suspected or confirmed cases of COVID-19. It recommends that “high-touch” surfaces be disinfected daily.

But not all forms of infection control are the same. Disinfectants kill or inactivate germs on a surface. Cleaning can remove ― but not necessarily inactivate — viruses, though because all coronaviruses are encased in fatty envelopes, there is good reason to think that the same soaps that break down grease can puncture that outer envelope and inactivate the coronavirus, too. So that’s good news.

 

Deep Cleaning Service

A deep clean is the best way to ensure that your house starts spotless and stays that way. Over time, parts of your home – particularly kitchens and bathrooms – can accumulate layers of dirt, grease, and grime that a regular cleaning just can’t handle. When you book a deep cleaning service, you can take care of all those overlooked areas, since the following extras are automatically included: inside cabinets, inside fridge, inside oven

Experienced

Not only can using the Handy platform to book a deep cleaning service help you to save money, but it can save you valuable time, too! Rather than relying on random websites or wading your way through online ads to find a deep cleaning company

Skilled and Capable

Using the Handy platform to find the best deep cleaning service for your requirements is a quick, convenient, and cost-effective way to give your home a facelift. Saying goodbye to grime is an ideal way to begin a cleaning schedule, but it’s also perfect for landlords who want to remove all traces of previous tenants and get a property ready for new ones

Reliable

we’ll match you with the best deep clean professionals near you, and you’ll know that they’re up to the job. Honest customer ratings and reviews let you know how highly-rated they are and their biographies will tell you a little about their experience. However, even the most experienced of cleaners is useless without good tools

Flexible

whether you’re using the mobile app or your laptop to access the website. All that you need to do is enter your zip code and some details about the service you’d like and we’ll take care of the rest. We’ll match you with the best deep clean professionals who meets your requirements and timing.