Archive for August, 2009

Garage Flooring, Care And Maintenance For The Value Of Your Home

One of the most challenging parts of home maintenance these days, believe it or not, is the garage. More to the point, the garage floor tends to be abused and neglected more than any other part of the home. Once recognized it’s best to pay a little attention to that garage floor, as you will see next.

The importance of maintaining your garage floor

Maintaining ones garage floor might seem like an odd or silly idea, but your garage serves a primary purpose as a storage space for your cars and other tings that do not have a designated spot inside the home. Yet the garage is very much a part of your home, just like a bedroom or the kitchen. Therefore, it deserves the same level of attention that those rooms do.

Neglecting the garage floor can bring costly, and bothersome future problems .

A dirty garage floor can lead to problems with mice, rats, or other pets, particularly if dog or cat food is stored in the garage, in containers that are not critter proof. Likewise, an oily or grimy garage floor can become a slippery mess which can be a slip and fall hazard.

But does my garage floor need a lot of attention?

Your garage floor needs some special attention because it probably never has gotten any attention before. Until the damage has been done, that is. Cracks from freeze thaw cycles, oil spots, and moisture, they all take their toll. Because the garage floor is a integral piece of your home, preventative steps against damage can mean money in your pocket down the line.

Some helpful hints for maintaining any garage floor to keep it in good shape

1. The first thing to do is the easy stuff – removal of the loose dust and dirt with a regular household broom. The ground in dirt is more difficult to get out without first getting the easy, loose stuff. Sweep it up and away first and the rest gets a lot easier.

2. Some cat litter can help with sweeping up oily, grimy messes. Just spill some out over the area and let it soak up any surface excess, and then just sweep it away – simple as that.

3. Next, scrub the area using a stiff wood bristle brush and a de-greasing cleaning agent link Clorox. Rinse and repeat to remove the next layer of dirt, dust, and grime. Do this a couple of times to get the full cleansing effect and remove the most top level dirt and dust possible.

4. Finally, if you’ve got some stubborn spots that still haven’t come clean then it’s time to get serious. Next you can try a solution of muriatic acid, but this must be done with great caution. Be sure to provide complete air flow ventilation and wear a respirator. Take about 12 oz of muriatic acid – 32% concentration, and dilute that with a gallon of regular tap water. Be sure to use rubber gloves, and a apron might not be a bad idea either.

With a clean and well maintained garage floor you’re ready for the next step, protecting the concrete floor with an epoxy resin floor coating system or even rubber tile.

Steel-Garage-Door.com Authoritative portal for residential garages, security and maintenance subjects Garage floor maintenance


Gutter Guards – Do They Really Keep Rain Gutters Clean?

The number one issue with every homeowner when it comes to gutters and downspouts is keeping them clean. We all want that miracle product that will keep us off the ladder from having to clean gutters. The new product being touted by many salesmen are the various gutter guards. But how good are these products? Do they really prevent your gutters from becoming clogged? Let’s take a look. Gutter cleaning is year round chore it seems. I live in a home with several large trees in our yard and it is not uncommon for me to have to clean out the gutters 3 times a year. I’m sure I don’t have to remind you why it is so important to keep them clean either. As you may also know, gutter cleaning is not only a pain, but it can also be dangerous. Climbing a ladder and getting on the roof is risky at any time. Gutter guards can help prevent accidents from happening as well as keeping your gutters clean. I’ve compared many different brands of gutter guards and they all do basically the same thing. The gutter guard goes on top of your gutter and prevents leaves from settling inside of it. I understand the concept, but does it work? The answer is yes and no. Yes, a gutter guard will prevent large leaves and twigs from clogging your gutters and downspouts. All the brands do this job well. No, they do not prevent small debris from getting inside the gutter. They will not keep seed pods, buds, or small leaves out. This means that eventually this debris can clog up the gutter down the road. You will find gutter guards in various styles. Some have small round holes in them while others will have slits in them. Installing gutter guards is something that a homeowner, who is a handyman, can accomplish over a weekend. For others who don’t want to climb a ladder or attempt on their own, you can find a gutter contractor who will quickly do the job for you. In the end, gutter guards have been useful for our home. I would recommend them, but don’t expect these guards to completely eliminate you from ever having to clean your gutters again. All Rights Reserved Worldwide. Reprint Rights: You may reprint this article as long as you leave all of the links active and do not edit the article in any way. By the way, you can learn more about Gutter Guards as well as much more information on all types of gutters and downspouts at http://www.GuttersA-z.com


The Benefits of Getting Solar Roof Vents

Attics are used by most people to store valuable keepsakes and reminders of a treasured past. Every attic contains some sort of story that people remember for a long time. Attics can be treasure-troves of information and mementos that bring a family together. However, what most people do not know is the fact that attics are not really that ideal a place to keep your treasured mementos in. This is because attics are the most vulnerable to heat and humidity during the summer. This means that every summer, your treasures are exposed to the type of conditions that destroy them slowly. One way to prevent this from happening is the installation of solar roof vents.

Why solar roof vents?

1) Climate control – as said before, you need to prevent heat from damaging your stuff. Even if you don’t have an attic, you would understand the need for proper climate control during the hot summer months. Solar roof vents can help you by letting air circulate within your house and maintaining a cool temperature. This means that people will no longer have to suffer under the heat of the summer sun.

This also means that your stuff will be protected from the sort of damage that heat can cause. Solar roof vents can help you keep the temperature in your attic even and thus, maintain the condition of your stuff.

2) Energy savings – let’s face it: when people hear the word climate control, they immediately think about air conditioning. Of course, with this thought comes the idea of high electricity bills. Some people would rather sweat it out than pay the cost of having the air conditioning turned on the whole summer. However, solar roof vents lets you have the benefit of having a cool home without the cost of air conditioning.

One fact you should remember is that solar roof vents run on free energy. They are powered by the sun. Because of this, you really have no worries regarding the cost of the electricity. Alternative energy is very helpful since it is easy on the budget and does the job efficiently. That’s why solar roof vents are just the thing for you.

3) Environment-friendly – the best thing about solar roof vents is that they harness the power of the sun. They manage to produce electricity without pollution. Consider this: every time you use the air conditioning system, you use commercial electricity. This means that more electricity has to be produced. This electricity is mostly produced using either fossil fuels or nuclear plants. Both produce enormous amounts of pollution. This does not help the earth, or you, any.

Solar roof vents make use of clean energy. They harness the power of the sun without any by-products that can harm the earth. This means that you will be able to control your home temperature without costing the planet that you live in.
The benefits of using solar roof vents are undeniable. It is often the case that many people tend to abandon these products because they think that these products are not practical. As you have seen, solar roof vents are the most practical things that you can use to cool your home. They provide you with comfort for virtually nothing. So do yourself and the earth a favour and get a solar roof vent.

Find the right Solar Roof Vent for your house and learn more about the Solar Power Kit at the online guide at http://solarpower.advice-tips.com


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