Entries Tagged as 'home repairs'
Home Improvement & Maintenance Tips : Cheap Remodeling Ideas
Cheap remodeling ideas include repainting the walls and furniture, refinishing the floors or cabinets, replacing small fixtures and switching out the cabinet hardware. Look for inexpensive ways to make a big change in a room with advice from a licensed remodeling contractor in this free video on home maintenance.
Expert: Tim Gipson
Contact: www.inhisstepsremodeling.com
Bio: Tim Gipson is a home repair specialist and remodeling contractor in Franklin, Tenn.
Filmmaker: Tim Brown
Vinyl and Wood Siding Maintenance and Repair
Most siding requires very little maintenance since it is designed to be out in the elements, have trees and bushes brush up against it, and the occasional baseball or football thrown on it. However, no matter what type of siding is on your home, there are some methods to keep your siding in good shape.
Vinyl Siding Upkeep
Vinyl siding is designed to be left alone, but if a piece of siding happens to come loose, you need to fix it soon. If it is allowed to flap in the wind, get bent, or curved into a different shape then it won’t go back on and will need to be replaced.
It is a good idea to have your vinyl siding power washed either before or after summer. Spiders and other insects like to live in the small ledges made in the siding stair-steps. Pressure washing will remove most of these, though it is a good idea to run a broom over as much of it as you can. Also, your siding will just get dirty from blowing wind and the elements and a good washing once a year with make a difference you won’t believe.
Wood Siding Maintenance
Wood siding needs to be treated every 4-6 years depending on how fierce the elements are in your area. In the mountain states where the sun and snow can be particularly vicious, you might need to have your wood siding treated more often, and possibly less often in temperate climates.
The good thing, part of the process of treating involves pressure washing the siding and washing the windows after, which can take care of a few things for you.
Wood Siding Repair
Cracks and holes in your wood siding will allow moisture and pests to get in. You should always be sure the underlying problem is fixed before you repair the siding. Otherwise the problem may crop up again later. Repair methods vary depending on the type of siding you have, but most are fairly easy to fix. Renailing loose sheathing, replacing rotted elements and patching any holes or gaps on the underlying surface will help in maintaining your siding after it is repaired. If your home has multiple stories (levels), a siding contractor may need to have special equipment to get to the taller areas of your home. Remember, siding can be heavy and awkward to work with, so they may not be able to carry it up ladders. It’s also important to try to pinpoint the nature of the problem before repairs begin. For example, look for obvious clues, such as overgrown tree roots or damaged gutters that let water drain onto masonry surfaces. Also check the slope of the surrounding landscape to see if it needs to be regraded to direct water away from the foundation. Removing siding completely can be a dirty and difficult job requiring specialized equipment and protective gear. It’s best to leave this job to a siding professional.
Crown Molding
Crown Molding, the loveliest piece to accent any room in your house. It’s also the most dreaded and according to most people the hardest part of the house to wrap their minds around. Looking at it, crown molding would seem to be simple inside and outside corner cuts, similar to base boards or molding for doors and windows – but it isn’t.
As you can see above, there are tons of different types of crown molding. So many in fact, a lot of companies simply number the product, rather than give it a name.
Do you know what the most common mistake about installing crown molding is? Once people figure out how to make their cuts – they tend to install the molding upside down. When you go to purchase your molding from the hardware store – before you wall out the door – ask which end is the top and which is the bottom. You may be a little embarrassed, but you need to know which end goes up.
