17 Common Household Problems and How to Fix Them Yourself

17 Common Household Problems and How to Fix Them Yourself July 7, 2020 by Julia Weaver   The warm summer months bring long days filled with outdoor activities and cherished moments with your loved ones. But nothing ruins a good day...

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Landscape Shading

by Nick Gromicko  One of the easiest ways to reduce solar heat gain and subsequent energy costs is as simple as planting a tree. The strategic placement of trees, known as landscape shading or tree shading, is a technique used to provide...

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The Top 5 Problems with Smart Home Tech and How to Troubleshoot Them

by Eric Murrell   Whether you’re buying a new home or looking at some upgrades for your current living space, the chances are that a few smart home upgrades have crossed your mind as part of the process. It’s easier than ever to build...

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What Really Matters in a Home Inspection

   Buying a home? The process can be stressful. A home inspection is supposed to give you peace of mind but, depending on the findings, it may have the opposite effect. You will be asked to absorb a lot of information over a short period of...

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Advantages of Solar Energy

by Nick Gromicko Solar energy offers considerable advantages over conventional energy systems by nullifying flaws in those systems long considered to be unchangeable. Solar power for home energy production has its flaws, too, which are outlined in...

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Electricity 101: Understanding the Service Panel

by Fran J. Donegan of The Home Depot   Many homeowners who are unfamiliar with construction and wiring are timid when it comes to electrical work. It makes perfect sense to have a healthy respect for electricity—it can be dangerous if...

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10 Rental Tools for DIY Home Projects

10 Rental Tools for DIY Home Projects by Fran J. Donegan for The Home Depot If you don't own the right tools for tackling a remodeling or maintenance project, you have the option of renting them or buying them outright. The decision is usually...

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Why Get a Home Inspection If You’re Buying “As Is”?

by Mark Cohen, J.D., LL.M., InterNACHI General Counsel, and Nick Gromicko, InterNACHI Founder   Some sellers – often, those working without an agent – want to sell their home “as is” so they don’t have to invest money fixing it...

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Building Orientation for Optimum Energy

by Nick Gromicko and Ben Gromicko Building orientation is the practice of facing a building so as to maximize certain aspects of its surroundings, such as street appeal, to capture a scenic view, for drainage considerations, etc. With rising energy...

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Stucco

The Preservation and Repair of Historic Stucco The term "stucco" is used to describe a type of exterior plaster applied as a two- or three-part coating directly onto masonry, or applied over wood or metal lath to a log or wood frame structure....

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Termite Control in the Home

Wood-destroying insects and other organisms can cause serious problems in the wooden structural components of a house, and may go undetected for a long period of time. New Construction All chemical soil treatments, bait systems, and chemical...

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Plumbing Terms

Plumbing may be defined as the practice, materials and fixtures used in the installation, maintenance and alteration of all piping, fixtures, appliances and appurtenances in connection with sanitary and storm drainage facilities, the venting system,...

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Lightning

by Nick Gromicko Lightning is the "visible discharge of static electricity within a cloud, between clouds or between the earth and a cloud," as defined by Underwriters Laboratories. Lightning is unpredictable and a serious threat to buildings...

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Protect Your Property From Water Damage

Water may be essential to life, but, as a destructive force, water can diminish the value of your home or building. Homes as well as commercial buildings can suffer water damage that results in increased maintenance costs, a decrease in the value of...

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The 10 Best Places to Hide Valuables in Your Home

by Nick Gromicko and Kate Tarasenko Burglary is a crime of opportunity.  And burglars don’t want to spend a lot of time looking through a home to find things of value to steal, which is why there are obvious locations that they always check. ...

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Remodeling Is a Poor Investment Strategy

by Nick Gromicko Remodeling can dramatically increase the quality of life for building occupants, but if you are considering a remodel strictly as an investment, think twice about it.   Remodeling is rarely a sound monetary...

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What is Asbestos?

Asbestos is a mineral fiber that can be positively identified only with a special type of microscope. There are several types of asbestos fibers. In the past, asbestos was added to a variety of products to strengthen them and to provide heat...

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What is Radon?

Home Buyer's and Seller's Guide to Radon  The EPA recommends: If you are buying a home or selling your home, have it tested for radon. For a new home, ask if radon-resistant construction features were used and if the home has been tested. ...

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Is Lead a risk in your house?

Lead Facts Did you know the following facts about lead? FACT: Lead exposure can harm young children and babies even before they are born. FACT: Even children who seem healthy can have high levels of lead in their...

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What you need to know about building your new home.

Building a Home If you want to build a new home, there are things you need to know before you begin. Learn about construction standards and about buying land, so you know your rights. MPS Supplementing Model Building Codes   The...

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