Fence Designs Reveal Your Personality

• By: John Riha                            

Fences contribute to curb appeal and help preserve the value of your property. Each fence, however, can be as unique as its owner. Which fence style are you?

                 

View again

Prev                                        

1 of 10

Next

Traditional with a Twist

With curvy tops of latticework, these 6-foot-wide modular fence panels wave “hello” every time you see them. Made of weather-resistant, pressure-treated wood, unfinished panels will last for years and will slowly turn a mellow gray color. Cost: $50 to $150 per panel.


Credit: Copyright, KDM International Ltd. — England

Image: Copyright, KDM International Ltd. – England

See All Slideshows

Read more: http://www.houselogic.com/photos/fences/pictures-fence-designs/slide/traditional-with-a-twist/#ixzz35ab9SmWx

WHEN NOT TO TRY AND DIY

Written by Jaymi Naciri on Sunday, 01 June 2014 1:05 pm

You know the saying about your eyes being bigger than your stomach when you order a giant meal at a restaurant and then only eat a fraction? When it comes to DIY, your eyes can be bigger than your skill. Or your balance. Or your finesse.

Paint your room or pull up your carpet or plant some annuals or put together a bookcase. But when it comes to the tough stuff, it's best to know when to call for help. Here are seven times you should call a guy instead of DIY.

1. Anything That Involves Water

You're good with a wrench? You know where the water shut off valve is? You're sure you can take all that plumbing apart and put it back together without any leaks or leftover pieces? Great. But we're not so sure, and we're calling a guy. We just don't mess around with stuff that could flood the house and/or create a mold situation.

"Unless it's something simple like unclogging a toilet or fixing a drain, messing with plumbing can cause major dilemmas (Just think about an overflowing toilet or unstoppable burst in a pipe...not fun)," said Huffington Post. It's always better to ask a plumber before trying to tackle any plumbing issues on your own."

2. Anything That Involves Electricity

We've heard that minor rewiring can be easy. But we're just not fans of being electrocuted. So we're going to leave that to an expert. "You usually don't get a second chance with electricity," said MSN. We couldn't agree more.

3. Hanging Drywall

Give it a shot in an easily accessible area. Hanging drywall can actually be quite rewarding. But in a complicated installation area or one that is high up…no thanks. Watching a professional teeter around on those stilts makes the money spent well worth it. We look at it this way: we can pay the drywall pro up front, or pay it at the ER after we attempt to do it ourselves.

4. Demolition

As any good HGTV-obsessed design lover will agree, swinging a sledgehammer in a crusty old kitchen or bathroom looks like great fun. But you could also do great damage if your don't know how to go about it. "Beyond the risks of asbestos, lead paint dust and other hazardous materials, do you really know what's behind the walls of your home? Gas pipes, water lines and live electrical wires are just a few of the dangers," said MSN.

5. Roof Repair

It's tricky work, it's dangerous, and it's fraught with challenge. Plus, DIY patches on the roof could also end up damaging it even worse, cause a leak, and maybe even void that part of your home warranty. Most roofing companies will come out to give you a free estimate anyway, so no need to risk your safety. For extra protection, call your insurance company if you suspect there is a problem and have them come and check it out. It will cost you nothing.

6. Baseboards and Molding

Mitering corners can drive any sane person who didn't nail algebra (and retain everything they learned) to madness. Unless you're confident you can properly calculate the angles and master that whole "measure twice, cut once" thing, you might want to leave this to the experts.

7. Paving Your Driveway

"Paving stones can turn a boring driveway into a focal point. And while they look relatively simple to install, the reality is that the measuring and positioning of paving stones can be tremendously time-consuming. (Think of it as a game of Tetris on steroids.) But a team of professionals can cut installation down to a day, depending on your driveway size," said the Huffington Post.

With a complicated and/or time-intensive project like this, you just need to admit that you're going to have a meltdown midway through the project and quite possibly flip out and toss the pavers across the lawn. Since you'll have to go ahead and hire someone to finish the project once you hit your tipping point anyway, you might as well just go ahead and make the call in the beginning.

Read more at Realtytimes.com
.

June home-maintenance checklist

Early summer chores should get you outdoors: Look for winter damage, ward off mold and rot, sharpen your tools and patrol your home's perimeter for pests and other problems.

By Marilyn Lewis of MSN Real Estat

© Tetra Image

Switch ceiling fan blades

 With the start of summer  and warmer weather, you can focus most of your maintenance chores outdoors. First, however, attend to a couple of jobs that will help you stay comfortable and safe inside the house.

Switch ceiling fans to push cool air down, where you'll most enjoy it. Observe the fan while it's running: In summer, you want the leading edge of the blades (the part that goes around first) higher than the trailing edge (the part that rotates last). Locate the fan's switch on its outside body. When set correctly for summer, you can stand beneath it and feel the breeze. This should allow you to adjust your thermostat higher (or set the air conditioning lower), saving fuel while enjoying the cooling effect of the moving air.

Clean dryer vents
Although you probably know to remove lint from your clothes dryer's lint filter after each use (to prevent fires), you may not have heard that maintenance also includes cleaning the hose that pipes warm, moist air from the dryer to the outdoors. Use a long-handled brush, found in hardware stores (or search online for "dryer vent brush"). Also, clean the recess beneath the filter with a lint-trap brush. Make sure to purchase a brush that fits your dryer's particular lint-trap type. Read the dryer's manual for directions. Check vent hoses to ensure they fit tightly to each other, to the dryer and to the outside of the house. Pull out the dryer and vacuum accumulated lint under and around it.

Tip: Having trouble finding the manual? Search the manufacturer's website or go toLaundry.ManualsOnline.com, register and search for the manual to download it free

Tune up yard and garden equipment

If your lawn mower has gas left over from last fall, empty the tank before adding fresh fuel. (Gas becomes stale after a month.) If possible, just run the mower until the tank is dry (best done in fall before storing the mower for the winter). If that's not possible, use a siphon pump ($3 to $4 at a hardware or automotive supply store, composed of flexible tubing and a squeeze bulb) to transfer the old gas into a gas can. Take the old gas to your county's hazardous waste disposal facility. Call ahead to learn hours and rules for disposing of fuel.

To keep your lawn mower running for years, you'll also want to keep it clean. Avoid cutting wet grass; it's hard on the mower engine. Frequently wipe, brush or scrape the mower's underside clean (with motor off) so clippings don't jam the blades. Change the oil each spring; change spark plugs and lubricate with every change of season (consult the owner's manual for product specifications and directions); replace air filters every couple of years.

Sharpen mower blades
Proper cutting is key to a healthy lawn, and lawns cut with sharp blades need less watering (read10 secrets to a perfect lawn). Also, hard work is made easier with sharp tools. Manufacturers recommend replacing mower blades yearly if the mower is used frequently. Check your blades’ effectiveness by examining the cut edge of the grass: If grass blades are ragged, the lawnmower blade is dull. You can extend the life of a mower blade by sharpening. Call a hardware store, garden supply store or lawn-mower dealer to learn where to get tools and blades sharpened (about $10 to $20) or purchase a sharpening tool (Dremel, for example, makes a head for rotary tools) or buy a whetstone or hand sharpener at a garden supply or hardware store. Before removing the blade from the mower to sharpen it, disconnect the spark plug wire (otherwise you could jump-start the engine by moving the blade). Also, wear safety goggles.

Clean gutters
Take advantage of dry weather to clear out leaves, needles and debris, leaving gutters free to carry rainwater away and protect your home from mold and rot. Depending on your home's surroundings, you should do this several times a year. Hire someone (around $50 to $100) or get a stable ladder (and someone to hold it) and do it yourself. Use a garden trowel or your (gloved) hands to muck out the debris. Scrub gutters with a non-metallic brush. Slosh water from a hose through the gutters and the drainpipes to finish the job and test that they're clear and that water is flowing away from your basement, foundation or crawl space.

Tip: Newer ladders are rated for safety according to their use and the weight they can bear. An industrial-grade Type 1A folding ladder is safest for jobs under 17 feet, according to tests by Consumer Reports. Remain on or below the highest safe rung labeled on your ladder. Use an extension ladder for taller jobs. (See Rutgers University's page on ladder ratings and safe use.) Keep aluminum ladders away from power lines.

Inspect gutters
While you're at it, inspect the gutters. Look for joints separating, loose connections and attachments, sags, dips and corrosion. Tighten or reattach loose gutter connections.

After you've cleaned and repaired your gutters, test them by having someone run a hose into the gutters while you walk around the house, looking for leaks and observing where the water drains. Or walk around the house to check during the next heavy rainstorm.Clean out downspout ends (also called "leaders"). These should extend out at least 3 feet at the ground, though some experts suggest 5 or 10 feet. The idea is to prevent water from running back to your home's foundation.  At the same time, take care that your downspouts don't drain onto your neighbors' property, causing problems for them. Some cities have ordinances regulating the distance you can discharge your gutters from your property line (ask for details at the city planning department).

Consider gutter guards
If your gutters fill up frequently, you might want to investigate installing gutter guards (or screens, filters or covers) to reduce — perhaps eliminate — cleaning. There's a wide variety, made from various metals or synthetics. Costs vary from around 60 cents a foot to $7 per foot, plus installation (the average house has roughly 200 feet of gutters), which means you could pay up to $1,500 for materials alone. You could hire someone to clean the gutters (at around $75 each time) for many years for that amount. Although gutter protection is marketed aggressively, systems vary in effectiveness. Check claims by searching product names, and get three or more references from customers who've used the product for several years. Then, call and interview each company.

Inspect for roof leaks
Start on the ground, using binoculars to scan for evidence of roof damage, including shingles that are curling, broken, cracked or missing. To check your roof for structural stability, stand across the street and look at the roof line. If it appears to sag, get a professional to inspect it. The cause could be damage to the roof supports from heavy snow or many layers of roofing materials.

Next, look for telltale signs of roof leaks. Inside, inspect the attic — look at the ceiling, rafters and walls, particularly right beneath the roof — for discoloration or stains. (While you're up there, check to ensure that attic fans are working.) Pay attention to skylights and chimneys, which are prone to leaks. Seepage is most likely at joints and openings where one material meets another and where the flashing (seal) is weak. Go outdoors again and check the siding beneath the eaves for evidence of leaks. Call a roofer to repair leaks and reinforce flashing. Don't put off patching a roof leak, since collected moisture can cause expensive rot and decay. (For DIY roof repairs, read "5 roof repair tips: How to fix leaks and broken shingles.")

Check for foundation cracks
Make a yearly tour of your home's foundation to spot any cracks. Hairline cracks and diagonal cracks that start at windows are unlikely to signal serious problems, but keep an eye on them to see if they change. Call a structural engineer if a small crack grows wider or if you find any of the following:

• a crack wider than the thickness of your fingernail
• horizontal cracks
• a stair-step crack that break bricks, blocks or solid concrete
• a pattern of cracks that rounds a corner
• a crack with one side higher than the other
• a crack that starts narrow and grows wider

To keep moisture out of cracks that you've found to be stable, fill them. Purchase a foundation crack repair kit (many include an instructional CD, goggles and gloves) that uses an expanding polyurethane filler for a permanent seal. Caulk and concrete aren't effective for this. Learn more about foundation cracks and repairs at InspectAPedia.

Patrol the grounds
Spend a half-hour walking around your house with an eye to where the foundation meets the ground. Make sure the earth around the house slopes away from the structure — about an inch per foot is good — so water does not collect around the foundation. Dampness invites mold and mildew and, in worst cases, weakens a foundation. Also, keep your eyes open for signs of termites: wings or droppings that look like little pellets. Rake leaves away from the foundation to discourage mice and rats. Keep garbage cans tightly closed. Store recycling securely and clean bottles and cans well before putting them out so food odors don't attract rodents. Turn compost piles regularly and compost only vegetable matter, not animal products.  

Scrub the decks and porches
On a sunny day, wipe down and hose off lawn, garden and deck furniture. Sweep decks and porches. Inspect wood decks and porches for rot by pressing the wood with your hand, foot or a tool to find any soft spots. Gently probe soft spots with a screwdriver to learn the extent of the damage. Paint stores carry epoxy putty used to harden, seal and stabilize rotted wood. (These are potentially toxic products, so follow directions carefully.) If the damage is severe, replace rotted boards.

If you're painting your deck, make sure to scrub it first. To remove mold from wood decks, use a solution of three quarts warm water, one quart household bleach, one-third cup detergent and two-thirds cup tri-sodium phosphate. Rinse thoroughly after scrubbing, then treat the deck with a commercial fungicide (found, along with TSP, at paint and hardware stores). Caution: Wear rubber gloves, work in a ventilated area and do not mix bleach with any products containing ammonia; the combination creates toxic fumes. To clean composite decking, follow the manufacturer's instructions.

Seal decks against weather
Wood decks need to be painted or stained every two or three years — more often if they face extreme weather. Watch the weather forecast for a spell of several dry days before treating decks. (You don't want to seal moisture into the wood and encourage rot.) If you're unsure if the wood is sufficiently dry, borrow a moisture meter from a paint store (sales people will explain how to use it). Take readings in many spots. When the wood is dry, thoroughly strip old stain or paint before applying the new finish. Paint stores carry products for this purpose. When renting a power washer, ask for instructions and use it cautiously. Pressure washers can easily gouge and splinter wood decks and railings.

Read more at http://realestate.msn.com/june-home-maintenance-checklist?page=2