Category: Tips and Tricks

Holiday Mini-Renovations: Sprucing up Kitchens, Baths, Grout and Cabinets »

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, you may looking around at you home – a not-so-sparkling kitchen or bathroom, a seldom-used guest room, or a less-than-dramatic family room – and wishing you had scheduled your home renovation back during the summer. Clearly there is not enough time to renovate now, but with two weekends to go before the […]

Fall Fix Ups: Tips to Prepare Your Home for Winter »

If you’ve lived in the Northwest for any length of time, you know that the rainy season is a long one. Everything becomes water-logged and sodden. It is important to keep you house dry to avoid any major damage that water can cause and to provide your family with a safe haven from the rain.

Fall Fix Ups: Tips to Clean Your Garage »

Many people forget about garage when doing their fall clean up, but it is a key area to keep tidy considering the items that are stored inside. And in many cases the garage is attached and incorporated into the house, acting as an airlock for your home.

Fall Fix Ups: Tips to Clean up Your Yard and Garden »

Do I have to clean up the yard now? you think. Well, of course you don’t have to do it now, but if you wait, you’ll be shivering in your slicker in the rain trying to clean up your yard later.

10 Deck Maintenance Tips to Keep Your Deck Looking Great »

There are a few things that when done periodically will keep your deck not only looking good but in great shape as well. A sharp looking deck adds a whole new dimension to a fine home, while a deck in poor repair or in need of a simple cleaning can markedly detract from the home’s […]

11 Things to Consider Before You Build an Outdoor Kitchen »

The truly excellent outdoor kitchen is not only functional, but aesthetically pleasing, a place you and your guests will want to spend some time.

Can Cheap Granite Countertops Help You Sell Your Home? »

A cheap slab of granite can make a nice upgrade to help sell a home in certain circumstances, but are you sure it’s really as cheap as you think?

What Size Hot Water Heater Do I Need? »

Your First Hour Rating (FHR) is a necessity when determining the appropriate size of hot water heater you need for your home. By calculating how many gallons of water you use during the peak hour of consumption in your home, you will know the largest size of heater you need.

When Should I Replace My Hot Water Heater? »

Unlike fine wines and cheese and women, hot water heaters do not improve with age. Over time, the heaters can corrode, leak, fill with gunk, and just plain break down. Most conventional hot water heaters last between 10 and 15 years.

April Monthly Household Checklist »

This is a list of items you can do around the house in April to keep up on your chores. You don’t want to read it but you should!