Home Wiz Guy | Your Home Improvement Advisor

May is fading away. And that means June is almost here. While we’re still roughly a full month away from the official "beginning" of summer, you should take time to prepare for summertime conditions. Your home’s plumbing is typically ignored. That is, at least until something goes wrong. Warmer weather brings an entirely different set of worries that you most likely won’t have to deal with in the fall or winter. So, what common issues should you be on guard against? Let us tell you more.

Spring and summer are particularly rainy seasons. That means your basement could flood. If you haven’t already, turn on your sump pump and ensure that it still works as it should. A downpour is fun to listen to while you’re trying to sleep, but the aftermath could be messy. And that’s putting it lightly!

Every now and then, your garbage disposal will develop a stubborn clog. These blockages can be troublesome enough that they won’t be dissolved even after multiple attempts to clear them up. Sometimes, even the plunger won’t help. Fruit pits, vegetable skins, seeds, nuts, and bones can contribute to this situation, so be gentle on your disposals.

As dependable as your washer and dryer are, they require periodic maintenance. Neglecting or outright ignoring these repairs will end poorly. Heavier loads cause blockages, stoppages, and overflows. All of these issues are as frustrating as they sound. Change your habits so that smaller loads become the norm; double-check that there are no leaks or kinks. Another related problem has to do with overheating. You don’t want that to happen either. To counter this, pull the machine away from the wall. By doing this, you can minimize the annoying sounds of the machine banging against the dryer as it dances.

Summer heatwaves can make everyone on your block miserable. Imagine how your lawn feels! When the grass starts to wither, you can tell because it’ll start fading to yellow or brown. One way to restore that lush green is to use your lawn sprinkler system. But overuse, foot traffic, and lawn mowing equipment can damage the connections and hoses that make the sprinklers work.

Now it is time for some huge shout for our partner companies. Here are some highly trusted companies who are very popular for their plumbing service in their local area. So if you are in their service area then you can get their services.

If your home isn’t comfortable, insufficient, poor-quality or poorly-installed insulation in place may be a big part of the problem. Drafty rooms, an HVAC system that can’t keep up, different temperatures across your home, roof ice buildup, loud outside noises, and an aging structure can be signs you need to re-insulate your home. Re-insulation allows you to enjoy a quieter, more comfortable and healthier indoor environment while providing savings on your utility bills. Here’s an overview of the problems you may experience and why they may indicate insulation problems.

If your furnace or AC system has to run almost continuously or you have to provide supplemental equipment such as fans, heaters, and window AC units, there’s a good chance your home is either poorly insulated or doesn’t have insulation at all, which is common in homes built prior to 1980. Good insulation creates a barrier to moderate the difference between indoor and outdoor temps.

Air infiltration from your home’s exterior can increase rapidly, especially when there’s a big pressure or temperature difference whether due to a storm front or high winds. If you’re feeling drafts, it’s probably because your home’s building envelope has problems. Re-insulation along with air sealing helps plug those gaps.

It might surprise you, but before 1980, most building codes didn’t actually require insulation! And many buildings insulated after that point used blown-in cellulose or fiberglass insulation, which can settle and create gaps. This makes it much harder for your furnace or HVAC system to keep you comfortable because it’s constantly fighting the elements.

If you have loud neighbors, nearby train tracks, or other sources of noise near your home, re-insulating can help reduce noise. Poor insulation does a bad job of blocking sound, while a new Insulation helps reduce noise for a more peaceful environment.

What does ice have to do with insulation? Surprisingly, quite a lot. When you have underperforming home insulation, hot air from your home heats up your roof and melts the snow. When the melted water hits your cooler eaves, it freezes again, creating ice dams, a sure sign of an insulation problem.

There are many benefits you’ll be able to enjoy immediately after having your home insulated with Premium Injection Foam Insulation:

There are many benefits to re-insulating your home, like providing you with a more comfortable environment while reducing your utility bills.

How Can We Help Re-Insulating Your Home?

Now it is time for some huge shout for our partner companies. Here are some highly trusted companies who are very popular for their re-insulating service in their local area. So if you are in their service area then you can get their services.

Could your area rug use a deep clean? Learn how to clean a rug yourself and you can bring all your floor coverings back to life whenever you like. Area rugs may bring a room together, but they also take a beating, from foot traffic to pets and spills. After a while, vacuuming just isn’t enough to get it truly clean—and that’s when knowing how to do it yourself comes in super handy.

Area rug cleaning is a project you can easily take on yourself. There’s no need to hire professional rug cleaners for the task—unless your rug is extremely delicate (for example, an antique rug, Persian rug, or oriental rug).

Note: There’s no need to clean rugs on a schedule. Instead, you should just clean the rugs when they are visibly dirty or have an odor. Read on to find out how to refresh those well-worn area rugs so they look as good as they did when you first unrolled them.

Here's exactly what you'll need to have on hand to complete a successful area rug cleaning:

Optional:

Thoroughly vacuum on the rug on both sides. You want to make sure every last bit of debris is gone. If you have pets, use the brush attachment to get any lingering stray hairs.

When it comes to the actual cleaning solution, you can use a rug shampoo like this one from Bissell. Whatever shampoo you choose, follow its specific directions (found on the bottle) for mixing.

Alternatively, you can also use mild dish detergent mixed in a bucket with warm water. Do not use hot water as it can shrink the rug or cause fading.

Before you start scrubbing, make sure the cleaner doesn’t cause the colors to run. Test the solution on the corner of the rug to make sure it is colorfast. If the color doesn't bleed, it's safe to move on to the next step.

Using a sponge or soft-bristle brush, work the cleaning solution into a lather on the rug. Let the cleaner sit on the rug for five minutes before you start rinsing. Anything less than that and you'll shortchange the cleaning process. Give it those five minutes to set in and start lifting away dirt.

Rinse the soap out of the rug using a garden hose or buckets of clean water. Make sure all the cleaning solution is completely removed from the area rug and the runoff water is crystal clear.

At this point, you’ll want to get rid of as much excess water in the rug as you can so it will dry faster. You can use a wet-dry vacuum if you have one, or use a squeegee in the direction of the nap.

The next-to-last step to clean an area rug is simply letting it dry. Lay the rug flat and allow the top of the rug to dry completely. Then, flip it over to let the bottom side dry. Fans can help speed up the process. Make sure the rug is fully dry before you return it to the room.

During the cleaning process, threads and fibers can get compacted and squished. Revive them by running a vacuum over the now-dry rug, or brush them with a soft-bristled brush. Now you're finished, and can enjoy your freshly cleaned carpet. You know how to clean an area rug yourself, and you can complete the job whenever you like.

Now it is time for some huge shout for our partner companies. Here are some highly trusted companies who are very popular for their rug & carpet cleaning service in their local area. So if you are in their service area then you can get their services.