I wrote a blog last year about spring maintenance tips and it is good to keep going with new tips on home maintenance in the spring. A lot of these are very easy and don't take long at all. All these things will prolong the life of your home and save you money in the long run. A lot of the things I list down below I do at home and I write down what I did and the date and then look back at it and do them the same time every year. I find this turns into a routine and things don't get overlooked. Driveway Sealing- I do this every other year to my driveway. It prolongs the life of your blacktop a ..read more

This year we, in Northern Illinois, we have seen a lot of snow over a two week period recently we are now going to have warm weather with up to 3 inches of rain. With the ground being frozen still and heavy rains in the forecast the water has nowhere to go. I have provided some tips for your home to prepare it for heavy rainfalls. 1. Clear drains around your home. During heavy rainfall, stairwells and window wells can act as catch basins where water can collect and sit without properly draining. Checking and clearing any drains will help reduce the risk of water building up and causing pressu ..read more

As winter is fast approaching if you are doing your own maintenance now is a good time to make sure your snowblower is ready before the snow starts to fall. A good running snowblower works better, makes your job of clearing the snow easier, and in turn gets you back inside your warm home quicker. These easy tips along with reading your owners manual will ensure your snowblower runs great all season. Use Fresh, High Quality Fuel Use fresh fuel. Fuel over time goes bad and gets stale. The old fuel can leave deposits that are harmful to your fuel system. It is best to use a national brand to ens ..read more

It is that time of year again. It is time to change clock back one hour. This time of year means a lot of things we already know. Things like gaining an hour of sleep, watching the sun set much sooner, it getting dark early, and cold weather. But that is also a good time to do a few other things for the safety of your family and your home. This means changing the batteries in your smoke detector or if needed replacing them all together. It also means this is a good time to vacuum the outside surface of the detector. There were 1743 civilian home fire fatalities reported by U.S. news media bet ..read more

It may still seem far away but the Holidays will be here before you know it! There are many ways to freshen up your home before the Holiday season begins and your home is flooded with family celebrating together. One way to really change or update the interior of your home is fresh paint on the walls. You would be amazed at how just painting a room will change the entire look of it. Here are some tips that will make your painting project a lot easier and have less headaches. 1) THE PAINT- There are so many different brands of paint out there you could make yourself crazy on what you should bu ..read more

Sometimes the best fix for a home is actually to not have the problem in the first place. Doing some of the things on this list to your home regularly will keep your home from needing costly repairs later. 1. Test your garage door opener monthly to ensure that it reverses when it hits an obstruction or when its sensor beam is interrupted. This is a safety factor that should always be working on the opener. 2. Vacuum the clothes dryer's exhaust duct at least once a year. If the duct is plastic, replace it (it's a fire hazard). Rigid sheet-metal ducting is best. I know I have listed this before ..read more

With summer officially starting yesterday I thought I would give you some tips on some things to do around your home now that we are officially in the summer months. 1) EXTERIOR PAINTING- This is a fairly easy task to complete on your home. It will help protect exterior wood and brighten the exterior appearance of your home. If you are not sure what the exact color of your paint is just ask a paint professional at your local paint store and they can help you to get the exact color match. 2) WASHING EXTERIOR WINDOWS- Summer is a great time to do this. Just fill a bucket with hot soapy water an ..read more

There comes a time when you as a homeowner may need professional help with a project, repairs, or maintenance on your home. If you are unsure how to complete the project or just may not have the skill set for it then it is best to hire a professional Handyman. Everyone has a knack and are good at some things but not others. No matter what you need done you can find a professional Handyman who is not only able but willing to do a wide scope of things like paint a room in your house, install a new door, put up new trim, or even do landscaping for you. Although a lot of handymen do a lot of thin ..read more

As the climate is ever changing here in the mid west it is a nightmare for the exterior woodwork on our homes. During the seasons the wood gets exposed to rain, snow, sunshine, and moisture. When our home is constantly being exposed to these elements we can find rotten wood all over the exterior of the home. With my experience I have seen it on door trim, deck boards, window sills, fences, siding and many other areas. Occasionally you can cut out the rot and replace it but that is like putting a band aid on it. The ultimate solution is to replace the rotten wood completely. It will at first s ..read more

With spring fast approaching I thought I would make my first blog on sharing a checklist of some areas to focus on for your home this spring. These smalls things can prevent your home from having larger problems later on which can cost you a lot of time and money. Most of things are small ans simple for anyone to tackle. Check All Gutters Check for loose or leaking gutters. Improper drainage can lead to water in the basement or crawl space. Make sure downspouts drain away from the foundation and are clear and free of debris. Relocate Firewood Remove firewood stored near your home. Firewood sh ..read more