Cee's Home Improvement Blog

Archive for the ‘Tips’ Category

In thinking to make your home better, you need to have this idea of home improvement. Well, home improvement is not an easy task but we can say that it is exciting. You can do improvement from your kitchen, bathroom, living room, outdoors, deck and patios and up to bedrooms. If you want to start in knowing how outdoor lighting can be installed, just take a few minutes and you are able to know it. Here are tips and for sure that it can help you out to have a successful installation.

Outdoor Lighting Installation

Outdoor lighting is not only a beautiful addition for your backyard but functional. For enhancing landscaping, you can install lighting that is low voltage to provide illumination. Other benefits of outdoor lighting include safety, and overall ambience. Low voltage kits are sold at many hardware and home improvement stores and come with a built-in transformer that has a timer. This feature allows you to choose when to have the lights turn on and off, adding convenience.

The transformers are able to use a household 120-volt and make it safe to run 12 volts. To install low lighting for your outdoors, a GFCI receptacle will be required on the exterior of your home. If you do not presently have on, an electrician will need to install one. Most importantly, always contact your local gas and electric company before you start to dig to ensure there are no underground cables or pipes.

For installation, choose the type of lights you prefer and keep in mind the areas you want to illuminate. Generally, you will find lights in four or seven watt so if you plan to brighten a large area you may need more lights than expected. Make sure the transformer has adequate wattage where additional lights could be added in the future. Be sure you have a diagram from which to work, which will help you stay on track of where you want the lighting to be installed. In addition, make good notes so you are reminded of problem areas, or specifics as to what you want to be illuminated. For example, you may have numerous types of plants and flowers on the south side of the house but in particular, you want your prized roses to shine.

After you have purchased the correct number of lights, position them to coordinate with your diagram. Typically, lights will come with a stake that can be driven into soft dirt easily. For this reason, the evening before you do the installation, water the ground thoroughly and then the morning of, sprinkle it with water so the ground is soft. Lay the lights down where there will be installed and then starting at the GFCI receptacle, lay out the cable so it runs to where the lights have been laid out. The cable above ground will be buried so no need to worry about anything being unsightly. Make sure you leave enough excessive cable at the transformer for each of the lights, which will allow you to move your lights later on. Each light has two wires with a metal tip. By putting one tab on each side of the cable and snapping it together, the light is installed. When the tip is pierced into the cable, the electrical connection is created. If the light does not come on, make sure these tabs are secured together.

You will then separate the wires at the end of the electrical cable and strip �-inch of insulation. The two screws on the transformer will be loosened and the bare wires you just stripped slid under the correct terminal. Once complete, plug in the transformer, and turn it on. Look at each light to ensure it is working. Keep in mind that if the day is bright and sunny, it may be difficult to tell if they are on so you may need to shield the light from the sun or recheck when it starts to get dark. With a small shovel, you need to dig down 5 inches to bury the cable. Once the cable is buried, cover it with dirt and compact it down. Finally, set the timer to come on, go off at the desired time, and enjoy your new lights.

This can be easy for you and it just a matter on time. Don’t hurry in installation so that you will not find it messy and not proper.

Interior Designer Tips for Selecting a New Paint Color

1. Find a starting place. Pull your color inspiration from something already in the room such as an area rug or painting. If you are planning to replace the furnishings in a room as well as fresh paint, start by finding the new items for the room. Finding a paint color to match a rug you love is infinitely easier than trying to find a rug you like to work with the color of your walls.
2. Think about what you like, and what colors you like to wear. If you don’t look good in yellow, do not paint your Master Bathroom yellow or you will be unhappy with yourself every time you look in the mirror. You might be seeing a lot of blues and browns in home furnishings lately, but if you don’t love blue do not paint your room blue just to keep up with the trends.
3. Get inspired!   Mother Nature is the world’s best colorist and she pulls together the most incredible palettes. Look around outside for color combinations you might have never considered.
4. Start small and take baby steps. If you want to try a bold color for the first time, start in a small and manageable space such as a Powder Room. The small space will allow you to live with you new bold color in a small amount, plus you will need very few accessories to pull the look together.
5. Ignore all “rules” you may have heard such as dark colors making a room look small. Do not be guided by what you have been told is right or wrong when selecting colors. Yes, some of these rules do have some amount of truth but the world is not black and white, and nor should your home be.

When people are installing their own steam shower, it is an unfortunate reality that they often overlook the steam shower lights. It seems that as most homeowners are planning things such as lighting, they pay attention mostly to the bedrooms and kitchen, with the bathroom often being overlooked. This is one reason why most bathrooms that you go into today have inadequate lighting, and steam shower lighting is certainly no exception. The following will provide you with some ideas that you can use to choose the right steam shower lights for your bathroom.

When trying to decide which steam shower light and fan you will install in your bathroom, you should first understand that there are a few different types of lighting, including ambient, ascent, and vanity. Ambient lighting is usually produced by a single ceiling mounted light in the center of the room. It is a shame that so many bathrooms use this as a primary source of lighting when it should really only be a fill in light that substitutes for the natural lighting. Ascent lighting is usually a recessed spotlight that is projected towards single fixtures or decoration. Vanity light is used to light up the bathroom mirror so you can see yourself perfectly and shadows are not produced underneath of your eyes, chin, and cheeks.

You will find that choosing your steam shower lights can also be a complicated task as you have so many different types of bulb to choose from. For this fixture it is best to find something that produces a crisp white light which can really illuminate skin tones well. For this purpose, halogen bulbs are an excellent choice. A smaller bulb can provide you with a sparkling effect, and usually has a very compact size. The newest models also offer excellent color rendering and are almost ten times as efficient as the traditional incandescent bulbs.

Another excellent option that you may want to consider are think dimmers which provide you with complete control over how light or dark you want your stall to be. This is also a great choice for you if you are interested in conserving energy as you can keep the lights dim. Whichever type of bulb that you eventually choose, just remember to put safety first. Because water and electricity can be such a combination you always want to make sure you hire a professional electrician, or at least consult one and ask them your opinion on what you plan to do.

You will find that picking out the perfect lighting for your bathroom, especially steam shower lights, will be much easier when you do the proper planning ahead of time. Speak to the professionals and look at all the different options that you have to choose from before making your purchase and you will have a better chance of success.

When you have a busy life, there are times when you may consider hiring a cleaning service. It’s a great feeling to come home from a busy day and see that your house is sparkling clean from top to bottom. When things in your home are kept clean and orderly on a regular basis, it makes you feel better, and it’s definitely healthier for all who reside there and all who visit. Choosing the right professionals to do the job is a fairly easy process, as long as you follow some simple steps.

Your Needs

The first thing that you want to do is write down your particular needs when it comes to cleaning service. This helps you to get an idea about such things as fees and specialties when you’re talking to different housekeeping businesses. Write down the square footage of each room in your home that you want cleaned, and list your priorities.

These could be such things as wanting the oven scrubbed out, the windows done, or special attention paid to the nick-knacks on your shelf. Also, you want to list certain things that you want special attention paid to, such as being careful around your home office equipment, or working only with green equipment and supplies.

Finding a company

Once you have your information and priorities list, it’s time to find just the right cleaning service for you needs. Look for businesses in your local area; you probably shouldn’t have any trouble finding some. Try searching online; this can often get you to business websites where you can get a lot of information. Call two or three that you’re interested in, and go down your list with them, to see if they can provide you with the assistance that you want. Write down the things each one tells you, including what they charge, then make your decision from there.

Periodic Reviews

If you’re going to be using your chosen cleaning service on a regular basis, it’s good to periodically review how they’re doing. Sometimes your situation or priorities change, and you want to make sure that the housekeeping business you hired can change with you.

Establishing a relationship with a competent cleaning service means that you have one less thing to worry about in your busy life. As long as you choose wisely in the beginning, it should be a win/win situation for a long time.

If you are looking to buy a shed, then it is possible to spend the least amount of money to get one. Consider do it your self shed kits. If you have little or no DIY skills, it doesn’t matter because with a bit of common sense, time and effort, you can build your very own shed.

Depending on the type of kit you buy, meaning, a kit with or without timber, then prices vary. But what you get either way are shed blueprints, screws and brackets.

Not many kits come with the timber supplied, but those that do are just as equally rewarding to build as the kits without timber. I guess it depends on how much time and money you have to spend on your shed.

One further expense to take into account, is the type of finish you would like for your shed. No kit that i am aware of actually come paint or stain finished. But please bear in mind, it would be a shame to go to all your time and effort, and then finish your shed in a cheap inexpensive finish.

If you are no stranger to power tools, then do it yourself shed kits will hold no fear for you. However, those of you that are a bit uneasy around such tools, need not worry. Simple and basic hand tools work just as well. Remember to go at your own pace and follow the blue prints.

Building your own shed is not difficult, it can be immense fun and rewarding.

When building a new home, adding on an extension or even just a simple remodel within your home, you should always consider your local environment to maximize the efficiency of every aspect of your project.

There are four main areas that need to be focused on when planning your building project. They include:

- water
- energy
- building materials

Each of these areas contain specific products and methods that can really benefit your home lifestyle and increase the capital on your house to.

The first area to cover is water, which may or may not be relevant to your project. However, where ever there is plumbing or an outside wall where gutters can be fixed the optimal water conservation methods should be utilized where possible. There are many interior products that can really help to reduce water wastage and improve efficiency which include:

- water saving taps
- water efficient showerheads
- composting toilets
- water diverters (diverters which hold the water while the hot water reaches your tap to save wasting all that water whilst waiting for the hot water to arrive)

Furthermore, by installing a Greywater system you can use all the water that usually runs down your drain, on your garden or lawn.

For the exterior, high quality gutters and water storage devices such as water tanks are ideal for harvesting hundreds of litres of water that can be used for a variety of applications.

A strong water budget mixed with an overall highly efficient water system can save you heaps of money on water bills and reduce the impact on your local catchment system.

The second part of this article focuses on energy. Most people immediately think solar and then think “I can’t afford it!” but there is much more that can be done to improve the efficiency of the energy usage in your home.

If you are doing large scale renovations, the position of your home / room in regards to sun direction is vitally important. A north-south facing house is much more energy efficient in terms of temperature control as the sun has less direct focus on the rooms.

Many different products exist to generate energy or improve the energy usage and overall efficiency of your home. Some of these include:

- a solar panel system, either stand alone, grid connect or hybrid with wind turbines to generate electricity
- high quality insulation, including batts and foil boards
- solar hot water systems
- ventilation and extraction fans
- energy efficient appliances and white goods
- lighting, including CFL’s (compact fluorescent lamp)
- hydronic heating
- air conditioners with inverter technology

All of these products will either generate free electricity, use much less energy than other products on the market, or control the temperature of your home to save on running costs to maintain comfort.

Building materials is another important consideration when starting your project. Many materials have good qualities, while others can contain harmful chemicals which can be dangerous for your health. Knowing all these risks is almost impossible, but there are certain things to look for when making these decisions.

- Use as much untreated materials as possible. Most treated materials use very harsh chemicals which contain volatile organic compounds (VOC’s) and formaldehyde. Over time, these compounds break down and become part of your indoor breathing space.
- These VOC’s can also be found in conventional paints and finishes. Always ask your supplier for brands which use little or no VOC’s in their products.
- Concrete that contains high levels of flyash are much better for the environment and lower the use of the toxic concrete powder in construction
- Conventional termite control utilizes the harshest of all chemicals and can be extremely carcinogenic. However, there are many new products that can remove termite problems without the use of harmful chemicals. Always ask your provider about their environmental policy and research the chemical they use
- Many insulation companies still use the resin based fiberglass insulation which contains high levels of formaldehyde and are damaging to your health. Look for insulation that is glass wool or made from cellulose fibre is your best bet for your families health and the environments.
- Double glazed windows and the utilization of roller shutters and blinds is the best way to reduce heat build up within your home.
- Strawbale and compressed earth homes are becoming more and more popular due to their constant interior comfort levels, and no they don’t look like “mud huts”, in fact, they are fast becoming a distinguished and stylish home design
- Finally, cabinets and draws often use the cheap particle board over the solid wood varieties to save money. However, the particle board contains formaldehyde to bind the particles together.

Building and home improvement can be very satisfying when the job is complete. However, it becomes even better if taking into consideration these factors mentioned above to make your home comfortable all year round for you and your family.