A smart home uses technology to make your life easier by bringing different home systems together so that you can control them with one simple device. Security, lighting, audio, video, temperature, pool/spa and even appliances that are also considered “smart” can be connected via the control device in your home. This offers the ultimate in convenience, control and energy savings.
As the weather changes you might have occasions that the air inside your home is warmer than the air outside. You can harness that cooler air and bring it into your home by installing a whole-house fan. Ceiling fans are a great way to keep the air moving but not in all areas of your house. The kitchen and bathrooms are just two rooms that you don’t use ceiling fans, while you can use the exhaust fan to help eliminate the hot air from the bathroom that doesn’t fix the problem of bringing in the cooler air. The whole house fan is installed in the ceiling just below your attic, and it’s hidden by louvers so that it won’t look out of place.
Everyone is concerned about reducing their carbon footprint and recycling is the best way to do that. Donating an item would be the first choice but if you are able to donate then recycle. This helps our environment and you can now create your own mini recycling center. This is the perfect way to dispose of your bathroom or kitchen day to day items.
Replacing your windows can be a intimidating project, but it doesn’t have to be. The most difficult windows to replace will be your kitchen and bathroom but only because of the things in your way that you can’t move. With the right tools and materials you can cut a hole in your wall and let the sun shine through it with this two-day project!
Sometimes the only thing you need to do to improve the curb appeal of your home is to repaint the front door. This task doesn’t have to be complicated but it does have to be precise. To just paint the door while it is still hung could cause you to paint over the hinges or door frame leave the finished product looking sloppy or causing you to spend more time on clean up.
If you are looking for an alternative to tile or wood flooring for your porch or lanai consider indoor-outdoor carpet, it is perfect for enclosed porches because it’s resistant to mildew and stains. It’s a much better choice than standard indoor carpet for giving your porch a finished look, and installation is easy.
To figure out how much carpet to buy, measure the length and width of your room, add 6 inches to each measurement, and multiply the two numbers. Here’s how to install it:
Putting plan to paper (or computer) is crucial in designing your landscape. Some of the questions to ask are: What do you want to get out of your backyard? Do you want a extension to your living space, such as, a outdoor kitchen or just a place to relax? If you’re working on a simple project, graph and tracing paper might be all you need. A professional landscape designer starts with a property survey and topographical map, and then typically creates a series of conceptual sketches, preliminary elevations and final renderings as your vision evolves and crystallizes.
Spring is in the air and that means your backyard will soon get more action! Spending time with the family and friends outdoors is one of the best ways to pass your weekend and evening. Don’t let another year pass without creating that fire pit you have always wanted.
Choose a location. Select a location that’s away from any combustibles such as bushes, sheds, low-hanging branches, etc. If you want it to be an extension of your back deck or your outdoor kitchen consider replacing the wood from the deck with tile that looks like wood. With this concept you can extend your deck add a foot path and then the same flooring around the pit.
Lay out the fire pit. Starting at the center, paint a five-foot diameter circle using a string as a compass. Tie one end of the string around the can of spray paint, then the other around a stake at the center of the pit. You’ll also need to paint a three-foot diameter circle for the actual pit, and a 12-foot diameter circle for the seating area.
Dig the footer and pour concrete. With the location laid out, dig out the footer for the inner and outer walls of the fire pit, digging between the three-foot and five-foot circles, about five to six inches deep. Following the manufacturer’s instructions, mix the fast-set concrete in a wheelbarrow and fill the ring with concrete. Make sure the top is level and smooth. Wait for the concrete to set up.
Separate your stones while you wait. While the concrete is setting, you can use that time to separate your stones into face stones, and a few for cap stones. The cap stones will be used to make the top of the fire pit wall, so keep the flat, smooth stones for the caps. The rest of the stones will make the wall.
Start laying stone. Start laying the stone in a ring, following the outer edge of the footing. Once the first complete ring is done, lay a ring of fire brick (on their edge, so they stand three-inches high) around the inner ring of the pit.
Continue the stone. Continue laying rings of stone on top of others. Continue laying courses of fire brick, as well. Keep everything level by choosing stones that fit. If they don’t fit, cut them. Try to avoid laying diagonal and vertical stones, they look bad and cause instability in the wall.
Fill the wall. Once the stone and fire brick are at the height you need, fill the void between the fire brick and stone walls using scrap stone and mortar. You’ll want the wall to be totally solid before you cap it.
Place the cap stones. Lay the cap stones on the top of the wall, laying them out in dry-stack to make certain that everything fits. Cut individual stones to fit, if necessary. Once you’ve got a good fit, mortar the stones into place.
Seating Area. For the seating area, dig out the grass in the area inside the 12-foot circle you painted, and lay down landscape cloth. Fill the area with gravel. Enjoy.
When deciding on flooring the homeowner now has several choices, you can use a more traditional flooring such as hardwood or tile or you can use concrete for a unique flooring. The advice below may seem straightforward, but it is following the directions and being diligent that provide the best results.
