Tips for Your Home

About Ice Dams

What is an Ice Dam? An ice dam is a buildup of snow and ice that prevents water from running off of a roof. When snow and ice begin to...
Blower Door to Detect Air Leaks

Leaky homes are hard to heat and hard to cool. The only way to know whether your home is leaky or tight is to measure its air leakage...
Winter Storm Preparation Tasks for Your Home

Trim Branches If there are branches positioned to fall on your home, you'll want to trim them back before the first snowfall of the...
Cap Your Chimney!!

For many homeowners, fireplace season means warming cold toes by a crackling fire, safe from the strong winds and chilly weather that...
Hawkeye Offers Discounted Radon Testing in January, 2019!

We are pleased to let you know that we are offering radon testing at a discounted rate for...
Eco-Friendly Home Insulation

Is there anything soybeans can't do? You can find them in milk, candy, disinfectants, insecticides, cooking oils, margarine and now, home...
Is Your Federal Pacific Circuit Breaker Panel Safe?

You can spot a Stab-Lok breaker by Federal Pacific Electric from the red strip across the switch...
Seniors: Tips for Decreasing Fall Risks

Approximately half of all falls occur in the home and with the older adult population falls are the leading cause of injury...
Free Radon in Air Testing with Home Inspection until 12.31.18

Hawkeye Home Inspections is now offering free radon in air testing with canisters when you...
Toxic Carpeting?

Toxins from your carpeting may be in your indoor air without your knowledge of them. A large portion of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)...
Can Houses be “Too Insulated” or “Too Tight”?

No. Green homes are insulated well, tightly built, and well ventilated. Let’s take these issues one at a time. The “too tight” theory...
How to Avoid Off-Gassing from Your Furniture

Furniture off-gassing can release toxic chemicals into the air we breathe. Sometimes you may notice a strong odor coming from a new...
How Do You Know if Your Indoor Air is Making You Sick?

Indoor air quality can be very poor, especially in cold winter climates and extremely hot and...
Mold Testing

Now that the colder weather is approaching, windows are closed and the home's air quality becomes more of a concern. If you notice any...
Safety Alert: Remember to Change the Batteries

You changed your clocks back. Now don't forget to change the batteries in your CO detectors and smoke alarms regularly!...
Organizers for Seniors

There are a variety of ways to help seniors get more organized. Better organization can save lives, prevent accidents and afford greater...
Fall Home Maintenance Task #6: Painting Your Home Before Winter Sets In

Painting your home is crucial to protecting it and adding to its value...
Devices to Make Living Easier for Seniors

There are some wonderful devices on the market to make living easier for seniors and those watching out for them...
Seniors and a Healthy Outlook

We've posted articles related to the safety of homes for seniors. However, the safety of the physical home is only part of what to...
Fall Home Maintenance Task #5: Power Washing

Choose a pressure washer that is best for the job. Different housing materials can withstand various water pressures...
New Shoe to Prevent Falls - Great for Seniors
Seniors Living Alone - Is It a Good Idea?

Are your senior loved ones safe at home? This is often a tough question to face. Many do very well at home on their own, but often you...
Senior Home Safety - Some General Tips for Moving About

Consider a medical alert or a buddy system. Keep a fire extinguisher and smoke detector on...
Fall Home Maintenance Task #4: Weatherstripping

Weatherstrip entrance doors to the home and garage doors to cut down on any drafts...
Fall Home Maintenance Task #3: Check Windows for Cracks

Warmer seasons are the time to check for any air leaks in your windows...
What are the Toxins in Your Home? - An Air Quality Check In

Poor indoor air quality is one of the major sources of poor health and illness in the USA as...
Doorbells for Seniors

There are a lot of handy options for doorbells these days. Many of them are ideal for seniors. The doorbell should have more than a...
Fall Home Maintenance Task #2 - Clean Your Gutters

The gutters should be cleaned at least once a year and more than that if you have trees...
Fall Home Maintenance Task #1 - Schedule a Boiler/Furnace Tune-Up

Now is the time to start tackling the fall home maintenance tasks, so...
Anti-Scald Valves - An Important Necessity!

Anti-scald valves, also known as tempering valves and mixing valves, mix cold water in with outgoing hot water so that the hot water that...
Prevent Ants: Common Sense Steps

A number of steps can be taken by homeowners to reduce the potential for future ant problems, such as: Store food items that attract...
Easy on the Eyes for Seniors

Some seniors may need house modifications due to vision issues. Painting walls a light, non-glare color and ceilings white in order to...
Are Your Walkways Accessible for Seniors?

One of the most frustrating challenges for seniors is entering homes or buildings that are not accessible. Some seniors may be using a walker or...
Basic Waterproofing for Basements

Water Damage Concerns Basements are typically the area of a structure most at risk for water damage because they are located below grade...
Advantages of Solar Energy

Solar energy offers considerable advantages over conventional energy systems by nullifying flaws in those systems long considered to be...
15 Tools Every Homeowner Should Own

The following items are essential tools, but this list is by no means exhaustive. Feel free to ask an inspector during your next...
The Importance of a Lint Alarm

Consider installing a lint alarm for your dryer. Dryers operate at high temperatures, and lint build-up is a leading cause of dryer fires...
Environmental Hazards and Senior Safety

Environmental hazards are a serious matter for everyone. However, it is especially important to check for these in any home where a...
Radon: What You Need to Know

Radon is the leading cause of lung cancel among non-smokers...
Time to Install a Frost Free Faucet?

If you have an older home, you should check to see if you should upgrade your outside water faucet to a "frost-free" anti-siphon style...
Aging in Place - What Does It Mean and What Would It Look Like?

"Aging in place" is the phenomenon describing senior citizens' ability to live independently in...
Gas Barbecue Grill Safety Tips
Test the PH Level

To improve the effectiveness of your lawn treatments, have the pH level of your lawn tested. If your pH is out of balance it affects how...
Hard Water and Your Dishwasher

If you haven't already, test your water to see if it is "hard," and if so, you may need to add a water softener to allow your dishwasher...
Why Senior Safety Audits Are a Necessity

Here are some important statistics that illustrate why homes where seniors dwell should be inspected on a regular basis...
Save Energy with a Programmable Timer

To help save energy, use a programmable timer to turn off your room air conditioner when you are not home...
Seniors Moving About Safely

Here are some basic tips you can implement so your senior friend or relative can move about safely and with ease...
Tip About Wood Siding

Be sure to check any places where pipes or wires penetrate the outside of your wood siding, and add caulking to seal the areas around...
Sinks for Aging Seniors Give Them More Independence

There are many new products on the market that enable seniors to have more independence...
Dehumidifiers - A Handy Appliance for Summer

A dehumidifier is an appliance that acts much like an air conditioner, since it takes a flow of air and drops the temperature of this...
Is Solar Energy Right For My Home?

With the help of increasing tax credits, higher energy prices, and falling costs for solar panels, solar energy is getting exciting...
Handles in the Home for Seniors

For seniors a lever handle with a return works best. It is easy to grip and the return on the end prevents a hand from sliding off...
Install a Shower Filter

Consider adding a filter to your shower heads. Chlorine and other chemicals released from hot water in the shower isn't good for lungs...
A Matter of Life and Death: Home Inspections are Crucial for Seniors

Many seniors nowadays are opting to age in place, so care should be taken to help them avoid...
Bathroom Improvements for Seniors

Here are some helpful changes you can make in a senior's home to make activity safer and more accessible: Risers for toilet seats Grab...
Home Safety Improvements for Seniors

If you have an aging loved one in your life, it's important to consider home improvements to make their living environment safer...
Are Seniors Safe at Home?

Are seniors safe in their homes? The Center for Disease Control states that home hazards are one of seniors’ most significant health...
A Home Inspection Before a Divorce is Crucial!

During a divorce settlement, the largest asset to be negotiated is usually the house. It usually accounts for 60% of the family's net...
Oven Energy-Saving Tips

Here are some tips that will help you save energy when you are using your oven. Don’t place aluminum foil on the racks in your oven...
Remove Debris from Basement Window Wells

As debris builds up in this area, it can lead to such problems as: leaking windows; nests for insects; window corrosion...
Painting Your Radiators

Summertime is a great time to paint your radiators. Be sure to use durable, heat-resistant paint and open the windows to avoid any toxic...
7 Things That Can EXPLODE in Your Home!

If your attitude towards home maintenance is “I don’t want to know about it, unless it will keep my house from blowing up!”, then you...
Composter

A composter is a container or designated area used for composting organic materials so they can be recycled into fertilizer and rich...
Check Attic Vents and Fans

The reason for this task is that your attic space sits between the insulation in your ceiling (the floor of the attic) and your roof...
Home Fireproofing: Prevention; Detection; Action

PREVENTION Prevention covers the steps you can take to make sure fires don’t break out in your home. So let’s take a look at the...
Saving on Electricity

If your utility has off-peak electricity pricing, then run your dishwasher during off-peak periods to save on the cost of your electricity...
Protecting Your Family from Deadly Radon Gas

Even if your home passed a radon test when you bought it, the natural settling of your home over time creates floor cracks which can...
Important Fire Extinguisher Tip

Leave the room after an extinguisher is used, so the room can be ventilated of the chemical released from the extinquisher...
Computer Tip

Consider adding a UPS (uninterruptible power supply) for use with your home computers. It will keep your hard drives from being...
A Process-Improvement Way to Organizing Closets

Everyone is different in terms of what makes an organization process work most effectively...
Microwave Cooking Caution

Most microwaves have hot spots, and if you eat the food directly from the oven, a few areas could be superheated and will burn you....
Weatherstripping

If you can see any daylight around your exterior doors (including your garage door), your home needs to be better sealed. Have your doors...
The Feng Shui of Lamps

Place lamps in corners instead of against one wall, so that more light is reflected into the room. Use light to more strongly activate...
A New Way of Preventing Dryer Fires

Lint build-up in dryers is a major cause of over 15,000 fires that occur in the U.S. every year. LintGard is a low-cost, innovative...
Ceiling Fans: What You Should Know

Ceiling fans can help you save energy and be an elegant feature of your home. This article discusses how to take care of your ceiling fan...
Safety Tip

Keep cat litter, sawdust, etc. readily available in your garage to quickly absorb spills of dangerous liquids and potential slipping...
Energy Efficient Way to Better Indoor Air Quality

According to the EPA, indoor air quality inside a home is typically 5 times worse than outdoor air quality. New technologies have been...
Carbon Monoxide Alarms vs. Monitors

If your home has just carbon monoxide "alarms" you might want to consider upgrading them to (or adding) CO "monitors," which can be more...
Save on Heating Water

Be sure to place the faucet lever on the kitchen sink in the cold position when using small amounts of water; placing the lever in the...
Cedar Closets are Healthy!

Consider converting an existing closet to a cedar closet. Cedar removes moisture from the air, so it acts as a natural dehumidifier for...
Fire Extinguishers

Fire Extinguishers are portable canisters that are filled with special chemicals designed to smother certain types of fires...
Lubricate and Inspect Your Garage Doors

Lack of lubrication puts additional strain on the garage door leading to premature failure. For attached garages, poor...
Avoiding Common Plumbing Problems

Plumbing problems in your home can range from minor visible nuisances, to hidden troubles that can be causing major damage to your home...
Your Freezer

Label the foods you put in your freezer and include the date...
Xeriscaping: A New Approach to Landscaping

There is a hot new trend in landscaping that will save you water, reduce the amount of time you spend maintaining your lawn, and make a...
14 Ways to Keep Cool AND Save Energy This Summer

Block the sun from coming in your windows. The bright sun coming in through your windows...
Smoke Detector Awareness

It is best to have all of the smoke detectors in your home wired so that they are interconnected. This way, if one alarm alerts, then...
Reduce Energy Costs

To help reduce your energy costs, plant trees to provide summer shade and block cold winter winds...
Kitchen Safety for Children

If you have small children living in or visiting your home, you should consider placing child locks on kitchen drawers and cupboards that...
About Sump Pumps

A sump pump is typically located in a basement, and it is a pump used to remove drainage water that has accumulated in a collection...
Save Your Leather Furniture

Avoid placing your uncovered leather furniture in direct sunlight, as this will cause your leather to fade and crack over time...
Effective Carpet Cleaning Tip

For effective carpet cleaning, adjust the height of your vacuum to touch the pile just enough to slightly vibrate the carpet several...
Freezer (stand-alone) Tip

For best performance of your freezer, ensure that there is adequate clearance at the back of your freezer for good air circulation. This...
Lawn Watering Tips: Better Results and Less Water

RIGHT TIME Only water your lawn when it actually needs watering. There are two ways...
Mattress Care

Use removable and washable mattress covers and pillow encasements that zip all the way around, to help protect your mattress from dust,...
Foundation Tip

To control home humidity, ensure the proper grading around your foundation, so that water drains away from your home rather than seeping...
Air Registers: Better Air Quality & Saving Energy

If you have air registers in your home for either air conditioning or heating, then you have what is called "forced air ventilation...
Why Bother Caring for Door Hinges & Hardware?

Let's face it, in the pantheon of routine home maintenance, caring for your door hinges and hardware clearly isn't as high a priority as...
Garage De-Cluttering and Safety Tips

A cluttered garage wastes space, and it also creates significant safety risks. This article gives you tips for organizing your garage to...
Deck Maintenance

Inspect decking for deterioration The purpose for doing this task is that a deck that has been allowed to deteriorate can cause serious...
Outdoor Decking: 10 Important Areas to Check

Outdoor decking creates a great place for gathering with friends and family to enjoy your yard during nice weather...
Fire Extinguishers Tip

Everyone in your home, including responsible children, should be taught how to properly use a fire extinguisher...
What NOT to Do If You Have a Septic System

Replacing a septic system can cost tens of thousands of dollars, and pumping your tank more frequently gets expensive too...
Preventing the 5 Most Fatal Home Accidents

FALLS Falls around the home are responsible for more than 1/3 of all injury deaths. Here are some steps you can take around your home to...
Guide to Easy Backyard Composting

Setting up a composter in your backyard is easy. And in addition to reducing landfill waste in your local community, it's a great way to...
Pest Control

If not already there, install tight-fitting wire screens for all attic, roof and crawl space vents, in order to prevent entry of birds,...
Post-Winter Damage Control - Video

With just a quick walk around your home, you can see if you have any problems brewing in the following six likely trouble spots : Roof...
How to Allergy-Proof Your Home - Video

If you’re short on time, the most important room to target for improving your home's allergy environment is the bedroom. It’s where you...
Refrigerator Tips for Saving Energy & Food Safety - Video

Your refrigerator is the fourth largest consumer of energy in most homes...
LED Lights

To help save energy, change any older-style night-lights in your home to low-energy LED style lights (with automatic ON/OFF)...
Carpets & Rugs Tip

For effective carpet cleaning, adjust the height of your vacuum to touch the pile just enough to slightly vibrate the carpet several...
Protecting Your Family From Mold

Mold and mildew in your home can be annoying (musty smell, allergies), unsightly (blackened bathroom grout), and in some cases even...
Closets Suggestion

Especially if you have seniors living in your home, consider installing safety handrails or grab bars in closets or other dressing areas...
Why You Need to Keep Rain Away From Your Foundation

Your home's gutters and downspouts play a very important role in protecting your home's ...
Garbage Disposal Tip

Check the cabinets under your garbage disposal frequently for leaks. Your disposal has flanges, gaskets and pipe connections which can be...
Clothes Dryer Safety and Energy Tips

Did you know that dryers are the second highest energy-consuming appliance in most homes? And lint build-up is one of the major causes of...
Slaying Your Worst Electricity Vampire

To the rescue is a smart device called a "Programmable Power Outlet", that sells for under $20. In this video and article, we discuss:...
Bathroom Makeover Ideas

The great thing about making over your bathroom, is that because of its small size, the cost can be fairly reasonable and the benefits...
Lighting Suggestion

To improve safety especially if you have children or elderly in your home, add additional LED night lighting for hallways, doorways,...
Keeping Your Basement Safe and Dry

Whether you have a finished basement, or one that you rarely visit, this article and video will tell you what to watch for to keep your...
Where Your Home Energy Dollar Goes

Ever wondered where your energy dollars go in your home? This article and video shows you at-a-glance, so that you can focus on the...
Save on Energy

A great way to find ways to save energy around your home is to have a professional conduct a full energy audit and analysis of your...
Is It Time to Replace My Roof?

Most asphalt roofs have a life span of 15-25 years, but this can vary significantly based on a variety of factors. So how can you tell if...
Clothes Dryer Suggestion

Consider adding a lock for the door on your laundry room to keep children from playing around your washer or dryer. Annual cleaning and...
Structured Water vs. Filtered Water

Natural Action Technologies® Structured Water products are not filters and do not remove anything physically from the water. The...
Options for Filtering Your Tap Water

Across the country, water quality concerns are on the rise. This article explains why you should filter your home's water, and the pro's...
Shower Filter for Chlorine

Consider adding a chlorine filter for your shower heads. Chlorine released from hot water in your shower is bad to breathe, and is...
Garbage Disposal DO's and DON'Ts
Electrical Cord Safety

Do not place electrical cords under throw rugs or carpeting. Walking over the top of them can cause unseen damage to the cords. And...
Turn Off Bathroom and Kitchen Fans

Turn off your bathroom and kitchen fans as soon as they are no longer needed, which will reduce loss of conditioned air from your...
Roof Ventilation

Proper attic ventilation can help extend roof life by reducing the buildup of heat and moisture.