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...
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...
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...
For many homeowners, fireplace season means warming cold toes by a crackling fire, safe from the strong winds and chilly weather that...
We are pleased to let you know that we are offering radon testing at a discounted rate for...
Is there anything soybeans can't do? You can find them in milk, candy, disinfectants, insecticides, cooking oils, margarine and now, home...
You can spot a Stab-Lok breaker by Federal Pacific Electric from the red strip across the switch...
Approximately half of all falls occur in the home and with the older adult population falls are the leading cause of injury...
Hawkeye Home Inspections is now offering free radon in air testing with canisters when you...
Toxins from your carpeting may be in your indoor air without your knowledge of them. A large portion of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)...
No. Green homes are insulated well, tightly built, and well ventilated. Let’s take these issues one at a time. The “too tight” theory...
Furniture off-gassing can release toxic chemicals into the air we breathe. Sometimes you may notice a strong odor coming from a new...
Indoor air quality can be very poor, especially in cold winter climates and extremely hot and...
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...
You changed your clocks back. Now don't forget to change the batteries in your CO detectors and smoke alarms regularly!...
There are a variety of ways to help seniors get more organized. Better organization can save lives, prevent accidents and afford greater...
Painting your home is crucial to protecting it and adding to its value...
There are some wonderful devices on the market to make living easier for seniors and those watching out for them...
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...
Choose a pressure washer that is best for the job. Different housing materials can withstand various water pressures...
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...
Consider a medical alert or a buddy system. Keep a fire extinguisher and smoke detector on...
Weatherstrip entrance doors to the home and garage doors to cut down on any drafts...
Warmer seasons are the time to check for any air leaks in your windows...
Poor indoor air quality is one of the major sources of poor health and illness in the USA as...
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...
The gutters should be cleaned at least once a year and more than that if you have trees...
Now is the time to start tackling the fall home maintenance tasks, so...
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...
A number of steps can be taken by homeowners to reduce the potential for future ant problems, such as: Store food items that attract...
Some seniors may need house modifications due to vision issues. Painting walls a light, non-glare color and ceilings white in order to...
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...
Water Damage Concerns Basements are typically the area of a structure most at risk for water damage because they are located below grade...
Solar energy offers considerable advantages over conventional energy systems by nullifying flaws in those systems long considered to be...
The following items are essential tools, but this list is by no means exhaustive. Feel free to ask an inspector during your next...
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 are a serious matter for everyone. However, it is especially important to check for these in any home where a...
Radon is the leading cause of lung cancel among non-smokers...
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" is the phenomenon describing senior citizens' ability to live independently in...
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...
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...
Here are some important statistics that illustrate why homes where seniors dwell should be inspected on a regular basis...
To help save energy, use a programmable timer to turn off your room air conditioner when you are not home...
Here are some basic tips you can implement so your senior friend or relative can move about safely and with ease...
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...
There are many new products on the market that enable seniors to have more independence...
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...
With the help of increasing tax credits, higher energy prices, and falling costs for solar panels, solar energy is getting exciting...
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...
Consider adding a filter to your shower heads. Chlorine and other chemicals released from hot water in the shower isn't good for lungs...
Many seniors nowadays are opting to age in place, so care should be taken to help them avoid...
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...
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 in their homes? The Center for Disease Control states that home hazards are one of seniors’ most significant health...
During a divorce settlement, the largest asset to be negotiated is usually the house. It usually accounts for 60% of the family's net...
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...
As debris builds up in this area, it can lead to such problems as: leaking windows; nests for insects; window corrosion...
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...
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...
A composter is a container or designated area used for composting organic materials so they can be recycled into fertilizer and rich...
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...
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...
If your utility has off-peak electricity pricing, then run your dishwasher during off-peak periods to save on the cost of your electricity...
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...
Leave the room after an extinguisher is used, so the room can be ventilated of the chemical released from the extinquisher...
Consider adding a UPS (uninterruptible power supply) for use with your home computers. It will keep your hard drives from being...
Everyone is different in terms of what makes an organization process work most effectively...
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....
If you can see any daylight around your exterior doors (including your garage door), your home needs to be better sealed. Have your doors...
Place lamps in corners instead of against one wall, so that more light is reflected into the room. Use light to more strongly activate...
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 can help you save energy and be an elegant feature of your home. This article discusses how to take care of your ceiling fan...
Keep cat litter, sawdust, etc. readily available in your garage to quickly absorb spills of dangerous liquids and potential slipping...
According to the EPA, indoor air quality inside a home is typically 5 times worse than outdoor air quality. New technologies have been...
If your home has just carbon monoxide "alarms" you might want to consider upgrading them to (or adding) CO "monitors," which can be more...
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...
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 are portable canisters that are filled with special chemicals designed to smother certain types of fires...
Lack of lubrication puts additional strain on the garage door leading to premature failure. For attached garages, poor...
Plumbing problems in your home can range from minor visible nuisances, to hidden troubles that can be causing major damage to your home...
Label the foods you put in your freezer and include the date...
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...
Block the sun from coming in your windows. The bright sun coming in through your windows...
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...
To help reduce your energy costs, plant trees to provide summer shade and block cold winter winds...
If you have small children living in or visiting your home, you should consider placing child locks on kitchen drawers and cupboards that...
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...
Avoid placing your uncovered leather furniture in direct sunlight, as this will cause your leather to fade and crack over time...
For effective carpet cleaning, adjust the height of your vacuum to touch the pile just enough to slightly vibrate the carpet several...
For best performance of your freezer, ensure that there is adequate clearance at the back of your freezer for good air circulation. This...
RIGHT TIME Only water your lawn when it actually needs watering. There are two ways...
Use removable and washable mattress covers and pillow encasements that zip all the way around, to help protect your mattress from dust,...
To control home humidity, ensure the proper grading around your foundation, so that water drains away from your home rather than seeping...
If you have air registers in your home for either air conditioning or heating, then you have what is called "forced air ventilation...
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...
A cluttered garage wastes space, and it also creates significant safety risks. This article gives you tips for organizing your garage to...
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 creates a great place for gathering with friends and family to enjoy your yard during nice weather...
Everyone in your home, including responsible children, should be taught how to properly use a fire extinguisher...
Replacing a septic system can cost tens of thousands of dollars, and pumping your tank more frequently gets expensive too...
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...
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...
If not already there, install tight-fitting wire screens for all attic, roof and crawl space vents, in order to prevent entry of birds,...
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...
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...
Your refrigerator is the fourth largest consumer of energy in most homes...
To help save energy, change any older-style night-lights in your home to low-energy LED style lights (with automatic ON/OFF)...
For effective carpet cleaning, adjust the height of your vacuum to touch the pile just enough to slightly vibrate the carpet several...
Mold and mildew in your home can be annoying (musty smell, allergies), unsightly (blackened bathroom grout), and in some cases even...
Especially if you have seniors living in your home, consider installing safety handrails or grab bars in closets or other dressing areas...
Your home's gutters and downspouts play a very important role in protecting your home's ...
Check the cabinets under your garbage disposal frequently for leaks. Your disposal has flanges, gaskets and pipe connections which can be...
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...
To the rescue is a smart device called a "Programmable Power Outlet", that sells for under $20. In this video and article, we discuss:...
The great thing about making over your bathroom, is that because of its small size, the cost can be fairly reasonable and the benefits...
To improve safety especially if you have children or elderly in your home, add additional LED night lighting for hallways, doorways,...
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...
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...
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...
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...
Consider adding a lock for the door on your laundry room to keep children from playing around your washer or dryer. Annual cleaning and...
Natural Action Technologies® Structured Water products are not filters and do not remove anything physically from the water. The...
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...
Consider adding a chlorine filter for your shower heads. Chlorine released from hot water in your shower is bad to breathe, and is...
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 your bathroom and kitchen fans as soon as they are no longer needed, which will reduce loss of conditioned air from your...
Proper attic ventilation can help extend roof life by reducing the buildup of heat and moisture.