Moving into a new home should be an exciting time in your life. While settling, keep in mind that there will likely be an adjustment period. To help ease the transition, here are some activities you should do around the house to get comfortable.
Make A List
Make a list of every goal you would like to accomplish in the first few days you’re staying at your new home. Prioritize plans you want to achieve within a week, such as cleaning and unpacking. After completing those tasks, focus on the lengthy projects you plan to complete within a year.
Wood Maintenance
If you have some dull woodwork around the house, it’s time for you to perform some maintenance. Mineral Spirits is a good option. Mineral spirits can get rid of buildup on wood without harming it. You can purchase mineral Spirits at a paint store.
Look At The Electrical Panel
Find the electrical panel so you’ll be aware of where to go if you have to shut the power off. The panel is typically located in a room, basement, or garage. The panel is the breaker for the home. The electrical panel also includes breakers that control individual circuits.
Greet Your Neighbors
Try to get familiar with your neighbors when you get settled. Introducing yourself to your neighbors should help you build a relationship with them. Everyone in the neighborhood should look out for each other. Developing a relationship with your neighbors will also give you a chance to learn valuable information about the community.
Replace The Furnace Filter
Replace the furnace filter to avoid damaging your heating and cooling system. Try to replace the furnace filter every couple of months.
Clean Your Dryer
Clean out the buildup in your dryer every month. A clogged dryer reduces the efficiency of the device. Make sure you clean the lint screen and the exhaust ducts; this will help you save money on your electric bill. Over-drying your clothes can also increase your electric bill. Try to wash your clothes without giving the dryer a chance to cool down between loads.
Use A Detachable Toilet Seat
Keeping the hinges on your toilet seat clean can be difficult. That’s why you should consider purchasing a detachable toilet seat. Having a detachable toilet seat allows you to clean any grime that builds up under the hinges.
Inspect All Crawlspaces
Don’t neglect the corners of your home. Check the crawlspace for any leaks, insects, and mold. That should help you maintain termite control and other potential issues throughout your house.
Check Your Smoke Detectors
Locate all of the smoke detectors around your house. Test the sensors to make sure that they are working properly. To ensure that the smoke detectors keep working correctly, follow the schedule so that you’ll know when to replace them.
Don’t Rush Into Anything
Before making any substantial changes to your home, keep everything as it is for at least a year. After a year, reevaluate your plans.
Gutter guards are an essential item in keeping your gutters clean and working properly. However, some are better than others in keeping the rainwater flowing. Here we will look at things to consider when making a purchasing decision.
Construction and Material
To keep your eavestrough free and clear, a guard of some type is essential. To keep from having to replace or repair your gutter system, it is better to pay more now than later. Buying cheap guards will end up costing you headaches in the future.
Here are some drawbacks to the different materials used to make gutter guards.
Aluminum
Aluminum is a tried and true construction material, but it can corrode, leaving gaps and holes where debris can collect, ruining the efficiency of your eaves system. Generally, aluminum is reliable, but it needs to have a protective coating of paint to last. Any chips or other defects introduced in the paint will eventually lead to corrosion. These defects can come from wear and tear, manufacturing errors, or installation mistakes.
Plastic
Plastics have become more popular over the last couple of decades as they are generally cheaper to install, and they don’t have the issues aluminum does with corrosion. However, in cold climates, they tend not to last as long. UV rays from the sun eventually degrade the polymers in the plastic, which make them more brittle and end up cracking during the cold winters, which leaves you a mess and a big expense to get fixed. Avoid plastics or PVC if you live in a cold climate.
Stainless Steel
Stainless steel doesn’t rust like aluminum, and it doesn’t degrade like plastics from exposure to the sun, but it is going to cost you more, almost double the price. While stainless steel lasts longer, it doesn’t last two times as long. Aluminum can last just as long as stainless if you maintain the paint finish. Stainless steel is also a heavier material to work with, which makes getting it on your house a bit trickier.
Galvanized Steel
Galvanized has some of the benefits of aluminum but more drawbacks. Like aluminum, it can corrode if the protective coating is compromised. Aluminum can corrode, but steel will eventually rust if exposed to water. Galvanized steel is also much heavier, making it harder to install.
Foam
Another material to consider is foam. Foam is easy to install since it is extremely light. It is also inexpensive. The main problem with foam gutters is that they can become very clogged, requiring messy cleanup. Once clogged, you won’t ever get full efficiency back as each pore in the material would need to be cleaned out. Foam guards come with a UV protective coating, but it won’t last as long as the other materials. The foam will shrink over time, depending on how much direct sunlight it gets.
Final Considerations
Some gutter guards do not work; you should research to figure out which material is best for your home and budget. Now you know some of the drawbacks of the materials
