Category Archives: Home Decor, Home Improvement, DIY

Home Decor, Home Improvement, DIY

How to Invest in Solar Power for Your Home

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Most people don’t view solar energy as an investment due to its high installation costs and the fact that it doesn’t run like a business. However, if you consider the massive savings on your energy costs and the overall improvement on your home’s valuation, then solar energy is a great investment in the future of your home. With an installation cost as high as $45000 to $100000, solar energy will give you freedom on your energy needs and also give you a chance to redesign your home’s energy needs. This article will guide you on how to make the most of your solar energy investment. 

Why Solar Is a Great Alternative

Grid energy has been around for long and even though it has continued to serve a great purpose of powering our homes, the rising energy costs and the toll on the environment is too great a cost to bear. Most energy companies use fossil fuels to generate electricity and this is negatively affecting the environment. Global warming is therefore a reality we cannot ignore and solar energy offers the next best alternative due to its availability, simplicity, ease of use and longevity. 

Extra Advantages of Solar Energy

Another advantage of solar energy is that you can rely on its availability so long as there is sunlight. Advanced solar panels don’t require intense or direct sunlight throughout the day. They can easily convert daylight into electricity and with even more advanced batteries, you can store this energy for much longer than before. Certain battery packs can serve you for 2 days without any solar energy. You simply need to adjust your energy needs so that the output from your solar panels can meet your daily needs. 

Steps to Finding a Great Installer

For a good installation you need professionals to handle every aspect of the installation process. The best solar companies retain several professionals to help you in assessing your property and measure the possible energy output. California solar panels companies rarely offer such services since their main business is in selling solar panels and solar panel accessories. A solar company should have the right permits, licenses and professionals to handle the work.

Ensure you check on the installer’s credentials since this will ultimately affect the quality of the solar system you install. A good installer will take their time to assess and give you the cost implications of the installation. They will also let you know whether there are incentives and discounts on offer to help you reduce the overall spend. Most solar companies will have affiliate networks with solar components manufacturers and this is good for you since any component will have a quality assurance from the manufacturer and you can expect the best solar companies to always have most components on time as soon as they order. 

Conclusion

Investing in solar energy for your home should be a positive step. Ensure you properly maintain the solar panels and other components so that they can outlive their warranty period of 25 years. Also ensure you routinely check on the system to see whether it is working optimally.

Home Decor, Home Improvement, DIY

Tips for Keeping Your Home Healthy and Comfortable in Winter

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When winter comes, you must ensure your home is ready and comfortable for the cold weather. That means making all the necessary adjustments to keep it safe and ensure the cold season will not affect you. It means checking the heating system to ensure it is in good working condition, sealing cracks and spaces on windows and doors, cleaning gutters, etc. you also need to supervise the areas around your house to ensure no trees will be falling on the roof. Not doing all these things could put you in danger and make your home uncomfortable. So, confirm you and your property will be safe by being cautious and preparing for winter. Here is what you need to do.

Check the Heating System

The heating system is a vital piece of equipment in the house. Usually, it is possible to ignore it during the warm seasons until winter comes and you need something to heat your home. It is advisable to maintain the unit even during the hot season to ensure it will serve you well when the cold season comes. If you have a faulty system, it means you cannot warm up the house. You may also be risking your home to a fire. Therefore, before the season starts, call a professional to inspect the heating system and ensure it is in top-notch condition and ready for winter.

Check the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Sensors

You will use the furnace and heating system most of the season. Therefore, it means you may have instances of fire. It is vital to ensure the smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are working. Carbon monoxide has been for a long time the leading cause of house fires. Therefore, it is crucial to ensure you can detect the presence of dangerous gas before it causes an issue. So, inspect the detectors, and if they are faulty, consider replacing them with new ones.

Repair Cracks

Another crucial thing you will do is repair cracks to prevent warm air from escaping from the house. Open spaces on windows and doors could be the escape route for warm air. Cold air could also be seeping in therefore, ensure you seal all the cracks to prevent air from escaping.

Mow the Lawn

Winter may be the best time to trim your grass and apply fertilizer for the grass to sprout well. The first thing you need to know when you have a lawn is how to take care of your grass. Know the best months to fertilize, overseed and aerate. Cutting the grass during winter is the best option. Apart from keeping your lawn healthy, it also prevents creating harboring grounds for pesky insects and pests like mosquitoes and rodents. It may be an excellent idea to look for the best lawn care services in the area. Professionals will help you take care of the lawn to keep it and your home healthy for winter.

Collect Firewood

It is good to ensure you have collected enough firewood if you have a chimney. Please keep it away from water and in an accessible place. It may also be good to clean the chimney. You can DIY chimney cleaning or call a chimney sweep. Ensure the wood is stored in a safe and dry place so you will not need to walk outside the house.

Clean Gutters

The gutters may have accumulated debris during summer when trees are shedding leaves. So, before the cold season, clean the gutters to ensure water will flow smoothly away from the house. This eliminates the problem of having water accumulating in the basement and doorway. Water could seep through the roof without proper flow, causing structural damage. So, clean the gutters and repair any issues to ensure water flows well.

Inspect Your Compound

Winter comes with wind, rain, and sometimes heavy storms. If you have trees hanging too close to the house or power line, you may risk ruining the roof, inviting pests, or losing power. So, remove all broken, bending, and shaking branches hanging from the tree. Inspecting the areas around the house will ensure you will not have any issues when the season begins.

Conclusion

These are simple ways to keep your home comfortable and healthy during winter. The cold season requires you to stay warm. That means you need to make several changes to achieve that. Try the above tips to ensure you are ready for winter. Making these adjustments early before the season starts is advisable to ensure everything is in a good state.

Home Decor, Home Improvement, DIY

Easy Decor Items To Restore

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In the décor world, upcycling is the big trend at the moment. If you don’t know what upcycling is, it’s the concept of taking old items and either restoring them to their former glory or turning them into something new rather than buying a new item.

Upcycling and restoring is a budget friendly and environmentally conscious way to give your home a fresh new look, so let’s look at a few restoration projects you can crack on with at home.

Wooden Furniture

Generally, wooden furniture such as coffee tables, wardrobes and wooden chairs are incredibly easy to restore and you can easily give them a new lease of life with a bit of elbow grease in only an hour or so.

Simply take your tired wooden furniture and lightly sand the surface of it to remove any varnish, once you have sanded off the top layer, you can either paint the furniture with some wood paint or apply some wood varnish, after a few coats of paint or varnish, your wooden furniture should now look as good as new.

Window Blinds

Window blinds are another décor item that can be restored pretty easily depending on what type of blinds you have. Soft fabric blinds like roller blinds or roman blinds can be steam cleaned to give them a fresh look, but vertical blinds are by far the easiest to restore.

With a set of vertical blinds, you can remove the individual fabric slats from the blind’s headrail and replace them with new vertical blinds replacement slats to quickly give your vertical blinds a fresh new look, without having to completely replace them.

Kitchen Cabinets

Another item in your home that you can quickly restore is your kitchen cabinets, it can be incredibly expensive to outright replace them, but you can restore them incredibly cheaply if you know what you’re doing.

Much like the wooden furniture, you should start off by sanding them down then either giving them a few coats of paint or wood varnish. But once that’s done you can further compliment their new look by replacing the door handles on each cabinet, which will give them a completely new look without requiring you to smash any piggy banks.

Old Rugs

Rugs are a décor item that can be incredibly hardy, with some well-made rugs being in good shape for hundreds of years. Unfortunately, their longevity can work against them as that just means they have more time for dirt and dust to be rubbed into them, creating a dirty and dull look.

However, if you have a tired old rug, you can bring it back to life with a good clean. You can hand wash a rug, but that can be a long process, the best way to clean a rug is with a steam cleaner. After a quick steam clean your old rug should look like it’s brand new, with it’s colours being more vivid.

Lamps & Lights

If you have an old lamp or set of lights in your home, you may notice that they seem a bit out of place in rooms with a more modern décor set up, but you can easily modernise your lamps and lights at home without spending too much.

Firstly, you can upgrade the lightbulbs to modern bulbs which can shine in multiple colours, allowing you to alter the vibe of a room at the touch of a button. You can also replace the shades on lamps and ceiling lights with newer ones to create a more modern look.

Home Decor, Home Improvement, DIY

How To Create A Stunning Living Room Feature Wall With Sticky Wallpaper

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Creating a feature wall in your living room is an affordable way to give your home a wow factor and make it stand out from the crowd. Sticky wallpapers are a quick, affordable, and impactful way to achieve this. Unusual wallpaper has become popular in recent years, with more adventurous designs available than ever before. There are lots of different types of wallpapers that you can use to create a feature wall in your living room, but sticky wallpaper is one of the easiest and cheapest options. It’s also one of the most effective ways to update your home instantly. You don’t need specialist skills or an interior designer to pull it off – follow these simple steps, and you can have a fantastic living room feature wall in as little as half an hour.

What is sticky wall wallpaper?

Sticky wallpapers are printed with a strong, removable adhesive on their back. They are designed to stick directly to your wall without required prep work or painting. Once applied, they can be removed and repositioned as many times as necessary, so there’s no chance of them damaging your wall. There are many different styles of sticky wallpapers available, but they can generally be divided into two basic categories – vinyl and fabric. Vinyl sticky wallpapers are a smart option for living room feature walls, and they can come in even more adventurous designs than sticky fabric wallpapers. A fabric sticky wallpaper has a more natural look, with many designs inspired by nature.

How to create a living room feature wall with sticky wallpaper

The first step when creating a living room feature wall with sticky wallpaper is to ensure your wall is clean, dry, and free from dust. You can use warm, soapy water to wash the wall, followed by a wipe-down with a damp cloth. Then, you’ll need to lay out your sticky paper and cut it to size. Most sticky wallpapers come in standard-sized rolls, with widths ranging from 1-2ft and lengths up to 10ft. If you have tall or wide walls, you might need to buy more than one roll. Next, peel off the paper backing and slowly position the sticky wallpaper on your wall. Once you’re happy with its position, press down on the paper to bond it to your wall. You can use your hand or a soft squeegee to smooth out any wrinkles or bubbles that appear. You can then fill any gaps between the sticky wallpaper and the wall with either cyanoacrylate glue or ready-to-use gap filler. And you’re done!

4 tips for creating a stunning living room feature wall with sticky wallpaper

If you’re looking for a quick and easy way to create a stunning living room feature wall, sticky wallpaper is a great option. But before you get started, keep these tips in mind:

  1. Choose a design that complements your living room’s theme: Your living room is the heart of your home, so choosing a design that ties in with the rest of the room is crucial. Whether you have a modern, vintage, or minimalist theme, there’s sure to be a design that will look great on your wall.
  2. Choose a design with bold, eye-catching colors: The primary purpose of a living room feature wall is to create a wow factor. Select a design that has bold, eye-catching colors to make the most of your wall’s space.
  3. Ensure the design fits your wall space: The size and shape of the wall you want to cover will determine your chosen design. Make sure your selected design isn’t too large or too small for the space.
  4. Keep within your budget: Sticky wallpapers come in a range of prices, so you should be able to find one that fits your budget.

2 ways to make your living room feature wall even more impactful

  1. Add a frame: A frame will help draw attention to your new wall design and add a stylish finishing touch. You can use a readymade frame or make your frame out of wood. 
  2. Add a focal point near your feature wall: Your feature wall should be placed at eye level, so place a tall plant or shelves in front of it to make it stand out even more.

Conclusion

Creating a living room feature wall with sticky wallpaper is a quick, affordable, and impactful way to give your home a wow factor. Feature wallpaper living room come in various designs, so there’s sure to be something that fits your theme. You can make your wall more impactful by adding a frame and placing a focal point near it.

Home Decor, Home Improvement, DIY

The Best Home Security Cameras You Can Buy Today

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Home security systems are a necessity. They enhance your home safety and purchasing security cameras could go a long way to ensuring there aren’t any burglary incidences. In case you are looking for high-quality home security cameras, then look no further. 

Below is a comprehensive list that reviews the best home security cameras. 

  1. Reolink Camera

Reolink is a top-of-the-line wireless outdoor camera. It has all the features you would want in a camera and more. 

For one, it has a camera field of vision of 120 degrees, providing clear, sharp views in industry-standard 1080p HD resolution. It allows you to see even at night. That’s right-you can see who or what is coming up behind your house in HD quality. 

Another feature that makes Reolink unique is its built-in siren. You don’t have to worry about scaring off potential intruders or burglars, just beep when someone walks by, and you’ll be alerted immediately.

Reolink also comes with motion detection. It is equipped with motion detection features that allow you to set up alerts for specific people or areas of interest around your home. It means you’ll know about it when someone approaches and can call for help.

  1. SimpliCam Home Security System

It is time to ditch the wires. SimpliCam is a wireless camera security system that allows you to monitor your home security from anywhere in the world. It has both an indoor and an outdoor camera. The whole process is easy: just download the app, and you’ll be able to see what SimpliCam records on your phone or tablet.

But there’s more. You don’t have to own Wi-Fi. SimpliCam can work even if you don’t have an internet connection. SimpliCam will work with cellular networks and even over 3G connections. It means you can install it anywhere, and it won’t matter if there is power around. Its battery life keeps going for up to six hours.

So if things go wrong at home or in the office, SimpliCam is ready to keep sending pictures and video signals throughout the day so you know what’s going on. 

  1. Lorex

Lorex is the most high-tech security camera on the market. It’s wireless and has a DVR system that stores 30 days worth of video footage. Its long battery life ensures you don’t worry about charging it while trying to keep an eye on your property.

Another impressive feature of Lorex is its price tag: it is one of the best deals in the business.

  1. The Ring Camera

The Ring camera is the best one you can buy and is easy to install. It is made for anyone who wants a professional quality digital video recorder but doesn’t want to spend much money. 

It comes with four front-facing cameras and one motion camera that lets you know when something moves in front of the camera. The Ring camera has two-way walk and text notifications, so you can tell if someone is at your door. 

You will never have to worry about losing footage again! It has a DVR system, so you can store all your data and watch it later.

Wrap Up

So if you’re in the market for home security cameras, hopefully, this article has guided you towards a model that will be valuable and useful to you. Don’t just buy any camera—make sure you do your research and make a smart investment.