Lenny

You may have heard of termite infestations, but do you know the full extent of the damage termites can do to your home?

Termites damage more than 600,000 homes each year, causing billions of dollars in pest control and house repairs. When it comes to termites, early prevention can save you a lot of money in the long run. Read on to find out the answer to the question, “What do termites eat?”

Cellulose: Plant Matter

Termites are notorious for their ability to destroy the woodwork of any house given enough time. That’s because termites have evolved to eat cellulose, which is the most abundant organic compound in nature.

Cellulose is everywhere. Wood is mainly cellulose and every other plant-based material is rich in cellulose as well. For example, hempen ropes, wallpaper, and furniture are all great sources of cellulose, as well as several types of insulation.

All the above are a good meal for termites. Since no house is cellulose free, termites will probably cause some damage sooner or later.

Termite treatment cost can vary widely, depending on the extent of the damage. Foam and dust treatments are relatively inexpensive but limited in use. On the other hand, barriers and baits offer a more permanent and powerful solution at a higher cost.

Some Types of Plastic

Thanks to powerful bacteria in their guts, termites are able to break down all sorts of materials that are indigestible by most other creatures. While termites won’t eat plastic as-is, they will often use their powerful serrated mandibles to cut through plastic in order to get to your structural wood, hardwood floors, and furniture.

Cedar Wood and Redwood

Termites dislike cedar wood and redwood but given no choice, they will eventually eat them. Cedar wood and redwood have certain chemical substances that initially repel termites. However, as these types of wood break down, the resinous by-products of cedar attract termites.

Plywood that is Not Pressure-Treated

Termites cannot eat pressure-treated lumber, but they will readily devour any other type of plywood, especially conventional plywood.

Particle Boards

Finally, particle boards are made of saw dust and waste material, which makes them ideal food for termites. Termites are particularly attracted to wet particle boards, and they can chew through them with remarkable speed and efficiency!

What do Termites Eat? Now You Know!

We’ve answered the question “what do termites eat”. So, now you now the kind of damage they can do in your house.

Whether you design a house from scratch, or upgrading your existing home to improve your lifestyle, we can help. In our blog, you will find a ton of useful advice, articles, and how-tos on a range of topics.

We are passionate about home, décor, DIY, design, travel, and a better lifestyle with a reasonable budget. So, come on in and get ready to upgrade your lifestyle today!

According to the EPA, 9.8 million tons of furniture waste ends up in landfills annually.

The waste problem in the United States is staggering, and everyone should step up and do their part in reducing waste. But what happens when you have old furniture taking up room in your house?

Instead of throwing it out to the curb, here’s how to get rid of old furniture the correct way.

Offer It for Sale or for Free

Before you throw your old furniture into the trash, try to get some money off of it by selling it to someone else. Odds are, there’s someone moving into their first home and willing to pay a discounted price for your furniture.

Start by cleaning up the furniture so that it is in decent condition. Clean of any debris, scrub out any stains, and vacuum any cloth upholstery. Then, take photos of the piece of furniture from different angles in good lighting.

List your furniture for sale online through websites like Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist. Remember that you’re selling your old furniture so make sure to price it favorably.

You can also consider giving it away to someone for free if they’re willing to come to pick it up.

Donate Your Furniture to a Good Cause

Another way to get rid of your furniture is by donating it to a good cause.

Consider the local non-profits that accept donations. Look for domestic violence organizations that help rehome women and children from a toxic environment. Or consider a non-profit like Habitat For Humanity that sells donated items to help find their efforts.

If you can’t find a non-profit that accepts donations, there’s always Goodwill. They accept donated furniture in any condition to sell in their stores.

Use a Junk Removal Service

If your furniture is in such bad shape that you can’t sell it and would be embarrassed to donate it, consider a junk removal service.

They’ll come to your home and get rid of anything from an old couch to used appliances. For a small cost, they’ll remove the furniture from your house and haul it away. In some cases, they can even come the very same day your request their services!

This website talks further about the services they offer.

Know How to Get Rid of Old Furniture Easily

Now you know how to get rid of old furniture easily.

Your first step should be to try selling it online to see if you can earn some money in the process, or offer it to free to someone in need. Then, consider donating your furniture to a local non-profit. Last but not least, you can use a junk removal service to get rid of any lingering furniture you can’t sell or donate.

When you’re ready to fill your home with new furniture, browse the rest of this site for home decor inspiration.

According to one report, 90% of homeowners are planning to renovate their homes in the near future.

You might be ready to join this 90%, but you may have some questions in terms of how you should approach the task. How do you plan a renovation project? How can you keep costs as low as possible?

Below you’ll find a whole house renovation checklist that’ll help you get the ball rolling on your renovation project. If you don’t like the way your home looks, these tips will help you bring about change.

Let’s begin!

1. Don’t Rush In

Before you renovate your home, it’s a good idea to put some time aside so that you can create a plan.

This plan should detail your renovation goals for each room and what you need to do to hit these goals.

So, suppose that one of your goals is to renovate your bathroom.

Your plan should detail all the individual tasks associated with renovating your bathroom. This might include purchasing tiles, buying paint, or even hiring a plumber.

2. Map out a Budget

You need to spend some time calculating the costs associated with your renovation project.

If you fail to do this, you may end up in a situation where you run out of money halfway through the project.

Budgeting costs ahead of time will also make it easier for you to identify opportunities to save money. For instance, if you know that you need to buy some tiles, you can dedicate a little bit of time each week, looking for deals associated with tiles.

3. How Will You Deal with Waste?

One of the biggest challenges associated with a renovation project is dealing with the resultant waste.

Such waste generally includes all the stuff you’re left with when you’ve gutted out a room so that it can be updated. If you don’t have a proper method for dealing with this waste, you put yourself and other people in danger.

Fortunately, you can deal with this waste by renting out a roll-off container.

There’s even the option of hiring a company that specializes in waste removal. If you’d like to learn more about what it’s like to work with such a company, you can read more here.

Will This Whole House Renovation Checklist Help You?

This post has provided you with a whole house renovation checklist that you can use for future remodeling projects.

Renovating an entire house is a complicated task, and there’s a good chance you’ll come across some unexpected problems. This is something you can’t avoid, and the best thing you can do is to put money aside so that you’re able to deal with these surprises.

Managing a renovation project is probably one of the most stressful things you can do. But if you’re willing to go through this process, there’s no doubt you’ll end up with a beautiful home at the end of it all.

Did you like this post? If you did, make sure you read some of the other content right here on our site!

The lighting in your home is a key part of your interior design. Good lighting can expand a room and highlight other design choices, while poor lighting can leave your home looking gloomy and small.

Choosing the best light bulbs for each room can help you tie together the design of your entire home. Read on for more information about some of the best types of light bulbs currently on the market.

LEDs Are Some of the Best Light Bulbs

LED light bulbs use very little energy when compared to other types of light bulbs on the market. LEDs come in multiple shades and colors, which can help you customize your interior design.

LEDs even come in different designs. These styles combine the classic retro style of filament bulbs with the practical benefits of LED lights.

Depending on the brand, they can last between 20,000 to 50,000 hours before they burn out. This can save you money in the long run, because in addition to using less energy you’ll have to replace your light bulbs less often.

However, because of their long lifespan and energy efficiency, LEDs tend to be one of the more expensive types of light bulbs you can buy. This means that while they may be a good choice for changing a single outlet or room at a time, outfitting your entire home with LEDs can be cost-prohibitive.

Smart Light Bulbs

The newest addition in the home lighting sector, smart light bulbs hook up to a virtual assistant like Google Home. They can connect to wifi, be placed on a schedule, and can be controlled from your smartphone.

Some smart light bulbs can even connect to your smart TV so that they sync up with the movie or show you are watching. Forget surround sound – think surround lighting!

Of course, smart light bulbs are also quite expensive, usually more than LEDs when you factor in the fact that you’ll need a virtual assistant to make them work.

Compact Fluorescent Light Bulb

Also known as CFLs, these types of light bulbs are the midway point between LEDs and old-school incandescent lights. CFLs are much more affordable than LEDs and use about 70 percent less energy when compared to incandescent bulbs.

CFLs are most efficient when you leave them on for at least three minutes because it takes a while for the electricity to flow through the gas in the bulb. This means that CFLs will take a while to reach their full brightness.

In a related note, this means that most CFLs are not dimmable. While some models are available, they are harder to find and come at a higher price point.

Choose the Bulb That Fits Your Home Best

Now that you know the major differences between some of the best light bulbs, you can make an informed decision about which would be the best fit for your home. All three of the above variants fit different niches, and it’s entirely possible to have all three installed in different parts of your home.

For more information about lighting and interior design, check out the Lifestyle section of our blog!

Not a fan of the heat? You’re not the only one.

After all, it can have serious effects on the body. As your body temperature increases, you may experience headaches, tiredness, or dizziness. There’s also a possibility of dehydration.

Fortunately, there’s an invention that allows us to stay cool even on hot summer days—the air conditioner.

Do you have one at home? Is it not working as well as you want it to? If so, it might be in need of some repairing.

We’ll be going over some of the most common AC problems below. Keep reading to find out what they are!

5 of the Most Common AC Problems

There are a few things to know when it comes to air conditioners. Here are some reasons why yours might not be working properly:

1. Low Refrigerant

Refrigerant allows the AC to remove heat from the air. Without it, there will be no air conditioning.

As it is, however, it’s not uncommon for refrigerant lines to develop leaks. When this happens, you won’t have enough refrigerant to cool the air effectively.

The easiest way to fix this is to hire a repair technician—they’ll be able to identify and fix the leaks for you.

2. Problems With the Fan

An AC consists of two fans—one blows air over the evaporator coil whereas the other blows hot air away from the building. Problems with any of the two can result in poor airflow.

It’s important to fix the issue as soon as possible as it’ll only get worse with time. For example, it can cause the compressor to overheat and fail.

3. Leaking Ducts

Every air conditioner has a ductwork system that’s responsible for distributing cool air. As with the refrigerant lines, however, they can also develop leaks.

More often than not, this is due to holes in the ducts, which may or may not be caused by rodents. As a result, the AC will not be able to distribute cooled air properly.

4. Dirty Condenser Coils

The condenser coil removes heat from the refrigerant by expelling it outdoors. Over time, however, it can be covered with a layer of dirt—this can impede heat transfer.

Put it simply, your air conditioner will have to work harder to expel the air. Left unfixed, this can lead to a system failure.

5. Frozen Evaporator Coils

The evaporator coil is the part of the air conditioner that absorbs heat from the air. If it gets too cold, a layer of ice can develop, which can impact its ability to remove heat.

How can you tell if the coils are frozen? Look to see if there’s any moisture or condensation around the air handler. Turn the AC off if you notice any—that’ll let the ice to thaw.

Fixing Your Air Conditioner

And there we have it—5 of the most common AC problems. Fortunately, most of these issues are fixable so you won’t need to get a new system!

Want to learn more about HVAC systems? Then be sure to check out some of our other blog posts!

Whether you’re a homeowner, business owner, or anyone else who has an AC unit to worry about, the last thing you want is for your air conditioner to give you problems. We often don’t realize how much we rely on our AC units for comfort until they stop working. When this happens, we’re left in heat or cold until a company can come out to help us.

However, there are some things that you can do to prevent your AC unit from breaking down. Learn how to clean an air conditioner the correct way, and you won’t have to worry too much about it giving you troubles down the road. Once you learn how to clean it well, you can then diagnose small problems before calling in the professionals.

Want to learn how to clean your AC unit properly and avoid future problems? Continue reading below for our guide!

1. Changing the Filter

To begin with, the simplest step that you can take to help keep your AC unit clean and running smoothly is to change the filter each month. To help you remember to do this, try to have a specific day that you change it and stick to that day each month. For example, changing it on the first of each month is a good idea.

If you can remember to do this each month, you’ll take away a lot of future troubles. When the filter isn’t cleaned on a regular basis, it becomes dirty and clogged up. When this happens, your AC unit has to work a lot harder than it normally would.

Changing the air filter each month not only helps your AC unit not work as hard, but it helps lower your electric bill as well. Plus, it’s an inexpensive step that’ll extend the life of your unit and prevent the need for future ac repair.

2. Cleaning the Coils

Your AC unit outdoors has coils or fins that surround it. These coils need to be cleaned as well. The first step in cleaning the coils is to be sure that anything around the coils that could be obstructing it is removed.

When debris is blocking the coils on your unit, the system is forced to work a lot harder than it would normally. To clean the coils, you can take your garden hose and gently spray them off. Be sure not to use a high setting that exerts a lot of force as this could cause damage.

3. Checking the Ductwork

When your AC unit is running, be sure that all windows and doors to your home or building are kept shut. This is true when using the heat or cold air because your unit will be able to regulate the temperature better this way. Then, take a look at the ductwork.

You want to ensure that it’s sealed as it should be. Perform this inspection on a regular basis. If there is an issue with the ductwork, then the cool or hot air will leave the ductwork before being transferred into your home or building.

This forces your unit to work harder and cause possible issues.

4. Removing Debris

Your outside unit is prone to having debris build-up on it. You’ll need to ensure that this debris is removed as often as possible. To do this, you need to remove the fan cage.

Take a screwdriver and remove the fasteners that hold the fan cage onto the unit. Then, lift it up and away from the unit completely. You can now access all of the leaves and other debris that was trapped inside of it.

Use your bare hands to remove it or use a wet/dry vacuum to do the work for you.

5. Cleaning Around the Unit

Aside from cleaning the unit itself, you need to clean the area around the outside unit as well. Any debris that’s around the unit should be raked or swept away. Be sure to remove any tree branches hovering over the unit as well, and keep bushes nearby trimmed.

Your unit needs about 2 feet of a clear path from all sides to work in a proper manner. And when not using the condenser, you can cover the top of the unit to keep debris from falling into it as well. However, be sure not to cover the entire unit or sides of it as this can cause critters to enter for cover or condensation to build.

6. Cleaning the Evaporator Coil and Drain

The last step that you can take to keep your AC unit clean is to clean the evaporator coil and drain. Locate the coil door and remove the screws or tape around it to open it. To start your cleaning, take a soft brush and brush off loose debris from the coils.

Then, you can use a store-bought coil cleaner and spray the coils with it. The cleaner will then drip into the pan below the coils. After it’s done dripping, clean the pan out with warm water and soap and a small amount of bleach if needed.

You can then pour a mix of half bleach and half water down the drain.

Do You Know How to Clean an Air Conditioner?

Knowing how to clean an air conditioner unit is essential when owning a home or building. Be sure to follow these simple steps above to clean your AC unit the correct way. Doing so will be your best bet at keeping your unit running as smoothly as possible, lasting years to come!

Interested in more helpful posts such as this one? Visit us regularly for more.