Stone Flooring for Your Home: What Do You Need to Know?

Maybe you're building a new home from scratch. Maybe you just want to renovate an old and outdated kitchen. Whatever your reasons for thinking about stone floors, there are a few things that you should think about before you take the plunge.

Consider this your how-to guide for choosing a floor made of natural stone. Materials The first thing to know about stone flooring is that it comes in many different varieties. Are you interested in quartz, granite or slate? Do you prefer limestone or sandstone? Can you afford marble? Each type will have its own pros and cons, so there's no "right" answer. It all depends on your personal preferences.

Manufacturer

The next step of choosing a stone floor is finding a manufacturer that can provide the type of material that you want. Once you've narrowed down your options, you'll want to do some research to figure out which company stands above the rest. Do any of them go into detail about their manufacturing process? Do any of them provide behind-the-scenes videos of their warehouses or processing plants?

Purpose

Why are you looking for stone floors in the first place? Consider your motivation for buying them. If you want something prettier than the linoleum that you have now, you can focus on stylish stone options. If you want a floor that can survive heavy foot traffic from all six of your kids, look for tough, non-stain flooring.

Guarantee

Last but certainly not least, don't invest in stone flooring without getting some kind of guarantee from the manufacturer or installer. If you can't step on your new bathroom tiles without hearing an ominous crack, you'll need someone to take responsibility for it. Sign up for the extended warranty; pay extra for the product insurance. It'll be worth the expense if something goes wrong. Stone flooring can look absolutely exquisite in your home. Before you start hauling in the slabs, however, you should do your research and figure out the best prices, brands and materials that money can buy. Use this guide to get started with stone flooring Oregon!

               

How to Minimize Pests in a Warm Climate

Many individuals who move from cold climates to warm climates see a marked difference in the amount of pests that they had to deal with in their home or place of business. For example, lots of individuals who move from Minnesota to New York are surprised to see so many cockroaches, ants, mice, and other pests in their homes. Here are some ways that you can minimize pests if you live in a warm climate.

The first thing that you need to do is stop attracting pests. Part of this involves improving the way that food is stored. Store as much as you can in the refrigerator. Whatever else is left put inside of plastic bins, glass jars, or other containers that can be sealed. Resist the urge to leave out food. The other part of this involves making sure that garbage is stored properly and taken out regularly. Do not store garbage underneath the sink or in other areas where pests can easily access it and hide.

Closely examine your home or apartment and seal up any areas where pests can easily enter the home. You will find lots of supplies that are easy to use at local hardware stores that can seal up cracks around your doors and windows. Pay special attention to kitchen cupboards and other areas where pests can easily hide.

Many have found that using natural products to discourage the presence of pests is all that is needed. Cleaning with products like vinegar, lemon juice, or baking soda will not harm your family or pets but will often be all that is needed to limit pests in your home. If this does not work, you may need to contact pest control manhattan ny professionals in order to get a grip on the problem. These professionals understand why certain pests are present and can give suggestions on the best way to control them.

Moving to a new environment takes some getting used to. However, educating yourself on the best way to handle new situations can help you get control of pests and deal with a variety of other problems.

             

4 Basic Home Maintenance Tips

If you're a first-time homeowner, you might be unfamiliar with the kinds of maintenance that you need to perform to keep your property in good working order. Here are just a few ideas to get you started! 

1. Change Your Filters

It's vitally important that you change the filters around your home. Not only will this prevent clogged filters from decreasing your indoor air quality, but it will also keep your units from working twice as hard to give out the same amount of power. It only takes a few minutes to change a filter, but its effects can be felt for weeks and months down the road. 

2. Look for Cracks

Cracks in your walls, windows and weather stripping can have a big impact on the internal temperature of your home. For example, cold air might seep through in the winter or escape out in the summer. You'll need to add some caulk to the cracked areas of your house if you want to keep its temperature stable no matter what the season! 

3. Mind Your HVAC Systems 

Do you hear moaning and groaning from your furnace? Is anything leaking from your water heater? These are problems that you shouldn't ignore, so don't brush them aside. If necessary, call a company that specializes in something like air conditioning repair in Lakeland FL. If you can't manage the problem by yourself, the pros can help you deal with it.

 4. Don't Forget the Outdoors

Your front and back lawns are also part of your home, so don't neglect them when you're making home maintenance checklists. They might need to be mowed, raked, fertilized or just watched over to ensure that you don't get dead patches in your grass. You'll want your property to have plenty of curb appeal, so tend to your yard like you would your living room carpet! These are just a few tips for basic home maintenance. As you can see, there's a lot more to it than simply sweeping your porch. You'll need to work hard to keep your property in good shape!