Gutter Cleaning Tips and Tricks

There are some chores around the house that make you feel like you’ve really done something, giving you a sense of massive accomplishment and joy. Cleaning gutters isn’t one of them. Unfortunately, it’s a chore that still has to be done, whether it’s fulfilling or not. And if you’ve got to do a thing, you might as well do it right. That’s why we’ve got tips for better gutter cleaning.

Why Clean Your Gutters?

Your gutters are the most efficient way to move water running off of your roof to places far from the foundation of your home. This helps prevent problems like wet crawl spaces and foundation wash-out, among other issues. Going gutterless means opening your home to several different structural risks, so it’s better in the long run to just learn how to clean them properly.

Unfortunately, many people don’t realize this is a job that needs to be done regularly and one that gutter guards don’t make redundant. Yes, you read that right; if you have gutter guards, you still need to clean those gutters once or twice a year. The gutter guards help prevent large solids from settling in the gutters, but they themselves need to be cleaned off and any debris that has collected inside the gutter itself still needs to be washed away to prevent buildup.

How Do You Clean Gutters?

Cleaning gutters is pretty simple stuff, but a lot of people try to make it difficult. Your goal should be to get as much debris out of the gutter itself without sending much into the downspout, where clogs form readily and are difficult to dislodge. Follow this order for best success:

• Work from the corners. Always remove debris from the corners and downspouts toward the center of the gutter. If you do it the other way, you risk moving material into the downspouts and creating logjams that are no fun to remove.
• Scoop out the middle. Debris in the middle needs to be removed next, and remove as much as you can while you’re at it. Don’t count on flushing it down the downspout, since that can add to aforementioned logjams. Use your hand, a trowel, or one of many scoops made for gutter cleaning for this task and dump your debris into a bucket or drop it onto a tarp on the ground.
• Check your elbows. Elbows are a great place for clogs to form, so check all the elbows in your downspout for trouble. If there is a clog, you may be able to clear it with a blast of water from your garden hose. Bigger blockages might need a power washer or plumber’s snake to break free.

Once you’ve cleaned your gutters out, run some water through them with your hose to make sure that they’re not leaking anywhere. This is the best time to repair them, since they’re fairly clean and will be much easier to manipulate. If you’ve got areas that are leaking, apply some sealant or replace the section, depending on the cause of the leak. This is also an excellent time to install some sort of gutter guard if you’ve got an interest in them. Remember that gutter guards still need to be cleaned, but tend to protect better against clogs, so they do still serve a purpose.

Whole Home Fans: What You Need to Know

With recent years showing some of the biggest temperature extremes on record, a lot of homeowners are looking for ways to stay comfortable without breaking the bank. One option that some might choose is to install a whole-house fan to keep cooler air flowing. These fans may not be right for every home, but a lot of homeowners find a significant amount of relief from whole-house fans. If you’re wondering whether one might be right for you and your home, here are some things to consider.

How Do Whole-House Fans Work?

Whole-house fans work by creating air flow within the home, pushing hot air up through the ceiling and eventually out of a roof vent while pulling cooler air into the living areas of the house. The cooler air is supplied by opening the windows, creating a draft of air from the outside that travels through the rooms and eventually out through the fan vent. This is especially effective if you live in an area that grows hot during the day and cool in the evenings; when temperatures start to drop you can cool off the house from the heat of the day in just a few minutes by turning the fan on.

Advantages of Whole-house Fans

There are a number of advantages to using a whole-house fan as a cooling solution. The cost of cooling your home is significantly lower than using an air conditioner, estimated at around 1/10th of the cost. The time that it takes to cool the house is also significantly less than the time it takes to initially cool with an air conditioner. Additionally, once the house is cool you can then close the windows and the house will remain cool well into the next day.

Limitations of Whole-house Fans

Whole-house fans do have their drawbacks, of course. They are most effective in areas where the temperature drops significantly in the evenings, so if you live in an area that has warm nights, then you aren’t going to enjoy nearly as much of a benefit. They also can’t do much to combat warming during the day, such as from large windows or doors that see a lot of traffic, since operating the fan on a hot day will just draw in more hot air. Depending on the model of fan, some whole-house fans also generate a significant amount of noise, and in some cases may rattle or vibrate as well.

Whole-house Fan Installation

To install a whole-house fan, you may need to make some structural changes to ensure that the fan is properly supported and has vents in the attic to properly disperse heat. Fans should be installed with rubber or similar supporting materials to absorb vibrations and reduce noise from the fan. If you live in an area with cold winters, then you’ll also need to install an insulated door or cover that can go over the fan during the winter to prevent your home’s heat from leaking out through the fan.

Is a Whole-house Fan Right for You?

If you’re looking for a way to save money on your home cooling, and live in an area where you have notably cooler evenings during the summer, there are definite benefits to installing a whole-house fan. In the end, though, it comes down to personal preference and the type of environment that you live in. Not everyone will be able to get the full benefit of a whole-house fan, so be sure to take the local climate and your personal temperature preferences into account when making the decision.

What’s New With Google Home Assistant?

There are several so-called “smart assistants” on the market now, providing users with hands-free access to information and services from their smartphone or dedicated smart devices. One of these, the Google Assistant, has recently introduced a number of new features that can be used with Google Home devices. If you have a Google Home device or are thinking of getting one, here are some of the new features that you can look forward to using.

Making the Smart Home Smarter

One big focus of the Google Assistant’s changes for Home is expanding the number of smart home devices that Google Home is compatible with. There are a lot of companies selling devices for smart homes these days, including both major companies and new startups. Google is trying to accommodate more of these devices than ever, making sure that small but innovative companies aren’t left out when people try to automate their homes using Google Home.

Easily Adding Devices

Along with adding compatibility with more devices, the Google Assistant is also streamlining the process by which you add devices. This is done both to reduce the steps required to add devices and to prevent confusion for homeowners who might not be quite as tech savvy. By streamlining the process, Google hopes to make the Google Home into a device that anyone can use effectively even if they don’t have a lot of experience with technology or the Google Assistant app.

Scheduling Actions

A big feature being added to the Google Assistant is the ability to schedule actions on connected devices more naturally through Google Home. By simply telling it what action you want taken and when, Google Assistant can schedule the connected coffee maker to start brewing before your alarm goes off or the connected thermostat to change the temperature in the middle of the night. The goal is to make scheduling actions easier and more intuitive for Google Assistant users.

Improved Privacy

As data breaches and other privacy concerns continue to make headlines, the Google Assistant has taken steps to improve the privacy and security of Google Home devices. In addition to overall better security, these changes also make it easier to remove searches and other bits of your history from memory. Instead of having to go in and manually remove items from the app or a website, you can use voice commands to remove these items directly from a Google Home device. You can even tell Google that something you said wasn’t meant for it and the Google Assistant will go ahead and delete the last item right then and there.

Smart Display Notes

One neat feature being added to Google Assistant is the ability to add virtual notes to compatible smart displays from anywhere in the house. The notes are viewable to anyone who has access to the displays and are left simply by telling Google Home to leave a note and providing what you want the note to say. The notes then appear and remain until someone removes them after they’ve been read.

Workday Routines

In response to the large number of people who have started working from home this year, Google has added workday routines to the Google Assistant. This doesn’t mean that they’re only intended for those working from home, though. These routines break down your day into a variety of activities, including appointments, reminders to get up and stretch, lunch dates, and more. Working with both the Google Assistant app and Google Home devices, these little reminders help to give structure to your day and make sure you don’t miss out on anything important.

The Home Mortgage Refinance Process

When rates are low, it can seem like the ideal time to refinance your mortgage. After all, who doesn’t like a lower interest rate? There are lots of good reasons to refinance your mortgage, such as adding on or trying to streamline your expenses, but what’s really involved in the process?

Mortgage Refinancing: The Basics

Perhaps the best news any homeowner can get when it comes to a refi is that it’s not likely to be nearly as difficult as getting the original loan was. Breathe a big sigh of relief if you need to; this is the time for it.

For many homeowners, refinancing happens for a few specific reasons: reducing mortgage interest, dropping mortgage insurance, or cashing out for a remodeling expense. When rates are low and values are high, a refinance can provide a double whammy financially. Dropping any mortgage insurance you’re currently on the hook for can make a big dent in your house payment, especially if waiting for it to fall off naturally would take several more years. And, of course, a lower interest rate also means you’re paying less money towards interest over time. Combine the two and it can mean big savings on a home you plan to hold over the longer term. Remodeling is a valid and effective way of adding value, as well, which has a whole lot of other benefits that come with it. In short, there are tons of ways a refi can be helpful to your financial welfare.

The Refinance Process

Much like when you got your initial loan, your mortgage banker or broker will examine your financial history and your longer term prospects, which includes your work history, to ensure you’re financially stable. Your debt to income ratio will be reexamined as well. Although these are closely scrutinized, many banks will grant a bit more wiggle room than they did for initial mortgages, especially for homeowners who have a lot of equity already established.

Once approved for your loan, you’ll choose when to lock in your rate. Because interest rates can vary from day to day, it’s important to pay close attention to both the current rate being offered and your lender’s advice in the matter. If they have noticed rates are going up, locking right away makes a lot of sense, but if you’re the gambling sort and rates are trending down, you may want to float your rate a few days to see if you can do any better. Remember, though, this is a bet that you’re taking that the rate will drop, and it won’t always pay off.

Documents You’ll Need

Just like with the initial mortgage, you’ll need to prove you are who you say you are and that you have the income you claim, among other things. Your banker will almost certainly ask for the following types of paperwork:

• Proof of income. Tax statements and tax stubs are big favorites for proof of income. If you own a small business, you may also be asked for a profit and loss statement, so get to work on preparing that now.
• Credit score. Your lender will run your credit (and the credit of any co-applicants) in order to determine if you remain credit-worthy. Don’t worry, they can’t revoke your current mortgage if things have gotten a little rocky in that department; they just won’t write you a new loan. Pulling a credit report can also inform your lender about your debts.
• Asset information. If you have a retirement account like a 401(k), stocks, bonds, or even a checking or savings account, your lender will want to know about it. These accounts, plus the equity you have in your home and other assets, figure into the equation when lenders are trying to assess your risk of default. They can also serve as sources of collateral, should you need it.
• Other legal paperwork. Divorce decrees and support payment documentation are helpful for your lender to determine what liabilities you have, if any, in relation to those former legal relationships. If you receive support, it can sometimes be figured into your income calculation.

Once your lender has reviewed your paperwork and determined they’re willing to refinance your loan, they’ll order an appraisal of your home. Typically, an inspection won’t be needed, unlike with a purchase. In many cases, a drive-by appraisal will be adequate, especially if it’s very clear at a glance that you’ve maintained the property.

Closing the Loan

With all your paperwork in hand and your appraisal completed, your lender will be ready to send you and your loan to closing. Since there’s not a seller involved, you will be going to closing at a time that’s convenient for you, and it’ll be a very quick process. Make sure to double-check the terms of the loan to ensure you’re agreeing to the mortgage you believed you were signing up for. If you have any questions, your lender will be more than happy to clarify, but ask them before you sign the dotted line.

Following your closing day, you have a special period to change your mind and revoke the loan entirely. Thanks to your right of rescission, you can cancel the loan with no penalties and no modification to your previous mortgage within three days of closing. So, if you wake up the next day with cold feet, it’s not too late to turn back time!

Top Lighting Options for Your Kitchen

Good lighting is important in many places in the home. When you’re working in the kitchen, though, having sufficient lighting to see what you’re doing is vital. Poor lighting in your kitchen can make cooking and other tasks a pain, especially if the lighting leaves shadows in areas that you use a lot. Fortunately, there are a number of options available when it comes to adding new lighting to your kitchen. Here are some of the best for you to consider.

Recessed Lighting

One popular lighting option for kitchens is recessed lighting. This is especially useful if you have relatively low ceilings, as you can have multiple light sources in the kitchen without having large fixtures hanging down. Recessed lighting can also be used to accent other lighting solutions as well, giving you more light where you need it while only taking up a small amount of space on the ceiling.

Under-Cabinet Lights

Cabinet space is a must-have in the kitchen, but if you have a lot of cabinets then they can actually block some light from reaching your countertops and stove. A great way to take care of this problem is to install under-cabinet lighting that can provide some extra light right where it’s needed. Similar lighting can also be placed under stove hoods or other overhead spaces to ensure that you have the light that you need in the parts of your kitchen that you use the most often.

Track Lighting

If your lighting needs change depending on what you’re doing in the kitchen, track lighting might be a good option for you to consider. As these lights are mounted on tracks and can be moved and turned as needed, they let you adjust the lighting to meet your current needs. While the concept of track lighting often brings to mind clunky light units that seem more like theater spotlights than a kitchen lighting solution, modern track lights for the kitchen can provide the light and adaptability you need while also creating some tasteful accents that match your personal style.

Oversized Light Fixtures

Sometimes you want more than just ensuring sufficient lighting in the kitchen. If you want to light things up while also contributing to the overall decorative look of your home, you might consider some oversized light fixtures to get the job done. These fixtures are designed to stand out and draw the eyes so that they become as much a part of your decorating style as a source of light for your kitchen area.

Pendant Lighting

Lighting can play a big part in your home’s look and feel, which is why there are so many different types of lighting fixtures available. If you have higher ceilings in your kitchen, you might consider installing pendant lighting to give you the light that you need while also adding a touch of elegance to your kitchen area. These fixtures are suspended from the ceiling by cables or pipes, bringing the light closer to where you’ll be working without the need for stronger bulbs or harsher light. There are a number of styles of pendant lights available to help you illuminate your kitchen while also customizing the overall look of your home.

Tube Lighting

A lot of people think that tube lighting is ugly and out of place in the home, but modern tube lights have come a long way from the fluorescent lights of old. Many of these lights have switched to LED lighting, providing more consistent lighting at a fraction of the energy cost. The tubes and enclosures themselves have also evolved, offering stylish accents that illuminate while still adding to the overall look of your home.

Putting Your Vegetables to Bed This Fall

Growing and tending a garden through the spring and summer can be one of the most fulfilling and rewarding of human experiences. The harvest in the early fall is simply sublime. But cleaning all that mess up? It’s much less poetry-worthy. Even so, there’s a certain art to putting the vegetable garden to bed, one that can increase your yields year after year once you’ve mastered it.

Compost, Mulch, and Cover Crops

The end of the gardening season is never pretty. Dried up plants, often broken or bent, are scattered across a once-fertile landscape in an almost post-apocalyptic scenario. It’s dark, it’s brown, it’s all kinds of heart-wrenching to know you’ve reached the end of the life cycle of your garden. But take heart! What you’re seeing is just another part of the cycle, the beginning of another stage of your garden’s life.

In the fall and winter, all the nutrients those vegetable plants used up to produce lovely vegetables and fruits have to be returned to the soil. Some of that comes in the form of spent vegetation breaking down, and some will come in the form of additives to the soil. Both work together to ensure that next year’s is a bumper crop.

There are three basic elements that can be used to bulk up an end season garden for the next year:

• Compost. Even if you grew your plants in containers this year, compost can play an important part of next year’s success in those same containers. Be sure to knock the vegetation back, and as long as it’s not diseased, fold it into the soil. That way you can recapture the nutrients left behind.

Go one step further and add the equivalent of one quarter of the depth of your container or garden spot in compost. Doing this in the fall gives your compost plenty of time to break down, releasing even more nutrients to the soil, while improving both moisture retention and drainage. To figure out how much compost you need, dig down to the bottom of your prepared garden spot or pot and stick a tape measure in. Divide that figure in inches by four and apply that many inches of soil across the top, then mix it into the garden thoroughly.

• Mulch. Much like with compost, a good mulch can help the garden retain moisture. It also helps to both protect crops you want to keep, like asparagus, and smother those you don’t want, like stray grasses and weeds. Going into the winter, you can apply up to about four inches of any plant-based mulch to the top of the soil to protect crops. Just make sure to check the crowns of those plants as spring starts so you can uncover them when they’re ready to peek back up above ground.
• Cover Crops. Some people prefer to use cover crops instead of, or along with, mulches and composts to enhance their gardens. Legumes especially help improve your nitrogen levels. If you plow them back into the ground before they flower, you can repeat this process a few times before spring planting and really bulk up the soil. There’s such a thing as too much nitrogen, but it’s difficult to reach that point with cover crops and composts alone.

In addition to these many options, gardeners also sometimes cover their gardens with clear plastic to help encourage sun solarization, a method that helps destroy pests like nematodes within the top few inches of soil. Your garden can only be solarized if it’s bare, however, so you’ll have to opt out of cover crops during the solarization period.

Plant a Tree!

As fall approaches, a lot of people are looking for ways to prep their yards for both winter and the coming spring. One great way to do this is to plant trees on your property that will bloom and grow for years to come. If you aren’t sure whether the time is right to plant trees, or don’t know which trees you should plant, don’t worry; a wide variety of trees do well when planted this time of year. If you make sure that you plant them properly to give them a good start, most trees will be fine.

Why Plant in the Fall?

Not only will most trees do well when planted in the fall, but in many cases the fall may be a better time for planting than other times of the year. The weather tends to be milder during the fall, with less likelihood of drought or extreme highs that could damage your trees while they are still establishing their roots. Though cold weather will eventually set in, you’ll usually have enough time for roots to become well established before you have to worry about freezing temperatures or other problems from the cold. Add in a dormant period over the winter and you’ll have trees that are already established and ready to grow once spring arrives.

Which Trees to Plant

While there are some trees that might not handle a fall transplant, a lot of trees actually do very well when planted in the fall. More important than matching the trees to the time of year is making sure that you’re planting trees that grow well in your part of the country. Match trees to your planting zone, taking into consideration the cold-hardiness of the trees if you tend to see freezes in October or November. Check local nurseries or agricultural agents if you need help finding the right trees for your area.

Proper Planting Technique

When it comes time to plant, first stop to find out the specific needs of the tree you’re planting. In most cases you’ll have to dig a hole at least as deep as the tree’s root ball, but you may have to dig out three to five times its width to ensure that there’s enough loose soil around the tree for the roots to spread. Put the root ball in the center of the hole you dug, filling it in and tamping it gently, and then water it. If the ground settles during watering, leaving a divot around the tree, add more soil. You’ll also want to mulch over the area to help hold in moisture and keep the soil warm, but try not to crowd the mulch too close to the tree’s trunk. From there you’ll just need to water a few times per week depending on the tree’s specific watering needs.

Timing Your Fall Planting

Even though the fall is a good time to plant a lot of trees, you still need to make sure that you time your planting right, or you might end up with problems when winter moves in. Try to schedule your planting earlier in the fall rather than later; wait for summer’s heat to break, but choose a time that’s at least a few months before you start getting deep freezes. The air temperature should be cool but not cold, and soil temperatures should still be above 50 degrees Fahrenheit even if things are getting cool outside.

Prepping for Winter

Once your tree seems to be establishing roots and settling in to its new location, start thinking about how you’ll keep it protected that first winter. Most years will see the tree dropping its own roots and having grass or other ground coverings around as well. For the first year, though, the mulch you put down will be its main line of defense. Before the mercury drops too much, add some extra mulch above the roots to account for settling and to provide protection for the tree. You might also consider covering the tree with sheets or other coverings during early frosts to give it more time to get established during its first few months.

Dealing With Foundation Erosion

Erosion can be a big problem for homeowners, even if you don’t live in an area that sees frequent flooding or other causes of large-scale erosion. As soil erodes from around your foundation, it reduces the stability of the foundation and opens up the foundation materials themselves to damage from the elements. This is why it’s important to know not only how to recognize the signs of erosion, but also how to deal with it and repair any damage that’s already been done.

Foundation Erosion Problems

In most cases, when foundation erosion occurs it comes in the form of water or other elements washing away some of the soil around your home’s foundation. This can lead to underground portions of the foundation being exposed and may also kill grass that would otherwise help to hold the soil in place (which can in turn make erosion problems worse). As more soil erodes from around the foundation, you may start to see cracks and leaks forming in the foundation wall. Over time, the same elemental forces that are eroding the soil can start to wear away at the foundation materials themselves.

Foundation Instability

In addition to the direct damage caused by erosion, you may also start to notice foundation instability as your erosion problems get worse. This can take the form of leaning foundation walls, shifts in the foundation, or even bucking of walls or tilts to your flooring. This happens because the stability of your home’s foundation depends on the soil around it; the pressure of the soil pressing against the foundation adds extra strength to the foundation as it supports the weight of your home. As that soil washes away, the foundation cannot support the home as well and becomes unstable as a result.

Identifying Erosion

The first step in dealing with foundation erosion is identifying areas that are either eroding or in danger of erosion. At least once or twice a year, take the time to walk around your home and check the quality of the soil where it meets your home. Take special note of any areas where there is missing grass, where dips appear, or where portions of the foundation are visible. Standing water next to the foundation can also be a warning sign of erosion issues, as can sunken areas nearby. If you notice parts of the foundation or lower wall areas that seem to have unusual wear, these may be signs of erosion as well.

Repairing Damaged Foundations

Once you identify signs of erosion, take action before the problem can get worse. Any cracks or visible damage to the foundation itself will need to be repaired. Depending on how severe the problem is, this could be as simple as patching cracks and voids with concrete, or as complex as using jacks to level the house and filling eroded areas under your foundation slab with polyurethane foam. Any eroded soil needs to be replaced, with soil stabilizers added if needed to help the soil compact more solidly and prevent future erosion.

Preventing Erosion

One of the most important things that you can do to help take care of your foundation is to prevent erosion from happening in the first place. Ensure that your gutters and downspouts are working and in a good state of repair, installing new gutters as necessary to direct water from your roof away from your foundation. Establish flower beds or plant new grasses next to the foundation to prevent soil erosion or consider decorative gravel beds as an alternative. For larger problems you might also consider regrading your yard to prevent runoff from reaching your foundation or installing French drains or other runoff barriers that will redirect water to where you want it to go.