Home Improvement Blog

Archive for March, 2010

A new front door may be a ‘once in a lifetime’ purchase so choose carefully from the wide range available. Your front door is usually the first part of your home visitors notice, so its appearance is particulary important. A solid, well protected door will also deter burglars and keep wind and rain at bay. So if your door is cracked, peeling, warped or badly fitting, it is worth investing in a new one not only appearance’s sake but also for security. The back of the house, too, merits attention. You can let more light into your kitchen by fitting glazed door, or you can open out your living room to the garden with a sliding patio door.

Doors are obtainable from joinery shops, timber merchants, specialist shops and, in some cases, direct from the manufacturer. There is a wide range of styles and materials available for front door. While all the doors serve practically the same purpose, there are heavy wooden or wrought iron
doors that have to be dragged shut, while there are light revolving doors that allow easy passage to people.  Much of this difference is based on the materials that go into the construction of front doors. Wood is the oldest in door materials. Its strength and elegance once made it the undisputed choice for making doors. Wooden doors may be of hardwood or softwood. Hardwood is obviously stronger and generally preferred for front doors.

Panelled and boarded doors make a solid and impressive front entrance. Most panelled doors come in a variety of styles with from four to 21 panels; timber include redwood, cedar and pine. If you want a traditional panelled door but wish to let some light into the hall, choose a door with a fanlight or a glass panel.

In most cases doors are supplied without fittings, such as locks, handles, hinges, and letter boxes. But most shop supplying doors also sell hardware and there is a wide range available; in some cases, a set of hardware is offered as an optional extra. If you cannot get a ready-made door to fit your existing frame, you can have one made to your own specification in the design and material of your choice.

All to often the bathroom is the coldest and bleakest room in the home. With a little tought and a minimal cash outlay, you can transform it into the comfortable and efficient place it should be. But before planning too far, check that any major plumbing or structural alterations comply with current building regulations.

First consider the number of people who will be using the room, their ages and their needs. If you have space for only one bathroom, try to stretch its capacity by adding a separate shower or an extra wash-basin to ease the morning rush when everyone wants to use the facilities at the same time. Remember that the basic fixtures are costly so it is worth investing a lot of time and thought in finding the most suitable ones for your way of life. Visit bathroom showrooms and study manufactures’ catalogues. It could be, for instance, that by using a corner bath instead of a long one, you have room for something extra like a bidet. Read the rest of this entry »

There is a lot you can do to minimize the risk of insect or rodents encroaching into your home. The invaders seek food and warmth and are attracted by unhygienic conditions, so regular and thorough cleaning of all floors to remove food deposits and fluff is essential. Inspect the loft for dead birds and nests and clean out cupboards regularly.

You should never leave any food waste or other rubbish in the house – seal it in bags and put it in the dustbin. Keep the dustbin away from doors and windows and make sure it is kept clean and the lid is tightly closed; you should burn extra rubbish if the dustbin is full.

Fill any gaps in the structure of the house through which rodents could enter. Make sure the house is free from damp since this is a source of pest problems; inspect the underside of baths, the backs of sinks and other likely damp areas.

Even in the kitchen you should never leave food uncovered – keep it in sealed containers; kitchen surfaces and shelves may look clean but any deposit of a sweet substances, for example, could lead to an invasion of ants.

A selection of pesticides for dealing with insects and rodents is available in hardware stores, builders merchants and department stores; the applicators contain special chemical. Branded products usually have names which are descriptive of their use, so you should have no trouble in finding a suitable product once you have diagnosed your particular pest problem.