Home Improvement Blog

Archive for June, 2010

Carpets will become worn or damaged in the course of everyday use. There is no need to go to the expense of replacing them when you can patch and repair minor damage easily and at a fraction of the cost. You should remember to save remmants and offcuts when carpets are being fitted so you will be able to carry out repairs in the future.

Regular vacuum cleaning, ideally everyday, will remove grit which cuts into carpet fibres and backing as it is trodden in.  Fluff will form on the surface of new carpets; this consists of short fibres which do not reach the base of the carpet and should be removed for the first few weeks with a hand brush, carpet sweeper or vacuum cleaner. Sometimes, while a carpet is bedding down, short loose fibres, causing small balls or pills of fibre on the surface. These should be trimmed off with siccors; never attempt to pull protruding fibres out of the carpet.

Often the surface of a looped pile carpet may be caught up with a nail, in the base of a piece of furniture for example; this will cause a pulled loop. Look carefully to see if an adjacent loop has been pulled into the base of the carpet; if one has, you may be able to tease it up with a piece of hooked wire and draw the pulled loop back into the surface. If not, you will need to trim the loop level with the surface.

Cleaning carpets
Lightly soiled carpets can be cleaned with carpet shampoo, apply by a manual or electric carpet shampooer following manufacturer’s instructions. Treat heavily stained areas separately and test a small area before treating the whole carpet to check for discolouration. The best shampoos produce a dry foam which does not wet the carpet excessively; if the carpet is too wet, this could cause shrinkage and discolouration. After shampooing, leave the pile sloping in one direction and allow the carpet to dry before walking or replacing furniture on it: vacuum it clean when it is dry. Read the rest of this entry »

You will probably find your home will be run more efficiently and is easier to keep tidy and free from clutter if you are able to set aside a single room or even screen off a corner for the various chores and family activities which would otherwise encroach on valuable living space.

Jobs such as washing, drying, ironing and mending clothes must be done with unfortunate regularity, but they will seem less tedious if they do not involve moving around furniture or equipment or any special preparation of materials. In addition family members who pursue such messy hobbies as model making or carpentry would appreciate somewhere to work where they could leave their equipment out overnight or at least for a few hours without interfering with meals or other family activities. Children whose play consists of setting up battles between toy soldiers or running model trains all over the floor would also be pleased with this facility.

Location
The first thing you will have to sort out is a location for your utility room. There could be a small larder near the kitchen which might cater for at least some of the functions we have mentioned, alternatively you may find sacrificing a downstairs WC and wash room might be worthwhile in terms of the convenience and efficiency gained. This location would also have an advantage in that the water and waste facilities necessary for a laundry would already be laid on. In either of these areas you can gain a great deal of space by rehanging the door so it opens outwards or by fitting a sliding or folding version.

An extra large kitchen can either have one end or corner screened off or be permanently partitioned to form a new room. Here again, plumbing facilities should not present any difficulties.

If there are no problems with access, a clean, dry basement would also make a useful place to set up such a general purpose room. As long as you can make adequate arrangements for plumbing, drainage and ventilation, this situation is ideal since it would prevent the noise and disruption of a wash day from disturbing the rest of the household. Likewise it would be far enough away from the bustle of family life, so work which needed a great deal of concentration could be carried on in relative peace. Again, subject to facilities, the loft might be a suitable location for a utility room or you may be able to make use of a spare bedroom. Read the rest of this entry »

Above any other consideration, children’s rooms should be practical and flexible, practical because they will get much more damaging wear than any other room in the home, and flexible because children’s needs change frequently between they birth and the time they leave home.

Planning
As in all room planning, keep an open mind about which room will be used for what purpose. It may be slightly inconvenient to use a smaller bedroom for yourself, but there is a great deal to be gained by  giving the master bedroom over to the children as a sleep/play area. Here they can spread out their toy soldiers or model railways and leave them ready for another day’s play, instead of having to go through the frustration of dismantling their work before a meal or when a company is expected. In addition, the whole family will benefit from a play area where children can knock about happily without having to worry about breaking ornaments or damaging furniture and floor coverings.

Most young children (and many older ones) do not mind sharing a room; but if they differ greatly in age, temperament or interests, life will probably be easier when they have their own. If there are not enough rooms to go round, you may be able to use partition walls or room dividers in the form of large pieces of furniture to make better use of space; just be certain each area has enough light and ventilation, separate entrances would be ideal although they are not absolutely necessary. Any structural changes must, of course, comply with Building Regulation.

Think of installing a wash-basin in the children’s rooms, this will not only make it possible to wash and change small babies in their own room, but will also prove invaluable as the child grows up by relieving pressure on the family bathroom.

You may find it worthwhile installing an intercom here so you can keep in touch with a sleeping infant or a group of lively toddlers at play. These devices are not widly expensive and can be put to use in another area such as a garage or workroom when the children grow up. If you are wiring children’s rooms from scratch, install all socket outlets high on the wall, fit safety plugs to all flexes, and make sure each window, even on the ground floor, is fitted with childproof locks. Read the rest of this entry »