By following these simple steps you can clean your mini-blinds in no time at all and without any worries.

1. Remove the curtains carefully from the window.  You will want to make sure that you save every piece that you remove while taking down the blinds.

2. Place the blinds in the bathtub and run hot water over them.

3. Add any type of household cleaner and let sit for approximately five to ten minutes. If your blinds have any color besides white for the string, do not use bleach.

4. Begin to wipe the blinds using only your hands.  You will use your hands because you know exactly how much pressure you are applying and therefore your mini-blinds will be less likely to break.

5. Drain the water from your bathtub and begin to rinse the blinds with semi-warm water.

6. Place the blinds outside to dry, and leave them there for a half hour.

After completing these steps you can then put back up your mini-blinds.  Be careful not to break any of the blinds and to use all of the pieces that you removed when taking the blinds down.  Your blinds should look as good as new.

The process of cleaning windows will depend on the type of window that is in your home, but normally the procedure is the same. When cleaning your windows these three simple steps should be followed.

1. Gather the cleaning products you choose to use on your windows.  Some people choose to use a window cleaner and an old newspaper.  Using a newspaper is an old fashioned way of cleaning windows however it is found to be very effective.  If you choose not to use a newspaper any type of towel will do the same job.

2.  Tilt the windows so that you can see both sides of the window to clean them properly.  The newer windows will have a latch that you can pull in, however the old windows may have to completely come out.  No matter what the process, make both sides of the window visible and accessible to clean.

3. Spray the windows with the cleaner of your choice, and wipe with the newspaper or towel.  To prevent streaking you should move in circular motions, applying the same amount of pressure.  When finished place the windows back in place and start on the next.

By following these simple steps you can clean your windows with little trouble.   It is important to know that cleaning windows does not always have to be a long procedure; it can take just a few minutes of your time.

Here are some simple tips on how to repair your screen door: 

1. Be sure to ascertain how the original screen was attached. Is the original frame wooden, with the screen nailed or stretched into place, or metal, and stretched and screwed into place?

2. Measure the original piece of screen and how large the piece was, and how much overlap must be provided to enable the screen to be fastened back to its frame.

3. Determine if any additional parts are required for the repair and have them on hand as you work.

4. Perform any incidental maintenance to the door that can be completed at the same time as the screen replacement.

5. Consider painting the door if  it has a wood frame; the effect will be to  have a completely new door once the door is repaired and painted with the new screen in place. 

The flexibility of a screen door at your home is a pleasant amenity and will permit you to enjoy beautiful weather from inside the house. Enjoy the beauty of summer days and cool nights through your screen door.

Here are a few tips on how to refurbish your cabinets cheaply, giving your kitchen a new breath of fresh air: 

1. Take down the cabinet facings—doors and drawers—and see what the kitchen cabinets really look like, to see what you have to work with.

2. Once you have ascertained the condition, you can decide whether or not to strip and stain the wood, or paint it to match your walls or accessories.

3. A popular new look in the kitchen is to paint the cabinet frames one color, and then the facings another contrasting color. Another popular look is to leave the facings off altogether, line the shelves with a bright shelf liner, and have open neat shelves to organize your kitchen contents.

4. If you have a really limited budget but still want to make a small change, change the knobs on the drawers or doors.

5. If your budget really limited, buy a preparation such as Liquid Gold or some type of wax and exert a little elbow grease to make the doors gleam like new. 

Rejuvenating the look of your kitchen can be done on the cheap or planned to use up some set aside savings. Play around with your options. See if the local paint store has a designer who can help you. Write down a number of your choices and their costs, and think about the various ideas before you act on them. Use your imagination and have fun with your new kitchen look!

Here are a few simple steps that can get you on your way to being a real do-it-yourselfer. 

1. It is very important to take an accurate measure of the old windows.  Take your tape measure and size them up!

2. You can then go to the home improvement store and pick out the windows that suite your needs and budget and give them the proper sizes.  You may want to subtract a quarter to half a quarter on each side of the window.  Older homes where not built the same as newer ones and this could make a difference in size.

3. Make certain that the opening for the new window is level and is a perfect square.  This will allow the new window to slide in easily.

4. Now, remove the old window and the existing frame.  It is important to remember how the older window was attached.  If the new one comes with a wooden frame, simply screw it into place.  If the home is made of another material, like brick, you will need some wood blocks around the window to securely screw it in place.  If you do not have the wood blocks, consider using shims.  This will help keep it properly in place.  It is easier to install in homes with vinyl siding.

5. You will need to make sure you have screws for this process and caulking for around the area to seal it from moisture.

This is a fairly simple process for anyone looking to improve the look of their home or just save some money on their energy bills!

1. Reduce heat gain by as much as 78%, increase comfort, and reduce utility bills by tinting windows.
2. Cut harsh glare without darkening your home.
3. Eliminate harmful UV rays by 99.9%. Preserve carpets, fabrics, furniture, and wood finishes by tinting windows.
4. Increase privacy from curious onlookers.
5. Shatter proof your glass to protect from flying glass during accidents or earthquakes by window tinting.

Why Window Film?

Ordinary window glass is inadequate to satisfy all our demands for high standards of performance in safety and security, privacy, comfort and visual appearance. Winter heat loss through glass is an expensive waste of energy, just as summer solar heat and glare through glass cause irritation and inefficiency and also increased air conditioning costs. Sunshine through ordinary glass causes UV fading of color pigments in everything from shop displays and furniture to works of art. Windows allow unwanted intrusion of privacy, whether by prying eyes or criminals, and glass is often the weak point attacked by vandals or burglars, or just damaged by storms. Window tinting is a primary solution to the above.

What Causes UV Fading?

Exposure to direct sunlight can cause many colored or painted materials to fade. Damage due to fading is caused by UV light, visible light, heat (including infrared light), artificial lighting indoors, humidity and poor dye anchorage. The first three cause about 90% of general fading. UV, visible light and heat all pass through ordinary glass and can cause expensive damage to goods and furnishings in offices, retail shops and museums. LLumar films are specially designed to help protect displayed objects in museums, shop windows and similar environments. They filter out at least 99% of the harmful UV, reject infrared heat, reduce visible light transmission and still leave a pleasantly lit environment. Window tinting will help.

Testimonial

I have a 3,900 square foot home in a very hot desert type of environment. I keep a constant temperature of 73 degrees. Before the window tinting the air conditioner compressor seemed like it was constantly cycling and my electric bill was $450 per month.  After the glass tinting, the electric bill was immediately cut in half.  With the money I save each month, the window tinting will have paid for itself within 1 year! Now that’s a great investment!

Mr. & Mrs. A
Murrieta California CA
Temecula Valley

1.)    You will find that skylights help to heat your home because they are letting natural sunlight in and warming up a room.

2.)    When houses are built really close together it might be really difficult to obtain privacy while letting in some light.  However, you will be able to achieve both of these things when you install a skylight.

3.)    Many people do not realize it, but skylights actually make a room look much lager than it actually is.  They can really lighten a space up and make it more enjoyable.

These are just a few of the advantages related to having a skylight.  You can place them in just about any room and they are sure to please.  Just be sure that they are installed by a professional so that you will not have problems with them in the future.  You may also want to determine if a warranty is included in the installation.

You may also want to consider a Solar Tube. A Solar Tube is a great way to go green with little cast. Solar Tubes work like skylights, however they Solar tube consists of a dome mounted on the roof of your home connected to tubing lined with highly reflective material. The light is reflected downward to a diffuser on your ceiling that resembles a light fixture. Having nature light is proven help both your mental health and your physical health. Another difference in a Solar Tube from a skylight is that Solar Tubes come in many different shapes and sizes.

Now that you know you should be completing regular checks on your garage doors you may want to know exactly what you should do.  Follow these simple steps and you will be good to go.

•    Check the screws in the tracks.  There may be times when the screws loosen. This causes the doors to have a difficult time opening and closing properly.  This could also result in damage to the motor for the door if it is struggling to open and close the door.

•    Wipe the tracks down with motor oil every so often to keep things running smoothly just like when they were new.

•    Check the rollers.  If they are broken then you may want to remove them and purchase new ones. This is not expensive and it does not take much time.  If they are just tight then you will want to place some lubricant on them.

It is not difficult to perform regular maintenance on your garage doors and this article proves that.  You just need to remember to add it to your year round home maintenance check list.  You might even want to write it down on a calendar every month or two so you do not forget.

Lubricate: Periodically clean the tracks and lubricate them with penetrating oil or silicone spray. Lubricate hinges and rollers.

Tighten and Clean: Tighten screws on hardware, and clean hinges and rollers. Keep the door sealed and painted along the edges to prevent moisture damage to the door.

Take Care of the Lock: Use graphite spray to the lock.

Inspect Regularly: Inspect the springs. replace any springs that develop bulges or are unevenly spaced. Make sure you have safety cables installed in the springs on any one-pieced garage door.

Weather-Stripping:  Weather-stripping should be nailed to the outside of a roll up garage door as while as to both sides and the bottom. On a swing up garage door only the bottom portion of the garage door needs to be weather-stripped.

Roll-Up Garage Door: A roll-up garage door consist of two tension springs. The tension springs are located on each side of the garage door or a single spring that extends across the top of the garage door opening.

Swing-Up Garage Door: A swing-up door, also called a one-piece door, pivots on hinges and usually has springs on each side to adjust the balance.

Preventive maintenance around your home is to keep your home in good  repair.  Such routine home maintenance will avoid major repairs in the future. Below is a list of the most common year round home maintenance work you should do around your home. The chart is simply a guide. If you notice a problem developing take action immediately.

CAUTION: Before inspecting or working on any electrical system or on any device connected to it, shut off the power and check to make sure the circuit is dead with a circuit tester. Unplug any device you plan to work on. For maintenance or repairs to plumbing fixtures or water using appliances you should shut off the water before making any repairs. Follow safety tips when on the roof.