By Megan S. Ward  

            It was a summer night where I was home alone once again. I struggled to find something to occupy my attention, but the rain outside had not ceased for 3 days straight. In a gaming mood, I tiptoed down the stairs and walked contentedly towards the gaming room. Looking for my favorite game, I walked over to the storage corner, where I noticed a wet spot on the carpet. Initially I thought it had been my dog Bo at it again, but then I noticed that all along the walls of the basement, the carpet flooring was wet. Feeling a bit concerned, I wandered into the second basement area where the basement was not finished. Over the past three days, water had somehow managed to find its way into our house. Everything—ranging from paintings to boxes, had been completely drenched. No one was home, so I panicked as to what I should do. I went to grab the carpet cleaner which had a water suction feature and noticed that there were tiny black dots speckled all over the walls. So this is the extent of having a home in New Jersey? Why would the water be getting in and what could I do to prevent this? After doing some research I learned of things that cause, stop and prevent leaking. I’d be happy to share this with others as it has prevented my parents from ripping their hair out over water damage.

            When it comes to water damage and leakage into your basement, there can only be so many causes. Some of the most common ones are water mitigating through concrete, excess humidity (thus causing condensation), ground water, a clogged or incorrectly installed gutter system, cracks in the foundation and bad insulation. Concrete is actually a porous material, meaning that it can easily absorb or have water go through it. Water may be flooding at the base or below the basement and slowly seeping into your basement over time, while humidity from daily household activities (showering, cooking and heating) can easily build-up over time and go to the coolest part of your house (your basement.) Ground water can seep into your foundation and cracks in the foundation will lead to water leaking in at the base. With a gutter that is clogged or improperly installed, the water may be directed towards your house instead of away. Let’s say that your home’s backyard lacks a slope from where the gutter ends, then the water will usually flow back into the base of your house and in through the walls. Bad insulation is also a common cause in basement humidity as moisture is directed towards the coolest part of the house. Then there’s the case of when you have heat being released to the attic after it is generated in the house, then you are more likely to have a high amount of moisture in your basement, leaving you with an environment suitable for mold to grow and fester in. The problem with our house was the angle that it was on. The water was actually flowing towards the basement instead of away, thus causing the leak in the first and second basements. One has many options to stop and prevent the causes of water leakage into your basement.

            If you are seeking for some ways to stop and prevent leaking, then look no further. As mentioned earlier, flooding and leakage can be caused by incorrect gutter installation. A gutter extension can be installed at the end of the gutter, in addition with a angled slope to direct the runoff even more. This will give your gutter the boost it needs and the length (at least 4-5 feet away from your house) to divert the water to a different area. However, a downspout that is too short is not always the case. Your gutter may be clogged and full of debris, making the rainwater overflow in a certain area.  A clogged gutter can be easily fixed with a gutter cleaning and mesh barrier installed on the top to prevent debris/leaves from getting in. Next, plugging the gaps (if any) in walls is a good practice. Doing so will prevent water from dribbling into your basement. Hydraulic cement is use in most cases and costs less than $20. Keep in mind that the plug-in trick is only good if the water is coming in from a higher point of the wall and not lower. A lower leakage is just from groundwater and a plug won’t solve the problem. After you’ve attempted these two or have assessed the actual problem, perhaps it may be the fact that you have to restore the crown—the soil underneath your house that slopes a minimum of 6 inches over 10 feet in any and all directions. The common enemy of this structure is time, causing erosion around the foundation as the dirt lessens and settles. One can simply rebuild this part of the house with dirt and a shovel. There is a more costly way that uses clay, but it costs around $30 and should cover the perimeter of your house.

Aside from all the replacing of systems and rebuilding of bases, one should consider the need to rebuild the landscape as well. You’ll want to make sure that the water is going away from the house and that the crown is far away so as to not rot the wood of your house.  If your basement does not have any foot drains, you can always go with the alternative of installing a curtain drain to divert any water that travels underground and eventually leaks into your house. This is the solution that my father went with and it is known as a French drain. The overall purpose of the French drain is to provide a shallow trench in which the water flows into. Gravel and piping are included in this process and will help to divert the water away. This method is inexpensive and will cost $9 to $17 per linear foot. So you’ve tried all of the above methods, but have not gotten any results? That means the best option is that you’ll just have to pump it. That’s right; your basement will have to channel the water from the inside. An interior draining system solves the leakage problem in most cases, but costs about $3,000 to install. The main function of the interior draining system consists of a channel around the perimeter of the floor where pipe is installed to connect to a collection tank at the lowest spot of the basement. The water is then transferred to a sump pump which will shoot the water outside of the house.  It may seem a bit costly, but it is one of the best options for an unfinished basement or for a basement that is underground. In the end, waterproofing your basement is often the best choice, but also the most expensive, weighing in at about $20,000 per treatment. You can perform moisture, mold and leakage tests to various parts of your basement, as well as have someone inspect what could be causing your leakage problem. I hope this helped as I have dealt with a soggy basement on more than one occasion.

By Megan W. 

So you’ve considered the fact that investing in your home is one of the more lucrative ways of earning money. How does one go about this process? There are many rooms, appliances and landscaping aspects that come into consideration during the revision of your home. Perhaps the best way is to take a look at the most essential room in the house—the master bedroom. Most couples will spend the majority of their time decompressing here and it is this room that will make the house their own. Even if you’re not selling your house now, putting money into remodeling your bedroom is like investing in yourself, only you will get more satisfaction and money back in the future. Here are some ways to amplify the ambience of your room, without emptying the majority of your bank account.

When remodeling your bedroom, take into consideration what it is that you find relaxing. This room is unique from the others and should have a luxurious and restful feeling. If you don’t quite know where to start, reset your frame of mind and ruminate the thought that your bedroom is like your walk-in closet. If you’re going to get anywhere, you’ll need to get rid of old things that occupy space and are of little use to you. Having a cluttered environment is the ultimate mood damper and can make one feel even more stressed in life. It’s no hint that you like something if it’s stacked around your room and found in all the little nooks and crannies. You should probably get rid of them, but if you know that you’ll regret it later on, you should find a better way to store these things. Let’s say that you find that reading to be your thing, but care too little for the way that your books are stored. Instead of having piles and towers of books, you should splurge on getting yourself a good shelf or storage furniture with decent accents. It will make the room seem bigger and more open. A kindle is always recommended and you can get all of your books onto that one little device. For everything else, get rid of duplicate objects, unused clothing, things that are worn out and everything that has been gathering dust. Once you sell or donate these items, you can have a piece of mind knowing that everything is in its place, leaving more time for you to relax.

Another thing that you can and should do when remodeling your soon-to-be master suite is to alter the walls and windows. For instance, if your wallpaper looks like something out of Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory, it will only subtract from the charm that the rest of the room has. Painting is a good and inexpensive way to boost the overall character of the room itself. You can give it a warm tone or generate a tropical getaway with light blue ocean paint. It is recommended that one works around the trim, which is where the ceiling begins from the floor. One should go above in beyond in finding the perfect tone and color to enhance the type of ambiance that you are going for in your room, whether it is bright, modern, cozy and warm, eclectic or something else. Don’t be afraid of making the wrong choice, as you can easily turn over a new leaf, so to speak, by painting over the current layer of paint. With windows, they are your outside door to the world. You can enjoy the view outside and even if you live in the city and the view may not be so pleasant, make the best of it and accentuate the inside. It is always good to do this and add to the amount of privacy as well. Consider adding a little laying area under the window, with a decent amount of light coming in. If you don’t really want to add any alterations within the window itself, changing the window coverings may be just the ticket. Most houses maid in the 90’s have those investigator window blinds, which are great in blocking out light and interrogating your daughter’s new date. However, the saying in with the new and out with the old could not be more stinging then it is now. Most bedrooms are smaller and are overcome by the large furniture, which makes one focus on something beyond the bed—the windows. This is where your window dressings play an important role in determining the value of your bedroom. They can add to your aesthetic layout by creating shadow when needed and bringing in just the right amount of light. You can sleep in more with deep curtains that block early morning light. When a person works late, they will love curtains that make day seem like night, easing them into a faster and restful sleep.

Aside from being just a place of rest, give the buyers and yourself an idea of multiple uses for this room. If you include an area for a TV, it can also become a movie room. Having a big space leaves the mind open to a lot of ideas, so take advantage of each one and organize it so that there is enough space for the bed. You can make a reading area with some lighting from a floor-lamp with a comfy chair.  Simple gestures like this are what make a bedroom a master suite in which you can unwind in at the end of the day. Some of the most essential features that you should have or at least include in your master suite are a well-organized closet, enhancing the view (or at least the look of the window from the inside), adding dimension (arranging things in a specific way to give off a sense of more space), minimalism in furniture and decoration and just adding your own personal touch. Once you have finished with the main room and closet, remember that a bathroom is what makes a master bedroom a master suite. Some common things that are found in a master suite’s bathroom are good lighting, proper storage, double sinks, non-slip floors and a huge shower with an attached bath. While having a big bathroom is great, remember that efficiency is sometimes preferred over design.

Even though summer is pretty far away, just like saving up for a college education, it is never too soon! Close your eyes and imagine a bright, warm area for you to relax your fears and worries away. You can feel the cool breeze and the sweet fragrance of botanical wonders surrounding you. Sounds too good to be true? There are many things that can make a backyard a dream yard for the summer, let’s see what we can do for that yard of yours. The ideal things to focus on are lighting, furniture, plants, decks, patios and fencing.

First, you’ll want to consider the entire layout of your yard. Is everything up-to-par? During the long other season(s), your backyard’s components such as decks, stones and fences may become damaged and worn out. Handy Man on Call offers the services of waterproofing and weatherproofing of decks, as well as restoration services. With all of the services they offer, it’s no surprise that painting, power washing and fences are also included. These are all important elements in a summer-ready wonderland. Will you be entertaining often? If so, it’s more than just comfort. Try to set the mood with proper lighting. You can go about this many ways—varying from different light types, fire pits and glowing decorations. Fire pits may seem expensive, but serve multiple purposes and can even be a DIY project if you are determined enough to dig one. Fortified by the surrounding area, a fire pit can provide a place of comfort, warmth and culinary arts (or as I just like to call it—marshmellow roasts!) Adding even just the slightest glow can make a big difference in appearance just by adding that subtle touch.

Aside from the light situation, in order to have a decent backyard, you’ll want to take into account what makes it so unique from your house. The answer is simple: it’s outside. Flowers and plants help support and make life possible here on Earth. There are many different types of interesting plant species to be found and setting up your soil for the right ones will bring a certain depth of art and admiration to your garden. By putting fragrant flowers and herbs in your garden, you create a gentle tone. Ensure that all areas are weeded and properly sealed by stone, mulch or plastic against any future weeds. Putting a barrier around this area will help to prevent the material from eroding over time, thus depriving your plants of the nutrients essential to a beautiful and full bloom. Handy Man on Call provides multiple services relevant to outdoor needs, but also ensures that you will have a long-lasting finish. Since Handy Man on Call also offers tree services, you can get those big and dead trees out of the way. While trees are beautiful, if dead and loose after a storm, they can be very dangerous to be around and can cause damage to your house. Having a tree that blocks your house can also take away from the beauty. By using minimalism, you avoid having a, “cluttered,” look in where the outer scenery takes attention completely away from the house.

Furniture is a great way to accentuate the area around you. By matching and picking out contrasting colors to the deck color, (white or teal furniture on a brown deck) you essentially are creating the space around you. But what if that space is already worn-down and decaying due to poor sealing of the stone in the patio? Handy Man on Call also offers the service of restoration, decks and maintenance. Even if something is not broken, why not upgrade? Your house shelters, comforts and supports you. To renovate on the outside increases its value by ten-fold. Although people may see it as another expense, you are in terms investing for a future occupant of the household, who will enjoy the fruits of your labor for many years to come. By providing good fencing, it shows that you have valuable content on the inside that needs to be protected. Your guests will love a well-prepared backyard that is well-lit, decorated nicely, in good condition and smooth. First impressions always do last.

Having a safe house is a main concern of most people. However, having just even a bad door or window can lead to the downfall of your home. There are many reasons as to why windows are needed. Pprotection from the outer elements, proper insulation and optimized airflow are the reasons for why windows were invented. (Other than that gorgeous view!) Many often imagine their house as a solid and well-built place. But, just like many manufactured things today, each product or thing is given a time lifespan so that the business of buying and selling continues. For instance; you may have bought that practically-brand-new 10 year-old house, but it is more likely that it is made of the sources available to builders and not those that are of high-quality. Most window panes are poorly built and consist of wood that is not secured against moisture. The wood begins to easily rot and can even be poked through with a screwdriver if weak enough. This and other surprising things of a window may just lead you to replace it. Let’s go over the five reasons for why you should replace your windows today.

1. Windows are our view to the outside world and many of its beauties and horrors can be seen. You wouldn’t want the horrors of that storm to come flooding in, right? Well, a poorly designed window often has cracks and crevices in which the water can easily flow in. The wood begins to rot and the whole frame that is holding the glass in becomes useless overtime. Unless your house was built in the 70s, the wood is of standard, economical value which means that it isn’t going to last long. Most windows designed are going to only last as long as the manufacturer wants them to. Improve the appearance of your home, just like you would with your floors or walls.
2. Winters are tough on us. Things are constantly frozen and then thaw, in a repeating process which has worn the earth around us. By replacing your window, you are preventing the possibility of costs due to damages from weather coming in. Imagine spending less money on gas. The reason for why your gas bills may be so high is improper insulation. This occurs when the windows are poorly sealed and cold air gets through, or worse, hot air leaks through the window. This is the cause of sickness during the cold season. Why pay with the seasonal flu and expensive gas bills when you can have better results by just replacing your outdated windows?
3. Another reason for replacing windows is on the issue of safety. Can you imagine what your old windows contain? You’d be surprised at the amount of lead in old window paint, as well as the ability for your window to crack and break so easily. When the windows are poorly sealed, your children get sick and moisture is more likely to come into your home via your windows. This can cause mold and ultimately lead to the ruin of one’s lungs and even be harmful to your family’s health. One of your family members could easily break through windows as windows overtime become frail and unable to withstand normal and everyday impact from children or pets. If you have a pile of broken glass, it wouldn’t be left out, now would it? You’d replace the thing broken to add back to the value of the house and also to rid your family of the harm it could have caused. The same goes for windows.
4. If you are not one to be friendly with rebates, this is something that you should really, “warm,” up to. Did you know that utility companies are most likely to give rebates to anyone who has new energy efficient windows? That’s right! Get a rebate for being smart and safe on your household and its ability to function properly. It’s not hard to do and you can even contact a local energy company to learn more about saving on the energy initiatives stated earlier. Different rebates are always offered! You can literally go, “window,” shopping without the fear of missing out on a good deal! Some stores will bend over backwards to get your deal, with rebates that are almost impossible to resist. Who says window shopping isn’t beneficial?
5. The last reason is: if you are a green-eco fan. That’s right. Wanting to save up energy, but have already reduced, reused and recycled? Well, now you can help the environment by just supporting the right window. With a proper installation of an energy-efficient window, gas emissions are lessened by using less natural gas, a common gas used to heat the houses of America. When you user less of this, “natural,” gas, you are helping to reduce the amount of green-house gas emissions, thus saving our planet one window at a time.

When making those repairs on the house, keep these all on mind as they could save your  life – and your wallet!