Friday, May 27, 2011

All You Need to Know About Wooden Gutters

Before you install new gutters, it is important to explore what type is best for your home. It can be tricky business, but A Real Advantage is here to rescue you! Read ahead to learn about the advantages and disadvantages of wooden gutters before you make a choice.
Pros

When it comes to new gutters, the main advantage to selecting wooden gutters is that they look authentic and are strong.

Cons

As for the negatives of choosing wooden gutters, their surface is rougher—adding more resistance to the flow of the water—so they carry less water than metal gutters.

Wooden gutters also require more maintenance. Although all gutters have to be cleaned, wooden gutters need to be painted with a sealer or oiled every other year at least (once a year is preferable). It is also necessary to maintain the seal on the corners and gooseneck.

We hope this helps if you plan on installing new wooden gutters over this holiday weekend!

Monday, May 16, 2011

Tricks to Lowering Your Water Bill

You water bill is sure to spike in the coming months, as you turn on your sprinklers more frequently and spend more time in the shower getting off all the sand from trips to the beach! As home maintenance experts, we have a few tips for toilet upgrades that can help you save water. Relax, you don’t have to buy a brand new toilet to benefit from the latest and greatest water-saving technology. Read on to find out what you can do.

Several new product kits replace the inner workings of toilets with dual flush units. One flush setting removes liquids and paper (it uses less water and is used more often), while the other removes solids (if you get my drift!) and uses more water. The Environmental Protection Agency reports that replacing a pre-1995 toilet (which consumes a whopping 3.5 gallons per flush) with a 1.28-gpf toilet can save a family of four up to $2,000 on water bills over the course of the toilet’s lifespan. Although variables like the cost of water in your area and your household size are factors, the savings speak are there nonetheless. Fixing leaks (caused by a broken toilet flapper) can save up to around 200 gallons of water a day, according to estimations by the EPA.

Monday, May 9, 2011

DIY Tools

You never know when you’ll have to fix a leaking roof or make gutter repairs, so it is important to have all of the tools you’ll need on hand. Follow our guide to DIY tools to make sure your set is complete.

• Allen Wrench – You’ll have a hard time assembling furniture without these hexagonally-shaped bars, which come in a set.

• Adjustable Wrenches – A larger wrench can handle most nuts and other fasteners, while a smaller wrench is perfect for tight squeezes.

• Bucket – It sounds simple, but it is a must-have for fixing leaks and tackling plumbing jobs.

• Flashlight – Essential for working under the hood of your car or in another dark space.

• Drill – Need to hang a framed picture or make a hole in a cabinet to run a DVD player chord through? A cordless drill does the job.

• Hammer – Aside from hammering in nails and removing old nails (using the clawed end), a hammer comes in handy for many other tasks.

• Mask – Wear one when drilling or sanding to keep yourself from inhaling dust.

• Sponge – Another tool for drilling or sanding. Use to wipe down a surface post-job.

• Painter’s Tape – Aside from the obvious (keeping moldings paint-free when painting a wall), use it to prevent the teeth of pliers from scratching your pipes.

• Paintbrushes – A complete set of brushes, carrying in size, will let you make touch ups inside and outside your home.

• Multipurpose Screwdriver – Swap out Phillips-head bits, nut bits and slotted bits for different jobs.

• Pipe Wrench – Plumbing job? Use this.

• Long-Nose Pliers - Helpful during electrical jobs. Also, use them to hold nails when beginning hammering.

• Adjusting Pliers – These have many uses, as they can bend, unscrew or manipulate in several ways.

• Utility Knife – Makes making sharp, straight cuts easy.

• Screws and Nails – When you have reinforcements, bending a nail or losing a screw isn’t an issue.

• Tape Measure – A retractable model with 20-25 feet will handle most jobs.

• Old Toothbrush – Ideal for applying grout sealant and other products to small surfaces and cleaning hard-to-reach places.

• Work Gloves – Never hammer your nail or jam or prick your finger again once you start wearing these bad boys.

• Safety Goggles – Shield your eyes from toxic solvents and wood and metal shavings by wearing these.

• Painter’s Tool – Use to remove caulking around showers and tubs, remove and spread putty, spread Spackle and joint compound and clean rollers.

• Sandpaper – Removing material? Choose coarse grit. Finishing or smoothing a surface?

As home maintenance experts, we know a thing or two about DIY projects and with this list you’ll be stress-free the next time you have to install new gutters or complete another DIY home project.

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

How to Replace a Roofing Shingle

Summer is rapidly approaching, which means it’s time for backyard barbecues and cookouts with your family and friends. If a damaged roof shingle is becoming an eyesore, don’t try to patch it up before your summer shin dig, simply remove the entire shingle and replace it yourself. Affordable roof repair is easier than you think to achieve.

Steps to replacing a roof shingle:

1. Pry out the nails holding the ripped or damaged shingle in place using a flat bar.

2. Pull out the old shingle and put on a new one. Here’s where it gets tricky: You have to lift the shingle that is directly above the new shingle in order to nail down the new one, and the older shingle may be too fragile to bend far enough away to allow you to use your hammer.

3. To solve this issue, place a wooden block just below the lower edge of your new shingle.

4. Slide the pry bar under the shingle and rest it on the wooden block and stand a roofing nail under the flat end of the bar.

5. Strike the bar with the hammer to drive in the nail. You should be able to remove the pry bar and hammer the rest with ease once the nail is halfway in.

Voila! There’s no need to look into how much a new roof will set you back when you can complete this quick fix yourself. Let the summer festivities begin!