All posts by Gareth Jones

Hard water

Hard Water: What it is and How to Fix It

Plumbing & Drainage, , , ,

What is hard water?

Hard water refers to water which has gathered a large level of dissolved minerals as it passes through limestone deposits (calcium and magnesium are the most common). Harder water is usually found in wells and rural areas, and is measured by the amount of limestone minerals in it.

Contrary to some sources, hard water is not harmful, and drinking hard water over a long period of time will not prove detrimental to your health. It can, however, cause damage to your home, as well as the appliances and materials within your home. Long term effects include:

  • Damage to your plumbing system, as it forms a deposit that builds up and eventually clogs your pipes.
  • Corrosive scum around your bathtub, dishwasher and washing machine.
  • Sediment build-up in your water heater, which decreases its heating efficiency and life expectancy. Hard water also stops soaps and detergents from lathering your clothes, resulting in yellowy or greyed fabrics, and a quicker degradation of the fabric itself.
  • Similarly, hard water may cause your hair to look/feel dull and lifeless as it lessens the effectiveness of shampoos and conditioners.

How to Fix Hard Water

If you suffer with hard water, it is recommended that you get a water softener installed into your home. These can be rather expensive, and many people find themselves either having to endure hard water or make small changes such as modifying their homes with a shower head water softener and/or using special chemicals for their laundry and dishwasher that are designed for hard water.

However, in a home which suffers from very hard water, the damage to a home’s plumbing, is inevitable – and you may have to pay a plumber far more in the long run if you choose to ignore the problem.

Pest control mice

Getting Rid of Mice and Rats through Deterrence

Pest Control

When it comes to pest control, deterrence is often the best form of prevention.

Mice and rats are intelligent creatures, and many homeowners faced with a rodent infestation will find that the little varmints soon wise up to traps or poisons. Rats in particular are smart and social, and communicate with one another in a manner that allows them to circumvent many static traps.

Poisons may also work for a while, but rodents thrive on familiarity, and once mice/rats have moved into your home, it won’t be long before their friends turn up uninvited to join them or take their place.

Many homeowners make the mistake of calling pest control without blocking the entry routes that the pests are using to infiltrate their home; they are soon baffled (and  erroneously unsatisfied with their choice of pest controller) when the nuisance returns. Rodents socialise through scent, and a mouse or rat will see your home as a safe haven if it is able to smell the past activities of other rodents.

rat infestation

What Rats and Mice Want from Your Home

Rodents are attracted by two things: food and shelter. The easier it is for them to get into your home and find somewhere with warmth, shelter, and a steady food/water supply, the more difficult it will be to get rid of the little critters.

Rodents are omnivorous and will much like us will pretty much eat anything. One of the key differences between mice and rats is that mice get all the water they need from the moisture in the food they eat, while rats will need a consistent water source.

How Mice and Rats Enter Your Home

Don’t let their fluffiness fool you – mice have collapsible skeletons which allow them to squeeze through gaps no bigger than a 5 pence piece. Rats, while not such good contortionists, are still able to fit through small gaps and are able to leap over 2 meters.

Both mice and rats are brilliant climbers, and are able to scale some vertical surfaces such as pipe and even brick walls.

Change Your Home to Deter a Mice or Rat Infestation

To permanently rid your home of rats and mice, you’ll need to survey both your home and garden and consider doing the following:

Check all areas around pipes and wires, and fill any gaps larger than a quarter of an inch with putty or hardware cloths. Remember that rodents can chew through concrete, so check these spots regularly until the infestation is long gone. Mice are incontinent, and their dropping are easy to spot, but rats tend to be more discreet about where they defecate.

rat teeth gnawing

Check your vents, windows and roof (remember, they sure can climb!), and any areas in your home where a gap might feasibly widen.

Place stripping around any external doors.

Cut all shrubbery and trees so that they are a good distance from your home. Rodents can leap from them and onto your home. Also, keep your lawn trim.

Cease putting out pet food or food for birds. Rats can climb or leap to bird tables with little effort. Also, you may need to remove/cover any plants or trees which grow fruit or vegetables.

Keep your kitchen clean. Seal all open food and regularly check the backs of cupboards. Remember, rodents will only stay where there is access to food. If that supply runs dry they’ll look to nest elsewhere.

Hoover your home regularly, especially if you have pets. Mice only need a few morsels of food to survive another day.

Cat and mouse - pest control

And if all else fails, consider getting a cat.

Green Deal grant

Are Green Deal Grants Worth Taking Advantage Of?

Electrical and Energy Saving, , , , , ,

The Green Deal is a government initiative that allows you to make energy-saving improvements to your home or business without having to pay all of the costs up front. So, how exactly does the Green Deal work?

First you’ll need to get an assessment and see if you qualify. You may also be able to claim back money from the government if you make energy saving improvements to your home under the Green Deal. The work will be paid back in instalments through your electricity bill.

Possible energy-saving improvements include:

  • insulation (e.g. loft or cavity wall insulation)
  • heating
  • draught-proofing
  • double glazing
  • renewable energy technologies (e.g. solar panels or wind turbines)

Taking advantage of the Green Deal will be more difficult for tenants, landlords and those living in social accommodation, as they will need to seek permission.

There may also be alternative sources of funding depending on where you live. The Scottish Government’s Energy Saving Trust manages a Green Homes Cashback scheme which also allows homeowners to claim up to £1200 to install energy efficient upgrades to their homes.

 

asbestos removal

What is Asbestos and Should It Worry You?

Home Health, , , ,

Asbestos is something that no homeowner would want in their home.

Health concerns regarding the mineral-based material, which was a staple of construction from the industrial revolution until well into the 20th Century, have grown exponentially over the past few decades. It was often used to insulate wall and plumbing.

Health risks from being exposed to asbestos dust include mesothelioma (a fatal cancer of the lining of the lungs) and asbestosis (a debilitating scarring of the lungs). It is becoming increasingly difficult for home-owners to sell properties in which asbestos is found, and can incur many large costs.

What is asbestos?

The exposed asbestos must be either encapsulated or fully removed. Encapsulation is cheaper, but may dramatically reduce the property’s value, so if you plan to sell your home in the future, you would be advised to seek a professional in Asbestos removal.

Carpet beetle

How to Get Rid of Carpet Beetles

Pest Control, , ,

While they’re not as ubiquitous a nuisance as ants, wasps or bees, carpet beetles are a prevalent pest that, much like bed bugs, can find their way into your home via furniture and belongings.

These flying insects can also enter the home through an open door or window. They soon plant their lava in thick fabrics – particularly in carpet fibres, hence the name – and are difficult to get rid of without the help of a pest controller.

Carpet beetles are between 1/8th and 3/16th of an inch in size, and their larva look like tiny caterpillars. Should you find that you have an infestation, look for the beetle’s faecal pellets, as these will likely indicate where the beetles are breeding.

Clean and vacuum your carpet regularly. As nauseating as it is to recognise this, your carpets and textiles accumulate human skins and small pieces of food. Also clean your headboards, cushioned chairs and behind your refrigerator. Cleaning thoroughly and regularly will deprive the carpet beetles of food.

At this point, you’d also be advised to keep the food in your kitchen sealed. Carpet beetles love grains and nuts.

If the infestation gets too serious, you might be forced to hire pest control, and have them find the source of the problem and administer a chemical treatment spray through your home and walls.

spare keys

Britons Still Leaving Spare Keys in Garden

Home Security, , , , ,

Here’s a scary statistic: according to a new survey by Keytek Locksmiths, over 20% of Britons still leave a spare key to their home in their front or back garden.

Many of the people surveyed admitted that they still keep a spare key in an easily discovered spot. 2% even admitted that they kept their spare keys under a plant pot, and 6% under a mat.

What many homeowners aren’t aware of is that should a burglar find the key and enter your home, your home insurance will be invalidated.

Alternatives to keeping that spare set of keys in the garden include leaving a key with a neighbour (as 44% of the people surveyed apparently do) or nearby friend/family member, or having a  locksmith install a safebox outside your home.

Source: www.aboutmyarea.co.uk/