5 New Year Resolutions for your home
You may have mustered up a few new year resolutions for your self - get fit, get fabulous, turn over a new leaf etc - but what about your home? You spend most of the year in it. Surely it deserves some attention to?
Here's a few ideas to get you started for the year ahead:
Silence the squeaks
Is there a creaky floorboard that has been bothering you for years? Maybe 2019 is the time to fix it... Walk around your room, stop on those squeaky spots and mark the area. If you have access to the floorboards, drive screws into the floor joists 6 inches apart. Keep adding those screws until that pesky squeak is no more. If you want to plan ahead and stop more squeaks cropping up, add screws along all the floor joists. Now get dancing into 2019, squeak-free!
Cut down on energy use
Why not improve the planet as well as your home? Maybe 2019 is the year to instal solar panels. If you are not ready for that yet, concentrate on sealing and insulating your ductwork (a notorious energy-waster) to extend the life of your cooling and heating system. At the very least, perhaps it's time to get better at turning off lights when not in use, or simply renewing your family's enthusiasm for recycling...
Reduce water consumption
Sure it's hot outside and we are drinking more water than ever. But our houses are thirsty too! It's not just the showers and baths that add up. Think of the dishwasher, washing machine, taps and toilet too. Every home uses gallons and gallons of water every day, and costs to both the wallet and environment add up. Look to install showerheads that reduce water flow yet use technology to keep the pressure up. Swap old water-guzzling toilets for high efficiency ones. Obviously check your large white goods for running efficiency. And remember to turn off taps when brushing your teeth.
Switch to lower maintenance building materials
If you are changing things up at home, why not look to use low-maintenance durable materials that last. Ceramic tiles look great on floors and walls, and can last for decades. If you are looking for smaller improvements, switch to LED bulbs, which can last a phenomenal 11 years even when used for 12 hours every day!!
Plan a renovation
Perhaps you've been thinking about a renovation for a while, but still haven't got around to it. Why not make 2019 the year that you take action? It takes time, budget and planning, but what better time to crack on than the present? What would you change about your home if you could? How could you make it happen? There's some great tools out there to help you plan, such as these 10 apps covered in our previous blog post. Or if you are thinking bigger, check this post out about an app to help you map your floor plan on your phone.
If you are a bit more hands on and like to fix things up yourself, then check out this great post from Family Handyman packed with heaps of great tips.
If you prefer to hand things over to the experts then of course we would be only too happy to chat. Give Harmony Build a call today!
