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Putting Your Air Conditioner In Condition Before Summer

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As the days are starting to get longer and the nights shorter, it is only a matter of months before summer sets in. And that means one thing: sweltering temperatures. In such case, the best defense you have against summer’s hot temperatures is none other than a central air-conditioning system. If you have one at home, be sure to include its tune up in your to-do list for spring so that it will be up and running by summer and will work its best to make your home comfortable. Here are the things you should do.


Clean up the exterior condenser

The condenser is the large unit that is usually situated outdoors. Its main role is to regulate the refrigerant’s temperature so that it blows cool air indoors. In order for this component to work properly, it should have unhampered flow of air around it and its fan should also be free of debris. Hence, give the unit some spring cleaning. Remove its fan and wash it with a garden hose. If there is a build up, consider using a mild detergent to remove the debris and douse it with water. Also, clean the area surrounding the condenser. At the most, there should be ample space around the component, so be sure that there are no low-hanging branches, shrubs or other obstructions nearby.

Replace the filter

As a rule of thumb, you should be checking your air conditioner’s filter once a month. This is to ensure that it is not clogged and air is smoothly flowing through the blowing unit, letting the cooling coil to cool up. If you have not checked your AC’s filter and it is already clogged, this can cause the unit to shut down. To avoid that from happening, the best thing you can do is to replace the old filter with a new one. There are many filter grades available in the market so it will not be difficult to find a piece that is compatible with your AC. Be forewarned though that if you use a filter that reduces allergens, you should check it more often as it clogs faster.

Examine the condensate removal system

When your AC is in operation and warm air travel across the cooling coil, condensation happens. Depending on the blower unit of your air-conditioning system, it will deal with condensation in different ways. For example, it may discharge the moisture directly in a drain, or it may redirect the water vapor into a pan beneath the blower where it will just evaporate.

To ensure your AC’s condensate removal system is functioning, take the time to inspect it. If the system has a pump, try moving the float switch that engages the unit to see if it is working. If there is no pump and there is also no drain in the pan, check if it has a float switch. This wired sensor is set at a certain height in the pan and automatically shuts down when water touches it. Hence, ensure it is functioning properly as it serves as your indicator if there are leaks.

Inspect the ductwork

Your air conditioner delivers cool air inside your home through its ductwork, so it is important that these components are unobstructed. Open up the duct registers around the house and be sure that they are free of obstructions that could get inside the ductwork. Next, inspect the ducts running through your basement or attic. At the most, the joints, seams and other connections should be locked tightly together and the ductwork should have no gaps or corrosion where air could leak. If you find any problem spots where air could escape, seal them up with aluminum foil tape. You should also insulate the ductwork to prevent condensation.

If you suspect that there are molds growing in the ducts, it will be best if you contact a professional duct-cleaning company instead of tackling the job yourself. This may entail a little expense, but you can be assured that your AC’s ductwork will be free of molds, keeping your home safe and clean.

This guest post was written by Ericka, an avid write and home improvement enthusiast. She is also a regular contributor for Ace Blocks a Driveways West Lothian Company who specialise in monoblock driveways.

Let Your Imagination Run Wild With 5 Cool Ways To Change Your Garden This Summer

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Don’t tell me you’ve not looked out at the garden recently and tried to come up with some amazing ways to make it better. It’s the same every year when you look out of the window and there is snow lying everywhere. You start to get a little depressed because you can’t go outside and your imagination starts to run wild. Have you ever done something about it before, or does next winter come around before you have the chance to do anything?

You should make this year different because you will feel great when the sun is out and you spend time outside. The last thing you want is to be sitting in a garden that you don’t think looks nice. It completely ruins the moment, so you shouldn’t let it. Think about everything you would like to do and run with your favorite idea before it’s too late. We can even look at some ideas together so you can get that imagination of yours running wild again.

Add some decking

Fiberon Tropics composite decking

You could choose a little corner of your garden and add some decking, or you could even have some running off the house. When it’s nice outside you could put out a table and chairs so the family can sit around and eat their meals while relaxing in the sun. You could always put the furniture on the grass, but when you have decking it looks a lot better. If you had a nice seat out there you could also sit and read books when you’re not at work.

Get rid of the crap

You might have some things inside your garden that you don’t want to be there anymore. If it’s something big like a hut you maybe haven’t got rid of it because it’s too much work. This year could be different and you could go outside and start knocking it down this weekend. Get rid of everything else in your garden that is making it look a mess. Even if you don’t replace anything it will still look a lot better when the crap is gone.

A kid’s playhouse

Old playhouse

If you have young children you might want to do something nice for them because they will be using the garden a lot more than you during the summer. You’ll have to think about the kinds of things they might like. You could put a playhouse in the corner and they will love it whether they are a boy or a girl. If you think back to when you were a child I bet it’s something you loved. You could even turn it into a tree house if your child is a little older.

Let there be light

Even though the sun sticks around longer in the evenings during summer it won’t be there all night. Eventually it will be gone and your garden won’t be suitable to spend any time in unless you add some lighting. When your garden is light up it looks beautiful and you can stay outside as late as you want. You have a huge number of options available to you and perhaps it’s best if you looked hard before you decided how you would light the place up.

Grow some vegetables

sun gold tomatoes

If you have enough time to spare you could take up a new hobby. It’s quite enjoyable growing your own vegetables and eating something you have grown yourself always tastes a little better. A nice little vegetable patch in the corner of the garden will look great and it could come in very handy. When you’re cooking dinner you can run outside and pick something straight out of the ground if it’s ready.

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The author of this article, Sharon Anderson works for Country Cubbies. Country Cubbies is Australia’s leading cubby housemanufacturer with a huge range of cubby houses and children’s play forts.

Three Easy Steps To Prepare Your Backyard For The Warm Summer Months

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Pool parties, barbeques, and sunbathing… Spring actually isn’t as far off as it seems. It’s only a few months away! With Spring approaching shortly, it may be time to start thinking about some Spring-cleaning so that your backyard is ready to go by the time summer rolls around. Get your yard ready for summer by following a few simple steps such as cleaning it up and setting up a patio space… you may even want to consider a home extension if you live in a sunny area in order to beat the heat (and sunburn!) By following the steps below, you can properly prepare your home for the upcoming warm months and make the most out of your backyard this summer.

1.       Clean up

Chances are that your yard is a bit of a mess if you haven’t been keeping up with it throughout the winter. Enlist some helpers (i.e. family members) to help get the yard back in shape. This means picking up any fallen branches, cutting down dead trees, trimming bushes, weed whacking, and raking up any dead leaves that have collected over the past few months.

2.       Set up

It’s time to bring out the old patio furniture out of storage and uncover and fill up the pool. Set up a nice sitting area, as well as a lounge area so you can easily host a barbeque or get-together without having to worry about having enough seats. Place mosquito-repelling candles around as well as some extra lighting so your yard will be useful at nighttime as well – solar powered lanterns will do the trick.

3.       Improve

Think about what you can do to improve your backyard’s appearance, as well as it’s worth. Whether you add a garden with seasonal flowers or a miniature waterfall, your backyard’s aesthetic is just important as your home’s interior. Leave it to a landscaper to plan out your backyard and find plants that work best in your location’s climate and weather conditions. If you live in a primarily sunny area, you may want to consider adding on a home extension to provide shade to you and your guests.

There are a variety of things you can do to improve your yard and perfect it before the summer season arrives. However, the first step is cleaning up your existing yard, setting up with the tools and materials you already have, and then thinking about what you can improve on.

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  •  License: Image author owned

Jillian Johnson is a professional content marketing writer and blogger with a particular interest in writing about home and garden. To read more writing by Jillian, follow her @MissWritey.

5 Home Repairs You Must Make Before Next Winter Strikes

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 Winter has nearly disappeared and it won’t be back for a long time. That means you can concentrate on getting ready for summer. You want your home to be beautiful, but first you have to do something. When the cold weather was here it’s possible it could have damaged your home. Especially if you had lots of snow and heavy storms. It’s better to fix the faults soon so you can forget about them and your home will be safe next winter.

It’s entirely up to you if you want to do it, but just remember if there is damage there it could get a lot worse next winter. If anymore damage is caused it could multiply the price of the repairs. Before you do anything you will obviously need to know what could have gone wrong because you might not be able to see anything from where you’re standing. Here are a few of the big ones you need to have checked so you can put your mind at ease.

Seal your driveway

granite-stone-steps-paving-brick-Atlanta

Go outside and have a look at the ground. You should be looking for any cracks that appear in the driveway. The good news is that cracks don’t mean it’s falling apart, but the bad news is that it needs to be resealed. Think about all that water that would have got into the cracks during winter. Because it was so cold the water would have turned to ice and it makes the cracks worse. If you don’t get them fixed now the cracks will get even bigger next winter and the drive could fall apart.

Fix your roof

tuiles givrées / frosty tiles

The roof must be checked because anything could have happened to it and you would never know. If it’s not rained heavily since winter you would not know if a large section of your roof had been destroyed. If tiles have cracked or fallen out it’s now going to be easy for the rain to get inside and do even more damage. It’s a good idea to get someone out straight away so they can give the roof a once over.

Clean up inside

If anything did happen to your roof you can’t just stick some new tiles on and forget about it. You need to go and look at the damage inside your attic because anything could have happened. Maybe there is a huge puddle of water that needs to be dried up straight away. You don’t want mold growing inside your home and that can happen when there is enough moisture. Take up a huge cloth and make sure all the water is soaked up.

Deal with the fence

all roads lead to home

When the wind is strong enough it’s hard for your fence not to have suffered any damage if it’s old. That isn’t to say the wind would have ripped it out of the ground, but it could have broken it in some places. You must go and check, especially if you have any pets that run around the garden because it’s easier for them to escape. You also want to secure the fence in case it falls down in the future and lands on someone.

Unclog the gutters

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You won’t want to do this on your own because the smell will give you nightmares, but all the crap needs to be taken out of the guttering because if it’s not kept clean you will eventually pay the price. It will be full of leaves and everything else that somehow ends up there and it doesn’t let water get away. You might have survived this winter without having it cleaned out, but make sure you don’t get into next winter without them being empty. They could fall down when blocked water freezes up and it becomes very heavy.

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Lance Abraham is an interior designer by profession and is an integral part of the top brass of Baybrook remodeller Inc which is a leading company providing replacement windows in CT.  He has vast knowledge in this field and shares his thoughts with people on his blog.

5 Great Things You Can Do With Your Garden This Summer That Will Make It Look Great

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Have you thought about what your garden is going to look like this summer? When people think about making some great changes to their home it’s always to the inside and the garden is merely an afterthought. That could be something people regret once the sun comes back because they’re going to be spending a lot more time outside. Sitting inside all day when it’s sunny is enough to drive you insane, so if you’re spending all that time outside you want it to be somewhere that’s beautiful.

Why don’t you take this time to think of all the wonderful changes you can make in your garden? It doesn’t need to be something that costs a lot of money and it can still look great if it doesn’t. There are things you can do that will suit all budgets. It’s probably a good idea to go over some things you can do right now. It will plant the idea of making changes in your head and perhaps you might like some of the ideas suggested. Get out your notepad, take some notes and you could be enjoying yourself a lot more than last summer.

Build yourself a pond

They put me here to try to make the world better

When you decide to build a pond you get to put your creative hat on because you can do anything you like. They can be big and fancy like something you’d find in a Japanese garden, or it can be a small hole in the ground with water in it. The choice is up to you and the sky is the limit. They also don’t usually cost much provided you do the work yourself and you don’t fill it with expensive fish. You also need to remember than having a water feature in the garden is a big responsibility if you have children running around.

Paint your fingers green

Your garden might look plain just now, but if you decided to get green fingers you could turn it into a work of art. Looking after flowers is one of the most rewarding things you can do with your garden, but remember that it’s not easy. If flowers are not your thing then maybe you could grow your own vegetables instead. Sometimes it’s nicer putting in all that work if you can be rewarded with food at the end of the day. It’s your garden so you can grow anything you want.

Lay a patio

terrace August 2006

It’s always nice to have a patio if you’ve always been used to grass everywhere you look when you go outside. It turns into a great place to eat your dinner in the evenings during summer because you can buy a proper table and chairs. You can also keep a barbeque on the patio and invite people around for food whenever you want. Of course you can do all this on the grass, but there’s just something about a proper patio that makes it a better option.

Give it the once over

Sometimes you don’t even need to add anything new to your garden to make it look great. Taking away all the crap that’s lying around is enough. You could go one better and paint everything so it looks like the day you moved in. When you’re cleaning out all the crap you do realize you won’t think of it in this way? You’ll think it’s all great stuff, so keep your emotions in check and throw out everything that you don’t need.

Treat yourself to something special

Everything we’ve talked about up until now is just a few nice things you can do to make your garden look nicer. You always have the option of treating yourself to something special, but this option is only available if you have enough money. I’m talking about a swimming pool, sauna, hot-tub, or anything else that would take your breath away every time you went outside. If you do have the money sometimes treating yourself is exactly what you need.

Attached Images:
  •  License: Royalty Free or iStock source: http://www.andertoons.com
  •  License: Creative Commons image source
  •  License: Creative Commons image source

Jeff Kruger is the owner of a famous Mower Shop in Perth which specializes in custom designed turf equipments to make your yard look great. He spends his free time blogging and watching rugby.

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