In the spirit of tax day today, we’re posting this handy infographic guide to print and pin-up by your desk. This guide helps you determine what tax records to save, how long to store them, and the best ways to keep your records secure. To start 2024 off on a good foot, follow this guide to help you organize and store your tax files properly for years to come.
If you need to securely shred your outdated tax documents, we’re hosting a free paper shred event this month! See details here: Free Paper Shred Event
While it may be easy to track down smells coming from your garbage can or garbage disposal, other smells require a keener nose.
In order to help you find all of the bad smells in your home, here are some common smells and where you can find the source:
Rotten Eggs
The smell of sulfur or rotten eggs is never a good sign. You either have some old eggs sitting around from a couple Easters ago, or you have a serious gas leak or electrical problem.
The two most common sources for rotten egg smell in the home are electrical components (inside of outlets for example) or a natural gas leak.
Natural gas manufacturers are required to add a chemical, called mercaptan, to their gas in order to make it easier to detect a leak. Without this additive, you wouldn’t be able to see, smell, or taste natural gas (much like carbon monoxide).
If you smell rotten eggs in the home, call the gas company to make sure you don’t have a gas leak.
If there is no gas leak in the home, you may have a problem with your electrical system. If you smell the rotten egg smell near an outlet, that’s probably where it is coming from. When the plastic components behind your outlet plate burn, it can smell like rotten eggs. This smell indicates that there is a dangerous arcing situation happening within the interior of your outlet that could cause a home fire.
We recommend turning off power at the circuit breaker to cut off electricity to the room with the smelling outlet.
One other possible cause of a rotten egg smell in your home is when you run the hot water. You may experience a rotten egg smell when the hot water is running due to an old anode rod.
Anode rods in hot water heaters should be replaced every 5 years or so. Replacing your anode rod will reduce corrosion in your water heater and may even be able to double its lifespan.
Call your local plumber to find out which kind of anode you should replace your old one with.
Sewage Smell
If you smell raw sewage in your home, you may have a dried out P-trap. The P-trap is the little curved section of piping that helps create a seal from the sewer gas that lurks behind it. The only problem is that the curved “P” section needs to be filled with water in order to create the necessary blockage.
If you haven’t used one or more of your sinks in a while the water that normally creates a seal in the “P” section has evaporated and dried out.
In order to prevent sewer gases from rising up through your pipes and into your home, it’s important to run water in all of your drains periodically. If you have a sink in your garage or another part of the home that rarely gets use, make sure you run the water in those sinks at least once a month to refresh the water in the P-trap.
If running water in your sinks doesn’t solve the problems, you may have a more serious plumbing problem. Speak with a professional plumber to discuss your options.
Fish Smell
Something smells fishy… and it’s not fish. Well, likely not. If you smell fish with no fish in sight, you could have an overheating electrical component somewhere.
Sometimes, burning plastic, wiring, and other electrical components smell like rotten eggs or sulfur to some people. Other people notice a distinctive fishy smell. Whether you get a whiff of fish or rotten eggs, it’s important to investigate the situation. You may have a dangerous arcing situation behind one of your outlets or switches that can cause a house fire.
Again, if you can locate the electrical source of the smell and It seems to be coming from one of your outlets or switches, turn off power at the breaker box and call an electrician right away!
Stale Air
If you frequently pick up a stale smell in your home, it may be because of air leaks around the home. Recessed lights that are often connected to the attic are notoriously leaky. If you notice the stale air smell around any of your recessed lights, you will have to go into the attic to seal the air leak.
Read our Attic Insulation Guide for tips on sealing your recessed lights, flue, and other common leaky areas in your attic.
If you detect any of these odors in your home, make sure it isn’t a serious electrical or natural gas problem. Sulfur, “rotten egg” smells are a big warning sign. For help dealing with odors in your home, contact experts in plumbing, heating, cooling and/or electrical.
CA Real Estate Group works with trusted experts in all fields. Contact one of our agents for a referral anytime!
Valentine’s Day is a great day to show your appreciation for the one you love. Often, it’s through greeting cards, romantic dates, flowers, and gifts. But for some couples, the key to a loved one’s heart just might be in a few framed wedding photos around your home or a new fireplace for a cozy night. And better yet, your Valentine home improvement projects can be enjoyed for years rather than just a few moments or days. Start now on these home improvement projects to show you care for Valentine’s Day.
Add a couple rocking chairs to your porch: Whether you have space on your front porch or out back, make your outdoor areas more couple friendly with a pair of chairs you can enjoy together.
Update your lighting: Swap out harsh lighting for something softer and more flattering. Install dimmer switches to set the mood, update outdated fixtures with a new, more romantic design, and put in new bulbs with softer light.
Install a wine fridge: Love to share wine together? Enjoy an even better experience with a new wine fridge for your kitchen.
Hang an outdoor swing: Get ready for the spring and summer seasons with a cozy outdoor swing or hammock that you can enjoy together.
Frame your bathroom mirror: Update the look of your bathroom quickly — and remind your loved one of your hard work and caring in completing this projct every morning when they look in the mirror. Reveal your finished project with a love note on the mirror.
Organize kitchen cabinets: It hardly sounds romantic, but ask any harried home chef with messy cabinets, and they’ll tell you this gesture would win their hearts over. Invest in organizational tools such as divided storage, hangers, and even drawers for cabinets, and wow your loved one with kitchen storage they’ll enjoy using.
Build a piece of furniture: Nothing says love more than spending the time to create a quality handcrafted piece of furniture made with the recipient in mind. Build a bookshelf for a book lover, a jewelry hanger, or even a practical storage solution for your entryway.
Hang photos on your walls: Chances are, you have plenty of photos of you and your significant other together. But do you have them framed and hung in a place of honor? Show your loved one that you care and cherish your relationship by taking the time to print, frame, and hang photos of them or the both of you together on your walls at home. Need ideas? Look for photos from your wedding day, honeymoon, favorite vacation, or early days in your relationship to make them (and you) feel nostalgic.
Upgrade bath fixtures: Turn your master bathroom into a more romantic haven with updated fixtures. Add a new fixture for faucets and put in new fixtures in your shower and tub for a new, more inviting look. Then plan a big reveal with a bubble bath.
Plant a flower garden: Cut flowers are a nice gesture, but in the right climate, a garden of flowers that will last for weeks or months is a more enduring reminder of your love. Or, plant rose bushes for something more permanent. Plus, you can select flowers from your garden or rose bush for a home made bouquet.
Buy new bedding: Refresh your bedroom and make your bed more enticing with fresh, new sheets. Take it a step further with a new bedspread or even a new headboard.
Put in a fireplace: Nothing says cozy and romantic like a fireplace at home. But even if your home doesn’t already have one, it is possible to get one installed. Freestanding units can be purchased and enjoyed within moments, and local installers can add one to your home as well. Rather take it outside? An outdoor fire pit is romantic, too.
Carve out a ladies’ retreat or man cave: Have a space in your home that you’re not really using? Clear out the junk and make it a place for your loved one to enjoy instead. Add furniture and touches that you know they’ll enjoy, such as wall paint in their favorite color, or the perfect storage solution for their favorite collection.
Just fix it: Practically every couple has a project or two on their honey do list that gets overlooked. Think about the project that your loved one has been wanting to see done and make it happen.
Dustin Hadley @that40yearguy is floored that this common household item (not baking soda) can erase fridge stink! You need to try this!! Check out the comments at what others are sharing! 🤯 WATCH HERE
Living in a country with a tropical climate such as the Philippines is the dream vacation or even retirement plan for many people across different countries all over the globe. For one, we never have to thaw ice from snow build-ups nor wear over 3 layers of clothing. However, tropical climate comes with its share of mishaps such as low-pressure areas and typhoons that bring with them strong winds, rain, and chances of flash floods that can last for days at a time.
This can happen at any time but is more common during the rainy season, which is usually from June till October. The good news is, there are ways to possibly spare your home from the dangers of flash floods or at least make preparations sturdy enough to prevent any major damages. As the famous saying goes, it is better to be safe than sorry. It is a known fact that even the sturdiest homes can suffer from cracks and leakages despite being built with good quality materials. This regular wear and tear are inevitable and worth maintaining to avoid much bigger problems in the future. After all, our home is an extension of ourselves and should be maintained regularly.
In this article, we will tackle a few home maintenance tips, just in time for this year’s rainy season.
1. Inspect those roofs and gutters
It is a fact that our roof is the first line of defense from strong winds and heavy rains, so even if there is not much impact on the home’s overall feel, it plays a big role in keeping you and everyone else in your home safe.
The gutters also play an important part in draining the water and shielding us from great inconveniences brought about by natural disasters. If one of our gutters breaks, then the house would most likely experience flooding in some areas.
A month before the rainy season begins is the perfect time to check for any holes or cracks in the roof and gutters. Be sure to reseal everything and avoid any downpipe clogs. Make sure you do this inspection yearly to avoid any further damage caused by future typhoons.
2. Inspect your electrical systems
From the sockets to the wires, to the main switches, check all your electrical systems. This will help you create an extra layer of safety in your home, especially from unwanted water leaks which could lead to accidental fires.
If you do not know how to do it yourself, don’t fret! Not everyone does. It is best to hire an electrician to do the inspection at least twice a year. Just like your roofing and plumbing, these may not be aesthetic fixes, but instead, they are practical fixes that can save you a lot of money.
3. Be wary of pests, mosquitos, and the dangers they come with
The World Health Organization has declared over 169,000 dengue virus cases in 2015. Although those numbers are significantly lower now, the fact remains that this is due to mosquitoes that breed in murky and stagnant water in our homes, and most of the time, this happens during the rainy season whether we are aware of it or not.
It is best to keep our whole home free from stagnant waters and puddles that may form in different areas of our home during the rainy season, especially outdoors. These attract bugs and become ideal environments for mosquitoes to breed. It is best to be mindful of these and keep our family safe by cleaning the entire garden, swimming pools, aquariums or fish ponds after a few days of consistent rainfall.
4. Update your storage solutions
If possible, elevate your furniture and electrical appliances, especially if your home has a basement or lower floor, or if your house is not elevated. This is for the purpose of sudden flash floods.
If you are still in the process of designing your dream home, find heavy, sturdy, and waterproof storage solutions that will protect your most valuable belongings from getting wet or destroyed in case of rain or strong winds getting inside the house through a leak on the roof or flooding like our marbled boxes. Always choose sturdy furniture made of high-quality materials like metal, stone, wood, or marble that would more likely outlast a flood, and come out with no health risks like mold infestation unlike upholstered furniture.
We deserve to feel safe, no matter the seasons or weather conditions, and there should be no place on earth that would make you feel safer than your own home and personal sanctuary.
You probably already have a home maintenance checklist: Replace the furnace filter each season, shut off water spigots before winter, clean the gutters, etc. That’s a good start, but there are jobs that homeowners often forget about, or don’t even know about. Here are some important home maintenance items that may not be on your list-items that may cause a big headache, or worse, cost you big money if you neglect them.
FAMILY HANDYMAN
Test the Sump Pump or Risk a Flood
It’s easy to forget about your sump pump, but it’s important to make sure it’s in good working order. If you don’t, you could end up like the homeowner who returned from a weekend trip to discover his entire basement floor covered in 1/2 in. of water. After shutting down the power, he waded over to the sump pump and noticed it wasn’t working. Upon closer inspection, he realized that the cable attached to the float must have gotten tangled somehow. It took him two seconds to untangle the cable, and then he spent the next 15 hours dragging out waterlogged carpet, running the wet/dry vac and moving fans around. To avoid a similar disaster, be sure your pump has a vertical float switch. Also, check your pump at least a couple times a year by dumping water into the basin to make sure everything is working properly.
FAMILY HANDYMAN
Check for High Water Pressure or Wreck Fixtures and Appliances
A technician was assisting a water softener installer who was replacing a fairly new softener because the first one had ruptured and filled the pipes with little zeolite beads.
The installer didn’t seem too worried about why the first one failed, but the assistant did a little investigating. A water pressure test gave a reading of more than 110 lbs. psi. The culprit was the 20-year-old pressure-reducing valve. After a new valve was installed, the pressure went down to about 75 lbs. Pressure-reducing valves are usually found near the main water shutoff valve, but not all homes have them. It depends on your municipality.
High water pressure can harm pipes, connections, and appliances. It also creates water hammer and waste massive amounts of water. Checking for high water pressure is an often overlooked maintenance item, and one that’s easy enough to perform. A new pressure-reducing valve and a simple pressure gauge like this one that hooks up to a spigot or laundry tub faucet are both available at home centers.
FAMILY HANDYMAN
Clean Window Weep Holes or Invite Rainwater Into Your House
Many sliding windows and vinyl replacement windows have weep holes on the exterior bottom of the frame. These holes are designed to drain away rainwater that can collect in the frame’s bottom channel. Weep holes can get plugged with bugs and debris, and if that happens, water could fill up the channel and spill over into your house.
To see if your weep system is working, simply pour a glass of water into the track or spray the outside of the window with a garden hose. If you don’t see a steady stream of clean water exiting the weep hole, poke a wire hanger into the hole, or spray it out with compressed air, and wet it down again. If the little flapper (designed to keep out driving wind) is stuck shut, it can be removed with a putty knife and replaced.
Are you wondering when to replace everything in your home? Check out our list to find out how often you should replace things in your home.
FAMILY HANDYMAN
Clean Refrigerator Coils or Pay Unnecessary Repair Bills
Refrigerator condenser coils are located on the back of the fridge or across the bottom. When coils are clogged with dust, pet hair and cobwebs, they can’t efficiently release heat. The result is your compressor works harder and longer than it was designed to, using more energy and shortening the life of your fridge. Clean the coils with a coil-cleaning brush and vacuum. A coil-cleaning brush, which is bendable to fit in tight areas, does a thorough job. Look for one online or at appliance stores. For tips on repairing your refrigerator (without a service call), check out our guide.
FAMILY HANDYMAN
Keep Window Wells Clean or Risk a Broken Window and Wet Basement
If you’ve never had a problem with water in a window well, you may never think to clean it out. Here’s what happened to one homeowner who neglected his window wells. After an average rainfall, not even a heavy downpour, a clogged gutter dumped a lot of water next to his house and into his window well. The leaves in the well acted like a pool liner, preventing drainage, and the water level rose higher and higher until the pressure broke the basement windows. Gallons and gallons of water poured into the basement, ruining everything in sight. Unfortunately, he had no insurance coverage for that type of flood. Don’t let this happen to you. Keep window wells clean with a cover, available at home centers.
FAMILY HANDYMAN
Drain Sediment From Your Water Heater or Expect a Shortened Life Span
A distraught homeowner called a plumber because her water heater wasn’t heating, and furthermore, it was leaking. Right away, the plumber asked if the homeowner had been draining some of the water from it every year. The puzzled homeowner said, ‘No. Why?’ It turns out that sediment will collect at the bottom of the tank. This creates hot spots on gas-powered heaters that can damage the tank and cause premature failure. On an electric water heater, sediment buildup can cause the lower heating element to fail. So, occasionally draining a water heater will lower energy bills and extend its life. We recommend draining water heaters at least once a year.
FAMILY HANDYMAN
Lube Garage Door Springs or Replace Them Sooner Rather Than Later
Coat the overhead torsion springs mounted above roller tracks with a garage door lubricant. All springs will eventually break because of metal fatigue and/or corrosion, but lubing them at least once a year will make them last longer. Spraying can be messy; it’s smart to protect the wall behind the spring with a piece of cardboard. Garage door lubricant is available at home centers. Lube the rollers, hinges and track while you’re at it. Learn more garage door maintenance tips.
FAMILY HANDYMAN
Check for Mice Nests or Risk Damaged Equipment
Mice love to winter in enclosed places like engine compartments, window A/C units and lawn tractor nooks and crannies. If a vehicle or piece of equipment has been sitting unused for a while, check for mice nests before you start it up. The last thing you want to do is take out your boat and discover that you have little furry stowaways that have chewed through half the wires. Mice nests can also cause electronics to overheat and can get sucked into and clog carburetors.
FAMILY HANDYMAN
Clean Dryer Vents or Waste Energy and Risk a Fire
A plugged dryer vent will cause your dryer to run inefficiently, and that’s bad. A plugged dryer vent could also cause a house fire, and that could be deadly! Dryers that are centrally located in houses are most prone to plugging because of the longer ducts. Excess lint is only one reason ducts get clogged; nesting pests and stuck exhaust hood flappers can also cause backups. Stronger odors and longer dry times are two signs your vent is plugged. You’ll have to remove the vent from the back of the dryer to clean it. Suck debris from the ducts with a wet/dry vac, or ream them out with a cleaning kit that includes a brush on a long flexible rod that attaches to a power drill. The kits are available at home centers. If your ducts need replacing, get smooth metal ducts, which will stay cleaner longer than the rough corrugated surface of flexible ducts. Avoid plastic ducting altogether; it can be a fire hazard. Plus: Slash Heating Bills
FAMILY HANDYMAN
Check Garage Door Balance or Wreck Your Opener
A properly balanced door is less likely to injure someone or something and keeps the door opener from working too hard, which will shorten its life.
To check the balance on a door, close the door and then disengage the opener by pulling the opener release handle. Manually pull up the door about halfway and let go. A properly balanced door will stay in the halfway position by itself. If it falls, the tension needs to be increased. If the door rises, the door spring has too much tension, which means it’s working harder than it needs to.
Check the door a couple times a year. Adjusting the spring tension is tricky and dangerous. Call a garage door professional to perform the service, or see advanced garage door repairs.
Doors and windows are two of the biggest energy wasting areas of the house. In the summer, they may allow cool air to escape, and in the winter, they allow heat to do the same. They also allow cold winter drafts to permeate the interior of the house, making rooms cold and uncomfortable.
Normally, you can tell if your door is the source of a cold draft by simply running your hand around the perimeter of the frame, and along the bottom. Older doors that emit winter drafts may have shifted over time. This causes gaps along the openings and insulation loss. Sometimes, doors are simply not installed tightly in the first place. There are plenty of companies out there that also offers replacement doors. Kelly Window & Door is a replacement window and door installation company that can help in these circumstances to make sure the heat stays out but can also look at the windows to see if there are small cracks or gaps letting air and heat out.
If it is not possible to replace the door with one that is more energy efficient, that fits tightly into the frame, there are other ways to eliminate some of the problem.
Weather Stripping
Felt or rubber weather stripping is available everywhere, from home improvement stores to discount chains. This insulating material, that has one sticky side and one softer, pliable side, is available in various lengths and widths to fit any frame. It is also easy to cut to length.
Attach stripping to the frame, so that when the door closes, the gaps that allowed the cold air in seal. The thickness of this insulation depends chiefly on the amount of space you have to work with. Using an insulation that is too thin will not produce the desired results. Insulation that is too thick will not allow the door to close properly.
Door Sweep
A gap beneath the door is usally the cause of the cold air that travels across the floor of a room. Correct this by adding a door sweep.
You can purchase door sweeps any width door. They are also custom made to fit. Attach by screwing the sweep onto the bottom of the door. Or, in some instances, fitting the sweep over the bottom by pushing it in place starting at one edge of the door. Sweeps can be either metal with a rubber edge, foam, or rubber.
Draft Guards
If there is still a noticeable draft beneath the door, or for a quick fix, add draft guards. You can also make your own as they are made from material. Sew material into a tube shape. Stuff with fiberfill or some other material. Then, lay draft guard against the bottom edge of the door keeping the cold air to a minimum.
Once you have insulated around your doors, you should see an improvement, not only in the temperature of the room, but eventually in the cost of heating and cooling your home.
Set up a tent in a room that connects with a bathroom and spend time/sleep inside the tent. No tent? Drape blankets over a table for a similar effect.
Make a Buddy Burner for light and a small amount of heat. Be sure to vent the room to allow fumes to escape to the outside and not accumulate inside your home.
Use an indoor-safe portable stove for cooking small meals. Hot food helps boost morale.
If you have a fireplace, maintain a good-sized fire throughout the day and night. If you can’t use your fireplace, be sure the damper is closed tightly to block cold air from entering your home. Also, invest in a carbon monoxide detector with battery backup.
Wrap yourself in one or more blankets. To help you stay warm while moving about, wrap fleece blankets around your waist or under your arms and pin them. Blanket scarves are also good options for this technique. Just don’t overload to the point you excessively sweat because that actually pulls heat AWAY from the body.
If you have a gas range, boil/heat water and then pour it into a hot water bottle. (Learn how to start your gas range’s pilot light.)
Make an Apple Box Stove to cook food and as an off-grid method for staying warm without electricity.
Spend the day inside the warmest sleeping bag you own.
Put bricks or large rocks in your fireplace, heat them, remove safely using tongs, and then wrap them in blankets to warm beds and bodies.
Wear Appropriate Clothing
Wear fleece-lined pants and/or fleece-lined tights. It’s amazing how this one strategy will help you stay warm without electricity. These are the pants I own and love.
Wear wool socks and a wool cap throughout the day and night.
Wear socks and shoes in the house, and never stand or rest your feet on a bare floor (tile, concrete, etc.) Either wear socks or place your feet on a rug or blanket. This minimizes conductive cooling. If you have bare floors and not enough rugs, put blankets or even towels on the floor in areas where you’ll be walking and spending time.
Shop now for cold-weather clothing in second-hand clothing stores as well as from outdoors/sporting goods stores and, of course, online.
Keep your house warm without power
Cover uninsulated vinyl or hardwood floors with throw rugs or blankets. The estimated heat loss through floors is about 10%.
Hang heavy blankets over windows and exterior doors, especially glass sliding doors.
Block drafts under doors by cutting the legs off of a pair of tights and stuffing socks into it. Lay at the base of any door you feel cold air coming through. Or plan ahead and order them.
Avoid pipe freezes by wrapping vulnerable pipes with a heating cable.
Heat rises. If possible, spend most of your time upstairs as long as it’s also well-insulated.
Invest in an indoor safe radiant propane heater like Mr. Heater Big Buddy Portable Heater, which has an Oxygen Depletion Sensor and accidental tip-over safety shut-off. Add propane and a carbon monoxide detector.
Change Locations
Sit in your car with the heater on. NOTE: This is a short-term solution and should only be done with your car parked in a well-ventilated garage or in an otherwise open area. This also allows you time to charge your phones and electronics.
In a dire emergency, check with your town/city to see if any public warming sites are available.
Other Ways to Stay Warm Without Power
Cuddle up with your cats and/or dogs.
Keep babies and toddlers warm with your body heat by carrying them in a sling or other baby carrier.
Do a moderate workout to a YouTube video or make up your own routine to increase body heat but not to the point of sweating a lot, which is counterproductive.
Prepare a hot beverage or a cup of soup stew using your off-grid cooking method. It will warm you from within.
Doorbell cameras are “super helpful” at stopping or catching porch pirates, said Amber Orrey, outreach coordinator at the Mount Shasta Police Department. However, people who get home deliveries — and even those who pick up orders at Amazon lockers or retail stores — should take precautions, she said.
While not a guarantee you won’t be the victim of a theft, you can make it harder for porch pirates to pilfer parcels.
“Check tracking notices. Have more expensive items sent to a locker or schedule a delivery time for when you’re going to be home,” Orrey said.
Don’t leave packages unattended for long periods and schedule deliveries for times you’ll be home.
Ship merchandise to a physical store for pick up.
Require a signature for delivery if someone is home to sign for it.
Use a locker. Some retailers, including Amazon.com, offer secure package-receiving locations. You can access a locker with a key or code.
Take precautionary measures, like installing motion-sensitive lights or a door camera. In some cases, this equipment can discourage package thieves.
Call the police if you see someone stealing packages from a neighbor.
If you’ll be out of town during the holidays, ask a trusted neighbor to check your porch for deliveries daily.
If you ask for a neighbor’s help, give them a signed note with permission to come on your property and take your packages, just in case another neighbor spots them and calls the police.
And dole out some gratitude. Make sure you thank people afterwards and volunteer “to return the favor” when they’re away, according to etiquette specialist Emily Post’s Neighborly Manners guide.
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