Tips To Be Roof-Ready For Spring

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It's been a doozy of a winter here at the Jersey Shore. We've had a little bit of everything from snow to sleet to high winds. Any one of those weather elements, much less the combination of all three, is a recipe for disaster for your roof. In the aftermath of our recent storm, we woke to find roofing shingles scattered throughout our property. 

High winds had wreaked havoc on our roof, and we had no idea how widespread the problem was since we could see only random shingles that had blown off rather. It was time to call in a professional. We turned to Peter's Roofing to get a better idea of the extent of the damage, an estimate of repairs, and a timeline for getting the work completed.

With spring on the way, we wanted to be sure the repairs were completed before the rainy season sets in, potentially creating an even bigger problem. We also have a skylight in our kitchen that we wanted to have inspected to be sure we aren't on the verge of a leak.

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5 Tips For Work From Home Moms

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Working from home has plenty of pros and cons. Sometimes navigating the bad days can be pretty stressful. You might have been working from home for a long while, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy. Sometimes we all need a few pointers to help us to improve our routine. To boost your productivity and stay calm, consider these five simple tips.

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3 Tips For Decreasing Your Home Utility Bills

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Running a household can get expensive over time, and it’s not uncommon for us to pay for services that we either do not need or rarely use. This is why, over time, it can be worthwhile to check through our home utility bills and make changes where necessary.

It’s true that over the last year, many of us have spent more time in our homes than we were planning to. This very likely means that we’ve had more time to consider just what we actually need or what we spend on, and this is, of course, coupled with the fact that the need to save money is often stronger than ever. So, in the long run, how can we handle our home utility bills in the best possible way?

Asking yourself this question can help you discover what services aren't necessary and how you can negotiate with providers more effectively to decrease your costs. It could also be that certain elements, such as paying off your past debts, can be better structured and solved. Let’s consider three of the best tips regarding your utility bill set up, below:

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How To Prepare Your Property For Winter

This post was written in partnership with Premier Snow Management.

Now that the holidays are behind us and we have at least 3+ months of winter ahead of us, it's time to start thinking about "winterizing" your property. It's better to be ahead of the game during the winter months so that you don't find yourself without heat, with excess snow you can't remove, or with unnecessary damage to your home. Here are a few easy ways to prepare your property for winter's challenging months and treacherous weather.

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Tips To Optimize Your Home Air Quality

 These days we are spending more and more time at home. If you are a non-essential worker, it's likely that you are working at home. Chances are your children are at home at least part-time for school. With all the time we are spending indoors, it's important that the air quality of our homes is the best it can be. Indoor air quality is often overlooked as it isn't something that is immediately noticeable. We can't see it or smell it, so we tend to ignore it until we start to suffer possible side effects.

We recently had an issue in one of our bathrooms where mold had begun to grow and eventually spread. It was cause for concern since mold can be very unhealthy, especially for those who suffer from respiratory issues such as asthma. Mold is considered an indoor air pollutant, and if left untreated, mold will spread throughout your home and cause serious respiratory and overall health problems.

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The 10 Best Things I've Bought From Amazon Lately

Amazon has been coming in clutch for the past six months while we've been on lockdown. And even now that most stores are open in some capacity, we are still relying heavily on Amazon. Every two weeks we've placed at least one order for anything from a handy kitchen gadget to a bathroom organization item to a cozy piece of loungewear and more. A recent browse through my Order History on Amazon inspired me to share some of my best buys with you.

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10 Things to Consider When Renovating a Bathroom

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The bathroom is one of the most highly trafficked rooms in any home. When guests arrive, they typically ask to use the bathroom before seeing the rest of the house. When you are ready to achieve the heart of perfection in this essential space, consider these ten important things during your next bathroom renovation project.

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3 Tips For Getting Your House Ready For 2021

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Yes, you are reading that title and crying out ‘but it’s only September!’. Sure, it is only September - and that means we are almost in the last quarter of the year. Most of us are just trying to get through today before we even give a thought to tomorrow, but before we know it, we'll be putting tup he Christmas decorations and making our new year’s resolutions for 2021.

2020 has not gone how anyone planned it. When we woke up on January 1st of this year, the thought of a global pandemic sweeping the globe, killing hundreds of thousands of people and sending entire countries into lockdown was inconceivable, but here we are, slowly starting to come out of the other end of it. Many of us are thinking about next year and how we can make it a much better year. One of the best ways to do this is to make sure that your house is in order, that it is safe and is not going to harm your health.

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5 Tips To Prepare For Hurricane Season

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Here at the Jersey shore, we are preparing to head into hurricane season. Since Hurricane Sandy made landfall here in 2012, hurricane season continues to instill a sense of fear and uneasiness in most Jersey shore residents. From high winds to storm surges that cause flooding to loss of power and utilities, it's important to be prepared for any situation.

Even over the course of this summer, we've been faced with heavy thunderstorms that have caused extensive damage from downed trees as a result of powerful winds. Whether it's the summer storm season or hurricane season, here are 5 tips for preparing your home and yourself to stay ahead of the game.

1. Create a Hurricane Supplies Kit
This kit should contain essentials that you'll need in the event of loss of power or if you become stranded inside your home. Plenty of batteries, bottled water, blankets, candles, coolers filled with ice, and if you have a gas or charcoal grill, be sure to have the gas tank filled and extra bags of charcoal so that you can cook.

2. Determine an Evacuation Plan
If you live in an evacuation zone, be sure to know the route you will need to take to leave a dangerous area. They are most often marked with signs, but you can call local authorities to get the specific and direct routes. Also, allow plenty of time to evacuate and expect traffic as you exit your area. Also, have a bag packed in the event that you may need to evacuate mid-storm. If you have pets, have supplies read to go for them, including carriers and cages. You don't want to be scurrying at the last moment looking for a carrier that is at the back of the attic.

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3. Strengthen Your Home
The first place to suffer the effects of a hurricane or strong storm is the exterior of your home. Roofing, siding, and gutters are most likely to become damaged during a storm. Peter's Roofing Company offers before and after-storm services to inspect your roof, siding, gutters, and even skylights before a problem occurs. If you find yourself in the unfortunate position of having suffered damage to the exterior of your home, Peter's Roofing specializes in expert repair of roofs, gutters, siding, skylights, and more. The experts in New Jersey EPDM roofing, Peter's Roofing employs expert estimators who can help you determine which roof is best for your home and your budget. When it's time for installation, Peter's Roofing pays careful attention to project timelines and budgets to remain within the parameters while adhering to quality and safety standards.

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Founded by Pedro Guaman, Peter's Roofing Company is recognized as one of the best roofing contractors in New Jersey. Pedro, his brothers, and other related families continue to exceed their clients’ expectations with their professional and efficient work, which includes roofing, siding, gutters, doors, windows, skylights, chimneys, attic fan, roof leak repair, flat roof repair installations and replacements, roof pipes, exterior renovations and exterior home improvement that will bring joy to you and your family for years to come.

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4. Get an Insurance Check Up
Make sure you are up-to-date on all required insurances. If you live in a flood zone, be sure you have flood coverage on your homeowner's policy. Also, confirm with your agent, what will be covered if your home suffers damage whether it's to the exterior of your home or to the interior (basement flooding, etc.).

5. Complete a Written Plan
If you can't complete a written plan, at a minimum, have a plan in mind and communicate it to the entire family so that everyone is one the same page. Make sure everyone knows where emergency supplies are located. Let the family know when you will evacuate should you need to do so.

Take action today, so you are prepared for the 2020 hurricane season.

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How To Keep Your Home Pest-Free

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We've had a pesky, yet albeit inconsistent, ant problem for years. They pop up when we least expect them and during times of the year when ants generally shouldn't be invading our home. We've found them everywhere from the kitchen to the bathroom to the master bedroom and places in between.

We've sprayed, placed traps, sprinkled Borax, and tried every other trick in the book. But time and time again, the ants return and are worse than they were before. If you've ever had an ant issue, you know that they are persistent. They don't tire or surrender easily, and often "over the counter" tactics just aren't effective. We had finally had enough when I was in bed reading to find one crawling across my hand. Yuck! Time to call in the pros!

We finally gave up trying to rectify the problem on our own and went in search of a professional pest control service that could help us with this problem once and for all. After much research online and chatting with friends and neighbors in search of recommendations, we discovered that Surf Termite & Pest Control, a local, Jersey-shore based service in Neptune, NJ would be our best bet for successfully helping rid us of our irksome little ant friends.

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How To Create The Perfect Outdoor Living Space This Summer

Summer is here and for most of us that means we'll be enjoying more time outdoors in our yards, on our patios, or on our decks. No matter where you live, you can enjoy a beautiful outdoor space all year round with a few well-placed plants, ambient lighting, comfortable furniture, and miscellaneous outdoor items. Creating the perfect outdoor living area not only gives you a place to retire to after an exhausting day, it also expands your overall living space, even if only for a few months of the year.

From plants to heating elements to lighting to furniture, you want to be sure every detail is considered. This is a place you'll be spending time in as well as entertaining in. So, you'll want it to reflect your personal style as well as be inviting and comfortable for you and your guests. The smallest details from pillows to plants shouldn't be overlooked.

Here are several ideas on how to spice up your yard into a place you will love spending time.

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How To Deep Clean Your Kitchen

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The kitchen is the heart of most homes. A lot of love is poured out in the meals prepared and eaten, in the conversations that happen, and among the coffee that is brewed. Kitchens are busy, crumby, and filled up with ingredients to make delicious meals.

But that also means that they need a lot of love and care - and a deep clean every few months.

But where do you start? Is there a best way to do it? Being in lockdown is a good time to tackle a kitchen deep-cleaning. Here are a few ways I approached the project when I took it on this week.

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Small Changes To Make Around the House To Save You Money

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It’s a challenge to save money in this uncertain world. There are distractions from saving everywhere, always new subscription services (hello, Book of the Month Club) or new restaurants to try out. It feels like there is no way to budget and save for future, no matter how hard you try.

However, if there’s one place that you can always save money even when you’re struggling to budget, it’s your home. While you can’t avoid mortgage or rent payments, there are other aspects of the house that will help you cut costs.

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What Does Your Dream Home Look Like?

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Since being quarantined almost 4 weeks ago, I've been spending a lot more time (WAY too much) on Pinterest. Obviously, I've been looking for recipes ideas (aren't we all?). I've also been basking in all the pretty pictures, whether they are travel pics, food pics, fashion pics, or insightful quotes. But the type of pictures I seem to be the most fascinated by are the home pictures. Maybe it's because I've been spending so much time in mine that I just want to look at everyone else's. We all want to live in beautiful, grand surroundings. But due to money and resource constraints, that isn't always possible. That's where your imagination comes in. I've come across some pictures of home features that I had no idea existed. I'm not kidding when I say there are some really far out houses out there. Here are a few of the things I might include in the dream home of my imagination.

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7 Ways To Save Money On Kitchen Appliances

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Our house was built in 1996. Up until a few years ago, most of our appliances were the original ones that were in the house when it was built and when we moved into the home in 2006. Within the past few years, the appliances have slowly stopped working, primarily due to their advanced age. Kitchen appliances are essential to modern living. Over the years, we've gotten adept at buying new appliances. And because we've often had to do so often, we've gotten really good at finding the best sales and knowing where to splurge and where to save. Whether you’re outfitting your first home or shopping for replacements, here are a few ways in which you can save money on appliances.

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How To Make Your Home More Appealing To Potential Buyers

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Selling your home can be nerve-wracking and exciting all at the same time. There’s a lot to think about and do as you prepare to put your home on the market. The faster it sells, the quicker you can move on and into your new home.

If you want the process to be quick and painless, take time to make your property more appealing to potential buyers. Focus on updates and features that will draw potential buyers in and spark their interest in wanting to buy your home. Work with your realtor to take care of any finishing touches before it’s time to show it off.

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This Is Why Your House Won't Sell

Eventually, the time will come when you put your home on the market, hoping that some lucky buyer will place a winning bid and move in shortly thereafter. Every year, millions of homeowners do just that believing that they’ll be able to sell their property quickly and find a new home elsewhere.

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A significant percentage of those sellers, however, find that they’re not able to sell their homes anything like as fast as they want. Three months roll by, then six months, and their property is still on the market. After a year, they throw their hands up in the air and wonder whether it is worth selling their home at all!

Fortunately, identifying the reasons a house won’t sell is surprisingly easy. Usually, it comes down to one of a small number of issues that you can fix. Take a look at the following reasons why your house won’t sell and what you can do about it.

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Ways To Save On Home Improvements

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So you want to invest in some home improvements, but you’re a little wary of just how big the budget might end being? It’s a justifiable concern, home improvements often cost more than you might expect and those costs can add up quick. For that reason, here we’re going to look at ways you can keep your costs down.

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The Importance Of Good Lighting In Your Home

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Do you know how important light is in your life? It is a critical element of our everyday lives. Think about it; light tells us what time it is; it tells us when it’s time to go to bed and helps to wake us up in the morning. In the activities we do throughout the day, we might need light to assist us in the workplace, or a dimmed lamp can set the mood for a romantic dinner. Light has such a significant impact on our health and wellbeing that you must get it right in your home.

Natural Light

Daylight is essential as it maintains your daily cycle of activity and sleep - your circadian rhythm which allows you to perform at your best. Sunlight is how your body makes vitamin D, which is essential for your immune system and healthy bones. Vitamin D helps to control the hormones that control many of your bodily functions, and even your genes respond to daylight, which allows you to fight disease.

Ideally, all homes would be full of natural light, as this is the best lighting for everyone and everything. However, in many homes, this isn’t possible, so it’s essential to enhance the light that you do have in your home. You can do this by making sure all of your windows are clean. It sounds simple, but it's easy to let your windows go untouched for months even years. You get used to the dirt, dust, and grime building up gradually, and you won't even notice how diluted the natural light has become. It's a good idea to make a point to clean the inside of the windows at least once every two months. If you live in an apartment building, then ask to have your windows cleaned regularly throughout the year. Also, make sure you open your curtains or blinds every morning to let the natural light in and hang mirrors on walls opposite of windows to help maximize and disperse the light you get throughout the room.

According to a report from 2006, there is a link between sunlight, circadian rhythms, and your mood, and people who suffer from seasonal affective disorder (SAD) experience depression during the autumn and winter months because their serotonin levels drop due to lower amounts of sunlight. Having less exposure to sunlight can also mess with your melatonin levels and circadian rhythm, and this can cause you to become sleep-deprived and grumpy. The windows in your home are your first connection to the outside world, and natural light will help you feel energized and ready to take on the day.

When looking to buy a home, choose one with large windows and lots of natural light. If that is not an option, look for ways to compensate for small windows: place mirrors on walls opposite to windows so that they’d reflect daylight and create a brighter home.

Bright Light Can Make You Feel Warmer

Studies have shown that bright light can make people feel as though they are warmer, even when the temperature of the room hasn't changed. If you're feeling cold and want to get warmer, then try turning on all the lights in your home, but be aware that brighter lighting and feeling warmer, can also heighten whatever emotion you’re feeling. So, for example, if you're feeling happy, excited, sad, or anxious, then you will feel more of this in more lighting. In the studies, the bright light increased the intensity of the participants' emotional response as well as making them feel physically warmer. However, if you are hot and need to put your fan on, you can also get fans with lights now too, which can add to the ambiance as well as making you cool.

Task Lighting

Whether you need it to apply your makeup, chop vegetables, or to read in bed, task lighting allows you to see exactly what you’re doing, which helps you avoid eye strain and headaches. To get the ideal task lighting in your home, put a reading lamp on your bedside table and desk, and make sure that your bathroom mirror and kitchen counters have good light too.

Provide robust and functional lighting for study rooms and at desks where kids do their homework. Table lamps are usually suitable for such occasions, but overhead lights are necessary as well.

Although many people dislike living and working under harsh, fluorescent ceiling lights, bright lighting is essential if you need to be alert and focused and is necessary to stimulate your brain and increase your serotonin levels, as these can help you to concentrate. If you’re working from home or doing some personal admin, then make sure the lighting in your home is bright enough to energize you and help you to focus. Try getting some halogen, LED, or compact fluorescent bulbs in your home.

Ambient Lighting

For a friendly atmosphere and to reduce electricity consumption, use candles whenever you can: in the dining room during dinners, in the bedroom while getting ready for bed, in the living room while playing games, drinking wine, or watching movies.

You can make your home an expression of your personality, taste, and style by getting creative with your lighting. Apart from just choosing floor and desk lamps in colors and designs that complement your home, think about using additional sources of light such as candles, night lights, fairy lights, or DIY Mason jar lamps with tea lights, which will make your home feel cozy, mellow, and warm.

Dimmer Switches For Sleep

When it’s dark, your brain knows that it's time to sleep, and the pineal gland secretes melatonin, which promotes sleep and regulates your body’s cycle. Spending time in bright lighting in the evening can interfere with your sleep-wake cycle, which can affect your overall health. You can help your brain and body wind down in the evening by dimming the lights and using
energy-efficient light bulbs.

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How To Draft-Proof Your Home To Keep It Warm This Winter

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Winter is coming! And if you haven't thought about draft-proofing your home before, it's time to start thinking about it. Most homes, especially older ones, have a lot of small gaps that let cold air in. If you don’t plug these gaps around your home, it will be a lot harder to keep the warm air in and the cold air out. Plus, you may have an issue with noise pollution as well. That’s why draft-proofing is one of the best ways to make your home more eco-friendly and create a better atmosphere at the same time. Here are some of the best ways to draft-proof your home.

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