The best measures to take to keep your driveway looking its best is by regular cleanings and also applying a high quality sealing product. How often you can clean and re-seal does depend on weather conditions as well as the amount of vehicle traffic.
Generally speaking, a good time estimate for resealing your driveway is every two years or when the last finish begins to show signs of wear and tear.
Some ways to keep your pavement looking its best;
Avoid using de-icing chemicals. These chemicals can contain ammonium nitrates and sulphates that penetrate the surface and attack it underneath. Rock Salt which is also known as sodium chloride will do less damage to the surface but will damage vegetation and corrode metal. Another option is to use sand or kitty litter on the driveway for traction. If you get a chance to reseal your driveway in the fall, it will go a long way in protecting your concrete from any harmful effects winter can bring.
Maintaining Your Driveway In The Winter Months
The best measures to take to keep your driveway looking its best is by regular cleanings and also applying a high quality sealing product. How often you can clean and re-seal does depend on weather conditions as well as the amount of vehicle traffic.
Generally speaking, a good time estimate for resealing your driveway is every two years or when the last finish begins to show signs of wear and tear.
Some ways to keep your pavement looking its best;
Avoid using de-icing chemicals. These chemicals can contain ammonium nitrates and sulphates that penetrate the surface and attack it underneath. Rock Salt which is also known as sodium chloride will do less damage to the surface but will damage vegetation and corrode metal. Another option is to use sand or kitty litter on the driveway for traction. If you get a chance to reseal your driveway in the fall, it will go a long way in protecting your concrete from any harmful effects winter can bring.
Cleaning Your Curtains
Being a barrier between the inside and outside of your home, curtains are magnets for tons of dirt. When windows in your home are open, moisture and dirt from outside are absorbed by your curtains. If there is a draft in your house while windows are closed, then little particles can still reach through. All the dust that is blown around the house via your ceiling fan or vents like to also settle on your curtains.
Taking down, washing, drying and rehanging your curtains on a weekly basis to keep them clean is a lot of work and will also ruin your curtains. You are able to remove a good portion of dust and dirt off the surfaces of the drapes just by adding them to your weekly cleaning routine.
Here are some tips to remember when cleaning your curtains;
You should at least be vacuuming drapes once a month. If you have any pets at home you may consider vacuuming weekly because of allergens or dander. Use the soft brush attachment on your vacuum or a hand held one. Be gentle not to pull too hard on the drapes so they don’t pull away from the rods.
If you have blinds there is no need to remove them. Use the soft brush attachment from your vacuum in a left to right direction on the slates. When dusting also follow the same direction. Do not go up and down as this can cause damage to the slates.
If you’ve got vinyl blinds pick up a dry, rubber sponge and remove dust and dirt by putting firm pressure and move across. Wooden blinds should be cleaned with a moist cloth, make sure you are wringing out this cloth as excessive water could soak the wood and cause warping.
Cleaning Your Curtains
Being a barrier between the inside and outside of your home, curtains are magnets for tons of dirt. When windows in your home are open, moisture and dirt from outside are absorbed by your curtains. If there is a draft in your house while windows are closed, then little particles can still reach through. All the dust that is blown around the house via your ceiling fan or vents like to also settle on your curtains.
Taking down, washing, drying and rehanging your curtains on a weekly basis to keep them clean is a lot of work and will also ruin your curtains. You are able to remove a good portion of dust and dirt off the surfaces of the drapes just by adding them to your weekly cleaning routine.
Here are some tips to remember when cleaning your curtains;
You should at least be vacuuming drapes once a month. If you have any pets at home you may consider vacuuming weekly because of allergens or dander. Use the soft brush attachment on your vacuum or a hand held one. Be gentle not to pull too hard on the drapes so they don’t pull away from the rods.
If you have blinds there is no need to remove them. Use the soft brush attachment from your vacuum in a left to right direction on the slates. When dusting also follow the same direction. Do not go up and down as this can cause damage to the slates.
If you’ve got vinyl blinds pick up a dry, rubber sponge and remove dust and dirt by putting firm pressure and move across. Wooden blinds should be cleaned with a moist cloth, make sure you are wringing out this cloth as excessive water could soak the wood and cause warping.
Water Damage & Restoration – Why Choose Professionals
Initially your first thought may be gather a few people and try to take care of the damage yourself. With the internet there are a plethora of DIY pages on how to do water damage restoration but there are many reasons you should call professionals when this situation occurs.
It is more work than you think. Beyond water removal and damage restoration, when flooding occurs there could be underlying damages that you are unaware of. Depending on the severity of the damage you may need sewage clean ups, water extraction, mold remediation, crawl space drying and other services. If you decide to take on this challenge on your own, you may only be providing yourself with a temporary fix.
The job will be done by experts. Steamatic has over 40 years of experience helping property owners with water damage restoration. Their most effective technique freezes all the objects that have been damaged, they are then gently heated while any water is extracted from them before it causes mould or mildew.
They have the proper tools. Water removal and damage restoration requires specialized equipment which may be challenging for someone without any experience to operate. If you want your property to revert to the way it was originally, your carpets being clean and fresh as ever then leave it to the professionals. You also don’t want to go out and spend a excessive amount of money for tools you may only need to use once.
Flood water can be a host for many diseases that can cause bacterias and viruses, leptospirosis being one example. Restoration services do more than just clean and remove moisture, they leave your home clean and sanitized.
Most importantly, your mind will be at ease. By letting professionals take care of the situation, you know the job will be done correctly and thoroughly.
Water Damage & Restoration – Why Choose Professionals
Initially your first thought may be gather a few people and try to take care of the damage yourself. With the internet there are a plethora of DIY pages on how to do water damage restoration but there are many reasons you should call professionals when this situation occurs.
It is more work than you think. Beyond water removal and damage restoration, when flooding occurs there could be underlying damages that you are unaware of. Depending on the severity of the damage you may need sewage clean ups, water extraction, mold remediation, crawl space drying and other services. If you decide to take on this challenge on your own, you may only be providing yourself with a temporary fix.
The job will be done by experts. Steamatic has over 40 years of experience helping property owners with water damage restoration. Their most effective technique freezes all the objects that have been damaged, they are then gently heated while any water is extracted from them before it causes mould or mildew.
They have the proper tools. Water removal and damage restoration requires specialized equipment which may be challenging for someone without any experience to operate. If you want your property to revert to the way it was originally, your carpets being clean and fresh as ever then leave it to the professionals. You also don’t want to go out and spend a excessive amount of money for tools you may only need to use once.
Flood water can be a host for many diseases that can cause bacterias and viruses, leptospirosis being one example. Restoration services do more than just clean and remove moisture, they leave your home clean and sanitized.
Most importantly, your mind will be at ease. By letting professionals take care of the situation, you know the job will be done correctly and thoroughly.
Why HVAC Cleaning is Important
In the average sized home, around 40 pounds of dust are created every year through regular everyday living. Most of the dust remains suspended in the air, while some of it settles on your furniture, floors and objects throughout your home. The dust in the air is circulated through a filter in your HVAC system, and the same air is re-circulated few times daily. Over time contaminants are built up in the ducts that can include dander, allergens, skin, dust, smoke, pollen, mold, chemicals, mildew, and bacteria. Even with the filter the system still gets dirty.
When these contaminants build up in your air ducts they can begin to have negative effects on your health because they are constantly recycling the contaminants through the air. The performance of your HVAC system is also at risk of becoming much less efficient, and can also increase the cost of running your HVAC.
Steamatic has an intense three-step HVAC cleaning process that removes over 80% of mould, mildew and other bacterias as well as works to prevent any further growth in the future. This plan begins by loosening the contaminants from the ducts, killing them and then effectively removing them.
Often overlooked by other companies, the heating and cooling coils need to be cleaned as well. Bacteria can collect around these coils making them a potential threat.
When these contaminants accumulate in your HVAC ducts and vents it reduces the quality of the system, making it work less efficiently and effectively. This results in higher heating and air conditioning bills all year round.
Steamatic can help reduce your carbon footprint with their cleaning and maintenance techniques that assist in using low levels of energy to cool and heat your home, this will also result in less expensive utility bills.
Be confident knowing that Steamatic will not perform an HVAC cleaning process before checking to make sure if you are in need of their services or not.
Why HVAC Cleaning is Important
In the average sized home, around 40 pounds of dust are created every year through regular everyday living. Most of the dust remains suspended in the air, while some of it settles on your furniture, floors and objects throughout your home. The dust in the air is circulated through a filter in your HVAC system, and the same air is re-circulated few times daily. Over time contaminants are built up in the ducts that can include dander, allergens, skin, dust, smoke, pollen, mold, chemicals, mildew, and bacteria. Even with the filter the system still gets dirty.
When these contaminants build up in your air ducts they can begin to have negative effects on your health because they are constantly recycling the contaminants through the air. The performance of your HVAC system is also at risk of becoming much less efficient, and can also increase the cost of running your HVAC.
Steamatic has an intense three-step HVAC cleaning process that removes over 80% of mould, mildew and other bacterias as well as works to prevent any further growth in the future. This plan begins by loosening the contaminants from the ducts, killing them and then effectively removing them.
Often overlooked by other companies, the heating and cooling coils need to be cleaned as well. Bacteria can collect around these coils making them a potential threat.
When these contaminants accumulate in your HVAC ducts and vents it reduces the quality of the system, making it work less efficiently and effectively. This results in higher heating and air conditioning bills all year round.
Steamatic can help reduce your carbon footprint with their cleaning and maintenance techniques that assist in using low levels of energy to cool and heat your home, this will also result in less expensive utility bills.
Be confident knowing that Steamatic will not perform an HVAC cleaning process before checking to make sure if you are in need of their services or not.
Safety Proofing Your Home For Children
A good place to start childproofing your home would be the kitchen. The kitchen is full of dangerous tools, utensils and obstacles that can cause unintentional injury. All cabinets should have safety latches or locks to prevent children from gaining access to anything poisonous or toxic, medicine, knives or other sharp objects. Keep all kitchen appliances and their cords away from the edges of counters or tables. Use the back burners on the stove when cooking to keep hot pots and pans out of reach.
In the bathroom you should be extremely careful as this is a place where most people have tendencies to leave things plugged in and lying around. Start again with the safety locks for cabinets so access to any medicines or other products are kept. Use a toilet lock to keep the lid closed so your child does not accidentally fall in or play with/throw anything in the bowl. Ensure that you keep blow dryers and irons unplugged when not in use with the cords secured. When they are in use keep them away from the edge of the counter-top from little fingers.
In the bedroom where there is a lot of furniture, it is crucial to use corner and edge bumpers to prevent many types of injuries head to toe. Secure all shelving to the walls using brackets so they cannot fall over and cause accidents or damages. Safety latches for drawers or cabinets in the bedroom are a must as well.
All over the home you should be covering every unused electrical outlets with safety caps or outlet covers/plates. For outlets that are near water, in the kitchen or bathroom have them updated with ground fault circuit interrupters which will turn off electricity if the appliance makes contact with water.
Smoke alarms are necessary in bedrooms, outside each room and on every level of your home. Make sure you are testing them on a monthly basis and replace them roughly every 10 years.
Keeping your children and family safe from harm and your home free from accidental damages will give you greater piece of mind.
Safety Proofing Your Home For Children
A good place to start childproofing your home would be the kitchen. The kitchen is full of dangerous tools, utensils and obstacles that can cause unintentional injury. All cabinets should have safety latches or locks to prevent children from gaining access to anything poisonous or toxic, medicine, knives or other sharp objects. Keep all kitchen appliances and their cords away from the edges of counters or tables. Use the back burners on the stove when cooking to keep hot pots and pans out of reach.
In the bathroom you should be extremely careful as this is a place where most people have tendencies to leave things plugged in and lying around. Start again with the safety locks for cabinets so access to any medicines or other products are kept. Use a toilet lock to keep the lid closed so your child does not accidentally fall in or play with/throw anything in the bowl. Ensure that you keep blow dryers and irons unplugged when not in use with the cords secured. When they are in use keep them away from the edge of the counter-top from little fingers.
In the bedroom where there is a lot of furniture, it is crucial to use corner and edge bumpers to prevent many types of injuries head to toe. Secure all shelving to the walls using brackets so they cannot fall over and cause accidents or damages. Safety latches for drawers or cabinets in the bedroom are a must as well.
All over the home you should be covering every unused electrical outlets with safety caps or outlet covers/plates. For outlets that are near water, in the kitchen or bathroom have them updated with ground fault circuit interrupters which will turn off electricity if the appliance makes contact with water.
Smoke alarms are necessary in bedrooms, outside each room and on every level of your home. Make sure you are testing them on a monthly basis and replace them roughly every 10 years.
Keeping your children and family safe from harm and your home free from accidental damages will give you greater piece of mind.
