Pond and Pool Maintenance, Landscaping, Roofing, and Home Improvement. Odd Jobs for an affordable cost. Serving the needs of customers in the Richmond Virginia area.
Showing posts with label Henrico. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Henrico. Show all posts

5 Tips For Better Landscaping



There is no doubt that when landscaping one wants to save money, as well as have an attractive property. Not only can landscaping help you beautify your home, but it can also provide a source of satisfying exercise in the fresh air. When you take care of your yard on your own, it is possible to save money and to improve your physical conditioning. But if the landscape turns out to look bad, then that is so much time and money wasted. However, it is possible to ensure a better-looking landscape by following a few tips that can help you take better care of your yard.

Know your soil type. Some plants thrive in soil with more acidity, and others prefer a little more alkali. Additionally, sandy soil and clay soil, as well as the presence of a loamy soil, can make a difference in what types of plants will thrive in a landscape. You should have your soil evaluated in order to determine what types of vegetation should be planted on your property. When you purchase plants that will succeed in the soil conditions present in your yard, then you make a wiser money decision, and you end up with a more attractive landscape. If there are plants that you would like to use in your soil, but the soil is not quite ideal, it is possible to improve the soil to proper conditions. You need only add mulch or peat, or to add crushed limestone or clamshells, depending upon what you hope to accomplish. As long as there is not a great difference in what you have and what you hope to achieve, it is possible to make soil adjustments to be more accommodating.

Understand how much space each of the plants need. There are some plants that require more room for their root systems than others. If you choose one plant that tends to grow everywhere, and you do not have adequate space, you will find that your other plants may be crowded out or that they may choke and die. Also, make sure you understand the spacing requirements for between plants. Many shrubs and small trees need to be planted at least three to four feet apart to have enough room to grow.

Use native plants in your landscape design. One of the most effective things you can do to ensure a good-looking yard is to make use of native plants. Find out what plants grow best in your area, and what plants are indigenous to the region. This way you will already be ahead, in that you know that the plants you choose are adapted to the climate. You will not have to struggle against natural inclinations to keep your landscape looking beautiful. If you due use non-native plants, assure yourself that they come from a place that shares a climate similar to the one in which you live.

Plan your landscape around different blooming times. Different plants bloom at various times throughout the year. If all of the plants in your landscape are at their most attractive all at the same time, then your yard will look beautiful for a few weeks each year, but quite possible ugly the rest of the year. One way to help avoid this is to choose attractive bushes and shrubs that look good green, but also have some sort flower. However, it is a good idea to stagger plants among each other. Plant tulips and crocus among later-blooming plants so that in early spring the bulbs bloom, and then when those flowers’ time is up, the next plants will be in bloom. In this way the cycle of your landscape is in keeping with the seasons, and looks attractive all year round.

Use wood chips around shrubs, bushes and trees. Wood chips can help the ground around shrubs, bushes, and trees look more attractive. Not only do the chips cover the ground (often looking better than dirt), but they also help keep in moisture, repel weeds, and provide natural food as they break down. Likewise, attractive groundcover like chicks and hens placed around trees and shrubs can make the area more interesting and pleasing to the eye.



RVACityRepairs

"This website and it's posts may contain affiliate links.

I may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase though a link!"

Tips to Help Reduce Attic Heat

Tips to Help Reduce Attic Heat


Attics get very warm in the summertime. So what’s the best way to beat that heat? Many companies want you to believe that there is only one solution to fixing the temperature in your attic. However, no one product will necessarily make your home more energy efficient. Here are six different ways to reduce the temperature in your attic and save you money.

1. Try using a thermostatically controlled roof mounted ventilator. They will help to keep your attic much cooler in the summertime. The thermostat will usually start at 95 degrees Fahrenheit, which is the temperature that the attic fan usually starts at.  

2. Using insulation only keeps the attic's heat from traveling through your home. Nevertheless, by adding powered attic fans, you will draw more air into the attic. While it does help to reduce the heat in your attic, putting these fans in your attic costs more because of the loss of conditioned air. The air you lose from the attic is then drawn into your home from the outside, which will cause your cooling bill to go up. 

3. Radiant barrier: This coating material gets sprayed onto the outside of your roof to help reduce the amount of heat that is radiated into your attic. The radiant barrier is shown to reduce about 68% of the heat that is being radiated into the attic. This will keep your attic cooler, which will reduce the cooling load on your home. 

4. Continuous ridge vent: This vent runs along the entire ridge of your roof. It is placed at the highest point of your roof so that the hot air rises to get out. However, for best results you must have sufficient vents to allow for the free airflow. The biggest downside to this type of cooling system, though, is that you must install it when you are installing either a new roof or building a new home. This type of venting wouldn’t work properly on an already existing roof. 

5. Standard “turtleback” vents: These are the most common vents and are very effective when enough of them are installed. Turtleback vents can be placed on an existing roof and allow for greater airflow, when properly installed. 

6. Check for restricted vents. Your vents can get clogged from dirt, rust, or insulation that was blown in from the attic. Make sure they are all open and will allow for the maximum amount of air to pass through. 

The best time to make these types of repairs to your attic is during the wintertime when it is much cooler and a lot more bearable to fix the cooling in your attic. Just make sure you think ahead before the summertime, because many people don’t think they’ll need any sort of repairs until the problem is already there. 

So what are you waiting for? Start saving money on your energy costs by cooling down your attic.



RVACityRepairs

"This website and it's posts may contain affiliate links.

I may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase though a link!"

7 Important Reasons To Keep Your Gutters Clean

It’s hard to remember the importance of well maintained gutters when you have a multitude of other things to deal with such as the Holidays, and the onset of Winter among other things, but stop a moment to consider the problems which can arise from not attending to it.

Check out this informative short video from Robert Weitz, certified microbial investigator and principal of RTK Environmental Group.



Aside from things like home value, and landscape damage, keeping your homes gutters in shape can also save you money. Let's look at just some of the top reasons why gutters are so important to your home.
1: Roof Damage
Leaves and other debris that clog up your gutters where water is flooding over, can have issues with rot on your roofing. 

2: Damage to Gutter System
Overflowing water can damage the fascia that runs right behind your gutter. This is an important component of your gutter system.

3: Damage to Brackets
Clogged gutters are holding lots of weight, which can damage brackets.

4: Keeping Out Pests
Clogged gutters are often a nesting site for insects (ants, termites, mosquitoes, etc) as the moist enviroment is a breeding ground. Even birds may like to create their nests in them.

5: Cracks in the Foundation
Water that overflows or pools along the foundation of your home can freeze and cause it to expand and generate cracks.

6: Basement leaks 
Clogged gutters can cause water problems in the basement should you be lucky enough to have one. Improperly drained water can causes cracks, which can lead to crawl space or basement flooding.

7: Cracks in the driveway 
Not properly cleaned gutters and downspouts can cause water blockage, which may lead to sagging driveways.

These reasons should be enough for any home owner to stay on top of gutter maintenance, but it is certainly understandable how that is not always in a home owners schedule. This is why you should take special care to make these a priority on your home, before the cold winds of the north catch up to us all! (Hint: It happens every year)