When my wife decided she wanted a large flower bed along the front porch, I was worried that we would have standing water in the front yard. I’d addressed standing water issues previously by installing a french drain in the yard so I wasn’t ready to create another issue. I did some research and learned …
GREAT STUFF™ foam is true to its name when it comes to home improvement. It’s great for sealing drafts to help with energy costs, and to fill cracks to keep pests from coming into the garage. I have used Great Stuff foam for years. It is one of my all-time favorite tools for increasing the …
Waterproof flickering flames without fire. No electrical wires to run. No maintenance. Just stick them in the ground and enjoy the ambiance. Sounds great, right? But do the TomCare Solar Torch Lights really live up to their claims? I purchased a set of four of these for our front yard flower bed and have been …
Rat infestations are dangerous, and can quickly escalate beyond control. Rats are responsible for carrying severe diseases, which can be transmitted through almost any form of contact. Plus, rats can attract other pests like snakes and skunks. Rat infestations are not to be taken lightly. Why Do Rats Enter Garages? Rats and Mice enter a …
When I built my current house, I decided to splurge on some smart home devices. I have continously added to my arsenal and am extremely pleased with it’s capabilities. If you are wondering what a smart home can do, then you have come to the right place. I’m going to walk you through the entire …
Do you have unwanted, scaly visitors in your garage? Although most snakes are harmless, the thought of tripping over a snake on the way to the car is enough to drive most homeowners to burn the place down. Snakes enter garages seeking shelter, a food source, or both. Rodents in the garage or items stacked …
I receive a lot of questions on air-sealing a home. I’m no expert but I have certainly done my research and invested a lot of sweat equity in rehabbing old houses and building new ones. My insight doesn’t come from a degree in engineering. It comes from countless hours of research and hands-on experience. I’ve …
When building my new home I researched options for making the structure as energy efficient as possible. At the same time, I needed to work within a budget. I considered foam insulation but it wasn’t the right choice for me at the time. I decided to focus on air sealing, blown in insulation, and some …
I had heard about phantom energy, also called vampire energy, for some time but I never really knew if it was a real thing. And even if it was, did it really matter? I mean, how much energy could I really be losing from devices that aren’t even turned on? If you have wondered the …
At this very moment, energy is being lost in your home. Money is literally seeping out through inefficiencies in your home’s thermal envelope and being lost from inefficiency practices and home routines. If you are wanting to learn how energy is wasted and what you can do to stop it, here’s what you need to …