3 Cheap Do It Yourself Home Repairs #DIY

Contractors are great! They come to our homes and fix the things we are having problems with, for a fee of course. But we often get questions on what are some repairs in which someone may not necessarily need a contractor. Here are three things that New Earth recommends you to do on your own with some confidence.

Grout

This is something that should be done not for just looks but also because this is something to be done because it will be more hygienic to do so. The best thing to do is just to take out the grout completely and replace it with new one. Depending on how thick the grout is you may be able to do this by hand with a tool and if not you can get a rotary tool to help you out. Replacing your grout is a good and inexpensive way to give your bathroom or kitchen a new shine. This is an afternoon or weekend project that won’t take very long and that is very cheap to do. 

Toilet Issues

Most of us don’t really know the first thing about toilets, however there are certain things you can do to fix a leaky toilet or a toilet that is not flushing correctly. The reason why most toilets don’t flush the way they are supposed to is because of the built sediments around the holes in the rim. Simply clean out those holes out with a brush with stiff bristles and you will see an increase amount of water pressure coming from the water pipe.

As far as leaky tanks, your first line of defense should be to check to see if the septic tank is too full. This can be caused by the ball inside floating too high, meaning it is allowing more water than is supposed to come in. You can typically fix this easily by bending the part that is attached to the ball a little so that it won’t float as high. Another reason why your toilet could be leaky is because of the flapper, which costs about $5.00 to replace. Just remember to clean the area throughly to avoid any more leaks with the new flapper. 

Squeaky or Sticky Doors

So you have a door that doesn’t quite close like it should, or you have a door that squeaks a whole lot. These have to very easy solutions, the first is to use colored chalk at the edge of a door and when you close it you will see where it established the most contact making it sticky. You can shave this off with different tools, our favorite tools to use is a Dremel XPR and if you don’t have access to one you can use a wood shaver but this may require patience and precision. 

A squeaky door can easily be fixed with some petroleum jelly since its consistency is a lot thicker than using oil. 

Visit our blog on a regular basis for more tips and tricks on how to make home improvements on your own.

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Labor Day Drink Recipes

Labor Day Weekend is coming and we are looking at the last few days of true summer for this year. At some point this weekend you might attend or host a cookout. If you have been dreading what to kind of drinks you want to make, don't worry New Earth has you covered!

Here are some of our favorite recipes courtesy of AllRecipes.com

"Tea, mint, sugar, orange and lemon juices make this a quick and easy, refreshingly delicious drink on a hot summer's day, given to me by a true Southern lady. Goes great with Cajun or spicy foods too. Every time I serve this someone asks me for the recipe!"

INGREDIENTS:

3 cups boiling water 12 sprigs fresh mint 4 tea bags 1 cup white sugar 1 cup orange juice

1/4 cup lemon juice 5 cups cold water 3 orange slices for garnish (optional) 3 lemon slices for garnish (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

1.

Place the tea bags and mint sprigs into a large pitcher. Pour boiling water over them, and allow to steep for about 8 minutes. Remove and discard the tea bags and mint leaves, squeezing out excess liquid. Stir in sugar until dissolved, then stir in the orange juice and lemon juice. Pour in the cold water. Serve over ice cubes, garnished with orange or lemon slices. "Lemons, sugar, and water--in a process that has been handed down since the 19th century. A true classic of a lemonade recipe." INGREDIENTS: 5 lemons 1 1/4 cups white sugar 1 1/4 quarts water DIRECTIONS: 1. Peel the rinds from the 5 lemons and cut them into 1/2 inch slices. Set the lemons aside. 2. Place the rinds in a bowl and sprinkle the sugar over them. Let this stand for about one hour, so that the sugar begins to soak up the oils from the lemons. 3. Bring water to a boil in a covered saucepan and then pour the hot water over the sugared lemon rinds. Allow this mixture to cool for 20 minutes and then remove the rinds. 4. Squeeze the lemons into another bowl. Pour the juice through a strainer into the sugar mixture. Stir well, pour into pitcher and pop it in the fridge! Serve with ice cubes.

"This is the sangria that my friends taught me to make in Spain. It's quick and easy and makes a great drink to mix up for a summer party."
INGREDIENTS:

4 (750 milliliter) bottles red wine 1 1/4 cups white sugar 2 Granny Smith apples - peeled, cored and sliced 4 sliced fresh peaches

2 bananas, peeled and sliced 2 cinnamon sticks, crushed 3 liters lemon-lime flavored carbonated beverage

DIRECTIONS:

1.	In a large pitcher, combine red wine, sugar, apples, peaches, bananas and cinnamon sticks. Refrigerate for 6 hours or overnight.
2.	When you're ready to serve, stir in the lemon-lime soda.

"Considered Cuba's national drink, this lime and rum cocktail is a favorite with pirates, swashbucklers, and colorful characters in the Caribbean and beyond."INGREDIENTS:

10 fresh mint leaves 1/2 lime, cut into 4 wedges 2 tablespoons white sugar, or to taste

1 cup ice cubes 1 1/2 fluid ounces white rum 1/2 cup club soda

DIRECTIONS:

1.

Place mint leaves and 1 lime wedge into a sturdy glass. Use a muddler to crush the mint and lime to release the mint oils and lime juice. Add 2 more lime wedges and the sugar, and muddle again to release the lime juice. Do not strain the mixture. Fill the glass almost to the top with ice. Pour the rum over the ice, and fill the glass with carbonated water. Stir, taste, and add more sugar if desired. Garnish with the remaining lime wedge. For more fun recipes, please visit this link For more tips and tricks for all your home needs visit: NewEarthVA.com Or follow us on Instagram Facebook

Summer Grilling Tips

Last time we covered how to be safe when working on home improvements or repairs, however during the summer we focus on many diverse activities such as grilling outdoors. We'd like to cover a few things when it comes to properly grilling outside: 

Location

This is definitely one of the most important things to consider when grilling outside, stay clear from any buildings or structures. Keep a distance of at least 10 feet between your grill and anything that could potentially be flammable such as trees or tables. Clear the area and make sure that there aren't a lot of dry leaves around. 

Food

Bring your food out until it is ready to be cooked to avoid it from going bad. If in doubt on whether the food is fully cooked or not, have a food thermometer handy so you can accurately tell if the food is done. Don't use the same plates that you use to bring the food out for the food that has already been cooked unless it has been thoroughly washed, they can carry unwanted bacteria. Eat the food shortly after is has been prepared on the grill unless you plan to store in a cooler with ice or fridge. 

Residue

Grills can build up a lot of residue so make sure you clean it before and after each use. Leaving the grill lit for a minutes after use can loosen up and burn some of the excess food or fat left on it. Depending on what kind of food you are making, it may contain a lot of fatty tissues, this can create unexpected flames so be aware of this and adjust the size of your fire accordingly. Keeping a lid on the grill can prevent the flames from becoming uncontrollable. 

Preparation

Before you start grilling, read the instructions for your equipment whether it is charcoal or gas. Make sure that all the parts are connected as instructed, the last thing you need is for you grill to fall apart in the middle of a cookout.

Charcoal grills need a special technique to be ignited, we advise from you staying away from using lighter fluids. Doing it the old way of using paper or starter wood is usually the best approach even though it may take a little longer. Once you are done with the grill, put out the the charcoals by letting them run their course and disintegrate or by adding some water which unfortunately can make things a little mushy.

Gas grills can have other things go wrong, you're exposed to flammable gases for a prolonged period of time. There is potential for gas leaks and with so many more moving parts, there is potential for more things to malfunction and in turn cause an accident. Avoid at all times using a match when possible.

In addition to preparing your grill, you should always keep a fire extinguisher nearby in case of the fire getting out of hand. 

As always use precaution when playing with fire, it is also easy to get distracted with friends and family so make sure to always pay attention, keep kids and pets away and watch your drinking to stay alert. 

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DIY: Safety Tips

Whether you are making home improvements that require a contractor or not, safety should always be a priority in everyone’s list. Anytime that you are dealing with tools it is important to keep the following things in mind: 

Protective Gear

Tools are made to cut through hard materials like steel and wood, our skin is made of something that is much more fragile than that. There are areas of our bodies, like that eye, that is even more flimsy than our skin. This is why we must protect them with googles and gloves. If you are working with things that produce fire like soldering materials you may want to invest in clothing that protects you from burns. 

Clean Workspace

You’ll want to make sure that the space that you are working on is clear of any obstacles that could potentially lead to an accident. More specifically don’t leave tools laying around, watch out for nails and things like furniture that you could trip on. When you’re done working, put everything away, this can prevent you or others who may wander into your area to hurt themselves. 

Ladders are one of the biggest reasons for an accident in a workspace. People often don’t clean up their workspace or they don’t secure the ladder properly causing accidents. Make sure that your ladder isn’t shaky and that it is on solid ground before starting getting on it. 

Abilities 

Do you know how to properly and safely work your power tools? Do you also know yourself well enough to know how much strength you’ll apply when using these tools? These are two questions that you need to ask yourself before you start any major DIY project. Knowing and respecting your power tools is extremely important, you need to know how much damage they can cause if not used properly. Also giving them routine maintenance is important, a tool that is not properly greased or that has loose parts can have catastrophic consequences. 

The strength applied to a tool can also cause unwanted mistakes, apply too much pressure or strength and a project can be ruined. You can also lose grip on a tool if you put in too much strength into it leading to a potential risk of injury for yourself and/or others. 

Capability

Out of all the previous reasons why there are accidents when working on DIY projects, this the one that causes the most issues. People tend to be over confident on their ability to execute a project. We’ve talked about before how it is important to know one’s boundaries when working on a home improvement project, so don’t bit more than you can chew. If you’re not confident on a project then don’t be scared to ask for help or hire a professional like New Earth.

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5 Things That May Reduce Your Home's Value

When we think of doing home improvements, we think of how it can benefit us directly as homeowners. A common misconception is that all upgrades or investments into a home automatically add value to the property. Unfortunately this is not always true. Here are five things to stay away from when you are doing home improvements

Room Conversions
When you have a spare bedroom or an empty garage, it may be easy to try to use that space for something that you've always wanted, like a home gym or making the garage into a bedroom or living room. Most buyers want to be able to use the space for what it was originally intended for, or at least they want to decide on their own what that space should become. If you do end up making a room conversion make sure that it is something that can be easily reversed. 

Extravagant Paint Jobs
Today's home color trends can be very bold and stylized. Many home improvements blogs and catalogues will tell you that adding a brave splash of color can give a room much needed character. We couldn't agree more, however when you are trying to sell a home, it is important to remember that your home buyer may not fully agree with your design preferences. Complicated trim jobs or wall papers are included in this. When presenting a home to a seller, keep the colors plain so they can envision what it will look like when they live there or stick to earth and neutral colors which don't present a bold statement. 

Hot Tubs
You may think that having a hot tub can be a great added bonus to someone who is purchasing a home, however your buyer may feel different. Hot tubs are not always associated with sanitation, especially if the hot tub has not been used or cleaned in sometime. In this instance it may be best to take the hot tub with you and reinstall it in your new property.

Closets
Adding closet space is always welcome, however if you are planning on removing closet space because you don't use it may not be the best idea. Closet space is always in high demand and is a priority on most people's lists. Keep this in mind when you are working on home improvement projects.

Too Much... of Everything!
We may want to keep up with the neighborhood and install the latest and greatest of well... anything! There are things like home appliances and bathrooms that should always be kept up to date. However, adding unnecessary gadgets just for the sake of adding more may not be seen as a pro but more of a con. Do your research on home improvement trends and what the majority of the neighborhood is doing so your home stays competitive in the housing market but not to the point where is no longer added value.

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4 Reasons to Hire a Contractor Vs. DIY

We’ve all been in a situation where we have debated whether or not calling a contractor is worth it or not. Here are the top reason’s why you’d want to call a contractor versus trying to do something yourself… 

1. Discounts on materials

When your contractor purchases materials on your behalf, they probably already have ties with the stores they are getting them from and they can typically negotiate prices in bulk. This is something that they can easily do because you are not their only client and have to typically stock up on materials anyway. Also, a lot of the contractors have credit or membership cards from supply stores that automatically give them a certain percentage off, these are savings that eventually get passed onto you.

2. Smaller Margin of Error

There are certain projects like finishing a basement, building an outdoor deck, or installing new doors that can be easily accomplished if you are pretty handy. There are many other things that people think are easy like taking down a wall, installing a new ceiling fan or redoing a bathroom that may not actually as simple to redo as expected. Taking down a wall for example has complications like electrical wiring running through it, whether or not it is a wall that supports weight or plumbing that runs through it. A ceiling fan needs to be installed under the right support beams and needs to run the correct electrical connections to it. Redoing a bathroom can have complications both in plumbing and electrical. If you make any mistakes in these undertakings that appear DIY, without consulting an expert first, they can end up being very costly. Ask to see if your contractor provides a free consultation and you might be able to see whether or not your home improvement project is doable on your own.

3.Time Efficiency

A contractor will know exactly what needs to be done and how long it will take them. If you do your research you might find out how long it will take you to complete a project as an individual, however it is nearly impossible for you to plan on additional time for unexpected issues if the complication is out of your scope of knowledge. You can also hold a contractor accountable for how long it will take, if you start a project and become unmotivated then the project might never reach full completion.

4. Level of Complexity

A simple project that does not require much attention to detail is something that the majority of homeowners or renters can do. However if you take on a project that requires attention to several details and has a lot of parts then it might be best to leave it to the experts. When you hire a contractor to take on a big project like making an addition to your home, there’s many parts to that they’ll take care of for you: electrical, plumbing structural, etc. All of those things may be too much of an undertaking and provide risks that you may not want to take. If one piece is missing because you forgot it or didn’t know how to execute it correctly, your whole project may come to a halt or fail completely. 

Each home project is going to be unique and every individual will have different levels of experience. Call a contractor when it doubt to get advice and to figure out costs. If what you’re saving by doing it yourself is not much it may really be worth it to call an expert, especially if they are insured. 

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DIY Friday

Home improvements can be very costly and a lot of them don't have to be done by a hired professional. There are small hacks that you can do around your home that can result in increased productivity or efficiency of space. 

Below we outline some projects that can be completed with some simple tools, a little bit of patience and some basic building skills. If you're good with your hands then you'll really enjoy these projects!

Wall mounted standing desk

This project is fairly easy to do as long as you have the right tools. There has been much debate on whether or not a standing desk is actually better for you or not. Whatever your personal belief is on the matter you can throw this together over the weekend.

Click on the link below for instructions for this project - Image Credit: Lifehacker

http://lifehacker.com/this-wall-mounted-standing-desk-offers-storage-and-flex-1577707816

Shallow pegboard cabinet

Need a little more room storage room in your house or apartment but don't really see where you can get the extra storage space? Consider a shallow pegboard cabinet for your home, it installs pretty easily and can fit in pretty much any closet. This is a great way to add additional space without taking up any of your floor space.

Click on the link below for instructions for this project - Image Credit: Handyman

http://lifehacker.com/build-a-shallow-pegboard-cabinet-for-extra-storage-1578478873

Bar Shelf

Bar equipment is usually considered a specialty item which can lead to an elevated price tag. This particular project is great because it repurposes pallets which are disregarded after being used to transport goods. You can get them free from any large local retailer if you ask nicely. It might take you a couple of hours max and you won't need to purchase much for it. 

Click on the link below for instructions for this project - Image Credit: Lifehacker

http://lifehacker.com/this-diy-bar-shelf-is-made-from-reclaimed-pallet-wood-1577147127

There are countless projects that you can do yourself and if you'd like to check out more home improvement ideas make sure to visit http://lifehacker.com/tag/diy

Having said that, it is important to know which tasks are too ambitious to do on your own. They can be very time consuming and even if you have the time, one mistake can result on unspecified damages to your home. If you are in doubt call a professional such as New Earth. We provide consultations for all kinds of home improvements. For more information please visit: www.newearthva.com

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