Everything You Should Know Before Attempting Any Home Improvement

Even if you are not exactly handy, some home improvement tips can prove to be useful. All you need is the correct information to make your home improvement dreams a reality. Read the following home improvement advice. Prior to beginning the new improvement project, make time to analyze the potential return on the money used for the project. Projects that will show a great return are the wisest to do. It is well known that all home improvement projects are not created equal. Make sure you research which types of remodeling projects currently yield the best return. To spruce up the outside of your home, try painting it. Paint not only provides curb appeal, but protection from the elements as well. The essential thing to remember is to carefully pick your color scheme.

A great way to save money is to use tile or hardwood in those high-traffic rooms and areas of the house. A season of rain and dirt is all it takes to destroy your expensive new carpeting. You will need to replace it frequently. As an alternative, try linoleum, tile or other like materials. This also eliminates concerns over wet carpets in the event of a flood. One simple home improvement that is often neglected is gutter and chimney maintenance. However, without regular inspections, you may not discover if there is an issue with how these items function. If your chimney is not cleaned, it can catch fire and debris can clog your gutters and downspouts, which could cause water damage if they are not maintained.

When you are involved in a home improvement project, be certain to allot a specific spot for the resulting debris and trash. Proper disposal of construction trash can be expensive, so making arrangements before you begin is essential to finishing your project on schedule. When making renovations on your home, a great tip is to use the first several months of the year to budget because this is the time period that you will have the least amount of money since it follows the holidays. If you try to finance the project without enough money, you could go overbudget, which in turn will cause stress. Putting aside money before you start allows you to completely avoid this scenario.

Will My Tattoo Survive The Pregnancy?

Description unavailable (Photo credit: Belén ♥)

Do you remember a time, maybe 15 or 20 years ago when it was the fashion to get a tattoo in a ring around your belly button? A load of girls I went to college with got it done, and so did I. We all thought it looked fantastic, and I admit to spending that summer wearing cropped shirts and hipster jeans daily just to show off my new body art – not to mention the diamanté belly piercing! We all thought we were the height of cool, but there was one thing we didn't actually consider. In fact, it never occurred to me until about 17 years later when I got the long awaited BFP (Big Fat Positive) that said I was going to be a Mommy! The very same day I caught sight of my belly in the mirror as I showered and suddenly thought “OH. MY. GOD! What is going to happen to that thing when I grow a bump!” In hindsight, perhaps my navel was not the best place to get a tattoo! I had horrible visions of the tattoo increasing tenfold and being this massive ring around my entire abdomen! Needless to say I jumped online there and then – well I threw on some sweatpants and a t-shirt first – and started to do some research!

The research I did showed that there were no guarantees one way or the other when it came to tattoos stretching during pregnancy. Like so many other aspects of pregnancy, it depends on the individual woman herself. The connective tissues vary from person to person so while one person may see tattoos shrink back to the original design, others may be left with some distortion. I guess I was one of the lucky ones. I can't really see any difference in my tattoo aside from the fact that the color has faded, but I'd expect that of any tattoo after almost twenty years. I did take all the precautions for avoiding stretchmarks, so maybe that helped. I guess the moral of my story is that any body modifications should be carefully considered. If you are going to do anything in the belly area do ask if it is possible you might get pregnant and if it will have a negative effect. I took my belly piercing out when I got pregnant, even although there are flexible pregnancy bars available. It just felt like time.

In a related note, no piercer or tattoo artist should agree to perform any kind of body modification while you are pregnant.

What Water Damage Means For You & Your Family

Water damage and mold is a very common worry all property owners have. Water damage can be a high-priced problem, and probably the most frequent reasons for water damage is malfunctioning domestic plumbing. Water damage and mold isn't a difficulty in which you should scrimp or wait to handle. Water damage is any damage produced by water like floods, but could additionally be a domestic crisis. Water damage restoration is a lot easier stated than done. Water damage is definitely the 2nd top category of damage to property reported in residences, right behind wind and hail.

Water damage can come about as a result of damaged water line, sewer backup, bathroom overflow or a variety of explanations. Water damage and mold which is not dealt with is the most recognized source of mold contamination. Water damage can also happen following fires or fire damage due to the weakening of structure when water is used to put out the blaze. Water damage is responsible for more homeowner’s claims than fire, storms and theft. Water damage is one of the most common reasons people make claims on their home insurance .

Water damage can be very destructive, both to people and to the home. Water damage is something that many people deal with when we talk about our basements. Water damage is often gradual and most likely to seem insignificant at first sight, but it must be dealt with straight away as if it is left, it will become a much greater problem and could cause structural damage to the property. Water damage is one of the vital reasons due to which homeowners purchase insurance. Water damage can often be avoided with routine maintenance and assistance from qualified contractors. Water damage can pose danger to one’s health especially when not given proper remedy.

Waterdamage can also create mold and other fungal spores that are harmful to the health of inhabitants living nearby. Water damage can result in molds that are tiny microorganisms that create enzymes and absorb organic and natural matter to breed spores. Water damage can sometimes include corrosion, molding, or moistening amongst other things. Water damage and mold can also lead to wooden structures to decay when the area surrounding its roof wasn't drained effectively. Water damage could possibly be as a result of a burst pipe, a heavy storm, or a roof leak.

Water damage can result in the loss of valuables and disrupt your life. Water damage restoration can be a very lengthy process and affect your life entirely.

Budget Mold Busting Tips

When you have a family, there is a huge amount of juggling your finances to make ends meet. Because I gave up work to be a stay at home Mommy we had to re-evaluate our expenses and make adjustments to allow us to manage on just my husband's income. Our first step was moving out of New York City to lovely little Rosedale, where we were able to buy a family home for less than our city studio apartment!

One particular expense we try to avoid as much as possible is home maintenance. As this is sort of an older house we were a little bit concerned about the possibility of mold. It can be pretty expensive to get professional remediation work carried out so instead we opted for some low cost prevention techniques that suited our low budget!

Here are our 8 budget mold busting tips :

1. Regularly look around your home for visible mold. Especially in dark areas.
2. Look under carpets and furniture during your mold checks as these are prime targets.
3. Even if no mold is visible, try and get professional testing at least once every 12 to 18 months.
4. If basement areas are dam you must clear and clean them a this is another big trouble spot for mold growth.
5. Get rid of damp and musty smelling furniture and carpets. These are breeding grounds for mold.
6. Carpets are one of the worst places fro mold to take hold. Every room which is carpeted, especially those which are less frequently used, need proper ventilation to allow air circulation. Try opening your windows every day.
7. Pick up a dehumidifier and use it in rooms where there is a tendency for moisture build up. We put one in out basement and even although it didn't see damp, the machine collects a shocking amount of moisture every day.
8. Consider natural damp removal products. We have some little 'damp traps' with crystals which attract moisture dotted around out home.

Mold is a health hazard, especially in little children so we want to make sure that we do what we can to stop it taking hold in our home.

Post Baby Body

More Junk In This Momma's Trunk!

So my little man is seven months old today. Time flies, before I know it he will be a man! But that's not what I want to talk about today, I want to talk about me, or my body to be exact! The fact that Tyler is 7 months old means that it has been approximately 16 months since my body was “normal”. I don't think anything fully prepared me for ow much my body would change when I became a mommy! Pregnancy is the ultimate body modification!

I'm not saying that it's a bad thing – I know a lot of women feel self conscious after a baby, but fr me I feel like my body has finally matured into that of a woman! You see I was kind of boyish before. I had not much going on in the way of a butt! I had fairly small breasts and no hips to speak of! However, during pregnancy my breasts swelled to 3 cup sizes bigger and in the seven months since Tyler was born they have only shrunk one size, so I am still 2 cups bigger than before! Wahey! Instant, free, painless boob job! I have a rounder behind and my hips are curvier than before. I just feel very womanly. I don't know if I am really that much curvier or if its more the knowledge of being a mother that makes me feel all connected to my inner goddess, but whatever it is, there is definitely a much happier Lily inside this body!

Of course my tummy area is still a little more spongy than I'd like, I do need to work out more although it can be difficult to find the time, but at least I have little in the way of stretchmarks on my boobs or belly. I think in short what I am trying to say is even if your body changes after giving birth, be proud of it! After all it just created life and that's pretty damn awesome don't you think?

South Africa

I already mentioned that we are going on vacation shortly, but I wanted to share with you a suggestion that my Mother-in-Law made when we first mentioned that we were thinking about going on vacation. The conversation went something like this...

Me: We are going to take a holiday in a few weeks.

MIL : Oh really? Where to?

ME: Not sure yet,but somewhere the flight isn't too long.

MIL: What about South Africa?

Seriously? South Africa is about as far away from the United States as you can get-a nonstop flight from New York to Johannesburg is 15 hours 20 minutes. Not to mention it's not so suitable for a young baby. He won't even be a year old when we fly out! The temperatures would be way too much for him. South Africa is generally considered an arid region; two-thirds of the country receives less than 500mm (20 in.) of rain a year. South Africa has a great variety of climate zones, from the extreme desert of the Kalahari near Namibia to lush subtropical climate along the border with Mozambique. Then there is the transport aspect. South Africa had few paved roads, and the intense heat would knock out cars with less well engineered cooling and oiling systems. South Africa actually tightened its local content rules, requiring vehicles to have domestic-production engines to be considered locally made.

Of course, I would love to visit. There is a lot of interesting things to see and do in South Africa. For example, in South Africa there is no snow, but it has many flowers, many beautiful varieties of cultivated and wild flowers being in their full pride. While South Africa has a great wealth of flowering plants, only 1% of South Africa is forest, almost exclusively in the humid coastal plain of KwaZulu-Natal, where there are also areas of Southern Africa mangroves in river mouths. South Africa is also a haven of spectacular scenery, abundant wildlife, diverse cultures and first world norms, topped with a healthy and invigorating climate.   

Don't Delay Removal Of Black Mold

For black mold remediation, great professionalism is required and you should contact a professional without delay. Molds are generally known to trigger allergic reactions and respiratory problems in individuals with weak immune systems such as children, the elderly and the ailing. Of the molds you should be concerned about, the black mold is the most dangerous. This is because it is known to be the most toxic to humans and with the potential to cause serious illnesses. You will know you are having problems with this kind of molds by a musty smell in the air and black spots on walls and other damp surfaces. Attempts to clear such Mold growths by a non professional will always make the situation worse by spreading the infestation further. This is in addition to the risk of getting infected in the process.

For black mold remediation, professional services use technicians that are highly trained in the job. The technicians are also certified to the Institute of Investigation, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) and this ensures that they take the greatest care to protect themselves from infection. They always have the right protective attire including respirators overalls and boots.

Before the mold removal begins, they carry out assessments of the air and surfaces to establish the extent of the problem. Proper sealing of the affected areas is done to prevent any spread of the contamination. The source of moisture is also investigated and repairs done to ensure dry conditions. As for the removal technology, they employ a vacuuming technology with a particulate absorbing aspirator that prevents any escape of the spores in to the air and subsequent spread. Mold removal experts fully understand the risk to health that black molds pose and therefore make all efforts to ensure no spores escape. To ensure that, they will likely use air scrubbers to trap any spores and also spray approved antimicrobial chemicals to kill the remaining ones.

Ensuring that they have really eliminated the problem completely should always be your service providers' main goal. For this they migh employ infra red inspection technology. This inspects the walls inside to establish whether water leakage has been dealt with completely. It also helps establish whether the molds have been removed completely.

Black mold remediation is therefore a complete process that ensures elimination of the molds and also prevents the future germination and growth of black molds. So if you have a problem with black mold growth, don’t take matters into your hands and don’t ignore it either; leave it to the professionals, contact them immediately.

Getting Rid Of Mold Growth At Home

I've become more aware of the dangers of mold since becoming a parent. Mold grows in a room or place where there is a lot of moisture or dampness. It can grow anywhere including outside the house. mold has different types and colors too. It can grow in bathrooms, basements, carpets, cupboards, refrigerators and many other places where there is a lot of humidity. mold is dangerous and can lead to different health issues if an individual is exposed to it. The effects of mold can range from mild to very severe consequences. That is why it is very important for all home owners to at least have several tips on how to deal with mold in their houses. Mold Remediation is the removal, cleanup and/or control of mold growth within building structures.

In case of mold in your bathroom; you can opt to properly ventilate it to control its growth. Proper ventilation will make sure that the room does not have excess moisture. Ventilation may be done by opening the windows and door.

Generally, it can grow anywhere especially in places where there are problems like leaking roofs, broken pipes or drainage problems. You can easily deal with mold problems in your house. However, when it comes to the dangerous mold known as black mold, it is best to call mold remediation experts. This is because black mold is really be toxic and there are procedures to be followed too when dealing with it.

How do you know you have mold in your house?

1) You will notice spots on the wall, floor or other places of your bathroom .The spots color could range from black, grey, or brown.

2) A stale stench.

3) Moisture on the floor.

4) Regular health problems are experienced by members of your family. They could suffer from itchy noses, sneezing, running noses or even mild head aches.

Finding a mold remediation company to deal with the problem is the best thing you can do.

You can deal with the problem of mold by:

-Proper ventilation

-Installation of exhaust fans or portable dehumidifiers

-Cleaning the place regularly using bleaches.

-Attending to wet floors immediately since mold grows very fast.

If you decide it is safer to clean mold from hard surfaces. Wear protective clothing to avoid exposing yourself to the dangers of mold.

Looking To The Future

Following my post a few days ago about my friend and her body modifications, my mom (who reads my blog) asked me 'Well Lily, that's all well and good but what about your son? What will you do if he wants to do that to his body?' I would like to think that I don't mind, but yet when she said it there was a small knot in my stomach. Part of me would never want him to do anything to his perfect little body. Does that make me a hypocrite? I don't think so. I think my initial feeling comes from the fact that right now he is not even a year old! How can I even contemplate him having a tattoo or piercing his eyebrow!

I do like to think that when he gets to the age of 18 that I won't be too bothered. So long as he thinks about it long and hard before taking the plunge and he is doing it for all the right reasons, I don't think I will have too much of a problem with him indulging in a bit of body modification! Who knows how far it will have progressed by then. When he turns 18 it will be 2030! That's pretty darn amazing! When I was born in the early nineteen eighties I never really imagined that by the time I was middle aged I'd be well into the 21^st century! It's not something I could have wrapped my head around. I remember at school being asked to draw the house of 2000 and it was all automatic appliances and a parking spot for my rocket car! None of us could really grasp that it was only ten years away, there was just something magical about the year 2000!

Looking around, not that much has changed.. I want my rocket car dammit!

Anyhow, I'm getting way off track here. Once I had established that once my son is older and properly informed I would be cool with his desire to body mod, we got to talking about ear piercing. I had mine done at a year old. I'm pretty sure I didn't ask for it! Yet it's perfectly acceptable in society to pierce a baby's ears as young as a month old. I find it strange. I mean would you give your baby a navel ring? A tattoo? What is the difference.  Papa K writes a great article about this HERE

Clever Ideas to Inspire You to Do Kitchen Improvement

Quite often the assumption is that household makeovers are left in the preserve of people who can find the money for to hand out considerable amounts of cash. This is not accurate because with adequate budgeting, anyone is able to afford to fund home remodelling. In particular, anybody can now manage to fund kitchen improvement because you can find now plenty of sites delivering very affordable kitchen fixtures. Unlike how it was a few years earlier, today it is easy to locate workers who are willing to take on smaller kitchen remodelling projects. A good kitchen restoration company has the capacity to manage an enormous remodelling job that can cost around $500, 000 yet their skilled technicians are also able to carry out a job that is worth about $15, 000. That simply means that anybody should have a chance to redesign their kitchen area as it can be reasonably priced.

An additional reason to take on kitchen remodeling is that it is not always essential for an entire kitchen area to be spruced up. Redesigning can be done in parts to help with making an entire kitchen a new place. Talking to the skilled tradesmen at the choosen retailer can assist a home owner to identify kitchen fittings and appliances or simply areas that need the most redevelopment. For instance a kitchen could only require a different set of cabinets for it to appear brand spanking new. A fresh coat of fresh paint and a few maintenance on kitchen fittings can also make a kitchen to appear fresh. All this could of course be done with a much reduced cost.

There are some do-it-yourself ideas which can be used throughout kitchen remodeling. A home owner doesn't always need to work with contractors any time he wants to renovate a kitchen. Small tasks like buying fresh and pretty cupboard handles and exchanging all of them with worn-out handles needs very little expertise. Applying a fresh coat of paint to a kitchen can also apply as renovating and it can be achieved quickly and cheaply without employing a service provider.

Fly Baby Fly!

I've gone and done it! I've booked a vacation for the family. I'm about to become one of THOSE people! You know – the ones with the screaming child on the flight! When I was single, and even married but childless, I always tutted and sighed at little kids on flights. Didn't they know how to shut the kid up? Who goes on hliday with a baby? And all of those other comments we have all made. I'm kind of ashamed really that I was so judgemental. That's just not me usually! But here I am about to tak emy own baby on a 4 hour flight, so I did a little research and put together these top tips for traveling with babies.

1. Take your car seat. If you are intending to rent a car at youe destination then you are going to need it and you can't predict the quality of those available in another country. We are actually going to buy a seat for the baby and use the car seat on the plane. It is allowed to put children under 2 on your lap, but I feel it is safer to use the car seat.
2. Use a diaper bag as your carry on. I'll be taking my diaper bag and slipping in a few pieces for me like my book or ipod (in case baby sleeps). I think it will be best not to struggle with baby, a diaper bag and my own carry on!
3. Early boarding. I checked with the airline and they allow parents to board first with babies and they will take the stroller at the gate and have it waiting when we diembark rather than waiting at baggage claim.

My main concern is his ears popping, but our doctor gave us lots of good advice. He suggests we encourage him to suck his thumb or a pacifier at take off and landing to help his ears pop. He also said that if this isn't usual behaviour then a chewy fruit finger or a sipper cup of water will help with this. He also gave us permission to give a small dose of paracetomol elixr before take off to minimize discomfort. I'm hoping that if we are prepared, he won't become a nuisance to others!