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Home Improvement That’ll Get Your 4-Legged Friends’ Approval

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There’s nothing that says home is where the heart is more than pet-friendly living. When you’re considering making an investment in your own space, it might be worthwhile to consider some of these doable projects for your furry friends. A new dog bed, a cat tower, or maybe even a whole suite designed just for them? There are lots of ways to make sure you and your four-legged family members are happy at home!

Keep their safety in mind

Your pets are part of the family, so it’s important to make sure your home improvement projects take their safety into account. If you’re doing any renovations that involve saws, hammers, or other dangerous tools, be sure to keep them out of reach! And never leave a lit candle unattended with a pet around—the results could be disastrous.

Create a pet-friendly space

If you’re not sure where to start, why not create a designated pet area in your home? This could be as simple as installing a gate in an unused doorway to keep them out of the living room, or as elaborate as building them their own special bed and scratching post. You might also want to consider a cat litter box enclosure for the bathroom.

Keep their environment clean

Cleaning up after your pets can be something of a hassle, especially if you have more than one critter in need of care. To make things easier on yourself, look into purchasing or building pet washing stations that will give them a place to get clean on their own. You can also install a pet-specific vacuum cleaner to make short work of any hairballs or accidents.

Make your exterior pet-friendly, too

Not all pets are allowed inside, but that doesn’t mean they have to suffer! Make sure your yard is just as inviting for them as the inside of your home, with plenty of places to curl up in the shade or sun. You might also consider building them a little outdoor space, complete with their own doghouse!

Aesthetic home improvements

Most pets are more than happy to curl up on the floor rather than sit pretty in a seat, but there is one place where they might be willing to make an exception: your pet bed. If you want something cute and cozy for them (and stylish enough for guests) consider opting for a plush microsuede-style bed.

Be mindful of the messes

Cats and dogs are wonderful animals, but they can be a bit dirty at times. Be sure to keep their litter box smelling fresh with some absorbent crystals or pellets that will make cleanup easier on you! You might also look into purchasing an air purifier for your home if pet odors are a problem.

Use a Pressure Washer to Bring Tired Surfaces Back To Life

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Maintaining the cleanliness of your home is a full-time responsibility. It seems to be a lesson in futility as you begin to realize just how much time and effort will be required to complete the entirety of your cleaning to-do list. Luckily, there’s a tool on the market that can drastically reduce the time and effort you spend on your large cleaning chores. A pressure washer will wash, rinse, and polish almost any of your tired, dirty surfaces and restore their original color to bring them back to life.

1. Vinyl Siding Cleansing

The siding on the outside of your home endlessly collects deposits of dirt, grime, and debris blown by the wind and other elements. It is a time-consuming nightmare to wash vinyl siding by hand, especially considering that vinyl siding has many grooves and crannies in which for dirt to hide. A pressure washer is a highly effective tool that will make washing your vinyl siding a breeze. One of the benefits of using a pressure washer to tackle such a gargantuan chore is that its flexible hose and extendable arm can clean difficult to reach areas of your siding with minimal effort on your part. A pressure washer will bring your dirty and tired vinyl siding back to life in a single afternoon.

2. Driveway Makeover

Your concrete driveway will endure many stains, spills, and interactions with harsh substances such as road salt. As time passes, these stains and spills will begin to turn into dark blemishes on your once pristine and uniform driveway surface. A stained and dirty driveway can ruin the beautiful aesthetic of the outside of your home. If it’s time to give your driveway a good cleaning, invest in a pressure washer. The pressure from the water has the ability to rip up accumulations of dirt, dust, and particulates. Stains can also be removed through the use of a pressure washer and a special type of detergent designed for concrete. With the correct nozzle, you can easily use a pressure washer to clean and revitalize your driveway before dinnertime on a weekday evening.

3. Wooden Deck Revitilization

Years of walking, playing, gatherings, pets, rain, and muddy feet can really take the shine and vivid color out of your wooden deck. Depending on how long it’s been since you’ve given your wooden deck a proper washing, the surface of your deck could have years of filth layered on the surface. A simple mopping with hot water will not suffice to clean such a saturated amount of grime and residue. The right pressure washer can be a great solution for working the dirt and stains out of the grooves of the wood and from between the planks.

Cleaning a wooden deck with a pressure washer is a balancing act because if the pressure is too high, it could peel the stain from the wood or leave dents. If the pressure isn’t high enough, it won’t clean the dirt and stains from the surface. It’s best to find information online that will help you to acquire the perfect settings to properly clean your deck without risking permanent damage. A gentle cleanser that won’t dull or strip your stain coating is also recommended for such a task. Once you’ve achieved the perfect cleaning pressure and detergent, you will watch your wooden deck sparkle like it did when it was first built.

4. Automobile Maintenance

Although having an automobile is a cherished access to freedom, there are many costs and responsibilities that come with owning one. A commonly occurring responsibility is keeping it washed. Automobiles manage to get dirty quite easily. Vehicles become caked in layers of pollen during spring and summer months. The icy conditions of the winter season will lead to layers of dried road salt coating the bottom portion of your car and its undercarriage. This salt can prove to be highly corrosive to the metal parts of your automobile and should be removed regularly.

A pressure washer should be your tool of choice when it comes time to wash your automobile. With a combination of the proper nozzle, detergent, and pressure setting, you can pressure wash your automobile quickly and thoroughly. There are even polishing cleansers you can purchase to place inside of your pressure washer that will rinse and polish your automobile simultaneously.

How to Make Sure Your Garage Stays Warm in the Cold Winter Months

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Maintaining a well-insulated garage provides you with a useable workspace year-round. However, even if you don’t plan to use your garage much, or at all, during the freezing winter, there are still reasons to winter-proof your garage. If your garage gets too cold, it could damage equipment or vehicles stored inside. For example, if you have a power washer and the temperatures reach freezing levels, the water inside the hoses freeze and crack. The paint in your garage may also separate as temperatures drop during winter. To protect yourself against these problems, winterize your garage before winter hit.

Install a Garage Heater

Heat your garage with minimal construction costs and space requirements by installing a heater. The first choice is whether to select an electric or gas-powered heater. A gas-fired heater is typically cheaper to run, but more difficult to install, as you need an exhaust vent and a gas supply. Electric heaters are easier to install, but they cost more to run than a gas unit. Generally, if you live in an area where you need occasional heat or have mild winters, an electric unit is the best way to go.

Finally, you may want to consider installing a mini-split heat pump. Capable of providing year-round cooling and heating while only requiring a narrow hole through the garage wall, a heat pump is an efficient way to control the temperature in your garage.

Replace or Fix Weatherstripping

Weatherstripping produces a seal between the garage door opening and the garage door. As time goes by, the weatherstripping cracks and becomes brittle, which lets air pass through the door. An easy way to check if your weatherstripping needs repair is to feel near the garage door for air. If you feel air entering, take off your existing weatherstripping and remove any sealant. Try to make the surface as smooth and clean as possible to create the best possible seal. After removing the old weatherstripping, close the garage door and simply align your new weatherstripping against the garage door.

Insulation

Heat travels through solid surfaces, which is how the warm air in your garage escapes. To prevent this, insulate your garage walls and door. Even if you have a heater installed, not having proper insulation leads to wasted energy and a high utility bill. Insulation must be installed securely and snugly, and in most cases, it’s best to hire a professional to handle the job. A knowledgeable installer knows how to pick insulation with the correct thickness for your walls and has the experience to install insulation that’s snug but not too tight.

Replace Your Garage Door

If your garage door is properly insulated and you still feel cool air entering, then consider installing a new door. Some modern garage doors have recessed panels and an insulated design, providing immediate protection against the cold and making it easy to replace the insulation in the future if needed.

Caulking

Cracks and gaps allow heat to escape your garage, and caulking is a useful way to cover existing cracks and gaps near your garage door, windows and other damaged areas in the garage. If you’re caulking the garage yourself, focus on areas where two different materials meet, such as wood and brick. Before starting the job, clean the area where you’ll be caulking and make sure the area’s completely dry to stop moisture from being sealed in.

All of these garage-warming repairs can be performed by yourself, or you can hire a professional to do the job. Depending on your level of confidence, you may want to handle the easier tasks yourself, such as caulking or replacing weatherstripping, and then hire a professional for the more difficult tasks like installing a garage heater. In some cases, your heater’s warranty is only valid if you have it installed by a licensed professional.