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The team at Property360 has come up with a list of our favorite tips and tricks to help you around the home.
Want to keep track of paint colors? Write them down on the backside of an electrical outlet cover. This is also a good place to store passwords and account numbers, so you’ll never lose them.
Want to keep insects out of cabinet drawers? Place a bay leaf in the drawers.
Fix slow drains in sinks, tubs, and showers by placing a cup of baking soda in the drain followed by a cup of vinegar. Let it sit for 5 minutes and follow up with half a gallon of boiling water.
If mildew and algae growth is a problem in the grout in your shower, it means there is poor ventilation and the moisture is not evaporating quickly enough. Exhaust fans should run 15-20 minutes after showering. If this doesn’t resolve the problem, you may need to seal the grout.
First, clean the grout, and allow it to fully dry. Using a towel or placing a fan on the walls will help to dry it. Finally, seal the grout/caulk lines with a grout sealer which can be purchased at most hardware stores. My personal choice for showers is Aqua X Clear Grout Sealer.
Mildew and algae growth on the exterior of your home is also caused by poor ventilation and minimal exposure to sunlight. Some wall cladding products are more prone to mildew than others, but all will be affected. Many homeowners plant shrubbery too close to the foundation and walls, which restricts air movement that helps our walls dry. We compound this by installing above-ground sprinklers which keep our walls wet.
Make sure your landscaping is not restricting airflow by allowing at least three feet of clearance between the plants and the walls. Mature plants do not need above-ground sprinklers and in fact, it promotes leaf mold and insects. Remove the above-ground heads and switch to a soaker or drip system. You’ll save money too!
If you have a problem with spiders and insects on the exterior of your home, it may be caused by leaving exterior lights on at night. Insects are attracted to light, and spiders are predators so they will weave webs or hang out to feed on these insects. Consider replacing outdoor lights with motion sensor lights.
Maintaining a healthy lawn can be a challenge in Florida. Florida does not have a “native” grass so every variety we use has been developed for our climate. Unfortunately, our most popular lawn grasses are also susceptible to a wide range of insects and fungi and they require specific amounts of moisture. There is nothing “green or environmentally friendly” in St. Augustine, Bermuda, Zoysia, or any of the other clones related to these grasses.
If you want that lush, green, full lawn you will either need to educate yourself on how to maintain it or hire a turf professional to do it for you. You will have to treat your lawn with approved chemicals as our insects and fungi laugh at home remedies. Consider contacting 360PestControl for your lawn pest control needs!
It’s spring in northeastern Florida, so now is the time to take a look at your home. Walk the exterior and look for cracks in caulking at doors or windows, trim hedges/bushes to 3 feet from the foundation, remove the tree limbs near the roof, clean gutters and windows and look for any water damage to the door trim and siding. Hurricane season is just around the corner and you want your home to be water resistant.
Spring is also the time for termite swarmers so watch for them around doors, windows, and exterior lights. Our native eastern subterranean termites swarm during daylight hours, and the voracious Formosan termite swarms at dusk along with the dry-wood termites. If you see swarmers inside the home, you should hire a qualified termite inspector to determine if they are invaders or if you have a colony inside the home which will require treatment. Termite swarms are common so don’t panic.
Spring is a good time to catch up on needed maintenance like cleaning the chimney, cleaning AC ducts, cleaning dryer ducts, servicing the HVAC system, or having the overhead garage door serviced. It is also a great time to replace batteries in smoke/carbon monoxide detectors!
Fix up your home, make it look it's very best and then video your home both inside and outside. Having a video of the condition of your home is valuable in case you suffer hurricane damage this summer. If you are unable to do this or if you can’t physically include the roof, consider hiring a home inspector to do this for you. A brief residential condition report could mean the difference in obtaining repair authorizations from the insurance carrier.
Our 30 years’ experience in both residential and commercial construction make us more than qualified to perform a multitude of inspections including mold inspections, stucco & EIFS inspections, balcony inspections, and more. We are proud to serve St. Augustine, Keystone Heights, Fleming Island, Jacksonville, and beyond. Contact our team at (904) 606-1570 or request an inspection online today.
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