Tip Increase ventilation after showers and baths to reduce the risk of mold growth.   Originally posted at http://www.petermuehlbronner.home-wizard.com/tip/tip_bathroom-vent-mold

Idea To improve the outside ambiance of your home, use backlighting, uplighting, and downlighting for dramatic effects. Experiment with different parts of your yard or garden, and select specific focal points to highlight. Routine Care Inspect, clean, and replace bulbs This task reduces the risk of having to replace bulbs in bad weather. And it […]

Idea If you have a diving board, consider removing it and replacing it with a safer diving rock. Routine Care Open pool for the summer season (cold climates) This task prepares pool for summer use. Timing: May (yearly) Weekly summer pool maintenance This task helps keep pool water clean and safe. Timing: Weekly during season. […]

Idea Use felt or other fabric pads under the legs of all furniture (especially chairs), and periodically check to see that they remain clean. Routine Care Inspect and wax hardwood floors Regular maintenance of wooden floors will prolong the life and enhance the beauty of the wood. Timing: March (yearly) How To Inspect the hardwood […]

Idea To protect your expensive home appliances (computers, LCD televisions, music systems, microwave ovens, etc.) from large power spikes, consider installing a whole-house surge protector. Routine Care Test all GFI outlets (ground fault interrupters) in kitchen, baths, etc. This task is important for safety reasons.If Operating properly, circuit breakers and ground fault interrupters (GFI) will […]

Telecommuting, small-business start-up, or just a quiet place to get work done at home . . . more of us are setting up home offices. The IRS allows you to take a tax deduction for your home office, but you will want to be sure to avoid some common tax traps that can come back […]

Idea To help better match cooking times to your recipes, consider buying an oven thermometer to check the accuracy of your oven’s thermostat. Routine Care Task Perform annual maintenance Proper cleaning and maintenance of your oven reduces the safety risk of fires, improves the energy efficiency of your oven, and can help extend its useful […]

Idea The type of finish on the wood, not the type of wood, determines how fine wood furniture should be cared for and cleaned. Finishes may be soft (Tung oil or Danish oil), hard (lacquer, polyurethane), or painted. Routine Care Task Wax fine wood furniture A good coating of wax helps protect the surface of […]

Tip Let dishes air-dry instead of using the drying feature of your dishwasher. Not using the drying feature of your dishwasher reduces its energy usage by about 50%. Routine Care Task Treat for scale build-up Removing the deposits from your dishwasher’s heating element improves the efficiency of the heating element and improves the appearance of […]

Idea Water Heater (electric) Suggestion Insulating exposed hot water piping coming from your water heater will help reduce your home’s energy costs. Routine Care Task Schedule annual professional inspection and service (including flushing sediments and testing pressure relief valve) This annual professional service is necessary for maintaining safety and energy efficiency of your water heater. […]