Western States pipebursting

Home ownership means you no longer pay monthly rent for the roof over your head. You can do what you want with your house (within reason). When you leave, you can sell it to recoup the purchase price and – with any luck – earn a profit too.

But don’t kid yourself. Home ownership comes with a slew of disadvantages, responsibilities, and downright headaches.

So before going any further, consider whether your lifestyle and finances make home buying a smart move.

TIP: High costs mean you should be prepared to stay put. Except in a roaring real estate market, it usually doesn’t make sense to buy a home you’ll own for less than three or four years. Reason: the high transaction cost of buying and selling property means you could lose money on the deal. If you do make money, you’ll pay capital gains taxes if you’re in the house…

Does your front loading washer have a bad smell inside the drum? Especially in a small laundry room does it ever become overpowering?
For years I couldn’t work out why my washer had this musty smell every time I opened the door, then one day I happened to mention it to my daughter. OMG she says, I had the same problem but I found the source of the problem.
Since then I have mentioned the smell to many people and, guess what they all have the same problem.
So before you get rid of your machine, which indeed one of my friends did, try this solution.
How often do you drain the overflow? “What overflow? I didn’t know there was an overflow.”
At the bottom, front left of my machine is a small flap. Inside is a rubber hose that drains the water that collects between the two drums of…

When the cold months end and Spring begins, kids want to go outside and play with their friends. Warmer weather is perfect for running in the backyard, playing in the tree house, or digging around in the sandbox. So, you need to create a fun backyard for your kids to enjoy during spring and summer.

If you have a spacious backyard, there are many things you can do to make it conducive to fun activities. You can add sports and playground equipment, sandboxes, play houses, etc. But, if space is limited, make the most of the space by asking your kids what they want the most for your backyard.

To help you create a fun backyard at home, here are a few tips:

Add a sandbox. Every kid loves to dig up sand and create sandcastles. Though the beach may be miles away from your home, that doesn’t have to…

Home improvement projects have the potential to make or break your wallet, your investment and your resale value (μετακομιζω). This article will give you lots of great advice on how you can protect the investment you’ve made, get the best bang for your buck and not go broke in the process.

To keep all of your family’s device chargers and cables organized, consider devoting one outlet in your home to a charging station. You can build (or purchase) boxes, stands, or other organizational solutions to contain the clutter and provide an easy spot to power up your cell phones, mp3 players, cameras, and more.

When painting a room it is important to make sure to have proper ventilation. If a room is not moving the air properly it can lead to difficulty breathing. You should keep a window open while you are painting a room so that you…

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“April hath put a spirit of youth in everything.”
– William Shakespeare

Spring is in full-swing….let it inspire you to make the most of this month! It’s a terrific time to get out into the fresh air and to let the fresh air in as well! Here are a few ideas to get you started…

• Inspect window screens for tears/bent frames, clean with a mild soap and soft bristle brush; allow to dry thoroughly before installing.
• Cleaning the carpets is another way to bring a fresh feel to your home. Rent a carpet steamer or call in a professional.
• Get out into the garden. Clean up leftover leaves and debris, turn the soil allowing it to breathe, and get prepared for planting.
• Check garden hoses for leaks; repair or replace damaged hoses. Do not leave hoses connected to an outdoor spigot until the danger of frost is completely over!

A flooded basement can put a real damper on your ability to enjoy the warm weather and greenery that spring brings us. Here are 7 tips to prevent basement flooding this season and keep yours looking beautiful.

Dirt lurks in unexpected spots throughout your home. Find out where.

Faucets – As in the part where the water comes out. “Chances are, if you haven’t cleaned this, you will find black, mildewy grunge,” says Donna Smallin Kuper of Unclutter.com and author ofCleaning Plain and Simple. “And you’re brushing your teeth with that water. Ewww!” Read more…

by BHG.com

As the real estate market significantly rebounds, some buyers and sellers are dipping their toes in the waters for the first time. Inevitably, they come into the market with assumptions about how it works. Their assumptions may come from TV reality shows or watching their parents’ house-hunting experiences. Maybe they’ve learned about real estate from a co-worker’s recent home buying or selling experience. The trouble is, the new buyer or seller’s assumptions are sometimes based on outdated or generalized “real estate myths.” Here are three such myths that many less-seasoned home buyers and sellers assume are true.

Myth No. 1: Spring is the best time to sell a home.

Historically, real estate seasons were tied to summer and the end of the school year. Families were the typical buyers or sellers, and they wanted to move during the summer so their kids could start anew in September. That’s how spring became the…