Do Home Roof Maintenance Yourself Or Hire a Professional

Your roof is the first thing the sun may shine on in the morning and the last thing to dry out after a big storm so home roof maintenance is a must for all homes. But do you perform your own home roof maintenance or do you let a roofing contractor do it for you.

It is fairly simple to set up a home roof maintenance program for yourself that you can do on a regular basis and follow best home improvement write for us blog. Sometimes if you have had a roof replaced recently the roofing contractor may include some basic maintenance in his contract. This may include cleaning out the gutters every fall and actually going up on the roof once a year to inspect it and also hose it off. If this is included in your contract then by all means make sure the roofing contractor performs this task every year.

Some roofers even write in the contract they will perform these services for the life of the roof. But you would never know if this is true however, if you sell your house before the roof life expires.

You too can set up a maintenance schedule similar to one the roofer may perform. You can visually inspect the roof from the ground. You can also go up on the roof and walk it looking for any potential problems. You can clean out your gutters twice a year. You could also haul a hose up on the roof and hose it down.

You can also pressure wash it but if you do that consider what damage you may be doing to the roof as you drag the pressure washer hose around along with your weight stomping along the roof edge or crest. You would have to be careful on a steeply pitched roof as you do not need to fall or slide off of it.

If you have a flat roof you can easily lean a ladder against the edge of the roof after a rain and see if there any pools of water. You can also put up the ladder and look for any bubbles or blisters under the top coat.

If you only want the gutters cleaned our on a regular basis you could hire a handyman to do this service for you. That person could also hose the roof down whilst on a ladder. Home roof maintenance is a simple task to perform.

Living Room Tables: A Sensible Addition

In homes that have both a family room and a more formal living room, the living room often gets left out in the cold. For years, these formal gathering spaces were located near the front of the home, far away from the real entertainment hub - the kitchen.

If you have a home that is pre-open space plan, then you know how hard it can be to get people to feel comfortable in your living room. But with the right décor and furnishings - including living room tables - you can turn this once little used space into a beehive of activity, not only for visitors and guests, but the family as well.

If you have the advantage of doing a complete revamp of your room, you may want to consider going with a little less formal look. These days, homes are more relaxed in their décor, becoming more inviting to visitors and family. Selecting a different style of furniture or a more colorful pattern of fabric can make the room more user friendly.

The same, of course, can be said for the tables. More formal spaces tend to feature tables with darker woods and more ornate features. You can change things up and add a bit more informality by turning the tables so to speak on traditional décor.

For example, you can go with an oval or round set of living room tables. They are less formal than square or round. You can also choose to go with lighter colored woods, marble or even glass.

Glass is the great equalizer when it comes to these tables. It automatically lightens up the visual weight of the room, since they are transparent and translucent instead of solid. You can take them another step further by making glass tables totally non-traditional, such as going with a freeform glass top or a sculpture that serves as its base.

If you want you can press other pieces into serving as living room tables. There's no hard and fast rule that says that every living room has to have two end tables, a coffee table, a sofa, two chairs and/or a loveseat. By adding elements of surprise to the room, you can create less formality as well.

If you want, you can opt to forgo the traditional coffee table or any other tables in the living room and go with something that is stylish yet unexpected. A set of nesting tables comes to mind, which serves well as both end tables or when un-nested, as a coffee table.

In fact, you don't even have to use a traditional table in your living room. If you have a passion for antiquing, you can pick up a period steamer trunk or old suitcases and press them into service in your living room as tables. If you want a period look without the often musty smell of period pieces, you can go instead with a reproduction trunk or set of suitcases. Many manufacturers sell these, both in traditional furniture stores and online.

That said, you can choose to add a fresh new look to a stuffy looking living room by going with a theme, such as the African savannah, jungle, animal prints, travel, nautical - the list is endless. It's easy these days to find pieces that fit nearly any theme imaginable and a cohesive, overarching theme can really tie a room together while making it look fresh and welcoming.

With just a few easy to implement design ideas, you can transform the formal living room from one of the least used spaces in the home to one of the most popular, for friends, family and visitors alike.

Country and Western - A Match Made in Heaven

If you're the type who likes a relaxed and comfortable look and feel for your home, country and western decor is something you should definitely consider. 

Although these are two separate styles, put them together and you will have a spectacular mix!

Country decor has always included such accents as roosters and cows, anything that is associated with a farm. Western decor typically includes cowboys, indians, horses and things of that nature. Where do cowboys normally work and live? 

On a farm! You can see how the two go hand in hand - a match made in Heaven!

Color is another aspect these two styles share. Country and western decor both use an abundance of rustic colors, such as deep reds, denim blues, golds and burnished orange. Combining these two styles is extremely easy since the colors already blend.

All you need to get started are some shelves and curio cabinets to display your horse figurines, roosters, cowboys, Indians and any other western decor you may have. Add some rooster statues, gingham lined baskets, a few ceramic cow accents here and there and you are well on your way to creating a warm, welcoming atmosphere that everyone will love!

Decorating your walls is another easily accomplished task. There are many western wall decor items available, from mirrors embellished with sheriff's type stars to canvas cowboy art and western wall sconces just to name a few. Rooster decor for your walls can vary from a rich-hued wooden wall clock to elaborately detailed copper wall hangings. A very unique accent you can use are cowboy boot planters - they are absolutely adorable! You can also find many Indian themed pieces, many accented with leather and very colorful.

With so many choices available, decorating your walls, kitchen and tabletops won't be a problem at all. Add a western style lamp and a few horseshoe themed accents. Now, just throw a few western type rugs here and there, a southwestern or country themed throw and pillows on your sofa, and you're done. The relaxed, inviting aura you create will make you the envy of everyone who enters your home. Want to realize the true meaning of "Home is where the heart is"? Decorate your home in country and western decor!

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Juicers and Juicing: Healthy Living Made Simple

Finding the right juicer to create the best, most nutrient rich juice can be a daunting task. There are so many different brands of juicers on the market and each highlights its own strengths and why it is better than the competition. The process can be overwhelming, especially for those who understand how important investing in a juicer truly is when it comes to your health.

Making the first step toward buying a new juicer is a very important one; it demonstrates your understanding of the need for juicing. Whether this is the beginning step on the road to wellness, or just another move in a journey that began previously, making the commitment to juice and invest in a quality juicer is momentous. 

It is important to keep a few key things in mind when shopping for juicers. First, how powerful is the motor in the juicer? 

You will want to make sure that you have a strong motor and one that is warrantied. Extracting juice from fruits and vegetables is a process that can put pressure on the motor and if it is not a strong one, the strain of juicing often can wear it down easily and quickly.

Next, you will want to look at how the parts detach and what the ease of cleanup will be. After each use of your juicer, the parts will need to be dismantled and soaked to ensure proper cleaning has taken place. Are there a lot of parts and are they difficult to reassemble? 

If so, this is probably not the best juicer or investment of your money. There are very high quality juicers on the market that are easily taken apart and reassembled without difficulty. How is the pulp disposal? Is it an easy means of disposal or are there several steps involved, again, this process need not be complex with all the different abilities of the juicers on the market today.

What is the quality of the juice produced? 

This is a vital component as the more nutrient and enzyme rich the juice, the higher the quality of the product. It will be very important to know that you are getting the most nutritious product you possibly can from your juicer, so looking into the quality of the juice produced is a very important step in finding the right juicer. Similarly, you should look at the amount of juice that is produced per pound of produce. 

If you are not getting a high volume of juice, then you are not using the right juicer. A high quality juicer will produce more juice per pound of fruit or vegetables used.

All of these factors combined will help you know that the quality of your juicer is at the top. A juicer must be seen as an investment. Most high functioning juicers will cost somewhere in the range of $200 to $2,000. This may seem like a lot of money, but if you pay for a less expensive version, the reality is you will be paying for another new juicer within the next year or so if you are planning on using the machine daily.

There are quite a few important factors involved with purchasing a juicer. This is potentially one of the most important investments in your life, as it will be instrumental in helping to create a more healthy you! Juicing is quite simply one of the easiest, most effective means of increasing your health and one of the quickest means of feeling and seeing results. 

Because this investment is so crucial, you need to think through what you want from your juicer and likewise, what you are willing to invest in the road to healthy living.