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10 Home-Maintenance Tips for Spring

March 7, 12 //

10 Home-Maintenance Tips for Spring

After a long, dark winter, spring’s bright sun and warm winds are, well, a breath of fresh air. The only downside? All that sunshine spotlights your leaf-filled gutters, cracked sidewalks and the dead plants in last year’s flower beds. D. Barnett, a certified master inspector with the American Society of Home Inspectors, shared this checklist to help you target the areas that need maintenance so you can get your chores done quickly, leaving you time to go outside and play in the sunshine.

Check for loose or leaky gutters. Improper drainage can lead to water in the basement or crawl space. Make sure downspouts drain away from the foundation and are clear and free of debris.

Low areas in the yard or next to the foundation should be filled with compacted soil. Spring rains can cause yard flooding, which can lead to foundation flooding and damage. Also, when water pools in these low areas in summer, it creates a breeding ground for insects.

Use a screwdriver to probe the wood trim around windows, doors, railings and decks. Make repairs now before the spring rains do more damage to the exposed wood.

From the ground, examine roof shingles to see if any were lost or damaged during winter. If your home has an older roof covering, you may want to start a budget for replacement. The summer sun can really damage roof shingles. Shingles that are cracked, buckled or loose or are missing granules need to be replaced. Flashing around plumbing vents, skylights and chimneys need to be checked and repaired by a qualified roofer.

Examine the exterior of the chimney for signs of damage. Have the flue cleaned and inspected by a certified chimney sweep.

Inspect concrete slabs for signs of cracks or movement. All exterior slabs except pool decks should drain away from the home’s foundation. Fill cracks with a concrete crack filler or silicone caulk. When weather permits, power-wash and then seal the concrete.

Remove firewood stored near the home. Firewood should be stored at least 18 inches off the ground at least 2 feet from the structure.

Check outside hose faucets for freeze damage. Turn the water on and place your thumb or finger over the opening. If you can stop the flow of water, it is likely the pipe inside the home is damaged and will need to be replaced. While you’re at it, check the garden hose for dry rot.

Have a qualified heating and cooling contractor clean and service the outside unit of the air conditioning system. Clean coils operate more efficiently, and an annual service call will keep the system working at peak performance levels. Change interior filters on a regular basis.

Check your gas- and battery-powered lawn equipment to make sure it is ready for summer use. Clean equipment and sharp cutting blades will make yardwork easier.

Well, I hope you enjoyed our article of the week and if you do please don’t forget to LIKE us or share these tips!

Fall 2011: How to Prepare your Home for Winter

October 17, 11 //

Fall 2011: How to Prepare your Home for Winter

As the warmer temperatures in New York are just beginning to drop a little, we soon know that the winter will be officially here in just a few months. With colder temperatures also comes rising energy bills, drafty windows and doors, and heating our homes becomes a must. Have you thought about what you can do now in the fall, to save energy and money in the winter? Use these helpful tips to get a jump start on winterizing your home while there’s plenty of time.

Remodeling and Renovation Services in NYC

Check your home now for energy leaks: Fall is the best time to determine where energy leaks are occurring. You can easily conduct a do-it-yourself home energy assessment (also known as a home energy audit). With a simple but diligent walk-through, you can spot many problems in any type of house. When assessing your home, keep a checklist of areas you have inspected and problems you found. This list will help you prioritize your energy efficiency upgrades.

Locating Air Leaks

First, make a list of obvious air leaks (drafts). The potential energy savings from reducing drafts in a home may range from 5% to 30% per year, and the home is generally much more comfortable afterward. Check for indoor air leaks, such as gaps along the baseboard or edge of the flooring and at junctures of the walls and ceiling. Check to see if air can flow through these places:

Electrical outlets
Switch plates
Window frames
Baseboards
Weather stripping around doors
Fireplace dampers
Attic hatches
Wall- or window-mounted air conditioners.

Check to see if the caulking and weather stripping underneath your doors or around your windows are applied properly, leaving no gaps or cracks, and are in good condition. If you can see daylight around a door or window frame, then the door or window leaks. You can usually seal these leaks by caulking or weather stripping them.

Check the storm windows to see if they fit and are not broken. You may also wish to consider replacing your old windows and doors with newer, high-performance ones.

If you are having difficulty locating leaks, you may want to conduct a basic building pressurization test:

First, close all exterior doors, windows, and fireplace flues.
Turn off all combustion appliances such as gas burning furnaces and water heaters.
Then turn on all exhaust fans (generally located in the kitchen and bathrooms) or use a large window fan to suck the air out of the rooms.

This test increases infiltration through cracks and leaks, making them easier to detect. You can use incense sticks or your damp hand to locate these leaks. If you use incense sticks, moving air will cause the smoke to waver, and if you use your damp hand, any drafts will feel cool to your hand.

Green Remodeling: Eco-Friendly Renovation

On the outside of your house, inspect all areas where two different building materials meet, including:

All exterior corners
Where siding and chimneys meet
Areas where the foundation and the bottom of exterior brick or siding meet.

Lighting

Energy for lighting accounts for about 10% of your electric bill. Examine the wattage size of the light bulbs in your house. You may have 100-watt (or larger) bulbs where 60 or 75 watts would do. You should also consider compact fluorescent lamps for areas where lights are on for hours at a time. Your electric utility may offer rebates or other incentives for purchasing energy-efficient lamps.

Have your furnace/fireplace checked: The main source of heat in your home should be in good working condition and checked by a professional. Your furnace should have the ducts, heating elements, and filters changed regularly. Take the time now to clean out your fireplace of old soot and ashes, and hire a chimney sweeper to clean out the chimney and. Consider inspecting the roof and around the chimney for flashing damage so there will be no surprise leaks from rain or snow through the chimney! Also make sure wire netting is placed at the top of the chimney so debris, rodents and birds don’t enter into your fireplace. If you live in a climate that is still able to enjoy the outdoors, ensure your outdoor fireplace is cleaned and maintained each season as well.

Walk around the exterior of your home: The exterior of your home tends to be forgotten about in the wintertime and now is the time to inspect it. Inspect gutters to ensure they are clean and rid of leaves. Check for broken screens or replace/fix if there’s anything broken. Now it’s the perfect time to buy and stock up on salt, and other winter accessories and tools. No lack of materials or high prices!

Repair and clean: Similarly to spring cleaning when your home has been sitting dormant all winter, fall clean up prepares your home for the winter season as well as ensures that everything is in good working order. Repair any cracks in your foundation, pressure wash exterior brick and concrete, and get your furnace and/or chimney serviced. Clean out your garage, any storage areas around your house. Check your snow blower or shovels, and other tools to see if they need replacing from last winter.

Though autumn in New York City is a delectable time of year to enjoy the charms of the Manhattan metropolis, the pristine season is over all too soon. Use these helpful tips to save money, energy, and keep your family safe and warm during the winter. Don’t get caught off guard! Once old man winter descends on New York, make sure you had already performed a good maintenance on your home for the upcoming winter season.

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After all, you are looking forward to getting cozy and being able to enjoy those warm nights in your home, right?

Get going then!

Creative Painting Ideas – Summer 2011

June 24, 11 //

Creative Painting Ideas – Summer 2011

Learn how paint can dramatically enhance your decor and what colors and styles would work best for your home:

Charcoal gray walls set the stage complemented by pineapple yellow and soft white accessories, this living room space makes the perfect urban oasis. When choosing to work with a darker paint palette, try pairing them with brighter colors to create an edgy look that’s still inviting.
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5 New Years Resolutions For Home Improvement

January 3, 10 //

5 New Years Resolutions For Home Improvement

As we ride the crest of a recession into 2010, home is a place where Americans are spending much more of their time. Home improvements not only support the value of your home, but they can make life much more pleasant if you opt for money-saving “staycations” or nights eating in. Here are five New Year’s resolutions for home improvement, whether you choose to take on a remodel project, redecorate or just resolve to maintain your home more efficiently.

1. Check for Energy Efficiency

Are the drafty windows causing your heating unit to kick into overdrive? If you have an older house, it is especially important to make sure you are not washing money down the drain with outdated energy fixtures and appliances. Replacing old windows and doors with newer energy-efficient ones is ideal, but you can also seal your old windows with caulk or replace the rubber strips on your doors in the meantime. If you are in the market for a new dishwasher or refrigerator, check to make sure the new model has the “Energy Star” logo for maximum energy efficiency (along with a sweet tax deduction as well).

2. Sell or Donate Stuff You Don’t Use

A new year has never been a better time to practice the “out with the old” mantra. Consider all the things in your garage that you never use. Think about all the space in your closet being wasted on clothes that you will never wear again. Become friendly with your local Goodwill or Salvation Army, and donate anything you do not use. After all, you don’t want your house to end up on a reality TV show called “Hoarders.” By clearing the clutter and purging your home of things that just collect dust, you will enjoy spending time at home with a fresh just-moved-in feeling. Your house guests will appreciate it, too. No one wants to hang out in a space that they can’t move in.

3. Rearrange, Refinish or Repurpose Old Furniture

If you can’t afford to spend money on new furniture, you may want to consider sprucing it up. You can create a new furniture feel by staining old wood or recovering chairs with new fabric. Perhaps the way you have your furniture arranged now is not optimal. Look at your rooms with a fresh eye. Would there be more room if you put the couch up against the wall? Would your bed be better situated in the center of the bedroom instead of pushed up against the corner? Also, consider other uses for furniture. That clunky dresser that crowds the small guest room may make a great entertainment center in the living room. Put the TV on top, and load the drawers with games and DVDs.

4. Spiff Up the Outside Property

Do not neglect the landscaping around your home. This is the first impression that guests will have of you when they pull up to your house. If your lawn is overgrown with weeds, and you have not picked up the soggy newspapers in your driveway for weeks, what kind of impression does that give other people? Some regular maintenance and a few colorful plants can make all the difference in the world. If you have a lot of overgrown trees but do not want to spend the money to have them removed, give them a good “haircut” by hiring a landscaping company to bring up the canopy. By trimming a few branches off the bottom layers, your house may be clearly visible from the road, making it safer and cleaner-looking.

5. Apply a Fresh Coat of Paint

Paint is the cheapest and easiest face lift you can give a house. If your walls are looking tired, or you’ve just outgrown the color, it’s time to repaint. (If you are in an apartment home make sure that you get the okay from your landlord.) Need inspiration? There is a discount section in most paint stores or paint departments known as the “oops selection.” Perfectly good, unused shades of paint are returned and sold here at a discounted price because they were the wrong color. But someone else’s wrong color could very well be your perfect shade, especially if you have nothing to match it to. Go nuts with someone else’s “oops” and create a color scheme around the paint.

You do not need a lot of cash to make improvements to your home. With a little creativity and organization, you can stick to your 2010 resolution of making some home improvements that will enrich your everyday life.

About GRNY RENOVATION

GRNY RENOVATION has been remodeling properties in NYC Metro Area, NJ and Long Island, NY since 1998 and in this period, we have developed into one of the area’s leading general contractors. We have been the remodeling company of choice on properties ranging from home renovations, commercial offices and institutions from the smallest to the biggest. All projects have one thing in common which is keeping the same degree of care and attention.

You have found the specialists of high quality interior or exterior renovation for private clients. We also work with professional interior designers when requested.

It does not matter whether you need a wide range of projects together, GRNY provides a swift turnaround and ensure that all programmed dates are kept.

For more information call GRNY RENOVATION at 516-299-9271

Kitchen Remodeling in New York

December 20, 09 //

Holiday Kitchens in New York City

Hello people from Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn and Bronx! This is a busy season we all know … and some of you have already started decorating parts of your house.

However, decorating the kitchen for the holidays is often overlooked as we go about decorating the rest of our home.

We’re probably in the kitchen even more during this period of time so here are a variety of ideas – traditional, fresh, modern, green to add spirit to our kitchens.

Ten Ways To Add That Holiday Spirit

1. Replace your collections and accessories around the kitchen to a single color theme for a unifying color story – sounds easy, and it is – all objects are one color.

2. Change your collections and replace with objects of a common theme – a reindeer theme, a Hannukah star or dreidel theme, and so on. Watch the clutter factor! Group similar shapes and forms for a simple, yet strong, impact. Or, one large item, with multiple small items grouped around. Or, alternating small and large pieces in a roughly 1/3 (small size height) related to an object that is an additional 2/3 taller in height along a line, makes an interesting pattern – short/tall/short/tall, etc.

3. Add decorative lights (disregard word “Christmas” on site-lots of different colors for various holiday themes). Lighting can go above wall cabinetry, under an island countertop, surrounding a window or a backsplash. Look for unique patterns to create with led lights.

4. Bring in new linens in your holiday color – tea towels, placemats, table cloths, napkins. Replace seat cushions or add slipcovers

5. Gather large, downed, tall and thin branches, grouped together or used in singles. Position them standing up in corners of a room, as is, spray painted in your holiday color, adding lights and ornaments if desired, or just a single colored ribbon on various branches. Gather acorns and pine cones. Paint all or a few and use decoratively as ornaments, line up on a window sill or shelf for a lovely natural holiday effect. Save for next year.

6. Place holiday ornaments in a glass or other large bowl in one or more places, small or large ornaments in small or large bowls, any way it looks right to you. So easy, so festive.

7. Make a string of ornaments – attach to ribbon (tied or glued on) and frame a window, follow a ceiling line, make vertical “stripes” on a single wall from floor to ceiling, create a concentric circular motif as a wall feature

8. Hang a number of single ornaments in any motif from the ceiling a short distance, up to approximately 8″ long, surrounding a light fixture, in a freeform pattern, or another motif that attracts the eye

9. Add candles, candles, candles (with care and safety in mind!) Candles in one color throughout the home, different sized candles grouped together, candles surrounded by ornaments on a tray. The season for candles is here!

10. Bunch together 6-12 ornaments (may be similar or varying proportions and situated at different heights), tie together with ribbon and/or glue and hang in a doorway, below a lighting fixture, from the ceiling in a logical place, in the window for a modern, cheerful, jumble of color and form.

Bonus Idea

AFTER the holidays use white in various ways to add reflecting light to your space, adding a bright feeling to lift the spirits and a true celebration of the winter season. Don’t stop at the holidays!

Another Idea for after New Year is REMODELING your KITCHEN completely! Why Not?

A kitchen remodel tends to have a high rate of return on investment. In most cases, it will almost pay for itself when you sell the home.

Don’t only think in terms of appreciating the value of your home. You really should be doing a kitchen remodel for you!

HOW MUCH DOES IT COSTS A KITCHEN REMODELING?

According to the National Association of Realtors Cost vs. Value Report:

– The average “upscale kitchen” remodel cost $81,552 and had a payback of 84.8 percent.

– The average midrange “major kitchen” remodel cost $43,862 and had a payback of 91 percent.

You can have a great kitchen for much less, just call GRNY Renovation and request a FREE estimate!

Click HERE for more information.