How To Make Your Home More Secure?

Having a home to live in is a  blessing. But it certainly doesn’t go well when a thief breaks into your house and rob you of your precious belongings. Probably that’s why we all focus on home security systems. But do we do it right? Do we make our homes secure? 

If not, how can you do that? What are the necessary components of a home security system and how to pursue them?

1. Motion detector lights

Almost all of us use automatic lights that turn on & off at a scheduled time. Such automatic lights are extremely helpful especially when you’re going for a holiday. There are lesser chances of people knowing that you aren’t at home. But here’s the problem. Any experienced thief will be able to detect the pattern. Remember home alone? How the thieves disguise themselves as police officers and figure out that the lights are just automatic & the family would be gone for the Christmas! That could happen in real life.

Probably that’s the reason why motion detector lights were invented (or yes! they could've been invented way before than that). These lights work with sensors that turn on the lights by sensing the change movement or temperature in its vicinity. So, if there’s intruder walking near your main door, he will be seen fast enough. It gets tough to figure out whether the home is empty or not. 

Apparently, such lights wouldn’t need to stay on for all the time. Imagine how much money you can save on your power bills! You wouldn’t need to keep the lights on all the time. Rather, they will automatically switch on anytime someone steps near your door. 

2. Door locks

Locks are the most important components of your home security system. A good lock is mandatory. Choosing the right lock for your home safety is what you require. The best lock advertised by a company cannot be the best for your home. For example, a deadbolt is an excellent lock, but if you have a window just near your door, your home is at a significant risk. Anyone can easily break the window and open the lock from inside without much effort.

Therefore, it’s crucial that you don’t fall for “best” lock in the market but rather pick the best lock for your home. A locksmith would be able to suggest you better on this for it requires the inspection of your house structure. 

3. Surveillance cameras

Not all the thieves break in while you’re not at home. Some work differently and will attack while you’re at home. What would you do if someone rings your doorbell in the middle of the night? Answering it just like that could be dangerous. You require to see who’s at the door, and surveillance cameras help you in that. 

They’re also helpful when you’re not at home and your doorbells rings. Some systems would alert you through your mobile phone and let you see who’s at the door while you’re doing the shopping at your favorite Target store. 

There are three major kinds of surveillance cameras - door, pan & tilt and dome shaped ones. Which one is perfect for you again is dependent on where your house is located and what kind of security requirements you have. 

4. Efficient alert systems

You require a high-quality alarm system that has an audible siren and minimum rate of false alarms. A loud siren is highly beneficial to shoo away the amateur thieves. A good quality alert system would also be able to detect the breaches faster and more efficiently. Also, it would reduce the rate of false alarms, thereby making your home more secure. 

5. Critical security measures

So, you have four most necessary components to keep your home secure from intruders. But there are still ways that they can get in, and a lot of them can be easily avoided. Here’s how:

Make sure you hire a reliable locksmith service pro to set up your home security system. In the case of lost keys or issues like that, make sure you hire a licensed and highly reputable locksmith. 

Remember that these people have the key to your home and if they decide to switch sides, your home can never be safe. 

Never forget to lock the doors and the windows while you go to sleep, or you go outside your home. It’s pretty basic, and I shouldn’t be telling you this. But we do forget. Don’t we? So, just reminded you of this.

Stop sharing your vacation details on your social media. It’s always a good practice to do those Instagram posts once you’re back. You cannot imagine who could be tracking your daily activities and break into your house while you publicly declare that you’re on a holiday away from your home. Similarly, don’t trust your neighbors or anyone who know of your home’s location that much. 

Don’t answer the door for people who turn up for random surveys or some out of the world reason. Open it only when you’re expecting someone. Be careful when you open the doors for courier boys. Look for their uniform and what kind of package is in their hand before you unbolt the door. 

Anytime, there could be a thief knocking on your door. You need to be careful while answering it. 

Keep your keys safe. Never leave them under the foot mat. It’s like THE most prominent place to leave your key, or even in that plant pot you’ve near your door. People are not dumb!

There you have it! Everything you require to keep your home safe from intruders or even from fake locksmith services. Do you think this provided you with additional information to keep your home secure? Please comment! 

From Same Day Pros blogs: How To Make Your Home More Secure?

9 Reasons Why You Remove The Tree Immediately

We’re totally against deforestation. We support tree plantation as much as we can but sometimes, it gets tough to stay true to that thought. The trees that exist in your yard may look beautiful for years and have lots of memories attached to them, but just like any other thing created by nature, it has its lifespan. Once it’s past its lifespan, it’s time for it to go.

With trees, it gets difficult to decide when is that right time to say goodbye. Of course, an inspection by a tree service can be of great assistance, but apparently, you wouldn’t just call a service and ask them to check the tree just like that. There must be some signs that you require an inspection or tree removal. In this post, you will find all those signs and reasons why you must remove your favorite tree immediately.

Why call a tree service to remove a dead tree?

Dead trees are deadly. Yes, we often try to rhyme what we write, but that doesn’t affect the point we want to make. Dead trees can cause a lot of damage. Here are some examples:

Dead trees cannot survive the storm: Dead trees become weak, and their branches are more likely to fall due to the storm or wind than any other tree in your yard. They create problems when they fall. You can get stuck inside your house for the house due to a fallen tree or branch. Or your pets or a family member may suffer injuries in an unlucky accident. Both are undesirable situations. Aren't they? That’s why it’s important to get rid of the dangerous branches and trees before they breed trouble for you.

Dead trees spread contagious diseases: Have you noticed yellow patches on the old tree? Those patches can easily get transferred to every other tree in your yard. You have one dead tree, and if you don’t get it removed on time, your entire garden will be at risk. There are several other tree diseases which can be the actual reason behind the death of your beloved tree. Most of these are contagious and can spread to other trees. Therefore, you need proper tree removal before the disease spreads.

Dead trees can lead to pest infestation: First of all, dead trees, in general, attract a lot of pests. Most common among these are rats and termites. Termites infection can be severe as we discussed in our post about termite control. Rats aren't appealing either. The bigger problem is that once these pests dwell in the dead tree, they can quickly invade your home for it’s in the close vicinity and these creatures like to explore. So, whatever money or time you will save by not hiring a tree service, would be spent on pest control services. What’s the better and cheaper option? We think you already know the answer!

Dead trees spoil your garden’s appeal: Why do you have trees in your yard? Because it looks so good. It also acts as a fantastic spot for all the fun activities of kids. But once a tree is dead, all those benefits wither away. It is nothing but a dangerous eyesore.

By now it’s pretty clear, that dead trees are a danger for the landscape around you. There’s no plausible reason why you might still decide to keep it. Eventually, you will have to get rid of it. Better make it quick.

What are other well-thought reasons of tree removal?

1. The trees are causing lawn damage

Let’s accept that a healthy lawn is the dream of every house owner. It’s so aesthetically pleasing and useful. It can be your favorite spot to chill in summer evenings. But if you have huge trees that overshadow the lawn area, you’re more likely to see dry and yellow patches of grass. The trees will block the sunlight and make your lawn decay. You will be forced to hire a tree service either for tree trimming or tree removal. There are no second thoughts on this issue.

2. The tree is growing too close to your house’s foundation

It’s common knowledge that you must never plant trees or even have small plants very near to your home’s foundation. But trees grow so rapidly, and the roots are so extensive that sometimes it gets tough to control it. The roots can severely damage the foundation. So, if you notice the tree growing very close to the foundation, you should act immediately and get this issue fixed.

3. The tree is weak and leaning towards your house

Isn’t it obvious? A weak tree cannot endure storm damage. Its branches can be easily damaged and fall. Now, if the tree is leaning in the direction of your house, it becomes even more worrisome. A small storm will not only cause tree damage but can also cause roof damage. Just think of how much additional expenditure you will have if you give the tree a chance to cause such havoc!

4. The tree has structural issues

Let us warn you! It isn’t very obvious that trees with following issues must be removed, but you will benefit from this in the long run. For example, an unhealthy tree will eventually decay or cause pest infestation all around you. If you notice the internal structural delay in the tree, it also requires quick action. Bad crotch and cracks in the trunk are troublesome issues with the trees and most of the times; the only solution is tree removal. However, we suggest that you call a tree service to check the current condition, and they will be able to advise you better through their inspection.

5. The tree is way too close to power lines

Again one small storm is enough to break those power lines and leave you in a blackout situation. Moreover, a tree which is too big for the landscape it’s currently planted in will never be able to grow properly. It will always face diseases and growth issues. It’s better to get it removed and replaced with a tree that’s more suitable to the landscape.

There you have it! Nine reasons why you must go for tree removal. Not because someone is asking you to do it, but because it’s necessary for your good. But remember that if you’re going to do it, you must not do it yourself. Tree removal is very dangerous and must be done by an expert tree service only.

Are you still not sure whether you should go for tree removal or not? Tell us the situation and we will ask the experts to suggest you!

From Same Day Pros Blogs: 9 Reasons Why You Remove The Tree Immediately

7 Low-Budget Methods To A Beautiful Green Lawn

Having a lush, green lawn makes you feel luxurious. There’s that amazing feeling of being surrounded by beautiful landscape, and there’s no doubt that you feel proud of yourself for having a lush, green lawn. It isn’t easy to make yourself experience something like that.

A good garden requires significant investment, regarding money and time. While it’s impossible to cut back on the time spent on creating an excellent lawn, it’s certainly feasible to implement some money-saving lawn care ideas. Today’s post is just about them.

Find below some tried and tested techniques to save money on lawn care. These low-budget methods will aid you to control your budget and still enjoy the fulfilling feeling of being a responsible lawn owner.

1.    Get dirty

Hiring a lawn care service is often a superb idea. These set of experts provide your yard a timely care, and they barely go wrong with their decisions. But when you’re trying to cut back on your expenses, such a service might not be the first thing you want to hire.

What you can do in such a situation is get your hands dirty and take care of your lawn yourself. It will require some investment. You will need lawn care equipment, but that’s a one-time investment. It is highly likely that you already own some of the equipment required. If not, consider investing in it and then reap the benefits of a ‘low-budget lawn.'

Then you will need to change your schedule and incorporate the lawn related tasks in it. You don’t require working on your lawn every day for most of the lawn related tasks are low-frequency. For example, you will need to fertilize your lawn during the early spring and fall. You will need to water it once a week (more about it later in the post). You will need to check for weeds once a week. And you will need to mow your lawn once in every three to five days. It depends on how quick the grass blades are growing.

If you make a schedule and don’t miss it even once, you will be able to wrap up these tasks in a very less amount of time.

When you’re trying to cut back your expenses, it’s not a good idea to put your lawn at risk, as you’ll end up spending much more than usual. Therefore, good care is a must. The following points will help you to take care of your lawn and keep it in good shape.

2.    Pay attention to lawn mowing

In the previous post about lawn mowing tips, I have listed a lot of important things related to lawn mowing. The most important of those is to wait until your lawn reaches the right height. It should be cut just at that point; no sooner or later.

I also suggest that you go for a push mower rather than a rotary mower. First of all, a rotary mower is harsher on the grass and will make it want more attention and care. On the other hand, a push mower with sharp blades will cut the grass blades in a perfect manner and also save you some money on the lawn upkeep.

Moreover, as these are manual lawn mowers, you can save on some energy expenses. It is also a good exercise and therefore, will reduce your need to hit the gym every day. It is indeed an excellent physical exercise to mow your lawn. But be careful! If you’re sick or have back or knee injuries, this activity can aggravate your condition.

3.    Pick the right fertilizer

Fertilization is a lawn care activity which you shouldn’t miss. I understand that it may seem like an unnecessary overhead, but it truly isn’t. Fertilizer helps your lawn grow and keeps it healthy. This directly leads to fewer expenses on lawn maintenance.

But here’s the issue. A lot of us pick the wrong fertilizers and end up with a dead lawn. Invest in a good quality fertilizer that releases nutrients slowly. It will keep your lawn well-fed for the entire season. Also, it reduces the risk of damage to your lawn due to overfeeding.

Moreover, you have to do it just twice a year. It isn’t that big of an expenditure considering its frequency and its benefits. Go for it!

4. Naturally feed your lawn

Just like the human body needs to be fed, your grass requires food. Fertilizers are one way to meet this requirement. Another way to feed your lawn with proper nutrients is to leave the grass clippings on the lawn after mowing.

Here’s the problem. A lot of us don’t know when this activity is good and when it’s bad. If you’re timely mowing your lawn, the amount of clippings is just enough and apt for your lawn. But if you missed a lawn mowing session, the clippings would be too long and block the sunlight and make the grass dry or yellow.

There are two more things that your lawn requires to stay healthy – sunlight and water. There shouldn't be any big trees that are overshadowing your lawn and blocking the sunlight. In my post about reasons why you require a tree service, I have highlighted how a tree that’s stripping your lawn off the sunlight can push up your lawn care expenses. It’s better to fix this issue before you face major garden troubles.

5.    Water your lawn properly

A lot of us just count the direct lawn maintenance expenses like fertilizers, weed killers, lawn care service expenditure and so on. What we often miss are energy and water bills. These also contribute a lot to your monthly expenses. Therefore, I found it crucial to include this point to help you save money on lawn maintenance.

Contrary to the popular belief, one doesn’t need to water the garden every day. Not only are you wasting water, but also causing harm to the grass. Rather, go for deep watering once a week. Let me warn you that this isn’t a sure shot number. It varies with the type of grass you have. So, do your research and find what’s the right amount of water your lawn requires per week.

6.    Aerate your lawn yourself

Lawn aeration is significant expenditure and can be easily avoided. All you need is to dig up some YouTube videos on how to aerate your lawn correctly and then do it yourself. Just like fertilization, it’s a task that needs to be done just twice a year. Moreover, it’s a fun activity. Even your kids can help you out with this task.

Aeration helps your lawn breathe and soak in the nutrients you’re feeding it. Apparently, it helps your lawn grow greener and healthier.

7.    Use homemade pesticides

What worries me most about my lawn is when I have to use pesticides. Pest invasions happen, but the use of harmful chemicals on the grass do create a lot of troubles in future. There are a couple of homemade pesticides recipes that I try when I am dealing with minor pest infestations. For example, you can use a mixture of soap & water to deal with flies, mites, and aphids. Cayenne pepper, fresh garlic, and water are good to hush away the beetles. Similarly, you can use Pinterest to find more of such recipes and save up some bucks!

By following the tips mentioned above, you can certainly save hundreds of dollars on lawn care per year. But let me warn you! You need to perform these by heart to get some results. Are you ready for it?

From Same Day Pros Blogs: 7 Low-Budget Methods To A Beautiful Green Lawn

How To Sell Plumbing

from Plumbing http://ift.tt/2aiEd57
via How To Sell Plumbing

5 Major Outdoor plumbing issues You Should Avoid

We consider it as a big deal when our house’s plumbing goes wrong? A clogged sink or a toilet is enough to get us mad. And the stink it generates gets us off our feet and call a plumber immediately. But most of us put off outdoor plumbing tasks as if they’re not so immediate. 

The truth is they’re. A small leak on the roof can damage the entire roof causing you damage worth thousands of dollars. The problem in the sprinkler system can cause a significant water explosion that can injure you if it happens while you’re around. The sewer blockage can lead to all those nasty indoor plumbing issues that you dread. 

I think you got the point. Recognizing and fixing the outdoor plumbing issues is as important as dealing with the other ones. That’s why I decided to write about all the major issues and on how to proceed to get them fixed.

Let’s deal with the most serious one first.

1. Sewer Blockage

Sewers connect your house’s waste water to the sewerage system that runs underground. These sewer pipes carry all the waste that you flush down your toilet or put into the sink. Apparently, it’s connected to the entire water system of your house, and if it goes wrong, your home’s entire plumbing is in trouble.

Signs of sewer blockage

The most basic signs of sewage problems are the water backups that can come out of the drains, maybe through the sink, bathtub or toilet. If you can hear a gurgling sound and the source seems to be the drains, it’s also a big enough sign for sewer blockage.

Now, you might be thinking that all of this could happen due to a simple clog as well. Maybe your sink is clogged, and that’s why it’s backing up. What’s the sure shot sign of sewer clog? If this thing is happening with your entire house’s plumbing – toilets, sinks, and bathtubs, it’s because of a sewerage issue. 

Causes of sewer blockage

Let’s talk about what can be the reason behind this problem. There are two primary reasons.

1. Improper disposal: If you’re flushing things down your toilet that shouldn’t be, congratulations! You have a clog and hundreds of dollars of extra expenditure this month due to your actions. The only thing that should go down the drains is waste water, human excreta, and tissue papers that are safe for disposal.

ALSO READ: 9 things you're doing everyday to damage your household plumbing

Not all the tissue papers or napkins available out there completely dissolve in water when flushed down, and they’re bound to get stuck in the pipes. Things like sanitary napkins, vegetable oil, and food materials can also contribute to it. 

2. Tree roots: Another reason why the sewer pipes can get blocked is the tree roots. As you already know, sewer pipes go underground, and tree roots can easily grow and block these. It is the very common thing in old homes as tree roots get plenty of time to grow inside. Gradually, they start blocking the sewage pipes.

How to deal with it?

Obviously, it’s a serious issue and shouldn’t be taken lightly. You need to call a licensed plumber to check the blockage and fix it. The plumber will first use a cable to inspect the problem. If that fails, they will do a camera inspection and then figure out the problem. Once they know what’s causing the leak, and where, they can easily fix it for you. 

Remember that sewer water is a very dangerous plumbing problem. A drain water backflow can contaminate your house with some disease-causing bacteria & water damage restoration takes a significant sum of money. In all case, you must avoid getting into a possible situation where water enters your house through backflow. Get it fixed before it happens.

2. Plumbing issues in the pool area

If you’ve been noticing water around your pool, it’s a sign of trouble. The water can be due to a problem with plumbing near your pool, or it could be the problem with the entire pool itself. The latter is a severe issue. So, you must take necessary precautions and call up a plumber immediately to inspect the real cause behind that extra water. 

3. Problems with the hose bibs

If you don’t know what hose bibs are, here’s the answer: these are what supply water to the outdoor plumbing fixtures. These are plumbing connections that are quite susceptible to damage. They may break due to wear and tear or due to frosting in winter. 

A leak or a crack is serious enough issue as this well affect the entire water supply to the outdoor area. You must also keep in mind that replacing or repairing hose bibs require proper expertise. DIYing it isn’t a good idea.

4. Issues with the sprinklers

Usually, the people who have a kitchen garden or a big lawn love to invest in a sprinkler system but these are tough to maintain. They can easily get damaged. A small leak would give away the existence of a problem and then you can yourself dig up the area and detect where the damage is. If you’re unsure on how to do that, you can call up for sprinkler repair. 

It’s also a good idea to not use the sprinkler system for irrigation purpose until it is working completely fine. Not doing so may cause unexpected damage to your lawn or even to you. 

5. Always winterize the faucets

In winters, the outdoor faucets run the greatest risk of getting frozen. Now, these frozen pipes can be dangerous. We all had heard about those terrible incidents when a frozen pipe blew up and wasted a lot of water. The water stream can be hazardous to humans or pets as well due to its high pressure.

Therefore, it’s always good to winterize your pipes that are outside, take necessary measures to prevent frozen pipes and keep contact number of an emergency plumber in your emergency contacts list. Preparing for winter is necessary. Don’t miss it.

I have listed the major outdoor plumbing issues and how to deal with them, all in one post. I hope you enjoyed reading it and use it for your good. Let me know if you think this would help you in future. 

From Same Day Pros Blogs: 5 Major Outdoor plumbing issues You Should Avoid

Common Electrical Problems That You Can Face in Summer

Electricity is such an important part of our lives, but it isn’t all good. Sometimes power can put us in danger and cause us a massive loss. And often, we just face severe inconvenience when the electricity turns its back on us. 

Summer season aggravates all the electrical troubles homeowners can face. If you have suffered a minor electrical issue during the winter or spring and haven’t got it fixed, get ready for it to haunt you in the summer. Moreover, the sheer inconvenience is overwhelming.

That’s why I have put together this post on the major electrical issues you can face in summer. As bonus content, I have added some tips you can follow to avoid such situations. 

Typical electrical problems that occur in summer

1. Increased electrical load

Buzzing sounds, overheated plugs, flickering lights, sparks from plugs, and tripped circuit breakers are all signs of overloading. In summer, the air conditioner is always on, and the use of appliances, in general, is more in the summer season. If you’re facing this situation, you need to get your panels upgraded. That should fix it and keep you safe.

2. Issues with aluminum wiring

If your house has got wires made of aluminum, you need to read this. Now, aluminum is a metal that faces the wrath of all seasons. It expands & contracts in heat & cold respectively. This constant expansion and contraction causes problems like faulty and rusty wiring, loose connections and overheating. If you’re facing any of these troubles, you need get the installation inspected by a trained electrician.

3. Electrical problems due to storms

There are two types of storms that are very common in summer - windy storms and lightning storms. Windy storms can damage the electrical wiring outside your home and may result in disruption of electricity supply to your home. Lightning storms can cause sudden power surge leading to overloading and damage to the electrical appliances in your home. Both of the situations require a professional electrician. If your area receives frequent lightning storms, you must get a surge protector device installed in your house.

4. Excessive power surges

Power surges happen because of heavy electrical appliances like air conditioners, refrigerators, and ovens. These devices draw a lot of power and can sometimes cause you trouble due to overloading or excessive use of big appliances at one time. These can also result due to lightning storms. The recent spike in the power can cause damage to the devices and sometimes, even cause an electrical fire. As I mentioned in the previous point, there are surge protectors to help you avoid this situation. It’s also a wise move to turn off the expensive big appliances in your home during a storm. 

5. Blackouts and brownouts

Blackouts usually happen because of massive storms. You get stuck without power supply for hours. A backup generator is a must-have in a situation like this, unless and until you’re ready to live with just candles for so many hours. 

Brownouts are situations when the power supply is disrupted, and the appliances get less supply than usually required. These can cause overheating of devices and can even result in short circuit. Therefore, you should switch off your devices until the brownout end. A backup generator will come handy in this case as well. 

How to avoid these common summertime electrical problems?

1. Keep the number of an electrician in your emergency contacts list

You need a reliable and licensed electrician. It might be some damage due to a power surge or just a tripped circuit breaker you can’t fix yourself; all these problems happen much more often in summer. If you haven’t already got your electrician’s number in your emergency contacts list, you need to do it immediately. In case, you need to find a new electrician, just use our service pro finder services. 

2. Install surge protectors

We have already talked about it before. Surge protectors can save your appliances and electrical fitting.  But keep in mind that rightly installed surge protection equipment is crucial. If you install a surge protector, and it isn't done right, it’ll not work at all to tone down the power surge. In fact, it may worsen the situation. So, be careful with the installation. 

3. Get a backup power supply

If you're working from home or if you totally cannot survive without electricity even for a minute, you need backup power supply options. If not that, you should at least have a set-up to install a temporary generator which you can bring in during an extended blackout. 

4. Maintain proper electrical infrastructure

During summer, the electrical wiring in your house goes through massive stress. The humidity, heat, and usual wear & tear can lead to malfunctions which can be deadly. Make sure you address the issues of overheating, loose wiring, sparks, etc. very thoroughly. There shouldn’t be any delay in getting these issues fixed.

There you have it. You have got the list of electrical problems you’re most likely to face in summer and also, four effective steps to avoid such situations or just tone down their impact on you. What do you think? Did these tips seem helpful to you?

From Same Day Pros blogs: Common Electrical Problems That You Can Face in Summer

Bed Bugs Survival Guide: Eliminate Your Worst Nightmare

Are you not able to sleep at night? Is there something that’s bothering you? That unease that creeps in as soon as the sun sets and that weird feeling that something is crawling on you. Well, all of it can be real. And it may be happening because of the bed bugs.

Bed bugs are blood suckers. These are tiny creatures that get active at night and feed off human blood. Although they can be seen, they often go unnoticed because of their small size and stealth attacks. They hide away in the corners and behind the clutter during day time. They’re survivors as they can live up to a year without feeding off human blood. So, once they enter a home, they wait for their prey to come back to them, no matter how long it takes.

Bed Bugs & Diseases

Bed bugs have a close connection in spreading diseases. The general allergic reactions that cause rashes, swelling and itching, are just a little bit of what these nasty creatures can do to you. They transmit blood from one living organism to other. Thus, there’s high possibility that these can act as a carrier of diseases. Although it hasn’t been entirely proved through research that these can transmit blood from animals to humans, scientists haven’t ruled out this possibility. And are you still thinking why am I writing such an elaborate article to help you get rid of bed bugs?

Can they be treated?

Of course, they can be. The easiest way to do that is hiring a pest control service, and they’ll use the most efficient method to remove bed bugs. But wait! You must know a few more things before you decide to deal with these pests.

Bed Bugs prevention

Prevention is better than cure. So, it will be a superb idea just to avoid these creatures in the first place. Here are some tips to prevent the bed bugs from invading your house in large numbers.

1. Inspect the bedding area regularly: Bed bugs are extremely common but still a lot of us fail to detect them until the infestation increases up to an alarming rate. Bed bugs can be spotted very easily and also leave behind stains. So, give no more excuses. Always be on a lookout for these horrible creatures.  They like to hide in the clutter. Check there.

2. Keep the area clean: It is too obvious to be said. Bed bugs love the clutter. That’s their hiding place. So, it’s advisable that you keep the area around your bed spotless. Try to keep minimum things around it and make sure you vacuum the area regularly. Read our guide to vacuuming to be more efficient at it.

3. Don’t use bug bombs: Bug bombs come to our minds very naturally when we’re thinking of pest control. As cool as they may sound, they’re not at all effective on bed bugs. Bug bombs can’t reach the small places behind your furniture or under the clutter, and thus, they’ll never reach the bed bugs. Talk about notorious creatures & bed bugs will top the list.

4. Don’t throw away the infected items: A lot of us give into this stupid solution. Bed bugs wouldn’t leave your house with that infected bed or sofa, or even the carpet. They hide away in the corners and then multiply. Moreover, if you throw away the contaminated furniture, you can face legal troubles as you will typically spread this infestation. It’s against the law. If you don’t believe my words for I am not a lawyer, watch an episode of suits in season 1 where the smart Mike Ross does his first Pro bono.

If you’re buying old furniture, always check for bugs: Contrary to the popular belief, you can easily spot the bed bugs. And they mostly enter your house with a piece of old furniture. So, when you buy a new thing, inspect it carefully for bed bugs. I would advise you that you don’t buy that piece of furniture for it’ll be very costly to treat the bed bugs once they enter your house. Buying a bug-free new piece of furniture would be much more economical.

5. Bed bugs hate heat: If you feel that you have come in contact with bed bugs - maybe in the hotel room or while you were staying at your friend’s house, you need to act quickly. They’re probably sitting on your clothes. So, you need to take those quickly off and dip them in hot water for at least 30 minutes. Mostly, bed bugs die with this action. Be careful! Don't let your clothes touch anything - sofa, carpet, bed or curtains. Just enter your home, take them off and put them in hot water.

Bed Bugs treatment

We all make mistakes. What if something happened and you’re just living with bed bugs now. Of course, I know those are not your preferred choice of partners. So, here’s how you can say bye-bye to them.

1. Take an eco-friendly approach: I truly understand how irritating this can be. These creatures can become your worst nightmare and naturally, you would be ready to do anything to get rid of them. But the fact is there are some great eco-friendly bed bugs treatments and they’re as effective as the others. So, why not contribute towards the betterment of the environment when it doesn’t cost you anything extra?

2. Don’t use just any pesticide: If you want to get rid of bed bugs legally, you should use only the pesticides approved by EPA. Such pesticides often come with EPA-approved labels and thus you can easily identify them. At the same time, you shouldn’t buy pesticides for bed bug treatment off the street. Don’t mix the pesticides as they can be dangerous. Also, don’t use the pesticides meant for outdoor use inside your home.

3. Rubbing alcohol can be dangerous: If you look for the exact number of people who have set themselves or their precious belongings on fire while trying to eliminate bed bugs, you’ll be alarmed. There’s this idea that rubbing alcohol will instantly kill bed bugs. People do use rubbing alcohol but then forget how it can easily catch fire. So, I would advise you to try not do this. Rather hire a pest control service to treat the bed bugs. I am sure it will be cheaper than setting your whole house on fire. No?

4. Call a pest control service: It would be a lie to say that you can’t deal with these by yourself. But I would advise not to. Not because you’ll fail but because there’s too much at risk. The treatments pose a significant risk. Like the rubbing alcohol accidents? Some pesticides can be dangerous for you, especially if you have kids or pets. Moreover, if you’re living in a rented apartment, your landlord is usually supposed to pay the bills for the treatment. So, why not?

That’s it for today’s post. I hope you got a good idea about how to prevent and treat bed bugs. Have you ever faced a bed bug situation? How did you deal with it? 

From Same Day Pros blogs: Bed Bugs Survival Guide: Eliminate Your Worst Nightmare

Buy These 5 Gadgets For Easy Home Cleaning

Do you dread home cleaning chores? You’re not alone. A lot of us are usually too tired to clean our homes. Moreover, it’s such an annoying task for some people that they would give anything to avoid this work. Oh! But this post isn’t just about home cleaning. It will involve a lot of mention of technology.

The aim of technology is to make our lives easier, and there’s no way technology could stay behind in helping you feel relieved of the tiresome task of home cleaning.

Several companies are effortlessly trying to design new gadgets to make it easier to clean homes and help homeowners who cannot or do not want to call up regular home cleaning service. Find out about some of the most famous and fruitful devices till date.

1. Robot vacuum cleaner

Although the most successful robot vacuum cleaner is the iRobot Roomba (as per the general public opinion), there are many companies like Samsung & LG that are trying to make their mark in this technology.

An ideal robot vacuum cleaner (which in this case seems to be the iRobot Roomba) contains loads of features that would help it to clean the dirt. Special features include wall to wall cleaning so as to ensure complete coverage, cliff detection sensors to avoid falling from staircases, capability of cleaning different kinds of floors, cleaning the wall edges, under and around furniture areas, and sensors to avoid significant hurdles but pass through soft barriers so as to go beyond curtains, comforters, etc.  

2. Robomop

Now, robot vacuum cleaners are quite expensive and can fall into a range of $350 to $700. What if we need a cheaper solution? Is there one? There surely is. Robomops are the robot-like devices that can mop the floor and are available easily on Amazon at as less as $25. A robomop comes equipped with dust pads that can easily remove the dust from the floors as well as bacteria. They are very compact in size and hence can clean around congested areas and under the furniture as well. The costlier versions of this device have additional features like robust bacteria removal capabilities and microfiber clothes for better cleaning.

3. Gadgets for Pet Owners

Two fantastic devices can help pet owners with home cleaning. One of them is LitterMaid, which is bliss for cat owners. If you don’t want your cat to relieve at any place in the house and at the same time, you hate cleaning that litter box, this gadget is for you. It’s a self-cleaning litter box easily available on Amazon. Although we do have a very useful set of solutions to help pet owners fight with pet odors, if you need an easier solution, gadgets like Purpose For Pets can help you out. This particular device is a pet odor extractor. How cool is that!

4. Air Purifiers

Air purifiers are becoming more popular all over the world day by day. Why wouldn’t they be? While we can easily clean the dirt and debris we can see, we often ignore the most important component in our house - air. Air can be even dirtier than your house is but you would never notice. Air purifiers are systems that can improve the indoor air quality, and this technology keeps you notified on how clean the air inside your house is at a particular point in time. It’s a necessary home cleaning tool in today’s polluted world. 

5. Sanitizing Wands

For those who hate the thought of invisible bacteria on the things you touch or use every day, sanitizing wands are a significant relief. These claim to remove 99.9% germs, and all you need to do is just move such a wand over your furniture or whatever thing you want to sanitize. These rods usually come equipped with advanced technology that is used in hospitals for sanitization. 

What are some obvious gadgets in your home that make home cleaning much easier?

Let’s talk about some devices that have become so routine to us that we don’t even notice how much they have helped us deal with home cleaning chores.

1. Dishwasher: You never thought this would make the list. Did you? Dishwashers help you deal with dirty dishes and with the advancement of technology, these are becoming more efficient and silent. What else do we need?

2. Trash compactor: Dealing with a large amount of waste is a world-class crisis. From individual homeowners to municipal corporations to the government itself, everybody is facing the issue of dealing with the waste. The pile just gets bigger and bigger. Trash compactors use a crushing technology to reduce the waste to up to 70%. That surely helps a lot. 

3. Paper Shredder: This is a tool which is every writer’s best friend. If you are a work from the home writer or business owner, you would have faced the overwhelming pile of papers. How to dispose of such documents that may contain confidential material? Paper shredders. They’re so commonly used these days that we don’t appreciate how much they help us to maintain our privacy and dispose of confidential documents. 

4. Washing machine: Another unexpected entry into the list. Have you even tried washing your clothes without a washing machine? Try it and you’ll know how lucky you’re to have such a gadget in your house. You save around an hour on doing the laundry every week. 

So, these are all the gadgets you need to buy for home cleaning to give you some free time. A lot of the difficult and tedious tasks can be done while you sit on your favorite spot on the couch and sip your green tea. Apart from the ones in the obvious section, which other gadgets have you tried from this list? 

From Same Day Pros Blogs: Buy These 5 Gadgets For Easy Home Cleaning

Top 6 Foes of Carpet Owners In Summer

It’s genuinely tough to understand how can people like Summers? There’s so much that can and will go wrong on a hot day. Summer brings no good news for the homeowners. In fact, there’s a lot of work and precautions that you need to practice.

When we talk about carpets, the list is pretty long. But then, if you’re equipped with right kind of information, which you would be if you’re reading this blog, you need not worry. In this post, you’ll find out the most common problems you’re likely to suffer when it comes to carpets or carpet cleaning in summer. To make this post actually helpful, I have also suggested some solutions. 

What is the most common carpet related problems in summer?

1. Allergens

If you’re someone who is unluckily suffering from some allergy or infection, you would already be aware of this health risk posed by a carpet. In my previous post ‘can carpets make you sick?’ I discuss how carpets can cause a significant health concern to someone in your family. 

In summer, these allergens get more active. The pollen is specifically active in summer and can settle down in the microfibers of your carpet. These may not always show immediate ill effects. People usually face more health issues due to these pollens and allergens; that enter their house in summer after the season ends. 

To avoid problems from these allergens, it’s important that you go for thorough professional carpet cleaning at least twice a year. Vacuum your carpet regularly to prevent the allergens from settling down in your carpet. 

2. Odor

Heat and humidity often aggravate the situation of bad odors in a home. If you have a pet, this situation will get amplified. Do you know that those air fresheners you use inside your home also add up to harmful particles in the air? They’re chemicals and minute particles that stay suspended in air to make your house smell good. But at the same time, these add up to the indoor air pollution. 

The best way to avoid bad odors from a carpet is to get it deep cleaned before and after summer. Do not let your pets walk on the carpet with wet paws. Trust me! This is the primary reason why you get that unbearable pet odor from your carpet. 

ALSO READ: 5 proven methods to keep dog hair off your carpet

3. General stains

Summer comes up with lots of stain problems. Grass stains, soda stains, chocolate stains and what not. Okay, I agree! Not all stains are summer specific, but stain problem is real. In my post on DIY carpet cleaning solutions and spot removal guide, I show you some ways to deal with carpet stains. In that post, you’ll find out about almost all the common carpet stains and how to get rid of them or treat them quickly.

4. Grass stains and crayon stains

Grass stains are what you would miss there. So, here’s how to remove grass stains. 

Blot the stained area with a detergent solution and rinse. Then do the same with ammonia solution and then with vinegar. Dab the area with a towel until it completely dries out. 

The thing with stains is you have to be very quick and gentle with them. If you let the stain stay even for a couple of minutes, it’s very likely that it’ll stay forever or until you hire a stain removal company. 

If you’re dealing with crayon stains, you would need a hot iron. First, gently scratch the crayon and remove it from the carpet. Then put a cloth over the stain and run a hot iron over it. This should melt the wax. Use a detergent solution to clean that area.

5. Carelessness

We’re talking about the biggest enemies of people who love their carpet. And carelessness is a personality trait that is most likely to affect each one of us. Are you careful about not spilling the drinks on the carpet while you chill out with your friends? Are you careful about treating the stains quickly? Are you careful about letting your pets or kids access the carpet freely? Are you careful about regular carpet cleaning?  Are you careful about how clean your carpet is?

All these things matter. If you aren’t careful, you will suffer. A spilled can of Coke or wet paws or sauces… anything that you wouldn’t expect to happen to your carpet will happen when you’re extremely careless.

6. Ineffective carpet cleaners

People usually go for professional carpet cleaning during early or late summer. But if the pro does a sub-standard work, it will give a tough time to the homeowner. The biggest nightmare is if the carpet cleaner doesn’t take appropriate steps to dry out the carpet properly. In not more than two days, there will be mold and spores that will make your house smell bad, show up on the carpet in a while and cause you significant health related troubles. Many other things can go wrong if the professional doesn’t do his job correctly. That’s why it’s important to hire a good carpet cleaning company. 

These are the biggest enemies of a person who loves his carpet or just has a carpet and wants to ensure a healthy atmosphere in his house. What’s your biggest enemy when it comes to carpets? 

From Same Day Pros Blogs: Top 6 Foes of Carpet Owners In Summer

6 Things Roofers Are Doing To Rob You Of Your Money

The number of reported roofing scams every year is increasing. With the large sum of investment that goes into roof repair, falling prey to a fraudulent company is one of the worst nightmares a homeowner can have.

You also run the risk of paying much higher price for the job than the actual market price. Here're a few examples of how some roofers are trying to rob you of your money. You'll also find out suggestions to avoid such unfortunate situations.

1. Cause a problem that never existed before

It’s one of the most prevalent roof repair scams in which contractors point out a problem that you never noticed before. Contractors who offer door to door services or free inspections usually use this tactic to fool homeowners. They get onto your roof and then deliberately cause damage. What can you do when you can see the damage with your own eyes? You’ll obviously be inclined to hire the roofer who noticed it and offered his help. Wouldn’t you?

Another way to do this is when you hire a roofing contractor for one task and then suddenly, he tells you there’s another problem that needs to be fixed. Roof repair services usually inspect your property beforehand and then give you an estimate. If there’s suddenly a new issue which apparently didn’t exist before, there are high chances that the roofer is trying to rob you of your money.

What’s the way out? Don’t fall for the door to door services or unbelievable offers. Hire a contractor after doing proper research, ask them to inspect the situation carefully and tell you about all possible damages. You’ll then get an idea of what to expect while the contractor is at work.

2. Asking for advance payment & never showing up for the job

I’m sure if a roofer is reading this, he’ll go mad at this point. With the kind of equipment and supplies that go into a roof repair job, it isn’t impractical to ask for an advance. It’s very unusual, though. A reputable roof repair service must have enough equipment and money to work on a new task.

At the same time, some homeowners paid the roofer and never heard from him again. The contractor would seem to be perfect and ask you for payment to start working on your project right away. But just after you pay them, they come up with excuses. Some pending project, some workplace injury or bad weather – they’ll always get better of you.

The way to avoid such situations is to have a written contract before you pay the money. Also, you shouldn’t be asked to pay the full amount in advance. Prefer to pay via credit card or bank transfer so that you have the written proof that you made the payment. Last but not the least, don’t hire an unlicensed contractor. They must show you their license before you even let them inspect the roof damage.

3. Helping the insurance companies to make the fool out of you

You can never really trust insurance companies. So, when they recommend a roofer to you, you must do your research. Let me explain this by an example. Say you need a roof replacement job. Now, replacing the entire roof would cost around $20,000.

A reputable roofer will inspect the roof and do the whole job if it’s required and charge you the mentioned price. They’ll push the insurance company to cover the full replacement. But a roofer that your insurance company will suggest would naturally favor the insurance company. So, he wouldn’t mind replacing your roof with a cheaper material.

This cost cutting will wrap up the job in $15,000. Who benefits from this more? The insurance company. You got a less than perfect job and lower quality roof than what you had before; without even being aware of it. 

4. Not showing you the pictures of work done

Now, clicking pictures of the work done isn’t a necessity. It isn’t required as per the contract or by law. But good roofers often do it so that the customer is fully aware of the roof situation. If you’re an old person who would probably never go to the roof to check the work, you’re most prone to this kind of scam.

As they know you wouldn’t check, they use the old material or do a sub-standard job. These types of roof repair services usually don’t turn up when you call them during a troublesome situation. They know that they have done a bad job and wouldn’t help fix it.

So, it’s in your interest to ask the roofer to show you before and after pictures of the complete area which they worked on.

5. They’ll predict severe hailstorm damage to your property

Hailstorm damage is real, but it isn’t as likely as some scammers make it sound. Roof repair scam reports are piling up, and hailstorm damage is the biggest weapon in the arsenal of such fraud companies. After a hailstorm, they turn up at your doors, tell you about the possibility of severe damage, offer you great discounts and help to get the insurance claim. All of this sound so flashy and alluring that you wouldn’t feel there’s anything wrong.

Don’t look up to your neighbors. They’re also equally likely to give into such scams. Oh! Don’t even think about letting them check the roof for the damage. Hailstorm damage is so random that they can easily fake it by using a small hammer or rock. So, even if you do suspect you have a damaged roof, do your research and take the time to find a good roof repair company. Only then should you hire one.

6. They’ll pressure you to sign the contract

Isn’t it a safe practice to sign a contract before you hire? Not if the contractor is pressurizing you to sign it quickly. It’s a sign of a big scam. There must be some clause or some point which he’s hiding from you. The haste to sign the contract is often a result of such shady terms. Don’t feel pressurized. Take time to do the research and then sign the contract.

These are the six most common ways roofers use to rob you of your money. They might do that by charging you more for an individual job, providing low-quality work or using low-quality equipment to increase their profits or just run away with your money. You must be careful and keep an eye out for roof repair scams for the protection of your interests. Have you ever had a bad experience with such a contractor? What happened?

From Same Day Pros Blogs: 6 Things Roofers Are Doing To Rob You Of Your Money