Showing posts with label Home Maintenance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Home Maintenance. Show all posts

Monday 15 November 2021

Spread The Joy - Using Hygge In Gift Giving


Gift giving is one the most fulfilling aspects of the holiday season. Generally, people will think of the joy in receiving a special gift for the holidays. But being the giver of a meaningful gift can be even more gratifying. Great gifts are really more about the thoughtful intention behind them, than the actual gift itself. A holiday hygge gift is well thought out, and might include something homemade or something cozy for the home.

 

Embracing the spirit of gift giving should start with thinking about the person you are giving to. Look into their interests and hobbies. Really think about what makes them happy. Listen for any mentions of clues as you interact with them. Ask mutual friends or family, if you’re still stuck.

 

Once you are ready to shop, try locally owned stores and artisanal shops when looking for a great gift, as there tend to be more unique finds. Some may even have homemade gifts or art from local artists. While you are in the store remember to keep focused on the preferences of the receiver, not your own, and keep an open mind. Wrapping your special gift is nearly as important as the gift is. The wrapping is the presentation of your gift, so it should be neat and festive. Some ideas for hygge gift wrapping might be; a natural-looking and cute cardboard box, wrapping paper with snow, birds or nature on it. You could even get creative and use a knit stocking or something seasonal to put your gift in.

 

Ideas for gifts that encompass the hygge concept are many. Winter hygge is all about the feeling of coziness and warmth. So, it’s no surprise that gifts for the home are at the top of the list. Textiles such as blankets, throws and pillows make great gifts. Warm lighting is key in a hygge home, so things like candles and tea light lanterns also make the perfect present too. Seasonal food and drinks embrace the hygge lifestyle as well. Putting together a hot cocoa kit is a wonderful idea for your chocolate loving friend. Contrive the sweet gift, using a thoughtful mug, a small decorative spoon and some coco mix. Or you could put together the ingredients for your most favorite cookie recipe, wrap them in a basket and include the handwritten recipe and note.

 

The ideas are endless when it comes to spreading the holiday cheer through hygge gift giving. After all, it’s far more joyful to give than receive.



Go Hygge With Your Favorite Holiday Comfort Foods & Treats


There are certain foods that tend to soothe and comfort us, especially around the winter months. Comfort foods like stews, casseroles, pot pies, homemade breads and baked goods bring a sense of well-being and can elevate mood, especially on a long and cold winter day. Curling up by the fire with a warm bowl of soup and a cozy blanket can transform your day just like that. So, breakout the slow cooker and settle in for a hygge holiday filled with comfort foods and treats.

 

Baking and cooking are a big part of the hygge mentality, especially when done with family and close friends. Keeping traditions alive using old family recipes are a hygge favorite. Just the thought of putting Great grandma’s apple-cinnamon pie recipe to use gives a warm and fuzzy feeling. And to be able to pass on these recipes by teaching your children how to make them when they are older and have families, is so satisfying. 

 

Establishing traditional family recipes of your own is also a fun holiday hygge activity. Decide together what type of comfort food you all would like to learn to make. Pot pies are a big favorite in the winter months. Follow a recipe and add in a few touches of your own. Hand-write the recipe afterward and keep it in a safe place for next year. One idea is to use a designated box to keep all of your traditional, comfort food holiday recipes in. Each year, you and your family will look forward to breaking out the recipe box, remaking your favorite comfort foods and adding in new ones.

 

Hygge holidays are even better when comfort foods are used to spread the holiday cheer. Gifting your favorite homemade holiday treats will surely bring a smile to anyone's face. Cookies, pies and holiday fudge are all great choices for gift giving. Wrap them up in some festive cellophane for transport and add in a handwritten card of well wishes. Comfort meals are also a very thoughtful gift, especially when given to a friend or loved one who leads a super busy lifestyle. What a better gift than to not have to worry about what to make for dinner that night? Comfort foods like lasagna, soups and casseroles tend to travel well and reheat with ease. Holiday cheer is always enriched with gracious gift giving.



3 Simple Ways To Make The House Smell Amazing


As humans, our sense of smell plays a large role in our everyday lives, whether we realize it or not. Scents have the ability to change our mood, change how we interact with others and even play a large role in our ability to recall memories. In fact, studies find that scent is so closely linked to memory, that people can remember a scent with 65% accuracy after one year, where visual memory drops to nearly 50% after only a few months. This is because when we smell a scent it goes straight to the brain's olfactory bulb, which is directly connected to the amygdala and the hippocampus. All technical terms aside, scents are oftentimes linked by the brain with memories. Maybe it’s the smell of your mom’s cooking, a certain flower or a perfume; certain scents can bring you right back to a memory as if it happened just yesterday. Scents have the ability to change our mood. You can use scents to your advantage to spike your hygge holiday spirit and make your home smell amazing.

 

Scented candles are a wonderful way to make your home look and smell festive and inviting for the holiday season. Having lit candles around your home will most definitely add to your hygge vibe. The warm glow will make rooms feel cozy and comfortable. Not only do candles look and feel homey, they also smell great. Almost all stores sell scented candles these days, but for higher quality scents, get your candles at a store that sells candles exclusively. If you have a local candle maker near you, even better! Scents like warm vanilla, cinnamon apple, sugar plum and peppermint are some holiday favorites.

 

Another way to make your home smell amazing for the holidays is with fresh greenery. Use of a freshly cut fir tree, a fresh wreath or some branches from an aromatic evergreen are great ways to keep your hygge home smelling and feeling joyful. If fresh trees and branches are not naturally available in your area, check with some of the home improvement stores. Look for some of the best smelling evergreens, which are the Scotch pine, Douglas fir, white spruce and Noble fir trees.

 

Last, but not least, baking homemade holiday treats always keeps your home filled with sweet and savory scents. Not only is baking and cooking seasonal treats a perfect hygge activity, it ensures your home smells good, naturally. If you have any traditional holiday family recipes, those will work great. Or, start a sweet-smelling traditional recipe of your own with your loved ones. No matter which route you take, keep your home smelling festive for a relaxing hygge holiday.



Go Cut A Tree For A Hygge Family Experience


The nature of the holiday season provides so many fun and satisfying hygge opportunities. From cooking or baking family recipes, to holiday movies, there are various ways to achieve that cozy hygge feeling we long for, especially during the holidays. One of my absolute favorite family hygge traditions for the season is picking out and cutting down our own tree. There’s really nothing else that feels more like the holiday spirit than cutting down your own tree with family, and afterward, having fun decorating it while you all bake cookies and sip hot chocolate. 

 

Maybe you live in an area where the traditional holiday fir tree grows in abundance and you are able to go and pick one out easily. If not, thanks to the growing hygge movement; cut-your-own-tree farms are increasingly popular. Chances are there is one within driving distance from your home. If that’s not the case either, a tree that's indigenous to your area will do just fine. It’s truly less about the tree and more about the experience. Once you have a plan of where you will cut the tree down from, it’s time to gather up the family. Get dressed in your holiday flannels, jeans and boots and head to the tree farm. Remember to bring a few warm blankets or scarves to help you all stay cozy. Decide as a group what shape tree will work best in your home. Have fun cutting it down together and strapping it to the top of your car to make the drive with your tree back home.

 

Once you and your holiday tree arrive home, decorating it as a family is definitely part of the hygge experience. Wrap the tree with warm colored lights and family-made decorations. A perfectly decorated tree is not the goal of this tradition, rather a tree that is put up with love, laughter and family memories is. To further the hygge, light some candles around your home, add in some freshly baked holiday cookies, hot cocoa, and maybe some of your favorite holiday music. One of my favorite parts of this family holiday activity is that we’ve made it an annual tradition. Making memories by cutting down our own tree and decorating it together every year really adds to the holiday fun and the feeling of hygge, as well as sets the tone for a warm, family filled holiday season.



A Hygge Holiday Is All About Peaceful, Quiet And Cozy Surroundings


Hygge, pronounced (Hue-gah) is a Danish word originally derived from an Old Norwegian word meaning well-being and protection from the outside elements. Denmark has notoriously cold, long winters. The concept of hygge has been used by Danish people to help mentally combat the brutally dark, relentless winter season and fill their homes with comfort and love. Hygge is a word that is so important to Danish people; it’s often used to describe what their culture is all about. Hygge is not necessarily something specific that you can buy, because it’s more of a feeling than a possession. Hygge really is the epitome of Danish living, and in the last five years the concept of hygge has made its way to the US and many other countries with extreme popularity and trendiness. 

 

Hygge can widely be described as a feeling of coziness, comfort, familiarity, friendship, laughter and seasonal homemade food and drinks. Although it’s possible to achieve hygge any time of the year (an outdoor BBQ with friends or a movie under the stars with family are perfectly good examples of summertime hygge). Hygge is generally associated with the colder months because if it’s ability to uplift spirits during dark, long winter months. Hygge is perfect for the upcoming holiday season because it’s all about peaceful, cozy surroundings that fill you with the feeling of contentment. Here are a few, simple ways you can bring holiday hygge into your home this season.

 

Host family and friends - The holidays bring so many opportunities to host get-togethers for your loved ones. Be sure not to stress over these gatherings, hygge parties are relaxed, friendly and homey. 

 

Warm lighting - in order to achieve a great sense of hygge, be sure to light some candles, have a fire or set up string lights. Warm lightning is essential for a holiday hygge vibe.

 

Cozy linens, blankets and textures - get out all of those soft, fluffy blankets and have them available on the couch or chairs and by the windows, so that you can easily cuddle up with your favorite book and relax. 

 

Home cooking and baking - cooking some traditional holiday meals and treats will help bring holiday hygge into your home. Comfort foods like holiday ham, stews, savory flatbreads, cookies, cinnamon apple pie will waft soul-warming scents throughout the air, making your home feel cozy and cared for.

 

Holiday hygge is easy and comforting. Most people are already doing at least some of these simple holidays hygge hacks without even knowing it. Now that you know the term for that warm and fuzzy feeling, you will be able to up your holiday hygge game even further.



Monday 20 September 2021

Winter-Proofing Your Home

 

Colder temperatures and blustery winds will soon be a part of our daily life as winter ebbs ever closer. It’s important to begin winterizing your home long before the icy temperatures arrive. By taking a little time each weekend, your home will be ready for winter weather without much effort. You can keep more warmth in your home by taking the time to winter-proof your home. 

 

Begin by checking with your local utilities to see if they have any programs to help you save on your winter energy bills. Many utilities have a home heating check-up or can at least recommend steps you can take to ensure your home isn’t wasting energy during the winter months. With proper upkeep and weatherproofing, you can save money this year.

 

One of the easiest things to do to winter-proof your home is to check for leaks around your windows and doors. Light a candle and hold it about six inches from the window or door and move it around slowly. If the candle flickers, you know there’s a leak in that area. By weather stripping or caulking to stop the leaks, you can save up to 15% off your heating bill.

 

After you’ve added weather stripping, there could still be a draft. You can find plastic sheeting kits that will help block drafts, at most home improvement stores and even discount stores. The plastic sheet is stretched over the window and then gone over with a blow dryer. This creates a barrier, which will keep the cold air out.

 

Crawl under the home or in the attic, wherever your ductwork is, to check the seals, as they will wear out over time and with use. Replace any ductwork that is damaged and re-tape any joints, which have come loose. While you’re working around the ductwork, you may also want to ensure there is enough insulation in both areas of your home.

 

Your heating unit or furnace should be checked each year to ensure it is working properly. Have a professional come out unless you’re very familiar with the mechanics of your furnace. Remember to clean or change the filter in your furnace each month during the winter. This will help it run properly and could reduce your heating bill. If your heating system runs on natural gas, you’ll want a professional to check it for gas leaks.

 

Clean out the gutters around your home and inspect the fascia boards. While you’re up along the roof, check the roof for damage and cracks in the chimney if you have one. Make any repairs that are needed to ensure your home is as safe and secure as possible before winter arrives.

 

Winterize your air conditioner, whether it is a window unit or a large whole-house unit. Shut the water off to the air conditioner so you don’t have to worry about it freezing. You’ll also want to cover it with an insulated blanket to keep snow and debris out of it.

 

Insulate pipes, wires, or vents, which lead outdoors. This will help keep cold air outside where it belongs. It would also be helpful to check around your light switches and electrical plugs. If you notice drafts around them, you can put insulation behind the plate to keep the cold air out. 

 

When you winter-proof your home, the time and effort is an investment in your home. Winterizing your home will result in a warmer house even if you set your thermostat a couple of degrees cooler. You’ll also notice a difference in your energy bills during the winter months.

 


Save Money With An Air Filter Whistle


Heating and cooling your home can be a very expensive task. Heating and cooling is a large portion of most energy bill, contributing up to 43% of the total cost. Improving the efficiency of your heating and cooling units will help to reduce your bill. One way to do this is by replacing your air filters regularly. Having an air filter whistle will help ensure you do so on a regular basis.

 

An air filter whistle alerts you when your furnace or air conditioner's filter needs to be exchanged. An air filter whistle is simply two pieces that are placed onto the air filter at the time of installation. A clean filter allows air to pass through. However, a dirty filter will often have dirt and dust stuck inside. This will keep the air filter from working properly. The air will be forced to escape through somewhere so it will go through the whistle, causing it to go off. The whistle will give you a steady signal that it is time to replace the filter.

 

Once you get a new air filter, install the reusable air filter whistle. Installing the whistle onto your new air filter isn’t hard. The simple steps include:

 

1. Locate your HVAC systems filter. There are a number of places it could be located. However, it can usually be found behind a grate in your wall or in the ceiling of your home. If you aren’t sure where it’s located, make sure you check the owner’s manual.

 

2. Once you’ve found it, remove the air filter. To remove, just slide it out of place. Once you’ve taken it out, examine if the air filter needs to be replaced. If it does, be sure to replace it. 

 

3. Install the air filter whistle. You will notice that the air filter whistle comes in two separate pieces. To install, just place the two pieces on opposite sides of each other. Press them together through the filter. Make sure the base of the two pieces is facing the direction of the incoming air and that the second piece is on the opposite side where the air leaves the filter. 

 

4. Place the filter back into the HVAC system. Now that the air filter whistle has been installed, all you have to do is slide the filter back into place. Make sure that when you put it back, the filter is in there properly. If not, the whistle won’t work the way it’s supposed to. 

 

Without the whistle, your heating and air conditioning won’t work properly and will make the lifetime of your system shorter than it should have been. So be sure that you check and replace your air filter regularly. In addition, be sure that when you install the air whistle, that you do it correctly. 

 

You will not only save money in your energy bill, but also in the replacement of your heating and cooling system.

 


Myths and Facts about Operating Your Water Heater


There are many myths surrounding the idea of saving money on your water heater. and more specifically whether or not reducing the water temperature will save you money. Here is a list of common beliefs that also includes additional information about whether there is any truth in the belief.

 

1. It's best if you leave the hot water heater on at all times rather than turning it on and off. 

 

This is a very common myth, but you actually do not need to be heating your water all the time. As long as your tank has a good insulating jacket, your water will remain hot all day. By not having the hot water heater on all day to heat up your water, you are saving energy and money.

 

2. A new water heater will offer you substantial savings. 

 

This is a myth. You do save about $6.00 a month in energy costs when replacing an old heater with a new one, but those savings don’t take into account the overall price of purchasing a new hot water heater.

 

3. Older water heaters do not meet safety standards. 

 

When the heater was installed, it was installed under the guidance of the regulations then. If you’re worried about it not covering the current safety standards, get it checked out.

 

4. Older water heaters lead to dirty water. 

 

This is a myth. Water heaters are designed to withstand any build-up. If you notice a rusty color to your water, or if it takes longer than usual to heat up water, get it checked out. 

 

5. Insulate your water heater. 

 

This is something you need to do. Instead of having it run all day so that you’ll have a nice hot bath, leave it on for an hour or so. Turn it off and the insulation in your water heater will keep the water hot. By insulating your water heater, it will also lead to a shorter waiting time for your hot water to come through your faucet. 

 

6. Turn down your water heater. 

 

This is true. This is a very quick and energy efficient way to save money. You can get away with turning down the heater to only about 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Some people worry about the bacteria due to not having hotter water, but just make sure you use soap when washing the dishes and you’ll kill any leftover bacteria. There wouldn’t have been any difference anyway, unless you soak all your dishes in hot water beforehand. 

 

It’s important to sort through all of these myths and misconceptions before going through with some of them. Sometimes the things that are said to save you money will actually cost you more money than you wanted to spend, or just won’t save you any money at all. 

 

Knowing the myths and facts about your water heater, will help you save money. There might be no need to replace an older water heater as long as it’s working properly.

 


Ideas for Reducing Attic Heat


Attics get very warm in the summertime. So what’s the best way to beat that heat? Many companies want you to believe that there is only one solution to fixing the temperature in your attic. However, no one product will necessarily make your home more energy efficient. Here are six different ways to reduce the temperature in your attic and save you money.

 

1. Try using a thermostatically controlled roof mounted ventilator. They will help to keep your attic much cooler in the summertime. The thermostat will usually start at 95 degrees Fahrenheit, which is the temperature that the attic fan usually starts at.  

 

2. Using insulation only keeps the attic's heat from traveling through your home. Nevertheless, by adding powered attic fans, you will draw more air into the attic. While it does help to reduce the heat in your attic, putting these fans in your attic costs more because of the loss of conditioned air. The air you lose from the attic is then drawn into your home from the outside, which will cause your cooling bill to go up. 

 

3. Radiant barrier: This coating material gets sprayed onto the outside of your roof to help reduce the amount of heat that is radiated into your attic. The radiant barrier is shown to reduce about 68% of the heat that is being radiated into the attic. This will keep your attic cooler, which will reduce the cooling load on your home. 

 

4. Continuous ridge vent: This vent runs along the entire ridge of your roof. It is placed at the highest point of your roof so that the hot air rises to get out. However, for best results you must have sufficient vents to allow for the free airflow. The biggest downside to this type of cooling system, though, is that you must install it when you are installing either a new roof or building a new home. This type of venting wouldn’t work properly on an already existing roof. 

 

5. Standard “turtleback” vents: These are the most common vents and are very effective when enough of them are installed. Turtleback vents can be placed on an existing roof and allow for greater airflow, when properly installed. 

 

6. Check for restricted vents. Your vents can get clogged from dirt, rust, or insulation that was blown in from the attic. Make sure they are all open and will allow for the maximum amount of air to pass through. 

 

The best time to make these types of repairs to your attic is during the wintertime when it is much cooler and a lot more bearable to fix the cooling in your attic. Just make sure you think ahead before the summertime, because many people don’t think they’ll need any sort of repairs until the problem is already there. 

 

So what are you waiting for? Start saving money on your energy costs by cooling down your attic.



How to Protect Your Pipes from Freezing


As summer draws to a close, you may be thinking about the coming winter. Is your home ready for the first frost? You can learn how to protect your pipes from freezing before it’s too late.

 

Over a quarter of a million homes experience frozen pipes each winter. Not only are frozen pipes expensive to repair, your home and contents may be ruined. In a matter of minutes, a one-eighth inch crack can release 250 gallons of water and disrupt your life in ways you may never imagine.

 

Sub-zero temperatures and cold winds can wreak havoc on your water pipes if they’re not protected. What can you do now to prepare for that first frost to ensure your pipes don’t freeze and burst this year?

 

·      Know where the main water shut off valve is to your home. This will enable you to shut the water off to the house should one of the pipes freeze and burst. The quicker you can get the water shut off, the less damage will be done. This will also give you time to call the plumber for help.

 

·      Find out where the water pipes are located in your home. In most cases, they will be in the crawl space under your home or possibly in your attic. Once you’ve found exposed pipes, wrap them with insulation. The more protective insulation you can wrap around them, the less likely they are to freeze and burst.

 

·      In extremely cold temperatures, you may also want to use thermostatically controlled heat cables. These can be wrapped around the insulation and should only be used according to manufacturer’s instructions for installing them. Underwriters Laboratories, Inc. independently tests and approves these cables; be sure to use only those which have been UL approved.

 

·      Take the time to seal up any leaks around the pipes, which may be allowing cold air into the area where the pipes are exposed. This could mean checking around electrical wiring, which comes through the walls, dryer vents and the pipes themselves. Use flexible insulation, caulk, or a can of expandable foam insulation. By blocking as much air as possible, you’ll lessen the chance of the pipes bursting.

 

·      Disconnect and remove any garden hoses that won’t be used during the winter. Turn the valve off to the spigot and drain all of the water from the faucet. 

 

·      If you must leave a faucet active for whatever reason, remove the garden hose between uses. You can also put an insulated cap over the faucet to keep it from freezing.

 

·      When the temperatures are expected to get especially frigid, leave a trickle of hot and cold water running, in at least one sink that is on an outside wall. This may be just enough to avoid freezing pipes. 

 

·      Allow cabinet doors with un-insulated pipes under it to remain open. This will allow the warm air from the house to heat the pipes and keep the pipes from freezing.

 

·      Keep the thermostat to your home set no lower than 55 degrees Fahrenheit even if you’re not going to be home. Then ask family or a neighbor to check on your home periodically while you’re gone to ensure the temperature doesn’t fall too low.

 

No one wants to experience a burst water pipe. By getting ready for the first frost, you’ll be well on your way to avoiding one.