Your Home

An infestation of rodents is the stuff of a homeowner’s nightmare. If you hear scampering sounds in ceilings, discover droppings or find gnawed food or food packaging in the kitchen, you might have rodents. Other signs of a rodent infestation include: rodent droppings around food sources, in drawers or cupboards, and/or under the sink; nesting…

How do you know you’ve chosen the right colours to accent your home’s exterior? What colours on windows, doors, trim or shutters can highlight architectural details? Try these tips to help choose an exterior colour scheme for your home. Accent Your Home’s Style Consider your home’s design. Blend existing features, like the roof, stone or…

Appliance manufacturers are providing homeowners with modern finishes to their kitchen appliances, and some of the offerings have even been touted as the “new stainless steel.” Appliance makers are in the search for a potential successor to stainless steel, which some designers say will eventually wear out its welcome. But so far, no introductions have…

Spring is in the air and homeowners are on the move. If you are in the market to hire a moving company, it pays to know your rights. Consumer Protection Ontario recommends getting at least three written estimates before choosing a mover. Once you’ve narrowed it down, make sure the estimate is part of the…

This summer is forecast to be a hot one, and central air conditioning can make all the difference in the comfort and enjoyment of your home. It can also be a drain on your wallet if the system is not operating at peak efficiency. If your older system is just chugging along, it may pay…

Father’s Day is Sunday, June 15, a time to thank him for all he’s done. Here are a few creative ways to say “thanks” to the man in your life on Father’s Day: Hire a computer geek and give him a few hours of technical support to clean up his computer, install new programs, fix…

Choosing a lawn fertilizer shouldn’t be difficult, but many people wonder what to buy and when to apply it for a great result. The Canadian Fertilizer Institute says they make it their business to know fertilizer and offer us the following tips for application and to keep our green space healthy: • Read the bag. The…

After last July’s floods, take precautions to ensure your home’s drainage system is working efficiently. If basement flooding has been a problem in the past, don’t wait to find a cure. Call a waterproofing professional for advice. Clean debris from window wells. To assist drainage, make sure there is a good layer of gravel on…

There’s been a lot of talk about staging a home to sell these days. Making the most money on the sale of the house is the name of the game, and the real estate agents who can do that for their clients become the agent of choice. Unfortunately, there are quite a few myths about…

It’s easy to dream of perfectly pristine outdoor spaces when looking at the decks in magazines and online, but too often what we want and what we have don’t align. If your deck suffers from weathered wood, loose railings or dated balusters, you’re not alone. The good news is there are surprisingly simple ways to…