Author: Brian Ashworth

7 Proactive Steps to Keep Your Plumbing in Tip Top Condition

Guest Post by Hubert Dwight

While domestic plumbing may not be the most exciting topic in the world, it is an essential part of keeping a household running smoothly.

If your sinks, toilet, and faucets suddenly stopped working, you’d be in a bit of a pickle, so it’s important that you take good care of them.

Fortunately, routine plumbing maintenance doesn’t have to be time consuming or expensive.In fact, it’s all about vigilance and common sense.

If you’re not sure whether you should be tipping that potato peel down the drain, don’t do it.

If you spot a minor leak under the bathroom faucet, don’t ignore it.

We know that these things are risky, but many of us still choose convenience over good sense. . . .and, this puts us at risk of flooding, blockages, major leaks, damp, and unexpected breakdowns.

These handy hints and tips will help you keep your plumbing in tip top condition all year round.

1. Fix Leaky Taps Quickly

Just because a small leak beneath a tap is unlikely to lead to a flood, that doesn’t mean that it isn’t a problem.

Get it checked out as quickly as possible, because at the very least it’s a huge waste of water and will drive up your bill.

2. Check the Toilet Flap Valve

There’s a little device inside toilets that causes a near constant sound of running water when it breaks down.

It is called a flapper and you can check that yours is healthy by dropping a teaspoon full of food colouring into the top tank.

If it appears in the bowl after 20-30 minutes, you need to look for reliable plumbing services in Melbourne and get it fixed.

3. Inspect Drains for Blockages

It’s easy to check whether drains are functioning properly.

Clearly, if the water isn’t disappearing, there’s a major blockage, but this is a problem that is usually identified quickly.

Smaller blockages are a little more insidious, but you can spot them by watching how fast the water runs down the sink.

If it runs, but it keeps backing up, add a baking soda and vinegar solution to try and clear the debris.

4. Clear Sediment from the Hot Water Service

Once per year, your boiler will need a little love and care.

Over time, tiny bits and pieces of debris build up in the bottom and this reduces overall efficiency.

You can get rid of it by hooking a hose up to the drain valve and emptying the unit of water.

Then, close it back up and let it refill. If you’re not comfortable doing this yourself, a plumber can help.

5. Keep Shower Heads Clean

If your shower head is getting a little lacklustre, soak it in vinegar overnight.

This will dislodge the minerals that naturally accumulate over time.

In the morning, rinse the head in warm water and the dirt should come away instantly.

6. Fill Up Floor Drains

Internal floor drains, like the ones commonly installed in utility rooms, need to be routinely checked for health.

There should be water at the bottom of the trap and if there is not, you can safely top it up yourself.

Do be careful not to add too much water. If evaporation is a problem, due to rising temperatures, a tablespoon of olive oil can reduce the rate of this process.

7. Use Appliances Correctly

One of the most common causes of domestic flooding is the misuse of household appliances.

Washing machines are the main culprit, because lots of homeowners overfill them.

This puts pressure on the components and the pipes can end up bursting and causing serious water

damage.

So, protect your home by using appliances in a safe and sensible manner.

Flameproof Doesn’t Mean Bushfire Proof

A CSIRO report on the Victorian 2015 Wye River fires has revealed that there are some problems with the current regulation on Bushfire protection.

Of the seven houses built since 2009 to comply with the regulations four were destroyed. (In the area of the fires 116 houses were destroyed)

This is in spite of up to $200,000 of additional costs.

Reasons for the Losses

The report identifies several issues that affected the survivability of houses

  • One house was clad with plasterboard, but this was then clad with cedar which was highly flammable.
  • Another well designed house appeared to be holding up until the older  next-door house caught fire. The extreme heat from the burning house destroyed the newer house.
  • Leaves and twigs on the ground burning.
  • Burning of  plastic water tanks, building materials, garden sheds, and boats stored under or next to houses.
  • Timber retaining walls burning
  • Storage of LPG Tanks

If you want to read the full report it can be downloaded here:  Wye River Fire Report

Photo from theconversation.com

Don’t Forget The Carpet Cleaning

There are lots of reasons to think about professional carpet cleaning:

  • Moving to your new house from a rented place you will want to make sure you get the bond back!
  • Selling your existing home and wanting to make sure it look at its best.
  • Or just a clean up after a big party!

In our case we have been in our current place for around 4 years and the carpets needed a bit more work than our Dyson could deliver.

We used a Melbourne based family business called Wizard Cleaning.

They turned up on time, worked quickly and left the carpets looking 100% better.

At $60 to get carpets in 3 room cleaned why would you look at hiring a machine and doing it yourself?

Wizard also offer a range of other services such as

  • Duct cleaning
  • Tile and Grout Cleaning
  • Upholstery Cleaning

If you live in Melbourne why not give them a try?

Their phone number is 03 9323 1474

 

Disclaimer; I was provided with a complementary clean to help my evaluate the service

Weird Ship House

Over the years I have featured several ship houses, but this has to be the strangest.

I can sort of understand the attraction of living in a ship, but not when its turned on it’s end.

Does it finish at ground level? or is the rear of the ship the basement?

I believe this is located somewhere in Portugal.

I found the house on www.tinyhousepins.com

 

For more Fails and unusual houses go to What the………….?

 

Radon Gas Risk

Ever wonder about people who get lung cancer who have never smoked?

Well one answer could be breathing in high concentrations of Radon Gas.

What is Radon Gas

Radon is a radioactive gas which occurs naturally and has no smell, colour or taste.

It is released by radioactive decay of radium, which is found in small amounts in rocks and soil.

As radon is inert it can rise through the soil and enter your house.

If it becomes trapped in your house the concentrations can rise.

The radioactive particles in higher concentrations can damage the lung, and there is evidence that smoking increases the damage.

The Good News

Most of Australia is low risk

Australia typically has very low levels of radon gas.

A nationwide survey has shown that the average concentration of radon is around one quarter of the worldwide average.

My suburb of Footscray has a typical level of 7 Bq m⁻³ (Becquerel per cubic m) much less than the action level of 200 Bq m⁻³

You can check your area at this link: Radon Map of Australia

Modern construction techniques reduce the risk

The combination of a concrete slab with an Under Slab Membrane will considerably reduce the penetration of radon into the building.

If you are building on stumps as long as there is good ventilation under the floor there should be no problems.

 

Want to know more? check out the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety website

 

A Beginner’s Guide to Building an Affordable DIY Garden Shed

A Guest post by Andre Smith

A garden shed is aesthetically pleasing to look at and adds ample storage space to every home.

Rather than house garden tools in a garage or basement, many homeowners opt to build a unit that sits near their garden so it’s easily accessible.

When developing a green thumb, you learn just how valuable it is to have a shed to house all your rakes, shovels, trowels, and hoes.

Without the proper tools nearby, it’s more effort to create a garden that produces fruit, vegetables, herbs or flowers.

Planning Your Garden Shed, Board by Board

When determining what type of DIY garden shed to build, there are a number of factors to consider.

The first, of course, is location. Where in the yard do you want to place the shed? Are there tree branches that need to come down before building? Do you want it in a place where others can see it?

Once you’ve thought about these things, it’s now a matter of cost. What type of budget do you have set aside for the project?

What are your garden shed must-haves and what can you do without?

Do you have a picture in mind as to what the shed will look like once it’s built?

Find a photo or set of plans on the internet so you’re able to communicate the idea to other efficiently (You can  find plenty of ideas on Pinterest)

This garden shed page on Sheds n Homes website can also help you decide what type of shed you want.

Who will help you with building your shed?

Is it something you’ll do alone or with family members and friends?

Take into consideration the time commitment it takes to build things by hand.

If you have helpers, it will take half the time it would take you to complete the shed by yourself.

Start with the Floor

When selecting a location for your garden shed, you’ll want to make sure it’s level and that the ground drains quickly and easily.

Once you’ve found a spot close to your garden, it’s time to build the floor of your structure.

If you have the opportunity to work with precast concrete deck blocks, you’ll save yourself time and money because you won’t need floor beams.

Use the DIY garden shed plans as a guide for setting the deck blocks into the ground.

  • Set straight lumber in the ground temporarily to work as guides.
  • Use the blocks to form long walls and when you’re done, remove the lumber guides. Cut pieces of lumber to place into each deck block.
  • You’ll need to use galvanized deck screws on the next part of the floor so make sure to read the plan’s directions and purchase the right number of screws to complete the floor.
  • Work the perimeter of the floor frame until all boards are on an even plane.
  • The last step in the process is installing a pressure-treated, plywood subfloor before moving onto the walls of the shed.

Work Your Way to the Walls

You’ll need to frame the walls next.

The plan allows you to use whatever types of windows and doors that you like making it truly a unique DIY garden shed.

Keep in mind that some older windows, however, let a lot of what is outdoors inside your structure.

If you don’t want bugs in your shed, look for something different to use for windows.

  • Continue building the walls according to the plans you were provided.
  • To finish them, cover the frame with sheathing. Exterior-grade plywood is a great option because it is affordable and easy to use.
  • Cut window and door openings after the sheathing is installed as it doesn’t help to do it before just in case your measurements are off slightly.

Put a Roof on It

  • Use steel connector plates to form the roof of your small shed as your roof will be strong and not require extra work making cuts.
  • Cut the rafters according to plan and secure them with steel plates and screws.
  • Once the rafters are in place, cut two pieces of wall sheathing.You’ll want them to be triangular in shape. This helps close the gables ends.
  • Fasten the sheathing to the top of the wall and the outermost rafter faces with nails. Take note of the spaces at the top of the walls because rodents, birds, and bugs get in this way. Fill the spaces with blocks that you then fasten with screws to the top plate.

 

Now that you know what you need to do to build an affordable, DIY garden shed, it’s time to get busy.

You’ll enjoy the process of crafting by hand and admire the level of skill that you have once your project is done.

After you’ve driven the last nail and put the finishing touches on the shed, you’ll step back, admire the work you’ve completed, and put the lessons you learned along the way to good use when taking on future projects.

Best of all, you’ll have a garden shed standing in a place where there once was nothing, and that’s all the more reason to celebrate your accomplishment!

9 Important Home Building Trends for 2016 and Beyond

Guest post by Andre Smith

Are you wondering where home buying trends are headed now that the first quarter of 2016 is well behind us?

We’ve put some brainpower into analysing the current home buying market, and put together a trend forecast with our thoughts on what the next big things will be as we finish out 2016 and head into 2017.

These are our predictions for 9 of the most important home building trends for 2016 and beyond.

1. Increased Demand for New Homes Will Create Growth for the Home Building Industry in Australia

According to the Department of Planning and Environment website, the Australian government plans to focus significant attention on meeting housing demands created by projected future population growth.

They anticipate that more than half a million additional homes will be necessary to accommodate the growing population over the next 20 years.

The vast majority of this housing will be new homes, and the home building industry in Australia is poised for outstanding growth opportunities.

2. New Housing Developments Will Increase the Population Density in Existing Cities

The Department of Planning and Environment has communicated plans to create increased housing inventory closer to jobs.

As one of Australia’s thriving economic centres, Sydney is poised to be one of the main beneficiaries of the upcoming housing boom.

3. Demand for New Homes Will Be Strongest Near Airports and Transportation Hubs

With the Australian government’s stated plans to focus on strengthening economic development around transportation gateways and strategic centres, we can infer that populations and development projects will naturally gravitate to these areas.

Look for new development opportunities around Sydney Airport, Port Botany and Badgery’s Creek Airport.

At the Forbes.com website, author Wade Shepard makes a good case for the lucrative investment potential of airport-accessible real estate in an article called ‘Why You Should Want to Live Right Next to an Airport‘.

4. Interest in Home Building Franchises Will Increase

Along with the increased demand for new housing, there’s opportunity for a proliferation of new home builders.

However, home buyers will be looking to work with trusted builders who already have a reputation for building high-value homes, for example GJ Gardner Homes in Point Cook.

The solution is obvious; everyone wins when franchise relationships arise between existing home builders and new business owners.

5. Designers Will Get Increasingly Creative In Designing Homes For Small And Oddly-Shaped Lots

They aren’t making any more land, so it’s getting increasingly more important to make use of the real estate parcels that are still available.

Small and odd-sized lots that home builders once shunned are now getting snapped up for future development.

6. Demand For Demolition Services Will Increase

Along the same lines, we’re seeing an increase in homeowners who wish to demolish their existing homes and rebuild new ones on the same block rather than relocate.

7. First-Time Home Buyers Will Face Challenges

Real estate prices in Sydney are soaring, with most of the available land being priced well out of reach for first-time home buyers.

There has also been a reduction in funding through the First Home Owner’s Grant, which also adds to the challenge.

8. Demand For Multi-Generational Housing Will Remain Strong

With the population aging, and housing becoming increasingly out of reach for young people, mother-in- law suites, attic bedrooms and other multi-generational housing units are in high demand.

9. The Market Is Shifting in Search of Alternative Building Materials

Between the high costs for brick and the high costs of labour for employing bricklayers, many home builders are seeking lower cost building materials.

 

Now you’re updated on 9 of the most important current home building trends for 2016.

We hope this information will help you make educated decisions when planning any future real estate investments.

Exit mobile version