Published on: 19 July 2018
Last Updated on: 03 July 2021
Water leaks are one of the major problems for many homeowners. What makes them dangerous is that they’re not always obvious to spot until it’s too late. Water leaks can be caused by natural disasters such as earthquakes, broken appliances or simply due to outdated plumbing.
Water leaks are a fairly common issue and can cause severe damage to your home. They can damage your furniture and appliances, they can ruin the walls and if paired with faulty wiring, can lead to a tragic outcome.
As water leaks are not always apparent, many homeowners don’t bother to check whether there could be an issue with the water inside their home. Acting too late may result in serious repair and restoration costs and extensive water damage cannot be handled without professional companies such as KIC Restoration.
In this article, we’ll give you a few easy tips on how to spot water damage before it becomes an issue.
Keep Tabs on Your Water Bill:
One of the first signs hinting that there might be a hidden leak inside a home is a significantly increased water bill for your household. If you did not change your habits but have noticed an increase in your water bill, you might want to look for leaks inside your home. You can monitor your monthly spending online and see if there are any anomalies.
Consult with the Water Meter:
If you do notice something’s wrong with your water bill, the first thing you want to check is the water meter. To see if there are any hidden leaks, turn off any appliances that use water as the dishwasher, washing machine and close all the faucets. If the water meter is still detecting water being used, there’s a high chance you might have a leak. If there are no visible leaks in your home, perhaps you are dealing with an issue such as slab leak.
Use Food Color to Detect Leaks in the Toilet:
Of course, a leak may not be as severe as a slab leak. In fact, in most cases, water leaks come from the toilet. Toilets use a lot of water compared to other appliances and elements and it’s a good idea to test them first. You can do this easily by adding some food coloring into the tank. If you don’t flush the toilet but the color appears, you’ve found the sneaky leak.
Inspect Your Home Frequently:
Make sure to perform a visual inspection under the cabinets and vanities to see if there’s excess water there. Since leaks usually attract mold, sensing unpleasant odors or finding mold throughout your home may indicate a leak. In fact, you should check the areas where mold appeared first.
Look for Stains on the Walls:
If the leak is within your walls and caused by faulty plumbing, wet spots on the wall or on the ceiling are sure signs there’s something going on behind them. If there’s a water stain on your walls, the leak will probably be close by. Make sure to react immediately, as stains can quickly lead to serious property damage.
These are just some of the ways you can check for leaks inside your home. However, since a lot of times water leaks are hidden underground or inside the walls, if you cannot manage to find the source and keep seeing signs like an increased water bill, your best choice is to call a professional to look for leaks with a special set of tools. Call a professional leak detection company in Miami.
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So you want to downsize to a smaller apartment?
If you’re banging your head against the wall trying to figure out how to make a move go smoothly, you’re not alone. We’ve all been guilty of having too much stuff!
Give yourself a break and start thinking of solutions. Stay inspired by focusing on the many benefits of downsizing!
Moving into a smaller apartment gives you the chance to start over and get rid of things you no longer need. It can also help you to get organized and keep only the essentials.
Even better, you won’t have to clean nearly as much space and can live as a minimalist! That in itself has some serious perks. Your stuff won’t own you and you’ll have more time to enjoy life.
Do you see where we’re going with this?
Get ready, because, in this article, we offer seven expert hacks to help make the process of moving into a smaller apartment easier.
Here are 7 Expert Hacks for Downsizing to a Smaller Apartment:
1. Analyze the space you’ll have
It’s essential to know the total space of your new apartment before you start the downsizing process.
Take a look at your new floor plan and figure out how much room in feet and inches are on each wall. That way you’ll know what will fit in your apartment.
If the measurements aren’t on the floor plan, ask the leasing office to provide you with the details.
But, the floor plan or provided measurements won’t tell you everything. You need to measure the extra spaces as well:
Closets
Space under the bed (more on this later)
Bathroom storage and cabinets
Garage storage (if your apartment includes a separate garage)
Kitchen storage and cabinets
Other spaces where you might add shelving (like the top of the fridge or in a window)
When you’re done with that, measure your current furniture and decide which pieces will fit into your place and which ones you won’t need.
2. Determine your actual needs
An excellent way to figure out what your needs are is by asking yourself if everything was gone, what would you replace?
Jot down some necessary items you can’t live without such as a bed, sofa, coffeemaker, dog bed — whatever is important to you.
You should also ask yourself the following questions:
What sentimental items will I miss the most?
Does this item serve a purpose?
Do I already have something that serves the same purpose?
Can I use this item to accomplish more than one task?
Is this object in good shape, and will it last for a while longer?
This is the point where you’ll be making some headway on knowing what you’re keeping and what you can live without.
If ever in doubt of whether you should keep or donate something, go back to asking yourself these questions.
3. Set some tangible goals
When it’s getting closer to moving time, you need to come up with a game plan.
Best get started with setting some goals before time escapes you!
We’re assuming you want to declutter and possibly redecorate your new place, and if that’s the case, it’s time to set some tangible goals.
Ask yourself these questions:
(Yes, we realize we’re telling you to do this yet again.)
What do I hope to gain by adopting a minimalist lifestyle?
Do I want to keep the furniture I have or get new furniture (#1 and #4 will help with this)
How do I plan to declutter?
How will I maximize my space? (Keep reading because we cover this in #4.)
What will I do if I can’t decide to part with some items?
Should I pay for storage elsewhere to store extra belongings?
Need some help answering those kinds of questions?
Here are some goals you could have:
I want a clutter-free apartment that will give me peace.
Not fixating on my possessions will help me feel free.
I’d like to have a clean slate and keep my belongings organized moving forward.
Being minimalistic will help me put emphasis on the most important emotional and physical items in my life.
Write down a few goals that inspire you so that when you feel like giving up, you’ll be able to remind yourself of your intentions.
4. Be a master organizer by maximizing space
Since you know how much space is in your apartment, as we recommended in #2, you should already have a plan in place as to where everything should go.
With the limited storage space in your new digs, it’ll help to store things vertically.
Vertically aligning hooks and shelves helps you take advantage of every square inch of space.
You might want to use adhesive hooks at first because most are easy to adjust.
We’ll be getting into how to simplify your wardrobe next, but for now, keep in mind that multi-use furniture can solve a lot of storage problems.
Keep reading because we’re about to reveal some killer ideas.
One idea is to maximize space by incorporating storage headboards. These are pieces of furniture such as bookshelves and a hutch that’ll fit over your bed.
Incorporating these types of units will make it easier to store a variety of items from family treasures to books and jewelry.
For example, incorporating a fitted unit in your closet can make it easier to organize.
Beyond that, think of other ways you can make use of storage. Is there any room underneath the bed you’ll be moving into your fancy new apartment?
If there isn’t and you need an upgrade, buy a bed that has drawers underneath. Trust us — those drawers will be your best friend when you need to store extra items of clothing such as blankets or sweatshirts.
Keep your bed if you like it, and it just so happens that you may be able to squeeze in some bins underneath to use as storage. For example, milk crates work well when you want to store books, tee shirts, and keepsakes.
5. Simplify your wardrobe
Seriously, how do you go about simplifying your wardrobe with you have a gazillion t-shirts?
If you think your new closet is small, just think about the people who live in tiny homes. Now those are super tiny!
Don’t worry; you can do this if they can!
Here are some steps to follow that’ll make your wardrobe functional in no time at all.
Step 1: Get all of your clothing out (ALL of it!) and put it somewhere you can sort through it. Whether that’s on the floor or on your bed is entirely up to you.
Step 2: Next, divide those clothes into three different piles and decide to donate, keep, or store them.
Step 3: Ask yourself if the clothing fits you or if it's still in wearable condition. If you haven’t worn jeans, for example, due to a weight gain or loss, donate or store those items.
Don’t keep clothing that’s falling apart. That’s just a waste of precious closet space!
Step 4: Are you done going through your clothing and separating them into three different piles?
Okay good, you’re going to do it again. This time ask yourself if this clothing fits your personality and your current lifestyle.
Step 5: Mission complete! Well, almost. Organize the clothes you’re keeping, store what you plan to wear later (such as seasonal clothing), and drop off clothes you’re donating.
6. Sell or donate what you don’t want
Now that you know how much space you have, and how to simplify your wardrobe, let's dive into why it's so essential to sell or donate belongings. It's time to stop and figure out which items you can and can't part with.
As you know, whether you're moving to a different city or relocating to a separate apartment at the same complex, moving takes a lot of work.
You should do everything in your power to simplify the moving process.
Eager to make some money to help with moving expenses?
One way to do that is by selling belongings and furniture you no longer want.
Try Craigslist, eBay, garage sales, Facebook, consignment stores, and more.
Before you even start packing, you should sell, donate, or recycle stuff you can live without. This will eliminate packing everything up only to decide later that you didn't need that item of clothing or five extra plates.
If you have problems deciding whether you want to keep, sell, or donate an item, take a hard look at everything you own.
Think about whether another person would find use out of that item.
If the item is useful, you can either donate it or sell it, depending on its value.
Who knows, your trash may turn into someone else's treasure.
7. Digitize nonessential media
Next let's dive into how you can digitize and save documents, pictures, videos, cassettes, videos, DVDs, and CDs.
While it's important to keep hard copies of documents such as your social security card and birth certificate, try to save and scan everything else.
Transfer CDs and DVDs to digital files by using free computer programs such as Freemake Video Converter, Movavi, and WinX.
Scan documents to your computer or save them as PDF files. After you're done scanning everything, use services like Google Drive, Dropbox, and Microsoft One Drive.
Online storage sites are lifesavers when your goal is to digitize media.
Think of all of the space you'll free up in your new apartment by getting rid of boxes of videos, paper, and more by going paperless!
It'll take some time, but it'll totally be worth it. And boom! Suddenly you'll realize you're there.
So, do you think it’s time to move? Even though downsizing may seem daunting, it doesn’t have to be. Moving to a smaller apartment has its perks, such as decluttering your life and organizing your new place with fewer belongings.
Simply put, downsizing to a smaller apartment means:
Enjoying lower monthly expenses and living costs
Not having to clean nearly as much since your place is smaller
Living a minimalist lifestyle without meaningless belongings getting in your way
Instead of sweating the small stuff, take the moving process step by step. Before you know it, you’ll be enjoying your new digs, relieved that you took the time to eliminate the clutter.
Carolina Creek is a great townhouse-style community located about a mile from Eastern Carolina University's campus. The community consists of 2x3 and 3x3 apartments and contains a full amenity suite including a fitness center, pool, business center, and game room. The community is the best value in the Greenville NC student housing market.
Read Also:
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Creating an oasis for relaxation in your backyard is exciting and cool. With meticulous planning and the right landscaping idea, you can make a serene retreat that offers much-needed relief from the daily stress of life.
Besides, the space becomes aesthetically inviting for gatherings on different occasions.
You may have a large or compact backyard. What you need is to invest in the right planning to explore outdoor decoration ideas.
Additionally, you can get help from landscaping financing. Yes, they are invaluable tools to make your vision a reality, besides managing the budget constraints.
Define Your Space
Before you explore the different landscaping ideas, you must first define how you want to use your backyard.
Consider the elements that are your top priority for entertainment and relaxation.
Are you looking for a space for outdoor dining, a lush garden, or a cozy fire pit area for meditation?
Your priorities in designing your backyard oasis help you create a cohesive, concrete, and attainable plan.
Comfortable Seating Areas
Creating comfortable seating areas is and must be one of the core ideas or an integral part of designing a backyard oasis.
Weather-resistant furniture with high quality is definitely one of the important elements that invites you to sit and stay awhile.
Also, you can consider hammocks, cushioned lounge chairs, or a swinging daybed. These are great for providing the ultimate relaxation.
For larger spaces, built-in benches around a fire pit can help provide an adequate sitting area for your guest of honor.
Incorporate Water Features
Water features add a relaxing ambience that suits your outdoor space. Moreover, the sound of running water has a natural ability to cover the noise pollution and create a calm and comfortable atmosphere.
You can make the simplest of fountains to the most exquisite cascading waterfalls- options are galore.
If you increase your budget a bit, a small pond with koi fish can be the ultimate focal point of beauty and attractions.
Lush Plantings and Greenery
Lush plantings are one key element to creating an eye-soothing backyard oasis.
In addition, to add style, texture, and color to your landscape, you can incorporate a mix of shrubs, flowers, grasses, and trees into your plan. Budget! You can use landscape financing options to have control.
One great tip is to use native plants. Yes, they are an excellent choice because you don't need to spend much time on maintenance. Moreover, they are better suited to your local climate.
Consider planting tall hedges or bamboo along the perimeter of your yard for safety and security.
Outdoor Lighting
Effective outdoor lighting completely transcends the barrier of usability of your backyard oasis, especially during the evening! You can select from lanterns and string lights to make the evening romantic.
Furthermore, you could use solar-powered garden lights to create an enchanting atmosphere.
Highlight the sitting area and key landscape features with strategically placed lighting to enhance safety and aesthetics.
Create Zones for Different Activities
Designating specific zones for various activities can make your backyard more functional and enjoyable.
For example, you might have a dining area with a table and chairs, a lounging area with comfortable seating, and a play area for children.
Clearly defined zones help organize your space and ensure it meets all your needs.
Fire Pit or Fireplace
A fire pit or outdoor fireplace can be a central gathering point for friends and family. It provides warmth on cooler evenings and creates a cozy ambiance.
So, whether you opt for a built-in stone fireplace or a portable fire pit, ensure you build it away from flammable materials and are compliant with local regulations.
Hardscaping Elements
Incorporating hardscaping elements like patios, walkways, and retaining walls can add structure and functionality to your backyard.
Use natural materials such as stone or wood to seamlessly blend with your garden.
However, a well-designed patio can serve as an outdoor living room with comfortable furniture and shade options like pergolas or umbrellas.
Landscaping Financing
Creating your dream backyard oasis can be a significant investment. However, the Landscaping financing options can help manage budget challenges and make your vision a reality.
Many financial institutions offer loans specifically for home improvement projects, including landscaping.
These loans typically have flexible terms and competitive interest rates, making them an attractive option for homeowners.
Landscape Financing Options
Homeowners are spending a great deal on beautification, and the markets in landscaping projects reflect this particular development.
Home and commercial landscaping companies are coming up with smart solutions to deck your dream home.
According to a study, the global landscaping service market was veiled at USD 296.09 billion. Even projections say that the market will increase at (CAGR) at a rate of 6.4% by 2030. The Increasing popularity is due to the high-tech market products.
The discussion of landscape financing is pertinent. Moreover, the recommendations and guidelines supported by the American Society of Landscape Architects on landscaping your backyards offer an individual a safety shield.
Furthermore, ther are a plethora of landscaping financing options that you get that can help you save money for non-essential projects. Less discuss them in this section to have a better understanding of the subject.
Using Home Equity For Landscape Financing
When you are considering landscape financing options to deck your backyard, there are diverse options for home equity financing for landscape projects.
Home equity financing for landscaping offers benefits.
Firstly, you get the services at lower rates of interest, and secondly, you get them all with home equity loans. Hence, you can take the help of this option for your convenience and live your dream.
Zero-Equity Personal Loans For Landscape Projects
Zero-equity personal loans offer advantages when considering them as financial options for landscaping projects.
Furthermore, the options help lower the loan minimums and maximums compared to home equity loans.
Moreover, you could reap advantages like a quick application process and funding time
Yes, you do not have to consider the prepayment penalties associated with this format of loan.
So, reap the advantages of zero-equity personal loans on garden landscaping as they are safer financial options to leverage.
Credit Card financing For landscape projects
Another feasible option to aid your landscaping project development is credit card financing for the landscape projects.
You could use this option for the home improvement credit cards for the smaller landscaping projects.
There, you get the introductory 0% interest rates for a limited time period. In addition, you are also getting flexibility in payments with credit card financing to give wings to your imagination (an oasis in your backyard).
Conclusion
Creating a backyard oasis for relaxation and entertainment is an investment in your home and well-being.
You can transform your backyard into a serene retreat by carefully planning your space and incorporating comfortable seating, water features, lush plantings, and thoughtful lighting.
Don’t let budget constraints hinder your project—explore landscaping financing options to help bring your vision to life. With a well-designed backyard oasis, you’ll have a beautiful space to enjoy for years.
Finally use the landscape financing options to serve your requirements. Happy landscaping!
Additional Reading:
What Do Artificial Grass Recyclers Do?
3 Keys To Achieving Optimal Lawn Nourishment
The Beginner’s Guide to Landscaping Design: 7 Tips for New Homeowners
Maintaining a clean and organized workplace is a must for your well-being and productivity. However, it is no secret that office cleaning is a daunting task.
There are so many things you need to consider, not to mention different areas and surfaces require different cleaning methods. Often, different methods require different cleaning equipment and cleaning supplies.
In this entry, we will share with you the best practices and processes that the best commercial cleaning services use in their office cleaning service. Here's a commercial cleaning checklist to keep your workplace spotlessly clean.
The basics of office cleaning services
Before diving into the checklist, it is important that you understand the basic processes of commercial cleaning and how commercial cleaning companies deliver these practices.
Most of these things are pretty self-explanatory. However, there is a reason why professional cleaners from commercial cleaning companies are efficient in their job – they know how to do things right. Knowing these practices will help you understand how to do them right too.
Dusting
Dirt, dust, and allergen particles accumulate quickly. If not removed from the business premises, these particles can get mixed into the indoor air and cause various health problems such as allergies, respiratory problems, headaches, etc.
Commercial cleaning plans for office cleaning often include exhaustive dusting of all surfaces. This includes desks, shelves, electronics, windowsills, etc. A good commercial cleaning company uses microfiber cloth and a feather duster to remove dust effectively and safely.
Vacuuming
Vacuuming is the most efficient way to keep workplaces clean. It removes dirt, dust, and various outdoor debris from carpets, mats, rugs, etc.
The advantage of hiring cleaning services is that a commercial cleaning company has access to industrial-grade and powerful vacuum cleaning machines that can truly and efficiently remove dirt, dust, and various debris.
Nevertheless, when vacuuming your workplace, include cleaning the hard-to-reach areas, such as under the desks, tables, and chairs. Since they are hard to reach, these spots often trap foreign debris.
Mopping
Mopping is the best way to keep hard floors clean and shiny. It removes dirt, dust, and grime buildup from the floor. However, there is more to mopping than simply sliding the mop head back and forth on the surface of the floor.
When mopping the floor, use a cleaning solution that is recommended for the type of floor you have.
To ensure that all areas are covered, you need to mop in a back-and-forth motion.
Trash removal and disposal
No building maintenance will ever be complete without taking the trash out.
When removing trash from your commercial premises, make sure to replace the bin liners as well. And when replacing the liner, make sure you clean the interior of the trash bin.
Commercial cleaning services often include weekly disinfection of the trash bin. This is incredibly important in preventing bacteria buildup and odour in your trash bin.
Disinfecting surfaces
Another crucial aspect of commercial cleaning is surface disinfection. Disinfecting surfaces helps prevent the spread of disease-causing germs and bacteria in the workplace.
When disinfecting your workplace, make sure you use a disinfectant spray or antibacterial wipes to clean surfaces. This includes desks, chairs, tables, countertops, light switches, office appliances buttons, and doorknobs. Commercial cleaning services often include disinfection and sanitation of surfaces in their cleaning service.
Also, commercial cleaners, in particular, pay close attention to high-touch areas and surfaces, which are often breeding grounds for bacteria. These surfaces include hand railings, elevator buttons, light switches, and more.
Bathroom cleaning
Bathrooms are often the dirties and smelliest areas for commercial spaces. With that said, it is not surprising that they have become breeding grounds for bacteria and germs.
When cleaning bathrooms, make sure you clean and disinfect high-touch spots and items such as faucets, sinks, toilets, and even mirrors.
Commercial cleaners often include towel replacement, hand soap refill, and bathroom supplies restocking to ensure your office bathrooms are clean and convenient to use.
Breakroom cleaning
The breakroom is where employees often gather to chit-chat, eat their food, drink their beverages, and rest. For this reason, breakrooms can become breeding grounds for bacteria and germs. Thus, when taking care of your breakrooms, make sure you include the appliances, countertops, sink, tables, and chairs.
Glass window cleaning
Often, business owners neglect their windows, thinking they cannot clean surfaces they can’t reach. This is particularly true for tall building establishments.
Professional commercial cleaners, however, have access to the right cleaning equipment and materials you need for a thorough and efficient window cleaning. They have tall ladders, power washers, longer hoses, and the right safety equipment and gears for a thorough clean.
Floor care
Floors, whatever type of flooring material it uses, must be swept daily to remove dirt and debris. Moreover, make sure you use the right floor cleaner that is recommended for the type of flooring material your business premises has.
Carpet and upholstery cleaning
Carpets and rugs are basically dirt traps. Aside from completing the look of a certain room, carpets function as dirt traps to minimize and even stop dirt and dust from entering the premises.
While regular vacuuming can help, most office vacuums are not strong enough to rid carpets of deep-seated stains and bacteria. This is why commercial cleaning services invest in high-quality equipment so they can tackle difficult cleaning jobs like deep carpet cleaning.
And like carpets and rugs, upholstered furniture is dirt, dust, and allergen traps too. Regular vacuuming of upholstery removes foreign debris. However, to ensure your carpets are actually clean, fresh, and disinfected, you can ask professional cleaners to take care of them.
Most commercial cleaning service companies would suggest deep cleaning for carpets and furniture upholstery once or twice a year.
Air vent cleaning
Another incredibly important process for comprehensive commercial cleaning services includes air vent cleaning.
Air vents accumulate allergens, dust, and foreign debris over time. When there is too much buildup of these particles in your air vent system, your indoor air quality will drop, leading to health issues such as respiratory problems such as asthma attacks.
The Ultimate Commercial Cleaning Checklist for Your Workplace
Daily Tasks:
Desk and Surfaces
Wipe down your desk and other surfaces daily with a disinfectant spray or wipe to remove any dirt, dust, or germs.
Trash
Empty your trash can daily, and ensure all rubbish is disposed of correctly.
Floors
Sweep or vacuum your floors daily to remove any dirt or debris.
Kitchen/Breakroom
Clean and sanitize all surfaces, including countertops, sinks, and appliances, daily.
Weekly Tasks:
Dusting
Dust all surfaces, including shelves, pictures, and light fixtures.
Glass and Mirrors
Clean all glass surfaces, including windows and mirrors, to remove any fingerprints or smudges.
Upholstery
Vacuum all upholstery, including chairs and couches, to remove any dirt or debris.
Disinfecting
Disinfect all high-touch areas, including doorknobs, light switches, and handles.
Floors
Mop or steam-clean your floors weekly to remove any stains or buildup.
Monthly Tasks:
Windows
Clean your windows inside and out to let in more natural light and improve the appearance of your workspace.
Carpets
Have your carpets cleaned by professionals to remove any deep-seated stains and odours.
Deep Cleaning
Perform a deep clean and complete disinfection of your entire workspace, including hard-to-reach areas and appliances.
Office Equipment
Clean and sanitize all office equipment, including computers, printers, and phones.
Restrooms
Thoroughly clean and sanitize your restroom, including the toilet, sink, and floors.
Seasonal Tasks:
Outdoor Maintenance
If you have an outdoor space, clean and maintain it seasonally to keep it looking its best.
HVAC Maintenance
Have your HVAC system inspected and cleaned seasonally to ensure proper airflow and reduce allergens.
Furniture Maintenance
Have any upholstered furniture professionally cleaned seasonally to extend its lifespan?
The Takeaway
As you can see, office cleaning is not a one-time thing. It is a continuous never-ending process. You can save yourself from all these troubles and opt for professional office cleaning instead.
Cleanworks cleaning services is one of the few professional commercial cleaning companies that actually deliver the highest quality professional service. They have been in the industry of professional commercial cleaning for more than two decades, thus they have the track record to say they have “been there, done that”.
Cleanworks cleaning services have a fully trained, extensively experienced, and completely equipped cleaning team to handle all sorts of cleaning. Their office cleaners are fully insured and up-to-date with the latest local cleaning requirements and COVID cleaning guidelines.
Call Cleanworks commercial cleaning services now and get free quotes for your commercial cleaning needs. Their professional staff will be more than willing to help you.
Read Also:
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