Sunday, January 31, 2016

Tips For Planning A Healthy Diet

Healthy eating is not about strict dietary limitations, staying unrealistically thin, or depriving yourself of the foods you love. Rather, it’s about feeling great, having more energy, improving your outlook, and stabilizing your mood. If you feel overwhelmed by all the conflicting nutrition and diet advice out there, you’re not alone. It seems that for every expert who tells you a certain food is good for you, you’ll find another saying exactly the opposite. But by using these simple tips, you can cut through the confusion and learn how to create a tasty, varied, and healthy diet that is as good for your mind as it is for your body.






How does healthy eating affect mental and emotional health?
We all know that eating right can help you maintain a healthy weight and avoid certain health problems, but your diet can also have a profound effect on your mood and sense of wellbeing. Studies have linked eating a typical Western diet—filled with processed meats, packaged meals, takeout food, and sugary snacks—with higher rates of depression, stress, bipolar disorder, and anxiety. Eating an unhealthy diet may even play a role in the development of mental health disorders such as ADHD, Alzheimer’s disease, and schizophrenia, or in the increased risk of suicide in young people.
Eating more fresh fruits and vegetables, cooking meals at home, and reducing your intake of sugar and refined carbohydrates, on the other hand, may help to improve mood and lower your risk for mental health problems. If you have already been diagnosed with a mental health problem, eating well can even help to manage your symptoms and regain control of your life.
While some specific foods or nutrients have been shown to have a beneficial effect on mood, it’s your overall dietary pattern that is most important. That means switching to a healthy diet doesn’t have to be an all or nothing proposition. You don’t have to be perfect and you don’t have to completely eliminate foods you enjoy to have a healthy diet and make a difference to the way you think and feel.






Healthy eating tip 1: Set yourself up for success
To set yourself up for success, think about planning a healthy diet as a number of small, manageable steps—like adding a salad to your diet once a day—rather than one big drastic change. As your small changes become habit, you can continue to add more healthy choices.
  • Prepare more of your own meals. Cooking more meals at home can help you take charge of what you’re eating and better monitor exactly what goes into your food.
  • Make the right changes. When cutting back on unhealthy foods in your diet, it’s important to replace them with healthy alternatives. Replacing dangerous trans fats with healthy fats (such as switching fried chicken for grilled fish) will make a positive difference to your health. Switching animal fats for refined carbohydrates, though (such as switching your breakfast bacon for a donut), won’t lower your risk for heart disease or improve your mood.
  • Simplify. Instead of being overly concerned with counting calories, think of your diet in terms of color, variety, and freshness. Focus on avoiding packaged and processed foods and opting for more fresh ingredients.
  • Read the labels. It’s important to be aware of what’s in your food as manufacturers often hide large amounts of sugar or unhealthy fats in packaged food, even food claiming to be healthy.
  • Focus on how you feel after eating. This will help foster healthy new habits and tastes. The more healthy food you eat, the better you’ll feel after a meal. The more junk food you eat, the more likely you are to feel uncomfortable, nauseous, or drained of energy.
  • Drink plenty of water. Water helps flush our systems of waste products and toxins, yet many people go through life dehydrated—causing tiredness, low energy, and headaches. It’s common to mistake thirst for hunger, so staying well hydrated will also help you make healthier food choices.






Healthy eating tip 2: Moderation is key
Key to any healthy diet is moderation. But what is moderation? In essence, it means eating only as much food as your body needs. You should feel satisfied at the end of a meal, but not stuffed. Moderation is also about balance. Despite what fad diets would have you believe, we all need a balance of protein, fat, fiber, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals to sustain a healthy body.
For many of us, moderation also means eating less than we do now. But it doesn't mean eliminating the foods you love. Eating bacon for breakfast once a week, for example, could be considered moderation if you follow it with a healthy lunch and dinner—but not if you follow it with a box of donuts and a sausage pizza. If you eat 100 calories of chocolate one afternoon, balance it out by deducting 100 calories from your evening meal. If you're still hungry, fill up with extra vegetables.
  • Try not to think of certain foods as “off-limits.” When you ban certain foods or food groups, it is natural to want those foods more, and then feel like a failure if you give in to temptation. Start by reducing portion sizes of unhealthy foods and not eating them as often. As you reduce your intake of unhealthy foods, you may find yourself craving them less or thinking of them as only occasional indulgences.
  • Think smaller portions. Serving sizes have ballooned recently. When dining out, choose a starter instead of an entree, split a dish with a friend, and don't order supersized anything. At home, visual cues can help with portion sizes–your serving of meat, fish, or chicken should be the size of a deck of cards and half a cup of mashed potato, rice, or pasta is about the size of a traditional light bulb. If you don't feel satisfied at the end of a meal, add more leafy green vegetables or round off the meal with fruit.
  • Take your time. Stop eating before you feel full. It actually takes a few minutes for your brain to tell your body that it has had enough food, so eat slowly.
  • Eat with others whenever possible. As well as the emotional benefits, this allows you to model healthy eating habits for your kids. Eating in front of the TV or computer often leads to mindless overeating.






Healthy eating tip 3: Reduce sugar
Aside from portion size, perhaps the single biggest problem with the modern Western diet is the amount of added sugar in our food. As well as creating weight problems, too much sugar causes energy spikes and has been linked to diabetes, depression, and even an increase in suicidal behaviors in young people. Reducing the amount of candy and desserts you eat is only part of the solution as sugar is also hidden in foods such as bread, cereals, canned soups and vegetables, pasta sauce, margarine, instant mashed potatoes, frozen dinners, low-fat meals, fast food, and ketchup. Your body gets all it needs from sugar naturally occurring in food so all this added sugar just means a lot of empty calories.

Tips for cutting down on sugar

  • Slowly reduce the sugar in your diet a little at a time to give your taste buds time to adjust and wean yourself off the craving.
  • Avoid sugary drinks. Try drinking sparkling water with a splash of fruit juice instead.
  • Don’t replace saturated fat with sugar. Many of us make the mistake of replacing healthy sources of saturated fat, such as whole milk dairy, with refined carbs or sugary foods, thinking we’re making a healthier choice. Low-fat doesn’t necessarily mean healthy, especially when the fat has been replaced by added sugar to make up for loss of taste.
  • Avoid processed or packaged foods like canned soups, frozen dinners, or low-fat meals that often contain hidden sugar that quickly surpasses the recommended limit.
  • Be careful when eating out.  Most gravy, dressings and sauces are also packed with salt and sugar, so ask for it to be served on the side.
  • Eat healthier snacks.  Cut down on sweet snacks such as candy, chocolate, and cakes. Instead, eat naturally sweet food such as fruit, peppers, or natural peanut butter to satisfy your sweet tooth.
  • Check labels and choose low-sugar products.




You can read similar articles online at www.echomeinspection.com/our-blog.html

5 Breakfast Foods For Weight Loss

Eating a morning meal is a healthy habit if you're watching your weight. Research shows that regular breakfast eaters tend to be leaner and dieters are more successful at losing weight—and keeping it off—when they eat breakfast. What's more, people who do typically get more of some important nutrients, like fiber and vitamins.
Mix-up your morning meal and try one—or a few—of these 5 healthy breakfast foods that help you lose weight.






1. Raspberries

A cup of raspberries delivers a whopping 8 grams of fiber (that's more than double what's in a cup of strawberries and about the same amount in a cup of some types of beans). What's so great about all that fiber? Recent research in the Journal of Nutrition suggests eating more fiber as a way to prevent weight gain or even encourage weight loss. Over the course of the two-year study, the researchers found that boosting fiber by 8 grams for every 1,000 calories resulted in about 4 ½ pounds of weight lost






2. Oatmeal

Oatmeal can help you lose weight in two ways. First, it's packed with fiber and it keeps you feeling fuller longer. Second, a recent study in the Journal of Nutrition reported that eating a breakfast made with "slow-release" carbohydrates—such as oatmeal or bran cereal—3 hours before you exercise may help you burn more fat. How? Eating "slow-release" carbohydrates doesn't spike blood sugar as high as eating refined carbohydrates (think: white toast). In turn, insulin levels don't spike as high. Because insulin plays a role in signaling your body to store fat, having lower blood sugar levels may help you burn fat.






3. Yogurt

A recent report, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, and out of Harvard revealed which foods are correlated with weight change, including the top 5 foods that promote weight loss. Yogurt was one of them!


Another reason to eat yogurt: the protein in it may give you an extra edge if you're looking to get leaner. When researchers fed two groups of mice a high-fat diet for 11 weeks, the mice that got water spiked with whey protein (a type of protein found naturally in yogurt and other dairy) packed on 42 percent less weight and nearly a third less body fat than the mice who just drank plain water, despite the fact that they ate roughly the same number of calories. The whey eaters also gained 7 percent more lean body mass (e.g., muscle mass). Save calories—and unnecessary sugar—by choosing plain yogurt. If you need a little extra sweetness, try fresh fruit (maybe raspberries?).






4. Peanut Butter

Nuts were also among the top 5 foods that Harvard researchers said promote weight loss. I love to slather a tablespoon or two of peanut butter onto whole-wheat toast (ahem, a "slow-release" carbohydrate), but you could also add nuts to your oatmeal (another "slow-release" carb).






5. Eggs

Eggs deliver protein, which is great for dieters. Compared to carbohydrates and fat, protein keeps you satisfied longer. Plus, in one study, dieters who ate eggs for breakfast felt fuller longer and lost more than twice as much weight as those who got the same amount of calories from a bagel for breakfast






You can read more articles online at www.echomeinspection.com/our-blog.html

Saturday, January 30, 2016

How To Fix Leaks Around Chimneys

My firm gets more calls about leaks around chimneys than about any other problem. And more often than not, the culprit is the flashing — the sheet metal that keeps the intersection between the chimney and roof watertight. When water gets behind faulty flashing, it can do a lot of damage to the roof sheathing and framing and to the ceiling below, so you need to deal with this problem immediately.

Proper flashing around a chimney includes two layers. The first is called step flashing: Sections of L-shaped sheet metal are woven into the shingle courses and lapped up the side of the chimney. Next comes the counterflashing: A second layer of metal is embedded in the chimney mortar joints and folded down to cover the top of the step flashing.

Flashing pulled away from chimney with leaves behind it.







The corners are especially vulnerable. We cut and bend the metal around the corner. Even in a quality installation, this leaves one small spot that should be sealed with a high-quality urethane caulk. This caulk can work itself loose over time. If the flashing looks to be in good condition, recaulking should take care of the problem. However, caulk is not a substitute for properly overlapped flashing materials.









The type of metal used for flashing depends on where you live. Aluminum and galvanized steel are the usual choices in the South where I live. Copper is the longest-lived, but because it’s expensive, we see it only on high-end jobs here. Another advantage to copper is that the corners can be soldered for a watertight connection. In the Northeast, masons are partial to lead flashing, which is soft and easy to bend to shape. But no matter which material is used, it must be layered correctly if water is to be kept out.








When the chimney is at the bottom of a roof slope, we always install a cricket, a small diversion roof that prevents water from pounding the up-roof part of the chimney. We frame and sheathe crickets just like the rest of the roof, and then completely cover them with a modified bitumen membrane, which is folded up under the chimney flashing. We install asphalt shingles over the membrane to blend the cricket with the rest of the roof.


Applying roofing cement to flashing around chimney.


Because chimneys are such a potential trouble spot, inspect them once every year or two for loose or missing flashing and cracks in the masonry. Small cracks can be sealed with caulk designed to repair masonry. I also recommend that my customers waterproof their brick chimneys every few years with a silicone-based sealer that can be applied with a garden sprayer. Not all builders agree, but this is a great way to keep water from seeping into the brick.






You can read similar articles online at www.echomeinspection.com/our-blog.html

Wednesday, January 27, 2016

How To Patch A Hole In The Wall

Before repainting a room you should take the time to patch any holes.  This is an easy project you can do yourself.  You don't need to hire a professional, you can patch the holes yourself.  First make sure the hole or crack is not part of a larger structural problem or caused by a leak.

You'll need some simple tools and some speckling compound.

First scrape away any loose paint or plaster from the holes. Use a knife if necessary.

Lightly sand around the hole.

Scoop the speckling compound onto your putty knife and run the knife over your crack or hole.  Let the compound harden and apply another layer.  Continue applying compound until the crack or hole is completely filled.

When the final layer is dry, gently sand and cover with primer.

Once the hole or crack is covered with primer you are ready to paint your room.



You can read more articles online at www.echomeinspection.com/our-blog.html

Tuesday, January 26, 2016

8 Ideas To Market Your Small Business

Looking to learn how to market your small business without spending thousands on ads? Here are 8 ways to market on a small budget.

Whether you're just starting out in business or you've been at it for a while, marketing often comes up as a big question mark for most entrepreneurs.

But because every business is different, not every single one of these suggestions will be applicable to your specific business.  Just take what you need out of this, adapt it to make it fit and move forward.



1. Create a Facebook page and post valuable engaging content to get people excited about your topic of focus as well as excited about your product by staying updated with what it has to offer in a non salesy way.

2.  Build your email list. Use that email list. Email has a ROI of 4,300% and is one of the most cost effective and revenue driving channels out there.

3.  Send a personal email to your friends, family, and acquaintances letting them know about your business and inviting them to think about someone they know that might benefit from your services and products and ask them for a referral.

4.  Have your business listed as your place of work on your personal Facebook profile so that each time a friend or a prospect visits your profile, they can easily learn more about your company.

5.  Upload engaging promo videos directly to your Facebook page and enjoy the boost in organic reach, especially if your page is already at least somewhat built up.

6.  Upload your engaging business videos, whether they're content focused or promo focused, to YouTube, making sure you're using the relevant keywords and your branded keywords in the description.

7.  Create unique business cards.  Don't go for the typical templates approach- hire a designer and get creative with it. Give your prospects a reason to NOT throw that card away.

8.  Attend networking events in your city. Sure, small talk might not be your favorite thing but one or two drinks in, it becomes a lot more fun and less awkward.  Make sure you make actual connections during these events though, don't just shove your business cards down people's throat.



You can read similar articles online at www.echomeinspection.com/our-blog.html

How To Repair Cracks In A Drywall Ceiling

Cracks in a drywall ceiling are caused by wood movement in the framing due to shrinkage of improperly dried lumber or seasonal changes in temperature and humidity.

The common approach is to fill the crack with sparkling then paint over it, but this is at best a temporary restraining order fix, since the crack will usually come back as the seasons change.

A better solution is to apply drywall compound and tape over the crack to keep it from telegraphing through.  Here's how to go about it:

1.  Start by roughing up the painted surface with sandpaper, then wipe it down with a damp rag to remove any dust.

2.  If the drywall isn't firmly attached, drive drywall screws into the framing on both sides of the crack.

3.  Next, apply a thin coat of drywall joint compound to the crack, using a 4"-5" wide drywall knife, and embed a strip of paper drywall tape in the wet compound to bridge the crack.

4.  When dry, apply several additional coats of joint compound with a 10"-12" wide drywall knife, feathering them out over a 12"-18" wide area.

5.  Lightly sand or sponge the dried drywall compound smooth and clean the surface with a damp rag.

6.  Finally, prime the area with a drywall primer, and repaint the ceiling.



You can read similar articles online at www.echomeinspection.com/our-blog.html

Why Tenants Shouldn't Do Repairs

Ive heard from a lot of landlords that they pay their tenants to do repairs instead of hiring a professional.  Unless the tenant is assuming the cost and liability of the repair, I do not allow the tenant to do a repair.  Instead, I hire the repair out with my vendor.  While the typical liability comes into mind, something I didn't consider at the time but now plays into my reasons.


Allowing tenants to help, puts you as the landlord in a difficult position.  I have found that while tenants have the best of intentions, human nature comes into play way too often. Six months ago one of my tenants told me there was no need to hire a handyman to paint, they could do it themselves. But during move out inspection there was a huge white spot on a brown wall from where they didn't finish the work.


As a landlord, there is nothing you can do in this situation. You can't easily remove payment from the security deposit nor am I prepared to paint the wall.  At the time it seemed like an easy thought. Allow the tenant to repair the home and save money.



You can read similar articles online at www.echomeinspection.com/our-blog.html

Monday, January 25, 2016

How To Avoid Window Condensation

I'll show you how to deal with the familiar problem of condensation on Windows in the winter.  This article explains common sources of condensation and how you can diagnose the problem in your own house.  All you need is an inexpensive hygrometer to monitor your indoor humidity.



Some homes have a problem with Windows sweating on the inside during the winter, whenever the temperature drops to about 40 degrees F.  Even the frames and the sills become wet.  This even happens on newer homes that are well insulated.  If you have this problem, the humidity level in your home is probably a bit too high. With double-pane Windows, you should be able to sustain somewhere around 50-55% relative humidity indoors on a 49 degree night and not get condensation on your Windows.  That means that if the relative humidity in your home is higher, say 60 or 70 percent, your Windows will become dehumidifier a and condense water from the air until the relative humidity level inside drops to the 55 percent range.

Newer homes are typically built much more tightly than older ones.  This is good for many reasons, but one bad side effect is that moisture generated indoors doesn't escape as easily.  There are a number of potential solutions, but before you try one, I'd recommend that you buy an inexpensive hygrometer to monitor your indoor relative humidity.  This will allow you to track the problem and watch the effects of changes.

Gas and propane release a lot of moisture when they burn, so the fireplace will increase the moisture level in your home if you use it extensively.  Watch your hygrometer to see if running the fireplace causes a significant increase in indoor relative humidity.

It's also possible that your new home is still drying out: new concrete, wood and other materials usually take 12 to 18 months to dry, depending on drying conditions.  You can't control this, but on cold evenings you can open your doors and flush the warm humid air out of your home for 10 to 15 minutes.

Again, once the indoor temperature returns to normal, your hygrometer should tell you that the relative humidity has dropped, and the problem may disappear after another heating season, when materials are drying out after a humid summer, and disappears after a few weeks.

If neither of these seems to be the problem, look for other sources of excess moisture.  Some common sources, like lots of green plants, can be easily controlled.  But other common ones can't, like ground moisture moving through the concrete slab.  If you can't diagnose the problem, talk with your local building inspector about the moisture problems common to your area. Or if you live in the Fresno, CA area you can contact EC Home Inspections for a home inspection and diagnosis.



You can read similar articles online at www.echomeinspection.com/our-blog.html

Saturday, January 23, 2016

How To Repair A Dishwasher

Simple maintenance will wipe out 90% of dishwasher problems.  These tips can help save you money by doing the repairs yourself.


Do your dishes come out spotted and stained? Have you noticed a puddle of water on the floor? Does your dishwasher simply fail to start up? If so you're not alone. These three complaints make up the vast majority of dishwasher problems. But now the good news.  You can solve these problems about 90% of the time without calling a professional for help.



Your dishes don't come out clean

Remove the spray arm to clean it.  Unscrew the cap, turning it clockwise, and lift off the arm.

Scrub the base and spray arm with a toothbrush and wipe them with a sponge. Grease and debris collect on these parts.

Poke a wire into therapist arm holes to clear debris that has collected inside.  Then replace the spray arm and cap.  Clean the top spray arm as well if the dishwasher has one.

Unscrew the hood-down screw on the float switch and lift the cap straight up and off.

Clean all accessible parts of the float switch and cover with a toothbrush and sponge.  Replace the cap.

Shut off the electrical power and the water supply to the dishwasher.  Then unscrew and remove the two lower panels under the door.

Remove the nut from the compression fitting with a wrench to release the copper water supply tube.  Remove the wire cover and pull off the electrical wires.  Then unscrew the nuts that hold the valve to the metal dishwasher frame.

Release the spring clamps that anchor the rubber tubing to the valve and pull the tubing off.  Use a needle nose Oliver.

Remove the screws that hold the compression fitting to the valve body and remove the screen with a needle nose Oliver.  Line up all removed parts on a clear surface for easy assembly.  Rinse the screen well.  Reassemble the valve and reinstall.


You can read similar articles online at www.echomeinspection.com/our-blog.html

Thursday, January 21, 2016

How To Fix Chipped Concrete Steps

Do you have concrete steps that are starting to chip away? Here is a way that you can repair your concrete steps.






First remove all the chipping concrete with a wired brush or putty knife. Then cleaning the entire surface with soap and water, rinse the area with a garden hose with a sprayer attached (if you have a power washer use that).                 






 Next gather your supplies: concrete mix, trowel, water, bucket, and spray bottle with water. Only mix enough concrete that can be applied within 5 minutes (follow instructions for concrete), lightly spray the area with water then apply concrete using the trowel.
TIP: We used a scrap board to help apply and form the concrete, straight edge...
UPDATE: You can add a bonding agent to the new mixed concrete or apply it to the old concrete before applying the new concrete. This will help the new concrete bond to the old. I decided to not use the bonding agent to see how well the new concrete would hold up without it. You can also drill holes into the old concrete then attach an anchor to help hold the new concrete. Others have comment that you could just drill the holes or add rebar to the drilled holes. Hope this helps!






    After concrete dries slightly, form the concrete and brush with a cheap paint brush.
UPDATED: Brushing with the paint brush gives the concrete a textured look and helps the concrete to be less slippery.






   After 24 hours you can walk on the area. The whole process took a couple of hours and cost less than $20. Which is a lot cheaper than replacing the whole step...






You can read similar articles online at www.echomeinspection.com/our-blog.html                  

Wednesday, January 20, 2016

5 Lesser Known Expenses You Can Write Off On Your Taxes

When it comes to taxes, there are some things everyone knows they can write off in order to get more money back, like like exemptions for kids, mortgage interest and business expenses for example. However, there are a great deal of other expenses that can be written off to lower your tax liability too. While most have some rules involved, the majority of write-offs are pretty easy to remember and take advantage of.  As the Owner of EC Home Inspections in Fresno, CA in recent years I have found these to be very helpful.


Here are 5 not-so-well-known tax deductions.






Moving Expenses

If you move a very large distance, and can show that the move was for work, you can write off any moving expenses you acquire along the way. This includes moving vans, shipping boxes, movers and any travel related expenses too. For those of you who have made big moves, you know how helpful this can be, especially if the move was unexpected or inconvenient.
There’s a lot of rules for this one though, so to be sure to do your research so you’re sure where the lines are drawn between what is and isn’t a deductible expense.

Student Loan Interest

While any payments you make on your loans won’t help you out any when it comes to getting back more during tax season, you can include any interest accrued on your loans in your taxes.
Loan companies will usually give you a printout of your loan interest at the end of the year so you can include the printout on your taxes, but if they don’t it’s very simple to ask for one.

Charitable Donations

If you’re a generous person and donate money to charities then you already know that these donations can come off on your taxes. These usually work when they’re a certain percentage of your income. This is common knowledge. What a lot of people don’t know though, is that donating just about anything can be counted, not just cash.
For example, if you donate a great deal of used furniture, a used vehicle or clothing, then you’re entitled to claiming this on your taxes. Companies that take donations will provide you with the paperwork you can use to count these things towards your taxes during the coming season.
In my area there are charities which come by every few weeks in trucks to pick up donations you leave at your front doorstep. I’ve donated everything from old televisions to dishware to shoes. They leave a note where you can itemize the things you donated along with their estimated value. This document serves as your proof, in case of an audit, of what was donated.

Home Business

If you work from home or are self-employed, then you can write off things you need in order to complete your work. There’s a lot of different rules that come attached to this write-off, so be careful and really take into account what qualifies and what doesn’t.
You don’t need to have an official company that’s registered and have employees working for you in order to claim a deduction for business expenses. You just include a Schedule
C form, list yourself as a sole proprietor and list any expenses you had throughout the year. This could be anything from a new computer, advertising fees or anything else that you purchased for your work at home business.

Commuting Costs

When your job requires you to travel far distances, you can include these expenses on your taxes. This doesn’t count the commuting it takes to get to work, but instead any extra commuting you do during the day or for meetings and conferences.
For example, if you’re a field tech and you spend all day on the road going from site to site, the gas you spend and the maintenance on your car can be included. However, if your job offers you reimbursement for what you spend on commuting, you can’t claim anything. No double dipping allowed.






You can read similar articles online at www.echomeinspection.com/our-blog.html







Tuesday, January 19, 2016

How To Fix A Noisy Bathroom Fan

If the bath fan in your home is more than 20 years old, chances are it’s pretty loud. A loud fan may be good for masking bathroom noise, but the jet engine roar is downright annoying the rest of the time. Worse yet, your old bath fan may not be moving enough air to keep your bathroom free of mold and mildew.






Replacing a noisy bath fan

Newer-style bath fans, on the other hand, are so quiet you can hardly hear them running, and they cost very little to operate. It’s easier than you think to swap out that noisy, inefficient bath fan, especially if you choose one that’s designed to be installed without ripping out the bathroom ceiling.
Of the many replacement models to choose from, we picked the NuTone No. RN110 Ultra Pro Series because the fan can be installed from inside the bathroom. It’s not the quietest model available, but at 0.6 sones (about 25 decibels), it’s a huge improvement over the old 4-sone (about 60 decibels) fan we’re replacing. If you can locate a joist, cut drywall and handle basic electrical work, you can do the whole job in about two hours and save about $200 on the installation. You’ll need a stud finder, a drywall saw, a drill and screws, and aluminum duct tape.








Buy the right size for your bathroom

There’s no such thing as a “one-size-fits-all” bath fan. For bathrooms up to 100 sq. ft., calculate the required cubic feet per minute (cfm) by multiplying the room’s length x width x height. Multiply that result by .13 and round up to the nearest 10. Example: 10 ft. wide x 9 ft. long x 9 ft. high x .13 = 105. Round up to 110 and buy a 110-cfm bath fan. For bathrooms larger than 100 sq. ft., simply add up the cfm requirements for each of these plumbing fixtures: toilet, 50 cfm; shower, 50 cfm; bathtub, 50 cfm; jetted tub, 100 cfm.






Find the joists
Slide a stud finder along the ceiling until you find the joist nearest the old fan. Mark the location. Then find the joist on the opposite side of the fan.








Disconnect and remove old parts
Unscrew the old fan housing from the joist. Then disconnect the electrical cable from the housing. Finally, slice through the duct sealing tape with a utility knife and disconnect the duct.








Mount the bracket
Slide the bracket through the opening and extend it so it contacts the joists on each side of the opening. Secure both sides to the joists with drywall screws








Connect the duct
Pull the old duct through the housing and into the room. Then tape the duct to the damper assembly. Slide the damper onto the flange and secure with aluminum duct tape. Push the duct, damper and flange back into the ceiling and secure the flange to the housing using the screw provided.








Connect the wires
Secure the hot (black), neutral (white) and ground (green/bare copper) wires with wire nuts. Then slide the metal electrical box into place in the housing and attach it with the screw provided.








Install the fan and grille
Slide the fan assembly into the housing until it snaps in place. Secure with screws. Plug the electrical connector into the electrical box mounted earlier. Then screw in the noise-reducing muffler. Squeeze the grille springs and snap the grille into place.






Install the new, quieter fan and motor assembly inside the existing fan housing.






Look at your fan's grille to determine the fan type






You can read similar articles online at www.echomeinspection.com/our-blog.html

How To Straighten And Repair Gutters

Seal leaky gutters and straighten sagging and bulging gutters.  I'll show you how to restore good drainage and your self esteem at the same time.






 Mount a gutter hanger

Hook the gutter hanger under the front edge of the gutter and over the back edge. Then drive the hex head screw through the wood trim behind the gutter. The hangers will be stronger if you screw them into a rafter. Look for nailheads, which indicate rafter locations. Add new gutter hangers about every 3 ft. along the entire length of the gutters if the old ones have let go.






If your metal gutters have developed a middle-age bulge, get ’em back in shape with these easy-to-install gutter hangers. (Make sure the problem isn’t caused by rotted wood.) They’re available at home centers. For help finding them in your area, contact Amerimax Home Products at Amerimax.com.
Another style of gutter hanger slides under the shingles and is nailed to the roof boards. If you use this type, be sure the shingles are flexible enough to be lifted without breaking.








You can read similar articles online at www.echomeinspection.com/our-blog.html

Monday, January 18, 2016

3 Small Business Mistakes You Can Avoid

I have a pretty phenomenal business that I enjoy running.  This wasn't always the case though.  I've experienced many, many, many fails.  I will do my best to highlight ones that I believe had the most impact on my business.  Here are 3 small business mistakes I hope you avoid.



1.  Trying To Be Fancy Pants

I had to start my business the fanciest, most cost inhibitive way possible. If you can run your business from home, absolutely do it.  Having a storefront is not absolutely necessary.  Go with a lean start up method. The bare minimum will do until you can afford more.


2.  Not Setting Goals

Miracles do happen, but let's be realistic.  Goals should really be on par with present day capacity.  If you've got no inventory, no following, no exposure, no client portfolio, then you need to bring your goals into reality.



3. Being Too Persistent

I know being persistent is vital to success, but what happens when you actually have a sucky idea?  Don't spend to much time trying to be a "winner not a quitter".



Please share your business fails!!


You can read similar articles online at www.echomeinspection.com/our-blog.html

What You Need To Repair Driveway Cracks

Because most driveways are subjected to the elements on a full time basis, they do occasionally experience cracks.  Driveway cracks are most common in regions of the country that experience freeze/thaw cycles which wreak havoc on concrete and other solid ground materials.  In most cases, cracks in the driveway aren't a serious problem and can be fixed with relatively simple solutions.  The key is fixing a driveway crack before its condition is worsened by moisture entry, erosion of the underlying ground or subsequent freeze/thaw cycles.



If you happen to have a gravel or dirt driveway, then you don't need to worry about cracks.  Potholes, bumps, and dips however, can form quickly in gravel and dirt driveways.  Water is also the main culprit that causes these problems, so regardless of your driveways material, try to ensure that water can drain easily away from the area.  Dirt and gravel are very simple materials with which to work, so the problems that arise will be simple to repair.  In most cases, you will only need to add more dirt or more gravel, but there can be more to it.



At a basic level, the materials you'll likely need to fix a crack in your driveway include:

-Appropriate protective clothing
-A small hammer
-Protective goggles and gloves
-Broom
-Wire brush
-Mason's chisel or large flat screwdriver
-Pointing trowel
-Air compressor, canned air, or shop vac
-Water



You can read similar articles online at www.echomeinspection.com/our-blog.html

Friday, January 15, 2016

How To Clean A Toaster

Who doesn't love a good English muffin or toast? However, after a while the toaster starts to look nasty.  After a while you will instantly feel the need to clean the toaster.  To clean this creator of of crumbs, you will need:

Hot Soapy Water
Cleaning Cloth
Magic Eraser



Wipe down the toaster with a hot soapy wash cloth.  Ignore the stubborn grease that doesn't come off easily.



Remove the stubborn grease with the magic eraser and reveal your shiny toaster once again.



Remove the crumb tray and clean with hot soapy water.


Make sure the crumb tray is dry before putting back into the toaster.



You can read similar articles online at www.echomeinspection.com/our-blog.html

Re-Style Your Older Home Without Remodeling

Sometimes the simple fixes in your home can make a big difference.  This article is about re-styling your older home without remodeling.  Simple fixes can make a huge difference.  



1.  Painting

You'll be surprised what a fresh coat of paint can do for a room.  I recommend picking a relaxing color.  One you can live with and love.



2.  Counter-tops

Counter-tops are one of those expensive messy jobs.  Ours were a dark forest green color.  It was quite terrible.  While at Home Depot I ran across this small container of paint made by rust-oleum that was supposed to be made for painting counter-tops.



3.  New Faucets

These make a huge difference in updating a bathroom or kitchen.  They can also improve functionality.  



You can read similar articles online at www.echomeinspection.com/our-blog.html

6 Simple Tips For A Great Open House

Open houses can be a great way to meet new clients, generate buzz and encourage offers.  But for unprepared agents and sellers, an open house can be a nightmare.  Messy closets, overwhelming odors and curb in-appeal can send potential buyers running.


Put a gleaming face on your listing from every vantage point with these 6 simple tips.



1.  No Scent Is The Best Scent

In a recent study, more than 30 percent of people reported scented products as "irritating".  Instead, encourage your seller to eliminate odors with a deep cleaning.  Shampoo carpets, let in fresh air, and deodorize appliances to elevate a home to its odorous best.



2.  No Clutter

Keep buyers focused on the home, not the stuff.  Ask sellers to declutter and depersonalize a home before showings or open houses.



3.  Clean Out Closets

Closet size is a touchy issue for many buyers, so there's a good chance that at least one closet will be scrutinized during an open house.  Amplify the appearance of storage space by encouraging sellers to trim closet contents.



4.  No Pets (or evidence of pets)

Pets may be sweet and lovable, but they can also create damage and odors.  Many potential buyers will run in the opposite direction because pets have lived there.  Beg sellers to remedy signs of pet damage, and to remove pets from the home during open houses.



5.  No Owners

No open house benefits from an emotionally attached seller hanging around.  Avoid giving your potential buyers the creeps by gently guiding sellers away.



6.  Attractive Entryways

A homes entryway sets the tone for the rest of the house.  Give the right first impression.  Remove dead plants and debris.  Scrub cobwebs and dirt from the front door.  Add a decorative wreath or a nice chair.  Get your buyers to smile at the outset and that positivity will carry through the rest of the tour.



You can read similar articles online at www.echomeinspection.com/our-blog.html

Tuesday, January 12, 2016

5 Legitimate Ways To Make Money From Home

We all know the Internet is full of "make money at home" scams, so I've scoured through thousands of different ideas to find you 5 legitimate ones.



1.  Get Paid To Share Your Opinion On Donald Trump & Hilary Clinton

What do you think of Donald Trump? Do you think Hilary Clinton will win the popular vote?



2.  Watch YouTube-like Videos


The Folks over at inboxdollars will actually pay you to watch videos! Now, most of them aren't as entertaining as the grumpy cat series but you're getting paid so who cares?



3.  Search The Internet

I love this one because you just set it and forget it.  Did you know that Bing will pay you every time you make a search on your computer or phone?



4.  Rate Your Local Pizza Place

Who wouldn't want $5 and a free large pizza?



5.  Sell Your Junk Mail

I don't know about you, but I get a lot of junk mail.  My email inbox and my mailbox are both full of crap from different cable providers, credit card offers, car insurance, etc.



You can read similar articles online at www.echomeinspection.com/our-blog.html

Beginners Guide To Blogging: 9 Great Tips

The allure of becoming a big-time blogger is obvious: The flexibility to work for yourself, an authority free platform to voice your opinion and share your personal style.  Oh, and then there's the fact that some bloggers are earning six-figure incomes.



Like any startup, new bloggers need to create a website, build a brand, find their tone, and attract followers, all on a tight shoestring budget.



1.  Choose Your Blog Name

Coming up with a name for your blog is actually way harder than it sounds.  You need something short and snappy that will resonate with your readers and make sense based on the content you plan to produce.

Make sure your name is available on all social media sites and the blogging platform you want to use.  If you plan on paying for a personalized url rather than the url generated by your free blogging service, also check to see if the url is available.



2.  Use A Free Site To Start Your Blog

When you first start, you might not always have the money to pay for a website to be developed or for web hosting.  Instead, use for any free blog sites.



3.  Make A Basic Font Based Logo

If you have photoshop, make a logo simply by picking a font you like and typing your blog name.  Of course, that's the amateur way.



4.  Clarify Your Content Strategy

It's important to have a vision for your blog.  Are you planning on sharing only outfit photos?  Will you be writing your travel stories and sharing tips?  Will you share your shopping picks?  These are all things to consider so that you can set the right tone from the beginning.



5.  Make Sure Your Photos Are High Resolution And Crystal Clear

Big, beautiful, clear images are the absolute hallmarks of a successful blog.  Take the time to make sure your photos fit this description.



6.  Use Instagram Like A Pro

Hashtags just become your new best friend, blogger!  Using the symbols on Instagram and Twitter are a must if you want folks to discover you, so use relevant tags with every photo.



7.  Learn Basic Analytics

How are you going to know whether people are visiting your blog and what they're clicking on if you don't know how to look up your stats?  Google Analytics is the best free platform to check your blogs success.  The main number you want to look at is "unique visitors".



8.  Find Your Tone

As a rule, witty, conversational, and friendly styles of writing are what people like to read on fashion blogs.  If you're a strong writer, you might already have a distinct tone to go with, otherwise spend some time reading the websites and blogs YOU like to emulate their style of writing.



9.  Pin Everything!!

Sign up for a Pinterest account and create pin boards for every photo featured on your blog.  By doing this,  you create a whole new opportunity for the millions of Pinterest users to find your content.  When a user sees your photo and clicks on it, they'll be directed to your blog immediately.  Make sure you fill in the description and name of the photo before you pin, as this will help people find it.



Best Of Luck With Your Blogging!!


You can read similar articles online at www.echomeinspection.com/our-blog.html

Sunday, January 10, 2016

13 Of The Best Business Ideas

Today, tens of thousands of people are considering starting a home based business, and for good reasons. On average, people can expect to have two and three careers during their work life. Those leaving one career often think about their second or third career move being to their own home. People who have been part of the traditional nine-to-five work force and are on the verge of retiring from that life are thinking of what to do next.






The good news: Starting a homebased business is within the reach of almost anyone who wants to take a risk and work hard.
$1,500 or less to start up






1. ACCOUNTANT
Experience, training or licensing may be needed

Create a flier outlining your services. Before you do that, you need to know what those services will be. Do you want to simply do bookkeeping for a small business? A more involved level of accounting would be do actually work up balance sheets, income statements, and other financial reports on a monthly, quarterly, and/or annual basis, depending on the needs of the business. Other specializations can include tax accounting, a huge area of potential work. Many business owners don't mind keeping their own day-to-day bookkeeping records but would rather get professional help with their taxes.








2. BICYCLE REPAIR
In many parts of the country, this business tends to be seasonal, but you can find ways around that. Rent a storage unit and offer to store people's bicycles over the winter after you do a tune-up and any needed repairs on them. If you want to cater to the Lance Armstrong wannabes, you can have business all year round. These road race riders are training through snow, sleet and dark of night. Some of them work on their own bicycles, but many of them don't, so you can get their business all year. And if you keep Saturday shop hours, you can be sure you will have a group of enthusiasts coming by to talk all things cycling.






3. BOAT CLEANING
Experience, training or licensing may be needed

Boats that are hauled out of the water for the winter or even just for mid-season repairs will need the hull cleaned. And depending on the type of boat, it is a good time to give a major cleaning everything else too--the decks, the sleeping quarters, the head, and the holds. Start by approaching homes that have a boat sitting in the yard. Or you could market your services to the marina to contract you to do the boat cleaning it offers to customers.






4. BUSINESS PLAN SERVICE
Has expansion possibilities

Offer a soup-to-nuts business plan, including market research, the business plan narrative and the financial statements. Plan your fee around the main one that the client will want and offer the others as add-on services. You can give clients an electronic file and allow them to take it from there, or you can keep the business plan on file and offer the service of tweaking it whenever necessary. Have business plan samples to show clients--and make sure to include your own!






5. CHIMNEY SWEEP
Learning to be a chimney sweep may mean nothing more than apprenticing with someone already in the business. By becoming a chimney expert, you can combine a chimney sweep business with a chimney inspection service--covering more than just whether or not the chimney needs cleaning but whether the chimney is in good working order or in need of repair.






6. CLEANING SERVICE
There are many directions you can take this business. If you want to work during hours when no one else does, you can focus on office clients. You can focus on retail businesses and keep your customers clumped into one or two blocks. Restaurants are in great need of daily thorough cleaning and can be a great source of steady clients. Perhaps you would be more interested in house cleaning. Many times with cleaning services you don't have to spend lots of money on advertising or marketing because your customers will come by word of mouth.








7. COMPUTER REPAIR
Experience, training or licensing may be needed

Study the main types of software that system users will want--word processing, photo manipulation software, mail merge, spreadsheet, design and especially security software. Investigate all the components--monitor types in all their varieties; keyboards, from wired to ergonomic to wireless; mouse types; as well as peripheral components like printers and scanners. Become completely familiar with all the ISPs (internet service providers) available in the market area you plan to cover. Establish yourself as the guru who can meet the needs of the personal computer user, the small business or a larger corporation.






8. CONSULTANT
Has expansion possibilities

To be a consultant, you need to have an expertise in something so you can market yourself as an advisor to others looking to work in that area. Perhaps you managed several large warehouses in your career with a drugstore company, you did all the marketing for many years for a large shoe manufacturer or you set up a chain of beauty supply shops or take-out restaurants. You can use this experience to help others do similar things without making the same mistakes that you made along the way.






9. DOG BREEDER
Experience, training, or licensing may be needed
Pets are phenomenally popular in the U.S. While many people are willing to adopt from animal shelters, others are looking for a specific breed. Purebred dogs are more popular than ever and can command large sums of money. But becoming a dog breeder is serious business catering to savvy consumers with high expectations of their pet purchases. You will need to establish yourself as a conscientious breeder who cares about the health and welfare of the animals you bring into the world.






10. EBAY ASSISTANT
Do you have items lurking around your household that you could sell on eBay? Figure out your asking price and decide whether to auction it or put it in your eBay store. Then decide if you want a minimum bid and how long you want the auction to last. You will want to establish a PayPal account to use for transactions. The eBay website provides all the information you need to know to get up and running with an eBay business.






11. ELECTRONICS REPAIR
Has expansion possibilities

This business is similar to the computer repair business, but you will take on all sorts of electronic equipment besides just computers. With smaller electronics, you will need to be prepared to have customers bring their repair projects to you, as you would have difficulty recovering the cost of driving around picking up broken equipment and returning it. You may also want to encourage people to give you their old electronics so you can use them for parts.






12. EVENT PLANNING
Has expansion possibilities

One of the first things you need to do is visit every potential event location with which you plan to work. Work with the marketing manager to tour each site and learn what is available at each location. Start a database that will allow you to sort venues by varying features--the number of people each site holds, if there is AV equipment available on site, will you need to arrange for rental chairs, etc. Then when you are beginning to plan an event with a client, you can find out what the key parameters are for the event and easily pull up the three or four sites that meet the basic criteria. and engagement parties, etc.






13. EXPERT WITNESS SERVICE
Experience, training or licensing may be needed

One way to make money in this field is by being an expert witness yourself. If you have an expertise that could be useful in legal cases, you can market yourself to attorneys to act as an expert witness. Another way to be active in the expert witness field is to play a sort of matchmaker, matching attorneys up with expert witnesses for their cases--either for the defense or for the prosecution. Expert witnesses for big money cases can be expected to fly anywhere to testify. There's no reason your database of witnesses can't be from all parts of the country.

Young People Should Learn These 3 Money Tips

In today’s world, one of the most important things a younger person can do is start to learn how to manage their money wisely. It is too easy to get buried in debt, and it seems almost impossible to get out of it. By checking out these 3 tips, you can get yourself on the right track to financial peace of mind.




1. Create a budget, and stick to it!

You will see this tip on any blog you read, and there is a good reason for that. Make sure you actually write down your budget, and prioritize everything. This may help you keep from dipping into your bill money or your savings account. Another tip you can try is to over budget if you can. This way, if something unexpected happens, you wont have to go over your budget, but if there are no surprises, then you have extra money left over.






2. If you don’t have a savings account, then start one.

Its very important to have a savings account for emergencies. I was always taught to try and save up at least 3 months worth of pay, just in case you lose your job, or have to take time off. I understand its hard to just stash that much money away all at once, but a little money here and there can really add up. One easy way to build your savings without even noticing is to have an automatic transfer set up from your checking to your savings. If you have direct deposit, then you can have, for example, $25.00 switched out automatically, and you hardly notice.






3. Beware of Credit!

Credit is such a powerful tool to use in the financial world and can really help you when purchasing a new vehicle or home. It can also be fatal to your finances. According to research done by Debt.org, the average credit card debt of young people between the ages 18-34 ranged from $3000-$5200. In today’s world, they make it too easy for people to get a credit card or some kind of “buy now, pay later” deal. While it may sound like a good idea at the time, it is what really hurts people years down the road. People think they have all the money in the world and swipe that card like they will never have to pay it back when, in reality, they do have to pay it all back, plus interest. If you do use credit, make sure you have the cash to back it up.






You can read similar articles online at www.echomeinspection.com/our-blog.html

8 Awesome DIY Projects That You’ve Never Heard Of

Do you know what’s great about DIY projects? Everything. When you make items yourself, you can choose projects that suit your tastes, create them in your choice of colours/textures, and then use them to your heart’s content.








Whether you’re aiming for efficiency, decoration, fun, or self-sufficiency, there’s a awesome DIY project just waiting for you. Here are just a few that you might like to try out:






1. Bird Feeder Wreath

A circular mold, wide ribbon, some birdseed, and some melted suet are all you need to help feed our feathery friends over the winter months.






2. Upside-Down Tomato Planter

Just save your plastic soda bottles, cut the bottoms off, ease in a tomato plant seedling, and pour in some earth. Then hang it up, water it regularly, and watch your tomatoes grow! This also works well for herbs and peppers






3. Yogurt Cheese

Place a few layers of cheesecloth in a colander, pour in plain yogurt, and let it drain overnight: you’ll have a creamy cheese when you wake up the next day.






4. Yarn-Wrapped Painted Jars

Wrap some yarn or twine around a jar, paint it, and peel the yarn away once it’s dry: you’ll be left with a gorgeous luminary for tea lights or candles.






5. Baked Salt Dough Tags

Perfect for Valentine’s gifts, baby/bridal showers, or any other occasion.






6. Leafy Stepping-Stones

It’s easy to make beautiful stepping-stones for your garden with large leaves (like rhubarb), cement, and a trowel.






7. Shoe Holder Planter, via GreenUpgrader

Use an old over-the-door shoe holder to grow all kinds of plants. This is great for growing herbs outside your kitchen, or on a balcony wall.






8. Tea or Coffee Cup with a Message

Grab a teacup and a Sharpie marker, write a message on the inside bottom of a cup (or on the side of it), and bake for 30 min at 350 F to make the writing permanent. Great for bridal party gifts!






You can read similar articles online at www.echomeinspection.com/our-blog.html

Wednesday, January 6, 2016

How To Fix Torn Drywall Paper

We've all been there.  You want to repaint a room in your house.  You remove the trim, but maybe you don't score the trim sure enough.  The paint pulls the paper on your drywall right off.



Step 1:  Clean up the paper

Using a utility knife, remove all loose paper from the wall. You can cut more of the paper off, that's no problem, you just want to have clean lines.



Step 2:  Sand it down



Step 3:  Prime it

Using a good primer, you'll want to prime the paper.  Why?  We're going to be filling in this area with joint compound.  If you don't primer it first, the paper will basically suck up the moisture from the joint compound.



Step 4:  Joint Compound

Using your putty knife, slather on a layer of joint compound.  Try to feather out the edges of the compound.



Step 5:  Let it dry, then sand

This joint compound is thin and takes several hours to dry.  Resist the urge to flatten out the high points and just let it dry completely.  Then you'll sand the wall.  Be sure to sand it smooth!



Step 6:  Repeat

My drywall paper tear was pretty bad, so I needed to repeat steps 4 and 5.



Step 7:  Prime Again

After you have sanded the wall smooth, add a final coat of primer.  This seals everything in and makes your wall ready to paint.  If you don't primer the joint compound before painting, "flashing" will occur.  This is when the sheen from the patch shows up differently from the sheen of the paint.



You can read similar articles online at www.echomeinspection.com/our-blog.html

5 Ways To Get Serious About Social Media

1.  Pick Your Platform Wisely

Not only do you not need to be on every single platform to be effective, it can actually be an unwise use of your time to try to be on each one.  It's really about where your ideal audience is and where you can be the most effective for your brand.



Research People Before You Respond

How do all the cool kids say it? "I'm so over" people tweeting or commenting on social media before they've taken two seconds to check someone out.   Also, you leave such a solid impression when you respond to people based on their needs and interests.



Unfollow Junk Accounts

You can unfollow accounts on Twitter and Instagram very simply to keep the people you're following to actual people who actually use these platforms.  With other platforms, you may just have to do an audit of who you follow, and unfollow any accounts that aren't really active or that don't add value to your feed.



Follow Wisely My Friend

You're being serious about social media now, and when you're using social media for your business you kinda have to be purposeful about who you follow.  Some platforms have lists or ways to segment the people/brands you follow so you can try to get to your most important content first, but others don't.



Don't Retweet, repost, or repin anything you haven't checked out first

Again,  you're serious about social media now.  It represents your brand.  You can't share something with broken links, super low quality, or something that redirects to a totally inappropriate or sketchy page.  The internets will unfollow you if you send them to a place with digital viruses and lousy marketing schemes.



You can read similar articles online at www.echomeinspection.com/our-blog.html

Monday, January 4, 2016

5 Home Repairs You Can Do Yourself

Before you reach for the phone to call an expert, take a minute to assess the situation.  Perhaps the "problem" can be solved by learning how to do it yourself instead of paying someone else to do it.  Here are 5 home repairs you can do yourself:



Unclogging Drain:  You can usually unclog your own drains without the help of a plumber.  Try this natural drain cleaner you can make yourself.  And if that doesn't work, you can probably reach into the sink with your hands to try and pull that gunk out.  If that still doesn't work, use the plunger, although you may have to use one that's specific to sinks and showers.  If the blockage is still there, perhaps you need to clear the sink trap, which you can easily do.  If the trap is clear and it's still clogged, you might want to opt for using a drain snake, which is a long device that will go around the corners of the pipe as you push it down the drain.  Use it to break up the debris.



Unclogging Toilet:  If your toilet is clogged, add hot water and dishwashing liquid into the bowl before plunging to better break up the clog.  If the toilet doesn't clear, you might want to invest in a toilet auger.



Dripping Faucet:   If you have a leaky faucet, all you need to do is to remove and replace the washer, o-ring, or seal.  Get the parts from a hardware store, and make sure it's fitted tightly.



Caulking:  If the caulking is looking worn, it may be time to redo it.  Instead of calling in a professional, you can do it yourself as this is one of the more simple home repairs.  Remove the old caulk and completely drain the surface of any residue, then add masking tape on both sides of where you want to caulk to keep the caulking clean and even.  There should be 1/8 of an inch between the tape.  Use a caulk gun and squeeze with consistent pressure without stopping to keep the caulking even.  Smooth out the caulk so it looks more concave and molds against the surface.  Remove the tape before the caulk skins over.



Wall Holes:  You can fix small to medium holes in the wall without calling in a expert by applying patches over them and applying compound to cover them up.  You then sand it down and paint over it.  Tiny holes can be covered up with caulk and sparkle.



You can read similar articles online at www.echomeinspection.com/our-blog.html

10 Best Apps For Planning A Room Layout

If you are in the exciting and challenging process of searching for a new place to call home, one of the aspects that can be the most exhausting is physically visiting each space and trying. to imagine how your furniture would work in the space.  But thanks to an IPad and a few apps, you'll be able to take some of the guess work out of the process.



Use the following steps with each potential home you check out:

- Check out the space in person
- Create a digital version of the floor plan using a floor planning app
- Integrate the same set of furniture into each plan/room for review



Here are 10 of the best apps to use:

Home Design 3D (IOS)
Floor Plan Creator (Android)
MagicPlan (IOS)
Inard Floor Plan (Android)
RoomPlanner by Chief Architect (IOS)
Master Design Furnish (Android)
Floor Plans (IPad)
Room+ for tablet (Android)
Home styler (IOS & Android)
FloorPlanner (Android)



Best of luck with these apps and planning your layout!



You can read similar articles online at www.echomeinspection.com/our-blog.html

7 Valuable Plumbing Tips For Beginners

1.  PVC and CPVC are two different materials entirely.  Find out what you have and be sure.



2.  CPVC is better for hot water.  Something to keep in mind if you're ever working with your water lines.  It does create a little extra thinking, but running CPVC for hot water and PVC for cold water is how the professionals do it.



3. PVC measures diameter from the inside of the pipe and CPVC measures from the outside of the pipe.  This tripped me up a bit before I got the tip.  Because 1/2" PVC pipes look like 3/4" pipes, but it's because the 1/2" measurement is taken from the actual opening of the pipe.



4.  These cutters exist, they work on both PVC and CPVC, get them.



5.  Not only do you. have to select between PVC and CPVC, but when you get into all of the PVC you'll notice there seem to be two of everything.  They are not the exact same thing.  On the packaging you'll see it's either DWV or schedule 40.  DWV pipe can only be used for Drains, Waste or Vents.  Not for pressurized water lines, that is what schedule 40 is for.



6.  Now, not only do you have to be clear on what kind of pipe you are using, you have to use the right glue for that kind of pipe.  The glue labels are very clear what they will look for, but if you don't know to look you might just grab the wrong one.



7.  Always use a primer before gluing, inspectors may actually look for the purple color of the primer during an inspection so don't skip this step, even though it seems weird to have to prime plastic.



You can read similar articles online at www.echomeinspection.com/our-blog.html

Saturday, January 2, 2016

How To Clean Lint From Your Clothes Dryer

Built up lint inside dryer cabinets causes more than 15,000 fires every ear.  Lint escapes through tiny gaps around the edges of the dryer drum and falls inot the cabinet, especially when the exhaust vent or vent cap is clogged and airflow is restricted.  The lint can get ignited by electric heating elements, gas burners or even a spark from the motor, ad the flames then travel through the lint lined exhaust vent.  To make sure this doesn't happen in your house, check the exhaust vent and the inside of the cabinet frequently.



To clean the exhaust duct, shut off the gas and unplug the dryer, then pull the dryer away from the wall and disconnect the duct from the dryer.  Use a brush and a vacuum to remove the lint in the duct.



To clean inside the dryer, unplug it and turn off the gas, then open either the top or the front.  The procedure is the same for gas and electric dryers.  For dryers with a top lint filter and a solid front panel, remove the lint filter and take out the two screws on the side of the filter opening.  Pull the top forward.  Disconnect the door switch wires in the front corner, a remove the front screws and drop the panel forward.  The drum will tip as the panel drops, but this wont damage anything.  Just hold it up while you clean.

How To Repair Electric Stove Burners

If one of your electric burners isn't heating, it could be a bad burner, a bad connection in the burner socket or a fault switch.  To see if the problem is the burner, exchange the burner with one that you know works.  If that burner wont heat, the problem is either the burner socket or the infinite switch.  Connections in the burner socket can burn out and fail to provide power.  If the prongs look burned, inspect the socket.  If the socket looks charred or burner, replace it.  Reminder, always unplug your electric range before working on it.



Replace The Switch



The knob you turn to control the burner temperature slides over the shaft of the infinite switch.  If the switch burns out, your burner wont get power.  Test the infinite switch if you know the burner and burner socket are good but the burner still wont heat.  I removed the back panel to access the infinite switch.  Your range may be different.  With the range unplugged, test the switch with a multi meter set to RX-1.  If the meter reading remains the same, the infinite switch should be replaced.



Best of luck repairing your burners!!



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