Category Archives: Home Improvement

Home Improvement

Keeping it Cool

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Our Wisconsin weather has been quite interesting this summer. We’ve had super hot and humid days where you can barely breathe when you walk outside, crazy rain and thunderstorms, and days and nights where it drops to the 50’s. These are the times when I have to remind myself that I live in Wisconsin and the weather is never normal here!

Before we moved into our current home, we rented a house for 5 years that didn’t have central air and was basically impossible to cool off in the summer. The house had hot water heat and the owners didn’t want to spend the money and invest in a AC unit with a company like Halo Heating & Cooling so we relied heavily on fans and 2 window units to try and cool our home. For the most part, we were able to make it work but there were days that it was just so bad that we had to go to my parents house and even spend the night there a few times.

One thing we were super happy to have in our new home is Central Air and it was really nice to have it when I was giant and pregnant with Joey in the summer of 2013. I’m pretty sure if we wouldn’t have had it or if it would have broke that summer that  I would have killed someone!

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We’ve not been in our home for almost 3 years and whenever we have those super hot days and really warm nights I am thankful that we have central air conditioning and that we can cool our entire home and keep everyone comfrotable.

Since we have little kids in our home, we have to keep the doors to most of the rooms closed throughout the day which means that those rooms are extra cool when you go into them.

Maintain It!

Our AC unit is older and will need to be replaced in the next few years but until it stops working, we will continue to have it inspected and keep it going. When we do need to replace it, we will upgrade it to an energy efficient unit like we did with our furnace after it died on an ice cold moring in January of 2013. 

Now that we have a home with a good HVAC system, we do our best to maintain it and change the filter regularly as well as have it inspected because it is important that we keep it in great working condition for our family.

Are you taking care of your HVAC system and having is inspected and cleaned regularly?

 

DIY, Home Improvement

How to rid your home of mice

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Mice can seem like very inoffensive creatures, or on the other hand you may be terrified of them; neither of these is a good reason to ignore a potential mouse problem in your home. Mice can be very destructive and will eat through surfaces and wires in your home, potentially causing extensive damage. Another problem that mice can cause is that their excrement can contain bacteria such as salmonella.

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There are methods you can employ to try and prevent mice from entering your home, and ways for you to attempt to get rid of them if they do get in. You can also employ the help of experts such as Fox Pest Control who can assist in ridding your home of mice.

What methods can you use to deter mice from entering your home?

One of the best ways to make your home unfriendly to mice is to make sure it is clean. Food should be stored in containers with air tight lids and all surfaces should be kept clean. If mice don’t have a food source they are not going to want to make their home in your property.

You also need to ensure that you restrict entry to your home by sealing any gaps through which mice can enter; don’t forget mice can squeeze through very tiny holes.

Peppermint is an excellent deterrent for mice as they cannot bear the strong odour. You can use peppermint oil around you home, or simply grow peppermint.

How can you get rid of mice?

Once you have mice in your home you will need to get rid of them as quickly as possible; generally the two most effective ways of doing this are with bait or with traps. There are of course potential issues involved in using either of these solutions. Different traps are available, from traditional mouse traps to baited traps and humane ones. The problem is that many people are terrified of mice and if this you, then you probably don’t want to come into close proximity with one in a trap, alive or dead. There are also dangers involved with using bait if you are unsure of how to handle it correctly. Some baits can be toxic to humans or pets.

Why hiring a professional can be a good idea

If you want to solve the mouse problem in your home it can often be wise to hire a professional exterminator; that way you don’t have to face doing any of the trapping or baiting yourself. The pest control expert will speak to you about your problem and examine your home for potential entry points and for evidence of where the mice are living, such as urine, feces and damage caused. They will draw up a plan to rid your home of mice, and to protect it against any further infestation. You will be safe in the knowledge that your home is a mouse free zone.