Sunrise Homes & Renovations, Inc.

Five Places Mold Could Be Hiding In Your Home

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Five Places Mold Could Be Hiding in Your HomeEven the most aesthetically pleasing homes can have mold issues. A type of fungus that thrives on moisture, mold can trigger symptoms such as itching eyes, asthma attacks and bouts of sneezing or coughing.

As a result of the possible health issues, mold is the sort of problem that should be dealt with prior to listing a home, and people who are in the market to buy a home would do well to have a licensed professional conduct a mold test on any home they’re seriously interested in buying.

What follows is a rundown of five places in the home where mold could be hiding.

The Unwanted Basement Tenant

If climate control measures are not implemented, basements can end up becoming breeding grounds for mold. Most basements get little or no direct sunlight, are often more humid than other areas of the house, and get scant ventilation, which can pose a problem should water somehow get into the basement.

Mold can go undetected for years in such spaces since it can grow behind walls, baseboards and insulation. Fortunately, detecting mold is possible not only by sight, but also by scent. A moldy or musty smell should not be ignored since it could be evidence that there is a mold problem.

The Air Conditioner’s Chilly Reception

Unfortunately, mold can take root in places that people cannot easily access and monitor such as on the inside of their air conditioner units. Mold can grow on the coils and, when moisture enters into the picture, a small problem can become a big one quickly.

People who find themselves coughing or sneezing whenever they turn on their air conditioners ought to be suspicious since mold could be the culprit.

Not On The Kitchen Menu

Leaving leftovers in the fridge for too long can create conditions where mold thrives. The mold can then get into crevices where it will have even more places to grow. The problem can become even more serious if contaminated food and appliances transfer the mold to other areas in the kitchen.

Furthermore, kitchens that are insufficiently ventilated can also have negative implications as far as food safety is concerned,

The Chimney: Where There’s Smoke…

Leaky chimneys can cause mold problems that, if not fixed, may end up infecting other areas of the house. In a leaky chimney, moisture can seep into crevices and create mold areas that may eventually make their way down to the walls. Therefore chimneys that are in need of repair should be fixed promptly so that problems don’t pop up later.

If Walls Could Talk

One of the most common places for mold to form and grow is behind walls. Humid air behind the walls can be problematic, particularly if water finds its way back there as a result of things like flooding.

It’s also possible for mold to form behind wallpaper. People can determine whether or not they have mold behind their walls by having an inspector come in and check.

Mold is no laughing matter. Before listing, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to address any mold issues. People who are planning to buy a home should have an inspector conduct a test to ascertain if there are any problems.

Taking the proper steps will help to remedy any mold situation that may be present. Whether you’re looking to sell or looking to buy, the right real estate agent can make all the difference. Call your trusted real estate professional today for more information on how to deal with mold when buying or selling a home.

Junk Drawer Organization Ideas That Will Help You Avoid Stress

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Junk Drawer Organization Ideas That Will Help You Avoid StressAt home, everyone has something they wish was just a little bit cleaner. For many people, this is the junk drawer. The kitchen drawer is crammed with who knows what simply has to get better organized.

This could include loose batteries, old cellphones, and even matchbooks from restaurants back when that was still a thing! The good news is that there are ways to clean up this junk drawer and turn all of that chaos around!

Rename The Junk Drawer

First, it is important to rename the junk drawer. If the junk drawer is called a junk drawer, then it is going to take on the personality of a junk drawer. Instead, call it something else. If the drawer has a name, then it isn’t going to get so disorganized. This will also help people remember what is supposed to go in the drawer.

Start With A Fresh Drawer

Yes, this means that the drawer has to get dumped out. Take everything that is in there, throw it on the floor (or the countertop) and see what is in the drawer. Then, figure out what has to be thrown away. This will help reduce the pile right off the bat. After this, see if there is anything in the drawer that can be placed somewhere else. Finally, all that should be left is what belongs in the drawer.

Make The Junk Drawer Pretty With Organizers And Nice Decor

Finally, think about ways to make the junk drawer appear more attractive! This could involve smooth little containers, dividers, or something else entirely! Think about using tools that can help divide the drawer into smaller compartments. This could help everyone keep the items organized. Once this is done, the drawer should have an entirely new appearance that will make the items easier to track.

Reorganize The Junk Drawer Following These Tips

These are a few of the top tips that everyone can follow to make their junk drawer just a little bit more organized. By putting these tips to use, everyone can find a way to make their house a bit cleaner. This can lead to a much less stressful living experience for everyone at home.

Stop The Rot: The Easy Guide To Preventing Dry Rot In Your Home

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Stop the Rot: The Easy Guide to Preventing Dry Rot in Your HomeDid you know that dry rot is ironically created from having too much moisture come in contact with wood?

The fact is many homeowners are unaware that dry rot is even setting in, so the first step toward prevention is being able to diagnose possible areas of exposure before dry rot becomes a major renovation expense.

Remember that dry rot to your foundation can be an extremely costly repair and will definitely figure prominently into the total value of your property when a house inspection is completed prior to a sale.

As well, fungus and mold spores can affect the air quality of your home, which is a health problem for not only you and your family but also for prospective buyers.

Identifying Leaks To Your Water Membrane

In a very simple sense, discovering moisture or a leak on a wall or ceiling is an early sign that damage is occurring. Always inspect ceilings for particular evidence, especially around skylights and exhaust piping, as well as heating or cooling ducts. If damage was done to your roofing membrane during an installation or renovation, water can seep through.

Do an inspection of your basement in order to determine if any discoloring is happening to walls or wood. If you can smell mold or mildew, you may have a problem. However, this doesn’t mean that you’re already suffering from dry rot, just that the area is a hazard and should be sealed properly. Deal with the cause of the leak before you proceed to the repair stage.

Replacing The Affected Areas

If you have discovered wood that is either in the process of rotting, or has succumb to some water damage, the best thing to do is simply replace it. Once you’ve sealed the leak that initially caused the damage, discuss with your contractor the scope of the replacement job.

When installing new wood, it’s best to make sure that it’s treated with a Borate wood preservative to prolong its life and resilience to fungal infection. In some cases, you may not need to replace wood at all. You may be able to get away with only cleaning and then treating the area with Boric Acid, a fungicide that will slow down the spread of existing fungus and kill future growth.

Choosing The Right Fungicide And Preservative

This step will depend on the unique needs of your home’s situation. Generally, you have the option to choose between a dry powder and a glycol-based liquid concentrate. While the powder may appear less expensive, it may not do as thorough a job of absorbing deeply into the wood fibers.

Depending on the depth of fungal intrusion, you may need to use the more powerful liquid substance. Both are easy to apply, so you should be able to tackle this task yourself.

Maintaining the quality of your home is essential for keeping up its value when it comes time to sell. Call your trusted real estate professional today for more advice on preserving the value of your investment and identifying areas of risk and exposure to dry rot.

Remember that it’s far easier to deal with problems now before they develop into major expenses down the road.

Maximize Your Backyard’s Privacy With These Unique Ideas

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Maximize Your Backyard’s Privacy with These Unique IdeasIf you’re a homeowner, your backyard is probably a space where you look forward to spending private, quality time watching your children play or entertaining dinner guests.

The privacy you and your family treasure could suddenly be put at risk if your neighbors finish renovations allowing them to see into your backyard, or if a tree that once hid your backyard from view needs to be removed.

If you’re looking to reclaim the privacy you’ve lost in your yard, here are some options you will want to consider.

Your Property Line Is A Natural Barrier That You Can Use To Reclaim Your Family’s Privacy

The first option you might consider if you’re looking to reclaim your yard’s privacy is probably building a fence – but depending on your budget, your relationship with your neighbors, and the look you want in your yard, a fence might not be the best option.

Consider planting a fast-growing hedge or other greenery along your property line instead. Italian cypress, for instance, will look great, grow very quickly, and will eventually give you all the privacy you need. 

Break Up Your Nosey Neighbors’ Line Of Sight By Installing Raised Beds Or Berms

If you already have a green thumb and love nothing more than working on your backyard garden, you can have your cake and eat it too by replanting your current backyard plants in raised beds or berms.

Raised beds will add up to two or three feet of height to your plants without taking away the area or square footage in the rest of your backyard, making it an ideal option for homeowners will smaller backyard spaces. Installing raised beds or berms could also be a great solution for your garden if you have trouble planting due to the presence of clay or simply poor soil.

Lumber Isn’t Your Only Fencing Option

Though fencing seems like an obvious and possibly boring option to liven up your backyard and improve the aesthetic of your space at the same time, there are ways you can get creative with fencing that you might not have considered. Putting in latticework can alleviate the claustrophobic feeling that might come with enclosing your space fully with a solid fence, giving you some visibility through the lattice.

You can spice up the look of your enclosure by weaving plants through your lattice, or if you have the patience, get some ivy growing through your enclosure.

Maximizing the privacy of your outdoor space is easy if you’re creative and you enjoy working outdoors. If you love nothing more than pruning and shearing, then try to reclaim your space through planting rather than installing a fence or another permanent structure that you can’t change and therefore might regret later.

If you’re worried about how your backyard transformation could affect the value of your home, or if you’re looking for more privacy options, contact a real estate professional that you trust for the backyard design help you need.