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Questions to Ask a Cabinet Painter

If you own a house, you want your home to be appealing and comfortable. One of the best ways to improve your home’s value is to do some renovation projects.

Minor kitchen renovations typically offer better ROI (Return on Investment). That is why a lot of homeowners prefer to renovate their kitchens first.

If you’re planning to increase your home’s value but you’ve got a tight budget, you should try repainting and resurfacing your kitchen cabinet. For those who don’t know, cabinet repainting and resurfacing can provide 80% ROI. This is particularly true if you change the handles and hardware as well.

However, before you can achieve that ROI, you need to hire a professional and reliable contractor first. Luckily, we are here to help. Here are a couple of questions you need to ask a cabinet painter when it comes to painting cabinets in Las Vegas.

How Will You Take Care of My House?

Unluckily, a couple of homeowners hire individuals off the street as long as they are willing to work. They do not take the time to screen every candidate carefully. Because of this, they sometimes hire inexperienced individuals who do not know how to take care of the house properly.

A painting company, at the very least, should ensure to lay drop cloths in the kitchen. This will help protect your flooring. Also, they should know how to keep your appliances and walls free and clean from new paint.

You should look for another painter if you are not willing to tell you how they will take care of your house.

What Should I Do to Prepare?

Oftentimes, clearing off your countertops is the only thing you’ll have to do to prepare your home. However, you can get the job done faster if you prepare your kitchen properly.

You should ask your painter what you’ve got to do. You’ve got to ensure you take care of these steps the day before the appointment. If you don’t prepare your home, you’ll slow down the project.

What Forms of Paint Do You Utilize?

There are a lot of options when it comes to paint. Only a professional painter will know what works ideally for your cabinets.

You should ask about the forms of paint they utilize and whether the paint holds up to regular cooking and cleaning. A couple of kitchens will require various form of paint based on the type of cabinet material. The painter should explain why they choose that particular paint for your house.

Are You Insured?

You’ve got to ensure the painter has valid insurance before allowing him/her to work in your home.

Almost all contractors offer their own coverage for liability insurance. With this, the insurance will cover the cost of repairs if something gets damaged while they paint your cabinet. However, that isn’t the only thing you need.

If the contractor hires employees, he/she should have workers’ compensation. The insurance will cover the cost of treatment if one of his/her employees gets injured during the project. Else, you will be held liable for the expenses.

How to Protect Your Car from Hail Dent Damage?

As much as people may love to, nobody can predict the weather. Because of this, it is extremely crucial that you know how to protect your car from hail dent damage. This is particularly true if you live in a region that frequently experiences minor or major hail storms.

If you do experience dent damage from hail, you shouldn’t worry. Nowadays, there are a lot of paintless dent removal Las Vegas companies that offer dent removal.

However, it is still best that you know how to prevent it from happening. Here are several tips you can follow:

Check the Parking Options of Your Workplace

You will not be at your home all day. Chances are you’ve got to work to earn a living. If a hail storm hits while you’re at work, you can face a lot of serious hail damages and there is nothing you can do about it.

That’s why it is best that you talk to your employer if you have any options for covered parking. There’s a possibility that your employer will pay for parking garage fees. This is especially true if you live and work in a place that frequently experiences hail storms. If they don’t, it might be worth it that you inspect your options for covered parking. Make sure you find one near your workplace. This will help you lower your risk of costly hail damage.

Make It a Habit to Check the Weather

Prevention is the best form of protection. You can be caught unaware of some severe car hail damage when you return to your car if you leave your home without checking the weather. That’s why it is always an excellent move to make a habit of checking the weather forecast before leaving your home. This will help you prevent expensive hail damage. Aside from protecting your vehicle, it can also remind you that you’ve got to carry an umbrella with you to protect yourself.

If the errand isn’t important, you can delay it to avoid a hail storm. Oftentimes, it is best to stay home.

Prepare a Car Cover or Blankets

Blankets are one of the easy solutions you can try if you’ve got no type of covered parking on your property. If the weather forecast says that a hail storm is coming, offering your car some protection is always better than no protection. Thus, you can prevent dents from hail if you prepare a couple of thick blankets in your vehicle. A car cover is another option to consider. It’s a padded blanket that is more durable. They come in a range of sizes and shapes. Make sure you choose one that offers a lot of padding.

Invest in a Covered Garage

If you’ve got to park your car on the street, it might be ideal to invest in a garage or covered carport. It’s a worthwhile investment to keep your car protected from hail damage. The most affordable option is a covered carport, though it does not provide as much security as a garage, it is still a great investment.

Reasons to Choose Artificial Grass for Your Pets

One of the best things you can offer to your pets is a lawn that is covered with grass. Unfortunately, before you offer your pet free rein over your yard, you need to think carefully. You should always keep in mind that natural grass tends to hide a lot of risks to your dogs. A couple of these risks can warrant a visit to a veterinarian.

However, if you cover your landscape with artificial grass, you can get rid of most of the dangers for your dogs.

For your pets, you cannot guarantee the safety of your yard by just installing a high-quality fence and gate. The reason for this is that some of the threats lurk inside your property.

Today, we are going to share with you some of the reasons why you should use artificial grass Las Vegas instead of natural grass for your lawn.

Standing Water

Pooling water can be a host to a lot of health risks. This includes leptospirosis and much more. Also, standing water is the ideal breeding ground for insects, such as mosquitos. These insects might carry illnesses and diseases that can be deadly to your dog. You can get rid of these risks with synthetic turf because it includes an excellent drainage system.

Grass Seeds

If you’ve got a natural grass lawn, you probably notice small and sharp seeds around it. These seeds are common. They can latch onto the coat of your dog, burrow under their skin, and cause irritation. On several occasions, these seeds can even get into the eye of your pet. They can lead to infection as well since these seeds often carry bacteria. Once the bacteria enter the body of your dog, they can cause serious internal damage. You might need surgery to get rid of them.

Meanwhile, artificial grass lawns do not produce grass seeds. Because of this, you won’t have to worry that your dog will encounter them.

Fleas and Ticks

Fleas and ticks typically lurk in tall grass. Whenever your dog comes in contact with them, they immediately latch onto it. Fleas and ticks can cause anemia, tapeworm infestations, scabs, hot spots, and scratching. Also, fleas might transmit Rocky Mountain Spotted fever, tick paralysis, Anaplasmosis, and Lyme disease.

Artificial grass does not grow tall. They stay short forever. Thus, there is nowhere for fleas and ticks to hide. Furthermore, artificial grass efficiently absorbs water. This helps get rid of the moisture that fleas favor in hiring areas.

Pesticides

To stay in excellent condition, you will have to apply pest control solutions for your natural grass. Typically, these solutions leave behind toxic residue that stays for a couple of days after application. Your dog can pick up these residues whenever they run around the lawn. If they’re exposed, it can lead to different issues. This includes respiratory problems, eye irritation, skin rashes, vomiting, and nausea.

On the other hand, you won’t need to apply pest control solutions if you’ve got artificial turf. It does not attract any pests.

Common Water Heater Problems That You Shouldn’t Ignore

One of the appliances that your family utilizes every single day is your water heater. It’s extremely noticeable if your water heater fails to offer enough hot water. Showers aren’t comfortable enough, dishes won’t be as clean as they once were, and your clothing will come out of the washer looking dirty.

Because of this, it is important that you know how to identify the warning indications and what to do if your water heater is experiencing some problems.

Before you call a professional water heater repair in Las Vegas, here are several things you should keep an eye out:

Water Heater is Leaking

You’ve got to inspect it if you notice a puddle under the water heater. This can be a result of loose fittings or gaskets or leaking pipes.

In addition to that, the TPR (Temperature Pressure Valve) can produce a puddle. You’ve got to ensure it is properly closing. The TPR is often faulty and you will have to replace it. A faulty TPR valve is extremely dangerous and can sometimes be the cause of your tank exploding. Hire a professional water heater company to replace faulty TPR valves right away.

There’s a possibility that the lower part of your tank is rusty and it’s leaking if you notice rusty water around the lower part of the heater. Replacing the water heater is perhaps the only solution at this moment.

Water Heater is Making Sounds

The water inside the tank might be overheating if you hear sounds coming from the water heater. Oftentimes, the reason for this is the accumulation of sediments inside the tank. The sound is generated when the water in the tank starts to boil.

Water Suddenly Smells Bad and Looks Rusty

It can mean that there’s corrosion inside the water heater if the water is rusty. If so, you have to inspect the anode rods and the tank. This will help you figure out which is the culprit and replace or repair the right component.

If your water smells bad, sediment can be the culprit. Sediment breeds bacteria over time. If the anode is decaying, it usually emits hydrogen gas. This helps the bacteria to survive. These bacteria generate a foul odor. If you want to remove the smell, you need to remove the sediment.

Running Out of Hot Water Faster Than Usual

This can show that you are having issues with sedimentation. Your water heater is often not failing. The sediment is the reason why you’re running out of water faster than usual. Typically, sediment gathers in the lower part of the water heater. They produce a sludge that replaces water. because of this, there will be a lower volume of water inside the tank. Furthermore, the water heater has to work more to heat the water.

To prevent this from happening, your best bet is to hire a professional water heater technician to regularly inspect your water heater. They can flush and drain the sediment out of your water heater to prevent build-up.

Common Door Lock Issues

The first line of defense in your house or office is your door. Unfortunately, most people ignore it until it is too late. Locks, handles, and doorknobs have always been part of our door lock issues at work or at home.

Every door might break or wear in time and can lead to a potential lockout. Typically, this results in problems for people at a very inconvenient time.

It is great to be wary of these problems so that you can track them and stay on top of any maintenance. All of these problems can affect your door and your locks, leading to security weaknesses on your property.

The best way to avoid these issues is to hire a professional locksmith in Las Vegas.

The Key is Stuck and Does Not Turn

A lot of people have experienced this issue. However, most people try to force the key to turn rather than getting rid of the key. If you do this, you’ll end up breaking the key and leaving half of it inside the lock. That’s why your best bet is to hire a professional locksmith to check the issue.

Key Does Not Work

There are several occasions where the key simply does not want to work. As mentioned above, if you force the key to work, you might break it inside the lock. There are a lot of reasons why your key may not work with your lock. Wear and tear can happen on the key. Keep in mind that the grooves in your key are made to match the lock’s grooves. If these grooves are broken, bent, or worn, it can stop the key from working. In addition to that, a dirty lock can also affect the effectiveness of your key.

The first thing you’ve got to do if your key is not working is to examine that you’re using the correct key for the correct lock. Then, inspect that your key is in excellent condition and search for any indications of damage to your lock. Don’t ever force to turn the key.

Misaligned or Loose Locks

Another popular problem is that the locks on the door are misaligned or loose. These problems usually happen during installation. However, they can also occur during the development of the lock. Your doors might contract, expand, or warp due to weather conditions. This can lead to your lock no longer properly connecting and correctly functioning. In addition to that, the efficiency of a lock can be affected by treating the door roughly, such as slamming it regularly.

Faulty or Dirty Locks

Locks can end up being an accumulation of a bit of grime and dirt. Dirt can go inside a lock easily through keys. The accumulation of dust can be inconvenient and cause problems such as keys jamming. Also, general wear and tear on the locks can result in them becoming faulty. It is an excellent move to regularly clean and inspect the locks. If you maintain your locks, you can guarantee that they will last for a long period.