After heavy rain the last thing any home owner wants to experience is to have to spend a lot of money replacing damaged plaster and paint work on the inside of their home or repair roof tiles.

However, it is possible to save yourself a considerable amount of money simple by understanding the need for regular gutter cleaning.

Most property owners view their roof drainage system as “out of sigh, out of mind” but cleaning the gutters at the top of your home is a vital part of any home maintenance here in Vancouver, BC, Canada and should never be avoided.

Many years ago, homes and building were not fitted with gutters, and architects and old time engineers never considered that an effective gutters system was important.

Roof top drainage was usually achieved by homes and buildings being constructed with very steep and large over hanging roofs that where constructed in such a way that water was channeled into a specially designed gathering area which was then used for washing and drinking.

But now the standard for modern constructions all over the world is an efficient roof drainage system – which clearly makes good sense. When we have a heavy down pour or storm, the water is effectively channeled of the roof, into a practical drainage system and routed away from our valuable homes.

All gutter systems are fitted with downspouts – usually located at each corner of our property to ensue water is carried away quickly and with minimum risk of overflowing.

There are many environmentalists that prefer having gutter systems that lead directly into a specially designed catchment containers where the water is then stored for later use in the dry months. Separate water catchments systems are not only considered environmental friendly but can also have significant savings on household water bills- if your home has a water meter.

But, irrespective of whether the water is stored for later use or led away by a regional or national underground drainage system, having clogged gutters can be a very expensive affair. Water from your roof is unable to escape through the nearest downpipe then they will eventually overflow and the water will come rushing down your exterior walls, then it’s is only a mater of time before it starts to permeate through your outside walls and through to the interior of your property.

As internal damp and wet patches start to manifest within the inside of your home paintwork and decorations will rapidly start to break down and become strained.

Flash floods can happen with very little notice and if your gutter system is blocked rain water can also penetrate through your roof tiles, and into the attic area of your home then down onto your inside ceilings. Apart from the financial costs to replace broken roof tiles internal plaster and paint work on your ceilings will be come damaged.

Whether you get your gutters attended to by a commercial gutter cleaning company or you decide to do them yourself, in the long term it can only help you avert an expensive disaster buy possibly saving you a lot of unnecessary repair work.

All property experts agree that you should get your home gutters checked at least once or twice a year, to stop roof moss, twigs from trees, dead leaves, dead birds and even children’s toys from blocking your gutters. And you can use a removal service like Montgomery County Dumpster Rental that I use here, or if you’re lucky enough to have a small yard you can always just compost them and be even more eco-friendly.

So the next time you see your gutter system overflowing, take immediate action, and have them checked by a competent gutter cleaning company before the internal damage to your home turns into expense that could have easily been avoided.

Home Security Protection Basics

On any random day you can pick up a newspaper or watch the local news and hear of home invasions. It seems to be happening more frequently than ever these days. As a result, families are looking into home security to protect themselves, so that they don’t become one of these victims.

The best way to protect your home and your family is to have a home security system installed. In the past, home alarms were typically reserved for the ultra wealthy. Fortunately, it’s no longer that way. The advancements made by technology have not only made pricing affordable, but high-tech security equipment available to the masses. We take a look at the basics of home security.

Monitored Home Security

Probably the most popular form of security for your home is monitored home security. This is for good reason, as it comes with a number of advantages. Monitored home security is there for you, when you’re away, on vacation, at work, and when you’re sleeping. Simply hooking up a basic security system, and hoping a neighbor here’s your alarm if it sounds, just isn’t enough these days.

Monitored home security services protect your home in a number of ways. First of all, your security service company is notified immediately if your alarm is triggered. They can then use their judgment in determining whether the authorities need to be sent. At this time they’ll commonly call a neighbor that can check things out right away and provide feedback. This human involvement is what gives monitored home security its advantages.

These services usually offer an attractive alarm installation if you commit to their service for a period of time. Cost is dependent on how elaborate you want your security system. Complete protection is always recommended. This involves home security triggers at all points of entry, i.e. windows and doors.

You’ll also want motion detectors. If some how an intruder breaches an entry point without it being triggered, the motion detector is your next line of defense. In the past, motion detectors weren’t feasible with pets, as they’d trigger the alarm. Now, however, you need not worry if you have a reasonably sized family pet. Advancements have been made so that these work rather well with pets, as long as they’re not too large.

The biggest drawback associated with monitored home security is cost. In order to have an ongoing service you’ll have to pay an ongoing fee. When you way the benefits, it’s not too bad, however. Home security services vary depending on brand and features. Prices range from as low as $10 a month to about $50 for the pricier packages.

Economic Security Solutions

If you don’t have the budget to install an alarm system there are some great things you can do to protect your home, without breaking the budget. Many people find that simple light motion detectors are a good way to scare off criminals. If a darkened back or front lawn is suddenly lit up with floodlights, via motion detection, it can be a great deterrent. There are many different types of motion detectors available.

They even have motion detectors that trigger cameras. These cameras send a feed to your computer for storage. This can be accessed through any computer, via the internet. So, you can monitor your home while at work or away. And believe it or not, it’s not too expensive.

Putting up security signs that claim you have a home security system or that you have a watchdog is almost as effective as having either. A criminal will see the sign and decide that it just isn’t worth the risk of breaking into your home. They’d rather go to a home that doesn’t have a security sign. It’s important to note that this is a deterrent only, and offers no actual protection.

One of the most basic ways to protect your home is to make sure you have locks on your doors and windows, and that you actually keep them locked. If you aren’t home, keep the shades or curtains drawn. There is no need to entice criminals to look into your home to see what stuff you have available to them. Locksmith Chula Vista offer lock systems and can even rekey all your locks so you only need one key for your entire home.

Put, some random lights on timers within your house. This will give the impression of someone being home. When you go on vacation have a neighbor get your paper and mail. Papers and mail lying around are a sure sign you’re out of town; an invitation to burglarize your home.

If you want the protection that comes from having an alarm, without the expense, take a look at home security kits. You can purchase do it yourself home security kits online without breaking the bank. They are simple to set up and maintain and are available with different features. If you’re somewhat handy, they’re a great way provide for the home protection you’re looking for.

Do It Yourself Home Security

If you’re sold on the benefits of home security, but not the cost, a do it yourself (DIY) home security system may be the solution. You can find home security kits online with very attractive pricing. They provide a number of advantages over the conventional route.

If you’re a do-it-yourselfer like myself, you should have no problem installing a home alarm system yourself. This is a great alternative to paying for a professional installation and the costly monthly monitoring fees that come with it. But, it’s not all about cost; do it yourself home security has legit advantages over their traditional brethren.

The biggest being flexibility. You can purchase the latest technology that allows you to do things not possible with the big security companies. DIY home security allows you to take monitored home security to new heights.

You can install remote cameras in multiple zones of your property. You can even implement night vision, you name it it’s possible. All of which can be streamed and accessed from anywhere. This means you can remotely monitor your house from anywhere there’s an internet connection. You can even check up on things from your cell phone.

When you do things yourself you can fully customize to your needs, with the latest and greatest tech. Fingerprint scanning, retina recognition, RFID, it’s all here now, or on the horizon. These are truly exciting times.

DIY home security also allows you to combine the best of both home security methods. In that, you can purchase and install your custom alarm set-up, and then utilize a home security company to provide the monitoring service. This is a nice alternative, as you can lock down attractive monitoring rates without getting stuck with an inferior proprietary alarm system.

Considering a do it yourself home security system should be part of anyone’s home security plans. It’s certainly an attractive option, regardless of your security needs.

Every home requires the right flooring that suits your home’s room, decor, your budget, and your lifestyle. It does not matter whether you are building a new home, adding new rooms or just remodeling your home. You will always be confronted with the choice of having the proper floor.

Nowadays, there are so many options that deciding this can be quite a chore. You will have to choose from materials like hardwood, laminate, tile, stone, carpet, vinyl and even bamboo.

And with rooms like the basement, kitchen or bathroom, you’ll need to think about water and possible mold and mildew problems.

When choosing the best basement flooring, you need to keep in mind a few things. For example, most basements are poorly ventilated. This means mold can grow easily

. It also means choosing the right flooring means something that isn’t going to warp with moisture like a lot of wood flooring will do.

The worst flooring ideas for a basement would obviously be carpeting, even vinyl is a bad idea as it usually separates from the concrete flooring easily.

The absolute best is simply a tile floor. Or if you’re really never going to use the basement, why not just leave the slab the way it is? Or paint it. This way you don’t need to hire a carpenter to do the job for you. Concrete specialists can even finish off your concrete floors whether indoors or out in an array of patterns and even colors. Another simple and maintenance free option to think about.

Start with a look at the basics. A flooring can often be the focal point of an interior decor and that is why getting the right material is important, as it will affect all the other elements in the room. You can even have different materials for each room in the home, and this must depend more on its use, the users, and your way of living. If you have children and pets around, you will do well to choose flooring that is tough and easy to maintain.

The location of the house can often be a major factor in choosing the right flooring material. A warm climate calls for flooring that is cool to the touch and you cannot go wrong if you choose tiles, stone or marble. In colder climates, hardwood floors are warm, while carpeted floors will make the living that much more comfortable. Floors that are frequently exposed to moisture, like bathroom floors, will do better with flooring materials that allow water to run off easily.

Before you decide on the material for flooring, make sure that your slabs have a proper foundation, as this can affect the durability of the floor. Carpets and cork flooring require soft underlay, which also acts as a cushion and gives resilience to the floor.

Flooring must be able to resist all the strain and stresses that are imposed on it due to the lifestyle that you have. If you have a lot of traffic in the home, with dirty shoes, pets running about, you will do well to look at laminated or tiled floors that are easy to clean. Flooring in a home can always take up a fair amount of a budget, whether you are building new or remodeling. G&S Flooring in Scottsdale, AZ has some great options that look good and are also very affordable if you live out this way.

Stay within your budget, and if you are still looking for the more expensive and elegant floors like granite, marble or exotic hardwood, you can always look at doing only some of the area at one time. You may have a little problem in getting the exact same shades of floors, especially stone, but it should not be too much of a problem.

Choosing floors for a home has to decide between style and substance. Floors need to be practical, while being elegant and nice to look at, and can often show off the other features in a room. Floors need to be durable, and this must take into consideration that particular room is being used for.

Rooms like kitchens, bathroom, and even halls can be those that have constant traffic and must have materials that can take all the strain imposed on them. A kitchen can have oil and water splashes that the floor must be able to resist, and bathrooms are normally subject to a lot of dirt and grime, besides water.

The warmth that the flooring material shows and the sound it creates when walked on can also influence your choice of flooring material. Sounds should be muted, though this is always possible to do with any flooring if you have a carpet over it. The floor you choose must be easy to maintain and clean, without the need for very sophisticated or complicated equipment.

If a floor requires being mopped regularly, you will do well to use a material that cleans easily and dries just as fast. Safety is another aspect that you need to consider when you look for the right flooring material for your home. A home that has small children or the elderly, must have floors that people will not slip or fall down on.

Practicality must be well matched with the luxury of the material used for floors. Ease of maintenance must be one of the prime considerations in your choice of material.

Decorating a child’s bedroom on a budget.

Yes, You don’t have to break the piggy bank to create a beautiful bedroom for your child. When you consider all of the wear and tear that the average child will take out on their room, you should limit your spending.

It certainly makes sense, and it’s very easy to buy inexpensive furnishings for a child’s bedroom that will look great and be functional from pretty much anywhere on the web like archerssleepcentre.co.uk or even Amazon.com.

When you’re making your buying decisions for the room’s decor, paint, furniture, and all the other items you plan to include, make sure that you check paint and items for lead content or any other hazardous materials, that they’re fire retardant and any other considerations that could have the potential to harm the child’s health.

Don’t make any purchases for the child’s room that could harm the child’s health or safety. When decorating the room, try not to install any overhead objects that would have the potential of falling onto the child.

Whether your child is hyperactive or not, all children, their siblings and friends, will probably exude a lot of energy in the room that could cause things to go bump in the night. Etageres, bookcases, curios, lamps, and headboards, should be solid or affixed to the wall.

Shelves should be weighted evenly, and sit level on the floor, so that they won’t tip or fall easily. Lamps should be easy to reach to turn on and off. The best swing arm desk lamp I ever owned had a nice long cord with the switch on the cord AND on the lamp. These lamps are perfect as the cord part can be placed close to the bed and turned off really easily.

When you’re ready to start decorating, the first thing to do is select the color. Your child will probably want to have some input as to the color of their bedroom. It would be great to have your child actively participate in the project.

Just remember that you’re driving the decorating bus. Children typically have fickle tastes could tire of, as well as outgrow a theme quickly. Paint color is the least expensive way to decorate any room.

Be sure to check out the goofed up colors in your local hardware stores. These are paints that were mixed up incorrectly and the original person doesn’t want the paint. It’s strictly up to timing, but sometimes the goofed colors could be just what you wanted and super cheap.

When thinking about wall coverings, think of some nice photos of your child doing things they love. Maybe a picture of father and son fishing, or them riding their bike. Family photos are boring and probably not what a kid wants on their walls.

You can also hang any certificates or awards your child earned. Or do something like name a star live and hang that on the wall. Awards and certificates look cool on a wall and add different colors and design to a room that won’t get dated.

There are many options for finding really great bargain furnishings for a child’s bedroom. When you are deciding on the furniture pieces that are needed and that will make a good fit in the room, a major decision that you have to make is the bed or beds.

You have many choices as to what would be the most practical bed style. Keep in mind the child’s needs and overnights with friends. It’s important to think of the child’s bedroom not just as you and your child want it to be now, but buy with the future in mind.

It will ruin your budget to have to replace decor because the child has outgrown it in a short period of time.

Ikea has a fantastic selection of furnishings for children’s bedrooms. You could completely furnish, on a budget, from Ikea. If you do not have an Ikea in your hometown, check out the website: www.ikea.com. It’s an amazing resource for total decor on a shoestring.

Your local thrift shop, and consignment shops are treasure troves for small furnishings. When you’re shopping on a budget, your most valuable asset is your imagination.

Don’t like the finish on a child’s desk in the Salvation Army? Paint it a fun color, add stripes or polka dots to a chest of drawers or paint a headboard. Paint old picture frames and fill them with pictures of animals, flowers, baseball players, movie stars.

Have fun!

Last but not least, garage sales are the mother lode of incredible bargains and selections for decorating a child’s bedroom. If you have the time and the inclination, research your local paper, neighborhood signs and Craig’s List, for upcoming garage and yard sales that list children’s furnishings. You’ll be amazed by what’s out there for you.

Bedrooms are private spaces that should reflect the style of the home and the person who inhabits the room. Keep the decor of a child’s bedroom simple, and try to create storage areas for their stuff.

A child will want their bedroom to be their domain with lots of places to store their toys and treasures.

Keep the child’s bedroom calm and bright, select future heirlooms for pennies on the dollar and create a bedroom for your child that will be a beautiful memory forever.

How to dispose of a mattress…

Are you planning on moving soon and are trying to find a way to dispose of for your mattress? Many homeowners want to start off fresh when they move into a new home and often decide to get a new mattress. The problems most homeowners are faced with is properly disposing of their old mattress.

Mattresses are difficult to dispose of properly because they are often bulky and most landfills will often charge more money due to that fact.

Landfills often charge more money because mattresses do not compact well. Due to this reason, you often see mattresses illegally dumped in alleys or on the side of the street, or in someone else’s dumpster for junk or at a construction site. Luckily, we have come up with five simple ways that you can get rid of your bed in a legal and proper way.

Let’s go over five simple ways that you can get rid of your old mattress, so you can enjoy your new one in peace.

Return It to the Manufacture

One of the simplest ways to get rid of your old mattress is by returning it to its original manufacturer. If you end up buying a mattress from the same manufacturer as your old one, they may dispose of it for you. You should ask the retailer if it is possible that they will dispose of your old mattress if you buy a new one from them. More and more manufacturers are disposing of old mattresses if a customer buys a new one from them. This will save you a ton of money and headaches.

If the manufacturer does not accept your old mattress you can always give your mattress away to a friend or family member.

Give it Away or Sell Your Mattress

You can make a profit from selling your mattress or you can give it away to a friend or family member that needs one. Most people are willing to accept a gently used mattress, so if your mattress is gently used try putting it up for sale on craigslist. Many people use craigslist to sell their old items so you might be able to get rid of your mattress quickly by using this website.

You should also check your mattress for bed bugs before you put your item for sale or give it away to someone. You should also try to clean up any stains that are visible if you want to sell the mattress to anyone. If you’re not able to sell or give away your mattress you may be able to donate it.

Donate Your Mattress to Charity

Another way that you can quickly get rid of your mattress is by donating it to charity. You can try donation sites such as goodwill and the salvation army and they may or may not take your items depending on their regulations. If those two companies do not accept your mattress you should try churches for homeless shelters. If you realize that you cannot donate your mattress to charity you may be able to find a recycling program in your area.

Find a Recycling Program That Specializes

You may think your options are limited at this point but you can still find a recycling program that specializes in getting rid of mattresses. You can check with your local city officials to see if there any specialized recycling programs that will help dispose of your mattress. Most major cities offer recycling programs and if they don’t they should be able to help you find a local recycling drop off. Some cities even offer curbside assistance if you call them to pick up your mattress. There are also companies like AZ Junk who offer a hauling service for Arizona, and they will pick up your mattress and take it to a recycling plant for you.  Some cities even offer curbside assistance if you call them to pick up your mattress.

Break Down the Mattress

The last option you have is breaking down the mattress yourself. You can break down the fabric part and throw it away, then you can break down the box spring and wooden frames. You can easily get rid of the wooden frame by burning it or using for woodchips.

These are just five ways that you can legally dispose of your mattress. You can return it to the manufacturer, give it away or sell it, donate it to charity, find a recycling program that specializes in removing mattresses or break down the mattress yourself.

The smell of cigarette smoke in the house can make people feel nauseated or even make them suffer from severe headaches.

Smoke is intensely irritating, and it distracts the comfort of a person.

There many ways in which smoke can easy get its way to your house.

Below are affordable methods of getting rid of smoke smell in the house.

When getting rid of smoke in your house the first factor to consider is the source of the smoke. The following are some of the questions that people should ask themselves.

Where is the smoke coming from to your house?

What are the dangers associated with the smoke?

Can it lead to respiratory complications?

A good example is cigarette smoke which anyone would, agree with me that it is terribly dangerous. It is straightforward and easy.

If your roommate or your friend is the smoker talk and agree with him or her so they can stop smoking in the house. You can also move out of the house if it is possible.

There certain aerosols that are usually perfumed.

When people burn perfumed aerosols in the house, they can easily get rid of smoke smell in the house. This method also works perfectly with scented candles. Note that these measures usually work temporarily. There greatest advantage is that they are cheap and affordable.

It is always good individuals make their houses are well ventilated because smoke can lead to suffocation. Ensuring your house is well ventilated.

This does not mean that you have eradicated all the smoke in the house, but it rather allows fresh air into the house which dilutes the concentration of the smoke.

There are products that are usually sold purposely for destroying unpleasant smells. A good example of this product is “Nature’s Miracle”. This product works in an exceptionally distinctive way. It only destroys the unpleasant odor leaving everything else the way it was before without destroying anything. It is also a good idea to try vinegar and ammonia.

Ammonia works out although it is extremely toxic and has its side effects too. Vinegar is relatively cheap easy to afford, but it can only get rid of the small in a short period.

Other methods include using cleaners while cleaning the house.

It is good to scrub the furniture and the walls thoroughly. As for successful companies that do the work of getting rid of smoke smell in the house after floods and fire outbreaks they use complex equipment.

It is very expensive and individuals can only be insured with them which are quite expensive. In extreme cases ozone shocking is used.

It is normally used in ultra small quantities or otherwise it can cause asthma and other throat complications.

My sincere hopes are the above measures will be of help.

Mini-blinds are a very attractive and timeless way to regulate the light coming through your windows. They come in several different materials that can have advantages and disadvantages depending on your situation. Plus, you can hire a professional to come in and measure all your windows, show you some samples, put together your blinds, and then install them, or just find some affordable blinds and do-it-yourself.

It’s not hard to put them in yourself, and you’ll get the hang of it after just one try. After that, the next one will go faster, and you can save a bunch of money. Here are some tips to choose, buy, shorten and install your own mini blinds.

Why The Type of Material They’re Made of Matters

The blinds you buy at the big discount home store will likely come in cheap vinyl, nicer vinyl, metal, and possibly wood as well. If the blinds are going to be up, out of the way, on a high window where they won’t be seen up close the materials matter less. The advantage of the metal blinds is that no light will shine directly through the blinds at all, if you want real darkness, go with those or the wood.

However, a lot of people actually prefer the soft glow of light that comes through the vinyl blinds as opposed to total darkness. They can still see well enough to walk around the house but no one can see in from the outside. They do a good job of blocking the strong rays of the sun and still light up your home with a warm glow. Vinyl is usually quite a bit less expensive than the aluminum metal as well.

The other big difference that you find between vinyl, aluminum, wood, and any other material, is that some are more flexible and can take more punishment than others. If you have cats, children, dogs, or birds roaming your house the more flexible vinyl will last longer.

How To Shorten Your Mini-blinds

The standard blinds that you buy at the store are all going to be full length, nearly down to the floor long and you’ll have to remove some of the slats to shorten them. It’s fairly easy and there will be instructions on the package. If you know someone that’s done it before, they’ll gladly show you how as well.

You start by mounting the entire blind in the window and then lowering it down to the length you want in the end. Then you mark the final slat that you’re going to want in the final product and remove the blind from the brackets.

After that, you untie the pull-up strings at the bottom and just remove all of the unwanted slats, don’t throw them away until you’ve replaced the blind in the brackets for a final inspection. When all is perfect, take a few more minutes to shorten the strings since they’ll now be way too long. You don’t want children or pets getting tangled in them.

Now that you know how to shorten your own mini blinds, you will never want to pay an installer to do it for you. The entire process will eventually take about 10-15 minutes including installation and shortening. Plus, you’ll be the expert for your friends when they call needing help with their blinds.

How To Perform A Water Audit

If your apartment, apartment building or condominium complex is master metered for water, make note of any fluctuations in occupancy rates. Compare your occupancy rates to your water bills and to the season. If you have had a lot of vacancies, your water usage should significantly decrease. If it doesn’t, you know you have a leak.

Graph the monthly or bi-monthly usage for the last two years. You don’t need to do anything fancy, a simple bar graph will suffice. You should begin to see a pattern. Tenants tend to shower more during the summer. Landscaping may require more water during warmer months as well.

If you suspect a leak, check the water meter. It is best to check the meter when the water is off, so you will most likely need to serve notice to your tenants that you are shutting the water off for a short period of time, about 30-60 minutes.

At the water meter, check to see if the meter is moving or take a reading, come back in 60 minutes and take another reading. If the meter has moved and the water has been shut off, then you have confirmation of a leak according to Sammy Lakhany Business Advisor.

Data logging is another means of identifying leaks. A flow recorder is attached to the meter and the data is logged at regular intervals throughout the day over the course of a week. Water flow rates will vary during the day, but usually fall drastically during the wee hours of the morning.

Check all toilet flappers and diaphragms. Use dye tablets to test for leaks. Remember chlorine tablets destroy toilet flappers. This should also be on your annual inspection list along with checking the units’ smoke detectors. Homeowners Associations may wish to initiate a pro-active preventative maintenance program.

Check for leaks among the irrigation heads of your sprinkler system. Are there boggy spots in your landscaping?

If all else fails, contact a professional who offers ultrasonic leak detection.

Remember, if you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it. Get that data!

Get Control of Your Water Usage

Taking control of the flow of water in your units puts you in control of your apartment building’s expenses and increases your net operating income. For homeowners associations the task is more difficult, but educating your board and resident members is the first step on the road to success in reducing association expenses. Using less water also means being more energy efficient because the more water you use, the more energy is required to transport, pump and heat that water.

Keep in mind that many local water utilities are willing to perform a free water audit on your apartment building or condominium complex and some even provide free faucet aerators and showerheads. If you must do it yourself, read ‘How To Perform a Water Audit‘.

Faucets

Install aerators that allow no more than 1 – 1.5 gallons per minute (gpm). WaterSense labeled faucets and faucet accessories (aka aerators) are widely available and some water districts do provide rebates.

Another option we are testing here at GreenLandlady is a device called a Smart Faucet. The Smart Faucet is a 1.5gpm aerator with a handle. Water flows only when someone pushes the handle. See our Product Review for more information.

Showerheads

According to the EPA showering makes up 17% of residential water use. Install low flow WaterSense approved showerheads that use less than 2.0 gallons per minute. If your building is a high rise, be sure to check the pressure flows above the fourth floor. There are plenty of low flow showerheads on the market, but one we particularly recommend is the 1.75gpm Niagra Earth Massage Showerhead.

Toilets

If your toilets use more than 1.6 gallons per flush (gpf), your money is literally going down the drain. 1.6gpf is the new federal standard for toilets, but more water-efficient toilets are available and should be your first choice. Be aware that using too much toilet paper with these types of fixtures can clog pipes, particularly old pipes that may already have build up inside them. On going resident education should emphasize minimal use of toilet paper to ensure proper functioning. Check for rebates in your area and purchase only WaterSense labeled fixtures.

High efficiency toilets (HETs) use 1.28gpf or 20% less than the federal standard of 1.6gpf. Remember to look for the Water Sense label and check for rebates.

Dual flush toilets use 0.8 and 1.6gpf, depending on which button is depressed and are also considered HETs under the EPAs WaterSense program. Though these types of fixtures may seem strange, they have been the standard in Australia and New Zealand for years. I have installed these in two of my units and have been very happy with them.

Urinals

Why use water at all? Waterless urinals are becoming standard in commercial buildings due to updated code requirements and improved performance and acceptance. “Waterless urinals have been around for over 10 years and many of the initial fears about them have subsided as users and maintenance staff have become accustomed to them,” says NJ remodel. Typical waterless urinals cannot be cleaned with standard cleaning products as they use chemical cartridges to neutralize odors, so it is often maintenance staff that require the most education when these urinals are installed.

Admittedly, waterless urinals have their drawbacks, however, urinals that use as little as one pint of water have proved quite effective and may bear a closer look.

Check for rebates: http://www.epa.gov/watersense/pp/find_rebate.htm

So you’re living in the city and you’re lucky enough to have a small backyard, and by small I mean not big enough for a pool or something cool like that, so what do you do?

Maybe you can add a garden, or a killer BBQ pit with all the extras?

But what if you’re a vegan with a brown thumb? What’s left?

For me, I decided on a Gazebo. Why a gazebo you’re probably asking?

There are a few reasons…

First, I wanted to do something with the backyard so that it looked “finished” and well kept.

BUT I didn’t want to mow any grass, weed any gardens or install any little Koi fish ponds to breed mosquitoes.

I wanted something that was maintenance free, something I would actually use for homestyle living outdoors, and something that maybe could even “WOW” my family and friends when they visited.

A gazebo checked all of those boxes and a few more.

In fact, once it was done all I did was add a few potted plants (no weeding!) around it to give it a greener feel to the space and I had a really nice looking backyard that didn’t need any maintenance at all.

Oh, I added brick to the entire space as well so I didn’t need to cut any grass or add artificial turf. My home is a turn of the century brick house, so it matched everything perfectly.

And although I built my own gazebo, or I had it built by some skilled carpenters, I did find a few kits that would have been almost as nice on the internet here at https://windproofgazebos.com.

The kits would have probably saved me a nice chunk of change and some time as well. But I wanted a few adjustments and wasn’t sure if a kit would have worked as well as I wanted it to.

But either way, I got a really nice looking backyard now that I don’t have to worry about maintaining any longer, and I am really using it!

I’m so enjoying my morning coffee sitting outside in the gazebo. My backyard is walled, so it isn’t quite as noisy as being on the front porch.

I am also thinking if I do add a few more plants, that they may help to deaden the sound even more.

I’ll have to see. Like I said, I don’t want to go too crazy with plants since they will need to be watered and trimmed and that can easily become a chore, grrrrr.

But I will probably add one of those “woven fences” that are made of wood so that I can add some ivy to them. With the wood and brick house I think they’d look amazing. And the ivy is pretty maintenance free, so no worries there. Plus I think it’ll help separate my neighbors and as an additional bonus, even more noise from my home.

So my advise is simple. If you’re looking for a great no-maintenance option for a small backyard, especially the tiny ones we have in the city, then a gazebo with a brick patio may be the perfect option.

It looks great, is functional and I don’t need to do much at all to enjoy it.