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Matt Myers

Cure for the Common House Cold

by Matt Myers on January 5

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I heard on the news that North Dakota set a record low yesterday with -35 degrees. Now that is just silly. I was in northern Wisconsin for New Years (I know, I know) and it got down to -19, and that really got on you fast. The balmy 38 degrees that we landed in at DIA literally felt warm.

So I was thinking about some of the tips that I know and ones that others have passed along to me about cures for the cold that you feel while you are home.

Keep Eating. This doesn’t mean overeat or eat poorly, but try eating smaller meals and eating often. If you can keep your body digesting food, you will feel warmer, and you will also feel more alert (good idea for work, too).

Change in the Bathroom. This might sound silly and you might already do this, but if you bring the clothes you plan to change into after your shower, then you don’t get any cold air on your wet bod when traveling to your bedroom. Once you get that chill, it’s going to stay with you. If changing in the bathroom is not possible for whatever reason, then get a heavy terrycloth robe to warm you up for your walk to your bedroom. The idea is to not get any chills before you are fully dressed. It will keep you feeling warmer for the rest of the day.

Extra Clothes. This is the easy one, and most people know about it. My particular favorite is wearing a wool cap or beanie around the house. This keeps me pretty warm without having to wear tons of clothes. The downside is that I usually don’t sleep in it, so when I take it off for bed I get a little chill. Also, a pair of warm socks will do wonders for keeping you warm.

Humidifier. This is pretty key, plus it will keep your skin from getting so dry in the winter. Think about 90 degrees in Atlanta feeling hotter than 90 degrees in Sante Fe. If you can make your home more moist, it will hold the heat better.

The Dishwasher. Run this while you are awake in your home. Dishwashers put of some decent (and wet) heat and it will help to grab all of it that you can. Another good idea if you are baking something in the oven is to leave the door open when you are finished baking. Let the heat from the oven into the kitchen. Certainly, this is not a good idea if you have little ones, but you understand the principle.

Those are just some of the ones that I have picked up over the years. If you have others, pile them on.

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Streamlining (Money Saving) Tips for 2010

by Matt Myers on December 29

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Many take the ending of one year (2009) and the beginning of another (2010) as a chance to challenge themselves with new goals (unattainable) and thoughts (irrational) of how they want their lives to look (thinner, super rich) instead of how they actually are (fat, broke). While New Year’s Resolutions are a common American ritual (masochism) at this time of year, I usually take the time to call this effort sophomoric, pedestrian, and tired (among other 10 dollar words).

However, other than just being too cool for school (flunked out of two), I also take a chance to recalibrate my house so that at least it is running skinny (unlike current body) so that the money I do waste (Twilight Apparel) is at least money that I get to enjoy wasting (Edward Trapperkeeper).

[click to continue…]

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Merry Christmas from ServiceMagic

by Matt Myers on December 23

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I know the rest of America is thinking about presents and shopping and Christmas cheer, but I’ll be straight with you: I’m thinking about the beach. A good friend of mine is heading to the beach for 10 days. But it is snowy and slushy here in Denver, and while a White Christmas usually tops my wish list, I keep thinking about the Seychelles. Warm weather, clear water, some kind of drink I would never let my friends see me drinking. That’s my Christmas wish.

No matter where you will be, who you love, or who loves you back, be safe out there and wrap this year up in style. We have an HGTV dream home to win in the coming year, not to mention the office March Madness Pool. Get your rest.

Cheers.

ServiceMagic

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(Formerly) Rich People Can’t Sell Their Silly Homes

by Matt Myers on December 15

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I know I should be more sympathetic to stars and their financial woes. I know I should. Because, if you think about it, we need their lives to be amazing, otherwise it makes being regular and broke that much worse. I mean, it’s cool if they have rich people problems like they have to pay more taxes, can’t go anywhere without being hounded by the media, can’t appreciate how unbelievable McDonald’s fries taste, and they can’t know if people like them because of who they are or because they want a spot in the will.

Nevertheless, there is something about watching the super wealthy cut $50 million dollars off of the asking price of their homes and still not getting an offer that makes me a little satisfied. Like we poor folk down here still paying our mortgages on pint-sized wages still know more than they do.

Yahoo came out with an article this morning about the biggest real estate flops going on right now, which wasn’t as much eye-opening as it was sad. And whoever Nick Hexon and 311 are, I’m not sure. But his is the only property on this short list that is appealing.

Earlier this year, mentalfloss Quick X blogger Stacy Conradt wrote about the most expensive houses in the US. Some of the same properties appear on both lists. Lists, in which, make me proud of my two bedroom bungalow all the more. Yahtzee.

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What to Do with a House You Can’t Sell

by Matt Myers on November 2

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Economic uncertainty has made selling a home in today’s market a shaky proposition. For those who were planning to sell but have decided to put it off for a few years, here are our picks for the best projects to make your current home feel new!

You Want to Sell Because You Don’t Have Enough Room

This is one of the most common reasons to sell a property. Families grow, belongings accumulate, but your living space stays exactly the same. If the market’s got you thinking that now is NOT the time to sell, a basement or attic remodel can increase your living space without the expense of a traditional addition.

According to Remodeling Magazine‘s 2007 Cost vs. Value Report, family room, master suite, and second story additions average $78,989, $98,863, and $139,297 respectively. Compare those figures to basement remodels ($59,435, which includes a bathroom) and attic bedroom remodels ($46,691, also includes a bathroom), and it’s easy to see what a bargain remodeling existing space really is!

You Want to Sell Because You Have Too Much Room

On the other end of the spectrum, some homeowners whose kids have grown up and moved out might not need all the space they have. Instead of moving, creating a separate living space to rent out can bring in some extra income while simultaneously reducing your living space to something more manageable.

A project like this often involves putting up some new walls (ServiceMagic puts the national average for drywall installation at $2,150). In some cases, adding a new bathroom ($37,202 according to Remodeling Magazine) may also be beneficial.

You Want to Upgrade

Sometimes it’s not the size of the house but its quality that makes homeowners decide to sell. Moving might eliminate the inconvenience that comes with remodeling, but remodeling is certainly the most direct approach to a more appealing environment (not to mention that, in many cases, the new house has some headaches of its own). Instead of moving to a posher place, upgrading your current house might be a better option.

Outside, consider re-siding with fiber-cement (Remodeling’s estimate: $13,212) to boost appearance, increase your property value, and give you an exterior that will last for 50 years. For the inside, install hardwood flooring (ServiceMagic’s average: $5,106) or install a brick or stone fireplace (SM’s average: $2,937).

You Want to Live in a Different Neighborhood

For some, the decision to sell a house stems from a desire to live in a better neighborhood. While remodeling can’t change the location of a house, many neighborhoods have been improved simply because the properties there have been remodeled. Of course, you can’t force your neighbors to remodel along with you, but everyone knows that keeping up with the Jones’s can be a big motivator. In many major cities across the country (including, but certainly not limited to Austin, TX’s east side, Philadelphia, PA’s south side, many parts of Manhattan, and numerous areas of LA) collective remodeling has taken neighborhoods that might not have been appealing to new families and turned them into places people are proud to call home!

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Avoid Plumbing Disasters without Picking up a Wrench

by Matt Myers on October 28

Photo taken by www.robotmonkeylab.com

Photo taken by www.robotmonkeylab.com

Working on your own house can be a wonderful experience, and die-hard do-it-yourselfers of all shapes and sizes have been known to tackle projects of every possible magnitude (sometimes leading to great results). On the other hand, there are plenty of homeowners out there who would sooner tame their own tiger or make their own penicillin than fix, alter, or in any way attend to their own plumbing. Even if you can get hold of a guide that tells you exactly what to do in terms that are easy to understand (good luck with that, by the way), after a busy work week, it can be a little difficult to get jazzed about snaking your toilet. Fortunately, there are several things you can do to avoid some serious plumbing problems that take very little effort and don’t require you to know the difference between an O-ring and a C-clamp!

Avoiding Clogs

  • Clogs happen when one large thing or multiple small things get caught in a pipe. Though some clogs are caused by issues that you have little control over, most of them are caused by putting something in a drain that simply doesnýt belong there. By preventing clogs, you are eliminating a huge percent of the total number of plumbing issues your home will have. To avoid clogs:

  • Never flush anything down a toilet other than bodily waste and toilet paper (even if said item claims to be flushable). Don’t forget to make sure that children are well aware of what can and cannot be flushed, too!
  • The garbage disposal in your sink is far from a garbage can; never put anything fibrous, greasy, or non-biodegradable down your garbage disposal and always keep the water on while it is in use as well as for 15 seconds before and after it is operated.
  • Make sure that shower drains are fitted with some sort of grate to catch hair.
  • Use a product to prevent root growth in your pipes twice a year (especially if you have had roots in your pipes before).

Dealing with Leaks, Burst Pipes, Strange Noises, Water Pressure, and Hot Water Issues
Clogs are certainly a common problem, but they are far from the only thing that can go wrong with your plumbing. Fixing a leaky pipe, identifying a strange noise in your system, or enhancing your water pressure are jobs that some handy homeowners are more than willing to take on. Lucky for the rest of us, there’s a simple solution to nearly every plumbing problem that can ever arise: call a plumber!

Find a Plumber You Like
Though this might take a little time, when problems occur you’ll be glad you put in the effort. Having a good plumber is very much like having a mechanic you can trust. Sure, it might take a few tries before you find one you communicate well with, but once you’ve got one, he or she is worth holding onto. Donýt be shy about contacting several different plumbers, and donýt stop till you find one that you like. Having a plumber you trust takes the guess work out of any problem that can occur in your system; when you already know who to call, every problem has an efficient solution!

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Warning Signs that your Home’s Roofing is about to Erupt

by Matt Myers on October 26

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The news that Mount Redoubt, after two months of warnings from the Alaska Volcano Observatory and U.S. Geological Survey, erupted on March 22 solicits only academic interest for anyone not living in the 49th state or planning to fly across the northern-most skies in the upcoming weeks and months. Yet, the warning mechanisms and the lessons of preparation closely parallel eruptions, collapse, and calamity of your home’s roofing system. Here are the warning signs and types of roofing damage that threaten to compromise the all-important peak of your home.

External and Internal Signs of Roofing Damage
While the top blowing off your home is an easy metaphor to make, a more informative analogy applies to the external and internal signs of eruption or collapse. Take a look at these common warning signs to identify the more obvious symptoms of an impending roofing disaster.

Ceiling Spots, Mold: Ceiling spots or the smell of mold indicates condensation and moisture have saturated your roofing system, a clear signal that bigger problems are on the way.

Curling and Buckling: Actual physical changes to your roof’s exterior virtually guarantee professional roofing services are needed. Curling and buckling makes roofing systems especially susceptible to high winds.

Missing Shingles, Damage to Flashings: Missing shingles or damaged flashings can be caused by systematic problems, such as poor ventilation, or isolated events like hail or fallen tree branches. Failure to address these signs will lead to a costly roof leak and eventually total roofing failure.

Algae and Granule Loss: The presence of algae must be promptly remedied to prevent granule loss and further damage. The loss of granules—the shingle’s protective mineral covering—is also associated with algae, hail, and other external forces. Check gutters, downspouts, and the ground for shed granules to determine if your roof is at risk.

A Home can Erupt without Warning Signs
Homeowners should have their roofs professionally inspected each year. (The National Roofing Contractors Association recommends you have your roof inspected twice a year.) According to research studies conducted by roofing manufacturers, as well as anecdotal evidence from qualified roofing contractors across the country, up to 90 percent of residential roofs aren’t installed properly, causing problems to arise that aren’t covered by manufacturer warranties. In some circumstances, evidence of the improper installation may be detected only after years of wear-and-tear have exposed installation techniques used in sub-surface spaces. Identifying these types of problems before damage occurs can save you thousands of dollars in repair costs.

Uncertain Timelines, Uncertain Consequences
Signs of roof damage can present themselves many seasons before major roofing failure occurs and a new roof is needed. Plenty of warning signs were present in the weeks leading up to Mount St. Helens, but the eruption dwarfed the experts’ worst-case scenarios. Similarly, homeowners who see a wet spot on their ceiling, a few missing shingles, or the presence of attic mold and fail to act are risking more than an expensive roof repair. Here are three disaster scenarios associated with roofing failure:

1. Hurricane Blows Roof off Home. Damaged or worn roofing is much less likely to withstand the force of a hurricane, even roofs that were originally designed to endure extreme winds. When a roof is blown off a home during a hurricane the collapsing pressure usually results in total property loss.

2. Roof Vents and Wildfires Burn Down Home. Roof ventilation is critical to maintaining a roof’s life expectancy and energy-efficiency, but poorly designed or installed roof vents can leave your home vulnerable to wind-blown embers.

3. Mold and Pests Present Health Hazard. Damaged roofs lead to moisture, which in turn allows mold to grow and, possibly, cause headaches, fatigue, respiratory distress, or worse. Fecal matter and waste left by any number of pests can also introduce dangerous biohazardous materials into the home.

Other Areas of Your Home that Might Erupt
While roofing makes for a natural metaphor for volcanic eruptions, any number of home areas can mirror this natural disaster. Chinese-made drywall, for example, has been found to contain and eventually emit sulfur-based gas that can corrode electrical wiring, air conditioning coils, plumbing fixtures, and other metal items. Coincidentally, sulfur dioxide is one of the main gases expelled during volcanic explosions and is one of the main toxins associated with acid rain. Creosote is the resin that builds up and lines the walls of your chimney. Without periodic cleaning, this by-product can ignite and cause a flue fire that erupts from the top of your chimney with sparks and chunks of flaming creosote.

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