The Steps Of Interior Painting

Interior painting can be a little bit of a pain when you need to move all the furniture, paint the walls, ceiling, and trim.  Specially when you need to move furniture from one room to the other or to cover it all up. I am going to tell you what we do at Seaway Handyman for painting interior jobs.

The first thing we need to do is decide what exactly needs to get painted and how many coats is required. Let say for example purposes that we are going to paint two coats of paint on the ceiling, walls, and trim.

Lets move what we can from one room to another to give up amble amount of space to move around and use a ladder when we need to. Then, lets cover up all rest of the furniture that cannot be moved from the room. Make sure we wipe down any trim, walls, and remove any nails or hangers on the walls. Place all these Pictures and accessories for hanging pictures into a box. At this point, everything is off the walls and the furniture is now covered or moved.

WE then need to fix any holes using a drywall compound. This might be a two part process if the first coat does not cover the hole completely. ALWAYS use a hand sanding block, NOT a powered sanding tool. Also, use a super smooth sanding block for final finish. After the holes are repaired and completely smooth, then wipe up the walls, trim, and everywhere the dust is. You cannot paint if there is any sign of dust!

The first thing we need to paint is the ceiling. Start by going around the trim, ceiling fans, and lights so that when you come back with your roller, you have everything trim painted properly. Let the ceiling paint dry for 2 hours ( Behr FLAT Ceiling Paint ). I normally go a little but on the walls by a quarter inch to make sure that when I cut the walls, the ceiling and walls are done correctly and no other old paint will ever show. Please note that the walls will be cut where the ceiling and walls meet with a straight line. Once the ceiling is painted two coats, lets move onto the trim.

Paint around the trim for the door frames, floor boards, windows, and what ever has trim that requires painting on. Again, I will go onto the walls from the trim a quarter inch so when I cut with the wall paint, the old paint will not show what so ever. This will require two coats of trim. When the trim is all done, the next step is the add tape to the floor trim.

The trim paint has to be completely dry. Add BLUE painters tape to straight edge of bottom floor trim. This will allow for a straight edge when doing the bottom walls and protect from splatter when rolling the walls. Once the tape is on CORRECTLY, the next step is to paint the walls.

Start by cutting the ceiling to the walls with a STRAIGHT edge and by hand only. I never use any tool for cutting as the ceilings are NEVER 100% accurate and sometimes tools can make more of a problem than they are worth. Use a steady hand and take your time to do a nice straight cut line. Come down from the ceiling/wall angle about 2-3 inches to allow for the roller to meet up when rolling the walls. Once the cutting is done for the ceiling/walls, and the light switches and sockets, then its time to roll the walls.

Rolls the walls one coat then come back and do another coat on the cutting, then roll again for the second coat.

Let the paint dry for 24 hours before you put your furniture back.

And for assistance with all of your home repair needs,

Pro-Fix Home Repair stands ready to help.  Give us a call @ 770-575-2533 or www.ProFixHomeRepair.com

Poisons In The Home – Child Safety

Keeping Your Home Safe From Dangers

As your baby starts to move around the house, it is extremely important that you protect her from the poisons routinely kept in the home. Here are some tips to help keep your child safe.
Go through what you have and throw out what you don’t need
Have an old box of lye around? You’re probably not ever going to use it, and it’s terribly dangerous, so get rid of it. Keep only the products you really use, so that there are fewer things to have to keep locked up.
Keep things locked up
Assemble all your cleaning supplies, and put them in locked cabinets. Don’t assume that putting them in a higher cabinet keeps your child safe. Sometimes babies seem to learn to climb overnight, so simply storing items on a higher shelf might not be enough. This could be a metal container that locks and should be air tight. Add your paint and other chemicals in here and always store all these items in room temperature or colder. If you have bug sprays, mosquito spray, and other chemical components, this is also a great place to store these items.
 
Don’t store poisons in old food containers
Your baby will learn early on to recognize things like a juice container or baby food jar so don’t use empty ones to store hazardous products.
Throw empty containers away outside
Don’t put the empty bleach container in the kitchen trash can – rinse it and take it to the outside trash can immediately.
Check your plants
There are many common houseplants that are poisonous, including philodendron, English ivy, holly, mistletoe, and hyacinths, so it’s best to remove these or keep them well out of reach.
Some things you might not think of as poisonous
Your cosmetics, over the counter medicines, vitamins, and mothballs can all be poisonous, so keep these locked up or out of the way. Get used to reading labels, so that you can keep tabs on new things that come into the house.
If you’ve never had children before, keeping up with products that can be poisonous can be a challenge at first. But, take some time, preferably before the baby is born, to sort through your items and store them properly. Then, be diligent about buying the safest items you can. For instance, non-chlorine bleach is safer than chlorine. And, always look for child-proof caps on products you plan to buy. Learn to substitute. Did you know you can use olive oil to polish furniture and vinegar to clean your hardwood floors? These kinds of substitutions can make your home safer, and give you fewer items to look up. And, finally, don’t forget to post your local poison control phone number right by the phone. It could save your child’s life.
Just In Case – Important Information/Numbers
Always have on quick hand all the emergency numbers just in case something does happen. Have the poison control number, the police and ambulance, and your doctors number handy ( God Forbid You Need Them ). If your home is safe, you will never use this list and this is a great feeling knowing that your children are safe from poisons and other substances.

And for assistance with all of your home repair needs,
Pro-Fix Home Repair stands ready to help.  Give us a call @ 770-575-2533 or www.ProFixHomeRepair.com

Stop The Mold From Happening In The Bathroom

Preventing Bathroom Mold

As the most frequently wetted area in your home, the bathroom is where mold is most likely to grow. However, with some attention and proper maintenance, it is easy to prevent mold from growing and spreading in your bathroom.
Your bathroom is one of the most wetted rooms in your home, and therefore is one of the rooms where mold is most likely to grow. The fact that heat and moisture are frequently generated in the bathroom promotes mold growth as these factors provide great conditions for mold to grow and flourish. Prevent mold in your bathroom is vital for your health and for the way your bathroom looks. In addition, if neglected and due to optimal growing conditions, bathroom mold is likely to spread internally through walls, ceilings, and floors, leading to an extremely expensive remediation costs. One of the key factors for bathroom mold prevention is frequent inspections to prevent water damage that can lead to mold growth. The first step in mold prevention is keeping your bathroom dry and airy. Use a humidity meter to check humidity levels before and after showers. Be sure to keep humidity levels below forty to forty five percent. If you allow adequate air circulation, your bathroom humidity levels should drop below 45 percent within 5-10 minutes from the minute you finished your shower.
Shower and Bathtub Maintenance
Keep the bathtub, floors, walls, and ceilings, clean and dry at all times. To prevent mold where it is very likely to grow, be sure to stretch the bathtub curtain after using the bathtub to allow equal and complete drying.
Air Flow
Allowing air flow and air circulation are key step in keeping low humidity levels. The basic technique and the simplest is to open windows and doors right after taking a shower to allow air to free flow and remove excess moisture. If you didn’t install an exhaust fan yet, do so as soon as possible as this is a great tool for bathroom ventilation. Turn on the exhaust fan while taking a bath or shower and leave it working for 5-10 more minutes after finishing using the bathroom to allow the bathroom to dry completely. Confirm that your fan exhausts outdoors directly.
Day to Day Maintenance
Day to day maintenance is important to prevent water damage and mold. It will also help detecting problems before they become a large scale disaster. Drains must be kept in good shape. Allow the bathtub to drain completely and by removing all debris and using drain openers from time to time. Create hard surfaces on your bathroom walls using semi-gloss paint. It is harder for mold to grow on these type of surfaces.

And for assistance with all of your home repair needs, Pro-Fix Home Repair stands ready to help.  Give us a call @ 770-575-2533 or www.ProFixHomeRepair.com

When to call a Plumbing Pro

With the steps to nearly everything you can make, build, or dream just an internet search away, do-it-yourselfers are more confident than ever in what they're doing to or for their homes, including plumbing projects. Unlike most DIY projects though, dealing with your water or waste supply lines can lead to some potentially disastrous results when you don't know exactly what you're doing, or have the right tools. Below, we've outlined the top 3 plumbing projects that are best left for the professionals, as well as a few tips for those of you that decide to go ahead and tackle yourself.

1 - New Water and Electricity Connections

In everyone's home there are a few areas where both water and electricity are going to have to live together (and get along, too). This doesn't mean you should be the one to make this unlikely relationship stick, though. What am I talking about? Think of appliances that require both of these things to do their job properly, such as dishwashers, electric bidets, and water heaters. If these things are already in your home, upgrading them or swapping them out shouldn't be a plumbing disaster, or an electrical one, as all the plumbing and electrical work has already been set for you and you're just reconnecting it (of course be sure to shut off the power and water before tackling any of these). If, however, you want to add any of these yourself, or any other appliance requiring a water and electrical connection, think again.

What can happen? Consider the most common of these examples being installed by a diyer, which is a dishwasher. Although not too difficult to add to an existing setup in the same location, installing a new one with intake and discharge lines as well as running electricity to it can lead to multiple problems including a flooded floor, shorting out the dishwasher, leaks you can't see that ruin your subfloor, or even shocking yourself (let's hope it's just a shock, anyway). Also, with many of these appliances the warranty can be voided if a professional doesn't do the install.

2 - Bathroom Nightmares

Unless you're doing a simple drain cleaning or replacing a toilet (make really sure that the seal is tight), just about anything you do in your bathroom involving plumbing is going to require a plumber, at least if you want it done without major problems. That's because a plumber's expertise is needed not just for what you're adding or changing in a bathroom, but also for what you don't see.

For example, installing a new tub yourself may seem less expensive, but even if you attempt to put that new tub in and are able to do it without any noticeable damage to existing pipes and walls, some major issue can still occur when the water comes back on. More than likely it will be something you may not even notice right away which may lead to mold growth, floor and wall rot, and higher water bills from some unseen leak.

Installing nearly anything new or old in a bathroom is often best handled by the pros. They not only have the knowledge of how to best run the new plumbing or fix the old, but they also have the specialty tools and equipment needed to do the job.

3 - Sewer Lines: Need I Say More?

There are multiple reasons for hiring a professional when it comes to fixing, installing, or doing anything yourself with sewer lines. The obvious problem that can occur is the horrible, and very unpleasant-to-clean mess you'd have on your hands if you were to make a mistake of nearly any magnitude. However smelly and disgusting as that error would be to fix, it's actually nothing compared to the dangers that can occur from a sewer line mishap, such as released sewer gases. That's because the gases emanating from the sewer lines are not only unpleasant, but poisonous.

Surely you'd smell the gas, though, and figure out what you need to repair, right? Actually, the scary (and shocking) part of dealing with sewer gas is that you actually may not smell it. Sewer gases that escape after cutting into a line or leaving a seal out are not always noticeable to the nose. In fact, they are often odorless and can go unnoticed until you and/or your pets begin feeling ill. The only safe way to detect sewer gas and know for sure if there's an issue is to have a plumber do the repairs. With a gas leak detector, they can easily detect any problem early on, making sure you and your family do not end up becoming the biggest part of a plumbing disaster.

Still Want to Do It Yourself? Use These Tips

What can you safely do yourself? Things like installing a new faucet (as long as the holes all line up and plumbing is the same), replacing a toilet (don't forget a new wax seal), changing a shower head, putting in a replacement dishwasher, and nearly anything else relatively small with a preexisting plumbing setup identical to the one you're adding can be done by an average DIYer. Since all of these involve water or waste, even they can have bad outcomes if you don't follow the directions closely, as well as use a little common sense, as outlined in our tips below.

Want an uneventful DIY plumbing experience? Follow these tips:

• Always know where the main water supply shut-off is to your home (call your local water utility company and they will show you where it is).
• When working on the plumbing, shut the water off at both the fixture and the road before making any repairs or changes.
• Before starting, make sure that you have all the proper tools (to mention a few: pipe wrench, auger, pipe cutters, pipe benders) and materials (seals, pipes, connectors, tape, glue, torch) for your project. It's very difficult to stop in the midst of a plumbing repair to just go get something else, especially if it isn't in stock and has to be ordered.
• Check on your local codes before doing any large projects yourself. Some may require a licensed plumber to perform the work or may have other requirements that you'll need to consider before beginning.
• Before digging up any pipes, call 811 to verify what else may lie beneath the dirt, like power lines.
• Know when to throw in the towel and hire a plumber...which is actually before you literally throw in any towels.

So, to sum it up, when do you call a plumber to do the work? Remember these three things:

If it has power going to it, has hot water going to it, or there's no plumbing yet added for it, call a plumber. They will have all the expertise, proper tools and ability to pull the permits needed to do the job in a way that won't end in a disaster for you.

And for assistance with all of your home repair needs, Pro-Fix Home Repair stands ready to help.  Give us a call at 770-575-2533.
Give us a call @ 770-575-2533 or www.ProFixHomeRepair.com

Organize Your Linen Closet (And Keep it Organized)

WHY DO THIS?

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If you’re lucky enough to have a linen closet (extra storage space doesn’t come standard) then you also probably know that linen closets tend to accumulate a lot more than just linens. But that’s okay!
You can organize your linens (plus whatever else is in there) and keep your closet tidy with just a few simple tricks.

30 MINUTES

MEDIUM

How To:

1. Take Stock

   First things first: you need to take a look at what’s currently inside your linen closet. This is going to help you with the next step. To see what you have, it may be best to take everything out of the closet to get the full picture of what’s hiding in there!
   

2. Organize by Importance

   Separate out the items you need and use regularly. Rule of thumb: If you haven’t used the item in the last six months (and it’s not for special occasions) you should toss or donate it!
   

3. Keep an Open Mind to Relocating Certain Items

   This tip is especially for larger, bulkier items. Just because it’s a type of linen doesn’t mean it has to go in the linen closet! Store your winter down comforter with the rest of your winter clothes, and keep spare pillows in a spare bedroom closet.
   

4. Make the Most of Your Space

   Baskets, adjustable shelves and shelf dividers are great ways to maximize closet space. Plus, don’t forget about the most unused section of any closet: the inside of the door! Hang up a shoe organizer and use it to store cleaning products or cosmetic supplies.
   

5. Get Smart with Folding

   Organize your sheets by storing sets in their matching pillowcases. This makes it super easy to find what you’re looking for and keeps things tidy. For dining linens like tablecloths, table runners or placemats, store them in cloth baskets or organize by season.
   

6. Solidify Your System with Labels

   Now that your linen closet is so beautifully organized, start labeling where things belong! This will help guests, kids and significant others know exactly where things should go when putting away laundry or toiletries. We like these chalkboard labels for bins and baskets.
   

And for assistance with all of your home repair needs, Pro-Fix Home Repair stands ready to help.  Give us a call at 770-575-2533.
Give us a call @ 770-575-2533 or www.ProFixHomeRepair.com

Use Less A/C and Cut Your Electric Bill

It doesn't take much time or money to slash your cooling costs. Just follow a few tips for energy savings. Here is one to get you started.

Heat-Reducing Window Film

Heat control window film will help keep rooms cooler, and yes, you can install it yourself. These films reflect the sun's heat and ultraviolet rays, and reduce glare without obscuring the view. The more direct sunlight coming through the window, the more the film will help (and it may lower your air-conditioning bills!). Applying the film takes approximately 30 minutes per window. It should last about 10 years. Prices vary with film size. A 3-ft. x 15-ft. film (which can cover two to three windows) costs about $30. The film is sold at home centers and hardware stores. Gila is one company that makes heat control film (gilafilms.com). Different types of film are available, so get the one designed for heat control. The film can be applied to any window, including double-pane low-e windows, although they already reduce radiant heat loss and gain. One drawback is that the film may void the manufacturer's warranty for the seal on double-pane windows, although the film representatives we talked to said the film shouldn't affect the seal. If the window warranty has already expired or reducing excessive heat is more important to you than possibly jeopardizing a warranty, then apply the film. Otherwise, consider other options, such as installing shades, awnings or shutters over the windows or even planting a tree to block the sun.

And for assistance with all of your home repair needs, Pro-Fix Home Repair stands ready to help.  Give us a call at 770-575-2533.
Give us a call @ 770-575-2533 or www.ProFixHomeRepair.com

Cleaner Clothes

Water coming from the cold water tap can be pretty chilly during the winter (or year-round if you have a well). According to washing machine manufacturers, if the water is colder than 65 degrees F, the additives in laundry detergent won't work as well—and powder detergents won't fully dissolve. Cold water for washing should be in the 65- to 85-degree range or clothes won't get completely clean.
To find out if your clothes are getting a good wash, check the water temperature with a cooking thermometer (one that registers low temperatures) when you do a cold, a warm and a hot wash. If the water temperature is below 65 degrees for cold water washes, boost it by selecting warm water for part of the initial fill cycle. If the warm water wash is below 85 degrees (a common problem during winter or when the washing machine is at the opposite end of the house from the water heater), try the hot water setting instead for all or part of the wash cycle. Or run the hot water tap into the laundry tub until it gets hot, then turn on the washer.
Always leave rinse settings on cold, no matter what washing temperature you choose. Cold water rinses are just as effective as warm water rinses, and you'll save a lot of energy.

And for assistance with all of your home repair needs, Pro-Fix Home Repair stands ready to help.  Give us a call at 770-575-2533.
Give us a call @ 770-575-2533 or www.ProFixHomeRepair.com