Clothes lines existed well before the invention of dryers so why don’t we use them more? The truth is that outside the US, clothes lines are used extensively because the cost of energy in Europe and Asia is much higher. Having returned from a week in Paris, I can say that every apartment I visited had some type of clothes drying fixture … often over the bathtub but sometimes in the dining room or extra bedroom.

Clothes dryers were invented in Europe in the early 1800 with a barrel-shaped metal drum with holes, turned by hand over a fire. The first American dryer patent was issued to George Sampson in 1892. As dryers evolved they have  replaced the original dryer, a clothes line so if you’re using a clothes dryer (you are), then take a few minutes to review these safety tips. READ MORE

Pet doors are meant for … dogs and cats. Often you’ll find small children or unwanted animals also trying to crawl through a pet door (I couldn’t resist this photo). If you’re using your pet door year round, chances are you have installed the pet door in an exterior wall.

Many homeowners only want a pet door during warm weather, so installing one in a screen door makes a lot of sense. However screen doors have problems and frequently need repairs due to holes or tears, and the wrong dog door may make this problem worse. When picking your dog door, remember that one of the most common problems with screen doors is people or pets walking through the screen. READ MORE

Few homeowners are experts in all aspects of home construction, maintenance and repairs. That is why you want to hire a home inspector to review a house before you complete the purchase. They are skilled at finding problems so that you know just what you’re getting. Even with a new home, you want to get an inspection as some builders take short cuts to save money. Some of the most common problems we’ve handled at my handyman business include adding concrete support under deck posts and shoring up support under tile floors which can be done in an unfinished basement.

Problems are more common for first time home owners who don’t have experience with typical home repairs. One example is an estimate I’m working on to replace carpeting in 2 areas. I can’t imagine why a builder would put hardwood throughout the first floor, but carpeting in the 2 areas with the most foot traffic, the entryway and the mudroom where the house connects to the garage. READ MORE

The appraisal is key to determining how large a mortgage a home owner can get to finance their home. While you may get your mortgage through a bank, these mortgages are packaged up and ultimately purchased by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The Home Valuation Code of Conduct (HVCC) has established a new set of uniform appraisal guidelines to govern all loans sold to these agencies, i.e. all conventional loans (does not apply to FHA, VA or USDA loans).

The industry is in an uproar because these guidelines will create many new problems while trying to solve existing ones. The bottom line is the bank controls the appraiser assigned to each transaction and there is to be no communication between the appraiser and other parties involved in the transaction. This is scary because you have little insight into what is happening or why. READ MORE