Modern Living

Everything You Want To Know About Septic Systems (and Then Some)

Many homes that do not have access to public sewer systems rely on private septic systems to get rid of wastewater. If you have a septic system or are considering buying a house with one, this guide will help you better understand how they work.

Septic Systems Are More Than a Tank in the Ground

Septic systems are often referred to as septic tanks. However, the tank is only one component of the complete system. In addition to the tank, you probably also have a pump tank and drain field. The full size of the system depends on how many bathrooms it supports. The University of Maryland Extension provides some great diagrams explaining these components.

All Household Drains Empty Into the System

In most places, it is against regulations to bypass the septic system and pipe drains directly outside. Because of that, virtually every drain in your home and outbuildings empties into the tank. It’s good to keep that in mind before you put questionable items into the drains. For example, certain items can cause a clog and harsh chemicals will eventually end up in your groundwater.

Liquids Drain From the Tank, Solids Do Not

Many people who rely on a septic system understand that liquids drain out into a drain field where it is filtered by the surrounding soil before reentering the water table. However, it may not cross their minds that the solids do not leave the tank. In most systems, they are trapped behind a baffle where they remain until they either decompose or fill the tank and cause it to fail. Scheduling a septic tank draining service every couple of years can help you avoid this possibility.

Septic systems are designed to handle normal household wastewater. They have several components in addition to the tank. Liquids leave the tank and enter the groundwater, while solids must be pumped out to avoid backups.

4 Structural Issues To Watch Out For in Your Building

No matter what industry your business is engaged in, it is vital that you ensure the structural integrity of your buildings. A structural flaw that goes unnoticed can be destructive not only to the building itself, but also to the people and equipment inside the building.

Here are some common structural problems that are important to recognize and prevent.

Snow Buildup

For any business that operates in a cold climate during the winter, snow buildup can be a serious problem. When excessive amounts of snow accumulate on the building, the roof may even be in danger of collapsing if it has not been thoroughly inspected for structural integrity. You can protect against this risk by employing a building health monitoring system that gathers data and helps you see what needs to be fixed before problems occur.

Inadequate Framing

Framing is critical to a building’s safety. Some buildings, especially older ones, may not possess the strong framing that you need to perform business operations. If you add new equipment to the building over time, you may increase the stress you are putting on the building’s frame, which may lead to structural problems.

Damage to Walls

Wall damage can come from many sources, such as storms and even normal business operations like forklift use. Even if the damage is only on the surface of the wall, it is important to have a professional investigate the damage and make sure that it is not a threat to the safety of the building.

Weak or Damaged Trusses

Trusses are essential to the overall stability of the building’s structure. If the trusses are weak, or if they have been altered in any way to create more space for storage or business operations, your buliding may be at risk during a storm or other dangerous situation.

As you can see, there are many structural problems that may occur in your building. It is important to hire a professional to evaluate these issues and update your structures regularly.

Landscaping Tips for Your Yard

Lawn care can be complex. If you struggle to keep your yard looking green in the summer, it might be because you do not use the right plants.

When you plan the landscape for your home, you need to consider what you want out of your yard. Once you have a picture of that, you need to understand the realities of your climate. For some essential landscaping tips, keep reading. If you struggle to maintain your yard, consider hiring landscaping services Bellevue for regular lawn care.

Check Your Soil Health

One aspect many people do not consider is the health of their soil. If your yard cannot keep anything alive, you might have unhealthy soil. Get a professional soil test done by a professional. They can test for soil composition, organic matter, nutrients and pH. Depending on the results, you may be able to adapt your foliage and find that your landscape begins to thrive.

Use Local Flora

If you do not want to use a lot of water, try to use native plants in your landscape. Bringing in exotic plants from other regions might sound great, but they will struggle to survive. If you keep local plants in your backyard, you may find you never have to water them. On top of water efficiency, regionally appropriate plants will exhibit pest resistance and do not need as much fertilizer.

Weed Regularly

You should try to weed as often as possible for even more water efficiency. Weeds will compete with your plants for water and can choke out flowers. Take some time each month to weed and thatch your flowerbeds and shrubs.

Keep Your Grass Tall

Finally, do not cut your grass too short. Long grass is more drought resistant because it grows deeper roots. It also reduces weed growth.

Taking care of your lawn requires some effort. However, if you stick to local plants, you should cut down on time you spend watering and fertilizing your landscape.

Ways To Make the Most of a Tiny Space

Do you live in a tiny space, but long to have an entertainment center, as well as sufficient room for yoga in the morning? The key is to make the most of the space you have by choosing creative furniture that serves more than one purpose. Here are some ways to make the most of a tiny space.

Have a Mobile Entertainment/Work Center

Keep your stereo system in a small television stand that also serves as a desk. Install shock absorbing casters so you can move the system against a wall when not in use while still protecting your expensive equipment. The casters will also protect your floor and make less noise.

Install a Murphy Bed

A murphy bed folds up flat against a wall during the day so that it’s out of sight and out of the way. Tidy your bed in the morning and then fold it away, giving you tons more space for other activities.

Invest in Convertible Furniture

Buy a dining room table that can seat six but also be folded into a much slimmer, two-person version. Use sturdy, stackable storage boxes for chairs. Get a filing cabinet and paint it a bright color and use it for an end table by your sofa.

Take Advantage of Your Walls

Attach wire baskets to your walls to store clothing and other items. Have a hanging closet in one corner along with shelves for your shoes and other possessions. Add shelving over the toilet to store towels and other items. Place a shelf over the bathroom door for extra storage space. Install spice racks and more hanging baskets for your spices and canned goods.

By maximizing the use of your space and throwing in a little creativity, you can live comfortably in your tiny nest with everything you need.

Tips for Finding the Perfect Home

Are you in the market for a new home? Whether you’re looking for your first home or this is one of many you’ve purchased, you don’t want to settle. A home is a huge purchase that takes a lot of time, so you want to make sure it is the right one for your family. Here are some ways you can ensure you find the perfect home. 

Evaluate the Location

When looking at homes, you don’t want to focus solely on the house and property. You also want to fully understand the neighborhood and how the people around you could impact you. Is the home on a busy street? Are you next to a school? Do you have loud neighbors? The best way to honestly know how the neighborhood could affect you is to come to see the house at different times of the day. The neighborhood could be quiet as a mouse during the day but gets very loud at night. Once you know exactly how the area is, you can make an informed decision about the house. 

Stay in Your Budget

It is easy to fall in love with many different homes when looking through residential listings Forks WA. However, you want to avoid looking at homes over your budget. When you buy a more expensive home than you can comfortably afford, you’ll find that other areas in your life are negatively affected. Plus, if something happens and either you or your spouse lose your job, you don’t want to lose your home because you can no longer afford it. 

Know What You Want

Before you start looking at homes, make a list of the things you want in the home. It’s helpful to have one column of must-haves and another of desired things. For example, if you have four children, you’ll need at least a three-bedroom home. However, having a theater room would be nice, but it isn’t a necessity. 

Questions To Ask When Buying New Land

If you’ve decided to build your dream home, you have likely started to look for land to build it on. Not all pieces of land will work for your build, and some might take more work to prepare than others. Here are some questions to ask when buying new land. 

What Location do You Want?

When looking for land to build your house on, you need to first decide where you want to live. If you want to buy land in a neighborhood, you’ll need to prepare yourself to deal with HOAs and deed restrictions. Those two things will be significant factors in how high you can build your home, what color you can paint it, and even what type of fence you can put up. 

If you’re looking to go more rural, ensure that the property has road access. Many rural properties are accessed via private roads, which are usually on someone else’s property. If your neighbor doesn’t want road construction crews on their property, you’ll likely need to get an easement for your new land. 

Is the Land Ready for a Build?

Not all land is ready for a home to be built on it. When looking for land, you need to know if the land has already been cleared or if you’ll need to hire a land clearing Montgomery AL company to prepare the site. Additionally, if the area doesn’t have electricity, water, sewage, or internet, you’ll have to hire contractors to install them, which can be expensive. 

Is the Land Zoned Properly?

All land is zoned according to city or county ordinances, and you should never assume that it’s appropriate for residential use. Before finalizing your purchase, check your area’s zoning and long-term land use plans. If you’re hoping to live in the middle of nowhere without close neighbors and your county plans to build a strip mall near you in the future, you might want to rethink your purchase. 

Best Ways To Set Up Your Home Office

Every day, more people discover they prefer the comfort and convenience of working from home. To stay productive, you need a space that allows you to concentrate and is functional at the same time. If you’ve decided to work from your house, here are some of the best ways to set up your home office.

Have the Right Furniture

Although it’s tempting, working from your bed or sofa isn’t exactly conducive to work-related tasks. Setting up a separate room with a desk, chair and other office furniture Indianapolis produces higher quality work and improved posture. You can even select from name-brand used pieces if you’re on a budget.

Illuminate Your Workspace

Once you’ve established a spot for your home office, be sure it inspires you. Instead of sitting in a dark room or corner, illuminate it with lots of natural light, lamps and a clean coat of paint. Having a work area that invigorates you will turn it into a happy place you look forward to spending time in.

Keep It Clutter-Free

Clutter and disorganization kill any atmosphere, so make sure it’s not a problem in your home office. Discard unused accessories and file away paperwork that’s sitting around catching dust. For a workspace, a minimalist approach makes it easier to concentrate and is more professional for in-person meetings. 

Use Soundproofing

If you’re lucky enough to have a specific room dedicated as an office, it’s best to soundproof it. Simple tricks such as putting down carpet, replacing a hollow door with a solid one and using soft wall coverings like tapestries make a huge difference. You’ll be able to concentrate and no one will have to walk on eggshells.

If you’ve decided to work full-time from home, you need a productive workspace. With the right furniture, lighting and organization, you might find your work quality improves!

How To Secure Your House From Thefts

Protecting the item that you own within your home from burglars can be a challenge if the structure is easy to break into. Adding the right tools and being vigilant can keep you and your possessions safe. Here are a few tips to secure your house from thefts. 

Invest In Technology

Many times a burglar will wait to attack your home until you have left. That means you will have to wait until you get back to know if anything was taken. There are now security systems with custom sound and video systems baton rouge la that communicate directly to your smartphone. If there is motion around your house, it contacts you directly so that you can confront whoever is trying to break inside. It can give the impression that you are at home and that this would be a bad time to steal anything. 

Keep Lighting Functional

Darkness is one of a thief’s best tools. They can take what they want with little fear of being discovered and arrested. Install motion sensor lights outside on places where your home might be vulnerable. Inspect each lamp on your property to ensure they are working correctly then install a bright bulb inside it.  This also keeps your visitors safe as they go to their cars as well as keep burglars away. 

Lock Every Door

Look over each door you have in you house and check if the lock works properly. If it sticks or refuses to turn, repair it or make a trip to the store to replace it. You should perform this task with every window as well as any entry point into the structure. You may be anxious that you repeatedly forget to secure your home when you leave. You can purchase digital equipment that allows you to check if you did and engage them if it did skip your mind.

How To Avoid Waste at the Office

Office waste not only harms the environment but also cuts into your company budget. Save money and beautify your office by making it a daily habit to cut back on the trash you create. Here are some ways you can avoid waste at the office.

Fix Your Equipment

You’re likely to fix that computer if it breaks, but with lower-priced items, such as a printer, it’s tempting to simply toss it and buy a new one. Cut back on waste and save money by fixing that printer instead. Keep a list of good repairmen on hand. If your laser printer stops working, use the services of HP printers Bethesda MD.

Buy Company Mugs

Order coffee mugs bearing your company logo. Give one to each of your employees and stock some in your snack room along with a coffee or espresso maker. That way your workers will use the mugs they have instead of going for those daily coffee runs, thereby cutting down on waste.

Purchase Reusable Notebooks

With a reusable notebook, you can take notes or write things down in a calendar using an erasable gel pen. At the end of the month, wipe off your notes using a damp washcloth. If you need to save those notes, upload them using your smartphone. It’s a great way to cut back on paper usage and waste.

Buy in Bulk

Don’t waste money on those tiny creamer packages. Buy a quart of cream and keep it in your office fridge instead. Get coffee and tea in bulk along with the sweeteners you and your employees prefer. By purchasing consumable items in larger quantities, you cut down on waste and save money.

Having a clean and organized office is great for company morale, so cut down on waste by following these tips, and you’ll have a pleasant work environment.

3 Maintenance Tips for Your Deck

Cleaning your deck might seem like an unnecessary chore. However, if you neglect your deck, the time and money you spend on it will increase exponentially.

Think of your deck as a living thing, especially if it is made from bison wood tiles. The wood you use in a deck is organic and continues to react to stimuli such as moisture, pressure and time. See below to get some tips on proper deck maintenance and extending the life of your patio.

1. Stick to Regular Sweeping

To avoid moisture and dirt buildup, try to sweep your deck at least once per week. If the weather is especially bad, you might need to clean more often. Taking a few minutes out of your day to remove leaves, water and other debris will prevent chronic damage that is more difficult to fix.

2. Take Care of Pressure-Treated Wood

Pressure-treated wood is much more durable than untreated wood. However, do not mistake that for meaning it is maintenance-free. Stick to a regular cleaning schedule, even with more durable types of wood. Look for sealants meant for pressure-treated wood and apply when necessary.

3. Avoid Paint

You may be tempted to use paint as a sealant. However, this will lead to more significant problems down the road. The most durable and efficient way to finish your deck is with synthetic sealants that penetrate the wood in your deck. Anything else will crack or peel over time and require extensive sanding and scraping to refinish. If you opt to use paint, be prepared to hire a professional to sand off and reapply paint every few years. Otherwise, your deck will start showing its age fast.

Decks do not have to be a difficult thing to maintain. However, if you let it rot or apply the wrong sealant, you set yourself up for failure. Create a good foundation with good cleaning habits and appropriate finishes to make your life easier and keep your deck looking new.