Home Design By Dave | Home Design Ideas

5 Signs a Power-Point Is Faulty

While electricity helps us in many ways to achieve and maintain health, when something goes wrong with it, electricians would be the first to insist it should be fixed by a qualified person – and of course, we know it’s not legal to do it yourself. This includes sparks coming out of the power points. There are several reasons why this may happen.

In some cases when the cord from a device is pulled out of the power point without switching it off first, there will be a spark. This is because there was a load on the power point. In fact, the device should always be switched off where possible, before removing the socket from the wall. Having that spark means the inside of the power point gets hotter and this can wear it out more quickly.
Sparks, smoke or heat coming from a power point are all bad news. It could be shorting out. The power should be switched off at the junction and an electrician called immediately, before a fire breaks out.
There are several ways to tell if a power point is worn out or faulty and needs replacing. One is the switch knob itself is loose or wobbly or it won’t switch on. This means the switch is broken inside and should be replaced.
If the power point is cracked or damaged, it is dangerous. Do not use it at all. Place duct tape over it so no one can try and switch it on, then call the electrician. In no way try and use it or fix it yourself. That is dangerous to your health.
When you plug an appliance into the power point and find it slides halfway out again, or is loose and wobbly, it means there is wear and damage inside it. Do not use it again until it has been replaced.

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How to Make Moving into Your New Home Easier

Most people would agree that moving is a big hassle. It is not only all the packing and cleaning you have to do; moving into the new home and unpacking is also hard work. One way to make it a little easier is to label all the boxes by room type and ask the removalists to take each box to its room.

At least then the boxes will be on hand and you can unpack all the contents near to where they will be stored. Here are some more tips to make moving into your new home easier.

Apart from labelling the boxes with the room name, colour code them for what they contain.

Decide beforehand where you want the large furniture to go. Draw up a floor plan of the house and give it to the removalists so they know where to put it all if you are not right to hand to tell them. This will save you time and the inconvenience of shifting it again.

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Planning Your Finances for a Renovation

As homes get older they need lots of maintenance to keep up their value. But sometimes it gets to the point where a complete renovation is in order. Of course, this costs more than the odd maintenance job so you have to plan your finances accordingly. Having an experienced financial advisor to help you will the financial planning for your renovation will ensure you are not left without funds for other needs.

In fact, a financial planner can do much more than help you plan for a whole house renovation; they can find many ways to help you save on costs and make sure you are getting everything possible by going through your tax refunds, investments, superannuation and other things connected to your income.

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8 Different Types of Materials for Outdoor Furniture

When you design an outdoor area for your home you want it to be a place you can use for many things, from relaxing on your days off to entertaining family and friends. It can be a great place for kids birthday parties too, saving a great deal of wear and tear in the home. However, when purchasing outdoor furniture it’s important to consider what material it should be made from to ensure it suits your lifestyle and budget, while still looking good and lasting.

As with most things, the cheapest is not necessarily the best choice. Even if your budget is low, paying more initially for top quality alfresco furniture can pay off because it will last a lot longer. However when it comes to the materials such furniture is made from, there are many choices.

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How to Get Your Garden from Okay to Awesome

It’s true that the nicest home can be ruined by a garden that is less than its best. Even a garden that is deemed okay is not really good enough for a home that is special to its owners. Digging a few flower beds or planting some shrubs is not making the most of your block of ground. It will do nothing to present your home in the best possible light. So how can you go from okay to awesome? The secret is: with professional landscaping.

The best way is to seek professional help from creative landscapers whose work you have viewed and liked already. Most local landscape gardeners will be able to give you the address of properties they have transformed so you can at least drive past and see some of what they have done. People who do landscaping for a living are good at what they do and they know the area they work in intimately. If they don’t, they know how to find out what kind of soil is there, what the climate is and if there are mini-climate conditions on the block, or the potential to create them.

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The Difference Between Modern and Contemporary Kitchens

It is surely the dream of every woman and man who cooks for the family to work in a kitchen that is both modern and attractive to them. That is to say, some modern styles are not all that attractive to everyone. To some people modern kitchens look cold and uninviting, while other people love the clean lines and neutral colours.

However, not everyone knows the difference between a modern kitchen and a contemporary one. Many people use the terms interchangeably, while purists insist there are some differences between the two. If you are renovating and want a specific style, it is necessary to know the difference in case you get something you didn’t expect.

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The Importance of Fire Proofing Your Home

Have you ever watched a home or commercial building go up in flames? It is a sight you would never forget and if you have lost a home to fire you will know the heartache and cost involved. Homes don’t have to be caught up in a terrible bushfire to be burned to the ground. Often a fire is started due to some fault in the electricity, such as a faulty heater, electric blanket or old wiring. It can also start through an accident in the kitchen, or children playing with matches.

But the result is usually the same. Unless it is put out before it spreads, extensive damage occurs that usually means the home is not safe to live in any more. It is important to fireproof your home if you don’t want to risk losing it to fire. Even a fire in the house next door can affect your house and damage it.

One good way to ensure there is less risk of your home burning down is to build it with a Colorbond roof. The steel sheets are known for their ability to reduce the risks of fire. The burning embers from any fire in the vicinity can easily blow onto the roof and if it sticks in some little niche, the next thing you know your roof is on fire.

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Why Maintaining Your Home is Essential

Property maintenance should be something that is done on a regular basis. In fact, it is an essential part of owning a home. Why? People put many years of effort into paying off their home. For many, it is the most valuable asset they will ever own. To leave it without the proper maintenance will quickly devalue it, until it is not even worth what you paid for it.

There are many simple and affordable jobs that need to be done around the home. If they are not done quickly, the problem can escalate over time to become very expensive to fix. For example, a leaking gutter seems trivial, especially when it’s not raining. But when it does rain, that water will not be carried away. Instead, it can splash down over the cladding and wear away the paintwork. Soon the cladding will start to rot. Or the water can run down under the house and damage the foundations, or wear away the soil underneath the driveway so the concrete is not supported and cracks.

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What Type of Roof will Your Carport Have?

If you are about to order a carport you need to make sure it is a good fit for your needs. Find out the measurements to make sure they are going to fit the vehicles you have. If you intend to keep two vehicles under your shelter, make sure there is room for the doors to open once both are parked there. The roof also needs to be considered for other reasons.

Many carports have a flat roof and this can be fine, depending on your location, climate and the size of the vehicle you want to store under it. But a flat roof can cause problems for these reasons: –

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The Subtle Beauty of a Native Garden

If you are considering some landscaping help to nudge your garden into shape, why not go with Australian natives? The beauty of them is that they don’t gobble up water and they actually don’t even need to be fertilised to the same extent that many other species do. Not only will this save on costs, it also helps to protect our resources.

Another benefit is that they don’t have the kind of lush growth that attracts insect pests or other diseases, so there is less need for pesticide use.

You may think that the flowers of Australian natives are not as showy as say, roses and many of the annuals popular these days, but they have a beauty that is more subtle and must be examined properly to be appreciated. They have many qualities that make them a good choice for gardens that must endure the often hot, dry conditions found in this country.

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