Author: Home Design

The Importance of Fire Proofing Your Home

Fire-Proofing-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

Maintaining-Your-Home

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?

Roof-for-Carport

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

Australian Native Garden

If you are considering some garden 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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