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Santa – Is That You In My Attic?

The holidays are right around the corner, and as we await the arrival of Santa Claus, many smaller Texas wildlife are awaiting the arrival of the colder weather and a move indoors.

Wintertime is a busy time for wildlife control services, as this is the time when many people realize they have unexpected company in their attics.

Pay attention to the cues that you have critters as the days get shorter and the nights get cooler to know whether you need a critter control company to pay a visit.

Is There Noise Coming From Your Attic?

A very common sign that it might be time to schedule a visit from a wild animal control service is the noise coming from your attic.

The sounds of scratching, scraping, and running from above the ceiling in your house could possibly mean there are squirrels, mice, possums, raccoons, or other small wildlife nesting up there where it is nice and warm at night.

Are There Bad Smells In Your House?

Another indicator that there are critters living in your attic and you should have a wildlife control service out is the occasional presence of a musty smell in certain spots in your home.

That mustiness is the smell of the urine and feces of rodents and other small wildlife.

If you go up into your attic and the musty smell gets stronger, it likely means there is a nest somewhere up there.

Are There Signs in Your Attic on Nest-Building?

While you are up there, if you notice any ruined boxes or belongings, stains on the attic floor, shredded paper, pieces of insulation, or other potential “nesting materials” scattered around, this is another sign that there are furry squatters hiding up there.

They may not be around in the daytime when you go to check, but if there is an active nest somewhere they will be back at night.

Get Help From a Wildlife Removal Service

What should you do when noticing these things? Reach out to a local wildlife removal service to handle your critter control issue.

They will come to your house and investigate to determine whether you are hosting wild animals in your attic, what type, and plan the best way to capture and remove them for you.

The service can then also help with animal damage repair, including closing off entry points to keep them from returning.

It Isn't Santa In Your Attic!

This holiday season, as eagerly as you might be awaiting a visit from Santa, make sure that noise is not just critters moving around in your attic.

If it is, a local wild animal control service can help!

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Sealing Your Basement – Can I DIY The Work?

Sealing your own basement can be an easy way to deal with a wet basement using a wall coating that can be purchased at any home center.

Unfortunately, many homeowners find that putting on a coating is enough for a little while, but only for a little while.

Whether it has to do with the product and how it is applied or a need for foundation repairs first, there are many times when painting on a sealant just isn’t enough and can actually allow more damage to happen.

Basement Sealer Paints – Not Much Lasting Effect

While basement sealer paints do serve their purpose, they tend only to be useful in the most basic of cases when the wet basement issue is very minor.

They can work well in conjunction with other foundation repair methods, but most of the time they are not worth the money, time, and effort made to apply them by themselves.

These sealers must be applied using a special technique to ensure they actually seal, and not before diagnosing where the water is coming from in the first place.

Why Do Basement Sealer Paints Fail?

Cheap basement sealer paint fails for a number of reasons. Unless applied correctly so it gets into the porousness of the basement walls and floors it will not adhere properly.

It can peel and flake after a short time, allowing moisture to enter once again. Additionally, basement cracks, no matter how fine, must first be located and then sealed with a crack repair sealer to close them off.

Trying to seal over cracks with a layer of paint will not work. Surfaces must also be completely dry and clean during the application or the paint will not adhere well.

Must First Discover Source of Leak

The most important factor when trying to decide on foundation repairs to remedy a damp or wet basement is knowing what the source of the water is. Many times, the problem can and should be resolved using some other method.

Problems like drainage too close to the house and exterior foundation damage must be properly corrected, as a thin coating of waterproofing is not going to stop that water and damage from progressing.

In some cases, interior drains and sump pumps might be the best resolution to the problem.

Consider Calling A Foundation Service

Before spending money on gallons of expensive and messy basement sealer and putting in the hours required to empty your basement and then paint the whole thing, consider calling a foundation repair service out first to diagnose the problem.

A sealant may still be a part of the repair plan, but not before a water source is determined and other damage assessed, and repaired.

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Basement Sealing – Is DIY Enough?

Sealing your own basement can be an easy way to deal with a wet basement using a wall coating that can be purchased at any home center.

Unfortunately, many homeowners find that putting on a coating is enough for a little while, but only for a little while.

Whether it has to do with the product and how it is applied or a need for foundation repairs first, there are many times when painting on a sealant just isn’t enough and can actually allow more damage to happen.

Basement Sealer Paints – Not Much Lasting Effect

While basement sealer paints do serve their purpose, they tend only to be useful in the most basic of cases when the wet basement issue is very minor.

They can work well in conjunction with other foundation repair methods, but most of the time they are not worth the money, time, and effort made to apply them by themselves.

These sealers must be applied using a special technique to ensure they actually seal, and not before diagnosing where the water is coming from in the first place.

Why Do Basement Sealer Paints Fail?

Cheap basement sealer paint fails for a number of reasons. Unless applied correctly so it gets into the porousness of the basement walls and floors it will not adhere properly.

It can peel and flake after a short time, allowing moisture to enter once again. Additionally, basement cracks, no matter how fine, must first be located and then sealed with a crack repair sealer to close them off.

Trying to seal over cracks with a layer of paint will not work. Surfaces must also be completely dry and clean during the application or the paint will not adhere well.

Must First Discover Source of Leak

The most important factor when trying to decide on foundation repairs to remedy a damp or wet basement is knowing what the source of the water is. Many times, the problem can and should be resolved using some other method.

Problems like drainage too close to the house and exterior foundation damage must be properly corrected, as a thin coating of waterproofing is not going to stop that water and damage from progressing.

In some cases, interior drains and sump pumps might be the best resolution to the problem.

Consider Calling A Foundation Service

Before spending money on gallons of expensive and messy basement sealer and putting in the hours required to empty your basement and then paint the whole thing, consider calling a foundation repair service out first to diagnose the problem.

A sealant may still be a part of the repair plan, but not before a water source is determined and other damage assessed, and repaired.

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Fix That Uneven Walkway During Fall Home Maintenance!

As the end of the summer draws near, this is the time to start ticking items off your home maintenance list.

It is also a good time to take care of that uneven walkway leading up to your front door that might not seem like much of a problem, but uneven walkways are a huge liability for homeowners.

With a little mudjacking, a simple and quick repair that can be done in a matter of hours, you can get that maintenance item off your list and make the path to your door safer, and more welcoming.

The Dangers of Uneven Walkways

Mudjacking repairs make it possible to preserve that walkway before the damage increases, or worse yet, someone gets hurt.

Did you know that slip-and-fall, or tripping accidents, are the most common liabilities that homeowners face?

Most of those accidents happen when visitors to a home trip on damaged or slippery walkways, too.

An uneven walkway where the seams do not meet or concrete slabs have raised or sunken edges is a risk factor that increases the chances of someone falling, and you being sued for it!

Sure, you may have insurance, but things can get complicated if your walkway is found to be damaged and you’ve neglected to take care of it.

Repair of Uneven Walkways is Easy

Fortunately, uneven walkways can be repaired very easily with a process called mudjacking.

Performed by many foundation services, mudjacking is a technique where the concrete is leveled by injecting cement under the low spots to raise them up so they are even with the rest of the walkway.

Minor mudjacking services to make your walkway safer are inexpensive and can be done in as little as a few hours.

The Value of Mudjacking

Whether walkway slabs have sunk because the earth beneath them has settled or they are pushed up by a tree root, a mudjacking service will determine the cause of the problem, then remedy the issue to prevent it from happening again.

In most cases, all it takes is a little bit of cement injected under the crooked slabs to make the walkway smooth and level again.

Trip hazards are greatly reduced when your walkway is level, with all edges even which makes it much safer to walk up to your front door, but it also looks nicer.

A Great Fall Project

This fall, as you review your home maintenance “to do” list, take a good look at your front walkway.

If it is uneven, or there are cement slabs damaged in any way, think about getting it repaired by a mudjacking service.

It is a one-time home maintenance repair that makes your home safer to give you peace of mind.

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Leaning Foundation Walls – How Can They Be Fixed?

Home foundation problems like minor leaks and small cracks are common.

Corrected while they are still “minor issues,” they rarely pose any serious problem; however, if you let them go, these small concerns can quickly turn into a need for major foundation wall repairs, especially if wall shifting starts to occur.

Foundation wall leaning is a serious problem that affects both concrete block and poured concrete foundations and must be corrected sooner rather than later.

Failing to do so can compromise the entire foundation.

Foundation Wall Bowing

Foundation wall bowing or leaning is when the foundation wall begins to crack significantly and push inward, from the outside.

This can happen to poured or block concrete foundations and indicates that a repair to strengthen the wall is necessary.

It usually begins with small cracks in the wall and water seeping in from the outside and as the problem worsens, actual inward bowing or more significant cracking can be seen.

Left unrepaired, these cracks and pushed in places will deteriorate faster to the point that the affected part of the foundation could be completely compromised.

Why Do Foundation Walls Lean or Bow?

Foundation wall leaning or bowing happens when the soil pressure against the outside of the foundation is greater than what it can support.

It occurs due to the natural shifting of the soil and is more prevalent in some soils than in others.

Foundations that are weakened in any way or simply not robust enough to support that pressure can end up slowly failing, beginning with small cracks and leaks.

What Can Be Done About Foundation Walls Bowing?

The most important factor with this type of foundation problem is to have it diagnosed right away as soon as little cracks and leaks are detected.

If bowing is detected, the walls can be supported using braces that will prevent further movement.

In severe cases, or if the problem is not detected early enough, a major repair that involves excavating the soil away on the outside to relieve the pressure and then repairing the wall must be done.

Pay Attention to Foundation Wall Issues!

Since the latter is a much more expensive and time-consuming repair, the recommendation is that homeowners noticing fine cracks and seeping on their foundation walls get in touch with a foundation repair service right away.

The sooner that foundation problems like this are diagnosed, the faster an easy repair can be made.

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Learn Interior Decorating Techniques Of The Pros

If you are seeking influenced design suggestions and hints, you have found the best post! If you’re a rookie on the subject of interior decorating, you could have the strain and the overpowering feelings of not knowing where to start. The tips below can help you start your trip down an extremely enjoyable road.

Wonderful art is an excellent design element. You might not ever care for art, but you will be very impressed at the end result when you put it in. Paintings can be quite a great beginning to how you’d like to decorate the rest of the room.

Evaluate which mood you’re wanting to set and use that as being the grounds for your colors. If you want it to be tranquil or calming, think about using light and cool colors like blues and greens. Your colors as well as your collection of furniture should all depend on the you’re wanting to accomplish using the overall look and feeling of the space.

Become a design copycat. If you are experiencing difficulty discovering a design and style idea, browse publications, brochures, and also on the web for inspriation. Once you find a design you love, just replicate almost everything they’ve done. Find paint hues, furnishings, and extras that match the image. This may take the tension out of coming up with a new style and it also guarantees that you’ll get a stylish look.

Whenever using multiple color of paint in one room, keep your combination of colors within the identical family. Quite simply, a red may be paired with a pale orange or a blue with a nice purple. Colors which might be closely found on the rainbow actually complement each other, rather than clashing.

Design is just as difficult as you allow it to get. in case you are prepared to learn and make time to let new suggestions sink in, you may easily watch your success. The information inside the post above were all tried and true by many people before you, and may easily work in your favor too.