Welcome

Welcome to 'Just another home improvement blog' - here you will find daily posts on all things home improvement whether it be tips, news, product reviews or any other random stuff we see fit to blog about :D.

Feel free to browse our post archive and don't forget to e-mail me your renovation/home pictures as every week I post the hottest ones!

November 30, 2009

Have a safe Christmas

Please ensure you and your family stay safe this Christmas by checking your Smoke Alarms / Smoke Detectors are working properly.

If you have elderly neighbours, then show a little seasonal goodwill and check theirs are working too. They may not be able to reach and test them themselves. Be careful when reaching for alarms and use a proper stepladder etc to reach the alarms safely - the last thing you'll want this Christmas is a broken leg!

For full information on smoke alarm siting and maintenance, please visit this link:

http://www.firekills.gov.uk/smoke_alarms/06.htm

Do not use a staple gun to attach your christmas lights



Well Durh! Sounds obvious enough doesn't it, but judging by the number of old staples around our fascias someone didn't heed the warnings about using those pesky staple guns to fix exterior Christmas lights to their house.

Staple guns are well known for piercing plastic covering and shorting the exposed wires within. We don't want any fires do we? We don't want hours spent looking for the point of the short to fix it either, nor do we want anybody getting electrocuted.

Why not use white or brown masking tape cut into 2x2 CM squares? If the tape is properly attached the lights will stay up all December!

Just a quick tip from us ahead of the weekend :).

November 29, 2009

Metal Garden Sheds from Asgards


I have decided that in order to fully call myself a 'green person' I must move my sustainability projects in to my garden. The first thing I realized when I stepped through my back door was my broken down wooden shed. Ahhh I thought as I walked up to it 'this has to go' - and over the next 2 hours I dismantled the spider-ridden behemoth and took it to my local skip.

I was utterly exhausted after this, and so decided to just head on home and take a look on the internet for some sheds. This is when I found a fantastic surprise - Metal Sheds.

Metal is far better for the environment than the use of wood as it lasts a good 5 years longer and increases the overall safety of you garden possessions. It also reduces the demand on the timber industry and so actively promotes sustainability.

As this home improvement blog is all about helping you make the right choice during a project I just feel the need to share with you the very affordable prices from Asgards. 

All products come with a 10 year guarantee and each and every one of them will be delivered to your door. I have just bought my Metal Garden Shed and so can finally call myself green!

5 ways to create a more sustainable home

There are so many adverts on television right now offering advice on how to cut down on your carbon footprint and 'save the planet' - political views aside I understand the need for eco-friendly housing and also the demands from consumers to businesses internationally to make everything more sustainable.

I was not the first person to jump on the band waggon - I was and am infact a huge sceptic of how us 'Humans' can stop global warming. I have however started doing certain things around my home which keeps the partner happy (she is a little bit of an activist).

Here are 5 ways that I have made my home more sustainable:

1. Buy house plants. Plants are natures way of cleaning the air and producing oxygen.

2. Get a high-performance shower head. This will use 60% less water and most are designed to produce the same feeling of water pressure.

3. Turn your washing machine down. Turning your Washing Machine heat down to 30.c will cut down your monthly cost and the amount of electricity used.

4. Shower more instead of bath. Bathing uses 79% more hot water than showering.

5. Reduce your thermostat by 10 degrees. Even for just the 8 hours your family is out at work or school, will save you another 10% on your energy bill.

So there we go. A small yet precise list for you blogaholics to ponder on :) Oh, and don't forget - I would be delighted for you to leave a comment on ways in which you have undergone home improvement and a home sustainability project.

Just doing my bit for the Polar Bears :)

November 28, 2009

Glass is the new black !

An article in the newspaper today suggested that within the next 10 years nearly all new buildings or 'sky-scrapers' are going to be made from glass! They even gave a brief 'artists' image of what London and New York may look like when this craze finally takes hold.

I must say that skyscrapers made out of glass sound fantastic, and you only have to take one small look at 'The Gherkin' in London to see why!

I have also seen an uprise in the number of old mills being turned into blocks of flats lately and they are beautiful. Home Improvement ? Sure. City and town improvement? Most definately.

I mean I love older more architecturally ripe designs but lately I have been seeing just how glass is going to shape our future. Lets just hope a window doesn't smash :O.

What are your views? Feel free to comment :)