Tip of the Day: You Weren’t Born In a Barn
Some individuals often use the expression, “You weren’t born in a barn,” to indicate when a person needs to close a door. When you consider that most thieves enter through unlocked doors, it’s easy to see how keeping this phrase in mind may just be one of the best components of your home security system.
In addition to locking your door, use the following tips with your home security system:
- Plan to rob yourself. Where would you attack? What goodies would you go for first? Thinking like a thief may help you catch flaws in your system. It may also help you realize that you need to move something of value from its current location to another.
- Change the locks when you move into a new home. The average homeowner has more than one copy of key made. How many keys do you have? You may have one hidden in a rock in another location around the house. Perhaps you keep a spare key in the car. Maybe you gave a copy of the key to the house sitter, a cleaning service, or a relative. Like you, the people who lived in your home most likely made extra copies. For your safety, get new locks when you move into a home.
- Avoid spring-lock latches. If you don’t have a deadbolt on your entryway doors, install one. A thief can release a spring-lock latch by slipping a credit card between the door and the lock. Once the lock disengages, it’s simply a matter of turning the door knob to open the door. A deadbolt will keep the door shut even if a thief tries to use a credit card on the bottom lock.
For more on home security, visit our DIY blog.
Tip of the Day: Finding the Right Paint
Paint is often the most inexpensive improvement you can make to a home; however, the overall impact of your paint job often depends on two things. The first is how well you paint, and the second is whether you used the right type of paint.
If you don’t know how to paint a room, hire a professional painter. Many have their own supplies, which can reduce the supply cost a bit and help cover the cost. This will also eliminate the need for you to hike up and down ladders, juggle supplies, or exhaust your own energy.
People who want to tackle the paint job on their own can eliminate mistakes by using the following types of paint.
- Ceilings: Paint manufacturers actually make ceiling paint. The flat finish hides marks and other surface blemishes while rolling on with low splatter. Additives reduce yellowing with age.
- Walls: Latex paint is usually the best choice. You can use it over drywall, wood and masonry.
- Floors: Paint manufactures also have special options for floor coverings. These products stand up to the rough abrasion of heavy traffic and frequent scrubbing.
- Woodwork: After you prime the bare wood, you should use either an oil/alkyd paint or a latex paint. Most painters use semi-gloss finishes because they clean easily. If the area won’t have much wear and tear, you can use flat or sating finishes.
- Masonry: Bricks, concrete blocks, and cement can soak up the paint, making coverage difficult. For the best results, use an acrylic latex wall paint.
- Metal: Even though you can apply latex directly to galvanized metal and aluminum, your paint job will look better if you prime the metal before you paint. With some metals, you must prime before the latex will adhere to the surface.
For more on paint, visit our DIY blog.
One of the chief concerns facing the modern parent is the
DIY is a popular choice for home
improvements on a shoe string
budget. The cost of tools and materials, however, can quickly mount up
if they need to be replaced. With the right care, equipment can stay in
working order for many years.