I’ll bet you were expecting four do-it-yourself home improvement projects, but hiring a handyman may be one of the smartest things you can do.  There are many things you can accomplish with the help of a professional handyman; he or she has experience in areas you may not feel comfortable tackling and he or she can help you identify things that need to be done.  Just remember handyman services usually have a trip charge, so try to have several projects lined up for the visit, so you get your money’s worth.

The next fall project is duct cleaning; basically this is accomplished by hooking up a super-sized vacuum to your intake vent and sucking out all the crud that has accumulated over the years.  This can cost as little as $100, depending on what area of the country you live in, but the average cost is less than $500.  This process will not only help your heating unit run more efficiently this winter, but if you have anyone in your home that has respiratory problems or allergies, they will breathe easier.

Driveway sealing is an excellent fall project; this will keep you driveway from wearing away and make it look better as well.  Most companies charge by the square foot or 1,000 square feet; so the price will depend on the size of your driveway; and how many coats of sealant your driveway requires.  Most homeowners can usually get this job done for $500 or less.  This is something that many homeowners choose to do themselves; it is not a hard project and doing it yourself will save you money.

The final fall project is carpet cleaning; carpet manufacturers recommend that carpets be cleaned every 12 to 18 months, however, most homeowner have their carpets cleaned every 6 to 8 years.  Most companies charge between $.16 and $.20 per square foot, making this an affordable project that will make your home look and smell cleaner.  However, if you’re like me and have dogs, you may own a carpet cleaner; and fall is a great time to break it out and clean all your carpets instead of just the stains.  However, professionals with professional equipment may do a more thorough job and it may be well worth the money to have your carpets professionally cleaned.  Some companies will combine carpet and duct cleaning into one visit, saving you even more money.

This method of filtration was developed about 70 years back to get rid of radioactive particles in laboratories. These were later developed for use in domestic and commercial establishments. These air purifiers have the capacity to remove almost 100% air borne pollutants from a room. Minute particles of size up to 0.01 microns and even gases get trapped in the HEPA filters.

There are three layers in the filters in a HEPA purifier. The first layer traps the comparatively bigger particles like sand. There are holes in this layer which are very small and most solid particles cannot pass through them, while the air and the smaller particles in it pass through this layer. The next layer consists of a fiber filter where the smaller pollutants get trapped on impact. This process known as “impaction” deviates the air on impact while the particles get stuck on it. The third layer is also made of fiber and this removes the miniscule particles by the method of “diffusion”.

Allergens like dust and pollen that constantly threaten our health and all other air borne pollutants are fast attaining menacing proportions. HEPA air purifiers with their high efficiency and effective air purification abilities could be the device that can minimize this hazard.  They are also very affordable and therefore are a good cost effective way to maintain health and reduce allergies.

1 – Portable outdoor showers are great because you can take them where ever you go. A day trip to the beach or a camping weekend away. Maybe you will be competing in a sports competition and will end up sweaty and dirty afterward.

You will feel at ease and more relaxed if you can clean up straight away and not have to wait till you get home. Portable showers simply connect up to any water supply via a tap and away you go. Wash away the salt from the sea, dirt and sweat from your sports competition or enjoy convenience when camping.

2 – Dog owners will love showers that can be installed outside. Imagine taking your dog for a walk and he decidesto roll about in mud or take a swim in the salty sea.

Save your bathroom and house from becoming dirty by simply installing a shower outside and then bathing the dog there instead. Not only will your dog have more fun, but you will also be relieved at the lack of cleaning needed after.

3 – Do your neighbours call you green fingers? If so, then consider getting an outside shower installed. You will no longer have to walk into the house full of sweat and dirt. Simply wash yourself after completing the gardening and then sit down with a cup of coffee and admire your garden whilst feeling relaxed and clean.

4 – Pool owners will definitely see the benefit of a shower outdoors. Swimming in a pool full of chemicals and then laying down on a sunbed does nothing good for our skin. Many people complain of spots after a day of swimming and sunbathing, well this could all be avoided by taking a shower after swimming and then lying down to enjoy the sun.

5 – The last advantage is one that everyone can experience including friends and family or visitors to your house. Think about the last time you took a shower outdoor. The feeling of freedom and cleanliness. Having a bath indoors can leave you feeling tired, whilst a shower outdoors will revitalize you and make you feel relaxed.

More and more people are seeing the benefits of an outdoor bath shower enclosure. Whether you buy a portable, free-standing or wall mounted shower, then it is a good investment to make, that will see tons of use by friends and family alike.

Today, many manufacturers produce a wide variety of unusual and fun play structures for children as young as 2, or as old as 12. To find the right structure, consider the child’s interests, who will be using the hideaway, and the long term potential to entertain.

There are several excellent examples on the market capable of pleasing boys and girls, younger and older children. The decorative and unique outdoor playhouses from Lilliput are a great place to start. This company offers everything from a medieval castle, to a garden cottage playhouse, to a fantasy jungle hut from Disney’s famous Jungle Book story.

Almost without fail, a wooden playhouse from Lilliput has real sliding windows with screens, superior construction and choice of materials, and real life home features such as garden planters and porch railings.

Have boys and girls, and don’t know which way to go? Why not choose a castle playhouse where the girls can play princess and the boys can dress up as knights of the round table? (Or vice versa.) Or choose a combination play area like Mowgli’s Hut, which has a fort with a rustic jungle balcony, a ladder to climb up to the elevated house, and a slide by which to exit. Once on the ground, kids can spend their time on the swings or the trapeze.

Sometimes simple is best of course, and can save a bundle of money as well. The Little Tikes company is well known for their colorful plastic structures with affordable pricing and fun details for the kids. These building are less expensive, provide great value for the money, and are safe and easy to maintain.

There is no need to put up with poor water quality. Three types of water filters are easy to install and will address a wide variety of concerns. Taking the time to install one or more of these filtration types is likely to resolve your problem.

Here are those three types of filters:

1) Faucet filters. What could be easier to install than screwing a water filter into your kitchen faucet? If you don’t like the way your water tastes, the way to go may simply be to install one of these easy filters. A basic faucet filter will remove common chemicals like chlorine, leaving your drinking water crystal pure. Better yet, it will avoid your having to resort to water bottles, which are not good for the environment in terms of the amount of plastic used and the way they are transported.

2) Under counter water filters. An under counter water filter takes a bit more handiness to install, but delivers a superior experience compared to simpler faucet filters. When you install one of these filter types, it usually ends up being a larger canister that will last a long time between replacements. Additionally, you can often add multiple types of filtration media so that you can address multiple concerns. For example, if your water tastes funny and leaves dark rings, you can install media to remove chlorine and iron (the two likely causes in this example.)

3) Shower filters. Did you know there are products out there, like Sprite shower filters, that attach to the standard bath pipe? It’s true, and they address a common problem: chlorine in your shower water. This is a concern because some studies are increasingly showing that we more readily ingest chlorine by breathing it from shower steam than we do when we drink water from the tap. These higher concentrations can add up over time and possibly pose health risks. Additionally, chlorine can do quite a number on sensitive skin and hair–causing irritation and itchiness. Screwing in a shower filter takes care of these problems with a minimum of fuss.

These are three of the easiest kinds of filters you can install around the house. Together, they should resolve most of your water quality problems and leave you with nothing but delicious, clear, chemical-free water.

The truth of the matter is that a floor polisher can make a world of difference when you are attempting to strip wood flooring so that it can be refinished, clean the grout in your ceramic tile or polish that new garage flooring that has turned the garage into something you can be proud of and want to keep looking good. Anyone that has had the pleasure of tackling any of these tasks knows that they are time-consuming and a lot of work. Why not employ something as versatile and useful as a buffer?

From the Italian marble in your foyer to the oak or walnut hardwood flooring in your living room and den, no matter what kind of floors you have in your house, they can benefit from a floor polisher. The only exception is carpeting. There was a time when commercial carpet cleaners used buffers to do what was called bonnet cleaning. It wasn’t very effective and, many times ended up actually damaging the carpet. It is rarely done any more.

One of the reasons that people hesitate to take advantage of using a polisher at home is because they may have tried operating one at some point. Anyone who mistakes one of these powerful machines for its cousin the vacuum cleaner soon recognizes the error of their thinking. They cannot be maneuvered by brute force. The good news, however, is that although the controls are not intuitive, once you take the time for a little training, they are actually very easy to use.

There are lots of advantages to owning and using a floor polisher in your home. You will soon find that, not only do your floors look better than ever, but it will have taken far less time and effort than when you did it all by hand. If you are like most people, you will wonder how you ever got along without it.

Copper apron sinks are often used to create a rustic look because of their size and style. Copper apron sinks are a style of farm sink, sometimes called a farmhouse sink. Traditionally they are large, rectangular and deep, as they were used for many purposes in their early days. The distinction with apron sinks is that the decorative front of the sink is exposed and it is part of their distinctive design.

Mexican copper sinks are a fun choice for bathroom. Many of these handcrafted sinks are smaller in design making them great for a bathroom. Some have intricate designs and others focus on the simple beauty of hammered and designed copper. If you are remodeling a bathroom Mexican copper sinks can be a great starting point for the look and design of the room.

Copper vessel sinks are another fun option. Vessel sinks are already unique in the way they sit on top of the counter, instead of being set into the counter, but when you add the rustic warmth of copper it really makes this style of sink stand above an average bathroom sink. Especially if you have one that is handmade.

Besides their distinct look, copper sinks are also very durable and resistant to rust. Paired with a matching copper faucet this type of sink can add a distinct beauty to any kitchen or bathroom.

These days walk in showers come in a range of sizes, with an array of potential features. You might only want a basic shower, but you can still end up with a lovely looking frosted glass door and plenty of room for you to move around in and bend over if you drop something. The higher price showers can come with hot air blowers to dry you off, seats and massaging shower heads. You could even have a television installed in the shower, which would be sealed from the water, so that you can watch your favorite channel as you shower.

A new, basic walk in shower will cost you around $500 before paying for installation, for a higher end item you will be looking at around $2000 or more. It is important that you don’t only consider they features you want when buying your walk in shower, you need to think about the size of the area you are working with and the installation costs. If you are going to buy an expensive shower with a lot of complex features then you should really think about hiring a professional to install it for you.

Converting your garage, or part of it, into an apartment is one of the garage ideas people are considering to give them more flexibility. An extra room can be used for a college age kid who wants to save money by staying at home and yet have more privacy than they would if they lived in the house. It can also be used as a guest room, a room for a parent to live in, or even a room to rent out and make money with.

Before you go and start redesigning your garage, you need to make sure you have all the permits necessary. Different cities have lots of laws that affect zoning and you will be surprised at how much paperwork might be needed. Never start any rebuilding job on your house without making sure it is legal first.

Your budget will determine just how elaborate you new garage apartment is. For just an extra guest room, you wont need a kitchen but you probably will need to add a bathroom. If you want a small apartment that you are going to be renting out, you will of course need to make it self sufficient and that means adding a kitchen and bathroom. Any garage apartment will also need a separate entry door as well.

Taking advantage of extra space in the garage is a smart thing to do as it can add value to your home and perhaps save you money from not having to move. As families get bigger, they need more space but with the economy so bad, upgrading houses is not always an option. Finding extra room in your garage or basement and turning it into a livable space is the next best option and just one of the many garage ideas you can do.

On top of making a passable imaginary fort, a picnic bench surprisingly, is actually quite handy when it comes to outdoor dining.  If made and finished to a particular standard, you will have a bench that can comfortably seat between 4 and 6, and can last for years.

There are many simple design videos and articles available on the net, so instead here, we’ll discuss what I did to finish the picnic bench I recently built.  It is essential to weatherproof your table, as it will last less than a year untreated and exposed to the elements.

First off, you have to apply undercoat and a finishing coat to the table.  Acryllic paint will work best.  Often a cream, or perhaps a bright blue, green or red will work wonderfully.  To add an antique feel to it, sand back the surfaces (at least the visible ones) with some coarse sandpaper.

I then applied a glazing to the table.  There are many decorative finishes you can apply to your picnic table.  A great technique is to apply it with a foam brush, and then wipe it off immediately, allowing some of the wood grain to be picked up.  Finally, applying a clear weather proofing topcoat will add years to its longevity.