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How to Maintain a Decorative Concrete Floor
Concrete is a highly sturdy material that will last for many years, even with low maintenance. However, just because it requires little maintenance does not mean you don’t have to maintain it. Besides that, if you don’t retain your decorative concrete, it will not keep its appealing look. You’ve got to follow the proper maintenance to preserve its appearance.
Lucky for you, we are here to help. Today, we’re going to share with you some tips on how to maintain decorative concrete.
Cleaning Concrete Properly
Keep in mind that the tips we’re going to mention below are general cleaning tips. It does not matter what form of decorative concrete you have. If you’re searching for specific maintenance or cleaning tips, you should ask the stamped concrete Harrisonburg VA contractor that installed the concrete.
Washing
If you want to avoid the accumulation of filth, you should mop your floor as required. Usually, the frequency of doing this varies on how much foot traffic the floor obtains. However, you should clean the floor at least once a month in general.
Aside from that, you can use a pressure washing machine to clean your outdoor concrete floor. Professionals recommend doing this once every 12 months. Once in a while, make sure you spray it down using a hose.
Sweeping
Every day, you should sweep your concrete floor to avoid the accumulation of dust. If your stamped concrete is installed inside your house, professionals recommend that you buy a dustmop and use it every day to clean the floor. Else, you can use a vacuum or a simple broom.
If your decorative concrete is installed outside, you should invest in a leaf blower. This is perhaps the simplest method to get rid of dust and dirt from your outdoor concrete floor every day. If you don’t have a leaf blower, you can use a broom to sweep it every day.
However, it would be best to keep in mind that it is typically time-consuming and hard to utilize a broom on textured concrete surfaces. There is a lot of dust and dirt outdoors, and these things settle inside the crevices of the textured concrete. Because of this, a leaf blower is a worthwhile investment.
Other Tips to Maintain Your Decorative Concrete
Getting rid of stains can be challenging. It’s specific to the form of stain and the form of concrete. For any particular stain you’ve got, make sure you do your research for the proper cleaning techniques.
On any occasion, it is a lot better to avoid stains in the first place before they can cause any damage. Because of this, make sure you keep away these things from your decorative concrete surfaces:
- Rock salt
- Chemicals
- Oil
- Excessive water
- Rubber-bottomed mats
All of these things can damage or stain your decorative concrete surface. If you ignore them and allow them to sit on the surface for an extended period, it will cause more damage. Because of this, it is ideal for cleaning any spill that occurs immediately.
How to Prepare for the AC Season
Summer might feel like it is still several months away. However, you will be switching from heating to cooling before you know it. Your AC will soon work regularly to maintain comfortable temperatures inside your house. Before the temperature begins to rise, it is ideal to prepare for the increased usage of your AC.
Today, we’re going to share some tips on preparing for the air conditioning season. If you think your AC isn’t working correctly, it is time to hire an HVAC repair Spokane company for help.
Keep the Heat Outdoors
Lowering the outdoor heat seeping inside your house is one of the best ways to improve comfort in your house. If you want to prevent the sun from heating your house, you should utilize high-quality window treatments. This can include plantation shutters, honeycomb shades, or blackout curtains.
Here are a couple of other tips to keep your home cool without overworking your AC unit:
- Seal your windows and doors using weatherstripping and caulk
- Guarantee proper airflow by keeping air vents uncovered
- Get rid of humidity and heat when you shower by turning on the bathroom fan
- Turn on ceiling fans when you are in a room
Examine Your Smoke Detectors and Thermostat
Now is the ideal time to check other vital components of your AC system.
You’ve got to guarantee your thermostat is appropriately running if you depend on it. Buy new batteries if they are getting low.
Consider installing a smart thermostat if you want more convenience and control. This gadget will help you save energy. Aside from that, a couple of models can even tell you if there is something wrong with your AC unit.
While they aren’t part of your AC system, it is also ideal for examining the batteries in your carbon monoxide and smoke detectors. Making sure they still work you peace of mind.
Replace the Air Filter
To properly maintain your AC unit, you have to replace the air filter regularly. If you hired a professional HVAC technician for a tune-up visit, chances are they also replaced the filters. However, if you haven’t hired anyone for a long time, you should consider replacing the filters independently.
The frequency of replacing the air filter varies on several factors. This includes:
- Having pets
- Having someone in your house with respiratory issues, such as allergies or asthma
- The form of filter you use.
Clean Your AC Unit
When it comes to cleaning your AC unit, you won’t have to disassemble your system. This is particularly true if you don’t know what you’re doing.
However, it would help if you cleaned the surroundings around the unit. For example:
- Make sure your AC unit has at least 1-foot of free room on every side
- Make sure you trim the plants and grass that surround your unit
- Remove grass clippings, leaves, and twigs from the outside of your AC unit
The performance of your AC is greatly affected if it is filled with dirt and dust. Because of this, you should hire a professional HVAC technician for routine AC maintenance.
Reasons to Use Asphalt for Your Paving Project
For those who don’t know, around 90% of roads in the United States are made of asphalt. Because of this, you probably have experienced the resilience and durability of asphalt. There’s a reason why most people prefer asphalt over other materials.
One of the main reasons why people use asphalt is its strength. It’s an excellent option for highways, sidewalks, parking lots, and much more. You can use it for municipal, public, or private purposes.
Today, we’re going to share some of the benefits of asphalt. However, you can only experience these benefits if you hire a professional asphalt paving contractor Tri Cities.
It Has Better Water Drainage
The water drainage ability of asphalt helps redirect water to appropriate areas where it can be drained and managed more accessible. This helps prevent the accumulation of water under the asphalt. If this happens, cracks and heaves will appear sooner or later.
It’s Easy to Install and Cost-Effective
In general, asphalt is more affordable to install compared to any other form of paving material, such as concrete.
In addition to that, it is also easy to install because of its materials. It does not take a long period to cure. Thus, you can drive on your new asphalt driveway in just several days after installation.
However, it would help if you kept in mind that the cost might change since crude oil is the main element of asphalt.
It’s Lasts Long
If a professional contractor installs asphalt, you should expect it to last for around 10 to 20 years. The flexibility of asphalt also contributes to its overall durability. Thus, it can easily withstand heavy cars and pieces of machinery.
Almost every type of asphalt can thrive during the cold and hot months. However, you can only experience its durability and sturdiness if you maintain it properly.
It’s 100% Recyclable
The most recycled material in the United States is Asphalt. Asphalt is recycled at a rate of around 97% as of today for those who don’t know.
The asphalt industry recycles and reuses almost 100 million tons of asphalt each year.
Aside from being good for the environment, recycled asphalt is also more durable and sturdier. Because of this, roads built with recycled asphalt will last for a longer period compared to other materials on the planet.
It’s Safer to Drive On
As mentioned earlier, asphalt has an excellent water drainage property. Since it can manage water easily, it also has excellent skid resistance.
The root cause for most traffic accidents in the United States every year is excess surface water. Open-graded asphalt enables rainwater to drain right through the surface of the pavement. This helps lower the number of surface water cars that have to drive through.
The dark color of asphalt has a lot of benefits as well. It offers high contrast with the road marking’s color and gives drivers more visibility during severe weather conditions, such as rain or snow. It will also help lower accidents on the road. Because of this, it’s ideal for installing an asphalt driveway for your home.
Key Factors for the Right Concrete Mix
For those who don’t know, the most utilized material in construction is concrete. It is recyclable and eco-friendly. It’s also one of the most affordable materials out there. Because of this, most construction companies choose concrete over other materials.
To create concrete, contractors will have to mix cement, aggregates, and water. Two types of cement are commonly utilized in construction are site-mixed concrete and ready-mix concrete. It’s incredibly vital to pick the ideal one for your project.
While both are eco-friendly and affordable, one of these is more advantageous when compared with the other. This depends on the conditions of the project.
Whether you’re planning a concrete driveway, parking lot, or stamped concrete Tri Cities project, here are the key factors for the right concrete mix.
Durability
A high-quality concrete mix will offer you concrete that can withstand constant temperature changes and severe weather conditions without showing any indications of decay. If it’s durable, your concrete will be robust against weather conditions such as freezing, heating, drying, and wetting.
Density
You can also categorize a concrete mix for a lot of applications. This includes resistance, insulation, radiation protection, and counterweights. One of the most crucial properties of a concrete mix is density. It is perhaps the most well-known property.
Consistency
Consistency helps in figuring out the mobility of your concrete mix and its slump. Ideally, the slump measures this property. If you’ve got more slump value, concrete will be more manageable. It will have better mobility as well.
Workability
The overall workability of a concrete mix is a crucial characteristic that helps recognize its ability to be correctly installed. This enables the contractor to finish a project without having to segregate concrete.
Size of Aggregate
A contractor should properly size all forms of aggregates before they can use them. These aggregates are a crucial factor for all forms of concrete mixes. Sometimes, they greatly vary on the physical needs of your project.
Grade Designation
A contractor should measure the concrete’s strength by testing it. Ideally, the tests should be done once the curing process is done. Choosing the right grade of concrete varies on its usage.
Cement and Water Ratio
A concrete mix needs to have excellent water to cement ratio. It’s a ratio that describes the balance and relationship between the weight of water and the weight of cement. These properties have a linear and direct relationship with the concrete’s overall strength.
Is the Right Concrete Mix Crucial?
A high-quality concrete mix can generate a strong foundation for safe infrastructure. Frequently, it includes a level of preparation in which a combination of materials helps create the needed durability and strength for your concrete project.
Because every ingredient in the concrete mix has different distinctive characteristics, it can be challenging for an average individual to create a high-quality concrete mix. A professional contractor will have to test every component first to identify the existing physical properties of your materials.
Should You Remodel Your Kitchen This Summer?
Summer is just right around the corner. This means more time for enjoyable events, no school, and more sunny days. Aside from that, it is also time for finishing your dream projects as well.
Major home remodeling projects are time-consuming. They can significantly influence your day-to-day living. If you’re planning to upgrade or update your kitchen, perhaps you should do it this summer. Today, we’re going to share with you some reasons why summer is the best time for a kitchen remodeling Spokane project.
Cooking Outdoors
Summer offers you more options for eating outside. You probably do not want to go outside the cold during the cold months to prepare your meal. On the other hand, you can enjoy the outdoors in summer and utilize your outdoor kitchen. Aside from that, you can have more cold meal options. This can include sandwiches and salads. You also have more possibilities to dine al fresco frequently.
Summer might be the ideal time of year for a kitchen remodel.
Avoiding the Rush During Spring
Often, spring is a hectic time for contractors. Many homeowners begin to address and stir their home improvement projects once the sun shines and the weather warms again. During the summer season, you can make the most of avoiding this rush during the spring season.
Ventilation
It is simpler to create the right ventilation indoors via open doors and windows if the weather is warm. Your house will not easily trap odors and dust. Aside from that, the professional kitchen renovation contractor will help you set up the proper ventilation during the project.
Excellent Weather
Summer provides the ideal weather conditions for working. During autumn, fall starts to have chillier temperatures and shorter days. Spring might have heavy rains, and winter is freezing. In general, summer offers the renovation team the ideal weather conditions for the task.
Vacation Time
During the project, you and your loved ones will have more flexibility to go on a family vacation or travel to another country. A couple of homeowners go on a trip for a couple of days. When they come home, they will be greeted with a new and fully renovated kitchen.
Free Schedules
A kitchen remodeling project can have a massive impact on your life for months, weeks, or days. This depends on how massive your project is. Perhaps the ideal time for a kitchen remodel is summer since you and your loved ones are sometimes more flexible to accommodate the project.
Natural Light
You can see during those sunny and bright summer days. Clear vision is useful for selecting the right hardware, stone, colors, and paint.
Because of this, summer is the ideal time to address indoor home remodeling projects because of the clear skies and sunny days.
Kids are on Vacation
The concept of a remodeling project can stress you out if you are juggling PTA meetings, youth sports, and work. Luckily, the summer season means a slimmer schedule for the entire family.
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