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Spring,  2006
Your Life! Magazine All rights reserved.  Copyright 2004, 2005, 2006 Your Life! Media
Kitchen Remodeling Checklist:
Are Your Prepared?
by Linda Harrison

Did you know that remodeling your kitchen is one of the most common home changes that people do these days? The kitchen is the hotspots of most houses. People are constantly coming in and out of the kitchen, getting food, talking on the phone and using the kitchen a socialization point of the entire house. Many contractors say that kitchen work can be some of the most difficult yet most rewarding for both the home owner and the contractor. Let's take a look at some of the factors you should strive for if you are seriously considering undertaking a kitchen remodeling.

1) Is your contractor reliable? I can't count the number of friends that I have who have had problems with contractors. Kitchen remodeling is no different. If you hire a contractor to redo your kitchen, make sure they come with great references from uninterested parties. There is nothing worse than to have a kitchen that is only half way done because the contractor decides to disappear midway through the job.

2) Is your kitchen so complex that you will end up paying a ton of money? I know several people who had unrealistic expectations when getting their kitchens remodeled. They either ended up with a kitchen that wasn't as nice as they wanted, or they paid through the nose. Be realistic about what you want and what you can afford.

3) Are you informed about the kitchen remodeling process? Without knowledge of the kitchen remodeling process, points #1 and #2 are moot.  Like everything, there are tricks and tips to make sure that your project comes out looking fantastic while not paying too much money. The insiders know exactly what to do and what to say to make sure that their project turns out looking like the kitchen of their dreams. Get informed on the entire process before investing your time and your energy on a kitchen that doesn't turn out how you want it. It's not that hard to learn, and learning about kitchen remodeling is well worth your time.

About the Author
Linda Harrison is author of "The Kitchen Remodeling Guide.  Get your copy at www.kitchenremodelingnow.com.
          utter Maintenance
                 by Mark Freeman

                 Regular maintenance is the key to keeping your home gutter
                 system intact. Making sure that your gutters have no bent areas is one suggestion made by those who help you prepare your home for sale.Clean and well maintained gutters add to your home's sale-ability.

Most home improvement experts suggest that you clean your gutters twice yearly. If your gutters are clogged with debris such as leaves and twigs the rain will not run off or drain properly. It's important to make sure that the rain isn't spilling over the top of your gutter and onto your foundation. Over time this can cause damage to the home's foundation.

It is suggested that you clean your gutters in the Fall after all the leaves have fallen from the surrounding trees, and in the Spring. While you're cleaning your gutters you will want to inspect them for any holes or rust through. Make sure there are no loose nails. Check to make sure the gutters are securely fastened to the house.

After you have removed all the debris from the gutter you'll  want to rinse any remaining debris down the gutter and into the downspout with your garden hose. This will also help you to make sure that your downspout isn't clogged with debris. If you find the water not running into the downspout you can remove the downspout, clean it and then replace it.

Make sure that the water running out of the downspout is being properly diverted with the use of a plastic or concrete diverter. You don't want the water emptying out on the ground where it will cause erosion.

Gutter guards have become very popular and do away with the problem of having to clean your gutters, although they will still need twice yearly inspection. For a do-it-yourself type installing gutter guards isn't a big deal, and, it could save you thousands of dollars over having the gutter guards installed by professionals.

Some people think that gutter guards are very expensive and not worth the money. While gutter guards prevent large leaves from entering the gutter they do not stop much smaller natural debris such as seeds, buds, small pieces of bark and twigs or evergreen needles. All this type of natural matter breaks down over time to form debris in your gutter. Also, debris can build up over the gutter guard screening that will have to be manually cleaned off. Some have found that gutter guards actually cause them more problems.

About the Author
About Gutters.com
www.about-gutters.com
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