Category: Eclectic Homes

A drip tray gets the thankless task of guiding air conditioning condensation in the coil to the exterior of your home. A continuous supply of water allows algae and fungus to form on the surface of the pan, creating a thick coat of slime. Over the years, the slime will build inside and shake the drain line guiding the condensation. Taking away the slime in the tray is essential to the health of the air conditioning system. After removing the slime, a couple of simple measures will ensure it doesn’t return. Turn off the power to the air conditioning system. Lift up the coil access door and pull it away in the unit to gain access to the coil and drip tray. If your accessibility panel has screws, then remove them with a 5/16-inch nut runner or Phillips screwdriver prior to lifting the panel. Put on chemical-resistant gloves. Spray an…

Leather furniture adds a refined touch to any room, but it might have a hefty price tag. Online websites often provide a more affordable source than brick-and-mortar retailers. You can not feel or smell the leather or test the comfort of a sofa and chair whilst browsing online websites, so search for specific key words in descriptions to help you choose a quality piece of leather furniture. Leather by Distinct Names Several conditions are used in the furniture industry to describe the standard of leather. “Full grain,” or “pure aniline,” which refers to the leather taken from the top side of the mask, is actually the toughest and highest quality mask that wears best. “Semi-aniline” leather is a more fragile leather taken from the lower epidermis. “Nubuck,” sanded, full-grain leather, feels like velvet, but scratches easily and takes careful maintenance. Suede, that is created by sanding semi-aniline conceals, is soft…

Replacing lathe and plaster in your house’s toilet is a time consuming and messy task, but the results could be worth it. You can update wiring, add insulation and replace plumbing running inside the walls by substituting plaster. With just a little know-how, you can replace your walls and ceilings and have them look new again — and also be resistant. Tape tarps which you want to protect. Falling or flying plaster may lead to damage and isn’t easy so it’s important to protect anything you do not plan on tearing 27, to clean up. Wear a dust mask to protect your lungs and work gloves. . Punch a hole in the lathe and plaster between studs using a sledgehammer. The hole needs to be approximately 1 foot square to give you space for maneuvering. Put the claw end of a hammer inside the hole and use it to pry…

The Federal Housing Administration, or FHA, has been helping low- and moderate- income Americans find safe, affordable home since 1934. FHA loans are government-backed loans aimed toward helping those who fall through the cracks of traditional loan guidelines receive mortgages at fair prices and terms. 1 group of buyers who has difficulty locating mortgages is made (mobile) homebuyers, because most lenders will not finance this type of home. The FHA insures mortgage loans to get both based manufactured homes on permanent lots, new manufactured homes to go on owned lots and mix land/home unit purchase loans. Characteristics All lenders who offer FHA loans are required to fulfill at least the minimum standards set from the FHA. Some lenders may apply stricter guidelines than the FHA, but they may not discriminate against particular kinds of properties. To get a manufactured home to accommodate, it has to have a minimum square footage…

Melamine is quite a bit more than lightweight, shatterproof plastic. It’s your go-to portable serveware to pack a picnic or dine al fresco. When you are setting the table for a celebration, melamine feels just like a top notch above disposable paper plates or plastic cups, yet the dishes are playful and cheap to purchase in sets. The actual motive to appreciate melamine? The patterns! The colours! These melamine serving dishes turn the dial up on summertime entertaining in design. — Jen from The Haystack Needle Huset Rice Dk Melamine Cups – $31 The shape of those tumblers reminds me of eyeglasses you would find at a French cafe. I love the rainbow of color options. I would mix and match colours at the dining table. French Bull Rose Plate – $11 French Bull has assembled its set around melamine — and it shows. This contemporary rose pattern is just…

In case your Kenmore washing machine won’t drain, and you’ve eliminated a clog in the drain hose as a potential cause, you either need to fix the drain pump or replace it. The drain pump is situated at the lower front corner of most Kenmore front-loading machines, and also the most difficult part of the job could be getting to it. If the machine does not have an entry panel, as some do, then you’ll need to take the entire front panel. Replace the pump if the impellers are damaged or if the pump housing is leaking. Unplug the washing machine, and disconnect the drain hose from the drain. Switch off the water valves and then unscrew the water heater from the inlet ports on the washing machine, utilizing adjustable pliers. Pull the washing machine out of the wall. If it has an entry panel beneath the loading door, you…

If your walk-behind lawnmower’s blade is dull or damaged, then you will need to remove it for replacement or sharpening. Blade removal requires removing and loosening the bolt holding the blade onto the engine shaft of the mower. A lawnmower blade can be tough to remove if the bolt is tight or suspended by rust. Typically, you can break loose the bolt. You’ll want to empty your gas tank and then place on work gloves to ensure security, however. Shut off the engine, wait for it to cool and use in the event the machine is gas-powered, a siphon pump to suck the gas from the fuel tank. Until it is out of gas or operate the mower and await the motor. Remove from the spark plug so that it can not contact the plug, and secure it from the way with a bit of tape. Put on gloves to…

Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loans generally help those who have less than perfect credit buy or refinance a home. As stated by the Zillow website,”The FHA program was in place since the 1930s to help stimulate the housing market by making loans affordable.” FHA insures mortgage loans to shield qualified lenders from loss in the case of default, and needs homeowners to pay a mortgage insurance premium, which is added to the amount of the loan. Getting from an FHA mortgage can help you avoid monthly mortgage insurance premiums and in the majority of cases secure a lower standard rate of interest. Get a copy of your credit report using an internet resource. Review your credit report and verify that your information is being reported accurately. Make payments on credit card balances which are above 30 percent of your credit limit and pay off all past-due collections, charged-off accounts or…

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) provides two primary programs designed to provide affordable rental housing to low-income households. HUD’s public housing and Section 8 programs use federal subsidies to attain this objective. Through Section 8, HUD pays private market landlords that the portion of a low income household’s rent that exceeds 30 percent of its income. Rents in public housing units are set at rates that are affordable to households earning considerably less than their area’s median. Citizenship/Immigration Status HUD’s Section 8 and public housing programs require that applicants become U.S. citizens or hold an”eligible immigration status,” in accordance with the program’s websites. Eligible immigration status incorporates resident aliens, who are generally called”green card holders” Income Income is the principal eligibility consideration for public housing and Section 8. Public housing residents cannot make over 80 percent of their area’s median income. The cutoff for Section 8 qualification…

The Home Affordable Refinance Program is a government program for assisting homeowners refinance their mortgages. HARP won’t lower your principal, but it might reduce your payments by giving you a better interest rate. In case you have an adjustable-rate mortgage, HARP may lower your current payments, however refinancing to a fixed speed can stop future increases you might not be able to afford. The program is set to expire on June 10, 2011. Assess your eligibility for HARP. You may be entitled to the program, according to the Making Home Affordable website, if you own and reside in a one- to four-unit house; your mortgage has been possessed or guaranteed by the federally backed corporations Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac; you’re current on your mortgage payments; the amount you owe on your first mortgage does not exceed 125 percent of the present value of your home; and you are able…