Tag Archives: home repair

Wooden deck refinishing

Wooden Deck Refinishing & Cleaning

Do you want your deck to go from looking ordinary to great, or even from great to amazing? If so, this guide on wooden deck refinishing and cleaning is exactly what you need! Wood is the industry leader in outdoor deck design by a significant margin, but its primary drawback is its inevitable warping over time. By taking proper care of it and getting it professionally refinished, you can cut your losses and have your deck looking even better than new!

What You Need to Know About Deck Refinishing

Why refinish your deck? First of all, it will look great. In addition, proper cleaning and refinishing will protect your wood and extend its lifespan. This translates into a fantastic resale value on your home, making deck refinishing one of the top investments for resale.

1. Inspecting Your Deck

The first step is inspecting your deck for any marks, cracks, rots and warping that may have occurred since you installed it. If any boards are loose or you notice any rot that you cannot repair yourself, then hire a contractor to fix or replace these parts of your deck.

2. Preliminary Cleaning

Next, clean your deck with an oxygenated cleaning solution such as DEFY Wood Cleaner. Oxygenated cleaners are preferable to bleach, which don’t actually remove stains per se. In addition, an oxygenated cleaner will remove mildew as well as sun staining.

3. Power Washing Your Deck

The next phase in deck refinishing is power washing (assuming you do not want your deck repainted, which is an entirely separate process that will be addressed in the future). As you go about this, it is extremely important to choose the right pressure (as too much will wreck your deck):

  • For softer lumber materials, a pressure setting of about 500 – 600 psi should be good.
  • Harder wood, such as wood composites, will require more pressure. Adjust your pressure setting accordingly, but go no higher than about 1300 psi.

4. Sanding Your Deck

Power washing will raise the wooden fibers on your deck, which will dry into splinters. For this reason, it is essential that you sand your deck before it completely dries. Using a mechanical, random orbital sander will work best, and be sure to use a grit that is thick enought to penetrate the fibers.

5. Staining Your Deck

The final phase in the deck refinishing process is staining your deck. Browse a home improvement store and ask your contractor for recommendations on choosing both the stain and which brush will work best with your deck. Then, wait 2 days for your deck to thoroughly dry before you apply the staining (as water will prevent the oil-based stain from absorbing properly). Apply the stain evenly, going plank by plank, and voila! You have a refinished deck that looks cleaner and better than it did when you first installed it!

HVAC repair and maintenance

HVAC Repair and Maintenance Tips

Heat may not be a top concern in the humid, muggy environment of South Florida, but central air conditioning certainly is! Your central air conditioner’s condensing unit, among other components of your Heating, Ventilation & Air Conditioning (HVAC) system, needs regular care in order to function properly. If you value cool air and comfort in your home, then pay attention to the following HVAC repair and maintenance tips!

How To Repair & Maintain Your HVAC System

Fortunately, there are plenty of HVAC repairs that are easy and can be done on your own. Follow these steps to maintain your condensing unit on at least an annual basis, and call your local home repair service for any other HVAC repair and maintenance you need!

Shut Off the Power

First, you will need to shut off the condensing unit’s power supply. Open the switch box, which should be located next to the unit outside your house. Depending on the make and model of your condensing unit, you will need to do one of the following:

  • Unplug the box
  • Remove the fuse plug
  • Hit the switch that shuts down the power

You should also turn off the main service panel (which you may have repaired when investing for resale) and wait a few minutes to allow the charge to dissipate before moving forward.

Lubricate the Motor

There will be protective grilles on the side that must also be removed. Unscrew the top and side panels and pull the grille away. Do not remove it, but rather support it on top of the fan lightly and carefully. Then, drop some lubricating oil into the ports located above the fan blade.

Clean the Coils

The next phase of HVAC repair and maintenance is cleaning the condenser coils. Be sure not to bend or warp them as you are clearing away any leaves, sticks or dust. Using a soft bristle head attachment, also vacuum the exteriors of the coil fins and also any debris on the bottom of your condensing unit. Use a hose with a gun to lightly wash the inside of the coils.

Finishing Touches

Finally, reposition the grille covers and make sure your unit sits level with the ground. Use a leveling tool and if it is not level, adjust the feet to make it so. Once your unit is level, wait about 3 hours before you turn the power back on. Reconnect the switch and turn on the service panel. Turn your unit to cool — and voila! Cold air for everyone in your house to enjoy!

Sale after interior home repair

Interior Home Repair: Investing for Resale

Are you thinking about reselling your home? Whether it’s for now or you are planing ahead, it’s always a smart decision to invest in interior home repair. Practical (rather than aesthetic) remodeling projects demand the highest return on investment, and home repair is no different. It goes without saying that a dilapidated house will turn away potential buyers. Optimism in the housing market notwithstanding, make sure you’ve left nothing defective when you’re preparing your home for resale.

House Sellers’ Guide to Interior Home Repair

Home repair is important regardless of your plans to sell your home. However, putting it on the market should make repairs even more salient. Here are 10 top-priority projects to work on before you nail the “For Sale” sign into the lawn.

Basement

Wet basements are a common problem in rainy, humid South Florida. Make sure your basement is properly insulated and your runoff is far away from your house to prevent any leaks into the downstairs.

Circuit Breaker Safety

Making sure your circuit breaker is (a) correct and (b) properly functioning is not merely a matter of safety, but also law. Ground-Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) outlets, which disconnect unbalanced conductors, are required in all residential bathrooms and kitchen countertops, so make sure you have one.

Drywall

Being one of the most obvious interior home repair concerns, holes or cracks in the wall are seldom unattended to. Nevertheless, it bears mentioning to scour your home for any damaged drywall that potential buyers may notice.

Electric Power Panel

No home inspector worth his or her salt will skip over your house’s electric power panel, so make sure it’s clean, free of broken fuses, etc. You may even want to consider upgrading your panel and factoring it into the resale value.

Garbage Disposals

Garbage disposals pose a major problem if they are not working properly. Even if it is working, make sure your disposal is also clean and there are no foul odors emanating from it. Don’t try to run any thin films (such as potato skins), and clear away grease with a simple vinegar and baking soda solution.

HVAC

With South Florida being as hot and humid as it is, you can be sure that both buyers and inspectors will investigate your air conditioning system. Hot temperature will be the first thing they notice upon entry, so invest the time into this interior home repair immediately.

Paint

Any paint that is cracked, faded, or discolored will greatly reduce the appeal of your home and should be attended to as soon as possible.

Plumbing Leaks

Leaking faucets and fixtures will cause odors and also lead to mold if they are in dark, secluded areas. Since most pipes are within the walls of your home, consider at least getting an inspection by a professional plumber.

Waste Lines

There are also sewage lines that run outside your home: namely, waste lines. Make sure your lets are draining and your septic tank is not leaking. If you have a drain snake on hand, use it to unclog anything that is obstructing the waste lines’ flow.

Water Heater

Lastly, ensure that your water heater is free of any sediment and is properly doing its job. A particularly important task will be replacing the sacrificial node of your water heater, and don’t hesitate to call a professional if you cannot fix your heater on your own.

Roof Leak Repair

Roof Leak Repairs & Troubleshooting Tips

Few things in life are more frustrating than roof leaks. And given South Florida’s status as the rain and hurricane capital of the nation, few homeowners have yet to experience this headache. The good news is that roof leak repairs are simple to get through. With the proper guidance, you can troubleshoot your way through almost any leak and fix it on your own.

Roof Leak Repairs 101

There are any number of reasons your roof may be leaking: improper installations, mage that has remained hidden or neglected for too long, etc. Nevertheless, the problem will usually boil down to a single issue in 9 out of 10 cases: flashing.

Flashing & Roof Leak Repairs

For those who are unfamiliar with the term, “flashing” is the primary form of waterproofing roofs. A flashing material (be it aluminum, steel or another metal) is installed in certain areas, such as seams and joints in the roofing, where water naturally flows toward. In so doing, flashing deflects the runoff and prevents leaks. Flashing that is not installed or maintained correctly is usually the prime suspect in a case of a leaking roof.

Troubleshooting Roof Leaks Repairs

You will want to identify the exact source of defective flashing on your roof, which can be any number of the following points.

Chimneys

A prime indication that your chimney’s flashing needs repair is when water stains are concentrated on the ceiling but away from the walls. The problem may be that:

  • The flashing material has been dented or bent
  • The metal has begun to rust
  • Your roof itself may have a loose brick

Roof Valley

As mentioned before, water naturally gravitates toward the vertex of downward sloping planes. If you notice the leak on your ceiling below a valley, then it should be the focus of your roof leak repair. You should make sure the underlayment of your valley’s flashing is properly overlapped by higher flashing (check with the manufacturer for specific measurements). Also, ensure that the underlayment was not installed too closely to the valley itself.

Vents

Some houses also have plumbing vents installed on their roofs. If you do, make sure the vents are properly flashed with rubber or metal. If lack any flashing on your vents, then make sure you hire a professional contractor to install on for you.

Dark and wet basement

Wet Basements: Problems & Solutions

There are few things in life more nerve-wracking than a wet basement. By “wet,” we don’t necessarily mean a basement that has flooded. That would be stressful enough, yet easy to fix with a wet vacuum. Rather, wet means damp — just wet enough to cause odors and mold, yet not enough to easily fix with everyday appliances.

Why Basements Get Wet in Florida

Wet basements are fairly common in Florida. While in other places they may be caused by the melting of wet snow, in Florida they are due to the pervasive rain and humidity. If the basement of your South Florida home is wet, one of two culprits is usually to blame: condensation or runoff.

Condensation

The Problem

It’s easy to see how condensation may lead to wet basements (especially in Florida), where the air is particularly humid. Condensation is the opposite of evaporation (liquid turning into vapor due to heat). Moist air leaks from the warm outdoors into the cool indoors whose walls and pipes lack sufficient insulation. It turns from vapor into liquid again, manifesting as puddles or droplets on the floor.

The Solution

A basement that is wet from condensation must be dealt with immediately to prevent mold, mildew, rust, and a whole host of other problems. The first thing you should do is open any windows and turn all the fans on in the basement. For problems of a larger scale, you may even want to invest in a dehumidifier.

The key to avoiding condensation is maintaining a balanced temperature between the indoors and outdoors. As stated above, a major cause is lack of insulation, so make sure to have your local home maintenance service perform an installation.

Runoff

The Problem

Being the state that rarely stops raining, it is no surprise that Florida is also home to many a wet basement caused by runoff. Many may wonder, “But isn’t that what downspouts are for?” The answer is yes, that is exactly what gutters and spouts are for. However, they have to be in good shape in order to effectively divert rain runoff from your home and your basement.

The Solution

  • Make sure your downspout isn’t clogged, as the overflow can easily send water leaking into your basement.
  • As mentioned in our post about installing interlocking paver stones, effective runoff requires a slope of at least 1 vertical inch for every 1 foot away from your house. Grab a measuring tape and make sure your slope is consistent with these measurements.
  • It may be the case that your wet basement’s foundation is leaking. Check your local hardware store to see which caulk would be most effective for patching it up, given its material and the size of any cracks in it.
kitchen remodeling in Boca West

Boca West Home Services

Boca West home services are a vital part of luxury living in this beautiful Boca Raton development. Even if CCM did not build your house, we are here to service anything it needs at any time. This includes renovation, remodeling, home repair, maintenance, and more!

Boca West Home Improvement Services

Boca West is a a planned development and country club in the South Florida paradise of Boca Raton. For the 3,000 people that call it home, renovation, maintenance and repair are absolute necessities. Nothing spoils life in your luxury house like a light that needs repair or a faucet that’s leaking. Fortunately, CCM is here to attend to anything your home needs.

Boca West Renovation Renovation & Remodeling

Renovation and remodeling are at the core of the Boca West home improvement services that CCM offers. We can repair or renew your old home, add something new, or both! Two of the most popular home services requested in Boca West are kitchen and bathroom remodeling. Here is what we can do for your kitchen and/or bathroom.

Kitchen Remodeling

kitchen remodeling in Boca West

Boca West kitchen remodeling with CCM can make your kitchen look like revitalized and personal!

CCM will help you update or refurbish your kitchen. Some ideas for your Boca West kitchen remodeling are:

  • Add mosaic tiles
  • For more sophisticated countertops, remodel them with granite or marble
  • For more stylish countertops, remodel them with stainless steel or limestone
  • Install racks and drawers for all your utensils and cookware
  • Maximize storage space with your cabinets
  • Choose vibrant colors to make your kitchen unique and personal

Bathroom Remodeling

Bathroom remodeling is also a core Boca West home service that CCM provides. Some of our most popular bathroom remodeling services include:

  • Environmentally efficient plumbing fixtures and shower heads
  • Double vanities to add more storage
  • Retiling your bathroom floor
  • Stone or granite tiles for your shower
  • Adding color and panache to your counter and walls to make your bathroom truly elegant

Boca West Home Repair & Maintenance

Home repair and maintenance are another type of our Boca West home services. They can be just as vital as kitchen and/or bathroom remodeling. For Boca West home repair and maintenance, we can fix, maintain or repair any part of your house.

Boca West Home Repair

home repair in Boca West

Whether it’s repair or home additions, CCM will take care of all your Boca West home service needs!

Our Boca West home repairs are always convenient and efficient, and we get your home running in tip-top shape in no time. Here are some of the most popular home repairs we offer:

  • Air conditioning repair
  • Plumbing repair
  • Retiling
  • Window and door repair

No matter how bad you think your home might be, we work hard to return it to the luxury home of your dreams!

Boca West Home Maintenance

With our home maintenance in Boca West, we can improve or upgrade your home in any way you wish. This often means:

  • Building patios, decks and walkways
  • Hurricane-proofing your windows and doors with impact resistant material
  • Landscaping you exterior
  • Making your home more environmentally and energy efficient.
  • Repainting and re-tiling any area of your house.