Home Improvement Blogs – Calgary

More Canadian homeowners are looking into residential solar power. Those concerned about the environment and who want to reduce their utility bills are looking into this sustainable source of energy.

Wondering how solar energy works in Calgary homes? Understand more about the benefits of home solar systems and why homeowners are interested in residential solar power to meet energy demands today.

Solar Energy is Clean Energy

Homeowners like the idea that they can tap into a sustainable source of energy and reduce their carbon footprint with "clean energy." The extraction, production and transportation of traditional sources of energy can create toxic by-products and damage the local environment where raw resources are being taken from. The

Choosing a new roof is a significant investment for most homeowners. With the right selection, people can enjoy decades of effective protection and a stylish appearance for the home. In recent years, homeowners have started to look more carefully at the energy efficiency and sustainability of the roofing materials they buy. Here are several common roofing options that are known to be the most efficient use of resources, with the ability for people to reuse or recycle them at the end.

Metal Roofing Material

For its durability, energy efficiency, and sustainability, metal roofing is widely considered the most green roofing material available. Although metal roofing materials comes from a finite resource, it can be recycled over and over again.

More than ever before home bathrooms are being constructed to be a place of escape and relaxation. Perhaps as a result, bathrooms are one of the most popular rooms of the home to remodel. Updating a bathroom with the latest features and fixtures can help improve comfort, safety and efficiency. Here are some of the latest bathroom trends to consider when thinking about remodeling a bathroom.

Green Fixtures

Eco-friendly bathroom fixtures help homeowners save money on utilities while also reducing their carbon footprint. Some of the most popular green bathroom updates include:

• Dual-flush toilets. These popular toilets with dual flush functions can save as much as 17,000 gallons of water every year.
• Recycled glass counters and tiles.

There are a number of injuries and tragedies humans are at risk for every day. Fire, poison, falling—all very real possibilities in the world but especially in the home. Yes, home is supposedly where one should feel the most, safe, but there are a number of risk factors that should be considered within the walls of a house. From fires to carbon monoxide poisoning, make sure to keep yourself safe and know what to do in an emergency.

Do You Have a Carbon Monoxide Alarm in Your Home?

While most people are aware of the importance of having smoke detectors in the home, not everyone has yet installed carbon monoxide alarms.. If you haven't yet taken the time to install this type of detector, the time is now to do it. These detectors can end up

Many people feel that the heart of any home can be found in the kitchen. It is a place of warmth, mouth watering aromas, and those special meals cooked with an extra bit of love. It is a place where family members come together at quiet gatherings, and school projects. A kitchen can also be a showcase which reveals your personality, and reflects the tone of your home or neighbourhood. Your kitchen can be reflected as being rustic, historical vintage or ultra modern with all the bells and whistles. If you want to update your kitchen, here are a few tips to help you achieve your goals.

Consider the Floor Plan First

The most important thing is to establish the floor plan of the kitchen. Once you’ve established the plan, you can always upgrade to

Does your roof need to be replaced? If so, there will be signs. It can be difficult for you to identify the signs you need a new roof, but knowing what to look for in an aging roof can help you decide when it's time to look into roof replacement. Here is an assortment of common problems for roofs to have that may mean you need a new roof and when to replace roofing.

Curling and Cracked Shingles

Shingles will begin to curl at the edges or crack when they are nearing the end of their service life. When this happens, water can more easily intrude beneath the shingle, leading to water intrusion over time. In addition to old age, shingle curing and cracking can be caused by strong winds, extreme temperatures, or animals trying to get beneath

The price of home upgrades often dictates which improvements homeowners can consider. People may not want to spend a great deal of money on updates that will not provide a fair justification for the homeowners through use, or after the sale of the home. However, the following methods of increasing energy efficiency still have an ideal return-on-investment for the people who have them, and some may even pay for themselves over time.

Assess Structural Efficiency

The efficiency of the systems in a Panorama Hills home can be helped or hindered significantly by the efficiency of the structure itself. What is energy efficiency? An example: many homes have air leaks, particularly surrounding doors and windows, that allow heated or cooled air to pass

Having a home landscaped is a great idea for a number of reasons. Whether the homeowner plans to live there and enjoy the look of their lawn and garden area, or they want to sell and make the home more attractive to buyers, landscaping can help. It's also an excellent way to keep property values higher, have a well-kept and nice looking home and yard, and provide the opportunity to enjoy the outdoors. But what should homeowners really know about landscaping? Here are some things to consider.

Should Homeowners Do Their Own Landscaping?

Doing their own landscaping can mean saving a lot of money over hiring a professional and can improve curb appeal when selling a home. But that's not always a good reason to DIY a landscaping project. Having the

The common wisdom is that you should go for neutral colours everywhere when trying to sell your home. Interior walls should be white to avoid putting someone off with a disagreeable colour. Rentals are painted white for this reason, right? However, Consumer Reports research on house colours and selling prices show that the common wisdom may just be wrong.

Exterior Colours and Curb Appeal

Buyers can come to a conclusion about a house in less than a minute. The curb appeal of an exterior paint colour can make up more than half of that first impression. This is why a fresh coat of paint in a colour that appeals to them can make all the difference in the chance at a quick sale. 

An exterior painted in shades of tan, gray or white can

Flooring is vital aspect of every home that is often forgotten about because it sits idly underfoot while supporting our every step. However, when it comes to investing in functional yet trendy floors taking the time to seriously consider the many home flooring options is a brilliant way to get optimal results. Homeowners looking for a few decorative flooring ideas to take traditional styles to a modern, contemporary level—read on.

Creative Concrete Flooring

Concrete floors gradually moved their way from being only visible within garages and sheds to becoming an increasingly trendy home flooring option. Though sometimes perceived as bland and unsightly,, concrete design has actually evolved concerning aesthetic possibilities. Today, concrete