Maryland and D.C. Home Improvement and Home Inspection discussion and Repair Advice

Valentine’s Day ideas for the Home: Home is where the heart is. Below are some home improvement projects to upgrade your castle and set the mood Baltimore, Maryland- For many of us at EFynch , Valentine’s day is more than just trying to impress someone. The Holiday is about the mutual enjoyment of spending time with that person. We spend most of our time together in our homes so why now take the opportunity to work together and improve it? Valentine’s Day is the perfect excuse to splurge and add a few accessories around your home that will add to the year-round ambience. Talk to your partner about this- instead of buying each other a small gift- maybe a “gift for the house” could be a great addition? Maybe the Valentine’s night can last a little longer with the right upgrades! Below are some ideas which we think are relatively easy and add to home comfort. Sound: For many, sound is one of the ultimate ways to stir up emotions. Whether you want to reminisce about a pas...

CLEARING YOUR HOME’S SIDEWALK: Does Salt really hurt? By EFynch, homeowner advice Baltimore, MD- Does salt really hurt the concrete around your home? The short answer, yes. The old fashioned rock salt is cheap and plentiful but in most cases can damage your concrete driveway, patio and sidewalk. Concrete is porous and when salt is applied it can be absorbed, freezes, etc.- causing flaking and cracking. If the concrete was done properly, the chances of this happening are reduced however in our estimation (based on gut feelings and not facts), 90% of the concrete that we see may be subject to salt degradation! There are also cases where too much salt can be applied to correctly cured concrete so therefore no sidewalk is immune- we recommend avoiding rock salt in any case where concrete (or pets) are present. As an alternative, you want to find a product which contains Calcium, Magnesium, Potassium Chloride or (the more expensive) Glycols as the main ingredient. There are...

The Silly Little Custom of Raising Windshield Wipers Before Snow: . . . and why you should be doing it!  (home tips from EFynch.com ) So, it's an old trend but recently seems to be picking up steam (or frost!). You pull into a parking lot or drive by your neighbor's house and the friendly wave of a windshield wiper can appear puzzling at first. Looking like the Charlie Brown Christmas Tree, the crooked slither of rubber and metal are gently raised- A sign of bad weather to come. But what purpose does it serve, and does it work? When it snows- ESPECIALLY here in Maryland and the Mid-Atlantic temperatures are often hovering around the freezing mark. At 32 degrees, precipitation comes in many forms but more than likely will harden after sitting on your windshield for a few moments. This creates a solid ice sheet. Something that can do 2 bad things to your car. 1. First, the ice can wreak havoc on your wipers. Your wiper blades are made from rubber and the freezi...

Now it's cold!- What is your home thinking?  Quick, no cost ways to winterize your home.  By: EFynch.com Well hello! Just like a thrown cup of cold water in the shower, the cold wind jolted me awake this morning while walking my dog at 5:30am. Winter has descended on Maryland with a fury and it seems like just last week you could stroll around Baltimore with a light jacket. If you haven't done so yet- you really need to make sure your home is winterized ASAP. We surveyed Pros and Seasoned Homeowners for this one. Below are the most common tips to do immediately which all are NO COST: Homeowner To Do List: 1. Winterize outdoor Faucets. ( 30 second video here ) 2. Inspect roof and gutters (look for water pooling, leaks, damage) from both the outside and from inside your attic. *even if you had them cleaned, try to give it a quick look. 3. Winterize outdoor equipment: (power equipment and HVAC)* 4. Test and/ or get repairs to snowblowers now (not in January).*...

Halftime Home Improvement Challenge: By: EFynch When I was younger I remember how Sundays revolved around football. Before any plan, project, trip, or visit was agreed too, the inevitable "what time is the game?" was always considered. But during Football Sunday, there was always another fun time. . . Halftime. Each Sunday, as halftime began, even before the players left the field, my Father and I were down in the garage. He already had a game plan in hand and there was always a task or challenge on our list to be that week's "Halftime Project". These times are something that I remember to this day because we literally took a break from watching a team play on TV, to being a part of our own team. We had a challenge and more often then not, they were so much fun that our 15 minute project would stray to 20 minutes or longer. It was that worth it! So without further ado, here is your guide to the Halftime Home Improvement Challenge. 1. Quick Paintin...

Posting the right Home Improvement bid request on EFynch . Communicating with a contractor and requesting a bid estimate can be simple. In order to get an accurate and best response, you just need the right mindset.  Below is an illustration we put together describing what is needed for your bid requests. Remember; Imagine you are going to do the work yourself. Include pictures and a description that walk a home pro through the project. Make sure to explaine the history and what is needed to identify the problem. Give measurements and be sure to describe the location of the repairs (including access to the work area).  If you have any of the materials or equipment already- take pictures of those as well! We are here to serve Maryland.   

HOW TO: Posting a new project on EFynch.com and get the best bids for your home. Thank you for choosing to post your new project on our community site for Maryland Homeowners. It really means a lot that you are working with us because we take Home Improvement very seriously. Your home is more than you investment, it is your castle and we want to help you treat it that way! Here are a few things to remember in order to get the best, and most accurate listing. 1. Pictures-  The more pictures you post the better. Take them from different angles and in bright light. Try to get pictures up close and far away- the Pro will also want to see the work area and access to give an accurate bid. 2. Descriptions- Don’t be shy if you don’t know accurate terminology- use the pictures and your words to best describe what you see.. Be sure to write anything and everything you can see, feel, touch, smell, and history of the problem. Also include details about your house overall (single ...