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

The Home Energy Saver We All Overlook: How Window Treatments can reduce your energy bids. Baltimore, MD- EFynch.com: Windows are one of the most overlooked energy monsters in your home. Although great advances have been made with increasing insulation value (yes, insulation is equally important for HOT as it is for COLD), the hot summer sun pummels your windows all day long. That heat literally turns anything it touches into a radiator which can cause your AC to run constantly as some indoor surfaces can top 130 degrees Fahrenheit! To battle this, a few years ago I spent time studying Passive Solar. The idea is you design your home to block out the summer sun but let it in during the winter (has to do with shutters and angles, besides the point). In this practice you use certain finishes in your home to capture the right heat .etc. etc.etc. . This is great but, it requires work and planning. If you are looking for changes that can have an effect right away- tomorrow- literally....

Late Spring Freeze: The Handyman and Homeowner Guide to Protecting Outdoor Landscaping in Maryland. What the homeowner should do with a late Spring Freeze/ Frost.   Baltimore, MD: Tonight (April 7th, 2017) and into Saturday morning, forecasters are calling for freezing temperatures possible throughout Central Maryland*. With the warm weather the past few days, many of us in the Baltimore and Washington D.C. have already begun outdoors landscaping for Spring. With a semi-rare Freeze Watch in place, there are a few measures that homeowners should take to help plants survive. The issue with a cold freeze and some plants is the inability for vegetable and flowers to withstand freezing water on a cellular level. As we know, when water freezes it expands and can break the sensitive cell structures. For certain plants, this is irreparable damage. Here is a quick reference on what you can do to prevent damage: 1: Sensitive plants in pots: Bring indoors. 2. Sensitive plants...

How to Prevent/ Rid/ and take care of Ticks. Maryland Tricks for Homeowners Baltimore, MD: I grew up around farms in Southern Maryland. Ticks were a normal part of life but now in suburban Baltimore (Timonium) I have a growing family and my opinion has changed. The population of Lyme Disease carrying, Deer Tick has exploded and the harmless “Dog Tick” I grew up burning with a match head is nowhere to be found (just my observation). Because of this, a general concern to rid our yards of Deer Ticks is valid (and recommended). Nearly 2% of Deer Ticks actually carry Lyme Disease in certain areas. Although not foolproof, here are some quick tips you can take and prevent ticks or tick nests from taking a residence around your yard. *Ticks love shade, moisture and places to hide. Keep this in mind and do the following to create a tick Hell! 1. Keep grass mowed and cut short: Tall grass is ideal for ticks, mice and other animals. It hold moisture, allows for a place to hide (i.e....

How EFynch Weekly Deals Help the Homeowner: By: EFynch.com (Baltimore, MD) Each week EFynch works hard to bring relevant, money saving deals for our Maryland Homeowner Members. These deals typically include normal services like: - Power Washing - Handyman 3 hour packages - Gutter Cleaning - Snow Removal - Mulch Delivery - etc. We also try to provide some unique services which may go overlooked like: - Mailbox Post Replacement - Flower and Garden Box Install- coming soon :) - Smoke Alarm Battery Replacement - Dryer Vent Cleaning These are all common things us homeowners need and are things we should consider. So how do we get these deals? The truth is we sometimes just “wing it”. For the most part we pay attention to our own homes and speak with our professionals. They recommend services that are starting to trend because of seasonality. These take priority but we also look for unique ideas. What can make your home more enjoyable or something we see on TV that is awesome, but not ...

*do not be this guy and approach a downed power line. What to do during power outages: Home Tips from EFynch Baltimore, Maryland: It is the dead of winter and your power goes out. What are you supposed to do? Depending on the length that the power is off and the time of day- you should prepare for the worst. Once night falls, weather always tends to worsen plus repair work will move slower. You can expect being without power for the long haul. In modern times it is hard to think about shelter and surviving but cut the power to your home with a blizzard outside, I promise the primitive concerns we take for granted become front and center. (PLEASE TAKE THIS AS A SERIOUS MESSAGE). In the event the power is off and you do not foresee an immediate return. We recommend you do the following: 1. Monitor the temperature inside your home. If it goes below 50 degrees, you should immediately perform a “quick winterize”- information on this will be posted soon. 2. If you have n...

Hey Fynches ! Here in Baltimore/ Washington we are expecting an old fashion Nor’Easter on Tuesday with accumulations upwards of 12”.  We are not one to panic BUT, a snow this late in winter typically is WET and HEAVY. Forecasters are also expecting strong winds and potential for structural damage, downed trees, and power outages will be present. Below are some tips that we recommend every homeowner take before Tuesday. Before the storm, we recommend you do the following:         - Inspect the underside of your roof (check attic): Any damage or signs of leaking should be treated as an emergency and repaired immediately. Do a visual inspection outside: Gutters, deck, etc.         - Organize shovels and winter clothing: If you power goes out- sleeping bags, and blankets by the fireplace are key.         - Cooking: Lighters, bbq grill or camp stove (with full tank of fuel) are useful if power g...

Early March (Pre Spring) Guide for Outdoor Planting and Landscaping. By: EFynch.com Baltimore, Maryland- In the spring, we all tend to turn our focus from the local Handyman and repairs over to Landscaping around your house. Here in Baltimore and Washington D.C. we have certainly started to see glimmers of Spring. Behold- as I look at the weather forecast there is not one,,, but TWO potential winter storm events in the forecast. One for Friday (3/8/17) and one early next week. We don't know if these will be significant but it does prove the need for us to hold off on planting in our gardens just yet. For now- here are EFynch recommendations for outdoor related project: - Mulch Flowerbeds: If no new planting is being considered, go ahead and mulch now. Landscapers are mostly still on "winter rates" and you can save a bundle. In fact- utilize the EFynch Mulch/ landscape Deal which provides Mulch Delivery in Baltimore County for a limited time and as low as $50. ...