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

"I am just gonna work on the refrigerator, Honey." Baltimore, MD: August is a light month for maintenance. It is hot, dry, and who wants to work outside! but there is one VERY important item. Besides the list of homeowner tips from EFynch- we HIGHLY recommend that you use this month to start thinking about winter and different tasks that, if performed now, can save you money and scheduling stress as Autumn is just around the corner. Hot Today but ice is coming. Think ahead to save $ 1. Take a walk around your home and think about winter.  - Is your driveway properly sealed? - Do you need to have your deck redone? - Gutters/ Roof in good shape (gutter guards)? Now is NOT yet the time for furnace work (wait until next month), but as we approach autumn, some of the specialized services might begin closing out their schedules for the season (eg. driveway sealers). It might be a good idea to get a jump on this work to beat the rush and avoid paying Peak Pricing. ...

Article distributed by EFynch.com . Maryland's Home Improvement community for advice, tips, tricks, and project organization. Columbia, MD: Fans are one of life's pleasures and they can change a room adding to the the value you get out of the living space. Any homeowner will tell you that a fan installation is a seriously great upgrade. They help so many of us sleep at night, keep cool in the summer, and can reduce your energy bills significantly when used properly. But, did you know you home ceiling fan works in 2 directions? Did you know you should change it depending on the season? Do you know if your fan is spinning in the right direction and when moving right, can reduce your cooling/ heating bills by 40%? Below is the proper direction to spin, and when to switch: Summer: Heat rises. So, in the summer, the air near your ceiling is warm and the lower you go (eg. your basement), the cooler it gets. This means that (in theory), the air below your waist is cold...

Happy Independence Day from EFynch : June Home Improvement Tips.  It's June, it's hot, it's Summer in Baltimore and Washington D.C.:)  Below are the monthly maintenance tips from EFynch- the handyman and home improvement, resource that helps you stay on tops of items that cost other homeowners in future damages. Summer is a busy time in the home improvement industry. Many handymen and contractors are jammed pack but it is a good time to have small items taken care of- which will save money. Most Pros schedule bigger projects during these months. If you have a big project, you may have noticed it is hard to get on schedule. This makes the mark up on big projects greater during this time of year. However, in between big projects, contractors struggle to fill the downtime. They have to either (1) mark up the prices of the big projects, or (2) find filler work.   This is where EFynch excels. Not only can we help you find the pro that might have a ...

(Baltimore, MD) EFynch.com: We built EFynch to be the website for "The Little Man" (as Alan Jackson sang about in 1998, video ). A place where the average homeowner can hire the local handyman, who puts their name on both their handshake, and the work being performed. Ratings are a big part of our system and we are constantly working to improve this system.  EFynch ratings are one of the few online rating systems that are 100% verified. No fake ratings, no paid ratings, no deleted ratings.  1. How do you rate?   You have to use EFynch Escrow in order to rate a contractor.  Escrow offers both you and the contractor protection and reliability in payment processing, and security. No deposits, no risks, only released when you accept job completion. It is also the only way we verify that only ratings are posted for jobs completed. So EFynch escrow holds each and every contractor accountable-- insist upon it. 2. What if I get a bidder with no rati...

By: EFynch.com : Baltimore's Handyman and Homeowner Community Can mowing to short ruin your yard? Can letting it grow too high become a haven for pests? The answer to both is YES. Just like the Goldilocks , you have to find the perfect sweet spot because anything outside the acceptable "norm" is going to be a bear of a problem. One may think that cutting the grass extremely low will extend the time between cuts. Instead, you are actually creating a haven for weeds- which grow quicker and will offset the "extra growing height" you've allotted for. Why not too short: A homeowner who mows too short will damage the grass, weakening it's ability to fight off disease, weeds, foot traffic, or the occasional bear skat (or other outdoor animal). When you mow too low, not only do you rip away a majority of the grasses moisture, but you also allow more sunlight and airflow to evaporate and dry the ground. This is bad for grass, good for weeds. Also, ...

Monthly tips by: EFynch.com: Property Management for every Homeowner.  Baltimore MD : Summer is finally upon us. After a full BOATLOAD of rain, we can get back on our monthly maintenance tips. Taking care of your home is important and missed tasks can cause future problems. It is important to stay on top of regular chores in order to prevent problems and that is what we hope you get from our monthly tips. In case you missed it: Here is a link for our "rainy weekend" ideas. Below is the work for June! 1. Replace Air Filters Replacing your air filters should be done every 2 months. It is extremely important during the summer to help with pollen. During the humid days, it can also reduce the amount of mold spores that could spread through your duct system. 2. Check Summer Emergency Storm Kit  Not at intricate as your winter survival kit, summer emergency packs should focus on comfort and safety (whereas winter assumes you might be stuck at home, in su...

Posted by: Baltimore Maryland Handyman Community, EFynch.com Baltimore, MD: It is no mystery why hiring a handyman can be so stressful. Simply put, as homeowners, we never know if we are getting the right person or the right deal. In this blog we've spoken about the problems and issues that have come from using Social Media, and some of our competitor sites. Not going into detail, but finding non-biased reviews and recommendations, and knowing that a contractor didn't pay to be "on top" or hide bad work is a top priority for homeowners. It is for EFynch as well, and that is why we have some of the toughest standards for customer reviews. But, however tough they may be, they are important and they are actually pretty easy to post. Contractor's rely on your ratings and fellow homeowner and buyer rely on you shared experiences. We ask you to please consider this and rate/ review anyone you hire. 1. In order to review, you MUST use EFynch Escrow.      why: ...