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Summertime means your shed transforms from a useful place to store tools or a relaxing space to escape into a backyard oven. There are a few modifications you can make to your shed that will help keep your space cool all summer long. Lighter Wood Darker shades absorb more heat, and will significantly raise the temperature inside your shed. Painting your shed a lighter color or replacing dark shingles with colors such as white, beige or light gray will help keep the space cooler. Because of their color, your new shingles may last longer against expanding and contracting in the summer sun. Overhead Shade Planting a tree isn’t just good for the environment, but also for the temperature of your property. Planting a tree near your shed will block it from direct sunlight and provide a barrier from heat. Be sure to not plant too close to your shed to avoid tree roots from growing into the structure of your shed. If you do not want to plant new greenery on your property, consider moving your shed to an already existing shady area of your yard. Insulation Making sure your shed is well-insulated will ensure that it stays cool in

When our homes are messy, we tend to feel overwhelmed and anxious. Laundry rooms are usually one of the smaller areas of a home, and they can turn into a storm of strewn clothes, hangers, and fabric softeners pretty quickly. Clean More Than Your Clothes This Spring Spring is the perfect time to organize your home to work with your busy social calendar, and ensure that you can spend more time outside rather than inside constantly searching for that laundry detergent bottle or the shirt you wanted to wear to dinner. Here are our top hacks for making the most out of your laundry room. Under the Sink Shelf Instead of storing products on the floor and having to move them when you mop, install a small shelf underneath your sink. This adds additional storage without taking up a large amount of additional space in your laundry or utility room. Washer and Dryer Shelf If you have detergent bottles, bleach, and other products spread across the top of your washer and dryer set, it can get messy pretty quickly. Installing a simple shelf over your washer and dryer will give a home to those products. Line the bottom of your

Natural Gas: A Utility and a Danger Gas lines bring clean-burning and efficient natural gas to many appliances throughout your home. When installed correctly, natural gas is very safe to use, reliable, and relatively green. However, when a gas line is hooked up improperly or when damage occurs, the threat of a natural gas leak increases, which is very dangerous for your entire family. Below are five of the top signs that may suggest your gas line is in need of a repair. You smell rotten eggs. Natural gas has a strong, unfavorable odor that is very similar to rotten eggs. If you begin to smell gas in your home, shut your gas line off and call your utility company immediately. Dying plants and vegetation. If your plants are withering or showing signs of decomposing without you changing their care routine, it may be a sign that natural gas is leaking in your home and is poisoning your indoor plants. Spike in your gas bill. Taking a look at your monthly gas bill is a good way to ensure there are no surprising spikes in how much gas you are using. If you feel your bill seems too high in

  The United States has 20 million miles of underground utilities, yet millions of Americans have no idea where their sewer line is located on their property.  Often, new sewer lines are hidden in tucked away locations after they have been replaced, and it requires special technology to locate them.   What Is Pipeline Locating? Pipeline locating utilizes tools that pinpoint the area of an underground utility before digging even begins. Locating a pipeline before going underground is important to prevent accidents. At Levine & Sons, we use custom pipe locator cameras that employ sonar-based tracking to pinpoint the exact location of a pipeline in a customer’s yard. Not only is this process efficient, but it is also cost-effective for the consumer. Why is it Important? Using cameras eliminates the risk of damaging basic services in your home, business, or local community. In developed communities, the risk of hitting a pipeline by accident is increased by the density of the population. Because keeping accurate records on underground utilities was not always a general practice, older buildings and homes may not have information about underground sewer lines readily available, thus making the need for a professional much greater.   At Levine

  There’s something about doing a home project yourself that makes the end result more enjoyable, but some projects are better left to the professionals. Handling unsafe jobs such as mold in your bathroom or a large remodeling project can cause more stress than satisfaction as they may cause harm to your family or your health.   Here are some of the things you should never touch in your house:   1. Mold. If you smell mold but cannot find it, it’s time to call a specialist to survey your home. It is especially important to make sure that the mold is completely removed from your home by a professional if you have a family member with a mold allergy.  If there is mold present in your home, there is a chance that moisture has or will create structural problems, and a contractor should be consulted as soon as possible. 2. Asbestos. Usually present in older homes, asbestos is dangerous to your health and should always be removed by a professional. No amount of exposure is safe, but asbestos generally has serious effects on a home when a family is exposed to it on a regular basis over a long

May is National Water Safety Month and let’s face it — most of us take clean water for granted. Although we sometimes consider it a basic necessity, water goes through a series of complex processes before it’s considered safe for everyday use. In order to keep contaminated water out of your home, backflow devices are often installed and we have them to thank for keeping our water fresh and our bodies healthy.   What is Backflow and is it Dangerous? Ever turn on the faucet only to see brown, dirty water coming out? It can certainly be alarming and it’s a clear indication that something is wrong with your plumbing system. This often comes as a result of a significant pressure decrease in your plumbing which can allow backflow, or contaminated, undrinkable water to enter your home. In simpler terms, backflow happens when contaminated water mixes with the portable water supply in your home or commercial business. What are Some Common Problems with Backflow Devices? They don’t last forever, unfortunately and when they fail, you can be left with dirty water that can be detrimental to your health. So, how long do they typically last? The lifespan of a backflow

Ah, springtime. The colder weather is finally behind us, temperatures are on the rise and the days are getting longer. Most people can’t wait for spring to arrive, unless you suffer from allergies. April, May and June are great months of the year for lots of people, but they can be severely dreaded for those who find themselves coughing, sneezing and scratching uncontrollably. Well, if you fall into the latter category, there’s good news! These air purifiers and humidifiers are designed to help make you feel better.   Air Purifiers There are great models on the market from brands like Blueair, Honeywell, Hamilton Beach and Levoit, and we also recommend GermGuardian and PureZone. Prices vary based on features and operating performance, but chances are, there’s a model that will meet your needs and your budget. Just keep in mind that you’ll want to look for an air purifier that removes as close to 100% of airborne pollutants and chemicals as possible, and make sure your allergy trigger is listed as well. Some additional features to consider include smart operation modes and wifi capabilities. Humidifiers This topic can be a bit tricky, especially as we get closer to summer. If you’re

April showers bring May flowers. We’re sure you’ve heard the saying, but we all know that meteorologists aren’t always spot on and that means heavy spring rains can hit at just about any time. Sure, sump pumps are one of the most effective ways to fight back against flooding, but there are plenty of other great ways to deal with stormwater, and lots of them look pretty good, too!   Swales These depressions are designed to follow the contour at the base of a slope and they can be natural or man-made. They do a wonderful job at channeling water and filtering runoff by allowing it to sink into the nearby soil. Swales often help transport gutter runoff from the house to a dry well close-by, or by carrying stormwater along the base of a hill so the house remains unscathed. Rain Gardens While swales act as travel routes for stormwater, rain gardens act as the destination for the water. They are often built at low points of the yard and incorporate fast-draining soil in order to promote plant growth. In simple terms, a raid garden is a win-win. It serves as a place for stormwater to collect, while promoting

Ever walk into your home only to be smacked in the face by the smell of rotten eggs? You head straight into the kitchen and open up the refrigerator to find out where the smell is coming from, but you realize you don’t even have any eggs left. What could that smell be? There’s a good chance there’s a gas leak somewhere in or around your home.   Natural gas is commonly used for heat, hot water and a number of appliances in homes across the area and it does make life a lot easier in lots of cases. But if a gas line is leaking, it can quickly transform your life into a living nightmare. Be extra alert for the five inconspicuous signs of a gas leak, below: Foul Odors: the smell of natural gas is commonly compared to that of rotten eggs or sulfur. If you smell either, and eggs haven’t been cooked in a few hours, you could have a problem on your hands.  Strange Sounds: notice hissing or whistling noises as you get near a gas line? This could mean gas is leaking out and is filling your home or yard.  Broken Connections: sometimes, you’ll be

When it comes to drain cleaning, you’ve probably heard of the traditional methods of drain snakes, chemical drain cleaners, and environmentally-friendly baking soda and vinegar mixtures. But what if we told you that there is another form of drain cleaning that not only is environmentally-friendly but often more effective as well? High pressure water jetting may be the solution you need to flush out your sewer lines so your water can return to an efficient flow.   What is High Pressure Water Jetting? As the name implies, this method of drain cleaning uses a stiff hose and special spout to shoot water through your sewer lines at a highly-pressurized rate. It is often used in tandem with electronic cabling to cut through just about anything clogging your pipes — seriously, from roots to waste to sanitary items, high pressure water jetting can essentially do it all. Can I Use High Pressure Water Jetting for My Plumbing? Unfortunately, not every home is best suited for high pressure water jetting. It’s essential to have a professional plumber inspect your sewer lines and the surrounding area in order to know if you’re plumbing is the right fit for this method of drain cleaning.  That

While you probably love the warmer weather and longer days spring brings, you probably aren’t a big fan of the allergies that come with them. If you’re like most people, one of the first things you reach for when your allergies start acting up are nasal sprays. But sometimes you have to wonder, are those nasal sprays bad for your health? Types of Nasal Sprays Saline Sprays These nasal sprays are essentially just made up of salt water and flush out allergens, in addition to other irritating particles from your nose and sinuses. Just like a humidifier adds moisture to your home, saline sprays moisturize your nose. It isn’t harmful to use this type of spray regularly, especially when your nose feels dry and irritated during the spring. Decongestants Unlike saline sprays, decongestant nose sprays are not always safe to use. While these sprays provide relief for stuffy, clogged sinuses, overuse of them will cause a rebound effect and essentially make them ineffective for future use. Sometimes, depending on the ingredients in the spray, you can actually become addicted to these sprays, making them very bad for your overall health. How to Remedy Spring Allergies While there isn’t really a