Kitchen Tile And Countertop Trends You Should Try In 2020

With the new year around the corner, you might be considering new ways to improve your kitchen’s look and feel. In that case, looking for new flooring and countertops in Fort Collins is a good start. Your flooring makes up a good portion of your kitchen area and adds to its look and feel. The countertop also grabs the attention of those who enter. The level of maintenance they need and the ease of installing them depends on the materials they are made out of. If you want your kitchen to look sleek and modern in 2020, here are some trends that you should try out:

Trendy Countertops

Quartz

First introduced as an alternative to granite, quartz remains a popular material when buying countertops in Fort Collins. It is a nonporous material so you don’t have to worry about moisture, stains or germs seeping into the surface and becoming a part of it. You don’t even need to reseal it as often as other materials. It comes in many beautiful colors and patterns that mimic the look of natural stone. It can be glossy and is much stronger and durable than most natural stones

Honed Surface

As people move towards tactile and textured surfaces, honed surfaces become popular. A honed finish is a matte with very little or no gloss despite a smooth surface. This style can be applied to granite, quartz and marble counters. Marble is best suited for this style due to its lack of shine conceals flaws and scratch marks with ease.

Leathery Surface

The leathered finish has emerged and become popular in recent years. It is a low sheen finish with less gloss from a polished surface. It retains the natural stone slab’s color, giving it a sophisticated feel. It also hides fingerprints and water spots well.

Veined Surface

Homeowners expect more character from their countertop surfaces which come easily with vein patterns. Veined surfaces add a natural feel with interesting and unique patterns. Manufacturers develop intricate patterns using veins to get this effect on quartz surfaces.

Trendy Flooring

Waterproof Laminate Flooring

Laminate flooring has always been a popular alternative for homeowners trying to get the look and feel of wood without the cost. You can enjoy additional benefits with waterproof laminate flooring. As the name suggests, these planks are waterproof, meaning they don’t let water seep through them, unlike real wood or laminate. This makes it safe for use in the kitchen in case of spillage. You can mop the floor to keep it in top shape.

Dark Grout

In the past, dark grout was limited to subway tiles but now it can be applied to other styles as well. They blend well with different colors and shades. You can apply grout of the same color as the tiling with a lighter shade to make it seem like they are popping out. When looking for tile in Fort Collins, do ask about dark-colored shades.

Trickling Patterns

It involves mixing two different styles in such a way that it looks like one style is trickling into the other. It’s popular to install wood flooring and tile in Fort Collins together. Hexagon tiles are popular as they give a honeycomb trickling effect. If you’d rather save money on wood or not worry about the maintenance, you can use laminate or ceramic tiles with wooden texture to create this pattern.

Reasons Why You Should Never Skip On A Yearly HVAC Maintenance

Heating, ventilation and air conditioning system or HVAC is one of the major units in your home that helps regulate the temperature and offers a lot of comforts. Your HVAC is running well and you haven’t thought about scheduling a regular checkup in a long time. Even though the HVAC system may seem to be running well, but there may be many underlying problems, you won’t know if you don’t get it checked regularly and it will eventually lead to bigger problems.

If you are facing problems with your HVAC, you can call the best AC repair in Port St. Lucie to fix the problem. Here, are some reasons why regular maintenance can be beneficial for your HVAC system.

Provide maximum comfort

Does your HVAC system not cool or warm like it used to before? This is a sign that you should get the unit serviced. A regular checkup ensures that all the components of the HVAC unit are running smoothly and are clean of dust and debris. This makes the system run smoothly without any discrepancy and thereby offers an optimum level of comfort.

Avoid sudden breakdowns and costly repairs

The worst time to discover a problem with your AC or furnace is during the peak summer and winter months. You do not want to suffer the harshness of the weather with a broken down HVAC unit. A regular checkup prevents such unexpected breakdowns ensuring that the unit will run smoothly all year round.

Also, HVAC repair is a costly affair and the more the number of repairs the more your expense. Yearly HVAC maintenance saves a lot of your money in the long run.

Protect your warranty

All HVAC units come with a warranty, but if you are thinking that your warranty will cover all the costly repairs and replacements than you need to think twice. An important term of the warranty is that a warranty is only applicable if you regularly maintain the HVAC unit. If you fail to show the maintenance slips then your warranty won’t hold up and you have to pay for the repair and replacements yourself. Regular maintenance not only keeps your AC running properly but also saves your warranty. Call the best AC repair in Port St. Lucie for regular ac maintenance.

Extends the life of your HVAC unit

Regular AC maintenance includes a lot of things. It includes cleaning the entire unit as well as making sure that all the components are running smoothly. Professional maintenance also includes the removal of blockages from the unit, replacing the air filters if necessary, lubricating the moving parts and cleaning the evaporator coils. All this prolongs the life span of the system and makes sure that the unit runs smoothly all year round.

Improves energy efficiency

Yearly maintenance makes sure that you get the most out of your air conditioner and furnace. When the HVAC unit is clean and free of any blockages or leaks, it runs at its peak performance. On the other hand, if your system is continually neglected it needs to do more work to heat or cool your room and thereby consume more energy. Whatever the reason be for increased energy consumption, regular maintenance will make sure that the problem is fixed and your AC runs in its optimum performance.

Protect your family

A faulty HVAC system does not only provide discomfort but can also be a source of electrical hazard. Leaks in the unit’s oil or gas lines or loose electric lines can pose big threats and is a major safety risk for you and your family. Regular HVAC maintenance makes sure that there are no oil or gas leaks, all the electrical connections are tightened properly and there are no issues with the electrical wiring which can cause a short circuit. Also, if there is a crack in the furnace’s heat exchanger, harmful carbon monoxide gas can escape from it, which is a big threat to your health. Professional maintenance ensures that all these problems are fixed and you are breathing clean and healthy air.

DIY Guide To Prepare Your Recreational Vehicle For Winter

After camping in your recreational vehicle throughout the summers, it’s time to give it a rest. But while it’s not in use, the vehicle is vulnerable to outside elements like wind, debris, snow, etc. that can damage it. You can protect it by storing it at an indoor RV storage in Stuart. But before you drive over there, you might want to take a few extra measures to prepare your vehicle for the winter. While many storages are climate controlled, there’s a chance that your motor coach’s plumbing system might freeze due to an unexpected power cut resulting in expensive repairs.

Steps To Winterize Your RV

• Drain Water

You can prevent the vehicle’s plumbing system from freezing by draining it of all moisture. This step excludes the heater, which can be drained only after applying the antifreeze. Here’s what you need to do:

• Drain the fresh water tank by opening the petcock.

• Drain the black and gray water holding tanks at the same time and dump its contents at a local dumping station. If the tanks don’t have a built-in cleaning system use proper cleaning products like a wand.

• Open the cold and hot water faucets for sinks, toilets and shower. Flush the toilet a few times to get rid of the water in the water lines. Remove the waterline drain caps to drain the water. You can connect a water pump to do it faster.

• Add Antifreeze To Plumbing

To further protect your plumbing, you need to add antifreeze. Pink one called GRAs is considered the safest for the task.

You need to drain the water before adding the agent. Don’t drain the heater until you add the agent because it may be hot or under pressure. You can add a compressed air adapter and a standard air compressor to pump the antifreeze into the system.

There are three ways of adding antifreeze to the plumbing, with a pump kit from the inside, with a hand pump from the outside or by bypassing the heater. Bypassing the water heater saves time and requires less antifreeze.

To bypass the heater, turn off the power and the water supply. Then disconnect the hot and cold lines and attach the bypass as instructed on the package. Close the water lines and open the bypass.

Place the disconnected pump tube into a jug of antifreeze. You will need 3 gallons with bypass and 10 gallons without it. Start the pump to introduce the agent into the system. Then turn on the taps and valves on. Flush the toilet until the antifreeze appears and pour a cup of it down each drain. Replace the jug as required.

Once this is done, reconnect the pipe to the freshwater tank and drain the heater at last.

• Clean Up

You are unlikely to use the motorcoach for months. You should remove all your valuable items and clothes before driving to the indoor RV storage in Stuart. You should also remove all food items to prevent it from stinking up the vehicle’s interior and attracting pests. If your motorcoach is a mess, clean it until all the stain and stench is gone.

• Check & Repair

Your motorcoach will be sitting inside RV storage in Stuart for a long time. This could worsen any problems the vehicle may have or lead to accidents. Check the coach for any problems and repair them if necessary before storing it.

• Install Pest Protection

Despite the level of cleanliness at the storage, there’s still a slight chance that a pest might infest the RV. Check your recreational vehicle for gaps like exhaust pipe, vents, etc. that rodents, birds and bugs can use to enter it. Cover the gaps with a mesh or other coverings as applicable before driving to the inside RV storage in Stuart.

After these steps, your RV should be ready for winter. You may cover it with a breathable cover to prevent dust, mold and mildew.