Birds: Truly one of nature’s most majestic creatures. Elegant. Graceful. Resourceful. Often beautiful. And an absolute five-alarm migraine and costly nuisance if they decide to call your house their home and favorite daytime hangout spot. And birds love roofs, decks, ledges and gutters almost as much as they love worms. “Unfortunately, if birds use your […]
While not Tornado Alley, any longtime Iowan can tell you the Hawkeye State has been a Bulls-Eye target of many monster storms. For folks in Cedar Rapids, nightmares of the derecho of 2020 (which left a record-setting damage path of $11 billion in its wake) are everywhere. And Mother Nature has been targeting Iowa with […]
The No. 1 Question Every American Homeowner Will Likely Never Ask Themselves This Summer: “Hmmm, Is My Dehumidifier Safe?” With all the things to enjoy in Iowa this summer, it’s easy to overlook one of the most underappreciated of household appliances. Simply put, dehumidifiers are air purifying rock stars. They keep the air we breathe […]
Reader Advisory: Today we will be discussing a smelly, disgusting and costly subject, but, alas, it’s a grim matter no home owner can afford to ignore, or just plug their nose to. Sewer lines are the all-important channel that removes wastewater from your home. When sewer lines become blocked, the obstruction prevents wastewater from flowing […]
In the blink of a lazy eye, the Christmas carols stopped, the Christmas lights went dark and nobody was dreaming of a White Christmas anymore. It was as if Ebenezer Scrooge was suddenly hosting Christmas. Even the Grinch thought this was a rotten turn for the most festive time of the year. Nothing destroys the […]
Somewhere in Iowa today, a homeowner is taking an autumn afternoon siesta as beautiful leaves fall and unsuspectedly drift into his gutters. Somewhere in Iowa today, a homeowner is enjoying the latest Harlan Coben novel while that Post-It Note reminding her to check on the state of her exterior plumping and pipes remains unread on […]
The question every homeowner must answer: How solid is your foundation? The foundation of any home or building, the oldest saying in construction warns, must be built on solid ground. These days, it can be difficult for residential home and commercial building owners to know for sure just how strong the foundation holding their most […]
“In the spring I have counted one hundred and thirty-six kinds of weather inside of four and twenty hours.” Author Mark Twain Bob Segar’s classic rocker “Against The Wind” is not a soundtrack any Iowa homeowner wants to have playing as they inspect their home for damage following a spring storm. If there’s one gospel […]
It’s January in Iowa, which means the unwelcome return of Iowans’ least favorite winter curse word: Snow. Unless you’re a seven-year-old going 50 mph down a sled hill, a 4-year-old trying to bring Olaf the Snowman to life, or training to make the U.S. Snowboarding Team for the 2022 Winter Olympics in China, we’re betting […]
Every Thanksgiving is festive until the turkey catches on fire. Nothing instantly spoils America’s favorite day of giving thanks, enjoying family and dining like a scorched bird that decides to torch your house. Thanksgiving is America’s worst day for house fires by far, according to the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA). The NFPA’s U.S. Home […]
