Category Archives: Lighting

Outdoor Landscaping Ideas For The Home That You Can Do Yourself

For those of us who are lucky enough to have an outdoor area of our very own, properly landscaping this area can create a living environment that can be enjoyed and rewarding for years to come. Whether you have a large yard or even just a small piece of yard off a backyard patio, the options for landscaping are endless. But before you head out to the local home and garden market for shrubbery and lawn enhancements, you should examine exactly what type of outdoor landscaping ideas you wish to implement and the maintenance factor that will come with your new yard.

There are new do it yourself kits now available, for example building your own gazebo that can take just a couple of hours to assemble and look like a million dollars. Visit your neighborhood garden center they may have displays and helpful employees to steer you in the right direction.

Measure the space you want to redesign. Put the dimensions on paper. Include the part of your house facing the yard with doors and windows noted. Layout where you would like to have a garden or play area or possibly a water feature.

Yes, you can install a water feature in just one weekend and with minimal cost if you are willing to do a little digging and move a few large rocks into place. Have a barbecue and invite a few of your friends over to help. There are pond and waterfall kits available that are easy to install.

Your local climate will have a tremendous impact on the type of landscaping that you should have in place. Flowering plants that require a great deal of humidity will not thrive in a dry climate. While there are some plants that will need direct sunlight, there are others that prefer a shaded area in order to grow. If you are not proficient in the different types of flowers and plants that are best for your area, be sure to utilize local resources in order to check out the best selections for your planning purposes.

Easy care, low maintenance plants and construction materials is what you should look for if you do not want to be chained to your backyard. Most of us want a place to barbecue and entertain but don't like the raking, weeding, trimming etc.

The key to landscaping is to not be afraid to try something new. Not all yards need to have a grassy area. Grass is so high maintenance. Try using different types of rock and paver for pathways and sitting areas. The visual interest will be heightened with plants of different sizes, shapes and colors.

Just because you are not an expert gardener does not mean you cannot plan out beautiful and easy landscaping ideas for the yard and garden. You will build your confidence, as well as your muscles, when you have completed your backyard project.

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Outdoor Landscaping Ideas For The Home You Can Do Yourself

For those of us who are lucky enough to have an outdoor area of our very own, properly landscaping this area can create a living environment that can be enjoyed and rewarding for years to come. Whether you have a large yard or even just a small piece of yard off a backyard patio, the options for landscaping are endless. But before you head out to the local home and garden market for shrubbery and lawn enhancements, you should examine exactly what type of outdoor landscaping ideas you wish to implement and the maintenance factor that will come with your new yard.

There are many places to search for outdoor landscaping ideas if you are new to this type of development. Local home and garden centers are a great place to start if you prefer to implement it yourself rather than hire a professional landscaping service. The Internet has a huge online resource of information for anyone that is a beginner or for someone who is knowledgeable in landscaping but just needs a few new and creative ideas for their home.

It is important to do a simple sketch with measurements of your outdoor space. Note where the doors and windows of your home are. Decide what locations you want to change. Do you want an area for the kids? Would you like a vegetable garden or an outdoor kitchen? How about a small koi pond?

Make sure that you are aware of the amount of work your landscaping entails. For those who do not enjoy mowing a lawn or if there is a lack of natural rain having a lawn can be a tedious and sometimes difficult task to maintain. Items such as rock gardens or flowerbeds are just as visually enticing as having a lush, dark green space in your back yard. There are some families that enjoy having decorative artifacts such as a birdbath, fountain or even statues while others prefer to stick with an arrangement of complementary flowers or stone designs.

Visit your local home and garden center to find out which plants flourish in your particular area. Easy care, high payoff perennials are wonderful because you can count on them to return every year without much attention. This will save you money in replanting every year.

If you are trying for a low maintenance yard stay away from plants that need a lot of attention such as pruning, mulching, fertilizing, and replanting every spring. Hearty evergreens and shrubs don’t need a lot of water and don’t need pruning.

Don’t be afraid to get rid of your lawn. It is a huge consumer of time, fertilizer and water. Try filling in with a large brick patio area with stepping stones inviting a visitor to explore your yard and gardens. Landscape with river rock meander around the yard to mimic a dry creek.

Landscaping ideas for the yard and garden you can do yourself are very rewarding. Anybody can write a check to a landscape architect but only a few could get out there and do it themselves. It will be your own creation designed by your imagination.

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Light Bulb Changers-Do They Work?

Light Bulb Changers- These magic little tools seem like a really smart invention.  They allow homeowners to reach & replace light bulbs in high places.  With this changer tool, supposedly, you can unscrew the old bulb and then replace it with a new one.  You’d think they would work like a charm.

 Want to know a little secret from a master electrician? They don’t work.  They break the light bulb at its base leaving the bottom portion of the bulb still screwed into the fixture.  When the bulb breaks it shoots glass all over the area.  At this point it becomes impossible to use the light bulb changer tool to remove what is remaining of the bulb. 

 Now if you have the tools and the know-how a home owner can usually fix this problem himself. 

You will need:

  • A-frame ladder tall enough to reach the light comfortably and safely
  • pair of needle nose pliers
  • pair of gloves
  • pair of safety glasses
  • trash pail
  • replacement bulbs

 The first order of business is to turn the power off to the lighting circuit at the breaker. Extreme caution needs to be used when opening the panel and touching the breakers. If you feel uncomfortable opening the breaker panel, then stop and call an electrician.

The next step is to turn the light switch to the off position as well.  Position the ladder so it is in position to reach the fixture.  Put on your gloves and safety glasses.  Then take your needle nose pliers and gently grab the metal edge of the bulb that is remaining in the fixture. Turn it slowly to unscrew the bulb. Dispose of the broken piece in your trash pail.  From here you can install the replacement bulb. 

The biggest obstacle to the whole process is usually the ladder.  Most homeowners just don’t have a ladder tall enough to reach the fixture. 

So what is a homeowner to do? 

 Well, you could rent a ladder or you could purchase a ladder.  But the easiest solution would be to call a local electrician.  Electricians usually have the extra tall ladders needed to reach these light bulbs and they keep a complete stock of bulbs on their truck.

 An electrician can get the job done quickly and safely for a reasonable fee.

 These tips are provided by Master Electrician Jimmy Bankston, owner of ProLectric in Hitchcock, Texas.  Free technical advice is always available. Call 1-866-388-5028 and speak with a master electrician for free.

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