Termite Proofing Your House and Garden
Buying a home is often one of the biggest investments that most people will make in their lifetime. Termites – if left unchecked – could potentially ruin your hard-earned home due to their voracious appetite for common household materials including plastics, rubber, fibreglass and, of course, wood. An infestation of termites will make quick work of many things in and around your home such as house frames, wall linings, plaster boards, cupboards, skirtings, windows and door frames, carpets, plastic coating on electrical wiring, gardens, books, artwork, clothing and paper. Basically, they will eat almost anything unless you take steps to protect your home from them. Don’t wait until the problem has already started, act now and follow some of these tips to ensure the best protection for your home.
Create a Barrier
Maintaining Your Wooden Fence
The elements – sun, wind, rain, snow and below-ground frost – really give your wooden fence a beating all year long. Wood is especially vulnerable to nature’s punishments and often falls victim to its worst enemy: Rot. The following are some things to consider when it comes to maintaining all kinds of wooden garden fencing, and some do-it-yourself tips for keeping your fence both functional and looking fabulous.
Regular Inspections
Choosing The Right Fencing For Your Pets
Having pets can be extremely rewarding as they are great company, they can help you stay in shape and there is nothing quite like coming home to some unconditional love. If you are going to have a pet, it is important to be a responsible pet owner, so apart from making sure that your pets are healthy and happy, you also need to make sure that they and everyone else are kept safe. Having an appropriate fence is essential to ensure your pet can’t get out and endanger themselves or others, though choosing the right fence can be hard. The following are some tips on choosing the right fence for your pet.
The Right Size
Whether you have chickens, goats or a dog, one of the most important features in a good fence will be that it prevents your pets from getting out. If you have a large dog who can’t jump very high, a short rail fence may be all that you need as long as they can’t squeeze between the rails, though obviously if your pet can jump you’ll need a significantly higher fence.
How to Build a Basic Wooden Fence
If you are a DIY type of person, you probably want to build your own garden fencing instead of paying someone else to do it.
This is a great idea if you love to make things yourself, and it isn’t too hard if you opt for something such as a basic wooden fence.
However, for something a little trickier, like a sandstone wall, colorbond fencing or electronic gates you may need to call in the professionals instead.
But for a basic wooden fence, follow these easy steps and you should have it completed in no time.
1 – Set the Boundaries
The Importance of Fencing in Human History
When it comes to a home, a fence is generally a fragment of the whole. Something that helps makes up the overall picture of the house and land, and something that is expected to be there. That is because most homes, or blocks of land, have some sort of fencing constructed around them. This helps to mark the boundaries of the land, among other things.
When making decisions about fencing, the decision isn’t very often ‘do we or don’t we get a fence’, but more likely ‘do we keep the old one, or do we buy nice, new colorbond fencing.’ Again, this is because it is a given that you will have some sort of fencing protecting your property.
But has it always been this way? Almost. Fences are almost as old as the human race, from the time we had possessions, land and farms, we have had fences.
The Rules of Marco Polo
Each year, as summer arrives in Australia full force, kids and adults flock to the sea or to friend’s backyard swimming pools. The intense heat that Australia is known for means there is only one way of cooling down, and that is to go swimming.
Because of this, erecting garden fencing around your pool is very important in Australia. This is to make sure kids aren’t tempted to hit the water without their parents or guardians present to supervise them.
For those long, hot summer days the fun and water activities can last in the pool all day long. Summer days are passed by in a blur of fun and games in the water and only end when the sun finally sets on the horizon, or if an afternoon storm sets in.
During these hours of swimming, the kids will be looking for things to do to keep them amused. If you teach them an exciting game, such as how to play Marco Polo, you will be pleased by how many hours it can keep them entertained.
However, still make sure kids always have an adult supervising them in the water and ensure there is a safe pool fence such as colorbond fencing around any pool.
Australian Drowning Statistics
Australia boasts a temperate climate in most areas almost all year round. It is this beautiful weather that acts as a big draw card for tourists to make this great country their holiday destination, and also why some people are drawn to relocate here.
Unfortunately, Australia also has a high number of drowning deaths each year. The mild weather in winter and the steaming heat in summer means locals and tourists alike are flocking to the beaches, the waterways and the backyard swimming pools.
Although the government is always working on initiatives to prevent these drownings each year, such as the mandatory garden fencing around any private swimming pool, the death toll continues to rise.
Year on year, for the past three years, drowning deaths have increased. While the 2011 figures include the victims of the Queensland floods, it didn’t include the SIEV 221 boat crash off Christmas Island, as the coronial investigations are still ongoing.
4 Tips for Cleaning Your Colorbond Fence
One of the best things about Colorbond fencing is that there is very little maintenance involved. Unlike traditional timber fencing, Colorbond steel rarely has to be cleaned, capable of withstanding even the harshest of Australian weather conditions. However, there are a few situations where your Colorbond fence may require a bit of upkeep. In this article, we’ll take a look at exactly what these situations are and how you should respond.
1. Basic maintenance
As mentioned, Colorbond fences will last an incredibly long time without cleaning, but it certainly doesn’t hurt to do a little basic upkeep in order to keep it your fence looking its best. Try simply hosing it down periodically with water — you can do this while washing your car or watering your garden. You should also check for cobwebs and wipe them away with a broom. Finally, make sure soil or garden fill doesn’t build up against the bottom of your Colorbond fence, as the water retention may eventually lead to corrosion.
5 Backyard Safety Tips for Parents
Often, there are so many child safety hazards in the home that parents forget to ensure the backyard is a safe place to be as well. Unfortunately, however, backyards can be a hazardous place, with thousands of backyard injuries and even deaths occurring in Australia every year. In this article, we’ll look at five tips for making your backyard a safer place, from childproofing play equipment to installing pool fencing for security.
1. Childproofing play equipment
Swing sets, trampolines, sandpits, cubby houses — all of these pose very real hazards for parents to be concerned about. When it comes to swing sets, always check that screws are tightened and that there are no protruding bolts. Trampolines need strong springs and it pays to consider using a safety net to prevent falls. Sandpits can be dangerous if sharp objects find their way in; be sure to cover them up after your child is done playing with them — after all, you never know what neighbours might throw over the fence. Finally, check that cubby houses are free of dangerous nails or screws, and also ensure there are no dangerous insects that have taken up quarters.
10 Ways to Childproof Your Home
Homes can easily turn into hazardous areas for young children if a few appropriate precautions aren’t taken. In this article, we’ll take a look at 10 ways to childproof your home, from covering up all electrical outlets to employing fencing contractors to install security fencing around your backyard pool.
1. Cover all electrical outlets
Electrical outlets or “power points” are often just the right height for even crawling children to reach. The power of even a minor electric shock can be enough to cause severe damage and even death to a small child. Childproof electrical outlet safety covers can be purchased to ensure young ones avoid electrical danger.
2. Keep poisonous products away