Anastasia Kaufman's Blog
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When a garage door is located on the front side of a home, it has an enormous impact on curb appeal. A door that’s broken, dented, in need of repairs, or a fresh coat of paint, will drag down your home’s image, even if the rest of the exterior is pristine.
Perfectly manicured lawns, new windows, professional landscaping, and a freshly blacktopped driveway can’t overcome the detrimental impact of a marred garage door.
Fortunately, there are many excellent ways to remedy an ugly garage door situation.
First, however, make sure your garage door is in good working order. You can do a lot with a couple of coats of paint, but you have to start with a structurally sound and functioning door.
Supporting Cast
If the front of your home already includes a standout feature, like a beautiful entryway or an eye-catching front porch, it may be preferable to camouflage the garage door so that these features can take center stage. Cover the garage door in a neutral shade of paint that blends with or matches your home’s siding.
Color-coordinated garage door and siding
To zero in on the best color before heading to a paint store, take advantage of one of the augmented reality apps offered by paint companies, which lets you use your smartphone camera lens to preview various colors.
A Matter of Style
If paint won’t do the trick and it’s time to replace your garage door, your toughest decision may be determining what looks best on your home.
If your house already reflects a distinctive architectural style, like English Tudor or Spanish stucco, it’s best to stay within those boundaries—although you still have considerable latitude to keep your door simple or go ornate.
On the other hand, if your home displays a more “generic” style, a statement garage door may be an excellent way to boost the overall image of the house. In this case, you also have numerous options.
Make a Statement
An otherwise “plain vanilla” exterior can become more dramatic with a fantastic garage door. If you want the garage door to become a focal point, you can achieve that goal by working with unusual materials, textures, and colors.
A coat of blue paint adds a splash of color to this one-car garage door
With hundreds of choices in garage door styles, it’s easy to be creative. Choose from modern, graphic-arts, country, minimal, classic, industrial, natural, or hand-hewn. The sky is the limit. Just be sure the style you select coordinates with the style of your home.
Material Matters
In terms of garage door construction material, steel and wood are two of the most common options, with important trade-off considerations.
Heavy gauge steel is durable and easily insulated, making it an excellent low-maintenance option for many homeowners. Insulation is especially important if you live in an area with extreme winter or summer temperatures and have interior access to your house through the garage.
One of the downsides of steel is that it can become dented if, for example, kids use the driveway to play ball or practice their hockey moves.
Luxurious wooden garage doors contrast beautifully with surrounding stone textures
Wood, on the other hand, is typically more aesthetically pleasing and incredibly sturdy. It does, however, require more routine maintenance. Newer composite options, made of wood fibers and synthetic resins, replicate the appearance of wood but entail less upkeep.
How Much Glass?
Windows improve the appearance of most garage doors and provide valuable light in otherwise dark garage interiors. They do, however, introduce additional considerations, in terms of privacy, security, and energy efficiency.
Limiting glass to the top panel will make it harder for prying eyes to view your garage’s contents. Frosted glass is another way to bring more light into your garage without compromising privacy. To maximize energy efficiency, opt for insulated thermal panes, especially if your garage is heated.
A contemporary home featuring a frosted-glass garage door.
Light It Up!
If you go the extra mile to make your garage door a focal point of the house, make sure your efforts don’t disappear once the sun goes down. Add downlights and sidelights to show off your style, enhance security, and eliminate dark shadowy corners.
More Tech Tools
To visualize how various garage door styles will look on your home, check out the design tools offered by major manufacturers like Clopay and Overhead Door.
Big box hardware retailers are also developing augmented reality applications that help you envision their products in your home. For example, the Menards’ app is currently limited to front entry doors, with plans to add design tools for garage doors, fencing, shutters, and more.
With thoughtful planning, your garage door can be an expression of your personality, it can advance the style and impact of your house, and it will be something you look forward to seeing every time you return home.
Article Source: http://bit.ly/2JIHRUh
In 2017, there were an estimated 1.4 million burglaries according to the FBI, and more than 2 in 3 break-ins occurred on residential properties. While the average damage is more than $2,400, the total impact of these crimes can go much deeper for the families who experience them.
People who endure a home invasion can find living with the incident stressful and traumatic. They may have trouble sleeping at night, difficulty functioning in their day to day, and according to some studies, may never feel totally comfortable in their home again.
For a more intimate look at home invasions, we surveyed over 990 people who experienced a break-in at least once. From installing security systems to bringing home a new dog, we wanted to know how people coped with life after a burglary. Read on as we explore how break-ins occur and their impact on victims.
Anatomy of a Home Invasion
These invasions aren’t always random. Analysis shows many break-ins are committed by someone who lives within two miles of the infiltrated property, meaning they can learn your habits and routine before attacking.
Thirty-nine percent of people who were victims of a break-in acknowledged the point of entry was a broken window, followed by 1 in 5 who said the burglar broke the front foot. Overwhelmingly, 77% of burglary victims admitted to not having a home security system at the time of their first break-in, and of the nearly 22% of people who did have a home security system, almost 47% said it wasn’t on at the time of the burglary.
Research conducted with convicted home invaders shows burglars typically avoid breaking into homes they consider more complicated and often flee when they hear an alarm go off. Similarly, while an active alarm system is likely to deter a break-in, so are big dogs that might be considered aggressive or likely to defend the home
Counting the Cost
What was their experience?
The likelihood of a repeat burglary may be higher than you expect. Once a burglar knows the layout of your home, where certain items or possessions are kept, and that you don’t have a home security system, they may be more enticed to come back. Studies suggest the highest risk of a repeat burglary is within the first week of the initial break-in.
Sixty-five percent of break-in victims were only broken into once at the time of our survey. Another 1 in 4 were burglarized twice, and nearly 1 in 10 experienced a break-in three or more times.
Home Security Regrets
Putting an alarm sign in your yard might deter some criminals – but experts say the sign alone isn’t sufficient to convince a burglar to pick a different property. Instead, the best defense is an active home security system. If you really want to compel criminals to avoid your home, you need an alarm system that will alert you and them of unwanted activity.
We found that more than half of people who were victims of a break-in wished they’d purchased a home security system before the incident. Another 41% regretted not installing security cameras, 222 and more than 1 in 4 wished they’d been more diligent in making sure all of their doors and windows were properly secured.
An Emotional Response
Lasting Effects
A major scare of any kind can trigger traumatic stress, and if your home has been broken into, feeling safe again might be a tall order. Even if you aren’t home during the incident, or don’t come into personal contact with the intruder, it’s still possible to experience a strong emotional reaction.
We found nearly 76% of women and 66% of men felt less safe in their home immediately after a break-in. Men were more likely to have feelings of anger and disgust, while women more commonly felt insecure, afraid, or helpless.
Responding to a Break-In
Forty percent of people purchased a home security system after a break-in. Home security systems were more common among people living in condos (43%) than those living in houses (nearly 41%) or apartments (almost 39%).
Homeowners, however, were more likely than others to ensure their doors and windows were sufficiently locked (44%), to hide their valuables (26%), install security cameras (29%), and buy a gun (20%).
Apartment owners may not be allowed to make certain changes depending on the specifics of their lease agreements, but those surveyed still made efforts to improve their safety after a break-in. Thirty-two percent of renters bought a safe after their first break-in and were more likely to move out of the area (22%) and engrave their valuables (11%) than those who lived in a house or condo.
Multipurpose Pets
Sure, a pet comes with plenty of responsibilities, and many pets require a time commitment. However, research shows pet owners get sick less often, tend to have better heart health, get more exercise, and are typically happier.
And as our survey found, nearly 34% of people got a pet for security purposes after having their home burglarized.
The most popular dog breeds for security were German shepherds (almost 41%), pit bulls (28%), and Australian shepherds (22%). Despite the stigma often associated with pit bulls and similar breeds, women were almost 34% more likely than men to get a pit bull.
Insider Perspective
It’s hard to imagine how you will feel after a break-in until it actually occurs. We asked survey respondents for their best advice on protecting your property and preventing the trauma of a break-in.
As you can see from their responses, the most common advice typically involved double-checking all of the doors and locks, including on the windows. Many also recommended getting a dog or a home security system to deter criminals.
Creating a Safe Environment
Home is supposed to be where the heart is – a place you can retreat to at the end of the day. Perhaps even more importantly, it’s supposed to make you feel safe from the moment you walk through the door. So it’s not uncommon to experience fear, helplessness, anger, and frustration when a break-in happens. While many people who experienced a break-in said they wished they’d been more involved in their home’s security, many failed to provide even the most basic level of protection: a home security system.
At Cove, we’re committed to security with no contracts, low costs, and professional-grade technology at DIY prices. With 24/7 professional monitoring and easy-to-use equipment, our lifetime warranty means you’ll have peace of mind when and where you need it. Protect your family and the things that matter most with Cove security. Visit us to learn more and secure your home today.
Sources
https://ucr.fbi.gov/crime-in-the-u.s/2017/crime-in-the-u.s.-2017/topic-pages/burglaryhttps://www.forbes.com/sites/nealegodfrey/2016/04/10/the-costs-of-home-burglary/#798cb6406d73https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/most-burglary-victims-never-feel-5041797 https://www.safewise.com/blog/8-surprising-home-burglary-statistics/https://www.ktvb.com/article/news/crime/we-asked-86-burglars-how-they-broke-into-homes/277-344333696https://popcenter.asu.edu/tools/repeat_victimization/2https://wtop.com/ackerman-security/2018/02/security-yard-signs-actually-deter-burglars/https://www.rd.com/home/improvement/burglar-secrets/https://www.huffpost.com/entry/intruder-sleepn59554020e4b0da2c73221335https://www.oxygen.com/blogs/5-ways-to-protect-your-apartment-from-robbery https://www.voxmagazine.com/magazine/bark-vs-bite-a-look-at-the-stigma-surrounding-pit/article_0836811e-42f1-5aec-8bb2-e0d97cbb61a8.html
Methodology and Limitations
To get the data presented in the above study, a survey was run using Amazon’s Mechanical Turk service. There were 993 respondents in total: 508 were men, 482 were women, and three identified as neither. 126 were baby boomers, 263 were from Generation X, 578 were millennials, and 26 were from generations outside those.
To qualify for this survey, respondents had to have experienced at least one break-in in either their childhood home or their current home. All data presented above rely on self-reporting, and there can be issues with self-reported data such as telescoping and exaggeration. To combat these issues, respondents had to answer an attention check to ensure they didn’t respond randomly. Respondents could select multiple options when asked about the point of entry for their first break-in, which is why the numbers for that section do not add up to 100%.
Fair Use Statement
Want to help protect your readers from the emotional trauma of a break-in? Help share our respondents’ advice and recommendations for any noncommercial use. Just don’t forget to include a link back to this page so that they can see our complete findings and survey results.
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The purity of the water in your house depends mostly on your home water purification system. Therefore, it is essential you know how to choose the best water filter for your household. Water filtration is a purifying process that ensures that the water in your home has an excellent taste and is purified.
The kind of filter that connects with the main supply to provide the home with already treated water is the whole house filter. The point-of-entry filter enables your laundry, showers, toilets, kitchen, and bathtub dispense filtered water. Below are some pointers that will guide you towards selecting the best home water filtration system.
Decide on the water filtration system you want for your house.
The level of contamination in your water will determine the filter to install in your home. If you don't completely understand how to do this, you should seek the help of professionals in this area. They will identify the contaminant and recommend the filter you need. You may need to remove sediments like minerals, chlorine, and other chemicals if a municipal service runs your main supply.
If the source of your water supply is a private water well, the contaminants that you are likely to encounter are iron, hardness minerals, and sediments.
Know the flow rate of your dispenser and appliances.
A flow rate is the amount of water running through your water dispenser at a particular time. The unit of measure of flow rate is in gallons/minute. It is essential that you know the demand specification of your filter and appliances before buying them. For instance, the specification of a toilet and dishwater are 3gpm and 5gpm, respectively.
When the flow rate of a whole house filter system is lower than the required speed, there will be lower water pressure and interrupted water flow.
Note the size of the filter you want.
You are advised to go for a more extensive service filter because of its longer service interval. Apart from that, it provides with enough water supply. Also, you should not hesitate to consider the port size of the filter because it influences the flow rate and the pressure of water that enters your home.
Make an inquiry about the life of your whole house water filter system.
The life of your home water filter system will depend on the condition of water you intend to filter. Therefore, you should note the quantity and quality of contaminant when planning to buy a filter.
Are you planning to buy a home water filtration system or replace the existing one, the tips above will guide you towards making the right choice.