Small Repairs That Can Raise Your Sales Price

If you're actively preparing to list your home for sale, resist the temptation to make major home improvements. Nationwide, home improvement projects recoup just 58 cents on the dollar, says Remodeling Magazine.

Rather, for a better return on your time and money, focus on the minor projects instead. It's the smaller projects in Encinitas that tend to have a bigger, long-term payoff.

So, how do you determine which projects are the "smaller ones"? It's obvious when you think like a buyer.

Consider : Home buyers don't always notice when your home is in working order. In fact, they expect it to be that way. What they do notice, however, is when things are "broken". When a buyer sees torn screens in your windows or burnt out light bulbs, it makes him wonder what else in the home has not been cared for.

This is one reason why -- especially during warmer months -- it's sensible to hire an exterminator prior to selling your home. If a prospective buyer uncovers bugs in your bathroom, it can leave a lasting, negative impression -- one that won't likely lead to a purchase contrast.

So, with "small repairs" in mind, here are 5 simple projects that you can tackle in a weekend, and that will help your home show better. Each is low-cost and high-impact:

1. Repair or remove torn screen doors
2. Fix all leaky faucets and toilets
3. Touch up holes and cracks in paint, interior and exterior
4. Apply a lubricant to squeaky doors and cabinets
5. Get "clutter" into storage and physically out of the way

In addition, you'll want to pull weeds from your yard, seed any bare spots you find, and lay down fresh mulch, where appropriate.

You won't need to spend big bucks to get your home ready for sale but the time spent on repairs will have a pay-off in the end. Homes that show better often sell much faster, and at higher prices.

Foods That Don't Belong In A Garbage Disposal

When a garbage disposal clogs, a plumber's service call in Encinitas can cost as much as $100 just for showing up. A "fix" could add even more to that bill.

To minimize the likelihood of costly repairs, therefore, be mindful of how your disposal works, and where its limitations lie.

Most clogs are the result of how certain food waste reacts with water and there's some items you should never flush down your sink. This is because everything sent through the disposal eventually must make its way down the waste line and that can include a trap.

Over time, the trap can get blocked.

With that in mind, here's a short list of food waste that's better suited for the garbage can than the kitchen sink:

• Rice and pasta : Small particles can never be completely pulverized, and will swell in the presence of water. This can clog pipes and traps.
• Egg shells : Tiny, granular waste can get "bound" with pipe sludge, creating a thick clog.
• Coffee grounds : Same as for egg shells. As a clog thickens, it's harder for water to pass through.
• Grease : Liquid fats turn to solid when in contact with cold water. Over time, this creates a clog like plaque on an artery.
• Potato peels : Once ground, peels turn starchy like mashed potatoes. This can clog a drain pipe instantly.

With kitchen garbage disposals, the general rule for flushing food should be "when in doubt, leave it out". Use your disposal for convenience, not for a trash chute substitute.