Home improvement can be such a hassle. If you’re new to the handyman game, there are many things you need to learn before you start your first project. These tips are useful for guiding you from the start of your project to its completion.

Install radiant heat under your new tile floors. There are kits available for the do-it-yourself homeowner, and it’s really not rocket science. It will make a dramatic difference in the “wow” factor of your home both to guests and to potential buyers. Invite them to take their shoes off and feel the heat!

Don’t overlook the addition of storage space to your new or existing home. Most homes are substantially lacking in storage space. Add built in bookshelves to the living room or dining room. Turn a broom closet near the kitchen into a food pantry. Small changes and additions will really add up.

For an energy efficient upgrade, replace your hot water heater with a tank-less model. The new tank-less heaters only heat the water as it is needed as opposed to keeping 50 gallons or more heated at all times. This change will help your utility bills and the environment.

A common occurrence in many homes is a leaky shower head. This is caused by a defective or damaged O-ring inside of the head. To stop the leak, simply apply tape to the head, and twist the head off with a pipe wrench. Find an O-ring that fits your head and place it in. Place pipe sealer around the pipe threads and screw the head back on, with a final tightening from the pipe wrench. Then test the head for any further leaks.

Recycle your plastic bottles to use as cord keepers! Smaller bottles like pill bottles work well to keep small appliance cords from tangling and bigger bottles like those vehicle oil come in work great for big shop extension cords. Just clean the bottles thoroughly, cut off the top and bottom, and use the resulting sleeve for your cords.

Prep before you paint. Painting the rooms in your home can provide a new face lift for a little bit of nothing if you are prepared. Don’t try to do it all in one day or weekend. Be prepared before you start. Have all of the necessary tools on hand.

A great home improvement tip is to invest in motion detectors for your outdoor lighting. Motion detectors will turn lights on only when movement is detected, and will swiftly shut off when there is none. Having motion detectors on your outdoor lights will save you a lot of energy and money.

Install smoke detectors in every room of the house. Smoke detectors are cheap, and they can save your family’s life in the event of a fire. All you need for installation in most cases is a screwdriver. At a bare minimum, make sure you put one in the kitchen and one near the door of every bedroom.

If one of the to-dos on your list of home improvements is remodeling your bathroom, consider planning and building one that is handicap accessible. If you are planning to remain in your home until old age, attending to this change within the bathroom earlier rather than later can save hassles in the long run. If you eventually decide to sell, these additions will give your home more value when it goes on the market.

Never install non-operable windows during a home improvement effort. Except for picture windows or large, exotic glazing, every standard-sized window should be capable of opening. Regardless of climate, for every home there will be times of the year and times of the day when cracking the window open is the best form of air conditioning.

If you are undertaking an extensive outdoor improvement project, make sure to check in with your neighbors regarding any drainage concerns. A good thing to do is to drain the water from your land. Often the convenient way to do this is to dump it on your neighbor’s property, but they are not likely to be happy with this! It is possible to coordinate mutually beneficial drainage plans, but it cannot happen without clear communication.

A splash of paint can really update your space so give it a try! New paint can give a room an entirely different personality. This is very inexpensive to do, yet can significantly increase a home’s value. Lighter colors work best with a splash of bold, dark color for accent walls.

If there is a do-it-yourself home improvement that you’d like to tackle, experience the feeling of accomplishment you get from completing a job with your own hands. While some jobs are easy, there are those that are better left to the professionals. Even if you do hire someone, there will likely still be tasks you will need to do on your own. These are all important things for any home improvement project. Be sure to implement the advice given in this article in your next home improvement project.

Everything That You Need To Know About Home Improvement was originally published on Spring