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Home Improvement
Basement waterproofing - superficial vs. legitimate solutions
Any home or building that is built at ground level or contains floors below ground level is a good candidate for basement waterproofing, although there are superficial, cosmetic solutions for waterproofing a basement that really won’t solve the true problem. Depending on the climate and geography surrounding a building, most structures need basement waterproofing to ensure that water stays out of the lowest levels and to protect the structural integrity of the building. When it rains or s...
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High-design, high-tech ideas for making your home more luxurious
(BPT) - With so many demands on our time these days, it’s easy to relegate adding luxurious elements to the home as something better suited for another day. Yet, with concerted effort and a few purposefully chosen items, it is easier than ever to create a home environment that pampers you each and every day. To create y...
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Tips for making your spring cleaning a breeze
(BPT) - A long winter season can leave you and your family longing for outdoor activities. Before you head for some fresh air fun, you need to get your home in order for the spring and summer months ahead. Spring cleaning can be a drawn-out chore, but that can change this year. The key to a quick and painless deep clea...
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Curb appeal: 2013's hottest home improvement trend
(BPT) - The busy home remodeling season is a great time for homeowners to focus on increasing curb appeal. The percentage of homeowners who feel now is a good time to spend money on home improvement has doubled since 2009, according to a recent survey among Better Homes and Gardens readers. Considering two of the top ...
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Set yourself up for the perfect season of outdoor entertaining
(BPT) - As temperatures warm, many of us can’t wait to get outside and rediscover the joys of our outdoor spaces. One of the best ways to ensure the enjoyment of your space all season long is with some spring cleaning and upkeep of your yard and outdoor living spaces. There are a few spring cleaning projects that benef...
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Bathroom upgrades that boost livability for anyone aging in place
(BPT) - Staying safely in their own home as they grow older is a major concern for many Americans. In a 2012 survey by AARP, 70 percent of surveyed members said they were “extremely or very concerned about aging in place.” Even if you maintain an active lifestyle and good health, growing older often requires you to mana...
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Spruce up your home for spring in just a weekend
(BPT) - As the weather gets warmer, everything outside becomes fresh and new – so why not make your home as nice inside as the weather is outside? In just a weekend, you can complete a few quick, easy projects that will make a big difference in your space. Get inspired to give your home a spring spruce-up with these han...
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Renew yourself and your home in four easy steps
(BPT) - As spring approaches, other New Year’s resolutions may be a distant memory but the urge to improve your home can find new life when the weather warms. The transition of seasons is a perfect opportunity to refocus on improving yourself and your space. Repaint and refresh One of the easiest and quickest ways to ...
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Give your home a true green cleaning this spring
(BPT) - When you clean your house in the spring, you really want it to be clean. Dirt, dust and germs are banned, and all appliances, floors and walls are scrubbed clean. But is your house really clean, or have you traded dirt and germs for caustic and toxic chemicals found in most conventional cleaning products? Even ...
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Easy DIY cures for common concrete problems
(BPT) - Have you ever seen a house with a beautiful lawn, lush landscaping, a tasteful and well-maintained exterior – and an ugly cracked concrete driveway? Why is it that even seasoned, proficient do-it-yourselfers sometimes balk at taking care of concrete? “Concrete can be intimidating,” says Bob Schmidt, national pr...
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Top technology trends for 2013 that make your life easier
(BPT) - Whether you are a college student, working parent or empty-nester, modern life has never been busier. Luckily, a variety of technology innovations are dramatically affecting the way we live, helping us streamline our routines, reduce stress and maximize each minute of the day. Which new technologies are provin...
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(Reuters) - Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel called sexual assault a "scourge" on Saturday as he addressed graduates of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, where a sergeant stands accused of videotaping female cadets in the showers. "Sexual harassment and sexual assault in the military are a profound betrayal - a profound betrayal - of sacred oaths and sacred trusts," Hagel said. "This scourge must be stamped out." His comments came a day after President Barack Obama delivered a similar message to graduates at the U.S. ...
By Jeffrey B. Roth PITTSBURGH (Reuters) - Fifty years after the Battle of Gettysburg, the bloodiest of the U.S. Civil War, a survivor of that fight marched 200 miles from Pittsburgh to the site of the battle for a reunion attended by both Union and Confederate veterans. On Sunday, another veteran, Jim Smith, 70, of Hempfield, Pennsylvania, will start out on the same trek as part of the observation of Memorial Day, when Americans honor their war dead. ...
By Tim Bross ST. LOUIS (Reuters) - Two freight trains collided at a rail intersection in rural Missouri on Saturday, triggering the collapse of a highway overpass when at least a dozen rail cars derailed and struck a support pillar, authorities said. None of the seven people hurt in the fiery crash - two train workers and five people who had been in two cars on the overpass - suffered life-threatening injuries, Scott County Sheriff Rick Walter said in a statement. ...