Martin Cooper

The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) says more than 50 million Americans suffer from allergies. And grass and weed pollen are among the most common allergy triggers. You don’t have to let a lawn or grass allergy keep you from enjoying your yard this summer, though. We have three ways you can reduce or eliminate allergens for an allergy-free lawn. Take back your yard this summer by understanding why grass allergies happen and how to avoid them. Image: Annie Otzen/Getty Images How To Know If You’re Allergic To Grass Your doctor can order a blood test or scratch test to confirm if you have grass allergies. The most common lawn allergy symptoms include: Itchy eyes Sniffling and sneezing Rashes or itching after contact with your lawn If you’re diagnosed with a grass allergy, there are medications that you can take to alleviate the symptoms. Allergy symptoms tend to flare up in the spring and summer because grasses usually pollinate from April through June...

If you love bright color, you’re probably always looking for ways to add shots of bold color into your home. An easy way to add color is to keep it in mind while you’re organizing. After all, who says home organizers have to be boring? Many organizational ideas can be easily modified to add color to any room. These ideas are also so easy, they’ll typically take only one afternoon to implement. Some ideas are as simple as buying colorful cloth home organizers and bins, and others require some paint. So take a look below to find some easy ways to add color while using home organizers. A stacked system would add plenty of color. Image: Michael Kraus / Shutterstock Colorful Cloth Home Organizers One of the easiest ways to get some color into your space is to go for simple colorful cloth home organizers. You can use a stacked style, like the organizer in the photo above. These do well hanging in corners. Another idea is to place a bright cloth organizer on a shelf for a splash of col...

A common question that I frequently see posted in home inspector forums is about whether or not it's acceptable to have an electrical panel with no main breaker.

Behr Paint released their 2020 Color Trends Palettes and they’re significant. According to the company, it’s a new decade, calling for fresh and exciting new paint hues. The 3 collections of 15 colors offer enough variety to work with all design styles from modern to traditional. Unlike other paint color companies, the palettes were created for use in both home and work spaces. According to Erika Woelfel, vice president of color and creative services at Behr, “2020 marks the start of a new decade, and with that comes a desire for balance—both at home and at work,” she said. “The new collection of 15 trending hues encompasses themes of wellness and wellbeing, connected experiences, inviting environments, and deliberate color stories.” Here’s a look into what the next decade will look like, according to the Behr 2020 Color Trends palettes. Behr 2020 Color Trends Worldhood Palette The Worldhood palette features rich hues for a modern, warm space. The colors were designed for the hos...

When you’re renovating your home, you already have a checklist of items to complete. And if you bought a fixer-upper , it’s probably an extensive list. However, there are other tasks that you may not be thinking of right now, but incorporating them during your renovation may save you time, money and heartache down the road. Here’s a list of tasks worth taking on during your renovation. Don’t give termites a fighting chance. Image: Marina Pousheva/Shutterstock Schedule your termite treatment If you’re knocking down walls, treat for termites before new drywall goes up, advises Glen Ramsey, Entomologist for Orkin . “Termites can hide within the walls, so once those walls are covered in fresh paint and art, termites are often out of sight and out of mind.” He also says that choosing the right materials can help to prevent pests. “It’s best to use lumber that is pressure treated or composite, making it resistant to insects and decay.” When selecting siding materials, you should also ...

Knowing just how much to water your lawn can get tricky. Water it too little, and you end up with a wilting, faded lawn. Water it too much, and you risk fungal growth from too much moisture and runoff that can unnecessarily boost your water bill. So below we’ll cover just how much to water your lawn in both spring and summer, when needs can differ. Also, we’ll cover ways you can save water but still have a healthy lawn. Watering your lawn is a task that can run in the thousands of dollars or only require a hose and sprinkler attachment, based on how you choose to water or save on water. Some people may choose to install drought-resistant landscaping that can run thousands of dollars. Or you might be on board with manually watering straight out of a hose with a spray attachment. However, it can take no time at all to water your lawn if you choose an automated system or several minutes daily manually. Your lawn has some basic watering needs no matter the season. Image: @just.cle / Tw...

Painting is undoubtedly one of the quickest and least expensive ways to transform your home. It can update an area, hide flaws, highlight architectural details  and so much more. If you follow the 10 commandments of painting , you’re on the road to success. However, mistakes and problems do happen. If you encounter a hiccup, the painting experts explain how to fix it. Blistering can be caused by heat. Image courtesy of Benjamin Moore . The paint is blistering/bubbling   Fortunately, this type of blister doesn’t hurt, but it can be painful to look at. “Paint blisters or bubbles occur when the paint film lifts from the underlying surface,” says Mike Mundwiller, Field Development Manager at Benjamin Moore . So what causes a paint blister? “The loss of adhesion between the paint film and surface is usually caused by heat, moisture or a combination of both,” Mundwiller says. And it eventually leads to peeling. While it can be corrected, he says you need to figure out what’s c...

Want to add color to your garden while preserving a cohesive look? Pick a garden color palette and let it guide you. Image: 1000 Words/Shutterstock Maybe you plan your garden meticulously as soon as the first signs of spring pop up. Or maybe you wait until summer, see what grows well and add as needed to keep things looking lush. Whatever your approach, thinking about one small thing can take your garden from looking haphazard to looking completely curated. It’s your garden color palette. You think about the color palette for the interior of your home, so why leave your garden unattended in this way? Choosing a few colors for your exterior spaces and growing plants in those colors will make your outdoor spaces look polished and vibrant. And, like all good design, choosing a garden color palette is a lot easier when you have a few principles to guide you. Here’s a quick look at some of your color palette options in your outdoor spaces. A monochrome garden will always look polishe...

Buying a home with knob and tube wiring? You should be concerned with the safety of the wiring and the insurability of the home.

We all love “shiny and new” — and newly-built single-family homes are downright irresistible.  And when the existing home inventory is limited, and consumers  have confidence in the market, a significant number of homeowners will consider a newly-built residence. However, it’s not a slam-dunk decision. There are benefits and disadvantages to purchasing a new build. These are some of the factors to consider. New build pros A new build can incorporate your wish list. Image: Andy Dean Photography/Shutterstock A new build isn’t someone’s leftover home The only thing better than new car smell is new house smell. The first home I ever purchased was a new build and, as a germaphobe, I loved the idea that no one else had ever hung clothes in my closets, cooked in my kitchen, parked in my garage or sat in my garden tub. Admittedly, I have no idea what the contractors and workers did before I moved in. As a true germophobe, I still scrubbed every single surface. But I didn’t have...