Barbara Ballinger
Barbara's Articles
Getting Rid of Mold
Watch out. Mold, like spring, has arrived, and it thrives on wet or damp surfaces. Too much rain or overwatering your yard when planting can be a breeding ground for mold spores that spread onto surfaces of homes and into the air. Fortunately, in recent years, there has been an increase in professional products that.....
Wallpaper and Murals: Comeback Kids
Wallpaper is back in the spotlight. It has morphed from the dainty florals in period homes or your parents’ or grandparents’ houses to become a fresh, lively and distinctive alternative to paint, although it never disappeared completely from the scene. For years, paint simply stole the show with new colors, new finishes and new colors.....
The Range of Floor Coverings Expands
For years there seemed little variation in what home owners installed atop their subfloors—carpet went into bedrooms and on stairways, hardwood flooring was for hallways, living room, dining and family rooms, and tile was for kitchens and bathrooms. However, with so many more materials available today, thanks to new technologies, nothing is an automatic go-to.....
What’s New in Home Inspections
Not every home owner takes the important precautionary step of having their new home inspected before closing, but it’s a wise idea. Well-trained inspectors today can detect more problems with their high-tech reports and exacting diagnostic tools, as well as allay concerns about the many parts and systems that comprise every home. An inspection just.....
FORMICA: New Take on an Old Affordable Favorite
Just as other companies have done, Formica® has changed its product line-up, from new patterns and colors to different grades and even a sustainable version to meet consumer demand. For years, its laminate took a backseat to sexier granite and then quartz and quartzite. All seemed to have more sizzle and cachet. In addition, laminates.....
Tiny Houses Become Big Business
More home owners are thinking small, in fact, very small when ready to buy a house. The usual reasons are that they want to curtail their initial investment costs as well as expenses and time connected with maintenance. Building companies and individuals in the trade have listened and have come up with the "tiny house".....