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Toronto can get hot during the summer. And, with the city experiencing greater numbers of heat waves every year, beating the heat can take some creativity if you don’t have air conditioning. Here are some tips on cooling off when the heat rises.

Fans

The simplest way of cooling down is to create a breeze – and the best way to do that is with a fan. Whether you choose to install a ceiling fan or purchase a pedestal or box fan, these handy appliances are a fraction of the cost of air conditioning and will help cool you down on hot days.

Ice

If the temperature rises too high and the fans are just recirculating already hot air, you can help add some coolness to the air by putting a bowl of ice in front of your fan. As the ice melts, the fan will spread the cool air around and will bring down the temperature. Just be prepared to make a lot of ice so you can keep replacing it as it melts down.

Water

Yes, water can be your friend on hot days – even if you don’t have a swimming pool. You can always soak in a cold tub or you can even fill up a bucket to soak your feet. You can also soak towels and put them on your head and shoulders to help cool you down.

Basement

Toronto home basements are always cooler than the upstairs. If you are fortunate enough to have a basement, consider spending the hottest parts of the day downstairs.

Hydration

During a heat wave you need to drink plenty of water. As your body sweats, it will lose water and electrolytes – both of which need to be replaced frequently. So, try to drink and have a small snack every so often to keep your body hydrated.

Cool foods

Try to eat “cooling” foods such as salads and cold meals. Try to avoid heavy, protein rich meals, which tend to increase your metabolic heat resulting in you feeling warmer.

Lastly, if the heat is too much, head to an air conditioned public place such as a mall, library, movie theatre, etc… and don’t forget to check on your pets to make sure they are not overheating as well.

You’ve found the perfect Toronto home in your preferred neighbourhood – if you want to stave off potential issues and you want to keep it looking its best, then there are some very simple home maintenance tasks you should do routinely. By keeping on top of small things, you will eliminate the larger issues that can arise from simple things left undone. To help you keep track we’ve compiled a list of tasks you should do every so often to keep your home in top shape.

Regrout/recaulk

It is important to refresh the caulking and/or grout around tubs, sinks, toilet bowls and tiles. Recaulking/grouting will prevent water damage in these high-water areas.

Exhaust fans/air conditioners/central vacuums

Clean out the filters in all the small appliances that have them including exhaust fans, air conditioning units and central vacuums. Cleaning your exhaust fans will prevent mold from forming while cleaning any filter will ensure that the appliances it’s in will continue functioning optimally.

Downspouts

Make sure that your downspouts are always pointing away from your home and can drain easily. Downspouts that are clogged or don’t have the attachment that leads away from your home could cause water damage to your foundation.

Drains

Keep your drains draining smoothly by giving them a good cleaning every few months. You can use baking soda and vinegar to clean them out periodically, but if you have a really slow moving drain, then you should use a snake to clear any gunk built up and to get the water flowing again.

Gutters

Gutters should be cleaned at least once a year – if not twice – in the spring and in the fall. This is especially true if you have a lot of trees close to your home. Cleaning debris out of the gutters will help to keep the water flowing properly and prevent any water damage from happening.

Driveway

Fill in any cracks you might see right away. Leaving a crack can actually cause the crack to widen and worsen over time – especially due to winter conditions. You should also reseal your asphalt every few years.

Trees

Trim your trees and hedges to keep them away from power lines. It is better to prevent vegetation from getting tangled up with power lines to avoid a falling branch taking out the power and causing expensive damage.

Windows/doors

Inspect your window and door seals to makes sure there are no leaks. If you do find a leak then you should seal it right away.

By keeping on top of these few simple tasks, you can easily maintain your home.

A neatly manicured lawn adds curb appeal to any Toronto dwelling. Whether you have a tiny patch of land or a sprawling acreage, having a healthy, green lawn is definitely satisfying. If your lawn is more dust and weeds than grass, there is a way to bring it back to life without the need of costly services. All you need is time and the commitment to providing the care a new lawn needs to get established.

Get rid of weeds

The first thing to do to get your Toronto lawn looking healthy again is to get rid of the weeds. It is best to use a non-selective herbicide for this task. Spray it on to your lawn and wait the recommended amount of time before moving to the next step. If the weeds persist, then you will have to spray those areas again until they are gone.

Aerate/till

Once you have rid your lawn of weeds, the next crucial step in the regreening process is to aerate. To do this you can use a tiller or aerator and if you don’t have one of these you can rent one from your local hardware store. If tilling the soil, then it is best to till to a depth of 5-6 inches to really break-up the soil. Incorporating the tilled vegetation into the soil is great for softening heavy, clay soils.

Rake

Once you have properly aerated your lawn (or tilled it) you must rake it to remove any debris – this ensures that the seeds contact the soil properly.

Seed

Now you are ready to put down your seed. Broadcast spreaders work best for large lawns, but drop spreaders are better for areas edging garden beds. If you want to get the best coverage, spread from north-to-south first and then go back and spread the seed from east-to-west. You will be certain to cover every inch with this technique.

Rake

Rake in the seeds lightly. They should have contact with the soil, but not necessarily be buried by the soil.

Fertilize

Add your rooting fertilizer – it should only be fertilizer specifically meant for new growth grass, otherwise it can scorch the seeds.

Water, water, water

Finally, you have to water your lawn consistently. You should water your lawn twice a day for 15-20 minutes. Your goal is to keep the seed moist until they start to germinate and sprout.

Wait for the grass to be at least 3 inches tall before cutting it, then make sure your lawn mower doesn’t cut more than ? of the stems. With consistent watering and cutting, you can revive your lawn and enjoy a lush, green carpet.

Toronto flooring trends haven’t changed all that much over the year – hardwoods are still the number one choice for most homeowners. However, there are some innovative materials now on the market and the colours are definitely trending lighter than before.

Hues and colours

Dark wood flooring in Toronto homes was all the rage for the better part of a decade, however, recent trends show colours starting to lighten. Now it is very common to see pale shades and cool tones over the darker ones. Even when it comes to tiles, the colours being chosen are lighter, with a bit of texture and/or neutral. However, geometric patterns are also very trendy right now.

Area rugs

Area rugs are on the rise in popularity. While banished from most homes for a long time, these accent pieces are making a comeback and are being used to highlight a room’s colour scheme or architectural detailing. If you do opt to use an area rug make sure that there is at least 18” of clearance all the way around it. If being placed in the living room, then all of the furniture should fit easily on top of it. Otherwise just the front legs of the major furniture pieces should be on top of it.

Biggest trends for 2021…

But what is the biggest trend in flooring for this year? Greige. Yes. that in-between colour that is a mix of both grey and beige has now found its way from cabinets and walls into flooring. If you are redoing your floors and really want to be on trend, then this is the colour for you. It is cropping up in wood, laminates and tiles.

Lastly, marble patterns are going to be huge this year. They were already starting to take hold in the prior two years, but they are now really hot and will be found everywhere from kitchen to hallways to bathrooms.

Regardless of the current trends, finding the right flooring for your home is best done but following your own tastes – after all, you are the one who will be living with it.

Toronto real estate is in a seller’s market. Prices are high and competition fierce for the homes on the market. It is no wonder that many people are choosing to stay put and renovate instead of wading into such a hot market. Then there are those who are renovating to maximize the returns they can get when they do list their property. Whatever your reason for wanting to renovate, the first step is figuring out how you will finance your reno. Financing a renovation is one of the very few acceptable reasons for incurring debt. Renovations are considered a good debt because they add to the value of your home.

Budget

Once you have determined the kind of budget you will need for your renovation, you will have to think about where to secure that funding. If your project is small, then you might already have the funds set aside or can postpone your reno a few months to save it up. However, if your project is large then there are several options available to you for financing.

HELOC

The home equity line of credit is one of the smartest ways to finance a home renovation. The HELOC lets you borrow money against the equity built-up in your home – up to 80% of your home’s value (loan plus mortgage combined). HELOCs require you to repay only the interest every month, making them extremely flexible. The only caveat with a HELOC is that you must be disciplined enough to draw down on it only for the project at hand and not be tempted into using it to float any shortfalls in your monthly budget. As there are no requirements to pay back the balance each month, the other danger is that you never really ever end up paying the loan back. However, if you are disciplined and know that you can repay what you borrow and won’t use it for vacations or other miscellaneous expenses, then a HELOC is a great way to finance a reno. And, because of its flexibility, you can borrow and repay against it as often as you like.

Remortgage

The next option for financing a renovation is to remortgage your home. As long as you have a realistic budget and know how much you will need for contingency remortgaging your home will give you the best interest rates and it will force you to repay the loan every month – making it an ideal way to ensure that you don’t simply float the loan indefinitely. The only drawback with remortgaging your home is that it is not as flexible as a HELOC. If the project costs more than anticipated or you have other projects you want to do afterwards, you will again have to look for a way to finance them.

Personal loan or unsecured line of credit

The other options for financing your home renovation is through a personal loan or a line of credit. While they are both solid options if you aren’t able to access a HELOC or remortgage your home, they will cost you more in the longer run and are not very flexible either. Furthermore, if you don’t make the minimum payments on the line of credit every month, the interest charges can balloon your debt significantly in a short amount of time.

Home renovations are great not just for adding value to your home, but also for creating a space tailored to your needs, your aesthetic and your comfort level.