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Blog, Recent Work, Tips

6 Ways to Keep Your House Warmer This Winter

14Nov2022

Winter weather is right around the corner! With the upcoming drop in temperatures, it is essential to ensure your home is ready for the winter and your heating systems are prepared for a chilly winter. At McDonald Contracting, we want to make sure you have an stress-free and warm holiday season. So, take this as your PSA to make sure to prep your home for the colder months ahead. Concerned you don’t have time? Our UpKeep Maintenance Services were designed to ensure your home is maintained for every season of the year.

Check out our tips on how to keep your home warmer during the winter –

Adjust Your Furniture
- A task as simple as rearranging furniture that blocks air vents and radiators guarantees a warmer home. Air will circulate freely throughout your home, guaranteeing a more efficiently heated home.
Close Your Fireplace
- Although a working wood-burning fireplace adds to a cozy, winter household aesthetic, the chimney chu is a direct route for warm air to escape your home. Think about closing and sealing your fireplace to keep the warm air in and the cold air out! Not sure how to do this? Our team at UpKeep can help.
Clean Your Vents
- A quick clean of your exterior furnace vents will not only increase your energy efficiency, but it will also mitigate dust accumulation! Properly filtered, warm air is a must during the winter, and our Upkeep maintenance services include cleaning your exterior furnace vent.
Service Your Heating Unit
- A general service of your heating system is a great way to keep your house warm this winter. If your heating system isn’t running to its fullest potential, that cozy indoor warmth during the colder months may be just out of reach. Unsure how to service your heating system?
  - Part of our UpKeep services includes an annual service of your heating unit. We will change filters and supply essential maintenance of the exterior condenser and interior furnace.

Adjust Your Ceiling Fan Switch
- A simple reset of your ceiling fans to spin clockwise at the lowest speed is optimal for heat circulation. This quick switch will ensure the maximum value for your home’s heating system.

Winter should be filled with hot chocolate, sledding, and time spent with friends and family! Consider some tips above to ensure a cozy and warm home for the holiday season. Interested in our Home Maintenance Upkeep services too? Click here to learn more.

Blog, Painting, Tips

Most Valuable Home Renovations

12Aug2022

Thinking of updating your home and wanting to get the most value for your dollar? Here are some of the most valuable updates you can do!

Bathroom Renovation

Updating your bathroom can be a relatively inexpensive project that can have a big return on investment. Adding a shower to a half bath or just adding a half bath in general can increase a home’s appraised value immediately. Even a new coat of paint with a fresh vanity and new hardware can increase your home’s value. Try new tile floors for a worthy payoff. Bathrooms are a major selling point so make sure to show them some love!

Kitchen Remodel

All the magic happens in the kitchen, so it makes sense that remodeling it would be one of the most valuable home renovations. Homeowners can recover over 50% of a kitchen remodel upon selling the home! New appliances, updated countertops, and updated cabinets are worth the investment. You don’t need to replace the cabinets, sanding and adding a fresh coat of paint can give your kitchen a whole new look without breaking your budget. Even a midrange remodel has a significantly high return on investment.

Deck, Patio, or Porch Addition

Everyone loves a nice patio or deck where they can spend those warm summer nights. If you spend $11,000 on a 16×20 pressure treated, wooden deck you can expect to get $10,000 of that back upon resale. Adding an outdoor addition is a smart investment that will give you almost a 100% return.

Basement Remodel

A basement remodel can cost a bit over $50,000, but you can expect to recoup almost 90% of that cost upon resale. Usable living space is a major selling point, so if you are looking to add immediate value to your home, think about a basement renovation. Basements can be notorious for water damage, so depending on where you live you may need to restructure some outside fixtures such as drains, gutters, or even re-sloping the yard to prevent water from getting into your newly finished basement.

We would love to be part of your renovation journey. Make sure to check our list of services our team at McDonald Contracting offers to see what we can do to help you increase the value of your home!

Blog, Tips

Home Maintenance: Spring To-Do List

22Mar2022

The warm weather is in the air! With the arrival of spring you may find yourself outside more. Now is the time to make sure your home is regularly maintained to ensure the transition between seasons is as smooth as possible. Of course, many people will start with spring cleaning to kickstart the new season, but here are some things we recommend adding to your to-do list this spring to maintain your home!

Check out our Spring to-do list below. Don’t have the time to maintain your home? Check out our Preventative Home Maintenance Services.