Michelle Mastro is a contributing writer for USA TODAY Homefront. Her work has appeared in outlets such as Architectural Digest, Dwell, Atomic Ranch, and Midwest Living. She has covered homes and lifestyle stories for almost a decade. Before embarking on writing full time, she studied the material culture of the Victorian period and eighteenth century, with a particular focus on domestic life as it appeared in novels. Born and raised in California, Michelle studied English literature at UCLA, but she now calls greater Indianapolis home. Find her on Instagram @homes_writer.
Summer is the season for the reemergence of bugs — not just the American cicada — but all types of indoor and outdoor bugs. You’ll spot silverfish, carpenter ants, ticks and spiders. With so many insects, you may be wondering where bugs go in the winter. It turns out the answer is a little complicated,…
An air conditioner that is not cooling in the dead of summer is a homeowner’s nightmare. Precisely why your air conditioner is not cooling can be due to a range of problems. “Most typical issues during the summer are a result of dirty air filters,” said Marco Radocaj, owner of Balance HVAC in Vero Beach,…
Roof flashing is an element of your roof that protects it against leaks and helps you mitigate roof replacement costs. It is typically made of aluminum, steel or copper roofing materials. “The piece of metal surrounds roof penetrations or areas prone to water flow, such as roof valleys, [which are] slopes in the roof,” said…
When looking for how to kill ticks in your yard, you may turn to acaricides and pesticides to do the job. Unfortunately, these ingredients may harm your yard and local environment, which means prevention is typically the best defense against ticks. “Ticks prefer cool, moist areas, so trimming large bushes, trees, and shrubs allows for…
A new roof costs an average of $21,440, with a range of $5,435 to $37,266, according to the RSMeans construction pricing database. Many factors influence roofing costs, including the size of the roof surface and the materials used. As you research the cost of a new roof, you should know that jumping at the lowest…
Moss has its perks, such as better soil diversity and helping your garden’s ecosystem. Even though moss, lichen and algae can indicate good air quality, you don’t want them growing on your roof shingles. This furry green organism can wreak havoc on your shelter and possibly expedite the need for a new roof. That’s because…
Metal roofing costs an average of $17,522 for a 2,000-square-foot roof, with a range of $10,987 to $25,711, according to the RSMeans construction cost database. While asphalt shingles cost considerably less, the cost of a metal roof compares favorably to that of other popular materials, such as cedar, clay tiles and slate, as shown in…
Do you ever look at your neighbor’s lawn and ponder: Why can’t my lawn look like that? The old saying may tell you that the grass is always greener on the other side, but you don’t have to long for someone else’s beautiful lawn. As long as you know when to fertilize your lawn, you…
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