Homeowner’s Academy
This is your guide to interesting facts, tips and general homeowner information. We hope you find the information useful – and feel free to share with friends!

Is Your Home Landscaping “Florida-Friendly?”

Spring cleaning often comes with a fresh coat of paint. Painting can be a great way to change the feel of a room or give your home some great curb appeal. Painting also plays a role in home repair by protecting the wood of your home against the elements, essential here in Florida.

If you decide to try your hand at painting this spring, People’s Trust has some tips that can keep the experience enjoyable and safe for everyone in your family.

Try Some Eco-friendly Paint

Spring conjures up the sniffles for many people in the great outdoors, but paint may do the same thing inside of your home. Household paints have previously contained up to 300 toxic chemicals, including the hazardous volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that release particles into the air for years after you paint.

Try a low-VOC paint, which tends to be water-based, for any home interior painting. These have taken off in recent years and come in every shade and finish imaginable. Some brands also create no-VOC paints by replacing chemicals with more natural ingredients. These no-VOC paints are often pet-safe, but always check the label and never leave your pet unattended in a room where paint cans are open.

Home Repair Supervision

If you have children, never let them be in a room with open paint cans by themselves. If children are under the age of 10, they should never be in a room with any open painting materials. Even eco-friendly paints are extremely dangerous if ingested. If you believe your child has ingested any paint, immediately call poison control at 1-800-222-1222.

Try Cloth Catchers for Indoor and Outdoor Painting

You can pick up plastic sheets to protect your floors and lawn, but these often move and tear as you walk around painting. Turn to cloth or canvas drop cloths that will stay in place easier and can be weighed down with objects without the risk of tearing.

For painting the outside of your home, try a tarp with tie-holes. These can be staked into the ground to provide a steadier surface for a ladder.

Ventilate: Make Room to Breathe

If you’re painting inside, open the doors and windows. If your room has a fan, turn it on. You want proper ventilation for any space you’re painting to help air out the room and not breathe in paint fumes. If you can’t ventilate where you’re working, get a respirator and only paint in short stints.

Ventilation is essential to most common home repair improvements.

Stick to the Shade

If painting outside, you know that you need to take a break in the shade, but what about your materials? Paint, paint thinner and lacquer all need to stay in the shade as much as possible when painting outdoors.

Not only can heat and sun alter some of these items when they’re sitting in the can, but heat can also be a big problem for these flammable items. The city of Las Vegas actually warns its citizens to be careful when painting their homes or canvases outside because paint thinner has been ignited by the sun and started home fires.

Clean Up after Home Repairs

When you finish painting for the day, clean up the entire space. This will prevent spills and any accidental exposure.

Latex paints can typically be cleaned from surfaces and your skin with soap and water. Oil-based paints will have specific cleaning instructions located on the paint can itself. Take a look at your can before you start painting and write down what it says, because paint often spills on the outside of the can during the painting process.

Gasoline was once used to clean paint off of brushes, but this should never be used. Gasoline is extremely dangerous and should never be used as a cleaner for any object.

It’s always a smart practice to clean up and watch your space clearly when doing any home repair project.

Is Your Home Landscaping “Florida-Friendly?”

by PTI Marketing | Apr 23, 2015

Have you ever asked yourself if your home landscaping is “Florida-friendly?”

When planning a lawn or garden, most homeowners don’t consider the environmental impact of their landscaping decisions. Keeping your yard in line with your local climate is the easiest and best way to ensure beautiful and healthy curb appeal.

Getting ready to landscape your yard? Take a look at these important steps to ensure your landscaping is “Florida-Friendly.”

Know Your Yard

Does your yard get a lot of sunlight? What about frequent rainfall? Are there any shady areas? Assess your lawn’s natural strengths and weaknesses to determine what plant species will thrive best in your home garden.

Grow Florida-Friendly Plants

Select plants that will attract beneficial butterflies and insects to your yard. Create a healthy habitat by increasing plant variety and creating natural corridors that allow animals to move around freely.

Here are some Florida-friendly plants for you to try:

  • Cuban buttercup
  • Purslane
  • Golden dewdrop
  • Petunia
  • Tampa Verbain
  • Milkweed
  • Purple Cone Flower

For more Florida-friendly plants that best suit your yard’s climate, check out Florida Yard’s comprehensive Plant Database

Create a Safe Habitat for Wildlife

A birdbath or fountain pond is a fun way to attract birds and other small animals. Avoid using synthetic fertilizers and pesticides to keep wildlife healthy and poison-free. If you own pets, try not to let them terrorize the nearby wildlife.

Reduce Storm Water and Chemical Run Off

Storm water runoff is a top pollutant in Florida lakes and rivers. It poisons our natural water resources, which is dangerous for humans and animals alike. Pet waste is another significant source of bacteria found in lakes and rivers.

Pet owners – pick up pet droppings to prevent them from being swept into storm drains. A quick and easy way to reduce storm water run off is to outline your yard with brick or mulch.  

Mow, Rake and Prune

While these are not the most exciting outdoor activities, they are necessary for a healthy lawn. These tasks generate natural waste that is beneficial to your soil. Also consider creating a compost pile to add nutrients and fertility to your soil.

To do this, combine leaves, grass clippings, or garden fruits and vegetables. Florida humidity makes composting easy and effective.

Properly Handle Yard Pests

Pesky animals are inevitable, but it’s important to handle them in a safe, respectable way. Check your plants regularly, and remove any ticks. Weeding by hand is usually more effective, and less toxic, than weed killer. When handling pesticides, use spot treatment instead of spraying your entire lawn.

Water Your Lawn and Garden Efficiently

Conserving water is an important part of creating a low-impact environment. Follow your community’s guidelines, and make sure that your sprinklers aren’t accidentally watering the driveway and sidewalk.

Be mindful of the weather. If it just rained, don’t water your lawn immediately after. Your plants AND the environment will thank you.