Home Improvement Archives

Andrew, 33, and Jessell Martinez, 31, drink coffee in their remodeled coffee bar area in their kitchen at their home in Valencia, Calif., on Monday, April 11, 2022. The Martinez’s, known as The Martinez Casita on Instagram and TikTok, gained thousands of followers on social media by creating DIY home improvement content and was also featured on the Rachael Ray Show and Target’s official Instagram. Chris Torres/The Signal

‘Welcome to The Martinez Casita’: Valencia couple goes viral for DIY home improvement projects

Post Author:Chris Torres
Post published:May 15, 2022
Post Category:Hobbies / Home & Garden / News Features / Sunday Signal
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During the pandemic, Valencia couple Andrew and Jessell Martinez wanted to upgrade areas of their home, but realized it would cost them thousands of dollars to have a contractor work…

Andrew, 33, and Jessell Martinez, 31, drink coffee in their remodeled coffee bar area in their kitchen at their home in Valencia, Calif., on Monday, April 11, 2022. The Martinez’s, known as The Martinez Casita on Instagram and TikTok, gained thousands of followers on social media by creating DIY home improvement content and was also featured on the Rachael Ray Show and Target’s official Instagram. Chris Torres/The Signal

‘Welcome to The Martinez Casita’: Valencia couple goes viral for DIY home improvement projects

Post Author:Chris Torres
Post published:April 25, 2022
Post Category:Community / Featured News - App / Featured News - Website / Home / News
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During the pandemic, Valencia couple Andrew and Jessell Martinez wanted to upgrade areas of their home, but realized it would cost them thousands of dollars to have a contractor work…

Weekend home improvement project

Post Author:Signal Contributor
Post published:July 4, 2020
Post Category:Home & Garden / Sunday Signal
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Home improvement projects ramp up when the weather warms up, as homeowners channel the rejuvenating feelings of spring and tackle their home to-do lists. Large-scale renovations can greatly affect a…

The average house dedicates 5-10% of its energy budget to lighting.

Energy-efficient ideas to upgrade your home

Post Author:Signal Contributor
Post published:June 12, 2020
Post Category:Home & Garden / Sunday Signal
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Energy bills are likely among the largest expenses for homeowners, but you can take action to lower those costs. During a remodel, a certified contractor can help you make smart…

New wood flooring and sustainable improvements, such as insulation upgrades, are considerations for improvements that considered high-return projects.

Remodel your way to a bigger return on investment

Post Author:Signal Contributor
Post published:May 23, 2020
Post Category:Home & Garden / Sunday Signal
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Homeowners and renters remodel, redesign and restructure their homes for a variety of reasons. Even a newly constructed dream home needs improvements over time. Common renovation projects include upgrading worn-out…

Dealing with contractors and invasive water

Post Author:Signal Contributor
Post published:March 15, 2020
Post Category:Home Improvement (retired) / Sunday Signal
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Persistent deck leaking Hi Robert, I am on a Board of Directors at an HOA. We had our decks redone two years ago and we still suffer from persistent leaking…

If you have damaged tiles on your roof and cannot find replacements, Robert Lamoureux recommends buying the closest match and switching tiles from the back of the roof to the front. Putting the older tiles in the front can give you a perfect match, and the newer tiles won’t be as noticeable.

Roof leak, basement leak, neighbor’s rainwater

Post Author:Signal Contributor
Post published:March 7, 2020
Post Category:Home Improvement (retired) / Sunday Signal
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Roof tiles and paper Robert, Thank you for taking my question. I had gutter repairs done on my home and during the last rains we had roof leaks. I crossed…

Sunday Signal

Home improvement trends for 2020

Post Author:Michele Buttelman
Post published:February 15, 2020
Post Category:Home & Garden / Sunday Signal
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Is one of your New Year’s Resolutions a home improvement project? For 2020 the emphasis, like replacing plastic straws with paper and disposable water bottles with portable multi-use bottles, is…

Sunday Signal

Cracked fiberglass tub, French door mystery leak

Post Author:Signal Contributor
Post published:February 15, 2020
Post Category:Home Improvement (retired) / Sunday Signal
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By Robert Lamoureux, Signal Contributing Writer Cracked fiberglass tub Hi Robert, My name is Mary J. and I live in Canyon Country. I’m a 91 year old who has a…

Water heater leak, single clay roof tile repair

Post Author:Signal Contributor
Post published:February 8, 2020
Post Category:Home Improvement (retired) / Sunday Signal
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By Robert Lamoureux, Signal Contributing Writer Water heater leak Hi Robert, I discovered my 50-gallon gas water heater sprang a major leak at the bottom last Friday evening. My kids…

Sunday Signal

Replacing, repairing concrete roof tiles

Post Author:Signal Contributor
Post published:February 1, 2020
Post Category:Home Improvement (retired) / Sunday Signal
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Access your roof safely, remembering good ladder safety, and begin by using the Henry’s first to the paper where the tear is, and essentially you’re going to glue this back together.

Aftermath of leaks, permits are essential

Post Author:Signal Contributor
Post published:January 25, 2020
Post Category:Home Improvement (retired) / Sunday Signal
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Definitely work closely with your property manager, as they’ll be the contact and hiring vendors for the necessary work. Above all, be sure that proper drying out of your unit happens, and that the leak source is determined and repaired.

Sunday Signal

Issues on installing electric vehicle gates

Post Author:Signal Contributor
Post published:January 18, 2020
Post Category:Home Improvement (retired) / Sunday Signal
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First things first — you need to contact the Fire Department and find out what they will allow you to block off, if anything. They are the governing body when it comes to access for communities, for the obvious safety reasons.

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New windows, mailbox repairs, hot water tank leak

Post Author:Signal Contributor
Post published:January 4, 2020
Post Category:Home Improvement (retired) / Sunday Signal
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I would not install retrofit windows, as after an average of five years it’s been my experience that they leak around the frame. The sealant does not hold out the weather.

Stand-off brackets, importance of roof maintenance

Post Author:Robert Lamoureux
Post published:December 28, 2019
Post Category:Home Improvement (retired) / Sunday Signal
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What the report is calling for is the installation of stand-off brackets. These are a metal bracket that will itself be bolted to the concrete.

Garage doors and redone bathrooms

Post Author:Signal Contributor
Post published:December 21, 2019
Post Category:Home Improvement (retired) / Sunday Signal
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It will help keep some of the heat load out of your garage, which ultimately ends up in your home. These doors offer more clearance than the old style one piece doors, so you can get a bit larger vehicle into the garage if needed.

Leaning walls, T-brackets and hot water issues

Post Author:Signal Contributor
Post published:November 17, 2019
Post Category:Home Improvement (retired) / Sunday Signal
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We have a homeowner whose block wall is leaning away from his home, and he’s asking that the association pay for the repair of it. We’re not sure of the cause of the lean.

Robert Lamoureux: garage solutions

Post Author:Perry Smith
Post published:November 3, 2019
Post Category:Featured News - App / Home Improvement (retired) / Sunday Signal
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Question No. 1 I have a four-car garage here in Valencia, that I’ve had for about 15 years. There are a significant number of oil stains on the floor and…

Robert Lamoureux

Robert Lamoureux: Patios, walkways and foundations

Post Author:Robert Lamoureux
Post published:October 27, 2019
Post Category:Community / Home
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Question No. 1 Hi Robert, I have 5-year-old concrete patios and walkways that have a somewhat rough finish. I would describe it as an exposed sand finish. It’s similar to…

Robert Lamoureux

Robert Lamoureux: Safety precautions and sewer gases

Post Author:Robert Lamoureux
Post published:September 29, 2019
Post Category:Community / Home
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Question No. 1 Hi Robert, I live here in Santa Clarita, where we recently had a sewer backup. We called out a plumber and, because of a tree in our…

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‘Welcome to The Martinez Casita’: Valencia couple goes viral for DIY home improvement projects

‘Welcome to The Martinez Casita’: Valencia couple goes viral for DIY home improvement projects

Weekend home improvement project

Energy-efficient ideas to upgrade your home

Remodel your way to a bigger return on investment

Dealing with contractors and invasive water

Roof leak, basement leak, neighbor’s rainwater

Home improvement trends for 2020

Cracked fiberglass tub, French door mystery leak

Water heater leak, single clay roof tile repair

Replacing, repairing concrete roof tiles

Aftermath of leaks, permits are essential

Issues on installing electric vehicle gates

New windows, mailbox repairs, hot water tank leak

Stand-off brackets, importance of roof maintenance

Garage doors and redone bathrooms

Leaning walls, T-brackets and hot water issues

Robert Lamoureux: garage solutions

Robert Lamoureux: Patios, walkways and foundations

Robert Lamoureux: Safety precautions and sewer gases

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