How To Archives | Modernistic ®

Lee’s Famous Meat Loaf

Posted Wednesday, April 1st, 2020

Let’s face it. By now, you have probably watched more TV than you thought was possible. You’ve organized, and reorganized, every room and closet in the house. You may have a regular shipment of puzzles and games arriving at your doorstep each week, and if you have kids, you’re probably wondering how in the world you are going to teach them how to do those math sheets you printed off the internet. And more than likely, you have eaten snack, after snack, after snack just to pass the time. We know we have!

Heading into this weekend, we hope that you all are able to find some fun and relaxing things around the house. For our West Michigan owner, Lee Hitow, it will be doing his favorite hobby – cooking! While Lee is a man of many talents, cooking is definitely at the top and we want to share one of his favorite recipes with you! It’s easy to make, most of the ingredients you may already have on hand and more importantly, it’s DELICIOUS! Get the fam together to help make it, or turn it into a cooking competition and see who does it the best. Save the leftovers and make meatloaf sandwiches the next day!

Take a video or picture of the cooking process or the final product and post it to your social media and tag us! We can’t wait to see! Stay safe, stay home, stay healthy!

Ingredients:

1 lb Ground Beef
1/3 cup Minced Onion
¾ cup Italian Bread Crumbs
¼ cup Parmesan
1 Large Egg
½ cup Ketchup
3 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
1 tbsp Garlic Powder
1 tbsp Onion Powder
1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil (or any oil)
Salt and Pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350° F
Mince onion
Heat olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the onions and sauté until translucent, but not browned. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
Add all other ingredients to a bowl. Once the onion is cool, add that as well.
Mix ingredients just enough for them to all come together. Be careful not to over mix, but the ingredients should be able to hold together.
Cover a sheet pan with parchment paper and pour the meat mixture onto the pan. Form the meat into a loaf shape.
Bake in the oven for approximately 40 mins, or until the internal temperature reaches 160°.
Let meat rest for 15 minutes and then slice and enjoy!

Ways to Get Your Kids to Help Organize Their Room

Posted Friday, March 22nd, 2019

If your kids are anything like mine, they are not big fans of organizing. In fact, they will do just about anything to avoid organizing or cleaning their room! Once the room is tidy they always have so much more fun playing in it, and ultimately making it messy again. Now as parents, accepting that your kid’s room will never be TOTALLY clean or STAY totally clean can (hopefully) relieve some of your stress. Some simple tools and planning can really help provide a method to the madness of toys, stuffed animals, kiddo clothes, and painful-to-step-on Legos. With some practical, easy-to-learn organizational techniques (and some deep breathing), you can realize the dream and get your kid to keep their own room organized!

Pickup Time Is Fun Time

If you are struggling to make storage, organization, and cleaning fun, take a tip from Mary Poppins and try to combine it with play! One of my daughter’s favorite games is tea party, which involves getting out all her stuffed animals, toy food, and dishes. When she is done serving tea, she loves to arrange all her toy food and dishes inside of her Fisher Price refrigerator. She has fun doing it and (please don’t tell her this) is actually organizing her room!
All her stuffed animals used to live on her bed which was super cute and cozy. The downside was every night when she got in bed every stuffed animal would go on the floor. Then it would turn into a fight about who picked them up, where did they belong on the bed, how long it took to put them away, everything! We were both tired of it to say the least. Our solution was to get something to store just the stuffed animals in. She choose an enormous pink plastic bucket and ever since we got it that is where her animals have lived. No stress, no fuss, and they are still all within reach of the bed.

Let Them Choose

Letting your child have a say in how they are storing their things makes a huge difference. I let my daughter pick out her container to store her stuffed animals and she even choose a few other organizers for her art supplies and barbies. The fact that she got to make a choice about her room and storage made her feel like such a big kid, she was proud to use them and fill them with her belongings!
Another easy way to make tidying easier for kids is to put it at their level. We use cubbies that are low along the floor so she can have easy access to toys and books. Some of the cubbies have light baskets or boxes so she can easily take out or put back the bins and carry them to wherever she is playing in the house. This helps when it come to clean up time too. Another fun thing is to create labels or use stickers to indicate what is stored in each box. What kid doesn’t love stickers?
When it comes to kids clothes organization is a huge sticking point. Fortunately, there are many many options depending on your child’s messiness levels and space available. Cubbies are great for clothes if your child is better with folding or if your kiddo is still small and not able to reach hangers or higher dresser drawers. Keeping folded clothes in cubbies as opposed to drawers make it easier for children to see their favorite clothing items, which is important for the kids who are learning to pick out their own clothes and dressing themselves. I’m sure you know what it can be like when you pick out the wrong shirt for them!
If you have a closet and if your kid doesn’t mind hanging up clothes (somehow mine LOVE to hang clothes up) that is a great way to store outfits so they are off the ground and visible. If your kiddo is still a toddler, consider having 2 rows of clothes by simply adding another tension rod in the middle of the closet. You can keep their most commonly worn or favorite outfits down below and fancier clothes, seasonal outfits, and clothes that don’t quite fit yet on top. Get a step stool so they can reach both rows of outfits! Having control over their choice of outfit can really make your child feel empowered.

Just Put It Under The Bed

If you have additional items to be stored that do not have to be visible or easily accessible, consider under-the-bed storage. There are so many different options! If you want easily accessible storage, look for drawers that can be pulled out. Many stores carry drawers with options of a cover or no cover, depending on what you are storing. This would be a great idea if your child “cleans their room” by stuffing all their things under the bed.

The biggest hurdle with organizing for your child is getting them to take the reins when it comes to maintaining and organizing their own space. This is usually an ongoing struggle and learning process for both children and parents! Don’t shy away from talking with your child about where they keep their toys and how they keep their toys. Children love making decisions for themselves, so allow this organization journey to be an opportunity for them to make choices about their room and their belongings.

Simple & Quick Ways To Make Your Carpet Last As Long As Possible

Posted Wednesday, February 20th, 2019

You just got your carpets cleaned. They look great now but with kids, pets, and life in general you’re concerned they won’t stay that way. After all, flooring is one of your home’s biggest investments. It’s only natural to ask yourself what you can do between professional cleanings to make sure your carpet lasts as long as possible. Luckily, there are a few Simple & Quick steps you can take to make sure you get the most out of your investment!

There are some very easy things you can do to help prolong the life of your carpeting. The first thing is 3M Scotchgard! This is a protectant that can be applied by the professional cleaners right after they clean, and it’s something we recommend for all our customers who want their carpet to last. 3M Scotchgard will help repel liquids (which gives you longer to get it out before the spill sets into the fibers) and also help repel dry soil (which will help prevent wear damage). Many carpet manufacturers actually require protectant after cleanings in order to keep the warranty up to date!

While it’s impossible to keep all the dirt off your carpet there are things you can do every day. Having everyone take their shoes off when they enter your home is a huge step to reduce the influx dirt and wear of your carpet fibers. Have a plastic mat for everyone to set their shoes in. If that isn’t an option, an entry rug right by the entryway will help make sure you and your family aren’t tracking in soil from the outside world.

Another important way to keep your carpet looking fresh is frequent vacuuming. Carpet can hold much more than its own weight in dirt that isn’t visible to the naked eye, and vacuuming is a great way to remove it. There’s no such thing as vacuuming too often! The more you do it the cleaner your carpeting will be – and the longer it will last.

There are also things that can be done every few years to prolong the life of your carpeting. One of them is to get your air ducts cleaned. Your ducts push air all throughout your home, and if they aren’t clean, they are pushing all the dust, soil, debris, and allergens they collect into your home’s indoor air – and eventually, down into your carpeting. Over time, this can create filtration lines – visible lines of worn in dirt along the edges of your walls or under doorways. These lines show where the soil in your home’s air settles into your carpeting. Getting your air ducts cleaned will not only help keep the dirt and dust out of your carpet, it will keep the dirt and dust out of your entire home!

Another way to get the most out of your carpet between cleanings is to rearrange the furniture in high traffic rooms like your living room. No matter how clean your home is eventually your carpet fibers will begin to wear from use. Moving where the chairs and sofas sit will change where the wear is most prevalent.

It’s is a significant home investment, and we all want to make sure our carpet lasts as long as possible. With these easy steps, you can keep your carpet looking great in between professional Modcleans!

Modernistic has been extending the life of Michigan carpets since 1973. Call or click today to see how we can help you protect your flooring investment!

Indoor Games Your Kids Will Love

Posted Friday, February 15th, 2019

We are all looking for some time away from screens. But when our Michigan weather is cold, snowy, wet, or otherwise inclement, it can be tough to find fun things for kids to do; you can only play in the snow for so long before everyone gets too cold! With all the snow days our kids have had recently, it can be tough to find activities to keep them entertained for a full day. Pry the tablets and phones away from your kids (or grandkids) and spend some quality time playing these fun indoor games and activities!

Paper Airplane Race

Use copy paper to fold paper airplanes. Compete to see who can fly their plane the farthest, or give the best air show of loops and twists. You can use tape, paperclips, or other supplies to make your planes more complex. Or, you can use markers and stickers to make them more beautiful!

Plastic Bowling

Use a tennis ball and empty pop bottles to turn your living room or hallway into a bowling alley. You could even decorate one of the pins with markers and give it away as a prize like at a real bowling tournament. Or, when you are finished playing, you could visit the bottle and can return and give the money to the winner!

Wax Paper Skating

Wrap wax paper around the children’s feet and secure with tape or rubber bands. On a hard surface floor, like in the kitchen, tape off a clear area for the “ice rink.” Each child takes turns as figure skater or judge, and performs to music of their choice or scores 1-10, just like at the Olympics.

Animal Charades

Silently act out an animal while others guess. Depending on the ages playing, you can write the animals down or use small pictures. Each player takes turn drawing an animal from the hat and acting it out. For variation, you can use animal sounds instead of silent actions.

Pen and Paper Games

Simple pen and paper games like tic tac toe, hangman, dots and boxes are easy to put together. A homemade version of Scattergories (sometimes called Categories or Alphabet) is simple enough. Take turns picking the category (movies, animals, names, etc.) and write down a word for each letter of the alphabet. Points are given for unique answers. Pictionary takes charades and puts it down on paper (or dry erase board). Connect four can easily be played with paper and pen simply draw a 10×10 grid and take turns drawing Xs and Os. Up to you if you want gravity to apply like in the store-bought version!

Clean Like a Modtech

Grab a toy vacuum or a corn popper push toy and pretend to clean the carpet, just like a Modtech! Have your kids start at one end of the room and work toward the other end, “cleaning” the entire carpet as they go. You can show them or let them figure out the most efficient ways to cover every square inch with their cleaning instrument of choice (of course, it helps if they’ve seen a professional Modcleaning in action!). You can make it a game: whoever finishes their entire room first gets the prize!

Hopefully, with these games in mind, you can find hours of fun with the kids in your home. These games and activities may be old fashioned, but they never go out of style.

Even during the coldest winter weather, Modernistic has been keeping Michigan homes clean and ready to play in since 1973! Call or click today to have an expert Modtech take care of your indoor activity area.

Simple & Quick Ways To Treat The Most Common Carpet Stains

Posted Wednesday, January 23rd, 2019

Life happens! No matter the preventative measure put in place, stains can happen too. We know you don’t always have the time to schedule a professional cleaning to deal with unexpected spots, so we decided to put together a simple guide to help you deal with the most common carpet stains. With this guide you can manage these stains until you get a chance to schedule a cleaning with a professional carpet cleaner.

Important Note: This is only a guide! There is no guaranteed DIY method to remove all carpet stains, since there are many other variables that determine whether or not it will come out. You should always consult a professional before attempting to treat any stain at home!

Red Wine or Coffee

With a red wine spill or a coffee spill, you will want to address the mess sooner rather than later. The longer it sits the harder it will be to remove the stain! You will want to first blot up the excess liquid. Use either white terry cloth towels or paper towels.

Now this is very important: Blot, don’t rub! The action of blotting picks up excess liquid, so it will not saturate the carpet fibers or pad further. If you rub the area, the liquid will spread and get worked into the fibers, and the stain will be much harder to remove.

Once you have blotted up the excess liquid you will want to get at least 2 fresh clean towels to work with and mix a bowl of cleaning solution. The cleaning solution will be 1 part sugar free club soda and 1 part cold water, mix it well!

Dab the solution onto the stained area to saturate the stained area with the cleaning solution. Then, using the dry towel, you will blot the stained area to lift up the cleaning solution. Repeat this process until you begin to see color on the towels you are blotting with. That means the stain is lifting off or the carpet.

Continue the process of dabbing on the cleaning solution and blotting it up with a clean dry towel until you begin to see the color of the stain fade. It may take some time to see the color transfer, but do not give up! And remember, do not rub or the stain will get worse!

Muddy Footprints

When dealing with muddy footprints on carpet you will have to do something that feels very unnatural….you will have to walk away and leave them alone to fully dry. Trying to clean the stained area before allowing the dirt to dry up and removing it will only exacerbate the problem.

So, it may feel weird, it may be uncomfortable, it may go against all of your instincts to do so, but you will leave the muddy footprints alone until they fully dry.

Once the footprints have dried try to remove as many large clumps of dirt as possible. Just pick them up with your hands and throw them out. Once you have removed all the larger chunks use the vacuum to pick up the rest of the dried dirt.

With all the dry dirt and soil removed you will have a much clearer view of the stains you are dealing with. Grab a good amount of towels, either white terry cloth or paper, and mix your cleaning solution of 1 part white vinegar and 1 part cold water.

Saturate one towel with this solution and dab it onto the footprint stain, then, using a dry towel, try to blot up the cleaning solution you applied. Continue this process of dabbing on the solution and blotting it up until you begin to see the dirt lift from the carpet fibers onto the towel you are blotting with. You may have to repeat this several times per footprint for the dirt to begin to lift. Remember: Do not rub! Only blot!

Blood

With any type of blood spot you will want to treat the stain ASAP to reduce the chance of the stain. Dab up as much material as you can. Then make a mixture of sugar free club soda and cold water.

The water must not be hot or warm, since blood coagulates if it warms and will stick to the fibers even more than before. Cold water is necessary to loosen the material and the stain is much more likely to release if you use cold water.

As with the previous stains, you will dab on the cleaning mixture with one towel, then blot it up with another clean and dry towel. Repeat this process until the blood spot begins to lift from the carpet and onto the towel. Remember to take your time and to blot, not rub!!

Pet Stains

With pet stains odor is usually a factor. The best solution for dealing with pet stains is a 1 parts vinegar to 3 part water solution because the vinegar helps reduce any odors. It also helps release color, which is usually present in pet stains.

Just like with the other stains above, you will first want to remove by hand or blot up as much material as possible. Once as much loose material as possible is removed begin to dab the cleaning solution onto the area to saturate the affected fibers, then use a clean and dry towel to blot up the solution.

Repeat this process until the color begins to transfer from the carpet to the towel. As you repeat the process the strength of the odor should be reducing as well. Continue until the color has lifted.

Now, there are still some spots or stains that will require a professional cleaning to truly remove, but these solutions will help you out in between Modernistic appointments. Maintaining your carpet with regular professional cleanings can really help protect your investment. If you have a household that has a lot of foot traffic, children, or pets you may want to ask your Modtechs about 3M Scotchgard protection.

3m Scotchgard creates a protective layer between your carpet and the world that is trying to stain it! When you have 3M Scotchgard applied, liquids will bead up on the surface of the fibers of your carpet and you’ll have time to blot up a spill before it saturates the carpet. Even if a stain does manage to work its way into the fibers, carpet with 3M Scotchgard protection has a higher likelihood of releasing stains during your next cleaning.

Now there are still some spots or stains that will require a truck-mounted hot water extraction system to truly remove, but these Simple & Quick ways to treat the most common carpet stains will help you out in between Modernistic cleanings!

Modernistic has been cleaning up stains throughout Michigan since 1973, and you can trust we’ll get the job done right! Call or click today for help with your most stubborn carpet spots.

How To Get Pet Hair Out Of Carpet And Upholstery

Posted Thursday, November 15th, 2018

At Modernistic, we love our pets! And we know that many of our customers love their pets too! But it can be frustrating trying to keep up with all of the pet fur that get caught in upholstery and carpet. If your pets are anything like ours, you may feel like you need Modernistic to clean your carpet weekly to keep up with all the shedding! Fortunately, there are a few Simple and Quick ways to get pet hair out of carpet and upholstery that you can do at home.

With tightly woven fabrics and short fur, a light spray of water and fabric softener and loosed up pet fur. A cloth or paper towel can lift much of it right up. A slightly dampened sponge can also be used to lightly pick up fur. May people like to use lint rollers, just like they use on their clothes. We know many pet owners already keep lint rollers on hand, which makes them the perfect tool to keep up with the fur. Alternatively, you can wrap duct tape or packing tape around your hand and use it to lightly lift any fur just like a lint roller.

If the fur is still stubbornly sticking to the upholstery fabric, a rubber glove might help. Dampen a rubber glove with water and simply run your hand over the surface. Repeat until the hair is removed. For carpeting, some people will use a rubber soled shoe in place of the glove method. But the rubber should only be needed for extra stubborn fur. The best way to get fur out of carpet is to keep up with it by vacuuming regularly, and going over those furry areas in alternating directions. Remember to regularly vacuum your upholstery as well!

Gadgets! There are rubber gadgets that work on the same principle as the rubber glove method that work great at getting fur out of upholstery and carpets. Some are small, handheld or glove shaped, and others are large brooms. There are also pet hair removal gadgets that look like paddles covered in fabric. These tools use static electricity to their advantage, and come with a self cleaning base. They work a lot like a lint roller, without the waste caused by disposable adhesive sheets.

Cleaning up pet hair can seem like a lot of work, but the secret is keeping up with it regularly with these Simple & Quick ways to get pet hair out of carpet and upholstery. A little bit of cleanup here and there every day will help get rid of all the unsightly shedding!

Modernistic has been cleaning up after pets since 1973. If you need a hand cleaning up after your furry friend, then trust the cleaning experts and give us a click or call!

How To Get Slime Out Of Carpet – The Simple & Quick Way

Posted Wednesday, October 3rd, 2018

I dropped slime on my carpet – and my kid saw the whole thing.

It happened right in the middle of our living room. We were making homemade slime, everybody’s favorite non-Newtonian fluid, and right after I asked my son to avoid making a mess, I knocked the bowl off the table and directly onto the living room floor.

Egg on my face and slime in my carpet!

Naturally, my kid thought this was poetic justice incarnate – and the funniest thing he’s ever seen. As he was laughing, however, I was dialing the phone. I had a very pressing need to find out how to get slime out of carpet, and I knew exactly who could help.

You see, I happen to work for the best carpet cleaning company in Michigan, and I happen to know the foremost authority on carpet spots and stains: Tom!

Tom’s (Not So Secret) Formula

Over the phone, our resident carpet chemistry expert Tom put all 30+ years of his exhaustive cleaning knowledge to use and told me exactly how to get slime out of carpet with some simple household cleaning products:

What You Need:

Plastic putty knife (or old credit card)
Household vacuum cleaner
White vinegar
All-natural citrus cleaner
Hot water
Spray bottle
Clean white towels (or paper towels)

Steps to Remove Slime From Carpet

1. Scrape off as much slime as possible
Using a putty knife (or, in a pinch, an old credit card works great too), scrape up as much of the slime from the carpet. There will most likely be lots of it left in the fibers

2. Vacuum the area
Get your vacuum out and vacuum up as much of the surrounding area as possible.

3. Mix up your white vinegar solution
In a spray bottle, combine 1 part white vinegar to 3 parts water.

4. Apply white vinegar solution to slime
Spray your white vinegar solution on the slime and allow it to soak into the carpet fibers.

5. Blot
Using clean white towels or paper towels, blot (don’t rub!) the slime until it’s completely removed from the carpet. Repeat steps 4 and 5 if necessary!

6. Apply citrus cleaner
If there’s a stain left after all the slime is removed, apply your citrus cleaner and allow it to soak into the area.

7. Rinse
Rinse the spot with a small amount of hot water, but don’t saturate the carpet!

8. More blotting
With your clean white/paper towels, blot until the stain is gone and the area is dry. Again, repeat the last two steps if necessary!

9. Call Modernistic!
If following the above steps fail to remove the slime stain, then it’s time to call in the experts who know exactly how to get slime out of carpet with state-of-the-art equipment – you’ve done all you can do by yourself, now let the professionals take care of your carpet problem. We’ve dealt with all kinds of carpet stains, and our 100% Customer Satisfaction Guarantee means you can be confident you’re getting the best possible carpet cleaning.

I’ll admit, slime is super fun. After we took care of the slimed carpet (I had my son do the blotting), we mixed up a new batch and stretched, poked, squeezed, and prodded to our hearts’ content – in the kitchen this time, over some easy-to-clean tile.

Modernistic has been cleaning up the messes Michigan kids have made for the last 45+ years! Call or click today if you’ve had a slime (or any other type of carpet) catastrophe.

How To Get The Most Out Of Your Carpet Cleaning

Posted Wednesday, September 26th, 2018

You’ve just gotten off the phone or website after scheduling a professional carpet cleaning company to come out and clean your home. Maybe they’re coming out to work on a few specific stains you’re worried about. Maybe they’re coming to clean your entire home as part of your spring cleaning plan. Either way here are a few tips to get the most out of your carpet cleaning.

Prior to the cleaning crew arriving, there are a few things you can do for your home. Carpet cleaning companies should move any furniture like tables and chairs to clean underneath so moving any breakable items, such as lamps or picture frames, to other rooms can help the technicians safely move your furniture around.

If you have any pets in your home that shed a lot, vacuuming prior to the carpet tech’s arrival can help remove the surface layer, allowing the cleaners to get the hair that is more deeply woven into the fibers. The same applies if they’re coming to clean your upholstery that your pet sits on.

If you are concerned about any particular areas, make sure to let the technicians know when they arrive to your home. What was spilled, when it happened, and what you did to try to get the stain up are all important factors in what methods and products they use to clean those areas. Any information you have will help them choose the right way to get your carpet looking new again.

Getting on a semi-annual or annual maintenance schedule is a great way to really maximize the life of your carpeting. Regular cleanings can remove the buildup of dirt that gathers before it causes wear and damage to the carpet fibers themselves. Have the technicians apply 3M Scotchgard protectant after the cleaning. It acts as a barrier for your carpeting, making it harder for stains and dirt to permanently set in.

Modernistic has been helping our customers get the most out of our services for over 45 years! Click or Call to see how we can help your home stay its cleanest!

Create Your Own Homemade Cat Toys

Posted Friday, September 14th, 2018

We’ve all done it. We found that perfect toy in the pet store that we just KNOW our cat would love to play with. But, when we get it home, our furry feline friend ignores the awesome toy and ends up playing with the box it came in instead. How’s that for gratitude! If you’ve ever thought to yourself “Well I’m not wasting any more money on store-bought, I’m going to make my own homemade cat toys!”, then read on dear reader!

Homemade cat toys can be a fun way to personalize your space. You can create toys and furniture for your cat that actually coordinate with your home’s style and color pallet. Plus, you know your cat better than any pet store. Whether your cat likes climbing up high, batting around pieces of trash, or is into the hard stuff (catnip), you can create something personalized your cat will love.

Pompoms

Making pompoms is easy and fun! Buy some yarn in colors that you like, and make a bunch of little puffy balls. You can toss them on the floor for free play or tie them onto a dowel to make a wand toy. Pompoms on a string are great to attach to cat furniture to make them more engaging for your cat.

Sock Toys

Have an unmatched sock after doing laundry? You can turn it into a cat toy! Fill it up with catnip, tie off or sew up the ends, and yours cats will thank you for it! Even just tying an old sock in the middle makes for a simple and fun cat toy she will love to scratch and bite at.

Cardboard Scratcher

Instead of throwing out or recycling old cardboard, you can make a cat scratcher out of it! Cut strips of cardboard and use glue to make a rectangle, or wrap them up into a disc shape. The little holes in corrugated cardboard are great for holding cat nip. To jazz it up, wrap the edge with some wrapping paper or other decorative paper that will look nice

Cat Ladder

You can use a step stool or full size ladder to make a lounging spot for your cat. Use carpeting to make soft and scratchable surfaces. Use an old t-shirt or fleece in the pattern of your choice to create a hammock. Paint the wood to match your interior design. Wrap some of the wooden legs with rope for your cat to scratch. And, you might like to add some fun pompoms on strings for your cat to play with.

Keeping your cat engaged, giving her a place to feel comfortable, and designated scratching posts will help prevent your cat for scratching where she shouldn’t. Giving her a place up high to retreat can keep her from hiding. These cat toys and furniture will bring joy to your cat, and allow you to customize them to your home’s decor. You will certainly save some money too!

We love our pets here at Modernistic, but we don’t have to love their odors and messes they leave behind. Trust the experts with over 45 years of experience removing pet spots and smells! Call or click today!

Get Your HVAC System Ready For Winter With 5 Simple & Quick Tips

Posted Wednesday, September 12th, 2018

Winter is coming! Our warm summer temperatures are dropping, and we can confidently say that fall is on the way here in Michigan. Ok, confidently might be a strong word; we all know what Michigan weather is like!

Nevertheless, it’s time to start thinking about our furnaces! We’ll be turning them on in short order (if you haven’t already), and it pays to have your HVAC system running as efficiently as possible. Here are 5 Simple & Quick ways to get your HVAC system ready for winter:

1: Have your HVAC system inspected

Before making any changes to your heating and cooling system, have a professional give your home a thorough HVAC inspection. That way, you can find out exactly what your system needs to perform its best. Personalized attention from a professional is always the best way to go, but chances are your home could benefit from the rest of these tips!

2: Change the air filter

One of the best things you can do for your ventilation system is changing the air filter every 3 months! Capturing and removing all the dust, allergens, and other tiny particles is a great way to keep that unwanted junk out of your ductwork and out of your home’s air. Depending on various factors, like whether or not you have pets or if you are susceptible to allergies, you may want to change your air filter even more frequently.

3: Check the insulation in your attic

A great way to make sure the warm air circulating in your home actually stays in your home is to make sure your attic has proper insulation. If you haven’t checked it recently, head up there and see what’s going on.
An easy way to tell if you need more insulation is if you can see the ceiling joists. Proper coverage will obscure the joists, making sure you don’t lose any more heat than you have to this winter!

4: Install a programmable thermostat

If you don’t have one already, go out and buy a programmable thermostat! Also, learn how to use it! There are many times throughout the day where your furnace doesn’t need to put out as much heat, and a programmable thermostat will help give your system a “rest” and keep it heating your home efficiently.

5: Clean the air ducts

Dirty or blocked air ducts will significantly drain your furnace efficiency! In order to heat your home effectively, warm air has to travel through many lengths of ductwork. If that ductwork is filled with soil, debris, dander, dust, and other conductive material, then guess what you’re paying extra for your furnace to heat up?
Clogged ductwork will eat up your warm air before it even reaches the rooms you want it to, which is why it’s imperative to make sure your ductwork is clean prior to turning on your furnace for the winter. A thorough air duct cleaning from a professional with a truck-mounted vacuum system will increase your furnace efficiency by as much as 20-25%!

These are some easy ways to get your HVAC system ready for winter that you can do in a weekend. Just a little bit of preparation now will help you save money on your heating bills and help your furnace run more efficiently; it’s Simple & Quick!

Modernistic has been helping Michigan homes get their HVAC systems ready for the last 45 winters and counting! Call or click if you need the most thorough air duct cleaning in Michigan to help your furnace this winter.