Your home and garden 11 10 2017

October 2017

HOME& Garden

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ONE STOP SHOP: FOR LANDSCAPING IDEAS AND MATERIALS iLandscape Sunshine Coast can assist you with everything you need to get the job done right. From Quality Landscaping Products to choosing the correct contractor, we are here to assist your every landscaping requirement.

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Home & Backyard The insurance risks with DIY Renovation television programs have inspired a new generation of enthusiastic DIY renovators who may be unaware of the risks.

A Suncorp Insurance spokesperson said many insurance policies will not cover damage to property if it’s related to poor workmanship.

“Additionally, home owners are not covered if they have carried out renovations to their home which do not comply with building laws or regulations,” Suncorp’s Head of Property Claims

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and Repair Donna Stewart said.

“Poor or unregulated DIY work can also have disastrous effects. Suncorp has seen many cases where amateur renovators have built their own verandas, pergolas or carports, only to see their insurance declined because of a number of issues.

“Some of the claims declined relate to decking and awnings installed by customers who used incorrect materials that did not withstand weather conditions.

“In one case, the home owner proudly added a verandah, which promptly collapsed when a storm hit a few weeks later. The veranda proved to be substandard and the insurance claim was declined.

“Turning garages into habitable rooms is popular among weekend renovators and equally fraught with potential traps,” Ms Stewart said.

“Some may decide to convert their basements into a liveable space and may not consider appropriate heights, or the drainage and flooring type. For example, they may lay down laminated timber flooring on to a concrete slab without proper waterproofing. Because of subsequent seepage into the sub-floor rooms, insurance claims are likely to be declined.

“One of the biggest mistakes Weekend Warriors make is when joining extensions to the main house. If done incorrectly, this can result in water seepage into the home.

“A number of Weekend Warriors feel the need to renovate their kitchens with equally disastrous results.”

Common mistakes include installing splashbacks, which are not sealed, and water filters being installed incorrectly.

Ms Stewart cited one case where a house was destroyed by fire following the occupant installing a wood heater incorrectly. This caused a fire in the wall cavity. It also turned out that the installation required a permit, but this was not obtained. The claim was subsequently declined.

“Even a touch of home painting can prove disastrous with paint spilling on expensive carpet.

Some insurance policies do cover accidental damage but people need to check their policies,” she said.

“However, there are also many DIY efforts which are carried out properly and are not liable to have any negative effect on claims. DIY supporters just need to make sure their work is of an appropriate professional level and in line with regulations, or simply call an expert.”

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Glasshouse Country & Maleny News

Springtime!

Take a stickybeak around open houses

For the first time, locals and visitors will have the rare opportunity to visit 30 of the region’s most intriguing buildings as part of the Sunshine Coast Open House on Saturday October 21.

If you are interested in taking a look at the architecturally diverse, welldesigned and historic buildings across the region, here is your chance.

As part of the 30 property in the program there are heritage and contemporary buildings including the Caloundra Lighthouses, the heritagelisted Maleny Lodge, University of Sunshine Coast buildings and private homes including Avonlea and the Tent House.

Visitors will enjoy learning more about the buildings thanks to a number of renowned Sunshine Coast architects and informed volunteers holding special guided tours.

Sunshine Coast Open House Committee Chair and Australian Institute of Architects Sunshine Coast Regional Chair Adrian Just said the initiative aims to enrich understanding of the region’s built environment by encouraging residents and visitors to explore and engage with a diverse mix of buildings.

To find out which buildings are involved this year, visit www. sunshinecoastopenhouse.com.au.

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The Nanoclean Shower Screen has a coating that bonds with glass and forms an invisible protective barrier that minimises dirt and grime build up, reducing cleaning time by up to 90%.

To keep the shower screen clean, a quick wipe down with a microfibre cloth once a week is all that’s needed.

“The Nanoclean Shower Screen makes a much-hated household chore easier and quicker – there’s no need for hard scrubbing, a simple wipe and you’re done,” says Stegbar’s National Marketing Manager, Christine Evans.

“It’s a great solution for homeowners in rural areas of Australia because there are no harsh cleaning chemicals going through the septic and upsetting the bacterial balance in the system.”

The Nanoclean coating helps prevent glass corrosion and damaging lime deposits. It’s abrasion resistant, so it won’t wear down or rub off, and chemical resistant, repelling both oil-based and water-based substances. As there’s no need for harsh cleaning chemicals, it’s better for the environment.

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In theGarden Dust up in the garden Garden soil is just a mixture of organic matter (compost, humus, soil organisms, water) and inorganic matter.

The inorganic matter is the end result of a long process of weathering and breakdown of rocks and minerals into smaller particles – sand, silt,

clay for example.

The organic component of soil is always being rapidly broken down and is something we must continually replenish. We add composts, manures, green waste, green crops, mulch and kitchen scraps.

But the inorganic parts are things we tend to neglect. Sure, we add sand if the soil needs loosening up, but that’s about the extent of our considerations.

But it shouldn’t be that way. The inorganic components of the soil continue to breakdown just as the organics do – albeit at a much slower rate. And over time the balance of sand, silt and clay can get out of whack or the soil can lose its capacity to provide vital inorganic trace elements.

That’s where rock minerals come into the picture.

Contrary to what you’d think, the commercial products are just crusher dust or pulverised granite.

A good commercial rock mineral product is a blend of a range of rocks and minerals – and some are even inoculated with soil microbes too.

Common minerals you’ll find in the products are potassium, calcium, magnesium, manganese, iron, boron molybdenum, copper, sulphur, phosphorus, silica, and more.

They’ll also have soil conditioning compounds and clays like bentonite, zeolite and gypsum.

To make it easier to handle, the powdered minerals and rocks are reconstituted into clusters or balls called ‘prills’.

But what does this rock mineral stuff actually do?

Well, it has a twofold benefit.

Firstly, it provides a slow release source of all those elements that your plants need to grow healthily and happily. They’re not in a water soluble form, so they won’t wash away in the first big downpour.

And because of the slow release action, you can’t overdose the soil like you can with other fertilising products and cause toxicity to the plants and organisms.

Secondly, they provide the perfect environment for your soil microbes to flourish. And in reality, your soil health and vitality is all down to having healthy microbes. Adding a sprinkle to your worm farm is a great idea too.

An added benefit is that the soil structure will be improved meaning that the soil will have a better capacity to absorb and hold water.

But don’t think of it as an all-in-one fertiliser. Your plants will still need a ready supply of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in a form which is easily absorbed by the plant roots.

So keep up the manuring, composting and fertilising regimes... just supplement it with a twice a year dosing of rock minerals too.

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