Your Home Issue 3 2012

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Pole BarnRethink the

2 Your Home - Issue 3 - Cadillac News www.cadillacnews.com | Friday, September 7, 2012

The change of seasons, the change of family schedules, or even a change in furniture – there are many reasons to take the time to transform the interior of your home and revitalize your decor. Why not take the opportunity this fall and winter to refresh your interior with the bold colors trending this year?

Traditional fall colors like bronze orange, vibrant gold and comfy eggplant bring plenty of life to a home’s decor, especially after the temperatures have dropped and you’ve closed up the house for a season. Winter colors are warm this year, with a lot of browns blended in with reds, yel-lows and taupe, creating a cozy interior feeling through the long winter months. And if you’re looking to trans-form your home into a blooming spring or summer theme inspired by next year’s anticipated colors, brighter hues in traditional primary shades are a good direction to go.

Changing a paint color is always the first big step to take in refreshing the look of a room. But many people often eschew painting a room because they think it takes too much time. Not so any more.

“Edging is often the most time-consuming and frustrat-ing portion of a painting project,” says Arti Lyde, project director for Wagner Spray Tech. “Combining the taping and the painting time together allows homeowners to ac-complish the project much quicker.”

Shorten the time it takes to transform your interior. Wagner Spray Tech has the SMART Edge Roller, which

allows you to paint directly up to the edge of the wood-work, resulting in a straight, clean edge. In addition, the roller has a direct-feed reservoir that holds 6 ounces of paint, eliminating the need for a tray. With this edging tool in your painting arsenal, you’ll have a new color on your walls quickly and easily with less mess and less fuss.

Another way to revitalize your decor is to bring in accent colors through fabrics. Toss a pillow or two in a contrasting shade on your couch, loveseat or chair. Or add pops of color to your windows by accenting them with colorful Venetian drapes. Another way to add accent colors to your rooms is through wall art in the form of paintings, posters or even decorations. Rotate in wall art incorporating your new colors to attract the visual atten-tion of guests to your home.

Don’t forget the floors. Plush rugs can add warmth to the room no matter if you have carpeting or wood floors. Use a small rug under a coffee table in the living room, at the base of the vanity in a bathroom, or a larger rug under the bed in the master bedroom to bring some character a room. Match the colors of your rug to the wall colors to unify the look.

With a new paint color warming the walls of the room, and accent colors bringing added dimension to furniture, fabrics and floor decorations, your home will be trans-formed into a comfortable living environment for many months to come.

Transform your interior decor to create a cozy atmosphere

Friday, September 7, 2012 | www.cadillacnews.com Cadillac News - Your Home - Issue 3 3

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As the season changes, many of us will get the itch to tackle any number of home improvement projects before winter. For some, a complete remodel is in the works. For others, just a few quick fixes are needed to make the home a more enjoyable space during the long winter months or in preparation for holiday entertaining.

With the kitchen at the heart of the home, it’s an obvious place to take time for a few updates this season. Here are a few ideas to help give your kitchen a fresh look without spoiling the budget.

Overhaul cabinetry without breaking the bank

Although replacing kitchen cabinetry can be a very costly home improvement project, it usually makes the biggest impact. With unlimited options to choose from and varying price points, it’s easy to become overwhelmed and discouraged. Even if your budget is small, don’t give up on the idea of updating your kitchen cabinetry because

there are plenty of affordable solutions. For example, QualityCabinets offers its Woodstar series, a line of affordable and stylish cabinets including its newest door styles - Kittery and Brookport - that are on-trend and available in popular finishes ranging from a classic and airy natural stain to dark and rich tones.

Add some personality and shineHardware and faucets are touched every day, and wear

and tear are inevitable. Just switching out these pieces can make a dramatic difference by adding a fresh shine, some personality and even greater functionality to the space. If your cabinetry hardware seems a bit dated, opt for one of many modern options for an instant, low-cost update. Replace the kitchen faucet with a sleek, better-functioning style to elevate the kitchen design, but also introduce a newer water-saving solution.

Don’t underestimate the power of paint

With color trends constantly changing, and the focus on color in the home becoming more prominent, a fresh coat of paint can change the look and feel of a space almost instantly. With the changing season, opt for colors that add warmth and comfort or choose a bright color to combat the gray of winter. Paint can also help cover up unsightly wall marks and stains and provide the backdrop for new decor and furnishings for a whole new look. To ensure your new look has staying power, make sure to purchase a quality paint specially formulated for the kitchen.

Lighten up in the kitchenKitchen lighting is easy to overlook. If there are outdated

lighting fixtures in your kitchen, or simply not enough light, consider adding new whimsical pendant lights or splurge on a stunning chandelier to create a focal point. Simply adding lighting under the wall cabinets and dimmer switches can introduce a new ambiance to the space. A visit to your local home center or lighting showroom will give you plenty of ideas.

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Renovating bathrooms is commonly at the top of home improvement to-do lists. Though some rooms around the house may remain timeless, bathrooms, like kitchens, show their age (and era) much more easily, which could be why homeowners are always on the lookout for new ideas.

Although many people may dream about creating a spa-type oasis in their homes, not everyone is lucky enough to have a large bathroom, much less a large budget for a full-scale renovation. Small bathrooms are common, particularly in older homes, but they needn’t force homeowners to compromise on style when renovating.

Small bathrooms may be a half-bath on a main home level or even a full bath, depending on the home. By thinking creatively, homeowners can maximize their spaces and redo bathrooms in ways that bring out their best assets.

When space is at a premium, it’s best to look for fix-tures and items that fit with the scale of the bathroom.

Although you may want a large vanity and cabinet in which to hide all of your toiletries, this simply may not be practical -- taking up most of the bathroom real estate. Instead, look for elegant pedestal sinks that have a much smaller profile. They’ll also help you control the clutter in the bathroom because there won’t be anywhere to hide it. Use optical illusions to make the bathroom appear more roomy. For example, lay tile diagonally to create the impression of space. A large mirror will reflect the room back and make it appear much larger than it really is. Select lighter hues in paint colors and accessories. Dark paints and fixtures could make the room feel cramped. Dark colors are generally used to make spaces feel more cozy. In a small bathroom, it may make the space feel claustrophobic. Instead, think light and bright and the room will instantly feel more airy. Minimize wall hangings and keep fixtures smaller. Filling the walls with knickknacks may contribute to clutter and make the space appear closed in. Use decorative items sparingly. If possible, store towels in a closet outside of the bath-room. This way you won’t have to devote space inside the bathroom to a closet, leaving more room for other things. While some people like the thought of a separate bath and shower, in smaller bathrooms this may not be possible. Instead, look for a combined shower and bath, or select a walk-in shower with a much smaller profile. Windows are often welcome in bathrooms because of the ventilation they provide, but they could be a hindrance in smaller bathrooms because they take up prime wall space. Cover a window in a shower stall to free up space. Just be sure to install a venting fan to reduce moisture in the bathroom. Maximize wall space if you need storage. Find cabinets that will fit beneath windows or be able to fit in thin areas between sinks and toilets. Over the toilet is prime area for cabinetry. Consider a frameless shower. This is a partitioned area of the bathroom that’s set aside for the shower and is typi-cally only cordoned off by a thin wall or piece of glass. Or a shower with no walls at all is the ultimate in space-sav-ing. The entire bathroom floor is decked out in tile, and a portion is sloped toward a shower drain. Think about installing a skylight if you prefer natural light, but there is no room for a traditional window.

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Oftentimes, buying a home opens up a bottomless pit of opportuni-ties for projects and improvements. While some homeowners engage in different repairs and fix-ups out of necessity, many others like to freshen-up their spaces out of personal preference instead of need. But even the most well-intentioned projects can be waylaid if budgets are tight.

What many homeowners may not realize is that there are many ways to make updates and changes to a home that do not require a major overhaul or a large price tag. The following are seven projects that won’t break the bank.

1. Move around furniture. You may be able to change the look of

a room without spending any mon-ey. Interior designers know how to arrange furniture for maximum appeal, but the average homeowner can do it, too. Find a focal point in the room and angle the furniture toward it. Don’t make the focal point the television, however. Try changing the placement of chairs and sofas. Simply mov-ing a curio cabinet from one corner to another may also make a difference.

2. Add lighting. Lighting at different levels in the room can create a vibrant impact. Many homeown-

ers mistakenly put in a couple of table lamps and think that will be adequate. However, properly illuminating a room means varying the lighting to create different moods at different times. Plus, more light can make a room feel more welcoming.

3. Add new pillows or drapes. Changing a few aspects of a room can give it an entirely new look.

If you want to add a splash of color but don’t know what to do, think about incorporating some new throw pil-lows or change the curtains. An accessory here and there in a bright color also can incorporate a new hue without it being overwhelming.

4. Change knobs or small accents. Give a room a new

look by focusing on the small details. Switch out cabinet knobs for some-thing updated and modern. Take inventory of wall outlets and light switches and think about selecting new ones that coordinate with your home decor.

5. Use plants. Empty corners or spots you’re not certain

how to fill may benefit from a plant. Plants are inexpensive ways to add instant color and visual appeal to a room. Plus, having live plants can help improve indoor air by filter-ing out contaminants. A home with plants also feels more cozy.

6. Hang new wall art. It may be time to look at your

photos and artwork and make a few adjustments. Finding new prints to

hang could instantly change a room’s ambience. And you needn’t spend a lot of money on professional photogra-phy, either. Grab your camera and take a few close-up shots of flowers or take in a landscape scenery. Many of today’s home printers can produce professional-quality prints in minutes.

7. Try a new coat of paint. After you’ve ex-hausted other avenues, choosing a new paint color

may be the new look you desire. Painting is one of the least expensive yet most dramatic methods of changing a home’s interior. With dozens of hues to choose from, and new apps that enable you to take snapshots of things in nature or in your life and match them up to a paint color, you will have scores of opportunities to explore fresh new colors for your home.

When you get inspired to make improvements to the home but fear how much it may take out of your wallet, consider inexpensive tricks that can induce a big “wow” factor.

Seven inexpensive ways toupdate a home now


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Sara Mendell

As first-time homeowners, my husband and I had a lot to learn. Our first lesson came in the form of a gas bill. It was $800 for the month of January.

"How is that possible?" we asked. We had been very conservative with how much heat we used, even sleeping with extra blankets.

So we took further action, determined to drive our gas bill lower. We only kept the heat on in our kids' rooms and proceeded to walk through the house bundled up for the month of February. Then the bill came for February: $750. What?! How could that be? We had done everything we could to use as little gas as possible. We then contacted a heating and air conditioning company, which sent people to take a look. And so our first lesson in house owning began.

First, it is more economical to set all of your thermostats to remain at the same temperature throughout the day and night. It is much more expensive to turn them off and then on again. OK, so they set our entire house to 68 degrees.

Second, and this is the most important part, our attic was not insulated properly. So how should we go about doing this? There are three main types of insulation: batts, blown and sprayed.

Batts are large pieces of insulation that hold together because they're made of long, interweaving fibers with adhesive binders. The two kinds of batts you're most likely to encounter are fiberglass and cotton. In terms of their insulating quality, they're pretty much equivalent. The problem with batts is that they don't cover the entire space and are known to leave gaps or spaces.

The second type of insulation is blown. There are two types of blown insulation, fiberglass and cellulose. Cellulose comes from recycled newspapers. Fiberglass comes from sand. Whether you use cellulose or fiberglass, blown insulation is great at filling the gaps and giving you a good, complete layer of insulation.

The third major type of insulation is spray foam. This is the most expensive of the three. According to our contractor, it is the best at keeping the heat inside when it is cold outside and the hot air outside when the weather is warmer. This type of insulation comes in spray cans and is composed of resin and certain chemicals. When sprayed, the chemicals and resin create a foam that expands and

solidifies in place.Now it was time to do

some price investigating. We had three different contractors come over and give us price quotes. Naturally, we went with what seemed to be the least expensive while the most capable. We used the spray foam because in the end, we would save money, even though there was a significant cost upfront.

On a Friday morning, three men from Poland came over and went to work. They took up the old wood planks that were in the attic and began filling the spaces. After about five hours, they were finished. My husband and I went up to the attic and saw the brand-new spray foam covering the floor of the attic. It looked and felt much better.

So time went on, and we anxiously waited for our next gas bill. Finally, the envelope arrived. I quickly opened it. A huge smile formed on my face as I saw the total: $200 for the month. Wow, what a huge savings. And the following month, as spring came, it was $150. At this pace, we'll earn back our investment in insulation in no time.

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Pole BarnRethinking the

BY MARDI SUHS - CADILLAC NEWSPHotoS: KAtHERYN KIDDER

CADILLAC - Builder Dave Wetherell always wanted a rustic cabin on a very private piece of property - that was his dream.

Once he found the property, complete with a large pond filled with lily pads and surrounded by hardwoods, he began constructing a hunting cabin the entire family could enjoy.

But he didn’t look through house plan books for his dream cabin.

He built a pole barn.After driving down a long, winding two-track that ends

in the driveway of a stylish home with a three-car garage, you would never guess that the brown-sided structure is a pole barn.

It really requires a serious double-take.Wetherell, who owns Dave’s Building and Masonry con-

struction company, said the way you can tell it’s a pole barn is from the interior of the garage. That’s where you can see the tell-tale posts and the foundation poles.


“Building this saved me twice the cost,” he smiled. “You have wide walls so you can insulate this well. Here you have the poles and then carriers at the top to sup-port the roof. It’s just poles with sheeting and siding - insulated.”

He then put a crawl space under the structure for the plumbing and wiring.

Any builder or general contractor knows that the easiest, simplest residential structure to build is a pole barn. And now there’s a trend to start with a pole barn and transform it into a beautiful home. Although pole barn homes are a little more complicated to build, they still save money and are easy to maintain.

Dave’s wife Linda calls the cabin “a work in progress,” noting that they have been working on it for about four years.

“Dave just fell right into this property. When it was offered he knew he could fulfill his dream of having a cabin,” she said. “So what’s unique about this is that it’s nothing fancy. It’s a place to come hang your hat.”


The two-bedroom, two-bath cabin is completely covered in knotty pine walls and ceilings with lami-nate and tile flooring. A cultured stone fireplace is the centerpiece of the large living room, dining and kitchen area. On either side of the fireplace are large windows overlooking an extended front porch that overlooks the pond.

Linda decorated with rustic, lodge-look accents, including a bear rug in front of the fireplace. The lighting fixtures and furniture all reflect the up-north look.

Entering the cabin from the garage reveals a large, welcoming hallway. On the wall is a sign that reads, “Wetherell Family Compound - Paradise Pond.”

There are deer mounts on wall, along with mounted prize catch fish - and even a stuffed bird.


One family member that especially enjoys the cabin is Wetherell’s granddaughter, Jessie Wetherell.

“I love having bonfires out there in the yard. We like to ride our quads here. We hunt in the deer blind over there,” she said, pointing to the far end of the pond. “My sister Abby shot a ten-point on the first day of the youth hunt last year.”

Jessie also enjoys fishing in the pond, going out in the paddle boat and picking wild blackberries and strawberries on the property.

“What I like here is that it’s peaceful and tranquil,” Linda added. “There’s a view from every window and in the fall it’s gorgeous.We can watch the sunsets. When our family comes from North Carolina we just sit in these chairs and watch the sunset and have a bonfire.”

The Wetherell extended family includes their four children and seven grandchildren.

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Our lives are busier today than ever before. Trying to balance the demands of work and home life is no easy feat. At home, day-to-day chores like cooking and cleaning easily chip away at precious time that could be better spent on a lit-tle rest and relaxation. If you’re looking to take back some of your time at home, the kitchen is a great place to start. With a few simple tools, you can dramatically reduce your workload, making more time for the things that really matter.

1. Hands-free helperImagine the convenience of having a kitchen faucet that can

sense what you’re trying to accomplish, and with a simple wave of the hand, immediately responds to your needs. The new Moen Arbor pulldown kitchen faucet with MotionSense utilizes advanced sensors to detect a user’s movement in two sensing zones, immediately setting water flow in motion. Simply place an object – like a cup or your hand – near the base of the faucet or wave your hand above the faucet to turn the water on and off automatically. You can also adjust the faucet’s temperature and flow the traditional way, using its convenient side handle. With MotionSense, tasks like wash-ing dishes, filling a glass of water and preparing the evening meal can become quicker and more efficient. It’s like having a second set of hands in the kitchen – perfect for when your hands are too full or too dirty to turn on the faucet.

2. Futuristic fridgeUntil recently, the most unique tool for the outside of the

fridge was the ice maker. Although still a useful item, some manufacturers have far surpassed this technology with today’s more high-tech models. The Samsung 30 cubic foot Side by Side LCD Refrigerator with apps features a WiFi-enabled 8-inch LCD touch screen, giving access to popular apps like Pandora, Epicurious, Google Calendar and the brand new Grocery Manager app, which tracks expiration dates on per-ishables. Whether you’re looking for a recipe, updating your calendar or listening to music, you can do it all from your refrigerator door.

3. Pressure relieverIt’s 5 p.m., your family is hungry and you have no idea

what you’re going to feed them. An electric pressure cooker can help ease the pressure of a “what-do-I-do-for-dinner” situation, and requires less monitoring than a stovetop pressure cooker. These miracle machines use a moist, high-temperature environment to cook food three times faster than conventional methods. Plus, many models have the added bonus of electronic features, such as a programmable timer and the ability to brown, simmer or saute.

4. Programmed for successMake meals more easily with the Frigidaire Professional 30-

inch Slide-In Induction Hybrid Range. This smart stove fea-tures a delay start option, so you can set your oven to begin cooking on your schedule. For easy prep the day before, the range can be programmed from one to 24 hours in advance. Other innovative features include one-touch settings, allow-ing you to cook family favorites like chicken nuggets and pizza with the touch of a button.

5. Reliable robotOf all the possible kitchen floor cleaning tools, robotic

floor cleaners are truly the best time savers. Mops and brooms require some time and muscle on your part to do their job, but today’s robotic floor cleaners simply require a minute to program. These clever little robots do it all – from vacuuming to scrubbing – or even sanitizing.

6. Reduce refillsDishwashers have already made our lives easier, but new

models take cleaning to the next level. These handy kitchen cleaning tools are becoming more efficient and quieter than ever before. Today’s machines can hold enough liquid dish-washer detergent for several months of cycles and automati-cally dispense the right amount each time, based on water hardness and soil levels. Since you can also program your dishwasher to start on its own, the only thing you have to worry about when it comes to the dishes is whose turn it is to put them away.

Although you may not be able to add more hours to your day, you can easily add more time-saving tools to your life. When you spend less time in the kitchen, who knows what kinds of feats you can accomplish throughout the rest of your house – and the rest of your life.

ARA

Six time-saving kitchen tools

People looking to embrace the cold-weather season often find snuggling up in front of a roaring fire is both relaxing and warming. Fireplaces are popular components of homes across the country. Ensuring fireplaces are prepared for a season of use is important from a safety standpoint and for personal comfort as well.

The U.S. Fire Administration states that heating fires ac-count for 36 percent of residential home fires in rural areas every year. Often these fires are due to creosote buildup in chimneys and stovepipes. All home heating systems require regular maintenance to function safely and efficiently.

One of the most important steps to fireplace maintenance and preparation is having the entire thing cleaned by a pro-fessional. A chimney sweep provides a variety of services. According to Ace Chimney Sweeps of Maryland, a chimney sweep will clean out the entire chimney. Many use a high-pow-ered vacuum so that there is no soot or dust entering the home. Depending on the range of services, some sweeps also offer a series of inspections of the chimney, interior flue and checks of attic spaces for any damaged areas that will need repair.

The next step will be securing your source of fuel. Many homeowners contract with a provider of seasoned firewood. A delivery of one or two cords of wood may take the average fireplace user through the season. Wood can also be pur-chased at supermarkets or picked up free in different areas. It’s not adviseable to use wood that has just been cut down. It likely contains high levels of moisture that will result in more smoke than burn power, and could lead to deposits forming on the inside of the chimney. Synthetic logs are also available, but use caution because they may burn unevenly and put out higher levels of carbon monoxide. Follow directions on the packages of these products carefully.

It is important to inspect a fireplace screen or guard to en-sure it can safely protect against embers escaping the fireplace. In homes where there are young children, an added barrier

may be needed in front of the fireplace to prevent little hands from touching the hot screen.

It is vital to open up the chimney flue before starting any fire. This allows fresh air to feed the fire and will enable smoke to exit the home. Failure to open the flue can result in smothering, dirty smoke filling the home quite quickly. The flue should be closed after the fire is completely extinguished so that animals and outside debris don’t enter the home via the opening.

Be sure to have a metal container for removing and storing hot ashes handy. Embers and ashes can stay hot for quite some time, so they should be placed outdoors, ideally far from the home so they don’t set anything ablaze.

Educate household members about the rules of fireplace use. They should be aware that no items should be discarded into the fire to avoid the emission of toxic fumes or danger-ous embers. All it takes is one stray ember to start a huge fire. Also, improper fuel materials may lead to the buildup of flammable creosote on the chimney.

A fireplace can be a focal point, a source of home heating and just a nice place to which to retire when the weather is cold. Preparing the fireplace for use and maintaining it prop-erly are the keys to a safe season of use.


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Prepping the fireplace

A room with a fireplace is a welcome retreat on a cold, windy day.


Crowded cabinets, cluttered counters and nonexistent prep space. Sound familiar? For many homeowners, small kitchen spaces make everyday use and entertaining a source of frustration. While a small kitchen can pose many challenges, it doesn’t have to stop you from enjoying the space. From a full scale home renovation to some simple and quick fixes, there are many options to help you realize your kitchen’s full potential and transform it into a welcoming place where you’ll want to spend time.

Size up your spaceBefore starting any project, big or small, evaluate the space

and determine how you want it to work for you. Sometimes solutions for one issue can provide an answer for other challenges. For example, by adding a moveable island to create additional prep space, you’ve now also got an area for friends and family to gather when you entertain.

Don’t forget to consider your long-term goals for your home. Is this a starter home or somewhere you plan to stay and grow in? This can make a difference in the type of projects you want to take on.

Make a planWhen you’ve decided on the scope of your project, it’s

time to determine what resources you’ll need to make it happen. Online tools like Merillat’s Step-By-Step Kitchen Planner can help you get an idea of what elements you’re looking for and how they’ll work in your space. Talking with a design professional can help you decide if you need additional support or if your project can be completed on your own.

“When faced with a small space, it can be hard to see the design possibilities,” says Sarah Reep, director of designer relations and education for Merillat Cabinets. “A professional designer can bring clarity and simplicity to any type of home change. In many cases, their skills and training can help reveal solutions you never even knew existed.”

First-time homeowner Zach Kaefring recently remodeled his small kitchen with the help of a professional designer and was surprised at just how functional his tiny space became. “We went from basically nothing to a kitchen full of storage solutions that make the space really work for us,” says Kaefring. “Working with our designer helped ensure we had all the components we needed to fit our lifestyle. We used to avoid the kitchen, but now we’re in there all the time.”

Get organized If you’re remodeling, look for cabinets to help contain

clutter and keep countertops clear. Storage solutions such as pull-out spice racks, in-drawer cutting boards, drawer organizers and dividers keep all your cooking utensils out of the way but close at hand, and can make life in the kitchen easier for everyday use and entertaining.

“In the kitchen, especially a small one, every inch counts,” says Reep. “Planning smart storage solutions in your cabinetry is a great way to bring style and functionality to even the smallest spaces.”

If a few quick fixes are all you can take on, have some fun with it by researching solutions in magazines, on design blogs or even through new resources like Pinterest. Additionally, look for creative ways to make the most of your cabinets and drawers by placing items close to where they’ll be used. Have pots and pans, spices and utensils close to the stove. Put storage containers and dishes near the fridge or serving area. Make sure you put your most frequently used items in the most accessible places. This will help you flow through prep and cooking easily, with things placed intuitively throughout the space.

Change the focusWhether it’s an area to display your wine collection with

a built-in storage option like those offered by Merillat Cabinets or showing off decorative dishes and family treasures with glass-front cabinetry, drawing attention to items that show your interests and personality will remove the focus from the actual size of your space.

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Mark J. Donovan

All window glass panes are not the same. Just because a new window is double-pane, doesn't mean you're necessarily buying the most energy-efficient window. Yes, because of increased insulation performance, a double-pane window is a step-up in saving energy and keeping your home more comfortable during the cold winter months. However, by itself, a double-pane window doesn't help to keep your home cooler during the summer. By selecting windows with energy savings, such as low-E glass, which are also double-pane, you can ensure year-round energy-efficient windows.

Low-E glass, or low-emissivity glass, is a special type of glass that has spectrally selective coatings applied to it. The thin-film coating is specifically designed to allow only certain wavelengths of the solar spectrum to pass through the glass and enter the home, while restricting others. More specifically, it prevents solar ultraviolet wavelength energy from entering the home. The ultraviolet light is what actually warms the surface of the objects that it comes in contact with. Ultraviolet light also causes furniture fabric, carpeting and wood floors to fade over time.

Low-E glass is unlike the dark-shaded glass that was produced decades ago. The energy-saving low-E glass of today has so fine a film coating on it, that it is nearly im-perceptible to the naked eye. It effectively appears clear, thus not reducing the amount of natural light into your home. Moreover, today's low-E glass film coatings are specially designed and applied so they help keep homes cooler during the summer months and warmer during the winter months. As a result, when combined with double-pane window technology, it provides the maximum in energy savings.

When purchasing energy-saving low-E glass windows, make sure to select ones appropriate for your climate region. Not all of them are the same. There are several types of spectrally selective low-E film coatings, and none are ideal for all climate regions. For example, there are some types that are more appropriate for the south-western United States, while there are others that are more appropriate for the Northeast. As a matter of fact, the Energy Star program identifies four unique climate zones in the United States. With each climate zone, they

recommend a specific type of low-E glass to be used in the windows. As a result, for those homeowners and builders participating in the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program to build energy-efficient rated homes, they must use the specific type for their region, as recommended by the government.

For example, the Energy Star program recommends homes built in the Northern and Central regions of the United States to use "Moderate Solar Gain Low-E Glass Windows." These types of windows are specially designed to screen out a high percentage of the sun's ultraviolet light during the summer months and a lower percentage during the winter months, when the added solar heating is desired. In the Southwest portion of the country, however, the government's Energy Star program recommends using "Low Solar Gain Low-E Windows." These windows let in even less ultraviolet sunlight and heat during the summer months.

To learn more about spectrally selective low-E glass and other ways to make your home more energy effi-cient, visit EnergyStar.gov.Mark J. Donovan's website is http://www.HomeAddi-tionPlus.com.

COPYRIGHT 2012 MARK J. DONOVANDISTRIBUTED BY CREATORS.COM

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The cooler weather signals squirrels to store away nuts, birds to fly south and leaves to fall from trees, but cooler weather also means that bugs will be looking for a comfy, cozy place to spend the winter. Unfortunately, your house fits that bill.

Insects start to come inside when fall arrives and their natural food sources disappear. Whether your house is the preferred winter home for crickets, boxelder bugs, spiders, silverfish or any other creepy crawlies, stay one step ahead by bug-proofing your home now. You can defend your home from unwanted insects by following a few simple steps:

Make your home less attractive:Bugs are attracted to food and water. Store food in tightly

sealed plastic, glass or metal containers, clean up crumbs from counters and floors daily, cover trash cans with snug lids, rinse out recyclables and eliminate standing water or other moisture sources. In addition, be sure to clean dishes and laundry in a timely fashion. Outside, be sure to keep plants, debris, mulch and firewood away from the foundation of your home, especially doors and windows.

Deny entry:If there’s a hole in your screen or a crack around a

window, you can be sure that bugs will find it. Repair

screens and windows. Check all doors for a snug fit and use caulking or weather-stripping to fill in any gaps. Use concrete or foam filler to seal cracks and openings around the home foundation. Taking the time to make sure everything is sealed up tight won’t just keep out unwanted pests; it will also save money on energy bills too.

Control the situation:Kill bugs indoors and keep bugs out by applying Ortho

Home Defense Max Insect Killer Indoor & Perimeter around your home’s foundation, both inside and out. Spraying a band along the foundation and in areas of recurring bug infestations will control listed bugs for up to 12 months indoors. It’s a good idea to treat baseboards, doors and windows too. Just be sure to follow the instructions on the label. If you already have a lot of bugs inside, Ortho Elementals Home Insect Killer acts as a great way to stop them in their tracks. It’s safe for use around kids and pets when used as directed. Simply spray directly on insects until they are thoroughly covered. For more great tips on how to defend your home from unwanted pests, visit www.ortho.com.

Controlling insects and keeping them from invading your home is not as difficult as it seems. Just a few precautions can ensure a winterized home that’s warm and inviting for you and not for bugs. ARA

Fall bug prevention basics


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Backyards have always been places where families can get away without actually going away. Outdoor areas connect people with their favorite natural treasures while providing a place to relax. Whether it’s adding an outdoor kitchen and replacing your old picnic table with a truly impressive dining set, or outfitting your patio with a desk space so you can bring your work outside, you can expand your living area by focusing on what’s outside the home.

Realizing the value of spending time outside in a comfortable and attractive setting - and that money spent on an outdoor space can go even further as opposed to a new addition to your home - many homeowners are choosing to focus on improving their outdoor spaces.

According to a recent survey by HGTV and Casual Living magazine, 87 percent of the roughly 5,000 Americans interviewed said an outdoor room in their homes was “important or very important,” and more than half had one. Derek Stearns, a craftsman with Derek & Dean, Inc. and co-host of DIY Network’s “Indoors Out,” believes this interest is as much sentimental as it is

value-driven. “An outdoor space is really all about relationships - it’s

about creating memories with your family and nature,” Stearns says.

Stearns and Kerry Burt, a Dallas-based landscape architect and winner of HGTV’s Landscapers’ Challenge, offer a little inspiration to create your perfect outdoor retreat:

Plan with a purpose Before you determine the layout, consider how you

will use the space to create memories. Do you like to cook and entertain friends? Are you seeking a private escape to spend more time with family? Or do you desire a backyard office space? Stearns recommends focusing on your wish list without budget constraints.

“Stress comes from thinking you have to edit your plans, so start with the top item on your wish list,” Stearns says. “You can edit later within the budget.”

Use this focus to establish a focal point - an organic garden or gorgeous view - and create a plan to design

How to create the

perfect outdoor retreat


around it. To maintain the flow from indoors out, use natural materials for deck or patio space that complement the outdoors. Try durable woods, like Western Red Cedar, that instantly brings an exceptional aroma and beauty to outdoor living spaces.

Add backyard flavor Heat up your backyard retreat by adding a kitchen to

create tasty family dinners outside, a popular request for Burt. Depending on the size of your space, a kitchen may include a variety of appliances and offer seating options ranging from vintage tables to sofas.

“With the economy people want to spend money on something they can use over and over, a purchase aside from a vacation,” says Burt.

Create privacy and shadeTo create the most comfortable space on hot summer

days, Burt recommends pergolas and arbors to provide shade. The structures will also create privacy for quiet conversations and can easily offer pops of color when decorated with bright flowers. As more homeowners are looking for low-maintenance products, build with natural materials that are easy to use and can stand the test of time. Materials like Western red cedar contain

natural preservatives that resist moisture, decay and insect damage, and can save you money over time. You can instantly warm up the space with these materials by adding a stain for rich tones.

Bring indoors out Add the finishing touches to your outdoor retreat by

truly bringing the indoors outside. Stearns recommends bringing indoor rugs outside and adding a clock in the kitchen to give the space a more intimate feel. For a simple touch, buy three different size pots in the same style and plant a mix of flowers in each.

“What’s really hot right now is outdoor lighting - not just wrapping lights around trees - but hanging a chandelier over a dining table,” suggests Stearns.

Social media sites like the Real Cedar Facebook page can be a great place to find ideas - and offer a chance to win prizes to stretch your resources. Finally, remember time spent in your outdoor space can leave a lasting impression.

“Having a well-maintained outdoor living space and garden shows confidence to potential buyers,” explains Burt. “It shows the homeowners care.”

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Mark J. Donovan

Mother Nature seems to like getting dramatic these days, unleashing early blizzards, windstorms, hail, torrential rain, sleet and arctic blasts all across the country, now quite often in regions that are not used to such intense weather. Last fall, the northeast experienced a tremendously damaging early blizzard that hit when the leaves were still on the trees, snapping limbs and cutting out power for days. And the cold weather boosted home heating bills to the point of pain.

So let’s take last fall and winter as a warning that Mother Nature could whip up some dangerous and damaging weather again this year. But this time you’ll be well prepared with pre-ventive steps that can save you from having to deal with home damage and sky-high energy bills during the dead of winter.

Take these steps to weatherize your home now:• Clean your gutters. For safety, hire a professional gutter-

cleaning service that also can inspect your gutters for needed repair. A clogged gutter could lead to a flooded basement when the snow melts, costing you thousands in cleanup and perhaps carpet replacement.

• Turn off outdoor water faucets. It’s not enough just to turn them off; shut off the water supply to them, if possible, and cover them with an insulated outdoor faucet “sock” to keep the connected pipes from freezing, breaking and leading to leaks or floods later.

• Insulate water pipes that may be close to freezing temper-atures. A plumber can help you assess the pipes under your sink, in your bathrooms, in the basement and elsewhere. If there is not adequate wall insulation, say, between an exterior wall and a bathroom wall, the water pipes beneath your vanity could freeze, expand, burst and cause very expensive flooding.

• Install carbon monoxide detectors or replace all the bat-teries in your existing ones. It’s wise to have these lifesaving detectors working optimally year-round, and it is especially important during storm power outages and floods that may create a CO2 situation in your home. Gas log fireplaces and portable heaters can give off carbon monoxide and cause trag-edies when high-quality detectors are not used in a home. Also install top-quality fire detectors. Call your local fire depart-ment to schedule a free fire safety home inspection, in which their fire safety expert will assess your home and suggest prod-ucts and placement for detectors.

• Weatherize your windows. New energy-efficient windows are often made of two layers of insulating glass, and some states allow a tax write-off for their purchase. Older single-pane win-dows let in cold air, which could cost you heating bill money and perhaps get bad enough to freeze pipes. If you cannot af-ford new windows, consider installing storm windows. Caulk

around windows, and if necessary, install large plastic insula-tion sheets over the entirety of drafty windows, using a haird-ryer to seal the sheet according to package instructions.

• Install a programmable thermostat. It will not only keep your home’s temperatures comfortable but also kick on while you’re away for a vacation or the holidays, warming up your home and preventing frozen pipes.

• Install quality insulation. Either hire insulation experts or take a free seminar on insulation installation at your local home improvement store. Choose from energy-efficient or organic insulation materials, and apply generous amounts in your at-tic and crawlspaces to keep your home’s heat in, which will help tremendously if you lose power for a few hours during a winter storm.

• Have chimneys cleaned and inspected. During cold winter nights or storms, you might light a fire in your fireplace for light and heat, or just to enjoy the coziness. But be sure to have your chimney inspected for breaks in the brick flue, block-ages such as animal nests, proper flue range of motion and the buildup of dangerous creosote that can cause house fires and other problems. This may be a pricey repair job if structural damage is found, but it’s a matter of life and death to get the cracks repaired -- or your fireplace will be unusable all season.

• Have your furnace inspected, and repaired if needed, so that it can work efficiently during the cold winter months. Your inspector will tell you whether you need to move stor-age items farther from the furnace. Keeping items too close is a common cause of fires.

• Have your driveway resurfaced now, or patch cracks with an asphalt kit. During winter, water can enter cracks, expand and create large cracks and gaps that will cause you to have to repave your entire driveway later. The same applies to path-ways and in-ground pool surface areas.

• Store firewood far from the house. Keep chopped wood at least 50 feet from your home to prevent termites and other insects from infesting your home and necessitating a costly fu-migation project later.

• Apply sealant to wood decks and rails. Extreme freezing/thawing cycles can damage wood planks without proper seal-ant, leading to splits and rotting.

• Caulk around the seals of dryer vents, cable outlets and other spaces where cold air can get in.

• Prepare an emergency kit that includes a radio, batteries, a first-aid kit, packaged foods, bottled water and other essential items in case you’re stuck in your home in dangerous weather, and buy waterproof tarps to have on hand to cover any dam-age to your car or home from fallen tree limbs.

COPYRIGHT 2012 CREATORS.COM

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Your Home Issue 3 2012

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Transcript of Your Home Issue 3 2012