Archive for the 'Home Fixin's, Findings and Planting' Category
Save A Few Cooling $
August 6th, 2008 Categories: Home Fixin's, Findings and Planting
The Department of Energy suggest three things that one can do to save $ on summer cooling and winter heating.
The first of the three is to install a programmable thermostat and use it to automatically keep your home temperature while at work. Allow 10-15 degrees adjustment for day time application. This simple step could save about 10% a year on your heating and air-conditioning throughout the year.
The second recommendation is to install light colored blinds on the windows and keep them pulled during the day. This will reflect the heat outside, thus keeping the cool air inside.
The last recommendation is to check for leaks along the door, windows. Seal the leaks with caulk, insulation or weather stripping.
For additional hints regarding energy saving tips go to: www.eere.energy.gov/consumer.
Source for this article: Wall Street Journal; Wednesday, August 6, 2008; “Quick Fix” by Beth DeCarbo.
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Reduce Noise and Prying Eyes…..
June 7th, 2008 Categories: Home Fixin's, Findings and Planting
Today many homes are being built on top of each other so privacy can become an issue.
Look at what Mother Nature (pictured is a viburnum in snow) can offer to help screen out both the noise and perhaps unwanted prying eyes from the neighbors. One can most certainly add beauty to your surroundings.
Listed below are some shrubs and vines that could be considered.
Before doing anything check with the local nursery and see if the selection(s) is adaptable for your location. Select those that require the least amount of water when matured.
Stay clear of invasive type plants such as wisteria and privet. I would also add running bamboo.
Mother Nature suggests looking at the following:
- Photina (Photinia fraseri)
- Evergreen euonymus (Euonymus japonica)
- Lemon bottlebrush (Callistemon citrinus)
- Fern pine (Podocarpus gracilior)
- Viburnum (Biburnum tinus “Robustum)
- Oleander (Nerium oleander): Note–if you have children you may want to re-think this offering from Nature.
- Honeysuckle (Lonicera) (pictured)
- Holly oak (Quercus ilex)
- Potato vine (Solanum laxum)
- Carolina jessamine (Gelsemium sempervirens)
- Pink jasmine (Jasminum polyanthum)
- Shrubby yew pine (Podocarpus macrophyllus maki)
A number of these selections will attract bees so again be careful and ask the local nursery.
Source of list: Sacramento Bee who in turn got the information from: farmerfred.com, “Sunset Western Garden Book”.
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Succulent Firebreak, Great Retardant.
January 30th, 2008 Categories: Home Fixin's, Findings and Planting
Plants that are not only beautiful but helpful in areas exposed to fires are Aloe Arborescens.
The leaves and stems of these plants are filled with moisture, so they are slow to catch fire. Never tinder dry and always lush, they don’t explode into torches like drier vegetation, and they don’t spread flames easily.
Even when these plants looked “cooked”, gel-filled aloes may survive, depending on how intense the fire.
These succulents can be a great accent as a border plant around the home. Just something to consider in the yard the next time you are doing some plantinb.
Article source: Sunset Magazine; “Right Plant, Right Now”.
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Sweat A Lot; Save On Energy Cost
January 28th, 2008 Categories: Home Fixin's, Findings and Planting
Infrared Saunas. An item that some people feel they need in their home is an infrared sauna. These saunas are advertised as a way to detoxify and rid one’s body of toxins and uranium that are injested from fish, pesticides and polyvinyl chlorides (new car smell).
However great the ads say these saunas are, they do only one thing for the human body…….makes it sweat and there is limited if any detoxing involved. The organs that help the body to detoxify itself is the liver and kidney says Dr. Dee Anna Glaser, Dermatology Professor at St. Louis University.
Dr. Donald Smith of UC Santa Cruz, who studies treatments for metal poisoning, states that sweating does limited if anything to rid the body of mercury or other metals.
So if you plan to spend thousands of dollars on a sauna to detox it will not happened. You will simply sweat.
Source Information: Article “You sweat, but toxins likely stay” by Chris Woolston
New Solar Panels. Home owners are looking for ways to reduce high energy prices to heat or cool their home.
Being marketed is a thin film technology which is mounted on glass windows and other type surfaces to absorb the sun’s rays is an experimental method being looked at as a substitute for silicon which is in very short supply.
Thin film appears to be less costly to manufacture, more durable, less unsightly than the bulky solar panels and cost less to install. However it hasn’t generated the same kind of power as silicon.
And in both cases, when the sun doesn’t shine neither produces significant if any energy. There also some questions now being asked as to how much a home owner saves with energy panels. So the industry is still young and growing and the savings to cost is just starting to be debated.
An unrelated item that will save a homeowner money on energy cost is a tankless water heater. Expensive to install but it will save money on utilities. It could be money well spent.
Source Information: Article “New approach may power future of solar” by Richard Dobson
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Home Energy Audits
January 19th, 2008 Categories: Home Fixin's, Findings and Planting
With rising utility cost to heat or cool a home many home owners are looking for ways to reduce these type of cost.
A fast growing field is home energy auditing. Not a new field but new in the area of residential homes. And in most cases unregulated.
With high tech tools (such as infrared cameras) an inspector will come to your home and inspect and suggest the fixing of various energy hogs throughout one’s home.
Some States offer its residence upward to $ 1,000 if they make improvements to lower energy cost. In fact recently the State of Massachusetts Senate passed a bill requiring that home sellers provide prospective buyers with an audit scoring of the home’s efficiency.
But today most people simply want to know whether it is worthwhile to find the various leaks, look at appliance efficiency, and have healthy air in the home.
Some problems can be resolved without an inspection. If your home has a furnace that is 30 to 75 years old you recognize there could be a problem. The furnace efficiency is kaput and a newer one would be more efficient. However the cost of replacing the heater or furnace may be an insurmountable task and the payback may not yield the return on replacement.
If it is decided to get an energy audit, expect to pay between $ 300 to $ 700 or more. Therefore one’s energy consumption needs to have jumped significantly over a short period of time or was extremely high from the start of occupying the home to justify the cost of finding out what has to be done to to decrease cost overall.
Upon completion of an energy audit one will receive a 15-50 page report of problems that exist inside and outside of the home. It will include recommended fixes, such as replacing the heater/air conditioner/appliances, as an example and will give a ball park figure of what it will cost to make the fixes.
True some things can be done by the homeowner. But when windows need to be replaced, or a seperation between ceiling and walls needs fixing, or exterior electrical outlets need to be replaced then one needs a professional to do these things and the home owner is looking at some significant cost.
Is the home energy audit worth the price?
Yes. It would be good to know where the problems are and certainly one could, if they wish, create a plan of attack to resolve the most critical. So some action to reduce energy cost may result in some good saving for the home owner which may warrant the expenditure.
But one has to be careful to make sure that the problem being resolved is the real problem. If one puts insulation in the attic and it is the roof that needs to be replaced, the savings, if any, will be extremely small.
It is a case by case situation and the bottom line is money and the pay back for implementing the required changes.
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Twist….Click….NO! Flip…..YES!
December 27th, 2007 Categories: Home Fixin's, Findings and Planting
The lowly door knob. Very seldom does it take center stage except when one is ready to sell their home. Then it gets shined until it gleams.
Over several years the door knob has undertaken a small revolution. Higher end homes and now some mid-price homes have changed the door knob to a lever type in lieu of the the twist or click type.
Levers, standard in Europe for a number of years, have never been highlighted in the United States until passage of the Americans with Disability Act.
Under the guidelines of the Act, doors to public buildings must be ”usable with one hand”, without tight grasping, pinching or twisting the wrist.
Homeowners, I would suspect, if they take a step back will clearly see the advantage of a “home” lever type door knob especially when trying to open the door when carrying packages or the baby or just trying to get through the door quickly.
Those who have hand difficulties definitely will view levers for the home as far more acceptable rather than twisting a knob or pushing down on the knob.
So if you are in the market for a new door knob give some thought to the lever type. The cost is about 15% higher today and not all stores carry the lever type, but as the price comes down and as more and more homes are decorated with lever type knobs they will be looked at as the standard.
While on the subject I would like to see someone create a home doorknob that can be opened or closed via a wireless clicker as we have with automobiles. These may exist but I have not seen them. If they don’t, well someone has an opportunity.
It would help someone carrying packages, but of importance is a safety measure for people having to enter home at night. Fooling around with the keys, often times in the dark, is trying and often unsafe. The resale value of the home most certainly would be enhanced since the buyer can see the advantages of knowing that they can open the front door from the car, just like the garage, and enter the home quickly and safely.
Basic Source: Star Free Press; December 27, 2007: Author-Frank Greve.
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Embrace her with a Diamond? No…Why Not An Outstanding Kitchen Counter Top!
December 12th, 2007 Categories: Home Fixin's, Findings and Planting
The kitchen in many people’s mind is the most important room in the house. At least for women (men think the garage is). In fact great strides have been taken with new homes and up-graded homes to make the kitchen an award winning epic center.
So if you want to shine in her eyes think about a new kitchen counter top. The choices and colors are abundant.
The Metals ….
Metal in now in vogue. Pricey, yes. From about $ 175-$ 500 per linear foot installed. Pewter is very upscale but the one’s that tend to be the most fashionable are stainless steel and copper (for the country style kitchen motif). Cleaning is a breeze. Alcohol is the cleaner of choice preventing smudges and surface germs.
Oh, back to copper. Stains and imperfections make copper look more stylish. Often copper is burned and chemically aged for various looks.
Natural Stone….
Stone is expensive ranging in price from $ 100 to $ 600 per linear foot installed. Choices in this area include marble, soapstone, basalt, Jerusalem stone and Lavastone (this can be extremely pricey). Stay away from cleaners that will leave a waxy finish on the surface.
Glass….
Glass is durable, tempered and heat resistant and cleans well. Price ranges for $ 100 to $ 300 per linear foot installed. This material however shows smudges and fingerprints quite readily. Cleaning is often with vinegar and water just like one would do with windows.
Concrete….
Almost anything you want to do can be done with concrete. Dye it…you bet. BUT (you know that was coming) concrete has to have sealer and must be sealed or waxed two to three times a year. Acids tend to be harmful to concrete so one has to be careful and wipe off any acid juices quickly (orange and lemon juice for example). Prices range between $ 100 to $ 200 per linear foot installed.
Manufactured Quartz…..
Quartz mixed with resin becomes a very hard non-porous surface that is stain resistant. Sealant not required. Soap and water does the trick when cleaning. Price range is $ 90 to $ 270 installed.
Solid surfaces…..
Synthetic, seamless surfaces, made of non-porous resin are known as Corian, CaesarStone and Avonite (brand names). These are priced between $ 80 to $ 135 per linear foot installed. These surfaces may have a tendency to stain which can be cleaned with a rub out cleaner. Surfaces are heat resistant BUT most manufactures suggest not setting hot pans on them.
Granite…..
Price between $ 75 and $ 250 this is a very popular material for counter use and has an extensive array of patterns. Granite must be sealed once per year. The lighter slabs are less porous than the darker (black) slabs.
Butcher block…….
This is high density wood that has been laminated together to create a tough, lasting surface which is quite porous (compared to other materials). Sealed with mineral oil; stains can be sand paper out. Tends to collect micro-organism quickly if not maintained properly. Butcher block is priced between $ 50 to $ 150 per linear foot installed.
Ceramic tile……
Tiles are durable and heat resistant and come in an array of colors and styles. Grout between the tiles has to be sealed at least twice a year. Prices range between $ 30 to $ 150 per linear foot.
Laminates…..
These are available in a wide range of color and patterns. Quite easy to install. Very durable but the surface can be cut or gouged. Keep chemical and abrasive cleaners away from the material. Hot pans will scorch the surface. Prices range between $ 20 to $ 100 installed.
So embrace and bedazzle your love one with a kitchen counter top that shows that you care. Just like “diamonds” are a girl’s best friend. Well OK, maybe that is a stretch. You just may end up doing both.
Data Sources: HGTV.com and Los Angeles Times (Sunday, Nov. 18, 2007).
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Getting In The Mood….With Flooring.
November 28th, 2007 Categories: Home Fixin's, Findings and Planting
When people enter a home, or room in a home, their eyes generally focus on furnishings, the furniture, a picture or something unique. Flooring is the step-child. But flooring is the mood setter for the whole home.
So take time to set the right tone and mood with good flooring. Flooring is one of six surfaces that makes up a room. With the wide selections available one can really create a great and lasting mood. For example:
Stone
Stone is a very good flooring material especially for homes that are located in hot areas such as the desert. Stone keeps a home cooler. Typical stone flooring include limestone; traverstine; polished marble; slate; granite; mosaic; porcelain and terracotta. This is the high end of the cost spectrum but the investment will be worth it especially on the re-sale side when you wish to move to another home.
Natural or simulated woods
Natural woods is an excellent selection and investment. To-days’ simulated and laminate woods are also very good and reasonable. Not only do they add good visual flooring texture, they are a much better product than their predecessors. An array of choices include Brazilian cherry; bamboo; Victorian ash; Australian cypress; Tasmanian oak to name a few.
Carpeting and Tiles
Carpet tiles (modularize flooring) are good if you maximize a visual pattern. Leather tiles create a soft and easy going look for a study, sitting rooms or library. I once read where a dance studio used leather for its dance floor and had great success with its longevity.
Carpeting can always be used and is a modest expense as a floor covering but it appears to be losing some of its market luster. Simulated woods and wood flooring appear to be high on most peoples list.
Carpeting can be cut pile (less resistant to crushing); cut and loop (sculptured for durability); level loop net pile (Berber for example); and multi-level loop pile for high traffic areas.
A Good Mix Can Really Set The Mood.
Today area rugs, coupled with stone or natural woods are used extensively to define changes in colors or a break in rooms of a home. Selection includes chic, twists, tweeds and Varese.
Keep the walk flow in mind.
Start your flooring plan in the middle of the home and then add those materials that are similar, cohesive and do well with the homes traffic patterns. Mix and match and you will see that flooring does set the mood.
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