The Community Advocate • October 16, 2015
Cleanup Crew Make cleaning a family affair
By Simone Slykhous
L
ife is messy. From over packed schedules filled with spilled Gatorade and muddy cleats to fast-growing children needing new clothes and toys, staying on track and tidy can seem impossible. However, it’s important for parents to remember that those little mess-makers can also be great helpers. And that help is good for more than your peace of mind. Teaching cleanliness and organization to your children early on is beneficial for their futures, as well. According to Shawn Grime of the American School Counselor Association, “disorganization increases the potential for students to receive lower grades, complete fewer assignments, be less motivated, experience greater frustration with school and have lower self-esteem.” In the same vein, a survey found in the Chronicle of Higher Education found that “88 percent of students (say) they are distracted from learning in even casually or moderately messy environments.” For the sake of their future college dorm rooms, start your kids on a clean path early. Dr. Debi Lynes said that children as young as 16 months can help with household chores. Have Cleanup Crew page 10
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Fall Home Improvement
2 • Community Advocate • Friday, October 16, 2015
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Fall Home Improvement
Community Advocate • Friday, October 16, 2015 • 3
Defending against water damage: winter-proof your pipes
Frozen pipes can lead to burst pipes, which can lead to costly home repairs. Pipe sleeves are a popular option and are available at almost any hardware store.
By Catherine McNulty
F
rozen pipes can lead to burst pipes, which can lead to costly home repairs. How can you prevent this? Before we get to prevention, first we have to understand why this happens. As water freezes, it expands. Water trapped in a pipe is no different, and even the sturdiest pipes are no match for Mother Nature in this regard. If you live in a place where it is likely to get and stay below freezing for extended periods of time, or if there is even a possibility of this, you should spend some time getting to know the pipes and plumbing in your house. First, you should know how to shut off the main water valve. If you do
experience a burst or a leaking pipe, this will be invaluable. Second, locate the pipes that are at risk of freezing. The pipes most likely to freeze during the winter are those that are exposed outside or run along the exterior walls of your home or come in through your foundation. You should also be aware of pipes that run through unheated areas of your house: those in the attic or basement or in a crawl space. These pipes are at risk, too. Any pipe you will not be using during the winter -- such as those that supply outside faucets -- should be drained (per manufacturer’s instructions) before the cold weather sets in. For pipes that cannot be drained, consider insulating them. Pipe sleeves are a popu-
lar option and are available at almost any hardware store. Heat tape is another option, though a more expensive one. Even newspaper, about a fourth of an inch thick, bound around a pipe can offer a quick fix of insulation. During extreme cold weather, consider letting water drip from faucets that are served by exposed or at-risk pipes. The running water will help prevent total freezing in the pipes. You may want to keep the door to your basement or attic open to circulate warm air. Yes, your heating bill will go up as a result. But a heating bill is cheaper than replacing ruptured pipes. How can you tell if a pipe has frozen? The easiest way is to check your faucets. If you turn one on and the water
pressure is weak or nonexistent, then you most likely have a frozen pipe. So what should you do? Keep the faucet open. As you thaw the ice, you want it to run. Once the water starts to flow, the running water will help melt the remaining ice. Apply heat to the frozen section of pipe. If it’s a big section, you may need to work in smaller sections. Never use exposed flames such as blowtorches, kerosene/propane heaters or charcoal stoves on frozen pipes. You can use electrical forms of heat such as a heating pad, a hair dryer or a portable space heater, but be careful. If the ice in a pipe has caused a fracture, then it will start to leak when it thaws. Water and electricity do not mix. You can also wrap the frozen pipe in a heavy towel or some such material and then pour boiling water over it. You will need to set up something underneath the area you’re treating to
catch the runoff water. If you’re in an area where the pipe is frozen, boiling water will eventually cool and freeze, as well, resulting in an even bigger mess. When in doubt, call a professional, though this can be costly and time consuming. When it comes to pipes, the old adage “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” is especially apt. In general, if you live in an area where there is the potential for a harsh winter, spend some quality time winterizing your home. Replace or add additional insulation to your attic and/or basement. Check for gaps in and around your home and seal them. Such gaps are commonly found near windows, dryer vents and places where cables for phone/ Internet/television have been put through a wall. Not only will this help with your pipes, but it also will help with your heating bill. This winter, stay warm and keep the water flowing.
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Fall Home Improvement
4 • Community Advocate • Friday, October 16, 2015
Cozy and cost-effective: Six steps for a warmer home this winter By Mark J. Donovan
By taking a few simple steps now, you can mitigate the impact of higher home heating bills and drafty cold temperatures in your home.
F
or many homeowners, the winter season means paying expensive monthly heating bills or enduring frigid temperatures. However, by taking a few simple steps now, you can mitigate the impact of higher home heating bills and drafty cold temperatures in your home. Below are six inexpensive things that you can do to keep your home warmer this winter and reduce your home’s energy and heating costs. *Install window and door weather-stripping Windows and doors, particularly older ones, can be drafty, causing warm air within the home to escape and cold air outside to creep in. Door and window drafts are a major contributor to making your home feel colder and increasing your home heating costs. For just a few dollars
and an hour or two of your time, you can install flexible foam weather stripping along the doorjambs and in any gaps between the windows and window sashes to prevent drafts.
*Install a programmable thermostat Swap out the old manual thermostat with a smart programmable one, such as those made by Nest. The smart programmable thermostats allow
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you to set the temperature in your home to various settings throughout the day, and on different days of the week. Thus, you can keep your home colder during the workdays when no one is home, and then have it automatically shift to a higher setting an hour before you get home. And on the weekends, when you are presumably home, you can have the thermostat set at a higher setting for the entire day. In addition, these “smart� thermostats can be controlled via your smartphone or from another computer or tablet or any device that is connected to the Internet. *Install extra insulation in your attic The attic is a major source of heat loss. Consequently, it is important to ensure that you have sufficient insulation in it. Check your attic to see if it has the proper
amount of insulation in it for your region of the country. A properly insulated attic should have at least 9.5 to 12 inches, R-30 to R-38 respectively, of attic insulation in it. If your attic is lacking sufficient insulation, purchase rolls of additional fiberglass insulation and place it over the existing attic insulation. *Place a door sweep along the bottom of your exterior doors If you feel a draft near the bottom of your exterior doors, place a door sweep, or door snake, along the bottom of it to prevent cold drafts from entering the home. *Have your furnace cleaned and maintained regularly A furnace that doesn’t run efficiently will waste fuel and not heat your house as well as it should. Consequently, in the autumn, make sure to have your furnace cleaned and maintained so that it will run efficiently during the cold winter months. Some energy utility providers offer free annual furnace cleanings so check with them first, before calling an HVAC technician to clean your furnace. That one quick phone call could save you $150 or more. *Replace the furnace filter If you have a hot air heating system, make sure to change the filter every few months. A clogged filter prevents the furnace from working efficiently during the cold winter months. With these six simple steps, you can ensure a warmer home this coming winter and save serious money on your monthly heating bills.
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Fall Home Improvement
Community Advocate • Friday, October 16, 2015 • 5
Wood stoves offer efficiency, looks and heating cost savings By Mark J. Donovan
T
he cost of heating your home with oil, propane or electricity continues to rise every year. One way to combat the ever-increasing home heating energy bills is to install a wood stove in your home. Today’s new wood stoves can produce an incredible amount of heat with a relatively small footprint, are highly efficient and are aesthetically attractive. Also, unlike fossil fuels, wood is a renewable resource. Moreover, newer EPA-certified models are much more environmentally friendly because of their high level of burning efficiency. Thus, they burn wood better than ever, resulting in less soot and smoke going up the chimney. If you are considering purchasing a wood stove, below is a list of a few key things to keep in mind. A wood stove is a great backup heating source for those times when the electricity goes out and/or you run out of home heating oil or propane. We frequently lose electricity in New Hampshire for up to several days at a time during the winter months, and even if a home burns oil or propane, electricity is still required for powering the water circulation pumps or heat exchanger fans. A cord of seasoned hardwood -- a cord measures 8 feet in length, 4 feet in width and 4 feet in height (128 cubic feet) -- produces approximately the same amount of heat as 130 gallons of fuel oil. A cord of seasoned hardwood
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cut for immediate use varies with supply and location. However, you can expect to pay somewhere between $200 and $350 per cord in New Hampshire at the time of this writing. Oil, on the other hand, costs about $3.50 per gallon. So $3.50/gallon times 130 gallons equals $455. Consequently, even at $350 a cord, you can save 30 percent on home heating costs compared with oil. In addition, if you order the wood green and in long lengths and are willing to cut and season the wood yourself, you can realize even greater cost savings. Wood stoves come in all different sizes, types and shapes, varying from traditional potbelly wood stoves to ultra-modern chic stoves. They are available as freestanding types, fireplace in-
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fied wood stove only produces 2 to 7 grams per hour. Also, consider purchasing a wood stove with add-on features, such as those that allow you to hook the wood stove up to water heaters or radiators. Wood stoves can also be purchased with self-loading hoppers, automatic ignition systems, programmable timer settings and remote controls, albeit these features are typically only found in wholehouse wood-burning heating systems. Though the wood stoves of today are built with safety in mind, make sure to locate your wood stove in a safe area of the home with fireproof material on the floor and surrounding walls. Note that there are specific fire codes that need to be adhered to when installing a wood stove. Check with your local building inspector prior to buying a wood stove to understand the installation codes.
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sert types, corner types or whole-house wood-burning systems. So if you have an old wood-burning fireplace that you rarely use, consider
installing a wood stove insert type. Also, wood stoves can be purchased so that wood is fed into them from either the side or the front. In addition, you can purchase wood stoves with or without glass firebox views. When considering where to place a wood stove, it’s all about location. Ideally, put it on a lower-level floor, either in the basement or on the first finished floor. This way, the heat produced by the wood stove can rise and heat multiple levels in the home, thus reducing home energy costs. When purchasing a wood stove, look for models that have been certified by the Environmental Protection Agency. These types of wood stoves produce much less smoke per hour than old or non-EPA-certified wood stoves. For example, an old wood stove typically produces 15 to 30 grams of smoke per hour, whereas an EPA-certi-
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Fall Home Improvement
6 • Community Advocate • Friday, October 16, 2015
Unchecked roof ice dams can wreak havoc on your home By Mark J. Donovan
the attic and getting trapped inside it. This air heats up the underside of the roof sheathing, which in turn causes the snow to melt on the roof. As the snow melts, the water drips down toward the roof edges where it then refreezes. Over just a couple of days, the refreezing snowmelt forms ice ridges known as ice dams.
I
f you own a home in an area of the country where you get cold and snowy winters, then you’ve probably already experienced ice dams. If, on the other hand, you are a first-time homeowner or a new transplant who has just purchased a home in a region of the country with harsh winters, then you may be unfamiliar with ice dams. If you fall into one of these two latter types of homeowner categories, then it’s important that you become familiar with ice dams and know how to resolve them quickly. Ice dams form along roof edges when snow melts on the roof. They can cause major damage to the home, including water damage and structural damage. They can also cause mold and mildew growth. Ice dams are caused by warm, moist air from the main living area of the home rising into
Ice dams form along roof edges when snow melts on the roof. They can cause major damage to the home, including water damage and structural damage. They can also cause mold and mildew growth.
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The ice dams prevent additional snowmelt from dripping off the roof, which causes them to become bigger. And that’s just the beginning of the problems. As the water backs up underneath the roof shingles, it inevitably works its way into cracks in the roof sheathing, where it then begins to drip into the attic. From there, drywall ceilings become soaked and damaged, and mold and mildew growth begin to form in the attic. However, the water damage doesn’t stop in the attic. Often the water finds its way further down into the home and sometimes between wall paint and drywall, causing large water bubbles to form that eventually burst. Also, when the temperatures drops, the water underneath the shingles freezes up, causing the shingles to buckle and become potentially permanently damaged. The best long-term solution for preventing ice dams is to ensure that your attic is wellinsulated so that no warm air from the lower living areas of the home makes it up into it. Secondly, it is critical that the attic have sufficient and unblocked ventilation. Ventilation should include soffit vents near the roof eaves, as well as a ridge vent or gable vents near the top of the roof. The ventilation ensures that any warm air that does enter the attic is quickly dissipated before it can cause any roof snowmelt. If you do see ice dams forming on your home’s roof edges, then one quick solution for preventing water issues is to place ice melt socks on the roof edges. Ice melt socks are simple to make. Simply pour a couple of pounds of ice melt into lengths of nylon stockings. Then tie off the stockings. Next, place an ice melt sock every 4 to 6 feet along the roof edge, on top of the ice dam ridges, making sure to place them perpendicular to the roof ’s edge. In just a few hours, they will begin to melt channels into the ice dam ridges so that additional roof snowmelt can drain off the roof. When the warm weather returns, resolve your attic’s insulation and ventilation shortcomings to prevent ice dams from forming in the future.
Fall Home Improvement
Community Advocate • Friday, October 16, 2015 • 7
In the gutter: Maintaining your gutters and downspouts By DiAnne Crown
I
t seems simple to have properly installed, well-maintained gutters and downspouts that move rainwater away from the foundation, help keep water out of the basement, discourage insect populations that breed in standing water and protect landscaping. However, successful gutter installation depends on getting a lot of things right: secure attachment to the roof system, proper sloping, sufficient width and depth for your roof size and style, downspouts/extensions to prevent ponds in the spring and ice rinks in the winter, and construction material (usually vinyl, aluminum, or steel, occasionally copper) that makes the purchase worth your investment. And then there’s the maintenance. “The key thing most
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shelf is what kind of debris they’re trying to keep out of their gutters,” said Jamie Gilbert, owner of S tate wide Gutter Co. Statewide installs, cleans, repairs and has seen or heard of just about all gutter guard options. They recommend one of three g u t t e r g u a rd styles for most homeowners. “We use a gutter guard that Even the best gutters require regular inspections for fits 5- and deterioration and upkeep to remain free of debris. 6-inch K-style gutters, which are the most people don’t think of when popular residential gutters in they go to the store and the country,” said Gilbert. It just pick something off the comes in three styles.
“The first style keeps leaves out,” Gilbert said. “The second keeps maple seeds and finer debris out, and the third has an even finer mesh to prevent pine needles from getting into the gutter.” In neighborhoods with a variety of trees, Gilbert uses the finest mesh. Prices range from approximately $3.85 to $5.85 per lineal foot, installed. All are attached securely with a combination of clips, screws, a patented Z-bend along the back edge for rigidity, and have fitted ends to prevent birds from nesting in the gutter. Any silky or cottony debris that does stick to the guard, said Gilbert, usually dries and blows off. And, he said, even the finest mesh style still allows enough water into the gutter to effectively direct water away from the foundation. With or without guards or covers, said Gilbert, gutters
still require maintenance. You still have to inspect the gutters a couple of times a year, especially at the bottom of roof valleys and gutter corners, to ensure the gutter is still clear of dust and debris, and check for any cracks, holes or other damage from trees, weather or animals. So before investing in gutter guards, decide how much maintenance you’re willing to do yourself. Will you clean the gutters twice a year? Will you inspect the gutters and guards for damage and make the needed repairs, patches and replacements? Is your house just one story tall? If the answer to any of those questions is “no,” consider whether it would be easier to save your money and hire a full-service professional in your area to clean, repair and maintain your gutters, guard-free.
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Fall Home Improvement
8 • Community Advocate • Friday, October 16, 2015
Reading Nooks: Making the most of a small space By Christine Brun
up with a book” sounds so much more appealing than proclaiming that you are getting comfortable with your iPad. Right? Let’s create areas in your home that are conducive to reading. I’m one of those people who must have total quiet in order to read and
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eading in a cozy chair is still desirable for a lot of people. Though you may be sitting with your Kindle instead of a bound text, the expression “curled
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write. I read much better when I’m on holiday than when I’m involved with my normal routine. It has to do with clearing my mind and feeling relaxed. My husband reads best when on vacation, as well, and he spent one entire cruise in the lounge engrossed in his book. Therefore, it seems appropriate to evaluate what the members of your household need to encourage reading or even working at home. In this sound bite-oriented culture, where flashes on our smartphones pass as communication, I feel passionately that reading substantive news is vital to an educated society. Where we get our information -- from reliable sources rather than those evoking creative license -- is nearly as important as the facts themselves. Plus, the classics of literature and poetry still have value and importance. You must read in order to learn about culture, history and current events. Well-known authors often say that if you wish to write, you must first read. A lot! Your home may have nothing more than a stair landing, or maybe a screened-in front porch to capture as a Reading nooks page 9
Fall Home Improvement
Community Advocate • Friday, October 16, 2015 • 9
Reading Nooks: Making the most of a small space Reading nooks Continued from page 8
mini library setting. That will work just fine. Go out and find the most comfortable chair that will fit the space. Don’t be afraid of seeking out a gently used lounge chair. The movement of a rocker or a glider can be relaxing and help dispel energy in the same way that rocking calms an infant. Next, provide a good reading lamp; one that is adjustable is best because each body type will require the light to fall in a different location. Generally, overhead lighting is not an effective task light. Include a tiny table to hold a glass of wine or a cup of tea. Being comfortable requires that there is a place for everything; remember a spot to rest your eyeglasses or a box of tissues. If your chair is not a recliner or rocker, you might wish to consider an ottoman. A
leather-covered ottoman can serve as both footrest and side table. The use of a laptop, e-reader or tablet means that a convenient electrical outlet is necessary. Remember the power of a power strip. An extra-wide upstairs hallway can be your mini library. Sometimes there is room in an attic and the addition of a stairway makes it accessible. My home office used to be reached by a pull-down ladder, which was replaced with a proper staircase. Now I have a large room with venting dormer windows. It was worth reconfiguring the rooms below to hold the stairway. A walkin closet in a guest bedroom could also be transformed into a nook. S ometimes older homes have a butler’s pantry that might continue to offer cabinet storage while also serving as a quiet reading place.
Create areas in your home that are conducive to reading.
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Fall Home Improvement
10 â&#x20AC;˘ Community Advocate â&#x20AC;˘ Friday, October 16, 2015
Cleanup Crew: Make cleaning a family affair Cleanup crew Continued from front page
them hold the dustpan as you sweep, help set napkins or place mats on the table or close open drawers while older children help unload the dishwasher. Use their rooms to start teaching personal responsibility. Set up low clothes hampers where they can put their dirty clothes and have a place for their toys. Perhaps you can cycle out different bins of toys to keep them fresh and exciting. This will minimize requests for more playthings, reducing clutter. As your kids get older, have them take on more responsibilities and find their favorite chores. Put on fun, loud music and help your child vacuum while dancing around. Reward them with a piece of candy for cleaning up all their toys in a certain amount of time, or host a family party at the end of a long day of cleaning. Tying in happy memories, rather than
Teaching cleanliness and organization to your children early on is beneficial for their futures.
echoes of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Because I said so!â&#x20AC;? or fights about clean rooms, will encourage your child to think positively about cleaning. Remember, your kids will learn best by example, so find the joy in your own chores, too. And though spring-cleaning gets most of the positive press,
getting your home, family and life ready for winter is also important. Have your young kids pick up their toys outside in preparation for winter. Kids ages 3 to 5 can help plant flower bulbs for fall or clean the outdoor play tables. No one wants sticky messes to
last through snow. Give each child a bag to gather colorful leaves that have fallen. (And make sure there are no loose rakes around.) Older kids can learn to shovel snow. Have a snowball fight or make snow angels to make the hard work more enjoyable.
According to Becky Bailey, Ph.D., â&#x20AC;&#x153;the goal of rituals is connection. Rituals create sacred space designated for togetherness and unity.â&#x20AC;? Think about rituals you can incorporate into your home life. Is there a local church or temple looking for people to donate winter clothes? Are there homeless shelters where you can bring quilts, sleeping bags, supplies or food? Is there a charity your family can agree to all help? Take a hint from the Daum family. Over 15 years, their eldest daughter, Carly, decided to donate her bat mitzvah money to Save the Children. Her younger sister, Justine, followed suit. Currently, theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve raised more than $125,000 for Save the Children, mostly through inspiring neighbors to host garage and tag sales. By incorporating the whole family, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be making impactful, rewarding traditions for years to come.
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Fall Home Improvement
Community Advocate • Friday, October 16, 2015 • 11
Keeping your family safe from off-gassing By DiAnne Crown
out for lead-based paint and asbestos-containing building materials. If those turn up, it’s time to call in the professionals. Lastly, for the most organic solutions, expect to pay extra. Natural fiber wool rugs, clay paints and solid wood furniture with natural finishes all cost more, but uncommon, high-
A
s the days shorten and the winter holidays approach, many homeowners decide to freshen up walls, floors and furniture. But the effect isn’t always fresh. There are many reasons to save home improvement projects and furniture purchases (such as mattresses) for windows-open weather. For one, good air circulation will minimize exposure to molds and allergens disturbed during carpet removal and any irritants used during paint or wallpaper removal. But even more seriously, those new finishes may emit toxic chemicals that can cause a wide variety of health problems for your family, friends and pets. This invisible process is called off-gassing, which lifestyle blog CustomMade describes as “the release of airborne particulates or chemicals -- dubbed volatile organic compounds, or VOCs -- from common household products. Potential sources of off-gassing range from construction materials to carpeting, cabinetry, furniture, paint, and any number of household goods. Some of the most common chemicals offgassed from household items include formaldehyde, benzene, ammonia, and toluene. While off-gassing can be easily identified by so-called ‘new car’ and ‘new carpet’ smells, it can also be odorless.” So, although new paint, carpet and furniture suggest clean, updated, well-maintained rooms, they may trigger headaches, asthma and
quality solutions often do. The answer? Schedule your green home improvement projects in affordable stages over a few years, or finish what you can this fall, enjoy planning the rest of your projects in the winter months ahead and pick up where you left off in the spring when you can open up the house.
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nausea, and even contribute to cancer -- and not just over the course of a weekend but, especially with carpet, padding and plywood or particle-board furniture, for several years. Interior decorator Ruth Smith works at Dellert’s Wallpaper and Paint. “Many states have passed legislation banning the use of certain toxic chemicals in paint because they create problems for people with chemical sensitivities,” Smith explains. “And because they create ongoing issues in the environment.” There’s plenty of science about this, and it’s not a newly discovered problem. The leastexpensive solution is to make sure plenty of fresh air circulates freely through the house to dissipate fumes. But, fortunately, as awareness of health safety and indoor air quality has grown, so have other consumer choices. Don Dellert, owner of the popular wall-and-floor-finishes store, recommends starting with low- or no-VOC paint.
“Basically, a lot of people who have asthma like the no-VOC paint because it helps them breathe better. Even low-VOC products can affect people with asthma,” says Dellert. “Benjamin Moore and some others are now at the point where both the base of the paint (the liquid) and the pigment (the color) have no VOCs.” Latex paint is more likely to be VOC-free than oil paint, says Smith. But, before buying, look at the label on the can. “Green” products will be clearly labeled and may be certified. Then, if you’re still unsure about the chemical content, request the material safety data sheet. It will detail the ingredients and any hazards, precautions and first-aid treatments. For more information, search Google using the keywords “no-VOC” and “zero emission paints.” An important note: If you live in an older home, it’s possible that there are toxic building materials present in the construction. Be on the look-
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Fall Home Improvement
12 • Community Advocate • Friday, October 16, 2015
Yard Privacy: How to build a privacy panel fence By James Dulley Dear James: I just moved into a house with a small lot. I would like some privacy in the backyard, so I want to build a panel fence. The yard slopes, so please give me some advice on building it myself. -- Ron P.
pickets are attached very close together so it is difficult to see between them. Another option is a semiprivacy fence, with small spaces between the pickets. This may provide enough privacy for your needs, and it will al-
low some airflow through it. Because there are open areas, less wood is used and the material costs may be lower. The third design option is a shadowbox fence. On this design, the pickets are spaced apart but alternated
Dear Ron: There are several designs of privacy fences, depending on the degree of privacy that you desire. They are not difficult to build, but you will probably need a helper to handle the 4-by-4-foot posts and dig some of the postholes. This is definitely backbreaking work. Before you run out to the home center and start buying materials, do some careful planning and layout work. First and foremost, contact your local zoning office to check on the allowable fence heights, setback from the lot line, designs and materials. There have been many fences built that are later torn out because they violate zoning codes. Second, in order to keep the peace, talk with your neighbors about what you have planned. Even though it is your decision to make, talking with them is the courteous thing to do. If you are allowed to put the fence on the lot line, they may even offer to help pay for the materials. If so, make sure to put in writing who is responsible for the maintenance. There are basically three types of privacy fencing that you can easily build yourself. A solid fence will give you complete privacy. The vertical
There are several designs of privacy fences, depending on the degree of privacy that you desire.
on either side of the fence to give complete privacy without restricting airflow. Your neighbors may also like this better because both sides of the fence look identical and attractive. Armed with the above knowledge, go into your backyard and mark the locations of the corners of the fence with stakes. Drive a nail in the stakes and stretch layout strings between them to establish the line of the fence. Because your lot slopes, you have two options for following the slope: the parallel method and the step method. In the parallel method, the top and bottom fence rails follow the slope of the ground. This requires that you attach each vertical picket individually to the top and bottom horizontal rails. Your best bet is probably to use a step method and preassembled fencing panels. Each complete panel is attached to
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the fence posts so that the top is level. Then each successive panel is stepped down on the post to follow the slope. This leaves a gap between the ground and the lower end of each panel. The height of the gap depends on the degree of the slope. Select your preassembled panels and carefully measure the length of each one. Mark each panel with a number. The length of each panel will determine the spacing of the 4-by-4 posts. Drive locator stakes, touching the string, in the ground at the post locations. Once the postholes are dug, place the pressure-treated posts in them. Use a level on the posts to make sure that they are vertical. Use 2-by4-foot bracing pieces to hold the posts in place. Pour in the cement and mound it up a little against the post. When set, after two days, nail on the preassembled panels.
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Community Advocate â&#x20AC;˘ Friday, October 16, 2015 â&#x20AC;˘ 13
Entrance halls and hallways: Freshen up your space By Joseph Pubillones
ings selected for this space. Tablescapes are important and should provide hints of the style and decor of the rest of the home. Some entry halls are wide enough to
W
e all know first impressions matter. Well, my friends, the same holds true for our homes. Walking into an entrance hall should be a warm and inviting experience, a preamble to the rest of the homeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s decor. However, entrance halls are frequently seen as merely functional spaces and are forgotten or relegated to lackluster design. In theory, designing the interior should be rather simple because rarely is this space ample enough to contain a lot of furnishings. Most entry halls are small - not much larger than the hallways they lead to. If space allows, an entry hall should contain seating - such as a chair or a stool - a mirror and a console or table to hold letters, keys and cellphones. Ideally, the walls of an entrance hall are painted in one color to create unity. The color should be chosen based on either the predominant color of the house or an accent color within the decorating scheme. For example, the color could be inspired by an accent color found on drapes in an adjoining room or chosen to reinforce the color of the sofa and chairs. This weaving of colors from one room to another creates a visual link and ensures a nice flow from one room to another. An entry hall endures a lot of wear and tear as people enter and exit a home. So avoid selecting light or pale colors for the walls. Wallpaper is an
advisable finish for this area, as long as the paper is thick; paper with a vinyl base is appropriate, too. Selecting wallpaper with a small or overall print will help conceal any scuffs that occur in daily use. Flooring material for an entry hall should be durable and easy to clean. Depending on where your home is located, keep in mind that outside elements will make their way inside: snow, mud, sand, and dust. Most entry halls require an area rug to
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help soften the impact of foot traffic on the flooring. Here, too, select an area rug with an overall pattern and a multicolor background to avoid footprints and inevitable marks. Depending on ceiling height, your room may be able to carry a chandelier or lantern or a close-to-theceiling light fixture. However you do it, this room should be well-lit. The final touches are the decorations and furnish-
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Fall Home Improvement
14 • Community Advocate • Friday, October 16, 2015
Conserving Energy: The importance of turning lights off
W
hen you were a teenager, your parents probably not only told you to “turn down that music” but to also turn off the lights when you left a room. You may or may not have listened then, but now as an adult, you really should pay attention to what experts have to say about conserving energy. “It’s amazing what a difference simple behaviors can have on your comfort -- and energy bills -- in your home,” said Barbara Buffaloe, sustainability manager for the city of Columbia, Mo. “Just something as simple as opening and shutting curtains or blinds can really affect the temperature in a room.” In the wintertime it’s best to keep the curtains open on the east, south and west sides of your home to allow those rooms to soak up the sun’s free solar heat. “At night, you can close those curtains tightly and keep all of that warm air inside to keep the
room more comfortable,” Buffaloe said. “Insulated curtains also help because they act as an additional layer of insulation.” In the summer you’ll want to close the curtains during the day. Paul Frantz, chief marketing officer of the energy supplier Energy Plus, advises that you “take control of home temperatures.” “In winter set your thermostat to 68 degrees or less during the daytime and 55 degrees before going to sleep -- or when you’re away during the day,” he said. “During the summer set thermostats to 78 degrees or more.” Frantz also suggests using appliances efficiently. Set your refrigerator temperature at 38 to 42 F, while your freezer should be set between zero and 5 F. “Use the power-save switch if your fridge has one, and make sure the door seals tightly,” he said. “You can check this by making sure that a dollar bill closed in between the door gaskets is difficult to pull out. If it slides easily between the
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gaskets, replace them.” The upcoming fall and winter holidays will have you spending more time in the kitchen. Frantz says to avoid “peeking” inside the oven more than necessary. When meals are finished, use your dishwasher wisely. “Wash only full loads in your dishwasher, using short cycles for all but the dirtiest dishes,” he said. “This saves water and the energy used to pump and heat it. Air-drying, if you have the time, can also reduce energy use.” Buffaloe said some appliances even use energy when they are off. Small electronics with LED lights and/or clocks on them are constantly pulling electricity.
“The little red light on the DVD player and television doesn’t have to be on when you’re not watching television,” she said.“Even some cell-phone chargers pull electricity when no phone is plugged in. “The energy used by these electronics when not in use is called ‘vampire load,’ and it’s a waste of energy that can add up over the course of a year,” she added. Instead, Buffaloe suggests plugging in small electronics and chargers to a power strip that allows you the ease of turning off multiple “vampire loads” with the click of one switch. Buffaloe said to remember to
control “the power you have on your own comfort.” “Your grandmother was on to something when she said, ‘You’re cold? Put on a sweater.’ Every blanket or layer of clothes adds an additional layer of insulation to your body -- making you more comfortable in your own home or on the go. “You know that adding more insulation to your attic is good for your home energy bills,” Buffaloe said. “Put that into practice with adding an additional layer onto your own body and you won’t have to turn up the thermostat as high -- and thus heat more space than you’re even occupying.”
Weatherize your house to avoid dealing with damage later
M
other 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. So let’s take that 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 preventive 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 guttercleaning 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 temperatures. 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 insu-
lation, 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 batteries 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 tragedies when high-quality detectors are not used in a home. Also install top-quality fire detectors. Call your local fire department to schedule a free fire safety home inspection, in which their fire safety expert will assess your home and suggest products 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 singlepane windows let in cold air, which could cost you heating bill money and perhaps get bad enough to freeze pipes. If you cannot afford new windows, consider installing storm windows. Caulk around windows, and if necessary, install large plastic insulation sheets over the entirety of drafty windows, using a hairdryer 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 attic 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 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 pathways 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 fumigation project later. --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 damage to your car or home from fallen tree limbs.
Fall Home Improvement
Community Advocate • Friday, October 16, 2015 • 15
Get creative and save money with DIY bedroom storage projects By Jeanelle D. Horcasitas
You can do without bulky items, such as a nightstand, dresser or armoire, and replace them with organizers to make the room appear more spacious.”
B
uying furniture is an expensive endeavor, but living on a tight budget doesn’t mean that you have to sacrifice your sense of style. It can be an opportunity to be creative. For those with small bedrooms, having too much furniture can make the room appear cluttered and even smaller. Fortunately, you can do without bulky items, such as a nightstand, dresser or armoire, and replace them with organizers to make the room appear more spacious. There are beds that you can purchase with built-in drawers; however, that can get a little pricey. Additionally, many of these beds are not raised, which can be problematic if you like underneath bed storage. So now it’s time to get creative. First, purchase an organizer cubby to place at the edge of your bed. You can choose to Storage page 15
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Fall Home Improvement
16 • Community Advocate • Friday, October 16, 2015
Get creative and save money with DIY bedroom storage projects Storage Continued from page 15
store extra pillows, blankets, shoes or anything you please in the compartments. For smaller items or clothing, I would suggest purchasing storage bins. You can buy fabric, wood or plastic storage bins in any shape, size and color. For more hidden storage options, consider hanging closet organizers, double-hanging closet organizers, or even sterile drawers from Target, Ikea or Big Lots, to utilize as much closet space as possible. Whatever you choose, these new storage ideas will help expand your space. And with more room, there’s more to love. Can’t live without work? Make your bed into a hybrid desk space with a loft bed. Loft beds are a great space-saver. Loft beds typically get associated with young kids, but they work for adults, too. If you like the idea of being surrounded by books, but
Can’t live without work? Make your bedroom into a hybrid desk space.
do not necessarily love the height of a loft bed, there is an alternative. Create your own bookshelf headboard. First, purchase a bed without a headboard. Second, purchase two medium- or tall-sized bookshelves that will serve as
the pillars to your headboard. Lastly, buy a long shelf (or a flat piece of wood); I would suggest Home Depot or Lowes to get the exact proportions and dimensions, to bridge across the two bookshelf pillars. For your safety, secure your bookshelves
by nailing them to the wall. Once this has been done, you should also nail the overarching shelf to the bookshelves to keep everything connected as one unit. Lastly, do not place heavy items on the shelf atop of the two bookshelves, to
avoid any accidents from happening. Now your new headboard is complete! Feel free to add books, decor, storage bins -- you want it to fit your style. With these alternatives you can stay close to your studies or work from the comfort of your own bed. Although the previous examples can be bought from a store, for a repurposed DIY feel, use cinder blocks as a bed base. If you’re not too fond of the industrial look, bust out your paintbrush and add some color to the blocks before setting them up. However, be extremely careful that there is not a lot of open space between the cinder block foundation and the mattress; you do not want to fall off your bed. Wooden pallets are another great option as they are easy to paint, and you can add more to create your desired height. For more inspiration, check out the many boards dedicated to bedroom DIY on Pinterest.
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