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2 - Vermont Eagle | Home Improvement
September 21, 2013
Autumn marks a great time to clear away clutter
Clutter is a concern for many homeowners. Clutter can gradually accumulate, and over time a home can turn from a welcoming respite to a claustrophobic place overwhelmed by items of little or no value. Homeowners who have battled clutter in the past often find that it is most likely to accumulate over the winter, when frigid temperatures outside drive more people indoors. Spending more time indoors means more trash indoors. Newspapers and magazines might be easy to discard when the weather is warm, but a trip outside to discard such items takes less precedence when it must be made in below freezing temperatures. The likelihood that even the cleanliest of homeowners might accumulate some clutter over the winter only highlights the importance of clearing a house of clutter in the fall. While clearing clutter can seem like an arduous task, the following tips can make the project much
easier. •Clean one room or area at a time. A disorganized approach to getting organized is likely to waste time and may even prove fruitless. Work your way through your home or apartment one room at a time rather than jumping from room to room. Have boxes or crates designated for items you find that belong in other rooms, and place items in the appropriate boxes as you clean rather than returning items to the right room as you find them. Once you have finished a room, move on to the next one and try to finish a room on the same day you started. •Invest in a paper shredder. Old bills, bank statements, receipts, and other once-important papers have a way of accumulating on desks, in drawers and on counters. Such documents often do not need to be held onto, but men and women are hesitant to discard them because they contain personal information. A paper shredder is a great investment for homeown-
ers and apartment dwellers alike and can be the safest way to discard documents with potentially sensitive information. ItÕ s also a friend to anyone attempting to clear clutter. Many shredders can shred multiple pages at a time, making them a quick and safe way to discard documents that have been littering a home long after they were useful. •Decide to donate some items. Many unused items lying around your house can likely be donated to a worthy cause, which can help motivate you to clean out your closet of all those extra sweaters and other items you no longer wear. Encourage fellow members of the
household to donate as well, and set aside a few boxes for clothes that will be donated and those that will be discarded. Donated items need not be clothes, as many goodwill organizations accept appliances and other products as well. •Put seasonal items away. Storing seasonal items like patio furniture and swimsuits can help reduce the likelihood that clutter will build up in the months ahead. Pack items from your summer wardrobe together and store them in a suitcase in the back of your closet. This frees up room for your fall and winter clothing and helps you avoid overstuffed drawers.
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Home Improvement | Vermont Eagle - 3
Winterizing 101: Preparing your yard for winter Changing seasons can be tough on a lawn. Always exposed to the elements, lawns can fare especially poorly upon the arrival of winter, a season known for its harsh and unforgiving weather. Even the most perfectly manicured lawn can suffer at the hands of winter weather, causing homeowners to sit idly by and hope spring arrives that much sooner.
But as punishing as winter weather can be on a lawn, homeowners are not without recourse. Much like homeowners can take steps to help their lawns survive sizzling summer heat waves during the warmer months of the year, they also can take steps to help their lawns make it through the often stormy weather synonymous with winter. •Don’t procrastinate. Putting off the process of winterizing a lawn can put that lawn in jeopardy. Lawns will turn dormant the closer you get to winter, and they may reject the nutrients found in fertilizer as a result. Those nutrients will prove valuable once spring weather returns, so start the winterization process in early fall so the lawn has sufficient time to absorb nutrients and strengthen itself for the seasons to come. •Treat trouble spots. Summer can be even harder on a lawn than winter, especially for those lawns located in regions where heat waves and drought are common. In such instances, certain spots on the lawn seem to be hit harder than others, and those spots should get special attention when winterizing the lawn. Check the soil’s pH levels before fertilizing or applying any treatments. Such a test will reveal which spots need the most attention, and treating trouble spots now will make spring lawn care that much easier. •Aerate the property. Aerating can help a lawn recover after a long summer and help it survive the potentially harsh months that lie ahead. Aerating, which involves puncturing the soil or removing cores of soil from the ground, can restore a lawn to health by improving its drainage and allowing more water and air to reach the roots of the grass. Aerating also makes it easier
for nutrients to penetrate the soil, which encourages a healthier lawn over the long haul. Aerators can be purchased or rented, but homeowners uncomfortable with the process may want to enlist a professional to tackle the job. Parents of small children who spend lots of time in the yard may need to aerate their lawn more than most, as heavy lawn traffic compresses the soil, a potentially harmful process that can be reversed via aeration. •Take steps to strengthen the roots. Aerating promotes stronger roots, but homeowners might also want to find a winterizing product with potassium and phosphorous, both of which can strengthen roots. Different types of lawns will respond differently to certain winterizers, so discuss your options with a lawn care professional who can help you find the right fit for your property. •Remove debris from the lawn. Debris left on a lawn over the winter can prove very harmful. Piles of debris left scattered around a lawn can suffocate the blades of grass, leading to longterm damage and a potentially unsightly lawn come the spring. In addition, piles of debris might make good homes for organisms that can damage the lawn. As fall moves into winter, periodically remove all debris, including leaves and branches fallen from trees. •Make the lawn off-limits once the temperatures dip below freezing. A lawn should be off-limits once the ground freezes. Stepping on grass that has frozen will leave noticeable footprints, and walking on frozen grass can kill the turf. When winter arrives, people should avoid using the lawn as a shortcut into and out of your home and stick to driveways and sidewalks instead.
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4 - Vermont Eagle | Home Improvement
September 21, 2013
Home improvement projects perfect for fall Home improvement projects can add value to a home and do-it-yourselfers know the sweat-equity that goes into such projects can give homeowners a greater sense of pride in their homes. But no two home improvement projects are the same, and homeowners should know that certain projects are best tackled during certain times of the year. Fall is a great season to work on your house, as the weather is often at its most agreeable once the summer heat has gone and before winter weather arrives. The following are a handful of fall-friendly home improvement projects for homeowners looking to improve their homes.
Roof repair
Whether youÕ re repairing or replacing the roof, fall is a great time of year to dust off the ladder and get some work done on your roof for a variety of reasons. First and foremost, fall is ideal for roof work because you won’t have to
be up on the roof with the summer heat bearing down on you. This can make the project move along more quickly, which is especially beneficial if you are paying laborers to work on the roof. The fewer hours workers are fixing your roof, the less you will be paying in labor costs. In addition, fixing up the roof in the fall ensures those winter storms, be it rain or snow, won’t find their way into your home via leaks. A leaky roof in winter is hard to fix, as the roof surface could be treacherous in the winter and winter winds can make it dangerous to be up on the roof at all. Addressing leaks in the fall can prevent damage to your homeÕ s interior, which can mount up if a leaky roof is not addressed until the following spring.
Window work
When the weather outside gets frightful, poorly insulated windows can allow cold air into the home. That often has a trickle-down
effect on finances, forcing you to turn up the thermostat in an attempt to offset the cold air pouring into the home. Whether you need your windows replaced or simply need to patch up any leaks, a proactive approach to leaky or older windows in the fall can save you from unnecessarily high heating bills come the winter. Addressing leaky windows also makes a home more comfortable for its inhabitants. Fall is the ideal time to address a homeÕ s windows because the temperature outside tends to be pleasant. This means you likely won’t have to make much of an effort to offset the elements, and open windows in the fall won’t make your home’s interior very hot or cold like they might if you were to tackle the project during the summer or winter.
Fixing the floors
Wood flooring is a hot commodity for many homeowners. But not all flooring can be added to a home at any time of year. ThatÕ s because certain types of flooring employ adhesives that need temperatures inside the home to be within a certain range, and that range is often within 70o to 80o F, which makes fall a great time to install such floors. Colder temperatures can make it difficult for the flooring to dry and bond, which will prove problematic down the road.
WhatÕ s more, many people entertain friends and family come late fall and into the holiday season, and it can be difficult to do so if you are busy installing new flooring.
Painting projects
Painting is another home improvement project that seems tailor-made for fall. A fresh coat of paint or a new color scheme around the house can give a home an entirely new look and feel. But paint can be pungent and the aromas may last if itÕ s applied at a time of year when it canÕ t dry while the windows are wide open. Paint fumes inside a home can make the home uninhabitable, but painting at a time of year like the fall, when you can keep the windows open during and after the project, can help air the home out. But interior painting isnÕ t the only painting project homeowners can tackle in the fall. Many exterior paints are temperature-sensitive and need the temperature outside to be above 40o F. Paint that freezes wonÕ t dry properly, and homeowners might be left with a costly and unsightly mistake on their hands. Fall temperatures tend to be amenable to both interior and exterior painting projects, just be sure to check the weather forecast before making your first brush stroke.
September 21, 2013
www.addision-eagle.com
Home Improvement | Vermont Eagle - 5
How to make a home handicap accessible Many homeowners have found themselves scrambling to make their homes handicap accessible after a sudden injury or illness. In addition, some homeowners have found themselves looking to make adjustments to their homes in anticipation of welcoming elderly, less mobile relatives into their homes. Converting a home into a handicap-accessible space can seem like a daunting task that requires adjustments to nearly every part of the house. While the extent of those adjustments depends on the individual who needs to be accommodated, some of the areas homeowners must address when making their homes handicap accessible are universal regardless of the individualÕ s condition.
Entryways A home’s entryways often must be addressed when making the home more handicap accessible. Portable ramps can be an affordable option and are often an ideal for those who only need to make temporary adjustments, such as when a resident suffers an injury that requires he or she spend some time in a wheelchair. When the adjustments will just be temporary, a folding wheelchair might be necessary, as the doorways might not be able to fit a standard wheelchair that doesnÕ t fold. When adjustments figure to be permanent, homeowners might need to expand the doorways in their homes. Contractors typically recommend expanding doorways to at least 32 inches, which provides some maneuverability when wheelchairs, which are typically between 24 and 27 inches wide, are entering the home. Doorways at the most commonly used entryways, including front doors and doors to the bathrooms as well as the individual’s bedroom, will likely need to be widened. Bathroom The bathroom might be the area of the home that needs the most attention. Slippery conditions common to bathrooms can make things especially difficult for people in wheelchairs or with disabilities. Grab bars should be installed in bath tubs and shower stalls and next to toilets. But grab bars aren’t the only adjustment homeowners should make in the bathroom as they attempt to make a home more handicap accessible. Safety treads, which can provide a secure, slip-free surface on the floors of showers and tubs, can be in-
stalled. Add a hand-held shower head to the shower stall to make it easier for those with a disability to shower. Portable transfer seats, which enable wheelchair-bound men and women to transition from their chairs to showers and bathtubs, can be purchased and kept in or near the bathroom. Water fixtures An often overlooked adjustment homeowners must make when transforming their homes into handicap-accessible spaces concerns the sinks throughout the home. Disabled persons may find it difficult to access faucets on sinks throughout the home, especially when there are vanity cabinets beneath the sinks. Replacing such sinks with pedestal sinks can improve maneuverability, but make sure such sinks are lower to the ground than standard pedestal sinks. A sink that’s just a few inches lower than a standard sink is considerably more accessible to people in wheelchairs. Closets Closets are rarely handicap accessible. Homeowners can address this issue by creating multi-level closet spaces so individuals can place their clothes at accessible heights. Closet shelves can be lowered and doors can be widened so disabled persons can easily manage their wardrobes. In addition, consider installing a light inside the closet and make sure the light switch can be easily reached from a wheelchair. Making a home more handicap accessible can be a significant undertaking, but many of the adjustments homeowners must make are small in scale and won’t take long to complete.
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6 - Vermont Eagle | Home Improvement
How to winterize your pool Homeowners with pools who live in regions where winter can be harsh know they must eventually prepare their pools for the colder seasons ahead. People who live in climates not conducive to yearround outdoor swimming often find that by the cooler weather of autumn makes this season the perfect time to winterize their pools. Although closing a pool is rarely celebrated, it is a very important task. Properly winterizing a pool will reduce the liklihood of damage in the months ahead, saving homeowners from financing potentially expensive repairs. Closing the pool before trees begin to shed their leaves is a good idea, as is doing so before the arrival of the first cold stretch. Homeowners who want to get started on winterizing their pools can heed the following advice. •Gather all of the necessary equipment. To winterize your pool, you will need the pool cover, drain plugs, certain chemicals, and cleaning equipment. Have all of the
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Although closing a pool is rarely celebrated, it is a very important task. tools you will need nearby so you will not be scrambling for items once you start working. •Check the chemical levels in the pool. Check the pool’s chemical levels so you can create a sterile environment that won’t be overtaken by microorganisms in the water during the offseason. Many pool experts recommended ensuring the pH is at the appropriate level (7.4 - 7.8), checking the alkalinity of the water to ensure it is between 80 and 120 ppm, as well as verifying the calcium hardness is at the right level. Creating the right water environment reduces the risk that any problems will develop over the winter. •Thoroughly clean the interior of the pool. When cleaning donÕ t forget to remove any accessories, such as ladders, ropes, fountains, etc. Clean these items and store them in a winter-safe area. •Bring up the pool chlorine to shock level. Bringing
the chlorine to shock level means the pool will have a higher amount of chlorine, which is necessary to kill off any remaining algae or microorganisms in the water. Keep the water filtering and at this elevated chlorine level for a few days prior to closing the pool to ensure that there will be no algae blooms once the cover is in place and you cannot monitor the water. •Drain some of the water. Depending on the type of cover you are using, and whether or not you will be using plugs to block any ports into and out of your pool, you may need to drain several inches of water to ensure that it falls below filter skimmer baskets and return jets. All water should be forced out from any hoses and internal components of the pool so that the water will not freeze and cause damage. •Adhere to manufacturers’ instructions on winterizing the filter. Some filters may need to be completely drained and cleaned. Some people prefer to remove the filter pump, gaskets and hoses and store everything in their garages for the winter. It may be possible to move smaller filters indoors. If not, covering the filter with a large, black garbage bag may protect it further from the weather. Be sure to turn off the electricity to the filter outlet at the breaker for the season. •Take steps to inhibit algae growth. If desired, put a polyquat algaecide into the water and distribute it evenly to further inhibit algae growth. •Install the cover per the manufacturer’s instructions and anchor it into place. It is a good idea to place a leaf net over the cover to catch any leaves as they fall so that they can easily be removed and not contribute to swampy conditions on the top of the pool cover over time. •Invest in a small pump to drain water off the top of the pool cover periodically. An effective pump will prevent undue stress on the cover, ensuring it lasts longer. Pool owners who prefer less pool maintenance can hire a pool company to handle winterizing tasks for them. By following the correct steps for pool winterization, you increase the liklihood of having a nice, clean pool to look forward to next summer.
50163
September 21, 2013
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Home Improvement | Vermont Eagle - 7
How to improve indoor air quality as winter approaches tory diseases and even cancer. Because indoor air pollution can be so devastating, many homeowners look for ways to improve their indoor air quality, especially before the arrival of winter, when residents of the home figure to spend such a significant amount of time indoors. Fortunately, homeowners can take many steps to do just that. •Clean with soap and water. Soap and hot water can still clean a home effectively, and this age-old combination might be the healthiest way to clean as well. Many household cleaning products contain potentially harmful ingredients that can introduce toxins and irritants into a home. Avoid such cleaners and solvents when cleaning a home. If stains prove too stubborn for soap and water, be sure to open windows when using potentially harmful cleaners indoors. •Purchase an air filtration system. Air filtration systems vary significantly in size, cost and function. Some systems are designed to remove specific pollutants, and may not be effective at removing additional indoor air pollutants. Larger models tend to be most effective at filtering pollutants like dust, but such units are more expensive than smaller units. If your home is especially dusty, then a large filtering system may prove a worthy investment. •Open windows and doors when possible. Introducing outdoor air into a home is a great way to improve indoor air quality. Of course, opening windows and doors might not be feasible in the middle of winter. But take advantage of any such opportunities when they present themselves. For example, after cooking a big meal, open the kitchen exhaust fan to allow fresh air into
the home. Such fans are not large enough to cause a significant temperature drop in the home, but they can directly remove contaminants from inside the home, like those that might be emitted from gas stoves. •Insist guests and residents remove their shoes. Chemicals can find their way into a home in a variety of ways, and you and your fellow residents or guests may be tracking them into your home on your shoes. Keep a doormat inside all entryways, and insist guests and residents remove their shoes before entering your home. This reduces the amount of potential pollutants brought into your home and also makes cleaning the home that much easier. •Break out the mop. Vacuum cleaners can be effective at picking up pollutants inside a home, but they also can leave things behind. When a vacuum cleaner seems to be leaving some dust behind, take out the mop and, with just a little water, address the areas where dust is still lingering. Water should be enough to do the trick, and, unlike some cleaning products, water won’t be introducing any additional harmful pollutants into the home. •Smoke outside. Smoking inside a home is inviting trouble, especially during those times of year when the windows cannot be opened. Secondhand smoke is a significant source of indoor air pollution, as cigarette smoke is known to contain more than 4,000 chemicals. Smoking indoors, whether an area is well- or poorly-ventilated, can be dangerous to smokers. Exposure to secondhand smoke puts adults and children alike at risk of several diseases, including asthma and cancer. If you or your fellow residents or visitors must smoke, do so outdoors.
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With fall soon to give way to winter, many people will soon be spending more time indoors. Winter weather can be harsh, and it can be difficult for fresh air to make its way into a home once the warmer temperatures of summer and fall give way to the cold days of winter. Poor indoor air quality can cause multiple problems. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, poor indoor air quality can increase a person’s risk of developing pneumonia, and it also may aggravate existing respiratory conditions such as asthma. The EPA also notes that long-term exposure to indoor air pollution can increase a person’s risk for heart disease, respira-
8 - Vermont Eagle | Home Improvement
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September 21, 2013
My basement is wet; now what?
Few things can cause more damage to a home than water. Leaks and flooding can cause various structural insufficiencies and may lead to unsafe conditions in a home. Panic often sets in when water enters a home. Some homeowners live in areas where a high water table inevitably forces groundwater up and into subterranean living spaces. Others may live close to coastal areas or rivers and streams that can overflow and cause home flooding. Still others who may not have had a water problem before learn that a heavy rainfall, and perhaps inadequate drainage outdoors, can cause water damage to a home. Compounding these issues is the fact that very often a homeÕ s utility systems are located out of the way in basements, or these spaces may be finished to create additional living space. Water in a basement can be much more than a nuisance. Water can lead to thousands of
dollars in damage. Moisture or several inches of water in a basement is nothing to take lightly. Furnaces and water heaters damaged by water can be costly to replace. Wires that come in contact with water can become hazards and cause an electrical fire, and water in a basement may be a harbinger for bacteria and viruses, creating unsanitary living conditions in the home. Mold spores that have developed in a damp basement can spread to other areas of the home thanks to a heating and cooling forced air system. And a cool, damp spot can be the perfect habitat for insects. When a basement develops a water problem, it is best to call in a professional. Although it might not be cheap, calling a professional can help you to remedy the situation faster than if you try several methods to fix the water problem yourself. When looking for a waterproofing company, seek recommendations from people
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you trust. Only do business with licensed professional contractors who are willing to give you a free estimate. You also can check out businesses by contacting consumer advocacy groups. You may be able to read up on their business practices and learn if there have been any complaints lodged against a company in the past. Hydrostatic pressure, poor foundations and cracks can each cause water to enter the house. Each situation is different, and a combination of exterior and interior changes may need to be made. In order to alleviate some water problems, certain modifications must be made. While the following solutions may not be applicable in each situation, they are some of the more common modifications plumbers suggest when fixing flooded basements. •Sump pump: In some cases, the installation of a well and a submersible pump may be all that’s needed to keep basements dry. When water rises high enough to start the pump, the sump pump will then expel the water out through a pipe to a drain or the street. Sometimes a sump pump works in concert with a
French drainage system, which is a channel around the perimeter of the basement that funnels water to the sump pump well. •Vapor barriers: Vinyl, plastic and paint encapsulation systems may be applied to the interior of foundation walls to serve as a barrier system. This prevents water or condensation from reaching the interior of the house. A vapor barrier may extend below the foundation to direct water runoff into a drainage system. •Exterior fixes: There are many ways to address flooding from outside the home. These include using outdoor vapor barriers and paints, having grading issues corrected so water will flow away from the home, digging of a swale to catch water away from the basement, exterior drainage systems, and utilizing specialized rain gutters and downspouts to direct water further away from the home during rainstorms. •Plumbing repairs: Sometimes water issues may be the result of a pipe backup or a faulty appliance and not necessarily an outdoor water issue. In these cases, repairing the source of the leak may be all that’s needed.
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September 21, 2013
Home Improvement | Vermont Eagle - 9
The basics of kitchen cabinet refacing form the appearance of the kitchen in relatively little time. Many refacing projects go as follows. •Measurements are taken and technical drawings are made so that new cabinet materials can be manufacturered to the kitchen’s exact specifications. •Homeowners choose the type of finish they prefer for the new cabinetry. •Manufacturing takes place, and homeowners will
schedule a time when the work will commence. •Existing doors and drawer fronts will be removed and recycled or disposed of. •If cabinet frames and boxes need to be repaired in any way, some refacing companies will take care of this. •Cabinet boxes and frames are covered in a matching veneer or plastic laminate. •The new doors and drawer fronts are installed, as are new handles, pulls and moldings
to complete the look. Many companies specialize in cabinet refacing. Homeowners should request estimates from potential candidates and review workmanship prior to hiring a particular company. Cabinet refacing is often a fast, relatively inexpensive renovation project. It can improve the appearance and functionality of a kitchen in a small amount of time, while also improving the value of a home.
Some trees can be pruned in winter Many homeowners may not know that pruning trees in the winter can benefit some trees. Deciduous trees are dormant in winter, so they wonÕ t bleed sap when pruned at this time of year like they will at other times of year. In addition, many varieties of trees are less likely to attract disease or insects if pruned in the winter. Oak trees, for example, emit a strong odor when pruned, and that odor can attract a type of beetle that causes oak wilt. But this type of beetle hibernates in the winter, making this the ideal season to prune oak trees. Before pruning trees, regardless of the time of year, homeowners should learn the types of trees on their property and when the ideal pruning season is for each type of tree. Pruning also may depend on climate, so speak with a local gardening or landscaping professional to determine when is the best time to prune the trees on your property. Once the time has come to prune, keep the following tips in mind to maintain healthy and aesthetically appealing trees. * Remove limbs that appear to be competing for space. Tree limbs that are crossing, rubbing or growing parallel to one another can be pruned. Such limbs may prohibit the growth of nearby limbs. * Remove limbs that are growing in. Some tree limbs may appear to be growing toward the interior of the tree, and these limbs can be pruned. * Remove limbs growing toward the ground. A healthy tree’s limbs will grow outward, not toward the ground. * Remove dead limbs. Dead limbs simply take up space, and a dead limb is not going to grow back come the spring. Dead, broken or diseased limbs should be removed when pruning. * Do not top trees. Tree topping is the removal of large branches and/or trunks from the top of a tree. Topping leaves a tree susceptible to disease and insect infestation, and homeowners who top trees to prevent them from getting any larger should know that topping actually promotes the growth of smaller, weaker branches that eventually grow as tall, if not taller, than the original branches before the tree was topped. Topping also decreases a treeÕ s life expectancy.
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Homeowners who want to give their kitchens a brandnew look without the expense or the hassle of a full-scale renovation often gravitate toward kitchen cabinet refacing. Cabinet refacing is less expensive and more eco-friendly than a full replacement of existing cabinets, and experts estimate refacing costs roughly two-thirds less than a complete cabinet renovation. Refacing involves replacing the doors and drawer fronts of existing cabinets during which the cabinet boxes are veneered to match the wood color chosen for the refacing, while the structure and layout of the cabinets remains unchanged. Essentially the kitchen footprint will remain the same as it was before the refinishing took place. Kitchens are popular rooms in the home and much of the renovation investment made in the kitchen can be recuperated at resale. Homeowners looking to put their homes up for sale soon may find cabinet refacing is beneficial, as it is a relatively quick renovation that can reap big rewards. Homeowners have options when refacing their cabinets. While some projects, such as stripping off old paint and repainting, can be a doit-yourself project, refacing cabinets may be best left to the professionals. Veneer work, which is often part of cabinet refacing, is not a skill one can learn overnight, and it often requires the hand of a professional carpenter. Many cabinets can be resurfaced successfully. Older cabinets are prime candidates, as they often are more sturdy than newer cabinets. In general, cabinets can be refaced as long as their substructures are sound. In addition to providing a new look for the kitchen, cabinet refacing is an eco-friendly project. By not demolishing existing cabinetry, homeowners are preventing old materials from ending up in landfills while saving trees from being cut down to construct new cabinets. Refacing also reduces the amount of chemical products used in the building of new cabinets, including stains, adhesives and chemically treated wood. Homeowners can choose among wood, veneer, metal, and even glass doors as replacements in the kitchen. Coupling cabinet refacing with replacement of old appliances can completely trans-
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10 - Vermont Eagle | Home Improvement
Easy bathroom renovations
Bathroom renovations are second to kitchen renovations on the list of the top remodeling projects to increase home value. The popularity of bathroom renovations and their ability to transform a space has left many homeowners wondering if there are any easy and affordable ways to change the look of their bathrooms. While Ò easyÓ is a relative term, there are ways homeowners willing to make certain concessions can keep the work and cost of a bathroom renovation to a minimum.
Resurface
When possible, covering up what you have in the bathroom is much less expensive and less labor-intensive than tearing out existing fixtures and floors and replacing them anew. Resurfacing can extend to refinishing bathtubs to installing shower liners. Those who have unsightly walls or wallpaper that they’re just not
ready to remove may consider using wainscotting to cover a portion of the room or even tiling entire walls. It is important to note that resurfacing and covering up items in the bathroom should only be reserved for cosmetic fixes. If something needs to be replaced because it is damaged or mildew-covered, then covering it up is only hiding the problem and asking for more work in the long run.
Scale back on materials
One way to save money on a renovation project is to choose less expensive materials. For example, you may not need to install travertine or marble flooring in a space where less expensive flooring like vinyl is adequate. Advancements in vinyl flooring have enabled this affordable material to mimic the look of more expensive materials at a fraction of the cost. When redoing tile on walls and shower en-
closures, many domestically-produced tiles rival the looks of more expensive imported alternatives. You may be able to save more by buying tile in bulk and using the remainder in other applications around the house.
Paint
Do not underestimate the power of a fresh coat of paint on any room in the house, including the bathroom. Dark, small spaces can be made to look more expansive with lighter colors. Cavernous bathrooms that look empty may prove more inviting with darker hues. Pick a paint that is designed for bathroom application so that it will inhibit the growth of mold and mildew.
Update hardware
A new faucet or some new cabinet pulls can make the room look new and fresh without
September 21, 2013
breaking the bank. Match finishes throughout the bathroom so everything will be cohesive. When shopping for a new shower head, choose a model that also conserves water. This way you will be making cosmetic and energy-saving renovations at the same time.
DIY
Handling labor yourself instead of hiring workers can reduce the cost of bathroom remodels considerably. It is possible to buy fully assembled bathroom vanities and install them yourself. Even installing a new toilet is relatively easy with the help of a friend. There are a number of ways to make bathroom renovations a bit easier and more affordable. Even nominal changes can give the space an entirely different look and feel, which can make the room more enjoyable and help improve a homeÕ s resale value in the process.
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September 21, 2013
www.addision-eagle.com
Home Improvement | Vermont Eagle - 11
Budget-friendly outdoor renovation ideas
Homeowners are increasingly extending their living spaces outside the walls of their homes. Expansive and intricate stonework patios and decked-out outdoor kitchens are the kind of additions many homeowners dream of. Those with unlimited budgets can enjoy just about any look they desire, but many homeowners may not have the money to go all the way with their outdoor living spaces. But that doesnÕ t mean itÕ s impossible to create budgetfriendly spaces that are functional, fun and eye catching. Decks and patios are popular gathering spots
outside a home, and homeowners have numerous inexpensive options at their disposal when choosing patio materials. And those who can do their own labor when installing a patio can save a substantial amount of money. Instead of higher-priced composite or resin decks, homeowners can go with standard wood, which will need to be stained periodically. Scaling back the size of the deck means less materials to buy and less labor involved. The cost of patio blocks depends on the material and style. Poured concrete patios will cost less than placed blocks or stones because
concrete is less labor-intensive. For those who desire the look of patio blocks without the cost, stamped concrete can mimic the look for less. Homeowners may not need to replace patio furniture, even if chairs and tables have seen better days. A can of spray paint can cover up any rusted areas or spots where paint has peeled off due to exposure to the elements. Updating cushions and purchasing a coordinating umbrella can revitalize the patio’s entire look. Also, very often stores run sales to clear out merchandise for new displays. Defining edges of planting borders and refreshing the landscape may be all that is needed to improve the yard. This is easily achieved with inexpensive mulch and some vinyl edging. While cleaning up the yard, use a pressure washer to clean stains off of siding and patios and create a like-new appearance. End-of-season sales can also be the ideal op-
portunity to purchase big-ticket items like a pool, a hot tub or an outdoor fireplace/fire pit. Shoppers can learn when stores discount their merchandise to make room for new inventory and then use these sales as opportunities to save. Sometimes saving means repurposing antiques or items found at garage sales. Thanks to the Internet, people can easily advertise items they no longer need or desire. A person can search for backyard items they need at a deep discount if they are fine with previously used materials. From patio furniture to masonry blocks to above-ground pools, patient homeowners can find just about any item they may need to upgrade their backyards. Though not all homeowners can afford to create the backyard of their dreams, with a little ingenuity and some sweat hard work, homeowners can still create an outdoor oasis.
12 - Vermont Eagle | Home Improvement
www.addison-eagle.com
September 21, 2013