2022 Home Show by Globe Gazette

N ORTH IOWA Home & Landscaping Show

GLOBE GAZETTE

SUNDAY, MARCH 13, 2022 |

31 Annual st

SURE CURE FOR CABIN FEVER

ne sure way to cure cabin fever – a visit to the North Iowa Home & Landscaping Show. The 31st annual event is March 18-20 at the North Iowa Events Center in Mason City. Hours are 3 to 8 p.m. March 18; 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. March 19 and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 20. Admission is $5 for adults; free for children 12 and under. The event is co-sponsored by Iowa Show Productions and North Iowa Builders Exchange. Whatever the home project, the place to find new ideas and products is the North Iowa Home & Landscaping Show. This year, the home show returns as a one-stop shop for great ideas for your home, lawn and garden. Exhibits will fill two buildings at the North Iowa Events Center, Mason City. Homeowners also can consult with new home contractors and remodeling experts. Displays will feature exterior and interior products and projects, trends in home theater systems, geothermal systems, solar, sunrooms, hot tubs, saunas, fireplaces, home organizing systems and decking. Other exhibits will include furniture, kitchens, water treatments, flooring, grills, lawn furniture heating and cooling, garage doors, mowers, bath repair, appliances 2021 North Iowa Home & Landscaping Show and more.

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2020

LISA GROUETTE, GLOBE GAZETTE

2021

LISA GROUETTE, GLOBE GAZETTE

JERRY SMITH, GLOBE GAZETTE

2021

LISA GROUETTE, GLOBE GAZETTE

4 ways to instantly upgrade your interiors

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KOHLER PHOTOS

There’s a simple reason for the recent boom in home improvement: Everyone’s spending more time at home. Staying at home more makes it clearer what areas are lacking and reveals opportunities for upgrades. Fortunately, there are many ways to make a huge impact on the appearance of those rooms—instantly. 1. Start with the foundation If your room feels uninspired, refreshing the flooring can instantly transform it. Recent design trends favor using consistent flooring throughout the home, or at least on each floor, for a more continuous feel—especially for homes with an open plan. While hardwood flooring is still the top choice, many other quality products mimic the look of hardwood flooring, like vinyl, tile and porcelain flooring, often for a much lower price point. Area rugs are also trending for use on any kind of floor. Rugs can add a pop of color or provide a focal point, while also helping to protect the floor underneath. For a quick

and easy fix involving zero installation, a high-quality area rug instantly upgrades your space. 2. Light up your life Lighting is an often overlooked home improvement. While the light itself brightens the room, the lighting fixture can also add a striking visual accent or focal point. “Decorative lighting has become a way to easily personalize a space,” said Erin Hoover, director of design, Kohler Lighting. “Years ago, matching suites were very popular, but as bathrooms and kitchens reflect more individual personality, more design elements are being added. Lighting can help you update these spaces without a lot of investment and effort.” Here are two collections from KOHLER Lighting to instantly upgrade your kitchen or bathroom. Kitchen: The Hauksbee Collection reinterprets rustic lighting from industrial farms and factories of the 1920s and ‘30s. Please see UPGRADE , Page 3

31ST ANNUAL NORTH IOWA HOME & LANDSCAPING SHOW

| Sunday, March 13, 2022

Globe Gazette

Midwest Construction Midwest Construction will celebrate its 64th anniversary in the home improvement industry in April. Alex Despenas founded the company in Mason City in 1958. The business is still family-owned and operated. Midwest Construction has two locations: its corporate office in Mason City and a

complete with landscaping around it to make it more attractive, at this year’s Home Show. Visitors will also see examples of the company’s windows and siding. Paul Despenas said Midwest Construction products are energy efficient, which is important because the cost of natural gas in Iowa almost

large showroom in Grimes. Alex Despenas’ slogan when he started the company was “Quality Products, Quality Installation. Paul Despenas, VP Marketing: Our family continues to live up to our slogan. Midwest Construction will have one of its All-Season Sunrooms on display,

doubled since this fall. Manufacturers’ incentives and instant cash coupons for Midwest Construction products are available. The company’s Mason City office is located at 1601 S. Taft Ave The company’s Mason City office is located at 1601 S. Taft Ave.

Mort’s Water Company Mort’s Water Company will have a Kinetico whole house water softening system and K5 drinking water system on display at this year’s Home Show. Those who attend the show and purchase a K5 drinking water system will get their first year of filters

for free, which will save them $60 to $70. Meanwhile, sister company Mort’s Plumbing & Heating will have its geothermal heat pumps on display as well as an operating LG Air Force Mini Split. Brad Lewis, co-owner of the company, said the geo-

thermal heat pumps are “your most efficient piece of equipment to heat and cool your house.” The LG Air Source Mini Splits are a step down from geothermal, but are still very efficient, according to Lewis. He said even when the temperature outside

dips to 13 below zero, the mini splits still operate at 90 percent capacity. Mort’s Water Company is located at 1410 Gull Ave., Latimer. Mort’s Plumbing & Heating has locations at 505 Industrial Park Rd., Iowa Falls; and 1004 Eighth St., Allison.

Young Construction Dan Young founded Young Construction out of the back of a car in 2001. Today the business has locations in Mason City, Waverly and Cedar Rapids, and is looking to open a fourth in Minnesota. “We are basically your home exterior company,” Young said.

The biggest things Young Construction does are roofing, siding and windows. The business is an Owens Corning Platinum Contractor representing less than 1% of contractors. The company also offers gutter installation, attic insulation, and ice dam removal. Young Construction was

named a North Iowa Employer of Choice by the Globe Gazette in 2021. The business has grown tremendously over the past few years, according to Young. He said the company currently has around 25 employees. Young Construction gives back

to the communities it serves Thanksgiving dinner to hospital by providing free roots to those staff. in need, Christmas shopping The Mason City showroom is spree opportunities, and serving located at 1539 N. Federal Ave.

Johnson Heating & Air Conditioning Johnson Heating & Air Conditioning will have a high efficiency furnace, A/C up to 23 seer, mini split system, tankless water heater, wall hung boiler and thermostats on display at this year’s Home Show.

Home SHow exHibitor’S map

qualify for Nickelodeon tickets to the MOA (Mall of America),” said Tony Johnson, company president. Johnson Heating & Air Conditioning was established in 1996. The company’s friendly team “We will be having a game to of highly trained professionals

is dedicated to providing each customer with safe and effective solutions at affordable prices, according to the Johnson Heating & Air Conditioning website. Johnson Heating & Air Conditioning is licensed, insured and anything from small repairs to full The company is located at bonded. The company can provide installations. 1405-B S. Taft Ave. in Mason City.

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North iowa Home Show all Seasons Floor plan

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Booths A111, A112 A97 A28, A29 A96 A84, A85 A81, A82 A69 Outside Outside A10 A92, A93 B29 A5 B23 A48 A86 & A87 A43 A31 D7, D8 A18-A21 A13 B3 G12, G13 A23 D4 A95 A128 A45 A8-A9

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North iowa Home Show olson building Floor plan

Company Name Advanced Door Systems All American Turf Beauty American Waterworks Architectural Seamless Surfaces Bath Fitter Budget Blinds Card and Co Technology Solutions Century 21 Preferred Chris’ Kettle Corn Concrete Designs by Potter Countertops and More Country Meadow Place The Country Store Creative Actions Crown Point Builders Culligan Custom Seamless Guttering Cutco Cutlery Cutting Edge Tree Service Daley’s Plumbing & Heating Double Z Doors Draft Tight Insulation Dream Designs Epic Eateries Exit Realty Mason City Farmers State Bank Farus Contracting Flagpole Solutions Fox Woodcraft

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Frederika Locker Girl Scouts of Greater Iowa Gutters by GT, LLC Haas Chiropractic Clinic Habitat for Humanity of N Central IA Hall Realty Heavens Best Carpet Cleaning Hinrichsen Construction Iowa Wall Sawing Jeffrey Repair Service Inc. Johnson Heating & Air Conditioning Lake Fireplace & Spa Land-O-Dreams Leaf Filter Little Cedar Windows M & E Sales Mark’s Tractor & Implement Inc. Mason City Ford Chrysler Mason City Roofing Mid State Fire Safety Midwest Construction Midwest Insulation Mort’s Plumbing & Heating Geo Comfort MP Home Design Natures Solution Nelson Septic Services North Central Mechanical Services Northland Glass, LLC North Iowa Kitchens North Iowa Water Company

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Northland Buildings Noss Landscaping Ornate Skin Orton Landscaping Overhead Door Company of Mason City Paint Pros Rainsoft of NE Iowa Realty One Group Ressler Custom Landscapes Revive Sales River City Dump Trailers Sanco Equipment Simply Nuts and More Stellar Truck & Trailer Stillwater Greenhouse Stream Connections Syndicate Sales Corporation T & R Custom Tops T-Mobile TNR Group Tranquil Spaces USCC Services, LLC Van Wall Equipment Veterans of Foreign Wars White Oaks Cabinetry Windows by Pella, Inc. Window World The Window Source of Mason City Young Construction of North Iowa Inc.

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31ST ANNUAL NORTH IOWA HOME & LANDSCAPING SHOW

GLOBE GAZETTE

Upgrade From Page 1

Pella Windows and Doors Pella Windows and Doors has been serving Iowa for 97 years now. Peter Kupyer, founder of the company, started it off as a roll screening company. They eventually transformed into what it is today: one of the top suppliers of windows in the business. This success has led to the opening of several plants across the country, and they have been selected as one of the best companies to be

employed by in the United States, according to Waterloo’s branch sales manager, Dan Mills. Mills encourages people to attend the show because they are a “good Iowa-based company.” They plan to bring a variety of product samples, including windows, fiberglass, patio doors and entry doors. Pella Windows and Doors is located on 1511 S Monroe Ave. in Mason City.

Smooth glass and cool metal combine with mixed metal finish options and vintage details, along with decorative elements like a domed metal shade with a cage detail and ribbed glass shade. Bathroom: The Arendela Collection is inspired by 1960s designer Vistosi, and the exquisite glassworks rendered through the art of briolette gemstone cutting and spun glass rondelles. Arendela reflects sophisticated style with jewel-like, multifaceted and

spun glass shades and cast metal works ranging from a strikingly singular sconce to show-stopping multi-light designs. 3. Color your world What is the color palette

of the room? Is it an eclectic mix, reflecting years of adding elements that don’t go with the walls? How recently was it painted? Especially if you’re not prepared to invest in new

SUNDAY, MARCH 13, 2022 |

furniture, simply painting a room can make an enormous impact. 4. Adjust your window dressing Updated window treatments can boost the appearance of a room, while also providing more privacy and insulation. Consider not just the color and style as it affects the look of the room, but also the function. How much privacy and light is needed? Options for window treatments today are more numerous than ever. Blinds, shades, curtains or drapes all make distinct visual statements, while also potentially enhancing the room’s livability.

Custom Seamless Guttering Customer Seamless Guttering, a family-owned and operated company in Clear Lake, has been in business for nearly 40 years. The company does both residential and commercial work. They offer gutters and downspouts, soffits and fascia, gutter covers, gutter cleaning, heat tape installation, and more. All gutters are created on-site to ensure a perfect, customized fit. “We offer the LeafX brand gutter cover, which of the gutters,” said owner cover does not require the removal of your existing is a solid cover guaranteed Keith Main. to keep all the leaves out Installing the LeafX gutters for installation, not

do you have to purchase an entirely new gutter system. Custom Seamless Guttering has an A+ rating and accreditation from the Better Business Bureau. They are fully licensed, certified and insured. They offer a 25-year guarantee on their work in addition to all available manufacturer warranties. They can assist those who are having issues with their current gutters or have decided to install new ones themselves. Call or text 641-3575959 to schedule a free consultation.

Stellar Truck & Trailer

North Central Mechanical Services

Stellar Truck & Trailer in Mason City, Stellar Industries’ first service and retail center, opened in 2011. The initiative established a service and maintenance location for Garner-based Stellar, as well as an outlet for North Iowa individuals and businesses to purchase new truck equipment and accessories. “At Stellar Truck and Trailer we can upfit your truck with all your accesso-

North Central Mechanical Services, who have served the area for the past eleven years in Residential and Commercial HVAC, Plumbing, Duct Cleaning, and commercial Refrigeration service work. North Central Mechanical offers a wide range of residential products, which includes, but are not limited to brands such as Trane, Lennox, Goodman, Ruud, water furnace and many others, along with being this areas Central Boiler representatives for sales and service. North Central Mechanical specializes in new home HVAC and Plumbing, along with providing a wide array

ries needs,” said Nick Roberts, a sales representative for Stellar Truck & Trailer. The Mason City location sells flat beds, toppers, bed covers, bed slides, service bodies, mud flaps, and more. The business also sells enclosed trailers than can haul anything, whether it’s furniture, a motorcycle, a snowmobile, or a car. Stellar Truck & Trailer is located at 822 S. Taft Ave. in Mason City.

of new home heating options from natural gas furnaces to geothermal solutions for heating and cooling your home. North Central Mechanical takes great pride in installing premium products, along with providing excellent service to back our products for the years

Find out what our customers already knowNorthland buildings are the BEST VALUE!

to come. North Central Mechanical Services also carry a wide range of air quality products. Some of these products include UV lights, which improve indoor air quality by killing viruses and bacteria, as well as upgraded air filters. North Central Mechanical

605 East J Street # 100 Forest City, Iowa

also offers commercial and residential preventive maintenance programs. These programs include comprehensive annual inspections for heating and cooling seasons to come. North Central Mechanical Services is located at 2601 15th St. S.W. in Mason City, IA

Overhead Door Sales, Installation, & Service

White Oaks Cabinetry White Oaks Cabinetry, located at 1769 Mitchell Line St., Rudd, specializes in custom cabinetry and countertops, mainly for homes. The company also does some commercial work. The owner is Gerrid Mellmann. His father, Brian, founded the business in 1991. White Oaks Cabinetry makes and installs custom cabinets for kitchens, bathrooms, offices, laundry rooms, entertainment rooms. They also make fireplace mantles, bookcases, and built-ins. Laminate, solid surface, granite, quartz, tile and many other materials have

been incorporated into White Oaks Cabinetry’s countertop projects. Services include 3-D computer layouts, design assistance, custom moldings and millwork, and custom stain and glaze colors. The company recently began making frameless cabinets, which are primarily used for pantries and walk-in closets. White Oaks Cabinetry will feature a quarter-sawed white oak kitchen display and a new hickory island at the Home Show. The business, which has five employees, won a Globe Gazette Readers Choice Award in 2021.

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31ST ANNUAL NORTH IOWA HOME & LANSCAPING SHOW

Globe Gazette

Curb Appeal 101 The outside of your home is every bit as important as what’s inside when it comes time to sell. Here are some easy ways to boost your home’s curb appeal from the experts at Moving.com.

your area, consider adding planters and window boxes for the same affect. The same goes for your lawn. Mow the grass, keep it raked and regularly weed flower beds.

2. Stay out of a door jam.

1. Add greenery.

Make sure your plants are peppy, even if you have to add in some new additions. If it’s an off time of year for planting in

Spruce up your front door by painting it a bold color that coordinates with the rest of your decor. And light up that new paint job with a fun, fresh new light. Clean off any cobwebs and debris to make the space look its best. If you need more lighting on a budget, look for solar lanterns to brighten up the entryway.

3. Mailbox makeover.

Put up a new mailbox (making sure

to adhere to community and Post Office regulations) for a quick but noticeable way to clean up your curb.

4. Get to cleaning.

Gutters, flowerbeds, siding, fascia boards and more all get a good scrub. While you’ve got the power washer out, also do your driveway and walkways so they’re clean and bright for potential buyers.

5. Upgrade your house numbers. Replace any house numbers that are faded or covered by paint with fresh, new numbers in a style that matches the rest

of your home.

6. Take care of little jobs.

Set aside a day or a weekend and take care of all those little repairs that have been piling up. Patch up ripped screens, replace burned out bulbs and fix any chipped or peeling paint. You’ll be surprised at the cumulative effect of taking care of all these small jobs.

7. Declutter.

Too much furniture makes your space look small while too little makes it look sparse and unwelcoming. Try to strike a balance with your furniture and decor, and, of course, make sure all your furniture is in good condition.

Did you know? METRO NEWSPAPER SERVICE

One way to improve curb appeal and set a property apart from others is to add decorative effects to walkways, patios and driveways. Although many homeowners turn to materials such as pavers, flagstone or brick for these purposes, a versatile and often cost-ef-

fective idea is to rely on stamped concrete. Stamped concrete, often called textured or imprinted concrete, is textured, patterned or embossed to mimic the look of other materials, notably brick, slate, flagstone, stone, tile, and wood. Stamped concrete can be used

on patios, sidewalks, driveways, pool decks, and even interior flooring. The concrete is poured and then patterned using special tools. Installing stamped concrete is best left to concrete design specialists with extensive experience in this difficult craft.

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Globe Gazette

31ST ANNUAL NORTH IOWA HOME & LANDSCAPING SHOW

TIPS TO HELP YOU CLEAN YOUR YARD BRYONY GILBEY

BestReviews‌

pring and fall are the busiest times for yard work, especially if you live in a region with extreme seasons. In the fall, clean up means raking leaves, with a little lawn reseeding and fertilizing thrown in. Spring cleaning is usually associated with indoor cleaning, but yards need spring cleaning, too: weed-pulling, planting flowers and mulching need to be done in the spring to help your property look great. The key is to be proactive — get out ahead of potential problems — and to pace yourself. Here are yard maintenance basics:

Remove debris

You can start cleaning your yard simply enough: by walking around the yard and picking up debris. Tree branches get damaged and broken in the winter months, and some trees, like oaks, lose leaves well into the spring. Remove any branches and piles of leaves, which encourage mold and disease. Anything biodegradable — twigs, branches, leaves and fallen fruit — can be composted, while non-compostable waste, like plastic, should go in the garbage. Also, check your yard regularly for animal poop and dispose of it in a separate garbage bag as needed. Removing the debris will allow your lawn to breathe, or aerate and recover.

Prune

Early spring is the best time to prune most trees, hedges and shrubs. This process rids plants, trees and bushes of dead and diseased branches, and keeps them a manageable size and encourages new growth. According to Old Farmer’s Almanac, when to prune shrubs depends on when they bloom. Prune summer-flowering shrubs, such as roses, in the late winter/early spring before new growth starts; prune spring-flowering shrubs (azalea, forsythia, lilacs and wisteria) after the flowers have died off.

Turn over the soil

If the soil in your garden beds is compacted, you’ll need to loosen the soil to help oxygen reach the plants’ roots. You can use hand tools for smaller areas, but larger areas may require a tiller. A grass lawn can also get compacted underneath. Pale colored grass or mossy patches are signs that your lawn needs aeration. This is best done in the fall to boost root development, or very early spring. As it gets warmer, aerating your lawn makes it harder for weeds to take root. You can fast-track this process by using a power lawn aerator, a machine that has hollow spikes that cut holes in the lawn to allow air, water, compost and fertilizer in.

Pull out weeds

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To make life easier, do your weeding in early spring. Warmer temperatures help aggressive weeds take root, making them more difficult to remove. Long-handled weeders are easy to use and can pull dandelions and

other weeds out from the roots. Keeping grass to a shorter length and recycling grass clippings is the best way to deter weeds from coming back. You can also apply a pre-emergent herbicide to your lawn to get rid of existing weeds and prevent future invasion. Dr. Leonard Perry at the University of Vermont says the best time to apply a pre-emergent is when the temperature in the top inch of soil has been 55 degrees Fahrenheit for five consecutive days (usually March/April), when annual weed seeds germinate. If you can already see weeds emerging, spray a post-emergent herbicide evenly over the entire lawn.

Sow grass seed on bare patches For a variety of reasons, grass can be patchy when it starts to regrow, so you may want to re-seed some areas. Use a rake to aerate the bald patches, then cover them in a thin layer of compost. Sprinkle a sun/shade mix of grass seed on top, water, then cover with straw or grass clippings. Timing is crucial if you are using a pre-emergent herbicide for crabgrass, because the herbicide will hamper the new grass seeds, too. Experts recommend seeding grass in the fall and using herbicide in the spring. However, if the bald patches are really obvious, try spot-seeding bare patches in March and early April, allow seeds enough time to germinate (a little fertilizer can be added to stimulate growth), then apply the pre-emergent weed control. Sod is also a good option.

Sunday, March 13, 2022 |

can bolster their root systems to survive the winter.

prevents weeds, feeds the soil for healthier plants and helps to conserve water. For flower beds and vegetable gardens, Re-edge beds use an inch or so of pesticide-free comReestablishing the border between post or grass clippings. For trees, shrubs your lawn and garden beds is a and woody perennials, you can use great way to improve the wood chips, making sure to look of your yard. Use a keep mulch an inch away trimmer (also useful from plant stems or on hedges), or if you trunks to prevent rot. need a more drasFor your lawn, just It’s important to mow your grass tic change, mark leave the grass clipregularly because it’s much more a new boundary pings on the lawn difficult to cut the grass if it’s tall, with a metal edger, after mowing. and short grass can’t fortify weed then dig along the roots. According to Scotts.com, the line, removing the Repair damage perfect height for most grasses is grass as you go. Fill to deck, patio two to three inches. Don’t forget the bed with two to sharpen your mower blade and fencing to three inches of every month or so for a mulch afterwards to Once you have comclean cut. deter weeds. pleted the gardening side of yard clean-up, you Mulch can assess any damage done This is a layer of organic mateto your deck, patio or fencing. You rial like leaves, wood chips, compost or can wash away dirt using a pressure grass clippings that you spread around washer and repair any rotten or loose the base of your plants in the spring and decking, broken paving slabs and unfall. The EPA recommends mulching sightly or hazardous rusted metal. because in addition to making your yard Then get outside and enjoy the fruits look good, it stabilizes soil temperature, of your labor!

Mow the lawn

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Fertilize

A mulching lawn mower — which cuts, then returns grass clippings back to the soil — will save you time and energy while nourishing your lawn. The clippings dry out quickly and put nitrogen and other nutrients back into the soil, saving you money on supplemental fertilizer. This grass-recycling has the added benefit of not contributing to landfills. If you need additional fertilizer, the best time for fertilizing is autumn so that plants

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Globe Gazette

Hot Smart Home Devices

More time spent at home during the pandemic meant more companies looking to make a buck by cashing in on the smart home trend. That means more connected speakers, cameras, light bulbs and more. Here are some of the latest smart home devices from the experts at CNET.

SPEAKERS

CNET gives its top pick to Amazon’s fourth-generation Echo speaker. It says the bass is more powerful than its competitors and it also features tech that makes connection compatible devices easier than ever. It also gives a nod to the Google Nest Mini as a budget-friendly option with a machine learning chip that can make it more speedy than other smart speakers.

SMART PLUGS

Smart plugs — which kick the power on and off to any connected device — are the entry point to smart home devices. CNET likes TP-Link’s Kasa Smart Plug Mini. It includes a well-designed app, CNET says and also connects to Google Assistant or Amazon’s Alexa.

SMART LIGHTS

The Wyze bulbs don’t use an extra hub to connect them like other bulb brands. You just screw them in, turn them on and pair with the Wyze app, CNET says, then you can use them with a virtual assistant or control them with the app. They’re also great lights, the website says, offering white tones from candlelight to daylight. All at under $10 per bulb.

SMART THERMOSTATS

CNET gives the gold star to the Amazon Smart Thermostat ($60) even though it doesn’t work with Google Assistant or Apple’s HomeKit. It saves an average of $50 yearly on your energy bill, according to the site, and it also has a simple and modern design.

DIY HOME SECURITY

Ring’s Alarm Pro gets top marks for

its low cost and accessories. You get a built-in Wi-Fi 6 Eero gateway and a Z-Wave radio for smart devices. Subscriptions are required and range from $3 to $20 per month. The eight-piece starter kit will run you about $300.

BEST SMART LOCK

The August Wi-Fi Smart Lock fits over the internal thumb latch of existing deadbolts, meaning setup is quick and easy. It doesn’t replace the lock, so you can still use your original key. The smart lock connects via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi and, using the August app, you can assign and revoke timed virtual keys. SHUTTERSTOCK‌

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31ST ANNUAL NORTH IOWA HOME & LANSCAPING SHOW

GLOBE GAZETTE

SUNDAY, MARCH 13, 2022 |

Inspect your home’s exterior after winter GREEN SHOOT MEDIA

After enduring the extreme conditions of winter, your home’s exterior could be battered and bruised. Spring is the time to look for signs of damage and make repairs. Some repairs you can make yourself, while others could require professional services. Start by getting outside and walking around your house to perform a visual inspection.

Roof

With a pair of binoculars or a camera with a telephoto lens, check for missing shingles, damaged or missing metal pieces or excessive wear. Con-

sult a roofer for any needed repairs.

Masonry and foundation

such as holes, or actual insect activity. This is also the time to power wash siding, provided it’s in good shape. If a gazebo, deck or other wood structure is looking worse for wear, spring is a good time to stain or seal.

or clogged sprinkler heads. If you have landscapers perform seasonal maintenance on your sprinkler system, they will check for damage to the system and make any necessary repairs.

Windows and doors

Air conditioning

Check the foundation and masonry for deterioration, cracking and leaks, recommends E&E General Contracting. Check chimney masonry for signs of vegetation growth, water infiltration, cracked or missing bricks or stones, and have a mason make any needed repairs. You’ll likely need a specialist to make any necessary repairs to the foundation, as this kind of work is difficult and critical to your home’s structural integrity.

Look for holes and tears in screen doors and windows. If they need repairs (even small holes should be fixed), pick up a repair kit at your local home improvement store. Check the seals on windows and doors to be sure they are keeping out water and holding air.

Siding and exterior structures

Landscaping

Check for holes or warping in siding. If you have a wood exterior, look for signs of termite or carpenter ant damage,

Check concrete, asphalt or stone paths for damage. Check your water sprinkler system for broken, damaged

Your AC system can suffer damage during from the winter elements. You’ll want to be sure it’s in working order before the warmer summer months arrive, so you aren’t stuck without cooling. Schedule maintenance by an HVAC specialist well in advance, as these services book up early.

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The National Association of Landscape Professionals notes that brown patches in a lawn often develop after heavy snowfall. Such patches tend to develop where large piles of shoveled snow were deposited, so homeowners can inspect alongside driveways and walkways. The NALP advises homeowners to rake away part of the brown patches first. If green tissue is emerging beneath, then the lawn will likely be fine in due time. However, if the area beneath is not green and surrounding areas are already turning green, homeowners may need to rake up dead tissue before applying topsoil to the affected spots. Once topsoil is spread, some grass seed can be spread and the grass should regain its green glory.

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| SUNDAY, MARCH 13, 2022

31ST ANNUAL NORTH IOWA HOME & LANSCAPING SHOW

GLOBE GAZETTE

Financing New Construction Getting a mortgage for a home you plan to build or extensively renovate is different than financing an existing home. Construction loans are usually used to build residential properties. Here is everything you need to know about these short-term loans.

RATES

Construction loans usually last for about a year in duration. During that year, the property must be built and a certificate of occupancy be issued. Because these are short-term loans, construction financing usually has a variable rate that moves up and down with the prime rate. Construction loans also typically have higher rates than mortgage loan rates. This is because mortgage rates are secured by the property they finance. Construction loans aren’t for existing property, so the lender doesn’t have that option and considers the loan a bigger risk.

HOW TO GET YOUR MONEY Once you’re approved, your bank will give you a draft or draw schedule that will follow your project’s construction schedule. During that time, you will typically make interest-only payments during construction. Your lender will have an appraiser or inspector check out the property from time to time to keep your draws on schedule. Bankrate says you should expect four to six inspections during the construction process.

WHAT IT COVERS

Construction loans cover the cost of your land, contractor labor, building materials and any permits required for construction. Home furnishings isn’t usually covered, but permanent fixtures such as appliances and landscaping are.

SHUTTERSTOCK

You should also make sure your loan covers unexpected costs. “Oftentimes, construction loans will include a contingency reserve to cover unexpected costs that could arise during construction, which also serves as a cushion in case the borrower decides to make any upgrades once construction beings,” Steve Kaminski, head of U.S. residential lending at TD Bank, told Bankrate.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

Like most financing, you’ll need a good credit score, a low debt-to-income ratio and a way to prove sufficient income to repay the loan. You will also need available cash for a down payment and a plan to help the lender feel more comfortable with the loan. You may also have to get an appraisal estimating how much the finished home will be worth.

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