2 Real Estate
05 4 16
3 Real Estate
05 4 16
4 Transform your home’s outdoor spaces Real Estate
05 4 16
With a bit of creative energy, you can transform your standard yard into a versatile area to relax and entertain, extending your living space outdoors and adding value to your home. Here are three improvements to consider. Full-Fledged Bar Anyone who has hosted a party outdoors knows that one of the biggest challenges for keeping guests happy is keeping drinks refilled. While a cooler suffices for chilling beverages, a fully-stocked bar outdoors can expand your hosting capabilities and save you the trouble of going in and out of the house unnecessarily. It can be as simple as a small serving station with room for a few barstools or much more involved, depending on your space and needs. To protect against both rain and shine, consider a covered bar so both you and your guests can stay comfortable. Take into account your land-
scaping and design style when making decisions. Whatever material you opt for, make sure it is waterproofed for longevity. Modern Fireplace A fireplace makes an excellent year-round focal point and can enhance outdoor entertaining. “A contemporary fireplace is
a sophisticated way to extend your living space beyond the walls of your home,” says Monica Turner, product manager for Heat & Glo. Contemporary, innovative designs are allowing homeowners to execute this upgrade with style and an expectation of durability -- like the Palazzo
from Heat & Glo, which features a linear design with a clean look and is built to withstand the elements. The Palazzo features marinegrade premium stainless steel that will maintain its luster for years, outdoor-rated, multi-colored LED lights that shine through crushed glass for visual
appeal, and an industry-first retractable Power Screen that ensures safety, moving up and down at the press of a button and preventing debris from entering the fireplace. For more information, visit heatnglo.com. Rethink Furniture Patio furniture has come a long way in recent years. No longer do you need to sacrifice complete comfort when spending time in the great outdoors -- you can outfit your deck or patio with couches and daybeds. Cushioning made from state-ofthe-art fabrics designed for the outdoors is making it possible to transform a deck into a veritable living room. Complete the feel with all the entertainment trappings you could expect to enjoy indoors, such as speakers or even a television. This season, spend some time outdoors. A few key additions to the space can offer maximum comfort and fun. -StatePoint
Tips to keep plumbing operating smoothly Proper seasonal maintenance can keep your plumbing running smoothly. Experts say that even those with no experience can inspect for issues and perform simple tasks to prevent costly repairs. “You don’t have to be a crackerjack plumber to handle basics and protect your home,” says Jeff Devlin, host on HGTV and DIY Networks. Devlin offers homeowners some key plumbing tips: Kitchens and Bathrooms Ensure drains have strainers to prevent debris from clogging drain lines. Check faucets for drips and leaks. Inspect the toilet tank and bowl for visible cracks. Check for hidden leaks by adding six drops of food coloring to the tank. If the toilet is leaking, color will appear in the bowl within 30 minutes. Ensure toilets flush properly. If the handle must be held down to flush, or jiggled to stop water from running, you may need to replace parts. Clean mineral deposits from the shower head. Unscrew it and soak in vinegar overnight. Then gently scrub with an old toothbrush. Water Heater Carefully drain several gallons from
the tank to flush out corrosion-causing sediment, which reduces heating efficiency and shortens the life of the heater. Consider replacing those older than 15 years with a new, energy-efficient model. Appliances Check your dishwasher, washing machine and ice maker’s supply hoses for bulges or leaks. Replace hoses showing signs of weakness or those older than ten years. Use stainless steel hoses, which are more reliable and less prone to bursting. Clean your washing machine lint trap, and place a wire trap or a piece of pantyhose over the end of the hose that drains the washer. General Pour water into infrequently used drains to fill traps and prevent odors. Slow floor drains should be snaked to ensure they’ll carry water away during flooding. Take a reading on your water meter before bedtime. The next morning, without using any water overnight, take another reading. If it’s changed, you have a leak that should be repaired. Outside Free yard drains, gutters and down-
5 Real Estate
05 4 16
spouts of debris. Check for bird nests in plumbing vent pipes. Check faucets and hose bibs to ensure water flows freely. If an outdoor faucet drips, or if there is leakage inside your home the first time the hose is turned on, you may have had a frozen pipe that cracked and needs to be replaced. Be Equipped Look for commercial-quality products designed with average consumers in mind. For example, Roto-Rooter, the number one brand in plumbing, with 80 years of experience, now offers a complete line of consumer products that contain 25 percent more active ingredients and clear
clogs 50 percent faster than the competition. “It’s stronger and faster which means you can get the job done right the first time,” says Devlin. Devlin, who lives in an historic farmhouse, recommends the brand’s Septic Treatment, which contains twice the amount of enzymes to keep septic tanks in balance. More information about the product line can be found at rotorooterproducts.com. “Be proactive,” says Devlin. “A few minutes of prevention could save you tens of thousands of dollars in costly repairs.” -StatePoint
6 Hints for tackling tough household chores Real Estate
05 4 16
A long to-do list can seem daunting. But it doesn’t have to. A few strategies can help you be more productive and get tough household chores tackled in record time. Organize As You Go The longer you leave certain organizational chores to build up, the more overwhelming they can be to complete. A few key organizational systems can help you stay on top of things. For example, try getting yourself in the habit of sorting mail as soon as you walk through the door. It’s satisfying to check off an item on your to-do list and this is low hanging fruit. Streamline mail received by signing up for paperless electronic banking and removing your name from unwanted mailing lists. Reduce clutter by spending just five minutes each evening before bed putting things back where they belong. A shoe rack by the foyer, a big bin for kids’ toys -simple solutions such as these can help you consolidate mess and make the entire home feel cleaner. Simplify Laundry Did you know that different stains require different cleaning agents? For example, milk and grass stains require en-
zyme cleaners, while ink or wine stains require peroxides. Of course, clothes need brighteners and detergents to come out looking their best. Many laundry boosters don’t contain all of these stain fighters. You can save time -- and extend the life of your clothes -- by choosing a cleaner that can tackle multiple types of stains. For example, Biz has more stain fighters than other brands, while also brightening clothes.
Stained clothing should be pre-treated with a tough, multi-faceted solution. Rub in pre-treatment gently and wait three to five minutes. Don’t allow it to dry on the fabric. While it’s working its magic, multitask -- fold laundry, iron a garment or complete another simple chore. If a garment needs a longer treatment, add the solution to water and soak it in a bucket. Then wash as usual. Use a stain fighter as an additive in
loads of laundry to brighten garments and take care of tougher stains. Independent, third party tests prove that Biz works 80 percent better than detergent alone. More stain-fighting tips can be found at bizstainfighter.com. Cooking and Clean-Up It’s takeout time...again. If you’re ordering that pizza pie for the third time this week, consider why. Is it because the thought of cooking and cleaning sounds too tiring at the end of a long day? Save energy by preparing one large meal at the beginning of the week that can be eaten as leftovers for a few days. Soups and stews age well as the spices really infuse the dish. Also, you can get creative. For example, if you roast a chicken on day one, shred it and use it in tacos on day two and in a chicken salad on day three. A watched pot never boils. So while the pasta cooks or the cake bakes, use the time wisely. Unload the dishwasher to make way for new items. Set the table. Answer an email. Don’t let chores get you down. Apply time-saving strategies to make these necessary tasks a cinch. -StatePoint
7 Real Estate
05 4 16
8 Cook like a professional chef at home
Real Estate
05 4 16
Every home baker or chef has asked the same question at some point: why don’t my cakes or dishes look and taste like the ones from my favorite restaurant? The answer: culinary professionals know secrets and tricks that most home chefs don’t. Some of these are simple and easy to adopt in your kitchen. Position Wisely Pans should be as close to the center of your oven as possible for even cooking. And don’t allow pans to touch oven walls or each other. It’s all about air flow and circulation. Place pans on different racks if you are cooking in them concurrently and align them so they are slightly offset (but close to the center of each rack), to allow heated air to circulate nicely. Avoid Cold Ingredients Avoid using cold eggs because mixtures with them won’t emulsify properly. Don’t use hard, cold butter. Softened butter is better for leavening baked
goods and creating an airy, tender texture. And when cooking with it, cold butter won’t melt consistently to flavor vegetables and you often wind up scalding it in the pan. Leaving butter on the counter for an hour to soften up is time consuming, and it still won’t distribute evenly and can leave a mess of leftover butter. A better alternative is the new Biem butter sprayer, a first-ofits-kind kitchen tool that lets users convert a stick of real butter from solid to liquid spray in seconds. It controls portioning so you use less butter, uses no chemical propellants and leaves the unused portion un-melted and in stick form, ready to return to the fridge. More information is available at www.biemspray.com. Avoid Substitutions Use exactly what a recipe lists. For example, if a recipe specifies sugar, use white granulated sugar. Brown sugar or
raw sugar doesn’t have the same consistency as granulated sugar. And substitutions like agave or maple syrup don’t have the same chemistry and will impact the science behind the recipe. If a recipe calls for butter, using something else, particularly something artificial, will color the flavor. Imitation butter sprays are chock full of additives and artificially-flavored oils that just don’t taste like the real
thing. Always use real, natural ingredients. “I’ve been around long enough to live through the evolution of butter to margarine and the eventual discoveries of trans fats and their impact to our health that has brought people back to butter,” says Doug Foreman, creator of the new Biem butter sprayer and founder of Beanitos and Guiltless Gourmet. “Seems like eventually sci-
ence always discovers natural is better.” Get Precise Weigh your ingredients using a proper kitchen scale. And learn how to measure teaspoons and tablespoons correctly. Cooking and baking are sciences and art, so small changes and little tricks can make a big difference in the finished products. -StatePoint
9 Real Estate
05 4 16
10 Real Estate
05 4 16
Spruce up outdoor spaces for the season 11 When the weather warms up, it’s all about relaxing outdoors. But it’s possible you’ve neglected upkeep on your home’s outdoor spaces during the chilly months of winter. To enjoy yourself more this season, take time to spruce up your yard. Here are some quick tips. Do a Survey Take a walk around the perimeter of your patio, deck and yard to survey what needs to be cleaned, repaired or replaced. Did potted plants and lawn ornaments survive the cooler months? Are outdoor light fixtures functioning? Are fallen branches littering the yard? Make a mental to-do list. Deep Clean Like interior spaces, periodic deep cleans are necessary outdoors too. But don’t waste your leisure time. “With the right tools you can work smart, not hard,” says Jeff Devlin, host on a popular home
improvement channel. “A heavyduty cleaner, such as Mean Green Degreaser, not only works indoors, but is ideal for my tough outdoor cleaning jobs.” Devlin recommends using
the Super Strength multi-surface formula -- which is lab-tested to clean and remove grease, grime, mildew, dirt, and oil more effectively than its competitors -- to clean and remove
mildew from patios, outdoor furniture, concrete, composite and wood fences and siding, as well as to clean and degrease tools, lawn equipment and grills. Use it as a concentrated spray or
diluted solution. Clean with a brush or sponge. “For your toughest jobs, add it to your pressure washer,” says Devlin. Helpful cleaning tips can be found at MeanGreenDegreaser.com. Routine Maintenance Perform routine upkeep to keep items from falling into disrepair or becoming overgrown or unkempt. Sweep walkways and your deck regularly, especially if they are situated under trees. Promote a healthy lawn by mowing it regularly, never removing more than one-third of the grass blade. Keep gutters devoid of leaves and debris so that water does not collect in your yard or at the base of your home’s structure. Rinse patio furniture, umbrellas and awnings using water or a diluted cleaner. Spring is in the air. With a little effort, you can be prepared to make the most of it. -StatePoint
Real Estate
05 4 16
12 Real Estate
05 4 16