At Home Living 121716

Saturday, December 17, 2016 An advertising feature of The Topeka Capital-Journal

home maintenance

Turning up the heat Furnace inspections can help cut energy costs

page 4 n Jamie Kidd’s letter to Santa, page 2 n Holiday gifts from the garden, page 3

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Reindeer poop tops gardener’s wish list Dear Santa, I’ve been very good this year — well, as good as can be expected. (Alright everybody, give me a break.)

I want to thank you for all the nice clothes and shiny things I received last Christmas, but I want to let you know what I’d really like this year.

A little reindeer poop. I just know that my garden will grow jollier with such magical manure.

And, if I could borrow Rudolph for the summer season. You see, I think his nose-so-bright will keep the rabbits and deer away from my lettuce, greens and corn.

(His nose is motion-activated, isn’t it?) He also would protect my berry vines, from which I make bowls

JAMIE KIDD

jamiehan@ksu.edu

full of jelly. I understand he is unemployed most of the year. Just thought I could help with the economy a little. Have you seen the mess we’re in down here?

If your 8-reindeer-powered sleigh is available, I’d like to use it to dash away, dash away all of my trimmings to my compost pile. It would sure beat struggling with my heavy, old wheelbarrow.

Your organizational skills

DATES TO REMEMBER

n Jamie Kidd, a horticulturist with K-State Research and Extension in Shawnee County, will talk about how to start seeds in your home at 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. Jan. 19 at the Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library, 1515 S.W. 10th Ave. n The Kansas Garden Show is Feb. 10-12 at the Kansas Expocentre, 1 Expocentre Drive. If you’re a nonprofit group or organization and would like to have a booth at the show, for no charge, contact Kidd at jamiehan@ ksu.edu. to get everything done in one night would sure be a help when spring planting rolls around. Will you tell me how you do it, or is it a trade secret?

My gardens are all snuggled safe in their beds.

I prepared them for winter just as you said.

I am invited for dinner on Christmas Day, could I borrow your red hat just to say, “Hey”?

I seem to have broken out

in poetry.

If Dancer and Prancer aren’t doing much, I would like to schedule them for a brief visit next fall. I have a large yard with a pond and plenty for them to eat. I think their tiny feet would be perfect for aerating my lawn. Are they able to make nonstop flights to Kansas?

I got sunburned last season. My cheeks looked like roses and my nose like a cherry. Doc says I should

have used a sunblock. I told him the only reason my cheeks look like roses is because I backed into the thorny bushes while I was raking leaves, but I told him I’d cover my nose. Do you have any sunblock available?

I heard that you smoke, you know, a pipe with smoke that encircles your head like a wreath. The surgeon general says smoking is bad for your health. I sure don’t want to lose you when I’m finally getting this letter writing thing working for me.

My kids thought a wind chime would be nice on the patio, but those deep melodic tones put me to sleep. I thought some of your jingle bells would keep things merry and bright. Silver

bells would be just fine, too.

(I feel a song coming on.)

I’d be glad to put out cookies and milk. I have an ice chest that will keep the milk nice and cool for you. Do you have a favorite cookie? I saw a movie once that said you are lactose intolerant. Would you prefer Starbucks?

I have noticed that you “spring” to your sleigh a lot. I could use some of that spring. You have a white beard and plump body. How do you keep going year after year? I need a rest after writing this letter!

Please say “Hello” to Mrs. Claus for me. Tell her I’d love to have her over for tea when my gardens bloom.

I’m guessing she’ll be pretty

REINDEER continues on 3

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Garden’s perfect holiday gifts

By Dean Fosdick The Associated Press

Gardeners make good friends, especially during the holidays when they give out foods preserved from their gardens.

The top five canning recipes used during the

holidays are for applesauce, cranberry sauce, jalapeno jelly, apple pie filling and sauerkraut, according to a recent survey

by Jarden Home Brands, makers of Ball-brand mason jars.

There appears to be a

distinctive second season for food preservation — a spike from late November into December made by canners who want to share homemade gifts in jars.

“Many consumers can

GIFTS continues on 6

Reindeer: Gardener desires compost Continues from 2 tired of hot chocolate by then.

Thank you for reading my letter. Let me know if you need any clarification on my requests.

I hope you don’t mind me

quoting “a right jolly old elf,” “Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!”

Remember your special gardener this year. Give him or her what they might really like. Our local garden centers can help you pick out the best pruners, the

best grass seed or a gift card for spring plants. You never know, a truck load of good compost with a big red bow on it could really be magical.

Jamie Kidd is a horticulturist with K-State Research and Extension in

Service Directory

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New furnaces keep you cozy while saving energy Replace the old heaters before they quit working

By Whitney Carnahan

Special to The Capital-Journal

When your furnace goes out in the middle of winter, there may be little more you can do than to call a heating company, get a space heater and spend whatever is needed to get the heat going again.

However, buying a new furnace when the current one is still up and running — that can seem like a waste of money. Why get rid of an appliance if it’s still working? There are a few reasons why, and spending a cold winter night in a heatless home is just one.

After a certain point, heaters are on borrowed time. Plus, it’s possible you’re paying too much per month to heat the house, when a new furnace could actually save you some money. Also, if you’re beyond the point at which your furnace can be tuned up and cleaned, you could run the risk of gases accumulating inside your home.

Greg DeBacker, partowner and president of DeBacker’s Inc., 1520 S.E. 10th Ave., says one way to tell if your furnace may need to be replaced is to find out the year it was manufactured.

After 1990, all furnaces had to be more than 80-percent to 99-percent efficient.

“Prior to 1990, they were anywhere from 60- to 80-percent efficient,” he said.

As a result, furnaces have undergone a major transition in the last 30-odd years.

Not to mention, DeBacker says, the average life is 20 years for a furnace. That means if you’re pushing 20, 25 or even 30 years, your furnace might be on borrowed time.

Garland Ellenburg, lead HVAC counter representative for Ferguson’s Enterprises, 2220 S.E. Lakewood Blvd., says “it’s important for customers to know that energy-efficient options are out there. You can get a 90-, 92-, 96-percent efficiency furnace.”

Also, a new furnace is beneficial because you’re saving money by being energy-efficient. Even with an 80-percent efficient furnace, Ellenburg says, 20 cents of every dollar is going up in smoke. With a 90-percent efficient furnace, you cut the loss in half.

“In the long run, you’ll save money by being energy-efficient,” he said.

Consider energy efficiency rates

Generally it’s good to replace heating elements when they aren’t as needed, to avoid nasty surprises such as exploding pipes. As Greg Hunsicker, vice president of McElroy’s Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning, 3310 S.W. Topeka Blvd., says: Heating systems won’t break down when you’re not using them.

“That only happens when it is really cold,” he said. “Replace your heating equipment while it’s still working.”

Once you’ve decided on a replacement, the first thing to consider is efficiency, “I always compare it to $100. If it’s an 80-percent efficient furnace, the 20-percent is going up. If it is 90-percent, then only 10 percent is going up,” Ellenburg said.

The next thing to determine is Btus, or British thermal units, the mea-

photographs by metro creative connections

Having your home’s heating system evaluated in order to detect problems before they become bigger can help save money on your winter energy bills. New furnaces on the market are much more energy-efficient and smaller in size. surement of the amount of heat required to heat your home. However, this can be confusing. If you had a heater that provided 100,000 Btus at 60-percent efficiency, you’re effectively using 60,000 Btus and losing 40,000. However, if you had 70,000 Btus at 93-percent efficiency, you’re using 65,100 Btus and only losing about 900 Btus.

DeBacker said it’s important to ask the company the amount of Btus and efficiency of a heater and to do the math ahead of time.

Whether or not your furnace replacement will need to include duct or pipe work depends on what you have, DeBacker says.

“If you have a 90-percent efficient furnace, you can use PVC pipes to exhaust through the side of the

FURNACES continues on 5

Changing the air filter on a furnace is a regular maintenance task a homeowner can do. However, the timing depends on the filter. Small filters need to be replaced every couple months, while larger media filters can last up to a year.

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Furnaces: Learn to save on energy bill Continued from 4 house,” he said. “All ductwork should be the same.

Usually if it worked before, we think it should work the same.”

If you’re examining your current furnace and wondering what the new one will look like, or more importantly whether it will fit, then there is good news.

Furnaces, DeBacker says, are probably one-third to one-half the size they used to be, depending on what kind of furnace you have.

So, your current footprint should work just fine.

Routine maintenance

If your furnace takes the typical 1-inch filter, you’ll need to change it monthly or more often, depending on the number of people and pets in the house. If you have a furnace that takes a 5-inch filter, you may not need to change it that often.

Either way, DeBacker says, “change the filter the more it runs.”

Also, it’s important to consider monitoring carbon monoxide in your home as you prepare to change out your furnace, DeBacker says.

While an efficient furnace produces only very small amounts of carbon monoxide, an inefficient one can cause amounts that

can be deadly.

Carbon monoxide is odorless and can cause flu-like symptoms. Carbon monoxide detectors, while not required in Kansas for private residences, can help alert residents to that odorless gas and prevent harm.

“I wish every home would have a carbon monoxide detector,” he said.

Before and after your furnace is installed, remember to check the rest of the house. Your best bet to gaining ground with heat is if you don’t lose heat to begin with, DeBacker says, and that means making sure windows are installed properly, insulation is at the correct level and, in general, air leaks are stopped.

“You need good insulation and good windows in a home,” he said.

Sometimes, however, a house can feel a little tight or the air a little dry.

If that’s the case, talk to your roofing or insulation company about making the house a little “looser” for ventilation purposes, or look into a dehumidifier.

“One question to ask those installing a furnace in your home is, ‘How much will it save me?’” said Ellenburg, adding homeowners also inquire about when the new furnace will begin to pay for itself. “Over time, you’ll begin to see a more efficient energy bill.”

ENERGY-SAVING TIPS

C. Dwight Barnett, a certified master inspector with the American Society of Home Inspectors who writes a column for the Tribune News Service, says you can do these things to reduce energy use year-round: n Keep the shades or blinds for windows and patio doors closed on the sunny sides of the home in the summer and open in the winter. n Make sure the gaps under exterior hinged doors are air tight.

Most hinged doors have an adjustable threshold, the wood plate at the bottom of the doorframe. The threshold should have screws that can be turned to raise or lower an adjustable threshold. Don’t adjust the threshold so tightly that the door can’t be opened or closed easily. If the threshold isn’t adjustable, try adding a door sweep to keep cold air in or out or place towels against the bottom of the door depending on the season. n On the exterior, caulk and seal gaps at all window and door frames or anything that penetrates the exterior wall covering. Air leaks allow air to escape or enter through gaps and cracks. n Check the amount of insulation in the attic. If you know the type of insulation you have and the average thickness — measure with a ruler or yardstick — you can find the R-value, or the resistance to heat flow. Check with your local city or county building authority to find the R-value recommended for your area.

If the home is over 10 years old, you most likely will need more insulation.

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Gifts: Use clear jars for home-canned food items Continues from 3 syrups, jellies and sauces to give away as holiday gifts, along with crafting and decor use for the holidays,” said Jeff Marvel, a Jarden spokesman.

The jars themselves can be collector’s items, and serving accessories on tables or sideboards.

“People prefer to see the vibrant colors of their freshpacked tomatoes or peaches in clear glass,” said Judy Harrold, Jarden’s consumer affairs manager. “Things like granola and layered cooking mixes tend to look better in colored jars. The same goes for non-food items like candles, potpourri, bath salts and collectibles.”

Gardeners’ holiday gifts are driven in part by the kinds of edibles harvested late in the growing season, and in part by traditional holiday menus.

Younger canners are us-

dean fosdick via ap

An assortment of jarred preserves, fruits and pickles can be exchanged as holiday gifts. ing ingredients from all over, Harrold said.

“They rely more on farmer’s markets than they do backyard gardens for their produce. And they only go to the grocery store when they don’t have an ingredient to fit into their recipes,” she said.

All of the food preservation

techniques — canning, freezing, dehydrating, fermenting and cold storage — delay or stop spoilage while sealing in flavor and nutritional value.

But home canners must use the proper techniques so they don’t pass along any foodborne illnesses.

Under-processing canned goods could lead to bacteria in the food without any outward signs of spoilage, said Elizabeth Andress, a University of Georgia food safety specialist.

“Gift giving is not a good time to experiment or try new procedures,” Andress said. “If you’re talking canning, don’t experiment with anything in the low-acid realm at all.”

That would include meats and vegetables.

Also, ensure that the jars you use are meant for canning.

“Some jars are intended for non-canning purposes, like crafts,” and can’t with-

stand the heat or temperature changes of the canning process, Andress said.

Be descriptive with jar labels. You can make your own or find labels made to order online.

“In addition to letting the receiver know exactly what the food is by listing the ingredients on the label, it’s a nice touch to recommend how to use it,” Andress said.

“Things like apple rings or chutneys or pepper jellies.

The latter is especially good with cream cheese.”

Tip of the Week: Cranberry spots To eliminate cranberry stains from fabric, spoon up as much of the sauce as you can — as quickly as you can — and then rinse with cold water.

Pretreat the stained area and then wash as indicated on the care label.

Source: www.heloise.com/

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