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Fix it up and close the deal
T
By SARA POKORNY spokorny@timesleader.com
ed Poggi of Prudential, Poggi & Jones Realtors in Kingston had a client whose home wasn’t selling for the past two years. Suddenly the client went in, did a little work, and now Poggi is already seeing more interested buyers. • When it comes to home improvement, sometimes the name of the game is selling the house. Immediately or eventually. • There are certain things homeowners can do, he said, to make that sale happen so much more quickly.
“He went in, and he painted the walls, put in new floors and lights, new kitchen counters, because they were yellow, and now it looks like a million bucks,” Poggi said. “Not only will people be more inclined to look at it, but we’ve been able to raise the price on it.” One of the biggest things to consider when readying a home for sale is the state of the walls. “A fresh coat of paint always helps when selling a home,” Sally Rothstein, sales services director at Lewith & Freeman Real Estate in Kingston, said. “Keeping the color neutral appeals to more buyers.” “The Wells Fargo foreclosure department recommends something called white boxing, where they come in and paint an entire house freshly white or offwhite to make a clean palette,” Poggi said. “Neutral colors invite people to more envision their own furnishings there,” Ann Marie
Chopick, owner of Bell Real Estate in Kingston, said. “Colors like red, navy and even orange, which I’ve recently seen, tend to make a prospective buyer look at it and say ‘Oh, this will never go with what I have.’ Something neutral also opens a room up, makes it more spacious. Dark colors make a room look smaller.” Neutral doesn’t have to mean boring. “People think neutral and think beige and white, but even a nice light gray would work,” Christine Kutz, real-estate associate at J. J. Mantione Appraisal and Realty in Wyoming, said. “You also don’t have to do the house all one color. You can make beige look quite attractive, with contrasting trim colors.” Colored walls might be OK to keep but in rare instances. “It’s probably one in 20 houses that a homeowner is living in that’s decorated
nicely, where the colors of the rooms are freshly painted and coordinated with the interior decor,” Poggi said. “The safest thing to do is neutralize the colors.” Poggi also recommended removing the once-popular trend of wallpaper, saying it’s something most people don’t like to see. The next thing to do is look down. “Any type of stained carpeting has to go,” Kutz said. “A nice neutral, middle-grade carpet will do as a replacement.” Lighting also is a big factor. “I always tell a seller when they’re showing to have all the lights on in the house so it’s nice and bright,” Kutz said. “People walking into a bright house have a more positive reaction as opposed to walking into a dungeon, even though it could be a lovely dungeon.” Sometimes it takes stepping outside the view of your home
SPECIAL SECTION, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2012
FALL HOME IMPROVEMENT 2012
FOTOLIA.COM PHOTO
to notice an area that needs tidying. “I’ve seen it before where a neighboring property will have an effect on the way potential buyers see a home,” said Bob Kopec, vice president of sales at Humford Realty in WilkesBarre. “If you’re on good terms with your neighbor I’d suggest talking to them about taking the garbage cans to the back or reeling up that hose that’s just laying around, getting rid of clutter.” Always try to see things from a buyer’s point of view. “A vast majority of buyers don’t want to have to do anything with the home initially once it’s theirs,” Poggi said. “They work, they’re busy, and
oftentimes after closing they have no money left over for supplies like painting.” First impressions only happen once. “Keep your landscape up. Cut your lawn, trim the shrubs, make that initial drive up to the home a stunning one,” Chopick said. “You have one chance to make a first impression,” Kutz said, “so you want to have the house put its best foot forward.”
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FALL HOME IMPROVEMENT 2012
So many new options for what lies beneath By SARA POKORNY spokorny@timesleader.com
Go ahead, spill some ketchup on the carpet. Heck, make it a glass of red wine. And then we dare you to leave it there for a week. The horrors, no? Well, not anymore. “If you came back to it after a week and used just water, not even any chemical cleaner, that stain would come right out,� Hussein Kazimi, vice president at M. Abraham Flooring on Market Street in Wilkes-Barre, said of Mohawk flooring’s newest product. SmartStrand is a type of carpet that Mohawk guarantees is resistant to stains and can stand up to “kids, pets, rhinos, and elephants,� according to the company website. All of this, and not a bit of comfort is sacrificed. “It’s pretty much the softest carpet on the market,� Kazimi said. It’s also at a reasonable price range, coming in at $3.50 per square foot installed, with padding. The carpet is made with Du-
Pont Sorona renewably sourced polymer that is built directly into the fiber during manufacturing, not put on afterward. Therefore, it’ll never wash or wear off. M. Abraham has plenty of carpeting from which to choose, mainly falling into three categories: plush, a very soft texture that provides some cushion; frieze, carpet made from twisted fibers; and berber, carpet that is looped and creates a low-nap, perfect for high traffic areas. A two-type hybrid also gives an extra design edge. “The mixture of plush and loop carpeting gives a bit of design, texture,� Kazimi said. “There are many types that create a wavy pattern that’s become popular.� Though carpeting is an option with plenty of choices, Kazimi said, hardwood flooring is still the most popular way to outfit a room. A hardwood look can be accomplished through install-ityourself flooring, which makes things easier for the ambitious homeowner. “The pieces just click together,� Kazimi said. “It floats.
CLARK VAN ORDEN/THE TIMES LEADER
Flooring choices are endless these days. These porcelain tiles are almost a hybrid: They take on the look and feel of a wood floor.
There’s no adhesives or staples required. You just roll out a pad and install the floor on top of it.� The pieces are engineered hardwood that Kazimi said is made up of several pieces of particle board with a top piece of solid veneer. “A lot of people have radiant heat in homes where there’s a
heated floor, and you can’t put solid wood on top of a heated floor because it’ll cup; you need to keep wood at a certain temperature. With the engineered pieces, the particle board expands and contracts, but that top piece won’t.� This type of floor also is more helpful with a concrete base,
which won’t allow for stapling of a solid piece of wood. Instead, these can be glued down. Recently, porcelain pieces that look like wood also have become a top-notch option. Daltile provides porcelain pieces that come in a color range from very light wood to black stained. The pieces not only look but feel like wood. “If you run your hand over it you can actually feel a wood-grain quality to it,â€? Kazimi said. Floor tiles, porcelain or not, also are getting an update in the way that they’re laid out. “You can get, say, four different-sized tiles in a layout,â€? Kazimi said, pointing to a Daltile display in the store. “This one has tiles in (inches of) 24 by 24, 12 by 24, 6 ½ by 6 ½ and 13 by 13. They’re placed in different ways, and that pattern is repeated over and over on the floor.â€? No matter what, Kazimi said, flooring is a matter of personal taste. “We have a lot of different floor options to choose from, and people come in to look at them all.â€?
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Painted floors give a pop of color, pattern By DIANA MARSZALEK For The Associated Press
When it became clear that allergies would prevent Nancy B. Westfall’s infant daughter from having a rug in her room, the Atlanta-based artist turned instead to paint, a few stencils and a plan. Westfall used the baby’s bedroom floor like a canvas, painting on a diamond-shaped pattern for a custom look you simply can’t achieve with a child’s area rug. Eleven years and another house later, she remains a fan of bringing floors to life with color instead of covering them up. “They look pretty refinished, and they look even better painted,” Westfall says. You don’t have to be a professional artist like Westfall to do it, though proponents of painting the floor say it does require patience and nerve. Rachel Cannon Lewis, an interior designer in Baton Rouge, La., encourages clients to consider it. Painting a floor, whether it’s wood or concrete, can be more af-
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Atlanta artist Nancy B. Westfall painted a whimsical floor in her daughter’s bedroom.
fordable than tile, carpet or other floor coverings, she says. And in homes that date back more than a century, painted floors are more historically accurate: Back then, people frequently painted their wide, plank wood floors to protect them from warping, Lewis says.
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Plus, painting just looks good. “I’m starting to think of the floor as the sixth wall,” says Lewis, who considers floors “an overlooked opportunity to get creative and introduce color.” (The “fifth wall,” by the way, is the ceiling). Painting floors yourself can be
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a lengthy process, Lewis says. The thin, oil-based paint she recommends requires multiple coats, with lengthy dry times between each one. Getting fancier by, say, creating a pattern with paint or a stencil, requires even more patience and precision. Even if you hire a professional painter, however, “You have to be willing to embrace the idea that it’s going to be a different solution than what most people tell you to do,” Lewis says. “There are going to be friends that come over who don’t get it, and your mom is not going to get it,” she says. “But I love the notoriety that comes with pushing the envelope and going for it.” Painted floors are not as durable as some of the alternatives, especially in high-traffic areas, says Sidney Wagner, a Charleston, S.C., interior designer. “Over time, even with polyurethane, they will show scratches, and the paint will scratch off,” she says. “However, a tip to help combat your floors from looking
too shabby is to paint a contrasting layer of color underneath. So when that second layer of color comes through with the scratches, the marred floors will look planned with your color scheme.” Carol Charny, a Larchmont, N.Y.-based interior designer, says painting floors requires a bit of throwing caution to the wind. “You can do anything you want. The world is your oyster,” she says. “You just have to disengage from fear.” In the home-interiors shop she used to own, Charny used black and white paint to make the floor look like it was covered with an area rug, complete with fringe. She warns that the margin for error grows with the project’s complexity. “You’re not going to paint an Oriental rug,” she says. On the other hand, the beauty of using paint is that, if something goes awry, you can cover it up. “You have to relax,” she says. “It’s only paint.”
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FALL HOME IMPROVEMENT 2012
First the chimney sweep, then the cozy fire By CAROLE FELDMAN Associated Press Writer
People are drawn to a fire, whether they’re roasting marshmallows around a campfire in summer or cuddling up near the fireplace in the dead of winter. And just as you take precautions outdoors, there are things you should do to make sure your fireplaces and chimneys are safe. Fires built in fireplaces or wood stoves leave a gummy residue, called creosote, that can stick to the lining of your chimney. Creosote — created by soot, smoke, gases and other particles — is flammable and can be the source of a dangerous chimney fire. Between 2005 and 2008, an average 26,900 fires annually were blamed on fireplaces, chimneys or chimney connectors, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Experts recommend that chimneys be inspected each year by a certified chimney sweep and cleaned if necessary. Cost can range from $100 to $300 or more.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Chimney Safety Institute of America certified Chimney Sweep Jeffery Peterson performs a visual inspection in Sterling, Va.
Cleaning a chimney is not a doit-yourself project, says Kit Selzer, a senior editor at Better Homes and Gardens. It’s a dirty job, and it can be risky, especially if you have to climb onto the roof. Chimney sweeps are trained to determine whether chimneys are structurally sound and whether
they need to be cleaned, said Ashley Eldridge, education director for the Chimney Safety Institute of America. They also will make sure the chimney is up to code. Selzer recommends that homeowners use the institute’s website, www.csia.org , to select a certified chimney sweep. To be-
come certified, a sweep must pass two tests: one on the inspection process and tools, and the other on the international residential code, as it applies to chimneys, Eldridge said. “Each job is different,” said Christina El-Hage, a certified sweep with Pride Clean Chimney Sweeps in Bethesda, Md., but there are some basics. “We’re looking to make sure the flue is fully safe,” she said. “We’re making sure there are no third-degree burns of creosote on the lining.” Chimney sweeps also check to see if there are any birds or animals in the chimney, or anything that would block the flow of smoke. They also check that there’s no water coming in. Cleaning the chimney involves removing creosote. When thinking of chimneys, El-Hage says, many people focus on the one attached to the fireplace. “Yes, they can catch on fire, but we’re not dealing with a deadly gas, carbon monoxide,” she
says, as is the case with chimneys leading from furnaces. Whether they burn oil or gas, furnaces vent carbon monoxide outside into the atmosphere, and those chimneys, too, need to be inspected. You can take steps at home to reduce creosote buildup and the risk of a chimney fire. Foremost is picking dry wood to burn, Eldridge said. To determine whether wood is sufficiently dry, “take two pieces and bang them together. You get almost a ring as an indication its ready. If not, it’s a dull thud,” he said. Dry wood also will appear gray on the surface and have cracks on the end. Don’t throw pizza boxes or other trash in the fireplace because it causes a thicker smoke, which lowers the chimney temperature. “The hotter the fire, the better the burn,” El Hage said. While many people use a newspaper to start a fire, she recommends a fire log or fire starter instead.
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Enter a fiery, fashionable new world By MARY THERESE BIEBEL mbiebel@timesleader.com
A
h, the old-fashioned fireplace. How cozy and romantic, you might think. How warm and toasty. You’d be partly right. Certainly, those flickering flames can enhance the ambience of a room, and your special someone may well be impressed when you start the blaze. But you’d be wrong about the warm and toasty part. A conventional wood-burning fireplace on the outside wall of your living room actually pulls heat out of your house and sends it up the chimney. To explore other options, we recently visited Fireplace Gallery in Noxen, where you’ll find not only fireplaces but coal stoves and stokers and such fun accessories as bellows, which you can use to blow air onto a fire to help it burn. We chatted with owner Dan Dembowski: Q: What kind of fireplaces are the most popular? A: “We sell more gas-burning than anything. It’s a combination of ease and efficiency. Our units are decorative fireplaces which burn gas. Everything is furnace rated because it’s doing work, your furnace doesn’t have to.” Q: Can that reduce your energy bills? A: “From what we hear from customer feedback, the gas bill generally goes down. Q: Which rooms are the most
SPECIAL SECTION, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2012
FALL HOME IMPROVEMENT 2012
FRED ADAMS/FOR THE TIMES LEADER
This Lehigh coal-stoker stove is one of many models available at The Fireplace Gallery in Noxen. People put them in any room in the house, staffer Bill Nichols said. ‘A lot of them go into bedrooms.’
popular locations for a fireplace? A: “The family room, the kitchen, a space you use more frequently.” Q. What are some of the styles? “There are traditional log sets, contemporary glass media on the burner inside the fireplace, contemporary faced models and different door styles. We do custom, wooden mantel surrounds with tile or marble inserts or possibly brick or stone. It’s all done by Fireplace Gallery employees. We don’t subcontract. That’s nice for most people; they’re only dealing with one appoint-
ment.” Q: Do most customers want a fireplace for their own enjoyment, or to improve the resale value of their homes? A: “I think most people are This Regency fireplace insert is one of many models available at doing it for their own enjoy- the Fireplace Gallery in Noxen. ment. Once in a while I hear, ‘I know my house is going to sell The Fireplace Gallery also ofbetter.’ ” fers ‘zero-clearance’ gas fireQ. What if you had an oldplaces, which are used in places fashioned wood-burning firewhere there is no existing fireplace on an outside wall and place. These metal fireplaces wanted to make it more effiuse multi-layer construction so they can safely be placed in cient? direct contact (zero clearance) A: “There are ways to install with combustible floors and fireplace inserts, which could be wood-burning, propane or You can make it more efficient walls. natural gas, wood pellets or without sending heat up your coal-burning. It can be done. chimney.”
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FALL HOME IMPR
PETE G. WILCOX/THE TIMES LEADER
Theresa Fiandaca’s new cabinets boast some attractive details.
A
By MARY THERESE BIEBEL mbiebel@timesleader.com
s of June, Theresa Fiandaca was still coping with her dark, old kitchen. It was cramped, plagued by cracked wood and laid out so awkwardly she could barely access the corner cabinet. “The one in the corner, I could not use that space without moving the garbage can and getting on my hands and knees,” said Fiandaca, who is delighted that her old kitchen is just a bad memory. When she retired as postmaster of the Blakeslee Post Office earlier this year, Fiandaca treated herself to a renovated kitchen, complete with spiffy new cabinets and a granite countertop from Cabinetry & Stone Depot in Wilkes-Barre Township.
A wall has been removed, offering a view of the family room and making the whole place brighter. The counter and cabinets are laid out efficiently, so she has plenty of work space as well as room for her toaster oven and even a little stereo. “Since I retired, I have been really getting into healthy cooking. I used to have just no room for steaming stuff or cooking up vegetables, but now I do,” said Fiandaca, who whipped up a fragrant apple pie last week on a day she was expecting visitors. The avid cook and baker lives just outside of Lehighton. So, what led her some 40 miles north to the Cabinetry & Stone Depot on Mundy Street? “I really did my homework,” she said. “I got a lot of quotes; one was for $35,000.” Using Cabinetry & Stone, her total for the new kitchen was less than $13,500, which includes the cost of the plumber she hired to hook up the sink and install the dishwasher as well as the electrician who added recessed lighting. She kept her old floor and stove, while giving the whole place a new look with the new countertop, cabinets, backsplash and a pretty wall mural. “I’m here to work with you,” Cabinetry & Stone owner David Wong said, explaining he can offer customers a savings because he has a warehouse full of cabinets, counters, sinks and bathroom van-
KITC MAKE
Retired postmaster now h
Theresa Fiandaca, who lives just outside of Lehighton, shows off a drawer that is a handy place to keep her spices.
ities, ready to go. Customers won’t have dozens and dozens of styles from which to choose, but they may well find something they really like among the burgundy maple, shaker maple, coffee maple and cinnamon maple styles available. “We focus on selling maples,” Wong said, as he led a reporter on a tour of his storage area. “I have 20,000 cabinets on hand. The advantage is lead time. We can install them in a week. “We have a crew of six, working six days a See KITCHEN, Page 11
After she retired as postmaster of the Blakeslee Post Office, Theresa Fiandac Barre Township. She loves cooking healthful meals and baking the occasional
SPECIAL SECTION, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2012
ROVEMENT 2012
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has her dream cooking space
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Colorful glass kitchen backsplashes are becoming popular along with lighting underneath the cabinets and stainless-steel appliances.
WHAT’S HOT AND NOT IN THE COOKING SPOT By MARY THERESE BIEBEL mbiebel@timesleader.com
PETE G. WILCOX/THE TIMES LEADER
A pull-out faucet is considered a sleek design element in an updated kitchen.
swing. “The bigger trends,” he said, “are to paint colors away from white.” “Gray is nationally being hyped as the new color-tone range,” he See TRENDS, Page 11
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ca treated herself to a new kitchen installed by Cabinetry & Stone Depot in Wilkesapple pie now that she has more counter space.
Cherry wood on the way out! Bamboo and walnut climb in popularity! Lime green a great accent! Those are the kinds of headlines you might read if you peruse industry publications to learn about kitchen trends. But, are they accurate for Northeastern Pennsylvania? After all, this is where you and your neighbors might be pondering a way to spruce up your cooking-and-eating spaces. “You know where we live,” said Ben Wiernusz, a designer at Top Value Kitchens in Shavertown. “We’re not the high end of fashion. I think that’s kind of an honest take on it.” So trends might start along one of the coasts or in the larger cities and eventually get here, said Wiernusz, who agrees with the trade publications that cherry wood is “seeing a little decline, mostly because maple is the wood that gets painted, and paint is still on the up-
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KITCHEN
TRENDS
Continued from Page 8
Continued from Page 9
week.” Fiandaca, for one, can’t say enough about the crew who installed her kitchen. “He had some workers who were unbelievable,” she said. “They had the best work ethic I’ve ever seen.” “The cabinets were installed in one day,” she marveled. “One more measurement for the counter and the next week the granite was in. The backsplash tile was installed in one day, and they made me really happy by installing (above the stove) the tile mural I bought. “All in all, the entire kitchen was started and finished in two weeks,” she said, explaining that was just in time for a visit from her three teenage grandchildren. One of the first things she cooked for them was a roast. And the young visitors pitched in to help her make breakfast pancakes from scratch, so already her family is helping to create pleasant memories in the new kitchen. “I love it,” she said.
said. “There are lighter grays out there. One of our lines has something called ‘battleship gray.’ There are even some gray and charcoalytype stains.” What about bamboo and walnut? Actually, Wiernusz doesn’t see much demand for walnut in kitchens because it is a higher-priced wood. He hasn’t seen much bamboo either but adds, “I’d like to. It’s very durable.” As for color, he thinks the popularity of lime greens and other citrus hues may catch on locally, perhaps in the backsplash area of a kitchen. “Backsplash areas tend to be highly personalized with color and texture, things like that,” he said. One choice that is undeniably popular is more efficient lighting, “especially LED lighting under the cabinets,” Wiernusz said. “It’s been very quick to become popular.” Another is a pull-out faucet, as opposed to the oldfashioned, standard, separate sprayer. “A lot of times you didn’t get as good a force (of water pressure) with that,” he said, estimating that eight out of 10 newly installed faucets are pull-outs. When it comes to utilities, Wiernusz said, people are really “looking for functionality,” often deciding on gas cooking surfaces because they’re easy to control and electric ovens because they’re more precise.
PETE G. WILCOX/THE TIMES LEADER
Where there used to be a wall in the kitchen there is now an open area with a view of the family room, plus a countertop and bookshelves. Everything is lighter, brighter and more cheerful in the new kitchen, including the new cabinets.
Theresa Fiandaca said she was pleased with the work done by Cabinetry & Stone Depot’s crew, including the installation of this tile mural above her stove.
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FALL HOME IMPROVEMENT 2012
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FALL HOME IMPROVEMENT 2012
Freshen up rooms with trendy tiles By MARY THERESE BIEBEL mbiebel@timesleader.com
Somewhere, I’ll bet, there’s a little kid who resists taking a bath. But if you installed a mosaic of fish and seahorses above the soap dish, it might be hard to get him out of the tub. Or maybe you’re trying to put more fresh vegetables into your own diet. A colorful backsplash of ceramic celery, carrots and tomatoes that looks good enough to eat (courtesy of the Stovax company in England) just might inspire you to start slicing and dicing the real thing. Those are just a few thoughts that occurred to me as I strolled through the showroom at Tile Distributors of America on Mundy Street earlier this month, feeling somewhat awestruck by the myriad possibilities. Do you like to imagine you’re standing under a natural waterfall when you’re in the shower? There are wall tiles that suggest that cascading movement, and – even better, as far as I’m con-
cerned – there are shower floors composed of smooth pebbles, so you can really get the tactile sensation of standing in a brook as you grip your toes around them. Fleur-de-lis, seashells, diamond shapes – I knew they were part of the world of tile before I visited. But, oh, I had no idea that a three-dimensional turtle or parrot might appear ready to crawl or fly out of a tile. “People would use those as accent pieces,” Tile Distributors staffer Sandy Giza said, no doubt deducing from my starry eyes that I was imagining entire walls filled with zoo creatures. The little turtles and other creatures are made in America, handcrafted by the Seneca company, Giza said. And a look at Seneca’s Web site reveals the company uses historic beehive kilns, old glaze recipes and human hands to “beat clay into wooden molds.” That all sounds charming, as does the testimony from Epro
FRED ADAMS/FOR THE TIMES LEADER
Feast your eyes on a wall of tiles displayed at Tile Distributors of America on Mundy Street in WilkesBarre Township.
Inc. of Westerville, Ohio, which declares, “We are proud of the way we treat the environment by using clays sourced within 100
miles of our facility.” A trip to the Tile Distributors showroom will make you realize the possibilities seem to continue
forever. You can make part of your See TILE, Page 13
TILE Continued from Page 12
house look like a Mediterranean mosaic, install tile with the look of wood, or use colorful diamond shapes to create the look of a medieval heraldry You can even find tiles – these are from Epro – adorned with a tiny bear and a tiny canoe and looking as if they’d feel quite at home near the fireplace in a hunting lodge or man cave. FRED ADAMS/FOR THE TIMES LEADER
This Stovax tile of tropical fish swimming in the sea is one of many likely to capture your imagination when you visit Tile Distributors of America in Wilkes-Barre Township.
Epro tiles accented by a bear and a canoe could add interest to a hunting cabin or man cave.
This colorful, three-dimensional tile from the British company Stovax mimics a basket of fruit.
This eye-catching tile is called ‘Lilac.’
Botany Bay, an Australian tile manufacturer, supplies pebbles for that natural look and feel.
SPECIAL SECTION, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2012
FALL HOME IMPROVEMENT 2012
The grapes spilleth over in this distinctive piece from Florida Tiles.
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PAGE 13
-FREE ESTIMATESAll Items Can Be Picked Up or Fully Installed HIC # PA007671 Hours: Monday-Friday 8am-5pm Thursday 8am-5pm and 7pm-9pm • Saturday 9am-1pm
American Florim • Emil Ceramica • Seneca Summitville • Florida • Wedi • Perma Base • Porcelanosa Ragno • Akdo • Epro • Original Styles TEC • Mediterranea • Metropol • Casa dolce Casa Jeffery Court • Oceanside Glass Glazzio Glass Tile • Tiles by Fran Keraben • Winchester and very popular wood-look plank porcelain tiles
SPECIAL SECTION, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2012
PAGE 14
FALL HOME IMPROVEMENT 2012
Is it time for new windows?
A
By CAROLE FELDMAN Associated Press Writer
re your windows leaking air? Are they getting more difficult to open? Is the wood frame rotting? Homeowners choose to replace their windows for a variety of reasons, from energy efficiency to aesthetics. “It might be the seals have failed or the wood has rotted,” said Kerry Haglund, senior research fellow at the Center for Sustainable Building Research at the University of Minnesota.
Or homeowners might be looking to replace leaky windows to keep heat or air conditioning in, or they might want added UV protection to protect furniture from fading in the sunlight. No matter what the motivation, new windows can be costly. “They’re too expensive to think you’re going to get your money back either in terms of energy savings or when you’re selling your house,” said Kit Selzer, a senior editor for Better Homes and Gardens. Still, new energy-efficient windows can make your home more comfortable in winter and summer, and more attractive. Haglund recommends choosing the most energy-efficient window you can. The cost for a new window can range from hundreds of dollars to $1,000 or more, depending on the frame, style — doublehung or casement, for example — and whether you choose single, double or triple pane glass. Decorative elements can add to the price. A casement window might be a good option in windy areas, said Gary Pember, vice president of marketing for Simonton Windows. “As the wind increases, they become more efficient because of the way they seal,” he said. A double-hung that opens only from the top might be a good choice for someone looking for increased security, he said. Older homeowners or those who think they’ll stay in their homes as they age might want to consider a window they don’t have to lift. Frames come in wood, vinyl, aluminum and other materials. Wood frames are more traditional but require regular painting. “If you’re wanting something maintenance-free, you can’t get anything better than vinyl,” Pember said. There are many options now for vinyl frames, including a variety of colors. You can also get a wood
AP PHOTO
In this image taken in 2011 and released by Simonton Windows, Mark Clement, a professional contractor and host of MyFixItUpLife home improvement radio show, installs energy-efficient Simonton
interior and a vinyl exterior. Selzer said aluminum frames are more contemporary but also more expensive. Most windows sold today are double pane, though people in northern climates may choose a triple pane, Haglund said. “Single pane is still available in southern climates, though we don’t recommend it.” Windows must meet an area’s building energy code, she said. “Windows in the North are optimized to reduce heat loss in the winter, while windows in the South are optimized to reduce heat gain during the summer,” according to the government’s Energy Star website. “This explains why windows that are energy efficient in Florida will not necessarily be energy efficient in Michigan.” The Energy Star and National Fenestration Rating Council labels can help you
Check that furnace before Old Man Winter calls There’s a chill in the air, and the hiss of heating equipment kicking on is about to be heard across the land. Have you made sure to do the proper maintenance before this cold season comes in completely? Jack Bellas, general manager at C.W. Schultz and Son Inc. in Wilkes-Barre, breaks it all down. “The biggest and first thing you should do is to clear out the vent pipe or chimneys on the system,” he said. “Get rid of that debris.” Then it’s time to get down to business, depending on your type of heating system. Bellas broke them down into the three he sees most often: warm air, steam and hotwater furnaces. Warm air These furnaces provide warm air that circulates through ducts leading to certain rooms. Bellas said oil and gas are the most common types of warm-air furnaces and an oil furnace needs a bit more servicing. “In those, you need to replace the oil filter and the fuel nozzle.” A wall-mounted thermostat in an occupied space senses a temperature drop, prompting the system to turn on. The gas
or oil burner will then turn on and run until the high-temperature limit is reached. “You need to do a temperature check to make sure the limit controls are working correctly in order to not overheat the heat exchanger,” Bellas said. Steam Bellas said the most important thing to consider with a steam system is low-water cutoff. Such a mechanism shuts down the heating system when the water level drops below a safe condition, preventing an explosion or damage to the system. Steam has two types of water cutoff systems: Probes are found in newer structures and floats in older ones. Both need to be taken out and cleaned every year before the heating season. “The only way to check if these things are working properly is to turn the heating system on and drain the water from the boiler,” Bellas said. “If they’re working correctly, the heating system will shut off. If it drains down a substantial amount without shutting down, it means there’s a problem with the low-water cutoff system.” Most often mineral content, rust and oils become concentrated in the boiler, causing buildup. This buildup can prevent detection of the true water level, so Bellas
said it’s a good idea to clean the inside of the boiler yearly as well. Rust and sediment also can affect the anti-siphon loop, which should be taken off each year and cleaned, Bellas said. Hot water “Just like with the steam system, there are limits you have to check on a hot-water system to make sure it’s working correctly,” Bellas said. “These are temperature limits vs. the pressure ones.”
Bellas said most systems have at least one circulator pump, with many having multiple. Each of these must be checked. One of the biggest things with a hot water heater, Bellas said, is to make sure the burners are clean. “You want to check the sections to make sure each is clear of debris so the unit can draft correctly through each section and, ultimately, through the chimney. If there’s even one burner that’s not right in the system, it can cause major problems.”
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SPECIAL SECTION, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2012
FALL HOME IMPROVEMENT 2012
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