Until sub zero (or sweltering) weather, a three-digit utility bill or chilly drafts start to come, and you start thinking about it a lot!

At home, you ponder whether it’s worth the time and expense to add it to your ceilings, walls and basement.

At the store, you ponder which type, thickness, width and density to buy. And when you install it, you wonder just how good is “good enough.”

Careful installation increases the insulation’s R-Value by over 20 Percent. Leaving 5 percent of a wall uninsulated will reduce the entire wall’s R-value (resistance to heat flow) by 20 percent. It doesn’t take much more time to install fiberglass insulation properly.

Install wall insulation so it completely fills each cavity side to side and top to bottom. But remember, packing and compressing insulation reduces its effectiveness.

Insulation is rated according to its R-value, or resistance to heat loss: the higher the R-value, the higher the insulating value. Standard fiberglass insulation has an R-value of about 3.5 per inch of thickness; this provides an insulating value of R-11 for 2×4 walls and R-19 for 2×6 walls.

But if you’re serious about energy savings, you can buy better-performing products. High-density types of fiber-glass insulation, with more fibers and air spaces per square inch, offer R-values of up to 4.25 per inch. Some provide R-15 for 2×4 walls and R-21 for 2×6 walls.

There’s also high-density insulation for ceilings and attics. You’ll wind up paying more and in many cases you’ll need to special-order it, but high-density insulation delivers up to 35 percent more insulating value per inch.

The first 3 in. of insulation you add to a bare ceiling or wall will yield huge savings. Adding another 3 in. will increase energy savings, but not to as great a degree. For charts showing the Department of Energy’s optimal amounts of insulation to install, go to www.certainteed.com or www.owenscorning.com. Their recommendations are based on climate, fuel costs and other factors. Adding more will give you a diminishing return on your investment.

The payback period for retro-fitting insulation varies greatly, but studies show that added insulation usually pays for itself in saved energy costs within 5 to 10 years. One typical two-story Minnesota home was fitted with blown-in wall insulation, additional ceiling insulation and rim joist insulation at a cost of $1,890. The result was a $325 savings in yearly heating costs, which represents a payback period of slightly less than six years.

Pay back in more temperate areas takes longer, but remember that insulation reduces air conditioning costs too.

When You Insulate Attics and Crawlspaces, You’ve Got to Vent Them Too! Since insulation changes the way attics and crawl spaces “breathe,” it’s critical that you maintain or install proper ventilation.

At first, it seems odd to add insulation for warmth and then purposely create ventilation “holes” for cold air to enter. But if you don’t do this, you’re setting yourself up for moisture problems.

Make sure to follow these steps in installing your attic insulation:

• Lay plywood across the joists and hang a temporary work light. You should leave insulation in its wrapper until you're ready to use it. Insulation is packaged in a compressed state and expands greatly when the wrapper is opened.
• Begin laying batts or blankets at the outer edge of the attic space and work towards the center (this will allow more headroom in the center of the attic for whatever cutting and fitting there is to be done). Lay in long runs first and use the leftovers for shorter spaces. Insulation should be installed around wiring taking care not to disturb it. Be sure to butt insulation tightly at joints for a complete barrier to heat flow.
• Insulation should extend far enough out to cover the top plate of the walls but should not block the flow or air from the eave vents. For best results, install ventilation baffles at the inside of the eaves.
• Insulation must be kept three inches away from recessed light fixtures unless the fixture is marked 'I.C.' (insulated ceiling) – a fixture designed for direct insulation contact. Insulation placed over an unrated fixture, like a recessed light, may cause it to overheat and start a fire. Fill the space between a masonry chimney and wood framing with noncombustible material such as unfaced Fiberglas insulation. If you are insulating around a metal flue, do not place the insulation flush to the flue. Always leave at least a three-inch space.
• Ends of batts should be cut to fit snugly around cross bracing. If a second layer of insulation is needed and the cavity has been completely filled, the additional layer should be placed at right angles to the joists.
• When adding to existing insulation, unfaced Fiberglass blanket is recommended. If the unfaced type is not available, use the faced type but remove the vapor barrier or slash it freely with a knife (then install the insulation with the slashed facing down). Do not leave faced insulation exposed. The facings on standard kraft- and foil-faced insulations will burn.

Like a cartoon character you go to open your closet one day and things spill out on top of you. If you’re like me, you have lots of clothes. And belts. And shoes. And coats. And sweaters and tops and … well, you get the idea!

However, when I bought my house I came to the sad realization that my ‘walk in closet’ meant I could step in it, not walk all the way in! This led me on my search for a good closet organizer! Learn from my mistakes!

Fabric Organizers

Fabric closet organizers can be purchased to fir long coats and dresses, shirts, shoes, sweaters, so on and so forth.

The problem with this type of organizer is that on the organizers designed for sweaters and shoes, the ‘cubes’ have a cardboard type bottom that the clothes sit on top of. At some point you just decide to move on!

Closet Organizers

For lightweight items, this may not pose a problem, but for my collections of Irish and Scottish wool sweaters, which weigh as much as a small cat, the cardboard would bend. Not so good. The zippered hanging compartments for hanging clothes worked well, but I found it impractical to unzip and zip every morning- just to get dressed. And imagine putting laundry away…no, it was not fun.

These factors taught me that this was not the type of closet organizer I needed. So, back to the home improvement store I went.

There is literally a whole aisle dedicated to closet organization! Wire racks of every length, and pre-packaged kits promised the worlds most organized closet- all in only minutes. As dazed as I was by all the white-coated wire racks surrounding me, I opted for a pre packaged closet organizer that promised it only took a few minutes to install. This was Sunday.

Deciding How to Organize Your Closet

Come Tuesday, I broke down and called my brother to come and put this infernal thing together. Around midnight, he left and I started to hang up my clothes.

But, even though I was unable to assemble this thing by myself, I must say, I do like it (once I finally got it together)! There is a section for long clothes, a section with two racks, for blouses and slacks to hang beneath, and wire shelving for my heavy sweaters and purses. I kept the fabric organizer for my shoes, since none of my shoes are that heavy!

So when you go to purchase your new closet organizer, think about what you want. Consider the types of clothing you are storing, and how often you want to access them. Also, make sure you measure the length and depth of your closet before hitting the closet organizer aisle!

Closet Space Planning

One thing you have to do is size up your stuff and how to make best use of your closet space. If you are blessed with a walk in closet you may have a little room to spare, but if you’re like most of us, you need every inch you can find.

Thinking strategically and taking time to find the best closet organizing aids for your own closet lets you avoid getting rid of stuff you’d otherwise like to keep or moving stuff around as the seasons change and you find new things on sale!

Where to Start Organizing Your Closet

First thing is to clear away the junk and old clothes you KNOW you’re never going to wear again. Have a yard sale, donate stuff to The Good Will; clear out your closet before you plan, buy and install your closet organizers! It will make your job a whole lot easier and you’ll be much happier with the results.

Next, evaluate the existing shelving, clothing rods, etc. and decide what you will possibly keep and what needs to be replaced. If all you have is the little shelf at the top with the clothes rod underneath, it’s like having a clean slate. But if you already have some shelving, drawers, baskets, etc. that can be ‘recycled’ you should plan how to incorporate them in your new closet storage plan.

Take good measurements and make a drawing or two so that you have a few ideas on what you want to go where. That will make it easier to select the right modular storage pieces, hanging garment organizers, etc.

Closet Organization Products

Time to go shopping! While there are literally thousands of products on the market these days, here are a few popular types of closet organizers to consider:

• Modular, stackable closet organizers are a cheap way to store stuff you can fold such as sweaters, undergarments, etc. The better modular units offer easy gliding drawers or you can choose open shelves for easy access and a cheaper solution. Check sliding mechanisms for durability and a smooth sliding action.
• Hanging storage closet organizers hang on a rod, leaving you open floor space to store other items and are designed to store specific items such as shoes, belts, ties, suits, dresses, etc. These can also be a very cost effective solution. Remember that vertical space is what you want to maximize.
• Wicker baskets make attractive closet organizers to keep less-often used items like off-season clothes, spare towels, etc. Get several baskets that stack neatly and you can make great use of that top shelf in a standard 3×8-foot bedroom closet that always seems so tough to make useful.
• Organizers for belts and neckties range widely, from simple hanging racks to motorized revolving models; decide where you plan to install them and measure before you buy or be sure you can easily exchange the racks if you find they won’t fit your closet.
• If you wear hats and caps, look for a rack that goes on the back of the closet door or look for stackable hat boxes.

Once you have prepared your walls for faux finishing as described in part 1, you can begin the fun part of the project; transforming your bare wall into whatever look you want. Mottled faux wall finishes are typically the easiest for beginners to try.

There are many faux painting techniques used to give walls the mottled look of leather or suede, parchment, Italian plaster and many others. Typically these looks are achieved by brushing, dabbing or swirling layers of color over a basecoat color.

The mottled look can be subtle, with different hues of the base color being applied to add depth and giving your wall color a nice variation in intensity and shading. Or, you can achieve contrast for a bolder look by applying a light color basecoat with dark glaze layered over it or a dark basecoat color with lighter color glazing.

Blending and swirling the edges of the glaze can soften the mottling and is where the real artistic touch comes into play. Glaze can be applied using rags, sponges, brushes or even a feather duster, depending on the look you want to achieve.

Experiment with Your Faux Finish First

A seasoned faux painting artist always begins by painting small sample boards to perfect a given finish before starting on the walls. This ensures the technique will be consistent and repeatable and that the client agrees with the finished look before seeing it on the walls! And the less experience you have, the more important this step will be!

You really don’t want to paint an entire room only to find that it looks amateurish and needs to be completely redone; this is the fear that keeps most people from trying faux painting in the first place.

Start by painting on practice boards to experiment and perfect the mottled finish you want to achieve. Then go ahead and mask off the baseboard, window casings, etc. on one wall and try your technique out, starting with one wall or section of the wall if you are faux painting a large wall or the entire room.

How to Get an Even Faux Finish

Regardless what tools and technique you choose, the most difficult part of creating a mottled faux finish is getting a consistent, even look. One way to move quickly and keep a good rhythm is to have a partner. Working together, one person can apply the glaze while the other one does the blending and mottling. This also helps since 2 sets of eyes may see problems that one person working along would miss.

Fortunately, glaze takes quite a while to set up, so you have time to do your blending and if you make mistakes you can simply wipe it off and start over again. Here are some tips on working with glaze when doing a mottled faux wall finish:

• It’s best to work on smaller sections of say 3 or 4 square feet at a time than to try doing an entire wall at once which lets the glaze dry and makes it harder to blend, swirl and smooth the mottled look you’re going for.
• Try to make each section irregular in shape rather than rectangles or squares; this way any overlaps in the glaze will be less obvious to the eye.
• Try not to “overlap” glaze onto sections you have already done since the overlapped area will have more glaze than the rest of the wall; these overlaps will be obvious when the wall is completed and the glaze dries.
• While working step back every so often and look at the whole wall. Check that the blending and mottling are smooth and without too much obvious overlapping between the sections you’ve completed.
• Take your time and don’t be afraid to wipe off sections you aren’t happy with and redo them. This is not a job you want to rush; remember you are an artist and like any artist, some mistakes are inevitable. Fortunately, glaze, like clay, remains soft long enough that you can usually fix your mistakes.

Color Washing Faux Finish Technique

One simple technique you can use to achieve a mottled look is color washing, which blends different colors. Typically three colors or hues of one color are used, with a base coat of white or another neutral tone, a mid tone glaze color over it and finally accented with a deep tone glaze color. You can reverse the sequence if you want a darker overall color, using the deep tone over a darker basecoat color and mid tone and highlight accent colors.

The mottling can vary from the subtle look of “clouds” to a heavily variegated texture, depending on the contrast in your base and accent glazes as well as the blending tool and blending strokes you make. A brush or rag is typically used to blend the accent glaze but, again, experimenting is the only way to decide what blending tool and strokes to use in order to get the look you want.

Here are the steps to create a simple color wash textured finish:

1. Start by painting the wall with your base color, using an eggshell, satin or semi-gloss enamel paint. Let it dry before you begin the glazing steps below.
2. Mix your basecoat of glaze using about 4 parts glaze to 1 part paint; a gallon of glaze mixed with 1 quart of paint should be enough to cover about 400 square feet. Check with your paint center for the exact mixture recommended by whichever paint brand you’re using.
3. If you want a more transparent look add more glaze to the mixture; using less glaze will give a more opaque look. Use a stir stick to blend the paint and glaze together completely. Pour the basecoat glaze/paint mixture into a paint tray.
4. Next, using a separate bucket, mix your accent paint color with glaze; the same ratio applies but you can experiment on your practice boards to get the look you want; in some cases you might want to use more or less glaze in the accents than in the basecoat. The accent glaze mixture will stay in the bucket since you’ll be using your chosen blending tool (brush or cloth is usually best for color washing) to apply and blend it for whatever mottled look you want.
5. Use a roller to apply the base glaze color to the wall in an irregular shaped section that is about 3 to 4 feet in area, starting on one corner of the room. Apply the base glaze evenly over the section.
6. While the base glaze coat is still wet, use a cloth or brush to blot the accent glaze color over the base.
7. Use your blending tool to blend the accent glaze coat into the basecoat glaze, using small and large criss-cross, overlapping motions, letting the brush strokes show through as needed to achieve your desired look. This is where it is important to follow the same technique you used on your practice board in order to get the same look on the wall!
8. Rinse or wipe off your blending tool frequently so that you don’t get a build up of glaze; this helps keep your finish even and consistent.
9. Keep repeating the process one section at a time until the entire wall is completed. Take care to “cut in” around the edges and corners of the wall and areas where you have masked off window trim or other things you aren’t painting. Cutting in smoothly is another part of color washing that takes practice!

A key part of great home interior design involves paint color and texture. Perhaps you’ve always wanted to faux finish your walls but can’t afford a professional painter. Or maybe you’re ready to hire a painter but aren’t sure what type of faux finishing techniques would work best with your décor.

The worst thing you can do is trying to faux paint without any knowledge or experience; this is a sure way to end up with walls that look unnatural, amateurish or just plain ugly! It takes true talent and years of experience to learn the techniques behind some of the more intricate faux painting methods but there are others that you can easily master yourself with a little practice and lots of patience.

You really should hire a professional unless you have some artistic skills and are willing to take the time to learn how to faux finish your walls the right way. A good place to start is by reading on to learn what types of faux paint finishes are used to create designer showcases and the methods and artistry involved.

Origins and Types of Faux Finishes

Faux means literally “fake” in French. In America in the late 1980s and early 90s, painters developed techniques to mimic natural materials such as wood grain and stone. Thus, a client who wanted marble columns or mahogany wall panels could get the look of the real thing for a fraction of the cost.

As the faux finishing art form has continued to evolve, the term now applies more holistically to a number of techniques such as color washing, glazing, subtractive sponging, rag rolling, combing, marbling and others used to simulate natural or manmade elements. These techniques can literally transform an ordinary room into a completely different environment.

The basic ingredients used to create the textures, tones and color depth you see in most faux finished walls are paint and glaze. Typically a base coat is applied first and then layers of color are applied over the base, with the glaze allowing you to blend, swirl and texture the paint to achieve the desired effects.

The range of effects that can be achieved is truly amazing, from Venetian plaster or Italian marble to subtle stripes and mottled looks, color washed walls with translucent, metallic sheens to aged old world stone masonry.

Preparing Walls for Faux Finishing

The basecoat layer will make or break the results of your faux painting project. Since most faux finishes involve applying very thin layers of glaze over the base color, imperfections will become quite apparent to the eye. Cracks, bumps and other surface imperfections will be amplified by your faux finish.

In most cases, walls must be prepared ahead of faux painting; standard drywall that has been textured with a drywall hopper will need to be smoothed or else textured to create the rough look of stucco or another desired surface before you begin painting. Prep can comprise up to 25% or more of the time and effort involved in creating a high quality faux finish so don’t underestimate the surface preparation phase.

If you are building a new home or remodeling you can avoid extra time and work by planning wall texturing (or lack thereof) accordingly. If you plan to faux finish existing walls that have already been textured with a drywall hopper, your first step unfortunately is to apply joint compound to fill imperfections, sand the walls flat and smooth and apply primer. These steps often have to be repeated several times before the walls are ready for the basecoat.

Heavily textured faux finishes can involve other types of preparation, with skip trowel, knockdown, orange peel or other hand texturing techniques being required before painting begins. These more advanced techniques are not typically recommended in most cases for beginners so you should consider hiring a contractor to prep interior walls if you intend to apply one of these kinds of texturing.

Taking time and effort to prepare your walls before attempting to faux finish them cannot be emphasized enough; a flat, solid, smooth surface is absolutely critical to the success of your faux finishing project! If you have experience with faux finishing please share your thoughts and tips by leaving us your comments below.

In most cases it will be most cost effective to install a central air conditioner when your home is being built. Even if an existing home doesn’t have central A/C, as long as it already has ductwork and a central heating system, retrofitting air conditioning can be relatively straightforward and cost effective. Older homes that do not have a central heating system will involve greater cost and complexity since ductwork must be added.

Regardless which of these three scenarios you are facing, this guide will help you understand central air conditioning concepts, components, equipment brands, contractor selection and costs and is intended as a helpful resource for both homeowners and contractors alike.

While most do-it-yourself homeowners and general contractors will opt to have a central air conditioning system installed professionally, its important to understand how central air works, the components required, which manufacturers and brands to consider and how to get the highest quality installation services at the best value.

Whether you are building a new home or doing major renovation on an older home, a central Heating and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system is a major component and provides a very good return on investment for the homeowner, improving the overall comfort and resale value of the home. There are three main things to consider when shopping for a home A/C system; cooling capacity, efficiency and service life.

How Central Air Conditioning Systems Function

The fundamental concept behind any air conditioning system relies upon the law of thermal dynamics which states that if hot and cold spaces are separated by a “medium” the transfer through the medium is from hot to cold.

Heat follows cold, so a central air conditioner draws warm, humid air across fin tubes on the evaporator coil. This causes the air to condense. Moisture is collected in a pan below the coil and drained off, helping reduce humidity inside the living space.

The coil must be continually cooled, which is the function of the compressor and condenser coil in the outdoor unit; hot air is returned from the air handler to the compressor. The compressor pressurizes liquid/gas refrigerant, heating it to a gaseous state and sending it to the adjacent condenser coil, where it is cooled and returned to the evaporator unit indoors.

This repeated cycle of removing warm air from inside the house to outside and pumping in cooler air is, of course, what makes the temperature inside the living space more comfortable on a hot day! The amount of energy needed to cool your home is an important factor in determining the overall cost of operating your central air conditioner.

Central Home Air Conditioning Components

HVAC system components are generally divided between indoor and outdoor appliances, with the heat-producing, heaviest components such as the compressor and condenser coil located outside the home and the evaporator being installed in the plenum of the furnace, typically in the attic space, garage or other service location indoors. These indoor and outdoor segments are connected a low-voltage relay cable and refrigeration lines.

In most cases, the cool air will be circulated into the home via insulated, flexible ductwork installed in the attic space and/or under the subflooring to vents in the ceilings, walls and/or floors inside the living space. This is very cost effective in a home that uses forced-air heating as well. If the home uses a radiant floor heating or baseboard heating system, the overall cost of installing ductwork for central air conditioning entails additional expense since a dedicated blower and ductwork are required for the central air conditioner only in this case.

Carrier Corporation and other manufacturers also offer a ductless system, which employs several smaller indoor evaporator coils, each with a blower to circulate air within a given portion of the living space. The units are installed in exterior walls, with refrigeration, condensation and electrical lines running outside the house from each evaporator back to the outdoor compressor unit.

The costs of a ductless versus traditional system must be weighed to determine which is more cost effective and will be based on the size of the home, cooling capacity required, number of evaporators required and distance from each to the compressor unit. A ductless system is typically only used in a home without forced-air heating; otherwise cost and simplicity make ductwork the better route in the majority of cases.

Central Air Conditioning Cost Factors

Of course the up front cost of a central a/c system includes the air conditioning components, the ductwork, contractor labor and building permits, which can run from as little as about $3,000 to over $7,000. To replace an existing system could cost less than $2,000 if the ductwork, wiring and other non-system components are operable and do not require replacement.

Perhaps more important is determining the ongoing cost of operating and maintaining the system. As a result of the National Energy Conservation Policy, new regulations were introduced in the United States in 1990 to establish minimum energy efficiency standards for heating and cooling equipment. This has helped enhance efficiency dramatically from the systems made fifteen or twenty years ago!

The rating given to new central air conditioner condenser units is known as the Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating (SEER), which is determined by dividing the cooling capacity of an air conditioner by the electrical input needed to operate the unit. The lowest SEER now allowed for new units is now 13. The highest-rated systems currently available are SEER 20. These ratings have improved dramatically in the last ten years and will continue to improve even further.

Higher efficiency is achieved primarily by using more efficient, multi-speed compressors and increasing the size of the condenser coil and fin tubes. Additionally, new units use R4-10A refrigerant instead of the ozone-depleting CFC R22 refrigerant (Freon) used previously, making them more environmentally friendly.

Central Air Conditioning System Capacity and Efficiency

A licensed, experienced HVAC contractor should be able to size and specify the equipment best suited to your home, factoring the age, quality of windows, insulation, number of floors, square and cubic feet of living space, and local factors such as climate, humidity, local energy costs and average number of days the system will be needed to operate annually.
If your system is too small it will work too hard and if it’s too large, it may cycle on and off too frequently, reducing efficiency and the ability to reduce humidity inside the home.

It takes years of experience to know how to properly size and specify a central air conditioning system so leave it to a pro. Consult several reputable HVAC contractors to compare their specifications, opinions and recommendations before you make a final decision.

Deciding how much efficiency you need is a matter of personal economics, comfort level and environmental concerns. You may or may not save enough on a SEER 15 or higher system to offset the higher installation costs versus the lower ongoing costs of operating a system with a lower SEER.

With rising energy costs, the economics are shifting, so that the additional $200 or $300 it costs to increase your system from one SEER to the next might easily pay off over the service life of the system, especially if you live in a very hot climate where air conditioning is needed frequently!

The other important factor to consider is the warranty terms; paying more up front could save you money down the road. Proper installation may be more important to getting the maximum service life than the system components, so be sure your HVAC contractor is trained and certified by the manufacturer whose equipment is being installed. Also consider purchasing an extended warranty or maintenance contract on your central air conditioning system.

Central Air Conditioning Equipment Brands

While many other suppliers exist, we have provided basic dealers on the most prominent north American HVAC manufacturers below:

Carrier and Bryant

Both owned today by United Technologies Corporation, Carrier and Bryant are probably the most widely recognized brands in north America and the largest manufacturer worldwide. Willis Haviland Carrier is credited with inventing the modern air conditioner in 1902, launching Carrier as a premier manufacturer in the industry.

Charles Bryant followed Carrier, founding Bryant in 1904. Between these two brands, UTC offers hundreds of products including air conditioning systems, heat pumps, furnaces, boilers, duct free systems, ventilators, controls, thermostats, humidifiers, air purifiers and more.

Carrier and Bryant home comfort systems include multiple product lines within both brands to meet almost any home central air conditioning system needs.

Goodman

In business since 1982, Goodman Manufacturing is known as a low cost provider of central air conditioning systems. Founded by ex-air conditioning contractor, Harold Goodman, the company focuses on providing affordable, reliable cooling and heating products, backed by industry-leading product warranties.

Lennox

Founded in 1895 in Iowa by Dave Lennox, who invented the world’s first riveted-steel furnace, Lennox Industries continues to make some of the most efficient air conditioning systems on the market, with over 60 leading-edge products and a network of over 6,000 dealers.

Today, Lennox’s claim to fame is having introduced the first SEER 20 air conditioning system, pushing the efficiency envelope to new limits!

Trane

Norwegian immigrant James Trane founded his company in Wisconsin in 1885 with the invention of the innovative, low-pressure Trane Vapor Heating System. Nearly 100 years later, Trane acquired the air conditioning unit of General Electric to become a leading supplier in the industry.

Innovation continues to drive Trane, which now operates as a unit of Ingersoll Rand, offering systems under the Trane and American Standard brands. Promoting the trend to combine air purity and comfort, Trane offers whole-house systems designed to remove almost 90 percent of the particles and allergens from air inside a home’s living space!

York, Luxaire and Coleman

Johnson Controls Company owns these industry brands, offering a complete line up of home air conditioning products and a large network of distributors and dealers. A storied history led to these three brands coming under the ownership of Johnson Controls, which offer a complete product lineup that competes against the other two major north American manufacturers; Trane and UTC.

Central Air Conditioning Buying Tips

• When buying a new HVAC system, the most important decisions to make are selecting the right local company to install and service the system and the efficiency rating and home air comfort features you need; you can go basic or spend a lot more adding whole-house filtration and humidifier, programmable controls and lots of other bells and whistles!
• The brand names are confusing and somewhat misleading, since the big three manufacturers (UTC, Trane and Johnson) control a large portion of the market today. Seek advice from others and look at features, ratings and warranty terms to make the right selection. Shop around and get multiple quotes once you know which brand and equipment specifications you want; with labor, equipment and other factors you can find a wide variance in the prices quoted by local HVAC companies!
• Correct sizing is critical; again you want a system that is neither too large nor too small for you home. If you have a home with more than 2 levels, you may need multiple, smaller air handlers to increase efficiency versus going with one larger unit.
• The three primary considerations in calculating system load are local climate, area to cool and the envelope of your home, which is the interface between the home and the outside world. Within these three categories there are many factors that affect the “load” and “optimal” size and specifications of your air conditioning system.
• Pay attention to the efficiency ratings when purchasing air conditioning system components; know the SEER and AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency) in order to estimate and compare your ongoing operating costs.
• Make a list of “must have” and “nice to have” features when pricing systems; this way you can ask each prospective contractor to provide low and high estimates before deciding how much cash you want to invest!
• Ask about special financing, incentives and rebates and let your contractor know you are shopping around; if you don’t insist on the best price and value you won’t get it. As in many businesses, the supplier who most values your business will demonstrate it through the service, price and satisfaction delivered!
• When upgrading or replacing an existing central air conditioner (especially if the furnace does not need to be replaced), ask several contractors to evaluate which components need to be replaced and which of the existing components could be reused to cut down the total cost; matching system components correctly is very important in this case. Rebates may also be available so be sure to ask.
• Consider purchasing an annual maintenance agreement; you want to have the A/C side of the system inspected in the spring and the heating side checked in the fall.
• Be sure to schedule maintenance during these off peak times of the year to avoid problems when you need your system the most; you don’t want to try and schedule home air conditioning system installation or maintenance during the middle of a heat wave!

From the perspective of kitchen function, granite offers durability and resistance to chipping or scratching.

And from the perspective of kitchen design and form, with thousands of colors, textures and patterns, every kitchen granite countertop is completely unique!

At one time, granite was used only in very high end custom homes; a sign of elegance and expensive “designer-only” decadence. But thanks to increased production and supply, prices have come down. People now recognize granite as a good value in kitchen countertop materials that adds to the overall value of the home.

Thus, granite has become the countertop material of choice in a wide range of kitchen styles, from country to modern, ornate Victorian to elegant Tuscan or nearly any theme you choose for your kitchen.

Granite is extremely durable, strong, chip and scratch resistant; you can cut and dice, roll out cookie or bread dough, and set your hot pots down without fear.

Since natural stone is a porous material, a special sealant is required, but granite absorbs less than many other types of stone and resealing is needed only once a year or less, depending on the specific granite and sealant used.

You can use granite tiles to cut materials costs versus choosing the more expensive slabs countertops; but the seamless surface of countertops cut from solid granite slabs really sets off any kitchen décor with natural beauty and easy-to-clean surfaces.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Granite Countertops

Advantages and Benefits:

• Second highest only to diamond in hardness!
• Durable natural material, resistant to scratching and chipping
• Withstands high temperatures, perfect for handling hot pots and pans
• You can select your granite slabs from a range of some 3000 colors
• Feels and looks solid and substantive
• Improved sealers are very low maintenance
• Adds value to your kitchen and home’s overall appeal and value

Disadvantages and Negatives:

• Expense higher than other countertop materials such as ceramic tile and laminates
• May crack if installed improperly or overly stressed
• Can require maintenance
• Absorbs stains unless properly sealed
• Can dull knife blades if you cut on it!

Unique Characteristics of Granite

Granite comes out of the earth’s core as liquid magma, where extreme heat and pressure forge quartz, mica, feldspar and other minerals into a very dense structure.

Over a period of millions of years, additional heat and pressure continue to alter the stone, creating the amazing variety of colors and patterns!

Granite’s innate ability to stand up against constant abuse is impressive; extremely scratch and chip resistant; fine for setting down hot pots and pans, and repelling bacteria and stains with normal use and care.

Since granite is naturally porous, the stone can absorb stains, but once sealed, is easy to maintain. Regular cleaning and maintenance it is not a great concern and certainly not as much hassle as some people mistakenly believe.

Every Countertop is Unique!

Perhaps the greatest virtue of granite is that no two countertops are the same. You can mix multiple colors, textures and even other materials to add interest and contrast to your countertops.

Colors and patterns should, of course, be chosen to match the overall color scheme of the kitchen. Visiting showrooms and looking for the right stone colors and patterns to use in your kitchen is one of the best parts of using granite; hunting for your “perfect” countertop slabs is about as fun as shopping gets in my book!

Pattern and Movement

Granite varies to at the extreme ends of a pattern scale, from tight grains, high contrast and repeated patterns, to swirls and movement without repetition.

The surface patterns of granite countertops often have a flecked or pebbled appearance that varies in size and shape pattern, dependent on the particular combination of quartz, crystals and minerals in the stone.
Patterns can be highly structured, with a fairly uniform appearance or may change continually and with no repetition, which is referred to as "movement" in the granite.

Granite Countertop Color Schemes
Granite exists in hundreds of colors, from earthy browns and reds, to a range of greens and blues to monotone blacks, grays and whites.

To brighten things, go with lighter colors and less dense patterns. Some granite will have flecks of metallic that produce a wonderful sparkle when lit correctly with accent lights. With all the colors of the rainbow and then some, you are sure to find a pattern that complements any kitchen color scheme.

Granite with darker colors or monotone blacks, grays and white will look great in your modern kitchen, providing strong contrast and geometric shapes. If you have clear finished cedar cabinets, the darker colors can be especially important to achieving enough contrast in your countertop design.

Use care and consult your kitchen designer if you are considering mixing different granite patterns together or with other materials in your kitchen countertops; the wrong choice of movement and grain can cause the different surfaces to clash.

Kitchen Granite Countertop Installation

Care must be used in properly laying out and cutting granite slabs for use in kitchen countertops. The goal is to create as seamless a look as possible, so selecting the proper size slabs and making cuts along concealed lines is critical. This is not a do-it-yourself job; use only a reputable installer and purchase your materials from a shop that stands behind its granite countertop materials.

When using granite tiles, use larger sizes for ease of cleaning and maintenance. Choose a tile grout that either matches the primary color of your tiles or else choose something that creates natural contrast; a neutral white or off white grout often works best if you want to create contrast without having grout lines distract the eye from the natural beauty of the granite tiles If you have tile setting skills and the tools, installing a granite tile countertop will not be an overly difficult do-it-yourself project.

Add decorative touches such as rounded bull nosed edges, decorative borders and inlay patterns and the creative possibilities to create kitchen granite countertops that are “uniquely your own” can be literally endless!

When selecting your bedroom colors, you may first want to consider the mood you want the decor to produce.

The effect of color on the mind is quite an interesting subject and the psychology of color has been widely researched and the results show that color has a profound effect on our thoughts, perceptions and interactions.

It seems that in China, for example, red tends to elicit a feeling of calm, while in America red is a color associated with aggression.

For most people, the bedroom is a place for privacy, harmony and relaxation. And, of course, you want master bedroom colors that feel cozy and romantic!

Also, it is important to consider the tone and shade of colors, as well as the use of texture and patterns, which can have more impact on the mood your bedroom evokes than just the colors themselves.

Finally, you have the final say! No matter what experts or research indicates about color psychology, you are the person whose mind will be most affected by the colors you choose for your bedroom and only you can truly know and understand the feelings different colors evoke for yourself.

Matching Your Bedroom Colors and Decor

While psychology and picking feng shui bedroom colors should factor into your decisions, it is also important to think about the overall decor of your bedroom.

If you have the luxury of starting with a blank slate, then you can choose a bedroom set and accessorize to match your color choices.

But most of the time you might be remodeling or moving into a new home and already have existing bedroom furniture and other decor items to consider. Selling or donating old furniture and replacing it may be another option to consider if you want a fresh look.

If you try to force bright colors to work in a French country decor, for example, you are just asking for trouble.

On the other hand, if your bedroom decor is distinctly tropical or Hawaiian, then using a color scheme that is too neutral could also be problematic.

Neutral Tones

The growing trend in bedroom wall colors is toward neutral tones; tans and medium to rich browns are very popular, evoking an “earthier” image than brighter hues.

Neutral colors are a very good primary color choice for the bedroom since they can always be mixed with green, blue, gold or red accent colors. By using these accent colors for bedding and accessory items, you will be able to switch accent colors and alter the mood of your bedroom seasonally or whenever you want a fresh new look.

Gray is a shade you might want to avoid since it can evoke feelings of sadness, depression or a battleship; probably not the mood or images you want in your bedroom!

Cool Tones

Using cool paint colors for bedroom will help make the room seem slightly bigger and give your bedroom an airier feeling.

Colors like green, blue, green or lavender work well in many bedrooms. Blues and greens, which are associated with the sea and sky, can help evoke a sense of serenity and tranquility in the bedroom.

Pastel pinks, lavenders and purples can also work for bedroom walls, especially if you are decorating a little girl’s room. Use these colors if you want a more feminine room decor.

Warm Tones

Vibrant reds, yellows and oranges can energize a bedroom, helping revitalize you in the morning when you wake from bed and are surrounded by bright color.

These brighter colors also work well when painting a boy’s bedroom walls. If you want to infuse a more youthful touch to your bedroom, warmer, brighter colors may be the way to go.

Warm hues can also create a calm and relaxed mood, if the right tones and shades are selected.

Consider warm hues like peach, burnt orange or buttercup gold, using lighter or pastel shades rather than deeper or brighter shades.

Tips on How to Choose Bedroom Colors

• Use sample colors, painting swatches of each on your walls before making final selection. Give yourself a couple of days to consider the color swatches in different lighting conditions and times of day to see how they affect your mood and fit in with your bedroom design.
• Be careful with the intensity of your color choices. If you want to use bolder shades, try using them as accent colors rather than your primary bedroom wall color.
• Be sure you and your partner are in agreement; while he might have first choice on the colors he wants for the den or game room and she might pick the kitchen color palette, the bedroom is one place where both partner should definitely be in agreement.
• Use accessories like plants, throws, and chairs to continue your color scheme throughout the room.
• Mixing colors will bring a more natural feeling to your room. Use pale or pastel colors on your walls, ceiling and carpet, and brighter colors with dark trim for curtains and upholstery.
• If budget is tight, you can always to with white on white, which can create an airy and ethereal look that many people find calming. Pastel window blinds, throws and pillows can add a splash of color.
• Use more vivid colors in a child’s bedroom. For more ideas on decorating kids’ rooms, read our stories on Boys Room Decorating Ideas and Decorating a Girl’s Bedroom.

Even when they have a professional contractor working in their home, many people are horrified when he rips a hole in the drywall to get at electrical wiring, plumbing or another component inside the wall.

But the fact is that drywall is a wonder of modern home construction; giving the appearance of solidity and permanence while in reality being a soft building material that is easily damaged.

Fortunately, drywall is also quite easy to repair when the need arises!

Whether your teenager loses his temper and punches a hole in his bedroom wall (this happened to a friend of mine once!) or you are removing that ugly old 1970s wallpaper, installing new in-wall speakers in your media center room, installing a new ceiling fan or one of hundreds of other projects, sheetrock damage is a common occurrence and knowing how to fix minor drywall damage is a requisite skill any do-it-yourselfer should master!

So read on to learn how to repair drywall and conquer your fear of cutting holes in your walls whenever you need to access something inside during the course of any home improvement or remodeling project.

We will outline several approaches you can use, depending on the nature and size of the drywall damage you need to repair, making it as simple as possible for you to complete everything from cutting out the damaged portion of drywall, cutting and fastening a new piece of sheetrock, taping, texturing and repainting your wall.

Tools and Materials Needed to Do Drywall Repair

• Drywall Saw
• Hammer
• Screwdriver or Electric Drill and Driver
• Utility Knife
• Putty Knife
• Spackle Knife
• Long-nosed Pliers
• Drywall Hawk or a Metal Bread Pan
• Appropriate Size Piece of Replacement Drywall
• Joint Tape and Paper or Fiberglass Drywall-reinforcing Tape
• Premixed Joint Compound
• Drywall Clips
• Coarse Thread Drywall Screws and 1 1/4-inch (3-cm) Type W Drywall Screws
• Caulk or Spackling Compound
• Sandpaper
• Primer, Touch-up Paint and Paintbrush

How to Repair Surface Damage to Your Drywall

Removing old wallpaper inevitably leaves some amount of surface damage to drywall, since wallpaper paste adheres to coarse and porous drywall and often the outer layer of the drywall comes off with the wallpaper during removal. But you don’t need to rip out the drywall to fix surface scratches, dings and rough spots in your drywall! Follow these steps to repair a wall surface that has been damaged while removing wallpaper:

1. After you have removed all the wallpaper, use a pencil to mark any areas of damage where the drywall surface has been pulled away.
2. Apply waterproof primer to seal the damaged areas and let dry. This will prevent bubbles from forming on the rough surface of the drywall when you apply the joint compound.
3. Skim coat these areas lightly with a thin coat of drywall joint compound, using a broad knife or skip trowel to achieve the right texture. Make your passes horizontally.
4. Once the joint compound is dry (turns from gray to bright white), sand it lightly to remove any high spots and brush off the dust. Apply a second coat, making the passes at a 45 degree angle relative to the passes made in your first coat. This second coat is intended to fill the low spots and you should not apply too much joint compound that will increase the thickness.
5. Let the second coat of joint compound dry completely and then sand the repaired areas of the wall. This process may need to be repeated several times, depending upon how badly damaged the surface of your wall; applying multiple, thin coats of joint compound is a much better approach than trying to apply a thick coat!
6. Now you are ready to apply primer, let it dry and then paint the wall with a fresh coat of paint to complete the repair!

How to Repair Small Holes in Your Drywall

The simplest type of drywall repair is filling holes left by nails, picture hangers, etc. The steps to repairing these types of small holes are very simple and can be accomplished with spackling compound or caulk and a putty knife:

1. Use your fingertip or small putty knife to apply a dab of caulk or spackling compound to fill the hole, using care not to leave excess around the hole; use a wet rag to wipe around the hole to remove any residue left on the surrounding wall surface.
2. In some cases the caulk or spackling compound may shrink and leave a dimple in the surface of the wall as it dries. In this case, just apply a second coat to fill the dimple.
3. Once the compound is completely dry, use a small paintbrush to touch up the paint and you’re done!

Repairing a Small Gouge or Hole in Your Drywall

Larger holes such as those caused by a plastic drywall anchor, nylon wall driller, toggle bolt or other fasteners used to attach objects to the wall require a slightly different approach to repair and require the use of joint compound:

1. If there is a fastener in the wall, use a screwdriver or hammer to drive the fastener into the empty wall space, using care to avoid causing additional damage. Remove any loose pieces of drywall but don’t tear off the paper facing.
2. Use a spackle knife to take the amount of joint compound needed to fill the hole you are repairing from the container (generally a 1 or 6 gallon size) and place it onto a drywall hawk or into a metal bread pan if you don’t have a hawk.
3. Gather a small amount of joint compound on the corner of your spackle knife and spread it onto the damaged area of the wall, holding the knife at a low angle and drawing it across in a horizontal motion. Wipe the spackle knife clean on the edge of your hawk or bread pan and then make a second, vertical pass.
4. Let the first coat dry; you’ll know its dry when it turns from gray to bright white. Now, apply a second coat of joint compound, using enough to make your passes extend slightly further than the first coat. If necessary, let dry and apply a third coat to smooth and blend the area you are repairing into the surrounding wall surface.
5. Once the joint compound is completely dry, sand the area you have repaired lightly, apply primer and let dry. Then, paint the area to complete your repair.

Repairing Larger Damaged Drywall Areas

When the wall area you need to repair is larger, you’ll need to take a different approach to repairing damaged drywall, involving the use of a piece of replacement drywall, drywall clips and drywall tape to patch the damaged area:

1. First, cut a replacement piece of drywall that is slightly larger than the damaged area. The edges should be straight and the “patch” should be either square or rectangular in shape. Hold the replacement patch up to the wall in order to mark around the damaged area, tracing around the patch with a pencil to outline the area you will need to cut away.
2. Cut around the damaged drywall area using a drywall saw to remove the damaged pieces. Clean up the rough edges with a utility knife.
3. Install drywall clips close to the four corners of the area you have cut away. Depending upon the type of clips you have purchased, you will need to secure them with the appropriate sized drywall screws; typically 1 1/4-inch (3-cm) Type W drywall screws are specified, but check the directions that came with your clips.
4. Hold your replacement drywall patch in place and fasten it to the clips with screws.
5. Break off the tabs on the drywall clips using long-nosed pliers, twisting them below the surface to break them off.
6. Apply joint tape to the seams around your replacement patch, embedding it with a thin layer of joint compound. Use a clean spackle knife to press the paper into the compound and smooth it by applying pressure firmly. Alternatively, you can use fiberglass tape with adhesive backing, which is easier to apply since you simply press it onto the drywall!
7. Follow the steps above in the section on “How to Repair Surface Damage to Your Drywall” to skim coat, sand, apply primer and paint to complete your drywall repair.

Drywall Repair Tips

• You can purchase a drywall repair kit online; this gives you all the materials needed to make smaller drywall repairs without having to purchase large quantities of everything needed!
• When you embed joint tape, apply firm pressure but not so firm that the joint compound is squeezed out or the joint may fail.
• Driving drywall screws requires a bit of practice; you want the heads to dimple the surface of the drywall without breaking the paper facing or they won’t hold properly.
• Ask to purchase smaller pieces of drywall at Home Depot or another home improvement center in order to avoid having to bring an entire piece home!
• If you don’t have drywall clips available, an alternative is to use small pieces of plywood you can fasten around the edges of the area you have cut away to “bridge” the replacement patch into place using drywall screws (see photos).
• You want to be careful when cutting holes in drywall; there may be plumbing pipes or electrical wire in the wall cavity. Cut or hammer a small hole in the drywall first and explore the cavity before ripping away in the wall with your saw!
• While it might be tempting to save a bit of time by gathering joint compound from the container instead of using a drywall hawk or metal pan, this will contaminate the compound and ruin the entire container; always use a clean knife to take compound from the container and place it on the hawk to work from when applying it!
• If you are repairing or replacing very large drywall areas or installing drywall to a new wall, you might want to consider hiring a drywall contractor to tape and texture the wall surfaces; it is time consuming and requires a bit of skill to skip trowel or skim coat an entire wall.

Roof trusses are pre-fabricated, triangulated wood structures which are built in a factory and carefully designed to carry the load of a home’s roof to the outside walls. They are then shipped to the construction site and installed using a crane after the home’s walls have been framed.

Ask most builders today and they will tell you that engineered roof trusses are the only way to go and are far better than the old roof frames. The primary benefits of using pre-fabricated roof trusses are cost savings and construction speed.

The flexibility in the roof design and complexity that roof trusses enable have also made them increasingly popular. With today’s home styles, more complex roof designs, angles, cross gables and other features have added cost, which can be at least partially offset by using pre-manufactured roof trusses rather than building a roof frame on site.

The Advantages of Pre-manufactured Roof Trusses

While the basic advantages have been mentioned above, a more detailed list of the advantages of roof trusses in building a home include:

• Professional design and fabrication techniques; in conventional roof building, the carpenters build a roof frame, leaving much to chance and the builder’s opinion in terms of the roof’s strength. By comparison, a trussed roof system is designed by engineers to accommodate the specific roof design and meet building codes and enabling a more uniform size and roof pitch.
• Higher quality materials and strength; roof trusses are fabricated inside a shop, where the materials are not exposed to inclement weather or moisture conditions.
• Trusses can typically be installed in a single day, speeding the home construction process and getting the structure closed up sooner, which helps prevent moisture and other weather elements from getting inside.
• Trusses are cheaper than conventional roof framing due to labor savings and since they are built from shorter lengths of 2×4 lumber rather than the large size lumber required in building rafters and ceiling joists.
• Roof truss systems allow for almost any custom roof design and shape imaginable, allowing features such as cross gables and cathedral ceilings without being prohibitively expensive.
• Roof trusses can span much longer distances without the need for load bearing interior walls

The only real disadvantage of roof trusses is that the homeowner ends up with less usable space in the attic area; a very small price to pay!

Types of Roof Trusses Used in Building Homes

Two basic types of roof truss designs are used in home building; the pitched or common truss and the parallel chord or flat truss.

A common truss is recognizable by its triangular shape and is most often used in roof construction. Most often, variations of the common truss are named for their web configuration, such as the King Post, Fan, Fink and Howe trusses, with the chord size and web configuration typically being determined by the load, span and spacing.

A parallel chord or flat truss is so named for its parallel top and bottom chords and is often used to construct floors.

There are many roof truss types and variations including Arch Frame, Belgian, Bowstring, Dropped Chord, Gambrel, Hip Step-down, Howe, Parallel Chord, Pratt Bottom Chord, Pratt Top Chord, Raised Heel, Scissor, Semi Howe, Slope Frame and Warren.

Each type of roof truss offers pros and cons and is designed to suit specific structural and aesthetic purposes. It is important to understand the different types of roof trusses when designing a new home, doing major remodeling or a room addition. This will help match the look and function of your home’s roof to the correct roof truss type and design.

Both aesthetic and functional considerations are required in choosing the best type of truss to use for a given roof shape, size and design complexity. You will want to discuss all of these factors with your architect and roof truss engineer before ordering roof trusses for any new home or major remodeling project.

Climate is another consideration, since each type of roof truss has different characteristics that make it more or less desirable in terms of the insulation and air-vapor barrier.

We have expanded on the advantages and disadvantages of several of the major types of roof trusses:

A Raised Heel Truss is designed to span an area and provide adequate space for full depth attic insulation. While enabling greater energy efficiency, Raised Heel Trusses also enable an air tight vapor barrier to reduce problems arising due to condensation, dry rot and mold. It is also more expensive than other types of roof trusses due to the need for soffit siding, higher manufacturing cost and the additional insulation required.

A Dropped Chord Truss has two segments; a convention truss, with a secondary chord truss suspended below to help reduce truss uplift, which is when an interior ceiling may “lift upward” and result in ceiling and wall damage. A Dropped Chord truss design enables a vapor barrier and full depth attic insulation, as with a Raised Heel design. Taller studs and additional blocking and siding are required where walls and ceilings intersect in order to accommodate the air-vapor barrier, which adds to the construction cost.

A Scissor Truss also uses lower chords, but instead of being horizontal, the lower chords are sloped inward to form a shape that looks somewhat like a hang glider. Cathedral ceilings many times require Scissor Trusses and eliminate the need to use a bearing beam and wall. Insulating the attic area is more difficult with this type of truss and manufacturing costs are typically higher than other roof truss types.

A Parallel Chord Truss may also be used with cathedral ceilings, but allows for fuller and easier installation of insulation of the attic area. Because it requires steel braces and several wood products to manufacture, the cost is higher and thermal bridging caused by the steel braces can decrease energy efficiency.

Ordering Roof Trusses For Home Construction

It is very important that you specify the correct type, measurements and other factors when ordering roof trusses. Common mistakes include inaccurate specifications and failing to inspect the roof trusses when they are delivered to the construction site.

A list of the basic specification required when ordering roof trusses includes:

• Truss Span – specifies how long the bottom chord needs to be.
• Overhang Length – specifies the horizontal distance between the end of the bottom chord and the bottom edge of the top chord.
• Number of Trusses – specifies how many trusses are required. The uniform spacing of roof trusses (usually either 24 inches or 48 inches on center) makes this relatively easy to calculate.
• Design Load – specifies both the live and dead loads of the top and bottom chords, as well as wind and any other loads to which the trusses will be subjected.
• End Cut – specifies the plumb or square cut and any custom specifications
• Heel Height – specifies the vertical distance between the bottom of the bottom chord and the top of the top chord.
• Roof Slope – specifies the vertical rise in inches per each 12 inch horizontal run.
• Bearing Width – specifies the requirements for the truss bearing.
• Type of Truss – specifies the type of truss required.
• Overall Height – specifies the total vertical distance from highest point of top chord or peak to the bottom edge of the lowest bottom chord, not including the overhang.

And with warmer weather and tax refund checks on the way, spring is a great time to plan for home remodeling.

Whether it’s something as small as installing closet organizers or something as big as a major kitchen or bathroom remodel, there are a few basic planning steps you need to consider before diving into any project.

Read on to learn how to start your home remodeling project off on the right foot so that the time and money you invest to improve your home is well spent!

Start with Sketches and Drawings

Whether you intend to use an architect or interior designer or plan to do a project yourself, start by sketching your out ideas and thoughts. Look at pictures online, in magazines and books or visit local designer showrooms to get as many ideas for your project as possible.

Use a notebook where you can sketch, paste drawings and photos you find and jot down notes to yourself. Keeping a notebook will help inspire your imagination and jog your memory later on in the project.

One thing people oftentimes forget is the affect that improving one room or area in a home will have on the house overall; adding a room impacts traffic patterns, updating the kitchen to modern decor may clash with the adjacent country style family room, adding a bathroom may alter the floor plan and traffic patterns adversely, and so on. Be sure to consider how your intended project affects the entirety of your home.

If you are looking to save money, you can purchase inexpensive home design software. But if you are adding a room or making structural changes, you would be well advised to consult an architect or contractor.

Gain from the Experience of Others

The Internet is a great way to learn about various home improvement projects, ask for advice on forums, look for photos and videos that show how others completed their own projects, as well as to get ideas from experts and industry professionals.

Rafter Tales is dedicated to helping you learn about home improvement, decorating, design and do it yourself projects, so be sure to search or browse our site for thousands of great (and free!) ideas.

Visit home improvement centers, talk to local contractors and designers, friends and neighbors to exhaust the possibilities while you are preparing and planning a home remodeling project.

Thinking Ahead

Home remodeling and construction projects are all about managing the details; ordering materials, scheduling subcontractors, arranging for building permits and inspections all in the correct sequence are the keys to a successful remodeling project.

Be prepared to take time off from work and clear your calendar during the project if you want to complete it on schedule and budget. Be sure you know all the details and sequence of steps required to complete the project in order to correctly estimate the time, cost and effort it will take!

Think about how long you plan to stay in your current home to be sure the project makes financial sense and that you will be adequately rewarded for your efforts and enjoyment of the resulting improvements made to your home.

Consider also how the investment will affect your home’s resale value; some projects, like updating a bathroom or installing new flooring add curb appeal and value, while others, like decorating the living room in ornate Victorian style, with faux paint and ornate crown molding when the home’s architecture is modern or Spanish style could actually decrease the value of your home.

Estimating and Budget Considerations

In the majority of cases, remodeling projects end up taking longer and costing more than the homeowner has estimated. While you may want to use marble or granite flooring in your foyer remodeling project, the cost of the materials and labor may not be in line with your budget, so be sure to check around with several contractors and suppliers so that you understand all the costs associated with your project.

The cause of most cost overruns tends to be overlooking details, which leads to unforeseen expenses. For example, if you plan to replace your thirty year-old wood or aluminum frame windows with new, energy efficient, dual pane, vinyl windows, have you considered the expense of related details like installing new trim, paint and window treatments?

Assembling a Team

For simple projects, you may be able to complete a project entirely on your own. But for most large remodeling projects, the specialized skills of subcontractors like plumber, electricians and drywallers will be required.

Be realistic about your skills and what work you can complete yourself versus which things you really ought to hire out to professionals.

Contractors can be notorious for running behind schedule or overcharging, so finding trustworthy subs is typically a frustrating process for most first time do-it-yourself homeowners.

Always get quotes from several contractors for any given aspect of the project and be sure to check references. Also, if you find one or two professionals you like working with and come to trust, ask them for referrals to other local contractors they have found reliable.

Also, when you negotiate with subcontractors and designers, always insist on the lowest up front deposits possible; even if you find a low bid from a contractor you think is reputable, if he asks for a large deposit you could find yourself in trouble.

All quotes and contracts should be written and clearly spell out the scope of services to be performed and estimated costs. If possible, try to get a “not to exceed” clause in your contracts. This will help you negotiate from a position of strength later if the contractor runs into unforeseen problems that he should have been aware of and tries to up charge you on the job.

And under no circumstances should you pay a contractor in full prior to satisfactory completion of the work!

Permits and Inspections

Most remodeling projects involving structural changes will require a building permit, which is intended to ensure that you follow the local building codes and regulations correctly. It also helps ensure that your subcontractors don’t cut corners.

If you are acting as your own general contractor, then you will be responsible for filing the paperwork and arranging for any required building inspections your local building regulations may specify, so be sure you understand what is involved ahead of starting the project.

Be Prepared to Encounter Challenges

Remodeling projects are bound to present challenges, delays, material shortages, equipment failures and other delays, so it’s best to have the right mind set going into a project.

If you know that unexpected problems will arise and remind yourself not to get too upset when they do, you’ll be far more prepared to take them in stride and go about finding the solution rather than beating your head against the wall in frustration.

Most experienced general contractors even build a contingency factor of, perhaps 10%, into their scheduling and budget plans on large projects.
With a little patience and forethought, you can plan your home remodeling project to be a success, with the dream you started out with becoming a reality in short order.

As you learn and grow by starting with simpler projects, you will begin to see that managing larger and more complex home improvement jobs is easily within reach!

The thought of living with construction noise, dust and chaos often causes people to put off a major kitchen renovation project.

But there are a number of things you can do to ease the pain and speed the entire kitchen remodeling process.

And, with a near 100% return on investment in many cases, remodeling the kitchen is one of the best home improvement investments most homeowners can make in their older home.

Follow our guide to kitchen remodeling survival and you may be surprised how easily you can make it through your kitchen construction to finally have that kitchen design you’ve been dreaming about!

Plan Your Kitchen Renovation Project

Since kitchen remodeling often means tearing out walls, old appliances, cabinetry, and other items you may have once considered permanent, you’ll need a solid plan in order to reduce the inconveniences of demolition and the fact that you won’t have a permanent kitchen for some period of time.

By planning ahead, you can survive major kitchen remodeling. Start by working with a kitchen designer to establish a clear idea of what your new kitchen will include; layout, any new walls, cabinet design, major appliances, flooring materials, etc. should all be decided before you begin.

Stay On Schedule!

Setting a schedule and arranging various subcontractors in the right sequence can substantially accelerate your project and help avoid inevitable delays that are to be expected with any major renovation project.

Setting and staying on schedule can be a tough task, even for the most experienced general contractor, let alone a home owner trying to manage a renovation project for the first time. But don’t panic; there are a few tips you can follow to help keep your project on schedule.

First, be sure you understand the correct sequence of remodeling. Demolition, framing, rough plumbing and electrical, and drywall are the typical major steps, followed by finishing, which will include painting, cabinet installation and counter tops, finish plumbing and electrical and flooring. You may want to consult with an experienced general contractor to be sure your sequence and scheduling timelines are realistic.

Be sure you interview and decide on your subcontractors before beginning your renovation project. Be sure to get comparative quotes and check references of all your subs before hiring anyone!

Make sure they will be available to do work when needed according to your construction schedule; waiting a week for the electrician or plumber can delay the overall project by weeks since it also throws off the timing of other subcontractors’ work.

Finally, expect delays so you won’t be caught off guard when they do happen … and they will. Delays are an inevitable part of any major remodeling project, so keeping your cool and simply making adjustments to the schedule is the best thing to do.

On the other hand, a good general contractor knows when to push back on suppliers and subcontractors to help move things along! If possible, use a carrot instead of a stick, promising them incentives for early completion or reminding them that you have friends who may be in need of their services and you would like nothing more than to give them a great referral.

Kitchen Demolition

Before you begin demolition, its best to set up a temporary kitchen in an adjoining space that will not be subject to heavy construction traffic, staging of materials or other activities involved in the renovation.

Once you select a temporary kitchen work area, set up your refrigerator, dining table, microwave oven, toaster and other essential kitchen appliances. A hot plate or single burner electric stove also makes meal preparation easier. Be sure to place your makeshift kitchen near a bathroom, laundry room or other location that has a sink you can use for cleaning up.

Try to complete your demolition as quickly and efficiently as possible in a single, swift phase if possible, since this will be a major contributor to dust and rubble that needs to be removed from your home. Seal off the demolition area first with plastic sheets to contain dust as much as possible.

If the path to removing debris needs to be routed through non-construction areas, you’ll want to protect floors and walls with cardboard, moving blankets or other protective coverings.

Also, be sure to arrange for removal of your demolition materials. You can get a dumpster and have it emptied periodically. Also, you might want to hire a crew to haul off your demolition rubble to save time and hassle. Be sure to keep all recyclable materials, reusable appliances, etc. separate from general trash and debris.

Keep the Work Space Clean

You can’t avoid dust and other particles, but you can contain things but keeping the construction area swept clean daily. Use a broom to remove larger debris, try a shop vacuum to remove as much dust as possible and then wet mop the floors. This will substantially reduce sawdust and other particulate matter from infiltrating every corner of your home!

During those times that you know you’ll have strong odors like construction adhesive, paint, etc. being applied, plan to get out of the house for a few hours to let things air out. Take the kids to a movie, go to the park and have a picnic, visit grandma overnight; anything to get out of the house for a while.

You also want to take steps to protect personal property. No matter how hard you try to keep things clean, dust will make its way out of the construction zone!

Cover or remove your finest art, furniture, electronic equipment and other valuable or dust-sensitive items.

Keep Your Sanity During Construction

Never turn down a free meal opportunity! Let family, friends and neighbors know you are remodeling your kitchen and would love to have them over for a party or dinner once your new kitchen is complete. This may help bring prepared meals your way or, even better, invitations to their homes for meals during the construction effort.

Another creative idea is to plan to eat out at your favorite restaurants or new ones you’ve been meaning to try. Of course, most of us will be on a tight budget when doing a major kitchen remodel, so finding good places to dine out on a budget or getting take out food can also be a creative diversion.

Plan meals that are easy to prepare and clean up. You can get away with basic dish ware, pots, pans and utensils by using paper plates and plastic cutlery, cooking outdoors on the barbeque grill and avoiding more complex meals.

Always be sure to bring something along if you do get such invitations and offer to help prepare the meal and clean up so you have a good chance of being invited back!

Other Ideas for Surviving Your Kitchen Remodeling

• Find a good place to locate your refrigerator or get a smaller unit for the makeshift kitchen area and keep your main fridge in the garage. If possible run a temporary water line to feed the ice maker and water dispenser, since you probably won’t have a sink close by.
• A microwave oven and toaster oven can be your best friends, handling about 75 percent of meal preparation tasks.
• A hot plate or single coil burner makes a great addition. However, do not use a propane or white gas stove inside the house! These can also be great temporary kitchen appliances but only for outdoor use.
• Keep your food supplies and temporary kitchen appliances together in a single space to avoid having to run back and forth between rooms when preparing meals.
• Dust infiltrates everything, so use airtight plastic boxes to store food items and kitchen utensils. Cover food preparation surfaces with plastic tarps during the work day and be sure to mark the top side or you’ll get even more dust on those surfaces!
• Washing dishes may be the biggest hassle in your makeshift kitchen. If at all possible, relocate your old dishwasher temporarily. If that isn’t possible, get a portable utility sink and have your plumbing contractor plumb it in a convenient location as close to the fridge and makeshift kitchen area as possible.
• If none of these options are available, you’ll have to get really creative by setting up a backyard cleaning station with a garden hose and temporary basin, using a bathroom or laundry room sink or even the bathtub if no other options are available.
• Get some plastic tubs to haul dirty dishes to the clean up station and back to the kitchen space for storage in your airtight bins.
• Since you won’t have a garbage disposal, keep a garbage can with airtight lid and plastic liner in the kitchen work area and plan to empty it at least once a day.
• Use your outdoor barbeque grill as much as possible to reduce odors and indoor cooking activities.
• Frozen foods and precooked meals that can be nuked in the microwave oven are a great way to reduce meal preparation messiness and get meals prepared quickly.
• Keep plenty of snack foods like fresh fruit, granola bars, chips, crackers, etc. handy.
• Use disposable plates and utensils during this difficult time; while nobody wants to add to the landfill, this is a good time to make an exception.
• If budget allows, eat out or get take out to avoid meal preparation and give yourself a break from the chaos of construction.
• For safety, always keep pets and small children away from the construction area.

Choosing a color scheme that works with your room decor is the first step. And primary the key to beautiful house painting are knowing proper prepping and painting techniques. Follow these interior painting tips to ensure a paint job you’ll be proud of:

How to Select a Color Scheme

The easiest way to select a color scheme is to find an inspiration piece. Choose a painting, pillow, or textile that you love, and pull your colors from that.

You can take one of three approaches:

1. Choose one color that you like, and paint the room in different shades of that color.
2. Choose related colors. Related colors are next to each other on the rainbow or color wheel. Related color schemes tend to make relaxing rooms.
3. Choose complimentary colors. These are colors located across from each other on the color wheel, and they make for very dramatic rooms.

When you’re choosing house painting colors, don’t rely on those teeny tiny little color swatches from the paint store. They’re just too small to give you a real idea of how the paint will look on your walls. Many paints now come in trial sizes.

Take one home, paint a board or a piece of foam core, and put it up against the wall you plan to paint. Better yet, ask your paint store for a small sample of the colors you like and paint large swatches on your walls to compare the colors and shades.

See how the wall colors you are considering will look throughout the day as the light changes; the colors will look different as the light changes.

Top 10 Interior Painting Tips

1. Before you start, organize a paint station. You can do this on the floor, but it’s better to set up a card table or some other surface that doesn’t require you to constantly bend down to get what you need. Whatever you use, make sure to cover it with plastic to protect it from drips.



2. Take one day and do nothing but prep, prep, prep. The prep job is what makes a difference between an okay wall paint job and a terrific one. Gather all the furniture in the center of the room and cover it with plastic, or better yet, remove it from the room altogether if you can. Remove switchplates and doorknobs and put them into plastic baggies with all their screws and other hardware. You can tape them to the closest window so they don’t get lost. Wash the walls with a basic household cleaner. Cover light fixtures with garbage bags and tape them in place. Tape around doors, windows, and molding.
3. Check the condition of your walls carefully. Holes or cracks will show through your wall paint. Fill smaller holes with spackle or joint compound; you may be able to skip this step if you plan to use a texturized finish such as sponging that helps to disguise minor imperfections. Use fiberglass tape for larger holes and cracks. One easy way to help you spot problem areas is to use a flashlight. Hold the light at an angle, right against the wall, and run it slowly along the wall surface. Look for shadows that indicate holes you’ll need to deal with.
4. Use high-quality products. Sure, premium paint and nicer brushes cost more, but they provide better coverage and a smoother finish. Lower-quality paint might look just fine when it’s wet, but you’re likely to notice imperfections when it’s dry. With better tools, you’ll be able to cover the area with fewer coats. Invest in a roller with an extension handle to paint your ceiling. This allows for smoother strokes and less climbing up and down a ladder.
5. Take a moment to think about your colors and plan your attack. Apply lighter colors before darker ones. If you’re using a very dark shade, consider applying a tinted primer first. This will reduce the number of coats you’ll need to get full coverage.
6. If you’re having problems getting crisp edges, make sure you’re using blue painter’s tape. Masking tape and duct tape are likely to bleed and leave sticky residue on your walls. Some paints will still bleed under painter’s tape, particularly if you’re using a dark color. Try applying the tape and then brushing the edge with a little clear varnish or latex caulk (the varnish can stay; the caulk will need to be removed with the tape).
7. Don’t work directly from the paint can. Not only will it drip and get incredibly messy, but you also risk getting globs of coagulated paint into the can. They’ll end up on your walls, and they don’t look pretty. For the best results, use a cut bucket, a metal bucket with a separate plastic liner that’s built to control drips.
8. To avoid stripy- or patchy-looking walls, start with zigzag or w-shaped strokes. After you’ve completed a section of wall, run the roller in long strokes over the entire wall to blend all of the layers together.
9. Make cleanup easier by wiping drops on the floorboards with a wet cloth as soon as they happen. After you’re done, run the cloth over the floorboard one more time to catch any leftover streaks. If you get paint on the carpet, keep the stain wet and blot it. Don’t scrub; you’ll only work the paint further in and damage the carpet.
10. Store your materials carefully for future touchups. Thoroughly wash the brushes and rollers in soap and water (for water-based paints) or white spirit and then soapy water (for oil-based paints), shake them out, and then wrap them in wax paper and seal with a rubber band. Wipe away any drips on the paint cans and seal them carefully.

Always practice common sense whenever working with power tools. And, when working in the woodshop, follow these ten key safety tips, which you may want to print and post on your woodshop wall.

1. Wear safety equipment. It may not be glamorous or comfortable, but safety equipment is absolutely essential. Safety glasses should be worn at all times when in the woodshop. This is true even when you are not actively working with power tools. Always wear safety glasses! Hearing protection may also necessary when working with high-volume tools such as routers. Dust masks and face shields can help to protect your lungs, particularly if your woodworking shop does not have a dust collector.
2. Dress safely. Your clothes should not be loose enough to get caught in your equipment. Remove any loose or hanging jewelry and watches. Make sure that your clothing is sturdy enough to protect your body from any flying debris such as woodchips. And never wear sandals in the woodshop.
3. Stay organized and focused. When using power tools, exercise some good old fashioned common sense. Clutter is a disaster waiting to happen, so keep your work area clean and free of debris that could cause an accident. Never work in the woodworking shop after consuming medication or alcohol. If you’re interrupted in the middle of a project, make sure to reach a safe stopping point before moving on to other things, and always secure the shop if you must leave it.
4. Check your power cords. Check all cords for damage or fraying (this is particularly important when using older machinery such as vintage table saws). Never use a power tool with a damaged or ungrounded cord. You might also consider limiting yourself to one extension cord for your workshop, which will require you to unplug each piece of equipment before moving on to the next stage of your project.
5. Before cutting, check for metal. Examine the wood for any metal objects such as nails, staples, or screws before beginning your project, and again immediately before making the first cut. Not only could these items cause serious injury through saw kickback, but they can also damage your equipment.
6. Never use a dull power tool. Dull saw blades or drill bits can cause binding or kickback and present a potential hazard. They also can result in sloppy work, so it is best to replace accessories promptly and inspect them for wear or damage before each use.
7. Check all guards. All of the guards and anti-kickback devices should be in working order. Note that some older equipment, such as the vintage table saws referred to above, may not have sufficient guards.
8. Disconnect the power before changing the blade. When changing miter saw blades, band saw blades, etc., completely disconnect the power. This insures that an accidental bump won’t turn the machine on.
9. Let the blade stop completely. Before taking any action with a power tool, let the blade (or drill bit, etc.) stop completely. Take this precaution even if your action doesn’t directly involve the blade. Slow-moving blades can still cause injury, and it only takes a small slip to come into contact with one.
10. Use a pushstick. Don’t reach over the blade (in the case of table or miter saws) or past it (in the case of band saw blades) to collect waste. Use a pushstick instead. Never let your hands get close enough to the blade for an accident to happen, even if the power is off.

The sheer cost of woodworking supplies, not to mention the time and energy it takes to set up a woodshop, makes thorough planning essential.

However, having a well-built and equipped shop is well worth the time.

The following are things you may want to consider as you begin to establish your own fine woodworking shop, whether it be in a garage, basement, or dedicated building.

Essential tools for the home woodworking shop

• Circular saw – This versatile saw should be top on your list of major purchases. Circular saws are both powerful and portable. Look for higher horsepower models, which are less likely to bind.
• Compound miter saw – The compound miter allows for more precise beveling and angling in comparison to the circular saw. It’s advisable to build or purchase a miter saw stand in conjunction with your saw.
• Drill press – The drill press allows for deeper and more precise holes than are created with a power drill. A drill press vise is one can’t-miss accessory. The drill press vise allows you to secure relatively small items for drilling and can also be used in cutting offset holes.
• Jigsaw – Cutting curves and circles is easy with the right jigsaw. Orbital-action models, in which the blades are angled slightly upwards, often make smoother cuts for fine woodworking.
• Power drill – Cordless drills are handy for small spaces (no tangled cords) and don’t take up precious wall sockets, but corded versions often have variable speeds, a feature that is generally not available in cordless models.
• Random orbital sander – Although this tool doesn’t work with plain sandpaper like palm models, its random sanding pattern reduces sanding marks.
• Router – Routers are available in stationary and plunge versions. Look for a model with a motor speed of at least two horsepower and variable speed settings.
• Table saw – Because the table saw is so versatile, it makes sense to splurge on this item. Look for a model that allows fine tuning of the table saw fence to insure high quality work. A removable table saw fence can also increase the versatility of your bench, allowing you to work with larger pieces if necessary.

Other woodworking supplies you can’t do without

• Clamps – You can never have enough clamps.
• Safety equipment – Whatever you buy; whatever you do; make sure it’s done safely. At absolute minimum, wear safety glasses.
• Saw horses – Saw horses can be made or purchased for a relatively low price, and they’re incredibly versatile.
• Shop vac – Because woodworking equals a lot of dust.
• Woodworking bench – Make sure to select a bench with a vise to hold projects steady.

Layout and organization tips for the home woodworking shop

• Storage is the key to having an organized wood shop. Make use of old furniture, hunt down some garage sale bargains, or build some cabinetry yourself. Old dressers or bookcases can be used to organize and store your woodworking tools without shelling out a bundle for fancy storage equipment. Hang some pegboard and use hooks to hang hand tools you use most often. Pot hooks are a relatively cheap and sturdy option. Magnetic knife racks can also be used to hang smaller items.
• Develop designated work areas for larger equipment or tools you use frequently, such as a miter saw stand. Arrange equipment so that it is easy to move from one station to another. Consider creating a floor plan to plot out what should go where, and always plan for future purchases. Make sure that the floor plan allows for easy manipulation of materials around the shop.
• Make sure that all work surfaces have adequate lighting, which will not be blocked when you’re working on a project. A portable magnetic light can help provide focused lighting throughout the shop.
• Electric receptacles must be grounded, and sufficient electrical service should be available at each workstation.
  If the ventilation in the shop isn’t sufficient, consider placing a household fan in one of the shop windows.
• As your shop grows, you may want to consider investing in a dust collector that gathers the dust right at the machine.
• If your woodworking shop is located in your home or attached garage, consider whether noise and dust will be problems.

But these days you’ll find dozens of affordable power washer models from which to choose. And since you’ll own your own, you’ll also find a lot more uses for it around your garage and in the yard! A power or pressure washer can help cut your cleaning time drastically, and it has the added benefit of using approximately 80% less water than a garden hose.

How a Power Washer Works

Power washers use a combination of water pressure and water flow to remove dirt and grime.

This combination allows for easier, more efficient cleaning in comparison to a bucket, hose, and elbow grease.

Detergent and heated water can also increase the cleaning power of a pressure washer.

Selecting a Power Washer

Power washers come in gas and electric models. Gas power washers are generally more powerful but can only be used outside due to the carbon monoxide emissions.

Gas power washers are also generally more expensive in comparison to electric power washers. Electric power washers are generally smaller, more portable, and less powerful than gas powered models.

The easiest way to compare power washers is by looking at their cleaning power (sometimes abbreviated as “CP” or “CPU”). Cleaning power is calculated using water pressure (PSI or pounds per square inch) and water flow (GPM or gallons per minute). The higher the water pressure and flow, the greater the cleaning power: CP = PSI x GPM

Lower-end washers will have a CP around 4000, mid-range washers around 9000, and higher end washers can top out at over 16,000 CP.

Uses for a Power Washer

Sure, you can use a pressure washer to strip grime from your home, but is that enough to justify the purchase? There are other uses for power washers that you may not have thought of, such as:

• Cars & Trucks
• Boats & Jet Skis
• ATVs & Motorcycles
• Driveways & Sidewalks
• Decks & Patios
• Fences
• Gutters
• Pool Areas
• Barbeque Grills

Tips on Using a Power Washer

• Inspect the area to be washed. Remove any furniture, loose decorative items, or anything else that could be damaged. If you are pressure washing a house, look for any loose siding, cracks, or crevasses where water can get inside. It’s advisable to fix these problems before washing to prevent water damage to your home.
• Consider using a detergent specifically designed for power washers. This is particularly important if you are working in areas with plants, animals, or children. Make sure that what you are using is safe.
• Don’t run the washer without the water supply. This will damage the motor.
• Test the washer on an inconspicuous area before moving on to the rest of the project.
• Select the right nozzle for your job. The nozzle will affect the flow rate and water pressure. Adjustable nozzles are often the best choice.
• Don’t get too close! You could damage the object you are cleaning. Start by standing about ten feet away from the object, spray over the surface a few times, and then stop. Check to see if the area is clean and look for any damage. Adjust your distance accordingly.
• Brush attachments can help loosen caked-on dirt and ground-in grime.
• Don’t spray directly at windows, plants, vents, electrical boxes, or light fixtures. The water pressure could damage them.
• Never aim the washer at people or allow children to use the washer.
• It’s advisable to wear goggles or safety glasses to protect your eyes from any flying debris.
• When cleaning siding, make sure to point downwards to avoid breaking the siding off or getting water underneath it.
• Spray back and forth, not up and down.
• Start at the top and work downward to prevent streaks.
• Squeeze the trigger before storing the washer to relieve the pressure in the hose.

These facilities prevent debris materials from entering gutters. You achieve the same objective, that your gutters do not get clogged and wreak havoc outdoors when rain comes. But you may be asking if investing in gutter guards and covers will give you your money’s worth.

What we must then all know is how effective gutter guards and covers are. Well, you can be assured that they do prevent relatively big debris from entering gutters. However, smaller debris may still find their way inside gutters.If this happens, clogging is only delayed but not prevented. Over time small debris materials when they accumulate inside gutters could still block water flow.

There are gutter guards and covers, however, which can really protect gutters from being clogged even by small debris. The design and workmanship of these types of gutter guards and covers are better. They however command higher prices.

When gutter guards and covers are more expensive, chances are they are more effective.  If this is the case, they can really substitute for gutter cleaning.  That frees you from the hassles of gutter cleaning.

You can devote to other household chores the time you save from gutter cleaning. More importantly, you need not climb your rooftop thus avoid possible accidents. If you have the fear of heights, you are most vulnerable to accidents when you clean gutters. Investing a little more for the more expensive ones is worth the additional cost that you may incur.

But you may also want to know if the long-term benefits can outweigh the initial cost of installing them. Again, chances are the more expensive ones are more durable. This makes them cost-effective.

But whether you install gutter guards and covers or just clean your gutters requires your careful thought. Factors you must consider include time, safety aspects and costs.

As far as time factor is concerned, you must consider if you have the time to clean gutters once or twice each year. You may be so busy that you just can’t devote time for this chore. As a regular activity, you must follow a cleaning schedule based on consistent time intervals. Otherwise, you just resort to gutter guards and covers. This is a one-time installation activity, hence, requires lesser time.

When it comes to the safety aspects of gutter cleaning, know if you’re capable of cleaning gutters. Accident-prone people or those afraid of heights should resort to gutter guard and cover installation. One wrong step while cleaning gutters may result in a severe accidental injury. You don’t want this to happen to you just to save on costs.

On cost considerations, you may resort to hiring others who would undertake gutter cleaning for you. This may be less expensive than investing in gutter guards or covers. However, you may find it hard to find gutter cleaners who are really up to the job. There is danger that hired ones won’t perform well since the house involved is not theirs anyway.

Gutter guards and covers may be expensive, especially those which really work. This, however, as compared to costs that you may incur with clogged gutters may be lesser.

Also, gutter guards and covers are even hassle-free once these are installed. This will suit you if you have a very busy schedule. Gutter guards and covers meanwhile only need regular maintenance check to ensure that these perform at optimum levels at all times.

Without gutter guards and covers, you’re always confronted with the problem of having clogged gutters. It’s quite easy to forget about your gutters until the rain comes. You then find yourself faced with all the consequences of having clogged gutters.

Often it’s already late when you realize that you should have invested in gutter guards and covers in the first place.  The costs just add up when the effects of clogged gutters occur.  So it somehow pays to invest in gutter guards and covers.  It saves you time and money in the long run. It makes you worry less.

Gutter guards and covers are just worth it, keeping your gutters free from clogging and reducing the time and effort spent cleaning your rain gutters.

Except for posh dwellings of the rich and famous, the bathroom has had very little emphasis on design and decor.

Times have changed, though; nowadays a plain and stark bathroom can be transformed into a haven of relaxation, just like the other rooms of the house.

With bathroom renovations, your memories of cramped space and hurried showers will forever be gone.

And most experts agree that completing bathroom renovations and/or adding a bathroom is one of the best ways to increase your home’s resale value.

In doing bathroom renovations, you must first analyze the current situation of the bathroom you plan to transform. Consider the space in the bathroom, its overall dimensions whether it’s too cramped and thus needs to be enlarged.

Do the shelves contribute more to the clutter rather than keeping the bathroom neat? Does the shower need a replacement? Try to check all the parts of the bathroom and after which determine what modifications should be done.

When planning for your made-to-measure bathroom, you need to choose a particular style of decoration; rustic, contemporary, or traditional.

Your choice holds importance for it will determine the choice of faucets, light fixtures, and other accents.

Determine what would give the bathroom an entirely new setting. Would the bathroom look better with new bath or a separate shower?

Is it okay if you place more storage space under the sink?  These questions might help you in your bathroom renovations. A few more light sources such as lamps and vanities may be of great help as well.

When seeking the right style for a bathroom renovation, you must consider its users and your desired bathroom features. This way your housemates will not be intimidated when using the bathroom.

The bathroom’s design and practicality should be given top priority during renovation. In a family bathroom, more space is required to accommodate the entire family and to provide larger storage.

It should usually be situated close to the bedroom area of the house. A typical family bathroom includes a toilet, vanity sink, and a tub, and shower.

Meanwhile, the master bathroom is normally large with features like a Jacuzzi tub, sauna, partitioned toilet, multiple sinks, as well as dressing area. A master bathroom is usually accessible only from the master bedroom, and serves as a private haven for the heads of the house.

Master bathrooms often display custom cabinets; ceramic or exotic stone tile, gilded bathroom faucets, and inlaid countertops.

You can do your bathroom renovations on your own or you can hire a contractor.

However, before you decide to take down your bathroom walls, make sure you have enough budget to finish the renovations all the way. Nothing is more annoying than an exposed sub-floor because you do not have enough money to buy the new tiles.

Bathroom renovations don’t have to be expensive, though. A great way to obtain bathroom features is to scour garage sales and flea markets. This is a great place to find a good bargain for your vanity handle, soup holder, antique faucets, and many others.

Bathroom renovations can be particularly challenging when you are renovating a small bathroom. You must think outside the box to churn the best finish possible. Contrary to some belief, putting a plant inside a small bathroom does not clutter the room. It can even give the bathroom a more spacious feel to it.

Choose a small vanity with plenty of drawers for storage. You can also put an over-head drawers right above your vanity. To add style to it, you can put a stylish over-head lamp under you over-head drawers. It could double as light for your vanity as well.

However, you do not have to strip down your entire bathroom walls and remove everything that’s already in it. Bathroom renovation does not all always mean overall remodeling. You can also opt to change the crown moldings, the vanities, or the lights in your bathroom and call it bathroom renovation.

You must also remember that doing bathroom renovation takes a lot of time and patience. Check all the shops and catalogues available and pick themes that are potentially suitable not just to your taste but to your budget as well.

Ask for advice from the experts, too. Most of all, don’t stress yourself in thinking about the best bathroom design; just enjoy! Remember that you’ll be increasing your home’s comfort, practicality and value by improving the bathroom.

You need to clear your gutters of debris materials to allow rainwater to freely pass through.

Gutters facilitate water to properly drain to the ground without making a mess of your garden. A continuous downpour of rain would cause your rooftop to overflow if its gutters are clogged.

Overflowing water will tend to go different directions in your front and backyards. The quantity and impact of overflowing water from your rooftop are what’s damaging. They may fall down on places in your garden where you least wanted them.

Should overflowing water drop straight into your front yard, your garden could get flooded. Its impact might even create hollows in your front and backyards. You garden’s landscape could get damaged as a result. The damage you may incur could be severe depending on the intensity of rainfall.

Meanwhile, waters from your rooftop may leak down through your outside walls. When this happens, your walls could be damaged especially if these are made of wood. Interior damage to drywall may also result, along with dangerous molds and dry rot.

Water leaking through walls could also damage your home’s appearance from the outside. Moist walls promote the growth of molds or algae and give your walls an awful appearance. What is worse is that leaking waters could end up in the foundations of your house.

When this occurs, the water will cause cracks or leaks within the foundations and weaken them.  Your home becomes more vulnerable to damage and destruction. An earthquake coupled by a weak foundation might even cause your home to collapse.

Clogged gutters may also cause rooftop flooding. This may corrode your roof and cause rusts to appear and destroys your roof over the long run. Water build-up in your roof may even allow mosquitoes to breed. Not only does it destroy property, clogged gutters also promote the onset of life-threatening diseases.

When it rains, clogged gutters can really make your life difficult. You may find yourself doing damage-control outside while the rain is pouring.  Just think at how you can avoid all these by simply cleaning your gutters.  Gutter cleaning, after all, is not a difficult task.

How often should you then clean your gutters? It really depends on the seasonality of where you live. The frequency of cleaning gutters must be the same as the number of seasons there are. Each season has its own share of the kind and quantity of debris that usually clog gutters.

Seasons affect how sources of debris such as trees, insects, birds and other living things behave. During Springtime, trees bear flowers and fruits which may fall down on your rooftop. Along with these are dead twigs. Birds may build their nests on your roof during Spring.

These birds after some time leave behind their nests and wastes. Insects and other living organisms are more active during springtime. They either die or leave their wastes on rooftops.

During Summer, leaves may fall on your rooftop because of storms and strong winds. In the Fall, trees shed almost all of their leaves. During Winter, ice clogs moist the rooftop.

When ice melts or when it rains, water flows down and carries all debris towards your gutters. All these debris first slow down water from draining through your gutters. In the long run, they completely block the flow of water. And you know what will happen next.

Your gutters are also prone to damage when your rooftop is full of debris. Debris materials may weigh heavily upon your gutters while clogged. With damaged gutters, water may flow out through damaged areas and go wildly in different directions. Water may even enter your house through open windows or doors.

What do you need to clean gutters? Well, you only need a ladder high enough to climb your rooftop. You may also need various household tools to get rid of the debris. These include brooms, sticks, blowers, water hoses, and other pressurized tools.

You can even just pick debris with gloved hands. Debris materials, however, may already be deep inside the gutters. If this happens, they become harder to reach. But with the use of pressurized water, you can force these materials out of the gutters.

Spending some effort in cleaning gutters translates to huge savings by preventing your home from getting damaged. All you need is time and determination.

Kitchen islands have become more elaborative, adding kitchen appliance, cabinet designs and accessories like sinks designed specially for food preparation.

Kitchen Islands evolved from the classic kitchen tables. But today, the design of a kitchen island has become a fully equipped kitchen focal point, complete with food preparation sink, refrigerator, and even cook tops.

Kitchen Islands Add Decorative and Functional Value

There are many advantages of putting a kitchen island in your kitchen design; it provides additional space, extra space for appliances and additional storage space. A kitchen island also makes a great focal point for your kitchen, with stools on the open side that make it a great place to gather during parties and get-togethers with family and friends.

A simple surface, the traditional kitchen island is sometimes can be an elegant to any kitchen. But, you can also add additional style and function with features like corner posts, bump outs, and open shelves.

A kitchen island provides efficiency and convenience by creating an efficient workspace.

Your kitchen island is best placed in the center of the kitchen. Kitchen islands also serve well as a dividing element between your kitchen and eating area or living and family room space. This makes for a convent mix of preparing meals, while socializing with your guests at the same time.

According to statistics, kitchen islands are one of the most popular features of new and remodeled kitchens today. More and more homeowners who are remodeling their houses decide to make the kitchen island a center piece in their kitchen, specially requesting a kitchen island design when working on plans with their architect or interior designer.

While providing needed counter space, many kitchen island designs also incorporate state-of-the art features like a warming oven, dishwasher, small refrigerator or wine cooler, and plenty of storage space.

You can also go more upscale and design a multi-level kitchen island design, with storage space for cookbooks, wine racks, a deep fryer, bar or food prep sink, and eating area. A multi-level countertop surface enhances the interior design, adding functional and decorative value.

Kitchen Island Styles

Kitchen island designs have become so popular that interior designers must be inspired to create new and unique kitchen island styles.

You want your kitchen island design to be unique, so these days there are islands in many different shapes and styles. A rounded, oval, L-shaped or more angular shaped kitchen island could bring a fresh look to your kitchen.

Many kitchen island designs will have a breakfast bar. Instead of the traditional rectangle, they may have a triangular shape orientation, with a sink, refrigerator, and cook top that form the focal point of your kitchen plan design.

Elements of Kitchen Island Design

Aside from the basic appliances that are associated with the kitchen island design, there are additional features that can be added in your kitchen design.

These could be your main or secondary oven, additional electric outlets and switches, shelves, and storage utilities like pull outs or lazy Susan rotating shelving. These features greatly enhance access to commonly used pots, pans and other frequently used cooking utensils.

Your kitchen counter could be built with the same materials as your kitchen island counter top. But if you want to create a more interesting look in your kitchen islands, you may consider using different materials aside from the materials you used in your kitchen islands, giving your island a more eclectic and more contrasting design element.

Kitchen islands lighting is very important in your kitchen. Your island lighting should provide good overall ambient lighting, with overhead can lighting or fluorescent fixtures, task lighting for work centers and some more decorative or accent lighting to add depth and warmth. Accent lighting provides the dramatic effect that you want to highlight your kitchen island area.

Whether you decide on a traditional kitchen island or something more elaborate, the functional utility and beauty of a kitchen island makes this the center piece of most modern kitchen designs today; something you can enjoy and get good usefulness for many years to come!

New windows usually feature two or three panes of glass with an insulating air space between.

Some higher quality windows also have gas such as argon between the glass panes, which offer an even greater insulating factor.

Often a special coating called “low-E” applied to the glass. This coating contains metallic particles that slow heat loss in the winter and reduce heat gain in the summer.

Windows are available in several different styles including single or double-hung, gliding/horizontal, awning, hopper, casement, jalousie, fixed, bay or bow and garden.

The most common style, standard-size, double-hung windows are in stock in most home improvement and builders supply stores. Most other types of windows will have to be specially ordered, especially if they are an unusual size or shape.

Windows are typically made of vinyl, metal, wood and wood with vinyl- or metal-clad exteriors. Wood is more energy-efficient than either vinyl or metal.

Windows come in either new-construction or replacement models. New-construction windows are installed from the outside, with no interior or exterior trim in place at the time of the installation. Siding and window trim are installed after the windows are in place. Replacement windows are installed in the existing window frames, leaving both interior and exterior trim in place. The instructions below are typical of installing a replacement window.

How to Install Replacement Windows:

1. First, from inside the house, remove the storm windows.
2. Next, outside the house, remove the screws for the storm window frame.
3. With the screws removed, tap out the storm frame gently with a hammer and remove it completely.
4. Next, inside the house, use a utility knife to cut the paint and caulk between the narrow strip of molding called a sash stop and the window casing.
5. Then, insert a putty knife and work the sash stops loose enough to insert a prybar.  Use the prybar to carefully remove the sash stops. You can save the sash stops for reuse later.
6. With the sash stops removed, you can now remove the upper sash, lower sash, and window crack all at the same time.
7. At the top of the rough opening, you can remove the parting strip with a pair of pliers.
8. Now that everything has been removed (with the exception of the outside trim and the inner casing), it’s time to do a test fit with the new window.
9. If the window fits into the rough opening, the next step is to make sure the sill is level.
10. After you know the sill is level, use a caulk gun to apply silicone sealant to the bottom corners of the rough opening.
11. Starting on the lower sides, apply aluminum weather proofing tape to cover the bottom of the sill.  The butyl adhesive backing prevents any water from penetrating the sill.
12. Next, apply silicone sealant to the outside stop, which is where the new window frame will sit.
13. Next, apply silicone sealant to the edge of the window ledge,and the corners at the ends of the sill.
14. Now, it’s time to set the window in place.  Set the bottom in first and then tip the frame upright and push it against the stops.
15. Check to make sure that the window frame is square.
16. The install shims at the top, bottom and middle of the sides of the frame.
17. Check that the gap between the sash and the frame is uniform from top to bottom.
18. With the frame square and locked in position, run screws through the pre-drilled holes in the sides, through the shims, and into the jamb.
19. Now use a utility knife to score the shims and break off the excess.
20. Fill the small gap between the edge of the frame and the window opening with low expansion foam made expressly for this purpose.
21. Replace the sash stops removed earlier and secure with nail gun.
22. Outside, form a watertight seal between the replacement window frame and the original opening by pressing foam backing rod into place.
23. Next, fill the remaining space with silicone caulk and apply a caulk sealer.
24. Now tool the joint smooth with your finger.
25. You’re done! Perform any clean up and finishing off of the trim on the inside, and sit back and view the world through your new windows!

Plastic foams, rock wool, cellulose and even cotton insulation are readily available. Insulation materials come in many forms. They are sprayed, stapled, blown, nailed or simply laid in place.

The choices can be difficult to sort through, but cellulose insulation is one of the most energy efficient and green solutions available for insulation.

Cellulose is “green.” It’s made of 80% post-consumer recycled newsprint. The fiber is chemically treated with non-toxic borate compounds (20% by weight) to resist fire, insects and mold.

The Cellulose Insulation Manufacturers Association (CIMA) claims that insulating a 1500 ft2 house with cellulose will recycle as much newspaper as an individual will consume in 40 years.

If all new homes were insulated with cellulose this would remove 3.2 million tons of newsprint from the nation’s waste stream each year. There’s room to grow. Fewer than 10% of the homes built today use cellulose.

Cellulose earns “green” points because it requires less energy than fiberglass to manufacture. Disciples claim 200 times less petro-energy than fiberglass. More realistically, Environmental Building News reports that fiberglass requires approximately 8 times more energy to make when adjusted to reflect energy cost per installed R-value unit.

Choosing the right insulation material is important. However, the quality of the installation is critical. Efficient insulation systems need thoughtful preparation.

Armed with a trusty caulk gun and spray container of insulating foam, seal all penetrations in the structural envelope prior to insulation.

Seal all gaps in the wall sheathing and framing. Fill narrowly spaced studs and headers. Seal around window, electrical, and plumbing penetrations. Once all leakage points are sealed you are ready to install the cellulose insulation.

Blown Cellulose

Blown cellulose can be installed in new or existing structures. It is popular in retrofit applications because existing wall finishes are not removed to install the insulation. It is favored in attic applications because you can blow unrestricted depths of fiber to achieve deep coverage with very little labor.

Blown cellulose is shredded newsprint that is installed with special equipment. Construction-savvy homeowners should be able to install blown cellulose in open attics; not walls or cathedral roofs, which should be left to serious DIY homeowners or professional insulation specialists.

You can use blowing machines from rental centers and building material dealers that sell cellulose insulation. But in general, this is a job for pros.

On paper the application is simple. Dry cellulose fiber is blown through a hose into open attics or into enclosed wall, floor or cathedral-roof framing cavities.

Two people are required to run the equipment. One person feeds dry fiber into a hopper; breaking up clumps of cellulose as it is passes into the blowing system.

The hopper and blower can be located inside or outside the house. The other person operates a hose that is attached to the blower and extends to the locations where insulation will be deposited.

The ratio of air to fiber is adjustable and with some experimentation the right balance is struck. A 3-inch diameter flexible hose is typically used to blow fiber into open attics.

If an attic floor is already installed, remove some of the boards or drill holes at strategic locations to fill the floor cavities with insulation. If the floor cavities are already filled, blow an additional layer of cellulose directly over the floor sheathing to improve the level of protection. The job is dusty and wearing a mask is required.

Blowing fiber into enclosed wall and cathedral framing cavities is different. Here a smaller 1- or 2-inch diameter fill tube is attached to the end of the larger hose. The fill tube is inserted into enclosed cavities through a series of strategically placed holes.

The general idea is to drill a series of 2-inch holes horizontally across the structural surface so that the holes are centered in each framing cavity. One or more holes per framing bay are required depending on the length of the framing cavity and the applicator’s fill technique.

Filling walls and cathedral roofs from the outside is the typical practice. Pieces of siding or roofing are removed, holes drilled and insulation fill tubes inserted. Air pressure is cranked up for cavity-fill applications to provide a more densely packed injection called dense-pack cellulose.

The narrow fill tube is inserted into the holes and pushed to within a foot of the far end of the enclosed cavity as the blowing begins. When the packed insulation becomes dense enough to stall the blower, the hose is backed out a bit. The blower gears up and filling resumes.

The process is repeated until the framing cavity is filled. Then jump over to the hole(s) in the adjacent cavity. The injected fiber compacts tightly around wires, plumbing, and other penetrations providing an airtight insulating blanket with a slightly elevated R-value approaching R-4 per inch. The holes are plugged and the siding and roof covering is patched or reinstalled when the blowing is completed.

Cellulose can be blown into wall or cathedral roof cavities from the inside as well. Remove interior trim, drill – or simply drill holes through the interior drywall surface – and blow.

Replace trim and patch the holes after the cavities are filled. In new construction, walls must be enclosed with fiber-reinforced plastic sheeting or drywall before cellulose can be blown into the framing. The plastic sheeting doubles as a vapor barrier. Choose whichever strategy makes the most sense for your situation.

If you have a home that was insulated years ago with inadequate levels of insulation, you are not out of luck. Skilled cellulose professionals can snake fill tubes into a wall already filled with fiberglass batting.

The installer fills the cavities with dense-pack cellulose in a way that crushes the existing insulation without balling up the batts, achieving a full uniform application of the new cellulose fiber. The goal on any application is to assure complete coverage that is installed at a density that will not settle over time.

Concrete forms offer the same wind and fire resistance, but also offer an additional built in layers of foam insulation.

Homes built with insulated concrete forms offer homeowners greater energy efficiency and less noise pollution from outside.

An insulated concrete form is basically a form for poured concrete walls that stays in place as a permanent part of the wall assembly.

The forms, made of foam insulation or other insulating material, are either pre-formed interlocking blocks or separate panels connected with plastic or metal ties.

The left-in-place forms not only provide a continuous insulation and sound barrier, but also provides a backing for drywall on the inside, and stucco, lap siding or brick on the outside.

Within these two basic ICF types, individual systems can vary in their design:

• "Flat" systems yield a continuous thickness of concrete, like a conventionally poured wall.
• The wall produced by "grid" systems has a waffle pattern where the concrete is thicker at some points than others.
• "Post and beam" systems have just that – discrete horizontal and vertical columns of concrete that are completely encapsulated in foam insulation.

Whatever their differences, all Insulated concrete form systems are engineer-designed, code-accepted and field-proven.

Energy savings and comfort are built into every ICF system. ICF’s start with a high R-Value. Four inches of ASTM C 578 polystyrene foam insulation, combine with a five inch concrete wall a typical ICF system – are rated above R-17 at 75o mean test temperature. Other insulating form configurations and materials also exhibit high R-values.

The concrete walls of an ICF home have high thermal mass, which buffers the interior of a home from the extremes of outdoor temperature during every 24-hour cycle. This reduces both peak and total heating and cooling loads.

This combination of high R-values and high thermal mass is believed to account for the amazing 25% to 50% energy savings of ICF versus wood or steel-framed homes.

In sound transmission tests, ICF walls allowed less than one-third as much sound to pass through as do ordinary frame walls filled with fiberglass. With double-glazed windows in ICF walls and beefed-up roof insulation, you will rarely hear street noises or airport traffic.

The high-mass walls of an ICF home not only give it a remarkably solid feel, but they also make it safer for the family. And make it a remarkably solid and secure investment, too. Concrete homes have a proven track record of withstanding the ravages of hurricanes, tornadoes and fires, when all the stick-build houses around them are in ruins.

In fire wall tests, ICFs stood exposure to intense flame without structural failure longer than did common frame walls. The polystyrene foam used in most ICF forms is treated so it will not support combustion. Also, tests show that its tendency to transmit an outside flame source is less than that of most wood products.

A Healthier Home & Environment

Building with ICFs is healthier for the environment in a number of ways: by minimizing the number of different building products involved in construction, by reducing the amount of waste generated on the construction site, and by lowering energy requirements for heating and cooling.

ICF homes provide a healthy indoor environment, too. Nothing held within or ordinarily emitted by an ICF wall is toxic. The measurement of the air contents of actual ICF houses shows an almost complete absence of any emissions.

Pet ownership is one of the great joys of life, but owning a pet comes with its own fair share of challenges as well.

One of those challenges is taking the pet out for exercise or to do its business, and it can be difficult and cumbersome to take the dog or cat out so many times a day.

As the slave to both a dog and multiple cats, I found myself getting up every half hour to let someone in or out. Pet doors are one of the most useful ‘gadgets’ you can get for your dog or cat.  The variety of available pet doors is wider than most realize.

Before you purchase a dog door, or cat door you need to keep a few key points in mind:

Measurements – It is very important that you get the right measurements for your pet door. The door should be tall enough and wide enough to allow your dog or cat to go through freely. Ideally, it should be larger than your pet, to allow for weight gain or growth, if you are purchasing for a new puppy.

Flap Dimensions – This is considered the access of the pet in and outside the house.

Rough-Cut – If it will be a hole drilled to wither the wall or the door.

Exterior Dimensions – This is the total size of the frame so that you can determine the space that it will need.

Location – The type of pet door you buy will be partially determined by the location of your door. If the door connects a room like, say, your laundry room, to the garage or basement, then you can probably get away with a less expensive door since features like a lock may not be critical.

If you want a pet patio door or other exterior-located door, you’ll want to consider features like locking mechanism, insulation or possibly even an electronic pet door.

Pet doors are designed to simply fit into a hole that is cut into the door, making them easy and fast to install.

For security, there are a number of one-way doors, which allow cats and dogs out, but nothing in. This design can help prevent burglars from using dog doors to gain access to the home.

Installing a pet door is a great way to eliminate some of the problems associated with pet ownership, while at the same time giving your pet the freedom he or she desires.

One of the most common pet doors is the electronic pet door. This type of door allows total control over when your dog or cat can come in or out. Newer models give more flexibility with a remote sensor that attaches to your pets collar and ‘opens’ the door when your pet approaches it. Unlike regular flap doors, you also have control over which animals can go in or out, which is especially useful if you have one cat that goes outside, but another who stays indoors.

Another variation is the Magnetic Pet door. Unlike the electronic types, this does not require electrical power to function. Electronic doors use infrared signals to unlock the flap thus allowing entrance, whereas Magnetic doors only use magnets found in the collar keys to unlock the flap, thus requiring heavy duty magnet because it primarily relies on the strength of the magnet to have it opened. The benefit in this is that you do not have to worry about batteries dying, or a power outage affecting use of the door.

New to the pet market are window pet doors. They are sold in either single-paned or dual-paned types, and are most commonly available in glass models. However, you might need a pet ramp if you want to mount a window which is at an unsafe height for your pet, especially for heavier dogs. Window pet doors are most ideal for a cat door.

Also available are wall-mount pet doors. These types of pet doors are built by drilling holes on your walls for a full-access for your pets.

While installing a pet door in a door effectively ruins the door, a wall mount pet door can often be removed and the wall patched leaving no trace of the pet door.

Stucco exterior and dry-wall interior is the perfect example since both sides can be patched and painted-to-match if the pet door must be removed later.

One of the newest innovations in pet doors is a remote control sliding door. While not specifically a ‘pet door’, it allows the convenience of turning a traditional sliding door into something that can be modified for pet use. The sliding door is installed on a track, and can be opened manually, or via remote control.

Pet Door Installation
Fortunately for pet owners, installing a pet door is generally quite an easy process. Here are the steps needed to install a great pet door:

1. Determine the size of the pet door that will be needed. There are a number of different sizes of pet doors, designed for a variety of pet sizes. The door should be large enough to accommodate the largest pet that will use it; measure from the animal’s shoulders to the bottom of the rib cage so your pet can comfortably fit through. If the door is too small, you may find that your pet will be reluctant to use it.
2. Before making a cut in the door, use the measurements to cut a hole in a piece of corrugated cardboard. The pet should then be encouraged to step through that hole. If the pet fits easily through this hole, you will know that the chosen size will work well. If not, the next largest size pet door should be used.
3. After the proper size has been chosen and the door has been purchased, cut the appropriate size hole in the door and insert the pet door. After the pet door is in place, give the cats and dogs in the household some time to get used to the door. They should be watched closely to make sure they are able to both enter and exit the house unassisted before being left alone.

Building a foundation is not usually considered a do it yourself project, but it can be done with a little advice from your contractor or a friend who has experience.

But, if you plan ahead and study a little on the specifics involved with building a concrete foundation, you can do the project yourself and save considerable expense.

If you are building a foundation for the first time, a project like an outbuilding, perhaps a detached garage or workshop is a wiser choice than a complex major project like the foundation for a new house.

Concrete Foundation Designs

Typically, foundations will be of either a shallow or deep design.

A shallow design foundation will be set about three feet into the soil. A spread footing design is typical, with concrete pads extending below the frost line, and transfers load from the walls to the earth.

Another type of shallow foundation used is the slab-on-grade design, which transfers load to the earth through a slab of concrete. Slabs also allow for the use of radiant heating.

A deep foundation is generally more complex and will be used in cases when soil conditions are poor (such as a hillside for example) or the structure must be raised to prevent flooding if the structure is being built in a flood zone.

A deep foundation transfers load from the structure through a weak top soil layer down into a stronger layer. Several variations for deep foundation designs can be used and naming conventions tend to vary, but include caissons, piers, piles, drilled shafts, and earth-stabilized columns.

Deep foundations can be made from steel, wood, reinforced or pre-tensioned concrete. A deep foundation penetrates the bedrock in some cases, so an engineering expert is definitely needed!

This article is concerned primarily with planning and building shallow design foundations used in constructing a garage, workshop or outbuilding.

Planning Your Foundation

Laying a foundation requires good planning, adherence to local code, and careful consideration of how you will be using the finished structure. If you plan on adding features like a filtered drainage system and radiant floor heating, these will need to be installed during construction of the foundation.

Don’t forget you will have to have inspections from city or county officials throughout the process, so be sure to follow your local inspection codes, obtaining the correct permits and any required soils, engineering and/or seismic reports before you begin your project.

A garage foundation is typically constructed of concrete block or a poured concrete wall. First, clear, scrape and level your building site. Next dig trenches below grade for your footings. Be sure to follow local building code regulations.

Setting Footings

Footings should be approximately two feet in width, with an extra two feet on both sides so that you have plenty of work space, which means your trenches will have a total width of six feet.

Use 2×10 boards to build forms for the footings. The forms will be removed after your concrete sets. Be sure to mark center wall lines so that you know where the wall forms will be placed.

The size of your structure will determine the height of foundation walls. A structure like a one story garage needs at least an eight inch tall foundation wall. For a two story structure, you will need at least a 10 inch high foundation wall. Again, check local codes to make sure you will pass inspection!

Steel rebar reinforcement is critical to making sure your foundation can bear wall stress adequately. Mechanical vibration is then needed in order to consolidate the concrete and eliminate air pockets or voids that could compromise or weaken the concrete’s integrity.

Install anchor bolts in your foundation, which will be used to secure walls to the foundation later. The number and location of anchor bolts needed is also set by local building codes. If appropriate to the use of the structure you are building and local climate conditions, insulation can also be added to the exterior of your walls.

Concrete Slab Pouring

After completing your footings and pouring concrete to form the foundation walls, you will be ready to pour the concrete slab inside the frame of your foundation for the floor of your garage or workshop. A layer of sand or gravel is needed before you pour the slab.

Install a vapor barrier over the gravel or sand before you pour the concrete slab. This will help prevent any moisture from rising into your slab. In some locations where moisture is prevalent, a vapor barrier below the sand or gravel may also be needed.

Place wire mesh in the center of your slab and rebar in the footing areas to increase rigidity and prevent any cracks in the concrete.

Local code sets your specifications, including slab thickness, footing thickness, footing width, what size wire mesh is needed, how thick a layer of sand or gravel is needed, the size and placement of rebar and the placement of foundation anchors or bolts. Again, be absolutely sure to follow your local building code before planning your foundation specifications, setting forms and ordering materials.

Foundation anchors are embedded in the wet concrete to later secure walls firmly to your foundation; you don’t want the walls falling off your foundation in the case of an earthquake or high winds!

Installing Drainage and Radiant Heating

A nice feature to add to your garage slab is a center drain for washing a car, boat etc.

Drainage pipes and radiant heat tubes should be placed and attached to the wire mesh before pouring your concrete slab. The slab should be pitched from the back towards the front of your garage for proper drainage.
There are some features to your garage or workshop you will not be able to add after your foundation is complete, so decide up front during the planning phase which features like a drain or radiant heating you will include in the foundation.

Radiant heating is a nice, efficient heating system to use in a workshop or garage, since you get heat without any need for blowers or air movement, which helps make for a more dust free environment. Also, the floor will be nice and warm for those occasions when mechanical projects require you to sit, kneel or lie on the floor!

Adding a drain may also be worth considering. In some cases, a garage or workshop drain simply uses drywell drainage; you just dig a hole and fill it with a course stone for water to drain into. Drainage pipe will be placed on the foundation bed and the drain placed before concrete is poured.

Alternatively, a connection to your sewage system may be required for your drainage system. Local codes are usually quite strict about what you can dump in garage drains. A filtering system can also be installed to keep any contaminants from entering the soil or sewer system.

Sill Sealers and Concrete Sealers

You will also want to seal your garage or workshop to inhibit moisture, cold or hot air, and particles. There are two commonly used types of sealers; floor sealers and sill sealers. The sealers are normally applied during the construction to help keep your garage or workshop dry and well insulated.

Sill sealers use adhesive foam and the application will sit between the top of the foundation and sill plate, creating a waterproof barrier.

A sill sealer will conform to the surface of your foundation to prevent any cracks or gaps that could otherwise form between the foundation and sill plate as the concrete shrinks as it cures. Sill sealer applications have a strong adhesive on one side that will stick to your foundation. This does a great job of protecting against moisture, air, rodents, insects, etc.

Typically, concrete sealers are spray on applications designed to prevent moisture and vapor from rising up through concrete, which is porous. Concrete sealers can provide other benefits as well, including preventing radon gas seepage and inhibiting the growth of mildew or molds. Concrete sealers can also help strengthen concrete and prevent cracks over time.

You should always get advice from a professional when planning a foundation to be sure it is all engineered correctly for the intended structure it will support and to be sure it meets all local building codes!

Step by step video on preparing your concrete foundation:

Log siding uses half-logs that are nailed up just like regular wood siding, except they give off the appearance of a log cabin. These half-logs are identical to full logs and can be applied over any pre-existing structure with any pre-existing surface, giving a timeless look to most modern homes.

This log siding is still made out of real timber and comes in all types of woods with all types of textures and grains (most commonly pine and cedar). Plus, it’s lighter than full-logs, there will never be any residual log settling, and it can be installed in both the inside and outside of the house to fully complete the natural look.

Besides simply looking authentic, there are a lot benefits that come with log siding. It also provides many saving opportunities, both fiscally and physically:

Log siding is certainly cheaper than using full-logs because it’s mass-produced. But that doesn’t mean that it’s cheap. Depending upon the type of wood, prices tend to range from $1 to $4 per a foot. However, since this material is easier to install than the real thing, the labor costs of having it installed will be less than traditional siding!

This attractive siding will increase your property value, and it is also fully insulated. Due to this energy efficiency, log siding helps to lower your utility bills.

Since the purpose of log siding is to look completely natural, you’ll never have spend extra money to paint and then re-paint and refinish and replace siding on the exterior of your home.