Home Improvement, Fall 2011

SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT

Community Advocate October 7, 2011

fall

guide

Improvement ATTENTION HOMEOWNERS ... Heating Season is Upon Us

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2 • Community Advocate Fall Improvement Guide • Friday, October 7, 2011

Tight fits: create space when decorating small areas

By Amy Winter

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PHOTO/SUBMITTED

When it comes to designing a small space, it takes some thinking outside the box. Jean Nayar, author of “The Happy Home Project,” said she has learned to make good use of vertical real estate. Look at wall space in tight areas. Remember to eliminate unneeded items, and be sure to choose double-duty furniture pieces.

Gale Steves, author of “RightSizing Your Home,” understands small space well after trying to decorate her 1,200-square-foot apartment. Her two rules include looking up and down for space.

Store items vertically by placing shelves on tall walls. Or try to use low storage areas underneath beds or in under-the-sink cabinets. Consider using the space in crevices or joist areas.

“You need to look at things in your home creatively,” Steves said. “Go into your house as if you have never been there before.

You can be creative with small spaces.”

Christine Brun, writer of the syndicated column “Small Spaces,” stresses the importance of throwing away your “junk.”

This could include magazines, newspapers, used books and duplicate kitchen pieces or toiletry items. After you clean, Brun suggests that you purchase furniture, appliances and equipment that fit your available space. You don’t want an oversize piece of furniture in your living room.

“It impacts the function of your space,” Brun said. “If the piece ruins the flow in your room, get rid of it. If what works best in your tiny kitchen is a single dishwasher drawer or an 18-inch dishwasher instead of the standard 24 inches, then spend the money.”

If you need furniture pieces for a small living room or family room, Brun recommends searching for dual-purpose furnishings.

This means that a furniture item could accomplish two roles.

Steves suggests storing office equipment in what is disguised as a chest or a buffet. Or put storage benches or ottomans in the living room as both a storage and seating option.

“There are desks that convert into beds and coffee tables that rise up to dining height when needed to perform that duty,” Brun said.

In the guest room, put in a

Make good use of vertical real estate and look at wall space in tight areas. Remember to eliminate unneeded items, and be sure to choose double-duty furniture pieces.

good sleeping sofa with a pullout bed or even a Murphy bed, according to Steves. For a kid’s room, Steves recommends a daybed with a pullout trundle bed or a bunk bed with a desk placed underneath. There are even storage beds available with attached drawers and bookcases.

Or you could create a tiny office in a room’s closet. To take advantage of a bedroom’s wall space, said Nayar, put up wall sconces to hold candles, books, etc.

Maximize space in a tiny laundry by choosing a stackable washer and dryer. Nayar says that pullout drawer systems are handy, and some include a pullout tray to fold clothes. Wall-mounted shelves can organize detergents, dryer sheets, etc. If you stack the washer and dryer, it leaves room for a sink or more storage.

When decorating her tiny bathroom, Steves used the wall space for shelves and a medicine cabinet. An under-the-sink cabinet is a great place to keep bathroom items. And mirrors help to create the illusion of more space.

For kitchens and nooks, it is important to pick small appliances that fit in the spaces. Nayar suggests installing an overhead rack on which to hang your pots and pans. Make use of upper storage by putting in ceiling-high cabinets or installing shelves to display attractive dishes. Lazy Susans provide more storage within cabinets. And a built-in circular table is great for a small nook, according to Nayar.

Try to choose fewer bigger pieces when picking artwork, lamps and other accessories.

Nayar said that several little items

can make a room look busy. Also, reduce the number of patterns in a small room; you want to go for a cleaner and simpler look. You can help make a room appear taller with large lamps or floor-length curtains.

When it comes to colors, Nayar recommends limiting the room’s palette to one dominant color or two accent colors. Cooler colors tend to make a space look larger, but warmer colors create a cozier and more intimate feel. But ultimately, it depends on the location of the room. Having sufficient light can also help a room feel bigger.

“Choose furnishings that fit the scale of the room,” Nayar said. “Using a few pieces of larger artwork creates a focal point and keeps the room feeling clean and clear.”

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Community Advocate Fall Improvement Guide • Friday, October 7, 2011 • 3

Changing the way showers are designed ceramic and natural stone tiles are durable options in shower installations. Building a stable and long-lasting foundation for these materials has been a challenge over the years. Integral shower waterproofing is crucial in ensuring a tile installation that will stand up to daily use. Now, there are integrated systems specifically designed to support the installation of porcelain, ceramic, and stone tile without the vulnerabilities of conventional shower construction.

Unlike traditional shower pan liners in conventional assemblies, some waterproofing membranes bond directly to the mortar bed to protect it from becoming saturated with regular use. In addition, membranes protect wall cavities from vapor penetration, efflorescence, and mold growth.

What makes this system unique? The waterproofing material is installed on top of backing materials, rather than behind or below. This eliminates the potential for moisture to seep into the mortar bed or the tile backer on the walls, and thus allows the tile covering to dry between uses.

Linear drains allow homeowners options such as curb-free, seamless shower installation and larger format tile.

PHOTO/SUBMITTED

Second only to kitchen modernization, residential bathroom renovations are quickly rising to the top of the list for homeowners today. The bath, and more specifically the shower, is changing drastically due to improvements in installation technologies and increasingly vast offerings of finish materials. While marble, travertine and other natural stones are timeless options, there are numerous alternatives available.

Porcelain tile can now offer the look, and even feel, of natural materials without the maintenance. Decorative options in tile are practically limitless - glass blends, patterned stone mosaics, handmade decoratives, embossed metallics, water-jet carved stones, and many more. Accents can be incorporated in a variety of areas, from the shower walls to tub surrounds and mirror frames.

In the past, acrylic and fiberglass shower surrounds were the standard, and sometimes the only, solution for showers. This is no longer the case. Porcelain,

The bath, and more specifically the shower, is changing drastically due to improvements in installation technologies and increasingly vast offerings of finish materials.

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4 • Community Advocate Fall Improvement Guide • Friday, October 7, 2011

Painting is not just for the spring and summer One secret of interior designers is to use lighter shades to make a small room appear larger and to reflect the sunlight that you do get in a room during the fall and winter months. Deeper, darker colors often make a room look smaller.

And designers also say that freshening your ceilings, moldings and chair rails with a fresh application of white or nearwhite paint gives a room an instant makeover that raises your spirits during the dark, bleak winter months.

By Sharon Naylor In fall and winter, the days are getting shorter, the air cooler, and you’re spending more time indoors - which makes this the perfect time to tackle those room painting projects you didn’t get around to last spring. A great many homeowners think they’re limited to the cool spring season when they can open their windows to allow for fresh air circulation during painting, but interior designers say that fall and early winter still allow for the open-window solution without the risk.

What’s the risk? Too-cold air wafting into a room can chill your paint supply - especially in the rolling pan - and make application difficult, streaky and perhaps unattractive. But before temperatures dip to a damaging extreme, there’s time to paint your rooms.

Open windows in fall may let in a far more acceptable level of fresh air, especially when you’re avoiding the moisture of spring air and humidity of summer air.

Fall makes this the perfect time to tackle those room painting projects you didn’t get around to last spring.

Choose your hues The rooms you spend time in can affect your mood. During the long, dark, cold winter months, it’s far cheerier to spend time in a vibrant, energizing room - for example, one painted yellow, currently a very popular shade. If you rather would feel warm and cozy, your den or bedroom can soothe you in comforting shades of cappuccino or sage green. Visit

the website of a popular paint retailer, to take a free “paint color personality” test, which will show you tones relating to specific emotions, e.g., energized, relaxed, romantic and more. You even can try different paint colors on images of room layouts to choose the perfect combination for your wall and ceiling. And now, you can take a photo of a painting, a flower, a throw pillow or your favorite item of clothing, and some companies are able to show you an exact color match from the company’s collection.

Choose your paint type A big trend in paint collections is low-VOC paint. It makes painting in fall and winter even more of a well-timed task because it emits fewer chemicals and odors, making it healthier to use indoors, especially with small children in the house who have asthma or allergies. Several major brands’ eco-friendly paint lines have been tested by Consumer Reports and other notable product assessment companies, so check online for the latest news in VOC-free or low-VOC paints.

Bear in mind that these special formulas will cost a bit more than traditional paints, but you may find the health benefits and

the lack of fumes to be worth the investment.

Pick your time An important factor in fall/ winter painting is choosing the right time of day. When you’re painting with alkyd- or latex-based paint, allow three to four hours of drying time at recommended drying temperatures before nightfall to prevent evening moisture from affecting wet paint.

Choose who’s painting During fall and winter, many professional painting companies are more available to take on your more challenging painting jobs, such as rooms with vaulted ceilings. Investigate expert paint companies well, and ask your friends and neighbors whom they hired to get the job done quickly, efficiently, with attention to detail and with ecofriendly materials and methods.

And always hire licensed professionals who have insurance.

Invite friends over for a painting party, after which food can be served. Supervise and help children to paint their own rooms, which gives a sense of ownership and pride, as well as wonderful memories of a colorful family project.

Checking your chimney, protecting your home

By Sharon Naylor Fall is the perfect time to schedule a professional checkup on your chimney. Over time, weather extremes, moisture and even wild animal nibbling and nesting can damage the structure of your chimney, causing perilous dangers inside and out. For instance, chimney leaks and water penetration cause rust in steel and cast iron, weakening or de-

composing the metal parts. Some damages can cost a fortune down the road, and some pose serious fire threats and cause the buildup of toxic gases. If cracks and water intrusion are left to compromise your chimney and flue over time, a complete rebuild will be necessary. According to The Brick Industry Association, chimneys require special attention, inspections and maintenance to protect them from the elements.

Your chimney is not just the lead-out for your fireplace. In some instances, it is the lead-out for wood-burning stoves and your recently upgraded kitchen, as well. According to the National Fuel Gas Code, when a new appliance is installed into an existing system or an existing appliance is removed from a common vent, the entire venting system, which may include a maContinued on following page

Community Advocate Fall Improvement Guide • Friday, October 7, 2011 • 5

Checking your chimney, protecting your home Continued from previous page

sonry chimney, must conform to current codes.

There are few fall home improvements as necessary as a thorough chimney check, and the trained professional eyes of a licensed chimney repair company will best advise you on your structural needs. Don’t make the mistake of trying to save money by re-mortaring the loose bricks you see and calling it a day. Many of the dangers are inside your chimney, and experts will send down cameras to locate the weaknesses and threats to be repaired.

- Tuckpointing: The process of tuckpointing repairs the masonry mortar joints between your bricks to safeguard your structure from water intrusion and further structural weakness and damage. Expert application will repair your chimney’s weak points, returning your chimney to full security and aesthetic value. Your chimney even may return to a greater waterproof standard than it had when it was first built. Many homes are more than 50 years old, so the materials used in tuckpointing and masonry are vast improvements over those decades-old mortar mixtures.

- Crumbling bricks: In advanced stages of disrepair, the faces of some bricks may chip off and fall, posing injury threats and causing weakness in your chimney structure. When bricks flake, or “shale off,” the lessened thickness of the chimney wall allows cold drafts and perhaps even insects into your home.

- Crown damage: The crown of your chimney is the concrete slab on top of your chimney. If this slab cracks, it can allow moisture to enter your chimney or home, causing expensive damage. A professional can assess whether your crown needs a simple seal repair with a fast-drying sealant or needs a complete replacement to fully protect your chimney’s structure and your home. As another reminder that today’s repair materials are far superior to the original mixtures used decades ago, modern sealants are now available in eco-friendly formulas.

Some products offer warranties of 15 years or more.

- Flashing repair: Flashing is the metal strip that connects the base of your chimney to your roofline. Flashing is immensely important, as it prevents water from seeping into this joint and entering your home. When flashing sections have warped or lifted, they require flashing seal.

In extreme conditions, entirely

new and improved flashing is warranted.

- Post-repair or replacement sealant: On top of any chimney repair work, such as brickwork and tuckpointing, your professional chimney repair specialist will apply a waterproof sealant.

Ask questions about the type of sealant used, because some sealants have been found to dry into an unexpected hue. The most popular brands used by

experts whose work is 100 percent guaranteed - meaning they don’t buy the cheap stuff - provide full waterproofing through their modified siloxane, which reacts with the minerals in the masonry materials, creating a waterproof quarter- to half-inch layer to protect your chimney.

Top-end waterproofing sealants are VOC-compliant and even protect against UV damage and atmospheric moisture. They protect against stains and are

mildew- and fungus-resistant, as well as formulated to protect in freeze-thaw conditions.

Ask plenty of questions about the products your chimney repair team plans to use. It’s a terrible error simply to trust that repairmen are going to show up with the best products possible. Ask for the brand names of their materials, and research them online to be sure they waterproof from the outside and are 100 percent breathable, which means they

allow water vapors formed when the chimney is in use to pass through the stone and escape into the air; they are not trapped, which would cause damage to the inside of your flue. Look for 100 percent vapor-permeable materials. And ask that chimney flue liners also conform to safety codes.

Yes, chimney inspections and repairs are pricy, but they are worth every penny to protect your home and family.

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6 • Community Advocate Fall Improvement Guide • Friday, October 7, 2011

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When your window seals aren’t a tight fit, they let cold air into your home and waste energy when your heating system has to work harder. That will cost you. So assess the seals on all of your windows, including bay windows, to see whether you have any problems to fix.

A window clearly has a problem if you see condensation on the glass panes, a sure sign that you don’t have a tight seal, but many seal issues are less obvious than that.

A simple way to test each of your windows is to move your hand around the outside borders and middle pane edges to feel for cold spots or breezes.

Some experts recommend slowly moving a lit candle or incense stick around the rims of your windows, but be sure to keep curtains and sheers clear of any flame or ember as you do so. If your candle’s flame flickers or your incense stick’s smoke blows in a different direction, that’s the site of a seal issue.

What causes window seal failure?

Most often, age is what causes window seals to fail. Weather seals installed several years ago may have dried out and become inefficient, or they may have become damaged when you had your house siding cleaned with a pressure washer or your house painted. You may just have a buildup of dirt or leaves or a dead bug stuck in the window tracks, pushing the seal out of position.

Cleaning your seals Vacuum your window tracks and seals regularly to remove debris, dirt and dead insects. Next, spray your window tracks with an all-purpose cleaner, and let it sit for a few minutes as it works on dirt and grime. Then take a specialized window track cleaning brush (available on Amazon. com for less than $6) and scrub away all buildup. Wipe the tracks completely clean, and dry them with a paper towel before closing the window.

Repairing window seals Some seals do need to be replaced - for example, old seals that absorb water, causing mold issues, and completely dried-out or flat stripping. As a weekend project, you can repair old or damaged seals on your windows. To do this, know which type of seal you’re replacing or repairing. Do you have weatherstrips, or is it caulk? Full and

As a weekend project, you can repair old or damaged seals on your windows.

complete removal of either is essential to creating a complete seal with new product.

Don Vandervort, founder of the home improvement website HomeTips, advises using a putty knife to remove any existing seal or caulk around the interior trim of the window and clean the surface. If you are removing caulk and choose to re-caulk your window edges, Vandervort said, “use a caulking gun to apply new silicone or silicone-impregnated latex caulk,” which is readily available at home improvement stores.

If you prefer the look and process of weatherstripping over caulk, consider the two main types of weatherstripping used around windows: - Self-stick tapes: Made of rubber, foam or vinyl, these strips are backed with adhesive covered with a peel-off backing. Simply cut the strips to length, peel the adhesive, place them and press them to secure them. This choice, according to Vandervort, is ideal for “metal or vinyl windows where nailing isn’t an option, especially where the parts of doors or windows press together rather than slide against one another.”

“The highest-quality and longest-lasting of the self-stick tapes is ethylene-propylene-diene monomer rubber,” Vandervort said. “EPDM rubber retains its elasticity and insulating qualities even after years of exposure to subzero temperatures. Another

good choice is high-density foam, which is also durable and long-lasting. Closed-cell foam is waterproof, weather-resistant and inexpensive, but it does break down and will need to be replaced regularly. Open-cell foam can be compressed the most to seal even the narrowest of gaps, but it is only for indoor use, as it quickly degrades when exposed to the elements.”

- Nail-on strips are ideal for wood windows, according to Vandervort, because they don’t depend on adhesives, which can lose their sticking power over time or in heat. Where gaps are large, use a vinyl tubular gasket or rubber tubing with a metalreinforced flange for nailing.

When you need professional help Truly damaged or aged windows can be replaced with new, energy-efficient windows, which may qualify you for a tax credit.

New and improved windows completely eliminate seal issues and, in some instances, also provide your furniture and wood floors with protection from ultraviolet rays. It’s a big investment, but it saves you money in energy costs and improves your home’s resale value.

If you don’t wish to replace all your windows, look online to find a glazier, a professional who will replace just the glass portion of a window. Sometimes the issue is with cracks in the glass, perhaps along the pane levels.

Community Advocate Fall Improvement Guide • Friday, October 7, 2011 • 7

It’s all about Organics

By Julie Fleming and Christine Mcginnity There are many benefits to home composting, not only for your lawn but also for the environment. Composting at home is the easiest way to keep your lawn healthy and green. It is safe, organic and there is no need to add chemical fertilizers to your lawn. Along with the important nutrients compost holds for your lawn, it also contains trace elements that cannot be found in fertilizers. A benefit of using compost vs. chemical fertilizer is that your lawn won’t be burned if you accidentally apply it too heavily. In addition, it works quickly creating a beautiful green lawn.

composting items. Next, get a compost bin for outside.

They’re available from home improvement stores or go online, and you can find out how to make one yourself. Once you have chosen an area in the yard for a bin, it’s best to turn the soil over in that area. The ideal location would be a sunny and well-drained site. Cover the bottom of the compost bin with approximately a 5- to 6-centimeter layer of small, dry

branches. Layer the bed with branches and dead leaves to allow air circulation and improve drainage. Then, layer two parts of carbon-rich matter (brown or dry matter) to one part of nitrogen-rich matter (green or wet). To keep the flies away, add finished compost or garden soil to the bin. Aerate the compost pile using an aerator or a pitchfork once a week. Add water to the compost until it is comparable to a damp sponge.

Be careful not to add too much water.

Composting is a simple yet educational way to teach children about the importance of taking care of the environment.

Make it a family project.

This information was provided by The Veron Company located in Marlborough.

To reach them, call 508-4854884 or visit www.theveroncompany.com.

Composting at home is the easiest way to keep your lawn healthy and green.

Why is composting good for the environment? Composting at home for as little as one year can save global warming gases equal to all the CO2 your washing machine produces in three months, and can greatly reduce your carbon footprint.

Also, when waste is sent to landfills, it is hard for oxygen to reach the organic waste so instead, as the waste breaks down, methane gas is created which is a harmful greenhouse gas. This type of gas damages the earth’s atmosphere. If you compost at home, oxygen helps the compost decompose properly, creating less methane gas production.

There are so many items in your home that you can use for compost. Some include: dryer lint; old or stained cotton/ wool clothing (ripped or cut into smaller pieces); monthly bills and other shredded documents; envelopes (minus the plastic window); sticky notes; wrapping paper rolls; latex balloons; tea bags; pizza boxes (ripped into smaller pieces); and food waste.

How do you compost at home? First, find a container or pail that you can store near the kitchen for household

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8 • Community Advocate Fall Improvement Guide • Friday, October 7, 2011

How to buy flooring in 2011 Much has changed in the flooring industry during the past five years. There are five types of flooring today’s consumers are particularly interested in: carpet, hardwood, ceramic tile or stone, cork, laminate, vinyl, or Naturecore.

All of these categories have been improved during the past 15 years. Now it’s possible that this flooring lasts forever, and may have 25-, 50- or 100-year warranties.

Stainmaster UltraLife Carpet fibers have a particularly good resistance to both staining and resistance to traffic. Carpet does not wear out, it “uglies” out.

Stainmaster Ultra Life carpet actually warranties their flooring material to the consumer for a maximum of 25 years.

What that means is Stainmaster Flooring Centers will actually replace the carpet and provide labor to do so, at no charge for the next 25 years.

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When purchasing flooring, look for a carpet that has particularly good resistance to both staining and resistance to traffic.

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There are many other fibers that these mills use to produce beautiful broadloom such as polyester, smart strand, regular nylon, olefin and others.

However, many of the fiber companies and mills will not honor the Stainmaster Ultralife warranty and actually give the consumer a brand new carpet and provide labor for 25 years.

Many consumers ask the same question day after day.

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or ceramic tile, or porcelain, or carpeting?”

Most brick and mortar stores will ask questions that determine what is best for the customer. How many children in the house? Do you entertain a lot? How long do you want this flooring to last? Are you moving soon? Are you staging the house to sell?

Budget is a concern for 80 percent of consumers today.

Since carpet is the least expensive – especially for large basements in Massachusetts, many people will stay with the tried and true carpet. There is a new look called Naturecore that actually looks like hardwood or tile flooring, and for the basement, it is ideal. It is made out of fiberglass or PCV piping plastic and comes with a 25-year-wear warranty and lifetime installation warranty.

The trend for the past 10 years is to rip up the carpet and

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replace it with hardwood. It is almost the same price as carpet and people are using hardwood for the upstairs rooms. Many will cover the floor partially with an area rug.

Tile flooring is also used in New England but is pretty much confined to the baths and kitchens of the home. But tile has declined in popularity as the flooring of choice due to grout cleaning, hardness underfoot, coldness underfoot, and the expense associated with tile or stone. Another challenge is to get the existing floor ready to accept the ceramic tile or stone.

This involves ripping up current tile, carpet, existing flooring and sometimes floorboards and then purchasing and installing a brand new subfloor to accept the new tile. The subfloor must also be the perfect height for existing doorways, and other openings. Finally, new tile or stone will then be installed and this involves using the proper adhesives, coming back another day to grout the new job, and then washing the floor repeatedly to remove the grout from the tile surface.

Carpet, hardwood, and Naturecore can all be installed directly over existing flooring after very limited work to remove existing material, saving the consumer money, time and dust.

This information was supplied by FlooringAmerica at 276 Turnpike Rd., Route 9 in Westborough. They can be reached at 800-356-6777 for 24-hour service and next day installation.

Community Advocate Fall Improvement Guide • Friday, October 7, 2011 • 9

Always pays to keep heating system in good working order

PHOTO/SUBMITTED

Heating season is upon us and many homeowners are faced with the decision, do I try to make it through another heating season or should I consider replacing my existing heating system now? In this economic climate, it’s a valid concern.

The best time to decide is before you are faced with a breakdown and have to make an impulse decision to either repair or replace the equipment. The right timing to repair or replace a system could save thousands of dollars and help avoid headaches in the long run.

Consider the following to help you make the right choice.

Repair your heating or air conditioning system if: - It’s under warranty - Equipment life expectancy justifies the repair - Temperatures are not consistent throughout the house - Your energy bill seems unreasonably high - There’s excessive dust (probably due to leaky ducts) - It’s noisy (Could be a coil problem or undersized ducts) Replace or upgrade your existing heating and/or air conditioning system if: - Equipment is over 10 years old - Equipment needs repair one or more times a year - Repair parts are hard to find - Energy and repair cost savings will offset replacement costs - Your systems turns on and off frequently - Validation metrics and tests suggest replacement What is the life expectancy of your existing heating and/or air conditioning system?

According to the experts at Energy Star consider replacing

The right timing to repair or replace a system could save thousands of dollars and help avoid headaches in the long run.

your air conditioner if it’s more than 12 years old, and your heating appliance if it is more than 15 years old. While the heating and air conditioning system may still be operating, the cost of operation, repairs and maintenance far exceeds what it would cost to operate a new one.

A recent study done by the Department of Energy reveals that the cost of operating a system has increased 42 percent over the last several years, and will continue to increase. You may already be overpaying utility bills to heat and cool a home. New equipment will pay for itself with energy and repair cost savings.

You may want to have your equipment validated. There are a series of qualification metrics to indicate a repair versus replace versus upgrade scenario.

Some companies provide a no cost no obligation evaluation

of your heating and/or cooling system, airflow test, home performance analysis, and calculate the repair versus replace versus upgrade metrics. There may be federal tax credits, utility rebates, manufacturer rebates, special financing, and other promotional incentives available. When taking those into consideration, as well as energy, repair costs and inflation, those financial savings can pay for your new system.

Since 56 percent of the energy in your home goes to heating, cooling and water heating, there is no better time to have a system evaluation, airflow test, and home performance analysis than right now.

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10 • Community Advocate Fall Improvement Guide • Friday, October 7, 2011

Drab to Fab: 3 easy steps to transform a tired room

By Chandra Orr Need a quick fix for a boring room?

There’s no need for a timeconsuming remodel or expensive new furniture; it’s all in the details. Transform that tired room and take your space from drab to fab in three quick and inexpensive steps.

Choose a new hue “Painting a room is one of the cheapest ways to create an entirely new look,” said interior designer Andrea Evans, owner of In the Pink Boutique, a specialty decor shop. “Use bright colors to make the room unique, or if color makes you nervous, try neutral colors and go for more experimental home accessories.”

For the most dramatic makeover, look up. A fresh coat of crisp white paint on the ceiling will brighten the space instantly, or be adventurous and choose a darker hue to create a cozy feel.

“It is a cliche, but paint is the quickest and biggest bang for your buck, and a painted ceiling has the ability to adjust the entire vibe of a room,” said interior de-

browns and warm grays create contrast against lighter walls.

Fix the floor plan “One of the biggest things that you can do without spending a single dime is to rearrange that furniture,” said interior designer Debra Lesinski, owner of Interior Style, a design consultation firm.

“When you walk into a room with a bad floor plan, you will typically see many furniture pieces up against the walls, with a wide-open floor space in the center of the room Something as simple as new picture frames can - and most people can go a long way when transforming tired spaces, feel it, that something says interior designer Andrea Evans. is wrong in the space,” Lesinski explained. signer Kristin Drohan. “Painting From a functional standpoint, the ceiling can expand the space if shoving the sofa and chairs to ceilings are short, and it can bring the far edges of the room hinders them down, creating intimacy, if conversation, causes distraction the ceilings are tall.” and creates a less-than-pleasant Don’t forget to tackle the atmosphere. trim. Make that woodwork and “A great floor plan can help a molding pop with a contrasting space perform better,” Lesinski color. Bright white makes a bold said.

“With all the furniture up statement against darker-hued against the wall, the traffic cuts walls and ceilings, whereas rich

right through the center of the room. That unsettles the room emotionally, but rearrange that furniture to keep kids and dogs traveling along the outside and you get instant cozy appeal.”

Arrange seating areas so all the furniture pieces are directed toward one another, with a maximum of seven feet between furniture and focal points - and play up those focal points.

Whether it’s a bay window, a fireplace or a great piece of artwork, let the furniture direct the eye to the room’s most striking feature rather than focus all the attention on the television.

“Your objective in your redesign is to entertain the eye,” Lesinski said. “Once these spaces are rearranged, people can’t believe the difference in the way the room feels.”

Edit your accessories New picture frames, colorful throw pillows and lamps go a long way when adding personality to a room, but don’t go overboard. A few well-chosen accent pieces make a bigger statement than an overcrowded hodgepodge of accessories.

“Edit, edit, edit,” Drohan said.

“Take all existing accessories out of the space, and only bring back a few items or add some new ones. Add colorful new lamps or lampshades, and bring in new pillows that have a graphic pattern and a pop of color.”

Be sure to update the walls with new artwork, but skip the expensive art prints. Create a designer look for less by shopping at home. Collect maps from your favorite travel destinations; photocopy a few pages from your favorite book; or have your family photos reprinted in black and white. Keep the look cohesive by painting all the picture frames the same color, and look for other wall accents in the same hue.

“My favorite way of changing a boring room quickly and inexpensively is through the addition of a large wall mirror,” Evans said. “You’d be amazed at the depth and beauty that mirrors can add. They have the innate ability to intensify light, add dimension and attract attention like no other decoration.

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Community Advocate Fall Improvement Guide • Friday, October 7, 2011 • 11

Organize your basement now to make your life easier later

By Sharon Naylor How messy is your basement?

Fall and winter can be the perfect time to get your space in order.

According to a 2010 survey by the Soap and Detergent Association, 60 percent of Americans regularly engage in a thorough seasonal cleaning to remove clutter, clean their houses and eliminate asthma and allergy symptoms, which can be brought on by dust and mildew. The survey also reports that getting rid of excess clutter would eliminate 40 percent of the housework in an average home.

Diane Albright, an organizing and productivity expert and the creator of Work Piles Made Easy and Ten Minutes a Day to Organizing Success, provides the following important perks to cleaning your basement: - Saving you time and money.

“The average person wastes 55 minutes a day looking for things they know they have but can’t find,” Albright said. If you have to buy something new that is actually hidden in your basement clutter, you’re wasting money, time and space. An organized basement lets you remember what you have.

- Making your family more self-reliant. An organized system in your basement allows you and your family members to find things without your help.

- Preventing injury. “If your basement isn’t organized, you risk injury to yourself and to your items. Piles can topple, breaking items, or someone can trip over items on the floor.”

- Preventing invaders. “If your basement is a heap of items, you won’t know who has made a new home in the heap, such as mice, bugs and possibly a squirrel.”

- Preventing water damage.

“If your belongings are sitting on a floor that retains moisture

Get all your stuff organized and maximize your space.

(especially in the rainy season), the items in the box may be holding that moisture, as well,” Albright said.

In addition to those conditions, many people say it just feels better to have an organized basement in which everything is in its place.

Albright provides the following tips to help you guide your family in a fall/winter basement cleanup: - Gather your supplies. Albright says that the right tools make the job easier. Gather a variety of bins, and mark them for purging (“garbage,” “donate,” etc.) or sorting (“electronics,” “holiday” and other categories). Use a label maker with waterproof labels to help your team easily ID your bins.

- Begin by assigning children easy tasks. “Small children can go through toy boxes, selecting items that can be donated to charity,” Albright said. “They can also go through their off-season clothing, trying on items to see what fits and what doesn’t and

placing items they don’t like in the ‘donate’ bin.”

- Formulate your plan of attack.

Albright suggests starting at one side of the basement and working toward the other side, sorting everything into the bins. These are not their permanent homes.

They’re simply your first step of

organization. Once you have your items in boxes, you can better see what you’re keeping and think about the best organizing system for those items.

- Consider buying new shelving units that match, if it’s within your budget, or clean the shelving units you have before placing

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anything back on them.

- Consider new storage bins in colors so that you can assign a color code for your children’s items, one for holiday items and so on. Shop for the bins you need, using coupon codes at home supply stores. If your budget doesn’t allow for new storage items yet, reuse any plastic bins you already have. Cardboard boxes may have absorbed basement moisture and probably should be recycled.

- When you are finished filling the bins with items you want to keep, place them on shelving units in a manner that suits your family’s needs, for example, placing kids’ bins on the bottom shelves.

- When your task is done, admire your work and load your donation items into the car for easy delivery to your local charity of choice.

Albright says the key to organizing your basement is to break the task up into manageable portions, even if it’s just 10 minutes a day spent on each task.

“You may even find that after 10 minutes, you’ll keep plugging away because it’s not so bad after all,” she said.

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12 • Community Advocate Fall Improvement Guide • Friday, October 7, 2011

Picture perfect: Using photographs as art in your home

By Joseph Pubillones

PHOTO/SUBMITTED

Open the pages of any shelter magazine and you are likely to find stylish interiors with framed photographs on the walls. From small, colorful instant prints to black-and-white mural-sized images, photographs have found acceptance as art. Almost any image can be studied, taken out of its natural context and, under the right light, shot to produce an artful wall hanging. The themes are endless, from real and imagined landscapes to close-ups of plants and even photographic reproductions of your DNA. Photographs have become a popular art form, in part because of technological advances but also because of the economy. Nowadays, a simple inexpensive camera can be very precise. The incorporation of such cameras into mobile phones and multimedia devices empowers almost any Joe Schmo to carry a camera, don an artful beret and bandanna, and consider himself an artist or a roaming paparazzo.

Artistic photographs and photographs by famous photographers have gained strength in the

Using photographs as wall art is a growing trend.

art market because of the softened economy. A new wave of artists has focused its artistic endeavors on less time-consuming and highly innovative forms of expression. Generally, photographs are priced reasonably and are by all means alluring. The themes vary from new interpretations of the still life to Photoshopped

scenes of daily life and are full of social commentary.

Family photos can be fun to decorate with, as well. Rather than display photos all over your home, concentrate on a grouping of your family on one wall. Resist the urge to showcase that picture of your baby in the buff over the living room sofa. Family photos

are best displayed in a secondary area, such as a hallway, den or family room.

If you have mingled with celebrities and have autographed mementos or photos, those are best kept in a private room of your home, such as a library or den. They should not be displayed to show off. This would

be the equivalent of bragging, which no one appreciates. Only displaying photos of people who would display photos of you is a good rule to keep in mind.

Some additional tips: - A starting point in decorating with photographs is to concentrate the photos on a particular theme. Sailboats, flowers or beach scenes, for example, can make a cohesive display.

- Start with a larger central image, and add smaller secondary images around the perimeter.

- Sometimes certain powerful images are best viewed on their own without any other distracting images around them.

- Trust your intuition when grouping photos. This is part of your personal expression.

- To reinforce your grouping of photographs, consider painting the wall a color that contrasts with the rest of the room. Blackand-white photos show especially well on colored backgrounds.

- Use a unifying color for matting and frames for a random grouping.

- Don’t be afraid to mix vintage frames and photographs with newer ones. The mix can create a lot of visual interest.

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might want to consider renting a small storage unit to “hide” excess furniture, books, clothing or pots and pans.

Don’t overlook making minor repairs, such as repairing driveway cracks and potholes and patching cracks in the walls, staircases, etc. Making sure that your lawn looks tidy will help to give the impression that your home is well-cared-for. Even minor blemishes can make a house

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Community Advocate Fall Improvement Guide • Friday, October 7, 2011 • 13

Supplement your home’s main heating system

By Mark J. Donovan

Looking to sell? Make your home THE home to buy Continued from previous page

look in disrepair. Putting higherwattage lighting in your fixtures will make your rooms look larger, airier and “fresher.”

The real estate market is still in flux, according to Walter Molony, public affairs director at the National Association of Realtors. “We’re projecting existing-home sales to rise about 5 percent in 2011, with additional gains in 2012, but are expecting little movement in home prices because we’re still working off excess supply,” Molony said.

“Conditions are expected to become more balanced next year as loan resets decline, but the timing of the recovery will vary greatly by market area - tied much to growth in jobs.”

Molony also offers the following suggestions before you sell your home: - Get estimates from a reliable repairman on items that need to be replaced soon, e.g., a roof or worn carpeting; buyers will have a better sense of how much these needed repairs will affect their costs.

- Have a termite inspection to prove to buyers that the property is not infested.

- Get a pre-sale home inspection so you’ll be able to make repairs and eliminate prospective buyers’ concerns.

- Gather together warranties and guarantees on the furnace, appliances and other items that will remain with the house.

- Fill out a disclosure form provided by your Realtor. Take the time to be sure that you don’t forget problems, however minor, that might create liability for you after the sale.

Retailers know to offer exciting incentives to draw potential customers. If you are ready to list your home, consider offering incentives - such as paying points or closing costs, homeowners fees, or pool or lawn maintenance for a season. A home warranty on appliances is another good inducement.

It is recommended that you list your home with a reputable real estate agent rather than trying to do it yourself. Agents share listings, and people new to an area go to them for their expertise.

Also, a conscientious real estate agent can offer you guidance in preparing your home for sale.

Know your local market, and price your home competitively.

Make your improvements and include incentives before listing; the longer you are on the market the less attractive your home becomes to prospective purchasers and the lower you will have to go in your asking price.

Finally, Molony lists things to watch for in a purchase contract: - The closing date.

- Date of possession.

- Look for the largest earnest money deposit possible, because it is forfeited if the buyer backs out.

- What items the buyer expects to remain with the property.

- Requested repairs and their cost.

- What the buyer wants to be met before the contract is final - e.g., inspections, selling a home, obtaining a mortgage or an attorney’s review of the contract.

- How long you have to make a decision on the offer.

PHOTO/SUBMITTED

Free-standing gas fireplaces add warmth to your home and are highly energy-efficient. In particular, a direct-vent gas stove is ideal for providing supplemental heat to a portion of your home.

Free-standing gas fireplaces come in many sizes and can produce various levels of heat. Standalone gas fireplaces have come a long way in terms of their aesthetics.

Many that are sold today have a beautiful enamel finish and a front window so that you can enjoy the warmth and charm of the gas flame. Others have terra-cotta or brushed metal finishes.

Free-standing gas fireplaces are ideal for any type of home

because of the fact that they are extremely safe and efficient and look beautiful anywhere. You can find them in the everyday suburbia home, mansions, cottages and even in city lofts.

A standalone gas fireplace can be direct-vent or ventless; however, ventless types are not always allowed in homes or certain rooms within a home.

Free-standing gas fireplaces produce radiant heat that provides a comfortable temperature in a room or rooms.

There are also free-standing fireplaces that use alternative fuel sources other than propane, including natural gas, wood and wood pellets. A gas fireplace, however, requires the least A free-standing gas fireplace adds beauty to any home.

amount of maintenance and effort to use. Simply push a button and it is operational. That said, liquid propane and natural gas are typically more expensive than home heating oil and wood. So though you might be able to heat an entire home with a large freestanding gas stove, it might not

be the most cost-effective home heating solution compared with an oil-based furnace.

When you are in the market for a free-standing gas fireplace, there are many options and features to consider. Most importantly, make sure you buy one that is appropriately sized for the room

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Carefully look at the ignition options. Some free-standing gas fireplaces use a constantly burning pilot light, whereas others have an electric spark ignition system to reduce gas use. Some also offer piezoelectric ignition systems for situations in which there are no electrical outlets nearby. The nice thing about piezoelectric ignition systems is that your free-standing gas fireplace still could be used in the event your home loses electricity.

Free-standing gas fireplaces vary in price, but expect to pay between $1,000 and $2,500, depending on its heating capacity and the various options that you select. You’ll need to have a trained service technician install it, because it involves the use of gas. A direct-vent gas stove also requires the installation of a properly sized external vent system.

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14 • Community Advocate Fall Improvement Guide • Friday, October 7, 2011

Clearing up water-quality issues The Advanced Water Quality Systems’ team (l to r) sales manager Ron Teixeira, owner Bill Delaney and service manager (and Bill’s son) Ryan Delaney.

PHOTO/SUBMITTED

Many new buyers can be fooled by the ‘potable’ label when it comes to the water in their new dream home. Unless interpreted by someone familiar with reviewing such results, even a lab test can indicate the water is potable but at the same time have issues that will not make a homeowner very happy.

Here’s what you need to do to ensure the best understanding of the water you will have in your new home: Perform two complete water tests - one sample should be of water just as it comes out of the well (typically a draw off at the base of the well tank).

The other sample should be taken after any water-treatment equipment, if present, is used (typically sampled at the kitchen sink).

Run the water through the home for at least 15 minutes before testing to be sure the sample isn’t of stagnant water.

Be sure to send these samples to a certified state lab.

Have a water treatment professional review the results.

If there is water-treatment

When buying a home, especially one that is fed from a private well, it is important to understand the condition of the water and what, if any, treatment methods are in place or may be necessary. The minimum standard is potability. Potable water is water that meets the Environmental Protection Agency’s Safe Drinking Water Standards. It’s important to understand what that really means.

‘Safe’ water means simply that it will not hurt or harm you if you drink it. Safe water does not contain coliform bacteria and meets EPA guidelines for arsenic, radon or other equally toxic substances. But that’s not the whole story.

Water that is safe to drink may not taste very good, may not smell very good and may cause staining in sinks and toilets. These conditions can be caused by substances that are considered ‘safe’ but can still make the water unpleasant.

‘Safe’ water can be water that you would not want to shower in, use to brush your teeth or give to your children.

equipment already installed and the home has been vacant for any period of time (often the case with foreclosures), the equipment is likely overrun with bacteria or the media sufficiently fouled that the buyer may need to consider replacing it with a new system.

When buying a home, always look to local experts to assist

is drinking the best possible water. Contact a water professional who can assist you in the buying process.

in the process. A real estate agent is often involved because of their experience in and knowledge of the area relative to pricing. Home inspectors are also used to give an expert evaluation of the structure and indicate any potential issues.

Water is a precious commodity. Protect your investment and ensure that your family

This information was provided by Bill Delaney, president of Advanced Water Quality Systems. He is a certified water-treatment specialist through the Water Quality Association. To contact him, call 800-879-7873 or visit www.awqsys.com.

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Community Advocate Fall Improvement Guide • Friday, October 7, 2011 • 15

How to remove ice dams on roofs

By Mark J. Donovan

PHOTO/SUBMITTED

Ice dams on roofs damage thousands of homes every winter. They are caused when warm air in the attic melts the underside of the snow on the roof. Th at’s usually because of inadequate insulation and airflow in the attic. The water from the melted snow then sheds toward the eaves. The temperature at the eaves is much lower, however, and as a result, the water refreezes at the roof ’s edges. As the water refreezes, ice dams begin to form on the roof. The ice dams can become very thick, from several inches to even a foot. Once ice dams form, additional water from melting snow on the roof can begin to back up underneath the lower shingles. Eventually, the water finds its way into the home, onto ceiling edges and inside surfaces of exterior walls. Dark spots form on the ceilings, and wall paint begins to bulge with trapped water. In addition, puddles begin forming on the floor.

The best way to prevent ice dams on a roof starts back during the construction of the home. A roofing underlayment, such as Grace’s Ice & Water Shield, should be installed along the roof edges and valleys before the installation of the shingles.

In addition, the homebuilder can increase the heel height of the roof rafters or truss over the exterior walls.

By increasing the heel height, more space is available in the attic near the eaves for supporting additional insulation without restricting airflow from the soffit vents.

Also, the builder can extend the roof rafter or truss tails farther out from the exterior

If left unchecked, ice dams can lead to damage to your walls, ceilings, windowsills and carpet.

walls of the home so that any water that may get under the shingles will simply drip out the bottom soffit areas and not get into the home.

Moreover, the homebuilder can make sure there is sufficient attic insulation and ventilation so that the attic temperature stays nearly as cold as the outside air. The colder the attic the less likely snow will melt and form ice dams on the roof.

Although these construction recommendations for preventing ice dams on roofs are great Monday morning quarterback suggestions, they offer little help for those who currently are dealing with roof ice dams. If ice dams already exist on your roof, you have limited options, and climbing up on your roof and hammering them off is not one of them. If you were to

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chip the ice dams, you might punch a hole through the shingles, cause them to tear and remove some of the aggregate from the shingles.

Your best solution for removing ice dams is to fill long tubular socks or nylon stockings with 3 to 4 pounds of a non-staining and noncorrosive ice melt product.

Place them over the ice dams and up the roofline, effectively running the stockings perpendicular to the ice dams.

The socks hold in the ice melt so that it doesn’t run off too quickly from the roof. As the socks become soaked, the meltwater becomes saturated with the ice melt. As the ice melt-saturated water drains from the roof, it melts channels into the ice dams, allowing the water to drain more easily from the roof. Place a

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stocking every few feet along the roofline to create a number of drainage channels in the ice dams. If you have gutters, position the socks so that they

extend over them.

Before applying the ice/ snow melt socks onto the ice dams, you may want to remove some of the snow near the roof ’s edge so that you can place the socks in direct contact with the ice dams. Use a snow rake or a snow shovel to do this.

Note that working on ladders that are in direct contact with ice dams and non-stable surfaces is extremely dangerous. Make sure that the ladder is well-anchored to the ground and that it is leaning at an angle that is sufficient enough to prevent it from kicking out on you or laterally sliding. You may want to call in a second pair of hands to help keep the ladder stable while you work on it.

As an alternative to the ice melt-filled sock approach and to avoid climbing ladders - you may want to look for roof melt tablets, which can be tossed from the ground onto the roof. They work similarly to the ice melt sock approach for removing ice dams on roofs by melting drainage channels into the ice dams.

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16 • Community Advocate Fall Improvement Guide • Friday, October 7, 2011

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