Home improvement guide

1 Fall Home Improvement • 2016 2015 •• 11 Fall Home Improvement

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2016 Home Improvement Guide

Headlight Herald

Citizen North Coast

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Proper water drainage can save your home

By Doris A. Black

O

ld leaky gutters can be more than just an eyesore. Each year water causes thousands of dollars worth of damage to homes. Standing water can cause a leaky roof, leading to wall and ceiling damage as the wood around the eaves and ends of rafters rot. Also, standing water can be a health hazard to your family. Mosquitoes breed throughout the summer in stagnant water. As paint peels, insects can invade, bringing a whole new series of problems. Foundations and landscaping can also be seriously damaged and costly to repair. Driveways and sidewalks can sink and crack due to poor water drainage, while excess water can wash away newly planted grass or landscape materials.

Don’t make the mistake of waiting until a water problem is evident to check your drainage system. Most water damage can be prevented by regular gutter and downspout maintenance. The only way to accurately check for blockage is to look inside. Let’s face it. It’s a dirty job. You can do it yourself or hire someone to do it, but either way, it needs to be done routinely.

Check your gutters and downspouts for debris throughout the year not just in the fall when we typically think of leaves falling. Trees shed debris yearround. Broken twigs or shingles from winter storms can be lodged in gutters

throughout the winter. Seedlings, pine needles and errant balls can find their way into gutters in summer months. In the fall, don’t wait until all the leaves have fallen to clean out your gutters.

A blockage could already be present while you wait for that last leaf to fall.

Preventative maintenance is a far better solution.

To clean your gutters, you will need a ladder. If you don’t feel secure using a ladder, you might want to hire someone to do the job. You will also need a hose and yard gloves. Starting at one end of the gutter, remove all the debris. If you discover the gutter is loose, fix it as you go along.

Leaks can be easily fixed with one of the many sealing products available today.

However, it may be necessary to solder a particularly stubborn leak. At the end of the gutter, use the hose to spray water down the spout, making sure it is clear. You may need to clear debris from the end of the spout before you get a clear flow of water.

During the life of a house, the gutters may need to be replaced or repaired.

Old gutters can rust and leak. Over time they may pull away from the house.

When installing new gutters or repairing old ones, it is recommended to allow one square inch of outlet space for every 100 square feet of roof area.

Many houses do not meet this minimum requirement.

Gutters should slope toward the downspout at 1/4” drop every 10 feet. If you have a very highpitched roof, allow for slightly more slope.

There are many different styles of gutters and downspout products on the market today.

For example, there are seamless gutters, gutters with different cover devices and gutters that tilt for cleaning. The options are endless and can be expensive. However, poor drainage around your home can be even more costly in the long run. Water that settles near your foundation will eventually crack the block and seep into your basement.

If a damp basement is your problem, a good place to start is to make sure the

ground around your foundation slopes away from the house not toward it. For low spots, add enough dirt or rock to create a slope that will carry water away even after the dirt is compacted. You may have to wait until after a couple of good hard rainstorms before determining if you have indeed added enough dirt and if this solution alone is enough to fix your moisture problem. You may also want to lay plastic beneath the top layer of soil to help direct the water flow. Many landscapers now incorporate this into their design. It also helps prevent weeds.

When determining what type of drainage system will work best for you, research the subject thoroughly. Go to a home improvement store and ask questions. If you are handy and plan on installing or repairing the gutters yourself, be sure to fully investigate the installation process of the system you are intending to purchase. What appears simple could be frustrating in reality. Search the Internet to discover what products are sold in other areas of the country. You might find something that would be perfect for your situation.

A new gutter system can be a substantial investment, so do your homework.

Fixing poor drainage around your home is a win/win situation for the homeowner. Not only will it make your home more aesthetically pleasing, but it will also extend the life of your home.

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s the days get shorter and the nights get longer, you’ll probably be spending less time outdoors, which means less time in the garden. While there won’t be the joy of watching things grow from seed to flower to fruit, there is plenty of work to do.

Some people even argue that fall preparation is the most important thing you can do for a happy, productive garden in the spring.

While the work is not as glamorous, these simple steps can help ensure produce next year.

Clear away all of the garden debris. Removing debris gets rid of places where pests might try to overwinter. It will also keep

Fall Home Improvement 2016

Put the garden to bed

diseased materials out of your garden and compost.

Fall is an excellent time to incorporate compost or other organic matter into your soil. It will have time to decompose in place, providing a boost directly to your soils. If you want to keep fertilizing through the year, switch to a winter fertilizer, which is high in potassium and low in nitrogen. This will promote root growth instead of above-ground development pushed by nitrogen.

While you’ll want to wait for heavy pruning of your trees and shrubs until they have gone fully dormant, you can clear out dead and diseased material in the fall, preventing it from spread-

ing. Dip you shears in a diluted bleach solution in order to prevent the disease from spreading and prune

back at least six inches from any diseased area.

Mark your perennials and bulbs. If you’ve got a large

garden, it can be difficult to remember exactly where your plants will be coming up. This has led some gardeners to dig up perfectly good bulbs that they actually enjoy in pursuit of the next year’s plans. Gardening is often an act in patience, and you don’t want to undermine your own work.

In addition to taking care of your plants and your beds, you’ll want to take care of your garden tools.

Remove caked mud from the blades of your tools with a little steel wool, and then prepare a mixture of lubricating oil and sand. You can keep your blades and other metal garden tools in good shape by plunging them into this mixture. It

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will keep your tools clean, sharp and devoid of rust as long as you keep the mix in a cool, dry place for the winter. If you’ve still got tools with wooden handles, you can use linseed oil to keep them from drying out in the winter.

There are countless things to be done in the garden year-round. Don’t let a little autumn wind keep you from the kind of fall garden improvement that will pay big dividends in the spring. Whether you are gardening for beauty and color or hardy vegetables, a few garden chores now will pay off later with healthier, happier plants and a more robust garden.

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Think big for your home all is the time F when kids go back to school and

people begin to look forward to the holidays. With the onset of winter weather, you’ll be spending a lot more time indoors. Everyone has their usual list of fall home maintenance needs—cleaning the gutters, clearing the patio, adding insulation where needed— but this year, you might think big and consider expanding the space where you’ll be spending all of those winter days and nights. Here are some ideas.

Installing skylights is a great addition for the winter. They bring in natural light, reducing the need for electricity. They also bring in heat, reducing heating costs.

More light can also make a house appear larger, giving a facelift to your existing home at minimal cost. If you are having major roof repairs done

or a whole new roof installed, this is the perfect time to install those skylights. Because they are already there, many roofing companies will cut their installation price in half to install skylights.

Finish the base-

ment. Most homes have unfinished basements which are often used for laundry and a place to collect stuff that doesn’t belong anywhere else in the house. Really, the basement is a blank slate in most homes.

You could create a

game room with a pool table, a music room to bring your band together or a playroom to send the kids to when it gets cold and wet outside.

One benefit to refinishing a basement is that you can do a lot of the work yourself if you have the tools and the technical knowhow. Refinishing a basement adds value and can help update an older home, giving it a modern feel.

In older homes, the kitchen was often overlooked and treated as a purely functional space. In modern American homes, however, the kitchen is often the centerpiece of the home, and remodeling your old, stodgy kitchen into a warm, welcoming space can provide you with loads of benefits.

People spend more time in their kitchens in the cold winter months, and a remod-

el can make it a place you want to be. Winter is the perfect time for a remodel if you have kids because they will be back in school and not underfoot.

Additions can be expensive and keeping the budget in

mind is essential as you prepare. If you are planning on staying in the home for a while, you can think of these as investments in your quality of life.

If you are planning on selling your home soon, you can think of

these as ways to make your home stand out from the crowd. While it may be too late this year to get on a contractor’s schedule, it’s never too late to start putting your planning into high gear.

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Fall Home Improvement 2016

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Fall home care checklist M

aybe it’s going back to school, maybe it’s the shorter days or maybe it’s the blinding lights signaling the holiday season ahead, but fall home improvement projects often get tossed aside or neglected in favor of more exciting, interesting or pressing activities. This short checklist will help guide you to the most important elements to monitor and maintain in your home, keeping you and your family safe and maximizing the life of your home.

When the time changes, it’s time to check the batteries in your smoke detectors. Making sure they are still operational is quick and easy and will bring peace of mind for another six months. Similarly, every year,

you should check your fire extinguishers to ensure that they have the proper pressure. Look for dents and dings, and make sure the pin is in the correct position. Fall is a great time to do this, as you’ll be spending more time indoors. If the pressure has fallen too low, find a professional to recharge them for you.

Most people don’t use their chimney in the summer, and soot can build up over the course of a year.

Other debris like birds’ nests or even leaves can create unsafe blockages. Have your chimney inspected by a professional if you plan to use it through the winter.

Small animals will be

your checklist. Clean them off and inspect the heating and electrical elements for safety, particularly if they have been out of sight in storage for the warmer months.

Finally, check the caulking around your home. Caulk is a cheap compound that anyone can apply, and it will reduce the amount of energy loss from your home and prevent water damage to flooring, walls and windows in the kitchen and bathroom.

This is a big list—and it’s certainly not comprehensive— but all of these things can be accomplished in one weekend day. Spending minimal time improving and protecting your home for the winter season will provide great returns.

looking for a warm place to sleep, and your home is a great option for them. Perform routine pest control in your area, watching out for places where animals might get into your home.

Most importantly, you’ll want to have your furnace and heating system checked by a professional. This can save you big money on your heating bill, and an inspection can ensure that there isn’t a dangerous buildup of carbon monoxide in your home. Furnace and air filters should be changed regularly to maximize safety and efficiency. If you are planning on using space heaters, humidifiers or de-humidifiers, they are a great addition to

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Many options when choosing flooring alk into any flooring store and you will be overwhelmed with the W choices of contemporary solid flooring

products. With so many options available, choosing the right materials, patterns and colors can be difficult. Learning the difference between vinyl, laminate and linoleum flooring will help you select the perfect flooring for your needs. Generally speaking, all three types of solid flooring can be found in a range of prices to fit almost any budget.

Vinyl flooring was typically used for kitchens, bathrooms, family rooms and entryways. But with modern manufacturing techniques, homeowners can now choose from a large array of patterns and colors, including vinyl flooring that mimics ceramic tile or slate, making it suitable for any room in the home.

There are two types of vinyl flooring.

Inlaid, the more expensive of the two, features color and pattern throughout all layers of material whereas rotogravure has color and pattern printed on the visible side only. Most vinyls are constructed with a top layer of urethane for durability and some have an additional layer for stain resistance. The wear layer is measured in mils

with the more expensive vinyl floors having a thicker wear layer for added strength, durability and stain resistance. Typically, inlaid vinyl has a high wear layer of 25 mils.

As a result, it is easy to clean and will last a long time. Because of the knobby texture of rotogravure vinyl, scuff marks and stains are more difficult to remove, and with a thinner wear layer of 15 mils, life expectancy of the floor is lower than that of inlaid vinyl.

Vinyl can be installed as sheets, typically in 6’ or 12’ widths or installed as tiles.

A knowledgeable homeowner can do the installation themselves but manufacturers recommend professional installation.

Most home centers carry a large selection of colors and patterns. If you’re looking for a surface that’s easy to clean, experts recommend sheet vinyl over tiles because spills are easily cleaned with just a swipe, whereas the seams of tiles collect dirt and grit, making them more difficult to maintain. Additionally, water or other liquids can seep between tiles, damaging the subfloor. For a seldom used area of the house, however, they may be perfect.

Because they have adhesive backs, 12” x 12” vinyl tiles are easy to install—no special training or previous flooring experi-

ence is necessary. If one tile gets damaged, it’s easy to replace, and since vinyl tiles are less expensive than sheet vinyl, they may be the most economical choice.

If you are looking for a wood plank floor but don’t want to break the bank, a laminate floor may be the right choice.

What is laminate? Simply put, it consists of many layers of materials pressure bonded together. Similar to laminate countertops in construction with added resins for strength, laminate flooring is available in dozens of patterns and colors, most replicating hardwoods.

As a floating floor, a laminate floor is not directly attached to the subfloor, but instead lays over it, which means it can be installed over almost any existing floor, including carpeting, vinyl, concrete or ceramic. Similar to hardwood floors, it is installed as individual boards with the newest tongue-and-groove styles making installation a cinch as many do-it-yourselfers are discovering. As with any floor, preparation and layout is an important step. Laminate flooring can be installed over any surface, but the subfloor needs to be clean, level and solid. You might want to consider a foam underlayment to help deaden sound.

For installation over concrete, experts recommend a plastic vapor barrier first be installed. Planks should be installed to run with the length of the room. For active families looking for a carefree floor, laminate is the best choice. It is tough enough to resist the scratching of pets, durable enough for little tykes to rollerskate on and does not attract dust. And with its realistic appearance and ease of installation, it’s no wonder it is a popular choice in flooring.

Linoleum is another reliable hard surface that homeowners have been using for years. It is manufactured from all-natural products, such as linseed oil, cork powder, rosin and pigments, and provides a suitable surface for high-traffic areas. Today’s manufacturing processes provide an endless variety of colors and patterns to choose from. Because of its high durability and ease of maintenance, it is often selected for industrial and commercial use, with some applications lasting 30 years or more. Made from natural materials, linoleum is completely biodegradable and emits no air pollutants. If indoor air quality is a concern, consider linoleum for longlasting beauty.

Kitchen cabinet basics B

rowse through the kitchen cabinet section of your local hardware store, and you’re sure to come across dozens of styles.

Before you start looking into the style choices available, you might want to know a little more about how kitchen cabinets are actually constructed.

Kitchen cabinets are generally constructed in two ways: framed and frameless. Framed cabinets have an actual front built onto the cabinet box, making them stronger and easier to install than frameless designs. They also feature a more traditional look, which may explain why they are a staple in American kitchens. Because of the front, however, they offer less storage space and cost more. Frameless cabinets have no front. The doors attach right onto the cabinet sides, allowing for ample storage space.

With minimal space between doors, frameless cabinets make for

a clean design. They are typical of European kitchens.

Kitchen cabinet doors come in three main types: inset, full overlay and 1/2 inch overlay. Inset doors

fit entirely within the cabinet front.

While they look nice, they are harder to install and require an even temperature to be maintained in the home to avoid contraction and expansion and ultimately sticking.

Full overlay doors completely cover the cabinet front, while 1/2 inch overlay doors cover the cabinet front partially. Because you can see some of the front, 1/2 inch overlay doors work well for vintage or

duotone designs.

These are the construction basics. If you are planning a kitchen cabinet purchase, knowing whether you want framed or frameless cabinets, along with the style of door, will help you narrow your choices considerably. The sales associate can then show what styles are available for those selections. You may still wind up with several choices, but with the construction basics out of the way, you can concentrate on the aesthetic appeal of the cabinets and make sure the style you choose reflects the kitchen design you hope to create, whether contemporary, French country or Italian.

When you are ready to shop for kitchen cabinets, learn everything you can about what is available and take the time necessary to choose the right ones. Kitchen cabinets can be costly, depending upon whether you choose stock or custom cabinets. Make sure you choose the right cabinets for your needs the first time around.

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Fall Home Improvement 2016

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Home Improvement Ideas That Pay Heat Pump Program Save money and energy every month by installing a heat pump system. A heat pump takes cold air and makes it warm – and takes warm air and makes it cold, when you want it and where you want it.

Does Your Home Need Insulation?

A large portion of your heat can be lost through your ceiling, walls and floors.

That means you’re paying for something you’re not keeping. Proper insulation will keep your home warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer.

Window Replacement Program By choosing ENERGY STAR® windows, you can reduce heating and cooling costs and make your home more comfortable at the same time.

Heat Pump Water Heaters Heat pump water heaters are revolutionizing the way we heat water, cutting water heating energy consumption by up to 50%.

To qualify for PUD rebate programs, Tillamook PUD must perform an energy audit of your home PRIOR to any work being done.

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