OUTSIDE IN A product of the Newton Daily News
Fall 2014
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Outside In | Fall 2014
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Outside In | Fall 2014
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Index 4 5 Stay safe this November while
Discover the hot fall trend ‘upcycling’ from The Farmer’s Wife cleaning your home gutters
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Start preparing for cold weather by winterizing your home
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Learn how to stay within your home improvement budget
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Personal wind, solar use continues to rise in Jasper County
Did you know... The thinnest house in New York City, a city known for high real estate costs and compact dwellings, is located in the West Village neighborhood of Manhattan. Now known as the Millay House, a name honoring its one-time resident, poet Edna St. Vincent Mil-
lay, the house was built in 1873 and is a mere 9.5 feet wide. It is sandwiched into a space that once served as a carriage alley. The entrance is in the rear of the home and features an entry hatch and a foldable, remote controloperated ladder.
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4 Outside In | Fall 2014
Learn about the hot fall trend ‘upcycling’ from The Farmer’s Wife By Ty Rushing Newton Daily News
Fall is here. As with the coming of any new season, you should consider redecorating your home to better accentuate the rustic and homey look that comes along with autumn. If you’re interested in changing the look of your residence, but don’t have the faintest clue as to what are the trendy and hot looks for fall, then look no further. Bonnie Terpstra, owner of the Farmer’s Wife in downtown Newton, has come to the rescue with easy decorating tips and a storefront that not only has the products you need, but customization services as well. “Burlap is really popular in decorating and using old, rusty (items) is really trending,” Terpstra said. The trend Terpstra was referring to is called “upcycling,” which means to repurpose something old into something new, unique and that stands out. At the Farmer’s Wife, Terpstra and her staff have more than embraced the trend and you can see various upcycled products throughout the store. They have done everything from turning old wooden ladders into chandelier holders to making antiquated window panes into works of art. “I do a lot of windows and doors. I upcycle lots of things, it’s actually become pretty popular for many
people. I’ve done a lot of custom jobs, (from) older furniture that people want painted to look distressed and I’ve done a lot of that … it’s been keeping me busy right now,” Terpstra said. For upcycling jobs, Terpstra gives customers a few options. They can find their own piece for her crew to repurpose, she can help them pick something out from her abundance of rustic looking materials or they purchase an item that has
already been upcycled and is presently in the store. Upcycling isn’t just about the look but it is truly about repurposing a product. Terpstra recently turned an old door into a headboard for some customers, and an old headboard and footboard combination into a chic and unique wooden bench. Terpstra also said that the upcycling trend is for both outdoors and indoor fall decorating.
“Even on HGTV those shows are using curbside finds into (making) a wall display. (Things) like an old fence or really anything. It just seems to be really popular right now,” Terpstra said. The Farmer’s Wife has been a mainstay on the on the northwest corner of the square for a dozen years now, and Terpstra’s ability to provide customers the latest in seasonal decorations and knick-knacks has
played a role in that, as well as the plethora of services — including some free consulting work — they offer. For more advice on fall trends or to learn more about upcycling, you should seriously consider a visit to the Farmer’s Wife, 124 N. Second Ave. W. in Newton or call directly at (641) 7881206. Contact Ty Rushing at 641-792-3121 ext. 6532 or trushing@newtondailynews.com
Ty Rushing/Daily News The Farmer’s Wife, located on the north side of the Newton square, offers a wide array of goods and is the one stop shop for all fall decorating needs.
Outside In | Fall 2014
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Stay safe this November while cleaning gutters Newton Daily News This fall, when trees start to shed their leaves and winds pick up in advance of winter, gutters can easily become clogged with all sorts of debris. When clogged gutters are not cleaned out, a host of potentially costly issues can result, making gutter cleaning an essential autumn chore no homeowner should ignore. Fully functioning gutters direct water away from the structure of a home and into nearby drainage systems. When clogged, gutters cannot direct that water away, and the result is often costly water damage to the home’s foundation. Water that is not directed away may find its way into the basement of a home, causing issues with flooding and mold. But
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clogged gutters also prevent water from leaving a roof, possibly leading to costly roof repairs and damage to the roof that can put a home’s inhabitants in danger. When snowfall accumulates on a roof, melting snow needs to make its way off the roof via the gutters. If those gutters are clogged with debris leftover from the fall, roof damage, including leaks, is more likely to occur. Clogged gutters also make a welcome respite for unwelcome pests, including rodents and insects. In the warmer months, clogged gutters may make an inviting home to mosquitoes and other pesky insects, while rodents may seek the warmth of clogged gutters when temperatures dip to near or below freezing. Cleaning gutters is not that complicated, and many home-
owners can clear their gutters of debris in a typical weekend afternoon. But the ease of cleaning gutters should not overshadow the safety risks homeowners take when climbing a ladder to clear out their gutters. The following are a few safety tips for homeowners to keep in mind when cleaning their gutters.
Wear appropriate clothing
Loose-fitting clothing should not be worn when cleaning gutters. Such attire is a tripping hazard and can easily compromise your balance by catching on the gutter or ladder as you reach to remove debris. Wear clothing that does not hang off of you and choose pants
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Gutters
Continued from Page 5 that do not fall below your sneakers. Pants that might be a little long in the leg can catch under your feet as you climb the ladder, momentarily costing you your balance and possibly leading to a fall. When choosing footwear, avoid old sneakers or work boots without much traction, opting instead for footwear that easily grips each rung of the ladder.
Don’t forget safety gear
Many people forget to wear safety gear when cleaning their gutters. Such forgetfulness increases your risk of injury. When cleaning gutters, always remember to wear
work gloves, which can protect your hands as you dig into gutters. Should you reach into a gutter without gloves on and grab something sharp, not only will you be cut but also you may be so startled that you lose your balance and fall off the ladder. In addition to work gloves, wear a dust mask and safety goggles when cleaning gutters to prevent debris from getting into your mouth and eyes.
Dump debris below into a large garbage can
When cleaning the gutter, do not carry a bucket with you to the top of the ladder. Carrying something as you climb up a ladder only increases your risk of injury. In addition, a bucket full of
debris placed at the top of a ladder may tip over and compromise your balance. When dumping the debris you dig out with your trowel, dump it into a large garbage bin below. If you miss the bin every now and again, you can always sweep up after the job is completed.
Use a trowel
Digging into the gutter with your hands, even if those hands are covered by gloves, is an unnecessary risk that can leave you susceptible to injury. When cleaning the gutters, dig out the debris with a trowel.
Work with a partner
Cleaning gutters alone is a recipe for potentially devastating injury. Even if you are not afraid of heights, scaling
Outside In | Fall 2014
a ladder is not something to take lightly. Ladders can be shaky, especially on brisk autumn afternoons when the wind kicks up. Working with a partner when cleaning gutters ensures someone is below you to hold the ladder steady in case of a stiff wind or if your jostling unintentionally shakes the ladder. Working with a partner also means someone is there to seek help should you fall off the ladder or suffer another type of injury that requires medical attention. Few homeowners look forward to cleaning their gutters. But such a task is necessary to prevent water and roof damage to your home. When cleaning the gutters, remember to place safety at the top of your priority list.
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Outside In | Fall 2014
Start preparing for cold weather by winterizing your home
By Jamee A. Pierson Newton Daily News With fall upon us and winter on the way, now is the time to be winterizing your home. Making a few improvements and additions to your house can save you time and money in the long run. Windows that are not sealed properly can be the source of many small air leaks from outside. “Door and window insulator kits work really well,” said Doug Balmer, manager at Farver’s True Value in Newton. Balmer said there are many benefits to the insulator as well. “Saving all of the energy, really, you have to the cold air coming in, it’s the energy you save is the big
part of it,” Balmer said. He said that adding caulking around the windows and doors will help secure them and keep the cold out as well as he warm air in. Another area to look at are the pipes in the house. “If you have pipes or some place where pipes are vulnerable ... wrapping them to keep the pipes from freezing,” Balmer said. Pipe insulators are available that wrap round the pipe and are self sealing. “Even for a house for the year round, the water heater pipes, (it helps) keep them hot, so you don’t lose that energy back into the house,” Balmer said. A problem that can start outside but lead to issues inside is ice col-
lecting on the roof and in the gutters. “The bad is that (the roof ) ices up and gets water and the water gets under the shingles and into the attic,” Balmer said. Cables are available to put in the gutter and on the roof to prevent ice from collecting. A simple but easy problem to miss is air coming in the under doors that lead to the outside. Having a good threshold sweep will prevent cold air from coming in under the door as well as keep the warm air from leaking out. What might be the most important check to make is on your furnace. Without proper maintenance, a furnace can malfunction and even stop working. The price of replac-
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ing a furnace could cost as much as $3,000 or more. “A clean furnace that has been serviced will have better efficiencies throughout the year,” said Gerald Nook, owner of Nook Heating and Cooling. If the furnace has no upkeep it could reduce efficiency by up to 40 percent Nook said. It can also cause no heat due to intermittent running because of clogged drains or the furnace will not start if the flame censor becomes too dirty. Also, changing the filter regularly helps keep the furnace clean and running properly. Contact Jamee A. Pierson at 641-792-3121 ext. 6534 or jpierson@newtondailynews.com.
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Outside In | Fall 2014
How to stay within your home improvement budget Newton Daily News Home improvement projects range from small scale undertakings that can be tackled in a single weekend to large remodels that can take several months to complete. While no two projects are the same, every home improvement project demands that homeowners dip into their pockets and spend some money. Much like the scale of projects varies greatly, so, too, do the financial commitments required of homeowners to make those projects a reality. But no matter the size of the project, homeowners can find ways to stretch their budgets without sacrificing the quality of their improvements. Do your homework —Before you decide to make changes to your home, it’s best to first do some research into any potential projects you’re considering. Many homeowners have decided to dive into a project before they fully
realize its scope and cost, and going in blind can bust a budget, turning what might have seemed like a relatively simple project into a money pit. Understanding just what a project entails and how much it’s likely to cost can give homeowners an idea of what they can afford and where they might be able to stretch their budgets. For example, if you want to replace your kitchen countertops but can’t afford engineered quartz countertops, you might be able to find a less expensive alternative, such as tile, that you like just as much. If you can’t find a less expensive alternative, you might want to postpone the project until you can grow your budget. Build unforeseen expenses into your budget — Another way to stay within your budget is to include budget-busting unforeseen expenses into the budget from the get-go. Whether you’re doing the project yourself or paying a contractor, nearly every home
improvement project will present some unforeseen, and costly, hurdles. For example, you might find mold inside the walls when you’re converting a basement, and it can cost a pretty penny to make that mold go away. If you go into the project expecting such hurdles, then the financial sting of addressing them won’t prove too great a burden. Build some contingency money, including permit and permit fees, into your home improvement project to safeguard against such unforeseen issues. Get to work — If you’re hiring a contractor, speak to him or her before signing a contract to see if there is anywhere you can pitch in to keep the labor costs low. You might be able to pitch in during the demolition phase, saving the cost of paying your contractor’s workers to tear down walls or remove debris you can just as easily remove yourself. Any role you play with regard to labor will likely need to be negotiated
upfront, but you can save yourself a substantial amount of money on labor if you’re willing to get your hands dirty. Determine if piecemeal is the most affordable option — Sometimes it makes sense to tackle one project at a time, while other times you might want to combine projects to save on the cost of materials. For instance, if your ultimate goal is to install wood flooring throughout your home, determine if it makes more financial sense to install the flooring all at once rather than doing one or two rooms at a time. You might save by buying all of your materials at once rather than buying a small amount of materials several times over the next several years. Home improvement projects often go a long way toward making a home more enjoyable for its owners and inhabitants. And while such projects can be costly, homeowners who stay disciplined can still get their dream homes without busting their budgets.
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Outside In | Fall 2014
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Mike Mendenhall/Daily News Steve Guyer of GWA International installs electrical wiring on the array’s undercarriage July 25.
Mike Mendenhall/Daily News The 100-foot tall, three-blade wind turbine on the farm of Mark and Jean Jennings of Prairie City spins on a blustery Oct. 4. The Jennings are part of a growing number of Iowans who take advantage of alternative energy tax credits to install wind and/or solar power in their homes.
By Mike Mendenhall Newton Daily News PRAIRIE CITY — On Oct. 4, sustained winds of 25 mph put the 31,000 kilowatt-hour per year wind turbine on Mark and Jean Jennings’ Prairie City farm into overdrive. On a day with comparable wind speeds, the wind-powered generator will produce more than enough energy to power the Jennings’ multi-building, fifthgeneration family farm operation. Since installing the turbine in 2009, their energy bill has been vir-
tually eliminated — only paying a $9.60 per month fee from Mid-American Energy to utilize the energy grid infrastructure. Residential wind and solar power use is growing in Iowa. To install a turbine that would power their operation, there was a larger investment than some residential wind systems. The Jennings spent $72,000 to purchase and install the turbine and tower. But they took advantage of the tax credits available in 2009, getting a 25 percent federal alternative energy tax credit and a rural development grant
Personal wind, solar use continues to rise in Jasper County from the United States Department of Agriculture. For solar panel systems, the state of Iowa has a tax credit that will pay 60 percent of the federal tax credit or 18 percent of the total cost of the system, capped at $5,000 for residential and $20,000 for business/commercial. The Jennings said the payback period will take 10 to 12 years. There is a maintenance aspect for wind that is not present for most solar systems. The Jennings employ a young rock climbing enthusiast to scale the
100-foot tower to apply oil, grease and do yearly maintenance on the turbine and the 15-foot blades. “One day, the wind was blowing like it is today, and he was up there just loving it,” Mark Jennings said. And the biggest advantage of having the renewable energy source on his property, he said, is a thinner monthly envelope from Mid-American. “Oh, not paying the electric bill is the best,” he said. “And knowing that you’ve got your own power.”
“Your footprint is a little smaller,” Jean Jennings added. Wind is not the only form of renewable energy that is taking off locally. Solar power is arguable more practical for homeowners in affordability and maintenance. Alliant Energy spokesperson Jason Foss said that as of June, 550 customers on the Alliant grid were generating solar power. An additional 121 Iowans were generating wind energy at home. Together, Alliant’s Iowa customers have the capacity to pro-
duce 26,000 kilowatts at any given moment. There are limitations in current battery technology which makes it expensive for residential producers to store power garnered from solar and wind. Foss said this makes going off the grid a challenge. In fact, Alliant claims a misconception held by consumers when installing renewable generation is that they will no longer have a need for the utility company. Most home-grown solar and wind systems will utilize ENERGY | 10
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Continued from Page 9 the infrastructure of Alliant, Mid-American and Black Hills Energy to give their electricity a place to go. Steve Guyer is president of the Des Moines-based solar panel company GWA International. His company has installed 10 residential systems in Jasper County, including the recently installed system powering the parsonage at the Bethany United Christian Church in Baxter. GWA is more confident than the Alliant representatives about customers ability to go off the grid. Guyer said GWA offers both central inverter and micro inverter-type systems. Although higher in price, the technician always recommends the micro system due to higher electrical output and longer warranty. He said it’s about the best longterm interests of the consumer. Pat Milligan, of Baxter, installed roofmounted solar panels on his garage three years ago to power his two-story home and two out buildings. He said his elec-
Outside In | Fall 2014
tric bill has seen a substantial drop from roughly $17,000 per year before solar to $250 in 2013. His system produces an average of 50 kwh per day and 10,000 kwh per year. It’s guaranteed for 20 years, and like the Jennings’ wind power overproduction in Prairie City, Alliant energy will credit solar producing customers up to 80 percent of what they put back into the grid. Milligan also installed solar panels on his vacation home in Arizona. With more direct sunlight and much less shade from trees, Milligan’s house in Arizona had an energy bill in 2013 of 12 cents. “I think not enough people are really into it,” Milligan said. “I think that you’re going to see a day come when contractors are going to say, ‘do you want solar on your house.’ They’re doing that right now with geothermal. There is a lot of geothermal going on with new construction. It makes a lot of sense. “(Solar) is virtually maintenance free. Just watch them produce,” he said. Contact Mike Mendenhall at mmendenhall@newtondailynews.com
Outside In | Fall 2014
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Outside In | Fall 2014
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