Home Improvement Guide 2013

Improvement Guide HOME 2013 A PUBLICATION

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OCT 10-OCT 16, 2013

OCT 10-OCT 16, 2013

Advice On Energy Efficiency (NAPSI)—For your own comfort now and your profit when the time comes to sell, it pays to get thoroughly acquainted with all the ins and outs of taking care of your new home.

What To Do These tips can help you maximize the safety and efficiency of the place as you make it your own: • Check filters. Inspect filters in the furnace, air conditioner and range hood and clean or replace as necessary. If the previous owners didn’t leave product manuals behind, search for them online to find the manufacturers’ maintenance recommendations.

• Change lightbulbs.

Consider swapping existing lightbulbs for more energy-efficient models or simply wait for the old ones to burn out and make the change as you go.

Longer-lasting LED lighting offers energy efficiencies.

• Check the water heater. Experts recommend setting the water heater at 120° F, which is comfortable for most uses and minimizes energy use.

To save even more energy, insulate the water heater with an insulating blanket, which can be found at most hardware stores.

• Upgrade the thermostat. Installing a programmable thermostat can save up to 10 percent a year on heating and cooling when you program it to fall back 7 to 10 degrees while you’re away at work.

Prices start around $20 for basic models that most homeowners can install themselves. With many, you can set the program so your house is already comfortable when you return home.

• Consider window film. Installing window film for sun control can help reduce energy use and protect furnishings from fading. For example, 3M Sun Control Window Films can reduce cooling costs by up to 25 percent by rejecting solar heat.

They also help block up to 99 percent of harmful UV rays to minimize fading and are available in varieties that do not change the appearance of the window. This can be a good solution for rooms that get lots of sun exposure or rooms with a patio door access. Window films can also reduce glare on TV or computer screens.

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More Power To Your Deck (NAPS)—Americans, it seems, have more leisure time than ever, and more of that time is spent on their decks: Almost 85 percent of U.S. homes have some type of deck.

Decked Out For Delight: Now, many families are finding they want to make their deck do more. For example, they’re adding an outdoor kitchen, a fire pit or a fireplace with seating. Some set up outdoor speakers or decorative lights and fountains.

The Problem: While cooking and eating on your deck are easy, other activities, such as reading at night, listening to music or enjoying that fountain, require a nearby power receptacle. Installing an outdoor electrical outlet usually means calling an electrician. And running extension cords over the deck can be unsightly and unsafe.

An Answer: There is, however, an easy-to-install solution to put power exactly where you need it on your raised deck: the Red•Dot Deck Grommet, a rugged polymer housing, constructed to withstand outdoor conditions, that you install in the deck surface. It securely holds an outdoor extension cord that runs underneath the deck and seals out moisture and debris while in use.

Perhaps best of all, it’s easy to install: How to Install It: Trace the bottom end of the flange on the deck surface.

Cut out the hole and install the flange into the opening. Secure with the two screws provided.

Install the female end of an outdoor extension cord into the lid. Snap the lid into the flange in the deck. Plug the opposite end of the extension cord into a GFCI outlet. Open the Red•Dot Deck Grommet by pulling up the lid and pivoting it open.

Close the lid, with the cord of the device being powered coming out of the slot, so it’s flush with the deck surface, making a neat and attractive installation.

Where To Find It: You can find the device at home centers and electrical wholesalers.

Now there’s an easy and inexpensive way to power lights, fountains or small appliances on outdoor raised decks. The Deck Grommet securely holds an outdoor extension cord that runs underneath the deck, and seals out moisture and debris while in use.

OCT 10-OCT 16, 2013

OCT 10-OCT 16, 2013

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SERVING THE EVANSVILLE & TRI-STATE AREA • EVANSVILLETHRIFTYNICKEL.COM

OCT 10-OCT 16, 2013