Home Improvement Resource

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DIY insulation projects make for a more comfortable home year round

DIY insulation projects make for a more comfortable home year round

(ARA) – Do-it-yourself home improvement projects are more popular than ever, as homeowners are looking for simple, low cost ways to update their household and increase overall home efficiency. Kitchen upgrades and a fresh coat of paint can make a big difference aesthetically, but sometimes the most effective DIY projects happen in areas not always visible.

For example, small insulation changes are easy and can help improve indoor comfort. Additionally, ensuring adequate insulation can have a significant positive impact on your monthly heating and cooling costs year round.

While it may seem as though your home is airtight, cracks and gaps that are not easily seen can cause air infiltration, as well as the loss of conditioned indoor air. Not only can reduced air infiltration cut the cost of energy bills, it can also help improve the indoor air quality of the home.

“Now is a great time to tackle those air sealing and insulating projects to ensure your home is as comfortable as possible this winter season,” says Matt Girand, director of products and programs for Owens Corning Residential Insulation, LLC. “From insulating to sealing around windows and doors, there are a number of DIY options available to homeowners that can be completed in as little as one hour, but will last year round.”

Start from the top
The core of a home’s comfort and energy efficiency lies in its insulation, and adding a layer of insulation in your attic can be completed in a few easy steps. First, determine how much insulation is already in your attic, the Department of Energy (DOE) recommends a minimum of 18 inches of attic insulation for most areas of the United States. As a general rule, if you can see the floor joists in your attic, your insulation is not thick enough. Owens Corning offers a number of tools, including an insulation calculator to help homeowners determine exactly what they’ll need to insulate their home.

Adding a layer of insulation to your attic is easy, fast and affordable. Owens Corning(TM) EcoTouch(R) insulation will bring more comfort to your home and reduce monthly heating and cooling costs year round. Although savings vary, you can find out why in the seller’s fact sheet on R-values. Higher R-values mean greater insulating power. EcoTouch Insulation is manufactured with 58 percent recycled content and verified to be formaldehyde free.

Seal it up
Cracks along windows and doors allow air and pollutants to seep into the home, and conditioned air to exit. To determine where air leaks might be located in your home, the U.S. Department of Energy recommends checking areas such as baseboards, or around doors and wall or window-mounted air conditioners, for signs such as missing weather stripping that indicate air might be filtering in and out. Gaps around pipes and wires, electrical outlets and foundation seals should also be examined. If you have difficulty locating leaks, visit EnergySavers.gov to learn how to execute a basic building pressurization test.

Once you’ve uncovered the location of the leaks in your home, the next step is to address the problem. Hardware stores sell self-adhering weather stripping and window insulation kits that are affordable and effective. To close gaps around pipes and vents, consider purchasing caulk to seal the opening.

Ventilate
Proper ventilation is also important to ensure optimal indoor air quality. According to The Alliance for Healthy Homes, proper ventilation can control indoor humidity and airborne contaminants. One way to promote ventilation in areas of the home that may be more susceptible to moisture is to install exterior exhaust fans. Commonly needed in a home’s kitchen or bathrooms, exterior fans help push damp air outside.

Whether you reside in a warm climate or the Snow Belt, proper insulation and ventilation in the home can result in better indoor air quality and greater comfort, for the winter season and beyond. For more information, visit www.OwensCorning.com.

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What efficient fuel heats your home and saves you money?

(ARA) – Cold days are here to stay, and the lower the temperature goes, the higher the utility costs are to heat your home. What if there was a way to heat your house for significantly less? Biomass fuels – natural, clean-burning, inexpensive fuels – offer a smart solution that can lower your heating costs and reduce your carbon footprint.

Biomass fuel 101
Biomass fuels are natural fuels that are renewable and clean burning. Examples of biomass fuels include wood pellets, wood chips, paper and other agricultural byproducts. Wood pellets are the most common option. Most homeowners who use these types of fuels will install a pellet stove or insert to heat their home. Approximately 1 million homes and businesses in the U.S. use wood pellets for heat, according to the Pellet Fuels Institute.

Cost savings
The cost of heating by pellet is much less than oil, propane or electric, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Want to know how much you could save? Check out the pellet fuel cost-calculator from Hearth & Home Technologies. Heating with pellets also helps control heating costs since prices for pellets are more stable than propane, oil and natural gas.

Environmental impact
Much of the material used for wood pellets is unusable for other purposes. The material is considered second growth, and comes from the forest floor. This wood is no longer wasted – it is processed into tiny pellets that burn efficiently, with low CO2 and particulate emissions. By engineering crops and waste such as cornstalks, straw and forest waste, pellets can transform millions of tons of waste and put them to work, according to the Pellet Fuels Institute. Additionally, pellets are often locally derived, helping to reduce our dependence on foreign energy sources.

Pellet stoves and inserts
Pellet stoves are compact, attractive metal or cast iron stoves that look similar to wood-burning stoves. Pellet inserts, which are also available in attractive metal or cast iron, are installed inside an existing masonry fireplace. Typically both options include a thermostat you can program to control the heat of your home. The heat is created by pellets that are slowly fed from a storage container called a hopper into the burn-pot, creating a steady flame that produces steady heat. The size of pellet stove or insert needed depends on the size of your home, so be sure to talk to a professional about what size is right for your needs. Visit www.fireplaces.com to browse stove and insert options as well as find a professional near you.

Pellets needed
Wood pellets are widely available and can be found anywhere from local hardware supply stores to big box outlet stores. They can also be ordered online and delivered in bulk to most locations. Wood pellets are typically sold in 40-pound bags for between $ 4 and $ 7 depending on the type of wood used and availability. When burned in a high efficiency pellet stove, a 40-lb bag of pellets can provide about 24 hours of steady heat for 1500 square feet of living space.

Pellets vs. wood
You might be wondering why not just burn regular wood rather than pellets. Burning raw biomass fuel, like logs of wood, will not provide you with the heat efficiency of pellets. Pellets have significantly lower moisture content so they have a higher BTU value, meaning they burn more efficiently. They are also smaller, so you don’t need to have a large area to keep many cords of raw wood. Pellet stoves and inserts burn much cleaner than wood – up to 50 times lower particulate emissions than older, non-EPA certified wood stoves or inserts, and up to five times lower than newer EPA-certified wood stoves and inserts.

Most American homeowners who switch to pellet heat will enjoy lower heating costs and a more environmentally-friendly home. Isn’t it time to see if this option is right for you?

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How to avoid scary heating bills this winter

The only thing scarier than this picture is the heating bill the homeowner can expect this winter

(ARA) – This year’s winter weather has been unpredictable, but homeowners can take a few simple steps now to ensure chilly temperatures and monthly heating bills don’t take a bite out of their wallet.

Seeing your home through the lens of an infrared camera is one simple way to evaluate heat loss – an infrared lens is able to capture thermal energy emitted from weaknesses in the home’s “thermal envelope,” the barrier created between the exterior of a home and outdoor temperatures.

“What you’re seeing in an infrared photo of a home is not unlike what you might see from the human body – the most substantial loss of heat is from the top,” says John Smith, leader of Environmental Construction for Johns Manville, a building products manufacturer. “Similar to a winter hat, the proper level of attic insulation combined with air sealing helps trap heat inside, increasing comfort and efficiency and decreasing money wasted on energy bills.”

Homeowners can contact a local energy auditor to have a thermal image taken of their home. If you don’t have access to an infrared camera, evaluating home efficiency can be as easy as taking a trip to the attic with a measuring tape and measuring the depth of attic insulation – the average home needs up to 19 inches of fiber glass attic insulation for maximum energy efficiency.

“Many homeowners automatically brace themselves for higher energy bills as soon as temperatures dip and winter coats come out,” says Kateri Callahan, president of Alliance to Save Energy, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting energy efficiency. “But it doesn’t need to be that way. Taking a proactive approach to energy efficiency is easier and more attractive than ever with the availability of tax credits and rebate incentives. What’s more, projects that increase energy efficiency, such as air sealing and adding insulation, are among the best investments to deliver paybacks – now and in the future.”

Investments made in home energy efficiency pay dividends for the lifetime of a home and improve the home’s resale value. For every dollar saved in annual utility costs, homeowners can expect to add $ 20 to their home’s market value, according to the Appraisal Institute. Homeowners can reduce their homes’ heating and cooling costs by as much as 20 percent through proper air sealing and insulation techniques, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Do-it-yourself (DIY) or Do-it-for-me (DIFM)?

After evaluating their existing level of attic insulation, homeowners can identify the best approach to completing the project based on available resources, such as time, their personal skill level and budget. DIY-savvy homeowners can install insulation themselves, whereas other homeowners may be more comfortable with a DIFM approach.

“Handy homeowners can add insulation in their attics by placing batts or rolls on top of existing insulation or they can rent an insulation blowing machine to install loose-fill insulation,” says Fred Stephan, vice president and general manager of Insulation Systems for Johns Manville. “For those who prefer to hire someone to perform the work, major retailers such as Lowe’s offer Installation Services programs, which connect homeowners with qualified contractors in their area. With one stop, a homeowner can select products and a reputable third party to handle the project.”

When adding insulation, homeowners should also consider air sealing their attic to help eliminate any holes or gaps that may exist in the floor or walls. By using caulk, spray foam or weather stripping to close such gaps, homeowners can further decrease wasted energy.

“As homeowners tighten up their homes to improve energy efficiency, they should consider using products that are free of formaldehyde and other volatile organic compounds,” says Stephan. “Products such as Johns Manville Formaldehyde-free fiber glass insulation help improve indoor air quality and achieve a healthier, safer home by reducing your overall formaldehyde exposure.”

To find more information on DIY tips or how to find a contractor in your area, visit www.jmhomeowner.com.

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The No. 1 countertop secret for 2012

(ARA) – Everyone loves granite for kitchen and bath countertops, but many homeowners find this option for adding value to their home, too pricey. When considering a kitchen update I found that granite typically costs $ 50 to $ 100 per square foot (including installation).

Gail Turner, a top real estate agent in Chicago, agrees that, “While there’s nothing functionally wrong with laminate, it’s not what buyers are looking for. Her advice is to install granite countertops in your kitchen and bath if you really want to sell your home in this economy.

So if you are looking for the beauty of granite without the price tag, consider paint. Giani Granite Paint kits allow you to give outdated countertops a granite look for about $ 70 a kitchen.

Giani’s parent company, located in St. Louis, Mo., began in 1959 and now sells to paint retailers nationally and internationally. Each kit comes with the primer, mineral paints, applicators and a demo DVD to help you update your Formica, laminate, wood, tile and Corian countertops. Gianigranite.com has several before and after photos along with customer testimonials.

One kit can transform an average L-shaped kitchen countertop (which has about 30 to 33 square feet of countertop) in a weekend. I’m a savvy homeowner, but not an expert at remodeling projects and found this process to be easy enough for a first time painter. The finish has the same functionality as your old countertops as well as general care instructions; use cutting board and warming pads.

“Our product’s durability has one advantage,” says Tim Haas, Vice President of Sales for Giani. “If you scratch it or burn it, you can easily repair it by reapplying the minerals and topcoat. So unlike other countertop surfaces, wear and tear is never permanent.”

Before you begin, thoroughly clean the area with a scouring pad and then rinse with water. Use painter’s tape to protect walls and cabinets. Look for any nicks and seams and apply a fast-drying wood fill, and then lightly sand the area with a fine grit piece of sandpaper or sanding block.

For consumers who are willing to try this low priced alternative before throwing out your old counters (like I was), you will find the results well worth it. You can choose from a variety of styles and kit colors.

I selected the Chocolate Brown kit, which contains three colors: brown feldspar, Inca gold and chocolate brown. This look will achieve a natural granite style.

Although it was fun having everyone think I had granite installed, I had to reveal my new countertop secret.

How to apply:

1. Roll on the black primer and allow eight hours of drying time.

2. Lightly sponge on all the mineral colors in the order specified on the packaging. Let dry for a minimum of four hours. A simple artists brush helped me complete a veining pattern.

3. Next, apply the first clear top coat and dry for four hours. Then, apply the second top coat and wait four hours.

For more information, visit gianigranite.com or call 1-800-650-5699.

For a standard L-shaped kitchen (about 30 to 33 square feet of countertop) the cost is $ 69.95

The product is also available at select Lowe’s Home Improvement Centers – Check Gianigranite.com for location details.

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New home maintenance tips to preserve your warranty

Household maintenance is an essential part of being a home owner. Not only does it ensure that your internal environment stays healthy, but it is also necessary to maintain your new home warranty if you live in a house or condominium that is less than seven years old.

All new homes in Ontario come with a warranty that lasts seven years from the date of the first possession, and this warranty is guaranteed by Tarion Warranty Corporation. The warranty protects homeowners from things like water penetration through the basement or foundation walls; defects in the electrical, plumbing and heating systems; and major structural damage, among other problems. But in order to ensure your home stays covered, you are advised to perform regular seasonal maintenance. Here are some tips to ensure it remains in good shape:

• Clear eavestroughs of debris regularly and extend downspouts so that water is directed away from your home. Water that flows around the foundation could eventually find its way into the basement.

• Have your roof inspected regularly to ensure shingles, flashing and chimney caps are in place and sealed properly.

• Fix the caulking around windows and doors and on the roof if it becomes cracked or separated.

• Clean or replace your furnace filter.

• Check air ducts, remove covers and vacuum dust from vents.

• Investigate and identify any musty smells and odours. They are often an indicator that there is a hidden moisture problem.

• In the winter, shut off exterior water supply and drain water lines.

• Install winter cover for air conditioning unit.

• Check roofing and flashing for signs of wear or damage.

• Check/clean heat recovery ventilator (HRV); wash or replace filter.

• Clean the mechanisms of the humidifiers.

• Check for condensation and proper humidity levels.

It’s important to remember that ongoing maintenance helps to ensure that your statutory warranty is protected. After you move in, you are advised to follow an annual maintenance routine to help keep your new home in top shape.. Information about warranty coverage is available online at www.tarion.com.

www.newscanada.com

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Savvy bathroom-storage solutions

(ARA) – While the bathroom may be one of the smallest rooms in the home, it is also the area where we store a multitude of items, from cosmetics to cleaners, laundry to linens. With this in mind, it’s easy for your bath to feel more like crowded, cluttered chaos than the spa sanctuary we long for it to be.

Luckily, with a few conscious attempts to control the clutter, your bathroom storage woes will cease and you can create a bathing haven to put you at ease.

Shower storage with style and size
Nineteen percent of men and 22 percent of women say leaving items on the bathroom floor is a top annoyance in the bath, according to an online consumer survey by Moen Incorporated. Luckily, freeing the floor can be simple; just use your shower for storage. Adding a Double Curved Shower Rod from Moen creates an excellent place to hang towels, robes and other items. Available at Bed Bath and Beyond in a variety of finishes ($ 59.99), the double-bar design provides an extra bar for bath essentials when the two curtains are hung together on the interior bar. Plus, the curved design provides an extra 5 inches of elbow room for a more enjoyable shower experience.

Getting the “hang” of it
To accompany your new curved shower rod, incorporate shower rod hooks to fully utilize the storage space … with style. These S-shaped hooks ($ 15) are easy to install – simply snap them right onto your shower rod to offer convenient access for a variety of items. Available in the most popular finishes to coordinate with other bathroom accessories, your bath will look great and you can keep items such as pajamas, loofahs or shaving kits off the floor and within arms’ reach.

Drawers of your dreams
Have your bathroom drawers become a catch-all for hotel samples and unused cosmetics? Then it’s time to whip your drawers into shape by weeding out what you don’t need and then finding a spot for everything else. First, categorize items and store like items together. Interlocking drawer organizers ($ 2) from the containerstore.com or the Pop-a-Box compartment drawer organizer ($ 14.99) offer a home for each necessity, so that they stay organized and not free-floating around your drawers.

Vanity sanity
If you don’t seem to have enough drawers or cabinets to house the items you don’t want on display – don’t fret. A variety of movable storage towers feature vertical designs to minimize floor space, while maximizing storage. The Real Simple Solutions Rotating Storage Tower ($ 129.99), swivels 360 degrees offering cabinets with storage trays on one side and a full-length mirror on the other. Both are available at Bed Bath and Beyond in a neutral white finish.

Disguised decor
To create an organized bath you need a designated place for everything. But if your floor or vanity space is limited, where else can you look? Try the walls. Wall shelves can be the perfect solution for storage – and create a beautiful look in your bath. The key is to view the shelves as decor not storage. First, choose a stylish design in a finish that coordinates with the rest of your bath hardware. Then, add decorative baskets or jars to place on the shelves to hold your items. Soon you’ll have storage space disguised as decoration.

With these simple storage solutions, your bath will be an oasis of organization for you to wake up and enjoy each morning.For more information about Moen bath products, visit www.moen.com.

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How to protect your greatest asset – your home – from subterranean termites

(ARA) – When it comes to protecting your home’s value, you have no control over some of the factors that influence real estate values, like nearby retail development or the job market in your area. You can, however, take control over one major factor in your home’s value, its health and the health of your neighborhood – termites.

Termites cause more than $ 2 billion in damage every year to homes in the United States, and statistics show that’s likely more damage than what fire, storms or earthquakes cause.

Subterranean termites are unlike many other problematic insects or rodents in that they forage for food 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. They feed on wood and cellulose products, which are part of your home’s construction.

Termites live in colonies underground or above ground in moist areas, according to the National Pest Management Association (NPMA). Each colony can contain up to 2 million termites – meaning your home could have several million termites living around the foundation and they are constantly seeking a food source.

It is important to be able to spot the signs of a termite infestation by looking around your home. Termites typically create what are called mud tubes and together they travel through these tubes in search of new food sources. Look for these mud tubes along your home’s exterior. Keep in mind that termites are very small in size – from 1/8 to 3/8 of an inch – so they can travel through small non-cellulose cracks in your home, such as through your foundation.

The NPMA offers several tips to help you reduce the possibility of a termite infestation. These include lowering the humidity in crawl spaces or other areas with reduced ventilation to eliminate a moist atmosphere – the kind that termites seek out. Also, it is very important to keep wood or scraps of lumber away from your home. Never pile firewood against your home; that’s a sound food source for Subterranean termites. By putting lumber against your foundation or wall, you’re in essence inviting termites to feed right next to your home.

The Sentricon Termite Colony Elimination System from Dow AgroSciences provides a tough, environmentally responsible solution for protection against termites. The Sentricon System features stations that are strategically placed eight to 10 feet around the perimeter of your home. Bait in each station is highly desirable to termites, so worker termites who are responsible for feeding the colony will feed upon it and bring it back to the colony. Once other termites feed upon it they will start to die off, but even if they don’t feed on it the worker termites already have and once they die off, so does the colony’s food source. Soon the termite colony will be eliminated.

The Sentricon Termite Colony Elimination System currently protects more than 2 million homes. For every system that is used, fewer liquid treatments are being applied, so that means fewer liquid termiticides are being injected into the soil. For more information about the Sentricon System, visit www.sentricon.com.

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Even toilets can get friendlier

(NC)—If you’re building or renovating, take a look at this bathroom news: Two of the most advanced eco-friendly toilets have arrived from Saniflo Canada. Both products utilize a dual flush system, which uses approximately 38% less water per flush than a low-flush toilet, which not only contributes to helping the environment, but will also increase a homeowner’s return on investment.

According to Environment Canada, a low-flush toilet uses approximately 6 litres of water per flush. Assuming that each person uses four flushes per day, that translates into nearly 9,000 litres per person per year. For a family of four, that’s nearly 36,000 litres of water Although this amount is considerably lower than that used in a standard toilet, the conservation is now even more impressive with the newest arrivals, the Sanicompact and Sanistar. Both of these toilets use only 4 litres of water per flush, For a family of four, this saves approximately 12,000 litres per year.

“Less water equals lower bills,” says Daniel Cayer, the national sales manager for the manufacturer. “And now, with the arrival of the eco-friendliest toilets to date, a homeowner spends less on water and increases the return on their investment. Since these systems eliminate the need for a rough-in you can install a full bathroom for a fraction of the cost of a conventional toilet system.”

Inspired by European design in bathroom appliances, the Sanicompact and wall-hung Sanistar both add a unique style to any bathroom or spa-inspired environment. Both designs are fully equipped to add sophistication and style to any renovation, while relying on the latest leading edge technology.

More information is available online at www.saniflo.ca or toll-free at 1-800-363-5874.

www.newscanada.com

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Bathroom additions made easy

(NC)—Anyone who’s ever done it knows that adding a bathroom to the home can be quite a challenge. Finding the right plumber and installing the drainage line can take days of construction, not to mention deep pockets.

“We can help with that,” says Daniel Cayer, the national sales manager for Saniflo Canada, an industry leader in macerating toilet systems.

“Not only do our systems provide a cost-effective solution to homeowners and renovators, the macerating toilets also provide an alternative when standard plumbing fixtures are impossible or cost-prohibitive due to the positioning of existing drain lines. With our products, anyone can install a bathroom where needed: a basement, garage, attic, or even under the stairs.”

Cayer says the macerating toilet systems eliminate the need for conventional rough-in with below-floor drainage. Because walls and floors remain intact, these above-floor systems do not require expensive renovations, and installation is quick and easy.

“Whether you are considering adding a spare bathroom to your home or even renovating an existing one, we offer a more simple solution to what can be a complex problem,” Cayer continued. “Our toilets can be installed in as little as half a day.

With macerating systems, he explained, flush water is routed through the toilet into a macerator where a rotating blade reduces waste and toilet paper, so it can be pumped away through 3/4-inch piping to the nearest drain line. This small-diameter pipe means drain lines can run without opening up walls and floors. Macerating systems also feature additional drainage inlets, allowing for the connection of a sink, bath and shower. The result is a desired bathroom installed quickly and cost effectively, anywhere you need.

More information is available online at www.saniflo.ca or toll-free at 1-800-363-5874.

www.newscanada.com

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Bathroom systems advance for building efficiency

(NC)—Here’s the latest news to make bathroom installations much easier.

Leading manufacturer, Saniflo Canada, has introduced a new system that requires less time on the job site for contractors and minimal stress for the do-it-yourselfers. The new Saniaccess 3 is an easy-to-open double-panel macerating unit that provides quick access to the internal components so that periodic maintenance can be seamlessly accomplished in any home or building.

This model incorporates two easy-to-open service panels located atop the unit on either side. One panel allows access to the electrical components as well as the level sensor mechanism of the macerator while the other accesses the basket area around the macerating blades to allow easy removal of any large objects that may have been accidentally flushed.

“Each internal component can be serviced and replaced without disconnecting the entire system, allowing for huge savings in time and money,” says Daniel Cayer, the company’s national sales manager. “This unique product is perfect for any contemporary bathroom and can also be concealed behind the wall, if the owner prefers.”

Industry analysts agree that this newest innovation is a powerful unit since its rotating blade is able to reduce wastewater significantly at a fast rate. In addition, the unit can accommodate a complete bathroom (including a sink, a shower and/or bathtub) and discharges waste up to 15 feet vertically and nearly 150 feet horizontally, while operating quietly with sound-absorbing technology. The unit is a perfect solution for owners of either a residential or commercial building. The product can be utilized in rental properties such as basements, apartment units, offices, restaurants and more.

More information is available online at www.saniflo.ca or toll-free at 1-800-363-5874.

www.newscanada.com

Bathroom additions made easy
Adding a Bath Where None Exists?
Even toilets can get friendlier

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