There is good mulch and bad mulch. Good landscape mulch is made up primarily of composted bark. When this type of mulch is prepared for use in landscaping through the composting process age and heat stabilize the product, which already is partially decayed when it is spread. While I...
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Exterior Painting
Protect your home’s exterior with paint. Keeping your exterior paint in good condition not only makes your house look better, it is also important for general maintenance. A good coat of paint protects wood finishes from the elements and from insect damage. You can also paint nearly every other...
Improvements that Payback
What home improvements should you “invest” in? Thinking about a home remodel, but not sure if you’ll get your “investment” back when you sell your home? Recouping your remodeling investment may be your goal when you sell your house, but when it comes to resale value, all home improvements...
Facts on Wood Burning Fireplaces
Three types of heat. Heat, by laws of physics, is transferred by three methods–convection, radiation and conduction. Convection is the transfer of heat from one area to another by moving air. Radiation is the movement of infrared electromagnetic rays through air with virtually no warming of the air but...
Test Your Well Water
For the safety of your family and your pets, you should have you well water tested. Having the water tested is something that takes little time and effort on your part, but can be very important for the health and well-being of the loved ones in your home. Independent...
The Importance of a Home Inspection
Is your dream home a sweet dream or a potential nightmare? So, you found your dream home. Do you know what you are really buying? Many cases of disappointment and financial ruin could have been avoided with a simple, but comprehensive pre-offer home inspection. A licensed home inspector can...
Furnaces
Furnace efficiency. Today, new furnaces are generally between 80-96% efficient. If a furnace is 96% efficient, it simply means that 96% of the energy that goes into the furnace is converted into heat. Older furnaces or furnaces that are in homes that are 15 years old or more, can...
Winter Home Checklist
Here’s a great list of tips you can use as a check list of “to-do” items this winter. Install extra insulation. Install plastic sheets on windows requiring extra protection from the wind (kits are widely available at hardware stores or home centers). Add weather stripping around doors if necessary....
No Cost Energy Solutions
There are lots of things you can do in and around the house to help save on energy that cost little or nothing. Here are a few ideas for you to try. Thermostat temperature control. A common misconception associated with thermostats is that a furnace works harder than normal...
Dryer Fires
Be safe with your dryer. In 1997, according to the United States Consumer Products Safety Commission, there were 16,800 residential fires reported and responded to by fire departments where the source of the fire was the clothes dryer or vent. These fires caused $97.3 million in damage, 430 injuries,...
