Ceiling Fans Look Great and Save You Money
July 14, 2007
It doesn’t matter if you live in a hot climate or the North woods; there are many days when the breeze isn’t blowing and you would like the air to circulate for comfort. Running central air conditioning is expensive and isn’t always called for. We automatically feel cooler just from the evaporation against our skin when a slight breeze is blowing. Energy costs are high enough so why not consider ceiling fans for your rooms? You get the circulation you need and a great look at the same time. Because they are hanging from the ceiling, they’re out of the way. You don’t have anything to walk around or trip over. They also save you money in the winter time. You can adjust the switch to rotate the blades in the opposite direction, causing a downdraft, circulating the warm air from the furnace. Most of the models have more than one speed so you can control the amount of air movement you want. A ceiling fan looks great in any room and can eliminate the need for air conditioning. If you have low ceilings, don’t worry about it. There are hugger styles that only come down a few inches from the ceiling. If you need to drop a fan from a cathedral height, you can find that as well. No matter how much clearance you have, you will be able to find a style for your needs.
Be Cool and Comfortable While Saving Money
July 14, 2007
The cost of energy is on the rise, so if you want to have better air quality and feel more comfortable, you must be prepared to pay for it. People in homes and businesses are looking for ways to save money and still remain comfortably cool. Purchasing a portable air conditioner is one way to lower your energy costs. Central air conditioning an entire home is expensive. The portable model will cut down on the cost by only spot cooling the room you wish. Ceiling fans help circulate the air while a dehumidifier takes the moisture out of the air. These two work in tandem with portable air conditioners creating totally comfortable surroundings. Your sunroom might be the warmest room in the house or your bedroom might be located on the second floor.
If You?re Looking for Bedding, Think ?Pink?
July 13, 2007
If you have come to a point in your life that you want a serious relationship, I would strongly suggest that you "think pink". This may sound strange to some of you, but I have discovered that the color "pink" has some interesting qualities. Pink is definitely a girly color, and it speaks of love, romance and partnership. Pink flowers, hearts, and just about anything else this color makes you feel soft and feminine. What woman doesn’t love receiving even a single pink rose? The majority of the time you will think of pink for baby bedding if you are expecting a girl. Most of the gifts you receive at a baby shower will be pink for your newborn girl. Don’t stop using pink for your bedding after you have grown up. There are lots of things you can do to enhance your bedroom when it comes to finding partnership and having a pink duvet cover or bedspread is just one of them.
Growing Vegetables in Containers - The Compact Solution
July 12, 2007
Container vegetable gardens are a great alternative for those that don’t have access to backyards. There can be a range of reasons to grow your vegetables in containers…easy access to the kitchen, safer environments for children and the handicapped or just lack of a yard to use for gardening.
Vegetable gardens in containers can also be extremely attractive and serve the dual purpose of style and function around your patio.
The no dig vegetable garden can be just as successful in containers provided similar guidelines are followed.
Drainage is vital so ensure your containers have appropriate drainage holes to allow water to escape. If they don’t, the plants will literally ‘drown’ and will be susceptible to diseases. They also need a sunny space. The advantage with vegetables grown in containers is that you can move the containers around to follow the sun if no one spot in your patio or garden is suitable.
Vegetables grown in containers will need some additional attention. Their root system is restricted to the pot so make sure you keep them well watered. Containers are far more likely to dry out in hot conditions which will kill your plants or have them ‘fruit’ poorly.
Bedding is Fashion for the Bed
July 11, 2007
Ladies, we spend a lot of time in the morning getting ready for the day. We take showers, put on makeup, blow dry our hair and put on just the right outfit we feel good in. Then we top it off with the hot colors of accessories from sunglasses to sandals - the details of what we wear matters in how we look and feel. Maybe it shouldn’t be that way, but it is. You can think of your bedding as fashion for the bedroom because you dress your bed just as clothing and accessories dress your body. The little details we put in our bedrooms such as vintage rag rugs, beaded lampshades, hand crocheted pillowcases or satin sheets will make all the difference of how we feel as we spend time in our bedrooms.
Eclectic Patio Furniture Shows Your Style
July 10, 2007
Your home’s interior is exquisitely decorated in your favorite style; why not treat your exterior with patio furniture and accessories that will be comfortable as well as beautiful. Your backyard becomes more functional by adding gas grills, or furnishing options such as casual hammocks or formal wrought iron. You are limited only by your imagination. The patio furniture does not have to be limited to one style. A backyard looks great if you mix it up with an eclectic flare. You don’t have to decide between rigid cedar and a quilted hammock, or a built in gas grill and a fire pit. You can have it all. Do you want your patio to have a casual feeling or one that is more formal? This may depend on the style of home you have. A full log home may not be served well with antique white wicker furniture on the porch or patio. A contrast is good, but the balance isn’t quite right. The white wicker seems too light and airy against the heavy logs. An Adirondack style of furniture might strike a better balance for the home. Is a specific material of importance to you such as teak, rattan, or wrought iron? Do you prefer patio cushions, or the natural look of wood as with Adirondack chairs? A gas grill or outdoor fireplace can be a focal point creating an outdoor kitchen. If relaxation is the most important to you, a hammock or patio swing would be a nice choice.
Outdoor Kitchens ? Simple and Sophisticated
July 9, 2007
After September 11, many of us decided to stay closer to home. We are electing to remodel our existing homes instead of buying new and moving. We are also entertaining in the backyard more than ever, so it is a natural progression to take what we love about our hearth and home and put it all outside creating the perfect outdoor room. If you have never thought of installing an outdoor kitchen before, it is time you start thinking about it. You don’t need a backyard the size of Southfork to create an efficient, fun outdoor kitchen of your very own.
Composting - aka: The Circle of Life!
July 9, 2007
Composting is where the gardening thing comes full circle. You’ve created your garden bed, you’ve nurtured your plants.
The results have been eaten by the family…and now the plants and refuse from the garden can be recycled into next year’s compost. It is the closed loop of nature.
This is so simple and so obvious a thing to do, I’m still staggered that people will send this sort of rubbish to the tip.
When I was totally intimidated about cooking and convinced I couldn’t do it, a friend of mine said ‘It’s just chemistry. If you add X to Y under these conditions, this MUST happen’. I think this applies big time to composting.
So what does your compost need to work?
It needs moisture (but not too much).
It needs heat (and will generate a good deal on it’s own)
It needs air.
It needs bugs, bacteria, fungi and other micro-organisms (pretty much under the ‘Build it and they will come’ principle)
Spring Into Action: Home Maintenance
July 8, 2007
Spring has sprung! Even more important than buds, birds, and bees, spring brings buyers! When buyers are looking for a place to nest, they would really rather not see problems. As it turns out, nearly every home inspected has problems or imperfections of some sort or size. Most issues are very minor and simple to correct. Almost all are a result of deferred maintenance.
Most of these simple deferred maintenance problems, when discovered during the home inspection, cause the majority of the headaches when trying to bring a contract to close. With the five quick checks described below it is probable that 90% or more of the minor maintained items typically discovered in the home inspection could be eliminated, and with them a great portion of the time and stress associated with their correction:
- Dirty Filter and Coils in the Heat Pump. The clean and efficient flow of conditioned air as well as the longevity of this very expensive system is dependant on proper airflow. A professional cleaning is most always well under $100. Routine filter replacement can be done by a homeowner for about a dollar.
Home Improvement for The Ladies!
July 7, 2007
Your Own Homes Improvement Outline
(One for the Ladies)
Let me begin by saying what a home improvement plan will not do! I have seen this happen more than once, so I will say this now. A home improvement project, addition, upgrade, remodel, or makeover will not make up for a troubled marriage. So for those that think home improvement may save a marriage, I’m telling you now that it will add more stress and it is a poor substitute for proper counseling.
With that said, when you see a home being sold due to a divorce, take a good look at the house because you may see evidence of a great remodel job. However, the marriage still failed. The scenario above leads into other areas of home remodel, acquisition and selling points. Gentlemen, pay attention here! It is generally recognized that women are responsible for 80% of all decisions on whether or not to purchase a particular home.
So what influences the ladies in their decisions concerning home purchases and remodeling? By far the two biggest items are the kitchen and the bath. If I had to choose one or the other, I believe I would look at which area was in need of the remodel more, while at the same time looking at the costs of both options.
