fall home improvement 2014

HOME&GARDENFall 2014

2 Fall Home Improvement 2014

Al l i t took was a tube o f cau lk and ha l f an a f te rnoon. Now, I ’m sav ing hundreds

a year by sea l ing a few cracks around the house. Wha t can you do? Find out

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Fall Home Improvement 2014 3

Fall planting season

But the fall also is an ideal time to load up your yard with new bulbs, perennials, shrubs and trees – depending on where you live.

AIR-SOIL CONDITIONS So what makes the fall season such an ideal time for planting? As

the temperatures begin to cool, the soil remains warm – the ideal set-ting for a new plant. In fact, the National Gardening Association (NGA) states that most plant roots continue to grow until soil temperatures drop into the 40s.

Gardening in the fall can be better for both your plants and you. Which of these scenarios sounds more appealing as you toil away in your garden: Sweating in the summer heat while you pick the never-ending assortment of weeds or planting a new tree in comfortable, crisp weather conditions?

The soil will also be your best friend during the fall, since it is not like-ly as muddy as it is during the springtime. You will be able to pop your new shrubs, perennials and container-grown trees right into the ground without much of a struggle.

CLEAN UPThe fall season brings leaves, dried foliage and seed heads to your

garden, and you may feel the urge to quickly tidy up. Not so fast, says the NGA.

Of course, aesthetically speaking, you can decide to keep your gar-den area nice and clean for the next planting season. But the NGA rec-ommends leaving fallen leaves within your garden bed, because they are nature’s way of insulating the soil. They also add nutrients to the soil as they decompose.

You can also rake up the leaves and add them to a compost pile, or simply choose to mow over them to add small, nutrient-filled pieces to your grass.

When you picture “planting sea-son,” you may envision the springtime months: rainy condi-

tions, soft ground and plenty of impending sunshine on the horizon of summer.


Photo courtesy of Brent Hughes

Sunrooms can make a nice addition to most homes.


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Fall and winter can be advanta-geous seasons to either begin or implement plans for home improve-ment projects that include adding square feet to a home or simply organizing closets and applying new wallpaper.

Western Colorado offers unique options that might be unavailable in other parts of the country. For example, Brent Hughes, owner of Lindal Cedar Homes and Sunrooms in Montrose, said this is the time of year that homeowners can live by his company’s motto: Bring the outdoors in.

Hughes suggested adding a sunroom to add natural heat in the winter, but he cautioned homeown-ers to be mindful that Colorado’s 300 days of sunshine each year could also prove formidable in the summer without the proper foliage blocking the light.

But Montrose, Hughes said, happens to be situated nicely for the addition of sunrooms onto a house.

“You couldn’t be in a better place geographically than Montrose because all our views are to the south,” he said. “It’s per-

fect. Plenty of glass is a good thing in Montrose.”

Among the benefits of home improvement is reinventing the space that already exists, though adding space is always a relatively easy — and not always expensive — option, according to Hughes. He said the addition of a sunroom to a home can provide a homeowner “a nice space that they’ll want to spend time in.”

Anyone who wishes to simply add value to a home through reno-vation or smaller improvements should always consider that home values do not always rise as a result of such projects, Hughes suggested.

Sometimes purchasing a new home might be the exact “home improvement” a homeowner is looking for, particularly as some renovation project expenses can become quite lofty. Hughes reminds homeowners, however, that a smart renovation, one which adds value to a home without cost-ing the homeowner too much

money, can sometimes be a smart-er decision than purchasing a new home.

“(A renovation) can turn just a ‘house’ into a destination,” he said. “You come home from work every day and you feel like you’re on vacation.”

Three initial steps that home-owners should take before begin-ning home improvement projects are: 1.) Create a budget, 2.) Determine what improvements would best improve the dwelling and, 3.) Meet with a contractor.

While home improvement costs can become high, Hughes said there is a value — not solely mone-tary — to making a home a more comfortable place in which t spend time.

“If you’re doing a nice addition to your house and you put a nice room on it — if that makes you feel great about coming home every day and it costs you $40,000 or $50,000, it’s not a lot of money in today’s world,” he said. “It’s a car.”

Finding time for fall projectsBy Jake Linger | Daily Press News Editor

What a season for a day-dream — and aren’t home-owners really just making

practical uses of their daydreams when they decide to undergo home improvements?


Love garlic? Plant it in the fall

THE CHILL FACTOR

What many green thumbs may not realize about garlic is that it has an internal chill requirement, according to the University of Illinois agriculture extension center. When planting it in the spring, garlic should be stored in the refrigerator for at least eight weeks prior to planting. This will ensure proper chilling.

Not as much planning is need-ed if you decide to plant garlic in the fall, since it will obtain its chilling directly in the soil. Fall-planted garlic will also have the advantage of gaining much earlier maturity.

PLANTING YOUR GARLICHere are the proper planting

methods for garlic, according to the University of Illinois extension:

• Soil recommendations include high organic matter lev-els, good drainage and a couple

Garlic can absolutely thrive out of the garden, especially if you plant it during the fall months. It is a perennial bulb that, when planted in the fall, will root, make limited growth before the

first hard freeze and produce a bountiful harvest the next summer.


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• Lay out your planting rows 15 to 18 inches apart.

• Separate individual cloves from the main bulb and plant them about four to six inches apart in the row.

• Set your cloves tip up and one to two inches below the soil sur-face.

WEED CONTROL The University of Illinois identi-

fies garlic as a “weak competitor,”

which explains its needs for extra help fighting against garden weeds. You shouldn’t have to worry about the weeds much in the fall or winter, but be prepared to stave them off during the spring and summer seasons.

Since you will likely consume your garlic, avoid all chemical-based weed killers and instead opt for mulch, straw or other organic materials that can help keep weeds from taking over.

Doing so directly after planting the bulbs can also help alleviate winter soil frost.

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Avoiding autumn ouches

The fall season can be one of the most dangerous in terms of injuries suffered while performing yard work. Consider the following safety tips from the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons to prevent injuries while performing yard work.

• Use a rake that is comfortable for your height, strength and physical ability. If you generally don’t use your hands for manual labor, wear special gardening gloves or use rakes with heavily padded handles to avoid painful blisters.

• Wet leaves can be slippery, so be safe by wearing shoes or boots with slip-resistant soles.

• Do not overfill leaf bags, especially if the leaves are wet. Lifting too many leaves at once can cause back or neck inju-

As the wind chills and the leaves begin to fall, our outdoor activities

turn from yard maintenance to cleanup. And taking care of the clutter can be a physi-cally challenging endeavor. There’s the raking, mulching, wheel-barrowing and bagging of leaves, not to mention cleaning them out of your gutters.


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ry, so be sure you can lift your bags comfortably before trans-porting them.

• Avoid throwing bags of leaves over your shoulder or to the side. The twisting motion required to do so places undue stress on your back.

• Make sure the engine is off and cool before you begin any maintenance work on your lawn-mower, mulcher or leaf blower.

• Wear protective gear such as goggles, gloves, boots and long

pants when mowing. Never mow barefoot or in sandals and always check areas for poison ivy, branches or other obstructions that could harm you or your mower.

• Never use your hands or feet to clear debris from under a lawnmower. Use a large stick or broomhandle instead. Also, never touch the blades with your hands or feet, even if the engine is off. The blade can still jar forward and cause serious injury.

DO NOT OVERFILL LEAF BAGS, ESPECIALLY IF THE LEAVES ARE WET. LIFTING TOO MANY LEAVES AT ONCE CAN CAUSE BACK OR NECK INJURY, SO BE SURE YOU CAN LIFT YOUR BAGS COMFORTABLY BEFORE TRANSPORTING THEM.


Safe garage, safe home

And once they’re in your garage, they can get away with valuable tools and toys, not to mention having easier access to the inside your home.

And with the fall season full of trips to family members’ homes and the shop-ping mall, it’s time to check all of the doors, windows and other features of your garage to measure its security level when you’re away from home.

Service and Entry Doors

The side door on your garage is the most common point of entry for burglars. Why? Because many homeowners over-look the importance of have a dead-bolt-ed door to the garage, which is just as important a feature on other exterior doors.

Install a dead bolt and heavy-duty strike plate to make forced entry a difficult task.

LIGHTING – INSIDE AND OUT

Bright lighting can deter a burglar – especially motion-detector lighting that not only can spook a thief, but will also be more cost-efficient for you than light-ing that stays on all night.

Garage security is a crucial, yet often-overlooked aspect to the overall safety of your belongings and family. Some reports have shown that experienced burglars can open a locked, yet deficient garage door

in only six seconds.


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As for the interior of your garage, think on the opposite end of bright lighting when you are away or sleeping. Cover all of your windows to keep visibility from the outside to a minimum. A crook may be more likely to pass on trying to enter if he can’t see inside.

KEEP THE CLICKER CLOSEIf you leave your garage-door remote affixed to your sun visor, you are

in danger of simply giving away access into your home. A thief who breaks in to your car – no matter where you are – can also swipe the remote for easy access into your garage.

BRIGHT LIGHTING CAN DETER A BURGLAR – ESPECIALLY MOTION-DETECTOR LIGHTING THAT NOT ONLY CAN SPOOK A THIEF, BUT WILL ALSO BE MORE COST-EFFICIENT FOR YOU THAN LIGHTING THAT STAYS ON ALL NIGHT.


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It’s too bad asphalt doesn’t stay smooth and flawless forever. Potholes, cracks and

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Luckily for you, repairing drive-way cracks may be simpler than you realize.

High-grade crack fillers are like-ly available at your local hardware store and are relatively inexpen-sive, depending on the size of your crack. You will generally need the filler, a wire brush and a trowel tool to get the job done.

PREPARING THE SURFACEBefore applying the driveway

crack filler, it is important to clean the entire area thoroughly. Use your wire brush to remove any dirt or vegetation from the crack for a nice, smooth surface. Next, prepare your crack filler by shak-ing up the bottle.

The mixture can be a bit thick, so be vigorous in your motion.

Doing so will ensure that the mix-ture is completely mixed for opti-mal application. Also, carefully cut the top of the applicator, making sure to match the opening with the width of the crack.

APPLYING THE FILLER After your surface and filler are

ready for application, fill the crack flush with the surrounding pave-ment. Be careful not to overfill the

crack, which will result in an odd-looking raised spot in your drive-way once dried.

Use your filler tool or trowel to smooth out the crack filler even with the height of the adjoining pavement. The most important requirement of this DIY process is patience. Depending on the brand of filler you choose, it may take up to 24 hours before appllying a second coat is rec-ommended.

You will also likely need to wait at least 24 to 48 hours before driving or walking on the repaired area.

Read all of your manufacturer instructions to make sure your repair stands up to daily use and the elements.

BEFORE APPLYING THE DRIVEWAY CRACK FILLER, IT IS IMPORTANT TO CLEAN THE ENTIRE AREA THOROUGHLY. USE YOUR WIRE BRUSH TO REMOVE ANY DIRT OR VEGETATION FROM THE CRACK FOR A NICE, SMOOTH SURFACE. NEXT, PREPARE YOUR CRACK FILLER BY SHAKING UP THE BOTTLE.


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“We do home energy audits for our members and it’s free,” said Phil Zimmer, energy services supervisor for Delta-Montrose Electric Association.

“That’s the biggie. It’s kind of like going to the doctor instead of Google” to determine medical needs.

Energy audits include checks of insulation, air leaks, advice on heating and cooling, water heat-ers, lighting, windows and appli-ances. Can’t schedule a good time for a DMEA staffer to con-duct the audit? No problem — the cooperative has similar information available in its guide to energy effi-ciency, available online at www.dmea.com on the lower left side under “Home Efficiency Tips.” (Look for the graphic of a hand holding a house.)

“We video ourselves as to how a do a walk-through in your own home,” said Zimmer.

But once you’ve taken stock of what your home’s strengths and weaknesses are, then what?

“The low-hanging fruit is air-sealing, closing up air gaps. That’s a direct line of cold,” he said.

Potential air leak sources men-tioned by the U.S. Department of Energy include dropped ceilings, recessed lighting, attic entrances, water and furnace flues, ducts, door frames, chimney flashing,

window frames, electrical outlets and switches, plus plumbing and utility access.

Caulking and installing weather stripping can help.

Also beware what Zimmer calls “the phantom load” — electronics and appliances that drain power, even when they aren’t being used. Examples include televisions and computers.

The most inexpensive measures often prove to be the best bang for your buck: For instance, switching from incandescent to

LED lightbulbs increases efficien-cy because the LED bulbs last much longer and use less power.

“You don’t have to spend a lot of money,” Zimmer said.

More costly options such as replacing windows don’t have the same trade-off. Zimmer said it can take years to save more in energy costs than you have spent in installing new windows, though there may be good reasons other-wise to go ahead and take the plunge.

But it’s always free to simply use less energy. “Conservation things are free,” Zimmer notes. “We only want you to use what you really need.”

The Department of Energy’s conservation recommendations include setting thermostats com-

“CONSERVATION THINGS ARE FREE. WE ONLY WANT YOU TO USE WHAT YOU REALLY NEED,”

PHIL ZIMMER, DELTA-MONTROSE ELECTRIC ASSOCIATION

CONTINUED ON PAGE 16


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fortably low during the winder, or installing a programmable one; turning off computers and monitors, using power strips for home electronics and turning them off when the electronics are not in use and going for short showers instead of baths.

What if you’re not sure what is causing your energy bill to spike?

You can sign up for DMEA’s SmartHub, which not only lets you manage your account online, but also allows you to track your energy use by the hour, to see peaks and valleys of use.

“You can see your usage in the home by the hour. This will let you see it,” said Zimmer.

Homeowners can then contact DMEA about what they see. “We have a multitude of tools. It’s handy,” he said.

For more information, including info about the cooperative’s energy efficient rebates, visit www.dmea.com or call Zimmer at 240-1217.

Justin Joiner/Daily PressDMEA’s SmartHub, which not only lets you manage your account online, but also allows you to track your energy use by the hour, to see peaks and valleys of use.

fall home improvement 2014

Documents

fall season

fall planting seasonbut

new plant

new shrubs

soil temperatures

new windows

new wallpaper

new tree