fall home improvement

Interior design on a budget:

Budget beatersFall is here, and winter is around the corner. That means the

clock is ticking, and there’s limited time to make home improve-ment before the snow flies. But the changes don’t have to break thebank. Here are some ways to make improvements without strain-ing your wallet.

A winter-ready house keeps bills low:Easy solutions like plastic over windows

and a programmable thermostatcan help save.

Page 2

Insulation, efficient appliances cut costs:Fill the gaps and cracks that can lose 25to 40 percent of the energy in a home.

Page 7

Laura Lunde turned her small Albert Lea home into something warm and quaint through cheaper decorating ideas that stillhold plenty of charm. Photo by Eric Johnson

A fun, fashionable and comfortable houseor apartment is easier than youmight think.

Page 6

2 FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2011 AUSTIN DAILY HERALD - FALL HOME IMPROVEMENT

A winter-ready house keeps energy bills lowBy Trey Mewes

As the ground turns white and thermome-ter readings drop, there are plenty of thingsarea residents can do to keep heating and elec-tric bills low for a good price.Everyone knows about putting

plastic wrap on windows, but res-idents should also caulk cracks,keep the shades open in daytimeand shut at night, and cover thecracks underneath doors.“There’s a lot of things in

terms of low-cost no-cost oppor-tunities,” said Dave Thompson,Residential Account Representa-tive at Austin Utilities.In addition to some basic home

preparation, residents can lowertheir thermostat by a few degreesand dress warmer to conserve en-ergy costs, though no one shouldlower their home’s temperature to uncom-fortable levels.“Even (by) just a few degrees, you’re going

to see savings,” Thompson said.A programmable thermostat can keep

homes cool during the day when residentswork, then heat it back up during the nightwhen everyone’s home. Austin Utilities offersrebates for programmable thermostats, alongwith many Energy Star-rated appliances that

conserve energy. Using homeappliances at normal ormedium settings can also con-serve energy, since the ma-chines won’t use as muchenergy.Keeping the furnace clean

may not sound like it couldsave you money, but a dirty fur-nace filter can make it harderfor a furnace to run. By clean-ing a furnace filter, the furnacedoesn’t use as much energyand doesn’t story excess smoke,according to Thompson.People looking to make

major home improvements totheir home can get rebates for siding, win-dows, insulation and many other home mate-rials as well, along with federal tax incentives.“With the way prices are, you want to make

sure you can save,” Thompson said.

This decorative, wood siding shrunk after it dried, leaving cracks between it and thetrim. It has been caulked several times, but the damage has been done.Photo by Matt Peterson

“With thewayprices are, youwant tomakesure you can

save.”

-Dave ThompsonResidential AccountRepresentative at

Austin Utilities

By Matt Peterson

Winter is quickly approaching, whichmeans that changes will need to be madearound the house; but they don’t all have tobe expensive or time consuming. There is along list of simple things that can be doneto keep a house warmer, dryer and less ex-pensive tomaintain throughout the freezingmonths. There are also many ways to tellwhen damage has gone too far.

WWiinnddoowwss aanndd ffaannssPerhaps the simplest process that people

do not take advantage of involves their ceil-ing fans. Ceiling fans keep warm air circu-lating through the still areas of the house.

According to Tom Wilker, carpentry in-structor at Riverland Community College,ceiling fans can have a positive effect on theefficiency and life of windows. For windowsthat are not covered with plastic, circulat-ing air will prevent frost from forming onthe glass. Furthermore, utilizing yourblinds in coordination with the fans canhelp even more.

WWaallllss aanndd iinnssuullaattiioonnAlthough owners of older homes can’t

simply rip up their homes and install newinsulation, they can make some improve-ments.

Check electrical outlets, Wilker said. Ifair can be felt coming from an outlet on awindy day, it can be stopped. Remove thecover plate from the wall and apply aspray/foam insulation around the block.“That would make a big difference,” Wilkersaid.

Some old houses may have weaker insu-lation in areas such as attics and outsidewalls. New, spray, fiberglass, cellulose orvermiculite insulation may be necessary,depending on the area of the house. For ex-ample, blown-in insulation can be put intounfinished attic floors and existing walls byprofessionals for slightly more than it wouldcost to self-install. This method means re-

moving walls or siding won’t be necessary.

FFuurrnnaacceessThe most important tool for keeping

your home warm, the furnace, can be mademore efficient as well. Hiring someone toclean the ducts in your house can be expen-sive, but it may be necessary after years ofuse, Wilker said.

It is easy for hair, toys, dirt and countlessother small items to get into heat vents anddecrease air flow. Not only that, dirt andother organic materials can grow mold,ruin air quality and cause allergies.

Replacing the furnace filter is very im-portant to do before turning on the heat forthe winter. And it may need to be replacedduring the winter, more than once, depend-ing on how much the furnace is used. Thisis a good way to lower heating bills. “Filtersare huge as far as efficiency goes,” Wilkersaid.

RRooooffss aanndd SSiiddiinnggBefore repairing anything from the out-

side of the home, it is best to assess every-thing that is damaged first, according toJohn Burns of the House Fixer Inc. inAustin. That way, you don’t fix anythingminor and later realize that major repairs

need to be made.“The objective is to keep out rain, snow,

wind and any unwanted varmints,” Burnssaid.

A walk around the house with a check-list and attention to fine detail will revealmany areas that simply get overlooked froma distance. For homes with old, masonitesiding, it’s good to look closely to see if thepaint is still smooth. If it is rough andcracked, water has probably seeped in andcaused swelling.

Furthermore, if the siding nails appear

to be sunken into the siding, this is a tell-talesign of swelling.

FALL HOME IMPROVEMENT - AUSTIN DAILY HERALD FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2011 3

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Shingles to gutters: Quick fixes can slow damage

Left: After years of water seeping behind this brick, it has actually moved about an inch and detached from the foundation. Center: Staining underneath thisgutter is a sign of leaking. This leak seeped into the woodwork and is still eating away at it. Right: The shingles in the valley of this roof have cracked, curledand caused the inside of the roof to rot.

Photos by Matt Peterson


Work now blossoms in garden next yearBy Carol Hegel Langspecial to the Herald

A hint of fall is in the air, with cooler night tem-peratures and shorter daylight hours, signs the gar-den will need to be put to bed for winter.My first task is to take a walk around the gardens

looking closely at each plant making mental notes ofwhat needs to get done this fall.Perhaps a certain flower didn’t perform as well as

expected, possibly it needed more sun or more shade,transplanting it to another more suitable location fornext season may help its performance. Give it an-other year before discarding the plant.For many years now I have been collecting seeds

from my favorite annuals to plant in the garden nextspring or to share with others. They includemarigolds, cleome (spider plant), tickseed coreopsis,cosmos, verbena bonarensis and kiss me over thegarden gate.When the flower heads are dried on the plants, I

take small baggies out to the garden and cut off theseed heads, placing them in the baggies that I havealready labeled. Be sure to use a separate baggy foreach variety. I bring the baggies in the house andspread the contents of each one on newspapers oncookie sheets to dry completely for about two weeks.

Once the seed heads have dried, I return them to theindividual baggies, close them tightly and store in adry location until next spring. Fall is an excellent time to divide perennials, es-

pecially hosta and daylilies that have grown too largeor the blooms aren’t as plentiful. This is a good timeto mend the soil with compost or topsoil before youtransplant it. Cutting the plant down after you dig itand divide will assure there is less stress on it. Waterthe plants thoroughly once they are transplanted.Continue watering until the ground freezes. Shareyour excess plants with other garden friends; I al-ways treasure these “pass-along-plants” and thefriendships that seem to bloom with them.It’s also time to move any houseplants back in-

doors when the night temperatures hit the low 50sand definitely before the first frost arrives. Check theplants for any bug infestations and spray them ifneeded before you take them into the house — youdon’t want to infect your indoor plants with pests.Empty flowers from containers, and if the con-

tainers will be used again next year you will want towash them in soapy water and disinfect with a solu-tion of one gallon warm water and half a cup ofbleach. Rinse thoroughly, set the container in the sunto dry and then move them to your winter storagearea.

After the first frost, cut the perennials down to theground and discard all the plant material. If youaren’t composting the garden material and leavesfrom the trees, you may want think about doing this.It will provide your garden with plenty of free “blackgold” as we gardeners call compost. Using fruit andvegetable scraps from the kitchen, coffee grounds,paper towel and toilet paper rolls and the leaves fromyour yard, you can make your own compost and saveyourself some money and you will also be “green”for the environment.If you have roses in your gardens, as soon as the

first frost arrives cut them down to about 12 inches.Be sure your pruner is clean and disinfected as youdon’t want to transmit any disease to the roses. Imake wire cages to enclose the roses and line themwith black garbage bags held in place with duct tapeso I can fill each one with mulched leaves.It is very important to keep watering the perenni-

als, trees and shrubs until the ground freezes, espe-cially if we have a dry fall with little rainfall toensure that they make it through our harsh winters. Now that you have the gardens put to bed for the

winter, you can sit back and enjoy the splendor of thefall colors and wait for winter and the garden cata-logs to arrive — enticing you to buy plants or seedsfor next spring.

ARA Content

Every fall, the wind picks up, the leavesfall to the ground and the grass gets a littlebrowner. It’s the time of year when theweather is unpredictable and storms canmake even the neatest yards a mess.

Remington, a leading manufacturer ofbattery and electric power tools, has sometips to help make your fall cleanup greenerand easier:

Clearing leaves from your yard can be adaunting task, but it’s an important one tokeep your yard alive and green come spring.Using an electric leaf blower or blower vac-uum versus using a rake or a heavy gasblower can help reduce the effort. Whileelectric leaf blowers are limited in mobility,they require less hassle.

If you find more than just leaves in youryard after a storm, you may consider doingmost of the cleanup yourself using a chain-saw, such as the RM1415A Limb N Trim, a14-inch chainsaw that’s ideal for cleanup offallen branches and logs less than 13 inchesin diameter. Keep in mind there are manysafety concerns to take into account whenusing a chainsaw to clean up the mess. Hereare a few tips on how to use a chainsaw tohelp keep you safe this season:

• First, read the operator’s manual andfollow suggested guidelines to remove fallentrees.

• Ensure the saw’s chain is properly ten-sioned before each use and all fasteners, con-trols and safety features are functioningproperly.• Make sure the bar and chain are al-

ways lubricated to prevent the saw fromwearing out or cutting poorly. Check thebar and chain oil reservoir frequently tomake sure it’s full, or it will ruin your

chain.• Start the saw while standing on the

ground and always hold the handle securely.• Clear debris and small tree limbs from

the chainsaw’s path, and beware of nailsand other metal before cutting.

• Avoid saw “kickback” to prevent a seri-ous chainsaw injury. Never let the tip of thebar come in contact with anything. Alwaysreference the operator’s manual for properchain saw operation.

• Cut your grass short right before theseason ends.• Don’t forget to water. Early in themorning is the best time to avoidevaporation and disease development.• Fertilize to maintain root health andreplenish the nutrients that were lostduring the hot summer.• Once the watering season is over,make sure to drain and store yourgarden hose and turn off the watersupply to keep your pipes from freezing.• If you use a battery-powered mower,make sure to remove the battery beforeputting it away. Also, store the battery

on the charger to keep it from slowlydraining over the winter, which candamage the battery over time.


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Make clearing leaves a breeze on your lawnHere are a few other tips to prepare your yard for fall:

By Sarah Stultz

Little by little, Albert Lea residentLaura Lunde has transformed herhome.Instead of spending thousands of

dollars to make the upgrades, though,she has worked within a budget, draw-ing on simple, reasonable techniquesto make her improvements.“When I moved into my house, it

was definitely move-in ready,” Lundesaid. “I just had to make it my own.”In 2008, she installed new doors and

fixtures on the outside of the cabinetsin her kitchen. Without needing to re-place the entire cabinets, her wholekitchen underwent a facelift. In 2010,she painted each of the rooms of herhome and she bought new furniturethis year.“If you’re going to buy an expensive

piece, buy it in a neutral color,” shesaid. “A couch is something you’regoing to have for a long time.”Lunde bought a neutral-colored

couch for her living room from BrickFurniture in Albert Lea with the ideaof dressing it up with colorful throwpillows and blankets. She followed thesame advice when she painted, choos-ing mostly neutral colors and then in-corporating pops of color.Aside from her new couch, Lunde

has scoured antique shops and evenfree giveaways to acquire many of her

furnishings. She has sanded, painted,replaced screws and hardware, andtransformed piece after piece of fur-niture into something that’s contem-porary and highclass.Lunde’s No. 1 rule is to mix old with

new. She has freshened up her built-inshelving unit with new paint and dec-orated it with a variety of antiques,new accessories and colorful books.She changes out what is on the shelvesat least once a year to keep the spacefeeling fresh.Instead of installing a new log fire-

place, she has incorporated a $400 elec-tric fireplace from Home Depot thathelps keep her home cozy and warm,while also serving as a focal point inthe room.In the kitchen, just off the living

room, Lunde has incorporated severalof her own money-saving tips, includ-ing making curtains for less than $10from end-of-season napkins sewn to-gether.“The great thing about decorating

with budget-friendly ideas is that if youdecide you don’t like it in three months,you can repurpose it elsewhere in yourhouse or get rid of it without feelingguilty about the amount of moneyyou’ve spent,” Lunde said. “Don’t beafraid to try something new. Start smalland build up to a big-ger change.”


Detailed design on a budget

Laura Lunde transformed her home in Albert Lea with cheap decorating ideas. Photo by Eric Johnson

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All audits also include information on financing, incentives, and rebates.

AUSTIN HOMEOWNERS: Does Your Home Need An Energy Check-Up?Make an appointment for a

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Insulate for successBy Kelli Lageson

Fall is the time that many homeown-ers are outdoors and start to notice cer-tain things they should probably fixbefore the winter months.This is one reason Home Solutions of

Albert Lea is quite busy during the fall.President Steve Field said often peopleare outside their homes raking or gettingthe yard ready for winter when they no-tice their siding or gutters need work.“It’s this time of year when the leaves

are falling,” Field said.Insulation is also a popular product in

the fall, as people start to think abouttheir heating bills and how to conserveheat. Field said insulation could be in-stalled at any time of the year, as it helpskeep homes cool in the summer as well.“No one thinks about it in the sum-

mertime,” Field said. “Most people thinkabout it as winter savings.”Walls, attics and in foundation are the

most popular places to apply insulation.Field recommended that Alliant Energycustomers get an energy audit, whichcould help them take advantages of re-

bates if they plan to install energy-effi-cient features in the home.Energy auditors analyze building con-

struction and tightness, heating and cool-ing systems, insulation levels,appliances, windows and doors andmore. Find more information at www.al-liantenergy.com or call 377-6035.According to the U.S. Department of

Energy, random air infiltration throughgaps and cracks accounts for 25 to 40 per-cent of the energy loss in most residen-tial structures.• Add insulation to your attic to reduce

heat loss and drafts.• Install glass doors on fireplaces to re-

duce drafts and make sure your damperis working properly.• Clean vents, air ducts and replace fil-

ters to promote air flow and ease thestrain on your heating and cooling sys-tem.• Clean out gutters, and if needed,

have professional gutter protection in-stalled to reduce the possibilities of icedamming. If melting ice is unable todrain due to debris buildup, it could seepinto the walls and ceilings of your home.

Ease winter heating bills with a callto plumbing and heating contractorARA Content

Winter will soon bring plenty of coldand snowy weather. Families will turnup the thermostat, add an extra blanketto the beds, and hit the local home im-provement store for needed supplies toseal windows and doors.Unfortunately, most won’t call their

local plumbing and heating contractor.While homeowners annually dread see-ing those winter utility bills roll in, theydon’t give their heating systems muchthought until they need to be repairedor replaced.Annual preventative maintenance is

always better than dealing with the al-ternative. One “no heat” call can costyou $300 or more, just to diagnose aproblem and if your boiler or furnacehas out-lived its warranty, you’ll be re-sponsible for the full cost of parts andlabor.“When we do annual maintenance,

we clean and inspect the boiler and per-form a combustion test to ensure theboiler is operating properly and safely,”

says Chris Bodek of Bodek Incorpo-rated, Plumbing Heating and Air Con-ditioning of Johnson City, N.Y.If your contractor determines that

your boiler or furnace needs to be re-placed, he or she will do a heat loss andsizing calculation to determine the size(BTU’s) required to heat your home.Your contractor should be able to pro-vide a good, better and best equipmentchoice to suit your budget and desiredefficiency level. Be sure to use a rep-utable contractor and ask for refer-ences.When you weigh costs, understand

that your investment goes well beyondthe initial cost of the system. Your oldlow-efficiency heating system couldhave an annual fuel utilization effi-ciency (AFUE) of 70 percent. Thatmeans 70 percent of the energy in thefuel becomes heat for the home and theother 30 percent escapes up the chimneyand elsewhere. With the old inefficientheating equipment you have, you couldbe throwing away up to 30 percent ofthe money you spend on fuel each year.

fall home improvement

Documents

home materials

nightwhen everyones

house warmer

small albert lea home

furnace filter

awinterready house

programmable thermostats

austin utilities offersrebates