spring home improvement 2011

Spring Home Improvement | Morning Star Publications 2011 1

HOME IMPROVEMENT

Spring

Morning Star Publications Inc. ©2011

2011

Spring Home Improvement | Morning Star Publications 20112 Spring Home Improvement | Morning Star Publications 2011

HOME

IMPROVEMENT

HOME

IMPROVEMENT

SpringSmartest Improvement? A Safety Renovation

Construction Quick Tip:Future homes will create an entire energy supply

Time-saving tools for household chores

Growing citrus indoors

Top home-repair blunders to avoid

Planning an outdoor oasis

Great enhancer paint projects

Decorative options for driveways

Wood Staining 101

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6

810

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Spring Home Improvement | Morning Star Publications 2011 Spring Home Improvement | Morning Star Publications 2011 3

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Installing a new roof, updating a kitchen, adding another room to a home -- these are the things that come to mind when one thinks of a home-improvement project. However, what good are these improvements if you don't also renovate the way you think about safety in the home? A safety hazard can quickly escalate and ruin all of your hard work. According to recent accident statistics from the National Safety Council, the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control and other advocacy groups, approximately 45 percent of unintentional injury deaths occurred in and around the home. Unintentional home injury deaths to children are caused primarily by fire and burns, suffocation, drowning, firearms, falls, choking, and poisoning.

It is important to keep safety in mind with everything you do as a homeowner. Therefore, take the time to assess these areas of potential concern as part of any home-improvement plans:

u Periodically check your hot water tank, washing machine, dishwasher, and refrigerator icemaker to see if they are secure and leak-free.

u Keep supplemental heating sources, such as wood-burning stoves, or kerosene, propane or electrical heaters at least 3 feet away from flammable items including draperies and clothing.

u Don't store flammable items, or just about anything too close to furnaces or hot water tanks.

u Carefully monitor the electrical system for shorts and sparks. Do not run cords under rugs or heavy furni-ture, and do not overload electrical outlets.

u Keep chemical cleaning products, home-repair items, like paint and mineral spirits, and tools under lock and key or out of reach of children.

u Do not store combustible materials like newspapers and rags in the basement or garage.

u Burn only dry, seasoned hardwood in your fireplace,

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u Install a working smoke detector and carbon monoxide detector on every floor of the home.

u Inspect surrounding trees and cut down any dead limbs. If a tree doesn't seem sound to you, bring in an expert tree service to remove it. You don't want a tree crashing down during a powerful storm.

u Make sure steps, both indoors and outdoors, are level and intact. Install better lighting at entryways to improve safety.

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Housing and energy experts call the goal 'net zero'. It represents the amount of energy that future homes will tap from public utilities. That amount is none.

“Due to premium construction efficiency and generat-ing abilities, experiments are already proving it can be done,” says Todd Blyth at Nudura, a leading manufac-turer of advanced concrete wall forms.

“Even now, the individual materials you choose can make a big difference to the overall efficiency,” Blyth continued. “If you want the highest performance, be sure to pay close attention to decisions for the walls, windows, roofing, ventilation and indoor climate control. Those features in particular assist in the goal to com-

pletely offset energy consumption.” The top-tier Nudura walls are a case in point, where

interlocking concrete forms are replacing the traditional wood frame method.

“The system,” explains Blyth, “consists of pre-assem-bled panels, each one stacked, reinforced, and then filled with concrete. Once locked together the system creates a solid, monolithic wall reported to be up to nine times stronger, with far more fire protection and with far more sound insulation.” This feature - alongside solar genera-tion, geothermal heating, cooling plus the use of natural light - are just a few of the net-zero features on a very close horizon.

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From yard work and pest control to cleaning and taking care of home systems, there’s a lot that goes into maintaining a house. Ev-

erything Home offers practical tips and expert know-how to help anyone take good care of their home.

Having a clean and tidy home is a high priority for many people, but so is having time for fun and relaxation. Cleaning can take a lot of time, but there are some handy tools that can cut down on how long it takes to get that satisfying clean.

“If you have a plan of attack, and then equip yourself with a few time-saving tools, you really can get your house clean in a lot less time,” said Debra Johnson, train-ing manager at Merry Maids, a nationwide cleaning com-pany. Here are Johnson’s five house cleaning “must-have” tools for saving time while getting the job done right:

u A 50-foot heavy-duty extension cord. This lets you plug in the vacuum cleaner once, instead of having to lug it around to different outlets.

u A sturdy step ladder. Having a two- or three-foot step ladder lets you get to those hard to reach areas, like air vents near the ceiling, light fixtures and the highest shelves.

u A cleaning caddy. A portable tool caddy lets you keep most of what you need right at hand. Stock it with a spray bottle of all-purpose cleaner, oil soap for wood sur-faces, nonabrasive cleanser, microfiber cloths for dusting, paper towels, sponges, latex gloves to protect your hands, and a squeegee for windows, mirrors and tub and shower doors. You may want to get a caddy for each floor of your home and stock them with appropriate cleaning supplies.

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u A sturdy carpenter’s apron. These handy canvas aprons have multiple pockets that can hold additional items, such as old toothbrushes for cleaning grout and hard-to-reach areas, a widget (a small tool with a blade for removing stubborn dirt), and dryer sheets for cleaning mini blinds and computer and TV monitors.

u A steamer. Cleaning with steam lets you clean and deodorize multiple surfaces around the house. John-son says that steam is quick and powerful, and since you’re only using water, you eliminate the need for using products. You can get a handheld steamer for smaller jobs, or an upright version for tackling floors. If you have hardwood floors, make sure the model you have is made for cleaning sealed floors.

Before you put your cleaning tools away after each clean, Johnson says it’s a good idea to make sure they’re ready for the next cleaning session.

“Make sure your spray bottles have enough cleaner in them, and that your brushes, sponges and wipes are clean, dry and ready to go. That way, when it comes time to clean again, you can just grab your tools and get started. And the quicker you can start, the quicker you can get done.”


Growing citrus indoorsWalk into a greenhouse in winter

and your nose will likely pick up a sweet scent, and if you follow your nose you're likely to come upon a plant with miniature orange or yel-low fruit and delicate white flowers - a citrus tree. With edible fruit and fragrant flowers for months on end, an indoor potted citrus tree is a de-light. Here are some tips for keeping one healthy and productive.

If you hope to harvest fruit, choose a naturally acidic citrus, not a sweet orange or grapefruit. Examples of acidic varieties include 'Improved Meyer' and 'Ponderosa' lemons, cala-mondins, and kumquats. These are most likely to produce fruit indoors in winter. Other citrus varieties will grow and flower but they are less likely to produce fruit.

Our homes in winter are darker and warmer, and have much drier air than outdoors. So anything you can do to provide additional light and extra humidity is beneficial. Keep your citrus near a sunny window and use a room humidifier, if pos-sible. Cool, bright rooms, such as a partially heated sunroom, are best.

Choose a pot about the size of a 15-gallon nursery container. The ubiquitous half whiskey barrel is a

good size, and plastic and faux clay pots in the 30- to 36-inch-diameter range work well, too. Whatever you choose, make sure it has good drainage; drill extra holes if you're in doubt. To prevent soil from wash-ing out, cover drain holes with small sections of window screen, but don't cover the holes with stones. Use a premixed sterile potting soil designed for container plants.

Keep the soil moist

by soaking the rootball thoroughly

until water drains out the bottom into the saucer beneath.

Water again when the top 2 to 3 inch-es of soil are dry. In some situations, water will drain out the bottom of the pot without soaking the rootball. This happens when the rootball dries and shrinks slightly, pulling away from

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the edges of the container. The water moves down the gap without rewetting the roots. To help rewet the dried rootball, place three or four drops of a mild dish soap on it. The soap will help the water soak in so the rootball can expand to fill the container again.

Citrus need regular fertilization to pro-mote flowering and fruiting. You can use a controlled-release fertilizer or a soluble liquid fertilizer. Liquid fertilizers generally provide more exacting control but also require more frequent applications, every other week or so. In either case, follow the directions on the label.

More than most plants, citrus are prone to deficiencies of the micronutrients iron, manganese, and zinc. Inadequate amounts of any one of them will cause leaves to yellow while veins remain green. Look for them in the chelated form, which makes the micro-nutrients more accessible to citrus roots. The best time is in early spring just as new leaves are beginning to emerge.

It’s the season for sorting and reducing items in your home or office that have turned into clutter. Instead of making a bee line for the garbage pail, sort items that are still useful and in good condition into piles that you can sell. Take advantage of the first warm weekend to hold a yard sale and make some money. If you don’t want to spend a day manning a yard sale table, you can place advertisements for your belongings in the Seaford and Laurel Star classified section.

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Home improvement projects seem to drum up images of shyster contractors or bum-bling do-it-yourselfers. However, home

repairs don't have to turn into an unorganized mess. By avoiding some common mistakes and taking common-sense precautions, you can end up with renovations that wow.

1. Accepting the lowest bid. Smart homeowners shop around for everything --including work done on their home. But accepting the lowest bid right off the bat to save money may cost you more in the long run. A low bid certainly may be a great deal.

But generally it could be a sign of an inexperienced contractor, or one who plans to use subpar materials or skimp on the job. Contractors will have similar prices. Shop based on experience and recommendations, not

price alone.2. Choosing friends and family. There certainly are

skilled professionals that also may be a close friend or family member. But mixing business and pleasure could be a recipe for trouble, especially when workmanship and an exchange of money are involved.

"We had a friend replace our home's furnace," says Beth in Pennsylvania. "While we got a great price, we found out later on when there was a glitch in the system that certain things weren't done up to code. We had to spend more money to have it repaired, and the friend-ship has since suffered."

Some relatives are adamant about doing repairs but they may not be skilled or know the correct laws governing remodeling. Stick with a third party contrac-tor with whom you'll feel comfortable talking if you feel repairs need to be done a certain way.

3. Thinking you can handle it. Many do-it-your-

Top home-repair blunders to avoid

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12 Spring Home Improvement | Morning Star Publications 2011

Spring Home Improvement | Morning Star Publications 2011 13

selfers (generally in an attempt to save money) believe they can learn every DIY task from a book or magazine. There are some jobs, however, that should be left to the professionals, including major plumbing work or electri-cal repairs. There's no need to risk a fire, injury or death by doing inexperienced electrical modifications.

4. Letting maintenance slide. Many homeowners think once the repair is made that they're all set --failing to keep up with routine maintenance. But complications can arise by not maintaining a new appliance or keeping up with an improvement.

"Our homeowner's association required proof that the dryer venting for our clothes dryer was replaced on an annual basis," offers Bill in California. "I'd simply go out and buy a new box of the venting material and sub-mit the receipt as 'proof' so I could save the money on a professional installation. But one day the lint trapped in the venting, which Ihadn't bothered to change, caught on fire. It not only damaged the venting, it damaged the entire dryer --resulting in the purchase of a new dryer. Luckily no one was hurt. I've since learned my lesson."

5. Following every trend. Anyone who has a harvest gold or avocado green appliance collecting dust in the garage or basement knows how interior style choices come and go.

Instead of jumping on every trend (granite counter-tops and stainless steel refrigerator, for example), think about what will work for your home and be timeless. Otherwise you may end up having to update every few years.

6. Asking questions later. Make a list of every ques-tion you can think of and ask it before the work gets started. This way you're left with few surprises and can do changes without costing yourself time and money. Don't wait for the finished product before you start to question the hows and whys.

7. Expecting things to be perfect. If you go into a project with the idea that there will be no mishaps, even minor ones, you may end up stressed out when one arises. Everyone makes mistakes --even professionals. If you think something is not being done correctly, speak up or get a second opinion.


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If it's time to think about making some improvements or additions to your home, outside may be the best place to get started. Exterior additions and improvements are

high on homeowner's lists, according to the Better Homes and Gardens 2011 Consumer Preference Survey.

Among the top ranking features people want in their next homes are decks or patios, and low-maintenance exteriors. When it comes to the top ranking living spaces people want, outdoor grilling or living areas came in at 67 percent. So whether you want to make some improve-ments for selling your home, or just to enjoy for yourself here are some tips to help you plan the perfect outdoor oasis.

Define the SpaceAn outdoor room could be the entire yard, or just a

small part of it. Think about it having walls, a ceiling and flooring, just like an indoor room.

u Walls are vertical elements that help define a space, such as hedges, trees, lattice screens, raised garden beds, railings, a gazebo or fence to frame your space.

u Ceilings provide shelter and shade. Think of aw-nings, umbrellas and pergolas. Or use what's naturally

there, like the branches of a shade tree.u Flooring could be the existing lawn, a mulched

pathway or a created floor such as a concrete or flagstone patio, or deck.

Decide the Elements. Once you know where your oasis is, it's time to figure

out what needs to go in it. Here are some elements to consider:

Decking A low-maintenance composite deck adds versatility

and beauty that you can customize to meet just about any need. And it can pay, off, too. Composite deck additions are among the projects that recoup the most of their cost upon home resale.

u When planning a deck, don't make the mistake of building one that's too small. Mark the area you want to use, then put your outdoor furniture in it to see if you have the space you need.

u Use an online planning tool to explore designs, materials, colors and accessories.

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Fire and FoodUse your outdoor room any time of day by planning a

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u An outdoor kitchen can be as simple as a portable grill or as elaborate as your budget will allow. A DIY piz-za oven can also be a fun way to enjoy cooking outside.

u Fireplaces, fire pits and chimineas bring coziness along with great function - and they help extend the out-door enjoyment in cooler weather.

AccessoriesJust like indoor room, outdoor rooms benefit from

appropriate accessories. Make sure you plan for them in your budget as well as in your designs.

u Lighting - Landscape lighting, lanterns, candles or strings of white outdoor lights can all add beautiful ambi-ence.

u Sound - Add pleasing audio with outdoor stereo sound systems, trickling water features or even just simple wind chimes.

u Color - Garden art, tablescapes, container plant-ings and fabric can put colorful finishing touches on your outdoor room.


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Whether you do it yourself or you hire a contractor, even small paint projects can greatly enhance the appear-ance of your home. Here are some quick ways to get a lot of mileage out of a little painting project.

Paint just an interior accent wall. Don't have the time or energy to paint an entire room? Give the space an exciting new look by painting just one wall in a different color.

A so-called accent wall can add visual interest to a room and introduce another hue into your color scheme.

Paint the area above (or below) a chair rail. If your home is blessed with chair rails, you don't have to paint the entire wall.

Paint the interior windows and trim. Love your wall color, but still yearn for a new look? Give the room a makeover by painting your windows, molding, and trim. You'll be surprised how different a room can look when

you change the intensity of color there.Paint a room's standout feature. Play up what's special

about a room by painting it a different color. This could be a fireplace surround, a curved archway, the backs of built-in bookshelves or cabinets, or something else. Using a strong “punch” color will draw immediate attention to your standout feature.

Paint the front door. Studies have shown that visitors get their first impression about a home from the condi-tion of the front entrance, according to Zimmer. A freshly painted door helps ensure that first impression will be favorable.

Paint just a few exterior architectural details. Even if you don't have to paint your home exterior for mainte-nance reasons, consider changing the appearance of your home by painting a few architectural details. Shutters are good candidates.

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u Asphalt: Asphalt driveways are the most common, thanks in large part to their cost effectiveness and mini-mal maintenance requirements.

Due to that popularity, contractors can easily install an asphalt driveway.

A mixture of tar, gravel and concrete, asphalt attracts heat, making it very hot in warmer months, something parents of young children who frequently play outdoors might want to think about. Another disadvantage to asphalt driveways is that they're oil-based and as a result flexible, making them vulnerable to cracking.

u Concrete. Concrete is another very popular choice for driveways, and one that allows for more creativity than asphalt. Whereas asphalt driveways are limited to a blue or black hue, concrete driveways can be customized to almost any color you prefer.

In addition, concrete driveways can feature stenciled designs, essentially making your driveway similar to an artist's canvas, albeit one that will require frequent seal-ing.

Though concrete driveways are tough and weather-resistant, they can stain rather easily and have tradition-ally proven difficult to clean. Such problems, however, might be worth it for those who prefer a more individual driveway.

u Gravel or pebble. For those who enjoy driveways that remind them of historical times when horses pulled carriages up the driveways of estates, gravel or pebble is the choice for you. Among the more understated and

elegant options, gravel or pebble driveways are also cost-effective and durable, in addition to requiring little maintenance.

One of the chief concerns when going with a gravel driveway is washout, where a heavy rainstorm could wash away all of a driveway's stones.

This concern can be easily quelled, however, by edg-ing in the driveway with scoria rock, bluestone or a hard timber that will keep the gravel or pebbles from wash-ing away. A more legitimate concern is the potential for driveways to turn muddy, a common problem for gravel driveways containing clay.

u Cobblestone or bluestone. Though these materials are eco-friendly, they're not wallet-friendly. Along with that, they can be a handful to maintain, as they're prone to weeds and often require resealing. Another common problem is loose stones, which need to be replaced.

While they can be problematic, they're among the more aesthetically appealing options, often looking ex-ceptionally beautiful when set alongside a yard's natural landscape. Smaller driveways are good for these materi-als, as you'll spend less and you won't expend so much energy with maintenance.

u Brick. Brick driveways can be a sight for sore eyes. Those who have opted for brick driveways have tradition-ally found that their driveways have become a feature of their home. The downside, however, is cost, as brick driveways can be pricey to install, a large part of which is thanks to labor costs.


Few things add style and elegance to a room like the rich look of wood furniture. But, has the wood furniture in your home lost its luster?

What about the flea market find that doesn't quite match the other wood pieces in your home? It's easy to give wood surfaces a new, long-lasting finish with stain and a protective finish.

u Preparation is the key to a beautiful staining project. Start your project by sanding. Sanding allows stain to ad-here and penetrate the wood, providing a better looking, more even appearance.

Then clean the wood surface thoroughly and wipe away any sanding residue with a damp sponge. Before applying stain to the entire project, test it out on an incon-spicuous area of the project.

For example, if you are staining a chair, turn it over and stain the bottom of the seat to test the color.

u Bring out wood's natural beauty with a colored stain. Stains add a luxurious, warm finish that'll enhance its appearance and add classic style to any room. Try deeper stains for a rich, traditional feel. Or, use lighter colors for a more natural look.

u The best way to make your stain look better and last longer is by protecting your project from spills, stains, scratches, and normal wear-and-tear with a clear finish.

A water-based polyurethane goes on clear and stays crystal clear - unlike some oil-based finishes, it won't change the appearance of the stain. Plus, it’s low odor and great for interior use!

The durable topcoat is a great way to enhance the beauty of your wood staining project, and keep it looking great for years to come.

Wood Staining

Professional Home Painting

INTERIOR & EXTERIOR PaINTINg & DRYWaLL REPaIR

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Named High View Housebecause the widows walk was once the highest point in Sussex County, the central portion of this house was built about 1790. Calib Ross, father to Governor William Ross remodeled the house in Victorian style in 1836. Governor William Ross played here as a child. Over the years the house has doubled as headquarters of a 3,000-acre farm, a distribution point for bootleg alcohol, a country store, a boarding house for Dupont executives and a display for cemetery monuments. Today a private residence, the 21-room house with six fireplaces has been fully restored, preserving the early glory of its slate roof, granite stonework, carved oak, Italian tile, iron work and bronze hardware with period furnishings and museum -quality historic lighting.

Painting & M

Named High View Housebecause the widows walk was once the highest point in Sussex County, the central portion of this house was built about 1790. Calib Ross, father to

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INTERIOR & EXTERIOR PaINTINg & DRYWag & DRYWag & DRYW LL REPaLL REPaLL REP IRON TIME AND ON BUDGET

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spring home improvement 2011

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