June 14th, 2010
How much time do you spend on your landscaping each year? How much time do you want to spend? Between mowing, weeding, planting, watering and maintenance care, the typically homeowner spends hundreds of hours doing yard work. While the creative side of landscaping ie: planting, can be relaxing and enjoyable; most of us find the aspect of maintenance tedious, and by the end of the season dread the chore. Here are some basic tips to create low maintenance landscaping:
- Plan ahead. If you are just starting your yard, don’t just go out and by plants and seed; plan your yard. Have a soil test done, not from one sample, but throughout your yard. Group plants by their growing needs, soil type and sun exposure.
- Avoid sharp angles in your mowing area. Use curved edges for flower beds and planting boxes for a more natural look and ease of mowing.
- Mulch, Mulch, Mulch… it is a wonderful, versatile landscaping product. Use it! A thick layer of mulch will help hold weeds at bay, and protects soil from the drying rays of the sun; which means less watering.
- Ornamental grasses and perennials tend to need less maintenance care than annuals. Use annuals as colorful highlights and in pots, hangers and flowerboxes.
- Use a grass seed that has a high content of clover seed. Clover is more resilient than many grass varieties. It requires less water, and is more drought resistant. Clover is short, which means less mowing. It attracts beneficial insect and does not suffer from “dog spots.” On top of this, clover is extremely soft.
Here are some links to articles with Low Maintenance Landscaping ideas:
Top 10 Tips for Low Maintenance Landscaping. from About.com
What is the most low-maintenance way to landscape? from HowStuffWorks.com
11 Ways to Save Water, Time and Money on Your Landscaping. from ThisOldHouse.com
Lawn-Less Yard Solutions. from ThisOldHouse.com
June 11th, 2010
“The kitchen is the heart of the Home.” This has been a catch phrase for years. It is printed onto décor and embroidered on kitchen towels in kitchens around the world. I have a new phrase “My kitchen is mission control.” Whether I am doing homework with the kids, cooking a meal, paying bills, planning a family trip…. I’m in the kitchen. Because so much happens in the kitchen, it is essential that I have an area to organize my life within the kitchen space. Hence the Kitchen Office.
A kitchen office is a small space tucked into the kitchen design that allows you office space. This space may only be a cabinet with a message board, charging station and bill basket tucked inside. Or it could be a computer station with print drawer, mail slots and a filing cabinet. It can be counter height, bar height, desk height, they even have standing workstations! Kitchen offices can be designed into any kitchen to suit the needs of any family. You know ‘It’s a good thing’ when Martha Stewart has one in her kitchen.
Kitchen Office in Martha Stewart's Home
Here are some links to get you started on your Kitchen Office:
Fit Functional Office Spaces in Kitchen by HGTVPro.com
Kitchen Offices and Message Centers from 1001 Idead for Kitchen Organization by Joseph R. Provey
Kitchen Workstation Ideas by Better Homes and Gardens
March 8th, 2010
I’ve had a bit of trouble writing this blog. “E” was a hard letter to find a topic for. Energy Efficiency was one of the first topics I came up with. As I researched however, I got lost in all of the available information. I had the same problem with Eco-friendly building products which was my second choice. After going through several other topic ideas, I have circled back to my initial topic. I have chosen to narrow my focus a bit to the Energy Star program.
The Energy Star Program was released by the US Environmental Protection Agency in 1992. In 1996 the EPA partnered with the US Department of Energy (DOE). The first products to be promoted as Energy Star compliant were PC’s and monitors. Since then every manufacturer of products that use energy has worked diligently to acquire and maintain the Energy Star qualification of their products. Everything from blenders to light fixture and appliances to complete homes can be certified as part of the Energy Star program. By April of 2009, 75% of Americans and Canadians were aware of the Energy Star Program.
As stated on the Energy Star website, the goal of the Energy Star program help consumers “save money and protect the environment through energy efficient products and practices.” The program does this by testing products by their strict energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions guidelines. Those products that meet the guidelines are allowed to be promoted as “Energy Star Products.” Most manufacturers clearly advertise this certification, as it is easily recognized by the general public. While the initial cost of the product maybe slightly more than a similar product that isn’t Energy Star compliant, but the cost of using these products have been greatly reduced.
This blog has barely touched the surface of what the Energy Star program is. For more information, please visit their website at www.energystar.gov
February 24th, 2010
Since the 1950’s the average square footage of American homes has more than doubled! Having a large home has become a status symbol of a successful life. What most families have ended up with is a huge home with three or four rooms that are used on a daily basis. In recent years however, families have begun to decrease the size of their homes. Many families are eliminating formal dining and living rooms, opting instead for larger common areas with multiple uses. By building or purchasing smaller homes families have smaller mortgage payments, as well as lower upkeep, and utility costs. This article Home Downsizing on About.com discusses the Pros and Cons of downsizing your home.
Once you make the decision to downsize your home. This article from Bob Vila Rethink Your Space and How You Use It is filled with ideas of how to fit your life into a smaller space.
Is the American perception of “bigger is better” changing? Is our current economic situation driving this downsizing trend? Or is it something else? We welcome your opinions and input.
February 3rd, 2010
Here in the Northeast, we are “experts” in home winterization. Each Fall, homeowners flock to the local hardware, building supply and department stores to load up on plastic window kits, weather stripping and door draft stoppers. With the new Federal Tax Credits for Energy Efficiency, now may be a good time to do more permanent changes to our home, than the standard annual buttoning up many homeowners do.
To help you get the most bang for your buck, it is a good idea to start your project with an Energy Audit of your home. You might believe that your windows need to be replaced but in fact they may need to be reinstalled with proper use of caulking, ice and water shield, and insulation. An Energy Audit will help eliminate the risk of spending money on products and services you don’t need. Here is a link to information about how an Energy Audit is conducted, and what the purpose of an audit is. Energy Savers: Home Energy Audits.
When your Energy Audit is complete, you may be able to complete some of the updates with a little bit of knowhow and a few trips to the local building supply store. DoItYourself.com has an in-depth article on weatherizing your home including a materials and tools checklist and list of different types of caulking and their pros and cons. How to Weatherize Your Home.
ThisOldHouse.com is always filled with relevant home improvement articles. 10 Ways to Shrink Your Energy Bills has some great ideas regarding improving the efficiency of your home. New Insulation Options describes types of insulation, explains their ingredients and performance.
To wrap up this fairly long blog, if you are looking for more energy efficiency ideas that you don’t need to search through multiple websites to find, you will not find a more comprehensive source than The Consumer Guide to Home Energy Savings. This book is published by on a yearly basis and is filled with up-to-date ideas that can be applied to new construction as well as renovations.
February 1st, 2010
According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, 1 in every 4 Americans suffer from Asthma and/or allergies. 40 Million Americans have indoor/outdoor allergies. With statistics like these, chances are someone in your household is affected by Asthma/allergies. The most common known triggers for symptoms are pollen and pet dander. Unfortunately it is nearly impossible to eliminate the triggers from your life. You can; however, lower your exposure to them while at home with the use of an Air Filtration System.
The Asthma and Allergy Foundation has a webpage with information about Air Filtrations Systems. Their page is filled with information about how systems work in direct relation to how they can help asthmatics and allergy sufferers. Information about Air Filtration Systems from the AAFA
The EPA also has information about Air Filtration Systems. This page has more technical information comparing different types of systems and their purposes. It also explains how to measure the performance of a system. Guide to Air Cleaners in the Home from the EPA
The best part of each of these websites is that neither promotes a specific system. These sites have general information you can use as you to compare different systems to find the right fit for your home.
October 20th, 2009
The National Association of Homebuilders (NAHB) has written an article explaining the predicted outcome of extending the housing tax credit. They predict that extending the housing credit for another year would create 350,000 jobs and promote 82,000 new house starts. This would boost the overall health of the economy and stimulate the housing market. You can read the report at this site. In addition they have created a page to send a letter to Congress to show your support for extending this credit. Click here for the letter.
October 14th, 2009
The housing market news is haltingly optimistic. While some are forecasting a slowdown in the rebound, statistics are still showing remarkable comebacks. The Realty Times posts that housing sales are on the increase due to great prices and great mortgage rates. The back log of existing homes is diminishing, so the prospect of building new is increasing. Building new with modular and systems built technology is gaining popularity as never before. Modular building makes sense because you can have your cake and eat it too. You can get great pricing, the floor plan you want and the energy consciousness you desire your home to have so you don’t have to worry about paying your heating bills. Perhaps some of you are still looking at the existing home market but you are never really satisfied with the floor plan. Don’t forget that you will most likely need to add money to your budget to make upgrades to the energy efficiency of that home, too. When you add it all up – building new is great value and will save you money.
August 21st, 2009
Do you like to enter sweepstakes and contests? I found these on the Natural Home Magazine website. You enter with a chance to win sustainable home products or garden tools or even a community chicken coop valued at over $2000. At the same time you can sign up to be on their e-mail list and get the latest information on green products and sustainable living. Even if you don’t win the sweepstake prize, you will benefit from all the timely tips the e-mail newsletters will provide for your home. Who knows – you might win the prize too, someone has to win!
August 18th, 2009
Mother Nature Network has a great blog article about manufactured housing: A to Zeta. It shows just how far sytems built technology has come with efficient green building. Pay attention to the list of green features. What it shows is that it is available – if not the norm – yet. Modular building is all about making your home what you want it to be. If you are looking for an energy efficient green building, ask for that and voila, it’s in there. If you want more closet space – ask for that and like magic, it’s in there. Your new home should be everything you want it to be. The energy conscience townhouse seen in this blog may be just what you have in mind. A country ranch might be more to your liking – we can do that, too. If you’ve never watched a modular home craned onto a foundation be sure to watch the short You Tube video of the townhouse being set into place at the bottom of the blog post on Mother Nature Network. It’s fun to see it done in a mere 4 minutes with the men scurrying around so quickly. Of course it takes longer than that in the real world, but it is still a much faster process than stick building on site. If you’ve never considered a modular home before I encourage you to consider it now. Call us to find out how it would work out for you!
