The Home Know-It-All

Electric Space Heater Buying Guide

A space heater eats plenty of energy, but it doesn't use nearly as much as your furnace. Place one in a drafty room to supplement heat, rather than crank up your furnace, and you'll save energy and money. Here's what to look for when buying one. 

Thermostat and Adjustable Power Levels 
Choosing a space heater with a thermostat and adjustable power levels allows you to set the temperature and power as low as possible to comfortably heat your room and avoid energy waste. 

Oscillating Blower Fan
A space heater with an oscillating blower fan warms a space quickly and efficiently. A unit with a higher heat output but no oscillating fan leaves a room feeling colder than one with a lower output and a fan. 

Overheat Protection and Tip-Over Switch
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, 25,000 residential fires are started every year as a result of space heaters, leading to more than 300 deaths and 6,000 emergency room visits for burns. Fortunately, many new heaters come with great safety features. One is overheat protection, which automatically turns off the unit when the heat rises to high. Another is a tip-over switch, which shuts off the unit if it falls over. Some units even have infrared sensors that cut off power if anything gets too close to the heater—a handy feature for those with kids or pets. 

Testing Company Approved
Always look for space heaters that have been tested and labeled by a nationally recognized and reputable testing company such as the Underwriter's Laboratories Inc. (UL). Many companies manufacture cheap imitations of popular brands, but these devices are untested and possibly dangerous. 

Until next time, 
The Home Know-It-All

Ice Dam Prevention

Nothing beats a cozy house when you're surrounded by snow. But that warm home may cause ice dams. When heat escapes from your attic, it melts the snow on your roof, and if it's cold enough outside, that melting snow may refreeze, creating ice dams. 

You know those glittering icicles hanging from your home? They're a telltale sign that ice dams are forming, and your home is losing heat and energy much faster than it should be. As they form, ice dams force water under your roof covering and into your attic or exterior walls, causing serious damage to your home. Here are some tips to keep them away. 

Prevention
The best method for dealing with ice dams is to prevent them from forming. You can do this by properly ventilating and insulating your attic. By ventilating your attic, you make sure the warm air from inside your home is being replaced with colder outdoor air and the temperature inside your attic stays as close to the temperature outside as possible. Also check your attic insulation. If it's lacking, you can try insulating your attic yourself. (It's often one of the easiest rooms in your house to insulate.) For specific instructions, visit the U.S. Department of Energy's site. 

Solutions
If ice dams form on your home before you're able to ventilate and insulate your attic, you may want to call in a licensed contractor to remove them safely and effectively. If you plan to remove the dams yourself, avoid getting on the roof. Instead, use a roof rake and push broom to pull the ice and snow down the slope of your roof while you're on the ground. But be careful. Removing an ice dam can be dangerous.

Never use salt or calcium chloride to melt the snow because the chemicals are highly corrosive and will damage metal gutters, downspouts, and flashings. 

Until next time, 
The Home Know-It-All

Home Security Devices for Under $30

Even those of us who trust in the inherent good of others should make some effort to protect our homes from criminal behavior. As an alternative to installing expensive alarm systems, here are some simple, affordable home security devices—each under $30—that will help bring you peace of mind. 

 

Entry Alarm With Remote Control—$22.50
Thieves don't like piercing noise. But that's what they'll get when you install this entry alarm. By simply attaching the alarm to a door or window, and installing the corresponding magnet bar to the frame, you'll have a foolproof mechanism for deterring would-be robbers. The best part? It can be activated remotely. Since the alarm can be set to three different channels, you can have multiple alarms that activate with one remote, or have each alarm activate separately. 

 

Guard Dog Door Brace With Alarm—$28.50
Sometimes—as is often the case with apartments—the easiest way for a thief to enter is through the front door. The Guard Dog Door Brace not only prevents the door from being forced open, but it also engages a deafening 120 db alarm if its pressure-sensitive switch is activated. And it's collapsible so you can bring it with you when you travel. 

 

Dome Dummy Camera With Motion Activated Light—$21.00
Sometimes just the façade of home security is enough to deter would-be criminals from trying to get inside. At a fraction of the cost of a real security camera, the dome dummy camera is built from real dome camera parts for an authentic look. When the built-in motion detector senses movement, a red LED will blink for 20 seconds before resetting—making any people in its path think they're being recorded.   

 

Book Safe—$19.95
Thieves tend to spend just a few moments inside your home, so hiding your prized possessions in an inconspicuous place could be even more effective than locking them in a safe. The book safe is a time-tested device that embodies the axiom "out of sight, out of mind." This safe is made from a real book, so it should blend in seamlessly with others on the shelf.  

 

Motion-Activated LED Outdoor Light—$26.00
Put suspicious activity in the spotlight with this motion-activated LED outdoor light. Battery-powered and weatherproof, this light comes with five blinding LEDs that illuminate when the device detects a moving heat source. 

Until next time, 
The Home Know-It-All

Sealing a Garage Floor

Few surfaces take as much abuse as the concrete floor of your garage. Every day it withstands the weight of vehicles and a barrage of substances they carry in and leave behind—water, oil, dirt, snow, salt, sand, and the occasional leaking fluid. Sealing the floor with specific paints or specialty products can help reduce future damage while maintaining cleanliness. 

Check for sealant
First, test to make sure your garage floor hasn't already been sealed. Pour a little water on the floor and see if it beads. If it does, the floor has been sealed already and new sealants may not adhere. If your floor has an old paint job, check the adherence of the paint by cutting the surface with a razor, applying a piece of duct tape, and ripping upward. If more than 25 percent of the paint comes off with the tape, the floor will likely need to be stripped before you can apply a sealant. 

Prepare the floor
Before you apply anything to your garage floor, a thorough cleaning is in order. Sweep or blow out any leaves or loose dirt, spray the floor with a hose, and use a broom to push the now dirty water outside. Use mineral spirits and a scrub brush to remove oil or grease stains. Any large cracks should be repaired with concrete repair caulk and allowed to dry. 

Choose your sealant
Because concrete is actually porous, water that is allowed to penetrate the surface can freeze and cause serious structural damage. Though applying a sealant is very important, choosing the correct one can be a difficult task, as the list of available sealants covers a broad range of utility and price. Visit radonseal.com for a comprehensive list of the various kinds of sealants available, or contact a professional contractor or installer for suggestions. 

Until next time, 
The Home Know-It-All

Fridays with designer Martin Amado

Recently, The Home Know-It-All was fortunate enough to participate in an interview with designer Martin Amado. A renowned home decor and lifestyle expert, Amado is best known for hosting HGTV's Small Space, Big Style and appearing as a guest designer on that network's Decorating Cents. Pay us a visit each Friday for the next two weeks to find out another of Amado's informative answers to our design and green living questions. Meantime, for more information on Amado's work, visit his website.

Today's Question: 
Do you have suggestions for decorating windows without spending a lot of cash?

   

 

If you're unable to view the video, click here to watch it on YouTube.

Until next time,
The Home Know-It-All

Insulating a Garage Door

With winter fast approaching, it's time to turn our attention to reducing heat loss in our homes. And we often overlook the garage, especially the garage door. Often un-insulated and constantly exposed to outside weather, garage doors are a major source of preventable heat loss. Here's how to quickly and easily save that heat this winter and turn your garage into a more comfortable place when the weather outside is frigid.

Kits
Ranging in price from $70 to $200, garage door insulation kits make insulating your garage door an expedient project. Kits typically include double- or single-sided reflective insulation, double-sided tape or screws, and alcohol wipes to clean the application surface. Installing is as easy as sizing and cutting a piece of insulation to fit a panel on your garage door and securing it with the included adhesive or screws. 

Benefits
Insulating your garage door increases its thermal performance, allowing it to keep warm air inside on cool days and cold air in on hot days. Plus, adding insulation to your garage door qualifies you for homeowner tax credits (30 percent of the insulation's cost if you install before the end of this year). 

Until next time, 
The Home Know-It-All

What To Do About Rotting Window Frames?

Recently, a reader asked the Home Know-It-All if we had any suggestions or explanation for the crumbling wood window frames on her 1887 home. Though we can't promise an easy fix to the problem, we can offer an idea of what is causing it, and what it will take to address the underlying issues that are causing those window frames to fall apart. 

First, wood window frames suffer a constant barrage of changing humidity and moisture levels. In our reader's case, her home's frames have held up for well over 100 years—an impressive feat. Though those window frames may have faithfully kept moisture from entering when they were new, time has a way of breaking down those defenses. If the moisture levels in your window frames reach 20% or higher, they become a prime environment for the fungus that causes wood rot—characterized by discolored or crumbling surfaces. This is probably our reader's culprit, though any signs of insect damage from termites, carpenter ants, or powderpost beetles should be taken into consideration as a possible contributing factor. 

If the rot is contained in one area, you may only need to remove the rotted portion (and a little of the healthy wood, just to be sure you got it all), and replace it.  Cut a piece of wood to fit the void (try to use the same wood species used in the existing frame) and apply construction adhesive to lock it into place. A little putty, sanding, and paint will make the old and new areas appear uniform. If you have stained window frames, matching the patch to the original frame will be more difficult.

Unfortunately, when you remove the rotting portions of your frame, you may find that the rot extends into the surrounding wall. If that's the case, you could be looking at significant repair and replacement costs. It also means that you have underlying moisture issues that need to be addressed before you repair or replace the window frame. 

Wood treatments available at home and garden centers can help prevent and solve future rot problems. Try to use products formulated with propylene and polyethylene glycol, as they work well and are believed to be safer to use than typical rot-prevention products.  

It might be time to replace your windows entirely. If you do purchase new windows, be sure to buy ENERGY STAR qualified windows—they can save you energy and money, and might make you eligible for additional federal tax credits.

We certainly hope this helps!

Until next time,
The Home Know-It-All 

Testing An Electrical Outlet

In high school I held a summer job at an antiques store. One afternoon, I was given the task of wiring a chandelier for display in one of the shop windows. As I lay on the floor with the smell of burning plastic wafting from the nearby outlet and lightning bolts dancing across my vision, I realized I would never be an electrician. But I did get the rest of the day off. 

Fortunately, testing an electrical outlet is a simpler and safer task. With the correct tools and know-how, you should be able to identify which outlets in your home aren't functioning properly and why. Should you find an outlet that isn't working, my past experience leads me to suggest finding a qualified electrician to fix it. 

Selecting An Outlet Tester
Though tester designs vary, opt for a plug-in model, if possible. This simple device looks like a small box with a standard three-pronged electrical plug attached. It's a very easy tool to use and should not cost you more than $20. If you have any ground-fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) outlets—characterized by test and reset buttons sandwiched between three-prong sockets—be sure your tester is designed to handle them. 

Testing Your Tester
Check your outlet tester on an outlet you know is working. A dead battery or malfunction in your tester can lead you to think an outlet is dead when it's actually alive and dangerous. 

Most testers will do more than merely indicate whether the outlet is functional—they specifically point out improper wiring. Lights on the device glow according to the condition of your outlet. You can decipher the lights using the legend printed on the tester. For a more comprehensive guide to tester readings and what they mean, visit The Circuit Detective.

Until next time, 

The Home Know-It-All

5 Home Improvements That Don't Pay Off

If you plan to sell your house someday, you should know that certain home improvements don't boost resale value as much as you think. Based on the percentage of the remodeling costs you'll typically recoup at resale time, these are among the least lucrative projects, according to Remodeling magazine.

1. Home Office - 48.1% Return on investment (ROI). To a buyer who doesn't plan to work at home, the perceived cost and hassle of redecorating and reallocating the home office space you created will negate more than half your investment. 
2. Sunroom Addition - 50.7% ROI. Sunrooms provide great therapy for body and soul, but they may not appear very practical to prospective home buyers concerned about energy efficiency. You're probably better off preserving the space for outdoor use or incorporating it into a larger kitchen.  
3. Backup Power Generator - 58.9% ROI. Installing a permanent backup generator (not a portable gasoline-powered unit) seems like a shrewd move, especially in areas prone to storms and power outages. And though having a reliable secondary source of electricity creates peace of mind for you, it doesn't mean much to homebuyers who see it as expensive overkill.  
4. Bathroom Addition - 59.5% ROI. Though it's hard to argue with the value of additional bath space, the Remodeling study shows that the costs of such a project have gone up significantly over the past several years, while the resale value has stagnated, even declining some in the past couple of years. In the magazine's 2003 report, the average cost and recouped value of a bath addition were roughly equal, resulting in a near 100% or better return on investment. 
5. Garage Addition - 62.2% ROI. Adding a spacious, freestanding two-car garage isn't a bad investment, especially if you're replacing a smaller garage—or have no garage at all—but the project may not generate tremendous enthusiasm from future buyers. Many will expect a two-car garage and not want to pay extra for the space you added. 

To see what kind of return you can expect on other remodeling projects, check out the full report.

Until next time, 

The Home Know-It-All

Carbon Monoxide 101

While we all understand (or should) the importance of smoke detectors in our homes, carbon monoxide detectors are an equally important device that could save your family's life. Colorless and odorless, carbon monoxide can be an insidious threat—one that is generated by every major appliance that functions using combustion. This includes furnaces, gas water heaters, and space heaters to name just a few. Detectors are an affordable way to secure a little peace of mind. 

Why It's Dangerous
Carbon monoxide is attracted to hemoglobin in the bloodstream. As you breathe it in, carbon monoxide displaces oxygen in your system and causes flu-like symptoms that increase in severity until you lose consciousness or worse. 

What to Do
If you or someone in your family begins to suffer from headache, nausea, dizziness, and/or vomiting, get everyone out of the house and into fresh air before calling the fire department. NOTE: Do NOT try to track down the source of the leak yourself, as the highest levels of carbon monoxide will be found there. Leave this task to the fire department who will be equipped for it, and first seek fresh air and medical attention for you and your family. Keep in mind that children, the elderly, and those with respiratory or coronary problems may show symptoms before healthy adults. Ideally, the installation of a carbon monoxide detector will notify you before anyone in your home reaches this point. 

Possible Culprits
Odds are very good that you have at least one appliance in your home that creates carbon monoxide as a byproduct of its function—wood burning stoves, fireplaces, gas ranges, and gas dryers all do. Keeping these and similar appliances well ventilated and well maintained should ensure that all of the toxins they are producing find their way outside. 

The Price of Safety
In-home carbon monoxide detectors cost anywhere from $20 to $120. The Consumer Product Safety Commission suggests installing a carbon monoxide detector near every bedroom in your home, and replacing the detectors every five years. 

Until next time, 

The Home Know-It-All

Sweating Copper Pipes

For those preparing to tackle a DIY plumbing job, there's a good chance you're going to be working with copper pipes—in which case cutting and joining them is almost inevitable. "Sweating" a copper pipe is simply the process of joining two copper pipes using solder. So if cascading streams of water aren't something you want to see in your home, pay careful attention to these tips.

What you'll need:

• Appropriate copper pipes and joints for your project
• Hard or soft, lead-free solder (NOTE: Hard solder contains a phosphorous flux already in its composition. This is toxic if ingested—it should not be used for potable water lines)
• Tube reamer
• Combination wire brush
• Rag
• Plumbing flux
• Propane torch

Preparation:

The first key to achieving a watertight bond between your two pipes is careful preparation of the two mating surfaces. After cutting a pipe, use your reamer to remove any burrs from the cut end, followed by your wire brush to clean both mating surfaces and remove any oxidized copper. Use a clean rag to wipe off any grit. The basic principle here is that clean surfaces will bond tightly. 

Assembly:

Apply plumbing flux on the now-abraded surfaces and connect the joint. Move your torch flame around the joint, keeping the flame just touching the surface and heating evenly. The copper should get shiny as the flux proceeds to melt, followed by the metal getting dull and the flux beginning to smoke. This indicates it's time to apply your solder.

Soldering:

Carefully touch the tip of the solder to the joint, keeping the flame on the joint to maintain the temperature. The solder should be sucked directly into the joint as it melts. On horizontal connections, start applying the solder at the bottom of the joint and work your way up and over the pipe, then back around. For vertical pipe connections, apply the solder evenly around the pipe. 

Click here for more information on keeping your newly assembled pipes from freezing during the winter.

Until next time, 

The Home Know-It-All 

Create Your Home Emergency Kit

Better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.

This old axiom imparts an important message about emergency preparedness: It takes effort, but during times of crisis, your foresight will be appreciated. Here's how to assemble a home emergency survival kit that you'll hopefully never need. 

Water
More than anything else, drinkable water is of paramount importance. Dehydration can happen under any weather conditions and within a surprisingly short amount of time. You should also supply enough water to maintain basic hygiene (about one gallon per person, per day). Keep your water in well-sealed containers (2-liter soda bottles work well) and empty and refill with fresh water every year.

Light
Include a reliable light source. Choose a flashlight that can be recharged by cranking or shaking because it doesn't require fresh batteries.  

Food
Dehydrated fruit, smoked or dried meat, nuts, hard candy, canned or jarred fruits and vegetables, pasta, and crackers all have a respectable shelf life and are a good starting point for your emergency food supplies. MREs or 'Meals Ready to Eat' are another option. They are pre-packaged, self-contained meals—a favorite of the military for their shelf life, high transportability, calorie count, and ease of use. Civilian variants are commercially available but tend to be expensive. 

Heat source/cooking apparatus 
If your home does not have a wood or gas-powered cook stove, you may want to include a small propane camp stove in your survival kit. These may not be safe for use indoors so check the instructions before use.

Communication 
Both hardwired and cell phones may prove less-than-reliable during natural disasters, but having a battery-powered radio will, at the very least, keep you informed of what's happening outside. 

Until next time, 

The Home Know-It-All

Sandpaper 101

Like duct tape, sandpaper is one of those handy-dandy instruments that fits almost endless applications and is a venerable member of our 'emergency fix-it' tool kit. But how much do we really know about our abrasive friend? 

Grading systems

There are three grading systems for abrasives (the proper title for sandpaper).

1. FEPA: These are the most common abrasives worldwide, and are indicated by the P that precedes a number on the backside of your sandpaper sheet. In this grading system, the grit of sandpaper is determined by the specific range of grain sizes used in its manufacture. 


2. CAMI: Used exclusively by US abrasives manufacturers, this system determines what grit an abrasive is by the average particle size used in its fabrication. 


3. Micron: Gauges an abrasive by each particle's diameter in micrometers for precision not found in other abrasives.

Grit size

In all but Micron-graded abrasives, the larger the number is, the finer the grit. For example, in the case of FEPA-graded sandpaper, P24 would be much coarser than P500. Coarser sandpaper is best suited for jobs where aggressive removal of material is necessary. If you have an old picnic table covered in several layers of paint, using a coarser grit will get the job done much faster than using a finer grit. 

However, if you are preparing an unfinished woodworking project to accept stain, you will want to use a finer grit abrasive to ensure the smoothest finish. 

Generally, you'll want to use several grits of abrasives on a project—starting with a coarser grit sandpaper and working your way incrementally towards a very fine sandpaper before applying a finish. 

To apply your newfound sandpaper knowledge, take a peek at The Home Know-It-All's suggestions on repairing and refinishing wooden window frames. 

Until next time, 

The Home Know-It-All

Pest Problem? Try Green Home Remedies

As much as we all dislike pests, most of us are leery of spraying chemicals around our homes as a means to get rid of them. Instead, here are some non-toxic, homemade remedies to send those invasive insects packing. 

Before you start trying to get rid of any pest, though, take the obvious first step—remove any attractants that are keeping them around. This includes food residue, open food sources, and any standing or dripping water. 

Roaches

Roaches are known as one of the most determinedly difficult insects to eliminate. 

Try spreading bay leaves around the house, or get a hold of some hedgeapples—the fruit of the Osage Orange tree—and leave one in every room in the house. 

Catnip—for homes without cats—serves as an excellent roach repellant. To create an anti-roach solution, simmer catnip in water and then spray it around the house. Again, if you have a cat, it would be best not to use this technique!

Ants

For ant problems, try leaving bags of mint tea, cloves, or crushed mint leaves in high-activity areas. If you can track down the ants' point of entry into your home, create a "fence" of cinnamon, coffee grounds, or cayenne pepper. Sprinkling any of these in a small line around the entry will create a barrier the colony won't cross. 

Flies

Leaving cloth scraps with a few drops of eucalyptus oil on them will keep flies away in problematic areas. Like ants, flies hate mint and cloves, so leaving some around the house will serve double duty in the fight on critters.

Keep a spray bottle of soapy water around for insect sightings too—a well-aimed shot or two will dispatch them handily. For information on repelling other species of insect pests, visit eartheasy.com

Until next time, 

The Home Know-It-All

The Furnace Saga Continues: Making a Decision

As you know, our 15-year-old furnace recently developed a hole in the combustion chamber, which left us scrambling to answer this question: Do we repair it or replace it? 

Luckily, the decision was easier than we thought. Most gas furnaces have a life expectancy of 15 to 20 years. For us, it didn’t make sense to spend $600 when the furnace would most likely last another 3 to 5 years before we would need to replace it. 

Get a second opinion. Not sure what move is best for you? Talk to your heating and cooling contractor, who can assess the condition of your furnace and give you advice on how to proceed. Don’t be afraid to ask their opinion, as they are motivated to keep you as a satisfied client.

Consider overall costs. Furnace repair and replacement is rarely a planned expense, but you may qualify for incentives. Knowing what you qualify for in rebates and tax credits is important when making your decision. It may make up the difference in being able to justify the more expensive yet more energy-efficient product. The result is the potential of reduced monthly energy costs. Just be aware that you will have to pay the purchase and installation costs upfront and wait for the rebate and tax credit. 

Research incentives. Many utilities are encouraged to offer incentives to customers who purchase energy-efficient appliances. Start your search by visiting the Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency. Also contact your local utility or visit their website for additional information, or talk to your heating and cooling contractor.

Some local utilities partner with lending institutions to provide competitive loan interest rates to purchase eligible equipment. These plans vary and may include a six-month same-as-cash option. Be aware that by committing to special finance assistance, you may be sacrificing rebate incentives. Call your local utility to find out what options are available and what restrictions apply.

The Federal Government offers tax incentives for purchasing energy-efficient appliances. In 2008, Energy Star delivered cost and energy savings estimated at $19 billion. If you're considering the purchase of a major appliance or home upgrade, visit their website  to determine what meets qualification for federal tax credit. Tax credit amounts vary, but can be as much as 30 percent of the cost up to $1,500.00. The current program expires December 31, 2010. You must be in an existing home to qualify and it must be your primary place of residence.

After exploring all our options, we decided to install a new system. Thanks to the rebate and tax incentives, we were able to select a 95 percent energy-efficient, variable-speed furnace and air conditioning system (it made financial sense to invest in and install a new air conditioner at the same time, because our old one was installed at the same time as the spent furnace). Our gas usage has noticeably dropped on our monthly utility bill, so we are satisfied with the choices we made.

Until later…

The Home Know-It-All

The Furnace Saga Continues

The furnace we've had for 15 years has a hole in the combustion chamber. So, what happens next?

Our furnace needed to be shut down because of carbon monoxide exposure (though we were well below toxic levels when the air around the furnace was sampled) and because it was a potential fire hazard. Of course, this occurred in the middle of November in the Midwest, and until the furnace was repaired or replaced, we had no heat. Talk about pressure to make a decision!

If you're in the same boat with no heat, make safety a priority with these do's and dont's:

1. Do stay somewhere else. If it is going to be a while before you can get the furnace repaired or replaced, consider staying somewhere else. Contact a family member or friend in the area. Stay at a hotel or motel. If you stay at home, prepare the house for an extended period with no heat. This may require you to turn off the main water valve to the house and drain the pipes so they do not freeze.
2. Do use the fireplace. If you have a fireplace, you can use it to heat the house. Gas or wood will work. This is not a very efficient way to heat the house. Fireplaces draw the heat up the chimney and out of the house. This will cause some rooms to be colder than others. You can purchase in-fireplace blowers designed to force some of the heat back into the house. These do help, but you are still venting air out of the chimney.
3. Do use the wood or gas stove. You may have purchased a wood-burner or gas stand-alone stove for heating an addition. You can use it to help heat the home. It will be more efficient than a fireplace, as it is designed to hold and radiate heat out into the room. However, you won’t be able to heat the whole house evenly because is no duct system to carry the warmed air throughout the house.
4. Don't use a gas oven! Using an open oven over long periods of time burns oxygen in the house. This creates a condition of improper gas combustion and the potential for carbon monoxide in the home.

Our home has a fireplace with a gas insert and blower, plus we have a gas stove in the sunroom. Because we were not experiencing sub-zero weather at the time (luckily!), we were able to keep the home moderately comfortable.

Now: Do we replace or repair?

Until later,
The Home Know-It-All

Chamber of Horrors – What happens next?

Our furnace of 15 years has been just diagnosed has having a hole in the combustion chamber. So, what happens next?

Our furnace contractor turned on the furnace and showed me what a hole or crack in the combustion chamber does to the furnace. He explained that the hole allows a back-draft of air into the furnace. The back-draft is exhaust, which is supposed to vent outside through the chimney. With nowhere to go, the exhaust is forced down into the furnace. Depending on the size of the hole or crack, the flames from the burner can be forced out of the burner chamber. This can be bad for a number of reasons. The flames are forced into the area where the wiring may be located creating a fire hazard. A hazard equally as great is that the exhaust air from the back-draft may have high levels of carbon monoxide.

Carbon monoxide is a toxic gas has no odor, taste and is colorless. It is a natural by-product of incomplete combustion. Small amounts of it can cause severe illness or death. Symptoms of exposure to carbon monoxide are very similar to flu symptoms: headaches, dizziness, faintness, drowsiness, pain in the ears and seeing spots (for more information on symptoms, visit WebMd. Furnace contractors have devices that can detect the amount of carbon monoxide in the air. Our contractor sampled the air near the furnace and found that the levels were not hazardous to our health.

Even though the levels of carbon monoxide were not a health hazard, the furnace needed to be turned off until either the chamber or the furnace was replaced. The furnace still presented a fire hazard, as the flames were being forced out of the burner chamber into the area where the wiring was located. A health hazard from carbon monoxide was still present as the hole or crack will expand over time.

How do we survive in a home without heat from a furnace in the winter?

Do we repair the combustion chamber or replace the furnace?

I’ll let you know how we handled the situation and what we decided to do in the next articles.

Until later…
The Home Know-It-All

Chamber of Horrors

There is little in this world that causes as much stress as suddenly realizing your furnace fan is running constantly and yet the house is cooling down. Our furnace of 15 years decided it had just had enough, I guess, this past November. With visions of currency flying out of our bank account, I called our heating and cooling contractor. After looking at the furnace, he pronounced that we had either a hole or crack in the combustion chamber of our gas furnace. We can either have it replaced or replace the whole furnace.

So, what to do?

Does the furnace need to be shutdown completely?

Of course, this never occurs anytime of the year but on the coldest days of winter. How do we keep the house warm?

Over the next few articles I will address what we decided and how we handled the “Chamber of Horrors” experience.

Until later...
The Home Know-It-All

After the Holiday

All good times come to an end. Unfortunately, that includes the end of the holidays and enjoyment of your tree. Your tree has most likely started to have a brown tint to it and the fragrance isn't as noticeable as it was when you first set it up. You begin wondering if there might be more needles on the floor than on the tree.

Well, it is time to take off the lights and decorations.

But what to do with the tree?

Many communities have disposal programs. Some offer curbside pick for a short period. Other communities have drop-off locations for disposal or recycling. Recycling programs will involve 'chipping' the trees for use as mulch or compost.

If you just don't want to part with the tree, you can set it up in your yard as a combination feeder/shelter for birds and other wildlife. Eventually you are going to have to let go and dispose of it, though.

Until later...
The Home Know-It-All

Caring for Your Holiday Tree

You have put a lot of work into selecting the right tree. Once the decorations and lights are on the tree, you want it to last as long as possible. Proper caring for the tree will help to extend the fragrance and color of the tree. The National Christmas Tree Association advices you to do the following:

1. If you haven’t already, cut off a 1/2-inch thick disk from the bottom of tree base before you set it in the stand (it is better to have this done at the tree farm or lot, possible). Do not cut the trunk at an angle or in a v-shape for two reasons: the tree may not set properly in the stand and it will reduce the amount of water the tree will be able to draw. Keep the cut surface clean.
2. Place the tree in the stand and in water as soon as you get it home. Most trees can stand 6 to 8 hours without water after cutting and still be able to draw water.
3. The stand should have a reservoir with adequate water holding capacity. A rule of thumb is 1 quart of water for inch of trunk diameter.
4. Use a stand that fits your tree.
5. Avoid drilling holes in the trunk. It does not improve the water uptake.
6. When refilling the water reservoir, the water temperature is not really important and does not really impact the ability of the tree to draw the water.
7. Check the water reservoir daily (check morning and evening the first few days as you would be surprised how quickly a fresh-cut tree will draw up the water). Do not let the water reservoir fall below the base of the tree.

Follow the above suggestions and you should be able to enjoy your tree for the duration of the holidays. Now get those lights and decorations! Once decorated, make your favorite warm beverage, sit back and enjoy your beautiful tree.

Until Later
The Home Know-It-All

Selecting Your Holiday Tree

 Whether you are selecting a farm-cut tree or a pre-cut tree you want to choose a tree that will last through the holidays. Here are some tips for choosing the right tree:

Let there be light!
Buying your tree off a lot? If you are shopping for one after work, make sure the lot is well lit.

The delivery date
Ask when the tree was delivered to the lot. Where the tree was delivered from will tell a lot about the freshness. A locally grown tree is going to be fresher than a tree hauled from a distant tree farm.

Make sure the needles are resilient.
Using your thumb and forefinger, take hold of a branch approximately 6-inches from the tip. Pull your fingers toward you so the branch slips through your fingers. The needles should slide between your fingers and not fall from the branch. The needles should be flexible and not brittle. 

Are the needles firmly attached to the tree?
Bump the base of the tree lightly against the ground. There should be a very small amount of fall-off from a fresh tree.

Give it the color and fragrance test.
The tree should have a fresh fragrance and look attractive. A fresh, moist tree retains water, which means the tree has good moisture content. Moisture content helps a tree retain good color and fragrance. Avoid tree with a musty odor of discolored foliage.

Strong limbs.
Make sure the limbs are strong enough to hold your ornaments and lights.

If the tree you like meets the above criteria, you have found a tree that should remain beautiful and fresh throughout the holiday.
 

Until Later
The Home Know-It-All

Christmas Tree Urban Myths

Scared of that real Christmas Tree? Not able to sleep at night because of what you heard about the fresh tree you are thinking of purchasing? You shouldn't be. Many people have misconceptions about troubles Christmas Trees can pose. Here are some of the Urban Myths that have been flying around:

1. Real Christmas Trees are cut down from forests.
2. You save a tree by using a fake tree.
3. Real Christmas Trees aggravate allergies.
4. It's better to use a fake tree because you can re-use it each year.
5. Christmas Trees are a fire safety hazard and frequently catch on fire.
6. Real trees cost too much.
7. Fake trees are fireproof.
8. Real Christmas Trees have pesticides and chemicals on them.
9. Real Christmas Trees end up in landfills.
10. Real Christmas Trees are a hassle and a mess.

The National Christmas Tree Association has worked hard to bust these urban myths. To find out their responses, visit their website.

Until next time,
The Home Know-It-All

How Big a Christmas Tree Should I Buy?

I don't recall the first year when we decided to purchase a live tree. I do know that it is now central to our holiday celebration, as the selection of a tree has become a family tradition.

The prep process we use is not quite 'by guess and by golly', but pretty darn close. We know where we are placing the tree­ (we have a 1-1/2 story entryway). The location requires the tree to be narrow, about 5-feet in diameter.

When we went looking for a tree last year, we found the perfect one or so we thought. The diameter turned out okay and the height was ok, but the 10-feet of tree was a challenge to unload and setup. It did work and looked great once it was set in place.

There are better ways to prepare for the tree than our method. Here is one I recommend:

How wide should my tree be?

After you determine where in your home you wish to display your tree, go grab a tape measure. Measure how wide the tree should be to fit the location. Remember that not only will you need to get the tree into the house and at the location (the tree will probably be wrapped, making this an easy task) you will also need to remove it. Getting a tree through the house and out the door after it has bushed out is not an easy chore.

Determining the height of your tree.
There are many things to consider when determining the maximum height of the tree you are selecting. I think pickyourownchristmastree.org does an excellent job explaining this.

1. First measure the room height.
2. Then subtract 1-foot for any tree top ornament.
3. Next subtract the height a tree stand will add to the tree, usually about 6-inches.
4. If you are going to set a tree on a base or table, subtract the height of the base or table.
5. You will need to remove 6-inches of the bottom of a pre-cut tree so it will draw water. Add 6-inches to the total height.

Example: 10-foot ceiling, minus 1-foot for top ornament, minus 6-inches for tree stand, no base or table for our tree just the stand, our tree is cut fresh at the farm so no need to cut off an additional 6-inches = Total maximum height of our tree is 8.5 feet

Hopefully you found this helpful. Next I will discuss what to look for when picking out the tree.
The Home Know-It-All

Preparing for the Holiday

Here we are entering the Holiday Season (If you are like me, you just can't seem to remember where the summer went.). Some of you will be heading somewhere for the Thanksgiving, others will be hosting the dinner. Once the table is cleared, guests leave, and cleanup has been completed, it is time to start prepping for the next holiday event. For many of us, this includes getting a tree. The next few blogs will discuss the selection process we go through for finding the right tree for us. After that it is on to the care and feeding of the tree so it will last through the holiday.

Enjoy the Holiday and see you soon!
The Home Know-It-All

My Office Nook

Although my apartment's tiny office nook is only 5x6 feet, I'm dead set on squeezing out as much usable space from it as possible. Before my latest renovation, I had only a tiny desk and small filing cabinet in the compact room—and that was not sufficient. I needed more workspace, a place to store books, and room to showcase photos and other knickknacks.  

That's why I installed ClosetMaid-brand, adjustable shelves from The Home Depot a couple weeks ago. They cost only $50 total, and they were a breeze to put up. Because I was able to alter the height between each of the three shelves, I made enough room to place my computer screen on the bottom shelf, which freed up elbow room on my desk below. 

I'm still arranging the shelves to my liking, and I'm eyeing new photo frames to fill them. It's slow going, but it's a step in the right direction. What are your thoughts? Any tips? 

Until next time
The Home Know-It-All

Acting as Your Own General Contractor

Major renovation projects such as a master bedroom addition or extensive kitchen remodel require the involvement of a general contractor. This major player oversees every phase of the project from start to finish to ensure everything goes smoothly—hiring subcontractors, buying materials, organizing everyone involved, adhering to building code requirements, and more.

Some homeowners elect to act as their own general contractors to save money. And while you can cut overall project costs as much as 25 percent by doing all the work yourself, it's important to have a full understanding of all time and work that's involved in undertaking such a job. You have to have a lot of time to spare, have extensive construction experience under your belt, and be organized and detail-oriented. Tom Silva of This Old House gives you the straight scoop here. And these 10 considerations can also help you make an informed decision.

Think you're up to the task? Here are some considerations to guide you along the way.

Do your homework. Knowledge really is power when it comes to being your own general contractor. Get to know building requirements and procedures. Check out library books on being your own general contractor and even consider taking community college classes on the subject. Buy construction management computer software to stay organized.

Expect the unexpected. You never know when you'll encounter cracked foundation, mold, pests, or another snafu in the midst of a project, which can cause costs to skyrocket. That's why it's important to build a 10–20 percent cushion into your budget at the beginning.

Find experienced subcontractors. General contractors already have loyal subcontractors lined up, so you'll be charged with the task of hiring reliable subcontractors—carpenters, plumbing contractors, electricians, drywall installers, and others—on your own. To find subcontractors, get recommendations from friends and neighbors. Compare bids, carefully examine subcontractors' references, and inquire about past work. If licenses are required in your area, make sure the subcontractors you choose are fully licensed. For more tips on finding reliable subcontractors, read this article.

Get help. If you're set on being your own general contractor, you may still benefit from behind-the-scenes help. A project manager/consulting contractor can take the guesswork out of tracking down subcontractors, because they already have established bases. And they can get building materials at lower prices. Plus, this type of collaboration will cost you less than hiring a general contractor. 

Until next time,
The Home Know-it-All

Convert an Unfinished Basement

Transforming an unfinished basement into a fully functional room can go a long way in creating living space you didn't know you had. (I grew up in a house with an unfinished basement, but my parents now live in a house with a huge finished basement. It's like a second family room. Truth be told, I kinda wish I had grown up there.) 

Ready to convert? First, read this helpful primer on basement renovations and brush up on local basement building codes. Then do the following:

Dry it out. Basements are hot-spots for moisture. According to the American Society of Home Inspectors, approximately 60 percent of U.S. homes have wet basements. Get rid of excess moisture before beginning a basement remodel or you risk undoing all that hard work and money later on. Dry out a wet basement by routing drainage away from your home's foundation, clearing clogged gutters, sealing damp walls, plugging cracks in the foundation adding a sump pump or dehumidifer. For a more in-depth look at remedying wet basements, check out this This Old House article.

Frame and insulate. Once you've got moisture under control and are up to speed on local building codes, it's time to frame and insulate the existing structure. This Reader's Digest article will walk you through the process.

Control sound. Keep noises from traveling upstairs with a solid soundproofing system. Try sealing cracks, adding a layer of drywall (or a sound-dampening insulation) to the ceiling, and installing a solid-core door at the top of the stairs. If noisy mechanicals are to blame, read this Q&A to get the scoop on deadening sound. And if you're curious about soundproofing your basement walls, look no further than this article.

Ease your upstairs-downstairs transition. If your basement stairs, are narrow, steep, or don't logically connect to the main level, you'll want to reroute and rebuild them. If they're in decent shape, but are unfinished like the rest of your current basement, this Calfinder article explains how to finish them.

Let there be light. It's possible (and smart) to add windows to a below-ground room—you'll just need to dig window wells with waterproof covers first. If windows are out of the question, illuminate your basement with general, task, and ambient lighting. task lighting. Still stuck in the dark? Talk to a professional at your local lighting store.

Add finishing touches. To make your finished basement livable and enjoyable, finish it the way you would an upstairs room. Top the existing concrete slab with engineered wood flooring rather than solid hardwood, which tends to warp in moisture-prone areas. Use area rugs as accents—they're easier than carpet to dry out should you face water damage. Paint the walls a bright color. Get more design ideas here. If you're on a strict budget, this RemodelingCenter.com article explains how to create a cozy below-ground living space without spending much money. 

Until next time,
The Home Know-it-All

Survive Remodeling Construction

Whether you're revamping your kitchen or adding another bedroom, remodeling projects require patience—especially if you're planning to live on-site. Want to continue to live your life as normally as possible during that time? Consider the following.

Plan, plan, plan. Before the project begins, make sure you know exactly when your water, power, phone, and other utilities will be disabled so you can make other arrangements. If the project hinders traffic flow, make a game plan for how you and your family will get from Point A to Point B in your house. And make sure you have access to the basic living essentials--a fridge, toilet, sink, etc. If this is an extensive remodel, you may want to consider renting or staying with friends until the project is over.

Set boundaries. Since you'll essentially be sharing your living space with your construction crew, it's a good idea to designate one working entrance for your team (one that's not typically used by your family, so you don't hinder the construction process) and specify which rooms the remodelers will be working in and which are off-limits. Be sure to provide on-site storage for tools and other materials. Set specific working hours with your contractor, and make sure the crew sticks to them.

Protect your furnishings. Pack up and store smaller items so they don't get in workers' way. Cover furniture and carpeting with tarps, sheeting, or blankets. And to prevent dust and construction debris from spreading throughout the house, close off doors with plastic sheeting and duct tape. Typically, your contractor will do this for you. Don't forget about your landscaping, either.

For more information on surviving construction, check out this story from RemodelingCenter.com. When you're in the midst of a remodel, you'll be glad you did!

Until next time,
The Home Know-it-All

Cool Your House Naturally

In the dog days of summer, air conditioning bills can go through the roof. And heating and cooling units can take a serious toll on the environment; the U.S. Department of Energy estimates that such units emit a half billion tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere every year. Fortunately, there are several eco-friendly ways to combat the sweltering sun without shelling out for AC. Follow these simple steps and you'll have it made in the shade. 

Plant a Tree
It's a long-term project, but a full-grown tree can be a great air conditioner. When planting trees, consider which direction your yard faces. If it faces south, opt for deciduous trees. Their wide and thick canopies are perfect for shading your house in the summertime, and because they lose their leaves when the temperature drops, the sun can still warm your home in the wintertime. Evergreen trees, which maintain their foliage year round, are recommended for north-facing yards to break cold winter winds. 

When planting your tree, remember to give it room to grow, as a little sapling can turn into a giant. Plant your deciduous tree 10 to 20 feet away from your house, so when it reaches mature height, it'll provide a large and effective swath of shade. Plant your evergreens in a row, about 15 feet apart. Because they provide wind protection for up to 20 times their height, you can plant them a greater distance from your house. 

Elegant Trellises
Trellises not only serve as attractive and elegant additions to your outdoor aesthetic; they also provide great shade. While trees may take years to grow, trellises—and the deciduous vines you plant around them—can get the job done in relatively no time at all. Grape and wisteria vines grow like wildfire and shed their leaves in the winter to allow the sun's heat to warm your home. Here's a great step-by-step guide on how to build your own trellises.

Cool Awnings
The most important feature of an awning is its drop. The drop is the distance between the top of the awning and the base of the window. (The higher the drop, the more shade an awning will provide.) A drop of 60 percent or more is suggested for windows that are frequently exposed to sun. These sun-shielding awnings can save energy by dropping indoor temperatures by as much as 15 degrees fahrenheit. Check out cheapawnings.com to find an awning that matches your home's style.

Glass Glazing
Windows on the east and west side of home naturally let in a lot of sunlight, which can raise indoor temperatures. However, window manufacturers offer heat-reflective films and coatings for windows that still allow natural light inside while keeping your home cool. As a bonus, these films can retain up to 55 percent of your home's heat during the wintertime. 

Until next time,
The Home Know-It-All

Efficient and Effective Water Heaters

Cold showers are a rude awakening. That’s why it’s important your water supply is in tip-top shape. If you’re in need of a new water heater, there are a few factors you need to consider before you make a purchase: size, fuel source, and most importantly, energy efficiency. For many homeowners, cost cutting is the name of the game, and lucky for them, more and more manufacturers are streamlining their heaters to make sure everyone gets the most bang for the buck. 

Every household has different financial situations and space constraints, so I’ve pulled together a list of different options as you prepare to invest in your next water heater.     

Improving What You Already Have
The storage tank water heater is the most common household model. Water is kept warm in a tank, but because it heats the water even if no taps are in use, substantial energy is wasted. If you already have a storage tank water heater, there are many great cost-effective ways to make it more efficient. Check out our suggestions in this previous post.

Earth-Friendly Heaters
If you’re browsing the market for a green option that’ll save you cash, look no further than ENERGY STAR® water heaters. You’ll find high-efficiency gas-storage water heaters, gas-condensing models and whole-home tankless heaters. Buy an ENERGY STAR® certified heater and you can reduce your heat bill by 7.5 to 55 percent.

Heat on Demand
The demand water heater also saves you cash. These models don’t have tanks, so water is only heated when you twist the tap. Thus, saving energy and money. These heaters also have easily replaceable parts, which significantly extends their liftetimes. The downside? They produce less water and usually have to be used in pairs to provide enough hot water to supply, say, a dishwasher and a shower simultaneously.

Putting the Air to Use
Heat pumps are an effective way to supplement your current water heater. They work by sucking air from the surrounding room and heating it (sort of like a reverse refrigerator). However, heat pumps don’t work well in cold rooms because of their reliance on warm air, and the exhaust they produce tends to make whatever room they’re in colder. Be warned: At $1500, these cutting-edge gizmos are pricey, so they’ll take a while to recoup their cost. 

Putting the Heat You Already Produce to Good Use
If you inhabit a colder climate, you may warm up to a tankless-coil or indirect water heater. The tankless-coil relies on a furnace or boiler to heat the water supply, which makes it incredibly efficient during winter months when you have the heat going full blast. If you live in a warmer region with kinder winters, however, your furnace won’t be running as often and it won’t be as effective. 

Sun Power
The average electric water heater is responsible for emitting eight tons of CO2 per year, which is more than double what most cars produce. Nearly 1.5 million homes and business in the U.S., however, are already use solar power to fuel their water heaters, and the Environmental and Energy Study Institute estimates that the U.S. receives enough sunlight that 29 million more could be added.  Installing a solar system can be expensive, ranging anywhere from $1,500 to $3,500. But when you take into account the amount of money you’d save, it’d pay for itself in four to eight years!  The government even offers a 30 percent tax credit if the solar water heater you install is $2,000 or cheaper.

Still confused?  Consult the U.S. Department of Energy website to calculate your home’s needs.

Until next time,
The Home Know-It-All

What We’re Loving This Week: VivaTerra Misprint Collection

I’m moving to a new apartment soon and am looking for ways to spice up the bland white walls. (Sadly, there’s a no-painting policy at this apartment. But I feel the generous square footage more than makes up for that.) So imagine my happiness when I stumbled upon the eclectic Misprint collection from VivaTerra.

Every item pops with color and distinct personality. Perhaps best of all, everything is made from misprinted or smudged sheet metal, such as soup, soda, and juice cans that would otherwise be sent to the landfill because of their initial imperfections. Learn more about the inspiration behind the Misprint collection here.

There’s something for everyone in this line. If you’re an avid magazine reader like me, there’s the Misprint Magazine Rack ($89) that perfectly cozies up to any wall and stores a ton of glossies. Or if you want to brighten up your entryway and corral clutter at the same time, consider the Misprint Hooks in “Go” ($29) and “Green” ($42). Enjoy outdoor living? Then you need Misprint Hanging Lanterns ($69) to brighten up your deck or patio on warm summer nights. Heck, you can even buy a Misprint Waste Can ($35).

My personal favorite? The Misprint Kitchen Messages that spell out “Eat & Drink” ($98 for the complete set). I think these messages would be a festive, appropriate addition to my new kitchen.

Within the Misprint collection, you’ll also find messages for your potting shed and bedroom, too. And the collection appears to be growing, as new items are regularly added. I’m excited to see what’s next!

What’s your favorite item in this line?

Until Monday,
The Home Know-It-All

Related Posts:
What We're Loving: Wine Bottle Plant Nannies
What We're Loving: Egg Press Cards
What We're Loving: Amy Butler Design Gift Wrap Green Collection
What We're Loving: Itso Modular Storage

Fix Up Your Front Porch

If you have a front porch, consider yourself lucky. I’d love to have a welcoming veranda on the front of my house, where I can sit and watch the world go by or chat with friends.

Porches can be problematic, however, especially if they fall into disrepair. Fortunately, fixing up your front porch is easy—and the result boosts your home’s curb appeal and offers a brand-new alfresco living area you can enjoy every day.

Just follow these 5 steps to take your front porch from failing to fabulous in no time.

1. Fix problem areas. If your porch is suffering from sagging or warped boards, your first priority is to fix the porch floor.
   
   This project (which can be tackled in half a day) involves pulling up the old boards, installing new decking and trim, and sanding. Learn the how-tos from This Old House.
   
   While you have the boards pulled up, it’s a good idea to inspect the joists underneath the deck for signs of rot. If it looks questionable under there, Calfinder recommends contacting a licensed professional for an inspection.
   
   You’ll also want to make certain the porch stairs are secure. And while you’re at it, why not add some architectural detail, with help from Vintage Woodworks? You can also find inexpensive trim suitable for your porch at most local home improvement stores.
2. Paint the porch. Once you’ve fixed problem areas and sanded, it’s time to paint. First, you want to make sure you pick the right paint. Options for porches and decks include epoxy, alkyd, latex, polyurethane, and rubber-based paints. Then, once it’s time to apply the paint the porch deck, get all the step-by-step info you need from This Young House. While you’re at it, you’ll likely want to paint your porch trim, posts, and other exposed parts so they coordinate with your new porch floor.
3. Add furniture. Now comes the fun part. How many furnishings you can reasonably add to your porch will depend on its size. A big wraparound provides plenty of space for multiple seating areas. Perhaps you’ll designate one area for dining, another as an area for sitting and chatting with friends, and a third as a private escape for reading or relaxing. Even if your porch isn’t that large, you can still include distinctive seating areas—perhaps a spot for dining plus a bench or a couple of chairs near the door for relaxing. Just avoid cluttering the space with too many furnishings—you should be able to easily to move around what is there.
   
   What kind of furniture you pick is up to you. With protected front porches, you can pick furnishings that are designed for use indoors or out—although outdoor furniture will last longer. Plan to store furnishings out of the elements during winter months to further extend their life.
4. Accessorize. The same fundamentals that you use when decorating an indoor space apply with outdoor rooms too. Accessories will take your front porch from impersonal to warm and welcoming. Start by adding some throw pillows or chair cushions in playful patterns and colors.
   
   What other touches can you include to make this space feel like home? For personality and privacy, consider hanging curtains around your porch. Use an outdoor rug to delineate living spaces. Or paint your own right on the porch floor, like Nicole of Making It Lovely did. A lamp rated for outdoor use or hanging lanterns allow you to extend your time on the porch past sunset. And the little touches—candles, a framed photo, a side table for perching drinks—make a difference too.
5. Add plants. An outdoor space (or indoor space for that matter) isn’t complete without plants. The easiest way to add fresh foliage to your revamped porch is by placing a few potted plants next to seating areas or hanging pots from the porch ceiling.
   
   But the landscaping in front of the porch matters too. Go lush, like in front of this porch. Or keep things simple with a few carefully selected bushes and perennials. Either way, the right plantings will draw the eye, and your welcoming front porch will keep it there!

For one more dose of inspiration before I go, check out what you can do with a tiny porch and $20—see, enlivening your outdoor living spaces can be cheap and easy!

Until tomorrow,
The Home Know-It-All

Related posts:
Outdoor Rugs
Easy Ways to Create Curb Appeal

Ode to Orange

Orange. It’s the hue of many things that make us happy: Peaches, persimmons, pumpkins, tangerines, sunsets, and autumn leaves. And that’s precisely what makes it a hot decorating color.

Located between red and yellow on the color wheel, orange takes the best qualities of both hues—energy and happiness—and combines them into one warm, engaging color. It’s playful, invigorating, and stimulating.

Ready to give your home an energizing orange kick? Here’s how:

Orange in action. As with any bold color, a little orange goes a long way. Case in point: On this desk, orange fabric storage boxes and other accents pop against cool blue and white accessories. Featuring a few layers of orange paint, this bookcase interior provides an artful backdrop for favorite reads and other decorative objects—one that deserves a second look. And a paper lantern and candle display in striking sunset hues energizes this otherwise traditional dining nook.

Orange easily brightens rooms with little or no natural sunlight. Take my friend Erin’s basement, for example. To transform the room into a warm, cozy space that’s perfect for family get-togethers, her parents painted the walls a pumpkin hue. Paired with the ivory paneling on the lower walls, it’s a perfect option for a room with limited sunlight.

Shade selection. Soft shades like peach create the illusion of space and offer a more delicate feel. Bolder, eye-catching oranges, such as tangerine, are often used in entertaining spaces because of their energizing appeal. Oranges with brown tones give off more of a relaxed vibe. And muted shades allow you to ease into orange without going overboard.

Balancing act. Think orange doesn’t look good with other colors? Au contraire. Orange looks especially dazzling when it’s balanced with blue, its complementary hue on the color wheel. Bold, citrus-y colors look amazingly good with hot pink. Don’t believe me? Check out this chic bedroom. And orange really pops against neutrals such as brown, black, gray, and white. (When pairing orange and black, just be careful so you don’t end up with a Halloween-themed space.) Muted hues, such as lavender, help tone orange down.

Until tomorrow,
The Home Know-It-All

Budget Makeovers

If you’re not on a budget these days, you’re lucky. Most of us are looking for ways to scrimp and save, while still making our homes happy, livable places. It’s a tall order but one that can be done as long as you’re willing to substitute some good, hard (and in some cases not even that hard) manual labor for work you might normally hire someone else to do.

To get you started thinking about making over your home DIY style, here are some projects you can do without breaking the bank or spending every spare minute of the next six months remodeling. Sound good? I thought so.

Top off your living spaces. Installing crown molding is an easy weekend project you can do for less than $150 per room. And lucky you, This Old House walks you through the steps. While you’re looking up, why not add a new ceiling fan? It’s an easy way to update your space in no time.

A few other ideas from our archives worth trying:
• Create Built-In Bookshelves
• Repair and Refinish Wooden Window Frames
• Tear Down a Wall

Do the kitchen up right. A complete kitchen remodel can be a pricey endeavor. But you can make your cooking area look like a million bucks without actually spending that much cash (not even close, actually). The secret lies in the details—think paint and pulls. Don’t believe me? Check out this DIY Ideas kitchen redo that came in at less than $1,000. And oh, what a difference paint made in this adorable kitchen redo over at day-lab DIY. Remember the kitchen remodeling ideas we’ve already featured here too, like my parents’ DIY backsplash makeover that cost less than $200.

Make a better bath. Did you know that you can redo the surfaces in your bath—walls, floors, even new sinks—for $200? Total. No joke. We’ll actually show you how right here at The Home Know-It-All. The catch? You have to wait until the end of the month, when we reveal our big $200 bath makeover.

Spice up your yard. Some of our know-it-alls are busy working behind-the-scenes on a terrific project over at BHG.com that we’re sure you’ll find inspiring—and doable. It works like this: BHG.com asked five favorite home and garden bloggers to create clever outdoor weekend projects using $500 in materials from The Home Depot.

Over at BHG.com, the chosen five will be blogging about the process. And in May, you’ll get to check out the finished projects and vote for your favorite. I’ll tell you this: I’m already planning to tackle one, if not more, of the projects they’re creating—and I think you’ll want to too. So go follow along as the challenge gets underway!

Go all out. Ready to get inspired? Check out the Before & After photos of Sherry and John’s whole-house remodel over at This Young House (yep, they’re also involved in that blog challenge I mentioned above). Every room is packed with DIY ideas you can tackle yourself. Really.

I know there are about a million great budget makeover ideas out there online—not to mention in your own heads and homes. So please leave a comment below and share some of your favorite ideas and links with your fellow Home Know-It-All readers. And if you have a great DIY makeover you want to share, email us and we just may feature it on our blog!

Until tomorrow,
The Home Know-It-All

Flower Arranging in 5 Steps

Although it’s officially spring, you could have fooled me. It snowed here on Saturday, and the meteorologists are threatening more white stuff this weekend. I thought spring meant tulips, birds chirping, and rain boots. Please, tell me I’m not wrong. I wouldn’t survive the tragedy.

If you’re with me—wondering when the heck the warm weather will hit—maybe a cheerful flower arrangement will lift your mood. Don’t know the first thing about flower arranging? Not a problem. Flower arranging is a piece of cake if you follow these five steps.

1. Determine the purpose of the arrangement. Do you want to spruce up your dining room table? Or do you want to assemble a special bouquet? If you have an idea of where the end product will go, you’ll be better able to direct its creation.
   
   
2. Get inspired. Despite working with words as a career, I’m a total visual learner. I need pictures! Check out this site to get your creative juices flowing. Or see what they have growing over at Better Homes & Gardens.
   
   
3. Gather supplies. Head to your local supermarket to pick up a few simple bouquets. Or if you’re going big, try buying your blooms from a wholesaler. Fifty Flowers, Wedding Flowers of America, and Bloom Xpress are some of the favorites. Keep the smell of the flowers in mind—you’d hate to overwhelm guests with the scent of too many lilies or gardenias.
   
   You may also need a floral frog (no, it’s not an actual frog!), flower design wire, and flower tape. I prefer using a frog instead of floral foam because a frog is reusable, you’re less likely to break stems, and you can arrange and rearrange until you’re blue in the face.
   
   
4. Prep properly. Use the sharpest pair of scissors you have to cut your flowers. Always cut at an angle and immediately submerge them in lukewarm water. (If the flowers aren’t placed directly in water, air will travel up the tissues and plug the cells.)
   
   Once you’ve cut the flowers, start grouping them. Smaller flowers work well in a cluster. That way they don’t get lost underneath a large bloom. Wrap flower wire or tape around the stems to keep them together. These groupings will make it easier to arrange the flowers in a vase.
   
   
5. Go with your instincts. If you want to use your teapot as the vase, go ahead! And if you want to pair two flowers the experts don’t recommend, more power to you. In the end, it’s your arrangement, so it should look the way you want.

Until tomorrow,
The Home Know-It-All

Book Covers for Book Lovers

I am a book lover to the core, as evidenced by all the books I have crammed onto shelves in my living room, stacked all around my office, and hiding in boxes in my closet. Plus there’s the whole collection in the crawlspace of my parents’ house in Wyoming (someday I’ll come get them, Mom, I promise!).

While I’m instantly drawn to the spine of books to peek at titles and authors, I also love the look of a collection of artfully covered tomes displayed on a table or lined neatly on shelves. (And no, I’m not talking that plastic that protects library hard covers here, either.)

That’s why I’m so excited to see all the great book-covering ideas I’ve come across recently. A few favorites I can’t help but share with you:

This origami book cover from How About Orange even has a pocket in the back—too cute!

Look at these lovely handmade linen book covers, showcased on Decor8 and available on Etsy.

If you love Kate Spade and are a fan of free (who isn’t?), you can download free book covers designed by the lady herself here.

Be sure you get thee to Book City Jackets for their kraft paper bookcovers—recycled, of course.

Or if you’re really feeling crafty, why not knit one?

Then again, all you really need to make a terrific book jacket is some cool paper and a tutorial that walks you through the cover-making steps.

Any other great book jacket-making ideas? Leave a comment below!

Until tomorrow,
The Home Know-It-All

Pick the Right Fireplace

We’ve written a few posts on fireplace technology in the past. Remember this one on pellet stoves? This one on wood-burning fireplace maintenance? And this one on gas fireplace maintenance?

But wouldn’t you know it—fireplace technology has continued to evolve and improve. Just check out all of the innovative products featured at this year’s Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association (HPBA) Expo. New technologies—including recycled materials and zone heating—mean great things for the environment. And improved outdoor fireplaces mean your living space can extend even farther.

All this means it’s even easier to choose a fireplace that’s perfect for you, so if you’re in the market for a new hearth, peruse what the HPBA is raving about. Then ask yourself a few questions.

Do I only need to heat one room? If your family typically convenes in the living room, it makes no sense to equally heat the dining room and basement. A gas fireplace lets you heat only the space you’re in, saving you 20 to 40 percent on energy costs.

Do I have better access to a certain fuel? If you have an abundance of firewood, a wood-burning stove may be the way to go. But if propane is easier to get your hands on, you should probably go that route.

What makes the most sense for my climate? Homeowners that live in an area with frequent power outages due to high winds or accumulated ice should consider a fireplace that runs off zero electricity.

Would I use an outdoor space more frequently if it were heated? An outdoor hearth is ideal for nature-loving homeowners who like to spend time on the patio or porch. If the space was heated, you could venture outdoors sooner in the spring and stay out later in the fall.

For more questions to ask yourself, go here. And once you’ve got your choices narrowed down, read this article about buying a hearth product.

Until Monday,
The Home Know-It-All

Fancy Fishbowls

1984 Fishbowl. Photo courtesy Workshopped.com

You may not know this but we Home Know-It-Alls love animals, and by love, I mean we’re fairly obsessed. When I go to work each day, I enjoy the company of an office dog and fish. The fish’s name is Conrad, and he faithfully watches over my daily routines from the confines of his little bowl. Every once and awhile, I look over and wonder if he’s happy in there.

Although he has a nice plant and some shiny marbles to keep him company, perhaps he’d be more satisfied in one of these fancy fishbowls:

Photo courtesy of Roger Arquer

Roger Arquer Fishbowls
London-Based designer, Roger Arquer, presented 15 variations on the standard fishbowls for his 2006 collection. And they each play off a common fishbowl notion or present a solution to a different issue. For example, the fishbowl entitled Russian Dolls allows the fish to choose to remain in a smaller vessel and stay a smaller size or venture into the larger bowl and grow. Another fishbowl called Private Matters gives the fish a little privacy when he or she needs it. And my favorite option, Hanging From A String, features a bobber and a playful hook, giving light to what would normally be a dangerous situation.

Fishbowl Bookends.
Photo courtesy of
Wrappables.com

Fishbowl Bookends
Wrappables.com sells a set of two fishbowls that can be used as bookends. At $34.95, the duo is perfect for livening up a bookcase.

1984 Fishbowl
Named after George Orwell’s 1984, this homey fishbowl is designed to meet the needs of a non-human species. With solid white walls and three portholes, it secludes your fish without hiding it. The domed portholes even magnify the interior to give you an up-close view of your favorite fish.

Fantasy Bowl Aquarium
Although Conrad is just a tiny Betta, he’d have room to spread out in this 16-gallon, leak-proof, and shatterproof aquarium from Nature’s Ocean. It comes with either a desktop ring or pedestal, depending on where you want to locate your fishbowl. Plus, it comes with a built-in light to illuminate your finned friend.

USB Mini Aquarium
Just when you think you’ve seen all the fishbowls imaginable, they come up with something even more elaborate. Case in point: The Comfish USB Mini Aquarium. So what exactly does it do? Once you’ve plugged the attached USB port into your computer, you can control the oxygenation, climate, and lighting from your desk. And thanks to a camera within the fishbowl, you can even spy on your fish from around the corner.

Now, which one do you think Conrad would like?

Until tomorrow,
The Home Know-It-All

Smart Spring Cleaning Supplies

Whether you dread it or relish it, spring cleaning season is finally upon us. (And I have to admit, my not-so-tidy apartment is in need of some serious organization.) Kick off this year’s spring cleaning routine with these smart tools that’ll make the job go simpler and speedier (and maybe even a bit more fun):

ScumBuster XtremePower Scrubber. Photo courtesy of Black & Decker

Super scrubbing. Cut back on the time you spend cleaning the tub, shower tiles, and other bathroom surfaces by using the ScumBuster XtremePower Scrubber from Black & Decker ($39.99). Simply pour your cleaner of choice into the scrubber’s handle and get ready to blast away nasty grime. This motorized tool features 25¬–30 minutes of run time. Plus, its clever 3-in-1 extension handle lets you reach high surfaces, as well as those hard-to-reach corners and crevices.

Clean sweep. Say goodbye to icky dust bunnies once and for all. The OXO Under Duster ($24.99) allows you to sweep under beds, sofas, chairs, coffee tables, and other low items with ease, thanks to its wide 14” head and jointed, bending handle. This eco-friendly duster comes with a 14-inch microfiber head that’s removable and washable. And should you suddenly need to dust while you’re washing the duster head, you can simply use a disposable cleaning sheet in its place and proceed. The duster’s nonslip, cushy handle grip is just icing on the cake.

18 Volt Cordless High
Performance Pivot
Floor Vac. Photo courtesy
of Black & Decker

Versatile vacuum. For me, one of the most annoying things about vacuuming isn’t the process itself (truth be told, I enjoy vacuuming). Rather, the problem lies in lugging the vacuum out of my overly cramped coat closet and then reorganizing my closet’s contents to put the vacuum back in when I’m done. That’s where the 18 Volt Cordless High Performance Pivot Floor Vac from Black & Decker ($99.99) would come in handy. This lightweight, cordless vacuum cleans a variety of surfaces, including carpets, rugs, kitchen tile, and hardwood. When the canister is full, simply empty it over the trash can. And best of all (for me, anyway), it’s super-easy to store because it neatly folds in half.

Ready to rinse. Take your spring cleaning prowess outdoors—after all, your siding, deck, driveway, and alfresco furniture deserve a little TLC after a long winter. Pressure washers such as the 2550 PSI/ 2.3 GPM Gas Pressure Washer from Troy-Bilt ($299.00 at Lowe’s) thoroughly washes these outdoor items, so they look their best for spring and summer. If you use a gas-powered model like the Troy-Bilt one I mentioned above, make sure to wear the included safety goggles when operating it. And to prevent any mishaps, check the product’s manual or information packet to make sure it’s safe to pressure wash.

Geared up for spring cleaning yet? Here’s what you need to know to make a game plan. And here’s more info on spring cleaning outdoors.

Oh, and before I leave you to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day: Are you a fan of the Black & Decker Pivot Floor Vac and ScumBuster Xtreme Power Scrubber? Stay tuned for exciting news regarding these products in the coming weeks

Until tomorrow,
The Home Know-It-All

Reader Tips and Tricks

We’re always rambling on about what we know about cleaning, organizing, decorating, gardening, home repair, and more at The Home Know-It-All. But we’d be remiss not to acknowledge that you, dear readers, are know-it-alls in your own right. That’s why today instead of hearing what I know, you’re going to get a dose of advice from your fellow readers.

Here’s a random collection of reader tips and tricks to get your week started out right:

• If a leaky sink originates from the plumbing beneath the sink or the faucet, you can likely tackle repairs depending on the severity of a problem. — JB Plumbing


• For compression bathroom faucets, if you find a water leak that is from the faucet handle you will need to make the packing nut tighter. The other option is that you will need to actually replace the packing part of the faucet. — Plumber Sydney
  [Know-It-All Note: Check out this post to figure out whether you should repair or replace bath fixtures.]


• I started using a Fur-Zoff to remove pet hair. It works great on all fabrics. It's a green product as well! It only costs $9.99 and lasts forever. — Kelly
  [Know-It-All Note: Learn more about pet hair removal here.]


• Here are some tips and techniques that can easily, quickly, and inexpensively seal and insulate air leaks in your home:
  Attic Stairs. Add an attic stair cover. An attic stair cover provides an air seal, reducing the air leaks. Add the desired amount of insulation over the cover to restore the insulation removed from the ceiling.
  Whole-House Fans and AC Returns. Add a whole house fan cover. Installed from the attic side, the whole house fan cover is invisible. Cover the fan to reduce heating and air-conditioning loss, remove it when use of the fan is desired.
  Fireplaces. Add a fireplace draftstopper. A fireplace draftstopper is an inflatable pillow that seals the damper, eliminating any air leaks. The pillow is removed whenever the fireplace is used, then reinserted after.
  Clothes Dryer Exhaust Ducts. Add a dryer vent seal. This will reduce unwanted air infiltration, and keep out pests, bees and rodents as well. The vent will remain closed unless the dryer is in use. When the dryer is in use, a floating shuttle rises to allow warm air, lint and moisture to escape. — Mark Tyrol
  [Know-It-All Note: Get more pointers for battling drafts here.]


• If you are serious about saving water, want a toilet that really works and is affordable, I would highly recommend a Caroma Dual Flush toilet. Caroma toilets offer a patented dual flush technology consisting of a 0.8 Gal flush for liquid waste and a 1.6 Gal flush for solids. All of Caroma’s toilets are on the list of WaterSense labeled HET’s and also qualify for several rebate programs. — Andrea Paulinelli
  [Know-It-All Note: Looking for more ways to save energy and water? Try these cool green tools.]


• I recommend shredding all direct mail credit card offers. An ID thief can easily submit the application and get a credit card in your name. — Morgan
  [Know-It-All Note: Find a personal paper shredder using our recommendations.]


• I had the same experience with CFLs not working in my suspended kitchen light fixture. Initially only the center CFL would work. I found that the problem was the screw-in bases of the CFLs are ever so slightly shorter than the incandescent bulbs. It just did not make sense that there was anything major wrong with the fixture or wiring. I tested the thesis by screwing in a plug adapter into to socket of the kitchen fixture and plugging in a small lamp with a CFL that I knew worked, and the bulb worked. So I added a small amount of solder to the base of the CFLs, put them in the fixture and all three bulbs worked. Another fix is to slightly pry up the center contact in the socket. —John
  [Know-It-All Note: Learn more about solving CFL problems in this post.]

Now, what ideas do you have? Any great home-related advice you want to share? Leave a comment here!

[Know-It-All Note: The Home Know-It-All does not endorse or guarantee the accuracy of any of the pointers or products listed here.]

Toolbox Essentials

I like to think of myself as a pretty handy lady. In fact, it’s a pretty strong point of pride for me. Can I hang that bookshelf? Of course! Can I put together that new desk? You betcha! 

It’s gotten so bad that when my folks gave me a cordless drill as a housewarming present—something most girls would scoff at—I was so thrilled I screamed. And you can bet that I’ve already put that drill to good use, hanging picture after picture with it. 

Having a well-stocked toolbox then, as you’ve probably guessed, is something I admire and aspire to. Lou Manfredini, Ace Hardware’s Helpful Hardware Man, insists that no toolbox is complete without a screwdriver, hammer, tape measure, utility knife, and pliers. 

If you’re just starting to pack your toolbox, follow this checklist to make sure it’s full of the essentials and ready to tackle any do-it-yourself project you throw at it. 

Toolbox. This may seem obvious, but you can’t expect to keep your tools in good shape without a toolbox. A sturdy plastic one—like this one from Stanley Hand Tools ($11.85)—is probably sufficient. Look for a container with a removable tray. This will keep you from losing little tools and damaging them at the bottom of your toolbox. 

Hammer. If you’re just completing small tasks around your house such as hanging pictures, a 16-ounce claw hammer should suit you just fine. 

Screwdriver. Does it seem like no matter the project you tackle you can never find the right screwdriver? A complete toolbox must have a variety of screwdrivers to meet your needs, including a variety of Philips and flat heads. Try a multi-bit set to get the most bang for your buck. I like this Kobalt one from Lowe’s ($14.97). 

Tape measure. Any ol’ retractable tape measure should do. 

Level. As long as a level is, well, level, it should suffice, but if you need to hang pictures at an angle or any tricky location, I choose the Black & Decker Auto-Leveling Laser. Hold the device on the wall and instantly a red laser shoots out in a straight line. Swivel it to hang pictures on an angle or vertically. 

Utility knife. A retractable version is clearly the safest bet. This Husky Autoblade Utility Knife is especially safe, however, because it features a quick blade change feature. Simply hit the button and the old blade pops off. 

Pliers. A sturdy set of pliers is a must have. Purchase a wide variety, including needle-nose, tongue-and-groove, and hog nose, to be prepared. Or buy a complete set. 

Adjustable wrench. Choose an adjustable version to make sure it fits any bolt. 

That should be enough to get you started, but if there’s anything else you think you might need, check out this article from Popular Mechanics. Until Monday, The Home Know-It-All

My Apartment: Before and After

As I mentioned in a couple of other posts, I just moved to a new apartment—and I love it. It took a few coats of gray, yellow, and teal paint and a couple inexpensive decorating tweaks, but the space is exactly what I wanted: light, sun-filled, hip, and relaxing.

Want to see it? Below are before and after photos to give you a glimpse of all the work that went into making it my home. We’ll post a few projects and design ideas used in my apartment in later posts, so if you’re curious how it was accomplished, keep an eye out for those!

Living Room


Dining Room

Kitchen

Bedroom

Until tomorrow,
The Home Know-It-All

Organize It!: The Bookcase

My bookcase is pretty traditional looking. So you’d expect the books and magazines in it to be in perfect order, right?

Wrong. I wish I could claim an organized, attractive bookcase, but it’s quite the opposite. Because I’m running out of room for my reading materials, I’ve got books stacked vertically with even more books haphazardly piled horizontally on top of those. And there’s not an inch of space to spare, so decorative items are out of the picture (unless you count the lone vase of blue silk hydrangeas standing guard on top of the bookcase).

Needless to say, it’s time to reorganize. And you can bet that I’ll be taking cues from the bookcase in my fellow Home Know-It-All Julie’s home office (featured in the pictures). Are you with me? Here’s how to de-clutter and score a more stylish bookcase:

Sort, sort, sort. First, take an inventory of all your titles. Then organize your books into categories by genre such as reference, biographies, fiction, etc.

After that, if you prefer, sort your books by subject material, and then in alphabetical order by author. Now it’ll be much easier to locate your favorite reads.

If you’ve also got stacks of magazines accumulating, here’s how to whip them in shape in no time.

Shelve smartly. Admittedly, my current method of randomly stuffing books into the shelf is harmful and could cause warping. To prevent warping, shelve same-height books together. Stacking books vertically is the most space-efficient, but be sure to include some horizontal stacks for visual interest. Arranging large books horizontally at the bottom is especially effective because it grounds the bookcase (particularly if you have a tall unit) and protects their covers. If you’re able to adjust the height of each shelf, leave enough space to make re-shelving books easier.

Divide and conquer. If your books are falling off the shelves (and you’ve got enough space to spare), a new bookcase is a worthwhile investment. But if you’re like me, and space is a major issue, it’s time to get creative and determine where else you can display your reading materials. Luckily, it’s not that hard. Really. In my bedroom, for example, I’ve got a handy desk hutch with multiple cubbies. The two larger cubbies are now home to my grammar books and dictionaries. I’ve got a few smaller shelves next to my desk that I plan to convert into book nooks. And the cart in my kitchen happens to have an open shelf, so that’s where I stash my cookbooks. As for oversize books that I can’t cram into my bookcase? If they’re pretty, I display them on my coffee table.

Here’s another space-saving option: Purchase mix-and-match stackable cubes or customized storage units, which you can configure to fit in any room.

Dress it up. Who says your bookcase has to be limited to books? It doesn’t matter whether you have a bare-bones literary collection or your favorite titles are spilling off the shelves. Real Simple shows you how to create a stylish display with tips and tricks such as painting the interior of the unit a bold color. I especially like Julie’s approach to organization: Every other cube is filled with like-size books, and the others contain assorted decorative objects, such as a pretty plate and a vase. These strategically placed items add visual interest. For more design tips, visit the Brown Development blog.

Conceal clutter. Corral smaller objects—such as brochures and booklets and even random paperback—in attractive storage boxes or baskets. (Notice how Julie stores photos and other odds-and-ends in archival photo boxes?) Or create stylish shades that artfully conceal clutter. Try these basic canvas covers or cover your bookcase with coordinating curtains.

What strategies to do you use to organize your reading materials?

Until Monday,
The Home Know-It-All

Refrigerator Buying Guide

Here in America, we love our refrigerators.

We’re big on stocking up on food and limiting the number of trips to the grocery store, so it’s important that our fridges are the right size for our needs. (On the flip side, if our fridges are too big, they burn through energy trying to keep everything cool. Don’t believe me? Read this article from Terrapass.) And if you don’t choose the right style for your cooking regimen, you’ll waste energy searching for food or rearranging groceries every chance you get.

This makes selecting a refrigerator one of the most important decisions when planning kitchen design. To make sure you invest in the right style, begin by determining how much space you have. Measure the width and depth of the area, and don’t forget to factor in room for doors—or drawers, as is the case with some models—to open. (After all, what good is a fridge if you can’t open it?)

When you go to the store, look for a model that fits the area with room to spare. Squeezing a fridge into a tight space just won’t work! And consider what you actually need. According to Don Vandervort of Hometips.com, two people need at least 10 cubic feet of refrigerator space, not including the freezer. For each additional family member, add one-and-a-half cubic feet.

You should also look for a style that matches your cooking routine.

Top-mount. With these models, the freezer sits on top of the refrigerator. It’s often smaller than what’s available for other fridge styles, but it puts frozen items at eye level and makes storing horizontal foods like pizzas and cakes easy. (In a side-by-side fridge, the space is often too narrow to fit these items.) If you don’t own a stand-alone freezer, this refrigerator type may be the best option for you because of the more diverse freezer storage options. Bonus: Top-mount refrigerators are often the cheapest variety, and because they’ve been around the longest and all the kinks have been worked out, they’re also the least likely to need costly repairs.

Bottom-mount. The freezer in this fridge variety rests on the bottom. It’s basically a large drawer that can be pulled out for easy access to all freezer items. The refrigerator part of this model sits on top, making it easy to spot and reach more frequently used foods. Have back or knee trouble? You’ll minimizing bending and kneeling with this option. Plus, this fridge style is typically the most energy efficient.

Side-by-side. The freezer and refrigerator in this model are of equal size and directly next to each other. If you commonly need access to both freezer and refrigerator items, or if you currently own a stand-alone freezer to store more bulky items, this fridge type may make the best use of your space.

Compact. These smaller units are often used in dorm rooms, bedrooms, home offices, and home bars. If you’re looking to fill a refrigerator need for only one room, a compact fridge should meet your desires. However, choosing a unit for a dorm room can get difficult because they have to take so much wear and tear and function for a variety of purposes. Check out this buying guide from Campus Grotto for a few tips. 

Built-in. Rather then being installed as a separate unit, built-in refrigerators are constructed to match the style of your kitchen or meet a particular cooking requirement. Although they’re often narrower to match the depth of your cabinets, they’re also often wider, and because they’re custom made, they’re also more expensive. Before choosing this option, consider the higher cost, wider space requirement, and necessity of a particular amenity.

From icemaker/water dispensers to alarms that sound when the door is left open, refrigerators also come with a variety of feature options. The price increases with each component, however, so it’s important to choose which flashy items are necessary. You can choose from adjustable shelves, spill-proof shelves, in-door icemaker/water dispenser, in-door refreshment center, in-door television, separate controls for vegetable/fruit crispers, door or temperature alarms, child lock, quiet operation, or fast-cooling compartments—to name a few. Some features are only available on certain fridge models because of design constraints, so it’s wise to choose features after you’ve chosen your model.

In addition to eyeing refrigerator amenities, you should also look for the ENERGY STAR® label. Considering that your fridge uses 14 percent of your home’s electricity, this decision may be the best one you make when choosing a new refrigerator.

Until tomorrow,
The Home Know-It-All

Moving Big Furniture

I spent this past weekend moving to a new apartment, and boy, oh boy, was it hard work. By Sunday night I could barely lift my arms, let alone my eyelids. And I had help! Lots of it, thanks to some very loving family members!

It’s a good thing, too. I know I couldn’t have moved some of my more bulky furniture by myself, and it was a struggle to move a few pieces even with a pair of us lugging them. To make things a little easier on you when you move—and so I remember the lessons I learned this weekend—I’ve compiled a few tips on moving heavy furniture. 

1. Prepare. Take time to remove items from drawers, and, if possible, remove the drawers themselves before lifting dressers or nightstands. Remove cushions from chairs and sofas, and wrap delicate items like TVs in furniture pads, which can be rented from a local moving company.

2. Disassemble. If your desk, dresser, or nightstand can be taken apart to reduce the load, I’d recommend doing it—although I hope you don’t have to break out the saw like the folks mentioned in this article.

3. Measure. Don’t get stuck in a hallway or doorway because you didn’t check sizes. Measure the length, width, and depth of your items, as well as hallways, doorways, and elevators, to see if the furniture pieces fit in and through all necessary spaces.

4. Maneuver. Before lifting any items, decide your method of moving. With measurements in hand, determine which side of the item should enter a doorway first. For example, many couches can’t fit through a door upright. It’s often easier to place the couch on end and curl it around the entrance by sliding it at angles. If there will be more than one person moving an item, it’s also a good idea to discuss who will be leading, who will be following, and where breaks will be taken.

Moving up or down stairs? Discuss how you’ll position the furniture between flights and around corners. You may want to take more measurements of those areas.

5. Lift properly. Prevent back injuries and pulled muscles by lifting heavy furniture properly. FamilyDoctor.org can tell you how.

6. Thank the Lord for freight elevators. If you’re moving into an apartment that’s not on the first floor and you don’t have a freight elevator, I pity your poor, poor soul.

7. Purchase the Bigslider. Jeri Masterson invented this handy device when she was forced to move heavy items herself because her husband was away at work. Made of tough, durable plastic, the Bigslider ($24.95–$75.95) allows you to stack heavy items on top and slide them across concrete, carpet, wood, grass—you name it. If you plan on moving any furniture piece by yourself, this is the tool for you. Check out this video to see it in action.

Until tomorrow,
The Home Know-It-All

Prevent Freezing Pipes

Winter weather takes a toll on a number of things—your hair, your skin, your energy bills, and the roads. And even though you might not think about your home’s water pipes on a daily basis, they might be taking a hit from the frosty temperatures too.

That’s because water could freeze in the pipes, causing them to burst. When water freezes, it expands in the pipe and increases water pressure. And that puts undue pressure on the pipe, whether it’s made of metal or plastic. It’s like accidentally leaving a can of soda in the freezer overnight (or a 12-pack case of soda in your trunk in the middle of winter, as I very foolishly did last year). And size doesn’t matter here: Just an eighth-inch crack in a pipe can spew as much as 250 gallons of water, according to State Farm Insurance.

If you live in the south, don’t think for a minute you’re immune to frozen pipes. According to the Institute for Business and Home Safety, water pipes in southern climates may actually be more vulnerable because they’re often located in uninsulated areas such as attics or crawl spaces. Water pipes in northern climates are often located on the inside of the building insulation, where they’re better protected. But if you live up north, you’ll want to check for openings that could compromise your built-in pipe protection.

Regardless of where you live, here’s what you can do to winterize your water pipes:

• Open cabinet doors under sinks to let warm air circulate around the pipes.
  
• Disconnect outside hoses and shut off the water supply to the outside faucet.
  
• Tightly seal openings near pipes so cold air can’t get to them—even the smallest air leak could cause problems.
• Insulate pipes in unheated areas—crawl spaces, attics, basements, and garages. Look for pre-slit foam rubber or fiberglass pipe insulation sleeves at your local hardware store—they easily snap in place over your pipes. The insulation should fit snugly.
• Wrap pipes with heat tape or thermostatically controlled heat cables. Just make sure that you’re using Underwriters Laboratories Inc.-certified products. Follow manufacturer’s instructions for installation and operation to prevent overheating.
• Let warm water drip from the faucet when the temperature gets especially cold. The slow trickle of water relieves the water pressure that accumulates when water freezes in the pipes.

Want to know more? Download this handy PDF from the Institute for Business and Home Safety. In addition to tips for preventing frozen pipes, it will also show you what steps to take if your pipes do freeze, and what precautionary measures you should take if you go on vacation.

Until tomorrow,
The Home Know-It-All

Pet Hair Removal

I grew up with a toy poodle for a family pet, so shedding was never an issue—I could cuddle him without getting white fur all over my clothes. But that all changed when my honey adopted two adorable stray kittens—a brother and a sister. Suddenly I found pet hair everywhere—on the sofa, on the carpet, on our clothes, you name it. Heck, even though I don’t live with the cats, I still find stray black-and-white-striped hairs on my clothes at random moments.

I realize a few stray cat hairs every now and then is nothing compared to the piles of pet hair some of you with frequently-shedding pets face. It’s just a natural part of pet ownership. Luckily, you don’t have to live in a mountain of hair—there are easy ways to keep Fluffy and Fido’s shedding in check.

All you really need is a rubber glove—simply wet the glove and wipe it across your furniture to collect fur. A damp sponge or clothes-dryer fabric-softener sheet also do the trick. See these and other quick solutions here.

Proper grooming helps prevent shedding—brush your furry friends a few times each week for the best results. This routine is especially important for cats—regular brushing decreases hair-related health problems such as … you guessed it, hairballs. When the weather warms up, brush pets outside.

And vacuum regularly, doing a thorough job each time—don’t forget corners, crevices, and baseboards, where hair sneakily collects. That’s just one of the tips that Erin from Unclutterer recommends for tackling pet hair—which she endearingly calls “tumbleweeds.” See the rest here.

If you can’t leave the house without spotting hair on your clothes, keep a lint roller on hand. But if the problem persists even after you wash your clothes, consider using an animal-specific detergent, which breaks down hair and lint. Learn more about clothes care here.

What specific products do you use to tame pet hair?

Until tomorrow,
The Home Know-It-Al

Greener TV Buying

I’m the lucky owner of a brand new LCD TV. (Check it out here) And even though it’s only a 32-inch, I’m proud of it—not only because it saved me big bucks when I bought it but also because it’ll save more moolah when it comes to my electricity bill.

Sounds like the perfect Green Around the House Challenge for you if you ask me. Want to know why you should undertake it?

Bigger isn’t always better. Your TV should be no bigger than 40 inches. Any bigger, it’ll waste substantially more energy than a smaller size. Not to mention it takes more energy to produce.

LCD is the way to be. Both LCD and plasma TVs are made with icky nitrogen trifluoride, a chemical that contributes to global warming, and even though in a smaller size a plasma TV wastes only a sliver more energy than an LCD, the bigger you get the more energy a plasma wastes. LCD TVs, however, are available in smaller sizes, making them the lesser of the two evils and saving you up to $115 more per year to operate. But if you still have an old cathode ray tube hanging around, stick with it—it’s the greenest of all TVs.

ENERGY STAR® Approved. An ENERGY STAR ® TV uses 30 percent less energy than standard units. That’s why I made sure my shiny new one came with the approval. You can find it on most types of units.

Want more proof you should green your TV? Read what ENERGY STAR® and TreeHugger have to say.

Now go forth and conquer yet another Green Around the House Challenge. And when you get that TV, we can tell you how to mount it.

Until tomorrow,
The Home Know-It-All

Flea Market Finds

Lately I’ve been obsessed with blogs like Daily Danny and Design*Sponge that teach you how to recreate a flea market find into a stunning interior-decorating masterpiece. Just check out some of these and you’ll be riproaring and ready to head to the flea market too.

Problem is when I’m at the thrift store, consignment shop, or what have you, I don’t see these “finds.” Sure, I see them, but I must not really see them, or I’d see the potential. You see?

The solution: I’ve put together a guideline that’ll help me spot these makeovers-waiting-to-happen. Here’s what I’ve come up with:

1. Find your shop. From garage sales to estate sales to even rental furniture outlets, there are lots of places to purchase pre-owned merchandise. But it’s not likely that all of these locations will suit your fancy. For some, the mere thought of the crowd and rows and rows of vendors at a flea market is enough to make them shudder. A rental furniture outlet’s quiet warehouse of no longer rentable furniture might make more sense. And if you hate the thought of bargaining at an estate sale, perhaps an online auction is more up your alley.

2. Educate yourself. If you’re in the market for a new dining room table, consult furniture stores to see what a new version goes for, and then check out Craigslist, eBay, or GoAntiques to learn the going-rate of used pieces and see what’s available. (Online shops are often a great place to start not only because they’re informative but also because listings are typically posted by the owner, cutting out the middleman and lowering the price.)

3. Dress Appropriately. In this case, think jeans and a t-shirt. If you go too dressy, you’ll be uncomfortable and a seller might increase his price because he thinks you can afford more. (It’s sad—but true!)

4. Get there early and come back late. At flea markets, auctions, and other day sales, the true bargains are often gone by the time 9 a.m. rolls around, so if you want to spot a true find, go early. Prices are often steeper in the morning, however, so be sure to check back later in the evening when the seller’s only choice is to sell it or haul it home.

5. Inspect. Think you’ve found a steal? Examine it from top to bottom before buying. Although it’s unlikely you’ll find a piece of furniture in mint condition, be sure the damage is something you’re able to repair affordably.  

6. Don’t limit yourself. Although in your head you know you need a TV stand, the piece of furniture you purchase doesn’t necessarily have to be a TV stand. Perhaps you repurpose an antique chair or end table to fit your needs instead. Make a list ahead of time of everything you need. When you spot something you think you like, consult your list to see where it could potentially work.

7. Avoid electronics. With the exception of lamps, which can easily be rewired, avoid anything fueled by electricity—unless you have the know-how to repair it.

8. Get inspired. Scour magazines, websites, and books for ideas. Home Envy has some great advice, as does the DIY Network. Flea Market Finds & How to Restore Them ($7.98) and Flea Market Style ($20.90) are both filled with tips and tricks on decorating with “found” objects. And, of course, it never hurts to look around you. Restaurants, shops, and others’ homes are fantastic motivators.

Let me know how it goes! And I’ll be sure to post any furniture makeovers of my own.

Until tomorrow,
The Home Know-It-All

What We’re Loving: Wine Bottle Plant Nannies

It’s always the plant lover’s dilemma: how do you keep your plants looking their best when you’re out of town or too busy to water them as often as they require? I know it’s something I battle. And it’s something my mom, who travels frequently for work, struggles with too.

Oh, and have I mentioned, on what seems like a completely unrelated note, that we’re both fans of wine?

That’s why, when I saw the Wine Bottle Plant Nannies from Napa Style, I had to try them. So I ordered myself a set of four and another set for my mom’s stocking at Christmas.

The plant nannies are actually hollow terracotta stakes. Once you finish a particularly lovely bottle of wine, all you do is rinse the bottle out and refill it with water. Then you push the stake into the soil next to your potted plant and flip the bottle in place. As the plant gets thirsty, water soaking through the stakes is absorbed by the soil.

If your plants are small, this solution might not be the best option—a tiny plant would look strange dwarfed by a big empty wine bottle. With the right-size plant, however, it’s actually pretty cool.

Check them out for yourself. And while you’re on the site, take a moment to peruse Napa Style’s other home, garden, and kitchen products. You’ll find some terrific stuff!

Now, I want to know: What’s your foolproof technique for keeping your thirsty plants happy when you’re away? Leave a comment here so other readers can hear about your ideas too.

Until tomorrow,
The Home Know-It-Al