Articles
Tree Care: Timing Is Everything
Pruning, when done correctly, can help your trees be healthier and reduce the chance of storm damage. Some tree species can only be pruned at certain times of the year to reduce the chances of disease transmission.
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Carbon Foot Print: How You Look At Your Home
Carbon Foot Print Defined From Wikipedia.com: The carbon footprint can be seen as the total amount of carbon dioxide (CO2 ) and other greenhouse gases emitted over the full life cycle of a product or service.
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Be Careful What You Wish For
Remodeling often sets in motion not one change, but a series of changes, many of which were never intended. New cabinets can lead to new counter tops, to new walls or floors, to new fixtures or appliances, and so on.
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Building Your Look Block By Block
One of the biggest misconceptions about paving stones is that they are especially susceptible to shifting, sinking and being uneven over time. Without proper preparation of the base beneath the paving stones, sinking and settling of individual stones can happen quite easily. Proper base preparation is the key.
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Why To Consider Buying A Futon
As you consider remodeling or redecorating, remember, a futon is an excellent option for stretching your budget. There are many, many futon covers available, a futon mattress is all one piece, so you’re never sitting in the crack between cushion and for a substantially lower price futon frames can seat one, two or three people.
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Add A Guestroom… Without A Contractor!
The significant thing a Murphy bed gives any homeowner is expanding the living area in your home, a comfortable guest room, and more utility in the rooms in which it is installed.
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Improving Your Home: Special Gift Ideas
People overlook many things from parts of their lives and from family members that add a flare and a genuine human interest twist to their wall decorations. Framed wall decorations and momentos can offer a great way to begin a transition to a new décor or just add much more character to a room.
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Your Garage Project: Organization Is The First Step
Organization. It’s the over-riding goal in all of the projects we develop. No matter what the visual look of the project or the ultimate use, people want to organize.
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Fireplaces: Warm, Cozy, Romantic and SAFE!
The primary issue with any fireplace in a home is ‘How safe is it?'. Contractors consider building and fire codes to protect you and your family.
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Tweaking Your Home - UPDATE YOUR LIVING AREA
Remodeling may be too expensive or just too radical for your tastes. However, there are a number of smaller projects you can do to alter the look, feel and function of various parts of your home.
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Carpets: Getting Greener All The Time
One step at a time, the carpet industry is getting greener. But, with manufacturing a consumer product, going green is not just one action. Rather it’s a commitment to a total review of the product and how it is manufactured, distributed, used and disposed of when the useful life is over.
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Organization: Reclaiming Your Home One Space At A Time
According to researchers and experts on organization, being organized makes you feel more in control and happier. Organization experts have also shown that uncluttered homes sell better when they are on the market and leave room for what’s important to your family. The fact is, many average families are inconvenienced by the lack of organization.”
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What Is Your Game?
“Buy one; get five, six or seven free. That is one of the great things about all weather outdoor courts such as Sport Court. Basketball is a favorite use for the courts because it is so popular and our surfaces are easy on joints so everyone in the family can play. These courts can also be ground zero for neighborhood activity for kids of all ages because they can be set up to accommodate the most vigorous uses such as roller hockey, volleyball, soccer, tennis and soccer. And other outdoor games like shuffleboard and four square can be designed into the court for additional fun.”
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Solar Protection: Fixing The Suns Dark Side
‘Sunlight Management’ Whether people are concerned about UV rays and their affect on skin, ability to fade
furniture and fixtures or, the excess heat in summer, controlling the suns rays can improve your quality of life and how much you enjoy your home. In fact, according to the American Society of Heating and Air Conditioning, fabric awnings alone can reduce heat gain up to 77%. And, this figure is provided from the organization representing groups that can benefit from heat gain.
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Energy Rebates & Tax Credits: What Do They Mean To You?
During the current economic downturn many people are deferring expenses. In fact, for the first time in years Americans are actually saving money instead of increasing debt. The ironic thing is, as Americans save more, some of the best deals they will ever see on durable goods abound. In addition to the auto industry, others are now offering special incentives to spur purchasing. The Heating & Air Conditioning industry is one of them.
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‘You May Never Have To Move Again…’
“You can get what you want now, and it can be the most responsible option for you in today’s market. We have had customers who like their location, neighborhood, schools, etc, but needed more living space, or had an area within their home that could better serve their needs. Even though their home wasn’t exactly what they wanted or needed, they made the decision to stay where they were. However, there are changes that can be made, both large and small, that can improve your home by adding a new living space to meet your needs and your tastes. The result is the home you want, where you enjoy living. In fact, there is a very good chance you can increase the value of your home, so when it comes time to move on, you will get a good share of your investment back, if not more (depending on improvements you make).”
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New Look For Old Homes: Revitalizing
A Natural Option: Nature Stone® “Nature Stone® can help homeowners reclaim an area of their home by having a great floor that functions in the environment,” says Szekeres. “Recently, we helped a homeowner add 400 square feet of livable space which they used as a bedroom, living room and a finished laundry area as a result of installing a floor that worked in their basement. The house was built in 1912 and the cement floor was extremely uneven and pitted and they had problems with seepage. With Nature Stone® we were able to fix their problem.
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Windows, Doors, Insulation, Roofs 2009 Tax Credits For Energy Efficiency
Credits, deductions, and rebates — wow! If there is a time to make home improvements, this would be it. So, how can you get in on this and what’s the catch? Beginning in 2009 through the end of 2010, the Federal Energy Efficiency Tax Credit provides a tax credit for 30% of a product cost up to $1500, for installing new energy efficient windows, doors, insulation, or roofs on your home, meeting specific criteria:
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Home Products Show Seminars Offer Expert Advice, Real Costs and Ideas
The Home Products Show offers more than unlimited access to the experts and hundreds of booths to explore. Each year, the Show also features dozens of seminars that are included with admission to the Show. This year the Show is free to attend (Dane County facility parking fee still applies).
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Ask The Home Repair Expert: What Is The Best Way To Approach A New Remodeling Project?
So the market has given you the jitters, and you have decided to improve your greatest asset rather than look for the next, best thing. A growing trend the past couple of years is re-purposing your home, which is, breathing new life into a tired, worn, or simply nonfunctional environment.
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Swimming Pools: Debunking Myths That Are Just All Wet
Many times people decide against owning a pool based on myths they’ve heard from people who don’t
even own a pool or are not familiar with today’s technology. After we show them what’s possible today,
they often dive in and build a pool, and they are thrilled that they did.”
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Informed Decision: Replacement Furnace Basics
"Because the lifespan of furnaces can range from 15 to 25 years depending on the brand and the level of maintenance the furnace has received over the years the result is the average homeowner knows very little about furnaces and what things need to be considered when the time to change comes. Being prepared is really the only option you have. So if your furnace is 15 years old or more, you should be aware of what your system is and what your replacement choices are." Steve Sundstrom, Warren Heating in Madison.
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Some Ways To Lower Your Utility Bill Right Now!
Where Dollars Are Saved Or Lost: Air Flow - Water - Electricity. With existing homes, the place(s) to start are where your home comes in contact with the elements. Simply speaking, air and water and the energy it takes to manage them is where immediate changes can save you money, making your home more GREEN and efficient in the process.
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Are You Kidding? Our Roof Is A Paper Roof?
Where Has All The Asphalt Gone? Petroleum has always given asphalt shingles their longevity. Lately, that component has been reduced. Petroleum has been replaced with a combination of asphalt saturated paper and limestone. Gugger adds, “The heft of the shingles has stayed the same; however the materials used are much less durable and have diminished longevity. As a result, people who a want a roof system they can depend on over time and are aware of this situation, are considering permanent alternatives such as metal roofs.”
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Chimneys: Taking Care Of Old Dependable
No News Is Good News? Nope. Without a chimney cap, the chimney is exposed to weather and will most likely have aging issues sooner than one with a chimney cap. A good rule of thumb is to have a chimney check-up after ten years to be sure there are no areas that could present a danger to a homeowner. When you have your chimney swept, that is the time to make sure it’s safe. Even if you have a chimney cap reducing the effects of the weather, it is still a good idea to have the check done. Any product defect, poor installation or settling of a home can lead to problems that most likely won’t be noticed during normal day to day activity.
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‘A Place For Everything, And Everything In Its Place…’
Effectively organizing the spaces in your home, especially when customized to fit the unique personalities and needs of the individuals actually living in the home, can have a big impact on how well we function throughout the day. When everything has a designated place you save both time and money - less time looking for things you already own and less money replacing items you can’t find.
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Memo To Self: Spring Landscaping To Dos
As Spring Approaches - It’s Time To Think Landscaping Again Landscaping in the spring deals with a wide array of activities and projects. There are various
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When A Backyard Court System May Make Great Sense
In tough economic times everyone tries to cut back on expenses. Investing in a backyard court system makes perfect sense by offering household budget reduction opportunities that will help pay for the court in the long term.
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Heat and Moisture: Your Attics Worst Enemies
Solar powered attic fans were developed to aggressively deal with the heat and moisture levels that can ravage an attic. The great thing about a solar powered ventilation fan is that it is environmentally-friendly because it’s driven by sunlight.
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Just Add Water: Damp Basements Dust Mites And Mold
Spring is always wet. And basements, if not prepared properly, are always at risk. The higher the humidity in in your home, the more problems present themselves for both your family and your home. The potential effects include the indoor allergens dust mites and mold.
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