March Into Spring Maintenance

As we welcome spring with our annual spring cleanups, take a few additional steps to save money on energy bills this summer, improve your home's appearance, and ward off big-ticket repairs later with spring maintenance.

Check your AC - For about $75 to $200, a technician will tune up your cooling system to manufacturer-rated efficiency -- and you won’t sweat the first hot weekend with an out-of-commission air conditioner.

 

Replace your thermostat - Energy Star says that for an initial investment of $50 to $150 for a programmable thermostat, you can save about $180 annually on cooling and heating bills -- if you can live with higher indoor temperatures in summer (and cooler temperatures in winter). Set the "hold" or "vacation" feature for a constant, efficient temperature when you’re away for the weekend or on vacation.

Re-caulk as necessary - If the gap around a door or window is wider than a nickel, you need to reapply exterior caulk. Check window-glazing putty, too, which seals glass into the window frame.

Clean the gutters - Nature’s debris-- decomposed leaves, twigs, and spring petals and seeds (think maple tree "helicopters") -- may be worse in spring than in fall. Keeping these clean helps prevent everything from rotted fascia board to foundation leaks.

Repair the roof - An easy way to inspect the roof to find damaged, loose or missing shingles without risking life and limb is to use a pair of binoculars. Check and repair breaks in the flashing seals around vent stacks and chimneys, too.
  

Pressure wash the exterior – Clean your home's exterior to remove accumulated dirt, mold, and stains from the siding, deck, sidewalks, driveway and garage floor, fences, and lawn furniture. You can rent a pressure washer for $40 to $75 a day from local home improvement stores.
 

Wash the windows - It's only when the windows are clean and the spring sun shines in that you'll realize how dirty they were. If you try washing with a scrubber and squeegee like the professionals – you’ll never go back to window cleaner and newspaper.

Before washing the glass, clean out the sills and window tracks with a soft brush or vacuum attachment. Pour a small amount of water into the sill to ensure that weep holes, which drain rainwater to the exterior, aren't clogged. If the water doesn't exit, use a piece of thin wire to gently clear the hole.

 Repair driveway, sidewalks, and patios - Fix any breakdown in concrete or asphalt before it worsens. You can patch or fill surface cracks, chips or flaking in concrete yourself using cement-repair products, such as those made by Quikrete. For deeper cracks, settling or sunken concrete, or frost heaves, when moisture beneath the concrete has frozen and elevated the slab, call a professional.

Check the deck - Resealing is always a good idea to protect the wood. But more important, before you invite the neighbors for the first party of the year, make sure your deck can handle the load. Deck components inevitably age, and heavy snow can cause stress damage. At a minimum, test several areas of the deck for decay, especially those that tend to stay damp. Two signs: The wood is soft and spongy, and it doesn’t splinter if you poke it with an ice pick or screwdriver.

Prepare to mow - A dull lawn mower blade doesn't slice, but instead tears grass, leaving it vulnerable to disease, sun damage and insects. A blade typically needs sharpening once or twice a year, or more often depending on how big your yard is, how frequently you mow and the type of grass you have.

You should also tune up your lawn mower to increase its efficiency and reduce polluting emissions. Follow the manufacturer's instructions to change or clean the spark plugs, oil, and oil filter.

Hot in the Kitchen

Homes have become kitchen-centric. The heart of the home now serves many roles – entertaining destination, command center, home office, and of course…food preparation headquarters. Likewise, homeowners have become ever-willing to devote a greater share of thought, square footage, and budget to design kitchens that will ease this lifestyle integration. Going into 2013, there are several trends that are cooking up a storm.

White Kitchens - White kitchens are always in style. They’re clean, bright, and work with every design style. White painted cabinetry has always been the most popular of all painted cabinetry.

Glass Backsplash – High gloss is ‘in’ for cabinets, appliances, and backsplashes.Whether it is glass tiles, sheet glass, or back-painted glass, glass is becoming very popular. Easy to clean and maintain, glass is a clear choice for kitchens. 

Dark Finishes – While a dream kitchen might be "bright and sunny” to some, others prefer dark finishes in their kitchens, and these finishes are on trend, too. These bold spaces often have an air of elegance and provide a sense of coziness.

 

 

 

 

Touch Activated Faucets – Dirty hands have met their match. While pop-out faucets reign supreme, the trend toward touch activation is coming on strong.

Multi-function Islands – Big islands are moving functionality to another level. By providing additional storage, bridging kitchens and living spaces while upping the entertaining factor, and hiding appliances, it is easy to see why these anchors of the kitchen are on trend.

Lights, Lights, and More Lights – Great lighting has always been important in the kitchen, but now lighting is being layered with a mix of task lighting and ambient lighting. LEDs, or light-emitting diodes, are energy-saving light sources that last for years and offer tremendous flexibility. Under cabinets, under open shelves, recessed lighting, toe-kicks, and even in drawers are just a few areas lighting up for LEDs.

Fully Loaded

Since we do more than 35 billion loads of laundry each year, it is time to bring the laundry room out of the basement.   While new home owners can plan for a multi-functioning laundry room, remodelers need not be left out.  Careful planning and design can bring a fully loaded laundry command center to you, too.

Location

Washers and dryers can be placed anywhere…in their own room, in a closet, in a bath, and even in the kitchen depending on the space you have.  With many homeowners downsizing, interesting nooks are being found in all parts of the house to accommodate a washer and dryer. Considerations of noise, possible leaks, and humidity need to be taken, but proper planning can make a clean break from any dirty worries.

Make your closet your laundry room. Tossing in the dirty clothes could never be easier, and when they come out, hanging them up is a snap.

Adding a stackable washer and dryer to the master bath keeps water lines together and the humidity in one room. Plus, doing a load of towels could never be easier.

Carving out a space in the kitchen allows the laundry to be done in the center of the hub of activity.  Whites can be soaking while pasta is boiling with no unnecessary steps in between - the ultimate design for multi-tasking.

Once you decide on where your washer and dryer will be, now all you need to determine is what features will make the space most efficient for you.

Counters – A long, uninterrupted counter gives plenty of space for sorting and folding.  A window keeps the space nice and bright.



Drying rack – A designated space for hang-to-dry items keeps door frames and shower bars free from hanging items.

Ironing board – For such a small item, the ironing board creates big dilemmas.  Having a drop down design keeps the ironing board in the laundry room, and putting it away just takes a second.

Dog bath – If you have the space, and the dog, a wash station may save money and headache in the long run. Dirty paws are easily washed in this raised space.

 

Laundry sink – If you find yourself doing a lot of hand washing or soaking, then adding a sink may be just the feature for you.

No Place Like Home

No Place Like Home

No matter if you are a young family, a multi-generational family, an active adult, or baby boomer planning for the future, universal design just makes sense.  Dorothy said it best; there really is no place like home, and universal designs easy, attractive, and adaptive environment makes your home safe and accessible for everyone, regardless of age, physical ability, or stature.

Universal design is about creating an attractive, stylish space that everyone, regardless of age, size, or ability, can live in or visit. A home with universal design makes it easier for residents to live in, and for guests to visit now and in the future as everybody's needs and abilities change.

Seamless Inclusion

Accessibility design features began in the public sector with ramps and grab bars but today, accessibility design features have gone private.  While these features used to stand out, now they blend seamlessly and are nearly invisible to the casual observer.  In fact, many of the design elements make a home feel more spacious and all make for easier living. 

Zero-step entry - Whether you’re maneuvering a stroller through the front door, carrying a load of  groceries, or navigating your mother’s wheelchair, a zero-step entry allows for easy transition from outside to in.

Lighting - Add more lighting for close-up tasks such as cooking, reading, hobbies (knitting, fly-tying) and working from home. Plan for natural, ambient, and task lighting for an effective lighting plan.

The bathroom- A bathroom becomes accessible for guests of any age with a no a threshold shower, a handheld showerhead, and shower rails.

The kitchen – Generous counters, work spaces of varied heights, and appliances appropriately leveled allow all cooks in the kitchen.

Other essential features of universal design include:

• One-story living. Places to eat, use the bathroom and sleep are all located on one level, which is barrier-free.
• Wide doorways. Doorways that are 32-36 inches wide let wheelchairs pass through. They also make it easy to move big things in and out of the house.
• Wide hallways. Hallways should be 36-42 inches wide. That way, everyone and everything moves more easily from room to room.
• Extra floor space. Everyone feel less cramped. And people in wheelchairs have more space to turn.
• Lever door handles and rocker light switches are great for people with poor hand strength. But others like them too. Try using these devices when your arms are full of packages. You'll never go back to knobs or standard switches.