Remember to clean or replace your air filters once a month. Not only does it prolong the life of your units but it will also turn you into "greener" citizen because your unit will pull less energy to run.
Ross White
www.whiteconstructiongroup.com
When remodeling or replacing consider a tankless option.....
Top 5 reasons to consider a tankless hot water heater:
1. Endless hot water
2. No storing water in a dirty tank! Traditional Water heater tanks should be drained and cleaned at least once a year due to residue build up - 82% of homeowners have never drained and... cleaned their hot water heater tank!
3. Tankless units can be installed virtually anywhere due to the compact size.
4. Tankless water heaters can provide a huge savings on you electric bill. It costs over 50% less to power a tankless heater compared to a traditional heater.
5. Tankless water heaters are extremely durable, lasting longer than traditional tank-type water heaters, and requiring little maintenance over its lifetime.
1. Endless hot water
2. No storing water in a dirty tank! Traditional Water heater tanks should be drained and cleaned at least once a year due to residue build up - 82% of homeowners have never drained and... cleaned their hot water heater tank!
3. Tankless units can be installed virtually anywhere due to the compact size.
4. Tankless water heaters can provide a huge savings on you electric bill. It costs over 50% less to power a tankless heater compared to a traditional heater.
5. Tankless water heaters are extremely durable, lasting longer than traditional tank-type water heaters, and requiring little maintenance over its lifetime.
Thinking about renovating?!
Thinking about renovating your bathroom or kitchen? With the year ending, new kitchen and bathroom trends are popping up. The following is a list of the most popular renovation trends for bathrooms and kitchens.
Bathroom Trends:
Larger, airier showers. Homeowners are now tearing out their tubs to expand showers in smaller bathrooms. Shower stalls are getting larger, airier, and have much more glass, making bathrooms feel more like spas. Homeowners are even taking out partial shower walls, or entire shower walls, and making the entire tiled bathroom a shower. Steam shower. Another big trend in bathrooms is steam. Homeowners are relieving stress in their steam showers after a long day. A steam shower is essentially a regular shower with an added steam feature that is powered by a steam generator. Steam showers range in price from $1,500 to $5,000 and bathrooms must also be reconfigured to accommodate them. Entertainment in the bathroom. Showers aren’t the only new renovation trends in bathrooms–people are also bringing other comforts to their bathrooms. Flatscreen TVs, radios, and even phones are new luxuries being added to bathrooms.
Kitchen Trends:
Environmentally-friendly materials. Homeowners are now turning to green products for home renovations. Sustainable materials such as recycled glass and paper products are being used for kitchen countertops and floors. These environmentally-sustainable products look just as great as their non-eco-friendly counterparts while minimizing impact on the environment.
Color. Color is where it’s at in the kitchen. Bright paint, tiles, and appliances add pizzazz to a usually neutral space. Vibrant blues and oranges are especially popular. These colorful touches modernize a kitchen’s style.Blending the kitchen with other living spaces. Homeowners are blurring the distinction between living areas and kitchen spaces more than ever. Furniture style pieces like armoires and concealed appliances help kitchens feel like open living spaces where families can come together.
Home Maintenance Checklist
1. Roof: Check roof and around vents, skylights and chimneys for leaks. Repair as necessary.
2. Attic: If there is no ridge vent, keep gable vents open year-round to ensure proper ventilation.
3.Gutters: Clean gutters and drain pipes so leaves won't clog them and be sure they drain away from the house. (Fall: In cold-climate areas) Drain outside faucets.
4.Fireplace: Clean fireplace of ashes. (Fall) Check chimney for loose or missing mortar. Have chimney professionally cleaned. Make sure damper closes tightly. (Spring) Leave damper open for improved ventilation if the home is not air-conditioned
5.Filters: Remember to clean or replace filters once a month, or as needed. Check and clean dryer vent, air conditioner, stove hood and room fans. Keep heating and cooling vents clean and free from furniture and draperies.
6.Safety Equipment: Ensure that all smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors and fire extinguishers are in good working order. Replace batteries in appropriate devices as needed, or at least twice each year.
7.Air Conditioner: (Fall: In cold-climate areas) Remove window air-conditioners, or put weatherproof covers on them.
8.Refrigerator: Make sure your refrigerator door seals are airtight. Test them by closing the door over a dollar bill. If you can pull the bill out easily, the latch may need to be adjusted or the seal may need to be replaced. In addition, if you have a coil-back refrigerator, vacuum the coils at least twice each year. Your refrigerator will run more efficiently with clean coils. Also, stock up! A full refrigerator uses less energy than an empty one.
9.Faucets: Check for leaky faucets in kitchen and bathroom(s). Replace washers as necessary.
10.Windows and Doors: Seal drafty doors and windows. If you added up all of the small cracks where heating and cooling escapes from a home, it would be the same as having a window open. Replace seals as needed.
11.Storm Windows and Screens: (Fall) Take down screens (if removable type) and replace with storm windows. (Spring) Remove, clean, and store storm windows (if removable). Check and patch all door and window screens. Put screens up (if removable type).
12.Siding and Paint: Look for cracks and holes in house siding or paint. Replace caulk if necessary. A carpet knife can work well for cutting away old caulking from house siding. Slice down alongside it from both directions with the hook-like blade, then use the knife to lift out the old caulk bead intact.
13.Basement: Check basement walls and floor for dampness. Be sure to clean dehumidifier regularly, if you have one.
14.Heating System: (Fall) Have heating system serviced. Change filters.
15.Hot Water Heater: (Fall) Drain hot water heater. Remove sediment from the bottom of the tank.
Ross White
www.whiteconstructiongroup.com
Article by : http://www.bobvila.com/HowTo_Library/Home_Maintenance_Checklist--A1730.html
2. Attic: If there is no ridge vent, keep gable vents open year-round to ensure proper ventilation.
3.Gutters: Clean gutters and drain pipes so leaves won't clog them and be sure they drain away from the house. (Fall: In cold-climate areas) Drain outside faucets.
4.Fireplace: Clean fireplace of ashes. (Fall) Check chimney for loose or missing mortar. Have chimney professionally cleaned. Make sure damper closes tightly. (Spring) Leave damper open for improved ventilation if the home is not air-conditioned
5.Filters: Remember to clean or replace filters once a month, or as needed. Check and clean dryer vent, air conditioner, stove hood and room fans. Keep heating and cooling vents clean and free from furniture and draperies.
6.Safety Equipment: Ensure that all smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors and fire extinguishers are in good working order. Replace batteries in appropriate devices as needed, or at least twice each year.
7.Air Conditioner: (Fall: In cold-climate areas) Remove window air-conditioners, or put weatherproof covers on them.
8.Refrigerator: Make sure your refrigerator door seals are airtight. Test them by closing the door over a dollar bill. If you can pull the bill out easily, the latch may need to be adjusted or the seal may need to be replaced. In addition, if you have a coil-back refrigerator, vacuum the coils at least twice each year. Your refrigerator will run more efficiently with clean coils. Also, stock up! A full refrigerator uses less energy than an empty one.
9.Faucets: Check for leaky faucets in kitchen and bathroom(s). Replace washers as necessary.
10.Windows and Doors: Seal drafty doors and windows. If you added up all of the small cracks where heating and cooling escapes from a home, it would be the same as having a window open. Replace seals as needed.
11.Storm Windows and Screens: (Fall) Take down screens (if removable type) and replace with storm windows. (Spring) Remove, clean, and store storm windows (if removable). Check and patch all door and window screens. Put screens up (if removable type).
12.Siding and Paint: Look for cracks and holes in house siding or paint. Replace caulk if necessary. A carpet knife can work well for cutting away old caulking from house siding. Slice down alongside it from both directions with the hook-like blade, then use the knife to lift out the old caulk bead intact.
13.Basement: Check basement walls and floor for dampness. Be sure to clean dehumidifier regularly, if you have one.
14.Heating System: (Fall) Have heating system serviced. Change filters.
15.Hot Water Heater: (Fall) Drain hot water heater. Remove sediment from the bottom of the tank.
Ross White
www.whiteconstructiongroup.com
Article by : http://www.bobvila.com/HowTo_Library/Home_Maintenance_Checklist--A1730.html
Choosing the right Remodeling Contractor
Some small kitchen renovations can be undertaken as a simple DIY project; painting a few walls, installing a new refrigerator, sprucing up the kitchen flooring. However for a full kitchen remodel sensible home owners call upon the services of a professional kitchen remodeling company.
Choosing the right company for the project can make or break it. Pick the wrong guys and you could end up paying for more than you should have done or worse still find yourself left with a shoddy cowboy job that you have to hire someone else to come in and fix a few months down the line.
The first step in the process of finding the right kitchen remodeling company for your project is to generate a list of the contractors available in your area. Recommendations from friends and family can be helpful, but contacting a company that specializes in the development of a network of reliable and professional contractors can prove invaluable.
You goal is to obtain the details of at least three or four reliable firms that operate in your area and then begin narrowing them down based upon the following criteria:
Is the remodeling contractor properly licensed? - In the US most licensing for kitchen remodeling contractors is done at the state, rather than national level. If you are working with a networking company they will know what the licensing requirements are in your state and match you only with those firms who have been able to prove that all their licensing paperwork is in order.
Can the company provide references? – The best indicator of how good a job a kitchen remodeling company will perform on your kitchen remodeling project is how well they have performed work for other homeowners in the past. Do not be afraid to ask if you can contact one of two of the provided references yourself, to give you additional peace of mind.
How long has the company been in business? – While longevity is not always an indicator that a kitchen remodeling contractor is the best available the fact that a company has been in business for more than a few months is always a good sign.
Once you have your list of possible contractors narrowed down it is time to begin reviewing bids on your project. Do not accept a bid based upon price alone – the highest bidder may be no better than the lowest – but take factors like the company’s availability and local reputation into account as well. Remember too that these people will be in and out of your home for weeks, perhaps even months, so it is also essential that you be certain that you can all work together amicably.
If you find yourself torn between two bids do not hesitate to approach both of them to try to negotiate a better deal, making it clear to both that you are considering other bids. Even if they are inflexible on the price of the job they may be willing to discuss better scheduling or a superior brand of appliance for the same figure.
www.whiteconstructiongroup.com
Article from : http://blog.renovationexperts.com/choosing-the-right-kitchen-remodeling-contractor/
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