Posts Tagged Home & Garden
Posted by Laura Nelson on February 7, 2010
The State of Illinois has implemented, starting January 31st and till the State funds are depleted, a 25% “Instant Rebate” for he purchase of equipment purchased from a registered retailer. This program cannot be used by contractors, installers, commercial installations, multiple units, etc. and only payments by consumer credit cards or checks will be accepted. Qualifying units will be for sale, with the 25% Instant Rebate at the Old House, New House Show at Pheasant Run with or without additional installation.
According to Ron Rous, owner of Energy Innovations of West Chicago, “Endless hot water is only possible with tankless technology, and the equipment is improving constantly.” The compact, space saving design features a water heater that is only about 2 feet tall, weighs only about 55 pounds, and is attached to a wall. “It’s a great spacesaver, plus homeowners can save from 50% to 65% on water heating costs” versus a tank, says Rous.
Tankless water heaters only use energy to heat water as it is needed, so energy is not wasted while there is not a demand for hot water.
This year, homeowners are eligible for a tax credit, up to 30% on a tankless system installed during up to 12-31-10.
To learn more about tankless water heaters, call Ron Rous at Energy Innovations, (630) 562-1551.
Posted by Laura Nelson on February 7, 2010
Before
By Chris Catalano, Kitchen Solvers
Remember avocado appliances? If you’re waiting for them to come into vogue again, you’ve got a long wait. If you’ve got avocado appliances, chances are, your kitchen is from the 70s. Time for an update.
This kitchen started out as pickled country style. Vertical grooves adorned the doors and drawers, making this modest-sized kitchen appear even smaller.
First, we discarded the old doors and drawer fronts. The existing cabinets, which were in good condition, were then refaced with 1/4″ Cherry wood refacing, new moldings, raised panel doors and drawer fronts.
After
A quartz countertop and diagonal tiles on the backsplash also add to the beauty of the transformation. New flooring carries out the traditional design with installation of complementary hardwood. Stainless steel appliances replaced the avocado ones to complete the new look.
To transform your kitchen, call Chris or Cheryl Catalano of Kitchen Solvers Naperville for an estimate. (630) 579-4804
Posted by Laura Nelson on February 7, 2010
Discover inspiring ideas to transform living spaces at The Old House New House® Home Show, held February 12, 13 and 14, 2010 at Pheasant Run Resort, 4051 East Main St. (Rt. 64 / North Ave.) in St. Charles. With 300 exciting displays, knowledgeable professionals, cutting-edge products and time-saving services, this event is a beneficial resource for today’s homeowner. The show offers countless creative solutions for every aspect of the home and its surroundings.
Explore the latest in kitchens, baths, additions, landscaping, interior design, countertops, appliances, painting, patios, sun rooms, green building, basements, heating and air conditioning, roofing, waterproofing, windows, doors, floors and more. This best-in-class event provides constructive tools for homeowners to tackle home-improvement projects with ease.
Learn practical tips and gather ideas from inspiring workshops including: The Organized Home–Simple Solutions to Streamline Living Space, with Jennifer Prell of Paxem, at noon each day; and Designing Your Dream Kitchen, with Jan Fix of Jan Fix Interiors, at 1pm each day. Homeowners can register to win the Grand prize, a $1,000 home show gift certificate for upcoming projects.
Show hours are Friday, 10am-7pm; Saturday, 10am-6pm; and Sunday, 10am-5pm. Adult admission is $7, seniors (62 and up) are admitted for $4 and children (under 18) attend free. Parking is free. A portion of the ticket proceeds benefits The Habitat for Humanity of Northern Fox Valley.
For a current list of exhibitors, directions to Pheasant Run, or a printable $1 off admission coupon visit www.kennedyproductions.com or call (630) 515-1160 for more information.
Posted by Laura Nelson on February 7, 2010
Fireplaces have maintained their popularity with homeowners, but their function is evolving. For the last fifty years, a traditional fireplace has been a fixture in home decor. No longer. Improvements in construction and design are rapidly making the fireplace a valuable element in home heating.
“An efficient fireplace can be used as zone heating,” says Sean Folino, of Olde English Chimney Sweeps. According to Folino, one of the biggest trends in fireplaces is direct vent designs with gas logs. Insert systems are up to 90% efficient–far surpassing the heat output of a traditional fireplace. Inserts burn much less gas than traditional log sets while providing more heat to the living area, according to Folino. Inserts are made of cast iron or steel and have self-cleaning glass doors for full fire viewing.
Older fireplaces waste energy by drawing heated room air into the fire and up the chimney. An insert slows down the fire and and increases its temperature for more complete combustion.
Tax credits are available on many new energy-efficient fireplace inserts, solid fuel and biomass units that have efficiency ratings higher than 75%. Homeowners may qualify for a federal tax credit of 30 percent, up to $1,500. Some other heat sources, such as wood stoves or electric stand-alone models may also qualify.
To learn more about energy-efficient fireplaces, visit www.ChicagoChimney.com. Olde English Chimney Sweeps is a full service chimney maintenance company, and also sells a wide variety of hearth products. (630) 679-9500
Posted by Laura Nelson on February 7, 2010
The Spring rainy season often brings homeowners an abrupt surprise—a wet basement. Water in the basement is often the result of a power outage, a pump failure, or the inability of a pump to keep up with incoming water capacity. One way to prevent a basement disaster is to install a battery backup sump pump.
“Homeowners will wish they had acted sooner, rather than later,” says Orrin Dukleth, owner of ABD Waterproofing of Glen Ellyn. A reliable battery backup pump can save a lot of work, expense, and give peace of mind, according to Dukleth, who has been in the business of keeping basements dry for more than15 years.
Water problems can also be caused by a foundation crack, wall seepage or other defects, says Dukleth. “We can address these as well—by installing a drain tile system, epoxy injection, or a membrane application. But a frequent problem, a power failure, can be solved simply by installing a battery back up.” The system can be in place in one day.
“We favor the Watchdog system,” says Dukleth, “as it sounds an alarm if the battery needs attention. Plus, with the Watchdog system the battery will last 5-7 years, longer than most other systems.”
To prevent wet basement problems, or to evaluate those you may have, contact Orrin Dukleth at ABD Waterproofing at (630) 858-1610 or (800) 471-3333.
Posted by Laura Nelson on February 7, 2010
By Art Gara
When you spend time weeding and pruning, cutting back and carefully tending your plants, you are, in fact stewarding your garden. The meaning of the word “steward” applies to the watching over and maintaining of something that has been “entrusted to your care” It also means that you want to maintain that something by applying certain standards to it– probably pretty high standards. Yet sometimes you might ask yourself, why should I bother weeding, these are native plants, they can take care of themselves, right?
The answer is that if you don’t, or can’t, even some native plants may become aggressive and your wildflower garden would be in danger of losing it’s integrity and diversity. Many of us start out with the intention to maintain and watch over our new garden, but not all of us actually have the time and energy to do the best job that the garden beds deserve.
At Art and Linda’s we feel that one has to work at stewardship, just the way you would with the relationships you care for in life. It’s never a once-in-a-season attention that you give to family and friends, but more of an ongoing and thoughtful process. Once you have established your beautiful wildflower garden, you can familiarize yourself with its special needs and maintain its growth in order to keep it looking its best and / or you can consider the services of an outside “steward”– like us.
A professional steward has the knowledge of native plants as well as the materials and assistance they need to do the best job possible. A good steward is also one who watches out for the weeds, or the plant that has become too aggressive. We will certainly know when the occasional species that may have a showcase position in your garden needs to be thinned out or cut back.
In considering stewardship, consider applying a real “steward’s” knowledge to your gorgeous, growing wonder. Keep it thriving and healthy, as that will strengthen it for future enjoyment and also help to maintain the goals which you have in mind for your beautiful yard.
Reach Art Gara at (708) 785-2943, art@artandlindaswild flowers.com.
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