Improve Your Home and Garden
Now that our annual 100-year floods are over with, you may find yourself thinking once more about how to protect your basement from uninvited drips, drafts and dampness. While a sump pump and the right insulation are a good start, chances are there is a basement contractor in your area who could offer you a [...]
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I’m old enough to remember seeing (and being fascinated by) old wind mills here and there on farms in the Midwest where I grew up. In earlier years, before electricity reached parts of the rural Midwest, it was not uncommon to see these home wind turbines whirling away, generating electricity for rural families that otherwise [...]
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My friend Janelle is from a family of pioneers. No, they didn’t own a covered wagon, but her dad was one of the first people I knew to go solar. When Janelle and I were in sixth grade, her father spent most of that spring installing a solar panel the size of Nevada on his [...]
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“In order for sustainability to work, it has to work for everyone.” In the wake of corporate greed and unethical business practice, these words from green building visionary Terry Black are a much-needed breath of fresh air. Black’s company Green Way Supply, Inc., Indianapolis, IN, has been building sustainable homes for three years, but the company [...]
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It’s the beginning of Spring and the end of the day. You are completely worn out from shoveling wood chips onto all your trees and flowerbeds. As you sip iced tea and compliment yourself on a job well done, you are thrilled to be done with this chore…until this time next year. But mulching doesn’t [...]
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One of the biggest annoyances many homeowners face is inadequate storage space. The family has grown and so has the amount of stuff they own. The easiest place to turn into extra storage space would be to the attic, but it’s often inconvenient to access and not the safest place to get to on a [...]
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Originally posted 2009-02-26 10:30:27.
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I was in my yard last summer and heard the pitiful mewling of a kitten. It cried continuously and the sound tore at my heart. Where was the little guy? I began to search, following the plaintive sound. Finally, I discovered a tiny calico kitten in my basement window well. I don’t know how [...]
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Termites like wood. They don’t care if the wood is old growth, new growth, responsibly harvested or clear-cut; they just want to eat it. Wouldn’t it be grand if you could just explain to the bugs that you are trying to be green and therefore don’t want to use pesticides in your home? You could [...]
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If building a new home is in your future, how would you like to save thousands of dollars in the process? You can when you become a builder owner and act as your own general contractor. Your first reaction to that idea may be horror. You may know nothing about the construction process. In fact, you [...]
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Do you have the urge to run away from the clutter in your home? Are your closets in danger of being classified a federal disaster area? If you answered yes to either question, consider a closet organizing system. “Homeowners and business owners typically want the biggest bang for their buck in terms of more effective use of the square footage [...]
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Going green is all the rage these days, but there’s nothing new or trendy about spending less money on home energy needs. The latest home heating and air conditioning units, as well as water heaters, are more energy efficient than ever – helping soften the impact on the environment as well as a homeowner’s wallet. “Energy [...]
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The cost of replacing, or simply refacing, kitchen cabinets can be cost prohibitive. But with the kitchen at the heart of most homes, how can a homeowner keep it looking its best? Doris Jean of The Victorian House of Skiatook, OK, says to consider a product like Victorian House Finish Rejuvenator to restore kitchen cabinets [...]
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Not all HVAC service providers are created equal. Homeowners who seek service for existing systems, or want to replace worn-out systems, should do their homework and feel comfortable with who they hire to do the work. George “Butch” Welsch, current president of Welsch Heating & Cooling in St. Louis, MO, can attest to the importance [...]
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Think about the last time you relaxed. Did it come naturally to you? Or did you have to work at settling your mind? Was it nearly impossible to resist the urge to check your email or your Facebook account? In today’s hectic, wired, and always-connected world, it can be hard to just do nothing. Many [...]
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Finding a sustainable builder can be a challenge. It’s even tougher to find a builder who’s eager to consider the “human element” of building or renovating your home. If you’ve ever attempted a “green” remodel, you probably resigned yourself to choosing your battles with your builder. You made concessions because your contractor maybe wasn’t knowledgeable [...]
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If you want to install a roof, you should hire a roofer. If you need someone who will help you protect the people and things under your roof, you should hire a roofing contractor. Crystal Anderson owns AGC Contracting of Maryland Heights, MO, and she fully understands what lies under a roof. Finding hidden leaks, [...]
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Every home improvement project has the potential to be a risky proposition for homeowners. Just contemplating a project gets you thinking about: • How do I know how to choose the right contractor? • Will I be happy with the finished product? • Will the change actually cut my energy costs? The questions can seem [...]
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If you think the top indicator of a clean house is it must smell like a pine tree–or worse–Greg Nicklas of Maid Brigade of Portland would like to clean yours. Maid Brigade, a national cleaning franchise that’s been in the Portland, OR, area for over 16 years, decided to “go green” in April 2007. “It [...]
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