- Only burn dry, cured wood—logs that have been split, stacked, and dried for eight to 12 months. Cover your log pile on top, but leave the sides open for air flow. Hardwoods such as hickory, white oak, beech, sugar maple, and white ash burn longest, though dry firewood is more important than the species. Less dense woods like spruce or white pine burn well if sufficiently dry, but you’ll need to add more wood to your fire more often, according to CSIA.
- Wood, only wood! Crates, lumber, construction scraps, painted wood, or other treated wood releases chemicals into your home, compromising your air quality. Log starters are fine for getting your fire going, but they burn very hot; generally only use one at a time.
- Close your damper when not using the fireplace to prevent warm indoor air—and the dollars you’re spending to heat it—from rushing up the chimney.
- On a factory-built, prefab wood-burning fireplace, keep bifold glass doors open when burning a fire to allow heat to get into the room.
- Have a chimney cap installed to prevent objects, rain, and snow from falling into your chimney and to reduce downdrafts. The caps have side vents so smoke escapes. A chimney sweep usually provides and can install a stainless steel cap, which is better than a galvanized metal one available at most home improvement retailers because it won’t rust, says Anthony Drago, manager of Ashleigh’s Hearth and Home in Poughkeepsie, N.Y.
- Replace a poorly sealing damper to prevent heat loss. “You can get a top-mounted damper that functions as a rain cap, too, an improvement over the traditional damper because it provides a tighter closure,” says CSIA’s Eldridge.
- Install carbon monoxide detectors and smoke detectors in your house—near the fireplace as well as in bedroom areas.
- If you burn more than three cords of wood annually, get your chimney cleaned twice a year. A cord is 4-feet high, by 4-feet wide, by 8-feet long, or the amount that would fill two full-size pick-up trucks.
- To burn fire safely, build it slowly, adding more wood as it heats and keeping your damper completely open to increase draw in the early stages. Burn the fire hot, at least occasionally—with the damper all the way open to help prevent smoke from lingering the fireplace and creosote from developing.
- There are any number of reasons a stove can break, but one common cause of disaster is easy to prevent. Don’t self-clean your oven until AFTER the holidays. You risk blowing a fuse or a thermostat, and tracking down an oven technician around the holidays can be tough.
- Fats and cooking oils can solidify in your pipes, so never dispose of them in your kitchen sink.
- If you have a garbage disposal, make sure it’s running before anything goes in it, and never feed it any stringy, fibrous, or starchy foods like poultry skins or potato peels.
- To fix, don’t rely on chemical drain-clearing products that can harm your pipes. Use a snake instead, available for $15 at your local hardware store. Best to keep one on hand.
- The key to avoiding freezing your party to a standstill is regular maintenance of your HVAC. Every 90 days, a new one-inch pleated furnace filter should be installed. If you haven’t done it in a while, now’s a good time to replace it.
- Also inspect insulation on refrigerant lines that are leading into your house. Replace them if they’re missing or damaged.
- Don’t flush anything other than sewage and toilet paper down the toilet. And there’s nothing wrong with putting up a polite note to remind your guests to do the same.
- Get a thermometer for your refrigerator to make sure each shelf stays below 40 degrees and you can be aware of any temperature changes.
- Also make sure the condenser coils located on the back of the unit or beneath it are free to breathe. Coils blocked from circulating air by cereal boxes atop the fridge, or dirtied by dust or pet hair can prevent a fridge from keeping cool.
More than one-third of Americans use fireplaces, wood stoves and other fuel-fired appliances as primary heat sources in their homes. Unfortunately, many people are unaware of the fire risks when heating with wood and solid fuels.
Heating fires account for 36% of residential home fires in rural areas every year. Often these fires are due to creosote buildup in chimneys and stovepipes. All home heating systems require regular maintenance to function safely and efficiently.
The United States Fire Administration (USFA) encourages you to practice the following fire safety steps to keep those home fires safely burning. Remember, fire safety is your personal responsibility ...Fire Stops With You!
Keep Fireplaces and Wood Stoves Clean
• Have your chimney or wood stove inspected & cleaned annually by a certified chimney specialist.
• Clear the area around the hearth of debris, decorations and flammable materials.
• Always use a metal mesh screen with fireplaces. Leave glass doors open while burning a fire.
• Install stovepipe thermometers to help monitor flue temperatures.
• Keep air inlets on wood stoves open, and never restrict air supply to fireplaces. Otherwise you may cause creosote buildup that could lead to a chimney fire.
• Use fire-resistant materials on walls around wood stoves.
Safely Burn Fuels
• Never use flammable liquids to start a fire.
• Use only seasoned hardwood. Soft, moist wood accelerates creosote buildup.
• Build small fires that burn completely and produce less smoke.
• Never burn cardboard boxes, trash or debris in your fireplace or wood stove.
• When building a fire, place logs at the rear of the fireplace on an adequate supporting grate.
• Never leave a fire in the fireplace unattended. Extinguish the fire before going to bed or leaving.
• Soak hot ashes in water and place them in a metal container outside your home.
Protect the Outside of Your Home
• Stack firewood outdoors at least 30 feet away from your home.
• Keep the roof clear of leaves, pine needles and other debris.
• Cover the chimney with a mesh screen spark arrester.
• Remove branches hanging above the chimney, flues or vents.
Protect the Inside of Your Home
• Install smoke alarms on every level of your home. Test them monthly and change the batteries at least once a year. Consider installing the new long life smoke alarms.
• Provide proper venting systems for all heating equipment.
• Extend all vent pipes at least three feet above the roof.
By: Les Shu
Easy-to-install security cameras let you keep an eye on your home from afar, ensuring safety and security for you and your family.
Network cameras
Internet-based network cameras are a quick solution in setting up home surveillance. They connect to your broadband connection and don’t require difficult wiring or mounting.
Logitech’s Alert lets you view either real-time or recorded footage—with audio—of the inside and outside of your house through your iPhone, Android, or BlackBerry smartphone, and the system is expandable by adding additional cameras. You’ll get text or email notifications on your phone or computer if the camera's motion sensor is triggered.
Panasonic’s BL-C131A goes one step further by giving you remote pan and tilt control from your smartphone or computer, allowing you to view in eight different positions.
The Alert 750i Master System starts at $299.99. (A similar device from D-Link costs $119.99.) The Panasonic BL-C131A costs around $300.
Riding the Z-Wave
If you have a Z-Wave-based home automation system installed, you can add wireless cameras to create a security network inside and outside of your house.
ADT’s Pulse is a complete home alarm system that uses Z-Wave cameras for home monitoring from your iPhone, BlackBerry, or Android. ADT Pulse service plans start at $48 a month, not including installation and cameras.
Schlage’s LiNK offers its Z-Wave Wireless Camera as an option to its electronic locks. Like ADT’s Pulse, you can also perform additional home management functions with compatible Z-Wave products like thermostats. Schlage LiNK starter kits cost around $300, and the Wireless Camera costs around $150.
Similar wireless security cameras are available for X10 home automation systems.
DIY camera
You can turn a basic computer webcam into a surveillance system using free downloadable software from Yawcam and EyeSpyFX. You’re required to have your computer remain on, but once set up you can log in remotely from another computer—say, at work—and view streaming video of your home. Just position the camera at what you want to monitor.
Yawcam offers motion detection and can send a snapshot to your email when triggered, while EyeSpyFX lets you view footage from dedicated iPhone, Android, and BlackBerry apps.
An affordable webcam like Microsoft’s LifeCam VX-2000 costs about $30 or less.
A writer covering the latest technologies and trends for a variety of national publications, Les Shu is currently automating his home with the newest doodads to make it smarter than he is.
Visit Houselogic.com for more articles like this. Reprinted from HouseLogic.com with permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®
By: Theresa Klisz
Backyard pests--squirrels, rabbits, moles--can destroy your landscaping and lawns. Here’s how to get rid of the ravenous critters.
Rabbit rascals
Calling cards: Ravaged vegetables, beheaded borders and flowers (especially tulips), and gnawed trees, such as red maple, honey locust, and evergreens.
Protection: Install 2-ft.-high fences that extend to the ground or below ($50 for 100 ft. of galvanized poultry fencing). Surround young tree trunks with plastic tree guard cylinders ($10).
Change habitat: Eliminate piles of brush, barricade cozy spots under sheds, and flatten back-lot debris piles where rabbits nest. Ivy, wisteria, and periwinkle will curb the munching, and fragrant herbs like thyme and lavender will turn them away.
Squirrely pests
Calling cards: Bumps in the night because they nest in your attic; power loss due to frayed wires; missing vegetables and flower bulbs; quickly emptied bird feeders.
Protection: Plug house entry places, such as gaps around utility pipes, broken windows, and uncapped chimneys. Cover wires with plastic pipe that will rotate, causing the squirrel to fall ($2.50 for a 2-ft. section). Sandwich bulbs underground between two layers of wire mesh ($175 for 100 ft. of 24-inch wire mesh).
Change habitat: Trim tree branches 6 to 8 ft. from buildings so squirrels can’t jump onto your roof. Switch to squirrel-proof tilting bird feeders ($25 and up) or domed feeders that close when weight limits are exceeded. Don’t plant oak trees--acorns are squirrel caviar.
Gopher/mole problems
Calling cards: Dirt mounds, lawns pocked with ankle-breaking holes, power loss due to damaged underground utilities; weakened trees due to gnawed roots; missing plants.
Protection: Install mesh fencing 18 inches deep with one-half inch or smaller openings (25 sq. ft. for $175). Trapping is the best way to eliminate gophers and moles. Scissor-jaw or choker-loop traps will snag star-nosed and hairy-tailed moles ($15 for two). Gopher traps look like a twisted mess, but they quickly snap and trap ($15 for a pair). Both can be cleaned and reused.
Change habitat: Since they like easy-to-tunnel, well-watered lawns, try compacting soil and cutting down on irrigation. But moles and gophers are so adaptable that habitat changes won’t keep them out, just slow them down.
Deer disturbance
Calling cards: Flowering plants nibbled to the nubs; leaves torn from plants from ground level to 6 ft.; 2-inch gouges on tree trunks; hoof prints that resemble a broken heart.
Protection: Fencing at least 8 ft. high; homemade and commercial repellents that taste and smell bad; barking dog.
Change habitat: Replace tasty fruit trees with spruce and pine. Swap lilies for ferns and rosemary. Add switch grass and ribbon grass--they’ll avoid these ornamentals. Bonus: Works for bunnies, too.
Theresa Klisz lives in Northern Virginia and was a general-interest features editor and writer for a national wire service. She serves on her community association board of directors.
"Visit Houselogic.com for more articles like this. Reprinted from HouseLogic.com with permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®."
By: Joseph D'Agnese
Protect against break-ins with a security check that shows where the entrances to your house—your doors—are vulnerable.
Think like a burglar
First, stand back: is your front door visible from the street, or is it obscured by bushes? A door that’s covered by shrubbery offers thieves the perfect chance to break in without being seen.
Trim back or remove shrubbery that offers cover for potential intruders.
Upgrade strike plates and deadbolts
Open all doors and check the strike plates, the metal fittings that catch bolts and latches. Chances are, they’re fastened to the soft wood of the door jamb with two screws only. Not good. Upgrade security with four-screw strike plates ($3) and 3-inch screws that bite all the way into the stud behind the jamb.
When conducting your home security check, make sure exterior doors have deadbolts that throw at least a 1-inch bolt. Ask your locksmith to upgrade to Grade 1 or Grade 2 locksets and deadbolts ($25 to $80), the most secure options.
Check garage doors
Back doors and garage doors are more likely to be attacked than the front door. If you have an attached garage, disable the automatic opener and lock the garage door before you go away on a long trip. The door leading from the garage into the house should be outfitted with the same hardware as exterior doors and kept locked at all times.
Patio doors are vulnerable
Sliding doors leading to a patio can be a home’s weak spot. To beef up security:
- Closely inspect the doors and their hardware.
- Replace any missing or broken locks.
- Consider installing locking pins to prevent the doors from sliding.
- Get into the habit of locking the doors, not just the screen, when patio doors are unattended.
Replace your entry door
Check the construction of your entry doors. Those made of steel, solid wood, and impact-resistant fiberglass are all good choices for security. If you must have glass, make sure it is tempered or reinforced for added strength. Expect to pay $1,400 to $2,300 for an exterior replacement door, including installation.
Strengthen the lock on your outdoor storage shed
Don’t ignore the doors on your outdoor storage shed, especially if you store tools there; they could be useful to a burglar. As with house doors, the best option is a secure deadbolt. If your shed doors are unable to accommodate a deadbolt, a heavy-duty slide bolt ($15 to $25) secured by a padlock is a good substitute.
Joseph D’Agnese is a journalist and book author who has written numerous articles on home improvement. He lives in North Carolina.
Visit Houselogic.com for more articles like this. Reprinted from HouseLogic.com with permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®.
Landscaping is one of the surest ways to pump up the value of your property. According to research by Virginia Cooperative Extension, going from a plain lawn and a concrete driveway to a well-landscaped lot raises a home's perceived value by 12.7%. The opposite is also true: A "minimal" landscaping job-a thoughtless smattering of scraggly plants-actually detracts from home value. How much should you invest in upgrading your landscape? Professionals recommend budgeting 10% of your home's value. But the important thing to remember is that success doesn't depend on how much you spend. "Landscaping doesn't have to be expensive, just well planned," says Carl Heldmann, author of "Be Your Own House Contractor." Here's how to get started on a landscape plan of your own.
First, consult a pro
To figure out how to allocate your landscape dollars, start by picking the brain of a pro. Even if you have a naturally green thumb, a trained professional can save you from wasting money on wrongheaded ideas and open your eyes to possibilities you haven't considered. There are various types of landscape pros (http://www.asla.org/nonmembers/publicrelations/guidejobs.htm), and their expertise is priced accordingly. If your yard has major issues or you have grand ambitions, consider hiring a certified landscape architect to design a comprehensive plan that includes such things as irrigation, lighting, architectural features, soil conditioning, and, of course, the growing stuff. A verbal consultation costs about $100-$150; a detailed plan can run from $300 to $2,500. The American Society of Landscape Architects (http://www.ASLA.ORG) offers a state-by-state "firm finder" on its website. Landscape designers typically charge less than degreed landscape architects and are a good choice for simpler projects that don't require construction. Horticulturists specialize in plants, not necessarily design. Then there are landscape contractors, the design-build firms of yard work. Start by asking friends whose gardens you admire for recommendations. Your local home and garden center is another good source for contacts.
Set your priorities
Before you get any dirt under your nails-or hire someone to get dirty-you need to make two lists: a) what you want and b) what your property needs. These aren't necessarily mutually exclusive, but the exercise is important for setting priorities. It would be folly to spend big bucks on an outdoor kitchen before resolving potentially disastrous issues such as a diseased tree or drainage problems (http://www.houselogic.com/articles/7-signs-you-may-have-a-drainage-problem/). The first question that a professional will likely ask is: What do you see yourself doing in your yard? Hosting Sunday barbecues? Doing the crossword puzzle in a hammock? Swimming laps? Growing vegetables? Clip pictures of outdoor spaces you like and don't like to clarify the feeling you're trying to achieve. Remember that part of your landscape budget will go toward the "b" list. Those are things that may not lend themselves to sexy magazine spreads but can protect your property value-not to mention enhance your quality of life-by lowering water bills, reducing the need to mow or rake, or blocking the view of your neighbor who hot-tubs in the buff. We're talking about practical considerations such as irrigation, fencing, lighting, equipment storage, privacy, and security.
Create a "floor plan" to target costs
To ballpark costs for materials and labor, think in terms of square footage, which is how landscapers charge. According to Costhelper.com, (http://www.costhelper.com/cost/home-garden/landscape-design.html) hiring someone to create a "naturalistic garden" averages $11 a square foot; the cost can double for a formal garden with walls and water features. And don't forget to factor in long-term maintenance such as mowing, mulching, and pruning. (Sweat equity, anyone?) If you're designing your own plan, start by measuring your property or getting a plat survey from the county. You might even be able to find a topographical map indicating features like slopes and swales. You can sketch the basic layout to scale using old-fashioned graph paper or landscape design software. Prices have come down considerably on the latter, but quality varies widely, so check online reviews before purchasing. A free option: Google's Sketchup (http://sketchup.google.com), with cool apps for trees, pavers, shrubs, outbuildings, and the like. Once you have the parameters, create a floor plan, marking off different sections just as you would rooms of a house. The front path is the foyer, there might be a "dining room" with a picnic table, a shady "bedroom" for a hammock, a "rec room" with play equipment. Consider the costs for each area of your plan, including materials, equipment, furnishings, greenery, and any specialized labor like irrigation or electricity.
Think long term
If your ambitions exceed your wallet (and whose do not?), go back to your priority list and pick a section or projects to tackle as your budget permits, advises Angela Dye, principal designer/president of A Dye Design, a landscaping firm in Phoenix, Ariz. "What is the absolute most important thing you need to have done?" she asks. "What is bugging you most?" A carefully conceived plan will keep you on track during this gradual transformation, both in terms of vision and budget. And remember that patience pays off. "Additions or renovations can start losing value once completed," says Jim Lapides, spokesman for the American Society of Landscape Architects. "A landscape literally grows in value over time." Laura Fisher Kaiser is a contributing editor to Interior Design magazine and a former editor at This Old House magazine. The secret to her Washington, D.C., garden is blood, sweat, tears, and mosquito repellent. Visit houselogic.com for more articles like this. Reprinted from HouseLogic with permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® Copyright 2011. All rights reserved
Concord, NH - The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services has released two new tools to help homeowners better manage water running off their properties during storms (stormwater).
The New Hampshire Homeowner's Guide to Stormwater Management: Do-It-Yourself Stormwater Solutions for Your Home provides fact sheets with step-by-step instructions to install stormwater treatment practices that homeowners can do themselves, such as dry wells and rain gardens. These stormwater treatment practices help protect nearby streams and ponds from water pollution, and help reduce flooding, create wildlife habitat, recharge groundwater, and conserve water resources.
The second tool, The New Hampshire Residential Loading Model, is a modeling tool for homeowners to estimate the amount of nutrients, specifically phosphorus and nitrogen running off of their properties.
As residents add driveways, walkways, home additions, sheds, or garages to their properties, the amount of water that seeps into the ground decreases and the amount of water running off their property increases. This can result in flooding and water pollution as the increased water flow picks up and carries pollutants such as phosphorus and nitrogen to nearby waterbodies or groundwater supplies. This model can help homeowners plan their additions and changes to properties while reducing impacts to water resources.
According to Harry Stewart, DES Water Division Director, "our intent is to provide homeowners and local building officials with a simple tool to identify cost effective ways to offset potential impacts to water resources."
Both resources are available at
http://m1e.net/c?82384231-HPRMth9PvdXmQ%406386493-FG8fge/HKtKqk by entering in "Stormwater Management" in the "search this site" at the top right of the DES home page. For more information please contact Eric Williams at (603)271-2358 or at eric.williams@des.nh.gov."
Published: March 25, 2011
Plan to conduct a radon test in your home, if you haven’t already. As the second leading cause of lung cancer, concentrated radon gas is nothing to ignore.
Radon test: Levels to look for
Radon is a naturally occurring, radioactive gas that’s emitted as uranium decays in water, soil, and rocks. In the open air, radon gas dissipates harmlessly. Allowed to seep into your home where it builds up, however, and it becomes dangerous.
Excessive radon levels may be found anywhere that your home contacts the ground, such as a first level on a concrete slab or in a basement—especially near sump pumps, cracks in the foundation, and gaps in framing.
If your test results indicate radon gas levels at or above 4 pCi/L (picocuries per liter of air), you’ll need to explore options for reducing radon gas. You can view a map of possible radon gas levels in your area.
Home radon test kits
If you are radon testing to evaluate potential risk, a home test kit will do the job, says Brian Hanson, radon specialist at Kansas State University.
Look for test kits online or at home centers and hardware stores, with prices ranging from about $9 to $40. You can also contact your state radon office to find out if they offer a low-cost or free test kit.
Follow instructions carefully for use of the test kit. Typically:
- All doors and windows should be closed for 12 hours prior to testing.
- Place the detector in the lowest livable area of your home and leave it undisturbed for 48 to 96 hours.
- After the appropriate time period, immediately send the detector to its lab, which will deliver the results back to you.
Professional radon test
If you’re in the process of selling your home or want confirmation of radon levels detected by your home test kit, select a professional radon testing service. A testing service ensures that procedures are completed by an impartial professional who’s nationally- or state-trained and certified. To find a qualified company, contact your state radon office.
If testing is done as part of a home inspection, expect to pay an additional $150 above the home inspection cost. If you opt for a radon test separate from the home inspection, you’ll pay about $250 and up.
Counter intelligence
Recently, it’s been noted that some types of granite countertops emit unacceptable levels of radon. You may want to test any areas of your home where stone countertops are present.
With four home renovations to her credit, Jan Soults Walker is a devotee of improvements, products, and trends for the home and garden. For 25 years she’s written for a number of national home shelter publications, and has authored 18 books on home improvement and decorating. Visit Houselogic.com for more articles like this. Reprinted from HouseLogic.com with permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®.
Take steps immediately to reduce radon gas buildup if your home tests high. Knowing the available radon mitigation methods and costs will help you make the best choice.
Reducing radon: Simple strategies
If radon test results indicate that levels in your home are only slightly elevated--less than 4 pCi/L (picocuries per liter of air):
- Caulk cracks or gaps in the slab, foundation, or framing--wherever your home contacts soil--to inhibit radon gas infiltration. This step also improves the success of other radon reduction strategies.
- Open exterior crawl space vents to increase air flow and dilute radon buildup.
- Install a heat recovery ventilator (HRV). An HVR introduces fresh, air-conditioned air into homes that are otherwise tightly sealed.
Reducing radon from unsafe levels
If radon levels inside your home test at 4 pCi/L or higher, enlist the services of a professional contractor who is trained in radon mitigation strategies. Contact your state radon office for a list of contractors in your area who are trained and certified in radon reduction techniques. Obtain several bids.
Professional radon mitigation options
Some of the systems used for reducing radon are:
- Soil suction. A special vent fan draws radon from soil beneath your home through pipes that dispel gas into the open. Negative pressure created by the suction further inhibits the buildup of gas. Fans run 24/7, and are usually guaranteed for up to 10 years of continual operation.
- Sub-membrane suction. Considered the most effective strategy for homes with crawl spaces, sub-membrane suction employs a high-density plastic sheet atop the soil. A fan draws radon gas out through vent pipes located beneath the plastic.
- Passive and active ventilation. Ventilating a crawl space or adding additional vents may also reduce radon gas. Opening vents is passive ventilation; adding a fan is active. When employing either of these methods in a colder climate, you may need to add insulation in a crawl space to prevent pipes from freezing.
Costs for radon mitigation
Prices for radon mitigation vary depending on the extent of the work being done, but range between $800 and $2,500. The average cost nationally is $1,200 to $1,400.
As a rule, a house built on a slab or with a basement requires less labor, resulting in the lowest costs for radon reduction. Radon reduction in a house over a crawl space tends to be most expensive since a vapor barrier may be required.
Homes with any combination of slab, crawl space, and/or a basement fall in the middle range for costs.
Another budget consideration: As you ventilate radon gas from your home, energy costs increase—either from releasing air that’s been heated or cooled, or from you operating a fan full-time. Using an HRV to ventilate helps reduce waste.
With four home renovations to her credit, Jan Soults Walker is a devotee of improvements, products, and trends for the home and garden. For 25 years she’s written for a number of national home shelter publications, and has authored 18 books on home improvement and decorating. Visit Houselogic.com for more articles like this. Reprinted from HouseLogic.com with permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®.