How-To : Home Improvement

Happy New Year!

I hope you enjoyed the holidays and had some quality rest and relaxation. I know I did. I also spent some time contemplating my new year resolutions. My wife would probably classify the effort as more like planning my new year home projects, and she is probably more accurate, but no matter. Planning and setting goals are always a good thing to do at the start of a new year, regardless of what they are.

On the top of my list of new year resolutions (a.k.a. home improvement projects) is re-shingling the roof. It is followed by re-siding the home with vinyl siding. I am still contemplating this idea, as I have never been a big fan of vinyl, but after years of painting I am getting more wetted to the idea of vinyl. This may be the year I break down.

Third on my new years resolution list is replacing a couple of all wood windows with vinyl clad windows. I did this on a number of other windows on my home already, and have been thrilled
with the look and performance of them.

In addition to my top three resolutions, I have a number of other items that I am also still contemplating for 2006. They include: installing a Hot Tub, re-surfacing a deck, and landscaping.

Over the next week I will sharpen my pencil and cost out each of the “resolutions” and try to maximize the resolutions with the allowed budget. A must task for every home improvement Do-It-Yourselfer.

I know 2006 is already shaping up to be an exciting year in our home. I hope it is the same for you.

Over the past 20+ years Mark Donovan has been involved with building homes and additions to homes. His projects have included: building a vacation home, building additions and garages on to existing homes, and finishing unfinished homes. For more home improvement information visit http://www.homeadditionplus.com and http://www.homeaddition.blogspot.com

Windows are the eyes of a home. From inside, you see the outside world through them. It has been said that the eyes are the windows to the soul. For a home, you can gain a sense of its character by examining its windows.

Windows are the primary source of natural light for a room, but they are so much more. They give a home beauty and personality. The decision to replace them is an important one. Replacements can affect the feel of the home for inhabitants and provide the opportunity for significant energy savings. They can dramatically change the value of the property when it comes time to sell the home.

Types of replacement windows

There are many types of replacement windows to fit the varied styles of home architecture. Some of the more popular styles include the following.

Casements have one or two panes. They are hinged on one side and open by rotating a crank. Casement windows generally open only 15 – 30 degrees, enough to let in light, but little else.

Sliders are generally two offset sashes, one which will slide behind the other, much like a sliding glass door.

Double hung have two sashes which move vertically, allowing ventilation through a space at the top and/or at the bottom.

Bay windows are three-sided arrangements that project from the exterior wall of the house, usually in living rooms or formal sitting rooms. They give the room a larger feel while offering additional space for a seat or arrangements of potted plants.

Bow windows are set in a series with each sash set at an angle. Bows are similar to bays in that they protrude from the exterior face of the house. They are different in that each sash or in the series is set at a slight angle so that the entire series forms a graceful curve or bow, rather than the sharp three-sided appearance of bay windows. There can be any number of sashes in the bow window series.

Garden windows are frequently installed in kitchens, often replacing the sash behind the kitchen sink. These also extend beyond the exterior wall of the house. They are much smaller than bay or bow styles and are often used for holding potted plants, creating an interior garden, while giving an improved view of the outside lawn or garden.

Skylights are installed into the roof of the house to provide direct lighting. These are generally not designed to be opened in order to provide the best weather seal.

Robert Carlton contributes many articles to http://www.replacement-windows-tips.com. Within his publication he is working on topics such as hurricane windows and protection.

[tags]windows,replacement windows,bay windows,hurricane protection,storm window,[/tags]

With the price of gas and electricity on a seemingly endless series of climbs, now is a good time to take a look around your home and see where you can make some energy savings.

Over 20% of the heat lost from your home goes straight out of the roof, so it’s important that you have the attic properly insulated. Even if your attic was insulated when the house was built or any time before the last couple of years, it may not have the right amount of insulation.

Recent government recommendations have almost doubled the suggested amount of insulation, and a minimum thickness of 200-250 mm (8 – 10 inches) is now suggested in temperate areas.

If you do need to top up your attic insulation, it’s easy to do it yourself in a few hours if you are reasonably good at DIY. You don’t need any special tools or skills and it can be much cheaper than paying someone else to do it – as long as you don’t put your foot through the ceiling!

But check before you start as grants may be available to help with part or all of the cost of insulation, especially for the elderly or those on a low income or benefit. If you do decide on the DIY route, remember that some types of insulation are irritants so wear suitable clothing, including gloves, goggles and a facemask when you are laying the insulating material.

Make sure you carefully follow the instructions that come with the insulation, and in particular ensure that you don’t block ventilators or air inlets. Leave a gap around the eaves as well to prevent condensation.

Don’t cover electrical cables and keep insulation away from items such as recessed light fittings that may require airflow to prevent overheating – check if you’re not sure.

The attic will be a lot colder once it’s insulated so make sure that pipes are lagged and water tanks are insulated. Don’t insulate under tanks though – leaving a clear area underneath will allow heat from below to rise and help stop them freezing. Finally don’t forget to insulate and draft proof the access hatch.

Now that the attic is snug, it’s time to look at some of the other areas that you can work on to cut down on the heating bills.

Double glazing your windows is most effective at retaining heat, but if you don’t want to replace your old sash windows just yet, you can save energy by stopping drafts. Seal or caulk any gaps around the frame using a sealant gun and cartridge – your local DIY or hardware store should be able to advise you on the best type for your needs. But whatever sealant you use, first ensure that all the surfaces are clean and dry and that there is no loose or flaking paint which could prevent the sealant adhering.

Fit weather strips to opening windows and doors – these come in many shapes and sizes ranging from cheap and easy to fit self-adhesive foam rubber strips to more expensive but durable plastic or metal weather stripping. Prevent drafts under doors by installing an adjustable threshold or brush type strip at the bottom of the door.

Once the frames are weatherproofed, you can look at reducing heat loss through the window glass itself. The cheapest way of doing this is to use a clear film plastic sheeting which is stuck to the window frame with tape and then warmed with a hairdryer. This causes the plastic film to shrink and tighten removing wrinkles and creases. This type of secondary glazing – while low priced – has to be renewed if you need to access the window, and so is unsuitable for windows which you want to open before spring!

More expensive are secondary glazing panels. These are made from rigid clear plastic and can either be fixed to the wooden frame with magnetic tape, or plastic channel which can be left in place. In both these cases, the panels can usually be removed for ventilation and cleaning.

Don’t forget that when you’re draft proofing your home that it’s vital to ensure that you have adequate ventilation in rooms where there is a heater, fire, boiler or any other appliance that needs air for combustion and make sure you never block up air bricks or vents.

Now that you’ve reduced the amount of energy that it takes to keep your home warm, you can turn down the heating. Even a small 1 or 2 degree C reduction on your thermostat can reduce your heating bill significantly. If you can also set your heating to fire up a little later and switch off a little earlier, you’ll find that even a difference of a few minutes a day can add up to a big saving over a year.

There’s only space here to give you a couple of ideas but there is a wealth of further information available both on and off-line on how you can economise on energy use.
Once you start to think about saving energy, you’ll be surprised how it soon becomes second nature and before you know it, you’ll have a greener and more energy efficient home with big benefits for your wallet and the planet.

Russ Grimble helps to run http://www.national-double-glazing.co.uk an online resource with hints and tips on saving energy, insulating your home and useful information on choosing Double glazing or replacement windows.