Home Improvement Tips That Are Easy To Try Out
Feng shui can be used to give your rooms a positive energy. There are those that believe that a simple technique such as maintaining a clear doorway will bestow fortune on one’s household. Read this article for some tips on home improvement with feng shui.
A quick home improvement idea is to lighten up those small, drab rooms in your home. Just let a little sunshine in! Clean the windows and open up the curtains to let in as much light as possible. You’ll be shocked at how much more spacious the room appears. Stick to lighter colors on the walls, and diminish clutter in the room. Follow these steps and your little room will seem much bigger.
Keep a drill handy at all times when you are improving your home. With a good drill, you can pre-drill a variety of surfaces to make installing screws easier. You can also screw in screws easily and quickly. A good cordless power drill with the right drill bits for Phillips and flathead screws is ideal.
You can make a lot of improvements in your kitchen. Look first to the walls, cleaning them up from any grease or other unsightly stains with appropriate detergents. You will remove all stains and you should also get rid of all the old paint. Neutral, tan colors work well in all kinds of kitchens. Once you’ve finished re-painting, you’ll be impressed with how dramatic the difference is.
Talk to your friends and family and ask them for help before starting your home improvement project. If you wait until you have already started, it may be difficult to find the help you need. You also might have problems finishing your work, which adds stress.
To keep air from getting out, buy draft stoppers and seals. You put draft excluders under your door, and they help stop cold air from coming in and hot air from going out. Sealant strips fit around door frames and do the same function. You can find these in hardware and home improvement stores.
Before you go shopping for home improvement supplies, write down all of the things you will need. List the things you will need so you will not have to go to the store too many times.
It is important to develop a plan before beginning any home improvement project. Not planning ahead can make decisions more difficult and could cause you to make poor decisions as you are rushed to make them. Proper planning results in a job that goes more smoothly.
Since safety should be a priority in the home, have a family meeting focused on establishing escape routes. When disaster strikes, panic often sets in. Determining a safe path to exit the home can help ensure that everyone remains safe. Have regular family meetings to review escape routes and discuss possible outcomes in the event of emergency.
It is clear that feng shui is a clever idea that may be helpful in creating a home environment that inspires …
Window Replacement – Efficiency Ratings, Types And Features
Window Replacement – Efficiency Ratings, Types And Features
The US windows & home windows industry is worth more than $12 billion, according to figures from the US Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). The industry is currently experiencing a drop due to low levels of investments in the residential property segment. The low levels in residential property investment have been brought about by the leveling home prices as well as the soaring cost of energy and interest rates. The above trends have dealt severe blows to the builders market than any other segment of the building and construction segment. Major players in the window manufacturing industry are well aware of these trends and have embarked on the following strategies in order to counter the effects of the above trends:
• Increased window replacement market emphasis as well as expanded efforts to meet the ever-growing demand presented by the nonresidential sector.
• Increased focus on the addition of impact-resistant and energy-efficient window products.
• Increased focus on potential foreign markets.
In recent years, manufacturers of new windows have come up with products that are highly energy efficient which have resulted in more attractive, quiet and comfortable homes. In determining the efficiency ratings of replacement windows, the following factors are considered:
• U-factor.• Durability.• Wind resistance.• Rain resistance.• Replacement ease.
According to the US Department of Energy (DOE), old and drafty windows are responsible for 10 to 25 percent of your total annual heating and cooling costs. New windows can cost anything from $7,000 to $20,000 according to the American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA). Anyone looking to buy custom window replacements should be prepared to fork out an extra 15 percent of the above cost.
Efficiency RatingsThe higher energy efficiency in new replacement windows is as a result of the use of top of the range insulating features such as inert-gas insulation, low e-coatings and multiple glazing. The U-factor mark indicates the ability of the window glass to conduct thermal energy or heat. The reverse of the U-factor is the R-value which indicates the insulating ability of the glass. Anyone looking to replace windows should look for a window that has a higher R-value rating and a lower U-factor rating otherwise they might as well be throwing money through your windows. Such a window is guaranteed to keep your house cool during summer and pretty warm during winter. The best replacement windows have an R-value of two or three, which is similar to that of a wall devoid of insulation. The solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC) is another vital window energy rating. It indicates the exact amount of sunlight that makes it inside the house once the rays of the sun hit the window. High SGHC numbers are ideal for cold climates, SHGC of 0.40 or less is ideal for warm climates while temperate areas require a SGHC number of 0.55 or less. Visible Transmittance (VT) on the other hand indicates the amount of visible light that a window is able to let …