Heating Systems and You

Maintain your equipment to prevent future problems and unwanted costs. Now is the time to perform routine maintenance on your home's heating system to ensure that it is running efficiently this winter

A handy-dandy maintenance checklist offered by EngeryStar.gov:

A typical maintenance check-up should include the following.

• Check thermostat settings to ensure the cooling and heating system keeps you comfortable when you are home and saves energy while you are away.
• Tighten all electrical connections and measure voltage and current on motors. Faulty electrical connections can cause unsafe operation of your system and reduce the life of major components.
• Lubricate all moving parts. Parts that lack lubrication cause friction in motors and increases the amount of electricity you use.
• Check and inspect the condensate drain in your central air conditioner, furnace and/or heat pump (when in cooling mode). A plugged drain can cause water damage in the house and affect indoor humidity levels.
• Check controls of the system to ensure proper and safe operation. Check the starting cycle of the equipment to assure the system starts, operates, and shuts off properly.

Heating Specific

• Check all gas (or oil) connections, gas pressure, burner combustion and heat exchanger. Improperly operating gas (or oil) connections are a fire hazard and can contribute to health problems. A dirty burner or cracked heat exchanger causes improper burner operation. Either can cause the equipment to operate less safely and efficiently.
  

Actions To Do Yourself

• Inspect, clean, or change air filters once a month in your central air conditioner, furnace, and/or heat pump. Your contractor can show you how to do this. A dirty filter can increase energy costs and damage your equipment, leading to early failure.

Sealing Your Drafty Home (and Save Money!)

Now is the time to think about your winter energy dollars. You can save on your heating bill by reducing air leaks in your home. One of the quickest dollar-saving tasks you can do is caulk, seal, and weatherstrip all seams, cracks, and openings to the outside. For a small initial cost, you may be able to save hundreds of dollars over the course of a year. Homes typically have two different kinds of issues: drafts and under-insulated. Hire a good home inspector to investigate your house and inform you of the problem areas. Check out nachi.org or ashi.org to find a certified home inspector in your area.

Heating a house pressurizes the inside air & drives it through ceiling penetrations into the attic, which draws in cold replacement air through every crack that it can. The first fix is plugging the air leaks into the attic area. This is the most effective way to eliminate the drafting through other areas. With the attic area addressed & the walls soon to follow, you will be on your way to an improved heating & air conditioning bill. Most homes have numerous places to suck in cold replacement air: bath fans, electrical outlets and switches, fireplaces, windows, plus any break in the exterior envelope. Sealing these leak areas will give you a much more efficient home!

Fall Chores!

One item that should be on your 'Winterize To-Do List' is to clean your gutters! Once the leaves fall, remove them and other debris from your home's gutters. Water trapped in gutters can cause major damage to your gutters, roof, and walls. Don't forget about those downspouts! Clogged downspouts can also present a problem. A pressure washer can sometimes be the best and fastest way to breakup debris. Simply insert sprayer tip into downspout and spray until unclogged. As always, if the project seems too dangerous or time consuming, hire a professional to do the job.

The Deer Clover Project

The Deer Clover Project: This 6300 sq ft custom-built spec home is tucked into a vast Aspen grove, just below the infamous Fish Creek Falls trail head. The views through the 16 foot wide glass patio door to the Steamboat valley below and the mountain ranges beyond are breathtaking. Panoramic views from the vaulted great room are awe-inspiring. From the master suite and the private master deck, the Steamboat ski slopes jut into view. Deer Clover boasts six bedrooms, seven bathrooms, plus two powder rooms – including an ample sized guest suite. The oversized four-car garage offers additional storage in the loft area. The outdoor space does not pale by comparison. Over 3000 sq ft of decks and stamped concrete verandas including an outdoor grilling space and a wood-burning fireplace.

Deer Clover Update

Deer Clover Update

The March To-Do List

March may find you sighing with impatience as you watch yet another snowfall cover your barren container boxes, but it's one of the most important months for gardeners.

There's still time to do all of your prep work, from honing tools to starting seeds, as you imagine the shapes, tastes and colors of your next garden. Spring begins with the vernal equinox on March 20 — hopefully, like a lamb.

Tool cleanup
If you didn't do so in the fall, it's time to give your lawn mower and other tools some tough love.

• Get ahead of the spring crowds by dropping off your lawn mower now to have the oil changed, bolts tightened and blades sharpened.
• Remove soil from your tools' metal parts using sandpaper or a hose.
• Sand rough edges on wooden tool handles, then coat them with linseed oil.
• Sharpen your tools. A file will sharpen tools of all sizes, from shovels and hoes to trowels and clippers. A Carborundum wheel will work on smaller tools. Pruning shears can be sharpened with a whetstone. After sharpening, use a rag to apply a thin, penetrating oil to metal tool parts; follow with a heavier oil on tools that have moving parts.

Lawn doctoring
The green, green grass of home doesn't get that way by accident, and March is a perfect time to assess your lawn's health.

• Pluck a 4- to 5-inch square from your yard to see what's going on down there. If your area has crane flies, count the larvae. Fewer than 35 per square foot means less work for you: Your lawn should be able to withstand that number.
• If you're not sure what to look for, take your lawn sample to an expert at your garden store and ask for a diagnosis; then just press your sample back into its "bed."
• Lime, treat moss and, finally, reseed as needed. (Overseeding can be done after midmonth.)
• Fertilize your lawn now or start a new lawn using seeds or sod.

Weeding
There's always the battle of the weeds. The only way to win that fight is to keep at it. Nip weeds at the bud — literally, for if they're allowed to flower and go to seed, you could be looking at several years' worth of uninvited guests: Some weeds shed 10,000 seeds at a pop.

• Remove weeds by hand.
• Consult an expert in your area for dealing with persistent pests such as quackgrass or morning glory. Recommendations for herbicide treatment vary depending on the location of your garden's problem spots.

Preparing soil
Once your soil has had a chance to thaw and lose some of its winter moisture, you'll want to prep it for planting.

• Remove mulch over the course of several days, exposing the soil gradually.
• Till or spade soil six to 12 inches deep.
• Mix in compost, peat moss and fertilizer for plants or vegetables. For vegetable gardens, include processed or well-rotted manure in the mix (using fresh manure in the spring may burn or damage your plants).
• Rake the soil level to smooth out low spots; pockets of water can make the soil cool, which slows plant growth.

Vegetables
Start planning your vegetable garden, keeping in mind the following guidelines.

• Choose neighboring vegetables carefully and you may as much as double your vegetable harvest. Onions, for example, are no friend to peas and beans but make good bedmates for tomatoes, strawberries, lettuce and beets.
• Depending on your planting zone and the vagaries of the weather gods, you can — finally — plant some perennial vegetables right in your rich new soil.
• Later in the month (in most zones) you can seed or set out hardier vegetables, such as chard and Brussels sprouts.

Starting seeds
Caponata lovers, get those warm-season crops started indoors from seeds, including tomatoes, eggplant and peppers.

• Whether you use egg cartons, trays or pots, be sure the seedlings get lots of light.
• Get a jump on the Joneses' blooming season by planting some hardy flower seeds, such as petunias and marigolds.
• Potted petunias, which stand up well to cool weather, can be placed on your deck now for a splash of color to whet your gardening appetite.

Pruning roses
After all the pleasure you've had from your rose bushes, now you can reward them with pruning. This will give bushes a more attractive shape and also result in larger blooms and longer stems. Use gloves to protect your hands from thorns.

• With a sturdy clipper, make your cuts just above outside buds to encourage new outward growth, giving the plant more sunlight and air.
• For more tips on pruning different kinds of rose bushes, consult a good gardening book or one of the many reputable gardening websites.

Planting
These are the deciduous days, so selections at garden stores and nurseries are at their peak — and not yet picked over — in March.

• From late March into April is a great time to plant fruit trees and berries. Just be sure they have enough water as they get used to their new neighborhood.
• In addition to zone-specific perennial vegetables, set out or plant new roses and cool-loving flowers such as snapdragons and pansies.

Slug control
As tender shoots start to poke up in the spring, they make a beggar's banquet for slugs. Plan your counterattack before young plants become young nubs.

• As with much garden damage control, natural methods are growing in popularity. One simple approach is to sprinkle slugs with salt, which causes them to dry up.
• Slugs are attracted to stale beer, which you can leave in a shallow dish or bowl; slugs will enter and drown.
• Or you can gather slugs at night by hand, armed with a flashlight, something to lift them with and a pail.
• If you use a commercial slug bait, read the label carefully to be sure it won't endanger children, pets or birds.

Fun for kids
Kids love to help with simple growing projects or to have plants of their own to watch and care for, especially if growth is rapid (remember those pint-size attention spans).

• Growing a hyacinth from the bulb is fun, easy and educational. Find a glass or plastic container with a narrow opening. Set the bulb over the opening, and fill the container with water to 1/8 inch to 1/4 inch below the bulb. As the bulb's roots grow downward for a drink, the top will soon begin to develop and bloom — a great lesson in how plants grow, with a colorful, fragrant result!
• Kids love watching plants grow from seeds. Beans, peas and parsley all grow quickly in pots, and seeds can be set in fun shapes or kids' initials.

For the birds
Find out who's likely to fly over for a visit in the next month or two, and target bird treats and feeder types for their individual tastes.

• Most bird species will go for either oil-type sunflower seeds or white millet (offered separately), but sunflower-seed munchers tend to prefer elevated feeders with perches, while millet lovers usually prefer ground or large platform feeders.

Article courtesy of MSN Real Estate.

Chimney Safety Institute of America Tips on Fireplace Safety

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (USCPSC) reports, on average, 25,400 fireplace, chimney, or chimney connector fires a year. Fireplace safety begins with proper cleaning and maintenance. The safety guidelines set by the National Fire Protection Association call for annual professional inspections of all wood and coal stoves, fireplaces, chimneys, chimney connectors, and all other solid-fueled heating equipment. Follow up cleaning should be done according to inspection results.

The Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) offers these tips to keep wood burning fireplaces and wood stoves clean and clear from the top of the chimney to bottom of the firebox:

• Have chimneys inspected annually, and cleaned as necessary, by a CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep. This reduces the risk of fires and carbon monoxide poisonings due to creosote buildup or obstructions in the chimneys. To locate a certified sweep, visit the CSIA Web site at www.csia.org or call 1-800-536-0118. A certified sweep can also perform maintenance on your wood stove or help remove gas logs from a fireplace.
• Keep the top of chimneys clear of tree limbs or debris.
• Install a chimney cap to keep debris and animals out of the chimney.
• Fuel the fire safely. For burning firewood in wood stoves or fireplaces, choose well-seasoned wood that has been dried for a minimum of six months to a year and stored properly.
• Build it right. Place firewood or firelogs at the rear of the fireplace on a supporting grate. To start the fire, use a firelighter.
• Keep the hearth area clear. Debris too close to the fireplace, or to a wood stove, could easily catch fire.
• Use a fireplace screen. Use a metal, mesh or screen in front of the fireplace to catch flyaway sparks that could ignite.
• Be careful not to overload the fireplace. Add one manufactured firelog at a time or no more than a couple of pieces of firewood. Never burn garbage or glossy paper products.
• Install smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Place detectors throughout the house and make sure to check the batteries each month.
• Never leave a fire unattended. Before turning in for the evening, be sure that the fire is fully extinguished. Supervise children and pets closely around wood stoves and fireplaces.

For more information, please visit the Chimney Safety Institute of America at www.csia.org.

Home Efficiency + Home Automation

Energy efficiency & sustainability are important to many of us today. A home automation system can help us achieve a balance between eco-friendly living & enjoying our cool gadgets. Incorporating smart home technology into a new or existing structure makes it easier to reduce energy consumption and the carbon footprint a home or business creates. Environmental responsibility is everyone’s responsibility, so do your part by making simple changes that not only help the earth, but will also save you money and add convenience to your home. With many new easy to install home automation products readily available, it’s now simpler than ever to automate your home and go green at the same time!

Energy reducing control systems operate only when required & conserve energy – not needlessly consuming energy while on standby. Now, you know you need to turn appliances and electronics off to save energy, but did you know that once you turn them off, they are still using electricity? That’s right – many items in your home continue to draw energy even after they are shut down – items like your computer and its peripherals, your television, stereo, microwave and stove. These items go into standby mode once switched off and create what’s known as a “phantom load” which can add up to 8% to your electricity bill.

It is easier to more fully outfit a house during construction due to the accessibility of the walls, outlets, and storage rooms, and the ability to make design changes specifically to accommodate certain technologies. Want a home automation system in your current home? Not a problem, wireless systems can be installed when outfitting a pre-existing house, as they obviate the need to make major structural changes.

Why go green?

Why go green? It’s easier on the earth, it lowers costs, and it provides a healthier home in which to live. According to the Sustainable Building Industry Council (SBIC), housing alone consumes 20% of America’s energy. Homeowners who choose to remodel green can lower their energy consumption by 30-50%. It’s widely agreed that forests produce 40% of Earth's oxygen, and that building supplies use 25% of its forests. Remodeling green by incorporating recycled materials or sustainable species will help homeowners to tread more lightly on Earth’s natural resources. Green remodeling is becoming more popular as homeowners consider health issues, skyrocketing energy costs and Earth’s natural resources. More than 15 million Americans are estimated to have asthma, including one-in-13 school-age children, and more than 28 million Americans suffer from hay fever and other allergies, all of which are aggravated by poor indoor air quality.
Components of Green Remodeling Energy conservation:

• Energy Conservation: The average home today utilizes systems for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning, and most homes are not built as efficiently as they could be, all of which results in high energy consumption. The U.S. Department of Energy believes if current buildings were green-improved, they would use $20 billion less energy per year. Green remodeling puts a strong emphasis on making homes as efficient as possible with modifications like energy efficient appliances and thermostats that can be programmed at different temperatures for different times of the day.

• Indoor air quality: There are many sources that contribute to the air quality inside a home. They include pollutants brought in from the outside, toxic chemicals existing inside the home, and the activities of the occupants that create pollutants. Major contributors are tobacco smoke, smoke from the burning of wood, coal, kerosene or other such substances, toxic fumes from sealants or chemicals from cleaning products, lead paint, asbestos from insulation, damp carpets or fabrics, and certain pressed-wood furniture products that release chemicals into the air. Green remodeling seeks to remedy these problems with things like better ventilation systems and using wood, paint, and sealants that are nontoxic.

• Reduced material waste and resource conservation: When remodeling a home, there is often a large amount of construction waste. This amounts to 136 million tons of waste annually, according to the EPA, which in turn makes up 20% of the waste in landfills. Green remodeling focuses on reducing this waste during remodeling and reusing materials whenever possible, as 85 to 90% of materials thrown out can be recycled. Using local materials, building with engineered lumber, and using recycling companies to remove waste are all ways this can be achieved during remodeling.

• Environmentally safe products: Many products and practices used in the remodel of a home have negative effects on the environment. From chemicals and materials that pollute the air to the disturbing of the surrounding landscape, a myriad of actions taken can cause harm. With green, care is given to minimizing or eliminating products that could cause harm to the environment or the occupants during remodeling or after.

Overall green remodeling proves to be very beneficial for homeowners. It:

• Reduces operating costs in the home by increasing efficiency
• Conserves natural resources
• Increases the value of the home
• Improves indoor air quality and in turn, overall health
• Reduces waste
• Reduces emissions costs
• Increases productivity of occupants
• Improves quality of life

Ways to Implement Green Into Your Home: Green remodeling can be done in small ways and doesn’t necessarily have to encompass the entire home. It’s easy to pick and choose elements that fit each particular homeowner.

• Non-toxic paints and sealants
• Programmable thermostats
• Energy efficient appliances
• Natural flooring
• Local building materials
• Natural fiber rugs and fabrics
• Recycled material roof shingles and tiles
• Energy efficient lighting
• Insulated hot water pipes
• Tankless water heaters
• Quality insulation
• Native plants for landscaping

Another Task for the Winter To-Do List

Inspecting your dryer vents each year can help prevent unnecessary deaths and injuries because of fire and carbon monoxide poisoning. Gas powered appliances require maintenance to ensure they are working safely and efficiently. All gas appliances must be properly vented to eliminate the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. The dryer vent system is responsible for removing heat, moisture and gas by-products by forcing it out through the dryer vent outside. When the dryer vent is clogged with lint, it makes it harder for the hot, moist air to escape. Lint build-up in dryer vent systems can cause dangerous levels of carbon monoxide to enter your home too. Carbon monoxide is odorless, colorless, difficult to detect, and it is deadly!

Some of the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning include: dizziness, headaches, nausea, burning eyes, and feeling faint and tired. Many people who experience these symptoms don’t realize it until it's too late. They attribute their symptoms to some other ailment. With carbon monoxide, you will not smell the fuel leak as it takes over your home. Have your clothes dryer exhaust ducts inspected annually and maintained as necessary by a certified technician. Don't forget to clean behind the dryer, where lint can build up. Also clean the lint screen before or after drying each load of clothes.

Save Money and Stay Warm!

This winter, save money and stay warm. Keep your energy bill and your pollution output low this winter by taking a whole-house approach to heating.

• During the heating season, keep the draperies and shades on your south facing windows open during the day to allow the sunlight to enter your home and closed at night to reduce the chill you may feel from cold windows.
• Insulate the floor of your attic. Heat always flows from warmer spaces to colder spaces, and that's why you should insulate your attic. Consider adding insulation in unfinished basement walls and crawlspaces too.
• Install a programmable thermostat to automatically adjust your home's temp setting when you are away or sleeping.
• Replace furnace filters regularly and properly maintain and clean heating equipment.
• Weatherize your home—caulk and weatherstrip any doors and windows that leak air.