Winter Weekend Improvements

Six simple, inexpensive projects to consider for a winter home improvement lineup.

1. Good lighting is critical, especially in the dining area. The right chandelier sets the tone and makes a dramatic impact. Think universal appeal. In other words, don't go all Liberace if your house is country-style. Also, beware of an oversize or undersize fixture, which can make the room seem out of proportion. Use your dining table as a judge: The chandelier's diameter should be 12 inches less than the table's width.

2. Spend a day finding a place for everything. Invest in a good garage cabinet that will enable you to organize tools, hardware and other garage items neatly. This will help keep clutter out of sight and allow residents in the home to find everything when needed. Another inexpensive way to declutter a garage is by installing large wall hooks, which help get bikes, lawn implements and other items off the ground and onto the walls.

3. Do you have an odd nook that otherwise would seem like wasted space - say, under the stairwell or alongside the fireplace - or you need to add dimension and character to a room that lacks any architectural detailing. Hardwoods like oak and mahogany are sturdier and more appealing than cheaper fiberboard and particleboard. Fixed shelves are beloved by realtors and designers for their clean look (no unsightly brackets). As for color, aim for innocuous - natural woods or woods painted off-white or beige are best.

4. Make your laundry room into a restful spot by organizing non-seasonal clothing into labeled storage bins, adding a candle or picture, or installing a comfortable chair with favorite reading materials where one can relax while waiting for the next load of laundry to finish. Adding wall hooks, inexpensive wire shelving and other storage container units can make the room seem like a whole new place.

5. Add a new tile backsplash to your kitchen. Ever-stylish white tile will brighten up the space. Even if you can't afford a full kitchen renovation, small changes like inexpensive tile will give your space a nearly instant nip/tuck effect.

6. Focusing on a small room enables homeowners to feel a sense of accomplishment when a project is complete. A bathroom is perfect for a small winter home improvement project. Whether replacing a tub, sink and/or toilet or simply choosing new area rugs, towels and other bathroom accessories, the area of the room is small, making it a perfect room to start and finish on a cold winter weekend.

Electrical Fire Prevention Tips

Electrical fires in our homes claim the lives of 485 Americans each year and injure 2,305 more. Some of these fires are caused by electrical system failures and appliance defects, but many more are caused by the misuse and poor maintenance of electrical appliances, incorrectly installed wiring, and overloaded circuits and extension cords. Most electrical fires result from problems with "fixed wiring" such as faulty electrical outlets and old wiring. Problems with cords and plugs, such as extension and appliance cords, also cause many home electrical fires. In urban areas, faulty wiring accounts for 33% of residential electrical fires. Many avoidable electrical fires can be traced to misuse of electric cords, such as overloading circuits, poor maintenance and running the cords under rugs or in high traffic areas. The home appliances most often involved in electrical fires are electric stoves and ovens, dryers, central heating units, televisions, radios and record players.

The United States Fire Administration (USFA) would like consumers to know that there are simple steps you can take to prevent the loss of life and property resulting from electrical fires.

Safety Precautions:

• Routinely check your electrical appliances and wiring.
• Frayed wires can cause fires. Replace all worn, old or damaged appliance cords immediately.
• Use electrical extension cords wisely and don't overload them.
• Keep electrical appliances away from wet floors and counters; pay special care to electrical appliances in the bathroom and kitchen.
• Whey buying electrical appliances look for products evaluated by a nationally recognized laboratory, such as Underwriters Laboratories (UL).
• Don't allow children to play with or around electrical appliances like space heaters, irons and hair dryers.
• Keep clothes, curtains and other potentially combustible items at least three feet from all heaters.
• If an appliance has a three-prong plug, use it only in a three-slot outlet. Never force it to fit into a two-slot outlet or extension cord.
• Never overload extension cords or wall sockets. Immediately shut off, then professionally replace, light switches that are hot to the touch and lights that flicker. Use safety closures to "child-proof" electrical outlets.
• Check your electrical tools regularly for signs of wear. If the cords are frayed or cracked, replace them. Replace any tool if it causes even small electrical shocks, overheats, shorts out or gives off smoke or sparks.

Finally, having a working smoke alarm dramatically increases your chances of surviving a fire. And remember to practice a home escape plan frequently with your family.

Green Remodeling

Did you know that residential demolition and remodeling account for over 50 millions tons of debris going to landfills every year? Building materials reuse is one of the most sustainable activities associated with our built environment. Deconstruction is the practice of disassembling a building in such a way that the materials (joists, flooring, siding, fixtures, and more) can be reused for new construction. Deconstruction is a cost competitive alternative to conventional building demolition.

By reusing building materials, many environmental and social benefits can be realized, including:

• Reducing the consumption of new resources
• Minimizing landfill waste and pollution.
• Creating value-added markets from waste materials.
• Expanding job opportunities and workforce development skills

The Building Materials Reuse Association website has a directory of members that accept donations of reusable building materials and then resells them to the public at great prices. www.bmra.org/listings/directory-map

Reduce. Reuse. Recycle.

Remodeling? Practice the three Rs: reduce, reuse, recycle. Dispose of what's left in the most environmentally friendly way. We are big fans of the Habitat for Humanity Restores. Habitat ReStores are outlets that accept donated goods for resale. While every ReStore is a little different, most focus on home improvement goods—furniture, home accessories, building materials and appliances. These donated goods are sold to the general public at a fraction of the retail price to help local affiliates fund the construction of Habitat homes within their communities. Materials sold by Habitat ReStores are usually donated by local retailers, contractors and individuals in the community. ReStores provide an environmentally and socially responsible way to keep good, reusable materials out of the waste stream and simultaneously provide funding for all of Habitat’s community improvement work. Locate a Habitat for Humanity affiliate near you to donate old appliances, fixtures, and furniture. www.habitat.org/cd/local/

The Low-Flow Venture

Starting in 1995, The National Energy Policy Act mandated that all new toilets had to be low flow toilets using no more than 1.6 gallons per flush. This volume is less than half the water used by toilets in the 1980s. Toilets consume an average of 20.1 gallons of water per person, per day. That’s nearly 30 percent of an average home’s daily per-person indoor water use. Upgrading from a 3.5 gpf (gallons per flush) toilet to a 1.6 gpf model will reduce one person’s annual water use from 27,300 gallons to 12,500 gallons.

The first low flow toilets were made by adding water-saving modifications to a standard design toilet. These modifications would reduce the overall use of water, but they had a reduced flush force which met with a lot of customer dissatisfaction. But 1.6 gpf ultralow-flow toilets have improved dramatically since then.

Low flow toilets have evolved once again with the introduction of the dual-flush toilets. The dual-flush gives you a choice: push one button for flushing liquid waste (.8 gallons of water) and another for solid waste (1.6 gallons). Caroma pioneered the dual-flush system to help conserve water, but they made it efficient, too. The gaping 4-inch trapway on the Caroma helps ensure that when you go so does your waste. And although it is a gravity-assist flush system, it doesn't use the siphonic action of traditional toilets, in which waste is pulled out of the bowel after the water. Caroma uses a wash-down system: there's very little water in the deep bowl; most of it comes cascading down from the tank through the rim of the bowl. Find out more about Caroma's high efficiency toilets at http://www.caromausa.com/toilets.

Winter Survival : The Car Kit

While the stories of individuals lost in winter storms or trapped or sliding off the road and being trapped in their cars overnight are far less frequent than they once were, we can all be better prepared by simply packing a winter essentials kit in our cars. Keep a bag stocked and always present in your trunk. Kits should include, at minimum:

• Winter coat, hat, and gloves; ideally a blanket (or more than one) as well
• First-aid kit
• Some non-perishable food such as granola bars, or crackers; even just some hard candy can help
• Strike anywhere matches in a water-tight container
• Candles and an empty coffee can to melt snow; a cup is a good idea as well
• Flashlight with extra batteries
• Small tool kit or at least an all purpose tool
• Shovel
• Jumper cables
• Tire chains

During winter, keep the gas tank near full to help avoid ice in the tank and fuel lines. Don't forget to prepare your car for winter.

• Have the radiator system serviced, or check the antifreeze level yourself with an antifreeze tester. Add antifreeze, as needed.
• Replace windshield-wiper fluid with a wintertime mixture.
• Replace any worn tires, and check the air pressure in the tires.

GCH wishes you many safe travels!

Make disaster planning top priority this year!

What if a disaster should strike in your area? Are you prepared with the basic housewares? Many such products are often overlooked but could be very crucial in times of extended power outages, evacuations or other disasters. Here's a list of housewares that should be included in your household emergency kit:

• Sufficient drinking water for every family member for 3 to 4 days
• First Aid Kit
• Special medications your family members would need for a few days
• One blanket for every family member
• Flashlight, at least one, but preferable two, with spare batteries.
• Manual can opener.
  
• Basic cutlery, to prepare simple meals, as well as for your family to use.
• Plastic containers for water.
• Small amount of either plastic or tin plates and cups.
• An assortment of non-perishable foods to sustain your family for 2-3 days
• A transistor radio with spare batteries

Products for use in case of emergencies should form part of your emergency kit which can be stored in a plastic storage bin until needed. It should be ready at a moment's notice, so it's a good idea to purchase these specifically for the disaster kit, and resist the temptation to borrow periodically from it. Also check your local, provincial, state or federal agencies for their emergency preparedness plans, which will be tailored to your special climate or area conditions.