Spring Cleaning ListBy: Lara Edge

Published: April 20, 2012

Don’t you just love that feeling you get when you check items off a list? Get that adrenaline going with our spring cleaning list.

Before you begin: Turn up the tunes with our Spotify spring cleaning playlist. Now you’re ready to tackle your spring cleaning list:

Walls: Dust your walls with your vacuum brush attachment, then clean using an all-purpose cleaner and rinse. Repair your walls by patching holes and dings and touching up paint.

TIP: Don’t use a spray cleaner, which will only leave streaks on your walls. Soak a cloth in cleaner, then wipe. To rinse, follow up with a clean cloth soaked in plain water. 

Baseboards: Dust with a microfiber cloth or use your vacuum brush attachment, then spray with an all-purpose cleaner and wipe clean. 

TIP: Clean your baseboards after you clean your floors since cleaning floors tends to kick debris up onto baseboards. 

Windows: Use a microfiber cloth soaked in a solution of ¼ cup vinegar, ¼ to ½ teaspoon dish soap, and 2 cups water. 

TIP: Don’t be tempted to use more vinegar. Too much can make windows appear cloudy.

Window screens: To deep clean your window screens, you should remove them. Place outside on a tarp or other clean waterproof surface, then use a garden hose, an all-purpose cleaner, and a soft brush (gently on the screen) to clean. Repair any torn window screens.

TIP: When removing your screens and hardware, label their location as you go to make re-installing them a breeze.

Shelves: Remove all items from shelves, and dust both the items and the shelves. 

TIP: Use museum putty to secure items that tend to fall over, especially if you live in earthquake-prone areas.

Driveway: Use a pressure washer to give your driveway (and garage floor) a good cleaning. It’s amazing what a difference a sparkling driveway makes to your home’s curb appeal. 

TIP: Try using Coke or Pepsi to remove oil and grease stains. It’ll take a little elbow grease, too, but the acidity of dark colas helps remove oil stains, as well as other tough stains, such as rust. 

Siding: Using warm, soapy water and a soft-bristled brush attached to a long handle, clean your home in sections small enough to keep soapy water from drying before you can rinse. 

TIP: Pressure washers can make the job go easier, but if you’re a power-washer newbie, you risk stripping off paint or damaging your siding. Try one of the newer, lighter, electric power washers, which are easier to handle, or stick with the old-fashioned method. Either way, wash from the bottom up to help prevent streaking. 

Upholstery: Vacuum your sofas and chairs. Spot clean or steam clean as needed. Freshen dusty pillows, throws, and curtains by tossing them in the dryer on low or no heat. Or, take them outside on a nice day to fluff and bask in the sun as an energy-saving alternative.

TIP: To spot clean, use “whipped detergent” -- a mixture of half dish soap and half water. Beat to a froth. Soak a cloth in the mixture, wash the stain, then rinse with a cloth soaked in fresh water.

Ceiling fans: Spray the inside of an old pillowcase with cleaning solution, then slip the bag over each blade and wipe clean. 

TIP: Before you go up a ladder to clean your ceiling fan, check to see if the fan is turning in the right direction to keep your home cool. If you feel a breeze underneath the blades when turned on, your fan is set for summer. If you don’t feel a breeze, change the direction.

Air conditioners: Change your air conditioner filter, or clean it by soaking it in a vinegar-and-water solution for 1 to 4 hours (depending on how long it’s been since you last cleaned). Let dry completely before replacing.

TIP: Let the filter dry outside in bright sunshine to kill bacteria and to help remove odors.

For more spring cleaning lists, check out our Spring Cleaning 101 Guide and The Anti-Martha-Stewart Spring Cleaning Guide.

By: Lisa Kaplan Gordon

Published: February 10, 2014

Light changes color, so your lighting design -- a top priority for any remodel -- should help guide your color choices. Here’s how.

It’s all determined by the way light and colors interact. 

“People have to understand that the color of an object won’t look the same 24 hours a day,” says lighting designer Joseph Rey-Barreau. “I just had bamboo flooring installed throughout my house, and during the day it looks totally different than it looks at night.” 

The way we “see” color primarily depends on two things:

1.  The light that an object absorbs. Black absorbs all colors; white absorbs none; blue absorbs red.

2.  How the light source works. Natural light (sunlight) changes throughout the day and is affected by a room’s location. Artificial light changes with the type of bulb you use.

How Sunlight Affects Colors

As the amount and angle of the sun changes, so will your room colors.

“Natural light should always be considered when choosing color for a space,” says Sarah Cole of the Farrow & Ball paint company.

North-facing rooms: Light in these rooms is cool and bluish. Bolder colors show up better than muted colors; lighter colors will look subdued. “Use strong colors and embrace what nature has given,” says Cole.

South-facing rooms: Lots of high-in-the-sky light brings out the best in cool and warm colors. Dark colors will look brighter; lighter colors will virtually glow.

East-facing rooms: East light is warm and yellowy before noon, then turns bluer later in the day. These are great rooms for reds, oranges and yellows. 

West-facing rooms: Evening light in these rooms is beautiful and warm, while scant morning light can produce shadows and make colors look dull.

How Light Bulbs Affect Color

The type of bulb you use can alter the colors in a room, too.

Incandescents: The warm, yellow-amber light of these bulbs will make reds, oranges, and yellows more vivid, while muting blues and greens.

Fluorescents: This flat and cool light enriches blues and greens. 

Halogens: These white lights resemble natural light and make all colors look more vivid. Using halogens would make the shift from daylight to artificial light less jarring.

Compact fluorescent lights (CFLs): CFLs can produce either a warm white, neutral, or bluish-white light. 

Light-emitting diodes (LEDs):  You can buy warmer or cooler LEDs, and even “smart” LED bulbs whose color you can control wirelessly. “You can point to the color of the sky in a picture at sunset and make the light bulb in the house be that same color,” says Rey-Barreau.

Related: The Latest In Lighting Trends to Enhance Your Home
Tips for Achieving the Color You Want

• Paint squares of primed drywall with samples of the colors you’re considering, and then move them around the room during the day. Apply at least two coats.

• Evaluate samples of carpet during different daylight conditions.

• Most contractors won’t hang lights before you paint, but you can get a color approximation by placing a bulb you’ll be using in a floor or desk lamp. If you’re hyper-sensitive to color or want a very specific look, ask your electrician to hang the lights, then cover them carefully during painting.

• Remember that natural and artificial light will work together during certain times of day, especially in summer when dusk lasts a long time. Turn on artificial lights even during daylight to see what your colors will look like.

• Paint sheen also affects color. Glossy finishes will reflect light and change the way the color looks, whereas flat finishes are less reflective and allow colors to look truer under bright light.

• Light-colored walls can reflect the colors of bold carpets: A bright blue rug, for instance, can cast a bluish tone on a white wall.

Related: 

Lighting Isn’t Cheap: Here’s How to Do It Right

Choosing the Right Light Bulb

Organize Your Garage for Under $50By: Jan Soults Walker

Published: December 27, 2012

If clutter trumps cars in your garage, get organized (and make room for your vehicles) with these smart garage storage solutions, each costing less than $50.

• Hoist bicycles to the rafters with a rope-and-pulley system ($22) that makes it easy to raise the bike and lock safely in place. When you’re ready to ride, release the lock and lower your bike to the garage floor. You’ll need an hour or two and basic tools to secure the pair of pulleys to ceiling joists and thread the ropes. (Similar hoists are available for kayaks or small boats; $25.)

• Avoid unintentional skateboard “tricks” with a specially designed wall rack that makes it easy for kids to hang up helmets and skateboards together; about $40. Secure this one to wall joists in less than an hour.

• Keep scooters and bikes out of the way with tool hooks installed on a length of 1-by-6-inch lumber. You’ll pay $3 for each pair of vinyl-coated screw-in tool hooks and $1 per foot for lumber. You’ll need only an hour or two to secure the lumber to wall joists and screw the hooks into place along the board.

Sporting Goods

Active pursuits require a lot of gear that ends up in the garage. These organizers help tidy up all those sports balls, rackets, bats, gloves, clubs, fishing rods, and other outdoor fun-related goodies.

• Bring together balls and bats on a convenient wire rack equipped with hangers that hold gloves too; $40. Or, mount one or more ball claws on the wall to securely grip sports balls of all kinds; $12.

• To keep your garage organization from going downhill, stash two pairs of snow skis, poles, and boots in one handy steel ski rack; $45. Securing this rack to wall studs helps it hold the weight of the equipment. If you can’t position it on studs, use wall anchors for a secure installation. You can do the task with or without anchors in an hour or two.

• Make a port for your fishing rods by suspending two wire shelves from your garage ceiling about 5 feet apart, then threading the rods through the openings. Use shelves left over from a project or purchase a 4-foot-by-16-inch vinyl-coated wire shelf for less than $9, and saw it in half crosswise (or clip with bolt cutters) to make two 2-foot shelves. Snip additional wires where you need wider slots to accept pole handles or reels.

Tools

With a little imagination, you won’t need specially designed storage to organize your tools.

• Conveniently hang wrenches and bungee cords using an ordinary vinyl-coated wire tie-and-belt rack, available at big box stores; $8.

• Metal tools cling to a magnetized rail, keeping items in view and easy to retrieve; $24. Simply screw the rail to wall studs to safely hold the weight of the tools (it’s an idea you may be drawn to.)

• Cushion and protect tools by padding your toolbox drawers with a soft, non-slip liner. The open-weave design keeps moisture away and prevents tools from rolling around. Enough material to line eight average-size drawers is $15. Just cut the liner to length to fit and slip it into the drawer.

• Organize small items — such as pencils, box cutters, and tape measures -- by stashing them in electrical junction boxes; 50 cents to $2 each (free if you have spares). Purchase a variety of sizes and shapes and secure them to studs or pegboard.

Yard and Garden Gear

Rakes, ladders, clippers, shovels, and sprays — a host of supplies keep your yard and garden looking lush and well-cared-for, but your garage? Not so much. Keep your garden and landscaping tools organized with these novel storage solutions.

• Transform an old cabinet into a nifty garage storage unit on wheels. Hunt down an old four-drawer filing cabinet for a few dollars at a garage sale. Remove the drawers, turn it on its backside, and use a couple afternoons to apply paint and pegboard sides. Less than $25.

• Hold heavy tools, long-handled implements, ladders, and more. Long steel rails with extruded holes mount high on the garage wall and secure to studs. Arrange a series of hooks and pegs on the rail to hang big tools. Two 48-inch rails sell for $22.

• Secure a wooden pallet to wall studs to create a pocket for holding long-handled garden tools. To find free wooden pallets, check with local businesses as well as online classifieds, such as Craigslist. Cost: Free.

• Keep bottles of fertilizers, repellants, and lubricants upright and easy to retrieve. A can rack ($15) prevents cans and bottles from tumbling off shelves.

7 Smart Strategies for Bathroom RemodelingBy: John Riha

Published: March 4, 2011

Here’s how to get the bathroom of your dreams without making your budget a nightmare.



A mid-range bathroom remodel is a solid investment, according to Remodeling Magazine’s annual Cost vs. Value Report. An average bath remodel of $16,128 will recoup about 72.5% of those costs when it’s time to sell your home, and a more extensive $51,374 job returns about 63.6%. In addition, you can maximize the value of your investment by using these smart strategies, which will create a stylish yet budget-friendly bathroom.

1. Stick to a PlanA bathroom remodel is no place for improvisation. Before ripping out the first tile, think hard about how you will use the space, what materials and fixtures you want, and how much you’re willing to spend.

The National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA) recommends spending up to six months evaluating and planning before beginning work. That way, you have a roadmap that will guide decisions, even the ones made under remodeling stress. Once work has begun -- a process that averages two to three months -- resist changing your mind. Work stoppages and alterations add costs. Some contractors include clauses in their contracts that specify premium prices for changing original plans.

If planning isn’t your strong suit, hire a designer. In addition to adding style and efficiency, a professional designer makes sure contractors and installers are scheduled in an orderly fashion. A pro charges $100 to $200 per hour, and spends 10 to 30 hours on a bathroom project.

2. Keep the Same FootprintYou can afford that Italian tile you love if you can live with the total square footage you already have. 

Keeping the same footprint, and locating new plumbing fixtures near existing plumbing pipes, saves demolition and reconstruction dollars. You’ll also cut down on the dust and debris that make remodeling so hard to live with.

Make the most of the space you have. Glass doors on showers and tubs open up the area. A pedestal sink takes up less room than a vanity. If you miss the storage, replace a mirror with a deep medicine cabinet.

3. Make Lighting a PriorityMultiple shower heads and radiant heat floors are fabulous adds to a bathroom remodel. But few items make a bathroom more satisfying than lighting designed for everyday grooming. You can install lighting for a fraction of the cost of pricier amenities.

Well-designed bathroom task lighting surrounds vanity mirrors and eliminates shadows on faces: You look better already. The scheme includes two ceiling- or soffit-mounted fixtures with 60 to 75 watts each, and side fixtures or sconces providing at least 150 watts each, distributed vertically across 24 inches (to account for people of various heights). Four-bulb lighting fixtures work well for side lighting.

4. Clear the AirBathroom ventilation systems may be out of sight, but they shouldn’t be out of mind during a bathroom remodel.

Bathroom ventilation is essential for removing excess humidity that fogs mirrors, makesbathroom floors slippery, and contributes to the growth of mildew and mold. Controlling mold and humidity is especially important for maintaining healthy indoor air quality and protecting the value of your home -- mold remediation is expensive, and excess humidity can damage cabinets and painted finishes.

A bathroom vent and water closet fan should exhaust air to the outside -- not simply to the space between ceiling joists. Better models have whisper-quiet exhaust fans and humidity-controlled switches that activate when a sensor detects excess moisture in the air.

5. Think StorageBathroom storage is a challenge: By the time you’ve installed the toilet, shower, and sink, there’s often little space left to store towels, toilet paper, and hair and body products. Here are some ways to find storage in hidden places.

• Think vertically: Upper wall space in a bathroom is often underused. Freestanding, multi-tiered shelf units designed to fit over toilet tanks turn unused wall area into found storage.Spaces between wall studs create attractive and useful niches for holding soaps and toiletries. Install shelves over towel bars to use blank wall space.

• Think moveable: Inexpensive woven baskets set on the floor are stylish towel holders. A floor-stand coat rack holds wet towels, bath robes, and clothes.

• Think utility: Adding a slide-out tray to vanity cabinet compartments provides full access to stored items and prevents lesser-used items from being lost or forgotten.

6. Contribute Sweat EquityShave labor costs by doing some work yourself. Tell your contractor which projects you’ll handle, so there are no misunderstandings later.

Some easy DIY projects:

• Install window and baseboard trim; save $250.

• Paint walls and trim, 200 sq.ft.; save $200.

• Install toilet; save $150.

• Install towel bars and shelves; save $20 each.

7. Choose Low-Cost Design for High Visual ImpactA “soft scheme” adds visual zest to your bathroom, but doesn’t create a one-of-a-kind look that might scare away future buyers.

Soft schemes employ neutral colors for permanent fixtures and surfaces, then add pizzazz with items that are easily changed, such as shower curtains, window treatments, towels, throw rugs, and wall colors. These relatively low-cost decorative touches provide tons of personality but are easy to redo whenever you want.

Real Christmas Trees vs. Fake Christmas Trees: Which are Greener?By: G. M. Filisko

Published: December 10, 2010

How do real Christmas trees and fake Christmas trees stack up when it comes to the environment and cost? We’ve got the dirt.

You can pick up a basic fake Christmas tree for as little as $23 from Lowe’s. Or, go deluxe—with already-lit, snow-covered branches—for as much as $298. Either way, keep a faux tree in the family for at least a decade to goose up your holiday gift fund and mitigate the pileup in your local landfill. 

If you insist on replacing your fake tree every year to change things up, donate your old one to a charity, a resale shop, or Freecycle.

All I want for Christmas is the greenest of trees. What do I look for?

• Visit a local Christmas tree farm. Christmas tree farmland often can’t be used for other crops, says Brian Clark Howard, an environmental reporter at The Daily Green in New York City. When the tree farmers plant new trees, the growing young trees combat climate change by absorbing carbon. And tree farms conserve soil—farmers only till the land once every six or eight years.

If you buy from a Christmas tree lot, your tree was likely shipped from Oregon or North Carolina, and getting it to you created pollution, Howard says.

• Do business with a local Christmas tree farmer who grows organic Christmas treeswithout pesticides. Whether an organic tree costs more depends on where you live.

Solar Christmas Lights: Should You Make the Switch?By: Alyson McNutt English

Published: December 1, 2011

Solar Christmas lights don’t cost anything to operate, but the high purchase price might not add up to savings.

Now there’s a new kid in the string-light neighborhood: LED solar Christmas lights are appearing at retailers around the country, promising grid-free festive lighting for holiday-happy consumers.  

Powering up solar Christmas lights

A string of solar Christmas lights uses a small solar panel for power; there are no extension cords that must be plugged into outlets. The panel — about the size of a hockey puck — powers rechargeable batteries that illuminate a 25- to 100-bulb string of LED lights.

Panels come with small stakes so you can put them in the ground, where they can take advantage of the sun. A fully-charged string of lights should glow for 6 to 8 hours after the sun goes down. 

Solar lights vs. LED plug-in costs

Most consumers expect new technologies to cost more, but if saving energy and money is your main reason for considering solar-powered LED holiday lights, solar lights may not offer enough cost-saving to offset the higher initial purchase price.

Compare purchase prices:

• The average cost for a 100-light string of miniature solar-powered LED lights is about $0.30 per bulb, or about $30 per string.

• The average cost for a 100-light string of miniature plug-in LED lights is $0.08 per bulb, or about $8 per string.

Compare costs to operate:

• Operating a string of plug-in LED Christmas lights for 300 hours — more than enough hours for an entire holiday season — costs about $0.30, using an average energy cost of $0.11 per kilowatt hour.

• Solar-powered Christmas lights, of course, don’t cost anything to operate. That means you’re saving 30 cents per year in energy costs.

Do the math, and you’ll see that it’ll take about 45 years for the energy savings from solar-power to equal the difference in purchase price between a plug-in string and a solar-powered string.

Advantages of solar lights

• no extension cords

• no need for exterior electrical outlets

• withstand cold temperatures and precipitation

• zero cost to operate

• light output comparable to plug-in lighting

• a green option

Disadvantages

• higher initial cost to purchase

• may not operate under cloudy skies

• unproven longevity (too new on the market for results)

10 Christmas Light Tips to Save Time, Money, and (Possibly) Your Life
By: Lisa Kaplan Gordon

Published: December 9, 2011

Here’s how to light up your Christmas light display safely and economically.

1. Safety first. Emergency rooms are filled with home owners who lose fights with their holiday lights and fall off ladders or suffer electric shocks. To avoid the holiday black and blues, never hang lights solo; instead, work with a partner who holds the ladder. Also, avoid climbing on roofs after rain or snow. 

2. Unpack carefully. Lights break and glass cuts. So unpack your lights gingerly, looking for and replacing broken bulbs along the way.

3. Extension cords are your friends. Splurge on heavy-duty extension cords that are UL-listed for outdoor use. To avoid overloading, only link five strings of lights together before plugging into an extension cord.

4. LEDs cost less to light. LED Christmas lights use roughly 70% to 90% less energy and last up to 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs. You can safely connect many more LED light strings than incandescents. Downside: Some think they don’t burn as brightly as incandescent bulbs.

5. Solar lights cost nothing to run. Solar Christmas lights are roughly four times more expensive to buy than LEDs, but they cost zero to run. They’re a bright-burning, green alternative. Downside: If there’s no sun during the day, there’s no light at night. The jury’s also still out on how long they last; they’re too new on the market for results.

6. Dismantle lights sooner than later. Sun, wind, rain, and snow all take their toll on Christmas lights. To extend the life of lights, take them down immediately after the holidays. The longer you leave the up, the sooner you’ll have to replace them.

7. Plan next year’s display on Dec. 26. Shop the after-Christmas sales to get the best prices on lights and blowups that you can proudly display next year. Stock up on your favorite lights so you’ll have spares when you need them (and after they’re discontinued).

8. Permanent attachments save time. If you know you’ll always hang lights from eaves, install permanent light clips ($13 for 75 clips) that will save you hanging time each year. You’ll get a couple/three years out of the clips before sun eats the plastic. 

9. Find those blueprints. Instead of guessing how many light strings you’ll need, or measuring with a tape, dig up your house blueprints or house location drawings (probably with your closing papers) and use those measurements as a guide. 

10. Store them in a ball. It sounds counterintuitive, but the best way to store lights is to ball them up. Wrap five times in one direction, then turn the ball 90 degrees and repeat. Store your light balls in cardboard boxes, rather than in plastic bags: Cardboard absorbs residual moisture and extends the life of your lights.

8 Easy Ways to Seal Air Leaks Around the HouseBy: Jeanne Huber

Published: September 16, 2009

For what the typical family wastes every year on air leaks--about $350--you can plug energy-robbing gaps, start saving money, and enjoy a more comfortable home.


1. Insulate around recessed lights

Most recessed lights have vents that open into the attic, a direct route for heated or cooled air to escape. When you consider that many homes have 30 or 40 of these fixtures, it's easy to see why researchers at the Pennsylvania Housing Research/Resource Center pinpointed them as a leading cause of household air leaks. Lights labeled ICAT, for "insulation contact and air tight," are already sealed; look for the label next to the bulb. If you don't see it, assume yours leaks. An airtight baffle ($8-$30 at the home center) is a quick fix. Remove the bulb, push the baffle up into the housing, then replace the bulb.

2. Plug open stud cavities

Most of your house probably has an inner skin of drywall or plaster between living space and unheated areas. But builders in the past often skipped this cover behind knee walls (partial-height walls where the roof angles down into the top floor), above dropped ceilings or soffits, and above angled ceilings over stairs.

Up in the attic, you may need to push insulation away to see if the stud cavities are open. If they are, seal them with unfaced fiberglass insulation ($1.30 a square foot) stuffed into plastic garbage bags; the bag is key to blocking air flow. Close large gaps with scraps of drywall or pieces of reflective foil insulation ($2 a square foot). Once you've covered the openings, smooth the insulation back into place. To see these repairs in action, consult Energy Star's DIY guide to air sealing.

3. Close gaps around flues and chimneys

Building codes require that wood framing be kept at least one inch from metal flues and two inches from brick chimneys. But that creates gaps where air can flow through. Cover the gaps with aluminum flashing ($12) cut to fit and sealed into place with high-temperature silicone caulk ($20). To keep insulation away from the hot flue pipe, form a barrier by wrapping a cylinder of flashing around the flue, leaving a one-inch space in between. To maintain the spacing, cut and bend a series of inch-deep tabs in the cylinder's top and bottom edges.

4. Weatherstrip the attic access door

A quarter-inch gap around pull-down attic stairs or an attic hatch lets through the same amount of air as a bedroom heating duct. Seal it by caulking between the stair frame and the rough opening, or by installing foam weatherstripping around the perimeter of the hatch opening. Or you can buy a pre-insulated hatch cover kit, such as the Energy Guardian from ESS Energy Products ($150).

5. Squirt foam in the medium-size gaps

Once the biggest attic gaps are plugged, move on to the medium-size ones. Low-expansion polyurethane foam in a can is great for plugging openings 1/4-inch to three inches wide, such as those around plumbing pipes and vents. A standard 12-ounce can ($5) is good for 250 feet of bead about half an inch thick. The plastic straw applicator seals shut within two hours of the first use, so to get the most mileage out of a can, squirt a lubricant such as WD-40 onto a pipe cleaner and stuff that into the applicator tube between uses.

6. Caulk the skinny gaps

Caulk makes the best gap-filler for openings less than 1/4-inch wide, such as those cut around electrical boxes. Silicone costs the most ($8 a tube) but works better next to nonporous materials, such as metal flashing, or where there are temperature extremes, as in attics. Acrylic latex caulk ($2 a tube) is less messy to work with and cleans up with water.

7. Plug gaps in the basement

Gaps low on a foundation wall matter if you're trying to fix a wet basement, but only those above the outside soil level let air in. Seal those with the same materials you'd use in an attic: caulk for gaps up to 1/4-inch wide and spray foam for wider ones. Use high-temperature caulk around vent pipes that get hot, such as those for the furnace or water heater. Shoot foam around wider holes for wires, pipes, and ducts that pass through basement walls to the outside.

In most older houses with basements, air seeps in where the house framing sits on the foundation. Spread a bead of caulk between the foundation and the sill plate (the wood immediately above the foundation), and along the top and bottom edges of the rim joist (the piece that sits atop the sill plate).

8. Tighten up around windows and doors

In the main living areas of your home, the most significant drafts tend to occur around windows and doors. If you have old windows, caulking and adding new weatherstripping goes a long way toward tightening them up. Bronze weatherstripping ($12 for 17 feet) lasts for decades but is time-consuming to install, while some self-stick plastic types are easy to put on but don't last very long. Adhesive-backed EPDM rubber ($8 for 10 feet) is a good compromise, rated to last at least 10 years. Nifty gadgets called pulley seals ($9 a pair) block air from streaming though the holes where cords disappear into the frames.

Weatherstripping also works wonders on doors. If a draft comes in at the bottom, install a new door sweep ($9).

Before working in the attic, take some precautions

Try to do attic work on a cool day. Wear protective gear: disposable clothes, gloves, and a double-elastic mask or half-face respirator. Bring along a droplight with a fluorescent bulb, plus at least two pieces of plywood big enough to span two or three joists to support you as you work. To save trips up and down a ladder, try to move up all of the materials you need before you get started. One warning: If you find vermiculite insulation, hold off until you've had it checked for asbestos; your health department or air-quality agency can recommend a lab.

Buying and Storing FirewoodBy: Douglas Trattner

Published: November 23, 2009

Knowing how to evaluate, buy, and store firewood is key to the safe, efficient operation of your fireplace, wood stove, or fireplace insert.

Before picking up the phone, it’s important to know exactly what you want to purchase so that you can clearly express that to the wood seller, says Matt Galambos, a Maine arborist certified by the International Society of Arboriculture. This includes determining the quantity, species, and condition of the firewood, all of which affect its price.

How much to buy

Homeowners who intend to heat their homes through the use of a wood stove naturally will require more firewood than those who burn only the occasional fire for pleasure. A person living in the Northeastern U.S. who burns firewood as his or her primary heat source, for example, may require up to five cords of wood to get them through the season. In contrast, a weekend-only fire builder can likely get by on as little as a half-cord. Galambos estimates that for the casual but steady fire builder, one cord of wood should easily last through winter.

Measuring a cord of wood

A cord of wood is defined as a stack of cut firewood that measures 4 feet tall by 4 feet wide by 8 feet long, or any other arrangement that equals 128 cubic feet. The individual pieces must be stacked side by side rather than the looser crisscross style. Other measurement terms, such as ricks, racks, face cords and piles, have no legal meaning and are often banned by state weights and measurements agencies. Regardless what the load is called, says Galambos, it should always be converted to cords or fractions thereof so that homeowners can determine if they are getting a fair price.

Seasoning the wood

Freshly cut wood is composed largely of water. Not only is this “green” wood difficult to ignite, but burning it can lead to a dangerous buildup of creosote, the cause of chimney fires. Properly “seasoned” firewood is wood that has been cut to length, split, and allowed to air dry for at least six months until the moisture content dips to around 20%. Dry wood will appear grayish in color and the pieces will begin to exhibit splits and cracks on the ends. Compared to freshly cut wood, seasoned wood feels light for its size. 

Though seasoned firewood is the only choice for immediate use, green wood shouldn't be completely ignored, says Galambos. “If you have the room to store it and the time to dry it, buying green firewood can save you up to 25% compared with seasoned wood,” he says.

Hardwood vs. softwood

It's a common misconception that burning soft woods, such as pine and cedar, leads to dangerous creosote buildup. As long as the firewood is properly seasoned, it can safely be burned in a fireplace or stove regardless of species, says Dr. John Ball, Professor of Forestry at South Dakota State University. But that doesn’t mean that all wood is created equal. 

“Tree species differ widely in the amount of heat they produce when burned,” says Ball. Hardwoods like oak, maple, and madrone produce almost twice the heat compared with softer woods, such as spruce, pine, and basswood. Fires built with hardwood not only burn hotter, they last longer, meaning the wood pile won’t get depleted as fast. Homeowners can expect to pay a premium for 100% hardwood, but Ball cautions against purchasing cheaper “mixed-wood” loads that may contain little actual hardwood.

Storing firewood

Homeowners should consider storage long before the firewood delivery truck appears in the driveway, cautions Galambos. A cord of wood takes up a significant amount of space, and if not properly stored your investment will quickly begin to rot. Firewood that is not stowed in a protected space like a garage or shed needs to be six inches off the ground. Firewood racks or simple pallets work well. If exposed to the elements, the wood pile should be at least partially covered with a waterproof tarp. Experts caution against storing the wood too close to the house for fear of inviting pests.

Average prices

Homeowners can expect to pay $75 to $150 for a half-cord and between $150 and $350 for a cord of hardwood delivered and stacked. To save some money, a person with a large truck may elect to pick up his or her own load at the wood lot.
 
To verify the quantity, species, and condition of the firewood, it's wise to arrange the delivery for a time when you're home. Experts say, inspect the wood for type and condition before it's unloaded, though quantity can only be accurately measured after it's stacked.

Maximize your fireplace efficiency

It’s true that a traditional wood fireplace can never rival the energy efficiency of a wood stove or even a fireplace insert, but there are ways a homeowner can trim heat loss. Fire-resistant glass doors not only reduce the volume of heated home air that escapes up the chimney, they help radiate heat back into the room. Similarly, a thick cast-iron fireback is an old-fashioned device that absorbs and emits energy in the form of radiant heat. Check the fireplace damper for leaks and always tightly seal it when the fireplace is idle.

Note about invasive pests

Forestry experts like Dr. John Ball strongly encourage homeowners to buy only local wood (wood from within a one- or two-county range) to prevent the spread of pests like the Asian longhorned beetle and emerald ash borer.

"Gas Fireplace Inserts: Pros and ConsBy: Wendy Paris

Published: September 22, 2010

Add a gas-burning fireplace insert if you want clean air and the ultimate in convenience.

Unlike old decorative gas fireplaces, today’s gas inserts are heat-producing dynamos that use natural gas or propane to power a steady flame dancing on fake logs, decorative modern glass chips, or stones behind a sealed glass face.

Gas inserts are available as vented units or unvented units.

• Direct-vent units are safest. They draw in outside air to keep the flame burning and exhaust all the combustion gases and water vapor released by burning gas. 

• Ventless inserts have a higher efficiency rating (92% to 99% vs. 60% to 80% for direct-vent inserts) because no heat escapes up the chimney. But the exhaust fumes and moisture released from burning gas stay in your house, which may be a cause for concern.

Most ventless gas fireplace inserts are considered safe for homeowners because they include an oxygen-depletion sensor that turns gas off before carbon monoxide reaches dangerous levels in the room. Nevertheless, some states don’t allow ventless gas units.

Check your local building codes regarding the types of fireplace inserts allowed in your area.

Capacity and cost of inserts

A gas-burning fireplace insert heats 1,000 to 3,000 square feet, depending on its size. Talk to your insert dealer about the size of your existing fireplace and what heating capacity you can expect from an insert.

Inserts cost $3,000 to $4,000, including installation and a chimney liner.

Upsides to a gas fireplace insert

• Gas fireplace inserts can be used in masonry or prefab fireplaces; they can be vented through the existing chimney (or a wall for a free-standing unit).

• Gas inserts require little maintenance beyond an annual $75 to $125 checkup. Its best application is for zone heating—turning up the gas in the room you’re in and lowering the thermostat in the rest of your house.

• There’s a definite green factor -- they burn with a 65% to 99% efficiency rating, which means very little pollution or smoke.

• There’s no ash or creosote produced with a gas-burning unit.

On the downside

• Propane is an expensive heating fuel — you won’t save money heating your whole house with a gas insert.

• You’ll spend more on gas or propane than you would on wood or pellets to produce the same amount of heat.

• You won't enjoy the snap, pop, and aroma of a real fire.

How to Clean Your FireplaceBy: Douglas Trattner

Published: September 17, 2012

Wood- and gas-burning fireplaces need regular cleaning for safety and efficiency. Although some tasks are DIY-friendly, others are best left to the pros.

Cleaning a Wood-Burning Fireplace

Keeping a wood-burning fireplace clean begins with the wood you burn. To help prevent the buildup of dangerous (and dirty) creosote, which can lead to chimney fires, only use properly seasoned and stored firewood.

Ash Removal

Wood ashes only need to be removed when they begin to smell or get in the way of fire building. To remove, simply shovel up the ashes, place them in a bag, and dispose in the trash. 

If your fireplace has an ash dump, push the ashes through the metal plate in the floor of the firebox. Use a vacuum to clean up the remaining ashes in the firebox and on the hearth.

Heads up: You’ll want to wait at least 72 hours after your last fire before attempting any cleanup. That way, you won’t put any hot coals in the trash where they could start a fire.

Also, don’t send hot or warm coals down the ash dump because they can ignite a fire in the walls.

Smoke and Soot

Poor drafting -- caused by a clogged flue (and forgetting to open the flue damper!) -- can result in the buildup of smoke and soot on the fireplace surround -- the area around the fireplace opening. Wearing gloves and using a stiff brush, clean the surround with a masonry cleaner.

If your fireplace has glass doors, clean the inside and outside with a standard glass cleaner or a homemade green window cleaner. 

Pro Cleaning Schedule

Burning even the driest firewood will lead to soot and creosote buildup on the flue walls lining the chimney. Because both of these byproducts are flammable and dangerous, they must periodically be removed. Creosote buildup is the leading cause of chimney fires.

“If you burn a fire about once a week throughout winter, you should have your chimney inspected annually and professionally cleaned every other year,” explains Gary Spolar, a licensed chimney sweep and owner of Century Chimney in chilly northeast Ohio. Heavy users might require professional cleanings every year, he adds.

Regular chimney maintenance ensures warmth and safety. An inspection and a cleaning by a professional chimney sweep costs $150-$250.

Beware of store-bought fireplace logs promising to remove creosote buildup when you burn them. The Chimney Safety Institute of America says, “The use of these products alone is not an adequate substitute for mechanical chimney cleaning and inspection because it does not provide for the same level of protection to the chimney system.”

Cleaning Gas-Burning Fireplaces

We love gas fireplaces because they’re low-maintenance -- but that doesn't mean they’re no-maintenance.

Remove (if possible) and clean the glass doors with a non-ammonia-based glass cleaner or homemade vinegar solution.  

Use a vacuum to clean up any debris inside or around the vents of the heat exchanger (if one exists). Check that gas logs are in the proper position.

Related:

Ideas to Revitalize Your Fireplace

How to Make Sure Your Fireplace is Safe

How to Make Sure Your Fireplace is Safe By: Douglas Trattner

Published: September 18, 2012

Here’s what to look for to ensure your fireplace is safe and up-to-snuff.

Checking From the Outside

Examine the chimney to make sure a chimney cap is present and in good repair. The metal cap keeps animals, rain, and snow out of the chimney, while acting as a spark arrester that prevents hot embers from landing on your roofing.
 
If you have a multi-story home or a steep roof, play it safe and use a pair of binoculars to check the chimney cap from the ground.

While you’re at it, make sure:

• There’s no bird nest or debris buildup on the cap.

• There are no tree limbs above or near the chimney.

• The mortar and bricks on the chimney aren’t crumbling or missing.

• The chimney rises at least 2 feet above where it exits the roof.

• The chimney crown -- the sloping cement shoulders at the top of the chimney -- is beveled, which helps air flow.

• The flue liner is visible above the chimney crown.

• The chimney is plumb and not leaning to one side or the other.

• The roof flashing is tight against the chimney.

If you spot anything amiss, call a licensed chimney professional or mason to remedy the problem. For pricey jobs, make sure to get a second estimate.

Looking Inside Your Home

With a flashlight, inspect the flue damper to make sure it opens, closes, and seals properly. 

“If the damper doesn't seal well, you’ll lose a tremendous amount of heat from the home when the fireplace isn’t in use,” explains Gary Spolar, a licensed sweep and owner of Century Chimney in northeast Ohio.

With the damper open, check the flue for combustible material such as animal nests or other foreign objects. You should be able to see daylight at the top.

Inspect the fireplace surround, hearth, and firebox to make sure there are no cracked bricks or missing mortar. Damage inside the firebox is serious -- have a professionalfireplace and chimney inspection. An inspection costs $79-$500.

Also, check for obvious signs of moisture inside the firebox, which could mean a faulty cap.

Inspecting a Gas-Burning Fireplace

We enjoy gas fireplaces because they’re low-maintenance -- but that doesn't mean they’re no-maintenance. You should:

• Inspect the glass doors for cracks or latch issues.

• Check that gas logs are in the proper position.

• Turn gas off at the shut-off valve and test the igniter.

• Ignite the fire and look for clogged burner holes. If present, turn off gas and clear obstructions with a pin or needle.

Related:

Ideas to Revitalize Your Fireplace

How to Clean Your Fireplace

Source: Houseligic.com

"Choosing an Exterior DoorBy: Karin Beuerlein

Published: December 28, 2009

You should understand the pros and cons of steel, fiberglass, and wood exterior doors before choosing the one that's right for you.

Steel

If you're looking to save money, a steel door may be a good choice, particularly if you have the skills to hang it yourself. A simple, unadorned steel door can sell for as little as $150 (not including hardware, lock set, paint, or labor) and typically runs as much as $400 at big-box retailers. Steel offers the strongest barrier against intruders, although its advantage over fiberglass and wood in this area is slight.

Even better, replacing your entry door with a steel model preserves home value. Remodeling Magazine's Cost vs. Value Report estimates the total project cost of installing a 20-gauge steel door at $1,137. The project, on average, returns 85.6% of cost, the highest return value in the report.

Still, the attractive cost of a steel door comes with an important caveat: Its typical life span under duress is shorter than either fiberglass or wood. A steel door exposed to salt air or heavy rains may last only five to seven years, according to Bob Bossard, general manager of 84 Lumber in Clarksville, Del. Despite steel's reputation for toughness, it actually didn't perform well in Consumer Reports testing against wood and fiberglass for normal wear and tear. 

With heavy use, it may dent, and the damage can be difficult and expensive to repair. If your door will be heavily exposed to traffic or the elements, you may be better off choosing a different material.

Fiberglass

Fiberglass doors come in an immense variety of styles, many of which accurately mimic the look of real wood. And if limited upkeep is your ideal, fiberglass may be your best bet. "Nothing is maintenance-free," Bossard says, "but fiberglass is pretty close. And it lasts twice as long as wood or steel." 

Fiberglass doesn't expand or contract appreciably as the weather changes. Therefore, in a reasonably protected location, a fiberglass entry door can go for years without needing a paint or stain touch-up and can last 15 to 20 years overall. Although it feels light to the touch, fiberglass has a very stout coating that's difficult for an intruder to breach; and its foam core offers considerable insulation.

Fiberglass generally falls between steel and wood in price; models sold at big-box stores range from about $150 to $600. Remodeling Magazine lists the cost of a fiberglass entry-door replacement project at around $2,700. Although a fiberglass door doesn't generate as high a return as a steel door, it recoups about 66% in home value.

Wood

Wood is considered the go-to choice for high-end projects; its luxe look and substantial weight can't be flawlessly duplicated by fiberglass or steel, though high-end fiberglass products are getting close. If your home calls for a stunning entry statement with a handcrafted touch, wood may be the best material for you.

Wood is usually the most expensive choice of the three--roughly $500 to $2,000, excluding custom jobs--and requires the most maintenance, although it's easier to repair scratches on a wood door than dents in steel or fiberglass. Wood doors should be repainted or refinished every year or two to prevent splitting and warping. (Remodeling Magazine'sCost vs. Value Report doesn't include a wood entry-door replacement project.)

If you're concerned about the environmental impact of your door as well as its energy efficiency, you can purchase a solid wood door certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, which assures you that the wood was sustainably grown and harvested. 

Tracing the environmental impact of a particular door--from manufacturing process to shipping distance to how much recycled/recyclable content it contains--is quite complicated and probably beyond the ken of the average homeowner, notes LEED-certified green designer Victoria Schomer. But FSC-certified wood and an Energy Star rating are an excellent start.

A final note on choosing a door based on energy efficiency: Because efficiency depends on a number of factors besides the material a door is made of--including its framework and whether it has windows--look for the Energy Star label to help you compare doors. To qualify for the federal tax credit, look for solar heat gain coefficient and U-factor values less than 0.3."