Ride Out the Housing Slump with Simple Home Improvements

Since a sagging market brings both housing woes and financial uncertainty, it might be wise to change the priorities of your planned home improvements and renovations.  More likely than not, you’ll want to stay in your home a little longer while still taking steps to increase its value.

As suggested by Dan Fritschen, author of Remodel of Move? Make the Right Decision, many people feeling the strain of the market should reorder their home improvement plans by expense and required skill.  Following your budget, there are a number of things that can be done, relatively inexpensively, to increase both the value and livability of your home.  For instance, painting or refinishing kitchen and bathroom cabinets and floors, installing new interior doors, replacing windows, new crown molding and baseboard, replacing old model toilets and sinks with new water efficient designs, layering new carpet and refinishing hardwood floors, and fixing and upgrading appliances are all things that can be done on a relatively fixed budget, in a short amount of time, with little or no professional labor necessary.

For more extensive projects, Fritschen reccomends that you take your time, research possibilities, and calculate the costs and benefits of the improvement.  Some of the smarter, more in-depth projects people choose to do include: remodeling a kitchen, remodeling bathrooms, finishing basements or attics, adding on rooms, enlarging family rooms, and adding stories.

As always, regardless of the extent to which one decides to make home improvements, the current market strongly supports green improvements that both save you energy and increase the value of your house.

Replace Old Appliances: Save the Earth… and Some Money

If you are looking to trim some money off of your utility bills and help out Mother Earth at the same time, your first green steps could start in the kitchen and laundry rooms.

According to the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM), since 2000, the energy consumed by new home appliances has rapidly decreased, with refrigerators, dishwashers, and clothes washers accounting for nearly 50% of the drop.  For instance, replacing an eight year-old clothes washer with a newer average-efficiency one will not only trim more than $60 off of your electricity bill every year, it will also save nearly 5,000 gallons of water per year – a statistic that carries significantly more weight in drought-ridden areas of the South.

Not ready to take quite that leap of replacing your perfectly well working appliances?  Here are a few tips to save some energy and trim down those bills with what you already have:

• Allow hot foods to cool before placing them in the refrigerator.  Also, cover any foods that may release moisture.
• Limit the number of times you open the refrigerator and freezer doors.
• Scrape, but do not pre-rinse dishes before loading them into the dishwasher.
• Use that “no-heat air dry” feature on your dishwasher when you are not in a rush.
• Make sure to appropriately set the load size on your clothes washer and use the cold water settings whenever possible.
• Leave the door open on the washer when you are finished washing to allow air to circulate.
• Clean the lint filter in your dryer after every load (you might even want to do the same to the dryer’s outside exhaust on a regular basis).

Simply by taking these steps, you will be well on your way to a greener lifestyle (environmentally and financially).

Drink to Your Health

Water quality has become an important issue for many homeowners, given recent reports about the quality of tap and bottled water. According to the National Tap Water Quality Database (www.ewg.org/tapwater), 260 contaminants have been found across the nation in residential tap water, and for more than half (141) of these contaminants, there are no enforceable safety standards. Nearly 200 million people are drinking these contaminants in their water.

A number of companies produce home filtration systems that can improve water quality. Pureez, for instance, recently introduced a countertop water purifier that uses an 11-watt ultraviolet (UV) lamp, as well as a double-active carbon filter and a 0.6 micron filter, to kill microbes in tap water. (UV technology is a cost-effective way to disinfect drinking water, according to the company.) The system reduces particulates in water by 99.9 percent, reduces chloroform by 95 percent and reduces chlorine by 75 percent.

The Pureez water filter can produce water at a variety of temperatures, from chilled to boiling, and it has a programmable volume control, so it can expend varying amounts of water, from a small cup to a large cup. It comes with a self-installation kit for easy set-up next to a sink or refrigerator, or it can be professionally installed. The Pureez water filter retails for $999, with a number of payment plans available, and comes in six colors. For more information: www.pureez.com or 866-939-7873.

5 Bathroom Remodeling Tips

Planning a bathroom remodeling project this summer? It’s one of the best investments you can make in your home, according to real estate experts. Should you ever consider selling your home, the condition and amenities of the bathrooms “can really make or break a sale,” says Silas Deane, president of Baden Bath, located in Nashville, Tenn. He offers the following tips for homeowners embarking on a bathroom remodeling project.

• Design for functionality. Most bathrooms are used by more than one person, so keep that in mind when designing your new bathroom. If possible, separate toilets from the rest of the bathroom, and consider installing double sinks.

• Let there be light. Even if your bathroom is small, you can make it appear larger by lightening it up with either natural light or lighting fixtures.

• Feel free to vent. Proper ventilation prevents mold and mildew, two common problems in bathrooms. Many energy-efficient venting systems are available that can help control moisture and improve indoor air quality as well.

• Go tankless. Customized shower systems and tubs often require a greater volume of water. But rather than rely on an inefficient tank-style water heater, consider a tankless, on-demand water heater, which heats water as it flows through the heater and helps control energy costs.

• Expect the unexpected. With bathroom plumbing, unexpected problems can arise, resulting in unexpected costs. Set aside roughly 10 percent of the cost of labor for a cushion.

Tankless Water Heater Q&A

Many homeowners have heard about tankless or “on demand” water heaters (also called instant water heaters, though installers are quick to point out that the hot water isn’t delivered “instantly”). And with today’s rising energy costs, many homeowners are considering installing these devices. However, questions abound.

An alternative to tank-style water heaters, where the water is heated and then stored in a tank until its needed (which sounds incredible inefficient, doesn’t it?), a tankless water heat is essentially a box that mounts on the wall and heats the water only when you need it. A typical tankless unit can operate up to three devices (shower, dishwasher, clothes washer, etc.) simultaneously, according to Rheem, a manufacturer of tankless water heaters. The company provided the following Q&A to help homeowners better understand how to make the transition between a tank water heater and a tankless unit.

Question:  What is the first step in making the switch to a tankless water heater?

Answer: The first step is to hire an experienced contractor or plumber for installation.  He or she will advise you on the right model for your home, and your installation options.

During installation, your old water heater is disconnected and removed.  Next, your installer will mount the new tankless water heater inside or outside your home, and connect necessary plumbing, piping and venting.

Because tankless heaters “fire” at a much higher temperature than tank-based heaters – but for a much shorter time – you may need to upgrade your natural gas piping to accommodate the increased flow of natural gas needed by the tankless heater.  Your installer will be able to advise on this and other issues.

Question:  How much money can I save by going tankless?

Answer: This will depend on how much hot water you consume and the efficiency of your current water heater.  Typically, an average homeowner can save up to 35 percent on water heating costs by switching to a tankless water heater.

Question:  Will there be a difference in my hot water with a tankless heater?

Answer: Yes!  You won’t be running out of it anymore – and you won’t be paying to keep a tank of water hot when you’re not using it.  You’ll be able to have someone showering, the laundry going, hot water for the breakfast dishes in the sink, and still you won’t run out.  As with a tank water heater, there will still be a short period when you first turn on the tap before the hot water hits the faucet, but it won’t run out (once it has started) before you’re finished.

Question: Can anything be done about the time it takes for the water to heat up after I turn on my fixture?  It’s quite wasteful.

Answer: The time it takes for the hot water to reach your faucet is not due to waiting on your water heater to start working.  Rather, it takes a few seconds (and perhaps longer, depending on your home) for the cooled water in the pipes to be displaced by the hot water from your heater.  Granted, this can be wasteful, given that the standard 3/4-inch pipe holds a quarter gallon of water for every 10 feet of pipe.

One solution is to have a professional contractor or plumber install a circulation pump system in your home.  These can be triggered by motion sensors so that, for example, when you walk into your bathroom, the pump would start and pull hot water from the heater and circulate the cold water in your pipes back to the heater.

Another solution would be to install tankless water heaters in different parts of your house, so the distance from the water heater to your faucet is shortened.

For more information on Rheem tankless water heaters, visit www.rheemtankless.com.

Glass That Stays Clean

One way to make a cramped bathroom look larger is to install a glass-encased shower, which will give the room a more spacious appearance. One problem, though: Over time, as the shower glass is subjected to soaps, shampoos and harsh cleaners, it can become cloudy. And as the residue hardens into a permanent build-up, the glass can appear dirty and unattractive.To solve that problem, Guardian Industries, a glass manufacturer based in Auburn Hills, Mich., has introduced ShowerGuard glass, which is specifically designed to resist the discoloration and corrosion caused by constant exposure to heat, humidity, hot water, soaps and household cleaners. It’s also easier to clean than standard glass and maintains its original appearance through the years, making it a good option for use in a small bathroom that is dependent on a glass shower to achieve an open feel.

The residue-shedding properties of ShowerGuard glass are built in during its manufacture, when the surface of the glass is permanently sealed using an ion beam process. The built-in protection is part of the glass itself, so it never needs to be re-applied. With minimal cleaning, the glass will stay clear, no matter what type of water your have. ShowerGuard glass is backed by a 10-year warranty. For information or to find a local dealer: www.showerguardglass.com.

Creative Countertops

When it comes to kitchen countertop materials, homeowners have a wide range of options from which to choose, including wood, butcher block, ceramic tile and laminates as well as marble, granite, quartz, engineered stone, soapstone, solid surface, concrete, stainless steel and recycled-glass terrazzo. Now you can add two new materials to that list – bamboo and recycled commodes.

That’s right – a company called EnviroGlas, based in Plano, Texas, has developed a way of taking crushed porcelain from recycled toilets, sinks and tubs and mixing it with resins of various colors to create a terrazzo called EnviroMODE, a durable, eco-friendly material homeowners can use as countertops. The material is heat- and scratch-resistant, is highly resistant to common household stains and is easily cleaned. It’s also free of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and does not require a seal.

EnviroMODE was developed by Tim Whaley, principal of EnviroGlas, who was approached by the City of Dallas and asked if he had any ideas for using old toilets the city wanted to recycle. Having had experience in creating terrazzo surfaces using recycled glass, Whaley saw a way to use the crushed porcelain to create a similar material. The crushed porcelain used in the countertops has “a beautiful pearl-like finish,” notes Sherlyn McAnally, recycling manager for the City of Dallas. EnviroMODE is also available in planks for use as flooring.

Speaking of flooring, bamboo has become a popular flooring option in the last few years, thanks to its beauty and durability as well as its sustainability. Now, after conducting extensive research, Totally Bamboo has introduced its new solid bamboo kitchen countertops.

The bamboo countertops are constructed with cross-band laminates called Multilam, which greatly reduce twisting and warping and result in a countertop that is 16 percent harder than maple, according to the company. In addition, the countertops are non-toxic and formaldehyde-free. Flat grain, vertical grain and parquet end grain patterns are available, in sanded and unfinished planks, with standard thicknesses and lengths. The cost is about $30 per square foot. For more information on EnviroMODE: www.enviroglasproducts.com. For more info on Bamboo Countertops: www.totallybamboo.com.