Archive for the ‘Home Maintenance’ Category

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Your Home Maintenance Quiz

Saturday, June 11th, 2011

It’s the weekend and you have a whole list of household chores to do. Oh, we know you’d rather be golfing or playing tennis or watching TV, but keeping your home in good shape is important. Your home may be the biggest investment you will ever make. Taking good care of it with regular maintenance is necessary to maintain its value and ensure it will provide a comfortable, safe shelter for you and your family for a long time.

Here is a home maintenance quiz that will test your maintenance knowledge. While this quiz does not address every home maintenance project, it does provide helpful tips and reminders for chores you may have overlooked.

1. How often do forced-air furnace filters need to be changed?
At least every three months during the heating season.

2. What part of the faucet usually needs to be replaced when you have a water leak?
The washer.

3. Should you run hot or cold water through your garbage disposal?
Cold water.

4. How often should the moving parts of garage doors be oiled?
Every three months.

5. What tools can you use to unclog your drains?
A plunger and a plumber’s snake.

6. What tool can be used to unclog a toilet?
Coil spring-steel auger.

7. What faucet part needs to be cleaned every three to four months?
Aerator—the screen inside the end of the faucet.

8. What can you use for traction on icy sidewalks, steps and driveways?
Cat litter or sand—never use salt because it damages the pavement.

9. Where should the fire in your fireplace be built?
On the andirons or grate, never on the fireplace floor.

10. What will prevent soot and add color to the fire in your fireplace?
Throw in a handful of salt.

11. Where should your firewood be stored?
Outside, away from your house and not directly on the ground.

12. What helps keep unpainted concrete floors easy to keep clean?
Concrete sealer.

13. What should you use to clean unpainted concrete floors?
A solution of 4 to 6 tablespoons of washing soda in a gallon of hot water. Mix scouring powder to the solution for tough jobs.

14. When can you clean hardwood floors with water?
When the floors have a polyurethane finish.

15. Do hardwood floors need to be waxed?
Hardwood floors that do not have a polyurethane finish probably will need to be waxed periodically. Use liquid or paste “spirit” wax.

16. What is the best polish for vinyl floors?
Water emulsion wax.

17. When is basement condensation at its maximum?
In new homes because gallons of water went into the concrete of basement walls.

18. Why should noisy water pipes be fixed promptly?
The condition that causes noisy pipes may be accompanied by vibration that can cause fittings to loosen and leak.

19. Why should frozen pipes be thawed slowly?
Frozen pipes should be thawed slowly to prevent the formation of steam, which could cause the pipe to burst.

20. How often should your roof be inspected?
A qualified roofer should inspect your roof every three years.

21. What should be regularly checked on your security system?
The alarms and circuit breakers should be checked to make sure they are in working order and the sensors should be inspected one by one.

22. To ensure your safety, what household equipment uses batteries that must be checked regularly to make sure they are operable?
Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.

23. What do you use to fill nail holes and cracks in plaster walls and gypsum wallboard?
Spackling.

24. What is the white powdery substance that develops on masonry walls?
Efflorescence sometimes appears on masonry walls. It is crystallized soluble salts that can be removed by scrubbing with water and a stiff brush.

25. At what temperature should your water heater be set?
120 degrees Fahrenheit

26. How often do skylights need to be inspected?
Skylights should be inspected each time your roof is inspected so leaks don’t develop from cracks and interruptions around its seals, caulking and flashings.

27. What is a simple solution you can use to wash extremely dirty exterior windows?
A solution of equal parts vinegar and water or 3 tablespoons of denatured alcohol per quart of warm water. Use a piece of crumpled newspaper to wash the glass to avoid lint left behind by paper towels.

28. What can you use to help a window slide easily?
Rub the channel with a piece of paraffin.

29. What should you look for when you inspect your siding yearly?
Determine if wood-sided homes need to be repainted; check to see if the caulking around the windows and doors has split and cracked, and replace the caulk; clean the mildew; trim shrubbery away so it does not touch the siding.

Builders Of Lifelong Dreams

Posted in Home Economics, Home Features, Home Maintenance, Home Safety | No Comments »

Tips for Choosing Upgrades for Your New Home

Sunday, February 20th, 2011

Most home owners opt to add some upgrades to a new home, which can be rolled into the mortgage opposed to paying for them later on their own. But the choices of what flooring, lighting, or other upgrades to choose can be overwhelming.

Designer Candice Olson, author and host of HGTV’s “Candice Tells All,” says lighting and extra wiring are key upgrades new home buyers should consider.

“Adding lighting — or at least the wiring for it — means you’ll be able to have bathroom sconces instead of that one overhead light the builder gives you,” Olson says. “Your flat-screen TV can be where you want it. You’ll have a floor outlet for the lamp in middle of the open room. And you won’t be ripping out walls later to do all this.”

Also, she says home owners shouldn’t forget about the exterior lighting either. “Outside lighting, plus landscaping, will set apart your house from the others in the neighborhood where buyers chose from plans A, B and C,” Olson says.

As for flooring, Olson recommends hardwood floors for the main living areas, and cork floors for the basement, since there’s potential for water leakage in basements.

She also says the addition of taller baseboards, chair rails, crown molding, coffered ceilings, built-ins or a banquette also are smart investments for upgrades.

Source: “Decisions, Decisions: Add Character to Your Home With a Few Choice Upgrades,” Chicago Tribune (Feb. 4, 2011)

Builders Of Lifelong Dreams

Posted in Basement Remodeling, Home Features, Home Maintenance | No Comments »

Northern Kentucky Home and Remodeling Showcase

Sunday, January 30th, 2011

2011 Home & Remodeling Showcase February 4-6, 2011

Friday 4pm-8pm

Saturday 10am-8pm

Sunday 10am-4pm

Northern Kentucky Convention Center

Tickets are $10 with Free Parking

Your Dream Home…Alive.

Presented by Home Builders Association of Northern Kentucky

Includes hundreds of local and regional vendors, celebrities and events. Dream Street, an exhibit of six exclusive exhibitors displaying their best products and offerings. Cooking demonstrations with Remke-bigg’s and chefs from local restaurants and bakeries. Value City Furniture Face-Off with interior design students of Antonelli College-vote for your favorite room design.

Click for directions to the Northern Kentucky Convention Center

Builders Of Lifelong Dreams

Posted in Basement Remodeling, Home Economics, Home Features, Home Maintenance, Home Safety, Remodeling, Special Promotions | No Comments »

You Must Hire a Lead Safe Certified Professional to Remodel Your pre-1978 Home

Saturday, October 23rd, 2010

When you are ready to remodel or renovate your pre-1978 home, it’s important to hire a Lead-Safe-Certified professional, recommends the National Association of Home Builders.

Before being banned in 1978, lead was a common ingredient in exterior and interior house paint, and is still present in many older homes. Lead ingestion has been shown to cause developmental delays and disabilities in young children.

In April 2010 the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency enacted the Lead: Renovation, Repair, and Painting rule that requires training in lead-safe work practices for all remodelers working in pre-1978 homes. EPA Lead-Safe Certified Renovators are equipped to use lead test kits, educate consumers about the dangers of lead and use prescribed lead-safe work practices.

“Lead-Safe Certified Renovators are trained to help keep your family safe from lead exposure during your remodeling project,” said NAHB Remodelers Chairman Donna Shirey, CGR, CAPS, CGP, and remodeler from Issaquah, Wash.

“It always pays to get the job done right,” said Shirey. “Remodeling professionals have expertise in design solutions, managing product choices and completing beautiful projects. Plus lead-safe certification means the remodeler will understand and apply practices to minimize dust and lead exposure and protect the safety of your family.”

When planning your home remodel, read the EPA’s Renovate Right pamphlet to better understand the dangers of lead exposure and how to conduct a safe home remodel. Consider hiring a certified risk assessor or lead inspector to determine if your home contains lead paint. After completing the renovation, be sure to maintain records of the work that’s been done.

For sound advice on lead safety, visit www.nahb.org/leadsafe. The BOLD Company is an EPA Lead-Safe Certified Renovator. To find others near you, contact your local home builders’ association or use the search tool at http://www.leadfreekids.org/. For more information about home remodeling, visit www.nahb.org/remodel.

Builders Of Lifelong Dreams

Posted in Basement Remodeling, Home Maintenance, Lead Paint | No Comments »

HOW TO BUILD A CUSTOM HOME, Part 15: Foundation Drainage Systems

Friday, October 1st, 2010

In this series, the professionals at the B.O.L.D. Company will take you through the process of building a custom home in the Greater Cincinnati – Northern Kentucky area. From plan and lot selection, to mortgage approval, to the actual construction, we’ll take you behind-the-scenes each week for an inside look at a different part of the process.

This week, we look at foundation drainage system options:

The foundation drainage system is among the most important systems in your home. This system is responsible for removing water from around the foundation, protecting it and keeping the basement dry. If water is allowed to collect around the foundation, severe structural damage, as well as flooding of the basement, can occur.

There are several components of a foundation drainage system: (1) foundation drain tile, driven by gravity or sump pump; (2) gutters, downspouts, and splash blocks; and (3) yard grading and drainage channels. The correct installation and maintenance of each of these components is critical to the well-being of your foundation, and thus, your home and the investment it represents. This article addresses the first component, which is the next step after excavation.

After the foundation is excavated, and before the foundation walls are poured, the drainage system must be installed. Either before, or more typically, after the footings are poured (more about that next week!), the first component of the foundation drainage system, the drain tile, is installed by laying drain tile underneath the basement floor of the home, and also around the outside of where the foundation walls will sit. Drain tile, or PVC pipes with perforations that allow water to enter, will channel the water outside of and away from the foundation. Over and around the drain tile, pea gravel acts as a filter that allows water to seep through to the pipe, but prevents mud or silt from getting through and clogging the pipe.

Gravity-driven drainage systems use the power of gravity on a slope to draw water away from the foundation. The drain tile inside the excavated hole connects to pipes that channel and discharge the water in the yard at some point below the level of the foundation.

On a level lot, gravity-driven drainage is not practical. On these lots, a sump pump is part of the drainage system. Underneath the basement floor, a sump pit is dug several feet deep and several feet in diameter. The drain tile pipes will empty into this pit. While the basement floor will be poured to cover the drain tile in its trenches, the sump pit will NOT be covered; instead, it will have a removable lid that will allow maintenance and/or replacement of the pump it will house, as well as allow for cleaning of the pit itself. The sump pump will mechanically suction and discharge the water as it collects in the pit, driving it through piping out of the foundation and discharging the water into the yard away from the home.

With both types of drainage systems, IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT THE DISCHARGE PIPE AND THE DISCHARGE OPENING REMAIN PROTECTED, INTACT, AND CLEAR THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE LIFE OF THE HOME. Mud that clogs the discharge end, or digging or heavy equipment that damage the pipe WILL result in the destruction of the system’s capacity to discharge water from the foundation, and, instead, the water will collect around the foundation, causing, over time, serious structural damage which will also lead to internal cosmetic damage, as well.

The B.O.L.D. Company is uniquely situated to help you through each and every step of the custom home building process, from financing and design/selections to construction and warranty service. We are available to build on your lot in Northern Kentucky, or let our licensed real estate agents help you find the perfect home site! Our in-house drafting and design team, together with our on-staff licensed Professional Engineer, can help you find or design the plan of your dreams! And of course, B.O.L.D. combines quality products and craftsmanship with unsurpassed customer service, so that the finished home is everything you expect and more. Find out why 400+ other new home customers have trusted The B.O.L.D. Company since 1986!

Builders Of Lifelong Dreams

Posted in Home Features, Home Maintenance, How to Build a Custom Home Series | No Comments »

HOW TO BUILD A CUSTOM HOME, Part 5: Design Features — Universal Design and Green Building

Friday, July 23rd, 2010

In this series, the professionals at the B.O.L.D. Company will take you through the process of building a custom home in the Greater Cincinnati – Northern Kentucky area. From plan and lot selection, to mortgage approval, to the actual construction, we’ll take you behind-the-scenes each week for an inside look at a different part of the process.

This week, we take a look at some important design considerations that should be a part of your floor plan “research and development”.

Savvy home designers are increasingly discovering the benefits of implementing features from the following categories: Universal Design and Green Building. These contemporary industry buzzwords sound great; but what do they actually mean to you and your new home?

  • Universal Design The National Association of Home Builders defines this category of home design as “the design of products and environments to be usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design.” What this means: taking advantage of common sense features that make your home useable for, and marketable to, people of all shapes, sizes, and conditions. Furthermore, it is a way of thinking about your house in relation to your future in it, including whatever life changes could affect you and your ability to remain in your home.
      • Living on one floor: Universal design does not preclude a second story or a finished basement. Simply put, the design enables the ability to perform all of the main functions of the home – eating, sleeping, bathing – on the same floor. In this way, if your elderly parents come to stay, or a disabled friend comes to visit, or your own aging joints begin to trouble you, your home remains as hospitable and accessible as ever, to everyone.
      • Step-free accessibility: Universal design provides for access to the home and all of its main rooms without the barrier of steps. Furthermore, the use of doorway thresholds that are flush with the floor allow wheelchairs and other aids to enter more easily, and prevents others (especially those with an armful of groceries!) from tripping.
      • Wide passages and open design: Wide doorways (32-36 inches) and hallways (36-42 inches) allow wheelchairs and other aids sufficient space to more easily enter and maneuver around the home. Wide passages also make moving furniture easier! Extra floor space and an open floor plan allow room for more people and their needs, while lending flexibility to furniture placement and multi-purpose room use.
      • Safety features: Non-slip bathroom surfaces, handrails, and grab bars benefit everyone, but especially the elderly and the disabled. New design ideas are integrating both safety and style.
  • Green Building Everything is “green” these days: new homes are no exception. The fact of the matter is, several simple considerations CAN make a DRAMATIC difference in the efficiency and sustainability of your home. A little extra thought about placement of the home, products installed, and maintenance practices can save you money and peace of mind, while saving the earth’s resources. Energy Star
      • Passive solar heating: The position of the home, as well as the length, size, and location of overhangs and windows, can significantly affect the energy use of your home – and so, the cost, both monetarily and environmentally. In the winter, sunshine provides natural (and free!) heating energy; however, these come with chilly blasts of wind. In the summer, those rays of sun work against your energy efficiency, while the breezes can aid your cooling system.
      • Appliances: High-efficiency appliances, geothermal heating systems, and programmable thermostats all help to conserve energy resources and lower your energy bills. Look for the Energy Star label when selecting appliances.
      • Insulated garage doors and exterior entry doors, insulated can lights, adjustable door thresholds, and high-efficiency windows all contribute to maintaining comfortable temperatures without high energy use and cost.
      • Low-flush toilets and water-saving faucets conserve household water and lower utility bills.
      • Proper insulation and caulking are also necessary to capture the full benefit of your other energy-saving products.

At the B.O.L.D. Company, we pride ourselves on our commitment to both quality and sustainability. As the first 100% Energy Star Builder in the Northern Kentucky area, we continue to maintain the standards that ensure that each and every one of our homes passes evaluation by a third-party rater. Our homes are 20-30% more efficient than standard homes, saving our customers money and conserving resources for future generations. We also keep up with continuing education and the latest practices recommended by the National Association of Home Builders Green Building program.

We are also proud of our Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist who can help you incorporate the theories of Universal Design into your next home plan.

ASK THE BOLD COMPANY FOR MORE INFORMATION ON BUILDING A CUSTOM HOME

Builders Of Lifelong Dreams

Posted in Basement Remodeling, Green Building, Home Economics, Home Maintenance, How to Build a Custom Home Series, Remodeling | No Comments »

HOW TO BUILD A CUSTOM HOME, Part 1: Why Build a Custom Home?

Friday, June 25th, 2010

In this series, the professionals at the B.O.L.D. Company will take you through the process of building a custom home in the Greater Cincinnati – Northern Kentucky area. From plan and lot selection, to mortgage approval, to the actual construction, we’ll take you behind-the-scenes each week for an inside look at a different part of the process.

This week, we take a look at the decision so many homebuyers face: Build or Buy?

The advantages of building a new home are many:

  • Energy Star New homes are increasingly energy efficient and low-maintenance. New homes can save you up to 30% annually on utility costs. All components of the home are new and are of the latest design. Also, new homes are subject to the latest and strictest building codes and industry standards.
  • You choose the features that are important to you. Instead of choosing between House A with this feature you like and House B with that feature you like, when you build your own home, you can include all the features you like, and leave out the ones you don’t. This brings us to our next point:
  • Times change, and with them, colors, designs, and lifestyles. Like the boxy cars of the 1980s morphing into the sleek aerodynamic designs of today, homes and their component parts face style and design changes. Floor plans change with lifestyle changes. Today, new home customers are choosing to phase out formal living and dining rooms, while phasing in first floor master bedrooms, convenient laundry rooms, and a more open design overall. New home buyers are also more aware and concerned about issues such as environmental impact, indoor air quality, and the ability to gracefully age in place. The latest technologies found in a new home address each of these issues, and more.
  • See the house go up, inside and out. When you build a new home, you are there for the whole process. You see the empty hole in the ground, the framing and wiring prior to the drywall; you smell the brand-new paint and shiny new flooring. Are there curtain blocks over the windows? Are there electric plugs where you want to put your coffee table? There is a greater feeling of pride and of ownership – it is YOUR house, built for YOU based on YOUR wants and needs. BECAUSE:
  • Custom homes are all about YOU, not about the sale. The difference between purchasing a new CUSTOM home and a new production home is the quality and the focus. A custom home is focused on you and your needs. A production home is directed at a large group of potential customers, both in features and in price. While a custom home will include higher quality products, a production home will have more builder-grade-quality products, to keep the price in a range affordable to a greater number of people. And because you may not be around at the time of construction, you may not even be aware of many of these quality concessions hidden behind the finishes—but many of the concessions you WILL see and experience every day you live in the home.
  • New homes come with extensive warranties – not just from the home builder. Many of the components of the home have manufacturer’s warranties, from faucets, to doors and windows, to appliances, and more.
  • New homes are built in new communities, which tend to rise in value faster than older communities. Like home styles, community styles change. Home buyers begin looking for different features in their communities, whether it is pools, tennis courts, or walking paths, or convenience to the newest shopping centers and restaurants.

Of course, there are two sides to every story. It is important that you are aware of the challenges, as well as the benefits, and determine if they can be overcome:

  • Construction of a home takes TIME. The resale of a pre-existing home can close within thirty days, while construction of a new home takes four to six months, depending on the time of year and the kinds of weather and scheduling delays that can be expected.
  • Construction of a home also takes EFFORT. You may not be laying the bricks yourself, but you you WILL have to select the brick and color you want, and you will have to meet a deadline for the decision to avoid extra costs and delays. There will be lots of decisions to be made, large and small, throughout the process. An experienced professional, however, will prepare you to succeed and make each step as easy as possible– they know how early to begin making each decision, they can guide you toward the best products for your needs v. budget, and they can answer your questions each step of the way.
  • Unexpected costs get you overbudget easily if you are building a house on the side (in your spare time?) or if you are building a home for the first time. With an experienced professional home builder, staying on budget should not be an issue.
  • Financing can be difficult to obtain – possibly more difficult than for a pre-existing resale. Due to the current mortgage and economic conditions, financing can be a hurdle, but a professional homebuilder can help. We have the experience, knowledge, and contacts to help turn this “hurdle” into little more than a “speed bump.”

Contact The B.O.L.D. Company today for more information on why and how to build a custom home in the Cincinnati – Northern Kentucky area. The B.O.L.D. Company has design/built over 400 new custom homes since 1986, and no two are exactly alike. Our commitment to quality and craftsmanship are reasons why we have had the distinct privilege to build for some customers over again, and to build for relatives and friends of customers. Our participation in the EPA’s Energy Star Program and the NAHB’s Green Building Training Program keep us at the forefront of technology and innovation. But most of all, we owe our success to our desire to serve our customers and put their priorities first. After all, our most popular floor plan is called “You draw it, we build it!”

CONTACT THE B.O.L.D. COMPANY FOR MORE INFORMATION ON BUILDING A CUSTOM HOME

Builders Of Lifelong Dreams

Posted in Green Building, Home Economics, Home Features, Home Maintenance, Housing Economics, How to Build a Custom Home Series, Loans and Closings | No Comments »

Costs of Owning Surprises Some Buyers

Monday, June 7th, 2010

A small survey of first-time home buyers found that more than half of the families were surprised at how expensive it was to own a home, even though 88 percent believed they had done a good estimate of the costs.

The study for BBVA Compass, a lender based in Alabama, concluded that most lenders don’t warn buyers that there will be costs beyond principal, interest, taxes, and insurance.

Among those costs are utilities. The U.S. Department of Energy reported that the typical family spends $1,900 a year – $158 per month – on things like heat, air conditioning and power.

The National Association of Home Builders calculated that the typical buyer of a new home spends about $8,640 within the first 12 months for furnishings, appliances, and home repairs and fix-ups, while the typical buyer of a resale home spends $6,540.

Source: United Feature Syndicate, Lew Sichelman (06/06/2010)

Posted in Home Economics, Home Maintenance, Housing Economics | No Comments »

Lead Paint Rule’s Opt-Out Provision Ends July 6

Sunday, May 16th, 2010

The EPA has gone forward with its proposal to eliminate a provision to its Lead: Renovation, Repair and Painting rule that previously allowed owners of older homes to opt-out of the lead-safe work practices mandated by the rule if no children under six or pregnant women resided in their home. An amendment that makes this rule change official was published in the Federal Register on May 6, with an effective date of July 6. This means that after July 6, 2010, renovations in all 78 million pre-1978 homes could be subject to the new work practice standards as stipulated in the rule. This is despite EPA’s own estimates that a significantly smaller portion of homes — more like 38 million — still contain lead paint.

The new rules also require a post-renovation notification to be presented to the home owner. This means that the remodeler must give the property owner and/or residents a copy of the post-renovation checklist or similar form. Importantly, the EPA has also extended the expiration date for any certified renovator who completed his or her training before April 22, 2010. The new expiration date is July 1, 2015.

One more thing to keep in mind: the EPA has previously given notice that it is writing another rule to require more complex dust-wipe or clearance testing, effectively requiring remodelers to fill the role of lead-paint abatement workers. If approved, this rule would become effective in July 2011.

Posted in Home Maintenance, Home Safety, Lead Paint, Remodeling | No Comments »

New Energy Star Guidelines for 2011

Tuesday, April 27th, 2010

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing new, more rigorous guidelines for new homes that earn the Energy Star label. Compared to the current Energy Star guidelines, the new requirements will make qualified new homes at least 20 percent more efficient than homes built to the 2009 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) – slashing utility bills for qualified homes by 15 percent compared to IECC code-built homes.

The updated requirements will ensure that the government’s Energy Star label continues to deliver a significant increase in energy efficiency over homes that are built to code and standard builder business practices. These guidelines will go into effect in January 2011, although some builders may choose to adopt the new requirements earlier.

Key elements of the new guidelines for Energy Star qualified homes include:

· A Complete Thermal Enclosure System: Comprehensive air sealing, properly insulated assemblies and high-performance windows enhance comfort, improve durability and reduce utility bills.

· Quality Installed Complete Heating and Cooling Systems: High-efficiency heating and cooling systems engineered to deliver more comfort, moisture control and quiet operation, and equipped with fresh-air ventilation to improve air quality.

· A Complete Water Management System: Because Energy Star homes offer a tightly-sealed and insulated building envelope, a comprehensive package of flashing, moisture barriers, and heavy-duty membrane details is critical to help keep water from roofs, walls, and foundations for improved durability and indoor air quality.

· Efficient Lighting and Appliances: Look for Energy Star qualified lighting, appliances and fans helping to further reduce monthly utility bills and provide high-quality performance.

· Third-Party Verification: Energy Star qualified homes require verification by independent Home Energy Raters who conduct a comprehensive series of detailed inspections and use specialized diagnostic equipment to test system performance.

More information about Energy Star qualified homes: http://www.energystar.gov

Posted in Green Building, Home Economics, Home Features, Home Maintenance, Housing Economics | No Comments »

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