How to patch hardwood floorboards | merrypad

The honest to gosh-darn-goodie truth about this project? I refinished the hardwood floors shortly after moving in, and in doing a thorough job at the time, I removed a threshold that sat beneath the bifold door in my stairwell closet. There are a number of reasons I never reinstalled the little sucker, but I attribute it mostly to the fact that the threshold sat a little too proud and impeded the smooth flow of the closet door opening and closing. Off with it?s head. Of course, removing it for the sake of refinishing the floors and deciding not to reinstall doesn?t mean that I didn?t?for whatever reason leave the threshold sitting directly next to the closet in the stairwell. It?s such a weird thing for me to have done, admittedly, something comparable to leaving a pair of holey socks on the bathroom floor? for three years.

I did ambitiously?replace the trim and the bifold door earlier this year, and the new smooth-operatin? door made it even more apparent that the floor needed to repaired fully. I wish I could say that it was one of those half-done home improvement projects that you can disguise by shutting the closet door, but as you can see in that above picture it was always pretty obvious that the floorboards ended abruptly. Even worse, the closet looked especially menacing when I had the bifold door open, exposing a legit black hole into the depths between the floor and first story?s ceiling. If you really want to know, it?s filled horrifically with dog fur, scraps of drywall (from previous homeowners, I presume), dirt, screws, pieces of wood, and unreachable toys. For real.

I?ve some sense of ambition to complete this project ever since I salvaged some oak floorboards a few months ago. Flashback to the springtime of 2012: Pete and I stumbled on a roadside stash of oak floorboards in our neighborhood, a towering pile from which we selected about 20 boards, complete with originally thorny nails, and carefully drove them home to recycle and repurpose. The nails themselves came out easily, and the clean boards have been ready for a new project for quite a while now. Most of our stash is pretty damage-free. Boards that we left behind on the side of the road were?noticeably?water-damaged or scratched, but our supply is exceptional.

These salvaged floorboards, while being very close in color to the natural hardwoods that already flow through my home, are slightly wider, but in this case where the extra boards would be used in a doorway to a closet, I wasn?t concerned about them looking out of place to the untrained eyeball.

To patch the offending gap in the wooden floor, I decided to employ a few of these boards and the nail gun loaded with 1-1/2? brads. After measuring the space, I cut the first board to length.

The most notable issue as I prepared to install this first board was that the existing floorboard on the edge had suffered quite a bit of damage over time. Not only did it appear to have been sawn unevenly lengthwise in one section, but it was also gouged in three other areas. The damage was very obvious when I tried to line up a new board flush to the old edge.

The easy solution was to remove that troubled and damaged floorboard with a pry bar, and replace it with one of the scrap boards.

As I prepped the area, I also removed the base shoe trim. The new floorboard that I installed was sized to fit easily in the space that the existing board occupied and it went in effortlessly. You can really see here how close in original color and width these salvaged floorboards are to the originals, save for some staining on the boards in my own staircase.

All other floorboards in the home are?noticeably?nailed from the top of the board, which is why I turned to the nail gun to install these salvaged piece too. The gun releases the nail with enough power for it to anchor slightly beneath the surface of the board, rendering the nail heads nearly invisible and barely discernible to the touch.

I took one measly shortcut in this project. What I will note is that because the bifold door was installed already, I installed the floorboards around the metal base that you see in these pictures. I could have removed the metal footer, shortened the entire bifold door an inch, reinstalled the footer, and been left with a gap greater than 1? between the bottom of the door and the top of the floorboards. This worked better, and I won?t be replacing the door myself again anytime soon so I expect it to serve us quite nicely.

I had some scraps of base shoe from when I did the bathroom, office, and kitchen, so I fit in a few custom cut pieces to suit the newly repaired stairwell and caulked the joints clean.

It should go without saying, but it is obvious that these new floorboards were installed after the existing floor. They?re much, um, nicer than the boards that occupy the rest of the landing, the ones that look like they were peed on repeatedly. I should note that the discolorations on the existing floorboards were found when I removed the carpet and remained prominent even after the floors were refinished. Please let this be enough reason for you to never spill/urinate/saturate the carpet that covers your home?s natural hardwoods. I?m optimistic that with a quick sanding and refinishing of this landing that the new boards will blend in a little more naturally.

With the trim repaired and the door back on, the unsightly gap in the floorboards is now fully corrected. Checking this off my list was a make-me-feel-good moment if I?ve never had one before.

P.S. I?ve never built a dog house, but after scoping out a gallery on DIY Network you can be sure it?s on my list for springtime. See the modern designs that I liked best in today?s bonus post on The Pegboard!

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Source: http://www.merrypad.com/2012/10/30/patch-a-hardwood-floor/

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Commonwealth plan adds new Pennsylvania real estate opportunities

Five properties from the Pennsylvania state inventory will soon be up for sale after recent approval of the 2012 Real Property Disposition Plan. The five pieces of new real estate will add to a plan hoping to save money and generate revenue for the commonwealth by putting these properties onto local tax rolls.

The properties could be a very attractive purchase for both business and casual real estate investors alike. As the biding continues to progress, state officials seem optimistic about the mutually beneficial impact these sales could create for the commonwealth of Pennsylvania as well as the successful bidder.

The sites approved for sale under the Commonwealth plan will include the Embreeville Center, Allentown State Hospital, Weaversville Secure Treatment Facility, Northampton Fort LeBoeuf Museum, and a parcel on the DGS Annex that formerly was Harrisburg State Hospital. Moving forward, the state will soon be conducting land and environmental appraisals in preparation to bring these properties to the market by the spring.

Each real estate investment comes with its own unique set of circumstances. Purchasing the property is just the beginning. It is important to understand what you are getting into before taking interest to the next level.

Many setbacks may occur whiling taking a real estate project from start to finish. Property leasing, purchase and sales agreements, as well as land use and zoning restrictions, are a few of the handful of problems that may surface in a real estate investment. Those looking to purchase and develop real estate may benefit from the hands-on knowledge and experience legal help can provide.

Source: Lehigh Valley Business, "Sale of two state-owned Valley properties planned," Katherine Schneider, Oct. 24, 2012

Source: http://www.philadelphiarealestatelaw.com/2012/10/commonwealth-plan-adds-new-pennsylvania-real-estate-opportunities.shtml

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Sandy takes a nasty bite out of NYC infrastructure

Justin Lane / EPA

A police officer crosses over police tape at a closed subway station on Tuesday after Sandy drenched New York City.

By James Eng, NBC News

Updated at 9:16 p.m. ET: The unprecedented surge from Sandy?s floodwaters took a bite out of the core of the Big Apple's infrastructure, knocking out power to electrical substations and crippling a subway system used daily?by more than 4 million people.

The storm?s impact should be a wake-up call that the city ? and the rest of the nation ? needs to better prepare for the dangers of the coastal flooding, which is likely to become more frequent in the decades ahead, experts say.

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For now, the loss of power and a way to get around adds up to a major headache for many New Yorkers, and a hazard to some.

?The work of getting our mass transit grid and our power grid restored ? is going to take more time and a lot of patience,? New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg said at a Tuesday morning?press conference. ?Our administration will move heaven and earth to help them.?

New York City's Mayor Michael Bloomberg says that at least 10 people were killed during Sandy and the storms' "path of destruction will be felt for some time."

New York?s subway system, one of the largest ? and oldest ? mass-transit systems in the world, was shut down Monday in advance of the superstorm.

Bloomberg said Tuesday it could be ?a good four or five days? before subways are back up and running, though Metropolitan Transit Authority Chairman Joseph Lhota cautioned it's?too early to say how long it will take to restore full service.?

Floodwaters swamped at least seven subway tunnels under the East River, and transit officials called the damage unprecedented.

?The New York City subway system is 108 years old, but it has never faced a disaster as devastating as what we experienced last night,? Lhota said in a statement. ?Hurricane Sandy wreaked havoc on our entire transportation system, in every borough and county of the region. It has brought down trees, ripped out power and inundated tunnels, rail yards and bus depots.?

Nearly 14 feet of water rushed into lower Manhattan, shorting out the ConEd power station and destroying cars and homes. As a result, the city's subway system will remain out of service for several more days as cleanup begins. NBC's Anne Thompson reports.

Bloomberg said the advance shutdown and the MTA?s temporary moving of much of its ?rolling stock? of trains to higher ground may have spared the system from even more serious damage.

But the immediate fix for the flooded system isn?t simply pumping water out of the tunnels.

Unlike rainwater, the corrosive saltwater whipped up by Sandy could damage much of the subways? electrical parts and equipment, says Radley Horton, an associate research scientist with the Center for Climate Systems Research at Columbia University.

Reuters

A boat rests on tracks at Metro-North's Ossining Station on the Hudson Line on Tuesday in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, in New York.

?Saltwater and electricity don?t mix. Even after that water is removed, it?s going to take some time to replace the electrical equipment, test signals, that sort of thing,? Horton says.

In a statement released Tuesday night, MTA Chairman Joseph Lhota cited "unprecedented challenges" the transportation authority faces as it tries to restore service, including flooding "up to the ceiling in the city's South Ferry subway station and? 43 million gallons of water in each tube of the Hugh L. Carey Tunnel.

Lhota said city buses are back on the road for limited service and will almost be at normal strength by morning.

Other potentially serious infrastructure damage wrought by Sandy, according to Horton:

• Electrical generation ? Some major distribution points were reported out. Con Edison said Tuesday that 780,000 homes and business lost power.?The utility?cut electricity to some areas to save its equipment and a transformer exploded at a plant on 14th Street in Manhattan, blacking out others.?Con Ed officials called the power failures ?the largest storm-related outage in our history.?
• Wastewater treatment plants ? New Yorkers rely on these facilities to treat sewage and wastewater from homes and businesses before releasing it into waterways surrounding the city.?Located at sites around the city, many of these plants were overwhelmed during Hurricane Irene last year.

Many of the city?s major roadways and bridges seem to have escaped catastrophic damage. Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that five of the MTA?s seven bridges were fully inspected and reopened at noon on Tuesday. The two Rockaway bridges, Cross Bay Veterans Memorial and Marine Parkway-Gil Hodges bridges, and the Hugh L. Carey and Queens Midtown Tunnel remain closed. Buses were being phased back into service, with a?full schedule expected for Wednesday.?

Andrew Burton / Getty Images

Superstorm Sandy made landfall Monday evening on a destructive and deadly path across the Northeast.

Authorities were?still assessing damage to New York's three major airports, and?thousands of flights were canceled across the Northeast.?"We are focused on reopening as quickly as possible. But we will not compromise safety," Pasquale DiFulco, a spokesman for the Port Authority, told Reuters. "We need to walk the runways and make sure there's no debris."

The damage was so severe that Sandy should serve a wake-up call to cities around the world about the extreme threat posed by coastal flooding, scientists say.

Klaus Jacob, a geophysicist and senior research scientist at Columbia University, told PRI?s The World:

?We had one wake-up call last year under the name of Irene. We got away with less than we will most likely incur from Sandy,? says Jacob. ?The question is how many wake-up calls do we need to get out of our snoozing, sleeping, dreaming morning attitude? We have to get into action. We have to set priorities and spend money. For every one dollar invested in protection you get a return of four dollars of not-incurred losses.?

Horton, who was on a blue-ribbon commission that in 2009 examined the MTA and environmental sustainability, said one of the report?s main recommendations was to focus on flexible approaches in adapting to climate hazards.

?In some ways this is the greatest transit system in the world, but I think we?re in uncharted waters,? Horton told NBC News.

Insurance may soften blow of Sandy's economic hit?

?I hope this storm is a wake-up call not just to our region ?. but also nationally to help get adaptation on the map and help people understand the extent to which sea level rise will increase the frequency of coastal flooding events,? Horton said.

?Even if storms do not become stronger in the future and we get a relatively small amount of sea level rise, the frequency of coastal flooding events may triple by end of this century simply because the average sea level will be higher.?

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo agreed that officials need to think about ways to better protect the nation's most populous city from storms that have been increasing in both intensity and frequency.

?We have to resist the temptation for people to say, 'This is a once-in-a-100-years event; let?s just fix it and move forward,?? Cuomo was quoted as saying.

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Source: http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/10/30/14808701-sandy-leaves-nyc-subway-system-infrastructure-licking-its-wounds?lite

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Assassin's Creed 3 -- A Gaming Revolution - G4tv.com

Assassin's Creed 3 is the final chapter in the story of Desmond Miles, the once-reluctant assassin, who with the help of his ancestors and the animus may be the key to saving the world. Did I mention this game takes place during the American Revolution? It's a lot to take in but if Assassin's Creed 3 delivers, it will be the ultimate conclusion to a thrilling story.

If you're worried, let Morgan Webb ease you off that ledge before you jump into a pile of hay. This game delivers and then some. Find out why in our Assassin's Creed 3 Review.

"This game has a ridiculous amount of content. There are whole portions of the game and major mechanics that I haven?t even mentioned here. There are endless collectables that you actually want to collect, like peg leg trinkets that open up pirate-style searches for hidden treasure. There are hidden forts that need to be liberated, chests that need to be looted, and citizens that need to be saved. There are missions to liberate zones in both New York and Boston that eventually let you recruit new assassins to your cause. You then send these assassins on missions of their own, or just use one of their many modes, such as ambush, bodyguard, or marksman, to make your own life easier. The naval and land based missions are all replayable with additional objectives for full synchronization. There are multiple groups that each offer side challenges, such as a hunt for Bigfoot. If you want to unlock fast travel locations, you?re going to need to explore the extensive underground tunnels. Just when you think you?ve done everything, you find more fully voiced missions, more things to collect, and more bad guys to kill."

For all the reasons you need to check out AC3, read our full Assassin's Creed 3 Review.

Source: http://www.g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/729228/assassins-creed-3-a-gaming-revolution/

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New England poultry producers may see effects from Sandy

ScienceDaily (Oct. 30, 2012) ? Instead of an early snowfall this time of year, farmers along the eastern seaboard are dealing with flood waters and wind damage from Hurricane Sandy, which is expected to affect everything from poultry production to grocery prices.

In Maryland and Delaware, states ranked in the top 15 in young meat chicken production, the storm's aftermath could cause a domino effect, with power outages, transportation disruptions, and a potential lack of feed having a life-threatening result on poultry flocks.

With Mississippi among the top five states in poultry production, professors such as Mary Beck, poultry science department head at Mississippi State University, are no strangers to how storms can influence the poultry market.

"Loss of power could affect the environment in chicken houses that could increase or decrease temperatures. Most poultry operations, however, should have back-up generators," Beck said. "Producers also are trying to make sure they have enough feed on hand to outlast the effects of the storm, in case hauling becomes an issue."

Beck said poultry farmers also may have sped up production to decrease birds in houses and provide more product in stores for consumers who need to increase their food supplies in the storm's wake.

"Having product on the shelves could affect pricing due to increased demand, and if the trucking industry is unable to make deliveries, there could be difficulties with supply," she said.

Transportation also becomes an issue if and when fuel deliveries to farmers are impacted. Tob Tabler, MSU Extension poultry specialist and professor, "If generators run out of fuel, then providing feed and water to flocks becomes a major issue. If there are power outages and no fuel for generators, environmental conditions -- temperature, ventilation, lighting -- are a big concern," said.

The milder temperatures of fall see farmers with lower fuel and electricity inputs, and this can mean better bird performance for the season.

Beck said, "Temperatures are not severe right now, so under normal circumstances fall is a good time to raise poultry. Very young birds tolerate heat better and older ones tolerate cold better, for short periods of time."

While final numbers on any losses to the poultry industry could be weeks away, MSU agricultural economists who have witnessed the impact of hurricanes on the Magnolia State say the storm's impact on food pricing shouldn't be felt in the long term in the urban region where Sandy came ashore.

John Michael Riley, an MSU Extension specialist and professor, said he sees this storm's aftermath having "short term shock" on New Englanders.

"Since these are not big agriculture production states such as Missouri or Kentucky, I see this as a short term consumption concern mainly involving restaurants and grocery stores," he said.

Keith Coble, MSU Giles Distinguished Professor in Agricultural Economics, agreed. "There will definitely be short term disruptions, potential for price gouging, and more. But, I do predict things will get re-established very quickly," he said.

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Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_environment/~3/q0J9n9bfqsc/121030142240.htm

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Homelessness: An Issue for Tennessee Schools, Students and ...

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Nashville, TN ? The number of homeless students attending public schools in Tennessee has increased substantially since a national economic downturn that began in late 2007, according to a report recently released by the Comptroller?s Offices of Research and Education Accountability.

Nationwide, the number of homeless students grew from 679,724 to 939,903 from the 2006-2007 academic year to the 2009-2010 academic year ? an increase of about 38 percent. In Tennessee, the percentage increase was much higher over the same time span. The number of homeless students in Tennessee grew from 6,565 to 11,458 ? a jump of about 74 percent.

There?s also evidence to suggest that not all of Tennessee?s homeless students were counted. Several surrounding states (including Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky and Louisiana) have identified significantly higher numbers of homeless students. And some school districts in areas of Tennessee with high unemployment and/or high foreclosure rates have identified no homeless students at all.

The increase in homeless students may be attributable to job losses and other difficulties related to the economy that have affected families, but they may also be the result of some school districts? improved efforts to identify homeless students.

The federal McKinney-Vento Education for Homeless Children and Youth Act requires that each school district appoints a local homeless education coordinator, whose responsibilities include ensuring that school personnel identify homeless children and provide access to the same public educational services available to other children.

The federal law addresses some of the problems that homeless children have confronted in enrolling, attending and succeeding in school. The law defines homeless children as those who lack fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residences.

The effects of homelessness on children?s educational progress are significant. According to research cited by the National Center on Family Homelessness, compared to their housed counterparts, children who are homeless:

• Are four times more likely to show delayed development
• Are twice as likely to have learning disabilities
• Have three times the rate of emotional and behavioral problems.

Because their families move frequently, homeless children tend to change schools and miss classes more often. Homeless students are more likely to repeat grades, be placed in special education or fail academically, all of which can lead to dropping out. Nationally, fewer than 25 percent of homeless students graduate from high school.

For more information, view the full report online.

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Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Homeless, Homeless Students, Kentucky, Louisiana, McKinney-Vento Education for Homeless Children and Youth Act, Nashville TN, National Center on Family Homelessness, Tennessee, Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury, Tennessee Schools, unemployment

Related posts

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Source: http://www.clarksvilleonline.com/2012/10/30/homelessness-an-issue-for-tennessee-schools-students-and-families/

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Generations.

The second generation of heroes hzve risen and with them so have villuans.

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Homeowners make green upgrades that pay for themselves| gree ...

Jan Shomaker doesn't have to look far to find the benefits of going green.

She remodeled her three-bedroom, two-bathroom Mission Viejo house to add energy-efficient lighting and appliances and natural ventilation to reduce summer cooling costs. Solar panels partially cover her roof, and solar tubes shoot light into dark rooms.

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Recouping upgrade costs in a sale

Homebuyers are more likely to pay extra for "green" upgrades that save money. Green-designated Realtors and others?said these components provide the most bang for your buck.

?Upgraded windows: Dual-pane or triple-pane windows reduce energy bills by up to 15%. Homeowners?may recoup 50-75% at sale.

?Energy-efficient appliances: Kitchen appliances?may recoup up to 90% of investment.

?Energy-efficient heating and cooling equipment: Newer equipment takes less energy and saves money.

?Insulation: Upgraded insulation is a positive when selling a home,?but cost usually does not get recovered. Less time on the market still is a plus. Insulated garage doors also reduce energy costs.

?Solar tubes:?Tubes channel natural light into interior, cutting electricity use.

?Extraction fans and attic vents:?These save on energy costs.?

?LED lighting: LED bulbs last longer, use less energy.

?Solar panels: Panels reduce electric bills,?but work best when a home?has other energy-efficient features.

Her average electric bill? Just 91 cents. A month.

A neighbor with a similar house pays $450 a month for power.

And there's another benefit. Shomaker, broker-owner of SPS Realty, estimates that her $10,000 investment in eco-friendly renovations and components has boosted her home's value by about $50,000.

"You save money by going green," she said, "if you've done it the right way."

More and more developers are building environmentally friendly homes in Orange County. And homeowners are seeing added incentives to retrofit older homes with green and energy-efficient features.

Now, there's some evidence that those efforts can pay off when the homes are sold.

A recent University of California study found that green-certified homes sell for about 9 percent more than similar homes that aren't green. The study compared 1.6 million conventional homes sold in California from 2007 through 2012 to 4,231 LEED-certified, Green Point Rated and Energy Star-rated homes sold in the same period. The sample included nearly 117,000 conventional homes and 723 green-certified homes sold in Orange County.

Among the findings: A $10,000 investment in green certification raised sales prices by an average of $34,800.

Price premiums were highest in areas with hotter climates and higher air-conditioning costs. Buyers also tended to pay more for green homes in areas with higher rates of hybrid-car ownership ? a sign of greater environmentalism dubbed the "Prius effect," the study said.

"These are kind of ballpark numbers," said study co-author Nils Kok, a visiting scholar at UC Berkeley who teaches finance and real estate in Holland. "(But) no matter how you twist and turn it, benefits (of green investments) outweigh costs."

The California study came on the heels of two industry surveys showing that homebuyers are willing to pay at least $5,000 extra for green homes, with two-thirds of buyers rating energy efficiency as important.

Kok noted that components that cut energy bills ? such as dual-pane windows, insulation and solar-electric panels ? matter most to homebuyers.

The cost benefits, however, aren't always apparent when looking at Orange County green homes.

Local agents say interest is high here in features that reduce utility costs.

Irvine broker Desiree Patno estimated that eco-friendly features add on average 2 percent to 5 percent to "a fully upgraded home with windows, solar, tankless water and light fixtures."

But agents Eileen Oldroyd of Mission Viejo and Erin Barry of Long Beach, who both have green Realtor designations, questioned whether homeowners get their full investment in green components back when they sell.

Homeowners can recoup anywhere from 50 percent to 90 percent of their investment in some eco-friendly features when a home sells, they said. Other features merely help a home sell quicker but have little effect on the home's sale price.

"In my opinion, you don't get 100 percent of improvements back on any property," said Oldroyd, a member of the Orange County Association of Realtors' green committee and owner of a car that uses recycled vegetable oil.

Oldroyd found five Orange County homes for sale that have green features or are green-rated, but were selling for about the same amount as comparable homes in their area or only slightly more.

Long Beach appraiser Rob McClelland, who teaches about green-building appraisals, says that green-certified homes are more likely to sell for a premium but not more than the amount invested.

"The reason they sell for more is they cost more to build," said McClelland, who does appraisals throughout Orange and Los Angeles counties. "The builder and the seller probably aren't going to make a profit on that."

There also are limits on how much buyers are willing to spend on green components.

Buyers are paying extra to add solar power and upgraded insulation to homes at KB Home's Whisler Ridge development in Lake Forest, said Steve Ruffner, the company's Southern California division president. The builder touted the development as the first "net-zero" tract home project in California.

But so far, none of the buyers has opted for the full "net-zero" package, which costs about $19,000 to $30,000 extra after federal rebates, he said. About half of the 58 Energy Star-rated homes have been sold.

"Solar probably is the winning option," Ruffner said. "It's the most efficient green add-on."

Many sellers and prospective buyers are not knowledgeable about the benefits of green upgrades, agents said.

Shomaker noted that the Terramor Village project at Ladera Ranch ? featured in books and national news articles about green homebuilding ? scarcely garners much attention for its eco-friendly features today. Out of 29 Terramor homes for sale, she said, only five had listings that mentioned the homes' green features.

"That's just a product of the owners not knowing what they have," Shomaker said.

Another roadblock, agents say, is that appraisers often don't take green features into account when assessing values for lenders.

Shomaker, chairwoman of the local Realtor green committee since its formation in 2009, persuaded her husband ? albeit reluctantly ? to do a green remodel on their home after the couple moved to Mission Viejo in 2006.

The Shomakers gutted the 1979 home, recycling wood and concrete from the driveway and rear patio. They removed the lawn, gave away palm trees and replaced landscaping with drought-tolerant plants and a shade tree. Habitat for Humanity removed cabinets, granite counters, sinks and lights to reuse in future projects

The couple also built extended eaves on front and rear patios to shield the house from summer heat. They installed solar attic fans to vent hot air and added dual-pane windows, wall insulation, attic heat barriers and a 50-year metal roof coated to reflect sunlight.

A tankless water heater and zoned heating and cooling system replaced conventional components. Fans and "awning" windows throughout keep the home cool at less cost than air conditioning. LED lighting, solar tubes channeling natural light into dark corners and 18 rooftop solar panels keep electricity costs down.

The Shomakers made their home 500 feet bigger, created large, open living areas and even clung to luxury items like a second refrigerator and wine cooler.

The project cost $160,000, but they would have spent all but $10,000 anyway, Shomaker said. Their combined gas, water and electric bills total $60 or less a month.

"It's the gift that keeps on giving," Shomaker said. Her husband, Allen, now retired and on a fixed income, has become a committed convert.

"You've got to start somewhere," said Allen Shomaker, a former marine clerk at the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles. "It may cost a little more, but it will save you money in the long run."

Contact the writer: 714-796-7734 or jcollins@ocregister.com

Related:

Source: http://www.ocregister.com/articles/green-375982-homes-home.html

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NYU Hospital Evacuation: Hurricane Sandy Power Failure Moves More Than 200 Patients

Breezy Point Fire

Damage caused by a fire at Breezy Point is shown Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2012, in the aftermath of superstorm Sandy, in the New York City borough of Queens. The fire destroyed between 80 and 100 houses Monday night in the flooded neighborhood. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Firefighters look up at the facade of a four-story building on 14th Street and 8th Avenue that collapsed onto the sidewalk Monday, Oct. 29, 2012, in New York. Hurricane Sandy bore down on the Eastern Seaboard's largest cities Monday, forcing the shutdown of mass transit, schools and financial markets, sending coastal residents fleeing, and threatening a dangerous mix of high winds, soaking rain and a surging wall of water up to 11 feet tall. (AP Photo/ John Minchillo)

Firefighters respond at the scene where the facade of a four-story building on 14th Street and 8th Avenue collapsed onto the sidewalk Monday, Oct. 29, 2012, in New York. Hurricane Sandy bore down on the Eastern Seaboard's largest cities Monday, forcing the shutdown of mass transit, schools and financial markets, sending coastal residents fleeing, and threatening a dangerous mix of high winds, soaking rain and a surging wall of water up to 11 feet tall. (AP Photo/ John Minchillo)

Vehicles are submerged during a storm surge near the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel, Monday, Oct. 29, 2012, in New York. Superstorm Sandy zeroed in on New York's waterfront with fierce rain and winds that shuttered most of the nation's largest city Monday, darkened the financial district and left a huge crane hanging off a luxury high-rise. (AP Photo/ John Minchillo)

The New York skyline remains dark Monday, Oct. 29, 2012, as seen from the Williamsburg neighborhood in the Brooklyn borough of New York. In an attempt to lessen damage from saltwater to the subway system and the electrical network beneath the city's financial district, New York City's main utility cut power to about 6,500 customers in lower Manhattan. But a far wider swath of the city was hit with blackouts caused by flooding and transformer explosions. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

This image from video provided by Dani Hart shows what appears to be a transformer exploding in lower Manhattan as seen from a building rooftop from the Navy Yard in Brooklyn during Sandy?s arrival in New York City. Much of New York was plunged into darkness Monday by a superstorm that overflowed the city's historic waterfront, flooded the financial district and subway tunnels and cut power to nearly a million people. (AP Photo/Dani Hart)

Hurricane Sandy Bears Down On U.S. Mid-Atlantic Coastline

NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 30: A darkened Manhattan is viewed after much of the city lost electricity due to the affects of Hurricane Sandy on October 30, 2012 in New York, United States. At least 15 people were reported killed in the United States by Sandy as millions of people in the eastern United States have awoken to widespread power outages, flooded homes and downed trees. New York City was his especially hard with wide spread power outages and significant flooding in parts of the city. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

East Coast Begins To Clean Up And Assess Damage From Hurricane Sandy

NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 30: People look at damage from a broken window in the financial district of Manhattan, October 30, 2012 in New York. The storm has claimed at least 16 lives in the United States, and has caused massive flooding across much of the Atlantic seaboard. US President Barack Obama has declared the situation a 'major disaster' for large areas of the US East Coast including New York City. (Photo by Allison Joyce/Getty Images)

US-WEATHER-STORM-SANDY

A construction crane dangles October 30, 2012 atop a 1.5 billion USD luxury high-rise in midtown Manhattan after collapsing in high winds as New Yorkers assess damage the morning after Hurricane Sandy made landfall. The death toll from superstorm Sandy has risen to 16 in the mainland United States and Canada, and was expected to climb further as several people were still missing, officials said Tuesday. Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and North Carolina reported 15 dead from the massive storm system, and Toronto police said a Canadian woman was killed by flying debris. AFP PHOTO / TIMOTHY A. CLARY (Photo credit should read TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP/Getty Images)

US-WEATHER-STORM-SANDY

A construction crane danglesOctober 30, 2012 atop a 1.5 billion USD luxury high-rise in midtown Manhattan after collapsing in high winds as New Yorkers assess damage the morning after Hurricane Sandy made landfall. The death toll from superstorm Sandy has risen to 16 in the mainland United States and Canada, and was expected to climb further as several people were still missing, officials said Tuesday. Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and North Carolina reported 15 dead from the massive storm system, and Toronto police said a Canadian woman was killed by flying debris. AFP PHOTO / TIMOTHY A. CLARY (Photo credit should read TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP/Getty Images)

US-WEATHER-STORM-SANDY

People look at destruction in South Street Seaport October 30, 2012 as New Yorkers clean up the morning after Hurricane Sandy made landfall. The storm left large parts of New York City without power and transportation. The death toll from superstorm Sandy has risen to 16 in the mainland United States and Canada, and was expected to climb further as several people were still missing, officials said Tuesday. Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and North Carolina reported 15 dead from the massive storm system, and Toronto police said a Canadian woman was killed by flying debris. AFP PHOTO / TIMOTHY A. CLARY (Photo credit should read TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP/Getty Images)

This photo taken Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2012, shows what appear to be transformers exploding after much of lower Manhattan lost power during hurricane Sandy in New York. Much of New York was plunged into darkness Monday by a superstorm that overflowed the city's historic waterfront, flooded the financial district and subway tunnels and cut power to nearly a million people. (AP Photo/Karly Domb Sadof)

Chad Meyers, an emergency room physician at Bellevue Hospital Center, walks down First Avenue near East 23rd Street after the facility experienced flooding and switched to emergency backup power early Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2012, in New York. For New York City, Sandy was not the dayslong onslaught many had feared, and the wind and rain that sent water sloshing into Manhattan from three sides began dying down within hours. Still, the power was out for hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers and an estimated 6.2 million people altogether across the East. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Furticella)

New York City firefighters battle a blaze on Rockaway Beach Boulevard on Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2012, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

New York City firefighters battle a blaze on Rockaway Beach Boulevard on Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2012, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

This photo provided by MTA Bridges and Tunnels shows floodwaters from Sandy entering the Hugh L. Carey Tunnel (former Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel), which was closed on Monday, Oct. 29, 2012. New York City shut all three of its airports, its subways, schools, stock exchanges, Broadway theaters and closed several bridges and tunnels Monday as the weather worsened. (AP Photo/ MTA Bridges and Tunnels) MANDATORY CREDIT

Water reaches the street level of the flooded Battery Park Underpass, Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2012, in New York. New York City awakened Tuesday to a flooded subway system, shuttered financial markets and hundreds of thousands of people without power a day after a wall of seawater and high winds slammed into the city, destroying buildings and flooding tunnels. (AP Photo/ Louis Lanzano)

The Staten Island Ferry terminal at Battery Park in lower Manhattan remains closed, Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2012, in New York. New York City awakened Tuesday to a flooded subway system, shuttered financial markets and hundreds of thousands of people without power a day after a wall of seawater and high winds slammed into the city, destroying buildings and flooding tunnels. (AP Photo/Louis Lanzano)

A tree leans against a house Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2012, in the Bay Ridge neighborhood in the Brooklyn borough of New York, while another tree lies on a taxi with a shattered rear window in the aftermath of superstorm Sandy. New York City awakened Tuesday to a flooded subway system, shuttered financial markets and hundreds of thousands of people without power a day after a wall of seawater and high winds slammed into the city, destroying buildings and flooding tunnels. (AP Photo/David Boe)

Lumber rests on a street below the Manhattan Bridge after being washed inland by flood waters superstorm Sandy, Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2012, in New York. New York City awakened Tuesday to a flooded subway system, shuttered financial markets and hundreds of thousands of people without power a day after a wall of seawater and high winds slammed into the city, destroying buildings and flooding tunnels. (AP Photo/ John Minchillo)

A pedestrian touches a fallen tree that crushed a parked car on East 7th Street in Manhattan's Lower East Side neighborhood, Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2012, in New York. New York City awakened Tuesday to a flooded subway system, shuttered financial markets and hundreds of thousands of people without power a day after a wall of seawater and high winds slammed into the city, destroying buildings and flooding tunnels. (AP Photo/ John Minchillo)

A fallen tree rests beside a parked car on East Broadway in Manhattan's Lower East Side neighborhood, Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2012, in New York. New York City awakened Tuesday to a flooded subway system, shuttered financial markets and hundreds of thousands of people without power a day after a wall of seawater and high winds slammed into the city, destroying buildings and flooding tunnels. (AP Photo/ John Minchillo)

Residents assess damage caused by a fire at Breezy Point, in the New York City borough of Queens Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2012, in New York. The fire destroyed between 80 and 100 houses Monday night in the flooded neighborhood. More than 190 firefighters have contained the six-alarm blaze fire, but they are still putting out some pockets of fire. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Homes damaged by a fire at Breezy Point are shown, in the New York City borough of Queens Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2012, in New York. The fire destroyed between 80 and 100 houses Monday night in the flooded neighborhood. More than 190 firefighters have contained the six-alarm blaze fire, but they are still putting out some pockets of fire. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Homes destroyed by a fire at Breezy Point are shown, in the New York City borough of Queens Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2012, in New York. The fire destroyed between 80 and 100 houses Monday night in the flooded neighborhood. More than 190 firefighters have contained the six-alarm blaze fire, but they are still putting out some pockets of fire. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

A landscape of destroyed homes is at Breezy Point, in the New York City borough of Queens Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2012 in the aftermath of superstorm Sandy. The fire destroyed between 80 and 100 houses Monday night in the flooded neighborhood. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Fire still burns at the scene of a fire in Breezy Point, in the New York City borough of Queens Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2012, in New York. The fire destroyed between 80 and 100 houses Monday night in the flooded neighborhood. More than 190 firefighters have contained the six-alarm blaze fire, but they are still putting out some pockets of fire. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Homes destroyed by a six-alarm fire at Breezy Point are shown, in the New York City borough of Queens Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2012, in New York. The fire destroyed between 80 and 100 houses Monday night in the flooded neighborhood. More than 190 firefighters have contained the six-alarm blaze fire, but they are still putting out some pockets of fire. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

East Coast Begins To Clean Up And Assess Damage From Hurricane Sandy

NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 30: Water floods the Plaza Shops in the wake of Hurricane Sandy, on October 30, 2012 in Manhattan, New York.The storm has claimed at least 16 lives in the United States, and has caused massive flooding across much of the Atlantic seaboard. US President Barack Obama has declared the situation a 'major disaster' for large areas of the US East Coast including New York City. (Photo by Allison Joyce/Getty Images)

Flooded streets of Hoboken, N.J., and the New York City skyline are seen in aftermath of Hurricane Sandy on Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2012 in Hoboken, NJ. (AP Photo/Charles Sykes)

Hurricane Sandy Bears Down On U.S. Mid-Atlantic Coastline

NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 30: A flooded street in the Dumbo section of Brooklyn is viewed after the city awakens to the affects of Hurricane Sandy on October 30, 2012 in New York, United States. At least 15 people were reported killed in the United States by Sandy as millions of people in the eastern United States have awoken to widespread power outages, flooded homes and downed trees. New York City was his especially hard with wide spread power outages and significant flooding in parts of the city. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

This photo provided by Dylan Patrick shows flooding along the Westside Highway near the USS Intrepid as Sandy moves through the area Monday, Oct. 29, 2012 in New York. Much of New York was plunged into darkness Monday by a superstorm that overflowed the city's historic waterfront, flooded the financial district and subway tunnels and cut power to nearly a million people. (AP Photo/Dylan Patrick) MANDATORY CREDIT: DYLAN PATRICK

Vehicles are submerged during a storm surge near the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel, Monday, Oct. 29, 2012, in New York. Superstorm Sandy zeroed in on New York's waterfront with fierce rain and winds that shuttered most of the nation's largest city Monday, darkened the financial district and left a huge crane hanging off a luxury high-rise. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

People brace against a gust from Hurricane Sandy in Brooklyn's Dumbo neighborhood Monday, Oct. 29, 2012, in New York. Residents of the neighborhood were ordered to evacuate because of the storm surge expected from the hurricane. Authorities warned that New York City and Long Island could get the worst of the storm surge: an 11-foot onslaught of seawater that could swamp lower areas of the city. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews)

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/30/nyu-hospital-evacuation-hurricane-sandy_n_2044026.html

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How to write good product marketing copy for the Web

This post is by guest blogger, Charles Born:

I could subtitle this ?How to Lose at Buzzword Bingo and Increase Sales? but this is not where I whine further about buzzwords and jargon. I did that in previous blogs (Buzzword Bingo and Avoiding the Buzzword Bingo Trap). All kidding aside, there is a time for professional jargon: when you know you?re speaking to an audience that understands you, and you need the extra specificity and precision that jargon can sometimes provide. If you?re using it outside of that then you?re probably not communicating clearly, honestly, or effectively.

In the web and social marketing world, online ?conversations? are the perfect opportunity to meet buyers? information needs with smartly targeted and informative content that buyers consider valuable. Unfortunately, Web copy is often written in less than ideal circumstances by product marketers who do not have the time to do it right.

The good news is that anyone who writes content can ensure that every chunk of text on the web is doing something concrete and useful. Good marketing copy accomplishes specific goals; just touting a product is not one of them.

Let?s look at an example. Here is a chunk of text displayed prominently on one company?s website:

With Product X advanced features, capturing and reporting product sales data in the cloud and in real-time can improve operational intelligence and provide insight that enables more effective strategic, tactical and effective decision-making. With Product X researching your online sales is FASTER!

What do we know about this product from the two statements? Intelligence and insight will be improved by capturing and reporting! And that will enable, among many other things, better tactical decision-making! And we end with a tag line ? in CAPITAL letters no less?with an exclamation point, indeed! Here we have a simple example of what happens when the goal of the writing is to fill up a web page with copy.

How do you approach writing product copy and potentially winning buyer attention and sales interest?

Just KIS ? Keep It Simple (not stupid)

Most product content needs to answer 4 basic questions:

1. Who is the product for?
2. What is the product?
3. What does the product do for its target user?
4. Why is the product better than the available alternatives?

The lack of answers to these really basic questions is what frustrates buyers in their journey and wastes marketing money on writing babble. To do it right, let?s look at the questions in more detail.

Who is the product for? Think of your target audience. Can they tell from this copy that you are speaking to them? Can other people outside your audience tell that you are NOT speaking to them?

What is the product? Try to write in conversational tone using short and simple sentences. Make sure you have spelled out, clearly and in simple language, what the product is and that the nouns as concrete as you can make them.

What does the product do for its target user? Be specific in laying out the product?s primary features and benefits in a clear, concrete way.

Why is this product better than the available alternatives? Here is where flowery prose needs to be edited. If you make a claim, give evidence for the claims clearly and without empty language that makes you look like boasting.

Answer these questions, and you?ll communicate more clearly and efficiently than the horde of companies who?ve filled their web product pages with the content equivalent of cotton candy.

Please share your tips and suggestions to making content work.

Source: http://revenueorchard.com/2012/10/30/make-your-content-work-for-a-living-4-simple-steps-to-better-product-marketing-content/

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Superstorm Sandy plows into Jersey shore

Hurricane Sandy began breaking up as it hit the New Jersey shore Monday evening on what's expected to be a destructive path across the Northeast, plunging more than 2 million into darkness, flooding beach towns and crippling transportation across a huge swath of the Eastern U.S.

Sandy made landfall at Atlantic City, N.J., about 6:45 p.m. ET, throwing off sustained winds of 90 mph, NBC New York reported.

The National Hurricane Center re-designated Sandy as a "post-tropical cyclone," saying it was rapidly losing its tropical characteristics as it merged into an enormous nor'easter. Regardless, it was still packing hurricane-force winds, and "it's only going to get worse," Mike Seidel, a meteorologist with The Weather Channel, told MSNBC from Point Pleasant, N.J.

"If you're in your home or somewhere safe where you can remain, stay there," New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg said. "The time for relocation or evacuation is over."

With hurricane-force winds extending 175 miles from its center, Sandy is as broad as any hurricane to ever hit the U.S., sucked in by the lowest central pressure ever recorded for landfall of a major storm in the continental U.S., said Bryan Norcross, a meteorologist with The Weather Channel.

About 2.2 million customers ? half of them in New York and New Jersey ? had already lost power. Schools, offices, roads and transit systems shut down across an area of 50 million people.

As Sandy's winds howled and rain poured over Atlantic City ? parts of which were already under 5 feet of water ? Gov. Chris Christie said Monday evening that it was now too late to evacuate.

"Rescue is no longer an option," Christie said at a news conference, where he sharply criticized Atlantic City Mayor Lorenzo Langford, whom he blamed for having "advised people to stay in shelters in the city."

"Despite my admonition to evacuate, he gave them comfort, for some reason, to stay," Christie said, NBCPhiladelphia reported.

PhotoBlog: US trading floors silent as Cyclone Sandy passes

And landfall "does not mean this is the end of the event," said Rick Knabb, director of the National Hurricane Center.

Weather Channel coverage of Sandy

That means, Knabb said, that "for many folks, it is just beginning":

• Surrounding buildings were evacuated after a multi-dwelling structure collapsed on 8th Avenue in New York, NBC New York reported. No one was believed to have been in the two-building, four-story structure, the interiors of which were visible from the street.
• Despite a mandatory evacuation order for 375,000 people living in low-lying areas Monday, many New Yorkers stayed put, hunkering down in in their homes.
• Hospitals across the Eastern Seaboard kicked disaster plans into place, telling emergency room crews to bring clothes and personal supplies to last several days.
• Business experts feared long-term, potentially catastrophic economic damage because of Sandy's tidal surge carries, which produces more damage than wind because water is heavier. U.S. stock exchanges didn't trade Monday and will be closed Tuesday. In Washington, federal offices closed Monday and Tuesday, and federal courts in affected areas announced that they would be shuttered.
• Thousands of flights were canceled, and rail traffic was heavily affected, with Amtrak canceling all of its Northeast Corridor service in addition to some other lines. Workers began shutting down New York City's subway, bus and commuter railroads Sunday night. The city's Holland and Brooklyn-Battery tunnels were shut down at 2 p.m. ET Monday.
• In New York, a crane atop a high-rise building under construction toppled overand was dangling over the side. Nearby offices and streets were evacuated.
• Out at sea, two people were missing after they and 14 others abandoned a replica of the HMS Bounty 90 miles southeast of Hatteras, N.C. The ship later sank in 18-foot seas.

Forecasters said the storm could bring close to a foot of rain in some regions, a potentially lethal storm surge across much of the coastline, and punishing winds that could cause widespread power failures that last for days.

"The size of this alone, affecting a heavily populated area, is going to be history-making," said Jeff Masters, a hurricane specialist for Weather Underground.

The immediate concern was beach erosion because Sandy was hitting during a full moon, which could lead to record flooding, NBC News meteorologist Al Roker said.

"It's the worst possible time," Roker said. "We're not even at the highest of high tides, and we've lost about 150 feet of beach."

BreakingNews.com's coverage of Sandy

Later on, Sandy is expected to collide with arctic air and a storm moving in from the west to create windy, wet, even snowy conditions far inland.

Winter storm warnings were issued through Wednesday morning for southwest Virginia and the East Tennessee mountains, where snow had already started falling. Forecasters said blizzard conditions were possible at elevations over 3,000 feet.

Share your images of Hurricane Sandy

Power failures, meanwhile, were expected to affect millions of residents and businesses and could continue through the presidential election, NBC meteorologist Bill Karins said.

"After the storm hits, expect the cleanup and power outage restoration to continue right up through Election Day," he said.

Before it made its way north, Sandy was blamed for the deaths of 65 people in the Caribbean.

More Hurricane Sandy coverage:

This story originally appeared on NBCNews.com.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/49593609/ns/weather/

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Boeing to sell 35 new 737 airplanes to Russia

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Best Follow This Advice For The Best Home Improvement Projects

Home improvement projects increase the value of your home, as well as the comfort of it. This article will show you just how easy it can be to make those changes that will give you the look that you want and the value that goes along with it.

Keep an eye on the weather. If the weather is generally not very nice where you live, refrain from putting in a patio. Installing a cover for the patio or wind-resistant barriers might help some, but if you?re not committed to putting out for these extras, scrapping the idea of outdoor improvements all together might be in order.

It is vital to get an expert?s advice for big home improvement tasks. Often if you just get a opinion you can save some money and time. Always consult a professional when you are renovating your home for the best advice.

Look around you; inspiration is everywhere. The more information you seek, the more likely you are to come across an idea that perfectly fits your wants and needs. Take a trip to the library, visit a book store, or pick up some decorating magazines. You can get some color swatches and fabric samples. Spend some time thinking about what you?d really like the end product to look like.

Get ceiling fans for the rooms you spend the most time in. You won?t need your air conditioner as much and it will help push hot air down in the wintertime. Many models of fans are able to reverse their blade direction, allowing on either forcing air up or down.

Difficulty Getting

A way to stop bugs from getting into your home, and saving money while you?re at it, is to simply seal openings or cracks. All you need is simple caulk, which is applied around your windows, along baseboards and any other areas that could have small openings to the outside. Once the caulk is dry, air will have difficulty getting out, and bugs and other pests will have difficulty getting in.

Before painting over a wall previously painted with glossy paint, prime the walls with a good primer. Using a primer will help the paint adhere better and prevent it from peeling. Priming may also reduce the amount of paint coats that need to be applied.

Make sure you get your contractor to sign documents before they begin any project. The best idea is to have the contract evaluated by your lawyer. Details like the warranty, work list and the dates of start and finish should be included in the contract.

Practice composting procedures to reduce waste. A compost pile allow you to recycle products such as coffee grounds, vegetables and egg shells. You will not throw out as much garbage and you will save money if you are billed by the amount of garbage you have.

Many people hire a home design specialist before beginning any home improvement projects. They can help you get the most for your money to get the look you are after. You don?t have to undertake every project on your own.

Develop a yearly budget to make home improvements. Anyone who owns a home and is able to commit a certain amount annually toward home maintenance ensures his or her home stays in tip-top condition. Place this money into a savings account specifically used for home repairs, and use it in the future.

Whenever you plan any home improvement project, make sure that you find out how to complete as much of it as possible on your own. You can save lots of money doing home improvement projects on your own. After all, you could pay a professional upwards of $50 an hour to work on your house. If you do it yourself, you can be proud of a job well done.

Septic Tank

You should frequently check on your septic tank. Purchase the chemicals needed to accelerate decomposition. When you are going to be digging, make sure you know where the septic tank is located. You can get a copy of your septic plat map at your local health department or at your county?s courthouse.

If you want to use a wood fireplace to heat your home, you should understand that it is not the best idea. It may be visually appealing but it does not offer true heating efficiency. In addition to heat loss up the chimney, fires require oxygen to burn, and that oxygen needs to come from within your home.

An important first step in home improvement projects is your plan for debris disposal. When you demolish aspects of your home, you will have heaps of refuse that must be safely stored and then disposed of properly. When you start, set aside some room for this debris.

Now that you?re done with this article, you should see that you?re capable of doing some improvements yourself. Take this advice to heart, and soon you?ll have the home you?ve always wanted.

Home Audio for sale

Source: http://www.laiguanateatro.com/follow-this-advice-for-the-best-home-improvement-projects/

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