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Home Improvement Blog - On the Level is a home remodeling & repair blog to keep you informed on the products and trends that we see in the field.
This 7-setting showerhead from Moen makes a great last-minute gift. |
Scrambling with some last-minute shopping? Fret no more--we have picked out a few choice items from our Holiday Gift Guide that are available at national store chains or for sale online with 1-day shipping. All you have to do is drive there, purchase and wrap or--even easier--browse, click and BOOM! Shopping done.
1) Yes, we've hyped the Propane Gauge a little bit, but what can we say? It's a must-have for any barbecuing enthusiast. Imagine never running out of gas just as the grill marks are settling in. Or better yet, imagine running out of gas with 20+ hungry guests expecting your famous blue-cheese burgers and grilled zucchini slices. Scary thought, right? For $25, that situation can be avoided forever.
2) Sockets are kind of like pairs of socks. The one you want can never be found. With the ReadyWrench, your loved one can replace that maddeningly incomplete socket set with just one hand tool, complete with 16 socket sizes. $30. Holster not included.
3) Every winter I curse the cold Canadian air blowing down from the north. I know I'm not alone. For that loved one with extra-sensitive extremities, consider gifting this pair of battery-operated Heated Gloves. $50 for warm hands in the dead of winter? Yes, please.
4) If traditional corks have been replaced by "fakes," shouldn't the traditional corkscrew follow? Enter the Electric Rabbit Corkscrew. No more hand twisting, pulling, or tugging of any kind. The corkscrew locks into the bottle and pulls the cork straight out--real or plastic--in seconds. Because not all good things should be waited for.
5) "Do all" tools are sometimes regarded with healthy skepticism by handy folk. Every now and then, though, a multi-tool comes along with serious cred. The Dremel Oscillating Multi-Max walks that walk, swapping project hats with ease to tackle all the cutting, grinding, scraping and sanding that your fixer-upper can throw at it. Just don't plan on seeing its gift recipient for some time, at least until after a few test runs.
6) Last-minute shopping never looked--or felt--so thoughtful. This brushed nickel showerhead from Moen (pictured above) can wash away all those Holiday stresses in 7 different spray pattern ways, and it will look good doing it, too. A spiral-pattern spray face ensures that the whole body is enveloped in water--regardless of the setting. An easy-to-use spray selector quickly changes the showerhead from "Relaxing," to "Invigorating, to "targeted massage, to any of the other four settings and back again. No wonder it's part of the Inspire line. You'll look inspired, too, for picking it up as a last-minute gift for your loved one. Available at Lowes for just under $50.
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Just a thin strip of Thermablok has enough insulating quality to prevent a blowtorch from igniting these matches. Good luck, cold weather! |
The people at NASA have every right to toot their own horn. They routinely send people into space, they've found water on the moon and they've sent a number of funny-looking ATVs off-roading on the surface of Mars. So I won't hold it against them that they have their own NASA Spinoff magazine, showcasing the NASA-inspired products and technologies that have permeated into our everyday.
One such product that came across my desk is Thermablock. An aerogel product manufactured by Acoustiblok, Thermablock installs directly to the edges of wall studs, prior to the installation of drywall, to prevent "thermal bridging," or heat loss due to conduction. As the most insulating technology known to man, aerogel was used to solve the space shuttle's problem of keeping the liquid hydrogen (the shuttle's fuel and also the second coldest liquid on the earth) at its maintained temperature of -423° F without causing a potentially hazardous build-up of ice on the outside of the external fuel tank and other parts of the fuel launching system. The flexible aerogel solution has since been used in numerous cold-weather applications, including pipelines and cold weather clothing.
As a wall stud insulating product, the Thermablok aerogel--installed as 1/4-inch thick and 1 1/12-inch wide peel-and-stick strips -- can increase the wall insulation factor of a residence by as much 42%. In an example cited by Acoustiblok, this would reduce the annual energy costs of a typical 2,400 square foot Midwestern home by $700. No wonder then that Thermablok earned its place as one of NASA's top 49 spinoff products of 2009.
There is talk of Thermablok distribution through Lowe's and Home Depot. In the meantime, ask your homebuilder or contractor about using the product in any new home construction or renovation.
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KaBOOM! is a charity committed to putting a playground within walking distance of every home. |
Feeling that Holiday spirit of giving? Not sure who to help? Well look no further. We're highlighting 10 worthy, national charities and encouraging everyone to give what they can.
Welcome to the fourth installment in our 10-part Charity Blog Series. When I was growing up in the suburbs outside of Pittsburgh, my brothers and I lived in a neighborhood within walking distance of our elementary school. In fact, our house was just up the hill (a great sledding hill) from the school. One of the greatest moments of my life in that neighborhood was when our community came together to build--in just one day--a massive, sparkling playground just behind the school. I remember my job that day was to soap up all the nails so they could be pounded through the lumber easily.
I spent half my waking hours on that playground, inventing and playing all sorts of hide-and-seek games, projecting myself off of the swing set at unsafe speeds and heights and generally having a blast.
KaBOOM!, a national charity based out of Washington, D.C., is trying to give that same experience to kids all over the country. Their tag-line, "It Starts With a Playground," sums up what they're all about: making sure a playground is within walking distance of every kid in the country. Although the organization is itself credited with building hundreds of playgrounds across the country each year, KaBOOM! wisely concluded that the best way to achieve their stated goal would be to empower communities to build playgrounds themselves. To wit, KaBOOM's website has become a treasure trove of knowledge and resources for those communities and neighborhoods big on initiative but short on know-how. Everything from fundraising ideas to surface preparation to actual playground plans can be found at KaBOOM.org. Of course there's also a place to donate as well. "The notion of building a playground on your own is pretty daunting," says Mike Vietti, Communications Manager for KaBOOM! "We've had hundreds and hundreds of groups use our DIY tools to build playgrounds at elementary schools and parks all over the country."
And you don't need to build an entire playground from scratch to make use of KaBOOM's knowledge center. They include plenty of plans and step-by-steps for "side projects"--call them "playground improvement projects"--like benches, shading areas, storage for backpacks and such and more.
I've seen those ad campaigns on the networks promoting national programs to get kids off the couch and outdoors, and I think they're great. It's what this country needs. KaBOOM! is just giving those kids a place to go once they do get off the couch. And that makes them a worthy charity, indeed.
Have you ever helped build a playground in your neighborhood?
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Be sure to follow a few important steps when looking to waterproof a basement or crawl space. Photo courtesy of Crawlspace Doctor. |
Just about every week there is a new homeowner writing in our Fix It Forum for advice on keeping a basement or crawl space waterproof.
This recent Fix it Forum post about water in the crawl space -- coming up through the vents -- made me look for tips in hiring a professional to handle the job.
As when hiring any contractor to work on your home, it's important to follow certain steps when hiring a waterproofing expert to avoid getting scammed or swindled. Fortunately, the good folks at basementwaterproofingpro.com have put together a handy list for homeowners to follow when looking for a suitable basement or crawl space waterproofing expert. Some of the advice is common sense and can apply to any home improvement contractor, e.g. "ask for references" and "check the Better Business Bureau."
But two steps on their list that stood out were:
1) "Look at their equipment," and
2) "Watch for the type of backfill used."
I like the first one because a contractor with well-maintained equipment indicates (hopefully) an eye for detail and pride in one's work and profession.
The second tip caught my eye because it is a subtle detail that few homeowners probably consider, or even know to consider. According to the site, trenches dug around the home should be backfilled with "clean #57 limestone," which provides great drainage. Unfortunately, unscrupulous contractors have been known to substitute slag for limestone, which can give off a sulfurous smell and eventually solidifies, preventing proper drainage.
Two good tips to consider when hiring a waterproofing expert.
Have you had to deal with water in your basement or crawl space? Tell us about your solution.
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Installed below the faucet, the Automist shoots a fine mist into the kitchen, suppressing any fire. |
Last week I left the homestead in Vermont for a two-day trip to Boston. Somewhere on Interstate 89 in New Hampshire I got to thinking about the range oven and whether or not I had turned off one of the burners after making tea. There was no way I was going to turn around, so I had to convince myself that I would not return two days later to find the home a charred and smoldering heap.
Fortunately, my worst fears were not realized.
But what if forgetfulness really had set in? Without a sprinkler system in place, the home could easily have gone up in flames in no time.
This frequent scenario prompted the invention of the Automist, a fire suppression system that installs between your faucet and your sink, connects with the main water feeds and projects a fine water mist into the kitchen air in the event of a fire. The whole system is connected to a wireless fire alarm, installed in the ceiling of the kitchen. When any part of the kitchen is set on fire, the wireless fire detector initiates the Automist, which employs a small high-pressure pump that sprays mist through an emitter and into the kitchen. This creates an "inert atmosphere," robbing the fire of oxygen and suppressing the blaze.
A winner of the James Dyson Award, the Automist will be launching in the UK later is Spring; a US launch is in the works as well. The device will retail for £410 without the wireless heat detector transmitter/receiver or £560 with it. No word yet on a US price, but already you're looking at a fraction of the cost of installing an overhead sprinkler system.
If you go to the Automist site, be sure to watch the videos of the device in action.
Ever dealt with a fire in the kitchen? Tell us about it.
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One wounded veteran outside his new home, built by Homes for Our Troops. |
Feeling that Holiday spirit of giving? Not sure who to help? Well look no further. We're highlighting 10 worthy, national charities and encouraging everyone to give what they can.
Welcome to the third installment in our 10-part Charity Blog Series. Calvin Coolidge, 30th President of the United States, once said that "the nation which forgets its defenders will be itself forgotten." It's a quote that came to mind when writing about this next charity, Homes for Our Troops. Founded in 2004, the Massachusetts-based charity has committed to building specially adapted homes for severely injured veterans all across the country. Over 40 homes have already been built and 20+ more are in the build phase (see the project map), each one designed to meet the specific needs and challenges of its wounded American Hero occupant.
The cool thing about Homes for Our Troops is that it gives builders, businesses and individual volunteers a way to contribute beyond the customary donation. Licensed professionals can volunteer their service on a nearby HFOT home to go up; businesses--like manufacturers or distributors--can donate building materials; and individuals can sign on to coordinate food and fundraising for each home building project. Of course if your inclination is to make a financial contribution, donations are taken as well.
Not surprisingly, the Charity Navigator lists Homes for Our Troops as one of the fastest growing charities.
If you want to donate to more than just Homes for Our Troops, check out the two earlier charities from our series: Family Promise and the National Alliance to End Homelessness.
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Sadly, this picture is not in HD, because the bulb is still in the package. Photo courtesy of The Consumerist. |
If you believe in coincidences, you might call it one that, only days after we blogged about a $99 LED bulb, the shopping-savvy folks over at The Consumerist would feature a short piece about these HD Light bulbs for sale.
Made by OttLite, the "High Definition Natural Lighting™" bulbs come in 13, 15 and 18 Watt versions and run anywhere from $12.95 to $24.99 for a single replacement bulb. Not quite as expensive as the GeoBulb III, but then again I doubt the OttLite bulbs last 50,000 hours either.
But that's not what this is about. This is about a bulb that's going to change my life. Have I been living a life of Standard Definition this whole time, lighting my home with 480i bulbs? What clarity of vision have I been missing out on? Just imagine how the ping pong ball would look if I used OttLite's HD bulbs in the fixtures over head. I would see every imperfection in the ball, every tiny black mark left by the paddle, every subtle change in spin, right?
You know who this bulb is perfect for? The same people who walk into a Best Buy, look at the 1080p HD LCD playing a basketball game and say "it looks better than if you were there at the game." People, nothing looks better on a television than actually being there.
A bulb won't change my world from SD to HD. Credit to OttLite for preying on the gullible, but I'll be shopping around for less expensive CFLs or LEDs...even if they only illuminate my world in 480i.
Have you used an HD light bulb?
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