It makes sense that an attic fan can save you money. After all, it keeps your top floor cool so you don't need as much air conditioning -- reducing your bill up to 30%.
So you can see why this tax-credit-worthy fan caught my attention. This solar powered attic fan from Solar Star, doesn't need electricity to keep it running and lowers your electric bill by keeping your house cooler. Bonus: It installs in 30 minutes and is eligible for the 30% federal tax credit. Sounds like a good deal to me.
There is a new trend in home remodeling. Instead of blueprints for a new home or a large addition, designers are beginning to see plans for transforming little-used space. This cost and time-efficient method is one of the best ways to improve your home. For example, you can sacrifice part of an adjacent dining room that is rarely used in order to remodel your kitchen. Also, space under stairs can be turned into office space, a laundry room, etc. Storage shelves high in children’s rooms are a good idea, too. The most popular examples of transforming space are when basements or attics are turned into living spaces. Utilizing the space you already own is definitely a great way to remodel.
Preparing to sell your house can be an overwhelming time. One of the biggest worries is whether you'll get the sale price on your home. HGTV.com suggests four home updates every seller must do. They are:
1. Minor Bathroom Remodel 2. Siding Replacement 3. Minor Kitchen Remodel 4. Attic Bedroom
For each remodel, the article includes the cost of the project, the average resale value and the percentage of the cost recovered. Very useful information if you're considering a renovation and planning a future resale.
I'll never forget the time my wife and I were dive-bombed by a bat while we were in bed at a lake house. We spent the entire night cowering under the sheets. This was several years ago so this article from Old House Journal on how to rid a home of bats is long overdue for me. Before you panic at the sight of a bat, let it be known that bats are not a threat to your personal safety—less than one percent have rabies—but bats should never be allowed to enter interior living quarters. The article documents the entire procedure of eliminating bats from a home in great detail, particularly useful for owners of older homes.
Case Handyman and Remodeling Services, LLC, the nation’s largest full service remodeling organization, announced 8 emerging home improvement trends for 2008. Here they are:
1. Attic transformations 2. Skylights 3. Soaking tubs 4. The walk-in closet suite 5. Faux stone 6. Creating home offices 7. Living green, particularly in the kitchen 8. Basements
Are you planning on making your home trendy this year?
I love to see products that snub the grid. The Solar Star from Solatube is a solar-powered attic fan that installs in 30 minutes and requires no wiring, no electrician, and no dependence on a thermostat. This “run on the sun” unit battles the heat and moisture that can accumulate and become every attic’s nightmare. Where most attic ventilators are hooked into a thermostat or humidistat and only activate when temperatures or humidity reach a critical level, the Solar Star runs from sunup to sundown, keeping the attic cool and dry at all times. You see, when an attic starts to store heat, it can transfer that heat to the living spaces below, which drives utility costs through the roof (pun intended). The Solar Star saves money two ways—by running off solar energy and by keeping the attic from storing heat. The Solar Star comes in low-profile, pitched, or high-profile vent styles, and can also be set up in a gable fan design. With a price tag of around $320, this is a must-consider for your attic ventilating needs. Down with electricity bills!
