If you live in a state with a perpetually wet basement like me, you're probably running a dehumidifier year-round. Ours sucks the moisture out of our always-wet walls and drains it into the sump pump.
If you're luckier than me, you may only use a dehumidifier for humid summer days and are dragging yours out of storage right about now. If you have an older model, you may want to consider upgrading to an Energy Star qualified one. It removes the same amount of moisture as a unit of the same size but uses 10 to 20 percent less energy, which could actually power your refrigerator for six months. Visit Energy Star's page on dehumidifiers for more information as well as a list of approved models.
Watching paint dry, waiting for a pot to boil, watching grass grow—these are the tedious moments of our lives. But at least with Rock Solid Floors, the time spent waiting for your floor sealant to dry has been cut from four days to 24 hours. No more moving all your junk out of the garage to the front lawn and having it sit there for days on end. It's environmentally friendly and has a lifetime guarantee not to yellow or fade. The Rock Solid Flooring mixture is made entirely of polyurea and 100 percent solids and contains absolutely no VOCs.
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?
We've looked at how to assess your home’s risk to flood. Now here are three ways to reduce potential flood damage.
1) Elevate Your Home—Raise your home so that the lowest floor is above the flood level or base flood elevation (BFE). Use building piers or columns to create an open foundation. Sacrifice the first floor—build a false floor above the BFE and elevate the roof.
2) Wet Flood Proofing—Install flood vents that create permanent openings in the foundation’s walls so water can flow through the structure. This retrofit requires at least two vents on different walls. You would need 7 square feet of vents for a 1,000 square-foot house.
3) Dry Flood Proofing—To prevent floodwaters from entering the house, install new brick veneer over asphalt coating and apply a polyethylene film over the existing walls. Check out the latest issue of FLASH’s Blueprint for Safety News for more recommendations on protecting your home from flood.
