... from Hanley Wood's Cost vs Value Report, 2009

Some of the most interesting facts follow, with overall trends showing more focus on smaller, low-maintenance projects and an emphasis on essentials over extras.

• Decline in average, cost-to-value ratios lower than previous year … at 3.86%.
• Construction costs continue to rise, going up 2.67% even though home values are declining.
• Exterior replacement projects top the rankings, with 8 of the top 10 spots. Factors include curb appeal for resale plus these projects are less expensive than additions.
• Energy efficient projects like replacement windows and siding, rank high on the list.

Top Projects (Cost vs Value Perspective)

There are quite a few remodeling projects where you’ll recover more than 75% of the cost. Most of these projects are exterior improvements. Note that the top 10 projects are still delivering 75 percent or more of their cost, when it comes to resale value … so you should still consider these projects for both immediate benefits (look, energy savings and comfort) in addition to resale value.

• Consider exterior remodeling projects which recover at least 75% of their cost
  • Deck addition (wood) with average cost of $10,601 … will recover 81.8%
  • Siding replacement (vinyl) with average cost of $10,256 … should recover 80.7%
  • Window replacement (wood) for average cost of $11,512 … projected to recover 77.7%
  • … or upper scale wood window replacement with cost of $17,580 … should recover 76.5%
  • Window replacement (vinyl) with average cost of $10,537 … will recover 77.2%
  • … or upper scale vinyl window replacement with cost of $13,608 … projected to recover 79.2%
  • Siding replacement (fiber cement) with cost of $13,177 … expected to recover 86/7%
  • … while foam back vinyl replacement siding with cost of $12,528 … will recover 80.4%

• Plan for interior remodeling projects that recover at least 75% of their cost
  • Major kitchen remodel, with cost of $56,611 … will recover 76.0%
  • … or minor kitchen remodel, with cost of $21,246 … will recover 79.5%

Research Your Remodeling Project FIRST!

• Good planning starts with pick 1 or 2 projects, and doing in-depth research about cost-value data for those projects … in your part of the country (data available for 9 regions).
• Make sure you understand all costs by reviewing the project description and cost components, separating out labor and materials which each contribute cost to the project.
• Compare the total cost to your budget for the project. If your budget is lower, identify which items you can remove from your project.
• If you’re trying to squeeze more out of your budget, identify items you can complete yourself. Be realistic, as Mr Handyman sometimes undoes what a homeowner has tried to do. The best home owner tasks are buying and transporting materials plus demo. A friend recently remodeled his kitchen, removing the cabinets plus floor and wall tile himself, leaving the installation of the new cabinets to the professional.
• When you don’t have the time, tools or skills, call your local Mr/My Handyman company. For larger/specialty projects you will need to find the appropriate contractor for the job. Calling your local Mr Handyman owner for recommendations is a good place to start.

Unfortunately with our busy lives and frequent moves, many home owners (myself included) have focused on home repairs following the traditional:

• First 6 to 9 months after moving into a new house
• Fix it when it breaks, i.e. toilet leak
• Six months leading up to selling (listing) your house for sale
• … plus special projects to enhance your lifestyle at home, i.e. a kitchen remodel (California), finishing the basement, an addition (Portsmouth NH), etc.

Now I know it’s not smart to wait for the home inspection to tell me there is wood rot on several window sills or below the sliding door to the deck. I now understand that the longer these water problems are allowed to fester, the more extensive the damage (often hidden) and the more expensive the repairs … so it’s not wise to wait for someone else to pinpoint necessary repairs.

Yes, we’re all focusing on the drop in our home’s value but these losses are due to the housing bubble with inflated prices. If you look back 5 to 10 years, and calculate more typical real estate appreciation of 5 to 6%, you will find most housing hasn’t lost value. Home ownership remains one of American’s greatest privileges with significant financial benefits from tax deductions for mortgage interest and taxes, to appreciation for the entire home value versus your equity which might be as low as 5 or 10%.

Hopefully you’re convinced it’s wise to maintain and update your home. Now we can help you find a strategy for maintaining your home, one that fits your personality and lifestyle. While houses don’t come with an owners manual like cars, we hope to provide you with checklists and other information to help you tackle routine mainenance with confidence.

Find Your Home Maintenance Strategy

Let’s look at the different approaches to home maintenance. DO NOT focus on which is the best or right approach. What is most important, is picking one that you are comfortable with, as that’s the one you are most likely to stick with year after year. If we don’t have a checklist for your strategy, let us know and we’ll develop one that fits your strategy.

• Home maintenance driven by an EVENT:
  • When preparing your home for sale
  • Getting settled after you move into your new home
  • After something breaks or you find a leak
  • To prepare for a family event like a wedding or special company.

• Home maintenance done on a SCHEDULE:
  • Using a seasonal checklist which is common
  • Breaking tasks down into monthly checklists
  • Rotating through room-by-room checklists, i.e. focusing on the attic when putting holiday decorations away.

• Home maintenance as a series of PROJECTS:
  • Painting 1-2 rooms each year
  • Updating different rooms, like a bathroom … then the kitchen
  • When re-decorating a room, like the living room
  • Setting up a home office

• BUDGEt driven home maintenance:
  • Budgeting a percentage (1% annually is recommended) of purchase (or assessed) home value
  • Allocating percentage of disposable income

What’s important is that you find a strategy that works for you. Don’t worry about following the right way to maintain your home, but stick to an approach that will take the stress out of home ownership. If you fix things when they break, great. If you prioritize by project, then keep a running list of items in one place and use it as a guide to select the next project, you’ll get ahead of the curve on breakdowns & repairs … and the associated stress.

The biggest challenge often is finding one approach that works for you AND other members of the team, your significant other and your children. If you don’t have the skills, tools or interest then it’s time to call Mr. Handyman, and we’ll take care of your list for you!

Don’t assume it’s all or nothing. You might decide to devote 2 weekends a year (one in the spring, the other in the fall) to home maintenance projects. Prioritize and do the chores you’re most comfortable with, or enjoy the most … and then let Mr. Handyman finish your list so you can enjoy your home with confidence.

There have been rules for de-leading rental properties for years but now the EPA, effective April 2010, has new rules that affect all renovation, repair and painting projects in homes built before 1978, as paint with lead was not legally sold after 1978.

The impact is already being felt across the construction industry as all contractors (includes carpenters, electricians, plumbers, window installers, painters), property managers and others involved in any type of home renovation, repair and painting work in residential houses, apartments and child-occupied facilities built before 1978, are required to get certified. I’ll be taking my 8 hour, certification class in early March while I’ve already submitted certification application to the EPA due to extended lead times.

Lead Safety Precautions for Home Owners

As the new rules take effect in April 2010, home owners should be aware of the following processes that must be followed for all home projects (I’ll share more details after I complete the class).

• 

  EPA Pamphlet

  Pre-renovation education is where contractors need to give home owners the EPA’s lead pamphlet (download and read Protect Your Family from Lead in Your Home), and don’t be surprised when you’re asked to sign to confirm receipt (or we can mail it to you, and file a post office receipt).

• Information signs must be placed near the work site to alert everyone that only workers with protective clothing, following rules they’ve been trained to use, may enter the work area.
• Companies must be certified, and their workers or “renovators” trained.
• Lead safe work practices, as prescribed by the EPA, must be followed:
  • Inside: plastic should be used to protect all surfaces in the work area, plus plastic barriers at entrances to the work area to prevent dust and debris from leaving the work area.
  • Outside: involves covering the ground and plants with heavy plastic sheeting that extends at least 10 feet out from the building.
  • Workers must wear protective clothing to insure they don’t breathe lead dust, or let it touch their skin where it can be absorbed. Clothing includes safety goggles/glasses, a painter’s hat, coveralls, shoe covers and rubber gloves.
  • There are guidelines for power tools (must have HEPA exhaust control) and open-flame burning (must keep heat below 1,100 degrees Fahrenheit).
  • Clean up is a key step in the process with verification testing to minimize exposure to lead based paint hazard.

When Don’t You Need to Follow Lead Safety Rules

Here are the steps to follow if you, the home owner, question following the rules … although they’re not recommended:

• Homes built after 1978 are not subject to these rules. A certified lead-based paint inspector or risk assessor can test the work area to determine if lead is present. The testing involves a surface-by-surface investigation to collect paint chips for laboratory analysis.
• The rules exclude minor repair and maintenance activities less than 6 square feet per interior room, or 20 square feet per exterior project. Never exempt … window replacement and demolition.
• The home owner can sign a statement for work in their residence … if no children under 6 live there, no woman who lives there is pregnant and the owner acknowledges that the renovation firm will not be required to use the work practices contained in the EPA lead rules.
• Owners are not required (still recommended) to follow the rules when doing work on their own home. The risk still exists and lead safe work practices should be followed to protect yourself, your family and the value of your home on resale.

Most people think a handyman is the guy who comes with a ladder to clean out their gutters, or I can replace a few broken tiles … or install a screen door. If you’re receiving my newsletter, I hope you know that at My Handyman we do so much more. This true story illustrates how we assume the role of home consultant for many of our customers. We’re able to leverage the experience gained from completing 1,000s of jobs each year.  After my newsletter went out yesterday, here’s what one customer emailed me … today.

“My husband and I reached an impasse when he said he wanted tile for the kitchen floor and I want cork. He doesn’t stand on it to the extent I do. Our kitchen floor is on a concrete slab, and the color scheme is black-and-white. I think we need new eyes on the subject.

I’d like to preface the project by saying I’d like someone as local as possible. When we had our cabinets refaced, Home Depot sent someone from almost 100 miles away, which seemed a bit far afield to go for help. I realize that availability of help for the task is also problematic. Can we talk?”

When I received Patti’s email shortly after 7am, I wanted to call right away but we have a rule that we don’t call until 8am, unless our technician is due to arrive earlier. Patti and I had a fun and productive conversation that I’d like to share. It shows how Mr Handyman can assist customers in evaluating different materials and possible solutions to ultimately help you get the desired results,

My Handyman Consulting by Phone

Patti was thrilled that I responded so quickly. I enjoy talking with customers and helping clarify what they need, and working through to find the best solution. It was also fun (after the fact) sharing my own story when my husband wanted carpeting on a slab for warmth, while I wanted tile in the finished basement so it would stand up to foot traffic.

• Understanding the requirements
  • Patti said her biggest concern was standing on the floor. She believed cork would provide a cushion, and be more comfortable to stand on for extended periods of time.
  • Her husband  inwanted the floor to match the black-and-white decorating the their kitchen, and he had found a photo online showing exactly what he wanted.

Armstrong Cushion Step

• Brainstorming on the phone:
  • My first ideas was creating a design that combined tile and cork, i.e. using cork where most standing occurs. Patti explained this wouldn’t work due to tile design her husband has picked out.
  • Next Patti mentioned using cork for cushioning, and linoleum over it with a tile design. I wasn’t comfortable with this approach as the linoleum would hide moisture problems (common with concrete slabs) plus duplicate cost for materials and labor.
  • Based on repairs to flooded basements, I was able to recommend a product like Armstrong’s Cushion Step (shown here). This is a vinyl flooring product with a nice cushion integrated. What’s great is the large selection of designs including tile (called stone), wood and “impressions.” It’s a wonderful product to use in basements where flooding is likely to occur as you simply remove the flooring, hose it off in the yard and reinstall it.

• Follow Up Research
  • One of my favorite tasks running My Handyman is doing research for my customers … and sharing what I learn on this blog. It takes practice to pick the right search terms and here’s what I was able to learn:
    • Searching for “cork and colors”, I found you can get black cork. I called Patti back, and sent her the link so she can order samples. When we talked, it sounded like she’s really excited about the cushion vinyl as it sounds like it will be easier to maintain.
    • Having loaned my Cushion Step sample book out, I called B&C Floor Store to confirm the flooring I had recommended. Armstrong was correct, and Carol right away looked at her store display and told me Targett’s Fiber Floor has a tile design with black-and-white, so now I’ve got to pick up those samples for Patti.

Patti was comfortable with my sharing our morning dialog with all of you. Hope you remember to call us at Mr Handyman when you’re not sure how to proceed with one of your home projects. We’d love to help you!

When you hear the word popcorn, what do you think about? Most people think about going to the movies, while some home owners remember their popcorn ceilings.

If your house has popcorn ceilings, you’ve probably thought about getting rid of them as as the texture is dated, difficult to paint and almost impossible to match color and texture following repairs.

Why Popcorn Ceilings?

Where did popcorn ceilings come from? During the construction boom following World War 2, popcorn ceilings were popular as they helped speed up construction … when they were building 100s of homes. It’s faster to spray on a popcorn ceiling texture which can be done after the the second coat of mud. Popcorn is also good at hiding minor defects in the ceiling, i.e. uneven seams where the sheetrock meets. Popcorn ceilings continue to be popular in warm climates where high ceilings are used to draw hot air away from the living space below.

Popcorn texture helps reduce noise, so it’s used more often for bedrooms and hallway ceilings. Kitchens and living room ceilings where they’re seen more often, will be given a flat or smoother texture for higher durability and ease of cleaning. Acoustic ceilings came next and evolved into the metal grids and drop down panels we now recognize in schools, offices and businesses where they need noise reduction. Acoustic tiles remain popular for home basements where there are plumbing, heating and cooling structures to hide.

Steps to Removing Your Popcorn Ceiling

Many home owners who want to remove their popcorn ceilings, aren’t sure what’s involved or the cost.

1. Asbestos - Similar to lead paint, if your home was built prior to 1978, you need to test (typically $25 per sample) to see if your popcorn contains asbestos. Asbestos (learn more at www.epa.gov/asbestos) should be removed by qualified professionals, adding to projects costs.
2. Install a Second Ceiling - Instead of removing the popcorn, you can install another ceiling right over it, which might be a good alternative when there is asbestos.
   • New sheetrock? This approach works best when you’re planning to paint the entire room as the seams where the new ceiling and walls meet, will need to be taped, and thus require painting. A half inch of sheetrock works well with higher (more than 8 ft) ceilings. The challenge comes with open concept homes where you might have to install new sheetrock in multiple rooms and/or hallways … but you can creatively add ceiling trim to separate ceiling areas.
   • Decorative ceiling tile? As building materials continue to evolve, some of them draw from the past like the tin ceiling tiles shown here. These photos are from the Seacoast Repertory Theater in Portsmouth, NH. My Handyman remodeled the bathrooms and picked tin ceiling tiles which are less vulnerable water leaks from above. While the rooms have been painted, and the sheetrock needs to be replaced again the tin ceiling looks as good as the day we installed it (2006). There are many choices for ceiling tiles from tin ceiling to aluminum, plastic, foam, wood and mirror tiles in hundreds of colors and styles. Many of these tiles are glued up while others use a tongue and groove design similar to engineered flooring.
   • Remove the popcorn? Hopefully your popcorn ceilings haven’t been painted. The popcorn comes off more easily when you’re able to saturate it with water, to start the glue letting go. When the ceiling has been painted, it will be difficult for water to reach the ceiling side of the popcorn to start this process.

If you’re thinking about removing popcorn ceilings, plan the project out and tackle one room at a time. Review the steps to Remove a Popcorn Ceiling, to get an idea of how much time you’ll need.

New Hampshire will receive roughly $1.3 million of the $300 million in stimulus funding available from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The program is tentatively due to begin in March but watch for news as the program will end just like it did for last year’s Cash for Clunkers. All eligible appliances must conform to Energy Start specifications, but only those appliances designated by NH are eligible for these rebates.

Questions you’ll want to research when deciding which appliances to buy:

• What appliances will be eligible in NH (each states selects their own)? Current plans look like NH will offer cash for … hot water heaters, furnaces and boilers.
• Who will issue the rebates? … mail-in rebates but to who?
• Who is eligible for rebates, i.e. are there any income restrictions?
• Do you have to turn in old appliances, i.e. like they did with cars?
• Can you get more than one rebate?
• Can appliance rebates be combined with the Federal energy tax credit? Consumer can combine a state rebate with the federal tax credit for the same product, as long as the purchase qualifies under the rules of both programs and is not specifically excluded

Which Appliances Are Right for You?

Energy savings will depend on the specific appliance and model being replaced, generally older than 5 to 7 years. Replacing a washing machine made before 2000 with a new Energy Star model can save up to $135 per year. Replacing a refrigerator made before 1993 with a new Energy Star model can save up to $65 per year. It’s important to make sure you save enough in water and energy bills over time to justify paying for a new unit.

New Hampshire is focusing this program on fixtures that are key to every home (hot water heaters, furnaces and boilers) because they already have energy solutions for other appliances. Visit nhsaves.com for details on these other programs.

Older appliances like a 20 year old refrigerator uses three times the energy of newer model refrigerators, but you won’t get the savings if you decide to keep both refrigerators which is a problem. The real savings is to replace, not add appliances and the Energy Department estimates Americans were able to save more than $19 billion on utilities in 2008 using Energy Star products. Remember the federal tax credit for 30 percent of the cost, up to $1,500, of equipment for a primary residence remains in place through December 31, 2010.

Happy New Year 2010

Wishing everyone a healthy, happy and fruitful new year in 2010! I’m really excited about all the plans that are already shaping up from launching my new business, the Association of Women Home Owners next month (yikes) to a family trip to California for a wedding next August. It’s going to be a great year and I wish the same for all of you.

My resolution is to get more exercise (not my fingers). By concentraing on just one thing, I hope to be more successful.

PS Just got a newsletter from my friend, Deb LeClaire. She offers the following …

Powerful & Simple Tips for Making a New Year’s Resolution Stick

• Choose a resolution that inspires you
• Ensure you will have success by breaking down your resolution into smaller, attainable goals
• If a smaller goal is still unmanageable, break it down even further, keep going until you feel you can find success–this process will enhance your commitment
• Know the difference between self-compassion and letting yourself off the hook too easily.

More ideas on Deb’s blog, Full Spectrum Wellness, Manchester NH.

What Role Does a Furnace Filter Play?

While the furnace manufacturer will provide recommendations for changing your filter, you should also consider the needs of your family. If you have pets and/or someone suffers from allergies, it might be important to change the filter more often than the manufacturers recommendation.

• Remove particles that can damage the heating coil and/or fan.
• Help the furnace run efficiently as particle buildup makes it harder to draw air into the furnace (intake).
• More expensive filters can also improve air quality by removing pollen, bacteria and mold spores.

There are many different types of air filters, so you’ll want to find the one that meets your manufacturer’s recommendations and the needs of your family members. This list is provided by FurnaceFilters.com where you can find more information and shop for your filters:

• HEPA Filter: HEPA filters are among the most efficient filters on the market. They operate at an efficiency rate of over 99 percent and remove almost all of the animal dander, mold spores, pollen, and dust mites that pass through heating and air conditioning units.
• Charcoal Air Filter: Charcoal filter is the common term for an activated carbon filter. The activated carbon is extremely porous, which increases the ability of the filter to absorb particles. Charcoal filters are ideal for the removal of odors caused by tobacco smoke, chemicals, and gases.
• Pleated Filter: The pleated furnace filter is a good option for efficiently removing particles from the air. The filter material is pleated, or folded, in order to increase its overall surface area and consequently trap more particles. The pleats will also increase the life of the filter.
• Electrostatic Filter: Electrostatic filters are a great way to improve air quality without decreasing the efficiency of your heating unit. Air passing through the filter generates static electricity that collects the airborne particles. Since the filter material is relatively thin, airflow reduction caused by electrostatic filters is minimal.
• Electronic Filters: Electronic filters operate much like the electrostatic filters. Instead of airflow generating the static electricity, the electronic fileter relies solely on electricity. Electronic filters have the same benefit of minimal reduction in airflow.
• Metal Filters: Metal filters provide a convenient, cost-efficient option for homeowners. Metal frames are used to house disposable, highly efficient air filter media. Air filter media pads trap a great number of particles because of their thickness.

How Often Does the Filter Need to be Changed?

How often you change your filters should be determined by the manufacturer’s recommendations, the type of filter you use and how sensitive your family is to airborne particles. The cost of not changing your filter often enough, is a furnace that isn’t operating at peak efficiency so it will use more fuel. As air filters are relatively inexpensive and easy to change, there isn’t any reason to defer this home maintenance task.

• Standard filters are made of spun fiberglass. They are good at collecting particles that can interfere with the operation of your furnace but they’re too loosely constructed to trap particles that cause problems for those who suffer from dust, pollen and/or allergens. These filters should be changed once a month when the furnace is being used.
• More expensive, high performance filters are made of accordion pleated paper that does a great job removing large and small particles form the air. When you have family members that suffer from allergies or asthma, you’ll want to use these filters. The higher cost is somewhat offset by the need to change them only once or twice a year.

Home owners concerned about their impact on the environment will also prefer the high performance filters as the paper they’re made of can be recycled.

Tips for Buying Your Air Filters

• Buy enough filters to last a year, i.e. order a case of 12 and have them delivered to your home. One hint I found while researching this article, watch for sales in the spring.
• In addition to helping your furnace run more efficiently, changing your air filters frequently can help extend the life of your furnace.

When I think about the holidays, my memories are of the people who made these days special. With few exceptions, do I recall the gifts (really only my figure skates) I received and I’m grateful for this.

The best part of Christmas is having the family get together … and yesterday realized with my new daughter-in-law, I can’t say when the boys are combing home. Now it’s the kids (makes me feel old) coming home and this year we’ve got a busy schedule even if it’s starting a little later:

• Ryan flies home from Norfolk, VA where his ship (USS Carr) is based.
• Jason and Emily fly home from Orlando, FL where they live.
• Ted is singing at Portsmouth, NH’s First Night … with the Seacoast Vocal Union (barbershop).
• Wedding in Atkinson, NH on January 2nd … bride is the daughter of a college friend.
• Sunday, January 3rd … all 5 of us fly to West Palm Beach for grandpa’s 95th birthday party.

When my boys were younger, I found projects where we could help others in order to teach them about giving at a young age, so I thought it would be fun to share some of these memories:

• Every year we had a gingerbread house party with the boys friends, and their families.Probably the most interesting ones were when we lived in Tokyo as finding the molasses was a challenge, and mixing the batter without my Kitchen Aid was tough work.
• Many years we’d go grocery shopping together. While I bought for our family, each of the boys filled up their cart with nutritious, and sometimes just yummy, food for families we would adopt each year.
• Being the oldest, my children had lots of younger cousins. Each year I asked them to pack up a box of old toys they’d outgrown, so we could give them to their cousins. OK, I also told them Santa knew how much room they had for new toys so this was important.
• While my mother baked 100s of holiday cookies, I didn’t inherit the baking genes. Many years the boys helped me make banana bread with walnuts and cranberries, which we would wrap up as gifts for friends and neighbors … and they could give these to their teachers too.

Preparing Rental Property for New Tenant

• Customer called Wednesday, 11/25 … the day before Thanksgiving, for December 1 vacancy.
  • Replace carpeting in basement, and on stairs to basement >> recommended using nice commercial carpet which wears better; selected multi-color pattern to hide most problems.
  • Paint the entire unit but keep costs down where possible >> painted ceilings and walls but skipped trim and closets to contain costs.
  • Punchlist - inspect and repair/replace … burned out lightbulbs, missing electrical outlet covers and other minor repairs.
  • Top to bottom cleaning, including windows inside and out.
• Called 11/30 to confirm when tenant would be out and picked up keys on 12/1.
• Picked up carpet samples and finalized those plus paint colors Tuesday, 12/1.
• Worked started Wednesday, 12/2 … cleaning on Monday, 12/14 and final punchlist Tuesday, 12/15!

Based on a long term relationship with this customer, where we’ve done work at his home as well as this rental property … we recommended and completed a few additional items:

• Replaced light fixture in the stairwell to basement (see photos)
• Replaced grungy shower head with inexpensive white one (see below and you almost can’t find it)
• Replaced batteries in smoke detector

Bulb Without Light Fixture

New Light Fixture

Old, Grungy Shower Head

New, White Shower Head

• New home owner tax credits extended through April 2010
• A new tax credit for existing home buyers is also in place through April 2010
• Home energy tax credits are good through December 2010!

Tax credits are good for you and good for the environment (more about global warming). Early in 2009, new home energy tax credits were enacted … and they remain good through year end 2010. To help those who may not have taken advantage ($1,500 once during 2009 to 2010), here is a recap of the many choices you have for saving energy in the coming years.

Home Energy Eligibility through 2010

These tax credits are available for existing homes and must be your principal residence. There are different tax incentives for new construction. Make sure you research which products are eligible for these tax credits, starting at the Energy Star web site.

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  Attic Insulation

  Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning - includes central air conditioning, air source heat pumps and selected furnaces and hot water boilers.

• Insulation - is one of the most cost-effective home improvements you can do. The cost (materials only) of insulation that meets International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) standards for 2009 is eligible for this tax credit.

• Roofing - because better products reflect more of the sun’s rays, lowering the roof surface temperature and decreasing the amount of heat transferred into your home. Tax credits exist for ENERGY STAR metal roofs with “pigmented coatings” and ENERGY STAR asphalt roofs with “cooling granules”.

• Water heaters - can use 14%–25% of the energy consumed in your home. New models that achieve specified standards are eligible for the tax credit, both the cost of the hot water heater and installation.

• Windows, doors and skylights - that in combination, deliver a U-factor and SHGC of 0.30 or below, and meet the are eligible for the tax credit (materials ONLY). A less expensive approach to replacing old windows/doors, is to use storm doors or windows to improve energy efficiency.

• Geothermal heat pumps - are similar to ordinary heat pumps, but use the ground instead of outside air to provide heating, air conditioning and, in most cases, hot water. By using the earth’s natural heat, they are one of the most efficient and comfortable heating and cooling technologies currently available.

• Wind turbines - collect kinetic energy from the wind and converts it to electricity that is compatible with a home’s electrical system. Eligible turbines must have a nameplate capacity of no more than 100 kilowatts.

• Solar energy systems - come in a wide variety of designs which include a collector and storage tank. They all use the sun’s thermal energy to heat water.

We will start to see more energy efficient products coming to the marketplace (earlier article) as energy costs increase and government programs drive more research and development for fuel efficiency.

Tips For Staying Safe this Holiday

Hint: Print this page and tape it near your kitchen, and each time you have company coming, take a quick scan to make sure your home is safe for all. Happy Holidays from all of us at My Handyman.

Use Candles Carefully

Candles

• Never leave burning candles unattended.
• Be thoughtful about where you position candles. Use heat resistant surfaces to be safe and keep candles away from combustible items like curtains, as well as drafts.

Fireplaces

• Have the fireplace flue cleaned professionally and make sure to learn the correct way to open and close the flue.
• Always use a fireplace screen and only burn firewood. It might be tempting to toss wreaths or wrapping paper into the fire but it’s not safe.
  

Christmas Trees

• Find a tree that is fresh and test the needles to make sure they don’t break easily.
• Remember to keep the tree fresh by cutting off the bottom and placing the tree in water, so use a tree stand that is sturdy and water tight.
  
• If you’re buying an artificial tree, get one that is labeled fire resistant.
• When there are children or pets, it is safest to anchor the tree to the walls so they can’t knock it down … something I started doing when my younger son was about 2 years old.
  
• Use indoor lights and no more than 3 strings of standard lights, on a single extension cord.
  • Note: LED lights use less power so you can string more lights together.

Cooking

• Don’t take shortcuts when cooking raw meat. For questions, call USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 888-674-6854.
• With all the extra cooking and baking, it’s easy to overload outlets with too many small appliances, so unplug those not being used. Be careful what you wear when cooking as loose clothing can be a fire hazard.

Entertaining

• Be prepared to help your guests get home safely by offering non-alcoholic choices. Use a designated driver program as needed.
• If you’re having a large group of guests, it’s wise to assign someone to watch the small children. Someone should also remember to clean up so the children don’t get into left over food or alcohol.

Much of my time is spent taking care of others, for my family at home and for my customers at My Handyman. There never seems to be enough time to take a few hours out to relax. I’m not alone as women are natural caretakers BUT we need to take care of ourselves too! Here are ideas to help YOU make time to enjoy this holiday season.

Wishing You a Wonderful Holiday this Year!

Try to focus on what’s important this holiday season? What memories do you have from your childhood? When you first married? When your children were young? Most of these memories will likely include people who were special in your life, like baking cookies with grandma. Very few memories are about gifts although that’s what the media is promoting as we’re a consumer (read “consume”) driven society. Here are ideas to help you reconnect with old memories, and create new ones too:

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  Family and Friends Celebrating

  Get into the holiday spirit by reading a Christmas story. I really enjoy Donna Van Liere’s books like The Christmas Shoes.

• Reconnect with a special friend for breakfast and you’ll get to relax and feel great. Go ahead and make the call right now or you won’t remember even 10 minutes from now … I just did!

• Rekindle old holiday traditions that have great memories, like visiting a nearby city when it’s decorated … and one of my favorites is the tree at Rockefeller Center in New York City.

• Hire a decorator to decorate your house. You’ll enjoy a festive home and not dread one more holiday chore. They’ll show you how to:
  • Add live branches to an artificial tree, saving time (cleaning) and money.
  • Fill vases with backyard decorations like pinecones.
• Bake your favorite holiday treat, just one or 2 so you don’t overwhelm yourself.
  • Maybe those special cookies your grandmother made when you were little.
  • Sometimes baking provides inexpensive gifts like banana bread with cranberries.
  • When my children were home, we made ginger bread houses (ideas for a gingerbread party).
• Relax while supporting one of your local community arts organizations:
  • Local theater always puts on a special holiday show for families.
  • Regional groups offer the Nutcracker and holiday concerts like Handel’s Messiah.
  • Google “holidays & XX (substitute your state)” to find lots more fun things to do.
• Change your gifting habits to focus on what people need:
  • Don’t spend on people who have enough. Donate to a non-profit in their name.
  • Send a family (business) letter to share news with friends and family (photos are especially nice as your children grow).
  • Adopt a child, senior, family or non-profit and brighten their holidays. Some ideas:
    • Want to buy toys, contact Big Brother/Big Sister, A Safe Place, etc.
    • Thinking globally? Find a group focusing on something important to you, i.e. www.heifer.org provides animals to help people earn a living.
    • Don’t have money? Donate time to a non-profit who can use your skills, i.e. My Handyman remodeled the bathrooms at a local theater.
• Give yourself a gift, something I learned years ago. My au pair went shopping for her Christmas gifts, and bought herself a new sweater too. Maybe you’d enjoy:
  • A new sweater, earrings or spa day … whatever will bring a smile to your face!
  • Something you’ll enjoy all year like painting a room to brighten the winter? new kitchen hardware to spice up your holiday entertaining?

There’s a saying that home is where the heart is. The same is true when you’re with the people who are important in your life. Enjoy your holidays!

5 Year Old House

A huge challenge for every handyman is estimating what you can’t see, i.e. we don’t have x-ray vision like Superman. When it comes to exterior wood rot repairs, we know that a window sill, a door threshold or several pieces of siding have damage and we can estimate the time required to repair or replace the wood we can see. What we can only guess at is the extent of the hidden damage. We can provide an educated guess based on the age of the home and how deteriorated the exterior wood (see Estimating Rotted Window Sill) is but that’s not always a good indicator as illustrated by this 5 year old home, where there was extensive wood rot surrounding the front door which wasn’t properly flashed.

Today when we schedule wood rot repairs, we might tell a customer that the visible repairs can be done in one to one and a half days, but the job could take 2 to 3 longer depending on the hidden damage (we block the time on the calendar so we can get the job done once started). We require the home owner to be home when we remove the rotted boards as we need them to understand the scope of the problem and make decisions about the way we’ll handle the repairs, i.e. there are new materials available like AZEK that won’t rot.

Coming Soon: The Handyman’s X-Ray Vision

#35 on Time Magazines, 50 Best Inventions of 2009

What fun to learn that there is new technology on it’s way to us, that will give handymen X-Ray vision so they can see behind walls and get a much better idea of job scope before they open up the walls. Walleye Technologies is bringing a device to market using microwave technology. The device is portable due to it’s low weight (3 lb) and battery powered. It is planned to be in stores in 2010, cost less than $500 and give off less radiation that a cell phone.

Customers will benefit from this new technology as it should make estimating much more reliable and help the construction industry avoid many project delays which cost money. The manufacturer says “Walley’s portable imaging camera takes the guess work out of repair, renovation and installation by delivering high quality images of objects behind the walls, floors, ceilings and other solid objects. Walley uses microwave based technology combined with proprietary optical components to create the image. Having a clear, concise view of hidden or obstructed objects in residential, commercial and industrial buildings will reduce costs and increase efficiencies for consumers and professionals, and create a new category of tools in the construction industry.”

Preventing Clogged Drains

These days we’re all watching our budgets. No one wants an unnecessary repair bill; but as we mentioned in our last post, there are times when trying to repair it yourself can actually cost more. Plumbing is one of those home repair areas where homeowners often overestimate their skills. Delaying a call to the plumber can allow a small problem to become a big and much more expensive problem. There are a number of things, however, that homeowners can do to keep their plumbing system working efficiently and minimize the need for plumbing repairs.

Backups cause most plumbing emergencies. If your sink or tub drain backs up, grease or hair are the most likely culprits. Limit potential problems by preventing these materials from entering drains.

• In the kitchen, strain grease into an empty soup can or allow it to congeal before disposing of it in the trash.
• If grease does get poured down the drain, you can minimize potential damage by pouring a cup of vinegar, a squirt of liquid detergent and boiling water down the drain.
• In the bathroom, use mesh or plastic strainers from the hardware store to catch hair before it goes down the drain.
• Every few days, remove the tub/shower drain cap and pull loose hair out of the drain. Fringe the ends of a plastic straw and use it to hook loose hair.
• Once a month use a drain cleaning product to keep drains clean.

Toilet clogs are another source of emergency plumbing calls. Keep a plunger by each toilet, and plunge vigorously at the first sign of clogging. Never flush sanitary napkins, disposable diapers or disposable wipes down a toilet, even if the box labels them “flushable.” They aren’t. Keep objects away from toilet tanks and keep toilet lids closed to prevent inadvertently flushing toys or air fresheners.

The best use for low watt LED bulbs is nightlights, accent lighting and focused lighting, especially in difficult to replace situations like exterior floodlights requiring a ladder to replace the bulb. 

Christmas Lights are Accent Lighting

• Roughly 90% more efficient than incandescent lights.
• More resistant to damage than conventional lights as they consist of solid-state construction, with a useful life of 35,000 hrs or 4 years of continuous operation.
• When one light goes out on a string, the others stay lit.
• Safety is a key factor as the epoxy plastic that surrounds the LED bulbs is cool to the touch.

Another major safety advantage of LED lights is safety in how many strings of bulbs can be connected together, and plugged into a single outlet. While the simple rule of thumb is no more than 3 strands per outlet for traditional Christmas lights, each home is different and you visit Centsible Holiday Lighting too calculate the numbers for yourself.

Another type of exterior holiday lighting is solar powered using the same technology as solar yard lights with differenc color choices, and some that blink on and off following Christmas lighting tradition. As long as the location where you want to put the lights gets direct sunlight, you can use them or some now will let you put the light collecting source in one locaton and the lights themselves somewhere else with wiring between.

We might know that long showers waste water but we take them anyways. Here’s a fascinating video from the NY Times about showers, one of the biggest users of water in our homes … but something very few of us are willing to sacrifice.

What Does Your Shower Mean to You?

• Showers are much more than getting clean
• Showers provide a retreat from the rat race
• Showers are a destination where we can relax
• For you, a shower means …

Federal regulations say shower heads can’t spray out more than 2.5 gal/min. Learn how some manufacturers get around this restriction … and how some cities are setting even higher standards.

This article provides an overview of the choices you have, how to make the decision and most important, helps you quickly determine which type of product(s) you can afford. When you do compare prices, make sure you don’t just compare the cost of the materials as installation labor can add significant costs depending on the size of the room(s) you want to update and the complexity, i.e. how many corners and unusual objects like the stair landing, will take more care.

Your choices for Hardwood Flooring

• Solid Hardwood Floors - are the most expensive because they’re made up of solid pieces of wood, milled with a tongue and groove design so they fit together seamlessly. The most common thickness is 3/4 inches, installed over a wood subfloor. Hardwood floors are nailed down so they cannot be installed over concrete, nor is this practical given how porous concrete is.
• Engineered Flooring -is less expensive because it’s made up of multiple layers of wood glued together. The top layer is the desired wood, i.e. cherry, while the hidden layers are made of lower cost woods like poplar. The lamination process makes these engineered floors more resistant to expansion and contraction from changes in temperature and moisture, so they can be installed anywhere in a home including over concrete subfloors.
• Laminate Flooring - is the least expensive option. Laminates have a protective top “wear” layer, typically made of aluminum oxide and finishes from low to high gloss. Next is the photographic layer, representing a wood grain pattern down to simulated planks. A water-resistant core layer is composed of wood fibers compressed together with adhesives and resin, followed by a backing made of melamine, plastic or paper.

Many home owners make the decision to install laminate flooring themselves. Some handle it easily because they have the tools and lots of experience with different do-it-yourself projects, i.e. theyhave experience reading directions and solving problems. Other owners quickly get stuck like the project below. The customer had a deadline (in-laws moving in) and once they started to lay out the underlayment, they realized they couldn’t get it done quickly so they called My Handyman.

Preparing Floors

Installing the Laminate

Finished Floor

Questions to Help You Pick the Right Floor for Your Lifestyle

• What type of subfloor is underneath the wood flooring? Hardwoods that need to be nailed cannot be installed on concrete while engineered and laminate flooring can go anywhere.
• Where is flooring going? High moisture areas like bathrooms are risky with any type of wood floor. High quality laminates that are sealed and glued down offer the best option. Laminates offer the hardest surface for high traffic areas with kids and pets.
• How long do you plan to stay in your home? The more expensive the product, the longer it will last. While laminates have a very hard surface, once damaged they can only be replaced. Engineered flooring can be refinished at least once (depends on thickness of top layer) and hardwood floors can be refinished multiple times.
• Budget for flooring and installation? Hardwood floors cost the most when you combine product and professional installation (install, stain, polyurethane). Engineered flooring is slightly cheaper from a product cost perspective and because it’s pre-finished, the installation costs are quite a bit less. Laminates are the cheapest although there is a wide range of products for different budgets. Home owners who want to install their own floors will do best with products installed without the use of nails or glue, called “floating” floors. Buy 20% more material so your prepared for mistakes. Inspect the quality of the tongue and grooves snapping together as inferior products break during the installation so you’ll need to buy more, and with the extra time and materials you don’t always save money.

Other tips for selecting your new floor:

• It’s fine to research choices online but don’t buy until you’ve actually seen, felt and walked on the product. You also want to check the quality of the finish and how tightly the planks fit together.
• Once you’ve narrowed your choices, find a local dealer to visit. Walk on the floor to see how it looks, sounds and how tightly the planks fit together. Take your shoes off as some people don’t like how the micro-bevel (small v between planks) fells, that prevents splintering during installation.
• Select products that will hide dust, dirt and normal wear and tear like scratches. A low gloss finishes shows less than high gloss, a pronounced grain and/or distressed finish will hide problems better.
• Check products for for industry certification, indicating they meet quality standards.