Window Replacement Project
May 24, 2012 by Home Services Link · Leave a Comment
If you have old sash windows in your home you may need to have them renovated to keep them looking their best. It is advised that you should have your windows repaired or renovated, depending on what is needed, every five to seven years. When it comes to renovating your old windows you basically have two choices to make, you can either do the repairs yourself and save the money or you can opt to hire experts to come into your home and do the renovations for you. Either way you will be able to save money on the project if you take into account several key factors when you are deciding on which option will suit your needs the best.
If you are someone who likes to work with your hands and have a lot of patience when it comes to dealing with the unexpected aspects of DIY projects, then you may want to take on the task yourself. If it is just routine maintenance like painting that is required for your sash windows then doing the project yourself could save you a lot of money. Paint is not that expensive and if you do not have a lot of windows in your home prepping them for a new coating of paint will not take up a lot of time. You will find a lot of information over the internet that will help you better understand how you should and should not paint sash windows so getting the job done should be easy enough to handle on your own. You may also be about to perform other routine maintenance projects on your sash windows yourself like draught proofing them with the right draught proofing kit.
Now if the project calls for a little more than just painting or draught proofing, then you may want to take into consideration what experts could do for you. There has always been an old saying that sometimes when you try to do things yourself to save some money you may end up paying more to have the repairs fixed because not only will you have to hire someone to repair what was in need of repairs in the first place, but you also have to pay for other issues that you may have caused by trying to do the repairs yourself. This is never truer than when someone with little knowledge about how to repair their historic sash windows themselves. There are a lot of parts that make a sash window and not all of them are easily repaired. Letting the experts handle these renovation projects may not be as expensive as you may believe.
If you are looking for an expert in the field of sash window renovations and you are not sure where to begin, you can always start out by searching online to see what you can find. There are many great companies in the UK that can do all of your sash window renovation projects for you from maintenance projects all the way up to full restoration projects all at very affordable prices. If you are a business owner and you have a lot of windows that are in need of repair or you are a homeowner that only has one or two windows in need of repairs, there is no job too large or small that it can’t be handled by professionals.
By Nirra Poret.
Oxygen Bleach: Algae’s Worst Enemy
May 22, 2012 by Home Services Link · Leave a Comment
Algae an issue at your home? It seems that it is more common than you expect as highlighted in a recent post from Tim Carter, Ask The Builder. One of his readers inquired on a way to rid her home of algae and how best to keep it away. So if you have the same issue with algae on your home, read this article. It’s a DIY project but a project that you may not want to maintain. As Tim notes, it is a constant maintenance project. If it’s more than you want to tackle, let us help. We’ll connect you with insured, reliable and screened contractors to complete the removal and maintenance.
DEAR TIM: My house must be a magnet for algae. I have green algae on the shaded parts of my deck, it’s on my patio and on my vinyl siding. Furthermore, I believe there’s black mildew on my siding. Then there’s the roof. I have black streaks of algae up there. How can I safely remove the algae from all these surfaces without harming me, my pets and my plants? I’ve heard I should use bleach, but something tells me that this is not the right approach. What would you do? Caroline B., Jackson, MS
DEAR CAROLINE: I have some algae issues at my own home. I have two decks, one on top of another. The lower deck has lots of shade which is a perfect place for algae to grow. I also have algae coating stone steps on my property. I work at keeping them clean because when wet, the algae-covered steps are like walking on wet ice. They are so slippery! You, I, and millions of others suffer from algae around our homes.
Oxygen bleach was used to remove the algae from the decking boards on the right. Photo Credit: Tim Carter
The good news is that it’s not too hard to clean algae. The bad news is that there’s no silver bullet to inhibit its growth on all surfaces.
The first thing you might find interesting is there’s more than one type of bleach. For many years growing up, I thought bleach was bleach. My mom used to buy those white plastic bottles of smelly chlorine bleach for years to use in our laundry. She would save the bottles, rinse them out and then fill them with water in case the water main broke outside our house. It was a big joke around our home, but my mom always was prepared!
Much to my surprise I discovered, about seventeen years ago, there’s at least one other bleach – oxygen bleach. It does many of the same things chlorine bleach does, but it’s not toxic. Oxygen bleach is the preferred bleach to use on the exterior, and interior, of your home because it will not harm you, your pets or your plants.
Chlorine bleach, on the other hand, is highly toxic to plants, humans and animals. It’s so powerful that it will remove the color from wood decking and it can discolor painted exterior surfaces much like it takes out the color from fabrics.
Oxygen bleach will not take the color out of your wood decking, your vinyl siding, your painted surfaces, or your roof. Typically, oxygen bleach is a powder you mix with water. You can easily find oxygen bleach online or at many stores. Once mixed with water, all you get is more water, oxygen ions that do the cleaning and some harmless organic soda ash. Not all oxygen bleaches are the same. Some are completely organic, while others contain fragrances, dyes, color crystals, and excessive fillers.
This past weekend, I mixed up some oxygen bleach to clean algae from my lower deck and from the deck railing. I simply dissolved the powder in warm water, poured it into a simple garden hand-pump sprayer and squirted it on the algae-coated surfaces. I allowed it to soak for about ten minutes, then used a scrub brush to remove the green algae. After rinsing with a garden hose, the surfaces looked brand new!
You can clean roofs with oxygen bleach, but it can be challenging. The biggest problem is that it’s dangerous working up on a roof. The algae-covered roof, once wet with the oxygen bleach solution, can be very slippery. You need to make sure you do not fall from the roof.
It’s imperative the roof surface, or any surface you’re cleaning, does not dry out before you get to scrub it. You must keep the surface wet with the solution at all times. This is hard to do on a roof on a sunny day. It’s best to clean roofs on overcast days when air and roof temperatures are cool.
You need to scrub the surface after the oxygen bleach solution soaks. Don’t ever think that you can just spray on any magical cleaner and get perfectly clean surfaces. Marketers that make that claim are yanking on the heartstrings of your inner self that wants the easy way out. Don’t believe the spray-and-rinse claims for a second.
Once you have the surfaces clean, you can inhibit the growth of algae if you coat the surfaces with a biocide. This is not easy, it can be expensive and it’s a constant maintenance headache.
Copper, however, is a natural biocide as is zinc to a degree. If you have an exposed copper or zinc strip about 3 inches wide along the top of your roof, each time it rains tiny metal atoms are deposited on the roof. Algae will not grow in the presence of copper or zinc.
It’s hard to get copper to coat siding, decking or patios. You can see why you’ll just have to suck it up and do periodic cleaning to keep your home looking great.
Home Services Link Receives 2012 Best of Cincinnati Award
May 11, 2012 by Home Services Link · Leave a Comment
Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
HomeServicesLink Receives 2012 Best of Cincinnati Award
U.S. Commerce Association’s Award Plaque Honors the Achievement
NEW YORK, NY, May 4, 2012 — HomeServicesLink has been selected for the 2012 Best of Cincinnati Award in the Plumbing Contractors category by the U.S. Commerce Association (USCA).
The USCA “Best of Local Business” Award Program recognizes outstanding local businesses throughout the country. Each year, the USCA identifies companies that they believe have achieved exceptional marketing success in their local community and business category. These are local companies that enhance the positive image of small business through service to their customers and community.
Various sources of information were gathered and analyzed to choose the winners in each category. The 2012 USCA Award Program focuses on quality, not quantity. Winners are determined based on the information gathered both internally by the USCA and data provided by third parties.
About U.S. Commerce Association (USCA)
U.S. Commerce Association (USCA) is a New York City based organization funded by local businesses operating in towns, large and small, across America. The purpose of USCA is to promote local business through public relations, marketing and advertising.
The USCA was established to recognize the best of local businesses in their community. Our organization works exclusively with local business owners, trade groups, professional associations, chambers of commerce and other business advertising and marketing groups. Our mission is to be an advocate for small and medium size businesses and business entrepreneurs across America.
SOURCE: U.S. Commerce Association
CONTACT:
U.S. Commerce Association
Email: PublicRelations@uscaaward.com
URL: http://www.uscaaward.com
Update and Upgrade Your Front Door
May 9, 2012 by Home Services Link · Leave a Comment
Your front door is more than an access point into your home. It's a piece of decor.
Today’s front door hardware is more than just handles, latches, and locks. From fashionable finishes that harmonize with the front door paint and ultra-durable door hardware parts to electronic door locks that are as good-looking as they are effective.
Handlesets
What is your guests’ first focus when they approach your front door? Odds are it’s your handleset. As the front door’s centerpiece, it gives you the opportunity to express your creativity, allow entry and ensure safety.
Deadbolts
Deadbolts are the perfect combination of added protection and complementary good looks. Manufacturers often provide perfectly matched handlesets and deadbolts in a set to give your front door a coordinated look.
Electronic door hardware
Ready for the future? Here it is. Electronic door hardware removes the house keys from your pocket while elevating the security level in front of your home. Electronic door hardware provides a universal contemporary look to complement virtually any theme, and is super easy to install.
You’ll never need to hide a key under the mat or behind that weird ceramic goose in front of your home again. And if you need to give the handyman or neighbor quick access to your home, you can easily change the key code once they’re finished.
Accessories
We all know little things can make a huge impact when it comes to design and functionality—the front door is no different. Hinges round out any theme at your front door, kick plates are functional complements and address numbers extend the motif onto the front of your house. And, of course, outdoor lighting can brighten your front door, increase visibility and boost curb appeal.
Door hardware gives your front door the look you want while increasing the security level for your greatest investment.
Article information from build.com.
The Difference Between Banks and Credit Unions – Part 2
May 2, 2012 by Home Services Link · Leave a Comment
In a previous issue of this newsletter, we began examining the major differences between credit unions and banks. In this issue, we will continue the discussion.
Membership requirements also set credit unions apart from banks. As mandated by the Credit Union Membership Access Act of 1998, credit unions cannot serve the general public. Banks, of course, can offer services to everyone who walks through their doors.
In order to join a credit union, potential members must be part of a field of membership, which is typically based on your employment, the community you live in, or membership in an association or organization.
There are, however, a number of ways that banks and credit unions are similar. The deposits of both entities, up to $250,000, are insured by one of two federal agencies: the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) or the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA).
It’s important to note that not all credit unions offer government-backed insurance, so be sure to verify that your credit union is a member of the NCUA.
Banks and credit unions are subject to periodic regulatory and federal insurance examination.
Additionally, credit unions and banks are both required to operate under federal or state charters.
Both credit unions and banks are required by federal law to verify the identity of their applicants.
Finally, banks and credit unions alike offer a variety of financial services, from checking and savings accounts, to consumer and business loans, to mortgages and credit cards, and more.
The contrasts between credit unions and banks may seem subtle at first glance, but their variations can make a big difference in your experience as a customer. To learn if credit union membership is right for you, contact Emery Federal Credit Union.
Many Surface Options For Playing It Safe
April 30, 2012 by Home Services Link · 2 Comments
Playtime doesn’t need to be unsafe to be fun. As summer approaches and the days grow longer, children will be outdoors more and playing. Melissa Kossler Dutton’s article, reprinted in The Cincinnati Enquirer on 04/28/12, takes a look at ways to be safe and have fun when constructing play areas for children. HomeServicesLink is here to help Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky homeowners locate quality, reliable and insured contractors to complete all their home improvement and repair projects.
Children playing outdoors
Joshua Barry knows that wipeouts are inevitable when children are climbing and sliding on outdoor play sets. So he placed shredded rubber under and around the climbing toys his two children use in the backyard of their Aurora, Ohio, home.
“It gives me peace of mind knowing there’s a little bit of cushioning,” he said.
Safety experts say it’s important to address the area around a swing set or climbing equipment.
“Each year hundreds of thousands of children are treated in emergency rooms for playground injuries, and these are preventable,” said Dr. Brunilda Nazario, senior medical editor at WebMD, a health information website.
The key to avoiding injuries is adding surface materials that will cushion a fall, said Kate Carr, president of Safe Kids, a Washington, D.C.-based organization dedicated to preventing childhood injuries.
Asphalt and concrete are too hard, as are grass and turf, Nazario said, since normal wear and tear destroys their quality and absorption properties.
Good options include rubber mulch, wood mulch, sand, fine gravel or safety-tested rubber mats, which are more forgiving than grass and dirt are when a child falls, Nazario said.
How deep you should lay the ground material depends on what you use and how high the play equipment is.
The U.S. Product Safety Commission recommends using at least 9 inches of mulch or shredded rubber for equipment up to 7 feet high. For sand or pea gravel, the commission recommends at least a 9-inch layer for equipment up to 5 feet.
Mulch – either wood or rubber – is a better choice than sand or gravel because it provides more shock absorption, said Rick Jess, vice president of merchandising for lawn and gardening at Lowe’s headquarters in Mooresville, N.C.
Wood mulch is less expensive than rubber, but it decomposes and fades and has to be supplemented each year, he said. Rubber mulch, which is increasingly popular, lasts much longer.
It also is more than double the price of traditional mulch, he said.
“It holds its color,” he said. “It doesn’t decompose.”
Although cheaper than mulch, sand and pea gravel have become less popular surfaces for backyard play sets because they don’t stay put as well, added Ace Hardware’s Lou Manfredini, in Chicago.
“With sand and pea gravel, it’s a mess issue. Sand moves around the yard quite a bit and can even get tracked into the house on kids’ shoes,” said the Ace Home Expert.
Sand also attracts neighborhood cats, more so than rubber.
“Rubber mulch has gotten quite popular over the last 10 years,” Manfredini said. “It tends to look good longer.”
Regardless of what surface parents choose, he suggests first installing a weed protection barrier – a durable fabric that prevent weeds from growing up through the ground cover. He recommends against using weed killers near play sets.
Parents also should carefully choose the location of the set, Nazario said.
She recommends shady areas where the ground is level and there are no low-hanging branches or wires.
Play set safety tips
Play set safety tips
Place the equipment at least 6 feet in all directions away from obstructions such as fences, buildings, trees, electric wires or laundry lines. Keep as far away as possible from streets and driveways. Consider erecting a fence between the equipment and traffic.
Maintain equipment properly, following manufacturer’s guidelines. Check often to make sure bolts are tightly anchored, and cut off or cap protruding bolt ends, which can cause cuts or catch on clothing. Caps or nuts should be flush with the surface, with no gaps or spaces that could create a hook.
Inspect wood equipment for splinters and cracks. It’s also a good idea to round off edges of wood with a sander. Sand it and apply a wood sealer according to the manufacturer’s recommendations. Make sure hooks and chains on swings aren’t worn or too rusty.
Don’t allow a free-swinging rope on equipment or trees. Loose ropes can form a loop or noose and strangle a child. Ropes that are securely anchored to the ground are OK as long as they aren’t frayed.
Have you heard of a 203K?
April 18, 2012 by Home Services Link · Leave a Comment
No this is not a new type of retirement plan. It is actually a pretty neat way to finance those home improvement projects you have been wanting to do now that you have decided to stay in your current home. In the past about the only options one had for financing major improvements or repairs were with a home equity line of credit or good old cash (or a credit card with a high limit). Now if you plan to refinance with the low interest rates you can utilize an FHA 203k. There are actually two versions: the full or standard 203k and the streamline 203k available depending on what you intend to do and how much you intend to spend. Let me start off by saying I am in no way an expert on these types of loans and you should consult a loan professional for the specific details.
These mortgage options can be used by buyers or home owners looking to refinance and upgrade. You can buy a fixer-upper and have a professional perform the work or if you want to add a bathroom, maybe a deck and renovate your kitchen complete with new appliances you can roll the cost into one mortgage. The two options have very specific limits. To start with, the standard 203k has a minimum repair budget of $5,000 and covers structural repair). The streamline 203k has a repair budget cap of $35,000 and does not include structural repairs. The streamline version also requires you to stay within the existing foot print of the house. No additions.
So do you end up with a second mortgage payment? Fortunately 203k loans help buyers roll the cost of this work directly into the mortgage, amortizing the cost of the work over the life of the mortgage. A $25,000 bill for the improvements or repairs is daunting. But what about $150 a month? With one of these loans the 203k can add about $6 per month to your house payment for every $1,000 in repairs or improvements you finance. Pretty cool especially for first time home buyers starting out or the young family needing more space or renovations to their home. You love the neighborhood but are outgrowing the space.
This is a wonderful product that not many people are aware of and equally not all loan officers are qualified and capable of executing. If you are looking to do some upgrade projects this year and this sounds like a good financing option, HomeServicesLink can direct you to some experienced 203k loan resources. We can also direct you to some reliable, insured contractors to execute the work by contacting us at info@homeserviceslink.com or 513-271-1888. We are here to help you make home ownership easier. Let us know if there are other topics you would like us to address.
Building Trust and The Power of Testimonials
April 17, 2012 by Home Services Link · Leave a Comment
With all of the information out there especially on the internet these days from all sorts of sources, what do you believe? Who do you believe? What are your trusted sources? The home improvement and repair industry is heavily dependent on references. Many people ask friends or family who to use for different task or projects. Others use services like Angie’s List to find recommendations. What are the criteria your friends or family use for deciding who the best contractor for your need is? This can be tricky because your expectations may be different than your friend. What they consider good performance may not be acceptable to you. The work they had done may have been less complex than your need and beyond the capability of the contractor (and the contractor wants the work and may not share that little detail).
Testimonials are a great source of information. A base assumption is that you trust the source. Some sites generate their own testimonials so you will have to figure out if the testimonials are real or paid for. So how do you use the information in a testimonial? Many times a testimonial is just a reflection of the character of the contractor. Here are a couple examples from our long list:
The electrical work has been completed. Very thorough and accommodating. Your recommendations are great as always. –Vicki of Sharonville
The remodeling contractor was AWESOME; he came out and discussed my plans, provided a quote, he was thorough in his follow-up. I felt he was fair and honest on the quote. I will be contacting him for two other projects for quotes. I’ve also recommended him to friends. I appreciate HomeServicesLink for following up with me and I plan to use your services in the future. –Karen of Cincinnati
Both of these are glowing and speak to the professionalism of the contractor which is what you get the majority of the time. This is an important element in the selection process and a good start but more is needed and is usually not found in testimonials. The contractor may have been awesome for this clients need but he may lack the skill or expertise for your specific project. Here you will need to get references for similar work so you can discuss with those homeowners their experience and was it what you will be expecting. Short of going to see the work you will have to determine if the project is similar to what you are planning. Possibly review a photo portfolio of previous work related specifically to what you are looking for like bathroom remodels or kitchens.
In the end it all comes down to whom do you trust to provide you quality work and service at a fair price. You have Twitter, Facebook, Yelp, and Kudzu to name a few as sources for information. Just make sure it is a reliable source as far as the specific provider of the information is concerned. The larger the database on a contractor the better for determining their longer term performance. A single reference point or testimonial is not a true indicator over time. We see all different types of projects and ask the questions to do our best in matching the best contractors to the work. Since we do the quality control checks and follow-up with customers we have multiple data points on just about every contractor in our preferred network, and if they don’t consistently deliver to our standards they are dropped from the program. Along with that we maintain current insurance certificates on all of the contractors in our network. HomeServicesLink is here to help you find the right contractors for your needs. You can contact us at info@homeserviceslink.com or 513-271-1888. We would also be interested in hearing what source you use most often to find your contractors and home service providers.
Identify Load Bearing Walls for Home Renovations
April 13, 2012 by Home Services Link · Leave a Comment
So you decided to complete a home renovation project and you want to remove an interior wall. To your knowledge there are not any electrical or plumbing fixtures in the wall. But you’re not sure if it’s a load bearing wall. How do you determine if this wall is load bearing? Tim Carter, Ask The Builder, gives some insight on this very subject. Remember if you decide this DIY project is DIY don’t project, HomeServicesLink can help you.
Bearing walls have a mystic aura all their own. Plaster, drywall and wood paneling finishes that are applied to all interior and exterior walls act as a very effective camouflage in the average residential home. All walls tend to look the same. A cleverly placed bearing wall can be as dangerous as a stealth bomber. Remove one without adequate re-support and all sorts of things may drop down on you.
Keep in mind that bearing walls are ones that act as a structural element within a house or home. They typically are carrying and transferring a load from one point to another. In a properly designed home, the loads eventually get transmitted to a foundation, a thickened part of a slab and/or a concrete footer that supports a column or post. Knowing this, you can work up from these elements in the average home and locate many structural elements and bearing walls. But beware, some loads are very well hidden and not all bearing walls are found in the middle of a structure.
The exterior walls on houses that support the roof are primary bearing walls. Not all exterior walls are bearing walls though. There are many houses where just the front and back walls are bearing walls. My home is different. Because I have a hip roof that slopes towards each exterior wall, each of those walls is carrying some roof weight. To make it even more complicated, the second floor of my home has a smaller footprint than the first floor. Some first floor interior walls are actually supporting the main roof of my home. This innocent looking wall with two openings in it is a bearing wall that supports 20 percent of the roof and 33 percent of the second and third floor loads!
Frequently interior walls that run perpendicular to the run of the floor joists above and below are candidates for bearing walls. But there are many a wall such as this in a home that are not bearing any weight whatsoever. If you discover a wall or a beam directly below this wall or parallel with the wall within a short distance, then the suspect wall may be a bearing wall. Bearing walls are not always stacked one on top of another. This is why detection and identification is an exact science.
Don’t assume for a moment that your short wall is free of electrical or plumbing lines. It is not uncommon for cables, wires and pipes to run horizontally from an adjacent wall to another wall as they run from one location to another. Trust me, as you begin to strip the drywall or plaster from this wall you could quickly run into a plumbing vent pipe or an electrical wire. I have on occasion discovered abandoned gas lines, heating ducts, return air ducts and even clothes chute pipes in very innocent looking walls. The absence of utility lines and pipes below a wall does not mean they are not present above.
Another surprise one can find in a wall is a column or post. The wall itself may not be a bearing wall but it is hiding a crucial support member. Several years ago I built a light commercial building that has a four inch steel column buried in an unsuspecting interior wall. From all outward appearances each and every interior wall in this building appears to be non-load bearing because the roof structure is all modern trusses. But this particular truss roof was different. It had a giant girder truss that was accepting loads from other trusses. This special truss needed extra support mid-span!
If you desire complete peace of mind, you should hire a professional to make the determination for you. Structural engineers are trained to do this. HomeServicesLink can assist you with a screened, reliable and insured structural engineer in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. Often you can get the advice you need for several hundred dollars. To keep the fee to the absolute minimum, remove the drywall or plaster from the wall before the engineer arrives. The fee you will pay will be very small compared to cost to repair structural damage that may result from a hasty demolition party.
Content courtesy of Tim Carter, Ask The Builder.
Green Remodeling and Home Repairs
April 6, 2012 by Home Services Link · Leave a Comment
Many homeowners hear the words “Green Remodeling” and instantly think high costs are involved. One does not have to spend 20-30-40k on solar panels. One just has to take control of one thing: the budget!
Set the budget and stick to it. Whether you do it yourself or select a contractor to do it…the budget is the budget. Positive things happen when one follows the budget. Here are the byproducts of setting a budget: proper planning, creativity, resourcefulness, and efficiency.
And remember Rome was not built in a day, neither is your home going to be as Green/Sustainable as possible in one month.
There are 6 categories that the USGBC (U.S. Green Building Council) uses in its rating system…just think SWEMI
1. Sustainable Site
2. Water Efficiency
3. Energy and Atmosphere
4. Materials and Resources
5. Indoor Environmental Quality
6. Innovation and Design
When new buildings go up or new homes are built and the owners want them to be officially LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Certified, then guess what, the owner must meet certain requirements in each of the above categories. But as a homeowner you may tackle each category at your own pace…so it takes you 1-3 years to go through all the categories…you are being fiscally responsible with the environment…and keeping more dollars in your pocket…nothing wrong with that! With all this new info, let’s get to the nuts and bolts (that would be recycled nuts and bolts!!!!)
Tip #1 Planning phase: Decide which of the following categories you want to address first:
1. Sustainable Site: How your home is situated on your property, how to manage stormwater (just like it sounds…rains from storms), the landscaping being used, the grading on your property.
2. Water Efficiency: how much water you are conserving (low flow fixtures, tankless water heaters), recycling water (aka Graywater), collecting water.
3. Energy and Atmosphere: conserving energy (heating system, cooling system, appliances, lighting, electronics), solar and wind power.
4. Material and Resources: Recycling paper, cardboard, glass, plastics and metals. The fun stuff…what is the end product going to look like (bamboo and cork flooring, recycled paper countertops, Forest Stewardship Council certified wood, natural insulation, fire clay tiles, recycled glass tiles, ceramic tile, low to zero VOCs {Volatile Organic Compounds} paint, natural fiber carpets)…where you buy your materials (think local) makes a difference in saving energy, plus it gives a nice boost to local economy! Also re-using materials from demolition (i.e. if we were to demo wall, we could re-use 2×4 studs to frame maybe another portion of the remodel project).
5. Indoor Environmental Quality: If you choose certain materials from #4 you automatically improve the air quality indoors. By using 0 VOC paint, and installing HEPA filters in your HVAC return system, and changing out furnace filters 1x per month you can save up to 10% of your heating costs plus remove allergens from home and improve air quality. Think of techniques to create natural ventilation (will address when we cover these item more in depth).
6. Innovation and Design: this category if more geared to getting a project LEED Certified. The purpose of this post is to give homeowners valuable tips as they contemplate going green.
Information courtesy of HomeRepairsandRemodeling.com.
HomeServicesLink, your Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky contractor connection, has LEED certified contractors and partners with Building Value to provide homeowners with access to reclaimed/recycled building materials.
