What to do about Home Energy Lose and protect our Wallet!

With the Current weather here in the Midwest (Artic Vortex) with cold snow showers and 2 feet of snow in our front yards, you would think that 1 week from March our conversations would be what spring will bring right? Not in Michigan just yet, with the 2^nd snowiest winter since the 1800s and weather that is going to be interesting for the next few weeks my focus turns to energy consumption and what can we do to lower those heating and cooling bills. Yes fellow Do-It-Yourselfers cooling is in the subject line since summer is just around the corner where we will be cooling our homes! Take a look below at the photo for additional information on where we lose the most heat and cool air in our homes.






Check out the loss of energy this is where we concentrate our efforts to decrease the loss and save money!

I think the attached video from outside the USA can show that this is an issue in every corner of the world take a look and enjoy this very entertaining heat signature video:



What to do well here are some easy or somewhat easy ways to get the energy loss under control: Lets assume most people have some insulation in their walls and move to the attic. AttiCat an Owens Corning product available at my favorite store The Home Depot! Increase your R-Value to improve insulation properties of your attic/roof. My house was built in 1946 and when we opened the walls guess what we found Cotton seeds and all in the walls and ceiling. My wife also found a Times Herald newspaper published on November 22, 1963 with the headline Kennedy Slain in Dallas. So this can be a historical hunt for treasures that some prior owner was saving.

 

Here is a short video showing just how easy the Installation process is when using AttiCat. The video is about 11 minutes long but has some great insight on how the product works and the ease of installation.



 

So you have seen the videos and see the solutions but please remember that the roof is only the start and that the loss of energy comes from pipes, wiring, doors, windows, A/C units, cracks, and the list goes on. Attached I have included a couple of informational charts for insulation and a product called Great Stuff! let me know what you think and maybe next week we can talk about something Spring!

 

The map shows the different zones which correspond to the chart below and gives the necessary R-Values for your area - jealous of Zone 1?

 

 Remember to use the appropriate product for your area with the right R-Value for maximum savings!

 

 

 Great Stuff is a great foam product used to seal and create a leak proof insulated product to make sure your loss in minimal. A Dow product which has several flavors including Fire Block, Door and Window, Big Gap, and Pond and Stone sealers. So good luck and let me know what you think!

Plumbing Repairs and Sharkbite how easy is it?

Hello fellow home improvement project junkies! this week we will talk about plumbing leaks and how to repair them with several different options including: sweating copper pipe, gluing PVC and last but not least SHARKBITE!

SHARKBITE fittings are a product that takes the real work out of plumbing repair by taking the torch, solder, flux, and flame out of the process. How would you just like to sand the pipe slightly and simply connect the two pipes with very little effort? I am guessing you would and look at the selection of fittings below. Also you can connect Copper, PEX, Galvanized and PVC with themselves or interconnected using the same fittings. So get ready for a product that is more universal than any other product in the plumbing arena!   

 

So here is the video showing you all how easy this can be - a bit of folklore is that this system was developed by Cash Acme Corp. for use in submarines as a fast way of replacing or repairing pipes without the need for a torch.  



 



Now compare the SHARKBITE video with the video on sweating pipe below. Sweating pipe can be difficult and let's face it for some its dangerous and you may burn yourself or your house down if you aren't careful.

 

After those two videos you should be convinced that SHARKBITE is the way to go and that you can do this yourself. As always remember that you have resources out there to help - The internet is a great place to start. Remember when you have a question or want hands on training your local Home Depot is a great resource. As a manager at the Home Depot, I can assure you that we will take you through the steps and make sure you leave an expert! Please remember you will need a few tools to work on pipe - a pipe cutter for the appropriate material, wire brushes, sand paper and if you must go the route of sweating pipe due to building codes you need to check with your local hardware store or Big Box retailer for the materials list.

A few additional resources are found below so let me know if you need any further information or any help just comment or tweet me and I will get back to you right away!  

Gluing PVC Video: Click Here 



See how easy different materials go together:

  

Vanity replacement a great upgrade for under $300

 

Bathrooms are the cornerstone to your house and we all know that people have four basic functions we eat, drink, sleep, and well use the bathroom! I am sure you all can think of more so comment and let me know your thoughts. For me personally, I like the idea of a clean functional and yet personal design, nothing too fancy but nice with earth tone floors and clean fixtures. I am not really into the bath tub and like the idea of a huge shower. I think we can all agree that this photo, while appealing to some may not work with some of us! We all have personal tastes that vary with the population of the earth and when it comes to faucets,toilets, showers, tubs, and vanities we all have distinct tastes. Remember that the "Out-House" for some is a viable alternative!

Replacement or refresh of a bathroom vanity really must be planned out from top to bottom and needs to take considerable thought so really plan this out. If you take this project on be ready for real issues with plumbing and flooring. Seek out professional help if you think the project is too much but remember YOU CAN DO THIS! The videos here are about installation of the vanity and the faucet and assume that you already have what you want in floors, walls, and tub. Just remember that ceramic tile (we covered that project already) is a great addition to a bathroom and easy to clean.
  

How to install a bathroom vanity with mosaic tile is a great start to finding your way through this project!

Where to buy the vanity is always a great question and you must determine what you like The above video describes many places where a purchase can be made including the big box stores and custom work if that's your taste. The all in one offerings at The Home Depot make perfect sense if your vanity is a standard size and you are willing to accept the top which matches the unit!

As you can see above The Home Depot can make this happen with great combo kits which offer great design and granite or corian tops! The two seen above include the vanity, top and a mirror for a complete matching set up. Buy a faucet of your choice and you are on your way! 


I hope this helps and let me know what's on your mind and if you need some personal advice to ensure your project goes well and avoid the project blues by visiting the ORANGE BOX whenever you need help with your home improvement project! 

Messy Closet? What can be done?

Winter can be frustrating especially recently in the northeast part of the country! Record snowfall, temperatures and the “Polar Vortex” has wreaked havoc on our peaceful pleasant winter wonderland! So what can you do to pass the time and be constructive without requiring the help of a mental health professional? Tackle that mess in those closets and get organized! Does your closet resemble the cartoon version you see below?



Provided by unorganizedmommyof3.com



Get started by removing everything in the closet and starting fresh by “Painting” which we covered last week and we all agree is the simplest project anyone can handle. You will have already selected your closet organization materials to meet your requirements of taste and strength based upon your needs.

A bit of advice when selecting the manufacturer of product, be sure to look at the quality and ease of assembly. There are many retailers including Home Depot, IKEA, Lowes, and Menards who carry easy to assemble (sometimes) products for that quick get it done projects that guys like me enjoy, or the same companies offer online products with a wider selection to please. The above video shows a simple installation provided by the Home Depot. Remember you can also order closet cabinets just like kitchen cabinets which are already assembled and ready to install but this will require excellent measurements and four to six weeks for manufacturing. The results however may be better if you hire a professional since the assembled products are generally more difficult to handle.

The Rubbermaid interactive design video offers a bit more detail and technical aspects of the installation process and gives great tips and ideas for installation even if you use other products! These tools are also available in many apps on line and Home Depot offers design services at their website.

The end results can be seen below but remember his project starts with a healthy cleanup and purge of your closet. There are many charitable organizations like the Salvation Army and St Vincent DePaul who would love your donation to help those in need. So get started and let me know how things go!

 

"Painting" the easiest improvement project!

I am sure the colors used above may appeal to some people and wow what an impression this would make when entering a room don't you think? Painting is by far the easiest project in a home or business and when you think of a coat of paint you have to love the simplicity. I recently painted my new office at the urging of my boss to create my unique space "as it was put to me by my Boss".
While my maze and blue on three of the walls for the team my kids love was a hard pill to swallow, I did satisfy my own team loyalty with my green and white wall. While my choice of colors looks odd to some, it suits my needs and is definitely unique to me like the photo above.

Home Depot like many retailers carries the supplies necessary and sometimes has great promotions on paint for every purpose - watch the holidays when deals like these make perfect sense even if your the procrastinator, buy paint when its on sale along with the other supplies. Buy the kits since in most cases the kit with rollers, brushes, trays, tape are usually priced at a substantial savings and priced as if you are buying one brush. People paint when they sell a house so the people who move in can change the color and paint over it. Do you know why? Because its the easiest project to improve the look!

 

The video above explains how to prep and paint the interior walls so to break it down to basics remember 4 things!

1.Clean the walls

2. Repair the Walls

3. Tape off areas you don't want to paint and cover the floor

4. Use the new paint and primer in one 

Remember that a few items make this job easy; you will need a ladder or step stool and maybe an extension pole for those who are vertically challenged. The basics are patch material, tape, brushes, rollers, a tray, and drop cloths. Along with a can opener and with most paints cleanup is water and some dishwashing soap. The whole thing may cost $150 if you need to purchase the ladder or step stool. Pick a great color and start the project just remember that painting is the least expensive project that has the biggest eye appeal effect!

  

 







Ice Dams!

If you want to be frustrated and angry Ice Dams can be that catalyst that is not just a nuisance but can cost thousands of dollars in repairs to not only your roof but the interior and exterior of your home. The video below explains how these pesky ice blocks form for those interested in the science. The best way to avoid this condition is to ensure that your roof has an Ice shield barrier which is applied prior to your shingles application. The barrier is a product which is like a 30” wide piece of black duct tape which seals the OSB or plywood to prevent ice and water from being drawn up into the attic underneath the shingles. Now I realize that unless you are about to re-roof your home, you may or may not have this barrier so make sure that if you tackle your new roof or a professional does the work that ice shield is on the parts list. Another preventative product which when applied prior to winter prevents Ice Dams is called the “Roof and Gutter De-icing Kit”. This product like the barrier must be applied prior to the weather but is essentially a heat tape system for the area where the ice forms and melts it prior to the dams’ formation. For all of us here in the Midwest and Northeast who are experiencing the recent  snowmageddon (made up word), which has given us temperatures in the below zero range then a thaw then back to very cold weather, must concentrate on control so I have a few suggestions for you. First, invest in a snow rake you can see it pictured here and it is available at of course The Home Depot and other retailers with a cost of about $46. Using this item to remove snow will maintain your roof by reducing the amount of snow which will develop into ice as the snow melts. Second to increase the flow of and melt away the ice use “ROOFMELT” a roof safe product to melt off the ice dam from the bottom up and can be safely thrown onto the roof from the ground. Whatever you do don’t use salt purchased for driveways and sidewalks unless you plan on using the ice shield product I mentioned as a preventive measure because you will be replacing your roof due to the damage over time. The key to preventing water damage is preventative and removal of snow when dealing with winter snow. A few other things to remember include the year round gutter maintenance with either gutter covers or the new gutter anti clogging devices to prevent blockage which also contributes to icing when left unchecked. So make sure you save money by using a few preventative and action measures to combat the dreaded ICE DAMS.



Anywhere from $50 - $80 depending on length

 

Safe to use on your roof $25

 





Ceramic Tile

Ceramic Tile

Do you think you can install ceramic tile? I know you can the attached photos represent 2 days work! That’s right the side entry to my home was vinyl tile and dated to the 1970s. I wish I had taken a before photo for you but unfortunately that didn’t happen. The reason for the 2 days was primarily for drying of the grout but you can accomplish this project with minimal effort. Yes it does require some tools however all the tools are available in both manual and power forms and for those of us who seem to get into the whole DIY mindset, we buy the tolls with the understanding that we will use them again. The cost of this project was $195.00 and included wonderboard, tile, grout, and sealer. I know you can all see the photo and notice the tile continues into the kitchen and great room and I will talk about that project at a later date. Questions anyone?  I know you will have a few! Homedepot.com offers a wide selection of products and training and guess what if you walk into any store and find an associate they will teach you the basics in just a few minutes!