TOP 9 GREEN HOME IMPROVEMENTS

Take some time to get your home ready for fall now and you won’t be caught unprepared when the temperatures begin to cool. Here are the top 9 GREEN Home improvements based on cost & return on investment according to HomeGain.com
1. Plant native trees & plants
2. Replace air filters
3. Green home staging
4. Weather strip, caulk doors and windows
5. Install programmable thermostats
6. Install low flow shower heads
7. Use auto turn-off power strips
8. Install CFL or LED lights
9. Paint with low VOC paints

FUN IDEAS FOR FALL

The crisp weather of fall is almost upon us and football season is well underway. While the prospect of relaxing into a lazy Sunday schedule calls to many home owners weary from the routine of weekend lawn mowing, why not prepare some fun activities to enjoy during the upcoming cool weather.

- Get fall and winter sports equipment ready for action.

- Stocking up on crossword puzzles, compelling books and other brain-stimulating items.

- Dust off board games and plan playful activities. Set up a series of game nights to host for friends and family

- Get rid of any unnecessary summertime items and clean your home from top to bottom

- A great time to get your house ready for group gatherings and other social activities.

Make sure you have plenty of open, inviting space in which to host people so your home will accommodate any and all guests!

 

8 SMART FALL HOME MAINTENANCE TIPS

Continue to mow your lawn until the first frost. Remove the leaves when your grass has stopped growing.

Falling leaves clog your gutter. Not cleaning your gutters can lead to wet basements.
Clean your outdoor furniture. Refinish it if necessary to prevent rust. If you store it inside, allow for airflow so you avoid moisture damage.
Schedule any indoor painting you need done. The weather is usually ideal for leaving windows open for ventilation.
Check your insulation in your attic, basement and other areas. If you find any dirty spots, it often indicate air leaks into or out of your home. If you find any holes, seal them with caulk.
Exterior lighting is very important. With dark days ahead, check all your bulbs and consider using timers to turn lights on at dusk and off in the morning.
Properly discard or store paint, caulk or adhesives in a heated area to prevent them from freezing. Check with your local hazardous material recycler for instructions on discarding products that could be toxic. Drain all gasoline-powered tools.
Clean and/or repair your chimney. Before you light the first log, get your chimney cleaned and make any necessary repairs.

GET INDOOR SPACES READY FOR FALL

Maintain your pipes. Wrap your pipes with heating tape every winter. Keep your house warm - at least 65 degrees.
Check your heating systems. Be sure to maintain your furnace, boiler, water heater, and wood-burning stove and have your heating system serviced every year. Change your heating and air conditioning filters regularly.
Know your plumbing. Learn where and how to shut the water off. If your pipes freeze, the quicker the water is shut off, the less chance pipes will bust.

Clean and vacuum dust from vents, baseboard heaters and cold-air returns. Dust build-up in ducts is a major cause of indoor pollutants and can increase incidences of cold weather illnesses.


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MICHIGAN APPLIANCE REBATE PROGRAM EXPANDED!

According to a recent story by reporter John Lund of WILX-TV, Michigan will now add furnances & hot water heaters to the list of appliances available for rebates from the State of Michigan. It is another effort to stimulate the economy & help homeowners upgrade their inefficient appliances to more energy saving versions.

Rebate Website

Starting Aug. 1, the Michigan Department of Energy, Labor and Economic Growth will offer rebates on hot-water heaters and furnaces. But those products are just the new addition to the Michigan Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program.
"Most of our rebates- we've given out 62,000 rebates, and most of them have been for refrigerators, clothes washers and dish washers," said Department of Energy's manager of technical assistance, John Sarver.
The program, part of the Federal Economic Recovery Program, has been around since February. It is like last year's Cash for Clunkers in the automobile industry. Except, this time, it's major appliances.
"This is most likely a one-shot deal, from the federal government," Sarver said. "These are federal dollars administered by the state to save energy, but also stimulate the economy."
The Michigan Trade Up program is similar to others around the country. But analysts say that Michigan is giving out more rebates than any other state.
"If we stay on the schedule, we should give out about 115 to 120,000 in rebates and that's about 13 times the amount of rebates other states will give out by the end of our program," said Stephanie Epps, appliance analyst for the Department of Energy.
Available at retailers wherever appliances are sold, the new eligible appliances are rated "energy star" or better, and are strictly for residential usage. Over $2 million is available for the furnace and hot water trade-ins, while $6.6 million is available for fridges and washers.
"Quite a bit of money available, but we're thinking that with the addition of the natural gas furnaces and hot water heaters, that the money will go fairly quickly," Sarver said.
Sarver estimates that the programs funds will be depleted by November.
FULL STORY

STAY COOL THIS SUMMER & REDUCE YOUR ENERGY BILL

1. Invest in Ceiling Fans: Ceiling fans help cool you down because they move the air. When moving air meets moisture (like the sweat on your skin) it has a cooling affect that can make you feel 8 to 10 degrees cooler.
2. Use Outdoor Misters: Have a cooling affect that can make you feel 8 to 10 degrees cooler. A mister sends a fine spray of water into the air which slowly evaporates by absorbing energy from the air. The net result is a cooler air temperature in the immediate vicinity of the mister.
3. Give Your Air Conditioner a Check-up. The contractor will clean the coils, make sure you have enough refrigerant, and generally see to it that the system works as well as possible. You should also replace or clean the unit's filters as often as required.
4. Energy Efficient Light Bulbs –Fluorescent light bulbs not only use less energy, & last up to 5 years longer, they don’t emit as much heat as regular incandescent bulbs. In fact incandescent bulbs waste 90% of their energy on the heat rather than on lighting!

7 Tips to Prepare Your Home for Winter

The fall Equinox is a good time of year to start thinking about preparing your home for winter, because as temperatures begin to dip, your home will require maintenance to keep it in tip-top shape through the winter.

Here are seven tips to help you prepare your home for winter:

Before the Freezing Weather Arrives . . .

1) Get Your Furnace Inspected
Call an HVAC professional to inspect your furnace and clean ducts.
Stock up on furnace filters and change them monthly.
Switch out your thermostat for a programmable thermostat.
2) Get the Fireplace Ready
Call a chimney sweep to remove soot and creosote.
Buy firewood & store in dry place.
3) Check the Exterior, Doors and Windows
Inspect exterior for crevice cracks & exposed entry points; seal them.
Use weather stripping around doors & caulk windows.
4) Inspect Roof, Gutters & Downspouts (see article on ice dams)

5) Service Weather-Specific Equipment
Drain gas from lawnmowers.
Service or tune-up snow blowers.
Replace worn rakes and snow shovels.
6) Prevent Plumbing Freezes
Locate your water main shut it off in case of an emergency.
Drain all garden hoses.
Insulate exposed plumbing pipes.
7) Prepare an Emergency Kit
Stock up on candles & matches for use during a power shortage.
Keep the phone numbers for your utility companies handy.
Store extra bottled water and non-perishable food supplies, blankets & a first-aid kit in a dry & easy-to-access location.

4 Steps To Weather a Power Outage

One of the worst feelings while sitting snug in your home during a winter storm is the sound - you know it - how quiet it gets all of a sudden - your power is out! Here's some things to do before that happens!
Step 1
Heating your home, or at least parts of it will be of primary concern in a winter blackout. Fireplace or wood-burning stoves are the most common solutions. Keep a ready supply of firewood for emergencies.
Step 2
Keep a supply of food that can easily be heated over a fire, along with a manual can opener. Have enough drinking water stored for several days at least.
Step 3
Check your supply of batteries for flashlights and radios, and be sure they're fresh.
Step 4
Consider a generator if you live in an area where blackouts are common.

While the Power is Out
Step 1
Wear several layers of loose lightweight clothing as opposed to one heavy layer. Wear a hat, as most heat is lost through the head, and mittens to keep your hands warm.
Step 2
Plan to live in just one or two rooms of your house, closest to the heat source. Try to prevent heat from escaping to other parts of the house by closing doors or hanging blankets in doorways to keep the heat contained.
Step 3
Keep pipes from freezing by turning faucets on just enough so that they drip. Know where the emergency shut off valve is in case of a broken pipe.
Step 4
Go to a hotel if there are very young or elderly people as they tend to lose heat quickly

Preventing Ice Dams

Ice Dams

In the winter, look for icicles hanging down or ice in the gutters indicating the presence of an ice dam. The illustration at right from henryshousework.com shows how an ice dam can create a leak. They are caused by a lack of or too little insulation and/or ventilation in the attic. Warm air escapes into the attic and rises to the peak where it melts the snow on the uppermost part of the roof. The melted snow runs down the roof toward the gutter and refreezes as it comes into contact with the cooler roof near the gutters. By increasing the insulation in the attic and/or increasing the ventilation you can prevent warm air in your house from escaping into the attic. The snow on the roof will stay nice and cold and you will be a lot more comfy.