Re-caulking Your Shower

If you ask any local handyman or contractor how often you should re-caulk your shower and tub, most will say about every three to five years however, some people choose to make this a yearly task. It’s important to remove old caulk because moisture can get inside your wall which in turn can cause mildew and even damage sheetrock.

If you decide to take on this project yourself, here are the steps to take when replacing the caulk:

Clean the area: Use a bathroom cleanser/soap scum remover to pre-clean the area. Cut or scrape away old caulk with a knife or razor blade. It should peel off easily. To soften stubborn and/or dried caulk use commercial caulk remover or a hairdryer to warm the caulk. This will allow you to scrape it away more easily. You can also use a heat gun however, be careful not to overheat any particular area of the bathtub or shower stall. Work your way around the edge of the tub or shower, softening and then removing the caulk with your razor, screwdriver or knife. Note: New silicone caulk will not bond to old silicone caulk; therefore it is important that the seam area be cleaned thoroughly prior to caulking.

Check for mildew: Vacuum up remaining bits of caulk and clean the seams with rubbing alcohol to remove leftover caulk, soap scum, and other materials that accumulate in the shower’s corners. Check to see if there is mildew growing behind the caulk. If so, use a mildew killer or a mixture of bleach and water to get rid of it. Let the area dry thoroughly (24 to 36 hours) before you start re-caulking. Note: Make sure you use a caulk meant for bathroom applications. Usually these types of caulk are mildew resistant.

Caulking: Place strips of masking tape approximately 1/8 inch from the seam to prevent caulk from spilling over onto tile or walls. Place the caulk in the caulk gun and cut off the container’s tip with scissors (using a caulking gun is much easier to use the caulk you have to squeeze out like toothpaste; you’ll have more control over where the caulk is going). Depress the caulk gun’s trigger and run the caulk along the seam in a smooth, steady motion, leaving a thin bead of caulk which covers the seam completely. Make sure you put on enough or it will not provide complete protection. As you dispense the caulk, use this handyman trick and smooth it out with a wet finger. Tip: If you are caulking a shower stall, work from the inside out. Caulk the inside seams first, followed by the external ones. Also, caulk the vertical line first, followed by the horizontal lines. Caulk the vertical lines from top to bottom to ensure the best look.

Let it dry: Once you’ve caulked all the seams, wait at least 30 minutes and then remove the tape. Wait 24 to 48 hours before using the shower or tub. If possible, don’t use the bathroom at all during this time. Caulk will dry more completely in an unused bathroom.

Re-caulking can be a difficult and timely task. Even with the proper techniques it can still take a long time to complete and not look as good as you want. If you don’t have patience, you may want to hire a local handyman to re-caulk for you.

For more information on how to properly caulking visit NATCO.

Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

Making Your Kitchen More Energy Efficient

If you’re looking for ways to improve the energy efficiency of your kitchen and save on energy bills, there are ways to make the changes without breaking the bank. The kitchen uses more energy than any other room in the house. Here are a few tips to reduce your energy usage and costs:

Lighting

The light fixtures in your kitchen are a big contributor to your energy cost, especially during the night. Install ENERGY STAR qualified light fixtures or replace standard light bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs). According to ENERGY STAR, their qualified lighting provides bright, warm light while using 75% less energy, generating 70% less heat and lasting up to 10 times longer than standard lighting. Remember to always turn off your lights when leaving the room.

If you’re planning to remodel your kitchen, think of ways to bring in natural lighting. Make windows wider, knock down walls, add skylights or put in French doors to connect to another room. This will allow the sun to illuminate your kitchen at no additional cost.

Refrigerators

The refrigerator is the appliance that consumes the most energy. When choosing a fridge be sure to also find a product with the ENERGY STAR symbol as these qualified refrigerator models use at least 20% less energy than required by current federal standards.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), you should replace your fridge if it’s more than 10 years old. Also, don’t purchase a fridge that’s larger than what you need; you’ll just be wasting more energy.

Refrigerators with the freezer on the top or bottom are more efficient than side-by-side models. Be sure to leave space between the refrigerator and walls to allow air movement.

Dishwashers

Most dishwashers today can thoroughly clean dishes that have had food scraped, rather than rinsed, off — the wash cycle and detergent take care of the rest. To make the most efficient use of your dishwasher's energy and water consumption, run the dishwasher only when enough dirty dishes have accumulated for a full load and use the air-dry option. Try running short cycles for everything but the dirtiest dishes.

Range

Using the wrong sized pot on a stove burner can waste as much 40 percent of the burner's heat and can cost approximately $36 more annually for an electric range, or $18 more annually for gas. Be sure to cover pots and pans. This will ensure you cook more efficiently and keep your kitchen cooler.

You may want to consider selecting a natural gas oven or range which is far more efficient than electricity. Keep the burners clean to ensure maximum efficiency. Blue flames mean good combustion; yellow flames mean service may be needed to ensure the gas is burning efficiently.

Other Tips

Use small appliances when you can. If you use a toaster oven rather than a full-size oven you will save energy. In addition, using a microwave oven versus a full range oven or stove will save you money because the heating time is far less.

For information on 2011 Federal Tax Credits for Consumer Energy Efficiency go to http://www.energystar.gov.

IRS Home Improvement Tax Credits!

It's not often the Internal Revenue Service tries to help you save money. So, if you're looking to make a few home improvements, you may want to get to work while the government is in a giving mood.


"There's actually a way for homeowners to invest in some energy efficient improvements and actually save some money twice," said the IRS's Michelle Eldridge.


It's part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Make your home more energy efficient and get back part of what you've spent at tax time.


"Replacing windows and doors or perhaps replacing your heating and air-conditioning system or maybe adding insulation. All of these products, even roofs in some cases, can qualify you for this energy credit," said Eldridge.


Here's how it works. You get to claim 30 percent of the cost of improvements up to a maximum tax credit of $1,500. Installation costs, though, do not apply.


But Eldridge says do your homework and make sure the product qualifies before you buy.

"What you're looking for is a tax credit certification from the manufacturers," she said. Keep those certifications and receipts to then file with your tax return.


The government's message is save now while improving your home's value, and save later with lower energy bills. But time is running out for the 2009 credit.


"You need to make this purchase and have it installed by the end of the year," Eldridge said.

The good news is the credit extends into next year as well if you need more time.


There is a second tax credit for homeowners investing in alternative energy equipment. If you're looking to add solar electric systems, solar hot water heaters or even wind turbines at your home, you can deduct 30 percent of the cost on your 2009 or 2010 taxes. And best of all, there's no cap like the earlier credit.


For more information, check out the Internal Revenue Services' website.


Source: www.wcnc.com

Top Kitchen & Bath Values

Cut costs without sacrificing style

This article is the archived version of a report that appeared in August 2009 Consumer Reports magazine.

Gone are the giddy days of a red-hot real estate market and free-flowing credit that made six-figure renovations sound almost sensible. We say good riddance. Instead of chasing bright shiny objects—the 42-inch professional range or an $800 faucet with an oil-rubbed bronze finish—homeowners are rediscovering their own definitions of beauty and value.

While remodeling activity is down, it's not out—especially in the kitchen and bathroom. When we asked 724 American homeowners which room they'd renovate first, the kitchen and bathroom easily led. And in a separate survey of 4,171 readers who remodeled their bathroom in the last five years, 42 percent of those projects were completed in 2008 or 2009.

Whether you're managing pros or doing some or all of the work yourself, our kitchen and bath guide will tell you which products live up to today's standards of style, performance, and price. It starts with seven essential tips to navigating today's remodeling marketplace, followed by Ratings and expert advice on the best appliances, countertops, fixtures, flooring, and more, including where to find the best deals.

Home remodeling might have returned to reality, but you can still have the kitchen and bathroom of your dreams.

Resize the project

Bump outs and gut renovations used to be common. Not anymore. Remodeling that emphasizes quality over quantity is the new standard. People want to make their kitchens more livable without having to add on, according to Tom Giaquinto, president of Regal Home Improvement in Holtsville, N.Y. Borrowing from a nearby pantry or closet and removing all or part of a wall to open up sight lines into an adjacent space are two common strategies. Architect Sarah Susanka champions "double-duty dining," where a single eating area serves both formal and informal functions, allowing the square footage of the dining room to be absorbed into the kitchen.

Homeowners are also looking outdoors, using decks and patios as extensions of their kitchen and entertaining spaces and as outdoor kitchens in warmer months. In our remodeling poll, those exterior spaces were high on homeowners' wish lists of rooms to renovate, trailing only the kitchen and bath. "We're getting a lot more calls about decking this year, probably a dozen in the last few weeks alone," Giaquinto confirms.

Avoid recession casualties

Two-thirds of homeowners say they've changed their remodeling plans because of the economy. Professional-style appliances, whirlpool bathtubs, and triple sinks won't just add to your project's bottom line—they could also give your kitchen and bath a dated look now that those former status symbols are seen as needless extravagances.

Our latest tests confirm that sensible and stylish needn't be mutually exclusive. Many of the top-performing ranges from our tests have the stainless-steel finish that consumers still covet. In flooring, you'll find bamboo that beats oak for less money and plastic laminates that simulate the look of stone for a fraction of the cost. Instead of a whirlpool tub, make a conventional tub or shower stall more luxurious with a handheld body spray that has powerful jets and pulsating massage settings. As for sinks and faucets, our past tests revealed few performance differences between high-end and economy models.

Know where to splurge

Spend on products you interact with every day, starting with the appliances. Our reports include brand repair histories, so that you can skip brands that have been repair-prone in the past. Beyond the appliances, think about the features you regularly touch, use, and feel. Subscribers who scrimped on cabinets, countertops, and showers told us they wished they had spent more. But little things can make a difference too. "There's a subtle tactile quality to a well-made doorknob or cabinet pull that makes an impression over time," says Bruce Irving, a home renovation consultant from Cambridge, Mass.

Conversely, consider saving on your flooring and lighting fixtures. In our bathroom survey, almost 60 percent of readers opted for ceramic tile over pricier stone. Provided you have enough sources of task and ambient light, you can opt for a simple, well-made fixture over one that's high-concept with the price tag to match.

Defray costs with DIY

Almost two-thirds of homeowners told us they're doing or planning at least some of the work themselves. Painting is the most common do-it-yourself project, with design, flooring, tiling, and demolition work also on the list. "A client who does the demo might save anywhere from $800 to $2,000," says Darius Baker, a kitchen and bath remodeling contractor in Sacramento, Calif. Painting can rein in an additional $1,000 to $2,500. Those types of savings were supported by our bathroom survey, where 60 percent of DIYers spent less than $2,500 on their remodel, compared with just 15 percent who spent that much with hired help.

But even an experienced DIYer should think twice about tackling electrical and plumbing work. If you intend to design the project, think about working with a design/build firm rather than a contractor who only swings a hammer. If you're knocking down walls or rearranging fixtures and appliances, remember that local building codes will probably require an architect's or engineer's sign-off.

Remodel in phases

Phasing, like resizing, has entered the remodeling lexicon. More than a third of all homeowners in our poll said the recession is forcing a piecemeal approach to their remodeling project. For example, they're refinishing the cabinets now and installing new counters and appliances later.

Phasing can spread out the financial burden of a major project, but it can lead to additional stress and expense if it's not managed smartly. If you're remodeling a single room in phases, do any behind-the-walls work first so that you're not plastering and painting twice. It's also best to start from the top down, saving the floors for last. Using a contractor for your kitchen or bath? Take advantage of their off-season—usually after the winter holidays.

Save energy and water

Consumers aren't remodeling just to make their homes greener. Energy and water efficiency are part of the decision-making process. Some 84 percent of subscribers chose energy-efficient appliances, 43 percent picked water-efficient appliances, and 38 percent chose fluorescent lighting for their kitchens. Water-saving toilets and low-flow showerheads were installed in 62 percent of bath remodels.

Paints with low levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are gaining traction as well, with almost 17 percent of bathroom remodelers choosing them over traditional, higher-VOC products. But you can skip special kitchen or bath paint. The three products we tested weren't any better at resisting stains or holding up to scrubbing than our CR Best Buys, which include several low-VOC paints, though they did resist mildew slightly better.

Searching salvage yards and reuse stores for gently used countertops, flooring, and cabinetry is another way to green your kitchen or bath project.

Think universally

Universal design makes kitchens and baths easier for everyone to use. But it doesn't have to give a room an institutional look. "When universal design is done correctly, you don't even know it's there," says Armand Christopher, president of Senior Living Realty in Dallas, Texas. "But it can be a huge selling point for a house." In fact, almost 10 percent of our readers who remodeled their bathrooms did so to make them more accessible.

In the bathroom, consider a "comfort height" toilet, like most models we tested, which at 17 to 19 inches high is easy on the knees and back. Choose flooring with a non-slip texture and ensure that the vanity countertop and one or more kitchen countertops are low enough for people to use from a seated position. Also install lever-style faucets (the hands-free kitchen faucet by Danze performed well in our tests) and handheld showerheads. During major renovations and new construction, put in grab bars (or at least the framing necessary for later installation) and create full-access doorways and zero-thresholds, which make entry easier for individuals using crutches, a wheelchair, or a walker. For more information and to find a Certified Aging-In-Place Specialist, contact the National Association of Home Builders (www.nahb.org).