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Vendors offer standby generators, siding, refinishing - February 3, 2014 by Mr HomeBuilder

Homeowners worried about what happens when the power goes out and the furnace stops, the freezer shuts down and the computer goes dark can have peace of mind with the installation of a whole-house standby generator.

Standby generators are free-standing units, connected to the home's wiring,that sit outside much like an air-conditioning unit. Theykick in automatically when the power fails.

Standby generators areone of the products Koehler Electric Home Services of Davenport will highlightat itsbooth during the 36th annual Quad-Cities Builders & Remodelers Association Home Show from Feb. 7 to 9 at the QCCA Expo Center in Rock Island.

Matt Logue, Koehler service technician, said there has been a big uptick in the sale of these generators, beginning about 2006, as units have become more affordable.

Homeowners who don't want to pay to keep every electrical appliance going can opt for different capacities,thus saving money while retaining vital services, he said.

In addition to keeping heat on in the winter, generators can keep sump pumps running during rainstorms that might otherwise flood one's basement, Logue said.

Another product Koehler will showcase is the new Nest brand of thermostats and smoke/carbon monoxide detectors. These can be synchronized to a smartphone, allowing you to make changes remotely. You also will be notified of any problems.

In addition, the thermostats have the technology to "learn" your habits. For example, if a cleaning person arrives every Tuesday and turns up the heat,over time the thermostat will "learn" that and turn up the heat automatically, Logue explained.

Koehler is located at 2716 W. Central Park Ave.

Here are five other vendors you'll find at the show:

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Vendors offer standby generators, siding, refinishing

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2nd time around: Barn salvage becomes flooring, decor - February 3, 2014 by Mr HomeBuilder

Step into the great room of Jim and LanetteCarlson's rural Henry County, Ill., farm home and you immediately see the possibilities.

You grasp how wood and other itemssalvaged from old barns andbuildings can be repurposed into new-use building materials as well as decorative elements.

The floor ismade of oak, cutin random widths. Most of it wassalvaged from a barn that was taken down, then re-milled in the Carlsons' shop.

The ceiling is amix of barn salvage roof sheathing, structural beams and rusted corrugated steel in the dormers. Adding bursts of color are stained-glass windows from a church in Rock Island.

The room is a real-lifeadvertisement for their business, Carlsons' Barnwood Co., founded in 1995 as a supplement to their farming operation.

The Carlsons' business isone of nearly 140home-related companies you can visit next weekend, Feb. 7-9, during the 36th annual Quad-Cities Builders & Remodelers Association Home Show at theQCCA Expo Center in Rock Island. It's one-stop shopping.

You'll find vendors selling plumbing, drapes, landscaping, windows, doors, insulation, siding, hot tubs, fencing and landscaping, as well as remodeling, interior decorating andnew construction services.

Theshow's theme is "keeping it local," and thatfits right in with what the Carlsons do. They salvagematerials from a roughly 100-mile radius and re-mill thelumberin a shop on their property, employingseveral full- and part-time workers.

But from there theCarlsonscast long lines, selling to homes and businesses,particularly restaurants, all over the country, and even overseas. Pictures of high-end homes incorporating their products, particularly in Colorado and California, are posted on their website.

When the Carlsons started, they mainly sold raw barnwood and other artifacts that could be used as "decor." But in 2001, they began manufacturing reclaimed flooring, and that has become their biggest product, Lanette said.

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2nd time around: Barn salvage becomes flooring, decor

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Alvin Ballard Roofing, Toups Resurface – Video - February 3, 2014 by Mr HomeBuilder

Alvin Ballard Roofing, Toups Resurface
Alvin Ballard Roofing 866.766.3130.

By: ROD Roddy

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Alvin Ballard Roofing, Toups Resurface - Video