An Insight on Window Replacement Tips to adhere Bluffton Today (blog) There is a specific life of windows and after that; you are left with no option but to get the replacement done. Do you know that having in-depth knowledge of maintenance of windows can actually lengthen its life? Yes, it basically glorifies and ... |
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An Insight on Window Replacement Tips to adhere - Bluffton Today (blog)
Streator homeowners within a designated area of the city can now seek reimbursement for physical improvements.
The program, financed principally through the Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago, permits eligible homeowners to receive up to 50 percent reimbursement for upgrades, such as new siding, roof and porch repairs, foundation and other masonry repairs, HVAC repairs and replacement, window replacement, electrical and plumbing upgrades, as well as other structural enhancements that improve the appearance of the house and neighborhood.
The target area is bounded on the north by Stanton Street, on the south by Lundy Street, on the east by the Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad tracks and on the west by the Vermilion River.
"To apply an applicant must own and reside in the property that they are applying for within the target area," said City Engineer Jeremy Palm. "The application is one page and requires the submission of a written project plan and contractor estimates. The project has a primary focus on home owners who make less than 80 percent of the average median income for the area."
The average median income is $60,100, meaning 80 percent less than the average would be $48,080.
Palm said selection is on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Once a project is approved, most applicants will obtain a loan from a participating financial institution for the full amount of their planned improvements.
If the final improvements are completed in accordance with city requirements, half of the loan is reimbursed, up to $7,000. This means a homeowner could complete $14,000 worth of home improvements for $7,000, plus interest.
Obtaining a loan is not required; if a homeowner is able to pay their half of the project cost without obtaining a loan, they can obtain the same reimbursement. Repayment of a portion of the reimbursement may be required in the event the home is sold in less than five years following reimbursement.
Applications are available at City Hall, 204 S. Bloomington St.; Centrue Bank, 201 E. Main St.; Streator National Bank, 409 E. Bridge St.; and Streator Home Savings Bank, 132 S. Monroe St.
In addition to meeting the building code and eligibility requirements of the program, applicants needing a loan will have to meet bank requirements for their loan.
The city has three years to fully disburse the grant funds. If, as the city anticipates, the money is exhausted within 36 months or less, the city plans to apply for additional funding through the Federal Home Loan Bank, and hopes to make the program available to other neighborhoods.
For questions, contact Palm at 815-672-2517, ext. 236.
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Some Streator residents eligible for home improvement reimbursement - MyWebTimes.com
SINGAPORE: Morning commuters taking the East-West Line (EWL) on Tuesday (Feb 7) faced longer journey times as engineers completed "urgent works" near Joo Koon Station, SMRT said.
The train operator said in a Facebook post on Tuesday that the works to replace a track point, used to guide the direction of train travel, began on Monday night.
Due to the short work window available each night, this typically takes two to three nights to complete and is normally planned to take place over a weekend to minimise the impact to commuters on weekdays, it wrote.
However, SMRT decided to carry out the replacement work outside of the weekend window in this case due to its "urgency and criticality".
Only one platform at Joo Koon station was open due to the works, and commuters travelling from Jurong East to Joo Koon on Tuesday morning experienced longer journeys as a result, it added.
SMRT tweeted about the expected delays from about 8.15am, estimating an additional 15 minutes' travel time. The delays stretched up to 25 minutes, but by about 9.10am, the company updated that trains were progressively returning to normal speed along the affected stretch.
In its Facebook post, SMRT advisedcommuters to cater for additional travelling time from Jurong East to Joo Koon during the evening peak hour on Tuesday.
The operator said that it was making train service arrangements to minimise congestion from Jurong East to Joo Koon on Tuesday evening and would deploy additional staff to assist commuters at stations.
It added that its engineers would complete the replacement works and get the track point up and running after the end of service on Tuesday night.
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'Urgent' track replacement works led to East-West Line delay: SMRT - Channel NewsAsia
Jordan first developing country to install solar air conditioning ... Jordan Times AMMAN Jordan is the first developing country utilising solar energy for the cooling and heating of buildings, Minister of Environment Yaseen Khayyat said on ... |
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Jordan first developing country to install solar air conditioning ... - Jordan Times
KRQE News 13 | KRQE News 13 investigates eastern New Mexico fraud scheme ... KRQE News 13 LOGAN, N.M. (KRQE) Ask anyone in eastern New Mexico about the devious fraud scheme that impacted scores of victims in places like Logan, San Jon or ... |
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KRQE News 13 investigates eastern New Mexico fraud scheme ... - KRQE News 13
Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) advised that cold weather over the past month is resulting in increased natural gas use and higher bills. The company issued tips to help Southern Californians save money on their natural gas bills this winter.
SoCalGas calculates that a typical residential bill will go from about $67 in December to about $117 in January, or about $50 higher. Colder weather, which began in late December and was frequent through most of January, is the main reason. About $45 of the typical $50 increase is due to customers using more gas during the cold weather. About $5 comes from a slightly longer billing cycle in January: 31 days compared to 29 days in December.
The price of natural gas is about 13 percent higher this month, or about 4 cents per therm. That higher natural gas price would have made the typical bill higher by about $4, except that SoCalGas charges for transporting the gas are actually lower this month than last month, offsetting most of the impact of the higher natural gas price. The net effect of the price on a typical bill is $1.
Compared to the same time last year, a typical residential bill this January is about $25 lowermostly because the weather during the same period last year was even colder.
SoCalGas rates do not include costs for the Aliso Canyon incident.
During winter, most customers use three to seven times more natural gas. Heating is often the number-one energy expense for most customers during the winter and can account for more than 50 percent of the total natural gas bill. Colder weather also impacts water heaters because they must work longer and harder to heat the colder water coming in. Water heaters can account for 25 percent of natural gas use.
Savings Tips
Here are some tips to keep natural gas bills as low as possible:
Set your thermostat at 68 degrees during the day and 55 at night if your health permits it. Lowering your thermostat three to five degrees can save up to 10 percent on heating costs.
Clean or replace your furnace filters according to manufacturer recommendations.
Have your air ducts tested for leaks. Leaky ducts can cost between 10 to 30 percent in heating and cooling costs.
Install proper caulking and weather-stripping; this can save roughly 10 to 15 percent on heating and cooling bills.
Wash clothes in cold water to save up to 10 percent on water heating costs.
Turn down the temperature on your water heater.
Take shorter showers to reduce your natural gas use.
Fix leaky faucets and pipes. Hot water leaks cause increased demand on the water heater which increases natural gas use. One drop of water per second can waste 500 gallons of hot water per year.
Limit use of non-essential natural gas appliances such as spas and fireplaces.
Customers can find more ways to save on natural gas bills by going to: socalgas.com/winterbills or socalgas.com/facturadeinvierno (Spanish).
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Culver City Observer - - Culver City Observer
In the past five years, the district has built a new elementary wing and a library wing, and prior to these projects, the district added band, choir and special education classrooms. Then, in a separate project, renovated the school's gym, all of which Superintendent Jim Bridge said likely played a major role in the district's influx of 125 students in the past 10 years.
"Every time we've built onto our school, we've added kids. There's no rhyme or reason to how that happens, but it happens and I don't think a lot of communities in our area are able to claim that," Bridge said. "I hope 10 years from now we're up another 125 kids."
But, for now, the district is focused on reveling in the rewards of a years-long process to complete the project.
Today, students will be tasked with helping faculty and staff move into the 10-classroom addition, and Bridge said he couldn't be more excited. And part of that excitement comes from being able to do so two months ahead of the original April projected completion date.
The expansion is located between the community library and garage structure on the south side of the school, and is attached to the existing school structure. The classrooms will be used for middle and high school English, science and math. Additionally, there are administration offices and a centralized entrance to the school.
"How could you not be excited?" Bridge said. "It's very encouraging for our community. It feels like the first day of school, the last day of school and Christmas vacation all piled into one."
Next, the district will begin working on an extra addition in the school's courtyard which will add two more classrooms and install new heating and cooling systems. Because of its location, School Board President Gary Jarding said school officials opted to hold off on starting this phase of the project because certain classrooms will be out of commission while the courtyard expansion is being completed. Thus, the board felt it prudent to ensure the main expansion would be completed to squash any space concerns, Jarding said.
A 17-year member of the Hanson School Board, Jarding has been part of several renovation and expansion projects, but he said they've all gone over with ease among the community members.
And this project is no exception.
"They've seen before that we can do it, so they have faith that the projects we do will help us grow," Jarding said. "Every building project we've done has been positive and nicer buildings always contribute to bringing in more kids this one should do the same."
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Hanson School District officials hope expansion drives up enrollment - Daily Republic
Although North Carolina residents arent usually forced to deal with multi-inch snowfalls very often, winter temperatures in the Tar Heel state do give heating and cooling units a workout while also decreasing the comfort level of homeowners trying to economize by lowering the thermostat.
Many local builders and remodelers spend fall and early winter months helping homeowners find ways to make their domiciles more efficient. However, there are also projects that individuals can add to the to-do list that will help raise the toasty factor during cold-weather months.
Erik Anderson is vice president at DreamMaker Bath & Kitchen, a division of Anderson-Moore Builders, Inc. Anderson is also a NC Certified Lead Professional, Certified Graduate Builder and Remodeler, a Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist and a Certified Green Professional and says that winterizing projects range from extensive undertakings to simple updates. John Orsillo is the owner of Renaissance Renovations and offers landscaping, renovation and home improvement services.
Spark: What are three to five easy steps that a homeowner can take to make his/her home more energy-efficient during cold weather?
Anderson: Make sure weather stripping is in place and in good condition around all doors. Test to see if you see any cracks or feel cold air blowing through.
Recessed lights allow for warm air to move up through your ceiling and into the attic. Even though you may have lots of insulation in the attic, insulation is a thermal barrier, not an air barrier. Air can still rise through the insulation and the recessed lights act as chimneys. Use a cap over the recessed light to minimize air flow into the attic. According to the Department of Energy, recessed lights account for 50% of the thermal loss in homes.
A lot of older homes have insulation in their attic that has settled or just is not enough compared to current code requirements. Look at the possibility of adding more insulation in the attic area. It can be something you can do on your own or have a company do it for you.
Orsillo: In winter, probably the most potential damage to a home can be caused by freezing pipes. Anything exposed should be insulated, and this is a job anyone with hands can do. Places like Lowes and Home Depot sell the different diameter sizes to cover pipes, already with adhesive on the back.
Another thing to do is change the filters in the heating system so it doesnt have to work as hard. Also, make sure the outside unit is clean and get the system checked by a professional. A clogged system can equal a lot of damage or a nonfunctioning unit. And its bad to have stuff in your gutters. Clogged gutters can lead to damage to the gutters and surrounding soffits. Either have someone clean them out or take a weekend and do the job yourself.
Finally, make sure you have good weather-stripping around windows and doors. Replacement windows and storm doors are a great investment. A single, full view glass storm door is usually between $250 and $350, plus maybe $75 installation.
Spark: What are some of the overlooked areas of energy inefficiency during cold weather months?
Anderson: Believe it or not, leaving the bath fan on for long periods of time. A bath fan can recycle the entire air volume in a house in a few hours. People need to use them to get the moisture out, so put a timer on it or get one with a humidistat in the unit that will turn off when the humidity gets down to a certain level.
Bonus rooms, the ones over garages or finished attic spaces will often tend to be cooler in the winter and warmer in the summer. Even if you see the insulation on the walls, sometimes there is not enough in the ceiling area. Maybe the previous homeowner did the work and simply put some insulation in the rafters, which will not be enough to meet current codes. Sometimes cold air will flow through the floor system, even though there is insulation in there, it does not stop air flow. Putting baffles in each floor joist cavity will help. Also, adding an air barrier, like Tyvek, over the insulation on the walls between the finished space and the attic will help minimize heat loss.
Orsillo: Most people dont go into their attic space very often, but the insulation in the attic should be checked out along with making sure there are no leaks. The correct insulation, correctly installed, can make a big difference in the amount of heat that escapes.
Spark: What are some of the services your company offers to help homeowners winterize their homes?
Anderson: We need to meet with the client to discuss what their issues are. Once we do that, then we can pull from our resources to get the company or companies that would address this issue. For example, a recent project dealt with the fact the client had moisture damaged sheetrock at the peak of their vaulted living room ceiling. After lots of research and meetings, we determined it to be inadequate insulation and, because of that, moisture in the house was condensing on the sheetrock and deteriorating it. We removed the sheetrock and insulation and installed a spray foam insulation with a much higher R-value than traditional fiberglass insulation.
Spark: What are some of the newest trends or technologies that homeowners should know about that improve the function of their home in cold weather months?
Anderson: As mentioned, spray foam insulation is a great product. Also, homeowners should look at the house as a system. If you put spray foam insulation in the walls and ceiling, your HVAC system will need to be modified because of this increased efficiency. Everything ties together in homes now. In the past, our houses leaked like a sieve, so there were constant air exchanges. House and remodeling projects are constructed so tightly now, we need to make sure all the parts work well together.
Orsillo: The NEST thermostats allow homeowners to more precisely program the temperature to specific schedules. And really, the old technologies like weather-stripping and insulation are still very important in making sure a home is winterized.
Spark: Along with winterizing, what are some of the projects homeowners can start considering for spring that might be larger and that will help long-term?
Anderson: Have a qualified HVAC contractor balance your HVAC system. Many homes do not have adequate supplies installed. It may not be the HVAC system; it may be the ducts of the HVAC system.
Lots of people look at finished basements and attics for inexpensive additional living space. These areas must be designed differently than the rest of the house because of the added thermal loss potential in the attic or decreased thermal loss in the basement (both of which are very different from the main level of the house).
Additionally, if you are going to do a spray foam attic, the time to do it is before it gets hot. Workers cannot work in the attics in the summertime for very long. If you want to suck out all the blown in insulation and spray the roof deck with spray foam, think about doing it now.
And if you have an older home, new doors and windows will make a huge difference. Single pane glass in windows is not very efficient.
Orsillo: A lot of the projects involve maintenance. Schedule annual check-ups for the HVAC system. Keep filters clean. Trim trees and bushes in the spring and fall. And just a simple thing shut off the water to outside hoses, drain the hoses and put them away. You can also get foam covers for outside water spigots.
For more information, contact Erik Anderson at (336) 722- 3625 or erik@andersonmoore.com or John Orsillo at (336) 813-2670.
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Taking steps to winterize now can save homeowners money later - Winston-Salem Journal
ST. LOUIS As connected-home technology grows increasingly popular, consumers are looking for tech solutions that make life easier but dont require an engineering degree or quickly become obsolete. Maybe thats why the Sensi Wi-Fi Programmable Thermostat landed top customer satisfaction marks in the inaugural J.D. Power 2016 Smart Thermostat Satisfaction Report SM.
The J.D. Power report found that ease of installation and usage were key factors in overall satisfaction with smart thermostats.
Consumers are gravitating toward products that are not just smart but that also provide clear additional value to our lives without a lot of hassle, said Robert T. Sharp, executive president of Emerson, commercial and residential solutions. The J.D. Power report shows what professional heating and cooling contractors and consumers have already experienced: The Sensi thermostat is reliable, simple to install, and a great investment. It also makes it easy to control your home comfort from anywhere, with the touch of a button.
In addition to ranking highest in overall customer satisfaction, J.D. Power recognized Sensi thermostat as the highest scoring smart thermostat brand in the areas of ease of install/setup, reliability, energy efficiency, price paid, and internet connectivity.
Smart thermostat customers are taking a hands-on approach to researching, buying, and installing a product that allows them to have, in effect, a hands-off experience, according to J.D. Power.
The Sensi thermostat, one of the most affordable choices in the connected-thermostat category, has several differentiating features. Whether the thermostat is installed by the consumer or an HVAC contractor, the Sensi thermostat provides detailed instructions and videos that clearly show each step from start to finish. With the in-app contractor designation feature, HVAC professionals can leave behind a virtual business card for customers to reference and get assistance when needed. It offers precision temperature control with +/- one-degree accuracy, and it earned Energy Aware certification. Consumers can also use the Sensi thermostat with popular smart-home platforms, including Wink and Amazon Echo.
For more information, visit sensicomfort.com.
Publication date: 2/3/2017
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Sensi Thermostat Ranks Highest in New JD Power Report - ACHR NEWS
Kitchen remodeling specialists based in Spokane, Flo-Form, announce that they have re-launched their Spokane showroom and workshop, where discerning clients can visit to identify and pick their kitchen redesign models, kitchen surface material, and any additional features.
Spokane Valley, WA - Kitchen remodeling specialists based in Spokane, Flo-Form, announce that they have re-launched their Spokane showroom and workshop, where discerning clients can visit to identify and pick their kitchen redesign models, kitchen surface material, and any additional features.
Flo-Form deals in products that compliment unique styles, the Flo-Form Spokane spokesperson said. These unique styles range from simplistically modern to the rustic charm. Since the kitchen acts as the center of any home, any homeowner will wish to make sure that their kitchen is functional and beautiful for years. Come and see why this family-owned enterprise is the one stop shop for services in kitchen remodeling services and countertops in Spokane area.
A number of issues require careful consideration before a client may begin a kitchen redesign, renovation, and remodeling projects. The place, to begin with, is understanding the answers to a number of questions such as what needs to change, what requires complete replacement and the budget attached to the project. Other answers to think about include to questions such as whether time and money is available for an entire room renovation. Or, does this room only require a freshening up. Changing cabinet handles or repainting cupboards can bring that major difference to a kitchen in a fine working condition. However, should the layout be the foundation of the problem, a client may decide to change the entire theme of the kitchen, which calls for a much bigger project.
A project may rest on issues such as how much cooking a homeowner does or what they use their kitchen for. One must understand what the main function of the kitchen shall be, be it eating, socializing, or cooking. Arriving at answers to these questions enables the homeowner, and their designer, determine which countertop, furniture layout, and lighting arrangements shall work proficiently for the homeowner and the family. Another critical issue to think about carefully is how the homeowner and the family see their lives in the next few number of years. Kitchen renovations and remodeling is not something that will happen once a year for the rest of their lives. Each stakeholder in the home must think about where they will be for the next two years, five years, and ten years into the future. New family members may join, or some family members may leave. All these issues should help to determine the design and the model of a kitchen renovation project.
More information is available from Flo-Form using the contact information listed below.
Flo Form is located at5320 E Sprague Avenue, Suite 400 inSpokane Valley, WA (99212).
The company can be contacted via phone at 509.928.4545 or at their website: http://floform.com/locations/spokane/
Media Contact Company Name: Flo Form Contact Person: Spokesperson Email: info@floform.com Phone: 509.928.4545 Address:5320 E Sprague Avenue, Suite 400 City: Spokane Valley State: Washington Country: United States Website: http://floform.com/locations/spokane/
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Spokane Kitchen Remodeling Specialists Re-launch Workshop and Showroom - Digital Journal
