Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

By NAPSNovember 7, 2014 12:00 am

Homeowners can prepare for cold weather by taking simple energy efficiency measures that will reduce energy consumption and heating bills.

What You Can Do

Install and set a programmable thermostat. Homeowners can save an estimated 10 percent per year on heating costs by using a programmable thermostat and setting the heat to run only when theyre home.

Use sunlight to your advantage. During winter months, take advantage of sunlight by opening curtains during the day to allow the sun to naturally heat your home.

Reduce energy for water heating. Water heating accounts for roughly 14 to 18 percent of most home utility bills. Reduce costs by making sure your water heater is set no higher than 120 degrees Fahrenheit and wrapping a water heater jacket around it if its more than five years old.

Use a heavy-duty, clear plastic sheet on a frame or tape clear plastic film to the inside of your window frames. Make sure the plastic is sealed tightly to the frame to help reduce infiltration.

Install tight-fitting, insulating drapes or shades on windows that feel drafty after weatherizing.

When using the oven, resist the temptation to open the door to check on a dishs progress. Every time you do, the temperature inside is reduced by as much as 25 degrees, forcing it to work even harder (and use more energy) to get back to the proper cooking temperature.

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Top cold weather home efficiency tips

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - A list of tips prepared by the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management for preparing for a winter storm:

.Discuss with your family what to do if a winter storm watch or warning is issued.

.Ensure your family knows meeting places and phone numbers of other family members in case they are separated when a winter storm hits.

.Know what to do if basic services such as water, gas, electricity or telephones are cut off for an extended period of time.

.Understand the hazards of wind chill. Cold temperatures are even more dangerous, and potentially deadly, when combined with strong winds. The lower the temperature and stronger the wind, the more at risk you are.

.Check on family, friends and neighbors, especially the elderly. Make sure they are prepared.

.Plan to bring pets inside during winter weather. Move livestock to sheltered areas with non-frozen drinking water.

.Install and check smoke and carbon monoxide alarms.

.Let faucets drip to avoid freezing and know how to shut off water valves if necessary.

.Have an alternate heating method such as fireplace or wood or coal burning stove. Always be cautious using a portable space heater.

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Tips for preparing for Oklahoma winter storm

Fifty-six projects to improve transportation alternatives are in line for $33 million in federal funds, PennDOT Secretary Barry J. Schoch announced today.

Transportation alternative projects enhance pedestrian and bicycle facilities, improve access to public transportation, create safe routes to school, preserve historic transportation structures, provide environmental mitigation, create trails that serve a transportation purpose, and promote safety and mobility.

These awards represent yet another way PennDOT is working to broaden the reach of transportation investments in Pennsylvania, Schoch said. Combined with awards from the new state Multimodal Fund and the Transportation Infrastructure Investment Fund, this program opens the door to an even wider variety of improvements for the people of Pennsylvania.

Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century, the 2012 federal transportation authorization act known as MAP-21, introduced fundamental changes to the administration of local programs, including those that had existed as separate programs in SAFETEA-LU, the previous authorization act. Transportation Enhancements, Safe Routes to School, Scenic Byways and the Recreational Trails Program (RTP) are now consolidated into the Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP).

PennDOT evaluated the applications and made selections based on such criteria as safety benefits, reasonableness of cost, readiness for implementation, statewide or regional significance, integration of land use and transportation decision making, collaboration with stakeholders, and leverage of other projects or funding.

Excerpt from:
Fifty-six Projects Receive Federal Funds to Improve Transportation Alternatives

(PRWEB) November 11, 2014

MoistureShield composite decking has invested in a national program with Angies List to expand the benefits of its MoistureShield Valued Partner (MVP) program for its contractor partners. MoistureShield and Angies List have designed a team dedicated specifically to the success of their contractors. This new partnership with Angies List will provide MoistureShield MVPs with extensive lead opportunities, advertising discounts, individual reputation management and unique positioning within the decking category. At no cost to them, MoistureShield MVP contractors will now receive:

Were dedicated to helping our contractor customers have successful, thriving businesses, said Brent Gwatney, Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing for MoistureShield. Last year, Angies List members spent more than $73 million on decking projects, and this partnership is our way of helping our contractors connect with the growing e-commerce market where consumers are actively seeking reliable products and quality contractors.

Angies List is part of the booming market of online review services, with membership on the site up 25% over 2013, reaching 2.98 million members as of September 30, 2014, according to the Wall Street Journal. The sites members rely on trusted reviews by other consumers to find high quality service companies. The overall e-commerce market is also growing rapidly, with online retail spending up 15.9% from Q2 2013 to Q2 2014, far outpacing the rate for total retail sales, which grew 4.8% in the same period per U.S. Census Bureau data.

MoistureShield MVPs are an elite group of contractors who have been certified to build MoistureShield decks and docks. In addition to participation in special rebate offers, MVPs can receive listing in the contractor locator on the MoistureShield website, sponsored memberships with the North American Deck and Railing Association (NADRA), sales and marketing support, and technical support and training. MoistureShield also offers a Preferred Dealer program with a range of sales and marketing support, including qualified leads and a Go Green Dealer rebate.

MoistureShield composite decking and railing offers the solution for every decking need with its range of attractive colors, realistic embossed wood grain patterns and grooved boards to accommodate hidden fasteners. Because of a unique manufacturing process, each MoistureShield board is protected to the core, making it the only composite decking durable enough to be installed on the ground, in the ground or underwater and still be protected by the industrys leading lifetime warranty. With 95% total recycled content, MoistureShield products are also an environmentally responsible choice, helping prevent discarded plastics from ending up in landfills.

About MoistureShield and Advanced Environmental Recycling Technologies (A.E.R.T.) Advanced Environmental Recycling Technologies, Inc., (A.E.R.T.) is a microcap, entrepreneurial, publicly held manufacturing company. The development of new technologies and patents has enabled it to produce superior new products from recycled wood fiber and recycled polyethylene plastic for the building and construction markets. A.E.R.T. is the exclusive manufacturer of MoistureShield composite decking and MoistureShield trim and moulding. http://www.moistureshield.com

About Angies List Angie's List helps facilitate happy transactions between more than 2.9 million consumers nationwide and its collection of highly-rated service providers in 720 categories of service, ranging from home improvement to health care. Built on a foundation of authentic reviews of local service, Angies List connects consumers directly to its online marketplace of services from member-reviewed providers, and offers unique tools and support designed to improve the local service experience for both consumers and service professionals. http://www.angieslist.com

Continued here:
MoistureShield Invests in a National Program with Angies List to Provide Extra Support to Contractors

I appreciate the green infrastructure of our municipality (Rooting for trees, Oct. 29) and can celebrate Tree Appreciation Day on Nov. 2, but when is some sense going to prevail with the Garry Oak Meadows Preservation Society?

Earlier this year a large branch came down on Neil Street, fortunately not injuring anyone. Since its removal, two outer trees at neighbouring houses were deemed dangerous enough to be cut down. My house is just north of these three and has a large tree in its driveway which, I consider, to be very dangerous. Some years ago it was the featured tree on a leaflet produced by the Garry Oak Preservation Society, showing the dangers of allowing ivy to cover trees.

As a result, I cut back all the ivy revealing that about one-third of the bark had been stripped away. Further, there are no branches on the north and west sides as the utility companies have stripped those sides for their cables. Thus, all the heavy branches are leaning toward my house. Yet further, my driveway is cracking up rather badly, more each year, showing root movement below my ground.

I have approached Oak Bay council but no one is willing to give permission for the removal of the tree. I guess it wont be important enough until a branch comes crashing through my front bedroom or, hopefully not, someone is killed. Surely some sense can prevail before that and someone will make a responsible decision.

Gareth Evans

Oak Bay

Original post:
Trees pose danger to public

OurTree/Shrub care program includes insect and disease controls as well as balanced fertilization for your valuable plantings.Above ground indications of insect infestations are the visible presence of insect bodies (aphids, scale), holes in the leaves (weevils ), yellowish leaves (spider mites), browning of the leaves (leaf miners) etc. In many cases the damage occurs below ground (root weevil larvae), at night (caterpillars) or inside the plant (borers) and the only symptoms are overall weakened or yellowish appearing plants. We know how to recognize these problems and provide treatment in the early stages, to keep your plants healthy. Its a lot more effective to keep the plants healthy than to try and revive an ailing plant. The treatments we provide are targeted to those plants that have a problem or potential for problems.

Plant diseases can either be external (mildew, leaf spots) or internal, spreading systemically throughout the plant (Phytopthora, Pseudomonus). The organisms that cause plant diseases are primarily fungi, bacteria and viruses. As with our insect control, we only treat plants that have a problem or potential for problems. The disease control treatments act as barriers to infection and are best applied on a preventative basis. Most diseases spread more rapidly in moist environments. As new leaves unfurl and older leaves expand, new areas are susceptible to infection. Our programs are designed around these factors, with treatments spaced more closely together in the moist spring and farther apart during the drier summer.

We use polymer coated, granular fertilizers for your shrubs that enhance blooms and encourage strong roots and healthy shoots. The coating provides for uniform distribution of nutrients throughout the growing season. In the fall we deep root feed your trees and larger shrubs. This involves inserting a probe into the root zone to apply the fertilizers where they will be most effective.

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Tree and Shrub Care - inavalelawnandtree.com

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WICHITA, Kan. -- The cold weather is upon us. If you have a sprinkler system, you'll need to take steps to protect it from freezing.

Sean Nolte with Law Sprinkler Systems is in west Wichita to blow out the irrigation system at Dan O'Connell's house.

It's something O'Connell has had done every year. The last thing he wants if is for the water in the system to freeze potentially splitting one of the underground pvc pipes. For him it's peace of mind in case we have one of those bitterly cold winters.

"It was kind of lucky on that," said O'Connell. "Because I called last week and this was the first chance I could get in."

O'Connell has his own well so he doesn't have what's called a back flow. But those who are on city water have the device which prevents fertilizer and other contaminants from getting into the city water lines. Nolte says it's important to cover up the back flow to prevent it from freezing.

"I just have a blanket and a trash bag here," said Nolte. "And all I'm going to do is cover the back flow valve up with a blanket." He adds, "Put a trash bag over the top of it and it's going to buy you some time."

Nolte says if the water freezes and cracks the back flow you're looking at an expensive repair. The same is true if one of your underground irrigation pipes cracks.

It only costs about $50 to $65 to have your irrigation system blown out before winter. The experts say you may get by without having it done. but the one winter we have a long period of very cold weather, you may wish you had it done in the fall.

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Time to winterize your lawn sprinkler system

TWIN FALLS You see them every fall pickups with large air compressors in tow. Those vehicles belong to people putting sprinkler systems to bed for the winter.

If homeowners dont winterize their sprinkler lines, water remaining in the pipes might freeze and break underground pipes and fittings. That can mean a costly repair. Lawn services, landscapers and others wanting a side business have stepped in to help homeowners, and at the same time put some green in their pocket.

It can be a big or little business.

Frank Scherer of Twin Falls is a retired school counselor and has been working with sprinkler systems for years.

I picked it up myself, he said. He doesnt own a large compressor. His fits nicely in the back of his pickup and, at 90 psi, has just enough power for the blowouts, he said.

I cant afford a big one. They cost thousands of dollars, he said.

But he has a big enough clientele to keep him busy. On a good day, he can do 10 or 12 blowouts, he said. At $30 per household, the money can add up.

His son Scott, while doing a winterization at a house Saturday in Twin Falls, said he knows how his father spends the extra income.

Its his cruising money, he said of his fathers love of vacations.

Once you have the right equipment, blowing out the sprinkler systems isnt too difficult, Scott said. Finding the valves on the sprinkler system can take a little time, but generally, it takes more time driving to the house than it takes to do the blowout, he said.

Original post:
Businessmen Find a Niche in Sprinkler Winterization

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Mark Wahlberg said Transformers director Michael Bay freaked out after the actor shed 60 pounds to play a down-on-his-luck college professor in his new movie, The Gambler.

Wahlberg began downsizing his famously muscular physique by jumping rope and sticking to a liquid diet as Transformers: Age of Extinction wrapped last year. He then shot The Gambler, set to open in theaters Dec. 19.

Transformers producers called for additional shooting after The Gambler wrapped, and Wahlberg wasnt exactly welcomed with open arms when he attended Bays housewarming party earlier this year.

He goes, You look like crap! What are you going to do? Weve got to shoot in five weeks,' Wahlberg said in an interview before his new films AFI Fest premiere Monday night.

I probably put on 40 pounds back. But it still wasnt enough for him. He said, Aw, Ive got to shoot you like this to make you look cool again,' the 43-year-old actor said. Hes a perfectionist. He was more upset than my wife (Rhea Durham). I mean, my wife was a little freaked out that I was losing this much weight, but he was really freaked out.

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Mark Wahlberg sheds 60 lbs. for new flick