Remodeling the attic is a resourceful and imaginative way to increase the usable space of a home without building additions or making significant structural changes to the house. The first step of any attic remodeling project is a thorough assessment. If your attic has enough room for you to stand up in without bonking your head on a rafter, that is a good start. Read this attic renovation primer to learn some basic inspections you will need to do before planning to remodel your attic.

Inspecting your attic includes making sure there is enough clearance to create a livable space up there. Inspect the ceiling joists and framing to make sure they are structurally sound. The ceiling joists are the wooden beams you have to stand on when you go up into your attic. These will become the support for any flooring you install in the attic. The ceiling joists must be a minimum of 2″ by 6″. If the joists are any smaller, they will not support the weight of the remodeled attic and it will crash down onto the rest of the home.

Make sure there is enough space to renovate the attic. Eight feet of clearance from the joists to the roof is a minimum standard. Also, depending on the pitch of the roof, the roof itself needs to be a certain width to justify the renovation. If the pitch of the roof is 1/2, then the roof needs to be at least 40 feet wide. If the pitch is 2/3, the roof needs to be 32 feet across. A 5/6 pitch requires a roof at least 24 feet wide for a satisfactory attic renovation.

Next, have an electrician inspect your home’s wiring to establish if your current electrical system can handle the load of an additional livable room, accounting for all the lighting and appliances you will add to the renovated attic.

Also, look for any leaks or damage in the roof that will need to be fixed during the renovation. Once finished with the initial inspection, it will be time to formulate a plan.

Once you have preformed the initial assessment on your attic, you will be able to decide for sure if you are going to renovate. If your attic is a good candidate for remodeling, your renovation plan needs to include some essential points. These essential points are: access, HVAC, flooring, and light.

Access
Most attics are accessed through a fold down lumber stairway or a ladder through a trap door. At best, the attic is reached by a cramped staircase that does not allow for normal foot traffic. Your renovation plan must make allowance, both spatially and economically, for a standard staircase from the living space in your home up to the proposed living space in your attic. Study your local building codes concerning egress in living spaces. For example, your renovated attic will need to have at least one window installed that will act as a fire escape.

HVAC
HVAC is an industry acronym that stands for Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning. Attics are typically heavily insulated for the sake of the entire home’s energy conservation. This mean attics are very hot in the summer and very cold in the winter. Your renovation plan must account for these unique temperature ranges in the new attic. Your homes HVAC system will need to be expanded to accommodate and appropriately ventilate your remodeled attic.

Flooring
Since the majority of attics do not have a real floor, one will have to be installed. The “floor” of most unrenovated attics consists of nothing but the tops of the ceiling joists of the room below, usually with insulation laid down between the joists. If your attic is being used for storage, you likely have random boards laid across the joists for places to step and keep boxes of Christmas decorations and whatnot. Think about what kind of flooring you will use in your new attic. Make sure flooring is both glued down and thoroughly secured with fastening hardware to prevent squeaking down the line. Carpet is a good flooring option for attics, because it insulates and dampens sound. But carpet must be reinforced with high quality carpet padding and a secure base flooring.

Light
Attics are dark places. When renovating your attic draw up plans for adequate lighting. Electrical lighting is not your only option. If you install a skylight or dormers, the attic will be flooded with beautiful quantities of natural light during the day. Since the space is small relative to the rest of the home, paint the walls a light color to reflect illumination and help the natural light fill the room more effectively.

In the end, an attic renovation can be a wonderful thing. What matters most before beginning an attic renovation plan is adequate preparation. Find a reputable contractor that is willing to answer your questions. Inspect your attic for basic structural integrity and minimum clearance. Then work with a contractor and a design team to draw up a sound attic remodeling plan. Before you know it, you’ll be playing billiards in your new attic hobby room. Good luck!

The right lighting enhances the beauty and functionality of your home. Lighting is a powerful element of the overall home aesthetic. From flood lights to Christmas lights to tiki torches, lighting sets the mood, changes the mood, and can even denote the season of the year. In this lighting home improvement guide, we give a lighting primer. We will describe some general kinds of lighting, the importance of lighting controls and some essential room lighting tips. After reading this primer, you will have the basic knowledge and vocabulary to start formulating your own residential lighting plan.

Types of Lighting

When thinking of lighting, it is helpful to break it down into three categories: general lighting, accent lighting, and task lighting. General lighting is also called ambient lighting. It is the typical level of brightness needed to get around the house without bumping into things. General lighting is used to substitute for daylight. The overhead lighting in the living room, the chandelier in a dining room, basic garage lighting, and the porch light are all examples of general lighting.

Accent is quite the opposite of general lighting. It is illumination that acts as an element of decoration and interior design. Accent lighting is directed toward a very particular element in a room, like a tapestry or a uniquely textured wall. Another example is spotlights on wall art or sculptures. Any illumination that highlights points of interest, like family photos, houseplants, or even outdoor landscaping, falls in the accent lighting category. Like the name suggests, accent lighting needs to be at least twice as bright as the surrounding light. Track lights and some wall mounted fixtures are common examples of accent lighting.

Task lighting is for specific jobs performed in the home. Task lighting must bright enough to avoid eye strain and be free of shadows and glare. Task lighting is the illumination over a workbench in the shed or it can be a reading lamp in the den. Other common instances of task lighting are under-cabinet lights in the kitchen workspace and portable lamps that facilitate hobbies, games, and office work. It can also be achieved through recessed lights and judiciously arranged track lights with the proper lighting controls installed.
Controls
Lighting controls are an essential part of any residential lighting plan. Over the years, technological advances have made impressive improvements to the scope and flexibility of lighting controls. Whereas lighting controls used to simply be an on/off switch, these days there are numerous forms of dimmers, from manual slide dimmers to fully computerized touch dimmers. Not only does lighting control offer an unprecedented amount of control over the illumination in the home, it also serves to increase bulb life and conserve energy.

Furthermore, the right state-of-the-art lighting controls allow you to alter lighting to match the current activity in a room, whether playing a game with the kids or watching a movie. With today’s computerized dimming systems, it is even possible to create and save preset lighting templates. This way, with the touch of a button on a remote control, a room can be lit for a holiday party, a modest family visit, or some quiet reading time alone.

Lighting for Different Rooms

The various rooms of a home have specialized purposes. The lighting you install in each room should complement the purpose and uses of the room. Living rooms, dining rooms, and kitchens all need their own personalized lighting treatment.

Living room lighting needs the most versatility of all the rooms. Living rooms are host to a wide variety of activities, from entertaining guests to family meetings, recreation and play time. A well lit living room will incorporate all three forms of lighting – general, accent, and task. This way, you can show off some art, do a little reading, and enjoy quality time with your friends and family. Dimming controls are a must for the living room.
Dining rooms require functionality on par with living rooms, but beauty is essential, to complement the ancient ritual of dining together. Typical dining room lighting is achieved by a centerpiece chandelier with a dimmer control. Chandeliers provide a great opportunity to beautify a dining room. When dimmed, chandeliers can closely approximate candlelight. Additionally, when a chandelier is turned up, it is an excellent source of task lighting, for tasks such as homework and sorting bills.

Kitchens are the most intensive workspace in the home. Prevalent general lighting and task lighting are the rule of thumb for any kitchen. At the same time, kitchens inadvertently become one of the busiest gathering spots for family and friends. No matter how appealing the living room is, parties frequently move to the kitchen. For this reason, lighting in kitchens needs to be imaginative. Recessed overhead lights are great, but do not neglect the beauty and functionality of under-cabinet lighting for a functional accent.

This has been a brief primer to residential lighting. As you do more research, make a list of the rooms in your home that need lighting changes. Do you need less shadow in your bathroom? Have you considered the task lighting needs of your home office? With this information, you are equipped to do research and find lighting professionals that will help you implement the best possible lighting plan for your home.

Most people are familiar with the old adage “a fresh coat of paint.” Painting anything imbues it with new life and vitality, from a car to a living room. Interior paint jobs are an indispensable and, let’s face it, messy part of home ownership. Painting must be approached with meticulous care and extensive preparation. If a paint job is not properly prepared and executed, the simplest error will become obvious and permanent, catching your eye for years to come. The best way to avoid such mistakes is to plan thoroughly and take your time with a paint job. This brief informational guide illustrates some of the basics of an interior paint job, from the shopping list to the clean up.

Flip through some catalogs and home improvement websites to choose a paint color that’s right for the room. Visit a hardware or paint store for some color samples and paint chips. Take the samples back home and compare them to your old color and your furniture. Choosing colors is a fun way to begin a painting project.

Once you’ve chosen a color, that means you are ready to begin shopping for your project. The painting trade is a highly developed industry, so you will discover that there is more painting equipment out there than a typical DIY buff ever needs to know about. To simplify things, use this basic shopping list to help you make your own.

Painting project shopping list
*Brushes and rollers
*Roller covers
*Paint trays and tray liners
*Drop cloths
*Clean up rags
*Painters tape
*Sandpaper
*Paint pail for brush work
*Paint removers
*Razors
*Paint can openers
*Ladders
*Furniture moving pads
*and of course paint

How much paint will you need?
Measure the square footage of the surfaces you will be painting. That means grab a tape measure and add the width plus the height of all the walls that will get a coat of paint. When buying the paint, read the labels or ask a professional how much square footage a particular gallon of a particular type of paint will cover.

What type of paint will you need?
The type of paint depends on the room. If you’re working on an interior paint job, the paint will need to give good coverage coupled with stain resistance. The paint should also be able to withstand occasional scrubbing so you can keep it clean for a long time. The two basic families of paint are latex paint and oil based paint. Most modern day oil based paints are actually made with synthetic resins called alkyds, that are less toxic than traditional oil base. Latex paints have excellent gloss retention and give the longest lasting finish. Latex paints are also quick to dry and very durable. Oil or Alkyd based paints are known for good adhesion and stain resistance. Oil or Alkyd based paints are great for trim in high traffic areas like kitchens and bathrooms.

Flat, Satin, Semi-Gloss, or Gloss?
Both latex and oil paints come in a variety of finishes. Flat finish paint softens a room, smoothing the look of walls. Flat finish is not hard to clean with a damp sponge and is great for adult rooms like dining rooms, living rooms, and bedrooms. Satin finish has the benefits of a flat finish but because it has a slight gloss, it is even easier to clean. Satin finish is good for high traffic spots, like children’s bedrooms, family rooms, and hallways. Semi-gloss paint is best for areas that will be cleaned often, like kitchens and bathrooms. Gloss paint has a rich finish and is very durable. It is an ideal finish for trim and doors.

Be prepared!
Painting preparation is probably the most important part of a painting project. Remove all wall art, area rugs and furniture from the room to be painted. Then clean the room. You don’t want dust bunnies interfering with your fresh beautiful new paint. You must lay out drop cloths to cover the entire floor. You must scrape chipped and loose paint. You must clean the walls to be painted with a mildly abrasive cleaner like TSP to remove the dirt and prepare the surface to stick to a new coat of paint. Using painter’s tape, tape all edges and glass that you want to protect. If you are using a different color or gloss for the trim than you are for the walls, make sure to tape off all the trim before you begin. Make sure the room is ventilated. Open windows and doors. Have all of your tools, including painting clothes in the room to be painted. Once you finish preparation and begin acutally painting the walls, you want to avoid having to leave the room for something you forgot about.

This brief DIY guide to painting can not cover all of the details of the job. There are many types of brushes and rollers that were not discussed. Painting techniques include what order to paint in, from ceiling to floor, and how to use brushes and rollers to avoid spatter and runny application. This guide should serve as a starting point. As your painting project develops, seek out the help of painting and home improvement professionals for best results. Good luck!

Matthew Millsap is a home improvement expert. He believes in consumer education. If you need more information on general home improvement or painting in particular, please visit Building Company No. 7

On a balmy spring day or a hot summer weekend, one of the greatest joys of home ownership is relaxing on your deck. A back deck or a screened porch creates the perfect refuge from hot weather, by creating shade and keeping out insects.
Some decks and screened porches develop in phases. Often your home already has the outdoor space, but it needs fine tuning, perhaps an expansion of the space, or some more windows. Enclosing a porch in screening creates a barrier against animals, insects, and detritus like leaves and twigs. Screening in a porch gives you a shaded sitting area to sip lemonade and while away a hot afternoon.

Often the porch is not quite big enough to do a sitting area justice. A deck is the answer for a home where the porch is too small. Incorporating the outdoors into the livable space of your home is a wise and satisfying home improvement that benefits everyone, from your family to future buyers. Not only will a deck make your home dramatically more valuable, it will bring a smile to your face every time you step onto it and see the dappled sunlight playing across the floor of your outdoor living space.

Building a deck is a more involved and exciting project than screening a porch. You get to choose what sort of shade structures and traffic flow you would like on your deck. On the hottest of days you can still enjoy a refreshing light breeze. You can even create a custom cookout nook. Kick back on your deck during a long, bright summer day reading a book by natural light.

Beyond the beauty a deck or screened porch adds to your home, consider the value. A recent survey by Remodeling Magazine found, in 2007, that a wooden deck is the most cost effective home improvement you can perform on a mid range home. Installing a moderately sized, pressure treated deck can raise the value of a home so much that the deck may be over 80% paid for by the time it is completed. Screened porch or full size deck, an enclosed outdoor living space immediately adds several thousand dollars to the value of a home. That home could be yours.

Many people love the idea of a deck but feel that screens compromise the open-air feeling of a deck or porch. Though this can be true, there are many innovations in screening that will remedy the problem. Let’s say your deck is surrounded by a garden, for example. You want to enjoy, without barriers, the beauty of the plant life on your property, but during the hot times of the day, the bugs start buzzing around and invade the deck. There are several types of removable screens, even convenient Velcro-mounted screens that can be quickly put up or taken down according to daily needs. Using methods like removable screening you can convert your screened deck into an open-air pavilion and back again all in the same day.

A deck sounds great! Where do I start?

The best time to start is before spring and summer actually arrive, so your deck will be ready when you are. Of course, any well-executed home improvement project begins with research. Before buying any materials or calling in any professionals for an estimate, you must call your local city government. Check with zoning and building officials in your city to make sure you can get approval to build the deck you envision. Most zoning codes will allow you to install a patio near your property lines, but not an open air structure with a roof.

After checking in with the city, find a professional remodeling contractor. If you’ve never built a deck or screened porch before, you may find it challenging to draw up plans, and prepare a shopping list for materials. Call around town and speak with several contractors. Find someone you can communicate with, who is willing to answer your questions and help guide your design. An experienced builder will be versed in the conventions of decks and screens. This way you will get the best materials, maintenance, and product for your time and money. Even if you still would like to build the deck yourself, get a couple of free estimates to give yourself a ball park sense of the scope of your project. Good luck!

Replacement windows are an excellent green remodeling option for any home. Old, inefficient windows create a significant energy drain on your home, significantly increasing the cost of utilities. Drafty windows with poor seams and seals bleed energy out of a warm home on winter nights. In hot climes, bad windows make it harder to keep your house cool.

Beyond the economic and environmental sense, replacement windows can give a home a renewed aesthetic appeal. Replacement windows can brighten up and dramatically increase the sense of space in your home. Though it is not a simple job, many experienced DIY buffs have changed their own windows, especially if the existing window frames are intact. It may take a few days of dirty work, but the improvement to your home and utility bills is well worth it.

If you don’t have the tools or the time to take on a window replacement project yourself, there are many talented and qualified green remodeling professionals who can expertly dispose of your old windows, re-frame if needed, and install functional, beautiful and energy efficient replacement windows.

ARRA tax breaks are still in effect
Additionally, the federal energy efficiency tax credit has been extended. This makes 2010 a great year to move on your replacement windows project. The government is rewarding Americans all across the country for simply installing energy saving residential windows. On top of the tax break, your heating and cooling bills will be reduced by up to 25%, and you will have the pleasure of beautiful new windows that slide, swing, or latch snugly and securely. Replacement windows can also increase the value of a home. Many home-buyers are willing to pay thousands more for a home with energy efficient cosmetic improvements.

How to approach replacement windows
If you plan your green remodeling project correctly, installing replacement windows can pay for itself in a relatively short period of time. Before you get started, do some homework about the types of windows available. After that, look up a short list of local contractors, preferably professionals who have green remodeling experience. To begin your replacement windows primer, here are some basic facts about replacement windows, including their materials, styles, and levels of quality.

These days, typical windows consist of two or three panes of glass with air inbetween that acts as insulation. Higher grade windows are manufactured with an inert gas like argon between the panes, which insulates better than plain air. Advances in technology have produced several other insulation methods, including “low-E” special coating, which uses microscopic particles of metal to slow heat loss in cold months and prevent heat gain in warm months. When shopping for windows look for a label from the National Fenestration Rating Council. The NFRC is a reliable guide to energy efficiency windows, doors, and skylights.

Window glass is mounted in a variety of sashes. The main materials for window sashes are vinyl, metal, and wood. Wood is the most energy efficient of the three materials. The highest quality wood windows are clad with metal or vinyl on the outside of the window, utilizing a combination of materials and reducing the maintenance requirements of the new windows.

Window styles
Windows come in a large variety of styles. Single-hung and double-hung windows are the most common. These are the popular windows that slide up and down to open. A single-hung window only opens from the bottom up. A double hung window will open from the bottom up, or from the top down. Beyond these common styles, there are many more artful and versatile window styles that are suited to different uses. Awning windows are great for ventilation while keeping out the elements. Hopper windows are very useful for creating ventilation and a sense of space above a doorway in a room with a high ceiling. Bay windows can help create a breathtaking view while bathing a room in natural light.

Replacement windows are a refreshing and potentially elegant way to green your home. Whether you do it yourself or hire a green remodeling professional, replacement windows are one of the most significant improvements you can make to your home, both in the senses of energy efficiency and aesthetic appeal. The money saved on utilities, recouped in the increased value of the home, and combined with the ARRA tax credit, makes replacement windows one of the smartest and most cost effective home improvement projects on the market.

Many have heard the phrase “green remodeling” floating around the home improvement industry and are not sure exactly what it means. While it is true that “green remodeling” has to do with making your home more energy efficient, the idea covers more ground than that.
A green remodel is like a philosophy you can apply to your home. From weatherization to waste disposal to choosing recycled and reclaimed building materials, green remodeling can be practiced on several facets of your home. It does not just mean making your home energy efficient, it also means making your home, and consequently your daily life, more environmentally responsible.

The United States Department of Energy reported that buildings use up 40 percent of all the energy consumed in America. According to the Department of Energy, a large-scale greening of homes can save more money, and reduce fuel consumption and carbon emissions more than hybrid cars do.

Greening your home takes many forms, from installing new windows to purchasing Energy Star appliances. If you want to green your home, search out a green remodeling professional. What does that mean? Well, a green remodeling professional is one who takes sustainability into account at every stage of your remodel. A green pro is skilled at responsibly maximizing resources, both your own and mother nature’s.

A green professional knows that green remodeling is also a way of thinking, not simply a way of buying. For example, if you are thinking of replacing your kitchen cabinets, your professional may suggest carefully removing your old cabinets and donating them to Habitat for Humanity for reclamation, rather than simply adding them to the waste stream.

The professionals meet a lot of clients that are skeptical about the quality and value of greening a home. The truth is that most green homes do not look different from conventional homes. Most green remodeling elements, like improved air quality or increased energy efficiency, are part of the inner structure of a home. Furthermore, most recycled products, like floors and counter tops, look the same as their non-recycled equivalent.

These days, green is getting a lot more publicity than usual, and that is a good thing. There are many benefits to green remodeling, from the pride you can take in your beautiful new, environmentally responsible home to the direct savings in energy costs you will notice after your remodel is complete.

Since money talks, here are three tangible economic reasons why now is a better time than ever to invest in green remodeling your home.

1. The American Reinvestment and Recovery Act, also referred to as the Stimulus bill, offers significant tax credits to homeowners that perform a green remodel. If you want to install, for example, a solar water heater or a new energy efficient HVAC, the stimulus bill qualifies you for a tax credit. This tax credit was approved in 2009 and has been extended all the way to the end of 2010. If you get some green remodeling done this year, the government will pay you to do it.

2. If you are thinking of selling your home, a green remodel will pump up the value of your home. Because of the potential long-term energy savings of a green home, homebuyers are willing to pay a lot more for homes that already have these improvements.

3. For those of you who just bought a home or are planning to live in your home for a long time, a green remodel is just as valuable, if not more so. It will improve the energy efficiency of your home. The investment you make in a green remodel will start coming back to you right away in lower monthly energy bills. Over the years, these savings will pay for your remodel, then start paying you.

Look into green remodeling. Find an informed green remodeling professional. Ask them questions and gather knowledge about energy and water conservation, renewable and recycled materials, and the potential for drastically improving the living quality in your home. All of these benefits, coupled with the economic breaks outlined above, make this the best time yet to green your home.

When remodeling your home, the little things can make all the difference between a professional finish and a sloppy job. Imagine installing a beautiful new kitchen countertop only to have shoddy craftsmanship on your trim work.

Trim carpentry, also called finish carpentry, is the art of minor yet intricate woodworking that makes a house into a home. Trim carpentry adds appeal and character to any home. Trim carpentry creates a sense of completion and proportion.

From baseboards to window and door casings, trim carpentry is everywhere in a home. Crown molding in your living room to give it an elegant accent is typical trim carpentry. A new hand railing along your staircase is an excellent example of advanced trim work. Finish carpenters even build and repair roofs. Nearly any home improvement project you begin can not be finished without the services of a trim carpenter. A trim carpenter’s job is to make the doors, windows, and cabinets work smoothly while making the home look good.

Any woodwork that a homeowner can see in a home is the handiwork of a trim carpenter. The framing of the house was done by other carpenters, and all of that stuff is behind drywall anyway. Veteran trim carpenters will tell you that trim work is essentially a visual exercise. The carpenter must be able to clearly visualize the finished project and move incrementally toward that goal. Interior doors must hang parallel to the floor. The casing around doors must appear level and flush, even if it is not. Tiny gaps at the edges of wood flooring are made invisible. Baseboards and crown molding are used to cover imperfections in drywall as well as add an elegant accent to a room.

Some basic pieces of trim carpentry advice are commonplace. For example, when nailing hardwoods, avoid nailing knots in the wood, as this can lead to splitting. Also, never nail to close to the edge of a piece of wood, as this will cause splitting also. A good trim carpenter also matches their trim woods. Even the same species of wood can have a large range of colors and variations in wood grains. Matching the color and grain of your trim wood will give you a superior finished product. For perfect measurements with small pieces of wood, set the wood in place and mark the wood itself. This is more exact than using a tape measure.

In the end, unless you have professional experience, trim carpentry is not a do-it-yourself job. Most trim carpenters have graduated up to trim carpentry from more basic work, like frame carpentry. It takes an aesthetic sense coupled with honed skill. There are many jobs you can do on your own to improve your home. The bulk of home remodeling can be done by a dedicated amateur. But when the time comes to finish your project, do some homework and find yourself a skilled trim carpenter. You be glad you did.

How to find a good trim carpenter.

First, determine the extent of your trim carpentry job. Do you need door and window casings? Do you need more basics like molding? Or do you need more advanced trim carpentry like raised panel wainscoting, a new stairway handrail, or some built in shelving? Perhaps you would like to install hardwood flooring in a previously carpeted room. Look over your project and get a good sense of how much and what type of trim carpentry you will be needing.

Next, acquire a working knowledge of the materials you will need for your project. Price different kinds of wood for your trim carpentry. Keep in mind that woods come in less expensive paint grades and more expensive stain grades, like oak.

Then find a trim carpenter. Ask friends and business associates for some recommendations. Invite several contractors over to your home to give you an estimate. Speak with each contractor in depth. You are not just looking for the best price here. You are looking for a professional that is skilled, informative and a good communicator. Find a trim carpenter that will go over your plan with you and work out any potential misunderstandings about the scope of your project. Look at samples of the contractors work. Ask for a list of previous customers as references for the contractor. Go ahead and give these customers a call. Ask them how they like the carpentry and the carpenter. In the end, you will be glad you made an informed decision.

When you’ve chosen your contractor, draw up a contract that includes a start and finish date for the job, a complete description of the work to be done (including materials to be used), the cost of the job, and the payment schedule. If you stick to these basic guidelines you’ll be on your way to a finished remodeling job with the kind of artful trim carpentry that makes you proud of your efforts.

Congratulations to Building Company No. 7 for becoming the exclusive dealer in middle Tennessee for Dry-Treat sealing products.

The deal is a major boon for Building Company No. 7, as Dry-Treat sealers are rapidly becoming known across the globe as the premier protective sealers for natural stone, brick, tile and concrete. Suitable for large commercial or residential projects, icons sealed with Dry-Treat products include: The Sydney Opera House, Imperial Hotel in Vienna, Tennessee Titans’ Stadium, city malls, resorts and tens of thousands of floors, walls and counter-tops in homes each year.

“We take our mission of protecting peoples’ property very seriously, and are constantly pushing technological boundaries and improving our level of service,” says Dry-Treat founder Stuart Anderson. “So, we handpick dealers who provide this same dedication and high standard of service to property owners and building professionals in their community.”

Cutting edge science is the key to the extraordinary properties of Dry-Treat impregnating sealers, which penetrate deeper, last years longer, provide the best protection and won’t change the natural look of the material. Even more extraordinary are Dry-Treat’s written performance warranties of up to 15 years for some products, when applied by a Dry-Treat Accredited Applicator.

Matt Millsap’s Building Company No. 7 was chosen exclusively from among a prestigious group of middle Tennessee’s construction and renovation contractors. This distinction authorizes Mr. Millsap to supply a full line of world-renowned Dry Treat products and services for all of your building sealant needs. Contact Building Company No. 7 today for complete details on Dry Treat products and their15-year warranty.

For further information, please contact:
Building Company No. 7
Matt Millsap
2441-Q Old Fort Parkway
Murfreesboro, Tennessee 37128-4162
Tel: 615.785.9029

http://www.buildingcompanynumber7.com/

By Steve Hargreaves, CNNMoney.com staff writer
On 6:32 am EST, Wednesday December 9, 2009

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President Obama proposed a new program Tuesday that would reimburse homeowners for energy-efficient appliances and insulation, part of a broader plan to stimulate the economy.

The administration didn’t provide immediate details, but said it would work with Congress on crafting legislation. Steve Nadel, director at the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, who’s helping write the bill, said a homeowner could receive up to $12,000 in rebates.

The proposal is part of the President’s larger spending plan, which also includes money for small businesses, renewable energy manufacturing, and infrastructure.

We know energy efficiency “creates jobs, saves money for families, and reduces the pollution that threatens our environment,” Obama said. “With additional resources, in areas like advanced manufacturing of wind turbines and solar panels, for instance, we can help turn good ideas into good private-sector jobs.”

The program contains two parts: money for homeowners for efficiency projects, and money for companies in the renewable energy and efficiency space.

The plan will likely create a new program where private contractors conduct home energy audits, buy the necessary gear and install it, according to a staffer on the Senate Energy Committee and Nadel at the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy.

Big-ticket items like air conditioners, heating systems, washing machines, refrigerators, windows and insulation would likely be covered, Nadel said.

Consumers might be eligible for a 50% rebate on both the price of the equipment and the installation, up to $12,000, said Nadel. So far, there is no income restriction on who is eligible. That would mean a household could spend as much as $24,000 on upgrades and get half back.

Homes that take full advantage of the program could see their energy bills drop as much as 20%, he said. The program is expected to cost in the $10 billion range.

It’s not clear how the home efficiency plan would be administered – the government may issue rebates to consumers directly, homeowners might get a tax credit, or the program could be run via state agencies.

If consumers have to spend a lot of money up front to get the credit, it could throw a wrench in the works, David Kreutzer, an energy analyst at the Heritage Foundation, told CNN.

“This will not be something that’s attractive to people who are having trouble already making their budget payments month to month or week to week,” he said.

To keep consumers from having to spend thousands of dollars before getting reimbursed, Nadel said, one idea is to have contractors or big box retailers pay part of the cost up front.

Fraud issues could also come up, Kreutzer said.

“Any program that is going to run through a third party and is going to distribute billions of dollars needs to have lots of checks and balances to make sure there’s not abuse,” he said.

Nadel noted that as a way to guard against fraud, contractors would have to be certified to participate.

Energy company boost

Obama’s new spending plan also calls for renewable energy companies to get additional support. That could come in the form of loan guarantees – basically, money the government uses to secure loans for startups.

In the original stimulus bill passed earlier this year, $6 billion was earmarked for such loan guarantees. But then lawmakers took away $2 billion to fund Cash for Clunkers – the popular program that paid people to turn in their old cars.

The $4 billion from the original bill has funded about $40 billion in loans, said the staffer on the Senate Energy Committee. Meanwhile, firms are hoping for another $4 billion in loan guarantees, since they have another $40 billion worth of projects that need funding.

A bill on energy efficiency reimbursements already has supporters in the Senate.

“Not only will [such legislation] increase our energy security and transform our energy infrastructure to a modern, clean and efficient one,” Senate Energy Committee Chairman Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M., wrote in a recent op-ed column in the Hill, a Capitol Hill newspaper. “But it also will position the United States to lead in the development of clean energy technologies.”

The Latest On Heated Tile Flooring

Are heated tile floors worth it? A home improvement expert helps you weigh your options.

Stone and ceramic tile floors are by far the most durable, attractive floor coverings on the market. When it comes to strength and beauty, tile flooring outdoes even hardwood, which is prone to warping under extreme temperatures and gouging under high traffic. Stone tile flooring, in particular, adds value to a home. It has a long life and is resistant to basically everything – stains, water, fire, scrapes and scuffs. Tile flooring is an excellent choice for high traffic areas like kitchens, bathrooms, dining areas, and patios.

The main drawback of tile flooring is temperature. Especially if you live in colder climes. Once winter arrives, tile flooring can really take a toll on bare feet. Many people, who otherwise love the look and feel of tile flooring, may choose another material because of how cold tile flooring can get. But, let’s face it, all flooring, except maybe carpet, gets cold in winter. And you don’t want carpet in your kitchen – a room where you and your family will spend most of your time.

Don’t carpet the floor. Heat it.

Part of tile flooring’s versatility is that you can heat it. Imagine stepping out of the shower on a cold December morning to meet with the welcoming warmth of a heated tile floor. In fact, tile flooring heats better than any other flooring material. For this reason, choosing tile flooring is an advantage in colder climes because it can maintain a most cozy and toasty warmth for your bare feet. A heated floor is a comfortable and classy sensation that you and your guests will not soon forget.

The physics works for you.

Because heat rises, a heated tile floor has the potential to warm most of the room. Plus the perceived warmth is more effective from below. Heated tile flooring, also called radiant floor heating, can nicely supplement traditional duct based heating, which is less efficient and blows allergen particles into the airspace of your home.

The Three Types of Radiant Floor Heating: Air, Electric, and Hydronic.

1.Air. Air does not hold a high amount of heat, compared to solids and liquids. Heating your floors by using a furnace or solar power to pump hot air through the floor panels is the least efficient form of radiant floor heating. Air loses heat as it travels through the ducts and it moves particles and allergens through the home. Air floor heating is almost never used in residential applications.

2.Electric. Using this method heat is supplied to the tiles using a network of warming cables installed under the floor. This is a very effective method of radiant floor heating, but electricity is expensive. To increase efficiency, electric floor heating is best installed into a large thermal mass, like a thick concrete floor, or a concrete layer under your tiles that houses the warming cables. Check to see if your electric company offers time-of-use rates. Time-of-use rates give you the option of “charging” the concrete mass with heat during off-peak hours. With a significant thermal mass, the floor can hold the stored heat for up to eight hours. Electric heated tile floors are most effective with a “wet” installation, which is described below.

3. Hydronic. Liquid is a great conductor of heat. Hydronic floor heating pumps hot water from a boiler through tubing laid in a pattern under the floor tiles. This is the most popular and cost effective form of radiant floor heating. The temperature in each room or zone is controlled by a system of thermostats and valves or pumps.

Two Types of Radiant Floor Heating Installations: Wet or Dry

1. Wet. Wet installations imply a large thermal mass, like a concrete subfloor. Another form of wet installation is a lightweight concrete layer over a wooden subfloor. Wet installations are commonly associated with electric radiant heating. This type of installation gets its name from the use of wet concrete to create a thermal mass.

2. Dry. Dry installations make use of radiant floor tubing sandwiched between two layers of plywood or attached directly to the underside of the finished floor or subfloor. Rather than encasing the cables or tubing in concrete, they are run through the airspace beneath the floor. Heat is conserved by installing reflective surfaces to deflect the heat up through the flooring.

Now you’ve got a few facts to get you started. If radiant floor heating sounds like the perfect winter gift for you home, do a little homework. Educate yourself about the types of radiant floor heating so you can be armed with information if you decide to shop. Maybe you will end up getting your home some heated tile floors for Christmas.