Here
comes spring time! Warmer air and more sunshine. And rain.
That business about spring being “in like a lion and out like a
lamb” fails to also include warnings about the rainfall involved in
an unusually wet season change.
And after this unusually (strikingly!) mild winter, who knows what
spring will bring.
You might be thinking only about tackling some serious spring
cleaning and planning a couple of yard sales to purge unwanted junk
or maybe you are toying with the idea of buying a new...
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Until it happens to you or someone you know, it is often very
difficult to understand the enormous impact of water
damage. In fact, the subject reminds me of that old
saying, “the gift that keeps on giving,” only the “gift” is
a nightmare. If undetected, water damage often continues
to damage a home- and much of that damage is done before we even
discover it!
Within 24 to 48 hours after flooding occurs, for example,
mold- which is a type of fungus- begins to grow in the damaged
areas. It...
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I love old houses and renovating them, so I tend to troll chat
rooms full of discussions about how to get older homes to
accommodate new technology that gives us the creature comforts our
ancestors could only dream about.
I find that some DIY-ers have a lot of
enthusiasm, but less knowledge or common sense when it comes to
some of the projects. One in particular that seems to crop up time
and again is about
venting exhaust fans in attics and crawl
spaces.They want to remove the moist air from the...
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Even in the heat of summer we have to take care of the yard outside
and for me, that means spending time in the garden shed.
If your shed or barn is anything like mine, it is closed up most of
the time and is actually a storage place for all the yard and
garden equipment like rakes, shovels, the wheelbarrow and the
mower. It also stores the extra half-bag of manure and potting soil
and a variety of chemicals, fertilizers and the accompanying
spreaders and sprayers.
I hate going in there. When you...
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Not only is mold unsightly - it is VERY bad for your
health. There are several things you can do to prevent the
growth of mold and mildew in your home.
Here are a few:
- Keep indoor humidity levels at less than 60% through adequate
ventilation and the use of air conditioners and dehumdifiers.
- Repair leaks in the roof, plumbing, windows and in basement
walls.
- Monitor and remediate crawl spaces were water can
accumulate
- Don't hang wet clothes, towels or linens to dry indoors.
-
Always
use an exhaust fan or...
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Everyone who has been waiting to hear when the AirFlow Breeze
BASEBOARD register vent booster fan will be available -
your wait is over!
The new AirFlow Breeze baseboard register vent booster
fan is now available.
This is the first baseboard model to come on the market and is
added to the line of wall, floor and ceiling models currently
available, including the AirFlow Breeze Ultra with its own remote
control.
The new baseboard model replaces your existing standard
18-inch baseboard register...
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In April, the
EPA published a 240-page report entitled "Reducing
Environmental Cancer Risk: What We Can Do Now."
The report highlights
the risks from radon and states that "the cancer risk attributable
to residential radon exposure has been clearly demonstrated and
must be addressed." (Emphasis added.)
Now for someone like me who knows very little about radon gas,
this is a scary proposition. This is what I
discovered about radon from the
U.S. Geological Survey:
Radon is a gas produced by...
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Attic exhaust fans, particularly energy- and cost-saving
solar-powered attic fans, can be a great help in removing hot
air from the top level of your house to make your entire
home more comfortable. But I've heard some concern about the attic
fans pulling cool air-conditioned air from the interior as well.
The answer to that is insulation.
Having the proper amount and kind of insulation in the
attic - and throughout your home - is key to maintaining a
comfortable temperature in all seasons. I...
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Everyone knows M & Ms - the chocolate delight that melts in
your mouth, not in your hand. That's the M&M most people love
to have at least once in a while.
But the M & M you don't want to have around -
ever - is mold and mildew. The two are often referred to
as a pair. But what is the difference between them?
According to
Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary,
mildew is defined as:
1: a superficial, usually
whitish growth produced on organic matter or living plants by
fungi (as of the families...
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In one of my
recent blog posts I talked about how the
development of the AirFlow Breeze Ultra register booster fan was in
response to customer feedback and how well received the unit has
been since introduced late last year.
Mark Adkins at the Gadgeteer reviewed the AirFlow
Breeze Ultra, comparing it to a previous review of the
forerunner, the AirFlow Breeze. He pointed out in his review many
of the updates and improvements.
He also said:
The room feels more
comfortable...not by a ton, but it defin...
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Bernie Pierce, president of AirFlow
Technology really listens to his customers. In
addition to praise for the effectiveness of the
AirFlow Breeze register booster fan, we
received other suggestions and feedback.
He listened,
he thought, he researched, he
developed and Voila! the AirFlow Breeze Ultra register vent booster fan
was created and offered to consumers.
One young mother said that the background sound of the AirFlow
Breeze seemed to comfort her baby, but others didn't agree.
The AirFlow...
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Spring has come. I can tell because it is raining. Frequent showers
remind me that crawl spaces often become damp in the spring and
with humid summers, remain that way for some time.
All that
lingering moisture can lead to a multitude of problems inside your
home like:
- hardwood floors buckling
- condensation on pipes and fixtures
- musty odors
Under the house,
mold and mildew can grow and joists can
rot and become insect-infested.
Toolbase Services says,
When the outside air has less
moisture than the...
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In my current series of blog posts, we're looking at...
Reasons why "problem rooms" get too cold
-
House geometry (cold air sinks, hot air rises, etc.)
-
Variant or substandard construction (windows, wall materials,
etc.)
-
Variant or substandard weatherproofing (insulation, window seals,
etc.)
-
Inadequate HVAC system and/or ductwork
- Malfunctioning HVAC system and/or ductwork (including user
error)
There are several ways in which the elements of an HVAC system
can conspire to create chilly "problem...
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In my current series of blog posts, we're looking
at...
Reasons why "problem rooms" get too cold
- House geometry (cold air sinks, hot air rises,
etc.)
- Variant or substandard construction (windows, wall
materials, etc.)
- Variant or substandard weatherproofing (insulation,
window seals, etc.)
- Inadequate HVAC system and/or ductwork
The following are situations in which the HVAC system, ductwork,
or a combination of the two can result in one or more rooms in your
house being too cold. As in, "Brrrrrr!"
HVAC...
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In my current series of blog posts, we're looking
at...
Reasons why "problem rooms" get too cold
- House geometry (cold air sinks, hot air rises,
etc.)
- Variant or substandard construction (windows, wall
materials, etc.)
- Variant or substandard weatherproofing (insulation, window
seals, etc.)
This is a fairly simple (though not necessarily inexpensive)
issue to understand and correct. The "problem room" is leaking
warm air (or letting in cold air), and thus it's colder than
the other rooms in the house.
On...
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Dirt crawl spaces typically have humidity levels that will
accommodate mold growth. The crawl may not be wet but will be
humid.
To help the situation, add positive grading and downspouts that
will flow water away from the home and foundation. Some
crawls have sump pumps which will carry the water away.
So, if you have a musty smell you may have rotting wood in your
crawl due to moisture. Some people will encapsulate the dirt
with a 20mm thick liner. This is tough enough not to rib but
strong...
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