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Winterize Your Home

Winterize your homeThere are quite a few ways to make your home more energy efficient thus saving on your home heating bills. I will start with some of the simplest and least expensive ones.

1. Check your doors for drafts – If any light can be seen around the perimeter of your door(s) you know that air is getting in – Install Weather stripping found at any local hardware store.

2. Check all receptacles and add insulation mats under the receptacle plate.

3. Check your attic for proper insulation. Peek under the floor boards to see if you have any, and if you do check to see if it was installed properly. Remember on all insulation whether it be foil backed or paper backed the side with the backing should always be facing the heated area. So in your attic that means the fiberglass should be facing up and the backing down towards the house.

Make sure that you choose the right insulation for your job, If the floor joist are2″x6″ you need R-19, If they are 2″x8″ You need R-25, 2″x10″ – R-30, 2″x12″ – R-38.
If your going to insulate the bays in between your rafters make sure you use Styrofoam insulation baffles to allow free flow of air between the insulation and the roof to extend the life of your roof.

4. Check your windows- If they are the old single pane type of windows you may want to upgrade to the more modern insulated double paned glass windows, and even better yet add Low E and Argon gas for a much more energy efficient window, and you may also qualify for a Energy Star Tax Rebate If they extend the Rebate into 2012.

5. The Highest ticket item on this list is your boiler. They make high efficiency gas boilers now that can save you as much as 40% on your heating bills. You may also qualify for a rebate from the government and Con Edison for a Rebate if you install one of these high efficiency boilers. Call con Edison and ask for details, they will also come out and do an inspection of your house to see where you can save on your energy bill.

Give us a call so we can help make your home more energy efficient!  914-576-2572

 

A Sunroom Addition Lets You Bring the Outdoors In

Sunroom-DesignsThere’s little doubt that we love our homes, but there are times when virtually everyone feels a bit boxed in. Perhaps we’ve outgrown our home, or maybe it just feels a bit dark and claustrophobic.

For whatever reason, there are times when it would just feel good to bring extra light and airiness to our homes. Although the popularity of sunrooms has waxed and waned over the years, most people think of a sunroom as an aluminum structure that lets all of the heat out in the winter and turns into an oven in the summer.

New Materials for Better Sunrooms
Well, times have changed, and so have the materials used to build sunrooms. These days, homeowners are increasingly choosing sunrooms that use vinyl-wood composite for the framing and high-quality windows from the floor to the ceiling. The result? Well, there aren’t any unsightly screws or fasteners on the walls or around the windows; instead, lovely trim and moldings provide the finishing touches. Plus, the energy efficiency is unbeatable.

A typical aluminum-framed sunroom is between 10 percent below EPA requirements for habitable structures. In contrast, a special wood-composite sunroom average 25 percent better than EPA codes. This means that, for example, if you live in a state like Texas, your sunroom is usable year-round and won’t cause your energy bills to soar. Plus, the cost of building a sunroom out of these new materials is about that of an aluminum sunroom—and decidedly less than an all-out remodel.

Conservatories: A Step Beyond
If you think you’d enjoy the comfort and relaxation of a sunroom, conservatories put your home into a class all by itself. Sometimes called a solarium, a conservatory often becomes the most used room in a home. Mahogany conservatories are gorgeous, and typically are available in a variety of roof styles, including Windsor, Georgian, and Victorian.

Dressing Up Your Patio


Many homeowners have nice patios but simply don’t use them. Often, it’s just too darned hot to have the sun beating down on you. If that’s the case, then it’s easy to dress up your patio with a patio enclosure, a patio cover, or an arbor. Enclosing or covering your patio gives you that much more living space and enables you to truly enjoy your backyard.

Finding the Right Company


Whether you want a sunroom, a solarium, or a patio enclosure, it’s important to find a company you can rely on. Make sure that all materials and labor are backed by a 100 percent lifetime transferable warranty, which will be attractive to buyers if you ever sell your home.

Moreover, the company you choose should provide you with a buyer’s guide, a contractor’s evaluation sheet, and design options before you buy. The best companies even offer a 3D architectural rendering so that you will know what your room will look like. 
 Contact us today so we can talk about how we can transform YOUR home with a beautiful sunroom, solarium or patio enclosure addition!

A sunroom or conservatory is a wonderful way to breathe new life into your home. So let the sun shine in!

Paint Color can Affect Mood and Appetite

Ideas for interior paint colorsThe color of your walls does more than just express your personal taste. It can actually influence the mood of those who spend time in your home!

If you are about to repaint a room, here are some things to know about the hues you might use:

Red packs a wallop (physiologically speaking) and increasing blood pressure, heartbeat and energy in most people. It instills feelings of intimacy, passion an
d sexuality. Red also increases the appetite, which explains why it is used so often in restaurants and why it can be a good choice for a formal dining room.

Orange, like red, tends to warm a room, but in a more friendly and welcoming way. As a result, paints that come in various shades and tints of orange work well in living rooms and family rooms.

Yellow is also warm and welcoming, but it is more attention-getting than either red or orange. For this reason, it is a good paint color to use in poorly-lit foyers or dark hallways.

Blue, which is part of the cool color palette, makes us feel calm and tranquil, so it is ideal for use in bedrooms. But since blue works as an appetite suppressant (perhaps because there are so few blue foods) it is not the best option for a dining room.

Green is another relaxing color and is much more versatile than blue. Light greens are ideal for bedrooms and living rooms; mid-tones are good for kitchens and dining rooms.

Violet is a tricky color. Many adults dislike purples, but are fond of the rose family, which can work in many rooms, including dining rooms, bedrooms and libraries. Young children, on the other hand, respond favorably to violet so this color can be used successfully in children’s bedrooms and play areas.

You’re the one who has to live with your new paint color, so choose a hue that suits you, your family and your lifestyle.

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