Weatherization Programs Available
Filed under: Air Sealing, Doors, Energy, Insulation, Windows
DTE Energy, MichCon and Consumers Energy are offering several programs including rebates for energy efficiency upgrades. For example, DTE offers up to a $750 rebate for having your windows replaced with qualified, energy efficient windows or up to $500 for attic insulation. Consumers Energy has similar offers to its customers including up to a $750 rebate for installing a high-efficiency, natural gas boiler.
Some other offers include:
· Appliance Recycling – The utility will pick up your old, working refrigerator and pay you for it.
· Instant, in-store rebates on lighting at participating retailers.
· Free, online energy audits including a free gift just for using the service.
And these are just a few.
There is also energy efficiency assistance for those who qualify and always programs to help with the bill. Want to get started? Visit:
http://dteenergy.com
http://consumersenergy.com
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Update Your Home Safely with a Lead Safe Certified Remodeler
Filed under: Bathroom Remodeling, Doors, Home Remodeling, Kitchen Remodeling, Lead Safety, Sunrooms, Windows
P & B Finishers is a Lead Safe Certified Firm
You’ve made the decision to finally remodel the outdated kitchen and living room of your home. But if you live in a house built before 1978, a new federal law regulating the removal of lead paint may affect your home remodeling project. In 1978, the use of lead paint was officially banned from residential construction. Before that, however, lead paint was used in more than 38 million homes, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Beginning in April 2010, contractors performing renovation, repair and painting projects that disturb lead-based paint in homes, child care facilities, and schools built before 1978 must be certified and must follow specific work practices to prevent lead contamination.
The Dangers of Lead Paint
During a renovation or remodel, dust from lead paint removal can fill the air and be breathed in or small children could ingest lead paint chips that fall from the wall. For young children, lead poisoning can cause learning disabilities, hearing loss and behavior problems. In adults, lead poisoning can lead to hypertension and high blood pressure. Pregnant women run the risk of passing the poison on to their unborn child.
It is important that you find a remodeler who is trained in lead-safe work practices rather than try to do the work yourself. To ensure the safety of the home’s occupants, the EPA’s new regulation requires that any major renovation to homes built before 1978 must be performed by a certified remodeler or renovator.
What are Lead-Safe Work Practices?
EPA has a free brochure on its website called “Renovate Right” that provides guidance to home owners and contractors about the safe removal of lead paint. Your contractor should follow specific work practices, including these three simple procedures:
1. Contain the work area so that dust and debris do not escape. Warning signs should be put up and heavy-duty plastic and tape should be used to seal off doors and heating and cooling system vents and to cover the floors and any furniture that cannot be moved.
2. Minimize dust. There is no way to eliminate dust, but some paint removal methods create less dust than others. For example, using water to mist areas before sanding or scraping; scoring paint before separating components; and prying and pulling apart components instead of breaking them. Methods that generate large amounts of dust and should not be used include open flame burning or torching; sanding, grinding, planing, needle gunning, or blasting with power tools and equipment not equipped with a shroud and high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter vacuum attachment; or using a heat gun at temperatures greater than 1100°F.
3. Clean up thoroughly. When all the work is done, and before taking down any plastic that isolates the work area from the rest of the home, the area should be cleaned up using special cleaning methods . These include using a HEPA vacuum to clean up dust and debris on all surfaces, followed by wet mopping with plenty of water.
How Do I Find a Certified Firm?
To become lead-safe certified the firm must submit an application to the EPA and complete a federal or state-administered eight-hour class with two hours of hands-on training.
To find a lead-safe certified contractor or firm near you visit EPA Certified Firm Locator.
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Get the Best Bang for Your Remodeling Buck
Filed under: Bathroom Remodeling, Home Remodeling, Kitchen Remodeling, Windows
Your home is your castle, but sometimes that castle may need a facelift. Remodeling is a great way to create a home environment that can meet your family’s changing needs and tastes without you having to spend a lot of money.
Before you spend your hard-earned dollars, however, make sure that the changes you make now will have longer-term benefits for you when you look to sell your home in the future.
You should find out what features are standard for homes in your neighborhood. If you only have one bathroom but most of the other homes average two or more, you will want to bring your house up to that standard. On the flipside, do not make changes to your house that are too extravagant or out-of-place for your neighborhood.
Make sure you are not making changes that will turn off prospective buyers. Keep in mind what future home buyers would like to see in their next home. It is often wiser to add an additional bathroom or bedroom rather than a sunroom or sauna, for example, which are costly and will not necessarily be a priority for anyone else.
The size and cost of your project matter as well. The Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University advises that smaller or midrange jobs overall will tend to recover a higher percentage of their cost than larger, higher-end projects.
For example, replacing old windows will generate a higher payback ratio than adding a high-end kitchen with all of the bells and whistles and it costs significantly less, according to Stephen Melman, an economist with the National Association of Home Builders.
Maintenance-related projects, such as siding and window replacement, are especially popular because they are repairs that are seen as needed, but can also help improve curb appeal at fairly low costs in relation to other projects.
The top-ten midrange projects cited in Remodeling magazine’s “Cost vs. Value Report” that provide the highest percentage return are:
- Deck Addition (wood) - 81.8 percent
- Siding Replacement (vinyl) – 80.7 percent
- Minor Kitchen Remodel - 79.5 percent
- Window Replacement (wood) – 77.7 percent
- Window Replacement (vinyl) – 77.2 percent
- Major Kitchen Remodel - 76.0 percent
- Bathroom Remodel - 74.6 percent
- Attic Bedroom - 73.8 percent
- Deck Addition (composite) – 73.7 percent
- Basement Remodel - 72.9 percent
These numbers represent the national average and percentages may vary in your region. To get information on projects that are the best investment for your area, check out the Remodeling magazine’s “2009-2010 Cost vs. Value Report” published by Hanley Wood online at www.costvsvalue.com. If you would like a copy of the Detroit area Cost v Value report contact P & B Finishers and we will send you one.
Whether you are looking to sell your house soon, or are just looking to remodel for yourself, it makes sense to keep an eye on how the changes you make now will reflect on your biggest investment down the road.
To find a professional remodeler in southeast Michigan, contact your local home builders’ association at http://www.biaremodelor.org/ or visit www.nahb.org/remodel.
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Window Replacement Choices
Filed under: Home Remodeling, Uncategorized, Windows
I’ve been doing window replacements since the late 70′s and have seen a lot of evolution in window manufacture and operation. Many of today’s windows are by far much better than anything manufactured prior to the previous decade.
Today we have a lot of choices from simple vinyl gliders to Smart Windows that can block out light automatically or at the flick of a switch. Your choice of replacements will depend on your taste, the quality you desire, the features you desire and your budget. Finding the balance can be tricky. Whatever window type you decide on, make sure they’re installed right.
At P & B we recommend and install Pella Brand windows more often than any other. We offer vinyl, fiberglass, wood and clad (maintenance free) along with numerous choices of interior wood and finishes and exterior colors. We also offer pocket replacements which leave your existing window frames undisturbed. And we can make most of them in any size.
We will recommend several installation choices to give you increased protection against air and moisture infiltration. The better way to do the job is not always the easiest or cheapest. Doing it right will protect your investment and your home, saving you money in the long run.
There has never been a better time to replace your old, drafty windows. The Energy Tax Credit will pay you 30% of the cost of your new windows (not including installation). But you’ll need to act soon. Time will soon run out.
Choose your window contractor carefully. There are many options and methods used. Some are not so good. Protect your investment by hiring a qualified, experienced and licensed remodeling contractor. Remember too, starting in April 2010, contractors who do window replacements in homes built prior to 1978 will be required to be certified through the EPA as a Lead Safe Certified Firm. Yes, it applies to windows!
Call (586) 254-7969 or fill out our online form for a free estimate.
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EIA: Cold January Temperatures Affected U.S. Use of Power and Natural Gas
Filed under: Air Sealing, Doors, Energy, Home Remodeling, Insulation, Windows
Colder-than-normal U.S. temperatures in January, particularly in the Southeast, drove up the use of electric power and natural gas, according to DOE’s Energy Information Administration (EIA). In the South Census Region, where about 60% of households use electricity as their primary space heating fuel, residential electricity sales increased by about 12% in January, relative to January 2009. Most of that increased power probably came from natural gas, and the cold further north also increased the use of natural gas for heating. That double-whammy caused natural gas spot prices to peak at $7.51 per million Btu on January 7, but as temperatures eased, the spot price fell to about $5.30 per million Btu by the end of the month. The spot price averaged $5.83 per million Btu for all of January, about 49 cents higher than December. Despite the potential for price spikes, natural gas spot prices are expected to average only $5.37 per million Btu in 2010. The nation should also see some energy cost relief this summer, as temperatures are expected to be about 2.5% cooler than last summer. See the EIA’s “Short-Term Energy Outlook,” published on February 10.
Reduce your energy costs! Call P & B today for windows, doors and insulation solutions.
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