Archive for May, 2009
Do-It-Yourself Sump Pumps: An expensive pain in the neck
Posted by Francine in Home Improvement, Tools and Resources on May 27th, 2009
So you want to install a sump pump yourself? Fantastic! You’ll be saving a lot of money! At least, for the first month or two! But before you decide to take this route, consider the chore you’re about to take on.
Selecting the Best Sump Pump
Before you install your sump pump, you’ll need to decide if you want a cast iron sump pump or a plastic one. Balance out whether or not the money saved on a plastic pump is worth the risk of a flooded basement. A variety of sump pumps are available, and whether you decide on a submersible, water-powered, floor sucker, or stand/pedestal sump pump for your basement and which brand name you choose will decide whether or not your basement may flood in the future.
Sump Pump Options
No sump pump is an island. There are numerous options that can make or break the sump pump installation. The size of the sump pump must fit the job- a pump that’s too large or too small (and is overwhelmed) for the work is going to fail to keep the basement dry. When sump pumps are too large, they remove water faster than it fills the sump pit, causing them to turn on and off repeatedly and shortening their life. Additionally, your sump pump pit must be large enough for the pump or it will short cycle, or run continuously, which can also potentially shorten its life. Other sump pump installation questions include the following:
Outdoor Living Spaces: Get ready for summer!
Posted by Francine in Home Design, Home Improvement, Lawn and Garden on May 27th, 2009
Summertime is right around the corner and that means plenty of food, friends, family and fun outdoors! Whether you have a large or small yard, a garden, a patio or a porch, there are many ways to prepare your home for outdoor summer activities. Get your outdoor living space ready for the summer with these helpful tips.
A good way to make outdoor spaces feel more comfortable and enjoyable is to think of these spaces in the same way you would think about the indoors. There are a number of non-traditional options for outdoor areas, including comfortable sofas, lounge chairs, pillows and soft fabrics. These are especially good for homeowners living in areas that don’t see a lot of rain. No one wants to have to rush outside to grab a sofa if it starts raining!
Easy steps, big savings.
Posted by Cynthia in Budget Friendly, Going Green, Home Improvement on May 11th, 2009

Saving money
The Baltimore Sun’s Home and Garden session this week brings us a nice article, listing some easy (and fairly inexpensive) home improvements that will help you save a lot of money in utilities, cut energy use, and make the house more energy efficient.
Cut energy use, make your home efficient with easy steps — baltimoresun.com.
There is, however, a single great improvement the article fails to mention: crawl space encapsulation.
For homes with dirt or concrete crawl spaces, this process is proven to make the whole house on average 18% more energy efficient and improve indoor air quality by protecing the crawl space against moisture and related problems such as mold, rot, dust mites and structural decay.
Free Tool to Create Your Own Floor Plans
Posted by Cynthia in Home Design, Home Improvement, Home Remodeling, Tools and Resources on May 6th, 2009
Whether you are planning a new addition, building your dream home, remodeling your kitchen or simply rearranging your living room furniture, this free tool will come in handy.
Floorplanner.com allows you to easily build (and share!) 2D floor plans like a pro and then visualize them in 3D.
The best of all? It is free for personal users! What’s not to like?
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