(ARA) – Now that warmer weather is here, people are gearing up to make some repairs and updates to their homes. From new roofs and siding to adding state-of-art kitchen and other household appliances, people have more options than ever when it comes to making purchases that can help them save money and the environment.

The ENERGY STAR program, a joint effort from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy, is designed to help people save money on their utility bills while reducing greenhouse gasses. In 2008, more than $19 billion was saved on utility bills through the program. According to the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, investing $3,000 to $8,000 in your home — not including rebates — can result in savings of 10 to 30 percent annually on utility bills.

For people who are looking to sell their homes or simply a good investment, energy-efficient options can make your home more valuable. According to the EPA, a $1 investment in your home can add about $20 in value. In other words, for every $1,000 invested in energy efficiency, you gain about $20,000 in value.

Colby Swanson, a building and construction expert for BASF, a manufacturer of energy-efficient products for the home, offers these recommendations on how you can save yourself money by making improvements on your house.

* Start with improving the envelope of the building (specifically attic air sealing and insulating) before buying things like a high-efficiency furnace, air conditioner or solar-power cells. The money you may save would be wasted if the building can’t contain the expensive conditioned air. Swanson says that air leakage from the house through the ceiling is one of the largest contributors for heating and cooling loss with improperly installed attic insulation close behind. Focusing on attic air sealing and properly installed insulation is generally the most cost effective energy and comfort related improvement in an existing home. The U.S. Department of Energy reports that up to 40 percent of the energy cost of heating and cooling a structure is wasted by uncontrolled air leakage.

“The attic has some of the most extreme weather on the planet,” Swanson says. “It’s extremely hot in the summer and bitterly cold in the winter. Therefore, air sealing and insulating this extremely harsh environment from the house is crucial.”

* BASF makes a product that could save homeowners a lot of money; a polyurethane foam spray, Comfort Foam and Enertite Foam, replaces the conventional, fiberglass or cellulose insulation in the attic and walls. Spray foam is the premium insulating product on the market because of its ability to air seal and insulate at the same time.

“Professionally installed foam in the attic will far outperform the conventional products both in air sealing and insulating capability resulting in much more comfortable homes and substantially lower heating and cooling bills,” says Swanson. “Studies indicate that a thorough job of leak sealing can cut your home’s total air leakage by 33 to 46 percent — reducing your heating and cooling bills up to 20 percent. To help further the energy efficiencies of a home and help homeowners remain environmentally conscious, don’t dispose of the attic insulation being replaced, recycle it by placing it on top of the newly placed foam.”

* Another simple and less costly way for homeowners to make their homes more energy-efficient: apply a radiant barrier coating that is sprayed on the underside of the roof in the attic, which will lower heating and cooling bills and increase comfort. In the summer, it reflects some of the heat that radiates through the roof deck back outside and, to a lesser degree, in the winter reflects heat back into the house. One option is Radiance, made by BASF, a water-based product that can be sprayed on to the underside of the roof or applied with a paint roller.

* After the ceiling is air tight and insulated correctly, consider appliances. Next time you need to replace your home’s water heater, consider this: after the furnace and air conditioner it is the biggest user of energy in a house. As of 2009, you can now purchase a water heater certified as an ENERGY STAR appliance.

* Show me the money. Financial help is available. What many homeowners may not know is that they have the opportunity to leverage many rebates provided by local utility and state programs on top of the federal tax incentives to help finance home energy-efficiency investments. These attractive rebates and incentives vary widely (approximately 5 percent to 50 percent savings) to help off-set a homeowners investment to air seal, insulate or purchase high efficiency appliances. The federal government offers a 30 percent rebate of up to $5,000 on energy investment.

Go to www.dsireusa.org to find out more about rebates and incentives in your area.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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Tip: Infuse natural light into the home for an immediate morale (and energy efficient) boost

(ARA) – These days bailouts are common, but not many Americans have considered it for their home design. Does lifeless and cluttered design leave your home in need of a makeover?

Lifestyle and design expert Susie Coelho is out to change all of that with a sweeping Home Design Stimulus Plan that offers immediate and effective relief for homeowners to boost their surroundings, both inside and out, without busting their budgets.

“Homeowners have been clamoring for widespread reform both inside and outside of the home,” says Coelho, who has provided guidance and support to homeowners for years with her best-selling books and HGTV makeover shows Surprise Gardener and Outer Spaces. “This plan will refresh any home design.”

The five key components to Coelho’s Home Design Stimulus Plan are as follows:

1. Provide immediate relief to family and living rooms with the removal of excess furniture.

Provide relief to living and family rooms that have been over-taxed by excess furniture and accessories. Space is the basis for contemporary design and this look can be achieved by trimming down. Stimulate and breathe new life into rooms by cutting back on anything that has become a liability instead of an asset. Remove that extra wing back chair, the torn ottoman, those pillows that swallow up the sofa, and maybe even that old carpet so that you can actually see some floor.

2. Cut back on spending with the addition of only inexpensive or handmade decorative pieces.

Fool guests by creating pieces of art for little or no money. Look for branches that can be put in a vase, a painting from a garage sale or flea market, a beautiful fabric piece, or even a great piece of wallpaper that can be framed. Find large pieces that make big statements. Light the art from the bottom with a small spotlight that can be tucked behind the piece. Let the art be the star of the room.

3. Infuse natural light into the home for an immediate morale (and energy efficient) boost.

Bring natural light into the home simply and affordably, and watch spirits increase as the energy bills decrease. Windows are a piece of art and can be used to showcase an outdoor tree or plant and create that seamless look between the indoors and the outdoors – but they must be clean. According to a recent survey, almost half of homeowners (48 percent) would rather clean the toilet or shower than their outdoor windows. For many that may be because of the time and effort that goes into the chore, but it can be simple and the results can be dramatic. I recommend using a new quick, easy and affordable solution for a streak-free shine in half the time – the Windex Outdoor All-in-One Glass Cleaning Tool.

4. Give outdoor areas some incentives by taking the best of interior design outside.

Bring change to your home by styling the outdoor spaces using simple indoor techniques. Add an outdoor rug to soften the patio floor; bring in a side table as a focal point or even an outdoor leather ottoman. Elevate the planter to the status it merits by placing it on a table instead of the ground. Add some decorative pillows to make the outdoor furniture more inviting. If in the market for furniture, choose those pieces that have the flexibility to be used either indoors or out.

5. Bailout your backyard!

No backyard challenge is insurmountable with these helpful hints for bringing quick relief to the outdoor areas. No place to plant? Go vertical in your garden with trellises, walls, arbors and planters. Use ivy, ficas, bougainvillea, night blooming jasmine, gardenias, and other fragrant species to stimulate the senses. Small spaces? Give the illusion of space by using a mirror to reflect and open up areas, adding an entirely new dimension.

With these easy tips, the indoor and outdoor spaces will look fabulous in no time. Next on the to-do list: find an excuse for a party to show off the beautifully refreshed home.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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Whether you plan to live in the home or resell it, improving the value is a positive step for any homeowner. If reselling the home is an option, not only is the price a factor to potential buyers but also the condition of the home. A home that is in excellent condition and has been upgraded with new and improved materials and has had amenities added will make the home much more attractive to new buyers plus the cost of the best home improvement projects can be factored in when determining a sale price.

Implementing the Best Home Improvement Projects

Knowing what the best home improvement projects are for your home requires, in some situations, an expert opinion and contacting professionals in specific fields to help you find home improvement projects relevant to your needs will start you in the right direction. Check the yellow pages, online websites, local newspapers and community flyers for information. Many companies or individual contractors will give free estimates.
If you will be doing any of the improvements yourself, whether you’re experienced in making home improvements or a novice, having a good home improvement book to explain how to do the best home improvement projects is an asset.

 Utilizing Experts

Some improvements are best left to licensed experts such as electricians, plumbers, contractors and landscapers/tree cutters. These types of projects would include such things as the need to replace fuse boxes and faulty wiring, rewiring work of any kind, replacing pipes, tearing off and replacing a roof, installing drywall, laying tile, installing a water heater or a central air conditioning system or having tall trees removed or trimmed.  Not only do these experts have the knowledge and the tools necessary to complete the best home improvement projects, the work done comes with a warranty and a guarantee.

Additional Information

Check with your local zoning office to find out what permits are required before starting any home improvement project. In some cases, the contractors will get the necessary permit but for other projects, especially those you are doing yourself such as adding a room or replacing the roof requires the homeowner to purchase and post a permit.

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Shop Around

Don’t just stop into your local home improvement outlet store and start shopping. It would be better to compare prices, especially with food and gas prices the way they are today. Wouldn’t you like to get as many home improvement tools, supplies and everything else you need while also saving money? Of course you would. So whether you’re shopping at Lowes, Home Depot, one of the other big named stores, or a home improvement outlet store; compare prices so that you can save as much money as possible.

Bigger Is Not Always Better

You may be thinking that the big named stores are big because they’re better. That’s just not the case, however. Home improvement outlet stores are often staffed by people who are more helpful and more knowledgeable. These people truly care about you and your needs. Because they may not get as much business, or do as much advertising, as the other big names, they need and respect your business. So they’ll often go that extra mile in order to satisfy you. That’s just one of the many benefits of shopping at a home improvement outlet store.

Improving Your Home

When you stop into a home improvement outlet store, you should already have your project in mind. Are you building a new addition onto your home? Are you adding on or are you redoing a certain room? However, sometimes it’s fun to just come up with a project on the spot as you spy a certain item on the shelf at the home improvement outlet store. Your projects that you want to do are up to your know how, your budget and what the home improvement outlet stores have in stock. Have fun and congratulations on your motivation to improve your home. You’ll increase your property value and you’ll also feel as though you just moved into a brand new dream home.

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Using elbow grease to get work done is met with sighs by people around the world, but it’s a necessary evil if you want to save money on some things, like your yard for example. Some cheaper options for home decorating products for your yard might include grass seed as opposed to sod grass. The first requires you to sprinkle it around then lay down straw or some other material on top of it. The latter is good to go from the minute you lay it onto the ground, but it also costs a great deal more.

Also, your neighbor’s grass is probably so green and vibrant because they use some type of fertilizer. This is another great home decorating product that increases the health of your lawn, making it more resistant to the harmful effects of drought and an excess of rain. For around your house, you can get some great border materials to give it greatly needed definition. Mulch works great with flowers, but weeds can run rampant if you don’t curb their spread, and it generally needs to be replaced every few years. An alternative home decorating product would be some type of stone around the edge of your house. Generally, white river stones tend to be the most popular.

Of course, you’ll want to get a deck for your house, and home decorating products can make it better than ever before. Stylish solar lamps can save you money while providing you with exterior lighting for a lifetime, relying solely on the sun each day to recharge and shine brightly at night. Flower pots along your house and a few trees in your front yard can make all the difference, and you’ll have a newfound sense of pride in your home once your dawn. Everything feels like more of an accomplishment if some hard work went into making it, so take the time, purchase some home decorating products, and give your home the makeover you’ve always wanted to.

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To find home improvement professionals that can really do the job to your satisfaction you will need to ask a lot of questions to make sure that you are going to find home improvement professionals that meet your qualifications.  Any good contractor is going to expect questions so you will not be insulting the good contractors with a series of well defined questions designed to help you find home improvement professionals that you can trust.

Experience is a big factor when you are trying to find home improvement professionals.  To some people experience is not a deciding factor but everyone needs to be concerned with the level of experience their contractor has.  Ask your contractors what their experience is and always ask for references to back up that experience.  You can only find home improvement professionals that can do the job you want the way you want it if you take the time to check out the work they have done in the past.  This process is especially important if your project will require some very specific skills.  Always make sure your contractor is up to the task before giving them the job.

License And Insurance Please

When you are trying to find home improvement professionals you are looking for companies that play by the rules and that includes all the paperwork they need to file to be legal.  Many states require contractors to be licensed before they can work so be sure to ask to see your contractor’s license.  Any contractor should be fully insured before you allow them to work on your project.  Always insist on checking out your contractor’s insurance situation before you agree to give them the contract to your project.

Another factor you can use when you are trying to find home improvement professionals is just talk to your contractor.  Take notice of how they answer your questions and see if you like the answers you are getting and if the contractor displays a professional demeanor.  All of this is extremely important as you are getting ready to pay your contractor a lot of money so you need to be certain that you like the way they do business.

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Selecting Projects

Selecting the best home improvement projects is a key factor once a decision is made regarding which best home improvement investments will be implemented.  Older homes, especially frame houses, may require projects that will upgrade or modernize it versus a new home that might require only minor renovations or cosmetic improvements. The end result of any improvements made include increased value and improved functionality of the home.

Major Improvement Projects

Projects to consider when looking for the best home improvement investments fall into several categories with major improvements heading the list.  This type of project can be interior or exterior with such projects as completely redoing the floors in ceramic tile, refinishing a basement or turning a carport into an enclosed garage.

Minor Improvement Projects

Just as important as major improvements minor improvement projects can be something as simple as remodeling the bathroom to include a tiled shower area. Another project can involve adding a security system including outdoor lighting. Along with the security system, have security doors and burglar bars installed.

Outside Improvement Projects

There are numerous outside projects that can be considered as best home improvement investments. These types of projects range from creating an ornamental pool and patio or building a deck and adding a spa to installing a swimming pool, building a sun room,  screened porch or atrium. To be environmentally friendly installing a drip irrigation system to water plants and vegetables will save money as this type of system saves more water than traditional watering with a hose by 50 percent. Landscape the yard and create brick walkways throughout.

Environmental Improvement Projects

With the condition of the environment and how we interact and impact it being a major concern, any improvement that will make your home energy efficient and eco-friendly would also be on the list of best home improvement investments. These types of improvements could involve projects such as adding solar panels to the home to generate electricity or heat water, adding an additional full or half bathroom with water saving fixtures and replacing windows with dual glazed for better insulation.

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Shop Around For Deals

The home improvement market is extremely competitive. It seems that around every corner a new home improvement store is popping up ready to help you out with your new do it yourself project. The big names like your Lowes home improvement stores and your Home Depots, are constantly trying to cut their prices so that they compete with each other and with other stores. Even some home improvement outlet stores may offer cheaper prices than the big named stores. So shop around until you find the best deals. However, Lowes not only offers great prices but their staff is friendly and helpful as well.

What Do You Want To Do?

Adding a room to your house, fixing up a baby’s room, redoing your bathroom, making your living room bigger, adding a sun room or a patio, building a deck or putting in a hot tub; these are all home improvement projects that require tools, materials and know how. If you’re a beginner and you’re not sure what to do, ask a Lowes home improvement store employee for assistance. The staff at Lowes home improvement stores are friendly and helpful and knowledgeable. They’ll be able to help you with all of your questions and they can even point you to a number of do it yourself books and manuals that Lowes home improvement stores also sell.

Once you’re finished with your home improvement project, you’ll love how your ‘new’ home looks. Lowes home improvement stores have helped people create their dream homes for a long time. So if you ever find yourself looking around, wishing you had a different surrounding, just do a little home improvement project courtesy of Lowes. Not only will it increase the value of your home, it will also increase your opinion of your home.

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To Paint, or Not to Paint…

Really isn’t the question. To get the most out of your house, you probably need a lot more from home decorating accessories than you realize. First off, laminates really are never preferred over tiles and real hard wood flooring. Of course, the latter two are much more expensive, and it’s about impossible to tell the difference at times, but there are low cost options available for both. You might also want to consider replacing any carpet you have if it’s old and dirty (at the very least, give it a thorough cleaning), and you might want to put in tiles or hard wood flooring if you have the money.

Some other suggestions for home decorating accessories include replacing your cabinet knobs and handles with newer, more stylish versions. Sometimes, they can make all the difference, and you won’t feel the need to entirely replace your cabinets which can be prohibitively expensive. Think about replacing or adding trim in places where there isn’t any, and also consider replacing your front door with one that lets in more light and looks fancier. The front door is, after all, perhaps the most important home decorating accessory you’ll ever need to purchase.

These home decorating products are often far more expensive than home improvement products which are deemed more necessary, such as insulation, paint, and drywall. That’s because they’re designer products, and they will be very visible unlike normal home improvement supplies which are generally more hidden. For example, plumbing for a tub or shower might cost one hundred dollars, but bathtub and shower fixtures can easily cost thousands of dollars for luxury brands.

Home decorating accessories are vital if you want your house to be as beautiful as can be, and they can be very helpful when you’re trying to sell your house. However, if you’re trying to make money on a house, you may want to try to balance the amount that you spend on home decorating accessories and what you expect to make off of them. Many add more value to a house than they cost, but unwise choices can make you lose money fast.

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For those that haven’t done a home improvement project in years, even decades, the following interior decorating information can also help you to update your home and follow the path on being proud of your accomplishments.

Some Useful Interior Decorating Information

First and foremost, it’s important to know that when doing it yourself, you shouldn’t go too big. For bigger projects like putting in or taking out walls, or any other kind of project that involves the foundation of your home, it’s highly suggested that you hire professional contractors to help get the project done.

However, when it comes to putting in new curtains, furniture, paint or floors, doing it yourself can be totally possible with the additional help of some useful interior decorating information. You can find this information in the way of books, home improvement and interior decorating stores.

For some instant interior decorating information, read on:

Never forget to prepare for the project ahead of time. Spur of the moment projects unless they’re very small (like changing door locks) can result in damage or ineffective décor.

When choosing wall colors or curtains, consider choosing colors at the store and bringing home samples (whether carpet, paint or curtain samples) so you can actually put them up to the walls and windows, making it easy to choose the color you really want. Otherwise, you may end up choosing a color that doesn’t look the same at home as it did in the store, usually resulting in the need to do the entire project over again.

If you don’t own the tools to do an interior decorating project and you don’t use tools very often, consider renting them instead of purchasing the tools you need. The rental price may seem like a waste of money when you could invest in tools yourself, but if you won’t use them again, renting the tools you need could save you quite a bit of money. Better yet, try borrowing the tools you need from a friend!

These snippets of interior decorating information should get you on the right track to completing your home improvement projects.

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