KEEP IT - Gatehouse Media
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6/8/11
12:56 PM
Page 1
HOME-SELLING TIP
Home
Hanging artwork properly When staging your home, pay attention to artwork that will warm the house and help potential buyers feel at home. The size of the artwork should be relative to the size of the available space. Any artwork hanging over furniture should be at least two-thirds its length. Hang artwork at eye level, about 5 feet 8 inches above the ground. — EnergizedSeller.com
DID YOU KNOW? Recycling of non-bottle rigid plastic products has increased 47 percent in the past two years. — American Chemistry Council
HOME HELP NEW PRODUCT
Apple’s new iOS5 operating system Along with its upcoming iCloud service, Apple also announced other changes that will come with its new iOS 5 mobile operating system, which will be available "later in the year for Apple iPads, newer iPhones" and iPod Touch devices, according to Consumer Reports. The new system “borrows” a lot of features from Android devices, which Consumer Reports says "emphasizes the company's need to play catch-up with other operating systems, especially Android."
KEEP IT
COOL 10
air conditioning mistakes to avoid
BY STEVE GRAHAM | GATEHOUSE NEWS SERVICE WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
GARDEN GUIDE
Composting options Composting is a natural biological process where bacteria, fungi and other organisms decompose organic materials such as leaves, grass clippings and food wastes. The end product is called compost. While composting occurs naturally, the process can be accelerated and improved by human intervention. Food waste can be digested by red worms (red wigglers) placed in a bin with shredded and moistened newspaper, corrugated cardboard, peatmoss or sawdust. This requires temperatures between 50 and 70 degrees, so a basement or semi-heated indoor space is required. Non-fatty food wastes can be buried at least 8 inches below ground level, which discourages animals from digging up the waste. No structure is required for heap composting. The pile should be at least 3 feet high and 3 feet wide, but its length will vary depending on the amount of material used. This is the least expensive way to compost as no physical structure is needed. Heaps may not appear as neat and tidy as using a bin, but it will be faster if the heap is turned regularly. — University of Missouri Extension
or most homes in warm climates, air conditioning uses more electricity than any other use — up to 70 percent of a summer electric bill, according to some estimates. However, there are ways for most people to reduce this load by changing their air conditioning habits. Here are the biggest air conditioning mistakes people make and how to reduce electric bills.
F 1
Buying too big an air conditioner
Bigger isn’t always better. Many people are inclined to get a bigger air conditioner, assuming it will make the home colder faster. However, an oversized air conditioner won’t generate uniform temperatures or reduce humidity. It will also run inefficiently by cycling on and off quickly. Of course, a unit may also be too small, too. Make sure the air conditioner is the proper size for your space.
2
Putting the air conditioner in a hot spot
It may seem convenient to put air conditioners in an unused spot on the southwest side of the house. However, such placement will make the unit work too hard. Instead, install the air conditioner in a shady spot on the east or north side of the house, where it will receive less direct sunlight.
3
Hiding the air conditioner
The air conditioner may not be pretty, but neither are excessive summer electric bills. Don’t try to hide air conditioners behind shrubs or other plants. It will hinder ventilation, clog condenser coils and make the air conditioner run less efficiently.
4
Ignoring maintenance
5
Leaving the air conditioner running all day
6
Blindly closing unused vents
7
Turning the temperature way down
8
Heating up the thermostat
9
Not using ceiling fans
10
Using the wrong fans
Air conditioners are deceptively self-sufficient. Many homeowners ignore basic maintenance that can improve efficiency and comfort and extend the life of the air conditioner. Clean or replace filters at least every two months. If it is used constantly or filters a lot of dust or pet hair, check the filters more often. Also check and clean the evaporator coil once a year. Run a stiff wire through the air conditioner’s drain channels regularly, and check the window seals around room air conditioners each year.
Use a programmable thermostat or individual unit timer to start cooling off the house before you get home from work. This is cheaper and more efficient than leaving the air conditioner running all day, despite rumors to the contrary.
Opinions vary on the efficiency of closing vents and doors to unused rooms. In many cases, this can decrease the efficiency of a central air conditioning system. Consult an expert before closing off any parts of the house for the summer. Also, be careful about closing off any rooms that may have a thermostat.
If you are comfortable at 78 degrees, then turn the thermostat to 78 degrees so the air conditioner won’t let the temperature get any hotter than that. Don’t waste energy getting to excessively low temperatures.
Make sure lamps, televisions, stereos or other heat-generators are not close enough to the thermostat to accidentally drive up the temperature reading and overwork the air conditioner.
Many people think their air conditioner is a substitute for ceiling fans. Instead, they should be used in tandem. According to Energy Star, make sure the fan is switched to push air downward (typically counter-clockwise). It may seem more logical to reverse the fan so it is pulling hot air upward, however, the downward airflow creates a “wind chill effect,” which makes you feel cooler.
On the other hand, exhaust fans in the kitchen and bathroom can push cool, conditioned air out of the house. They should not be used more than absolutely necessary in the summer. Steve Graham writes for hometalk.com
STOCK.XCHNG PHOTOS
6/8/11
12:56 PM
Page 1
HOME-SELLING TIP
Home
Hanging artwork properly When staging your home, pay attention to artwork that will warm the house and help potential buyers feel at home. The size of the artwork should be relative to the size of the available space. Any artwork hanging over furniture should be at least two-thirds its length. Hang artwork at eye level, about 5 feet 8 inches above the ground. — EnergizedSeller.com
DID YOU KNOW? Recycling of non-bottle rigid plastic products has increased 47 percent in the past two years. — American Chemistry Council
HOME HELP NEW PRODUCT
Apple’s new iOS5 operating system Along with its upcoming iCloud service, Apple also announced other changes that will come with its new iOS 5 mobile operating system, which will be available "later in the year for Apple iPads, newer iPhones" and iPod Touch devices, according to Consumer Reports. The new system “borrows” a lot of features from Android devices, which Consumer Reports says "emphasizes the company's need to play catch-up with other operating systems, especially Android."
KEEP IT
COOL 10
air conditioning mistakes to avoid
BY STEVE GRAHAM | GATEHOUSE NEWS SERVICE WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
GARDEN GUIDE
Composting options Composting is a natural biological process where bacteria, fungi and other organisms decompose organic materials such as leaves, grass clippings and food wastes. The end product is called compost. While composting occurs naturally, the process can be accelerated and improved by human intervention. Food waste can be digested by red worms (red wigglers) placed in a bin with shredded and moistened newspaper, corrugated cardboard, peatmoss or sawdust. This requires temperatures between 50 and 70 degrees, so a basement or semi-heated indoor space is required. Non-fatty food wastes can be buried at least 8 inches below ground level, which discourages animals from digging up the waste. No structure is required for heap composting. The pile should be at least 3 feet high and 3 feet wide, but its length will vary depending on the amount of material used. This is the least expensive way to compost as no physical structure is needed. Heaps may not appear as neat and tidy as using a bin, but it will be faster if the heap is turned regularly. — University of Missouri Extension
or most homes in warm climates, air conditioning uses more electricity than any other use — up to 70 percent of a summer electric bill, according to some estimates. However, there are ways for most people to reduce this load by changing their air conditioning habits. Here are the biggest air conditioning mistakes people make and how to reduce electric bills.
F 1
Buying too big an air conditioner
Bigger isn’t always better. Many people are inclined to get a bigger air conditioner, assuming it will make the home colder faster. However, an oversized air conditioner won’t generate uniform temperatures or reduce humidity. It will also run inefficiently by cycling on and off quickly. Of course, a unit may also be too small, too. Make sure the air conditioner is the proper size for your space.
2
Putting the air conditioner in a hot spot
It may seem convenient to put air conditioners in an unused spot on the southwest side of the house. However, such placement will make the unit work too hard. Instead, install the air conditioner in a shady spot on the east or north side of the house, where it will receive less direct sunlight.
3
Hiding the air conditioner
The air conditioner may not be pretty, but neither are excessive summer electric bills. Don’t try to hide air conditioners behind shrubs or other plants. It will hinder ventilation, clog condenser coils and make the air conditioner run less efficiently.
4
Ignoring maintenance
5
Leaving the air conditioner running all day
6
Blindly closing unused vents
7
Turning the temperature way down
8
Heating up the thermostat
9
Not using ceiling fans
10
Using the wrong fans
Air conditioners are deceptively self-sufficient. Many homeowners ignore basic maintenance that can improve efficiency and comfort and extend the life of the air conditioner. Clean or replace filters at least every two months. If it is used constantly or filters a lot of dust or pet hair, check the filters more often. Also check and clean the evaporator coil once a year. Run a stiff wire through the air conditioner’s drain channels regularly, and check the window seals around room air conditioners each year.
Use a programmable thermostat or individual unit timer to start cooling off the house before you get home from work. This is cheaper and more efficient than leaving the air conditioner running all day, despite rumors to the contrary.
Opinions vary on the efficiency of closing vents and doors to unused rooms. In many cases, this can decrease the efficiency of a central air conditioning system. Consult an expert before closing off any parts of the house for the summer. Also, be careful about closing off any rooms that may have a thermostat.
If you are comfortable at 78 degrees, then turn the thermostat to 78 degrees so the air conditioner won’t let the temperature get any hotter than that. Don’t waste energy getting to excessively low temperatures.
Make sure lamps, televisions, stereos or other heat-generators are not close enough to the thermostat to accidentally drive up the temperature reading and overwork the air conditioner.
Many people think their air conditioner is a substitute for ceiling fans. Instead, they should be used in tandem. According to Energy Star, make sure the fan is switched to push air downward (typically counter-clockwise). It may seem more logical to reverse the fan so it is pulling hot air upward, however, the downward airflow creates a “wind chill effect,” which makes you feel cooler.
On the other hand, exhaust fans in the kitchen and bathroom can push cool, conditioned air out of the house. They should not be used more than absolutely necessary in the summer. Steve Graham writes for hometalk.com
STOCK.XCHNG PHOTOS
