Keeping your custom cabinets as spectacular as they are the day they are built is not any more time consuming than day-to-day cleaning, but adhering to some specifics will ensure that your cabinets stay beautiful and unblemished.
It is essential that cabinets stay dry, so all splashes or spills should be wiped away immediately. Also, avoid draping any damp towels or other wet cloth over the doors and do not use soap and water to clean cabinets. Place small appliances so that they are not causing extreme temperature changes that may cause wood to expand and contract. Clean cooking residues from smoke and vapors using a soft cloth moistened with furniture polish, just like you would dust your wood furniture.
Oven cleaners, ammonia, bleach or other harsh cleansers should be kept safely away from wood finishes. Never use abrasive cleansers or sponges on your cabinetry, and avoid using furniture polishes that contain any silicone or wax. These will build sticky residue over time, which not only makes it difficult to keep them clean, but can make repairs or refinishing impossible.
Guardsman makes some of the best products for wood care, including soft cloths for gentle use on wood finishes. Their Kitchen Cabinet Polish is meant for light cleaning, and does not contain any silicone or wax. The Kitchen Cabinet Cleaner product is for heavier cleaning, and their purifying wood cleaner is one of the only products that is capable of removing silicone or wax residues if the wrong polish has been used in the past.
This should be all you need to keep your custom wood cabinetry beautiful for a lifetime.
Friday, July 26, 2013
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
EcoFriendly Roofing Options
Roofing choices offer a large scale opportunity to make a visual impact. The surface area involved means a "green" choice is a significant benefit. There is an amazing array of possibilities.
Metal roofing is durable, lasting up to 4 times what is expected from an asphalt or cedar roof. It is also fireproof, and typically contains a great deal of recycled material. A metal roof is often visually striking and offers the flexibility for the homeowner to paint them to suit their taste. Light colors offer the added benefit of reflecting the heat away from the home. Metal tiles are available to mimic the look of ceramic roofing. Certain metal roofing (such as galvanized metals) may leech minerals into the soil via rainwater runoff, so be aware that not all metals are equally beneficial.
Slate, cement or clay tile roofs offer excellent durability, with an expected longevity of 50 to 100 years depending upon the type of tile. Their weight may demand more materials to support the structure or require significant energy and expense consumed by transportation. This means tile roofing's environmental advantages will depend on where you live, but these choices are excellent in terms of sustainability. One plus is that the increase in weight provides increased insulation.
Solar shingles are a new possibility in some parts of the country. As the production capacity increases these will be available in more market areas, so keep an eye on the potential offered by this innovative technology where solar cells are actually integrated into the roofing material.
An ecoroof is a living rooftop of vegetation that thrives in a shallow soil environment. It is placed over a synthetic waterproof membrane. Ecoroofing is a surprisingly low maintenance choice that differs from a "rooftop garden" in that they are not accessible for use. These have been increasingly popular for commercial use where stormwater runoff is a concern. They offer a unique design opportunity for a home and they insulate extremely well (click the link above for some interesting images).
Many synthetic shingles now are made of recycled content, though they generally cannot be recycled after they need to be replaced. Shingles by Landmark CertainTeed look like a typical asphalt shingle, but are easier on the environment. Enviroshake offers an attractive engineered product with the look of cedar shakes.
With so many possibilities available in Earth-friendly roofing materials, one will provide the perfect design aesthetic for any home in any type of community.
Metal roofing is durable, lasting up to 4 times what is expected from an asphalt or cedar roof. It is also fireproof, and typically contains a great deal of recycled material. A metal roof is often visually striking and offers the flexibility for the homeowner to paint them to suit their taste. Light colors offer the added benefit of reflecting the heat away from the home. Metal tiles are available to mimic the look of ceramic roofing. Certain metal roofing (such as galvanized metals) may leech minerals into the soil via rainwater runoff, so be aware that not all metals are equally beneficial.
Slate, cement or clay tile roofs offer excellent durability, with an expected longevity of 50 to 100 years depending upon the type of tile. Their weight may demand more materials to support the structure or require significant energy and expense consumed by transportation. This means tile roofing's environmental advantages will depend on where you live, but these choices are excellent in terms of sustainability. One plus is that the increase in weight provides increased insulation.
Solar shingles are a new possibility in some parts of the country. As the production capacity increases these will be available in more market areas, so keep an eye on the potential offered by this innovative technology where solar cells are actually integrated into the roofing material.
An ecoroof is a living rooftop of vegetation that thrives in a shallow soil environment. It is placed over a synthetic waterproof membrane. Ecoroofing is a surprisingly low maintenance choice that differs from a "rooftop garden" in that they are not accessible for use. These have been increasingly popular for commercial use where stormwater runoff is a concern. They offer a unique design opportunity for a home and they insulate extremely well (click the link above for some interesting images).
Many synthetic shingles now are made of recycled content, though they generally cannot be recycled after they need to be replaced. Shingles by Landmark CertainTeed look like a typical asphalt shingle, but are easier on the environment. Enviroshake offers an attractive engineered product with the look of cedar shakes.
With so many possibilities available in Earth-friendly roofing materials, one will provide the perfect design aesthetic for any home in any type of community.
Tuesday, June 25, 2013
LEED Certification in Home Building
LEED (or Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) Certification may seem like an unnecessary designation to have for a home, but registering and certifying a project means that you will reduce the expenses associated with energy consumption and maintenance of your household, and the designation can significantly increase your property value.
Certification for a LEED home is done by the U.S. Green Building Council. Harmon Builders would work with a Green Rater during the design process, who is there to ensure that the design specifications will meet the intended credits for certification. Then the project would be registered. The Green Rater is there to verify that the goals of your environmentally conscious home design are met during the building process. Technical services are available through the U.S. Green Building Council throughout the project and their expertise is available to assist on the project during the building phase.
Certification is achieved through fulfillment of a number of credits. The credits pertain to various aspects of the design and construction. These may have to do with indoor air quality, sustainability, water efficiency, or management of materials and minimizing waste, to name a few. There are different certification levels available depending upon the number of credits met by the finished project.
Registration and certification fees for a single family home are minimal. The total for both comes close to $500 in in many instances. Extensive information about LEED certification is available from the US Green Building Council, which Harmon Builders is a member of.
Certification for a LEED home is done by the U.S. Green Building Council. Harmon Builders would work with a Green Rater during the design process, who is there to ensure that the design specifications will meet the intended credits for certification. Then the project would be registered. The Green Rater is there to verify that the goals of your environmentally conscious home design are met during the building process. Technical services are available through the U.S. Green Building Council throughout the project and their expertise is available to assist on the project during the building phase.
Certification is achieved through fulfillment of a number of credits. The credits pertain to various aspects of the design and construction. These may have to do with indoor air quality, sustainability, water efficiency, or management of materials and minimizing waste, to name a few. There are different certification levels available depending upon the number of credits met by the finished project.
Registration and certification fees for a single family home are minimal. The total for both comes close to $500 in in many instances. Extensive information about LEED certification is available from the US Green Building Council, which Harmon Builders is a member of.
Friday, June 14, 2013
Hiring a Contractor
Many people don't know where to begin when it comes time to find a contractor for their home building or renovation project. The first step is to find referrals, then get estimates and check references to prepare for a successful outcome.
Many people start by getting referrals from friends or family members who have had a successful project. There are other resources to consider that tap into expert opinions about about contractors' quality of work and professionalism. If an architect or interior designer is already involved, they will recommend the best general contractors for your needs. If you don't already have a design professional involved, you may choose to find one. Another reliable source may be a plumber, painter or other tradesperson that you already have experience with and trust. Also consider contacting the building permit department in your municipality for information about who they consider reputable, as they will have vast experience with people in the industry.
Choose a few contractors to meet. Get estimates and references. When you contact references ask whether or not the job was on time and on budget. Weather or changes a homeowner makes to a contract may cause the schedule to slip or budget to grow, but still reflect good customer service. If these issues arose, be sure to find out why. Of course you will want to know if the homeowner was satisfied with the outcome. Find out about the communication between the contractor and the homeowner--how it was done and if it was done effectively. There may also be details that are important to you, such as cleanliness or keeping particular working hours. Once you have collected your estimates, be aware that sometimes (but not always) the lowest bid may come with a sacrifice in quality and professionalism. Balance the figures with what you learn from the references to get a full picture of the value for the work you will receive. Hopefully you will have an opportunity to visit a previous project to see completed work for yourself, as well.
Reputable builders should be members of pertinent trade organizations and hold all the legally required licenses and insurance. For example, Harmon Builders is a member of the US Green Building Council and has Green Advantage Environmental Certification. All contractors in Maryland must be licensed by the Maryland Home Improvement Commission, receive a MD-HBR (Maryland Homebuilder) Certification Number, and they must be certified "Lead-Safe" by the EPA. Find out if licenses and insurance are up to date--if not, assume that this is a strong warning signal that something is not right. Other signs of unprofessional conduct are implications that you must act quickly to avoid putting your home or family at risk, as are any other high pressure tactics that push you to make a decision without taking time to think it through.
You should be thrilled with the result of your building or remodeling project. The best way to see this end result is to pave the way carefully. Take these initial steps to find out about who you will be working with.
Many people start by getting referrals from friends or family members who have had a successful project. There are other resources to consider that tap into expert opinions about about contractors' quality of work and professionalism. If an architect or interior designer is already involved, they will recommend the best general contractors for your needs. If you don't already have a design professional involved, you may choose to find one. Another reliable source may be a plumber, painter or other tradesperson that you already have experience with and trust. Also consider contacting the building permit department in your municipality for information about who they consider reputable, as they will have vast experience with people in the industry.
Choose a few contractors to meet. Get estimates and references. When you contact references ask whether or not the job was on time and on budget. Weather or changes a homeowner makes to a contract may cause the schedule to slip or budget to grow, but still reflect good customer service. If these issues arose, be sure to find out why. Of course you will want to know if the homeowner was satisfied with the outcome. Find out about the communication between the contractor and the homeowner--how it was done and if it was done effectively. There may also be details that are important to you, such as cleanliness or keeping particular working hours. Once you have collected your estimates, be aware that sometimes (but not always) the lowest bid may come with a sacrifice in quality and professionalism. Balance the figures with what you learn from the references to get a full picture of the value for the work you will receive. Hopefully you will have an opportunity to visit a previous project to see completed work for yourself, as well.
Reputable builders should be members of pertinent trade organizations and hold all the legally required licenses and insurance. For example, Harmon Builders is a member of the US Green Building Council and has Green Advantage Environmental Certification. All contractors in Maryland must be licensed by the Maryland Home Improvement Commission, receive a MD-HBR (Maryland Homebuilder) Certification Number, and they must be certified "Lead-Safe" by the EPA. Find out if licenses and insurance are up to date--if not, assume that this is a strong warning signal that something is not right. Other signs of unprofessional conduct are implications that you must act quickly to avoid putting your home or family at risk, as are any other high pressure tactics that push you to make a decision without taking time to think it through.
You should be thrilled with the result of your building or remodeling project. The best way to see this end result is to pave the way carefully. Take these initial steps to find out about who you will be working with.
Friday, May 31, 2013
Choosing Exterior Color
Choosing exterior colors for your home can be time consuming and even intimidating. There are several ways to narrow the scope of the task, besides sifting through pictures or driving around town to see what appeals to you.
If you already have some building materials determined, the brick, stone or roofing can begin to steer you in a particular direction. Tiny flecks of color you see in those can become a dominant color in the palette you choose. No matter what, these are important materials to consider. Grey roofing looks best with cooler colors (blues, greys, and greens); brown with the warmer tones. Also consider what will harmonize with the color of your windows, if you cannot or will not be changing the color on them.
Historic homes or homes built in reference to a particular historical style can be painted using historic color combinations. Check selections from manufacturers' period color chips. They will often have certain colors presented together to represent different periods, and if one of these is suitable it can make the decision much simpler.
Choosing from an infinite selection of colors does not have to be overwhelming. Once you consider what harmonizes with the other building materials or is in-keeping with your neighborhood, a simple solution is to choose a monochromatic scheme. This means using shades or tints of the same base color. Shades are colors mixed with white; tints are colors mixed with black (and tones are colors with gray). When you look at a paint chip there will be shades, tints and tones from the same base color, so you can choose one and then pick another a few steps away. People forget that the full spectrum of sunlight will wash out the colors outdoors. Choosing something on the darker side of where your taste falls is best.
The next step in enhancing a monochromatic color scheme would be to choose an accent color. This is sometimes compared to make up or accessories in fashion, and it is used to play up architectural features like windows and trim. You can make a bold choice, but in this area a little can go a long way. It is common to use a complimentary color, black or "near black"--dark greens, browns, and maroons that almost look black. Complimentary colors would be across the color wheel. Red and green, yellow and purple, blue and orange are complimentary. Of course you would not want to choose something that immediately calls to mind Mardi-Gras or Christmas decor. Yellow and purple might be a trio of camel with rich plum and a dusky lavender. Two shades of sage with a burgundy accent represent a red and green pairing. These avoid pulling toward the strong popular images.
Benjamin Moore offers a handy way to check your ideas before you commit. They have a Personal Color Viewer that allows you to upload an image and view it using different colors from their selections. This can be a fun way to look at what you like without the commitment. It is also always fun to look through pictures of homes and see what looks nice on them!
If you already have some building materials determined, the brick, stone or roofing can begin to steer you in a particular direction. Tiny flecks of color you see in those can become a dominant color in the palette you choose. No matter what, these are important materials to consider. Grey roofing looks best with cooler colors (blues, greys, and greens); brown with the warmer tones. Also consider what will harmonize with the color of your windows, if you cannot or will not be changing the color on them.
Historic homes or homes built in reference to a particular historical style can be painted using historic color combinations. Check selections from manufacturers' period color chips. They will often have certain colors presented together to represent different periods, and if one of these is suitable it can make the decision much simpler.
Choosing from an infinite selection of colors does not have to be overwhelming. Once you consider what harmonizes with the other building materials or is in-keeping with your neighborhood, a simple solution is to choose a monochromatic scheme. This means using shades or tints of the same base color. Shades are colors mixed with white; tints are colors mixed with black (and tones are colors with gray). When you look at a paint chip there will be shades, tints and tones from the same base color, so you can choose one and then pick another a few steps away. People forget that the full spectrum of sunlight will wash out the colors outdoors. Choosing something on the darker side of where your taste falls is best.
The next step in enhancing a monochromatic color scheme would be to choose an accent color. This is sometimes compared to make up or accessories in fashion, and it is used to play up architectural features like windows and trim. You can make a bold choice, but in this area a little can go a long way. It is common to use a complimentary color, black or "near black"--dark greens, browns, and maroons that almost look black. Complimentary colors would be across the color wheel. Red and green, yellow and purple, blue and orange are complimentary. Of course you would not want to choose something that immediately calls to mind Mardi-Gras or Christmas decor. Yellow and purple might be a trio of camel with rich plum and a dusky lavender. Two shades of sage with a burgundy accent represent a red and green pairing. These avoid pulling toward the strong popular images.
Benjamin Moore offers a handy way to check your ideas before you commit. They have a Personal Color Viewer that allows you to upload an image and view it using different colors from their selections. This can be a fun way to look at what you like without the commitment. It is also always fun to look through pictures of homes and see what looks nice on them!
Monday, March 25, 2013
Energy Efficient Windows
In the average home 30% of all energy consumed by heat or air-conditioning is lost due to inefficient windows. If your windows are more than fifteen years old, odds are that they are not conserving as efficiently as possible. The good news is, replacing windows offers a great return on investment, with up to 70% of the expense recuperated upon sale of the home.
You don't have to wait to sell your home to reduce your energy bills, though. The energy savings will be most noticeable if you are replacing single pane windows with Energy Star qualified windows. Modest tax incentives are currently available through the 2012-2013 Tax Credit for Qualified Energy Improvements--up to $200 for window purchases (and up to $500 for a door, with a maximum of $500 possible for all energy improvements).
Some things you will want to make note of when considering new windows are the terms used in the energy ratings. Low E coatings reflect heat rather than absorb it--they reflect it inward in the winter and outward in the summer. Gas fills insulate between layers of glass. The terms R-value and U-value are opposites: R is an insulating value, U is a loss value. You will want to find a high R-value/low U-value choice. The manufacturers label will be most likely to denote the U-value.
Harmon Builders reccomends quality Pella or Andersen windows in our projects. You may view their product lines at Pella and Andersen online.
You don't have to wait to sell your home to reduce your energy bills, though. The energy savings will be most noticeable if you are replacing single pane windows with Energy Star qualified windows. Modest tax incentives are currently available through the 2012-2013 Tax Credit for Qualified Energy Improvements--up to $200 for window purchases (and up to $500 for a door, with a maximum of $500 possible for all energy improvements).
Some things you will want to make note of when considering new windows are the terms used in the energy ratings. Low E coatings reflect heat rather than absorb it--they reflect it inward in the winter and outward in the summer. Gas fills insulate between layers of glass. The terms R-value and U-value are opposites: R is an insulating value, U is a loss value. You will want to find a high R-value/low U-value choice. The manufacturers label will be most likely to denote the U-value.
Harmon Builders reccomends quality Pella or Andersen windows in our projects. You may view their product lines at Pella and Andersen online.
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Make the Meter Spin Backward
Solar panels may not seem like the most glamorous home renovation, especially if creating beautiful spaces inspires your imagination. On the other hand, seeing your electrical meter turning backward for the first time will be a momentous occasion.
The first thing to do when considering solar panels is research. The industry is still evolving, so there are a lot of differences from one company to the next. These include the types of panels and inverters that they offer, as well as pros and cons specific to unique lease or purchase options.
Solar service companies also have different ideas and options for how to maximize the solar collection on your roof, particularly if you have several roof faces and/or variable shading. This will ultimately affect the collection potential for your system, as well as the amount of time it will take to recoup the cost of the installation. More is not necessarily better. If you are interested in a shorter payback period, it may be best to limit the panels to only those likely to gain the most wattage. Another potential financial benefit of solar panels is money gained through SREC trade. If you are entitled to the SRECs based on your solar gain, the management of this process could be a part of the contract with your solar installer.
Options available for the inverters give a variety of tradeoffs, and among the different companies you may find several choices. Depending on the setup, you might be able to check the amount of energy being collected by the full system, or even each individual panel. If other services are offered by the company, there could be additional proposals to improve the system's efficiency, such as upgrading insulation or dedicating some of the surface area of your roof to a solar water heater.
The possibility of increased energy independence gives you a good deal to consider, and plenty to be excited about as well.
The first thing to do when considering solar panels is research. The industry is still evolving, so there are a lot of differences from one company to the next. These include the types of panels and inverters that they offer, as well as pros and cons specific to unique lease or purchase options.
Solar service companies also have different ideas and options for how to maximize the solar collection on your roof, particularly if you have several roof faces and/or variable shading. This will ultimately affect the collection potential for your system, as well as the amount of time it will take to recoup the cost of the installation. More is not necessarily better. If you are interested in a shorter payback period, it may be best to limit the panels to only those likely to gain the most wattage. Another potential financial benefit of solar panels is money gained through SREC trade. If you are entitled to the SRECs based on your solar gain, the management of this process could be a part of the contract with your solar installer.
Options available for the inverters give a variety of tradeoffs, and among the different companies you may find several choices. Depending on the setup, you might be able to check the amount of energy being collected by the full system, or even each individual panel. If other services are offered by the company, there could be additional proposals to improve the system's efficiency, such as upgrading insulation or dedicating some of the surface area of your roof to a solar water heater.
The possibility of increased energy independence gives you a good deal to consider, and plenty to be excited about as well.
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