Simple Ways to Freshen Up That Stuffy Bathroom or Kitchen

    FORT MILL, SC, August 03, 2013 /24-7PressRelease/ -- If there's one room in the house that cries out for fresh air, it's the kitchen. And if there's a second room that can benefit from Mother Nature's sweet breath, it's the bathroom. When humidity and odors build up in a room, a host of disagreeable results arises, from mold and mildew to dank, unpleasant air.

Exhausting stale indoor air and replacing it with fresh outside air is the best way to ensure continuous indoor air quality, the Home Ventilating Institute says. Modern construction, however, makes it virtually impossible to achieve sufficient exchange of air without mechanical assistance. Fortunately, from venting skylights to high-tech exhaust fans, there are plenty of ways to ensure ventilation in the kitchen and bath without sacrificing a comfortable atmosphere.

Become a fan of fans
Few rooms are as prone to moisture buildup as the bathroom. Since this room is often also one of the most-used in any home, keeping it fresh and comfortable can be a challenge. Venting fans are a must for full bathrooms where bathing occurs, and a comfort-enhancing plus in half baths and powder rooms.

If your bathroom lacks an exhaust fan, installing one is often within the abilities of a savvy do-it-yourselfer. It's important for your fan to vent outdoors. "Exhaust" fans that do not vent outdoors simply recirculate stale, damp air within the room, or shunt it to another area of the home - such as the attic - where moisture can lead to mildew. Consider installing a timer to help ensure your fan runs for an adequate amount of time after every shower or bath.

Skylighten up your life
Thanks to resources like Energy.gov, you may already know that a properly installed, energy-efficient skylight can help you control heating, cooling and lighting costs. Skylights can also be an excellent source of passive ventilation.

"Solar-powered fresh air skylights admit healthful natural light while providing passive ventilation," says Ross Vandermark of VELUX America, (www.veluxusa.com) makers of Energy Star-qualified no leak skylights. "Passive ventilation gives homeowners the benefit of fresh air without adding to their utility bills. Due to its "chimney or stack" effect, a skylight doesn't need to draw electricity to move air the way a ventilation fan does. What's more, skylights can be equipped with solar blinds for additional light control and energy efficiency. And both the no leak solar-powered fresh air skylight and solar-powered blind, as well as the installation, are eligible for a 30 percent federal tax credit as a green home improvement."

Venting skylights in kitchens passively exhaust hot air, moisture and odors while admitting additional light for more pleasant cooking, dining and entertaining. And skylights, along with fashionable accessories including decor-enhancing blinds in colors and patterns, can be controlled manually or by remote control.

The same applies in baths, where humidity levels are often high and the need for ventilation is constant. Skylights also add a big plus in baths with the privacy they afford as opposed to vertical windows. The same holds true in bedrooms. Plus, gazing at the nighttime sky from your bed is sometimes a nice option.

You can learn more about energy-efficient skylights and calculate your tax credit for a new or replacement model at www.veluxusa.com.

Win with windows
Cold weather makes most of us close windows tight until temperatures warm. But as soon as the cold breaks, windows again become a great way to welcome fresh air into our homes.

It's possible to maximize the benefit your home receives from opening the windows. Whenever possible, create a cross-breeze by opening windows on opposite sides of the room or opposite ends of the house. Having two open windows will help maximize airflow.

Avoid blocking windows with furniture or heavy drapes that can block the movement of air. Ensure windows always have screens and keep screens clean and free of debris. Screens should always have locks, especially on second and third-floor windows and in homes where small children and pets are present.

For information on natural light and fresh air through passive ventilation, visit veluxusa.com. You'll also find a skylight planner app on the site for iPhone, iPad, and Android devices that allows homeowners to see exactly how various skylight and blind combinations would look in their own homes. For window and skylight energy efficiency information, visit energystar.gov, nfrc.org, or efficientwindows.org.

Media Contact:
Keith Hobbs - Business Services Associates, Inc. - 9413 Greenfield Drive -
Raleigh, NC 27615-2306 - Phone - 919.844.0064 - E-mail - khobbs@nc.rr.com

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Top Kitchen Upgrades That Blend Beauty and Value

    FORT MILL, SC, August 03, 2013 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Nowhere else in the home must design and function marry as harmoniously as in the kitchen. The most-used room in the house is also the one where we spend the most work and leisure time, the one that gets the most scrutiny from potential buyers and the spot where most renovation dollars are spent.

A minor kitchen remodel costs around $21,000 and has the potential to recoup nearly 73 percent of that expense at the time of resale, according to Remodeling Magazine's Cost vs. Value Report. A major job averages around $58,000 and can recoup about 68 percent of the renovation costs.

"When you're spending that kind of money on a remodel, you want to choose upgrades that accomplish multiple objectives, including improving efficiency, functionality and beauty," says Ross Vandermark, national product manager with skylight manufacturer Velux America (www.veluxusa.com). "Sometimes that type of upgrade will warrant a greater expenditure, but others are easy and relatively low-cost to make."

So what are some of the top kitchen upgrades that provide the most beauty and functionality for your investment? Here are five:

1. Countertops
In any kitchen, the countertops are both a significant design element and a functional necessity. Countertops act as work and storage areas, provide staging and serving space, and have a major impact on the overall look of the room. Replacing lower-cost countertops such as laminate with higher-end materials like granite can enhance the usability and look of your work surface. Even if you opt to replace older laminate with the same material, your kitchen can benefit from a fresh face and improved material quality.

2. Lighting and ventilation
Illumination and fresh air in a kitchen not only allow you to appreciate the beauty of the room, it ensures a safer, more comfortable work environment. Under-cabinet task lighting, pendants over a breakfast bar and upgrading an old box-style florescent with a more attractive, energy-efficient style can enhance the usability and look of a kitchen.

Adding Energy Star-qualified Velux no leak solar powered fresh air skylights can also boost the appearance, appeal and efficiency of a kitchen.

When you choose no leak solar powered fresh air skylights, their natural "chimney or stack effect" aids in air exchange, helping to vent hot air, moisture and odors while admitting additional natural light and fresh air. Accessories like solar powered decorator blinds, which work with the same remote control as the skylights, ensure you can adjust the amount of light that enters your kitchen from a skylight while dressing up your decor with designer colors and patterns. And both the skylights and blinds, as well as installation costs, are eligible for a 30 percent federal tax credit.

If a traditional skylight isn't right for your needs, you can still enhance the room with natural light; tubular models like Velux's Sun Tunnel skylights use reflective tunnels to deliver light from above and are less expensive to purchase and install. Add an optional light kit and the units provide light at night as well as during the day.

Visit www.veluxusa.com for an app that will enable you to see how skylights will look in your own home plus a tax credit calculator that will show you how much you can save on a replacement skylight or new unit installation.

3. Cabinets
Improving cabinets can be a costly prospect, but one worth the investment since they are not only a major design element in the kitchen, but essential to the room's efficiency and usability. You can find a range of options for upgrading cabinets, from total replacement with custom-made cabinetry to simply resurfacing or repainting existing cabinets.

4. Hardware and fixtures
Think of cabinet hardware and faucets as the jewelry of your kitchen. Swapping out dated or worn hardware - including knobs, handles and hinges - is a fast, easy and cost-effective way to change the look of the entire room. Plus, you can improve functionality by choosing larger handles that are easier to grasp and replacing old-style hinges with modern varieties that close silently and smoothly or are completely hidden behind the cabinet door. Replacing the kitchen faucet is also an easy, relatively low-cost upgrade. Opt for a pullout spray head or touch-free model and you can also enhance the usability of this key kitchen feature.

5. Appliances
Your car couldn't function without tires and a steering wheel and no kitchen can serve its purpose without the right appliances. If your appliances are more than 10 years old, chances are they're starting to look worn and dated. They're also likely less energy efficient than newer models, many of which are now made to meet Energy Star standards (visit www.energystar.gov). Appliances account for nearly 20 percent of the energy consumed by an average home, according to Energystar.gov.

Upgrading a kitchen is a great way to enhance the value and your enjoyment of the most-used room in your house. Choosing improvements that add beauty and efficiency can help ensure you get the most for your renovation dollars.

Media Contact:
Keith Hobbs - Business Services Associates, Inc. - 9413 Greenfield Drive -
Raleigh, NC 27615-2306 - Phone - 919.844.0064 - E-mail - khobbs@nc.rr.com

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9 CT Shoreline Fire Departments to host a Major Food Drive for the Shoreline Soup Kitchen & Pantries

Old Saybrook -- Free-Press-Release.com-- Apr 12, 2013 -- 9 Connecticut Shoreline Fire Departments to host a Major Food Drive on Saturday, April 27, to collect much-needed food items for the Shoreline Soup Kitchens & Pantries.

The event will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the following fire stations: Old Saybrook Fire Department, Clinton FD, Essex FD, Killingworth FD, Niantic FD (Grand Street and West Main Street), Old Lyme FD (Lyme Street Station), East Lyme FD & Westbrook FD.

“The need remains great to help the Shoreline Soup Kitchen replenish pantries and provide food to those who rely on its services to help make ends meet,” said Max Sabrin, Food Drive Coordinator and Old Saybrook Fire Department spokesperson. In the past, the shoreline community has always been extra generous, and we hope residents and businesses will turn out to help those in need,” he said.

Sabrin thanked the owners and management of the ShopRite supermarket in Clinton for kicking off the OSFD food drive by donating a 'starter package' of six bags stuffed with non-perishable food items for the Shoreline Soup Kitchens & Pantries.

The need has never need been greater across its 11-town coverage area including Essex, Chester, Clinton, Madison, Old Saybrook, East Lyme, Lyme, Old Lyme, Killingworth, Westbrook and Deep River. With the holiday season over, food donations are typically lower, and with most people attending the pantries weekly, food donations are more critical.
Among the critical non-perishable foods needed: soups, tuna, meals-in-a-can, juice, canned fruit, white rice/pasta, breakfast cereals, peanut butter and Spam.

Those donating non-perishable food are reminded that firefighters cannot collect cash or non-food items during the Saturday, April 27 event.

For more information, including fire station locations or to volunteer please visit www.shorelinesoupkitchens.org

# # #

Old Saybrook Fire Dept
Max Sabrin
860-857-5300
http://www.shorelinesoupkitchens.org

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