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Does your home contain contaminated Chinese Drywall? This testing advice from the New York Times can help a homeowner determine if he or she is one of the thousands in over 30 states with the poisonous plasterboard.
Some ways to tell if you have Chinese Drywall in your home:
– Sulfuric smell. (Also a sign that you have descended into the less-favorable Afterworld. It’s best to inspect for fire, brimstone and the tortured souls of the eternally damned to eliminate this possibility)
Almost all Americans use household cleaning products — from dish detergents to bathroom cleaners and floor polish to scouring pads. Most of us are exposed to cleaners on a daily basis, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) [source: Davies]. Even if we don’t use cleaners, it’s likely we’re regularly come into contact with them at work, school or elsewhere.
Unfortunately, cleaners often contain harsh chemicals that can be harmful to our health and planet. Health effects associated with cleaning products include asthma, contact dermatitis, burns to the skin and eyes and inflammation or fluid in the lungs. Long-term repercussions may include reproductive problems, cancer, heart disease and other health issues.
Even if your water is purified by your water company, by the time it comes through your faucet, it may have accumulated bacteria and lead from the pipes through which it is carried.
Some cities, like Boston, still have lead pipes in service lines. Some PVC pipes made before 1977 may leach vinyl chloride, a carcinogen, into water as well, as was discovered in Troy, Kansas in 1998. Within your own home, you may have lead pipes or pipes soldered with lead.
If you’re looking for simple ways to save energy at home, your refrigerator is a good place to start. That’s because your fridge is one of your home’s single biggest electricity users (other members of this club include your air conditioner and your water heater.) But with a few simple steps you can make your current refrigerator more efficient — and when it’s time to buy a new fridge, these resources can help you make a smart choice.
1. Build a clothesline
Next to your refrigerator, your dryer is likely the biggest energy-guzzling appliance in your house. And while we wouldn’t ask you to store your food in a vintage icebox, an old-fashioned clothesline is actually a pretty good idea. (If that sounds too retro, think of it as a “solar dryer” instead.)
You can buy a pulley kit like the one pictured here at the hardware store. Or you can order the components online. But it’s easy to make a traditional clothesline yourself, using 4×4 or 6×6 pressure-treated posts for the uprights and 2×8s for the cross arms (which don’t need to be pressure-treated). Simply notch the posts to receive the cross arms, set them in concrete, and run the lines on eye hooks between them. A 4- or 5-foot cross arm should give you enough room for five lengths of line, nicely spaced.
Lumber: $42
Hardware: $10
100 feet of line + 100 wood clothespins: $17
Total: $69
There’s a reason so many builders are leaning green these days.
After all, who doesn’t want a home that’s healthier, keeps energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions in check, and doesn’tsquander water and other natural resources? But you don’thave to buildfrom scratch to turn your not-so-newhouse into a dwelling that’s eco-friendly and more economical to run.
Whether you own or rent, the following 45 simple ideas can help you save money (and the planet) today. Read more…
Pest control is a difficult task. Learning how to get rid of fleas, ants, mice, rats, crickets, roaches, and bees is no walk in the park. Even bug zappers offer a false sense of security; do it yourself pest control may not always be the best option, especially when termites have invaded your structure, potentially wrecking the foundation of your home. Learn more about pest control in these articles, and find out how to best find a pest management solution for your own home. Read more…
A new tile backsplash can quickly and beautifully update the look of kitchen countertops. And, if you have never done this job before, you may be happy to learn that it is a relatively easy do-it-yourself project. Because a backsplash does not need to be as impervious to moisture as a kitchen countertop, and does not receive the same level of wear and tear, the tiles can be adhered to the wall with mastic, which is much easier to use than mortar, the typical adhesive for countertop tile. This article explains how to do it.
After a year of trying to ignore the yellow-and-blue floral wallpaper the previous owners had in the kitchen, you decide you can’t take another year looking at it. Yes indeed, this wall covering must come down.
The problem: How do you remove the wallpaper without damaging the wall — or yourself? There are several options, including steaming or spraying with chemicals, but you’ll have to decide which one will work best for you and your wallpaper. Read more…
Breathing new life into your kitchen doesn’t have to cost a fortune or require the months of renovation. Here are 10 simple ideas that will transform your kitchen from old and dated to fresh and fun:
1. Add color to the walls. New paint is the least expensive, easiest way to freshen any space. Colors such as a sunny yellow or a warm apricot will give the room a face lift – and make it more inviting, too.
2. Replace old, unattractive flooring. Worn flooring, especially old vinyl, dates a room. New vinyl, linoleum squares, laminate wood – or even ceramic tile or wood, which are a bit tougher to install for do-it-yourselfers – will dramatically improve the look of your kitchen.
3. Swap out old cabinet door and drawer pulls and handles with sleek, modern designs.
4. Paint or reface cabinet doors and drawers.
5. Replace dated lighting fixtures with a mix of lights designed for over-counter tasks, dining and room illumination.
6. Hang art on the walls, such as family photos, paintings or prints you love.
7. Replace damaged or odd-colored laminate countertops with neutral tones and/or butcher block.
8. Buy a couple of cute throw rugs as accent pieces and to add cushion to the areas where you stand the most: such as at the sink or a counter area where you chop and prepare food.
9. Keep fresh cut flowers in a vase on the dining table and display colorful fruit in a bowl for visual interest – and to encourage healthy snacking.
10. Keep a running project “wish list” and replace old appliances and add new touches, such as a pot rack, as finances and time allow.
It’s amazing how far a little remodeling goes–and the kitchen is a great place to start.
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