1. home and garden
2. gardening and landscaping
3. yard and patio

Spring
Home
A SUPPLEMENT TO
®
March 26 & 27, 2015
MARCH 26 & 27, 2015 STAR NEWS GROUP PAGE 2
How to cool your home
without breaking the bank
STAR NEWS GROUP
Mother Nature is consistently
inconsistent
these days, when 30-degree Mondays might be
followed by 60-degree
Tuesdays. Fickle weather
is often accompanied by
large fluctuations in temperature, strong storms
and unseasonable conditions, making it difficult
for homeowners to maintain comfort levels in
their homes.
As a result of fluctuating temperatures, home
heating and cooling systems have been heavily
taxed. Growing reliance
on HVAC systems has
also driven up energy
bills, as moderate weather synonymous with
spring has given way to
more days of extreme
heat or extreme cold. As
summer approaches once
again, reducing cooling
costs is a priority for
many homeowners. The
following are a few ways
to cool your home’s interior without causing a
spike in your energy bill.
Reduce sun exposure.
Much of the hot air inside
of a home can be attributed to sunlight exposure
throughout the day. Walls
and windows on the
south and west sides of a
home will bear the brunt
of the sun’s rays, so close
shades and drapes on this
side of the house to maxi-
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Ceiling fans can help cool a home more efficiently when fan
blades spin in the right direction for the season.
mize coolness. Shades
and curtains can save you
up to 7 percent on your
bills and lower indoor
temperatures by up to 20
degrees.
Homeowners also may
want to think about installing a retractable
awning on areas of the
house that get a lot of sun.
Planting shade trees is
another way to naturally
cool down hot sides of
the house.
Draw more air into the
attic. Hot air rises, and in
the summertime hot air
can get trapped beneath
the roof in the attic and
eaves of a home. While an
attic should have vents,
homeowners can speed
up the exchange of hot air
with a simple trick.
Open up a window on a
shady side of the home,
and then open the attic
door or take out the access panel and place a
box fan inside to blow air
up into the attic. This will
disperse the hot air and
help force it out through
the vents.
SEE COOLING PAGE 4
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PAGE 3 STAR NEWS GROUP MARCH 26 & 27, 2015
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MARCH 26 & 27, 2015 STAR NEWS GROUP PAGE 4
Use these tips to cool your house for less
COOLING
FROM PAGE 2
Use fans productively.
Using box fans to suck
cool night air in from
east- and north-facing
windows and to push out
hot air from west- and
south-facing windows is
another way to increase
circulation through a
home. Running fans may
be less costly than turning
on air conditioners. Also,
set ceiling fans to rotate
counter-clockwise.
This
will pull cooler air up from
the floor and create a windchill effect.
Switch to LED or CFL
bulbs. Ninety percent of the
energy used for incandescent bulbs is emitted as
heat. This not only wastes
electricity but also can
make conditions hotter in-
side a home. Switch to cooler, more efficient light
bulbs.
Reduce humidity levels.
Humidity makes hot temperatures feel even hotter.
Clean laundry, take showers
and run the dishwasher at
night or early in the morning before the day heats up.
Don’t forget to vent bathrooms and kitchens by turning on exhaust fans when
water is in use.
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Rely on a programmable thermostat. Setting a
thermostat to adjust the
air conditioning system
automatically
means
homeowners can keep the
temperature raised when
they’re not home and then
have it lowered shortly
before they arrive home.
The thermostat also can
adjust temperatures for
day and night use.
Keep doors closed. Do
not cool rooms that are
unused. Maximize the
cool air in lived-in spaces
by blocking off rooms that
do not need to be cooler.
Invest in more insulation. Insulation does not
just keep homes warmer
in the cold weather. Insulation also prevents hot
air from infiltrating living
spaces while keeping
cooler air where it’s needed. Sealant around windows and doors also will
prevent unnecessary air
exchange.
The right driveway material can add considerable curb appeal
to your home, increasing its resale value along the way.
Options abound when
laying a new driveway
STAR NEWS GROUP
A driveway is more
than just a place to park
your car. The right driveway material can add considerable curb appeal to
your home, increasing its
resale value along the
way.
Homeowners
have
many options at their disposal when choosing a
driveway material, and
the right material for one
home may not be the best
fit for another. The following is a rundown of
SEE DRIVEWAY PAGE 5
STAR NEWS GROUP
A roaring fireplace on a
chilly day provides a welcome, aesthetically appealing respite from the cold.
Fireplaces are typically
used throughout winter,
but when spring rolls
around, many homeowners no longer feel the need
DRIVEWAY
FROM PAGE 4
popular driveway surfaces
and what homeowners
can expect of each of
them.
BRICK
Many homeowners believe brick driveways provide the most aesthetic
appeal, and it’s hard to argue with the beauty of
brick driveways and walkways.
Brick driveways come
in various colors and
to light a fire. As fireplace
season
winds
down,
homeowners can take the
following steps to close
their fireplaces for the
warm weather seasons
ahead.
BEGIN THE CLEANUP
Repeatedly
lighting
fires results in an accuhues, and many homeowners opt to have the
color of their brick driveways match their landscaping, which further
adds to curb appeal.
But that curb appeal is
only appealing if the
driveway is designed and
installed correctly, and
homeowners can expect
to pay a premium for that,
as brick driveway installation is very labor intensive.
GRAVEL
Gravel driveways may
not be as commonplace as
mulation of ash and
residual wood debris.
Clean out what you can
by hand and discard the
soot. To conduct a more
thorough cleaning, use a
high-powered
garage
vacuum to clear out any
remaining ashes from
crevices and other parts
of the firebox.
HIRE A CHIMNEY SWEEP
A fully functioning fireplace chimney should be
swept annually by a certified chimney sweep. He or
she will remove soot and
any creosote from the inside of the chimney. Creosote is highly flammable
and can cause considerable
damage if it catches fire.
A professional chimney
sweeping also reduces
the amount of dirt and
odor that will continue to
enter a home after the
fireplace has been retired
for the season. Damp
spring weather can moisten soot trapped in a
chimney, causing it to
smell. Cleaning and de-
odorizing can help keep
rooms fresh.
they once were, but this
cost effective driveway
material is still an option.
Homeowners who live in
regions with mild winters
without snow might benefit most from gravel driveways, which can be difficult to negotiate when
shoveling snow.
Gravel tends to be the
least expensive driveway
material to install, but
professionals may recommend that a new top layer
of gravel be laid once or
twice a year to replace
material lost to wind and
everyday usage.
ASPHALT
Asphalt remains a popular driveway material,
thanks in large part to its
practicality and ease of installation.
Unlike other driveway
surface materials, asphalt
is available in just one color, black, and that lack of
versatility has led many
homeowners to consider
other options. But asphalt
remains an affordable
driveway surface material
that’s relatively easy to repair.
Cracks and holes in asphalt are somewhat com-
mon, but resealing such
blemishes once every
three to five years is typically enough to maintain
the appearance of an asphalt driveway.
vide a unique look, which
can increase curb appeal.
Concrete can be expensive to maintain, particularly when the material
cracks.
In addition, gas and oil
spills are more noticeable
on a concrete surface than
other driveway surface
materials.
When replacing an existing driveway, homeowners have an array of
new surface materials to
choose from, and each
material has its pros and
cons.
CONCRETE
Concrete driveways are
popular thanks in large
part to their affordability
and aesthetic appeal. Concrete can be susceptible to
extremely cold weather,
but many homeowners
prefer concrete because
of its versatility.
Concrete
can
be
stamped or dyed to pro-
ASK FOR AN INSPECTION
Ask a chimney sweep
to inspect your chimney
in addition to cleaning it.
SEE FIREPLACE PAGE 6
PAGE 5 STAR NEWS GROUP MARCH 26 & 27, 2015
How to close up a fireplace as winter season concludes
MARCH 26 & 27, 2015 STAR NEWS GROUP PAGE 6
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FIREPLACE
FROM PAGE 5
A sweep can look for leaks
and cracks, and he or she
should also look at the flashing system and rain cap,
which can prevent water infiltration. You don’t want to
learn your chimney is in
poor shape during a heavy
spring rainfall. Ask that the
pipes, brickwork and damper
also be checked for functionality and good repair.
CLOSE THE DAMPER
Homeowners
should
close the dampers on
wood-burning fireplaces
when closing their fireplaces for the season. Doing so prevents animals
from making nests inside
the chimney and possibly
gaining entry into your
home. Closing the damper
also makes the home more
efficient by not letting air
escape through the chimney.
Those with gas fireplaces should leave the
damper open at all times to
Spring is a great time to prepare fireplaces for seasonal closing.
prevent a gas buildup in
the home in the case of a
gas leak. However, homeowners may want to extinguish the pilot light for a
gas fireplace in the spring
to reduce energy usage.
MAKE IT ATTRACTIVE
Some
homeowners
choose to dress up a fireplace to make it look more
appealing in the offseason.
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Flowers, plants, candles, or
decorative accents can be
placed in the firebox to add
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When closing a fireplace
for the season, homeowners can benefit from hiring
a professional to ensure
everything is done correctly and the fireplace will be
in top shape and ready to
warm everyone up next
winter.
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PAGE 7 STAR NEWS GROUP MARCH 26 & 27, 2015
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MARCH 26 & 27, 2015 STAR NEWS GROUP PAGE 8
How you can finance home improvements
STAR NEWS GROUP
Many homeowners recognize that improving and
maintaining a property
makes a home more livable
for its inhabitants and more
attractive to prospective
buyers when the time
comes to erect a “for sale”
sign in the front yard.
But a well-maintained
home also provides additional benefits. According to
the United States Department of Housing and Urban
Development, home improvements not only raise
the values of individual
homes, but they tend to
raise neighborhood standards as well.
Home improvements can
create jobs and help local
communities flourish economically.
Maintaining a home can
be a costly undertaking.
Home improvement projects can be expensive
whether homeowners hire
professionals or tackle renovation projects on their
own. The following are a
handful of options homeowners can consider as they
look for ways to finance renovation projects.
Paying outright: Paying
for the renovations upfront
and in full is perhaps the
simplest way to finance a
project. Homeowners who
have the cash to pay for renovations outright won’t
have to worry about interest
rates or balloon payments.
Mortgage
refinancing:
Some homeowners tap into
their home equity to cover
home remodeling projects.
Refinancing a mortgage
means paying off the debt
owed and starting over with
a completely new loan. Refinancing comes with various
fees and can cost between 3
and 6 percent of the loan’s
principal.
Home equity loans and
lines of credit: Both of these
options are commonly re-
Home improvements not only raise the values of individual
homes, but they tend to raise neighborhood standards, as
well.
ferred to as second mortgages. When homeowners
apply for home equity loans
or lines of credit, they are
borrowing against the equity value in their homes.
A home equity loan is a
term, or closed-end, loan. It
is a one-time sum that will
be paid off over a set
amount of time with a fixed
interest rate and the same
payment each month. This
is a one-time loan from
which a person cannot borrow further.
A home equity line of
credit, or HELOC, is like
having a credit card. It’s possible to borrow a certain
amount for the life of the
loan, which is a set time
specified by the lender. During this time, homeowners
can withdraw money as it is
needed up to the value of
the line of credit. HELOCs
typically have a variable interest rate that fluctuates
and payments can vary depending on the amount of
money borrowed and the
current interest rates.
Title I property loan: Residents of the United States
with limited equity in their
homes may qualify for an
FHA Title I loan. Banks and
other lenders are qualified
to make these loans from
their own funds, and the
FHA will insure the lender
against a possible loss. Title
I loans can be used for any
improvements that will
make a home more useful
and livable. They cannot be
used
for
renovations
deemed luxury expenses.
Borrow against retirement funds: Some people
opt to borrow against a
401[k] plan, IRA or another
retirement fund. If the retirement plan allows a loan
without penalty, it can be
another way to secure
funds.
Because it is the homeowner’s money, there will
be no credit check required
and less delay in getting the
funds. Borrowers should
keep in mind that taking a
loan against a retirement account will usually result in a
lower retirement balance
than it would have been had
they not borrowed money
from the account - even after the funds have been repaid.
Credit cards: Credit cards
are an option when improvements are not expensive. Individuals with excellent credit ratings may
qualify for cards with a nointerest introductory periods of several months or
more. These cards can be a
good way to pay off moderate improvements in a short
amount of time.
Many home renovation
projects require homeowners to develop a home improvement budget. Homeowners are urged to explore
all options and find the least
costly loan method and the
one that will present the
best possibility for avoiding
debt.
PAGE 9 STAR NEWS GROUP MARCH 26 & 27, 2015
MARCH 26 & 27, 2015 STAR NEWS GROUP PAGE 10
With the right upgrades, your house will be the envy of the neighborhood.
Upgrade your home’s
exterior this season
STAR NEWS GROUP
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You shouldn’t judge a
book by its cover, but you
can judge a home by its
exterior. Making your
home the envy of the
neighborhood starts with
boosting its curb appeal.
From general maintenance to home upgrades,
here are three ideas to refresh your home’s look.
UPDATE WINDOWS
Replacing your windows with beautifully designed products will give
your home a great first
impression, not to mention reduce your energy
bills and increase your
home’s value.
After a window replacement, taking care of
your new window is just
as important. Wash windows every few months
so they always look as
good as the day they were
installed.
Avoid scratching the
surface of the glass, or
frame, by utilizing nonabrasive agents. Water
and a soft cloth is usually
all you need to clean windows thoroughly, but a
mild cleaner may also be
helpful.
CHOOSE SLEEK SIDING
If you are looking to
boost your home’s energy efficiency and attain
a new look for your exterior, replacing your
siding is a great investment that can achieve
both of these goals. Just
be sure you get a superior product to avoid
maintenance down the
line.
For example, vinyl siding is an ideal product
because of its low maintenance and longevity.
No matter what color
siding you opt for, you
can make your entire
home’s exterior pop by
choosing a distinct trim
color.
A GRAND ENTRY
It is said that the front
door is the focal point of
your home’s curb appeal.
When creating your entryway, customize a new
front door with smaller
side window panels or
glass panels within the
door itself.
Look for an exterior remodeler that can custom
design and install entry
doors to match your exterior décor. If it’s not
time for a door replacement, consider adding a
splash of color to your
exterior by painting or
staining your existing
door.
To love your home,
you must give it some
love. Making the necessary home upgrades and
maintaining your home’s
exterior is a surefire way
to turn heads.
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PAGE 11 STAR NEWS GROUP MARCH 26 & 27, 2015
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STAR NEWS GROUP
Now is a great time to
take stock of your lawn
equipment and assess
whether your gear can
withstand another season
of wear and tear.
If you’ve determined
it’s time to replace your
toolshed’s most valuable
player — your lawn mower — get informed so you
can make a savvy decision, as mower technology has changed a lot in the
last several years.
Whether this is your
first mower, your old
mower is on the fritz or
you’re simply looking to
upgrade, these tips and
considerations can help
you make a decision that’s
wise for you and your
lawn.
BUDGET
The first thing to take
into account is your budget. You need the most dependable and durable
mower that you can afford. However, keep in
mind, you may not have
to pay the entire cost of
the mower upfront.
Some brands offer various financing options that
allow you to make payments over time. Whether
you’re seeking low minimum payments or you
want to minimize interest
payments, ask your dealer
about your options.
If you have a large property, a commercial mower might be the
best choice for you.
MOWING PROPERTIES
Take into account the
size of your property. A
smaller lawn requires a
smaller machine.
“For properties under a
half acre, a 21- to 36-inch
walk-behind
mower
should be ideal,” said
Daryn Walters at Exmark,
a manufacturer of residential and commercial
mowers.
If you live on a larger
plot of land, don’t rule out
a commercial mower,
which is more durable,
tends to be more comfortable to operate, and offers
increased
productivity
with more professionallooking results. Keep in
mind, properties of more
than an acre may warrant
a mower with a 60- to 72inch cutting deck.
MOWER ENGINE, FEATURES
After you’ve considered your budget, lawn
size and terrain, you’ll
want to look at the engine and features offered.
Many models come
with a variety of engine
types and configurations, including ecofriendly models that can
save you money on fuel.
Mower accessories can
include mulching, bagging and striping kits.
Decide what your priorities are and get a model
that’s right for you.
By tackling your lawn
with a low-maintenance,
durable, easy-to-operate
mower, you can save
time, money and energy.
So do your research before making a purchase.
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PAGE 13 STAR NEWS GROUP MARCH 26 & 27, 2015
What to know about
replacing your mower
MARCH 26 & 27, 2015 STAR NEWS GROUP PAGE 14
Get started on your spring cleaning as early as you can
STAR NEWS GROUP
Warmer temperatures
and longer hours of sunlight can recharge energy
levels. Upon the arrival of
spring, homeowners dust
off their to-do lists and
charge ahead with renewed vigor.
But before homeowners can get started on renovation projects, many
must tame the existing
mess that may have built
up over the winter. Spring
is a great time to dive into
spring cleaning projects
and ready a home for a
season of renovation and
remodeling.
Getting started on
spring cleaning can be a
tad overwhelming. In
2012, OnePoll asked 1,000
adults how they felt about
spring cleaning, and 41
percent of those surveyed
found spring cleaning a
daunting process while
68 percent had negative
feelings about spring
cleaning.
But in spite of that initial lack of enthusiasm,
respondents said they felt
happy and more organized once they finished
their spring cleaning. Establishing a plan and setting reachable goals can
make spring cleaning a
lot less daunting.
Set aside several days
for spring cleaning. A
long weekend is a great
time to do some spring
cleaning, as having consecutive days to clean
will reduce the chances
you grow distracted.
Make a list and purchase all of the supplies
you will need. Again, this
will help you stay on
course, rather than going
out to the store to pick up
cleaners or organizational
systems.
Try to set reasonable
goals. Even if you hope to
clean the entire house,
stick to the one or two
rooms that are most desperate for your attention.
Divide each task into a
series of steps so when
you complete each step
you will feel proud that
you’re making progress.
Create your musical
playlist. A playlist full of
your favorite songs can
provide some inspiration
and energy to push you
through the spring cleaning when your enthusiasm starts to wane. The
music also may take your
mind off of the work
ahead and help to pass
the time.
Start from the top and
work downward. Follow a
logical cleaning order. Begin by dusting away cobwebs and lighting fixtures.
Clean
light
switches and walls. Empty closets and then restock them in a more organized fashion. Leave
the furniture and flooring
Following a few guidelines can make the process of spring cleaning go quickly and smoothly.
for last, as dirt and dust
may accumulate on furniture and flooring as you
clean other areas of the
home.
Be prepared to bid
adieu to some of your
stuff. Have a few trash
bags at the ready. Reor-
ganize items you won’t
be keeping into separate
piles, with one pile for
items you plan to donate and another for
those items you will discard. Donate what you
can and promptly put
the remainder of the
items at the curb for pickup.
Stay fed and hydrated.
Cleaning can be physically and emotionally exhausting. Take breaks to
fuel up on food and always have a refreshing
beverage close by.
Visit
Milltex Home Decorators www.MilltexHome.com
Serving the Shore Since ’84
Specializing in Custom Window Fashions for your Home
• PLANTATION SHUTTERS
• Cellular, Woven & Roman Shades
• Faux Wood Blinds
• Custom Window Treatments & Bedding
• Designer & Workroom on site
• Free Measure & Installation
• Call for Current Rebates & Discounts
• Independent Designers Welcomed
We offer window treatment for every size and budget
Call Today for an Appointment
We feature a full line of
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1101 INDUSTRIAL PKWY BRICK
HOURS: MON TO
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STAR NEWS GROUP
Many
homeowners
take up gardening to
transform their homes
with beautiful flowers
and foliage, while others
do so to yield fresh fruits
and vegetables. But gardening can be more than
just a weekend hobby. In
fact, it may be especially
beneficial for homeowners to surround themselves with more plants
and
natural
decor,
whether in the yard or in
the home.
Studies have indicated
that gardening can be
good for the mind and
body. In addition to improving mood and reducing stress, plant life and
gardening also may help
people have a more hopeful outlook on life. If
reaping the benefit of a
beautiful landscape is not
reason enough to get into
gardening, elevating your
mood and coping with
depression or illness may
be even further motivation to start developing
your green thumb.
Home-design
trends
seem to be following suit,
offering individuals more
opportunities to surround themselves with
potentially
therapeutic
plants. Explore these
emerging and established
garden décor trends to
try in and around your
home.
Living wall planters: A
living wall planter can
add greenery to any décor without taking up
floor or table space. Ideal
for outdoor structures,
these planters also can be
used indoors if you safeguard against leaks and
dripping.
A living wall planter is
a framed device that
houses plants in a manner that enables them to
be vertically mounted to
a wall surface. While
there are commercially
available models, you can
create your own design
and paint or stain it to
match the existing décor.
Use a soil-free potting
substrate to avoid the
mess that regular soil
may create.
Combining fish with
gardening: Enjoy the best
of two relaxing worlds by
installing a water feature
in your yard. Garden retailers offer ready-made
kits that can make fast
work of establishing a
pond or other water feature in the backyard. Otherwise, there are plenty
of water garden companies and installers who
can suggest a design and
put in your desired water
features.
Add fish suitable for
outdoor life to your pond.
These include koi and
certain goldfish varieties.
Game fish are discouraged because they can
destroy pond plants. If an
outdoor pond is more
maintenance than you desire, consider an indoor
aquarium with a combination of fish and live
aquarium plants.
Creative furniture designs: Maybe you’re a
person who appreciates
the unique and whimsical? Tables, benches and
chairs can be built with
planting channels that enable you to have greenery
and garden décor in one
piece. Envision a picnic
lights can illuminate a
space, consider ambient
and decorative lighting to
create the desired ambiance.
Functional fire pits and
places: A blazing fire creates a cozy spot to gather
on chilly evenings, but
fire pits and fireplaces
also can be used as impromptu cooking spots
for s’mores or frankfurters on a stick. You can
SEE GARDEN PAGE 16
SAND CLEANING!
(908)-794-9184
[email protected]
Visit us on
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Today!
Est. 2008
PAGE 15 STAR NEWS GROUP MARCH 26 & 27, 2015
Garden-inspired decor livens spaces
table with a cutout down
the center for a thin row
of plants or decorative
grasses. This is a project
the entire family can get
behind, as the more creative ideas the better.
Improved
outdoor
lighting: People who like
to spend time in their gardens and yards may not
want to be limited by sunrise and sunset. By incorporating different lighting
sources, you can create a
retreat that is welcoming
at any hour. Although
flood lights and overhead
MARCH 26 & 27, 2015 STAR NEWS GROUP PAGE 16
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Living wall planters help
bring gardens into the home
GARDEN
FROM PAGE 15
PLANTATION SHUTTERS
2408 Route 34N
Manasquan (Wall), NJ
732.223.6662
www.asapblinds.com
purchase a stand-alone
fire pit from any number
of retailers or build your
own with patio pavers and
fire bricks to line the interior of the fire pit.
Outdoor fireplaces require more work, and you
want to hire a mason to
ensure proper installation.
Enjoyable yard additions: While plants and
seating may take center
stage, some people still
want to have fun in their
yards. There’s an increased demand for yard
designs and décor that
can put the fun in backyard living. Bocce courts,
ring- or horseshoe-toss setups, as well as bean bagtoss boards, can be incorporated into landscape
Fire pits and outdoor fireplaces are increasingly popular in
backyards.
designs, giving you yet another reason to spend a
few hours in the great outdoors, where you can experience a few healthy
laughs in the process.
Gardening and spending time outdoors are
great hobbies and may
even boost your mood.
Homeowners can explore
the popular trends in garden décor and natural elements that they can enjoy
inside and outside of their
homes.
YOUR LAWN WILL BE BEAUTIFUL
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For a FREE ESTIMATE call 732-840-4095
Visit www.MichaelJGilmoreInc.com
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Repairs, Refurbishing, Brass Polishing
Visit www.manasquanlighting.com
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New vinyl siding and a steel entry door can help improve a home’s resale value.
126 Main Street, Manasquan • 732-223-6114
Open Daily 9-5:30 • Fri. til 8pm
Five top tips to improve
the resale value of a house
midrange improvements
that won’t cost a bundle
but will deliver great
bang for your buck. It’s
not about spending the
most money; it’s about
improvements that best
hold their value.
The experts at Remodeling magazine recently
released their annual
Cost vs. Value Report,
comparing construction
STAR NEWS GROUP
Before you decide on a
home improvement project, it’s a good idea to
learn which ones will
help raise your house’s
value and recoup the
most money when you
decide to sell.
From replacing your
front door to adding a
deck, there are many
costs with resale value for
36 of the most popular
home improvement projects.
When it came to
midrange projects, the report found homeowners
recouped the highest percentage of costs on these
SEE TIPS PAGE 18
Dennis J. Frank
1,700
CONSTRUCTION CO., INC.
$
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Construction Management
Service like it used to be!
Jim Frank
732.539.2864
[email protected]
www.dennisjfrankconstruction.com
NJ Reg.#13VH02398100
• Custom Homes
• General Contracting
• Remodeling
• Free Estimates
• Fully Insured
SINCE 1982
SERVING MONMOUTH & OCEAN COUNTIES
Master Plumbing License #12504
Master HVACR License #1234
License/Registration/Certification
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PAGE 17 STAR NEWS GROUP MARCH 26 & 27, 2015
BUY THE BEST
MARCH 26 & 27, 2015 STAR NEWS GROUP PAGE 18
Renovate smart: certain home
improvements recoup dollars
TIPS
FROM PAGE 17
five improvements: steel
entry door replacement,
installation of manufactured stone veneer on
home exteriors, garage
door replacements, vinyl
siding replacement, and
wooden deck additions.
This year’s analysis of
top midrange home improvement projects provided definite direction
for homeowners.
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1222 Third Avenue • Spring Lake • 732-449-6999
STEEL ENTRY DOOR
REPLACEMENT
The 20-gauge steel entry door has consistently
delivered the best return
on investment for resale,
holding the top spot in the
midrange product category since its debut in this
report in 2009/2010. The
steel entry door is the
only project that, on a national basis, more than
pays back its investment,
typically recouping 101.8
percent.
MANUFACTURED STONE VENEER
A new project on this
year's report is the installation of manufactured
stone veneer on home exteriors. This category
zoomed to the top of the
midrange list, grabbing
second place with a 92.2
percent cost-value return.
GARAGE DOOR REPLACEMENT
The installation of new
four-section garage doors
on galvanized steel tracks
proved to be a valuable
project with homeowners
recouping 88.4 percent of
their costs.
VINYL SIDING REPLACEMENT
Replacing a home’s
vinyl siding was one of a
handful of projects that
jumped up the list for recouping
improvement
costs. So not only can new
vinyl siding beautify a
home, it can keep it
weatherproof and enhance its resale value.
DECK ADDITION
Adding a wooden deck
can do more than provide
a place to enjoy the great
outdoors. When it comes
time to sell, you should be
able to pocket more than
80 percent of the cost for
this improvement.
Before you dip into
your wallet, learn which
home improvements will
best hold their value while
enhancing curb appeal.
1941 HIGHWAY 88 • BRICKTOWN, NJ 08724-3151
732-840-5601
www.interiorviewsinc.com
by Chuck Van Emburgh
PROUDLY SERVING
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732-899-6807
Drapery Panels
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Bedroom Ensembles
RON CANTALUPO
Interior Designer
We invite you to schedule a
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Select Hunter Douglas Window Fashions
Plantation Shutters • Silhouettes • Lumimettes • Woven Woods • Wood Blinds
Duette Honeycomb Shades
root. Home Decor enjoys a unique niche market in the laid-back seashore town of Manasquan, New Jersey. Since
its inception, this boutique establishment has presented a uniquely rustic, yet sophisticated contemporary approach
to traditional "beach" decor. We specialize in comfortable, American-made upholstery, reclaimed and painted wood
finishes as well as a generous selection of iron and stainless steel accent pieces, nautically-inspired art, lighting
and accessories, and unique items from around the globe. root. is virtually the only shop of its kind in either
Monmouth or Ocean Counties.
While we currently offer limited outside design services, we are always available to assist you in our showroom,
and if time permits, at your request, we may visit your home to assist you!
Like us at: Root Home Decor and Interior Design
PAGE 19 STAR NEWS GROUP MARCH 26 & 27, 2015
Open 7 Days
MARCH 26 & 27, 2015 STAR NEWS GROUP PAGE 20
SERAFIN CONTRACTING, LLC
BUILDER - REMODELER
Serafin Contracting has been providing complete construction services at the Jersey Shore since 1994. From new home construction, additions, house lifts, tear downs/rebuilds, total home remodeling projects,
to construction management, we can handle any project large or small.
We have been modifying existing homes & building new homes to be
FEMA compliant. NJ H.I.C. #13VH07798500 NJ Builder Reg. #46261
732-892-9292
(cell) 732-606-2211
[email protected]
FREE
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Call Today For A FREE In-Home Consultation
Invisible Fence by Pet Alert
Serving all of Monmouth & Ocean Counties
732.223.2947
Coupon must be presented at time of purchase. Offer good on new fully installed outdoor systems only. Offer valid with ©Pet Alert. Offer expires 4/30/15.
Cannot be combined with any other offer. Previous purchases excluded. ©2014 Invisible Fence, Inc. ©2014 Pet Alert.
STAR NEWS GROUP
Though it may seem
like interior decorators
are a luxury reserved exclusively for the rich and
famous, interior decorators work with people of
all budgets.
Homeowners
sometimes wrestle with the
practicality of hiring a
decorator,
wondering
why they should spend
the money when they
can do the work themselves. But just like
homeowners may hire
professional electricians
or landscapers, hiring a
professional interior decorator can ensure the job
is done right, within
budget and completed
within
a
reasonable
amount of time.
Those who have already invested quite a bit
of money into their
homes but want to add
some finishing touches
would be wise to hire interior decorators or designers. Homeowners often have no idea where
to begin when attempting to establish flow
from room to room in
their homes. Decorators
can help homeowners
tailor the interiors of
their homes to the homes
produce the desired vibe.
Hiring a designer can
help a person avoid making potentially costly design errors. An aesthetically appealing house
also can increase the
home's value, setting a
property above others in
terms of appeal. Even
though the designer will
charge a fee, the investment may be well worth
the expense when the
room is done right the
first time.
Interior
decorators
have
numerous
re-
Interior decorators have the expertise and connections to help homeowners realize any project.
sources at their disposal.
Fine tuned to the world
of design, they understand which trends will
come and go and also
which design ideas have
staying power.
In addition, decorators will be in touch
with vendors in the industry,
connecting
homeowners with the
best of the best in terms
of providing furniture,
housewares, photography, and additional special touches that help
make a house a home.
In addition to expertise and resources, interior decorators have eyes
that will be trained on
things homeowners may
not have noticed or even
realized can be done. A
designer may envision
removing a room to create more space or knocking a wall down to let
more natural light into a
room.
Designers and decorators are trained to think
differently and spatially
to achieve concepts
homeowners may never
have
envisioned
for
themselves. They can
help tell stories through
design and improve
spaces immeasurably.
PAGE 21 STAR NEWS GROUP MARCH 26 & 27, 2015
Redefine a space with an interior decorator’s help
MARCH 26 & 27, 2015 STAR NEWS GROUP PAGE 22
Is your home hurting you?
Reduce pollutants, chemicals
STAR NEWS GROUP
Tile Design Experts
732-359-8418
2418 Route 35
Manasquan
(located inside of Campbell’s Carpets)
www.tilestosea.com
* Manufacturer’s mail-in rebate offer valid for qualifying purchases made 2/1/15 – 4/25/15 from participating dealers in the U.S. only. Offer excludes Nantucket™ Window Shadings, a collection of Silhouette® Window Shadings. Rebate will be issued in the form of a prepaid reward card and mailed within 6 weeks of rebate claim receipt. Funds do not expire. Subject to
applicable law, a $2.00 monthly fee will be assessed against card balance 7 months after card issuance and each month thereafter. Additional limitations may apply. Ask participating
dealer for details and rebate form. © 2015 Hunter°Douglas. All rights reserved. All trademarks used herein are the property of Hunter°Douglas. WIN15MB3
The spring cleaning
season is a great time to
take a closer look at some
of the potentially harmful
chemicals present in your
home — and to seek out
healthier alternatives.
In recent years, homeowners have started asking better questions about
what pollutants are lurking around nearly every
corner, from building materials to the paint on the
walls down to the backing
on carpeting. While it’s
neither realistic nor necessary to remove every
toxin from a home, there
are a few common
sources that can be addressed easily.
“The good news is, you
don’t have to be a chemist
to understand what products and materials are
safe to have in your
home,” said Anne Hicks
Harney, architect and director of sustainability at
architectural firm Ayers
Saint Gross and member
of the American Institute
of Architects’ [AIA] Materials Knowledge Working Group. “You can arm
yourself with the knowledge needed to make
smarter choices for you
and your family.”
She offered a few tips
to help reduce or eliminate common toxins in
the home.
GO NATURAL
Whenever
possible,
use natural or waterbased materials and
cleaning agents. Also, be
aware of the following.
Volatile organic compounds [VOCs]: From
paint
to
composite
wood, VOCs are found
in many products and
are responsible for that
tell-tale
chemical
“smell.” When it comes
to paint, “Low VOC” or
“No VOC” are your best
options and are easy to
find.
Whenever possible, use natural or water-based materials and
cleaning agents to keep the chemicals in your home at a minimum.
Flame retardants and
petrochemicals:
Commonly found in such
foam products as couch
cushions and insulation,
these are a bit more
challenging to avoid.
The risk is that these
chemicals are known to
accumulate over time in
the human body. Looking for an alternative?
Try a natural fiber such
as down in your upholstery.
Plastic additives: Plastics are beneficial in a
number of household
materials but their use
should be limited when
possible. Search for a
carpet with a polyvinyl
chloride
[PVC]-free
backing or try wool, a
natural alternative. For
tile or sheet flooring,
avoid vinyl products
and consider linoleum
or cork and rubber options instead.
Ventilate your home. It’s
good to open your windows every now and then
to get the air circulating
into your home and any
chemical smells out. If you
can’t open your windows
due to outdoor allergies or
poor outdoor air quality, indoor plants constantly regenerate air and provide a
pretty alternative.
Don’t know? Don’t buy.
As a general rule of
thumb, if you don’t know
and understand what a
product contains, don’t
put it inside your house.
Take advantage of the
wealth of information
now available at your fingertips to make safer
choices.
During this spring
cleaning season, take the
time to protect your family by removing harmful
pollutants from your
home.
PAGE 23 STAR NEWS GROUP MARCH 26 & 27, 2015
Turn your bathroom into
an oasis of style and relaxation
STAR NEWS GROUP
Time spent in the bathroom can be precious, as it
may be your only solo
time. When prioritizing
home upgrades, consider
first transforming a hohum, conventional bathroom into an oasis of comfort, style and ultimate
relaxation.
RELAX
Replace outdated fixtures with new top-quality
options that offer greater
functionality. Many manufacturers produce fixtures
and fittings designed to
work in tandem. Such
“suites” of a toilet, sink and
bathtub can improve the
look of a bathroom setting.
When it comes to relaxation, the bathtub is king.
Luckily, manufacturers are
innovating features to go
beyond whirlpools. New
bathtub offerings include
chromatherapy mood light
systems, thermotherapy
heated backrests and inline heaters that keep water
heated perfectly.
RETREAT
Make your bathroom
the perfect retreat from
the rest of the house and
the outside world with a
few stylish accents that
provide greater solitude.
For example, privacy
decorative glass windows
and privacy acrylic block
windows offered from
some manufacturers are
design elements that
don’t compromise natural
light.
Take your spa retreat a
step further by piping
music into your bathroom
with humidity-resistant
speakers unsusceptible to
steamy showers and hot
baths.
BEAUTY
On a limited budget you
can give the bathroom an
elegant long-term facelift
by investing in millwork
products that resist humidity so you don’t experience
warping.
From crown moulding
to trim around showers
and bathtubs to ceiling
medallions, polyurethane
is a more practical material
than traditional wood for
these design elements.
It’s lightweight, easy to
install, and most importantly, designed to resist
the humidity of bathing.
To get the look of a luxury hotel, experts recommend a few project ideas.
Install a set of pilasters
on both sides of your
shower stall and a door
Upgrade your bathroom to have a spa-like feel at home.
crosshead overhead to upgrade your bathroom’s
look.
Surround mirrors and
decorative accent windows
with painted or stained
polyurethane mouldings
that complement the room.
Install chair rail moulding around the bathroom
to add dimension. Paint
above or below the
moulding and use wallpaper, paneling or a different color paint in the other section.
While many think of
the bathroom as a place
to take care of necessary
business, you can easily
give yours an upgrade
that will transform it
into a whole lot more.
Save up to $700
Visit Our
Fireplaces
Showroom
Woodstoves
408 Route 71
Spring Lake Heights
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Fireplace Renovations
INSTALLATION • SERVICE
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732-359-8088 • www.alpine-fireplaces.com • Open Tues - Sat 10 to 5
“Go Green and Get $Green$ With The Best Deals in NJ”
* MARCH 26 & 27, 2015 STAR NEWS GROUP PAGE 24
Spruce up your pool’s perimeter this spring
STAR NEWS GROUP
With the rise of the
“staycation,” more and
more homeowners are
turning their backyards
into their own private
oases. The centerpiece of
many such retreats is a
refreshing and inviting
pool.
Whether above-ground
or inground models,
pools make for welcom-
ing spots to enjoy warm
days and nights. A new
pool can quickly turn a
yard into the “it” spot to
spend vacations or cool
off at the end hot summer
days.
While pools are often
the focal point of a backyard, many homeowners
want their pools to blend
seamlessly with the rest
of their yards. When
transforming a backyard
that includes a pool,
homeowners should consider a few factors to ensure each afternoon spent
poolside is as safe as it is
fun.
SAFETY FIRST
Although the goal may
be to soften the lines of
the pool and, or create
sight barriers that will
provide some measure of
privacy for swimmers,
homeowners must put
safety above all else. Before
any
decorative
touches are added, it is
important to surround a
pool with a slip-resistant
surface
and
fencing
[many communities require fences be erected
around pools]. Consult
with a landscaping contractor, who should be
knowledgeable
about
safety codes, or speak to
the permit-issuing department at town hall.
There should be a list
of requirements to ensure
pool placement as well as
any surrounding touches
are legal and within code.
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Now Located Inside Downs Floor Covering, Inc.
NONSLIP SURFACES
Concrete, brick and
pavers and decking are
popular materials used to
surround a pool. Installers can make recommendations on materials
and finishes, but one suggestion is to choose a
Homeowners have many options with regard to landscaping
the areas surrounding their pools.
rough finish. Pool water
can make surfaces slippery. Concrete that is
stamped or scarred provides extra traction than
a smooth surface.
The same can be said
for brick patios and
pavers. Avoid smooth
stones or pavers with
shiny surfaces, as these
may only increase the
risk of falls.
Homeowners who have
chosen wood or composite decking to surround a
pool should talk to their
SEE POOL PAGE 26
PAGE 25 STAR NEWS GROUP MARCH 26 & 27, 2015
any gallon of EasyCare®
Platinum or Ultra Platinum
Paint and Primer in One.
Valid at participating True Value® stores
3/26/15-4/4/15. Some exclusions apply
Limit 5 gallons. One coupon per household. Maximum coupon value: $25. Not
redeemable for cash. Not valid with any other offer or gift cards. Not refundable.
Not transferable. Do not duplicate. Void where prohibited. Customer responsible
for all taxes and fees. See store for details.
Authorized
Dealer
7999
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5999
sale price
mail-in rebate*
FINAL PRICE
4-Step Lawn Care Program
L 161 995, 982, 986, 157 628 B100
*Limit 2 per household. Consumer responsible for taxes.
JASPAN HARDWARE
We Replace:
SCREENING • WINDOW GLASS • PLEXI-GLASS
CUSTOM PAINT COLOR MATCHING
WE EXCHANGE
PROPANE
TANKS
15¢
COPIES
PUBLIC FAX
MACHINE
KEYS CUT
WHILE YOU WAIT
Sale Ends 04/04/15.
© 2015 by True Value® Company. All rights reserved.
91 Main Street, Manasquan
DROP OFF DEPOT
732-223-1667
• We ship your packages 7 days a week
www.truevalue.com/jaspan
OPEN 7 DAYS
• Over-Night Shipping Available
• We Sell: Boxes, Tape, Packing Materials,
Labels, Bubble Wrap
MARCH 26 & 27, 2015 STAR NEWS GROUP PAGE 26
POOL
FROM PAGE 24
contractor about nonslip
protective coatings. Such
coatings typically are
acrylic-based liquids applied like a paint or sealer.
Some composite decks
may be crafted with texture or a built-in coating
to reduce slipping. In addition, use nonstick mats
on decks and patios to
provide a little extra
footing where people enter and exit the pool.
MULCH AND STONE
Homeowners
often
prefer some combination
of mulch or stone to
serve as a transition between the pool, concrete
or paver hardscape and
the lawn. Stone may be
more practical for those
with inground pools because it will not easily
blow onto the water surface.
With an above-ground
pool, mulch or stone can
do the trick, serving as a
barrier so that pool water does not overly
drench the surrounding
lawn or damage grass after exposure to pool
chemicals. Mulch and
stone also will provide
drainage from water
runoff from the pool and
rain.
Another advantage of
having an additional barrier between the pool
and lawn is that lawn
clippings will not be shot
into the pool when mowing. Stone and mulch can
be dressed up with statues, lawn ornaments and
tolerant plants.
FINISHING TOUCHES
Plants can provide the
finishing touches for a
poolside
landscape.
Homeowners
should
keep in mind that pools
are not often shaded
from the sun, so plants
placed around the pool
will need to be sun- and
drought-tolerant. Succulents, such as aloe and
jade, may work, as can
the perennial shrub yucca. Moderately growing
grasses will offer a privacy barrier.
Keep trees and flowering plants far enough
away from the pool's
edge so they do not contribute to debris that
falls into the pool,
which can complicate
maintenance. Also, flowering plants may attract
insects
and
other
wildlife that may interfere with your enjoyment of the pool. It's
better to create a friendly
environment
for
wildlife further away
from the pool.
Homeowners
who
need some advice planning the landscaping
around their pools can
rely on the expertise of
landscape architects as
well as employees at
lawn and garden centers. Pool companies
may work with landscapers and offer recommendations to people unaccustomed to
working around pools.
Hanging items vertically frees up more space in a shed or garage.
Secrets to keeping an organized shed
STAR NEWS GROUP
Despite other intentions, homeowners often
turn their garages into
storage centers for random, little-used items,
leaving little to no room
for the tools and even vehicles that actually belong in a garage. Such
homeowners may turn to
sheds to store their
garage overflow and keep
yard equipment at the
ready, but storage sheds
are not immune to clutter, and homeowners
may find the very structure erected to keep
them organized requires
a bit of organization itself.
A well-organized shed
can save homeowners
time and energy, as it's
easy to abandon or delay
a project if you can’t find
that pair of work gloves
you stashed.
The first step to any organizing project is to take
everything out of the
shed and determine just
what needs to go back in.
SEE SHED PAGE 28
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PAGE 27 STAR NEWS GROUP MARCH 26 & 27, 2015
MICHAEL QU IGLEY
MARCH 26 & 27, 2015 STAR NEWS GROUP PAGE 28
Gray is trending as an
exterior home color
STAR NEWS GROUP
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Giving your home’s exterior a fresh look starts
with color. And this year,
many home improvement trend-spotting experts say the leading color family is gray, with its
neutral yet refined elegance.
“Gray is an important
home exterior color because it works equally
well on all home styles,
from historic to contemporary, and in every part
of the country,” says Kate
Smith, president of Sensational Color. “Quite
versatile, gray tones can
range from cool, clear
bluish gray to a true neutral gray through a warm
French gray or even
SHED
FROM PAGE 26
Items that do not belong in the shed should
be moved to their rightful
locations or tossed in the
trash if they’re no longer
needed.
Make a pile of anything
that will be kept, a separate one for donations
and a third for garbage.
Take inventory of what
you have so you know
whether you’re missing
any items or you have
something and do not
need to purchase another.
Now that the entire
shed is empty, you can
assess just how much
room you have. Utilizing
vertical and overhead
space effectively can free
up areas on the floor for
larger equipment.
Shelving, racks, pegboards and any other materials that enable you to
hang or store items off
the floor are good investments. Visit your nearby
home improvement re-
Gray features on a home — like the roof — are a popular current trend.
taupe. With gray, it’s really hard to go wrong.”
While you may know
whether you like something once it’s in place,
achieving a look you love
before making a commit-
ment is crucial. Smith is
offering tips for picking
the perfect hues for your
home.
tailer to find items that
can simplify your storage. You also may be able
to put scrap wood to use
to make your own storage shelves or a work
bench. Extra kitchen cabinets can be installed in
the shed to organize additional items.
In order to remember
where items go, label or
sort them accordingly.
Some people like to take
organization a step further by tracing the outline of tools hung on the
wall so they can be
placed back in the same
spot after use. This also
serves as a visual reminder of which tools are
missing and which ones
need to be purchased.
Don’t forget to utilize
shed doors as additional
storage space. Hang frequently used tools, such
as rakes and shovels, on
the inside of the doors so
they will always be easily
accessible.
You also can repurpose
storage solutions designed for other areas of
the home. For example,
magnetic knife holders
can be mounted to a shed
wall to keep paintbrushes
organized. These holders
also can be used to keep
many small metal tools
tidy. Metal funnels can
hold twine and string.
Thread through the narrow end of the funnel for
a handy dispenser.
Keep dangerous substances off the floor and
out of reach. Gasoline,
chemical fertilizers and
other potentially dangerous substances should
be stored high up to
keep pets and children
safe.
Make sure the shed
floor is sturdy and level.
This makes it easier to
neatly store larger items.
Roll in the lawnmower,
wheelbarrow and any
other
cumbersome
items. Now that more
things are mounted vertically, you should find
that you have more area
to move around.
Taking the time to
clean and organize a
shed can help make anyone more productive.
SEE GRAY PAGE 31
PAGE 29 STAR NEWS GROUP MARCH 26 & 27, 2015
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MARCH 26 & 27, 2015 STAR NEWS GROUP PAGE 30
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STAR NEWS GROUP
Bountiful, healthy trees
can be beautiful to behold and important contributors to a thriving environment. According to
American Forests, a nonprofit conservation organization, a tree can absorb as much as 40
pounds of carbon dioxide
per year and can sequester one ton of carbon
dioxide by the time the
tree reaches age 40.
The United States Forest Service adds that
trees placed properly
around a home can reduce air conditioning and
heating demands considerably.
Many homeowners are
content to leave healthy
trees alone. However,
trees eventually must be
pruned or removed if
they become safety risks
or pose other threats.
Trees with roots that
are damaging home foundations or those with
limbs overhanging property limits or power lines
can be troublesome. Although homeowners can
handle relatively minor
tree maintenance, for a
variety of reasons, many
tree projects are best left
to the professionals.
GRAY
FROM PAGE 28
The best gray for your
home exterior is one that
blends well with your
roof and other fixed features, such as brick,
stone or permanent design elements. For a middle tone that will work
on most homes, look for
a classic gray that will
never go out of style.
Light, clear gray is
fresh and airy — just be
sure to look for any undertones. What appears
as light gray on the
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Trimming or removing trees can be an unpredictable and potentially dangerous endeavor. Such work is best left to professionals.
AVOID INJURY
Professional tree contractors recognize and
understand the hazards
associated with tree and
limb removal. Many operate in accordance with
national or local guidelines to maintain proper
clearance of power lines
and structures.
Trimming trees close
to electrical lines puts a
person at risk of being
electrocuted. Professionals know how to protect
themselves and prevent
power outages, which can
swatch could seem light
blue or lavender once applied.
If you’re going with
dark gray as the main
color, look for one that is
rich but soft. Deeper
shades with a harder
edge are great as accents.
Gray comes alive with
dramatic accent colors.
Paint your door a bold
color to create a strong
focal point. Use other
accent colors to play a
secondary role.
A touch of brass,
bronze or copper warms
up gray; gold or orange
adds a spark of color.
Both warm and cool
greens
look
fresh
against
gray;
from
thyme to palm or forest,
green naturally brings
out the beauty of gray.
Tried and true blue —
soft raindrop, bold blue
paisley or admiral blue
— keeps gray fresh and
clean.
Go all neutral with
gray on gray for a sophisticated scheme.
For a home update
that will signify stability, elegance and dependability, consider going
gray.
SEE PRUNING PAGE 33
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PAGE 31 STAR NEWS GROUP MARCH 26 & 27, 2015
Pruning trees should be
a job best left to the pros
MARCH 26 & 27, 2015 STAR NEWS GROUP PAGE 32
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Ceiling stains can be unsightly, and some are even indicative of a larger problem, so it pays for
homeowners to address them as soon as possible.
How to address ceiling stains
STAR NEWS GROUP
Many stains are instantly noticeable. But
while a wine stain on a
light-colored carpet or a
gravy stain on a white
PRUNING
FROM PAGE 31
result when limbs come
into contact with power
lines.
Professional tree services will use machinery
appropriate for the task.
Cherrypickers and cranes
may lift workers to the
correct height to work on
trees, while do-it-yourselfers who rely on climbing trees or using ladders
are at risk of injury.
PREVENT DAMAGE TO THE TREE
Many tree services understand the proper way
to prune trees to minimize stress and damage to
the tree itself. Novice
pruners may inadvertently do more harm than
good, resulting in proliferation of tree disease or
shock. Improper pruning
technique also can lead to
an unsightly tree.
LIABILITY
A professional tree
service will possess the
correct liability and worker’s compensation insurance. This protects homeowners against litigation
should someone be in-
shirt tend to jump out
right away, other stains
sneak past our radars
every day.
Ceiling stains are one
type of stain that tend to
go unnoticed for long pe-
jured while tree work is
being done.
Homeowners
who
damage
neighboring
properties when cutting
down a tree may find that
they are not covered by
their homeowner’s insurance policies. This can be
a costly mistake that’s
easily avoided by simply
hiring a fully insured tree
removal service.
THE RIGHT TOOLS
The right tools can
mean the difference between a job done correctly and one that results in
disaster. Professional arborists and tree services
have acquired the training, tools and techniques
to perform the job safely.
This includes using the
right tools to tackle the
job.
Ropes, pulleys, cranes,
stump grinders, and other
heavy machinery are just
a few of the tools tree
services have at their disposal that the average
homeowner does not.
Trimming or removing
trees can be an unpredictable and potentially
dangerous endeavor. Such
work is best left to professionals.
riods of time. But ceiling
stains can be unsightly,
and some are even indicative of a larger problem, so it pays for homeowners to address stains
on their ceilings as soon
as possible.
Start with the source.
Low kitchen ceilings tend
to fall victim to oil stains,
which are an unfortunate
side effect of cooking. But
not all stains can be so
easily traced to their origins. Some ceiling stains,
such as those in bathrooms, may be a byproduct of mold, while others
may be indicative of
plumbing
problems.
Identifying the source of
a stain is often the first
step toward eradicating
it.
Fix the problem. Once
you
have
identified
what’s causing the stain,
fix the problem as soon
as possible. Ceiling stains
are often indicative of
much larger problems,
and the longer those
problems are allowed to
fester, the bigger they become. Some water stains
on ceilings result from
cracks or joints that have
not been adequately
sealed or caulked. Reseal
or recaulk any cracks you
suspect are leading to
ceiling stains. If you have
determined a leaky roof
is behind your stained
ceilings, then have the
SEE CEILING PAGE 34
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MARCH 26 & 27, 2015 STAR NEWS GROUP PAGE 34
CEILING
FROM PAGE 33
30 FLINT ROAD SOUTH TOMS RIVER, NJ 08757
PHONE: 732-286-2322
www.thewickery.com
Time saved and a professional job are just two of the reasons
homeowners hire lawn care companies.
The many benefits
of hiring a landscaper
STAR NEWS GROUP
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The flowers are blooming and the grass has begun to grow anew, making
spring a great time for
homeowners to once
again turn their attention
to landscaping.
Those who aren’t looking forward to dusting off
their lawnmowers and
rethreading their string
trimmers may want to
hire professional landscapers to tend to their
lawns and gardens.
A recent joint study by
the National Gardening
Association, Residential
Lawn and Landscape
Services and the Value of
Landscaping found that
homeowners
spend
roughly $45 billion per
year on professional lawn
and landscape services, as
nearly 30 percent of all
households across the
United States use at least
one type of lawn or landscape service.
The rising use of lawn
care services is indicative
of homeowners’ appreciation of the convenience
and craftsmanship professional services can provide. While the impact
professional landscapers
can have on a property’s
aesthetic appeal is considerable, homeowners also
benefit from working
with professional land-
scapers in various other
ways.
Time savings: One of
the biggest benefits of
leaving lawn care to the
professionals
is
the
amount of time it will
save for the average
homeowner. Lawns generally need to be mowed
once per week during the
spring and summer seasons and, depending on
the size of the property,
that can take an hour or
more.
Add the time it takes to
clean up clippings, mulch
landscaping beds and
edge the property, and
homeowners can expect
to devote a significant
chunk of their weekends
to caring for their lawns.
Lawn services employ a
few workers who make
fast work of the job, leaving homeowners time to
enjoy their weekends
however they see fit.
Reduced risk for injury:
Maintaining a landscape
is hard work, and those
unaccustomed to this
type of activity may find
themselves winded or at
risk of injury. Improper
use of lawn equipment
also is a safety hazard.
Leaving the work to professionals can help homeowners avoid strained
SEE BENEFITS PAGE 36
roof inspected for damage, and prepare yourself
to finance a new roof if
the inspector determines
that's the best solution.
Cover nearby furniture. If you find ceiling
stains above living areas,
then be sure to cover the
furniture below such
ceilings with a tarp. Even
if your stain solution will
be made primarily of water, you don't want to
risk compounding your
ceiling stain problem by
staining your furniture
as well.
Remove the stains. Different stains require different treatments. A solution made of water and
bleach may be effective
at
removing
ceiling
stains, but only apply
such solutions on days
when you can open the
windows and air out
your home. Larger stains
may require the application of a stain blocker,
which may need to be
applied with a roller and
brush.
No matter the stain,
you need to leave time
for the ceiling to dry before you can move on.
Opening the windows
can prevent your home
from being overcome by
the smell of bleach and
also speed up the time it
takes the ceiling to dry.
Cover the ceiling with
primer. Once the ceiling
has completely dried,
you can apply a stainblocking primer to prevent future stains. Allow
the primer ample time to
dry.
Apply a fresh coat of
paint. After the primer
has dried completely,
you can then repaint the
ceiling. Some paints may
blend in even if you only
paint the affected areas
of the ceiling, but others
will require a complete
repainting of the ceiling.
The eye test will help
you
determine
how
much work you have to
do in that regard.
PAGE 35 STAR NEWS GROUP MARCH 26 & 27, 2015
Stohrer’s Appliance
604 Richmond Avenue
Point Pleasant Beach, NJ 08742
(732) 892-0041
stohrersappliancevideoelectronics.com
Stohrer’s Appliance
MARCH 26 & 27, 2015 STAR NEWS GROUP PAGE 36
Affordably transform your kitchen with these pointers
STAR NEWS GROUP
You may not get paid
for your culinary efforts
at home, but you can still
treat yourself to a professionally outfitted kitchen.
If the idea of financing
this upgrade has held you
back in the past, consider
different options that can
help you affordably transform your ordinary space
BENEFITS
FROM PAGE 34
backs, lacerations, pulled
muscles, sunburns and
any other dangers that can
result when tackling landscaping projects.
Financial savings: On
the surface, hiring a landscaping service may seem
like a costly venture. However, after crunching some
numbers, many homeowners realize that doing
into the kitchen of your
dreams.
AMAZING COUNTERTOPS
If you’ve longed for
luxury granite countertops, consider quartz,
which offers the same
beauty as granite at a
fraction of the cost. Since
quartz is a durable, nonporous material, countertops will be easy to clean
and maintain over time,
and resistant to the nicks
and stains caused by
everyday wear and tear,
making it a sound longterm investment.
Quartz is available in a
variety of colors and patterns, and by investigating your options you can
get the look and feel that
complements
your
kitchen.
PROFESSIONAL RANGE
To ensure you’re never
limited as a cook, start by
upgrading your cooking
appliances, which are at
the heart of any kitchen.
Professional ranges are
a great option. They
come in a variety of sizes
and offer a myriad of features that will help even
the most experienced
cook excel in the kitchen.
TASK LIGHTING
Task lighting can be a
gorgeous, functional addition to any kitchen. And
these days, beautiful fixtures can be purchased at
any price point and come
the work themselves may
cost more in the long run
than hiring a professional
landscaping service.
Homeowners who decide to go it alone must
purchase expensive equipment, and those lawn
tools will require routine
maintenance, which costs
additional money. Inexperienced homeowners may
incur extra fees to “fix”
mistakes that occur during
the learning process.
Each year, new seed,
fertilizer, mulch, pesticides and other supplies
also must be purchased.
But professional lawn
care services typically
charge a set fee per
month, and that fee covers
the maintenance of both
your property and the
equipment needed to
keep that property looking great.
Know-how: Many professional
landscapers
know how to address
lawn care issues that may
arise throughout the year.
They will know how to
deal with dry patches of
lawn or poorly draining
areas, and they also can
make recommendations
on plants that will thrive
under certain conditions.
One-stop
shopping:
Certain landscaping services provide many different options for prospective customers. Basic lawn
cuts may be one package,
but there also may be
services for seasonal
seeding, weeding, leaf
clean-up, and winterizing.
Consistent
maintenance: Homeowners who
frequently travel or spend
much of their summers
away from home often
find that lawn care companies are a wise investment. Established weekly
schedules ensure the
landscape always will
Today, kitchen appliances come in a variety of
finishes, insuring you’ll
find the right fit for your
dream kitchen.
in a number of styles,
both traditional and contemporary, making it easy
to add flair and style to
your kitchen in a way that
meets your taste.
In addition to your ambient lighting, consider
installing a row of task
lights over your kitchen
SEE KITCHEN PAGE 37
look its best whether
homeowners are home or
out of town.
Spring is a great time
for homeowners to decide if hiring professional
landscaping services is in
their best interests. The
time and money saved, as
well as impact professional landscapers can have
on a property, makes
landscaping services a
great investment for
many homeowners.
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KITCHEN
FROM PAGE 36
Give your favorite furniture a fabulous new look!
island, above your sink,
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Equipping your kitchen
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PAGE 37 STAR NEWS GROUP MARCH 26 & 27, 2015
Transform
a kitchen
with pro
upgrades
MARCH 26 & 27, 2015 STAR NEWS GROUP PAGE 38
Boost your home’s curb appeal — and value — by updating millwork, molding and trim.
Upgrade your home, add long-term value
STAR NEWS GROUP
It’s no secret that home
upgrades cost time and
money. But certain projects can actually save you
money in key areas and
improve the resale value of
your home, while making
it more beautiful and livable now.
When it’s time to replace
worn-out roofing, doors and
trim, ensure you’re getting
good value on your investment. Here are some guidelines for making durable,
long-lasting upgrades.
peal. It’s also a vital protective layer between the elements and your family.
Roofing should be impact-,
fire- and severe weather-resistant, as well as beautiful
— especially as extreme
ROOFING
The roof is an integral
part of a house’s curb ap-
SEE VALUE PAGE 39
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STAR NEWS GROUP
Home
improvement
projects can turn a house
into a home. Homeowners plan scores of renovations to transform living
spaces into rooms that reflect their personal tastes
and comforts.
Homeowners going it
alone may find things do
not always go as planned.
In fact, a Harris Interactive study found that 85
percent of homeowners
say remodeling is a more
stressful
undertaking
than buying a home. But
homeowners about to
embark on home improvement projects can
make the process go more
smoothly by avoiding
these common pitfalls.
VALUE
FROM PAGE 38
weather events are growing more common and severe across America.
A new roof can pay off,
according to Remodeling
magazine, which cites a
71.6 percent recoup of
costs in their 2015 Cost vs.
Value study.
Skip over bargain-basement priced roofs, even if
you’re on a budget. What’s
important is finding a roof
that will be virtually
maintenance free for
years to come.
You may pay more out
of pocket now, but you’ll
save big on repairs, inspection and maintenance
in the long run.
Natural slate and shake
roofing materials evoke
images of traditional
charm and long-standing
durability. However they
have an inherent tendency to degrade as they age.
Check out manmade
materials, such as polymer slate and shake roofing tiles, which offer the
authentic look of natural
FAILING TO UNDERSTAND THE
SCOPE OF THE PROJECT
Some
homeowners
don’t realize just how big
a commitment they have
made until they get their
hands dirty. But understanding the scope of the
project, including how
much demolition and reconstruction is involved
and how much time a
project will take can help
homeowners avoid some
of the stress that comes
with renovation projects.
For example, a bathroom renovation may require the removal of drywall, reinforcement of
flooring to accommodate
a new bathtub or shower
enclosure and the installation of new plumbing
materials but are more resistant to chipping, flaking
and splintering over time.
And some polymer roofing options can even help
you get a break on homeowner’s insurance.
TRIM
Boost curb appeal, as
well as interior style, with
millwork, molding and
trim.
While these elements
don’t always serve a functional purpose other than
to add beauty and value to
your home, it’s important
that they resist humidity,
moisture and insects all
the same, so you don’t experience warping or decay.
Manufacturers such as
Fypon are turning to
polyurethane to create
varying textures for millwork, from smooth to
stone
to
woodgrain.
These design pieces can
help emphasize your
house’s architecture, reflecting the style of your
home and furnishings.
PAGE 39 STAR NEWS GROUP MARCH 26 & 27, 2015
Common mistakes made
on renovation projects
and wiring behind walls.
So such a renovation is
far more detailed than
simply replacing faucets.
NOT ESTABLISHING A BUDGET
Homeowners must develop a project budget to
ensure their projects do
not drain their finances. If
your budget is so inflexible that you can’t afford
the materials you prefer,
you may want to postpone the project and save
more money so you can
eventually afford to do it
right.
Without a budget in
place, it is easy to overspend, and that can put
SEE MISTAKES PAGE 40
ENTRYWAY
Your home’s entryway
should be welcoming,
beautiful and energy-efficient. To better insulate
against cold and heat,
and improve long-term
performance,
consider
upgrading to a fiberglass
door. It’s a cost-effective
home improvement project with true value. Indeed, the Remodeling
magazine study finds a
72 percent cost recouped
rate for new fiberglass
doors and a solid fiberglass door can be up to
four times more energy
efficient
than
solid
wood.
Some brands carry
ENERGYSTAR-qualified
options to help you save
on utilities, and offer
decorative features, such
as privacy glass that is
triple-paned to create an
exceptional thermal and
acoustical barrier.
If you’re going to the
trouble of making home
upgrades, opt for projects with lasting value
that can improve your
comfort and safety.
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MARCH 26 & 27, 2015 STAR NEWS GROUP PAGE 40
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Homeowners can lessen the stress of home renovation projects by avoiding common renovation
mistakes.
Avoid these common mistakes
when doing renovation work
MISTAKES
FROM PAGE 39
you in financial peril
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MAKING TRENDY OR
OVERPERSONAL IMPROVEMENT
Homeowners who plan
to stay in their homes for
the long run have more
free reign when it comes
to renovating their homes.
Such homeowners can
create a billiards room or
paint a room hot pink if
they so prefer.
However, if the goal is
to make improvements in
order to sell a property,
overly personal touches
may make a property less
appealing to prospective
buyers. Trends come and
go, and improvements can
be expensive. If your ultimate goal is to sell your
home, opt for renovations
that will look beautiful
through the ages and
avoid bold choices that
may only appeal to a select few buyers.
FORGETTING TO PROPERLY
VET ALL WORKERS
It is important to vet
your contractor, but don't
forget to vet potential subcontractors as well. Failing to do so can prove a
costly mistake. Contractors often look to subcontractors to perform certain parts of a job, and it is
the
responsibility
of
homeowners to vet these
workers.
EXPECTING EVERYTHING
TO GO AS PLANNED
Optimism is great, but
you also should be a realist. Knowing what poten-
tially could go wrong
puts you in a better position to handle any problems should they arise.
The project might go off
without a hitch, but plan
for a few hiccups along
the way.
OVERESTIMATING DIY ABILITIES
Overzealous
homeowners may see a renovation project in a magazine
or on television and immediately think they can
do the work themselves.
Unless you have the tools
and the skills necessary
to do the work, tackling
too much can be problematic. In the long run,
leaving the work to a professional may save you
money.
Home improvements
can be stressful, but
homeowners can lessen
that stress by avoiding
common renovation mistakes.
PAGE 41 STAR NEWS GROUP MARCH 26 & 27, 2015
MARCH 26 & 27, 2015 STAR NEWS GROUP PAGE 42
Follow these watering tips
to produce healthy lawns
STAR NEWS GROUP
Summer is a season for
landscaping, and homeowners who live in regions that get especially
hot in the summertime
often worry that their
lawns won’t make it
through the dog days of
summer looking lush.
But lawns don’t have
to succumb to the sizzling summer sun. Oftentimes, the right watering strategies can help
homeowners nurse their
lawns
through
the
hottest months of the
year, ensuring the lawns
make it to autumn looking as green as they did
back at the height of
spring.
Reconsider
when
you’re watering. Come
summertime, homeowners may want a glass of
water at high noon, when
temperatures seem to be
at their hottest. But you
and your lawn are different, so the best time to
satiate your thirst is not
necessarily the best time
to water your lawn.
Watering in the middle
of the day is often ineffective, as water tends to
evaporate quickly in the
afternoons when temperatures are peaking.
Nighttime watering can
contribute to the growth
of fungus, which can create an entirely new set of
headaches for homeowners. Morning watering
sessions tend to be most
effective during the summertime, as temperatures tend to be cooler in
the morning, leading to
less evaporation. Less
evaporation means all
that watering isn’t going
to waste.
Reconsider your sprinkler. If you can’t afford
an in-ground irrigation
system, which many
landscaping professionals feel is the most effective and efficient way to
water a lawn, then you
likely will rely on a
sprinkler to keep your
lawn
looking
lush
through the summer
months.
When choosing a
sprinkler, look for one
that shoots water out
horizontally as opposed
to vertically. A vertical
sprinkler system is more
vulnerable to wind and
evaporation than one
that shoots water out
horizontally, so make
sure
your
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sprinkler system is sending
water into your lawn and
not into summer breezes.
Avoid
overwatering.
How much water your
lawn needs in the summertime depends on a host of
factors, including where
you live and how often rain
falls in that region. Overwatering can promote the
growth of fungus and adversely affect your lawn’s
root system, making it difficult for roots to grow deep.
Speak with a local landscaping professional to determine how often you
should water your lawn
each week.
Strategically
position
your sprinklers. When
choosing where to put
down your sprinklers, hook
them up to your hose, turn
them on and then watch to
see where the water is going. Areas that exposed to
sun are most in need of water, so make sure the bulk
of your water isn’t going to
shaded areas beneath trees.
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Poorly placed sprinklers that shoot water out onto driveways
and other surfaces that do not need water can rob a lawn of
water it desperately needs when temperatures climb in the
summertime.
In addition, make sure
you aren’t wasting water on
sidewalks, patios and driveways. Sprinklers should be
positioned so none of the
water they’re shooting out
is landing on surfaces that
don’t need water.
It sounds simple, but too
often homeowners drop
their sprinklers down, turn
them on and then walk
away without waiting to see
where the water is landing.
Position sprinklers or adjust sprinkler heads so all
the water is landing on your
lawn.
Keeping a lawn lush and
green at the height of summer requires homeowners
to adopt effective strategies.
Such a strategies can make
the difference between a
lush landscape and one that
succumbs to summer heat.
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PAGE 43 STAR NEWS GROUP MARCH 26 & 27, 2015
WATERING
FROM PAGE 42
MARCH 26 & 27, 2015 STAR NEWS GROUP PAGE 44
Save time on spring
cleaning this year
STAR NEWS GROUP
It’s time to prep your
home’s outdoor spaces
for the season ahead.
From the yard to the
garage to the deck, getting these areas tidy is all
part of a thorough spring
clean.
Here are some tips to
make the process faster
and easier.
DE-CLUTTER YOUR
WORKSPACE
Your
shed,
your
garage, your toolbox —
it’s time to take stock of
what you’re storing in
these key areas.
Broken tools, piles of
junk — these are items
that will get in your way
and slow you down all
season long. So before
you get to the nitty gritty
of your outdoor spring
clean, take the time to
organize your workspace.
Throw out what is
junk, donate what you
aren’t using, and organize the rest into categories.
Vertical storage can
save crucial room, so install tall shelves and use
walls and the ceiling to
install
organizational
systems. Now is also a
great opportunity to perform routine maintenance on your lawn
equipment and tools to
improve their efficiency.
IDENTIFY MULTITASKING
TOOLS
Check out innovations
on old tools that can
make
your
versatile
workload easier.
For example, you can
upgrade your conventional pressure washer
for a newer model with
more diverse functionality.
DO SMART MAINTENANCE
If you have a larger
yard, consider a riding
mower to save time and
energy on lawn maintenance.
Remember not to over
mow your lawn. Not only
is it not healthy for the
grass, it can be a time
suck and increase your
carbon footprint needlessly.
Likewise, only water
your lawn and garden
when necessary. During
periods of rain, you can
Upgrading your power washer could make it easier, and faster, to complete your spring cleaning.
ease up on this chore.
The most efficient times
of day to water your lawn
are morning. When the
sun is strongest, you will
lose more water to evaporation and your work
will be for naught. By
changing up your lawn
care habits, you can save
time all season.
While working outdoors can be fun, don’t
spend more time than
you need to on your
household spring cleaning tasks. Finding simple
ways to be more efficient
will give you more time
to enjoy your home’s outdoor spaces.
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PAGE 45 STAR NEWS GROUP MARCH 26 & 27, 2015
Stock up on safety gear
before your next DIY project
STAR NEWS GROUP
Do-it-yourself, or DIY,
projects
around
the
house can give homeowners a more personal
stake in their properties.
Getting their own
hands dirty when renovating a bathroom rather
than paying a professional to do all that work
gives many homeowners
a strong sense of accomplishment while allowing
them to learn a few things
and save some money
along the way.
But whether homeowners have years of experience with regard to renovations or are about to
embark on their first DIY
adventure, safety should
be a top priority. Securing
the right safety equipment might not guarantee
a DIY project comes out
looking exactly as homeowners hope, but it can
help protect DIYers and
their helpers from suffering injuries as they renovate their homes.
The following is a list
of some safety equipment
all homeowners should
have at the ready before
beginning home improvement projects.
First-aid kit: All homes
should have a first-aid kit
on hand, regardless of
whether any renovations
are in the offing. First-aid
kits can help treat minor
cuts and scrapes, but such
kits also can be used to
prevent more serious injuries from escalating in
the time it takes to see a
physician.
When tackling a large
DIY project, secure a
well-stocked first-aid kit
that includes more than
just band-aids and adhesives. In addition to such
items, a reliable first-aid
kit should include antiseptic ointment, a chemical cold pack, cotton
balls, eyedrops, first-aid
tape, needles, sterile
r
e
m
o
t
s
u
C
w
Ne
APPRECIATION DEAL
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Do-it-yourselfers should wear proper welding goggles and
masks when home renovation projects require the use of a
welding iron.
gauze
bandages
and
tweezers. In addition,
make sure the kit includes a first-aid handbook that contains instructions regarding the
treatment of common injuries.
Eyewear:
Protective
eyewear is essential when
working on renovation
projects. Safety goggles
may suffice on smaller
projects, but make sure
the goggles fit well, as
loose goggles will still allow debris into your eyes,
and that debris can compromise your vision and
result in injuries to your
eyes.
If you will be welding,
be sure to wear proper
welding goggles with adequate lens shading.
Mask/respirator: Home
renovation projects, especially those that involve
taking down walls, can
leave DIYers' lungs susceptible to lung irritation
and disease. But masks
and respirators can pro-
tect the lungs. Cloth
masks may be sufficient
for smaller projects,
while more significant
undertakings may require
the use of dual-cartridge
respirators that provide
added protection for sensitive lungs.
Gloves: Hands also can
take a beating during
home improvement projects, so it's important that
DIYers find sturdy gloves
to wear throughout their
renovation efforts. While
this may contradict the
idea of getting your hands
dirty, splintered, blistered
hands are painful and
susceptible to infection.
Wear
sturdy
rubber
gloves when using chemical cleaners or any products containing acid.
Joint supports: Achy
joints can make it difficult to effectively tackle
DIY projects, so it's important that you support
SEE SAFETY PAGE 46
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is your home dirty?
Planting a garden from
scratch can sound like a
daunting task, especially
for those who are new to
the hobby. But with the
right knowledge, you can
plan a successful, fruitful
green space and expect to
have a great harvest.
One way to get a head
start on your garden is to
start your seedlings indoors and then transplant
them later into an outdoor garden. This timetested technique can save
you hundreds of dollars
annually, as young plants
at a nursery can be pricey.
Here are some tips and
tricks to make the most of
this method.
Don’t start your indoor
plants too soon. They can
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Check seed packages to
learn when to plant outdoors in your area, and
then start them indoors
one month earlier to your
SAFETY
FROM PAGE 45
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your joints from start to
finish. Knee and elbow
pads can protect your
joints as you spend time
on your knees or crawling
around while working on
projects close to the
ground.
Back support: Many
DIY projects involve lifting
and
transporting
heavy objects, and men
and women unused to
such lifting can quickly
suffer an injury if they are
not adequately supporting
their backs.
Wear a back brace and,
or weight belt when lifting
or moving heavy objects,
and don't be afraid to ask
for assistance if you find
an object is too heavy to
move on your own.
Though it might sound a little daunting, planting your garden
from scratch can yield a great harvest.
transplanting date outdoors.
Consider using a seedstarting system. That will
take some of the gardening guesswork out of the
equation.
Add new nutrients to
the seedlings every two
weeks and keep the water
at full level. Feeding your
plants more than the recommended amount will
not make them grow
faster. In fact, it could hurt
the plants.
Before transplanting,
seedlings need to be hardened off. Skipping this
step will almost certainly
result in some or all of
your plants dying. Hardening off seedlings eases
their transition to the outdoors, where they will be
exposed to the elements.
The process involves
gradually exposing plants
to the outdoors, protecting them from full sunlight, temperature variations and wind.
Don’t let sprouts get
too big before transplanti-
ng them outdoors. Ideally
they should be about 4-6
inches tall. If possible,
wait to plant your
seedlings on a cool,
cloudy day. If your
seedlings get too large before weather will allow
transplanting outdoors,
transplant them into
small pots with high-quality potting soil. Keep fully
watered in a sunny space
until weather permits
transplanting outdoors.
After
transplanting
seedlings outdoors, be
sure to water them daily
for the first two weeks,
especially if the weather
is dry and sunny.
Save and reuse your
seed starter tray for the
next season. Once the
spring plants have been
transplanted
outdoors,
you will be free to get a
head start on your summer crop.
For true green thumb
bragging rights, grow
your garden from scratch.
Just be sure you know the
tricks of the trade.
equally warm and energizing.
STAR NEWS GROUP
Painting is one of the
easiest and least expensive ways to transform
the look of a space. The
colors
homeowners
choose for their walls
can give rooms their
own unique feel and
even affect the moods of
the people within them.
Finding
the
right
shade for a bedroom or
kitchen involves more
than just selecting the
first color that catches
your eye.
Design experts and
psychologists alike say it
may be worthwhile to
choose a color that
helps you feel good
rather than just following design trends. The
paint color you pick
may add energy to a
space or create a tranquil retreat where you
can unwind at the end of
the day.
BLUE
To create a spa-like environment and a more
serene space, look to
shades of blue in soft
variations. Cool blues are
soothing colors that can
help lower stress levels
and promote sleep. That's
why blue is a frequent fixture in bedrooms and
bathrooms.
Just be advised that too
much blue can make a
room appear cold and
stark, so balance out blue
with some warmer accents.
ORANGE
Many people do not
immediately
consider
bright orange for their
homes, but when used as
an accent shade, orange
can really brighten up a
home.
Orange is considered a
shade that expands creativity and imparts a
RED
Red stimulates energy
and appetite, which is
why the shade is so popular in restaurants and
home dining spaces. Red
is a good choice for social
gathering rooms but may
not be the wisest choice
for a bedroom, as the color may prove overstimulating.
Every color offers its own
benefits when used as the
main hue in a living space —
but some colors are less than
ideal for certain rooms of the
house.
youthful appeal to a
space. Consider an orange accent wall or a
burst of color with orange
throw pillows. If pumpkin
orange is a little too bold
for you, tone it down by
choosing a more pastel,
peachy hue, which is
GREEN
Green can evoke composure and tranquility
and works in any room of
the house. Since green is
the primary color of nature, it also works well for
those people who want to
bring some of the outdoors inside and work
with the fresh starts and
new growth that green
can inspire.
To make green feel less
subdued and sleepy, work
with its complementary
opposite, red, by using a
few bold red accents here
and there to balance out
the tranquility of green.
PURPLE
People have long related purple to royalty, and
this dramatic color can
add a formal, regal aspect to a home, depending on the hue. Purple
also may help stimulate
the creative side of the
brain.
In paler shades of
lavender, purple can
seem almost ethereal
and spiritual. Some designers suggest avoiding
purple in a bedroom because that is a place you
want your brain to rest
rather than be stimulated.
YELLOW
Few colors are more
vibrant than yellow,
which can help stimulate
conversation and make
thoughts more focused.
A luminous shade of yellow is an ideal way to
make any space more
welcoming and bright.
Just use it sparingly, as
too much yellow may
not be a good thing. Yellow accents mixed with
touches of purple can offer the balance needed to
prevent yellow rooms
from overwhelming residents and guests.
Home
decorators
should keep in mind that
colors can be blended to
create the desired environment.
A
color
scheme based on complementary colors, or
those opposite on the
color wheel, may fit.
Otherwise,
analogous
color schemes, or those
colors that are next to
one another on the color
wheel, can create a variation that suits your design needs.
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PAGE 47 STAR NEWS GROUP MARCH 26 & 27, 2015
Painting a room a different color can affect your mood
MARCH 26 & 27, 2015 STAR NEWS GROUP PAGE 48