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A Kool Tool from WihaTools.com. We all have had to work with small screws, nuts and washers. The magnetizer from Wiha Tools makes working with them a lot easier. You can magnetize your screwdriver, or something people don’t often think about it to magnetize the washer to the nut, or magnetize the screw itself. Check out this Kool Tool video.
Building a home is a step by step process, and can turn into a nightmare if the steps are not completed in order. In this article we will provide a general outline of the steps and the order they should be completed in the construction process. Some steps must be completed before others, while others may be completed together, or their timing may be somewhat flexible.
The steps in purchasing a lot are covered in another article.
Building inspections are woven throughout the process. The type of inspections varies greatly from area or even town to town. Check with your local building department for their schedule. Climate and time of season will have an impact on certain tasks, such as installing the furnace and pouring concrete. If you can avoid digging your foundation in the rainy season, you will avoid a lot of trouble.
If you are planning on building a home, my last piece of advice is plan, plan and plan some more.
I will start this article by advising you to do your homework, in other words plan, plan, and plan some more
I am not putting down sellers, or Realtors, but I have seen time and time again where Realtors or sellers relay incorrect information to the buyers such as, ” Lot ready to build on” when it is anything but. A great example of this happened to me a few years ago. I signed a contract to purchase a lot where the seller said sewer was available, I found out different. During the due diligence period I found out it would work but only after I installed a $20,000 lift station! Fortunately I found this out early and was able to get out of the contract and renegotiate it. Let the buyer beware.
The following is a checklist and to do list. Hopefully you will read this article before you have actually purchased your lot, as some of the items below are best done before the actual purchase of a lot.
This list is by no means all inclusive; it is a starting point and a general guide. Conditions and requirements vary greatly, from region or even town to town. Always remember to do your homework, plan, plan, and plan some more.
Sometimes it seems like housecleaning is a never-ending, time-consuming chore. Just when we thought we had a day or two off from work, then we have to spend our free time cleaning instead. However, housecleaning doesn’t have to consume your free time. With some clever ideas and time-saving actions, you can slash your cleaning time and have time to spend with your family doing the things you enjoy the most.
Instead of spending an entire day or weekend cleaning, clean half the house, or one story of a two-story, on one day or afternoon; clean the other half or other story on another afternoon. Reserve a block of time for the attic, basement, or garage.
Try dusting cloth lampshades with a lint roller. It works quickly and effectively and you don’t have to drag out the vacuum and hook up the hoses and attachments. And old sock slipped over your hand makes a great dusting cloth to dust furniture with while cleaning the shades.
Newspaper works great for cleaning mirrors and windows. You’ll not only be saving money on paper towels, but you’ll be creatively recycling at the same time. Vinegar is an affordable and effective cleaner that can be used on windows and mirrors, and if you wait for an overcast day to clean your windows and mirrors, you’re less likely to have streaks.
Soak your toilet with a deep cleaning bowl cleanser while cleaning the outside. The film inside the bowl will have time to loosen up and will be easier to clean. By using a drop-in cleaner, or time release bowl cleaner you can extend the time between cleanings.
Use a baking soda solution to wipe down the inside of the refrigerator. It scrubs and eliminates odors without damaging surfaces.
When you begin cooking, run a sink of hot soapy water, and wash as you go. Food on dishes won’t have a chance to harden, and you’ll be that much ahead when the meal is done. Make sure you’ve got plenty of paper plates and disposable flatware and cups on hand for those nights when your evening schedule is jam-packed with activities and you can eliminate the dishes from your schedule.
Using a few of the above tips will give you back some of your valuable time, which we never seem to have enough of.
Do you have an area in your home that is difficult or impossible to read in? Proper distribution of light in a home or work environment is essential. With the growing trend towards energy efficiency and CFL and LED bulbs, task lighting is becoming essential.
Last year we lost the 100 watt incandescent bulb and this year the 75 watt build will disappear and then you can say goodbye to the 60 watt bulb. Once again Congress is making decisions for us, but that problem is a whole other article.
With this fading of the incandescent light bulb and the increased use of LED bulbs and the CFL bulb, which I view as the 8 Track of bulbs, I have noticed a new and growing need in the marketplace, task lighting. The reason for this is that the CFL and the incredibly energy efficient LED bulbs do not yet have the lumens (intensity) of incandescent light bulbs, and a house laid out for conventional lighting, with incandescent lighting, when re-lamped with CFL or LED bulbs has areas that become dark spots. Some of these areas need to have light for us to function in our daily lives.
Designers of new space and newly built homes must take into account the loss of lumens that comes with the energy efficient bulbs and add more general lighting or add task lighting to compensate for that loss of lumens. Of course every time you add something it comes with a cost. In this case that would mean additional electrical openings and light fixtures.
Recessed cans can be installed to illuminate a particular area, that is home for a couch or reading chair but then that furniture is “locked into” that location. Portable lights with adjustable arms are a great solution as well as lamps. Both these solutions can work quite well but will need a close electrical receptacle (in the floor) or have an unsafe electrical extension cord running across the room.
The kitchen is an easy fix with some under cabinet lighting illuminating the workspace. Usually the bathroom will not be affected by re-lamping. The bedroom is another potential area. Reading in bed could be a thing of the past without a desk style lamp placed somewhere on the headboard.
As you can see re-lamping your existing fixtures with energy efficient bulbs can create a few new problems, but with a little thought, and planning a reasonable solution can be found and applied.
To avoid the nasty sewer gas smell in your home you should check the trap in your floor drains in your house to make sure they have water in them. The water forms a seal that keeps the sewer gas on the pipe side and out of your home. You should have floor drains in the laundry room, near the hot water tank, and furnace. Also there is one in the basement. Do not forget to check the tub or shower drain if it has been months since it was used.
To the left is a simple drawing of a trap. The trap itself is buried below the floor, but you can see how it uses water to form a seal and keeps the sewer gas smell out of your living space. To inspect it and add water simply remove the cover or grate and shine a flashlight into the pipe and look for the water level. It won’t hurt anything if you pour a cup or 2 of water into the pipe. If the water level remains the same it’s full and your job is done.
There is an old trick which has you pouring a cup of vegetable oil into the drain. The thought behind it is that the oil will float on top of the water and the water will not evaporate, keeping the break/seal in place. My question is, have you ever smelled rancid vegetable oil? Not a pleasant smell. I recommend sticking with the water and checking it spring and fall
Have you ever cooked bacon or fish in your home and the smell lasts for days? Proper ventilation in the kitchen can greatly reduce if not eliminate that problem. I this article we will discuss the proper guidelines for selecting the proper ventilation system.
Most of you are familiar with the exhaust fan over the stove. Some are individual units and some are combined with the microwave. These types of units allow for 2 types of ventilation. The first being removing air from the cooking area and blowing it outside, and the second is absorbing the air running it through some filter and replacing it into the room. The correct method is to remove the air from the kitchen and exhaust it outside.
A typical range is 30” wide and so is the range hood or microwave combination unit. Also most units are approximately 16” deep. Most manufacturers suggest a hood extend 3” past the end of the range and is 21” deep. Secondly we have to consider air movement, or the amount of air the fan is capable of removing. Air movement is expressed in CFM’s, cubic feet per minute.
There are 2 ways to correctly size the fan. The first method is to allow 1 CFM of air flow for every 100 BTU’s of heat output of each appliance. The second is to allow for 15 ACH (Air Changes per Hour). To calculate that you would use the formula width x length x height= cubic feet/4. Then multiply by 15 ACH and divide by 60 minutes = total CFM’s needed.
In a normal home kitchen the amount of air being removed will not cause a problem. In larger homes with commercial style stoves and ovens and consequently larger exhaust hoods can remove a large volume of air from the room. This can cause the gases from a nearby fireplace flue, or even extinguish pilot lights on a stove, water heater, or furnace. This phenomenon is called back drafting, and can cause serious situations and even death. For this reason it is very important to have the system properly sized and in some circumstances make up air will have to be introduced into the space. This makeup air can be brought into the space simply by undercutting all the doors 1” to allow air for other areas of the home to “make up” the deficiently, or in some cases additional air from the exterior will have to be brought into the pace through the HVAC system.
It is always better to error on the side of safety and do your homework, consult a local building official or a HVAC technician that has the background to properly size the unit, before you attempt it.
Universal design is a relatively new term and as such many homeowners don’t really understand what it is and what it isn’t. Simply stated, universal design isn’t just for disabled persons. It makes all of our lives easier, through the use of products and design, no matter what your age or physical condition is. Universal design is a style of building or remodeling that can include, design specific ingredients such as aging in place, smart home technology, and space planning.
Let me use a few examples that we all can relate to. Remember back when you had to carry your books to school? Along came the style of backpacks that allowed you to carry all your books, laptop and even your lunch easily. From that simple design idea the front-pack baby carriers were developed, both of which are a form of universal design, once again making life easier for everyone. Another example of a universal design product we all can relate to are the small wheels that are installed on suitcases. These wheels applied to the bottom of our suitcases allow you to haul your luggage through an airport or hotel hallway with greater ease.
If we take a look at universal design in our homes we can find many examples that a mere 10 years ago were absent from our home. Although some of which may have been used commercially or in situations where you were building or remodeling for disabled persons. Infrared sensors on faucets and hand dryers are just such examples, as are infrared sensors on toilets.
Looking at the inroads smart technology has made into universal design is as easy as looking at your HVAC system. You can now turn your HVAC system on and off and even adjust the temperature from your smart phone or laptop. You can monitor your alarm system from your smart phone and receive text messages when an alarm is tripped or be notified when a predetermined event takes place such as low temperature or sump pump failure.
Certain types of lighting controls fall under universal design, such as dimmers, and I am sure we all have walked into a bathroom and had the light go on magically. Obviously it was controlled by a wall switch that senses motion and turns on, and after a predetermined amount of time turns the lights off, once again making life easier and additionally saving energy. Door bell intercom systems that ring to the phones in the house are yet another example of universal design.
I am sure you can think of examples in your own life and home that fall under the universal design umbrella, making our lives easier. If you think about it, isn’t that the need that the vast majority of invention address, making our life easier and more comfortable.
I have written a few articles about proper kitchen design principles in the past. Those kitchen design principles have stood the test of time and are as valid today as they were 30, 40, or even 50 years ago. Add Universal Design for kitchens. As I have previously written universal design is a concept that holds within it any product, space, planning, or design that makes life easier or functions more efficiently. If you need examples please refer to my other articles on universal design. Please remember universal design is not just for disabled people. If you are designing for a disabled person and/or a wheel chair bound person please refer to the ADA guidelines for kitchen design.
The kitchen is arguably the most used and therefore the busiest room in the entire home. It has become a room that not only meals are prepared in, but homework is completed there, bills are paid, lunches packed and pets are fed. The kitchen also seems to attract everyone during any type of social gathering. So it is natural that we turn to universal design in the kitchen and make our life easier.
Counter Tops should be smooth and easy to clean. I never understood the grouted tile counter-tops, a real nuisance to keep clean, not to mention rolling out a pie crust, lest I digress. If you use contrasting colors between the counter-tops and other items it will help visually impaired persons see where one stops and another starts.
Flooring should be easy to clean and slip resistant. If you spend a lot of time standing you will prefer to use a softer material, rather than stone or ceramic tile.
Cabinets should be designed so the heaviest items are stored in the upper lower cabinets or the lower upper cabinets. The average woman is tall enough to comfortably reach into the bottom shelf of the upper cabinets. All the shelves should be adjustable and fit snugly. Door and drawer hardware should be large enough so everyone can slip 2 or 3 fingers behind it to operate.
Microwaves and Ovens should be installed so you can easily remove hot items safely. If you do any heavy cooking in a microwave, an over the stove installation is not the way to go. The same can be said for stack ovens, they should be installed side by side, with the bottom at about 30” from the finished floor.
Faucets like the type in doctors’ offices are the best and can be turned on and off without using your fingers, they can be pushed or pulled with the side of or a cupped hand. I am not a fan or the push button or touch faucets, too expensive to purchase and repair.
Lighting should be task orientated. If you have an island hang lights directly over it. If you will be working on the wall counter then install under cabinet lighting. All lighting in the kitchen should be installed with dimmers, so everyone can use the brightness that is the most comfortable for them.
Appliances are a tough one. Standard sizes have been around forever and are not going to change anytime soon. The dishwasher is an appliance that needs to be raised about 12” off the floor. Obviously doing this would require a taller base cabinet and change in counter height, but what if you installed the microwave over the dishwasher in a pantry style cabinet?
As you can see incorporating some universal design features into you existing kitchen can be easily completed. Others require extensive remodeling and will have to wait. Whatever features you choose to incorporate will undoubtedly make your life easier.
September 15th, 2011 
Contractor John 