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Latest Articles
7 Top Home Decor Trends for 2021
A lot of us have spent most of 2020 sheltering in place. We have transformed our living rooms into multifunctional spaces that are all about...
on Jan 25, 2021
7 Tips to Increase The Value of Your Property
If you are considering renovating or selling your property, it should be able to add value to space. Several projects that are aimed at increasing...
on Jan 25, 2021
When to Replace Your Heater
Consider the number of damages the heating unit has so that you will know right away if you will need to buy a new one or not. You better replace...
on Jan 16, 2021
What to Do When Your HVAC System Breaks
You must want your furnace to operate perfectly to keep you warm during the cold winter months. For this reason, you need to take care of your...
on Jan 14, 2021
What You Should Know Before Getting Custom Fly Screens
Aside from enhancing the look and feel of your home, custom fly screens can also elevate your level of privacy, protection, and elegance of your...
on Jan 13, 2021
Popular Articles
When to Use a Brush, Roller or Sponge Brush
Brushes are a good choice for painting trim and woodwork. They are also useful for cutting in the edges around the top and bottom edges and corners...
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Three Places to Spend Money on the Exterior of Your Home
When you have the exterior of your home remodeled, you are investing, time, energy and convenience into the project and you want to make sure that...
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Homemade Headboards-Make an Upholstered or Wooden Headboard
Homemade headboards can add a lot of personality to any bedroom. They can be coordinated with existing furniture and room decor or they can be the...
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Creating a Cottage Kitchen with Bead Board
Kitchen decor can range from modern and bold to elegant and elaborate by using strategic kitchen pieces. One of the most popular decorating trends...
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Gas Fireplace Diagnostics and Troubleshooting
Follow these steps for diagnosing and troubleshooting Gas Fireplaces repairs. For the average DIYer, this may seem intimidating, depending on the...
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Control Your Energy Costs By Creating Shade (ARA)
by Guest on May 5, 2012
Winter is here and with rising fuel costs, the U.S. Department of Energy is already warning that heating bills will be higher this year. Want to cushion the blow to your wallet? There are some things you can do to make your home more energy efficient before winter arrives.
- Get a furnace check-up and replace the filter once a month during the heating season. Keeping your system in peak operating condition means it doesn’t have to work as hard.
- Weatherize your doors and windows. A $50 purchase of caulk, weather stripping, and plastic film can cut heating costs by two to three times that much.
- Plant trees that will provide your home with shade in the summer and shelter from harsh winds in winter. Correctly placed shade trees, windbreaks, and foundation plantings can reduce heating and cooling costs by an estimated 25 to 30 percent, with some estimates as high as 50 percent.
- Install solar shades on your doors and windows. Available as interior or exterior window coverings, they act as a shade tree in front of your house, allowing some light through, but keeping UV rays, which can cause fading to flooring and artwork out.
According to a study prepared for the U.S. Department of Energy by the Midwest Research Institute, a home with windows protected by will require 50 percent less energy to keep cool than an unprotected home. In Northern and Midwestern states, where the sun is low in the sky, they offer the bonus of cutting down on glare.
“Not only are solar shades practical, but they are also pleasing from an aesthetic standpoint as well,” says Todd Westover, general manager of Awnings By Design in Scottsdale, Ariz. “If you install exterior shades, the hardware can be painted to match your house’s paint color. The fabric on the actual shades we offer is available in dozens of colors.”
Westover’s company is part of a network of distributors for, an industry leader in retractable awnings and solar screens. These custom-made, professionally installed solar shading systems incorporate specially designed PVC coated fiberglass and polyester fabrics which can withstand the long-term effects of the sun. The fabric will not harden, crack or peel; it blocks the effects of moisture and mildew, and resists excessive fading.
The average American household spends $1,900 annually on energy bills, and almost half of that energy goes towards heating and cooling costs. Taking steps now to make your home more energy efficient will pay huge dividends in the long run.
Most Recent Articles
- Jan 16, 2021 When to Replace Your Heater by Ericka Fentes
- Jan 14, 2021 What to Do When Your HVAC System Breaks by James Franco
- Jan 9, 2021 Choosing the Right Heating Unit for Your Home by Zoe Saldano
- Jan 7, 2021 How Will You Repair A Broken Heating System by Erick Andre
- Jan 2, 2021 How to Repair a Damaged Heating System by Carlos Evans
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