Your Fireplace: Is It Ready for Santa's Visit?

When you hang those stockings from the mantel, you�re calling even more attention than usual to the natural focal point of your room, the fireplace. Especially at this time of year, you want your fireplace to look its best. Here�s a quick fireplace checklist to help you prepare your hearth for the Christmas season:

Who knows, this Christmas maybe Santa or one of his helpers will bring you the new fireplace accessories you need!Firewood HolderIs your log holder serving you or are you serving it? If you have to sweep up bits of bark each time you bring in a load of firewood, you might want to consider a style that allows a tidier hearth. Some log holders have space for both kindling and firewood and are great for keeping the hearth neat and tidy.How do they look? Are the handles secure and safe? Do they just need cleaning or are they rusting? If the time has come to replace them, you might be quite pleased with the range of styles now available!The iron in fireplace grates is constantly being oxidized by the heat of your fire. That explains why the grate in your fireplace, after a few years of use, may have significant rusting. A grate that�s losing its integrity can be unsafe if it fails and drops its burning logs.Is your fireplace screen still attractive and functional? If you are tired of having to move the screen each time you tend your fire, consider getting a new fireplace screen with access doors. They are available in both three-panel screens and in single-panel screens. Searching for the newest look in fireplace screens? Consider a flat, single panel screen. They fit up against your fireplace and instantly update the look of your hearth.Also, check that your fireplace grate is the appropriate size for your fireplace. If you have a medium or larger fireplace, you don�t have to settle for a small grate that you have to refill frequently with logs. A grate better sized to your fireplace will serve you more efficiently.Fireplace Screen�What�s a fireback?� you may ask. A fireback is a traditional fireplace accessory that is returning to hearths as fuel costs rise. Made of either cast iron or stainless steel, a fireback leans against the back wall of your fireplace or sits there in braces. Its purpose is to radiate the heat of your fire into your room, thereby giving you more warmth for the same amount of wood or gas. The cast iron firebacks, available with classical or modern motifs, have a decorative as well as functional aspect. If you don�t yet have a fireback, this might be the winter to add one to your hearth.Fireplace GrateFireback

Who knows, this Christmas maybe Santa or one of his helpers will bring you the new fireplace accessories you need!

Author: Susan Penney

Custom Door Installations: Part Of A Cost-Effective Home Maintenance Plan

In a slow housing market with limited economic opportunity, you're probably eager for ideas to lower your monthly bills and preserve the home you have.

One: Protecting the home from sparks is the critical reasoning for using a fire place screen. The screen acts as a barrier to help contain flying sparks or embers from entering the room. Thoughtfulness to the screen density is paramount. The tighter the weave the better it �knocks down� sparks from a fire. While all screens help, those with dense weave will perform the best. The best for stopping sparks coming into the room is a glass fire place screen.To weatherstrip the top and sides of a custom door, you'll need to purchase lengths of self-adhesive foam. To weatherstrip the bottom of a door, you should purchase a door sweep. These weatherstripping materials are not expensive, and can be measured and cut to fit the dimensions of any door frame. Large national home improvement chains like Lowe's and Home Depot can provide weatherproofing installation tips and assistance.Because wood doors are resistant to weathering, they provide better home insulation. Thick, solid doors can actually lower heating and cooling bills. They prevent hot or cold air from entering the home, and reduce strain on home heating and cooling systems.Three: Protect children from potential injury. Kids love to be around the fireplace. The fire is almost a living thing. Sounds, movement of the flames and smells all attract children to the hearth. While parents try to keep an eye on their kids constantly, kids play and move around all the time. One wrong move could result in injury. Fire place screen like the heavy wrought iron or a complete enclosed spark guard would serve well; there are child guard screens or fences on the market that keep children back from the hearth a prescribed distance.Tip 3: Weatherproof your custom door with add-onsFour: Protecting pets from harm is important too. These pets are family and deserve to be looked after. With the kids playing and the family pets in the mix, accidents can happen and the last thing we want to do is make a trip to the vet emergency room. This is where a before mentioned child guard or fence is the best precaution.Consider installing a well-fitted custom door. A well-crafted door can improve your home energy efficiency and raise its value. But read this guide before you buy. Selecting the right kind of custom door and pairing it with energy-efficient accessories now will save money later on.A custom door installation can be very cost-effective if it is paired with weatherproofing add-ons. One add-on to consider is a thermal glass door. Thermal glass enhances the R-value of an exterior door by blocking further heat flow. Typically, the glass door is placed between the exterior door and the inside of the home. In warmer weather, the top pane of glass is replaced with mesh-like screen material to promote air circulation.SAFETYAll building materials are graded according to how well they resist the transfer of heat. Before purchasing a custom door, ask about the R-value of the wood used to make the door.Tip 1: Invest in a pure wood doorTip 2: Invest in a custom door with a high R-value

When performed correctly, a custom door installation can add value to your home while reducing energy costs. More importantly, a quality door installation provides a great return on your investment for decades.

Author: Jane Muder

Fire Place Screen : The Top 5 Reasons for Needing One.

A Fire Place Screen may not get a lot of thought; there are many reasons to have a fire place screen and to use one. The first primary incentive is safety. Too many times the fire department comes in the middle of the night to a house fire as a result of a fireplace? There are many first lines of fire defense; smoke alarms, fireplace rugs and a fire place screen. All working together to let you heat your home with wood in a safe way. Another consideration for a fire place screen is the decorative element. Safety and elegance are both fundamentals when looking to use a fire place screen.

Another cost-effective addition to a custom door installation is weatherstripping. Weatherstripping a wood door seals off the gaps between the door and its frame, and acts as a second barrier to moisture and extreme temperatures.Another reason wood doors are smart investments is their durability. Solid wood doors don't warp or crack when exposed to rough weather conditions; the same cannot be said of doors made from false wood or synthetic materials. A custom door made of wood might cost more initially, but is the optimal investment because it will outlast any synthetic door.Five: Adding a touch of elegance to any room for little cost and getting safety at the same time is a wise move. Fire place screen comes in a great variety of styles and looks. Fire place screen is becoming a big decorative statement to your living space. Whether polished brass, bronze, pewter, stainless steel or stained glass, fire place screen bring attention to a focal point in your room.When performed correctly, a custom door installation can add value to your home while reducing energy costs. More importantly, a quality door installation provides a great return on your investment for decades.Wood doors are smart choices for several reasons. First, they're easier to customize than doors made from synthetic materials � and when making home improvements to add value, aesthetics are important. Custom wood doors can be carved, painted, stained, or outfitted with ornate hinges and knobs to match any type of period architecture. A custom door will look great on a home from any historical period, and can increase the resale value of the house, too.DECORIdeal building materials (including top-grade hardwoods) have high R-values, meaning they're very effective at preventing heat from leaving or entering the home. Remember that doors with gaps or cracks � which most synthetic custom doors will develop after only a few years' time � have substantially lower R-values, and thus, don't provide adequate home insulation.

Fire place screen is a great way to serve a dual purpose, safety and elegance. Fire place screen is an added layer of protection for your largest investment, and a statement of design d�cor of your home.

Author: James Dahlberg

Captive Marketing - What Will They Think of Next?

Every once in awhile a light bulb goes off in someone's head and a new marketing concept is born. One of the more recent "opportunistic" marketing methods is marketing to you when you have no choice.

So how do you escape all of this advertising if you just can't take it? Next time you're golfing, just walk. Take the stairs instead of the elevator or ride a bike instead of taking a cab.Of course, the best home security tip available is to combine all of these safe practices with a home security system. Those who have many measures of safety in place are the most likely to prevent criminals from taking advantage of their homes.Another area of vulnerability in a home is the doors themselves. Having a lock on doors and using them is invaluable for petty thieves who are deterred by such security measures.Another home security tip revolves around windows. Windows are very easy to break and are a preferred way to enter a home. If windows are left unlocked, burglars have even easier access because they do not have to worry about the sound of breaking glass alerting neighbors to potential trouble.Advertising above urinals might be a rare occurrence, but the trend of advertising and transportation is becoming more evident and technology is playing an ever-increasing role. If you've ever been on a subway or seen a bus, you've no doubt seen a billboard as well. Cars are often plastered with graphics for any given local company or even a simple bumper sticker with a website. And now, in over 400 taxicabs in New York City, the passengers are treated to a video monitor as the meter runs and they are transported to their destination.An alarm system installed in your home, especially if you live in a secluded area or high-crime neighborhood, can provide needed residential crime prevention. To achieve effective residential crime prevention, you first need to evaluate your home's needs. Your home's location and surroundings determine the level of residential crime prevention you need.Many homeowners do not consider what is outside their home as easy targets for burglars. For example, many home owners park lawn mowers outside of their garages or leave their garage doors open for convenience.One great item to have on the outside of a home as a measure of home security is a dog. Even if the dog is in a fence, the warning barks of a canine not only deter would-be thieves, but they also alert neighbors and let them know that something is amiss.

Well, they pretty much got you on that one!

Author: David Badurina

Residential Crime Prevention Starts With Taking The Proper Steps To Secure The Outside Of Your Home.

Common sense dictates us to lock our doors at night and when we are away from home, but residential crime prevention comes in many other shapes and sizes. Effective residential crime prevention depends on everything from properly fitted doors to stopping your mail delivery when away on vacation.

In both of these instances, home security can be violated. It is all too easy for criminals to disguise themselves as maintenance or lawn personnel coming to take a piece of expensive equipment to be repaired.Astute home owners will always keep home security in mind when approaching and leaving the home. For example, when pulling in the driveway, home owners should check to see if anything looks different or out of place.Home security is of top concern to all families today. Help keep your family and belongings safe by practicing general safety guidelines and installing a home security system.Well, they pretty much got you on that one!Captivate Network has installed over 3,000 flat-panel video monitors in elevators across the country. Business professionals use these elevators every day and while in that big metal box with nothing to do, a video screen flashes to life and sales pitches fill the room. After all, what are they going to do? Haul up 60 flights of stairs? Likely not.To go along with lighting, home security will be improved as home owners leave their outside lights on all night. Those who would attempt to invade a home in the cloak of darkness will find their task much more difficult if there are lights at every entrance.

An alarm system installed in your home, especially if you live in a secluded area or high-crime neighborhood, can provide needed residential crime prevention. To achieve effective residential crime prevention, you first need to evaluate your home's needs. Your home's location and surroundings determine the level of residential crime prevention you need.

Author: Ralph Winn

Home Security Tips

Home security is of top concern in the United States today. The culture of crime that has arisen internally is cause for concern in every modern household.

Sound like a nightmare (or Marketing Executive's dream, perhaps)? Well, it's actually reality; it's your experience if you use an elevator in any one of a few hundred buildings across the United States.To keep windows safeguarded, be sure that they are clear of shrubbery. If shrubbery is well maintained and lower than any windows, criminals will not be able to hide behind them while breaking into a window.The BasicsHowever, if a more sophisticated criminal targets a home, home security may very well lie in the strength of the door and doorframe rather than the lock. If doors and their frames are not sturdy and well made, a criminal can easily kick through the door and frame, granting open access to the home.This mix of "marketing through a necessity" isn't restricted to affluent business-people inside of office towers, however. The television network Comedy Central has placed over 500 advertisements in bar bathrooms in order to promote one of their new shows. Talk about a captive audience! When nature calls, advertisers listen ...Imagine yourself in a very small metal room with 10 other people. The doors close and you have no way of escaping this room for a minute or two. While locked in with these strangers you are exposed to various commercials for different products appearing on a video screen right in front of you. The doors finally open, and you are allowed to leave.Not every intrusion can be prevented. Knowing what to do when faced with different situations not only protects your possessions but can save your life. Ask all service and delivery people for proper photo identification, do not enter your home if something looks questionable, such as a broken window, opened door, or slit screen and leave your home immediately if you suspect someone is breaking into your home, and if you can't leave safely, lock yourself in a room and call 911.Doors and LocksAnd if you're in a bar at 1:00AM and you've got to go?Alarm SystemsFor example, if a screen door is ajar, was it that way when the home owner left? Are all the windows closed and intact?Does the concept of captive marketing frustrate you almost as much as sinking a little white golf-ball into a tiny hole 400 yards away? Then you should avoid the nearly 25,000 golf carts across the United States outfitted with video monitors touting all sorts of products to help increase your frustration and mock your futility ENHANCE your game.

Home security is of top concern to all families today. Help keep your family and belongings safe by practicing general safety guidelines and installing a home security system.

Author: Chris McElroy

5 Ways to Deal With Lady Bug Infestations

Every fall, millions of lady bugs (or what seems like millions) swarm around my house here in west central Wisconsin, looking for a place to spend the winter.

Ferrets are very curious and love to explore their environment. Ferrets need daily time outside of their cage to play and exercise. Ferrets can get into trouble with basic things found around the average home. It is a good idea to ferret-proof your home before bringing you pet ferret home.I've got hundreds of them crawling on the walls and across the ceiling.Even if you do everything in your power to keep bugs out, some are bound to get in. In most cases, swatters and traps will do the job. If insects get into clothes or stored food, simply seal the items in plastic and place them in a freezer for a few days. Only when these courses fail should pesticides be considered.Thousands of the bugs also find ways into my walk-out basement. I have swept them up by the snow-shovel-full (literally). My basement faces south, and the insects are attracted to light-colored structures with southern, sunny exposures that are on a hillside.When the beetles are present in large numbers, you can also smell them. The odor is a little like burned rubber or hot asphalt. When the beetles are threatened, the odor is particularly strong. They apparently view being swept off the walls (or vacuumed off) as a threatening situation. Sometimes when threatened, the beetles ooze an orange liquid, as well. I have read that the liquid can stain walls and fabrics, although I have not yet seen any evidence of that around my own house.Ferrets make great pets for people of many ages. Just a little time and energy can help ferret-proof your home and provide a safe environment for your friend.How can you tell the difference between native lady bugs and the multicolored beetles? Lady bugs are bright red. The multicolored lady beetles come in shades of orange, from light to dark. They also have many variations of patterns of spots. Some have almost no spots at all, and some have many spots. When you look closely at the multicolored lady beetles, it doesn't seem much of a stretch to say that no two are alike.� Spray around door frames and window frames with a bug spray containing pyrethrins or permethrin.Next, remove all sources of food. Clean up crumbs and beverage spills, sweep regularly behind and between appliances, store food in tight containers, take your garbage out frequently, don't let cat or dog food sit out all day, and wash and dry your dishes as soon as possible.� Learn to tolerate the Multi-Colored Asian Lady Beetles.When it comes to your lawn, pest control gets a little more complicated. Weeds can normally be dealt with by hand weeding, and many tools are available to make this job easier. Proper fertilization will also help keep weeds down.The beetles come in around the screen door upstairs, too, and the next thing you know,Kitchens and bathrooms are difficult to fully ferret-proof due to all of the electrical wires and plumbing used in these rooms. It is usually recommended to keep your pet from entering these areas for their safety, as well and yours.In the spring, when it warms up, the beetles emerge from their winter hiding places. Beginning in March, dozens of beetles crawl around my home office, the kitchen, the dining room, the basement and in other parts of the house, looking for a way to get outside.Although the beetles are not necessarily harmful if they're inside the house, when they swarm in the fall, they can create problems if they crawl into furnace vent pipes and plug them up. I have heard of them plugging attic vents, as well. And one woman reported to my husband (he is an Internet technician), that a lady bug crawled inside of her computer and shorted it out.I keep telling myself that the Multi-Colored Asian Lady Beetles are swarming around my house because they are only trying to survive the winter � just like all living things try to survive.Multi-Colored Asian Lady Beetles are not harmful when they are inside the house, although they can be annoying if present in significant numbers. It's a little disconcerting to pick up your coffee cup and almost swallow a beetle that has landed in your coffee or is crawling around the rim of the cup. And two or three lady beetles landing in your bowl of soup can definitely make you lose you appetite. If you have company coming, you also don't want guests to find lady beetles in their food or beverages.Copyright 2004 LeAnn R. RalphIf you aren't up to preparing your entire house for your new friend you can focus on one room and keep him or her in that room during play time. One room is enough space for a ferret to explore and run around.� Seal up cracks or spaces around doors and windows, if possible.Here are five ways that I've found to deal with lady bug infestations:In the fall, when the beetles are crawling on the outside of my house by the hundreds of thousands (sometimes it's almost difficult to see what color the house is because there are so many beetles), I take the garden hose and use the sprayer attachment to spray them off the side of the house. To make an impact, this must be done two or three times a day on days when the swarms are active. I have also used an attachment for the garden hose that allows me to spray a soap-and-water mixture on the house. I haven't noticed that a soap solution is really any more effective at knocking the beetles off the house, although the exterior walls are cleaner when I'm finished!Outdoors, as with indoor bugs, prevention is always the best option. Keep your lawn healthy by mowing and fertilizing regularly. Minimize bright light sources and damp environments. And don't kill bugs that eat other bugs, like ladybirds, praying mantis, and lacewings.In the case of insect infestation, you should identify the pest and pick the right pesticide for the job. Talk to a qualified Home Hardware or Home Hardware Building Centre associate and make sure you use a product that is specific to your problem.

Copyright 2004 LeAnn R. Ralph

Author: LeAnn R. Ralph