Researchers at the University of Florida tested both Chinese-made and US-made drywall and found most were emitting some level of sulfur gas. It is this gas being emitted from drywall in newer homes that has caused corrosion with copper wiring, copper piping and has made many individuals sick and their homes inhabitable.
See more at CBS
Learn how to organize and start a handyman business.
Permalink Comments off
Only 6 weeks remain to take advantage of the up to $1,500 in Tax Credits for Energy Efficient Home Improvements
I wrote about this earlier this year but feel it bears repeating. Get federal tax credits for energy efficiency improvements to the your home. Improvements such as installing a storm door, new exterior door and windows and adding insulation can qualify.
For further details, please see the EPA’s Energy Star website
The highlights of the plan include:
For installation of a storm door, exterior door, windows or insulation in the Triangle area, please visit www.CarolinaHandyman.com or in the Triad please visit www.GreensboroRemodelandHandymanSolutions.com
(The Triangle includes the North Carolina cities of Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill. The Triad includes the NC cities of Burlington, High Point, Greensboro, and Winston-Salem).
For discounts on home improvement products and services throughout the US, please visit our Special Offer page.
Additional home improvement tips can be found at www.HouseFixer.Info.
The US Consumer Product Safety Commission is looking into issues arising from Chinese manufactured drywall. The drywall is being blamed for damage to components made from copper found in wiring and hvac systems. Major lawsuits are being filed. See more on the CNN website
The City of Durham North Carolina is offering residents $100 rebate incentive if they replace toilets with efficient ones.
Info below from the city website www.durhamnc.gov
Residents Now Eligible for $100 Rebate to Replace Water-Wasting Toilets with High-Efficiency Models
Durham, N.C. – Durham residents interested in saving water – and money – now have another opportunity thanks to the City of Durham’s New Toilet Rebate Program.
The program, sponsored by the City’s Department of Water Management, offers rebates valued at $100 when qualified water customers replace their existing toilets with Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) WaterSense-labeled, high-efficiency toilet models.
According to Vicki Westbrook, deputy director of the City’s Department of Water Management, if Durham residents replace just 3,000 toilets, the community can save nearly 21 million gallons of water per year, which makes choosing a WaterSense toilet an option worth considering. “Toilet flushing makes up about 30-to-40 percent of all water used in homes. Older, inefficient toilets can use between 3.5 and 7 gallons per flush and are responsible for most of the water wasted in our homes. Recent advancements have allowed toilets to use 20 percent less water than the current federal standard of 1.6 gallons per flush, while still providing equal or superior performance,” Westbrook said. “The WaterSense label certifies that the toilets meet rigorous testing for both performance and efficiency. Only high-efficiency toilets that complete a third-party certification process can earn the WaterSense label, which is why we’re requiring this as part of our rebate program.”
According to Westbrook, to be eligible for the City’s rebate, any toilet purchased must be a high-efficiency toilet, which uses an average of 1.28 gallons per flush, and must be on the EPA’s WaterSense list. At this time, only single-family residential customers may apply for the rebate. Any toilet which meets the criteria and is purchased after January 1, 2008, will be eligible for the rebate, with a limit of one per household. Rebates will be applied as credits to customers’ water bills. To apply for the rebate, residential customers will need to submit all of the following information:
• the original dated sales receipt for the toilet;
• a copy of the most recent water bill; and
• a completed Rebate Application Form.
Rebates will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis, with one toilet rebate allowed per single family residential customer. Approximately 3,000 rebates will be available during the first phase of the program. The rebate form, a link to approved toilets, and more details are available at www.DurhamSavesWater.org or by calling the Rebate Center at 866-522-3806.
Up to $1,500 in Tax Credits for Energy Efficient Home Improvements
The Stimulus bill signed last week improves the tax credits you may receive for energy efficient home improvements you make to your primary residence. On February 17, 2009, President Barak Obama signed the stimulus bill (American Recovery & Reinvestment Act of 2009) that made some significant improvements to the energy efficiency tax credits available to US homeowners. You don’t have to install solar panels to your roof to still benefit from the tax credit. Less costly improvements such as installing a storm door, new exterior door and windows and upgraded insulation also qualify.
For further details, please see the EPA’s Energy Star website
The highlights of the plan include:
For installation of a storm door, exterior door, windows or insulation in the Triangle area, please visit www.CarolinaHandyman.com or in the Triad please visit www.GreensboroRemodelandHandymanSolutions.com
(The Triangle includes the North Carolina cities of Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill. The Triad includes the NC cities of Burlington, High Point, Greensboro, and Winston-Salem).
For discounts on home improvement products and services throughout the US, please visit our Special Offer page.
Additional home improvement tips can be found at www.HouseFixer.Info.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License. Attribution must read “Infomation provided by http://www.HouseFixer.info” and link is live whenever possible.
Both major ‘big box’ home improvement retailers (Lowe’s and Home Depot) offer discounts, but did you know you can get a 10% discount at any Lowe’s Home Improvement store. Receive your discount coupon via email or regular mail.
Home Depot has discount promotions posted on their website and these change week to week.
Getting Into Hot Water!
I observe a lot of homes each and every year for estimates and doing actual home improvement projects. One thing I notice is how few homeowners take advantage of a small investment that saves both energy and money. I am talking about insulating your hot water heater by installing a hot water heater insulation blanket. Many hot water heaters are located in unconditioned spaces (attics, garages, basements, crawlspaces) and only have a existing insulation R-value of 3. Installing an insulation blanket around your hot 
water heater will help keep you in hot water! These blankets are available at most home stores for ~ $20. The task of installing it takes perhaps 15-20 minutes and can be done by many home Do It Yourselfers. Be sure to follow the manufacturers’ directions when installing.
Some estimates I have read state that a hot water heater can lose 15-40 percent of its heat energy through it’s walls while in standby mode for most households (Saturn Resource Management). An insulation blanket will help to slow that heat loss and according to the US Department of Energy will save you 4%-9% on the cost to heat your hot water. You may also want to consider adding foam pipe insulation to insulate the hot water line exiting the hot water. Again, use caution especially with gas water heaters and follow manufacturers’ directions when installing.
Another way to save on your hot water bill is to turn down the water heaters thermostat. Both gas and electric hot water heater tanks have an adjustable thermostat on the front of it. Even turning down the thermostat to it’s lower setting when you go away for an extended period of time will save. Just remember to turn it up when you return!
For more home tips please visit us at www.HouseFixer.info.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License. Attribution must read “Infomation provided by http://www.HouseFixer.info” and link is live whenever possible.
As I visit homes in my area, I am seeing more and more rain water collection systems (ie rain barrels)
each year. The rain barrel is a great water conservation method and it is wonderful to see this conservation effort being undertaken by many homeowners. If you live in a cold to moderate climate where the temperature gets below freezing, you will want to weatherize your barrel to prevent damaging it in the winter months. Remember, when water freezes, it also expands and may damage the various components of your rain barrel. To prevent damage to the components, rain barrels should be winterized before freezing weather occurs.
Winterizing your rain barrel is simple:
Winterizing your rain barrel will ensure many years of use and many gallons of water saved.
Get more house repair and maintenance tips and subscribe to our free e-newsletter at HouseFixer.Info.
Many of you have heard this before, how a $3 dollar tube of caulking can save you $1000’s in repair costs. As winter approaches, I think this tip bears repeating. You can read one of my other articles for more tips on weatherizing your home before winter arrives.
Exterior caulking is a pliable material designed to span small gaps between joints around the outside of your house. Some common places to find these joints are where siding meets a corner trim board, and around doors and windows. Weather, sun, and temperature can cause your caulking to degrade, crack, shrink, and generally fail over time. This can lead to moisture seeping in and the inevitable wood rot damage to follow.
Autumn is a great time to fix minor exterior caulking problems to kee your home in top shape for the winter months to come.
What to do? This is something a handy homeowner or Do-It-Yourselfer can do at least once per year. Simply visually check around the outside of your entire home. If you find degraded caulking, remove any loose caulking and reapply. I like to use white paintable exterior caulking. After the caulking dries you can paint right over with your matching paint color. While you have the paint can out, any areas of bare wood in need of touch-up can be painted at the same time. If home improvement is not your thing, hire someone to do it for you.
I have heard this one before…My home is newer and has cement board siding. I don’t need to worry about this right? Homes that have cement board (hardi plank or hardi siding are other names for similar item) also have many areas that are wood and need sealing. Some common areas typically constructed of wood include: corner boards, facsia boards (this is the board where your gutter attaches), soffit (this is the area underneath your roof over hang or eave) and around doors and windows.
If you find areas that are rotten, don’t wait to take care of it. It won’t get better and in fact, will only gets worse over time. Also, rotting wood can be an invitation to some wood destroying insects like termites and carpenter ants. So hire someone to take care of this for you before the problem gets bigger and more costly.
As a contractor, I see wood rot damage over and over in homes that leads to costly repairs that could potentially be avoided through routine home maintenance. Your house is likely your largest investment. Don’t wait until you have a big problem on your hands. Act while it is still small. And remember a little bit of annual home maintenance goes a long way.
Find more helpful tips at HouseFixer.Info
HouseFixer.Info Blog 
You must be logged in to post a comment.