Best House Floor Plans

Heating, lights and electricity contribute to the outlay of maintaining the home. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says that the average household spends $1500 each year on energy costs. During the winter months, utility bills can mount to unknown expenditures. Throughout the home, there are several simple tactics to reduce every day costs.

Change the bulbs. The Environmental Protection Agency reports that lighting accounts for 20 percent of the electricity bill. Replace incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) bulbs. Although, the bulbs are slightly costlier than standard bulbs, the savings reduces the electricity bill overtime.

Control the temperature.  When the home is vacant for several hours, reduce the temperature five to eight degrees. Thermostats, which can be controlled from remote locations, are a surefire way to cut heating costs. The EPA recommends that by replacing thermostats with Energy Star qualified programmable gages with four-temperature settings, homeowners can recoup $100 in annual energy costs.

Power down. Battery chargers, computers and other unused electronic appliances contribute to the overall power load.

Quarter off rooms. Extra rooms, demanding infrequent traffic should be closed to  reduce drafts and entrap warmth.

Time it. To avoid unnecessary power loads, place lights on timers. 

Protect it. At doors, windows and other drafty entryways, affix weather stripping.

Replace filters. Ensuring the efficiency of your heating and cooling systems means replacing dirty air filters with clean ones.

Select ENERGY STAR. Instead of buying new standard appliances, opt for Energy Star qualifying products, such as home electronics, lighting, heating and cooling equipment which have passed a series of energy efficiency assessments.

Additional Green Energy Tip  Resources:

• FAQs About Going Green
• Green Conservation Tips
• Efficiency Facts

Winterizing the home is a chore that no one likes to do. But, it goes far in conserving on the energy bill, shutting out chilly temperatures and reducing the carbon footprint.  Best House Floor Plans compiled a short list of winterizing tactics to keep the home buzzing with warm efficiency:

Plastic wrap

Cover windows and storm doors with a sheet of plastic, designed to maintain insulation.

Caulk

If certain areas of the home are drafty or feel cooler than other rooms,  investigate the source of the chill. Windows and doors are notorious for developing miniscule cracks, which impede the energy efficiency of the home.  Caulk cracks around doors and windows.

Drainage

Be sure to insulate any exposed pipes and drain all backyard hoses The aforementioned steps can prevent pipes from freezing. In case of an emergency situation, in which the water mains have to shutdown, it’s a commonsensical idea to reacquaint yourself with the location. �
 

Furnace

About every three to four years, have the furnace duct cleaned. To assure clean air quality, do not forget to change the filter to the furnace, monthly. Also, shop around for a special blanket to keep the hot water heater functioning properly.

Insulate

In the northern states, where winter temperatures plummet below freezing, extra insulation is beneficial for the prevention of ice dams around downspouts and gutters. Consider insulating any overhead crawlspaces and attics.
 

Fireplace

While fireplaces render ambient warmth, there are several safety steps to heat up the winter season. Hire a contractor to inspect the hearth’s brick and mortar as well as the damper. During maintenance, have the contractor clean the chimney. (Remember to store firewood in a dry space, outdoors).

On a final note, make sure that carbon monoxide and smoke detectors are in working order. At House Plans and More.com, read additional details pertaining to winterizing the home. 

Related topic:

• Child Proofing

Facts, tips and tricks on organic home gardening.

Organic home gardening is not as arduous as it sounds. It wasn’t very long ago that the thought of organic home farming was unfathomable. These days, green enthusiasts are not the only people taking on organic home gardening. In this segment of Best House Floor Plans, we’re reviewing several benefits and tips on cultivating your own organic food garden.

Why Organic Home Gardening?
Sustainability and self-sufficiency are the most redeeming aspects of organic home farming. Compared to the price of purchasing organic foods at the grocer and farmer’s markets, the overall savings are substantial. If one compares the taste of organically grown vegetables to vegetables harvested using pesticides and other chemicals, produce from organic home gardening is more flavorful and richer in nutrients – sans the chemical residue.

Traditional Farming vs. Organic Home Farming
Nevertheless, there is an overwhelming disparity between organic home gardening and traditional farming. Home organic gardening entails polyculture; where as, farming involves the process of cultivating a single crop or monoculture.

Polyculture presents several advantages. For starters, medleys of crops are grown on a single piece of land, attracting a variety of soil microbes. Additionally, when a variety of vegetables are cultivated in the same land, certain crops serve as natural pest control.

Devising an Organic Home Gardening Plan
Plot the right spot. Considering the type of crops, choose an area conducive for all of your vegetation.

Select the right crops. Not all crops grow in all climates or grow in confluence.
That’s why it’s important to conduct a little research about the types of vegetables you plan to cultivate in your organic home garden.

Fertilize wise. Organic home gardening relies on soil fertilization. Composts, manure and a method referred to as green manuring add nutrients essential to harvesting a prolific vegetable garden.

For additional tips on organic home farming, visit the online magazine, Organic Gardening.

Related Articles:

How To Start  A New Organic Garden

What is Organic Gardening?

My Organic Gardening Tips

Which influences the most dollars and sense: the fitness club membership or the at-home -gym? Obviously, the latter offers the most cost savings. Home workout centers serve multiple purposes: substantial savings, a conveniently located personal fitness club and a constant motivational reminder to exercise.

Increasingly, Americans are jumping on the health bandwagon. Whether it’s eliminating trans fat from the diet or exercising five days a week, getting fit is not limited to joining a fitness club.

Here are a few tips for creating your very own home gym:

Designate a room or area in your home.
If you don’t have an extra room to accommodate the home workout center, consider the den, basement or extra space in your bedroom. For safety purposes, try to set up equipment where there is minimal foot traffic. To alleviate the workout boredom, partition off a 7” X 7” area close to a window or the television.

Minimize clutter
Larger rooms can accommodate the all in one gym. Generally, these home workout contraptions are statuesque and require the same area as two treadmills. Given the height of these home workout centers, they’re not recommended for rooms with low ceilings. Be sure to measure ceilings and room space to create an open exercise environment.

Shop for a deal.
Workout equipment ranges from $200 to thousands of dollars.
To assure the ultimate savings, research fitness distributors who offer financing, or who sell used fitness equipment.

Regardless of where you set up your home workout center, remember to select equipment that offers a full-body workout.

Homework out equipment ideas:
•    Yoga mat
•    Dumbbells
•    Free weights
•    Bow-flex
•    Pilates contraptions
•    Treadmill
•    Elliptical machines

Related Articles:

Workout and Exercise Equipment at Home

How To Plan a Workout Room at Home

How To Paint A Workout Room

Before You Buy Home Fitness Equipment

Making décor updates around the home does not necessitate hiring a contractor, adding a new room or shopping for a cool floor plan. Curtains introduce an element of drama, punctuating an interior’s features. Best Home Floor Plans went searching online for inexpensive home design tips with curtains.

On our first stop, we checked into the House Floor Plans and More. It was here, that we learned about the fundamentals of designing with curtains. Below are a few highlights of the information we gleaned from our interior design research:

Luminosity and privacy
Curtains, blinds and other window treatments should be sheer enough to ensure privacy without compromising luminosity.

Aesthetics and style
As style is a subjective issue, for obvious reasons the best home designing tip with curtains should be in congruence with the rest of the room’s décor. Organic materials, simplicity, luxury, grandiosity and eco-friendly characteristics topped the list of style alternatives.

Function
Regardless of aesthetics, it’s important to consider who uses the room and how. For instance, a home office with western sun exposure might require darker curtains or window treatments to prevent a computer glare.

At the oh, so popular HGTV, we found two easy DIYs. One of the home design tips instructed how to make the most from the remainder of curtain material. The technique is so easy that a 10-year old could pull off this design technique.

We found another home design tip to be even simpler. The concept substitutes regular drapery hardware for the hobbyist’s tools. For example, in a golf enthusiasts bedroom or den — rather then hang curtains, using a standard rod, the end-user would use a golf club in its place or whatever instrument that concurs with the room’s theme.

In the next installment of home design tips, we’ll be reviewing how to select a design theme for the bedroom. Until then, have a splendid time designing with curtains!

Related Articles

Replacing Curtain Rods Make for a Quick Decor Fix

Making Curtains Without Sewing

Curtains Make a Difference!

Do-it-yourself (DIY) home improvement projects need not evolve into a horrific nightmare. This week, we’ve compiled a few DIY home design considerations and we reviewed three popular do-it-yourself home improvement Web sites. With the right resources and exacting how-to guidance, you can be sure that your next renovation is one that you can gloat about.

DIY Considerations
Before you start perusing the millions of sites with do-it-yourself home improvement ideas, and are too carried away, there are several practicalities to consider:

•    What needs repair right away?
•    Realistically, how much labor can you handle?
•    How much money is available for the do-it-yourself home improvement budget?
•    Can the family live through the construction chaos?
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