Archive for March, 2009

I am looking to buy a zero turn mower for myself to use on cemetery property. I need something big enough, value priced, as well as dependable. I am looking at the New Holland series, is this a good brand? good price? or is there a better brand out there, that is value price without sacrificing quality? If you can help me I would greatly appreciate it! THANKS!

Answer:
I have used Toros and Scags and they’re both quality. If price is a big concern look for a used one. Mowers and like equipment aren’t measured by the distance that they’ve traveled but rather by the number of hours in operation, so if you want to buy used look for one between 500 and 1000 hours. I can’t speak about New Holland; I didn’t know that they make mowers. But Scag and Toro definitely make quality mowers.

Any ideas how to brighten things up a bit?

Answer:
I love to use neutral colors and then spruce things up with paintings. Or doing one wall a bright color with the other walls being neutral color. My mom just did a really nice red with beige on the other walls.

In the Denver and Colorado area, wood is a great design element that can add a sense of warmth and elegance to any home. Windows especially benefit from adding blinds or shutters made of wood. They offer the advantages of privacy and protection from the sun as well as several others. If you’re looking for some new wood plantation shutters in Denver, you’ve likely realized that there are a lot of products to choose from. However, it is very helpful to have an idea of what will work best in your home when trying to sort through the numerous choices.

Available in a wide variety of colors, finishes, and sizes, wood shutters have withstood the test of time and are a staple of modern interiors. Plantation shutters differ from traditional shutters in that their louvers are a bit larger and have a more contemporary look. Both plantation and wood shutters are extremely easy to clean, adding to their appeal.

You can also find shutters in wood or faux wood styles, in painted or wood stains. Almost any room in the house can be enhanced by shutters, as there are styles to withstand humidity, and custom shapes to fit odd windows. While more costly than most window treatments, they should be seen as an investment in your home’s value, and are the only Hunter Douglas products in Denver to be considered a capital improvement by the IRS.

Shutters are also available in a numerous variations and you are sure to find some that complement your windows. Openings can be split horizontally or vertically and can be divided in half to allow the top and bottom to be independent of each other for better light control. The key to shutters lasting a long time is to have them professionally installed. Yes, they can be a do-it-yourself job, but a professional will ensure that all panels are level and attached properly.

Wood blinds are like shutters, but are less expensive and are available in the same variety of materials, colors, and finishes. When installing wood blinds or shutters, pay attention to make sure that the finish matches the trim of the window to create consistency. Like shutters, wood blinds can be bought with different sizes of slats to get the interior look that you want.

Wooden blinds are also an excellent choice to add warmth and beauty to doors and windows. They can be mounted inside or outside the casing, and ordered in custom sizes for the best fit. They are available horizontally and vertically to allow for a number of hanging solutions. Like shutters, wood blinds will benefit any room in the house, including those with more humidity.

After you have picked either wood shutters or wood blinds, the next step is to decide whether or not you want them to work on their own or in conjunction with other window treatments. Adding a valance or swag to Denver plantation shutters can enhance their insulating properties as well as their visual appeal. In a room with a lot of shutters or blinds, it is recommended that you add a fabric treatment to break up the amount of wood that they eye sees and to soften the overall feel of the room.

Tell me in short about your food gardening methods. With summer coming around, this is the perfect time to start a home vegetable garden.

Answer:
I use a combination of vertical gardening and organic gardening to grow my own vegetables. Lettuce, carrots, tomatoes, peas, onions and beet — I’ve grown them all at home. I’ve been into vertical gardening for the past 8 years and teamed up with my husband who’s been an organic farmer for 21 years. Our methods work in tandem: A vertical garden helps you grow vegetables in a limited space (using window sill tubs or wooden towers) while organic gardening saves you the cost of pesticides.

Does your kitchen floor look like it’s been there for decades? Do the counter tops look like they have been trampled on by elephants and ate on by many little kids? Does your floor plan look like it was built back in time with a different decorating pattern? If this is your kitchen I would look in to updating or remodeling your kitchen. If you update your kitchen with newer appliances and cabinets you could raise the value of your house, and if you remodel your kitchen that can also raise the value of your house but it also you’re your ideas and creativity you have in your head come to reality in real life. The starting of the kitchen remodeling you might need some and maybe a lot of patience and time as your kitchen is mess, but at the end of the whole project will be kitchen you can be proud of and one your can share with all your friend and family.

When remodeling your Kitchen you can just do small up grades or you can do a full out remodel with brand new everything in your kitchen. When thinking of doing a small upgrade you can replace appliances, get new handles for cabinets, or refinish the cabinets. Or you can replace your floor cause it looks like its been walked on for a hundred years or replace your counter tops. These changes will have a new effect on your kitchen and also raise the value of your house. But if you decide to do a full scale remodel of your kitchen this can have the most effect on your house and will want you to showoff your new kitchen.

To start your remodeling process of you kitchen you should make notes on what you want to do, what you are going to replace and about how much money you will or are willing to spend to remodel your kitchen. Walk through your kitchen and take notes on what works and what doesn’t work and what you want to replace or keep in your current kitchen. Start by picking up magazines on kitchens and looking through them and taking notes on what you want to do and do some research on the internet also and what down notes you find on the internet.

Another thing you might want to do is make some kind of folder with all your notes and designs your wrote and picked out of what you want and like. Do not hold back this far into your early stages of your kitchen remodeling. The next thing you should do is decide on a budget or decide on how much you are willing to spend to remodel your kitchen but if I was you I would decide on a budget so you don’t go over and have unexpected bills you have to pay that you cant afford. The next stage of your remodeling process is to match you creative ideas to your budget and what you can afford. By doing this you might be real surprise on how much you can get for you money and how much your creative design will cost you. By this point it would be a good idea to find and contact a designer and maybe even a space planner for your project. They will be very helpful with your design and some advice, tips and some unexpected money issues that might have came to your mind. Visit kitchen for more information.

We are thinking about replacing our A/C unit soon and want to know what are the best brands out there at the moment? I’ve researched a bit and found that Trane wasn’t well reviewed and you are just paying for the “name” I looked into Rheem and the reviews where quiet fair .. I mean not every product out there is 100% perfect that came around 80% there from what Ive read.. So if you know of another good brand I should look into, Please reply.

Answer:
Trane makes a quality product, but I do think they are a bit over priced. Rheem is a bit more reasonably priced and they are okay units. The company I work for is a Bryant factory dealer, so I have a lot of experience installing and servicing them. They make a quality product, and depending on which model you choose, can be kind of expensive, though not unreasonable. I am not going to say they never break. I do get some warranty calls on them. But you would get that with any brand because like you say, no one is 100% perfect. There are several models to choose from. From the legacy line you can get a basic 13 seer r-22 unit, all the way up to the Evolution series witch is up to a 20 seer 2 speed unit with puron (r-410a) refrigerant. If you are looking for a quality system but don’t want to spend as much as a Bryant costs, you cannot go wrong with Goodman. They are not as well known as Trane or Bryant because they don’t advertise as much so they are cheaper. I have found their new product line to be just as reliable as the name brands. In the past, Goodman made some crap, but now their equipment is manufactured by Amana. Since Amana started manufacturing their equipment, I have been really impressed with their products. I always offer it as a less expensive option to Bryant. Whichever brand you end up going with, get one with r-410a refrigerant (On Bryant equipment it is called Puron) and not r-22. R-22 is being phased out. Next year, no more equipment will be made that uses it and in 2020 they will stop making the refrigerant itself, and every year until then, production will be less and less, so the price is going to go up. So years down the road when you need to have the a/c re-charged and you need r-22, it will cost you an arm and a leg. The cost of r-410a is dropping dramatically. If you look at the websites I cited, you will be able to find dealers near you that can give you a quote. The best thing you can do is have a pro out to your home, evaluate it, and then they can help you decide what is the best choice for you. Good luck.

A busy professional life has its own setbacks and having a cluttered office is probably one of them. Remember the first time you moved into your office? Everything was so spick and span and the brand new equipment and furniture looked tidy and in place and clutter and mess was no where to be found. But months after, you will probably notice your workplace crammed full with papers and other office supplies. Having a cluttered office is not unsightly and annoying to ones eyes but can also affect your working attitude and work temperament. Having an organized and clean office will keep you focused and motivated to complete your tasks well. Go to mobile homes for further information.

However, since a lot of busy working people do not have plenty of time to keep their office clean at all times, working on a system that would always keep your office organized (so you do not have to spend time cleaning up your office) is the common sense approach. Here are a few practically tips to keep your rubbish away and ensure your office remains clean and spacious at all times.

1. First, you need to put together your own de-cluttering system and devise a way to clean up your room in one direction in order to avoid going back and jumping forward. Being more organized about organizing will give you a measure on how much cleaning up have you already completed. Set a regular cleaning schedule and do not wait for the mess to pile up. Work quickly but efficiently within the time you allotted in cleaning up your office. You can start by getting rid of all the clutter that covers your office table. Take away everything like old memos, working drafts and all other stuff that you do not need anymore. Get hold of the waste bin (or paper recycling bin) so you can immediately dispose of everything that you do not need anymore. You can also have a box at hand whether you can place everything you still need. The last step in the de-cluttering process is pretty simple. All clutter goes to the bin while all those that need safekeeping or filing goes to the box. Refer to mobile offices for more information.

2. Updated filing and organized storage helps you a lot in maintaining the cleanliness in your office. Plus, they can help you save time and energy when you try to look for the things that you need. Use cabinets and shelves to keep your paper files from piling up on your office desk. Label your files and make sure that the items are organized according to fixed categories such as notes, letters, documents, contracts and financial records. Place on your office table only those things that you need to work on for the day. Once a day work is done, you can put those papers into fillers that can be organized by priority what needs to be done today, or by the end of the week or by the end of the month.

3. Take a second look at your office layout. Make sure that your desk does not eat up needed working space or prevent easy movement around the office. Keep office supplies like pens, clips, post it notes and staplers inside your desk drawers. Place the computer and the phone somewhere that you would have easy access to and be sure to put neatly together all loose wiring. Place other equipment such as printers, fax machines and fillers in shelves that would not take away badly needed space. A good office layout also means good lighting. Allow as much natural light to get inside your office to make it appear more airy.

4. Do some cleaning on a daily basis. Taking a few seconds everyday to dust everything in sight will probably save you hours of cleaning up once the clutter has piled up and the dust has stuck up in your equipment. Let in fresh air into your office by opening up your window for a few minutes. Emptying your trash bin and clearing up your desk at the end of each days work will also be very helpful in keeping your office clean and keep you from ever having to contend with a towering pile of papers on your desk. A clean and empty desk will also be a welcome sight when you get into your office the following day.

5. Try to be more creative when decorating your office. Place some art pieces and some flowers and plants into your total office environment. You can also add a personalized touch by displaying family pictures or inspirational quotes that you probably think would help make your office not only clean and tidy but a more enjoyable and agreeable workplace.

A clean and organized office will help you do your work efficiently and effectively. Putting these tips into good use can help you not only have a tidier workplace but it will give you a good working environment where you can make each working day a lot more fulfilling. A clean office is something that you owe to yourself more than anything else! Visit modular homes for more information.

I just realized that I wasted a lot of money last fall on tulips, since they only live a year or two. I was wanting to find some flowers that I know will return every year. I already have daffodils, lilies, daylilies. What do you suggest?

Answer:
stella d’oro daylilies, midnight salvia, hostas, ferns, spiderwort, hydrandras, bleeding heart, astilbe, columbine

I’m trying to get creative with the kids, and decorate my house. What are some safe and fun ideas to do this? LMAO @ Mozzy! You crack me up!

Answer:
Well what sort of decorating are you looking to do? I always like decorating for the holidays with my boys. This year we are making a tampon yeaster bunny. This site has lots of great tips that you and your children will just love! http://www.tamponcrafts.com/bunny.html

Those of you with pools know there are many things you need to consider. You want to keep the pool warm and clean. Using a solar pool cover can help you do both of these things. The energy from the sun is used to heat your pool when you have a solar pool cover. This allows you to have a warm swimming pool without increasing your energy costs.

The lease expensive type of pool covers are solar pool covers. They are sometimes also referred to as solar blankets. A solar pool cover will look like you have put a big piece of bubble wrap over your pool. The bubbles are able to collect heat from the sun and put it into your pool. This increases the temperature of your pool. A solar pool cover will also trap heat in the pool, preventing it from releasing at night.

Solar pool covers will not need to be tied down or anchored to your pool deck. They are easy to put on and take off. The way you remove a solar pool cover is like folding a large blanket and it is usually a good idea to have a helper. You can roll up or fold a solar pool blanket for storage when you are not using it.

Solar pool covers are the ideal choice in warmer climates. They can help to extend your swim season by capturing heat on a warm day. Using a solar pool cover can increase the temperature of your pool’s water by as much as fifteen degrees. A solar pool cover can also help to limit the amount of dirt in your pool although they are not designed to keep your pool clean. They are also not suitable as safety covers. You will need to remove the solar pool cover completely before you swim. Solar pool covers are an excellent option for both in ground and above ground pools.