Americans are spending more time outdoors, cooking, socializing, or spending quiet time enjoying the sunshine on the patio or deck. Door systems manufacturers are responding with innovative and stylish products. This article has some tips about choosing the types of door system that will add value and style to your outdoor escape.
In homes requiring conservation of space, sliding or gliding doors are preferred. Where space is not a consideration, French are the ever-popular option. The wider the opening, the better the view and the easier the access to the great outdoors. Jeld-Wen makes door systems that can open whole walls to the outside – up to 48 feet. They also make a two-door system that meets at a 90-degree angle and folds back in an according style, opening up essentially two walls to the outside.
The old-fashioned Dutch door, while not your typical patio door, is an ideal way to open the house to fresh air, yet keep animals and toddlers in check. Dutch doors come in two parts: the upper half operates independently of the bottom half.
The type of glass installed in your patio doors can be important for such concerns as heat transfer, energy efficiency, and sun damage to sensitive carpeting and furniture. Low-e glass keeps damaging sun rays away from furnishings and also helps to prevent heat loss in the winter and heat gain in the summer. Tempered glass with a decorative style allows desired light in while maintaining privacy. Jeld-Wen manufactures patio doors with their optional ImpactGard glass, which protects against natural and man-made damage.
Adding to the value of these stylish door systems, the vinyl, fiberglass, aluminum materials that go into the manufacture of these doors are lightweight yet durable and are low maintenance.
No, I don’t mean the popular rock band of the 60s, but those doors that are the portals to the rooms and spaces in your home. Whether they are the means of entry to the various rooms with the house or the entrance to the home itself, the type and style of door you choose can make a dramatic impact. The right exterior door will add to curb appeal and a unique and interesting interior door can hook a potential buyer. This site lists a number of stylish, aesthetically pleasing products available that can add class and value to just about any home.
Exterior doors come in all shapes, sizes and styles. Some follow traditional styles, such as sliding patio doors, Therma-Tru main entry doors, and the ever popular French door. But, in addition, the Jeld-Wen window and door manufacturing company offers a dramatic set of folding patio doors that, when closed, form a 90 degree corner and, when opened, slide along an overhead track and fold away, opening the room to the outdoors. Double weatherstripping keeps the elements out.
Garage doors, while necessarily utilitarian, shouldn’t be left out of the equation when curb appeal is considered. Clopay offers its Avante Collection of green friendly lightweight but durable garage doors in clear and bronze tint. The doors have the option of double-wall polycarbonate windows.
The Woodfold company has created a unique collection of folding and according style wood doors for the interior that both enhance and conserve space. Their folding bookcase door is as handsome as it is useful – hiding closet or private space from view, as well has providing space for actual books, knick-knacks and such. The bookcase doors come in oak, cherry or maple finishes.
With the cost of energy spiraling out of control and people becoming more aware of an increasingly toxic and depleted environment, homebuyers are looking at the market with an eye toward houses that meet their criteria of addressing these concerns. And the real estate market is responding to this changing market by emphasizing the advantages of their green-built houses and finding buyers, even in today’s soft market. Green building is coming into the mainstream and those seeking new houses are buying it.
As consumers become more informed about climate change, the possibility of peak oil, rising costs of most forms of energy, the increase in asthma and allergies among children, they’re more open to solutions to these ailments. And green builders answer the call with more expensive but environmentally friendly buildings and houses. Consumers are more than willing to pay the initial extra cost if it means they recoup their costs in energy saving and “feel good factor” in the long run.
Today’s homebuyer wants to lessen their impact on the environment and they’re finding a partner in an increasing number of contractors, architects, and engineers. And, with national organizations like the National Association of Home Builders getting behind such green building programs, it becoming easier to brand these programs, get them into the public eye, and thereby create a familiar household name.
The challenge remains for sales agents, however. As a potential homebuyer asks questions and probes deeper into the technology behind a green built home, it’s easy for a sales person to find themselves out of their league. More and better training is, of course, the simple answer and builders are eagerly spending the time and cost to educate their sales force as it’s proving to reap benefits for both seller and buyer.
Read more here.
It may come as a surprise that the Environmental Protection Agency has determined most homes contain air that is two to five times more polluted than outdoor air. The chemicals used in carpeting and other flooring, furniture of pressed wood products, cleaners, molds, pesticides, and – of course – tobacco smoke, all contribute to a poisonous atmosphere inside today’s well insulated and sealed homes. This recent article
summarizes ten ways the home owner can reduce and even eliminate these pollutants and ensure a healthy house.
The easiest way to improve air quality inside the home is to simply open the windows. Of course, this may not be an option during the cold winter months or when there’s a raging rain storm going on, but on good weather days, it’s great – and free – way to clear the air. Changing the furnace and/or air conditioner filters at least twice a year is the general recommendation.
Eliminating the amount of artificial chemicals you spray about the house is a no-brainer and easier than you may think. Many air fresheners, cleaners, and those scented candles are loaded with toxic chemicals. There are cleaner alternatives on the market these days – natural oils, soy candles, and non-toxic cleaning solutions can be found easily at many common grocery and department stores. You don’t have to go hunting for the local health-food store anymore as a lot of mainstream manufacturers are recognizing the desire and, subsequently, the market for non-toxic products. There are also a number of cleaning solutions you can make yourself from common household products such as borax, baking soda, vinegar and lemon juice. That old reliable castile soap, made of vegetable oil, is a great all-purpose cleaner.
Many home owners want to “go green”, but fear the cost and bother of doing so. It’s surprisingly inexpensive and fairly easy, though, to make small changes that can lower your family’s carbon footprint. I’m only going to mention three, but this article has ten simple ways to become more environmentally friendly.
On average, an American household annually emits about 26,000 pounds of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. The energy used costs about $1,400 every year. A first step to reducing these financial and environmental costs is the old “turn off that light” maxim. My mother’s cry of “turn if off if you’re not using it.” would echo throughout our modest ranch house, so much so that I find myself stepping into empty conference rooms to flick the switch on lights left burning after the meeting was long over.
Another small step is to check the standby energy use of your electronic appliances. Computers, when shut off, still draw electricity through their power cords. Today’s television sets don’t shut off completely when you hit the power switch. One way to make sure the appliances are completely off and not drawing power is to plug them into a power strip which, when the item is not in use, is shut off at the strip, thus ensuring no electricity ‘leakage’.
One last piece of advice: replace your incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs. The technology in this area has advanced by leaps and bounds in the past few years and these bulbs, while still a bit pricey, are easier to screw into the socket and use a quarter of the electricity of a traditional bulb. They also last ten times longer on average.
Simple steps, big benefits. Going green has never been easier
With apologies to Frank Zappa, it’s Austin and not Centerville that’s a great place to raise a family. House prices remain low, but jobs continue to grow, creating a quality spot to relocate and settle for the duration.
Austin is home to eight independent school districts, which include the Austin Independent School District in Travis County and the Round Rock Independent School District in Williamson County. There is no lack of educational opportunities in the area as Austin is home to a branch of the University of Texas which offers studies in Business, Communication, Education, Engineering, Fine Arts, Nursing, Natural Sciences, Architecture and Social Work among many others.
The climate in Central Texas is conducive to many outdoor activities and Austin offers much in the way of events and activities for the whole family. There are plenty of art galleries, some that offer child-friendly activities and many with low or free fees. There is a long list of out- and indoor markets – flea markets, farmers markets, garage sales, and such on the weekends.
The Austin Zoo posts a very low entry fee. With 60 different species and over 200 animals, the zoo is a great place to spend the afternoon. The Topsey Exotic Ranch offers a drive-through safari for wildlife viewing from the comfort of your car for a low entry fee. And, if you love wild flowers, the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Research Center is open Tuesdays through Sundays. The Research Center reflects the late first lady’s love of wildflowers and her campaign to create beauty along the highways of the nation.
Austin’s low crime rate, clean environment, and low cost of living is a definite draw when families start looking around for a prime relocation area.
