Chase-Pitkin

🔧 Power Up the Workshop

Does your workshop have all the electric power and lighting you need? If not, here’s a basic plan to help you run a separate electrical feed to your shop. Make sure your panel box has two spaces left for a double pole breaker. It should also have enough unused amperage for a 50 or 60 amp breaker to be added to run a subfeed panel to your shop. If it does, you can plan on three to four circuits. Outlets You can run a 20-amp circuit with twelve-gauge wire for your outlet needs. By using a GFI breaker, you can …

🏠 Suspended Ceilings – The Easy Way To Go

Finishing off the basement is one of the easiest ways to expand living space in your home. A popular choice for the ceiling in a basement remodeling project is an easy to install and economical suspended ceiling. Suspended ceilings have a clean crisp look and are very functional because they hide plumbing and electrical work, yet still allow access to these areas. What is a suspended ceiling? A suspended ceiling consists of a grid of sturdy metal supports suspended from the overhead joists. The grid supports are available in several colors to create any look you want as well as …

🏠 Basic Kitchen Planning

The kitchen is the heart, the nucleus of your home. Everyday activities revolve around it and frequently the kitchen becomes the center of entertaining in your home. A kitchen must serve many masters and there are many things to consider when planning a kitchen: cabinet style, finish, hardware, storage needs, function, as well as the desired amount of counter space. Whether you’re designing a new kitchen or remodeling your existing one, it all begins with careful planning — an essential step if the final result is to meet all your requirements. Start by thinking about your present kitchen. Jot down …

🏠 Planning A New Deck

Spring and home improvement projects seem to go hand-in-hand. At the first sign of warm weather, homeowners are anxious to get outside and begin work on all the outdoor projects. Perhaps this is the year you’re finally going to build that new deck. Planning your deck A deck provides an extension of living space that can add value as well as beauty to your home. It is a place that you, your family and friends will enjoy for many years to come. As with any major project, careful planning is the key to success. Consider the direction of the sun, …

🏠 Selecting the Perfect Swing

Do you remember the joy of playing on a swing when you were a kid? If you’re ready to purchase a play set for your children, you want one that is durable, safe, and age appropriate. However, before you spend any money, there are a few things to consider. Making the choices First, you need to determine where you’re going to put the play set. Look for a level area clear of trees, fences or other obstacles. Leave plenty of room around the play set, at least six feet, so children have space to run and stay clear of the …

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🌼 Homemade Rx For Your Garden Plants

Vinegar Some plants, such as azaleas, gardenias and rhododendrons need acidity to get soluble iron. If you live in a hard water area, these plants suffer from excess lime, causing the leaves to turn yellow. To compensate for this, add 2 tablespoons of cider vinegar to a quart of water. Pour a cupful or so around the base of the plant every two or three weeks until the yellow goes away. Soft Drinks Soft drinks containing citric acid control development of microorganisms that can block the plant’s water conducting vessels. A molecule of water can move from the base of …

🛀 Optimizing Your Small Bathroom

Despite the increased popularity of oversized bathrooms, in-home spas, and whirlpools, the average bathroom is around 50 square feet. If you’re faced with designing or remodeling a small bathroom or powder room, space is at a premium. There won’t be a lot left after putting in the essentials–shower or bathtub, vanity, toilet, medicine cabinet, lighting, and storage. So be sure to install space efficient fixtures that maximize floor space. For example, there are toilets, sinks, and showers available that are designed to fit in corners. Lighting If your bathroom has no window, you need to provide good, well balanced lighting. …

💨 Adding Central Air

Adding central air conditioning to your home means a new level of comfort for you and your family. If your home has a forced-air heating system, the installation can be done in less than a day utilizing existing duct work. However, unlike other major home improvement projects, installing central air conditioning is not a do-it-yourself job. Because the installation of central air involves the handling of chlorofluorocarbons (CFC’s) that damage the ozone layer, installation must be done by a qualified installer. What does that mean? It means the installer is certified by the Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA). Be …

🌳 Time For Yard Cleanup

As the growing season comes to an end, yard cleanup is the last major piece of backyard work that needs to be done. With the leaves falling, it’s easier to see dead limbs that need to be pruned from trees and shrubs. Use hand pruners for small twigs and loppers for larger twigs. An extendible pole pruner can help you reach higher branches in trees. If you cut off major limbs, you should seal them with wound dressing. Pruning dead limbs from trees in fall will promote better growth in the spring. The colors off fall leaves make a beautiful …

⚡ Generator Safety Tips

It is easy to forget that many of the things we use on a daily basis rely on electricity. Everything from the microwave and stove to the game station and computer need energy to work. As our homes become more reliant on increased power sources a greater need arises to supplement that power with back-up generators. A whole house stand-by generator will automatically sense a disruption in electrical service and switch from utility to generator power within seconds. You will maintain all of the critical systems and conveniences you rely on in your home. When regular utility power returns to …