Chase-Pitkin

✉️ What’s an Energy Envelope Anyway?

The older your home the more likely you are to find air leaks around windows, outlets, doors and other exposed areas. These leaks aid a process called infiltration in which outdoor air flows into a home forcing heating systems to work harder to maintain a comfortable temperature. Exterior walls, floors, roof, windows, and doors create an energy envelope around your home. Maintaining that envelope is vital to protecting you from the outside elements and controlling the cost of heating the indoors. A storm door that doesn’t fit securely is letting cold air penetrate your home. Installing a new one will …

📁 The Organization Resolution

As we settle into another new year many of us find ourselves looking for ways to improve our lives. One of the most popular New Year’s resolutions is to get organized. With that in mind it’s fitting that January is National Get Organized Month. To celebrate we’ve got solutions to help you organize just about any nook and cranny in your home. You’ll find the right tools to organize your kitchen, closets, living room and even the garage. Before you head out to purchase your new shelving system, cabinets, or totes here are a few ideas to help you find …

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☀️ Turning up the Heat on Summer Entertaining

Many of us are itching to get outdoors and enjoy a little sunshine now that our patios and lawns have been uncovered from winter’s snow. Whether you’re a seasoned vet in the art of Patio entertaining, or taking your first adventure through the sea of tempered glass tabletops, clay chimineas, and state of the art grills, we’ve got some tips to help enhance your outdoor living and entertaining space. Outdoor entertaining requires a comfortable place to sit back and relax. This year you can find more than the usual patio table and chairs. Try adding a matching bar, lounge, or …

🐛 Maintaining a Greener Grub-Free Lawn

A beautiful lawn is like a work of art; it takes a lot of patience and dedication to create. After spending your weekends in the seat of a tractor, behind a spreader, and at the end of a trimmer you expect results. Thick, hardy, green results. In many lawns across our region grubs, living in the soil, are waiting to feast on all of your hard work. Understanding the life cycle of a grub, and the available options for controlling grub populations, will help you keep the lawn you’ve worked so hard on beautiful all season long. Grubs, the larvae …

🏠 Simple Interior Decorating Solutions

Does your home need a quick pick-me-up? If so, here are a few ideas to get you started on simple projects you can complete in a weekend, giving your home a fresh, new look. Wake Up Your Walls Transform any room in your home with a fresh coat of paint. Choosing the perfect pallet can be intimidating but remember – be bold and creative. If the result isn’t just right you can always paint it again. Your walls are the backdrop your décor evolves around. Deciding between a bold red or lighthearted yellow will depend on the effect that room …

💡 A Look at Lighting Options

What do a candle lit dinner, film noir, and a sun-bathed patio have in common? Lighting. Filmmakers, photographers and interior designers use lighting to create mood and effect. It’s easy to use lighting the same way in your home. There are five general types of lighting you can use to accent or illuminate a room. First determine what your functional needs are. A kitchen, for example, requires an increased amount of light in food preparation areas; and, you’ll want to create fewer shadows in front of a bathroom or vanity mirror. Next, you can select the right lighting solution. Ambient …

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🏫 Dorm Room Must Have Necessities

It’s time to trade in bathing suits and beach bags for textbooks and backpacks. If you’re getting ready to leave home for a cozy campus dorm you know there’s a lot to be done. Here are some tips to help you create the perfect home away from home. There’s nothing like a good checklist to get you organized, you may end up creating multiple lists along the way; things to do, things to buy, people to call, and so on. To help simplify the things we’ve created a list of items you may need for your dorm. Personalizing a dorm …

⚡ Energy Efficiency Starts in the Attic

If you want to reduce your energy cost this winter think attic insulation. Upgrading your attic insulation will have the greatest impact on your home’s energy efficiency. In fact, you could save up to twenty percent on your heating costs by increasing your insulation thickness from three to 12 inches. Insulation Types Insulation is available in a variety of types, including: (1) Fiberglass – made of molten glass that is spun into micro fibers, available in batts or rolled blankets. (2) Rock wool – made of molten rock, also available in batts or rolled blankets. (3) Cellulose – made of …