February
2000 Newsletter
- What's new! Plus
January's $300 winner!
- February's $$
Saving Tip - furniture placement
- Window Screens -
Keeping your home warmer
- Part Two: Hiring a
contractor - estimates
- Our Sponsors + Your
carpet can be healthy.
- The monthly funny!
:)
1. What's
new! Plus January's $300 winner!
* Click on the advice button for
great links to renovation and home and garden sites. Please save
it as a favorite and contact us when you are ready to do any
renovation work around your home or business. We currently have
over 100 screened companies to help you with any project. Keep
in mind that planning ahead, and hiring contractors in their
non-peak times often saves you money.
* We've picked a winner for our free draw in January!
Congratulations to Sandy Hutchinson of Calgary! You've won $300
toward any project you have completed through us in 2000!
* We hope you make it down to the Home & Garden Show
(Stampede Park) Feb.23-27. It is the year's biggest show - one
not to be missed! You will find us in the Corral- stop and say
hi! It was nice to meet all of you who stopped by our
booth at Home-Expo.
2. February's
$$ Saving Tip - furniture placement
In the winter, radiant heat loss
from your body through a window or to an outside wall can make
you feel chilly. When you feel chilly, you turn up the
thermostat, thus raising your heating bills. Even though the air
temperature in your house is warm enough, the radiant heat loss
to any cold object draws heat from your skin. This is the
opposite of how you can feel comfortably warm in the sun on a
cold winter day. In the winter, it is important not to have
chairs or a sofa directly facing a window or a cold outside
wall. Rearrange your furniture to avoid this. A high-back chair,
facing toward the room and away from the window, is okay because
the high back will block the direct radiant heat path from your
warm skin to the cold window glass. (Jim Dulley)
3. Window
Screens - Keeping your home warmer in the winter
Screens can block a
substantial amount of solar heat from coming in your windows. In
the winter, the most intense passive solar heat comes from the
south. Removing the south-facing screens will increase the
amount of heat from the sun that comes through your windows. You
probably get enough passive solar heat from the east to make it
worthwhile to remove these screens too. Window screens will
block some of the direct force of the winter wind, so leave them
in the north-facing windows. There is no sun from the north in
the winter and the screens will reduce heat loss from the
window. Although the west-facing windows receive as much sun as
the east-facing windows, leave these in as the prevailing winter
winds are from the northwest. By doing this, you will save
energy by blocking the wind and save money by heating your home
as much as possible by the sun. (Jim Dulley)
4. Part Two:
Hiring a contractor-estimates
Last month we discussed the
process of preparing yourself before
getting estimates. We also mentioned that it is important
to get at least 3 estimates before deciding on a company to
hire. Here is more important information to consider when you
are at the point of choosing a contractor.
- When you look over your quotes, make sure that you are
comparing apples to apples. Did each contractor include each
aspect of the job? Did you change your mind about what you
wanted part way through, describing the job differently to the
contractors?
- Did each contractor give you a detailed quote including all
aspects,
labor, materials, etc?
- Don't always pick the lowest price. Make sure you understand
why it is lower. Did the contractor miss something in his
estimate? Perhaps the higher priced companies have more
experience, more crews, showrooms, etc. Sometimes these
companies may cost more, but have developed a very strong
reputation which is worth something. On the other hand,
the smaller company have just as much experience, may be able to
do all of the work themselves and do not have the overhead of
the larger companies, which may make them more economical.
These are aspects you have to consider.
- Once you decide who you would like to hire, contact them and
let them know that you would like them to proceed. You can then
work out a time to meet again. Also, make sure to call the other
contractors to let them know you have chosen someone else. This
is very important as they need this information in order to
organize their job schedules.
Next month....what to do once you've chosen your contractor...
5. Our
Sponsors + Your carpet can be healthy
Thanks to our sponsors for their
continued support! Please find out more by clicking on the
sponsors button. Please let them know you found them through
Home-Work.
- Remax House of Real Estate
- Keaco Services
- Phantom Screens
- The Blind Doctor
- Blinds 2000
- High Security Lock Co.
- Pillar to Post Home Inspection - Realty
World Tempo
- Richardson Rug & Upholstery
- Handles & More
- Window
Works
- Magiclean Cleaning Services
YOUR CARPET CAN BE HEALTHY: The
ability to collect and trap
foreign particles allows carpet to minimize the amount of
airborne contaminates that are circulating in a room.
Subsequent carpet cleaning and removal of soil completes an air
filtration cycle.
SPOT REMOVAL: Almost every spot can be removed if immediate and
appropriate methods are applied. The longer a spill is left on
the carpet, the more chance there is of permanent discoloration.
VACUUMING: Carpet should be vacuumed at least twice weekly,
concentrating on high traffic areas. Use a vacuum with a beater
bar and a high efficiency collection bag. Check vacuum bag and
belt frequently.
SOIL TRACKING CONTROL: Place mats at the entrances to your home
or business. This will help prevent outside soil from tracking
and collecting on your carpet. These mats perform best when kept
relatively clean.
PERIODIC PROFESSIONAL CLEANING: Recent studies by the EPA, major
fiber producers and carpet mills indicate that residential
carpet should be professionally steam cleaned every twelve to
eighteen months.
Courtesy of: KEACO SERVICES - for your carpet cleaning, call:
259-5554
6. The Monthly
Funny :-)
A contractor had a very important
meeting with an executive who was interested in hiring him for a
large, prestigious renovation project. The contractor was very
interested and thought this could be his big break. It was very
important that he show up early and make the best possible
impression on the man. Upon arriving downtown, he was unable to
find a parking spot near the building where he needed to go. He
started to circled the block. After 20 minutes of pure
frustration trying to find a parking spot, he decided to park in
the only spot left- in front of a fire hydrant, rather than be
late for his meeting. Prior to leaving his car, he wrote this
note and placed it on the windshield of his car.
Dear Officer,
I have been driving around this block for twenty minutes.
If I don't do this it means my job. FORGIVE US OUR
DEBTS!!!
The man proceeded into the building where the meeting went very
well. Upon returning to his car, he noticed a parking ticket on
the windshield. Next to the ticket was a note from the officer
that read:
Dear Sir,
I have been driving around this block for twenty years. If
I don't do this it means my job. LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION !!!
