January 2002 Newsletter

1. About Us & Our Service
2. Does Your Home Need More Insulation?
3. Home Improvement CO Detectors
4. Handyman Specials
5. Top Money Saving Tips When Buying a Home
6. Affiliate Program and Our Sponsors
7. The Monthly Funny! :)

1. About Us & Our Service

We are a reliable and easy way to find SCREENED, LICENSED, and INSURED professionals for any Home or Business improvement need. We do your HOMEWORK for you. The staff at Home-Work would like to thank all of you who registered projects in 2001.  It was a great year for us and we appreciate your business.  We would like to remind you that the "Refer A Friend" program is in affect until March, so keep those referrals coming.  We would also invite you to come down and visit us at the Home Expo at the Roundup Center Jan 18 - 20. Thanks again, and we wish you a very prosperous New Year.

2. Does Your Home Need More Insulation?

To begin to answer this question, you must first find out how much insulation you already have and then determine how much more would be cost-effective. Many older homes have less insulation than homes built today. A qual
ified home energy auditor will include an insulation check as a routine part of an energy audit. If you don't have someone else inspect your home, you'll need to look for insulation in several places. Your home may have o
ne or more of several different insulation materials. Mineral fiber insulation, including fiber glass and rock wool, is produced from either molten glass, slag, or rock. Fiber glass insulation is usually very light-weight, and yellow, pink, or white in color. Fiber glass can be found in loose-fill and blanket, either batt or roll, forms. Rock wool loose-fill is usually more dense than fiber glass, and is most commonly gray with black specks. Some rock wool products, however, are near-white. Loose-fill cellulose insulation is commonly manufactured from recycled newsprint, cardboard, or other forms of waste paper. Most cellulose is in the form of small flat pieces rather than fibers. However, some cellulose products are so finely divided they look fibrous as well. Vermiculite- and perlite-loose-fill products are no longer commonly used as home insulation, but you may find them in an older home. First, check the attic; then check walls and floors adjacent to an unheated space like a garage or basement. In these places, the structural frame elements (the ceiling joists or wall framing boards) are often exposed, making it easy to examine the insulation (if any) and to measure the depth or thickness of the insulation. It is more difficult to inspect finished exterior walls. One method is to use an electrical outlet on the wall, but first be sure to turn off the power to the outlet. Then remove the cover plate and shine a flashlight into the crack around the outlet box. You should be able to see whether or not insulation is in the wall. You may need to pull a small amount out to determine which type of material was used. Also, you should check separate outlets on the first and second floor, and in old and new parts of the house, because wall insulation in one wall doesn't necessarily mean that it's everywhere in the house. An alternative to checking through electrical outlets is to remove and then replace a small section of the exterior siding. Next, inspect and measure the thickness of any insulation in unfinished basement ceilings and walls, or above crawl spaces. If the crawl space is not ventilated, it may have insulation on the perimeter wall. If your house is relatively new, it may have been built with insulation outside the basement or foundation wall.

 3. Home Improvement CO Detectors

As winter is upon us we begin to use our furnaces and other fuel burning appliances this is the time of year to consider installing CO detectors in your home.  Any fuel-burning appliances including fireplaces, water heate
rs, gas dryers, gas ranges, space heaters, wood-burning stoves, gas fireplaces and other appliances - is a potential source of carbon monoxide.  Carbon monoxide is a colourless, odourless, tasteless toxic gas that is so d
eadly it has earned the name, "The Silent Killer".  To help prevent carbon monoxide poisoning have a qualified technician inspect your fuel-burning appliance at least once a year, and install a CO detector. 
 
4. Handyman Specials!

Home-Work now "Specializes" in smaller projects.  We now have an
"in-house" handyman that is anxious to work for you. Alan has been in the renovation/repair industry for a number of years and has lots of expertise on all kinds of small projects. Call us and book an appointment to get that "Fix It" list looked after for you.

5. Top Money Saving Tips When Buying A Home 

1.If you have to resell soon, don't buy an unusual home.
2.Expect lower maintenance costs with a brand-new home.
3.Never tell a sellers broker how much you'll raise your offer for a particular house.
4.When interest rates are low opt for a fixed mortgage.
5.Pay attention to floor plans. Changing layouts of rooms later, can be costly.
6.You can deduct on that years tax return points paid by either party on the purchase of your own residence.
7.If the present owner has a title insurance policy less than 3 years old, you could have substantial savings by buying a reissue of that policy rather than a completely new one.
8.Pay attention to the original listing date of the homes you inspect; Sellers tend to be more flexible in the price the longer the home is on the market.
9.A house that's sited to take advantage of the sun, the wind and the typography costs less to heat and cool and can save thousands of dollars over the years in utility bills.
10.Buying a house whose style is uniquely individual will probably minimize rather than maximize its resale value because the house will appeal to a somewhat more limited number of potential buyers.
11.Don't buy a house with foundation problems. Although most foundation problems can be corrected, repair work is usually expensive.
12.A roof that complements the style of a home and is carefully maintained adds to the home's visual appeal and its resale value.
13.A light-colored roof reflects heat and is best in areas where air-conditioning is the greater energy user. In colder weather climates, a dark roof is preferable because it absorbs more heat. In temperate climates, a middle-range shade is best.

6. Affiliate Program & Our Sponsors

We currently also have quality, reliable companies  that help promote our service.  Please find out more about them at: http://www.homeworkcanada.com/sponsors.htm
Pillar to Post Home Inspection,Re/Max First, Remax House of Real Estate, AmeriSpec Home Inspection Services, Keaco Services, Chesney's Home Hardware, Gunther's Building Supply, Verda Tech Inc.,High Security Lock Co., Home Alyze, Chesney's Home Hardware, Revy Home & Garden, Homelife Realty, Banbury Lane, Calgary Seniors Society, Coldwell Banker, Gunthers Building Supply, Royal LePage, BenchMark Real Estate, Diamond Fireplaces, Sure Look Home Inspection,Maxwell South Star Realty, Century 21, Smith Insurance, Century 21 The Professionals, WeList.Com.

6. The Monthly Funny :)

RULES FOR THE AFTER XMAS DIET:
 1.If you eat something, and no one else sees you eat it, it has
 no calories.
 2.When drinking a diet soda while eating a candy bar, the
 calories in the candy bar are canceled by the diet soda.
 3.When you eat with someone else, calories don't count as long as
 you don't eat more than they do.
 4.Foods used for medicinal purposes NEVER count. Example: hot
 chocolate, brandy, toast, and Sara Lee Cheesecake.
 5.If you fatten up everyone else around you, then you look
 thinner.
 6.Movie-related foods do not have calories because they are part
 of the entertainment package and not part of one's personal fuel.
 Example: Milk Duds, Buttered Popcorn, Junior Mints and Tootsie
 Rolls.
 7.Cookie pieces contain no calories. The process of breaking the
 cookie causes calorie leakage.
 8.Late-night snacks have no calories. The refrigerator light is
 not strong enough for the calories to see their way into the
 calorie counter.
 9.If you are in the process of preparing something, food licked
 off knives and spoons have no calories. Examples: Peanut Butter
 on a knife and ice cream on a spoon.
 10.Food of the same color have the same number of calories.
 Examples are spinach and pistachio ice cream, mushrooms and white
 chocolate. Chocolate is a universal color and may be substituted
 for any other.

 
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