Homeowners knowthat the arrival of springalso marks the re-emergence of insects.While not every insect isharmful, if an infestationgrows considerably or ifinsects begin to movefrom the outdoors into ahome, it may be time forhomeowners to call in aprofessional.

The EntomologicalSociety of America pointsout that homeownerscannot count on bitterlycold winters to helpcontrol the numbers ofinsects in their yards.Insect ecology is affectedby various factors and isnot solely dependent ontemperature.Furthermore, whatoccurred one yearcertainly may not berepeated the next, ashomeowners who havehad various insectinfestations in their yardscan attest. One year ayard may be overcomewith ants, while the nextyear it may sufferthrough an earwiginfestation.

The first stephomeowners looking tocurtail insects in theiryards can take is todetermine if the insectsthey see are genuinethreats to their lawns.Some bugs emerge andswarm early in theseason, but thengradually disappear asspring turns into summer.Other insects may comeout of hiding if ahomeowner is doing a lot

of yard work orconstruction around ahouse. Practice a wait-and-see approach todetermine if you reallyhave an insect problem orjust have stirred upactivity.

Homeowners alsomust decide if it isbearable living with theinsects. If insects are notdoing any damage or ifthey can be controlledrelatively easily, then youmight be able to avoidcalling in theprofessionals. However, ifcritters like termites andcertain species of wood-eating insects are invasiveand damaging your yard,you may need to takeaction.

Anyone concernedwith the side effects ofpesticides and insecticidescan first try to remedy theproblem naturally.Sometimes it’s just amatter of making a yardless hospitable to insects.Remove leaves and cleanup debris close to thehouse, as these can bothencourage infestations.Piles of rotting wood orleftover firewood can be afood or shelter source fora number of insects.Inspect water spigots forleaks and improve suspectdrainage on yourproperty, as these thingscan be welcoming to bugs

PRESS & DAKOTAN ■ TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2015 PAGE 13

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Tips to add design appeal to your home

(StatePoint) Want toset your home apart? Youcan add character andbeauty to your home bylearning more about yourhouse’s architectural styleand adding designelements to complementthe look.

“With the rightknowledge, it’s easy totransform any room ofyour home as well as theexterior,” says NikiDecker, senior productand marketing managerwith Fypon, whichcreates synthetic millworkproducts.

The experts at Fyponare offering some tips andguidelines to achieve anauthentic, coordinatedlook throughout yourhome -- inside and out.

• Proportions matter. Ifyou’re going to be addingshutters to your exterior,do a bit of math. Thewidth of shutters used inpairs on a window shouldbe half the width of thewindow, and should bethe same height as thewindow.

• The higher theceiling, the taller thebaseboard should be.Additionally, the height ofyour baseboard mouldingshould always be largerthan the casing, which isthe frame around a dooror window.

• Make a room feeltaller by placing a chairrail -- the moulding usedto prevent the backs ofchairs from rubbingagainst the wall -- one-third of the way up fromthe floor. Chair railsshould be 1/2 or one inchnarrower than casings.

• If you have a classicGeorgian style home,characterized by strictsymmetry and a centeredand paneled front door,cap the front door panelwith an elaborate crownsupported by decorativepillars.

• Enhance yourVictorian style home withornamental spindleworkon the porches andpatterned shingles on theroof. Offset thecomplexity with simplesurrounds for windows.

• For country stylecottages, considerclapboard shingles forsiding, or wood shake forsiding and roofing, andwide white trim orshutters around windows.

• Complete the lookand feel of yourMediterranean-stylehome, rich with suchdecorative accents asround columns, tile andstone, by planting lushgardens and installing anornate fountain.

• Maintain a

traditional look withinnovative, updatedbuilding material thatlasts longer and with lessupkeep. For example,polyurethane pieces are alightweight alternative towood. The pieces are easyto install and resistinsects, moisture andweather conditions.Manufacturers likeFypon, which createsthousands of millworkpieces, offer products thatcome both textured andsmooth. A new line ofClassic Woodgraindecorative millwork offersa refined woodgraintexture suitable forstaining or painting, andcomplements home stylessuch as Arts & Crafts andMediterranean.

To learn more aboutenhancing your home’sarchitectural style, youcan download Fypon’sfree Style Guide atwww.fypon.com/literature/catalog.asp.

Don’t just update yourhouse haphazardly. Do abit of research so you cancomplement your home’sarchitectural styleauthentically and withsophisticated flair.

Warm weather insects

✳Insectscontinued on page 14

Things to considerwhen renovating a vacation home

Vacation homes mayseem like a luxury onlythe very wealthy canafford, but many peoplepurchase vacationhomes as investments.Vacation homes givefamilies a place toescape to where theycan spend time togethereach summer or winter,but such homes alsohelp homeownersgenerate income, andsome homeowners evenfind the height ofvacation seasongenerates enough rentalincome to pay for thesecond home year-round.

Personal style goes along way towarddetermining how torenovate a primaryresidence. But men andwomen who ownvacation homes theyhope to rent out shouldnot allow their ownpersonal styles todictate a vacation homerenovation project. Thefollowing are someadditional thingshomeowners shouldconsider beforerenovating theirvacation homes.

• Curb appeal: Whenrenovating a vacationproperty, relativelyminor updates candramatically improvecurb appeal, which maybear more weight withprospective renters thanit would prospectivebuyers. Potential buyersare making a substantialfinancial commitmentwhen they buy a home,so they will go over ahome with a fine toothcomb. But vacationrenters are making amuch smaller financialcommitment, so curbappeal can go a longway towardencouraging vacationersto rent your property.Repaint a home in amore vibrant color orreplace old siding withnewer material. Hire alocal landscapingservice to tend to theproperty throughoutvacation season, and besure to include updated

photos of your propertywith online listings.

• Connectivity: Whilevacation was once arespite from all aspectsof our everyday lives,nowadays vacationerswant to maintain atleast some connectionto the outside world. Ifyour vacation home isnot up-to-date with itswireless technology,upgrade to a fasternetwork that offers highspeed Internet. Suchconnectivity can andlikely will proveattractive to prospectiverenters who havegrown accustomed torelying on the Internet,even when they are onvacation.

• Appliances: Avacation rental may notneed the latest andgreatest appliances, buthomeowners may findit easier to attractrenters (and chargemore in rent) if thehome is not filled withoutdated appliancesreminiscent of a longforgotten era. Upgradeespecially outdatedappliances, but makesure any upgrades fitwith the theme of yourrental. For example,stainless steel

appliances may lookgreat in your primaryresidence, but suchappliances are costlyand may not be whatrenters hoping to find abeachside bungalow arelooking for.

• Accessibility: Somepeople want a vacationhome far off the beatenpath, but that does notmean the home has tobe inaccessible. If yourvacation home is in awooded area far off theroad, consider pavingthe access roadprospective renters willuse to get to and fromthe property. Thisrelatively small touchmay appeal to potentialrenters who want someseclusion but don’twant to put theirvehicles through theringer every time theyleave the property.

Renovating avacation home is a greatway to generate extrarental income from theproperty, and there areseveral wayshomeowners can maketheir vacation homesmore attractive torenters withoutbreaking the bank.

■ MetroCreative Connection