building, homes & garden

2 Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, Friday, April 6, 2012

Hazard Tree Removal • 60 ft. Bucket Truck Stumpgrinding • Brush Chipping

Land Clearing • Firewood Licensed and Insured

TREE SERVICE 479-4167

~ Serving Fairbanks for over 30 years ~

12393406-3-23-12BE

L&L Contractors

F REE E STIMATES

(907) 978-4392 (907) 978-4392 [email protected]

Licensed • Bonded Licensed • Bonded Insured Insured

S EAMLESS G UTTERS

All Natural Lump & Briquette Charcoals

590-9194

www.charcoalsupply.com available at The Charcoal Supply Company

AWARD WINNING

“Purveyors of Quality Charcoals & Cooking Woods”

12 Different Cooking Woods in Stock: Hickory • Mesquite • Pecan • Red Oak Almond • Orange • Apple • Peach Cherry • Apricot • Plum • Alder

16394284-4-6-12BE

��

Jeff Ward 907-388-8605 907-388-8605 907-488-4049 907-488-4049

Log Wood 3 Cord Loads Log Wood 3 Cord Loads $550 Birch

Stove Length 1 Cord Load Stove Length 1 Cord Load $325 Birch

F i r e w

o o d

• L o g

g i n g • L a n d C l e a r i n g • H y d r o - a x e

www.WardWoodWorksAK.com

12393444 4-6-12 BE

By REBA [email protected]

New builders who take on too big of a do-it-yourself proj-ect aren’t doing themselves any favors.

When somebody gets a grandiose construction project in mind, the best thing to do is to consult an expert before something goes terribly wrong, according to Fairbanks Spenard Builders Supply assistant man-ager Jim Mayo.

“A home is probably the big-gest investment you can make in your whole life,” Mayo said. “It’s good to talk to somebody who knows what they’re doing rather than guessing.”

Mayo said a couple of com-mon summer construction proj-ects that new builders can be successful with are building a

new deck and weatherizing a house.

With a new deck, Mayo said, it’s important to have a struc-turally sound plan.

“It doesn’t matter how pret-ty it is if it doesn’t work,” he said.

If people don’t want a boun-cy deck, one idea is to use a computer program at SBS that can help give the builder an idea of where beams should be placed.

Mayo said weatherization projects are great for beginning builders.

“If a guy’s handy at all,” Mayo said, he or she can replace doors and windows or add insu-lation to the attic easily.

Richard Seifert at the Uni-versity of Alaska Fairbanks’ Cooperative Extension Service recommends people get a home

energy rating to find out what kind of improvements they can make, especially with rising energy costs.

He said he thinks a ton of people will be making weather-ization improvements this sum-mer, including sealing cracks and insulating homes.

“They’ve already been blud-geoned by the prices and they better,” he said.

The Cooperative Extension Service has information avail-able online, including tips on weatherization and improving energy efficiency.

At Fairbanks’ Home Depot store, Julie McLean, assistant manager, said they offer clinics to almost anybody who walks in the door with a question.

“We get people all the time that will come in and say, ‘It went horribly wrong, tell me how to fix it,’” she said.

For those people, McLean said store employees can throw together a small clinic or have a one-on-one tutorial for proj-

ects.“We can usually find some-

body in the store that has done any project,” she said.

Home Depot has weekend clinics scheduled for April on building a raised-bed garden, installing an entry door and lock system and using outdoor power tools for the lawn or garden.

McLean said the Fairbanks store has its own page at www.facebook.com/fairbankshd, where people can post ques-tions that the store will respond to and possibly schedule clinics for.

Beginning builders should keep an eye out for other local clinics that could be of inter-est to them this spring — SBS has a May 5 clinic on installing metal roofing, and Cooperative Extension offers a home build-ing course April 14, for instance. Once summer begins, the con-struction season is under way.

Contact staff writer Reba Lean at 459-7523.

Don’t go overboard with DIY summer projects

A United Way Member Agency

517 Gaffney Road • 456-6212

By GINNY FRIZZICreators.com

Having a yard sale is one thing; having a suc-cessful one is another.

Those individuals who take the time to plan their sale are most likely to be successful.

Whether called garage sales, tag sales or yard sales, the first thing is to establish your goals, according to Andrew Schrage of the website Money Crashers.

“There are two main schools of thought regarding garage sales. The first is to simply de-clutter your house and make whatever you can available for sale. The second is to focus in on profits,” he says.

Begin by gathering items for sale. You can designate a space, such as corner of the basement or garage, where sale items can be placed.

Take the time to get the merchandise in order. Check to see that goods work. Clean them, and group similar items — such as books, records, dishes and kitchenware — together. This will make it easier for buy-ers to find what they are looking for.

One of the most important steps is to pub-licize your sale.

“Place your ad in the Friday classified section of the local newspaper, advises Reyne Hirsch, who was an appraiser for the Public Broadcasting Service’s “Antiques Road-show” for 13 years.

“Don’t be too wordy. Words like antiques, col-lectibles, modernism, jewelry and couture add interest to see what is there,” she says.

Make the most of your yard, garage sale

3Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, Friday, April 6, 2012

TH

E

On College Road next to the Farmers Market • 452-4002 • www.thewoodway.com

WOODWAY Warming the heart of Alaska since 1 9 78 Weekdays 9 – 6

Saturday 9 –5

L O C A L LY O W N E D

Update your home or plan your new home around a heat source where YOU control the costs!

The Woodway • Where: On College Road

next to Farmer's Market • Products: Wood and gas

stoves and fireplaces, pellet stoves, Toyo and Kuma oil stoves, chimney and stovepipe, hearth accessories, chainsaws and accessories, lawn mowers and small engine products

• Services: Wood stove, fireplace and chimney installation, Toyo service, chainsaw and small engine service

• Hours: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday

• Phone: 452-4002

AT A GLANCE

Paid Advertising Content

12393445-4-6-12BE

The Woodway would like to thank the Fairbanks, North Pole and surrounding communities for their continued loyalty over the last 34 years.

With the rising costs of staying warm along with the FNSB woodstove changeout program, there have recently been all sorts of stores opening and closing that have sold different types of heating appliances. The Woodway welcomes new competition as it helps us to assess what we do more critically and enables us to offer the community even more.

The Borough is continuing its Woodstove Changeout Program by incentivizing eligible residents to upgrade their older woodstoves to cleaner solid fuel burning devices. These newer appliances, both wood and pellet, assist in cleaning up our air. These newer woodstoves help people to burn up to a third less firewood!

The Fairbanks North Star Borough Air Quality Improvement Program Wood Stove Exchange Program is going strong, and with the changes made to the program recently,

more people are able to participate with more options within the program.

Specifically. If you trade in your old non- EPA stove, (be it wood or coal), and upgrade to an efficient EPA certified wood stove, the refund is up to $2500 for the stove. If you elect to remove a wood or coal stove, and agree not to use a wood stove for 10 years, the incentive for the removal is $3000. You can install a wood pellet stove or pellet boiler if you wish in its place, as pellet stoves and pellet boilers are considered exempt from the program.

Assuming that you have a rental unit or a commercial property with a wood or coal stove, and would like to participate in the replacement or removal program, now you can! Before, rentals and commercial properties were not allowed to be in the program, but the vote was unanimous to allow them to be able to participate. To apply for the program, you must live within the PM2.5 non-attainment boundary. (For more information on the Borough program, please call 459-1005).

The Woodway would again like to thank the community for its trust over the years and look forward to keeping interior Alaska warm for many winters to come.

T H E W O O D W A Y !

plit tack tore &

ave S

Chinook Princess Ultra Why is Blaze King the #1 Wood Stove in Fairbanks? • Clean Burn Even at It’s

Lowest Heat Setting • 33% Less Wood

Consumption • Independent Studies

Show 10 Year Catalyst Life

• Overnight Burn Provides Heat – Not Just Embers


By DiANNE CROWNCreators.com

In any economy, homeown-ers have to decide when and why to make improvements to their property. In this down economy, widely described as a buyer’s market, those decisions are even more critical. Realtor Fritz Pfister shares sugges-tions for low- and no-cost home improvements that will help your house sell.

Make a good first impres-sion. “Clean sells,” says Pfister, who specializes in residential listings, hosts a weekly real estate radio program and offers two home-selling seminars throughout the year. “Really clean sells even better. And don’t forget to keep the home as clean every day as the day you went on the market.” This includes the yards, porch, entryway and every part of the interior. Hire a cleaning team if necessary to be sure the home is spotless for every visitor.

Make your home’s mainte-nance look effortless. Put away all yard tools. Clear out clutter from the garage and basement. “Walk through the house. If something causes you to stop and ask yourself, ‘Should I do this?’ I would,” says Pfister. “If you pause, so will prospective buyers.”

Make closets feel spacious and organized. “Closet rede-sign is relatively inexpensive should you have older or inef-ficient shelving and hanging systems. In today’s society, you don’t need more than three feet for long hanging clothing. Double racking maximizes space.” Also, Pfister continues, “you must be able to see 75 percent of all closet floors. If you haven’t worn something in six weeks, you’re not going to wear it in the next six weeks, so pack it, sell it or donate it to charity.”

Make the color scheme of your house neutral. Walls should be whites, eggshell, light taupe or some other non-descript color. Anything that reflects a strong theme should be removed. Plain colors allow prospective buyers to imagine their own colors and decorating style.

Edward Tandy, owner of

Tandy Handy handyman ser-vice, often sees houses that need more than a little spruc-ing up. Tandy provides general repairs, painting, tile, flooring, cleaning and more, and he spe-cializes in getting houses ready for sale from the ground up.

Tandy recommends tidying up unruly shrubbery, fixing front doorknobs that don’t work, fixing chips and freshen-ing front door paint, replac-ing dark and dull hardware, straightening crooked shutters, fixing loose bathroom tiles, and more.

He also provides needed repairs, such as broken stair-way spindles, and addresses such safety issues as broken steps and soft subflooring.

“As you walk through the house,” says Tandy, “anything that’s not cosmetically appeal-ing or anything that might cause the potential buyer to be alarmed needs to be addressed — even really small things,

such as a light switch that doesn’t work properly. Some buyers will think, ‘Oh, man, this place has wiring problems,’ turn around and walk out.”

When it comes to paint col-ors, Tandy agrees with Pfister. “No wild, crazy contemporary colors or any decorating style that is out of the mainstream.”

Many of these suggestions can be done by the homeown-ers, but some, especially the custom repairs, call for the help of a handyman. In that case, advises Tandy, look for someone with broad experi-ence, references, liability insurance, and a professional and trustworthy appearance. “You’ll get a gut feeling,” says Tandy. “Ask yourself, ‘Can this person be trusted in my home, maybe even with a key?’ Make sure you are comfortable with this person.” And, Tandy adds, be sure to get a written estimate for any larger work to be done.

Quick, easy fix-ups to help make a home sell

Creators.com

Homeowners can save money on electric bills in spring and summer by programming their thermostats, a seasonal step often overlooked.


16

31

97

18

-5-2

7-0

7

Call 457-BUGS (2847)

Ask about our disappearing screens.

T HEY ’ RE H ERE !!

N EW & R EPLACEMENT S CREENS BUILT FOR

YOUR WINDOWS , DOORS , & PATIO DOORS

Early Bug Special! APRIL 10% OFF

Skeeter Screens

WITH THIS AD

By DiANNE CROWNCreators.com

Larry Singer and his wife recently sold their 110-year-old two-story frame home after living in it for the past 25 years. They did need to fix the roof, but Realtor Fritz Pfister advised them to let certain oth-er old-home things go, such as replacing a few windows that were painted shut. “When you look at a 100-year-old home,” Pfister told the Singers, “you expect to see that sort of thing. There will be other things buy-ers are more concerned with.”

Otherwise, says Singer, “We did some cleaning to spruce the place up and make it look presentable. We didn’t need to paint. The walls were already ‘bland,’ whites and eggshells.”

Fresh neutral paint is a seller, according to Pfister. But other fix-ups, improvements and remodels don’t generate high return on the investment. Here are a few tips Pfister tells his clients:

“When considering remod-eling projects for your home, invest wisely,” begins Pfister, who has developed a winning combination of home prepara-tion and pricing through thou-sands of contracts over the past 24 years. “The most important rooms in your home when you sell are, in this order (at least in the Midwest), kitchen, bath-rooms and closets.

“Kitchens are expensive. So, if you know you will be selling within three years, a complete remodel is not advised. We are a long way from recovery in the

housing market. Home prices will remain flat or decline until the inventory of foreclosed homes is absorbed by the market and the jobs market recovers and begins adding to demand. So, market conditions will outweigh improvements.

“If you are selling in less than three years, you can spruce up the kitchen’s appear-ance with new counters, sink, faucet and appliances. Install flooring that makes the kitchen feel spacious. If you know you will be in your home longer than three years, then cabinet replacement or new design can be enjoyed for years, recover-ing the value of investment through personal use and enjoyment.”

Use the same approach when updating bathrooms. “Consider installing a new van-ity, updating fixtures to what is currently popular in your

area and flooring if you will be selling in less than three years If you plan on being in the home for an extended period, then consider the complete remodel by consulting a local bath design company of good repute,” says Pfister.

“When contemplating both kitchen and bath updates, keep energy and water efficiency in mind for resale,” says Pfister. “Make certain the water heater is large enough to accommo-date any new demands and is efficient.”

Make sure closets are well organized, cleared of all clutter and look spacious.

Windows, basement, mechanicals?

“Most investments such as new windows, in my opinion, will save you on your util-ity bills, but seldom save you enough to pay for themselves unless you live in the home

long enough until the new win-dows are old. What this type of improvement does for you is to help you sell, and sell faster.”

Pfister advises repairing or replacing anything that poses a safety risk before putting your home on the market. However, he adds, “Prepare to be disappointed if you’re expecting a return on finishing the basement, new siding, roof, mechanical systems or room additions. All these will help you sell; however, do these for your own benefit first and as an investment second.”

One of the most important things you can do is clean, clean, clean your house and freshen up the paint in neutral colors.

Last month, Carolyn York did this as a seller and looked for this as a buyer when she purchased an updated 1960s trilevel. York says of her new

home, “What I like is that I don’t have to do a lot of major changes. I like renovating things and updating, but I could live with this house as it is. It was move-in ready, which means less work and less mon-ey for me.”

York’s new house features a clean, open living room painted in neutral colors that form a beautiful backdrop for her fur-niture and artwork. The walls are taupe, and the wood trim is a clean, bright white.

As a seller, York cleared out her closets. “Buyers want to see 90 percent of the floor in the closet. I know when I looked at houses, I saw closets so crammed full you feel like there’s not enough room for your stuff.”

These dos and don’ts will help get a fast sale, and that should be your goal, says Pfis-ter.

To improve or not: What to repair, replace before selling


Thermal Imaging will find : • Air infiltration / Heat loss • Water and moisture intrusion • Leak in vapor barrier • Electrical system malfunction • Radiant heat problems • Frozen plumbing • Insulation deficiencies

13394242-4-6-12BH

I

Tim Henry (907) 378-8210 [email protected] www.arcticengineering.biz

Arctic Arctic Arctic Engineering Engineering Engineering

T hermal T hermal � maging � maging

Now offering:

Residential Price:

$300

13394238-4-6-12BE

By MARK J. DONOVANCreators.com

Rain, snow and ultraviolet rays can wreak havoc on a wood deck.

If left unchecked, eventu-ally deck boards will begin to fade in color, cup, check, warp and crack.

Mold and mildew growth is also a common problem on frequently wet deck surfaces. Consequently, it is important to regularly weatherproof a wood deck to keep it look-ing beautiful and ensure its structural integrity.

To restore and weather-proof a deck to its original beauty, you first need to clean the surface. A pressure washer with a commercial deck-cleaning solution works best — but great care needs

to be taken when using the washer.

Make sure to hold the nozzle approximately 18 inches away from the deck surface, and always keep it moving to ensure that you do not damage the decking boards. Also, make sure to clean the deck railings.

Power-washing a deck does not always restore it to its original color. Sometimes the boards can still look a little dark.

To lighten them, apply a commercial deck wash and brightening solution to the surface using a sprayer or long-handle stiff brush.

This type of solution typi-cally includes bleach of some percentage that will help lighten the wood and give it a more even color tone.

If you’re weatherproof-ing the deck on a sunny day, first hose down the surface with water before applying the wash and brightening solution.

After spraying on the solution, use a long-handle stiff brush to scrub the deck and remove any residual mold and mildew stains. Then allow the solution to soak into the boards for 15 to 20 minutes. Afterward, rinse off the deck with a hose.

Once the deck has been

cleaned and had time to thoroughly dry, you can then begin to weatherproof it in earnest by applying a water sealer.

A deck waterproof sealer is specially formulated to repel moisture and protect the wood deck boards from ultraviolet sunlight. Deck waterproof sealers are avail-able in both clear and tinted shades.

Before applying a water-proof sealer, make sure you check the weather forecast first. Typically, a deck sealer

needs 24 to 48 hours of rain-free weather to dry thor-oughly.

There are a number of ways you can apply a sealer to weatherproof a wood deck surface.

I use a roller and a 4-inch-wide brush, as it is the most economical way to apply it. Initially, I roll the deck sealer onto a small section of the deck, and then use the brush to work the sealer into the wood.

Restoring a wood deck to its original beauty Creators.comphoto courtesy of Mark J. Donovan

It is essential to protect your wood deck from the elements.


By SHARON NAYLOR Creators.com

If you’re lucky enough to have

a front porch — whether it is a small section next to your door or a grand wraparound style — your next decorating project could be a budget-friendly makeover of this space. Before, your family and friends simply passed through your porch area, now you can all gather there in comfy chairs, sipping thirst-quenching drinks and whiling away the evening in a relaxing style.

Bohnne Jones, owner of Decorating Den Interiors, says, “One of today’s home decorating trends is to ‘bring the outside in and the inside out,’ which makes a front porch cozy and inviting.” From lamps to carpets to curtains, decor items that were once the domain of inside living spaces now find a place in outside design.

Before you begin your porch decor process, first take some time to repair any loose railings or floorboards. You

want your space to be safe and sturdy before decorating. You might wish to paint your porch wall a fresh, new color that matches or coordinates with your house color and works with your porch space’s theme — Southwest-ern, coastal, Victorian and so on. You might choose a neutral sage green, a sunny yellow or another hue that fits your overall plan for the space.

With your porch’s raw space ready, here are the top ways to makeover this area: Give furniture a spin. Rath-er than have sofas and chairs lined up against the back wall facing outward, rearrange them in an L-shape or face-to-face placement that facilitates conversation. Jones says, “Four chairs can be a more flexible selection than a sofa,” because chairs can be moved around more easily and you can create two separate sitting areas.

• Lay a carpet. Turn your porch space into an outdoor “room” by hav-ing an outdoor carpet made of materi-al that is resistant to water and mold. You’re not stuck with AstroTurf or

sisal rugs; today’s home decor stores offer outside carpets in decorative pat-terns and colors. Jones suggests car-pets made of 100 percent poly-acrylic yarns, 100 percent polypropylene or olefin, to name a few. Jones says that these carpets are easily hosed off for cleaning. The result is a space-defin-ing foundation that’s comfier to walk on than bare-wood floors.

• Provide pillows. Setting fluffy pillows and cushions on your chairs and sofas instantly adds comfort and coziness to the space. Shop your home decor store and catalogs for pretty pil-low designs in outdoor-friendly mate-rials that also resist mold growth. Choose a small, lumbar-support, outdoor pillow for rocking chairs as well. Pet owners might also set out a dog bed made of outdoor-material, so that Fido can hang out on the porch in comfort.

• Light it up. In outdoor living decor catalogs, you’ll find outdoor lamps that look very much like table-top indoor lamps, only they’re safe to

use outdoors and are often battery-powered. Place one on a table to glow alongside citronella candles in safe decanters placed around your space.

• Go green. Adding green and flowering plants to your porch sit-ting area is one of the easiest decor tasks possible. You can place large or groups of tall containers on the porch floor, lineup potted plants on a baker’s rack or outdoor shelving unit you’ve set in your space, or hang flowering planters from your porch roof. If your railing is wide and secure enough, you might install window boxes to fill with spring and summer flowers and green-ery to surround your new socializing or relaxation haven.

• Hang curtains. Install a curtain rod, or use powerful springform cur-tain rods, to hang colorful or neutral-shaded curtains. This will provide some privacy and add extra visual interest to your porch space. Jones reminds you to be sure that the cur-tain material, thread and hardware, are made for the outdoors.

Create the perfect oasis with upgrades to your porch

DECK: SealerContinued from Page 6

I find this method works best, as the deck sealer real-ly gets pushed into the wood grain.

Alternatively, you can use a long-handle paint pad or buy or rent a sprayer to initially apply the sealer. As with the roller, work in small sections at a time when applying the sealer with either of these two alternative tools.

Also, you’ll still need to work the sealer into the wood with a brush after ini-tially applying it.

To apply a sealer to the deck railings, a sprayer works the fastest — but you waste a lot of sealer. The most cost-effective way to weatherproof wood deck rail-ings is to apply the sealer with a brush.

Unfortunately, it is a slow process.

The water sealer will hold up best with this approach, however, and you’ll save money because you’ll need fewer cans of water sealer.

Mark J. Donovan’s website is http://www.HomeAdditionPlus.com.


Installations, Maintenance & Repairs

Spring Clean & Tune Specials www.akbestph.com • 455-6506

On-Call 24x7

16394194 4-6-12

18392720 4

-6-1

2 B

E

Professional & Reliable Customer Service. Let us help you from measurements, to selections, to installation.

FREE ESTIMATES • Call Justin Christian • 460-8075

Laminates • Wood • Carpet • Vinyl • Tile CUSTOM FLOOR CREATIONS IN...

16 Years of Custom Flooring Experience

I F YOU CAN IMAGINE IT , WE CAN CREATE IT ...

[email protected]

HOME INSPECTION QUALIFIED & EXPERIENCED

AK BL 287269/AK HI 72

Borjesson Consulting Engineers

Call today 451-4482 www.borjessonengineering.com

Inspection Services Testing Services

Existing Homes Radon New Construction Septics

Destructive Lead Forensic Asbestos

House Design Soils Mold

Design Consultations and New Home ICBO Inspections Available

13394265-4-6-12BH

I

Bryan F. Borjesson, P.E.

By JOSEPH PUBILLONESCreators.com

Whenever I tell people I am an interior designer, invariably they say, “I know what I like, but I am completely confused about how to pull it all togeth-er,” or, “Oh, one day when I can afford to hire a designer, I will call you.” Creating a room that feels designed isn’t rocket science. It’s actually quite sim-ple. I am going to share with you my “1-2-3” rule for the basic design of any room.

No. 1: Select a beautiful color for the walls. You know down deep inside knows what

colors you generally prefer. Take inspiration from any-where and everything. It can come from the color of a favor-ite shirt, your car or the color of the sky at a particular time. My suggestion: Whatever that color is, select a pale, light version of it. For example, if the color you love is orange, consider using a soft peach or light apricot color for the walls. This will introduce the color palette of your preference into the room without overwhelm-ing it. Of course, any woodwork or millwork in the room can be painted in another color. My favorite color for millwork is a

soft white that is not too stark or bright. As with most things in life, the novelty of painting a room in a color that is too vibrant will wear away, and you’ll be left with the desire to repaint the room.

No. 2: Stick to two main upholstery fabrics. The colors and prints should be comple-mentary. One fabric can be a solid, whereas the other fabric might take on a print, such as a floral, plaid, animal spots or stripes. If you like a sim-pler and more tailored room, use the solid on the principal upholstery items, such as the sofa or a pair of club chairs.

The other printed fabric can be used on smaller chairs or benches. If you prefer a bolder look, do the opposite; use the printed fabric on the larger main upholstered items, and keep the occasional pieces solid.

No. 3: Bring in up to three other colors/prints/motifs to the room. This is your oppor-tunity to personalize and jazz up the style of a room. Select other colors — e.g., a stronger version of the wall color — that will enhance and under-line that original color you loved. These additional colors can be introduced in pillows, rugs and accessories. You also

can spike interest in a room by selecting a motif that you repeat over and over in differ-ent ways, colors and sizes.

Following this simple “1-2-3” rule should take the mystery out of designing a room. Creating a success-ful room doesn’t necessarily mean that every item in the room has to match. As a mat-ter of fact, there is something to be learned from slightly mismatched or quirky pair-ings. This is what gives a room personality. Be confident, and select what you really love. Your room will shine with your personality and style.

Design rules 1, 2, 3: Pick the right colors, fabrics


A L A

S K A R A W F U R C O

. A L A

S K A R A W F U R C O

.

Since 1979

11393920-4-6-12BE

Welcome to Sunnyside Gardens! Beautiful healthy bedding plants, flowers, Beautiful healthy bedding plants, flowers,

vegetables, hanging baskets, planted vegetables, hanging baskets, planted containers, seed potatoes & peony root stock containers, seed potatoes & peony root stock

907-479-2462 4106 Boat Street, Fbks, AK 99709

(next to Compeau's) [email protected]

LOCATED AT: ALASKA RAW FUR CO.

Opening date April 14

Visit a truly authenic Alaska store! furs, fabrics, hats, mittens, parka ruffs, beads, sewing supplies & much more.

Sign up for weekly drawings

13394213-4-6-12BE

By DEAN FOSDICKFor The Associated Press

A creative sideline for gar-deners is plant propagation,

or enhancing the landscape through reproduction.

It’s also a cheap way to fill flowerbeds and herbal containers while prices con-

tinue to climb.Methods of propagation

range from seed sowing to grafting, and all require varying degrees of skill.

“For propagation, you don’t need an education but you may need some guidance,” said Ken Druse, author of the new “Making More Plants: The Science, Art and Joy of Propagation” (Stewart, Tabori and Chang). “Most often, though, it’s all about starting plants from seeds.”

Seeds are an economical way to grow in bulk, even if you must buy them in com-mercially prepared packets. “Getting your seeds from a proven source is a good way to ensure high production,” Druse said.

Here is a propagation glossary, describing the most commonly used methods:

• Sowing seeds: Druse starts his seeds in 3 1/2-inch pots, topping the soil with fine sand.

“Moist soil is a great medium for seeds but also for fungus, which can kill a great many sprouts in just a couple of weeks,” he said. “Gravel is not a hospitable medium for fungus.”

• Stem, leaf or root cuttings: Pieces of the

parent plant are cut and placed in water or a suitable growing medium until roots develop. They become clones, or junior versions of the originals and soon are ready for transplanting.

• Layering: A practice usually done with woody plants where living stems are placed on the ground with their tips forced down-ward. They receive nourish-ment from the parent plants while roots form on the planted ends, enabling them to eventually be separated and grow unaided.

• Grafting: Branches are removed from one woody plant and secured to another until they “take” or begin to grow. That unites certain desirable characteristics from one plant — say har-diness, dwarfing or faster fruiting — with those of its host. Apple trees commonly are grafted, as are Japanese maples.

• Dividing: Perennials should be divided once they outgrow their sites. That improves their health, bulks up foliage and produces more flowers.

“Depending upon the spe-cies, these divisions may grow to be as large as the original plant by season’s

end: more plants for free,” Druse said.

“Sowing seeds, cuttings and division are the most prevalent forms of propaga-tion done by home garden-ers,” said Rosie Lerner, an extension consumer horticul-turist with Purdue Univer-sity. “It’s a little work but well worth the effort. It’s a matter of knowing which parts of the plants to split off and divide. Many have a high degree of success.”

And then there are plant swaps, which add a social component to garden build-ing. Be careful of those pass-along plants from neighbors and friends, though — the kind they’re willing to trade because they have so many. Some could be infested with mites, while others may be invasive.

“Some plants are thugs,” Druse said. “Anything so easy to propagate may not be that great to have around your yard.”

Online: For more about expand-ing your plant collection through propagation, see this University of Minnesota Sustainable Urban Landscape fact sheet: http://www.sustland.umn.edu/maint/propaga-tion.html

You can contact Dean Fosdick at [email protected]

Propagation a cheap way to build plant collection


FREE FREE FREE HEATING SYSTEM

ASSESSMENT and recommendation for system upgrade

or replacement thru 5/31/12 Altrol

✃

F R E E H e a t i n g S y s t e m A s s e s s m e n t

With Fuel Costs Rising can you With Fuel Costs Rising can you go another winter with that go another winter with that

old heating system? old heating system?

• High efficiency • High efficiency Furnaces & Boilers. Furnaces & Boilers.

• FREE System Assessment • FREE System Assessment & heat-loss calculation. & heat-loss calculation.

• And FREE quote! PLUS • And FREE quote! PLUS a 5% spring discount. a 5% spring discount.

• A new high- efficiency heating • A new high- efficiency heating system will pay for itself in fuel system will pay for itself in fuel savings over a few years! savings over a few years!

• More people trust Altrol • More people trust Altrol Heating & Cooling for their Heating & Cooling for their heating needs. heating needs.

Offer ends May 31, 2012, call 452-8680 today! Offer ends May 31, 2012, call 452-8680 today!

Call today for a Spring Discount.

24392819 4-6-12 BE

BUILDING THIS SUMMER?

CAUTION PROTECT YOUR INVESTMENT–

GET A ZONING PERMIT

Weʼve noticed an increase in the number of people who have difficulty selling their properties. These properties may have public health and safety problems and do not meet local zoning standards. Financial institutions are reluctant to loan to potential buyers of these properties.

By obtaining a Borough zoning permit before construction, you can help ensure your development is marketable in the future. The Borough Planning Department issues zoning permits for projects both inside and outside city limits.

ITʼS FREE! There is no charge for a zoning permit. Usually we can have your zoning permit completed and back to you within 24 hours.

WHERE? The Planning Department is located on the second floor of the Borough Administrative Building, 809 Pioneer Road. If you have any questions, please call us at 459-1260.

http://co.fairbanks.ak.us/communityplanning

17394416 4-6-12 BE


A privacy fence is often one of the key components in creating an outdoor living space.

Privacy fences are ideal for patios and decks that enable homeowners to decompress from the hustle and bustle of a hard day’s work and to escape from the everyday noises inside the home, e.g., dishwashers, tele-visions, etc.

There are a number of off-the-shelf privacy fence design options to choose from, including wooden and vinyl fences. In addition, evergreen shrubs can serve as privacy fencing; however, they may need a few years of growth to be effective if you buy them too small.

A privacy fence also can be useful in smaller back-yards or building lots where there is a lack of shrubbery and natural viewing obstruc-tions along the property lines.

Moreover, privacy fences can serve dual purposes. For example, they can act as a screen to prevent others from viewing your yard, and they also can function for keeping things in your yard, e.g., children and pets.

The height for an off-the-shelf vinyl or wooden privacy fence is typically about 6 feet. However, you can some-times customize them a bit to extend them higher. In addition, you can come up with your own custom design to achieve your own particu-lar style and height

Often, homeowners who come up with their own design use a combination of solid material along the lower two-thirds of the fence and lattice on the upper

third. In other cases, the entire

fence may be constructed out of lattice sandwiched in between fence posts.

When building a wooden privacy fence, it is important to use material that will not rot or decay over time, such as treated lumber or wood types that are naturally rot-resistant. In addition, regardless of the wood type, the wood should be sealed in some way to prevent mois-ture penetration. If you elect to paint the fence, make sure to paint all sides of the lumber, including freshly cut ends.

Moreover, make sure to use noncorrosive fasteners to build it, such as hot-tipped galvanized and stainless steel nails or screws. Using other types of fasteners

could very likely result in ugly stain marks showing up on the fence as the fasteners slowly corrode. Even worse, the fence eventually could collapse.

Another major concern when building a privacy fence is wind.

A large vertically standing solid surface is easily suscep-tible to wind damage. Conse-quently, make sure to install the posts at least a couple of feet down into the ground, and preferably set them in concrete. In addition, by using lattice or coming up with a privacy fence design that includes adjacent/stag-gered vertical lumber pieces that are at angles to each other, wind can flow more easily through the privacy fence and reduce the risk of it being blown over or dam-

aged.The use of evergreen

shrubs is also a great way to create a privacy fence, par-ticularly if you are building a fence around a patio or deck. Though evergreen shrubs can be expensive, using them in a small area limits the damage to the wallet.

Whatever your plans and privacy fence design ideas are, you should first check with your local building code enforcement officer to see whether there are any restrictions on installing a fence, even a small privacy fence. Towns and cities fre-

quently have strict rules on their construction, such as their height and set-back requirements.

You may also want to check for any local covenants or restrictions that may exist if you live in a housing development.

Another advantage of using evergreen shrubs as a privacy fence is that they are typically exempt from local ordinances and covenants for fence construction.

Mark J. Donovan’s website is http: / /www.HomeAddit ionPlus.com.

Extend your home’s living space with a privacy fence

565 University Ave., Ste. 1452-7211

LIVE UNITED.™

Give. Advocate. Volunteer.


BEWARE BEWARE BEWARE There are numerous areas throughout the Borough identified as flood hazard areas. People building in these areas without proper guidance are risking their investment. Every year many people in our community spend hundreds or thousands of extra dollars for required flood insurance. These extra expenses can be avoided.

CHECK THE FLOOD POTENTIAL It may seem that your property is unlikely to flood. But just because it hasnʼt flooded the last 10 years doesnʼt mean it wonʼt flood next year. Before building, check to see if your property is in a flood hazard area. The Borough Planning Department has a copy of the Federal Insurance Rate Maps that identify the areas susceptible to flooding. Knowing the flood potential of your property could save you thousands of dollars in the future.

ITʼS FREE! It costs you nothing to check the flood potential. If your lot is in a flood hazard area you are required to obtain a floodplain permit. Damages will be minimized if a flood occurs, and any required flood insurance payments will be minimized. There is no Borough charge for the floodplain permit.

WHERE? The Planning Department is located on the second floor of the Borough Administrative Building, 809 Pioneer Road. If you have any questions, please call us at 459-1260.


17394415 4-6-12 BE

http://co.fairbanks.ak.us/communityplanning/floodplain

Basic Kitchens All the Way to Custom Dynasty/Omega Diamond Cabinets

Homecrest Belmont

Kitchen Countertops In Stock: Wilson Art and Formica

Standard Preform and High Definition

Solid Surface Countertops Corian–Hi-Macs–Staron

And Introducing Engineered Stone: Silestone-Ceasar Stone

Granite: 12 styles to choose from

Showroom Hours 12-5 p.m. Monday-Friday Anytime by Appointment

479-2202 Located with Great Alaskan Bowl Company

on Old Airport Road

11393922-4-6-12BE

By CHELLE CORDEROCreators.com

The room you spend your time in — the one you relax in, entertain in or run your business from — should be a reflection of you, the owner.

Filling your space with custom-made pieces will help make the room more per-sonal and unique.

You can spend hours searching through store inventory and still not find that special piece that speaks to you or fits your space properly, and if you’re shop-ping for stock furniture, you’ll always get something that’s mass-produced.

But many stores carry furniture that can be bought

ready-made and die-cut in prescribed sizes and designs. Custom-made furniture is unique and crafted to your specifications, however exacting.

Sometimes the need or desire for custom pieces is practical; maybe the area needs a specific size or a match is needed for another existing piece.

Awkward spaces require customized pieces to fit com-fortably. Personalization can also be a compilation of hob-bies, special interests or indi-vidual necessities. Current design and fashion trends often factor into what you’ll find available in the stores.

“As far as furniture goes,” says Michael Salguero, CEO

and co-founder of Custom-Made.com, “the bedroom (beds, dressers, lighting, bedside tables) seems to be a place where people want high levels of customiza-tion.” Those levels of person-alization can differ. “There are items that are more on the personalization side, other items are what we call blank-page customization. This is where the customer and artisan work together to co-create something out of the client’s needs/wants/tastes.”

The most common materi-als used in North American furniture are metal and wood; some mass manufac-turers may specialize in one specific type of material. Other materials such as plastic covers, metal hinges and glass panels may be used

as accents. Custom design-ers will also find ways to use specialty woods; merge woods and textures; use carvings; and combine wood and metal sculptures. If you can dream it, a designer can make it happen.

Salguero also explains that custom pieces are “more affordable than you would think.

Custom is certainly on par with mid- to high-end retail stores, such as Restoration Hardware and others.

Plus, you can get some-thing locally made and hand-crafted to your exact specifi-cations.

When a consumer trans-acts through CustomMade, they are able to correspond with the artisan right on the site, compare different bids for their project and accept a

bid with the knowledge that CustomMade has their back in the event that they have a problem.”

Kitchen cabinetry is another area where custom pieces often come in handy. Stock cabinets, doors and shelves will fit stand sizes. Custom-manufactured cabi-nets are made to the buyer’s specific needs and dimen-sions.

This may be a perfect solution to fit a corner or to accommodate different sized appliances than the original. Custom cabinets also offer more options in terms of shelving, accessibility and storage spaces.

Unless you’re purchasing a stock piece from a floor display, the time between ordering and delivery is often no different, even if you order a custom piece. Since retailers often order from the manufacturer, it may take weeks until the customer has the furniture in place in his home.

According to Salguero, ordering custom furniture typically takes about four to eight weeks until delivery. No matter what you decide to order, make sure that the entry path for delivery will accommodate the furniture to avoid damage to your walls or the furniture; it’s suggested that you measure staircase widths, corners and doorways.

When you’re thinking of choosing custom furniture, start by scouring stores, magazines or the Internet for ideas and designs.

Visit a custom manufac-turer and ask to see some of their previous designs for inspiration, if need be. Once you have a concept in mind, choose two or three local and reputable artisans; describe your ideas and see what they can suggest.

If someone’s design doesn’t sing for you, then she’s not the designer for you.

Ask designers whether they have a 3-D visualization program for major projects to help you decide whether the finished project is really what you want.

Custom-made furniture may be the way to go


Wood Stoves, Pellet & Barley Stoves, Furnaces, Boilers, Fireplaces and Inserts TRUE Chimney Lifetime Warranty Licensed, Bonded, Insured. Over 20 Years Experience.

907-457-2644 www.coldcountrystoves.com

1001 College Road • The Big Blue Building 5% Military & Senior Citizen Discounts

Lennox T-Top S210

12393511-4-6-12BE

making it affordable to you, the consumer. In these hard times we believe that heat should be affordable to anyone, no matter your budget, which is why we offer a variety of stoves, inserts, and fireplaces that are friendly to the pocket book as well as friendly to the environment. Last year our local pellet mill had its grand opening and brought more jobs to the area and stimulated our local economy. We want to keep our economy stable which is why we are working hand in hand with Superior Pellet Fuels by warehousing their pellets and welcoming local industry back into our neighborhood. Our primary in- house heating system will consist of a Biomass Furnace which consumes only renewable energy products (wood pellets, barley, corn, etc…). We are happy to help consumers escape the clutches of the petroleum

industry which is why we offer primary heat sources such as biomass furnaces and boilers. We also offer an expansive selection of supplementary heating appliances such as pellet stoves, multi fuel stoves, woodstoves, inserts, and efficient fireplaces.

Our services also include free estimates and a discount for military (active or retired), senior citizens, police, and firefighters. Just because we are “new” to town does not mean we are new to this business. Our sales staff has over 20 years combined experience with heating appliances and our owner has been dealing with chimney maintenance and service for over 20 years. We are more than happy to help anyone even if we don’t carry your particular product because we are here to bring great customer service back to the residents of

Fairbanks and the surrounding areas.

We are proudly introducing heating products by Empire Masonry Heaters that are manufactured in the USA and installed by our local craftsmen. These units can be accompanied with a hot water coil, baker’s oven that can reach 800 degrees, and coming soon a 5 kw generator so you can heat and power your home with one unit. We also offer a wide variety of ceramic ovens and we are more than happy to make any custom vision come true.

For outdoor occasions we offer charcoal, pellet, and gas fired grills as well as a full line of hand crafted patio furniture. Come talk to our resident grill master and he can help you get grilling or barbequing like a pro in no time.

The old NAPA building, the Big Blue Building, that new place on College Rd…..we are referred to by our location often and once you find us and visit our showroom you will know comfort and excellent customer service. Firesafe Chimney Service has expanded from a service company to include an expansive retail store with a primary goal to heat homes in Alaska with quality products while

Forever Warranty, not pro-rated or limited lifetime , UL Listed and Tested , Winner of the 2011 Vesta Award for best Chimney and Venting products

Chimney Pipe BBQ Grills Patio Furniture Installation Available

St. Croix Prescott Pellet Stove

Lennox 260 Woodstove

1 FREE TON OF PELLETS

with purchase of a stove, chimney and installation.

• EPA Approved

• Very Efficient

• Lifetime warranty

• Wide Selection to Fit Your Needs

• Best Technology on the Market

Warming Homes in Alaska One Home at a Time FREE at home Estimates

Must present coupon at time of purchase.

SPECIAL OFFER!



17395311 4-6-12 BE

Fairbanks’ leading

company in home

remodeling

REMODELERS

4 5 1-0632

Call us today! Mike Ness, owner

Licensed • Bonded • Insured

Door & Window • Replacement

We specialize in Residential Remodeling

Bathrooms & Kitchens •

Custom additions • Design Suggestions •

Modest Upgrades •

456-6040 www.sourdoughtransfer.com

[email protected]

13394234-4-6-12BE

Call Karen Conover

Certified Moving Consultant

13394215-4-6-12BE

By SHARON NAYLORCreators.com

It makes sense that clean-ing the air ducts in your home is a smart way to eliminate air pollution and reduce aller-gens, molds and toxins, but the Environmental Protection Agency wants you to explore the ins and outs of air duct cleaning before you call about a coupon you received in the mail for a first-time cleaning or even you schedule your annual cleaning appointment.

What’s involved in air duct cleaning?

A professional air duct cleaning company — ideally one that uses certified environ-mentally safe mechanisms and cleaning agents — will assess the condition of your ducts using visual and inserted video camera technology.

It will show you real-time video results of dust, mold, mildew and other buildups or blockages inside your ducts as your “before” picture.

It then uses specialized cleaning equipment to dislodge all debris and coatings, and long tubes and vacuum mecha-nisms remove the particles and debris into a collection tank located outside, in or by the company’s truck. After the ini-tial cleaning, the company may offer to spray an anti-germ solution inside your ducts.

The dangersThe EPA reports several

dangers associated with air duct cleaning.

The first and most hazard-ous is a company’s offer to spray the inside of your ducts with a chemical biocide to kill bacteria and fungi and to pre-vent future biological growth.

It also may offer to spray on a sealant to prevent dust, dirt and other particles from being released into your living areas.

However, the EPA says that use of chemical biocides and sealants has not been proved effective in duct purification, and research has not yet been fully conducted to prove the

absence of adverse health effects.

At present, no chemical biocides are registered with the EPA for use on internal air ducts.

Many companies adver-tise all-natural cleaning and decontaminating processes and materials, and you certainly should research and investi-gate the cleaning solutions that any company says that it uses.

You can find the solu-tions’ names on a company’s website, and you can call the company to ask for its clean-ing solutions’ brand names in order to conduct your own smart research.

Safe ingredients can be found at the EPA’s website, www.epa.gov, or at www.naima.org.

Another danger potentially caused by air duct cleaning is damage done to the ducts, con-nections and the air condition-er or heating units themselves through overly vigorous clean-ing actions, ill-fitting cleaning

tools and the age of the duct system itself.

No matter how experienced or careful a professional air duct cleaner is, a fragile sys-tem can give way, leading to expensive repair costs.

When is air duct cleaning recommended?

In certain situations, air duct cleaning is advised by the EPA.

According to its site, you should consider professional air duct cleaning services if you see any of the following dangers:

• Visible mold inside your air ducts or on other compo-nents of your cooling and heat-ing systems.

• Evidence of rodents or insects inside your air ducts.

• Mostly or completely clogged air ducts, filled with excessive amounts of dust and debris.

• Dust and debris released into your home through the supply registers.

These air pollution dan-gers certainly do need to be remedied with a professional cleaning, perhaps without the follow-up chemical sprays, and the larger issue is discovering and remedying the cause of molds and mildews.

Any broken ducts where water gets in need to be replaced to eliminate the cause of molds or mildews that can make you and your family sick.

The EPA says that it is normal for return registers to get dusty, because it is pull-ing dust-laden air through the grates on a regular basis.

Dusty registers are not always an indicator that your entire air duct system needs cleaning.

Simply vacuum — or remove and clean — your return registers at this time of year to improve your indoor air quality, cut down on aller-gens and provide a better appearance on these visible facets of your rooms.

If your family members are experiencing any unusual allergic symptoms or illnesses, contact your doctor for a full checkup before self-diagnos-ing and then launching an expensive professional air duct cleaning.

Air duct cleaning: Schedule it or skip it?


12393506-4-6-12BE



13394257-4-6-12BH

I

Phillips Field Rd

Well St

Minnie St

Good

St

Driv

eway

St

Located in the Railroad Industrial area, off East Phillips Field Rd.

25% through the roof

10% through the windows

15% in drafts

35% through

the walls

15% into the ground

ARCTIC TECHNICAL SERVICES ENERGY EFFICIENT COMFORT

452-8368 1318 Well Street [email protected]

Energy Ratings Radon Testing Thermal Imaging Building Consulting Training & Education Toyo Repair Energy Kinetics

High-Efficiency Boilers Solar Hot Water Heaters

Toyotomi Products Nordic Oil Drip & Much More!

Where Where Where

going? going? going?

is is is your your your

Arctic Technical Services Offers Quality Products & Services:


KNOW THE LAW Local developers, engineers, surveyors, and contractors

should be aware of the storm water plan review and permitting requirements in the urbanized area of Fairbanks.

LIMIT YOUR RISK! LIMIT YOUR LIABILITY!

If your total disturbed area equals or exceeds 10,000 SF in the City of Fairbanks or 1.0 acre in the City of North Pole or the Fairbanks North Star Borough, you should contact

the City or Borough to ensure you are complying with local requirements!!

IT’S THE LAW Obtain all necessary approvals before you dig!

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Jackson Fox

City of Fairbanks/North Pole 459-6758

OR Jennifer Schmetzer

FNSB 459-1327

OR http://co.fairbanks.ak.us/pworks/ stormwatermanagementprogram/

17394414 4-6-12 BE

By PAT LOGANCreators.com

Dear Pat: I have an old wooden front door with sidelights.

The door is in bad shape and leaky, but the sidelights are fine.

Is it possible to replace just the door and not the sidelights to save money?

— Pamela A.Dear Pamela: Front doors

with decorative sidelights are very popular today.

As you have found, the sidelights, which are fixed in the door opening, experience much less wear and tear than the door itself.

Even though the door looks bad now, inspect it carefully.

It may just need some new weatherstripping seals, a coat of paint and some new hinges. The manufacturer of the door should be able to supply you with replacement

seals and hinges. If not, most use standard

sizes that you can find at home center stores. This would be your least expen-sive option.

Unless you possess bet-ter-than-average carpentry skills, it will be difficult to separate the door from the sidelights.

They usually are sold as a single unit and installed as a unit in the door opening.

You may have trouble making adequate space and supporting a new doorframe between the existing side-lights.

The decorative glass is often the most expensive part of front doors and side-lights.

You might consider installing double doors instead of a single door with sidelights.

These can look very styl-ish, and with smaller win-dows in each door, you still

will get plenty natural light-ing and perhaps have more privacy.

Although it looks as though your door is a perfect fit in the wall opening, there always is a gap all around the door/sidelight frame.

The doorframe is shimmed in this gap and attached to the wall framing in several spots, not continuously.

When there are no side-lights, each hinge has an extra-long screw that reach-es the wall framing. The door molding covers this gap.

There are several purpos-es for having a gap.

It allows you, using the shims, to center and level the door if the house has settled or the wall opening is not true.

It also ensures that the weight of the house is rest-ing on the wall framing and not the doorframe.

The door itself will shrink and grow with changes in the temperature and humid-ity level, so it needs a little room to move.

Luckily, single, double and sidelighted doors usually are made in standard sizes.

Unless your house is very old, you should be able to find a replacement door/sidelight unit that will fit

perfectly in the existing wall opening.

When you order a new

door, specify the wall open-ing dimensions, not the door-frame dimensions.

Remove the door trim to get access to the gap around the door.

If you remove the trim carefully, you may be able to reuse it on the new door. You will be able to find the loca-tions of the nails or screws by looking for the shims.

Try to remove the nails or screws from the doorframe as they were driven in.

If this is a problem, use a reciprocating saw to cut through them.

When you install your new door/sidelight unit, you might want to space it up slightly on a strip made of pressure-treated lumber. This would provide a little more clearance for when the door swings open over car-peting or a throw rug.

Pat Logan’s weekly column, “Here’s How,” can be found at creators.com.

Instructions for replacing a front door with sidelights


By VICKY KATZ WHITAKERCreators.com

When it comes to spring/summer home maintenance, a little bit of time and elbow grease can translate into big savings and avoid costly repairs down the line.

Everything from changing light bulbs to programming thermostats can be easily done by homeowners, experts say.

Replace a simple part on an appliance, such as a burned-out stove element. Install fresh batteries in smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Check ground fault circuit interrupters.

A professional may be needed to tackle some repairs, but in most cases, armed with a checklist and a pair of bin-oculars (to avoid climbing on the roof), you can save time and money by doing the ini-tial inspection yourself.

With a clipboard in hand, you’ll want to eye the exterior of your home, basement or crawlspace for:

• Sidewalk, driveway, chim-ney and foundation cracks, mold or mildew;

• Malfunctioning sump pumps;

• Clogged vent caps;• Loose or cracked deck

boards or patio blocks;• Debris-filled gutters and

downspouts;• Loose shingles and siding;• Gaps in window caulking,

dirty windows and broken win-dowpanes.

Vacuuming or spray cleaners can remove a winter’s worth of dirt and dust accumulating inside your home on registers, return ducts, lampshades, lighting fixtures, windowsills and windowpanes. Also, thor-oughly cleanse range hoods and kitchen vents of grease and dirt.

Extend some small changes to in a decorative capacity as well.

Think about draping furni-ture with lightweight slipcov-ers; taking down heavy winter drapes and replacing them with sheer fabric window treat-ments; or even applying a fresh coat of paint that captures the feel of a seaside vacation. Such changes can bring that spring-

summer mood indoors, says designer Sally Morse, director of Creative Services for Hunter Douglas.

One of the easiest small changes involves switching incandescent light bulbs to energy-efficient compact fluo-rescents. It’s something more and more homeowners are doing, according to a recent Harris Interactive Survey commissioned by Emerson, a

global technology company. Ironically, one of the simplest small steps homeowners over-look is programming their home’s existing thermostat to reflect seasonal changes, says Karl Zellmer, vice president of Emerson Climate Technolo-gies’ air conditioning division.

“While more than 25 million homeowners have programmable thermostats in their homes, less than 50

percent are actually program-ming them,” says Zellmer. “If you already have a program-mable thermostat installed, the only investment needed is about 15 minutes for the ini-tial programming and setup. If you don’t have a program-mable thermostat, they are relatively inexpensive and quick to install. At a mini-mum, with your existing ther-mostat, change your set point

a few degrees and enjoy the reduced energy consumption.”

Air filters should be changed monthly, says Zellmer, “but that also depends on many factors, including what type of unit you have and whether people in your home have seasonal allergies, etc. Small things like re-caulking windows and adding insulation, curtains and awnings also can help.”

Simple fixes to keep your home running at full capacity


LOCALLY NEW PRODUCT LINES!

New Location 1499 Van Horn Road

See Us At The Home Show 122 Financial Road

907-452-4524 FAX 907-452-4577 “Fasteners & Much More”

24394805 4-6-12 BH

I

By VICKY KATZ WHITAKERCreators.com

Turning your patio into luxury outdoor living space is easier than you think. With

some serious planning, new and affordable all-season mate-rials, equipment, furnishings and accessories, you can con-vert that tired concrete slab into an attractive getaway, just

steps out the back door.It’s not a job for amateurs,

experts say, if you want to do more than spruce up what you have with some flowerpots or a new chaise lounge. A real makeover such as adding an outdoor kitchen, new stone flooring, an outdoor fireplace and/or other upscale ameni-ties requires forethought and detailed plans, industry sources say.

In addition to underground utilities, rethinking seating needs and/or redoing landscap-ing, homeowners wanting to upgrade outdoor living space need to consider future expan-sion or existing structures

such as a pool. “Nothing is worse than finding out a few years after you spend thou-sands of dollars on your patio that you didn’t leave enough room to expand for addi-tional seating, or that part of the patio has to be removed to install a pool or hot tub because of site constraints. Plan for future site amenities even if you don’t plan to build them for some time,” advises architect Christopher Colby, principal and founder of Spire Architecture and Design.

“Typically, the construc-tion of these projects is not for the weekend warrior. Items such as gas piping for grills

or fire pits require the exper-tise of a plumber. Lighting and electrical outlets would require the expertise of an electrician. Depending on the code requirements of the town where you live, inspections for such items may be required by a licensed contractor as well,” he points out. Some local municipalities also may require site plans and/or draw-ings.

“While there is a lot of information and do-it-yourself TV shows out there to assist the average homeowner with designing outdoor space, there are also a lot of pitfalls if you choose to do it all on your own,” warns Ramsey Prince, founder of Ramsey Jay Prince Designs and The Merchandise Mart, as well as a manager for the outdoor furniture manu-facturer Ebel. “Contact an interior designer or landscape architect, because it is too easy and too costly to make huge mistakes simply because you didn’t know better. In the end, you’ll be happy you consulted a team of skilled profession-als.”

A cosmetic upgrade can be easy as a few hundred dollars, says Prince, “but be prepared if you’re doing any sort of contracting work such as gas lines, electrical, hauling or excavation. These projects will price out just like a home remodeling project.”

“Manufactured patio pav-ers for example can cost as little as a few dollars a square foot at big box supply stores to $15 to $20 a square foot for higher-end brick/stone pavers,” notes Colby. “Typically, the most expen-sive items will be related to specialty items that require infrastructure such as gas piping and electricity. Usually associated with these instal-lations are the higher priced items such as custom stain-less steel grills and other cooking equipment, fire pits and torches. Basic outdoor kitchen patios with manu-factured pavers or stamped concrete, such as a stainless grill set in a masonry counter system can start at $7,500 to $10,000 depending on styles and finishes. After that, the sky is the limit!”

Patio upgrades: Real remodels require experts

19Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, Friday, April 6, 2012 13394237-4-6-12B

E

Alaska Fun Center 1817 College Road • Fairbanks, AK • 907-452-3455

www.alaskafuncenter.com

50394831 4-6-12 BE

EF2000i GENERATORS Ready when you are!

Alaska Fun Center 1817 College Road • Fairbanks, AK • 907-452-3455

KAWASAKI CARES: Always wear protective gear appropriate for the use of this vehicle. Never operate under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Protect the environment. The Kawasaki MULE™ utility vehicle is an off-highway vehicle only, and is not designed, equipped, or manufactured for use on public streets; roads or highways. Obey the laws and regulations that control the use of your vehicle. Specifications subject to change without notice. Availability may be limited. ©2010 Kawasaki Motor Corp., U.S.A. M6106X5BW

Working or Working or Playing… Playing… Let the good times roll! Let the good times roll!


One of the saddest things I’ve see done to a home is the construction of a large and unsightly addition.

Many homeowners focus on the inside of the home addition during the design phase and pay little attention to the exte-rior design. As a result, they often end up with an addition that looks like a large tumor hanging off the side of the main home. In some cases, the tumor is larger than the house itself.

Though the finished home with its attached addition gives more living space, it often provides a negative return on investment and can make the home more difficult to sell.

Buyers care a great deal about the home’s exterior, and consequently, they want to purchase a home that offers style and symmetry. Curb appeal is half the battle for attracting homebuyers. An addition that fails to meld into the existing home can detract

from a home’s overall curb appeal.

If the home has any sig-nificant historical value in the community or there are covenants associated with the property, the municipality or home association could also have issues with the addition’s exterior design. Therefore, it is important to make sure the town and any home associa-tion that the property is asso-ciated with are in agreement with your building plans prior to starting construction. Oth-erwise, you could find yourself with a cease and desist letter and/or in a courtroom.

Home addition exterior design considerations

Make sure the addition size is of the proper propor-tion with the rest of the home. For example, don’t build one that is actually larger than the main home.

A good rule of thumb is that the addition’s exterior length should not be more than 30 to

40 percent of the main home’s length.

Also consider recessing the addition from the front of the main home.

This way, the main home still represents the main visual from the curb and the addition looks like an accent piece to it. Alternatively, you may want to consider installing the addition toward the back of the home so that the front of the home is not changed in appearance.

Ensure that the addition’s exterior siding and colors dovetail nicely with the exist-ing home, so the addition looks as if it was always part of the original home.

In some cases, you may want to use an exact match of house siding and color, and in other cases, you may want to select a house siding or color that contrasts nicely with the rest of the home.

Finally, use similar rooflines that have the same roof pitch-es, soffit depths and roof eave overhangs. Also, use shingles that match the existing roof. In some cases, it may make sense to re-shingle the main

part of the home when shin-gling the addition.

Moreover, carefully consider roof dormers. Not all dormers complement a roof. Think symmetry when planning your

addition’s exterior and roofli-nes. The addition’s roof should go with the home’s main roof.

Mark J. Donovan’s website is http://www.HomeAdditionPlus.com.

When adding to your home, design is a priority


TRUCK LOAD CABINET SALE

SBS RETAIL PRICING

15%off

FAIRBANKS

PRICES EFFECTIVE THROUGH APRIL 18 2012

Tall Tub Built-in Dishwasher

$479

30” Free Standing Electric Range

$749

Spacemaker® 1.5 cu. ft. Over-the-Range Microwave Oven

$239

25.3 Cu. Ft. Side-By-Side Refrigerator with Dispenser

$1099

Locksets

Passage Bell $14.99Orbit $19.99Georgian $17.99

Privacy Bell $17.99Orbit $17.99Georgian $17.99

Keyed Entry

Bell $34.99Orbit $44.99Georgian $29.99

Deadbolt Lockset

Antique Brass $39.99Bright Brass $32.99

Colonial

Provincial StanfordAvalon CraftsmanContinental

Interior Moulded Doors

building, homes & garden

Documents