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Proper fireplacecare to protecthearth and homeThe family-room fireplace is a natural

gathering place during the wintermonths. The soft, flickering light of theflames has a soothing quality thatcontrasts with the heat generated by thered-hot embers. You're drawn closer, yetyou still need to keep your distance.

While a chimney may have no movingparts other than the flue, it does requireattention. Years of fires can leavedeposits in the chimney that need to beswept out and moisture can build up,damaging brick and mortar. Experts fromthe Chimney Safety Institute of Americarecommend annual inspections for allhome chimneys.

And the best time for an inspection issoon after the burning season ends,allowing time for a chimney sweep to becalled or to make any needed repairs.Waiting until the weather turns cold is liketrying to get your air conditioner fixed justas the first heat wave arrives. Good luck.

When the time comes to have yourchimney inspected, it's important tochoose the professional wisely, becauseproper care and attention to service canhelp protect people from dangerous firesand carbon monoxide poisonings.

"Hiring the right professional toinspect and maintain the system is one ofthe most important steps that ahomeowner can take to ensure safety andefficiency," said Ashley Eldridge, directorof education for the Chimney SafetyInstitute.

Eldridge offered homeowners threetips to help find a qualified chimneyprofessional:

• Verify advertised credentials.Reputable national credentials must berenewed on a regular basis to remainvalid. Check with the organizationgranting the credentials to be sure thatthe individual you hire holds thecredential he or she advertises.

• Ask for and check references.Conscientious companies will havereferences available from previous clientsand are eager to share reports from localconsumer advocacy organizations such asthe Better Business Bureau or Angie's List.

• Learn the language of chimneys tolevel the playing field. The interactivefireplace glossary at www.csia.org

Time for a clean sweep

Safety experts advise homeowners to have their chimneys inspected each year to keep the structure clean of dangerousresidue and make any necessary repairs.

outlines the 13 most important termsyou need to know to communicate withany professional chimney sweep. The sitealso offers short presentations onchimney sweeping and inspectionprocesses.

Choosing the right firewood will helpavoid having to hire a chimney sweep.Choose well-seasoned wood that hasbeen split for a minimum of six monthsand stored in a covered and elevatedlocation. Do not burn treated wood, andcertainly don't cram the Christmas treeinto the fireplace.

One alternative to burning wood in a

fireplace is Java-Log, made from spentcoffee grounds and vegetable wax.Simply place the log, still in its paperwrapper, in the fireplace and light thewrapper — it will burn for two to threehours. Since coffee has three times moreenergy than wood, the flame is brighterand it gives off a sweet, natural, woodysmell. Java-Log releases 83 percent lessparticulate matter than firewood and 87percent less creosote and carbonmonoxide, easing stress on both yourchimney and the Earth's atmosphere.

Sooty deposits aren't the onlychimney challenge — rainwater can get

into an uncapped chimney and becomeacidic when it comes into contact withexhaust gasses, eroding the brick andmortar. Water can also seep into cracksand expand during freezing weather,causing the chimney to crumble andchunks to break loose. And animals canfind their way into an uncapped chimney.Fortunately there's an easy and cheapsolution: Install a chimney cap.

"They don't cost much, something like50 bucks," Eldridge said. "And a chimneywithout a cap is like a house without aroof." ❏

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The secret tochoosing the rightscheme of huesWith cooler weather bringing people

indoors and the holidays just aroundthe corner, many folks are ready tospruce up their home's interior. However,when it comes to picking a new colorscheme, some homeowners just don'tknow where to begin.

After over 15 years in the designbusiness, paint expert and designer DanaPfeiffer has explaining color down to ascience. She speaks of a color wheel andsays color comes in a variety of schemes— for example, monochromatic,complementary, analogous and triadic.

Pfeiffer, who co-owns a designbusiness, explains the monochromaticcolor scheme is any one color on thecolor wheel used on most every roomsurface.

"This color can be different shades in aroom to offer variance," she said.

Complementary color is a pair ofcolors that are opposite one another onthe color wheel, such as blue and yellow,red and green, salmon and teal, violetand apple green. Some decorators prefera split complementary color scheme,which is one main color and two oppositecolors, such as using blue as the maincolor and adding yellow and orange.

Analogous colors are colors that areadjacent to each other, such as green,yellow and orange or blue, purple andred. Finally, the triadic color scheme usesthree colors that are equally spaced on acolor wheel, such as purple, teal andorange.

"Most paint stores have colors pre-selected in these schemes, which makes iteasy to select a color," Pfeiffer said. "Youwould just need to have your favoritecolor in mind and the sample books willdo the rest for you. However, a colorscheme offers a guideline for yourproject."

According to Pfeiffer, themonochromatic color scheme is theeasiest to work with.

"A monochromatic color offers youdifferent shades or tints of a basic coloryou choose, such as green — applegreen, dark green and light green," shesaid. "It's recommended that color flowthroughout your home or office as itcreates a harmonious atmosphere.

"This is where you can get more

Color codes for interiors

Contemporary shades of violet, blue and green reflect an analogous color palette, with color families that are next to eachother on the color wheel. Although these hues are striking alone, when combined they provide balance and create a moresophisticated style. Analogous colors tend to go well together because they are closely related.

technical in your color and venture intothe complementary, triadic andanalogous color options," she said. "Allthis starts with one color that could beyour favorite."

Pfeiffer says one of the today's mostpopular color combinations mimics theautumnal colors of nature.

"A color scheme that is popular rightnow consists of burnt orange, a shade ofred with accents of brown and a softyellow," she said. "These are called earthtones and they tend to be the mostpopular. The scheme would be termedanalogous as they are adjacent to eachother on the color wheel and usually oneof those colors is the dominate color likethe burnt orange with red, yellow andbrown as the accents."

In his book "Texturing and Painting"(New Riders Press, $55), author and

decorator Owen Demers gives otherexamples of analogous colors.

"Think of purple, blue and magentacolors in a twilight sky or the yellows,golds and oranges in an Arizona desert,"he said. "A pine forest has light greens toblues and purples within it depths."

Sometimes a person's house dictatesit's decorating.

"Modern homes tend to havecontrasting colors that are bold, such ascomplementary or triadic color. Simplebold colors are red, black and white,"Pfeiffer said.

The split complimentary colors for amodern home could be blue, orange andyellow. The triadic colors might bepurple, orange and dark teal.

"Older homes tend to enjoy the earthtones as it lends to the traditionalatmosphere, such as reds, burnt orange

and soft yellows," she added. "Some ofthe neutral colors used more frequentlyin older homes are off-white (cream) andbrown. These colors are softer."

No matter what kind of homes theyoccupy, some individuals feeluncomfortable working with color. "Mostpeople get overwhelmed with color afterthe monochromatic scheme," Pfeiffer said."This is where a professional colorconsultant can just spend an hour andhave your whole scheme available to you."

That's why homeowners who begin tofeel overwhelmed with a project reallyshould consider asking for a littleassistance, Pfeiffer concludes.

"If you want a more sophisticatedscheme, paying a professional for anhour is well worth your time and moneyfor that designer look." ❏


Still a soundinvestmentRemodeling kitchen offersbig bang for your bucks

Photo submitted by Newmyer Distinctive Remodeling

T ransforming your kitchen from mediocre tomagnificent is a project most people areeager to undertake and others can onlydream of. Some remodels may be simple

fixes like replacing a counter top or refacingcabinets, but even a minor makeover is deemed asound investment. Consider the National Realtor's2011-12 Cost vs. Value report, which cited aminor remodel job costs on average $19,588 andproduces recouped costs of over 70 percent.

For those looking to recreate a new kitchen ormodify an existing one the focus is typically onthe cabinets and counter tops, while otherschoose to change up appliances or lighting.

Experts in the kitchen remodeling industryknow what trends are up and coming to recreatethe centerpiece of your house in comfort andstyle, and how you can be sure you're getting thebiggest bang for your buck.

Rik Kowall, co-owner of AccurateWoodworking, Inc., in Waterford Township,continually rises to the challenge of meeting clientneeds in a market that is always in flux. He sayskitchen remodeling projects are commonplacenowadays since most people are choosing to stayin their homes longer due to the depreciation inthe real estate market.

"We are absolutely seeing the trend wherepeople finally decide they've lost the value in theirhome and are slugging it out, so they come inand want to do a remodel," he said. "Thatremodel could be anywhere from a minor tomajor overhaul depending on their psyche.There's not enough consumer confidence inreconstruction so that's pretty non-existent."

Kowall has observed that when sprucing upcounter tops and changing up hardware, thecosts can range from $3,000 to $5,000, butonce people start switching out cabinetry, costscan soar from $5,000.

"A nominal change would be a facelift to thecounter top, hardware on the doors, paint orredecorating to freshen the kitchen up, but asecond level remodel is redoing cabinetryergonomically with aging in place," he said.

"The trend is converting a base cabinet thathas a drawer and two doors to being able tostand up while getting into the cabinet in anergonomic design," he said. "The knees of a 25-year-old are not those of a 55-year-old."

One sought-after trend is installing an island inthe kitchen.

"This is the No. 1 request, but so many(homeowners) aren't able to install an island dueto space constraints — sometimes micro islandswork," he said. "The whole idea is to open up aroom for a larger expanse and redesign the roomto have it flow and appear spacious."

Cabinet colors are now trending darker,according to Kowall.

"The shades of the 70s are coming back withdarker oaks, cherrys, and rich deep tones," he said.

Kowall studies industry resources to see whatdesigns in cabinetry are trending demographically.

"Trends are demographically defined — there istraditional cabinetry in the Northeast and nouveaucontemporary on the east and west coasts, LosAngeles, Florida, and pockets of the Midwest likeBirmingham and Bloomfield Hills, but here in thelakes area it's a mixed bag," he said.

Counter top surfaces have shifted fromsynthetic solid surfaces to stone, quartz or I-definition laminates.

To guide clients with color, material,functionality and design, Kowall employs two full-time designers.

"There's not a lot of roads we haven't gonedown and we are well versed anywhere fromventilation to flooring," he said.

Newmyer Distinctive Remodeling owner JohnNewmyer has been in the remodeling business for44 years and takes pride in his team keeping upwith the popular trends and timeless classics. Tohelp clients coordinate color schemes and designwork, one interior designer is on staff.

"We are a full service company that doesbuilding to remodeling and repair," Newmyer said."We have a well-equipped staff with continuingeducation."

If a homeowner wants to cut corners,Newmyer said the important thing is knowingwhat you're doing ahead of time.

"There are a lot of new products on themarket and if you're installing them, you need toknow how to do it," he said.

One popular trend Newmyer has noticed islarge kitchen vent fans being installed thatrequire special attention to building codes.

"A lot of people put in these commercial-typeranges in the home and generate a lot of heat sothey put in hood fans that pull more air than theycan give," he said. "You don't need a 1,000 cfm(cubic feet per minute) fan in the house moving alot of air in a short period of time. Large ventfans can be problematic and people need to beaware of that."

As far as popular color schemes go, Newmyersays warm or chocolate browns tend to be thehues of choice for cabinets, with the designtrending toward a minimalist look.

"Cabinets tend to have a leaner, sleeker look— more contemporary with cleaner lines and nota lot of trim details," he said.

For the frugal customer, Distinctive Remodelingoffers production or semi-production cabinets thatallow for more options, sizes, and features.

"These customers would want to stay awayfrom customized cabinets," he said.

Quartz counter tops, although pricey, are inhigh demand.

"People are choosing counter tops in solid colorsand quartz is another alternative to granite," hesaid. "If you’re looking for solid surface tops, thengranite is less expensive than quartz."

Newmyer concurs with Kowall that items oncustomers' wish lists these days include fullextension drawer glides, high-quality drawers,and functionality of space.

Continued on page 9B ‰


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A leaky faucet isjust washing yourmoney down drain

Drip, drip, drip, drip, drip — that leaky

faucet is more than a nuisance in the

night. It costs you money and wastes

resources. What's more, cleaning rust

stains out of sinks is just one more chore

on the weekend to-do list. But you can

turn that nerve-wracking sound into a

sink that works right by following just a

few easy steps.Faucets come in four basic types:

compression, cartridge, ball, and disc-type. With advice from the web sitewww.DIY.com, here are instructions onhow to repair compression and cartridgefaucets, two of the most commonly

Time to stop that dripfound faucets in homes, as well as howto replace a faucet. Each procedureinvolves simple steps and requires a fewbasic tools any weekend warrior willhave on hand.

Repairing A Compression FaucetFirst, turn off the water supply and

open the faucet handle to relieve waterpressure. Carefully pry off the trim capwith a small screwdriver or putty knife.

Remove the locknut with anadjustable wrench, and then lift thespindle out of the faucet.

As needed, remove and replace theO-ring. Before reinstalling, coat the stemlightly with plumber's grease.

As needed, remove the retainingscrew and pry out the washer. Install anexact-replacement washer and tighten it.

As needed, inspect the seat andreplace if damaged.Install the valve and tighten, then

reinstall the handle and test.Repairing A Cartridge Faucet

First, turn off the water supply andopen the faucet handle to relieve waterpressure. Remove the handle (often heldon by a hex screw) and any trim.

Unscrew the retainer nut by hand orwith adjustable pliers and lift it off thefaucet. Remove the retainer clip, if any,which holds the cartridge in the faucetbody.

Remove the cartridge stem and lift itout of the faucet body. If the cartridge isworn or damaged, replace it. If the O-rings are damaged, replace the ringsonly.

Reassemble and test the faucet.Replacing A Faucet

First, turn off the water supply andopen the faucet handle to relieve waterpressure. Carefully loosen the couplingnuts at the shutoff valves and at the

base of the faucet.Carefully remove the supply tubes.Remove the locknuts that hold the

faucet to the sink and lift the faucet out.Clean the area where the old faucet

sat.As needed, install the new spray hose

and supply tubes, if any, through theirholes in the sink.

Set the rubber gasket that came withthe faucet on the sink where it will bemounted. If no gasket is supplied, applyplumber's putty.

Set the faucet into position andcenter it.

From under the sink, attach thefaucet locknuts to hold it to the sink.

Reinstall the supply lines, then turnthem on and test the faucet. Turn it oncarefully because the line and faucethave air in them. ❏


"People are very specific on where toput things," Newmyer said. "They like alot of storage; for example, microwavedrawers are very popular so it is kepthidden."

Other considerations are lighting andappliances. Recessed lighting stillremains popular, but bulbs may be asticking point.

"Once we determine what kind oflighting then we look at colors and pickproducts accordingly," Newmyer said."LED lighting makes for really nicelighting and halogen is starting todisappear."

Stainless steel appliances are still topsellers but appliance costs vary widely.

"Typically people want to spend$5,000 on appliances, but costs can goup to $15,000 to $20,000 — theaverage home buyer spends $8,000 to$9,000," Newmyer said.

Overall Newmyer, said homeownersare remodeling kitchens based on aspecific budget.

"We're still seeing the focus on needsvs. wants — as a budget winds down,they will cut certain amenities," he said."We offer great service and believethere's a kitchen for every budget. Idon’t want to be known for justupscale homes — we have clients inevery price range. We are known for

our attention to detail and keepingcustomers happy."

While every kitchen remodel variesin design and size, Newmyer's team

sees costs that average in the mid$30,000 range and up.

"People must consider that thekitchen spills over into other areas of

the house, like converging across thefloor so that will be added materials,"he said.

Another widespread trend isbuilding out the kitchen so it expandsinto the living room.

"One of the current trends is thedeath of the living room by taking outthe formal dining room and expandingthe kitchen into the dining space,"Newmyer said.

He added that many of the oldercolonial remodels have the traditionalpostage stamp kitchen that could usesome redesign.

"Many times we open walls up tomake it a great room/kitchen/nook,that way the house is more functionaland the family is in one area," he said.

Newmyer noted that there arealways new fads that come and go, butonly a low percentage of the marketwill actually fall into that trap.

"Trends box you in and in four tofive years your kitchen could beoutdated, so most people do thingsmore timeless," he said. ❏

— Leslie Shepard, staff writerRESOURCES:

• John Newmyer, NewmyerDistinctive Remodeling248-669-3500

• Rik Kowall, Accurate Woodworking248-666-3755

‰ Continued from page 7B

Among the trends in kitchen remodeling is opting for cabinets with a minimalistlook featuring sleeker, more contemporary and cleaner lines without a lot oftrim details. (Photo submitted by Accurate Woodworking)

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