Special Features - Fall Home Improvement

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2 RED DEER EXPRESS WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2015

Over 80+ Exhibitors will be present!Renovators • Suppliers • Décor Ideas • Plus so much more!

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Did you know that the Red Deer Home Show and Red Deer Home Renovation Show is brought to you by the Canadian Home Builders’ Association – Central Alberta?

The Canadian Home Builders’ Association is a voluntary not-for-profi t organization serving members in Central Alberta since 1956. We are the voice of Central Alberta’s Residential Construction Industry.

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All you need to know about fall/winter home buyingSo perhaps circumstances have deemed

it your time to purchase a new home. We have all heard of the brisk spring market but what can you expect when you look to buy in the fall or winter? Let’s take a look shall we? I will warn you all that the ‘S’ word is going to be used. That’s right, we will be talking about snow.

Always look on the bright side of life, as the song goes, so let’s start with the pros.

1. Fall is a really pretty time of year. The upside is that you will be able to look at your potential new backyard before the snow hides any fl aws. You will also get the chance to peek through the trees as the leaves fall to know just what your view will be throughout the winter when those same trees are bare.

2. The natural light of fall is very com-parable to the winter light. You will be able to see your new home as it will be through the winter, at its least vibrant. This is a true benefi t in my opinion. You are seeing the property in its truest and most naked form.

3. The fall market is generally slower. This means less chance of competing offers on the property. The sellers may be more motivated to negotiate on the de-tails such as the price or possession date.

4. You will be shopping with certain fea-tures in mind. This time of year reminds us that winter is indeed coming. Energy effi cient furnaces and windows, a garage built for two, in fl oor heat and a myriad of other features are at the top of the list when you shop in the fall. Given how long the winters can be here and how much it costs to heat your home for those long months, this can be a great benefi t.

5. And fi nally, if you move in before the holiday season you get to enjoy your new home all decked out while snuggled on the couch in your PJ’s.

And now the cons. Remember, you were forewarned that we would be discussing snow.

1. The snow can come quickly and when it does it can be very hard to get a true sense of the land once it is covered. You will not be able to determine how well the yard was maintained or what level of ongoing maintenance will be required for the landscaping. If you are purchasing a home with pets you may even want to negotiate for the cost of poop clean up for the spring.

2. Given the snow, you may not be able to determine if the traffi c near the home is lighter than usual due to adverse road conditions.

3. You will have to view the potential properties much earlier in the day to be able to see the property in the natural light.

4. The inventory is much lower in December and January given fi rst the preparation for, the enjoyment of and the recovery from the Christmas season.

5. Lawyers and lenders often close or op-erate on greatly reduced staff during the holiday season. Any glitch to the mort-gage funding may not be addressed until

business as usual resumes in January.6. Moving in the winter when it is -40C

give or take with the wind chill and when the snowdrifts prevent the moving truck from getting closer than a half block make moving during the winter less than ideal to say the least. Yikes, that’s all I

have to say about that.So there you have it. The pros and cons

of buying a home during the fall or win-ter.

Pam Pikkert is a mortgage broker with Dominion Lending Centres – Regional Mortgage Group in Red Deer.

Pam

PIKKERT


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Local expert talks fall gardening essentialsIt’s about the time of year again to begin

prepping lawns, gardens and trees for the oncoming cold months.

Fall essentials for yard care include the trimming of certain trees, preparing insu-lation layers for shrubs and trees, and of course, the fi nal mow of the season.

“With the lovely fall that we’ve had and a good, hard frost, now is the time for anyone who wants to do any digging or transplanting or moving. Bulbs need to be planted now - that’s always a prime thing - and the sooner the better so they have a chance to take root before the ground freezes. It’ll be more than a month away before the ground freezes, so there is a bit of time,” said garden expert at Parkland Nurseries Alfred Prins.

“Pruning of trees and shrubs needs to be done soon - with a few exceptions like birch and maple. If anybody wants to prune their elm trees, they can start with that because there is a strict cycle for those so that people don’t get the dis-eases that go with the elm tree. Anytime between now and March is appropriate to do that - not in the other half of the year.”

In addition to planting bulbs, garlic should be in the ground in fall, rather than spring. Prins said people will have a higher success rate with their garlic by doing it now.

The fi nal mow of the year is important because it allows for lawns to be insu-lated for the coming cold. According to Prins, heavy amounts of leaves ought to

be raked and placed into composts or at the base of trees. He said a thin layer provides a solid cover for the leaves, but a very heavy layer will smother.

“Proper mowing height for lawns is a little bit longer than you’d normally trim all summer. Lawns are a perennial plant that survive the winter - that means they needs a cover just as well as any other perennial plant and that’s maybe three inches of leaf blades and such that pro-vides that coverage,” Prins said.

Tasks that are not essential but are timely include fall fertilizing and a fi nal soaking for evergreen and birch trees. Prins said the fi nal soaking for the trees may not be necesary this year due to the high rainfall - it is up to an owner’s discretion.

“For people dealing with mice and rab-bits, it may be time to start putting some wraps around the bottom of trees and for people to make sure mouse traps are ready. It isn’t a big concern, but it has happened over the last few years so it’s smart to think about it now,” Prins said.

For those who aren’t quite ready to give up their love of foliage, it’s the perfect time to turn attention towards house plants. A variety of tropicals are available from greenhouses and nurseries around the City and will help a home feel fresh during the winter.

“It’s the time to start looking back at houseplants. There are all kinds of tropi-cals and hanging baskets for indoors. The garden is done outside so now people can avert their attention indoors.”

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Top fi ve renovation tips to create more spaceAs real estate prices continue to climb,

the cost to trade up an existing home for a larger one has increased substantially. As a result, more and more Canadians are choosing to renovate their homes, rather than relocating. In fact, it was re-cently revealed that renovation spending in Canada reached a record $68 billion last year, outpacing spending on new home construction. While the hunt for more square footage can be challenging, homeowners shouldn’t feel like a costly second story or complete addition are the only options.

Here are fi ve great ways to create or op-timize space in your existing home:

1. Finish the basement. This one reno-vation holds limitless potential and can increase the resale value or income po-tential of your home. Think about the possibilities - a home theatre, offi ce, spare bedroom, basement apartment or rec-

reation room. The key to doing it suc-cessfully is to focus on what’s behind the walls, especially since moisture is a common issue in basements. Choosing the right insulation is critical. Look for products that are vapour permeable, di-mensionally stable and mould and mois-ture resistant. Many contractors say they use Roxul products for that assurance. For example, the Comfortboard IS semi-rigid sheathing board paired with Comfortbatt batt insulation combats thermal bridging and protect against mould and mildew growth. An added benefi t of this type of stone wool insulation is that it’s also fi re-resistant to 1,177˚C (2,150˚F). As well, for interior walls and ceilings, Safe ‘n’ Sound insulation is ideal because of its ability to absorb noise and indoor traffi c sounds, ensuring your new-found space is a peaceful one.

2. Create an open-concept feel with light

and colour. If your home wasn’t blessed with towering windows, installing French doors and pot lights can encourage light to travel more freely, creating the illusion of space. Likewise, choosing a paint co-lour for walls, trim and moldings that is lighter and cooler in tone (think soft grays or blues) will help to refl ect light and give the room a more open feel.

3. Remove non-load-bearing walls. Homeowners have the opportunity to re-think the layout of their home by remov-ing non-load-bearing walls. Removing structurally unnecessary walls can make your whole home feel larger and improve the fl ow, lighting and function of your home.

4. Convert your garage. For many home-owners, the garage becomes an overfl ow

room for storage––and is often a walk-in headache. Instead, convert it into anoth-er living space, like a guest bedroom or home offi ce. Install carpet and quality thermal insulation such as Comfortbatt to keep in warmth and block outdoor noise.

5. Choose furniture and accessories carefully. Adopt a minimalist’s eye. Begin looking around your home for furniture or accessories that overwhelm the space. Interior designers recommend choosing low-profi le or small-scale furniture for rooms with less square footage. Dual-purpose items, such as ottomans with storage chests inside, are a budget-friend-ly way to save on space while staying organized.

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Try out some new home decor ideas this fallFall 2015 is here!The colours and scents

of this cuddly season are here and it takes just a moment to stop and ap-preciate the beauty that is all around us in Central Alberta, to appreciate the leaves changing colours on the trees before they are sprinkled all over your lawn.

It is time to cozy up with your long forgotten sweat-ers and scarves and to pull out your fabulous leather boots while you reluctant-ly store away the fl ip fl ops.

It is also time to deco-rate!

Nothing says new be-ginning like fall and what could be better than to give your home a fresh lift this season?

The yard work is coming to an end and we have a few short weeks before the snow starts to take up our extra time so grab your thinking cap and get ready for a fall makeover inside your home.

This is the perfect time of year to tackle that one project, especially if the makeover requires any outside access such as windows or doors. Nothing is worse than having to

clean up renovation waste or to try to replace a win-dow when the brutal wind is blowing and snow is covering everything.

Painting indoors in the fall is prime time as the air is still warm enough to circulate yet lower in hu-midity to help speed dry-ing time.

Unfortunately the cool nights have made paint-ing outdoors a bad idea as paint will not be able to cure properly in tempera-tures below -10 degrees. This is the season to do paint touch-ups on those bumped and bruised areas or to pick a space in your home and give it a new coat and a new life.

We all embrace the warmth and coziness of fall and the sale of or-ange hued paints actually does rise in the months of September and October

but you might be in the market for a fresh take on fall.

Take the room in your home where you spend the most time and decide what you want the vibe in the room to feel like.

Calm and collected? Try Guilford Green from Benjamin Moore and let its silvery cool light wash over you in your bathroom or kitchen.

Do you crave energy and creativity? Then dig

into Farrow and Balls de-licious Hound Lemon for a splash of sunshine in your favorite space. Serenity can be yours simply by adding Wisteria Wish by Cloverdale to your bath-room walls which com-bine visually with the purple scent of lavender as you soak your troubles away surrounded by your peaceful walls.

It is still the time of year for pumpkins and spice and all things delicious

but it’s good to not neces-sarily just stay within the realm of orange and warm golden tones.

Take your mind on a journey to other colours and other sensations as you rejuvenate your inte-rior this fall.

A vast world of colour and emotion waits for you at your friendly neigh-bourhood paint store and it couldn’t be a better time of year to paint the interior of your home.

Bring a new colour home and give it a new home on your walls; in return it will give you years of hap-piness and joy in return. I will let you in on a little secret, all of these paint colours mentioned look fabulous with all things pumpkin so your fall dec-orations will look amazing in every room!

Kim Wyse is a freelance interior designer. Find her on facebook at ‘Ask a Designer’.

Kim

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Keeping furnaces in tip-top shape as temperatures drop

As the temperatures drop and furnaces kick into high gear, it’s time for homeowners to pay extra attention and make sure their units are in top condition and running effi -ciently.

Unfortunately, for many homeowners, furnaces are those kinds of things which sometimes fall into the category of ‘out of sight, out of mind’, said Steve DeRuyck, ser-vice manager for the Red Deer-based Bruins Plumbing & Heating Ltd.

“This is the time of year when you want to make sure your furnace is working well, right before we get into a cold spell and you realize there is a problem,” he said. It’s likely many other residents could end up in the same predicament, and then there could be some-thing of a wait in getting it serviced - not a pleasant scenario with the rapid approach of winter.

“If you can be proactive and get it main-tained so you are prepared for winter, then you can hopefully avoid that.”

He said a furnace check over is something that should be done every year, regardless of how old the furnace may be. It’s also to check the furnace fi lter once a month as well, he said.

“The more the furnace runs, the better the chance of it overheating with a dirty fi lter,” he said. It’s possible that checking it every three or four months might be suffi cient, but that will take a bit of time to gauge. In the meantime, monthly checks are the way to go, he said. “I would check it every month for sure.

“You also want to make sure there are no gas leaks, and that the gas pressures are all

right, and that the fans are working well,” he said, adding that it’s also important with the onset of winter to make sure carbon monoxide detectors are in proper working order, too.

He recommended there be one installed outside of every bedroom in a home, or folks should have at least more than one in a house. They are also things that are relatively convenient to install and also long-lasting.

“Some are 10 years, and they start beeping so then you replace them.”

According to News Canada, a new nation-al poll by Ipsos Reid has found that 16% of homeowners with a potential source of carbon monoxide in their home admit to not having a carbon monoxide alarm.

The fi nding is troubling to safety offi cials who note that the coming cold weather sea-son peaks the potential for CO exposure as gas, oil or propane furnaces, fi replaces, wood stoves and other fuel-fi red devices are once again pressed into service.

Carbon monoxide is called the silent killer because humans cannot see, smell or taste it.

Data from the online poll also suggests there is confusion about the lifespan of a CO alarm.

Most (72%) say they know the device has a lifespan but are unclear as to when to replace it. Just under one-third believe the CO alarm lifespan is beyond what is recom-mended by manufacturers or they simply don’t know. All CO alarms must be replaced after seven to 10 years.

Equally worrisome is that 11% of home-owners with CO alarms say the alarms are more than 11 years old or they have no idea of the age.

[email protected]

BY MARK WEBERRED DEER EXPRESS

Does your home represent who you re-ally are? I know a lot of people that would scream, “NO!” And it’s not always in our control to have our houses refl ect our true personality. But we can at least try to reach that goal!

As a self-confessed addict to rehabs and renovations, I can honestly sit in wonder at how anyone can leave their home ‘as is’ for more than a couple of years, let alone decades. This considering that I seem to not be able to go more than a year without painting my walls or rear-ranging an entire houseful of furniture.

We all know life gets busy and some-times at the end of the day, you just want to crash on the couch. But show your home some love! As we go through different phases, our style changes and evolves. The same goes at home. That room that you had decorated as a beau-tiful nursery to welcome a new addition is now sitting empty after the last of the kids have headed off to college - now is the time to make use of the extra real es-tate. Maybe you’ve always wanted a larger closet? Hmm…well, there is that ugly lit-tle dresser stashed out in the shed. Why not paint it? Look for items that you could re-invent to use in your new room, saving you money and saving it from ending up in the dump.

I recently reclaimed my bonus room back to a gym space. The excess furniture stored for my children has now made its way into their new homes. I have been happily painting, setting up equipment, and excitedly digging through the décor that I have been gathering for the day it would be mine again! My inspiration had come from a show home I visited a few years ago. I loved how they had fi lled the workout room with photos of their own outdoor adventures and holiday excur-sions as a way to personalize a pretty utilitarian room fi lled with not-so-pretty

gym equipment. What a great way to stay inspired as you try to get in shape for that next family vacation.

Perhaps you are feeling overwhelmed with too many changes that need to be done after years of neglect - don’t worry. Just take it a room at a time. Clear out the closets and donate what you aren’t going to use - you know the stuff that hasn’t seen the light of day for years? Get rid of it - it’ll feel like a weight has been lifted off your shoulders. Decide exactly what you want this newly transformed room to be. Put a plan into place. You might want to sketch out a fl oor layout. Choose your paint colours - most easily done by having a favourite fabric or item that you can pull colours from. You likely need to furnish this room differently than what you had in the past. What items do you need for your new space - some extra shelving or a desk/work table? Maybe it’s a new chaise lounge and a TV for that girls’ retreat that you’ve been dreaming of - a place where no TSN is allowed!

If space is at a premium, this room may need to function for a lot of different uses. Maybe it’s a guest room occasionally, doubling as a yoga or sewing/hobby room. Or all of the above. There are many great resources for furnishings that can do dou-ble duty especially designed to maximize small spaces and storage. This is where you are going to have to get creative.

If you are still struggling with getting yourself on the right track, hire an inte-

rior designer. It’s a couple of hours well spent and the investment is worth it to help you visual and develop a plan. Whatever stage your home is at, keep your major purchases such as large furni-ture items, fl ooring, and cabinetry neutral so that as your style and needs change, you can transition easily from one stage to the next.

Stacey Swain is an interior design consul-tant with Central Alberta Tile One in Red Deer.


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First ever home renovation show to be held in Red Deer

The Red Deer Home Renovation Show - the fi rst of its kind in Central Alberta - is set to take place in the City this month.

Presented by the Canadian Home Builders’ Association - Central Alberta, the show will take place Oct. 30th to Nov. 1st at Westerner Park.

The Red Deer Home Renovation Show will provide attendees with ideas for new and improved products and services. More than 85 exhibitors will be on hand including experts on roofi ng, fl ooring, bathroom and kitchen renovation, doors, windows, home decor and more.

”We were looking at the trade show market in Red Deer and we noticed that there was a hole in the fall to give people some ideas or options for home renova-tions and innovations in the industry,” said Denie Olmstead, chief executive of-fi cer of the Canadian Home Builders’ Association - Central Alberta. “We have been running the Red Deer Home Show for about 36 years now and we know that a lot of people go to the Home Show look-ing for ideas for their spring and summer projects, but there was nothing in the fall to give Central Albertans an oppor-tunity to talk to experts and to look at new innovations and get advice on their fall projects. We would like to offer this service to Central Albertans because we know a lot of people stay in doors in the winter by default and will work on their home projects.”

Olmstead said the industry jumped on board with the idea of having the fall

show. “We got strong, positive feedback from members in our industry on this opportunity.”

As part of the Red Deer Home Renovation Show, Damon Bennett from Holmes Inspections, Holmes on Holmes and Holmes Makes it Right on HGTV will be speaking twice throughout the weekend. Bennett was also a guest speaker at this past spring’s Red Deer Home Show.

He has worked in the construction in-dustry since he was 15-years-old fi rst starting as a bricklayer’s helper and then moving onto a roofer, framer and reno-vator. He now runs his own construction company.

Bennett will be speaking on Oct. 30th at 5:30 p.m. and Oct. 31st at 1:30 p.m. at the renovation show.

Looking ahead, Olmstead said it is the hope to have the Red Deer Home Renovation Show become an annu-al event. The Canadian Home Builders’ Association has named October as Home Renovation Month, which ties in with the local event.

“We do hope to have this be an annual trade show but it all depends on if Central Albertans want the trade show.”

Meanwhile, exhibitor space is currently 98% sold out. To book a spot, call 403-346-5321 or email [email protected].

General admission to the Red Deer Home Renovation Show is $5 for adults, $4 for students, $4 for seniors ages 55 and up and children under 12 are admit-ted free with an adult. In celebration of the Canadian Home Builders’ Association - Central Alberta’s 60th anniversary in 2016, the fi rst 60 attendees to the Red

Deer Home Renovation Show on Oct. 30th, Oct. 31st and Nov. 1st will get in free of admission.

For more information, check out www.RedDeerHomeRenoShow.ca.

[email protected]

BY ERIN FAWCETTRED DEER EXPRESS

For questions or

to reserve yours:

[email protected]

403-3-GARAGE

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2015 RED DEER EXPRESS 11 FALL HOME IMPROVEMENT

Quick tips to get your home winter ready

If boots, a warm hat and a tuned-up snow blower are the only items on your winter preparation list, your home maintenance plan may need a makeover. These simple home maintenance projects can help to lower your energy bills, avoid more costly repairs and/or in-crease the lifespan of your home:

1. Heating and ventilation - examine your fi replace and chimney system to ensure that no soot or creosote has collected. Any cracks or voids present could potentially cause a fi re. Before you turn the furnace or boiler on, replace the air fi lter and hire a professional to inspect the unit more thoroughly. These steps will improve the effi ciency and life of your furnace and will ensure stable indoor air quality.

2. Windows and doors - if not properly sealed, windows and doors can be a major culprit for heat loss. To keep the warm air inside, inspect the weather-stripping for leaks, rot, or decay. Repair or replace structural framing, and caulk inside and out, if necessary.

3. Insulation - one of the easiest and most effective defenses against heat loss is proper insulation. Prevent cold drafts from entering and the loss of heated air through basement headers, which, when left exposed, can make your furnace work harder. Look for a mois-ture-resistant product with high thermal performance. For this, retailers tell us that Roxul Comfortbatt stone wool insulation is a top seller, and it makes installation simple. All that’s needed is a serrated blade or bread knife. Cut the batt to fi t the cavity and press into place. The insulation will help improve energy effi ciency as soon as it’s in place and provide savings over the lifetime of your home. Comfortbatt can also be used to top or replace old attic insulation. Aim for an R50 or a depth of 16 inches (41 cm).

4. Backyard care - save your property from potential damage by trimming overgrown trees and shrubs to prevent ice-laden branches from thrashing against elec-trical wires and your home’s exterior. Drain/shut off any exterior faucets and sprinkler systems to prevent freez-ing. Ensure rain or snow drains away from the house to avoid foundation problems.

5. Roof and gutters - inspect your roof for shingles that are warped, damaged, or even missing to prevent a fu-ture leak. Use roofi ng cement and a caulking gun to seal joints where water could penetrate around the chimney, any skylights, or vent pipes. Make sure that your gutters and downspouts are securely fastened. Downspouts should extend at least fi ve feet away from the home to prevent fl ooding.

When it comes to preventative maintenance, a little time and effort can save thousands of dollars in energy costs and repair bills over the lifetime of your home.

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Special Features - Fall Home Improvement