Home Improvement


The Garage: A Guy’s Refuge


The traditional “guy” - broadly defined as a man’s man who can take down a tree or change his own oil - faces extinction from threats ranging from reality television to couples’ baby showers. Garages are a guy’s refuge from these kinds of enemies. Guys’ appreciation for garages is fairly predictable. They are a place for welcomed solitude that is just steps away from the creature comforts of their home. Conversely, a garage can be a


grown-up clubhouse - a place to hang out with buddies. They, for example, often turn into galleries of keepsake art guys aren’t allowed to hang in their homes (e.g., beer signs and swimsuit calendars). A garage also is the place where guys keep some of their most prized tools, which help them get things done the right way. The condition of a guy’s garage reflects his personality as much as the truck he might park there. The only thing worse than a dull or uninspired garage is a messy one. With that in mind, retailers North-


ern Tool + Equipment and Kotula’s are offering the following tips for those interested in improving most any ga-


An upgraded garage will become the envy of the neighborhood guys and may just draw a crowd during the next reality TV marathon.


rage while not taking away its utility. Trick it out


Introducing a few new gadgets to


a garage will pique owner pride. A revolving Ford Motors sign will bring old-school allure. Cool tools such as the Klutch Heavy Duty Air Impact Wrench also add to a garage’s cred- ibility. It uses 950 ft.-lbs. of torque to remove lug nuts, rusted bolts and more.


Regular maintenance Like anything in it, a garage needs to be maintained to operate at its best. Be realistic and purge items that are unnecessary or beyond repair. Plan cleaning days in advance and put them on the calendar. A Powerhorse Pres- sure Washer will help keep things tidy inside and outside the garage.


Be the host with the most If enhancing a garage’s clubhouse feel is of interest, even small changes will make a big difference. The Harley- Davidson Oil Can Beverage Cart from Kotula’s will add heavy metal thunder to the otherwise ordinary task of mak- ing a drink.


- ARA Content Helpful Spring Cleaning Hints for Beautiful Baths


As the warmer weather approaches, so does the time for spring cleaning. While a head-to-toe, thorough cleaning of the entire house can be a major task for you and your fam- ily, don’t get overwhelmed just yet. Like any project, start with the expectation that it doesn’t need to be completed in a day, or even a weekend. Instead, start with a smaller room that can accumulate dirt and clutter - like the bathroom - and work your way to other areas of the home. Here are some tips that can make spring cleaning your bathroom less of a hassle.


Give cleaning a ‘Twist’ Ever notice those unsightly water spots or fingerprints on


your brushed nickel faucets? No matter how many times they’re wiped clean, pesky spots keep showing up. One way to put an end to the cycle is to avoid spots from the start. This spring, refresh your bathroom with new faucets featuring Spot Resist Brushed Nickel finish from Moen. The unique finish maintains the brilliance of your faucet or showerhead to help you spend more time enjoying your home ... and less time cleaning it. And don’t stop with the faucet - try Moen’s new Twist


Area News Group


Salem


Community Patriot


April 13, 2012 Page 10


showerhead in Spot Resist Brushed Nickel. With four differ- ent shower settings that change by rotating the head around the handle with a flick of the thumb - it’s ideal not only for an invigorating and personalized shower experience, but it’s also great for rinsing the shower clean of soap scum and dirt. Twist makes spring (and everyday) cleaning less of a chore while maintaining a sensational showering experi- ence.


Create a breeze Hot showers lasting more than 12 minutes are part of most daily routines, according to Moen research. The warm moisture from that relaxing shower, however, can cause serious mildew problems. Scrubbing a bathroom is hard enough - add mildew to the mix and it’s a nightmare. One of the best techniques for tackling mildew is to use


white vinegar. This simple kitchen product is completely natural and won’t harm your bathroom surfaces. It’s even family and pet-safe. Simply pour a few cups of white vin- egar into a spray bottle with equal parts water and apply directly to the mildew area. Scrub the vinegar around, and you’ve got a mildew and mold-free bathroom in no time. Once you rid your bathroom of mildew, stop the build- up from coming back by increasing the air circulation. Turn the fan on during a shower and keep it running up to 30 minutes after. Additionally, air conditioners, dehumidifiers and an open window can help decrease the moisture that can lead to mildew. De-clutter and reorganize Vanities and sink countertops often become a catch-all for clutter. Everything, from towels to toiletries, curling irons to cotton balls, can take over and wreak havoc on your space and your cleaning time frame. Chances are you don’t use the multiple bottles of sample


and travel size shampoos, soaps or lotions you’ve accumu- lated. A few bottles on hand are helpful for trips, but acquir- ing a drawer filled with the miniatures is only taking up valuable space in a bathroom. Luckily, your clutter can help others. Instead of throwing the bottles away, donate them to


a local shelter, where shampoos and soaps - no matter the size - are constantly in demand. Once you’ve purged your bathroom of unnecessary items, find a home for the true necessities by adding bath acces- sories. Items, such as shelves, towel bars or towel rings can keep items off the floor and countertop and add a stylish look to complement your new faucets and showerhead. Ad- ditionally, baskets or covered jars keep bathroom necessities neatly stored, yet within reach - and can be easily moved for quick cleaning. With these useful tips and products, you’ll have one


room checked off your spring cleaning to-do list, while also creating a more enjoyable place to start your day. For more information about Moen products, visit www.moen.com or call (800) BUY-MOEN.


- ARA Content Make Calling 811 a Priority Before Every Digging Project Winter is over and warmer weather is finally here.


Homeowners can finally put away their snow shovels and venture out into their yards with digging shovels for those long-awaited home improvement projects. All across the country, homeowners and professional excavators alike will


Don't Replace it! Clean it,


Don’t Re-roof!! Save Thousands with Professional Roof Cleaning!


Home Improvement • Property Maintenance


603-898-0902 Building & Remodeling


Brian@Jacksoncontracting.net www.jacksoncontracting.net/roof-cleaning.html


start to plan spring home-improvement projects that require digging.


During the transition into “digging season,” Common Ground Alliance (CGA), the association dedicated to pro- tecting underground utilities and the people who dig near them, reminds homeowners and profes- sional diggers that calling 811 is the first step toward protecting you and your community from the risk of unintention- ally damaging an underground line. Every digging project, no matter how large or small, warrants a free call to 811. Calling this number connects you to your local one-call utility notification center. Installing a mailbox or fence, building a deck and landscaping are all examples of digging projects that should only begin a few days after making a call to 811.


BEFORE Here’s how it works: AFTER


1. One free, simple phone call to 811 makes it easy for your local one-call cen- ter to notify all appropriate utility compa- nies of your intent to dig. Call a few days prior to digging to ensure enough time for the approximate location of utility lines to be marked with flags or paint. 2. When you call 811, a representative


from your local one-call center will ask for the location and description of your digging project. 3. Your local


one-call center will notify affected utility companies, who will then send a profes- sional locator to the proposed dig site to


mark the approximate location of your lines. 4. Only once all lines have been accurately marked, roll up those sleeves and carefully dig around the marked areas. There are nearly 20 million miles of underground utility lines in the United States that your family depends on for everyday needs including electric, gas, water and sewer, cable TV, high-speed Internet and landline telephone. Unintentionally striking one of these lines can result in


inconvenient outages for entire neighborhoods, harm to yourself or your neighbors and repair costs. Digging activity by homeowners and professionals causes unintentional damage to an underground utility line once every three minutes nationwide, and one out of three incidents are caused because someone did not call 811. According to the most recent data from CGA, damage occurs less than 1 percent of the time when the digger has called 811 before a project. To find out more information about 811 or the one-call utility notification center in your area, visit www.call811.com.


-ARA Content Contractor - continued from page 9


NH#10762M MA#16477A


Ceiling Fans, Outlets, Lighting, Flood Lights, Surge Protectors, Phone & Cable, Breaker Panels, Troubleshooting Experts, and much, much more!


pitches. If a contractor tells you he needs an immediate answer from you, tell him your answer is “no.” Or, if he or she wants you to fund your project through a preferred lender, consider taking your business to a more flexible contractor. Finally, find out what others are saying about the contractor you’re thinking of hiring. Word-of-mouth is one of the most reliable reporting methods when it comes to evaluating how well someone might do your job. Ask the contractor for the names and numbers of past clients he’s worked with. But keep in mind, even a reputable contractor is only going to give you contact information for customers he knows were happy with his work, so use these references as one more piece of information, but don’t base your decision on them.


- ARA Content


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16