Ice Cube Talks Residential Architecture

December 14th, 2011

It is a little know fact that Ice Cube actually studied architectural drafting at a trade school in Arizona before NWA took off in the late 1980′s. It was only for a year, but can you imagine the rapper/actor/director as an architect or building designer? With his indepth lyrics on social and political issues, I can only imagine what his artistic vision would have been if the rap career didn’t work out.

Cube appears in a new video done for the Pacific Standard Time: Art in L.A. 1945-1980, where he talks about his appreciation of the Eames House and his favorite architecture in Los Angeles.  Read more... (172 words, estimated 41 secs reading time)

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Dirty Air Conditioning Ducts Are Harmful To Your Health and Wallet

November 22nd, 2011

The majority of problems with indoor air is caused by dirty air conditioning ducts. HVAC systems are common in homes and provide air conditioning year-round. Air is circulated through the ductwork providing cool air in the summer and warm air in the winter. Over time, this ductwork become a nesting ground for all type of debris, bacteria, and microbes. These bacteria and microbes are known to be harmful to humans, especially to those who suffer with upper respiratory problems such as asthma or allergy suffers. Even people considered to be perfectly healthy can suffer illnesses due to dirty ducts. So, it is important to have you ducts cleaned as often as needed depending on your HVAC usage, the occupants, and flooring.   Read more... (764 words, 1 image, estimated 3:03 mins reading time)

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Electrical Contractors Help Offer Greater Comfort, Convenience With Home Automation Systems

October 21st, 2011

(HIT) – Today’s home automation systems offer practical, cost-effective solutions for convenience, security, safety, energy savings and entertainment. The latest systems provide new levels of controls, accessibility and connection.

“Trained electrical contractors can help offer homeowners and builders a home networking system that supports automation control,” said John Maisel, publisher, Electrical Contractor magazine at www.ecmag.com. “They add the necessary low-voltage wiring to homes and come back for desired upgrades,” he said.
Hard wiring offers reliable, long-lived service and often performs better than Wi-Fi, which is subject to competition—multiple devices using the same available bandwidth, i.e., 2.4 gigahertz. It will also ease supply-and-demand responsiveness as the smart grid gets smarter and utilities offer savings incentives to customers who agree to use certain appliances during off-peak hours. While the components may be more expensive, wireless installation is less expensive. Once the cabling is set, components can be added at the homeowner’s own pace.  Read more... (490 words, 1 image, estimated 1:58 mins reading time)

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How To De-clutter Five Rooms In Your Home

October 3rd, 2011

(HIT) – It’s time for a fresh perspective on home organization. Start new by clearing clutter from your life and start fresh with a clean and clear home, and most importantly, a clear mind. There’s nothing more frustrating than losing or misplacing something. By following these easy tips from Allan Young, CEO and co-founder of Shelf Genie, a franchise concept that designs, builds and installs Glide-Out shelving systems that are custom-built to fit into existing cabinets, for quick organization in each area of the home, you’ll rest easy that every item in your home—from your keys, to that bottle of nutmeg you’re sure was in the cabinet behind the cocoa, to grandma’s favorite Christmas tea cup, or your husband’s dress pants—is exactly where it belongs.  Read more... (1469 words, estimated 5:53 mins reading time)

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Summer’s Over, Now What To Do With All That “Leisure” Homeowner Energy

September 27th, 2011

(HIT) – As days grow shorter and temperatures fall, it’s time once again to prepare your home for the long winter months ahead. Taking a few minutes now to walk around your home-visually inspecting important systems from a safety perspective and making note of routine maintenance chores that need attention-is a great way to get started, and a good winter maintenance checklist can help.

Tips To Get You Started:

1. Clean gutters and downspouts. A clogged gutter or downspout can freeze and wreak havoc on your home. Make a point of checking your gutters and downspouts well before daytime temperatures dip below 32º F.  Read more... (584 words, estimated 2:20 mins reading time)

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Home Orientation – Facing South For the Winter and Summer

September 12th, 2011

Many subdivisions and neighborhood developments are littered with homes built with the idea of maximizing land to building ratio. Most of these homes are likely to have the worst possible location and orientation to the sun’s blazing heat. By sheer luck, some homeowners will find their homes sitting at a near perfect position with respect to the sun’s travel. It is the path of the sun that sets the stage for choosing the direction your house should face.  Read more... (464 words, estimated 1:51 mins reading time)

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Making Small Home Designs Look Big

September 7th, 2011

Living in a small house doesn’t mean it has to feel small. It also doesn’t mean that the house has to look small either. I had a client to tell me that they wanted a ranch house, but wanted it to look like a two-story house. The statement was funny, but I understood what my client was trying to convey to me. Basically, the couple wanted the coziness of a one story home with the look and feel of a two-story home. So how do you go about doing it?  Read more... (461 words, estimated 1:51 mins reading time)

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Builders Remain Pessimistic About the Housing Market

August 17th, 2011

Builder confidence in the market for newly built, single-family homes held unchanged at a low level of 15 on the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI) for August, released today (Aug 15, 2011).

“Builders continue to confront the same major challenges they have seen over the past year, including competition from the large inventory of distressed homes on the market, inaccurate appraisal values, and issues with their buyers not being able to sell an existing home or qualify for favorable mortgage rates because of overly tight underwriting requirements,” said Bob Nielsen, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and a home builder from Reno, Nev. He noted that 41 percent of respondents to a special questions section of the HMI indicated they had lost sales contracts due to buyers’ inability to sell their current homes.  Read more... (146 words, estimated 35 secs reading time)

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Don’t move – improve: the new strategy for American homeowners

August 16th, 2011

Are lower real estate values keeping you in your current home – even though you were hoping to upgrade? Or, maybe you can’t bear the thought of boxing up all your belongings to move? You’re not alone. More homeowners are staying in their current homes, but remodeling with the idea of improving their quality of life and adding more “live-in value,” according to recent research from Consumer Reports.

No matter what your reason for staying put, rest assured; you don’t have to move to get the home of your dreams … just make a few home improvements.  Read more... (678 words, estimated 2:43 mins reading time)

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Home automation can help cut costs and save energy

August 10th, 2011

Who wouldn’t like an extra set of hands around the house? Or some help with basic everyday activities such as keeping your home comfortable? And if that extra help could also make your home more energy efficient – reducing your utility bills – wouldn’t that be an added bonus?

Home automation, once considered an elite luxury, is doing exactly those tasks for more homeowners than ever before, and in ways that may surprise you. Many homeowners recognize the importance of saving energy, something that benefits the environment and their budgets. Three key areas of home automation that influence energy savings are window coverings, thermostats and lighting.  Read more... (667 words, estimated 2:40 mins reading time)

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