Tuesday, March 23, 2010

“Home-improvement projects can pay for themselves - The Ledger” plus 3 more

“Home-improvement projects can pay for themselves - The Ledger” plus 3 more

Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction.

Home-improvement projects can pay for themselves - The Ledger

Posted: 22 Mar 2010 10:30 PM PDT

Many homeowners have put off home improvements during the recession, but that's not always wise. Here are six free or inexpensive projects that could save you hundreds of dollars or more in the long run.

1. ANNUAL CHECKS: Every home's appliances, electrical panel and ventilation systems should be checked each year to make sure they're functioning properly. Also replace or clean each system's filter and vents at least as often as the manufacturer recommends.

"It's always less expensive to maintain than it is to repair," said Bob Mehl, a maintenance and repair expert and handyman on Sears' ServiceLive marketplace. "Practicing good home maintenance management will save people money in the long run. That might cost me business, but I still try to educate people."

A check by an expert can also reveal if your furnace or air conditioner is leaking gas, gathering condensation or getting clogged, all of which can interfere with its effectiveness, Mehl said.

BONUS: By washing appliance filters and vacuuming the spaces where they sit, you will lower your energy costs and help your appliances last longer.

2. FOLLOW THE WATER: Similarly, it's important to inspect your plumbing regularly for leaks. Look under cabinets to make sure connections aren't dripping, and turn all valves off and on to ensure the system is operating properly. Repair or replace dripping faucets right away because addressing leaks and other plumbing problems when they start is much cheaper than repairing the damage leaks can cause over time.

BONUS: Major savings on your water bill. A single faucet dripping six times a minute can waste 29 gallons of water per month, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

3. TURN DOWN THE HEAT: One of the simplest ways homeowners can save money is to improve a home's efficiency by installing a programmable thermostat, according to Ron Jarvis, vice president of environmental innovation at Home Depot Inc. A programmable thermostat can also prolong the life of your heating and ventilation system by letting it work only when needed. They cost around $50 but can save you $180 a year by more closely regulating home temperature during different parts of the day.

BONUS: You can set the system to warm up the house in winter (or cool it down in summer) just in time for your return in the evening.

4. CLEAN OUT THE GUTTERS: Regularly scooping accumulated leaves and other material from gutters is the best way to avoid water and weather damage to your home's roof and walls. It also makes the gutters last longer. And by doing it yourself, you can save the $200 or so you would spend hiring a service. Just make sure you have a tall enough ladder and tools to clean the gutters safely, such as gloves, a garden trowel or plumbers snake and a hose.

BONUS: No unpredictable downpours from the spots where overflowing gutters are leaking.

5. BRIGHT IDEA: Install dimmers in the rooms you use most, suggests Lowe's spokeswoman Abby Buford. Beyond the dining room, each dimmer in a bedroom, kitchen or living room can save a customer about $30 per year compared with a standard switch. That's because dimming lights 25 percent cuts electricity costs about 20 percent.

BONUS: The option of setting a calming (or romantic) mood in almost any room.

6. GET INSULATED: Add insulation to your attic and walls, and recaulk doors and windows this spring when you want to have them open for a while anyway. In addition to saving most homeowners big money on energy, insulation also can reduce wear on heating and cooling systems because it keeps the home at a more constant temperature.

BONUS: Constant temperatures throughout the house - no drafts.

7. BUY ENERGY SAVERS: Whenever you need to replace an appliance, make sure to choose from the most energy-efficient options. For instance, in a large household, a high-efficiency clothes washer can pay for itself in a year or two.

And replacing a single toilet installed in the 1980s or earlier with high-efficiency low-flow model ($300 and up, including labor) can cut your water bill by hundreds of dollars over several years. (In new construction, they've been mandatory nationwide since 1995.)

BONUS: Federally funded rebates on many energy-efficient household appliances are part of the economic stimulus program. For details, check http://www.energysavers.gov/financial/70020.html.

"It's a good year look into appliances and furnaces," because of the rebates, Mehl said. "If your furnace is more than 15 years old, it is a good time to inspect it and take advantage of a new higher-efficiency one."

For tips on performing an energy audit of your home to figure out which improvements would pay off first, check the federal Department of Energy Web site at http://www.energysavers.gov/yourhome/energyaudits/index.cfm/mytopic(equalsign)11160.

Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction.

Lawmaker proposes legal prohibition for terrorist ... - Jefferson City News Tribune Online

Posted: 22 Mar 2010 10:59 PM PDT


Or follow us here-

twitterFacebook

 

Governor Mitch Daniels releases statement on health ... - WLFI.com

Posted: 22 Mar 2010 09:01 AM PDT

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels (R) issued a statement late Monday morning on the passage of the health care bill.

"Our two best hopes for more jobs are investment and small business. The new 'health care' bill raises taxes drastically on both, and will harm our economic prospects badly. Hoosiers will also face higher state taxes as Medicaid rolls explode. It will raise by trillions the crushing debt we already are leaving young Americans; any claims to the contrary are worse than mistaken, they are knowingly fraudulent. In a life of optimism about America and its future, this morning I am as discouraged as I can remember being."

While the state's Republican leaders are adamantly opposed to the Democrat-backed bill, one Hoosier small business owner is celebrating its passage. The owners of Dog Ear Publishing are committed to providing health insurance, and they believes the bill may help them provide it less expensively.

The small company of nine employees saw its insurance premiums increase 30 percent this year. Now the company's insurance premiums cost more than $40,000.

Small businesses like Dog Ear Publishing typically have to pay 18 percent more for health insurance than their larger counterparts. So business owner Miles Nelson is pleased that the bill mandates a tighter government review of insurers' hikes on premiums.

"What we're really excited about is the shop exchange," said Miles Nelson, co-owner of the company.

Democrats have pushed for a health insurance exchange allowing individuals and very small businesses to comparison shop for policies. And Dog Ear Publishing and other small businesses will also benefit from a tax credit of up to 35 percent of what the company spends on health insurance premiums. Nelson doesn't yet know if his company will qualify the maximum tax credit.

"But we will qualify for something. I don't know what that percentage is yet, but that will be very helpful. Anything is better than what we're currently paying," said Nelson.

Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction.

Israeli Government Accepts Morpho Detection's Itemiser DX Desktop Trace Detection UnitItemiser DX (Photo: Business Wire) - Consumer Electronics Net

Posted: 23 Mar 2010 01:29 AM PDT

 

March 23, 2010 -- NEWARK, Calif., BUSINESS WIRE --

Morpho Detection, Inc., part of the Safran group's security business, today announced the Itemiser DX explosive trace detection (ETD) system has been accepted by the Israeli Prime Minister's Office for use by government agencies. With this designation, the Itemiser DX is approved for use by Israeli government agencies at border crossings, transportation facilities and civilian facilities and institutions.


This milestone represents the first time a Morpho Detection ETD solution has been accepted by the Israeli Prime Minister's Office. First certified by the TSA in July 2009, the Itemiser DX utilizes Ion Trap Mobility Spectroscopy (ITMS') technology to simultaneously analyze both positive and negative ions from a single sample, providing unparalleled threat and contraband detection.

'This designation from the Israeli Prime Minister's Office reflects our core commitment to develop the most advanced and integrated solutions to tackle the world's toughest security challenges,' said Dennis Cooke, president and CEO, Morpho Detection, Inc. 'We are thrilled to be able to offer this next-generation technology to governments, transportation hubs, cargo facilities and secure locations around the world. By quickly and accurately identifying traces of potential explosive materials, the Itemiser DX offers the capabilities needed to protect the most sensitive locations.'

'The strategic advantage Itemiser DX will provide is important to meeting the security challenges faced in this region,' said Yaron Yezersky, marketing manager, Hypertech Systems Ltd ' Morpho Detection's strategic partner in Israel.

A lightweight, versatile and user-friendly detection unit with a one-hour battery engineered with a built-in handle for hassle-free transportation, the Itemiser DX is now available to protect high-risk facilities and locations around the world.

For additional information on the Itemiser DX, please visit www.morphodetection.com.

About Morpho Detection, Inc.

Sagem Scurit's Morpho Detection, a business of the Safran group (PAR: SAF), is a leading supplier of explosives and narcotics detection systems for government, military, air and ground transportation, first responder, critical infrastructure and other high-risk organizations. Formed in 2009 following Safran Group's acquisition of GE Security's Homeland Protection business, Morpho Detection integrates computed tomography (CT), Raman Spectroscopy, trace (ITMS' technology), X-ray and X-ray Diffraction technologies into solutions that can make security activities more accurate, productive and efficient. With industry-leading products such as the Itemiser DX trace detection system, the CTX line of explosive detection systems (EDS), and the StreetLab Mobile hand-held chemical and biological substance identification unit, Morpho Detection's solutions are deployed to help protect people and property in some of the most important and sensitive world locations.

Photos/MultimediaGallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=6222885&lang=en

Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction.
Posted by at

0 comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)