On August 1, 2010, Oregon’s “Heat Smart for Clean Air Law” went into effect. This law is meant to protect homebuyers and clean our air of unnecessary wood-smoke pollution. This law requires a homeowner to remove and decommission an uncertified older woodstove or fireplace insert from a home at the point of sale. The law also applies to uncertified woodstoves located in outbuildings, shops, and garages. Uncertified wood stoves and inserts are required to be removed only when a home is sold.... more

Without an Indow Window With an Indow Window Brian McLean’s breakfast nook, with its seven windows looking out onto northeast Fremont Street in Portland, OR, was cold and drafty. The windows, in close proximity to the kitchen, also experienced condensation, with potential damage to the wood frame from water running down the cold panes and collecting on the muntins. This is just a preview...Read the rest... Read More →

Guess who’s coming to town? Old Man Winter and his entourage for some chilly days and frosty nights. Are you ready to bother through another season or two of cold carpet, bulky area rugs, and a family of stinky slippers? Or have you been considering a new radiant heating system with wood flooring for your home to warm it up, cut down on energy costs, and improve indoor air quality? Well, there’s quite a bit to consider, but knowing the basics behind this major home project can help you decide... more

In the fall, what home cook doesn’t feel a yen to bake? With the cooling weather, we’re eager to fire up the oven, smell the spice of pies, and bite into still-warm cookies. While baking offers the sensory delights of kneading dough and browning crusts, working in an efficient, functional, and attractive kitchen is the real icing on the cake. This is just a preview...Read the rest... Read More →

Most of us have thought about barns at some point in our lives. For many of us, barns evoke a simpler time. A time when we were closer to the earth, we worked hard, and we knew where our food came from. Maybe like me, you grew up in the country seeing barns every day. Or possibly you drive past barns on the way to the coast, or driving down the Willamette Valley, or out through eastern Washington. We see them in all sorts of conditions: beautifully restored, in original and fine condition, or in... more