Are you tired of repeatedly having to paint your home? If you want to break the re-painting cycle but don’t like the idea of vinyl or metal siding, then you owe it to yourself to take a close look at a protective ceramic coating that gives the look of a freshly painted home year after year. This specialized coating system is guaranteed for as long as you own your home, and has a 25-year transferable guarantee. You will never have to paint your home again. Going Green Rhino Shield Coating... more

Nearly half of all investigations for childhood lead poisoning in Oregon found that remodeling or repainting was the source of exposure. Common renovation and painting activities such as sanding, cutting, scraping, removal of plumbing, replacing windows and any work that disturbs painted surfaces can create and spread hazardous lead dust, which can cause lead poisoning. To protect against this risk, on April 22, 2008, EPA issued a rule requiring the use of lead-safe practices and other actions aimed... more

Showerhead from Kohler's Forté collection that uses 1.75 gpm of water. Photo courtesy of Kohler As we head into the time of year that we hear about water shortages, it might be a good idea to talk about conservation. Water conservation has come a long way in the past 15 years when people grimaced upon the mere mention of the topic. Today we have toilets that actually perform well while saving water, and the same for showerheads, and faucets. We now have hot water heaters that are more efficient,... more

OK. It’s cold out. I’m sitting here, inside my cozy little brick house and there is a nice frost out on a sunny late fall morning. I finally turned on the furnace and lit the fireplace. When I go out, I will wear a beret and a scarf. I will probably make a pot of soup for dinner. I love this time of year. Hens and Chickens Now that there is a bit of a chill in the air, I bet you think that the gardening season is over. Au contraire! There is so much you can do during the winter months, it is... more

Spokane County, WA became the launch pad last July for the nation’s strictest ban on dishwasher detergent made with phosphates, a measure aimed at reducing water pollution. The ban will be expanded statewide in July 2010, the same time similar laws take effect in several other states. Among other states that have banned or are banning phosphates in dishwasher detergent are Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Michigan, Vermont, Minnesota, Illinois, Massachusetts, and New York. A bill on Capitol Hill... more

I drive around a lot. Needless to say, I find myself looking at a lot of yards while I am out and about. And there it is: the ever present lawn. I know, I know; your neighbor has it, their neighbor has it. What else is there? It is hard to imagine that there is another way of landscaping your yard, but I promise there is. I call it the “Lose the Lawn” plan. I think that most people accept the status quo of what a garden should look like because they don’t know anything else is out there. I... more

Wet basements are the bane of many homes, especially older ones. Moisture in a basement can breed ruinous mold and mildew, impart a musty odor to storage items, and render valuable square footage unusable. Clogged rain gutters and downspouts, broken or leaking pipes, seepage and condensation are among the causes of wet basements. Fortunately, there are a few simple things homeowners can do to diagnose basement moisture and keep it from developing into a serious problem. Water damage in a basement.... more

Several times a month we have customers through the shop with a common frustration. Somewhere in their old home they have a new door or doors with modern hardware. They want to replace the modern hardware with something keeping with the age of the home, but have found that old hardware seems to be incompatible with the newer door. We hear the same lament from owners of newer houses that are trying to add some “old world” character to their home. Left; mortise lock, above; tube latch and square... more