Toolbox – The Gift that Keeps on Giving

Everyone should have a basic toolbox to handle the little things – hanging pictures, assembling purchased items, tightening up loose screws and a million other day to day uses. A beginner’s toolbox makes a great holiday gift, but what are the best basic items for a tool box?

Number one – basic 16 oz claw hammer. Everyone needs a solid hammer for putting things together and taking things apart, even if you’re just using the claw to pull nails out of the wall before you vacate your apartment.

The next toolbox essentials are screwdrivers. You’ll need at least one size flat head and Phillips head screwdriver, but having a couple of varying sizes is helpful. Flat head screws aren’t used much these days, but you’ll still find them in some assembly projects or on things like switch plates.

A crescent wrench does the work of many wrenches because it’s adjustable, so it works with varying sizes of nuts and bolts. In other wrenches, a basic set of socket wrenches comes in handy. Or pick up the Craftsman “dog bone” wrench that incorporates 8 sockets in one wrench. Handy!

A pair of pliers should be in every toolbox, and as you build your tool collection you’ll want a variety. Starting with vice grips is a good idea – they lock into place and can serve as an extra hand.

A good quality 25’ tape measure is essential – whether you’re trying to figure out if the couch you saw at Ikea will fit in your living room, or figuring out how much of any building material you’ll need to buy. A small level is also useful in many kinds of projects, from putting in cabinets to hanging pictures.

Buy good quality tools for this starter kit and you’ll truly give a gift that will last for years to come.

Tankless Hot Water Heaters – Save Energy and Space

No one wants to wake up to a cold shower in the morning. If your hot water heater isn’t doing the job, is showing signs of age and deterioration, or if you are interested in making energy efficient improvements to your home, a tankless hot water heater may be for you.


Tankless hot water heaters heat water on an “as needed” basis, instead of using energy around the clock to maintain a tank of hot water. When a hot water tap is turned on, cold water is drawn into the water heater, where a flow sensor activates a gas burner. The water is heated by flowing around a heat exchanger that is warmed by the gas burner.

Benefits of a tankless hot water heater are a savings in energy costs by heating water only when you need it. There’s not just one tank full of hot water, the tankless heater keeps heating the flow of water until it’s turned off, so you never run out of hot water. You’ll have less maintenance, without the need to flush sediment out of a tank periodically.

Tankless hot water heaters are space savers. Gas tankless water heaters are wall mounted, and some are even designed for outdoor installation, which frees up space in your garage or basement. They have a life expectancy of 20 years, without the risk of a tank springing leak and potential water damage.

If you act quickly, you can take advantage of a tax benefit through the end of 2010. Energy Star rated tankless water heaters are eligible for a tax credit of 30% of the cost – up to $1,500 throughout 2010.

Winterize Your Home to Save on Heating Costs

Here in Arizona, we tend to think of cutting energy costs in the summer, when air conditioning our homes, but there are simple ways to cut your winter energy bills as well. Take a few hours this weekend to winterize your home and make it more energy efficient.


•  Do a simple inspection of your home to find cracks and seams that allow drafts into the house and allow
   heat to escape. A flame on a lighter or candle can help you uncover drafts around windows and doors.
   Seal with weather stripping or caulk. This will also benefit you in the heat of summer.

•  Flip a switch and save. Ceiling fans aren’t just for cooling – reverse your fans to a clockwise direction and
   the fan will push warm air from the ceiling down into your rooms. This simple “switch” could save you up
   to 10% on energy costs.

•  Mark your calendar to check the air filters in your furnace or fan coil monthly. Dirty filters restrict airflow,
    which uses more energy and causes excessive wear on your furnace.

•  Make a small investment in a programmable thermostat so you’re not heating an empty house or lower
   your thermostat for times you aren’t home. You could save from 1 to 3% on your heating bill for every
   degree you lower your thermostat.

•  Schedule a routine inspection and tune-up of your heating system to keep it running at its most efficient,
   saving you money on your energy bills.

Home Improvements to Beat Next Summer’s Heat

The long Arizona summer is over, and now is a great time to take stock of ways to make cooling home improvements that will enhance daily summer living, reduce sun fading and damage to your home’s interior and cut energy costs. The place to make minor changes with major impact is your windows. Revolutionary products like solar shades can block up to 94% of the sun’s rays, while still maintaining your view. They keep the heat outside your home, reducing energy costs and fading in carpets and fabrics. These shades are completely retractable when they’re not needed, so you have the best of both worlds.

Another flexible option for keeping summer cooler is the addition of retractable awnings to your home. A retractable awning can add shady space to relax in outdoors, as well blocking the sun from your interior. Your interior temperature can be reduced by up to 15 degrees with the addition of an awning. When the sun moves, so does your awning – you can retract it to enjoy the great outdoors and unobstructed views.

For outdoor shade, consider sun and wind shades for your patio. These customized, retractable screens protect the patio from 90% of sun and wind, and come in hundreds of colors and patterns to enhance the look of your outdoor space. You can also add classic patio curtains for an elegant look. For a more permanent and sophisticated look, your space could benefit from a lattice patio cover made of durable and long-lasting aluminum. With a wood-grain texture and color finish to match your home, a patio cover provides additional shaded space for enjoying your backyard throughout the summer.

Time to Barbeque in Arizona

Arizona residents know that grilling is a year-round activity, and once the fall weather makes spending time outside a little more appealing, it’s a great time to consider enhancing the backyard with a new barbeque or more extensive outdoor kitchen. Holiday gatherings for a crowd and visiting family and friends throughout the winter and spring make an outdoor entertaining area a fantastic option for taking advantage of the wonderful Arizona climate.

Where to begin? A good place to start is deciding whether you prefer cooking with gas, charcoal, a wood-fired outdoor oven, or even an electric grill. Do you want a portable grill that you can relocate when needed, or are you looking for an equity boosting built-in grill or outdoor kitchen? Are you a Food-Network fan looking for a smoker, spit for roasts, or oven for pizzas? Do you want to incorporate a fridge, sink or prep table in your outdoor entertaining area or keep it simple? Clearly, the possibilities are endless.

A quality grill that has all of the features you’re looking for, from a spit attachment to extra burners, is an asset that can move with you, unlike other household appliances. On the other hand, a built-in barbeque area can add value to your home, making it more appealing to buyers when you are ready to move on. There are barbeques for every budget and skill level, so visiting retailers and browsing through home design magazines can help you decide on what features are most important to you. So grab a spatula and some of Bobby Flay’s best barbeque sauce and get ready to grill!

The Stone Age – Granite in Your Kitchen

Update or customize your kitchen with granite countertops and you can expect lasting beauty and a great return on your investment. Building and design professionals consistently choose granite for luxury homes and custom remodeling projects. As a natural stone, granite possesses unique variations in color and markings that can make the countertops an exceptional and striking design element in any kitchen. From eye-catching mineral flecks to distinctive vein patterns and swirls of rich color, the characteristics of granite coordinate with cabinets, flooring and wall finishes creating the perfect, luxurious compliment to your kitchen design.

Historically marble and limestone were preferred by stone fabricators because they are softer and easier to work with. Granite is one of the hardest and most durable of the stone types, and advances in machinery and fabricating technologies have eliminated the difficulties in working with granite. Granite’s outstanding qualities led to the highest number of “excellent” ratings in a recent study of kitchen countertop materials, according to Consumer Reports.

In additional to fabricating advances, new granite resources continue to be located worldwide. Currently, approximately two-thirds of the granite used worldwide is quarried in China, India and Brazil, with granite quarries operating in dozens of other countries. Visit a reputable granite supplier and it’s likely you will have access to a plentiful supply of various colors and characteristics representing quarries around the world.

Once your project is completed and you are enjoying your new countertops, you can clean them with a neutral cleaner, stone soap or mild dishwashing detergent and warm water. Rinse the surface well and dry with a soft cloth. Don’t use scouring powders or “soft” scrubs that might scratch the surface. Your stone installer will let you know if you should apply a stone sealer and can recommend one that is non-toxic and safe in food preparation areas. It’s that easy.

Desert Gardening

Gardening in the Valley of the Sun can be a challenge, especially to green thumbs transplanted from other parts of the country where gardening seasons, plants and conditions are very different from the desert environment. Luckily, there are many local resources for novice desert gardeners and those who just want to understand the basics of maintaining their yard throughout the year.

There are many knowledgeable landscape maintenance and design services in Arizona that can help plan and maintain your yard and planters, leaving you to enjoy your golf game or lounging poolside. However, for those who want to be more active gardeners, the first place to gather information and get a good look at a variety of desert plants is the Desert Botanical Garden. This 145 acre facility features over 50,000 plant displays in outdoor exhibits, and offers a variety of classes year-round for the casual to serious gardener.

Checking with your local municipality is another option. The City of Scottsdale, for example, is offering free workshops on plant selection, plant care and landscape makeovers this fall. Glendale also has landscaping and water conservation workshops on the calendar, and Gilbert’s schedule features “Hummingbird and Butterfly Gardens” as well as “Drip Irrigation Design and Install” workshops.

As you consider creating a desert-friendly yard or garden, you can also visit one of the beautiful Xeriscape Demonstration Gardens in the area. These gardens provide great examples of plant usage and plant combinations which are sure to generate ideas for transforming your own landscape. Also be on the lookout for the tenth annual “Real Gardens for Real People” garden tour coming up in 2011, sponsored by the University of Arizona’s Master Gardener Program. Visit their website for a wealth of desert gardening resources, from books to classes and other events.

Don’t be intimated by the desert landscape – it can be prickly, but by making the most of local resources you’ll be surrounded by a beautiful landscape in no time.