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The Hottest Thing in Easy Living and Home Improvement

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There are a lot of things to consider when it comes to designing and outdoor kitchen area. Since a lot of people have different needs, budgets, climates, space, etc, I am going to approach this article by offering up some suggestions for outdoor kitchen components that can be bought one at a time to fit into tight budgets and some that can be set up for a season and taken down if needed. At the same time, any of these components could be used in an outdoor kitchen that has some permanent structures like counter tops or rock work.

Sure – there are outdoor kitchen set ups that are all stainless steel, have countertops, fridges, ect all built in and you can sure order one but they will set you back $3,000-$5,000 or more and you have to be able to find a suitable shaped and sized space.

I am glad for the opportunity to write this up because even after cooking outside and in for many years, there is always more to learn and the availability of appliances, tables, ect is better than ever thanks to internet shopping. Let’s start with some basic questions to know before you get to deciding exactly what you need to look for.

How much space do you have?

A mobile outdoor kitchen set up might be the answer if you have little space or live in a climate where you have a shorter season that you can use it or at least need to protect it a lot from the weather.

If you have a patio or other area in mind then get out a tape measure and see what space you have to dedicated to it. Make sure to leave enough room for movement.

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Draw it out

You can use graph paper or if you are savvy enough with computers, a design program. If your kitchen needs to all fit together just so then you need to consider all the measurements to make the most of your space. Can you fit that 4 ft long range in there and still have room for a cart? It may take several drafts to get the layout the way you want.

Consider flow carefully

Some of you may have noticed that I have a really small kitchen when I am doing food related articles. My entire kitchen is slightly larger than 7 feet by 10 feet but since the layout is good, it is not hard to cook in because things are easy to reach. I was lucky that Matt really thought out the flow when we were figuring out how to finish the kitchen.

When planning out your outdoor kitchen, think about the food prep process and how you will be able to move from one station to the next. You can get a lot more done and do it more safely if the flow is good. If you have outdoor kitchen components that can be moved around with ease then you can change up the flow if it is not working for you.

Different components to consider

If you put back a lot of your own food then you need an outdoor kitchen that can help you with processing and keep the rest of your house from being taken over with the messes that go along with that.

A gas range or several eyes

This is essential for hot water bath or pressure canning. You need standard eyes not the giant turkey fryer eyes or anything like that. You can even set these up temporarily if you get the right thing. Easily adjustable gas range tops are nice to have.

Actually, when Matt and I lived in the camper while building our house, we had a little gas stove that we eventually pulled out and set outside and I canned on that. It is not pretty but it works.Sometimes you have to get innovative when roughing it and trying to get things done with any efficiency!

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Camp Chef 2-Burner Stove

This 2 burner station packs a lot of cooking power and the price is right. Each burner has an output of an amazing 30,000 btus. There is an included windscreen and you can get preseasoned cast iron griddles that fit over each eye so you can have a very large cooking surface.

Camp Chef 4 Burner

This unit offers 4 propane burners that have an output of 30,000 btus each and comes with a handy rolling cart. This whole thing folds down for easy storage and transport. Like all Camp Chef products there are a lot of accessories that you can add. Even this can be turned into a giant grill or griddle if you get 4 cast iron grill/griddle

Sink

A sink is nice if you can manage water. There is all kinds of reasons to want a sink from washing produce to hands to getting potable water to boil in order to can foods or simply cook with.

BBQ and Smoker

The easiest way to achieve this is to buy a BBQ that is made to be a smoker when needed. The better ones have two sections which is nice if you want to smoke meats and grill up some dinner at the same time. Being able to figure out how to multitask when you are starting out homesteading or farming is a major bonus. These have a built in temperature gauge which is nice to have too.

Counterspace

Movable stainless steel carts or foldable racks offer inexpensive yet quality solutions to counterspace issues. If you are not going with a build in countertop and cabinets then the stainless steel food prep carts offer a lot of space to set things and they are easier to sanitize. Also stainless is going to hold up to outdoor conditions better than just about anything besides stone.

Good Set Of Grill Tools

You need a good set of tools if you are going to smoke meats or prepare much in the way of food outside. These should be sturdy. Now is not the time to get the cheapest thing in the store. You might look for the same brands that you trust in knives.

Rada Cutlery

I love this company not only for being made in the USA and affordable but for the excellent quality and utilitarian charactaristics that they have. Along with Liberty Tableware, they are one of the few USA manufacturers of small kitchenware out there.

I bought the steak knife set and they are the knives I use the most. With , you can get quality USA made for as low as budget store cutlery.

You will want some tongs, meat forks, spatulas, pizza cutter, bread knife, etc. Part of it really depends on what you plan on using this outdoor kitchen for.

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Camp Chef Somerset 4- …Buy New $290.19(as of 04:45 EST – Details)

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Simple Home Improvement that Creates a Sustainable Home to live

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Simple Home Improvement that Creates a Sustainable Home to live

Your Starter Guide To Sustainable Living

Why You Should Shift To Sustainable Living

How To Create A Sustainable Home

A Beginner’s Guide To Sustainable Living

Creating A Sustainable Home In Simple Steps

Since the industrial revolution, societies have been driven to consume. The consumerist world exploded after the world wars and continued to expand to this day. Children are raised to do good in school, get a high paying job and live years of abundance. Material wealth has always been our standard of success.

Don’t you think it’s time for a change?

There’s an emerging movement that aims to challenge our perception of a successful life: minimalism. Minimalism, contrary to popular belief, is not a product of the 21st century. It’s in the core of many cultures in Asia. The Buddhist concept of Zen emphasizes on an individual’s consciousness of the self and its relations with nature. “Zen contends that physical nature and human nature must be sought in an experiential dimension practically trans-descending,” according to a paper published by Stanford University. Minimalists are upholding the Zen principle in various aspects of their life, from their decision-making behaviors to their lifestyle choices.

Sustainable living: a complete lifestyle shift

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Sustainable living is a way of life that involves reduced dependence on natural resources. It embodies the Zen principles of caring for nature and the ideals of minimalism. To live a sustainable life, you may need to make a significant shift in your mindset. “It is such a simple principle – and yet if it is extended to include all living beings (an essential component of sustainability), it requires a complete shift in how we live our lives. Because we do unto others all day long – through the clothes we buy, the energy we use, the food we eat, even the toothpaste we brush our teeth with. Every choice we make impacts others – through its creation, its distribution, its use and its disposal,” noted GlobalStewards.org.

Sustainability in your living space can be done in simple ways. If you’re new to the concept, you can start with the easiest steps. Here are some home improvement tips for a sustainable living.

Explore passive design strategies

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Passive architecture is the use of energy efficient designs to reduce ecological footprints. It includes daylighting, natural ventilation and solar energy. Daylighting simply means using sunshine to illuminate your space. You can create external reflection letting sunlight reflect from the flooring of your home, wide window sills, and light shelves. Internal reflection can be achieved allowing natural light to reflect from internal walls, ceiling and high reflectance surfaces. You can also apply light-colored finishes and mount mirrors to reflect light around your home. However, avoid high levels of direct sunlight that can cause glare and increase the need for cooling.

Passive cooling strategies involve energy efficient designs to control heat gain in spaces. These designs include ventilation, windows insulation, and shading. Remember that the cooling strategies you can apply in your home is determined by your climate. If you live in a tropical region, you may need year-round shading.

Create indoor green spaces

Studies suggest that living near green spaces is good for one’s mental and physical health. Greenery has a therapeutic impact that helps reduce stress levels. Living in a neighborhood with parks and open spaces encourage an active and fit lifestyle. You can reap the benefits of green spaces by creating one inside your home. If you’re living in a tight condo space, you can install a vertical garden in the patio, kitchen, and even in the living room. There’s a wealth of creative condo garden tips you can check on Pinterest and other social media sites.

Houseplants offer a number of benefits. They can purify the air, cool down room temperature, provide supply for fresh vegetables and herbs, and decorate a space. The pothos plant can absorb toxins like formaldehyde from carpets and floor cleaning materials. The spider plant, which is usually displayed as hanging plants, also have air purifying qualities similar with dracaena and weeping fig. Other plants that can clean indoor air and have cooling effects include bamboo palm, boston fern, and aloe vera.

Go energy efficient with your appliances and gadgets

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A sustainable and minimalist lifestyle doesn’t mean that you should let go of the comforts of technology. It’s just a matter of choosing the right furnishings and appliances. Go only for appliances with high energy-efficiency ratings. When shopping for electronic devices, choose Energy Star-labeled products that can save up to 75% in power consumption. You can further cut down your energy consumption, and save on costs by using an advanced power strip. This reduces “vampire loads” or electricity wasted when appliances and gadgets are plugged in but unused. Vampire loads commonly occur in computers, kitchen appliances, and home entertainment systems.

For your computer, here are 3 no nonsense tips to go energy efficient:

  • Use your computer on low-power mode. This can save energy, and allows your equipment to run cooler and last longer
  • Turn off the switch on the power strip or surge protector if the plugged equipment is not in use
  • Activate the power management feature on your computer. This will automatically put your screen into sleep mode after a period of inactivity

Take advantage of government-sponsored programs

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The US Department of Energy (DOE) developed a national rating system, the Home Energy Score, that assesses the energy efficiency of a home based on the architectural design and heating, cooling, and hot water systems. The agency offers financial incentives and financing programs that attain a high Home Energy Score. For solar energy systems, you can avail of a federal tax credit for 30% throughout 2019, 26% for 2020 and 22% for 2021. The taxpayer may claim the credit of qualified expenditures on an energy-saving system in a residential structure he owns in the United States. “Expenditures include labor costs for on-site preparation, assembly or original system installation, and for piping or wiring to interconnect a system to the home,” according to the DOE.

Sustainable living is a change in mindset and behavior. It involves simple, mundane decisions such as recycling plastic cups and major matters like shifting to a passive home design. You don’t need to rush in and change all your appliances tomorrow, but start in any way you can. Uncluttering your home can be your starting point.

Category: Environment, going green, Green Energy, Green Fashion, green home, Green Jobs, green living, green living news, green products, Solar Power For Your HomeTags: ,

Source

https://greenlivingguy.com/2017/12/13/simple-home-improvement-that-creates-a-sustainable-home-to-live-2/

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How to Keep Water Out of Your Basement

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Is flooding one of the issues your basement often faces? Many homeowners struggle with basements consistently having water leakage problems. In the face of these problems, here are different methods that will help you protect your basement from flooding.

  1. Diagnose the Main Source of Water Problem

The first thing to do in keeping water out of your basement is to figure out the source. There are two possible sources of water and moisture in your basements. It could be because of indoor humidity, which condenses on cold surfaces.

Another source is water vapor or water coming from outside. It happens when groundwater, snow melting or rainwater saturates the soil around the foundation then leaking in. This water leaks through cracks in the foundation or it penetrates masonry or concrete walls as water vapor.

To know whether the cause for water in your basement is either of the two, all you need to do is tape aluminum foil to the basement. Leave is for a few days then inspect after. If there is moisture on the outside, then there is high indoor humidity. If moisture is behind the foil, moisture is through the walls.  If you are having trouble finding the source of the leak, you may want to bring in a basement waterproofing contractor to find it.  They use moisture meters and can find the source quickly.

  1. Remove Excess Humidity to Dry Out Basement

The next step of the process is eliminating the excess humidity. Get rid of all sources of humidity in order to dry your basement. To do this, use foil tape to seal all your leaky dryer vents preventing unwanted humid from entering the basement.

Make sure to use foil tape and not duct tape, as the latter will eventually fall off. In addition to that, make sure that your basement windows remain closed when the weather is humid. You can also dehumidifier to reduce indoor humidity if you are still getting condensation.

  1. Repair Gutter System That Isn’t Working

You need properly working gutters for proper drainage system and a cause for moisture in your basement. If the gutter system isn’t working, it forces water to run directly off your roof. Since water does not have anywhere to go, eventually it will pool around the foundation down to the basement.

The way to prevent water from pooling around the foundation to the basement is by minimizing water coming in contact in this area. You should also install an effective drainage system that will direct roof water to the most suitable location.

  1. Waterproof the Interior of Your Basement

If your problem were small, intermittent leaks, an effective method to keep water out would be waterproofing the interior of your basement. Aside from being quick, this is also a relatively easy method to ensure water and moisture is out of your basement.

You can apply waterproofing solutions on the walls and other places where future leaks might erupt. For this method, you have three options for waterproofing. Choose from concrete waterproof coating, waterproofing paint and silicate-based concrete sealers for the best material for your basement wall.

The silicate-based sealer is ideal for walls that haven’t been painted or sealed before. As for waterproofing paint, applying it is quite similar to when applying regular wall paint. With concrete waterproof coating, better use it for concrete and masonry walls.

  1. Repairs Cracks in Walls and Foundation

Cracks in foundation and basement walls are a major cause of problem for leaks. Thus, it is a great practice for keeping water out of your basement to check regularly for cracks. If you find any, first call a specialist or structural engineer for an inspection.

If you let cracks it can create more trouble than its worth. It can compromise the integrity of your house and lead not just flooding into your basement. With that, if you ever notice cracks in your basement you have to make sure to address it before moving forward.

Following these simple tips or methods to keep water out of your basement, you can ensure no water will enter and bring damage to your home.

Family

How music aids in child development

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All of the world’s cultures feature music and singing as it’s an important part of everyday life. Wherever you turn you’ll find music as it’s common in movies, on television, in theatre and on the radio. It’s also featured in everyday events such as ceremonies, parades, celebrations, holidays and places of worship etc. Music is used as a way to express emotions and as a soothing and calming influence on children, with things such as lullabies and nursery rhymes.

As children grow, we find music can positively impact their development by helping improve their social and learning skills. For example, a study at the University of Southern California found that music can accelerate a child’s brain development, especially when it comes to the areas of language, mathematical, and reading skills.

We have been taking our child for music lessons for several years now and have seen the benefits first hand.  She takes guitar lessons and is now addicted to buying guitars from The Arts Music Store, an online music store in Canada.  Learning to play music has so many more benefits that surfing the internet or playing video games.

In fact, music can also help a child’s emotional and social development along with their academic skills and sees the mind and body work together as one. There are numerous positive aspects to listening to and playing music along with simply having it provide us with joy and happiness. Children can express themselves by playing music as they relate to the sounds of it at an early age. You’ll often see youngsters swaying, moving and trying to dance and sing along to music before they can even walk and talk.

When children need to be soothed or stimulated it’s often achieved through different types of music. They also become familiar with the repetition of words and often memorize them while learning their meaning. For instance, all kids quickly learn how to sing ‘Happy Birthday to You’ and various nursery rhymes and memorize the words at an early age. In addition, youngsters aren’t inhibited or self-conscious when it comes to singing along with others as it comes naturally to them. They become familiar with the lyrics, harmonies, melodies, beats, and rhythms and are eager to participate.

Since children are so receptive to music it’s an ideal way for them to learn the meaning of words as well as skills such as spelling, counting, and memorizing a specific sequence of events. As they grow older their appreciation for different types of music usually develops and progresses, but they never forget the original songs they learned as infants. As children quickly become teenagers they usually have their favourite types of music and often form friendships with peers who share the same likes and dislikes.

Many youngsters become so attached to their musical surroundings that they decide to pursue it further by taking singing or music lessons. This allows them to express themselves even further artistically as they grow in self-confidence and discipline. There are virtually no negatives at all associated with music as it’s something we’ve become so accustomed to throughout all aspects of life. There’s no better way to develop a child’s vocabulary, memory, emotions, cognitive skills, motor skills and form of self-expression than music.

And we shouldn’t forget the parents’ role in all of this as they have the opportunity to introduce their children to musical sounds as early as they choose. They can use music and lyrics as a teaching tool and enable their children to develop their minds and bodies in a positive, joyous environment. A stronger bond can also be created between them through a shared love of music which will often last a lifetime.

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The Best ROI For Your Home Renovation Projects

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Thinking of starting a new home renovation project but want to know which projects will let you recoup the most money when you sell?

Read on.

All homeowners have a list of renovation projects they would love to do for their home.  The problem is that if you plan on moving in the future, it’s nice to know you will be able to recoup some or all of the project costs when it comes time to sell.

Certain home renovation projects are great investments as well.  Other home reno projects will provide little ROI for your investment, though they may increase the enjoyment of your home while you are living in it.

So what projects should you choose?

If you plan on selling your home within the next 5 years or so, it makes sense to choose renovation projects that will allow you to recoup some or all of your money.

If you plan on living in your home forever, then ROI may not be your first thought.  Your main concern is how this renovation project will increase the enjoyment of living in your home.

As far as rooms in your home, remodeling your kitchen is always a good investment as it’s the cornerstone of your home and one of the most important rooms in the house.  The costs to remodel a kitchen can vary, based on finishing, size, and appliances you use.

Adding an extra bedroom in your home is also a great ROI project.  Extra living space is always needed, so turning your attic or basement into a legal sleeping space can add value to your home as people will pay more for a 4 bedroom home than a 3 bedroom home.

Adding extra living space such as a sunroom can also increase the square footage of the home and allow you to sell your home for more when the time comes.  It should be a 4 season (or at least 3) to get the most resale value out of the project.

Adding additional garage space will also be appealing for families that have lots of toys, like boats and motorbikes.  An upscale garage can get you extra money when you sell if you are selling to the right family.

So when you plan out your next home renovation project, be sure to take into consideration the costs involved in the project as well as the expected returns you may see when it comes time to sell your home.

 

Top Home Renovation Projects

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Are Electric Fireplaces Better Than Gas?

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Dimplex-Electric-Fireplaces-Toronto-1024x250

I recently purchased an electric fireplace for my condo here in Toronto and I wanted to share my experiences.

First off, when you mentioned electric fireplace to me, my first thought was some kind of orange paper wiggling around behind glass that resembled a kid’s puppet show.  St least that was my first though since that’s how I remembered them as a kid.

Wow was I wrong.

I can’t believe how awesome and realistic the new electric fireplaces look.  The flames look realistic, unless you have your face against the glass, and the look and feel just feels modern, which I like.

We purchased a wall mounted electric fireplace that sat below our well mounted tv in our family room.

Setup was snap, we mounted it on the wall, as opposed to a flush mount, so we just needed to use the mounting brackets and hook up the standard electric line to an outlet.  We opted to pay an electrician to hard wire it so we didn’t have to see the cord, but you can do either.

Below is a neat infographic that talks about the benefits of an electric fireplace.  If you live in Toronto, this store a great for finding a wall mounted electric fireplace.

So are electric fireplaces better than gas?  Yes!

Electric Fireplaces