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Monday, 25 May 2009 20:42

1st Quarterly Newsletter

by Muller Custom Renovations Ltd.

~ Carpenter's Corner ~

The Revival of Laundry Chutes

Muller Custom Renovations takes the memories of the well known laundry chute from yesteryear and revitalizes its image to suit today's need for functionality with a little added flare!

At the design stage, a client can request from a number of different shapes, sizes, textures and locations as customization is encouraged. Laundry chutes, however, are not suited for every household as they work best if the “drop zone” is only one floor below the laundry room, and should be located in a central area so all occupants have access to it (e.g. - bathroom or hallway closet).

Shown here is a homeowner's laundry chute in Dartmouth, N.S. The rounded shape is subtle, and the chute itself blends in nicely with the bathroom wall, but it still manages to be an attractive focal point and topic of conversation. The chute's destination is within the downstairs laundry area where a clothes hamper catches each and every piece, ensuring the upstairs is clutter-free!

~ Practical and Energy Efficient Lighting ~

We have noticed that “under-cabinet” lighting has become a popular feature with homeowners and the recent introduction of LED under cabinet lighting is proving to be just as popular. For those of you who are not up to date on your electrical terminology, LED stands for Light Emitting Diode.

The “Juno” TL201LED is the LED lighting we are presently installing and is mounted on a Trac 12 - 1" profile track. This makes it ideal for tucking it behind the lip of cabinets for use as uniform task and accent lighting. It is dimmable with a full dimming range using conventional incandescent dimmers. The beauty of this lighting is that you can easily add additional light modules to the track.

It is more expensive than conventional lighting—however, on the energy efficiency side, this LED lighting uses extremely low energy consumption, produces very low heat and has an exceptional service life.

We have had under-cabinet lighting in our kitchen for eighteen years and I cannot imagine not having it now—I love it. I rarely turn on the ceiling light as the under cabinet lighting illuminates my entire counter top area where I am usually working. My under-cabinet lighting is now old technology (fluorescent tubes housed in not so small boxes) and two out of the three units are now needing to be replaced—I know what I want to replace them with…

For more information on LED lighting, please visit the Juno Lighting Group [PDF].

~ Energy Efficiency ~

Since 2007, the Canadian Government has won a great response from it's ecoENERGY Efficiency Initiative, and is in effect until 2011 to promote smarter energy use for Canadians. The key element for homeowners is to reduce the amount of energy wasted, and can be done in many ways according to the literature available at Natural Resources Canada's website.

In the last five years, the Canadian Building Code of Canada has been revised to ensure that new homes are built more eco-friendly, however, homes whether new or old can still benefit from many improvement options. Canadians have shown their interest too! With the compounded savings of the ecoENERGY Efficiency Initiative rebates and this year's new Home Renovation Tax Credit, the investment will prove to be worthwhile for home-owners, the environment, and the economy!

~ The Healthy House ~

V.O.C's - The gift that keeps on giving (...your family health problems) - SAY NO AND BREATHE BETTER!

Volatile Organic Compounds are the 21st century's dirty little secret that has been the topic of discussion with many homeowners worldwide. V.O.C's consist of a variety of carbon-based molecules, such as hydrocarbons, which are released into the atmosphere due to their unusually high vapour pressure.

In terms of residential building and renovations, these compounds are released inside your home from the abundant use of many building materials such as paints, adhesives, wall boards, and ceiling tiles. Consumer products found around the house, such as cleaning solvents and wood preservatives from certain furniture all emit VOC compounds, which may contribute to sick-building syndrome and other effects such as allergic sensitization or asthmatic symptoms.

New advances in technology at the manufacturing level, as well as consumer awareness and the initiative of “healthy house” building practices encourage homeowners to take advantage of the relatively affordable options which include low-v.o.c or v.o.c-free products. Newer homes equipped with mechanical ventilation such as heat recovery ventilators also improve indoor air quality and can remove a percentage of VOC's.

Extra ventilation should also be considered when renovating older houses, and may be required depending on the project and the local building code.

~ First Time Renovators ~

While there are many tips to give homeowners who are having a renovation done for the first time, I feel that an important first step is to really look at the space(s) you are going to change. Space is a valuable commodity and you want to make every last inch count.

Often there is dead space in our homes (such as under a staircase) that could be used for a much needed storage area, or perhaps a powder room. Airiness and openness are also important factors in making a space comfortable and workable. We often see a kitchen area being opened up to overlook a family room where you can keep an eye on young children while preparing meals.

Mud rooms are high on the list in renovation projects and provide a perfect spot to clean up or dry down the family pet(s). Many clients include shelving and closets in the mud room, and I expect those closets are a perfect place to house the endless array of gloves, hat, coats, footware…

A multipurpose idea that is currently popular is having the laundry facilities combined with a bathroom—this could be a good way to save space for some homeowners. It is also very common for homeowners to want their laundry facilities on the main level as opposed to the basement, and they are often combined with a mud room.

Although I see homeowners coming up with some great and interesting ways to use space in their homes, not everyone wants to take this on as a project. If you are ready to make some changes in your home and need some help, I would recommend that you speak to a qualified professional such as a designer, architect or general contractor (Muller Custom Renovations Ltd., telephone: 489-0111, or use our online Feedback Form).