As we approach our homes with our endless to-do lists, it’s easy to imagine that we’re the only ones who have ever had problems getting things in order. Surely George Washington, of all people, never had to deal with a wet basement, right?

Wrong. Mount Vernon flooded constantly, and correcting the problem vexed the Commander in Chief even as he was off ridding the Colonies of the Redcoats. In fact, many of the Founding Fathers—that august group that won a war and penned the Constitution—left behind monumental homes imprinted with their virtues, as well as their quirks. Here’s a quick tour of three Virginia mansions, to give you an insight into housing problems then and now.

Mount Vernon. Washington really did sleep here, of course, and as a result this palace on the Potomac probably ties with the White House as the best-known home in America. And talk about distinctive! What other place, short of a Howard Johnson’s, makes such effective use of both dormers and cupolas, not to mention that two-story back porch? Mount Vernon was Washington’s childhood home, after which he spent the rest of his adult life renovating, re-renovating, and renovating again, right up until he died. “If Washington were not a better general than he was an architect,” sniffed Baron von Steuben after taking a tour of the place, “the affairs of America would be in very bad condition.”

Monticello. Unlike Washington, Thomas Jefferson never suffered any complaints about his skills as an architect. Modeled in part on the ancient Pantheon in Rome, Monticello exhibits more gadgetry than a Sharper Image catalogue. Jefferson invented the dumbwaiter, for instance, to haul food into the dining room and wine bottles up from the cellar. In his closet, he designed a rotating rack for displaying and choosing his clothes, and he may even lay claim to having built the world’s first swivel chair. Beyond this, Monticello was one of the earliest homes in America to employ skylights (there are 13 in all), and was also one of the first to feature indoor privies. All this proved attractive to his friends, which created a problem all it’s own for Jefferson. Overrun with houseguests, he was forced to build the more remote Poplar Hill in order to have a little time to himself!

Montpelier. While not as well known as Mount Vernon and Monticello, this brick palace is every bit as beautiful, especially now that it is in the midst of a massive renovation. Montpelier was the home of James and Dolley Madison, and was built by Madison’s father in the Classical and Federal styles. Madison himself re-built it by adding a 30-foot addition and a second front door, which turned it into a duplex of sorts. Later, he removed one of the doorways and added two new wings, before calling it a day. This was a couple that loved their home. James conducted his affairs of state from here; for her part, the ebullient Dolley served as hostess, where she began taking snuff, and wearing bright clothing and turbans adorned with jewelry or feathers.

Wise in so many ways, the Founding Fathers knew their characters were inseparable from the homes they lived in. They added to them, altered the styles with abandon, and worked to create distinctive places that suited their personalities, and the needs of their families.

These three mansions remind us that a home, no matter how humble, is more than just a bit of real estate. Instead, it’s a place that shapes us–every bit as much as we shape it.


The “electronics recycling law” is meant to protect the environment from deadly toxins and heavy metals contained in those “old” products, while at the same time preventing the loss of component materials that can be re-used. Violating the law could result in a fine of $25 for a first offense — and $50 for subsequent offenses.

 About 33 million pounds of electronics were recycled in Illinois in 2010, but according to the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, a lot more probably was thrown away. Their goal is to keep up to 60 million pounds of electronics from landfills by 2013.

 This means YOU, as a responsible consumer, will have to make a little more of an effort to recycle TV sets, computers, cell phones, video recorders, and other electronics. Some stores will accept the equipment, others will recycle it for you when they deliver new items like TV sets or refrigerators. And, the best part is that most companies won’t charge you for recycling your old goods.

The best advice is to call ahead, ask specialty stores if they recycle or call your village or township office to ask where you can go to drop these items off, so they don’t end up sitting in a landfill. You can go to this website: www.illinoisrecycles.org for a list of drop off-locations!

Good luck and happy recycling!

Brown patches on your lawn. If you have a dog then you know what I am talking about. Male dogs kill the flowers and bushes and female dogs kill the lawn. No matter what is causing the patches here is how you bring it back. Scratch all the dead grass from the area and loosen the soil a bit with a garden rake. Then apply a seed mixture that is right for the area’s condition – sunny, shade or part shade. There are now seed mixtures that hold more moisture that work great. Try Jonathan Green’s Black Beauty grass seed. Sprinkle the seed over the area and cover with peat moss. Water the area to moisten the seed and try and keep traffic off of it for about 2 weeks with a garden fence. Water every three days and your brown patch will be fixed.

Replace or repair a damaged piece of wood siding. Exterior improvements can get a lot worse if left unattended, fixing them now can cost just a few dollars but left unrepaired they can turn into hundreds and even thousands of dollars in repairs. If there are small areas that are rotted you can patch those with some exterior grade wood putty. First remove the damaged area with a scraper or putty knife. Be sure to remove any rotted or wet area. If wet let them dry, then apply the wood putty. There are many different brands – Dap, Elmer’s and Wood epoxy to name a few. You apply it with a putty knife to build up the area. Once dry you sand it smooth. Then you can spot prime the area with an exterior primer and touch up or paint the entire piece or section of siding. If the area is to big then you may want to replace the entire piece of siding. If you do not have extra siding (and who does) consider removing a good piece that may be on the back side of the garage or behind some bushes. Use a hammer and pry-bar or screw driver to loosen the good and bad piece. Swap locations and nail them into place using galvanized #6 or #8 nails. These are intended for outdoor use, once installed you can spot prime and paint. Make sure you align the siding with the rest of the panel. It’s easy – like putting together a puzzle.

Mildew or mold on the outside of your home. This one is easy with a product called Wet and Forget. This concentrate has been used down under for years and when mixed with water and applied with a pump sprayer the cleaner will do all the work. You can spray, brick, concrete siding, canvas almost any exterior surface. The cleaner works with the sun and the rain to eliminate mildew and mold from your home.

Single pane glass windows like those on a garage or basement window can be fixed for a fraction of the cost or calling a pro. First carefully remove the broken glass and any putty or clips that may have held the glass in place. Then measure the frames width and height. Subtract 1/8th of an inch from that measurement and then take that down to your local hardware store and they will cut you a piece of glass. That new piece fits into the frame and gets held in place with small metal push pins. Then it gets finished off with window glazing. You apply that with a putty knife on an angle away from the frame and against the new glass, it’s a lot like decorating a cake.

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As winter hits full swing it’s still not too late to take a few steps to winterize your home. Adding some insulation here, a little plastic window film there can save you real dollars this year. By buttoning up your home you could trim up to 20% off your total energy bills in 2012. Here are a few ideas.

1. Install a programmable thermostat.
A must. There are many different brands on the market that range in price from $40-$100. You can program it to lower the temperature while you’re at work or sleeping and save up to 30% in a well insulated home. What’s more, outdated thermostats are the weakest link in conserving energy. According to the government’s Energy Information Administration, only about 14% of U.S. homes are equipped with modern programmable thermostats. Honeywell®, a leader in control technology, estimates that homeowners can receive one to three months of free heating and cooling by installing a programmable thermostat. Now there are even internet based units that you can control from your smart phone.

2. Change the filters in your furnace.
Most of the American homes now have forced air heating. Dirty filters not only do nothing for your indoor air quality but also make your furnace run longer. Invest in pleated filters, they trap more dirt and will keep your indoor air cleaner. Also remember that humidity in the winter is important to your comfort. A dry home tends to feel colder. Whole house humidifiers do a great job. Portable units can help as well and can humidify up to 800 square feet.

3. Have your HVAC system cleaned and checked.
This is a must! The service call on average is about $100.00. The unit will be cleaned and inspected to make sure it is running at peak efficiency. It’s like tuning up a car; you get better mileage when things are running right. The same holds true for your furnace.

4. Add weather stripping around windows and doors.
A project that any homeowner can do. This also has a real impact on drafts and conserving energy. Door thresholds, window caulking and plastic window film can go a long way in saving your money this winter. If you live in a drafty home, you could save up to 20% with an investment of $25.

5. Winter means cold and cold can lead to frozen pipes.
Make sure all of your outdoor water spigots are turned off from the inside. And that you have removed all hoses off of them as well. If you are not sure if your spigot is the frost proof kind use an insulating cap. These caps lessen the chance that the spigot will freeze and crack. The $5.00 item can save you hundreds of dollars in possible repair bills from broken pipes and a flooded basement.

6. Check the arrangement of your furniture.
Make sure that heating vents are not blocked. Using deflectors you can aid the vents ability to direct the heat where you need it. These are inexpensive and use a magnet to keep them in place.

Even when you do all these improvements sometimes your home can still feel cold. Many of us use portable heaters to heat up those spaces. While this can be a good solution care must be taken to select the right heater for your home. The very first step is to make sure that you have a working smoke detector. If you are unsure when you replaced the batteries do it now. So many times we hear the story of the fire caused by one of these heaters and that a working smoke detector was not present. Never use a heater that uses fuel inside your home. That’s my opinion, and that of many fire professionals. The open flame coupled with the fuel leave too much of a chance of causing a fire. Many of the electric units will heat those rooms well but keep these safety tips in mind:

• Never use an electric heater in a bathroom or laundry room or anywhere that water is present.
• Keep the heater at least three feet from and combustible material like curtains or furniture.
• Never use a heater with a frayed cord or cracked hosing.
• Never plug a heater into an extension cord, they must be plugged into a receptacle in good working order.
• Never disable any of the safety features of the unit.
• Take special care when using a heater in the presence of children.

I hope these tips will help you save a little money on your energy bills this year as well as keep you and your family safe.

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You may think cranking up the heat in your house to warm that chilly room downstairs is the easiest thing to do – but it’s actually very inefficient! This morning I talked to Rob Elgas on NBC5 Chicago about keeping your house comfortable during those cold, winter days. Here are the products I featured that might come in handy for you:

1. Pelonis Portable Electric Furnace ($24.99)
2. Life Smart Infrared Quartz Heater ($249)
3. Homedics Portable Humidifier ($19.99)
4. Air-O-Swiss Warm and Cool Mist Ultrasonic Humidifier ($159)

Thanks for watching!

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I love how government works. Back in 2007 a law was passed that effectively would eliminate traditional incandescent light bulbs from being sold in the US. A part of that law was supposed to take effect on January 1st 2012 when the 100 watt light bulb was to be eliminated from store shelves. Well, now it’s on hold. While I am of the mindset that you should be able to buy whatever kind of light bulb you want. I am also a big proponent of higher efficiency light bulbs that are available, affordable, and will just plain save you money each and every day.

Incandescent bulbs have been around since the early 1800′s. They give off great light but are not very efficient. About 90% of the energy it uses produces heat not light. The average life of a traditional bulb is about 1,000 hours. While these bulbs are inexpensive the real cost is what you spend in energy to use them. Here is a quick cost analysis between a 60 watt bulb and a 13 watt equivalent CFL bulb:

60 watt bulb life = 1,000 hours
13 watt CFL life = 8,000 hours

1 CFL bulb equals 8 standard bulbs in life of the bulb
8 standard bulbs cost: $4.00
1 CFL bulb cost: $5.99
Electricity cost standard bulb: $52.00
Electricity cost CFL bulb: $ 12.00

I think we all understand that compact fluorescent bulbs and also LED bulbs save more money. But many of you do not like the light they give off. This light temperature has gotten a lot better. One aspect of the new lighting is understanding how to read what you are getting. The term watts will no longer be used. Now you have to buy your lights based on the lumens it gives off. Watts always referred to the energy used not the light, but we all understood that a 100 watt bulb was brighter than a 40 watt. To find equivalent brightness to traditional lights refer to this comparison:

40 watt bulb: 400-500 lumens
60 watt bulb: 700-800 lumens
100 watt bulb: 1500-1700 lumens

Higher efficient bulbs will now list the lumens on the package to inform on the brightness of light.

There is a concern about the Mercury that is used in CFL bulbs. The EPA encourages recycling of these bulbs but does not mandate it. This is my opinion: the majority of the energy created in our country is from coal fired power plants that pour tons of Mercury into the atmosphere. The amount of Mercury in a CFL is the size of the tip of a pencil. Be cautious, of course. Do not lick it if it breaks. But worry about something else!

Within these bulbs you will find all kinds of choices as to brightness and functionality like dim-able and three way combinations. But above all they last long and will save you money long term.

Any TV that is on a stand should be attached to the wall behind it or screwed down to the place where it sits. All flat screens have threaded holes on the back for mounting the unit on the wall with the appropriate bracket. The makers give you the screws. Go to your local hardware store and buy two feet of small chain, make sure the link is just big enough for the screw to go through. You may need a flat washer as well. Put the washer on the screw, put the screw through the link in the chain and then attach that to the hole on the back of the flat screen TV and tighten. Then using an electronic stud sensor, find solid framing on the wall behind the TV. Use at least a 2” wood screw to go through the chain and into the framing for a secure hold. This could keep a small child from injury or, God forbid, even something worse and it costs about $3. Some newer flat screen TV’s now have holes pre-drilled in the bases, you can screw the base to what the TV is sitting on and that will secure it as well. If you have an older CRT TV and there are no threaded holes then use heavy duty plastic ratchet ties through the fins on the back of the TV to make a loop and also loop those through the chain and attach to the wall.

As a builder, I used to cringe when I heard the words “interior decorator.” These are people, I thought, who want to change everything inside a house–after it’s already built.

So I was skeptical when my wife said she wanted to use a decorator to help redo our living room, even though the experience would ultimately prove a valuable one. Whenever people renovate their homes, it’s important to create a master plan before touching anything. That way, you won’t have to undo mistakes you’ve already made. And the same is true with décor, I learned. You don’t want to randomly start buying furniture or painting walls in off-beat colors in the hopes of striking the right note. This is something good decorators achieve by taking a broader view of the whole house.

The first question they ask is: what is your lifestyle? If you have kids (as I do) and want to eat cookies and drink milk in the living room (as I do) then this would suggest a more casual state of affairs. If you want a museum-quality living room where there are no crumbs, by all means go for it. Either way, you can follow these few steps to end up with a livable, lavished interior that people will love:

• Avoid overwhelming tones on walls and in rugs. Instead bring color into your home by accessorizing—whether it’s that magenta lampshade on the end table, or those electric-blue vases on the mantelpiece.

• Don’t add too much, or too little, to a room. Clutter is unbearable, which is why we hate our attics and basements. But too little furniture makes a room seem undone.

• Limit those “don’t touch” areas. A few eye-pleasing antiques or tables filled with precious tchotchkes can be wonderful. But by confining them to a nook here or a corner there, you’ll actually be able to live in your house rather than just look at it.

As a general rule, always buy the highest quality items you can afford, which will guarantee the best long-term value for your money. But allow yourself some fun, too! My living room contains a fabric-covered pedestal table that I actually made out of plywood. It looks pretty good, I have to say–and makes a great spot for a plateful of cookies.

1. Shut off the main valve in your home.
2. Open up all the faucets and flush all the commodes.
3. Once all the water drains out turn the faucets off. Then slowly turn on the main valve.

There will be some sediment that will get loosened up so unscrew the screens from the faucets and clean those out. Do not be surprised when the water spits and sputter a bit when you turn things back on. But with new air in the compression chambers, that knocking will be a thing of the past.

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While some of these points may seem like no-brainers – it is easy to forget the basics sometimes with the hustle and bustle of the busy lives we lead. By following some regular maintenance checks and some simple rules – you can ensure a cozy fire and a safe home for you and your family.

Fireplace Safety

A lot of people ask me how safe and dependable fireplaces are? And, for the most part, the answer is – very. If constructed properly, fireplaces will perform safely and dependably. The truth is that fireplaces, just like anything else, wear over a period of years and need to be maintained to extend their life. So, I’ve created a checklist for you to follow when safely maintaining and operating your fireplace.

Fireplace Safety and Maintenance

- Keep the fireplace in good condition by repairing cracks in the flue lining, bricks and mortar.
- Keep the flue clear of soot, creosote and obstructions. Inspect the fireplace and chimney at least once a year to prevent creosote buildup.
- Equip the house with carbon monoxide and smoke detectors. Install a type ABC fire extinguisher near the fireplace.
- Install a screen that completely covers the fireplace opening to keep sparks from flying out.
- Keep combustible materials such as carpets, furniture, paper, logs and kindling at least 3 feet away from the fireplace.
- Arrange andirons so logs can’t roll out.
- Use only enough fuel to keep the fire at the desired temperature. Avoid “roaring” fires. They can start chimney fires from soot and creosote deposits in the flue.
- Do not use gasoline or other flammable liquids to kindle or rekindle a fire because the flammable vapors can explode. Never use fuels near a fire; explosive vapors can travel the length of a room!
- Keep the damper open while the fuel is burning to provide for efficient burning and to prevent accumulation of poisonous or explosive gases.
- Never burn tree greens. They cause many sparks when burning and can cause a chimney fire.
- Remove colored comic sections before rolling newspapers into logs. The colored inks could contain lead and can produce toxic gases.
- Do not use coal, charcoal or polystyrene packaging in a fireplace unless the fireplace is designed to handle the excess heat and smoke which occurs when burning these materials.
- Do not treat artificial logs (made from sawdust and wax) the same way you treat real wood logs. Use only one at a time. If you use more, they can produce too much heat for some fireplaces to withstand.
- Keep children away from the fire because their clothing can easily ignite. Warn the entire family about this hazard.
- Make sure that all ashes have thoroughly cooled before you dispose of them. Put ashes in a lidded metal container to prevent a possible fire and provide a sturdy place to store them. Ashes make good fertilizer in gardens, flowerbeds, etc.
- And, most important, put the fire out completely before retiring for the evening.

For more information on fireplace safety, feel free to check out the Chimney Safety Institute of America www.csia.org or the Hearth, Patio and Barbecue Association at www.hpba.org

General Fire Safety

- In the winter sometimes rooms get a little drafty so home space heaters are frequently used. While these can be convenient as well as a money/energy saver it is important to remember to:
o never plug these into extension cords.
o make sure they are operated with supervision and are placed at least 3 feet away from any combustible material.
- If burning candles make sure you place reminders to blow them out before going to bed or leaving.
- If you have a home with a second story make sure you have an emergency ladder to escape from the floor if the staircase is blocked.
- Have a family plan in case of a fire. Choose a spot, perhaps a neighbor’s house down the street, to meet if something bad happens and remind your family of this regularly.
- Fire extinguishers are a good idea to have on every floor. Buy an extra one and try it out in the garbage can…most people have never used one before. If you must use one in the event of a fire if you cannot put it out in under 20 seconds leave the home and dial 911.
- It is important that you have your furnace inspected to ensure that it is in good working condition. Do not attempt repairs yourself! Leave furnace repairs to qualified specialists.
- Smell and listen for leaky gas connections. If you believe there is a gas leak, immediately leave the house and leave the door open. Never strike a match: any size flame can spark an explosion. Before turning the gas back on, have the gas system checked by a professional.