Fred & Sharon's Renovated Kitchen

Fred, a metals artist, had had enough of the sea of red wallpaper in his kitchen. Not to mention the outdated fixtures and counters. Fred enjoys finding new beauty in old things – creating sculptures from old silverware and other upcycled materials. However, the kitchen, as well as the adjacent laundry and half-bath, of his Fremont Hills home needed to be completely overhauled  -- nothing in these outdated rooms was worth making an artistic statement.

One of the standout elements of the new kitchen design Andy and his HA Construction team did for Fred and his wife, Sharon, are the granite countertops with a stunning  design/color. The contrasting lines and textures of the counters and cabinetry are one of Andy’s favorite elements. The beautiful shelf window over the kitchen sink also stands out, providing a great view and plenty of sunlight for some lovely houseplants.

As Fred explains it, the half-bath in its previous state was nothing more than a closet you could barely turn around in. It now has space enough to do a salsa dance… space which may later house a shower to finish the bathroom off. For now, Fred is happy with the new, spacious comfort it provides.

Fred also raves about the excellent work HA Construction did overall with this project. They were timely and efficient, two characteristics that Fred sincerely appreciates. And, he and Sharon are, of course, very pleased with the finished product.

Types of Space Heaters

Convection Heater

Did you ever have that spot in your house that just seems colder than anywhere else during the winter months? Sure, it’s all cozy just like the rest of the house most days, but as soon as it hits below freezing, that room suddenly requires layers… gloves, a jacket, a blanket. And I would guess that it either happens to be where you sleep or where you spend most of your time during the day (because that’s just how it works out, isn’t it).

Rather than crank up the HVAC to take the chill out of your home when temperatures fall below freezing this winter, space heaters provide a more energy efficient alternative. Because they allow you to focus the heat on certain areas of the home, rather than have the heating unit try and get all of the house to a consistent temperature. That means keeping your energy bill a bit lower during the winter, and we all know that any little bit helps, especially the way Missouri winters have been going.

Thing is, there are a variety of space hearers out there, and a variety of concerns for using them. Namely, the biggest concern most people have is risk of fire, so that will be the number one thing we address as we examine the different types of space heaters available.

Propane/Kerosene Space Heaters

We’re only mentioning this type of space heater in an effort to prevent its use – at least indoors. These space heaters have an open flame and require fuel, and that means major risk factors for fire and for carbon monoxide poisoning. These are great, however, for unheated covered patios and the like, with a lot of air flow. And only used under supervision (and away from children or pets).

Convection Space Heaters

 Designed to warm the air in a room, rather than the people, if you’re looking for an instant warm up, these aren’t for you. It’s like using an oven to heat food over a microwave – it takes longer, but the results are better. Baseboard convection heaters are common, but the most effective are the water or oil filled heater options, which start at about $50 but last a very long time.

Find one with a built in timer and you’re all set – you can set it come on an hour before you typically use the room so that it’s ready when you are. This is also your most energy efficient option, because, once the oil or water is heated, it doesn’t require as much power to keep it hot.

Radiant Space Heaters

Radiant heaters are typically the kind you see under each desk at work during the winter months. They are designed to heat a person rather than the room itself. There is increased risk of burn with this method, as well as fire if a radiant heater is placed too close to something flammable. So, be careful. This option isn’t as energy efficient because it has to continually “kick on” to maintain the temperature you’ve set it at, using wattage each time.

Of course, if you feel that more needs to be done than simply adding a space heater (such as heated floors in the bathroom), give Andy and his HA Construction team a call to get an estimate for the job! 

Christmas Decorating Safety Tips

Yeah, that’s right… Christmas decorations are harmful. That is, if they aren’t used properly.

Just the other day I tried to change a broken lightbulb in a string of Christmas lights… while they were plugged in. Yes, I’m admitting that momentary lack in judgment. My finger got a little zinger and no real harm done.

But, what if it had been worse? There are many ways that carelessness and oversight when dealing with Christmas decorations can have really terrible results. Electrocution, burns, a trip to the hospital, starting a fire – these are all possibilities if you’re not careful.

Using a Real Tree

They’re certainly beautiful, but real Christmas trees require extra care to prevent a fire. First, make sure the tree is fresh. If you can’t get to a tree farm to cut one down yourself so you know how fresh it is (the closest one is Cole’s Tree Farm in Lebanon – another is King Tree Farm in Ozark, but the trees are pre-cut), then there are few ways you can check:

• Needles resist being pulled off
• Needles do not snap when bent
• Bottom of the trunk has resin
• Only a few needles fall when you shake a limb

It may sound like a bit of common sense, but don’t place your real tree near the fireplace, heating ducts, space heaters or radiators. This is a fire waiting to happen. Also, be sure to water the tree daily to keep it from getting dry. Know that, if the water falls below the trunk, then a resin seal will form over the opening and the tree will no longer take on water. In which case you will need to make a fresh cut in the bottom of the trunk (the outside rings are where the most water is absorbed). If you can cut the bottom, mist the branches with water twice a day.

If the water reserve stops going down each day, then the tree isn’t taking any water on and is drying out. It would be best, at this point, to remove the tree. With proper watering and care, your tree will last three to four weeks. Find answers to more real Christmas tree questions on the Pfaff Christmas Tree website.

Christmas Lights

Before you string sets of lights together, check the instructions on the packaging – it should tell you how many of the same sets can be put in one string (usually three to five). Be sure to follow this rule because otherwise you may overload the circuit and start a fire.

Speaking of circuits, because of the mass quantity of outdoor lights most people like to put up, you need to make sure they are plugged into a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) plug. If there is overcurrent, a GFCI will shut that circuit down, which can prevent fire. If you need one (or several) installed outside, HA Construction can help you. And it’s not a bad idea to use a GFCI for your tree either.

And, you know, check for frayed wires and broken lights before plugging the lights in… so that you don’t accidentally shock yourself. A little extra caution (and common sense) will go a long way toward protecting your family while you enjoy a festival holiday home.

Easy Ways to Make Your Home Warmer

Used with permission © Eternal Image Photography

Here we are, still in November, and the winter winds have already blown in, creating a “polar vortex” that chills to the bone. Even the coziest of homes can seem a bit like a refrigerator in below freezing  temperatures. And turning up the heat means an even larger utility bill—and that’s already hard enough to afford.

A little bit of grunt work can help even the least handy person trap a little more heat in his home over the colder months. Try any (or all) of these tricks.

Thermal Curtains

Windows and doors are the main way that you lose heat in your home. Anything from bad seals to poor insulation or old windows can mean the heat has a clear escape route. While HA Construction can certainly fix leak problems, thermal curtains will help regardless of how snug the seal on your windows is. They’re thick and keep cold air from coming in and warm air from going out. Of course, if you have single-pane windows from the ‘70s, the assistance thermal curtains provides will be hardly noticeable against the draft those windows let in. You’d better start saving up to replace them! In the meantime, a window sealing kit might help too.

Of note, if you have high quality, energy efficient windows, open the curtains on sunny days and let the sunlight assist in warming your home. But as soon as dusk hits, closes those thermals to keep as much of that daytime heat in as possible.

Also, cover the floors. There’s a reason carpet came to be—bare floors suffer heat loss (as you likely know from how cold the floor is in your bathroom after that perfectly pleasant hot shower). It’s not a bad idea to use rugs in the winter months to keep that heat loss down.

Build a Fire

If you have a working fireplace, use it. Though we have a few recommendations to protect your home and family:

• Have the fireplace cleaned each fall before you put it to use (do it now, if you haven’t already!) – the soot buildup from months of use last year can cause a fire when you light it up again.
• Use dry, clean wood – if you keep your wood on hand, make sure that it’s stored in a dry place and covered because wet wood causes lots of smoke. And make sure you know where you got the wood from. Any number of exposures can cause the wood to burn differently and increase risk of home fire.
• Clean out the ash each morning before you build a new fire to prevent build up and decrease risk of out-of-control flames.
• Make sure there is an adequate amount of tile or other hard surface space in front of your exposed fireplace. Tile and rock don’t burn, but carpet and hardwoods that catch a spark sure will!

And, if you’re fireplace is simply for looks, make sure you install a chimney balloon to close off the open chimney hole and prevent further heat loss.

Block the Draft

Take an old pair of stockings and stuff them full of socks or old, torn up towels, and lay them in front of exterior doors. Regardless of how good you think the seal is, there may still be a draft at the bottom. Also, spend a few bucks on outlet insulators. Have you ever put your hand in front of an outlet on an exterior wall during those cold winter months? Poorly insulated ones will allow cold air in. All you have to do is remove the cover, slide the pre-cut insulator on and reattach the cover. 

And if the seals on windows and doors aren’t great, but you can’t wretch up the funds to do much about it right now, buy adhesive window insulation tape (foam strips that come in rolls, found at any big box store) and run that along the interior seal of doors and the frames around windows.

Protect Your Pipes

Speaking of insulation tape, you may also want to wrap your water pipes in the crawl space, if they’re not already, to help keep them from freezing in the really cold nights. The general rule is to start where the pipe meets the ground and work your way back to where it enters the home. Obviously, the thicker the insulation, the better.

Heat tape is another option, but use this with caution. Leaving something plugged in under your house, without regular supervision, always carries some risk. But if you pipes freeze frequently, even with insulation, this may be the best alternative.

And, if worse comes to worse and none of these measures seem to help make your home cozy (or at least bearable) during the winter, give Andy at HA Construction a call. He’ll come do an assessment and let you know if something else is sucking the heat out of your home. 

Choosing a Plumber You Can Trust

You caught your toddler playing in the bathroom… and now the toilet is overflowing. Where did the hand towel go? And the spare rolls of toilet paper? And your son’s shirt?

Time to call a plumber! But that’s almost as daunting and trying to fish your son’s shirt out of the toilet. Plumbers are expensive and we all have that fear that they’re going to tell you far more is wrong than really is. Or charge you an arm-and-a-leg per hour…. And who knew it took two hours to unclog a toilet?!

Hopefully our tips will give you a little more piece of mind so you can make that call before water starts seeping through the floor.

Licensing

First and foremost, anyone you consider for a plumbing gig needs to provide you with verification of their license. This isn’t a typical request, as most people don’t think to ask. You can first try looking up the plumber’s name in the Missouri Professional Registration Search. But there are basically three levels of skill: apprentice, journeyman and master plumber. Apprentice is what you want to avoid because, as one might assume, these are folks in training.

A journeyman’s license means that apprenticeship is complete. According to the Missouri Revised Statute for plumbers, applicants for a journeyman’s license must be at least 21 years old and have at least five years experience as an apprentice under a master plumber. A master plumber must be at least 25 years old and have at least three years experience in the field with a journeyman’s license.

What You Need to Ask For

There are a few items that you should request – in addition to licensing proof – to make sure your plumber is legit and will charge a reasonable rate:

• References – Ask for them and then actually contact them to see what they have to say. Wouldn’t be a bad idea to check out reviews online, but remember that most people only get online to complain, not appreciate, so it’s an unbalanced ratio.
• Estimate – Be sure to get your estimates in writing.
• Insurance – Ask for insurance verification and clarify what it covers.
• Payment Schedule – If you’re hiring a plumber for a bigger job, such as a renovation, ask for the payment scheduled in writing so you know how much will be due from you and when.
• Office Address – There are many great reasons for a company to have a post office box, but this is also a way for fake contractors to take advantage of people. Ask where their office is located and verify that it’s actually there.

Other Important Items

As you look at plumbing companies, you may also want to consider the services they offer as part of your assessment. For example, plumbers that offer 24/7 services or guarantee a fast response time sound great, and are sometimes necessary, but a often very expensive. HA Construction recommends that you not use these companies outside of an emergency situation.

Often, the way that a plumber dresses and conducts himself – and even the condition of his work truck – say a lot about his reliability and the overall experience you’re going to have. A plumber that puts time and energy in appearance means that his company is important to him.  

Also, cheaper doesn’t always mean better. Everyone is on a budget these days, but it’s probably better to go with the master plumber that charges $75 an hour than the journeyman who just got his license and charges $50 an hour – because you may end up spending far more in the end if they don’t get something right.

Who We Recommend

While we absolutely encourage you to support any locally owned plumber service, HA Construction has working experience with and highly recommends the following companies:

• Accro Plumbing
• Farr Better Plumbing
• Lorenz Plumbing

Springfield City Utilities Solar Initiative

Did you know that solar energy is available in the Springfield City Utilities service area without spending up to $25,000 on solar panels and other equipment?

The City Utilities Solar Initiative took effect October 1st and the hope is to move many Springfield residences to a conservative approach to energy consumption. While pre-enrollment started back in August, some spots still remain available. But now is the time to sign up, as spots are limited for the time being until the program really takes off.

How it Works

CU has installed a solar farm East of the McCartney Generating Station. The farm is owned by Strata Solar and CU is under a 25 year purchase power agreement with the owner, with the option to buy. This adds solar power to CU’s current power generation portfolio, along with natural gas, landfill gas and coal. The output from the solar farm generates enough power for over 900 homes.

CU customers who sign up (which could be anyone from a home owner to someone living in an apartment complex and even businesses, as long as you are in the CU service area) pay an extra fee to have solar power. Basically, it’s a way for the environmentally conscious to participate in eco-friendly way to produce energy.

So, the mechanics of it might be a bit confusing at first, but here’s the gist of it: customers subscribe to kilowatt (kW) blocks of energy. You can get a minimum of one block, up to 200 blocks. One kW block produces an average of 162 kWh per month, and, at CU’s current rates, would average out as $7.67 per month for that block, which would be in addition to your regular monthly bill. Of note, the amount of energy produced depends upon the season and weather conditions – for example, a rainy day obviously produces less solar energy, as do the shorter days in the winter compared to the long days of summer.

To best determine what this would cost you, have your CU bill handy and utilize the Solar Calculator on the CU website.

Why Do It

Tree Hugger arguments aside, you might be wondering why you would want to pay extra to use solar power through CU. Well, consider that solar power provides energy reliability. The sun rises; the sun sets. These are facts no one can dispute. There is also security in the fact that no one country can monopolize solar power over another – we won’t have to fight over it – yey for energy independence!

Additionally, the rates should stay relatively the same over a long term because there isn’t ever going to be a shortage of sunshine. In fact, when you sign up for the solar program with CU, you lock your rate in for 20 years. And, the management of solar energy creates twice as many jobs as coal energy management (and more than twice as much as natural gas).

And let’s talk about those rates. Yes, it costs more than your current utility bill to add solar energy. However, should you decide to install your own solar energy, it would be far more expensive. Do you think my number of $25 grand is high? Not according to Sunrun, a solar power company dedicated to helping families install solar panels on their home. Let’s look at the numbers, shall we? Sunrun says:

Depending on the location and design of your system, the typical home installation ranges from 3 to 7 kilowatts and costs between $18,000 to $40,000 to purchase. Solar panels: About a third of the cost of a residential photovoltaic system comes from the cost of solar panels, which can cost around $4,500-$12,000.

What it comes down to is, if you’re interested in helping the planet and local economy, and don’t have upwards of  $40,000 to install a system as efficient as the one CU built, then CU’s access is the way to go.

Broken Water Mains and Sleep Deprivation

Cue the rattling noise of a jack hammer crunching the asphalt of a busy street… at ten o’clock in the evening. Children nestled in their beds with visions of pounded rock dancing in their heads.

When Sally asked City Utilities why they chose to work on the street directly in front of her house so late in the evening, she was informed, with sincere apologies, that the water main under the street had burst. Failure to fix it immediately would result in the entire street out of water by morning.

Disturbed sleep aside, what would cause the water main to bust? And how would all of the water for the neighborhood run out so quickly? And if it hadn’t been fixed, what else could happen?

How it Works

A water main is the chief source for providing water from a water treatment plant to city neighborhoods. According to the EPA website:

Water distribution systems consist of an interconnected series of pipes, storage facilities, and components that convey drinking water and meeting fire protection needs for cities, homes, schools, hospitals, businesses, industries and other facilities.  Public water systems depend on distribution systems to provide an uninterrupted supply of pressurized safe drinking water to all consumers. It is the distribution system mains that carry water from the treatment plant (or from the source in the absence of treatment) to the consumer.  Spanning almost one million miles in the United States, distribution systems represent the vast majority of physical infrastructure for water supplies.

A broken main means a major disruption in the water system. There are several possible causes, but since most water mains are several feet underground, breaks are typically the result of worn out pipes. Cold weather conditions cause pipes to expand and contract as the water within gets colder and warmer with temperature changes, which weakens pipes over time. Additionally, changes in soil conditions, pipe corrosion, and movement underground can cause pipes to lose stability.

Immediate Attention Required

In order to limit disruption in the water supply to residence, or to prevent flooding and possible property damage, City Utilities must address a broken water main immediately. When the break occurs, water starts to find its way to the surface and flooding may even occur. This is typically how the break is discovered – when a resident reports water flow in a place this is unusual, especially when there is no rain or other precipitation in the area. Typically, the repair process occurs as follows:

• Crews respond to a report of water seepage and look for the source of the problem
• If necessary, water valves are closed to stop water flow to the damaged area and contain the leak
• Electrical equipment is used to obtain the exact location of the leak
• Crews dig to the section of the water main that is damaged and repair the leak as needed
• Valves are turned on and water is restored so the repair can be tested
• The hole is backfilled and sod or pavement replaced over the water main

So, even if the jack hammer resounds through your neighborhood all night long, it’s better than having flood damage or no usable water, wouldn’t you say? Maybe sleeping with some headphones on can keep the pounding at bay.