Home remodeling tips for baby boomers entering their golden years

As America's 77 million-strong baby boomers reach retirement age, one thing is absolutely clear -- they are not going to quietly retreat into their golden years. The most active generation in America's history wants homes that will support their active lifestyles, and homes that will accommodate the challenges boomers will face, from bad knees, to working from home, to taking on grandchildren.

That's why building and remodeling homes for aging baby boomers represents one of the biggest trends in the home improvement industry today. It's primarily in response to how baby boomers view themselves, many of whom don't believe 'old' starts until a person turns 80, according to a Del Webb survey. While many boomers see themselves running, cycling, downhill skiing for many years to come, the reality is that aging creates physical challenges, ranging from arthritis to stiffness to balance issues that could result in debilitating falls. Expecting so much of themselves, many are starting to rethink the design of their homes to accommodate their changing lifestyles.

To meet the needs of this active generation, home builders and remodelers are developing new design and building techniques that incorporate universal design principles. Universal design means creating products and designing spaces that allow the widest range of people, of varying physical abilities, to use one space, from babies to 80-year-olds. Because the typical American home is designed for an active American family whose adults are in their 20s and 30s, many do not meet the needs of boomers who want to age gracefully in their own homes.

'Universal design is about balancing style with the functionality we need as we move from one stage of life to another,' says John Gardner for APEX Siding System, a manufacturer of low maintenance, high durability siding and trim. 'Universal design allows empty nesters to live in their homes longer, allowing them to pursue their goals and passions regardless of the physical abilities that aging may impose upon them.'

If you're among America's baby boomer generation, here are some tips offered by Gardner on how to design and remodel your home to meet your needs today and in the future:

Don't wait until the last-minute - If you intend to live in your current home into your 60s, 70s and 80s, don't wait until health challenges force you to make changes to your home. Create a master plan using universal design principles that can be implemented over time to spread out the costs of your remodeling investment.

Get an expert - Seek out builders and remodelers who have earned the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) age-in-place certification. These design/build firms are knowledgeable about universal design principles and in building and remodeling homes that meet the needs of aging boomers.

Plan for one-level living - As you remodel your home, create a plan so that everything you need is on one floor, easily accessible to your main entrance on the ground floor. This includes a bedroom, a bathroom with shower, washer and dryer, kitchen and dining area, and access to technology (TV, computer and phone).

Low-maintenance - High maintenance projects, like painting a home, cleaning the exterior side of windows, or sealing cracks and seams in your siding are physically challenging and time-consuming. For example, if your home needs to have the siding replaced, instead of wood or fiber cement siding, which requires re-sealing and repainting every few years, consider pultruded fiberglass siding, a new type of siding that doesn't need to be repainted or resealed when properly installed by a remodeling professional.

Zero-step entry - Whether you're maneuvering a stroller through the front door, carrying a load of groceries, or navigating your mother's wheelchair, invest in a new, wider front door system, featuring a low-maintenance fiberglass door frame, door and lever handle (not door knob) for easy entry.

Task lighting - Add more lighting for close-up tasks such as cooking, reading, hobbies (knitting, fly-tying) and working from home.

Remodel the bathroom - Create an accessible ground-level bathroom for guests of any age by installing a zero-entry threshold shower base, a handheld showerhead and shower rails. Don't forget to give the shower a non-skid floor treatment and to add anti-scalding protection to the sink and shower.

Make exterior trim part of home remodeling

(BPT) - As existing home sales continue to climb and housing prices increase, remodeling is also on the rise, according to the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University. Owners of older homes are investing more in home improvement projects that add beauty and value, especially with environmentally friendly products.

Most homes, no matter how well maintained, will need some exterior trim replaced from time to time. Traditional wood trim boards can split, crack and rot over time, as a result of damage from the rain, snow, wind and sun.

Replacing old or damaged exterior trim with engineered wood composite trim is one way homeowners can preserve design integrity, while remaining committed to green building principles.

Check your exterior trim

Take a few minutes this spring to walk around your house and inspect your exterior trim. Look closely at the trim around your windows and doors, at the corners, and near the roofline. Pay special attention to peeling or blistering paint, green algae, warped boards, and spongy or soft spots. Also, check for termite damage, which creates more damage to U.S. homes than fire, floods and storms combined.

There are several options for replacing your existing trim. Although traditional wood trim often looks good when first installed, it can split and swell, and is prone to knots and defects. Other materials, like PVC and fiber cement trim, have performance limitations and may pose installation challenges.

"Like many home products, exterior trim has evolved over the years," says Peggie Bolan, vice president, building products, for JELD-WEN. "Today, homeowners can choose engineered products that last long and provide resistance to moisture, rot, termites and temperature extremes not found in other materials."

During extensive renovation of their 1830s Greek Revival-style farm house in Clifton Park, N.Y., Paul and Joanne Coons used more than 1,000 linear feet of MiraTEC Treated Exterior Composite Trim around windows, doors and other areas.

"We reviewed several trim options, but we liked MiraTEC because it is a wood composite that doesn't contain oil or vinyl like PVC trim, and it is manufactured with less embodied energy than products like fiber cement, which also creates a lot of silica dust when it's cut," says Paul Coons, who is also a retired director of environmental health and safety from the New York State Office of Mental Health.

With a clear cedar, wood grain texture on one side and a contemporary smooth finish on the other, MiraTEC trim suits any home style. It is most often used for roofline fascia, soffits, window and door trim, corner trim, dentil, gables, column wraps, trim along porches and similar architectural components.

Joanne Coons, an environmental science teacher at Shenendehowa High School East, adds, "MiraTEC trim fit well with our priorities - it is not only a green product but it also provides a nice, clean look that complements the home design. Overall, we also anticipate low maintenance and less frequent painting compared to wood."

Replacing your exterior trim is a great way to give your home a nice, clean new look. And, it can be done with the environment in mind. To learn more, visit www.miratectrim.com.

Indoor air quality: What you can't see can hurt you

(BPT) - The Environmental Protection Agency has named indoor air quality as one of the top five environmental risks to public health citing research that indoor air may be up to 100 times more polluted than the air outside. With Americans spending 90 percent of their time indoors, purifying indoor air is paramount to keeping families healthy - especially those with family members suffering from asthma and allergies.

"Poor indoor air quality has been linked to a host of health issues such as headaches, dry eyes, nasal congestion, nausea, fatigue, heart disease and chronic respiratory disease," says Chris Chase, product marketing manager at Aprilaire. "For individuals that suffer from asthma or allergies, air particles such as pollen, dust and dust mites are known triggers for asthma attacks and allergic reactions."

More than 25 million Americans have been diagnosed with asthma and 50 million suffer from allergies. Dust alone is comprised of dead insects, dust mites, mold spores, pollen, dander, skin flakes and other particulates that can be harmful to health. Controlling indoor air quality can provide relief for asthma and allergy sufferers and protect your family from getting sick. You can improve indoor air quality with two simple steps:

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  Prevent irritants from entering the house
  

Take measures to make sure dust, dirt and other pollutants are prevented from entering the house. Simple activities like removing shoes before entering the household, closing windows during high pollen days and not allowing smoking indoors help keep dirt and other irritants from entering the household.

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  Install a whole-home air purification system
  

A whole-home air purification system is installed as part of the central heating and cooling system to capture and eliminate airborne contaminants. Whole-home air purification systems remove up to 98 percent of airborne contaminants down to one micron in size and are 40 times more efficient than a standard furnace filter. Each time the air system runs, the whole-home air purification system removes dust, dust mites, pet dander, mold spores, pollen, viruses, fungi, mold and other dangerous substances from the air throughout the entire home, rather than just the air in the immediate vicinity like a portable air cleaner.

Other important considerations include maintaining humidity levels as well as proper ventilation; especially if your home is newer or has been recently updated with tighter materials for more energy efficiency.

Environmentally friendly ways of reusing and recycling paper, books and mags

As consumers demand the need for more paper, whether it's for newspapers, plain paper or books, we continue to cut down vast numbers of really old trees. It will take numerous years to see this turned over. Reusing and recycling paper is really important nowadays.


All paper, including books and magazines, are virtually wholly biodegradable, meaning they don't clog landfills for many years and will merely degrade into nothing. The fact that there is a need for more paper makes it appear daft not to recycle as much as we possibly can. That is why we should reuse and recycle.


The traditional means of recycling paper is by making use of recycling facilities. You will observe that where you dwell, there are opportunities to recycle, including in numerous cases your local grocery store. You may notice that your local area has different bins so you can sort your paper for recycling. So that the paper can be usable once again, the recycling process should be put in place. This saves the trees and makes for a healthy environment. Paper recycling is not always straightforward and can be made challenging by the stapling of books and mags. Magnets may be utilized to handle the problems of metal and recycling companies are constantly trying to find ways to better the process.


Mags and books can be reused, it is only a matter of using our imagination. Those old books and magazines are a fantastic learning resource for your kids and they will have the chance to give them to other people in the future. An old book will be of use to somebody else and it is not hard for us give this way.


There are always places like libraries that are happy to take your old books from you. Some libraries will take donations of old books and even magazines, providing they are in good condition. The library and the public will be happy since they will have more reading choices. So instead of merely tossing a book or leaving it to collect dust, think about giving it to a library.


Books can also be sold instead of given away either locally or online. Ebay and Amazon are popular places online where you can try selling your old books.


To sum it up, paper is being utilized more and more but there are fewer trees. Beasts use trees as a natural home  and they are essential for the well-being of the environment. There are plenty of choices for us to recycle paper and to ensure that books and magazines are reused instead of thrown away.

Quick fixes for a swift home sale

First impressions are everything when it comes to selling a home, and peeling paint, stained carpets and unpleasant odors can be an instant turn-off for buyers. Fortunately, you can take simple and inexpensive steps to prep your home for a quick, top-dollar sale.

Freshen up:

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  Paint is an easy, cost-effective way to improve any interior, and a new coat can make all the difference in selling your home. Cracked or peeling paint will repel potential buyers, and faded or boring walls can create a lackluster overall appearance.
  

Make your home stand out with a fresh coat in a vibrant color, such as those found in Dutch Boy's Crayola palette. Perfect for showcasing a finished basement, kids' room or accent wall anywhere in the home, these bright shades will make any space pop. With 96 colors to choose from - from Marshmallow and Ice Pop, to Wild Strawberry and Inch Worm - you're sure to find a shade to help make your home memorable. And as you are updating walls with new color, use a paint that not only adds beauty but also reduces odors. Add a few scented candles or potpourri to make the home even more appealing to buyers' noses.

Little fixes:

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  The little things can make a big difference when it comes to the appearance of your home. Many buyers are looking to make as few improvements as possible, and even tiny cosmetic repairs can seem like a huge project. The more move-in-ready your house appears, the faster it will sell, and more likely buyers will be willing to pay the asking price. Some easy fixes include replacing broken counter and floor tiles, patching holes in any surfaces, making sure all lights work properly and doors open and close smoothly.
  

Organize and de-personalize:

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  To give your home a spacious showroom feel, take time to remove any superfluous stuff. Show off your kitchen countertops by storing unnecessary appliances, clear the sink and dishwashing machine, and organize refrigerator contents. Keep the bathroom vanity clear of personal items, neatly fold or hang clean towels, and clear or cover clothing hampers. Organize your cupboards, closets and drawers to maximize the appearance of your home's storage capabilities.
  

Clearing your home of visible clutter will not only make it seem more spacious but also make it easier for potential buyers to picture it as their own. Minimize family photos and personal items to help visitors more easily see themselves - and their things - in your home.

Curb appeal:

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  First impressions can make a world of difference, so don't neglect your home's exterior as you prepare to sell. The mailbox should be in good condition and the house number easily visible from the street. Keep exterior doors, including garage doors, free of flaking or fading paint and freshen the trim around windows and shutters. A fresh coat of paint on the front door can add to your home's curb appeal and affixing a seasonal display of flowers or a festive wreath on the front door also makes a warm, welcoming statement.
  

A few simple projects can vastly improve your home's overall appearance, and with these tips, your home will be sold in no time.

Replace or repair? That's the home improvement question

Maintenance and improvement are both essential realities of home ownership. From windows and skylights to gas ranges and front doors, everything in your home will eventually need some work. But how do you know when something simply needs repair, or merits being replaced?

Of course, each situation will be as unique as the home in which it occurs - and as individual as the homeowners themselves. A few good rules of thumb, however, do apply in most cases. When you're considering repair or replacement, ask yourself these questions:

* How old is the malfunctioning item?
* How extensive/pervasive is the problem?
* Will the cost of repair approach the cost of replacement?
* Which course - repair or replace - will yield the maximum energy efficiency?
* How does the cost of repair measure up to the value it will provide? How does replacement stack up using the same measure?

To help you get an idea of how these rules apply, here's what some experts have to say about home elements that frequently raise the repair/replace question:

Skylights

Since many modern skylights are energy-efficient, qualify to use the Energy Star mark and are leak-free, if you have an older, plastic model it's probably a good idea to replace it. Not only are these older plastic bubble-type skylights often faded and unsightly, reducing visibility, they are not UV resistant, are not energy efficient, and are much more likely to leak.

"There are millions of those unattractive, cracked and yellowed plastic skylights still out there," says Ross Vandermark, national product manager of VELUX America, which markets the warranted "No-Leak Skylight." "Replacing them with new energy-efficient, double-pane (insulating) glass models is quick and easy. They don't leak, they look better, they reduce UV rays and provide substantial energy savings."

In fact, based on an estimate of 15 cents per kwh/hr, replacing an old plastic skylight with an Energy Star-qualified skylight can save a 2,000-square-foot home about $194 a year on cooling costs, a company study shows. Add skylight blinds - which are available in a variety of styles that can be remote-controlled, including blackout to block light, light filtering to diffuse light, or Venetian to adjust light - and the energy savings can be enhanced even more. And blinds in colors and patterns can add a fresh look to your room decor.  What's more, depending on the age and condition of even older glass skylights, it's not a bad idea to consider a modern, more energy efficient model.

Windows

Recent research shows that skylights and vertical windows can work well together to effectively daylight a home while contributing to heating and cooling energy savings.

Like skylights, windows have vastly improved in energy efficiency over the past few decades. Leaky, inefficient windows can be a major source of heat loss in a home, boosting energy bills and decreasing the comfort level indoors. Window manufacturer Pella points to these signs that old windows need to be replaced:

* They're difficult to open or close.
* You can feel air leaking in or out around them.
* Condensation or fogging occurs on or between glass panes.
* You can see chipping, deterioration or water stains on the window or the wall around it.
* Cleaning is a major chore and you avoid it because of the difficulty.
* It's difficult or impossible to find replacement parts for the old windows.

The Efficient Windows Collaborative (www.efficientwindows.org) site also provides extensive information on selecting both windows and skylights, including fact sheets and computer simulations for typical houses using a variety of windows in a number of U.S. cities.

Heating, ventilation and air cooling

Furnaces and air conditioning units are among the most important parts of your home's infrastructure; they're directly responsible for the comfort level and air quality inside your home. They're also among the more costly items to repair or replace.

So how do you know when it's time to replace part of your heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system? EnergyStar.gov offers these guidelines:

* If your heat pump or air conditioner is older than 10 years.
* Your furnace or boiler is more than 15 years old.
* Your energy bills are spiking.
* Equipment needs frequent repair.
* Some rooms are too hot while others are too cold.
* The HVAC system is very noisy.
* Your home is very dusty.

Replacing older HVAC systems with newer, Energy Star-qualified ones can significantly impact your heating and cooling costs, according to EnergyStar.gov. An Energy Star-qualified heat pump or AC unit can save up to 20 percent on heating and cooling costs, the website says. You can learn more at www.energystar.gov.