Archives: Home Improvement

New Harvey Tribute Windows

By Todd Fratzel on Energy Conservation, Windows

We are starting to install the new Harvey Tribute windows in the new house we’re building for a customer. The Harvey Tribute windows are an upgraded vinyl window that Harvey is now offering with some great new architectural details and energy efficient options. These Harvey Tribute windows were ordered with several upgrades. The windows feature…

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Cheap Rockwell RK9000 Jawhorse

By Todd Fratzel on Power Tools

Rockwell Jawhorse The Rockwell RK9000 Jawhorse is a really versatile sawhorse that will make a great addition to any workshop or garage. This amazing Jawhorse can provide 1 ton of clamping force while holding up your work like a traditional sawhorse. Once you own the Jawhorse it’s likely that you will want several of these…

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How can your fireplace hurt your heating bill?

By Todd Fratzel on Energy Conservation

Chimney Balloons Save Energy On a cold winter eve who of us is not tempted to go to the living room and stoke up a fire in the fireplace and read a book in front of the crackling hearth? You may be thinking “I am doing myself a favor by supplementing the furnace with additional…

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Financial Considerations – Building A New House

By Todd Fratzel on Home Improvement Cost Savings

With all of the financial and real estate turmoil going on I thought about sharing some of my insight on the issue from a builders point of view. Building a new house is certainly a very big financial commitment and one that can be quite stressful. So here are some financial considerations to keep in…

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Plug-In Carbon Monoxide Detectors

By Todd Fratzel on Electrical, Safety

As I keep pointing out winter is quickly approaching and that means heating systems are being turned on and used. Heating systems create carbon monoxide (CO) whenever they burn gas, oil, kerosene and even wood. Carbon monoxide poisoning kills over 400 people annually so it’s certainly a hazard worth talking about. Carbon monoxide is colorless…

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Home Energy Savings Tips

By Todd Fratzel on Energy Conservation, Home Improvement Cost Savings

Saving Energy In Your Home With winter knocking at the doorstep and soaring energy costs I thought it was a good time to review some home energy savings tips. Home energy costs make up a significant portion of every households budget. Every home has uses energy in the form of electricity and fuels such as…

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Prefabricated Homes Save Time and Money

By Todd Fratzel on Framing, Home Improvement Cost Savings

Prefabricated Houses Today the crew finished sheathing the roof on the Ranch style home we’re building that I’ve been blogging about on the Total House Construction Series – Foundation to Finish. This house was built using prefabricated wall panels and the ZIP System Sheathing. I wanted to point out how using a combination of prefabricated…

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ZIP System Sheathing On Ranch Style Home

By Todd Fratzel on Building Materials, Framing

If you haven’t seen a house built with the ZIP system then you might wonder what on earth we’ve built this house with. The green and orange colors certainly stand out at first sight. As I continue to write about the Total House Construction Series – Foundation to Finish I’ve been spending quite a bit…

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