(ARA) - The phrase“you don’t appreciatewhat you have until it’sgone” can apply to manythings in life, but it’s par-ticularly relevant whenthe heat goes out on thecoldest day of the year.

In these situations,most homeowners willdo practically anythingto restore the indoorcomfort level of theirhomes as quickly as pos-sible - whether it’s pay-ing for a quick fix orreplacing an entire sys-tem. However, in therush to prevent the fam-ily from shivering allnight long, it’s easy tomake a rash decisionthat could ultimately bea costly mistake in thelong run.

According to Bill Cun-ningham, a home com-fort specialist withLennox - a leading man-ufacturer of heating,

cooling and indoor airquality equipment -there are three commonmistakes people tend tomake when the air stopscirculating at home:

Mistake No. 1:Thinking you’ll savemore money by repair-ing an old, broken sys-tem instead of replacingit.

Repairs to an existingheating and cooling maybe the least expensiveimmediate option, butCunningham says thatsimply repairing an oldsystem may cost youmore in the long runsince older systems tendto break down more fre-quently and consumemore energy. Replace-ment often is a betteroption, because newheating and cooling sys-tems are much moreefficient than those fromseveral years ago and

they can save you mon-ey, time and headachesin the long run.

For example, byreplacing an older fur-nace that is 60 percentefficient with one that is95 percent efficient,homeowners can saveapproximately 57 per-cent on energy bills andup to $5,513 over a five-year period. In addition,new federal tax creditsfor energy efficienthome improvementsmake buying a new sys-tem more affordablethan ever.

Mistake No. 2: Buy-ing a new system that istoo big or too small.

“Bigger isn’t alwaysbetter, particularly whenit comes to heating andair conditioning equip-ment,” says Cunning-ham. A correctly sizedheating and cooling sys-tem is crucial to your

comfort and the efficien-cy of the system.According to Cunning-ham, an oversized sys-tem will cost you moreto operate and may actu-ally lower your comfort.In fact, an air condition-er that is too large forthe home will cycle onand off more frequentlythan properly sizedunits, running up yourutility bill, while alsoleaving rooms cold andclammy. Likewise, if theunit is too small, it willrun too often and maybe unable to heat or coolyour home sufficiently.To help determine theproper size, it’s best toenlist the help of a rep-

utable home heatingand cooling contractor.

Mistake No. 3: Fail-ing to take into accountyour long-term needs.

When buying a newsystem, be sure to con-sider that it is pricedwithin your budget, butdon’t compromise yourcomfort level, householdenergy efficiency or long-term savings by purchas-ing a system that will notsatisfy your needs wellinto the future. Choosinga new heating or air con-ditioning system that’sright for your home ismore than just a matterof comparing the initialpurchase price andinstallation costs. The

fuel costs to operate ahome comfort systemover its lifetime, whichcan span anywhere from10 to 20 years, will likelybe much more than theinitial purchase price.Cunningham says pur-chasing a new furnacewith an efficiency ratingof 90 percent or higheror an air conditioner witha seasonal energy effi-ciency rating (SEER) of16 or higher can help off-set fuel and operatingcosts over the long haul.

For more tips andadvice on maintaining orpurchasing a home com-fort system, visitItPaysToLiveSmart.com.Courtesy of ARAcontent

Avoid common mistakes when the heat goes out2 Fall Home Improvement Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2009

Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2009 Fall Home Improvement 2

(ARA) - It’s thattime of year whenenticing smells fromthe grill waft fromyard to yard, tempt-ing taste buds. Whenit comes to selectingwhat type of meat togrill for your friendsand family, beefranks supreme.

Not only are ham-burgers and steaksthe two most popularfoods for grilling,according to researchconducted by theHearth, Patio & Bar-becue Association, butbeef is also one of themost versatile kinds offood to grill.

Grilling beef offers end-less opportunities to cre-ate a variety of deliciousand flavorful dishes —from mouthwateringkabobs to tender babyback ribs and juicy steaks.Yet many outdoor chefsstick with foods that aremost familiar to them.

Whether you’re new tothe grill or just want to“beef up” the options inyour recipe box, the goodnews is that beef is avail-able in so many economi-cal, simple-to-grill cutsthat it’s easier than youmight think to impressyour family and friends,and to add some sizzle toyour summer meals.

“With beef, outdoorchefs have a lot of differ-ent options from which tochoose to create deliciousand interesting grilledmeals all summer long,”says Genie Nicholas, culi-nary development manag-er at SUPERVALU. “Inaddition, with more peo-ple opting to cook athome because of theeconomy, grilled beef pro-vides one of the easiest

ways to enjoy a restau-rant-quality meal at home,at an affordable price.”

Tongs up! Tips forgrilling beef with confi-dence

• Help is just aroundthe corner:

You don’t have to knoweverything about beef totry something new on thegrill. You just need toknow where to look.Many grocery stores havesections in the meatdepartment stocked withvarieties of beef speciallycut for grilling, along witheasy cooking instructionsright on the packages.

• Expand your reper-toire:

With a little experimen-tation, you can discovermany ways to create amemorable meal ofgrilled beef that is sure todelight your family andfriends. So, if you’ve nev-er ventured beyondcheeseburgers, try a skirtsteak marinated andserved fajita-style. If youalways grill steak, trypreparing it in new ways,such as in beef kabobs oras the main component ina crisp steak salad.

• The right ingredi-ents:

Great chefs know theimportance of startingwith the freshest, highestquality beef. Look for pre-mium beef, such as USDAChoice Angus Beef, atyour local grocery store.

• Liven it up:Even with less tender

cuts of beef, there are lotsof ways to create a deli-cious meal. Addingkosher salt or a variety ofspices to grilled beef 10minutes before grilling isan easy way to enhancethe natural flavor. Or usea marinade for additionalflavor and tenderness.

• Not too hot:Most beef cuts should

be placed 3 to 6 inchesfrom the heat source andcooked over mediumheat. Thicker cuts shouldbe placed farther awayfrom the heat to preventthe outside from gettingcooked too fast, beforethe inside reaches thedesired doneness.

• Perfect doneness: An instant-read ther-

mometer inserted hori-zontally is the best judgeof beef perfection. TheNational Cattlemen’s BeefAssociation advises cook-ing steaks to 145 F formedium rare or 160 F for

medium, and toalways cook burgersto at least 160 F.

• Savor thejuices:

Resist the tempta-tion to flatten orpierce the meatwhile grilling, or theflavorful juices willbe lost.

Here’s a grilledbeef recipe so easy itcan make even anovice outdoor cheflook like a pro. Thiscolorful entree fea-tures boneless sir-

loin and ready-made mari-nade sauce, simplifyingprep time so you can relaxand get to the table faster.It’s one of many easy-to-prepare beef recipes avail-able at www.Stock-manAndDakota.com. Courtesy of ARAcontent

Grilled beef adds sizzle to mealsGrilled Teriyaki Beef Kabobs

Prep time: 15 minutes plus marinatingGrill time: 7 to 9 minutesAmount: 4 servingsIngredients:1 (1 1/2 pound) Stockman & Dakota Boneless Sirloin Steak1 red bell pepper, cut into 24 chunks3/4 cup Culinary Circle Shanghai Five Spice Teriyaki Mari-nade & Dipping Sauce16 chunks fresh pineapple8 wooden skewers, soaked in water 30 minutesCooked rice, optionalDirections:Trim the fat off the steak; cut into 24 cubes. Place steak, pep-pers and marinade into a reclosable food storage bag andseal. Toss to coat. Place in refrigerator and marinate a mini-mum of 45 minutes or up to overnight.Preheat the grill to medium heat. Thread three beef, threepepper and two pineapple chunks onto skewers in desiredpattern.Place skewers on the grill. Cook, turning occasionally, 7 to9 minutes or until desired doneness is reached (145 F formedium rare, 160 F for medium). Additional marinade maybe brushed on during grilling, if desired. Remove from thegrill. Serve kabobs over cooked rice, if desired.

4 Fall Home Improvement Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2009

(ARA) - Every year morethan 500,000 fires occur inhomes across the nation.To help protect your homeand your loved ones, theexperts have come up withthe following easy-to-followtips that could make all thedifference.

“Fires, even small ones,can quickly become out ofcontrol,” says Lou Manfre-dini, Ace’s “Helpful Hard-ware Man.” “Taking thetime now to prepare yourhome can help save livesand money.”

Protect your homeAny home is susceptible

to fire, and the first step tokeeping your family safe isto purchase two essentialitems.

• Fire alarms: Firealarms are your first line ofdefense when it comes tofires. Make sure that youhave one installed on everylevel of your home - eventhe attic. To get the mostprotection, install one in, ornear, every bedroom.

Fire alarms use threedifferent methods to detectfire: photoelectric, whichresponds to smoke; ioniza-tion, which responds tosmoke and gas; and ther-mal, which responds toheat. When choosing analarm, select one that uti-lizes more than one of theabove methods.

Once the fire alarms areinstalled, be sure to testthem once a month andchange the batteries twicea year “A good reminder isto change the batterieswhen you change yourclocks for daylight sav-ings,” says Manfredini.

• Fire extinguisher:Every home should have afire extinguisher, specifi-cally one that is labeled as“ABC” which means it canbe used on all types of

fires. Additionally, biggeris not always better when itcomes to these products. Itis important to select a sizethat fits within your appro-priate storage location.“The general rule of thumbis to have one fire extin-guisher on every floor ofyour home, especially asmall one for yourkitchen,” says Manfredini.

The experts also sug-gest keeping a fire extin-guisher within 10 feet ofthe stove, on the same sideof the kitchen that has theexit. Many fires occur inthe kitchen, such as greasefires, and keeping an extin-guisher nearby can helpyou contain the damage.

Once you have selectedyour fire extinguisher pur-chase the desired numberplus one additional extin-guisher for you to try out.Remember, you don’t wantto have to learn how to usethe extinguisher whilethere is a fire in yourhome.

Stop fire before itstarts

While fires can start forany number of reasons,there are two commoncauses that are easy to fix.

• Fireplaces: There isnothing better than sittingin front of a warm fire on acold day, but unmaintainedfireplaces can be a hugehazard.

“Your chimney shouldbe cleaned and inspectedon a yearly basis,” saysManfredini. “This requiresspecial tools and ladderwork, so it’s a project thatis better left to a certifiedchimney sweep.”

After you get your fire-place cleaned, install achimney spark arresterthat will prevent straysparks from catching yourroof on fire and a fireplace

screen that will keep straysparks from coming intoyour home.

• Appliances: Electricalfires can occur out ofnowhere, so if your appli-ance is emitting an unusu-al smell, unplug it and havesomeone repair it beforeusing again. Additionally,replace frayed or crackedelectrical cords and don’toverload extension cords.Never run cords underrugs.

If you find you have toomany plugs going into oneoutlet (or extension cord),purchase a surge protec-tor, which will keep yourappliances safe should asurge occur, and keepoverloaded electrical sys-tems from catching fire.

For more home safetytips and advice, visitwww.acehardware.com orstop by your neighbor-hood Ace Hardware store.Courtesy of ARAcontent

Tips to save your home and life in case of fire

(ARA) - As MotherNature adorns the trees inyour yard with riotous reds,vibrant yellows and exoticoranges, you can easily getswept up in the romance ofthe season - until thoseleaves turn brown, dropfrom the branches and litteryour lawn. Then you startto think of the hours ofbackbreaking raking workahead of you.

This autumn, why not tryworking with MotherNature by mulching thoseleaves instead of raking,

bagging and condemningthem to a landfill?

Leaf mulching is a time-saving, environmentallyfriendly way to deal withfallen leaves. Plus, if youlive in a community thathas cut back on collectionservices due to the econo-my, mulching can solveyour dilemma of what to dowith the leaves litteringyour lawn.

“It doesn’t make sense torake leaves and bag them,just to have them end updecomposing in a landfill,”

says Dr. Phil Dwyer, seniorscientist at The Scotts Mir-acle-Gro Company. “Leafmulching recycles a naturalresource and enriches thesoil of your lawn for free.”

In fact, turf benefits byreceiving more nutrientswhen you mulch fall leavesback into the lawn insteadof raking them, accordingto a study by MichiganState University turfgrassresearcher Thom Nikolaiand ScottsMiracle-Gro sci-entists. Recycling fallenleaves saves time and mon-

ey, adds nutrients to thesoil, speeds spring green-ing and reduces weeds.

Here’s how to recyclethis fall’s crop of fallenleaves:

• Remove the grasscatcher from your lawnmower. Mow over theleaves on your lawn. Repeatuntil they are reduced todime-sized pieces.

• Mow until you seeabout half an inch of grassthrough the mulched leaflayer.

Any kind of rotary-actionmower will do the job, andall kinds of leaves can bemulched. Throughout theseason, you can chop up to18 inches total of leaf clutterwith several passes of themower. Having a some-

what thick layer of mulchedleaves is okay as long asyou can still see the greengrass blades pokingthrough. As leaf bits settleinto the ground, microbesand worms get to workrecycling them.

Once you’ve enrichedyour soil with leafmulching, don’t forget thatfall is the best time to feedand seed your lawn. A fewsimple steps can helpensure that your lawn willbe strong next season andbeyond:

• After mulching, feedyour lawn with Scotts TurfBuilder WinterGuard falllawn fertilizer to help buildstrong, deep roots for a bet-ter foundation and a morerobust lawn next year. The

nitrogen in the fertilizer willalso help the mulchedleaves decompose faster.Be sure to sweep excessfertilizer off hard surfaceslike driveways and side-walks.

• After feeding, spreadseed where needed. Toreseed your bare spots, digup bare areas, mix in com-post, sow your seeds andcover with more compost.If the weather is dry, keepthe seeded soil moist untilnew grass begins to grow.Seeding autumn bare spotswill thicken the lawn andmake it more resistant tofuture bare spots.

To learn more about leafmulching and autumn lawncare, visit www.scotts.com.Courtesy of ARAcontent

WWW.MARCUMSNURSERY.COM

I-35 at Goldsby Exit(405) 288-2368

Mon-Sat 8-5CLOSED Sunday

2121 S.W. 119th St.

(405) 691-9100Mon-Sat 8:30-5:30CLOSED Sunday

Sunday 1-5

The Fall season is the perfect time to plant trees!At Marcum’s we have many to choose from such asChinese Pistache, Maple, Oak, Lacebark Elm,

Dogwoodand Japanese Maple just to name a few. We also have a Large Selection ofShrubs, Mums, Pansies as well as

Fall and Holiday Décor to add color to your yard. Come See Us Today at Marcum’s Nursery!

FAMILY OWNED & OPERATED SINCE 1975

Beautify YourYard This Fall!

ACRES OF TREES ALWAYS IN STOCK!

Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2009 Fall Home Improvement 5

Leaf mulching and fertilizer: A back-saving, soil-enrichingway to deal with fallen leaves

(ARA) - With the realestate market yet torebound from its dra-matic plunge and creditstill tight, housing fig-ures show that morehomeowners are stayingput. But that doesn'tmean they're sitting idlyby. People are investingin affordable homeupgrades that not onlymake an immediateimpact, but make theirproperty more attractiveshould they decide toput it on the market lat-er.

"Today, when itcomes to upgrades foryour home, it's all aboutbang for the buck.Homeowners are look-ing for the best returnon investment as well assimple, inexpensiveways to make dramaticimprovements to theirhomes," says LeighBrown, real estate bro-ker in Charlotte, N.C."Outdoor living spaces,landscaping, decks andpatios all make a big dif-ference -- not only inhow comfortable yourcurrent home is now,but how buyers see itwhen you're ready tosell."

The trend in outdoorliving space has movedtoward creating outdoorliving "rooms," and theoptions available tohomeowners havegrown with the numberof available products onthe market.

"When you're looking

at homes in a certainprice range, you tend tosee a lot of the samethings. The features thatmake a home stand outand make people wantto live there are oftenthe outdoor spaces,"Brown says.

Chris Fox, marketingmanager for UniversalForest Products ofGrand Rapids, Mich.,says his company's out-door living products,including compositelumber decking anddeck and fence acces-sories, have continuedto sell well in this econo-my, even as new con-struction has slowed.

"Our decking prod-ucts, such as LatitudesComposite Decking,continue to be desirablefor homeowners whoare staying put andupdating their existinghomes rather than mov-ing. Deck updates andupgrades are projectsthat make sense in this

economy and that createadded value for thefuture, as well as enjoy-ment and added livingspace for right now,"Fox says.

Composite deckingproducts are low mainte-nance and eco-friendly.Latitudes is made from70 percent recycledmaterials. Brown says"green" home improve-ments can make a differ-ence when buyers arecomparing properties.

Homeowners whoalready have decks findthat swapping out balus-ters or adding decora-tive post caps or lightscan also make a dramat-ic difference that addsbeauty as well as valueto their outdoor livingspace.

Deckorators offersaluminum and glassbalusters in a variety ofstyles to accent virtual-ly any architectural look.Deck railing balusterscan be installed on a

new deck or can be usedto update the look of anold one.

"In neighborhoodswhere every home has adeck, the nicer decks

sell the home faster.Typically, it's about thedetails even more thanthe size. Designer rails,lights and finishes makeall the difference,"Brown says.

Dino Perelli, a realestate agent who spe-cializes in lake propertyin Texas, says that deckand dock upgrades areone way his clients aresetting their propertiesapart from the many oth-ers on the market.

"Homes are sitting onthe market longer, andthat causes propertyowners to look forthings they can do to settheir property apart. Inour area, that means

adding more livingspace to docks or replac-ing tired-looking wooddecks with long-lastingcomposite material,"Perelli says.

Whether looking toupdate an existinghome for personalenjoyment or preparingit for sale, outdoor livingspaces present opportu-nities for improvement.Turning a generic deckinto an inviting andattractive space tospend time sets a homeapart, which is what realestate experts say homebuyers will look forwhen the real estatemarket improves.Courtesy of ARAcontent

6 Fall Home Improvement Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2009

Affordable outdoor improvements offer great return on investment

Decorative balusters and post cap accessories give homeowners affordableoptions when updating an existing deck.

Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2009 Fall Home Improvement 7

Gaping holes andmessy leaks are twoobvious signs that aroof needs to bereplaced. But, some-times the signs are lessobvious.

“Certainly if your roofis approaching the end

of its life cycle — whichis usually 20 - 25 yearsfor asphalt shingles —it’s time to think about anew roof,” says Ray

Rosewall with DaVinciRoofscapes. “However,a calendar shouldn’t bethe only way you deter-mine if it’s time toreplace your roof.”

According to Rose-wall, you should seri-ously start thinking

about replacing yourroof with synthetic roof-ing tiles when ...

• Your neighborshave new roofs and you

want to maintain the val-ue of your home.

• Your neighborshave not added a newroof and you want toincrease the resale val-ue of your home.

• Your geographicarea has seen an

increase insevere weath-er conditions,(includinghail or torna-dos) thatrequire astronger roof-ing materialto handle thedramaticweatherchanges.

• Yourexisting roofis functional,

but has staining thatdetracts from the lookof your home.

• You want to switchto a low-maintenance

roof that has a 50-yearwarranty.

• You don’t want toworry about wood rotcaused by wood shakesand termites.

• Excessive snow inyour area has causedsubstantial damage toyour roof.

“Too often, home-owners wait until theirroofs are old and wornout before consideringan upgrade,” says Rose-wall. “Certainly curling,splitting and missingshingles are all warningsigns that a roof needsto be replaced. Howev-er, with the changingweather patterns in our

country combined withthe need for homeown-ers to add value to theirproperties, consumersshould be vigilant aboutlooking for signs ofwear along with upgrad-ing their roofs.”

Rosewall recom-mends that, whenresearching new roofoptions, homeownersseriously consider low-maintenance syntheticslate and shake roofsystems. “Roofing tilesmade from 100 percentpure virgin resins haveconsistency throughouteach tile,” says Rose-wall. “For our products,state-of-the-art UV stabi-

lizers are embeddedthroughout the polymerto create a durable syn-thetic roofing tile whichresists mold, algae, fun-gus, and insects, withvirtually no curling, fad-ing and cracking sothey’re headache-free.”

All DaVinci syntheticroofing tiles are backedby a limited 50-year war-ranty, are Class A ratedfor fire retardance,Class 4 rated for impactresistant and have thehighest ratings attain-able for straight linewind testing at 110mph. For more informa-tion, visit www.davin-ciroofscapes.com.

You know it’s time to replace your roof when. . .

These attractive synthetic shake roofing tiles add value to the home and arebacked by a limited 50-year warranty.

(ARA) - Fall is prime time to put

a new roof on your home. But

before you spring into action,

there are a few things you should

know. Most importantly, buying

new shingles without the rest of

the roofing system is like buying

a car with no engine.

Any roofing system you pur-

chase should address all key

parts of the roof. From hip and

ridge, ventilation, insulation, ice

and water shield, underlayments,

gutter protection and the shin-

gles themselves, ordering a

complete system like Owens

Corning's roofing system

ensures all parts will work

together perfectly.

Choosing a contractor to

install your new roof is just as

important as choosing the roof

itself. Use references from friends

and family, and online resources

like Owens Corning's contractor

locator - found at www.owen-

scorning.com - to gather names

and information on candidates.

Be sure to check contractors'

license status before you seek

bids from them. And don't auto-

matically go for the lowest bid -

be sure competing bids are com-

paring apples to apples before

you decide on one.

To learn more about complete

roofing systems for your home,

visit www.roofingsystem.com.

Replacing your roof? What you shouldknow about roofing systems

NormanNorman

NORMAN WEST NORMAN EAST 1918 W. Main 1000 E. Alameda