Home Style

H O M E S T Y L EH O M E S T Y L E

Inside:• Fight bathroom boredom• Is your kitchen the “heart of the home?”• Mold is a serious problem after a

wet summer • Small kitchen? Try some big improvements• End-of-season care for your lawn tools• Prevent ice dams

KitchenBath&Issue

HGTV’s

MikeHolmes

Remodel it right and neverworry about it again

Fall 2011 Meeker County Advertiser and Hutchinson Leader Shopper September 4, 2011

2 Fall Home Improvement Hutchinson Leader/Litchfield Independent Review Sunday, September 4, 2011

Hutchinson Leader/Litchfield Independent Review Sunday, September 4, 2011 Fall Home Improvement 3

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McLeod Cooperative Power1231 Ford Ave., Glencoe, MN

320-864-3148 • 1-800-494-6272Open Monday–Friday7:45 a.m.–4:30 p.m.

Call Gopher State One Call at least48 hours before you dig this fall!You may be planning a fall project now,

such as building a deck or planting treesor shrubs. They’re great fall projects, but

we urge you to be careful. Many sites are on topof underground utility lines. Cutting an under-ground cable or pipeline can be very dangerousand costly, so call Gopher State One Call beforeyou dig. It’s the law!

Gopher State One Call is the clearinghouse todetermine the location of all underground utilitylines in Minnesota. After you call Gopher State,it notifies underground utility operators with facil-ities in the area. Locators are dispatched tomark where these underground cables andpipelines are located.

But this all takes time, so be sure to call GopherState One Call at 1-800-252-1166 at least 48

hours before you dig, excluding weekends, holi-days and emergencies. Calls are taken between7 a.m. and 5 p.m. Gopher State One Call willask specific questions, so please have thefollowing information available when youcall:

• Type of work to be done• Location of the work site, including

township, range, section and quarter coordinates. This is the property’s legal description.

• Estimated time needed to complete work.

Property owners should understand their fullresponsibility when digging.

• The property owner or excavating company

is responsible for calling Gopher State One Callat 1-800-252-1166 at least 48 hours before workis to be done so that locators can mark theircompany’s utilities.• The property owner is responsible for hiring alocator and paying for locating costs if theunderground wires are on the property owner’sside of the electric meter, such as secondarywires running to a house or buildings.

Remember, call1-800-252-1166before putting one

shovel in the ground!

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1725 E. Hwy. 12, Litchfield, MN320-693-3231 or 800-232-6257

Open Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Hutchinson Utilities Commission225 Michigan St., Hutchinson, MN

320-587-4746Open Monday–Friday7:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m.

What’s InsideDoing it

right thefirst time

HGTV star Mike Holmesgives advice to the

homeowner looking torenovate a kitchen or

bathroom withoutunnecessary headaches.

Page 14

Heartof thehome

If your kitchen isn’t holding up to yourdemands, consider

changes that can make theheart of the home into a

place fit for your lifestyle.

Page 8

Mold is a serious problemafter a wet summer / 6

Small kitchen? Try somebig improvements / 10

Before hibernating, carefor your lawn tools / 18

Prevent ice dams / 22

Home Improvementis published twice a year by ...

LeaderLeaderH U T C H I N S O N

THE LITCHFIELD INDEPENDENT REVIEW P.O.Box 921,Litchfield,MN 55355-0921Phone: 320-693-3266 Fax: 320-693-9177

E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.independentreview.net

THE HUTCHINSON LEADER 36 Washington Ave.W.,Hutchinson,MN 55350-2440

Phone: 320-587-5000 Fax: 320-587-6104E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.hutchinsonleader.com

28,100 copies of Home Improvement arebeing delivered through the Leader Shopperand Meeker County Advertiser. Ads are alsoplaced on www.hutchinsonleader.com and

www.independentreview.net.


By KAY JOHNSONStaff Writer

Change doesn’t have tobreak the bank. If you’rebored with your bath-room, making a differencecan be as simple as chang-

ing your shower curtain or buying newaccessories.

How to get started? Decorating maga-zines are a great source of inspiration.Look through them for possibilities. Tearout photographs that catch your eye. Col-lect them in an “idea” folder or file.

When you’re ready to redecorate, lookthrough your file. Is there anything thatjumps out at you? For instance, do thephotos reflect a certain theme? Is there apredominant color or a specific look?

Analyze what your photos are tellingyou and use this information as your dec-orating guide.

If the common denominator in yourtear sheets is the color blue, for instance,then you have a couple of choices to con-sider. You can paint your bathroom blueor you can accessorize it with blue.

Looking to make a big impact, butmoney is a factor? Experts will tell you thecheapest and fastest way to change thelook of a room is by changing its paintcolor.

Paint isn’t just for walls. It also can beused to freshen up a vanity, woodwork oreven a picture frame.

To keep it cheap, make it a do-it-your-self project. Paint samples and paintingtips are available at local hardware stores.Don’t be afraid to ask for help.

Free paint is available at the FreeuseRoom at the McLeod County HazardousHousehold Waste Facility, 1065 Fifth Ave.S.E., in Hutchinson. Hours: 8 a.m. to 4p.m. Tuesday through Friday.

Accessorize itIf painting is a bigger project than you

want to tackle, consider changing yourvanity accessories, shower curtain, towels,rugs, mirror, drawer pulls or switch plates.

Accessories come in all price ranges,colors and styles. You can even find acces-sories at thrift stores. You also can repur-pose items already in your home.

For many bathrooms, the shower-and-tub stall is the focal point of the room. It’sthe first place your eye goes. Use thespace to make a splash.

The sky is the limit when it comes toshower curtains. They are available inplastic as well as cloth and in a rainbow ofcolors, themes and characters. Custom-made shower curtains also are available.

Can’t find what you want? Buy a showercurtain and customize it with trim andfabric or make your own for a truly one-of-a-kind look.

Like your shower curtain? You can giveit new life by changing the rings. A varietyof hanging options are available from col-ored plastic rings to decorative metalhangers.

Framed artwork and posters can updatethe look of your space. You don’t have tospend a lot to have wall art.

Be creative! Make a collage of coloredpictures from magazines. Frame it with athrift-store find.

Wall decals offer an affordable way to

PERK IT UP WITHTHESE EASYAND INEXPENSIVEDECORATING IDEAS

BOREDwith yourbathroom?

Experts will tell you the cheapest andfastest way to change the look of aroom is by changing its paint color.

PHOTO COURTESY OF CRATE AND BARREL

Silkkikuikka Red Shower Curtain by Marimekko, Crate and Barrel, $59.95.Marimekko is a Finnish company whose fashion designs were made famous by thelikes of Jacqueline Kennedy and “Sex and the City” it-girl Carrie Bradshaw. Thiscurtain is 100-percent cotton and easily becomes the focal point of any bathroom.

Utility Shower Curtainby Wintercheck Factory,$40. With self-draining

storage pouches and razorand toothbrush loops, thisshower curtain is a great

design choice because itkeeps the shower clutter-free. It’s available in sky

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change your bathroom. They come inmany forms ranging from meaningful say-ings to designs such as the Eifel Tower or aflower garden.

Decals are easy to use. Just peel off theprotective backing and stick it on yourwall. Follow the directions to get the bestadhesion.

Buy them locally at stores such as Tar-get, Menards, Walmart and ShopKo.

If you’ve got a window, add a plant.Plants do well in bathrooms with light.Dress up your window with a new valanceor curtain or a new-to-you curtain from athrift store or garage sale.

If your vanity is looking dated, considerchanging its color with paint and its hard-ware to give it a new look.

Hate the tile?Replacing ceramic tile can be expensive

and messy. Improve the look of your tileby giving it a good cleaning. Use products

specifically designed for tile and grout toget the best look.

Add some bling to your wall tile withstick-on, water-resistant decals. Called tiletattoos or tile stickers, they come in allkinds of shapes and sizes. Visit online atwww.2jane.com or www.wallies.com forideas.

No money,but need a change?

Get rid of the junk.It doesn’t cost a dime to clean up your

space. Get rid of anything that isn’t sup-posed to be there.

After that, give your bathroom a goodcleaning. It’s hard to believe what a differ-ence that will make.

Bettina Chang/CTW Features con-tributed to this story.

Essential Home Sunny Daisy Shower Curtain available at Kmart, $12.99. Clear shower cur-tains might seem kiddish, but this bright daisy design adds a playful feel to the bathroomwithout delving into rubber ducky territory. The complementary colors of the flowers carry abuilt-in color scheme for this 100-percent vinyl PEVA product.

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By ANDREW WIGStaff Writer

It starts with a drip, drip, drip.

And it can turn into a four let-ter word.

With copious rainfall and sat-urating humidity levels this past

summer, homeowners have seen more ofit, and so have disaster clean-up profes-sionals.

“We see mold all the time,” said RobFearer, Hutchinson-based operationsmanager for ServiceMaster, a disasterrestoration company that serves regionsincluding Meeker and McLeod counties.

The number of mold problems theyhave treated “is definitely higher thisyear,” Fearer said. “There’s a lot of untreat-ed water damage.”

What begins with water damage due anumber of reasons — including sumppumps and leaky foundations over-whelmed by this summer’s torrential rainevents — can quickly turn into a moldyinvasion.

So in these cases, mop up without hesi-tation, Fearer says.

Because the longer it is sits, the worse itgets. “The cost to remediate that loss is pro-bably doubling every four to eight hours,”

he said.But sometimes, no one is there to

notice. Shuttered and foreclosed homesare especially vulnerable, as Lenny Rut-ledge, a building official for the city ofHutchinson, has witnessed.

“I can name three houses in this townwhere they were foreclosed and someonebought them and basically, they hired acontractor to come in and take everypiece of Sheetrock and drywall out ofthem,” Rutledge said.

The houses, he added, were then airedout, and sprayed with a mold inhibitor.

Fearer, too, has seen the extreme costsof water left to sit for extended periods. Heremembers a job at a Maple Lake cabin; apipe had burst over the winter and unfor-givingly doused the summer residence.

“The water had run until the well pumpburned out,” Fearer said.

That spring, the owners found a cabinteeming with fungal life, a science experi-ment. “A rainbow of mold” covered abouteverything, Fearer recalled. “You openedthe door and you could smell mold from50 feet away.”

The cabin had to be demolished, Fearersaid.

In another example of the fungus’destructive influence, the community

What’s that smell?After exposure to water, many materials within a home can harbor mold and give off that dis-tinctive musty smell.

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center in Cosmos had to be shuttered latelast year due to a mold infestation, and isscheduled to be demolished.

These cases represent extremes, buteven unspectacular cases bare substantialcost to homeowners — “If you’ve got afully affected moldy basement, thousandsof dollars for sure,” Fearer said.

And there are the health risks associatedwith mold, which depend on the personand extent of the mold infestation. Espe-cially sensitive are those with asthma orallergies, conditions that can be worsenedby mold, according to the MinnesotaDepartment of Health.

Also at greater risk are those with weak-ened immune systems, who can developserious fungal respiratory infections,MDH says.

Diagnosing a mold problem is relativelystraight forward, Fearer said.

“If you can smell it, it’s active,” Fearersaid. “You walk into a basement and itsmells musty, it smells musty for a rea-son.”

Professionals can conduct tests to con-firm a mold diagnosis, Fearer said. But if itsmells like mold, and looks like mold, it’s agood bet it’s mold, so those tests can be

unnecessary in a common householdmold scenario, he added.

Once diagnosed, banishing mold oftencalls for drastic measures.

Mold-infested permeable materialssuch as carpets and drywall cannot betreated and must be removed, accordingto MDH; once it’s in there, it’s in there. Theoutlook is less dire for impermeable sur-faces like countertops and flooring. Thosecan be treated with common soap such asDawn, Fearer said, adding that wood alsocan be salvageable.

Removing the mold, however, is just astart. To prevent an ongoing mold prob-lem, “you have to look at the source,”Fearer said. It could be as simple as a sin-gle leak, or could be something less tangi-ble, such as persistent humidity.

“The humidity problem has to beaddressed, otherwise cleaning up themold really does nothing for you,” Fearersaid. “It comes back.”

He recommends an industrial dehu-midifier for such situations.

Better yet, keep the water out, or get itout in a hurry. Failing to do so risks a visitfrom Fearer and company.

“You walk into a basement and it smellsmusty, it smells musty for a reason.”

Rob Fearer, ServiceMaster Operations Manager

Once identified, mold can be removed from a home. Permiable surfaces such as carpet andinsulation need to be replaced while wood can often be cleaned.


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By MARILYN KENNEDY MELIACTW Features

The kitchen is finally earn-ing its moniker, the “heartof the home.”

Until recently, home-owners poured money and

time into remodeling their kitchens, aim-ing to make them attractive and increasethe home value, rather than followingtheir own desires.

“For years, we’ve heard that if you wantto sell your home, start by remodelingyour kitchen because it has the highestreturn on investment,” says Jack Suvak,senior director of research and insights forMoen, the North Olmsted, Ohio-basedsink and faucet supplier.

In an era of weak prices for real estate,however, fewer owners are thinking ofmoving. Instead, they are remodeling tosuit their own tastes and needs - now and

for the long haul, reports Suvak, whorecently completed a study of consumers’attitudes towards kitchens.

Seeking solutionsYou and your family are the ultimate

authority on your kitchen. A designer can’tjust swoop in and provide solutions.

“I start with a conversation,” says MickDe Giulio, a Chicago kitchen designer andauthor. After an initial discussion abouthow a family cooks, lives and entertains,De Giulio leaves owners with the assign-ment of observing exactly what’s happen-ing in their kitchen.

Are groceries brought in from an entrythat’s far from the kitchen? Can kids getdrinking water for themselves? Does aprofusion of piping make it hard to storethings under the sink?

No matter what you’d like to improveupon, there’s probably a product designedjust with that fix in mind.

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Kitchen design should fit a family’s lifestyle. An open area with comfortable seating makesthe kitchen a gathering place.


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(In fact, De Giulio just tackled the prob-lem of under-sink piping. The Multieresink he designed for Kallista has a drain inthe corner, thereby relegating pipes to onesmall area on the side.)

Sometimes, the fix involves a large-scaleremodel. But often, Suvak says, ownerswill perform “room lifts,” his term forsmall-scale projects.

Room lifts ensure a kitchen can evolvewith the owners’ needs, Suvak adds.

Kid friendlyIt’s common for today’s parents to invite

kids to help in the kitchen. Suvak says hisresearch shows safety and practicality arepriorities for parents when kids cook.

Appliance makers have that idea inmind, too. Bosch, for instance, has an“AutoChef” sensor available on bothinduction and electric cook tops. The sen-sor measures the temperature from thebottom of the pan and maintains thattemperature to deliver precise cookingresults. “The pre-programmed featuresmake this product perfect for those whoare just learning how to cook,” says MaltePeters, product manager for Bosch.

Aiming to help kids measure water forpasta or other dishes, GE offers Precise Filltechnology on side-by-side refrigerators.Kids can select the amount of water they

need in cups or ounces and it’s deliveredfrom the refrigerator without messy pour-ing from the sink.

Personal cornerFamilies often have unique habits that

can be accommodated with dedicatedareas of the kitchen. “I had a client wholoved smoothies,” De Giulio says, “so wemade a special station for their blenders.”

The National Kitchen and Bath Associa-tion identified stations for coffee makersand espresso machines as a trend in arecent style report. Atlanta kitchen design-

er Jackie Naylor confirms that her clientslike these stations in which coffee makersare recessed into the wall, and may or maynot require a plumbing connection.

Since the coffee makers are recessed,they allow more uncluttered counterspace, another priority for homeowners,says Beatriz Sandoval, senior marketingmanager of Thermador.

Thermador’s Savor Built-In CoffeeMachine uses a refillable water tank, so itdoes not need to be connected to plumb-ing lines, making installation easier, saysSandoval.

As the hub of the home, kitchens usual-ly involve a tangle of communicationdevices, such as cell phones and laptops.

A “tech station” with plug-ins fordevices and an organized central droppoint is one of the most popular require-ments for today’s families, says Naylor.Instead of carving out valuable counterspace, “I have found that installing [out-lets] in a pantry and using shelf spacethere for a tech station is perfect,” shesays.

Small wondersIf a family doesn’t have any specific

ideas for improvements to the kitchen,browsing new products should spur ideasfor making this room more functional.

For instance, Rev-A-Shelf, a Jefferson-town, Ky. maker of trash storage units, haspartnered with Blum, a maker of cabinetdrawers, to offer an “electric assist” wastecontainer. For busy cooks whose handsare always full, this waste container opensautomatically with a touch of the cabinet.

De Giulio’s Multiere sink also incorpo-rates a small hanger under a built-in cut-ting board, solving the tricky issue ofwhere to hang a dish rag.

Re-shaping the traditional faucet shapeto a gooseneck design yields a lot morecontrol. “You can pull the faucet downand aim precisely where you want to,”explains Suvak. Moen offers the Brantfordand Anabelle faucets with this feature.

Flexibility is the key when designing forthe long haul, so that elements can bemoved in and out to accommodate futureneeds, De Giulio explains.

When his four kids were young, “Wehad a big round table in the bay” wherethe family ate. “When they were grown,my wife and I would sit at that big tableand it felt empty. So we’ve replaced it withcomfy chairs and a low table.”

Concludes De Giulio, “There are somany different ways we can think out akitchen.”

And, the best expert on what works isyou.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THERMADOR

Built-in coffee machines like the ThermadorSavor save counter space and are easy toinstall.

By COURTENAY EDELHARTCTW Features

Small kitchens can be a littleclaustrophobic, particularly inthe age of open architecturallayouts. However, a dash ofcreativity and some sleight of

hand design tricks can help make the mostof the space and create the illusion of a big-ger room.

In fact, the size of a room works to theuser’s advantage from a design and budgetstandpoint. People with large kitchensmight find it cost prohibitive to do higher-end upgrades, but kitchens in a smallspace can be more ambitious because theyrequire less materials. So go ahead, splurgeon a marble floor or granite countertop.

There are bargains to be had in a con-tractor’s scrap pile. Many of them saveremnants of natural stone or quartz fromlarger jobs and sell them at deep discountsto people willing to accept smaller pieces.

Another shortcut is pre-fabricated gran-ite that comes in planks already done with

edge detail. A custom granite kitchen usu-ally requires whole slabs of granite. Some-one needs to make a template, have thefabrication done and then have it installed,says Lenny Sciarrino, president and CEO of

Granite Gold in San Diego.“With prefab, you just purchase the

plank and then have it installed,” he said.“The cutting and fitting is done on site, sothe labor is less, too.”

If the kitchen adjoins a family room,knock out a wall to open the space and putin a breakfast bar with little cubbies on theside, suggests Chris Roblin, owner of ChrisRoblin Design in North Royalton, Ohio.This adds both a place to eat and somestorage to compensate for any cabinetssacrificed in the elimination of the wall.

Choosing light colors helps, too, becausedark colors make a room feel smaller. Getcabinets in a light wood or paint themwhite or beige, Roblin says.

But don’t let that conventional wisdomtrap you in a room that’s devoid of color,says designer and popular blogger KellyMorisseau, author of “Kelly’s Kitchen Sync”(Springline Media, 2011).

“It’s all how it’s designed together. Lookto the rest of the world to see what colorsthey add. Many of their kitchens are not‘American-sized,’ and they do quite fine

with stronger colors.”It’s critical in any case to have good

lighting, Morisseau says. Ideally, a roomshould have one light source in the centerof the ceiling and secondary sources thatcan be dimmed, redirected and otherwisemanipulated to reach problem areas andhighlight decorative focal points and workspaces.

Drawers also are a way to sneak in someappliance capacity. Refrigerator drawers,dishwasher drawers and warming ovendrawers are on the pricey side and havemostly been used in larger homes, but theycan fit almost anywhere.

“The drawers add extra value and con-venience to the home without sacrificing alot of space,” said Steve Proctor, director ofsales and marketing for appliance makerTrue, which recently won a Kitchen & BathIndustry Show award for one of its under-counter refrigerator drawers.

Hiding larger appliances behind cabinetdoors is another solution. Big appliancescan easily dominate a small space andchop up a room, said Roblin.


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LitchfieldThis would be a GREAT Bed &Breakfast! 7 BR, 4 fireplacesand much more! $159,900.Norm & Lorna MenkenMenken Real Estate & Insurance335 East Hwy. 12, Litchfield320-593-3324

FairfaxHW floor & coved ceilingaccent LR-DR, 2+ BR, 1 1/2BA, breakfast room, mf laun-dry, spacioius deck & patio +dbl. gar. w/att. shop. $59,900.Anna Dummer Realtywww.fairfaxmnhomes.com507-426-6002

Grove CityLog home on Long Lake. 2 BR,formal DR, knotty pine ceil.,log hand rails to loft. 2 1/4acres. 240’ lakeshore. $235,500.Gwen CramAll-Star Realty30 3rd St. E., Litchfield320-221-3840

DasselBeautiful large walkout on 2.5acres. Well landscaped, spa-cious floor plan. Lots ofupdates. $314,000. The HULS TeamRE/MAX Today’s Realty255 Hwy. 7 E., Hutchinson320-583-9711

Hutchinson5 BR, 4 BA rambler 4 BR on 1level. Fireplace, new kitchen,deck, htd. & insul. gar. Com-pletely remodeled. $207,900.Mick WigenEdina Realty904 Hwy. 15 S., Hutchinson320-583-1919

HutchinsonWet bar in LL rec room adjacentto exercise room, pocket drs. toformal DR, lg. storage areaabove garage. $265,000.Mick WigenEdina Realty904 Hwy. 15 S., Hutchinson320-583-1919

FairfaxHigh visibility 1.5 acre city lotalong St. Hwy., furnished 11unit motel with updated mgr’sapt., recent steel roof, vinylwindows, siding. $118,000.Anna Dummer Realtywww.fairfaxmnhomes.com507-426-6002

Fairfax5 ac. hobby farm on main hwy.,remodeled 4 BR, 1 1/2 BAhome, newer roof & upgradedseptic. Buildings & hay groundfor horses. $98,900.Anna Dummer Realtywww.fairfaxmnhomes.com507-426-6002

DasselLakeshore & over 8.5 acres.Custom built home. Lots ofstorage inside & out. Expansionroom in unfin. bsmt. $285,000. Greg WittEdina Realty904 Hwy. 15 S., Hutchinson320-234-0929

HutchinsonImmaculate 2 story brick frontcommercial property. New win-dows & doors. 8400 fsf + fullbasement. Must see. $399,900.Mick WigenEdina Realty904 Hwy. 15 S., Hutchinson320-583-1919

HutchinsonOver 2 acres, 400’ of lake shoreon private cove, over 2000 sq. fton 1 floor w/4 BR, 2 BA, mst.,storage, htd. garage. $177,700.Lonnie BrandEdina Realty904 Hwy. 15 S., Hutchinson320-583-1989

Hutchinson3 BR, 3 BA in great locationacross from a park. New siding,trim paint, BA fixtures, paint, kit.sink, S.S. appliances. $174,900.Lonnie BrandEdina Realty904 Hwy. 15 S., Hutchinson320-583-1989

Litchfield2 BR, 1 1/2 story, 1 1/2 BA.Completely remodeled. Hickorycab., new ceramic floor, vinylsiding & windows. $85,500.Gwen CramAll-Star Realty30 3rd St. E., Litchfield320-221-3840

WinstedGreat opportunity! Nice lot inquiet neighborhood. Lots ofcompleted updates. Appliancesare 7 years old & stay. $93,000.Jeanne RayEdina Realty904 Hwy. 15 S., Hutchinson320-583-7184

Litchfield2 1/2 country acres. 330’ of CaseyLake frontage. Century old oaktrees. Tar road & blacktop drive.Norm & Lorna MenkenMenken Real Estate & Insurance335 East Hwy. 12, Litchfield320-593-3324

Hutchinson4 BR rambler close to shopping,park & hospital has 3 BRs onmain level, LL FR, deck &fenced-in back yard. $118,000.Melissa StrakaColdwell Banker Advantage317 Hwy. 7 E., Hutchinson612-703-0223

HutchinsonRemodeled in 1995. Enjoyspectacular views of the CrowRiver from any room.BARGAIN!The HULS TeamRE/MAX Today’s Realty255 Hwy. 7 E., Hutchinson320-583-9711

CosmosUpdated rambler on edge oftown. Large lot, fenced yard, 2car garage. Newer stainlesssteel appliances. $98,900.The HULS TeamRE/MAX Today’s Realty255 Hwy. 7 E., Hutchinson320-583-9711

REDUCED

REDUCED

REDUCED

REDUCEDThe Weekly Real Estate Guide is a full color page appearing each Wednesdayon the back page of the Hutchinson Leader and each Thursday in the LitchfieldIndependent Review. Combined circulation of the two newspapers is 9,300homes—that’s more than 20,000 readers with same-day delivery to 15 area cities.

Current Open Houses and new listings will be featured weekly. For the latest up-to-date real estate listings, look for the Weekly Real Estate Guide.

Contact your Ad Rep today!

Up-to-date listings everyWednesday.

SHORELINE

FairfaxCommercial bldg., 9,000 sq. ft.,includes 12x16 hoist, heavy-duty air comp., portable offices+ add’l. office space, 6,500 ft.warehouse area. $90,000.Anna Dummer Realtywww.fairfaxmnhomes.com507-426-6002


Name______________________________________________________________

Address ____________________________________________________________

City ____________________________ Phone___________________________

Entries must be received by 4:00 p.m. on Wed., Sept. 14, 2011 at the Hutchinson Leader, 36 Washington Ave. W., Hutchinson, MN 55350.

75609 HI

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LEADER/INDEPENDENT REVIEW FALL HOME IMPROVEMENT

1st PLACE:4 Tickets

to 2011 MinnesotaRenaissance Festival

2nd PLACE:2 Tickets

to 2011 MinnesotaRenaissance Festival

READER CONTESTIt’s Simple...all you need to do is Alphabetize all the businessnames with ads in this Home Improvementsection. Write answers below; there are 50 adsin the section. Entries must be received by 4:00pm on Wednesday, September 14, 2011.Winners will be notified by phone. Employees ofthe Hutchinson Leader and Independent Reviewand their immediate families are not eligible towin. Must be 18 to enter. The ads on pages 12 & 13 are not included.

Melissa StrakaRealtorColdwell Banker Advantage320-587-8786Cell: 612-703-0223

Your Perfect Partner TM

LOOKING TO BUYOR SELL?Contact one of these professionalsfor all your real estate needs.

Lonnie BrandEDINA REALTYRealtor, [email protected]

Rachel HulsThe HULS TeamBroker Assoc., CDPE, CRS, e-ProRE/MAX Today’s Realty320-234-4404Cell: 320-583-9711

Today’s Realty

Mick WigenEDINA REALTYRealtor, GRI320-583-1919

Jeanne RayEDINA REALTYRealtor, RSA320-583-7184

Greg WittEDINA [email protected]

Gwen CramALL-STAR REALTYBroker/Owner/GRI320-593-1100Cell: 320-221-3840

Anna DummerANNA DUMMER REALTYBroker/Realtor507-276-6725www.fairfaxmnhomes.com

ANNA DUMMER REALTY

Norm & Lorna MenkenBroker, Realtor® [email protected]


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“We’ve gotyou covered”For all your wall coveringinstallation and interior

painting needs callMichael or Anita

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By J. JEWELL BATES CTW Features

It is readily apparent that con-tracting runs in the blood ofHGTV’s Mike Holmes. “I didn’thave video games, so from thetime I was two, I was following

my dad around,” says Holmes whileexplaining his love affair with contract-ing. “He was the neighborhood handy-man, people would call all the timeand say, ‘Jim, can you fix this?’ Ithought he was a god.”

Holmes credits his dad for hispassion for doing things right thefirst time. It is this work ethic, adesire to be in charge (he’s aLeo after all) and naturalinquisitiveness that ledHolmes to begin running a con-struction company at age 19 and establishhis own renovation company two yearslater.

These characteristics, plus his disarmingstraightforwardness, led to one fateful con-versation with a friend in the employ of

HGTV. The 30-minute rant includ-ed all of Holmes’ ideas about what

he thought was missing from the net-work. The friend offered Holmes the

opportunity to host a show, andalthough he was resistant at first, he

knew it was a chance to educate thou-sands of households at once. “I just could-

n’t resist,” says Holmes.Now, Holmes is the host of the award-

winning television series “Holmes onHomes” and “Holmes Inspection” onHGTV. He also has written a book called“Make it Right: Expert Advice on HomeRenovations” (Time Home Entertainment,2011), an easy-to-understand guide toinside home renovations that effortlesslycommunicates with the novice withoutboring the more experienced. Holmes’professional philosophy shines through: “Ifyou are going to do it, you might as well do

it right the first time.”Holmes has over two decades’ experi-

ence in home renovation and construc-tion, and he relishes in sharing that knowl-edge. “I really enjoy educating people,”says Holmes. “I’ve seen so many homesbuilt badly.” He attributes much of the sub-par construction and renovation to lack ofplanning, not using the best materials andpeople making quick, uninformed deci-sions. Always eager to share information,Holmes provides some industry insightsand tips on how to get the best result out ofa kitchen or bath renovation:

Holmes on GreenHolmes believes sustainable design is

design that will last. Mold is a commonproblem in most kitchens and baths, andwidespread mold can result in thousandsof dollars in repair costs. In order to pre-

vent it, Holmes suggests using the bestproducts like blue board or mold-resistantdrywall on the walls vs. green drywall(which may be water resistant but notmold resistant) and concrete backer boardfor the tub or shower area.

Haste Makes WasteWhen contemplating a renovation,

Holmes urges homeowners to “slow down,plan (and plan some more), and educateyourself.” He knows that people get excitedabout what they see in magazines, butHolmes wants them to pause and make adetailed wish list of exactly what they want,take a thorough inventory of their homes,determine how much money they canafford to spend, begin compiling a list ofprofessionals, and decide when the reno-vation will best fit into your life.

The contracting ritual“Picking a contractor is like dating,” says

Holmes. “Do your research, ask for at least20 references and take the time out to callall 20.” Among the topics to cover when

TV host explains correct way to remodel

Continued on page 16

“If you are going to do it, you might aswell do it right the first time.”

— Mike Holmes, at left, host of “Holmes on Homes”


questioning prior clients: timeliness,cleanliness of the job site, budget adher-ence and a request to visit and seeexamples of their work. Holmes doesnot recommend people acting as theirown general contractor. Instead, hesays, “Be sure to pick someone you cantrust.”

When gutting is goodHolmes says that there are very few

situations that a bathroom renovationdoes not need to start with a completegut of the old fixtures, systems, floor,tiles and drywall - especially in an olderhome. The bathroom is the room mostat risk for leaks, mold, moisture andpoor ventilation. Unless the renovationsare very minor (the bathroom is solidlybuilt, fairly new and only the counter-tops and cabinets need to be replaced),Holmes believes a full renovation is inorder.

10 tips for a less stressful remodelHolmes listed kitchen renovations as the No. 1 requested project. Like

bathrooms, Holmes advises against quick cosmetic solutions to upgrade akitchen. If the cabinets are ragged and the counter is rotting around the sink,there is a good chance that areas that aren’t readily visible, like the plumbingand wiring, are old and in disrepair. A renovation is an opportunity to take akitchen down to the studs and make it right.

1. Get all the necessary permits.

2. Be present at all building inspections.

3. Resist quick fixes.

4. Pick the flooring surface carefully. For example, avoid wood or lam-inate “click” flooring for moist, high-traffic areas.

5. Make sure the subfloor is right for the flooring material.

6. Seal stone floors before they are grouted.

7. Consider how porous the countertop material is. Stone surfaces suchas granite have to be regularly sealed.

8. Consider custom cabinets. They are stronger and built to last.Holmes feels the six to 12-week wait is worth it.

9. Carefully plan lighting with different options, and think about thefunction of each fixture (for example, under and above the sink, above thestove, etc.).

10. Invest in a quality ventilation system that will vent outside thehome.

HolmesContinued from page 15

ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE HOLMES GROUP

Mike Holmes and construction supervisor DamonBennett discover a moldy drywall.


7923

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You can get Rebates forEnergy-Efficient Products!Attention Hutchinson Utilities Commission customers—We’re offering our customers rebates for energy-efficient products. Rebate programs started January 1, 2011 andcontinue until funding is depleted. Applications for rebates are available at HUC’s office at 225 Michigan St. S.E.,or online at www.hutchinsonutilities.com.

These residential rebate programs are available for 2011.

We’re Hutchinson Utilities Commission. We’re here for you.

Hutchinson Utilities Commission225 Michigan St. S.E., Hutchinson

320-587-4746www.hutchinsonutilities.com

Residential Rebate Program Maximum RebateNatural Gas Furnaces,

“High Efficiency” AFUE 92% ......................................$150Natural Gas Furnaces,

“High Efficiency” AFUE 94% ......................................$250Natural Gas Furnaces Tune-Up (biennial) ........................$25Natural Gas Boilers AFUE 85% ........................................$200Central Air Conditioners “Energy Star”

(14.5> SEER) ..............................................................$250Central Air Conditioners Tune-Up (biennial) ....................$25Gas Hot Water Heater (Tankless) EF .82>........................$150Gas Hot Water Heater (Storage Type) EF .62> ................$50Heat Pumps “Energy Star” 14> SEER, 8+ HSPF ............$250Washers “Energy Star” ....................................................$75Dishwashers “Energy Star”..............................................$50Dehumidifiers “Energy Star” ......................................$35Programmable Thermostats “Energy Star” ................$15Ceiling Fans “Energy Star” ..............................................$25Freezers “Energy Star” ....................................................$65Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs “Energy Star” ........Up to $15 max.

is your locally owned gas and electric Public Power Utility. Hutchinson is one of 126 Minnesota cities thatbenefit from having a local municipal utility. A public power utility is a tremendous community asset. Here are some of the reasons why:

We have great service.We’re part of the community and our policy makers, managersand workers are part of the community. Our crews are always onhand in the event of an emergency. You don’t need to call an 800number to talk to us.

We’re locally regulated.Rates and service practices are set by members of the communitywho live in the community. If you have a problem, you know whoto talk to.

We’re owned by our customers.There is no tension between the interests of customers and theinterests of stockholders. Our focus is Main Street, not WallStreet. We work for you.

We’re not in it for the money.Municipal utilities are operated in the public interest. Our goal islong-term community benefit, not short-term gain. We work hardto save you money.

We’re the yardstick for the industry.For generations public power systems have set standards for ratesand service that other utilities have had to meet.

We’ll be there.Hutchinson Utilities Commission has served their communitiesfor more than 70 years. In an era when new competitors comeand go faster than we can learn their names, you can count on us.We will be there when you need us.

Hutchinson Utilities Commission (HUC)

7752

1

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By DOUG HANNEMANFor Fall Home Improvement

With the change of seasonsonly a few weeks away,area homeowners willsoon put their yard-careequipment in storage.

For many, that means finding a tidy space

Brian Lokensgard,co-owner of L & PSupply Co., inHutchinsom, sellsmany types of yard-care equipment andservices it, too. Thisyear’s wet summerhas been good for hisbusiness — peopleare using their lawnmowers and otheryard equipment moreoften, which requiresit be maintainedmore frequently.

STAFF PHOTO BY DOUG HANNEMAN

Winterizingyard careequipmentTWO SMALL-ENGINEEXPERTS OFFER ADVICEON HOW TO ADD YEARSTO THE LIFE OF YOURLAWN MOWER ANDOTHER POWER EQUIPMENT


Continued on page 20

7676

5 HI

HOMES

DECKS

• HOMES• PORCHES• DECKS• BATHROOM

REMODELS• ADDITIONS • REMODELS

Where Quality and Customer Satisfaction Matter!

320-587-6466Lic. #20448188

for the lawn mower in the back of thegarage or shed, and finding a more con-venient space up front for the snow blow-er.

But experts warn if your routine is thatsimple, it could cost you plenty.

Before storing your equipment for thewinter, there are several things you shoulddo to help your lawn mower, string trim-mer, power washer and other small-engine-powered equipment start easily inthe spring and perform well for years tocome.

Two of the region’s yard-care equipmentexperts — Brian Lokensgard and MarshallKranz — have seen firsthand what hap-pens when homeowners fail to follow afew simple maintenance rules. Most of therepair business at their respective shopscomes from chagrined customers who failto follow their equipments’ owner’s manu-als.

The most basic rule: Drain the gasolinefrom your equipment before you store it.

“Fuel, fuel, fuel is my biggest concern,”said Kranz, who owns Kranz Lawn andPower on State Highway 7, one mile eastof Hutchinson. “Seventy percent of mybusiness is old fuel gumming up in the

Marshall Kranz, ownerof Kranz Lawn andPower worked on acarburetor that hadbeen gummed up withold fuel. Ethanol gaso-line ages more quicklythan nonoxygenatedfuel,which is causingmore problems forsmall engines, he said.

carburetor.”Lokensgard, who co-owns L & P Supply

Co. on South Grade Road, explained thatmost of today’s fuel contains ethanol,which has a shelf life of about a month.“It has to be used more quickly,” he said.

The two men said fuel can be storedlonger if it is nonoxygenated premiumgasoline, which is available in Hutchinsonfrom Schmeling Oil Co. on Adams StreetSoutheast. Or a fuel stabilizer such as Sta-bil or Sea Foam can be added.

“It gives you a little more longevity,”Lokensgard said. “But if it’s going to sit allwinter, it’s best to drain it.”

Ethanol, according to Kranz, “might begood for the environment, but its hard onsmall engines.”

Here are some other tips from theexperts:

Tune-upsLokensgard recommends annual tune-

ups, depending on use. A basic tune-uptypically includes replacing oil, spark

plugs, and oil and fuel filters, and a greasejob. “Air filters may need to be changedmore often if there are dusty or dry condi-tions,” he said.

Do-it-yourselfers can do all these thingsif they know how. Owner’s manuals do apretty good job of explaining routinemaintenance.

But do people read those manuals?“Most people don’t,” Lokensgard said.For example, finding the grease zerks

can be a challenge if you don’t use themanual. “There are hidden places ofgrease zerks on a lot of equipment,” hesaid.

This year, with all the rain, oil needs tobe changed more frequently becauseequipment is being used more. Kranz saidspring and mid-summer are the besttimes to replace oil in equipment such aslawn mowers, lawn tractors, string trim-

mers and other equipment used mainlyduring warmer months.

“I’m not a big fan of changing it in thefall,” he said. Replace it in the fall, he said,and there’s a risk of moisture building upover the winter.

But he does recommend that equip-ment be greased in the fall. “That way youpush out any moisture residue that’s beenin there during the summer,” he said.

Lawn mower bladesLokensgard said blades need to be

sharpened regularly. “A mower bladedoesn’t have to be razor sharp,” he said.“About once a year should be sufficient.But if you hit something like a rock, then itshould be sharpened.”

Kranz recommends sharpening bladesmore often when the mower is heavilyused. “As much as we’re using them this

summer,” he said, “I’d recommend sharp-ening two or three times a year.”

Overall attention to maintenanceshould be stepped up in summers like thisone, when lawns are being mowed asoften as twice a week. “When it’s realwarm, it’s harder on equipment,” Lokens-gard said.

Likewise, a long winter like the one wejust had can be hard on snow removalequipment. The same maintenance rulesapply. “What you do to trimmers andmowers in the fall, you should do to snowblowers in the spring,” Kranz advised.

Routine preventive maintenance canadd years of usefulness to yard workequipment. Sometimes, though, majorrepairs are needed, and owners must bemake a decision between fixing theirequipment or replacing it.

“During hard times like this, ” Lokens-gard said, “people tend to fix their equip-ment rather than upgrade. We give themoptions.”

The bottom line is maintenance —whether done at home or in a shop —saves money in the long run.

“If people don’t have time to do this,”Kranz said, “that’s why there’s shops likeus around.”


79258 HI

GUNS • AMMO • ACCESSORIES18482B 202 Circle St. (Hwy. 15 N.),

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776

01

EquipmentContinued from page 19

“During hard times like this, people tendto fix their equipment rather than upgrade.

We give them options.”Brian Lokensgard, L & P Supply Co.


Full-Service Lumberyard.Great Plans, Products & Prices!

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NEVER CLEAN YOUR GUTTERS AGAIN.


No morewaterwasteM

ore than half of allwater use inside a housetakes place in the bath-room. How efficient isyours?

Water managers in at least 36 states inthe U.S. expect water shortages to occurover the next few years, according to theU.S. Environmental Protection Agencywebsite. More than half of all water useinside a house takes place inside the bath-room. How efficient is yours?

The average American family of fouruses 400 gallons a day — but can save upto 30 percent on water bills by usingwater-efficient products. Thes factoids atright from the EPA and the Alliance forWater Efficiency can help homeownerssave water, money and energy.

Something as simple asturning off the tap whilebrushing teeth can save upto 8 gallons of water a day.

Don't forget that water wasteis also energy waste becauseof the cost of heating water.Running the faucet for fiveminutes uses about as muchenergy as letting a 60-wattlight bulb run for 14 hours.

No need to replace theentire faucet. Attach-able aerators can alsoearn WaterSenselabels and can makean existing faucetmore efficient.

Place a drop of foodcoloring in the toilettank. If the color showsup in the bowl withoutflushing, that's anindication of a leathat needs to be fixed.

Keeping waste materials(including toilet paper)out of the toilet canreduce water usage.

If it takes a long time for the shower toheat up, collect the pre-showering waterfor other uses, like watering houseplants.

The EPA recommends thathomeowners replace toiletsinstalled before 1994 (1992 inTexas and California) withhigh-efficiency toilets.

It's not always more efficient totake a shower rather than a bath,especially if the tub is only filledhalfway. A shower that lasts 15minutes or longer is always onsidered non-efficient by theAlliance for Water Efficiency, evenif a low-flow showerhead is used.

7759

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4 Seasons does Aerating, PruningFall Weed Control & Fertilizer,

and Landscape Projects. Call for a free estimate.

7848

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Drainageproblems?

We can help–call today!

Do I Need aBuilding Permit?

If you are planning a home improvement project and are wondering if a permit is required... please call the Hutchinson

Building/Zoning/Planning Department at (320) 234-4216;visit the City’s web site at www.ci.hutchinson.mn.us;

or stop by the City Center at 111 Hassan St. S.E.Our friendly staff await your questions!

7677

7 HI

If this winter is anything like lastyear’s, homeowners might see thereturn of a common Minnesotawinter pest: ice dams.

Ice dams are a ridge of ice thatforms at the edge of a roof and preventsmelting snow water from draining off theroof. The water that backs up behind thedam can leak into a home and cause dam-

How topreventice dams

PHOTO COURTESY WIKIPEDIA COMMONS

Large icicles are often a sign of an ice dam. In this photo, snow melt caused by attic heat loss and warming of roofing collected at a roof eaveto create an ice dam.

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Steve Fladeboe Craig SietsemaOffice/Sales Emergency Service

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776

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Downtown Litchfield • 320-693-9113

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age to walls, ceilings, insulation and otherareas.

Patrick Huelman, associate Extensionprofessor, Department of Bioproducts andBiosystems Engineering, says it takesthree things to have an ice dam: � snow cover on the roof, � outdoor temperatures at several

degrees below freezing and� a melting roof above a freezing roof. “The freezing roof is generally at the

overhang where it is approximately at out-door conditions, while the melting roof isusually heated by heat loss from thehouse,” Huelman said.

According to the Minnesota Depart-ment of Commerce’s Office of Energy, icedams occur when heat leaks into the atticand melts the underside of the snow onthe roof. The melted snow then flowsdown the roof surface until it reaches acold spot (such as the eaves or soffit)where it forms a frozen dam, behindwhich more snow melt and ice pile up.The ice build-up can back up under theshingles, damaging them and allowingwater to leak to the ceilings and wallsbelow.

Anywhere there is a penetration into theattic space (around wires, plumbing vents,light fixtures, chimneys, knee walls), pres-

ents the potential for air leaks. Evenhomes that are only a few years old maynot be properly sealed. To avoid thesetypes of problems and eliminate most icedams, attic air leaks must be sealed withcaulking or expanding spray foam. Typicalattic insulation alone will not stop airleaks or prevent ice dams.

An energy audit with an infrared scancan pinpoint trouble spots. If snow andice must be removed, hiring licensed roof-ing contractors who use steamers isstrongly recommended.

Also, Huelman recommends attic venti-lation. “This can help marginal ice damformation, but won’t completely eliminatethe melting condition for homes withmore severe heat loss. Snow removalshould be a last resort. It is dangerous,hard on the roofing materials and can beexpensive.”

Also tough on roofs are heating cables,which will shorten the life of a roof andcost money to operate.

For more information on ice dams, visitthe Office of Energy Security's website atwww.energy.mn.gov.

Source: University of Minnesota Exten-sion Service, Minnesota Department ofCommerce


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