West Ham United manager David Moyes returns to AZ Alkmaar on Thursday night in hope of repeating his victory here in 2007, when his Everton side became the first team to ever inflict a European home loss on the Dutch side.
AZ had gone 32 games unbeaten at home in Europe, over a period spanning three decades, before their meeting with Moyes in 2007, when Everton won 3-2 in the UEFA Cup.
The Dutch team have remained formidable at home ever since, with Arsenal and Manchester United among the clubs who have failed to win at the AFAS Stadion in recent seasons, and they are unbeaten in their last 25 European home games.
Moyes said he has fond memories of that night in 2007 as he looks to guide his West Ham team past AZ and into the final of the Europa Conference League. West Ham lead 2-1 following last week’s first leg at the London Stadium.
“I have been here and won before,” said Moyes. “I remember it well. I have to try to do that again tomorrow night. That’s the job. I remember it because I have so much respect for Louis van Gaal and he was the [AZ] coach at that time. I was still a very young coach learning my way.
“I have always enjoyed coming to the Netherlands, I have always enjoyed coming here to play in youth tournaments, to be around watching football. I remember that night quite well.”
West Ham were knocked out at the semi-final stage of last season’s Europa League, when they were defeated by Eintracht Frankfurt, and will look to use that loss as motivation on Thursday night.
Asked about the loss to Frankfurt a year ago, midfielder Tomas Soucek said: “I have not watched the game [back] because I was so disappointed for many days and even months. Even now. We want to give our fans this chance to get to the final. I think we are even more motivated than last year.
“We are very happy that it is in our hands, but we don’t want to come here and defend the result. We want to play our way.”
Yesterday, I shared three ideas that I had for creating an extra-long countertop to span my 19.5-foot wall in the studio, and y’all had some super creative ideas for me! My mind has been reeling with all of the different ideas, and in the end, I’ve decided to use hardwood flooring to create the countertop.
There were a few reasons that I decided to go with this option. First, I’ve done it before, so I know it will work. I used 3/4-inch red oak hardwood flooring to make the countertop in our walk-in pantry.
So there will be no guesswork or trial and error with this. I’ve already done it, and it turned out great, and I have my old blog posts to refer back to so that I can refresh my memory on the process. You can see how I made these countertops here.
The second reason I decided to go with hardwood flooring as a countertop is because the result is a durable solid wood surface at a fraction of the cost of butcherblock. I’ll probably go with unfinished maple for the studio countertops, and that runs about $6.30/square foot. That’s about $283.50 for the long 19.5-foot countertop, and then I’ll need to buy plywood for the substrate. But even with that, I’m still looking at less than $500 for a 19.5-foot wood countertop.
The third reason is obvious — no straight seams or joints. This was my main concern with using butcherblock or sheet laminate. Whether I have one seam or joint in the middle, or two offset seams or joints, they would bother me either way. I just wanted something to appear as a solid, uninterrupted surface.
That countertop is made of solid pine 2 x 3’s glued and screwed to each other, and then cut down to size. I had to build it upside down (using my front porch as a work bench), and then once it was assembled, I turned it over, cut it to size, and then brought it inside and set it in place.
Now imagine doing that with a 20-foot-long countertop. 😀 Yeah, that would be impossible.
So DIYing my own butcherblock countertop using this method was never an option for the studio. I needed something that could be built in place, and never needed to be picked up and carried and set in place.
The winning idea, and the one I felt the most confident and peaceful about, is building a countertop using hardwood flooring over a plywood substrate. And now that I’ve decided on it, I’m actually quite excited about it. I just need to decide on the specific wood species that I want to use. I know for sure that I don’t want to use red oak. I’ve had my fill of red oak since that’s what our hardwood flooring is throughout the house, and that’s what I used on the pantry countertop. In order to get that countertop the color it is, I had to bleach the wood to remove the red/pink undertones. I’d like to be able to skip that step by selecting a wood that doesn’t have that red/pink undertone. I think I’ve narrowed it down to white oak and maple.
In other news, I’m finally going to start painting the checkerboard design on the floor today. I’ve got everything prepped, taped, and ready to go. So by Monday, I should actually have this portion of the floor finished and ready to show you!
I’m so excited to see actual progress in this room! It’s been a long time coming, and it’s so fun to finally see my vision come to life.
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So much remodeling progress has been made since my last update here on the blog! It’s wild to think how far we’ve come from the demo of the space that began early March to the floor, sink and cabinets being installed to all that’s recently happened over the past two weeks.
It’s coming together just as I pictured it and while there are still a lot of details I’m excited about that they will finish or bring in over the next couple of weeks (can’t wait for BEATRIX!) every day we’re getting so much closer. Before we know it, we’ll be cooking on our new kitchen.
I thought I would do a post to catch up with where we are now as the last two weeks have been really exciting! The last few days there have been been fun developments, too, so I’ll share a peek at those in today’s post as well.
You might have seen some of these updates if you are one of our newsletter subscribers since I gave a sneak peek awhile back. 🙂 I also post sometimes on Instagram so if you like to get the behind the scenes you’ll want to watch my stories, too! If you’re not on my email list you can subscribe HERE to stay in the loop of our progress and get up to date links to all of our decor posts and resources in future newsletters!
The contractors installed the French doors which look AMAZING! All of the contractors and anyone else who has visited always comments on them because they just add SO MUCH to the room. The door is beautiful with the sidelights and transom, it’s a real statement feature on that prominent wall in our kitchen! Plus it made an unbelievable difference in the room by bringing in the natural light.
They also got the marble and soapstone counters in and they are even more stunning than we could’ve imagined.
Everyone will try to talk you out of real stone, if you have them you probably have experienced the same thing! It’s understandable, they want to inform you of what you need to know in order to make a decision so I’m glad they do. But I find if you listen to them but also to your own heart and home when you’re decorating or renovating, you’ll come up with the right decision for you. I’m so glad that for our “forever home” I listened!
Of course, I was happy with our quartz in our past two kitchens, it can be beautiful, too! In fact, we chose quartz for those homes because my husband didn’t want to have to be cautious with counters, but we’ve had a change of heart in this home and for this season of our life.
Real stone isn’t always the right choice for every person or every home. But for me real stone just creates an experience I want to have in our home. It has a richness that is more than just a pretty material. I find that the real stone is something I FEEL when I’m in the room. It’s an organic element that brings a sense of history and character that you really can’t achieve with a manufactured countertop.
You can read THIS POST on why I chose these materials for this kitchen! You can also see a post HERE about the quartz counters we had in our last kitchen.
So much has happened here in the past week! They’ve been focused on trimming out the doors, as well as casing the openings between rooms. Previously the openings between rooms were just drywall, so adding cased molding gives it an extra finishing touch! We already had the contractors make the two openings taller and wider, which really opened up the rooms so they are less choppy (without removing the sense of them being their own space). It also allows light to flow through more easily.
The opening between the entry and living room also got new trim work (above), so it will all look really nice and finished.
Another exciting development is they began adding the tongue and groove beadboard to the walls as well as v-groove tongue and groove to the kitchen and dining room ceilings. I always appreciate the texture and character that classic painted wood paneling adds to a home. We’ve had wood walls (some painted, some not) in every home we’ve ever lived in and added more painted paneling to our last four homes, too.
Paneling is a classic look that feels like home to me. If you like this style, too, you would probably LOVE this book, it’s one of my favorite home design books (written by an architect so it’s just lovely all around). You can see my photos of the inside of the book in this post.
We have so little wall space in the kitchen and dining room so we decided that rather than chopping the space up even more with different wall colors or other wall treatments, we’d soften the whole look and install wood paneling on all of the exposed walls and ceilings in those rooms. Then we will paint them to match all the cabinets and trim.
Today or maybe next week they’ll add the crown molding around each room which will tie it all together and give it that seamless, cohesive look. There are still a few other architectural details to come that will really be lovely so I can’t wait to share them!
They will also begin painting prep Monday, so that means we’re really on the home stretch. Before we know it, we”ll have hardware and appliances, too! I’ll have lots more to share in my next update!
You can catch up on all our remodeling posts HERE.
[unpaid/affiliate] Hush is one of the few fashion brands that really understand the V Neck. If you’re quite happy in round neck t-shirts or jumpers, then the world is your oyster, but if you prefer a V, which I do, the pickings are much slimmer. So, I’m pretty happy to discover that they’ve got a V neck sweatshirt, and I love it!
Hush
One thing I noticed is that Hush doesn’t utilise plus size models enough – which is a shame because their styles really are for every shape. I mean, I don’t have legs like that… but I’m glad to note they haven’t shown tanned legs; a pale leg is fine :-). This sweatshirt comes in XS-XXL and also comes in a bright pink. It’s £55 HERE.
Hush
I’ve got to say Hush’s sweatshirt game is strong this year. This is the type of round neck I would (and do) wear – it’s wide and loose so doesn’t give that gripped at the throat look. This is a colour that brings you life – it’s stopped short of being vivid staying on the right side of ‘washed’ but it’s invigorating and happy. I’d wear this at the drop of a hat. It’s running low in stock in some sizes – XL mainly – and it’s £55 HERE. It’s also available in green.
Hush
Bear with me on this one! I really like clothes that look like they might fall off somehow… it’s such a effortless and casual look that’s sexy too. This is beach ready, jeans ready, jumpsuit ready for a insouciance that nobody is expecting. Super cool and I’ve got my finger hovering on the buy button. I think the model is showing this at an extreme level, you just need a casual suggestion of a drop rather than a whole shoulder out! It’s also a super flattering colour on all tones. It’s £55 HERE with all sizes in stock.
Hush
So, you can see how natural the drop shoulder sweatshirt could look with this jumpsuit. I’m going to share my jumpsuit woes – I have been looking for the perfect black jumpsuit for the summer. One that I can just chuck on to go to work events and also to wear on holiday. So far, I’ve ordered three with none quite right although initially decided I would keep two. Another try on and some fashion opinion from Lucy and Max decided I looked like I should be mending manhole covers so back they went. I have another three on order (and feeling horrible about my carbon footprint) and if none of them are okay, this is absolutely next on my order list. In fact, I wish I’d started with this because I have a sneaky feeling it would have been the ‘one’ from the get go.
Hush
There’s always the problem of going to the loo, but that’s why it’s important to get a jersey material – it is far, far easier to nip that down that something tailored, especially if you’re in a rush ;-). I also love black in summer – you can dress this up with sunglasses and a straw hat or dress it down with some, er, gardening gloves or shoving a shirt over it. Wear it with a linen jacket, a chunky cardigan if the chill sets in or some SPF and a glass of prosecco. It’s £69, with a khaki version and goes up to a size 18 HERE. This is a cropped style but it’s the one I’d pick for me because I’m 5ft 3 and there won’t be a lot of crop although if you want crop, just roll up the legs. I’ve pretty much talked myself into buying this which is always a danger of fashion round ups.
HUSH
If you’re not a jump suit kind of person, these are the dress equivalent – just chuck it on and go. They’re both midnight navy although there is a washed black that is a very similar style. I mean, just how easy are these to wear? Add white trainers, fitflops, of gold sandals to dress it up a bit. The first dress is £75 HERE and he second one is £65 HERE and both go to a size 18. If I’m feeling a bit skint, I avoid looking at Hush but have to admit that my Hush buys are some of my most worn and have stood the test of time perfectly. Have a happy long weekend – I could get used to this four day week thing 🙂
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All products are sent to me as samples from brands and agencies unless otherwise stated. Affiliate links may be used. Posts are not affiliate driven.
Note (4/27/2023): Hey, all! I’ve been a bit under the weather for the last few days, so I’m going to take there rest of the week to relax and recuperate. Hopefully, I can get back to work soon, and have progress to share with you next week.
I’ve mentioned repeatedly lately (because I’m just so excited about it) that I’m finally starting on the last interior room of our house (my studio), and when this room is done, I will have officially finished all of the interior rooms of our home. And every time I mention that, I get a lot of questions from people asking me what I’m going to do with my blog when I’m finished with the studio. It seems as if a lot of long time readers are thinking that once the studio is finished, I’ll be closing down the blog.
Well, that won’t happen. Let me assure you that while I’m almost officially finished with the interior of our house, there will still be plenty to do after that.
Let me give you a quick rundown of where things stand as of today, and where things will be heading.
The Studio and Studio Bathroom
This room is a big project, and includes not only the main room, but also the studio bathroom. I would really like to get this done by mid-August of this year (our 10-year anniversary of purchasing this house), but I’m not placing bets on me actually meeting that goal. That’s less than four months away, and there’s a ton of work to be done in these rooms.
The Hallway Bathroom
Just because the inside of the house will be officially finished after I finish the studio, that doesn’t mean that I won’t go back and make some changes to some rooms. I recently had a person ask me in a comment, “Don’t you ever get tired of redoing projects that you’ve already done?” My response was, “Perhaps you missed the name of my blog.” 😀 No. I will never get tired of redoing, tweaking, trying out different ideas.
So with that said, I’ve previously mentioned several changes I want to make in the hallway bathroom.
Those include (1) new countertops, (2) new accent tile, (3) new sconces, (4) new shower curtain, (5) new plumbing fixtures, and (6) new vanity color.
The Guest Bedroom
There are still several changes I want to make to this bedroom, most of which I’m pretty sure I’ve already mentioned in previous blog posts.
The main project in here will be the walls. From that view above, I love how the room looks. But I don’t ever see the room just from that view. I see the room from this view…
And after living with the room as it is for over two years, and actually using it as our temporary bedroom, the walls just feel unfinished to me. So I’m going to continue the hand-drawn flower design around on the upper part of the other two walls, and then add white wainscoting to the bottom of all three walls.
In addition to the walls, I also need to build a frame for the bed. The original pretty wood frame that I use in here ended up not working out when we switched our regular bed for an adjustable bed at the suggestion of Matt’s physical therapist. So for two years now, the bed has also looked unfinished, and pretty much looks like it’s floating. You can kind of see what I mean in the picture below…
And finally, I’m just not sure if I’m a yellow person. I tried it out in here because I just happened to have the yellow velvet on hand and decided to use that for the windows. And while I think the yellow looks nice with the blue, I’m just so much more of a pink/coral person. So that might be getting a change, but I haven’t decided for sure yet.
The Kitchen
The kitchen was the first room that I remodeled after we bought the house, so it’s been a while!
That doesn’t mean that I’m ready to completely remodel it again. But I have some things I want to do in here. For example, how long now have I said I want to get rid of the dishwasher? A long time! I still plan to do that, but that project has yet to move up to the top of the priority list. It will eventually, though.
I also want to get rid of the concrete countertops and replace those with quartz. I don’t know when that will happen, but I’m so done with concrete countertops. They served their purpose when we couldn’t afford a higher quality solid surface countertops, but after almost ten years of dealing with stains on concrete, I’m done. I long for the day that I can get rid of them.
The Addition
I know we’ve talked about this for so long now that it seems like it will never happen, but it will. Every time Matt and I start to think it’s time, something happens (like the economy crumbling, or banks collapsing) that makes us very unsure about doing something so big right now. But it will happen. And once it does happen, I’ll have a family room, bedroom, and laundry room to finish.
The House Exterior
I’ve focused quite a bit lately on our front porch, and there are still projects to be done to finish that up. I need to finish up the painting, reinstall the tape lights, and finish the stone skirting.
But there are so many more exterior projects to be done! When I was cleaning out the sunroom a few months ago, I came across some corbels that I bought years ago to make window flower boxes for the windows on the front of our house. That still needs to be done!
I also still plan to build a pergola above the breakfast room windows (which are almost completely obscured by this plant that keeps growing back).
And then I still need to build steps and finish up this area by the side studio door. This is an old picture, taken way back when we had that concrete pad poured, but that’s still all that’s there. There are still stacked cider blocks serving as steps to this door, and I need to build steps to match the style of the front steps.
And then there’s the carport. This thing is still not finished. It’s useful just as it is, but it needs to be finished. This is an old picture, so thankfully, the shutters are no longer there. 😀 They were installed on the house long ago. But the rest still looks pretty much the same. It needs to be painted, and it still needs a finished ceiling and lighting.
The Yard Projects & Landscaping
Even once all of that is done, I still have an acre of land that needs landscaping!! Don’t forget this beautiful landscaping plan that Matt bought me for my birthday last year.
I honestly feel like I could work on that for the rest of my life and never get it finished, and never run out of things to do. There’s no way I could get bored with that landscaping goal.
Then There’s The Small Projects
As if all of those things weren’t enough, I’ve been saving ideas for artwork and small projects that I want to do and share and teach people how to make for literally years. While I lost a whole lot of them when my external hard drive broke, I still have so many ideas saved in other places (Pinterest, Instagram, my laptop) that I’ve been collecting for years and just waiting for a time when I can spend more time on those small, fun projects. I could probably spend an entire decade or two just doing small fun building projects, art projects, sewing projects, etc., and still not get to the end of my creative ideas.
All of that to say that even when the interior of our house (as it stands today) is officially finished, and the studio is done, there is no shortage of creative ideas that I have, and things that I want to do, build, and create, that I can share with you. But yes, once I’ve done all of that, then it’ll be time to shut down the blog. 😉
Addicted 2 Decorating is where I share my DIY and decorating journey as I remodel and decorate the 1948 fixer upper that my husband, Matt, and I bought in 2013. Matt has M.S. and is unable to do physical work, so I do the majority of the work on the house by myself. You can learn more about me here.
I hope you’ll join me on my DIY and decorating journey! If you want to follow my projects and progress, you can subscribe below and have each new post delivered to your email inbox. That way you’ll never miss a thing!
Franz Tost has been in charge of the F1 team for 18 years but will step down at the end of the year; He will be replaced by Laurent Mekies; The season continues live on Sky Sports F1 at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix this weekend
Last Updated: 26/04/23 5:35pm
Franz Tost will step down as team principal of AlphaTauri after 18 years
AlphaTauri have announced that their team principal Franz Tost will step down at the end of the season as a new management structure comes into effect, bringing to an end his 18 years with the team.
The move will see former FIA executive Peter Bayer join the team as CEO to “oversee the strategic direction of the team at its facilities in Faenza and in the UK”, with Laurent Mekies, the current Sporting Director of Ferrari, joining as the new team principal.
Mekies will be “responsible for the day-to-day operation of the team, including technical, manufacturing, support function and race team operations and in conjunction with Peter’s strategically focussed role, they will create a new and dynamic leadership team with equal responsibility”, according to a statement from AlphaTauri.
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Tost has been with the team since 2005, leading the team to wins in the 2008 Italian Grand Prix when Torro Rosso and again in 2020 at Monza.
On his departure, Tost said: “First of all, I would like to thank Dietrich Mateschitz, who gave me the incredible opportunity to be Team Principal of Scuderia Toro Rosso and Scuderia AlphaTauri for the past 18 years.
“It has been a true privilege to lead the Team for such a long period and a great pleasure to work with so many motivated and skilled people, who share my passion for Formula 1.
“With 67 years old it is time to hand over and with Peter as new CEO and Laurent as Team Principal, we found two very professional people, who will bring the Team to the next level. I want to thank everyone for the good cooperation.”
Tost will continue at Scuderia AlphaTauri in a consultancy role in 2024.
We’re adding a tiny cottage to the back of our home for my parents! If you missed it, I gave an update with photos of the progress on the addition in this post.
Today I wanted to share a design mood board for their kitchenette. They have chosen the cutest things for their space! I’m so glad that their tiny cottage will not only be functional for them, but so adorable, too.
Rounding up my favorites in skincare at Sephora for their Spring Savings Event Sale! My skin has improved so much over the past few weeks and I think it’s due to the shift in weather. Warmer temperatures are better for my skin and I’ve noticed that it’s more balanced and less dry these days. I’ve put together a list of my Top 5 in each category right now. For the Sephora Sale use code SAVENOW. Savings and access dates will depend on your Beauty Insider Tier:
4/14-4/24: Rouge Early Access: 20% off
4/18-4/24: VIB Preferred Access: 15% off
4/18-4/24: All Tiers: 10% off
30% off Sephora Collection for everyone
BEST CLEANSERS
The cleanser category is one that I love exploring the most. I think the key to my best skin is to properly cleanse it. A lot of skincare and makeup with silicones are often hard to remove so double cleansing is a must to ensure you remove every last trace. These are cleansers I love:
I love to double cleanse and my favorite removers at Sephora include:
TONERS
There are two toners I use available at Sephora.
SERUMS & MASKS
I typically stick with just one moisturizer on my face for day except on dry skin days. I’ll add a serum as more of a treatment to target skin issues like when it’s feeling extra irritated, extra dry or needs some soothing.
MOISTURIZERS
So many great moisturizers these days. I rotate formulas depending on season. Here are my favorites and why:
EYE CREAM
I started using Eye Creams more in the last two years and here are my three favorites:
BEST SUNSCREENS
I’m incredibly picky when it comes to sunscreen I’ll use on a regular basis. As a beauty blogger I try a lot of formulas but so many irritate my skin. Two brands I swear by are Shiseido and Supergoop!. There are so many new formulas I have not tried them all – but here are a few favorites right now. Bottom line is I don’t think you can go wrong with anything from these two brands.
LIP BALMS
The best lip balms I’ve tried from Sephora:
That wraps up my Skincare Favorites! I know I covered a lot but I wanted to be thorough! Let me know if you have any questions! I’m hosting another giveaway! One reader (US or Canada only) will be selected to win a Surprise Box of beauty goodies. I have so many extras I want to pass them along to another beauty lover. I’ve included 20+ full size items along with a bunch of fun minis.
To enter:
Open to Residents in US or Canada
You must be 18 years or older
Enter via the widget below
Winner will be selected on 4/21 and emailed same day by me
Selected winner must respond within 72 hours or another winner will be selected in their place
From reducing energy consumption to recycling waste, it seems like everyone is interested in doing their part to help the environment these days. While green living conserves natural resources and cuts down on pollution, it also has the practical benefit of saving money on your utility bills.
Actor and environmentalist Ed Begley, Jr. is living proof of the power of going green. While you probably know him best from his many roles on television and film, he’s been an outspoken advocate of sustainable living for almost 40 years. Everything about his home demonstrates his commitment to treading as lightly as possible on the earth. He’s even written a book, Living Like Ed: A Guide to the Eco-Friendly Life, about his experiences.
Actor and geen living advocate Ed Begley, Jr. with Danny Lipford.
Sustainable Site
The first consideration in building a green house is minimizing the environmental impact to the site. Just north of San Diego, the green development of Del Sur is doing just that. Their emphasis on environmentally friendly building practices and commitment to preserving 60% of the development’s land as open space have earned Del Sur some of California’s top environmental awards.
Pervious paving of driveways, streets, and parking lots is another way to limit damage to the environment. While pervious paving has the look and feel of concrete or asphalt, it allows rainwater to filter through and soak into the ground. This decreases runoff that can pollute waterways and lower groundwater levels, as well as reducing the need for costly storm drains and retention ponds.
Reuse and Recycle
The Ranch House at Del Sur is both a welcome center and an example of sustainable development. Since shipping building materials long distances greatly increases their impact on the environment, many of the materials at Del Sur were obtained locally. Walls for the Ranch House were constructed from stones found on the property while the wood flooring and the ceiling beams came from structures that were being demolished.
Nonprofit organizations like the Reuse People are given buildings that have been slated for demolition in exchange for tax deductions. They then disassemble it and resell the materials to finance their efforts. By taking the building apart piece by piece, they are able to reuse about three-fourths of the total weight and recycle much of the rest.
Companies like TerraMai in California, specialize in turning high quality wood from demolished structures into lumber for paneling, flooring, and millwork. Since much of it comes from older, slow growing trees, the wood is stronger and more stable than lumber produced today.
Rather than tearing down older inefficient homes and apartment buildings, some developers like Marty Bhatia of OM Development, LLC in Chicago, convert them into energy efficient and environmentally friendly structures. Buyers are even provided with a manual that explains the building’s green features.
Green Products
Green building materials can be made from just about anything, including agricultural waste.
Environ Biocomposites produces a composite material made from recycled sunflower hulls known as Dakota Burl® which doesn’t emit harmful gases and can be used for a number of interior applications.
Kirei Board is an environmentally friendly product manufactured in China from sorghum stalks that remain after harvesting. The lightweight panels have an interesting grain pattern and can be used for anything from cabinets to flooring.
Conserving Water
A family of four uses on average 400 gallons of water a day, or almost 150,000 gallons a year.
Toilets are the largest user of water in the home. Older models require up to three times the water of new high efficiency toilets such as the Persuade™ and San Raphael™ from Kohler. Replacing an existing toilet can cut your home’s water usage by as much as 10,000 gallon a year.
Showers are another big water guzzler. Replacing a standard showerhead with a low-flow model, like the Kohler MasterShower® Ecofficient™, can save up to 20%.
Adding low-flow aerators to kitchen and bathroom faucets will help as well. Be sure to check with your local water provider to see if tax credits are available for installing water conservation devices.
Another way to cut down on water usage is by funneling the runoff from your roof to a storage tank for watering your lawn.
Some systems, such as the Deluxe Potable System from Rainwater Management Solutions, can even filter the water for use in your home.
If replacing bathroom fixtures or installing a rainwater collection system isn’t in your budget, you can still cut down on water usage by repairing leaks, limiting time in the shower, and washing only full loads of clothes and dishes.
Simple Solutions with Joe Truini: Checking for Drafts
A simple test for air leaks is to pass a butane lighter slowly around the edges of doors and windows. If the flame bends or flickers, repair or replace the weather stripping until it remains steady. Be sure to keep the flame away from curtains or other flammable materials.
Best New Products with Emilie Barta: n:vision Compact Fluorescent Bulbs
CFL light bulbs from n:vision carry the Energy Star rating and use 75% less energy than incandescents while delivering the same amount of light. Since they last about 10 times longer, you can expect to save $40 to $50 over the life of each bulb. For more natural looking light, choose a color temperature rating of warm or soft white. Find out more at The Home Depot.
Ask Danny: Installing a Programmable Thermostat
I’ve heard that if you install a digital thermostat it will lower your utility bills. Is that true? -Vicki from Spanish Fort
Installing a programmable digital thermostat allows your central system to reduce heating and cooling when the house is empty. While this can save up to 15% a year on utility bills, the actual amount will vary depending on how it is set and the amount of time the house is vacant each day. If you have a heat pump, use one of the newer hybrid thermostats that are designed to work with these systems.
