Save Money, Energy and Add Fall Flair With Smart Preparation and Tips from the Experts
Active summer months can play havoc on your home, whether you’ve been playing host for the neighborhood kids or simply spending more time enjoying warm summer days. With cooler temperatures on the horizon, it’s the perfect time to tackle a few do-it yourself projects around the house and to save some money along the way.
Home improvement expert Lou Manfredini offers tips on affordable improvements that make a big difference in your home, and how to safely tackle all your fall projects so you can enjoy them for years to come.
“Smart preparation can make all the difference when you’re taking on projects around the house,” said Manfredini, host of HouseSmarts TV and home improvement contributor on NBC’s The Today Show. “Whether you’re adding insulation to help reduce heating bills or restoring tired floors or furniture, it’s important to protect yourself with the proper safety gear.”
Manfredini provides these tips for DIYers to help safely prepare for the months ahead.
Save money, save energy
There are many ways to improve the comfort and energy efficiency of your home, but one of the best ways is to add insulation to your attic. Your attic is like a hat on your head; warm air will rise and exit right out of the vents … air that you paid to heat.
Adding insulation can make a big difference in your heating bills, just make sure you take the proper safety precautions when installing it in your home. Wear long pants and a long sleeved shirt, eye protection and a respirator, like the like 3M™ TEKK Protection™ Sanding and Fiberglass Valved Respirator. This particular respirator features 3M™ Cool Flow™ Valve technology for heat reduction and easier breathing and will help protect your lungs from insulation fibers which may escape into the air.
Add some fall flair by refinishing furniture and wood flooring
Save money and add some new flair to your home by refinishing a piece of furniture. This is a project that you can do yourself, and if you take your time will produce professional results.
- First, sand down the piece of furniture with medium grit sandpaper or a sanding sponge to get into the nooks and crannies.
- Use a finish stripper if there are many coats of finish or paint.
- Safety tip: When using chemical strippers it is very important to wear a proper respirator. The Paint Odor Valved Respirator from 3M TEKK Protection has an extra carbon layer for odor reduction and is a perfect option for this type of project. Refinishing Gloves will also help protect your hands and don’t forget safety eyewear to prevent possible splashes in your eyes.
- Once all the finish is off of the piece, lightly sand again, choose a stain in the color of your choice and apply with a brush, let dry, lightly sand with #0000 steel wool and apply a finish. Three coats total and you now have a new-old piece of furniture to display in your home.
Wood floors add lasting beauty to your home and it’s one of the only flooring options that can be renewed. If you have wood floors that have seen better days consider refinishing them. You can rent floor sanders from a rental house and use them to lift the old finish and expose the raw wood. It does create a lot of dust so it’s important to use a respirator since those particles that enter the air can be tiny and easily enter your lungs if you’re not protected. It’s a good idea to also wear eye and hearing protection and good pair of gloves to grip the handle of the sanders.
Rev up the kid’s outdoor toys after a long summer of play
You’ve invested a lot of money in outdoor kid’s toys, like the plastic table and chairs or a little pedal car. But they now look a little tired after a summer’s use. Instead of sending them to the landfill, breathe new life into them with a fresh coat of vibrant spray paint. .
When tackling this type of project, clean the toys first and allow them to dry completely before painting. During the spray paint process, make sure to use a respirator and eye protection and spray these items in a well-ventilated area. Apply light coats and allow those to dry about 30 minutes before recoating.
Whatever projects you take on, remember to be prepared and do it right by doing it safely
In a recent study by 3M TEKK Protection and the National Safety Council1, results found that 49 percent of DIYers worry about injuring their respiratory system, yet less than two in five (39 percent) are consistent about protecting their airways and lungs when working on home projects.
While more people are quick to put on a pair of safety glasses (73 percent), respirators lag far behind. They’re affordable and offer the right protection to not only keep you safe during the project but may also help you feel physically better after the project is done.
3M TEKK Protection brand offers a full line of innovative respiratory, eyewear and hearing products designed to keep DIYers and professionals safe when completing projects around the home. 3M TEKK Protection products can be found at home improvement and hardware stores across the U.S. For additional information, go to www.3mtekk.com.
For more DIY tips visit, www.3mdiy.com and 3M DIY Starts Here on YouTube. Or download videos from http://www.newsinfusion.com/events/3mtekkloumanfredini.
About 3M
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1National Safety Council – DIY Safety Survey, April 2012; An online survey of 509 homeowners ages 3554 who have completed a DIY or home improvement project
3M and 3M TEKK Protection are trademarks of 3M
3MRobert Brittain, 651-733-70343M Public Relationsrbrittain@mmm.comorCohn & WolfeJenna Thomas, 404-260-3567jenna.thomas@cohnwolfe.com
