Your Home 2016 - Issue 3

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FIVE-STAR BATHROOM
Turn your bathroom into a home spa
Joseph Pubillones
As Americans hustle and bustle to make ends meet and
the work hours extend well beyond 40 hours per week,
stress is an all-time high. Stress is responsible for triggering incidents from panic attacks to illness and even cardiac
arrest. This is why the spa business is booming at an alarming rate. While some business folks may get the occasional
perks of downtime to book a day at a spa, most American
families do not have the luxury of time. Bringing the concept of the spa to your home is becoming quite popular.
Creating an at-home getaway is the goal when transforming your bathroom into a spa. There are several factors to
consider in such a home improvement project. To get your
bathroom to capture the spa feeling, you will want to capture as much room as possible. You will need more room to
accommodate a luxurious tub to soak in, a large shower with
massaging jet sprays, or perhaps a steam unit to transform
your shower into a steam bath, a bench inside the shower,
Your HOme - Issue 3 - Cadillac News
Creators.com photo courtesy of Joseph Pubillones

Turn your regular bathroom into a relaxing home spa.
and a place to sit down and relax.

Give good consideration to plumbing fixtures and hardware. These valves and controls are important because they
are tactile items, which affect the way you perceive your
spa-bathroom. They are also effective to express a sense of
luxury and relaxation.
The colors that are used in spas are deliberately chosen to
reduce stress. The colors that are most used as those inspired
by the sky, ocean and earth. These colors are usually very
light. While they may seem washed out, these colors that are
dusty and seem to insinuate another are the best. Like a soft
white with an aqua green shimmer, or a beige that reflects
salmon paired. These pale colors work the best when paired
with white, gray or espresso cabinetry and trim.
www.cadillacnews.com | Friday, September 2. 2016
Todays new spa-bathroom combinations also make a

statement with tiles and stone treatments. The more exotic
the marble, granite or quartz, the better. Sometimes great
slabs are book-matched for an incredible organic pattern on
walls and floors. Mosaics are historically tied to baths since
pre-Roman times, and today with advances in technology,
micro tiles can be laser cut and assembled to create the most
incredible and fantastic patterns and designs.
Other items to be considered in the design of a spa-bathroom:
Candles: For burning at specific times, can be soothing. I would suggest a subtle aromatherapeutic scent. Small
votive around your bath area can be beautiful, but also give
off a relaxing glow.
The Best Linens: Accessorizing you bathroom with
a nice bathrobe, thick absorbent towels, and bathmats are
both useful and make your slippery surfaces safe.
Flowers and Plants: Are a great invigorating
element of nature to add to your spa-bathroom. Plants are
great because they help clean the air and give off oxygen.
Music: Part of the spa experience is too soothe your
body and soul. Music is the best therapy to aid in relaxation
and stress reduction. Spas pipe soft music everywhere for a
reason. Add a couple of new jazz CDs to your repertoire
and you are well on your way.
Joseph Pubillones weekly column, Art of Design, can be
found at creators.com.
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Friday, September 2. 2016 | www.cadillacnews.com
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Cadillac News -
Your Home - Issue 3
Kitchen Makeover
How to plan a kitchen-remodeling project
Mark J. Donovan
Kitchen makeovers continue to be a popular trend with
homeowners, and are a very wise investment. The kitchen is
the most important room in a home. It is where people prepare food, meet and eat daily. Consequently, it is the most used
room in the house. As a result, people want their kitchen to be
functional and efficient, as well as warm and inviting. The cost
of a remodeled kitchen varies with the level of the makeover.
For example, a basic kitchen remodel that includes new countertops, refaced cabinets and hardware, and new kitchen appliances will set the average homeowner back around $20,000,
and have a return on investment of around 70 percent. If the
kitchen remodel includes the installation of new kitchen cabinets, the average cost can add up to $50,000 or higher and the
average return on investment of around 60 percent.
natural products. Again, check out show rooms to get ideas

for your kitchen makeover. Also, make sure to look online for
magazines and books on designing kitchens.
The Triangle Workspace
One design idea to keep always in your mind as you design

your kitchen remodel is the triangle layout. Make sure that
you design it so that when you stand in the center of a work
triangle you have the refrigerator on one side of you, the sink
on the other, and the stove/oven on the other. This type of
layout ensures efficiency while preparing food. And to that
point, make sure you have large enough counter space areas
for doing food prep, baking, cooking and cleaning.
Also when designing your kitchen floor plan consider your
family and how you plan to use the kitchen. If you play to
use your kitchen for cooking and entertaining, then consider
including lots of cabinet space and a peninsula or island with a
bar-counter for people to eat at.
Reduce Clutter
Remember to think reduced clutter. Again, make sure your

kitchen design plan includes plenty of cabinets, drawers and
shelves to store all of your items so that your countertops are
less cluttered.
Kitchen Makeover Budget
Creators.com photo courtesy Mark J. Donovan

Create your dream kitchen!
Functionality trumps Aesthetics
When designing your kitchen makeover, keep in mind that

you first and foremost want a functional design. Visit various
home improvement and kitchen show rooms to see what the
modern trends are today in floorplans and features. Keep in
mind that kitchens typically require 200 to 350 square feet of
space. Also, todays trends in kitchen design typically include
open floor plans and the use of energy efficient appliances and
Lastly, but most importantly, come up with a budget at the

beginning of your kitchen makeover plans. It is imperative
you figure out up front how much you are willing to spend
on your kitchen remodel, and it is also just as much important
to stick with that budget throughout the process from beginning to end.
Make sure when you visit kitchen show rooms that you
find out up front what the rough cost is for the kitchen cabinets and countertops you are considering. Also, check out
the costs of kitchen appliances, as well as flooring and lighting products that you may want to include in your makeover.
This way you can come up with a rough cost estimate and
develop a top-line budget for it. One smart idea when it comes
to developing a kitchen makeover budget is to include a contingency line item in it that represents around 10 to 15 percent
of the total cost of the budget.
Mark J. Donovans website is at http://www.homeadditionplus.com.
COPYRIGHT 2016 MARK J. DONOVAN
DISTRIBUTED BY CREATORS.COM
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Cadillac News -
08/05/16
Your Home - Issue 3
Something New
From Something Old
What to do with an unused fireplace

Christine Brun
How can you fix a dysfunctional or ugly fireplace? This
is often a predicament in very old homes where the fireplace
was the heating system, or even more modern homes that
feature an awkwardly placed or out-of-date fireplace. Some
are eyesores, cloaked in out-of-date materials like slump
stone; some are too rustic for taste. Lets look at some creative ways to breathe new life into a room with a fireplace.
There may come a time when you realize you dont have
to keep a fireplace in your home just because it was originally built with the house. One of the best things about
modern design is that we are allowed to break the rules of
typical interior design without being judged. If a design or
furniture piece looks friendly and feels good, consider putting it in your home. In this case, there are clever ways to
spruce up a fireplace beyond its traditional use and purpose.
Creators.com photo courtesy of Christine Brun

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I recently worked with a couple that owns a condo in a

high-rise building right outside the outfield of our baseball
stadium. They paid well over a million dollars for this penthouse, and its literally a part of the stadium - they can hear
and see the game from their balcony. Unfortunately, the
structure of this so-called luxury building does not measure
up to the price tag. This condo had one of the ugliest fireplaces Ive ever seen. In this situation, the owners covered
up the fireplace opening and used the space for media equipment and a wall-mounted TV.
There are often ventless fireplaces in high-rise buildings
that look cheap and unrealistic. Theyre so unattractive that
its better to get rid of them rather than pretend they are
worthy of use. But, this is not to say that there arent very
attractive designs out there. Pellet stoves are great options,
with slim burners that use denatured alcohol and can also
have other custom features. That being said, if you are stuck
with something ugly from another era, why not cover it up
instead of forcing the idea?
Heres a case in point from Australia. Our example transforms the old fireplace into a backdrop for a seating area!
Its genius. By sealing and painting the fireplace opening,
this homeowner turned the fireplace into a new architectural feature. The room is narrow, but this redesign allows
for a completely new furniture arrangement that shifts the
orientation of the room away from the fireplace and opens
up the room. Anyone who walks into the space will feel it.
This example shows how our notions of furnishing a
room have shifted over time. If you wish to create a more

fresh seating arrangement in your home, know that you can
install new drywall right over just about any fireplace material to create a smooth, modern surface. If you want to get
creative, you can also remove certain indentations and create a simpler shape if you wish.
Depending on your home, you may prefer to leave the
firebox (the inside of the fireplace) intact and only change
the material of the facade. For example, you can replace
wood with natural stone. The size and type of materials
range, from a full slab of marble or granite to 16-by-16 inch
tiles of limestone, ceramic tile or porcelain.

If you desperately need more storage, consider the
entire fireplace wall as a built-in unit. Design media storage, TV screen, bookshelves and storage cabinets or cubbies
around and over the existing firebox.
When remodeling, be certain to respect your local building or housing codes regarding noncombustible materials.
In general, or if in doubt, make sure there are 12 inches of
noncombustible material around the fireplace itself. This
also includes the distance the mantel protrudes from the
wall. Zero-clearance firebox inserts have less stringent requirements in the manufacturers specifications.
Now its time to get creative and see what you can do to
upgrade your fireplace.
Christine Bruns weekly column, Small Spaces, can be
found at creators.com.
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Cadillac News -
Your Home - Issue 3
Radon Detection
How to identify high levels of radon in your home

Mark J. Donovan
My wife and I recently decided to have our house checked
for radon levels. We bought the home, new, in 1989. In the early
1990s the idea of testing a home for radon came to fruition, but
we werent too concerned about radon levels at the time. Only
after years OK, decades did we finally say, Lets have a look.
Well, as luck would have it, our radon levels were quite a bit
higher than the Environmental Protection Agencys recommended level (4.0 pCi/L) about 10 times higher. So we recently hired a radon mitigation contractor to install an active
soil depressurization radon mitigation system in our home.
The ASD system is comprised of a PVC pipe that penetrates
through the basement concrete slab and into the gravel that
sits below the slab. The PVC pipe then runs up to the sill plate
and takes a 90-degree turn, through the sill plate and out of our
home. From there the PVC pipe connects into a radon reducCreators.com photo courtesy of Mark J. Donovan
tion fan that draws the moist radon air from underneath the
Mitigation systems can reduce the levels of radon beneath your home,
basement floor up and out of the basement and house. On the lessening your exposure to the radioactive gas.
other side of the radon reduction fan is another long section of
PVC pipe that extends upward and over the roof eave of our
house by at least a foot.
There is a gauge on the side of the PVC pipe in our basement
that indicates there is a negative pressure underneath the slab due
to the fact that the reduction fan is running. I can also hear the
air passing through the PVC pipe when listening carefully to it.
The radon reduction fan runs continuously, and the electricity to operate it costs about $4 per month. Installation takes
New Custom Cabinets can
about four hours. An electrician may need to install a dedicated
help maximize space while transforming
electrical circuit from the main electric circuit panel to the rethe style and feel of any kitchen. Rather
duction fan motor.
you are looking for a new kitchen or an
The cost of the radon mitigation system itself was $1,195,
update to your existing. Call Us.
and its guaranteed to meet the EPA 4.0 pCi/L safe level. The
installer gave us two test kits to conduct the radon test on the
system. After placing the open test-kit canisters two feet off the
The Size of Bathrooms
basement floor and leaving them there for two days, we sealed
has almost tripled in the last 20 years.
them up and sent them to an independent lab. If for any reason
Call us to maximize space in you
the radon levels are determined to be unsafe, the installer will
bathroom
return to our house and either install a larger reduction fan or
install one or more additional PVC pipes below the basement.
Hopefully, we wont need him back.
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If you have an older home and live in an area that is notorious
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Cadillac News -
Your Home - Issue 3
Baby, Its Cold Outside

Preparing for winter weather
Chelle Cordero
Its hard to think about the grueling winter months while
were enjoying a nice beach day during summer, but we do
need to prepare. If this will be your first winter in a new home,
you probably dont have all the basic winter tools and supplies
on hand. But dont wait for the first flakes to fall. Any number
of environmental constraints could occur snowstorms, sleet,
power outages, etc. and youll want to be prepared.
Here are a few essential items to purchase before the winter
weather descends:
Snow shovel. Keep one inside your front door (or perhaps
in the front closet or mudroom).
De-icer, such as salt or sand, for your walkway and driveway.
Waterproof floor mats. These prevent slipping after walking in from outside. Plus, theyre a great place to leave snowcovered boots.
Flashlights and/or battery-operated lanterns. Keep one in a
few different rooms around the house. Buy an extra pack of
batteries replenish to keep for backup. Be sure to replenish
the batteries yearly.
Battery-operated AM/FM radio, weather-alert radio and
battery-operated clock.
Cellphone charger. Purchase an inexpensive, hand-crank
charger in case of a power failure.
Blankets and winter apparel, such as thermal underwear,
vests, sweaters, heavy socks, gloves, etc.
Hand warmers. Hand, feet and body warmers are sold at
camping supply stores.
Food supplies and cutlery. Stock up on a manual can
opener, paper plates, plastic flatware, paper towels/napkins
and plastic cups.
Nonperishable foods. Purchase foods that do not require
refrigeration or cooking canned goods, dry cereals, energy
bars, powdered milk, etc.
Bottled water. Buy at least 1 gallon of water per person per
day enough for at least four days.
Pet supplies, including food, water (four days worth for
each animal), pet bed and/or blanket for each pet to snuggle
in for warmth, and extra litter and/or wee-wee pads.
Emergency first aid kit (adhesive bandages, gauze, sterile
pads, adhesive tape, elastic bandages, antiseptic pads, scissors, tweezers, oral thermometer, instant cold and hot compresses, aspirin, antibiotic ointments, etc.).
Prescription medications at least four days worth.
After rounding up all these supplies, do some intel on typical wintertime procedures in your neighborhood. Check with
your local town hall or police department for information on
overnight parking, what walkways you are responsible for
shoveling, how to clear your mailbox for delivery, how to han-
10
dle trash pickup, etc. If there are nearby fire hydrants, check
with the fire department to find out who shovels those out in
a heavy snowstorm. Its also a good idea for parents to contact
the local school district and ask how they will communicate
weather-related school closings and transportation.
As always, safety first. Devise a communication plan for
your family, in case a storm comes and not all family members
can get home. Make emergency plans with your neighbors,
too.
Winterize your home. Even if you dont get much snowfall,
its still a good idea to prepare your home to withstand blustery
winds and freezing temperatures.
A few simple fixes will make a big difference. If the weather
stripping around your windows and doorframes is cracked (or
nonexistent), replacing it will reduce wind draft and save money on heating. Choose the proper stripping for your fixtures
the most common is adhesive-backed foam. Also, insulate
your windows using easy-to-use kits with vinyl shrink wrap,
bubble wrap, cellular shades or lined drapes. Dont forget to
insulate your attic or basement/crawlspace, too. Lastly, protect
your water pipes from freezing and bursting with insulating
pipe wrap, available at your local hardware store.

Now check for outdoor home improvements. Head
outside your home, and look up. Do you see any missing roof
shingles? If snow piles up on the roof, these could become
weak spots, and eventually leaks, so get them replaced. Check
your sump pump to make sure its in good working condition
and the drainage line is clear. If the drainage line freezes during
the winter months, do not keep the pump plugged in without supervision, as it will burn out. Dont forget about your
air conditioner, just because you wont be using it; wrap foam
around the pipes and cover the unit in plastic to help protect it
from the cold.
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Cadillac News -
Your Home - Issue 3
11
Heater Rescue
How to purge air from hot-water pipes in your heating system

Mark J. Donovan
My home uses a hot-water-to-hot-air converter system for heat. Recently, the heat upstairs stopped working. I called in an HVAC
contractor, and within about 10 minutes he
identified the problem and had my upstairs
heating system working again.
What was the cause of the failure? Actually,
there were two culprits.
First, air was in the hot-water pipe that fed
the attic heat exchanger, causing the circulator pump not to circulate water through the
closed-loop water heating system associated
with the attic circuit. Second, the water feeder
valve was not working properly in the fact that
it did not automatically allow more water into
the closed-loop heating circuit when it sensed a
low pressure, e.g., below 15 psi.
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The HVAC contractor explained to me that there was a

leak somewhere in my heating system, which slowly bled
off pressure into the attic-heating hot-water circuit. Due
to the amount of air in the hot-water pipe, the circulator pump simply couldnt pump water through the circuit.
Thus, no hot water was making it up into the attic heat
exchanger.
He also explained that the water feeder valve had not
been working properly. If it had, it would have automatically pumped more water into the hot-water heating circuit to get the pressure up above 15 psi.
To confirm his explanation of the problems to me, he
first went up into the attic and loosened a nipple screw on
a valve that fed the hot water into the heat exchanger. As
he loosened the nipple screw we could hear air blowing
out of the loosened nipple seal. When water finally began
to spew from the loosened nipple screw he tightened the
nipple screw back up. Within seconds we could feel hot
water circulating through the copper pipe. By purging air
from the hot-water supply pipe, he had restored water circulation to the attic heat exchanger.
In the basement, the HVAC contractor showed me that
the pressure in the hot-water heating system was only at
around 10 psi. Upon slightly lifting the small metal arm
on the water feeder valve, I instantly heard water swooshing into the pipe. When the pressure gauge read 18 psi
he restored the metal arm on the water feeder valve to its
normal position. Too much water in the heating system
risks the pressure and temperature relief valve going off.
After demonstrating how the water feeder valve operated we decided to have him replace the valve so that I
wouldnt have to worry about having too low water pressure in the heating system again in the event another small
leak in the hot-water heating circuit occurred.
Lastly, in regards to the concern for a leak in the heating
system, I explained to him that I had noticed a small leak
dripping from a nipple screw on the heat exchanger in the
basement during the summer. I told him I believe the leak
had persisted for a couple of months before I resolved
the issue by simply tightening the nipple screw. Consequently, after the HVAC contractor installed the new water feeder valve, the pressure in the water-heating pipes
remained constant and no water leaks were discovered.
Mark J. Donovans website is at http://www.homeadditionplus.com.
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Cadillac News -
Your Home - Issue 3
13
Whole House Generator

Installation Tips
Mark J. Donovan
I looked at two whole house generators to install on my property, a Kohler generator and a Generac generator. In the end I
decided to purchase the Kohler generator because it had a key
feature that helped keep my overall whole house generator installation costs lower: Its automatic transfer switch had integrated load management sharing. Unfortunately, the Generac
generator did not. Consequently, with the Generac solution, I
would have had to buy either a large 22kw generator with no
load sharing required, or a 16kw generator with remote loadsharing boxes installed in my home.
So what is managed load sharing? Load sharing allows you
to have up to several high-current carrying loads that are not
absolutely critical to have running during a power outage, e.g.
a clothes dryer, an air conditioner, oven, etc. For example, with
load sharing, you could have the microwave, dishwasher and
oven on a load-sharing circuit, so that in the event that one or
two of them were on while the generator was operating, the automatic transfer switch wouldnt allow the second or third item
to turn on. As a result of the managed load sharing a smaller
generator can be used to power the house, thus saving you from
having to buy a more expensive generator.
In my case, I chose the 14kw Kohler generator with the integrated load-sharing feature built into the automatic transfer
switch. The cost savings over the 22kw Generac generator, or
the 16kw version with external load management boxes, was
around 40 percent. I also had a concern with reduced system
reliability with having multiple boxes located in and around the
house for the items I wanted to load share.
Because we dont have access to natural gas, we purchased a
whole house generator that operates off of propane gas. In researching having propane tanks installed, I learned that I could
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14
either buy the tanks outright, or rent them. I chose to buy the
propane tanks, two 120 gallon tanks, rather than rent. The cost
of the two tanks came to around $1,150. However, by buying
the tanks I get to purchase propane gas at less than half the rate
than if I were to rent the tanks. For example, I am now paying
between $1.50 and $1.70 per gallon by owning the tanks. I was
paying, when renting just one tank, over $3.50 per gallon. So
seriously consider the financial benefit of buying the propane
tanks when installing a whole house generator.
Note that you will need two 120-gallon propane tanks to reliably run the generator. Otehrwise, there will be insufficient gas
line pressure to ensure the generator will always operate when
required.
Both whole house generator installation companies that I had
come out to my property and assess the site for the generator
were insistent about keeping the propane tanks relatively close
by. They recommend that only 15 to 20 feet should separate
the two. The main reason for their recommendations was that
trenching for the gas and electric lines is very expensive, and
in some cases impossible to do if there are large tree roots in
the way. Unless you are willing to pay a high premium for the
generator installation, or dont mind taking out a tree or two,
then expect to place your whole house generator and propane
tanks fairly close to one another.
Mark J. Donovans website is at http://www.homeadditionplus.
com.
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12 LoCatIons aCross northern mIChIgan:

PETOSKEY/HARBOR SPRINGS GAYLORD KALKASKA
TRAVERSE CITY GRAYLING BEAR LAKE HOUGHTON LAKE
LAKE CITY CADILLAC MCBAIN REED CITY BIG RAPIDS
Call 231-825-2473
Cadillac and the surrounding areas
3922 S. Morey Rd., Lake City, MI 49651
231-839-4600
Cadillac News -
Your Home - Issue 3
15
Reap Garden Rewards Even In Fall

Gardening is a rewarding hobby that can help people relax
and produce an enviable landscape. Many gardeners even find
their meals are more fresh and flavorful when using items they
grew themselves. While many gardeners do the bulk of their
gardening in the spring and summer, certain plants thrive in
cooler temperatures. That group includes autumn vegetables
that are ripe for the picking when leaves begin falling.
Fall gardens provide a reason to enjoy the oft-enjoyable
autumn air. So many different vegetables come to life in the
autumn, and they can make wonderful additions to the dinner
table. Broccoli, kale, collards, spinach, squashes, artichokes,
and beets are just some of the many autumn planting options
you can try. Celery also is best in the fall, and its harvest continues through winter in temperate climates. By replacing
crops that have been harvested through the spring and summer with fall-friendly alternatives, you can keep your garden
productive for most of the year.
Begin the process by counting back 12 to 14 weeks from
the expected first frost date for where you live. Begin seeds
for your autumn plantings indoors, because summer heat and
dryness are not the best conditions to nurture young seedlings.
Enrich the soil with compost so that you can replenish the
nutrients lost from the last crop harvested.
Each region is different, so learn about when to put plants

in the ground for your region. Many plants still need the sun
and warmth of late summer to thrive and produce well into
the fall. If you are unsure, consult with a local garden center,
where you can learn about various aspects of autumn gardening. Onions, shallots and garlic are best planted mid-fall after
the soil has cooled.
Gradually introduce seedlings to more sunlight and outdoor temperatures before they go in the ground, as they need
time to adjust to the unfiltered sun.
Be sure to thoroughly water the garden. Newly planted
beds should be kept moist to germinate and so established
plants can take root. In addition, consider a shade covering so
that the soil doesnt dry out or get baked in the sun. Mulch
also can help retain moisture and keep the conditions ideal for
your autumn vegetables to grow.
Remember that moisture and cooler temperatures can attract garden pests, so you may need to employ some strategies to keep them under control. For example, insect barriers
and all-natural baited traps can keep slugs and snails from
munching on your autumn plants.
Fall vegetable gardens can be worthy endeavors, yielding
plenty of crops and providing the fun and fulfillment of gardening into the fall.
Quality craftsmanship and the finest materials

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16
PROPANE
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A Trusted Member of Your Community For Over 58 Years.
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Cadillac News -
Your Home - Issue 3
17
3 Pre-Winter
Lawn Care
Pointers
Winter weather can be harsh, especially on lawns. Homeowners who spend much of spring and summer tending to their
lawns may fear the impact that winter will have on their oncelush landscapes, making the fall a great time to fortify lawns
against any harsh conditions to come.
Homeowners must take grass type into consideration before
taking steps to prepare their lawns for the winter. Some grasses
are best fertilized in late-summer, while others should be fertilized in autumn. Cool-season grasses, including fescue and
bluegrass, are best fertilized sometime between the months of
September and November. Warm-season grasses, such as Bermuda or zoysia, should be fertilized between July and September. Once homeowners have gained a greater understanding of
their lawns, they can begin exploring the various ways to prepare their lawns for whatever winter has in store.
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1480 N. Seven Mile Rd., Lake City, MI 49651
18
1. Explore winterizing fertilizers.
Homeowners who want to make their grasses more

winter hardy can consult landscaping professionals to determine if winterizing fertilizers will work for their lawns.
These specially formulated fertilizers, many of which are
made exclusively for cool-season grasses, contain higher
levels of potassium and lower levels of nitrogen than earlyseason fertilizers. Potassium helps strengthen and harden
plants, and cool-season grasses may need extra potassium
as winter settles in. Homeowners who are not sure if they
should apply winterizing fertilizer can conduct soil tests
to determine the potassium levels in their soil. If the test
indicates the soil has sufficient potassium, then applying
a winterizing fertilizer is likely unnecessary. In addition,
homeowners who have fed their lawn a balance of nutrients throughout spring and summer likely will not need to
apply winterizing fertilizer.
2. Get rid of fallen leaves.
While fallen leaves may be integral components of idyllic autumn landscapes, leaves left on the lawn throughout
the winter may lead to disease in the grass. Leaves trap
moisture and block sunlight and air from reaching grass,
and that can encourage the development of disease. In addition, leaves can harbor insects that also may contribute
to disease. While it might seem like common sense to delay

leaf removal until the end of autumn when all the leaves
have fallen, that, too, can prove harmful to lawns. Leaves
left laying on lawns for long periods of time can contribute to the same types of damage as leaves left on the lawn
throughout winter, so do your best to remove leaves as
they fall.
3. Take steps to fight snow mold.
Homeowners who live in regions where snow falls into

spring or where spring tends to be cold and damp may
want to take steps to prevent snow mold. Gray snow mold
typically looks fuzzy and gray, and lawns infested with
snow mold may develop unsightly gray or brown spots
indicative of dead grass. Pink snow mold may be even
worse than gray snow mold because pink mold attacks the
roots as well as the leaves. To prevent snow mold, continue mowing into the fall, even as lawns grow dormant,
clearing the lawn of grass clippings and leaves after each
mow. Thick lawns may provide a breeding ground for
snow mold, so homeowners whose lawns have a history
of developing snow mold may benefit from mowing their
lawns into the fall.
Winter is rarely easy on lawns, but homeowners can
take several steps to prepare their lawns for potentially
harsh winter weather.
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Cadillac News -
Your Home - Issue 3
19

Your Home 2016 - Issue 3

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Home

Special Flip Edition!

Serving Wexford, Missaukee,

Osceola, and eastern Lake

Special Flip Edition!

see reverse side for

Trusted. Local. Connected.

Trusted. Local. Connected.

Your HOme - Issue 3 - Cadillac News

Creators.com photo courtesy of Joseph Pubillones

and a place to sit down and relax.

Todays new spa-bathroom combinations also make a

COPYRIGHT 2016 CREATORS.COM

A Full Service Lumber Yard

6717 E. M-115 Cadillac, MI 49601

Your Home - Issue 3

natural products. Again, check out show rooms to get ideas

The Triangle Workspace

One design idea to keep always in your mind as you design

Remember to think reduced clutter. Again, make sure your

Kitchen Makeover Budget

Creators.com photo courtesy Mark J. Donovan

Functionality trumps Aesthetics

When designing your kitchen makeover, keep in mind that

Your HOme - Issue 3 - Cadillac News

Lastly, but most importantly, come up with a budget at the

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Friday, September 2. 2016 | www.cadillacnews.com

Your Home - Issue 3

What to do with an unused fireplace

Creators.com photo courtesy of Christine Brun

Roof Problems? Just Roof It!

Your HOme - Issue 3 - Cadillac News

I recently worked with a couple that owns a condo in a

room have shifted over time. If you wish to create a more

Vinyl Replacement Windows ~

Your Full Service Glass Shop

1-800-922-GLAS (231) 779-3960 (Located next to Arbys Cadillac)

Friday, September 2. 2016 | www.cadillacnews.com

Your Home - Issue 3

How to identify high levels of radon in your home

Your HOme - Issue 3 - Cadillac News

Marc. Pluger, Owner

www.cadillacnews.com | Friday, September 2. 2016

Ziehm L.P. Gas

We have been serving Mid Michigan for the past 50 years!

6708 M-115, Cadillac 231-468-2877

Across from Positive Chimney Monday-Friday 8 am-5 pm

10031 US-10 Evart 231-734-2153

Your Home - Issue 3

Baby, Its Cold Outside

Your HOme - Issue 3 - Cadillac News

If you need it, we rent it

7051 34 Rd, Cadillac, MI 49601