Time to start thinking about next years backyard makeover!

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Time to start thinking about next years backyard makeover!

I know it is winter time now but that means that while everyone in the cold climates are stuck indoors and getting cabin fever already, we can start to imagine our backyard makeover for next summer….

Maybe you have always wanted a pool or maybe a portable spa?

Some of you may already have these items but need to give your back yard a facelift, how about a new deck or patio?

One of the most common makeovers is the patio or deck; these can be made from all different kinds of material,

    ·       wood

          ·       treks decking

·        pavers

                                             ·       Concrete the options are plentiful.

First thing you need to do is decide how big or small of a deck or patio you need or want. When it comes to spas a good rule is to have the patio at least 3 feet larger than the spa itself to have some walking room around it.

Another great makeover idea is landscaping, I love to see backyard gardens around a pool or spa they just add some peacefulness to the area, I think so anyway.

·       When considering landscaping it is best to hire a professional to do the layout and install as most of the contractors have a detailed education and experience in these matters and can give you some great ideas.

Lighting is also a great mood enhancer. There are several lighting options as well.

                    ·       Spot lighting to highlight a beautiful tree or the house itself.

·       Low level garden lights to accent a walking path

               ·       Stick lights to go around the perimeter of the deck or spa

               ·       Paver lights. Designed to be flushed with the pavers but illuminate

                      ·       Step lighting for wood or treks decking, a lighted step area for safety when going up or down the steps.

Fire pit area is one of my favorite things to do as well. There are several types of these you can choose from.

          ·       Wood burning

·       Propane

     ·       Natural Gas

                                                ·       Outdoor fireplace (also wood burning)

No matter what your ideas are; start thinking now about what you would like to do so you will have plenty of time to design and re-design the plans (believe me you will be glad you started now).

Until Next Time….

So you are thinking about buying a home that has a pool? What should you do?

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So you are thinking about buying a home that has a pool? What should you do?

I hear these questions often and here are some of my suggestions:

First thing you need to do is get a professional to do a complete pool inspection that includes a pressure test of all the plumbing lines. When they do a pressure test they will fill all the lines with water and get the pressure in the lines up to 10-15 lbs and they will watch to see if the pressure starts to drop this could indicate a leak in one of the plumbing lines.

An inspection will also give you an experts opinion on the condition of the pool equipment it's possible age and if there is any repairs they feel should be made right away, the biggest issues I have found is an older heater that leaks and or does not fire up. Repairs can be costly if you need to replace equipment. If you have a concrete pool then you may need to have the pool re plastered or tile and coping repairs these can be a costly repair that you should not have to be responsible for. Re plaster jobs could be in excess of $5000.00 tile and coping could be the same.

A vinyl liner pool is different as long as the vinyl liner is in tact and not leaking you should be OK a liner can fade, but this will not change the integrity of the pool itself. A new liner can run from $2000-$3000 for the liner and then another $1000 for the installation.

Once you determine that the pool is sound and you have a good report from the inspector you can go to the homeowner and ask for credit for any pool repairs needed before you close on the house.

Once you own the home take a water sample from the pool to your local pool supply center and have the water tested. They will tell you what you need to add to the water to keep it clean and safe for swimming, they can also guide you on proper maintenance and operation. A pool is a great feature to have in the backyard, it can be fun for the whole family and give your kids some great summer fun.

With a little knowledge and patience, a pool can be a great STAYCATION at home and save you a great deal of money on those costly trips to the beach.

So go ahead and buy that house and go swimming.....

Until Next Time....

WHAT TO DO WITH THAT OLD SPA IN THE BACKYARD?

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WHAT TO DO WITH THAT OLD SPA IN THE BACKYARD?

So you want a new spa or bought a home that has an old one there already, and don't know what to do. This is a question I hear often. One of the question I would ask is, "Does the spa still work?" If not it's probably best to just throw it away. A lot of companies will take your old spa away for a fee. If you are buying a new one see if the company will remove your old one as part of the deal.

If your spa does still work but you are tired of investing money in it and want to upgrade to a new one, try listing it for sale on Ebay or Craigslist and set a reasonable price. Remember spas are like cars, once they leave the showroom they start to depreciate. I had a friend put a sign out front of his house that said "Spa For Sale, First $500 Takes It!" He sold it in 2 days. One of the local landscapers saw it and took it right out of the yard on their trailer.

There are also companies that will just come and take any old items you don't want. Check your local newspapers and phone books. Just remember to have the electric removed from the old spa by a qualified electrician and make the wiring safe until the new spa arrives. There still is a big market for used spas, one persons junk is another mans treasure!

Until Next Time...

Fire Pits..A Warm and Cozy Project

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Fire pit's are a great way to get outside and enjoy these beautiful cool night's. There are several types of Fire pits, wood burning, propane, and natural gas. Remember to have your fire pit on a non-combustible surface so we have no accident's. You can use patio blocks or pavers as a base. Remember to keep the wood dry if you use the wood burning version, wet wood will not burn. Also remember to set up your fire pit away from your home so you do not melt your siding etc.

•  Wood:

With the wood burning pits you would light these like any fireplace, use kindling to initiate the fire and you will burn firewood, being careful to mind the popping that is created with the wood fire. It is a great idea to have a screen or top over the fire to protect the people around the fire pit.

• Propane:

Or low pressure gas. These fire pits are usually designed with a simulated log fire, you can light this and the propane will burn a nice even flame. You can  relax around the propane fire pit without the popping of the wood like in the wood burning fire pit's. Keep in mind these operate on a 20 lb propane tank like that of your barbecue.

• Natural Gas:

These fire pits would have to be installed by a qualified licensed plumber as you would for the stove in your home. The big advantage with these over the others, is that you would have an endless supply of fuel for the fire pit, with no worries of running out of propane or wood. 

Many manufacturer's offer all the above designs. You just have to decide which type you prefer. I love the real wood burning pit. There are also many styles available including the chimney style. Or you can design your own fire pit and have it built to your specific needs. This is the best time of year to get outside and get that warm and cozy feeling.

 Until Next Time...

Thinking about buying a home that has a pool? What should you do?

www.rickrobinsonhomes.com

So you are thinking about buying a home that has a pool? What should you do?

I hear these questions often and here are some of my suggestions:

First thing you need to do is get a professional to do a complete pool inspection that includes a pressure test of all the plumbing lines. When they do a pressure test they will fill all the lines with water and get the pressure in the lines up to 10-15 lbs and they will watch to see if the pressure starts to drop this could indicate a leak in one of the plumbing lines.

An inspection will also give you an experts opinion on the condition of the pool equipment it's possible age and if there is any repairs they feel should be made right away, the biggest issues I have found is an older heater that leaks and or does not fire up. Repairs can be costly if you need to replace equipment. If you have a concrete pool then you may need to have the pool re plastered or tile and coping repairs these can be a costly repair that you should not have to be responsible for. Re plaster jobs could be in excess of $5000.00 tile and coping could be the same.

A vinyl liner pool is different as long as the vinyl liner is in tact and not leaking you should be OK a liner can fade, but this will not change the integrity of the pool itself. A new liner can run from $2000-$3000 for the liner and then another $1000 for the installation.

Once you determine that the pool is sound and you have a good report from the inspector you can go to the homeowner and ask for credit for any pool repairs needed before you close on the house.

Once you own the home take a water sample from the pool to your local pool supply center and have the water tested. They will tell you what you need to add to the water to keep it clean and safe for swimming, they can also guide you on proper maintenance and operation. A pool is a great feature to have in the backyard, it can be fun for the whole family and give your kids some great summer fun.

With a little knowledge and patience, a pool can be a great STAYCATION at home and save you a great deal of money on those costly trips to the beach.

So go ahead and buy that house and go swimming.....

Until Next Time....

"Spring Is Here, time to replace that grill"

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"Spring Is Here, time to replace that grill"

Well finally winter is officially over, at least by the calender. Now it is time to once again start to think about the backyard and what to do with it this year.

I love this time of year, I finally get out of my winter funk and I am glad to get outside and feel the fresh air in my lungs.

I think this year is a great time to replace my grill. I have seen all the new Weber grills this year and they look great. If you have not seen the newer models yet you should get out and check them out. The redesigned the Spirit series this year to include front control knobs and redesiged cart. Lets look at all the new features of the Spirit Grill from Weber:


Spirit 210

Spirit 210 has collapsible side tables and front control knobs. It is a more sleek design for those people who do not have a good size area to put a grill.
Height: 25.6 in
Width:  32.3 in
BTU :   26,500 per hour input
Retail $399.00 in most stores
Porcelain-enameled cast-iron cooking grates. This model is not available in Natural Gas though. All in all a great buy for the money.





Spirit 310

Spirit 310 has 529 sq. in. of total cooking area it offers plenty of grilling space, (424 sq. in.) of primary cooking area and (105 sq. in.) of warming rack area it has enough room for everyone.
It has 3 stainless steel burners.
32,000 BTU-per-hour input
Height: 25.6 in
Width: 32.3 in
 Retail $499.00 in most stores
This one is my choice since I would like to have the higher BTU rating.

Either grill will bring you years of outdoor cooking enjoyment and they can be found everywhere. Parts are easily attainable thru your merchant or just call Weber 365 days a year and they will help point you in the right direction. I have had nothing but great comments from my customers about Weber and I own one myself and will continue to buy them.

Until Next Time...

I have a spa but no power. Now what do I do?

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Have spa but no power?  

Not to worry... most spas are very well insulated and can retain their heat fairly well for up to 2 weeks.

Not all spas are the same, some of your older spas or smaller ones may not have  full foam insulation within it.

 This could be an issue for you, if this true for your spa go out and get some household insulation and stuff this inside the spa cabinet like you would inside your attic this will give you a barrier from the extreme cold nights.

The biggest mistake people make when they have a spa and the power goes out is to drain it this is NOT a good idea.

If the spa was running and was heated to around 100 degrees just before the power went out then it will take a while for the spa water to cool down on it's own (up to two weeks), but if you drain the spa of water, that safeguard you may have had is gone. 

Now the surface of the spa will get cold and then transfer that coolness to the under side of the spa and the plumbing lines. Then the spa lines can FREEZE and crack. Now this doesn't mean that if you drained your spa it will automatically freeze. The outside temp needs to be below 40 degrees for several days for this to possibly happen. I have seen spas with ice inside them defrost in the spring and run fine with no issues.

Now getting back to my original statement LOL...

Most spas are fully insulated and as long as you do not keep going out there and lifting the cover up to check on it every hour  "you know who I am talking to" the water temp will remain high and you should be fine. I have seen a spa with a temp of 99 degrees when the customer lost power for 2 weeks and when the lights came back on the water temp was only down to 68 degrees.

Once the power comes back on you want to go out to the spa and be sure that the spa has power as well, if not check the breakers.

Run the pumps to be sure all is good then note the temperature on the topside display set it to 100 degrees and monitor it every hour to see that it will go back up to temperature without any problems. If you have made it this far you are golden check the spa chemicals to be sure that it has a good balanced level before going back into it.

I hope everyone is OK and has power back.

Until Next Time...

Carbon Fiber Sauna. "Now That's Hot"

I recently had the chance to try out a new Carbon Fiber Sauna. When I was younger I went into a steam sauna but I found experience to be not what I expected. It was very humid and I just didn't like the overall experience.

This new Carbon Fiber Sauna had a much better feel. It is a drier heat and it feels like it penetrates the pores and you come out feeling refreshed. I just want to touch base on the differences between them and let the readers decide which one would be good for you.

• Steam:

Steam or traditional heating uses an electric element to produce steam from rocks and water. The rocks can absorb the heat and when water is poured over the hot rocks steam is produced. These unit's typically reach temperatures of 140 - 190 degrees.

• Infared:

Infared heating uses a wavelength of energy. The heat passes through the skin, warms the body through molecular vibration and you begin to perspire. These operate much cooler than Steam Sauna's. These units run at a approx temp of 105 - 140 degrees. The benefits of an Infared sauna are felt quickly due to the shorter amount of time needed to heat up.

• Carbon Fiber:

Carbon Fiber heating is a little like Infared heating.The wavelength is optimized to more deeply diffuse through the skin and heat the body.Carbon Fiber Heaters emit the most even and direct deep penetrating heat, enhancing detoxification, pain relief, and increasing blood flow. These units operate at a temp of around 100 - 125 degrees, this makes this unit the most comfortable and effective.

No matter which sauna you prefer, the use of them will help detoxify and increase the blood flow through your body making you feel refreshed and ready to go. You can get Stereo units and LED lights  in most of these units and they are very attractive. Try one out and see for yourself.

Until Next Time....