| | 4 Spring Home and Yard The Dallas Post April 16, 1997 New accessories for simpler, safer baths To design or adapt a bathroom to suit common lifestyle or physi- cal changes, more of us are em- bracing Universal Design solu- tions. One lifestyle change calling for safer bathroom accessories involves having toddlers in the household. Another may include extended visits by friends or rela- tives with chronic physical condi- tions. Yet another might simply mean that we have decided to streamline our homes and extend our self sufficiency a few years. Attractive, supportive products can make an appreciated differ- ence to different people for differ- entreasons, reports Judith Miley, a frequent speaker and writer on Universal Design, Adapting Homes in an Aging Society or what she calls “Greater Later Housing Products and Providers.” Products and systems that one family member likes because they are so convenient or save time may appeal to someone else be- cause they promote safety or ac- cessibilily, she explains. Yet an- other person may love the same . products or designs because they reduce the effort required for rou- tine daily chores. Miley encourages designers, builders and remodelers to offer packages of designs and products that promote multiple benefits. “Some of the most clever, sen- sible and supportive products I've encountered at building trade shows include bathroom acces- sories that make any size bath- room function better for any size or age person,” she points out. Designs and products that help people avoid falls and reduce clut- terin the bathroom help that room work better and more safely for anyone. Because young children, people with physical limitations 100% FINANCING and the 70+ population are at greater risk of falling, Miley says, their bathrooms should be tar- geted first. About 99 million Americans have chronic conditions such as arthritis and diabetes, back ail- ments, emphysema, blindness and other health conditions that limit their range of movement, endurance or ability to function safely and independently over time. Millions more have tempo- rarily disabling injuries due to sports or auto accidents or falls. And, she adds, the population is aging rapidly at a time when medical costs containment au- thorities are shortening hospital stays and replacing hospital pro- cedures with outpatient proce- dures and in-home health care management. Miley thinks that builders and remodelers, even do- it-yourselfers, can do alot tomake Support rails, adjustable height hand-held shower heads and hinged, vertical panel shower curtains promote accessibility and independence. "WE ARE THE EXPERTS AND WE GUARANTEE 100% SATISFACTION" Area's 1st Complete Restoration Company homes function supportively. more Start With Something Simple Something as simple as towel bars can make a difference, and Miley uses this example in her seminars for designers, builders and remodelers. Each person who regularly uses a bathroom re- quires three feet of hanging space for a bath towel, hand towel and washcloth. Shared bathrooms are rarely equipped with adequate towel bars, and virtually none of those racks are located at heights convenient to preschoolers or to a person in a wheelchair or some- one whose gripping ability is lim- ited by arthritis or stroke. Miley suggests securing a vertically tiered towel rack to the hinges of the bathroom door or to a wall near bathtubs, showers and lava- tories. The EuroRack from Hinge-It Corp. tucks nine linear feet of towel or laundry hanging space behind a bathroom or linen closet door. 3100 PROJECTS COMPLETED * PAINTING « HOUSE WASHING e DECKS CLEANED/REFINISHED * AWNINGS CLEANED ioxT NAPA. Cl EDWARD L) ® D LF Wat WD ° SERVICE, ING. Large Selection of Quality Wooden Play Structures. On Site Display. Installation Available S LANDSCAPIN WE OFFER THE LARGEST SELECTION OF DECORATIVE LANDSCAPED MATERIALS IN THE WYOMING VALLEY FLOWER & SHRUB BEDS + DOUBLE SHRED BARK MULCH * PEAT HUMUS DECORATIVE GRAVELS + WHITE MARBLE CHIPS + PINK MARBLE CHIPS + NATURAL BLEND GRAVEL + YELLOW SHORE GRAVEL + CINNAMON ROUND GRAVEL « RED CHIPPED GRAVEL + MODIFIED GRAVEL TOPSOIL + TOPSOIL + COMPOST « FLOWER/LAVA ROCK SAND * POOL SAND/PATIO SAND DRIVEWAY GRAVEL + GREY CHIPPED GRAVEL * NATURAL ROUND GRAVEL * GARDEN MIX * TOPDRESS MIX « MASONRY SAND/WHITE SAND Great Prices...Prompt Delivery...Any Amount r ee Quality Redwood Swingsets, Delivery & Installation Available. Large on Site Display Member Pennsylvania Nurserymans Association - 525 RIVER ST. FORTY FORT, PA. - 287-4329 ROCGOGRANDI PAINTING GO. COMPLETE CLEANING/PAINTING SERVICE CALL (717) 288-3792 Our fees are on the house, so welcome to a quick, affordable Home Equity Loan. Why spend time waiting for a home equity loan? need for a family vacation, a new car, bills, school or any worthwhile purpose. For an application, call or stop in today. Quick, Affordable Home Equity Loans Member FDIC LUZERNE NATIONAL BANK WWW.LNBPA.COM 118 Main Street, Luzerne © 288-4511 801 Main Street, Swoyersville ¢ 287-1141 =) LENDER Beil - elon ill celle cima <x ba A» —— i a ¥ a sm EIN Px SR oct ii tle ile TV OO a BE LL wn a . £) i Bp Go & A FNP). UF USACE or TOUR 7 | ABRIV L40 LAist a - E44 Window shoppin Whether constructing a new home or remodeling an older resi- dence, one of the decisions a ho- meowner ultimately faces involves the selection of windows. There are many styles and manufactur- ers from which to choose, each offering a variety of construction features. To some extent, personal style and aesthetics will drive the decision. Price and energy effi- ciency also are considerations. While you may be tempted to de- fer to the recommendations of your builder or remodeler there are several questions every con- sumer should ask before making any window buying decision. Is the Manufacturer Certi- fied? A sure sign of a well-con- structed, quality unit is the certi- fication label either etched in the glass or printed on the spacers between the lites of glass. Windows can earn one of three designations — C, CB or CBA — depending on how they perform in the tests. The CBA level is the highest rating and means that a window has passed through three levels of simulated weatheriza- tion testing without showing signs of condensation or fogging. Does the Window Manufac- turer Offer a Warranty? : A well-constructed, dual pane unit should last a minimum of 10 years. However, many manufac- turers offer only a one-year war- Spring Home and Yard g? Little research goes long way ranty. Ifyou are considering purchas- ing a dual pane, sealed window unit, ask your contractor about the manufacturer's warranty that accompanies the window. If the window system fails in five years, causing excessive drafts or allow- ing condensation to form between the panes, will the manufacturer replace it? Also, inquire as to whether any of the window components are covered. For instance, Tremco, the manufacturer of the insulat- ing glass edge spacer, Swiggle® Seal, offers window manufactur- ers a warranty on their product. What is the U-Value of the Window? Window manufacturers use U- values to measure thermal per- - formance. U-values measure heat transfer. They describe the over- all thermal performance of a win- dow unit, taking into account such aspects of the unit's construction as window type, frame material, glass coatings and spacer materi- als. When determining a window's energy-efficiency, the lower the U-value, the better. A U-value of .40 is considered excellent; .60 is good; while .80 or higher indi- cates poor thermal performance. Is The Window Constructed with Conventional or Warm- edge Spacers? Dual and triple pane windows are constructed with edge spac- ers designed to reduce heat loss around the windows’ edges. The materials used to construct these edge spacers can mean the differ- ence between a drafty window edge and one that is well insu- lated against the cold. Some window manufacturers use conventional, tubular alumi- num spacers filled with desic- cant, a moisture-absorbing ma- terial that aids in preventing con- densation from building up be- tween the panes. However, be- cause metal conducts heat, alu- minum spacers diminish the in- sulation value of a window, re- sulting in a higher U-value. Other manufacturers have abandoned aluminum spacers in favor of warm-edge spacers. How- ever, not all warm edge seals per- form identically. Does the Window Have a Low- Emissivity (Low-E) Glass? Regular, uncoated glass allows heat to escape from your home in winter, and in summer, allows heat to flow from the hot outdoors into your air-conditioned rooms. To guard against this phenom- enon, some window manufactur- ers use low emissivity — or low-E — coatings on one pane. Low-E coatings block the long-wave in- frared radiation that can account for as much as 60 percent of a window's heat loss. They also pro- tect indoor furnishings from sun damage. Wy, did ULTRA-HIDING WallCover Interior Latex Flat Wall Paint " SCRUBBABLE Wallplate Latex Semi-Gloss Enamel NATIONAL PAINT & SUPPLY CO., INC Wholesale The Dallas Post ~BRUNING SCRUBBABLE Wallplate Late Flat Enamel Pacon Supreme Interior Latex Eggshell Wall & Trim Enamel & Retail Distributor PET RUA(0)Y EN [E:\ RA (01% § HV €7 J: (717) 288-1408 April 16, 1997 5 We Sell AND 4 id % ERROR Andersen® Casement Angle Bay Window A . ERSEN Windows i And Everything Else Under the Sun! Lumber Plywood Treated Insulation Doors Windows Tools Roof Coatings Come home to quality. Roofing Sheetrock Mouldings Paint Phone EE rE J A AE EEE EE EE FS FAX BENTON 925-2101 Andersen. 1GE E | ouc iH TO SER VE You, SMALL ENOUGH TO KNOW YOU. DALLAS Phone 674-5100 FAX 674-5382 doe 995.9475 ET PRT Sy
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers