o Tr ~ fa 2 Fall Home Improvement [} The Dallas Post October 8, 1997 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. per- sonal style and aesthetics will drive the decision. Price and en- ergy efficiency also are consider- ations. While you may be tempted to defer to the recommendations ofyour builder or remodeler there are several questions every con- sumer should ask before making any window buying decision. 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. Win- dows can earn one of three desig- nations — C. CB or CBA — de- pending 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. A well-constructed, dual pane unit should last a minimum of 10 years. However, many manufac- turers offer only a one-year war- ranty. A 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® Before the & | \ Cold Hits!! » Specialty Glass Design with Ultimate Efficiency e Easy Cleaning * Never needs painting e All Windows Custom Made : Seal, offers window manufactur- ers a warranty on their product. 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-efliciency, 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. 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. A window con- structed with a warm-edge spacer such as Swiggle Seal will be 9 degrees warmer and reduce con- densation by up to 80 percent than an identical window con- structed with an aluminum spacer. Regular, uncoated glass allows heat to escape from your home in winter, and in summer, allows == jo on Beauty Built to Last (H Since 1874 QuBEd ® A little window research goes a long way heat to [low 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. ‘Window shopping’ means learning what features each brand has, then making a smart choice. PROPANE SERVICE/EQUIPMENT * Back Mountain at the EU dale] » 24-hour Emergency Service e Special Cash Prices e Budget or 30-day Plan e Service Contracts Come and See Us IAI CREUCEVA EY October 9 - 12th Home Improvement Booth pn [=T-1gd gl ad go Ye [§]e3 £ Your Hometown Energy Supplier AGWAY ENERGY PRODUCTS COMMITTED TO SUPERIOR CUSTOMER SERVICE HEATING OIL i ~ 1-800-865-FUE I EEE EE EE SE IE GN GE SE DE BE EE DE GE I GRE GE GN GEE OEE A DE ORE a DD EE Sa T m=NAGWAY BN :r.enGv PRODUCTS FUELS + SERVICE - EQUIPMENT % Fru moms os es vot my pen ee SS NSS SN SS SN NSN NN NN NG NNN SG EN CN NS BEN SS SND NC CHEN NC MN SN NE NEN SEN GSN GO SWI GON OW SE SS WE SG SN WRN SN mm wn me sw ws ses ll Fall Home Improvement N £3 The Dallas Post’ 3 "October 8, 1997 7 Fall plants and flowers offer their own colorful celebration Most people think of spring as the most dramatic celebration of color in the landscape. One by one, so many trees and shrubs wake up with a beautiful display forsythia, crocus, daffodils, weep- ing cherries. flowering fruit trees. lilacs, azaleas. dogwood, tulips. rhododendrons everyone knows the flowers and the names of these plants. This is the time when the public descends on the garden center to bring their favorite spring flowers into their landscape. Fall offers a different kind of color the brilliant reds and or- anges of a landscape going to sleep for the winter and the fruits and berries of completion and harvest. October highlights the dramatic coloration of foliage trees and shrubs that flourish in the Eastern U.S Their brilliant dis- play ofautumnal hues is astound- ing. Glowing reds, gorgeous scar- lets, and butternut yellows create combinations of outstanding beauty. Gardeners are enchanted with the striking appearance plant life can provide at this time ol year. Snipes Farm and Nursery, a Pennsylvania Landscape & Nurs- ery Association member, recom- mends the following plants lor exciting fall color. Compact Burn- ing Bush turns a brilliant red and is a favorite for borders and hedges. Because of its extreme hardiness and drought tolerance, you will often see this plant in shopping center parking lots and in other public places. Virginia Sweetspire is a hardy, native plant for sun or shade. The variety ‘Henry's Garnet’ turns bril- liant scarlet in the fall and has larger. white fragrant blooms in June-July than the species. Many plants are still flowering...Butterflybush and Glossy Abelia produce blooms well into late fall. The Goddess series of Rose of Sharon with large, single blossoms and the exciting, new “Flower Carpet Roses” will finish flowering with a flourish. Of course, it is the large shade Pick the right When you hire a profes- sional to landscape, you should look for someone who's knowledgeable, experi- enced and highly competent in a specific field. One measure of a horticul- tural professional is his or her achievement of the Pennsylvania Accredited Nurseryman (PAN) status. This status is achieved by completing an extensive examination which tests the essential technical knowledge base of the green goods industry. : PANs have demonstrated their knowledge in plant materials and physiology, maintenance. landscape pro for the job -~ design, and installation. In addition, a PAN candidate must first attain a level of practical experience or horticulture education before becoming eligible to take the exam. The objectives of the PAN program are to improve the professional standards of the industry by recognizing individuals who have demon- strated a high level of techni- cal knowledge and to encour- age the education and training of industry employ- ees by providing a measur- able level of achievement. The PAN program is sponsored by the Pennsylvania Landscape and Nursery Association. Now Accepting New Customers for Oil and Service DALLAS 675-4949 Ns J PARKER FUEL CO. 1016 LOWER DEMUNDS RD. PA 18612 675-1155 4 trees that turn the earth to fire and gold in the fall. The Red Maple (Acer rubrum) was named [or its fall color; in spring and summer its leaves are green. Nurseries have been creating varieties with even more brilliant fall color, such as ‘October Glory’ and ‘Red Sun- set’. The Callery Pear is another [a- vorite tree for all seasons, with white flowers in the spring, glossy leaves, nice pyramidal shape. and brilliant red fall color. Walk through the nursery and see so many other trees with bril- liant fall foliage - oaks, dogwoods, Sourwood, Ginkgo, and Stewartia. to mention a few. ~ Many trees and shrubs pro- duce brilliant fall fruit. Flowering Crabapples, Cotoneaster, Firethorn, and more. Beautyberry is a knockout with its lavender ‘pearls’. The most popular plant for Fall and winter berries is the holly. A favorite for holiday deco- rating, hollies can grow in sun or shade. The winterberry holly drops its leaves in the late fall, showing off large, brilliant berries that are very popular in floral arrangements. www.mellon.com. Installment Loan. Get a competitive interest rate that’s fixed at five-year intervals on a loan from $10,000 to $250,000. And deduct the interest from your taxes. For details, visit ‘Give Yourself Lower Monthly Payments. Our new 30-year Extended-Term Home Equity Installment Loan can save you 25%. If high monthly payments are standing between you and your goals, cut them down to size with our 30-year Extended-Term Home Equity a Mellon office or any of our Insalaco’s locations open seven days a week. Or call the JE@I@NBIEES Center at 1800 MELLON-24. Or visit our web site at @ Mellon Bank x Comparison payment shown is for 180 month fixed rate | For a 30 year, $25,000 loan with an initial APR of 7.99%, © 1997 Melion Bank Corporation. *The payment example featured is based on a 360 Month Adjustable Rafe Home Equity instalment Loan for Smart Account sM Bonus Plan customers on a $25,000 loan when payments are autornatically deducted from a Mellon checking account. Payments will vary for different femns, Annual Percentage Rates (APRs) or loan armnounts, oan with APR of 8.74%. **APR may increase affer consummation. you would make 359 manthly payments of $184.50 ond one monthly payment of $183.43. This example assumes that there are no changes in he APR ond that the first payment is made in 60 days. All rates 1/365th higher in leap years. This is a | This offer does not apply to certain types of loans which may bi tines, loans and lines refinancing existing debts owed fo the Creditor or ifs affiliates, to rates, applications received through a Loan Producto details. MellonDirect 24M is a service mark of Mellon $2 5000 Ho Installment Loan 518450 Por Mont), : 7 30Year Tern Compare t $25 for Lo Per month * ar term imited time offer which may be withdrawn at ony time, e assigned fo other lending institutions, Personal Credit ans and lines with special employee n Office, and Private Banking credit fines. Tee your fax advisor for Bank NA. Melion Bank N.A.- Northeastem Region. Member FDIC me Equity
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers