Brendan Macdonald`s Home Issue » Landscaping http://www.brendanmacdonald.com Furniture, Design, Home Remodeling, Renovation Fri, 03 Sep 2010 12:51:09 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 en hourly 1 Who Knew Home Landscaping For Energy Conservation Had This Effect? http://www.brendanmacdonald.com/who-knew-home-landscaping-for-energy-conservation-had-this-effect http://www.brendanmacdonald.com/who-knew-home-landscaping-for-energy-conservation-had-this-effect#comments Fri, 01 Jan 2010 10:43:20 +0000 admin http://www.brendanmacdonald.com/?p=120 If you have been thinking about how you would like to cut your home energy costs, you might want to take a second look at your home landscaping. This is an area you may not have even thought of. Did you know energy-efficient home landscaping can reduce your household’s energy consumption for heating and cooling by as much as 25 percent.!That’s staggering, isn’t it? Proper placement of trees, shrubs, vines, grasses, and hedges lets you modify the microclimate around your home to maximize shade during the summer and reduce wind chill during the winter. Energy-efficient home landscaping is one of the best investments you can make, because aside from its potential to increase the resale value of your property, it can generate enough savings to return your initial investment in less than eight years. It is not surprising then that more homeowners than ever are implementing energy-conserving home landscaping ideas on their property. So where can we begin with this exciting new landscaping adventure? I hope the following information will be of help to you.

Develop a Home Landscaping Plan for Energy Efficiency
There are countless home landscaping strategies for energy conservation, but not all of them may be appropriate for your property and climate zone. Before you plant those evergreens in your backyard, make an assessment of the comfort and energy shortcomings of your current home landscaping. Things like the property’s microclimate, house location, and the presence of surrounding structures will influence your energy-efficient home landscaping plan. Microclimate is the climate immediately surrounding your home, and along with the regional climate, it helps determine which plants and trees will thrive and provide the best energy-saving benefit to your home landscaping. Your home’s location affects your dwelling’s exposure to the sun, wind, and water, consequently shaping your home landscaping needs. Nearby buildings, walls, trees, and bodies of water can produce significant climatic effects that would impact your home landscaping strategies. A thorough analysis of your property’s features enables you to devise an energy-efficient home landscaping scheme that addresses your needs and goals.

Landscape to Maximize Shade
Properly planned home landscaping can reduce your air-conditioning costs in the summer by providing shade from the hot morning and afternoon sun. Deciduous trees (trees that shed their leaves in winter) provide shade in the summer when its leaves are in full bloom and warm the home in winter by letting low-angle winter sun filter through its bare branches. Home landscaping that maximizes shade can reduce temperature inside the home by as much as 8 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit. Would you think of shading your air-conditioner through home landscaping because that increases the unit’s efficiency. In addition, shading the ground and pavement with trees, shrubs, and groundcover plants reduces surrounding air temperatures. Other heat-reducing home landscaping ideas include building a trellis for climbing vines to shade a patio and planting a row of shrubs to shade a driveway.

Landscaspe for Wind Protection
Home landscaping to divert the flow of cold winds helps cut down your home heating costs in the winter. Trees, shrubs, bushes, walls, and fences make effective windbreaks for winter-protected home landscaping. You can achieve adequate wind protection through home landscaping by planting evergreen trees and shrubs along the north and northwest areas of your property. Windbreaks can decrease wind speed for a distance as much as 30 times its height, although maximum wind protection occurs at a distance of two to five times the mature height of windbreaks. For optimal wind protection, make sure that the foliage density on the windward side of your property is 60 percent. A well-designed home landscaping provides energy savings year-round. Enjoy the warmth of the winter sun by not planting evergreens too close to the south side of your home. Shrubs, bushes and vines planted close to your house create dead air spaces that insulate your home in both winter and summer.

I hope this article has been of help to you in creating landscaping for energy conservation. Reducing my household energy consumption by a possible 25% has motivated me to start looking around my yard.

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]]> http://www.brendanmacdonald.com/who-knew-home-landscaping-for-energy-conservation-had-this-effect/feed 0 Water Features Can Transform Your Backyard http://www.brendanmacdonald.com/water-features-can-transform-your-backyard http://www.brendanmacdonald.com/water-features-can-transform-your-backyard#comments Sat, 05 Dec 2009 10:44:26 +0000 admin http://www.brendanmacdonald.com/?p=124 How do you take a boring backyard and transform it into something special? Add a water feature. Water features can transform the ordinary into something incredible as well as hide road noise creating a peaceful and tranquil environment. So all you have to decide is what kind of feature you want. Here are some of the options.

Fountains

Garden fountains are one of the easiest water features to add to your yard. Most home improvement stores and garden centers will carry do it yourself kits. Choose from a large variety including stand alone fountains and those that hang on your wall. All you have to do to install it is position the fountain, fill it with water and plug in the fountains pump. If you want to get creative, you could even make your own fountain out of new or old pots, a little bit of plastic tubing and a small water pump.

Ponds

Ponds involve a little more work but are still easy to do in the hands of a competent do it yourselfer. Once again, kits are readily available from your home improvement or garden center. To put in a pond you will have to first dig a hole in a suitable location. Ponds are normally only a few feet deep but it is still a lot of work to dig out all of that soil. Next you will either line the hole with a flexible pond liner or insert a formed hard plastic liner. Then add rocks and a pond filtration system. After treating the water, you can then add plant life and even fish if you so desire.

Waterfalls

If you want more than a basic pond, you could try installing a waterfall. This installation is a little more complicated and you might want to consult a professional landscaper. It does take some experience to plan out the flow of water on a waterfall.

Waterfalls are also an excellent feature to add to an existing swimming pools landscaping. They will make an ordinary pool a sight to behold.

With all of the options, it can be hard to decide what type of water feature to add to your yard. Go over your options and choose the type that best fits your budget and your do it yourself experience level.

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]]> http://www.brendanmacdonald.com/water-features-can-transform-your-backyard/feed 0 Adding a Water Feature to Your Yard http://www.brendanmacdonald.com/adding-a-water-feature-to-your-yard http://www.brendanmacdonald.com/adding-a-water-feature-to-your-yard#comments Sat, 14 Nov 2009 16:49:47 +0000 admin http://www.brendanmacdonald.com/?p=99 If you feel that your backyard is lacking a certain something, a water feature might be just the thing to bring new life to your outdoors.  There are many different types of water features to consider, such as a pond or a waterfall.  Flowing or still water has a peaceful relaxing quality to it, and water features allow you to bring this natural beauty right into your own yard.  You may be thinking that the care and upkeep of a water feature may not be worth the hassle, but they are much less labor intensive as you may think.  By following a few simple guidelines and understanding how your water feature lives and breathes, you can enjoy this natural work of art for as long as you own your home.

Water fountains are considerably easier to deal with then a water garden.  Fountains must be regularly cleaned, but really require little upkeep.  If you want a successful water garden you will probably need to invest a little more time, especially when you’re first trying to get it established.  When creating a water garden, it is vital that you understand the relationships between the plants and animals coexisting in this environment.  If you want your water garden to thrive, you’ll need to take special care to choose the right fauna and flora.

Many new pond owners have problem with algae.  If you don’t want to be cleaning out your pond every few weeks, adding a few fish can greatly help as can floating plants which help to reduce the amount of sunlight reaching the algae.  Ensure you don’t have an excessive amount of chlorine in your water, especially if you have fish.  You may want to install a pump and/or a filter along with regularly checking the pH level of water (should be between six and eight).

If you’re having your pond installed for you, ask the professionals for advice on getting started.  If you are still unsure about where to start you can also buy one of several books which can guide you step-by-step through the process of creating your own water garden.  Once your pond is established you will likely find the upkeep to be quite minimal.

Many people find that adding a water feature to their yard can literally transform their entire surroundings.  Ponds, fountains, and waterfalls add a natural beauty and serenity to any outdoor area, no matter how small or modest.

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]]> http://www.brendanmacdonald.com/adding-a-water-feature-to-your-yard/feed 0 Tips To Keep Teak Furniture Looking Its Best http://www.brendanmacdonald.com/tips-to-keep-teak-furniture-looking-its-best http://www.brendanmacdonald.com/tips-to-keep-teak-furniture-looking-its-best#comments Tue, 08 Sep 2009 13:06:27 +0000 admin http://www.brendanmacdonald.com/?p=21 To survive rain, wind and sun outdoor furniture has to be tough–and no material is as prized for its rugged beauty and legendary durability as teak.

Made to last for decades with absolutely no maintenance, upkeep is more a matter of personal preference than a requirement. While some people prefer the golden color of new teak, others prefer the distinguished silver-grey that teak becomes as it weathers.

Regardless of your preference, just a few steps will make sure your teak furniture stays in tip-top shape for decades. Here are a few tips from Jeremy Smith, president of Wood Classics, a U.S.-based teak furniture manufacturer:

• Make sure you have a top quality product to begin with. Pay attention to the wood quality and construction techniques used in the furniture, as this can affect furniture’s longevity.

• When looking at teak products, make sure they are really teak, not “teak-like” or “as good as teak.”

• Consider the grade of teak being used. First European Quality (FEQ) is the top grade without knots, cracks or pits.

• If you prefer the natural look of weathered teak, you can look forward to virtually no maintenance. If your furniture is left outside, you will want to clean off mildew, sap and pollen annually with Olympic® Deck Wash.

• If you prefer the original rich honey color of teak, there are several steps you can take to preserve this golden color. After thoroughly washing the teak you can treat it with specialized teak cleaners and restoration products. However, using these products is time-intensive. We usually recommend that our customers either allow the teak to age naturally, clean it with a deck wash or hire a professional teak maintenance service to apply the more specialized products.

• If you’re using the furniture indoors, consider finishing it to protect it from stains by sealing or varnishing it. Don’t use teak oil, varnishes or sealers on furniture if you’re using it outside, since this may cause it to turn black with mildew.

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