Page 6 - Van Wig & Associates, Alamitos Heights ~ February Issue

saving furniture
IN THE HOME

by Kathryn Weber chair, for example, replacing it with WHEN TO BUY NEW
the same quality new chair could
T the fabric is wearing thin or made piece of upholstered furniture FURNITURE AND WHEN TO
he decision is often a hard cost significantly more, making
one. The sofa looks great, but reupholstering a good value. A well-

there’s a spot where the cat scratched will last decades and may be worth the REUPHOLSTER
it. Maybe your sofa is fairly new, investment. This is also true based on
but there’s a big tear on the back. the value of the piece to you.
The question is: When should you The chair you want to reupholster
reupholster the sofa, and when should may be an heirloom or something
you let it go and buy new? There are you’d like to bring back to life. Valuable
some guidelines to know first before antiques, well-made items and
undertaking reupholstering a piece of heirlooms all fall under the category
furniture. of being worth reupholstering. Also
part of the value? If the piece you have
RECOVER OR REUPHOLSTER fits perfectly in your house, having it
The key to knowing when to reupholstered might be a better choice
reupholster is understanding what than taking a chance with a new piece
that entails. A standard reupholstery of furniture.
will include adding or replacing
cushions, making any repairs to the LOCATION AND USE
frame and support system, re-staining When determining whether to
exposed wood, and adding new fabric replace or reupholster, it’s important
and trim. If your furniture is in good to give thought to how the piece is
repair, but there is a major stain or used, and what is a priority. For a busy
tear in the fabric, and it’s relatively family, having a solid and sturdy sofa
new, you may only need to recover. might be key, but if the traffic and
However, if you’ve had a piece of wear and tear on the sofa from kids or
furniture for some time and it feels like pets is significant, buying new might
it’s in good shape, it’s usually a good be a better option than an expensive
idea to replace the cushion foam and reupholstery job.
materials underneath so that your chair
isn’t being reupholstered with clean new COSTS
fabric over an old, dirty cushion. Some Reupholstering costs typically
say recovering and reupholstering are factor in fabric, materials, such as
one in the same, but it’s important to foam and padding, and labor. The
understand the distinction. upholstery company is a good starting
point for fabric, but you may be able furniture, your costs will be limited to the work and understand exactly what
VALUE to save some money by providing your the fabric and labor. Prices can vary will be done. n
One of the critical determinations own upholstery fabric. Check with greatly depending on where you live,
of whether to buy new or reupholster your upholsterer to see if they’ll let the cost for the fabric and the amount ©2020 Kathryn Weber.
is the value of the piece of furniture. you use your own fabric; most will. of work and time involved on your Distributed by Tribune
If your furniture is a high-quality If you are re-covering a piece of project. Be sure to get estimates for Content Agency, LLC.

onsumers today are Windows: Energy Star qualified
more mindful about the windows use superior framing
Cenvironmental impact of materials, including multiple panes
everything they do, from driving of glass, with air- or gas-filled space
and traveling to energy usage in between for additional insulation.
their homes. Fortunately, there are They’re made from Low-E (low
a few simple steps homeowners can emissivity) glass, with special coatings
take to save energy and help the to reflect infrared light. Warm edge
environment. spacers keep the glass panes the
correct distance apart reducing heat
1. BOOST YOUR INSULATION transfer through the window.
You may already know what areas
of your home are poorly insulated, 4. GO SOLAR
simply by how you feel when it’s While most people are aware
cold or hot outside. You can have that solar power harnesses the sun’s
a professional home energy audit energy to create electricity, many
conducted to help pinpoint areas don’t know how easy and cost-
that need improvement. Many effective it is to go solar.
energy companies provide an audit The newest technology behind
free of charge. solar energy has made it increasingly
Start with the attic: If your attic accessible and appealing for
is insufficiently insulated, you could homeowners. For example, new
be losing a lot of heat over the energy solutions such as LG’s
winter, which means your home is “NeON R ACe” are high-efficiency
wasting energy - and money. The solar panels that incorporate a built-
U.S. Department of Energy reports in micro-inverter (that converts
that boosting attic insulation can 4 HOME UPGRADES DC electricity to AC) instead of
save 10-50 percent on heating costs. a separate traditional inverter.
Recessed into the frame of the
2. UPGRADE YOUR HEATING THAT ARE GOOD FOR THE ENVIRONMENT solar module, the micro-inverter
AND COOLING SYSTEM simplifies the installation process
Heating and cooling your home and allows more flexibility to create
uses the most energy, so investing looks like a picture frame and allows Degrees” LGRED, heating The latest energy-efficient models of a solar array that looks attractive on
in Energy Star certified HVAC you to display your own artwork). technology that delivers 100 percent windows and doors not only reduce your roof. When going solar, it’s
products can make a big difference These systems are smart-enabled, heating capacity down to 5 degrees leaks around the frames, but they’re important to seek out a brand you
when it comes to cutting energy allowing homeowners to adjust the Fahrenheit and continuous heating made from materials that enhance trust, one like LG that offers solar
costs and your home’s impact on temperature from their LG ThinQ down to -13 degrees Fahrenheit. insulation. panels covered by a 25-year limited
the environment. app for Android and iOS users, or This will keep you warm and product, part and performance
For a new HVAC system in a with simple commands via Google comfortable all winter long with Doors: According to EnergyStar. warranty.
variety of styles to fit any décor Assistant and Amazon Alexa. remarkable energy efficiency. gov, energy-efficient doors not Choosing just one area to upgrade
that can be easily installed by a The most eco-conscious only fit better and have improved will save energy, reducing your
contractor, you might consider wall- consumers will want to look for 3. REPLACE DOORS weather stripping to reduce air home’s carbon footprint. You’ll also
mounted duct-free systems from a “Energy Star Most Efficient” AND WINDOWS leakage, but also use improved core feel more comfortable throughout
trusted brand like LG. They offer HVAC solutions. For example, You may be losing a lot of heat in materials for superior insulation. the year, as you better regulate the
a variety of ultra-quiet “Art Cool” the Art Cool Mirror earned the the winter and air conditioning in Where glass is used, they reduce temperature of your home. n
options (the sleek Mirror, stylish 2019 designation and also features the summer through your doors and heat flow via double- or triple-
Premier and unique Gallery, which advanced “Reliable to Extreme windows, especially if they’re older. paned insulating glass. ©2020 Brandpoint.
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