A Survivable House
There’s a movement afoot in home building that I find very interesting-the move to create survivable housing. Up to now, that term has been used to talk about homes that can stand up to wildfires and high-wind events.
Now the notion of survivability is starting to focus on the ability of a home or shelter to remain livable after a major event such as a natural or manmade disaster. What does one do when a major Nor’easter closes roads and knocks out services? What if an earthquake buckles local roads, knocks out power, and boxes you in? A survivable home will plan for disaster by maintaining its temperature, air supply, fresh water, and power. It will be built of materials that are …
A Survivable House
Originally from On The Level by
Categories: Home Ideas Tags: design, home repair, how-to, remodeling, survivable housing, tips
Building a garden water feature
We started a new project this weekend (like we didn’t have any others already on the go). Alas, we didn’t get too far though before the weather, social commitments and general weekend laziness forced it to the bottom of the feeding chain. We’re about to start building the first of two garden water features.
This one is very formal and will take up the complete side of the fence that is showing in the photograph. It starts from the where the crab-apple tree garden ends and will run the length of one section of fence (approx 2.4m – 7.87ft). It will have two levels, the upper one almost reaches the top of the fence and will contain the pipes for the water to flow through while the second one will contain the pond and an assortment of water plants and various fish.
Categories: Garden Ideas Tags: backyard, backyard landscaping, design, gardening, how-to, outdoor living, patio advice, patio design, remodeling, water feature, water fountain, yard tips
Patio Furniture Cleanup
Getting ready for your first outdoor get-together but your patio furniture and deck took a beating this winter? 3 On Your Side’s Jim Donovan says before the guests come over, a quick and easy clean-up is necessary. Have the elements made your backyard deck, furniture and grill lose their luster?
Have the elements made your backyard deck, furniture and grill lose their luster? If so, good housekeeping has some suggestions, starting with the deck.
“The deck really takes a beating in the winter snow, rain, sleet. It’s important to make it look new again,” said Nate Benforado, a tester at Good Housekeeping Institute. First, brush off all the debris. Then toss on the cleaner.
Categories: Patio Ideas Tags: backyard, backyard bbq, decks, home maintenance, how-to, patio advice, patio cushions, patio design, patio furniture, patios, tips, wood deck
