WarmlyYours Blog

Puppy Power!

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Mitmoen) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 23:08:00 +0000

Recently, one of our awesome sales people, Mary, took a long weekend to spend some quality time with her dog, Josie. Josie and Mary went to Camp Dogwood where there were lots of things for the dogs (as well as their owners) to learn and do. From what I hear (mostly from Josie), they both had an awesome time!

Throughout the year, Camp Dogwood holds a fundraiser – the Dogwood Yard Sale. The event is “mostly for humans” according to their website. This year, WarmlyYours handpicked a few products and donated them to the Yard Sale Silent Auction to help raise money for important animal related issues. We selected the Under Area Rug Warmer and Under Desk Heater because we have received great feedback from animal owners whose pets love them. We also donated the Elements 4-bar Towel Warmer so the humans wouldn’t feel left out! According to Alysa Slay (one of the Directors at Camp Dogwood),

The mission of Camp Dogwood is committed to the dog, the bond between people and their dogs, and the community. As part of its commitment to the community, Camp Dogwood organizes the Dogwood Yard Sale at each camp to raise money for various dog related rescue groups and non-profits. The Dogwood Yard Sale is comprised of the generous donations of the campers and staff of Camp Dogwood - items can be gently used dog related items, gift certificates, or merchandise donated by businesses. At the Fall Camp 2009, Camp Dogwood raised approximately $1500. The recipients of this money are Rescue Cavaliers and Collie Rescue of Greater Illinois. Rescue dogs from each of these organizations have attended Camp Dogwood.

Overall, the auction was successful and everyone involved had a great time. It is also the mission of WarmlyYours to give back to the community and if we can keep a few dogs warm and cozy at the same time, all the better. Go Camp Dogwood!

Four Steps to Spa Greatness!

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Mitmoen) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 19:51:00 +0000

Incorporating the bathroom spa experience in today’s home is becoming far more commonplace. That’s true, in part, because adding luxury and comfort to your master bathroom is much more affordable than it once was. No longer do you have to stay in a resort hotel to have that spa experience. You can enjoy a spa bathroom without ever leaving home.

I’ve listed some renovations below that can help you to achieve that quintessential spa bathroom. Some are more costly than others, but any one would be a great start to transforming an ordinary bathroom into your spa retreat.

First, warm your floors! Generally speaking, your bathroom is one of the smaller rooms in your home and so adding electric radiant heating under tile flooring will add lots of warmth and comfort, without breaking the budget.

Second, include a towel warmer. There are lots of styles available for just about every décor imaginable, so you can easily find one that compliments your bathroom’s design. Not only can a towel warmer be a beautiful accessory, it will keep your towels warm and dry. Both plug-in and hardwired models are available, so you can add a towel warmer during new construction or as part of a simple bathroom remodel.

Third, steam up your shower. Right now, steam showers are the hottest luxury item in bathroom design (no pun intended). Not only is the steam shower lovely, but it’s is also a great way to relax and let go of the pressure and stress of the day. With all that steam, how will you ever be able to see in the mirror when it’s time to shave or put on make-up? Well, there is a low cost solution for that too… so, read on.

Fourth, add mirror defogger. Easy to install behind your wall mirror, the defogger will prevent the glass from steaming up during showering or bathing. No matter how foggy your bathroom becomes, the mirror will stay crystal clear.

That’s it! I can’t promise that all of these renovations will be easy, especially if you plan to do it yourself. But, the end result will be lovely and luxurious, and well worth it. Pretty soon your friends (even those who live nearby) will be coming up with reasons why they need to stay overnight at your house. You may want to keep your bathroom remodel a secret!

The Time to Renovate is Now!

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Mitmoen) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 14:27:00 +0000

There are lots of things you can do to more effectively sell your home. I’ve actually heard of people burying a St. Joseph statue upside-down in the yard in the hopes that it will make their house sell quicker. But, what if you live in a condo and don’t have a yard? Vivian S. Toy of The New York Times recently wrote a great article called “Spending to Sell”. In the article, she talks about several things a homeowner can do to increase your home’s value as well as its chances of selling faster.

In each example, Ms.Toy describes the renovations made to the property and how they affected the home’s resale value. Since most of the homes she discussed were in the $500,000 to 2 million range, the dollar amount of each home’s renovation were on the higher side as well. Even so, there are many affordable options available which allow homeowners to significantly improve the home before putting it on the market. Painting the interior with a neutral color is the single most affordable option to add value to a home. Changing outdated lighting fixtures or increasing the lighting in dim or dark spaces is another very affordable way to add value.

Generally speaking, updating the kitchen by installing new cabinetry, granite countertops, or stainless appliances, will yield a significant return on your investment. Also, updating a bathroom with new cabinetry, lighting, fixtures, or by adding electric radiant floor heating, will also increase the home’s resale value. Do pay close attention, however, to the style of your home. If the interior style is designed as Victorian or Traditional, it may not make sense to add an ultra modern kitchen. If at all possible, try to preserve the original feel of the house when making improvements.

The most important thing for a seller to keep in mind is that it is a buyers’ market. Buyers are getting way more “bang for the buck”, so it is important to make your house/condo stand out as a worthwhile investment. Think about it…wouldn’t you rather buy a house that is move-in ready rather than investing time and money into a fixer-upper which is comparable in size and price? It’s a no-brainer when you look at it that way.

Is Floor Heating Really Easy to Install?

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Mitmoen) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 14:24:00 +0000

I’ve blogged about our kitchen remodel a few times recently, so to sum it up quickly, we installed new cabinets, appliances, flooring, and electric radiant heating. Everything has been installed, and the kitchen is finished now. So, the day of reckoning has come. Is radiant heating as awesome as everyone says? Yes, totally!

The best part about it all is how easy it was to install. We used a contractor because I was convinced it was going to be harder than it really was (even though all of our marketing collateral is very clear about how easy it is). But, after watching our contractor do the installation and taking photos of each step, I realized that it was the kind of thing we could have easily done on our own.

Installation of radiant heating rolls is a breeze! Since our kitchen is on a concrete slab, we added insulation between the concrete and the heating rolls. The insulation is designed to prevent heat loss into the concrete slab, and makes the system even more energy efficient. We decided that cork would be the “best fit” for our project (and, by the way, it was really helpful that WarmlyYours sells cork). The contractor rolled out the cork, cut it to fit, removed the cork and then laid down an adhesive. He laid the cork back on top of the adhesive and weighted it down on the ends where it tends to curl up. After that, we just waited for the adhesive to dry, and then it was time to lay the mesh rolls.

A custom installation plan was included with our system and was very easy to follow. It illustrated exactly how to install the floor heating roll. You start by laying the roll down at a specific place that is indicated on the plan. It’s just a matter of unrolling, cutting the mesh, and turning the mat where the plan tells you.

Once the actual installation was completed, it was time for our contractor to lay the tile! He applied a layer of thinset cement over the mesh before he laid the tile. After that, the only thing left to do was to wait for the electrician to hook up the floor heating system to the thermostat.

A few days later, after the system cured, we were able to turn our floor heating system on and enjoy the warmth. Not only does it feel great, but I’m expecting quite a return on our investment when the time comes to sell our house.

Snow Melting Installation under Pavers

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Mitmoen) — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 15:22:00 +0000

A local landscape contractor purchased snow melting mats and controls from WarmlyYours for a patio project. The patio was designed with pavers, and the snow melting mats would be installed in mortar under the pavers. I attended the installation downtown in Toronto, ON Canada. Snow melting is a new product for our company, so I wanted to observe the installation and provide feedback to our product development team. I was very pleasantly surprised at what I saw…

The snow melting installation was very easy and went quickly enough that it did not delay the installation of the pavers. Thanks to the customized installation plan provided by WarmlyYours, it only took the contractors a few minutes to lay out the rolls on the ground, over top of the rebar. The mesh mats were easy to unroll and very practical to use. The installers ended up with an extra foot of mat, but they were able to free the wire from the mat and shape the extra wire to fit in a corner. The mat was flexible enough so that cutting it and performing the “free form” technique was not a problem.

Installing the sensor was probably the most challenging part of the installation. We had to ensure that it remained exposed and that we placed it in an area where it could detect moisture and snow.

Applying the mortar on top of the snow melting mats went very smoothly. Lastly, the pavers were laid directly on top of the mortar with no waiting time.

Elodie Pasek
WarmlyYours
Branch Manager, CAN

Kitchen Remodeling 101

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Mitmoen) — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 15:43:00 +0000

Remodeling a kitchen is a serious undertaking and should not be taken lightly. Everyone warned me about this beforehand, but I just knew that it was going to be easy. I had a plan, right? It turns out that my remodeling plan was about as iron-clad as a generic brand of facial tissue.

When you plan to remodel your kitchen, the best advice I can give you is to set up a temporary kitchen somewhere else in your house. Stock it with a microwave, a few dishes (paper plates work too), a can opener and some utensils. That’s really all you need. Pack everything else away tightly in boxes because drywall dust gets everywhere, literally. Keep your easily opened food stuff and microwavable non-perishables handy. Just because you think you’ll only be without a kitchen for a few days or even a week does not mean you won’t actually be without one for a month or longer.

We “newbie” kitchen remodelers don’t really have a good concept of a realistic timeline to complete a remodel.. We think that if God created the earth in a few days, then surely we should be able to remodel a kitchen in a week. Well, I’m here to tell you, we are not gods! This type of project has a lot of details and is quite a bit more time consuming and challenging than it appears at first blush. If you do use a contractor some tasks will move faster (they do have more experience laying tile or what have you), but once you give up control to a contractor you work more around their schedule than your own. You aren’t the only job they are juggling and sometimes you may even have to wait a day or two as they fit smaller projects in between yours. Did you know that some things actually take time to dry? Drying time can definitely chew up valuable remodeling “calendar” time.

Keep in mind that your remodel will take time to complete and require some hard work on your part. Just know that it will all be over at some point and it is worth it. If you do choose to use a contractor, make sure you get everything in writing first!

Check out these before and after pictures of my own kitchen remodel. Which do you like best? I’m glad to have gone through this experience, but I don’t plan to do it again for quite awhile!

Radient Heating For Floors

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Mitmoen) — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 13:34:00 +0000

We here at www.warmlyyours.com (a fabulous radiant heating company) have noticed a trend in the types of words used to search the internet for radiant heating products. After giving it some thought, I decided to share this knowledge with all of you. It was brought to my attention that there are a lot of folks (myself included, so don’t feel badly) who search for radiant heating products by spelling the word radiant with an “e’ as radient heating or radient floors. Clearly, this misspelling is not done intentionally, but most probably a result of the searcher’s haste to find out more information about all the wonderful radiant heating products in the marketplace! While, this is in no way a catastrophe, it does raise some questions about the difference between blogging for passion and blogging for keyword optimization. Because I am a writer for the corporate world, I probably should not reveal to my readers that including keywords in web copy is very important to the art of raising a company’s rankings with search engines, like Google and Yahoo. There is a fine art in trying to raise your rankings while still creating useful and informative articles (bloggers with passion). Sometimes writers spend a lot of time saying nothing just to stuff enough keywords in the article to optimize it for the search engines (bloggers for optimization.) But how far can someone go without completely selling out?

Recently, a colleague suggested that I write an article littered with the incorrect spelling of radiant heating, i.e., radient heating, rather than using the correct spelling of the word. Doing so would push my writings higher up in the search engine rankings for those who are searching with the incorrect spelling. That way, they would be more likely to find our company (and possibly buy our radiant heating products). At first, I objected. I thought it would de-passionize (is that even a word?) everything I’ve written so far, but the more I thought about it, the more it made sense. Just because someone misspells a word doesn’t mean that they should miss out on all the wonderful information out there in cyberspace about the subject matter they are interested in! So I broke down and decided (just for this time) that I would be radiant floor AND radient floor friendly while at the same time giving my readers a spelling tutorial!

Lesson learned? Oh, you didn’t want a lesson? Then please read more about us and our all of our products at www.warmlyyours.com!

Staying Warm Safely

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Mitmoen) — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 14:45:00 +0000

Now that the temperature is starting to drop and there’s a chill in the air, people will start dragging out their space heaters and cranking up the thermostat. Sure, you can go out and buy a brand new primary heating system for your house, but let’s be realistic, who can afford such a high ticket item in these economic times? We are all hoping next year will be better, but for now something a little more affordable seems like the right way to go. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, there are a couple basic categories of heaters that fit the bill. They do differ in how they heat a room, so I thought I’d shed some light on the subject for those of us in the dark (and the cold!) Follow along closely…there are a lot of 2’s in this story.

The first category of space heaters, and the most common, is known as convection heating. Basically, this is a space heater that relies on the circulation of heated air around a room. Convection is the traditional kind of heater that most people think about when they think of a space heater. Within the category of convection heating, there are 2 types - combustion and electric heaters.

Combustion heaters also typically come in 2 kinds, vented and unvented. I won’t go into detail about the unvented type because they have been banned for use inside a home; they tend to increase the levels of carbon monoxide and other toxins beyond the recommended levels. A vented combustion space heater is generally mounted to a wall and has vents that lead outside of the home. It works by using a fuel (usually kerosene or propane) to heat up the air and then blow it into the house. Because it is vented, carbon monoxide levels remain safe for breathing. Just remember, you’ll need to keep the vents clean.

The second type of convection heater is electric. Basically, you plug it in and air is drawn in and pulled over and around a heated element and then dispersed throughout the room. Remember those “old school” space heaters where you could see through the front and there were those red hot, snake-like elements inside? That is exactly the kind of space heater I’m talking about. Generally, electric heaters are safer than combustion heaters, but be sure to find one with an automatic shut-off in case it is ever turned over.

The second category of heating system to consider is radiant space heating. With this type of heat, there is no air drawn in and forced out to be circulated around the room. Actually, there are no moving parts at all. Instead, radiant heating technology generates warmth that emanates outward, warming objects and people slowly and steadily, as opposed to warming the air directly. This type of heater is usually a more efficient choice when you want to heat a room for a short period of time or only want to heat a defined area, such as the space under your home or office desk.

No matter what kind of space heater you decide on, above all, remember that safety comes first! The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates that 25,000 fires are started by space heaters a year. Make sure you do your research about the specific type and brand you are considering. Try to learn about any safety issues the product has experienced in the past and maybe even read a few in-depth user reviews. Good luck and stay safe, warm and cozy!

Kitchen Flooring: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly!

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Mitmoen) — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 11:41:00 +0000

Part 3

There are so many different floor coverings available in the marketplace. Sometimes, it may be a bit overwhelming just trying to choose the best option for your kitchen. To make this process easier, I’ve grouped together various flooring types and reviewed their advantages and disadvantages. In Part 3, I’ll talk about Vinyl, Laminate, Carpet, and Concrete. I hope this helps make your kitchen flooring decision a little easier!

Vinyl

Vinyl flooring is really easy to work with. It is quiet, soft, easy to install, versatile, and very affordable. It comes in both stick-on tile as well as large rolls. Seams are the weak point in this floor yet are unavoidable in certain sized rooms. Moisture can get in and mold/mildew can grow. Sometimes it will simply lift along the edges. Despite this drawback, it is still the most affordable flooring option out there.

Pros - Vinyl is durable, water and stain resistant as well as inexpensive. It is also easy to install and it comes in a wide variety of colors and patterns.

Cons - As mentioned earlier, moisture can cause seams to mold and lift.

Laminate

Laminate flooring often looks like wood, bamboo or cork, but it is actually a plastic. Today, there are designs that have graining built in before the “picture” of the wood is overlain. The result is fairly realistic-looking, durable flooring that is usually quite reasonably priced.

Pros - This type of flooring is durable, comes in a wide range of designs and colors, and is scratch resistant. It can be installed over old flooring and is a good choice for damp areas. Laminate is also very easy to install yourself as many types click together and require no glue.

Cons - Laminate cannot be refinished if it is damaged, but if you reserve a few extra boards you can replace it. For the most part, it’s more affordable than wood, but occasionally you will find some that are much more expensive. So don’t just assume it will be cheaper. Do compare prices.

Concrete

Concrete flooring is gaining popularity as a viable alternative for flooring. It can be made visually appealing by utilizing a variety of colors and textures before sealing. Concrete is easy to clean, moisture-resistant, and long-lasting. It’s also well-suited to in-floor radiant heating.

Pros - Concrete is a great option for flooring. Both heat and cold resistant, it is also easy to clean. All the maintenance it needs is the occasional waxing. It can also be acid-stained to create various colors. Allergy sufferers can benefit from concrete flooring as there is no place for allergens to cling to, resulting in an easy clean up.

Cons - Concrete does not make for an easy installation for the average do-it-yourselfer. If a mistake is made, it can be costly to fix. Generally, you’ll want to use a professional and that will cost a little more. The only other disadvantage of concrete is that there is a limited range of color options.

Carpet

Carpet is not a common type of kitchen flooring, but some people do prefer it, so I thought I would mention a bit about it too.

Pros - Carpet is soft on the feet. It also comes in many colors and styles. The price of carpet ranges from inexpensive to pricey, so be on the look out for the best bang for your buck.

Cons - Generally, carpet is not a great idea for a kitchen. It is best used in a drier area. Moisture and dirt can collect in the carpet and start to grow mold and mildew. Carpet is not a good choice for people with allergies either. You are better off getting a different kind of floor with throw rugs that can be washed.

Kitchen Flooring: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly!

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Mitmoen) — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 11:26:00 +0000

Part 2

As I mentioned in Part 1 of the Kitchen Flooring series, there are so many different floor coverings available in the marketplace. As it can be a bit overwhelming just trying to choose the best option for your kitchen, I’m continuing to review some of the most popular options available. In my review, I note each flooring type’s advantages and disadvantages to help you make the best decision for your kitchen. In Part 1, I reviewed cork, bamboo and hardwood. In Part 2, I’ll talk about tile, stone and linoleum/marmoleum.

Tile

Tile is an exceptionally popular flooring type for a kitchen because of its functionality and aesthetics. It’s not surprising given that the nature of a kitchen, and the opportunity for spills. Tile is virtually spill proof. You may break a glass if you drop it on tile, but liquids and other spills wipe up easily. It is also quite easy to get a custom look with tile as it comes in many different styles and designs which allow for lots of creative freedom. The sky really is the limit!

Pros - There is a large selection of tile shapes, sizes and colors! It’s fairly easy to maintain and is pretty durable. Tile is also one of the more affordable options to choose from and is one of the easier materials to work with if you plan to install the flooring yourself.

Cons - Tile is very cold and hard on the feet, legs and back. You can, however, take the chill off of tile with a radiant floor warming system. Tile can break, but if you keep a few extra tiles on hand, they can be replaced. The only downfall with tile is that the grout can be difficult to keep up. If you use a light color grout, dirt will show. If you use anything but white grout, it can be hard to match later if it chips.

Stone

Marble, slate, travertine and granite are some of the leading stone flooring covering options. Stone flooring has been around forever and never seems to go out of style. When selected from well-managed quarries, stone is a great alternative to ceramic or vinyl tile and its natural beauty will last for the life of your home and beyond.

Pros - Stone makes for a gorgeous floor! It’s extremely durable, often outlasting the life of the house. There are a lot of colors and patterns available.

Cons - Just like tile, stone is cold and hard. Again, like tile, adding radiant heating to the stone flooring will warm it up to a very comfortable temperature. Stone, however, is a much more expensive flooring option. Additionally, a high gloss polish will cause the floor to be slippery when wet and some stone types do need to be sealed regularly. Although stone is very durable, some cleaning products can damage stone flooring. Be sure to read labels carefully and DO NOT use a product that is not made for your type of stone.

Linoleum/Marmoleum

Marmoleum (a brand name of Linoleum) is made from all natural ingredients: linseed/flax oil, wood resins, cork, limestone, and jute. Vibrant, marbled colors from organic dyes are a hallmark of linoleum. Also, because the color permeates the material, it can actually be sanded down to prolong the life of the flooring. Linoleum flooring is resilient which makes it perfect for heavy traffic and prolonged standing. It is a great option for those affected by respiratory issues because it discourages dust mites and is allergen-free. The flooring’s consistent temperature works well in all homes, even those situated in extreme climate zones. Linoleum is available in sheets and tiles, which should always be installed with low-VOC adhesives, as well as hard tongue and groove planks for do-it-yourself glueless installation.

Pros - Linoleum comes in a huge selection of colors and patterns. It is soft underfoot and very durable. It is environmentally friendly because it is made of natural ingredients. It is one of the more affordable flooring options. For people with allergies, it can be a good choice.

Cons - Linoleum is porous. It can require waxing and may also require some repair over time. Even though it’s durable, it is not easy to repair scratches, nicks or holes, but it can be done..

Kitchen Flooring: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly!

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Mitmoen) — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 17:17:00 +0000

Part 1

There are so many different floor coverings available in the marketplace. Sometimes, it may feel a bit overwhelming just trying to choose the best option for your kitchen. To make this process easier, I’ve grouped together various flooring types and reviewed their advantages and disadvantages. In Part 1, I’ll talk about cork, bamboo and hardwood. I hope this helps make your kitchen flooring decision a little easier!

Cork Flooring

Cork flooring is a relatively new option on the flooring scene and is gaining in popularity. It is a renewable resource and offers the same strength and durability of hardwood. It’s also allergy-friendly, which is a growing concern for many homeowners. Actually made from the bark of the cork oak tree, it is harvested every 9 years and the harvesting process does not harm the actual tree. With a variety of colors and finishes available, it is easy to see why cork is becoming a popular flooring choice.

Pros - Renewable, allergy-friendly, and comes in many colors and finishes. It is easy to install and is often one of the more affordable options. Contains a natural waxy element called Suberin, which actually inhibits fire, repels insects and naturally seals the floor.

Cons - Cork does require sealing on a regular basis and is not as easy to clean or as durable as vinyl. If you are very hard on your floors, cork may not be the best option for your kitchen.

Bamboo Flooring

Bamboo flooring is a highly sustainable resource as well as being environmentally friendly. As bamboo grows to maturity rather quickly, it can be harvested every 7 years. During harvesting, the root system is unharmed and remains healthy and ready to produce more bamboo shoots. Bamboo is cured and glued together to make flooring. It is naturally moisture resistant which makes it an ideal choice for a kitchen (or bathroom). It has become a natural option for those who prefer to use environmentally friendly materials when building or remodeling.

Pros - Bamboo is renewable and as durable as maple or walnut hardwood flooring. It’s also highly moisture resistant. Keep in mind when choosing the color, the lighter the coloring, the harder the flooring will be.

Cons - It can be pricey. Often the profits are not shared fairly with the harvesters. Also,
some bamboo farms do not harvest responsibly which diminishes the sustainability aspect. Bamboo is shipped from overseas, so if being “green” is a consideration for you, keep that in mind.

Wood (solid wood or engineered planks)

Wood flooring is a timeless option, and has recently skyrocketed in popularity. Not only is it fairly durable and long lasting, there are also lots of wood types, colors and stains available. If you do decide to use reclaimed wood, your choice helps to conserve natural resources and preserve the eco system; it can also be a more affordable alternative. No matter what type of wood flooring you use, it will inevitably be a gorgeous feature in your kitchen.

Pros - Wood is beautiful and feels soft underfoot. It’s pretty durable and long lasting if it is taken care of and sealed properly. There are many colors and stains to choose from and is a great complement for most kitchen designs.

Cons - Wood is prone to water damage, and can also darken with age. While it is soft underfoot, it can make feet and legs tired if you stand on it for any length of time. Softer woods can also dent easily. Lastly, real wood is one of the more expensive floor covering options.

Less Stress, More Warmth and Relaxation

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Mitmoen) — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 15:05:00 +0000

There is a new trend you may have heard about - the staycation. According to Wikipedia, a staycation is a vacation, but rather than travel to some exotic destination, you stay at home to enjoy your house or to take advantage of local parks, festivals, or tourist attractions. With the economic downturn forcing people to be more economically minded, there are fewer folks willing to spend money to take long destination vacations. More and more, people are taking off work just to hang around at home with their families and friends.

Not only is this trend catching on, but the lawn and garden industry is benefiting from it. Recently Scotts Miracle-Gro, a goliath in the industry, posted their 3rd quarter results. Their numbers showed a huge increase in revenue, $147.8 million up from $22.6 million in the same quarter last year. Scotts has been quoted as saying that the reason behind the increase is due to a "high level of consumer engagement in nearly all aspects of the lawn and garden category."

Scotts’ numbers seem to demonstrate just how much homeowners are focusing on improving their yards. And, if you think about it, it makes a lot of sense to invest time and money in your home. Not only will you personally enjoy it, but you’ll benefit from the added resale value. Going to Hawaii for a week is nice, but does it make as much sense in these tough economic times? So, why stop at just the lawn and garden? Why not consider a nice outdoor patio and maybe even an outdoor kitchen. Add some snow melting and you can enjoy your outdoor living space almost all year around Maybe build a rock wall with a grill and fridge in it? Now, that’s what I am talking about. Sticking around for the summer and enjoying your home…

Snow melting, you say? Why would I need that for my patio? Well, its pretty amazing stuff, really. It will keep your patio warm on those cool spring and fall evenings. And, melt the snow off your patio in the winter. So, now you’ll be able to enjoy your patio year around, not just for your staycation. You won’t have to trudge through the snow to get to your Weber or run in the house after you take those burgers or steaks off the grill – you can enjoy them right there, on your patio.

For me, this is a great option as I’m quite the homebody, so the whole staycation is perfect for me. But, no matter what type of vacation you decide to “take” this year, make sure you enjoy it and get as much relaxation and enjoyment from it as you can! With our crazy lifestyles nowadays, we all need down time to rejuvenate.

Hard To Heat Room? Problem Solved!

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Mitmoen) — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 15:04:00 +0000

Recently, we decided to tackle my son's bedroom. We wanted to replace the old worn out carpet with new "click" laminate flooring from IKEA. We also wanted to add some Environ II™ (EVII) floor heating because the room sits right over top of the garage. I decided to recruit some friends to help. The first step was to remove the old carpet and padding. Once removed, the plywood subfloor was exposed, so we did some additional cleanup and removed staples and tack strip. Next, we used a pry bar to carefully remove all baseboards and trim located at floor level.

We decided to add a layer of cork over top of the subfloor to act as insulation. To lay the cork, we divided the room in sections and pre-cut the roll of cork to fit each section. Next, we applied an 1/8" thick layer of latex thinset to the subfloor to hold the cork in place. Then we placed the cork pieces on top, one at a time.

Once the cork was installed, we followed the custom installation plan provided by WarmlyYours to install the EVII floor heating panels. WarmlyYours specified the 240V product because of the room’s large size. We positioned the EVII panels so that the lead wire would run the shortest path along the wall back to the thermostat. Where necessary, we carved out the cork with a mat knife to create a channel to house the lead wire, In retrospect, this would have been easier to do before the thinset settled completely. We then used an electric back saw to cut down the door's moldings at the bottom so they could accommodate the height of the flooring. We used a piece of the laminate to ensure that we trimmed the door to the right height.

Our next step was to lay the laminate flooring. Large open sections were easy to do. We did have to cut pieces to go around the closets and door which was a lot more time consuming.

Finally, we neatly routed the lead wires back to a relay and then into the thermostat. A simple mat knife will easily carve a channel in the cork for the lead wires. Don't forget to put the sensor wire underneath of the laminate before you lay down your last piece. The sensor wire sends the signal about the floor’s temperature to the thermostat. Last step was thermostat hook up.

The floor’s looked great! And, my son is looking forward to warm floors this winter.

Don't Waste A Good Recession

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Mitmoen) — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 15:55:00 +0000

Overall, the US economy is slowly recovering. Just a couple of months ago everything seemed dark. Now we have signs of not only stabilization, but also recovery. It may take a couple of quarters to see new jobs becoming available, but it will come. It just takes time.

According to those who observe the housing market, the landscape won’t always be this dreary. The pace of home construction rose 2.3% in June, but building permit activity (a sign of future construction plans) sank to its lowest rate in 10 years. This is actually good news! The fewer new homes on the market, the less time needed to decrease the existing inventory of foreclosed homes. In other words, the fewer new homes being built, the better. Unfortunately, this will mean fewer jobs in the construction industry. That said, falling home prices are probably worse for the economy as a whole than fewer homes being built. Balancing out the story, it has been noted that the consumer confidence index is positively correlated with home pricing.

So, when home prices rise, consumer confidence rises also.

The good news is that you can take advantage of this recession. Now is the perfect time to remodel your home. Labor is cheap, commodities are 60% less expensive and there is significant promotional pricing being offered in an effort to move product. These factors, when taken together, can reduce the overall cost of the remodeling project by 25-30%. The bottom line…there are plenty of opportunities to increase the value of your home over time. As it has been said, "Don't waste a recession!"

Greening with Environ II™

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Mitmoen) — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 20:45:00 +0000

This past weekend, Lindy Alo, a National Account Manager from our sales team was in a local community boat parade. He reused some of WarmlyYours scrapped floor heating product, Environ II™ to create signs for his boat float. If you look closely, you can read the words “Gotta Lite” on the shiny aluminum-like material on the side of the float. What a novel idea - using an old floor heating mat as a boat sign. You keep it out of the landfill and it’s pretty, too! Great Job, Lindy!

Here is Lindy’s story in his own words-

“I entered the annual Lake Zurich Boat Parade this year. If you look at the float, you can see the signs we made out of returned Environ II™ mats. We recycled them into fine looking art work. Now, we are thinking about opening a “sign outlet” to repurpose all of our scrapped mats! The paint, tape and shine, especially as it reflected off the water, all looked wonderful. Enjoy the photo!”

Can We Say Pulitzer Prize Writer?

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Mitmoen) — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 15:50:00 +0000

Recently our technical supervisor, Scott Rosenbaum, was published in PM Engineer magazine. We are really excited about the spread and we’re sure that this is just the first of many articles to come! We’re so very proud of our tech guy. He knows his stuff when it comes to floor heating installations and he’s not a half bad writer! As part of the 24/7 tech team, he has received several troubleshooting calls. He’s answered tons of questions that folks (many of whom were not even our customers!) have asked about their electric floor heating systems and he noticed a real trend developing. Certain things kept popping up over and over. So many of the floor heating installation issues he deals with could have easily been avoided if people just followed a few simple tips. So, he wrote this great little blog that turned into a full fledged published article, all to try and get the message out. Read his original blog and save yourself some heartache.

Comfortable Concrete

noreply@blogger.com (Vickie Wash) — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 18:20:00 +0000

Are you considering one of the newest trends in homebuilding today - polished, stamped or stained concrete flooring? Even if you aren’t building a new home, perhaps you have considered putting an addition on your house such as a sunroom…or, a garage. You’ll appreciate a warm concrete floor when its time to relax and enjoy your 3- season room or change the oil in your garage on a cool Saturday morning. Now, with WarmlyYours concrete heating cable, you can design your concrete floors to be as warm as they are beautiful.

Decorative concrete flooring is a hot trend and a perfect companion to a warm floor. WarmlyYours new electric heating cable product allows you to warm naturally cold concrete efficiently and economically. Why not “kick up” your decorative concrete flooring design a notch? With concrete floor heating, you’ll enjoy the radiant heat of your basement, garage or sunroom addition just as much as any other room in your home.

Let WarmlyYours Experts Do The Thinking For You!
We are ready to design the concrete floor heating system that is an exact fit for your project. There are no pipes, boilers, tubing, tanks or noisy pumps. Our concrete floor heating cable is simple to install and is embedded right in the middle of a 4” to 6” concrete poor. Just send us your project details and let our experts do the thinking for you. We will provide you with a custom installation plan and recommend a control that is just right for your project.

Getting Comfortable in the Office

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Mitmoen) — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 20:08:00 +0000

Work and comfort aren’t often thought of together. But, why aren’t they? Most people spend more waking hours at work than they do at home so why shouldn’t we invest a little time or money making ourselves more comfortable? Sure, I know what you are going to say. Who wants to spend money on a place you’d rather not think about when you aren’t there. But, what if we did focus more on our physical well being at the office? Would we still rather not go to work? Or, if you are one of those rare people who totally love their job, would adding comfort to your work space be like icing on top of the cake?

Ok, after all that back and forth, I’ll get to the point. Basically, I’ve come across a few ways that folks can make their work space more tolerable, and maybe even comfortable.

- First, let’s focus on lighting. Fluorescent lights do not have a positive affect on you in the work environment. Everyone knows that. If there is a way to reduce the fluorescent lighting above your desk and use a desk lamp instead, it will make your office space feel a little homier. In fact, recently I just happened to catch part of a TV show about extreme work places. (Sorry, I can’t remember the channel.).The office that was featured allowed an employee to put an outdoor umbrella in his cubicle to eliminate the overhead fluorescent lighting! Your boss might consider something like that, especially if you mention that it would improve your productivity ☺ (or at least let you remove the bulbs from above your desk). Generally, desk lamps are fairly inexpensive, but if you can’t afford one or you just don’t want to make the investment, go to Goodwill and pick one up secondhand.

- Second, office chairs really aren’t great for your back even when they are designed to be ergonomically correct. Sometimes we need a little more lumbar support. There are chair pads made to enhance the areas of your chair that are lacking in support, and some are designed to give you a massage as well. You can purchase these devices for as little or as much money as you are willing to spend. Just keep an eye out for sales and positive product reviews and you’ll surely find something that works for you!

- Third, a lot of people don’t know what kind of temperature to expect when they get to the office. Some days, the office feels hot and some days it feels frigid. People often keep an extra sweater hanging on their chair for the colder days. But for some poor souls, this just isn’t enough. WarmlyYours has an Under Desk Heater that plugs into a standard 120 volt outlet, and uses radiant heat to bring extra warmth to your feet and legs. The Heater is made of plush, soft carpet, so not only is it warm, but it’s comfy. It even raises the temperature slightly in your cubicle so the sweater may not even be necessary. This product is also very affordable (though, it is more expensive than a sweater you bring from home).

-Can you imagine sitting in your dimly lit cubicle, getting a back massage while warming your feet and drinking free work coffee? Sounds a little like heaven on earth to me. Maybe coming into work tomorrow isn’t such a bad idea?

Wife-1, Husband-0

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Mitmoen) — Sat, 16 May 2009 16:56:00 +0000

Obviously, I work for WarmlyYours, so I hear good things about our radiant heating products all the time. Sure, that might make you think I am biased, but I don’t make decisions lightly. Usually making a decision requires hours of researching and then I have to weigh the pros and cons. Having said that, I’ve been trying to persuade my husband to consider installing an electric floor heating system so that we won’t have to rely so heavily on our seriously inefficient forced air system. He has asthma and I’m cold a lot. Right now, I have to turn the heat up really high in the winter just to sleep through the night, and our heating bills in our new home are twice as high as we expected (probably because of me). To get back to the point, I’ve tried selling my husband on the idea of using it in the kitchen for months now. Why not? We have to remodel the kitchen anyway and now would be the perfect time. I’ve said things like: “We are getting tile floors and they are cold. The kitchen is drafty and studies have shown that when the floors are warm people feel warm.” And, I even tried, “When we sell the house, the floor heating system will add value.” Nothing seemed to get through to him, so finally I decided to forgo the arguing and just let him have his way. (Ladies, you have to pick your battles, right?)

Yesterday, on our way to a family dinner he came out of the blue with his ‘new’ idea and said, “I think we should get radiant heating.” My jaw dropped and I immediately had the thought, “Are you kidding? I’ve been talking about this for months!” I kept that thought to myself and said instead, “Really? That’s a good idea.” Game, set, match. Wife-1, husband-0!

Is it the End of the Recession?

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Mitmoen) — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 15:45:00 +0000

According to the article A Faint Sound of Applause recently published in the “Economist,” the market is going to bounce back soon. Yea! There is finally a light at the end of this long tunnel. Who hasn’t been or who doesn’t know someone who has been adversely affected by the current economy? It seems everyone is losing their jobs or their houses. Don’t just take my word for the rebound, read this quote for yourself.

“Some signs suggest that the recession is lifting. America’s housing bubble seems mostly deflated. According to the S&P/Case-Shiller 20-city index, house prices through January were down 29% from their all-time peak. Relative to incomes, houses are now 10% undervalued, and relative to rents they are fairly valued. This is luring buyers back. House sales rose unexpectedly in February while vehicle sales rose by 8% in March. Even new claims for unemployment insurance have stopped rising.

What has brought this turnabout? In part, the normal corrective powers of the economy. Annualized housing starts are about a quarter of the rate needed to support the forming of new households, so sooner or later we will see a strong rebound. The improvement is also the expected response to monetary and fiscal stimulus, both of which have been exceptionally aggressive. The Federal Reserve, having lowered short-term interest rates in effect to zero, has intervened in bond markets to push down long-term mortgage rates as well.”

At least now we have a financial publication saying things are going to turn around. If we can’t trust the media, who can we trust?

Julia's Favorite Memory

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Mitmoen) — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 20:27:00 +0000

Growing up in a crowded row home in Dundalk, Maryland, space was tight. The walls were thin, so thin that you knew all your neighbors’ business…and, it was always cold in our house. My most favorite childhood memory is of me taking a hot shower in the morning, and then laying on the heating vent in our tiny bathroom shared by 7 other family members. I would lock the door and just sleep - the warm air lulling me back to my dreams. I just remember feeling so content – there- on the floor. I still feel that way when I think about it.

Who knew that my love for floor heat would find me owning a floor heating company and being able to provide electric radiant heat to families and children everywhere? Apparently I'm in the minority. When I talk with my friends about my life, it just seems like most of them did not end up doing something they had a real love for.

How about you? What did you love as a kid? Did you end up doing something you loved when you "grew up"?

Julia Billen - President, WarmlyYours.com Inc.

Troubleshooting Beforehand Insures a Trouble-Free Installation

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Mitmoen) — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 16:09:00 +0000

From the Desk of our Tech Expert, Scott Rosenbaum:

The best troubleshooting tip of all is to make sure you test the roll before it’s installed.

- ALWAYS test your roll with an Ohms meter* once you have unpacked it from the shipping box.

- After the floor heating roll(s) is cut and laid out on the floor, you MUST test the roll again.

It really is that simple. These 2 easy steps can save time, money, and a lot of heartache in the long run. It just doesn't make any sense to install a defective roll. And, the only way to know if the roll is defective is to test it! If the roll is defective, give us a call and we will ship a replacement to you overnight. If you have any questions at all, we are available by phone to help you, 24/7!

If the roll passes these two tests, you are ready to encase the roll(s) in thinset or self leveling cement. Whichever you use, it should be latex modified.

- Before troweling on the thinset, install the Circuit Check* device to each roll you’re installing. This device will “sound off” very loudly if the roll gets damaged during installation.

- After the floor is installed, test the roll again with an Ohms meter.

These simple steps should make the installation problem-free. It is so surprising how many problems we see in Tech Support that could have been easily avoided by reading the installation manual and following these simple steps!

* The Circuit Check IS NOT a substitute for an Ohms meter! A digital Ohms meter can be purchased at any hardware store for around $15.

Video Blog Episode #2: Electric Floor Heating Overview

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Mitmoen) — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 21:56:00 +0000

This video gives a basic description of electric floor heating and radiant heat. Thermostat information, cost of running and usage information also supplied.

Daylight Savings Sale

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Mitmoen) — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 20:23:00 +0000

Spring ahead and out of your bed now that your floors are warm! No need to put slippers on to avoid the freezing shock that can come from standing on cold tile or wood floors.

For a limited time we here at WarmlyYours have put together a little deal for our customers to help celebrate the fact that there are a few more hours of daylight added to every day Starting March 8th!

Order your floor heating system* by March 31st and WarmlyYours will take 50% OFF your EnergyStat™ floor heating thermostat. Remember to mention Coupon Code Energy50!

For more information please see our official offer page at: http://www.warmlyyours.com/products/daylightsavingsale/

*Order must include a roll and the EnergyStat™ control to qualify. No substitutions. Offer available in both US and CAN while supplies last. Coupon Code must be presented at time of order. Offer cannot be combined with any other offers/promotions.Other restrictions may apply.

Video Blog Episode #1: Using Circuit Checks

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Mitmoen) — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 01:59:00 +0000

Hello all,
At WarmlyYours we're always looking for new ways to interact with our visitors, below is the first in what we hope will be many video blogs addressing questions that our customer service and technical support teams are frequently asked. We hope that you will find these short episodes a helpful resource in assisting you with your floor heating needs. Feel free to leave your feedback below.