Review: Price Pfister Faucet

Price Pfister has been making stylish, dependable faucets since 1910. They offer affordable products that stand up to everyday use and they provide a quality guarantee to back it up. Price Pfister was kind enough to send us their Hanover Kitchen Faucet. It’s available in several configurations and styles. My experience is with the stainless steel, two-hole configuration. Read on to learn more about this faucet and where it can be purchased.

Where to Buy the Price Pfister Hanover Kitchen Faucet

This faucet has great, traditional styling and features you’ve come to expect- pull-down handle, spray selector, and water flow regulator. It’s made from quality materials and is built to last. If you’re in the market for and outstanding faucet, the Price Pfister Hanover kitchen faucet is an excellent choice. This faucet is available from several retailers and online. Amazon sells it for $135.27 with free shipping!

• Price Pfister Hanover kitchen faucet

Price Pfister Hanover Faucet Review

Faucet features
The first thing that impressed me about this faucet are the features. Today’s kitchen faucets can have lots of different features, but here are a few I consider essential.

• Pull-Down spray – This basically integrates the side sprayer into the faucet itself. It makes it possible to easily direct the flow of water, and maneuver your faucet as needed. This faucet has a generous hose length allowing you to reach well beyond the sink.
• Spray selector – Modern faucets allow you to choose between a sprayer and an aerated stream. This enables you to wash those fresh tomatoes with a gentler aerated stream and blast away baked-on lasagna, all with the touch of a button.
• Water flow control – While I don’t consider this a must-have feature, it’s still very nice. The spray head has a slider that allows you to control the flow of water. You can quickly go from a trickle to a full stream. Plus, this feature saves water because you’ll only use as much as you need.

Faucet valve
The type of valve is an important consideration when choosing a kitchen faucet. A quality valve will ensure your faucet functions properly for a long time. There are four major valve types and the best two are ceramic disk and cartridge. Both of these valve types are very reliable, and the Hanover faucet features a cartridge valve. If something does go awry, Price Pfister made it easy to replace.

Assembly
You don’t need to be a professional plumber to install this faucet. Assembly is very straight-forward; the directions include great diagrams, supply lines are color coded, and Price Pfister incorporates Quick Connectors for an easy install.

Styling
I mentioned earlier that this faucet is available in several different configurations and styles. I’m a big fan of stainless steel but it’s also available in Tuscan Bronze. Either way, this faucet has a tall body making it easy to fit pots, pans, and babies under. The controls are different but easy to learn. Rotating the handle out (away from the faucet body) turns on the water. The front is cold water and the back is hot.

What do you think? What’s your experience with this faucet?

Deck Design That Integrates Natural Surroundings

We’re huge fans of deck designs that integrate with their natural surroundings.  We’ve all seen pictures of decks built around trees (if you haven’t click there for an ok example).  This deck, built off the back of a cabin in the woods sports a bridge to a nearby cluster of rocks that provides a fantastic overlook for deer spotting.  In this area, the deer are so tame that the young will come within 10 yards of people they’ve never met before… And the owner’s probably new it.

While the deck is only about five feet off the ground, the bridge to the rock cluster really integrates the space better than steps down and up would have.  This is a little more easily seen from this picture of the area at a higher angle.

The bridge makes this sitting lookout easily accessible, and a great spot to enjoy some wine and cheese watching the deer walk by…

And, as chance would have it, a mother and  a few young fawns were available for photograph.  We didn’t have a telephoto lens, so you’ll have to be satisfied with this (slightly blurry) digitally-zoomed pic of this 4-5 mo. old.

What do you think? Do you have a great shot of a home integrating natural surroundings?  Send us a picture so we can highlight it: pictures@oneprojectcloser.com.

Online Manuals and Project Tracking from Manage My Home

There’s an online resource that I’ve come to appreciate called Manage My Home. This site was launched by Sears Holdings a few months back and is designed to provide information and management resources for home improvement projects. I like anything that’ll help me get the job done better / faster, but I really like that’s all free.

Manage My Home

Some of the big features of this site include a to-do list tracker, inventory manager, and an appliance manual database.

Lists – The list tab helps you setup to-do lists and see what you’ve completed. You can even see what other people have added or browse by topic. Some items that can be found under the “winter” category include checking weatherstrips and cutting back perennials. Even if you can’t remember everything, odds are good that another user did.

Projects – Not only can you add projects to you to-do list, but they also provide information about getting the job done. Manage My Home provides instructions to complete popular tasks such as installing a dishwasher. They also include tips such as going to a Habitat ReStore to purchase discounted tools or finding architectural salvage stores.

Manuals - Most of my experience with the site is looking-up lost manuals. I’m not the best about keeping track of manuals so it’s great to be able to go to one site and find them. You can search by brand, product, or model number.

What do you think? Ever use the Manage My Home site?

Three Wood Fences: Partial Privacy, Full Privacy, and Split-Rail

Good fences make good neighbors… isn’t that what they say?  Well, we’ve found that in our suburban neighborhood, we actually prefer open yards… It makes us all feel like we have a little more property.

Even though we don’t prefer them, fences have their place… They are a very functional design element (great for marking out a property, keeping animals penned, providing visual and audible privacy, and detering pass-through foot traffic).  And, they add a little character and charm.  A fence provides visual queues that accent your home’s design, and that makes them very appealing in some landscape designs.

Which Wood Fence for Your Design?

Here’s an overview of three popular wood fence options, and how they can work into your home’s design.

Split-Rail Fences

Our favorite wood fence style is the split-rail.  Formed by upright posts and two or three cross members, the split-rail fence screams western-style ranch.  These fences have been used by livestock farmers for years to demarcate land and keep animals from wandering onto adjacent properties.

Split rail fences can be found in rough-sawn and finished looks.  Rough-sawn versions are made of rustic posts and cross-members.  The cross members are usually three-sided with ends that reduce into small rectangles that fits into slots in the posts.  Finished-look split rail fences usually have perfectly square posts with finished 2×6 cross members that also fit into slots in the posts.

Advantages: Makes the most fence out of a small amount of wood.  Since split rail posts and cross members are rough cut, they are one of the least expenses form of wood fences.  They are transparent, and so can retain an “open feel” while still separating spaces.

Disadvantages: Makes your property look like it should reside in the midwest.  No privacy.  Requires chicken wire addition to pen in small animals.

Partial Privacy Fences

Partial Privacy fences come in multiple forms.  This one, installed in our townhome, blocks out direct views but still allow people to see into the yard at an angle. Wood is attached on both sides of the support members. This style is nice because it only partially blocks the wind, while providing a decent amount of privacy.

Most traditional privacy fences are really partial privacy fences.  This is because pressure treated woods shrink over time, especially in less humid months.  Thus, fences with boards touching end-to-end eventually develop gaps.  This is a good example of a relatively new fence that will likely develop some gaps over time:

Disadvantages: Medium-high cost; not total privacy.  Makes your neighbors feel unwanted.

Full Privacy Fences

Full privacy fences, like this board-over-board version are fantastic for blocking just about everything.  Unlike fences with boards placed end-to-end, a full board-over-board privacy fence virtually eliminates light and wind.  This type of fence is great for making your little patch of land feel like a complete secluded oasis.

Advantages: Total privacy.  Great for keeping animals penned.  Enables skinny dipping.

Disadvantages: Highest cost; Makes your neighbors wonder what you’re hiding.

What do you think? Do you have a fence on your property?  Are you building one soon?  Which will you choose?

(photo credits: split rail by Sir Home A Lot; split rail fence by glen edelson; partial privacy by Josh @ Camera Soup; privacy fence by Number Six (Bill Lap);

Your $.02: Will Paneling Ever Come Back in Style?

Remember that trip to the Poconos that brought you four great lakehouse design homes?  The cabin we stayed in there–for free, courtesy of two friends–was built in the late 60s, and the wall covering of choice back then: 8 foot high paneling broken up every now and again by wood frame casement windows and some made-for-paneling molding.

Looking around the house, we couldn’t help but asking ourselves the question: Will paneling ever come back in style?

We saw the return of swing dancing in the 90s and 00s, and pink and brown have been “in” again for a few years.  Is paneling the next on the list? Will we all be pining for that original paneled look in the next few years?

Tell us what YOU think!

World Habitat Day | October 5, 2009

The United Nations has designated the first Monday of each October as World Habitat Day.

World Habitat Day serves as an important reminder that everyone must unite to ensure that everyone has a safe, decent place to call home. This year on Oct. 5 in Washington, D.C. and around the world, please join Habitat for Humanity in support of this global observance as we come together and declare that the lack of decent, affordable housing is unacceptable.

Did you know?

• According to the United Nations, more than 100 million people in the world today are homeless.
• By the year 2030, an additional 3 billion people, about 40 percent of the world’s population, will need access to housing. (UN-HABITAT: 2005)
• One out of every three city dwellers lives in a slum - lack of water, lack of sanitation, overcrowding, non-durable structures and insecure tenure. (UN-HABITAT: 2006)
• Housing formation generates non-housing related expenditures that help drive the economy. (Kissick, et al: 2006)

World Habitat Day 2008

Here are some of the successes from World Habitat Day, 2008.

• Affiliates across the United States sponsored special wall-raisings; appeared on radio, TV and public education programs; hosted volunteer appreciation and recruitment events; issued World Habitat Day proclamations; and served potluck dinners and pancake breakfasts, among many other activities.
• Habitat’s Europe/Central Asia area office organized, planned and hosted an intensive social housing conference focused on the global state of human habitat. Sixty academics, NGO leaders and government officials took part.M/li>
• Habitat for Humanity South Korea hosted a two-day event that included a disaster simulation for 450 participants and a Euro-Asian Philharmonic Orchestra Concert attended by 3,000 people.

How You Can Help

Take time to consider how you can help make this years World Habitat Day a sucess.

ADVOCATE for decent housing for all by submitting a photo of yourself holding a sign that says “It all starts at home” and submit it to Habitat’s photo petition on Flickr.com. Habitat’s goal is to collect a minimum of 500 photos to deliver to the White House. Submit your photo by Friday, September 25, 2009.

EDUCATE your community with Habitat for Humanity’s World Habitat Day handbook to learn more about the importance of secure tenure and neighborhood revitalization.  Link to Habitat for Humanity’s World Habitat Day 2009 resources page on your social media pages, personal web site or blog to spread the word and raise awareness.

DONATE to be a part of making the world a better place and support Habitat’s efforts. You’re donation helps families to break the cycle of poverty and build long-term financial security.  Donate online today!

What do you think? Will you help spread the word?

Home Depot Coupons: Up to 40% Off Lighting and Ceiling Fans

Here are a few coupons for The Home Depot. Just click on the images.

Review: TEK4 4v Professional Digital Multimeter

Ryobi recently introduced a new line of rugged tools called TEK4. These tools are designed to provide “maximum performance, durability, and run-time”. The line features 10 tools ranging from a laser distance measure, to noise suppression headphones and even an infrared thermometer. Click here for the full list of TEK4 tools.

Ryobi sent us several TEK4 tools to review and up first is the digital multimeter. Read on to learn more about this great new tool.

Where to Buy a TEK4 Digital Multimeter

If you’re looking for a rugged new multimeter, the Ryobi Tek4 Digital Multimeter is a great choice. It has excellent battery life and can withstand the rigors of daily use. This multimeter can be found at your local Home Depot or online for $79.97. Here’s the link:

• Tek4 4V Professional Digital Mutimeter
  

TEK4 Digital Multimeter Review

Rugged and Durable
Durability is one of the big difference between this multimeter and the competition. Most multimeter’s feature a thin plastic shell. One drop and it’s over. The TEK4 multimeter is impact, dust and water resistant. In short, it’s designed to withstand job site conditions everyday. Ryobi backs this up with a 2 year warranty.

Operation
This multimeter provides lots of functionality. The selection dial makes it easy to quickly choose between 9 measurement modes with the turn of a dial. It can measure:

• DC and AC voltage
• DC and AC current
• Resistance
• Capacitance
• Diode test
• Continuity test

Backlight LCD
The TEK4 multimeter has a large LCD screen making it easy to read, and the bright blue backlight means you can read it in the dark!

Hook and Stand
Ryobi incorporated a few nice touches. The back of this multimeter has a hook to help keep your hands free. Nowhere to hook it? Extend the kick stand. Simple features like these are a great value-add on the job site.

Probes and Alligator Clips
Misplaced probes are a thing of the past. The backside also includes built in storage. Plus, Ryobi conveniently included alligator clips, probe covers and probe cover storage.

4v Battery
All TEK4 products feature a 4v Lithium-Ion battery. One TEK4 battery is equivalent to 3 AA batteries, is eco-friendly and provides longer run-time. All products include a standard charger with a fuel gauge, letting you know when the battery is fully charged. This multimeter includes auto power off to save battery life. Click here for more information about TEK4 batteries.

What do you think? Do you own this multimeter?

Simple Benches Built into a Deck Railing

One way to maximize the available seating space on your deck is to build in perimeter benches connected to the deck’s railings.  These simple benches add dozens of seats and are especially useful for parties and events where traditional table seating is limited.  Also, since the benches don’t have any defined seats, people–especially kids–can squish up close together, making the most of limited space on a deck.

Building in deck benches is relatively simple, requiring only a few cuts.  This entire project can be completed in one afternoon, and can be installed on deck railings both inside and outside of the rim joist of the deck.  Take a look at this final picture andwe’ll dissect the components:

How to Build Deck Railing Benches

There are a lot of ways to build these benches, including multiple configurations for the structure and surfaces.  In all designs, the key is to build one set of supports, and then duplicate those supports down the length of the rail.  The first set of supports can be challenging to get exactly right; however, once these are built, you can make copies of the support structure and place them every three feet.  Then, fixing the surface to the supports, and the supports to the deck structure is a relatively easy project.

Building the Bench Support Structure

Step 1: Build the 2×4 back support.  The exact length of the 2×4 will be dictated by the height between the height of the bottom of the railing.  In our case, this is about 34.5 inches.   The 2×4 requires three cuts: One at the bottom, one at the top, and one on the back.  Note that the top and bottom cuts are parallel.  The goal is to place the bottom of the board about 12″ away from the back of the top.  Once you get the top and bottom cuts, you can cut a small 90 degree cut into the top to allow the bench to position against the railing.

Step 2: Build the bench support posts.  A plain 2×6 sits towards the front of the bench, and a 2×6 (or 2×8, if necessary) is cut to fit between the back 2×4 and the front 2×6.  The front 2×6 should be 16.5 inches long, so that when 2-by lumber is fastened to the top of it, the seat sits 18″ off the ground.

Step 4: Assembly the support structures together.  You have a few options here.  One of our favorite ways to join wood is using a kreg jig with wood glue between the joints.  Make sure to use galvanized kreg screws.  Alternatively, you can run a 2×4 perpendicular to the 2×6s and the back support, and bolt through all the pieces to create a tight structure.  In our picture, the boards are glued and toe-nailed together.

Step 4: Duplicate the support structure every 3 feet for the length of the bench.

Add the Surface Structure

Step 5: Screw the 5/4 decking boards, 2×6, and 2×8 to the surface of the support structures, and position the bench in place.

Step 6: Toe nail the bench to the surface of the deck.  Ensure that the back of the bench is snug underneath the railing.  (Step 7 is fastening the back of the bench to the rail).

Step 7: Toe nail the bench supports to the railng.

The Finished Railing Project

You’re finished.  Remember, these types of deck benches are actually unsafe for children unless you build a lattice or other structure to raise the rail of the deck.  If you decide to build these benches, consider raising the railing height at least 36 inches over the height of the seat.

What do you think? Have you built your own benches?  Got pictures?  Drop us a line at pictures@oneprojectcloser.com and let us know!

Repair a Leaky Kitchen Faucet (Delta example)

Repairing a leaky kitchen faucet can seem like a very daunting task. Even if you are not a very capable plumber, there are still some simple things you can do before calling a professional. Often, water deposits build up over time causing small leaks and a simple cleaning can fix the leak. This post will guide you through disassembling your kitchen faucet so you can clean or replace defective parts before putting it back together. I’ll be using a Delta brand kitchen faucet as an example.

How to Disassemble your Delta Kitchen Faucet

Begin by turning off the water to the faucet. Turn on the faucet to drain any excess. Delta hides a little set screw behind the blue/red button on the lever handle. Gently remove the button with a small screwdriver. Remove the set screw with an Allen wrench. Lift the handle up and off.

What you see now is the V-Ring and some of the valve assembly sticking through. All of this is secured in place by a cap. Notice the small grooves around the cap. Use a large wrench or channel-locks to remove the cap. Take care not to damage or scuff the cap.

Pull up on the V-Ring. It will lift straight out. Notice the notch that aligns the V-Ring. The ball valve also lifts straight out. Notice the small knob used to align the ball valve.

Beneath the V-Ring and ball valve are several holes, two of which are occupied by small springs and rubber seals. Hot and cold water enter the faucet through the left and right holes. The hole in front leads to the spout. Using a small screwdriver, gently remove the rubber seals and springs behind them.

Take all the parts and scrub them in warm water. Remove any build-up and water deposits. Be sure to check around the rubber seals, and both sides of the V-Ring.  Clean up the hub assembly (rest of the faucet) including the cap threads. Sometimes it’s necessary to replace the rubber seals and springs. Examine the ball valve for any defects too. Replacement parts can be found at most Big-Box stores.

Begin reassembling the faucet by working in reverse order. Make sure to align the long hole in the ball valve with the small knob. Likewise, align the V-Ring with the small notch.

Finish assembling your faucet and turn on the water.
What do you think? Ever fix a leaky kitchen faucet?

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