Dispelling Irrigation System Myths
These days, people are very concerned about the environment and waste. Recycling efforts have increased across the board with both home and business owners. Slogans that remind us to go green appear everywhere from emails to t-shirts. Grocery stores even encourage customers to use canvas bags, instead of paper or plastic.
With so many people concerned about being eco-friendly, it's no surprise to frequently hear the question, "Is this bad for the environment?" In my own experience working in the lawn care industry, I'm often asked, "Aren't irrigation systems wasteful?" The answer is actually no. Irrigation systems are actually much more eco-friendly than traditional watering methods that use hoses and sprinklers. Because irrigation systems are more sophisticated, they can be programmed to target specific areas of lawns. This way, the green areas that need the most attention get it, and the ones that don't need as much water, don't use more water than is necessary.
Another myth is that irrigation systems are necessarily expensive. This myth largely comes from people seeing irrigation systems in opulent neighborhoods and high end business parks. Because irrigation systems are used in these more affluent areas, people assume they must be expensive.
The truth is that Irrigation Systems can be expensive, but they can also be very affordable. It all depends on your needs and how much you want to spend. Consider this: an average irrigation system for a 10,000 sq. ft. lot is $4500. When installed and programmed correctly, it will last 15+ years. The total annual cost then breaks down to $300 a year.
Check your summer water bills and make note of the increase from all your summer watering with manual lawn sprinklers. And then factor in the hassles of watering manually: remembering to turn the sprinklers on and off, following water restrictions (areas with minimal rain institute these) and moving manual sprinklers around on a certain schedule so every area of the yard gets watered. Altogether, I'd be willing to be the total time and monetary costs were at least $300, but probably more.
Drip Irrigation Systems and Sprinkler Systems can both be designed to give you the best in lawn irrigation, and professionally installed and programmed irrigation systems are much more eco-friendly, cost-effective and convenient than you might have thought. So, don't buy into the myths. Go directly to your lawn irrigation specialist with any questions or concerns. They are happy to serve as a resource, and their skilled expertise in lawn irrigation will help you get the right lawn watering system for your needs. And that's no myth!
Outdoor Landscape Lighting: IT Could Be Just What You Need
You've oohed and ahhed over home magazines that show it. You've been envious of neighbors when you saw what it did for them. Now you're wondering if it's right for you.
So what exactly is this "it?"
IT is landscape lighting, which can make a darkened pathway seem more inviting or create a visually gorgeous nighttime look around pools and hot tubs-both pricey investments you want to look great 24 hours a day, not just when the sun is out.
Very Affordable
Outdoor landscape lighting for pools, hot tubs, decks and walkways comes in a variety of price ranges, and it won't require you to take out a home repair loan. Creating an outdoor landscape lighting masterpiece can be done as minimally or as extravagantly as you like. As far as home improvements go, though, outdoor landscape lighting is one of the more affordable things you can do.
Great Benefits
And the benefits are well worth it, especially if you're trying to sell your home. Outdoor landscape lighting creates curb appeal by showcasing that beautiful new fence, that rustic brick pathway or those in-full-bloom rose bushes that accent your picture window.
Another even more practical benefit to landscape lighting is what it does to discourage crime. Breaking and entering and vandalism are much harder to do in the well-lit open. If you live in an area where petty theft is rampant (even "nice" or well to do neighborhoods experience this), then you have even more reason to consider investing in Landscape Lighting.
Easy to Install
If you have never installed landscape lighting before, you may be surprised to learn that it's actually not that difficult. If you have some basic hardware tools, a transformer, the light fixtures and an electrical cable, you have everything you need-no electrician's license required! You can typically plug outdoor landscape lights in to a garage or outside outlet.
Depending on who you buy your Outdoor Landscape Lighting from, you can usually get guidance on how best to set up the lights. At TLC Incorporated, for example, sales professionals are happy to help customers with their outdoor lighting setup and placement questions.
Holiday/Decorative Lighting
Of course, not everyone is looking for permanent outside landscape lighting or Pool Lighting for home improvement purposes. Some people are more interested in decorative holiday lighting. If that's the case for you, you can find outdoor lighting for just about any holiday you want. Find pumpkins, red and green bulbs and even shamrocks to pepper your outdoor landscape. Go all out with your holiday landscape lighting, and you may even find your outside landscape lighting in one of those home magazines that people ooh and ahh over!
The Advantages of Low Volt Lighting
How Low Can You Go? The Advantages of Low Voltage Lighting
If you're worried about the environment, low voltage lighting is a great way to reduce the earth's burden. Low voltage lighting uses much less energy, and transformers turn 120 volts into 12, which also makes low voltage lighting safer for people and animals.
Undoubtedly, the green movement has had a monumental affect on home owners and how they make home improvements. But its environmental friendliness is not the only reason you might choose low voltage lighting. Consider that low voltage lighting is:
. Super easy to install, which makes it both less aggravating and time consuming (that leaves you more time for cleaning out the garage or the gutters!)
. Super easy to move around (sure, when it was in its glory, you wanted everyone to see that prize-winning rose bush, but now that the kids forgot to water it, you'd rather not showcase the poor bush's brown, brittle leaves)
. Makes your home safer-any kind of additional lighting is a deterrent for would-be burglars. It's just too difficult to stay concealed with even low voltage lighting.
. Very affordable-Bob Carr, owner of TLC Incorporated, which specializes in outdoor landscape lighting and irrigation systems, says, "People are always amazed that they can get such a classy and elegant lighting system at a relatively inexpensive price. People will pay more for their landscaping than they will their low voltage lighting. It really is a tremendous value."
. Very durable-with kids and dogs and even clumsy adults in the yard, it's easy to accidentally knock things over. But low voltage lighting is very rugged and can handle a lot of abuse.
. Adds value to your home, especially if you're trying to sell it. Low voltage lighting can help showcase the unique features of your home that might otherwise get lost next to the rest of your home's beauty.
. Gives you a little extra cache around the neighborhood-you know that saying, "keeping up with the Joneses"? With the addition of some well placed, classically beautiful low voltage lighting, you'll be the Joneses.
. Good for the environment-did we already say that?
Is a Drought the End of Your Lawn?
During every summer, there's a drought somewhere. Going extended periods of time with no rain, of course, causes trouble for everyone; usually, water restrictions are enforced, and lawn care maintains a secondary importance as long as people have enough water to drink and wash.
For the person who loves a green, lush lawn, though, drought spells D-O-O-M. But what some homeowners don't understand is that grass, even after it has gone brown, can fully recover. Grass systems are very smart; when they do not have water, they shut down. And a lawn can go months without water; typically, once watering resumes, the grass bounces back to its full, lively and healthy form.
But in order for a lawn to do that, homeowners have to be smart; they can't water a little here and there. Otherwise, the lawn never goes into full hibernation; it keeps holding out, waiting for more water.
If you can water, but on a restricted basis, make sure you water your most expensive/most prized/or oldest plants, shrubs and greenery first. This way, if something does die (and is unable to recover), it's not such a hardship to replace.
And water the grass that is most visible or in the most visible areas first (especially if you are attempting to sell your home and need the curb appeal).
The best way to maintain a green lawn, even in a drought, is to water for a sustained period of time so that water has a chance to absorb into the yard and really lay the groundwork (pardon the pun!) for a strong root system (so when lawns do have to go into hibernation, they have enough reserves to wait out the drought).
Undoubtedly, droughts are a hardship on lawns, plants, shrubs and other greenery. But a dry spell does not have to be the end of a prize winning lawn; droughts simply mean we have to be more educated homeowners about how to get the most return when working with a limited water supply.
Remember, all droughts eventually pass; it's just a matter of making it through the dry times!
Lawn Care 101: Mowing Tips that Will Make Your Yard the Envy of the Neighborhood
"I hate to see overgrown yards in the middle of summer," says Bob Carr, owner of TLC Incorporated, a lawn care and irrigation company. "Mowing is science more than an art, and following just a few rules can keep your grass looking green and healthy all spring and summer long."
Carr shares of few of his favorite rules here:
1. Mow your yard regularly-grass looks its best when it's trimmed at appropriate intervals. That said, summer days can easily get away from us and mowing gets pushed to the backburner until yards look like a mini rain forest. If you do go awhile between each mowing, don't immediately chop the grass down to the nubbins, as longer grass has a deeper root system that helps keep crabgrass and weeds at bay. Do catch-up mowing over the course of a few days, so you don't send your grass into shock.
2. Leave some clippings, as they quickly decompose, sending water and nutrients back to the living roots. Now that applies only if you haven't let your grass go for a month in the midst of a rainy summer; if your cut grass is clumped up in monster piles, go ahead and bag it. There will be some clippings that are naturally left (you can't possibly pick up every single clipping), and they will put water and nutrients back in the ground when they decompose.
3. Always use a sharp blade when mowing. Sharpened blades lead to more precise cuts and don't damage the grass.
4. Don't mow in the same direction every time. Cut in different directions with each mowing, so that grass doesn't have a chance to form a set way of growing. Your grass will look healthier and better when you vary your mowing direction.
5. Don't mow when it's raining or just after it's rained. This may seem like common sense, but there are still people who have to do it to maintain schedules. But letting the yard dry up pays, as you can damage your lawn mower (they sink in mud!), mess up the soil and end up with damage to your grass by mowing in the rain.
Pet Wastes and Your Lawn
Go to any homeowner's board meeting in the country, and you'll hear residents complain about neighbors that don't pick up after the pets, how dog poop is ruining otherwise impeccable lawns and how homeowners want to know what can be done to stop the offenders. The issue of pet wastes and lawns is a hot topic everywhere.
The best first advice is always to talk to the offending neighbor; it's amazing sometimes what politely asking can do (and the truth is, a lot of us get into our own worlds and just don't stop and think that what we're doing might be annoying to the neighbors). Then if that doesn't work, seek help from animal control, since pet wastes can present health (and even vandalism) issues.
But if you're like most of us, you don't want to shoot Fido or permanently relegate all four legged, furry friends to the indoors. You just want a nice lawn!
To that end, you should understand a few things about pet wastes and lawns. The old wives tales tell us that poop makes the grass greener. And in small amounts, pet "fertilizer" can make your grass greener. In large amounts, though, it can kill grass.
The wives tales that dog urine is more hazardous to lawns than dog poop are true. This is because urine is usually eliminated all at once, thus saturating a spot of grass (and it's usually a favored spot, so the dog returns to this spot over and over again). The excess nitrogen that the dog's kidney's filtrate out then ends up soaking the lawn.
Dog poop can be immediately gathered to prevent lawn damage, but even if it isn't, the nitrogen in poop breaks down and dispenses gradually over time. This longer breakdown process makes the damaging effects to your lawn slower and less intensive. Pet wastes and lawns aren't a great mix regardless.
If you already fertilize your yard, you're lawn will be on overkill when Fido joins the party; too much of a good thing isn't good. So, you've got to balance the effects of your various fertilizers.
Lawn care experts advise watering the ground immediately after a dog pees on it, as watering dilutes the nitrogen effects. Bob Carr, owner of TLC Incorproated, an irrigation system provider, concurs. "A great irrigation system can also deter dogs from coming into your yard, since no dog will to want to do its business while being soaked by sprinklers," Carr says. "I tell homeowners all the time that irrigation systems are their best defense against dog poop."
Who knew?
Finding the Perfect Home Improvement Contractor
Open up the Yellow Pages or do a Google search for any home improvement contractor--a garage remodeler or a landscaper, for example--and you'll be swimming in choices. But not all of them will be good choices; there will be a fair amount of home improvement contractors that are not properly licensed or insured. And there will be a fair amount that cannot follow through or perform at the level promised. Some may not even be in business anymore.
So, you need to remember some key tips when looking for a home improvement contractor for your next project, whether it's installing outdoor lighting, making over a garage or reroofing the house:
1. Take recommendations on home improvement contractors from people you trust. For example, if you know someone who has had an irrigation system or permanent garage shelving installed and you like the results, find out who did the work. And then ask a lot of questions: Was the home improvement contractor on time? Did they stick to the budget? Did they show proof of current insurance and licensing when asked? Were they nice about it?
2. Thoroughly check out any home improvement contractor with which you're thinking of doing business. See if the home improvement contractor is registered with the Better Business Bureau and if any complaints are on file. Then make sure the home improvement contractor has a permanent place of business, a tax id number and proper business licensing. Do not get involved with any fly-by-night home improvement contractors, who may be looking to make a quick buck (not having a permanent place of business or any "trail" is a sign that a contractor may not be legitimate).
3. Get at least three quotes on any job, and ask for references. A legitimate home improvement contractor will be ready with references and won't balk at a homeowner taking precautions.
4. Never, never put down a large sum of money up front, no matter what a home improvement contractor says is "policy." A lot of scam artists operate this way; in your contract, agree to pay only once a job is complete or for the portion of the project that has been satisfactorily completed.
5. Don't go with a home improvement contractor on price alone. Evaluate your home improvement contractor based on their professionalism, previous project quality and past client satisfaction (references). By and large, you get what you pay for. Don't get sucked in on a low price alone-and be particularly suspicious if a home improvement contractor charges significantly less than competitors for similar work.
Read Some TLC Incorporated Testimonials Here
Outdoor Lighting Service Agreements
Why You Need to Know about Lighting and Irrigation System Service Agreements.
OK, we admit, it's not the most exciting topic: lighting and irrigation system service agreements. Many of you may not even know what they are, but Bob Carr, of TLC Incorporated, which specializes in outdoor lighting and irrigation systems, says service agreements are worth taking time to learn about.
"We make people's lives easier with our lighting and irrigation system service agreements," Carr says. When TLC Incorporated customers make a purchase, they are automatically offered a service agreement, but Carr admits that people don't see the value in them until something inevitably goes wrong.
"We know people want to save money, so their initial reaction is, "I won't need a service agreement, I just bought the lighting or irrigation system brand new,"" Carr says. "They forget that they'll have to work late, that they won't have time to do all the routine maintenance, or even that one of the kids will knock out a light with a soccer ball or the irrigation system will become accidentally clogged." Because home improvement purchases are investments, Carr says that's even more reason to purchase a service agreement.
"People tend skimp on maintenance and will let damages get too far gone if they know they have to shell out more money to fix a lighting or irrigation system," Carr adds. "But if they know their service agreement covers their lighting or irrigation systems, they'll have us routinely check and make sure their systems stay operational."
Certainly, lighting and irrigation system service agreements are an added value, because they help homeowners protect their investment(s). Plus, as Carr previously said, these service agreements simplify the homeowner's life.
"Time goes so fast, and people today are especially short on time," Carr says. "We want to do everything, but there just aren't enough hours in the day. That's where having us on a service agreement can really make life seem less hectic."
And that's worth knowing about.
Top Tips for Outdoor Christmas Lighting
"'Tis the seaon to be jolly." and other Christmas music is playing in stores, our homes and even our cars. So, it's no wonder that you're ready to kick-start the holiday season. And one of the best ways to do this is with your outdoor Christmas lighting.
Here are our top tips for decorating your home with outdoor Christmas lighting:
1. Realize that outdoor Christmas lighting is a labor of love. Understand that the lights will get tangled. Your assistant will annoy you. You may even come close to sliding off your roof. But it will all be worth it when you pull the switch, and your outdoor lighting is so magnificent, your house can be seen from space.
2. Know that it's OK if you don't want your outdoor Christmas lighting so overdone that it can be seen from space.
3. Use C7 and C9 outdoor lights for maximum lighting coverage at an affordable price. You can generally purchase these lights inexpensively, and they're convenient, because each strand comes with 25 bulbs (you can attach up to six strands together).
4. Go "green" with your outdoor Christmas lighting by using LED holiday lights, which can reduce electrical use by up to 80 percent. These lights come in a variety of colors, last up to 50,000 hours and are pretty inexpensive.
5. Make the job of decorating bushes easy with Christmas net lights. As the name implies, these outdoor Christmas lights "net" bushes for a uniform lighting look. Most net lights come in 24 ft. lengths.
6. Capture the look of melting ice with icicle lights, those mini strands of lights that drape off gutters, railings and banisters to create the traditional Normal Rockwelll holiday vision. Your outdoor Christmas lighting will seem magical!
7. Go extra fancy with Christmas spotlights. You can spotlight a cute winter display and pull onlookers' attention towards your star attraction with these this type of outdoor Christmas lighting.
8. Make sure you get out and see what your neighbors have done with their outdoor Christmas lighting. You might be able to borrow some of their ideas for using C7 or C9 outdoor lights, net lights or Christmas spotlights. Plus, checking out all the magnificent holiday lighting displays will put you in the Christmas spirit.perhaps even more so than listening to "Grandma Got Runned Over by a Reindeer" and "Jingle Bells!"
By Bob Carr, owner of TLC Incorporated, a premier outdoor lighting provider based in Gambrills, Maryland
Holiday Lighting Shortcuts: Easy decorative lighting for the holidays
Are you busy this holiday season? Have you started shopping? Do you know if you're going to Aunt Ester's for Christmas dinner? And how much are those plane tickets to Podunk anyway?
"It's definitely a hectic time of year," says Bob Carr, owner of TLC Incorporated, which specializes in outdoor lighting and landscape irrigation. "Our number one goal this time of year is easy holiday lighting, since customers are pulled in so many directions during this season."
One of the most unique offerings is that TLC Incorporated will make easy holiday lighting and decorating even easier. "We'll come out to people's houses, do the lights, the garland, set the timers and then take it all down afterwards. It doesn't get any less time consuming than that," says Carr.
Indeed, having TLC Incorporated do all the work is the very essence of easy holiday lighting. "We like to offer this service, because we know people get joy out of seeing the lights and being festive, but the truth is that in today's economy, people are working more," says Carr. "In the free time they do have, people want to see their kids, run their errands, catch a game on tv, take a nap on the couch. They don't want to undertake a massive holiday lighting project that typically involves frustration and the risk of falling off the roof."
So, what does easy holiday lighting like this cost? "Not as much as you might think," says Carr. It is a convenience service, but TLC Incorporated understands that people don't want to spend their entire Christmas budget on outdoor lighting. "We're happy to give free quotes," says Carr.
That's probably because most people who get a quote for the ultimate in easy holiday lighting solutions take TLC Incorporated up on the offer. "To save the aggravation and time of having to deal with it, people will pay for the service. It's been a great offering for us," says Carr.
Your Outdoor Christmas Lighting Safety Guide
Portions of this article are featured on Wikipedia at Christmas Lights
The Christmas holiday season comes with a great deal of fun and excitement; taking the kids to see Santa, visiting friends, seeing family and giving and receiving presents that can range from silly to serious make the season one a lot of us long for starting December 26th of every year.
Of course, the holiday lights are also a significant part of the enjoyment that comes with the Christmas season. But outdoor Christmas lighting safety should be a top priority if you're using C7, C9, LED, net or Christmas spotlights. No matter what kind of lighting you choose, the traditional C7 and C9 holiday bulbs or the more environmentally friendly and energy saving LED bulbs, you risk having a fire if the lights are left on too long or if they're placed near easily flammable items like paper or wood (an ingredient in a lot of homes they build today, I'm told).
Follow these rules for ultimate outdoor Christmas lighting safety:
1. Never, never continue using lighting strands that have exposed wires. Don't try to duct tape or even use electrician's tape for a fast fix. Spend $7 and get a new set of lights. It's better to be safe than sorry.
2. Don't try to change C7 or C9 bulbs without first unplugging the lights. This is outdoor Christmas lighting safety 101! If you're worried you won't know which light is bad, take a permanent marker and put an "X" or some other mark on the burnt out bulb.
3. Don't mix different sized or wattage bulbs on a strand. Again, this is outdoor Christmas lighting safety 101! You want the energy and electrical demands to be consistent for each bulb.
4. Don't connect more than the recommended maximum strands, and make sure you don't have every strand of lights going back to one electrical socket. That's a fast way to blow a fuse!
5. Use lights only where they're designed to be used; outdoor lights should go outside, and indoor lights should stay inside. Outdoor Christmas lighting safety 101 yet again!
6. Don't run lights 24/7. If you can't be home when you want lights to come on and go off, use a timer so that the lights automatically turn on and off at a specific time.
7. Never take shortcuts for the sake of convenience-there's no faster way to lay the groundwork for a fire or electrical shock than by getting careless with outdoor Christmas lighting safety.
By Bob Carr, owner of TLC Incorporated, a premier outdoor lighting provider based in Gambrills, Maryland
Going Green for the Holidays with Your Outdoor Lighting
You're No Grinch, but Go Green Anyway
Environmentally Friendly Outdoor Holiday Lighting
When you think "green" about the holidays, you're usually referring to either the Christmas tree or that lovable humbug, the Grinch. But with the recent popularity of the green movement-helping to save the environment, not a grass roots movement to elect the Grinch president-people have been looking for ways to reduce the environmental burden even with their outdoor holiday lighting.
And it's not as difficult as you might think, largely because of LED outdoor holiday lighting, which has grown immensely in popularity in recent years among holiday decorating gurus.
LED (light-emitting diode) lights use a remarkable 80 percent (on average) less electricity than traditional C7 and C9 holiday lights, and they can last years because of their innovative design. Built inside durable, solid plastic cases, the lights are difficult to break (even if you toss them down in a fit of frustration and decide hanging out on the couch and watching the game are more promising activities than creating an outdoor holiday lighting masterpiece).
In all seriousness, though, if you have small children, you may be particularly drawn to LED outdoor holiday lighting, because these lights emit less heat, which makes burns less of a concern. Not to mention, risk of starting a fire with LED outdoor holiday lighting is also reduced with reduced heat emissions (although the holidays are one of the highest risk times for fires, because ALL outdoor holiday lighting, if left on too long or placed near flammable items, could ignite. So, please be very careful no matter what type of outdoor holiday lighting you choose).
Another benefit to LED lights is that instead of burning out like traditional C7 or C9 strands, the LED lights fade out. So you won't have empty spots in your outdoor holiday lighting strands. The overall appearance of your holiday lighting display will consistently be uniform and seem more "done."
To briefly recap, consider LED outdoor holiday lighting if you want to:
- Reduce the amount of electricity and the energy required to power outdoor holiday lighting
- Be a good steward of the environment
- Eliminate time spent changing burnt out bulbs
- Maximize safety by using more durable outdoor holiday lighting bulbs that emit less heat than traditional C7 or C9 outdoor holiday lighting. Minimize your costs by using outdoor holiday lighting that can last for a decade or more
By Bob Carr, owner of TLC Incorporated, a premier outdoor lighting provider based in Gambrills, Maryland
Winterizing Your Irrigation Sytem
Irrigation systems vary; some people have a basic, above ground sprinkler system that is largely manual, meaning that they move the sprinkler heads where they want them, rotate the placement of the sprinkler(s) and turn it off manually at the water source. Other people have more complex sprinkler systems that are "smart," meaning they automatically turn on and off at certain times and water particular areas so that all terrain is watered evenly.
That said, you should know that whether you have a simple or a complex sprinkler system, you must winterize your irrigation system for when it's not in use during the colder months.
The nuts and bolts is very simple; winterize your irrigation system by making sure the water supply is turned off and that all the water that could freeze and cause damage to the system is drained. Essentially, you want your sprinkler system emptied of all waters before it goes into hibernation.
Valves will never be completely devoid of water, though, so you'll need to remove them, let them dry out and then store them. You may need to do the same with your sprinkler head.
As someone in the business, I freely admit that even this sounds complicated, and doing a Google search to winterize your irrigation system will return links with volumes of how-to information. What I suggest, if you're not certain how to winterize your irrigation system or if you just don't want to mess with is, is talk to an expert. At TLC Incorporated, I'm always happy to recommend the best way to winterize your irrigation system, as is the rest of the staff. Very often, the easiest way to winterize your irrigation system is to let us do it-this way, there are no worries that water has been left in the irrigation system, which could lead to frozen or damaged parts, and the cost is minimal.
I know there are some do-it-yourselfers who would never hear of such a thing, and that's fine. But if you're not a landscape enthusiast, meaning you want a nice yard, but you don't care if someone else cuts the grass or sets up the watering system, you're probably a great candidate for letting a professional irrigation system provider winterize your irrigation system.
The bottom line is that it gets done. No matter who does it, winterize your irrigation system.
By Bob Carr, owner of TLC Incorporated, a premier outdoor lighting provider based in Gambrills, Maryland
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