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Page 12 SPRING HOME IMPROVEMENT Wednesday Match 2al 1990 fCeep coo and cash this summer Not so long ago people lined up out side movie theaters because they offered an evening of air conditioning along with the latest screen stars Now that air con ditioning is available for every home more consumers are choosing central air conditioning If you are installing a central air condi tioning system for the first time or up grading an existing system you can benefit from some advice from the Air- CoDditioning and Refrigeration Institute ART the association representing man ufacturers of central air conditioning and heat pump systems Here are some com mon questions and answers How does an air conditioner work By heatfrom the inside of a building where it is not wanted to the outside Refrigerant in the system ab sorbs the excess heat and is pumped through a closed system of piping to an outside coil A fan blows outside air over the hot coil transferring heat from the refrigerant to the outdoor air Because the heat is removed from the indoor air the indoor area is cooled What should I do in advance to make sure thai my air conditioning system wilt work efficiently this summer the system checked each year before the peak cooling season by a qualified contractor or service techni cian Then remember to keep the air filter clean and the outdoor unit free of leaves and If my air conditioner stops working what is the most likely problem The solution could be as simple as re placing a fuse resetting a circuit breaker or checking to see if the thermostat is set properly If the cooling system doesnt run cool enough the refrigerant may be Most likely if the problem involves any major part such as the compressor you will hear strange noises similar to those of any mechanical equipment no running correctly or the unit might not run at all Which is better letting a central cool ing system wear out before replacing it or replacing it at some point before it wears out Because newer equipment usually is much more energy efficient than older systems you might actually save money by replacing your old system before it completely wears out Contact local con tractors and ask for their estimates In some cases the money you save in reduced utility costs might pay back your purchase price of a new system years earlier than you might think Designer listens to kids Looking back I realize thai children have taught me the greatest lessons in life says Antonio coauthor of In My Room Designing For and With Children From them Ive rediscovered the won derment of youthful spontaneity inno cence and kind of positive energy that makes you believe you can do any thing la his experience designing for people with special needs including children observed just bow often these peoples perspectives were ignored lest than ideal living Daring the two he spent at the a borne for emo tionally troubled children made important discovery that attention had to be paid to childrens physical as will as emotional needs When he visited their rooms noted Their impersonal quarters had insufficient space for storing individual possessions Furthermore these children told me the places they occupied had an other major flaw Clocks and pictures were hung at an adult viewing level too high for young eyes to see without strain- Torrice advises keeping these and other considerations in mind when de signing for children the most important being the childs own taste and input Children should have the right 10 pick the palette thai will permeate their world says Tbrrice Expert advice for doityourselfers on repeating concrete Rough winter weather can leave your driveway and sidewalks cracked and crumbled concrete each spring is not complicated or difficult if you follow a few basic guidelines Before you tackle a repair job though it is im portant to understand exactly what con crete is what it is made from and how it is used in order to properly complete a repair job When concrete work is done properly it is very durable For centuries concrete has been used as a basic building mate rial because of its permanence and high compressive strength its resistance to crushing It also is one of the least ex pensive of all building materials How ever concrete has little resistance to bending and twisting and needs to be re inforced Concrete is a mixture of cement sand crushed stone and water Cement is the basic ingredient concrete and is made finer than flour Most concrete is made of a manufactured product called Portland cement named because of its resem blance to a rock found on the Isle of Port land According to Red Devil manufacturer of chemical products and tools for con crete repair there are five basic steps to concrete repair I clean out the area to be repaired 2 assess the extent of the damage 3 select the best method and product patch the area and dry and cure the area There are two safety tips to keep in mind before you begin Whenever you work with concrete always wear safety goggles prevent it from splashing in your eyes If you use a cleaning solvent wear protective gloves To begin thoroughly clean the area that you are repairing You will get a bet ter adhesive bond if area is extremely clean Most of the time simply brush out the remaining panicles However some projects may require using a cleaner such as TSP90 HeavyDuty Powdered cleaner made by Red Devil quickly deep cleans floors and walls Its fortified cleaning agents penetrate and suspend din and grease Rinse the sur face after you clean it with TSP90 After you have cleaned the area to be repaired you need to assess the level of damage and determine the best way to repair it If the damage is not extensive use any of the patching com poundslatex vinyl or follow ing the instructions that come with the product There are several convenient premised products in cartridges available from Red Devil Red Devil Onetime Lite Patch and Repair for Stucco and Cement repairs is a fastworking longlasting compound that retains flexibility with excellent ad hesion You can use this to repair hairline cracks and holes in stucco walls cement steps walkways stone foundations and in all areas excluding vehicular traffic ar eas Concrete and Mortar Repair in car tridge form is a Red Devil premium for mula that gives fast durable repairs Fortified with silicone Concrete and Mortar Repair is great for patching cracks in driveways and sidewalks or re pairing mortar between bricks stone and cinder blocks and on steps Bigger Jobs For larger more extensive repairs you will need to use a drymix gravel mix concrete Red Devil also offers a line of dry mix powders that are convenient and easy to use These products cure quickly and can withstand rain in less than hours without any damage They come In large quantities so they are practical Once applied these powders are strong enough to withstand automo bile traffic Remember to follow package instructions carefully Once the area has been filled it is im portant to allow enough time for the ce ment or product to dry and cure If an area is walked or driven on too soon the patch will lose its strength and the dam age will resurface Surface repairs of driveways and walks Chisel out loose or broken fragments of concrete to a depth of one inch and then use the chisel to thoroughly roughen the base of the cavity Undercut the edges of the damaged area Brush the surface areas of the floor permanent concrete and mortar After leveling the repair with cement trowel and with light troweling for a with a wire brush and wash out all loose particles The surface to be patched should be damp but not wel You might have to sponge out any water that re- Fill cavity with the patching mix tapping the patching mix in firmly and overfilling the cavity slightly to allow shrinkage Smooth the patch lightly with a wooden float When the concrete be gins to stiffen finish with a wooden float or steel trowel Let the patch cure for six days and keep traffic away from it during that lime Cracks in driveways and walks Cracks can be cleaned out undercut dampened and filled following the guidelines for surface repairs If a large section of a walk or drive has been cracked or dam aged it must be removed and replaced with new concrete Cracked walls Use a cold chisel to re move all loose material to a depth of one inch undercut the area just beneath the surface brush out all dust and thor oughly dampen the area to be patched Fill the cracks with the appropriate prod uct Smooth the surface and cure for six days Repair cracks in joints by removing mortar inch deep and repointing If cracks are severe or continue to enlarge despite repair efforts seek professional advice Cracked floors Prepare patch area as you would for a wall crack When the crack is filled surface should be slightly higher than the surrounding floor After it has set for hours grind the patch area flush with the floor using an abrasive stone or a sheet of coarse emery paper over a block of wood Damaged steps To repair a crumbling stair edge chisel out a Vshaped section until you reach solid concrete Brush away any loose material and dampen the exposed area tread nosing was flush with the riser place a form board against the riser If the tread nosing ex tended beyond the riser make a form and reinforce the patch with coathanger wire Paint the Vshaped area with ce ment paste and fill Finish and cure for six days Some tips on choosing your paint Choosing paint colors for the home can be as intimidating as naming your child Should the bedroom be gingham peach or saucy cream the family room Windsor blue or Montana sky Should the colors be interne at the risk of ridi cule Wouldnt it be safer to just pick out a sophisticated offwhite a pearl tint perhaps These concerns need not discourage you For colors you can enjoy and share here are some hints on selecting paint shades from Jean Luck color specialist with the Pratt Lambert Paint Com pany First identify your favorite colors If no one single shade comes to mind con sider your favorite clothing jewelry and artwork What colors predominate Flip through decorating magazines and clip photos of room settings that inspire you A unifying theme or color often exists Or consider geography Peach tones are popular in the Southwest while New lean toward colonial hhies Second bring a sample of the shades you like to your local decorating center may wish to select color around a fa vorite area rug fabric or painting Third make good use of the stores paint color displays They are designed help you Paint manufacturers such as Pratt A Lambert have simplified the paint color selection process by incorpo rating consumer preferences into their displays An effective way to begin is to stand about eight feet away from the display and look for the range of colors that most attracts you You can then concentrate your search to these color families A key element is arrangement of colors Displays that coordinate each row horizontally complement the natural movements of eye Jean Luck says that the shoppers eye travels across the display seeking a favor ite color family Rich clear midtones stop the eye at chosen family and di rect it vertically to color choices Lighting is critical to color selection Look for a display offering bright simu lated natural daylight so you wont have to view color stripe cards outside the store Most shoppers find stripe cards easier to work with than cards of a single color and prefer a display arrangement that shows entire stripe card rather than just the top one or two colors When youve chosen the right shades bring the stripe cards home with you and place them on walls cabinets ceilings wherever you plan to paint Observe ihe colors at different times of day and if possible on both cloudy and sunny days You should also hang the cards in nooks and crannies of your room and note how shadows affect the color Hold the card at arms length and ro tate degrees around the room you plan to paint Envision paint on the walls as you turn See how the color changes in the different areas of the room How to use samples At the decorating center most paint is viewed on a horizontal surface with a white or offwhite background Remem ber that you will probably never see color again in this way The shade will al ways intensify when applied to a vertical surface This is why its important to live with the stripe card for a few days before making a final decision Some dealers catering to the profes sional design market may have available larger chips drawn from a designer li brary Ask your independent retailer for advice on the type of paint you need Paint can be the fastest and least ex pensive way to recreate your living envi ronment By following these lips you can easily choose colors that express your personality with confidence and Georgetown