Throw open the windows and let the fresh air in: It's finally spring! For this year's spring cleaning season, go beyond cleaning the windows and packing away the wool sweaters. A few quick, easy, and relatively inexpensive home improvement projects can really refresh spaces inside and outside the home so you can enjoy them all year long.
Life in a Vacuum
H-P Products has two handy solutions for cleaning up the garage or workshop. The Vroom Garage Vac is a self-contained, wall-mounted unit that takes up just 2 1/2 square feet of space, while providing plenty of vacuuming power. Its 40-foot hose shrinks to just 8 inches and stores with the power unit. For homes with existing central vacuums, the original Vroom accessory can augment the system by putting cleaning power in small spaces. The unit can fit inside cabinets or mount to a ceiling for pull-down cleaning convenience in the garage. Choose from 18- or 24-foot hose lengths. vroomyourroom.com
Iron Made Easy
LJ Smith’s IronPro system makes it easy to swap out wood balusters for iron designs in existing stairways, and to incorporate iron designs into new construction. Two kits are available, designed for open tread or kneewall stairs up to a 45-degree angle of ascent. The decorative hardware features ball adapters that allow each baluster to swing into place for installation without removing the handrail. The hardware also covers necessary cuts and set screws. Each kit includes the components necessary to install one 1/2-inch iron baluster. The kits currently come in satin black. ljsmith.com
Squeaky Clean Loo
Freshen your bathroom with a toilet design that's made for easier cleaning. Mansfield Plumbing's Cascade high-efficiency toilet (HET) features a unique rimless design that reduces the areas where bacteria can hide, so users can clean the toilet quicker and with more confidence in its cleanliness. The WaterSense-approved 1.28 gallon Cascade features MagnaFlush high-performance flushing technology and a three-inch flush valve for a quiet, high-volume flow without clogging. mansfieldplumbing.com
Open the Closet
Accentuate the positives of spring cleaning with the new Reveal Series of accessories for Organized Living's freedomRail product line. Reveal options snap onto freedomRail uprights, and include slide-out hampers, shoe-racks, baskets, and pant racks that can be used to maximize space in closets, pantries, laundry rooms, and elsewhere. The storage solutions are designed for easy installation, and are robust components with 30% more steel than many other organization systems. organizedliving.com
Leak Alert
April showers bring May flowers—and a whole lot of problems if your sump pump stops working. Pentair's Virtual Water Assistant is a cloud-based technology that continually monitors its battery backup sump pump and sends text or e-mail alerts to mobile or desktop devices if problems are detected, or when the backup pump is activated during an emergency, when home power is lost, or when battery charge is low. When an alert comes in, Virtual Water Assistant shows homeowners the status of their home and offers troubleshooting options. The battery back-up technology also allows them to remotely run a diagnostics test cycle to confirm the system is working correctly. In addition, users can set up text and e-mail alerts to go to their plumbing contractors to make them aware of immediate issues. The battery back-up sump pump features an energy-efficient DC pump that can deliver up to 2,700 gallons per hour of flow, which is 20% more than other units, and remove more than 11,500 gallons on a single battery charge. virtualwaterassistant.com
Barefoot Comfort
Sherwin-Williams is launching a new deck care finishing system just in time for spring. Featuring Duckback water repellant technology, the SuperDeck care system includes a clear sealer, and semi-transparent, semi-solid, and solid color stains. All are waterborne formulas, plus oil-based transparent and semi-transparent formulations. Three of the semi-solid and solid color stains feature IR reflective technology with pigments that reflect ultraviolet rays. As a result, decks finished with SuperDeck materials stay cooler underfoot, compared to conventional dark stains. The product line also includes deck and dock elastomeric coatings, log home oil and waterborne finishes, exotic hardwood stain, and pressure-treated wood stain. sherwin-williams.com
Old World Charm
A new garage door can make a big impact on curb appeal, so it's no wonder that garage door replacements are among the most valuable home improvement projects in Remodeling's 2015 Cost vs. Value report. Wayne Dalton's new Model 9405 replaces previous Model 9400 in its Carriage House Steel Collection with doors designed to showcase old-world charm. The painted, galvanized steel backer adds strength while preventing thermal cupping, even in extreme weather. Options include stained two-toned paint finishes, windows, and decorative hardware to customize the doors to homeowners' preferences. wayne-dalton.com
