Curb appeal makes a good first impression

(NC)-The front of a house is the first thing people notice. As the gateway to the rest of your home, it's important to take the time to make sure it is in tip-top shape. Consider the following tips from The Home Depot to make sure that the first impression is a lasting one.

. Get rid of the clutter - it can be as easy as putting away unnecessary tools, taking in your mail or getting rid of old lawn signs. Consider purchasing an outdoor shed for added storage - The Home Depot carries multiple styles to suit any home.

. Make it sparkle on the outside too - Don't forget to clean the windows and gutters. Use a pressure washer to get rid of dirty siding or dingy decks.

. GreenScape - a green healthy lawn always makes a great first impression, so make sure to maintain your landscape. Mow the lawn weekly. Trim the trees bi-weekly. Make a habit of regularly removing weeds between your concrete bricks and sidewalk stones.

. Paint it up - a fresh coat of paint can give a home's exterior an instant update. Painting the garage, front door and window sills can make an aged home look brand new again. Try Behr's Premium Plus Ultra Exterior Satin Enamel Paint. It provides a protective shell against damage from sunlight moisture, stains and dirt.

. Decorate your entrance - depending on your budget there are numerous ways to upgrade your front entrance. Installing a new door like the Providence Centre Arch Steel Entry Door found at The Home Depot provides a new look to the exterior of your home - it's slim detailed centre window will make any home stand out. If a new door isn't in your budget, consider replacing fixtures - introduce a new door knob, mail box and coordinating house numbers.

Smart moves to avoid rogue movers

(NC)-You just bought your new dream home and pulled into the driveway with all your belongings in the moving truck when all of a sudden the movers ask for more money or else!

Disagreements between customers and movers often occur when movers demand extra money to unload customers' belongings. Your furniture and your family treasures are basically held for ransom. Provincial officials are cautioning consumers about this common practice of rogue movers. Ontario's consumer laws were changed to specifically address this "goods for ransom" scam.

If you have a disagreement with a mover or the movers will not unload your belongings without extra payment, tell the movers they are not complying with the law. Insist on paying the agreed price which cannot be more than 10% above the written estimate in many provinces.

Smart consumers reduce the risk of being scammed by a rogue mover by staying alert to the signs of possible trouble:

. Pressure to take estimates over the phone. Reputable movers come to see exactly what needs to be moved before they estimate the cost.

. A "low, low price" that sounds too good to be true, usually is.

. Demands for cash or a large deposit before the move.

Always get the estimate in writing and make sure it covers everything you want moved. Getting three estimates before choosing a mover is the first smart move to make.

Honest movers are also concerned about rogue movers. It is easier and less stressful to do some background work on a mover before a move than to try solving a complaint afterwards. In this regard, consumers may want to contact the Canadian Association of Movers or the local Better Business Bureau.

Subject: New cooking technologies make life easier for the home chef

(NC)-The role of cooking in our daily lives has changed dramatically over the last decade: while people's lives are busier than ever before and convenience is king, there's also been a rise in the home chef and culinary-savvy entertainers who are eager to impress dinner guests. The solution that caters to both trends? Technology, of course. Innovations in cooking technologies are being introduced to simplify work for the chef, and make the perfectly-planned meal turn out, well, perfectly. Appliance manufacturers continue to raise the bar with new introductions that make the kitchen less stressful and more functional. Not to mention, every cook who prides their kitchen on the latest and greatest gadgets and goodies won't want to be without the "hottest" technology available.

But what exactly is this new cooking technology, and how does it work? Here are a few terms every modern home chef should be familiar with:

Induction Cooking Who would have ever thought you could boil a pot of water without a hot-to-touch element on the stove? Induction cooking does just that. Safer and more energy-efficient than traditional cook-tops, induction technology uses magnetic energy to deliver the responsiveness and precision of gas cooking. When a conducting pot is placed on an induction coil, only the pot will become hot - nothing else. Cooking will seem fast, easy, and you don't have to worry about small hands near the stove. Another bonus of induction: it's as easy-to-clean as an electric smooth top stove.

Trivection Cooking Thermal, reverse air convection and microwave cooking technologies combine to make trivection cooking up to five times more efficient than a conventional oven. This lets the home chef "customize" cooking with one appliance. Sound like something from the future? Maybe, but believe it or not, it's already in homes across the country (see below for availability).

Advantium Cooking This fast-cooking electronic oven uses halogen (yes, light!) and microwave technology to cook up to eight times faster than a traditional oven, while still delivering the savoury tastes of a slow-cooked home meal. There's also no pre-heating required. Cook a whole chicken in 20 minutes and a baked potato to go along with it in just 4! You can bake, broil, brown, roast, grill and even microwave with one simple oven. Even the least-savvy cook in the kitchen becomes a speedy star chef.

When it comes to the kitchen, it's easier than ever to blend time-savings with culinary masterpieces. The modern chef is no longer stuck with slaving away all day in an apron and a hot kitchen. Sometimes there are more important things to do - like opening the wine, and welcoming the guests.

Appliances with the above cooking technologies can be found at www.monogram.com  or www.GEAppliances.ca  to find a retailer near you.

A green home Improvement

Permeable interlocking concrete pavements are the way to green walkways, driveways and patios.

(NC)-Homeowners are putting their best foot forward to improve the curb appeal of their home while helping to protect the environment. They are redoing their driveways and walkways with permeable interlocking concrete pavement (PICP), which not only looks good, but allows water to filter through the pavement to migrate back into the ground.

Further good news is that some counties offer a rebate program to homeowners who install a PICP driveway. Because PICPs return rain water to the ground, they help drought-stricken areas or places where storm sewers overflow from too much runoff.

How It Works  PICP works like this: A surface of solid concrete pavers is separated by joints filled with small stones that make the joints highly permeable. Water enters the joints between solid concrete pavers and flows through an "open-graded" base; i.e., crushed stone layers with no small or fine particles. The spaces among the crushed stones store water and infiltrate it back into the soil. The joints provide 100 percent surface permeability and the base filters storm water and reduces pollutants.

For Patios and Walkways Pavers can be used for walks, patios and driveways, as well as for parking lots and residential streets. Homeowners particularly like the vast array of colours, shapes, sizes and textures available. You can get rustic stone like pavers or others that look like clay brick. Light-coloured pavers can provide a cooler surface around patios and pool decks. The pavers are easy to maintain and snowplow. In addition, because the snow melts faster on PICP, it reduces ice hazards.

You can learn more about PICP and find an experienced, professional installer by visiting the Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute's Web site at www.icpi.org .

Creating a custom-looking kitchen is as simple as making a pie

(NC)-Every household is different, with varying lifestyles and needs for space. But almost always, the kitchen is the most action-packed room in the house - especially given the ongoing popularity of the open-concept design. A room that naturally encourages people to gather around, the kitchen is the stage for everything from homework sessions to weekend entertaining. Whatever the activity, creating a kitchen with a custom-made feel is easier than you may think thanks to the wide variety of premium appliance offerings available today.

Avid entertainers know the challenge of enjoying the party while keeping the food coming. Rather than stashing a couple of extra toaster ovens in the pantry, take care of cocktail hors d'oeuvres preparation with a double oven. Simply microwaving a side dish while the roast takes over the oven is a compromise of the past. Two separate oven cavities, one above the other, cook at different temperatures and take up no more space than your standard oven. If you find yourself preparing multiple dishes and struggling to serve them all while they're still hot, a double oven is an option worth considering - and particularly handy if you can't get the kids (or spouse!) to agree on the same meal. The GE Monogram 30" built-in double wall oven, for example, gives the immediate impression of a custom-designed space fit for an upscale home.

Are little hands wreaking havoc on stainless steel surfaces moments after you've polished them to a shine? Fully-integrated appliances with custom panels can be matched with your kitchen cabinetry, eliminating the need for constant wiping of fingerprints and giving the space a seamlessly unified and flowing look. In particular, a paneled fridge that perfectly matches the rest of the kitchen paneling and décor, gives an instant customized, high-end look.

Households with young families are undoubtedly among the busiest. Built-in side by side refrigerators provide more than enough storage space for a week's worth of school snacks, dinner leftovers and all the healthy foods you'd like to have on-hand to keep the bunch happy and full of energy. Adding custom door panels makes for a clean and seamless addition to the already bustling heart of your home.

If a wannabe iron chef lives in your kitchen, odds are the old stove you've got now is being blamed for every dish gone wrong. Just like a carefully-crafted recipe, a chef's dream kitchen is all about the details. With two separate flames under each burner, professional-looking range tops built into the counter provide the ultimate in detailed temperature control. Whether simmering a delicate sauce or using the grill to sear salmon, the cook in your kitchen will delight in the range top that seems custom made to perfect their favourite recipes.

You can learn about appliances built for the custom-look online at www.Monogram.com