The Press-Dispatch
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/1254479
C-6 Summer Home Improvement Wednesday, June 3, 2020 The Press-Dispatch THE FORCE OF INNOVATION THE FORCE OF INNOVATION THE FORCE OF INNOVATION 1704 HART STREET, VINCENNES 812-882-1191 • rcsappliances.com Hours: Mon.-Thurs. 9am-5pm, Fri. 9am-6pm, Sat. 9am-5pm We Service What We Sell! RCS SUPERSTORE Improve comfort when dining outdoors Warm weather entices people to enjoy long hours outside basking in the sun or relaxing on balmy evenings. Many of the activities people reserved for indoors when temperatures were chilly, including dining, are moved outside as the weather warms. Even though outdoor dining can be quite enjoyable, certain factors need to be con- sidered to ensure that each experience is as pleasurable as possible. is means focus- ing on comfort whenever meals are taken out-of-doors. Address insects Insects are equal opportunity invaders. Once they smell sweet or savory food items, they quickly descend for an easy bite. is means extra steps are necessary to dissuade insects from coming by. Invest in citronel- la candles, which can be placed around the patio to repel flying bugs. Clean up crumbs and spills promptly. Bees and wasps can be lured away with sweet traps placed around the perimeter of the property. Offer shade Too much sun can make outdoor meals less enjoyable. A patio umbrella, pergola or canopy can cut down on glare and make the dining area more comfortable. Check to see that the shade source can be adjusted to guard against the sun as it moves across the sky. Dress up seating Just because furniture is made for out- side doesn't mean it has to be uncomfort- able. Many companies now produce very durable and attractive outdoor furniture. Weather-resistant fabrics mean rain or sun- light will not age items too quickly. Reusable place settings If you frequently dine outdoors, you may want to dine in style. Instead of disposable paper or plastic place settings, invest in colorful, durable, reusable plastic dishes, glasses and flatware, which will not break if dropped and can hold up to a dishwash- er when it is time to clean up. Create the right ambiance Invest in outdoor lighting, candles and hidden speakers to pipe in music and cre- ate ambiance. Install privacy screens and foliage to establish a nice nook for outdoor dining. Outdoor dining areas can be improved with some easy modifications to existing spaces. Planting shade trees Beautiful landscap- ing can add instant curb appeal to a property. But beauty isn't the only thing that makes idyllic landscaping attractive to homeowners. Some land- scaping features, such as shade trees, save home- owners money while add- ing aesthetic appeal. e U.S. Department of Energy notes that shading is the most cost-effective way to reduce solar heat gain in a home. Shading also cuts air condition- ing costs, which tend to be expensive in areas with warm, humid climates. In fact, the DOE notes that well-planned landscapes can reduce unshaded homes' air conditioning costs by anywhere from 15 to 50 percent. When planting shade trees, one of the first de- cisions homeowners will need to make is which type of tree, deciduous or evergreen, they want to plant. When planting shade trees, techniques vary depending on which type of tree homeown- ers ultimately choose to plant. Planting deciduous trees e DOE says that de- ciduous trees that are be- tween six and eight feet tall when planted will be- gin shading the windows of a home within a year of being planted. Depending on the species of the plant and the home, those same deciduous trees may be- gin shading the roof with- in five to 10 years of being planted. When planting deciduous trees, home- owners should keep these tips in mind. • Plant trees to the south of the home. When planted to the south of the home, deciduous trees can screen between 70 and 90 percent of the summer sun while still allowing residents to feel summer breezes. • Consider sun angles. Homeowners who want to shade their homes from low afternoon sun angles should plant trees with crowns that are low- er to the ground on the west side of their homes. • Cool air before it reaches your home. Shrubs and groundcover plants can be planted to cool air before it reaches a home. Evergreen trees Planting evergreens to block wind is known as "windbreaking," which lowers the wind chill near a home. Wind also can be used to cool a home in summer. But these bene- fits can only be realized when evergreens are stra- tegically planted. • Location, location, lo- cation: e DOE advises planting evergreen trees to the north and north- west of the home to stop wind. In addition, to get the most bang for your windbreaking buck, the distance between the home and windbreak should be two to five times the height of the mature tree. • Plant trees on either side of the house. Planting trees on either side of the house will direct cooling winds toward the home in the summer. Shade trees can help homeowners reduce their energy bills, mak- ing them valuable and at- tractive additions to any landscape.