The Press-Dispatch
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/1480126
COMPETITIVE PRICING TREE CARE COMPANY GE TREE SERVICE IS YOUR • PETERSBURG • PRINCETON • JASPER 812-354-6119 visit us online at: www.getreeservice.com • Fully insured for your protection! • Complete Tree Care • 24-Hour Emergency Service Available • Modern Equipment Monday - Friday 8 a.m.- 5 p.m. TIPS FOR HIRING THE RIGHT COMPANY: • Don't be tempted to hire the first person with a chainsaw. • Check for someone who has professional credentials, is bonded, licensed and insured, with proper equipment. • Ask for a written proposal that details what you want done, and the methods the service will use. • Be sure to ask if the service protects your lawn from rutting, and thoroughly cleans up after the job is finished. • Be wary of anyone who asks for payment up front. If there is damage to your property, you may never see them again. OUR SERVICES: GE Tree Service is a full-service company that provides professional tree services throughout the Southern Indiana area for commercial and residential property owners. We offer competitive pricing for professional work, without sacrificing quality. Our broad experience allows us to provide you with skilled, efficient and knowledgeable service. It is our attention to detail that keeps our customers coming back. We are dedicated to your complete satisfaction; we meet deadlines and do the job right the first time around. SERVICES INCLUDE: Tree Trimming, Shaping, Pruning and Thinning Tree Bracing • Tree Removal Stump Removal • Bucket Truck and Crane Storm Damage Specialist • Right-of-way Clearing Commercial and Residential Land Clearing We Specialize In Storm damage clean-up and we'll handle the insurance paperwork. You pay us nothing until you are paid! COMPLETE 29 YEARS OF SERVICE ADDITIONAL SERVICES • TREE PLANTING • TREE FERTILIZATION • TREE HEALTHCARE • VEGETATION MANAGEMENT • TREE CONSULTATION • TREE RISK ASSESSMENT PROVIDING SERVICE WITH QUALITY YOU CAN DEPEND ON! • Small or Large Jobs • Financing Available for Homeowners • Insurance Claims 4897 W. 150 N. • Jasper, IN 47546 812-482-3946 • www.brescher.com Come check out our shop and greenhouses for ALL your landscaping needs! PLANTS - TREES - EVERGREENS • TOPSOIL - FILL DIRT - MULCH PROFESSIONAL GRADE GRASS SEED AND STRAW • FERTILIZERS - INSECTICIDES FLAGSTONE - BOULDERS - DECORATIVE ROCK Call to inquire about our professional services: LANDSCAPE & IRRIGATION INSTALLATION ROUTINE LANDSCAPE MOWING MAINTENANCE F-2 Fall Home Improvement Wednesday, September 28, 2022 The Press-Dispatch Wood floor installation dos and don'ts Jaw-dropping features can sell a home in a heartbeat. A penthouse apartment with floor-to-ceiling windows and a panoramic view of a city sky- line likely won't prove a hard sell, nor will a home with an infinity pool overlooking a landscape of rolling hills. As awe-inspiring as such fea- tures can be, some more sub- tle components, such as au- thentic hardwood floors, also can do much to make a home more appealing to prospective buyers. Hardwood flooring is a sought-after commodity. Da- ta from the National Associa- tion of Realtors indicates that 54 percent of home buyers are willing to pay more for hard- wood floors. In fact, NAR fig- ures indicate that 28 percent of buyers between the ages of 35 and 54 consider hardwood floors "very important" when looking for a home. Homeown- ers who are considering sell- ing their homes, or those who simply want to upgrade their existing flooring, may want to consider installing hardwood flooring. Though it's a proj- ect best left to professionals, hardwood flooring can be in- stalled by skilled DIYers. In such instances, homeowners may want to keep these dos and don'ts in mind. DO hire a professional if you have limited or no DIY flooring experience. Hard- wood flooring installation is not generally a project for nov- ice DIYers. Hardwood floor- ing projects may present some common challenges, but no two homes are the same. So unless they have prior expe- rience installing floors in mul- tiple rooms or homes, home- owners may save themselves time, trouble and a significant amount of money hiring a pro- fessional to do the job. DON'T ignore the subfloor. New hardwoods won't erase the problem of subfloors in poor condition. According to the home renovation experts at BobVila.com, squeaky floors could be an indication that the subfloor has begun to warp or twist. Sinking floors are another indicator of dete- riorating subfloors. Subfloors should be somewhat level be- fore new hardwoods are in- stalled, so DIYers should in- spect and address subfloor issues before installing new flooring. DO expose wood flooring to the elements in your home prior to installation. The home improvement resource BuildDirect recommends ac- climating hardwoods to the space where they will be in- stalled. Skipping this import- ant step could result in gaps during the winter and cup- ping over the summer. To ac- climate hardwoods, open the boxes and spread them out for about a week while running the air conditioner or heater at normal levels. When stor- ing hardwoods prior to instal- lation, avoid keeping them in potentially moist areas like a basement. DON'T skimp on tools. A DIY hardwood flooring instal- lation might be less expensive than hiring a professional, but homeowners should resist any temptation to increase those savings further by purchasing less costly tools or fewer tools than is necessary to complete the job. BuildDirect notes that DIYers will need at least a mi- ter saw, table saw, cleat-nail- er or stapler, finish nailer, compressor, jamb saw, chalk line, nail set, and tape measur- er when installing hardwood floors. Purchase all neces- sary tools and read product reviews to ensure each tool is up to the task. Wood floors can be awe-in- spiring. Some homeowners can install such flooring on their own, and the project can be much easier if they learn as much about installation as possible prior to beginning the project. How technology can help you age in place (StatePoint) By 2030, almost a quar- ter of the American population will be over the age of 65, up from 16 % in 2020, creating a situation that's going to drive greater demand and greater pressure on the care industry. In addition to a larger workforce and more financial resourc- es, new technologies also have the po- tential to help solve the problems cre- ated by this seismic demographic shift. According to experts, Artificial Intelli- gence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) are already among the key components of new technologies providing improved quality of life for those who want to con- tinue living independently at home. "While AI and ML have transformed other industries, adaptation has been slow in the care industry, but we're work- ing to change that," explains Chia-Lin Simmons, chief executive officer of Log- icMarkv, which manufactures personal emergency response systems (PERS), health communications devices and re- mote care and activity monitoring tech- nologies to create a Connected Care Platform, and recently incorporated two- way voice communication technology in- to its medical alert pendant. To help you live safely and comfort- ably in your home in the years to come, Simmons offers a few strategies for us- ing the newest technology to your ad- vantage: • PERS, also known as Medical Emer- gency Response Systems, allow you to call for help in an emergency by push- ing a button. Wearable pendants – along with water-resistant wall-mounted devic- es and mobile solutions – can keep you protected in every room of your home by helping you instantly connect with loved ones and emergency personnel. Those offered by LogicMark use AI and ML for pattern recognition and fall detection, for an added layer of security. To learn more, visit logicmark.com. • Automatic pill dispensers can help ensure you never miss a dose or take too much medication. Depending on your needs, you may need to look for a solu- tion offering both visual and audio no- tifications, or one suited for those with limited dexterity. • Motion-sensing lighting can make nocturnal trips to the bathroom – com- mon in one's golden years – much saf- er, helping to reduce the risk of danger- ous trips and falls. Many lighting op- tions plug directly into outlets, while others are battery-operated and can be installed anywhere. Be sure to include these fixtures in bedrooms, hallways and bathrooms. A beginner's guide to fall planting and maintenance Spring and summer are perhaps the busiest times of year for gardeners. Howev- er, fall also is a prime time to tend to gardens. The tree and bare root re- tailer Bower & Branch advis- es that soil temperatures in many regions of the country may still be warm enough to encourage root growth well into the start of winter. Fur- thermore, fall is often the ide- al time to plant, fertilize and keep a garden going or to get a head start on next year's bounty. Here are some tips to make the most of the fall gardening season. • Think about fall annuals and bulb planting. Near the end of September, start plant- ing cool-weather-loving pan- sies and violas for pops of col- or as summer flowers fade. Al- so, it's a good idea to stock up on bulbs that will bloom in the months to come before they sell out in stores. Wait until the temperatures really cool down before planting them in desired spots for spring sprouts. • Sow salad seeds. Let- tuce, spinach, radishes, and arugula tolerate cooler tem- peratures. Try new and inter- esting lettuce varieties and enjoy salads well into the fall season. • Take inventory of the sun. Positioning a garden careful- ly means maximizing hours of sunlight, which begin to dwindle in the fall. Experts say gardens grow best in sun- ny locations that receive six hours of direct sunlight each day. This is where contain- er gardens can be helpful, as they allow gardeners to move plants into spots that will get ample sunlight. • Fill in landscaping gaps. Some fall plants can add col- or around the landscape and brighten up homes to add curb appeal. In addition to pansies and violas, asters, kale and chrysanthemums are fall blooms. Keep in mind that mums can come back year after year. So take them out of those flower pots and get them into the ground. They can be enjoyed next year as well, sprouting in early spring and developing leaves and buds through late summer. • Clean up unwanted growth. Fall is an ideal time to cut back spent vegeta- ble plants and get rid of er- rant weeds. Rather than bag- ging leaves, mow them with a grass catcher and then add the mix to a vegetable garden as an excellent soil insulator. The nitrogen and carbon will fertilize the soil, enhancing growing possibilities and lim- iting weed growth. • Propagate plants in the fall. As temperatures gradu- ally begin to cool, start tak- ing cuttings from perenni- als, gathering seed pods from azaleas and rhododen- drons and dividing hardwood cuttings, says the resource Gardening Know How. Con- sult with a garden center or horticulturist on the proper ways to propagate stems us- ing rooting hormone and oth- er techniques. • Continue to water plants. Water is essential in the fall and winter as roots can still be growing. Gradually reduce watering duration as plants go dormant. Fall planting and mainte- nance can extend garden- ing season and improve the chances of growing a healthy spring garden.