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Cool Products to Help Prepare Your Home for Spring

Make Projects Easier While Saving Time and Money

As warm weather replaces winter's chill, it's time to prepare your home for spring with improvements that add style while saving money, time and energy. "Great gear and products make every springtime DIY endeavor successful," says Tom Kraeutler, home improvement expert and syndicated radio show host of The Money Pit. "With a few strategic investments now, you'll definitely enjoy the results throughout the coming months"

Kraeutler suggests the following additions for the season's project to-do list.

Stylish views that save energy

"Upgrading your windows to energy-efficient models not only spruces up home value but also puts money back into your pocket, with monthly energy savings and the opportunity for a tax credit of up to $1,500 on your 2010 return," says Kraeutler. Simonton Windows simplifies the process of choosing qualifying windows with its ETC (Energy Tax Credit) glass package, and even sweetens the tax savings by giving you $150 towards your 2010 tax prep at H&R Block. For a stylish view of energy savings and tax incentives, check out Simonton's dedicated ETC zone at www.simonton.com/taxcredit.

Perfect painting projects

"Proper preparation is what makes any painting project a success, and clean, sharp edges make the results look truly professional," advises Kraeutler. "But using masking tape or low-quality painter's tape can undo all your hard work by allowing paint to bleed and leave a ragged finish." The solution? Frog Tape, the only painter's tape treated with a super-absorbent polymer called PaintBlock that traps liquid and prevents it from bleeding underneath. For professional lines without touch-ups, get Frog Tape at Lowe's, Sherwin-Williams and other fine paint and hardware retailers. See http://www.frogtape.com.

High design and big convenience for the kitchen

"You can restyle your kitchen in one speedy springtime step by investing in Moen's stylish new Arbor Pulldown Kitchen Faucet," says Kraeutler. "It delivers great design and functionality, with a graceful high-arc spout and sleek single-hole mounting." The touch of a button is all it takes to switch between several water flow patterns, and the Arbor Pulldown Kitchen Faucet is ADA compliant, comes with a limited lifetime warranty, and available in Chrome or LifeShine Classic Stainless. To find your local Moen dealer, visit www.moen.com.

Safety check for patio appliances

An important part of preparing your home for spring is doing a safety check and tune-up on all the gear you'll be using during the new season. "Patio appliances should be high on that list, especially since the Propane Education and Research Council's (PERC) recent study found that most of us will use our outdoor living area 15 to 20 times a month once warm weather arrives," notes Kraeutler. Get great tips for tuning up gas grills, gas heaters, gas firepits and more at www.usepropane.com.

Easy maintenance for a lush lawn

Maintaining that lush landscaping becomes much less of a chore when you drive the activities with a multifunction mower. John Deere offers terrific tractor-mowers including the X530 and X534 Multi-Terrain Tractors, offering heavy-duty CargO Mount attaching points to accommodate a range of compatible equipment. Prepare your home for spring with a visit to www.deere.com or your local John Deere dealer.

For more handy home improvement tips, ideas and solutions from Tom Kraeutler and co-host Leslie Segrete, visit http://moneypit.com.