Don’t use bleach to kill mold spores. Whether it is penicillium/aspergillus or the much feared stachybotrys chartarum (black mold). Bleach disperses the spores upon contact. Try, instead of bleach a product called Concrobium. This is an encapsulating salt that starves the nasty stuff.

Fungus-
We just finished painting the exterior of a beautiful Main Line home. Just after we finished the homeowner had a landscape company install a black hardwood mulch. Perfectly timed, the house and grounds looked lovely.
A phone call alerted me to a problem with the cedar siding and bright white wood trim and doors around their front dooryard.
The homeowner alerted me to thousands of tiny black dots that appeared overnight and he was concerned that something in the paint was the problem.
I had a feeling that I might know the source and it wasn’t the paint but I held my thought and went to meet the homeowner.
Sure enough…artillery fungus! Waiting for the perfect hot, moist summer weather this nasty fungus shoots tiny black spores many feet in an effort to reproduce and it doesn’t care where it lands.
It happened to land on my fresh paint. Sticky and sticking tightly to whatever it lands on removing the stuff is tough. Thorough sanding and wiping with denatured alcohol is good prep, sealing with an alcohol based primer and repainting is the solution for the cosmetic problem but how about the source. Let me say that never, never use a hardwood mulch around anything you don’t want these black spores to land upon. Our homeowner took my advice and switched to licorice mulch. This mulch, although not as colorful, is effective in that it performs the intended function, it stays put and it doesn’t harbor the fungus.
The house is back to looking good and our homeowner has learned a valuable, somewhat expensive lesson. Too bad he missed my September 2008 newsletter that addressed this very issue!

Painting your interior window and doors the same color as the walls allows whatever is on the other side of the windows to shine.
from bhg
Proper Preparation
When you paint your walls, make sure you prepare the walls properly. Before you start, use a pre-made crack filler or drywall compound to fill in minor cracks and old picture hook holes. Lightly sanding baseboards, window frames and doors is also a great way to ensure that your paint will adhere to the surfaces properly. Make sure you are using the same base paint that currently exists on the surface you are repainting. Latex on latex, and oil base on oil base.

Picking The Magical Colors
Color choices are plentiful, as are the types of paints. When selecting interior colors, consider how you use each room or the feeling that you want to create for the space. White is a great accent, but for walls it is a harsh and cold color. Instead of white, choose warm, inviting and neutral paint colors such as yellows, warm beige and olive tones.

The best rule of thumb for home remodeling is to stick to a color palette that isn’t too bland but also isn’t too bold. For smaller spaces, such as bathrooms, choose colors that make the room look bigger such as warmer whites. For the bigger rooms, select a paint that is a couple shades darker to create a cozy atmosphere. For bedrooms, calming paint colors work best.

Make sure the palette you create flows from room to room. At paint stores, purchase a smaller can of paint and test it on the walls before committing to the color for the entire room.

Wallpaper Can Be A “Turnoff”
Potential homebuyers don’t always like wallpaper or at least the wallpaper you may have chosen 15 years ago. They want simple, clean, warm and inviting rooms and not the potential headache of steam cleaners and wallpaper removal. It is a good idea to consider removing wallpaper or at the very least painting over it where necessary in order to open the space and make the room feel fresh and clean.

Don’t Forget To Look Up
Potential buyers notice water stains and old-fashioned ceilings. If you have a home with a stucco ceiling, it can date your home to a buyer. Before you show your home, consider painting the ceiling with flat white paint. If you have crown molding, make sure you use the same ceiling paint for a consistent professional look.

Learn From The Experts
Choosing a wall color can be overwhelming. If you don’t know or are unsure, ask the professionals. A Kapski Painting associate can help you make some of these decisions. When reading magazines, tear out photos of rooms that look appealing and inviting and match the wall colors at the store. Paint color can help you sell a house faster. A fresh coat of paint makes the walls fresh and clean to create an inviting environment for a homebuyer.

I really like green…the color…really. I like it so much that there are versions of it all over my house. We put in a Master Bath Suite with a walk in closet for Gi a couple of years ago..walls green. Dining Room walls…green. Exterior window molding sills and aprons, green. New factory finish 6 inch gutters, green again.
I had painted our Living Room a dark deep green with cream colored ceiling and trim. I thought it was elegant, Gi…not so much. She was sweet enough to give me a couple of years with it but finally put her foot down. Now it’s Oyster White. There are so many cool hues and shades and it is so nice when you look through large windows outside to a green outside room just beyond…well it just suites me fine.
Well, here are a few greens that are terrific, Scallion-Veranda View 541 at ben Moore , Summer Interlude B31-5 at Ace Hardware, Scotland Isle 410-D at Behr Home Depot and Lucky Clover 6005-8B Valspar at Lowes. Call Gi and ask her to let me paint the Guest Bedroom walls…they need a coat…of green! If you want to see these colors online go to their websites. Be careful with the new NO or LOW-VOC Paints as they are difficult to apply for the non professional. Maybe call Kapski Paint for a fun filled free quote?

That’s right…your house doesn’t know that there is a recession going on. You simply cannot allow your most valuable asset to deteriorate. Are you putting off important projects for the past few years because of the economy? If so, remember that your home needs care. We are the experts, ask us what needs to be done and what can wait. We will show how to make the best of this bad economic situation. We can provide the voice of reason…keeping up with the Jones’s is not at play here, preserving your asset is!
Ask Kapski what to do, when is the best ime to do it…we have been around for over 40 years, through thick and thin, some things don’t change

WE’RE NOT BACK

We really never left. During the past few tough years we have transitioned
pretty well all things considered. Perhaps one of the reasons is that we
have always done the small, but important jobs for our customers. This has
allowed us to be the first call when our customers had smaller projects that
needed doing. Since we have always done this, they called Kapski Painting
for carpentry, stucco and masonry repairs, door and window repairs, gutter
work, adding insulation, painting and paperhanging removal and installation.
We still do the larger jobs too.
Since the economic downturn we have become even more efficient, responsive
and affordable.
And because we have a roofer, plumber and electrician on our team one call
or email does the trick. Even if it’s just the Bathroom or a Bedroom that
needs painting , it can be done efficiently and effectively, again, with
just one call or email.
So…keep us in mind, your neighbors have…and we thank them by providing
the best service around.

KITCHEN CABINETS-

So you are getting new kitchen cabinets. If you are leaning to non-off gassing cabinets, the ones with no VOC’s, then they are becoming more readily available although not yet widespread due to the same concerns we have with the transition to healthier paints for the rest of your house.
The quality and richness aren’t always equivalent and the application may be unfamiliar
Still, the options have come a long way and you should enquire with your supplier about what they have available. For instance, Crystal Cabinetry offer a Valspar ULF topcoat that is Greenguard Indoor Air Quality Certified.
Popular high-sheen finishes are harder to get in a low-VOC formula, and some natural based products may have a slightly different look.
These new no VOC paints are not like the paints we have been using, both in appearance and ease of application. Test a large area and see what you are getting before you start the project.

MILK PAINT-

SafePaint has the properties of the company’s original milk paint, but is suitable for non-porous surfaces and offers a more uniform look over large areas. Made with milk protein, lime, clay and earth pigments, the interior wall paint is solvent free, contains zero VOC”s and is biodegradable. SafePaint is available in 20 colors.
If you would like more information on either or both items, contact steve@kapskipainting.com

I was very pleased recently when I received a phone call from a client whose job we had recently finished. She was very happy with our work and with the painter that was on site for the duration of the project. She mentioned that she would be calling us back for more work.
Every Painting Contractor would appreciate a call like that one, I am no exception.
She did call again with a request that I send her the painter that she had last time around but I did not oblige her, instead I sent a different painter. This was not my normal practice, not to honor a request from a client but I didn’t worry about it since we have standard procedures, craftsmanship procedures that all of our painters have been trained in. I want all of our clients to receive the same service from all of our painters consistently and this goal depends on training. For the longest time painting has been a job to some, we try to turn it into a craft by getting everyone on the same page. The next time you call Kapski Painting and request a certain individual we will try our best to accommodate you. But even if you see an unfamiliar face rest assured you can expect the same familiar quality.

Good lighting is always important when doing repairs.
But some lighting can cause problems. Halogens, for instance, can get too hot, while smaller tungsten-filament trouble lights can be troublesome.
After they have been on for a while, the filament heats up and becomes fragile. Then, the slightest jolt can break the filament, causing the incandescent bulb to go out — even the so-called “rough-duty” bulbs.
To avoid this problem, I’ve replaced filament bulbs in all my trouble lights with compact-fluorescent screw-in bulbs. After having dropped work lights and knocked them about, I can testify that compact-fluorescent bulbs can take some abuse — and still work.
The fluorescent bulbs cost a little more than tungsten-filament incandescent bulbs, but they provide plenty of light, use a quarter of the energy and last 10 times as long.
They also stay cool, which is helpful in situations where I’m working inside a cabinet or other tight spaces and the light is close to my face or hands.

As you all know by now the new Lead safe rules are in place as of last month. Although as I understand it there may be a slow uptick on enforcement. I would play by the rules here, the fines are stiff and the owner/client cannot opt of of doing the required protective work including containment and documentation. For those who are looking for certified contractors try this link. This is a tough site to find…even Google had trouble!
For those of you (Contractors) who are debating the value of this regulation check out the EPA site.
The link below will help you identify contractors who are EPA certified. I would use one of these over those who aren’t EPA certified! They include painters, window installers, general contractors etc.

http://cfpub.epa.gov/flpp/searchrrp_firm.htm

We just finished up a large interior project for a family moving out of state. These folks were overwhelmed by the many small and large tasks awaiting them. From packing to the actual act of relocating every possession they had two thousand miles.
When I interviewed the couple I found that they hadn’t given color much thought even though this is a very important component of the decision making process.
Finally, nearing the end of the interview I asked them about color. They quickly agreed with each other that they wanted to use the bold, vibrant colors that they already had and wouldn’t hear of going with a neutral palette throughout the 4 bedroom house. Each room had to be visually striking. No matter what I said they wouldn’t budge.
After the project was completed to their satisfaction and we settled up I heard that the realtor suggested repainting the walls in 8 rooms commenting that these colors are far too bold, any prospective buyer would likely negotiate a color change into the selling price.
I still see the sale sign on the lawn and wonder what is taking the house so long to sell…I wonder if it is the wall color?
So here is a site that could help you to pick some colors…not necessarily to sell your house but to use for any reason.

http://www.benjaminmoore.com/bmpsweb/portals/bmps.portal?_nfpb=true&_br=1&_pageLabel=fh_home&np=public_site/articles/promotions/promo_staging_a_home

Good luck!