April 1, 2010
13th annual UW Home Improvement Fair provides big ideas for small budgets
Next week on your lunch hour learn how to go green — and save green — on projects in and around your home.
This year’s UW Home Improvement Fair takes place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Wednesday, April 7, in Mary Gates Hall Commons. Whether you’re interested in starting a vegetable garden, wondering about rebates to replace drafty windows or contemplating a major remodel, exhibitors will be on hand to provide ideas and answer your questions.
This year’s theme is “Brighten your home on a budget.” So while a full-service contractor will be present, the event will also offer support for a variety of smaller undertakings.
“People who watch the Home and Garden Channel might see projects where they use paint and other inexpensive materials to spruce things up and create a much fresher look for their home,” said Kathleen Dwyer, executive director of UW Benefits & WorkLife.
In that spirit, this year’s fair will include interior decorators, and gardeners who can suggest how to improve the home’s curb appeal. Also on hand will be Habitat for Humanity’s Retail Outlet, a source for affordable building materials.
The fair also has something for prospective homeowners, condo-owners and renters. Exhibitors include Seattle Tilth, a nonprofit that provides tips for growing organic fruits and vegetables, and Urban Garden Share, an organization that pairs eager gardeners who don’t have the space with homeowners that have space but lack the time or energy to garden.
Green homes are a recurring theme for the fair, and a number of energy efficiency companies will be represented again this year.
Puget Sound Solar will be on hand to talk about using sunlight to heat your water or power your home. Jack Herndon, a facility manager in the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, provides some inspiration. His 100-year-old, 750-square-foot home is now equipped with 10 solar panels that supply half of the home’s electricity. He also installed three huge rain barrels that provide water for the toilet and garden.
Herndon even has a weather station installed on the roof that monitors conditions and compares them with the home’s energy and water use.
Asked where newbies might get the most bang for their buck, Herndon had three words of advice: “Insulation, insulation, insulation.” Conservation, he said, is the cheapest and easiest way to reduce your energy bill. Puget Sound Energy will be at the fair to discuss energy-saving rebate programs, as will be two contractors who specialize in installing more energy-efficient doors and windows.
Home improvement buffs might run into Herndon and discuss his next project: installing a solar hot water heater.
Dwyer recommends that when possible people stop by early or late to avoid the lunchtime rush. Door prizes, donated by the exhibitors, include a handmade pillow, a free home or garden consultation, and a $50 gift certificate for the Habitat for Humanity store. Snacks will be provided.
The event is sponsored by HomeStreet Bank, which offers UW employees advice and discounted rates on mortgages and construction loans. More information on the UW Home Improvement Fair is here.
