Remember Your Garage During National Curb Appeal Month

Off to work. Picking up the kids. Running errands. What's the one door in your home you're most likely to use the most often every day? The garage door. And, during National Curb Appeal Month in August, experts at Haas Door recommend you take a good look at that "most used" door in the home.

"It's a mistake for homeowners to give their garage door less attention than the front entry or other doors into the home," says Jeffrey Nofziger, president of Haas Door from Wauseon, Ohio. "The garage door is THE door you're in and out of most often every day. And, if your home design features the garage door on the front exterior of your house, then it's extremely important to 'make it work' for you in terms of curb appeal."

According to the 2017 Cost Versus Value Study by Remodeling magazine, a garage door replacement is also a smart investment for a homeowner. At a projected 76.9 percent cost recouped on a mid-range priced home, a new garage door almost pays for itself over time.

Nofziger suggests that a garage door should serve as an extension of a home's style and personality. With options available ranging from decorative glass windows to hardware accessories to unique colors, a wide variety of ways exist to personalize a garage door.                       

To assist homeowners in envisioning how different types of garage doors can add to the overall curb appeal of a home, Haas Door offers a free design tool called HaasCreate. In just a few steps, the online visualizer tool, located at www.haascreate.com, allows you to upload a photo of a home and outline the existing garage area. An app for the iPad, which doesn't require an internet connection to use, is also available for free at the Apple store.

HaasCreate helps to instantly create a new garage door with different styles, options and colors at your fingertips. For those people without an existing picture of their home, they can choose from sample home images. Personal product selections --- including a garage door style, color, windows, overlay colors, trim colors, handles and accessories --- allows the user to customize a garage door that enhances the home exterior.

"Whether selecting a rich wood grain finish like American Walnut or English Oak, or a colorful contemporary finish like Sahara Tan or Cool Black, the garage door can easily be created to complement the overall design of a home exterior," says Nofziger. "The HaasCreate app puts design creativity at your fingertips."

Sixth Annual "National Clean Out Your Garage Day" Slated for Saturday, Sept. 6

New Survey Underscores Need for Safe, Effective and Versatile Storage Options

AURORA, Ill. -- From tools and stools to trunks and junk, it seems that the garage is home to just about everything these days – except the car. In fact, for the vast majority of Americans (nine out of 10*), the garage is much more likely to be serving double-duty as a workshop, tool shed or recreational area, according to a recent survey of 1,000 U.S. adults.* This multi-purpose situation often results in a hodgepodge of disorganized items ranging from gardening tools, old furniture and sports equipment to bikes, half-empty paint cans, and even moldy magazines. In sum, enough stuff to trip over, ding your auto, and fall from the rafters.

Making matters worse is that 70 percent of Americans use the garage to store potentially dangerous equipment such as saws and power tools, while nearly 60 percent store flammable liquids, such as oil, gasoline, propane and kerosene, as well as other dangerous chemicals, including pesticides and other lawn care products in their garage space.* Considering that only 27 percent of Americans report* feeling confident that their garage is "very organized," many garages aren't just cluttered and inconvenient – they're also a potential safety threat.

To help educate Americans about the importance of garage safety and organization, The Lehigh Group, maker of Crawford®-branded garage and home workshop organization products, declared "National Clean Out Your Garage Day." This annual observance, now in its sixth year, will be recognized across the country on Saturday, Sept. 6.

"We established 'National Clean Out Your Garage Day' to occur on the first weekend after Labor Day, a time when much of America moves from summer to fall, and items such as bikes, outdoor toys, sports and camping gear, lawnmowers and garden tools are put away for the season," said Deborah Hanson, director of external affairs for The Lehigh Group. "This is a great time to take stock of the safety of your garage, and to de-clutter and re-organize as needed to make this space safer and more functional."

According to the survey, the garage is the most disorganized area or room of the home by a wide margin, and 42 percent of Americans admit to either having never cleaned their garage or to only cleaning it once a year or less. However, the task need not be overwhelming or expensive. In fact, the addition of just a few shelves and other organization products can easily add functionality, safety, and peace of mind.

The experts at Lehigh offer these basic guidelines:

Sort the MessSeparate items into categories such as auto supplies, lawn and garden tools, holiday decorations, and sports equipment. Then, pitch, donate or sell items you don't use. Before organizing and storing, take a multipurpose push broom to sweep the garage floor, or wash down the floor with a water hose.

Zone It OutAfter deciding what stays, separate the garage into zones for storing each category of items, and then identify the most appropriate storage method.

Go VerticalOne great storage strategy is to use the vertical plane to keep the floor free of clutter. Garages provide ample wall and ceiling space that can easily be used for vertical storage through use of hanging shelves, pegboards, storing rails and overhead systems. For example, Crawford® brand has specially designed wall hooks that will hold a leaf blower and its power cord in place, and secure other equipment like wheelbarrows, rakes and shovels. Additionally available are the Crawford® 5' Adjustable Storage System and theCrawford® 3' Sliding Grip Clamp Organizer, both built for strength designed to easily hold more than 25 pounds of equipment. Flexible mesh storage products that hang on the wall are particularly suited to accommodate awkward items, from pet toys and work gloves to tennis balls.

Be an Organized SportEstablish a solid game plan to organize the typical plethora of sports gear as well as the family's fleet of bikes. Crawford® brand offers a wide range of products to help, such as grip clamps for bats, and complete sports organization systems to accommodate hockey sticks, balls, helmets and more. For bicycles, cost-effective screw-in hooks and flip-up bike hangers, along with pulleys, are ideal ways to keep bikes off the ground and out of the way while they're not in use.

Securely Store Hazardous ItemsPlace toxic materials such as paint, paint thinner, weed and bug killers, fertilizer and gasoline in high cabinets or lockable tool chests to keep out of the reach of children. Use well-supported shelves to store cleaning solutions and vehicle fluids. Be sure to secure tools and wrap up extension cords via tool hangers. 

"One final critical tip: Always remember to follow all manufacturer instructions regarding weight limits when using wall hooks, rails and shelving," said Hanson.

Survey Says Father's Day Sales Offer Best Time To Find Tool Deals

BELOIT, Wis., -- FatWallet.com, the one-stop resource for online coupons and deals with cash back savings, announced results from its Tools Shopping Survey* (TNS Global). Of 1,000 American adults surveyed online, more than 8 in 10 said they buy tools every year, with nearly 4 in 10 saying Father's Day is the best time to find deals on tools (compared to 18% on Black Friday). Lawn and garden tools were most in demand this year (38%) over combination power tool kits (20%), while Craftsman leads the way as most popular tool brand (38%) over Black & Decker (26%) and DeWalt (19%).

Overall home improvement spending is expected to grow 6.8% this coming year to nearly $313 billion in 2014 (Home Improvement Research Institute). FatWallet's tools shopping survey also reveals that 87% of those that buy tools will spend up to $250 on tools this year (13% will spend more than $250).

Key Results from Tools Shopping Survey:

• How Often: 81% purchase tools at least once this year, 40% more than once (50% under the age of 40). 20% buy tools 3-4 times a year (25% for those w/children). 19% have "never" purchased tools (13% of males).

• Best Time to Buy: 39% say Father's Day is best time to find deals on tools, more than Black Friday (18%), Cyber Monday (1%) and December Holiday (12%) combined. 30% said Spring Sales offered the best tool deals.

• Tool Spend, or Not: 1/3 of males said the only thing to stop them from buying tools is if they "run out of money". 58% will spend less than $100 while 29% will spend between $100 - $249 (36% under the age of 40). 13% will spend $250+. On the contrary, 1 in 4 said they either have way too many tools or are too busy to take on home projects and 1 in 5 admit they have tools they've never used before.

• High Demand: Lawn and garden tools are most coveted (38%), especially for females (46%) and those w/children (44%). Cordless-combo power tool kits and hand tools (20%) are next followed by power drills (15%), tool box/storage (13%) and circular saws. Note: 2/3 of respondents say Quality/Durability most important feature for power tools.

• Top Brands: 4 in 10 choose Craftsman as their most desired tool brand, while 26% like Black & Decker, 19% go for DeWalt, and 5% or less would choose either Makita, Ryobi, Bosch or Milwaukee.

April is National Car Care Month: Turn to Spring Car Care After Rough Winter

BETHESDA, Md. -- Many vehicles were neglected during the recent brutal winter months, and could use a little extra care by now. The Car Care Council recommends setting aside a little time during National Car Care Month in April to get your vehicle ready for the spring and summer driving season.

"Your car has gotten you through one of the worst winters in recent memory, working overtime in harsh conditions, but the extreme cold, potholes and road salt have taken a toll," said Rich White, executive director, Car Care Council. "Since most Americans rely on their vehicles nearly every day to get to work, school and everywhere in between, taking a little time for car care now can save headaches and money in the long run."

The non-profit Car Care Council recommends that motorists follow three simple steps during National Car Care Month in April.

• Keep your vehicle clean. Regular car washes and waxes protect the paint and body of your car from corrosive debris. In parts of the country where salt is used on the roads, regularly washing is especially important.
• Keep your car on schedule. Every vehicle has a manufacturer recommended maintenance schedule. Whether you choose to do your own maintenance or patronize a local repair shop, following a routine service schedule is essential to keeping your car in safe and dependable working order.
• Keep an eye on the little things. Your windshield wipers aren't cleaning as well as they should? Your gas tank is missing its cap? There's a warning light on your dashboard?  When you see your car needs attention, don't delay. Repairing small things now can help avoid more costly problems down the road, and add years of useful vehicle life.

The Car Care Council offers many free tools on its website to help consumers drive smart, save money and be car care aware, including the popular 60-page Car Care Guide and a custom service schedule and email reminder service.

The Car Care Council is the source of information for the "Be Car Care Aware" consumer education campaign promoting the benefits of regular vehicle care, maintenance and repair to consumers. For a copy of the council's Car Care Guide or for more information, visit www.carcare.org.

Make Lawn Mower Engine Tune-ups a Rite of Spring

MILWAUKEE,- The engine experts at Briggs & Stratton (NYSE: BGG) are making it easier than ever to get your lawn mower ready for spring. From a tune-up kit to an oil evacuation kit to free oil recycling, an engine tune-up for your push lawn mower engine takes only 30 minutes or less. Riding mower engines may require an oil filter or fuel filter, which could add five to 10 minutes to the job.

While many homeowners perform annual tune-ups on their lawn mower engines, there are still many across the country that don't perform this important basic small engine maintenance, putting their equipment at risk.

"Homeowners simply want their lawn mower to start when they need it for that first cut of spring and a simple tune-up can make the difference between a hassle-free start and frustrating trips for service," said Synoilva Shaw, with the Briggs & Stratton marketing department. "While the source of most starting problems is old gasoline, which goes stale in about 30 days, a tune-up can help extend the life of the mower engine and keep it running at peak performance."

Lawn Mower Tune-Up in 4 Easy Steps

Briggs & Stratton research shows that tuning up a push mower engine can reduce engine emissions by as much as 30 percent and involves just four easy steps:

1. Changing the mower oil
2. Replacing the air filter
3. Replacing the spark plug
4. Adding fuel preservative to the gasoline

Step-by-step video instructions are available online at http://www.briggsandstratton.com/us/en/support/videos.

Small Engine Tune-up Kit

A basic push mower engine tune-up kit costs under $12.99 and includes an air filter, spark plug, bottle of oil and a pouch of fuel treatment and stabilizer. A lawn tractor tune-up kit includes the same as a push mower kit with the addition of a fuel and/or oil filter and costs under $39.99. Briggs & Stratton tune-up kits are available for purchase online or at authorized Briggs & Stratton dealers and home improvement stores. 

Oil Evacuation Kits for Lawn Mowers

Two options are available for oil evacuation kits – one that removes oil only and another that removes both oil and fuel. These kits help eliminate the need for consumers to tip the mower to drain the oil during a tune-up, making it easier to change the oil and reducing the possibility of an oil spill in the garage or driveway. Oil evacuation kits costs between $23 and $31 and are available for purchase online at www.briggsandstratton.com or at authorized Briggs & Stratton dealers and home improvement stores. 

Disposing of Used Engine Oil

Participating Briggs & Stratton dealers nationwide make recycling oil easy and have recycled more than 200,000 gallons of used engine oil to date. Simply drop off your used oil in a closed container and let your dealer take care of the rest.

Look Before You Pump

Certain gasoline blends should never be used in lawn mower engines and other small gas engines. Fuel blends containing more than 10 percent ethanol, like E15 or E85 gasoline, or gasoline containing other alcohol blends can damage small gas engines. Repairs required because of the use of these unapproved gasoline blends are not covered under the Briggs & Stratton engine warranty. Look for the "Look Before You Pump" warning logo on new models or find more information from the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute atwww.opei.org.