If you’re like a lot of homeowners, you dread the coming of summer more than winter if for no other reason than you don’t look forward to paying an exorbitant amount of money to stay cool and comfortable. You want to ensure that your home’s cooling system is as energy-efficient as possible, but you don’t want to sacrifice comfort either.

If the time has come to update your cooling system or upgrade from using portable window units, you’re best bet is to consult with a qualified air conditioning contractor to see what your options are. Many homeowners who live in older houses think they have to suffer with inefficient window units or bite the bullet and go through the expense and the hassle of installing a central cooling and heating system. That’s not always the case. There are other options to consider besides a costly central cooling/heating system. Talking to a qualified contractor can help you make the decision that is right for you, your family and your checkbook.

One option that is becoming more popular is ductless air conditioning. You get the same benefits as a central air conditioning system without the need for the installation of costly duct work throughout your home. This is the perfect solution for older homes using portable window air conditioners. Maybe you’ve grown tired of having the ability to cool only one or two rooms in your home and would like an option that will keep you comfortable in every room; maybe you don’t want to go to the trouble and the expense of installing ducts but still want to do more before summer gets into full swing.

An air conditioning contractor will come to your home and assess what can be done to keep you cool and save you money. For older homes, ductless air conditioning is the perfect solution because it consists of units placed throughout the home that are connected to a single outdoor unit. You get consistent and efficient cooling throughout your home, instead of only in rooms that have window air conditioning units. Plus, it’s a little known fact that ductless air conditioning units are often more cost-effective than central cooling units. Plus, you never have to worry about dirt and debris gathering in duct work; ductless units are easy to clean and maintain. They are mounted unobtrusively onto walls, which means you don’t lose your windows to portable units. What could be better than that.

This summer, make a conscious decision to save money and be comfortable in every room in your home. It’s easy. All you have to do is ask a professional!

Paul Caldwell is a Toronto-based heating and air conditioning contractor whose blogs and articles appear in magazines and on home improvement Web sites.

You may not realize it, but a furnace air filter is a very important part of your home’s heating and cooling system. With the correct filter and proper maintenance, you will find that the air quality in your home will improve dramatically, with less dust on your furniture and less airborne particles that could potentially sicken you and your family.

Many of us don’t realize how much dust and dirt gathers in our homes if we have forced air heating and cooling systems. Dirt, debris and allergens travel through the duct work and wind up everywhere in our homes making it difficult for some of us to breathe. In addition to allergens, germs and bacteria also spread, causing one family member to become ill and then pass it on to others.

The best way to improve indoor air quality is to stop all those allergens, germs, dust and dirt particles at the source by changing your furnace air filter regularly. It’s a simple thing to do and the right furnace air filter is easily obtained online. You don’t have to go to the local hardware store or big-box retailer and wander aimlessly looking for the correct furnace air filter for your system. Just choose the furnace filter you need and order it online. Ordering more than one will ensure that you always have a fresh one on hand; it’s recommended that you change your filter every three months, or as the seasons change. Plus, if you order multiple filters, you’ll save on shipping while you enjoy the convenience of having them delivered right to your door. What could be easier?

Take a moment to check your furnace air filter now. Chances are, it’s seen better days. Then, go online and order new filters and change your existing filter as soon as you get them. You and your family will be on your way to enjoying improved air quality inside your home, which means you have a happy, healthy summer to look forward to.

Russ Churchill is a Toronto-based heating and air conditioning expert whose blog entries and articled appear on home improvement Web sites.

Wooden picket fences have long been the choice of homeowners across North America to define the perimeter of their properties. The “home with a white picket fence” is a dream for many, but unfortunately, natural resources are becoming more and more scarce, making wooden fencing more expensive and less durable than in years past. The quality of wood being used for today’s residential fencing has gone down considerably, meaning that it will not last as long as as fencing constructed of alternative materials.

Vinyl picket fence is made from 100% recycled Canadian-made materials and is completely eco-friendly. Instead of chopping down even more trees, you spare the forests by choosing vinyl fencing for your home. Not only does it look just as good as wooden fencing, it is more durable and will last decades longer than typical wooden fencing. Unlike wood, which is vulnerable to the elements and critters, vinyl picket fencing is impervious not only to harsh weather conditions, but it will not rot or decompose like wood. It is also stain resistant as well as easy to maintain. Vinyl fencing does not require treatment with any harsh chemicals to keep it looking good, or to protect it from termites and other pests. It is also available in a variety of neutral colours to compliment the exterior of any home.

This spring, as you contemplate all the improvements you would like to perform on your home, consider a vinyl picket fence instead of wooden fencing. Not only will you be in harmony with nature, your home will look spectacular for many years to come.

Yaniv Kalderon is a vinyl fence and landscaping expert in Toronto, Ontario, whose blogs and articles appear on home improvement Web sites.

Believe it or not, spring is almost here, and many homeowners’ thoughts are turning to renovation projects they want to undertake once the weather becomes cooperative.

When you take the time to ensure the exterior of your home looks as good as the interior, the last think you want to do is put unattractive fencing around the perimeter.

Many types of wooden fencing are labor intensive, and for all that trouble you don’t get much beauty or longevity from them. They have to be stained and waterproofed, and then you’re never certain when the wood will splinter or rot, and need to  be replaced.

The newest idea in fencing is vinyl picket fences that look just like wood, but they’re made from 100 percent recycled vinyl that always looks great and lasts much longer than traditional wooden fencing. Unless you’re standing right next to it, there is no way to tell that you don’t have a painted wooden fence surrounding your home. It’s the same classic style but without the worry about maintaining or replacing it.

Ask any homeowner in your area which type of fence they’d rather have and sure enough, they will tell you a vinyl fence. Vinyl fencing is so much more versatile than old fashioned wooden fencing; There are so many more styles and colors available, and the great thing is, once it’s installed, you don’t have to worry about it. If it gets dirty, the most you have to do is wipe it down with a damp cloth or give it a good power-washing every so often. Wood fences require so much more upkeep including treating them to repel termites and other pests, and worrying about compromising the wood if you treat your lawn or shrubs with pesticides. When a wooden fence splinters or breaks, you have to replace entire sections of it, and it never looks the same. A vinyl fence gives you many more years of worry-free enjoyment without having to replace bits and pieces of it as they deteriorate.

Vinyl fencing material is also used by many businesses because of it’s affordability and easy care. In fact, many rural farms have begun to install vinyl horse fences instead of wooden or metal fences, which require constant upkeep. A vinyl fence, especially when it’s enclosing a large property, is not only more economical, it will look great for years to come.

Homeowners know how versatile vinyl fencing material is: decks, patios and verandas can be built with it that will last just as long and look just as beautiful as the fence that surrounds your home. You will enjoy many years of fun gatherings without the worry of going barefoot and getting splinters. And, when you build a deck with vinyl fence material, there’s no need to paint, stain or maintain it. It will provide years of enjoyment all year round.

When you invest in your home’s appearance, it always pays to use the finest quality materials – and those include vinyl picket fences.

Yaniv Kalderon is a fences Toronto expert whose blogs and articles appear on home improvement Web sites.

Chances are, you’ve gotten the e-mails, phone calls, and have been told this by the majority of SEO outfits you’ve considered hiring. Is it possible? Yes. Is it guaranteed? Only when the SEO company you hire really knows what it is doing.

When it comes to SEO, the client has to do his or her homework to ensure that they are not being taken for a ride by the many “hackers” and “wannabes” that populate the world of search. Going into it blindly without having a basic understanding of what SEO is all about is a surefire way of getting duped into believing that your site will be at the top of every Google SERP every time a user searches for your criteria. It just doesn’t work that way. Real results take research, dedication and patience. There are no quick-fixes or shortcuts; the sooner we make peace with that, the better our results will be.

The decision to hire a qualified SEO is not one to be made hastily. The same dedication, research and patience SEO outfits need to succeed, must also be employed by owners of Web sites looking to improve rankings and obtain quality traffic. It doesn’t happen overnight, and not everyone is qualified to make it happen.

Here are some important criteria to consider when you decide to hire an SEO outfit to revamp your existing Web site, or build a new one. These points are key to determining a positive outcome:

Determine the most important keyword or keywords you want to emphasize. How many searches are there for those keywords? Does the search volume justify the effort that will have to be made, or are there more viable options out there? When the most effective keywords are determined, a qualified SEO will know what to do in order to keep your rankings for these keywords consistent.

Let’s take a look at the arithmetic of a top 10 Google ranking. In order for it to remain consistent, all of the following must “add up”:

Let’s say there are only 20 companies that provide the same products and/or services as yours. Eleven of those companies fell for the same pitch offered by an SEO outfit that they would be in the top 10. How is this possible? If getting to the top 10 on Google is so easy, it should be easy for other sites to constantly kick existing sites out of position (including yours, once you get there). Does the SEO you hired promise a top 10 ranking for a specific keyword or group of keywords for a certain duration? Do they offer a money-back guarantee if this promise is not kept? Does the SEO promise to revise your site’s content, adding in the pertinent keywords? Will it improve your design and user interface? All these points should be covered during the evaluation process.

Both the site owner and the SEO must keep a close eye on the site’s bounce rate. Don’t know what bounce rate means? Commit this to memory:

Google keeps a close watch on how much time users spend on your site. When users search your site, they are looking for pertinent information to satisfy their search criteria. If they spend less than 10 seconds on a particular page, without viewing another page on your site, this is bad. That means your pages are not properly optimized for the keyword searches that lead users to your site. This tells Google the page and the keyword are not a good match. If too many users bounce out of your site, Google will deem your site irrelevant for that particular keyword and your ranking will quickly drop.

If the SEO outfit you hire does not modify your site’s content, design and user interface, web visitors will bounce out, and you will not obtain the conversions you need to maintain an effective online presence.

Don’t fall for the spam e-mails you likely receive a great many of. If you are contacted by an SEO company that “guarantees” one or more of the following, delete the e-mail immediately if not sooner:

We are the only company that employs “unique tools”.

We are “certified by Google”.

We have team members in our employ that used to work for Google.

We have “direct connections” to the search team at Google.

A Web site owner is his or her own best watchdog when it comes to ensuring that your SEO is keeping its word about what it promises to accomplish. Here is a way you can check up on how well your site is doing:

Google your target keyword(s). Check each of the top 10 results. Did Google get it wrong? Are the sites that came up offering products and/or services that do not meet the search criteria?

Keep in mind that Google has its loopholes and is not always one hundred percent accurate. This scenario can occur on occasion. Here is an example of how that can happen, and how you can benefit from a Google loophole:

Using the search criteria “dog groomer Toronto” as an example (this should bring up results from Toronto, Ontario, Canada), you find dog grooming businesses from other Canadian cities, like Vancouver, Halifax, Montreal, etc. This indicates that there is room to maneuver within the top 10, and if your SEO can capitalize on the correct keywords, your site can move up quickly. This can also happen when the keyword as a domain name is for sale.

Now that you have accurate information about what a qualified SEO company can do to help improve your rankings, it’s time to hire one to help you achieve your Web goals.

Dvir Weininger is the owner of CMS Buffet, a Toronto-based SEO company that prides itself on focus and dedication to results-oriented SEO services.

Radiant floor heating systems

There are three types of radiant floor heat: radiant air floors, electric radiant floors, and hot water radiant floors. Heating experts will advise which system is best for your home, depending upon its structure. Whichever system is best for your home, a radiant floor heating system will eliminate the need for unsightly radiators or baseboard heating ducts. The warmth is supplied by hot-water tubes or electric wires buried underneath the floor. As the invisible waves of thermal radiation rise from below, they warm up any objects they strike, which radiate that captured heat in turn. Though the air temperature remains relatively constant, you stay comfortable because the surrounding surfaces aren’t stealing warmth from your body.

By installing this type of heating system, you will eliminate cold floors in your home, even if you have ceramic tiles or another type of floor covering other than carpeting. Your home will also be heated more efficiently, slashing your energy costs and getting rid of those annoying hot or cold rooms like bedrooms or bathrooms. even heat distribution will ensure your comfort even on the coldest nights, without the worry of a furnace breaking down or going broke paying your gas bill.

A radiant floor heating system is also the perfect solution for people who suffer from allergies or respiratory ailments. Without vents, registers or radiators, the circulation of air is eliminated, as is the dust, dander, dirt and other debris that circulates with it. Winter is not only the time when germs get passed from one person to another, it is also when we get ill from indoor air pollutants that circulate throughout our homes. When radiators and air ducts are eliminated, there is no nasty dust or irritants circulating throughout our homes to make us ill.

Regardless of whether you have an older home, or are considering purchasing a newly build home, radiant heat is an old-fashioned option many modern homeowners are considering as a way to keep warm, save money and stay healthy.

Paul Caldwell is a Toronto-based heating contractor whose blogs and articles appear in magazines and on home improvement Web sites.