The Hamilton Spectator

Improve your home in two hours or less

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The words home improvemen­t usually conjure up images of major undertakin­gs like tiling your bathroom or kitchen or tearing down a wall, taking hours and hours to complete the project. The fact is there are some meaningful home improvemen­ts you can do that can be accomplish­ed in under two hours.

First, have you ever wished your home had more daylight? Maybe you want to bring in daylight to a small place like a closet or laundry room. Or maybe you have a room with a window but still not enough light. One solution is a daylightin­g system from Solatube. This product can be installed in under two hours and floods the interior with natural light. For more informatio­n, visit www.solatube.com/residentia­l.

Concerned about security? Installing a Ring doorbell takes just a few minutes and you can monitor visitors at your front door on your smartphone through an app. This is a way to add some security to your home. You can be anywhere with your phone but answer your front door and see who's there. They have no idea where you are, home or otherwise. For informatio­n, visit https://ring.com/.

Indoor air quality can be poor. The upstairs can often be hotter than the downstairs. Air can be humid and wet. House odours from cooking, pets, etc., can hang around. A Whole House Fan is quiet (with a light white noise) and can be installed without reframing. When you open the windows with the whole house fan on, it strips out the heat from the home as well as the unwelcome smells. In summer months it keeps the house cooler and eliminates stale air in the winter. For informatio­n, visit http://www.solatube.com/wholehouse-fans.

Another product that installs quickly is an upgraded bathroom fan. It comes with a variety of options such as heaters and lights. An upgraded bathroom fan can dramatical­ly reduce bathroom humidity and odours and run more quietly. For informatio­n, visit https://na.panasonic.com/us/home-living-solutions/ventilatio­n-indoor-airquality.

An easy home improvemen­t project is to swap out light bulbs for LEDs. Even CFL bulbs can't hold a candle to LED bulbs, which, while more expensive, last up to 20 years or more. One source for LED bulbs is 1000 Bulbs, www.1000bulbs.com.

This gives you an idea of some ways to spruce up your home in under two hours. But the changes will be long-lasting! (BPT)

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