Easy Fix for Water in the Basement

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2653670771_62a7333796As all Minnesotans were sweating during this weekend’s extreme high temperatures and dew points, so was my cool basement and probably yours too.

While doing laundry last night, I noticed water in my basement where the concrete floor meets the wall. Then I found some water in a storage closet. Then I saw that my basement bathroom was wet.

Surprisingly, I still have to learn the necessity of dehumidifiers the hard way.

Buying a Dehumidifier

If you don’t yet have a dehumidifier for your home, I strongly recommend one to prevent mildew and mold cause by buildup of too much moisture. They start at $179.95, which is a pittance compared to water damage.

Use a simple garden hose attachment to help it drain directly into the laundry tub (note: the dehumidifier must be elevated, as the water won’t drain “up”). .

Take note that dehumidifiers are seasonal items not widely available throughout the year, meaning that supplies run low at most retailers during hot, humid periods of the year. Don’t wait till you find water in your basement; call any of our  home appliance stores to confirm stock of your desired size (25 pint, 50 pint or 75 pint).

They’re still not whisper quiet, but certainly, they’re quieter than yours was growing up.

Kitchen appliance packages quickly update the style and function of your space

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Buying in bulk to save money doesn’t just apply to food and household goods. If you’re looking for cheap appliances, kitchen appliance packages offer some of the best prices available.

Plus, new appliances mean your kitchen immediately becomes better looking and harder working. If only we offered the same deal for your significant other 🙂

Here are some examples of appliances packages, from entry level, to high end. Keep in mind that any group of appliances can be “packaged,” but the ones shown online are some of our most popular combinations.

Through July 20, you can buy this Frigidaire kitchen appliance set for as low as $1,299 in white, black or bisque.This kitchen appliance package comes with a 18 cu. ft. top-freezer refrigerator, a 30″ freestanding range – gas or electric, an over the range microwave and built-in dishwasher!

Or, get this stainless steel kitchen appliance package for $1,999.

Have your eye on a French door refrigerator? Get one in this GE stainless steel kitchen package along with the rest of your kitchen for $2,899 through July 20.

People rave about their Bosch dishwashers, but this Bosch kitchen set is just downright pretty. Get it for a song at $4,099 till July 31.

>> See all kitchen appliance packages

Refrigerators: What Does Cabinet Depth Mean?

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There is no “standard” size in appliances and certainly not in refrigerators.

Full Depth Refrigerator freestandingKnowing the maximum height, depth and width of your opening is crucial in selecting a new refrigerator. In fact, size is the No. 1 factor in narrowing down your options.

Most refrigerators today fit either a 30″, 33″ or 36″  wide opening and a 66″, 68″ or 70″ high opening. You should also also allow 1″ of clearance on each side of the refrigerator for breathing room.

But because refrigerators have become deeper within the last 10 years, you also should consider the depth of your space. Manufacturers have added more insulation to retain temperatures in the refrigerator to keep up with increasing efficiency standards, which has increased the overall depth of today’s refrigerators by 2″-4″.

Which means your fridge will stick out even more from the edge of your cabinets. Solution? Cabinet depth refrigerators.

What Is Cabinet Depth?

Cabinet depth (aka counter depth) refrigerators give your kitchen a more sleek look. The 24″ depth allows your refrigerator’s cabinet to align with the surrounding cabinetry, creating more of a “built-in” look for your kitchen. Cabinet depth styling is most commonly found in side-by-side models, but can also be found in top freezer models, bottom freezer styles and French door refrigerators.

So why doesn’t everyone have a counter depth fridge? Basically, price versus capacity. A French-door counter depth refrigerator is going to offer fewer cubic feet of food storage for the money than a full-depth French-door refrigerator.

Buying a refrigerator: Which style is best for you?

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If you’re looking to buy a refrigerator, the last time you researched your options likely was years ago. Well, a lot changed in the last decade.

Before, most refrigerators for sale were just the standard top-freezer refrigerator. Now, there are four major styles to choose from, not to mention refrigerator drawers, columns and compact options — which I’ll save for another post.

Top Freezer Refrigerator

The classic top freezer refrigerator remains  among one of the most popular styles in the market place today. The freezer is at eye-level, which is good if you use frozen food most often. Plus, the refrigerator has wider shelves than a side-by-side refrigerator, making it easy to store large trays of food and allow easy access to things stored in the back of the refrigerator.

If you have space constraints, you’ll likely end up with a top freezer, because some models in this style fit a smaller footprint. And from a budget perspective, top freezer refrigerators are an affordable style that boast convenience features such as factory-installed icemakers, chilled water dispensers (on some models) and glass shelves. Plus, top freezers are the most energy-efficient style, and are rated to last the longest.

Side by Side Refrigerator

On a side by side refrigerator, two compartment doors wing out from the center; the freezer compartment is located on the left side and the refrigerator compartment on the right.

If your kitchen has a narrow walkway or an island, you’ll like the side-by-side refrigerator’s smaller door swing clearance.

Many side by side refrigerators have the option for a filtered ice and water dispenser. And if you’re looking for lots of storage, most side by side refrigerators are
23-26 cu. ft., which is more overall cooling space than most top freezer refrigerators.

Bottom Freezer Refrigerator

The bottom freezer refrigerator is the most popular refrigerator style. Heck, I have one!

Because most people access the refrigerator compartment 9-10 times more often than they do the freezer, bringing the refrigerator section up to waist or chest level offers the most accessibility.

Many brands offer a choice of either a swing-door freezer or pull-out freezer drawer. The drawer design allows for easier access to the back of the freezer by minimizing the amount of bending and crouching needed. From a budget perspective, bottom freezer refrigerators are becoming more affordable as most brands now make them.

French Door Refrigerator

French-door refrigerators (I’ve also heard them called “3-door refrigerators”) combine the best of both worlds.

The refrigerator compartment is at waist and chest level like a bott0m-freezer, but the refrigerator has French doors (side-by-side) opening from the center, which means symmetrical styling and less door clearance is needed if a walkway or island is involved.

But the two doors open to the same, sole refrigerator compartment so you still have wide refrigerator shelves to accommodate large party trays or oblong dishes. Similar to the bottom freezer style, French door refrigerators feature a freezer drawer design. Many models also offer the option of an ice & water dispenser on the freezer door or an internal water-only dispenser.

Cabinet depth refrigerators

 

Celebrate Your Independents: It’s not a typo; it’s a movement

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I’ve already received two messages since we started running commercials encouraging viewers to “Celebrate Your Independents.”

That is — of course — because the Fourth of July is Independence Day, not Independents Day.

(God love these people; these are my people. I commonly contact businesses to bring their attention to possible errors [though I generally do it with a large dose of sensitivity as I am keenly aware that fellow local businesses squeak by on fewer resources than their national counterparts].)

But we aren’t asking you to buy from us because it’s July 4 on Monday. We want you to understand the value of independent businesses, so we’re participating in the Celebrate Your Independents promotion.

During the month of July, select local, independent retailers and restaurants have teamed up to provide money-saving offers and a chance to win $1,250 in gift cards in exchange for your support and your ear. We want you to know the importance of buying local!

Multiple studies have shown that dollars spent at local, independent businesses generates at least three times more direct local economic benefit a dollars spent at absentee-owned chain businesses. Plus, these are the retailers, restaurants and service providers that lend support to your childrens’ schools, your places of worship and our neediest nonprofits because it’s their communities, too.

So among all the picnics and patriotism of this holiday weekend, take care to Celebrate Your Independents, as well.