Home & Garden

Join us at Green Thumb Garden Center on Labor Day Weekend between barbeques and beach trips for one of the most fun weekends we have to offer.
Blue ribbons, red-checkered tablecloths, grand openings, friendly competitions, and exceptional deals will abound.
Friday, September 3, 2010 – Annual Patio Clearance Sale.  Our annual patio furniture floor sample clearance sale begins at 9 a.m. 

Voluntary No Cost Program Creates Opportunities to Invest in Practices that Save Water and Money. It’s a checkup that also offers you a return on your investment: Castaic Lake Water Agency (CLWA) is inviting businesses and institutions to get a free water use checkup that can yield tremendous opportunities to help improve the community’s water use efficiency, and have a positive impact on the financial bottom line.

Come to the number one company for custom frameless shower enclosures.  As a member of the California Glass Associations task force on heavy shower safety codes, Preferred Glass has been a pioneer in the design, installation, and safety regulations of frameless glass enclosures that combine luxury, beauty and strength.  At Preferred Glass & Windows, we can install new and replacement units from standard to custom enclosures.  Designs come in framed and frameless, with L shaped stay-clean tracks for easy maintenance.  A wide variety of tempered glass from clear, smoked, obscured to etched, painted or carved safety glass.

Whether it is a dusty, windy day, or an afternoon drizzle, weather in Santa Clarita can take a toll on the look of your patio furniture.  To keep your outdoor living space looking its best, cover your furniture when you are not using it.  Premium protective covers will shelter your investment from the harshest conditions. 

Bringing birds to your garden is one of the great joys of any gardener.  Aside form providing food, providing water is must in creating a wildlife friendly garden. Here is a quick and easy birdbath that looks elegant and can be made from items you already own or can easily get from your local garden center.
Supplies needed: Tall pot or urn, or even a piece of large pipe or chimney flue, a large sauce, silicone glue, if desired. 

Is it time for your kitchen cabinets to be upgraded?  Give them new life by refacing instead of replacing.  Replacing kitchen cabinets can be very expensive and time-consuming, there is an alternative to the costly renovation - kitchen cabinet refacing.  Your cabinets will look like new without the expense and inconvenience of a demolition and remodel.  There are over 100 styles of doors and drawer fronts to choose from.  From traditional to contemporary, the wide variety of selections will impress you.

Our traditional pest control company requires the homeowner to be home at the time of service, thereby providing access inside the home.  Companies offering interior pest control attribute successful insect elimination to providing both interior and exterior pest control applications.  The interior applications are aimed at those insects already inhabiting the home, while exterior treatments target insects before they have an opportunity to enter the home.

Before I started out with a bunch of items that might be in need of attention, I thought I would cover some basics?
1. Know where your water shut off is and how to turn it off.
2. Know where your gas shut off is and how to turn it off.
3. Know where your electrical panel is and how to shut off circuit breakers

With temperatures rising and energy costs soaring, there are a variety of steps you can take to cut the expenses of cooling your home.
“Cooling and heating equipment use more energy than any other appliance.  This inevitably shows up every month on the energy bill, but it’s important to remember that energy costs can be controlled,” said Andre Chukhman, owner of Enertek Air Conditioning.

Last month the revolutionary new Rayne Drinking Water System, “The Evolution with Linx Technology”, was introduced to the SCV.  What brought about this new technology from Rayne?  Why try to improve on the R/O (reverse osmosis)?
Simply put, the Linx has been shown to be more environmentally friendly than the tried and true R/O.  With water conservation being one of our primary concerns, this system will be of great value as the population in The SCV continues to grow.  And it’s available exclusively from Rayne.

With school starting, now is a great time to get ready for the holidays and all the entertaining that it brings.  Imagine how neat it would be when your family and friends come over and you have your new kitchen or bath to display.  It can be a relief to be organized and ready when your guests arrive.  You will know exactly which cabinet to open to find all your entertaining plates, platters and accessories.  With all the great countertops to choose from, having someone with experience to help you figure out which surface bests suits your needs and tastes can be a big decision. 

There are lots of different options on the market for kitchen countertops.  Our list of top picks gives the pros and cons of the top so that you can make an educated choice when you remodel your kitchen.
Granite Counters: It is the material of many and beautifies any kitchen.  It holds up to heat, comes in a range of almost 3000 colors; is permanent.  It will last a lifetime and adds value to any home.  Granite is the second hardest stone next to diamonds.  The cons are few, but include having it installed by a professional. 

It’s back to school for many of our children, which means it is the perfect opportunity to have your carpet and upholstery cleaned. You may even want to have the interior or exterior of your home painted before the holidays. With many years of experience, our IICRC certified firm provides skillful, carpet cleaning technicians, EPA lead certified painters and certified mold remediation technicians who will be available to help you with your home maintenance needs. Magic Maintenance, Inc. also offers 24/7 water damage restoration services.

This are all of our advertisers that can help you with your home & garden! Take a look!

I was recently asked what the single most cost effective ways are to spruce up a home with respect to lighting and so I wanted to share with you my opinions.
Firstly, I recommend starting at the front of your home, since that is the area you and your guests see first.  From there you can set the tone or the mood for the rest of the house.  If you already have sconces or pilaster lights, try updating them with something a little more modern.  I typically recommend fixtures with seeded glass or bulbs with frosted lenses to reduce any glare.  If you want additional lighting to accent trees or the architectural features of your home, well positioned 12 volt landscape lighting does a fantastic job.

The trend is to go green.  What we are seeing is that homeowners are investing into “sustainable” and “renewable” materials and appliances and this observation is supported by the American Institute of Architects (AIA).
Homeowners are turning to green changes as a way to reduce their energy bills and improve their quality of life.  Based on AIA research in February that polled 500 architects in the residential sector, buyers are willing to pay $5,000 extra for an energy-efficient home.

Some may think that outdoor landscape lighting is as simple as selecting a few lighting fixtures and screwing a few bulbs in to place.  In reality outdoor landscape lighting offers more than basic illumination and delivers many functions including showcasing your landscape.  When lights are placed outdoors, whether in a garden or in a covered area such as a porch, they are most commonly used for function. 

Want to remodel your bathroom or kitchen immediately?  Don’t waste time driving around town or back-ordering natural stones and tiles.  Stop into our showroom in Castaic and walk out with your material the same day.  Surfaces USA orders directly from the quarries in Italy, China, Turkey, and more so there is no middle man.  Ninety-nine percent of their inventory is in their San Fernando Valley warehouse and available for take-home or delivery the same day!