Home & Garden

Well, so much for my degree in Economics. This is the third time in 30 years of business that the economy has knocked me around. I love the career I chose. No uniforms, suits.
When the economy took a downturn, I decided to cut back in both fixed and variable expenses. Many less fortunate contractors have had to roll up their tents.
The American dream of owing a home is still a reality. But, in the middle of a poor economy and we see our neighbors losing their jobs and homes, it hard to imagine that this too will pass. God willing, a change will be sooner than later.

At Surfaces USA, we know you deserve the best service, products, design consultation, and installation... and that’s just what you’ll get! Surfaces USA is a direct importer and wholesaler offering thousands of high-quality designer natural stone and tile products to cover every surface of your home or business.
Whether you’re designing a 500 square foot studio or a 500,000 square foot palace, no space is too big or too small to incorporate natural stone materials, and we’ll take the time to show you how! We have experienced designers on-staff who can provide a timeless design, yet understand the intricacies of the installation.

With summer arriving last month there are several things we should remember to check on.  The demands on our electrical system and water supply are the two that are foremost on my mind.
The summer heat greatly increases our demands on electricity both for refrigeration and air conditioning.  It may be time to change that furnace filter to increase the efficiency of the blower.  This will reduce the running time of the AC system and lower the indoor temperature much faster thus greatly reducing our consumption of electricity.

It’s time to take the “family vacation!”  If you go by car on this adventure, you’ll want to prevent it from becoming a rolling dumpster.  Here’s how to make your car a safe, lean, mean “organized” travel machine.
First, check out your car’s mechanical condition.  Schedule a service and safety inspection.
Next, take two to three hours to organize and make your car safe while traveling.

Summer is finally back and unavoidably with summer comes Bugs – lots of them!  Weather you’re enjoying the sun poolside, playing with your kids, or watching the game with your friends, no one likes the interruption of their leisure by an eight-legged furry thing - with eight eyes starring at you thinking you would make a great meal.
You wake up in the morning after a restless night and slumber to the kitchen to get a fresh cup of coffee only to find ants everywhere!  Thousands of them working away, consuming every last morsel of last night’s desert, or finishing that soda the kids left out.

Now it is easier than ever to maintain your pool, spa or water features such as ponds, waterfalls etc.
The leading manufacturers have and continue to refine the technology in equipment so that you can easily have a pool or spa that is simple to use and maintain while offering the maximum in energy cost savings.

Use floral area rugs to add a warm welcome to your home or office space. It is a good choice for those who want to beautify their homes in a creative and cost-effective manner. By decorating with floral area rugs, you can bring the beauty of nature into your home.
Wide Selections, Great Choices – Apart from protecting high-traffic areas like hallways or sitting areas, these are sure to bring a touch of elegance to your interiors in entryways, guest room, dining room, bed room, kitchen, or any other place where you would like to add brightness and charm. 

Water gardening is fun and easy.  It is easier to take care of than a garden and you will use less water than your lawn.  Ponds are alive, active and always changing.  Both adults and children can enjoy them.  Children can learn about nature watching the plants grow, the fish swimming around and the dragonflies dancing in your water feature. 

Betty Ferguson Foundation (BFF) book club, charmingly called B.A.B.E. (Books And Better Education), is a small group atmosphere designed to stimulate thought, share ideas and learn something new. Frequently the group will go to lunch after their morning discussion, and everyone is welcome to join! Mags Kelly, book club facilitator extraordinaire, brings these B.A.B.E.’s together once a month to review that month’s book club selection.

No Time to Check the Weather?  Let Your Irrigation Controller Do It for You
Castaic Lake Water Agency has launched an initiative to help residential landscape contractors and homeowners save water by using weather-based irrigation controllers (WBICs).

School’s out, the weather is warm so it’s time to create some fun for everyone.  How about a fun, family friendly activity that you can do as well?  Try planting a Salsa Garden!
Planting a Salsa Garden is easy, fun, and great for the Santa Clarita Valley.  Hot peppers love our climate as do tomatoes, add some cilantro and onions and you’ve got all the fixin’s you’ll need for excellent Salsa throughout the year.  Make sure to select an area of your yard that will get six to eight hours of sunlight.  Much more than that and you might bake your plants in SCV, so find a spot that gets a little shade in the late afternoon.  If you live in a home or condo with little or no soil available, you can easily plant all of these in pots.  

Anything organic catches our attention these days simply because we are fed up already with synthetic products and have come to know that the organic components work the best for our basic health. Hence, the use of organic floral waters have also due importance during these days among the conscious folk. The benefits of organic floral waters are widespread.

When many of us think of adding accessories to our outdoor garden, we think pots, lanterns, and torches.  But there are so many ways to add accessories that are functional and beautiful as well.
Do you ever look out at your pool and all you see are towels laying here and there – distracting from the overall appearance of your yard?  Both Hanamint and OW Lee carry towel racks that can add elegance to your yard, and clean up the clutter.  The towels will dry quicker than lying on a chair or on the ground too.

Since 2007 the City of Santa Clarita and the Los Angeles County Sanitation District has been providing up to $2,000 in rebates for the trade-in of salt using automatic water softeners.  Santa Clarita was the first of only two cities at this time to ban automatic water softeners in March 2003.  Since that time, Santa Clarita has continued to struggle with the level of salts (chlorides) in the wastewater.  While automatic water softeners in the residential marketplace were an easy target to minimize the salt loading in the municipal waste water supplies it has not solved their problem, nor is it expected it ever will.

There are many advantages to improving your home with granite!  It will not only give you pleasure while you are living in your home and keep your surfaces more sanitary; if and when you go to sell your home you have invested in something that will either sell your home faster, or for more money than your neighbor.  Granite for a kitchen countertop is one of the most desirable in the United States and here in Santa Clarita Valley. 

In the late afternoon of a hot summer day, the sound of falling water in the midst of your garden soothes and cools hurried lifestyles.  The additions of a glittering water garden with shimmering fish and brilliant water lilies will give your garden an incredible rejuvenating quality.
The first step in the installation of a water garden is the selection of a pond site.  A minimum of six hours of sunlight is required for the successful growth of most water plants.
The second step is to choose a pond liner.  Pond liners are available in both flexible and preformed styles. 

For over forty years, the professionals at Preferred Glass and Windows have provided superior products and exceptional service. The company is passionate about customer service and pledges to work towards 100 percent satisfaction. Their knowledgeable and helpful staff is prepared to meet even your toughest glass needs. From free estimates and advice to delivery and installation, they are with you through every step in the remodeling process.

Add a touch of elegance to your bathroom with Valencia Custom Shower Doors, and see what a difference a shower door can make!  Licensed, bonded and insured, let the experienced professionals at Valencia Custom Shower Doors rejuvenate the look of your bathroom.  
Shower curtains are inexpensive and replaceable, however they could be difficult to clean and lack durability.