Renovation with Green, Efficiency and budget in mind

It’s amazing how well-placed, and well-chosen, lighting fixtures can change your life. Reducing power usage is well and good but beyond that, lighting can help create a mood. It can change a space drastically by opening it up, making it lighter, warmer, cooler; whatever floats your boat. Our kitchen is a great example. The Stafford Home Service folks installed lighting that seemed like a good idea when they installed it, but now that the kitchen is done, it was freakin’ fantastic! [Read more →]

I’ve noticed that I get headaches and stuffed up these past few years, except in summer, when the windows are open. I thought my previous house was clean but recently I have found otherwise. First, Dan at Stafford Home Service advised me to get a larger (wider?) whole-house air filter, then he installed a UV bulb. This has made a pretty significant difference. Although I had previously had an electrostatic filter, he did not see the benefit, especially considering the price (always nice to know a contractor who is trying to get you better service and a better budget!) One of the other things we did was to install the returns in the attic. This has had to significant benefits, one, it created more space in the basement, two, the returns are not sucking up the dirt along the floor. This is something I observed myself, and I’m pretty happy Stafford recommend it. [Read more →]

After reading about the Ecobee Smart Thermostat, and it’s cool green technology and remote control abilities (iPhone and iPad control!) I ordered one online. Dan at Stafford Home Service installed it in less then an hour. The guys at Stafford were already pretty knowledgable about the ecobee and were more then willing to help. Dan was excited that I was looking at green, cutting-edge technology. If you ever have any questions about anything in this area, give him a call. [Read more →]

When we think of a green electrician, we may think of dimmers, low-voltage lighting, energy-efficient appliances and the like, but there are other factors to consider. Recently, Kris, from Stafford Home Service, dropped in at the last minute. My kitchen cabinet installers were coming in and, upon hearing this, Kris wanted to make sure the installation guys were conscious of the electrical decisions and needs. [Read more →]

When renovating or remodeling your home you might want to consider a whole house control and automation system for your audio and video needs. Setting up a whole house control and automation system can be a complicated and overwhelming experience, but it doesn’t have to be.  Prodigy by Crestron is an affordable and simple control system that can control your audio and video systems as well as HVAC, lighting and security system. These systems can be accessed from anywhere in your home, or in the world for that matter. [Read more →]

Need a new furnace? We at Stafford Home Service have been installing furnaces in the Minneapolis, St. Paul and greater Twin Cities area for over 50 years. [Read more →]

LAI has designed an affordable solution for collection and reuse of rainwater in cold climates to essentially eliminate the need for potable water to be used in the irrigation of the landscape. This can be done with both new construction and renovation projects. As shown in the image below we are demonstrating one of many ways to effectively disconnect your irrigation system from either a well source or city water source as a means to conserve the valuable resource and save money!  [Read more →]

If you’re going to remodel your home, or just looking for an easy renovation, recessed lighting might be something to consider. It’s an easy way to update your home, can be part of a green remodeling plan, and also can be a budget renovation solution (it has a huge visual impact to cost ratio.) The electrical experts at Stafford Home Service will definitely be able to help you. Even if you think there’s no way recessed lighting could work in your home, the Stafford will find a way. [Read more →]

The use of salvaged stone and salvaged building materials is becoming a great way to be green and save money on your renovation and landscape projects while adding tons of character. Our office is known with the local quarries and stone yards for scouring the back of their lots for salvaged, special order materials that have been returned, or what they would consider left over scraps and incorporating these one of kind materials in our design process early on. [Read more →]

After taking out the chimney and old furnace room we found the floor, bashed up a bit, with holes as well as not-so-flat. The original furnace must have been put in before the concrete floor, as there was a pad that had clearly been wet when the furnace was dropped in and the floor sloped away from this in all directions. [Read more →]