The Mail-Journal, Volume 7, Number 15, Milford, Kosciusko County, 13 May 1970 — Page 19

The MailjS*fonrnal

VOLUME 7

Pesty Weeds Get Push In Play Areas Are ugly weeds and unwanted grasses invadihg the patio, barbecue or poolside area? There’s no need to waste weekends pulling and digging them out. These family recreation areas can be kept free of pesty weeds throughout the year with a simple application of a soil sterilant. non-selective weed-killing chemical. Such a herbicide destroys all vegetation on which it Is sprayed, desirable as well as undesirable grasses and plants. It also sterilizes the soil to prevent further weed invasion. This kind of weed killer is perfect for removing all unwanted grasses and broadleaf weeds from terraces, sports areas, playgrounds, driveways, building foundations, fencelines and similar areas. I’nder CxHitrol One application of a nonselective herbicide eliminates pesty plants for the entire summer. About a week after treatment, the weeds start to turn white or brown. As a rule, most are dead in about three or four weeks. This formulation may be applied any time when vegetation is growing actively If weeds or. grasses have already captured favorite backyard spots, cut them back to the ground. Use the nonselective spray when regrowth appears. Be Selective . Most non-selective weed killers will not spread out to damage desirable grasses or ornamentals growing next to treated areas. Nor will they soak down to where there are tree or shrub roots. Basically, it's impractical to use non-selective herbicides for killing weeds in lawns. Besides destroying troublesome weeds and grasses, they can whiten or k*U good grasses, too. It’s wiser to control lawn weeds with selective weed killers to save grass.

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FLOOR-DECORATING poraibiHtiea expand, with “Montage” vinyl-adbesto* tile. Each tile has a wide diagonal band at two opposing corners, in combination with embossed marble-like lagGOODB Y, CR ABGR ASS Crabgrass, biggest weed problem, is easily licked even before it appears on the lawn by applying a pre-emergence chemical crabgrass killer once during March or April.

Consolidation of THE MILFORD MAIL (Eat. 1888) and THE SYRACUSE - WAWASEE JOURNAL (Eat. 1907)

HOME IMPROVEMENT jjtillleif Better Your Living I • NEW IDEAS FOR HOME REMODELING • HOW TO FINANCE MODERNIZING PLANS • TIPS FOR THE DO-IT-YOURSELF MAN • SUGGESTIONS FOR LAWN AND GARDEN

Homeowners Get Answers To Cost, Quality Questions

By EDGAR V. HALL, Executive Director, National Home Improvement Council, Inc. Last year we Americans spent more than sl2 billion on repairing and improving our homes! When that amount of money is spent, it’s pretty obvious that millions of families these days prefer to remodel their dwellings rather than to move. Why? For many reasons. They like the neighborhood in which they live and the convenience of shopping in familiar stores. They hate to leave old friends and are reluctant to place their children into new schools of unknown quality. So, staying put and fixing up has become an important part of the American Way of Life. But, unfortunately, many, many families who don’t move, don’t plan to improve their present homes. They are afraid that the prices for remodeling will be too high, the materials of poor quality, the workmanship shoddy. Avoid Mi»i-tep» Actually, the average homeowner need have little fear in fixing up his home to his and his family’s complete satisfaction. Reliable contractors exist to perform the work. Let’s examine three common misimpressions of home improvement and how you as a prudent homeowner can avoid missteps: I. The price for .emodeling your home will be too high. Il*« true that construction industry cotte are citing rapidly, becauae of labor charges, not because the remodeling contractor is wax-

WEDNESDAY, MAY 13, 1970

ing rich. (Most contractors are small businessmen whose incomes are not out of line with other wages in the community.) You can be certain of getting a fair price if you take the trouble to shop around and get bids on your job from at least two or preferably three home improvers. Remember also that a remodeling job usually enhances the value of your home, particularly in these days of steeply rising values. So. consider your remodeling an investment.rather than an expense. 2. The remodeling materials will be of poor quality. Here again, as a prudent homeowner, you can guarantee against shoddy goods by working with a contractor who applies brand name products. 3. The remodeling workmanship will be poor. One way to be fairly certain of good workmanship on your job is to ask for and then check a contractor’s references before you hire him. Go look at some of his other work. In this way you can judge for yourself whether you are dealing with a reliremodeling businessIncreasingly, homeowners complain of long delays before a contractor will even look at their job. The reason is that there’s a labor shortage in the construction industry as more people than ever before take steps to fix up their dwellings. Be Informed This means a backlog of work for the average contractor. But if you have selected your home improver

carefully, your remodeling project should be started with a minimum of delay consistent with the contractor’s work backlog. In any remodeling you do, you should be as fully informed about your project as possible. First, study up on the subject by reading articles on remodeling that appear frequently in this newspaper. Also, send away for and study manufacturer literature. Check with friends who have had similar work done. Last but not least, play fair with the contractor you select. Don’t change plans in the middle of the job and expect him to adhere to his schedule and originally quoted price. Don’t demand extras from him as your price for signing a completion certificate (without which he won’t get paid by the lender). ' It’s your home and remodeling is the contractor’s business. Cooperation by both parties will insure satisfaction all the way around. WINDOWS STICK? Simple spray*, such Slip N Slide lubricant, get windows or screens moving at the touch of a finger.

NUMBER 15

CLEAN A HOUSE in nothing flat? That's advantage of new built-in central vacuum system. Lightweight hose plugs into wall receptacles in various rooms. Power unit can be located in basement or garage.

It’s Boom Time For The Bath There are at least nine bathroom trends influencing builders, new home buyers and those who plan to remodel existing homes. They’re listed by the Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Information Bureau: 1. People have become disenchanted with small bathrooms and are asking for larger and more luxurious ones. Many are now at least Bxlo feet in size, compared with the 5x7 average of the past few years. » 2. Off-the-floor water closets, already popular in public washrooms, are being ininstalled in more homes. 3. Bathroom vanities with two lavatories are enjoying a boom. The bedroom vanity with running water is also a “comer.” 4. The trend to colored fixtures is continuing, with many homes having one white bathroom and the others in color. 5. Decorated fixtures — with flower, fruit, abstract, Grecian, Early American and other designs reminiscent of great grandmother’s bowl and pitcher — are gaining many fans for bath and bedroom vanity lavatories. 6. It’s predicted there will be a bathroom for every bedroom in virtually every new home within 7 to 10 years. 7. Mudrooms, built off the kitchen or in the basement to divert the traffic pattern and trap dirt before it gets into the rest of the house, are making strong gains. A typical mudroom Is equipped with a lavatory, water closet, shower, work counter and a place to put damp clothes and boots. 8. Bathrooms are being specialized to the needs of users —for example, “Juvenile” fixtures for early training of youngsters, “teen-age" bathrooms, and specially-de-signed fixtures for disabled or senior citizens. 9. Bidets, whirlpool baths, home steam baths and automatic temperature controls for the bath and shower are growing in popularity.