Author: Sara May

Backyard Fun, Healthy Ideas

Swing Set Accessories Meet Kids’ Different Needs For Movement

Comment

Swing Set Accessory Telescope

So many backyard swing sets are avoided by kids or have been abandoned altogether…but why?  Standard variety swing sets come with swings, of course, and a slide — perhaps some monkey bars.  But kids don’t ever come in a standard variety.  Each child has a need to move his or her body in particular ways, and backyard swing sets don’t always meet those needs.

Some kids, for example, simply do not like the feeling of swinging back and forth.  They may prefer to spin instead.  Others may find spinning nauseating and seek out ways to hang from their hands or legs.  Knowing the ways in which your children prefer to move their bodies will give you insight into what kind of swingset accessories to add to backyard swing sets, thus saving that expensive equipment from neglect and providing kids with a safe and satisfying place to play.

For the swingers — Kids who like to swing may become easily bored with the basic belt swing that usually comes with backyard swing sets.  Glider swings are a fun and different way to swing solo or with a friend.  Disc swings are another option, providing kids with a bit of an upper body challenge.   Little kids who want to swing don’t have to be left out of the fun; bucket swings and half bucket swings make for excellent beginner and transition swings.  Both are safe and fun.

For the spinners — While nauseating to some, spinning can feel fantastic to others.  Kids who thrive on spinning will love a tire swing attachment.  Tire swings are fun to share with friends, too.

For the climbers — Swing sets can easily be outfitted with a rock wall or rope ladder feature so that our climbing kids can easily meet their needs for whole body movement and motor planning.

For the danglers — Hanging around, whether by the hands or legs, is fun for lots of kids, so providing a trapeze bar or monkey bars is an easy solution.

For the diggers — Backyard swing sets, especially wooden swing sets, can be easily equipped with a sandbox feature.  Sandboxes can be attached to existing swing sets, or they can simply be placed nearby so that our little excavators can dig to their hearts’ content.  Keep in mind that sandboxes should always be covered when not in use.  Sandbox covers prevent neighborhood critters from soiling the sand at night or during other quiet times.

For the explorers and pretenders — Our most creative kids make the best use of accessories like telescopes, periscopes, binoculars, and steering wheels which are attached to swing sets.  Other accessories to spark the imagination include talk tubes, play houses, and club houses.  Kids can imagine their way into amazing situations as long as their swing sets provide the necessary ingredients.

So, if your kids are no longer interested in your backyard swing set, and instead it has become a hot spot for the spiders to practice web building skills, take a moment to think about the way your kids like to move their bodies.  Does the backyard swing set meet those needs for movement?  If not, try adding a few swing set accessories that complement your kids’ preferences.  You may be surprised to find the spiders moving out because the swing set is back in full swing!

Garden Tools & Tips

Greenhouse Ventilation

2 Comments

Did you know that proper ventilation is one of the most important factors to consider when you select a greenhouse for backyard gardening?  The job of a greenhouse is to warm the air inside the greenhouse and prevent it from escaping, thus extending the life of your garden to three, and sometimes four, seasons.  Without proper ventilation, though, a hobby greenhouse can become too humid or too hot for your plants, flowers, and vegetables.  Good ventilation is key, and this usually means circulation of new air every three to four minutes inside during the summer.  Without this circulation in the summertime, the greenhouse temperature will rise and can damage tender plants.  Fans contribute to mixing the air along with vents in the greenhouse roof and side walls.  In the spring and fall, these vents can usually cool the greenhouse without the need for circulating fans, which keeps your electric bill lower.  During the winter, opening and closing the greenhouse vents will allow plants to grow accustomed to the colder weather without freezing. 

With just a little practice, properly ventilating your hobby greenhouse will become a breeze, and you’ll benefit with a bountiful harvest.

Greenhouse Kit

Garden Tools & Tips, Storage Solutions

Storage Sheds: The Benefits of Cedar

Comment

Rancher Cedar Storage Shed

Outdoor storage sheds may be available in a variety of materials, including metal, plastic, and vinyl, but I prefer a storage shed made out of wood — specifically, Western Red Cedar.   Have you ever opened a cedar trunk or stepped into a clothes closet lined with cedar?  Not only is cedar beautiful, it smells fantastic.  The same goes for an outdoor storage shed.  On the other hand, when I walk into my own storage shed, constructed of metal, I detect only the fragrance of gas from the lawnmower and essence of yard chemicals.   It is the last place I want to be.

Even though the sensual aspects of cedar may be the first that we notice, the practical advantages of cedar abound, especially when used for storage sheds and other outdoor furniture.  Cedar offers outstanding insulation, is easy to work with, and contains natural preservatives that make it resistant to insect damage, decay, and harsh weather conditions.  It truly is an all-weather material; it can take the heat of the summer as well as the icy cold of winter, and just about every condition in between.

Because of cedar’s attractive features and benefits, an outdoor shed made of cedar can serve as more than just a place for storage.  You just might want to spend more time in the shed planning gardening projects or working on a hobby.  Some friends I know don’t use their cedar storage shed for storage at all, but for a comfortable and creative play house for their children.

Metal, plastic, and vinyl storage sheds can’t possibly offer the same array of benefits and possibilities as cedar wood sheds.  While fine for basic storage, they lack the charm, beauty, and versatility of a cedar storage shed…and they definitely don’t smell as delicious.

Backyard Fun, Outdoor Entertaining, Outdoor Safety Tips

Swimming Pool Lights Illuminate the Party

2 Comments

Whether you have an in ground pool or an above ground pool, you probably have swimming pool lights to light the water after dark.  Pool lights are essential for safety, but did you know that they can be the life of the party, too?  Swimming with family and friends becomes an underwater dance party when colorful swimming pool lights illuminate the sides and bottom of your pool with spinning luminescence.   Blue, red, orange, purple, green, and orange lights add a new dimension of fun to a backyard get together, whether or not you decide to use the pool.

Colorful swimming pool lights come in a variety of creative designs.  Some pool lights are mounted to the side of the pool, while others float on the surface of the water.  The floating variety of pool lights offers its own range of creative touches.  Swim with colorful jelly fish who light the water with a green or pink glow, or enjoy the dramatic effect of a floating fountain and light show.  A popular choice for parties and even low-key gatherings is the floating pool light whose colors change and spin, giving an underwater disco ball effect.

Swimming pool lights don’t have to be of the plain white variety.  Colorful pool lights do the job of lighting your in ground or above ground swimming pool after dark, but they also bring a lively and fun party atmosphere to any small backyard gathering.  Just don’t forget the music!

Pool Lights and Fountain

Environmentally Friendly Ideas, Innovative Solutions, Shade Solutions

Green Windows – Solar Window Shades Save Energy and Money

6 Comments
Solar Outdoor Window Shade
Outdoor Solar Window Shade

Saving the planet may seem like a daunting task, one reserved for global treaties and massive industrial shifts. However, when we take small, informed steps to reduce our individual carbon footprint, we can move significantly closer to our shared environmental goals. One of the easiest and most effective ways to contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gases, while simultaneously achieving substantial home energy cost savings, is by strategically installing solar shades – also commonly known as sun shades – on the windows and doors of our homes.

The key windows and doors to address are those that receive direct, intense sunlight at any point during the day. This is where the greatest heat gain occurs. However, as we will explore, even windows and doors that receive only indirect or reflected sunlight can benefit from the insulating properties of these specialized window treatments. Outfitting your home with sun shades is a practical and aesthetically pleasing solution that keeps inside temperatures down, dramatically reducing the operational load and run-time of your air conditioning (AC) system.

The High Cost of Unchecked Sunlight: The Science of Heat Transfer

To understand the profound impact solar shades have, it’s essential to grasp just how much energy is wasted through untreated windows. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) provides a stark picture of this energy loss: “About 30% of a home’s heating energy is lost through windows. In cooling seasons, about 76% of sunlight that falls on standard double-pane windows enters to become heat.” (http://www.aceee.org/consumer/cooling).  In simple terms, that’s a tremendous amount of “green” – both money and environmental health – literally going out the window. Solar shades are specifically engineered to intercept this heat transfer process before it starts.

This statistic from the DOE highlights a fundamental energy principle: the greenhouse effect in your home. The sun’s short-wave radiation (light) passes easily through the glass and is absorbed by interior surfaces (floors, furniture, walls). These surfaces then re-radiate the energy as long-wave infrared radiation (heat), which is much less able to pass back out through the glass. This trapping of heat is what drives up your home’s temperature and forces your AC unit to work overtime, consuming vast amounts of electricity, much of which is generated by burning fossil fuels, thus releasing more greenhouse gases.

The Mechanism of Solar Shades: Reflection and Absorption

Solar shades are a practical solution because they are not traditional blackout shades. Blackout shades are designed to block nearly all visible light, which leaves a room dark and requires the use of electric lighting, somewhat defeating the energy-saving purpose.

Instead, solar shades are typically made of a screen-like material composed of PVC, vinyl, or polyester. This material operates on two primary principles to manage solar heat:

  1. Reflection: The outer-facing side of the fabric often features a lighter color or a specialized reflective coating. This reflects a significant portion of the sun’s intense short-wave heat and light energy before it enters the window pane.
  2. Absorption and Dissipation: Any remaining solar energy that isn’t reflected is absorbed by the fabric itself. Because the shades are mounted close to the window, the absorbed heat is kept away from the living space and can more easily dissipate back outside through natural convection or air movement.

The result of this sophisticated engineering is dramatic: solar shades allow light and air to filter through, maintaining a view and natural illumination, but, at the same time, they can reduce a room’s temperature by as much as 25%. Cooler interior temperatures translate directly into reduced air conditioning usage, meaning more “green” – more money in your wallet and a healthier environment.

Understanding Openness Factor: Selecting the Right Shade

When choosing solar shades, the most important technical specification to consider is the Openness Factor (or Openness Percentage). This is an indicator of how tightly the weave of the fabric is structured, and it directly controls the amount of light, heat, and visibility the shade allows.

  • 1% to 3% Openness: These shades offer the greatest heat reduction, the highest level of privacy, and the most control over light. They are ideal for windows facing direct west or south sun exposure where maximum heat blockage is necessary.
  • 5% to 7% Openness: This is the most common range. It offers an excellent balance between significant heat control (often blocking over 70% of UV rays) and good outward visibility. This is a great choice for general-purpose windows.
  • 10% and Higher: These shades provide maximum light transmission and a clearer view outside, but they offer less heat control and daytime privacy.

Choosing the right openness factor based on your window’s orientation and local climate is crucial to maximizing the shade’s energy-saving benefits. For instance, a south-facing window in a hot climate demands a lower openness factor (3-5%) than a north-facing window in a cooler region (7-10%).

Installation of Solar Window Shades and Long-Term Savings

To maximize the thermal benefits and ensure the highest possible level of Trustworthiness in their performance, solar shades should be installed as close to the glass as possible. This creates a small air pocket that acts as an additional insulating barrier. Professionals recommend an inside mount to ensure the least amount of space for heat to escape around the edges of the fabric

The financial return on investment for installing solar shades is compelling:

  • Immediate AC Reduction: By mitigating solar heat gain, you immediately reduce your AC’s workload, lowering monthly utility bills.
  • Equipment Lifespan: Less stress on your AC unit means fewer maintenance calls and a longer overall lifespan for the expensive equipment.
  • Reduced UV Damage: The shades block harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation, which is responsible for fading carpets, furniture, and artwork, protecting your interior assets and saving replacement costs over time.

By making the simple, one-time investment in pre-made or custom solar shades, you are not only taking an actionable step toward reducing your home’s contribution to greenhouse gases but also securing lasting financial benefits. It’s a classic win-win scenario: more money in your pockets, a more comfortable home, and a healthier environment for everyone.

Solar shades are a practical solution because, for one, they are not black out shades; they do not darken a home and keep out all light.  Solar shades allow light and air to filter through, but, at the same time, they can reduce a room’s temperature by up to 25%.  Cooler temperatures inside mean more “green” — in other words, more money in our pockets and a healthier environment.