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The Outdoors IDEA

The Outdoors IDEA

Around the House, Around the Park, Around Adventure, and Around the Great Outdoors!

Simple steps to create the perfect outdoor oasis

6/2/2017

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(BPT) - Summer is home to many of the year’s most beautiful days, so who can blame you for wanting to spend them all outside? Your yard becomes your living room and your patio the kitchen. It’s your home away from home, which begs the question — do you like your current digs?

If your home's outdoor space lacks the comfort and appeal you are longing for, don’t worry. Now is the perfect time to transform your backyard into the perfect outdoor oasis you can enjoy all summer long.

To get started upgrading your backyard without breaking the bank — follow these tips from the experts at Lowe’s.

* A place to gather. Think of the parties you’ve hosted in your home. They've likely all had a common gathering place such as the kitchen counter, the living room couch or the dining room table. Your outdoor space needs a similar location and a dining set naturally invites guests to relax. Five-piece dining sets from Lowe's are perfect for more intimate gatherings, while seven-piece sets comfortably accommodate larger crowds.

* The focal point of your kitchen. Grilling out is a staple of any summer party, so if your existing grill isn’t hitting all cylinders, it’s time for an upgrade. The Master Forge 5-Burner Modular Gas Grill features four heavy-duty burners, one infrared searing burner and one infrared rotisserie burner, giving you a solution for any menu choice. Plus, its built-in halogen lights can keep your party going long into the night.

* A place to relax. The sofas and armchairs in your living room are popular sitting destinations during any indoor event, and you can create the same environment outdoors with sectional patio furniture. The Garden Treasures Palm City Patio Sectional Furniture features sleek and sturdy black steel frames coupled with tan Olefin cushions that up the comfort level, meaning when you sit, you'll never want to leave.

* A little shade goes a long way. An all-day party means plenty of sun, and when guests need a break from the heat, it’s good to provide an area of relief. Patio umbrellas are an affordable option, available in 8-1/2 and 9-foot varieties, providing ample coverage for a large gathering. And to keep the awning a hot destination into the evening, look for an umbrella outfitted with LED lights.

* The perfect accents. The difference between a backyard and an outdoor oasis is in the details you add to your space. Island King Garden Torches bring light to any situation. With durable metal construction and a long-lasting fiberglass wick, these lights will keep their look in any conditions. To add a little extra green space to your outdoor entertaining area, consider purchasing raised garden beds. They provide a grand ambiance upgrade to your oasis at an affordable price. 

Summer has just begun! Implement any of the upgrades listed above and you'll be able to enjoy the season's greatest days from your brand-new oasis. To find everything you need to remake your backyard, without breaking your bank, visit lowes.com.
​

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Get Cooking on Your Outdoor Kitchen Design

4/18/2017

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If you count yourself among the homeowners ready to undertake a deck upgrade, integrating interior kitchen ideas into your outdoor living space is a sure-fire way to bring fun, function and added value to your home. Cook up plans for an outdoor kitchen that truly sizzles with these tips.


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Plumbing the possibilities: Kitchens, showers and baths highlight outdoor living spaces

4/13/2017

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(BPT) - The trend toward outdoor living spaces that mimic the look, comfort, convenience and functionality of indoor spaces doesn’t have to stop at the backyard grilling station. A growing number of homeowners are exploring new additions to their outdoor spaces, including outdoor showers and powder rooms, and even garage entertaining areas anchored by sinks and wetbars!

While traditional plumbing techniques might once have limited just how homey you could make outdoor versions of kitchens and bathrooms, modern up-flush plumbing cost-effectively solves many problems. Above-floor macerating plumbing systems, like those from SFA Saniflo, U.S.A., allow the easy addition of a sink, shower or toilet outside, regardless of where plumbing lines are located inside. They also eliminate the need to cut through concrete if you’ll be placing your project inside a garage or on a concrete patio. Finally, the compact systems fit perfectly into smaller spaces, such as inside cabinets in an outdoor kitchen or in an outdoor powder room.

Here are four water- and drainage-dependent, outdoor living features that are more possible and popular than ever, thanks to up-flush plumbing.

Kitchens


Outdoor kitchens are in high demand, and have evolved to be true mirrors of their indoor counterparts. In addition to cooking facilities, such as a grill, cooktop, or pizza oven, today’s outdoor kitchen incorporates running water.

While a sink is an obvious necessity in outdoor kitchens, traditional plumbing can limit the location, configuration, size and capabilities of the space. Up-flush plumbing affords homeowners greater flexibility in designing an outdoor kitchen.

For example, using a Sanivite drain pump to remove wastewater more than 150 feet horizontally allows homeowners to install their outdoor kitchen where they desire, rather than having to rely on gravity and grading to move water. The pump is also capable of draining up to three separate fixtures, meaning you can have a sink and a dishwasher in your outdoor kitchen.

Showers


If you have a pool or are lucky enough to live near the beach, an outdoor shower can keep sand and other messes from getting tracked into the house. However, traditional plumbing practices can limit where you can locate your outdoor shower. Up-flush plumbing systems use pumps to move wastewater away from the drain, so you can locate an outdoor shower where it’s most convenient.

Products like the Sanishower fit into a small footprint and its low profile is easily concealed beneath the shower floor. Yet the system can handle drainage of up to 20 gallons per minute.

Wetbars


Whether you would like to add a wetbar to a patio or tucked into a corner of the garage, up-flush plumbing can make the process easy and cost-effective. Above-floor plumbing can handle wastewater removal in spots where no drain is present or possible. This means you can easily install a wetbar on a wooden deck, concrete patio or anywhere else where installing a traditional drain would be costly and inconvenient.

Powder rooms


When is an extra bathroom ever a bad idea? Imagine hosting a backyard barbecue or pool party without the need to make guests traipse through the house to reach the facilities, or wait in line inside the house while missing all the fun going on outdoors. Exterior bathrooms can solve those dilemmas, and up-flush plumbing can make it easy to add a toilet and sink outside the house.

While tying into existing traditional plumbing lines might require you to snuggle your outdoor powder room against the side of a house, above-floor plumbing allows you to position it virtually anywhere that’s convenient and appealing for your needs. The Sanicompact is a decorative one-piece system that combines a classic china toilet bowl with a built-in macerator/pump that can handle drainage from the toilet and a nearby sink.


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How to Choose the Right Grill Size

8/31/2016

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If you’re shopping for a new gas grill for your cookouts, one of the most important aspects to consider is size. Here are some helpful tips, including cooking surface size and amount of burners, for choosing the right size grill.


How to Choose the Right Grill Size

(Family Features) If you’re shopping for a new gas grill, one of the most important aspects to consider is its size.

“There are more things to think about than simply how many hamburgers you want to cook at once,” said Russ Faulk, grillmaster and chief designer for Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet, maker of outdoor kitchen equipment. “To a great extent, more size offers more cooking flexibility. Few people need a giant grill, but most people can take advantage of having a bit more cooking space.”

Here are some helpful tips he recommends for choosing the right size grill.

Understand the true size of the cooking surface. Total cooking area for grills is measured in square inches. This figure often includes the warming rack and cooktop areas, so do a little digging to identify the square inches of the primary grill grates alone. A minimum of 450 square inches is a good starting point to meet the needs of most people. For example, a 500-square-inch grill grate can accommodate about 24 hamburgers at one time.

Think about indirect cooking. When you envision cooking on the grill, you probably think about grilling the food right above the fire. This is called “direct heat” grilling, which is good for small or thin foods than can be cooked quickly. Larger foods, such as whole chickens, potatoes or roasts, are best cooked with “indirect heat.” This means the burners below the food are actually turned off. You need a grill large enough for the active burners to generate the right amount of heat and have enough space left over to place the food in an indirect zone.

The magic really happens when you combine direct and indirect techniques, Faulk said. Some call it “sear and slide” cooking, which is an indispensable method for grilling a thick steak. Sear it over high, direct heat then move it to indirect heat to slow down the cooking. A grill with at least 700 square inches is recommended for cooks who frequently embrace indirect grilling techniques.

Stay in control. Most gas grills have multiple, individually controlled burners. Larger grills tend to have more burners. For indirect grilling, you will need at least two burners, but more control zones offer increased cooking options. Individual temperatures can be set for grilling different kinds of food simultaneously. At least three burners are recommended for the best control and flexibility.

Don’t crowd the grill. When you try to squeeze too much food onto the grill at once, it can become difficult to manage the cooking. You need room for turning and flipping. Faulk also recommends maintaining a low-heat “safety zone” to move food to when the action gets a little too hot and fast. A good rule of thumb is to keep at least 25 percent of your grill grates clear at all times.

For more tips on finding the right grill for your cookouts, visit kalamazoogourmet.com.

SOURCE:
Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet


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Protect Your Tailgate Party from Pests

7/28/2016

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No matter the event or the teams playing in the big game, few things create as strong a sense of camaraderie and community as tailgating. While most fans prepare for the food, drinks, music and games, many overlook or ignore an ever-present threat of the great outdoors: flies and other pests crashing the party.


Protect Your Tailgate Party from Pests

(Family Features) Whether it’s before a football or baseball game, most sports fans share one thing in common: tailgating. No matter the event or the teams playing in the big game, few things create as strong a sense of camaraderie and community as tailgating. While most fans prepare for the food, drinks, music and games, many overlook or ignore an ever-present threat of the great outdoors: flies and other pests crashing the party.

When you prepare that mouthwatering tailgate menu of burgers, wings and dips, remember – your guests aren’t the only ones craving the snacks. Flies are attracted to food left out in the open, and they are more than just a nuisance. Many people underestimate the health threat they pose. Research shows flies are twice as filthy as cockroaches. Each time a fly lands on food or utensils, it can leave behind thousands of germs that can cause illnesses such as diarrhea or food poisoning.

Despite the contamination risk, most people simply wave flies away and continue eating what they’ve touched. In a recent Orkin survey, 61 percent of respondents said that they would still eat their meal after a fly touched it, but only 3 percent said they would continue eating after a cockroach came in contact with the food.

To help protect tailgate guests from flies, follow these tips from Dr. Ron Harrison, entomologist and technical services director for Orkin, a leader in the pest-control industry.

  • Cover food that isn’t being eaten in tightly-sealed containers, keep dishes as cool as possible and dispose of uneaten items immediately.
  • Flies are also attracted to odors other than food. Certain fly species can move easily from rotting, disease-laden garbage to exposed food and serving surfaces. To help avoid a fly frenzy, choose a parking space away from trash cans and portable restrooms, empty trash cans near the tailgate regularly, and keep trash can lids tightly closed.
  • Creating an air flow around food at the tailgate may also help prevent invading flies. Like mosquitoes, most flies are not strong fliers and a fan blowing near food may help keep them away.

Enjoying outdoor events with friends and family requires planning. By taking a few simple steps to avoid conditions that help pests thrive, sports fans can enjoy themselves and be free of pest problems. Find more tips to keep your parties pest-free at orkin.com.

Photo courtesy of Getty Images

SOURCE:
Orkin

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Elevate Your Camping Experience

6/15/2016

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If a break from the sights and sounds of the city is calling your name, it may be time for a camping getaway to rest and recharge. Fortunately, if roughing it isn’t your idea of a good time, there are several ways you can elevate your campsite for a less primitive experience, such as screening out pests, powering your equipment, packing comfortable bedding, using electric cooking equipment and staying clean.


Elevate Your Camping Experience

(Family Features) If a break from the sights and sounds of the city is calling your name, it may be time for a camping getaway to rest and recharge. Fortunately, if roughing it isn’t your idea of a good time, there are several ways you can elevate your campsite for a less primitive experience.

Screen out pests. Even the most avid nature lovers can appreciate the need to keep pests away from their sleeping area. Using a tent with a screened patio area is one way to help cut down on the flies, mosquitos and other guests inside your sleeping quarters. The screen helps keep the majority of potential pests away from the main tent entrance so you can come and go more freely.

Power it up. A generator makes it possible to enjoy some comforts from home while you’re soaking up the fresh air. Electricity can help power practical uses (fans and phone chargers, for example) and other nonessential but enjoyable purposes such as personal electronics and cooking devices. If you’re thinking your camping neighbors may balk at the large, noisy version you use for emergency backup power, you’re probably right. Fortunately, inverter generators, like Briggs & Stratton’s PowerSmart Series, are designed for quiet operation – perfect for a campsite. Some inverters operate as low as 59 decibels – quieter than a normal conversation. Look for models with technology that allows you to power mobile devices safely and offers campers multiple power options and outlets for greater versatility.

Keep comfy at night. Many campers pack with a minimalist approach, but your bedding is no place to skimp. Even one night of uncomfortable sleep can put a damper on your getaway and leave you achy and irritable. If a cot or inflatable mattress isn’t practical, at least consider an extra layer for a softer cushion below you.

Cut cooking time. There’s something hypnotically calming about the sight and sound of flames dancing in the night. But when your stomach is growling, the fire pit can be your worst enemy. A propane or electric stove can help ensure you won’t go hungry.

Clean things up. After a hot, sticky day of hiking, a shower may be just what you need to refresh and revive. Fortunately, if your campsite doesn’t offer a bathhouse, there are dozens of options when it comes to portable showers. Make sure you have a dry towel at the ready by using a microfiber blend that is not only lightweight for transport but also dries quickly between uses.

Portable generators emit carbon monoxide and are dangerous if not operated properly. The only safe place to operate a portable generator is outside and away from the campsite. To learn more about how to safely operate a portable generator, visit takeyourgeneratoroutside.com.

Camping doesn’t have to be a rugged affair, especially with the variety of accessories available to help create a home away from home. Learn more about options to help power your next camping excursion at briggsandstratton.com.

Photo courtesy of Getty Images (family of four)

SOURCE:
Briggs & Stratton

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