Month: March 2019

2019-03-20T12:01:00

(BPT) – A lush lawn and garden boosts your home’s curb appeal, but it also takes a lot of your free time. You want to spend that time enjoying the space, not taking care of it. The solution? A few low-maintenance strategies to keep your yard looking great while maximizing your relaxation time.

1. Install an automatic irrigation system

With an automatic irrigation system, you don’t even need to be home to water your lawn and garden. You can spend all that extra time kicked back on your front porch enjoying the view of a luscious green lawn. Automatic irrigation systems are also cost-effective — providing water to your lawn exactly where and when it’s needed. Random dry patches or wet sidewalks and driveways will be a thing of the past.

2. Use high-quality equipment

When purchasing your next riding or walk-behind lawn mower, take time to make an informed decision. The engine is the most important part of the mower. Keep in mind, KOHLER engines are built to last, with many models having commercial-grade components. Additional features will help your mower to maintain engine speed in tough conditions and eliminate the need to prime or choke the engine so you can just turn the key and go.

3. Choose perennials

Flower beds are the perfect complement to a lush, green lawn. Plants like coneflowers, black-eyed Susans and Russian sage come back year after year and don’t need to be replanted.

4. Strategically placed mulch

Mulch is one of the best investments you can make in your yard. When it breaks down over time, mulch fertilizes your plants and can prevent weeds. It adds a pleasant aroma to your outdoor spaces and doesn’t require watering.

5. Follow lawn care best practices

Save yourself the extra hassle by following basic lawn care best practices. For example, keep your grass-cutting blades sharp, avoid cutting the grass too short and mow when the grass is dry. Additionally, grasscycling — leaving grass clippings on the lawn after cutting — helps fertilize the lawn and creates less work for you.

There may be no such thing as a maintenance-free lawn, but choosing the right tools and techniques can make your life a lot easier. Follow these tips and learn more at KohlerEngines.com.

2019-03-20T10:09:00

(BPT) – Remember when we used to share everything on social media? We’d let our friends know where we were with a quick check in, accidentally post that awkward photo of our friend making a face, and casually ask for recommendations on how our outfit looked. But now, we are seeking ways to share what matters most to us with only the people who matter most to us — with our inner circle.

A recent study commissioned by Western Digital^®, conducted by Wakefield Research*, found the average American has 557 friends or followers on social media. Across the social media platforms they use, only 28 percent of these followers on average belong to their inner circle. And because it can be difficult to share personal photos with just our inner circle on social media, many of us (about 58 percent) have resorted to sharing photos via text message.

According to Dr. Clay Routledge, professor and psychological scientist, “Close relationships are key to psychological health. The more people feel strongly connected to friends and family, the more meaningful they feel their lives are. Being able to easily connect with those we care most about through shared memories strengthens these relationships and inspires us to prioritize them.”

Why is private photo sharing so important, and how can we use photos to strengthen our most valuable relationships?

1. Photos keep you connected with your loved ones.

Eighty-five percent of those who share photos agree that a main reason they share is to strengthen relationships with friends and family. This is especially meaningful for your loved ones who live far away as sharing photos can help them feel closer to you. Whether your college roommate lives across the country or your sibling serves in the military overseas, they won’t feel left out of special days if they can see the photos for themselves.

2. Finding photos quickly helps you share with your inner circle.

Let’s face it, finding that one digital photo you want to share can be a challenge and it always seems to take longer right when you need it most. In the survey, a full 68 percent of people said they have lost digital photos. Being able to find the right photo to share quickly will make you look like a photo whiz and avoid those awkward moments where you scroll through thousands and thousands of photos in vain. Luckily, using a smart photo manager like ibi™ is one way to store your digital photos and videos so you can keep them handy and shareable at a moment’s notice.

3. Sharing photos shows appreciation.

Sharing photos of an event is a great way to show appreciation to your friends and family who attended. You can say thanks to the friends who threw that great baby shower and give them a way to cherish the memories from that day for years to come. It’s also a great way to stay connected with people who live further away. They’ll feel great you included them in the festivities even if they couldn’t attend in person.

4. Showing your friends who you really are.

What you photograph and share reveals a lot about you. But, a staggering 77 percent of people surveyed agreed that most of the people in their social networks exaggerate their lives online. You don’t have to work hard for likes when you privately share with your loved ones. So whether it’s that special trip you took, the family wedding or the craft projects you’re working on, your friends and family will really appreciate being let into your inner circle and that you’re being real with them.

5. Organizing your photos to make sharing easier.

Moms rejoice! A smart photo manager like ibi helps you organize your memories so you can easily share with others. All the other moms will think you are some kind of photo organization mastermind when they see you collect and share precious moments from soccer games, swim meets, bake-offs and everything in between. ibi helps you bring your photos, videos and favorite people together. Connecting with the people in our inner circle is all about building shared memories together, and with ibi it’s never been easier. For more information about ibi, visit www.meetibi.com.

* The survey was conducted by Wakefield Research among 1,000 U.S. adults, ages 18+, between Feb. 28 and March 6, 2019, using an email invitation and online survey. Quotas were set to ensure reliable and accurate representation of the U.S. adult population. The margin of error is +/- 3.1 percent.

2019-03-20T10:15:00

(BPT) – According to a survey conducted by Wakefield Research, commissioned by Western Digital, more than half of Americans feel less of a deep connection with their inner circle than they did five years ago. At the same time, 85 percent of respondents who share photos with their inner circles cite “strengthening personal relationships with friends and family” as one of their major drivers. This data suggests that privately sharing photos and videos with friends and family may help to deepen the connections that many people believe have weakened over the years, despite the proliferation of social media and smartphones.

2019-03-19T13:19:00

(BPT) – Most people have never heard of pulmonary fibrosis (PF), a progressive, debilitating lung disease affecting more than 200,000 people in the United States. Because it is relatively unknown, patients can go months or even years without the correct diagnosis. Gary Cunningham was diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), one of the common types of PF, faster than most because he was all too familiar with the disease.

“I recognized the symptoms of PF because my mother had died from the disease in 1995 at the age of 61,” said Cunningham. “I was able to discuss my symptoms and the possibility of PF with my doctor right away.”

Know the symptoms of PF

Cunningham primarily experienced shortness of breath and muscle fatigue walking up the stairs, but other common symptoms include a lingering, dry cough and feeling run-down. Common risk factors for IPF are a history of smoking, an age of 60 years or more, and certain environmental exposures.

More than 50,000 new cases of PF are diagnosed each year and many more are likely to be misdiagnosed or go undiagnosed. For Cunningham, early diagnosis was key for maximizing treatment options, so knowing the symptoms and risk factors is very important. To facilitate a clear diagnosis, you may need to ask your physician for a thorough physical exam, as well as further testing such as a pulmonary function testing and/or high-resolution computed tomography. The Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation (PFF) provides more details about symptoms and risk factors at AboutPF.org.

“Our mission is to educate and help as many PF patients and caregivers as we can,” said William T. Schmidt, President and CEO of the PFF. “In addition to providing information about the disease, AboutPF.org even includes a downloadable checklist that patients can take with them to discuss with their doctor.”

Resources and hope for living with PF

While no known cure currently exists for IPF, treatments can help slow progression and improve quality of life. In order to manage Cunningham’s disease, his pulmonologist prescribed medication, pulmonary rehabilitation and supplemental oxygen.

When he first started treatment, Cunningham and his wife, Marianne Sarazin, searched for as much information as they could find. That’s when they were connected with the PFF. The couple felt empowered by the extensive resources they found, including doctors and hospitals specializing in the disease, treatment options, details on the latest research and clinical trials, and support groups. They are now leading advocate volunteers with the PFF and support group facilitators, working to raise awareness of PF.

“I tell my story and work with the PFF to help people educate themselves on this disease, and to empower them to advocate for their health,” Cunningham said. “Going beyond diagnosis, we’re also trying to raise awareness of the challenges we face in treatment, such as getting access to oxygen, which many of us rely on to breathe.”

While an important part of their treatment, many patients find using oxygen to be complicated, frustrating and inconvenient. For the one million Americans who use oxygen, access to suitable oxygen delivery systems can be especially difficult. Even more, a recent survey conducted by the PFF revealed that half of patients using supplemental oxygen experienced problems with their devices.

“Patients across the country struggle to get the oxygen they need to manage pulmonary fibrosis,” said Schmidt. “We have established a toll-free Oxygen Information Line to provide information and resources for patients in need of supplemental oxygen, and we’re also working to support legislation that will help make access to oxygen easier and more affordable.”

To learn more about pulmonary fibrosis, visit AboutPF.org and watch Cunningham’s story. For the PFF Oxygen Information Line, call 844-825-5733.

2019-03-19T16:48:14

(BPT) – When it comes to real estate, kitchens and bathrooms typically sell houses. While you may not have enough money for a kitchen remodel, adding a bathroom can be a more affordable way to enhance your property and catch buyers’ attention.

By adding another bathroom, you immediately increase your chances of your home getting noticed. Technology makes it simple for buyers to search properties of interest by their designated criteria. One of those is “minimum number of bathrooms.” By adding to that amount in your listing, you’ll be getting in front of that many more potential buyers.

Adding bathrooms to difficult spaces

Bathrooms increase a home’s value and add to its functionality — both elements that buyers desire. Homeowners researching opportunities to add a bathroom to their property presale consider enhancing basements, garage slabs and other spaces so contractors can add plumbing systems with conventional in-floor drainage.

If you have a space that would be ideal for a bathroom but appears to be impossible due to the need to break through concrete or other types of flooring, there’s another solution to consider: above-floor, macerating plumbing systems. Developed a half century ago in Europe, these systems are still relatively unknown in the U.S.; however, they offer a vast opportunity for homeowners.

Macerating systems from makers like Saniflo (Saniflo.com) reduce waste and paper from the toilet and send it under high pressure through piping directly into the septic or sewer system. No waste is stored, and the systems are low-cost compared to traditional plumbing. Systems are discreet, quiet and open the possibilities of affordable additions in less time.

Here are five “impossible” home improvement scenarios where above-floor plumbing may be the solution:

Main floor on-slab construction

Owners of slab-built homes may hesitate to cut into the concrete foundation to accommodate conventional plumbing. No matter how careful a contractor is when cutting into concrete, problems can arise — from unexpected obstructions to poor-fitting patches and even stress cracks. Above-floor plumbing systems eliminate the need to cut into the slab, so integrity isn’t compromised.

Basements

If your home is built with a basement, bathroom additions can be problematic due to concrete and existing plumbing limitations. Above-floor, macerating plumbing is a smart solution for fast, cost-effective bathroom additions in lower-level rooms.

Historic homes

Opening walls or floors to accommodate piping may jeopardize important historic elements, such as original wood flooring or plaster walls. Systems like Saniflo’s macerating toilet and plumbing technology eliminate the need to cut through a floor to install new drainage, while minimizing the impact on walls as well. The system also fits easily into small areas like a closet or the dead space behind a stairway, meaning homeowners don’t have to compromise the flow of their historic homes to add a bathroom.

Raised homes

Bayou and beach towns often boast charming raised homes. Adding a bathroom to the lowest floor of a raised home can be problematic; conventional plumbing pipes may detract from the aesthetic value of the space beneath the home, which is often used for car ports, porches and decks. Above-floor plumbing eliminates the need for unsightly pipes, so you can make a great first impression to potential buyers.

Warehouse rehabs

In cities across the country, warehouses have found new life as condos and apartments. But heavy brick construction can make adding traditional plumbing difficult. Above-floor plumbing eliminates the need to cut into or remove bricks, and allows renovators to install attractive, cozy bathrooms in smaller spaces. Imagine how upgrading a one-bath condo to a property with two bathrooms will enhance resale.

If you’re preparing your home for the real estate market, you want it to stand out. An extra bathroom can help you do that and attract high bids from buyers.

2019-03-19T07:05:00