House & Home - October 2015

Vol. 1 Iss. 5OCTOBER 2015

“I don’t believe we’ve found the last of the surprises”“I don’t believe we’ve found

Lynn Hall

Ceiling RevampsBig History in Small-City Home

Fireplace & Chimney Safety

Is your home ready for the

winter?

OCTOBER 15, 20152 House & HomeTHE BRADFORD ERA • OLEAN TIMES HERALD • THE SALAMANCA PRESS

3OCTOBER 15, 2015House & Home THE BRADFORD ERA • OLEAN TIMES HERALD • THE SALAMANCA PRESS


For many, the change of season means the campfi res of sum-mer moves indoors to the fi replace through the winter. Like outdoor campfi res, fi res in a indoor fi replace or stove

aren’t without their risks. Capt. Ed Jennings of the city’s Code Enforcement Offi ce

notes proper fi replace and chimney maintenance are critical to ensuring a fi re on a cold winter night doesn’t turn disastrous.

In addition to being head of the Code Enforcement Offi ce, Jennings is a city fi refi ghter and home inspector.

Making sure a chimney and its fi replace or stove are in working order is relatively simple, Jennings said.

“The best advice I can give anyone is to have their chimneys inspected and cleaned annually by a certifi ed chimney sweep,” he said, adding chimney sweepers should also he hired to look at wood pellet- and coal-burning stoves. “They’re the ones who know what to look for and can make sure the fl ue is clear and the dampers are working properly. They can also clean out any creosote.”

Creosote, which can vary in appearance — from fl aky to tar-like or shiny and hardened — is essentially residue from burning untreated wood. The buildup is highly combustible and largely responsible for chimney fi res.

According to the most recent fi gures from the Chimney Safety Institute of America, there were 22,700 fi res that dam-aged a home in 2012. Those fi res caused an estimated $111.7 million in damage.

“It’s important that if people are burning wood, they burn treated hardwood,” Jennings said. “When you’re burning un-treated wood, you increase creosote buildup because of all the sap and moisture burning out of the wood.”

Making sure a chimney is clean is only part of using a fi re-place safely during the colder months.

“If you have an open fi replace, you want some sort of grate system or fence in front of it to prevent any sparks from fl ying out, especially if you’re burning wood or coal” Jennings said. “You also want to make sure that if you have carpet in the room where the fi replace is, the carpet does not go right up to the hearth, you want a good wide space with fi reproof material on the fl oor in case embers come fl ying out.”

Homeowners also need to make sure they have a work-ing smoke detector within the vicinity of the fi replace, Jennings added.

“That goes hand in hand with everything else,” he said.

Annual maintenance, common sense key to fi replace, chimney safety

By Christopher MichelSpecial to House & Home

to fi replace, chimney safety


A towering, white house built in 1925 on Main Street may bring memories to Olean’s old-timers.For its current owners, it’s a new way of living.Andrea Bliss and her family moved into the home, situated

across from the Bartlett Country Club golf course, in summer 2013. They came to Olean from Michigan — just outside De-troit — so that Bliss’ husband, Peter, could take a job at Olean General Hospital’s Gundlah Dental Center.

“It’s a big change, because it’s (leaving) a big, upscale area and coming to a small town,” the family matriarch said on a recent fall afternoon.

“We were downsizing, looking toward retirement. We looked for something for a long time in this area.”

It may have been downsizing to the Blisses, but new visitors may be struck by the spacious, open-living kitchen area and by the three fi replaces — two of which are still used. The house also features a full-sized attic and a full-sized basement.

“The basement still has a full load of coal,” Bliss said. “We don’t know how to get rid of it.”

Meanwhile, old visitors and passers-by may be struck by a bit of nostalgia, especially if they look behind the house.

“A ‘canal’ ran behind us, but it’s all grass now,” Bliss said. “Boats and everything used to go behind us.”

Indeed, a large swath of backyard that sits much lower on the property — and neighboring ones — appears to have been shaped for a ‘canal’ of sorts that hasn’t existed for decades. Steps surrounded on each side by greenery lead down to it.

When contacted, a real estate agent involved with selling the home to the Blisses was unable to provide specifi cs on its 20th-century history.

What is evident is someone back then loved to have a good time. The area contains a patio, a stone table, a fi re pit and even a brick oven.

Nowadays, the Blisses — one daughter still lives in the home

and another is temporarily back after earning her master’s degree — use the space for outdoor parties, volleyball, bonfi res and more.

“It’s like a secret garden back here,” Bliss said. “It’s a pretty big yard space for that time period.”

Also of note behind the house is an unusually large garage for its time — few people in 1925 had three automobiles, after all. Decades ago, it served as a carriage house.

“They would have horses or they would keep help out there,” Bliss said. “It has an upstairs, it has room for a three-car garage, plus it has another area that’s a plant area, and there’s another room for tools, so it’s very big.”

The barn-like structure even still has its hay loft door. “It has a pulley system where that door would fl ing open at

one time, like an old barn might have,” Bliss explained.In front of the house, those familiar with the neighborhood’s

past may smile at the sight of the sidewalk. A semicircle of con-crete breaks into the yard and encloses a large tree.

“A lot of older people say they remember that tree out front,

Michigan transplant loves big history in small-city home

By Adam VoslerSpecial to House & Home

Adam Vosler/Olean Times HeraldThe Bliss home on Main Street, located across from the Bartlett Country Club golf course in Olean, was built in 1925.

Michigan transplant continues on page 6


and everyone loved riding that little loop … they could run their

bikes around (it),” Bliss said.

INSIDE THE HOUSE, reminders of its past and other

unique touches are in abundance. For example, a side room

off the dining room was once the offi ce of a doctor who also

resided in the house.

“There’s a side door (outside) that leads to his offi ce,” Bliss

said. “There’s even a cash drawer where he apparently kept his

money from his patients.”

The family also appreciates the old-school feel of the

home’s windows, much like the garage.

“Where they used the pulleys in the windows with the strings,

you can still see them,” Bliss pointed out. “I don’t want to put

new windows in; I think it ruins it.”

Another original feature? Her daughters’ bedrooms have a

connecting closet.

“So instead of a Jack-and-Jill bathroom, they have a Jack-

and-Jill closet,” Bliss said with a laugh.

One of the daughters’ bedrooms even has a door that al-

lows access to a fl at portion of the roof.

“So it’s like you could have a patio out there,” Bliss said,

pointing to a lawn chair sitting on the roof. “She reads out

there.”

DESPITE THE HOUSE’S age, the Blisses have made few

changes since moving in. They’ve had a new water heated in-

stalled, put in hardwood fl oors and repainted the house. But for

the most part, it retains its old look.

“With an old house, there’s a lot of money that needs to go

to other places,” Bliss said.

But the pains of maintaining an older home are worth it —

even if the outdoor features don’t drum up any nostalgia for the

Michigan transplant.

“I think the best part of it is the outside,” she said. “For this

area, it’s very unique. And everyone in the neighborhood is so

nice.”

Michigan transplant continued from page 5

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A little more than three years ago, Gary DeVore found a pho-tograph on the Internet of a historic building along Route 6,

west of Port Allegany.DeVore, a retired children’s camp director, and his wife, Sue,

who often worked alongside him at the camps, were looking to move to the area to be closer to her mother in Lantz Corners.

“I need a project,” DeVore told his wife.They had just fi nished restoring a Mississippi River stern-

wheeler boat in Illinois.“We found it in St. Paul and spent fi ve years restoring it,”

DeVore said.The project he came up with, Lynn Hall, is a former resi-

dence, restaurant and ballroom built by Walter Hall, a local designer and builder who later helped build Fallingwater in Mill

Run, Pa., for Frank Lloyd Wright.DeVore, who has picked up construction, plumbing and

electrical skills over 40 years, said Walter Hall, an early prac-titioner of “organic architecture,” built Lynn Hall in the early 1930s in the “prairie style.” The building was apparently named after Walter Hall’s mother-in-law, according to DeVore.

“The man who built this was one hell of a builder,” he said. “It’s built like a fort.”

Hall’s son, Raymond, an architect who embraced the prairie style, worked with his father in the region for many years, de-signing and building homes, commercial buildings and schools.

The DeVores negotiated with the Hall estate for about seven months before buying Lynn Hall in June 2013.

Despite being a giant stone, wood and glass-faced fi xer-upper, the DeVores fell in love with it and settled in for what they

By Rick MillerSpecial to House & Home

Lynn Hallcontinues on page 12

Lynn Hall Restoration Project moving along

in Port Allegany

Rick Miller/Olean Times HeraldGary Sue DeVore stand in the ballroom on the second fl oor of Lynn Hall, on Route 6 outside Port Allegany, Pa., where they are restoring the house built by Walter Hall. Lynn Hall, which Hall built before working on Fallingwater for Frank Lloyd Wright. Lynn Hall is on the National Register of Historic Places.


expect will be a fi ve-to-seven-year project.“There are elements of Fallingwater in Lynn Hall,” DeVore

said as he showed off photos they have collected that shows the building at different stages. Hall and select members of his crew went to build Fallingwater after Lynn Hall.

“Walter (Hall) is never given credit for his infl uence” on the prairie style and the elements he included in Fallingwater, DeVore said during a tour of Lynn Hall on Aug. 1. “It’s a Frank Lloyd Wright design but a Walter Hall building.”

Photos of Lynn Hall were contributed by local historians and area residents who used to dine or go to dances at Lynn Hall.

The DeVores fi rst set about buttoning up the building, which had been vacant for decades and sustained much water dam-age. That took most of the fi rst year.

They also — with a lot of help from family members and friends — cleared much of the accumulated books and paper-work, including plans for Lynn Hall and many other buildings the Halls designed and built, including more than a dozen homes and commercial buildings in Olean, N.Y.

Much of the interior trim was water-damaged or moldy and

had to be removed. After that was accomplished, it was more apparent what would need to be replaced.

DeVore found examples of where Hall reused available ma-terials, including barn siding and a barn door with a hinge still attached. There are also numerous examples where long steel rail was used to strengthen the structure.

There were several tall pine trees in front of Lynn Hall until the DeVores had them removed last year. The pines not only left acidic pine needles on the roof, which led to water damage, but also damaged the stone exterior on the west side of the struc-ture’s fi rst fl oor. That damage was repaired with stone mined from the same local quarry as Hall used on Lynn Hall, DeVore said.

Lynn Hall was built into the hillside, overlooking Two Mile Valley and Turtlepoint.

“The point was that it should not sit on the hill, but be part of the hill,” DeVore said.

The back road in front of Lynn Hall was still a dirt road. Soon, Route 6 was paved and expanded between Port Alle-gany and Smethport. Hall then built a gas station to fuel the growing number of cars passing Lynn Hall.

It turns out Hall had designed a third fl oor for Lynn Hall to house a motel. That never materialized, as Hall died in 1954.

Raymond Hall continued building homes in northwestern Pennsylvania and southwestern New York until 1971.

Both Lynn Hall and the nearby cottage, which was built as a pump house to supply water to the Hall residence, restaurant and ballroom, are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This is largely because of Lynn Hall’s link to the the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Fallingwater, DeVore said.

Among the innovative features built into Lynn Hall are radi-ant in-fl oor and in-wall heating pipes. The fi replace in the res-taurant recirculates heat into the building, DeVore explained.

“Lucky for me, Walter used very simple materials,” DeVore said. “It’s all custom-built.”

He calls the process of restoring the gem “architectural archaeology.” The plans to Lynn Hall are in his collection, but DeVore fi nds “surprises” all the time, such as skylights covered with wood.

The DeVores are trying to restore the structure to its glory days.

“This was a destination,” DeVore said. “This was the place to be. Slowly, we are piecing it back together. It took 30 years

Lynn Hallcontinued from page 11

Rick Miller/Olean Times HeraldGary DeVore stands in the ballroom on the second fl oor of Lynn Hall, on Route 6 outside Port Allegany, Pa., where he and his wife, Sue, are restoring the house built by Walter Hall. He later built Fallingwater for Frank Lloyd Wright using some of the same elements. Lynn Hall is on the National Register of Historic Places.

continues on next page


for it to get this bad; I should get fi ve or six years to restore it.”People stop by all the time — even on days when the tour

sign isn’t out. DeVore takes the opportunity to give a tour and explain why the couple is taking on the restoration.

“One man called and asked if he could bring his mother,” DeVore said. “She was in a nursing home and used to come to dances here. Her eyes widened when she walked in. She said, ‘The stories I could tell.’ She said she and her friends would come early to get the corner table. It was near the door and easy to go outside for a smoke and a nip when the band took a break.”

The ballroom windows look out over the Two Mile and Turtlepoint valleys. There are photos in some of the rooms showing what it looked like back in its heyday.

The DeVores are looking for any old photos of Lynn Hall — especially weddings and receptions — which can give hints of what things looked like over various periods.

One of the elements in Lynn Hall that later found it way into Fallingwater was waterfalls inside and out.

The interior waterfall fed a small pond where diners would often select their own live trout for cooking. The interior pond drains to an outside waterfall in front of Lynn Hall that still works.

DeVore fi gures more than 7,000 hours of work have gone into the restoration so far.

“Thankfully, I have a lot of friends in the (restoration) busi-ness, and family and friends relatives who will work for food and beer,” he said with a laugh.

How does he decide which project to tackle next?“I wake up and ask myself, “What do you want to be today:

a carpenter, a plumber or electrician?’” he said.Most recently, DeVore was replacing panes of glass using

special-order glass and building the frames himself.“It’s a beautiful, sturdy building,” his wife said. “Walter (Hall)

did it simple, no fancy wood work.”Gary DeVore is thankful to have all the history behind Lynn

Hall available. Whenever he tries of carpentry, electrical work or plumbing, he dives back into historical documents and draw-ings.

“I don’t believe we’ve found the last of the surprises,” he said.

To follow the DeVores’ progress in restoring Lynn Hall or to share old photos of Lynn Hall, check out their website at http://www.lynnhall-restoration.com.

Rick Miller/Olean Times HeraldGary and Sue DeVore stand in front of a distinctive fi replace in the dining room at Lynn Hall, near Port Allegany, Pa., holding a photograph taken of the same room in the 1930. They are restoring the house built by Walter Hall, who later built Fallingwater for Frank Lloyd Wright, using some of the same elements. Lynn Hall is on the National Register of Historic Places.


Creating a Personal Connection


As I continue to sort through the dozens of archival fi le boxes residing three rows deep along one wall of my offi ce and in a shelved storage room built especially to hold them, I am overwhelmed by a simple thought—I do not want to throw this out, “this” being a broad term for almost everything.

The diffi culty is simple. Each fi le folder or object kindles a memory connec-tion between the object and me. A memory is critical in collecting, especially if it is personal. Personal memories breakdown into “me,” family, career, and object memories.

The concept of discarding memories is alien to most individuals. Memories contribute to our uniqueness. They defi ne who we are, perhaps more to ourselves than to others. Discarding a memory is equivalent to destroying a part of one’s self.

I currently am in the process of fi ling the genealogical information I have gath-ered over the last 50 years. It is a humbling experience. First, many of these records are in my possession because no one else in the family wanted them. Second, ap-proximately one-third of the family photographs are unidentifi ed. My grandparents, aunts, uncles, great aunts and uncles, second cousins, and even some fi rst cousins who could have identifi ed the unknown person have passed away. Third, many of the items only have meaning to me. My children, my cousins, and the children of my cousins do not care. I am the fi nal custodian. I am haunted by the question of what will happen to this information when I die. Try as I might, I can fi nd no answer.

The discovery of a copy of the will of my mother’s sister Vera Prosser Grube Fries is typical of the “what should I do with it” question. Aunt Vera had no chil-dren. While I have fond memories of her, my younger cousins do not. My children have no memories. When Aunt Verna died, her will divided her estate between her brothers and sisters. Since my mother had passed away, her portion of the estate passed down to me. Logic dictates that I should discard the copy of the will. Retaining it takes up space in the fi le drawer. The family and historical information it contains is minimal. If I keep it, it will only delay the “throw it out” process. Al-though I know this, I still fi led it. I naively continue to convince myself that someday when I fi nish fi ling all the family records, I will go back through the fi les and discard the secondary and tertiary material. I no more believe this than you do, but…..

Me and family memories, especially for my generation (I just turned 74), are the hardest to destroy. They are the links to a treasured and honored past. My genera-tion grew up when most relatives lived in close proximity to one another, an active correspondence and visits were maintained with those who moved away, and family reunions were a regular occurrence. Decades have passed since the last Rinker and Prosser family reunions. There was a Seiple family reunion in Washington, D.C., in 2015, but I had a schedule confl ict.

A person’s legacy is measured in many ways, one of which is the records from a person’s business career. My business fi les fi lled over a dozen four-drawer fi le cabi-nets. I kept extensive fi les on everything. My business trips, my radio and television appearances and shows, my dealings with individuals, organizations, and publishers,

By Harry L. RinkerHarry L. Rinker, LLC

continues on next page


and more. Since I have no plans to write an autobiography, the fi les are of no value to anyone, including me. Yet, discarding them has been one of the most painful things I have done. Every fi le rekindles memories. Each discard clouds them.

Copies of the articles and columns I have written in the course of my career fi ll fi ve fi le drawers. I continue to add to them. At some point, I plan to contact the Le-high University Library and Winterthur to see if these institutions have any interest in them. If not, they will go to the recycling center as did my other business fi les.

I have a personal attachment with the objects I own. I love them. It makes little difference if the object descended through one of my many family lines or I bought it. The memories of how and when I acquired it and the research I did or plan to do bind me to it. The objects are an integral part of whom I am.

In the process of sorting through the many boxes, I am making a list of the books and articles I want to write before I end my career. I continue to be aston-ished by the amount of research materials and number of objects I acquired with this idea in mind.

I am certain about one thing. I am not unique. Collecting and memory are linked. The stronger a person’s memory is about an object, the less likely the person is to dispose of it. Although a strong memory bond with an object can develop im-mediately upon acquisition, it usually takes time for the owner and object to achieve a “this object is part of me” relationship.

Pride of ownership is a critical part of this relationship. Although collectors often house their collections in basements or private rooms, the truth is that they love to share their treasures with others. Collectors are educators and proselytizers. They want others to share the joy they see in an object with others.

Who is responsible for creating this personal connection? Historically, the bur-den rested with the individual who acquired the object. Today, it requires a broader community.

Once the easiest to establish, the family memory connection is among the most diffi cult in the twenty-fi rst century. The phrase “my kids do not want it” is common-place. Younger generations have little backward focus. As a result, grandparents and parents who want to pass along family heirlooms have to take an active role in demonstrating the memory value of the things they own. “That belonged to your grandmother or great grandmother” is not enough. If these previous owners do not become living, breathing entities to the prospective recipient, the person will not care. Further, the age of the “shelf sitting antique” is over. Family heirlooms will have more interest if they are viewed as still functional. Decorative value is possible; but, younger generations use far less decorative accessories than did older genera-tions.

When a person buys an antique or collectible, the seller, especially if a dealer, is responsible for creating an ambiance and mystique about the object that allows the purchaser to feel pride in their purchase and a desire to share that pride with others.

In an age when decorating value is more important than collecting value in making a sale, the seller needs to share as much knowledge as possible about the object at the time of the sale. At the very least, this means issuing a sales receipt that contains a solid description of the object, one with enough clues to allow the buyer to easily learn more about the object.

In the past, providing a photocopy of a page or two from a reference book was the best way to do this. Today, the publication rate for new reference books is seriously declining. The key reference books for many collecting categories are now more than 10 years old and out of print. In the digital age, a reference to a website containing information about the object is far more appropriate.

Sellers also must continue to work on their sales pitch. The concept that an object sells itself is passé. When concluding a sale, the dealer needs to develop a phraseology that compliments the buyer. Possibilities include: “your purchase shows you have a real appreciation for quality;” “this is an object you can take pride in sharing with others;” and, “this is a bargain price.” If the antiques and collectibles industry is to survive, merely collecting the money at the conclusion of a sale no longer suffi ces.

Ideally, the seller should share with the buyer other opportunities to purchase similar material that complements the purchased object. In an age when many purchasers do not think collection, it is imperative that sellers promote the concept. Every major collection started with the fi rst few purchases.

A personal connection with an object is not materialistic, a “bad” word in the 2010s. Rather it is a connection, a commitment, and an attachment. It creates meaning and a warm, fuzzy feeling of goodness about one’s self.

Can it run amok? Yes, it can. I cite myself as an example. Although true, I make no apologies for caring about things as I do. It is who I am and who I wish to be until I die.

Harry L. Rinker welcomes questions from readers about collect-ibles, those mass-produced items from the twentieth and twenty-fi rst centuries. Selected letters will be answered in this column. Harry cannot provide personal answers. Photos and other material submit-ted cannot be returned. Send your questions to: Rinker on Collectibles, 5955 Mill Point Court SE, Kentwood, MI 49512. You also can e-mail your questions to [email protected]. Only e-mails containing a full name and mailing address will be considered.

You can listen and participate in WHATCHA GOT?, Harry’s an-tiques and collectibles radio call-in show, on Sunday mornings between 8:00 AM and 10:00 AM Eastern Time. If you cannot fi nd it on a station in your area, WHATCHA GOT? streams live on the Internet at www.gcnlive.com.


Calling all DIY enthusiasts: Those popcorn ceilings have to go. They don’t get much love from homeowners or home-

buyers, and they can really bring down the overall look and feel of an otherwise attractive room.

Popcorn ceilings haven’t really represented stylish home design since disco was on the radio, though they’ve certainly lingered a little longer.

Whether you’re interested in a fresh look for your own family or updating your home before putting it on the market, upgrad-ing from a popcorn ceiling is a great investment. As the largest uninterrupted space in any room, the ceiling gives you a golden opportunity to add interest or infuse your personality.

Mark Clement, a general contractor and blogger on My-

FixItUplife, regularly advises homeowners on the best ways to create the most value and appeal in their home. “Ceilings really do make a greater impact than people realize,” he says. “The right choice can help a room soar - but you probably won’t get that effect with a popcorn ceiling.”

“New ceilings are a great update, and with today’s options, they’re incredibly easy to install yourself,” Clement says. “Stylish ceiling details really turn heads, and a new ceiling can make a dark or uninviting room feel bigger and brighter.”

But, before you grab your scraper, Clement has a few words of caution about tackling popcorn ceiling removal as a DIY project. “To remove a popcorn ceiling, you have to really be committed to the task. You can certainly do it yourself, but be forewarned that it can create a gigantic mess. You’ll want to consider all of your options carefully, from removing to simply covering it up, based on your time and budget. Patience is also a factor!”

If you know you want to make a change, but you’re not sure of the best way to move forward, here are a few key factors you need to consider when addressing your popcorn ceiling(s):

Ceiling revamps: Leave the popcorn to the movies

Ceiling revampscontinues on next page

BEFORE


Stains: You can’t put lipstick on a pig.

Water problems, cracks and other issues that leave blem-ishes on your ceiling can be incredibly frustrating, especially if you have a popcorn ceiling that makes it diffi cult to simply paint over. Covering or removing that ceiling allows you to fi x the noticeable, distracting blemishes overhead and clear the path for a stylish upgrade.

Scraping: Get ready to get messy.

Popcorn ceilings don’t get enough credit for tenacity, really. Once applied, they’re not easy to remove! At best, you’ll be soaking your ceiling with water (and possibly your walls along the way) before scraping the resulting slop off with a drywall knife. At worst, the water won’t get through all of your layers of paint, and you’ll be breaking out the heavy machinery to sand or scrape through it all, kicking up dust. It’s doable, but it’s a lengthy process and not for the faint of heart.

Cover it up: The easy way to fi x ugly.

Don’t worry though - you can always cover up your popcorn ceiling by installing a new ceiling over the existing one. Manu-facturers like Armstrong Ceilings have many options: wood planks, metal tiles or patterned panels. How-to videos show how easy it is to install a new ceiling in as little as a day.

To our modern eyes, popcorn ceilings defi nitely look a bit stale, but the good news is you’re not stuck with them. There are a number of options to freshen up your look and turn your ceil-ings into the fun, festive spaces that match your true style.

AFTER

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S unny summer days have come and gone, and, as autumn leaves fall, winter draws nearer. According to Jim Curcio,

project manager at Kessel Construction Inc. in Bradford, au-tumn is “just the right time” for homeowners to begin planning and implementing winter weather safety.

The U.S. Department of Energy also has a list of steps to take in preparing one’s house for the harsh conditions to come.

• Check the heating system. Homeowners should get a routine maintenance and inspection of their heating system every year at the start of autumn, according to the Department of Energy.

However, Curcio said, individual care can be given toward ensuring the effi ciency of one’s heating system by replacing the heater’s air fi lter; removing dust from vents; or, if the system is aged or worn, replacing it entirely.

• Manage the temperature. The use of a set-back thermo-stat is highly recommended by energy analysts, affording home-owners the opportunity to automatically increase or decrease the heat while they are away or asleep through the use of pre-settings.

According to the Department of Energy, statistics show it is more energy-effi cient to warm a cool home than to maintain a warm temperature throughout the length of the day. Addition-ally, by reversing the switch on ceiling fans so that they blow upward, the blades push the warm air that has accumulated in high areas of the house back down into the rooms.

• Check for leaks. Weather stripping and caulking is prob-ably the least expensive and most effective way to cut down on energy waste in the winter, according to the Department of En-ergy, considering that improperly sealed homes waste anywhere

from 8 percent to 10 percent of a homeowner’s heating cost. To secure heat within the home, check for drafts around

doors, windows and every duct, wire or pipe that penetrates the wall, fl oor or ceiling. Be sure to close the fi replace damper when not in use.

• Check the insulation. Uninsulated attics can be a huge cause for increased heating bills, specifi cally in older buildings built before the establishment of energy-effi ciency standards. Additionally, determine whether to weather strip and insulate doors and window seals to prevent the escape of warm air.

• Maintain the roof. Ensure that gutter and downspouts are operating as they should before the snow starts to fall and cover them. Be sure to clear out any leaves, dirt or debris that may cause a blockage in the gutters, and, if possible, fl ush out downspouts with a garden hose to prevent ice buildup that may damage the roof.

Additionally, inspect the shingles on the roof for any that are loose or missing, or hire a professional to assess the roof, as winter weather will cause further damage to exposed areas.

A few additional tips to make the winter weather safe and manageable for homeowners involve storing winter shovels and snowblowers in readily accessible areas, checking handrails for stability in the event of icing, covering outdoor grills or equip-ment tightly, and draining all garden hoses and storing them inside to prevent exposure to snow and ice.

“A lot of the problems we see in the area involve ice buildup as a result of a loss of heat and a lack of maintenance,” Curcio concluded.

Temperatures are, once again, predicted to drop well below freezing for much of the winter season. As a result, take special care to shut off all outdoor water valves before the temperatures drop. Any leftover water could freeze and break the pipes.

Is your home ready for the winter? Autumn is the time to fi nd out

By Amber TurbaSpecial to House & Home


Cattaraugus County

Allegany-Limestone Central School District3131 Five Mile RoadAllegany, NY 14706716-375-6600

Cattaraugus-Little Valley CentralSchool District207 Rock City StreetLittle Valley, NY 14755716-938-9155

Ellicottville Central School District5873 Route 219Ellicottville, NY 14731716-699-2368

Franklinville Central School District31 North Main StreetFranklinville, NY 14737716-676-8029

Gowanda Central School District10674 Prospect StreetGowanda, NY 14070716-532-3325

Hinsdale Central School District3701 Main StreetHinsdale, NY 14743716-557-2227

Olean City School District410 West Sullivan StreetOlean, NY 14760716-375-8018

Portville Central School District500 Elm StreetPortville, NY 14770716-933-7141

Randolph Central School District18 Main StreetRandolph, NY 14772716-358-6161

Salamanca City School District50 Iroquois DriveSalamanca, NY 14779716-945-2403

Southern Tier Catholic School andArchbishop Walsh Academy208 North 24th StreetOlean NY 14760 716.372.8122

West Valley Central School District5359 School StreetWest Valley, NY 14171716-942-3293

Yorkshire-Pioneer CentralSchool District12125 County Line RoadYorkshire, NY 14173716-492-9304

Allegany County

Alfred-Almond Central School District6795 Route 21Almond, NY 14804607-276-2981

Andover Central School District31-35 Elm StreetAndover, NY 14806607-478-8491

Belfast Central School District1 King StreetBelfast, NY 14711585-365-9940

Bolivar-Richburg Central School District100 School StreetBolivar, NY 14715585-928-2561

Canaseraga Central School District4-8 Main StreetCanaseraga, NY 14822607-545-6421

Cuba-Rushford Central School District5476 Route 305Cuba, NY 14727585-968-1556

Fillmore Central School District104 Main StreetFillmore, NY 14735585-567-2251

Friendship Central School District46 West Main StreetFriendship, NY 14739716-973-3534

Genesee Valley Central School District1 Jaguar DrBelmont, NY 14813585-268-7900

Scio Central School District3968 Washington StreetScio, NY 14880585-593-5510

Wellsville Central School District126 West State StreetWellsville, NY 14895585-596-2170

Whitesville Central School District692 Main StreetWhitesville, NY 14897607-356-3301

Pennsylvania School Districtson page 22

NY SCHOOL DISTRICTS


McKean County, Pa.

Bradford Area School District150 Lorana Ave.P.O. Box 375Bradford, Pa. 16701 |814-362-3841

Otto-Eldred School District143 R.L. Sweitzer DriveDuke Center, Pa. 16729814-817-1380

Smethport Area School District414 S. Mechanic St.Smethport, Pa. 16749-1522814-887-5543

Kane Area School District400 W. Hemlock Ave.Kane, Pa. 16735814-837-9570

Port Allegany School District87 Clyde Lynch DrivePort Allegany, Pa. 16743814-642-2590

Potter County, Pa.

Austin Area School District138 Costello Ave.Austin, Pa. 16720(814) 647-8603

Coudersport Area School District 698 Dwight St.Coudersport, Pa. 16915 814-274-9480

Northern Potter School District745 Northern Potter RoadUlysses, Pa. 16948814-848-7506

Oswayo Valley Area School District277 Oswayo St.Shinglehouse, Pa. 16748814-597-7175

Cameron County, Pa.

Cameron County School District601 Woodland Ave.Emporium, Pa. 15834814-486-4000

PA SCHOOL DISTRICTS

FINKLAW OFFICE

Dawn A. Fink Esquire

(Former Law Office of Steve Minor)

814-642-5133Real Estate • Estate & Wills • Family Law

Criminal Law • Oil & Gas Lease Negotiation

219 N. Main St., Port Allegany


As real estate prices continue to climb, the cost to trade up to a larger home is on the upswing across the country, es-

pecially as markets remain hampered by tight inventory levels. As a result, more and more Americans are choosing to renovate their current homes instead of relocating. In fact, some forecasts predict that 2015 renovation spending could exceed the record of $324 billion set during the peak of last decade’s housing boom. While the hunt for more square footage can be chal-lenging, homeowners shouldn’t feel like a costly second story or complete addition are the only options.

Here are fi ve great ways to create or optimize space in your existing home.

1. Finish an unfi nished basement. A basement renovation can hold limitless potential and increase the resale value or income potential of your home. Think about the possibilities: a home theater, offi ce, spare bedroom, basement apartment or recreation room. The key to doing it successfully is to focus on what’s behind the walls, especially since moisture is a common issue in basements. Choosing the right insulation is critical. Look for products that are vapor permeable, dimensionally stable and mold and moisture resistant. Many contractors use Roxul Comfortboard IS semi-rigid sheathing board paired with Com-fortbatt batt insulation to combat thermal bridging and protect against mold and mildew growth. An added benefi t of this type of mineral wool insulation is that it’s also fi re-resistant to 2,150 F. For interior walls and ceilings, Safe ‘n’ Sound insulation is ideal because of its ability to absorb noise and indoor traffi c

sounds, ensuring your newfound space is a peaceful one.2. Create a more open-concept feel with light and color.

If your home wasn’t blessed with towering windows, installing French doors and pot lights can encourage light to travel more freely, creating the illusion of space. Likewise, choosing a paint color for walls, trim and moldings that is lighter and cooler in tone (think soft grays or blues) will help to refl ect light and give the room a more open feel.

3. Remove non-load-bearing walls. Homeowners have the opportunity to rethink the layout of their home by remov-ing non-load-bearing walls. Removing structurally unnecessary walls can make your whole home feel larger, improve fl ow, lighting and the function of your home.

4. Convert your garage into usable living or work space. For many homeowners, the garage becomes an overfl ow room for storage –– and is often a walk-in headache. Convert your garage (or a portion of it) into another living space, guest bed-room or home offi ce. Install carpet and quality thermal insula-tion such as Roxul Comfortbatt to block outdoor noise and keep in warmth.

5. Choose furniture and accessories carefully. Adopt a mini-malist’s eye. Begin looking around your home for furniture or accessories that overwhelm the space. Interior designers recom-mend choosing low-profi le or small-scale furniture for rooms with less square footage. Dual-purpose items, such as ottomans with storage chests inside, are a budget-friendly way to save on space while staying organized. TF15A622

Top 5 renovation tips to create more space in your home


Documents

House & Home - October 2015