Author Archives: Dan Hansen

EP30 – October 28, 2017: Stain Match Perfection, Insulation and Evergy Efficiency, Century from Benjamin Moore

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On today’s episode we cover a lot of ground. If you’ve ever struggled to get the perfect stain match for a project, or have been disappointed in the past when you just grabbed a color off the shelf, we’ll tell you what you can do to make sure that you get a perfect match everytime! We’ll also introduce you to a brand new paint from Benjamin Moore that actually has to be seen to be believed! That and more on today’s episode!

Listen here:

Show notes for episode 030:

We match a lot of stains at RepcoLite and we're very good at it. Still, there are a number of things you can do that will help us make sure you're next stain match is absolutely perfect!

In these segments, we talk with George Clark from WMBG Home Improvements (formerly West Michigan Glass Block) about insulation. At least that was the intent!

It didn't take long before George challenged our thinking that insulation is always the answer!

And if you need to contact George at WMGB Home Improvements, you can click the link or give them a call! Here's the number George couldn't remember on-air: 616-920-8138

Benjamin Moore's Century is truly a "Paint Like No Other".

EP29 – October 21, 2017: Painting Tips from the Pros, Stinkbugs, and a Ghost Story (or 3)

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Halloween is just around the corner and so we thought we’d take a little time and share one of our favorite guests of all time with you! Patty Meyer from the Felt Mansion joins us and talks about some of the real-life ghost phenomena she’s experienced. It’s fun. It’s incredibly interesting. And honestly, it’s a little creepy!

We also are in the studio with RepcoLite’s own Rick Wierenga and he’s dishing out all kinds of tips and tricks to make your next painting project as simple as possible!

Listen here:

Show notes for episode 029:

Painting projects don't have to be complicated. In fact, once you realize a few of the tips and tricks the pros use, you'll be amazed at the results you can produce!

Today we're joined by RepcoLite's own Rick Wierenga. Rick's been working in the paint world for what seems like forever. And over the years, he's learned the best and quickest ways to apply paint and still produce excellent results.

We're going to corner him and make him tell us everything he knows. (At least as much as we can cram into a segment or two!) So grab a pen and paper for notes and tune in!

Maybe you've seen these little pests around your home this fall. Maybe you haven't spotted them yet. Either way, they're coming! We'll talk about what you can do to protect your home from a very invasive species!

Every now and then, it's important to just have fun. That's the whole point of this segment. Absolutely ZERO home improvement value. Yet, it's absolutely one of our favorite segments of all time!

Patty Meyer from the Felt Estate in Holland joins us and tells us a number of chilling ghost stories--events she's personally encountered while restoring the Felt Mansion to it's former glory.

EP28 – October 14, 2017: Whole House Surge Protection, Paint Finishes, Color of the Year, and Fall Jobs

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There is so much stuff on today’s episode! Fun stories about what it’s like to be short, as well as discussions about great fall projects that will help you save money (and keep mice OUT wall winter long!) On top of that, we discuss Benjamin Moore’s big announcement regarding the Color of the Year for 2018. And most importantly, we talk about HOW to use that color in your own decorating!

Listen here:

Show notes for episode 028:

In this segment, we're in the studio with Bill Haveman from Haveman Electric talking about whole house surge protection and backup generators! (And with winter closing in, I've got to be honest, the generator part of the conversation really got my wheels turning!

You can reach Bill and Haveman Electric via their website, or by calling them at 616-396-8213.

We see it all the time at RepcoLite: customers are confused about paint finishes. What do the different names mean? Which is shinier a semi-gloss or a satin sheen? And most importantly, where is each finish best used?

We cover all of that and more in this segment!

Benjamin Moore just announced their pick for Color of the Year 2018 and it's a red! Caliente (AF-290) to be exact. In this segment, we briefly discuss how Benjamin Moore came to pick this color, but we spend the bulk of our time talking about how you can make it work in your own space!

Also, in the course of the segment, Betsy mentioned our "Caliente-Inspired' Pinterest page. You can check that link out by clicking the button below!

"Caliente-Inspired" Decorating!

Fall is moving quickly! And before we know it . . . we're going to be looking at fields of snow outside our windows! Before we get to that point, there are a number of projects we should be tackling right now to make sure that our home is ready for the upcoming cold season! We discuss some of the main ones and throw out a few curve balls you might not have thought of yet!

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EP27 – October 7, 2017: DIY Appliance Repairs, The Order of Painting, Color on the Ceilings, and Get Your Fireplace Ready for Fall!

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Personally, I love the appliance episodes because they can be so practical. In today’s first segment we talk about common appliance repairs that anyone can do! And you’re not going to believe the money you’ll be able to save!

Listen here:

Show notes for Episode 027:

In this segment, we sit down with Steve Rozema from Northgate Appliance and we talk about common appliance problems and the simple DIY repair! If you want to save money, impress your friends and family, and keep that dryer heating, then you've got to hear this segment!

You can reach Northgate Appliance via the website or by calling them @ 616-396-4456

When it comes to starting a paint project, a lot of people find themselves wondering: where do I start? What should I paint first? Walls? Ceiling? What next?

If you've ever wondered that, we've got the system the pro's use to get beautiful results everytime!

We also deal with another common question we hear all the time at RepcoLite: "Do I really need to prime EVERYTIME I paint?"

It happens all the time. Customers agonize over wall colors, look at hundreds of chips in all sorts of different lighting situations, until they find the color that's perfect for their space. Then they grab a gallon of white for the ceiling!

Don't work out your wall colors with fear and trembling only to ignore the ceiling! We're in the studio with Kim Scott from Kim Scott Interiors and we're talking about why a color on the ceiling will take your room from ordinary to breathtaking!

The weather is going to cool down and those of us with fireplaces are going to be thinking about starting them up. We're in the studio with Rob Cackowski from the Heritage Fireplace and Design Center and he's got a list of things you absolutely need to know before you start that first fire!

Also, in the segment, Rob talked about a great resource, The National Fireplace Institute. There's a lot of great info there, so check it out if you have questions. Or you can call Rob @ 616-949-4466, email him at info@heritagefireplace.com, or visit the website here!

EP26 – September 30, 2017: Wood Finishes, Light Bulb Early Burn Outs, Tree Trimming 101, Decorating Small Bedrooms

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Lacquers, Polyurethanes, Shellacs, and more! There are so many finishes that can be classified under the broad heading of “clear coat”. Which one is right for your project? Which one is going to give you the most durability? It’s honestly not as confusing as it may seem! Today we clear up the confusion and give you everything you need to know to make the best choice!

Listen here:

Show notes for episode 026:

When it comes to choosing the right wood finish for a project, many people are confused. There are so many options. What's best? In this segment, we talk about the most common choices and highlight the best uses for each one!

When light bulbs burn out early, we start to wonder what's going on! The packages say we'll get multiple years out of a given bulb, but sometimes we end up getting just a couple weeks. Why is that? And, more importantly, what can we do about it?

Today we're in the studio with Bill Haveman from Haveman Electric and he's got some answers and some recommendations!

Trimming plants back in the fall doesn't always seem like rocket science. And it isn't. But still, do it wrong (as I have) and you won't have any Hydrangea blooms next year!

Matt Bakker from Landscape Design Services joins us to lay out the do's and don'ts of trimming!

Small rooms can be frustrating to decorate. And often, we tend to just give up and resign ourselves to the idea that they can only be functional . . . not design-oriented.

We want to challenge that! Those small rooms can be eye-catching. You just need to approach the project with a little creativity!

EP25 – September 23, 2017: Surfactant Leaching, Appliance Shopping 101, and Color Flow

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Every time Dan goes to buy a refrigerator, he makes a critical mistake that MANY people make. He starts by going to the store and looking at all the available options. He picks a fridge he just can’t live without, then goes home to measure the space. This is the point where he is overwhelming disappointed. The fridge he has chosen will never, in a million years, fit in the space he has available. He finds out the only fridge that will fit is the most plain, boring model. If he had measured BEFORE he went to the store, he wouldn’t have been disappointed. We’ve got everything you need to know before you step foot in the appliance store.

Listen here:

Show notes for episode 025:

We got a question from a listener! She has a tan sticky residue on the walls of her freshly painted bathroom and she wants to know what it is. The good news is, we know what it is and its more common than people realize. We dig in to the fix and discuss some hilarious (but wrong!) ideas of the cause that come straight from the internet.
It's a common occurrence: we go to look at appliances, find one we love, only to find out it won't fit in the space we have available. We are so disappointed! If only we hadn't looked at the fridge with the LED touch screen and coffee maker! If only we had only looked at the refrigerators that ACTUALLY fit in our space. Steve Rozema of Northgate Appliance walks us through things we need to know before we ever start looking for kitchen appliances. It's guaranteed to save all of us from a lot of disappointment and help us get more out of our appliance shopping.
In the second segment we talked with Steve Rozema from Northgate Appliance in Holland with the intent of talking about kitchen appliances. However, he had so much information, we only made it through refrigerators! Lucky for us, Steve agreed to hang around to finish talking about the rest of the kitchen appliances.
We see it all the time at RepcoLite; people are worried about choosing a paint color because they've had bad experiences in the past getting color continuity throughout their home. We call this color flow. Usually people paint one room at a time and focus on that room, not how it fits in with the rest of the house. The result is a patchwork feeling. We have simple ways to help you gain confidence in creating color flow. And if you STILL don't feel comfortable creating color flow, Benjamin Moore has the "magic" Affinity fan deck that takes the stress out of choosing color and makes it look like you hired a decorator! Affinity fan decks are available at all RepcoLite, Port City Paints, and Snyder Paints locations.

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