My Essay for 2010--- The New Adam Helfman

Dear Family and Friends,
One gray November day, my nine year old son Max came up to me and whispered in my ear: “Hey Dad - I don’t think your secret is really a secret.” “What do you mean?” I asked. “Dad, everybody knows you wear a wig. It’s time to take it off.” Sometimes, when the truth is spoken in such plain words and in such innocence, it hits you like a huge fist smashing you in your gut. I actually felt Max's words in a way I couldn’t ignore. First, there was tremendous anxiety, then there was countless butterflies swirling in and around my stomach and then there was that fast shallow breathing that signals something we want to escape. But there is no escaping the truth. The TRUTH is my friends, that in 2009, plain and simple, it was a rough year- no ifs and or buts! It is this feeling that made me think about what 2009 has taught us: Better to confront reality than pretend it away to another day. It can be a real world thing: a mortgage default/foreclosure , a marriage and or a relationship problem, or a health problem you’ve been ignoring. OR, it can be an emotional thing:the fear of letting the world see who you really are, the fear of telling your significant other what you really want in your relationship, the fear of changing your life to take a more authentic road. When my son Max said – “It’s time to take it off” – he was right in more ways than he knew. The heaviest load we carry around is the dark negative emotions that truly weigh us down: insecurity, shame, guilt, fear, anger. These are not good feelings and I experienced all of them this year. If you have any of these feelings then I know you know how I feel and have been feeling for 20+ years.
Here is my story in a nutshell: I was a happy healthy normal invincible + cocky18 year old boy – until one morning I woke up with my hair on my pillow instead of on my head. It was quickly diagnosed as an autoimmune disease called Alopecia, which luckily has only one big effect: my body rejects all hair follicles. Not a big deal, from a logical perspective. But imagine the impact this has on an 18 year old boy/man. I had a weight problem, now a hair problem, and soon these started to rule my self-esteem and my emotional life. I’ve managed to conquer the weight issue after years of hard work and much help from others – and so, ridding myself of the hairpiece that has been my ball and chain, my handcuffs, my camouflage and my security blanket for all these years – for me, it is a final declaration of independence! It's my LIBERATION! In case you missed it: 2009 was just a plain ole ugly tough year!
2009 saw a huge number of people have to surrender to truth – with or without their own consent. The loss of homes we couldn’t afford, stock values based on bogus “fuzzy” math, companies that weren’t truly delivering value in today’s economy, even relationships that were based on security instead of respect and admiration. Sometimes – often – stepping into the truth is painful. But in the end, it is a blessing. It frees us up to live authentically, i my friends am choosing to live authentically.
So, let’s applaud the good that came from 2009: it gave us permission to walk with a lighter load – to shed the useless baggage we’ve been carrying around. For me, it is the insecurity and vanity of letting the world know my fairly innocuous secret: I have Alopecia. What will you abandon as we move into twenty-ten?( yes I‘m calling 2010: Twenty-ten!) Do you have some baggage you are ready to put down? Things that just don’t serve you well now that you are older and wiser?
Some people blossom late; some early; some over time – for me, it’s been a combination of all three. Today I AM FREE. Thank you Max. I hope I can grow from this into the man God had planned for me to be. Please take a look at my new photo’s and celebrate my new freedom with me. Let me know your thoughts. AND LASTLY: Let me “re-introduce” myself to you: Hi ! My name is Adam Helfman , some people call me Helfy, perhaps you will too. My heart over flows with love so please smile with me and have a Happy New Year! I wish for much abundance for everyone! Love you all…………

COURAGE: quality of being brave: the ability to face danger, difficulty, uncertainty, or pain without being overcome by fear or being deflected from a chosen course of action

LIBERATION: release, freeing

The New Helfy $tyle!!!!

The New Helfy $tyle!!!!

The New Helfy $tyle!!!!

Energy Efficient Kitchen and Bathroom Remodel Suggestions

While it is still too early to think about Fall, and if you’re remodeling your kitchen or bathroom this summer or fall -- keep these things in mind: attempt to incorporate energy efficient savings in your remodel.

Your kitchen consumes substantial amounts of electrical and water energy. Reducing energy and water use will provide the biggest improvement and savings in your kitchen. Consider replacing your refrigerator and dishwashers that are more than 10 years old. Replace your stove if it is more than 20 years old. If you’re using an electric stove, consider switching to a gas stove or induction stovetop.

Refrigerators use 14% of the home’s electricity, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Today’s most efficient refrigerators use 47% less electricity than the 1993 models.

Dishwashers use up to 80% of their electricity to heat water. Today’s more efficient models use less than half the water and one-quarter of the electricity of 10-year old models.

Additional savings can be done if you do the following: Save electricity in your refrigerator by keeping its temps between 36 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit and your freezer between 0 and 5 degrees Fahrenheit. Reduce your dishwasher electricity use by 15 to 20% by washing only full loads of dishes and using unheated air to dry your dishes.

Your bathroom(s) are the largest user of water as well as electricity. In your bathroom remodel – see if you can use natural light by installing insulated energy efficient skylights. Additionally if you have windows in your bathroom, be sure to replace them with energy efficient windows with vinyl or fiberglass frames. Wood frames is not a good choice – it is bound to rot in the moisture rich environment.

Replace your toilet with a low flow toilet. This will save thousands of gallons of water each year. (And lower your water bill too) They look and cost the same as their traditional counterparts.

Install low-flow faucet aerator for your sinks (both bathroom and kitchen). Faucet use accounts for 15.7% of an average household daily water consumption.

If you need a pre-screened qualified professional contractor to help you with your kitchen or bathroom remodel, contact Adam Helfman at Hire it Done!

Energy Efficient Home Remodeling Projects with the Best Return on Investment

Much of home remodeling discussion has been revolving around going green, incorporating energy efficient home improvement services and products including air conditioners, water heaters, furnace, roof, windows and insulation.

The question facing some homeowners is, which one to pursue?

Regardless, going green in home remodeling project is a surefire way to not only increase your home value, but to make indoor living healthier and save substantially on energy bills.

Here is some of the potential return on investment estimates on some of the suggested energy efficient upgrades:

• Replacement Windows – provides an ROI upwards of 80%
• Replacing your roof with energy efficient shingles – provides an ROI upwards of 65%
• Natural Gas Furnaces – provides an ROI upwards of 90% (This is based on resale value added to the home and in the amount saved in utility bills over 5-10 years)
• Attic Insulation (R-0 to r-38) provides an ROI upwards of 69%

While looking at these ROI numbers, don’t forget there is a tax credit for some of these energy efficient upgrades. Be sure to read through Hire It Done previous blogs on this topic.

No matter which energy efficient home remodeling project you decide to tackle, be sure to contact Hire it Done and allow our pre-screened contractors compete for your remodeling bids. Go to: www.hireitdone.com

Stimulus Tax Credit Bulletin #6 – Stay Warm. Stay Green. 2009 Tax Credit when you install energy efficient furnace in your home.

If your furnace is more than 15 years old, it is most likely not efficient. Our government is granting a tax credit for those who upgrade and install energy efficient furnace. Since heating is the largest energy expense in most homes -- now is a good time to upgrade and reap the benefits of dual savings – lower utility bills and a tax credit for your 2009 taxes.

However you need to understand a couple of vocabulary words while shopping for a furnace. The EPA requires furnaces to have at least 78% AFUE. AFUE stands for Annual Fuel Utilization Rating. This means that a minimum of 78% of the fuel consumed is directly converted to heat your home. The rest escapes from the flue.*

Today the efficiency of new furnaces are between 78% AFUE and 96% AFUE. Traditional “power-combustion” furnaces are 80-82% AFUE. “Condensing” Furnaces are above 90% AFUE. “Condensing” furnaces, means that the furnace recaptures some of the heat wasted in traditional systems by condensing escaping water vapor. For Michigan (and cold climates), a condensing model is the best choice.

Proper installation of your new high-energy efficient furnace is also critical in order to fully reap the benefits and savings. A top of the line furnace installed improperly could cause you many problems down the road. Your furnace also needs to be properly sized for your home. Oversized furnaces are a common mistake that you can prevent by having your contractor do a heat loss analysis. A heat loss calculation includes factors such as the window area, type of windows, insulating proper-ties of the wall, and the amount of heat loss through air leakage. Discuss any remodeling plans with your contractor. Ask any contractor who bases estimates solely on the square footage of your house to do a true heat loss calculation.

Ask Adam Helfman at Hire it Done to help you find a qualified furnace installer for your home!

Sources: www.ConsumerSearch.com, www.furnacecompare.com and www.aceee.org

Stimulus Tax Credit Bulletin #5 -- Stay Cool and warm. Stay Green. 2009 Tax credit when you insulate your home.

If you’re thinking of re-insulating your home for next winter . . . I know it’s a little early to think about it now since it is summer.  But if you insulate now, you’ll appreciate the double savings you’ll get – lower utility bills, and you can claim a tax credit on your 2009 tax return. (you could save upwards of 20% in the winter, and upwards of 10% on cooling costs during the summer)

For insulation to qualify -- its primary purpose must be to insulate. One example given by Energy Star – insulated siding does not qualify.

Energy Star provides a great resource and information about insulation for your home. The article states that the biggest savings comes from adding insulation in the attic.

If you need help finding a qualified insulation contractor, contact Adam Helfman at Hire it Done! 

Stimulus Tax Credit Bulletin #4 – Stay Warm. Stay Green. 2009 Tax credit when you install energy efficient water heaters.

In order to get sweet tax rebate on water heater, make sure you purchase a water heater that is energy efficient.  Even if your water heater isn’t on the fritz, you still stand to save big bucks by opting for more efficient model. Gas, oil, propane, and solar water heaters are all game for the tax break.  Check Energy Star’s Tax credit list to find the requirements for each kind of heater.

 (While shopping --look for the energy star label on efficient water heaters in the following categories: high efficiency gas non-condensing, gas condensing, electric heat pump, gas tankless, and solar.)

Consider natural gas on-demand or tankless water heaters. Researchers have found savings can be up to 30% compared with a standard natural gas storage tank water heater. Additional information about on-demand water heaters can be found at U.S. Department of Energy. 

Here’s what is available: tax credit for 30% of the cost of energy-efficient water heater and electric heat pump, up to a life time cap of $1500. This credit is available for 2009 and 2010.

NOTE:  The tax credits you earn on all the energy efficient home improvement items such as central air, water heaters, furnaces and hot water boilers, windows, doors, roofing and installation, are cumulative, and capped at $1500. 

Be aware: this tax credit applies to primary residence only.  Need additional information? Visit  Hire it Done! 

Stimulus Tax Credit Bulletin #3 – Stay Cool. Stay Warm. Stay Green. 2009 Tax credit when you install energy efficient roof.

In order to get tax rebate on your new roof, make sure you purchase any energy star qualified metal or asphalt roofing.  Additional information on energy efficient star roofing products can be found at Energy Star.

There are pros and cons between metal versus asphalt roofing.  You’ll have to consider lifetime roof durability, cost, protection from the elements and fire resistance.

Here’s what is available: tax credit for 30% of the cost of energy-efficient metal or asphalt roofing, up to a life time cap of $1500. This credit is available for 2009 and 2010.

NOTE:  The tax credits you earn on all the energy efficient home improvement items such as central air, water heaters, furnaces and hot water boilers, windows, doors, roofing and installation, are cumulative, and capped at $1500. 

Be aware: this tax credit applies to primary residence only. 

Need an expert for your roof? Hire it Done with Adam Helfman at www.hireitdone.com