New countertops can be one of the best ways to spruce up your old kitchen. But, the wide array of surface products can quickly make the project overwhelming.

Countertop options:

• Natural Stone: This includes granite, marble and soapstone. It holds up to heat and comes in an array of colors. It is one of the most expensive materials and requires varying amounts of maintenance, depending on the type of sealer. Some sealers last as little as 12 months and allow the stone to absorbs stains, while other sealers can last 15 years or longer and effectively prevent staining of the surface.
• Engineered stone: Quartz is just as costly as granite, but easy to maintain. It has a non-porous surface that takes the heat and resists stains and scratches.
• Solid surfaces: These countertops offer seamless, acrylic faces with seams that are only visible from the underside. A popular brand is Dupont Corian. Scratches can be easily sanded out and is non-porous. Does not take heat well.
• Ceramic tile: Is durable and easy to clean. The grout needs to be sealed regularly for stain protection
• Laminates: Is easy to maintain, inexpensive and the most versatile. Laminate is not scratch or heat resistant, but is stain resistant. Requires no regular maintenance. This is marketed under such trade names as Formica, Wilsonart, and Nevamar.
• Wood: Easy to clean, but maintenance is required. Wood can be damaged by water and stains over time. Be careful when installing over a dishwasher because the moisture could lead to warping.
• Stainless Steel: Heat and stain resistant. Stainless steel is expensive, noisy and may dent.
• Concrete: Heat and scratch resistant and very durable. It is porous and absorbs stains, so it must be sealed regularly.
• Glass: Heat resistant, easy to maintain and has a sleek, contemporary look. However, it may chip at the edges and is not scratch-proof.

Need help deciding? Consider this:

• What are your needs? Just like with any decision, think about your lifestyle and how you intend on using your countertops. Do you have a family with small children to consider? Do you do a lot of cooking and food preparation? The best countertop for the homeowner depends on the needs of the homeowner. Also factor in how long will you be in the house?
• Style: Your kitchen/bath countertops should reflect the style of your kitchen/bath.
• Maintenance: Countertops are either porous or non-porous. Porous surfaces absorb contaminants into the surface and also absorb moisture, thus allowing bacteria to grow. Porous surfaces should be sealed regularly.
• Durability: Check to see if the countertop is scratch or heat resistant. Always use cutting boards and heat pads to avoid permanent damage. The more durable the countertop, the longer it will last.
• Safety: If you have small children you should make sure that edges are rounded to protect from injury.
• Special cleaners: Check to see what cleaning agent your countertop requires. Every surface comes with different restrictions.
• Price: Countertops are either priced by lineal or square foot. Also factor in removal of old countertops, delivery and installation, sink/other cutouts and an unusual layout. Prices vary on a variety of factors including texture, color, pattern, sink type and seams.
• DIY or hire help? While some countertops may be fairly easy to install, others may require the help of a professional. Measurement is an important factor to be considered at the time of order. When you fail to measure the appropriate measurement, then your installation may go wrong.

Tips to keep countertop costs down:

• Homeowners can cut costs by installing smaller, cheaper stone remnants instead of a single slab of stone.
• Save even more by installing laminate countertops that are made to look like granite, marble or other stones.
• Mix up the materials. Consider using laminate on the majority of your counters and a beautiful piece of stone on the kitchen island.

Putting up decorations and trimming the tree are some of the most enjoyable traditions of the season, not to mention how fun it is for children. However, the addition of colorful ornaments and sparkling lights can quickly create potential safety hazards for kids.

Childproofing your home is especially important during the holiday season.

• Take a look at your home from a child's perspective. Get on your hands and knees and crawl around your home - you'll be surprised at the dangers you see from that angle.

• Holiday trees: When buying an artificial tree, look for the label “fire resistant/retardant.” For a live tree, check for freshness. A fresh tree is green and the needles are hard to pull from branches and do not break when bent between your fingers. Vacuum around your live tree every few days because the needles can cause painful cuts in the mouth if a child swallows them. Keep all trees away from heat sources.

• Trimming the tree: Choose tinsel or artificial icicles of plastic or nonleaded materials, and it also might be the year to avoid using strings of garland, especially on low-hanging branches. Avoid decorations that are sharp or breakable, and keep small or glass ornaments out of your child’s reach. Avoid trimmings that resemble candy or food that may tempt the child to put the object in his or her mouth.

• Lights: Check that your lights have been tested for safety by a recognized testing laboratory such as Underwriters Laboratories or ETL Testing Laboratories. Only use lights that have fuses, and check each set of lights for broken, frayed or damaged parts. Hang them out of reach of small children. Turn off all holiday lights when you go to bed or leave the house. The lights could short out and start a fire. Cover electrical outlets, including those on power strips, to prevent children from sticking fingers or objects into the socket. Also, look into LED lights, which not only reduce the amount of electricity you consume, they don't get as hot as traditional lights and reduce fire and safety hazards.

• Pay attention to plants: Mistletoe, holly, poinsettias, Jerusalem cherry plants, and other plants are commonly used as decorations during the holidays. Like many plants, these are considered potentially poisonous and should be kept out of the reach of children and pets.

• Candles: Children could knock candles over, creating a fire hazard. Never leave young children unattended around lit candles.

• Food and treats: All the candy, nuts and other served items often left out in the open can be choking hazard or food allergy.

• Childproof all homes: When visiting another person’s home during the holidays, don’t assume they have taken precautions to protect your children. Do a thorough inspection of the home and holiday décor to find any safety hazards before your child does.

Trimming the tree and decorating the home are some of the most enjoyable traditions of the holiday season, but there are many homeowners who just don’t have the time to get tangled up in the lights or grapple with a ladder.

Every year the holiday decorations get more extravagant, and safety and time are a big concern for many families. Professional holiday decorators can create a display that you may not be able to match.

If a professional holiday decorator doesn't fit your budget, check with local roofers, painters, window washers and landscapers. They often pull double duty during the holiday season, often for a lower price.

Here are Angie’s 10 tips to make sure your decorations go up without a hitch.

1. Call early in the season to get scheduled.
2. How do they determine the price – by square foot or by the hour?
3. Check that the decorator is insured to protect against any falls or accidents.
4. Don’t blow a fuse. Ask how many strands of lights per outlet the decorator plans to use.
5. Meet in person and share ideas so no one is surprised or disappointed by the final design.
6. Ask to see photos of other homes they’ve decorated to make sure their designs are in line with the style you want. Check references.
7. Find out if you’re required to purchase the lights and decorations on your own, or if the decorator will help. Is storage available?
8. Figure out when you’d like the house decorated by and for how long? Some people want to flip the switch right after Thanksgiving and keep the lights up through January; others are just looking for a couple weeks.
9. What’s their maintenance policy – if a bulb or timer goes out, when will it be replaced?
10. Check rules and regulations. In you belong to a homeowner’s association, ask what decorations are allowed.

Don't leave exterior decorations out too long after the holiday season. Not only will it annoy your neighbors but can pose a fire hazard. Holiday lights are seasonal and should only be up for a limited time.

Those holiday shoppers who want to avoid the crowded stores this season may opt to purchase their holiday gifts online instead. While shopping online offers convenience and is a great way to score good deals - especially on hard-to-find items, you want to have a safe shopping experience:

Angie went to the experts to develop a list of ways to cyber shop safely:

• Know the merchant: Shop at sites that have a good reputation and clearly offer physical addresses and phone numbers where you can contact them if something goes wrong.
• Shop safe & secure: When shopping online, make sure the site offers a secure transaction. Look for a locked padlock icon at the bottom of your browser window – it indicates the site is using a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL), which encrypts sensitive information.
• Be aware of what you’re buying: Read the fine print and the description of the product closely. If you’re purchasing toys, check the recall list so you know they’re safe.
• Before you buy, get all the details: Get a complete description of the items, the total price, including shipping and delivery time, warranty information, return policy, and what to do in case you have problems. Some companies won’t accept returns at the store where the item was purchased, and shipping can get expensive, as well as time consuming. Also, some retailers – especially electronics stores –charge a hefty re-stocking fee.
• Guaranteed delivery: Santa’s never late and your gift shouldn’t be late either. Check delivery times before you finalize your sale.
• Protect your privacy: When you register for an account to shop online, think about your password – it should be something you can remember but that can’t easily be figured out by cyber thieves. Use combinations of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. Also, keep passwords unique from account to account. 
• Use a credit card: The safest way to shop online is with a credit card. In case something goes wrong, you are protected under the federal Fair Credit Billing Act. Debit and ATM cards are not protected by federal law to the extent that credit cards are.
• Keep proof handy: After placing an order online, you should receive a confirmation page that reviews your entire order. Print and file the information in case you need proof later.
• Be skeptical: Remember if a deal sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

• Homeowner’s insurance may cover some purchases. If you’re buying an expensive piece of equipment, you might be able to add it to your homeowner’s policy for less than the cost of an extended warranty.
• If you’re paying with a credit card, check to see if the creditor offers additional protection. Many card companies will double the manufacturer’s warranty if you use their card, but you have to read the fine print and compare what you get and what you must do to redeem the warranty. Some cards require specific documentation before honoring warranties, so hang onto your receipts and manufacturer’s warranty information.
• Some manufacturers have longer and better factory warranties than others, so check out the terms first. You might decide to go with Product B over Product A because Product B has a 12 month parts and labor warranty, compared to 90 days for Product A.

Is it more economical to replace or repair the fridge or washing machine? The right answer depends on a variety of factors.

Eight questions to determine whether to replace or repair an appliance.

1. How old is the appliance?
2. What would a similar appliance cost?
3. Are there any hidden costs? (Removal, installation, disposal, tax, etc.)
4. How often the appliance is used?
5. How difficult is it to replace the appliance? (Built-ins are more difficult.)
6. What energy savings will I get with the new appliance? (A good way to save is to invest in energy-efficient appliances. When shopping around, look for the Energy Star label.)
7. What additional features will I get with the new appliance?
8. Is it really broken? The trouble may be a loose plug, a tripped circuit breaker, or a bad surge-protector outlet. Also check the manufacturer’s instruction manual for its trouble shooting section. You may be able to fix the problem yourself.

Appliance life expectancy estimates.

• 14-15 years for refrigerators and freezers
• 14-18 years for ovens and ranges
• 11-13 years for dishwashers
• 11-14 years for clothes washers/dryers
• 11-15 years for ranges
• 11-14 years for water heaters
• 11-15 years for central air-conditioning unit

The average life of a major appliance is about 14 or 15 years, but it depends on the model. You can delay having to make any decision about repairs by taking on preventative maintenance.

Industry experts say washing machines tend to break down the most because they take the most beatings and contain many moving parts.

• Ask upfront who is responsible for damaged items and what the recourse it. If a problem occurs, a reputable cleaner should be able to walk you through the problem, explain how it happened and offer solutions.
  
• If the problem arises from a manufacturing defect, you should take the article back to the retailer for an adjustment or refund. Damage done in dry cleaning is the responsibility of the drycleaner and not the result of preexisting conditions or defects. In such cases, the cleaner will usually settle the claim promptly and fairly, often using the Fair Claims Guide published by the Drycleaning & Laundry Institute. If there is some doubt about responsibility, the member cleaner can send the garment to the International Textile Analysis Laboratory to determine the cause of the problem.
  
• If your dry cleaner loses your garment or other item, they should compensate you for the value of the item. Start off by asking for the full cost of replacing it. You may however have to accept something less because of wear and tear.

Customer Dry Cleaning Tips:

• Keep your dry cleaning ticket. You could have difficulty re-claiming your items without it.
• Write down any special requests you have (i.e. starch, creases)
• Pay attention to stains on your clothing. Don’t let them set in – that could mean extra treatments that cost more money. Show the cleaner where the stain occurred and what it is. Specifics are very helpful to a dry cleaner when treating stains. Remember that dry cleaning is not the answer to all soil and stain removal problems. Sometimes, stains become permanently embedded in the fabric.
• Ways to save money at the dry cleaners:
• Look for dry cleaners that offer coupons. Ask if they take competitors coupons.
• When you’re out shopping for clothes, limit the amount of items that need dry-cleaned.
• Don’t take your items to the dry cleaners just because they are wrinkled – get yourself a steamer.
• The real savings at the dry cleaner can begin with preventative care. Hang up your garments to reduce wrinkling and let odors escape.

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