Hawk Industries, Inc.

This is one of the finished kitchens that Hawk Industries, Inc. completed. The manufactured cabinets are through Showplace Cabinetry. The countertop material is MSI quartz. Thank you to our great clients who took this video and allowed us to post it! #beautifulkitchen, #awesomeinstallers, #loveourcustomers

Good morning everyone! I apologize that have slacked on posting recently. Work has been crazy and I have not made time to read the 4th chapter of Wellness By Design. As the holidays are approaching and a few of my residential jobs are now completed I was able to review chapter 4 - Smart Home Technology. So to be honest - I don't know a great deal about this. A few of my friends have video doorbells and cameras around their homes. I do have a refrigerator and stove that has W...IFI - but I honestly have no clue how to use this feature. So what are the pros and cons to start changing your home into a "smart home"? PROS: The biggest Pro is security. This can range from a video doorbell as mentioned above to digital door locks. A smart home system can alert you to kitchen fire sooner and to other issues through your phone when you are at work or traveling. There are also smart home sensors for indoor air quality hazards. Lighting is another feature. Having your lights on a timer while you are away, to voice control features that you can use commands to work the lights are amazing. For example, saying "bedtime" turns off the lights, or "relax" to dim the lights. Smart home thermostats are popular for saving energy and controlling your homes heating and cooling systems through your phone. Smart appliances such as washer/dryers, oven and refrigerators can let you know if you are low on laundry detergent, and let you see into your fridge when you are at the grocery store. The ovens can be preheated from your phones as well. For some people this is a pro; however, to me it is not necessary. Smart home faucets/fixtures. For instance your showers - you can program your favorite temperature and spray and start your shower from a button , app or voice controller. Modes can be preset which is awesome as I love hot, hot showers and my husband likes a nice warm shower. There are also touchless and voice command faucets for your kitchen and bath sinks. Smart home amenities such as window blinds, alarms, security and temperature controls are ideal for users with mobility issues. CONS: This technology comes at a hefty price including purchase, installation, security and maintenance costs. It also provides hackers possible access to your home and data. Finding a maintenance repair person after your warranty expires that has the expertise to fix the item. To sum it up - a smart home - or smart parts of your home is a great idea if you have the money to buy and keep up with the maintenance. If you have a smart device that you would like to comment about or about the post in general, please do so. Thank you and Happy Holidays!

Happy Thanksgiving from Hawk Industries!Happy Thanksgiving from Hawk Industries!

Chapter 3 Review of Wellness by Design (by Jamie Gold). Ok, so chapter 3 discusses material choices for your home. With several moves and renovations under my belt I have finally figured out what type of flooring, countertops and cabinet material that I wanted in my home. Over the past year my husband and I renovated our kitchen. I drew up the layout and plans. With the help of Hawk Industries, Inc. employees, whole built and installed the cabinets and fabricated and installe...d the countertops, we finalized our vision with a built in wall with ceiling to floor wood planks on the kitchen side and an electric fireplace insert with a mantel and hearth on the living room side. We added wood planking, granite countertops and shaker style custom wood cabinets. For flooring and countertops I wanted to stay away from tile. Our kitchen is the main hub of our home. I am there a great deal (and not always for cooking...lol) and needed to make sure I am as comfortable as possible. We used a durable floating laminate floor that is waterproof and granite countertops. Ok, so where am I going with this? Working families need an easy way to keep up their kitchens, bathrooms, floors, etc. Tile on the countertop is a pain, especially cleaning the grout. Honestly, I had this and could not wait to get rid of it. I now have granite that is very durable and easy to clean. It also is heat resistant (up to approximately 450 degrees). Our vinyl floating floors are very easy to clean up spills. Bamboo is another good flooring choice. We chose paint grade cabinets in a satin sheen. These are much easier to clean than matte finish. However, if you really want easy to clean cabinets I would recommend smooth or textured laminate cabinets. This also is a lower cost option that will help with your budget $$. I will be posting again tomorrow with more on Chapter 3 - regarding bathroom materials. Until then:)

Looking to remodel your kitchen? Contact Hawk Industries, Inc. you local Showplace Cabinetry dealer in Littlestown, PA.

Good morning! I just finished up chapter 2 of Wellness by Design - Making Your Whole Home HEALTHIER. When you are purchasing a home, renovating or moving into an apartment you should make sure there are no code violations, structural issues or other problems that can endanger your life. As we know construction specifications are regulated. Make sure if you are remodeling you are starting with the right professional for the job. If you are building a home work with a licensed... building professional who keeps up to date on building codes. If you are buying a home make sure you get a complete inspection before you finalize the sale. If you are looking to rent make sure you look for obvious issues such as mold, leaks, etc. Water - do you have a well or are you hooked onto a water system through your municipality? There can be issues with both and one way to help with this is to use a filter hook up through your faucet, refrigerator, or you can put in a water filtration system. Electrical - New homes built to code will have safe electrical systems. However the use of electrical cords or extension cords that are damaged can start house fires. Note: A surge protector should be used in place of a power strip. Also, never have heat producing appliances used with an extension cord. Heating and Cooling - Newer homes have both central air and forced heat. Making sure the size of the unit works for the square footage of your home is very important. If the size is too small for your home it will not be energy efficient. Helping with air quality - it is good to use HEPA filters with your system. Another heating option is a fireplace. You can choose from a wood burning, gas and electric depending on your preference. Remember wood burning you have a to get the wood, scoop up ashes after use and make sure your chimney is cleaned regularly. Gas is very convenient and you just flip a switch to turn them on. You should have a ventilation system or chimney to help with the air quality in your home. With both wood and gas please make sure it is kid and pet friendly by having screen doors. Last, is electrical (which I have). This does not send fumes into the home and is generally safe for kids and pets. Just remember you need to make sure you get the right size unit for the sqft of your room that you are putting it in. Wellness tips: Did you know that the air in your home has indoor pollutants? One way to help get rid of the stale air is open your window(s) every day for 5 minutes. You can also get an air purifier to help as well. Have a great Tuesday!!

First chapter of the book "Wellness by Design" is complete. So, what did I learn and take away from it? Bringing wellness into your home is easy to do and does not have to be expensive. You can add physical, practical, and emotional features to your home, apartment, condo, etc. Here is the breakout information: PHYSICAL: You can add a spa-style handheld head with a massage setting to your shower to help soothe sore muscles after working out or add a cushion anti fatigue mat... in the kitchen for when you are cooking and prepping meals. Darkening room blinds are great, especially if you live in an area with lots of streetlights outside your bedroom window. This will help you get the rest you need (and a bonus with this is that they can help lower your utility bills). PRACTICAL: How easy is it to reach your front door from your driveway or curb? Making your home more visitable for family and friends is a must. Take away tip: Place a small bench at your entrance so that no one must juggle items while trying to open the door. This also serves as a place to sit for someone who is tired. accessibility to be able to reach everything in a space. Safety is also another practical feature. Make sure your home has smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, and vent fans for your kitchen and bathrooms. Slips, trips and falls are among the highest safety issues. Making sure your home is free of clutter is a must. EMOTIONAL: Your home should be a place of comfort from the outside world and its craziness. Turn off your electronics, especially at times when our screens are filled with violence and chaos (which seems like all the time). Turn on music instead that will help relax you after a long day at work. Whether you are a homeowner or tenant emotional wellness should be a part of your space. Bringing in favorite pictures, spiritual elements, and scents can be done easily, even if you are traveling to a different city for work. Also, having sunlight into your home helps your emotional wellness. Using window sheers for some privacy allows light into your room. If you own your home also think about solar tubes. These are like skylights but are easier to install and are less prone to have installation issues. Another way to support your wellness is to bring the outdoors in. Plants create a welcoming environment and improves the air quality in your home. As I think about my home, there are a number of things that I want to do and can without spending tons of money. 1. Adding a bench on my porch 2. Getting plants for my bedroom, bathroom and kitchen/living room areas 3. Pulling out my scented candles 4. 5 minutes of decluttering/picking up DAILY 5. Spending less time on electronics at home What are ways that you can bring wellness into your home?