Mosby clients are safe with their choice of granite countertops.

A flurry of questions and concerns has sprung up due to a recent New York Times article on radon levels in granite countertops.

We at Mosby are committed to knowledge-guided performance, so we immediately looked for answers in anticipation of clients’ concerns.

Our first thought was: The marble industry will be all over this, as it’s in their best interest to explain or disprove this information. Sure enough, the Marble Institute of America has issued this press statement, sharing their thoughts on the issue:

“On July 24, The New York Times Home Section published an article headlined, “What’s Lurking in Your Countertop.”

Typical of stories that seek to excite, rather than inform, the article repeatedly talks about “radiation levels” without explaining what they mean. The article plays to the emotions, rather than basing its focus on scientific fact. In short, it follows the playbook used by two of the largest synthetic stone manufacturers who seek to increase their own sales by raising fears about natural stone.

For example, the piece fails to point out that repeated studies have found that granite most commonly used in home countertops is safe. Instead, it vaguely mentions one or two stones that someone deemed to be problematic, then goes on to suggest that the only solution is to remove granite from the home.

We all know that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s solution for radon infiltration is venting. But that fact is also absent from the article.

We are disappointed that the New York Times has compromised the ultimate goal of sharing truth with its readers. But it is precisely because individuals and companies seek to prey on consumer fears and confusion that the Marble Institute of America is working with the independent scientific community to set standards to test granite for radon.”

For a full account of scientific and functional facts on the safety of granite countertops, click here.

Mosby Building Arts, 645 Leffingwell Avenue, Kirkwood, MO 63122

We have moved into our new building at 645 Leffingwell Avenue, and we love it!

For almost 15 years, our offices in downtown Kirkwood (which is now for lease) served well, accommodating our ever-expanding team of remodeling experts. But a building can only comfortably hold just so many people, and it was clear we needed a lot more room.

BEFORE: It was a combination office and storage room.

Scott and Judy Mosby found us the perfect new building less than a mile away. We’re still in Kirkwood, we have 4 times more square footage than previous, and all of us are under one roof in a clean and handsome new space.

AFTER: Now it's our showroom and selections center.

We’re ultra excited about having a showroom and selections center for our clients, a spacious new room (with an adjacent kitchen) filled with Woodharbor door and cabinetry samples. It’s a comfortable spot where our designers can spread out with homeowners and select all their decor choices, and see how each piece fits into the big picture of their remodeling project.

Chris Fischer (left) and Judy Mosby (right) during construction.

To best serve a client, it’s best to know exactly what it’s like to go through a remodel. We tackled the new office remodeling project by following the same design-build process we use to guide clients to their ultimate home, and it worked just as beautifully for us as it does for you! A round of applause goes to our very own Judy Mosby, Chris Fischer and Steve Vastine for overseeing all the on-site construction and coordination details that got us into our new home by the original deadline.

DURING: Painting done, carpet in and concrete floor sealer is drying.

The new Mosby World Headquarters required extensive space planning. The existing building was mainly warehouse space, while we needed more office space to accommodate 5 departments. Mosby planners and architects mapped out our needs on paper to make sure we had exactly the right plan before a single hammer swung.

AFTER: The same space with our Consultants in it.

We knocked down some walls, built new ones and transformed a massive space into a precisely functioning office that takes care of us now and gives us plenty of room to grow.

BEFORE: Open warehouse space.

DURING: Framing in a wall that divides warehouse from offices.

AFTER: Offices for Marketing, IT and Planning & Design.

Our new place is divided into a huge warehouse for storage and offices for the employees. The office space is both organized (individual office cubicles) and fluid. This fluidity is a great feature, as it allows us to easily change the function of a space. We have two areas that quickly convert to meeting spaces with room for projecting agendas and educational materials, thus letting us meet our goal of being a virtually paperless office.

A Mosby architect at work in his new cubicle.

Those of us in cubicles have far more storage and counter space than ever before, and easy access to each other.

DURING: Framing out the Production department.

And access is the key benefit of our new home. We can easily see and hear each other, increasing the effectiveness and pleasure of communication. It is exhilarating to see how each of us is an important link in the chain of a successful home remodel, and this openness has made us a closer-knit family.

AFTER: The Production department with dyed concrete floors.

How each department uses space was taken into consideration. For example, the production department got a dyed concrete floor so that tracking in dirt from a job site is no big deal. Or consider our Consultants, who need to constantly monitor the pulse of a project. They are out in an open area in the middle of the action, easily available to answer questions and pass on important details of a homeowners needs.

Left, the conference room. Right, the selections library in-progress.

We now have a spacious and professional conference room (with its own bathroom!), and a long hall that will become our library of books, materials and samples that our designers and architects use to give the homeowners exactly what they want.

We also finally have room to do all the things we always longed for. We now have multiple recycling stations, plenty of bathrooms and two kitchens, uniform furniture and accessories and a huge “backyard” for company BBQs.

We now have display cases for our trophies.

There’s also proper display cases for all our awards and honors. We weren’t aware of just how much we’ve accomplished in that area until it was all finally in one place.

Same as when you move from one home to another, we still have items to unpack and artwork to be hung, and enjoy discovering new facets of the building every day. And as with any remodel, we have a punch list of items to attend to, the last little details that polish off the project. We truly love our new place; it’s an inviting and professional space that meets all current and future needs, raises our spirits and productivity, and feels like a home away from home. These are the hallmarks of a successful remodel.

Congratulations to our Project Manager Dennis Shasteen who has just earned Certainteed’s 5-Star Vinyl Siding and Trim Contractor certificate.

Dennis earned their highest siding credential because he’s passed the CertainTeed and Wolverine Vinyl Siding Master Craftsman test and the Restoration Millwork Master Craftsman test in addition to the Vinyl Siding Institute’s Certified Installer course. He has the highest level of training on Certainteed exterior housing products, and as their website explains, “Only the best and brightest contractors receive this 5-Star Contractor recognition.”

Most every Friday morning, our construction team has educational seminars on the newest building technologies and how to properly use and install them. As they got deeper into learning about all the Certainteed roofing and siding products, many of our carpenters earned specialty certificates for millwork and fibercement siding.

After putting the products to the ultimate test – our clients’ homes – the final analysis is that Mosby Building Arts prefers to use Certainteed because of its quality and durability, large range of choices for the homeowner and the strong warranties that are the mark of a manufacturer confident about its product.

We require products and systems that we can rely on consistently. Surprises can be frustrating and costly for us at the time of construction and, later, for the homeowner, so we need to know all the variables, benefits and long-term dependability.

We have a number of products and lines we use consistently because we know it delivers the value we promise to you. On his KMOX Home Improvement Show, when you hear Scott Mosby recommend or refer to a product by name, you can be sure it’s met our exacting standards. Or as Scott is often heard to say: “If I wouldn’t use it for my house, it’s not going in yours!”

So, Certainteed is the newest member of the Mosby Approved Solutions, and we’ve got the certified experts, like Dennis, to insure the best results for your remodeling dollars.

This is the traditional time of year we take a vacation and leave behind an empty house. What temperature to leave the thermostat on is an important question.

Set the temperature too high and you risk mold and mildew growth along with wood furniture damage. Too low of a setting and you’re needlessly cooling an empty. What’s the best solution?

Humidity damage usually occurs above 90 degrees. If you have a traditional thermostat, leave it set between 80 – 85 degrees. This keeps a check on the utility bill while avoiding damage.

The very best solution is switching to a programmable thermostat, which automatically adjust your home’s temperature settings, allowing you to save energy while you’re away or sleeping.

With a programmable thermostat, the best pattern to follow for a vacant house is 85 degrees during daylight hours and 71 degrees from 3 a.m. – 5 a.m. The cooler temperature in the early morning removes moisture and cuts down on how often it will need to run during the heat of the day. Relative humidity will drop or remain stable as the temperature goes up.

We at Mosby Building Arts have learned from our energy auditing experiences that programmable thermostats are your best solution for these reasons:
● More convenient and accurate than manual thermostats and improve your home’s comfort
● Contain no mercury
● Save energy and save money on utility bills — when used properly, about $150 a year
● Better for the environment, since using less energy helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with energy production

All the advantages of a programmable thermostat also make it a logical “green choice” for your home. Plus, you program it once and need never get caught forgetting to change a setting.

Whether at home or away, we also recommend some old fashioned tips to help out with your AC bills:
● Ceiling fans rotating clockwise
● Shades or blinds drawn down against direct sunlight
● Awnings or deep roof eaves atop windows facing south and west
● Trees and tall shrubs to provide shade on south and west sides
● Roof vents remove accumulated heat from the attic

To cut down on the confusion of so many systems, remote control home automation systems can help you control ceiling fans, blinds and thermostat settings. You have so many great options for controlling heat without raising your cooling bills, and our Energy Star-Certified experts can find the best energy solutions for you.  Let us help you save money while staying comfortable.