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Sustainable Home Ideas

Apr 14, 2022

April 22nd is Earth Day, but you can make your home sustainable 24/7, 365. We’ve included some ideas on making your home a little more eco-friendly. Use low energy consumption appliances. Sustainable house design is also about filling your home with appliances that consume lower energy. It is better for the environment, but it will also significantly reduce your energy bills, or let you run your home on renewable energy. At a minimum, look for Energy Star-rated appliances – this should cover everything from computers and TVs to kitchen appliances and water heaters. Switch to LED LED lighting is also much more energy-efficient and lasts much longer. Even though it requires a larger upfront investment, this pays itself off over time because you won’t need to change your LED light bulbs for years! Another fun bonus to LED lighting is that many bulbs are paired with innovative home technology; you can pair them with Alex or Google home devices or even change the color of your lighting with your phone. Incorporate smart home technology Along with low energy consumption appliances, using smart home technology can also help to make your home more eco-friendly. For example, smart home systems have features such as automated lighting, temperature, and security controls which allow you to make your energy use as efficient as possible. Most smart home systems also allow you to monitor the amount of energy you use, helping you to live more efficiently and use less electricity. Try an eco-friendly lawn alternative. Grass may be a popular lawn option, but it is also water-intensive, challenging to maintain, and can cause allergies. There are plenty of grass alternatives that are not only better for the environment and your health, but many need little to no maintenance.

Sustainable Home Ideas

Apr 14, 2022

April 22nd is Earth Day, but you can make your home sustainable 24/7, 365. We’ve included some ideas on making your home a little more eco-friendly. Use low energy consumption appliances. Sustainable house design is also about filling your home with appliances that consume lower energy. It is better for the environment, but it will also significantly reduce your energy bills, or let you run your home on renewable energy. At a minimum, look for Energy Star-rated appliances – this should cover everything from computers and TVs to kitchen appliances and water heaters. Switch to LED LED lighting is also much more energy-efficient and lasts much longer. Even though it requires a larger upfront investment, this pays itself off over time because you won’t need to change your LED light bulbs for years! Another fun bonus to LED lighting is that many bulbs are paired with innovative home technology; you can pair them with Alex or Google home devices or even change the color of your lighting with your phone. Incorporate smart home technology Along with low energy consumption appliances, using smart home technology can also help to make your home more eco-friendly. For example, smart home systems have features such as automated lighting, temperature, and security controls which allow you to make your energy use as efficient as possible. Most smart home systems also allow you to monitor the amount of energy you use, helping you to live more efficiently and use less electricity. Try an eco-friendly lawn alternative. Grass may be a popular lawn option, but it is also water-intensive, challenging to maintain, and can cause allergies. There are plenty of grass alternatives that are not only better for the environment and your health, but many need little to no maintenance.

Sprucing up for Spring

Mar 03, 2022

Whether you’re getting your home ready to sell or you just want to tackle some basic spring cleaning, these tips will energize your home for warmer weather. 1) Wash Windows and Freshen Window Treatments Windows often take the brunt of winter weather, keeping out cold winds and catching winter dust, dirt, and even salt from the roads. Your first step in spring cleaning should be to wash the inside and outside of your windows. You’ll be amazed at how much more light can enter a space when the windows are clean! 2) Clear Your Gutters’ Downspouts Dirty gutters are an eyesore and a liability not only for you but for potential buyers, as well. Cleaning your gutters will take roughly 15-30 minutes, but will save you money in the long run. You can avoid flooding during spring rains by clearing gutters of all rubbish using a ladder, a small hand rake, and a hose. 3) De-Clutter for Spring! Spring is the perfect time to pare down the clutter that’s been accumulating in your home. Before you get started, make a room-by-room plan so that you don’t feel overwhelmed by the prospect of de-cluttering your entire home—know that you don’t need to do everything in one day or even in one weekend. 4) Repair Windows and Screens Replace damaged and warped screens so that you can enjoy warm spring breezes without being bothered by bugs and other critters. If you had a particularly rough winter, you’ll want to recaulk windows and inspect them for water damage and rot.

Setting Up Utilities before You Move

May 11, 2021

Of all the details you are tasked with when moving to a new home, few are more important than hooking up your utilities. Setting up your electrical, natural gas, water, and sewer, cable, and internet, as well as trash pick-up, sounds daunting at first since you have to know where to go for each one. First, determine who your providers are. Your Realtor or landlord should be able to provide a list, or you can go online to see who services your area. Often you'll have one provider option for utilities like electricity, natural gas, water and sewer, and trash pick-up, and multiple options for internet and cable. Once you know who your providers will be, you can get in touch (do this around two weeks out). Suppose you already have utilities set up in your current home. In that case, you're going to need to either transfer your existing utilities or cancel your existing utilities and set up new ones. If you're starting from scratch, you'll need to set up new ones. Once you've got all this going on, you're not yet out of the utility woods since there is always the possibility of errors when you're transferring, canceling, or setting up utilities. For that reason, it's a good idea to verify that everything went through as it was supposed to, especially since you don't want to end up with a bill for utilities that you thought were shut off. As for those automatic payments, it's wise not to set it and forget it. It's always a smart move to double-check that everything is correct from time to time. It's best to start doing your utility shuffle at least two weeks before your move date.

A Healthy Spring Cleaning

Mar 05, 2021

Maintaining a healthy home goes beyond your usual spring cleaning, it’s important to check up on your house. Make sure that smoke detectors are working, and provide the right maintenance to welcome a new season and get ready for the seasons after it. Replace all filters including water, range hood and air vent filters. You should replace these filters every 3-6 months depending on the type of filter you have. Unscrew the faucet aerators, sink sprayers and showerheads, and soak them in equal parts vinegar and water solution. Let them soak for an hour, then rinse with warm water. A clogged dryer vent can be a fire hazard. To clean it, disconnect the vent from the back of the machine and use a dryer vent brush to remove lint. Outside your house, remove the dryer vent cover and use the brush to remove lint from the other end of the vent line. Make sure the vent cover flap moves freely. A house with a crawl space has vents along the foundation walls. The vents provide air circulation that helps prevent excess moisture and mold growth, and they prevent critters from taking up residence underneath your home. The screens collect leaves and other debris from fall and winter. Spring is a great time to clean them out and check for damage. You can't have a successful garden without good soil. It’s time to update your soil and perhaps throw some mulch down as well. Finally show your patio space some love by cleaning off outdoor furniture and making sure your grill is clean before you fire it up. Enjoy your fresh start this spring!

Avoid These IRS Tax Scams

Feb 03, 2021

Tax season has begun, but it's essential to remain vigilant of these scams that could cost you. First, we have the different types of scams that are currently happening. 1. 'You need to pay a small fee to get your stimulus check.' This is a growing scam related to the government's ongoing response to the coronavirus, the Federal Trade Commission warns. Many Americans will qualify for a stimulus check, but the government (including the IRS) does not require anyone to pay anything to receive the money. 2. 'We're calling to tell you your identity was stolen; you need to buy some gift cards to fix it.' In this trick, a criminal calls the victim and poses as an IRS agent. The criminal claims the victim's identity has been stolen and used to open fake bank accounts. The caller then tells the taxpayer to buy certain gift cards; later, the crook gets back in touch and asks for the gift card access numbers. 3. 'We'll cancel your Social Security number.' "If taxpayers receive a call threatening to suspend their SSN for an unpaid tax bill, they should just hang up," the IRS says. 4 'This is the Bureau of Tax Enforcement, and we're putting a lien or levy on your assets' There is no Bureau of Tax Enforcement. Victims often receive a letter from the fake agency claiming that they have a tax lien or tax levy and better pay the "Bureau of Tax Enforcement." 5. 'You owe the Federal Student Tax.' There is no federal student tax. Finally, we have a list of red flags that let you know it could be a tax scam. They're calling you first. The IRS contacts taxpayers by mail first; it doesn't initiate contact via a random phone call. They're leaving a prerecorded voice mail. The IRS doesn't leave prerecorded, urgent or threatening voicemails. They're emailing you. The IRS doesn't initiate contact with taxpayers by email to request personal or financial information. They're texting you. The IRS doesn't initiate contact with taxpayers by text message to request personal or financial information. They're contacting you via social media. The IRS doesn't initiate contact with taxpayers on social media channels to request personal or financial information. They're asking for a credit card or debit card number over the phone. The IRS doesn't do that. If you have additional questions or would like to read more about possible tax scams, you can visit https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/tax-scams-consumer-alerts You can also report possible scams by reporting them to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) online or calling TIGTA at 1-800-366-4484.

Cleaning Tips & Tricks For Your Home

Jan 22, 2021

Now more than ever it’s important to keep your home clean while also getting rid of germs, here are some tips and tricks you may not have considered before. Clean Your Humidifier- The water that makes your humidifier run smoothly is also breeding ground for mold and microbes. To clean, pour two cups of undiluted white vinegar into the water tank and swish it around until wet. Place the vinegar-filled tank on the base and allow it to drain into the reservoir for 15 - 20 minutes. Empty it and use a small brush to scrub crevices, removing remaining build-up. Sanitize Your Phone- Your cell might harbor more germs than a toilet seat. Zap germs with an alcohol wipe, and give your TV remote and computer mouse the same treatment while you're at it. Reorganize Your Linen Closet- Tackle an overflowing storage spot by adding an over-the-door rack for extra towels. Shelf dividers stop folded washcloths from toppling over, and baskets corral surplus toilet paper and cleaning supplies. Clean The Shower Curtain- To banish moldy spots, throw plastic or vinyl curtains in the washing machine with a little detergent. Add two to three bath towels for extra cleaning agitation, then hang it to dry or put in the dryer on low heat or fluff only. To keep it fresher longer, stretch the curtain out after each shower to help moisture dissipate. De-stink The Garbage Disposal- Run a few lemon rinds through the disposal and follow with cold water to dispel any sour odors.

Winterizing Your Home

Dec 18, 2020

No matter where you live, winter can signal a dip in temperatures and the possibility of unpredictable weather, including inches of snow and dangerous ice. Even for our HQ team that lives in Southern California, winter can bring some crazy weather! Below are some ways you can help winterize your home. Have your furnace inspected. Since your heating system will probably be running constantly throughout the winter, you should have it inspected annually to help if run efficiently and prevent CO from entering your home. Also remember to change out your HVAC filters every month. Inspect the insulation in your attic and crawlspaces. Warm air rises and leaves the house through the roof, so you should focus on insulation in your ceilings. Insulating the crawlspaces will help keep your floors warm. Seal potential leaks. Seal areas around recessed lights, the attic hatch, and plumbing vents that may be allowing warm air from the living space below to enter the attic. Apply weather stripping. Add weather stripping to doors and caulk window gaps. Make sure all windows are locked to keep out as much cold air as possible. Use a fireplace. If you plan to use it, schedule an inspection and service by a professional to make sure your chimney is clear of debris and make sure that your damper opens, closes, and seals tightly. Insulate pipes. Pipes located in attics, crawl spaces, basements, and near outer walls can be susceptible to freezing in extreme temperatures. Insulate to help prevent your pipes from freezing. When the forecast calls for unusually cold temperatures: Let water drip from hot and cold faucets overnight. Winterize outdoor faucets. Remove all hoses or devices attached to outdoor spigots. Be sure to drain any water left behind in the pipes. Have in-ground sprinkler systems blown out, and turn off water to the outdoor spigots. Firewood. Store your firewood in a dry place at least 30 feet from your home to avoid a fire hazard.