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5 Easy Ways to Save on Your AC Bill

May 3, 2021

Everyone looks forward to the warm weather that the summer season brings–until it turns their house into a sauna. With above-average temperatures projected for this year, you might find yourself staying inside more and cranking up the air in an effort to beat the heat. However, running your AC on high all summer puts a strain on your cooling system and your bank account. Here are our tips on how you can still keep cool, extend your HVAC’s life, and lower your bills all at once! 1. Open Things UpIt seems counterproductive to open your house during a heat wave, but doing so during certain periods of the day can actually help cool it off. The early morning or late night hours tend to be cooler than the middle of the day and you can use it to your advantage. A nice, refreshing breeze through your home simulates your air conditioner and blows out all that stuffy air that comes from keeping your house sealed up. Check out the weather forecast to determine the best time to crack your windows. Setting up a few box fans by your windows can really get air moving. 2. Block Out Direct RaysYour home’s

Throwing the Perfect Backyard Get Together

April 26, 2021

Before we know it, summertime will be here, and there’s nothing better than having your friends and family over for a backyard cookout. But if you’ve ever thrown a party, you know it can also be quite a bit of work to pull off the perfect gathering. Here are some tips to create an entertaining night without a hitch. Bring Your Yard Up to Par Your yard can say a lot about you and what you think of your guests, so you definitely don’t want them to get the wrong impression. If your lawn is looking a little shaggy, a quick once-over with the lawnmower will get it in shape. Use your bag attachment (if you have one) to collect the clippings and dispose of them so your guests don’t kick them everywhere. Don’t forget to pick up after your pets as well. The last thing you want is for someone to step in a “present” left behind by your furry friend. To give a welcoming look to your guests, spruce up your front yard too. Decorate to Keep Things Private It’s not only important to be thinking of your partygoers, but also your neighbors. While you may be having

High and Dry: Making Sure You Optimize Your Dryer’s Life

April 19, 2021

Your washer and dryer are two of the most used appliances in your home. And if you don’t take proper care of them, you could drastically cut their lifespan. There’s also potential for danger. Almost 16,000 house fires are started each year by dryers that have large amounts of lint stuck in the trap and in the vent. Just a small bit of maintenance every so often can help protect your home and your family from a scary situation. When to Clean If you’ve noticed that your clothes are taking more cycles to dry, it’s the right time to clean. A full trap obstructs airflow and prevents your dryer from fully heating. Your dryer’s lint trap should be cleaned after every use in order to avoid blockages and keep it working correctly. Even if there isn’t much to clean off, you shouldn’t let the lint accumulate into a big pile. For your vents, it’s best to give them a deep clean once every 10-12 months. What You’ll Need Luckily you won’t need special equipment to clean your dryer– you can find what you’ll need around your home. You can also pick up specialized brushes that’ll allow you to get into

5 Ways to Get Your Green Thumb in Gear this Spring

April 12, 2021

April is Lawn and Garden Month, so what better time to start a new landscaping project? A simple garden can add curb appeal to your home, and it’s a fun hobby for warm days. But sometimes it’s frustrating if you seem to have more of a brown thumb than a green one. Try out these tips to turn your yard into a colorful explosion of flowers this spring and break your “cultivating curse.” Know what’s in the ground around you. Mixing your garden’s soil to just the right combination of fertilizer, mulch, and other nutrients is like a balancing act. So how do you get to the sweet spot for optimal plant growth? The first step is knowing what’s in your soil naturally. Clay, sand, silt, and loam are the four main soil types, and each has their own effect on growing. Figuring out your soil’s pH balance also plays a big role in how well your plants grow. You can perform a pH test yourself, and they’ll help you gauge what other organic substances to add. You might have to experiment a bit with different mulches and compost, but when you strike soil gold you’ll be growing in no

Getting Your Gutters in Shape for Spring and Summer

April 5, 2021

Your gutters do a lot of work to protect your home, and it’s essential that they’re in top condition. Heavy rains, harsh sunlight, and time all take a toll on the effectiveness of your home’s gutters. As we approach the wet part of the year, one of the things at the top of your spring cleaning list should be to prepare your home’s drainage system. Check for Winter Damage If you experienced a deep freeze over winter, your gutters could’ve been pushed to their limit. The weight of snow and icicles can cause them to bend and pull away from your house. Freezing rain and hail can also create dents and holes in gutters and affect how well they funnel water. As it starts to warm up and things begin to thaw, go outside and thoroughly examine your gutters. Check for holes and any signs that your gutters are coming loose. Take note of small issues and keep an eye on them, as they could become larger problems in the future. Clean Debris Out To get a better understanding of how well your gutters are holding up, you’ll first have to give them a good cleaning. Scoop out leaves, twigs,

5 Costly Reasons You Should Never Skip a Home Inspection

March 29, 2021

Today’s housing market is more competitive than the majority of buyers and real estate professionals have experienced in their lifetime. Purchasing in a hot seller’s market, facing a low-inventory challenge, and competing with upwards of 30 offers can make it feel like anything goes when it comes to landing your dream home. You may even be tempted to skip a home inspection in order to speed the process along and make a “clean” offer the seller can’t refuse. But despite current market trends, a home inspection is still a crucial step in the buying process. Here’s why you absolutely need a home inspection: 1. Your Family’s Safety is at StakeYour home inspector assesses thousands of different components of a house to identify issues ranging from small to serious. That means they’ll look for loose doorknobs and malfunctioning garbage disposals. But they’ll also check for potentially serious problems, like the presence of carbon monoxide leaking from the furnace, radon, mold, and fire hazards. Opting out of an inspection could put your family’s safety in jeopardy. 2. You’ll Want an “Out” in Your ContractYour home may just be the most expensive purchase you’ll ever make. Making an offer contingent on a home

How to Keep Your Oven Clean and Safe

March 22, 2021

Being inside for the majority of last year may have given you more time to try new things. Perhaps you found a new hobby, binged your favorite shows, or polished your cooking skills by trying new dishes. If you did work on your culinary abilities, your oven might be in need of some TLC. Knowing how to clean your oven the right way will let you extend its lifespan and get the best possible cooking results. “When should I clean my oven?” The obvious answer to this question is: when your oven is noticeably dirty. If there are grease spots around your burners, charred food on the racks, and other signs that it’s been a while since you last cleaned, it’s time. For active chefs, cleaning every couple of months is best to prevent debris buildups that can lead to fires. As for those that aren’t using their kitchen much, cleaning once or twice a year should suffice. Again, it all depends on how frequently you’re cooking and how messy you get when you do. “Can’t I just use the self-clean feature on my oven?” While the self-clean option on most ovens is nice, it isn’t a perfect solution. Normally

Using Circadian Lighting to Help Your Mental and Physical Health

March 15, 2021

Natural lighting in your home provides numerous benefits for your well-being. It gives you crucial Vitamin D, helps ward off seasonal affective disorder (SAD), reduces stress, and much more. Natural light also ties in to your sleep schedule and how well you fall and stay asleep. If you aren’t getting enough light in your home, you might be able to artificially substitute it. Circadian Rhythms You may have heard about a circadian rhythm before, but if you haven’t or aren’t quite sure what it is, here’s a quick rundown: A circadian rhythm is essentially your body’s internal clock that carries out different functions during a 24-hour period. The most commonly discussed rhythm is the one that controls your sleep-wake cycle. Your body uses cues such as the intensity of daylight to know when it needs to energize you or when it needs to begin the sleep process. It’s important to maintain a consistent cycle, or else you can experience conditions like insomnia. The production of melatonin, a key “sleep ingredient,” can be hindered if your body’s rhythm becomes disrupted. How Rhythms Get Interrupted Now that you’re more familiar with your circadian rhythms’ various purposes, you need to identify what could

Sanitizing Your Home the Correct Way

March 8, 2021

Spring is just around the corner! Saturday, March 20 marks the spring equinox, and the start of thawing out from winter’s cold grasp. While there’s still time before you have to fully dive into your spring cleaning list, it’s never too early to get a head start. Here’s what you can do to tidy up your home and also fight off germs in 2021. Stay Safe as You Clean Since you’ll be using different cleaners throughout your home, it’s essential that you guard yourself against any harmful chemicals. Wearing the correct protective equipment will keep you safe as you sterilize each room. Some basic items that you should wear and keep stocked in your house are: Remember to properly ventilate your house as you clean as well. Breathing in chemicals for a lengthy period of time can have severe side effects. Carefully follow each product’s instructions as well, and don’t ever mix substances together. When you’ve finished, store your cleaners in a secure place away from children and pets. Rugs, Carpets, Upholstery, and Curtains For softer surfaces, you’ll need to use a certain amount of care and take your time while cleaning to avoid ruining them. Begin by vacuuming off

Making A Safe Home for Seniors

February 22, 2021

Being able to live your life independently becomes more difficult the older you get. Since February is National Senior Independence Month, it’s a good opportunity to think about your long-term safety plan for elderly loved ones. It’s a tough decision to know what steps to take in protecting them at home, but you have a few options to make the best choice for them and you. Stay or Move The biggest question you’ll have to face is determining whether to stay put or relocate. Moving away from a place that holds so many years of memories isn’t easy, and it may complicate your final choice. To maintain a sense of freedom and avoid the dangers that come with living alone, downsizing is a favorable option. Retirement homes or assisted living centers are also popular, and ensure that there’ll be regular supervision of your family member. But you can still make their current dwelling safe without making them feel restricted. Reduce Fall Hazards 27 percent of people 60 and above live alone in the U.S., while almost 25 percent age 65 and up live alone in Canada. However, almost a quarter will experience some type of injury, most likely a fall,