
Energy saving strategies can change with the seasons, so it’s important to re-evaluate your home’s energy efficiency throughout the year. Check out this simple guide for tips to boost your home’s energy efficiency during the warmer months.
Maintain Your Cooling System
Keeping up with routine maintenance and cleanings of your air cooling system will help it to work more efficiently. According to the United States Department of Energy, you can lower a cooling system’s energy consumption by a whopping 15% simply by performing routine maintenance and changing air filters consistently. The Government of Canada also recommends proper maintenance of air conditioners to make sure they run as effectively as possible.
Plan to replace or clean air filters on a semi-regular basis, usually every few months. If you have pets, more frequent changes can benefit your system. Besides keeping tabs on air filters, checking to make sure the evaporator coil is working properly before the hottest months is a proactive step you can take. If you don’t have experience with air conditioner maintenance or cleaning, it’s a good idea to hire a professional.
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Wanting some peace and quiet in your home is not something that should be taken lightly. Excess or consistent sound in your home can cause stress, sleep disturbance, and can even lead to heart disease.
As a homeowner, there are a number of steps you can take to decrease the noise in your home.

For first-time homebuyers, there can be nothing as scary as the prospect of home repairs. Whether it’s a leaky faucet, a drafty door or a crack in the basement wall, any sign that a house needs repairs can cause new homeowners’ hearts to sink. Although there are many home repairs that are easily within the DIY capabilities of even the most inexperienced homeowner, there are many others that should be handled by a professional.
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Whether you want to update your home, customize it, or integrate smart technology into your design, you can’t go wrong these high-value home renovation projects:
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Summer is starting to heat up, and that means your energy bills may soon pay the price. About six percent of a household’s annual expenses come from cooling costs, resulting in a net $29 billion in utility spending each year across the country. That’s a lot of green!
But that doesn’t mean you have to surrender helplessly to rising cooling costs. Continue reading →

A well-constructed home can last for hundreds of years. But maintenance, climate and home innovation can all impact how long the components of that home stay useful. However, eventually things wear out, so with help from the National Association of Home Builders we’re going room-by-room to tell you how much time you have before you’ll have to replace different parts of your home.
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Cold weather can wreak havoc on your home. According to the Insurance Information Institute, losses from winter weather average around $1.2 billion a year in the U.S. The best way to avoid problems caused by winter weather and precipitation is to prevent them before they happen. Here are five common problems that occur and some tips on how to prevent them: Continue reading →

For many home buyers, purchasing a basic home warranty for around $350-500 annually is a cost they are willing to incur in order to protect themselves from expensive repairs or appliance replacements. First-time home buyers in particular should not overlook the advantages of investing in a basic or upgraded home warranty, according to the National Association of REALTORS®.
Whether you are considering your home warranty options now or are already covered, you can take simple steps to fend off appliance breakdown. While “DIY” major repair attempts can actually void your warranty, keeping up a regular maintenance schedule will extend the life of your appliances and improve performance.
Check out these recommendations from the experts at Reviews.com:
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