Smart Homeowners
Daily tips and resources to help you improve, care for and protect your home.
I will give you something every day so you can live smarter. With my team of experts, weโll cover what matters to you: security, energy efficiency, maintenance, home improvement, finance and insurance.
โฃ๏ธย A trip to the toxic trash
๐ซย My wife and I filled a box with hazardous waste and dropped it off at a collection center. Our collection included old cans of paint, a half-full bottle of antifreeze and some old fluorescent light bulbs. Why it matter: Some items cannot be safely discarded in the regular trash, recycle bin or bulk trash. ๐ผ๏ธย The […]
๐จโ๐งย Is that repair priced fair?
Iโm happy to pay a fair market price for home repairs, but whatโs reasonable? Why it matters: No one wants to overpay for services. But underpaying results in poor quality work with no warranty. ๐ฆย Pro Spotlight: HOMRโs home concierge service solved this for me. ๐ย Skip ahead for a link to a free month. ๐ย Story time: […]
๐ฆนโโ๏ธย Getting robbed by your alarm company?
Is all your alarm equipment working and are you paying a fair price for monitoring? Why it matters: Most alarm companies focus on customer acquisitionโnot customer service. Itโs common to have issues like a broken sensor or an expired alarm permit and not know about it. ๐ย Pro Spotlight: Foresight Secureโs Joe Slota has a different […]
๐งย Water lessons with Will
Will from Dallas Water Utilities came to my house yesterday for an irrigation evaluation. Why it matters: In the hour I spent with Will, I learned a lot about the best way to water my lawn and landscaping. To conserve water, save money and protect my investment in my yard. ๐ย Two main ideas from my […]
๐ฅ๏ธย I like big boats and I cannot lie
Boating season is in full swing and boat owners and passengers should be informed about boat insurance. Why it matters: Boat insurance is not required in Texas. Aaron Husman and his team at The Phoenix Insurance can help you make sense of your insurance to properly address your risks. ๐งย 3 points Aaron wants boat owners […]
๐งฎย From SEER to SEER2
Effective January 1, 2023, the SEER rating standard for an air conditionerโs efficiency is being replaced by SEER2. Why it matters: The new system results in a more accurate but slightly lower number. ๐ย Letโs hear from comfort specialist Daniel Fisher for more โ> Think โhonest gas milageโ ๐ย You know how the sticker on your car […]
๐ซย The air around you
IQAir provides you with real-time air quality info to help you make decisions. Why it matters: Various conditions impact the air quality where you live. Up-to-date and accurate data is especially important for sensitive groups. โ๏ธย How it works: IQAirโs platform brings together data collected by governments, companies and individuals to provide an accurate picture of […]
๐ชย The make-ready team
Lohner, Siegel, Shelokovskiy, Williams & Reyes! No, this is not a big law firm โ> these folks can get your house ready when itโs time to sell. Why it matters: You can reduce stress and increase profitability by trusting the pros. โ๏ธย How it works: Hereโs a process you can follow with links below. ๐ย First โ […]
๐พย Relief for an itchy dog
Today, a quick PSA if your pups suffer from an allergic itch like my little buddy Finn. ๐ฅย The bottom line: A Cytopoint injection can do wonders to stop the itching. Itโs a safe biological medicine that uses a protein to block the signal that triggers an allergic itch. โ ย For your Smart Homeowner list Check out […]
โกย A $2,000 surge
Turns out my HVAC problem last week was a blown compressor. From a quick power surge from the grid. Goodbye $2,000 ๐ข Why it matters: A surge can damage anything in your house thatโs plugged in or hard wired. ๐ฅ Reality check: A whole home surge protector on your main electrical panel can protect you. […]