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, we’ll cover what matters to you: security, energy efficiency, maintenance, home improvement, finance and insurance.
🗳️ What’s on your ballot?
Statewide elections are being held May 6, 2023 for mayor, city council, school board and ballot measures. Why it matters: Odd year elections see low voter turnout giving your vote a greater impact. 💡 Vote411.org is a nonpartisan resource to give you information for what’s on your ballot. ✅ For your Smart Homeowner list Best, Travis
🪄 Mulch with magic powers
We add mulch to our landscape beds to improve appearance, suppress weeds and conserve water. Why it matters: The cost of mulch is a fraction of the cost of the money and/or time we spend planting and maintaining our beds. 🤔 Instead of choosing mulch based on color, consider what happens to the mulch as it […]
🍽️ Your lawn is hungry
If you haven’t fertilized your lawn this spring, now is the time! Why it matters: 3 weeks after your grass starts greening, there should be enough activity for your grass to put those nutrients to work. 🥊 The bottom line: Maintaining a regular feeding program for your lawn keeps it healthy and beautiful. 👉 I’ve been using […]
🏦 Get help fighting the tax man
I’m in a story telling mood today, but if you’re in a rush here’s the tl;dr 🥊 The bottom line: Stop paying more in property taxes than you should and hire Evan to fight for you. 📚 Story time I have memories from my teen years of stories of my mother going down to the appraisal district […]
🌵 Should you go native?
Choosing native plants for your landscaping can be a smart investment of your money and time. Why it matters: Native plants have adapted to local soil, light and moisture conditions. 🖼️ The big picture: The most important factor is choosing plants that are well adapted to local conditions. 🔬 Zoom in: Here are a 3 of my […]
☔ Leak spotting after the rains
The rainy season is a good time to walk around your house and check out all the ceilings for potential leaks. Why it matters: Early intervention is the key to minimizing damage and preventing mold growth. 💡 Two tips for finding leaks and determining their seriousness: 👉 Turn off any can lights and shine a bright LED […]
🔦 Floor shopping in the right light
When you’re shopping for new flooring, the sample you see in the store is NOT what you see in your home. Why it matters: Unless the color temperature of the store’s lighting is the same as your home, you’re literally seeing a different color in the store. 🥊 The bottom line: Always use samples to audition […]
✋ The insurance process — Part 2
Part 1 covered the 2 main concepts — proving the loss and defining the scope. Today we’ll look at what to do BEFORE you file a claim. Why it matters: Simply put, if you need to file a claim you should and if you don’t need to file a claim you shouldn’t. 🤔 How do you […]
🧑🏫 The insurance process — Part 1
Stating the obvious: insurance only matters when you need it. 🖼️ The big picture: The process of filing a claim lacks clarity and certainty, often leaving the insured in a weak position. 🔬 Zoom in: For this example, we’re focusing on homeowner’s property insurance. 👉 Prove the loss —> Was there a singular event that caused coverable damage? […]
⛲ Not a water feature
At a client’s house recently, I saw a tiny stream of water pouring out of a small pipe near his 2nd story roofline onto his 1st story roof. Why it matters: If the HVAC was installed correctly, I was looking at his secondary condensate line. 🔬 Zoom in: The evaporator coil in your AC can produce […]