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.
Watt is happening?
Understanding your electricity usage gives you the power! [Warning: The author is in full pun mode today!] We’ll look at some micro examples today and a macro approach tomorrow. This basic knowledge can Save. You. Money! First, we need to understand how we’re charged for electricity. [The puns!] We pay for electricity based on the […]
Getting rid of stuff
Let’s get organized for the new year Part 2 Which kind are you? Passionate purger or hopeful hoarder? I’ve been fighting my “I bet I’ll need this someday” urges for a long time. I think I’m finally getting better! 🙂 My favorite junk lugger, Andrew, gave us a strategy in Part 1. Now, for some […]
My mind is in the gutter this morning
Or maybe it’s just ON the gutter. 😉 After years of roofing, I’ve learned the importance of gutters and the need to get them done right. Drew has gutters on his mind all the time and has some good thoughts here: Seamless gutters come in various sizes from 5”, 6”, 7” and beyond. By installing […]
To paint or not to paint?
Home maintenance is ongoing and one critical area is your exterior paint. It’s true. Why it matters: Painting is first about maintenance, not appearance. A quick story. I was helping a neighbor with some roof repairs. He asked if a roof leak was causing what looked like mildew on his siding. I asked him the […]
Who are the people in your neighborhood?
Knowing as few as 6 neighbors reduces loneliness. Nextdoor released results of a global scientific study on acts of kindness ( https://click.convertkit-mail2.com/38u3nl3pg6bkhonzvz8tr/n2hohvhnl4z3zrt6/aHR0cHM6Ly9hYm91dC5uZXh0ZG9vci5jb20vcHJlc3MtcmVsZWFzZXMvZ2xvYmFsLXN0dWR5LWZpbmRzLWtub3dpbmctYXMtZmV3LWFzLTYtbmVpZ2hib3JzLXJlZHVjZXMtdGhlLWxpa2VsaWhvb2Qtb2YtbG9uZWxpbmVzcy8= ). And the results were clear. Performing small acts of kindness for neighbors reduces loneliness and increases neighborhood unity. That’s not only good for our mental health. It’s also good for our safety […]
Let there be light!
Are you getting the most out of your lighting? We know that pain is a key driver for change. My pain (irritation) started this year when I was setting up my Christmas lights. The 3 channel, remote controlled outdoor plugs — that I bought 2 years ago — wouldn’t work. Instead of buying another remote […]
How your attic breathes
Your attic spaces need to breathe to get rid of excess heat and moisture. I introduced this idea in Part 1 – Can your attic breathe? For air to flow through your attic, you need balanced Intake and Exhaust Two biggest mistakes I see: Poor intake Not enough soffit vents — Re-roofed a house recently […]
Can your attic breathe?
Did you know most attic spaces are not vented correctly? Why you should care? Attic spaces trap both heat and moisture. Excess heat = higher summer electric bills Excess moisture = RISK Moisture can damage and degrade everything in our attics, from your holiday storage to your furnace/blower. High moisture environments are breeding grounds for […]
Don’t be shocked by the answer
Is your main electrical panel labeled well? I’ve looked at my main panel more than usual over the past month. Had a bad outdoor outlet where I was plugging in Christmas lights. Installed an outdoor outlet in place of a motion light to power a camera. Had to decide which circuits would move from my […]
Overpaying for subscription services?
Happy New Year friends! A good way to start the year is with a review of your subscription services. Look closely at bundles and new options! A couple of personal examples: Alarms & Cameras I have a Frontpoint alarm system and Arlo cameras. $35/mo for Frontpoint monitoring $10/mo for 30 day cloud storage for Arlo […]