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.
๐๏ธย Tax free weekend!
Happy Friday! Today a quick reminder to take advantage of the Sales Tax Holiday, Friday, August 11 – Sunday, August 13. Why it matters: This isnโt just back-to-school shopping. The Texas Comptroller is encouraging all taxpayers to support Texas businesses. โ๏ธย How it works: The exemption applies to qualifying items and is automatically deducted (in most […]
๐ย The roof cynic
โMy roof is fine.โ According to someone I see every week. He said all the roofs around him are getting replaced but his is fine (even though he hasnโt had a proper inspection). Why it matters: When you live in one of the top insurance markets for roofing like DFW, cynicism is easy. Sometimes itโs […]
๐ขย The importance of persistence
Getting your insurance company to pay you what they should is often a war of attrition. Why it matters: Delay, deny, defend has become the mantra of many insurance carriers as they face an increasing number of costly natural disasters. The important question you need to answer as a homeowner is this โ> Am I […]
๐งย Construction is an ongoing โฆ
Construction is an ongoing, problem solving event โ according to one of my early mentors in the field. Why it matters: When you have work done on your home โ from a new roof to a new kitchen to a new pool โ youโre almost never prepared when things go wrong. Something always goes wrong. […]
๐ย Tracking your things
Itโs never been easier to keep up with your keys, your luggage โฆ really anything! Why it matters: For $25-50 you can pair a reliable tracking device with important items. ๐ฅ Reality check: This incredible story about a mom who used an Apple AirTag to overcome the airlineโs incompetence is the wake up call I […]
๐ย You were my first call
This week I had one of those moments that reminded me why I love what I do. Why it matters: In our times of need or distress, we want to call someone we trust. When I saw Frank calling me one minute before a scheduled phone conference, I answered. โYou wonโt believe what just happened. […]
๐ ย Your roof assembly – Part 5: Ventilation
Weโll wrap up this short series on your roof assembly with what you need to know about attic ventilation. ๐ย Links to parts 1-4 below Why it matters: Building code prescribes proper ventilation for your attic in order to provide a way for heat and moisture to escape to the outside. ๐ฌย Zoom in: Hereโs your checklist: […]
๐ ย Your roof assembly – Part 4: Shingles
Weโve covered the sheathing, underlayment and flashing components of your roof. Now weโll take a closer look at the shingles. Why it matters: All shingles are not created equally. ๐ฌย Zoom in: Keep this checklist to review the next time you need a roof. ๐ย 3 types of shingles belong on every roof: starter shingles, field shingles […]
๐ ย Your roof assembly – Part 3: Flashing
When it comes to your roof, itโs what you canโt see that cause the biggest problems. Part 1 covered sheathing and part 2 covered underlayment. Flashing is the next critical component. Why it matters: The most common failure point on any roof is related to flashing. If water is getting in, this is where itโs […]
๐ ย Your roof assembly – Part 2: Underlayment
This week Iโm doing a series on the parts of your roof assembly. Read part 1 here Why it matters: Once a re-roof is completed, you canโt see if it was done correctly. Itโs up to you as a homeowner to hold your contractors accountable. ๐ฌย Zoom in: One of my mentors said it this way, […]