“Now is the time to start getting your flower beds ready and putting down Mulch. But do you know how to Mulch correctly?”
Denise Buck & Ed Johnson – DC Metro Realty Team
Anyone can learn how to mulch and prolong the life of their landscaping. Here’s how. Read
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Copyright 2018 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®
“Have you considered container gardening? We love it for both our front porch and our deck. Things look great and we can move it around as we see fit each year. Give it a try!”
Denise Buck & Ed Johnson – DC Metro Realty Team
“Hot Water Heaters are expensive to replace. Take a few extra steps to help make them last longer. We’ve actually started getting ours drained each Spring now, hopefully that will help!”
Denise Buck & Ed Johnson – DC Metro Realty Team
Making water heater maintenance a habit will help extend the life of this appliance and reduce costly repairs. Learn how easy it is to maintain with tips from plumbing professionals.
Replacing a water heater can be expensive and inconvenient. To help extend the life of this important household appliance and to help it run more efficiently and economically, routine maintenance is important. Matt Lindsay of The Lindsay Company in Houston, Texas, says that to help your water heater operate better and last longer, it’s best to start maintenance activities within the first year of a unit’s operation.
“We recommend checking the temperature and pressure relief valve every year and replacing it every three years,” Lindsay says. “This is important because the valve is a key safety feature on the water heater.”
Keeping the water heater set at the correct temperature is also important, according to Lindsay. “Most manufacturers recommend keeping the temperature set below 120 degrees Fahrenheit on water heaters,” he says. “This is for safety and efficiency, and it helps keep energy bills low, too.”
Lindsay says that it’s also recommended to drain the water heater regularly to prevent sediment from forming inside the tank. “A water heater tank should be drained every year,” he says. “A helpful way to remember is to drain it every year when you check the temperature and pressure relief valve.”
When sediment builds, it can accumulate as the water heats and form a ball inside the tank. “Sometimes the sediment can collect to the size of a golf ball and will bang around inside and make noise,” Lindsay explains. “It can accumulate to a size that can’t be drained.”
Draining a tank doesn’t have to be done by a professional plumber and can be a DIY task, but Lindsay says that homeowners should carefully read their water heater’s manufacturer’s directions and follow the specific instructions for their unit. While the directions for your unit may vary or the order of steps may be different, Lindsay says that these are some of the basic steps you might expect:
(Be sure to wear appropriate safety equipment, such as heavy gloves and goggles.)
An American Home Shield® Home Warranty Systems Plan can help protect water heater components, as well as other key home systems, from covered malfunctions. An AHS Home Warranty is a one-year service contract that covers the repair or replacement of many home systems and appliances that break down over time due to normal wear and tear.
Originally Appearing on American Home Shield (AHS.com)
‘As kids change so do their storage needs. Check out a number of different ways to handle those changes”
Denise Buck & Ed Johnson – Dc Metro Realty Team
From babies who adore you to teens who ignore you, kids change — and so do their storage needs. Read
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Copyright 2018 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®
“Want to give a room or two a face-lift, but a little short on cash? Check out these low-cost, no-cost ideas.”
Denise Buck & Ed Johnson – DC Metro Realty Team
“Now that we have ‘Sprung Forward’, it’s time to take advantage of this time of the year. Use this annual event as a reminder of things to do before the weather gets warmer.”
Denise Buck & Ed Johnson – DC Metro Realty Team
Photo by: American Home Shield
Daylight Saving Time will be here before you know it. With it comes longer, hotter days that can drastically affect your energy bill. Here are some creative tips to help you save money for the spring and summer months ahead.
Natural light is a great way to reduce your energy costs. Instead of hiding behind closed blinds, open them up and let the sunlight brighten your home. When your air conditioner is on, keep your blinds closed during the day to lower the temperature of your home.
Find your threshold for cool air and set the temperature accordingly. As a basis, 78˚ when you’re at home and 85˚ when you’re not is a good way to lower costs. Also, to maximize the effectiveness of your unit, don’t forget to change your air filters and clear any vent blockages.
One of the biggest contributors to your energy bill is your air conditioner. Turn it off completely and cool down your home with window, ceiling and whole-house fans for big savings.
Water heaters account for about 18% of your home energy costs. Lowering the temperature on your unit to around 120˚ will help reduce how much energy it consumes.
Weather stripping, caulking windows and sealing air leaks will keep the cold air in and the hot air out. This trick will benefit your heating costs in the cold winter months as well.
Running the dishwasher and dryer during the day increases the temperature of your home. Wait until the sun goes down to do the dishes and laundry so your air conditioner won’t have to work as hard to cool your home. Washing your clothes in cold water helps lower costs, as does unplugging electronics when they aren’t in use.
Need an excuse to spend more time manning the BBQ? Grilling outdoors, as opposed to using your oven, also reduces the heat of your home.
Sources:
Pacific Power
Energy.Gov
“Getting the most out of your home is important. Making a few small changes can make it ‘work’ better for you and will appeal to future buyers when you go to sell.”
Denise Buck & Ed Johnson – DC Metro Realty Team
Home improvement trends embrace energy efficiency, low maintenance exteriors, and double-duty space. Read
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Copyright 2018 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®
“Remodeling a Small Bathroom can be a challenge since you really don’t have much to work with. These examples might just help you out.”
Denise Buck & Ed Johnson – DC Metro Realty Team
“Using the right light bulb can make a difference, especially in your kitchen appliances. Get it right the first time.”
Denise Buck & Ed Johnson – DC Metro Realty Team
Photo by: Shutterstock
When the light in your oven or refrigerator goes out it can be tempting to use whatever light bulb you have on hand. But that’s actually not the best decision. Appliances require smaller-profile bulbs that are specially made to withstand heat and that contain rugged filaments made to endure vibrations from opening and closing the doors on the appliance. It’s also important to use bulbs with the recommended wattage and the proper base size. Ovens, microwave ovens, ranges, range hoods, refrigerators, freezers and dryers are among the appliances that require these special bulbs.
Incandescent bulbs, halogen lamps and compact fluorescent lamps (CFL) are most often used in home appliances. Here’s how they work:
• Contain a tungsten filament
• Electric current heats filament to produce light
• Usually contain a stem or glass mount at the base to prevent air leaks
• Stem embedded with small wires to support the filament
• Vacuum or inert gas protects filament from evaporating
• Functions similarly to an incandescent lamp
• Employs the halogen cycle
• Halogen gas helps redeposit tungsten onto the filament for longer bulb life
• Electricity is emitted from cathodes that excite mercury vapor (inelastic scattering)
• Glass envelope contains phosphors and a noble gas (e.g., argon)
• Mercury atoms produce ultraviolet (UV) light, causing phosphors to glow and produce light
For instance, a 40-watt (incandescent) appliance bulb may be the same bulb used in your oven and your range hood.
Here are some of the bulbs that can be used in various appliances.
Oven: Many ovens require 15-watt tubular halogen lamps while others require a 40-watt appliance bulb.
Microwave oven: These often require a 25-watt T7 microwave light bulb. It has an intermediate base and sometimes is used in ranges and sewing machines.
Refrigerator: Usually takes a 25- to 40-watt standard base appliance bulb, but some refrigerators use a T8 intermediate base bulb.
Dryer: Most dryers use a 10-watt, 120-volt C7 bulb.
In 2012, manufacturers and retailers began phasing in bulbs that meet the standards required by the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA), passed by Congress in 2007. The law requires higher efficiency standards for basic light bulbs, but it doesn’t apply to all specialty bulbs. Appliance bulbs are among those that are exempt.
Before you head out to the hardware store to purchase replacement bulbs, we suggest you take a minute to check the appliance owner’s manual to find out which bulb is recommended by the manufacturer. If you no longer own the manual, you can likely find the manual online on the manufacturer’s website by entering the model number of the appliance you own.
“So you’ve got a room with strange angles, or some other ‘issue’. Paint can help!”
Denise Buck & Ed Johnson – DC Metro Realty Team
Paint colors can do a ton to fix a room’s flaws for not much money Read
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Copyright 2018 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®