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Don’t skimp on your fall maintenance!

by Nancy Heim-berg

We won’t lie, there was a time when we thought fall was never going to come. But sure enough, it is finally here! And with the change of season brings cooler weather, shorter days and a reminder to check in on your home for any fall maintenance that needs to be completed. Not sure exactly what to look for? Well, not to worry because below we have listed a few fall maintenance suggestions for you to look into.

Starting with the exterior, you should check around the outside of your home for inexpensive maintenance projects that can be tackled quickly. Things such as cleaning the gutters, caulking, checking the roof for missing or loose shingles and trimming greenery to prevent damage are all things to keep an eye out for. While these may seem like small, tedious tasks, it is always best to fix the small issues before they turn into larger, most costly projects for you and your family.

You also want to be sure to keep an eye on your irrigation system and follow the manufacturer’s instruction, as to protect the functionality and integrity of the sprinkler system. Additionally, it is also important to realize that seasonal rainfall will hydrate the foliage around your home, and you may want to set (or reset) your system accordingly. Lastly, the colder weather can also bring with it little critters that are looking for refuge in the warmth of your home, particularly in the attic or basement. To prevent this, be sure to cover large holes in the walls of your home with hardware cloth, use caulking for smaller holes and be sure to always check on your attic’s insulation for damage from these pesky critters.

Simple Ways to Lower Your Household Energy Costs

by Nancy Heim-berg

In today’s blog post we are going to be talking about a few simple tips and tricks that will help lower your energy costs on a monthly basis. And with summer quickly approaching, it is a good idea to get yourself and your family in the habit of implementing these as soon as possible. We hope you enjoy and hope they prove to be helpful!

The first trick we have for you is to install dimmer switches and light/motion sensors. How many times have you or your children mindlessly left the lights on when you leave the room? These devices are great because the automatic systems help to conserve light energy when you and your family forget to turn the lights off.

Next, you always want to make sure to unplug all appliances when they are not being used as they tend to drain energy - even if you were to power off the device completely. The Department of Energy estimated that appliances can increase your electric bill by ten percent or more, so this trick can prove to be very beneficial for you and your family.

It is always a good idea to keep your hands off the thermostat, as frequently altering the settings can end up wasting a lot of energy. You may also consider implementing a programmable thermostat that will adjust the temperatures automatically for you and thus save energy.

Many people do not realize that your front door can be a huge culprit when it comes to energy loss for heating and cooling your home. Be sure to use weather stripping, as well as check the caulking, to make sure both are properly sealing the air in the home. And if need be, it may be a good idea to invest in a new front door altogether.

If your HVAC systems are more than ten years old, they tend to be less efficient and can also waste money every month. You may want to consider upgrading to Energy Star-qualified replacements to help ensure the system is not draining energy and money. 

Displaying blog entries 1-2 of 2

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Photo of Heim-Berg Team Real Estate
Heim-Berg Team
Berkshire Hathaway
331 Village Pointe Plaza
Omaha NE 68118
(402) 677-9024
(402) 679-7108 | (402) 830-6123
Fax: 402-493-4805

Stacey OHara CMG financial 515-306-2360

 

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