High Energy Bills? Fix Air Leaks in These 4 Offending Areas

Before you turn the thermostat up another notch or pile another blanket on the bed, it may be time to figure out how and where your house is losing heat. Read more

Tips for Choosing the Right Shutters for Your Home

 

This Raleigh, NC home for sale features dark shutters that complement the brick exterior.

“Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters, and threw up the sash.”

That’s a delightful passage for a young child to hear, especially when it’s Mom or Dad reading it with all the wonder and excitement the line suggests. Read more

Getting your home ready for the big chill

While September brings the first day of fall, October can be the harbinger of the winter and all of its frigid pitfalls. It’s best to be prepared for the frost and snow with a few simple tasks that will prevent drafts, Read more

9 Unconventional Ways to Improve Your Home

Conventional wisdom, as it relates to houses, is often too much convention and not enough wisdom.

Every year, somebody publishes a list of which conventional home improvements will give you the best (or the worst) return on your remodeling investment.

Remodel a bathroom. Replace your siding. Don’t build a swimming pool. Paint everything neutral colors.

Sit up straight. Get a haircut. Call your mother. Read more

10 Home Winterization Musts

It’s been a mild winter throughout most of the country so far. That means we still have time to run through a foul-weather checklist. Here are 10 “must do’s” to have a warm, cozy and safe winter.

1. Check attic insulation. A foot of blown-in or batt insulation (R-38) in the attic reduces heat transfer from heated interior space to the great outdoors. This is a do-it-yourself job. If your attic is not insulated, blow in or roll out 12 inches of loose or batt insulation. If the amount of insulation is less than 12 inches, simply roll out unfaced fiberglass batts over the existing insulation to create a heavier thermal blanket. This is a case where more is better. Make sure to leave soffit vents unobstructed. Read more

Green Living: Earth-Friendly Cleaners

Households all across the nation use an arsenal of cleaning products to keep their homes in good working order.

With the prevalence of food-borne illness on the rise, such as E. coli and Salmonella, a clean home is more important than ever.

The question is posed then as to whether or not there are green options for cleaning supplies. Do they carry the same punch?

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