"Your home is your castle." "There's no place like home." "Home is where the heart is." "Make a house into a home." We have all heard these and countless other adages about the bond between an individual and their dwelling. It doesn't matter if we are describing a mobile home or a mansion, a quaint cottage or sprawling estate. For most people, their home is among their largest investments. Even in a tough economy with rampant foreclosures, a house is also one of the best ways to build wealth over time. Equity comes from paying down debt, as well as increasing the value of the property. And just as a high tide raises all boats (that are in the water), an improving market elevates the vast majority of housing values. Of course, a poorly maintained, leaking boat will struggle to stay above the tides and the same can be said of a poorly maintained house.

This blog will delve into some off the many systems that comprise a house (roofing, ventilation, HVAC, insulation, windows, entry systems, flooring, kitchen and bath). We will discuss what it takes to keep these systems functioning properly, how to maintain them, and what to look for when replacing or upgrading them.

Home improvement is a scary business. Cutting corners to save a few bucks may end up costing you dearly in aggravation, legal entanglements, premature system failure and subsequent replacement. Unpaid subcontractors can place a lien on your home, even if you paid the entire amount of the contract. Does the contractor carry insurance? The Yellow Pages ad may say so, but those claims are never verified. A worker getting injured on the job potentially places the home-owner at risk of liability. "Lifetime" warranties are only as strong as the company that backs them up. With nearly 70% of contractors going under within 7 years, who do you go after if/when something goes wrong? Buried deep in the fine print, it is all-too common to find clauses nullifying warranty protection if installation is not in accordance with manufacturer specifications. How does an unsuspecting homeowner know if the installation is done properly and in accordance with those specifications?

This blog will help to expose the issues that can turn a home improvement project into a nightmare. Knowing how to protect yourself should provide some much needed peace of mind.






Friday, March 6, 2015

Five Low-Tech Ways to Burglar-Proof Your Home

 From: http://www.livewatch.com/blog/five-low-tech-ways-to-burglar-proof-your-home

Though the word burglar can bring to mind the image of a menacing villain, in reality most burglars are nothing more than common thieves, easily deterred by basic security precautions. Even if you don’t have a full home security system, there are many measures you can take to keep burglars out of your home. Here are five major tips to get you started protecting what’s most precious to you:
  1. Use the right locks: Outer doors are your first line of defense, so install deadbolt locks if you haven’t already. Standard key-in-knob doors are vulnerable to basic lock-picking techniques, but deadbolts take a lot of skill to break. Also if your doors have glass panels, make sure they are at least three feet above the inside part of the lock—this makes it harder for potential thieves to smash the glass and reach inside to unlock the door.
  2. Use your lights for intimidation: Lighting scares away potential burglars because it creates the illusion someone might be home, even if that’s not the case. You should make sure the entries to your home are illuminated at all times so you can see any unwanted visitors from inside before they make it to the door. Alternatively, you could use a motion sensor to turn on the lights anytime someone walks towards the entryway.
  3. Secure your windows: Climbing through a window can be an easy way for a burglar to enter your house, but if the burglar has to smash thick glass, they will draw unwanted attention. Make breaking and entering harder for burglars by installing storm windows with multi-layer glazing. Also make sure the windows are equipped with locks on the inside.
  4. Trim your bushes: Plants and shrubs provide an opportunity for burglars to conceal themselves, so make sure nothing green outside your window grows taller than the windowsill.
  5. Make the occupancy of your garage a secret: Whether you’re on vacation or out to the store for five minutes, your garage door should be closed and windows covered. It’s best to make would-be burglars think you’re just inside watching TV.
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