I live in a three-story town-home that is almost 25 years old. It has older metal windows that I have discovered are pretty leaky. I also discovered last year during the polar vortex that they can get really cold. Matter of fact, if some of you read my blogs last year you will remember me showing [...]
One of the biggest expenses for homeowners during the winter months is the cost of keeping warm. The average home in the U.S. will spend $679 for heating and that cost is expected to continue to rise. Regardless of how you heat your home, the goal should be to keep the warm air in, and the [...]
Do you use your ceiling fans in the winter? There is a debate on whether this is a good idea or not. Using ceiling fans properly during colder months can have a noticeable impact on heating costs, but does it sacrifice comfort? For many homeowners, ceiling fans are a must during the summer to keep cool. [...]
Unless you’re in a warmer climates, the colder temperatures mean spending a lot more time indoors. Although our homes keep us sheltered from the elements, being cooped up for months on end can have an effect on not only mood, but also health. This brings up the topic of indoor air quality and ways to [...]
The air quality in your home may not be the first thing you think of when it comes to home maintenance, but it is important. There are many factors that go into controlling the quality of the air we breathe. Things like cleaning, HVAC, chemicals and paint are all factors that can effect what [...]
One of the first questions I almost always get asked about green homes is “doesn’t it cost more?” It comes as a surprise to most people that a green or greener home often not cost more than a traditional built, remodeled or upgraded home. Plus your green home saves you money over time and does [...]
There has been a lot of conversation about the power of community. Community both in the sense of the physical surroundings and amenities which we live, work and play in. But also, community in the sense of the people who we engage with in our day-to-day lives. Both kinds of community may connect with each [...]
Something that smells bad is your first key that it probably is bad, yet airborne pollutants that are harmful to your health don’t always smell bad. Controlling the stuff that causes problems, or pollutant source control, is key to controlling the air flow and air quality in your home. As Marla says, “to control the [...]
Upon waking, most of us throw open the curtains or turn on the light. The start of a new day signaled with light. Light. Something we likely take for granted as it seeps into our days – and nights. Light to see by, to work, to read, to just go about our daily activities. Light [...]
We finally hung our patio lights (old-fashioned looking LED lights) on our back porch. It was something we had talked about when we first found our home, we just had not gotten it done yet. When we bought our home, one of our prerequisites was a patio that we could use in the afternoons and [...]
