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What Is the Ideal Temperature to Set Your AC Thermostat?

Approximately 87 percent of homes in the U.S. have an air conditioning system. In fact, air conditioning is more common in homes these days than garages, dining rooms, and even dishwashers.

An air conditioner is a must for many homeowners, especially those who live in warm parts of the country. They can definitely be a drain on your energy bill, though, especially when you don’t set them to the right temperature.

If you’re not sure what the best temperature is for your AC thermostat, keep reading. Listed below are some tips to help you keep your house cool and comfortable during the hottest months of the year.

Choosing the Right Temperature

First of all, how do you determine which temperature is best for your thermostat?

Setting your thermostat to one temperature will help to regulate it and ensure that your house stays cool throughout the day. That way, you don’t have to turn it on and adjust it every time things get too hot to handle.

Daytime Recommendations

During the daytime, the U.S. Department of Energy recommends setting your thermostat to 78 degrees. This temperature, for most people, helps them to feel cool (as long as they’re dressed for the weather) without running up their energy bills.

If you really want to lower your bill, you may want to try raising your thermostat to 85 degrees. It will be warmer inside your home, but it can also cut your cooling bill by 5-15 percent.

Nighttime Recommendations

In the evening, since it’s naturally cooler outside, you can turn your thermostat up a little higher. If you set your thermostat to 82 degrees, you can lower your air conditioning bill quite a bit.

Many people find they can still sleep comfortably while doing this. For those who prefer a cooler bedroom, though, opening the windows or running a ceiling fan can be a good compromise.

If you sleep with the windows open, just make sure you close them early in the morning while it’s still cool. This traps that cool air inside so your air conditioner doesn’t have to work as hard to cool your house back down.

Out-of-Town Recommendations

Nobody wants to come home from vacation to an extra-hot house. At the same time, though, they also don’t want to pay a ton of money to cool down a house that no one’s living in.

When you’re heading out of town, compromise and set your thermostat a little higher (88 degrees is a good setting for most people). This will keep your house from turning into an oven, but it’ll also save you from racking up unnecessary charges on your energy bill.

Maximizing Coolness

There are lots of other steps you can take to maximize the coolness of your home without being too reliant on the air conditioner. Keep these other strategies in mind so you can keep your thermostat at a consistent temperature while also staying cool:

  • Draw the curtains or close the blinds to block out sunlight during the hottest part of the day
  • Seal your windows and doors to keep cold air from flowing out
  • Minimize the use of heat-generating appliances like ovens, stoves, and dishwashers, during the daytime

Installing and running ceiling fans can help you to spread the cool air from your air conditioner a bit farther. Ceiling fans use way less energy than the air conditioner, too, so try to utilize them whenever you can.

Maintaining the Right Temperature

Once you’ve set your AC thermostat to your preferred temperature, chances are you want to keep your home at that temperature while the warm weather lasts. Sometimes, that’s easier said than done, though, especially if your air conditioner is not functioning properly.

If you’ve noticed that it doesn’t maintain temperature after you’ve set it, it’s possible that you need to invest in professional ac repair or more thorough ac maintenance.

Here are some tips to help you keep your air conditioner working properly:

Change the Filter

During the hottest months of the year, when you’re running your air conditioner a lot, it’s best to change the filter once per month. This helps the unit to run in the most efficient way possible. It also helps you to improve the air quality in your home.

Clean the Fins and Coils

Keep the fins and coils on your air conditioning unit clean and in good repair, too. If you notice any damage to the fins, get them replaced as soon as possible.

Bent fins can cause inefficient airflow, and dirty coils can prevent your air conditioner from absorbing heat and running in an efficient way.

Inspect the Drain

Make sure you’re inspecting the condensate drain, too. If this drain gets clogged, your air conditioner won’t drain well and could be more prone to inefficiency or breakdowns altogether.

Schedule Maintenance

Finally, don’t forget to schedule regular AC maintenance.

Have a professional come out and check your unit at least once per year to ensure everything is in good working order. This will help you catch potential problems right away before they turn into larger, more expensive issues.

Time to Adjust Your AC Thermostat

As you can see, there are a lot of factors to consider when choosing the ideal temperature for your AC thermostat. Everyone’s preferences are a little different, of course.

If you keep the tips listed above in mind, though, you’ll have an easier time determining the best temperature that keeps you cool in your home without causing your energy bill to skyrocket.

Do you need more advice on keeping your home cool and comfortable? If so, check out some of our other home repair and home renovation articles today. We’ve got lots of great pieces on our site that will give you all the tools you need.

When Disaster Strikes: How to Store Water for Emergencies

According to the CDC, drinking contaminated water can cause health problems such as neurological disorders and gastrointestinal illnesses. Unfortunately, you may have no other choice in the event of a storm. A natural disaster can disable or contaminate public utilities.

No matter where you live, it’s important that you keep emergency drinking water nearby. But how much should you store? And do you know how to store emergency water?

Don’t go thirsty during an emergency. Read on and discover how to create a safe emergency water supply for you and your family.

1. How Much Water Should I Store?

Utilities such as water and electricity may be contaminated during a tropical storm, earthquake, or other disasters. An emergency water supply is an essential addition to any home emergency kit.

But how much water should you store? Every day, the average person or pet will require a gallon of water. Keep these guidelines in mind as you amass your emergency water supply.

A family of three with two pets will consume five gallons of water daily. Once you know your daily intake, you’ll have to decide how many days you want to prepare for.

Of course, there’s no way of knowing how long a storm may prevent access to clean water. For minor emergencies, three days of emergency water storage is more than enough.

But not every emergency is minor. For additional safety, it’s advisable to have at least a week’s worth of water. In this case, a family of five will want to store 35 gallons of water.

If you live in an area that experiences frequent storms and flooding, you may want to save water for a two-week period. Due to perspiration, save extra if you live in a warm climate.

2. Emergency Water Storage Options

Countless options are available for a small supply of water. The easiest and most convenient choice is buying a pack of store-bought water. It’s easy to pick up a pack of at least 24 bottles.

Eight of these bottles is equal to a gallon of water, or your daily water supply. So a typical pack of water bottles will last the average person three days. If it seems like a lot, keep in mind that a portion of this supply is meant to cover your hygiene needs.

But what about larger storage options? Portable water jugs are a great choice, though they can become unwieldy past the eight-gallon mark. Purchase a variety of these jugs and keep them in a dark and cool location.

If you’re planning for larger emergencies, turn to a water barrel. You can find drums that hold up to 60 gallons of water. Choose one that’s BPA-free and food-safe, otherwise, you’ll contaminate your supply.

There are some amazing in-home solutions if this seems like too much of a hassle. You can install an in-line tank in your own home, so you’re conveniently prepared in case of an emergency. These tanks don’t require any storage considerations.

Find out more about the best in-home water tanks.

3. How to Store Emergency Water

Small, store-bought water solutions don’t require much fuss. Find a cool place to store them in your home and forget about them. You’ll have a more complicated time of things if you purchase drums, barrels, or jugs.

Why? Because you may have to keep these large containers outside on the cement. Water may leech chemicals and flavors from the cement over time. For that reason, most preppers suggest keeping containers off the floor with a pallet or cardboard boxes.

There’s one more thing. If you’ve filled a drum or jug with your own water, you may want to treat it first. Tap water is fine since it already contains chlorine.

When your water source is missing this antimicrobial agent, be sure to add some yourself before sealing the container.

4. Maintaining an Emergency Water Supply

Water doesn’t expire. However, it can certainly become contaminated or pick up unpalatable tastes during storage. For that reason, it’s important to rotate your water.

The Department of Homeland Security suggests swapping the water out every six months. Many preppers suggest doing so once a year. And some even say that, under the right conditions, you don’t have to rotate water at all.

The choice is ultimately up to you. But if the water looks, smells, or tastes contaminated, that’s certainly a good sign to replace it.

5. Alternative Water Treatment Options

If you’re not using an in-home tank, you should consider having water treatment alternatives on hand. After a storm, your water could become inaccessible or contaminated. That’s why it’s better to have a backup plan prepared.

Although you can boil water to kill most pathogens, this won’t be an option. Your gas and electricity should be disabled during a storm. You may be able to boil if you have a small, portable stove that doesn’t need home utilities.

Otherwise, you can rely on purification tablets. These are either iodine or chlorine. You’ll want to rotate purification tablets as these can expire after several years.

Get Prepared Before an Emergency

You know how to store emergency water, so you should start right away. Even if you don’t need it, the peace of mind is well worth the cost.

Don’t wait for an impending storm to strike nearby. You can’t be warned of every natural disaster in advance. Instead, prepare an emergency water supply as soon as possible, as well as a disaster kit.

Want more great advice? Consult the health and home categories on our blog.

9 Incredibly Innovative Staircase Ideas for Small Spaces

More and more Americans are moving into smaller houses.

These houses are often cheaper, and some believe they can actually encourage a happier lifestyle. However, there is one big challenge that comes with small houses.

They don’t have a lot of space.

This isn’t always a problem, but it does mean you have to get creative with every square foot. And one of the biggest features that sucks up space is your staircase.

We’ve put together this quick guide about staircase ideas for small spaces to help you get inspired. So let’s get started!

1. Staircase with Storage Space

One of the best ways to fit a staircase into a tight space is to make it double as a storage solution. Turn each step into a drawer where you can put clothing, install shelves under the steps for books, or keep seasonal items tucked away into an under-the-stairs cupboard.

Turning your staircase into a storage space can also make it a beautiful feature for your home. Not only will it save space, but it can also be a creative design element.

2. Pull-Out Stairs

You only need your stairs when you need them.

This might be an obvious statement, but there’s no reason to let your stairs take up space when you don’t need them. Pull-out stairs can slide in and out of the wall, so you can put them away to free up some floor space.

3. Vertical Staircase

A vertical staircase is similar to a traditional staircase, but the slant is much steeper. Think of a ladder, but this “ladder” has the same stability as stairs. Because of this, you may need to add handrails to make climbing up and down safer.

If you really want to save space, you can choose to skip the staircase and use a loft ladder instead.

There are many different types of loft ladders you can find. So if you don’t like the traditional look of a loft ladder, you’ll be able to find something else that matches your design preferences.

4. Ribbon Staircase

Ribbon staircases are also more vertical than normal staircases, but they aren’t as steep as vertical stairs. They’ll help you save space, but you won’t feel like you’re climbing up a ladder.

These stairs also double as an artistic eye-catcher.

Instead of normal steps, ribbon staircases wind each step like a piece of ribbon candy. The back of each step is also left open. This allows light to get through, which can make a small space feel much more open.

5. Extra Thin Staircase

If you don’t want to make your staircase nay steeper than normal, you can also save space by making it thinner than normal.

But be careful.

These stairs should always have a safety rail to prevent you from falling. It’s also a good idea to keep at least one side of thin staircases against the wall.

6. Floating Staircase

Floating staircases don’t touch the ground (except for the bottom step). Instead, the staircase is fastened to the wall.

That leaves all the space underneath the steps open. You can fit entire pieces of furniture in this space, including tables, desks, TVs, couches, etc. Because of this, floating stairs are a good choice for small living rooms.

7. Hanging Staircase

Don’t have enough wall space for a floating staircase? You can install a hanging staircase instead.

These steps hang from the ceiling, meaning you can put them anywhere.

And they don’t look as out of place as you might think. Since the space between each step is open, it makes the room feel airy and open. Just make sure you have the proper handrails at each step. Otherwise, falling is an easy mistake.

8. Spiral Staircase

You might think a spiral staircase would take up more space than a traditional staircase. But actually, the opposite is true.

Spiral staircases take up much less floor space. You can fit a spiral staircase in a corner without having to climb up and down a steep slope.

These types of staircases can also serve as an interesting design element, spiral stairs are uncommon, and they can complement other unique features of your home.

9. Mix and Match

If you’re trying to find the right staircase for your small home, you aren’t limited to these options. You can mix and match your favorite elements from each choice.

For example, do you like the idea of an extra narrow staircase, but do you also want to turn your stairs into additional storage space?

Do both.

Narrow stairs might smaller than normal, but you can still turn each step into a drawer or bookshelf. And the same is true for many other stairs on this list.

Like the idea of both a floating and hanging staircase? Keep the stairs against the wall, but hang each step from the ceiling to make a creative design.

Picking the Best Staircase Ideas for Small Spaces

When it comes to picking the best staircase ideas for small spaces, you have to get creative. Let these ideas give you inspiration, but don’t let them limit you. There are several other staircase designs out there to choose from.

And don’t rush into a decision.

You can always use a loft ladder in your home until you find the best staircase design for your needs. If you hurry through the stair installation process, you might get stuck with stairs that really cramp up your space.

Want to learn some other helpful home design tips? Make sure you check out some of our other posts!

The Appealing Benefits of Indoor Wall Fountains

Nowadays, wall water fountains are not that hard to come across in relatively recent homes. They are appealing to many, but that’s not the only reason they are becoming more and more popular. In this read, we are going to take a look at some of the great benefits of indoor wall fountains.

Increases Home Value

The installation of wall water fountains calls for special skills and expertise. As such, if you have one in your home, the value of the property will automatically increase. Wall fountains not only make a house look more appealing, but it makes it look more expensive as do outdoor water features. If you are planning to sell your home in the near future, a water fountain would be an excellent addition.

Health Benefits

There are various health benefits that indoor wall fountains have to offer. These include alleviation of stress, relaxation, and also acting as an air purifier. These features help keep you happy and healthy. The indoor atmosphere is transformed into a place where you can rest easy without having to worry much. Such an atmosphere is what many people want in their homes, especially those leading busy lives.

Great Noise

Most homeowners like to have sound insulated homes, but the sound of a water wall fountain is one that you will really appreciate. You will love the sound these features produce, which really helps in getting into your zone, allowing you to forget about the stressful outside, keeping you in a relaxed mode.

An Appealing Humidifier

There are times during the air when indoor air become dry. Well, with a wall fountain, you do not have to worry about that as it helps keep the air moist. This is beneficial in that it prevents cases of sickness like dry skin and other health concerns. Also, an indoor wall fountain helps keep the indoor plants healthy.

Improves Indoor Air Quality

The water in the fountain will naturally create negative ions which draw dust and other harmful elements present in the air. This results in improved indoor air quality. You and your loved ones will always stay healthy by inhaling good air at all times.

When combined, all these benefits ideally add the comfort of the house. Most of the benefits in this list on the health side. If you like the idea of these benefits in your home, then you should not hesitate to have an indoor wall fountain installed in your house. However, ensure you use a professional to ascertain quality.

 

This Old House: The Pros and Cons of Buying a Historic Home

Around 20 percent of Americans say that they’re living the American dream.

The cornerstone of the American dream is to own your home. But, what is your dream home?

You may not be able to imagine a more beautiful home than a historic house. And yet, living in a vintage home isn’t without downsides.

Check out the pros and cons of living in a historic home below. Let’s go!

The Benefits of Buying an Old House

There are a bunch of reasons why people buy historic homes. Popular reasons include the following:

1. You Want a Home With Character

You don’t want a cookie-cutter for a home. You want a home with a unique character and history.

You want to experience going through time when you enter your home. As you walk up to the home, you get to knock on the authentic original doorknob.

You make your way through the charming hallway and you’re constantly surrounded by vintage details.

If you want a unique home with its own history, then an old house will give you plenty of material for you to get your teeth into. You also get the opportunity to play a role in the incredible history of the building.

2. Beautiful and Charming Home

Your home could be Georgian, Victorian, or Colonial style architecture. Modern-day homes don’t have anything on the beauty of the old days.

If you prefer an older home with beautiful features, then you’ll take a lot more pride in living in this home. It’s simply about having great taste.

3. More Money in Your Pocket

There are also financial reasons to buy a historic home. The government and society want to keep historic homes preserved.

If you’re willing to purchase and maintain an old house, you may be able to get tax incentives and lower interest loans.

If you’re worried about whether your house price will fall, a historic house is a safe choice. Historic homes are rare so they’ll keep their value.

The Downsides of Buying an Old House

However, historic homes aren’t for everyone. There are reasons why many people would rather live in a newer build.

1. Time Consuming

You may get to enjoy living in a beautiful old home. But, you also have to put in the hours to keep it looking its best.

There are often electrical issues or water damage which you need to handle when you move into a historic home.

2. Red Tape to Follow

If you move into a historic home, there are likely to be strict rules to follow. Therefore, you may not have much freedom to renovate or make changes to the building.

Want an extension? You need to get in touch with the city. There are so many hoops to jump through if you want to make any changes to the house.

3. High Home Insurance

If you want to move into an old house, you may discover that your home insurance actually goes through the roof.

In fact, many insurance companies won’t even provide any coverage for homeowners with historic buildings.

Buying a Historic Home

The decision to buy a historic home is a big one. You need to ensure that you’re prepared for the work and effort of preserving the building.

But, you can’t really put a price of being part of a charming home’s history. If you want more housing and design advice, check out the rest of our website.

Should I Sell My House Before the Year Goes? 3 Reasons the Answer Is an Absolute Yes

During their lifetime, the average American will move more than 11 times. This may be due to starting a new job, wanting to move into a larger house, or downsizing after the kids have moved out.

If you’ve been asking yourself “should I sell my house?”, you may be feeling a bit nervous. However, 2019 is a great time to put your home on the market.

Do you want to know why? Then keep reading to discover 3 reasons that make 2019 the perfect year to sell your house.

1. It’s a Seller’s Market

If you want to get the most money for your home, you’ll want to list it while it’s still a seller’s market. There are fewer homes available, so buyers will often pay more or go into a bidding war with other buyers in order to purchase the home they want.

You may think the higher prices would scare most buyers off. However, those who are moving for a new job or to upgrade their home to meet the needs of their growing family will still be in the market for a new house.

Of course, there is a catch. With more homes being listed, it’s expected that a buyer’s market will take over soon. So, if you’re planning on moving in the near future, it’s better to list your home sooner rather than later.

2. Millennials Are Entering the Market

Millennials are known for renting longer and putting off home-buying. However, the generation is finally entering the housing market. In fact, millennials accounted for 45% of all new mortgages at the end of 2018!

While there are older millennials who are looking to trade up into something bigger, it’s the demand for first-time homes that’s really on the rise. So, if your current home is under $300,000, now is the perfect time to list it.

3. A Recession May Be Approaching

Many experts have predicted that a recession will soon hit. When this happens, the country may be dealing with fewer wage increases and a higher unemployment rate.

This means that fewer people will be in the market for a new home, and the ones who are will be trying to snag a lower price. While there’s no way to predict exactly when the recession will hit, many believe it will be in the next couple of years.

If you’ve been thinking about moving, consider doing it now. Once the recession starts, you’ll find fewer potential buyers and may end up selling your home to one of those companies with the slogan “we buy houses”.

Should I Sell My House in 2019?

We hope this article has answered the question, “should I sell my house before the year is up?” With a buyer’s market and a recession looming in the near future and a large influx of millennial buyers currently in the market, now is the perfect time to sell your home. If you wait much longer, you may miss this opportunity and end up selling your home for less than you could fetch today.

Are you looking for ways to upgrade your home before you list it? Then check out the rest of our blog for the best renovation and interior design advice.

Build Smart: 7 Key Things to Consider Before Building a Smart Home

The modern home is filled with amazing features to optimize our comfort.

Genius inventions like heating and air-conditioning, lighting, and coffee makers (God bless Melitta Bentz!) give us options to customize our lifestyle however we want.

It’s hard to imagine getting any better than having these inventions in our lives… but it does!

Now, thanks to the smart home, you can customize the time and efficiency of each of these features to fit your lifestyle down to the very second you need it.

But before you go building the central hub of all this, there are things you need to weigh out.

Here are 7 ideas to think through before you build smart!

1. What Devices Do You Have in Mind?

Just because you have the ability to automate every amenity in your household doesn’t mean you have to.

Remember that with every device you automate comes an extra cost attached. So it may not make sense to attach features you rarely use onto your smart home system.

The best way to approach this is by writing out a list of every feature in your house that CAN be automated.

Once you’ve done that, sit down with your family and carefully weight out which ones definitely need to be automated and which ones you’re fine with not automating.

The key to this entire process is cutting out as many extra costs for yourself as possible. Comprising an honest list will help get at the forefront of that by eliminating costs that others start out buying and never using.

2. You Can Always Add On Later

It’s understandable that you’d want to create an all-encompassing smart home to be reckoned with in one go-around.

However, there’s no rush to if it doesn’t make financial sense for you and your family to do right away.

One of the things most people forget is that you can always add new features to your command center as you go along.

This is often the best way to go about it so that you aren’t buying features you’ll never end up using.

Buy a product or two at a time, incorporate them, and get the hang of their features. If you then find another product or two that can compliment your system, then it’s time to rinse and repeat!

3. You Need A Reliable Wi-Fi Router

While this may not come as a huge surprise, the smart features that you’re hoping to incorporate into your smart home system will lean on your Wi-Fi to do it’s bidding.

Needless to say, the more features you add, the more you’ll need a strong router to carry the load.

Sadly, your current router may not be up to par. However, there are several tremendous options to choose from, no matter what your budget might look like.

If the necessary router winds up being a bit pricier then you were hoping, it may be a good time to try out the “buying a few products at a time” recommendation listed above.

Whatever route you decide to go, it’s highly recommended that you buy the router from the get-go and save yourself a few hundred headaches.

4. What Does Your Schedule Look Like?

The main satisfaction of incorporating a smart home in your house is the convenience it provides you.

Do you need coffee made precisely at 6 am each morning? No problem.

Don’t want the lights turned on in the house until 15 minutes before you typically arrive home around 5:30 pm? The smart home has got your back!

Whatever your schedule looks like, write it out and take a gander at what trends you see.

What conveniences can a smart home system offer you to help in your daily grind?

If the answer isn’t as significant as you were hoping, maybe it’s best to hold off for a year or two.

5. Will Your Landlord Allow It?

If you’re renting your house, this should be the first consideration that you make.

You don’t need to ask them right away, but make sure to rummage through your rental agreement and see what the regulations are on drilling holes, adding amenities, etc.

After that, be sure to lay down a “blueprint” of the smart home you’re looking to build and present it to your landlord.

Be sure to get specific with where you hope to put everything, the amount of drilling you’ll need to do, etc. The more info you can give them, the better!

6. Are You Equal to the Task?

Alright reader, it’s time to take a deep look inward and be honest with yourself…

Are you the type of person that’s capable of installing this on your own?

When things go wrong, as they often do when technology is involved, are you equipped with the necessary amount of troubleshooting?

If your answer is “absolutely not”, then it may be best to seek the opinion and help of a professional.

However, if your answer was “I think I can”, then maybe your little engine can successfully install it with the help of https://aconnectedhome.com/.

7. Is It Worth the Cost?

Time for one more round of self-reflection. Is the smart home worth the money for you and your family, or is it more out of want than a need?

Make no doubt about it, a smart home will payout in its operations once you’ve successfully built it… but that’s not the question here.

Will a smart home actually help optimize your lifestyle, or are you just trying to keep up with your friend who built one in their house?

While completely worth it, the cost associated with building a smart home can be overwhelming if you’re not prepared.

Take the time to budget and save up for your dream smart home!

Build Smart, Think Smarter

If the opportunity to build smart devices in your home makes sense for you and your family, then congratulations!

Be sure to keep up with Skipping Stone Design for all the latest ideas on lifestyle and design.

Best of luck with your smart home integration. You’ll come out wiser in the end for your efforts!

Landlord Rule No. 1 – Always Get It In Writing

If you’re just starting out as a landlord, there can be a lot of different concepts to take in.

Depending on where you’re operating your business, local laws dictate all sorts of things in relation to your job as a property manager, from how long a lease you can rent your unit for to regulations that affect how you collect and store security deposits.

Of all of the advice that you get as a landlord, though, one of the most important takeaways is to “always get it in writing”. Read on to learn why this should always be considered landlord rule number one.

Contracts protect you and your business

The first reason to always get things in writing from tenants is because it helps protect you from legal action. Even if you’ve thoroughly vetted a tenant with background checks, you may not realize that they have a litigious streak.

If you aren’t prepared to provide evidence to substantiate your side of the story, it can be a tedious battle of he said/she said, and depending on the state you work in, it may even cost you thousands of dollars in fines. The city of Chicago, Illinois, for example, is one of the hardest cities when it comes to winning cases as a landlord.

However, if you have signed, written proof of an addendum to the lease or any other alteration to the lease, you will be protected in a court of law. Using free landlord software like Turbo Tenant can help you set up comprehensive contracts and other lease-related documents, and it even allows for online signing.

Verbal isn’t good enough

A common interaction between a tenant and a landlord involves a phone call from a tenant during an emergency. Perhaps there’s a radiator from the floor above leaking into the apartment, or you’ve had multiple calls to complain about raucous noise from one of your tenant’s neighbors.

In these situations, while a phone call is one of the most immediate ways to relay information between both tenant and landlord, it doesn’t leave a written record. This can be a problem if you’re ever taken to court, since that makes it hard to establish an objective view of the situation.

One thing you can do to remedy this situation is to send an email to your tenant after you hang up the phone, reiterating what was discussed and any timeline you gave for action to be taken. An email is the perfect medium for this sort of interaction for a few reasons.

For starters, it is a time-stamped medium, meaning that the tenant can’t claim that you haven’t resolved their issue within the timeframe you agreed upon over the phone. Secondly, an email is a written record and emails can be used as evidence in a court of law. Finally, having an email leaves the window for communication open. If a tenant disagrees or misunderstood something you said on the phone, they can respond to your email to further discuss the problem, continuing a paper trail.

As you can see, it’s vital that you get things in writing when you’re communicating with your tenants. Doing so doesn’t just ensure that you both understand what you’re agreeing to; it also protects you if you’re ever taking to trial by an angry tenant. By protecting yourself, you are also protecting your business and your investments, ensuring that you can continue working as a property manager for many years to come.

 

Window Styles: Which Should You Choose for Your Home

The windows in your home do so much more than let light in. They also provide ventilation and keep drafts out when it’s cold.

Over time, you may notice signs that you need to replace them.

When this happens, you have 2 options: you can either go with the original style, or you can switch things up and try something new.

Thinking of doing the latter? Then here are the different window styles you can consider for your home.

Double-Hung or Single-Hung

Double-hung windows are the most popular type you see in homes. It consists of 2 sashes, which are the panes of glass. They sit right on top of one another.

With a double-hung window, you can either slide the bottom pane up or the top pane down. A single-hung window will be similar, but you can only open the window by sliding the bottom pane up.

These 2 types of windows are great choices because not only are they affordable, but you also have a wide variety to pick from when it comes to manufacturers. Also, they’re easy to open and close, so you can get excellent ventilation in your home when you desire.

However, you’ll need to get regular maintenance performed on these windows since things like the sash cords and counterbalance springs can break. Also, if you live in an area that’s prone to crime, it may make it a bit easier for burglars to get into your home.

Casement

Casements are also very popular in homes. They look similar to double-hung and single-hung windows, but instead of having 2 sashes, they only have 1.

Another major difference is the hinges. The first examples are hinged horizontally and open by sliding up and down. Casement windows are hinged vertically and open by swinging outwards through a crank. Basically, it pivots on one side and opens how a door would.

If you live in an area that has colder weather, they’re better at keeping drafts out than double-hung and single-hung windows are. They’re also better at deterring intruders.

The only downside is if you live somewhere particularly windy, you risk your windows breaking off if they’re open. Their crank mechanisms are also not so tough, and they have a high chance of breaking.

Awning

Awning windows are similar to casements; they also open and close through the use of a mechanical crank.

Awning windows are hinged across the top and open by swinging out on the bottom when you turn the crank. These are popularly found in bathrooms for ventilation, but you can use them anywhere in the house you wish.

These are great to have if you live somewhere that gets a lot of rain. That way, you can get some fresh air in without getting anything wet. This type of window is also excellent if you want to deter intruders.

Because they operate similarly to casement windows, awning windows are also prone to breakage, regarding their crank mechanism.

Slider

As the name implies, slider windows open by sliding from one side to another. These usually comprise of 2 panes so you can completely close the window when they’re both on either side. Some slider windows will let you slide both panes, while others will only let you slide one.

If you don’t have a lot of space to work with, slider windows are optimal since they don’t swing inwards or outwards. They’re very cheap and are also very durable.

The only slight disadvantage they have is the tracks may gather dirt and dust over time. But this can be easily remedied with regular cleaning.

Fixed

This is the simplest type of window on our list. This is just a single pane of glass that’s affixed to a frame.

Since it’s solidly attached to the frame, this means it won’t open or close. All it’s good for is keeping the cold out (it’s permanently sealed) and letting light in.

For those of you looking for something cheap, this is definitely it. However, do be aware that if you live somewhere warmer, it can cause your house to heat up, sometimes to uncomfortable temperatures.

It also doesn’t provide you with fresh air, so you’ll need to think about implementing other types of windows.

Skylight

Skylights are a fantastic window choice if you want ventilation and/or light but have limited wall space and can’t install a regular window.

This is essentially a fixed window, but up top. It works great for lighting up a dark room in a natural way.

If you want a skylight that opens up, consider getting a roof window. These are beneficial in spaces like attics where you need fresh air to ward off mold and mildew. It can also help you cool down the house in the summer.

However, these types of windows get weathered quickly. This means you’ll need to replace them more frequently.

Regardless of the styles you choose, we highly recommend using professional window replacement services. Not only do they have a large selection of brands and styles, but they’ll also ensure your windows are installed correctly on the first try.

Consider These Window Styles for Your Home

Hopefully, this article’s helped clarify things about window styles and now, you have a better idea of what’s ideal for you.

The best thing about all these choices is you don’t have to just stick with one. Feel free to pick a few that you like and give your house some interesting windows that’ll let in a good amount of light and air.

For more interesting articles, please check out our other blog sections.

How do you make your home more attractive?

Home staging is very popular these days. Many people decide to improve their house decor before selling it. By ‘home staging’ we mean the upgrading – literally ‘staging’ – of real estate. This method has some basic rules and doesn’t require significant investments, at least not more than 5% of the selling price, so that everyone can benefit from it.

Make your house interesting

Start by remedying all those little ailments in the home that you no longer pay attention to: the cupboard door hanging on half-past six, the tile that has cracked, the electric wire that lives its own life. What is more: remember to clean the house from head to toe. Clutter, dust and grease stains have nothing attractive at all. If the walls need to be refreshed, it has to be done, but use neutral colours such as white or, even better, beige. Your personal taste must be ignored.

Make the interior impersonal

The overall idea of home staging is that the buyer is given the freedom to introduce themselves in your interior. That is the reason why you should make your interior as impersonal as possible. Put family photos in a box, as well as all kinds of collections and personal items. In addition, you must clean up. It is difficult to see the potential of a room if you can struggle between the cocktail chair and the low table with difficulty.

Make more space

Incidentally, furniture that is too large tends to eat centimetres and make a room appear smaller than it actually is. Emptying a place, even partially, will reveal small and large defects. In this case, you hide it as much as possible and use tricks that are as cheap as possible to hide this small ‘suffering’, on the condition that it remains as neutral as possible. All kinds of plaids, pillows and frames are your allies.

First impression matters

If your furniture is no longer the youngest, don’t hesitate to paint it. The same applies to a dated tile. You don’t have to ensure the sustainability of the place, but make it attractive for a first glance. Try to look at your interior through the eyes of an outsider. The good thing about home staging is that these straightforward rules are not only applicable when you are about to move, but that they also do wonders when it comes to falling in love again with your walls.

Remember about the garden

When home staging, you must also remember about your garden! A few rules also apply to this area. The border or the fence are the first things to see when visitors arrive. If these are scots and crooked and perhaps have seen better days, you have to tackle them.

The devil is in the details

Mow your grass, water the plants and don’t hesitate to plant some new flowers here and there. Also remember to maintain the trees and shrubs, especially if your future buyer is not a family of Tarzan! Don’t forget the letterbox and the bell. Also, make sure that the shed and the garage are cleaned up. These are huge selling points; you must do everything to make the buyer aware of this. Also remember to collect the slide, swing and sandpit in a corner so that they do not give the idea to flood the whole.

Replace the garden furniture, change the cushions on it and throw a beautiful tablecloth in cheerful colours over the old, shaved table. Finally, you can possibly use string lights, but be careful not to turn it into a branch of the fair! If you want to be inspired by beautiful houses, visit the Real estate in Sea Pines SC.

Conclusion

As you can see, many various things can be improved before selling your house. With home staging, you can sell your house even twice faster! We hope that our tips will help you during this critical time in your life.