Wednesday, July 24, 2013
More than half the population will be taking a vacation this summer. According to FBI statistics, the number of home robberies increases 10-18% during the months of July and August. Before you head off on your much-needed time away, don’t forget to take proper precautions to keep your home safe while you’re away.1. Stop Your Mail
Nothing screams “We’re not home” like a pile of unopened mail in your mailbox. Put a hold on your mail at the post office, or ask a trusted neighbor or family member to come by a few time while you’re away to pick up your mail. Nothing deters burglars more than having someone come over a few times a day. Plus, they can water your house plants too.
2. Make Your Home Look Lived In
When you’re home, the blinds open and close, the cars go in and out of the garage, and the lights go on and off. When you’re away, the normal routine stops. Help create the illusion that you’re still home by investing in a light switch timer that turns your lamps on and off at certain times of the day. Leave your curtains or blinds exactly as you keep them normally. Move your expensive items, like cash or jewelry, out of plain sight if they’re visible from the window.
3. Pull the Plug
Unplug your television, toaster oven, coffee pot, and computer while you’re away to protect from power surges and save on your electric bill. Even while off, many of these electronics still use electricity. Disconnect your automatic garage door opener as well, so that burglars can’t open it with a universal remote.
4. Remove the spare key
Collect any spare keys hidden around your house. If a person decides to burgle your house, the first place they’ll look is under door mats, in a potted plant, or around the door frame. Instead, give a copy of your key to a trusted neighbor or nearby friend for emergencies. Make sure the key doesn't have any identifying marks on it, like your name or address.
5. Keep It To Yourself
In today’s social media world, it’s so easy to post about upcoming vacations, photos of yourself at the beach, or check-in at a vacation resort. Unfortunately, it’s not just your friends and family that can see those posts. Would-be burglars can easily check social media sites to see who’s home and who’s away. The less information you put out there, the less likely it is to reach the wrong ears and eyes.
Do you have anything you would add to our list? Let us know on our Facebook page!
Thursday, June 13, 2013
With the summer temperatures rising, so does the need for more energy for your home. Make sure your home is running at the highest efficiency possible by following these simple tips. They can help lower your energy bills and leave you cool and comfortable all summer long!
1. Keep the blinds closed during the day. By keeping your blinds closed during the hottest part of the day, you’ll block heat from seeping into your home. For added insulation from the heat, use heavy drapes or curtains to block out the sun’s rays.
2. Adjust your thermostat to run at least two degrees warmer than you normally would. Consider using a programmable thermostat so that your air conditioner isn’t working hard to cool your home while no one is there to enjoy it. According to Kentucky Utilities, a programmable thermostat can save up to 12% on your home energy costs. Avoid placing lamps or TV sets near your room air-conditioning thermostat. The thermostat senses heat from these appliances, which can cause the air conditioner to run longer than necessary.
3. Use ceiling fans to cool your home. Even when your air conditioner is running, turn your ceiling fans on so you can spread the cooled air more effectively throughout your home without having to adjust the thermostat. According to energy.gov, if you use air conditioning, a ceiling fan will allow you to raise the thermostat setting about 4°F with no reduction in comfort level.
4. Consider planting shade trees or shrubs in areas of your yard that receive full sun during the day. Not only will you save on energy costs, but you’ll give your home more curb appeal! An air conditioning unit that operates in the shade uses less energy than one operating in the sun, however when planting, make sure to keep limbs far enough away from the unit so that they don’t block airflow.
5. On really warm days, avoid using your oven. Stick to using a crockpot, the microwave, or grilling out. Heating your oven up daily adds more heat to your interiors and therefore requires your air conditioning cooling system to work harder and longer. If you need to do laundry, wait until the sun has gone down so that you aren’t heating your home more than necessary.
Friday, April 19, 2013
Finally, beautiful spring weather has decided to roll into our area! For many of us, that means it’s time to roll up our sleeves and complete items on our spring maintenance checklist. To get you started, here are 10 things to complete around your house to get it ready for the warmer months ahead.
Inspect your roof. Now that the cold weather has passed, it’s time to check the condition of your roof. Cracked or missing shingles need to be replaced. Also check your gutters and downspouts for debris buildup. With impending April showers, you don’t want to find out too late that you have a leak in your roof or a blocked gutter.
Check your air conditioning unit. Just as you prepared your furnace in the fall, you’ll need to prepare your air conditioner for the warmer temperatures. Clean or replace your air filter and check for leaks in hoses or vents.
Pressure wash the outside of your home. Build up from dead leaves, mold and mud can leave the outside areas of your home looking dingy and grimy. Rent a power washer from your local hardware store or borrow one from a neighbor and clean your deck, driveway, fences and lawn furniture.
Clean from top to bottom. Spring is a great time to clean the areas that are usually neglected. Dust or vacuum stair rails, ceiling fans, and the tops of cabinets. Schedule to get your carpets and upholstered furniture cleaned or plan to do it yourself.
Wash your windows. You can’t really appreciate the beautiful sun shine if your windows are dirty and foggy. Wash the inside and outsides of your windows. Don’t forget to clean out the sills and window tracks with a soft brush or rag.
Prepare your lawn equipment. Time to dig out the lawn mower again! Check the blade for dullness and refill the oil and gas containers. You'll lengthen the life of the mower and improve the look of your lawn.
Inspect your smoke detectors. Make sure each smoke detector in your home has fresh batteries. Change the batteries quarterly, or as needed.
Clean out the dryer lint trap. Even if you clear out lint after each load of laundry, dust, hair and lint can still be trapped in the vent. A clogged vent can lessen your dryer’s efficiency and is a major fire hazard. Follow this step-by-step tutorial from About.com on how to properly clean your dryer vent.
Clean up the yard. Clear away dead limbs, leaves, and bushes that have expired over the winter. Keep all landscaping trimmed away from utility lines and your AC unit.
Vacuum the refrigerator coils. The coils you’ll find on the bottom or back of your refrigerator conduct the hot air from inside the unit. If they're coated with dust, they do the job less efficiently and cause your fridge to work harder. That means a higher electric bill for you. Use a vacuum cleaner hose or a brush to clean the coils.
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
Pinterest is fast-becoming one of the most popular ways to find decor and design ideas for your next home. From DIY tips to architectural ideas, Pinterest has something for everyone! We've seen a lot of people come into our Design Studio with photos and blog posts highlighting exactly what they're looking for in their next Ball Homes home.
Have you joined the Pinterest craze? If you haven't, here are a few of our most popular Pinterest pins!
The formal dining room and entryway of the Hudson floor plan
"What I love most about my home..." quote from
Dwelling By Design
The kitchen of the Monroe floor plan
Attic storage options from Atticmax
The living room of the Hartford II floor plan
The Arlington II Expanded model home
Winter Berry color scheme from Design Seeds
Want to see more? Make sure to follow our boards!