Tenants, here are things you can do to increase the heating efficiency of your apartment. You can save money on your home heating. Yes, I know that you are stuck with the system your landlord chose, but you can make it work better. Windows, the quick fix: Open and close, then lock all your windows. Locking
The good news is that winter house hunters will know how good their windows are; spring, summer, and autumn house hunters have to guess.Windows are surprisingly expensive to replace. They cost $300-500 each, or more, per window, with installation. Even the best windows don’t keep all the cold out. Winter house hunters, here is the
When I wrote about Post-War houses, I mentioned sump pump systems. Here’s a bit more on what to do, if you have chronic problems with wetness in your basement. You may want to do this, if you have only occasional problems in a finished basement. First, check your gutters and downspouts. They are taking thousands
It is a mistake to think that a newly built house is a perfect house. There are some houses that should never be built. They are too close to high ground water. They are on peat, clay, or other unstable soil. These houses have chronic problems with water or foundation cracks. The biggest problem with
Some of our clients specifically request to see only properties with a dining room. Why? So they can host Thanksgiving dinner. Does that sound like you? When you think about Thanksgiving Day, does an image come to mind as your mental picture of Thanksgiving? Does that image take place in a dining room? Is it
The market is now predicted to stall. This is a window of opportunity for downsizers. A high market (which is what we have now) means a good return on your current house. You can now buy more easily and still draw equity from your house that is now too big for your lifestyle; that's the
If you are thinking of converting from oil to gas heating, one of the tasks ahead of you is to get a professional to remove the old oil tanks. This seems like a daunting task. It’s not. There are companies that do this. They do it all. They get the permits for removal and disposal;
This is the first election endorsement blog for me, ever. First, where I am coming from: Core values: I, obviously, care about the economy and housing; that includes additional issues that contribute to economic health and fair housing. I believe economic health and access to housing is connected to issues such as healthcare, transportation, and
Hot water heaters are a masterpiece of designed obsolescence. They have a fiberglass tube that corrodes from being in boiling water all the time. It has been tested to last a certain number of years. Every hot water heater comes with a warranty. If the warranty is for six years, the tube is designed to
These chimneys are typical of residential chimneys that are more than 50 years old. Both need re-pointing. The one in front is beginning to twist and bend; it could start dropping bricks soon. The other one also has gaps that are easily visible. Unfortunately, chimneys like this are sort of typical around here. What’s pointing?