Many house hunters have romantic ideas about owning a house with a fireplace. For house hunters in urban areas, those hopes are rarely fulfilled. Existing housing in the Boston urban area was mostly built without wood-burning fireplaces. Fireplaces were not used for heating at the time that most of this housing stock was built, it
One of the perks of owning your own house or condo is that you have the authority to make the place more energy efficient. As a tenant, you are stuck with what you rented. Right? Wrong! There are things you can do to reduce your heating bills that don’t have to stay in the rental
Now that the season is beginning to change, home owners are thinking about how efficient and draft-free their house may be (or not be.) As the windows close and the heat starts to kick on, it is time to regret not calling sooner for an energy audit. They are free for Massachusetts utility customers. Since
On Google+, Rona answered this question: Several years ago, our tank water heater failed rather spectacularly, gushing water all over the basement floor. This morning at 6, I put the skills from that episode to work as, half-awake, I turned off the water and the pilot light for our neighbors' tank water heater, which at
By Dave Twombly I've been in a lot of properties and seen a lot of things in my real estate career, but recently I had a rare first that says a ton about the market we are in. I was showing a multifamily in Cambridge that just came on the market. The open house was
Apres le water heater, le deluge by Ron Rothenberg, 4 Buyers Real Estate Conventional water heaters have always bothered me. Why would anyone install an appliance that is guaranteed to fill your basement with water the moment its warranty expires? The age of the conventional water heater may be ending. I'm happy to see
Follow the green dot til it turns blue, there's your leakby Ron Rothenberg, 4 Buyers Real Estate In the old days, meaning before six months ago, I would walk around my house one windy day each autumn with a lit match in one hand and a caulk gun in the other. I'd try
Brighter days ahead for you and meby Ron Rothenberg, 4 Buyers Real Estate It's almost Springtime. Today, I noticed some of my daffodils and crocuses are starting to push their way up through the soil and towards the bright sun. The days are brighter, too, I was calculating as I was driving home this sunny
Shade: nature's own (almost free) energy saverby Ron Rothenberg, 4 Buyers Real Estate "Awnings can directly affect energy use by simply blocking the sun. heat gain through windows is one of the main reasons why buildings need air conditioners... In some climates you can save 20 to 25% of your cooling energy just by using
will your next toilet keep you flushed with satisfaction?by Ron Rothenberg, 4 Buyers Real Estate I've been potty-talking lately as I've asked all the plumbers, contractors, home inspectors I meet about toilets. I talked to many neighbors about this topic, too, and found that more interest swirled around this subject than I would have imagined.