Tips for Energy Efficient Heating and Cooling

Heating and cooling can take up close to 50% of your utility bill. Reducing the amount of heating and cooling through various strategies can therefore reduce the overall cost. There are several simple and cost effective strategies that can be applied to reduce heating and cooling costs in your home.

Heaters

Make sure you have the right heater when heating your home. Small heaters will struggle to heat the room. They will end up being overworked without doing what they are expected to do. Bigger heaters will cause a problem of overheating. You may have to constantly readjust it.

Ensure you get the right heater that fits the dimension of the room. This means you need to take into account the height of the ceiling as well as the breadth and width of the room.

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Programmable Thermostat

Programmable thermostats can help you save significant amounts of money in heating and cooling bills. It allows you to adjust heating and cooling of your home when you are away or asleep. During winter you can reduce the temperatures on the thermostat during the time you are away from home and set it to return to normal temperatures automatically minutes before you get back to your house.

This device can be programmed to adjust temperatures automatically up to six times a day. Some devices are smart enough to recognize a pattern and reprogram themselves. You can override the settings any time you want without resetting the entire system.

Most of these devices are very affordable. They are typically in the 100 dollar range. This is a great investment. Some experts have pointed out it can save between 5 to 10% of your yearly bill. Considering its cost, this is a great investment that will lead to great savings.

Eliminating Radiators Air lock

It is possible for air to be trapped in a radiator over a considerable period of time. When this happens there is very little heating or no heating at all. To eliminate this problem you need to periodically remove the air lock.

It is advisable to perform this procedure every season to keep the heating system running efficiently. The problem can be rectified only if you understand what you’re doing. Otherwise it is best to seek the services of an expert who will do it effectively.

Reduce heating and cooling loads

During summer you can reduce the heating load by taking steps that will minimize the amount of heat that gets into the house. For example, you can close the window covering or blinds to prevent the sun’s rays from heating the interior of the house. You could also plant trees on the northern side of the house to block the rays of the sun.

There are also steps you can take to prevent heat loss during the cold season. For example, unused chimneys can bring in cold air. Unused chimneys and vents should be sealed to reduce the loss of heat. A carpeted floor can also keep the house warmer for longer.

Use Fans Effectively

Ceiling fans are great for circulating air in the room evenly. They are considered to be the most effective fans and can eliminate the need for an air conditioner. It however, needs to be run fairly slowly. This way it can distribute air evenly to all parts of the room.

Window fans can also be effective if used correctly. The most effective way to do this, is to open windows on the cooler side of the house. Place the fan on the opposite side and keep windows closed. This will bring in very cool air which will effectively keep your house cool.

Written by APM Construction Services, a construction and home maintenance company that is the best choice for heating and cooling Columbia, MO has to offer.

Challenges for Homebuyers in 2016

For some people, a good home means a garden with great landscaping. For others, it means a big common area for parties and reunions. Whatever it may be, there are a lot of homes out there that are perfect for a lot of people and their families. The only problem is that it’s not theirs and they can’t have them.

A lot of people have seen their perfect dream homes but are finding difficulty in securing it. Why? It will surprise you that it’s not just because of money. There are plenty of challenges for homebuyers in 2016 that factor into the equation.

 

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What Makes It So Hard to Buy a Home?

In the hunt for properties that have a balance of both price and livability, many question if it’s just their hunting and negotiation skills that need a bit of work. Whether online or on the road, getting to the golden moment of moving in is something that we can all look forward to. So, before you give up on the pursuit for that dream, here are a few things to explain why it’s so hard for homebuyers in 2016 to get a home and why it might not be you who needs work.

Inventory Shortage

While there are over a hundred million homes in the US alone, securing the right one is difficult because there are many people interested in the good ones and only a few who are interested with what’s left. Multiple offers turn into bidding wars and suddenly, nothing people want is left for them to buy.

Unpredictable Economy

With expenses like bills piling up and promotions at work becoming a scarcity because of the recent and ongoing economic struggle, people are having second thoughts on investing in properties due to factors, such as price, that are unreliable and rapidly changing. Lack of interest and doubt may be one of the primary causes for not getting a home because people want to make sure that their purchase would not mean anything less than perfect.

Price Increase

With the economy still recovering from an upset, one of the reasons people second guess their potential purchase is also because the real estate industry is part of the population that’s still in its rehabilitation process. Interest rates will skyrocket as fewer homes that were put into foreclosure diminish in quantity. The adjustment season will surely spell many changes for agents and home buyers alike.

These challenges for homebuyers in 2016 may not be true in every case, but having perspective and insight into these things will help to at least keep people from making hasty decisions. So, when the time comes and you do decide to make a purchase, know that there are a few more factors to blame than just you and your dream home.

Written by the experts at Columbia Real Estate, the most knowledgeable agents for real estate in Columbia, MO.

Don't Leave Your Family Hanging

Jobs in Yangon aren't the only jobs that demand all of your time. Sometimes, our work eats up so much of our time that we are left with no time with our families.

Time is so precious. It always escapes us, and we always find ourselves wishing, wanting, and needing more time, but we just don't feel like, really don’t have enough time. Spending time with our family, friends, and loved ones is important for our physical and mental development and happiness. Children don't really care how long you spend time with them as long as it's quality. 

 

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Children will find their own subtle ways to let their parents know that they're not getting enough attention. Some of them will throw tantrums or act out, and some will withdraw, or will resort to doing acts such as crying, disobeying, and they will that will catch their parents attention, even if it's negative. They'll think that if they can't catch their parents' attention by doing good things, then they'll do something bad.

Here are some things you can do to spend time with your family, even though you're pressed for time.

Spend some one on one time with your child or spouse. Do something you and your child both enjoy, and have some well-deserved alone time with your spouse. You can go with your child to the movies to see a nice animated movie, or you and your spouse can see a new action movie out. You and your child can go to the park and have a walk, or just sit on a bench under a tree and catch up with each other. Set aside your Saturdays for quality time with your children and your spouse.

Notes. If you can't spare the time until after the kids and your spouse are asleep, you can still let them know that you care. You can write notes and put them in your kids' lunch boxes, or somewhere your spouse can surely find it. It's one of the ways that you make your children and spouse feel loved.

Insert family into your schedule. Bring your children with you when you do errands. Let them help you clean the house, or bring them with you when you need to go grocery shopping, or let them help you make dinner. This can become quality time spent with you.

Have a break. Yes, you're busy, but you should never be busy for your children. Spend your break with them if you can, that's an extra fifteen or thirty minutes with you, and that's enough for a child because you made an effort to spend time with them. If not in the middle of the day, how about in the morning? Wake them up fifteen minutes earlier and do something fun in the morning with them.

Spending time with your children and your spouse gives you time to connect with them, and it gives them the opportunity to learn from you, and to be heard by you. The time you a lot for them makes them feel loved and cared for. Try to find ways to connect with your children without having to exert more effort than you already do at work. Your children and spouse will appreciate it, and you'll be making beautiful memories with them.

Author Biography:

Kimberly Marie Gayeta (Kimmy,) is a Communications Degree holder, passionate writer, currently working as a local Public Relations Officer and an online Marketing Representative.

Thoroughly fascinated about travelling, leisure, and living the good life!

Follow her on twitter: @kimmygayeta