Western Mass Homes Lesley Lambert

winter

Think you should wait until Spring to sell your Western MA house? WRONG!

Here we are in the thick of winter, end of January with a couple more months of cold ahead of us in Western MA. You may be considering selling your house and are thinking to yourself that you want to wait for Spring because that is the best time to sell your home.

Well, you are wrong.

Now, if you can’t get your house ready for the market until Spring, then that is an issue and Spring will be the right time for you, BUT if your house is ready to go now then NOW is the best time!

In this Facebook Live video from earlier today I go into detail as to why now is the best time to sell your Western MA home:

If you are considering the idea of making a move, let’s get together to chat about the process. Meeting with me is painless and free and I love sharing my nearly 30 years of expertise with people!  Get in touch-

Lesley Lambert, Western MA REALTOR with Park Square Realty 413-575-3611

Fall Home Maintenance Checklist by Lesley Lambert, Western MA REALTOR

Visit houselogic.com for more articles like this.

Copyright 2013 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®

Nifty Tricks For Saving Money Around Your Western MA House This Winter

Next in the line of guest bloggers is Tina Jacobs who is sharing some easy to do tricks to save money this winter.

Frosted!
Frosted! (Photo credit: LesleyLambert)

 

Winter’s chill brings with it higher energy bills for most Americans.

With most of our finances already stretched paper-thin, paying a large electric bill is unbearable. Thankfully, there are some tricks the average homeowner can make use of to ensure their home is operating as efficiently as possible in order to make cost of heating their home more manageable.Here are four nifty tricks that will help you save money and lower your energy costs this winter…Replace outdated appliancesOld appliances do more than just date a house. They also demand energy in large quantities to do their job. New energy-efficient appliances use far less energy, so replacing appliances will naturally save you money in the long run. In some cases, thanks to the extension of the federal tax credits for energy-efficient appliances, homeowners can save in the short-term as well.
Unfortunately, not all household appliances qualify for federal tax credits. However, homeowner’s can receive various tax breaks when they purchase appliances with an Energy Star logo. In addition, many states also offer financial rewards in the form of tax deductions, rebates or tax credits for those that choose to buy energy-efficient appliances. Great examples of the types of appliances that qualify include instant water heaters, dishwashers, washing and dryers, refrigerators and ovens.

Kill the vampires

I’m not talking about the vampires that roam the nights of fantasy-romance novels thirsty for blood. I’m talking about the energy vampire that sucks energy from unused appliances that are left plug in. Since most people are completely unaware how much energy these devices consume they see no need to unplug these dormant appliances. However, homeowners need to remember that they could get up to a month’s worth of free electricity each year if they eliminated this unwanted drain on their pocket books.

Invest in reusable AC and furnace filters

Neglecting to change the filter in a HVAC system will cause your system to run less efficiently which in turn causes the system to have to work harder to heat or cool a house; and therefore resulting in higher electric bills. Unfortunately, a lot of homeowners neglect this simple task until the system is already overworked. Investing in reusable filters can be a wise decision since replacing filters can become tiresome. At a cost of around $30, a permanent filter will ultimately pay for itself in as little as 15 months.

Check your home for air leaks

Another oft-overlooked tip to make your home more energy friendly is by checking around doors and windows for air leaks. If you seal up cracks, you will prevent the cold air from invading your warm house and your heater won’t have to work harder to compensate. To seal air leaks, all you have to do is invest in an inexpensive expanding foam or caulk.Saving money around the house often involves reducing energy waste. That is because the highest utility bill most families pay is for heating and cooling their home. Thankfully, there are some easy ways to make your home more energy efficient.

About the AuthorTina Jacobs is a registered nurse, DIY maven who has written and blogged for DIY Mother as well as numerous print and online publications ranging in topics from education to health and from home renovations to interior decorating.

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Preparing Your Western Massachusetts Home For Winter

Westfield MA Winter Wonderland
Image by LesleyLambert via Flickr

It is important that you properly prepare your Western Massachusetts home for the winter months.

Let It Snow!

Winterizing your home

Key maintenance tasks to perform

• Clean your gutters. Leaving debris in your gutters is an invitation for trouble. Not only can it freeze and damage the gutters themselves, but it also can force freezing water up under your shingles and damage the roof.

• Disconnect hoses Leaving water in any exterior hoses or pipes can cause them to freeze and burst. If your exterior faucets aren’t self-draining, be sure to turn off the water manually at the shutoff valve inside the house so water doesn’t stand in the wall pipes.

• Schedule a furnace tune-up. checklist of items such as inspecting filters, checking the chimney exhaust, and examining the blower and fuel connections. Expect to pay $50 to $100 for a furnace tune-up.

• Protect your air conditioning unit. If your outdoor air conditioning unit is located under trees or under the drip line of the house where icicles and snow may fall, give it a little protection by placing a sheet of plywood over the top and draping a dropcloth over it. However, don’t create a fully enclosed space, as that can trap moisture and offer winter protection for rodents.

• Close your storm windows. It’s a simple step, but an easy one to forget. Make sure the windows are shut properly so that the outer pane is up and the inner pane is down; this keeps rain and other forms of precipitation out.

• Insulate pull-down staircases for attics.

Spending a weekend or two on maintenance can prevent costly repairs and alert you to developing problems.

SAVING ENERGY, SAVING MONEY!

Put lamps in the corners: Did you know you can switch to a lower wattage bulb in a lamp or lower its dimmer switch and not lose a noticeable amount of light?

Give your water heater a blanket: Just like you pile on extra layers in the winter, your hot water heater can use some extra insulation too. A fiberglass insulation blanket is a simple addition that can cut heat loss and save 4% to 9% on the average water-heating bill.

Turn off the burner before you’re done cooking:

Use the dishwasher: If you think doing your dishes by hand is greener than powering up the dishwasher, you’re wrong. Dishwashers use about 1/3 as much hot water

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Western Massachusetts Winter Homeowner Maintenance Guide

Westfield MA Winter Wonderland
Image by LesleyLambert via Flickr

Fall & Winter Seasonal Maintenance Guide — Northeast

From HouseLogic By: Karin Beuerlein

If you live in the Northeast, here are maintenance jobs you should complete every fall and winter to prevent costly repairs and keep your home in top condition.

As cold weather approaches in the Northeast, it’s important to prepare your home for freezing temperatures, ice, and snow, says Steve Gladstone of Stonehollow Home Inspections in Stamford, Conn.

Key maintenance tasks to perform

• Clean your gutters. Leaving debris in your gutters is an invitation for trouble. Not only can it freeze and damage the gutters themselves, but it also can force freezing water up under your shingles and damage the roof. Gladstone says that many homes in the Northeast now have covered gutter systems, which fools many homeowners into thinking gutter cleaning is unnecessary. “Gutter covers keep leaves out,” he says, “but not fine organic material or grit from the roof.” It’s important to remove the covers and clean just as you would regular gutters.

• Clean and put away lawn and garden equipment. Do a visual inspection of the yard to identify anything lying around — garden tools, hoses and nozzles, patio furniture and accessories — that might be damaged by snow and ice and should be brought in for the winter.

Run your lawn mower until the gas tank is empty; if you leave gas in the tank over the winter, it can degrade and lose some of its combustion ability. Worse, gas can react with the air in the tank and oxidize, forming deposits that affect the machine’s performance; worse still, moisture can condense inside the tank and cause rust that blocks the fuel lines.

If you know you’re going to leave gas in the tank over the winter, add a stabilizer to the last gallon you put in (mix it in the gas can, not the mower tank, so that you get the mixing ratio correct).

• Disconnect hoses and winterize lawn irrigation systems. Leaving water in any exterior hoses or pipes can cause them to freeze and burst. If your exterior faucets aren’t self-draining, be sure to turn off the water manually at the shutoff valve inside the house so water doesn’t stand in the wall pipes.

If you have a lawn irrigation system, it’s important to make sure all the water has drained from the system before the first freeze. Depending on the type of system you’ve installed, this may require the assistance of a professional. A pro charges $50 to $150 to winterize an irrigation system.

• Schedule a furnace tune-up. Follow your HVAC professional as he works and ask questions about what he’s doing, says Gladstone. The technician should be working his way through a checklist of items such as inspecting filters, checking the chimney exhaust, and examining the blower and fuel connections. Expect to pay $50 to $100 for a furnace tune-up.

• Replace wicks and air filters in your humidifier. If you use a portable humidifier in winter to mitigate the drying effects of heating, start the season with fresh wicks—the small filters that absorb moisture from the reservoir; a fan directed at the wick dispenses the moisture into the air. Also check air filters, if your unit contains them (consult your owner’s manual). Replace wicks again in two to three months for a cost of about $15. It’s an absolute must to clean the humidifier every few weeks during winter to keep it free of mold, bacteria, and mineral deposits. Follow your manufacturer’s instructions.

However, Gladstone points out that “most homes are too wet.” Humidifiers may contribute to excess moisture that encourages the growth of mold and mildew. Use a humidifier only if necessary, and choose a single-room model so that you can check easily to see if the unit needs cleaning.

• Protect your air conditioning unit. If your outdoor air conditioning unit is located under trees or under the drip line of the house where icicles and snow may fall, give it a little protection by placing a sheet of plywood over the top and draping a dropcloth over it. However, don’t create a fully enclosed space, as that can trap moisture and offer winter protection for rodents.

• Close your storm windows. It’s a simple step, but an easy one to forget. Make sure the windows are shut properly so that the outer pane is up and the inner pane is down; this keeps rain and other forms of precipitation out.

• Insulate pull-down staircases for attics. The openings that accommodate pull-down staircases can cause significant heat loss during winter. You can purchase an insulated cover for the opening, or for about $30 you can make a foam box yourself with duct tape, weatherstripping, and a piece of 2-inch-thick polystyrene foam; 2-inch foam has an insulating value of about R-10. “This simple step will pay for itself many times over,” Gladstone says.

Spending a weekend or two on maintenance can prevent costly repairs and alert you to developing problems. Visit the links listed below for more detailed information on completing tasks or repairs yourself.

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