When temperatures fall, wallets leak! The leaky drip is your energy dollars flying right out the window or door or roof. If you think you can’t do anything to lower your electric, gas, oil and water bills, take a look at these easy energy saving tips:

Clean Boilers:
When heating system boilers are not kept clean, mineral and combustion deposits build up. The built-up deposits reduce the ability of a natural gas or oil flame to heat your water. The result? It takes much more energy and money for you to get hot water. To make sure you get all the energy you pay for, have the boiler professionally cleaned at least once a year. Shortened run time, also means lower electric bills as the system won’t need to run as long to heat your house.

Drafty Ducts:
If you have a forced air system, examine all the ducts for air leaks at the seams. Leaks in unheated areas, like the attic, basement or crawlspace are especially wasteful. If you find a drafty seam in the duct, fix it by wrapping the seam with high quality duct tape to lower heating bills. The wide metal duct tape is best; it’s a little more expensive than cloth or plastic tape, but it won’t dry out and fall off any ducts during the heating season.

Trickling Toilets:
Toilets are one of the most used and least understood home appliances. They basically have only two moving parts: the flush valve, which lets water out of the tank and down the drain; and the fill valve, which lets the toilet fill up after the flush cycle is complete. Small leaks in these valves can cost thousands of gallons of water per year. Here’s how to tell if your valves are leaking:

• Flush Valves:
  Open the top of the tank and pour a small amount of food coloring in the water. Close the tank. After an hour, check the toilet bowl. If you see any colored water in the bowl, the flush valve is leaking and should be replaced.
• Fill Valves:
  Open the top of the toilet tank and find the hollow plastic pipe which sticks up from the bottom of the toilet tank. The water level should be about one inch below the top of the pipe. If the water level is even with the top, the fill valve may be leaking or improperly adjusted and should be repaired or replaced. Next, flush the toilet and watch the top of the valve. If any water squirts up, you may have a leaky seal which also means you need a new fill valve.

The good news is flush valves and fill valves are easy to replace and cost less than $10 each. They are available at most hardware stores and home centers. Fluidmaster makes good replacement valves with clear instructions that teach you how to replace the toilet valves. Replacing leaky fill and flush valves is a quick and easy way to lower water bills.

Worn Out Windows:
Did you know that every 15 minutes all the heated air in your home can wind up outside? Known as “air changes per hour,” a drafty home can have four or more air changes every 60 minutes. That’s why tight windows are essential. If you have older windows without storm windows, get storm windows or consider vinyl replacement windows.

Thanks to new technology, installing replacement windows is not the huge construction project it used to be. However, be careful with window contractors. Every year a number of folks wind up paying far too much for poor or average quality windows. Do some research for quality windows, think before you buy, and don’t feel pressured by salesmen who won’t leave before you sign on the dotted line.

Add Insulation:
Your home loses about 80% of its heat through the attic, about 15% through the walls, and the remaining 5% through the floor. Adding extra insulation to the attic or walls is always a good home improvement. The cost of adding extra insulation is usually low and pay backs are quick. When insulating, be sure to wear a long sleeve shirt, gloves, and pants, and buy a dust mask to protect yourself against inhaling the fiberglass insulation particles.

The return on investment for all these energy saving tips will depend in part on the cost of energy in your local area. For example, if your home is powered solely by expensive electric heat, even a small improvement can go a long way to lower electric bills.

With fuel prices surging, this winter’s heating bills are certain to rise accordingly. For many consumers higher prices to heat homes will take their toll on budgets. You can’t do anything about heating oil prices but you can reduce your heating bill by following several simple steps as outlined below.

Turn down the thermostat – If you are used to heating your home at 70 degrees, then 68 should do. Drop it down to 65, put on a sweater, and reap the savings. Even a drafty house can be comfortable enough if you dress appropriately.

Seal the windows, seal the doors – Plenty of air leaks out of windows and underneath and around doors. You may not be able to insulate everything, but you can apply sealant to the window or around the door. Even a stretched out towel laying on the floor up against the door will do.

Replace your filters – your furnace may be laboring not because it is old but because its filter is dirty. Replace that air filter and your furnace will work more efficiently. An efficiently operating furnace will cost you less money.

Check the ceiling fans – You cool your home with your ceiling fans, but did you know you can warm it up with the same device? Yes, a ceiling fan with the blades working in reverse will help pull up and spread out heat all around the room. A very efficient and cost effective way to warm up a room.

Shut the chimney – If you don’t use your fireplace, then close up the damper as that is prime way for heat to escape; keep your home warm by only opening the damper up when the fireplace is operating.

Move furniture – Furniture placed in front of radiators or over heat registers can stop heat from properly circulating. There is no need to bake your divan or roast your Lazy Boy; keep all heating areas free for optimum heat flow.

Consider insulation – If your attic area has a dearth of insulation in it, add more and also consider having insulation blown in between the floors and between the walls. The roof job you have been putting off may come in handy now: perhaps the source of heating escape is through the top of your house.

You can also make good use of your kitchen’s stove by opening the door up when the food is done. That extra bit of heat can warm your home just enough to make a difference.

What a ride! We’ve had one of the longest, hottest housing markets in memory – with keen competition for homes in all price brackets. Everyone has a story about a home that has sold for considerably more than the original asking price. It’s a seller’s market. And anxious buyers – worried about losing a bidding war on a property that seems perfect – may feel pressured to make an unconditional offer – which often means skipping the professional house inspection.

Traditionally, home inspection was one of the common, accepted “conditions” on any offer. Home buyers had a specified period of time to conduct a home inspection, and the deal was dependent on a satisfactory outcome. But in a seller’s market like the one we’re experiencing, many vendors have the luxury of insisting on unconditional offers. Those who want to pause long enough for a house inspection can be left behind. But a professional house inspection is an important step in the purchase process. Serious buyers will sometimes hire a “pre-offer inspection” to check the condition of a home.

Armed with that knowledge, the buyer may have the confidence to make an informed, Unconditional offer. Most house inspectors will encourage you to accompany them on their visual inspection of the home. Do it! It will be the most valuable house tour you’ll ever take.

Every inspection, of course, should also include a written report. In general, inspections are visual and look at the house both inside and out: a great reason why the inspection should take place in daylight. Outdoors, expect a close examination of exterior features like roofing, flashing, chimneys, gutters, downspouts,decks, walls, and foundations – including grading and drainage away from the house. Inside, the inspector will be looking at all the house systems, including electrical, heating and cooling systems, ventilation and plumbing.

The inspection should also include a close examination of structural features, floors, ceiling and wall finishes, and the condition of windows and doors. If the home has a swimming pool, a septic system, or significant landscaping features, you may want to either look for an inspector with specific expertise, or bring in an additional specialist. Also, if you have a wood-burning fireplace or stove, look for a house inspector who is certified by WETT (Wood Energy Technology Training).

A professional house inspector will be formally trained, experienced and impartial: that is, he or she will not have a stake in the outcome of the inspection. For example, under their professional code of ethics, home inspectors are not allowed to be associated with any other construction or house related trade. Many inspectors, of course, have valuable backgrounds in civil engineering, the construction trades, or even specialized areas like heating systems.

How do you find a good house inspector? Referrals are a great way to begin. Or, you can look up an accredited member of the new Canadian Association of Home and Property Inspectors at www.cahpi.ca. The initials “RHI” denote the highest accreditation of the Association.

When the inspection goes well – as they generally do – you get some important information about your home, and you can feel assured that you’re moving into a home that’s in good condition. In the worst cases, buyers may want to re-negotiate or back out of the deal based on the inspection’s findings. Follow your instincts; if you’re worried about the condition of the roof, for example, be wary about making an unconditional offer without a prior house inspection.

Though prices vary, a typical house inspection will set you back about $300 – $500 and three hours. If that sounds like a lot, remember that your home may be the most expensive and most important purchase you will ever make. And there’s no money-back guarantee.

Unfortunately, there are quite a few Dog owners that keep their Dog in their home all day long and others who prefer that their Dog Brave the elements 24/7 in a Kennel (or chain link Fence) in their yard. Some justify a garage, shed, and or (believe it, or not) a 1x2x2 travel Kennel as suitable living quarters.

Then there are those owners that consider their Pooch part of their family. Not only do they love their Dogs, they favor them more then most people they know. It is for this reason that they would go to ANY lengths to make their per comfortable.

Let’s face it: When we are Hot, Cold, or Wet outside,our Dogs are too. People who have a strong attachment to their Dog,would find it quite difficult to argue against anything but the best living quarters for their pet!

Our Dog Houses are second to none in durability, aesthetics, functionality and comfort. They are the standard of which all Dog Houses should be built. They can provide all the comforts of home at a “respectable” price, and they will be the last Dog House our customers will ever buy.

Dog Houses can be built with virtually ANY amenity that you can find in your home. They truly can just as durable, eastheticly appealing and be the last dog house you will ever have to purchase.

If you don’t have a strong attachment to your pet, you will not be interested in this product. However, if your pet is considered part of your family and you want nothing but the best for it, then you probably will. For this group of individuals I highly recommend visiting our web site at http://www.jimboshoundhouses.com.