Homeowner News – Page 14

PECO Smart A/C Saver Program Offers $$$ Savings

June 16, 2011 by admin

PECO is offering a program known as Smart A/C Saver that can save home owners with central air conditioning up to $120 per year.

The installation of what is know as a Digital Cycling Unit (DCU) to the central air conditioning unit on the outside or your home is required. A DCU saves energy during peak demand periods by putting the AC compressor into what is known as a “conservation mode” via a wireless signal. This means that the AC compressor will operate approximately 1/2 the time it had during the previous hour of operation. In “conversation mode” the fan will run uninterrupted and circulate cool air through the home to maintain comfort.

PECO estimates that critical electrical demand occurs 13 to 20 days during the summer. By 2013 utilities will be required to reduce electrical demand by 4.5% on these days of peak demand. With electrical demand rising 16% in the summer of 2010 vs the previous year, and home air conditioning accounting for 17% of domestic electrical consumption, the Smart A/C Saver program will help reduce electrical demand and achieve this mandated energy consumption goal.

The installation of the DCU is free of charge, and there is no need to be at home for the install. By signing up PECO will credit your bill up to $120 ($30 an month from June through September). Visit www.peco.com/Smartideasto sign up, use energy more wisely and participate in the reduction of overall regional energy usage.

Have You Checked Your Air Filter Lately?

June 14, 2011 by admin

The average person breathes in about 32,000 pints of air everyday. That air contains over 1 billion particles of dust, most of which are particles less than 3 microns or smaller in size. For comparison purposes the average size of a human hair is 75 microns in size. It is a good idea to regularly maintain the air filter that removes many of these particles from your household air.

In your home the air filter in your forced air heating system is the primary method of removing these millions of particles of dust and other particles from your household air. Most people only think of air filter maintenance during the heating season, but it is a simple but very important task as we enter the summer and long term air conditioning usage.

There are many varieties of air filters to choose from, which are rated on what is know as a MERV rating – the ability of a air filter to filter out particles from the air. The higher the MERV rating the greater the ability to filter out smaller particles from the air stream. Low end disposable filters – the ones that sell for 99 cents or so have a MERV rating of 1. These cheaper filters do not do a very good job of air filtration. Pleated filters, which have an estimated life of 3 months, have a rating of 6 to 8 perform at a much higher level of efficiency.

I replaced my filter the other days after 3 months of use and it was looking pretty gray – literally. When air filters are clogged, air flow is restricted and the unit starves for air and hence performs inefficiently. This will end up costing you more $$$ as the system is not operating at peak efficiency.I replaced it with a nice new white pleated filter which cost $7.99 and had a MERV rating of 7. I put the date on the side of the filter so I will remember when to change it in the future.

Installation of a filter is one of the simplest home maintenance tasks. The filter slides right out of it’s slot adjacent to the heater in the return air duct. The most difficult part of filter replacement is to make sure that the arrow on the filter points in the same direction as the air flow into the HVAC (Heating Ventilation Air Conditioning) unit, and that you purchase the correct size filter for you unit.

So do you lungs a favor and keep your HVAC unit running efficiently as the summer cooling season gets underway.

Flooding – The #1 Natural Disaster

June 7, 2011 by admin

Across the United States, flooding is the No. 1 natural disaster, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency. And given the region’s swollen rivers and the promise of heavy runoff this spring from melting snow, now is a good time to assess how well you’re protected against flooding.

A basic homeowner’s or business’ insurance policy will cover damage caused by storms, such as a leaky roof, fallen tree limbs or broken pipes.

But a homeowner’s policy typically does not cover damage due to flooding, or what’s known as “rising water.”

Flooding—such as a river overflowing its banks or water from springtime snow melt—is generally defined as a temporary inundation of normally dry land. For that type of coverage, you need a separate flood policy, which is provided by the federal government’s National Flood Insurance Program and purchased through a local insurance agent. Homeowner’s insurance covers water falling from the sky; flood insurance covers water rising from the ground.

Flood insurance covers most damage to your home, business and personal property caused by temporary inundation of water. It includes mudflows, but not landslides.

One limitation to flood insurance is basements. Improvements such as walls made with dry wall, finished floors and personal belongings in a basement are not covered by flood insurance; essential household equipment such as furnaces or water heaters is covered.

For residential policies, the maximum coverage is $250,000 for the structure and $100,000 in personal property. For a business or commercial property, the maximum limits are $500,000 structural and $500,000 in contents.

Flood insurance premiums vary, depending on where you live and whether your home is considered at high or low risk of flooding.

The average residential flood insurance premium is about $570 per year, according to the NFIP. But homeowners in low-risk areas can purchase coverage for as little as $129 a year; those whose homes are in heavily flood-prone areas will pay $2,700 or more in annual premiums. Commercial property rates are higher. And keep in mind: If you get a policy today, it does not go into effect until 30 days after it’s purchased.

A quick way to check for your property’s flood risk is to visit www.floodsmart.gov. Enter your address, city, state, zip code, and specify Residential status. Your property flood risk will be displayed as well as an estimate of Flood Insurance premium costs.

In the wake of Katrina many homes that were not considered a flood risk have been reclassified by FEMA. Take a minute to check out your property.

Be Kind To The Enviroment – Properly Dispose Of Household Hazardous Wastes

May 18, 2011 by admin

We all have one—that shelf or cabinet with leftover paints, old bug killers and unwanted cleaners. You don’t want that toxic stuff near your kids or pets so you keep it out of reach.

It’s equally as important to keep those dangerous chemicals out of the environment. So when it’s time to get rid of hazardous household items, make sure you do your part and dispose of them the right way.

It’s estimated that every American home has an average of 100 pounds of hazardous household waste. This includes everything from paint and thinners to used motor oil, pesticides, bleach, cleaners and even batteries. Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs (CFLs) are also considered hazardous waste due to the small amount of mercury they contain.

Let’s start with what not to do when getting rid of all this stuff. Pouring hazardous household waste down any drain sends the toxins directly into our water supply.

Drains include the ones inside your home and the storm drains outside. Pollution flowing into storm drains is called storm water pollution and it’s the leading cause of fresh water pollution in America.

You should also never put hazardous household waste in the trash. Whether it’s sending it to a landfill or burning it in a trash pile, both can release toxins directly into the air, land and water. Hazardous household waste needs to be disposed of properly. This means taking it to a qualified recycling center.

Another way to reduce the amount of hazardous household waste in your home is to start buying less of it. Many times there are natural alternatives that work just as well. Eco-friendly cleaners and pesticides are more widely available on store shelves and while they may cost more to purchase, keep in mind the true cost of an item is always more than just the money you spend.

Just because the hazardous household waste may be out of sight in your home, it should not be out of mind. Identifying it, disposing of it and reducing the amount in your home are all easy ways to do your part for everyday green living.

Delaware County offers 4 Household Hazardous Waste disposal events during the year. You can bring your hazardous household wastes to these upcoming events, as well as any old computers, fax machines, printers, and portable TV’s to these future events.

Thursday September 15, 2011 – Rose Tree Park

Saturday October 15, 2011 – Upper Chichester Municipal Building

Collection events are held from 9 AM to 3 PM.

Come join the 5,902 residents who properly disposed of 489,502 pounds of Household Hazardous Waste last year.

Benefits Of A Pre Listing Appraisal

May 12, 2011 by admin

Setting the listing price for a home is in no way an exact science. A potential seller and real estate agent look at the data which includes, homes currently on the market, homes that are under contract, and most importantly homes of similar size, style, age, etc. that have sold within the last 6 months. Out of this mix of data, sprinkled with the emotional bond the seller has with the home, a listing price is set. A large question looms at this point – Is the listing price an accurate reflection of what a ready, willing, and able buyer will pay?

Unfortunately in many cases the listing price of a home does not reflect what potential buyers are willing to pay. Hence the property does not get many showings, and as time goes on the price is adjusted downward, and as the number of days on the market increases the frustration of the home seller increases as well.

The adage “time is money” is very true in real estate – the more time your property is on the market the more likely it is you will receive less money for it.

A pre listing appraisal can help alleviate some of the unknowns regarding the market value of a property. An independent professional appraisal can shorten your time to contract and provides an unbiased opinion of value for your home established through methodology and detail that goes beyond a real estate agent’s Competitive Market Analysis (CMA).

Benefits Of A Pre Listing Appraisal:

– Establishes a competitive price, stimulating buyer demand

– Provides solid data for use in the negotiation process

– Establishes credibility for a listing price

– Provides advance knowledge of repairs necessary to secure financing

– Helps create an offer closer to the original listing price

– Creates offers sooner than later

There is no perfect solution for pricing a home to sell quickly in today’s volatile market, but getting an objective price opinion through a pre listing appraisal is a smart step in the process of getting a home sold in the quickest time and for the most money. The cost is approximately $300 to $400 – it is definitely money well spent.

If you are considering listing your Wallingford home and would like additional information regarding a pre listing appraisal I would be glad to assist you.

« Previous Page

S. Clark Kendus