Wait, don’t throw those potato peels out with the trash… Compost them instead!
It might still be chilly outside, but that doesn’t mean you can’t start composting your organic waste in preparation for feeding your garden in the spring.
(Hint: A lovely garden adds a lot of curb appeal if you’re thinking about selling your house!)
Check out this quick video from the Sierra Club to find out how easy it is to get started with composting. Note: The guy in the video is using a closed bin, which you can keep indoors while it’s cold outside.
If you just spent a pile of money on expensive new energy-efficient appliances for your new home, you’re probably thinking that your warranty will keep you from having to do regular maintenance. Think again. Whether your stove, dishwasher, and fridge are 6 months or 6 years old, you still need to pay attention to them. Here are some tips to keep your appliances humming.
Refrigerator: Clean the air vents and coils once a year (or twice a year if you have pets). All that dust piles up and can make your fridge overheat.
Freezer: Fill up those shelves. A full freezer is more efficient than an empty one, and that will prolong the life of your condenser (the part that keeps things cold).
Washing Machine: Empty your pockets before doing laundry. Metal objects (like coins) can dent and damage the drum, which can lead to torn clothes and eventually a leaky washer.
Clothes Dryer: Always clean out the removable lint filter with every load. Also clean out the exhaust hose, which should have a straight path to the outside of your home. Once a year, get under and around that dryer with the vacuum hose. (Balls of lint and dust have a tendency to travel.)
Dishwasher: Hand wash anything with sharp edges, and don’t pack too many glass or other breakable items too closely. Load your knives blade down, and use a lime remover and/or rinsing aid regularly.
Stovetop: Ceramic and glass stovetops are delicate things, susceptible to cracking and scratching. Always use cleaning products and utensils recommended by the manufacturer, and remove food spillages as soon as they occur. Flat-bottomed pots and pans are best, and the pan should be the same size as the burner.
Thinking of selling your house or condo? If you know the basics of FHA loan rules, you stand a better chance of selling your property. Also important to know: if your house doesn’t qualify for an FHA loan, you’re cutting out 30% of potential buyers.
Got a pothole on your street? Broken signpost? Leaky hydrant? The City of Raleigh is embracing interactive technology to help its residents report non-emergency issues to the right departments and get things fixed more quickly.
The new Citizen Service Request SeeClickFix mapping application, on the city’s website, allows users to click on the interactive map to precisely pinpoint and describe what’s in need of attention, including:
graffiti
potholes
drainage
signals and signs
parks and trails
water and sewer
The appropriate City of Raleigh staff will be alerted and a response coordinated to get the problem resolved. There are even mobile phone apps available for on-the-go reporting and receiving alerts on your smartphone. Give it a try and see if it gets something fixed in your neighborhood!
Happy 2011! I hope your holidays were warm and festive.
Now is the time of year when we usually make resolutions, clean house, and become more optimistic about the future. And being more green is a great New Year’s resolution for 2011!
You can start this year off right by recycling your Christmas tree, wreaths, and other seasonal greenery. These items will be turned into mulch, wood chips, and other ground cover for spring planting.
If you live in Raleigh, the city is picking up trees and wreaths for recycling. Just leave your tree and greenery at the curb by 7 a.m. on your regularly scheduled pickup day.
If you live in greater Wake County, until January 15, residents can take recyclable holiday material to the following convenience center locations:
Convenience Center #1: 10505 Old Stage Road, Raleigh
Convenience Center #2: 6000 Old Smithfield Road, Apex
Convenience Center #4: 3600 Yates Mill Pond Road, Raleigh
Convenience Center #7: 9008 Deponie Drive, Raleigh
Convenience Center #11: 5101 Wendell Blvd., Wendell
For more information on Christmas tree recycling in neighboring areas, check out the News & Observer’s Green Scene post-holiday recycling roundup.
Happy recycling, and don’t forget to take all the ornaments off your tree before hauling it out to the curb!
How long has it been since you took stock of what you own? Don’t wait until after a disaster to calculate the value of your belongings.
In order to make an insurance claim and replace your belongings, you must be able to itemize everything that was destroyed, line by line. If you already did your inventory, then you’re all set; if not, you’re likely to forget things and/or underestimate the value of your belongings, and then you won’t have enough money from the insurance claim to replace what was destroyed.
A great place to start your inventory is the Insurance Information Institute “Know Your Stuff” website, which provides an easy online tool for calculating the value of your personal property.
Per North Carolina law, in a homeowners’ insurance policy, the minimum amount of value assigned to personal property is 70% of the amount of coverage on the home. You may increase that amount if you think your property is worth more.
Remember, a disaster can be something big, like a fire or a hurricane, or it can be something that starts out small, like a water pipe that springs a leak while you’re on vacation. In fact, a burst pipe can completely destroy your house in a very short amount of time (think flooding, mold and mildew, collapsed framing, etc.).
So during this holiday season, if you’re going out of town, don’t forget to turn off your water supply. Feel free to call or email me anytime to get more detailed information on homeowners insurance.
Brent Lamm
North Carolina Farm Bureau Insurance
PO Box 33367
Raleigh, NC 27636 brent.lamm@ncfbins.com
Office (919) 851-4320
Cell (919) 696-1814
Fax (919) 882-8894
It’s December already, and while it might seem like winter has arrived, it’s still technically autumn until the 22nd. So, with the holiday season upon us, there’s no time like the present to get those annual home maintenance issues checked off your to-do list. The list might seem long, but if you set aside time over the next couple of weekends, you can get it all done and still have time for hot cider after shopping!
INDOOR MAINTENANCE
HVAC, vents, and filters: Schedule your annual HVAC service and change all filters. Clean the dryer vent, room fans, and stove hood. Make sure that furniture and draperies do not block any air vents.
Hot water heater: Drain the hot water heater and remove the sediment that has gathered at the bottom of the tank.
Windows and doors: Check for drafts, and replace any worn, cracked, or damaged seals. If you have an exterior door that just doesn’t fit properly along the threshold, place a draft guard on the floor next along the threshold. (You can find some cute holiday-themed guards just about everywhere this time of year, or you can make one yourself.)
Faucets: Check all kitchen, bathroom, and utility faucets for leaks. Replace worn-out washers and gaskets before they start leaking.
Safety devices: If you didn’t already replace your smoke detector batteries, now’s the time. Don’t forget about your carbon monoxide detector and any other sensors (e.g., radon). Check your fire extinguisher to make sure it works, and keep it out of children’s reach.
OUTDOOR MAINTENANCE
Roof and gutters: Clean the gutters regularly, especially after a wind has blown tree debris onto your roof. Make sure that drain pipes pull water away from your house and not into the foundation. Check your roof for any missing shingles or damage. Then check your indoor ceilings for any water damage or leaks around windows, vents, and corners that are prone to leakage over time. (If you stay on top of this issue with the exterior maintenance, you won’t have anything to worry about indoors.)
Siding and paint: Go grab a caulk gun, and then walk around the exterior of your house looking for cracks or peeling paint. Replace any caulk that’s dried out or cracked. Use a carpet knife to cut away old caulking from siding. Slide the blade alongside it from both directions and then use the carpet knife to lift the old caulk intact.
Wait, don’t throw those potato peels out with the trash… Compost them instead!
If you just spent a pile of money on expensive new energy-efficient appliances for your new home, you’re probably thinking that your warranty will keep you from having to do regular maintenance. Think again. Whether your stove, dishwasher, and fridge are 6 months or 6 years old, you still need to pay attention to them. Here are some tips to keep your appliances humming.
Thinking of selling your house or condo? If you know the basics of FHA loan rules, you stand a better chance of selling your property. Also important to know: if your house doesn’t qualify for an FHA loan, you’re cutting out 30% of potential buyers.
Got a pothole on your street? Broken signpost? Leaky hydrant? The City of Raleigh is embracing interactive technology to help its residents report non-emergency issues to the right departments and get things fixed more quickly.
Happy 2011! I hope your holidays were warm and festive.
How long has it been since you took stock of what you own? Don’t wait until after a disaster to calculate the value of your belongings.
It’s December already, and while it might seem like winter has arrived, it’s still technically autumn until the 22nd. So, with the holiday season upon us, there’s no time like the present to get those annual home maintenance issues checked off your to-do list. The list might seem long, but if you set aside time over the next couple of weekends, you can get it all done and still have time for hot cider after shopping!
