Energy Saving Tips That Save You Money

There are many opportunities to save energy in your home. Taking steps to make your home more efficient helps the environment and saves you money. At Perry Hood Properties, our homes are built with energy saving features like Low E windows and insulation, but there are other ways that each individual homeowner can save even more energy. A post at Energy.gov has a few suggestions on energy saving for a typical homeowner. Here are a few of our favorites.

Programmable thermostat: Every home needs a way to keep the air temperature comfortable when you’re home, but save money while you’re away. Program your thermostat to work less when no one’s home and watch your utility bills plummet.
Change air filters: Regularly changing your air conditioner’s filters allows the unit to cool your home more efficiently. This means it runs less and uses less electricity. This is also good for the air conditioner itself and could save you from costly repairs.
Adjust refrigerator temperature: Your refrigerator is capable of keeping foods much colder than they need to be, but this requires the fridge to use much more electricity. The refrigerator can be set between 36 and 39-degrees and keep foods cold and fresh. Your freezer doesn’t need to be colder than 0-degrees Fahrenheit.
Use washer and dryer efficiently: A lot of energy can be wasted depending on your clothes washing and drying habits. Be sure to regularly check and clean out the dryer’s outside vent and clean the lint trap on the dryer before every load. Try to do multiple loads of laundry at once so the dryer is already warm when you start it. When you can, consider air drying clothes instead of running the dryer at all. And be sure to use the load size settings when you’re washing less than a full load of laundry.
Efficient lighting: By replacing standard light bulbs more efficient compact fluorescents, or CFLs, you get the same amount of light and use less energy. You can also save energy just by checking your fixtures and ensuring each bulb is the right size and wattage. With timers, motion sensors and photoelectric cells, you can save on outdoor lighting by only having them on when they’re needed.

These energy saving tips save you money without drastically changing your daily routine. In many ways, utilizing some of these energy saving tactics makes your home easier to manage.

Perry Hood Properties takes care to build homes that serve our clients well, which includes taking extra precautions to install energy saving features and appliances. To see the homes we have available in Tulsa, Broken Arrow and Bixby, visit our available homes page.

April 29, 2015air filters, energy saving, Energy.gov, home tips, Low E

The Choice Between Carpet And Hardwood Floors

At Perry Hood Properties, the homes we build usually feature mostly hardwood floors. Many consider the decision to have carpet or wood flooring to be personal preference, but there are some additional pros and cons to consider. Aaron Crowe at AOL’s Real Estate blog put together a comparison of the two to see which comes out ahead. Here’s a look at the relevant details.

Real Estate Agent Preferred

When buying a home, it’s important to consider it’s retail value and potential so that when the time comes, your home is easy to sell and a good investment. Real Estate agents overwhelmingly prefer hardwood floors to carpeting and USA Today found that buyers are willing to pay more than $2-thousand more for a home with wood floors than carpet.

Ease Of Cleaning

Most would agree that cleaning hardwood floors is easier than cleaning carpet, although this is partly a personal preference. It often comes down to whether you’d prefer to sweep your floors or vacuum them. While wood flooring takes additional cleaning steps like dry mopping, special cleaning solutions and polishing, carpet has it’s additional concerns also. At least once per year, it’s recommended that you get your carpet professionally cleaned.

Allergen Concerns

The decision between carpets and wood floors is murky here. It’s well-known that carpet holds dust and other particles that can cause eye and respiratory irritation, especially if you have allergies. However, those same particles are sitting on your wood floor if you don’t sweep often and can easily be kicked up just by walking. The advantage of carpet here is that these particles are mostly kept out of the air and are trapped in the carpet’s fibers. But, that means that sitting or laying on your carpet is out of the question.

Floors That Last

In this category, wood floors are the clear winner. Carpet will typically last no more than 10-years before it becomes worn out and outdated. Wood floors on the other hand last at minimum 25 years and there are even some hardwood floors that come with a 100-year warranty. While damage to carpet can often lead to the entire room’s carpet being replaced, damage to a wood floor can usually be buffed out or repaired in a specific spot.

For the lasting beauty and value of your home, hardwood floors are the clear choice.

At Perry Hood Properties, we design and build homes with our residents in mind. Browse through our available homes in the Tulsa, Bixby and Broken Arrow areas.

April 23, 2015

Prevent Major Roof Damage Through Regular Inspections

Winter and spring storms can cause a great deal of damage to roofs. It’s important to regularly check your roof in order to fix damage as soon as possible and prevent it from causing leaks and other problems. Angie’s List has a helpful list of preventative maintenance tips for your roof.

Check Shingles

Damage to your roof’s shingles is the first sign that the roof is in need of repairs. When shingles fall off due to high winds and storms, it leaves the remaining shingles more likely to be damaged or removed also. Missing shingles also leave the roof vulnerable. Even minor damage like tears or missing granules can, over time, cause the underlayment to deteriorate. It’s important to actually go on your roof once or twice a year, especially after severe storms, to check for damage.

Leaks

Water leaking into your home can cause mold, damage to your walls and ceilings and to your home’s structure. Damage to your roof caused by storms or tree limbs can lead to leaks. You may not even be aware of these problems until they’ve already done damage to your home like leaving yellow or brown stains on walls or ceilings. To check for leaks, go into your attic and look for signs of water. It may be helpful to wait for the next rainstorm and then look for any water being allowed through.

Soffits and Fascia Boards

The top of your roof isn’t the only part that’s vulnerable. The soffit, which refers to the board under the eave that connects the roof the siding, and the fascia board, which runs along the roof line and connects to the rafters or trusses, both need to be carefully monitored. Clogged gutters can be a serious problem for both soffits and fascia boards. Damage is typically fairly obvious, however. Look for cracks or holes or other signs of stress and replace and patch these immediately.

The roof is an important part of your home that is commonly overlooked or forgotten about. By regularly checking on the health of your roof and its components, you’ll avoid major problems like leaks and severe damage.

If you’re in the market for a new home, Perry Hood Property is here to help. Browse through our online catalog or contact us about building a home specifically for you and your family.

April 15, 2015Angie's List, fascia board, home tips, roof, soffit

Cleaning Your Stainless Steel Appliances

Our properties feature modern kitchens with granite countertops, Jay Rambo cabinets and stainless steel appliances. Even though the name ‘stainless steel’ sounds like those surfaces would be easy to clean, there are a few tricks to keeping your stainless steel appliances looking like new. At the Housekeeping blog on About.com, Sarah Aguirre put together a list of these stainless steel tips to ensure these surfaces stay free of rust and scratches.

Just Water

In most situations, you’ll only need some warm water and a soft cloth to clean any dust and spills from your stainless steel. There are two important tips that go along with this, however. First, you’ll want to wipe with the grain of the steel. There are no dramatic consequences if you don’t, but you’ll notice much more residue and grime left behind. That will leave you with surfaces that aren’t very shiny. Second, be sure to thoroughly dry your appliances after cleaning. Any water left will leave spots.

Mild Dish Soap

For tougher dirt or sticky substances, you can try warm water with just a drop of mild dish soap. Again, use a soft cloth to prevent scratching the surface and rub with the grain. When you’re done, rinse with water and dry thoroughly.

Glass Cleaner

If fingerprints are causing your stainless steel appliances to lose their shine, glass cleaner is usually the answer. You’re usually better off spraying the cleaner on your cloth, rather than directly on the surface. This helps prevent drips that you see later. You can rub in a circular motion around the fingerprints to remove them, then rinse with water by rubbing with the grain again.

Stainless Steel Cleaner

If your stainless steel surfaces have developed scratches or are in need of a polish, stainless steel cleaners and polishes are available. These help to fill scratches and chips, remove stains and polish the surface to restore shine. You’ll want to start in a small, inconspicuous spot just in case the cleaner isn’t right for your surface. Then, rinse and dry thoroughly.

With proper maintenance, your appliances will look like new for as long as you keep them in your home.

If you’re interested in a new home, browse through our available homes or start the process of building the home of your dreams.

April 7, 2015appliances, home tips, housekeeping, kitchen, stainless steel

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Month: April 2015

Energy Saving Tips That Save You Money

The Choice Between Carpet And Hardwood Floors

Prevent Major Roof Damage Through Regular Inspections

Cleaning Your Stainless Steel Appliances