Richard Chimniak, Realtor Associate

To maintain the energy efficiency, safety, and useful life of your central air conditioning system, it is important that your home maintenance program include the proper care for your central air conditioner. These tasks should be taken care of in April, before your cooling season begins. Task #1: Replace or wash the air filter Depending upon the type of filter on your air conditioning unit, you should change or wash the filter every 2-3 months. How often you wash or change it depends upon how dirty the air is in your area. If you do not change the filter regularly, you reduce the amount of airflow through your ducts thereby wasting money trying to heat or cool your home because your fans are not moving air properly. The air filters should be replaced or washed monthly during the heavy cooling season months (April through August). Task #2: Clean the water drain When an air conditioner cools the temperature of the air, water condenses out of the air. Most central air conditioning units have a condensate drain to collect this water. This is typically located on the side of the inside fan unit. This condensation system and drain should be inspected to make sure there are no obstructions, and that the hoses all fit properly. If the lines or drain become blocked or develops leaks, the result could be water spilling out around your unit, which can cause safety hazards and/or water damage. Task #3: Clean the outside condenser unit The outside condenser unit is the big box located on the side of your house or building. This unit is where heat from the inside of your house is pushed to the outside (which is why the fan blowing air above the unit feels warm). Inside of the box are coils of pipe that are surrounded by thousands of thin metal fins. These fins give the coils more surface area for exchanging heat. If there are any weeds or plants that have grown up around the condenser, remove them so that they don't interfere with the unit's airflow. Remove any accumulated dirt on the fins with a soft brush. Don't use a garden hose to clean them. This will simply turn the dirt into mud and cause an even greater problem. Task #4: Close (and open) the air distribution registers Air distribution registers are the duct openings on your walls, floors or ceiling where the air conditioning comes out. These registers typically have a lever or wheel that allows the register to be opened and closed. Make sure the registers are not blocked by furniture, carpeting, or drapes. Task #5: Air duct cleaning Duct cleaning will improve your indoor air quality. Dust contains pollutants, viruses, and micro organisms that can stimulate allergies. The air ducts retain moisture and provide a breeding ground for molds and mites. Cleaning the ducts will also clear the air of excessive dust and allow the air to flow more freely. Always seek the advice of a trained maintenance professional or other repair technician with any questions you may have regarding maintenance or equipment condition. Cooling Tips Whole-house fans help cool your home by pulling cool air through the house and exhausting warm air through the attic. Set your thermostat as high as comfortably possible in the summer. The smaller the difference between the indoor and outdoor temperatures, the lower your overall cooling bill will be. Avoid setting your thermostat at a colder setting than normal when you turn on your air conditioner. It will not cool your home any faster and could result in excessive cooling and, therefore, unnecessary expense. Consider using an interior fan in conjunction with your window air conditioner to spread the cooled air more effectively through your home without greatly increasing your power use. Avoid placing lamps or TV sets near your air-conditioning thermostat. The thermostat senses heat from these appliances, which can cause the air conditioner to run longer than necessary. Landscaping is a natural and beautiful way to keep your home cool in summer and reduce your energy bills. A well-placed tree, shrub, or vine can deliver effective shade, act as a windbreak, and reduce your energy bills. Carefully positioned trees can save up to 25% of the energy a typical household. Research shows that summer daytime air temperatures can be 3 to 6 degrees cooler in tree-shaded neighborhoods than in treeless areas. A lattice or trellis with climbing vines, or a planter box with trailing vines, shades the home's perimeter while admitting cooling breezes to the shaded area. $ Long-Term Savings Tips If your air conditioner is old, consider purchasing a new, energy-efficient model. You could save up to 50% on your utility bill for cooling. Look for the ENERGY STAR and EnergyGuide labels.

CFL's (Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs) are energy efficent and environmentally friendly. They are the wave of the future.

CFL's use 75% less electricity and last up to 10 times longer. Most average about 10,000 hours.

If each home replaced just one bulb with a CFL, the nation would save over $600 million in electric bills.

Try to use them where light will stay on for more than 15 minutes to increase their life.

The dark side....each bulb contains 5 milligrams of mercury, so don't throw them away in the trash. Drop them off at a household hazardous waste collection point.

It's hip to be twisty these days! 

 

1. Patience

Patience is one of the most important traits when it comes to saving money.

This means waiting until the first wave of product hype has passed, keeping a car for an extra few years before getting another one and waiting until something you want fits into your budget instead of putting it on credit.

Patience is often the difference between creating savings and being in debt. Having the patience to wait until you find a good deal is a cornerstone of good finances.

2. Satisfaction

When you're satisfied, there is no reason to spend money on nonessentials. The sole purpose of commercials is to make you believe that buying a product or service will make you happier, wealthier, better looking or improve whatever isn't bringing you satisfaction.

People spend because they want to capture the excitement shown in advertisements. When you are satisfied with what you have and your life (not trying to live like those on TV), your finances will be in a lot better shape.

3. Organization

Being organized can make you more productive and ensure that all the many issues pertaining to personal finances are addressed.

It means not paying late fees, not buying two of everything, knowing deadlines that can affect your finances and getting more done in less time. All these can greatly benefit your finances.

4. Discipline

You need the discipline to continue to save money for specific, long-term goals every month.

Personal finance isn't a way to get rich quick, but is a disciplined execution of your lifetime plans.

5. Reflectiveness

It's important to be able to look at your financial decisions and reflect on their results.

You're going to make financial mistakes. Everyone does.

The key is to learn from those mistakes so you don't make them again, or recognize if you keep repeating them.

6. Creativity

The economy and our earnings don't always match our expectations.

Unexpected developments wreak havoc to elaborate financial plans. When this happens, changes are needed to deal with the new circumstances. Creativity is essential to accomplish this.

Creativity allows you to make something last longer rather than purchasing it when you don't have the money. It means juggling money to stay out of debt rather than simply paying with a credit card. It means finding a cheaper alternative when money is tight.

In these ways, creativity plays a large role in keeping finances in order.

7. Curiosity

Having curiosity helps you learn, study and improve yourself.

The curiosity of wanting to know more, to take the time to study and then take what is learned and put into practice is an important process that is driven by curiosity.

8. Risk-Taking

To build wealth, one needs to be willing to take risks. This doesn't mean uncalculated risks. It means weighing all the options and taking calculated risks when appropriate.

The stock market has risks involved, but over the long term, history shows that it provides good returns on money that is invested wisely. Those who fear risk altogether end up saving money in accounts that likely lose money to inflation in the long run.

9. Goal-Oriented

The importance of setting and working toward goals is obvious. If you don't know where you are going, it's difficult to get there. It helps your personal finances immensely if you have money goals and are motivated to reach the goals that you have set for yourself.

Those who lack goals don't have a road map to take them to the financial destination they want.

10. Hard- and Smart-Working:

 

Creating wealth and staying out of debt rarely comes about without a lot of hard work.

Many people might hope that the lottery will solve all their financial problems. The true path to financial freedom, however, is to work hard to earn money while educating yourself to continue to have more value and increase your salary.

You may not possess all of the above traits. But knowing them can help you make changes so that you nourish the ones that you have and obtain the ones you're missing.

Ultimately they will help you with your personal finances and create a plan to accumulate the wealth you desire.

7 Ways to Get Rid of Pet Odors

When a house you’re trying to sell smells like a pet, there are some tactics that can improve the odor situation. Don Aslett, owner of Varsity Contractors, one of the country's largest cleaning companies, offers up these tips for identifying the source of the smell and then eliminating it:

• Use a fluorescent black light (pet-supply stores sell them), to expose odor-producing spots on the carpet, couch, floorboards and even on drapes.

• Remove all solids and blot up as much liquid as possible with a clean towel. Apply an appropriate odor neutralizer or cleaner according to directions.

• Never use ammonia, which takes on the smell of what it's supposed to be cleaning, can trigger more accidents.

• Choose the best product to remove the problem. On water-safe surfaces, try Simple Solution stain and odor remover. The problem area must be thoroughly soaked and left to dry.

• Bramton's Oxy Solution Pet Stain and Odor Destroyer can remove odors and stains from surfaces that won’t withstand soaking, but test first in an out-of-the way place.

• The most effective and safest disinfectant for use around pets is Chlorhexidine, which is sold under such names as Nolvasan, Chlorasan and Chlorhex by veterinarians and medical-supply outlets. Use these for problems that demand deep cleaning.

• When all else fails, temporarily neutralize odors using a product such as Fresh Wave.

Source: St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Sarah Casey Newman 

According to the 2006 NAR (National Association of Realtors) Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, 83% of sellers use full-service brokerage, 9% use limited-service brokerage and 8% use minimal-service such as simply listing the property on the MLS.

Consumer satisfaction with the level of brokerage service varies, with 71 percent of sellers saying they are very satisfied with their full-service experience. Fifty (50) percent of sellers using minimal-service say they were dissatisfied with their experince.

As a full-time agent/realtor, Charles Rutenberg Realty provides a full-service brokerage including but not limited to marketing plans, strong internet sites, visual tours, CD's, professional pictures, advertising...etc.   

 

 

 

Some of the best anti-inflammatory spices and herbs include cloves, ginger, parsley, tumeric, cinnamon and basil.  We need to reeducate our palate to learn to appreciate the wonders of these foods!

12 core prinicpals to eating for fat resistance:

• • Choose foods that are loaded with nutrients such as colorful vegetables and fruits, and lean, minimally processed protein. As much as possible, avoid food that has been processed.
  • Avoid trans fats.
  • Consume foods with plenty of omega-3 content.
  • Eat fish three times a week or more.
  • Eat at least 25 grams of fiber per day.
  • Eat at least nine servings of vegetables and fruits daily.
  • Average one serving a day of alliums (onions, scallions, garlic) and crucifers (broccoli, cabbage, kale, cauliflower).
  • No more than 10% of total calories should be from saturated fat. This doesn't mean only 10% of total diet is from fats -- it means to be careful about eating saturated fats.
  • If you eat eggs, don't scramble the yolk.
  • Don't follow a "low-fat" diet.
  • Eat two healthy snacks a day -- such as berries, tomatoes, string cheese, organic turkey slices.
  • Eat fruit instead of sugary sweets.

For more information on these principles, go to www.fatresistancediet.com/special