New Homeowners: Watch out For These Surprise Expenses

  As most first-time homeowners know, the bills have a knack for surprising us from time to time. We’ve put together a list of some of the most common perpetrators of monthly fees that seem to come out of nowhere.

Air Conditioning & Heating Other common culprits of a surprisingly high energy bill include using excessive air conditioning or heating. If you get into a habit of accidentally leaving them on while away from home, consider investing in a programmable thermostat; these allow you to wirelessly control your home’s temperature from your phone and calculate the most efficient use of energy.

Electronics Make a list of the electronics that you use on a daily basis. Think about which ones you leave running while not in use. For example, turning off the television and lights before heading out to the grocery store is a great energy-saving habit to get into. Save cash by curbing the use of your home’s major energy-sucking appliances, such as:

• Computers
• Cell phones
• Coffee pot
• Lights
• Fans
• Video games

Faulty Windows First and foremost, the cornerstone to an energy-efficient home is well-insulated windows. If you experience recurring drafts, have to conduct excessive window maintenance, and your home’s energy bill is higher than usual, you may want to consider installing replacement windows. If gone unnoticed, faulty windows could lead to a serious home damage and avoidable preventable energy expenses. Avoid these by scanning your home windows at least twice a year to look for any of these issues.  If you have any questions concerning repairs or are interested in new replacement windows, contact Wallside Windows for expert assistance.

Water In many ways, we rely on water not only for survival, but also for the integrity of our home appliances. Unfortunately, when a water-dependent appliance occurs and it goes unnoticed, it can hike up the water bill a significant amount. Save water by keeping a tight eye out for leaks around the house, running toilets, and leaving the hose running; cut back on shower time and practice general water-conserving habits like switching the faucet off while brushing your teeth.

No AC, No Problem - Tips for Staying Cool Without Air Conditioning

The luxury of an air conditioning system—especially during the arid summer season—goes without saying. But when money's tight, you may have to ration AC usage for a few hours in order to save your hard-earned cash. Here's how to keep your house at a tolerable temperature without AC:

Keep ‘em Closed During the day, shut drapes, blinds, and curtains to keep out the beating rays of the afternoon sun. As night approaches, crack a bedroom window to promote ventilation and let a cool breeze in. Call or email Wallside Windows to speak with a professional if you're unsure about how to repair any window damage or considering installing new replacement windows.

Limit Heat-Generating Technology If possible, curb the use of technologies that require a significant amount of electricity to run and are known to emit a lot of energy. Lighting appliances and kitchen stoves are notorious for this; by cutting down on their use you hit two birds with one stone by saving money and reducing output from hefty generators of heat.

All About the H20 Consuming your body’s daily recommended water intake is essential for bodily functions with the AC on or not; however, this advice is extra vital to heed when it's a scorcher and your body’s fluid loss occurs at a higher rate than normal. Avoid dehydration not only by staying cool but also keeping a water bottle in close proximity to re-hydrate.

Install Energy Efficient Windows Windows with excellent insulation technology - such as e-glass, which Wallside Windows coats their windows with - are great long-term investments to block out heat.  Also, check your current windows for any air leakages or gaps that might need to be sealed as these could lead to precious losses in cold air.

Exercise During Morning or Night The hottest time of the day is between noon and 3:00 p.m. To avoid being thwarted with a tidal wave of heat, keep workouts to the early morning or after the sun has gone down.

Last Thoughts If you must run your AC at some point, opt to run it during the hottest part of the day (usually noon - 3:00 p.m.). Make sure to also follow the above tips when not running your AC so that the cool air generated is contained within the house.

Summer Maintenance Checklist

There's no better time than summer to finally tackle those household repairs you've been meaning to get around to. Things add up over the busy spring and winter seasons when the weather conditions prevent us from conducting proper upkeep - both indoor and outdoor. Get into the swing of summer by checking out our home fix-it list we’ve compiled for anyone with a home to utilize.

Clean the Gutters Leaves and dozens of other types of garbage have a tendency to sneak into gutters. After enough trash and residue gathers in your gutter, it can condense into a hefty pile that can either damage the gutters themselves due to the sheer weight of the trash or create a clog that can damage your home infrastructure because of water leakage. Best way to avoid this? Give those gutters a thorough check up and take care of the trash build up. To clean your gutters, use: a ladder, gloves, trowel (or other utensil to dig out residue), water bucket or any other modality to wash out leftover muck.

Tidy up Damaged Drywall Indents, smears, and holes commonly injure drywall. Analyze the walls for these damages and allocate the necessary repair equipment that will be needed to make repairs; a general roundup of gear you’ll most likely need is a putty knife, sandpaper, cloth, masking tape, spackle and gloves.

- Dirty walls: filth from hands and furniture collision marks add up over time. Use a classic combo of a cleaning solution, hot water, and rag (not too wet!) to restore your walls back to normal color.

- Small, nail-sized holes: fill with putty or toothpaste of a color similar to the wall's hue; smooth out with a putty knife

- Larger indents: for bigger damages from doorknobs or similar accidents, the easiest solution is a drywall repair patch kit.

Once and for All, Fix that Leaky Faucet The constant drip after drip of a leaky faucet is enough to drive anyone up the wall. Based off your expertise, decide to either handle the leak yourself or call a plumber. If you'd prefer to not shed roughly two hundred dollars, there's dozens of how-to guides across the web to give a try; we've saved you the trouble by providing an explanatory video below:

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Check for Drafts Energy bill seem unusually high lately? It may be due to air leakages from window damage. Give your home windows a checkup by looking for any issues with the sealing, gaps, or cracks. Problems with gaps and sealing can be resolved by caulk, but you may want to consider getting new replacement windows if they have sustained enough damage.

Pull Weeds Taking the time to remove weeds is a great excuse to get outside for the day and work on your home's curb appeal. Unfortunately, despite our efforts the previous year to eliminate them clean, a new flock of invasive dandelions seems to happily plant themselves within our lawns with the arrival of every season. Unearthing weeds depends on the plant species and length of root, so the technique you use will vary with each weed. Uproot these pesky invaders either by:

- Use your hands (with garden gloves) and tag at the root; employ a mini shovel to carve out the deeper ones.

- Repeatedly rake a heavily-afflicted area with a hoe

- Apply herbicide (make sure to follow instructions and warnings of the product you decide to use as there are health dangers depending on the solution)

To maintain your home’s value, it’s crucial to conduct regular home maintenance throughout all seasons of the year.  Make sure to give routine checkups on all appliances and infrastructure around the house to ensure a safe, high quality living environment. Contact Wallside Windows for any questions regarding the windows or to learn the benefits of window replacement.

Give Your Bathroom a Makeover

Re-grout Bathroom Tile Due to the moisture-filled air that constantly fills a bathroom’s space, its tile is susceptible to mildew and weathering. Long-term damage can be avoided by regularly grouting the tile. For those who don’t know, grout is the material used to seal tile floors; it’s basically the glue that keeps it firmly structured together. To re-grout your bathroom, you will need to purchase grout material based on the type of tile you have; ask a trusted store clerk if unsure of the type you should buy.

Install a New Vanity A bathroom’s vanity is the essential unit for all wash and grooming equipment. It is the combination of the sink’s countertop and the storage cabinet beneath it. By installing a new vanity, you can alter the look and tone of the entire bathroom. Choose a size based on the number of people that use the bathroom every morning to get ready and the amount of clutter that builds up. The greater the number of people, the greater the need for space is.

New Windows Bathroom windows are crucial for ventilation and play a vital role in providing the design aesthetic. Choose a window style that matches your bathroom’s theme but also takes privacy into consideration.

Add a Shower Head Mount The pressure and flow of your shower head directly influences your shower experience. Though it won’t do much design-wise, it’s a great way to control the comfort level of your shower, which varies depending on the mood you are in.

Change up the Lighting Getting ready in the morning under a piercingly bright light is never a good feeling. Luckily, there are dozens of light fixture models purposely designed to shed a tamed glow - one that provides light but not so much that it hurt your eyes. Furthermore, placing the fixtures in a balanced spread around a room promotes an ambient atmosphere as opposed to an all-encompassing one.

Window Treatments Bath window curtains, shades, valance, and other window treatment styles can be a chic way to spruce up a bathroom’s design while also offering privacy control.

Pet-Proofing Your Home

Ah, pet ownership. Few things in life can bring the same joy you get from a beloved cat, dog, hamster, or any animal that lives at your house. But with pet ownership comes a lot of extra chores - you want to keep your furry family members safe and cared for while avoiding undue damage to your property, right? Luckily, it’s not as hard as you might expect. We’ve got some tips here to help you keep your home safe for pets without major effort or remodeling!

Kitchen The kitchen is many pets’ favorite room just because of all the smells and tastes, let alone the drawers and cabinets. If your dog or cat can get into a pantry or a drawer, they’ll be more than happy to go exploring. Childproof latches on everything that little paws can open will stop your pets from eating something they shouldn’t - and stop you from always having to replace canned goods!

Bathroom and Laundry Rooms These might not be as entertaining to a pet as the kitchen is, but rest assured they’ll be interested in anywhere they can get a drink of water. Make sure to block off any small spaces behind a laundry machine to make sure nobody can get stuck back there. Keep all chemicals locked safely away and up out of reach, and remember to keep trash cans covered or locked behind a cabinet door so nobody eats anything they aren’t supposed to. And keep that toilet lid down - you don’t want your pets drinking anything they shouldn’t!

Living Rooms/Family Rooms A lot of the same tips apply - locking cabinets, for example - but this one might require a bit more effort since your pets will likely spend a lot of time here. Make sure your kids keep all their toys and games up off the floor (and ideally in their rooms!), and try to keep any little decorations and knick-knacks high up until your pets are old enough to not knock them over or chew on them. Keep all electrical cables bundled up and up away from curious paws, especially for heavy items like TVs that could fall off a stand. Watch out for small things like thumbtacks or loose string that a kitten or puppy could chew on. And make sure that all your big living room windows have child-safety window latches included to stop prying hands, paws, or anything else from opening a window when it shouldn’t be opened. There’s plenty more things you could do to keep your house safe for pets; animal expert Cesar Milan has plenty of extra advice on his website. With our advice, we hope to help your four-legged friends feel just as at home as you and your family do!