Improve the Look of Your Home on the Weekends!

Posted on April 30, 2013 by Jeremy Leake

Looking to remodel your home but don’t have a lot of time to devote to a long project? What about doing weekend projects that will transform your home in a short period of time? We found this recent article that should help you pick just the right projects for your home.

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SPONSOR FOCUS: If you need Lafayette homeowners associations vent cleaning services, then Dryer Vents Plus is your #1 choice! Call Jeremy Leake today at 225-612-7752 to schedule your 100% Free, No Obligation Quote!
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From the article:

Add Storage to Your Entry
If a traditional entry closet or a beautiful built-in shelving system is not an option in your home, refashioned furniture can achieve a look that’s equally stylish and storage-savvy. This small-scale table is a perfect size for beside the front door. Though compact, the table’s drawers and shelf make the piece super functional for busy drop-zone items. A wall-mount shelf above the table hangs keys within easy reach.

Make Your Entrance Inviting
A cheery front-door color and a touch of landscaping can do wonders for your home’s curb appeal — and make a lasting impression on guests. Dress the door with new hardware, and add a welcome mat and potted plants near the entrance. Consider installing outdoor lighting to enhance your home’s architecture and illuminate the walkway.

Light Up the Kitchen
Dress up an eating area with a fresh light fixture. Replacing an existing fixture is your easiest option: Just turn off the power at the breaker box and connect the wires.

Give Your Yard a Boost
With flagstone, you can easily make an outdoor patio in a weekend — no mortar required. Add potted plants and outdoor seating, such as a bistro set or an eclectic mix of colorful chairs, to create a quaint backyard escape.

Add Molding
Living room, dining room, great-room: Any common area looks better with the finishing, defining touch of crown molding. If you live in a historic home, make sure your molding choices complement your home’s architectural style.

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Looking to redo your home office? Checkout this article about home office ideas for homeowners that could be of interest to you.
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Read the entire article here: http://www.bhg.com/home-improvement/remodeling/budget-remodels/weekend-home-projects/

Learn How Your Insurance Company Will Respond to Your Water Damage Claim

Posted on April 26, 2013 by Jeremy Leake

Do you have water damage? Learn how your insurance company will respond in seven different scenarios.

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SPONSOR FOCUS: If you need Baton Rouge apartments cleaning dryer vent services, then Dryer Vents Plus is your #1 choice! Call Jeremy Leake today at 225-612-7752 to schedule your 100% Free, No Obligation Quote!
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From the article:

Water damage: Seven home insurance scenarios
Here are common water-damage scenarios and their insurance consequences.

Scenario No. 1: The temperature drops to 10 below zero, causing your water pipes to freeze and burst. Your floor is now covered in 6 inches of water.
Are you covered? Yes, you’re covered for water damage from burst pipes, but most policies won’t cover you if you’ve left the house unoccupied and without heat. If that’s the case, your claim could be denied because you’ve failed to perform the necessary upkeep that would prevent the accident.

Scenario No. 2: Water leaks from your backyard pool, ruining your manicured lawn and flooding your basement
Are you covered? The damage to your basement and your personal property are covered, but not the damage to your lawn. According to a sample policy, “We do not cover land, including land on which the dwelling is located.” However, your lawn is covered if it’s damaged by certain “named perils.” These include fire, explosion, riot, aircraft, vehicles not owned by you and vandalism. The amount of coverage for lawns and plants is small ??? usually only up to $500. Swimming-pool leaks are not a named peril. But if your leak was caused by a tree falling on the pool, it would be covered.

Scenario No. 3: Your washing machine overflows, flooding the basement.
Are you covered? Yes. But it depends on your home insurance company’s view of the problem: Did you fail to maintain the washer properly or did sudden, accidental damage cause the flood? Usually, water from a broken appliance will be covered.

Scenario No. 4: A sewer backs up, flooding your basement.
Are you covered? No. Standard home insurance policies don’t cover sewer backups, and many specifically exclude damage from sewer back-ups. Special endorsements are available, at added cost, for sewers and drains.

Tip
Don’t shoot yourself in the foot by reporting damage to your home insurance company that’s not covered by your policy. Your damage report may still go on your insurance record and look like a claim when you shop for new insurance in the future. Read how one five-minute call to your insurance company can dog you for seven years.

Scenario No. 5: Water seeps from the ground into your basement, damaging your foundation and interior.
Are you covered? No. Seepage is considered a maintenance problem, not “sudden and accidental” damage, and is excluded from home insurance coverage.

Scenario No. 6: During a heavy rainstorm, water leaks through your roof. The roof is damaged, as is furniture.
Are you covered? Somewhat. You’re unlikely to be reimbursed for roof repairs because that’s a house-maintenance issue. But the water damage to your home is covered. Damage to your furniture is also likely covered if you have a standard H0-3 home insurance policy, but not if you have a generic HO-1 policy (which many insurers don’t even sell anymore).
If your neighbor’s tree falls on your roof, the damage to your roof, home and belongings is covered. Your policy also reimburses you up to a certain amount, usually around $500, for the cost of removing the tree.

Scenario No. 7: A nearby lake or river overflows its banks, causing a flash flood in your living room.
Are you covered? No. Flood damage is not covered by home insurance. You must purchase flood insurance for that. You can purchase flood insurance as long as your community participates in the National Flood Insurance Program.

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SIDENOTE: Have a mold problem? Checkout this article about how to get rid of mold for busy homeowners that could be of interest to you.
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Read the entire article here: http://www.insure.com/home-insurance/water.html

Looking to Redo Your Home Office? Try These Ideas!

Posted on April 23, 2013 by Jeremy Leake

Home offices are a necessity for most people but because their primary purpose is to be functional it can be difficult to design them. Take a look at this article we found that we hope will give you some ideas.

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SPONSOR FOCUS: If you need Lafayette condos dryer vent cleaning services, then Dryer Vents Plus is your #1 choice! Call Jeremy Leake today at 225-612-7752 to schedule your 100% Free, No Obligation Quote!
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From the article:

As home offices are so much in demand, we thought it was about time we offered up another little lot of workplaces that really work! Have a scroll through these stylish studies on your coffee break, and plan out your next design strategy…

One of the many advantages of a home based work place is that you can create a surrounding that is as colorful and as cozy as you like, so be bold will your wall coverings and paint swatches and make yourself an inviting place to get down to work.

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Looking to improve you home? Don’t have a lot of time to devote to projects? Checkout this article with easy weekend projects for homeowners that could be of interest to you.
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To see all of the ideas click here: http://www.home-designing.com/2013/02/wonderful-home-workspaces

Learn How to Keep Your Kids Safe This Summer!

Posted on April 19, 2013 by Jeremy Leake

All parents want to keep their kids safe. ??We found this article that will be of interest to every parent as summer gets closer.

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SPONSOR FOCUS: If you need Baton Rouge townhomes dryer vent cleaning services, then Dryer Vents Plus is your #1 choice! Call Jeremy Leake today at 225-612-7752 to schedule your 100% Free, No Obligation Quote!
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From the article:

BUG SAFETY

Don???t use scented soaps, perfumes or hair sprays on your child.

Avoid areas where insects nest or congregate, such as stagnant pools of water, uncovered foods and gardens where flowers are in bloom.

Avoid dressing your child in clothing with bright colors or flowery prints.

SKATEBOARD, SCOOTER, IN-LINE SKATING AND HEELYS SAFETY

All skateboarders and scooter-riders should wear protective gear; helmets are particularly important for preventing and minimizing head injuries. Riders should wear helmets that meet ASTM or other approved safety standards, and that are specifically designed to reduce the effects of skating hazards.

Communities should continue to develop skateboard parks, which are more likely to be monitored for safety than ramps and jumps constructed by children at home.

While in-line skating or using Heelys, only skate on designated paths or rinks and not in the street.

LAWN MOWER SAFETY

Only use a mower with a control that stops the mower blade from moving if the handle is let go.

Children younger than 16 years should not be allowed to use ride-on mowers. Children younger than 12 years should not use walk-behind mowers.

Make sure that sturdy shoes (not sandals or sneakers) are worn while mowing.

Prevent injuries from flying objects, such as stones or toys, by picking up objects from the lawn before mowing begins. Have anyone who uses a mower wear hearing and eye protection.

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Looking for family fun in Baton Rouge? Checkout this article about family fun in Baton Rouge for parents that could be of interest to you.
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Click here: to view the entire article: http://www.aap.org/en-us/about-the-aap/aap-press-room/news-features-and-safety-tips/pages/Summer-Safety-Tips.aspx?nfstatus=401&nftoken=00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000&nfstatusdescription=ERROR%3a+No+local+token&nfstatus=401&nftoken=00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000&nfstatusdescription=ERROR%3a+No+local+token

Learn How to Troubleshoot Your Dryer

Posted on April 16, 2013 by Jeremy Leake

In this video you’ll learn dryer troubleshooting and be able to determine why your clothes are taking so long to dry.

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SPONSOR FOCUS: If you need Baton Rouge apartment associations dryer vent cleaning services, then Dryer Vents Plus is your #1 choice! Call Jeremy Leake today at 225-612-7752 to schedule your 100% Free, No Obligation Quote!
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Still have questions about caring for your dryer? Checkout this article about laundry room maintenance for homeowners that could be of interest to you.
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Who Designs Better? Men or Women? Find out Here!

Posted on April 11, 2013 by Jeremy Leake

Oh the age old question, who is better at such and such men or women. Well for this article’s case the such and such is home design. Read this article to find out what this writer’s research uncovered.

From the article:

Men may be from Mars and women from Venus but they both think a great kitchen is their No. 1 priority in a home, according to an informal survey conducted by two architects, an interior designer, and a home builder.

Even more interesting was that their ranking of priorities for other home features were almost evenly aligned. In fact, men and women shared the same top three priorities. In addition to kitchens, they ranked function, function, function at No 2 and a wonderful master suite No. 3.

The other seven items they chose for their lists were closely aligned in order of preference, except for the garage/workshop. That priority ranked last in the top 10 for women and seventh on the list for men.

While He and She said mostly the same things, they seemed to have different reasons for their rankings, said Crasi: They got there on different paths.

For instance, women and men polled ranked a place to work at close to the same level of importance, but the spaces they wanted differed. Women wanted command center-style areas near the kitchen at the heart of the house where they could listen for oven timers and dryer bells while watching the kids as they worked. Men preferred more traditional quiet spaces away from the fray, the presenters said.

Garages made the rankings for women because they are good for storage, create a sense of safety, and they’re practical in inclement weather. Men like garages for their toys.

There was one area of strong divergence. Women ranked having a space for guests as No. 9 on their priority lists while most men didn’t put it on their top 10 list at all. Men ranked home technology No. 10, while it was missing from the women???s top 10 list.

The items excluded from the lists of most men and women were green-ness, bonus space, and kids space. The thought among the panelists about why kids space and bonus space were excluded was that those polled most likely thought that kids??? space was already included on their wish list in other categories.

While the men and women surveyed as a whole seemed to be almost on the same page in home priorities, there were some interesting differences when the groups were sorted by age.

For instance, men and women under 30 truly could be from different planets. A wonderful master suite was most important to women of that age, while men wanted entertaining space. Men ranked outdoor living as their second favorite feature, while women preferred a great kitchen at the second spot. The only things they agreed on were function, function, function at No. 2 and the garage/workshop at No. 9.

If you have additional questions contact us today!

To view the entire article click here: http://www.builderonline.com/demographics/mars-vs-venus-on-home-design.aspx

Warning Signs That Your Dryer Vent Ducts are Clogged

Posted on April 10, 2013 by Jeremy Leake

In this video from Jeremy and the team from Dryer Vents Plus, you’ll learn helpful tips and tricks to be able to see the warning signs if that your dryer vent ducts are clogged and need immediate attention.

View Warning Signs That Your Dryer Vent Ducts are Clogged Video on Youtube

Transcript of Video:

Hello my name is Jeremy Leake and I???m with Dryer Vents Plus. Dryer Vents Plus is a dryer vent cleaning and repair company. Were in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and we’ve been operating for the past 6 years and we service south Louisiana.

Today I???d like to talk to you a little bit about your dryer efficiency. A few tips that you can use to make sure that you’re getting the most out of your dryer and things that you can pay attention to. Very simple first you want to look at the dryer lint screen. If the lint screen does it’s job it catches about 75-80% of the lint but the rest goes on through the dryer and clogs up the vent.

If you ever notice that you have a dryer vents screen that’s collecting on only half the screen or if it’s collecting on both sides or you notice that it???s not collecting any lint at all that is a problem. That’s a sign that your dryer vent is clogged up and you have an air flow issue. If the air is not flowing through properly lint won’t collect properly and that’s a sign that you need to look for to have the vent cleaned out.

Another thing you can look for is the heat of the dryer. If the heat of the dryer is warm that’s what you want to look for but if it’s hot to the touch then you don’t want to keep you hand on it it’s too hot then that’s a sign that you have an extremely clogged up dryer vent and you have an issue that needs to take care of.

Another thing is if your clothes are taking too long, especially jeans and towels, to dry then you want to give us a call to come out and clean out the dryer vent. Another simple thing a lot of people overlook is the space between the wall and the dryer if you keep about 4 or 5 inches between the wall and the dryer that will alleviate the problem that you could have with the dryer vent hose behind the dryer. You want to leave enough space so that there’s not getting crushed back there and the air duct has enough space there to blow through.

Those are a few simple things you can look at while you???re doing your laundry. If you have any of these issues you can always reach us. Again this is Jeremy from Dryer Vents Plus. Our phone number is 225-612-7752.

More Dryer Fire Statistics

Posted on April 7, 2013 by Jeremy Leake

Dryers start fires. It’s a fact. Still don’t believe us? Read this article and decide for yourself.

From the article:

In 2010, an estimated 16,800 reported U.S. home* structure fires involving clothes dryers or washing machines (including combination washer/dryers) resulted in an estimated:

51 civilian deaths

380 civilian injuries

$236 million in direct property damage??

Leading Items First Ignited in Non-Confined Fires Involving??Clothes Washer or Clothes Dryer, 2006-2010

Dryer Fires??

Dust, fiber, or lint 29%

Clothing 28%

Unclassified soft goods or clothing 9%

Washer Fires

Wire or cable insulation 26%

Appliance housing or casing 21%

Drive belt 15%

In 2006-2010:

Most (81%) home structure fires involving washers or dryers began in a laundry room??or area.

Most of these home fires involve clothes dryers (92%).

The risk of fire is roughly equal for gas-fueled clothes dryers and electric-powered

clothes dryers.

The leading cause (32%) of home clothes dryer and washer fires was failure to clean.

If your think your dryer vents might be clogged give us a call today!

To view the entire article click here: http://www.nfpa.org/assets/files/PDF/DryerFactSheet.pdf

Think You’ll Save Money By Not Having an Inspection? Think Again!

Posted on April 3, 2013 by Jeremy Leake

Thinking of skipping an inspection to save a few dollars? IT’s rarely worth the risk. Read this article and decide for yourself.

From the article:

Strange things happen in hot real estate markets, and some of these things can be detrimental to sellers, buyers and the whole real estate experience. One such hot-market phenomenon is that some buyers decide to not make a professional inspection a contingency of their offer to purchase a home. Waiving the inspection contingency may help them prevail in a multiple offer situation, but it can prove foolish.

Fred Friedland, a REALTOR?? with the St. Francis Wood office of Prudential California Realty in San Francisco — one of the nation’s hot real estate markets — says he has seen three all-cash, no-inspection offers in recent months. “I would never advise a buyer to not have inspections, but it seems it’s being done,” he says. “And they’re the ones who are getting the property.” Sellers naturally favor offers that don’t contain an inspection contingency because it’s tantamount to selling their home as-is. Regardless of the home’s condition, the buyers can’t insist on the seller making any repairs that aren’t otherwise provided for in the purchase contract.

Of course, the buyers may not have much leverage in a hot market anyway because the seller may be holding formal back-up offers and other eager buyers may be waiting in the wings. Nonetheless, the risks to the buyer of not having a professional inspection as a contingency are considerable. “The buyers face a huge risk in terms of buying a property with an unforeseen defect,” warns Friedland.

He recalls one instance when an inspector discovered that a home had been built on a sewer easement. “The value of the property went to zero,” he says. Friedland recalls another case in which the sellers of a 1897 Victorian home provided a pest control report showing the property needed $2,400 in mitigation work. The buyers hired a home inspector who happened to be a licensed pest control expert as well. He noticed some additional termite damage that would cost thousands of dollars more to repair. In fact, the home was being eaten alive from the ground up. “The sellers were trying to minimize the appearance of how much damage there was,” Friedland believes.

While these are extreme cases, buyers who waive the inspection contingency have no protection from a host of lesser, yet still costly potential defects in a home. A leaking roof, faulty electrical wiring, malfunctioning major appliances, a defective heating or cooling system and many other problems can result in thousands of dollars of unexpected repair costs at a time when most buyers are strapped for cash.

Waiving the inspection contingency doesn’t mean the buyers are buying blind. They can see much for themselves, and Friedland mentions that a buyer who is a general contractor probably can assess a property without an inspector’s report. Also, some state disclosure laws force sellers to reveal any material problems of which they are aware. However, many sellers are blissfully ignorant of serious defects in their home, and they naturally can’t disclose what they don’t know.

Finally, a buyer’s purchase offer might contain a right to have a professional inspection even though approval of the inspection report won’t be a contingency of closing the transaction. If the inspector uncovers substantial problems, the buyers can attempt to find another way to cancel the escrow.

The bottom line is that waiving the inspection contingency is rarely worth the risk, particularly because it doesn’t ensure a price discount in a strong market. Friedland says well-informed buyers much prefer to move on to another home rather than pass on the inspection. “They’ve always felt they would rather not get the property if they wouldn’t be allowed to have the inspection,” he says.

For all of your dryer inspection needs look no further!

To view the entire article click here: http://www.realtor.com/home-finance/buyers-basics/goodbye-inspection-hello-trouble.aspx