Erin H, Author at Beating Broke

5 Ways to Invest in Regular Home Maintenance

May 17, 2023 By Erin H Leave a Comment

Being a homeowner comes with a great deal of responsibility. To keep your home from falling apart or becoming a safety hazard, it’s important to do regular maintenance. Whether it’s roof inspections, power washing, or preventing air leaks, there are several ways to maintain your home. While spending more time and money on your home may seem like a burden, it’ll pay off in amazing ways you may not have expected!

1. Inspect Water Sources

As water flows into and out of the home, you must be mindful of the source and plumbing. 13 million households in the U.S. use water from private drinking water wells. The last thing you want for you and your family is to drink water that’s been contaminated because you didn’t maintain your well. Waterborne illnesses can cause gastrointestinal problems. Your local plumber should do inspections to ensure your pipes aren’t corrosive or create leaks. Leaking pipes not only waste tons of water in American households each year, but they can also cause water damage to the home.

2. Clean the Exterior

According to Zippia, there are over 9,424 pressure washers currently employed in the United States. Any algae growth can be unsightly and can create damage due to moisture. Regular power washing is a great way to remove it along with dirt and other bacteria from the exterior. It also aids in your home’s curb appeal, which is helpful in case you ever sell your home.

3. Add Security

Do you feel secure with your doors and windows? The doors and windows of your house should properly be sealed to prevent air leaks, water leaks, as well as intruders. If a person steals property or services worth $1,000 to $1,500, this is considered class B felony theft. However, if a person steals property or services worth more than $1,500, this is considered class A felony theft. You can help avoid any type of theft by installing custom steel or iron doors. Upgrading your home security system with smart locks and video surveillance is a great way to ensure there are always eyes on your home, even when you’re not there.

4. Protect Foundation

You simply can’t live in a house without a strong foundation. The best way to protect your foundation is to be mindful of any vulnerability to water damage. That’s why you should never skip your annual roof inspections. In the event of inclement weather, such as heavy storms, you should also have your roof contractor check your roof afterward. Water damage can creep into the foundation and lead to mold. Mold is a health hazard to you and your family’s respiratory health. By preventing mold, you can avoid costly mold remediation services or hospital visits for asthma. You’ll also protect your home value.

5. Utility Bills

Paying utility bills is a part of home ownership, and the better you maintain your home, the less you spend. As mentioned earlier, leaky pipes waste tons of water, which can lead to a high water bill. When you have cracks and other vulnerabilities in your roof, windows, and doors, it makes it easy for air to come in and out of the house. Such exposure makes it impossible to truly insulate your home during cold winters and hot summers to keep the air temperature comfortable for you and your family.

These are just some of the ways that you can properly maintain your house. Property maintenance goes a long way in keeping you secure and safe for years. You’ll save money on costly utility bills, prevent mold, and more. For more information on how maintaining your property can save you money, contact our team today.

4 Ways to Make Your Old Home Energy Efficient

April 27, 2023 By Erin H Leave a Comment

Regardless of age, it’s always a good thing to save money. This is true for people who own their own homes, and who may be wondering if there are ways to make improvements to their savings. This is especially a concern for older homes, which may leave a lot to be desired in terms of efficiency. The answer is that it’s possible to save by keeping your energy requirements reasonable. Have a look below to see some amazing ways in which you can make your old home more energy-efficient and save a good amount of money.

1. Seal Your Duct System

One of the areas in which you should invest some energy is in your home’s ductwork. Hot air can easily escape through the joints in the ductwork. This is supported by the fact that up to 30% of the energy consumption in your home may start from issues with your duct system. That said, it’s a good idea for you to have an inspection done on your ductwork so that you can seal all possible leaks. Alternatively, do the inspection yourself as long as there’s minimal risk in doing so, and apply healing-vent tape to all the joints that you come across. When you do this, you can be sure that you’ll lose less energy through the ductwork.

2. Switch to ENERGY STAR Kitchen Appliances

To make even more savings while keeping your home running efficiently, you may want to look into getting ENERGY STAR appliances that have great ratings for energy use. While 87% of homeowners add new decor as a part of their kitchen renovations, it’s important to dedicate more funds towards a more meaningful upgrade. If your appliances are old enough to warrant replacement, you should replace them with modern appliances that promise to give you great service while using up less energy. From dishwashers and refrigerators to freezers and induction cooktops, you can be sure that you’ll get a number of kitchen appliances to choose from. You’ll notice an improvement in your overall energy consumption when you switch to appliances that have a good energy rating.

3. Redesign Your Bathroom

Another space in your home that you can redesign to improve efficiency is the bathroom. That’s because there are a few possible sources of energy loss in this space. From making sure that the showers and toilets use water efficiently to getting more efficient water heaters and energy strips for appliances in the bathroom, there are a few things to look into. If your bathroom is among the 12.43% of bathrooms that have a modern design aesthetic, it’s important to proceed with this design aspect in mind. Make upgrades that will add to this rather than take away from it, such as picking taps in a certain finish that are also more efficient in controlling water flow.

4. Check the Doors and Windows

Last, but not least, it’s a good idea for you to ensure that there are no cracks between your doors and windows and their frames. These may seem minimal, but they can cause a lot of energy loss by forcing you to turn your AC higher and for a longer time to achieve a comfortable temperature in the house. That said, if your house has older windows and doors, you may want to look for new ones that will replace any old, drafty ones and lead to energy efficiency. If you can’t replace them right away, take the temporary measure of sealing any gaps you find with caulk from your local hardware store.

With these four methods, you can improve your home’s energy efficiency and get the money you spend on energy to go further. By doing this, you can enjoy a safe and comfortable home through all seasons. Plan for these upgrades so that you can get them done in the best way possible and make considerable energy savings as a result.

Starting a Small Business? Read This!

April 26, 2023 By Erin H Leave a Comment

Starting your own business may feel like a lot of work. There’s a lot of information going around on things like permits, finances, and more, which may be confusing. While it takes a considerable amount of work to start a business the right way and run it well, the truth is that you need to figure out a good way to start and keep an open mind so that you can learn and adjust as you go. Read on to see some of the basic information that you need to keep in mind in order to start your small business the right way and set it up for success.

Stay Legally Informed

To be able to start your business well and run it the right way, it’s important to make sure that you follow all the necessary regulations. For this, you may need to hire a professional to point out the legal aspects to consider while planning your business. It’s also a good idea for you to do your own research and follow the law yourself in all other aspects. This involves avoiding things like drinking and driving, for which you risk many things, including a DUI. Note that a second DUI conviction in PA can result in jail time as well as between $300 and $2,500. This and other instances of breaking the law could also cost you your reputation besides issues with finances.

Hire the Right Team

The next thing that you should do is to hire the right people to help you. For reference, note that roughly 70% of small businesses hire tax professionals to help them with their IRS concerns and tax preparation. Given the complex nature of this field, it’s important to find someone who’s knowledgeable in the field to help you. When you do this, you’ll have your hands free to work on other business issues. As a result, you can do a lot more and avoid the consequences of failure to comply, since ignorance can’t be considered as a defense.

Set Up an Online Presence

The fact that four out of five consumers shop on their smartphones should motivate you to not only create a solid online presence but to also make sure that it’s mobile-friendly. Find a good designer who can help you to design a website that will showcase your business in a flattering and professional light. You should also have a logo and other branding tools that will help you make an impact on the market. Tailor these details to appeal to your desired target market and you may find it easier to reach further. When people can access and interact with your business and leave fully satisfied with the experience, they’re quite likely to come back again and talk to others about your business.

Find the Right Business Insurance

Last, but not least, look for the right business insurance for your business. Good insurance can help you get your business back on its feet in case something happens. This may be an accident, a weather event, or even something malicious like vandalism or hacking. Take time and find as much information as you can about business insurance. Alternatively, hire someone to tell you the right insurance coverage to buy. With this, you can be more confident in building your business because you’ll know that you have backing in case something happens.

Take these steps when starting a small business to give it a good chance of growing. Keep an open mind as well, staying ready to learn a new thing or two at any time. This is the only way in which you can run a successful business that avoids a number of hurdles and emerges whole in the end.