A/C Tips to Keep Your Cool
Easy Air Conditioner Tips Help You Keep Your Cool
Home Owners Network
By Tom Feiza, “Mr. Fix-It”
Central air conditioning is a pleasure – unless it breaks down or you get that really high electric bill. But proper care and feeding of your air conditioner will avoid headaches and help you get the most bang for your buck, energy-wise.
The Inside Story
Start indoors by checking the filter of the fan/coil unit. You’ll find this filter in the return duct for a basement AC unit, in a hallway for an attic unit, or in a closet next to a closet unit. Check the filter once a month and either change or replace it – depending on your unit’s requirements – when dirty. A dirty filter blocks normal air flow and reduces the efficiency of your system.
Your air conditioner removes moisture from the air in your home, and all that moisture has to go somewhere. It condenses on the AC’s refrigeration coils and runs down a drain line; most systems use a white PVC (plastic) pipe for this drain. You should periodically inspect the inside of the drain line. If it’s full of debris, clean it out, using a wet/dry vacuum if you have one, or replace it. An air conditioner can produce several gallons of water per day and will eventually flood the floor if not properly drained.
Does your home have a central humidifier? Make sure it’s turned off for summer. Also, some humidification systems have a bypass duct from the air supply to the air return on the AC unit; close the damper on this duct to prevent air from running through the humidifier.
If your walls have high and low returns (registers), switch them for summer cooling. The upper (high) vent should be open to draw hot air from the ceiling into the air conditioning system. The lower vent should be closed for the summer.
Take It Outside
Next, go outdoors for a few additional checks.
Make sure the exterior coil and fan aren’t blocked by trees, plants or other obstructions. Allow three feet of clearance at the air discharge and one foot all around the unit. Also, check that the exterior unit is level.
Keep the exterior coil clean. It’s best if your clothes dryer doesn’t vent near the exterior AC unit, but if so, vacuum lint from the exterior coil on a routine basis. If the coil is plugged with lint and dirt, hire a professional to clean the unit.
Overall Hints
Have your unit serviced yearly by a professional. If you do this in early summer, you can save money by having the heating unit checked at the same time.
Also, keep your thermostat set at a reasonable temperature – 78 degrees is a good compromise. If high humidity is the norm in your area, keep your AC unit running all the time, even when the outside temperature dips lower temporarily. It costs a lot of money and takes a lot of energy to remove moisture from the air in your home. Every time you open the windows, that moisture rushes back into your home.
Finally, keep an eye on the air conditioner. Listen for strange sounds or vibrations. As with any mechanical system, it’s better to catch a problem in its early stages rather than waiting until a crisis develops.
Just a little bit of maintenance will ensure that your central air conditioner stays efficient and keeps your home comfortable. And in the summer, that’s really cool.
Chill Out: Energy-Saving Do’s and Don’ts
DO
- Close off unused rooms, and close vents in those rooms.
- Make sure furniture doesn’t obstruct air conditioning vents.
- Block the sun with shades, blinds or draperies.
- Consider installing louvers or awnings outdoors.
- Keep heat-producing appliances like lamps or TVs away from the thermostat. Their heat fools the thermostat and makes the AC unit run overtime.
- When preparing meals, use the microwave rather than the oven.
DON’T
- When you first turn on the AC, don’t set the thermostat lower than the desired temperature. This won’t cool your home any faster; it will only lower the temperature more than necessary.
- Don’t run the kitchen or bathroom exhaust fans unnecessarily. They push that cool, dry air right out of the house.
Tom Feiza, “Mr. Fix-It,” is a recovering professional engineer who provides books, illustrations and home operating tools. Visit HowToOperateYourHome.com for more information and books.
What Documents Are Needed to Buy or Sell a Home?
What Documents Are Needed to Buy or Sell a Home?
W2s and 1099s
This one is obvious, but you’ll want hard-copy proof of your earnings for the previous two tax years. When in doubt, just scan your whole tax return; some mortgage lenders prefer to have your entire return anyway.
Recent paychecks
Most of the time, your last two pay stubs will suffice, but some banks might ask for up to two years’ worth of payment records. If you receive payments via direct deposit, printable versions of your paycheck might take some legwork to track down, so it’s best to get on top of this one early.
Gift letter
Are you getting an early inheritance from your parents to help cover your down payment? They’ll need to write a gift letter making clear that the money is indeed a gift and not a loan. The letter should be addressed to the mortgage company and include, among other elements, the dollar amount, the address of the property you hope to purchase, and the date the funds were transferred.
Proof of any debts
Credit card statements, student loan statements, car loan statements, child support agreements … you need records of them all. Honesty is key here; “forgetting” to include debts can put your loan approval and closing in jeopardy.
Bank statements
As a buyer, you’ll need to offer bank statements as part of your lender’s due diligence procedures. They’ll look to confirm that your money is “seasoned” (essentially confirming that any financial transfers were completed legally) as a requirement of the USA Patriot Act.
Records of additional assets
This one is less traumatizing. You’ll need to gather proof of any other assets, such as mutual fund statements and documents relating to any other real estate or property you own.
Copy of your driver’s license
You’ll actually need this twice: once during the initial mortgage application process and once at closing. The seller also needs to bring a copy to the closing.
Copy of preapproval letter
Once you start shopping around for a piece of real estate, you’ll want to prove your buying power. The preapproval letter details your loan type and amount you’ve been approved for, plus your interest rate. It’s like carrying around your buying résumé.
Purchase & sale (P&S) agreement
The P&S is a legally binding contract, not merely a pinkie-swear promise. As such, you should have your real estate attorney carefully review its terms before you sign it, then be sure to keep it handy as you begin the next stage of the buying process.
Amendments
It’s not unusual to tack on some hard-copy changes to the original P&S, most often involving either the purchase price or the repairs that the seller has agreed to make to the property.
Proof of insurance
At closing, some lenders require proof of home insurance from the buyer, including hazard or flood insurance. Even after you secure the insurance itself, you’ll likely need printed copies of the policies.
Certification letters
Two common examples? A termite letter (proof of a clean inspection) and a locate or decommission letter confirming the details of any buried oil tanks on the property. In either case, the responsibility to perform these inspections and provide the resulting certification letters is negotiable. Regardless of who pays, however, lenders frequently to require proof that necessary remediation or containment steps have been made before a sale will close.
Proof of payoffs
Owe money to a plumber, contractor, or another bank for your home equity loan? At closing, a seller will need documentation proving that all debts have been settled.
Lead paint letter
Was your home built before 1978? Then federal law requires you to disclose any lead paint hazards in the dwelling and to give any existing reports to a potential buyer.
Home warranty
Home warranties aren’t required during all transactions, but sometimes a buyer will request that the seller provide a policy with a one-year guarantee that ensures the efficacy of the home’s systems and appliances. (Good deal for the new buyer!)
Condo docs
Unloading a condo? At some point during the selling process, potential buyers will most likely want to peruse the rules of the condo association; if they’re savvy, they might also want to read the minutes of recent association meetings.
Property survey
Property lines are often surprising; even if you’ve lived in a home for eons, you might be shocked to discover that a sliver of your driveway doesn’t technically belong to you. Before selling your place, you’ll want to pull up the survey document to assure the buyer that the presumed land is theirs. Lenders may also require that the buyer have a new survey done before the sale can close.
Property tax receipts
Here’s another one that can easily slip through the cracks, but as a seller, you’ll also need receipts for any property taxes paid in the last couple of weeks. This is a potential point of concern for some home sales, as sometimes the full property tax payments have not been made for the year by the time of the sale — leaving the buyer and seller to negotiate the details of the remaining payments. Currently owed condo or HOA fees are also frequently negotiated in the same way.
– See more at: http://www.trulia.com/blog/what-do-you-need-to-buy-a-house-documents/#sthash.PnmItv0L.dpuf
936 PINELLAS BAYWAY S, #T-11, TIERRA VERDE, FL 33715
Waterfront Condo with 7,000lb Boat Lift and Dock for Sale in Tierra Verde!! Call to schedule your appointment today!
Tampa Bay Watch Presents Bay Life Art Show 2016
The theme of Bay Life, reflecting wildlife in and around the Tampa Bay estuary, was conceived by Bill Castleman, a local artist who also curates the exhibition. Along with Mr. Castleman, seven other prominent Florida artists will exhibit and sell their work in oils, watercolor, acrylic, mixed media, and glass, with a percentage of each sale going to Tampa Bay Watch.
EXHIBITION: Saturday, 2/13, 10 am to 4 pm.
Gallery open to the public. Artist demonstrations, food trucks, and activities throughout the day:
– 10am-11am FREE yoga on the lawn overlooking the bay with Instructor Beth Cole. BYOM- Bring your own mat! (Click here to learn more about Beth and Vinyasa Flow yoga)
– 11am- Take-home shell crafting for kids of all ages with Lisa Castleman. No experience necessary, all materials provided.
– 1pm- Watercolor painting techniques demonstration by Bay Life artist Joyce Ely Walker
PaniniRiffic food truck will be on site all day serving the freshest pressed delights and a donation beer/wine bar will be located in the Community Room alongside the artist displays. Come for art, stay for yoga and food!
The Black Forrest Cottage – Authentic German Restaurant in Tierra Verde
The Black Forrest Cottage has been serving the Tierra Verde community for years and love providing wonderful food, baked goods and imported German snacks to its Customers. Serving a variety of sweets, authentic German food for Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner, along with many beverages of choice, The Black Forrest Cottage is a wonderful experience to enjoy! They are located in the Downtown Tierra Verde Shopping Center: 1120 Pinellas Bayway S Unit #113/114. Open Wednesday – Saturday from 9am – 9pm. Sundays open from 9am – 2pm. (Closed Monday & Tuesday). At Allen Collins Realty, we recommend stopping by the Black Forrest Cottage for delicious German cuisine!!
Your Downtown Dentist Dr. John Ferullo & JB’s Bistro Present…Heart Month!
Dr. John Ferullo and staff cordially invite you to a Continental Breakfast celebrating Dentistry has a Heart month!
Tuesday, February 2nd from 8 am to 10 am in the lobby of Dr. John Ferullo’s Office
200 Central Avenue, Suite 830 St. Petersburg, FL 33701
Join us for coffee, OJ, muffins and biscotti catered by JB’s Bistro.
Corks and Coasters – Busch Gardens Food & Wine Festival Lineup
The concert lineup has been announced for the Tampa Busch Gardens Food & Wine Festival!! #CorksandCoasters Savor the flavors and concerts for every taste and style!
Your Guide Through The Buying Process
Home buying can be a stressful challenge for all kinds of people…First picking out your home can be quite the challenge in itself, and not to mention all the steps to get to closing…However, choosing the right agent, who has been through a variety of experiences like yours before, can help put you at ease. Here is the Home Buying Process laid out in an easy way for all to understand.
Step 1) Find a home.
Make sure to take advantage of all the available options for finding homes on the market, including using your real estate agent, searching for listings online and driving around the neighborhoods that interest you in search of for-sale signs. Also put some feelers out there with your friends, family and business contacts. You never know where a good reference or lead on a home might come from.
Step 2) Consider your financing options and secure financing.
First-time homebuyers have a wide variety of options to help them get into a home, including federally-backed loans and loans for homebuyers who don’t have the standard 20% minimum down payment. Your state may also have its own programs for first-time homebuyers. Your mortgage interest rate will also have a major impact on the total price you pay for your home, so shop around. It will really pay off.
3) Make an offer.
Your real estate agent will help you decide how much money you want to offer for the house along with any conditions you want to ask for, like having the buyer pay for your closing costs. Your agent will then present the offer to the seller’s agent; the seller will either accept your offer or issue a counter-offer. You can then accept, or continue to go back and forth until you either reach a deal or decide to call it quits. If you reach an agreement, you’ll make a good-faith deposit and the process then transitions into escrow. Escrow is a short period of time (often about 30 days) where the seller takes the house off the market with the contractual expectation that you will buy the house – provided you don’t find any serious problems with it when you inspect it.
4) Obtain a home inspection.
Even if the home you plan to purchase appears to be flawless, there’s no substitute for having a trained professional inspect the property for the quality, safety and overall condition of your potential new home. If the home inspection reveals serious defects that the seller did not disclose, you’ll generally be able to rescind your offer and get your deposit back. Negotiating to have the seller make the repairs or discount the selling price are other options if you find yourself in this situation.
5) Close or move on.
If you’re able to work out a deal with the seller, or better yet, if the inspection didn’t reveal any significant problems, you should be ready to close. It’s important to follow each step of the process to ensure an easy closing.
