Day: March 10, 2015

Categories
Modern tampa bay homes New homes in land o lakes fl Single family homes

The Advantages of Buying a Modern Home in a Self-Sustaining Community

Tampa fl new homes

Prospective home buyers have much to consider when they look into purchasing a house. From location and amenities to school district and home price, buyers routinely make “must-haves” to include anything they can think of to ensure that they receive the best deal possible. But there’s something else that many home buyers also look at, which is a home’s energy efficiency.

When considering buying a new home, including those that are custom built, heating and cooling costs are at least somewhat important to 86% of buyers. In fact, energy efficiency in appliances is also an issue for those who want modern homes, with 94% of respondents surveyed saying that they want a home with Energy Star-rated appliances. Saving money on energy, heating, and cooling costs is a big deal for homeowners as the price of coal and fossil fuel rises.

One way for home buyers to find a house with modern home design and energy efficiency is to look toward a self-sustaining community. Like other master planned communities, a self-sustaining community will be feature green certified homes with all the modern comforts that homeowners love. Buying a house with a green certification label can add about 9% to its selling value, which is excellent news for home buyers who may have to move in a few years.

Why else are green homes a big deal? By buying a home in a self-sustaining community, home buyers can be more confident in their home’s environmental friendliness. These new homes are often built with sustainable materials. In addition to appliances, they have features like energy efficient windows and lighting. The surroundings of the homes are usually quite “green” as well. In many cases, these homes are built in neighborhoods that give them a park-like setting, so families that like hiking and taking walks can enjoy the beautiful natural scenery.

If you’re choosing a new home, find out how a modern home in a green community could be right for you and your family. Have more questions? Leave a comment below.

Categories
Armillary sphere for sale Nautical theme decor Wall mounted bell

Three Interior Decorating Faux Pas to Avoid

Porthole clock

Crafting a quality nautical-theme isn’t hard to do. You just have to balance a color palette of white, navy, and khaki, and then arrange some nautical home decorations, such as porthole clocks, nautical wheels, and wall mounted bells, tastefully throughout the space.

Simple, right?

While it may be easy to create a nautical-theme, there are still many interior decorating faux-pas that are easy to make. Here are just a few to watch out for.

Leaving Ceilings White.

Don’t leave your ceiling white. Although it’s one of the most dominant colors in a well done nautical-theme, it’s best to choose something else. Adding color to this one part of the room will add so much more visual drama and character. If you don’t like the idea of a khaki or navy ceiling, many interior decorators also use red, yellow, and black as secondary colors in nautical-themes.

Having Too Much of a Good Thing.

Yes, there are tons and tons of different pieces of nautical decor you can hang on your walls or decorate your surface areas, but you don’t want to overload it. Too much nautical decor is a bad thing, and could kill the interior design. Keep it light. Keep it balanced.

Failing to Pay Attention to Scale.

Scale is one of the most important things to pay attention to, especially when choosing where to place your nautical decor. Putting a small, wall mounted bell above a big sofa will not only make the bell look even smaller, but make the wall look more bare. Instead, hang large pieces near big furniture, and cluster smaller nautical decor together, or in busier areas.

Nautical decorations may be easy to find and place throughout your space, but interior decorating can be a bit tricky if you’re not careful. If you have any questions about placing nautical decor tastefully throughout your home, feel free to share in the comments.

Categories
Heating and cooling systems Heating and cooling units Will the heat index affect your air conditioning

Three Commonly-Asked Questions About Air Conditioning

Emergency furnace repair

Nearly all houses in the U.S. have some kind of air conditioning system — and that may be why the U.S. heating and cooling services industry is currently worth an incredible $71 billion.

And a huge part of being a homeowner is being sure that you understand all that you should about your home’s air conditioning system. This will allow you to more quickly detect when something goes wrong, preventing more costly damage that comes from ignoring the issue.

Are all your questions about your home air conditioning systems being answered? To find out, here are some of the most frequently-asked questions we receive about home air conditioning repair, along with their answers:

Q: How do home air conditioning systems work?

A: In the simplest terms possible, air conditioners work by transferring heat from inside your home to the outside. Air is drawn in via your home’s duct system and brought to the evaporator coil. A refrigerant will pass from the air conditioner’s condenser to the evaporator coil and absorbs the heat from the air. The newly-cooled air is then circulated throughout your house through its vents.

Q: Should I be concerned about indoor air quality?

A: To a degree. If you are regularly switching out your air filters once every three to six months as recommended, you will be able to keep your indoor air free of a number of allergens like dust and pollen, as well as harmful airborne germs. In addition, you should have your air conditioning system regularly examined and maintained by a professional to ensure no pollutants from your air conditioner are present in your home’s air.

Q: How can I make my air conditioning more efficient?

A: There are several ways you can reduce the amount of energy your home air conditioning systems consume. By using ceiling fans and other fans, you can increase air circulation and reduce the amount of work your air conditioner has to do. Also, be sure to never close more than 20% of the vent registers in your house — this will place an unnecessary strain on your air conditioner.

Do you have even more questions about home air conditioning services that weren’t answered here? Feel free to ask us anything or share your thoughts in the comments below. Helpful research also found here.