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If youre in the market for a new home, you should consider potential heating and cooling costs. Most people know that the types of windows and the amount of insulation can affect utility bills but dont realize that the orientation of a house with respect to the sun can, too.

How Orientation Can Affect Energy Bills
The sun rises in the east and sets in the west. At mid-day, the sun is at a lower angle during the winter and at a higher angle in the summer.

To make the best use of the position of the sun, a house should be built on an east-west axis in a rectangular shape with the east and west sides shorter than the north and south ends. The house should be oriented within 15 degrees of due east-west.

Orienting a house toward the sun can have a significant impact on heating bills in regions with cold winters. Since the south side of a house will receive the most warmth from the sun in the winter and the most natural light year-round, the main living areas should be positioned on the south side of the house. Parts of the house that arent used as much, such as the garage and laundry room, should be located on the shorter ends to provide a buffer to protect the main living areas from cold temperatures and wind.

If the long, front side of a house is facing within 20 degrees of true south, windows on that side can allow plenty of sunlight and heat into the house during the winter. If the angle is more than 20 degrees, the house may get too much heat in the summer and not enough in the winter.

South-facing walls should have at least 50 percent more combined window area than the east and west walls. Since windows on the east and west sides of a house will get little solar heat in the winter and a lot of heat in the summer, home builders often limit the number of windows on those sides.

The orientation of a house can allow you to take advantage of wind. If you live in a hot and humid area, breezes can keep the interior cool. In a hot and dry region, a house can be oriented to keep hot winds out.

The natural landscape can also affect utility costs. Deciduous trees can provide shade to keep a house from getting too hot in the summer. When the trees lose their leaves in the fall, they will allow the home to receive plenty of natural light in the winter. Hills and evergreen trees can block cold winter winds.

Talk to Your Real Estate Agent about a Homes Orientation
Many people are unaware of how much of an impact the orientation of a house can have on heating and cooling costs. If you are planning to buy a home, be sure to ask about its orientation and consider its possible effects on your utility bills.

Published with permission from RISMedia.

While its always a good idea to give your home a little TLC this time of year, thats especially true if youre planning to put it on the market soon. Here are a few tips to help you with a thorough spring cleaning that will leave your home looking its best.

Declutter and Donate
One of the most important first steps is to tackle all of the clutter throughout your home, and a good way to do so is to have everyone make a donation pile. Anything thats no longer being used can certainly be appreciated by another family, from old toys that the kids arent playing with anymore to clothes that have been outgrown. Youll feel good about helping others while also making your home more organized.

Window Washing
Its always a good idea to have your windows professionally cleaned at least once a year and the spring is an ideal time to have them scrubbed inside and out. You might not even realize that dirt and smudges have accumulated over the course of the year, but youll notice the difference when your crystal-clear views are on full display.

Landscape Clean-Up
Whether you make a family activity out of it or call in professionals, a landscape clean-up is likely in order because weeds, leaves and other unwanted debris has a way of collecting in the backyard during the winter. A fresh layer of mulch and pruning trees, shrubs and hedges will go a long way toward beautifying your grounds.

Outdoor Furniture
After being cooped up indoors all winter, everyone can look forward to getting back outside. Thankfully, its time to brush off your outdoor furniture and take it out of storage or try revamping your backyard with a new set of loungers and dining table for al fresco entertaining.

Fresh Coat of Paint
Calling in the painters to do some touch-ups around the home can make all the difference. If youre the type who likes keeping everything in tip-top shape, a fresh coat is always a surefire way to remove the general wear and tear that shows up over the course of the year.

Published with permission from RISMedia.

If you file a homeowners insurance claim, youll have to pay a deductible before the insurer will pick up the tab for the remaining cost. Homeowners policies sometimes have several deductibles that are different amounts and that apply in different situations.

Types of Homeowners Insurance Deductibles
Some homeowners insurance policies have deductibles that are just a flat amount or just a percentage. Others have split deductibles, which means that a dollar value applies in most cases, but a percentage applies in some specific circumstances.

With a split-deductible policy, most perils are subject to a deductible in the form of a dollar amount. Deductibles for claims related to wind, hail and hurricanes are a percentage of the houses insured value. Guidelines on when hurricane deductibles apply depend on each states insurance regulations. Usually, storms must be officially declared or named by the National Weather Service.

Deductibles for flood insurance can be a dollar amount or a percentage, depending on the state and insurance company. Earthquake insurance deductibles are available in a range of percentages. If a homeowners insurance policy includes endorsements for things such as water backups, service line coverage and equipment breakdowns, they may be subject to a separate deductible.

When Youll Have to Pay a Deductible
If you file a claim for more than one type of loss, such as damage to your house and personal property replacement, in most cases you will only have to pay one deductible if all the losses were caused by the same event. You wont have to pay a deductible for liability claims.

How to Choose the Right Deductibles
Generally speaking, choosing a higher deductible will result in lower monthly or annual premiums. When you select a deductible, make sure its one you can afford. You might enjoy lower premiums, but if you had to file a claim for major damage and couldnt afford your deductible, you might have to scramble to find a source of funds or get stuck living in a damaged home.

Choosing the right deductible is particularly important if you live in an area prone to severe weather and your deductible for those types of losses is a percentage of your homes value. In that case, your deductible could be tens of thousands of dollars. You might be better off paying more in premiums to avoid a large out-of-pocket expense.

Look for Other Ways to Keep Your Premiums Affordable
If youre concerned about the cost of your homeowners insurance premiums, there are other ways to stick to your budget. Insurance companies offer several discounts that can help customers save money and many people qualify for more than one. You may get quoted reduced rates if your home has safety features, if you bundle multiple policies and if you meet other criteria. Discuss deductibles, discounts and premiums with an insurance representative or with your agent.

Published with permission from RISMedia.

A clean home is an inviting home. Whether you are naturally a neatnik or your true nature involves leaving your socks on the floor, theres no doubt that a cleaner home brings a sense of calm and allows us to achieve our daily tasks, quicker and easier.

If you are looking for a way to curb your naturally messy ways without succumbing to an overwhelming cleaning schedule, youre in luck. Pairing your daily cleaning checklist down to a handful of vital tasks can provide a sense of tidiness without costing you all your spare time. This list separates the main areas of the typical home, allowing you to truly divide and conquer.

Kitchen
Its said that the kitchen is the heart of your home, and it takes the first spot on the list because it is the area that gets subjected to daily grime the most. From dirty dishes to sauce splatters on the stovetop to juice spills on the counter, your kitchen has seen it all.

Take 15-30 minutes each day to tackle these tasks:

Load dirty dishes into the dishwasher.
Quick-wipe counters.
Wipe up problem areas on stovetop or floors.
Rinse and wipe down the sink.

Living Room
Your living room is likely the space that you spend the most time… well, actually living in. This means it is a magnet for clutter. When it comes to the living room, a little care can go a long way to ensuring that you arent stuck spending hours cleaning it up later.

Every night, devote 10 minutes to:

Clear away any clutter that has accumulated.
Straighten cushions and throw pillows.

Bathroom
Like your kitchen, your bathroom has its own tendency to accumulate daily grime. From soap scum to toothpaste specks, there are areas that can get gross quickly. While a deep cleaning is needed weekly, a daily wipe down can make your regular cleaning fuss-free. Take a few minutes each day to wipe the counters and any problem areas with a sanitizing wipe.

Bedroom
The bedroom is often where the clutter of the day finds a resting place. Yet, if you want a comfortable rest, keeping your bedroom free of pileups is key. Devote 10 minutes to do a quick tidy of your bedroom each evening”you will be surprised at the impact it has

A few easy tasks can have far reaching effects and will make deeper cleaning a breeze down the road.

Published with permission from RISMedia.

Do you have a busted door knob or want to change the locks after buying a new home so you can be sure that only you have the key? Thankfully, replacing a door knob isnt that hard or expensive, and you dont need a locksmith to get the job done.

You can buy a door knob kit relatively cheap from any home improvement retailer or your local hardware store, or simply order one online and it will be there in no time. And dont think you need all day to get the job done. This is something that even the most inexperienced handyman can do in under an hour”probably under 30 minutes.

Here are some step-by-step instructions in making sure you do the job right:

Take off the damaged door knob
Get a screwdriver and undo the mounting screws on both sides of the know. Many times, the screws are concealed, but you should be able to find the shank of the interior doorknob where there will be a tiny slot or hole. Push the tip of a narrow-blade screwdriver or nailset into the hole, tug on the knobs (both sides) and they will slide right off. Then pry off the round decorative plate, called the rose, to expose the screws that hold the lockset onto the door.

Remove the Latch Plate
The first thing you need to do is unscrew the two screws from the latch plate on the inside of the door, enabling you to easily pull the latch out. Whether you are working with a dead bolt on a front door or just a simple bedroom door, the process is the same.

Add New Latch Plate
Next, insert the new latch plate on the inside edge of the door where the old one was just removed. The tapered side of the turning lock should be facing the strike plate on the door frame. Then, secure the new latch plate in place.

Add Door Knob
Put on your new door knob (one side at a time), by bringing the spindle through the latch and centering it so both sides are equal. Secure the knobs on both sides and screw in the new plate. Once done, test to ensure it works from both sides.

Polish
Finish the job by polishing your new door knob so it looks great.

Published with permission from RISMedia.