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If you own a house, you need homeowners insurance. You may be able to lower your premiums significantly and save money each month by raising your deductible. But before you do so, weigh the pros and cons.

Benefits of a Higher Deductible
A policy with a higher deductible usually has lower premiums than a similar policy with a lower deductible. The policyholder assumes more responsibility for paying for repairs and replacing damaged property in exchange for lower premiums. This reduces the insurance companys risk, since policyholders file fewer claims, and the insurer pays out less for approved claims. If you chose a higher deductible and didnt file any claims for several years, you might qualify for discounts that could reduce your premiums even further.

Could You Afford a Higher Deductible?
If you switched to a higher deductible and went several years without submitting a claim, the amount you saved in premiums could be enough to cover the deductible if you eventually needed to file a claim. Before you decide to raise your deductible, make sure you have that amount of money set aside or could save it in a reasonable period of time. If you didnt have enough money to cover a deductible and your house suffered major damage, you could be forced to continue living there without having problems fixed, which means they could get even worse.

If you experienced a significant loss, having to pay a large deductible could be a tough pill to swallow. Knowing that your insurer would foot most of the bill could be comforting. Insurance companies typically offer policies with a range of deductibles. It might make sense to raise your deductible, but not to the highest amount the company would allow.

How Much Money Could You Save by Raising Your Deductible?
Where you live could have a significant effect on how much your premiums would go down with a higher deductible. In some places, you could save a bundle, while in other locations your potential savings might not make it worthwhile to raise your deductible.

Most insurance policies have a single deductible amount that applies to all claims, but some have different deductibles for liability, wind and hail. Make sure you know what the deductible is for different perils.

Would It Make Sense to Raise Your Deductible?
Raising your homeowners insurance deductible could save you money each month, but it could leave you in a bind if your house needed repairs or if your belongings were damaged or stolen and you didnt have enough money to pay the deductible. Contact your insurance company or agent to discuss your options and your overall financial situation so you can choose a deductible and premium that are comfortable for you.

Published with permission from RISMedia.

A vertical garden, also known as a living wall, is the ultimate way to bring nature into your home. Whether youre in the city and want to introduce some greenery into urban quarters or simply enjoy the relaxing ambiance of a wall clad with plants, there are many reasons to consider designing one in your home. Heres a breakdown of everything you need to know before getting started on your vertical garden:

Design Details
While you can simply mount a trellis on the wall, youll want to reserve that for the terrace or patio. Indoor living walls require a series of pockets to hold the plants and a drip irrigation system that will keep them healthy without making a mess of your home. They make the perfect addition to a living room, but keep in mind how much light each wall gets when deciding where to put the garden. You also don’t need to create large living walls or elaborate designs”small, simple gardens can still add to a room’s ambiance, so determine which type of design is right for you and your space.

Pick Your Plants
The amount of sunlight that the area receives will play a role in the plants best suited to your vertical garden. Golden pothos and crotons are popular choices because they tend to do well in bright, indirect light. Ferns are another favorite because they can grow quickly in shady places and create a verdant setting, though be aware that they do best in humid conditions.

Sit Back and Enjoy the Benefits
There are many immediate advantages to having a green living environment inside your home. For starters, it will improve your air quality and remove pollutants so you and your family can enjoy a healthier atmosphere. If you can hear the sounds of the city from your living room, or the kids are learning to play the drums in the room next door, youll be happy to hear that vertical gardens are also effective ways to reduce noise pollution. Lastly, plants are proven to reduce our stress levels, meaning this eco-chic design will help you relax each day.

Published with permission from RISMedia.

A bathroom can be among the top selling points in a home. In fact, upgrading your bathroom prior to listing the home for sale may enable you to sell it at a higher price point. Here are some ways you can improve your bathroom and get the highest possible return on your investment:

Add More Storage
There are many items that you want or need to keep in a bathroom at any given time. For instance, you’ll likely want to keep extra rolls of toilet paper handy or have extra hand towels available. You’ll also want to keep your toothbrush, toothpaste and deodorant in the bathroom. By adding a closet, a larger vanity or extra drawers underneath your current vanity, you provide plenty of space for multiple people to share the bathroom peacefully.

Add a Touch of Luxury
Buyers will have a harder time not putting an offer on a home when it has a luxurious feel to it. Adding a whirlpool tub to the bathroom will make a buyer feel as if he or she were about to buy a spa instead of a residential property. Working with companies can make it possible to make your bathroom luxurious yet affordable at the same time.

Put in New Tile
Replacing your current floor in favor of a tile one can improve the look and feel of the entire space. In fact, a remodeling contractor can add a heated floor that is ideal for those cold winter days or those chilly spring mornings. It can make it easier to face the prospect of walking to the shower or sink without the need to find your socks and slippers first.

Add an Additional Sink
If you have to share the bathroom with your spouse or kids, it’s important to have multiple sinks. This allows both parents to get ready for work at once or both kids to get ready for school at the same time. It also allows people to keep their respective area of the vanity as clean or as messy as they want without infringing on others.

Even if you don’t have a large remodeling budget, you can still make your bathroom look and feel like one of the best rooms in the house. When upgraded properly, this space can be the centerpiece of the home and help attract eager buyers willing to pay top dollar for it.

Source: Hannah Whittenly/RISMedias Housecall

Published with permission from RISMedia.

Small spaces have their own charm and challenges, but every home–regardless of size–can benefit from visually adding space. Thankfully, there are a few key tricks to making your rooms look bigger that are easy to implement.

Scale Down
This may be obvious, but a massive couch will swallow a small room. If your room is small, or you would simply like to maximize your empty space, opt for smaller furniture and even smaller art. Keep everything appropriate for the scale of the room.

Use Vertical Space
Keep your floor uncluttered by using vertical space instead. Opt against horizontal storage options like large trunks or long dressers. Strategically staged tall bookcases and tall dressers can serve to house items without compromising your floor space

Go for Minimalist Style
Too many items in a small room looks cluttered, even if its organized. Lean towards a minimalist aesthetic to ensure that you are not visually cramping your space.

Bring in the Light
A well-lit room feels airy and spacious even if its small. Avoid light-blocking curtains and blinds whenever possible and try to keep the room bright. For the evenings, add track lighting, recessed lighting or more lamps to keep the space looking roomy and inviting.

Go for Sleek Furniture
Clunky and bulky furniture of the past should be avoided in a small space. Instead, seek out the sleek look of mid-century modern furniture. This style works very well in a small space because its elongating lines elevate the room and the furniture itself takes up less square footage.

Keep Your Color Scheme Minimal
Bright and dazzling colors have their place, but that may not be in your small room. Light, softer hues work better to keep a room looking spacious and airy and a monochromatic color scheme keeps your space from looking too visually stimulating and cluttered.

Preventing a cluttered and claustrophobic feel should be the goal in any sized room. And while adding extra square footage may be a task for your next renovation project, there are easy ways you can make your room look bigger in the meantime.

Published with permission from RISMedia.

If you own a house, you probably know that its important to keep your gutters clean. Its a dirty, difficult and time-consuming task that many homeowners put off, but not cleaning gutters can lead to serious problems that can be expensive to repair.

Possible Structural Damage to Your House
When gutters get clogged with wet leaves and other debris, water cant flow through them the way its supposed to, so it flows over the sides of the gutters and rains down to the ground. Water that collects near the foundation can soften the soil and damage the foundation. If the foundation gets wet and the temperature drops enough for it to freeze, the foundation can heave, crack and shift, which can weaken the structural integrity of the entire house.

Water that collects near the foundation can leak into the basement, where it can damage the walls and cause mold that can threaten your familys health. Water can also get into a crawlspace and damage the piers that support the house.

In the winter, water that cant flow down through the gutters can freeze and form ice dams. Large amounts of ice can accumulate along the gutters and roof and weigh down the gutters, and water can leak into the house. The weight of ice and debris can also cause the gutters to come loose from the house.

If water collects in clogged gutters, the moisture can damage the wood soffits and fascia. If wood on the outside of the attic rots, it can provide entry points for squirrels, raccoons and other animals. Water can also damage roofing shingles, the roof deck and insulation. Wet debris in gutters can allow algae and moss to grow and damage the roof. Water that gets behind siding or window frames can cause damage and mold that may be hard to detect.

Wet leaves and other debris in gutters can attract insects. They can get into the house through gaps or cracks and some, such as termites, can cause major structural damage.

Potential Problems With Your Yard and Driveway
Water pouring down from gutters can damage flowers, bushes and trees below by washing away the topsoil that holds the roots in place. Water can also wash away mulch in a garden.

If water runs over the sides of the gutters and lands on the driveway or sidewalk and freezes, it can create a slippery surface that can cause falls and potentially serious injuries. Water can also run under the driveway and cause holes and cracks to form. The driveway can even shift, which can damage cars, and the uneven surface can create a tripping hazard.

Dont Skip Gutter Cleaning
Cleaning your gutters is an unpleasant but necessary task. If you dont have the time to do it yourself, arent physically up to the task, or just dont want to, hire a gutter cleaning company. Also consider installing gutter guards to reduce the amount of debris in your gutters and the frequency of cleanings.

Published with permission from RISMedia.