Dealing with Rain Runoff
For many of us, rain instead of snow is a welcome change. But to your home, it can be a nightmare.
Rain and runoff can spell trouble for your yard, basement, and roof, especially if you haven’t performed regular maintenance.
But there are some ways you can protect your castle from the elements.
Check out these great tips for keeping water where it belongs:
- Let it flow – Make sure your gutters flow into a pipe or drain rather than your yard or the side of your house.
- Tilt it – That big flat yard may lead to a muddy mess. Consider increasing the grade of the slope to let water flow away from your home easier.
- Crack up – Check the sides of your home for cracks and leaks. Seal them to prevent water in your basement or foundation.
- Up top – Make sure your roof is well maintained and has no missing shingles. If possible, upgrade your gutters to reduce debris that could lead to a clog, as well.
With these changes, you could prevent water from being a pest and save yourself a lot of hassle. Stay dry out there!
Home Cyber Security Tips
From shopping to chatting with friends to watching movies, we do everything online these days.
But that connectivity can also be a point of insecurity. There’s a treasure trove of personal information online just waiting for the wrong party to find.
But before you cut the cord to the outside world, you’ll be delighted to know that some simple changes can make you much, much safer.
Try these simple solutions for greater security:
- Update your password – If you do nothing else, make a better password. The longer, the better. HINT: A sentence can be a password!
- Update your antivirus software – Antivirus protection does more than just hunt bugs. It can keep you safe on the internet as well.
- Email jail – The rule of email is – if it looks fishy, spam it. HINT: Check the sender’s address to ensure it’s the right person.
- Update it – Always keep your devices updated to stay safe from the most recent virus or attack.
These easy adjustments can keep you safe and secure inside your own home. Happy binging!
Increasing Value with Home Improvement
Whether you have upgraded your kitchen, retiled the bathroom, or finally put in that petting zoo you’ve always wanted, making some home improvement can be incredibly rewarding.
And it can also increase your home value.
While most people think about how much more someone would pay for their home (Market Value), insurance agents think about how much it would cost to rebuild (Replacement Cost Value).
What improvements add the most value? Check out the following:
- Bedroom – Simply adding a bedroom only increases the square footage. Instead, try renovating your existing bedroom to add value without additional construction.
- Bathroom – Renovated or additional bathrooms can bring a ton of value.
- Kitchen – A new kitchen is one of the most valuable, and expensive, additions you can make.
- Outdoor – Yards, gardens, outbuildings, and pools add much less to your replacement value than indoors.
As always, talk to your agent about changes to get the real numbers. Enjoy that new bathroom feeling!