Florida Homebuilder Centerline Homes | Real Estate Blog

Top 5 Furniture Trends for 2011

Furniture and home furnishings now mimic the fashion industry; trends are set, colour schemes change with the seasons and new styles are introduced. Society is becoming more and more adventurous when it comes to furnishing ones home with an ever growing number of home and property shows appearing on our television and interior designers popping up here and there to show us how easy it is to transform our home into a hospitable haven.  Furniture is the key to creating any look within a home; this can then be enhanced by introducing the relevant accessories to add colour and texture to a room.  Below is a selection of the main furniture categories and the ambiance they can generate within a home:

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5 Home Improvement Tips for 2011

Now’s the time to add a few New Year’s home improvement resolutions to your already long list. Here are some worth considering that will keep your house in shape, help the environment, and save you money.

1. Stay Safe: The start of a New Year is the perfect time to replace the batteries in your carbon monoxide and smoke detectors. Also, check to be sure your fire extinguishers are in working order and easy to access. Another important fire prevention resolution is to have your chimney inspected and the flue cleaned if necessary.

2. Winterize Your Home: Now that cold weather has arrived, don’t put off winterizing your home by sealing up cracks and repairing the weather stripping around your windows and doors. Remember to cover outside faucets, bring in potted plants, and drip inside faucets when the temperatures drop below freezing. It’s also a good time to add additional insulation to your attic which can save big money on your heating and cooling bills.

3. Save Energy: Resolve to turn down your thermostat this winter when you’re at work or sleeping. Better yet, replace it with a programmable thermostat that will remember to do it for you. Installing energy efficient compact fluorescent light bulbs can help reduce your carbon footprint while saving money at the same time.

4. Go Green: Make the effort to start recycling and dispose properly of old electronic equipment such as televisions, computers, and cell phones. Take steps to save water by repairing dripping faucets and fixing running toilets. Other ways to save water include installing low-flow showerheads, and replacing old water guzzling toilets with new water saving or dual-flush models. When buying new appliances or electronic equipment, be sure they carry the federal Energy Star seal for energy efficiency.

5. Home Maintenance: Making a resolution to change the air filter on your central system every month or two will save energy and allow your system to run more efficiently. Draining your hot water tank once a year removes any sediment buildup. This can make it last longer and work better. Cleaning your gutters regularly is another important home maintenance project that is easy to overlook. Neglected gutters can lead to the rotting of eave boards as well as damage to basements and foundations.

So what are your home improvement resolutions for the New Year? Share the pet projects that you’ve been putting off by leaving a comment below. Visit a Centerline Homes Community to find your New Home for the New Year!

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More Tips for Living Green Around Home and on the Road

• Cook with your Microwave Microwaves are between 3.5 and 4.8 times more energy efficient than traditional electric ovens. Cooking and reheating with a microwave is faster and more efficient than the stovetop or oven.
• Use commercial car washes Getting your car washed at a commercial car wash is better for the environment than doing it yourself. Commercial car washes not only use significantly less water per wash  but they often recycle and reuse the rinse water.
• Clean your air filters Check air conditioning filters monthly to either clean or replace them. This will help the unit run more efficiently. Better yet: buy a permanent filter that can be washed and re-used. This will save you money over the long run and keep all those disposable filters out of landfills. If your unit is outdoors, check to make sure the coils are not obstructed by debris, plants or shrubs.
• Green Your PC and Electronics 90% of desktop computers are not optimized for energy efficiency. Take advantage of "sleep" and "hibernate" settings, and turn off your devices when you won't use them for an hour or more. Use a surge protector to turn them all the way off so they won't draw a "phantom load" even when shut off.
• Use rechargeable batteries It may not sound like much at first, but investing in rechargeable batteries can save you some money over time. In general, the less you rely on single-use, disposable items, the less money you'll burn through.
  

Spring Maintenance Tips - Here are some simple tips to keep your home operating in great condition.

Inside Your Home

1. Try out your air conditioning system. If you wait until the first hot day to check your AC and it doesn't work, you will have a long, hot wait before the AC repair people can get to it.
2. Remember to inspect/replace your HVAC filter monthly all season long.
3. Check and clean the clothes dryer vent and stove hood.
4. If you have a coil-back refrigerator--you probably do--vacuum the coils at least twice each year. Your refrigerator will run much more efficiently with clean coils.
5. Clean everything, top to bottom using non-toxic soaps to protect children and animals as well as better indoor air quality.

Outside Your Home

1. Inspect the roof for damaged, loose tile or blistered shingles. Have damaged shingles or tiles replaced.

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