Around 5.34 million existing homes were sold in the U.S. in 2018, and if you want to get buyer attention, you need to work on your home’s marketability.

While you want to make sure everything is in working condition, doing something simple like learning how to make a bedroom look bigger can play a role in getting the sale. 

Continue reading this article as we look into how to make your space look and feel bigger, so you can sell your home.

Open It to Other Rooms

Having a room that is blocked off to everything else is the quickest way to make it feel small and unwelcoming. When you’re dealing with a bedroom, you don’t want to have it totally open, but there are ways to keep your privacy while opening it up.

You can open up your room by putting in larger doors in your bedroom. You can make the closet and entry door bigger. If you have an ensuite, you can make the door to the bathroom bigger as well.

Use Built-in Shelving or Furniture

Built-in shelves and furniture can give you more room since you can choose the dimensions that are going to work for you. When you use built-in furniture, you can also use the furniture for storage, which allows you to use your space wisely.

Decrease the Furniture in the Room

The more furniture you have in a room, the less spacious it seems. If your room is really small, it might not make sense to have a coffee table in your living room. Instead of having a coffee table, you might put a couple of small side tables by your couch to put drinks down.

Think of ways you can make fewer pieces of furniture more functional, so you can keep the flow of your room open and airy.

Use Low Profile Furniture

Even if you’re using fewer pieces of furniture, it might be too big and bulky for your space. Using low profile furniture doesn’t take away the function you need for your comfort, but it does make the room look a lot bigger.

When you use tables and sofas that are low profile, you have more vertical space, which gives the appearance of a bigger room. You’ll also find it is less likely that you’ll hit your elbows and knees on the furniture since they don’t take up so much room. 

Use Mirrors

Mirrors create a greater sense of openness in any room. Make sure you are smart about where you place the mirror. If you put too many mirrors, it can make the room look like a funhouse maze.

If you get dressed in your room, look into using a full-length mirror that takes up a good amount of one of your walls. It can make the room look almost double in size because it mirrors the other side of your room.

Mirrors also make your bedroom look bigger because they reflect light.

Choose the Right Size and Color of Rug

When you’re choosing a rug for your space, rugs like this rug can make it look bigger or smaller. You have to make sure to choose the right size and color for your room.

If you choose a rug that is too small for your room, it will make the room feel choppy and disrupt the room’s flow. A rug that is the right size and color for your room can make it feel open and welcoming.

When you measure the rug to see if it is the right size, make sure all the furniture in the room will be able to sit on the rug. Even having all the front legs of the furniture on the rug can be enough to make the rug work and give your room the extra spice it needs.

Use Light Colors

Using light colors for the floor and walls makes the bedroom look bigger. You might enjoy the coziness and warm feeling of darker colors, but opt to use those on the furniture if you must.

Putting a light-colored rug on the floor and redoing the walls to white, light blue, or another light color will work wonders for the look and feel of the room.

Hang Shelves Near the Ceiling

Hanging shelves near the ceiling will draw people’s eyes up. If you are short and can’t reach the shelves, you might want to make this a decorative shelf, so you don’t have to use a step ladder all of the time to reach items you use on a daily basis.

Many people use these top shelves for books, fake plants, and other things that are pretty to look at but aren’t needed for use regularly.

Use Stripes

You already know vertical stripes make your look taller when you wear them, but you can use this same rule with your small bedroom. If you use stripes on the floor, put the stripes in the direction of the room that is the longest space for the best results of stripe usage.

How to Make a Bedroom Look Bigger – Now You Know

Now you know the tips and tricks on how to make a bedroom look bigger. When you hear people comment on how nice the space looks, you’ll realize how important your changes to the room were.

Do you need more help with marketing your home and other real estate matters? Our site is full of articles that can help you.

Browse our site, find your favorite home improvement and real estate section, drop a bookmark, and come back soon to read more.

Are you an anxious seller looking to sell your home as quickly as possible? If so, you’re not alone. Studies have found that moving is considered to be even more stressful than divorce. 

You may be paying two mortgages and feeling the utmost financial stress. Or, maybe you’re looking to sell before you move across the state at the end of the month. Either way, there are plenty of reasons owners might be feeling the pressure to sell ASAP. 

If you need to sell your home in record timing, follow these tips on how to sell your home fast.

1. Move Out

If you want your home to sell as quickly as possible, you want it to look it’s absolute best and be available for showings. 

In a hot market, some buyers will choose to move out of the home for the first week in which it’s listed. Not only will this allow the property to remain as spotless as possible, but it also means that buyers can preview the house at any time. 

With this, there’s no need for your real estate agent to call and get permission for a showing. Instead, the agent can automatically book showings for any time of day. The more showings scheduled, the more likely your home will sell quickly. 

2. Use Virtual Reality 

Today, over 1.4 million real estate agents report using virtual reality to help sell their listings for top dollar. 

Virtual Reality is a great way to appeal to buyers who are unable to view the home in person. Let’s point to the example of a buyer from another continent who is looking to purchase an investment condo in a hot housing market. 

In this event, the buyer is unlikely to be able to view the property in good timing. By viewing the property in virtual reality, they can make an informed decision on whether or not to offer on said property. 

Sellers can also use virtual reality to provide virtual staging to their listings. While the home might be vacant, virtual reality can transform the space with the most appealing furnishings and design. This can help a potential buyer better visualize the space and steer them toward an offer. 

3. Work With All-Cash Buyers

Have you considered targeting all-cash buyers? 

In truth, working with direct home buyers with all cash is often the best way to sell your home in record timing. 

Think about it: when the buyer of your home is purchasing in all cash, there’s no longer a need to arrange a mortgage. The truth is, arranging a mortgage can be a lengthy and complicated process. When there’s no longer the need for a mortgage, the selling process naturally speeds up. 

How to Sell Your Home Fast 

Are you wondering how to sell your home fast?

If you want to do everything you can to ensure that your home moves quickly, be sure to use the guide above for inspiration. While there’s no one-step solution, this is sure to help increase the speed of your sale. 

Did you find this article helpful? If so, be sure to bookmark our page to keep up with all the latest and greatest in the real estate world. 

Any time you start in a new profession — even as a sideline — you face a vocabulary problem. You come across acronyms and terms that you’ve never seen before. In real estate, two terms that often trip people up are buyer’s market and sellers market.

If you’ve struggled to wrap your head around these terms, keep reading for an explanation about their meaning and role in real estate.

What is a Buyer’s Market?

The term buyer’s market generally means that you can buy some product or commodity for less than the actual value. Let’s say that your neighbor, Bill, needs some fast cash. He says he’ll sell you some of his tools at a steep discount.

At a very small scale, that is a buyer’s market. Bill needs cash more than he needs those tools, so you can get them for well below their value.

You often see a similar trend in large-scale markets like real estate. For example, the housing recession that kicked off in 2008 was a buyer’s market. The market was flooded with properties for sale, which drove all the prices down.

The driving thought in a buyer’s real estate market is that you buy a property at a low cost with a plan to sell it when the market bounces back.

What Is a Sellers Market?

The term seller’s market means, in essence, the exact opposite of what a buyer’s market means. You can sell off a product or commodity for its actual value or in excess of its actual value.

Let’s say that your neighbor has a few boxes of vintage comics. You’ve looked through them and spotted at least 10 issues that you need to flesh out your collection.

In this case, Bill has all the power. He can ask the going rate or even more than the going rate for those issues because he controls what you want.

The same thing happens in real estate when you get a housing bubble, as happened before the 2008 housing recession.

What Is the Difference?

The essential difference between buyer’s and seller’s markets in real estate is who holds the power. In a buyer’s market, the person willing to pay you something holds the power. In the seller’s market, the person holding the property or product holds the power.

Regardless of the kind of real estate market, you always want to work with the best real estate agent you can find. Good real estate agents can help offset the effects of buyer’s or seller’s markets through careful negotiation.

Parting Thoughts on Buyer’s and Seller’s Markets

When you first dive into real estate, it’s important that you know whether you’re in a buyer’s or sellers market. If you want to acquire an investment property, hope that you’re in a buyer’s market. If you’re looking to flip houses, hope that you’re coming into a gentle seller’s market.

Looking for more useful real estate advice? Check out some of the other posts on our blog.

Are you looking for the perfect piece of furniture to accent a room in your home?

It’s important to have a great-looking home for many reasons. This is so you can impress your guests as they enter your house. This can also be therapeutic, distracting you by investing time into interior design and feeling happier.

It’s trial and error to get a design that you like, though. This is a reason for people to use carpets first since they will move items around while designing their home. What to look for when buying carpet products, though?

Most people often buy multiple carpets because they don’t like how the first one looked in their home. To save you the trouble of having different carpets, we’ve prepared a guide for you to follow. Read on and learn what to look for in a carpet.

1. Provider

There are many sources from which you can get carpets. You may even see many stores close to your home if you live in the city. For the sake of convenience, you will feel tempted to get a carpet from one of these stores.

You may even find it better to get a carpet from the Internet. This won’t be the best course of action, though, because there’s no guarantee that your carpet will be like they promised. Most retail stores only have sub-par carpets for sale.

Those coming from the Internet can even be worse. Choose reliable retailers instead to avoid getting a poor-quality carpet. Look for dedicated carpet providers in the area and get your carpet from there.

You can tell if it’s a dedicated provider from their employees. These businesses will train their employees to know their items. This means that when you ask anyone a question, they’ll provide a good answer in no time.

2. Carpet Fiber Material

Considering the fibers of your carpet is an essential part of the carpet buying process. Knowing the right material for your home will ensure the carpet lasts longer than you expect it to. The best material will depend on the conditions of your home and where you’ll place the carpet.

Nylon is the most durable material, making it perfect for areas that get heavy foot traffic. It’s also a stain-resistant material, making it great for areas you expect to become messy.

Polyester feels wonderful on the feet. The softness of the material makes it perfect for the bedroom or bathroom. It’s not as durable as nylon, though, making it less ideal for areas frequented with heavy traffic.

Wool looks beautiful and feels amazing. It’s the perfect material for a luxury carpet. The only problem is that it can absorb liquids with ease.

This can be detrimental to the carpet if it doesn’t dry up at once. Wool carpets also stain with ease. It is hard to get the stains out of these carpets without the help of professional cleaners.

You must also consider the types of carpet styles when choosing the one for your home. Different types can give these materials a different feel. This can impact how it will look and function in your home.

These will also affect the cost of the carpet. Consider these and your budget before deciding to have no regrets along the line.

3. Padding

The carpet’s padding is an important part of maintenance and comfort. This provides extra cushioning and support to the carpet, making it feel softer. This will also help in ensuring the carpet avoids any damage sooner than expected.

Skimping on the padding will expose the carpet’s backing and fibers to the hard floor. This makes it more susceptible to damage as you step on it. This is a rookie mistake that most carpet owners make with their first carpet.

Getting padding for your carpet also helps insulate your home and absorb sound. These features make getting the right padding for your home even more important. It will provide quality-of-life changes that you will appreciate.

4. Colors and Patterns

Most people spend the most time in this step because they don’t know what to look for when buying carpet options. Getting the right combination that’s perfect for your home is harder than you think. This is often because retailers don’t have the specific color and pattern combination you’re looking for.

Instead of looking for the perfect pattern, settle for basic colors and complementing patterns. There are two ways you can do this.

You can complement the room and enforce an existing aesthetic. Doing this will make the room look unified and help you enforce your aesthetic. This is a great way to express your personality as soon as someone walks through the door.

You can also use colors to instill emotions to whoever sees them. Getting a neutral-colored carpet is a great way to feel relaxed. This is a good choice for a carpet by the entrance to relax as soon as you get home.

5. Installation

The installation of your new carpet is a part of the process that most people overlook. Doing so will only cause your carpet to come apart along the line. This only happens in parts of the house that require complex carpeting.

Stairs and rooms with unique shapes often mean that the carpets will start coming off sooner. This is because of poor installation made by amateurs or homeowners.

To avoid this, hire a professional to install your carpet for you. This will can be expensive, but it ensures top-quality installations. Proper installation also protects your carpet from any damage, since coming off will cause the fibers and backing to wear and become thinner.

6. Long-Term Maintenance

Most people buy a carpet and think their job is complete. This causes their carpets to wear and sustain damage along the line. These people often get another carpet sooner than they have to.

Proper carpet care is essential to prevent this from happening to you. The best way to do this is by placing the carpet in a suitable area. As mentioned above, certain materials are better suited for areas with heavy traffic.

Using the right material for the area will ensure your carpet goes a long way along the line. If the carpet becomes too dirty for your tastes, hiring professional cleaners is the best thing to do. Cleaning the carpet yourself is a cheaper alternative, but insufficient knowledge of the material can lead to damages.

Professional cleaners know how to handle any carpet of any material. Hiring them will ensure your carpet can last longer than you’d expect it.

Know What to Look for When Buying Carpet Products Today

Don’t know what to look for when buying carpet products? Use our list above to help you get the perfect carpet for your home today!

Want to learn more about carpets? Looking for more useful tips and tricks to get the most out of your purchases? If so, feel free to read more of our guides and lists today!

If it’s time to get a new roof or you are building a new building and are considering getting a metal roof, you are in the right place. We are going to go over metal roofing pros and cons. After reading this article you should be able to make the best decision for your needs.

Durable

One of the pros of metal roofing is how durable it is compared to asphalt roofs. When homeowners install metal roofs they more than like do not have to worry about re-roofing again. Once in a blue, you might need a metal roof restoration but usually, this is when something was not done correctly during the original installation.

Also, metal roofs have the advantage of withstanding mother nature elements much better than asphalt roofs.

Fire Resistant

No one wants to ever imagine their home burning down. A metal roof can help give you peace of mind when it comes to fires because they are fire-resistant. If you live in an area that is prone to wildfires then metal roofing might be best for you.

Energy Efficient

If you are huge on caring about the environment you will love the fact that metal roofing is energy efficient. Metal roofs can reduce cooling costs in the summer because they reflect solar heat.

Your air conditioner will not have to run as much during the summer which will, in turn, save you money on HVAC repairs.

Moss Proof

If you have ever dealt with moss or fungus you are aware of how much of a headache either one can be. Mildew, moss, and fungus are not able to grow on metal roofing. If you live in an area surrounded by a wooded environment, metal roofing might be the best way to go.

Dents Easily

Although metal roofs are more durable than asphalt roofs they can dent easily. If a tree limb or hailstones hit the roof they can dent the roof because the material is soft. Keep in mind that steel is not as prone to denting as copper and aluminum roofing.

Noisy

If you live in an area that has a lot of rain you might not like the tapping on the metal roof from rain falling on it. Some people might find the sound calming but others might find the noise too loud.

Price

Metal roofs are more expensive than other roofing materials. They can cost two or three times more than other roofing materials. If you plan on staying in your home or building long enough to enjoy the benefits then it might be worth the price.

If you plan on selling in the near future, investing in a metal roof might not make sense.

Now You Know Metal Roofing Pros and Cons

Hopefully, now you are feeling more confident about whether metal roofing is for you or not. Take the metal roofing pros and cons above and make an educated decision.

Did you find our article helpful? Please bookmark our site to always stay in the know.

Do you not have enough space in your current home? A lot of people resort to buying a new home when this happens. The problem is that it takes a long time to get your new home and sell your old one.

A lot of people choose to add a new room to their home instead. However, with the average cost of a home addition being $40,000, you need to make sure a home addition is what you really want.

If you’re thinking of adding a room to your house, there are a few things you need to consider first. Keep reading to learn what those things are.

1. Consider Your Budget

Adding a room to your home isn’t going to be cheap. You have to spend money on plans, materials, and labor.

Set a budget ahead of time that details how much you want to spend on your project. Your budget makes sure you don’t keep adding things to your new room that you don’t need.

2. Consider the Value of Your Home

Many people expect the value of their home to increase by the amount they put into their addition. While this is true in most cases, it won’t rise as much as you think.

Make sure you get estimates of your home value after your addition is complete. If your goal is to increase the value of your home, there are likely better ways to do it.

3. Consider Building Codes

The last thing you want is to draw up your building plans and not be able to use them. You need to make sure you follow all the local building codes in your area if you want to get your addition built.

You can work with a home planner to make sure your plans will work for your home. A little extra money spent up front can save you time in the future.

4. Consider Building Up Instead of Building Out

Many people think that building onto the side of their home is the easiest thing to do. However, this isn’t always the case.

You have to deal with excavation and foundation work when you build on the ground level. If you add another story to your house, you can avoid all those hassles.

5. Consider Your Tax Implications

Adding anything to your home is going to raise its value in some way. Unfortunately, when the property assessor sees your house additions, they are going to increase your estimated value with your state.

Your property taxes are going to increase when this happens. Make sure you’re willing to pay more taxes at the end of the year after your addition is complete.

Don’t Consider Adding a Room to Your House Without Planning Things Out

It can be exciting to think about adding a room to your house. Make sure not to let your excitement get the best of you. Keep the points above in mind before making your addition, so you make an addition that is worth doing.

Adding rooms to your home isn’t the only thing you can do to add value to your property. Keep reading our blog to learn home renovation tips that will increase the value of your home.

There were 14 weather and climate-related disasters each causing damages of more than $1 billion dollars in 2019. With weather-related disasters growing, having a sturdy home is more important than ever. 

If you’re building your next home, consider making it a metal home. Are you wondering what living in a metal building is like? Read on for everything you need to know about living in a metal home. 

A Brief History of Steel

Steel’s been around for hundreds of years but it wasn’t always as strong as it is today. Steel was brittle and production was inefficient. The expansion of the railroads in the early 1900s gave urgency to solving these problems. 

One of the first patents for a better steelmaking process went to William Kelly who later sold his patent to Sir Henry Bessemer. 

Sir Bessemer developed an even more successful process resulting in stronger steel. By 1900, through the efforts of Andrew Carnegie, steel was cheap and efficient. 

Early cotton factories were at high risk for fire due to the flammability of cotton. Sparks from machines and oil lamps often caused devastating mill fires. Iron fire-proof frames pioneered by William Strutt reduced the fire hazard in mills. 

Most residential homes today are still built using traditional wood frames. There are lots of pros to going with a metal building instead. So why live in a metal home?

Eco-Conscious

Living in a metal home means you’re not contributing to deforestation. Wood-framed homes use a lot of trees! Many steel products are recycled. 

There’s also a lot of overages and waste involved in building wood-framed homes. If you’re looking for a more environmentally-friendly housing option, a metal home is a good choice. 

Pre-Build Homes

Traditional wood construction takes time because the home is built on-site. This means weather and worker absences slow down the build. A traditional home takes anywhere from six months to two years to finish. 

A metal home is often prefabricated in a factory setting and then shipped to the building site. Metal homes are quick and efficient when it comes to building. 

Durable

Metal homes are fire-resistant and durable. They hold up well in hurricanes and earthquakes. You won’t worry about your home collapsing. 

If you’re living in a metal home, you won’t worry about termites, wood rot, mold, or mildew. Did you know a metal roof can last 40 years or more? A traditional wood home needs a new roof every 15 years or so. 

Do you like the look of a traditional roof better? No worries. There are plenty of metal roof options that look like regular shingles.

Another plus about the roof? A metal roof is the perfect setting for solar panels. 

You can get metal siding that looks like wood, brick, or even natural stone. The difference is, metal siding lasts about three times longer than wood! Between the roof and the siding, maintenance costs are much lower than with a wood-framed home. 

Corrosion-Free

The steel in metal homes is primed with a protective coating. This keeps the steel from rusting. Regular wood homes corrode over time. 

Load-Bearing Walls

Wood-framed homes have load-bearing walls that carry the weight of the roof. This translates into restrictions for the interior of the home. If you want to change the interior, you can’t move load-bearing walls without incurring big expenses.

The exterior perimeter bears the weight in a steel home. Customize the inside any way you want. Changing the inside walls is easy if you change your mind about the configuration. 

Is your family growing? Do you need another room? Change or add a wall with ease. 

An Engineered Home

An engineer designs your metal home to custom specifications. Are you living in a cold climate with lots of snow? The engineer designs the home to withstand a heavy snow load on the roof. 

Engineered homes are more structurally sound than traditional wood homes. 

The Contractor Issue

Building a traditional home comes with lots of headaches. You’ll deal with many subcontractors, each with their own specialty. 

Most metal homes are built by one contractor. If a problem arises, you’ll only deal with one person. 

Heating and Cooling

Most people worry that living in a metal structure means living in a cold home. That’s not the case. 

Steel homes have large interiors offering room for more insulation making them warm in the winter. Metal panels on the side of the house reflect the sun’s rays keeping things cooler in the summer. This means lower electric bills in the summer. 

Up-Front Costs

Your up-front costs with a metal home are often higher than traditional wood but your maintenance costs are much lower. Over time, the metal home is a better bargain. 

Interior Design

You don’t need to sacrifice beauty inside your metal home. Metal homes offer spacious open-plan interiors. Many have lofts or a second story. 

Decorate your home to your taste. Metal homes are perfect for modern designs but also work well with traditional decor styling. 

Metal homes are often built with dual purposes for living and working. Because of their large open interiors, some people split them into a home and workspace. 

Living in a Metal Building Offers Many Advantages

Living in a metal building is a great alternative to a traditional wood-framed home. A metal home is durable, fire-resistant, and eco-conscious. 

No more worries about termites, wood rot, mold, and mildew. While your neighbor saves for a new roof, you’ll save for your next vacation!

Your metal home is pre-built and engineered to your specifications. Hurricane season? No stress. 

When it comes time for your next home, consider a metal design. 

Did you find this article interesting and informative? Looking for more? Keep reading our blog! 

In 2019, 5.25 million homes sold in the United States. 2020 should see an increase in homes for sale. 

Although buying a house for the first time is an exciting time for home buyers, there are also many things to consider. 

Read on for a list of things to consider when buying a house for the first time.

1. Make an Inventory of Debts and Build an Emergency Fund

Everyone looking to buy a home knows that this process can be quite expensive. Before a first-time buyer can consider applying for a loan, they should make an inventory of all their debts. 

Having large debts can hurt their chances considerably when applying for a loan. Lenders don’t want future homeowners to have sizable financial burdens.

When considering buying a home for the first time, it’s important to pay down their debts. Also, because having a house causes many unexpected expenses, it’s important to build an emergency fund. 

2. Figure Out How Much You Can Afford

While it’s easy for first-time homebuyers to fall in love with a house, they have to keep in mind whether or not they can afford it. Buying a home that’s too expensive will require a higher down payment and monthly payment. 

Homeowners who buy a house that is too expensive will have a financial burden in their hands. If they take on more than they can chew, they will also have to consider paying taxes, homeowners insurance, and other emergency repairs. 

To determine how much you can afford, take your monthly income, and calculate 25 percent. Someone who brings home $5,000 a month can afford a monthly payment of $1,250. 

3. Get Preapproved for a Mortgage

Many first-time homebuyers don’t know the importance of getting preapproved for a loan before starting the search for a house. Getting preapproved will give them an edge during the home buying process. 

Once they get pre-qualified, they will know the exact amount of the loan, and they will know their price range. Sellers will also prefer an offer from a pre-qualified buyer. 

4. Research Neighborhoods

First-time homeowners need to take into consideration not only the property they want to buy but also the neighborhood. 

Buying a house based on the property while considering some characteristics of the neighborhood will make a smooth transaction. Depending on their needs, some first-time homebuyers have to consider the school district, the safety of the neighborhood, and distance to stores. 

5. Think of Long Term Goals

Before buying a house for the first time, homebuyers need to think of their long-term goals. For example, do they plan on starting a family soon? If so, they have to consider if space is enough.

Other homebuyers might want the house as an investment property to improve and sell for a profit. 

Things to Consider When Buying a House for the First Time

Now that you know what things to consider when buying a house for the first time, it’s time you search for the house of your dreams. 

Start by minimizing debt, work out what you can afford, get preapproved, and think of long-term goals. 

For more real estate tips, check out the rest of our blog. 

You have probably seen the pictures of hurricane damages on the news. Perhaps you’ve even lived through a hurricane or two. 

Whether you saw it through the media or experienced it first hand. The images are unforgettable. The effects are often catastrophic.

That’s why it is important to be prepared and to stay safe during a hurricane.  What you do significantly impacts the extent to which you’ll be affected. Your preparations before, during and after a hurricane determines life or death.

Want to be prepared for hurricane season? Check out this guide on what to do during a hurricane to stay safe in your home.

1. Keep Away from Windows and Remain Inside

Do evacuate as soon as possible if there’s an evacuation order. If you decide to stay and forgo evacuation, always remain inside and keep away from windows and doors.

An interior room (bathroom or closet) on the first floor of your home is the ideal place to be during a hurricane.

2. Stay Abreast With Local and National Alerts 

Riding out the hurricane at home will likely be associated with a loss of power supply. TV, the internet, and all high tech communication methods with the outside world will be lost.

Keep a portable battery-powered radio. It keeps you up to date about the hurricane, its path and when it has safely passed.

Stay tuned to the National Weather Service as all storm forecasts, warnings and watches will be aired. This means it is important to stock up on extra batteries for your radio.

3. Turning off the Main Energy Sources

Turn off your home’s main power. If a hurricane knocks out the power leaving it on is dangerous. Once the power returns it could produce a short circuit. Moreover, it could start a house fire.

Also, turn off the main water supply even though it won’t work if the power supply goes out. This prevents overflowing and potential flooding.

When the power gets cut during a hurricane turn off the gas. An overflow of gas supply could cause a fire.

If water is entering,  turn off the power supply as a surge could cause an electrical fire. Use towels to stop the water as well as home flood protection barriers.

4. Careful Use of Hurricane Equipment

If the power is cut, a generator may be used temporarily. Start by reading the manual before turning it on. Set it up away from doors and windows as it releases toxic carbon monoxide fumes. To be safe get a carbon monoxide detector.

If using candles do so with caution. Keep them away from flammable objects and blow them out when going to bed.

What to Do During a Hurricane to Stay Safe

Knowing what to do during a hurricane to stay safe definitely determines your outcome after it has passed.

Keep inside, stay abreast of the latest news and turn off power supplies. These are all key factors to your safety.

For more tips on taking care of your home, please check out any of the categories on the blog.

 

You move into your home, only to find out that your heat isn’t working!

You already have to pay for a down payment and your mortgage, now you have to add fixing your heat to the list. Moving into a home and then learning about an expensive problem is a bummer, yet it’s a reality many homeowners face.

What if there was a way to uncover these issues ahead of time? Well, there is!

An infrared, or IR camera, can detect many problems that aren’t visible to the human eye.

Keep reading to learn about what an IR camera can detect!

What Can an IR Camera Detect in an Inspection?

While doing a home inspection, it’s helpful to know everything that you’re dealing with.

An infrared camera takes an inspection to the next level. So, what exactly can an IR camera detect?

1. Heat

If the home has heat, you’ll know by taking a look with your IR camera.

You can see if there’s any airflow coming from the registers with an IR camera. To test this, turn on the heat or AC in your home. Give it around 10 minutes to kick on, then tour the house with the IR camera.

You can look at the radiators with the IR camera, and if part of the radiator seems to be cold still, the heat isn’t working properly.

2. Stains on the Ceiling

If there are stains on your ceiling, that may mean that you have a water leak.

You’ll want to know if you have a water leak as soon as possible to prevent roof damage and mold. You can tell if your stains are active by the temperature of the stain. If the ceiling is all the same temperature, the stain is probably an old one and there is no moisture.

3. Heated Floors

If the home offers a heated floor option, you’ll be able to tell with your IR camera.

The entire floor will show heat signatures if the floors are heated.

4. Shower Leaks

A shower dam can be used to detect shower leaks before they’ve done damage.

If the ceiling above the shower is showing a cold signature, that means there may be water pooling in the area. 

5. Attic Hot Spots

In the winter it’s not uncommon for the attic to get spots that are hotter than the rest of the house.

This happens when excessive amounts of heat are sent to the attic. If you live in a climate that’s very cold, this distribution of heat can lead to ice dams.

This can be dangerous because the hot spot on the roof can cause an avalanche in the front of your home. If someone happens to be walking underneath the front of the roof, falling icicles and heaps of snow can cause serious injury.

Have Your Home Inspected with An IR Camera Today

Don’t let big problems sneak up on you when you buy a house.

With an IR camera, you can detect them ahead of time. If you enjoyed reading this, check out our other real estate blog posts!