WK Real Estate Blog

Home Inspiration

Easy DIY Crafts for Fall!

By Cher Malta - October 15, 2015

My toddler and I tried our hand at some fun and easy fall crafts to get into the spirit of the season! We made a glitter leaf garland and a couple of fall leaf candles. Both of these projects required one quick trip to the Dollar Tree and made very little mess. Score and score! For Both projects You Will Need: 1 Small bag of fall leaves (fake or real) Ribbon

Home Inspiration

Prevent Basement Flooding

By Kent Zaitz - May 27, 2015

The following article from wikiHow is an excellent recap and quick checklist you should use to protect your basement from water damage. I felt it is worthwhile sharing this in my blog space as it covers many of the items I often talk about to clients. Also check out my additional blogs on “Sump Pump Installation” and “Sump Pump Maintenance.” Article provided by wik

Home Inspiration

Sump Pump Installation

By Kent Zaitz - May 12, 2015

I have had two neighbors call me asking for help with their sump pumps this week. One had a pump with a blocked discharge pipe (the owner had put a sock on it to keep small animals from getting in). The force of the pump caused a rubber isolation joint to blow apart. Easy fix, remove the sock and put the fittings back together. The second problem was from an incorrect insta

Your Property Tax Assessments: What Do They Mean?

By Dan Estey - May 08, 2015

Property tax assessments (Notice of Valuations – NOV) have hit everyone’s mailboxes in the past week and I have talked to several people about the process and how to appeal. Here is a brief summary. How are properties valued? State statute requires that each property in the county be re-valued by the County Assessor in odd numbered years (as in this year 2015). The v

Home Inspiration

New Standards for Residential Water Heaters Effective April 16, 2015

By Kent Zaitz - May 06, 2015

Hot water heaters account for approximately 20% of the energy usage in homes. The new requirements set by the Department of Energy (DOE) and the National Appliance Energy Conservation Act took effect on April 16th. These new standards apply to almost all residential gas, electric, oil and gas tankless water heaters. They will save approximately 3.3 quads of energy and result in

Home Inspiration

Sump Pump Maintenance

By Kent Zaitz - April 20, 2015

Clean and Check for Rust Before the snow melts or rain falls, it is a good idea to check your sump pump and make sure it is functioning. This would include cleaning the sump pit of any debris, such as leaves or sand that may have gotten into the system. Make sure your electrical connection is working and the pump has power. I pull the pump and make sure the impeller can

Home Inspiration

Correctly Install Your Attic Insulation

By Kent Zaitz - April 16, 2015

Previously I discussed how much insulation should you add to your ceiling or attic, now I would like to discuss how to get the most benefit from your installation. If the insulation is not installed correctly you will have wasted your time and your money and you will not realize much energy savings. A couple of items to consider, I will not go into great detail here, but you need to

Home Inspiration

Homeowner Tips: Furnace Filter Replacements

By Kent Zaitz - April 15, 2015

How often should you change your furnace filter? A new homeowner asked me how often should they change their furnace filter, and if they should use a high efficiency type filter. The answer to these questions is dependent on the needs of the occupant (allergies, etc.), the home and their lifestyle. Air filters were originally designed to protect the HVAC equipment from large p

Home Inspiration

Protecting Your Home from Water Damage

By Kent Zaitz - April 02, 2015

The foundation is the base and the backbone of your home. To keep your home structurally solid, you need to protect the foundation from water. If water continues to “pool” or run close to your foundation, it can erode the foundation, leak into your basement or crawl space or even soften the soil your foundation rests on, causing shifting and cracking of the walls of y

Home Inspiration

Moving Tip: How to Disconnect the Clothes Washer and Dryer

By Kent Zaitz - March 16, 2015

The following question was recently posed by one of our agents: My client is using a moving company and they say the moving company will not disconnect the electric washer/dryer. Other companies have also said this to her. They will move the appliances, just not disconnect them. My plumber wants to charge $134 to do this. What’s up? Disconnecting a clothes

Home Inspiration

When to Add Insulation

By Kent Zaitz - March 04, 2015

Will Adding Insulation to My Home Pay for Itself? The amount of heat, measured in Btuh (British Thermal Units per Hour), that your home loses in the winter or gains in the summer is calculated by a formula that is multiplied by the temperature difference. The difference between the temperature of the outside air and the air inside your home. Therefore the larger the temp

Home Inspiration

Why Homeowners Should Think Twice Before Tinting Double or Triple Pane Glass

By Kent Zaitz - February 26, 2015

Homeowners need to be careful when tinting the windows to their home, as it will void the warranty from the window manufacturer. Tinting companies will say they will warrant the glass, but I wouldn't want my warranty coming from from a firm that may or may not be in business in 10 years. What's the problem? The problem is that heat comes through a window in two

Blog

Easy DIY Crafts for Fall!

Prevent Basement Flooding

Sump Pump Installation

Your Property Tax Assessments: What Do They Mean?

New Standards for Residential Water Heaters Effective April 16, 2015

Sump Pump Maintenance

Correctly Install Your Attic Insulation

Homeowner Tips: Furnace Filter Replacements

Protecting Your Home from Water Damage

Moving Tip: How to Disconnect the Clothes Washer and Dryer

When to Add Insulation

Why Homeowners Should Think Twice Before Tinting Double or Triple Pane Glass

Search

Categories

Get in Touch

Follow Us

Policies