August 2011 Do-It Yourself Home Maintenance List

One of the best things about owning your own home particularly in the summertime is the opportunity to enjoy your privacy and to entertain guests. Want to make the most of these luxuries? We have compiled a list of fun summer activities that we thought you might enjoy.

By the way, if you need any additional advice pertaining to real estate or to your home, please don't hesitate to call Rolando at 499-9234 or Kathy at 499-0246 or visit our Web site at: www.TheTrentiniTeam.com

FIVE FUN SUMMER ACTIVITIES FOR HOMEOWNERS

· Barbecue: Nothing says summertime as much as an old-fashioned barbecue! Do you have friends or family who still haven't had the chance to see your beautiful new home? Invite them over for an afternoon of sun, fun and a tour of the house.

· Campout fun: Another longstanding tradition is the summer campout but this doesn't mean you have to drive hundreds of miles to find a great location. Your backyard is a great camping spot! Dig the flashlights, tents and camping gear out of the garage and thrill the kids with a backyard campout!

· Cool and clean: It might not sound like fun, but having a neighborhood car wash is a great way to keep cool and make friends with the people who share your street. Rally the neighbors and make a day of it the kids will have fun squirting each other with the hoses, and you'll have a shiny, clean car!

· Who dunnit: Throw a mystery dinner party, and invite your guests for an evening of fun and intrigue (and show off that dining room!). Kits can be purchased at most toy stores (or via the Internet) for a reasonable price, and you'll have a wonderful evening that will be memorable for everyone!

Grab a mallet: While you may have once thought that croquet was a sport for fuddy-duddies, it is rapidly growing in popularity. Show off your perfectly manicured lawn by inviting a few friends over for an afternoon croquet party. If you're feeling really adventurous, try some horseshoes as well!

July 2011 Do-It Yourself Home Maintenance List

While summertime offers us a great opportunity to make the most of our sunny Saturdays, you might find yourself with some extra free time.  What to do?  Why not take a little time each weekend to give your beautiful home a little extra care?  One of the best things about owning a home is the pride and satisfaction derived from making it look as beautiful as possible!

With this letter, we are including a list of some practical summer to-do's that will help to keep your home and garden in wonderful shape.  Enjoy!  And if you need any further information, or would like to discuss any real estate questions, please feel free to Rolando at 499-9234 or Kathy at 499-0246 or visit our Web site at: www.TheTrentiniTeam.com

SEVEN TIPS FOR EASY SUMMER HOME CARE

·                     Keep it green: Harsh summer heat can up the ante when it comes to caring for your lawn.  Make sure to keep it watered and fertilized!

·                     Fire it up: Get a head start for the upcoming winter and clean out your wood-burning fireplace and chimney.  You'll have one less winter task to attend to!

·                     Carpet care: Now's the perfect time to have your carpets professionally cleaned, which will protect your carpet and make it last even longer.  Want to save a few bucks?  Rent a quality carpet cleaner and do it yourself!

·                     Touch-ups: Inspect your home  inside and out  and touch up any paint where necessary.  This can be done quickly and easily, and will prevent future peeling!

·                     Lock and key: Check all of the locks on your windows and doors and ensure that everything is working properly.  Being proactive about safety is always a smart move!

·                     Oil it: Anything squeaking?  Add a squirt of WD-40 or similar product to door, cabinet and window hinges to keep them in top repair.

·                     Park the car: If your garage is filling up with an abundance of stored items, take a day to reorganize and get rid of unwanted clutter.  Give your unneeded items to charity, or have a fun summer yard sale!

May 2011 Do-It Yourself Home Maintenance List

Spring is here, and it's time to truly make your landscape shine! After all, one of the joys in owning your own home is attending to and personalizing your own yard! Since the focal point of most landscaping is the lawn (also one of the trickiest things to maintain), we are including a special list of tips and tricks to help you whip your lawn into perfect shape. Giving special attention to the lawn now will help to keep it healthy throughout the summer; we hope you find this list to be as helpful as we have!

 

Please remember that if you have any need for household advice or tips or would like to discuss any real estate questions Rolando is always available at 499-9234 or Kathy at 499-0246 or visit our Web site at: http://www.thetrentiniteam.com/

 

 

FIVE WAYS TO ACHIEVE A GORGEOUS LAWN

 

·                     Water = Green: Water is one ingredient that your lawn cannot live without, so make sure that you've got a great routine in place for keeping the lawn damp. If you have a good sprinkler system installed, you're already a step ahead of the game! If not, make sure that you're reaching all areas of the lawn if watering by hand or by moveable sprinkler. Water in the evening or very early morning for best results, but don't overdo it!

 

 

·                     Know how to mow: Make sure your lawn mower has sharp blades; mowing with dull blades can tear the grass, altering its healthy appearance. Also, the more often you mow, the healthier your grass will be! Mow the lawn at least once per week for optimal results.

 

 

·                     Fertilize and vitalize: Invest in a good fertilizer and use it regularly for the thickest, greenest grass. Ever wonder why the fairways and greens on a golf course manage to look beautiful throughout the year? Fertilizer is the key to the greens keeper's success. For the greenest grass possible, purchase a fertilizer with iron content.

 

·                     Weed it out: Weeds are an obvious eyesore when it comes to the care of your lawn, and you've probably noticed how quickly they can grow. With a good fertilizer program in place, you'll get a step ahead of weeds in no time. For the pesky, hardier plants, manage the growth with a little weed spray (or dig them out by hand for best results).

 

·                     Don't get bugged: Lawn pests are not just annoying: they are bad for the grass. If you're properly watering, fertilizing and mowing your lawn, but still have an insect or pest problem, try aerating the lawn; this should help to eliminate the little buggers!

 

We are pleased to let you know that we have started a new blog site TheTrentiniBlog. We will continue to bring you articles pertaining to Evansville and real estate. We hope you will bookmark this page and we hope you enjoy reading our articles. We are certainly open to discussions how we can improve our site. Please send us a short note, this would make our day.

 

Thank you, Rolando & Kathy Trentini

A Monthly Newsletter from TheTrentiniTeam with F.C.TuckerEmge Realtors

a happy home

Did you know that a typical U.S. home emits more carbon dioxide than two average cars? Or that the average U.S. household spends $1,900 per year on utility bills? Earth Day is just around the corner, and serves as a great reminder to consider new ways to become more eco-friendly. Below, tips for your home that will benefit the earth and your wallet.

 

Start with heating and cooling

Heating and cooling systems drain more energy dollars than any other system in your home. Consider programmable thermostats, upgrades to current equipment, regular replacement of filters, and drawing the shades on your windows to save energy use and cost.

 

Address leaks

Check the insulation in your attic, ceilings, basement walls, floors and crawl spaces to increase the comfort of your home while reducing heating and cooling needs.

Watch your watts

Changes to your lighting are one of the most immediate ways to reduce energy costs. Use energy-efficient bulbs and consider occupancy sensors, dimmers and timers for high-use areas such as the kitchen, living room and outside.

 

Monitor appliance consumption

Shop for new appliances with two price tags in mind: the initial cost of the appliance itself, and what it will cost you to operate that machine over its lifetime.

 

Want to start conserving but don’t know where to start? Here’s a simple guide to the steps you should take to maximize energy and cost savings.

 1.            Find out which appliances or areas of your home use the most energy. This can be done with your utility company, or you can do an audit yourself.

 2.            Compare your current energy costs with your

areas of greatest energy loss. Determine your energy efficiency investment solution and how long it will take to pay off in the long term.

 3.            Weigh factors such as “How long will I be in my home,” “Does the work require a contractor?” and “What is my budget and how much do I have for maintenance and repair?” before developing

a plan.

 Learn more about smart energy conservation by visiting http://www.energysavers.gov/

WARRANTY WISDOM

Home service agreements give you the assurance that there is someone to help at any time with problems on covered items. A HomeTrust home service agreement gives you the protection you need against breakdowns of covered appliances and major systems such as plumbing, heating, electrical and air conditioning.