What We’re Obsessed With…LED Lights

It’s no secret LEDs are energy-efficient, but with colors and styles like these, why not go for the most bling on the block?

Did you Know? The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that if every household switched to using LED holiday lights, the country would save approximately $410 million in electricity costs. Wow! That’s a lot of gifts from Santa.

What is an LED?
Think back to high school chemistry. Light-emitting diodes, or LEDs, are illuminated by the movement of electrons through a semiconductor material. Exceptionally energy-efficient, LED holiday lights can save up to 90% more energy than traditional incandescents and can produce the same amount of light.

The benefits of LEDS

Less expensive in terms of energy costs. With an operational life span of roughly 20,000 hours, LEDs can last up to 40 holiday seasons.
Cool to the touch. This greatly reduces the risk of fire and personal injury.
More durable than glass bulbs. LEDs are made of solid plastic—in the same shapes and styles as glass incandescent bulbs—so they don’t break as easily.
Safer. Because they use less power, you can connect multiple strings of LEDs and plug them into one wall socket.
Beyond the season
LEDs aren’t just for the holidays. They are currently used in under-cabinet lights, desk lamps, recessed lights, and outdoor porch, step, and pathway lights. LEDs use less energy and last longer, saving you money. They also offer convenient features, such as dimming and automatic shutoff.


reposted from: http://www.lowescreativeideas.com/idea-library/articles/LED_Lights_1210.aspx

Get Organized!

Spring is right around the corner and with the rising temperatures, it is the perfect time to get started on your spring cleaning!

As you're dusting off the cobwebs, look for repairs that need to be made and start updating your Honey-Do list.  Click here for a free Honey-Do List!

A common problem area is often organization.  A clean, organized space can make your home feel fresh and revitalized.  Garage shelving is a great way to get organized and store all of your seasonal items.  We offer many ways to help you do this, including Our Big Shelf garage shelving system.  We can optimize your garage with our custom built shelving, so you may once again park in inside! We customize every shelving system to deliver maximum functionality at an affordable price. Our shelving system is framed with 2X4s and covered with plywood. It is attached to the existing wall and ceiling for superior support.


You will be able to store all of your seasonal decorations, lawn & garden chemicals, fertilizer, car wash supplies, household cleaning supplies, coolers, and paint in a clean, well organized manner.

Did Your Utility Bills Skyrocket This Month?

Well folks, the groundhog has spoken- six more weeks of winter!  Since the icy weather will be hanging around, there are a few things you can do to use less electricity and save on heating.

The first thing you can do is fix the drafts.  On average, up to 20% of a home's heat is lost through drafts.  If you're not sure, simply place your hand against a door or window.  If you can feel cold air coming in, you can be sure you are losing heat.  Drafts are simple to fix and can save you hundreds on your heating bill every year.
Fit draft excluders around the interior and exterior of your doors, as needed.  Then fill any cracks or crevices around window frames with a filler or sealant.

Another simple and free solution is to close curtains or blinds as soon as the sun begins to set.  This will trap the warm air in your home and act as insulation.

Turning your thermostat down 1 degree can reduce energy consumption by over 5%.  The best part is, you'll never feel the difference.

Make sure your water heater is not set higher than 140 degrees F.  Also give your water heater regular check ups to make sure it's working properly.

Turn off appliances and lights.  Unplug the appliances that you will not be using for more than half the day.  Don't use the 'Stand by' mode.  Appliances on stand by can draw an average of 5-10% of household energy use!

Don't leave your refrigerator or freezer open longer than necessary and remember- your freezer needs to be defrosted regularly for it to run efficiently.

Turn off the computer.  Screen savers actually use more energy than when you are using the computer yourself.  They can even reduce the life of your monitor.  Instead, enable the display blanking feature to turn the monitor off automatically when your computer is idle.  This simple step can save you $50-$100 per year.  Another way to reduce the power your computer uses is to reduce the screen brightness.  This will also increase the battery time for a laptop.  For a 66% reduction in energy, switch from a CRT monitor to an LCD monitor.

Insulating is not only simple to do,  it's also the most cost effective.  Cavity wall insulation can save a third of your heat from escaping.  It's a great investment if you don't already have it.

We hope you find these tips helpful.  Please give us a call if you'd like any additional information!

A Deep Freeze is Coming - Is Your Home Ready?

Local forecasters are predicting a possible single-digit freeze by Monday morning, February 1st. Such frigid temperatures will surely freeze many water pipes as well as vegetation. Our friends at Cheap Scapes Landscaping will handle the plants, we'd like to talk about protecting your home.

Here are a few things you can do to prepare before the freeze:

• Disconnect and drain hoses from outdoor faucets.
• Turn off and drain sprinkler systems and backflow devices and wrap them with insulating material. An old cloth, shirt or even newspaper will work.
• Cover foundation vents and crawl spaces with cardboard, plywood, foam blocks or thickly folded newspaper.
• Insulate pipes in all unheated areas. These include the garage, attic, basement, and crawl spaces.
• Make sure everyone knows how to turn off the water incase of emergency.
• If your home has areas where you can feel a draft coming through, pick up a can of insulating foam sealant.

During the freeze:

• Many people don't realize it can reach freezing temperatures inside your bathroom and kitchen cabinets. Open the cabinet doors under the sinks to let interior heat warm the pipes. This is especially important where plumbing is in an exterior wall.
• Temporarily keep a steady, but slow trickle of cold and hot water at every inside faucet, including the bathtub.
• Shut off the water and set your thermostat to 55 degrees if you are leaving your house for more than a day. If you will be away for an extended amount of time, consider contacting your utility company to have your water shut off at the meter.

If your pipes do freeze:

• Never use an open flame to thaw a frozen pipe! A hair dryer or exhaust from a vacuum cleaner are safer alternatives.
• If the pipes are frozen, assume they are broken and purchase leak clamps at a hardware store so you can be prepared to turn your water off when the pipes thaw.
• If there is no water at your home, the problem may be in the street. Call your utility company to find out.
• If your pipes break, turn the water off at the shut-off valve and turn off the circuit breaker or the gas to the hot water heater.

We at Homework Solutions hope you find this helpful and hope you stay warm and toasty in the coming freeze!