Good Design: Key To Any Bathroom Remodel

The bathroom is one of the two most popular areas of the home to be remodeled by  homeowners. It goes without saying that bathrooms, as well as kitchens, provide a high return for the investment. According to Remodeling Magazine, Cost vs. Value Report (2007), the average cost for a bathroom remodel in our area is about $14,445.00 for a mid-range project and $46,988.00 for an upscale project. The mid-range project will yield nearly an 80% return, while an upscale project will yield a 70% return on the investment. Although the returns are impressive numbers, this is not the motivation of homeowners desiring a bathroom remodel. The most popular reasons among homeowners to remodel their bathrooms are because the area is in need of maintenance, the desire to create more comfort and useable space, and the desire to use updated products and give the room a “facelift.”

So, where should you begin? A great place to start is the design. Your bathroom should be designed to meet your specific needs and desires. With our hectic and demanding lifestyles, the bathroom may have become a place for you to retreat to. This is one place in our home where we can be alone, so it is sensible to consider transforming this room into a soothing, rejuvenating, and practical place to offer some pleasure to your busy life.

We encounter beautiful bathrooms in magazines and on television; but what about the function of the bathroom? Think about the time you spend in your bathroom, and the way that you use it. Do you have adequate space? Do you utilize a bathtub or just a shower most of the time? Do you have enough cabinetry and counter space? The answers to these questions should be considered when contemplating the design. You can have both beauty and functionality all in one.

An important consideration that is often overlooked by designers and homeowners is an Aging-in-Place design.  If this is your first acquaintance with the term, I’m referring to the idea of designing your bathroom, (or any room), so it can meet your needs as you age in your home.  Most of us live independently now; but, normal age-related changes will occur as we age, which will possibly lead to difficulties in interacting with one’s home. These changes may include:

• Failing vision
• Osteoporosis
• Decreased strength or balance
• Decreased mobility

These are a few of the physical changes many of us will be faced with as we age. This is reality, and it is important to design your bathroom with such challenges in mind whether it is for today or for the future. It makes good sense to design a bathroom that can easily adapt to your specific needs as they arise.
To wait until the need arises will be costly and most likely very inconvenient. For example, I built a new home for a couple several years ago that were in their mid 50’s at the time. Unaware of some physical challenges that they would be faced with, the bathroom design for their home was a design like many that you would expect to see in a traditional family home. They didn’t take aging into consideration at the time. After a few years had passed, they contacted me to remodel their master bath. The husband had both knees replaced and the wife recently had shoulder surgery. They needed a bathroom that they could function in better, and negotiate safely.
So, whether you are approaching the age of dealing with physical challenges or not, all of us can benefit from easy living and good functional design. This is not an age discriminating idea. Some of the features to consider are:

• Applying ¾ “ plywood backing on all walls surrounding the shower, bath, water closet, and adjoining walls areas. This allows for the placement of grab bars at various heights and locations.
• Incorporating a bench in the shower.
• Zero threshold (curbless) showers to allow for easy entering and exiting.
• Varied countertops and cabinets to easily match the individual height of each person.
• Taller toilets.
• Easy access to the toilet. (I often find a toilet that is crammed into a little closet with a door that is smaller than 32”)
• 36” swinging doors at the entrance, or a 32” pocket door for easier navigating.
• Slip resistant flooring.
• Lights in the shower.
• Shower controls located for easy access without having to enter into the shower first.
• Adjustable handheld showerheads for ease of use and cleaning.
• Plenty of lighting.

It has been my experience that many homeowners focus their efforts on the styles, colors, and other finishes when it comes to remodeling their bathroom, and the practicality and functionally often gets overlooked. It is paying attention to the smallest of the design details that will have a huge impact on how much you enjoy your bathroom. A good bathroom remodel starts with a good design that is going to offer you value in a variety of ways both today and tomorrow.

To get started on your bathroom remodel, contact us at (407) 625-8286 or integrityremodeling@me.com.

4 Things to Consider Before Remodeling Your Kitchen

Your kitchen is one of the most important rooms of your house. It’s where you cook your food, entertain your guests, and have those important late night chats over cocoa and cookies. When you decide to remodel your kitchen, you want it to be perfect — somewhere you can enjoy, use, and proudly show off.

Kitchen remodels tend to be some of the most complicated projects you will complete in your house, but they can be worth the stress when done right.

As you prepare to remodel your kitchen — whether it’s in-progress, planned, or dreamed —  here are the five things to think about before you begin.

1. Think about what you want

The first part to planning any remodel is to think about what you want from your kitchen. Do you want to add an island? How about one of those nifty potfiller faucets? Think about your appliances, counters, cabinets, and flooring. Consider the color of the walls. Look at the layout of your kitchen and decide if you want to keep it or change it. Design your dream kitchen and see how it can work in your home.

2. Think about what you need

Now that you’ve spent some time in dreamland, it’s time to come back to earth. Your dream kitchen may not be what you need or can afford. Instead of scrapping your design, adjust it. Do you really need a commercial stove, double-oven or convection? Do you want to put all of your budget into the design when you desperately need new appliances? Take the time to make your plan more practical.

3. Think about the logistics

Once you have an idea of what you want, it’s time to make it happen. Create a budget and stick to it. Research and make a plan. Find professionals who know what they are doing and will work with you to stick with your budget. Lean on their experience and wisdom as you move into the project.

4. Think about life during the remodel

Face it. You don’t know how to function with your morning coffee and you’re not sure you’ll survive the remodel. The good news is that you won’t have to go without your kitchen essentials if you plan well before the project begins. Have a kitchen stand-in ready before your remodel starts and use it for making school lunches and cooking your meals. You won’t want to eat take-out for the whole project. Make sure to keep out your cooking essentials and store the rest. You won’t need them. Stock up on non-perishable and disposable foods and take it one day at a time. Or, go on vacation. That might be easier.

Are you planning a kitchen remodel? What are you most excited about?

Welcome the Outdoors In

Backyard pools, covered porches, and outdoor kitchens are great assets to any home and can provide hours of outside entertainment. Have you ever considered enjoying the outdoors from the inside of your home — a blending of the outside and inside? Architect Sarah Susanka, author of “The Not So Big House” says, “… a home does not stand separate from its surroundings.” Custom home designs carefully incorporate the transition between the interior and exterior through effective use of glass doors and windows. Unfortunately, this design detail is not commonly found in older homes. This does NOT mean you are prohibited from bringing the outdoors in if you have an older home. Through a well-designed alteration and the incorporation of creative door products, you can transform your home, creating flexibility of use, enhanced views, and larger open-air spaces.

There are many options to consider. A folding glass wall, pocketing sliding glass doors, patio doors, or a set of French doors can help you achieve your project goals. One option can be as easy as converting existing window space into operating doors. Selecting a good contractor and designer is your first step. These professionals will help you understand the construction pros and cons, cost considerations, and will help you decide on the best fit for your home.

A popular approach is the NanaWall, an engineered folding door system that will collapse to one end and provide a flexible use of space while inviting the outdoors in. The NanaWall can be used in many applications; 90-degree converging corners, curved walls, and straight walls. It provides a clean design and easily blends the outside and inside of your home. The NanaWall is Energy Star rated, which designates superior energy performance and high efficiency. Jeld-Wen Windows and Doors offers a similar folding door system, yet gives a little more variety in interior and exterior finishes.   

Pocketing sliding glass doors are commonly used, especially in new construction. Although they can achieve benefits similar to folding doors, Integrity Remodeling & Custom Homes prefers other systems to the aluminum frames and the wide guide track which has to be stepped over. Sliding French doors and hinged Patio doors are a great alternative to other systems. They can be assembled together in many different combinations to meet every need or desire. Pella windows and doors are our personal favorites if your budget does not allow for the NanaWall.

Like NanaWall and Jeld-Wen, Pella offers many different styles and colors. However, they also have other features such as blinds or shades between the panes of glass, retractable screens, and multi-point locking systems. These doors and windows are very energy efficient and boast very low solar heat gain coefficients. We can personally attest to the excellent customer service which accompanies these fine products.

Like any alteration to your home, Integrity Remodeling & Custom Homes encourages you to select your contractor and allow them to work with their own engineer or architect. We prefer to work with our engineer closely to determine the different options for the project and to provide any input that will help save job cost. We call this value engineering. There are many different ways to accomplish the same goals. We believe the person responsible for the construction should be involved from the very beginning. More often, the customer secures the architect or engineer, completes the drawings and then begins their search for the contractor. You will have a much more successful project if you select a builder who is knowledgeable in structures and engineering and has a good relationship with the professional responsible for the drawings. When starting your search for the right licensed contractor, look for one who specializes in structural alterations and has good references (be sure to call each one). The National Association of Homebuilders (https://www.nahb.org/) is a good source to begin your search for a local contractor.  

As we embrace the warmer season and the beauty which Mother Nature provides, it’s the perfect time to renovate your home and…Welcome the Outdoors In!

The Top Ten Reasons to Build Instead of Buy

Total home sales are expected reach the highest levels since 2006, realtor.com reported this week.

For many, this is a chance to finally get the home you’ve been dreaming of for years. As you enthusiastically begin to shop for your new home, you have two choices: buying or building.

Buying is often the easier choice, especially if your move is temporary. You can move in on schedule, you don’t have to worry about dealing with builders and contractors, and you can always just remodel anything you don’t like, right? At Integrity Remodeling & Custom Homes, we often are called in to remodel homes because of damages, appearance, and a home’s inability to serve a family’s needs. So why not get it all done right the first time?

Building a home is a big decision. You are committing to staying in the area for at least a few years and you are in charge of choosing your new home’s design, which may or may not fit your budget. Integrity Remodeling & Custom Homes works closely with our homeowners to ensure they get exactly what they want at a price they can afford, but, as with any new home, the process can be stressful.

So, why should you build instead of buy? Here are New Homes Source’s top 10 reasons:

1) Design Your Dream Home Your Way: Why settle for someone else’s choices when you can select your favorite cabinets, countertops, appliances, carpets and flooring? While you’re at it, you can choose gorgeous bath and kitchen fixtures, lighting and other options that you love. Your new home will reflect your style, not someone else’s taste.

2) Choose a Floor Plan and Room Layout that Meets Your Needs: Want a master bedroom on the first floor? It’s yours. With massive his and her’s walk-in closets? Done! Want high ceilings and a luxurious, resort-style master bath? Perhaps you’d like a sitting room with a fireplace in your owner’s suite or French doors that open to your private patio or the pool? It’s easy, when you build your master suite your way.

3) Energy and Cost Savings: Today’s new homes are far more energy efficient than homes built just five years ago. Versus homes built ten or 20 years ago, it’s game over, advantage new.Why settle for drafty, energy-wasting single-pane windows in a used home? Many new homes offer double or even triple-pane windows. Special window coatings and inert gases between the layers of glass are often available, saving you even more energy and money in both heating and cooling season.

4) Comfort and Indoor Air Quality: Today’s new homes meet stringent energy standards and codes not in place in the past. They combine high-performance energy efficiency with state-of-the-art ventilation and air filtration. The result is year-round, draft-free comfort and higher indoor air quality.

5) All New, Under Warranty: A used home likely has tired products that may soon need replacing. Your new home — and the products that comprise it — are brand-new and under warranty. What’s the cost to replace a roof, appliances, countertops or a water heater on a used home? Those components of your new home feature the latest designs and building materials and should offer you years of comfort and enjoyment before needing replacement.

6) Low Maintenance: New cars today are computer-designed and computer-equipped. That’s why they perform much more reliably than a car that’s 15 or 20 years old. Homes are the same. Today’s new homes have open floor plans and high ceilings that reflect the way we live today. They’re also made of cutting-edge building products that require less care and maintenance. Another plus? The latest building systems and components are designed and engineered to work together.

7) Community Amenities: Many new homes are built in lavish master-planned communities with resort-style community centers, pools and clubhouses. Many new home communities also feature hiking trails, protected open lands and some of the best new schools and shopping near (or even within) your new home community.

8) Advanced Technology and Design: It’s possible to replace all of the single-pane windows in a resale home with today’s high-performance windows. It’s also possible to add insulation to a used home. However, it’s very expensive to replace dated appliances, cabinets and countertops in a used home — and you still won’t have the high ceilings you dream of on the first floor of an older two-story home. All are reasons to build your new home your way, to reflect the way you live today.

9) Safety: State-of-the-art circuit breakers. Electric garage door openers with infrared beams that stop if a tricycle or child is too near. High-efficiency furnaces and air conditioners that use the latest environmentally-friendly coolants. Cabinets, carpets and paints that use fewer volatile organic compounds, so that you and your family can breathe easier.

10) That New Home Feel: A used home was someone else’s dream, not yours. It reflects their choices and family memories. You may learn to love avocado-green appliances (and you may be willing to scrub stained countertops or grease-encrusted ovens and cooktops) but more and more people prefer that never lived-in feel.

Interested in making memories in a home built just for you and your family? Contact us at (407) 625-8286 and visit our Facebook page.

Christmas Decorations Around the World

Do you have a favorite Christmas decoration? Is it the beautiful Christmas tree you cut down yourself? Maybe it’s the sprawling Christmas village you’ve built on top of your piano or bookshelf?

Christmas decorations have a way of ushering the holiday season into your home and heart. The season doesn’t seem complete until the Christmas tree is decorated, the stockings are hung, and your house shines brightly through the dark.

Everyone has their own decorations, many passed down through generations or hand-crafted with love, but there are certain decorating traditions that are typical for an American Christmas. Trees, garlands, ornaments, outdoor lights, reindeer, fake snow, and mistletoe can be found in homes across the states, but what about homes overseas? How do other cultures celebrate Christmas?

Integrity Remodeling & Custom Homes has put together a collection of international Christmas decorations that may be perfect for your own home. Here’s how other cultures deck the halls:

1. Cobwebbed Christmas Trees

In Eastern Europe, especially in the Ukraine, Christmas trees are decorated with spiders and spider webs. The tradition stems from a folktale in which a poor widow and her children couldn’t afford to decorate their tree. On Christmas day, they woke to find the tree covered in cobwebs, which turned to gold and silver when the light touched them.

2. Candles in a Wreath

To celebrate St. or Santa Lucia Day, a young girl is chosen to represent St. Lucia, a woman who used a wreath of candles to guide and rescue persecuted Christians. The girl wears a wreath with candles, a white gown, and a red sash to lead a procession of candle holders in remembrance of the brave saint. The wreath is also used as a decoration in the home.

3. Summer Trees

Countries in the Southern Hemisphere celebrate Christmas during their summer months, so many decorate fruit trees in celebration. In some countries, including Brazil, people create the appearance of snow on their decorated trees. Sounds like something we Floridians could do…

4. Decorating Ships

Christmas trees are becoming more common in Greece, but Christmas lights have been used for much longer. To celebrate the season, small boats were decorated instead of trees. Even now, a three masted ship and large Christmas tree are put up every year in the central square of Thessaloniki.

5. Candle in the Window

In Ireland, lit candles are placed in the windows of houses on Christmas Eve. The tradition has many meanings, but it was primarily meant to extend a symbolic welcome to Mary and Joseph as they searched for shelter on Christmas Eve.

Integrity Remodeling & Custom Homes wishes you and your families a Merry Christmas this holiday season!

For any questions, contact us at (407) 625-8286.

Budgeting: The Key to Any Successful Remodel

You have decided to move forward with your plans to remodel your kitchen, add a bedroom, or close in your back porch. So, where do you begin? Integrity Remodeling and Custom Homes will always tell you to begin by finding the right building contractor to “partner” with first. There are many positive benefits to securing your contractor first, so that you can start the design process together, with all parties having the same knowledge and ideas about your project. Often times your builder can provide wise suggestions that offer the same design effect without sacrificing the budget, sometimes referred to as value engineering.

More often, the client has already had the project designed and purchased architectural drawings before searching for a contractor. The danger in this approach is that many times the contractor can’t do the job as it was designed within the set budget. Nothing is more frustrating than growing attached to a design and not being able to build it. Now, you must either attempt to alter the design or keep looking for a contractor that can build your project as drawn for the budget you have already determined. So, instead of selecting a builder based on his quality workmanship, customer service, and his abilities, you are forced to search for the cheapest contractor. This has a very good chance of heading in a negative direction quickly.

Once you’ve decided on a contractor and how much you desire to spend on your project, your contractor should create a job budget he uses to detail your list of desired interior and exterior finishes. This is being done simultaneously with the design process. Once the preliminary design is complete, your contractor can finish building the job budget. You can now review the budget and your contractor can identify areas of the budget that may require adjustment to maintain the original number you have set to spend on your project.

Your contractor may offer suggestions, such as alternative finish selections or project size reduction, so you can keep to your budget without taking away from the design. If you find your budgeted amount isn’t realistic for your design, you will have determine whether you are going to invest more money in your project or compromise on your selections in some areas.

This is the beauty of a properly detailed budget; it allows you to account for everything, so you can make those hard decisions on the front end of the project rather than discovering that your funds are exhausted and you’re nowhere near completion.

When considering green selections such as energy wise windows, high performance HVAC systems, or foam insulation, you can simply insert these costs into the budget and instantly see the impact it has on the bottom line. When making these choices, however, you must not only consider your initial costs, but also what you will save by incorporating some of these products in your project. Energy Raters, which your contractor can find for you, can help determine the payoff of these products.

Integrity Remodeling & Custom Homes likes to do this for our customers, to show the initial investment versus the long-term savings in order to determine the break-even point for these expenditures. In some instances, we have saved initial money on HVAC equipment cost by selecting high performance windows and doors.We spent more money on windows and doors, but saved on the cost of the HVAC system and decreased the projected energy bill considerably. Your green contractor can easily show you areas in the budget to cut so you can increase monies in critical areas that actually offer a significant impact on the operating cost of the home. Your contractor should educate you on the benefits of using superior products, in order to help you make informed choices about what you are spending.

This information may even encourage you to increase your initial spending on your project for  substantial monthly savings in the future. Setting a budget at the beginning, designing the project with it in mind, and making wise selections alone will not equate to a satisfying remodel. Instead, the key to a successful remodel and positive experience is using the budget as a tool to track variances and making the necessary adjustments along the way to maintain your budget. Only then will you get exactly what you’ve been dreaming about.

For more information on project budgets or beginning your remodel process, contact Integrity Remodeling & Custom Homes at 407-625-8286 or integrityremodeling@me.com.

The Greenwashing Con

Photo Credit: Tavis Ford

As one article said, “Green is the new black.” Whether looking at house cleaning products, building materials, or the sheets you use on your bed, you are sure to find a brand that is proudly declaring it’s new green products.

If you feel like the green movement is out of control and too good to be true, you’re not the only one. In fact, the labeling of “green” products and the relentless pushing of the green agenda has its own name: Greenwashing.

Greenwashing occurs when companies label their products as green to encourage more consumers to purchase them. Although some companies might truly be trying to protect the environment and lessen the damage their products cause, others are simply trying to make more money.

In the building industry, we often see more emphasis placed on green products than on green practices. When this happens, the big picture is often overlooked. Builders may use green roofing materials and bathroom countertops, but their houses waste water and energy.

Green building materials are effective if used with systems and practices that save energy, use fewer resources, and lower the home’s overall carbon footprint. This can be accomplished by using framing products made from scrap lumber that would otherwise be thrown away, instead of purchasing a “green” product made of organic materials.

Location can also be a factor in creating an environmentally friendly home. Choosing a site that doesn’t interrupt watersheds or destroy habitats can lower the impact your home will have on the
environment. Orienting your house to take advantage of the sun’s positioning and heat can help save energy.

Once your home is built, you can continue to keep it eco-friendly by keeping up with the maintenance and making sure your home is performing at its environmentally friendly best! Contact Integrity Remodeling & Custom Homes for more information on greenwashing and building a truly green home.

How have you encountered greenwashing? Has this article changed your view of green building?

Green Building: Our Methods

What makes our building methods “green”? Is it the materials we use? Is it the way we construct our homes or the location we choose? Is there really an easy answer?

The short answer is no. There’s not one method or product or choice that can make a home truly green. Instead, it’s a combination of decisions, such as reusing scrap lumber or reducing energy consumption, that allow the builder and the homeowner to lower the impact of the home’s carbon footprint.

Our founder, Rich Moriarty, explained it this way:

“We are using recycled materials, saving trees, reducing our energy and water consumption, all the while saving money. Green building is the assembly of multiple systems, products, and improved building practices that create a longer lasting, less energy consuming, and healthier home.”

To help you understand how we, Integrity Remodeling & Custom Homes, accomplish this sometimes daunting task, we’ve listed some of the main systems that truly impact a home’s carbon footprint. We focus on these systems to accomplish some of the green building practices that are going to make on impact on your home.

High efficiency HVAC system

About half of your home’s energy goes to heating and cooling. Using a high efficiency HVAC system saves money, provides better heating and cooling, and lasts longer than older systems. If you’re planning on selling your house in the future, a high efficiency HVAC system can raise the value of your home and may even help it sell faster. They use one-third less fuel than older models, which helps conserve natural resources, and creates fewer damaging emissions.

Insulation

There are two types of spray foam insulation that can help your home be more energy efficient. While both have advantages and disadvantages, these insulations perform consistently well and can help prevent air and heat from escaping through holes and openings in your home. We’ve included this comparison chart to the right to help you understand the differences between closed cell and open cell spray foam.

Efficient windows and doors

Using energy efficient windows and doors can lower your lighting, heating, and cooling bills and save the energy that would be lost otherwise. As with most green decisions, there are several options for efficient windows and doors. One option is to use windows and doors that have argon-insulated glass. Another is to use glass coated with a transparent metallic oxide coating, which prevents heat from transferring through the glass. Aluminum-clad wood also prevents hot outside air from entering the home and consuming more energy.

Recycled materials

Recycled materials are being used in building homes and are superior to conventional lumber, which significantly  impacts our environment. By using materials such as Trex decking (recycled plastic used to make boards and railings in lieu of traditional lumber) and framing materials made from scrap lumber that would normally be discarded, we are using engineering to manage our resources better.

Contact us today to discuss ways we can help you to utilize energy efficient systems and incorporate green building practices in your home.

Building Up, Not Out

Neighborhoods, schools, taxes, proximity to work, and special interests are just a few of the reasons why you may desire to adapt your home to your changing lifestyle instead of selling and buying another home.

Additions and home renovations are a very good solution to get that extra area you may be in need of, or to just transform your existing home into your ideal home. When considering an addition, homeowners typically think of adding a room to the existing footprint of the home; however, local building standards may restrict or make it difficult for a main floor addition for several reasons. Property line setbacks, previous requirements, water retention, tree issues, and septic systems are some of the most common deterrents you may face. Unfortunately, when homeowners are faced with such obstacles, they become discouraged and decide to table the whole idea of adding on when there may be a very appealing alternative they may not have considered – the addition of a second story.

Naturally, as with any type of renovation in the very surroundings where you eat and sleep daily, you can expect some inconveniences. The addition of a second story has both favorable and unfavorable considerations, but the advantages are definitely more significant.

To begin with, let’s take a look at some of the disadvantages of adding a second floor. In most situations, there will be a need to move out of the home due to the amount of demolition and the possibility of exposure to the weather. Generally speaking, this type of addition will require a renovation of the existing main floor to some extent. You can expect to incur additional costs such as moving expenses, rent, and storage of your belongings. An experienced builder can coordinate and arrange the construction schedule to add the second story and minimize the time you would need to relocate to another area of the home or move out of the home entirely.

Adding a second story has many desirable aspects. A second story offers the ability to maintain setback requirements with minimal effect on the percentage of impervious surfaces allowed on the lot. Impervious surfaces are those areas that would not percolate, resulting in water run-off. In addition to stormwater management, the impervious limitations set by the city protect vegetation, trees, and landscaping. A second story also conserves square footage of the lot area for desired future additions such as pools, gardens, or other landscaping and outdoor living options. It also provides the opportunity to increase main floor ceiling heights from the dated 8’ ceilings to the modernized 10’ or 12’ ceilings.

Naturally, adding the second story will incorporate a stairway. Through the services of Stair Masterz professional design team and their selections of different finishes, Stair Masterz can highlight any interior decor. This type of an addition makes for convenient energy improvements to the home’s heating and cooling system and attic insulation. This results in improved indoor air quality, a more comfortable home, and a savings to your monthly operating costs.

Another aesthetic advantage to adding a second story is the curb appeal it furnishes. For example, a second story addition to the traditional ranch style home naturally transforms the front elevation of the home. It is important to consider the future outer appearance of your home when you are contemplating a second story addition. What do you visualize or hope for your home to look like? You will need to keep this in mind because there are varieties of new exterior options which are now available that can transform your home’s character and enhance its curb appeal, grabbing the spotlight in your neighborhood.

Your Fall Checklist

Fall is in the air… as your family settles into a busy schedule of work, school, and extracurricular, activities, nature is changing too.

For those who live in Florida like we do, fall is a much slower and much shorter season than it is in northern states. While our northern friends are enjoying frosty mornings, apple picking, and changing leaves, we are eagerly waiting for temperatures to drop below the 90s.

Whether the fall has brought cool temperatures or not, here are some steps homeowners should take to ready their homes for the upcoming winter.

 1. Service your HVAC

Schedule a maintenance appointment for your heating system and chimney. Make sure your heat sources are clean and safely working before you need them.

2. Conduct an energy audit

This audit will show you the efficiency of your home’s energy and show you how you can improve it. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, making the changes suggested in an energy audit can save 5 to 30 percent on the monthly energy bill. Check with your utility company to see if they offer free or discounted audits before hiring an outside company.

3. Roof inspection

Check your roof, drainpipes, and gutters clean your gutters of leaves and other debris. Check your yard for potential hazard-causing branches and leaves and remove them. Gutter guards are a nice feature that’s easily added to prevent leaves from clogging your gutters.

4. Organize your storage and utility spaces.

Tidiness can often get lost in summer fun and fall is a great time to sort through your junk drawers and closets. Create room for backpacks, school projects, jackets, and boots. Purchase shelves and baskets for loose odds and ends. Avoid massive clutter and help your future searches by organizing now.

5. Decorate

Decorating is always fun and adds a special touch to the home. Set out your scarecrows and pumpkins outside and hang some wreaths. Use harvest corn and other natural decorations for your tables and cabinets. Set out fall candles and let apple, pumpkin, cinnamon, or other fall scents warm your home. Enjoy!