Jeremy St. Louis

DIY: Home efficiency and maintenance tips. Over the past few years I have been working toward living a "greener" lifestyle and at the same time saving some "$green$". I have come across a few tips that are simple and effective at shrinking your carbon footprint and growing your savings account. Here we go...

1. If you have a forced hot air furnace, change your filter. The filter simply slides out and can be replaced with slide-in, ready-to-fit filter, from most hardware stores. Change the filter in the fall and each month of the heating season. The efficiency of your furnace is affected by clogged filters. You can also usually find bundled packages of the filters and save by buying in bulk.
2. Have your furnace serviced and cleaned each year. Not only does this decrease the chances for failure and safety issues, it improves the overall efficiency and life expectancy of your heating system.
3. Wrapping the heating duct work in your basement or attic with duct work insulation can keep your heat working in the living area of your home, instead of heating up your basement or attic. If you already have insulated duct work, a quick once over to make sure there are no leaks or tears is a great way to ensure your prior work is still doing its job.
4. Unplug your electronics chargers when they are not in use. The yield may seem small, but if you are like me, there are devices everywhere that require power. By unplugging the various chargers, you are doing yourself and the earth a favor.
5. Run the vent fan in your bathroom for twenty minutes after taking a shower or bath. I know this may seem contrary to the energy efficiency idea, but the fan has a relatively small energy pull and the effects on your home can be considerable. By using the vent, you can reduce the amount of moisture in your bathroom. By decreasing the chance for mold and mildew growth, you increase the life of your paint job. One other thing to verify is that your vents' ductwork pumps the air outside. This can easily be dislodged and let the moist air pump into your attic.

I hope these tips are helpful to you and that you save some energy and money.

Buying a home in Connecticut. Three great links to view before you start.

When you begin your search for a home the "process" can be intimidating. It is likely the largest personal transaction of your lifetime. There a great number of websites and associations that can provide you with excellent information and guidance. Recently the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development released three videos that are very good sources of information.

Shopping for your Home

Shopping for your Loan

Closing the Deal

I find these videos to be a great source of information that answer a broad spectrum of frequently asked questions.

After viewing the videos you should have a good idea of what to take into consideration during the "process". When you find that you are ready to move forward it is important to find a Realtor that you are comfortable working with. I look forward to talking to you and finding the perfect home for you!

A day for Veterans at S&P Oyster Co. in Mystic, CT

It is my pleasure to write about such a wonderful and well thought out event. I was talking to one of the owner's of S&P Oyster Company, Cathleen Holland, yesterday and if her level of enthusiasm for this event is a precursor, the event will be a GREAT success. I couldn't help but feel that this event needed any bit of exposure I could add...so here we are. The S&P Oyster Company Veteran & Troop Rally in Mystic, CT is being held on 11/11/10 from 11:30a-10:00p. The restaurant will be donating 20% of sales for the day to support the Connecticut Department of Veteran Affairs, Give2TheTroops.org and Veteran Honor Flights. In addition to providing funds to these great charities, S& P Oyster Co. and Veteran Honor Flights are committed to sending four local veterans of World War II to the National World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C. One of the best parts about this event is that all we have to do is show up and eat some of the best food in the state! I will look forward to seeing you there.

Holiday Carnival in Olde Mistick Village Mystic,CT

Attending a great event held in Olde Mistick Village Mystic , CT on December 4, 2010 will help you prepare for your Holiday season and be a fun outing for the whole family. The stores will be operating in holiday season hours open from 10a-8p Monday to Saturday and Sunday 11a-5p. The event is scheduled from 1p-6p. The Holiday Carnival is a fun event that is great fun and fairly priced. All event held outside are free, while each store has the opportunity to hold events inside and charge $1.00 per person for entrance. You can target which stores events work for you and yours. A detailed list of times and events can be found at the Olde Mistick Village website.

The outdoor activities include a large array of local and fun possibilities! Come and see Santa on stilts, roaming characters, festival brass and take a holiday hayride! You can also see the Fly by night comedy jugglers, Ladies of the rolling pin, the Mystic River Chorale, and the Incredible Larry!

The indoors features contain a vast array from a balloon artist at The Toy Soldier (one of my kids favorites!), many raffles and drawings for give aways at stores including Bathtub, R.A. Georgetti & Co. and the Country store. A few must visits are Munson's Chocolate's (GREAT) for free fudge samples and Mystic Army Navy II for free military patches for kids! I hope to see you there!

Halloween Festival at Mitchell College in New London,CT

Get your family ready for a great event the 4th Annual Halloween Festival at Mitchell College in New London, CT Saturday, October 30th from 10:00am-4:00p. Hosted by the Mitchell College Behavioral Science Club this event is one of the main charitable events of the year held by the Club. The Behavioral Science Club has won outstanding club of the year at Mitchell college for the last three years and has become the premier event holders for the campus. One Non-Perishable canned good will grant you entry to this family friendly fun event! The canned goods support the Gemma Moran United Way/Labor Food Pantry. There is something for everyone story telling, Halloween games, face painting and costume parades. Take this opportunity to test drive those costumes and tweak as necessary after the test drive. My kids really like this event it is a really fun way to spend some time with your kids. Last year my son made a craft that he likes so much that it is still hanging in his room. Come and create some memories and crafts with your kids! The Clarke Center is a good size and has easy parking.