Technology was caught up with heating and cooling thermostats. With more and more Internet based devices coming out, tech savvy people can utilize this technology to save money. Since the heating and cooling of a home makes up the majority of the utility costs, it makes sense to keep a tight rein on how long and often it cycles off and on.
The thermostat has evolved somewhat over the years from simple manual controlled units with a mercury switch to programmable ones that gave people the ability to have their air conditioning or furnace temperatures set back during the night or at work to the newest version that can be controlled through the Internet. Programmable thermostats may not benefit everyone, for example if someone is at home all day it may not make sense to have automatic set back feature. But depending on the lifestyle of the household, having greater control may prove to provide significant savings.
One problem with standard programmable thermostats is that your household may have an unpredictable schedule with people coming and going and leaves programming the thermostat useless. The new Internet controlled thermostats, or "smart thermostats" are controlled through a wireless gateway connected to the home's Internet connection and transmits signals to the wall mounted thermostat to lower and raise temperatures and even switch between heating and cooling modes. This allows you to remotely control the thermostat through any Internet connection from anywhere, even with Internet enabled phones and PDAs. Most of these have the ability to control up to four different thermostats so if you lived in a two story home for instance, you could turn on the air conditioning to your upstairs office before you get there and leave the downstairs set back.
Not all electric providers have the service, but may in the future. TXU is offering these at a low price if you join their energy conservation program. For more information, you can visit their website at: https://www.txupartners.com/thermostat/programdetails/index.php
Kent Keith
I was driving along Vickery Blvd. in Fort Worth's west side yesterday and couldn't help but to stop in the Swiss Pastry Shop for a piece of their famous black forest cake. If you have never tried some, you owe it to yourself to do so! It has to be the most awesome desert I have ever had. My sister turned me on to it years ago and I have always requested it to be my birthday cake. I have also bought it for others and people just love me for it. I'm not much on sweets, but this is different in my opinion. It is just sweet enough without being over powering, but the thing I love so much about it is the fact that the "cake" portion of the cake is very light and is actually crunchy, so it doesn't give you that filled up feeling. I'm also not a chocolate nut, but it has just enough shaved on the top.
Go by a try some, you'll be glad you did.....if not, just call me and I'll be glad to take it off your hands! Well...I have to go now and do more "research" on this subject! Mmmmmm
Address: 3936 W. Vickery Blvd. Fort Worth TX 76107
Monday Closed,Tuesday 06:30 AM - 5:30 PM, Wednesday 06:30 AM - 5:30 PM, Thursday 06:30 AM - 5:30 PM, Friday 06:30 AM - 5:30 PM, Saturday 07:30 AM - 4:00 PM, Sunday Closed
Phone: 817-732-5661
Kent Keith
I was doing a little painting today and thought I would pass along a little trick that I do to all new paint cans that I open. It only takes a minute and saves a lot of aggravation. Who hasn't tried to open a paint can that was previously opened after sitting a long time and the can's lid is glued shut with old paint? All you do is take a large nail and punch holes around the bottom lip of the can about one inch apart. This way, the paint that gets in the can's lip will simply drip back into the can...viola! No more stuck lids!
Kent Keith
I was inspecting a crawlspace of a home in an older neighborhood and while I was crawling around under the bathroom area, I kept feeling something strange under my body......not exactly dirt or a liquid but slippery. To my surprise as I shined my flashlight around me, I realized that I was lying on a thick bed of literally hundreds of double edge razor blades! I carefully rolled off them and took this picture. The ones you can see are the ones that slid down the small hill, there were many more above on the flat area. I have always heard about the slot in the rear of old medicine cabinets that people used to deposit used razor blades, but never ran into this before. There is no telling how many of these blades were in the wall cavity that didn't make their way to the crawlspace floor. I am always careful to suit up with the proper protective clothing with gloves included, but this will prompt me to make sure I get my tetanus shot updated. They say every 10 years, I'm sure it's been longer. When customers ask why I charge extra for pier & beam homes, I mention spiders, snakes, possums and pesticides. Now I can add another danger....razor blades!
Home Inspection....it's a dangerous job, but somebody's gotta do it!
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I provide complete and thorough home inspection services in the DFW area. I believe spending time with the customer after the inspection is the most important part of the inspection process.
"As a certified professional home inspector, I am absolutely committed to providing my customers outstanding service and value. After all, you and your investment in your new home deserves the best home inspection services available."
Consumers Guide to Home Inspections
Understanding home inspection and choosing the right home inspector can be a difficult task, especially if you
don’t know what questions to ask. I hope this guide is helpful if you are a first time buyer and need to know what
home inspections are all about or have purchased many homes, you will probably find information here that you
may not have thought of. Whether you hire me as your inspector or not, you owe it to yourself to learn as much
as you can about the most expensive purchase you will ever make….your home.
The history of home inspection
The home inspection industry is still relatively new. To the home buyers of the early 1900s, property inspections
were non-existent. In this simpler era, the purchase of a home was a simple bank transaction and a handshake.
The thought of suing someone over a home purchase problem was not on anyone’s mind. As long as the roof
didn’t leak and the house was basically sound, read more....
The home inspection process
First of all, what exactly is a home inspector?
Actually that can be a good question. If I were to sum it up, I would say that we are consumer advocates. We work
for the customer to use our knowledge of houses to help you gain as much information about the home as
possible so that you know what you are buying and maybe negotiate for repairs, upgrades or money off the price
of the house. I can tell you what we are not.
We are not:
Code Inspectors- We do not enforce building codes on existing homes, although we do if we inspect new homes
and homes outside city jurisdiction. But in a typical read more......
When should I schedule the inspection?
As soon as you have a contract on the house. Most contracts give you want is called and “opt out period”. The
opt out time can vary and in the Dallas / Fort Worth area, 10 day seems to be the norm. During this time, you will
need to have the home inspection performed read more.......
The scope and limitations of a home inspection
I am asked frequently when a potential client calls as to what items are covered with the home inspection.
Basically most all the home’s components from the roof, on down to the foundation are inspected. The roof,
electrical, plumbing, attic area, interior, AC and furnace read more......
Home inspection contingency
In most cases with existing home purchases, you have within the opt out period a contingency to buy the home
“as is” based on the inspection report. Or if you decline the acceptance, then you have the following options.
1. Ask the sellers to make some of the needed repairs. You should be sure to address the issues related to
safety as a priority.
2. Ask the sellers to make all the needed repairs read more.......
How long should an inspection take to perform?
It depends on many factors such as how large a house is, if the house has a pier & beam foundation, it takes
longer to crawl under the house and inspect. If the home has a swimming pool and sprinkler system, that takes
time also. It also depends on how thorough read more......
Why you should attend the inspection
I perform many home inspections for people that are out of town and are moving to the area, so I write my
inspection reports to be as detailed as possible with many photos for clarification. However, you should try your
best to be present for the inspection and ask as many questions as you can. read more......
How to choose the right home inspector
Choosing the right home inspector can be daunting, especially if you have never needed to hire one before. By
reading this guide, you should have a good idea of what questions to ask when interviewing an inspector. Many
people have the impression that all professional home inspectors are all that same since we all go by the same
standards. Nothing could be further from the truth. If two inspectors were to inspect the same house, the
inspection reports and findings could be quite different. read more.......
Questions to ask a home inspector company
To help you to ask the right questions, I have made a list of questions I would ask a potential home inspector.
1. How long have you had your license and have been inspection homes?
2. Are you a full time independent inspector or is this a multi-inspector company?
3. How long does it take to perform a typical home inspection?
4. How long does it take for me to get my inspection report? read more.......
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Swiss Pastry Shop....Try the Black Forest Cake
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