byAlma Abell

On average, a new home will take approximately five to eight years to settle. This means that all the creaks and cracks that you start to hear when it is quiet or possibly see in the walls above joists are normal but you need to be aware of problems that are not normal with the foundation. What you also need to be aware of is that a simple problem could turn into a worse problem for your foundation when you don’t use Foundation Contractors in Pensacola. You may also be happy to know that not all problems are expensive and may take an easy fix to keep your home structurally sound.

As a homeowner you are probably already well aware of the many facets of your home that require maintaining all year round. Major items such as your heating and cooling systems, roof systems and your foundation need to be checked on a routine basis so as to avoid big problems later on. Specifically, when it comes to your foundation, little problems can be a do-it-yourself project while major issues are only for Foundation Contractors in Pensacola.

The major culprit behind a foundation issue has to do with standing water. If you are noticing problems inside the home such as doors sticking, cracks in your walls or stairs that average more than a 1/4 inch of a hair line fracture need to be addressed. You could easily take care of the aesthetics but you are not handling the underlying issues. If you have a water issue, look around the outside frame of the home and look for puddles that accumulate after a rain.

Check your gutters to make sure they are not clogged and direct all downspouts away from the home. The best recommendation for drains away from the home are french drains and can be installed for a relatively inexpensive amount considering the safety that they will bring to the foundation of the home. Consider this option if you are in fact getting damage to your foundation because of standing water.

Get advice from the professionals if you suspect damage to your foundation. There are company’s such as Ramjacksf.com that offer advice not only on epoxy fixes but also long term solutions such as braces and beams that come in a variety of materials for longer lasting corrections or permanent changes to the foundation.

byAlma Abell

Heating and cooling appliances are the most expensive things to run in a home. They consume the most energy and require more maintenance than almost any other appliance in a home. However, if they are well maintained they can cost much less to operate.The average homeowner spends about three hundred dollars per month on energy costs, but those bills can be lowered with a few extra measures. Setting the thermostat a few degrees higher in Summer can reduce cooling costs. Fans and other smaller cooling devices also help cut costs. Making sure the insulation in the home protects against thermal leakage will help heating costs in the Winter. Most importantly, homeowners need to contact their local service provider to schedule service visits to make sure the heating and cooling system is working as efficiently as possible.

Residential HVAC Systems have three major parts that need to be checked during each visit. The wiring to and from the unit will need to be checked for damage and faults. If the wires are damaged they will be a fire hazard, faulty wiring could cause breakers to trip and stop the entire system from working. The appliance will need to be checked for mechanical and electrical errors that could force the unit to work much harder. The last part of the system are the ducts. The air moving in and out of the home is what maintains the temperature. If there are gaps in the ducts it will be much harder to cool or heat the rooms of the home. Service providers can check the ducts and make sure air is getting where it needs to go.

Service providers such as Aatemperatureservices.com can schedule service visits that help homeowners assure their system is working at peak efficiency. Semi-annual visits are the best way to make sure the unit is working properly all year around. Maintaining residential HVAC Systems is easy with the help of a qualified service provider. These visits should be scheduled for the beginning of Summer and the beginning of Winter to avoid waiting for help during peak seasons. Homeowners could be saving hundreds of dollars each year on heating and cooling costs with just one phone call to their local service provider. You can also visit them on Facebook for more information.