You get the electric bill, and each month you’re shocked at how much it is—and it’s getting higher! That means it’s time for some changes that don’t involve you getting solar panels installed on your roof, because who’s going to pay for that? For affordable and easy ways to lower your electric bill each month, keep reading.  And check out electric companies in texas for all your power options.

Update Your Blinds

Heat enters your home through the sunlight that streams into your windows. In the summer, this is a pain because you lower your thermostat, hoping that it would help. What about blinds and more window treatment options? Window blinds can eliminate that sunlight that streams in during the summer months altogether. Look for companies that offer services for blinds and more options for your windows that will block that extra sunlight in the summer and vice versa in winter. Make the sun work for you and watch your bill drop.

Unplug Small Appliances

When you’re not home during the day, you probably turn off all of your lights. But have you considered unplugging appliances that you don’t use every day? Think small appliances like your iron, toaster, toaster oven, or coffee maker. Believe it or not, but just because you aren’t using an appliance, that doesn’t mean it isn’t still using energy. If it’s plugged in, it’s still taking in power – the power that you are paying for each month! So, if you don’t use the appliances every day or if you and you’re finished with it for the day (like your coffee maker), then unplug it. In addition to saving you energy, it’s also a lot safer to keep unused appliances unplugged and out of the way.

Use Smarter Lightbulbs

Though Edison is a genius and he gave us light. He didn’t yet know just how much energy his bulbs would use. And they use more than you think. So, it’s time to upgrade to energy-efficient bulbs. Even though they are costly, they do last longer and use less energy. Energy-efficient light bulbs are a small investment to make in lowering your home’s energy usage. Every home needs light to function. Why not use light bulbs that will save you money?

Check Your Large Appliances

Are your appliances energy efficient? If not, can you afford to make the switch? Energy-efficient appliances are designed to save you money on your electric bill. Though they will cost a pretty penny upfront, just like the light bulbs, they will save you more money in the long run. This is a big commitment to make, but think about how often you use some of your large appliances like your refrigerator, microwave, and washer and dryer. The appliances will most likely pay for themselves via the money you save on your energy bill in just a few short months! Definitely don’t take on the purchase lightly, but consider it if you’re genuinely interested in lowering your monthly electric bill.

Your home runs on electric, so you’ve got to pay that bill every month. Nevertheless, you can reduce it by using some of the simple hacks mentioned. Nobody’s bill should shock them each month, and by making some smart changes, your bill doesn’t have ever to surprise you again.

Securing your home is extremely important. Not only does it help keep your valuables safe, but it protects your family, too. But how do you know what type of security you need? Check out these tips to learn how to secure your home properly.

Install a Security System

If you don’t have a security system for your house, installing one is the first thing you should do. If you don’t think your need for security is high, you could opt for a simple alarm system that alerts you if there’s an intruder. However, a wireless security system with cameras will help you monitor your home 24/7 from anywhere in the world. Additionally, security cameras are a deterrent to potential intruders.

Add Additional Lighting to the Outside of Your Home

Bad guys like to sneak around in the dark, so it’s a good idea to illuminate the outside of your house as much as possible. At the very least, consider adding motion light to the exterior of your home so the light goes on if someone walks near it. You can also add solar lights to flower beds or along walkways and spotlights to light up the front and outside of your home.

Limit Access to Your Property

One of the best ways to limit access to your property is by installing a fence. However, if you don’t want to install a fence, consider adding hedges along your property line or thorny bushes. But be sure to keep the hedges trimmed. Overgrown hedges are a lot easier to hide in.

Any changes you make that place a barrier between your house and the public make it harder for thieves to get in and out. Chances are, they’ll choose a home with fewer obstacles before one that limits access to the property.

Upgrade Your Locks

If you’re looking for a quick, easy way to improve your home’s security, you should consider upgrading the locks on your house. Make sure every exterior door has a deadbolt lock on it. If you really want to protect your home, consider installing a smart lock. Smart locks lock themselves every time you close the door so accidentally leaving the door unlocked is never a problem. Ideally, you want to purchase a smart lock that has keypad access and/or lets you unlock the door from your smartphone. This way you don’t have to worry about getting locked out of your house.

Install Window Stops

Window stops prevent your windows from being opened more than six inches. This helps ensure people can’t get into your home through the window, but you can still air out the house when it needs it. Just remember, it’s important to make sure everyone in your family knows how to remove the window stops. That way, if there’s a fire in the house, they can escape through the window if they need to.

Don’t Leave Valuables Out

It’s common for people to secure their homes against would-be intruders, but what about the people you allow into your house? If you entertain frequently or have workers coming in and out of the home, it’s important to keep your valuables put up. You never know when someone will see something they like and pocket it.

Don’t Advertise When You’re Away

Criminals often look for homes that they know will be empty for an extended period of time. That’s why it’s important to always take your mail inside. But what about when you’re on vacation? You could have someone house sit for you so the house isn’t empty. More importantly, you shouldn’t post about your vacation on social media until you’re back home. This way people don’t realize you aren’t staying at your house.

Improving your home’s security doesn’t have to be difficult. Small changes around your house and small adjustments to your habits are all you really need to make sure your house stays off the radar of thieves and vandals.

Buying a home is a really big investment at any time. There’s a significant amount of money involved, and you’ll be starting the lengthy process of signing agreements, packing up everything in your current home, and then starting to settle in to your new place at last.

You can imagine how much more stress might be added onto the pile if you’re making a really long journey like moving a few states over too!

No matter where you’re going on just how far away it is, it’s really important that you’re as confident as can be that you’ve made the right decision. And that’s why there are some things you should always check before making the commitment. Here, you’ll find some of our advice on a handful of important things to do before buying a new home.

Check the heating & appliances

Ensuring that the heating works and that all appliances in the house work as they should is crucial. The last thing you want is to seal the deal, only to find out that you’ve got to shell out on repairing or replacing things that either didn’t work at all when you moved in, or were on their last legs the whole time.

It’s also important to verify that the heating in place is efficient too. Even if it works while you’re viewing the house, make sure you ask for information on their heating system, such as how old it is and how frequently it has been serviced.

If it is a particularly inefficient model, this might give you a bargaining chip to take the cost of a new boiler installation off the total cost of the house. You’ll save money straight away, and you might even save money long-term through cost-effective methods like using Super Saver Oil to heat your boiler.

In a similar vein, make sure that all windows and doors close securely. This will help you verify that there isn’t any risk of cold air seeping in during the colder months of the year. If you miss this, you might find that you end up spending more on your heating costs during the winter than you expected, as well spending repairing drafty parts of the home.

Check walls behind furniture and appliances

While this might not be something you would have thought would be useful during a house viewing, you’d be surprised at just what this could save you in the long run.

After all, buying a house, only to find after moving in that there are large patches and damp (or even mold) hidden behind wardrobes and dressers, would mean you have to spend a great deal of money getting the issue fixed.

If it’s particularly bad, such as if severe damp leads to a respiratory infection or allergic reaction in a family member, you might even have to find alternative accommodation while the issue is fixed.

Get a professional assessment

While making sure you closely observe the state of your prospective house can help you spot many potential issues or concerns, it’s still important that you have the advice and guidance of a professional home inspector too.

For example, they could be able to verify that the house is built on strong, stable foundations, or that there are no wiring issues in the house that might lead to outlet issues or an increased risk of power outages. It might just be as simple as having a second pair of eyes look over everything with you, as they might be able to spot something small that you missed, simply because you weren’t sure what to look for.

Doing your due diligence and making sure the house you buy is in good shape will help you buy with confidence, and get settled into your new home as easily as possible.

The topic of mental illness has been on the rise in recent years and the effects of it are being felt in a number of different industries. One in six workers are likely to be suffering with some form of mental health problem, according to a Deloitte report, which means that over 30 million employees in Europe alone could be struggling. How we feel on a daily basis can have a huge impact on how we perform at work, which in turn affects how your business performs. By focusing more on the mental wellbeing of your staff with the help of an HR system, you can encourage a greater range of benefits within your organisation. Here are some of the benefits to positive mental health in the workplace.

Improved Turnover

Most people would agree that they work better when they’re feeling their best. But if you’re unhappy, you’re often more distracted and find it difficult to focus. This is especially the case for people who struggle with mental health, as it can really affect their ability to work on tasks and deal with stress effectively. Many businesses find that mental health has the greatest financial impact on their organisation compared to any other health issue, so investing in your staff’s wellbeing is beneficial not just to your employees but also your business.

Greater Productivity

Studies have made direct links between the severity of mental health conditions and the level of productivity in the individual. The more depressed or anxious a person feels, the less productive they are likely to be. The notion of being at work without being able to work is known as presenteeism. This concept doesn’t even consider the number of days the individual may need to take off from work due to their mental health issues. By taking a proactive approach within your organisation in terms of the mental health of your staff, you’ll see a greater improvement in productivity which ultimately improves your bottom line.

Greater Cohesion Within Teams

Half of all workers with an anxiety disorder find that it interferes with their ability to maintain positive relationships with their colleagues. The dynamics of a team are impacted by mental health, whether it’s through an individual’s ability to progress with tasks that impact others or the ability to involve themselves within a collaborative environment. As a result, group projects can fall off track very easily. In order to maintain greater cohesion between team members, it’s important to prioritise the mental health of employees and ensure that they aren’t struggling in silence.

A Positive Workplace Culture

In addition to impact the team, mental health can also impact the overall organisation and workplace culture. It’s important to implement a comprehensive mental health strategy within

the business that encourages staff to feel supported. A fun and collaborative work culture helps employees to feel happier at work and also encourages new talent to join the business as the organisation expands which helps to create a smoother recruitment process.

You can immortalize many months of construction work and value it by employing a time-lapse camera. With custom time-lapsing, management and monitoring will become easy. Broadcasting during the inauguration and posting on social media are also possible with these construction cameras. Time-lapse is an essential added value that helps stimulate the team, follow the project progress, and show the outcome of the work.

Why use a time-lapse camera?

Construction site cameras can provide long term work of time lapsing. Likewise, they can give many months of battery life as they are explicitly made for time-lapse. If you are planning to use the time-lapse construction camera for outdoor use, make sure you install it in a weatherproof housing with the help of a clamp.

Purchase two camera systems and use them for both indoor and outdoor purposes. Having multiple cameras will give you flexibility and redundancy in the event of accidental or natural occurrences. Additionally, the cameras offer some variety, allowing the users to view the situation from different angles.

Integrate your camera usage with a construction management program with track progress over time software to track other aspects of the project. This can help you save plenty of time and money while providing keen insight into the entire process. That’s way, you should also have some hard data that’ll help you maintain a level of accountability and professionalism on the job.

The right placement of the time-lapse camera

Preferably, avoid placing the cameras directly under the sun. Facing the north direction is a great option. Also, it is better to prevent transitions of sunset and sunrise, as they can be difficult to watch when played back quickly. The time-lapse camera typically comes with a timer feature that can help avoid sunset and sunrise. Consequently, the construction camera company can help polish the final video.

When it comes to bad weather, look for housing that is weather-resistant as it can withstand all climates. Wrap the seal of the housing securely to block the rain from coming into contact with the housing seal. Even indoors, the house of the camera must allow you to smoothly remove the unit, change the batteries, and replace the camera without the need to change its position.

Ongoing maintenance of a construction camera

It is vital to check the construction cameras regularly. Performing an inspection every month for a long-term construction project is ideal. While the batteries can last for a long time, there are a variety of factors and unavoidable occurrences that can affect the cameras. For example, the time-lapse cameras might get covered with paint or knocked down, thus wrecking the footage.

Even though rare, these accidental circumstances can be the causes of the failure of a project. These are common reasons why you need to install multiple cameras on the job site. Position the cameras on different locations to view from a broader range of angles.

A time-lapse camera is an efficient way to retain occurrences and memories from the construction site. This camera is also a great way to monitor and showcase the project. Further, a time-lapse video shows the whole project story from remodeling to new construction. Everyone in the project can see how the action in the job site is unfolding and address issues early. Whatever the goals of the project are, accomplish them professionally with polished time-lapse films.

Planning a family holiday for the first time is very exciting, particularly for first-time parents, but it also throws up a lot of new questions which many new parents have simply never been faced with before. In addition to choosing a location for your family holiday, you need to take several factors into account. You want to find somewhere with fun attractions for children, such as beaches or theme parks and opportunities for the adults to relax, but you also need to think practically.  Here are 4 important tips to help you plan your first family vacation abroad with as little stress as possible.

1. Choose the right location

You might have your heart set on an Australian adventure, for example, but flying with young children for more than 3-4 hours is less than ideal. When you arrive at the airport, will you then have a long drive to the hotel or resort? What will the weather be like? Young children do not cope well in extreme heat or extreme cold, so aim for somewhere with a warm but comfortable forecast.

2. Find family-friendly facilities

When choosing a hotel or resort, you need to consider the facilities they offer which will make your family holiday run as smoothly as possible. For example, a family-friendly restaurant with children’s menus can save a lot of stress at mealtimes and a daytime kids activity club or babysitting service can give you a much-needed break. Furthermore, a hotel that offers an extendable trip, such as a long stay hotel nyc, can allow you to be flexible with your travel date to allow any surprise issues. If you are traveling with a baby, you should also consider whether or not the hotel has a lift for access to upper floors. And if you already have a particular hotel chain you like, you can narrow your choice down to these smaller collections of resorts.

3. Make sure you have all of your documentation

· Passports

It’s essential that you get everyone’s passports, visas and insurance in place before you travel. Your children will need a passport even if they are only a small baby and if your passport is due to expire in the next 6 months, you may find that some countries will not accept it.

· Driver’s License Many families choose to hire a car with Advantage Car Rental when traveling with children as it can make getting about much simpler than using taxis or public transport, but you will need to remember your driving license if you are going to rent a car.

· Insurance

Health insurance is also vital to ensure you can access any medical care you may need while there without incurring hefty bills. Travel insurance should also be obtained for the holiday itself, i.e. a policy that covers cancelation, delays, lost baggage and more.

4. Get any vaccinations needed

Precautionary vaccinations are recommended for a surprising number of countries and while as adults we can choose to take the risk, you should always ensure your children are fully protected. Contact your doctor to find out if there are any vaccinations required for your destination as soon as you have booked as some need to be administered up to 8 weeks before travel.

5. Pack for all stages of the journey

Packing for a trip with children is a far more complicated task than packing for just yourself and maybe your partner. You need to consider all the stages of the journey and what you are likely to need. This includes traveling from your home to the airport, time waiting at the airport, getting through arrivals at your destination and getting from the airport to your hotel or villa. You want to be able to access the important items without having to search through multiple bags so think about how best to pack nappies and changing equipment, food and drink, tissues and wet wipes and games or toys to keep them entertained during long waits.

Pests are the biggest enemies of homeowners and they can literally disrupt your life. They can cause disease and damage the property as well. Though you may think that the threat of infestation is confined to summer months, you are mistaken. Winter is an equally risky time from this perspective because overwintering pests can hide in your living space during these months, just to come back as a major infestation once the days get warmer. So you should keep an eye on overwintering pests and take steps to get rid of them at the earliest sign. Here are some common winter pests that you should look out for.

Termites

Termites are perhaps the biggest threat for homeowners because they can literally eat away the wood faster than you imagine. The worst part is that they can be as dangerous during the winter as in summer because they do not hibernate. Any signs of chew damage on the railings, wallpapers and wood products indicate that you could have these lurking enemies. Check the basement and attic as well because there are the areas that may be most infested.

Mice and rats

Rodents such as mice and rats are some other unwanted visitors that you may have visiting this winter. If you have them hiding in your living space this winter, you may probably see some indications. Their droppings may be visible in the nooks and corners behind the furniture or in the back of cabinets and drawers. You can even find chew marks on the cardboard food boxes in your kitchen.

Bed bugs

Since bed bugs travel from one place to another, they are most likely to come with you when you are back from a holiday during this time of the year. Most of the time, they make their way into your luggage from hotel rooms and settle down in your bedroom. Overlooking the earliest symptoms is the worst mistake you can make. Rather, you should be vigilant and get Residential Pest Control as early as you can. Look out for signs such as dried bloodstains on your sheets and black sticky fecal residue under the mattress and box springs.

Carpenter ants

Another common overwintering pest is carpenter ants, which are capable of surviving the harsh winters by burrowing their colonies deep below the frost line. They can even burrow one in the wall voids of your living space. Even worse, they may be burrowing through the wood in your home all winter. If you see piles of dust and exit holes here and there, you probably have a colony of carpenter ants in your living space.

Wasps

The stinging wasps that are commonly seen in summers may make their home inside the attic spaces in your home when the cold weather comes. The best way to detect their presence is by cleaning the attic crawl spaces regularly. If you find a wasp nest there, have it removed by a professional. Don’t even try doing it on your own because they will sting if you poke in their home.

Timely detection and clearing away of overwintering insects is the best thing to do if you don’t want to start the summer with an infestation. So you must be vigilant for these signs and act at once if you notice any of them.

In terms of where in the home to invest the largest portion of your decorating budget, I have always been a fan of spending big in the bedroom. Of course you want the home to look great in the communal spaces so that you can impress your neighbors , family and friends, but based on pure pragmatism you are going to spend far more hours in your bedroom than they will spend in your hallway and living room, which is why I’ll always go bigger in the master bedroom. There are some must-haves that you should focus on here which will help you to create the bedroom of your dreams.

The Main Event

The main centerpiece of your bedroom is the bed and I’d advise you to spend a lot of time researching and choosing the perfect bed, and spending as much as you can on getting it right. If you are designing a French provincial bedroom then investing in a glorious four poster bed is going to be the cherry on the cake and give you a room to be proud of. If you are opting for modern then floating beds look incredible, if you are going for a sanctuary style bedroom then a chunky sleigh bed can really set things off. This should be your first priority. 

As well as choosing the perfect bed frame, you also need to think about selecting the best mattress. Mattresses are overpriced but there are always options to save money here and get a great choice to match your bed. Remember, you need to test out a mattress to guarantee it does provide the right fit for you.

Lighting

The master bedroom has many uses, all of which call for different levels of lighting. You want a sombre feel as you read unwind to go to sleep, a bright light as you get up and start your day and perhaps even separate spotlights if you want to read a book before bed, but your partner does not. Explore lighting options such as dimmer switches for the main lights and always seek out smaller spotlights for each side of the bed.

End of Bed Seat

I must confess that I always looked at those chaise-longue style seats at the bottom of people’s beds and thought that it was a preposterous idea and something which

really wasn’t necessary. As we decorated our bedroom however my wife really had her heart set on it and given that I got the bed which I had been after, I compromised and we bought a long seat for the foot of the bed. I have been proved completely wrong with this and to be honest it is one of my favorite features in the room, behind the bed of course. I use this when I put my shoes on and take them off, to sit down and read, as a perfect place to sit and get my head together for the day ahead and I love the additional option which it gives us beyond sitting on the bed. With this we know use the bed to sleep, and the long chair to sit down and relax.

Get your bed sorted, make sure the lighting is beautiful and go get one of those seats which you can place at the foot of your bed, an absolute game changer!

It is one of those unfortunate and highly annoying moments that can happen, the summer days begin, night draws in, it’s hot and sticky so you reach for the AC, expect it is not blowing out the old air you so desperately need. There are many reasons why your AC is not cooling and whilst there is no good time to discover this, unless you happen to flick it on during winter, there are very often simple explanations to what is going on with your AC. Here are some things to check before you call the repair team from Air Conditioning Repair Denver CO in a panic.

Clogged Air Filter

When I lived on the Gold Coast we had an instance like this and I immediately hit Google and searched ‘repair air conditioning Gold Coast’ in the hope that someone would be around at 3am, they sadly weren’t. I took matters into my own hands and discovered that the air filter was thick with dust and grime. This was blocking the cold air coming out, so I simply changed the filter and everything was back up and running again.

Dirty Coils

The coils inside the AC unit are what helps to cool the air which it is taking in before it is pumped back out into the room. If however these coils get dirty or have debris stuck to them then they will not be able to efficiently cool the air. Check the condenser coils in your AC unit and if required give them a wipe clean and see if that helps to remedy the issue.

Faulty Thermostat

The thermostat has a sensor on it which detects the temperature in the room and then activates or switches off the cooling system. If however your thermostat is faulty it will not be able to detect he rise in temperature which is why the cold air may not be coming out.

Faulty Parts

Whilst there could be a quick fix to your AC woes, there is also the very real possibility that some of the parts in side the unit are faulty and need to be replaced. Generally parts will break down after a period of inactivity which is why you may find that on the first day of summer is the time when you realize that the AC unit isn’t doing its job. Everything has a shelf life including parts for an air conditioning unit.

Faulty Remote

Another personal experience of mine was that the AC unit wasn’t working, I checked the filters, the coils, the coolant and everything I could think of before giving up in a bad mood. I called out someone to take a look at I was most embarrassed to discover that the issue preventing me from cooling down was in fact the remote control, rather than the unit. This is a possibility so be sure to test out another control if you have it, or replace the one you have.

Don’t panic, check out these possible issues and you’ll be cool in no time.