Emergency items for the home.

I have 15 water shutoff valves in my house and I know exactly where each of them are and how to operate them. Do you?
Many small home emergencies become huge disasters because we don't know how to take care of the property when the unexpected happens. Buying a home of your own is not just about building wealth and saving taxes -- it's not just about money. Since homeownership represents the largest investment for most people, you definitely need to become a project manager as well. Homeowners' losses for 2002 from all perils totaled $25.6 billion, down from $26.8 billion in 2001, according to the Insurance Information Institute. Get to know your home intimately. Knowing where the shutoff valves are located, for instance, can save you a lot of money and grief later if disaster strikes. .
In this article will discuss emergency items for the home. I hope that this information is helpful in the maintenance of homes.

Water Shutoffs
Some bathrooms have three cut-off valves -- one for the commode, two under the sink (hot and cold water). If, for some reason, those break and there is water coming through, it is important to know where the main water valve is located and to test it to make sure the knob doesn't break off in case of a real emergency. There also may be two water shut off valves going toward the outside water faucets. It's easy to let these valves age into disrepair.

Hot Water Heater
How's the hot water heater? Have you checked the bottom of it lately to see any evidence of rust? For many homeowners, this is one of those household items that never gets checked until water is running everywhere. The hot water heater should also have a cutoff valve. Know how to use it and have your kids try it out too.

Insurance Claims
Finally, if you find that you didn't do the above preventative activities, then you should at least know where your insurance policy is located and understand what is covered and what is not. If you live in attached dwellings, like condos and townhouses, then you want to make sure you keep enough insurance to cover your house and any damage that might cross your limited property line. To keep your rates down, take care of the little stuff -- anything under $500 -- and report the more expensive accidents (flooding of the basement). If you're looking for lower homeowners insurance rates, you could even consider a higher deductible. Switching your deductible from $250 to $1,000, for instance, could cut your premium by 25 percent. Emergencies can become less taxing with a little testing, preventative maintenance and knowing your home's systems.

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I Pull Out All The Stops To Sell Your Home

Lonnie Snyder
REALTOR®
Keller Williams Realty Southeast Sound
Phone: 206-406-2710
Email: snyder@kw.com
Website: http://www.callsnyder.com/
Blogsite: http://renton-real-estate.blogspot.com/
Lonnie Snyder is a full time real estate agent and REALTOR® with Keller Williams Realty specializing in Residential Real Estate for buyers and sellers in Washington’s Kent, Renton, Newcastle and South Bellevue.

Oh, By The Way. . . . . I AM NEVER TOO BUSY FOR REFERRALS.

Electrical Panel

Have you looked over your electrical panel as well?
If you've remodeled, the labels may need to be changed (that's assuming you have labels). If they aren't clearly marked you've got a great family project on your hands. This can take either a few minutes or an hour or so, depending on how many outlets, switches and lights you have in the house. If you have those handy walkie-talkies or a mobile phone, it makes the job of identifying the circuit breakers or fuses a lot easier. One person stays by the panel flipping switches, while the other teammate walks the house letting you know what's on and what's off.
To identify the circuits will require turning on all the lights in the house. For outlets, you'll just have to switch off the breaker and have your partner flip on an appliance, radio or lamp that's plugged in that outlet to determine the match.
The good thing about this project is that it won't have to be done again unless you remodel and add on more outlets and switches on more circuit breakers.

I Pull Out All The Stops To Sell Your Home
Lonnie Snyder
REALTOR®
Keller Williams Realty Southeast Sound
Phone: 206-406-2710
Email: snyder@kw.com
Website: http://www.callsnyder.com/
Blogsite: http://renton-real-estate.blogspot.com/
Lonnie Snyder is a full time real estate agent and REALTOR® with Keller Williams Realty specializing in Residential Real Estate for buyers and sellers in Washington’s Kent, Renton, Newcastle and South
Bellevue.Oh, By The Way. . . . . I AM NEVER TOO BUSY FOR REFERRALS.

Water Damage

Well the rains have begun here in Renton WA. There are a few things you can look for when buying a house. In addition to causing destruction, water damage also has an adverse affect to the indoor air quality of your home. Damage from water can cause wood rot, insect infestation and mold . The obvious causes of water damage are leaking roofs, windows, doors, foundation cracks and visible plumbing leaks. These are fairly easy to detect, enabling a quick repair before maximum damage occurs. The not-so-obvious culprits are moisture behind finished basement walls that are insulated with fiberglass; poor grading around foundation walls and air leaks that occur between the living space and attic. Insulating finished basement walls with fiberglass is not a good idea. Fiberglass will absorb water and not allow it to travel through the wall, preventing a drying effect.

The Answer To Moisture Traps:
Some people think installing a plastic barrier in the wall is the answer, but this approach only traps moisture. A better way is to use rigid insulation (also known as blue board). This insulation is semi- permeable and allows moisture to travel through the wall, allowing it to dry. Water can also enter the basement if the grade of the land is pitched toward the house. Grading the soil away from the house and adding rain gutters will guide rainwater away from the house. Openings from the house to the attic and poor ceiling insulation in houses located in colder climates can lead to ice dams that cause water to back up into the house. Air leakage from the house to the attic will carry moisture in the form of humidity into the attic that can form water on the underside of the roof leading to rotting and mold.

The House and The Attic
Leakage Points
Typical leakage points between the house and attic are: · Leaky attic hatches · Holes drilled for plumbing pipes and electrical wires that penetrate the attic and are usually not sealed · Recessed light fixtures that are not the airtight type · Exhaust fans that vent directly into the attic



I Pull Out All The Stops To Sell Your Home
Lonnie Snyder
REALTOR®
Keller Williams Realty Southeast Sound
Phone: 206-406-2710
Website: http://www.callsnyder.com/
Lonnie Snyder is a full time real estate agent and REALTOR® with Keller Williams Realty specializing in Residential Real Estate for buyers and sellers in Washington’s Kent, Renton, Newcastle and South Bellevue.

Oh, By The Way. . . . . I AM NEVER TOO BUSY FOR REFERRALS.

Avoid Water Damage

Five easy ways to avoid water damage
Today we address the matter of water damage in homes. We hope this information will be of value to you in preventing saturation challenges in the future.
1.Switch to stainless steel hoses.
Switch to stainless steel hoses: Consider replacing standard rubber or plastic hoses with stainless steel- braided or mesh hoses. Worn out hoses with kinks, cracks or bulges need to be replaced immediately.
2. Don't leave dishwashers and washers running if you leave the house.
If something breaks while a home owner is away, what could have been a small mop-up job often turns into a thousand-gallon mess best left to professionals.
3.Check the attic air conditioners and swamp coolers.
Check attic air conditioners and swamp coolers: When attic systems fail, water damages everything that lies below. At least once a year, go up to the attic or roof to check these appliances before they wear out. Look for wear and tear and loose connections -- particularly if the unit is mounted on the roof and exposed to sun and rain. exposed to sun and rain.
4. Water Heaters.
Replace old water heaters: Water heaters do damage when they get too old and the tank rusts and bursts, allowing water to pour into adjacent rooms. On average, water heaters last 10 to 12 years. Don't wait for them to fail; replace your tank once a decade. Today's energy-efficient systems will also be cheaper to operate.
5. Consider water alarms.
Consider water alarms: Home owners can install water alarms for a quick alert when an appliance isn't working right. Hooking up the system to an appliance is usually as simple as hooking up a hose to an outdoor faucet.


I Pull Out All The Stops To Sell Your Home
Lonnie Snyder
REALTOR®
Keller Williams Realty Southeast Sound
Phone: 206-406-2710
Email: snyder@kw.com
Website: http://www.callsnyder.com/
Lonnie Snyder is a full time real estate agent and REALTOR® with Keller Williams Realty specializing in Residential Real Estate for buyers and sellers in Washington’s Kent, Renton, Newcastle and South Bellevue.
Oh, By The Way. . . . . I AM NEVER TOO BUSY FOR REFERRALS.