When you move into a new house or if you have moved into a new home, you will want to make sure you can save as much money as possible.
With large loan payments each month you will have less to spend on the things that you need.
Being Eco Friendly isn’t just about protecting the environment it can save you money.
In this article, we will discuss some of the different ways that you can make your new home more Eco-Friendly and help you save money.
Create a Plan
If you are looking for ways to make your new home more eco-friendly then, the first step that you should take is to make sure you can create a plan.
Rather than just do things as they occur to you think about all the things you could do and then prioritise them.
Somethings might be free and just require a bit of effort, other things may have an initial cost but offer big savings.
Recycle
One of the ways that you can make your home more eco-friendly is by making sure that you recycle.
If you recycle it can make your home more eco-friendly because it means that you are reusing nonbiodegradable items instead of throwing them out.
You can recycle and make things, or you can recycle items to use them again or you can recycle them by putting them in the recycling bin.
When you recycle items, it means that not as many would have to be manufactured and there would be a lot less
pollution across the globe.
Use What You Need
Another way that you can make your home more eco-friendly is by buying only what you need.
This means that the amount of waste can be cut down and that things won’t be thrown out for no reason.
If you have a look and use only what you need, you will also be able to save money as you won’t be overbuying or spend money on the things that you don’t really need in life.
Smart Meter
Make use of your smart meter as modern smart meters can track how much energy that you are using each day.
This also allows you to be able to see which appliances use a lot of electricity and just how much they use and from that, you can cut down on that amount and use the money that you save on other things that you need to spend your money on.
This way you will also be able to come up with other solutions to stop you spending more money than what you need to.
One of the appliances that use a lot of electricity is your washing machine, so if you do bigger washes and use cold water settings then you will use less power and save money.
You should also air dry your clothes instead of using the tumble dryer so that you don’t have to spend money on drying your clothes.
Turn Items Off When Not Using Them
Another way that you can make your home more eco-friendly is by making sure that you turn off items when you are not using them.
When you turn the items off that you are not using you can minimise the amount out electricity that you are using and this great for the environment as it means there will be fewer greenhouse gasses in the environment.
You may not realise but even just TVs on standby and lights on, it can cost you money that you don’t have to be spending.
Energy Saving Household Items
The next way that you can make your home more eco-friendly is by making sure that you purchase energy-saving household items.
You can find many different household items and appliances that are made to be energy efficient.
When you buy energy-efficient items, you may find that they cost more however, it is worth it in the long run as you will save the price difference in 2-3 years.
One of the most lowest cost energy-efficient things that you can do for your home is energy-efficient lighting.
Modern lighting such as LEDs generates the same amount of lighting as a regular bulb however, it uses a lot less electricity to do so and they also last a lot longer, which means you don’t have to replace them as often.
Solar Panels
The next way that you can make your home more eco-friendly is by considering installing solar panels onto your home.
Solar panels create their own electricity from sunlight throughout the day and converting it into energy that can be used to power your home each day.
Even when you aren’t using the power you will get a credit for power fed into the grid which also reduces greenhouse gasses being emitted from power stations.
Solar panels are used all over the globe and the more that are used the better it is for the environment.
In Conclusion
Overall, there are many different ways that you can make your home more eco-friendly and save you money.
You should also do your own research so you can find out the many other ways that you could try.
Building a house from scratch will require a lot of things.
Aside from preparing a sufficient amount of money to afford the construction, you also have to work with a lot of people—and one of these is an electrician.
Hiring them is an essential step as their skills are required for your home to become functional.
You’ll also need their experience and tools to ensure that none of your family members will suffer any electrical accidents and injuries.
There are a lot of electricians operating today. While some work as emergency electricians Adelaide area, others also offer a wide variety of electrical products and services.
Make sure to ask the following questions before you hire an electrician:
Are You Bonded, Insured, And Licensed?
People who are looking forward to living in a small or large house will require the professional help of an electrician.
Because of this demand, more and more unscrupulous people are tricking others in exchange for money.
Scammers are present in different parts of the world, advertising themselves as professional electricians.
Working with these people will not only burn a hole through your pocket, but the façade they create just to earn money can also lead to disasters and injuries at home.
You should only work with an electrician who is bonded, insured, and licensed.
All of these documents can warrant that the electrician has undergone the required training for the job, and the state has allowed them to work as an electrician.
If you hire an electrician who isn’t bonded and insured, you’ll be held liable the moment this person becomes injured while working in your home.
This means that you’ll have to pay for the electrician’s medical and hospitalization bills.
Instead of hiring a professional who can make your life easier as a homeowner, an electrician who isn’t bonded and insured can even become the reason why you’ll lose a lot of money.
How Many Years Of Experience Do You Have?
Experience is still the best determining factor when it comes to electricians.
The longer an electrician has worked, the more experience they have in the industry.
Even if an electrician has topped the licensure exams, if they don’t have any experience in implementing th theories in practice, hiring them might not be the best idea.
When hiring an electrician, make sure that you choose one that has a proven track record in the industry.
An electrician who has been in the business for decades can prove that they are trustworthy and reliable.
After all, they wouldn’t be able to operate as long if they don’t have any satisfied customers.
Who’s Performing All Of The Work?
You were impressed by the credentials of the electricians you’re talking to.
You were convinced that they are the best persons for the job as they have been producing satisfied customers for years.
However, if you’re going to hire electricians who will do a major project in your house, it’s best if you ask who will perform all of the work.
The representatives you’re talking to might not be the same persons who will actually work on the wiring of your house.
If you don’t ask this question, you’ll end up being disappointed or surprised.
Before deciding which electrician to hire, don’t forget to ask about the people who will actually work on the project. If the company will tap other contractors, ask if these people are also licensed, insured, and bonded.
They should also be experienced in the type of electrical work you need help with.
It’s constantly before you, you use it, put your feet on it, cover it with books and magazines, stain it will all sorts of drinks, but it never complains.
It’s that small furnishing element that we never think about, but is always very useful: the coffee table.
It’s one of those objects that always seems secondary in a home, because we feel we use the kitchen or the bedroom more, but we just need to think for a moment to remember all those moments spent in the living room around the coffee table.
Let’s check out how it was invented and when it became a true piece of furniture.
The origins of the coffee table: did someone saw off a designer table?
Often, great inventions are the result of errors or true follies, but the legend of the origins of the coffee table seems to come from a nagging wife and a husband with an easy saw.
An article published on AD examines the “fairy tale” where the chairman of the Imperial Furniture Company of Grand Rapids, F. Stuart Foote, to make his wife happy as she was organising a party, took a nice table and sawed its legs off to make a centrepiece.
Since that day in the early twentieth century, F. Stuart Foote’s company started making and selling many low tables which the inventor named “coffee tables”.
Too bad this story’s a fake, perhaps peddled for advertising purposes, and the evidence is more than tangible.
The same article cites a statement by Sarah Fayen, assistant curator at the Milwaukee Art Museum, disproving the legend: “Tea tables have existed since the 1720s…Americans used tea tables and coffee tables for countless activities other than imbibing their namesake beverages”.
In the old continent, the origins of this piece of furniture seem more recent, probably dating back to 19th century England in full Victorian era.
It’s been a while since that first table, whether American or English, and today it is used not only for the five o’clock tea, but throughout the day and for many activities.
The modern coffee table, where we find it and how we use it today
The furniture item that was once designed solely for home use, is now used in public areas for a touch of originality, class and warmth. Italian furniture made by companies with extensive experience, such as Albaplus, is often chosen as it ensures high quality in the choice of materials and the classic style of the “Made in Italy” label.
A coffee table can easily be found in nightclubs, bars, hotels and even restaurants.
Low seating where we can relax and drink a tall one requires a surface on which to place our beverage: what better choice than a nice, modern coffee table?
This furnishing element did not leave the home behind for a social life; indeed, it has sunk its roots even more in our living rooms.
If, at one time, ladies used it to sip hot drinks and gossip, nowthe coffee table is the place where the children do their homework and play, or adults arrange the most beautiful ornaments, or prepare aperitifs for their friends before watching the game on the telly.
Let’s be honest… sometimes we even sit on the sofa and eat dinner with the plates on the table in front of us.
Perhaps it’s not something English lords and ladies would do, but it is fun.
Who knows, perhaps, in the future, the coffee table will be interactive with a touchscreen that will allow us to control all the devices in our home.
Buying new mattresses at retail stores is outdated.
There are now many online stores from where you can get high-quality mattresses.
One interesting aspect of shopping online for the best online mattress is that they are often offered in the form of “mattress boxes”.
One might wonder how to place a mattress in a box.
We will get there shortly. . . . In the first step, we will examine what is a mattress in a box, what are the disadvantages and advantages of a memory foam mattress and whether it is a good idea.
What Is A Mattress In A Box?
You buy a mattress online that is vacuum-sealed; each mattress in a box is based on the latest technology and new-patented materials, equipped with innovative design concepts.
The mattress is compressed in a small box so delivery can get to the door quickly and easily.
So, do not ever go to the mattress shop. In addition, the installation is very simple; no additional installation costs are needed.
This is an affordable and inexpensive mattress for those who are looking for comfort and relaxation.
Why Buy A Mattress In A Box?
It is not easy for us to come across a number of companies that sell mattresses online.
However, according to one source in the industry, the number is just too big.
However, the company shows that the number of large and largest mattress manufacturers is the number of mattress vendors in one box.
Ideally, mattresses are replaced every eight to ten years.
Actually, the price of the best online mattress is not expensive, but the mattress is a relatively affordable product, but is not often bought for most families.
Many families are prepared to spend considerably more for this product, even though they exceed it.
There are also many people who are willing to pay.
Because the mattress itself leads to high transportation costs and a long buying process, consumers are more likely to invest more money into buying a better and more durable mattress at a higher price.
Of course, this is tightly linked to the increase in current consumption.
Now most home industry professionals are starting to compress mattresses in portable boxes.
It is convenient for logistics and fast shipping as well as for perfect after-sales service and new technical upgrades that are cheaper than offline stores.
Mattress sales in boxes have increased. So buy a memory foam mattress in a box.
So Is It Worth It?
If you have the chance to try it before buying at a friend’s place or in a store, you should try it.
However, even if you do not try, if you have a limited budget, it is definitely worth it.
Conclusion
Buying the best online mattress is not an easy task.
You sleep about eight hours a night, which is about one third of your life.
Your bed must be comfortable and properly cared for.
If you have health problems or back pain, you must be very careful when buying a mattress.
Some of them can be quite costly, and if you can save money on the most comfortable options you can buy, why do you want to pay more?
One of the major amenities you probably have in your home is water and waste water services.
They allows you to shower, cook, and carry out other things in your home.
When everything is working well, everyone takes it for granted, until it stops!.
Plumbers take care of everything that goes wrong with the house plumbing system.
To better understand how plumbers work, we have decided to explain a few things that you may not know about them.
There are far worse things than clogged toilets
A lot of people think that clogged toilets are the worst things that could happen in their homes.
While this may be true, plumbers face far worse things like clogged restaurant sinks.
The problem with such things that oil and grease gets down and solidifies in the drainage system.
Soap doesn’t usually work on such grease, and the smell is usually far worse than what you would expect.
They wish people would stop flashing cell phones down the toilet
Surprisingly enough, most people that drop their phones in toilets try to flush them away instead of removing them.
Is it because they think they are contaminated and don’t want to touch them?
What these people don’t know is that a cell phone cannot go down the drain.
It ends up blocking the drain, and the plumber has to unclog it.
Most Plumbers have fixed rates
Most professional Melbourne plumbers will not just walk into a home and start pulling prices from thin air.
They usually have a process in place that determines the price of certain repairs, and when things change, they always discuss the reasons why the price has risen.
Professional plumbers don’t work slowly just to charge more on labour either, they would rather get on to the next job.
Even though some unscrupulous plumbers have hidden fees that surprise you, competent plumbers will be upfront
and transparent.
They try to get on site as soon as possible
Professional and competent plumbers will understand that plumbing emergency issues can cause damage in a very short time.
For this reason, they try to get to the site as soon as possible, especially plumbers that offer 24-hour services.
Regardless of what it is, they fix it is fast, and as efficiently as they can in order to get your home back to what it should be.
They wish people would stop using drain cleaners
Most chemicals formulated to break up clocks are usually not very effective.
Even if they are effective, its usually only temporary and they can cause corrosion in your drain system.
If used too much, the pipes would have to be replaced.
These chemicals could also hurt the plumber, when they start cleaning the drain, so if you have used them, you should warn the plumber beforehand.
They wish you knew that most things are not flushable
Most plumbers are usually just awed at how many clogged toilets are blocked due to hygiene products that simply don’t go down the drain.
Some of the things that are not flushable are wipes, in spite of what the manufacturers claim, because all they do is swell and clog the pipes.
Throwing away wipes in the dustbin usually solves the problem.
Buying your first house can be a pretty daunting step in life, no matter who you are or where you come from.
Besides the task of getting the money together to pay for it, you also want your first house to be as livable as it is lovable.
Is it close enough to the things you need to do in your day to day life?
Does everything within the housework the way it should? and what sort of NBN has been designated to the neighbourhood?
Indeed, while there are dozens of generations of Australian homeowners before us who have known to double-check the functionality of utilities such as plumbing and power, the modern Aussie house-hunter also has to keep in mind that the location of a home may actually affect the quality of the NBN.
Not everyone is across this; indeed, not everyone’s fully aware that there are different versions of the NBN, and that’s perfectly all right given the networks cumbersome and complicated rollout history.
So if you’re looking to be a new homeowner, read on to learn how the NBN might affect your new home broadband.
THE DIFFERENT CONNECTIONS
Whether you’re buying or renting, it’s worth doing a little bit of homework so you know exactly what sort of NBN connection you’re getting yourself into.
First of all, contrary to the common misconception, the NBN (National Broadband Network) doesn’t consist of the one speed.
There are four different speed tiers on the NBN network.
While some ISPs (Internet Service Providers) will offer all four in their choice of plans, others will only offer a select two or three.
Ranging from lowest to highest speeds, the four-speed tiers are commonly categorised as:
Basic Evening Speed (no minimum)
Standard Evening Speed (15 minimum Mbps)
Standard Plus Evening Speed (minimum 30 Mbps)
Premium Evening Speed (minimum 60 Mbps)
So if you want reliable home NBN, you can just fork out for one of the better speeds, right?
Well, yes, in theory, but the quality of your home NBN is also going to depend on where your house is located.
You see, just to make things complicated, besides the different speeds, there are also different NBN connections, predominantly…Fibre to the Curb, or FTTC, is so named because it is connected to a DPU (Distribution Point Unit) that is situated within a street curb, or sometimes a pit, close to your property.
It is typically seen as the second-best option; while the data only has a short distance to travel from the curb to your home, it is obviously not as quick as a connection that’s installed directly into your home.
Additionally, FTTC relies on old copper lines that are now seen as inferior.
Hybrid Fiber-Coaxial Cable (shortened to HFC) is a hybrid NBN connection that amalgamates coaxial cable with optical fibre.
It’s effectively a new technology slapped on top of the old Aussie Pay TV infrastructure, and it’s the ancientness of the latter that makes HFC a less than ideal version of the NBN.
Fibre to the Node, or FTTN, is the type of connection that runs from an old telephone exchange, through a fibre optic cable into a local node that’s located in close proximity to your property, which then connects to your residence via old copper wires.
Fibre to the Node is also generally reviewed as being as a lesser connection (some even claim it’s the worst of the lot).
Fibre to the Premises, often shortened to FTTP, is the NBN connection that’s connected all the way to your home or office.
It is also sometimes referred to as Fibre to the Home (in which case it is shortened to FTTH).
As the connection goes directly into your premises, it typically delivers optimal NBN speeds and is therefore considered by analysts to be the more advanced and efficient NBN infrastructure.
Ideally, FTTP is the version you want.
But unfortunately, homeowners can’t pick and choose which NBN connection they want; they get what they are handed. So it’s total luck of the draw.
This has been what’s referred to as the NBN Lottery
There’s currently nothing you can do about it unless you do some NBN research before you invest in a property.
The geographical difference between a property with good NBN and one without it can be as slight as one street.
You can find out what version of the NBN your residence has (or is soon going to have) by putting your address into the map here.
THE NBN CAN ACTUALLY IMPACT UPON PROPERTY PRICES
Will a high demand for better home broadband cause property prices to increase with the NBN?
It appears that might soon be the case, at the very least in more rural regions, where internet-savvy folk are preferencing FTTP areas to settle into.
In fact, up to 80 per cent of homebuyers have stated that a reliable home broadband connection was a primary factor when purchasing their property.
This philosophy not only applies to homebuyers, but also to those who are still renting.
Obviously, these consumer choices are bound to have an impact on the property market – in 2019, your postcode can not only affect your internet speed, but also your property value!
This may seem ridiculous to casual internet users, and though there are many who’d consider optimal home broadband an optional luxury, there are many more consider it an absolute necessity.
Especially as…
MORE AND MORE PEOPLE ARE WORKING FROM HOME
Of recent times, there was a noted spike in residents of outer city fringe areas working from home, and it appears the trend has caught on elsewhere.
The ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) reported that the number of people working from home significantly rose from 20 per cent of the entire labour force to a staggering 30 per cent in a mere 15 years.
This should come as little surprise, given all the perks the work-from-home lifestyle offers. For small business owners, it eliminates the cost of renting an office space.
For working parents, it provides a better opportunity to be around their loved ones. And most obviously, for everyone, it allows flexible hours and cuts out both the stress and the cost of commuting to work.
This is certainly a boon to those who live in remote regions, but a coveted luxury to most regardless of where they may hang their respective hats.
As such, around 1.3 million Australians are opting for the work from home lifestyle, which means there’s an even greater demand for fast and reliable home broadband.
SO WHAT ELSE CAN BE DONE?
Obviously, not everyone is in a position where they can choose a house that just happens to fall within an optimal NBN zone.
Fortunately, there are still ways to find a good service as well as curb those additional costs.
It’s advised that you narrow down which ISP and plan best suits your location, but also which best suits your budget and average data usage.
Keep in mind, we may only be a year or two away from a 5G revolution that may drastically change the ubiquity of the NBN.
Time will tell. . . Until then, happy home hunting!
As a durable and stylish flooring solution, laminate flooring has always been a popular choice for homeowners or residential property investors who want to increase their property value.
Although you may be surprised to find that it has only been around for a few decades, technology has driven tremendous advances in developing new generations of laminate flooring in recent years.
Today, we are going to show you the latest innovations in laminate floors.
Water Resistance
In the past, laminate flooring would be a disaster in high-moisture environments, and you would need to clean up a water spill right away to protect your laminate floor.
That is no longer the case.
In recent years, the latest laminate floorings, such as Quick-Step laminate and Krono Swiss laminate, have launched laminate products that are water proof and you can install in your kitchens or bathrooms.
Easy Installation
With the development of click lock system, such as Uniclic Click system from Quick-Step, a lot of people can install their laminate floors by themselves.
The floor of an entire room can be finished in only a day. And this will largely reduce the cost of renovation.
Design
The use of super realistic printing technology has given laminate a new level of authenticity while avoiding pattern repeats. With the natural colouring and textures, customers can’t tell a difference between timber floor and laminate floor.
Stain Resistant
Thanks to the new water-resistant technology that is applied to the outer wear layer of the laminate flooring, it has become even easier to clean and maintain.
The surface of the laminate flooring is completely sealed, and the finish coating protects the floor from almost all stains and dirt, which can simply be wiped off with a damp cloth.
Scratch Resistant
Laminate flooring has always been durable compared to timber flooring, but modern technology is significantly increasing the laminate flooring’s resistance to scratches and indentation, keeping the floor looking newer and longer.
If you see a swarm of flying insects that have wings, you’ll probably assume you’re seeing an ant.
But you could be seeing a more concerning phenomenon – flying termites.
If you spot these pests, you know that there is a termite colony in your near your property.
When a colony is well established, it begins to produce winged bugs that start a new breeding cycle.
Once a new colony is established in your home, the termites can cause thousands of damage to your house.
Worse, you may not even know it’s happening, as they usually do it out of sight and can eat away at your home for ages without you ever suspecting it.
If you see swarming termites, it could mean you have the opportunity to stop them before they infest your home.
Alternatively, it means there is a large colony on your property, and it’s crucial to call in a pest control professional to find the nests in your home or yard.
Before you panic, you want to ensure you are dealing with termites in the first place.
Read on to discover how to identify swarming termites, what it means if you have flying termites, and what you can do to get rid of them.
What Swarming Termites Look Like
Homeowners often confuse ants with termites. Here is how you can confirm if you are looking at a swarming termite:
The insect is small, about half an inch long
It has a head, thorax, and abdomen (tri-segmented body) and has six legs
It is the honey-colored or cream but can range to black depending on the species of termite<
It has two pairs of wings that are the same size
The antennae are straight (ants antennae are bent)
The abdomen of a termite is straight (an ant is pinched)
Spot the clues
While termites have been known to swarm at random times of the year, they typically do so in spring and summer when sexually mature adults leave the colony to establish new ones.
They tend to appear when the temperature soars and you have experienced heavy rain usually appearing between dusk and 11pm.
If you suspect swarming termites but were not awake during these hours, look for discarded body parts such as their papery wings. Inspect the floor, ground, or around windows and doors.
As discussed, swarmers leave a colony when the colony needs to grow.
It takes about three years to reach a point where mature ants embark on this new journey.
If you spot swarming termites, you should call in a pest control team to inspect your property for other signs of termite activity and pinpoint the nests.
Regardless of whether the colony is inside the house or not, what you really need to know is how much damage has already been done.
So, you should look for additional signs you have termites to determine if you have an infestation. These can include the following:
Damaged wood, such as hollowed-out skirting boards or buckling of beams
Wet patches on walls and other signs of moisture
Fine sawdust called frass, which is a waste material left by termites
Mud tunnels that lead from the ground and run along the walls of the foundation and crawl spaces.
Termite control isn’t something you can tackle on your own or with store-bought DIY products.
A trained and qualified pest control technician will give you professional advice on how to deal with swarming termites, and recommend a long-term prevention solution.
You want to find a way to prevent termites from entering your property, and also setting up systems that warn you when they’re around.
We live in a world that is quite literally cloaked in all the marvellous feats of technological advancement and exponential digital growth.
We have created this world; it exists for no other reason than simply because we willed it, and then we worked to bring it to fruition.
Practically every facet of modern life, every industry with a notion in this digital age, has faced its own challenges and adaptive refinements in the face of technological absolution.
In the real estate industry, for example, we are now seeing what will inevitably come to be known as the humble beginnings of technological disruption in one of the most traditional industries in the entire world.
How did we get to this point, and where will real estate evolve to next?
A traditional industry embracing modern innovations
Historically, real estate is a traditional industry, through and through.
Today, that is all changing, with rapid digitalisation taking full effect, creating a new frontier for real estate the world over.
From the property marketing efforts, to the buyers agents for residential property, traditional advertising and marketing efforts are being slowly but surely pushed out of sole function and used in collaboration – or entirely removed from the process altogether – with modern marketing concepts.
Many of the innovations thus far are seemingly subtle, but they have made phenomenal waves and massive changes for the industry.
Technological disruption takes real estate by storm
Today, the global real estate industry is being shaken to the core by technological advancement – in all the best ways.
Everything from the platform that contacts are sent through from realtor to buyer, renter, or investor, to the 3D virtual reality inspection queues that are becoming the new way to inspect prospective properties, has all compiled to forge an exceedingly strong beginning to real estate technology.
This is the digital age, and these innovations go the distance in creating new, more efficient and faster alternatives to age-old real estate processes and systems.
Future of tech in real estate
Today, technological innovation is relatively new and thus small-scale in the realm of real estate, but tomorrow it is likely to have bloomed into a key function of the real estate industry, through and through.
Already we are beginning to see technology in real estate ramp up in every level.
The real estate industry is becoming more efficient, faster, and more accessible than ever to renters, buyers, sellers, and investors alike.
The technology in properties is fast advancing and becoming more of a staple, a must for new homeowners, rather than a niche bonus – and where that technology is likely to evolve to next.
This is the way of the future of real estate, and it is exciting to know that this is only the beginning as well.
Like much of the modern world, real estate is still adjusting to its digital re-vitalisation, but already the changes are making significant, overwhelmingly positive impact.
Real estate is becoming a tech-savvy field on all angles, and it speaks volumes of the dramatic and rapid pace at which technologies have swept over the entire planet.
