Category Tips From the Pros

Thanks to Clean Sweep for this episode of Tips from the Pros about what parts of the chimney to check when listing your home.

When your clients are getting ready to list their homes on the market, there are many different parts of the home that need to be inspected. One of the most important things is the chimney. As a real estate agent, you aren’t expected to be performing these inspections. However, it’s a good idea to have a base level of understanding about the different parts of the chimney so that you can answer some questions for your clients. Here are some of the different parts of the chimney that are checked when you are listing or selling a home for your client.

Chimney Cap

Chimney caps are installed on the very top of a chimney...

Thanks to Inspectology and Young Septic Services for this handy septic maintenance information.

Maintaining a septic system is crucial to ensuring it functions properly and lasts a long time. Here are some things a homeowner can do to maintain their septic system:

Regularly pump the septic tank

Pumping the septic tank is important to remove solids that have settled at the bottom of the tank. This can certainly cause blockages and potentially damage the system. How often the tank needs to be pumped will depend on factors such as the size of the tank, the number of people in the household, and the amount of wastewater generated.

Watch what goes down the drain

Be mindful of what is flushed down the toilet and poured down the drain...

Thanks to Clean Sweep for this episode of Tips from the Pros about professional duct cleaning.

You might not see the air ducts in your home. However, they play a critical role in moving heated and cold air throughout the property. When your ducts are clean and in good condition, you will enjoy fresh air and minimal indoor allergy symptoms. However, over the years, your ducts will naturally accumulate mold, dust, pollen, debris, and more. What are some of the benefits of professional duct cleaning?

Improve Indoor Air Quality

Particularly if you work from home, the air circulating through your ducts might be the only air that you breathe all day! Unfortunately, if you do not have your air ducts professionally cleaned, that air can contain dust, pet dander, dirt, allergens, and more...

Thanks to Inspectology for this helpful Spring to-do list.

If the sight of the mercury creeping upward fills you with spring fever, we’re with you. We, too, are restless for the toastier and longer days that are just around the corner.

Clean the gutters

Remove leaves, pine needles, and other debris that have accumulated over the winter so your gutter system is ready to handle spring showers. Overflowing gutters and blocked downspouts can damage siding and foundations.

Clean the AC condenser

Remove dust and debris that have accumulated on the AC condenser (the big metal box outside your house) so that the AC works efficiently.

Clean the siding

Get rid of dirt and grime that can cause mildew and shorten the life of your siding...

How Chimney and Duct Cleaning Can Factor into Home Sales

Thanks to Clean Sweep for this episode of Tips from the Pros on energy efficiency matters.

Energy prices have increased across the board. Many homebuyers are thinking about the cost of heating and cooling their dream homes. You can prepare for this new reality by learning new ways to showcase energy efficiency features throughout the average home.

Clean Chimneys Are the Most Efficient

Sellers can schedule a chimney inspection and professional cleaning before listing. This ensures that there are no issues with the safety of the chimney or repairs that should be made. A properly-cleaned chimney will be as energy efficient as possible...

How I get a jump start on my summer flower garden

Thanks to the University of Maryland/Maryland Grows this informative article about winter sowing.

Winter sowing is a technique gardeners can use to start growing seeds outdoors during the winter months. If you have limited space for starting seeds indoors,winter sowing might be an option for you, depending on what you want to grow.

I first tried winter sowing last year with several types of flower seeds. Winter sowing works best for plants that are cold tolerant or even require a period of cold in order to germinate...

Thanks to Clean Sweep for this episode of Tips from the Pros answering the question why fireplace smokes blows back into your home.

Fireplaces are a gorgeous way to add ambiance to your home. However, that warm and cozy feeling can quickly evaporate if smoke is coming back in instead of out. There are many different reasons why fireplace smoke might blow back into your home. Here are some of the most common ones.

Look at the Firewood

One of the biggest reasons why smoke blows back into the house is the firewood being used. If you use low-quality firewood, there is a much higher risk of issues. Make sure that you purchase seasoned wood that was allowed to dry completely for 12 months or longer...

Thanks to L. K. Benson for sharing this blog about taxes and more financial news.

It’s Almost Tax Time

We are hard at work preparing for another busy tax filing season. If you are a tax client, you will be receiving an email from us soon. It will outline our normal processes and procedures.

New Retirement Savings Bill

We first told you about a new retirement savings bill that had overwhelming bipartisan support back in July 2021. It took Congress far too long, but they finally passed the legislation, dubbed the SECURE Act 2.0, in late December. It might not have the same level of impact as the original SECURE Act, but there are a significant number of changes. these include another delay to the RMD start date, increased Roth options, and much more. Chris has a summary of som...

Thanks to Clean Sweep for this episode of Tips from the Pros on common chimney issues that can come up during a home sale.

When you are preparing to help your buyers and sellers make any home transaction, the inspections are often one of the most important parts. If buyers find out about an issue that will take thousands of dollars to fix, it could compromise the entire sale. Scheduling a chimney inspection ahead of time is one way to avoid this. What are some of the most common chimney problems that can pop up as your sellers list their homes?

Creosote Accumulation

Creosote is a dangerous substance that naturally accumulates in chimneys as fires are lit. When creosote is present in a client’s chimney it does not necessarily mean that they did anything wrong...

Need a last-minute gift? Thanks to the University of Maryland/Maryland Grows for this blog. This article suggests holiday gift ideas for gardeners.

Can you hear them? Tiny little elves are softly singing carols. The holidays must be around the corner.

Need Gifts?

If you’re scratching your head for gift ideas for the gardeners in your life, the Master Gardeners and I can help. Here are a few suggestions to make smiles wider and green thumbs greener.

Tools are cool. Yes, we say we really don’t need yet another tool. We lie. Our eyes light up at the flash of steel and the smoothness of a wooden handle. 

A Hori Hori soil knife – a multipurpose tool with a serrated edge and slight curve that digs, plants, cuts, weeds, and more – is a perennial favorite.