HomeSpot HQ

Your Home Maintenance Partner

Weekly Roundup

Window to Web: 2012 Home Tax Breaks and Energy Efficiency

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2012 Home Tax Breaks and Energy Efficiency

Here are are some of our picks from across the web:

New Energy Efficiency Rating – Congress has passed a bill to put in place a new energy efficiency rating for water heaters to help consumers better compare different models.

Tax Breaks – The end of the year is quickly approaching and tax season will soon be upon us. Get ahead of the game by getting the tax breaks from your home. This article lists 6 items to consider:

  • Mortgage interest deduction
  • Mortgage insurance premium
  • Energy Star rated items
  • Points paid on a mortgage
  • Property taxes
  • Construction loan interest

12 Days of Savings – Get ready for the holiday season with these 12 days of energy savings.

Recent HomeSpot Blog Posts:

Monthly Home Maintenance Checklist – Stay ahead of common house problems by completing this monthly maintenance checklist:

Dishwasher Maintenance – Food and buildup clog up the filter and spray arm. Keep the dishwasher is tip top shape by cleaning the filter and spray arm and inspecting the tines and heating element.

Energy Efficiency Tips when leaving on Vacation – There’s no reason to have your house consume as much energy when you are on vacation. Learn where you can reduce power use and how to keep your home safe while you are away.

Window the Web: Halloween Decoration Ideas

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Need some Halloween decoration ideas? Check out these articles we found from across the web that might help for Halloween.

Flamingo Skeletons – Making your own decorations can be fun and open up the possibilities. My favorite part of this article is taking the stereotypical pink flamingo lawn decoration and turning it into a skeleton bird. (Read more)

Source: ext.homedepot.com via HomeSpot HQ on Pinterest

Painted Pumpkins – Carving up pumpkins is a must for every Halloween. I love the creativity and the added bonus of being to make pumpkin pie from the “guts” of the melon. If you want to take it different direction this year, try painting your pumpkin. Even if you paint it orange, it will have a much more vibrant color. (Read more)

Source: houzz.com via HomeSpot HQ on Pinterest

40 Best Pumpkin Carvings – Find ideas on how people are getting creative with pumpkin carving this year. This article features 40 of the best pumpkins for this year. (Read more)

Source: thisoldhouse.com via HomeSpot HQ on Pinterest

Home Maintenance Posts this Week

In case you missed any, here are the posts from this week:

Reverse Osmosis System – Install a reverse osmosis system underneath your sink to bring clean drinking water to your kitchen.

5 Energy Efficiency Tips – Utilize these 5 simple tips for lowering your energy consumption this winter.

Concrete Spalling and Repair – Unfamiliar with concrete spalling? It is those spots on a driveway or sidewalk where the top layer has eroded away.

Home History Report – Use this HomeSpot tool to create a home history report for your archives or for showing prospective buyers.

Window to the Web: Halloween Decorations, Hiding Nails, Funny Fail and Smart Energy

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Halloween Decorations – Get your home into full swing for the Halloween season. Find plenty of clever and funny decorations at Houzz.(Read more)

Source: houzz.com via HomeSpot HQ on Pinterest

Hiding Nails in Wood – A nice clean surface wood always looks good around the house. This trick uses a drill to create a pilot hole and counter bore so a screw can be hidden in the wood and create a more professional look.(Read more)

Source: thisoldhouse.com via HomeSpot HQ on Pinterest

Funny Fail: Power Strip – Everyone can appreciate a little humor around the house and we’ve all made our fair share of mistakes. But it is funnier when it’s not you making the mistake! (Read more)

Source: houselogic.com via HomeSpot HQ on Pinterest

Smart Power – Whole house smart meters can be expensive and difficult to install. This system, developed by Intel in Austin, uses only two outlet plugins to create an energy profile for your home. (Read more)

Source: greentechmedia.com via HomeSpot HQ on Pinterest

Home Maintenance Posts this Week

In case you missed any, here are the posts from this week:

Mental Wellness in your own Home – Find peace of mind in your own home by following these five tips.

Pest Control and Prevention – Ants and other critters are relentless about invading yards. Use these simple tips to keep pests out of your home.

Milestone: HomeSpot HQ Hits 10,000 Users – There are now over 10,000 users registered and busy maintaining their homes with the help of HomeSpot HQ. I hope HomeSpot HQ has helped you, too. Feel free to send us feedback or suggestions.

Yard and Garden Preparation for Winter – Prepare your yard and garden for the coming cold of winter so everything turns up rosy in the spring.

Window to the Web: Kitchen Inspiration, Mortgage Rates, Floor Fixes, and LED Lights

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Kitchen Inspiration – Check out kitchens from everyday homes that might inspire you for DIY projects or professional remodels. Often times it is helpful to view everyday kitchens versus “dream” kitchens for more realistic ideas. (Read more)

Source: houzz.com via HomeSpot HQ on Pinterest

Record Low Mortgage Rates – The average 30-year fixed mortgage to an all time low this week. According to Freddie Mac, the rate dropped from the precious rate of 3.40% of last week to a rate of 3.36% this week. Undoubtdely, this is good news that adds to the boosted housing barometer. (Read More)

Source: money.cnn.com via HomeSpot HQ on Pinterest

LED Bright Future – IKEA has announced that they will be phasing out all incandescent and fluorescent lights by the year 2016. It makes sense. LEDs are far more energy efficiency, last longer, more durable and are intrinsically safer. (Read more)

Source: greentechmedia.com via HomeSpot HQ on Pinterest

Cheap Floor Fixes – Installing new floors can be very expensive. The better alternative is to fix up your current floors with these cheap solutions. (Read More)

Home Maintenance Posts this Week

In case you missed any, here are the posts from this week:

DIY: Temporary Roof Patch – Use this temporary roof patch if you have a leaky roof. You never know when a storm will do damage and temporarily preventing a leak until a professional arrives is essential.

Gutter Cleaning and Guards – Fall has arrived and the leaves are dropping in and plugging up the gutter. Clean out the gutter and downspout strainer to prevent clogging and ice damming. Also, consider adding a gutter guard.

Fall Home Maintenance Checklist – A complete home maintenance checklist for all the tasks this fall. Take care of these items and your home will be ready for the cold of winter.

Window to the Web: Top HomeSpot Posts, Solar Power, and Housing Barometer

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Check out some of the articles, infographics, and blurbs we found from across the web for this week. Also, check out the top three blog posts from September (ranked by total page views).

Weekly Links

  • Solar Power: Germany vs USA – Do you think the cost of solar is too high in USA? Germany is paving the way for efficient installations and cheaper costs.
    (Read more)

  • Housing Barometer – A couple of good graphics to demonstrate how much the housing market has recovered since the 2007 bubble.
    (Read more)

  • Decorating with Maps – Maps have become a big trend for home decor. Find some good examples here.

Top HomeSpot Blog Posts (September)