Building a Home

Energy Efficiency

Foundation Insulation
Homes being constructed today are more energy efficient than those built even just a few years ago, primarily due to significant improvements in building products and techniques as well as development of high-performance heating and cooling systems and other appliances. However, the benefits of foundation insulation are often overlooked. Heat loss from an uninsulated, conditioned basement may represent up to 50 percent of a home's total heat loss in a tightly sealed, well-insulated home. Foundation insulation is used primarily to reduce heating costs and has little or no benefit in lowering cooling costs. In addition to reducing heating costs, foundation insulation increases comfort, reduces the potential for condensation and corresponding growth of mold, and increases the livability of below-grade rooms

Historic Renovation

Log Homes

Rehabilitation

Stucco

Electrical Safety
Electricity is an essential part of our lives. However, it has the potential to cause great harm. Electrical systems will function almost indefinitely if properly installed and not overloaded or physically abused. Electrical fires in our homes claim the lives of 485 Americans each year and injure 2,305 more. Some of these fires are caused by electrical system failures and appliance defects, but many more are caused by the misuse and poor maintenance of electrical appliances, incorrectly installed wiring, and overloaded circuits and extension cords.

Child Safety
Childproofing Your Home - 12 Safety Devices to Protect Your Children About 2-1/2 million children are injured or killed by hazards in the home each year. The good news is that many of these incidents can be prevented by using simple child safety devices on the market today. Any safety device you buy should be sturdy enough to prevent injury to your child, yet easy for you to use. Its important to follow installation instructions carefully. In addition, if you have older children in the house, be sure they re-secure safety devices. Remember, too, that no device is completely childproof; determined youngsters have been known to disable them.

Holiday Safety

Pool Safety

Safety Checklist

Senior Safety Tips

Wildlife

3 Mistakes

Closing Process

Things to Look For
Household Hazards - Things to Look For

Prebuilt Homes
The term "manufactured home" was adopted in 1980 by the the United States Congress to describe a type of house that is constructed in a factory to comply with a building code developed by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). In the past, manufactured homes were called "mobile homes," a term that many people still use. However, "mobile" is no longer an accurate name because fewer than five percent of such homes are ever moved off the owners original site.

What Really Matters
Home Inspection

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