January 6th, 2022 by tisner
Whether you’re looking to design a bedroom, a nursery, or a playroom, creating a unique space for your children is usually a bigger job than you expect. This is especially true if you want to come up with something that will stand the test of time. The wants and needs of your children will change as they get bigger, and if you don’t account for this, then sooner or later that “perfect” room you designed for your little one will be outdated and possibly even unwanted. Is there anything that you can do other than completely redesign your kids’ rooms every few years?
Fortunately, the answer is yes. By taking the way that children’s needs change over time into account, you can come up with more flexible designs that are easier to adapt even as your child’s interests shift. There will still be periodic changes that have to be made, of course, but this will keep you from having to start from the ground up each time. Here are a few things to keep in mind to help you create some of these more flexible spaces for your kids.
Start Simple
When coming up with the initial design for your child’s bedroom or playroom, it’s a good idea to take something of a minimalist approach to your design. Try to figure out what the absolute essentials are, then see if there is an age-agnostic way to approach them. Add color to the room, but skew a bit more toward light or neutral shades instead of going with brighter or more extreme colors that your child may grow to dislike.
Invest in a few key furniture items that can be repurposed over time instead of buying specialty pieces that will only be used for a short while. Use colored rugs and other removable accents instead of going for changing the carpeting. Your goal is to create a simple space that has a lot of potential, so that as your child’s interests change, you’ll have a base to move back toward and adapt the room from.
Customize the Little Things
Once you have a base design for your child’s room, it’s time to start customizing it to make it appear much more in line with their interests. This is where you can get creative and really try to match the room to your child. Lamps, posters, decorative items, and more can go a long way toward customizing the space while still being relatively easy to remove and replace if your child loses interest over time.
This is also a good time to consider painting furniture items such as desks and dressers. While this may not always be an option, most of the time it’s not that big of a deal to add a coat of paint to simple furniture items to help them better match the look of a room. By painting these accent pieces to match the overall layout of the room, you can make a notable change to the space that can be redone or updated in the future as needed.
Designing with Kids
As your children grow, be sure to get their input periodically so that you can make additional changes that actually align with their interests. This doesn’t mean that you have to rush out and buy everything that your child wants, of course; use these periodic chats to gauge how happy they are with their room, what sort of changes they might be interested in, and if there are any pieces of furniture or decorations that they seem to be outgrowing. The nature of their room is going to change over time, so make sure that they are a part of the conversation on how it needs to change.
It may also be a good idea to speak to an interior designer or decorator who has experience with creating functional and stylish children’s rooms. HomeKeepr can help you find one in your area that meets your needs. Creating a HomeKeepr account is free, so sign up today and get the conversation started on how best to create the perfect flexible space that will continue to meet your kids’ needs over time.
Access Teri’s one-stop Orlando FL home search website.
Teri Isner is the team leader of Orlando Avenue Top Team and has been a Realtor for over 24 years. Teri has distinguished herself as a leader in the Orlando FL real estate market. Teri assists buyers looking for Orlando FL real estate for sale and aggressively markets Orlando FL homes for sale.
You deserve professional real estate service! You obtain the best results with Teri Isner plus you benefit from her marketing skills, experience and ability to network with other REALTORS®. Your job gets done pleasantly and efficiently. You are able to make important decisions easily with fast, accurate information from Teri. The Orlando Avenue Top Team handles the details and follow-up that are important to the success of your transaction.
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By: Homekeepr, Rob Morelli
Posted in General Real Estate, Home Tips from Teri | No Comments »
January 4th, 2022 by tisner
Cabinets play an important part in the functionality of your kitchen. Unfortunately, over time you might find that your cabinets no longer really meet your needs. This could be because they’re falling into disrepair, or it may be a result of you gradually needing more storage than your cabinets can provide. You might even realize that the decoration of your kitchen and surrounding rooms just don’t match your cabinets anymore. Regardless of the reason, it could be time to consider some new cabinets.
Have you actually reached the point where you need to get new cabinets, though? If you aren’t sure, spend a little time considering how well your cabinets truly meet your needs and what it is that you ideally want. Here are a few things to think about to help you make this decision.
Cabinet Condition and Function
One of the biggest considerations when it comes to deciding if it’s time for new cabinets is how well your current cabinets really fit your current life. Your biggest things to think about here are whether the condition of the cabinets is causing you problems, and how well the cabinets actually work for what you need them for. Start with the condition, looking for any damaged areas, doors that won’t close, warped shelves, and other physical problems that you encounter when using the cabinets. If these leave you unable to use some of your space or otherwise cause problems, it may be time to do something about it.
Likewise, if you have certain items that you can’t put in your cabinets because they won’t fit, or if there are parts of the cabinets that you can’t really use due to layout reasons, then you may have an issue with the functionality of your cabinets. Sometimes this isn’t a significant enough problem to replace your cabinets, of course. If using the cabinets is inconvenient or if you have a lot of wasted space, though, something clearly needs to be done.
Cabinet Aesthetics
Even though it’s not as pressing of an issue as damaged cabinets or cabinets that you can’t use fully, having cabinets that don’t match your other furnishings can also be an issue if you’re trying to tie your design choices together. Stop and think about how well your existing cabinets go with everything else, and even whether they are visually appealing in and of themselves. Your home is an investment, and if your cabinets are taking away from your enjoyment of that investment, then it might be time to replace them.
Replacing your cabinets for aesthetic reasons can be a standalone job, or it could be something that you do as part of a larger remodeling project. If you’re only replacing the cabinets, take the time to find a new cabinet option that fits in well with your kitchen layout and the dominant design elements within the kitchen. If you’re doing a larger kitchen remodel and have decided to get rid of your ugly cabinets as a part of it, stop and think about what you want in cabinets and then use that to inform some of your other remodeling decisions.
Do You Need New Cabinets?
Whether or not you need new cabinets is a big decision, but once you’ve weighed your options you should have something of an idea of whether your current cabinets will last you a bit longer. If you do find that you need new cabinets, then finding the right cabinet maker and installer is the next step in your cabinet journey. Fortunately, HomeKeepr can help with this.
Creating a HomeKeepr account is free and takes just a few minutes. Once you’ve set up your account, you can find cabinet pros in your area who can make sure that your new cabinets are exactly what you want and that they’re installed expertly. Just sign up for your free account today to get started.
Access Teri’s one-stop Orlando FL home search website.
Teri Isner is the team leader of Orlando Avenue Top Team and has been a Realtor for over 24 years. Teri has distinguished herself as a leader in the Orlando FL real estate market. Teri assists buyers looking for Orlando FL real estate for sale and aggressively markets Orlando FL homes for sale.
You deserve professional real estate service! You obtain the best results with Teri Isner plus you benefit from her marketing skills, experience and ability to network with other REALTORS®. Your job gets done pleasantly and efficiently. You are able to make important decisions easily with fast, accurate information from Teri. The Orlando Avenue Top Team handles the details and follow-up that are important to the success of your transaction.
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By: Homekeepr, David Weinstein
Tags: Orlando Sellers
Posted in General Real Estate, Home Tips from Teri, Orlando Buyers | No Comments »
December 30th, 2021 by tisner
When you think about the pros that are needed in and around your home, you likely think of contractors, roofers, plumbers, electricians, and a few other professionals. One option that might not cross your mind is an interior designer. This is a shame, really, because a good interior designer can take the look of your home to a completely new level.
Don’t confuse an interior designer with a simple decorator. Designers help arrange the decorations, yes, but they do so in such a way that it completely redesigns the look of your home’s interior. Interior designers typically have refined artistic sensibilities and put them to work for you in order to create a home that will leave visitors breathless when they first take it all in.
Do You Need an Interior Designer?
Some people think that interior design is easy enough that they don’t actually need to hire someone to get the job done. This usually results in homeowners who aren’t that happy with the way that their homes look, because even though they assumed it would be easy, they find that the end result doesn’t quite match what they initially had in mind. To make matters worse, that lackluster result usually costs a lot more than the homeowner expected. An interior designer can help avoid this outcome.
A good interior designer already has experience in helping rooms come together, and has a much better idea of costs going in. This can result in a much better overall result while keeping the project budget in an acceptable range. As an added bonus, a good interior designer may have ideas and suggestions that you might not have even considered on your own. This could leave you with an interior that you’re even happier with than if you’d just realized your original dream.
Questions to Ask
When talking to an interior designer, there are a number of questions you should ask to make sure that they are a good fit for your needs. Some of these questions will relate directly to the job at hand; if your home has unique features, unusual colors, or materials that are difficult to work with, you’ll obviously want to know if your chosen designer has the necessary experience to deal with these issues that are specific to your home. Beyond these situation-specific questions, though, there are other things you’ll want to ask about as well.
To get a feel for how the interior designer works and what is important to their creative process, ask questions about their style and any specific elements that they try to incorporate more than others. You might also ask what they find most challenging about their work, and ask for examples of problems they’ve run into along with what they did to fix things. Try to get a feel for what they look for in their dream projects. Questions like these will help you gain a better understanding of how they work and how likely it is that they’ll match with your own goals and desires for your home.
Finding Your Interior Designer
As you search for an interior designer, asking questions will definitely help you when sorting through your options and trying to find the designer that’s the best fit for your home and your budget. Don’t assume that you have to go with the first interior designer that fits within your budget; finding a designer with an understanding of your personal style and an approach that’s close to what you’d like for your home will make a big difference in how close the end result is to what you’ve envisioned.
HomeKeepr can help you with this. Using our app, you can find potential interior designers in your area based on real recommendations from people you already know and trust. Creating a HomeKeepr account is free, so sign up today and take that first step in finding the interior designer that your home needs.
Access Teri’s one-stop Orlando FL home search website.
Teri Isner is the team leader of Orlando Avenue Top Team and has been a Realtor for over 24 years. Teri has distinguished herself as a leader in the Orlando FL real estate market. Teri assists buyers looking for Orlando FL real estate for sale and aggressively markets Orlando FL homes for sale.
You deserve professional real estate service! You obtain the best results with Teri Isner plus you benefit from her marketing skills, experience and ability to network with other REALTORS®. Your job gets done pleasantly and efficiently. You are able to make important decisions easily with fast, accurate information from Teri. The Orlando Avenue Top Team handles the details and follow-up that are important to the success of your transaction.
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By: Homekeepr, David Weinstein
Posted in General Real Estate, Home Tips from Teri | No Comments »
December 28th, 2021 by tisner
In these, the darkest days of the year, there’s nothing more important than adequate lighting. Unfortunately, firing up those incandescent bulbs costs money, and the more hours they run, the more they cost. Although change can be hard, today’s LED bulbs are better than ever, mimicking traditional bulbs in almost every way but with significant benefits to homeowners who make the switch.
LEDs Are Much Safer in Homes
Incandescent bulbs get hot. Sometimes they get very hot, especially when in enclosures like ceiling can fixtures. There are endless stories about recessed lighting catching fire because the wrong wattage bulb was put in by a homeowner in an attempt to brighten their space a little. That 100-watt incandescent bulb generates significantly more heat than a 40-watt or even 60-watt bulb.
LED bulbs, on the other hand, barely generate any heat at all no matter how bright they are or what color they put out. There’s almost no risk of fire due to overheating, making them super safe to leave running without supervision, even in a can light. Even better, LED recessed lighting kits are now available that replace the old can light housings, further reducing risk with upgraded construction.
LEDs Offer Additional Features
Incandescent bulbs are really good at making light, but they’re kind of a one-trick pony. LED lights, on the other hand, are super versatile. They can have built-in speakers for music on demand in rooms like bathrooms or on covered patios where it may be awkward to keep a stereo or smart speaker. They can also be smart themselves, allowing you to change the color of the bulb based on your needs. If you’re in the mood for a blue light in your kitchen, well, just a few clicks on your phone and it’s done. If you’d rather stick to whites, but like to flip between blue hue light and yellow hue light as the day progresses, you can do that, too. You can even turn a smart bulb on and off without installing a smart switch.
Energy Consumption: Plain LEDs Versus Incandescent Bulbs
The other thing that LED bulbs do is they save money and energy, and in a huge way. It might not seem like much, but running a 60-watt incandescent light bulb five hours a day adds up to about $11 a year in energy expenses – if your house has 30 light bulbs, that’s $330 a year! That incandescent bulb is rated for about a 1,000 hour lifespan, so if you only use them five hours a day, you’ll be replacing them every six months, on top of the $330 extra you’ll spend on energy. For people who work from home and may have lighting on all day, 16 hours a day, the cost of running a single incandescent bulb shoots up to $35 yearly, with a bulb change every couple of months. The electricity cost alone for those 30 bulbs is over $1,000!
LEDs, on the other hand, cost only a fraction of an incandescent bulb to run and last a whole lot longer. At five hours a day, a 10-watt LED bulb (equivalent to a 60-watt incandescent) will cost you $1.83 a year to run, and last five and a half YEARS. Even with 16 hours a day of use, that 10-watt LED is still only $5.84 to run; 30 of them will cost $175 yearly. And they’ll still last most of two years (1.71 years, to be exact).
Ready to Upgrade Your Lighting?
Although changing out incandescent bulbs for LEDs is something a homeowner can easily do, you may still want some help choosing smart bulbs or rewiring old can lights into sleek, modern recessed LED lights. If you need a hand, all you have to do is ask your HomeKeepr community. There, you’ll find recommendations for the best electricians in your area, as well as smart home experts who can advise on the latest smart LED technology!
Access Teri’s one-stop Orlando FL home search website.
Teri Isner is the team leader of Orlando Avenue Top Team and has been a Realtor for over 24 years. Teri has distinguished herself as a leader in the Orlando FL real estate market. Teri assists buyers looking for Orlando FL real estate for sale and aggressively markets Orlando FL homes for sale.
You deserve professional real estate service! You obtain the best results with Teri Isner plus you benefit from her marketing skills, experience and ability to network with other REALTORS®. Your job gets done pleasantly and efficiently. You are able to make important decisions easily with fast, accurate information from Teri. The Orlando Avenue Top Team handles the details and follow-up that are important to the success of your transaction.
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By: Homekeepr, Rob Morelli
Posted in General Real Estate, Home Tips from Teri | No Comments »
December 21st, 2021 by tisner
Pinching pennies is nothing new to homeowners, and when something goes wrong, thinking about a hefty service bill can turn many into DIYers! Almost every household has the tools and items needed for these quick and easy fixes:
- Drywall holes can be intimidating, but there is no need for a drywall expert to come in for this job. Lowe’s shows us how to patch the hole and spend much less than the cost of a repair bill.
- A squeaky wood floor can be charming or irritating, so if it is the latter, you can fix it with talcum powder as long as it is not due to a loose board. If it is not loose, sprinkle talcum powder over the seams, and rub it in with your fingers or a thin plastic card. Walk over the area to listen for the squeak, and apply more powder if necessary.
- Is there a cabinet door that does not want to close completely? For a few dollars, you can purchase magnet catches and install them in no time. There can be issues with the hinges, too, and it may just need a simple adjustment.
- The two most common toilet bowl leaks are a leaky flapper or a bad fill valve. For less than $20, you can replace either of them. To get started, check out this information from Today’s Homeowner to test for the correct leak, and go from there. The internet is chock full of videos and how-to articles for either fix.
- When your clothes dryer drum stops turning, do not fret–the belt is easy and inexpensive to replace, thanks to this guide and video from Sears, and no appliance repair service needs to be called!
- Doorknobs take a lot of abuse and eventually need replacing, or maybe you just want to upgrade your door hardware. Buildipedia offers this how-to video for this simple project–no locksmith required!
Taking pride in your home sometimes means hiring a pro to take care of things. On other occasions, however, a simple job can be taken care of on your own, so grab your toolbelt, and get to work! Your wallet will thank you!
Access Teri’s one-stop Orlando FL home search website.
Teri Isner is the team leader of Orlando Avenue Top Team and has been a Realtor for over 24 years. Teri has distinguished herself as a leader in the Orlando FL real estate market. Teri assists buyers looking for Orlando FL real estate for sale and aggressively markets Orlando FL homes for sale.
You deserve professional real estate service! You obtain the best results with Teri Isner plus you benefit from her marketing skills, experience and ability to network with other REALTORS®. Your job gets done pleasantly and efficiently. You are able to make important decisions easily with fast, accurate information from Teri. The Orlando Avenue Top Team handles the details and follow-up that are important to the success of your transaction.
Get Orlando Daily News delivered to your inbox! Subscribe here!
Photo credit: kjmagnetics.com
Posted in General Real Estate, Home Tips from Teri | No Comments »
December 14th, 2021 by tisner
Upgrading or replacing your home’s water heater is an expensive job, but a necessary one. With today’s technology, there are many options, and it can be a bit daunting when it comes to choosing the appliance that is right for you and your needs. Learn about different types and ways to save with this guide!
- Most importantly, installing a water heater is not an easy DIY unless you are an electrician or plumber. Saving a few hundred dollars is not worth the peace of mind of a properly and safely installed water heater.
- Traditional tank water heaters are the least expensive to purchase and have installed. When it comes to the real money saving–the energy costs associated with heating and maintaining the temperature–it is not the least expensive, as the radiant heat loss while being stored is great.
- The average family of four would need a storage capacity of forty gallons, adding ten gallons for each additional family member.
- Because of government-mandated regulations, this type of unit has become larger over the years, making replacement an issue.
- Storage-type water heaters have a lifespan of ten to fifteen years.
- Tankless or on-demand heaters can be installed in smaller spaces, and this is important if you are upgrading to a larger unit and the available space is not sufficient.
- There are whole-house water heaters as well as smaller electric-only units that are installed under sinks for almost instant hot water whenever it is needed.
- Tankless heaters use, on average, twenty to thirty percent less energy than storage-type heaters, meaning the higher cost of the unit will pay for itself in energy cost savings.
- Some utility companies offer a rebate for qualified on-demand heater installation. Type in your ZIP code at the Energy Star website to see if there is a program in your area.
- Solar water heaters will need a stand-by traditional unit in case the water is not heated to the set temperature. The expense of installation of a solar unit will pay for itself over time, and they have a life expectancy of about twenty years.
- Heat pump water heating systems use less energy and are considered to be the best bang for your buck. There are space and temperature requirements, however, so choose this water heater wisely.
Another boost to installing an energy-efficient unit is a possible tax credit! Today’s newer units come with timers and smartphone apps so that you can control when your water is ready for use, which is another money saver. Research all of the available options so when your plumber installs your new water heater, you will have peace of mind that you have made the best decision for your home and family.
Access Teri’s one-stop Orlando FL home search website.
Teri Isner is the team leader of Orlando Avenue Top Team and has been a Realtor for over 24 years. Teri has distinguished herself as a leader in the Orlando FL real estate market. Teri assists buyers looking for Orlando FL real estate for sale and aggressively markets Orlando FL homes for sale.
You deserve professional real estate service! You obtain the best results with Teri Isner plus you benefit from her marketing skills, experience and ability to network with other REALTORS®. Your job gets done pleasantly and efficiently. You are able to make important decisions easily with fast, accurate information from Teri. The Orlando Avenue Top Team handles the details and follow-up that are important to the success of your transaction.
Get Orlando Daily News delivered to your inbox! Subscribe here!
Photo credit: americanstandardwaterheaters.com
Posted in General Real Estate, Home Tips from Teri | No Comments »
December 7th, 2021 by tisner
Having space within the home is important to most homeowners. If everything is too small and cluttered, it can make an otherwise charming home seem claustrophobic and unpleasant. With that said, adding space to your home can be a significant ordeal that comes with a lot of cost; at the very least, adding space means a major remodeling project even if you don’t have to make major modifications like taking out a wall.
It’s often possible to create the illusion of space without actually making modifications to the home, though. The available options will depend on the layout of your house and a few other factors, of course. If you want to make your home seem a lot more open without making major changes or sinking a lot of money into remodeling, here are a few ideas to get you started.
Keep It Light
One easy way to make your rooms seem larger and create an illusion of indoor space is to lighten things up. Dark walls absorb light and make your room seem darker overall, which in turn creates the appearance that the room is smaller than it actually is. If you paint your walls and even the ceiling in lighter shades such as white, yellow, and light browns, then this will lighten up the whole room and make it seem a bit bigger overall.
Adding to this concept, eliminating a lot of the shadows in your room will also make things seem brighter and create your illusion of space. This includes large and dark shadows, obviously, but also smaller shadows such as those cast by popcorn ceilings and small tiles. That doesn’t mean everything has to be flat and covered in light to be effective, of course; large segments, shallow impressions, and similar concepts will allow you to add some contour and shadow to your rooms without ruining this effect.
Low and Open
Another great way to create an illusion of space in your rooms is to keep everything relatively low and unobtrusive in the center of your rooms. This gives the room a much more open look, letting the space flow freely and making it look like there’s more space than there actually is. This can be accomplished with furniture that lacks high peaks or complex designs that draw the eyes; keep everything attractive but favor minimalist designs over extreme complexity.
Of course, if everything’s at the same level then things are going to get boring pretty quickly. To combat this, put a few decorations on or near the walls so that they can draw the eyes of visitors. Not only does this make a room more appealing, but if someone’s line of sight is drawn to something on the far side of the room then it will help to create that illusion of space that you’re trying to achieve. The brain will register the items of interest as being farther than everything else, making it perceive additional distance even if your decorations or standing lamps are relatively close behind your furniture.
Watch the Clutter
Clutter is the enemy of space. Even large rooms can seem small if you’ve got something scattered everywhere. If you’re trying to maximize the amount of space that a room appears to have, avoid over-decorating and keep clutter on your surfaces and walls to a minimum. This is especially important when it comes to plants and similar items, as it’s easy to overdo it, and those plants are just going to get bigger as time goes by.
If you’re not sure how best to create an illusion of space in your home, HomeKeepr can help. Using the HomeKeepr app you can connect with decorators and interior designers in your area that can maximize your apparent space without breaking the bank. If you need to actually increase the size of your rooms at some point you can find a contractor to help with that, too. Creating an account is free, so sign up today.
Access Teri’s one-stop Orlando FL home search website.
Teri Isner is the team leader of Orlando Avenue Top Team and has been a Realtor for over 24 years. Teri has distinguished herself as a leader in the Orlando FL real estate market. Teri assists buyers looking for Orlando FL real estate for sale and aggressively markets Orlando FL homes for sale.
You deserve professional real estate service! You obtain the best results with Teri Isner plus you benefit from her marketing skills, experience and ability to network with other REALTORS®. Your job gets done pleasantly and efficiently. You are able to make important decisions easily with fast, accurate information from Teri. The Orlando Avenue Top Team handles the details and follow-up that are important to the success of your transaction.
Get Orlando Daily News delivered to your inbox! Subscribe here!
By: Homekeepr, Rob Morelli
Posted in Home Tips from Teri | No Comments »
December 3rd, 2021 by tisner
Having a patio gives you a great place to hang out and enjoy the outdoors while you’re at home. Unfortunately, dropping temperatures often makes your patio all but uninhabitable once the fall and winter months come around. Cooler weather doesn’t have to be the end of your time enjoying your patio, however; there are many options available that can extend your time on the patio, including patio heaters.
There are several things that set patio heaters apart from other outdoor heating options like fire pits. Because they’re designed to spread heat out over a larger area, a patio heater might be the ideal solution to keep your patio area usable well into the winter. If you think that one of these heaters might be the perfect addition to your outdoor space, here are a few things to consider to help make sure that you pick the perfect heater.
How Patio Heaters Work
Patio heaters are designed to radiate heat outward, spreading heat over a larger area than you’d cover with a fire pit or other heat source that doesn’t have a cap or other barrier preventing heat from escaping upward. The amount of heat coverage provided by these heaters differs based on the type of heater, its size, and where it’s located on your patio. Some patio heaters include chimneys or other exhaust pipes to vent potentially harmful gases generated as their fuel burns, preventing those gases from being diverted outward by the same caps that redirect the heat.
Depending on your needs, you can find small patio heaters that can sit on top of a table or other surface, as well as larger free-standing units that sit on the patio floor itself. Most heaters include controls similar to what you see on indoor heaters, allowing you to change the amount of heat produced. This lets you adjust your heater for use when you just need to knock off a little chill or when you need to produce more heat on colder nights.
Patio Heater Types
Though there are several different types of patio heaters; the most common varieties are electric, propane, natural gas, and wood-burning heaters. Here is a little information on each type:
- Electric heaters are similar to some of the space heaters you might have used indoors, offering benefits such as portability and heat production without creating fuel exhaust. Unfortunately, these heaters are not as energy efficient as other types, and often do not produce as much heat.
- Propane heaters connect to a propane tank like you would use with a propane grill. They produce more heat than many electric heaters and are still relatively portable, though they should not be used in covered or enclosed areas.
- Natural gas heaters are the most energy-efficient and convenient patio heaters, connecting to your home’s existing natural gas line so that you don’t have to swap out tanks or perform other maintenance. These heaters are not portable at all, however, and need to be professionally installed to ensure that there are no gas leaks.
- Wood-burning heaters are the cheapest patio heaters to operate, but they also require more cleaning and maintenance. They also require more work to light and put out and can be fire hazards if left unattended.
Choosing a Patio Heater
Picking the right heater for your patio area depends a lot on how your patio is laid out and whether portability and maintenance are major concerns for you. Electric and propane heaters are best for those who want to be able to move their heater around easily, and wood-burning heaters are a good option for those who want a heater that operates cheaply and don’t mind emptying out ash and coals to keep the heater clean.
Natural gas heaters are the best options for homes where there’s already a gas line installed, and you don’t mind having a permanent heating option in place. They do require professional installation, but HomeKeepr can help with that. Sign up for a free account today and connect with pros in your area that can get your gas heater installed safely.
Access Teri’s one-stop Orlando FL home search website.
Teri Isner is the team leader of Orlando Avenue Top Team and has been a Realtor for over 24 years. Teri has distinguished herself as a leader in the Orlando FL real estate market. Teri assists buyers looking for Orlando FL real estate for sale and aggressively markets Orlando FL homes for sale.
You deserve professional real estate service! You obtain the best results with Teri Isner plus you benefit from her marketing skills, experience and ability to network with other REALTORS®. Your job gets done pleasantly and efficiently. You are able to make important decisions easily with fast, accurate information from Teri. The Orlando Avenue Top Team handles the details and follow-up that are important to the success of your transaction.
Get Orlando Daily News delivered to your inbox! Subscribe here!
By: Homekeepr, David Weinstein
Posted in Home Tips from Teri, Just for Fun | No Comments »
November 30th, 2021 by tisner
Your house was no less than perfect when you first bought it, and now, after time and changes in your life, things seem to be getting tighter with every day that goes by! How do you know you have outgrown the space and need to think about upsizing? Here are a few tips to help you decide:
- One indication that you are running out of space is clutter. Totes of stored seasonal clothing stacked in the bedroom corner, or maybe you no longer invite friends over because the clutter is embarrassing. It is either time to declutter or move!
- Another sign to look for is furniture that is crammed into any available spot.
- If it is hard to walk through the maze of pieces you have acquired over the years, they need to be displayed or set up properly so you can enjoy them.
- Probably the most aggravating thing about living in a house that is too small is having to wait for a bathroom! Even a bath-and-a-half may not be enough. It may be time to find a house with two or more full bathrooms.
- If you are one of the millions that are working from home now more than ever, your home office has probably taken over previously public space in the house. A house with square footage for a home office will allow everyone to get back in their own room!
- In today’s world, it may be necessary for the grown and flown children to come back to the nest. Have you changed their bedroom into a craft room or knocked the wall out to enlarge another space? Other than putting the wall back up, find a new home with room for everyone.
- On the other side of the coin, do your parents need to move in? That will mean giving up your own space so they can have some independence and privacy. Purchasing a larger home with an in-law suite would be a better solution.
Remember: getting more room for you and your family may not necessarily mean having to spending more money. Something as simple as changing neighborhoods or even surrounding cities can give more bang for your buck. Comb through your budget and schedule a time to talk to your Realtor® about looking for a larger but affordable new home!
Access Teri’s one-stop Orlando FL home search website.
Teri Isner is the team leader of Orlando Avenue Top Team and has been a Realtor for over 24 years. Teri has distinguished herself as a leader in the Orlando FL real estate market. Teri assists buyers looking for Orlando FL real estate for sale and aggressively markets Orlando FL homes for sale.
You deserve professional real estate service! You obtain the best results with Teri Isner plus you benefit from her marketing skills, experience and ability to network with other REALTORS®. Your job gets done pleasantly and efficiently. You are able to make important decisions easily with fast, accurate information from Teri. The Orlando Avenue Top Team handles the details and follow-up that are important to the success of your transaction.
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Tags: Orlando Sellers
Posted in Home Tips from Teri, Orlando Buyers | No Comments »
November 23rd, 2021 by tisner
When your elderly father has decided that he would like to live in his home as long as possible, or it is time to make the mother-in-law’s home a little safer, a few changes in the house need to take place. While every family is unique, most needs of our aging parents are the same. How can we make small improvements with a big impact on their safety and comfort? The following tips are a great place to begin:
- For the wheelchair-bound person or one who needs to use a walker, add an accessibility ramp to their most-used entry. Contractors who specialize in ADA-compliant improvements can assist with design and added features.
- Outdoor lighting is essential for everyone’s safety, but there are many options for adding low-voltage lights to posts along ramps and atop porch rails, as well as pathway lighting along walkways.
- Wherever there are steps, handrails are a must, as well as anti-skid treads to minimize slipping.
- Change all doorknobs to lever-type handles for ease of opening for those with arthritis or other motor skill issues.
- Widening doorways is something that may be necessary if wheelchair use is a possibility in the future. Enlarging them to 36” is the general width for ease of use.
- The type of flooring in the home can impact whether it’s a fall risk for someone who has trouble getting around. Low-pile carpeting or secure low-pile area rugs with double-sided carpet tape or non-slip rug padding is best.
- A walk-in or wheelchair-accessible shower with a “curbless” entry is a safe choice when remodeling a bathroom. A built-in shower seat and adjustable showerhead are other useful items that can be added to make bathing safer.
- If a total bathroom remodel is not affordable, simply installing grab-bars to the shower, bath, and toilet area walls will offer security for moving around in the bathroom.
- Changing faucets in the kitchen and bath to a single lever handle or installing motion-sensor or touch-activated units are perfect for ease of use.
- Electrical issues to consider: light switches that can be pressed for turning off and on, electrical outlets placed higher than the standard height and adding more interior lighting.
Download this handy publication from AARP for other ideas to assist with setting up your loved one with independent living. Hopefully you and your much-loved senior will look at this stage of life not as a challenge, but rather as a way to keep a distant but watchful eye over them while they maintain their sense of independence and quality of life.
Access Teri’s one-stop Orlando FL home search website.
Teri Isner is the team leader of Orlando Avenue Top Team and has been a Realtor for over 24 years. Teri has distinguished herself as a leader in the Orlando FL real estate market. Teri assists buyers looking for Orlando FL real estate for sale and aggressively markets Orlando FL homes for sale.
You deserve professional real estate service! You obtain the best results with Teri Isner plus you benefit from her marketing skills, experience and ability to network with other REALTORS®. Your job gets done pleasantly and efficiently. You are able to make important decisions easily with fast, accurate information from Teri. The Orlando Avenue Top Team handles the details and follow-up that are important to the success of your transaction.
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Posted in General Real Estate, Home Tips from Teri | No Comments »
