Thursday, August 29, 2013
High Performance Windows
Costs are on the Rise
With rising costs, people are trying to save money anywhere they can. Whether that is making breakfast at home, carpooling, or buying in bulk; Oklahomans are on the look out for ways to save. One of the best places to save is in the proper construction of your new home. The best builders in the industry are building homes that are Energy Star qualified. Energy Star homes meet strict guidelines set out by the EPA and are shown to be significantly more efficient than traditional homes without an Energy Star rating. One of the most important features of any Energy Star home are the high performance windows.
High Performance Windows
As anyone with older wood frame windows can tell you, a lot of indoor temperature is lost to them. The old style windows don’t seal the home nearly as well as today’s more efficient, high performance windows do. These new windows employee better frame assemblies that keep the indoor temperatures in, while keeping the outside temperatures out! This results in a more comfortable and energy efficient home for you and your family. Special coatings are now put on the newer windows to reduce the amount of harmful UV rays from getting into your house. This coating also serves to limit the amount of radiant heat coming into the home, this makes for more comfortable summers in this Oklahoma heat.
Remember to look for the Energy Star logo when you are out shopping for your new home!
Sunday, August 25, 2013
Beat the Heat!
Beat the Heat
It’s no surprise that Oklahoma can get pretty hot in the summer time, here are a few ways to beat the heat this summer:
Cool off with water!
Most of our communities have pools or a splash pad where you can get wet and keep cool on these hot summer days. There is nothing better to keep the kids happy in the summer than playing in the water! We adults also like to relax by the pool with friends and cool off in the water!. We know that all our of neighborhood pools and splash pads are getting a lot of action this summer. Check your city’s website to find times of operation and locations for public water features.
Stay Cool at Home!
White Hat Homes is committed to building you and your family an Energy Star recognized home. That means you will be able to keep your home cool in the summer without taking on a second mortgage to pay the electric bill! We also use high efficiency window that keep more of the ambient heat out, keeping your home cooler. We also use high efficiency insulation that helps keep the cooler temperatures in and the hotter temperatures out.
Remember to be safe while enjoying your summer, have fun and stay cool!
It’s no surprise that Oklahoma can get pretty hot in the summer time, here are a few ways to beat the heat this summer:
Cool off with water!
Most of our communities have pools or a splash pad where you can get wet and keep cool on these hot summer days. There is nothing better to keep the kids happy in the summer than playing in the water! We adults also like to relax by the pool with friends and cool off in the water!. We know that all our of neighborhood pools and splash pads are getting a lot of action this summer. Check your city’s website to find times of operation and locations for public water features.
Stay Cool at Home!
White Hat Homes is committed to building you and your family an Energy Star recognized home. That means you will be able to keep your home cool in the summer without taking on a second mortgage to pay the electric bill! We also use high efficiency window that keep more of the ambient heat out, keeping your home cooler. We also use high efficiency insulation that helps keep the cooler temperatures in and the hotter temperatures out.
Remember to be safe while enjoying your summer, have fun and stay cool!
Thursday, August 22, 2013
Energy Star Homes
What makes a new home Energy Star Qualified? Well for a new home to meet the ENERGY STAR qualifications it must follow the strict guidelines set by the EPA. Each Energy Star new home must be at least 15% more energy efficient than homes built in 2004 that followed the International Residential Code (IRC). New homes must also include additional energy-saving features that typically make the home 20–30% more energy efficient than the standard new home.
By owning an Energy Star home, you will be adding to air pollution less. This is because it takes less energy from power plants that burn fossil fuels to power your home. That means less burning of fossil fuels, which lowers the amount of smog, acid rain, and general air pollution that being sent into the environment. If you are wanting to find a home that uses less energy, then start with Energy Star qualified homes.
To earn an Energy Star rating from the EPA, a home must be not greater than three stories and meet other EPA guidelines. An Energy Star home is one that has many features pertaining to the home that use less energy than the average home. To identify whether your home is Energy Star approved, search your home for the Blue Star symbol. This is different from just using energy star products, which don’t translate into an Energy Star rating for the house itself. If you are unsure of new homes you are looking at, simply ask the builder and they can tell you.
For more information on the Energy Star program, visit www.epa.gov
By owning an Energy Star home, you will be adding to air pollution less. This is because it takes less energy from power plants that burn fossil fuels to power your home. That means less burning of fossil fuels, which lowers the amount of smog, acid rain, and general air pollution that being sent into the environment. If you are wanting to find a home that uses less energy, then start with Energy Star qualified homes.
To earn an Energy Star rating from the EPA, a home must be not greater than three stories and meet other EPA guidelines. An Energy Star home is one that has many features pertaining to the home that use less energy than the average home. To identify whether your home is Energy Star approved, search your home for the Blue Star symbol. This is different from just using energy star products, which don’t translate into an Energy Star rating for the house itself. If you are unsure of new homes you are looking at, simply ask the builder and they can tell you.
For more information on the Energy Star program, visit www.epa.gov
Sunday, August 18, 2013
Having Work Done on Your Home?
While there are many benefits to owning your own home, it does come with some new responsibilities that aren’t present when you rent a house. When something breaks, needs to be replaced, or serviced, we are all going to have to let a stranger come into our home. Knowing your rights and duties as a homeowner will help you to hire people that are reputable and trustworthy.
The Hiring Process
If you are the kind of person who is willing to pay a little extra to not have the headache of finding, selecting, and paying for serviceperson to come into your home, there are many companies that will find the serviceperson for you. These companies will also carry insurance on the workers they send to you, in case they damage your home or themselves.
It is always advised that as a homeowner, you do your research when selecting workers. There are several great sites on the internet that will help you with company reviews such as Google, Angie’s List, and the Better Business Bureau. Unless you personally know the worker(s) that are coming into your home, it is your responsibility to vet them before hand.
There are state and federal tax requirements of the homeowner should you hire a worker individually and not from a company. You will need to study all applicable labor laws as well as being versed on worker’s compensation benefits. You can consult the IRS website for more information (www.irs.gov).
Compensating Workers
When working with a company to supply worker(s) they will have a price for services for you to review. If hiring an individual, you will need to be aware of wage requirements of the state and federal government, this would include overtime payments. It is always recommended to have all pricing for services in writing, before work begins.
Risk Aversion
It is highly recommended that you the homeowner consult your homeowner’s policy to find out what kind of coverage is provided for work being done by a serviceperson. It is also recommended that you check with your city and state to make sure you are in compliance should an accident occur with a serviceperson in your home. Knowing what your responsibilities are will protect you from scammers in the event of an accident.
The Hiring Process
If you are the kind of person who is willing to pay a little extra to not have the headache of finding, selecting, and paying for serviceperson to come into your home, there are many companies that will find the serviceperson for you. These companies will also carry insurance on the workers they send to you, in case they damage your home or themselves.
It is always advised that as a homeowner, you do your research when selecting workers. There are several great sites on the internet that will help you with company reviews such as Google, Angie’s List, and the Better Business Bureau. Unless you personally know the worker(s) that are coming into your home, it is your responsibility to vet them before hand.
There are state and federal tax requirements of the homeowner should you hire a worker individually and not from a company. You will need to study all applicable labor laws as well as being versed on worker’s compensation benefits. You can consult the IRS website for more information (www.irs.gov).
Compensating Workers
When working with a company to supply worker(s) they will have a price for services for you to review. If hiring an individual, you will need to be aware of wage requirements of the state and federal government, this would include overtime payments. It is always recommended to have all pricing for services in writing, before work begins.
Risk Aversion
It is highly recommended that you the homeowner consult your homeowner’s policy to find out what kind of coverage is provided for work being done by a serviceperson. It is also recommended that you check with your city and state to make sure you are in compliance should an accident occur with a serviceperson in your home. Knowing what your responsibilities are will protect you from scammers in the event of an accident.
Thursday, August 15, 2013
Now is the Time!
Now is the Time!
Several social media sites and blogs have been in a flurry to tell people the same thing, now is the time to buy a home. While there are many different reasons that now is a very good time to buy a home, here are just a few:
Competitive Prices
Housing prices have not been this low in over 5 years. Now is the time that buyers can get the most for their money. Since a home purchase is usually the largest investment a family makes, it pays to buy when the market is right!
Rates are on the Rise
According to a new Fannie Mae survey, 74 percent of Americans say it is now a good time to buy a house. Interest rates are projected to increase by up to 5% in 2014. Now is the best time to find a good rate and lock it in before rates start hiking up.
Much Better than Renting
Financial planners will tell you it usually always better to own a home than rent one. By owning a home, you are building equity and not just throwing money away every month you rent someone else’s house.
You Own It!
It is more meaningful to buy a home that you helped design than to buy one that someone else did. You were able to see the dirt lot become a home. Let White Hat Homes help you take your ideas and turn them into reality!
Several social media sites and blogs have been in a flurry to tell people the same thing, now is the time to buy a home. While there are many different reasons that now is a very good time to buy a home, here are just a few:
Competitive Prices
Housing prices have not been this low in over 5 years. Now is the time that buyers can get the most for their money. Since a home purchase is usually the largest investment a family makes, it pays to buy when the market is right!
Rates are on the Rise
According to a new Fannie Mae survey, 74 percent of Americans say it is now a good time to buy a house. Interest rates are projected to increase by up to 5% in 2014. Now is the best time to find a good rate and lock it in before rates start hiking up.
Much Better than Renting
Financial planners will tell you it usually always better to own a home than rent one. By owning a home, you are building equity and not just throwing money away every month you rent someone else’s house.
You Own It!
It is more meaningful to buy a home that you helped design than to buy one that someone else did. You were able to see the dirt lot become a home. Let White Hat Homes help you take your ideas and turn them into reality!
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