Episode 2039
Pro Tips for 2025: Keep Your Home from Becoming a Money Pit!
So, homeowners, if you thought 2025 was just another year to kick back and relax, think again! Eric G is here to drop some knowledge bombs with his top tips that'll make your home maintenance game stronger than ever. We're diving deep into the nitty-gritty of roof maintenance—because, surprise, ignoring that thing could cost you a small fortune. Who knew that checking for moss and missing shingles could save you from a waterfall in your living room? And let’s not forget about HVAC systems—because, apparently, waiting until it’s 100 degrees outside to think about your AC is not the best strategy. So grab your notepad, or just keep scrolling on your phone while pretending to take notes, because Eric's got you covered with all the absurdly essential advice you never knew you needed for your humble abode!
Homeownership in 2025 requires a fresh perspective, especially when it comes to maintaining your castle (or shack, no judgment!). Eric G kicks things off by diving deep into the often-overlooked realm of roof maintenance—yes, that thing that looms over us but is usually ignored until it starts leaking. He highlights the importance of checking your roof at least twice a year, suggesting that if heights aren’t your jam, you can always hire a pro. I mean, who doesn’t love a good excuse to avoid climbing ladders, right? Plus, Eric shares some sage advice on various roof types and the potential disasters that come from neglecting them. Let’s be real: a missing shingle could lead to a waterfall in your living room, and that’s not the vibe we’re going for.
As we steer into the HVAC zone, Eric’s got some eye-opening tips about maintaining your heating and cooling systems. With rising costs and new regulations, he emphasizes the importance of regular maintenance. Sure, you could wait for that AC unit to break down in the middle of summer and then pay a small fortune to fix it, but wouldn’t it be smarter to avoid that calamity altogether? Eric’s got tricks up his sleeve to help you get the most bang for your buck while keeping your home comfortable. After all, no one wants to be that person sweating bullets while waiting for a technician to show up on a scorching July day.
Moving on to the world of home insurance, Eric throws some serious shade at the ever-increasing premiums. As drones and satellites take over inspections, he urges homeowners to get proactive about maintaining their properties. You don’t want to be the one with a denied claim because your roof was a hot mess, right? Eric wraps up his top tips by pushing us to think smarter about home security and tech upgrades. With all the cool gadgets out there, it’s about time we start using them to protect our homes and make life a little easier. So, whether you’re a DIY warrior or someone who prefers to call in the pros, this episode is packed with practical advice to ensure your home stays in tip-top shape for 2025 and beyond!
Takeaways:
- Don't forget to check your roof at least twice a year, or risk a waterfall in your living room.
- Master your HVAC systems now to avoid the shock of skyrocketing repair costs later on.
- Home insurance is like a game of hide and seek; make sure you know what’s covered before disaster strikes.
- Installing USB-C outlets around the house? Yes please! Who needs bulky converters anyway?
- If your house could talk, it would scream for smart sensors to catch leaks before they ruin your day.
- Start budgeting for repairs, not just renovations; because neglecting upkeep is a surefire way to lose money.
Links referenced in this episode:
Companies mentioned in this episode:
- Monument Grills
- Lockjaw Ladder Grip
- Deep Sentinel
- Aerobroom
- Carrier
- Freedom
To get your questions answered by Eric G give us a call in the studio at 833-239-4144 24/7 and Eric G will get back to you and answer your question and you might end up in a future episode of Around the House.
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Information given on the Around the House Show should not be considered construction or design advice for your specific project, nor is it intended to replace consulting at your home or jobsite by a building professional. The views and opinions expressed by those interviewed on the podcast are those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the Around the House Show.
Mentioned in this episode:
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SiteHype Designs
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Clean up inside and out with AeroBroom
The world's first 2-in-1 sweeper broom and cordless leaf blower combined in one convenient tool to clean your outdoor living spaces. With the Aerobroom, you can use it to sweep just like a normal broom, or you can blast debris from hard-to-reach areas.
SiteHype Designs
Visit SiteHype Designs and lets build a website that works as hard as you do! Use Promo Code "Eric G" for your free website audit and 30 minute consultation.
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Clean up inside and out with AeroBroom
The world's first 2-in-1 sweeper broom and cordless leaf blower combined in one convenient tool to clean your outdoor living spaces. With the Aerobroom, you can use it to sweep just like a normal broom, or you can blast debris from hard-to-reach areas.
Transcript
Foreign.
Speaker B:Welcome to around the House with Eric G. Your trusted source for all things home improvement.
Speaker B:Whether you're tackling a DIY project, hiring it out, or just trying to keep your home running smoothly, you're in the right place.
Speaker B:With over 30 years of remodeling experience, certified kitchen designer Eric G. Takes you behind the scenes with expert advice, industry trends and the latest innovations for your home.
Speaker B:Home it's everything you need to know without the fluff.
Speaker B:Now, here's your host, Eric G. Welcome.
Speaker A:To the around the House show, the next generation of home improvement.
Speaker A:I'm Eric G. Thanks for joining me today.
Speaker A:This hour is brought to you by my friends at Monument Grills.
Speaker A:Check them out for your brand new barbecue.
Speaker A:If your barbecue is just holding on to its last leg, it's about ready to go to the recycle bin.
Speaker A:Don't worry, Monument Grills has you covered.
Speaker A:If you need a small barbecue or a big one, they got you covered.
Speaker A:Check them out@monimal grills.com if this is the first time you're catching the around the House show across on the Talk Media Network.
Speaker A:If you're listening to us on the radio, you can find out more about us.
Speaker A:Head over to aroundthe house online.com and you can find out everything here from the radio show to the podcast to of course, our video and our TV show that'll be coming back on air this fall.
Speaker A:Now today I wanted to talk about some tips for you homeowners out there.
Speaker A:These are things that we forget about, especially in the summertime.
Speaker A:We're thinking about getting through the hot of the summer.
Speaker A:We got hurricane season out there.
Speaker A:We got wildfire season.
Speaker A: e some tips for homeowners in: Speaker A:This who we should be thinking about first up here is one that we always forget about.
Speaker A:Unless you've got a leak, and that is don't ignore your roof because this is your first line of defense.
Speaker A:So make sure you check your roof for wear and tear at least twice a year.
Speaker A:Now here's the thing.
Speaker A:Many people don't like getting on your roof.
Speaker A:And I get it.
Speaker A:It's not fun if you're scared of heights or maybe you don't have the ability or you don't have the trust to get up on a high ladder.
Speaker A:It's okay.
Speaker A:You can hire professionals.
Speaker A:You can get into maintenance contracts.
Speaker A:You can get people up there to take a look at it.
Speaker A:And there are people out there that'll do it many times.
Speaker A:There's a lot of now the roof cleaning Services, they'll come out and take a look.
Speaker A:But really you want somebody that can repair, take a look at it and basically extend the life of that.
Speaker A:If you're missing shingles or you got moss or damaged flashing, could cost you thousands or tens of thousands in water damage.
Speaker A:And this is one of the things with a good roof like that and you got to keep it clean.
Speaker A:Now it doesn't matter what kind of roof you've got, if you've got metal, if you've got some kind of a composition roof that's made out of a tar based material, or if you've got some of the new rubber ones or slate or cedar, there's a lot of things you can do.
Speaker A:But really things like moss, dirt, all that stuff will degrade that surface up there.
Speaker A:And you don't want to be up there too much because walking on many of these roof roofing products, it's not going to look very good up there because it's just going to start wearing and tearing and that will cause a lot of damage to your roof.
Speaker A:Now if you've got metal, you still need to maintain it.
Speaker A:Now keeping it clean, keeping the leaves, the tar, the pine needles, whatever you have off of there, keeping that stuff off of it is good.
Speaker A:I'll get SAP from my trees on the roof.
Speaker A:And these are things that it just makes it not look so great.
Speaker A:So good cleaning is good.
Speaker A:But here's the thing.
Speaker A:With metal roofs, for instance, you can paint them.
Speaker A:If you're starting to see the finish fail on the top of that thing, there are companies that'll come out and do the painting on those and it'll look really good and you'll have a bunch of years left out of it.
Speaker A:So proper maintenance is key.
Speaker A:Now, of course, never schedule the inspections.
Speaker A:During bad weather, I like to come in.
Speaker A:If you've got a windstorm or something, have them come in after that.
Speaker A:And don't skip attic checks as well.
Speaker A:You want to make sure that one, the ventilation is working.
Speaker A:You don't have any of the, the vents up there plugged up.
Speaker A:That's a key right there to make sure.
Speaker A:And going through and just making sure that everything's breathing okay and working okay, that's a key.
Speaker A:Now the other thing is you want to look for rodents and things like that.
Speaker A:Sometimes squirrels or other pests can get up there and cause some serious damage.
Speaker A:So again, taking a look at that stuff, I have had squirrels or even I've seen people have raccoons get into their attic spaces up there and that Is a hot mess.
Speaker A:They can do so much damage so quickly.
Speaker A:So really making sure that you extend the life of that.
Speaker A:And I don't like to do a lot of cleanings up there.
Speaker A:If you're up there, first off, I don't like pressure washers.
Speaker A:They can do a ton of damage to roofs up there.
Speaker A:Many of the soft wash roof companies will come in, do a serious cleaning, it'll look pretty awesome.
Speaker A:And they can put on some conditioners, depending on the roof, and make it look really good.
Speaker A:I've seen people get up there and take a cedar shake roof, for instance, that was a little long on the tooth.
Speaker A:Get up there, weave in some new shingles, go across, clean it up, they'll bleach it out like you would a new deck and hit it with a good sealer and it'll look like nearly brand new, which I really like.
Speaker A:But really depending on where you're looking for, you know where your house is located.
Speaker A:If you're over on a coast where you've got saltwater that can really tear up galvanized, all the different flashing.
Speaker A:So really making sure that's dialed in.
Speaker A:This is where you can save a ton on not having to put a new roof on.
Speaker A:You can spend 10, 20, 30, $50,000 on a new roof.
Speaker A:And if you see it spongy in spots, that is also going to be a place that you have to watch out for.
Speaker A:So just make sure and stay on top of it.
Speaker A:Use fall protection device if you're getting up there.
Speaker A:I actually got one here about a year and a half ago and it is something that makes getting on that roof a heck of a lot nicer.
Speaker A:You, you can tie off and be safe and follow the OSHA rules out there.
Speaker A:Make it safe for yourself.
Speaker A:And putting that harness on gives you that extra layer of protection.
Speaker A:Now there is some really cool grips, lockjaw, ladder grip.
Speaker A:You can take a look.
Speaker A:I think you can buy them on Amazon.
Speaker A:The guy's based out of.
Speaker A:Where is he?
Speaker A:Out of Australia.
Speaker A:Had him on the show before.
Speaker A:Guy's great.
Speaker A:You can take a look at that product.
Speaker A:It is something great for getting up on the roof.
Speaker A:Makes life so much easier.
Speaker A:And it's one of those things that I think it's a really cool one.
Speaker A:Now let's go out and talk to him real quick and see if we can figure out how to work with one of those and the safety on this.
Speaker A:Because I tell you what, this can make that roof so much easier to take care of and get up on.
Speaker A:And that way you're not falling off the roof when it comes to safety.
Speaker A:I love new products when they come out.
Speaker A:And we have one right here.
Speaker A:Craig with lockjaw ladder grip.
Speaker A:Welcome to around the House.
Speaker A:Looks like you're at a fun trade show.
Speaker C:Thanks, Eric.
Speaker C:Thanks for having me.
Speaker C:Yes.
Speaker C:We're here at the.
Speaker C:The Las Vegas International Roofing Show.
Speaker C:So we've got our stand set up behind us.
Speaker C:So good opportunity to show you how this thing works.
Speaker A:Let's talk about lockjaw ladder grip.
Speaker A:Because I tell you what, I'm excited about this because I can't tell you how many times I've been leaning up against the gutter and something shifts a little bit, and, man, it's two pieces of polished metal or fiberglass.
Speaker A:They love to slide.
Speaker C:That's exactly right.
Speaker C:It's not a very nice feeling when you're up there.
Speaker C:Even those small movements you get.
Speaker C:So this device was designed to secure ladders onto guttering.
Speaker C:It's a fairly simple process with a jaw clamps over the gutter.
Speaker C:There's an adjustable bar here that basically secures down on a two axis to tighten that ladder down onto your gutter to prevent movement.
Speaker C:Makes it a lot safer operation.
Speaker A:No kidding.
Speaker A:I tell you what, these are heavy duty, but not too heavy.
Speaker A:You could put this on your tool belts and have one of these two around and you'd be perfectly safe with it.
Speaker A:It's not weighing down the tool belt.
Speaker A:Too bad.
Speaker A:So I really like how you designed it.
Speaker A:What got you to come up with this?
Speaker C:Yeah, look, it was my father and I that invented.
Speaker C:Designed this a number of years ago now.
Speaker C:He was.
Speaker C:He was in the trades for many years and had some close calls with ladders.
Speaker C:We got our minds together and came up with this device.
Speaker C: alia, which came in the early: Speaker C:So that's where it all kicked off.
Speaker C:And a number of years later, this is what we ended up with.
Speaker A:I really like how it clamps to the inside of the gutter and kind of follows that profile and locks in and then grabs that ladder.
Speaker A:It feels like a really secure grip.
Speaker C:It does, yeah.
Speaker C:Look, the real secret was getting that sliding bar that both slides left and right and rises up and down.
Speaker C:You've also got an adjustable drawer here which adjusts to different ladder profiles so it suits the majority of extension ladders.
Speaker C:Guttering that's out there.
Speaker A:That is great.
Speaker A:Is this something that you recommend, having one or two of these for a typical extension ladder?
Speaker C:For instance, look it was designed to work with one.
Speaker C:One obviously secures down your ladder to your gutter, but look for multi storey houses.
Speaker C:Commercial use if you're up and down a ladder a lot.
Speaker C:Two, like most things in life, does a better job.
Speaker C:We find a lot of the commercial operators, emergency services, et cetera, they'll use the two units.
Speaker A:And that is great.
Speaker A:I love how this works because I tell you what, so many people get injured from just that ladder slipping along the gutter and problems occur when you start moving around on the ladder and this solves that.
Speaker A:I love that.
Speaker C:That's exactly.
Speaker C:That was the plan to help prevent some of these, these accidents that occur with ladders.
Speaker C:So it took us a while to get there, but at the end we ended up with a pretty good product.
Speaker A:Great.
Speaker A:So I guess the million dollar question is where do people find, find out where they can get one.
Speaker A:Because I tell you what, this is a must have for a homeowner and.
Speaker C:A contractor in the States.
Speaker C:Here we sell in Europe, the States, Australia, here in America, you've got Amazon online, of course, we're online, Home Depot online, Lowe's, and there's a number of specialist distributors we deal with as well here in the States.
Speaker C:So our website's got some of the information on some of those distribution channels to help people that know where to buy.
Speaker A:Great.
Speaker A:And let's give that website one more time.
Speaker C:Yeah, that is lockedyourladdergrip.com to find out.
Speaker B:More information, head to aroundthehouse online.com don't change that dial.
Speaker B:Around the House.
Speaker B:We'll be right back after these important messages.
Speaker A:Welcome back to the around the House show, the next generation of home improvement.
Speaker A:I'm Eric G. Thanks for joining me today.
Speaker A:This hour, of course, is brought to you by my friends at Monument Grills.
Speaker A:Check them out@monumentgrills.com and if you want to find out more about us, make sure to follow us on our YouTube channel.
Speaker A:All of our social media channels, of course, are.
Speaker A: homeowners tips, really for: Speaker A:And there are so many things that we should be paying attention to.
Speaker A:Our house, we're just talking about roofs.
Speaker A:And of course my friends over at Lockjaw Ladder Grip and what they do to make sure that you're a little bit safer getting up on that roof, which is pretty cool.
Speaker A:Now the next one here is mastering your H vac before summer is over and winter hits.
Speaker A:And I tell you what rising costs and those EPA refrigerant phase outs make this year the definite year.
Speaker A:You need to get ahead on maintenance of that heating and cooling systems.
Speaker A:I don't know if you have priced out a new system.
Speaker A:They are very expensive.
Speaker A:What was $5,000 can be $15,000 in replacing a system.
Speaker A:And the problem is because we changed out these new refrigerants many times, you can't mix and just replace parts for your old one.
Speaker A:So that means you have to put an entire new system in.
Speaker A:So if your outside compressor fails, you got a coil that goes bad, you could be in a world of hurt and having to upgrade to something that is going to be much more expensive.
Speaker A:And sometimes there's just no cheap way out of it.
Speaker A:So maintenance is key.
Speaker A:And I always say find out who installed your system.
Speaker A:If they're a good reliable company, I would talk to them and get on a maintenance program.
Speaker A:Because if you've got a heating and cooling, maybe even a heat pump, whatever you got there, whether it's a furnace, maybe it's a gas furnace and ac, making sure that you got somebody coming out at least once a year, perfectly twice a year, if you've got heating and cooling needs to make sure that everything is working correctly.
Speaker A:Because so many times when you have that breakdown and you're paying now premium for somebody to come out after hours on a holiday to get things working, you're going to be in a world of hurt because they're going to charge you hundreds of dollars an hour to come out there.
Speaker A:And you could have prevented it with a little maintenance.
Speaker A:It's amazing.
Speaker A:I'll go outside to my AC unit outside my house.
Speaker A:I'll take my leaf blower, that's variable speed.
Speaker A:I'll get out there and blow that out.
Speaker A:And you would be surprised.
Speaker A:I do this every month.
Speaker A:You'd be surprised at how much dust comes out of that because there's so much air moving through there.
Speaker A:And we don't have a lot of rain in the summertime, so those coils get dirty.
Speaker A:If you look down into it, you've got.
Speaker A:I've got pine needles and stuff getting down in there.
Speaker A:And a system like mine, I have got the Carrier Infinity system.
Speaker A:It's got multiple computers in it.
Speaker A:It's like my desktop or a couple of them.
Speaker A:So these are things that you want to make sure you've got to maintain.
Speaker A:You want to make sure the updates are going and.
Speaker A:And of course, making sure that you've got it so you can get the most life out of it.
Speaker A:You also Want to make sure that when heating time comes around, if you're using gas, for instance, or oil, making sure that is using the most efficient way possible.
Speaker A:One, it's good for the environment, but even better, you're not wasting energy because you're using too much fuel.
Speaker A:So you want to be able to save some money.
Speaker A:And I tell you what, having that service call coming out.
Speaker A:And so many times when you do this, if you do have a breakdown, they'll give you a special rate or put you in the front of the line, depending on what the service contract is.
Speaker A:So now's the time to get on one of those, get things rocking and rolling.
Speaker A:And that way in the heat of summer here, you'll be good to go.
Speaker A:Now, here's the one that we've seen so much of, and it's a battle out there, making sure your insurance is correct.
Speaker A:And I'm talking homeowners.
Speaker A:Insurance can be rough.
Speaker A:Whether you're a renter or you've got a house that you're working on.
Speaker A:Insurance premiums have not been going down.
Speaker A:In fact, they've been skyrocketing.
Speaker A:And now you're starting to see them use drones.
Speaker A:And satellite inspections are flagging those homes that didn't do the maintenance.
Speaker A:Maybe they've got stuff on the roof, maybe they've got too many things outside up against the house.
Speaker A:We're seeing more and more of this because insurance companies are tired of writing checks.
Speaker A:So they're going to push you to stay on top of those maintenance thing.
Speaker A:So first off, making sure that you've got to clean up your roof, remove any of those limbs that are touching or overhanging the house.
Speaker A:I don't like those.
Speaker A:And then make sure you document any of the repairs.
Speaker A:That way, if your insurance company does hit you up with one of the satellite or drone things that you're going to be okay.
Speaker A:My house is interesting because they can't see it from the sky because I have huge protected 130ft trees over the top of my house, so you can't see it.
Speaker A:You're not going to have fun getting a drone without somebody sitting on my property.
Speaker A:So that's pretty tough.
Speaker A:But so many of you guys out there are battling this and then making sure that you got the right coverage.
Speaker A:That's one of the most important things out of this, making sure that you're covered.
Speaker A:Can you build your house today for what it's insured for?
Speaker A:If your house is built in the 70s, 80s, even 90s, is it covering you for replacing it?
Speaker A:Can you even put your house back where you thought of?
Speaker A:And now here's the big one.
Speaker A:Look at our folks down in Southern California.
Speaker A:We're going to see homes down there that sit there for three years before somebody can move back into it, at least.
Speaker A:So is your insurance going to cover you on that?
Speaker A:And here's the battle.
Speaker A:If you're sitting there, there's a limit to how long they're going to pay out to pay rent, because you're going to end up paying for two mortgages, right?
Speaker A:Maybe you're renting a home, maybe you're doing other stuff that could really get you.
Speaker A:So take your time, work on it.
Speaker A:Make sure you're dialed in and that you're looking good.
Speaker A:That insurance.
Speaker A:Sit down and talk to your agent.
Speaker A:Make sure you're looking decent, and I think you're going to be okay.
Speaker A:This is one of those things that I really worry about, because if it takes two years to build your house back, do you have the money?
Speaker A:Can you afford to be paying for an apartment or rental house and not be in your home?
Speaker A:We're seeing more and more of that and of course, just making sure that you're covered for everything.
Speaker A:If you've got lead or asbestos abatement, maybe there's mold issues, are those things all going to be covered?
Speaker A:So take the time, work with your agent to make sure you've got the earthquake, the flood, the whatever could be hitting your house.
Speaker A:Just make sure you're dialed in and it's gonna save you money in the long run.
Speaker A:Because if something does happen, you might not lose everything.
Speaker A:Because we've seen that so many times.
Speaker A:And it really gets me when if you could have spent another $50 or $100 and had something that would have saved you hundreds of thousands of dollars, that can really hurt and leave a mark.
Speaker A:So work on your insurance, make sure it's dialed in and that you're covered, and you'll be much better off.
Speaker A:Now, the next one here is being smarter about home security.
Speaker A:Cameras are the latest and greatest out there, right?
Speaker A:Problem is, cameras are not a security system.
Speaker A:They tell you what happened, and if you're lucky, you catch it going on.
Speaker A:They're going to be documenting what happened, so it'll be easy to file the police report.
Speaker A:But cameras many times don't stop you from having issues where people are coming over to the house and scoping it out, taking a look.
Speaker A:Although I do like smart cameras, video doorbells, motion lights, they are your first level of defense.
Speaker A:My thing is I like working with Deep Sentinel.
Speaker A:They're my company that watches the front door of my house.
Speaker A:They watch the front of the property there.
Speaker A:I've got other camera systems around that I test, but that gives you a liveguard.
Speaker A:So if somebody walks up to my front door and knocks on it, the AI and the smart system and the high def camera alerts a guard that's on the other end of that camera system.
Speaker A:So they're watching what's going on.
Speaker A:If someone's lingering around, they'll go, deep Sentinel security, how can I help you?
Speaker A:Now they're having a conversation with who's at my front door.
Speaker A:Check out deep sentinel.com.
Speaker A:those guys have a great system and it's a little bit more money.
Speaker A:But you got somebody watching 247 even watching when they're walking out to your car to make sure you're safe.
Speaker A:That's not a bad thing around the house.
Speaker A: tips for homeowners in: Speaker A:Don't go anywhere.
Speaker A:Welcome back to the original welcome back to the Round the House show, the next generation of home improvement.
Speaker A:I'm Eric G. Thanks for joining me today.
Speaker A:This hour is brought to you by my friends at Monument Grills.
Speaker A: homeowner tips for: Speaker A:And thanks for joining me today.
Speaker A:If you're just joining us on the radio, don't worry.
Speaker A:You can find the podcast on your favorite podcast player or just head over to aroundthehouse online.com where you can follow us there.
Speaker A:We've got so much going on from social media to YouTub YouTube.
Speaker A:Make sure you're following our fast growing YouTube page.
Speaker A: ew content coming out here in: Speaker A:We've been talking about being smarter about home security.
Speaker A:And one of the things that I think is really important is making sure that you've got smart lighting controls for around your house, especially on the outside.
Speaker A:That way if you're traveling, you got things going on.
Speaker A:It really can help you out.
Speaker A:And it's going to turn the lights on so when you get home you'll have the lights on.
Speaker A:You could turn them on if they're off.
Speaker A:I like to set them up so they turn on at night, you know, like an hour before dusk.
Speaker A:So that way you've got great light out there and if you're gone, it looks like you're moving the lights on and off.
Speaker A:So it makes for maybe it'll scare the criminals down to another house.
Speaker A:It's dark when people aren't home, you might think, what are smart lights going to do?
Speaker A:You'd be surprised at how much they can help secure your home.
Speaker A:And the last one, which is an important one, is just making sure that you've got all the bushes and everything trimmed away from the house.
Speaker A:That way you don't give people a place to hide so they can get through a window or door or anything like that.
Speaker A:So a little bit of an easy prey if you're hiding stuff or you got that front door that can't be seen from the street.
Speaker A:I like my privacy.
Speaker A:But sometimes you're also given privacy to those criminals, which isn't a good thing.
Speaker A:Also making sure you put the cameras on all of the access points around the house.
Speaker A:If there's a way to get around back.
Speaker A:Are there cameras there?
Speaker A:Is there a doorway that would be easy for somebody to go through?
Speaker A:Do you have that there?
Speaker A:So just make sure you got everything covered, all those choke points, not just the front door.
Speaker A:You should be pretty good to go.
Speaker A:And make sure you're watching that garage.
Speaker A:I bet you got some nice tools.
Speaker A:You want to protect those as well?
Speaker A:Now let's go out to our quick tip here.
Speaker A:Our around the House nugget.
Speaker A:Time for an around the house nugget brought to you by aerobroom.
Speaker A:I'm Eric G. And I love how arrow brooms are two in one sweeper and cordless blower makes outdoor cleanup a breeze even inside with that dog hair sweep debris or blast leaves from all the tight spots.
Speaker A:All under $60.
Speaker A:Grab yours@aerobroom.com that's aerobroom.com it's my go to for dog hair messes.
Speaker A:Now here's your quick tip.
Speaker A:Hey, it's Eric G. With around the House.
Speaker A:Thinking about buying new cabinets?
Speaker A:Before you pull out your wallet, here's a few smart tips that can save you thousands and a whole lot of frustration.
Speaker A:First, hire an experienced kitchen designer.
Speaker A:It might seem like an extra cost, but trust me, it'll save you money in the long run.
Speaker A:They'll make sure everything fits, appliances, clearances, door swings and even ceiling height so you don't end up with expensive mistakes or last minute changes during install.
Speaker A:Next, pay attention to the finish.
Speaker A:This is where it takes the daily abuse, the spills, the splashes and scrubbing.
Speaker A:Your cabinet maker should be using high quality, durable finish that holds up in a kitchen or bath.
Speaker A:Cheap paint or stain won't last and you'll start to see it fail fast.
Speaker A:Also, don't judge by a tiny showroom sample.
Speaker A:Color and grain can vary across a whole kitchen.
Speaker A:Ask for larger samples or finished project photos before you commit.
Speaker A:And finally, get a skilled installer.
Speaker A:Cabinets are only as good as the person putting them in, and a great install can make a huge difference in how they look and function.
Speaker A:Want my full list of cabinetry commandments?
Speaker A:Head over to last week's episode of around the House with Eric Chi your go to for Smarter Home Improvement.
Speaker A:All right guys, next up on the list, Maintain indoor air quality all year round.
Speaker A: In: Speaker A:So here's your pro tip.
Speaker A:Making sure you've got a high quality H vac filter that fits with your system.
Speaker A:Yes, you can put too good of a filter and freeze it up in the with the AC and reduce the airflow.
Speaker A:So make sure you know what filter needs to go in there.
Speaker A:Second of all, as we've heard in previous episodes, about 80 to 90% of our homes here in the area need a dehumidifier across the country.
Speaker A:Yes, unless you're in the desert, that might be required for your home.
Speaker A:And of course, proper ventilation.
Speaker A:What's that mean?
Speaker A:Making sure that we've got a vent hood in the kitchen that you use when you're cooking and turn it on and vent it completely outside of your house.
Speaker A:Never have the recirculating ones, they don't work, so make sure that they vent completely outside.
Speaker A:The same goes for your bathrooms in your laundry room.
Speaker A:Anything that's going to produce humidity, chemicals, things like that, make sure and send it outside by turning that fan on when you go head out of the shower in the morning or in the evening when you take your shower, make sure that fan runs for about 20 minutes afterwards to make sure you get all of that out of there.
Speaker A:That's going to help you control in that humidity and of course get that airflow a little bit better.
Speaker A:That can be a really big difference and you'd be surprised what ventilation can do.
Speaker A:And then of course, if you are cleaning your ductwork, yes, you should do it, especially after remodels or even if it's brand new, if they didn't do a great job about it.
Speaker A:But don't get the people that are just off nextdoor or Facebook Marketplace or whatever.
Speaker A:Make sure if you're having a company come in, make sure that they're NADCA certified and that they know what they're doing.
Speaker A:I prefer companies that are part of an H VAC repair and install company, so if they see any issues, they can go through and get somebody out there right away to fix it.
Speaker A:Sometimes broken ducks and things like that can come apart and you want to make sure that it gets put together correctly.
Speaker A:So really making sure that you're working there.
Speaker A:And a smart thermostat can be really good as well.
Speaker A:So you could turn it on and turn it off and program it correctly, and it'll know when it's going to be hot outside.
Speaker A:So many of these can actually anticipate that and make sure that it's got your temperature right all year round.
Speaker A:So that's a big one.
Speaker A:Now here's the next one here.
Speaker A:DIY with purpose, not pride.
Speaker A:And this can be a tough one.
Speaker A:Know when to DIY and know when to phone it in and call the pros.
Speaker A:You'll save money and avoid a disaster.
Speaker A:Here's the thing, permits just aren't red tape.
Speaker A:They're protection.
Speaker A:If you're using.
Speaker A:If you're going to be working on electrical, plumbing, or structural components, consult a licensed pro.
Speaker A:Now, can you do as a homeowner, your own electrical, your own plumbing?
Speaker A:Absolutely.
Speaker A:I've done it myself.
Speaker A:We pulled permits.
Speaker A:It's turned out great.
Speaker A:And I've had trouble free, you know, systems.
Speaker A:It's not a problem.
Speaker A:But you got to know what you're doing so many times when it comes to electrical or plumbing.
Speaker A:You're doing the right thing in your mind, but you're maybe using the wrong fitting, not the right wire and the conduit.
Speaker A:You see where I'm going here?
Speaker A:There are so many little tricks and tips and code violations.
Speaker A:If you don't do it correctly, it takes a lot of work to figure it out.
Speaker A:And you want to do it right, because the last thing you want to do is have a leak or a fire or somebody get hurt.
Speaker A:So DIY with purpose.
Speaker A:I tell you what.
Speaker A:I brought in pros on my house before.
Speaker A:I've got some people coming in here working on my house over the next few weeks that we'll be talking about.
Speaker A:And some of it has to do with time.
Speaker A:What's your time worth?
Speaker A:Some of it has to do.
Speaker A:I want them to do it perfectly, and I don't have the time to knock it out.
Speaker A:So measure those things with what you're doing to make sure that you can do it right.
Speaker A:Now, we talked about in a previous episode where I was going to have some people come in and replace some windows and it was so crazy.
Speaker A:I'm doing it myself, but I even know how to do it.
Speaker A:Did I want to do it?
Speaker A:No.
Speaker A:Would I rather have paid some other company to come in and do it?
Speaker A:Absolutely.
Speaker A:But for a day's work and they're going to charge me over two grand in labor.
Speaker A:It was time to put the tool belt on and do it myself.
Speaker A:But where's your pain point?
Speaker A:Something to think about when you're working around the house.
Speaker A:Now, if you want to find out more about us here at the show, head over to aroundthehouse online.com and make sure you follow us on social media.
Speaker A:We got the Tiktoks, we got the Instagrams, we got the Facebooks.
Speaker A:Tom.
Speaker A:We have our Facebook closed group, which is around the House Nation that we're working on right now.
Speaker A:And of course, our YouTube channel, which has been blowing up.
Speaker A:We've been just gaining so many views over there and we've got a lot of videos, a lot of stuff over there that you don't want to miss.
Speaker A:So many great things happening over there and a lot of new videos coming out here shortly.
Speaker A:We're getting ready to produce a bunch more starting even this week.
Speaker A:So we got some neat stuff coming up that I can't wait to show you.
Speaker A: tips for homeowners in: Speaker A:Don't go anywhere.
Speaker B:If this is the first time catching the around the House show, make sure and check us out at aroundthehouseonline.com head to the bottom of the page and follow us on all our social media channels around the house.
Speaker B:We'll be.
Speaker A:Welcome back to the around the House show, the next generation of home improvement.
Speaker A:I'm Eric G. Thanks for joining me today.
Speaker A:This hour is brought to you by our friends at Monty McGrills.
Speaker A: tips for homeowners in: Speaker A:And if you're just joining us, you can find out more information@aroundthehouse online.com including this podcast.
Speaker A:If you're listening on the radio now, I wanted to talk about the next one here, which is upgrading lighting and outlets for modern living.
Speaker A:2025 just isn't about LED bulbs.
Speaker A:It's about how your home supports technology.
Speaker A:And there's a lot of things that you can do around your house to help out now.
Speaker A:Lighting is a big one.
Speaker A:I recommend putting in the LED bulbs.
Speaker A:Getting rid of any compact fluorescent bulbs, make those things go away.
Speaker A:Those are the curlicue ones.
Speaker A:They're horrible.
Speaker A:They put out a lot of heat and many of the older ones have mercury in them.
Speaker A:So you don't want to break those things either.
Speaker A:The EPA list that they have I think is three pages if you break one of those.
Speaker A:So be very careful with that.
Speaker A:It's a big cleanup project.
Speaker A:But really putting in good quality LED lights, good quality dimmers that work with those really can help you manage light in your home.
Speaker A:Do I like the old school incandescent bulbs?
Speaker A:Absolutely.
Speaker A:Do I like the heat they put out?
Speaker A:No.
Speaker A:Do I like my energy bill?
Speaker A:No.
Speaker A:Is the light awesome?
Speaker A:Sure it is.
Speaker A:But that's your trade offs there.
Speaker A:If you want to go back and go old school light bulbs and you can find them.
Speaker A:Good for you.
Speaker A:I get it.
Speaker A:For some people, LED bulbs, people can't handle the flickers.
Speaker A:So you need to take a look and see, you know, what the frequency is on them and what you're looking at.
Speaker A:And the higher quality ones work a little bit better.
Speaker A:So you'll have to pay a little bit more.
Speaker A:You know, the cheaper ones you get like on Amazon and stuff, yeah, they can be even worse.
Speaker A:So just be careful.
Speaker A:You get what you pay for with this stuff.
Speaker A:Now here's the thing.
Speaker A:One of my tricks is adding USB C outlets around your house.
Speaker A:Whether it's in the bedroom, whether it's in the kitchen, whether it's in the bathroom, whether it's in the living room, being able to plug in and charge something from your watch to your phone to anything else can be really handy.
Speaker A:And you don't have those big ugly blocks that convert them over.
Speaker A:So adding in outlets around your house that you can do that with to put a charger or anything else can be really handy.
Speaker A:So I hate the tamper resistant plugs and I know those are building code out there, but I don't like them.
Speaker A:They're a little bit more of a pain, especially when they're like behind a bed or something like that.
Speaker A:But really working on putting task lighting where you're actually working and living and not just the builder one that's in the middle of the room, that's boring.
Speaker A:So really thinking about that can be key.
Speaker A:And of course lighting controls are big and there's a lot you can do with that.
Speaker A:Just stick with the system and go with that.
Speaker A:Listen to the second hour of the show to make sure we're going to be talking a little bit more about home tech there.
Speaker A:We'll dive into that.
Speaker A:Now.
Speaker A:The next one here is rethinking water heating and usage.
Speaker A:Now a lot of people go with a tankless system.
Speaker A:I don't like electric tankless.
Speaker A:I think they're a waste of electricity.
Speaker A:My favorite system is the cheapest to operate and that one is the important one and that is a heat pump water heater.
Speaker A:I changed out my gas 40 gallon water heater, put in an electric heat pump water heater and that thing only cost me about 160, $170 a year to heat water where I was using three times that with the electric, with the gas one.
Speaker A:So heat pump water heaters pay for themselves very quickly.
Speaker A:You put it on heat pump mode and for many homes that will be your least, the least expensive option.
Speaker A:Now you're gonna pay more for it on the front end, but there's rebates and everything else out there.
Speaker A:But a heat pump water heater is money.
Speaker A:And I put the Aerotherm in.
Speaker A:It has been great.
Speaker A:They've got a great warranty.
Speaker A:They're made in usa, which is key.
Speaker A:And it's funny.
Speaker A:Aerotherm, if I remember right, they actually bought GE's program for him when they bailed on it and they took it over and basically created this new version and it's repairable as well.
Speaker A:So many of the other brands out there, they're not repairable.
Speaker A:So when they fail, you take it down, you drop it off, recycle it.
Speaker A:But these are repairable.
Speaker A:So if you have a problem, which you probably won't, but if you do, someone can actually work on it, get parts and they are really fun to work with.
Speaker A:Check out that arrow heat pump water heater.
Speaker A:If you're looking at doing something like that.
Speaker A:We'll do an episode here coming up in the next month or two.
Speaker A:Time to get Greg back on again because they've got a new model out.
Speaker A:But I tell you what, if you want to save some serious money, that's a great way to go.
Speaker A:And it's going to give you hot water for a long time, which is great.
Speaker A:Now one thing is, and this is something that's interesting, when you're rethinking water heater usage, you can do recirculating pumps depending on your system, so you can have hot water when you grab it.
Speaker A:My old house in Lake Oswego, that's probably my biggest complaint is that it takes a while.
Speaker A:The way they plumb the house, it takes A little bit for water to get there.
Speaker A:And there's a lot of pipes that are in the walls that I can't insulate, so that can be a little bit more of an issue.
Speaker A:But really making sure we got that dialed in is a big one.
Speaker A:So that really saving money on heating and saving money on water is big.
Speaker A:So make sure your water pressure and temperature is good.
Speaker A:If you get over 80 psi, you can really cause some damage.
Speaker A:And hard water will destroy kitchens and bathrooms and appliances.
Speaker A:So making sure that you know what's in your water, testing it and dealing with it can be a really big thing.
Speaker A:And it'll save you from having to replace shower doors, shower fixtures, bathroom fixtures.
Speaker A:It's going to make cleaning very easy compared to having that hard water.
Speaker A:So take a look at that.
Speaker A:And there's a lot of cool things you could do out there.
Speaker A:Freedom's got their great filters out there that'll deal with that.
Speaker A:But take a look at.
Speaker A:That's a good one.
Speaker A:It'll save you money.
Speaker A:And of course it's going to make your house so much cleaner not having to deal with those hard water stains around.
Speaker A:So the next one here is protect your home from itself, right?
Speaker A:Your home is aging every day.
Speaker A:Hidden damage doesn't always give you a red light until it gets really expensive.
Speaker A:So there are so many great smart sensors now for leaks, air quality monitors for humidity, watching your temperatures, watching all those things.
Speaker A:Addicts.
Speaker A:Putting a sensor in behind a toilet, under sinks.
Speaker A:There are things now that you can do.
Speaker A:We have flame monitors, flame detect.
Speaker A:We have all these different ting.
Speaker A:You plug in the wall.
Speaker A:T I n G it is awesome.
Speaker A:You plug it in the wall and it monitors your electrical system.
Speaker A:There are so many things out there that you can use around your home to prevent or tell you when problems are happening before you see them.
Speaker A:That ting can really prevent fires because it's going to tell you that you got a problem before you even know it.
Speaker A:If you got a loose connection someplace or something's arcing, it's going to send you a warning.
Speaker A:It's a great way to go.
Speaker A:And flame detect is great.
Speaker A:I've got that out my garage.
Speaker A:If I have a problem there, like maybe it's a tool battery that fails, it's going to tell me right away and I'll be able to get on it instead of waiting for a smoke detector, which probably at that point it's way too late.
Speaker A:So something to think about.
Speaker A:There a lot of great technology out there for this.
Speaker A:Now the last one is big and that's budgeting for repairs, not just renovations.
Speaker A:Put a few thousand bucks away in the bank.
Speaker A:Make sure you got that for that, backup for that.
Speaker A:Your home needs a maintenance fund just like your car.
Speaker A:And the more you're not maintaining it, the bigger that fund needs to be.
Speaker A:So I would save 1 to 3% of your home's value per year for repairs and then use your calendar to schedule tasks like gutter cleaning, caulking, or listen to the show here where we give you your spring and fall home maintenance checklist, those kind of things that can really help you out.
Speaker A:Now here's the thing.
Speaker A:If it touches water, fire or electricity, treat it with respect and a decent budget.
Speaker A:You know, all it takes is for a water heater to go out.
Speaker A:All it takes is for H vac problems or roof damage or something like that, and you can be in a world of hurt.
Speaker A:Now here's the other thing.
Speaker A:And then go back to talking about your insurance.
Speaker A:Sometimes if somebody breaks in and let's say they steal all the tools out of the garage, you might have to go buy half of those and then get reimbursed.
Speaker A:So having that ability to pay for it and your insurance company to reimburse you back can be big.
Speaker A:Sometimes it takes some money, whether it's just some money on the credit card and you're going to float it for a month or two here and wait to get paid from the insurance company.
Speaker A:They're never fast.
Speaker A:So make sure you got some money put away for those big things.
Speaker A:Maybe it's a water leak out in the driveway, that's your main water line or something expensive.
Speaker A:Have some money put away and you'll be good to go.
Speaker A:And that will not put you in a bind when those bad things happen.
Speaker A:And as a homeowner, Murphy from Murphy's Law can hit you hard.
Speaker A:So be careful out there.
Speaker A:Hey, guys.
Speaker A:Well, I want to thank you for tuning into the first hour of the show.
Speaker A:Make sure you catch the second hour out there on the podcast player or your local radio station if you're listening to it now.
Speaker A:And make sure to head over to our website.
Speaker A:We've got so much information over there and around the house online.com and make sure you subscribe to our.
Speaker A:Well, we've got our great Facebook group, which is around the House Nation.
Speaker A:Head over to Facebook, search up around the House Nation and we do share projects up there and you can, too, so you can get some advice and stuff over there as well.
Speaker A:I'm Eric G. Thanks for tuning in to around the house.
Speaker B:Make sure and follow us on YouTube and social media.
Speaker B:Thanks for spending time with us today on the around the House Show.
Speaker B:Make sure and visit our sponsors Monument Grills and Aerobroom and show them some love for us.
Speaker B:We will see you next time.
