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How One Local Builder is Improving South Tampa October 20, 2011
By Kortney Gentry

In an effort to improve South Tampa homes, Tampa Realtor, BG Holmberg has teamed up with Martin Ryan, a 3rd generation spec builder of almost 30 years and founder of M. Ryan Homes. These two have known each other for nearly 7 years now, however, 2 years ago, they came up with a concept and started a plan that would keep growing families in the area they love.

The concept:

* All homes will be in the Plant High School district but will vary in elementary schools, giving families more options for younger children
* Homes will be located in various areas of central South Tampa
* The average price point varies from the high $400s to $600K
* 4 Bedroom minimum in each home
* Lot size will vary but will range from 50′ x 80′ to 80′ x 130′
* All are built following several consumer expectations: hardwood, granite, beautiful cabinetry, stainless steel appliances & double paned windows for energy efficiency. Many of the homes also feature tankless gas water heaters & gas stoves to reduce the use of electricity.
* While the homes all lean towards more of a traditional/mission style combination with a square shape & clean lines, there will be 5-6 different floor plans

The past two years….

BG Holmberg led Ryan to his first lot purchase in September of 2009 and the duo have since collaborated on 17 more lot purchases, 13 home completions (12 of which have already sold) and 3 homes are currently under construction. Since these are all built to specifications to remain in the realm of the original concept, very few changes are made by the buyers and the homes are not typically listed until near completion. That doesn’t mean you should wait until the last minute if you are looking to purchase one of these beauties; 10 out of the 12 that have sold were under contract before the home was even move-in ready.

What should you be looking for in the future?

Since Ryan oversees all of his projects on his own, he works on a maximum of 5 homes at a time, all of which are exclusively marketed by BG Holmberg via Smith & Associates Real Estate. The two plan on knocking out (or rather, building up) 8-10 homes per year with an undecided end point or until South Tampa meets all of their specifications.

If you are interested in one of these South Tampa homes, contact BG Holmberg to arrange a meeting.

What do you look for when it comes to purchasing a new home? Do their specs meet your requirements?

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Designer Thursday: We’re Crazy About Pumpkins! September 29, 2011
By Kortney Gentry

Fall is finally here and despite the fact that Florida doesn’t see much of a color change, we love a season that allows for pumpkin spice lattes and Smith-y orange foods, clothes and decorations!

When decorating for fall, what better to use than pumpkins: the most versatile little (or big) squash of all? There is just so much you can do with this fabulous food! After spending the morning researching cheap & easy DIY ways to decorate my St. Petersburg home , I wanted to share my findings with you.

Fall decorations don’t have to be difficult, which it is a huge relief when attempting to cram seasonal decorating into an already busy schedule. Prepping your Tampa home for Autumn can be as easy as filling your unused fireplace with pumpkins of all shapes and sizes (above), placing candles & lantern glass on top of mini pumpkins to be used as centerpieces, carving out the insides (baking the delicious seeds of course) & creating environmentally friendly flower pots and candle holders, or paint them shiny fall colors and add a few twigs and berries for an out-of-this-world front porch decoration (below).

If you want to make amazing and colorful fall foods, pumpkin ingredients are also a MUST in my book. (Did I mention baked pumpkin seeds yet?) You can easily edit your stuffed pepper recipe to read stuffed pumpkin, and how about these adorable bite-sized pies for your fall get together? (below) For a little extra fun, blend a slice of pie with a cup of milk (or milk replacement) & vanilla ice-cream then top it off with a pumpkin pie mini for a fantastic milkshake to share with friends. (recipe found here)

When it comes to pumpkins, pies and fall decor, whichever route you choose, you can’t go wrong. The beautiful colors pared with the breezy weather and a handful of pumpkin seeds make for the perfect start to an amazing season.

What’s your favorite simple ways to decorate for fall? Do you have a secret pumpkin pie recipe you’d like to share?

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Wonder Women Wear Stilettos: Introducing Smith Title September 20, 2011
By Kortney Gentry

When you think about a Title company, what is the first thing that comes to mind? For me, it is fabulously dressed, beautiful ladies with the best shoes in town. Oh yeah, and how could I forget… Lightning fast closings. Real Talk.

While these ladies may be some of the most fabulous in Tampa Bay, they mean business (with frequent side orders of fun, of course). The Smith & Associates Title, Inc. is an attorney-operated, full service company dedicated to providing exceptional real estate closings to sellers and purchasers throughout the state of Florida.

According to President, Angie Comas, “Our goal is to ensure that the real estate transaction proceeds flawlessly from opening to closing. This is accomplished by harmonizing our technology with traditional, time tested processing methods. In addition to our highly knowledgeable staff, we offer a level of exceptional customer services that the Smith & Associates customer has come to expect.”

Let’s meet the Smith Title girls that will be closing your next Tampa home:

Angi Comas, President
Angi Comas immigrated from Vietnam and landed directly in South Tampa, where she has resided since 1982. Angi is almost a “native Tampanian” in that she attended primary schools throughout South Tampa and college at the University of South Florida. After spending three years in law school at Florida State University, she longed to come back to her South Tampa home. Although Tallahassee is a charming city, she missed driving on Bayshore Boulevard and walking around in Hyde Park Village. In 2009, Angi Comas joined Smith & Associates Title. If Angi is not in the office, you can find her in her closet – organizing it.

Julie Simmons, Closer
Julie (or Ms. Simmons, as she occasionally likes to be called) relocated to the Tampa Bay area in 2002 from her home-town of Pensacola, to begin her career in the field of title insurance. Julie now calls St. Petersburg home (blocks away from our Beach Drive location). Around the office, Julie Simmons can spotted wearing a cardigan sweater and a Smith & Associates name tag – the two most important elements of her signature look. In addition to her passion for title insurance, Ms. Simmons enjoys running, kayaking, ballroom dancing and spending time with her beloved eight year old boxer, Dirce.

Aureann Whalen, Closer
At the age of fourteen, Aureann began her title insurance career by making microfilm copies for her father, a title insurance examiner, during the summer break. Aureann’s mother is a title insurance marketing representative and so, Aureann was destined to be in the title insurance industry. In addition to her extensive experience as a closer in South Florida and in the greater Tampa Bay area, she closed many of the sales transactions for Grand Key in South Tampa. Aureann speaks fluent Spanish and has a penchant for all things that are sparkly – just like her personality. When she is not working on closings for all of our agents, Aureann likes to play golf and go to the beach.

Sara Houze, Post- Closer
Sara Houze is a post closer at Smith & Associates Title. Although her official duties are to handle the files after the closing, Sara is also our technology expert. Furthermore, she inspires all of us in the office with her environmental consciousness. In our efforts to become a more “green” company, Sara has taught us that almost everything can be recycled, including packaging materials, electronics and even shoes. One of Sara’s favorite pastimes is extreme-couponing – it is amazing what she can do with $100!

Whether you are looking for beautiful ladies, massive amounts of coupons, fashion tips or the most efficient closing of your life, Smith Title is who you need on your side. Wonder women really do rock stilettos!

Have you recently purchased a Tampa, St Pete or Belleair home? What kind of experience did you have with the Title company?

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Designer Thursday: Making Small Space Living Fabulous! September 15, 2011
By Kortney Gentry

When looking for a new home for sale in St. Pete, the option of small space living is often pushed to the back burner. Despite popular belief, it doesn’t have to be a downside to your new home! You just have to use your imagination & common sense, maximizing the use of the space. Work with it rather than trying to force it to work for you.

After an intense pondering session, I decided on 5 tips to maximizing small spaces. Here goes nothing:

Be flexible. Don’t define every room to a specific purpose, give purpose to every room!
Be functional. Just because it is called a “walk-in closet”, doesn’t men that’s all its good for. Make use of every corner and bare walls by adding an art studio or office.
Scale down. Why have a family room AND a sitting room (that no one actually sits in) with TVs in both? Designate one area for congregating, TV watching and video game playing. This will maximize family time as well!
Divide it up. Maximize large rooms by dividing them into sections for designated purposes. Use 3-fold room dividers or fancy curtains to really give it a “room-y” feel. (vintage room divider found on Amazon pictured right)
Bring it outside. If you have a porch, patio or yard, ad a grill, tables, tents and out door games. You now have the perfect place to entertain!

Still not convinced that small space living is fabulous living? Need an incentive to decorate a small space? A website titled Apartment Therapy actually hosts an annual “Small/Cool” Contest (yes, that is the name) for homes under 1,000 SqFt. The categories are (absolutely adorable) “Teeny-Tiny”, “Tiny”, “Little”, “Small” and “International”. Thousands of entries are received and there is one Grand Prize winner as well as one finalist picked per category.

This year’s winner was an amazing 460 SQFT, well lit apartment in Brooklyn (pictured thanks to www.apartmenttherapy.com). This teeny space has been completely maximized, allowing for a section for a bedroom (top left), living room (left), office, kitchen (bottom right) and bathroom. I am in love!

According to the contest rules “The home can be designed by a professional, weekend hobbyist or design enthusiast” so everyone is invited to participate & the prizes are pretty swell! Check them out for even more ideas on how to maximize your small space.

Whether you opt for small space living out of necessity or desire, there are so many ways to maximize the area and make it just as fabulous as an over-sized mansion! Not to mention how green you can be, reducing your carbon footprint by using less emissions to keep a small space functioning.

How have you maximized space in your Tampa Bay home? Do you have any small space decorating tips?

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Happy Earth Day! April 22, 2011
By Kortney Gentry

As humans, we love to celebrate birthdays. Sometimes there is a huge surprise party with cake, presents and people you may not even know while other times it may just be about spending your special day with the people you love. Regardless of the celebration method chosen, whether you’re turning 5 or 50, the day is yours and people want it to be your best birthday yet.

Today is not a birthday per se, but it is in fact Earth Day and all the same rules apply. Have you ever stepped outside of your St. Pete home and thought “wow, this planet is awesome” or “How can I better improve the planet on which I live”? Maybe you have though this and taken action. Maybe the thought has never crossed your mind. Regardless, of where you stand, today is the perfect day to show how thankful we really are for our incredible planet.

After speaking with a few Smith & Associates Real Estate agents and staff members, we came up with a few ways to show our appreciation this Earth Day:

1. Grow Food. According to St. Pete Realtor, Carolyn Robinson, “I have always wanted to grow my own garden but have found more excuses not to than motivation to start.” We have all experienced good intentions with lack of motivation. A fully functioning vegetable garden can be a lot of work and extremely intimidating. Start small- with one plant or a few herbs then take on more as you are able. You have to start somewhere!

2. Buy Local. All of the things we are unable to grow have to come from somewhere, and unfortunately, we often unknowingly look outside the Tampa Bay area for these items. Did those banannas travel thousands of miles, crossing country borders before making it to the grocery store? What about that new t-shirt? Where was in made? Where was the cotton grown? The more we think about these things, the more we realize how dependent we are on others for survival. Make a conscious effort to research where all of your purchases come from and give back to the local community by seeing what they have to offer- you will be pleasantly surprised as to what you can buy locally!

3. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. This is a big one- we have all heard about recycling but do we really do it? In our opinion, Smith & Associates Real Estate has one of the most fabulous Marketing Coordinators around, and she’s Earth friendly too! Alexis Bentivegna shared that recycling isn’t just tossing a soda can into the blue & green bins. “When shopping, take reusable bags!” Not only are you reducing the amount of plastic consumed but you’re reusing as well!

4. Respect the Ocean. Florida, being a peninsula, is almost completely surrounded by water; from almost everywhere in the state, we can get to the beach in under an hour. Living in the Tampa Bay area, we often take the ocean for granted. According to St. Pete Realtor, Drew Glaser, a great way to respect the ocean is to remember that “all drains lead to the sea”. This means that what we dispose of goes directly into our oceans, often contaminating the water and killing off thousands of sea life that we depend on to keep our Earth in balance. By purchasing environmentally friendly products free of harmful chemicals (or making your own!) and being conscious of what we throw away and where it is disposed of, we can keep the ocean happy. After all, the Earth is about 75% water so we don’t want angry oceans!

5. “Greenify” Your Home. This doesn’t require that everyone completely remodel their home, switch to solar power or even put your home for sale in Tampa to move into a more environmentally friendly place. Sara Houze, from Smith Title suggested a couple of simple places to start- Turn the air off on a nice day and enjoy the breeze through open windows or switch to fluorescent light bulbs that use about 1/3 the power of a regular bulb. Not only will this be great for the planet but it saves money as well!

6. Consume Less. We are consumers that often buy brand new things off impulse rather than necessity. According to The Urban Organic Gardner, “before you buy something, ask yourself if you need it. Then ask again.” New products use a lot of energy and resources to create. If you get bitten by the over consumption bug, no worries- it gets the best of us. If you really MUST have something, then it will be easy to try to find the same thing “slightly used”- they may be old to someone else but they are new to you. If it isn’t worth the time and effort of the search, then it probably wasn’t worth it to begin with!

7. Eat Less Meat. According to Environmental Defense, “if every American skipped one meal of chicken per week and substituted vegetarian foods instead, the carbon dioxide savings would be the same as taking more than half a million cars off U.S. roads.” That is a pretty powerful statement and it doesn’t even mention the THOUSANDS of gallons of water used to raise 1lb of meat.

8. Play Outside. Drew Glaser suggest that people “take their kids outside to play rather than occupying them with television and video games”. Not only does it help create a healthy way of living by incorporating exercise and imagination into games, but it helps develop an appreciation for our planet that just wouldn’t come to life without experiencing all the Earth has to offer outside of the house.

While these are only a few simple ways to show your appreciation to the Earth, there are COUNTLESS other options. What are your favorite ways to give back to our planet? What are you going to do for Earth Day this year?

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Everyday Solar Power Possibilities June 16, 2010
By Stephanie Streeter

Solar power is unfortunately often thought of as something that’s not practical for mainstream usage. But, there’s good news! Companies like Lennox Industries are creating attainable everyday systems for harnessing this free green energy source. The creation of practical systems for average home owners will assist in bridging the gap between green-friendly and green-affordable.

Lennox Industries has introduced a solar powered central heating and cooling system called SunSource. The main platform of the system consists of a solar ready air conditioning system, heat pump, and roof-installed solar modules. The best news regarding SunSoure is that the system can be phased into an existing home gradually. Anywhere from 1 to 15 solar modules can be installed, and both the panels and A/C or heat systems can be added separately. This will allow St Petersburg home owners to convert to the system at their own pace and, more importantly, according to their own budget.

In addition to powering heating and cooling, SunSource also has the potential to provide electricity to power appliances and the lights in your St Petersburg home. The more panels added, the more power available. Another great feature of the product is the communication panel, which allows a home owner to view the performance of the system and its various elements. A curious home owner can easily track home much energy their solar panels are producing with 24/7 access, and also see carbon offsets.

Interesting in learning more about SunSource for your St Petersburg home? See a sample home setup and view an informational video from Lennox here.

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Make Your Yard Earth Friendly May 26, 2010
By Stephanie Streeter

Everyone talks these days about ways to go green and lessen our impact on the planet. If you’re interested in ways to contribute to the effort, look no further than out your own window! After learning that our country is home to more than 32 million acres of lawn which absorb over 270 billion gallons of water every week and use more than 800 million gallons of gas a year – we think it’s an important place to start. Here are some easy ways to get started in having a more green conscious yard for your Hillsborough or Pinellas County home.

Don’t drown it. Most lawns are overwatered, especially here in Florida. Know the signs of a thirsty lawn . If your grass doesn’t spring back when you step on it in the heat of the afternoon, it’s time to water. Also, be aware of your automatic sprinklers during our rainy season – how many times have you seen a home or business where the sprinklers are on during a rainstorm? It’s better to water deeply than frequently, giving the water a chance to seep in which means the roots will grow deeper.

Let it breathe. Aerating your lawn loosens the roots and allows waters and fertilizers penetrate much easier. Keeping your grass taller will reduce the ability for weeds to thrive, which means less chemicals needed to kill them.

Go natural. Many products have been developed which allow for natural remedies to combat bugs and weeds. Also, lawns can sometimes be over-fertilized. Try keeping your grass clippings and distributing them through your lawn with a rake. It’s free fertilizer which is rich in nitrogen. The less chemicals the better when you’re going for green friendly, so check what’s available at your local home center to see what your options are.

Getting your Pinellas County home‘s lawn to go green is easier than you might think. Give it a try! For more information, take a look at FloridaYards.org.

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Quick Tips For Aspiring Green Thumbs May 21, 2010
By Stephanie Streeter

We’ve all seen them…Those houses that you drive by and just say, “Wow.” What you’ve seen is a house with great curb appeal. It could be a tiny cottage or a huge custom built masterpiece. Either way, it makes you stop and take notice. Though part of curb appeal of course depends on the home itself, a large factor is the landscaping. A great way to improve the landscaping of your home with a few small, easy projects is to start adding some containers or window boxes. It’s an easy way to add a wow factor to your front yard without having to be a professional green thumb. Here are some great tips for creating beautiful and easy to manage container gardens or window boxes for your Hillsborough County home.

Great combinations. Combining plants in a container that need the same amount of water and fertilizer will make your life much easier when it comes to caring for your plants.

Size matters. When planning which plants will go in what type of container, keep in mind how large they’ll become as they grow. Putting a plant which will grow to be 2′ tall would probably best be placed in a larger pot, instead of a window box.

Shop smart. To make sure you’ll get the most out of the plants you purchase for your Hillsborough County home, choices should look healthy from the start and be growing in good-size pots. Plants that have outgrown their pots while still at the store can possibly be root bound and not grow well without some extra assistance. If a plant looks unhealthy at the store, it may be in need of more than just a good watering – may be best to move on to another if you’re looking for quick & easy options.

Choose wisely. The container you place the plants in should always have good drainage – typically in the form of holes on the bottom. If using it for a window box, your choice should be lightweight. Also keep in mind where water will go when draining from the container (for instance, don’t place a container with holes directly on wood which will become discolored).

Quality first. Good soil can make or break any landscaping project, no matter how large or small. Your soil should be fast draining and of good quality. Soil that has a water-holding agent, while more expensive, can be more practical in the long run by reducing watering frequency.

Avoid growing pains. In planning your planting, make sure you allow room for your new babies to grow. Cramming them in too tightly to start off with won’t allow your plants to thrive in our beautiful Florida sunshine.

Feeling competitive? Lots of local communities have local garden clubs where you can put your newly gained skills to the test. Great little neighborhoods all over the Tampa Bay area have organizations for like-minded folks! For example, check out neighborhoods like Hyde Park and Davis Islands which have Garden Clubs for their local green-thumbs. One will surely be easy to find that’s close to your Hillsborough County home.

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Homes To Celebrate Earth Day In April 22, 2010
By Stephanie Streeter

In celebration of Earth Day, we thought it would be a good idea to show you some local homes that were made to celebrate the day in. Green homes reduce their impact on the environment by using earth friendly materials, operate efficiently in the use of utilities, and are just plain healthy to live in. We’ve included some explanations of green building and certification programs applicable to our area, and links to view great homes in the area that qualify. How about investing in a green home this Earth Day? It’s the gift that keeps on giving.

First, lets review the Florida Green Building Coalition‘s program. The FGBC developed their Green Home Standards in order to have a standardized criteria for designating homes as green. The program is in line with their mission “to lead and promote sustainability with environmental, economic, and social benefits…” The organization provides a checklist and reference guide on their website for home owners and builders to determine a home’s green qualifications. To learn more about the program and how a new or existing home can be designated by the Coalition as green, please visit their website. A search of homes in the area showed about 20 homes for sale that meet these guidelines.

View Hillsborough County homes for sale which are FGBC certified by clicking here.
View FGBC certified homes in Pinellas County which are currently for sale by clicking here.

Next, there is the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program developed by the U.S. Green Building Council. This program provides verification that a home was designed and built using tools and ideas which improve the home’s efficiency in the use of energy and water, reduce CO2 emissions, are sensitive to the impact on natural resources, and generally improve the quality of the interior environment. The USGBC’s program is flexible, and can apply not only to homes but to commercial buildings as well. For more information on the program and how to qualify a home, visit the program’s website. Presently, only two homes for sale in the Tampa Bay area are listed as LEED certified but we hope that more will join their ranks in the future.

View the two LEED certified Hillsborough County homes currently for sale by clicking here.

Last, but certainly not least there is a green friendly option for your yard! The Florida Certified Yard program was developed by a partnership consisting of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Florida Yards & Neighborhoods, SW Florida Water Management District, MyFlorida, and the University of Florida’s IFAS Extension, in order to educate residents about Florida-friendly landscaping which reduces the impact on our local environment. For information on the “Smart Way To Grow” in Florida, residents and home owners can visit FloridaYards.org to access tips, a database of recommended plants, and a great interactive yard planner. For those who wish to take the next step and have their yard designated as Florida Certified, more information is available here.

Best of all, homes can be identified as “green friendly” with these designations we’ve discussed when listed for sale through the Multiple Listing Service (MLS). The MLS allows Realtors to select these options along with a few others. This means that home owners who have taken the time and consideration to make their homes green friendly are able to attract the environmentally conscious buyers that will appreciate it.

*Note – The links to view properties included in this post will only return results as long as the specific properties featured remain on the market.

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Keeping Cool…Efficiently April 21, 2010
By Stephanie Streeter

It’s hard to believe, considering the abnormally cool weather we’ve had so far this year, but summer is coming. With temperatures already on the rise, our A/C systems should be stretching their legs and getting ready for another Florida summer marathon. It’s hard to believe that we once lived without them, but now air conditioning systems are indispensable. Unfortunately, so is both the environmental impact and the financial cost of running them constantly. Here are some tips to stay cool in your Hillsborough County home this summer while still reducing energy costs and being kinder to the environment.

Become A Fanatic. Ceiling fans require much less electricity to operate than your central A/C system. While they may not be able to actually lower the room temperature, the air circulation they create makes the room feel cooler. Most homes already have them, and if yours doesn’t they’re very easy to install.

Shut It Out. When trying to keep your home cool on a hot Florida summer day, the sun is your worst enemy. Be sure to close your blinds and drapes – especially those that face direct sunlight during the day. This will assist in keeping most of the heat out and take some of the load off your poor A/C system. Also, keep in mind that white reflects sunlight. Draperies backed in a light color fabric will reflect sunlight rather than absorbing it.

Fiddle On The Roof. Properly ventilating your attic can mean a serious dent in cooling costs if it isn’t already. Heat is absorbed through the roof of your house, and this source can amount to approximately 30% of the warmth in your Hillsborough County home. The addition of a ridge vent, attic fan, or more vents in the eaves can better ventilate your attic and assist in circulating hot air back outside where it belongs.

Get A New Toy. While going retro can sometimes be a good thing, it doesn’t apply to your thermostat. Upgrading to a programmable version can help you lower your energy costs. Raising the temperature for a few hours during the day can make a big dent. Experiment with your comfort level until you find the right settings.

Go Green-er. We all know that the air temperature is cooler in the shade – apply the same theory to your home! Increasing the amount of trees and shrubs around your home can help to reduce the effect of the heat of the sun, keeping your home cooler naturally.

Get Unplugged. Our homes are filled with gadgets these days. From tv’s to computers to stereo equipment, we can’t seem to live without them. Unfortunately, even when they’re not in use they generate heat while plugged in. Consider unplugging items that aren’t essential, or switching off the surge protector when items aren’t in use. Less power means less heat – as well as a lower electric bill.

Call For Help. Just like your car, an A/C system requires regular maintenance. Calling your preferred company for a regular checkup before the worst of the heat hits can help you make sure that things are running as efficiently as possible. Changing your air filters on a monthly basis is also extremely important.

Stop The Leaks. One definite way to decrease your cooling costs is to reduce the amount of leaks in your Hillsborough County home. Anywhere heat can enter or cool air can escape is a place to look. Check weatherstripping around around your doors and windows, and replace old or damaged bits. Also look into sealing places where utilities enter the home – everything from plumbing to cable and electricity. Last, but not least, call in an expert to check your ducts for leaks. Most electric companies offer a ductwork efficiency evaluation service to customers as part of an energy audit.

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