At Home With Valerie

Humidifiers are an efficient way to reduce your heating costs because humid air has a tendency to feel warmer. This will allow you to lower your thermostat in the winter, while still providing a more comfortable environment.

Bring the holiday warmth to your home this season with a safe and festive light display. 1. Consider hanging your lights early in the season to avoid cold, wet weather that may pose a safety hazard. 2. Measure and map out a general plan to determine how many strings of lights your home requires. 3. Choose a size and wattage that fits your needs. Mini-lights are less expensive and use less energy. Larger C7 or C9 lights are more durable and remain lit even if one bulb dies. 4. Select shorter strings of light to avoid losing a large portion of your display if one string malfunctions. 5. Test for any dead bulbs to ensure your lights work properly. 6. Plug your extension cords into a ground-fault circuit interrupter (GFCI). Be sure the total wattage of your lights doesn’t exceed the capacity of your outlet. 7. Install hooks and clips along surfaces on which you’ll thread your lights. 8. Mix up your light display to highlight multiple architectural...

A dirty stove has to work harder and burns more fuel as a result. By maintaining your gas stove on a regular basis and reducing the amount of flame you use, you help to keep it running efficiently and with less fuel consumption. This in return will help you lower your energy bill.

To my American Friends, With Thanksgiving nearly here, Iʼm reminded of the tradition many families share in which each member around the table expresses something theyʼre deeply thankful for in their lives. (Truth be told, itʼs probably one we should practice every day.)  While I wonʼt be celebrating as I am Canadian and we already had our Thanksgiving holiday, I would like to share with you my gratitude for your support. The scholar W.T. Purkiser once said, “Itʼs not what we say about our blessings, but how we use them, that is the true measure of our thanksgiving.”   It is all about our service to others. I am grateful for many of you who continue to read my blog, and hope I am able to serve you and your family for years to come. May your Thanksgiving Holiday be a special one.  With gratitude, Valerie McConville

Let your dishes air dry. If your dishwasher doesn’t have an automatic air-dry switch, turn it off after the final rinse and prop the door open slightly so the dishes will dry faster.

The kitchen is often a home’s main focal point and the room that entices potential buyers. Although many sellers choose to complete a basic remodel before listing, a little paint, cleaning and properly placed dining items can make it look like new. Here are eight things you can do to make your kitchen inviting to potential buyers without paying for a costly renovation. 1. Do a thorough cleaning. Wipe down and thoroughly clean the baseboards, ceilings fans, appliances, sink, back splash, and floors until they’re spotless. Get into every nook and cranny to remove all the grime that may linger after years of cooking and entertaining. 2. Remove personal items. Take down photos and family effects from the counter and refrigerator to help buyers imagine themselves using the kitchen. 3. Paint the walls. A fresh coat of paint in a muted or neutral color can revitalize the entire look and feel of a room for much less than the cost of a remodel. 4...

   Match the size of pots to the correct sized element or burner when cooking. Using a 6-inch pot on an 8-inch burner wastes more than 40% of the heat. Pots and pans should have clean flat bottoms, straight sides, and tight fitting lids. Cook with the lid on whenever possible to keep heat in and cook foods faster.

Winter’s chill is in the air, but you’ve most likely already thought about winterizing your home and car much earlier. But have you considered your phone?   Smartphones—those little gems of technology that keep us connected to the rest of the world—are clearly an integral part of our daily lives and can be expensive to replace. To that end, protecting it from extreme weather and damage from winter activities should be of paramount importance. The following advice should give you some ideas about what you can do to keep your device in prime condition during the long winter months: •    Be aware of drastic temperature changes. Taking your phone from a very cold area to a warm one can cause condensation to form, making the device appear foggy. •    Anticipate sloppy conditions. Mother Nature is fickle, which means that winter can mean snow, slush, rain and ice. According to TNS Global, a market research firm, nearly 1...

As the cold winter months quickly approach, people won’t be the only ones huddling inside for warmth.  The National Pest Management Association (NPMA) encourages homeowners to take steps to prevent pests like cockroaches, rodents and nuisance wildlife from making your home their winter getaway. Winter invaders such as cockroaches, mice and rats present considerable health threats to family members.  Cockroaches carry bacteria and other kinds of human pathogens, contaminating food surfaces and potentially triggering asthma attacks in children, and with 24 percent of homeowners reporting mice infestations specifically in the winter, they are among the top pest issues of the season.  Most rodents only need a space the size of a quarter to enter a home, and once inside, they can cause considerable damage and pose serious health risks to people and structural damage to homes, as they are known for chewing through electrical wires and wallboard. ...