McKeever Real Estate » Stockton Real Estate Company – Find homes in Stockton – Investment Properties in Stockton

Calculating Holiday Energy Costs

keebler — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 02:18:11 +0000

It’s that time of year when houses shine a bit brighter. Ever wonder how much the decorative holiday lights add to a monthly electric bill? Here’s an easy way to help calculate energy costs this holiday season.

• Count the bulbs on all of your decorative indoor and outdoor lights.

• Check the wattage per bulb.

• Multiply watts per bulb by number of bulbs. (1 watt per bulb x 1,000 bulbs = 1,000 watts).

• Convert watts to kilowatts — 1,000 watts = 1 kilowatt (kw).

• Estimate the hours per month the lights are on. (5 hours per day x 30 days = 150 hours)

• Multiply the total kilowatts by the total number of hours the

lights will be on to get the total kilowatt-hours (kwh). For example, 1 kw x 150 hours = 150 kwh.

• Multiply the total kilowatt-hours by the total cost ofelectricity per kwh. (150 kwh x $0.14 per kwh = $21) In this example, the cost of holiday lighting would be an additional $21 per month.

Reprinted with permission of RISMedia, publisher of Real Estate Magazine

Low-Cost Ways to Spruce Up Your Home’s Exterior

keebler — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 02:20:55 +0000

Yes, these are simple and may seem obvious, yet they are often overlooked.

Make your home more appealing for yourself and potential buyers with these quick and easy tips:

1. Trim bushes so they don’t block windows or architectural details.

2. Mow your lawn, and turn on the sprinklers for 30 minutes before the showing to make the lawn sparkle.

3. Put a pot of bright flowers (or a small evergreen in winter) on your porch.

4. Install new doorknobs on your front door.

5. Repair any cracks in the driveway.

6. Edge the grass around walkways and trees.

7. Keep your garden tools and hoses out of sight.

8. Clear toys from the lawn.

9. Buy a new mailbox.

10. Upgrade your outside lighting.

11. Buy a new doormat for the outside of your front door.

12. Clean your windows, inside and outside.

13. Polish or replace your house numbers.

14. Place a seasonal wreath on your door