When you find your dream home, make sure that you get a thorough home inspection from the Most trusted Delaware Home Inspector, Ted Hinderer of Quality Home Inspections, he serves New Castle, Kent and Sussex Counties. Schedule online or give us a Call today at 302-893-1364 for a thorough home inspection. We won’t let you buy the money pit.

We create Peace of Mind ONE Home Inspection at a time!

Services Provided:

General Home Inspection
Radon
Termite
Well Water Testing
Spa

When you find your dream home, make sure that you get a thorough home inspection from the Most trusted Delaware Home Inspector, Ted Hinderer of Quality Home Inspections, he serves New Castle, Kent and Sussex Counties. Schedule online or give us a Call today at 302-893-1364 for a thorough home inspection. We won’t let you buy the money pit.

We create Peace of Mind ONE Home Inspection at a time!

Services Provided:

General Home Inspection
Radon
Termite
Well Water Testing
Spa

Whether it’s heading out for a game of catch with your kids or inviting the neighbors over for a barbecue, the backyard provides a welcome extended living space in the warmer months. Since you’ll be spending so much time there, it’s worth the effort to get your yard looking and feeling good, as it will make your time there that much more relaxing.

If you’re not sure where to get started, here’s a checklist of projects to consider before the backyard enjoyment season heats up:

* Take a ground-up approach. Perhaps nothing makes a backyard feel homier than a lush lawn. While ongoing maintenance will help keep your yard looking great throughout the summer, spring preparation is just as important. Check your yard for bare spots and overseed them, as necessary. Give your yard a good raking or use a dethatcher to get rid of any dead grass or leaves that can hamper growth. If you don’t have an overseeder or dethatcher, don’t worry. Your local rental stores will have tools and equipment you need. Visit RentalHQ.com if you need help finding a rental store in your area.

* Just before the spring growing season is the ideal time to prune trees and shrubs, because the trees can quickly heal and regenerate once they start growing. By pruning at this time, you’ll also make sure your plants are looking nice and shapely once they start sprouting leaves. Spring is also a great time to rent a stump grinder and remove tree stumps once the ground thaws. As a bonus, you can use the woodchips as bedding for plants.

* Give your deck or patio a good sweep and power wash away any debris it collected over the winter. If it’s in need of repairs or staining, take care of it in the spring so it’s ready to go for summer.

* If your fence is in need of repair or replacing, spring is a great time to do the job. If your fence is still in good shape, think about adding flower boxes or other vegetation to make your yard more inviting.

* If you’ve been thinking about installing an irrigation system, why wait until the dry summer days when your lawn will need water the most? Installing irrigation in the spring will allow your lawn and garden to thrive all summer long. You can make quick work of this project by renting a walk-behind trencher or vibratory plow.

* Since your kids will be heading outside soon, make sure swing sets, tree houses and other play equipment are in good working condition. Winter can take a toll on these items, so testing them in the spring is important for protecting your child’s safety. Check for things like rotting wood or rusting metal.

Since many of these jobs require equipment that you might not ordinarily keep in your garage, renting is the smart way to get these projects done. To make finding the rental store nearest you even easier, the American Rental Association (ARA) offers RentalHQ.com, the world’s largest and most comprehensive rental store locator.

By taking care of all of your backyard improvement projects early in the season, you can get the most out of your yard while the weather is pleasant.

The coming of spring is revealing a list of post-winter home repairs that need to be made. After being stuck inside for the past few months, getting outside now to assess home damage and tackle initial projects will help you get a jump-start on the season.

Begin with weekend projects that alleviate water damage, such as clearing out gutters and downspouts. Look at the roofing and siding of your home, and repair any broken or missing shingles or panels. These projects allow you to dust off your toolkit, organize your garage and make a list of what needs to be done in the coming months to improve the stability and comfort of your home.

This is also a good time of year to make sure your home’s heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system is functioning properly and at its most efficient rate. While most HVAC maintenance requires the help of a professional contractor, American Standard Heating & Air Conditioning offers a few simple things homeowners can manage this time of year:

* Check the furnace filter. Cleaning or changing your furnace filter each month will help extend the life of your furnace and may help save on heating and cooling energy costs.

* Clean air ducts. Remove air ducts and return-air grille plates, and thoroughly clean with a rag, scrubbing brush or vacuum to prevent any irritants or dust from making their way into your home’s air.

* Inspect the outdoor air conditioning unit. Remove leaves, grass, dirt and other debris that may have built up around your outdoor air conditioning unit or heat pump to ensure nothing is obstructing the air flow.

* Listen for strange noises. Simply listening for loud or unfamiliar noises is good protocol for evaluating bigger issues that may be plaguing your home comfort system.

Easy troubleshooting tips for a variety of system problems are also available in American Standard Heating & Air Conditioning’s Symptom Checker guide, found online at www.americanstandardair.com.

If you have an old HVAC system, or you are simply wondering how well your current system is performing, take the time to schedule a routine maintenance checkup with an HVAC professional. He or she can advise you on ways to improve the safety and comfort of your home, and make sure your HVAC system is operating properly.

Additionally, ask your local dealer about what you can do to maintain greater control over energy costs and environmental impact, especially on hot days ahead. To locate an independent American Standard Heating & Air Conditioning dealer near you, visit www.americanstandardair.com.

With these new improvements, your home will be looking and feeling as fresh as spring, and your cabin fever will be a thing of the past.

Check our web site in the coming months for more information about performers and particpating wineries.

Tickets

$34.00 Garden Pass Members/$21 Designated Driver

$40.00 Non-members//$25 Designated Driver

Purchase tickets online or by calling 610-388-5200.

View Longwood’s 2010-2011 Performance Series Schedule

When you find your dream home, make sure that you get a thorough home inspection from the Most trusted Delaware Home Inspector, Ted Hinderer of Quality Home Inspections, he serves New Castle, Kent and Sussex Counties. Schedule online or give us a Call today at 302-893-1364 for a thorough home inspection.  We won’t let you buy the money pit.

We create Peace of Mind ONE Home Inspection at a time!

Services Provided:

General Home Inspection
Radon
Termite
Well Water Testing
Spa

Even those equipped with smoke and CO alarms are at risk according to the study, which revealed that two-thirds of U.S. households are not in compliance with the national recommendation for the number of smoke alarms set by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). Even more alarming is the 90 percent of homes that do not meet the recommendation for number of carbon monoxide detectors, including 40 percent that report having zero working carbon monoxide detectors.

“These statistics confirm what we’ve feared for years – that far too many homes in this country are not as well protected as they should be against the dangers of fire and CO,” says Deborah Hanson, director of external affairs for First Alert, a leader in residential fire and CO detection devices. “What’s more troubling is that many people don’t realize that their families are at risk.”

Despite the low number of NFPA-compliant homes, nine out of 10 respondents to the survey reported feeling “certain” their homes are adequately equipped with smoke alarms, and 62 percent reported the same for CO alarms.

“There is a clear and concerning lack of awareness among homeowners regarding the number of alarms required to fully protect a home and its residents,” adds Hanson.

The current recommendation by the NFPA (www.nfpa.org) is to have at least one CO alarm on each level and one in or near every bedroom or sleeping area. For smoke alarms, homes should have one installed at the top of each staircase and one in every bedroom or sleeping area. To put this into perspective, the average-sized home in America – a two-story, three bedroom house – would need a minimum of four smoke alarms and five carbon monoxide alarms to comply with NFPA guidelines.

In addition to installing the recommended number of alarms, The Home Safety Council (www.homesafetycouncil.org) suggests implementing the following precautions at home to help protect against fire and CO poisoning:

* Regularly test smoke and CO alarms -Regular maintenance is just as important as having the correct number of alarms. Be sure to test alarms monthly and replace batteries twice a year. Smoke alarm units should be replaced every 10 years and CO alarms every five years. These are simple tasks, but vitally important when it comes to home safety.

* Plan and practice a fire safety drill -Identify exits and if necessary, equip second-floor rooms with escape ladders. Practice actually going through the motions, and finally, identify a meeting place outside so everyone is accounted for.

Add a “network” of smoke alarms – Many homeowners may not realize there are alarm networks available for home use, which are wirelessly connected and “talk” to one another to alert to a fire in a different room. First Alert ONELINK alarms are connected, and if one alarm goes off, all alarms sound and can “tell” homeowners the location of the fire.

“Each year nearly 3,000 Americans die from home fires and CO poisoning claims another 450 lives,” says Hanson. “Our goal is to bring these numbers down by continually educating consumers about the dangers of fire and CO and teaching them how to protect themselves, their families and their homes.”

For those in need of new smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, a wide variety of innovative products are available with an assortment of features to meet different needs. First Alert products range from combination smoke and CO units to smoke alarms with escape lights, along with basic battery-powered products. These smoke and CO alarms are available at national retailers or for at www.firstalertstore.com.

For more information and a complete home safety checklist, visit www.firstalert.com/safety_checklist.php.