With 2020 right around the corner, the New Year is brimming with possibilities! Why not be a little unconventional and pledge to focus some of your New Year’s attention on your home? Painting, repairing, replacing, organizing – ALL those tasks that seem to always work their way to the bottom of your list! Let’s explore the first half of our Top 10 New Year Resolutions for Your Florida Home:

1. Lose Weight (cut your energy use)

A good place to start is your HVAC ductwork. Ducts are notorious energy-wasters, so sealing and insulating your ductwork can improve the efficiency of your heating and cooling system. This will make your home more comfortable, and a more-efficient system helps extend the life of your air conditioning system. Use duct sealant – called mastic – or metal-backed tape to seal the seams, holes and connections. Don’t use the confusingly named “duct tape” as it doesn’t provide a permanent solution. Be sure to seal connections at vents as these are likely places for leaks to occur. After sealing your ducts, wrap them in fiberglass insulation. Most hardware stores and home improvement centers have insulation wrap products made for ducts. If you choose not to DIY, call your professional HVAC contractor. They will charge based on the size of your home and accessibility to your ducts.

2. Quit Smoking (purify indoor air)

Indoor air is full of potential contaminants, such as dust, mold spores, pollen and viruses. Help eliminate harmful lung irritants in your home with these maintenance and improvement tips:

• Maintain your HVAC system and change filters regularly. Use the highest-quality filters you can afford and change every month during peak heating and cooling seasons.
• Use localized ventilation in kitchens and bathrooms to remove cooking fumes, smoke and excess humidity. Make sure ventilation systems exhaust air to the outside of your home rather than your attic space or between ceiling joists.
• Burn real firewood in your fireplace rather than pressed wood products that may contain formaldehyde.

3. Get Out of Debt (budget for capital improvements)

Creating a yearly budget for home improvements and maintenance costs helps prevent overspending and helps with saving for those major capital improvements, such as a new roof or HVAC system. Protect your home finances by knowing how much you’ll probably spend each year. Experts agree that a homeowner should expect to set aside at least 1% per year of their home’s value for yearly maintenance and upkeep costs.

4. Learn Something New (educate yourself on your home finances)

Want a little education that goes a long way toward your financial health? Improving your credit score can help you keep your homeowner’s insurance premiums from getting out of hand. Letting credit card debt build up and missed payment deadlines are a red flag on your credit history. Insurance companies look at it as an indicator that you’re likely to file an insurance claim.

5. Get Organized (streamline your stuff)

De-cluttering, what a great way to feel better about your home! Without regular purging, cabinets and drawers get jam-packed and it becomes impossible to find the things you use and enjoy the most. This year why not resolve to periodically donate to your favorite charity anything that you haven’t used in a while. Stash functional, but not beautiful, items such as DVDs, remotes and those kicked-off shoes in simple woven baskets.

We hope you found this post to be helpful, informative and interesting… Be sure to watch for the second half of our Top 10 New Year Resolutions for Your Florida Home!

Thinking of BUYING OR SELLING a home in the Spring Hill, Brooksville, Weeki Wachee or the Hernando Beach areas of Hernando County, Florida? If you’re new to the area, be sure to see what Hernando County has to offer you and your family! In the meantime, visit www.GailSellsFloridaHomes.com to explore our state-of-the-art MLS Map Search Feature where BUYERS can SEARCH MLS listings and SELLERS can SEE what their competition is doing!

Until then… it’s all about YOU!