Top 3 Money & Water Saving Upgrades for Your Home

#1 Upgrade your toilets to WaterSense toilets.

The average amount of gallons per a flush on a toilet installed before 1992 was 5-7 gallons per flush (GPF). Toilets installed today (January 2019) with the WaterSense label use 1.28 GPF or less. 

According to the EPA, an average American household can save an estimated $130.00 a year by upgrading their old, inefficient toilets. If you have the 7 GPF toilets in your home, you could save as much as $300.00 - $400.00 a year by upgrading to WaterSense labeled toilets. 

#2. Upgrading your faucets to low flow.

Things to consider first! Utilizing low flow faucets, showers and toilets can have unintended consequences that you should be aware of before switching everything over in your home.

There might not be enough water moving through the drain to remove waste properly. This could cause backups which is not what a homeowner wants to deal with on a regular basis. Another challenge is the low flow rate of a shower head fixture. Is the water pressure now too low to rinse hair adequately. 

Low flow is a great option in many cases that can lower your water bill and water usage. However, it’s really up to the homeowner & occupants to lower the water usage. If I install a low flow shower head but, I decide to take longer showers, it really isn’t helping my case.  

#3. Insulating your hot water pipes. 

If you own a crawlspace with your home, you have relatively easy access to your exposed plumbing pipes. Insulating your hot water pipes is a great idea to save on your electric bill and to improve the efficiency of your hot water system. 

If you don’t own a crawlspace. We do what we can to insulate exposed pipes. It wouldn’t be very practical to open up walls to insulate pipes that aren’t on exterior walls. If you do open up walls at some point, keep some pipe insulation on hand in your home to insulate what you can - when you can! 

Feel free to email me (info@VAStatehomeinspections.com) or follow me on Instagram & Facebook @VAstatehomeinspections for more tips, hacks, & freebies to help educate & save you money in the future.

5 Steps to Prepare Your Home for Winter

Is Your Home Ready?

By Jacob Knapp

#1. Don’t Get Left Waiting in the Cold

Statistically, most heating systems fail on the first cold snap of the winter season. Most technicians receive a flood of phone calls during this time. The best solution is to have your HVAC system serviced before the first cold snap of the season.

As a home inspector, I like to recommend to homeowners that they sign up for a service agreement for their HVAC system so they aren’t left waiting in the cold. It can save you a lot of future headaches by being proactive instead of reactive.

#2. Change Your Filters Monthly

We all get extremely busy, especially at this time of year preparing for the holiday season. A common thing that gets overlooked by many homeowners is remembering to change their disposable air filter monthly.

PRO TIP: Although buying those 3 month filters may be convenient, most HVAC contractors recommend purchasing the cheaper monthly filters. The higher quality filters typically cost more & will cost you more in the long run by over-restricting the air flow. Monthly filters are less expensive and they won’t increase the work load for your HVAC system. This saves some money on your electric / gas bill.

#3. Gutters Catch More Than Rain

Leaves, branches, and much more debris everywhere! Your gutters aren’t designed to handle all of that extra weight. If your gutters begin to sag, fall, or break, that’s when the problems start.

A simple task of cleaning your gutters can turn into a much larger and more expensive issue. Gutters are designed to shed rainwater out and away from the foundation of your home. Water settling near your foundation can cause moisture problems. Water can cause damage to your eaves by not catching and shedding the water away from your home properly.

#4. While Your Up There-

Checklist For Your Roof

Your roof should be:

- Free of any debris (leaves, branches, etc.)

- All shingles present & intact.

Check for any shingles that may have blown off from a storm.

- Check for nail pops, they are common with temperature changes due to expansion & contraction of wood.

#5. Crawlspace Ventilation

Contrary to Popular Belief...

According to current building science practices, in mixed climates, such as the Hampton Roads area, you should open your foundation vents in the winter & close them in the summer in the Hampton Roads area. Why you ask?

- In the summer, your crawlspace is dryer and cooler than the outside air.

- In the winter, your crawlspace is warmer and more humid than the outside air

- In order to keep your crawlspace dryer, it’s recommended to open the foundation vents in the winter time to let Mother Nature equalize the area in your crawl space.

Ready For a Home Inspection?

At Virginia State Home Inspections, I Inspect your home like I’m the one moving my family to live there. With my military background, I don’t believe in cutting corners or taking shortcuts.

I have the clients best interest at heart, not the realtors. I believe in being thorough and also being efficient. I’m here to help you find out about your home so that you can make the best decision with the information at hand.

Jacob Knapp CEO , Virginia State Home Inspector