Energy Saving Tips - Free and Low Cost Recommendations

Free and Low Cost Recommendations
Replace Light Bulbs
Replace standard incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) and save 75% off lighting costs.
Unplug Electronics
Unplug electronics, battery chargers and other equipment when not in use. Taken together, these small items can use as much power as your refrigerator.
Save Water
Installing faucet aerators and low-flow shower heads will cut water heating costs by 50% and save up to $300 per year. It will also cut water use by up to 50%. As much as 19% of California electricity is used to pump, transport and treat water.
Adjust Your Thermostat
Setting your air conditioner 5° higher will save up to 20% on cooling costs.
Buy Energy Efficient Appliances
Always buy ENERGY STAR qualified appliances and equipment - they're up to 40% more efficient. Find rebates and incentives in your area using our rebate finder.
Adjust Your Water Heater
Turn your water heater down to 120° or the "Normal" setting when home, and to the lowest setting when away. Water heating accounts for about 13% of home energy costs.
Keep Cool With Ceiling Fans
Reduce air conditioning costs by using fans, keeping windows and doors shut and closing shades during the day. Most ceiling fans use less energy than a light bulb.
Be Smart About Lighting
Turn off unnecessary lighting and use task or desktop lamps with CFLs instead of overhead lights.
Power Down Your Computer
Enable "power management" on all computers and make sure to turn them off at night. A laptop computer uses up to 90% less energy than bigger desktop models.
Wash Clothes in Cold Water
When possible, wash clothes in cold water. About 90% of the energy used in a clothes washer goes to water heating.
Load Up Your Dishwasher
Run your dishwasher and clothes washer only when fully loaded. Fewer loads reduce energy and water use.
Maintain Your Clothes Dryer
Make sure your dryer's outside vent is clear and clean the lint filter after every load. When shopping for a new dryer look for one with a moisture sensor that automatically shuts off when clothes are dry.
Find and Seal Leaks
Sealing cracks, gaps, leaks and adding insulation can save up to 20% on home heating and cooling costs.
Test for air leaks by holding a lit incense stick next to windows, doors, electrical boxes, plumbing fixtures, electrical outlets, ceiling fixtures, attic hatches and other locations where there is a possible air path to the outside. If the smoke stream travels horizontally, you have located an air leak that may need caulking, sealing or weather stripping.

Homeowner’s Security Survey

If you are interested in making your home more secure AND saving
money on your homeowner’s insurance rates, we offer another free
service to residents:

For Safety - The Security Survey is an inspection conducted on
your home by a certified Crime Prevention Officer. The officer
checks the interior and exterior of your home and discusses how
better to secure the premises. The officer draws up a plan specific to
your home, making recommendations about subjects such as locks,
lighting, landscaping, etc.

For an Insurance Discount - Texas law allows for a 5% insurance
rate discount if the residence meets certain basic requirements. If
your home meets these requirements, the Crime Prevention Officer
submits a report to the Texas Insurance Board for your rate reduction.
If your home fails to meet the requirements, the officer gives you a
report indicating how to bring it up to the insurance standards.
That same Texas law allows for a 15% discount if the residence
meets the basic requirements as well as certain advanced requirements.
This level requires a monitored alarm system connected to specific
windows and doors in the home.

For further information on this service, contact Corporal Mike
Bedrich at 817.748.8137. Corporal Bedrich will get forms to you
to fill out in advance and set an appointment to meet at your home
for the inspection. Please be aware that the insurance discount is not
immediate - this is one government entity dealing with another!
Colleyville Police Department can also provide this service.
Please contact Officer Bill Hudgins at (817) 503-1230 or by email
at hudginsb@ci.colleyville.tx.us

Best regards,

Rhonda Moore
Lieutenant, Community Initiatives Unit
871.748.8349
Southlake DPS




http://www.kencemedia.org/www.peelinc.com/newsletters

A New Year, a New Statistic - Home Prices Plunge 19%

RISMEDIA, April 2, 2009-While the new year is a time for many to start over, a report released yesterday on U.S. housing prices may encourage many to start house shopping. Prices of single-family homes in the U.S. dropped a drastic 19% for the year from January 2008 through January 2009, according to Standard & Poor’s S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Indices, one of the leading measures of U.S. home prices.

According to the S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Indices, 13 out of the 20 metro areas across the U.S. saw record rates of annual decline, while 14 areas reported declines in excess of 10%, compared with the rates in January 2008. Following the lead of the 14 metro areas, the 10-City Composite and the 20-City Composite also set new records, with annual declines of 19.4% and 19.0% respectively.

“Home prices, which peaked in mid-2006, continued their decline in 2009,” says David M. Blitzer, chairman of the Index committee at Standard and Poor’s. “There are very few bright spots that one can see in the data. Most of the nation appears to remain on a downward path, with all of the 20 metro areas reporting annual declines, and nine of the MSA’s falling more than 20 percent in the last year. Indeed, the two composites are very close to that rate and have been reporting consecutive annual declines since October 2007. The monthly data follows a similar trend, with the 10-City and 20-City Composite showing thirty consecutive months of negative returns.”

As of January 2009, average home prices across the U.S. are at similar levels to what they were in late 2003. From the peak in the second quarter of 2006, the 10-City Composite is down 30.2% and the 20-City Composite is down 29.1%.

While all 20 metro areas reported negative monthly and annual rates of change in average home prices, seven metro areas and the 20-City Composite recorded a record monthly decline in January. Seven metro areas reported declines in excess of 4% in January, with Phoenix leading at -5.5%. On a somewhat positive note, Cleveland, Los Angeles and Las Vegas reported a relative improvement in home prices in year-over-year returns, in terms of lesser rates of decline than the previous month’s values.

In terms of annual declines, the three worst performing cities are Phoenix (down 35%), Las Vegas (down 32.5%) and San Francisco (down 32.4%), while Dallas, Denver and Cleveland had the best results in terms of annual decline: 4.9%, 5.1% and 5.2%, respectively.

Looking at the data from peak-thru-January 2009, Dallas is the least hurt (down 10.8%), while Phoenix is down 48.5% from its peak in June 2006. The rate of decline from the individual heights of each marketplace show how much each market has taken back in terms of the gains they earned within the past 10-15 years. All 20 metro areas are in double digit declines from their peaks, with nine of the MSA’s reporting declines greater than 30% and five of those (Las Vegas, Miami, Phoenix, San Francisco, San Diego) in excess of 40%.

For more information, visit http://rismedia.com/2009-04-01/a-new-year-a-new-statistic-home-prices-plunge-19/#

Maytag Recalls Refrigerators
March 10, 2009

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Name of product: Maytag®, Jenn-Air®, Amana®, Admiral®, Magic Chef®, Performa by Maytag® and Crosley® brand refrigerators.

Hazard: An electrical failure in the relay, the component that turns on the refrigerator's compressor, can cause overheating and pose a serious fire hazard. Description: The recall includes certain Maytag®, Jenn-Air®, Amana®, Admiral®, Magic Chef®, Performa by Maytag® and Crosley® brand side by side and top freezer refrigerators. The affected refrigerators were manufactured in black, bisque, white and stainless steel.

Sold at: Department and appliance stores and by homebuilders nationwide from January 2001 through January 2004.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON MODELS AND SERIAL #'S - CLICK LINK BELOW

Maytag Recalls Refrigerators


provided by
Tammi Burgee * Senior Account Manager * 214 -732- 5999 * tammi.burgee@fnf.com www.homewarranty.com * 1-800-862-6837

Congress Enacts Bigger and Better Home Buyer Tax Credit -

Enhanced Tax Credit Provides Outstanding Opportunity for Home Buyers

In its efforts to stimulate the economy and revive the housing market, Congress has enacted legislation providing a tax credit of up to $8,000 for first-time home buyers.

But time is of the essence for buyers who want to take advantage of this opportunity. Only homes purchased on or after January 1, 2009 and before December 1, 2009 are eligible. Use the links below to find out more about the tax credit.

$8,000 Home Buyer Tax Credit at a Glance

The tax credit is for first-time home buyers only.

The tax credit does not have to be repaid.

The tax credit is equal to 10 percent of the home's purchase price up to a maximum of $8,000.

The credit is available for homes purchased on or after January 1, 2009 and before December 1, 2009.

Single taxpayers with incomes up to $75,000 and married couples with incomes up to $150,000 qualify for the full tax credit.


http://www.federalhousingtaxcredit.com/

For more information contact Joana Sweney @ 817-501-7309

Special Report: THE SPIRAL

A survival guide for the looming threat of deflation

Killing cows to rescue a market
Milk's plunging price has some dairy farmers scrambling to thin their herds. Stacey Delo reports.

$100 bills as toilet tissue?
Will efforts to stave off deflation result in hyperinflation? In an interview, economist John Williams advises hoarding gold and even Scotch to barter.

Don't hope for discounts
If deflation sticks around, history shows it's bad news for almost everybody.

For stocks, it's a slaughter
A sustained period of deflation spells disaster for equities as slack demand eats into corporate sales.

Cautionary tale from Japan's turn
MarketWatch's Lisa Twaronite, formerly based in Tokyo, remembers tough times and silver linings.

Favorable for fixed income
Why bondholders like their chances for riding out a period of weakness in prices.

Where's the party?
Falling prices abound for now, but economists warn that inflation could rear its head before long.

more at http://www.marketwatch.com/newscommentary/specialreports/deflation

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