Worthington real estate

Today I would like to discuss furnace filters with you. As a home inspector that services Cedar Rapids IA and Waterloo/Cedar Falls IA, I see a lot of furnaces on a weekly basis.I think a basic description of the method in which a furnace works is a good place to start.

 A furnace heats our home by moving air over a heat exchanger via fan and through a series of supply and return ducts. So, what we have is a circuit that starts at the air handler which pushes air over the heat exchanger, into the supply/distribution ducts. Air then returns to the furnace via the cold air return ducts and ends up at the filter located just before the air handler. It should be noted here that a severly clogged filter will cause a rise in temperature inside the heat exchanger. This shortens the life of the unit and may lead to a crack in the heat exchanger. Bad News!

There are several different types of furnace filters. Some of the types are; electro-static, 1" fiberglass disposable, 1" cotton pleated disposable, 4"-6" pleated, and last but not least, electronic.

Generally speaking the things that are constant in the heating or cooling process are fan speed and temperature of the heat exchanger or evaporator coils. (Some of the newer furnaces have variable speed ECM's [electronically controlled motors] which vary fan speed based on perceived demand.) 

So when we are talking about efficiency what does that leave? You Guessed it, the filter which can have quite an impact on the amount of air moving through the system. In order to heat or cool the air we must move it over the heat exchanger or evaporator coils respectively. The more air we can move the less time the unit needs to run in order to satisfy the thermostat. This helps our efficiency.

Now that we understand a little about the workings of our forced air furnace, let's talk about how we can get the most out of them with the part we can control, the filter.

Most of the furnaces I see have a 1" filter. If this describes your furnace you have a typical installation which is just fine. In this case I recommend a pleated cotton filter, if you must, in the winter because of the increased time spent indoors, and a less inexpensive fiberglass filter for the summer. Most folks find this combination agreeable to their lifestyles.

Without getting into MERV ratings and other details, what you should know is that the 1" cotton filter will trade some of the ability to move air for the ability to trap smaller particles. With this in mind, you should check this type monthly and if they look dirty, change them. The manufacturers usually give a three month rating on this type of filter, but, that is entirely dependent on the conditions of the home! So, check them monthly until you feel comfortable going longer.

In the summer months I recommend the less expensive fiberglass filters. These also should be checked monthly and replaced if needed. They allow the maximum amount of air to pass through the system while trapping large particles and protecting the unit. Remember the more air we move, the better or closer to maximum efficiency we get.

The 4"-6" pleated filters give the best of both worlds because they trap small particles while at the same time allowing lots of air to pass through them. This is due to the amount of surface area of the filter. If you were to take one of these and open up the pleats you would see a very large area of filter media. Conversly, the 1" is not much larger then the area you see when you look at it.

Electronic filters are the best at "cleaning the air". They trap the most amount of particles. Their down side is that they become less effective as they get dirty. They should be checked monthly as well. These are usually cleaned in the dishwasher.

As far as "cleaning the air" goes, we need to be realistic in our expectations when it comes to the little air handler in our furnace. Generally speaking, unless the fan switch is set to the on position instead of auto, the air handler is only running for a small portion of the day. Even if the fan is left on continuously the amount of air changes per hour accomplished is not sufficient to label our furnace as an air filtration system. It might be wise to keep this in mind when you are looking at those $15.00 1" pleated filters at the local box store.

I hope this information is helpful to you. This is just some of the many things I pass along during home inspections to those that utilize my services.

Best regards,

Mike

The Chinese New Year 2010-Simple Ways to Ensure Success!

Part One of Feng Shui for The Chinese New Year 2010 by Feng Shui Long Island NY Consultant

There is an intensity of Energy in the Chinese New Year that is almost unmatched in other Celebrations!  Chinese and other Cultures consider this date as New Beginnings and they want to start off with the BEST possible Intentions to have a Year filled with Blessings and Abundance in ALL areas of their lives.

This year the Chinese New Year falls on February 14^th....St. Valentine's Day.  From many standpoints, this New Year of the Tiger is said to represent some difficult obstacles for many of us.  As a New York Feng Shui Consultant,  I personally do NOT follow these predictions.....I CREATE the year I want to have.

Photo © Robert G. Swetz Jr.  All Rights Reserved

So can you!  Countless people from ALL walks of life spend countless hours, days and weeks formulating Marketing Plans for the New Year yet they won't try a few simple, inexpensive and easy FENG SHUI TIPS?  Add some Feng Shui to YOUR marketing plans and watch what happens : )

The FIRST rule of Good Feng Shui:  Clutter of course.  Remember:  If you don't Use it, Need it or Love it, get rid of it!  You will lighten up your space to allow new, fresh and beneficial Energy to enter.  A reminder about Clutter:  Everything that is downstairs in your basement is coming up to your living space....Energy RISES.

Anything that is stored in your attic is (quite literally) hanging over your heads.  Do you really NEED all those things?  Check under your bed while you're at it:  Energy needs to flow around you while you sleep to truly rest and restore for the next day.

Clean.  Dust away the cobwebs from your home and office spaces...and dust off your mind.  Positive thinking never hurt anyone.  Turn something around in your mind until you can find the POSITIVE-and keep it there.  Like attracts Like.  We get back what we send out.  Send out the best.

Clear out your home with a Space Clearing.  You can use Native American Sage or clear by Sound with the ringing of bells....Do everything with INTENTION on what you'd like to attract this year.  Space Clearings should ONLY be done during the day, when the sun is at its highest point---between 11:00 am to 1:00 if possible.  Never at night.  Make sure you address the corners where Energy can get ‘stuck' or linger.

Photo © Robert G. Swetz Jr.  All Rights Reserved

Make an extra payment on something.  Pay off whatever credit cards or other bills if possible.  The extra amount is not as important as the idea that you are creating a Debt Free year and starting it off with as little debt as possible.

Have you checked your refrigerator and pantry?  Get RID of old food and restock to start your New Year with Abundance.  BUY SOME COLORFUL FRESH FRUIT as another sign of abundance and place it on your kitchen or dining room table.  With Intention.

Treat yourself kindly.  Take some time out to do something special for yourself.   When we treat ourselves well, it is said others will treat us well, too!  Maybe it's a manicure or that special outfit you've been wanting; maybe it's just taking home a movie you have wanted to see.  YOU are Special....treat yourself that way.

 Photo © Robert G. Swetz Jr.  All Rights Reserved

There's more to come!!  Please join us for Part Two:  Feng Shui Tips and Advice for the Chinese New Year 2010

 

Feng Shui Long Island NY Consultant

http://www.LongIslandFengShui.com   

*Carole Provenzale has been a Certified Feng Shui Consultant since graduating from the Country's very first School for Feng Shui Studies that was licensed and accredited in 1997.  Carole has consulted on numerous residences, businesses, Corporations, Renovations and New Construction in New York City - Manhattan NY - Queens NY and all over Long Island New York including The Hamptons.  

Feng Shui Manhattan New York NY Consultant

http://www.FengShuiManhattan.com

**Laura Cerrano is a Second Generation Certified Feng Shui Consultant who has trained with Feng Shui Long Island and Masters from across the Country including Shamans to incorporate Native American beliefs and Space Clearings into her Feng Shui Consulting Firm, Feng Shui Manhattan New York NY.  After co-consulting on site for many years Laura began her own business in 2000 and has a strong client base in New York City.

I often get asked, does Zillow account for Foreclosures when calculating a Zestimate?  Short answer: no. 

However the long answer is very interesting.  Recently Zillow released a white paper where we looked at the question of if Foreclosures constituted a distinctly separate market from non-Foreclosures.  This paper was born from this debate where some thought there were so many Foreclosures that they were the market; while other argued that Foreclosures have characteristics that caused them to sell lower than at market value. 

The white paper itself goes into a high level of detail about methodology and data points used, but I'll skip to the results here.  Our data found that the answer to this question is YES, they are distinct markets. 

Of course, real estate is local so the numbers vary across local metros, but the trends held relatively the same. 

• Nationally the average ratio of Foreclosure prices to market value is 72%.  This is against the assumption that non-Foreclosures sell at market value, or 100%. 
• It appears that more Foreclosures in an area do lead to a smaller gap between Foreclosures and non-Foreclosures.  However, there is rarely less than a 20% discount for Foreclosures.

Based on the data, it indeed did find that Foreclosures sell for substantially less than non-Foreclosures, meaning that you can't compare two like houses when one is in Foreclosure and the other is not.  Two conclusions were drawn at the end of the study.  

1) The difference in these two markets is the reason why we can't include Foreclosures in our Zestimate calculations. We also don't use them in factoring our Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), or the trend information you find on the Local Info tab of the site.  Interestingly, this is a key reason why our ZHVI is currently down 21% from its peak compared to Case-Shiller Home Price Index (which does include Foreclosures) which is down more than 30% from its peak.

2) These findings show that it is inappropriate to include Foreclosure sales data when appraising non-Foreclosure homes.  Adjusting for the condition of recent Foreclosures, as well as the Seller's motivation in the Foreclosure situation, sounds great in theory but is ultimately complex in practice.  Especially given the Appraiser has likely not been inside the homes being used as comparables for the subject home.

Download the full report  - Price Differences Between Foreclosures and non-Foreclosures

Video recap with Dr Stan Humphries, Zillow's Chief Economist

 

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Words matter. Wars have started over them; people are propelled to act because of them. And it appears that the marketing-time of houses might be determined by them, too. At least in part...

As listings grow old, and frustrated sellers are jostling for an edge, perhaps it is time to review the language we use to describe our "products". I regularly read other agents' descriptions of homes closely for that flair with words that would make me want to see the house. If what I read pleases me, it will also please the potential buyer. I want to learn to write like that agent.

A Canadian study found that homes where the seller was "motivated" actually took 15 percent longer to sell, while houses listed as "handyman specials" flew off the market in half the average time. (Paul Angelin teaches real estate and housing trends at the University of Guelph in Ontario. The study dissected the wording of more than 20,000 Canadian home listings from 97 to 2000)

The study found that words that denoted general attractiveness helped sell a property faster than those that spoke of "value" and "price." "Beautiful"  beats "good-value", "must see" is a total dead-beat and does nothing to impact days on the market, "Landscaping" and "move-in ready" brought buyers faster, but "move-in ready" had no impact on the sales price, and neither did "clean" or "quiet".  "New paint" is an often listen comment which leaves buyers cold.  

         Words that Help                        Words that Can Hurt

• handyman special,          motivated seller       
• curb appeal                    good value
• move-in condition           as-is
• landscaping                    clean
• granite                          quiet
• gourmet                        new paint
• golf, park, trails              playgound

Where would you place "needs repairs?" Other suggestions from your experience?

 

                                                 

Marianne 907-529-6602