The U.S. Department of Justice estimates between 2 million and 3.7 million homes are burglarized each year. Is a security system enough to keep your home safe? What else can homeowners do to protect their homes and belongings? Check our extensive list of safety measures from law enforcement and insurance experts. Home security systems Security… Read more »
Urban living offers conveniences such as nearby shopping, entertainment, and public transportation. The flip side of those amenities is the noise they bring. The same holds true if you live near a highway or airport. Installing sound barriers both inside and outside your home can bring much-appreciated peace and quiet. Let’s learn more about home… Read more »
When purchasing a new appliance or electronic gadget, you’ll likely be asked to purchase a service contract for an additional fee. Are these policies worth the money? Or should consumers simply say no? What is a service contract or extended warranty? These policies, which also can be called protection plans or guarantees, offer additional coverage… Read more »
Have you noticed your Internet speeds slowing recently? Maybe the movie you are streaming stops to buffer more often, or you see other signs of sluggishness. Let’s look at some solutions to get your router back up to speed. Improvements that cost nothing If you’ve acquired additional computers, tablets, and smartphones, or you have a… Read more »
Recycling has been around for decades. But have you heard of upcycling? Learn how this practice turns everyday items headed for the trash into something special. Upcycling means a new and better life Recycling breaks down items such as aluminum cans and plastic bottles into their component parts and reconstitutes them into new, sometimes lower-quality… Read more »
The ease of online purchasing is one of life’s simple joys. One of life’s most vexing aggravations is having that purchase stolen from your front porch before you can retrieve it. Here are several ways you can thwart the bad guys and package theft. The scope of the package theft problem Package thieves have come… Read more »
Home purification systems can improve quality of life for those with asthma and allergies. Let’s look at the benefits of these systems and the types available. Prevention first. Before investing in a purifier, prevention is always the first step. Change the filters regularly on your heating and air system. Know exactly what you’re allergic to… Read more »
Your children’s precious years are preserved on tape and in photo albums. Or are they? Old video tape degrades over time. Photos turn yellow. Here’s how to rescue those memories for the digital age. Preserving photographs. Purchasing a scanner is a great first step to preserving photos. Choose one that is NOT a combination printer… Read more »
Thanks to the latest in “smart device” technology, and three technology giants, it’s possible to turn your house into a home of the future. Amazon, Apple and Google offer competing technology — known in the marketplace as “voice-activated assistants” — that will control your home thermostat, send smoke or carbon monoxide alerts, check the weather… Read more »
Thanks to social media, it’s easier than ever to loan your neighbor a tool, buy cookies from the Girl Scout nextdoor or help a family down the street with an aging parent. Here are three avenues, among the many that exist, to bring you closer to your neighbors. Facebook. The giant social media site provides… Read more »
Nothing could sour your vacation memories like arriving home to find your house burglarized. Here are eight easy steps to ward off the bad guys. Make neighbors aware and vigilant. This is where it pays to have established relationships with your neighbors. Knowing that you will be away helps neighbors spot anything amiss. Hire someone… Read more »
Protecting your online privacy and your wifi network is a must for every homeowner. Guard your personal and financial information with these five easy steps. A strong wifi network password. Secure wifi at home means more than keeping your neighbors from mooching off your data plan. Cybercriminals use the wifi portal to access people’s computer… Read more »
Hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, and earthquakes strike indiscriminately, which means every homeowner should be prepared for life-threatening emergencies. Here are ten essential items to have on hand. A source of power. A generator will keep your refrigerator working to preserve food, and provide lighting at night. Gas generators provide more versatile power but need a supply… Read more »
Thanks to smartphone technology, homeowners can take control of the major systems in their houses with the tap of a finger. We’re talking lights, thermostat, door locks, sprinklers — even the TV. Here’s a quick rundown of what’s available. Home security. Smart systems are extremely customizable. When you are away, if a door or window… Read more »
If you are in the market for a laptop, the choices are better, but more confusing than ever. Here’s how to shop for the best model to suit your needs. Ask yourself a few questions. Before delving into the hardware, assess how you will use your new laptop. The more demands you place on it,… Read more »
It’s playoff time, and you’ve treated yourself to a brand-new wall-mounting television with all the bells and whistles. Before you mount, consider these important factors. Don’t put your TV above the fireplace. The heat and soot created by the fireplace may ruin your new TV. You wouldn’t leave your cell phone near an open flame… Read more »
When consumers sign up for internet service, they’re faced with a barrage of choices and questions. While you’ve probably heard words such as modem and router, do you actually know what they do and the differences between them. Here’s a quick internet primer and a few tips on how to choose what’s best for your… Read more »
While the latest in home theater systems features wireless technology, plenty of audiophiles still want to wire their homes for sound and video, enjoying the pure fidelity delivered over home-designed networks. Listen up for the pros and cons on wireless versus wired technology. Know your number. Often you will see a home surround sound system… Read more »
Advances in television technology move so quickly these days that it’s hard to keep up with what’s truly the latest and greatest. And why does it seem like you need to learn a new language just to discuss TV features? Whether you’re in the market for a new television or just want to learn the… Read more »
Digital technology is revolutionizing home entertainment, including headphones and earbuds. Listen up, audiophiles. Bluetooth technology has matured, making wires and plugs obsolete. Listeners can roam the house with the audio source several feet away. A processing method called apx HD is the technology standard for delivering sound wirelessly from the player to earpieces. Headphones versus… Read more »
