For many, the holiday season means travel! In fact, millions of U.S. residents travel more than 50 miles away from home during the holiday season. Unfortunately, burglars are also aware of these holiday season travel statistics. So, here are Orland Park Home Inspections Home Security Tips for the Holidays.

While many families look forward to the holidays, it is easy to get carried away with excitement and forget to prepare your home for your time away.

There’s nothing worse than coming back from a relaxing vacation to a stressful situation at home. So it is best to be prepared and protect your home before you travel.

Home security matters

It may sound simple, but it is important for people to remember to set their home security systems to the appropriate settings before leaving for travel. Investing in a high-quality, easy-to-use security system grants the ultimate peace of mind for travelers. If you forget to arm your system before you leave, don’t panic! Some home security systems let you arm, or disarm, your system by remotely accessing it via any smartphone, tablet or computer. You can also set up alerts to remind you if your system hasn’t been armed.

You could also invest in a smart doorbell that automatically sends a text or email to you each time the bell is triggered. Take a look at your security cameras to make sure everything is OK, or have a trusted neighbor stop by. Smart doorbells can also trigger entryway lighting to give the illusion that someone is home.

Remote locks are also useful if you are planning on going away for the holidays. But still, need to allow certain visitors into your home while you’re gone. You’ll be able to lock and unlock your doors remotely and be alerted every time the door is unlocked. This means if you happen to forget your house keys you’ll be able to let yourself in when you return from vacation. If you’re leaving your teens or young adult children behind this holiday season, you can get alerts for when they leave or come home. You can even set up emergency automation that unlocks your doors if a fire is detected.

If you’re still likely to worry with a home security system, smart doorbell, and remote lock, then consider video surveillance. You’ll be able to see live video of your home from your smartphone, tablet or computer. You can sync your cameras to motion detectors so you can receive video clips of movement as soon as the sensors are triggered.

Don’t let your home look abandoned

If your home looks like it has been abandoned, that is often a green light for a passing burglar.

It’s one thing to arm your home security systems before you leave. But it’s another step entirely to make sure your home looks lived in when you’re gone. However, there are a few ways you can create this illusion:

* Ask a neighbor, friend or family member to help collect mail and packages, shovel snow and move cars. Trick burglars into thinking you are there.

* Use a smart lighting system that lets you program lights to come on at specific times each day. This is an easy way to make it look like you’re home.

For more information and tips, visit USAA.com/ADT.

Thinking of adding a deck? How about replacing the tired, worn siding on your house? Now that the weather is colder, it’s the perfect time to curl up with a hot beverage and start planning. Orland Park Home Inspections’ 2019 home projects can nail the budget and settle on the look you’re after.

“Updating your home’s exterior can make an older home look more modern, but it can also make a new build feel warmer and more established,” says Kristine Swint, an in-house design expert at Royal Building Products. “Whether you plan to sell, or stay and enjoy your new features, anything you do to update the exterior can maximize the value of your home.”

Swint shares these insights and tips that will help you get inspired and plan your exterior home projects in 2019.

Think “cool neutrals” for the color story

When someone suggests a neutral tone for your exterior, do you think boring beige and tepid taupe? When it comes to vinyl siding, you may be pleasantly surprised. Discovering there’s a broad range of color and style choices to meet your taste and design preferences. Including soft grays, bolder mid-tone blues, and warm earth-toned terracottas.

“Going neutral no longer means sacrificing style, or having your house look like all the others on the block,” Swint says. “Today’s neutrals convey warmth, comfort, and closeness to nature – all traits we desire in a home.”

If you need help planning your home’s new look, the HomePlay design tool from Royal Building Products lets you experiment with different colors and siding profiles. To get started, visit HomePlaybyRoyal.com.

Bring the inside out

If you’ve decided this year is the year to add a deck or a patio, don’t settle for an uninspired open-air platform. Today’s designers are remaking the deck concept altogether by bringing traditionally “indoor” amenities outside. Rugs, arbors, and high-design furniture will turn your deck into an outdoor living room. By adding a fire pit, portable furnace or heater, you and your family can spend time on the deck year-round. For a finishing touch, a floor-to-ceiling sliding glass door not only brings in more sunlight and natural views, but it also creates a seamless transition between inside and outside.

But a great deck starts with high-quality materials. The last thing you want is to spend excessive time and money on routine maintenance. Instead of using natural wood, opt for a premium composite decking. Such as Zuri Premium Decking, that combines the natural beauty of exotic hardwood with the unsurpassed and exceptionally low-maintenance requirements of composite materials. If you’re interested in learning more, visit zuri.royalbuildingproducts.com.

Make relaxation a top priority

Home is where the heart is, right? So it makes perfect sense to make it into space where self-care is a priority. That’s why wellness and mindfulness have become huge influences in interior and exterior spaces, Swint says. To turn your backyard into a retreat space. Consider amenities like water features, zen gardens or even a shaded reading nook.

Reframe the possibilities of your shed

Garages and sheds can be more than a storage space for your lawnmower and tools. These four walls hold many other possibilities. Homeowners have come up with creative, free-time-oriented uses for these simple backyard structures. The options are only limited by your imagination: backyard bar, outdoor shower, or the classic she-shed or man cave. You can even make it into a home office for those telecommuting days. To dress up a plain shed, Swint says, add siding with complementary trim, windows (and flower boxes), finished with a sleek glass door.

Now that you have plenty of inspiration to transform your home’s exterior into a more inviting space, explore your options and visit royalbuildingproducts.com. (BPT)

Short, chilly days mean more time spent indoors with family and friends. This is the perfect time to focus on home improvement, starting with finding the right door hardware. Orland Park Home Inspection tells us on how to make sure your door hardware makes the grade.

Home security is typically top-of-mind. Door hardware such as locksets and deadbolts are generally overlooked and purchasing new locks is not a simple decision. Does it need to withstand repeated, long-term use? Or heavy impact, in the case of an intruder? Does it need to be capable of withstanding certain weather conditions?

Developed by the Builders Hardware Manufacturers Association, the BHMA Certified Secure Home label makes it easier for homeowners to find the right lock for their specific needs. Only products with this label have been rigorously certified to the highest performance standards when it comes to security, durability and finish.

BHMA is the only organization accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) to develop and maintain these standards. Products without the Secure Home label are not assured to have been tested and certified by a third-party laboratory.

Before shopping, know what type of lock you need. Consider the following:

* How much security do you need?

* Will the door be used frequently?

* Will the protective aesthetic finish be exposed to the elements?

When you are ready to make your selection, it is important to check the ratings. Once a lock or deadbolt is tested to ANSI/BHMA standards for security, durability and finish, it is given a rating of Good (C), Better (B) or Best (A) in each area based on its performance during testing.

The rating system is defined by progressive levels of performance requirements. Be sure to select the lock or deadbolt that is rated highly in the area(s) most important to you. For example, when looking for a new interior lock, you may not require the same rating for security or finish as you would for a lock being installed on your front door.

“As the experts in the industry, we recognize that it isn’t ‘one-size-fits-all’ when it comes to hardware for the home,” said Ralph Vasami, the executive director of BHMA. “Every household has a different need. The Certified Secure Home label not only makes it easy for homeowners. Also, they determine which locks or deadbolts have been certified. It also helps them assess which products are the best fit for their specific needs.”

To learn more about BHMA Certified locksets and deadbolts, or the BHMA Certified Secure Home label, watch the short video at http://securehome.org/learning-the-label/ or visit www.securehome.org. (BPT)

The experts at Orland Park Home Inspection have some great advice for orchestrating a move that won’t waste your time or money. Consider the following 13 Moving hacks that could save time, money and sustainability.

Changing households can be a time for new beginnings, fresh perspectives, and boundless opportunities.

But those good things tend to come after the moving process itself, which can take a lot of planning, organizing, and old-fashioned elbow grease. And many people start the process unprepared.

1. Plan

When possible, create a timeline for your move weeks or months ahead, detailing the resources, time and labor you’ll need. Establishing a written plan will save you from hurry and indecision and help ensure you’ve thought through every stage.

2. Reserve

Reserve your rental truck at least two weeks ahead, choosing the size that corresponds to the number of rooms in your home. For the greenest choice, pick an environmentally conscious company like Penske that ensures up-to-date emission-control technologies, optimal tire inflation, recycled packing materials, and fuel-efficient diesel engines.

3. Tools and Equipment

Think about renting or borrowing helpful moving equipment such as dollies or furniture sliders. Such tools can reduce your risk of injury as you load and unload your bulkiest belongings.

4. Recycle

Recycle (and save on transport costs) by minimizing your unwanted belongings through garage sales, online sales, donations or giveaways to friends. These days, many services come directly to your house to whisk away your unwanted items. Find approved electronics recycling centers through the EPA.

5. Packing

Start packing as soon as you can, beginning with infrequently used items – perhaps those stored in your garage, basement or attic. Spending an hour or two a day can make the overall job seem less grueling.

6. Label

Prepare for the eventual unpacking process by pre-labeling boxes by their contents and intended room. You’ll thank yourself later.

7. Organize

In addition to using cardboard boxes, utilize packing space inside your own dressers, chests, baskets, wastebaskets, suitcases, duffel bags and other household containers.

8. Protect

To cushion breakable belongings, optimize your own blankets, pillows, linens, clothing, and tarps in addition to bubble wrap and packing blankets.

9. Repurpose

Non-breakable items such as clothing can be packed in large garbage bags that can fill odd spaces in your moving vehicle then be repurposed after your move.

10. Strategy

Map out a strategy for packing and loading your large and/or unwieldy possessions to optimize space. For example, your heaviest items should go in the back of your truck, and you might wish to strap in vertical “walls” of boxes and upend your couches vertically. Remember to load your most frequently needed items last and keep crucial items such as financial documents in your front seat.

11. Safety

To safely and efficiently move appliances, carefully read your owners manuals and do prep work (such as defrosting refrigerators or disconnecting gas for stoves) well ahead of time.

12. Food

Pack food for your journey to your new home to avoid unnecessary breaks in unfamiliar areas.

13. Recycle

After unpacking at your new home, recycle, sell or repurpose any packing materials you’ll no longer need.

As long as you plan ahead, your moving process need not be a huge waste of time, money and resources. For more tips on conducting an efficient and cost-effective transition to your new home, contact Penske Truck Rental. (BPT)

New home? Home Inspection Orland Park 6 steps for preventing pests from moving in

Moving into a new home is chaotic. You’ve got decorating to do, a neighborhood to explore, and a house to keep in tiptop shape. The last thing you need in the midst of all that commotion is the added headache of household pests like ants, cockroaches or rodents. With a few tips from Terminix, you can keep your move running smoothly and ensure no unexpected pests move in with you.

Look for collecting water

Stagnant or standing water attracts a variety of pests, from nuisance wildlife to mosquitoes. It doesn’t take a lot of water, either – mosquitoes can lay as many as 100 eggs in the cap of a bottle of water. Try to reduce standing water in sources such as pots and tires, and be sure to change out your birdbath at least once a week.

Inspect for openings

Check the exterior of your new house for structural openings under doors, near windows and around utility penetrations. Any openings you find are essentially an open door to rodents and arthropods, such as spiders and millipedes. Reduce the number of pests entering your home by sealing any improper openings.

Be wary of trees and shrubbery

That flowering bush might look beautiful beside your home, but it could harbor countless pests. Note any tree limbs overhanging your roofline and any shrubbery or mulch close to the foundation of your home. These features play host to many different types of pests and having them touch your house only makes it easier for pests to enter.

Check for moisture issues

Some pests, like termites, cockroaches and carpenter ants, love moisture and are more likely to be found in damp areas of your house. Check your new home for any moisture issues. This could mean anything from a leaky roof to plumbing and seals that should be fixed.

Look for insufficient screening in key areas

While you’re checking for moisture issues, you can also look for insufficient screening around plumbing or drains. Inspect the kitchen, bathrooms and laundry room to ensure all openings are properly covered. Otherwise, you could find your kitchen playing host to pests like silverfish, spiders, ants or cockroaches.

Call in the professionals

Even the most diligent homeowners may still find themselves with a pest problem too big to tackle alone. Pest control professionals trained technicians can protect you and your new home from any unwelcome guests. (BPT)

 Orland Park Home Inspection: 4 ways to use technology to simplify your home buying process

While spring is typically the busiest period in real estate, particularly for families looking to get into a new home before the school year starts. The fall months have become increasingly active for those who have more flexibility or are looking for a good deal.

With increased competition in many cities around the country, finding ways to simplify the home buying process while saving money is top of mind for potential home buyers. Many consumers are seeking real estate brokerages that make the home buying process less stressful by providing access to tech-based tools, data and the guidance of smart, local agents.

“Buying a home is typically the most expensive purchase most people will make, and people are choosing brokerages that offer the right tools and data to help inform their decisions and make the process more efficient,” said Dario Cardile, Vice President, Growth Marketing at Owners.com. “Savvy home buyers are utilizing technology and data to inform their home search, but are also demonstrating that they value working with an expert local agent who can offer on-the-ground expertise and help them get the best deal.”

Cardile offers these tips for ways potential home buyers can utilize technology to simplify the real estate process.

* Ensure that your finances are in order.

To purchase the home of your dreams you’ll need the right loan. So before you begin your search, request a free annual copy of your credit report from the government-authorized AnnualCreditReport.com. Pay attention to the scores in your report. The better your scores, the more likely you are to receive favorable terms and interest rates on your loan.

* Narrow your housing search.

Searching for homes on the internet is easy, but finding the one that is just right for you can be more difficult. Fortunately, Owners.com can help, as it leverages data and technology to connect you to homes matching your personal preferences and ranks those homes based on the features you highlight as being most important. The platform also notifies you of regular updates on the properties of your interest. Also, suggests similar properties based on your preferences. You will have access to local listings from the Multiple Listing Service and for-sale-by-owner properties, so you don’t miss out on a potential home.

* Explore the area before you get there.

Whether it’s a local dog park, fun shops to visit on the weekend or a quaint bistro for a night out, your neighborhood needs extend beyond the walls of your home. Fortunately, hyper-localized data such as walk scores, neighborhood and school information and modern mapping solutions can give you insights into the entire community before you even start your search. And don’t be afraid to look up area attractions on social media and read some reviews. It’s a great way to learn what everyone is saying about your potential neighborhood.

* Find the right agent.

A great real estate agent can help you save time and money in the real estate process. While many consumers are self-informing their search with online data, a recent survey from Owners.com of more than 1,000 recent home buyers nationwide found that the majority (83 percent) worked with an agent to purchase their home. The full-service website and mobile app make it easy to find a local agent that’s right for you. They provide you with the digital tools to make the process less stressful. An expert local agent can provide inside knowledge of the property and community, on-the-ground expertise. They will help you strike the best deal to get into your dream home.

*Finding the best home for you.

The fall real estate market won’t wait for you. So start your planning now and begin your housing search with the power of technology at your fingertips. With you, your agent and technology working hand in hand, your dream house is there for the taking.