February 2013

The City of Calgary's Fix-A-Leak Week kicks off on Monday, to help spread the word to Calgarians about water conservation. According to their website, leaks can account for over 10% of the average water used in a home—that's a lot of wasted money too.

Leaky toilets are among the most common sources of water wastage in homes. You can easily check to see if your toilet leaks with these easy steps:

1. Remove the tank lid of your toilet.
2. Drop several drops of food colouring into the toilet tank, wait 20 minutes.
3. Look into the toilet bowl, if the water changes colour, you have a leak.
4. Get your toilet repaired, and you could save $100 with one fixed toilet!

If you want more resources on finding and fixing leaks in the home, or to find out about

In last week's blog we discussed the importance of maintaining your home, and why you need to ensure your home is in good repair. Not only is a well-kept home good for your living situation, but also the value of your home.

When your looking into home maintenance and things to look for in that area, you may come across some words you're not familiar with. Here's a glossary of some terms to familiarize yourself with.

Air sealing - weather stripping (such as caulking) applied to seal off cracks or spaces in doors or windows, to reduce air leakage and heat loss.

Condensation - transformation of vapour of air into water on cold surfaces.

Downspout - a pipe carrying water from the eavestrough to the ground.

Eavestrough (gutter) - an eave that

Your home represents a big investment, and also the place you spend a lot of your time. So keeping your home in good repair is not just important for your peace of mind, but also safety and value of your home. There are three main things to keep in mind when caring for your home:

Safety

• Fire: faulty heating and electrical can be a fire hazard in your home
• Structural: damaged foundation or rotting floors, etc
• Indoor air quality: moisture trouble, or fuel-burning appliances which can cause carbon monoxide. Both issues can cause serious health problems, or even death.
• Occupational: loose railings, stairs, etc.

Preventing/Fixing Wear and Tear

• Leaky faucets, upgrades to floors and walls, etc.
• Broken fixtures, chipped paint, etc.

Should you buy a brand new home that you can customize, or choose a resale one that's move-in ready? Both options present advantages, and there is no right answer, it's totally up to the buyer. We've outlined a couple benefits of each:

Buying New

• Personalized home: with new homes you can choose the colours, fixtures and upgrades such as lighting and flooring
• New homes are built up to current building codes and standards
• Lower maintenance costs: newer homes tend to have lower maintenance costs as all of the materials are brand new
• Builder warranties: the majority of home builders offer warranties for new homes

Buying Resale

• Easy access: Northwest Calgary homes for sale in established neighbourhoods are in close proximity to services,