You can save money on your home energy costs during the hot summer months by following these simple steps.

1. Install a programmable thermostat. This will allow you to set automatic temperature controls for maximum comfort and energy efficiency alternatives to air conditioning during hot summer months. Keep temperatures higher when your family isn’t home to keep costs low.

2. Replace your air filter. Your HVAC system’s air filter gets a lot more use during the summer. Check it every thirty days throughout the summer; replace it when necessary.

3. Practice smart landscaping. Strategically planting shrubs and leafy trees near your home’s windows is an excellent way to prevent those same windows from transferring excess heat into your home.

4. Install exterior window coverings. If you aren’t able to use nature to your advantage, another great way to protect windows is by adding awnings or screen shades to shade their exterior side.

5. Update your home’s insulation. Pay close attention to your attic and the levels between your home’s conditioned and unconditioned spaces. Extra insulation can be added on top of existing material, but consider contacting a professional for appropriate installation and removal.

6. Use smart door techniques. When the air conditioner is on and running, every opened door and window leaks out valuable energy. Keep unnecessary trips to and from the house at a low to keep your energy bill similarly low.

7. Clean your refrigerator coils. Refrigerators can cause surprisingly high energy usage, especially when they’re not operating efficiently. To get the best performance from your unit, dust it off and clean up those condensing coils.

8. Install ceiling fans. Ceiling fans operate on a wind-chill effect by pulling warm air up against the ceiling and then pushing it down against the walls to simulate a chilled breeze air circulation. For this effect to work, you’ll want to ensure your home’s fans are turning in a counter-clockwise rotation.

9. Search out and seal any air leaks. Stop cooling the outside by ensuring your home is properly sealed. Test the stripping and caulking around your doors and windows and replace where needed.

10. Call in the professionals. While many of these preparation tips can be easily done by a handy homeowner, a professional energy assessment can discern the best techniques for your home. By calling in-home energy experts, you’ll better understand where your home is losing energy, how to remedy the situation, and which rebates and discounts are available to make your upgrades both energy and cost-efficient.

Commercial property insurance is a form of insurance that protects the property owned by your business – your building, equipment, store fixtures, and more.

Commercial property insurance protects your company’s physical assets from fire, explosions, burst pipes, storms, theft and vandalism. Earthquakes and floods typically aren’t covered by commercial property insurance, unless those perils are added to the policy.  These include specialized forms of insurance such as fire insurance, flood insurance, earthquake insurance, home insurance, or boiler insurance.

Homeowners insurance policies generally cover destruction and damage to a residence’s interior and exterior, the loss or theft of possessions, and personal liability for harm to others. Three basic levels of coverage exist: actual cash value, replacement cost, and extended replacement cost/value.

A replacement cost policy typically pays the dollar amount it will take to buy a new item at the time of a claim. An actual cash value policy factors in depreciation to provide reimbursement based on the current value of an item.  Extended replacement cost is an endorsement on your home insurance policy that extends your dwelling coverage by 10% to 50% of the cost to rebuild your home.