During the hurricane season, homeowners in the Gulf and Mid-Atlantic states are at high risk of severe structural damage from the high winds and rain associated with hurricanes and tropical storms. Here are a few ideas to help protect your home. Here are some tips to help protect your home before a storm hits:

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It’s hot. It’s really hot, especially during the long summer months.

How to Prepare Your Home for a Heat Wave

• Hang drapes or blinds to help keep direct sunlight out and keep the room cool.
• Check your air-conditioning unit to make sure it works properly, and clear away debris from the unit.
• Remove storm windows and reinstall window screens.
• Add an extra layer of insulation to help stop heat transfer and keep cool air in the house.
• Install weatherstripping around windows and doors.
  
  
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Increased noise in homes means more stress and less sleep for American homeowners, according to a recent noise control survey sponsored by Owens Corning. Some 20 percent of homeowners and renters say noise adversely affects their lives.

Nearly 30 percent of respondents of the survey said they would invest in products to make their home quieter, with 62 percent spending $499 or less and 38 percent spending more than $500 to reduce the noise permanently.

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Walk through your home and circle the descriptions below that best fit your house. Then calculate your home’s energy-efficiency rating.

Attic Insulation
Test: Use a ruler to measure how much insulation you have in the attic area. ·6 inches or less (2 pts.) ·7 to 11 inches (4 pts.) ·12 inches or more (6 pts.) Tip: Improving your home’s insulation is one of the most effective and cost-efficient ways to reduce energy usage. If you have less than 12 inches, you probably need more.

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Are you looking to add-on a playroom for your kids or a home office for yourself? If you are, your unfinished basement might be the answer to your problem. Ask yourself the following questions to help decide if a finished basement is right for you;

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