Total Home Guard

A home warranty has the potential for significant savings on appliance repair and maintenance costs, but homeowners must account for the cost of the warranty itself. A policy is only worth the expense if the total costs are less than what a homeowner would have otherwise paid to fix or replace faulty equipment.

It’s hot and humid, and you’ve been working outside. You take a break and pour yourself a tall glass of ice water. You take a long gulp, but something’s off. The water tastes stale and smells of the freezer. Shouldn’t you be able to enjoy fresher tasting ice and water from your refrigerator?

A multipronged approach to marketing is essential for real estate professionals. Leveraging digital tools, client references, and engaging advertisements can spur tremendous growth for your business. Whether you are new to real estate or a seasoned professional, these creative marketing ideas for realtors will elevate your brand and broaden your reach in your community.

What home appliance doesn’t have some smart variation these days? We’ve quickly moved from smart phones and smart televisions to smart refrigerators and smart… toilets? A smart toilet system may not be everyone’s priority—if it ain’t broke, as they say—but if you’re inclined to embrace new technology, you might be surprised at the added luxury that a smart toilet can bring to your home.

Here’s all you want to know about smart toilets—even if you were afraid to ask.

The moment you buy your home, insurance will one of the first concerns you’ll have. Most likely, your mortgage holder will require it in fact. But that is homeowner’s insurance, not home warranty insurance. You really can’t afford to be without homeowner’s insurance.<

Our home appliances need more care and maintenance than most people realize. You might think a dishwasher is in effect a self-cleaning machine, but it in fact requires regular upkeep. Neglecting routine cleanings will lead to increased repair costs and a shorter machine lifespan.

This article will review why it’s important to clean your dishwasher and how to best go about it. 

Buying a house will test anyone’s resolve. The process is expensive, stressful, and demanding of your time and energy. It’s very easy to get overwhelmed, especially as a first-time buyer.

Liberty Home Guard works closely with home buyers, sellers, real estate agents, and other home service professionals throughout the United States. We know quite well the mistakes and pitfalls that are liable to trip up buyers who are not yet initiated into the world of real estate. This article covers things to do when preparing to buy a house—and some things not to do. Hopefully, our expertise can relieve some of the stress for people embarking on the home buying process for the first time.

Real estate transactions are complicated and stressful, and buyers and sellers eagerly anticipate the closing date stipulated in their contract. It is wise to temper your expectations, however. If you’re buying or selling a home, you may find your closing date delayed for any number of reasons.

This article will review some potential causes for real estate closing delays. If you’re aware of the obstacles you could encounter, you’re less likely to be taken by surprise. 

Diving boards are perennial fixtures of summer. They make for endless fun and lend that classic look to a backyard swimming pool. In our cautious and litigious age, however, many are left wondering how safe diving boards really are. Is it worth the cost and worry to install a diving board beside your pool?

Diving boards for home swimming pools can be safe, but they demand some care and attention. If you decide on installing a diving board, it’s also a good idea to establish some ground rules. Let’s, well, dive in for a closer look.

Buying a house is certainly expensive. What about selling one?

Homeowners new to the selling process might look forward to a windfall of money when a sale is completed—especially if their home’s value has increased substantially over the years. But while a home sale will provide a sizeable chunk of change, there are quite a few costs to consider, from real estate commissions and fees to taxes

A hot housing market is great for sellers, but high home values and stiff competition have discouraged many prospective buyers. Some buyers have investigated alternative means of purchasing a home, such as buying properties through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

While HUD homes have their advantages, they are not for everyone. This article will review HUD homes for the uninitiated and outline their benefits and drawbacks.

A great real estate agent is indispensable. Property transactions are rife with complications—legal, financial, and otherwise. It takes the experience and expertise of a consummate professional to match compatible homebuyers and sellers and help them navigate the complexities of the real estate process. 

Skunks are virtually everywhere in the continental United States. Unless you live in Hawaii, Alaska, or some exceptionally hot and dry locations in the Southwest, you are bound to encounter a skunk at some point

“I have a great home in a nice area, but my house is not selling. What gives?”

If you’re a homeowner or realtor struggling to sell a property, you’re not alone in feeling frustrated. Home prices have soared over the last two years, and stories abound of prospective buyers making offers well above the seller’s asking price. But housing markets are complex, and a variety of factors can make it difficult to sell a home even in a seller’s market.

The housing market and sale process is complex, and few of us would be able to successfully negotiate it without the help of an expert real estate agent. If you’re a home seller, an effective realtor will market your home, coordinate open houses, facilitate a sale, and maximize your return on investment. If you’re a buyer, a good agent will stand up for your interests and find you a home that suits your needs and budget. Either way, you need an agent in your corner.

Homebuyers and sellers are eager to minimize their real estate expenses. Sellers want to retain as much of their financial gains on their home as possible, and buyers are loath to part with additional funds after paying for a down payment, home inspection, and other expenses.

If you’re a realtor, you have almost certainly encountered a client who asks a reasonable question: Are real estate commissions negotiable? The extent of your experience and the competition in your area may make you amenable to negotiating real estate commissions and fees, but you can also make a respectful case for why your commission is fair. 

Is it better to buy or rent a home? While the answer to that question depends on your budget, location, and life circumstances, financial experts typically agree that owning a home is the better option.

Yes, renting affords some flexibility and generally absolves you of your responsibility to pay for home repairs, but the benefits of owning a home outweigh those of renting for most people who want to settle down in one location. If you’re still on the fence about whether to rent or buy a house, read on to learn why home ownership is a goal worth working toward.

If you have an older furnace in your home, it can be difficult to decide between repairing the appliance or replacing it altogether when a problem arises. On the one hand, a replacement furnace can be several thousands of dollars—certainly a financial setback for the average homeowner. On the other hand, spot repairs may just be delaying the inevitable, and repeated furnace repair service can add up to a hefty sunk cost.

This article will provide you with the information you need to make a more informed decision when it comes to furnace repair or furnace replacement.

No need to limit your spring cleaning to inside the house. Warming weather is a great excuse to clear a season’s worth of debris from your home’s gutters.

No ladder? No problem. We’ll explain how you can maintain your gutters with two feet firmly on the ground.

A small town hardware store may not carry the exact parts you need to repair your home appliance, but you can find virtually all appliance replacement parts online. In this post, we’ll take a look at where you can buy new and used appliance parts on the web.

Gas stoves and ovens undergo a lot of wear and tear from everyday use. Quality appliances are built to last, but frequent exposure to high temperatures means even the most reliable appliances require regular maintenance.

There are some telltale warning signs that suggest when gas appliance repair service or maintenance is required. This article will review what you should watch out for.

Every home in America needs a fire evacuation plan. The National Fire Protection Association studied home fires from 2015 to 2019. The organization found that fire departments responded to a yearly average of 346,800 home structure fires. Those fires caused, on average, more than 2,600 deaths and 11,000 per year. Direct property losses figure in the billions. 

Some straightforward fire safety measures can significantly cut the risk of a home fire, and a simple house evacuation plan will keep you and your family safe if a fire does break out.

Nothing will ruin your peace and tranquility during a long soak in a jacuzzi faster than a grungy tub. A jetted tub requires regular cleaning, just like any other bathroom fixture, but the jets can throw some homeowners for a loop.

A professional jetted tub cleaning crew isn’t required. With a few household items, you can manage a thorough jacuzzi cleaning. We’ll walk you through it.

Moving is frequently cited as one of the most stressful life changes we are bound to experience. The logistics of moving to a new home are overwhelming, and the act of packing up and transporting all your possessions requires a tremendous investment of time, money, and energy. Of course, leaving a place you have called home is emotionally draining as well.

Pooling water in your washing machine’s drum doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re about to be soaked by appliance repair costs. This problem can have more than one cause, but it’s often easy for the average homeowner to diagnose and fix.

In this article, we’ll run through a few washing machine troubleshooting tips to help you determine the reason for your washing machine’s drainage problem after a spin cycle. In the process, we’ll also review how to remove water from washing machine drum basins.

Selling your home is a big undertaking. As if packing and transporting everything you own were not stressful enough, just planning to sell your house can take a significant amount of time, attention, and emotional fortitude. There are legal and financial tasks to manage, nostalgic and sentimental attachments to negotiate, and practical considerations to make your home attractive to potential buyers. The extent of the responsibility could leave you questioning: “Do I know how to prepare my home to sell?”

Cities across America are experiencing hot housing markets, and Las Vegas is no exception. Home prices continue to rise, with a median home value of $420,000 as of March 2022.

In such a dynamic market, the expertise and advice of seasoned real estate professionals is especially valuable. We have identified 12 of the best realtors in Las Vegas. Each of these experienced agents has a track record of providing exceptional service to home sellers and buyers throughout the Las Vegas area.

Once those hot summer days arrive, it can be tempting to crank the air conditioning to feel some relief. It’s not wise to overdo it, though. Turning up the air conditioning doesn’t make your home cool down any faster, and overtaxing your system can make a breakdown much more likely—then you’ll really feel the heat.

Now is a great time to assess the efficiency of your windows in maintaining a comfortable indoor temperature. Drafty windows, thin glass, and insufficient window treatments make it easier for the stifling summer heat to find its way into your home, making your AC work that much harder and increasing your energy bill.

Outdoor grills take a beating. They face constant exposure to the elements, and propane grills can get as hot as 600°F when in use. Proper grill care is essential to stave off corrosion and equipment malfunction.

Gas grill maintenance is, fortunately, pretty straightforward. This article will review how to maintain a grill so you can enjoy family cookouts all summer long.

Many people recognize saltwater pools as superior to traditional chlorinated pools, but homeowners are hesitant to make the switch because they assume it to be an ambitious undertaking. Believe it or not, converting chlorine pool to salt water pool systems is actually quite straightforward.

With summer swiftly approaching, it’s time to check on that AC that has been dormant all winter. A little preseason maintenance can help you avoid the most common air conditioner problems, keeping you comfortably cool until the heat breaks.

A simple checklist can keep you organized. Here are our top ten air conditioner maintenance tips.

The terms and conditions of a home warranty are outlined in a home warranty or home service contract. Policy holders should thoroughly review their contract to understand coverage stipulations, costs, and other important information. Homeowners who are pursuing home warranty coverage for the first time should also be mindful of what a contract or homeowner’s user agreement entails.

In this article, we’ll review the information and conditions you can expect to find in a warranty contract.

Hot summer days can be fun and exciting but also uncomfortable when you don’t have a working 

As energy prices tick up, homeowners across America could use a little relief. We can’t control the price of electricity, unfortunately, but we can control our thermostats. Taking personal care to save electricity at home will mean more money in your pocket.

Some homeowners are afraid that reducing their energy use will lead to a steep drop in comfort, but this doesn’t need to be the case. Employing several simple ways to save electricity can achieve a meaningful effect without significantly affecting your lifestyle. The goal is to improve energy efficiency and minimize waste rather than endure the heat or cold.

Moving into a first home is exciting, thrilling, and… perhaps a little overwhelming. Homeownership is a big responsibility, and there are countless chores to perform to keep everything running smoothly.

A simple home maintenance list can go a long way in keeping you organized. If you’ve recently closed on your first home, this new homeowner maintenance guide will help you complete the essential tasks to perform within a few weeks of moving in.

A power outage doesn’t need to bring your life to a standstill. With a reasonable amount of preparation, you can weather a moderate blackout in relative comfort.

Some helpful things to have for power outage events are obvious enough, but others might surprise you. This article will review the most important supplies to have on hand in the event of a power outage that persists for several days.

Many homeowners have the reasonable expectation that their big-ticket kitchen appliances will hum along for several years without much of a problem. But refrigerators and ovens and dishwashers—even pricy ones—can and do break down. Kitchen appliance repair doesn’t come cheap, either. The average cost to repair a refrigerator is upwards of $300, and some repairs can set you back more than $1,000.

Air quality is an environmental metric that the media is rightly paying more attention to. A recent study found that air pollution is responsible for upwards of 100,000 deaths in the United States every year, as fine particulate matter is a causal factor of respiratory disease, heart attack, and stroke. Polluted air also contributes to dizziness, headaches, chest pain, fatigue, poor sleep, and irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat.

A home warranty can be a wise investment that saves homeowners money on home maintenance and repair, but consumers need to find the right plan to maximize their savings. Part of determining the best plan is having a thorough understanding of all the costs associated with a given policy.

Water is the foundation of life, but when unmoderated, it can be one of nature’s most destructive forces. This is particularly true for your home, with estimates showing that homeowners will spend an average of $2,500 repairing water damage each year. To avoid this inconvenient and unnecessary cost, consider the following 7 pieces of advice for protecting your home from water damage.

Your refrigerator is the workhorse appliance of your home, but it’s easy to take it for granted. If you’ve ever experienced a refrigerator breakdown—or even a prolonged power outage—you know too well how disruptive it is to our modern lifestyle.

An appliance breakdown doesn’t need to be inevitable. Some basic maintenance can keep your fridge working reliably and efficiently for a decade or more. Let’s review some simple but important refrigerator maintenance tips.

The primary purpose of a sprinkler inspection is to ensure the system works, of course. But a faulty system can lead to problems of a higher order. Broken irrigation lines or sprinkler heads lead to swaths of unsightly dead grass or stunted plants. A malfunctioning system can also cause the ground to become oversaturated with water, inviting a host of troubles: mud, erosion, nutrient depletion, and even tree rot.

Leaks nearer to your home are another troubling possibility. Depending on the placement and severity of the leak, it can cause water stains, mold growth, or wood rot. 

If only household maintenance was limited to sweeping and dusting. Unfortunately, responsible homeownership entails cleaning and maintaining a host of appliances and systems—even those that we scarcely think about from day to day.

Take your home exhaust fans. Most of us mindlessly switch on our bathroom exhaust fan before starting a shower, and we turn on our kitchen fans while cooking before turning our attention back to the food on the stove. If you rarely think about cleaning those fans, you are certainly not alone.

Your washing machine may not be as clean as you think. While most of the oils, dirt, and microparticles from your dirty laundry are flushed down the drain after a rinse cycle, some trace amounts stay behind and accumulate over time. Lint, hair, and dust gather inside your washer too, and these often function as surfaces for bacteria and grime to cling to.

Your home’s water quality is something to consider as well. The high mineral content in hard water causes scaling on your washer’s drum and other internal components. These minerals collect on your freshly washed clothes, and they impair the efficiency of your machine. Some minerals, notably sulfur, can cause a foul odor too.

Climate control isn’t the sole function of an HVAC system. Your home’s ductwork facilitates airflow to mitigate the concentration of gases, pollutants, dust, pollen, and odors. Over time, dust and other airborne particulates settle in your vents and ducts, so cleaning is occasionally necessary.

The past two years have seen a shift in the U.S. housing market. Mortgage rates decreased, expanding the housing market to include more first-time buyers. This spike in buyers has caused housing prices to increase in some regions, however. 

The COVID-19 pandemic contributed to this market change as people sought to relocate to single-family homes and less densely populated cities and suburbs, but there has always been a high interest in affordable homeownership in the United States. Whether you’re a seller or prospective buyer, it’s important to keep up to date on housing market trends. 

Most homebuyers don’t know how much behind the scenes work a real estate agent does to sell a new home. There’s more than just showing a home to prospective buyers. This is testament to all the coordination and planning that agents must do in order to pair their clients with the home of their dreams. 

Renovating a home can be both exciting and a headache. Luckily there are plenty of apps for remodeling your home that can make managing the process easier and even fun. From the dream phase all the way to execution, apps to renovate your house can help with nearly everything you need to do in order to successfully renovate and remodel your home. Here’s our selection of the 10 best home renovation apps in no particular order.

One of the biggest responsibilities of owning a home is managing your household expenses and maintaining a budget. Gone are the days of paper bills stacked on a desk. But, managing your household expenses and bills when they are paperless and online can pose a different set of issues. With today’s technology, though, there are ways to manage your home’s finances and budget with money saving apps. Here’s our list of the best apps for budgeting and saving money for homeowners.