Make Your Home Safe with these Puppy Prepping Projects

The day’s finally arrived to bring home your precious bundle of joy. You’ve patiently researched and waited to adopt the perfect furry canine friend. You shopped for the cutest matching collar and leash. You bought the monogrammed doggy bowl. You studied which food would be the most nutritious. You even remembered to order their customized ID tag.

But did you remember that the plant in your backyard might be poisonous or that the medication on your bathroom counter is also a hazard? What about those piles of Legos in junior’s room, or grandpa’s old coin collection in the study?

Bringing home your new puppy is just like bringing home your new baby. You need to be prepared. Both your yard and the inside of your home are filled with hazards that can be a risk to your pet. Forget to wipe up that antifreeze on the garage floor before you let your new puppy in the house, and your new loved one could be one of the 10,000 dogs and cats that die each year from that toxic substance alone.

So before you bring your pup through the doors of his new home, tackle these projects.


Get your rental home ready for winters with these four tips

4 Tips to Get Your Rental Property Ready for Winter

Every year it feels like winter is becoming sneakier as it creeps up on us suddenly. Even in the warm climate of Arizona, those freezing night temperatures in central and northern Arizona lead to tenants shivering in their cold rental homes and apartments while they try to turn the heat up. If you own a rental property in the area, you want to make sure your tenants are kept comfortable while your rental home withstands the possible winter storms rolling through the region. Use the following 4 tips offered by AZ Residential Management to get your rental ready for whatever weather comes to the area this winter.

1. Exterior Inspection

Perform an exterior inspection of the house to look for issues with the roof, window, door and exterior walls. Ensure gutter systems are clear of debris and fastened tightly.

Also, you should make sure to check the roof area and walls for potential holes created by small animals, such as ground squirrels and chipmunks. Seal up any holes that you find and continually inspect the area and remove pests to prevent them from trying to reenter. Then evaluate the roof condition and the lifecycle of roofing materials. Consider repair or replacement of a poor quality roof before the winter arrive to prevent leaks and further damage.

2. Sealing Doors and Windows

Caulking around doors and windows can become cracked or loose due to age and weather. To prevent drafts, inspect the caulking around window frames and doors. If you see any moisture damaged wood, remove the wood and install new framing. Then seal windows with the appropriate caulking. You should also remember to inspect and seal around exterior vent pipes.

3. Yearly Heating System Maintenance

It’s always a great idea to have your heating and cooling system inspected twice a year, once in the spring and once in the fall before winter arrives. Have your mechanical systems evaluated by a professional heating and cooling company that specializes in the brand of equipment that is installed. The technician should also check the thermostats to ensure they are operating correctly.

You should have them inspect all ductwork and vents into the home to clear them of any dirt, dust, debris or obstructions. Fix broken or loose ducts to ensure the heating system runs efficiently.

4. Property Upkeep

Most of the property upkeep before winter will consist of clearing leaves and trash from the property to prevent windblown debris. You should never forget to drain outdoor water pipes to prevent the lines from freezing and cracking.

After dealing with the pipes, you can place furniture and other items into storage to prevent them from becoming damaged from the wind. You should also inspect outdoor stairs and railings for problems that need to be fixed before the winter weather arrives.

With constant year-round upkeep and maintenance offered by AZ Residential Management, it becomes a simple task of getting your rental property ready for the winter. Create a safe and comfortable home for your tenants.


Maintain lower bills this summer with these handy tips

AC Management – How To Keep Your Electric Bill Low While Keeping You Cool This Summer

The cost of air conditioning always seems to go up in the summer. This is why it’s important to know about some different tips that will help you save money throughout the summer months. AC management will help you to maintain a lower bill while still being cool.

At AZ Residential Management, we’re committed to helping our tenants with AC management.

Program the Thermostat

The first thing you want to do is program your thermostat in order to make sure that you have different temperatures set for different times. During the day, when you’re not at home, there’s no need to have the AC set really low because it’s keeping the house cool for no reason. This is going to cost you on your electric bill.

There are plenty of advanced thermostats that will allow you to set up a schedule for day, night, and weekend. This means you won’t have to manually make the changes throughout the day.

Never set your thermostat lower than 78 degrees if possible as this could make the AC unit freeze and cause undue stress on the unit and down time during the hottest times of the year. If you are in a multi-story home the upstairs thermostat will always need to be set at least one degree higher than the down stair thermostat.

Change the Filters

It’s important that your AC unit runs as efficiently as possible. If there is a lot of dust and debris in the system, the system will have to work twice as hard to cool your home. This means you want to make sure that your system runs well so that you’re not spending more on the electric bill.

Changing the filters will help you to achieve a better system. The filters need to be changed every month with higher level of filtration filters especially when there are people living in your home that suffer from allergies or you have pets.

Use Curtains/Blinds

Additionally, it’s a good idea to have curtains and/or blinds on all of the windows. When you are home during the day and the sun is shining, the curtains/blinds should be closed. This will minimize the amount of heat that is able to enter a room. Make it easier to maintain a lower temperature so that your air-conditioning doesn’t have to work on overdrive.

Implementing a few different tips throughout the summer months will help you with AC management. You will notice that your electric bill stays lower while your home remains cool throughout the day and night so that you are more comfortable.