Keep Your House Cool This Summer

Air conditioning and keeping your home cool during the summer can be very expensive. Thanks to the the team at MSN we have some cheap ways to keep our houses manageable to live in. Click here to read the article or begin below.

"27 Cheap Ways to Keep Your House Cooler"
By MSN Real Estate 

Sure, go ahead and turn that thermostat up to 80. You'll be sweaty and still shelling out a bundle -- unless you take other steps to make summer heat more bearable and reduce stress on your air conditioner.

Most of these cost little or nothing. Thank the Department of Energy's Energy Savers program, which provides most of these tips (and more) on its own Web site.

Get the most from your air conditioning

•Open windows and use portable or ceiling fans instead of operating your air conditioner. Even mild air movement of 1 mph can make you feel three or four degrees cooler. Make sure your ceiling fan is turned for summer -- you should feel the air blown downward.

•Use a fan with your window air conditioner to spread the cool air through your home.

•Without blocking air flow, shade your outside compressor. Change air filters monthly during the summer.

Click here to read the entire article.

Housefixer: 5 Spring DIY Tasks

We found a great post on Checkatradeblog.com titled, 'Housefixer: 5 Spring DIY Tasks'. The post offers up a few DIY home improvements perfect for the Spring time. The post breaks down various DIY tasks that will re-invigorate your home for the Spring and even prepare you for the upcoming Summer months. You can check out the post here or begin reading below.

"Housefixer: 5 Spring DIY tasks."
By Checkatradeblog

Here are a few home improvements perfect for spring time.
Each one can have a dramatic impact on the appearance or comfort of your home, and the end result will be something you can enjoy for some time.

1. Painting or wallpapering.
There's nothing like a lick of paint or some new wallpaper to freshen up a room's appearance, and the project can easily be completed within a day or two, depending on how much there is to do.

When it comes to painting and wallpapering, the hardest part is actually deciding on a color palette or patter. Neutral tones and soft shades are good choices in small rooms, as they help create a sense of spaciousness. If you want to go big and bold, it might be best to designate a feature wall.


Click Here to read the entire post.

House Doctors featured in Time Leader

House Doctors was recently featured in an article in the Times Leader, titled “Father, sons mix work, family: Shoeners share special bond, talented and advice.” In the article, Scranton-area franchisees, Ed and Bill Shoener, discussed their father/son business dynamic. Bill Shoener, who worked as a handyman while in college earning two degrees, asked his dad for business assistance when he decided to go into business for himself. The two decided to open a franchise location of House Doctors, and now service portions of Luzerne, Lackawanna, Wyoming, Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe counties. The article discusses how working with family has allowed both father and son to develop a deep appreciation for one another. Click here to view the full article!

Father, sons mix work, family
By Andrew M. Seder

F ather’s Day for many dads out there arrives on Sunday. For Ed Shoener, every day is Father’s Day. The 56-year-old Minooka resident owns one business, where he employs his eldest son, Rob, and helps his youngest son, Bill, run his own business. While Ed admits the father-son relationship can be strained when the employer-employee factor is thrown into the mix, he said that for the most part it’s been a rewarding experience. “It’s good to see them mature and succeed,” Ed said. And his sons are appreciative of his helping hand, too.

Ed has operated his own business, Shoener Environmental in Dickson City, for 15 years. The firm also has an office in Portage and San Diego. His son Rob, 30, was working as an engineer at another firm in the San Diego area, but when the economy soured he was looking for work. He joined his dad’s firm in 2007 and in the future will likely become a part owner.

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