Showing posts with label Pawcatuck. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pawcatuck. Show all posts

Saturday, November 30, 2019

Seven things to know about home generators



There’s little more frightening than losing your electricity in the middle of a big winter storm in the Mystic to Westerly Area. Whatever natural disaster is common in your area, you have probably experienced at least one major disaster in your life. Because of that, you may tend to linger around the generators at your favorite home improvement store when bad weather season starts.

Is this the year you’ll finally install a whole-home generator? Before you swipe that card, take a look at these must-know things about choosing a whole home generator.

A Generator Can Be An Investment In Your Home


You probably know that in some areas you can get tax credits for installing efficient whole-home generators, but what you may not realize is that a permanently installed generator can also increase your home’s value. According to Consumer Reports, a three to five percent increase in appraised value after a generator is installed isn’t uncommon.                                                                                          
But, you can’t just stick any old generator in the yard and call it a home improvement. The generator you choose will be part of your home’s electrical system for the foreseeable future, so it has to be able to do the job you need it to do. Here are seven things to keep in mind while you’re shopping:

  1. Generators are far from universal in size. You should make a list of the items you intend to keep turned on while you’re running on generator power before you start to shop. Appliances, HVAC systems, hot water heaters and even light bulbs add up when you’re talking about an entire home. Although your appliances may differ in their power consumption, in general, refrigerators use about 600 watts of electricity, your lights can soak up to 600 watts, even your computer may need 300 watts to stay running.                                                                                                                                                    
  2. Portable generators can be an inexpensive alternative. If you’re only hoping to keep a few lights on and maybe a small refrigerator running during a power outage, you might be able to limp along with a portable generator. These smaller units can be loud and require lots of manual intervention, including refilling their fuel tanks multiple times during prolonged use, but can push out 3,000 to 8,500 watts reliably for under $1,000.                                                                                                                                                   
  3. Generators run on different types of fuel. Those portable generators almost exclusively run on either gasoline or kerosine, though some can be converted to run on propane or natural gas with a special kit. A whole house generator connects to a gas line by default, be that propane or natural gas. Depending on where you live and what your utility supplies, you’ll want to choose one that matches your fuel supply. If you live in a rural area, you may have to rely on your propane tank to run your generator, keep it full through the toughest weather of the year.                                                                                                                                                           
  4. Regular maintenance on generators includes running them frequently throughout the year to ensure that there isn’t an unplanned problem when an emergency does crop up. Some whole home generators have an automatic maintenance cycle, allowing you to ignore them most of the time. However, these auto-run cycles can be very noisy, so you’ll want to consider the decibel level of the generator you choose.                                                                                                                                                 
  5. You’ll need a transfer switch, but there are several options. Transfer switches are electrical devices that allow you to change the power source that runs your home from the utility grid to your home generator. There are many different types, rated both by amps and switching type. Manual switches are less expensive, but require you to make the connection in all kinds of weather, automatic switches will flip on the generator when they detect a lack of power from the grid.                                                                                                                                             
  6. Older homes may need electrical panel upgrades. Even homes that aren’t considered antiques can have very limited electrical systems that aren’t compatible with a large transfer switch. If you want to use, say, a 200 amp transfer switch and your house will only support 100 amps, either your system needs to be upgraded or your generator transfer switch will need to be downgraded.                                                                                                                                     
  7. It needs to be installed by a professional. There are people who have installed their own whole home generators, but because of local building codes and the general difficulty of the project, this is not something that’s generally encouraged. You’ll be tapping into gas lines, electrical systems and you’ll need to place the unit a very specific distance from combustible materials and above areas that may flood.                                                                              

Don’t Spend One More Season Without Power

Storms can blow in fast and ice will bring powerlines to the ground, but you don’t have to worry with a whole home generator that’s properly sized for your house and carefully installed. You never know who might come out when you have the guy working for the home improvement store do the job, but when you ask for a referral from your HomeKeepr community, you can be assured that you’re getting the best.



Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Is it time for new windows?















Whether you just bought your home in the Mystic to Westerly area or you’ve owned it a while, it can be easy to overlook the windows that open it up to the world, as if they didn’t even exist. Even if you don’t, you probably know that a lot of glass and natural light is awesome, but it comes at a cost. As windows age and homes settle, windows can distort ever slow slightly. It’s not enough that you’d notice, at least until the first cold blasts of Arctic air are blowing into your home.                                  
Short of waiting for a major blowing snowstorm, how can you tell if it’s time for new windows? We’ll walk you through it. Read on, reader!

Signs Your Windows are Giving Up the Ghost

When it comes to the big things in your house, windows are pretty huge. On the hassle scale, replacing windows is up there with a new roof or trying to retile the busiest room in your home. Unfortunately, these are all jobs that you’ll eventually need to tackle, but sometimes you can make repairs rather than start a replacement project that will eat up your money, your time and turn your home into a construction zone.

Starting at a few hundred dollars each, a house full of windows can be a huge investment that you’re unlikely to get back. Before you go window hunting, check this list to see if buying new windows is the right move after all:

  • Are your energy bills climbing or already high? A significant rise in your utility bills over the last year, or even five years, that comes from an increased use of power or gas and not simply a rate hike means you’re leaking somewhere. Windows are often the culprit. If you can borrow an infrared camera, you can track exactly where the energy loss is coming from. If you don’t have a friend with such fun toys, many home pros offer this service. Check HomeKeepr for a referral.                                                                                                                        
  • Are they tricky to open or won’t stay open without a prop? Really old windows may have a problem staying open because their corded weights have broken after decades of use and fallen into the interior space between the window and the wall. Newer windows might refuse to close because they’ve shifted ever so slightly. Either way, these are windows that are a huge pain to operate. That alone can be a good reason to replace them.                                                
  • Can you hear your neighbors when you’re indoors? Cars, kids and pets, they’re all part of living in most communities, but they also make a lot of noise. Good quality windows will help reduce the volume, though none can block noise entirely. If you can hear your neighbor’s car like it’s in your own driveway, you definitely need to consider a window replacement.                                                                                                                                                      
  • Do you wake up to condensation between the window glass panes? A small amount of condensation isn’t really anything to worry about, but when it’s widespread or happens every day and hangs around for most of it, your window pane seal has probably been compromised. Sometimes you can contact the manufacturer or the reseller where the window came from and order a replacement pane, but they can be difficult to install and costly, which is why many people choose new windows at this stage. A window with a busted seal is one that’s costing you serious cash. The air trapped between those two (or three) panes of glass act as insulation, reducing the rate at which the window cools.                
  • Is there extensive damage? Sometimes the damage to your windows can’t really be seen until you open them up, examine moving parts closely and, when necessary, remove some trim to look for rot that’s hidden inside the wall. Small sections of damage can sometimes be repaired, but larger areas indicate that you need to fix whatever cause the damage in the first place and then replace that window with one that’s new and healthy.                                             

What if My Windows aren’t Damaged?

If your windows are in great shape and the only problem you’re having is heat loss, you can do a few different things to maximize your efficiency when the cold wind blows. Those include:                                                                                                                                                            
Winterizing. Go around the house and seal up all the nooks, crannies and cracks you might find. A new bead of caulk around each window and door and along all the trim will help reduce drafts.                                                                                                                                                     
Sticking up window insulation film. For a temporary fix this winter, you can install window insulation film on the cold windows in question. When installed properly, you can barely tell there’s anything between the room and the window.                                                                                     
Installing heavy curtains. Like a warm blanket on a cold night, a thick insulating curtain can help reduce both heat loss and drafts. The only catch is that you have to keep them closed, which can make your cabin fever burn this winter.                                                                                  

Do You Know Who to Call for New Windows?

When it’s time to put new windows in your house, you don’t have to look any further than your HomeKeepr community for a window installer that you can trust. After all, your real estate agent recommended their favorite subcontractors, people they know will do a professional job each and every time. Come see who’s waiting to help you in the Mystic to Westerly community.



Saturday, May 11, 2019

Pawcatuck Real estate Market Report May 2019

Pawcatuck Real Estate Agent Bridget Morrissey May 2019 Pawcatuck Real Estate Market Report
Pawcatuck Realtor Bridget Morrissey presents the Pawcatuck Real Estate Market Activity Summary for the month of April 2019. It shows that there were 55 Pawcatuck homes for sale and 6 Pawcatuck homes for rent . The Median Listing Home Price in Pawcatuck was $267,500. On average, homes in Pawcatuck sell after 72 days on the market. For the entire Pawcatuck Real Estate Market Report from Pawcatuck Real Estate Agent Bridget Morrissey please click HERE.



Saturday, April 27, 2019

Neighborhood Report for Pawcatuck Homes for Sale




The Neighborhood Report for Pawcatuck Homes for Sale is presented by Pawcatuck Realtor Bridget Morrissey. In March, the Median Estimated Home Value in Pawcatuck was $287K compared to $258K for New London County homes. For Pawcatuck homes for sale the figure represents a 12 month change of +6.8%. The Median List Price was $268K, a -10.5% change for the last twelve months. 

 For the entire Pawcatuck Report for Norwich Homes for Sale from Pawcatuck Real Estate Agent Bridget Morrissey click on the link below.









Saturday, April 13, 2019

Pawcatuck Real Estate Market Activity Summary for the month of March 2019



Pawcatuck Realtor Bridget Morrissey presents the Pawcatuck Real Estate Market Activity Summary for the month of March 2019. It shows that there were 47 Pawcatuck homes for sale and 8 Pawcatuck homes for rent . The Median Listing Home Price in Pawcatuck was $279,500. On average, homes in Pawcatuck sell after 72 days on the market. 

For the entire Pawcatuck Real Estate Market Report from Pawcatuck Real Estate Agent Bridget Morrissey please click the link below.









Wednesday, March 20, 2019

Local Median Estimated Home Value vs Median List Price


Do you want to know the Median Estimated Home Value vs the Median list Price on homes for sale in southeastern Connecticut and southern Rhode Island? has local Real Estate Market Reports and Neighborhood Reports from local Realtor Bridget Morrissey.

Saturday, February 9, 2019

Pawcatuck Real Estate Market Report for February 2019 by Pawcatuck Realtor Bridget Morrissey


The Pawcatuck Real Estate Market Report is brought to you by Pawcatuck Realtor Bridget Morrissey.




The Pawcatuck Real Estate Market Report is brought to you by Pawcatuck Realtor Bridget Morrissey.


The Pawcatuck Real Estate Market Report is brought to you by Pawcatuck Realtor Bridget Morrissey.
The Pawcatuck Real Estate Market Report is brought to you by Pawcatuck Realtor Bridget Morrissey.

The Pawcatuck Real Estate Market Report is brought to you by Pawcatuck Realtor Bridget Morrissey.
The Pawcatuck Real Estate Market Report is brought to you by Pawcatuck Realtor Bridget Morrissey.
CLICK HERE FOR THE STONINGTON REAL ESTATE REPORT














Pawcatuck is a village in the town of Stonington which is located in New London County on the coast bordering Rhode Island. The population was 5,624 at the 2010 census. It is located across the Pawcatuck River from Westerly Rhode Island.


















The Mechanic Street Historic District is on the National Register of Historic Places includes sites of shipbuilding, mills, and worker housing in a 147-acre area.
Pawcatuck includes the neighborhoods listed below:








The Pawcatuck Real Estate Market Report is brought to you by Pawcatuck Realtor Bridget Morrissey.

Wednesday, January 23, 2019

Time for New Windows















Whether you just bought your home in the Mystic to Westerly area or you’ve owned it a while, it can be easy to overlook the windows that open it up to the world, as if they didn’t even exist. Even if you don’t, you probably know that a lot of glass and natural light is awesome, but it comes at a cost. As windows age and homes settle, windows can distort ever slow slightly. It’s not enough that you’d notice, at least until the first cold blasts of Arctic air are blowing into your home.                                  
Short of waiting for a major blowing snowstorm, how can you tell if it’s time for new windows? We’ll walk you through it. Read on, reader!

Signs Your Windows are Giving Up the Ghost

When it comes to the big things in your house, windows are pretty huge. On the hassle scale, replacing windows is up there with a new roof or trying to retile the busiest room in your home. Unfortunately, these are all jobs that you’ll eventually need to tackle, but sometimes you can make repairs rather than start a replacement project that will eat up your money, your time and turn your home into a construction zone.

Starting at a few hundred dollars each, a house full of windows can be a huge investment that you’re unlikely to get back. Before you go window hunting, check this list to see if buying new windows is the right move after all:

  • Are your energy bills climbing or already high? A significant rise in your utility bills over the last year, or even five years, that comes from an increased use of power or gas and not simply a rate hike means you’re leaking somewhere. Windows are often the culprit. If you can borrow an infrared camera, you can track exactly where the energy loss is coming from. If you don’t have a friend with such fun toys, many home pros offer this service. Check HomeKeepr for a referral.                                                                                                                        
  • Are they tricky to open or won’t stay open without a prop? Really old windows may have a problem staying open because their corded weights have broken after decades of use and fallen into the interior space between the window and the wall. Newer windows might refuse to close because they’ve shifted ever so slightly. Either way, these are windows that are a huge pain to operate. That alone can be a good reason to replace them.                                                
  • Can you hear your neighbors when you’re indoors? Cars, kids and pets, they’re all part of living in most communities, but they also make a lot of noise. Good quality windows will help reduce the volume, though none can block noise entirely. If you can hear your neighbor’s car like it’s in your own driveway, you definitely need to consider a window replacement.                                                                                                                                                      
  • Do you wake up to condensation between the window glass panes? A small amount of condensation isn’t really anything to worry about, but when it’s widespread or happens every day and hangs around for most of it, your window pane seal has probably been compromised. Sometimes you can contact the manufacturer or the reseller where the window came from and order a replacement pane, but they can be difficult to install and costly, which is why many people choose new windows at this stage. A window with a busted seal is one that’s costing you serious cash. The air trapped between those two (or three) panes of glass act as insulation, reducing the rate at which the window cools.                
  • Is there extensive damage? Sometimes the damage to your windows can’t really be seen until you open them up, examine moving parts closely and, when necessary, remove some trim to look for rot that’s hidden inside the wall. Small sections of damage can sometimes be repaired, but larger areas indicate that you need to fix whatever cause the damage in the first place and then replace that window with one that’s new and healthy.                                             

What if My Windows aren’t Damaged?

If your windows are in great shape and the only problem you’re having is heat loss, you can do a few different things to maximize your efficiency when the cold wind blows. Those include:                                                                                                                                                            
Winterizing. Go around the house and seal up all the nooks, crannies and cracks you might find. A new bead of caulk around each window and door and along all the trim will help reduce drafts.                                                                                                                                                     
Sticking up window insulation film. For a temporary fix this winter, you can install window insulation film on the cold windows in question. When installed properly, you can barely tell there’s anything between the room and the window.                                                                                     
Installing heavy curtains. Like a warm blanket on a cold night, a thick insulating curtain can help reduce both heat loss and drafts. The only catch is that you have to keep them closed, which can make your cabin fever burn this winter.                                                                                  

Do You Know Who to Call for New Windows?

When it’s time to put new windows in your house, you don’t have to look any further than your HomeKeepr community for a window installer that you can trust. After all, your real estate agent recommended their favorite subcontractors, people they know will do a professional job each and every time. Come see who’s waiting to help you in the Mystic to Westerly community.



Tuesday, January 22, 2019

7 Things to know about whole home generators



There’s little more frightening than losing your electricity in the middle of a big winter storm in the Mystic to Westerly Area. Whatever natural disaster is common in your area, you have probably experienced at least one major disaster in your life. Because of that, you may tend to linger around the generators at your favorite home improvement store when bad weather season starts.

Is this the year you’ll finally install a whole-home generator? Before you swipe that card, take a look at these must-know things about choosing a whole home generator.

A Generator Can Be An Investment In Your Home


You probably know that in some areas you can get tax credits for installing efficient whole-home generators, but what you may not realize is that a permanently installed generator can also increase your home’s value. According to Consumer Reports, a three to five percent increase in appraised value after a generator is installed isn’t uncommon.
But, you can’t just stick any old generator in the yard and call it a home improvement. The generator you choose will be part of your home’s electrical system for the foreseeable future, so it has to be able to do the job you need it to do. Here are seven things to keep in mind while you’re shopping:

  1. Generators are far from universal in size. You should make a list of the items you intend to keep turned on while you’re running on generator power before you start to shop. Appliances, HVAC systems, hot water heaters and even light bulbs add up when you’re talking about an entire home. Although your appliances may differ in their power consumption, in general, refrigerators use about 600 watts of electricity, your lights can soak up to 600 watts, even your computer may need 300 watts to stay running.                                              
  2. Portable generators can be an inexpensive alternative. If you’re only hoping to keep a few lights on and maybe a small refrigerator running during a power outage, you might be able to limp along with a portable generator. These smaller units can be loud and require lots of manual intervention, including refilling their fuel tanks multiple times during prolonged use, but can push out 3,000 to 8,500 watts reliably for under $1,000.                                                               
  3. Generators run on different types of fuel. Those portable generators almost exclusively run on either gasoline or kerosine, though some can be converted to run on propane or natural gas with a special kit. A whole house generator connects to a gas line by default, be that propane or natural gas. Depending on where you live and what your utility supplies, you’ll want to choose one that matches your fuel supply. If you live in a rural area, you may have to rely on your propane tank to run your generator, keep it full through the toughest weather of the year.                                                                                                                                                           
  4. Regular maintenance on generators includes running them frequently throughout the year to ensure that there isn’t an unplanned problem when an emergency does crop up. Some whole home generators have an automatic maintenance cycle, allowing you to ignore them most of the time. However, these auto-run cycles can be very noisy, so you’ll want to consider the decibel level of the generator you choose.                                                                           
  5. You’ll need a transfer switch, but there are several options. Transfer switches are electrical devices that allow you to change the power source that runs your home from the utility grid to your home generator. There are many different types, rated both by amps and switching type. Manual switches are less expensive, but require you to make the connection in all kinds of weather, automatic switches will flip on the generator when they detect a lack of power from the grid.                                                                                                                                             
  6. Older homes may need electrical panel upgrades. Even homes that aren’t considered antiques can have very limited electrical systems that aren’t compatible with a large transfer switch. If you want to use, say, a 200 amp transfer switch and your house will only support 100 amps, either your system needs to be upgraded or your generator transfer switch will need to be downgraded.                                                                                                                                     
  7. It needs to be installed by a professional. There are people who have installed their own whole home generators, but because of local building codes and the general difficulty of the project, this is not something that’s generally encouraged. You’ll be tapping into gas lines, electrical systems and you’ll need to place the unit a very specific distance from combustible materials and above areas that may flood.                                                                              

Don’t Spend One More Season Without Power

Storms can blow in fast and ice will bring powerlines to the ground, but you don’t have to worry with a whole home generator that’s properly sized for your house and carefully installed. You never know who might come out when you have the guy working for the home improvement store do the job, but when you ask for a referral from your HomeKeepr community, you can be assured that you’re getting the best.



Friday, November 23, 2018

Mystic 2 Westerly wants you



Follow #mystic2westerly and let us know #whatshappening in #mystic, #groton, #stonington, #newlondon, #westerly, #misquamicut, #watchhill, #Pawcatuck, #nostonington, #ledyard, #preston and #norwich