What temperature should an empty house be left at in the winter?

In Central Texas the temperature can dip into the teens occasionally.  One day it can be 70 degrees and then the next night it will be below freezing.  I would recommend not to set your thermostat lower than 55 degrees.   60 degrees seems to be a good temperature if you have lots of wood and art work in your home. Remember never turn the heat completely off. 

Don't Forget to Winterize

Our neighbors in the Northern part of the country have been experiencing some snow and freezing temperatures already.  Around the Lake Travis  area we get to enjoy sunny 80 degree plus days still.  However, our temperatures have occasionally dipped into the forties and mid thirties for several hours at night.   Not enough to cause any damage to watercraft, hose spigots or your lawn irrigation system yet.  This is mother natures friendly reminder to put on those insulated hose spigot covers and winterize the watercraft and lawn irrigation system.  Don't wait till the forecast predicts freezing weather and hope the boat mechanic has times to get out to your dock to winterize your boat.  Chances are he's already booked winterizing everyone else's watercraft that didn't plan ahead.   Some of you are thinking it won't get as cold as it did last year and will opt not to winterize your boat.  This will make you think twice.  I spoke with an Owner of a local boat dealership / service center and he indicate they had at least 15 boats with cracked engine blocks this last winter.  Those repairs ranged from 3-7 thousand dollars each.

If you're not sure what needs winterizing or need help winterizing contact Casa Watchers:  (888) 619-2272 or e-mail us at Info@casawatchers.com

Lago Vista's fourth National Night Out

The Lago Vista Police Department has invited all area residents to Lago Vista's fourth National Night Out and Open House, Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2011, 4:00pm - 7:00pm, at the new LVPD Headquarters. For more information  Click Here

Meet Our New Property Manager

Sharlayne L. Maloney - Property Manager

Sharlayne is a versatile and valuable member of Casa Watchers as she brings more than 25 years of experience including interior design/decorating, staging, home decor visual display, merchandising and personal shopping. Additionally, she has been a real estate agent for the past seven years.

As a Property Manager for Casa Watchers, Sharlayne finds great satisfaction in helping others more thoroughly enjoy their time at their "home away from home"! She recalls having four small children and a weekend home and how much she would have appreciated the types of services Casa Watchers offers! Sharlayne looks forward to using her background, knowledge and creativity to provide you with valuable and impeccable service.

Education/Certification

State of Texas licensed Real Estate Agent

State of Illinois licensed Real Estate Agent

Bachelor of Fine Arts in Fashion Design and Marketing
American Intercontinental University, Atlanta, Georgia

Associate Degree in Fashion Design

Miami-Dade Community College, Miami, Florida

Click the link to see the rest of the Casa Watchers team:Casa Watchers Team

Water Heaters

Hot water heaters tend to be reliable, but they do wear out (life expectancy is typically 10-15 years) It's a good idea to periodically  check around the base of your water heater for evidence of leaks. If your water heater is over 6 years old, it should be checked monthly for any leakage or rusting at the bottom. If water leakage or rust is found, the water heater should be replaced.   This can prevent costly water damage caused by water heater failures.

Eliminate Hiding Places For Burglars

Home security does not stop the minute you step outside the front door. The quality of your yard maintenance also affects your family‘s safety. You do not have to have a green thumb to realize that home security involves your entire property.

If you have hedges, bushes, gardens or trees in your lawn, it is important to keep them trimmed and neat. You want to eliminate places that a burglar might be able to hide while trying to break into your home.  The path from your yard to the house must also be kept clear and open. There should be no place for a burglar to jump out from and surprise you on your way into the house. Any bushes or gardens that border the path should be kept low enough so that you can see the other side clearly.

By keeping the soil and grass in your yard fresh and taken care of, it is much easier to notice disturbances like footprints made by trespassers. When there is no place for a burglar to hide they are forced out into the open. This increases the likelihood that you or a neighbor might see them, and visibility is a significant deterrent to burglars

Check with you local Police Department Crime Prevention Officer to see if they over a free Home Security Evaluation.

Building Permits

A building permit protects the current homeowner and the future occupants of the home. If a contractor suggests that you do not need one, check with the building department yourself; you probably do, and it is to your advantage to get one.  A permit ensures oversight of your contractor's work (or yours). The scrutiny of an inspector can guard against mistakes and shoddy workmanship and ensure that the work adheres to building codes. Should a situation arise requiring you to file a claim with your insurance company on work that required a permit, you will quickly learn that your insurance company won't cover it.  Always get a permit when one is required, you'll  sleep better knowing your project meets safety standards for materials/construction techniques and avoid any issues when selling the home in the future.

Landscaping in The Hollows Phase 1 of 3 Complete

Summers Almost Here

At Casa Watchers we are big believers in annual maintenance especially with the furnace and air conditioners.  Every year we have a few home owners that don’t want to have annual maintenance performed on their units.  Some make it through the summer or winter with no problems - their gamble paid off.  They saved a few dollars. But, with the summer almost here we already had 3 A/C units fail (none of them had an annual maintenance).   Of course the A/C never fails in the middle of the work day when it is hot out.   The A/C fails on a holiday weekend, when it's 100 degrees outside, with a house full of guests.  Lesson to be learned, regular maintenance is a must and a much cheaper alternative!   

Contact Casa Watchers today to schedule your annual maintenance. 

(888) 619-CASA (2272)

or

e-mail us at: Info@CasaWatchers.com

   

Deck Staining

Casa Watchers can do wonders with your old deck.  Staining  a deck can be tricky and it's important to know what type of stain to use and when to use it.  Additionally, knowing how to properly prepare you deck prior to staining is just as important.  Below is a before and after picture of a deck we just stained.

Before

After

Hill Country Dayz 2011

Hill Country Dayz is a festival held on May 28th in Lago Vista at Bar K Park on the North Shore of Lake Travis approximately 35 miles NW of Austin. Hill Country Dayz is a day long event for folks of all ages. Hill Country Dayz will feature; Live Music, Food & Drink. Fun & Games, Vendors, Silent Auction, Car Corral featuring all types of classic cars, Turnback Canyon Regatta & More.

Be sure to stop by the Casa Watchers booth and say hi and see how we can help you with your Home Improvement needs and our Property Management / Home Watch Services for your second home or lake house.  And yes we do provide our Home Watch Services for local folks that go on vacation as well.

We sure hope to see Y'all at Hill Country Dayz and have Great Weekend...!

P.S. were giving away free Koozies. 

If you don't know what a Koozie is then that's all the more reason to stop by.

For more information about Hill Country Dayz goto: http://www.hillcountrydayz.org/

It's Seasonal Air Conditioner Maintenance Time

It's time for seasonal air conditioner maintenance.  Nothing is worse than no air on the hottest day of the year.  Schedule your seasonal maintenance with Casa Watchers today...! 

(888) 619-2272 (CASA)  or E-mail: Info@CasaWatchers.com

Our typical maintenance inspection includes the following on the A/C unit and furnace/Blower unit:

·         Wash condensing coil of dirt and debris

·         Check Amp draws of compressor                            

·         Check Amp draws of condenser fan                       

·         Check output of all capacitors                                    

·         Clean drain line

·         Verify Freon charge is within in manufactures specs.

·         Check wiring for frayed or loose connections

·         Check thermostat calibration and operation

·         Clean return air grill(s) (surface only)

·         Check ductwork at air handler for leaks

·         Check temperature differential and heat rise      

·         Check blower operation and amp draw                

·         clean blower wheel for max airflow as needed

·         Check evaporator coil for mold contamination   

·         Overall Condition of air handler                                

·         Overall condition of condenser                                 

·         Change air filter

Casa Watchers does landscaping

Casa Watchers is currently working on a landscape project in The Hollows located in Jonestown, Texas.  This is Phase 1 of 3 



Before





Day 1



Day1



Stay tuned for a progress update.

A good reason to have a home watch company visiting your home when your not there...!

Doing a typical Home Watch Visit today and discovered the A/C wasn't working. Casa Watchers investigated and discovered the circuit breaker had failed and in turn melted due to intense heat causing internal damage to the circuit breaker panel. Luckily this Home Owner Uses Casa Watchers otherwise, this situation could have been much worse if the breaker would have been left unnoticed and could have potentially caused a house fire.