Latest news with #Homeowners
CTV News
2 days ago
- General
- CTV News
18-year-old arrested after multiple attempted break-ins in Kitchener
Waterloo Regional Police have arrested an 18-year-old man in connection to multiple attempted break-ins in Kitchener on Monday. Police said at around 8:50 p.m., a man went to four different residences on Wren Place and tried to break into each home. The man was unable to. The homeowners confronted the man who then assaulted three people before running away. Police came to the area about five minutes later, where they found the man outside one of the homes and arrested him. An 18-year-old man was charged with four counts of break and enter and three counts of assault.
CNET
25-05-2025
- General
- CNET
This One Trick Got My Air Conditioner Working Like It Used To
When my AC suddenly stopped blowing cold air, I assumed the worst - a major repair or a total breakdown. Turns out, the problem was way simpler: a dirty filter. I didn't realize how quickly dust, pet hair and all the other stuff floating around the house can clog it up. Once I pulled it out and saw the mess, it made sense. A backed-up filter slows everything down and forces the unit to work harder, sometimes to the point where it just stops cooling altogether. The fix? A quick clean or a swap for a new one, depending on your setup. Now I make a habit of checking the filter regularly. It takes just a few minutes, but it keeps the air cold, clean and flowing - which is a lifesaver during these brutal summer months. Below we'll outline when to change your AC filter and how to swap it the right way to guarantee your AC unit runs properly and efficiently. For more, explore these six ways to save on air conditioning this summer and effective ways to lower your AC bills when on vacation. Read more: How to Clean Your Air Conditioner So It Runs Like New Here's how to tell if your AC filter needs changing The only real way to know it's time to replace your AC filter is by checking on it every so often. To do so, pop your AC filter out and hold it up to the light. If you can't see through the filter, then it's time for a new one. Below, find step-by-step instructions on how to change out your filter. If your air filter looks like the filter on the left, then it's time to replace to change an AC home air filter First things first: You need to locate it. It could be several places: in the air handler cabinet, return air duct or in a window AC unit, etc. Next, make sure you get the right filter size -- the dimensions are usually printed on the side of the filter – so you can make sure you're buying or ordering the right size replacement. Now, it's time to actually change the filter: Turn the power off . This will ensure that you don't touch live voltage or that debris be sucked into the unit. So, be sure to turn off power at the unit and also at the circuit breaker. . This will ensure that you don't touch live voltage or that debris be sucked into the unit. So, be sure to turn off power at the unit and also at the circuit breaker. Remove the old filter. Simply slide it out of the slot that holds it in place. Simply slide it out of the slot that holds it in place. Take note of its condition . Can you see through it when it's held up to the light? If not, definitely time to replace it. . Can you see through it when it's held up to the light? If not, definitely time to replace it. Insert the new filter. To make sure you get it in the right way, make sure the arrow icon on the filter's frame points away from the return air duct and toward the air handler mechanism. Buy the right size filter by checking the dimensions printed on the old filter's frame. mphillips007/Getty Images How often does an AC filter need to be changed? Do you know off the top of your head the last time you changed your filter? If you can't remember, it has no doubt been too long. Many HVAC filters actually say on the packaging that a monthly check-in is ideal to keep dust and allergens to a minimum. For the most part, experts agree your filter will probably need to be replaced every three months or so, but monthly assessments can guarantee you don't leave a worn-out filter in your unit for too long past its effectiveness. Other factors that change the lifespan of your AC filter Depending on a number of factors, such as your surroundings, the season and the inhabitants of your home, you may want to replace your air conditioning filter more or less often than once a month. Air filter type Some air conditioning filters are made to last longer than others. But luckily, you don't have to do a ton of research or be an AC expert to know which brand is best. Just look at the packaging. All AC filters have a Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV) rating. The higher the MERV number, the better quality the filter is, meaning it can hold contaminants or debris more efficiently and therefore lasts longer. The only downside to picking a filter with a high MERV rating is that it can slow down the airflow in your AC unit. The best filter options will have a balance between good quality and good airflow, which is typically a filter with a MERV rating between 6 and 8. If you have a high-efficiency AC unit, you may be able to get away with a higher MERV rating, but check the owner's manual just in case. Geography Geography and seasonality can also affect how often your filter will need to be replaced. Living in a dusty or more polluted environment calls for a new air filter at least once every three months. For example, in desert climates, your AC is filtering out all that desert dust (in addition to 90-plus degree temperatures) to keep the air in your home pleasant to breathe. Your AC is likely working overtime, which means it'll need extra maintenance. Pets What sort of creatures inhabit your household can also determine how often you'll need to replace the filter. If you're like me and have two long-haired pets living with you, checking your filter every three weeks is a good rule of thumb to prevent build-up. Usage If you live in a temperate climate and rarely turn your AC unit on, you can probably wait up to six months to change the filter. A simple way to remember is to switch the filter out once in the spring and again in the fall. Now Playing: Beat the summer heat with this DIY air conditioner 02:39 An added incentive to change your filter Not only can regularly changing your AC filter help improve your home's air quality and conditions, it can save you money over time. Replacing a dirty, clogged filter with a new, clean one can lower your air conditioner's energy consumption by 5 to 15 percent, according to the US Department of Energy. And less energy consumed by your AC equals lower utility bills, which is a huge perk in the heat of summer when electricity costs spike for much of the US. For more, you can also check out this home upgrade that can save you money on AC costs and this comparison between window AC units and portable AC units.
National Post
20-05-2025
- Business
- National Post
Adam Zivo: Housing minister says unaffordable homes are the answer
Canada's new housing minister Gregor Robertson says that the prices of existing homes shouldn't go down, lest this negatively impact current homeowners, and that affordable housing should be provided through massive government subsidies instead. His position is economically illiterate and raises concerns about his fitness to lead this portfolio. Article content Article content Anyone with a cursory understanding of economics knows that, in a regular market, the price of any given commodity will be roughly the same for both the buyer and seller. If you want people to have the option of purchasing $3 coffee, for example, you need cafes that are willing to sell coffee for $3 as well. While these dynamics are sometimes distorted — i.e. through taxes and subsidies — this is, for the most part, how transactions work. Article content Article content So if you want the Canadian housing market to become more affordable for buyers, it naturally follows that sellers will have to accept lower prices, which, for existing homeowners, means that the value of their properties must decline. This is an obvious point that is well-understood throughout the political spectrum. Article content Article content Yet, on his first day on the job, upon being asked whether prices need to go down, Robertson said 'no' and advocated for delivering more government-subsidized 'affordable housing' instead. He later clarified on X that his opposition is rooted in the fact that, for most Canadians, their current home 'is their most valuable asset.' Canada is in the throes of an unprecedented housing bubble that has been stoked by two decades of bad government policies. Prices have doubled since the early 2000s, after adjusting for inflation, thanks to red tape that throttles the construction of new homes and guarantees persistent market shortages. Those who bought early — meaning older Canadians — made huge sums of money at the expense of younger Canadians and newcomers, who will be stuck purchasing these overvalued assets. Article content Article content It is now extraordinarily difficult for Canadians to buy their first property in major markets without parental aid or an inheritance. In cities like Toronto and Vancouver, it takes over a decade to save for the minimum downpayment of an average home, even if you make $100,000 a year and save 10 per cent of your gross income. The problem is so dire that some have characterized Canada as an emerging 'neofeudal' society where homeownership is predominantly a hereditary privilege. Article content
Geek Vibes Nation
12-05-2025
- Business
- Geek Vibes Nation
Renovation On A Budget: How 3D Home Design Software Helps Homeowners Dodge Costly Mistakes
America's love affair with renovation shows no sign of cooling. Homeowners poured more than $500 billion into remodeling and repairs last year, a figure Harvard's Joint Center for Housing Studies expects to climb modestly through 2025 . Yet big money doesn't guarantee smooth projects: a 2024 survey found 53 % of owners who hired contractors blew past their budgets, and nearly half suffered major delays. When every misstep can snowball into thousands of dollars, the right digital tools—especially 3D Home Design Software—can be the difference between a tight, predictable spend and a financial headache. The Budget Killers Lurking in Every Remodel Most overruns trace back to the same three culprits: Faulty visualization. Paper sketches and verbal descriptions rarely capture how cabinets crowd a doorway or where sunlight glares off a TV. Mid‑build corrections mean change‑orders, and each revision inflates labor costs by 10–20 %. Vague estimates. Contractors often bid from rough measurements. If the scope shifts, material orders balloon. Home‑improvement cost studies show that only a third of projects finish on budget. Communication gaps. Subcontractors, designers, and owners work from different documents, leading to errors that ripple down the schedule. A reliable 3D modeling environment tackles all three problems before demolition even starts. See It, Fix It, Save It—Before You Swing a Hammer Cedreo, a cloud‑based platform built for remodelers and homeowners alike, promises '2D to photorealistic 3D in under two hours.' Users draft floor plans, furnish rooms, and generate realistic interior and exterior views in a single interface. Because the software updates every elevation automatically, you can test a wall removal, try a new island layout, or swap siding materials in minutes—long before you commit real dollars to framing or finishes. The payoff is huge: early visuals reveal tight clearances, awkward traffic flow, and lighting hot spots that would otherwise surface mid‑construction. When you correct those glitches digitally, it costs nothing; on‑site, it's a budget buster. Libraries That Mirror Real‑World Costs Visualization is only half the battle; numbers matter. Cedreo's catalog holds 3,000‑plus furniture and décor items and more than 3,500 building materials. Each object carries dimensions and placement rules, so the program can calculate square footage, linear runs, and quantities automatically. The moment you swap ceramic tile for engineered oak, you see how coverage and waste factors shift—data you can export straight to your contractor for a hard bid. A Cedreo FAQ compares typical planning costs: hiring a design firm for a single house plan runs $700 and up, high‑end CAD subscriptions hover near $200 a month, while a dedicated floor‑plan platform starts around $79 monthly. That delta alone can fund upgraded fixtures or an energy‑smart appliance package. Speed Equals Savings Time is money on any work site. Cedreo users can 'create an entire set of home plans in as little as two hours,' according to its builder‑oriented feature list. For owner‑occupiers juggling day jobs and family commitments, that speed removes weeks of back‑and‑forth with a traditional drafter. More important, it keeps trades from sitting idle while waiting for revised drawings—a leading cause of schedule creep. Templates amplify the effect. Because every project you finish lives in your cloud account, you can copy a previous bath layout, tweak dimensions, and drop it into a new remodel. Cedreo says pros leverage this to 'close deals twice as fast' on construction jobs, but homeowners enjoy the same advantage: less design time means earlier permit submissions and earlier material orders, locking in prices before inflation or supply‑chain hiccups strike. Bulletproofing Communication Misaligned expectations are the silent budget killers. Photorealistic renderings produced inside Cedreo—sharpened with day‑night lighting sliders—give every stakeholder the same frame of reference. Shared cloud links let contractors walk through the model, flag framing conflicts, and suggest value‑engineering tweaks without endless site visits. Because discussions revolve around an identical 3D canvas, there's little room for the 'I thought the island was eight feet, not six' misunderstandings that drive change‑order fees. A Quick Scenario: The $25 K Kitchen that Stayed $25 K Imagine a Brooklyn homeowner targeting a cosmetic kitchen refresh on a lean $25,000 budget. A designer quote for plans alone comes back at $3,200—over 12 % of the total pot. Instead, the owner spends a Saturday morning in Cedreo: Sketches the existing galley in 2D, then auto‑switches to 3D. Tests three cabinet layouts, discovering that one option blocks the fire‑escape door—a free catch that avoids a $2,000 code fix later. Imports quartz counters and mid‑price appliances from the material library; real‑time cost metrics show the project hovering near $23 k. Shares the render with two contractors, who both price from identical specs. No hidden upgrades appear in the small print because quantities were locked down digitally. Fast‑forward eight weeks. The job closes at $24,800—within 1 % of the target—and the owner still has renderings handy for listing photos should they sell down the road. Tips for First‑Time Users of 3D Home Design Software Measure twice, model once. Spend extra time verifying room dimensions; accurate input is everything. Start with templates. Cedreo's preset room shapes and roof profiles shave hours off the learning curve. Stage in layers. Design structural changes first, then furnish, then fine‑tune materials; it mirrors construction sequencing and keeps the file tidy. Export take‑offs. Most contractors will price labor if you supply square footage and lineal runs. Use the software's export tools to hand them exact numbers. Iterate quickly. The beauty of a cloud‑based app is freedom to experiment. Try bold colors or fixture swaps early—before you fall in love with an option that busts the budget. Why the Future of Budget Renovation Is Digital With remodeling outlays approaching $466 billion by mid‑2025, every percentage point saved translates into billions freed for additional upgrades—or simply preserved in homeowners' wallets. While no software can guarantee perfect execution, platforms that merge rapid 3D modeling, built‑in cost intelligence, and easy sharing slash the classic risks: unseen design flaws, fuzzy estimates, and miscommunication. Cedreo isn't the only 3D Home Design Software on the market, but its focus on speed, integrated libraries, and budget‑friendly pricing shows how the category is evolving. For DIYers and professionals alike, the takeaway is clear: invest a few hours up front in detailed digital planning, and you'll gain weeks of schedule certainty and thousands in protected capital. In a renovation landscape where overruns are the rule rather than the exception, that might be the smartest investment you make all year.
