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austin

Dec 21
0

Randy’s Very Merry Gift Guide

By | Podcast | No Comments

Well folks, it’s the holiday season, and you know what that means – it’s time for last minute shoppers to unite over a lifelong habit of waiting until the last minute to find that perfect gift. Whether you’re stumped looking for your significant other, neighbor, co-worker, or even your pup, Randy of course has you covered with the 2023 Holiday Gift Guide that includes something to benefit everyone on your shopping list!

Designed for the procrastinator at heart, this list includes a variety of gifts you can purchase on Amazon or pick up at your local hardware store to ensure your present makes it under the tree before the big day. You can also hear Randy and the team go down the list (checking it twice and making it nice!) in the latest episode of Under the Roof with Randy Barfield.

  • TAPE! The most essential tool you can use for just about anything, Duck Tape can (at least temporarily) fix a variety of things around the home from water and air leaks, auto accidents, and more! Randy also prefers Frog Tape for painting projects that require a clean cut-in. Round out your tape gift basket with double sided tape and regular Scotch tape to ensure all your adhesive needs are adequately met, with a bonus 25-foot measuring tape for … good measure 😉
  • Ranging from $10 to thousands, a toolbox is a practical gift everyone can benefit from. Toolboxes can be stationary or portable, and some even come with tools to get the new homeowner or renter started! Randy recommends taking this gift up a notch by stocking it with and assortment of screwdrivers, socket sets, wrenches, a level and hammer.
  • Ask any single lady this holiday season – a good stud is hard to find! In all seriousness, a stud finder can save you tons of time and aggravation when hanging artwork around your home. Randy recommends a stud finder that also scans for electricity to keep you safe this holiday season!
  • Everyone on your list could use a new pair of gloves this holiday, and we aren’t just talking fashion! Whether you choose rubber gloves, garden gloves, or nitrile gloves, this gift will literally have the recipient covered! Our resident pitmaster, Randy recommends a pair of stainless steel mesh gloves to keep your digits safe while trimming the fat from your next brisket (also a great gift!).
  • Light someone’s day with an assortment of flashlights and headlamps that are both rechargeable and battery operated. This practical gift may seem frivolous but comes in handy in so many situations at home and on the go!
  • Randy also recommends a battery stockpile with a battery organizer to keep all of your activities energized well into the New Year!
  • Looking for something a little less practical and a little more fun!? How about a Chuck It Rugged Flyer frisbee for your best friend. Certified by Randy’s golden retrievers!

Now that your holiday shopping is all wrapped up (see what we did there?!), take one final tip from Randy and settle down for a long winter’s nap with your favorite bourbon of choice. We hope these tips hope you and yours have a very Merry Christmas and happy holiday season!

Jan 28
0

Under the Roof with Randy Barfield: Keeping Your Casa Cozy This Winter

By | Home Maintenance Tips, Podcast, Seasonal Home Maintenance | No Comments

The ebb and flow of winter has officially arrived in Central Texas! With the scars from last year’s disastrous winter storm still fresh for many Texans, what’s needed to ensure you and your home are ready in case arctic chill rears its head again? Join us as Ashley and Randy discuss measures you can take to protect your home, family, pets and plants, whether a freeze is just overnight or lasts for days.

Listen now on the website, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you like to listen!

Jan 25
0

Keep Your Home Cozy This Winter

By | Home Maintenance Tips, Seasonal Home Maintenance | No Comments

While an apple a day may keep the doctor away, what can you do to keep the cold at bay? Most of the time we are more focused on keeping the heat out in Central Texas, but a seasonable cold snap and sudden frigid temps incline us to think of ways to keep our homes and families (including furry friends!) safe and warm this winter.

As you take stock of your home, here are a few tips and tricks courtesy of the Barfield Home Inspection team:

  1. Check for drafts. If your exterior doors feel a little drafty at the bottom, place a rolled-up towel at the threshold for a quick fix. It may be time for new weather stripping, which you can install as a quick and easy DIY weekend project! Inspect weather stripping around all doors and windows and repair or replace if necessary. Caulk exterior joints around windows and doors, which will help keep your home weather-tight and lower heating bills.
  2. Insulate exposed exterior plumbing pipes and hose bibs. A nice foam cover from the local hardware store will work well to protect your pipes from the cold.
  3. Drip your faucets only when temperatures are going to drop below freezing to avoid waste. Running just a trickle of water will prevent your pipes from freezing.
  4. Open the cabinets under your sinks so the warm air from the house can help keep the pipes warm enough to prevent freezing.

Note: If you live in an older pier and beam home, your pipes should be wrapped. If not, hire a certified contractor to insulate these pipes in the future and use the faucet dripping technique above to protect your home in the meantime.

  1. Reverse ceiling fans so the warm air that rises to the ceiling will be pulled back down to the living area.
  2. Wrap or cover your plants (or bring them inside if possible). A planket is always a nice touch!
  3. Inspect your fireplace before the first use each season. Use a flashlight to check the flue for any obstructions and make sure your damper is open before you start the fire. Call a certified chimney sweep contractor to clean and evaluate your fireplace if you can see excessive soot. Don’t forget to keep your fire screen or fire doors closed while using the fireplace.

As we continue to spend more time at home, it’s great to take care of the spaces we love. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram @BarfieldHomeInspection for more home maintenance tips from the company that’s been telling it like it is since 2003. Stay safe, warm, and healthy!

Sep 03
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Under the Roof with Randy Barfield: What’s a Normal Market, Anyway?

By | Home Maintenance Tips, Podcast, Real Estate News, Seasonal Home Maintenance | No Comments

Trees in the kitchen. Retro design. Find out what we love most about Austin and our booming real estate market in the latest installment of Under the Roof!

Join Randy, Mary, and Ashley as we discuss the latest stats about the hot market and answer the question on everyone’s mind: has the seemingly unstoppable Austin bubble finally burst? Get your monthly dose of home maintenance tips, real estate insight, and news you can use. Remember to follow us on Facebook and Instagram for the latest updates from Randy and the team at Barfield Home Inspection!

Aug 26
0

Protect Your Home and Family from West Nile Virus

By | Home Maintenance Tips, Seasonal Home Maintenance | No Comments

Hey friends! We are well into the dog days of summer, which likely means you’re spending a little more time inside to keep cool and hydrated. That may be a good thing, especially if you live in Central Texas, as new cases of mosquitoes carrying West Nile Virus (WNV) are increasing in our area.

A report released today shows that mosquitoes in Williamson County have tested positive for the virus six times in 2021, and earlier this week Newsweek shared the story of a Houston man who is now paralyzed after contracting the virus from mosquitoes.

With cases on the rise, we want to share a few quick reminders from Texas Health and Human Services about WNV to help protect you and your family:

  • WNV is transmitted by infected mosquitoes
  • 80 percent of the population will not develop illness from mosquitoes carrying WNV. The 20 percent who do experience symptoms typically develop mild fever, headaches, body aches, and a rash.
  • One in 150 people infected with WNV develop more serious symptoms that may affect the brain and spinal cord. Signs of complications include high fever, neck stiffness, disorientation, convulsions, muscle weakness and paralysis.

With confirmed cases of the virus in Central Texas, here’s what you can do to protect your home and family this summer:

  • Remove standing water outside your home. Vessels like bird baths, buckets, trash cans, pet water bowls, flowerpot saucers, and rain barrels make a perfect breeding ground for mosquitoes to lay eggs. Empty water once a week, and scrub, turn over, or throw out these containers whenever possible.
  • Use Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)- registered insect repellant, with one of the ingredients below recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:
    • DEET
    • Picaridin (known as KBR 3023 and icaridin outside the US)
    • IR3535
    • Oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE)
    • Para-menthane-diol (PMD)
    • 2-undecanone

Finally, take a few preventative measures around your home to help ward off an infestation: Use air conditioning if possible (change those filters, folks!) or use screens in windows and doors to keep mosquitoes outside.

Summertime is one of the best times to embrace the Texas outdoors, but it’s best to do it safely. Follow these tips and join the conversation on Instagram and Facebook for more insight from our home inspection team. Stay safe, Central Texas!

Jul 09
0

Prepping for Your Home Inspection

By | Home Buying, Home Maintenance Tips, Seasonal Home Maintenance | No Comments

So, you’re preparing to put your home on the market and know with the rapid rate that houses are flying off the listing shelf in Austin and the surrounding area, offers are likely to come in quickly. How can you prepare for a smooth selling process amid all the chaos of multiple showings and bidding wars? While most of those details will come down to you and your real estate agent, check out the tips below to ready your home for a thorough home inspection:

Consider a pre-inspection. While not the final inspection in the buying/selling process, this report can instill confidence in potential buyers from the start. It can also put major concerns (especially problems with your electrical, plumbing, and/or HVAC systems) on your radar. Although we are currently in a highly-competitive sellers’ market and it is likely you won’t have to make many modifications to your home to sell, it can be comforting to know what you may expect during the offer process. Interested in a pre-inspection? Give us a call!

Ready your home. The good news is that while this list may initially seem exhaustive, many of these items will be addressed during the listing and showing process. As you prepare to review and accept the winning offer and the time draws closer to the actual inspection, here are a few items to be aware of around the house:

  1. Provide easy access to important areas such as the attic, water heater, sinks, and basement or crawl space.
  2. Keep a tidy home. While this is probably already taken care of for showing purposes, a clean home can be a good indication of the house’s general condition.
  3. Check for operation and alignment in your toilets, windows, doors, cabinets.
  4. Change any blown bulbs to save time. When a light is out, your inspector will either have to note it (which may cause concern) or search for faulty wiring. Avoid the hassle and make sure your lights are in good working order.
  5. Replace your air filters because (especially in Texas!) the HVAC is a huge component of the inspection. Clean air filters increase the function and longevity of your cooling system and replacing them regularly can help your inspection go smoothly.

At Barfield Home Inspection, we are in the business of helping people. We do not simply check the boxes and leave. It is up to us to prepare buyers (and sellers) with information to make an informed and confident decision and our goal is to help our clients as much as possible.

With a lifetime of experience, our owner and founder Randy Barfield knows houses from the inside out and from the roof down. We deliver thorough home inspection reporting and provide an in-depth explanation of our reports. We go above and beyond to ensure all questions are answered and clients feel confident – we even welcome follow-up questions after buyers read the report!

If you’re ready to work with the home inspection team you can trust, give us a call today at 512-350-0123. Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram for the latest news on the Austin real estate market as well as handy home maintenance tips. Happy buying and selling, folks!

Jan 06
0

2021: A Look at the Year Ahead

By | Real Estate News | No Comments

Happy New Year, everyone!

As we take time to reflect on 2020, we want to express our sincere gratitude for you – the hardworking real estate agents, home owners, and buyers who trust Barfield Home Inspection with all your home inspection needs. Last year presented us with a lot of firsts, but we made it through together and continue to celebrate Austin, Texas as one of the best places to live in the country. Cheers to that!

We kick-off every year with aspirations for the 365 days ahead. In addition to inspecting homes and partnering with real estate professionals across Central Texas, this year we celebrate the second season of our podcast, “Under the Roof with Randy Barfield.” As we begin programming, we would love your feedback! Take our quick survey to let us know what you like about the pod, and what you’d like to hear more of this year.

For now, here are a few projections for the Austin real estate market in 2021:

As always, remember to get in touch with Barfield Home Inspection team for all your inspection needs. We’re the team you can trust, and we’ve been telling it like it is since 2003. Call 512-350-0123 today and follow us on Facebook and Instagram @barfieldhomeinspection.

Here’s to a safe, healthy, and prosperous new year!

Sep 30
0

Pressure Washing 101

By | Home Maintenance Tips, Seasonal Home Maintenance | No Comments

Weekend warriors around the country have noticed one thing in common since March 2020: Regardless of business restrictions, one group that has stayed consistently busy (and perhaps even surged in demand) is home improvement. While Americans have more time at home to assess and enhance their surroundings, hardware stores have become the place to go as homeowners flock with mile long honey-do lists.

In case your list has run low or you’re looking for a way to make your home’s curb appeal shine even brighter, pressure washing is an excellent way to deep clean your home. Pressure washers utilize high-pressure water measured in pounds per square inch (psi) to remove tough stains from a variety of surfaces. They are available for sale and rent in both gas and electric, portable and stationary models. Once you find the pressure washer that’s right for you, familiarize yourself with the settings and safety operating instructions, as this is a significant piece of machinery.

When you’re ready to get started, here are a few ideas of projects you can accomplish at home with a pressure washer:

  • Blast years’ worth of dirt from your driveway in record time using a pressure washer. Whether you own or rent the equipment, be sure to read the safety manual and follow the proper operating procedures and precautions. Sweep the driveway and sidewalk before you start to remove surface-level debris that may become airborne. Hold down the spray handle and sweep back and forth in broad, overlapping strokes from one side of the concrete to the other. Your neighbors (and potential buyers) are sure to be impressed!

Pro Tip: Use the same method for your patio to stop tracking dirt inside the house!

  • Give your home a face lift with a good wash. While elbow grease is helpful, pressure washing can eliminate dirt, mildew, and grime from your home’s exterior in much less time. Whether your home is finished with brick, wood, aluminum, stucco or steel, pressure washing on a yearly basis is a great idea to keep it looking new! Before you begin, read the manual carefully to ensure you follow the settings for your home’s exterior, and then use a top-down method to wash away the gunk. While you’re at it, be sure to pressure wash your windows.

Pro Tip: If you are pressure washing in preparation for paint, be sure to give the home at least two days to thoroughly dry before you begin.

  • Refinish your fence. We all know good fences make good neighbors, but after taking a daily beating from the sun, wind, and rain, even the sturdiest of fences can look a little run down. Use detergent, medium pressure, and a sweeping fan pattern to restore your fence with a pressure washer. After two days, you can seal or paint your fence for the ultimate DIY makeover.

Pro Tip: Pressure wash your fence once a year to keep it looking new (annual painting not required!).

As we continue to spend more time at home, it’s great to cherish and take care of the spaces we love. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram @BarfieldHomeInspection for more home maintenance tips from the company that’s been telling it like it is since 2003. Stay safe and happy washing!