Black Hills Home Heating Tips for Fall

When you step out the door of your Black Hills home, there’s no denying that fall is at your doorstep. It won’t be much longer before the temperatures start dipping down into freezing and your heating costs start to rise. Before that happens, here are some easy things you can do to keep heating costs under control.

Change that air filter. A clean air filter can lower your energy bills by 5% or more. Get off to a good start right off the bat by changing your air filter before using your heater for the first time. A dirty filter will make your heating system work harder and will definitely be noticed in your heating bill!

Keep the cold air out. Caulking your windows and weather-stripping your doors will keep the warm air in and the cold air out. Be sure to check the sliding doors and screen doors as well. When selling your home, potential buyers will be checking for drafts so this is a cheap fix to be sure that your home is in good shape.

Visit the attic. If you haven’t checked you attic is years, you may want to peek and make sure the insulation is in good shape. If you need to replace the insulation, it will be a cost upfront but will pay off helping to save hundreds off your heating bill each year.

Mother Nature is the best heater. You can naturally heat your home just by opening your curtains, blinds and shades during the day. The sun is the best source of heat and it’s free! Also, when selling your home, you will want to let in as much natural light as possible to show off the inside of your Black Hills home.

Install a programmable thermostat. With a programmable thermostat; you can program it so that while you are at work or vacation, the heat isn’t running needlessly. This will keep your heating costs down while saving energy.

Lower your thermostat setting. It’s a fact that your  heating costs could rise 4% to 6% for every degree you set your thermostat above 70 degrees in the winter. Rely on a pair of slippers, a sweater, and if you have one, your fireplace or pellet stove to keep the heat up in your house.

If you are planning to sell your home this winter, you should know exactly what it’s worth before making such an important decision.  At Integrity Realty, we determine the value of Black Hills area homes daily. I’d love to talk with you about giving you a Comparative Market Analysis of your home to determine the best course of action for you. Our expertise in the Black Hills or Rapid City markets will ensure you a stress-free experience. Contact me, Jim Peterson, at (605) 574-4444 or email me to discuss how I can help you with all your real estate needs. My office is in the heart of Hill City and as a tourist spot, restrooms are hard to find – mine are always open for your convenience!

New Black Hills Rate Increase is an Improvement

Great news for Black Hills homeowners; especially those with multiple residences! The South Dakota Public Utilities Commission has approved a settlement to increase electric rates to 6.4 percent. Ok, so think I’m crazy for calling that “great news?”

In December 2012, Black Hills Power, a subsidiary of Black Hills Corp., filed a request to increase rates by 9.94 percent which was implemented on an interim basis beginning June 16 2013. Since the approved increase is lower, rates billed to customers will be reduced on October 1 and all charges for service between June 16 and September 30 will be recalculated. Homeowners can expect to see bills credited with the refund starting in November, just in time for some holiday saving!

“Our customers depend on safe and reliable electric service,” said Vance Crocker, vice president of operations for Black Hills Power. “Since our last rate filing in 2009, we have invested more than $50 million to extend service to new customers, replace and upgrade our distribution and transmission systems, install advanced metering systems, and ensure environmental compliance.”

The 6.4% increase is expected to be a revenue increase of $8.8 million per year and is the result of an agreement involving Black Hills Power, PUC staff and other parties.

If you are ready to buy a vacation or investment property; or just have questions on if it’s the right choice for you – I’d love to talk with you. Our expertise in the Black Hills or Rapid City markets will ensure you a stress-free experience. Contact me, Jim Peterson, at (605) 574-4444 or email me to discuss how I can help you with all your real estate needs. My office is in the heart of Hill City and as a tourist spot, restrooms are hard to find – mine are always open for your convenience

Landscaping your Black Hills Home for Energy Efficiency

You may be deciding how to landscape your new Black Hills home or how to add landscaping to make your home more attractive before selling it. Whatever your situation, you can use energy-efficient landscaping strategies to save on your yearly energy bill or to show potential buyers the added benefits of buying your home.

The best approach for South Dakota landscaping is to ensure that south-facing windows receive full sun during the winter while southern and western-facing windows receive adequate shade and no direct sunlight during the summer. You will also want to plant windbreaks around your property that can block our unforgiving winter winds.

The first step is indentifying your microclimate. This is the area that immediately surrounds your home. Nearby mountains, lakes and more immediate, shade, wind and moisture around your home can affect its microclimate.

Once you’ve determined your microclimate and mapped out where your windbreaks should be, the vulnerable sides of your home and the best types of plants that thrive in your area, you are ready to get started!

An effective windbreak helps to reduce heating costs during cold South Dakota months. There are several types of windbreaks depending on the direction your home faces and the logistics of where things are located around your home.

The first type of windbreak is to plant a row of trees and shrubs placed a certain distance from the house to reduce the chilling effects of our winter winds. The typical distance to plant this type of windbreak is 7 times the distance of the tree’s mature height to ensure the tree will not impede into the home.

Deciduous trees are ideal for letting sun through during the winter, while blocking it in the summer. Coniferous trees such as Black Hills spruce, ponderosa pine and eastern red cedar are ideal for year-round shade and blocking heavy winds.

Another type of windbreak consists of a variety of shrubs, vines and groundcover placed very close to the home. In the winter, this helps to insulate the house and prevent the snow from drifting against the side of the home. In the summer, it serves to shade the ground and pavement around your home helping to cool the air surrounding it.

Taking all of these things into consideration will improve your home’s energy efficiency and your curb appeal. Before you dig, call South Dakota One Call (811) to determine the location of any underground utilities around the home.

Call me, Jim Peterson, at (605) 574-4444 or email me to discuss how I can help you with all your real estate needs. Our expertise in the Black Hills or Rapid City markets will ensure you a stress-free experience in selling your Black Hills Home. My office is in the heart of Hill City and as a tourist spot, restrooms are hard to find – mine are always open for your convenience!

Black Hill Events You Won’t Want to Miss

There’s never a dull moment in the Black Hills of South Dakota! Whether you own a Black Hills home or just use the region as your playground, you can always find something going on to please the whole family.

Take this weekend for instance, it’s Holy Terror Days in Keystone marking the end of the season. This year it falls September 6-8. For those of you wanting a brief history lesson, Holy Terror Days began in the late 1800’s as an Independence Day celebration, creating entertainment for the gold rush miners and their families. It was named after the Holy Terror Mine which at that time, had the richest gold claim in all of the southern Black Hills.

Today, it’s not only good old-fashioned town fun but also a great fundraiser to help those in need in the Keystone area community. Check out all the festivities which include the annual parade, an auction, a 4^th annual Ugly Truck Contest, and the always favorite “abuse of public officials event” (first throw shaving cream pies for $1 at ‘em, then help clean ‘em off by dunking them in the dunk tank). Lastly, top off the activities on Sunday with a downhill derby!

Ready to celebrate the 125^th birthday of Spearfish? The Birthday will end with a blast during the Grand Finale weekend September 13-15. There will be fun for the whole family with antique cars, sack races, scavenger hunt and stage entertainment. Bring a basket for the Family Picnic starting at noon but save room for a piece of birthday cake to be served in the afternoon!

Save your appetite for the Taste of Autumn BBQ Cook-Off Championships, September 20-21. Come out to support our local BBQ experts. Enjoy some family fun on Friday evening with food, live music and refreshments. Taste of Autumn People’s Choice Judging will take place on Friday evening and is open to the public. Saturday morning the BBQ event will get under way with judging taking place in the early afternoon followed by awards presentations at 4 pm. All proceeds from this event will benefit the Rec Youth & Family Scholarship Program.

Take some time to enjoy our end-of-summer activities in the area! Whether you are looking for a year-around home, land, investment or vacation home, our expertise in the Black Hills or Rapid City markets will ensure you a stress-free experience. Contact me, Jim Peterson, at (605) 574-4444 or email me to discuss how I can help you with all your real estate needs. My office is in the heart of Hill City and as a tourist spot, restrooms are hard to find – mine are always open for your convenience!