The holidays are here again and everyone is looking for unique gift ideas. Here’s a list of gift suggestions that that are original, useful and affordable – and sure to bring a smile to those special people on your shopping list.

For Grandparents and Seniors

Amplified Alarm Clock with Wireless Vibrating Pad & Telephone Signaler – Do you know someone who is hard-of-hearing or hard to wake up, or both? This extra loud alarm clock wakes deep sleepers with a loud 90dB signal and/or vibration. The Amplicom TCL 200 Digital Alarm Clock can also signal incoming phone calls. Now offered for $73.00.

Wireless Motion Detector – No one wants to be surprised by strangers at the door. With this wireless passive infrared sensor, grandma can monitor an entrance, walkway or other covered location up to 600 feet away and be warned when a person or vehicle approaches. The Dakota Alert IRWR-3000 Wireless PIR is sold as a kit for $149.99. Extra sensors can be added.

Read the rest of this entry »

So you know you want to be able to control the thermostat in your home or business from a remote location, but you can’t decide between an Internet thermostat, a WiFi thermostat and a phone thermostat. All three options give you the ability to adjust temperature remotely and all are similarly priced starting at around $200. So how do you choose?

Selecting the best remote thermostat system for your situation involves a quick analysis of your communications setup and control preferences. Here is what you need to consider:

Communications Setup

If there is a high-speed Internet connection (i.e., modem and router) in your home or business, you can choose between an Internet thermostat and a WiFi thermostat. Both will allow you to control the temperature remotely from anywhere using any Internet-enabled computer or smart phone.

Read the rest of this entry »

If you’re a snowbird who will be heading south soon to escape the cold winter months, here’s a list of steps you can follow to winterize your home and protect your property before you go. Investing the extra time to properly prepare and secure your home before you depart will free you from the worries of leaving an empty house and minimize costly repair bills.

Yard – Clean gutters to prevent ice dams and allow melting snow to drain away from the house (and not into the basement); trim tree branches located near the home and power lines; arrange for a snowplow service to plow driveway and shovel walkway so your home looks occupied after major snowstorms. Read the rest of this entry »

Replacing the old electromechanical thermostats in your home with a new digital thermostat is an excellent way to save on heating and cooling costs. By lowering the heat in your home 10^o to 15 ^o for 8 hours a day, you can save about 5% to 15% a year on your heating bill. A basic digital programmable thermostat can make temperature adjustments for you automatically throughout the day to optimize your energy savings and reduce your bill. If you need or want remote control capabilities, there are more sophisticated models available. Here’s a brief overview of digital thermostats to make it easy for you to choose the model that’s right for you:

Read the rest of this entry »