5 oven tips for Keller homeowners

Measuring, mixing, blending and kneading — there is so much that goes into the art of baking. You start with the right materials and techniques, but you also need to be familiar with how your oven works to get the best results.

For Keller homeowners, getting to know your oven could be the difference between a beautiful baked good and a not-so-great one. Here are five questions to ask before you get started on your next batch of goodies.

Gas, electric or convection?
This is an important distinction. This not only determines where the heat comes from but also how it moves around inside the oven. Convection ovens — such as the LG ProBake Oven — are the best for baking as they circulate the air inside the oven for even heat on every rack. They have a bottom heat source but are also equipped with fans to blow the hot air around. Many gas and electric ovens are also heated from the bottom, but the heat is not evenly distributed.

When was it last cleaned?
Many people go months, or even years, without cleaning their ovens. But months of buildup can cause smoke and ruin your food. Remember to wipe away any spills in the oven after each use or use a drip pan to catch any grease or drippings.

Are the nooks and crannies clean?
Crumbs and spills hiding in the gaps around your oven can attract pests. One easy way to get these areas clean is to wrap a damp cloth around a butter knife and run it through the cracks, shaking out the dirt and food morsels in the trash as you go. Then, repeat this step with a vinegar-dampened cloth to ensure the area isn’t a welcoming home to mice, ants or other unwanted guests.

Where are your oven racks?
The placement of the racks inside your oven is more important than you may think. Most ovens get hotter at the top, so if you have two baking sheets in at once, the one on the higher rack tends to cook faster. For best results, place racks in the middle, and be sure to rotate your pans from front to back and top to bottom.

Do you have an oven thermometer?
Many home ovens are off by five to 15 degrees, some even up to 25 degrees or more. It might seem insignificant, but the wrong temperature can affect your final product. Use an oven thermometer to make sure you’re baking at the correct temperature.

Get to know your oven. Answer these questions and follow these tips for delicious, successful baking inside your Keller home.
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Whether it's selling your home or finding a new one, we have designed this site so that you can quickly and easily locate the information you are looking for. The Grove Team's client-centered approach results in the best possible outcome for you. Please contact us now to begin the process of achieving your dreams in homeownership. Call 817-337-0000 for Keller Home's for sale in Keller ISD.

8 tips to prep your Keller home for New Years (and its aftermath)

Hosting guests, baking treats, kids on school break and managing a packed social calendar — the holidays can be a stressful, busy time. And with so much to do, household chores can fall by the wayside, leaving your home messy and disorganized.

These eight tips will help you enjoy a cleaner Keller home so you can focus on spending time with loved ones and start the new year off with a sparkling, welcoming home.

1) In the kitchen, clean as you go
Before you start baking or cooking, make sure the dishwasher is empty and ready for your dirty dishes. As you mix ingredients and use dishes, rinse and place them in the dishwasher along the way so you prevent pile-up in the sink. And as you finish using each ingredient, put it back in its rightful place.

2) Boost your laundry loads
If you host friends and family on Christmas and plan to through New Year's Eve, chances are you’ll have plenty of bed linens to wash when your guests leave. Save time with a washing machine that can quickly handle your family-sized loads without compromising performance.

3) Give everyone a task
Cleaning up is easy when you get the whole family involved. Divide and conquer the cleaning tasks to get the job done in no time.

4) Stock up on supplies
Equip your bathrooms and kitchen with all the necessary cleaning supplies. It only takes a few minutes to wipe up a spill or quick mess — especially when your supplies are within easy reach — making your cleaning tasks more manageable.

5) Refresh kitchen appliances
After you’ve cooked, baked and stored feasts, your kitchen will be ready for a deep clean. Use a disinfecting cleaner to scrub all the surfaces of your refrigerator, freezer, blender, oven, dishwasher, sink, cabinets and drawers. Dispose of food items that have expired or that you no longer need and make your kitchen feel new again.

6) Prevent winter boot mess
In areas with ice, snow, or even rain, boots can make a huge mess. Avoid stepping in puddles inside your home by asking everyone to take their boots off before they come through the door and place them into plastic bags. The bag collects the ice and snow as it melts and keeps your floors nice and dry.

7) Revive area rugs
High foot traffic areas accumulate stains, dirt, and odors — so don’t skimp on cleaning your rugs. Take each rug outside and gently shake away dirt and dust. Leave the rug hanging out to remove more dust and air out any odors. You can also use a rug brush to help remove hair or caked-on dirt.

8) Prep for the rest of winter
Even when the holidays are over, winter sticks around for a few more months.
While preparing for the rest of winter, upgrading your HVAC system will help you and your guests stay warm and cozy.

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Whether it's selling your home or finding a new one, we have designed this site so that you can quickly and easily locate the information you are looking for. The Grove Team's client-centered approach results in the best possible outcome for you. Please contact us now to begin the process of achieving your dreams in homeownership. Call 817-337-0000 for Keller Home's for sale in Keller ISD.

5 ways AI can help Keller homeowners

As the prevalence of artificial intelligence (AI) in the home grows, so too does the amount of helpful features available to make daily tasks much easier. While the abundance of smart home technology (powered by AI) can seem overwhelming, the more you know, the better these functions can impact your life positively. Through a true understanding of these innovative breakthroughs, you can easily expand the usage of AI in your Keller home and take advantage of its benefits.

Here are 5 ways AI can help Keller homeowners going forward:

1) Be more secure

Some of the newest home security systems, including video doorbells, use aspects of AI to help protect your home and family more effectively.

Security systems using AI can analyze input like video surveillance to determine when something is an actual threat, since false alarms are frequent problems with many security systems, or they can activate facial recognition software to help identify someone approaching your home.

2) Save water

With AI, such places like your bathrooms and lawn can use smart technology to evaluate how much water is being used and avoid waste. Smart sprinklers can not only be controlled remotely but will even monitor the weather to avoid over-watering. The latest in-home smart water systems can detect leaks and turn off the water supply to prevent flooding inside your home.

3) Save energy

Perhaps one of the greatest benefits of AI today is in energy savings, which can be not only cost-effective but also helpful for the environment.

You can seamlessly control the unit from anywhere via its smartphone application to turn off or lower the temperature before leaving the house to make any changes. You can even put your home’s HVAC system on “vacation mode” to lower costs while you are away.

This convenient and energy-saving connectivity works for a variety of the brand’s smart home appliances, including laundry machines and refrigerators.

4) Save money

Analyze your family's habits and preferences when using connected machines and devices. For example, adjust the cooling power of your refrigerator just before the most active time of use each day (such as after school/work and while dinner is being prepared). This leads to a more efficient home and positively impacts your bottom line.

AI can also let you look inside your refrigerator to see what you need to shop for or how soon your milk expires. Using this kind of smart technology will lead to less spoiled food, saving money on grocery costs.

5) Save time

Expedite repairs and be alerted of useful maintenance tips, to save time and money while keeping appliances performing at their best.

For added time-saving convenience, enabled smart TVs can help you save time through bringing a higher intelligence and convenience to your living room. With the installed Google Assistant and Alexa, you can enjoy personalized entertainment and even enjoy online shopping straight from the TV. They are also ready to control your entire connected home from changing the light settings of your living space or adjusting the room temperature. Younger homebuyers might even expect it.

Through meaningful innovations, AI intends to make daily routines simpler and more enjoyable. By better understanding users — recognizing patterns and preferences — it can anticipate user needs and proactively take action on their behalf. The more consumers use it, the better it works for them.
Such features need to be clearly communicated to users to aid in their understanding of the technology. When used well, AI enables consumers to live fully and seamlessly connected to a wide range of products in the home, all working together to make life easier.
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Whether it's selling your home or finding a new one, we have designed this site so that you can quickly and easily locate the information you are looking for. The Grove Team's client-centered approach results in the best possible outcome for you. Please contact us now to begin the process of achieving your dreams in homeownership. Call 817-337-0000 for Keller Home's for sale in Keller ISD.

Keep your Keller home warm -- even in cold temperatures

With the early arrival of winter, the grip of cold temperatures and snowfall that landed along with it now is a good time to start thinking about keeping your Keller home warm and cozy all season long.

This winter, consider the strategies below to keep your house warm, even during the most frigid days of the year.

1. Help your HVAC system work more efficiently
No matter what kind of heating system you have, you can take steps to keep it working at its best.

• Schedule annual heating tune-ups
• Change the furnace filter frequently
• Make sure ductwork dampers are open
• Check air vents — are they open? Are any blocked by furniture?
• If you have a home with radiators, make sure they aren't blocked
• Avoid wild temperature swings — set your thermostat for reasonable highs and lows at night and during the day, since extremely low temps could result in freezing pipes, and your system has to work extra hard to aim for higher temps than it can handle

2. Consider upgrading your HVAC system
If you have an older system that just can't keep up or you live in a climate with extreme temperatures, consider upgrading to a new high-efficiency heating system. It may save you money and energy in the long run, while increasing your comfort level.

Thanks to advances in technology, today’s HVAC equipment can provide more consistent airflow and better maintain a constant temperature in every room. In the middle of winter, all of that adds up to a more comfortable and cozy home without the enormous utility bill.

Pair this technology with sleek indoor units, for comfort without sacrificing style. An added plus is that modern systems can make one or many rooms perfectly toasty without tearing up walls or altering the home's appearance.

3. Block the leaks
If you have drafts or leaks in your Keller home, you’re losing valuable heated air and letting in the cold. Start by checking doors and windows for any drafts.

• Improve your doors' weather stripping and use a draft blocker to further keep cold air out
• For windows, an insulation kit and heavy drapes can help you prevent leaks
• If you have an unused fireplace, install a fireplace plug to keep warm air from heading up the chimney
• Cover up mail slots or pet door flaps that may be leaking air, especially at night
• Close vents and shut doors to rooms that are seldom used, so more warm air can be redirected to rooms in use
• Schedule an energy audit from your energy company to identify areas for improvement
• Attic insulation is also recommended since heat rises

4. Reverse ceiling fans
As heat does rise, ceiling fans set on low and adjusted to turn clockwise will help pull up cold air and drawdown and circulate warm air that’s hanging out near the ceiling. Nothing can be more frustrating than a fan that produces hot air... in the summertime. But during winter, this can actually be a major untabbed source of warmth inside your home.

5. Warm your floors
When the heat rises, don’t leave your floors out in the cold.

• If you're interested in remodeling, radiant floor heating can help warm up a room and has become especially popular for bathrooms
• Invest in thick, plush rugs to help rooms feel warmer to your feet

Following just a few of these tips will make a big difference in helping your house feel cozy and warm, even during the most extreme cold temperatures of winter. To learn more about ways to easily improve your home, visit https://www.groveteam.com/articles.

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Whether it's selling your home or finding a new one, we have designed this site so that you can quickly and easily locate the information you are looking for. The Grove Team's client-centered approach results in the best possible outcome for you. Please contact us now to begin the process of achieving your dreams in homeownership. Call 817-337-0000 for Keller Home's for sale in Keller ISD.

5 stress-reducing holiday cleaning tips for Keller homeowners

Each year, the holiday season brings a flurry of entertaining. From hosting a houseful of out-of-town relatives to formal sit-down dinners to impromptu get-togethers, chances are your schedule — and your Keller home — is brimming with activity.

With all the extra foot traffic and activity can also come stress. Stress from shopping and decorating is expected, but what about holiday stress related to cleaning? Fortunately, with a little prep work and proactive thinking, you can make your holidays and your home shine all season long. Here are a few tips to keep your home ready for holiday joy.

1. Divide and conquer
An online survey conducted by The Harris Poll in October 2019 reported that nearly 2 in 3 U.S. adults (63%) agree preparing their home for house guests is as stressful as holiday gift shopping. But it doesn't have to be.

• Optimize your time by compartmentalizing each room in your house. Clean a small, focused portion of the room before moving on to the next, so you can see your progress. Try cleaning each room in a clockwise, top-to-bottom motion so you don’t miss a spot.
  
• Prep entryways and clear space in at least one closet for guests' coats. If you're using a bedroom for coats, make sure it is clean, since this area will be seen by your visitors.
  
• The kitchen and bathrooms are crucial areas to clean before guests arrive. Besides wiping down counters and sinks, and sweeping and mopping floors, spend time clearing out the fridge to make room for holiday goodies and leftovers. Minimize after-party cleanup by starting with a clean sink and an empty dishwasher.

2. Clean and protect floors
The survey also found that six in ten adults agree that their favorite part of holiday gatherings is when the living room or family room floor is cleared for group games or dancing. Using a product like Bona PowerPlus Hardwood Floor Deep Cleaner will ensure the dance floor is sparkling clean and ready for the party.

• Clean welcome mats and place them inside and outside entryways to help prevent guests from tracking in dirt, mud or snow, further protecting your freshly cleaned floors.
  
• Set up a bench and shoe rack so guests can remove footwear upon entering your home.

3. Be prepared for anything
The survey found that along with holiday visitors come unanticipated messes — and 76% of adults agree that house guests appreciate clean accommodations, but don't always leave them in the same condition when they depart.
Respondents shared colorful stories of house guests who left a lasting impression — and not in a good way. One guest left the water in the bathtub running overnight, causing damage to the bathroom floor, while another dropped a frying pan full of hot grease all over the kitchen floor.

• Collect a shortlist of local handyman and cleanup services for minor calamities. Post this list on the fridge so you and your guests know exactly who to call if emergency help is needed before or after guests visit.

4. It's OK to set ground rules
Be proactive and communicate with guests to prevent unnecessary mishaps and hassles over the holidays. In the survey, 85% of adults agree that following household rules while visiting someone else's home isn’t too much to ask. Posting a list of "golden" rules for each room of your home is an easy way to ensure your house is kept neat and tidy for all your holiday guests.
As you're posting rules, ensure that guests can find everything they need easily, such as towels and paper products, without having to rummage through drawers and cabinets for supplies and other necessities.

5. A quick clean-up is better than nothing
Over half of adults (51%) claim that if given a choice, they might forgo hosting holiday guests to avoid extra home cleaning. However, even a quick tidying-up can help. Just 15 minutes can spruce up a messy entryway or clean kitchen surfaces. Especially for impromptu gatherings of friends or family, it's important to allow yourself to relax and enjoy everyone's company without stressing that your home isn't clean enough.

Enjoy your holiday festivities and your beautiful home this year with less stress by following these tips. Visit https://www.groveteam.com/articles for a range of information and resources for Keller homeowners.
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Whether it's selling your home or finding a new one, we have designed this site so that you can quickly and easily locate the information you are looking for. The Grove Team's client-centered approach results in the best possible outcome for you. Please contact us now to begin the process of achieving your dreams in homeownership. Call 817-337-0000 for Keller Home's for sale in Keller ISD.

How Keller homeowners can allergy-proof their home

Before you know it, you’re knee-deep in preparing for holiday celebrations and family visits to your Keller home. If you’re hosting guests with allergies — and you have pets — you have a few more things to consider when getting your home guest-ready. No problem! Here are eight cleaning tips to help allergy-proof your home for the holidays.

1. Bare the floors
Carpets and rugs are notorious for collecting dust mites, pet dander (dead skin cells that are naturally shed by your pets) and other allergens, which can trigger allergy-sensitive guests. Remove rugs and carpeting from your guest room as wooden or bare floors are easier to clean!

2. Don’t be blind to your blinds
Those window blinds that protect your privacy are also dust magnets in need of regular cleaning and dusting. Try mixing equal parts vinegar and Arm & Hammer ^(TM) Baking Soda to a spray bottle of warm water. Spray the blinds until they’re fully soaked (make sure you have a towel underneath to catch the drippings!) and then wipe clean.

3. Love your lamp shades
Lampshades are tricky to dust, so they’re often skipped over during cleaning. Use a lint roller or packing tape; their sticky surfaces work faster than a cloth to collect dust on lampshades, holiday décor, and other neglected areas.

4. Come clean with your pets
Pet dander, urine, and saliva are the main culprit to allergies — not pet hair. The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America says pet hair isn’t an allergen, but since dander can stick to hair and hide underneath a furry coat, it’s partially to blame for allergy misery. A weekly wash and scrub — using warm water and a dander-reducing shampoo — can greatly reduce allergens! You can also put your pet in a cute holiday sweater to keep fur from flying.

5. Designate pet-free zones
Pet hair can get everywhere, but you can dramatically reduce these fly-aways by keeping your pets out of certain areas of the house where your guests will be. This can help keep pet allergens from getting into fabrics and rugs all over your home. Be sure to close the doors to guest rooms and install pet fences where appropriate.

6. Defend against dander
Dander can get everywhere and affect your allergy-sensitive guests. Run your clothes and bedding in the dryer before you wash them to remove pet hair, which carries dander. Before making up the guest room, wash blankets and duvets to make them fresh and dander-free.

Consider using a hypoallergenic detergent that’s gentle on skin and free of dyes and perfumes. They say “old habits die hard” because people generally use products that have been in the family for generations, but what happens once those products start irritating the skin? Symptoms of irritation can include redness, dry skin, burning, or hives. Sensitive skin laundry detergents really do get clothes clean.

7. Put out some plants
The American Society of Horticultural Science and other organizations have performed studies that show how indoor plants significantly improve and clean a room’s air quality. Setting out plants like aloe, golden pathos and bamboo palm can help filter out common volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in indoor air; bright flowers like azaleas, chrysanthemums and peace lilies can do the same. Unfortunately, floral plants like poinsettias (yes, your favorite holiday décor) can trigger skin reactions for those sensitive to latex or rubber.

8. Freshen the air
Air purifiers and filters can work wonders in reducing airborne allergens and keeping your surroundings feeling fresh through the holidays. Purchase air filters that have a small-particle or HEPA filter for your guest room and common areas and start running them a few days before guests arrive for the best results.
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Whether it's selling your home or finding a new one, we have designed this site so that you can quickly and easily locate the information you are looking for. The Grove Team's client-centered approach results in the best possible outcome for you. Please contact us now to begin the process of achieving your dreams in homeownership. Call 817-337-0000 for Keller Home's for sale in Keller ISD.