Blog - Rosie on the House

Water has been the big topic throughout Arizona and at Rosie on the House over the past few weeks. We have had an abundance of much-needed rain. Our state broke quite a few rainfall records this year; Tucson International Airport set one of several records this season with 5.88 inches of rain through July 25. And the monsoon season is not over. BUT, don’t think we can leave the dust behind. Just because much of Arizona received record rainfall to date, doesn’t mean that we are flush with water. We still need to conserve what we have...

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Whether you’re installing a new landscape, renovating an existing one, or just looking for ways to conserve water in an urban environment, proper planning and design are essential to creating a water-wise landscape. Water - Use It Wisely offers simple considerations to get you started on the design path...

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According to the Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR), Arizona used about 7.1 million acre-feet of fresh water in 1957 — a figure that was actually lower — at 7.0 million acre-feet in 2017. An acre-foot is 325,850 gallons, enough to cover a football field in nearly a foot of water. Water saving isn’t any single area of our life; it's every area of our life. How we steward that resource is our individual responsibility. The more we think about how our decisions affect water and in what part/form of its life cycle we are using, the better stewards we become...

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Owning a pool can be great fun! However, it can also be a great deal of work. To keep it clean and the equipment working properly, it needs regular maintenance. You may be tempted to do this yourself, and you totally can, but if you don’t want to be bothered with taking samples of your water to be tested or brushing down the pool, weekly service may make sense for you. At the very least, hire a professional service company for annual maintenance and summertime upkeep...

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The monsoon season brings the fresh smell of creosote and mesquite, moisture in the air, cooler temperatures, and also something stinky -- scammers. Scammers, also known as “travelers,” are pesky door-knocking salespeople who use high-pressure tactics to get homeowners to sign up for construction repairs or installations that aren't actually needed. Their go-to "jobs" are installing a new roof, repairing a damaged air conditioning unit, re-stuccoing and painting, or re-landscaping your yard, while offering low costs and possibly utilizing leftover materials. These salespeople tend to appear after large, destructive storms and during the monsoon season. Here is how to avoid door-to-door scammers and what actions to take after a storm...

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So, you are ready to get your weekend warrior on and tackle some home improvement projects. That’s great! But before you order materials and secure your toolbelt, Rosie highly cautions against four projects that should never be a DIY. These should be left to licensed professionals...

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This article is part of a weekly series that will help each of us plan for a life of our choosing as we age. With the advancement of medical care and the resultant longer average life span there is a question that bears asking for many of us- how do we want to live out our retirement years? A key component for most people is that they would like to be as active, independent, and self-sufficient; as much as they can, as comfortably as they can and for as long as they can. The independence component of aging contributes to maintaining a sense of dignity...

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In the summer do you drive around the parking lot for 20 minutes looking for a shady spot to park? The time it takes to find one can take as long as the errand would take itself. How about finding a shady spot at home? Where can you go to get some fresh air without being exposed to the direct sun? You can spend time outside even in the heat of summer, providing you have adequate shade. Any shaded surface on a hot afternoon will be about 30 degrees cooler than in the direct sun. Let's map out some shade zones for your backyard...

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Last week Central and Southern Arizona residents endured 115 to 118-degree temperatures. Thankfully, we did not experience brownouts from the load thousands of air conditioning units put on the energy providers' systems. However, the monsoons are on their way which means in addition to the heat, we will have humidity, rain, and lightning. These scenarios can prevent the energy from flowing to your home. What if you or someone in your household requires oxygen 24/7 or has a medical condition that requires the home environment to stay cool and dry? What do you do if the power goes out? Thankfully, there are options...

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The summer of 2020 was particularly challenging in Arizona as our state experienced the hottest summer on record... Extreme temperatures can put a strain on local energy grids. After seeing California experience rolling blackouts in summer 2020 and Texas's entire grid threatened in February 2021, it leaves Arizonans wondering: Could a situation similar to Texas or California’s happen here in Arizona?...

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Just as with Part 1, where we discussed the individual strengths and weakness of concrete tile and single roof systems and how to mitigate them. Tyler Johnson, Johnson Roofing, a Rosie-Certified Partner explains the differences between flat roof systems, here, in Part 2....

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There are many types of roofs in Arizona. How do you know which type you have? Do you know their individual strengths? Most importantly, do you know their weaknesses and how to mitigate them? Tyler Johnson, Johnson Roofing, a Rosie-Certified Partner explains the difference between concrete tile and shingles...

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If you’re a homeowner thinking about patio options to open up the back of the house and looking to invest in something more expansive than French doors or sliders, there’s a growing trend that just might be the perfect solution: glass pivot doors. You’ve probably seen the popular oversized sliding glass doors that create a glorious, seamless flow from the inside of a home to the patio. They’re stunning, especially when they go all the way up to the ceiling. But this new trend takes the idea of moveable glass walls one step further...

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It’s no secret that Arizona’s population has grown steadily over the years. Since 1955, it has grown five-fold. But here’s an amazing fact – due to significant investments in conservation, water reuse and infrastructure, our water use is essentially the same as it was more than half a century ago! This is an astounding – and reassuring – fact. Especially when you consider that the Colorado River Basin, which provides water for 80% of the state’s population, has experienced more than two decades of drought... it’s important to know that Arizona is prepared...

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When buying a new home heating and cooling system, it can be hard to find the one that’s “just right.” Richard Rojo of Rosie on the House Certified-Partner, Trane, explains the process of selecting the appropriate size HVAC unit. It’s important to know what you want most and what combination of system and features offers the best solution for your home. The best way to get started is to remember and follow these three steps as suggested by TRANE: Prepare, Research and Shop...

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Are you considering or have you already decided to take the plunge to remodel your home? Before you go trotting down to your favorite design studio, be sure you understand what is involved in a remodel. Here is what to expect...

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Getting an accurate temperature reading is critical to keeping your home at the comfort level you desire. The placement of the thermostat determines how accurate that reading is. Your home’s thermostat is the headquarters for maintaining comfortable room temperatures. The thermostat records the temperature of your home, particularly the room in which it is placed, and uses that information to determine whether the heating and cooling system needs to kick on. Follow these rules provided by Rosie on the House Certified Partner, Green ID, and avoid inaccurate temperature readings...

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One of the most expensive purchases you will ever make for your home is an air conditioner -- whether you are replacing existing equipment or choosing a new heating, ventilating, and air conditioning system (HVAC) for a home. Before you get to the part of selecting a system, you must first select the contractor. There are thousands of HVAC contractors in the state of Arizona. How do you know which one is right for you?...

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Say you are outside doing yard work, and you notice a bit of crumbled concrete next to your house’s foundation, or you see cracks. Is it a big deal? Yes, it can be if not remedied. The part of the house's foundation that you can see is the stem wall, and it's an integral part of the building’s structure. Bob Brown, owner, Arizona Foundation Solutions, a Rosie-Certified Partner, walks us through stem wall failure and repair...

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The goal of any home remodeling project is to create a functional, comfortable and clean environment that meets our needs as a family. Making our way through the past 12 months in a pandemic has forced a new way of living for many of us and the need for home improvements that accommodate our new lifestyle. While experts across the nation have made their predictions of styles and colors that will shape the year ahead, we’ve gathered these top design trends that you need to know about before you remodel this year. ...

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