Do you know that your home's indoor air quality greatly impacts your health? For home safety, our REALTORS® recommend regularly testing your indoor air quality and taking steps to reduce harmful pollutants in your home that can make you sick.

Taking steps to boost indoor air quality can help you lower your risk of developing serious health conditions and improve your quality of life. If you're considering buying Nassau County homes for sale or Suffolk County homes for sale, testing the air quality can ensure a healthy indoor environment. Here are some steps you can take to keep your family safe.

It's so exciting to move into your first home! For many new homeowners, it's also your first opportunity to get a pet. Our REALTORS® understand, and to make that experience a little easier for you, they have assembled a few tips for bringing home a new kitten. 

• Litter Box
  The very first thing a cat looks for in a new environment is a place to go. Small kittens may need a tiny box to access it. While older cats will find it on their own, kittens should probably be dropped directly into the box. Soon, they will be digging with gusto. Unfortunately, this means they will send some litter flying and create a mess around the box. You can make clean-up easier by placing a disposable pet pad under the box. Cats like to do their business in private, so you'll want to replace the tiny starter box with a larger covered box to contain the mess. Use liners that will contain the litter and let you toss a closed bag to empty it. You may be tempted to invest in a self-cleaning box, but many cats are frightened by the noise it makes.

If you have a small yard or a hilly landscape, you can still enjoy container gardening year-round. Growing potted plants is a little harder than growing plants in the ground, but our REALTORS® have some gardening tips to help you develop a green thumb in no time. Are you ready to grab your gardening gloves and start planting?

1. Make a List of Plants You Like
   Before you head to the nursery, think about how you want your container garden to look. Do you want drought-tolerant succulents, leafy green ferns, colorful blooms, or a variety of different plants? If you're a beginning gardener, go online to get ideas of plants you like, then make a list or take pictures with you to the nursery.

When George Gershwin wrote "Summertime, and the livin' is easy," he wasn't thinking about homeowners.  But the sooner you get summer maintenance out of the way, the sooner your summertime blues will fly away, and you can finally relax. Our REALTORS® have compiled a list of things to tackle in the early part of the season to help you keep your home looking its best and save you money in the long run by resolving issues while they're still small.

• HVAC Inspection and Tune-Up
  Before you turn on the air conditioning, clear the unit of any debris that may have accumulated in or around the unit. Clean the coils, inspect the wiring and change the filter. You may find it worth the price to pay a professional to clean and tune up the unit annually, especially if your unit is on the roof. A licensed technician will do more than inspect for damages. He will check elements for wear and tear, lubricate moving parts, and advise you as to the expected life and efficiency of the unit. If you wait until the weather is hot and the unit fails, you may wait for days for costly repairs!