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Signs you need a dehumidifier

January 20, 2017 by admin

Moving into your new home is a very exciting moment in your life and no matter what home plan you have, if you start to notice excessive moisture and ice build-up on your windows in the colder months you need to combat this with a dehumidifier. This excess moisture is known as humidity and it is extremely common in new construction homes.

What is humidity and what causes it?

High levels of humidity can be harmful to you and your family. It can cause health and respiratory problems, especially in young children and the elderly. High humidity can cause mold spores to grow and replicate, creating dangerous health concerns. Humidity is created in your home by taking hot showers, cooking food on your stovetop and in your oven, houseplants with exposed soil and even exhaling air creates excess moisture.

New construction homes are so tightly sealed that this excess moisture has nowhere to go. Think of your home as a Ziploc bag. The warm, humid air in your home reacts with the cold, dry air outside, creating moisture which is most noticeable on your windows. What you don’t see is the moisture that could be forming behind your drywall or in your attic.

How do I control high humidity?

The easiest and most efficient way to control high levels of humidity in your home is with a dehumidifier. You should have at least one dehumidifier in your home, but Thomsen Homes recommends having one on every level. The best area to place a dehumidifier is by your kitchen or bathroom because you can empty the bucket easier as well as stop the moisture at the source.

There are several different types and sizes of dehumidifiers. The most common sizes are 30, 50, and 70 pint dehumidifiers. The size refers to how many pints of moisture the unit can pull from the air in a single day. A 30-pint dehumidifier is more efficient in a smaller space whereas a 70-pint dehumidifier works better for a larger space. Dehumidifiers either have a bucket that water drips into, a hose attachment or both. Both types of dehumidifiers are efficient and what type you choose is a personal preference.

In addition to a dehumidifier, there are several other ways that you can control humidity levels in your home:

Use a kitchen fan while cooking; however, the fan needs to be vented outdoors
Run the exhaust fan while showering, leave the fan on for at least 20 minutes after showering
Do not hang wet clothes to dry inside your home during winter
Leave drapes and pull blinds open to allow proper circulation
When weather permits, open windows to circulate air through your home
Close vents in rooms that are not in use

Watch for more homeowner tips on the Thomsen Homes blog page.

*The above information can be found in your Thomsen Homes Homeowner Maintenance Manual.

Paige and Paul’s Thomsen Moment…

January 18, 2017 by admin

When Paige and Paul embarked on their home building journey with Thomsen Homes, they were expecting to be overwhelmed with the task of building a house. When they walked into the Thomsen Home’s office, the soon to be newlyweds found it was less stressful than planning a wedding! Having the choice to build what they wanted in their price range and make it their own was a big reason in why they went with Thomsen Homes. “We didn’t feel stressed or overwhelmed throughout the process. It was so fun to see our home come to life,” said Paul. “Working with the Thomsen Homes design team and looking at the selections from a small sample to seeing it actually in the home was really exciting.”

Watch Paige and Paul’s Thomsen moment in this testimonial and the reasons they built a Thomsen Home in Fargo-Moorhead.

Thomsen Design Studio Tip: Questions to think about before your design appointment

January 13, 2017 by admin

Building a home can be an exciting new venture with many moving parts. Thomsen Homes has a team to help you through the process and make your vision come together. Part of this process is to reflect on what your lifestyle is like and what areas of your home really are the most used or important to you. For example, if you love to cook, spend some time thinking about your kitchen space and how you would like it to function.

Below are a couple of questions to get you started on the design of your home while working with a Thomsen Homes Design Studio Specialists to bring your vision to life.

What is your budget?

Setting a budget can get tricky but making sure you have some parameters in place will help you in the long run. Try to break down your budget in to categories by what is most important to you. For example, if you want to spend more on specific items like having granite in the bathrooms.

This also is an area where you can make note of upgrades you would like to make. Ask your Thomsen Homes Design Studio Specialist about common upgrades and get some insight on what clients have done etc. This will help you get an idea of what is within your budget and what is important to you.

What will work for your family? Your lifestyle?

This is such an important part of the design process and really can get you thinking about what you want in a home and what will work for your family. Start by making a list of things that are important to you to organize your thoughts. If you enjoy entertaining, focus on the space in your home where you would be entertaining, whether it’s a dining area or a basement area with space for a bar. What works best for your lifestyle?

You may have a vision of your dream home so use inspiration from social platforms like Pinterest or Houzz when working with your Thomsen Homes Design Studio Specialist to show them ideas of what you’re thinking. Or if you have other ideas of inspiration from personal photos or magazines these are all great ways to visually communicate your vision of your home.

What are the top 5 things you want in your home?

Making a top 5 list can help prioritize what is most important to you. There is a lot to think about when building a home and don’t be afraid to use your team at Thomsen as a resource for questions you may have. Enjoy this experience of building a home for your family!

Watch for more design tips on the Thomsen Homes blog page.

New Year’s Resolution For Your Home

January 5, 2017 by admin

New Year’s, a time to start fresh, motivation to eat healthy, save money or spend more time with family and friends. But what goals do you set for your home? Here are three tips to help you kick start your New Year’s resolutions for your home.

Get rid of stuff

There is nothing wrong with a little spring cleaning in January, right? It might be worth making a list of rooms you can start decluttering with unwanted things. Start small and take it room by room as to not get overwhelmed. Before you know it spring is right around the corner and you can spend time enjoying the warmer weather instead of decluttering your home. This tip in particular helps if you are planning on moving to a new home. This will keep things a bit more manageable when you do decide to move.

Home Maintenance

Simple maintenance of your home can not only save you money but can prevent costly damage to your home if not addressed. Easy steps like making sure there are rugs inside your home in front of the exterior doorways so during winter when tracking in snow you can prevent water damage to your flooring. Or making sure your dehumidifier is working properly this will help to remove moisture in the home. Another easy tip is changing out your furnace filter. Changing the filter on a regular basis will help to keep clean air circulating throughout your home and is more efficient for your furnace.

Give your house some TLC

The whirlwind of the holidays can throw off a lot and the last thing anyone is thinking about during Christmas dinner is giving your carpet a deep clean. Take some time to breathe, it might be just the right moment to freshen up the paint in your home that you have been meaning to get to. Great memories have been made in your home and a little extra time spent sprucing it up can help it recover from the holiday rush.

Thomsen Homes Movember Challenge

November 10, 2016 by admin

Sweet ‘Stache and the Faces Who Sport Them

Take action for men’s health and help bring awareness. Thomsen Homes will donate $500 to the Movember Foundation for every sale in the month November.

Up for the challenge?

Think you have what it takes to sport a sweet ‘stache? Well, we want you to prove it! Post your moustache style and progress tagging @Thomsen Homes in your photo on our Facebook page.

Whether your ‘stache style is Hulk Hogan, Captain Hook, Ron Swanson or the Monopoly Man we want to see what you got!

What’s in it for you?

Your creating awareness for men’s health issues and supporting a great cause
You get to grow a sweet ‘stache
Thomsen Homes invites you to join us for a social event “SWEET ‘STACHE BASH” at our office to celebrate your moustache (Wednesday, November 30th, 2016. Stay tuned for details)

Support the cause and remember with a great mustache comes great responsibility!

People’s Choice Awards- Best Home Builder under $399K

November 4, 2016 by admin

design-and-living-cover

When you look up the definition of community it states community is a feeling of fellowship with others, as a result of sharing common attitudes, interests and goals. This definition of community resonates with the team at Thomsen Homes. We are humbled and honored that the Fargo- Moorhead community voted on Thomsen Homes as the Best Home Builder below $399k through the 2016 Design and Living Magazine People’s Choice Awards.

Thank You Fargo-Moorhead

We wanted to take a moment and thank our community for this recognition. This would not be possible without you and your support. We also want to congratulate all the others in our industry that were recognized for the People’s Choice Awards. To work along all those that are passionate in what they do in this area, in the industry is truly rewarding to the Thomsen Homes team. Check out the November issue of Design and Living to get the full overview on the People’s Choice Awards: https://issuu.com/fmspotlight/docs/dl_nov16_final/51?e=1380575/40260400

The Fargo Moorhead Convention & Visitors Bureau did a great job in capturing our community and highlighting a new look into the FM area and what makes our destination north of normal. Check out their short film here:

Fargo-Moorhead housing impact study shows positive growth for the community

October 28, 2016 by admin

Chris Thomsen, President of Thomsen Homes weighs in on the recent survey findings put out by the National Association of Home Builders, on the positive benefits of new housing in our communities.

The local news outlet WDAY covered the story with findings of the Fargo- Moorhead area fairing extremely well compared to the national average in new housing. See the full story here: https://www.wday.com/news/north-dakota/4144795-new-study-national-association-home-builders-shows-fargo-fairing-above

Recapping the 2016 Fall Parade of Homes

September 27, 2016 by admin

As the fall colors continue to change Thomsen Homes wraps up the 2016 Fall Parade of Homes. Hopefully you had the chance to make it out to the Thomsen Homes in the parade this fall! Enjoying some of our new updates to the floorplans and inspired fresh design.

In case you missed the HBA of F-M fall parade this year we had five homes featured. Thomsen Homes is excited to showcase the new model homes in some of West Fargo and Fargo’s latest developments. Homes located in the Wilds, Deer Creek and Eagle Valley. Each home highlights different design elements, style and detail to inspire you on the benefits and value of a new home.

Featured Fall Parade Homes

Our classic 2180 bi-level located at 776 Albert Dr. W, West Fargo is an alternative design to the upper level floor plan. This floor plan has an open living room, moving the kitchen to the back of the home off-setting the dining room. The traditional Hollywood bath has been replaced by a guest bathroom and a master bathroom with a walk-in shower.

The traditional 3 level located at 7308 21^st St S, Fargo received an upgrade by adding an additional bedroom on the upper level, making this home a 4 bed, 3 bath home.

Thomsen Homes’ 2086 classic 2 story located at 833 Albert Dr W, West Fargo features an updated layout. The upper level with 3 bedrooms, a bonus loft, 2 bathrooms and laundry.

If it’s an open main floor that you’re looking for, Thomsen Homes’ newer 2090 classic 2 story located at 6608 57^th Ave S, Fargo is for you! The bonus room off the entry offers a wide-open area by changing the floor to ceiling wall to a half wall. This home also features a custom painted column and removal of the standard doors.

Looking for a home with upgrades? The 1502 luxury rambler at 2080 75^th Ave S, Fargo has fabulous finishes. Featuring an open stairwell, tiled kitchen backsplash, large master bath and finished basement.

Whatever stage you are in in your home selection process we hope that the homes featured at this falls parade you take away inspiration and motivation for your new home. Check out photos of the featured homes and other homes here.