Right At Home Savings Guide May 2011

RIGHT AT

HOME

MAY 2011

THE STONE OAK SAVINGS GUIDE

Harnessing the Sun’s Power in Stone Oak with Ecowatt Design!- Page 5

Champion AC

Shares 7 Tips on How to Care for your AC System.-Page 2

Attorney Ivan Ramirez helps clients

organize their lives and finances.-Page 9

Unique Deck and Patio Never Stain

or Replace Your Deck Again!-Page 15

SUMMER Coupon Savings

to Improve Your Home and Lifestyle

Robert “Tito” Norris, DDS, Stone Oak Orthodontics Raymond Saenz, Owner, Ecowatt Design

Tick-tock Time to tune up that A/C unit!

T

AIR CONDITIONING • HEATING • ENERGY EFFICIENCY REBATE

210-429-9000

he calendar might indicate spring, but San Antonio is definitely experiencing some hot summer temperatures already. But before you click on that air conditioner, Ben Hubbert, president and co-owner of Champion AC, offers the following tips: 1. Like that automobile in the garage, AC units need regular maintenance. “You want to get your HVAC system checked before you start using the air conditioner and then again before you start turning on the heat.”

2. About once a month homeowners should use a garden hose to rinse off their outdoor condenser unit to remove any dirt or debris. “Keeping your unit clean can save about 10 percent on your energy bill.”

3. Regularly change the filters. “That’s what keeps your indoor unit clean.”

4. Set the thermostat at 78 degrees. “The air conditioner is responsible for 60 to 70 percent of your monthly utility bill and each degree below that 78-degree mark adds another four percent to your bill.”

5. The average lifespan of an AC unit in San Antonio is about 12 years. A new energy-efficient unit can cut utility bills by up to 60 percent.

6. Check for leaks and make sure ducts have been properly installed.

“Seventy-five percent of all homes have improperly installed air ducts and they are one of the most important components,” says Hubbert. “If the AC unit is the heart of the system, then the ducts are like the arteries.”

7. Make sure the AC company you call for service is licensed and registered with the Better Business Bureau. Clients should also check that the technicians are certified, bonded and insured and have undergone a background check.

For more assistance, contact Champion AC at 210-429-9000 or visit www.championac.com

Is Your A/C System Ready For The HOT San Antonio Summer?

AIR CONDITIONING • HEATING • ENERGY EFFICIENCY REBATES • Up to $4000 in State and Local Rebates • Up to 60 Months 0% Interest (WAC) • Have a New A/C Unit Installed for as Low as $99 a Month.

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ASK US ABOUT THE 17 POINT A/C TUNE-UP! “Over 80% of home A/C & Heating repairs could have been avoidable through proper maintenance. By having Champion A/C service your system, you will increase the life span of your system, saving you money in the long run.”

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Robert “Tito” Norris, DDS and Raymond Saenz

Harnessing the Sun’s Power in Stone Oak with

Ecowatt Design D

r. Robert “Tito” Norris has definitely made his mark in the world by building a successful orthodontics practice in Stone Oak. Yet, when it comes to his ecological footprint, he prefers to leave as little trace as possible.

“A very wise man once told me that I was going to have an influence on people no matter what,” says Dr. Norris. “But, it would be my choice of what kind of influence that would be. Would it be a neutral influence, a negative one or a positive one.”

His decision to always take the latter route is what eventually convinced Dr. Norris to go green and place 80 solar panels on the roof of his 18720 Stone Oak Parkway practice. The system, which was installed by Texas-based Ecowatt Design, has not only saved Dr. Norris about

$3,600 a year in energy costs, but has garnered him much respect in the community.

“I had a good idea this would be well received and I was right,” he says. “I

have even had some patients tell me, ‘Yes, you are a great orthodontist, but honestly we’re here because of your environmental stance.’”

Although Ecowatt Design was still a small and fairly new company at the time, Dr. Norris was struck by the dedication of its owner, Raymond Saenz. “I like the mom and pop shops, I like the personal service,” says Dr. Norris. “Ray was so dedicated and so passionate about solar energy that I just knew he would do everything possible to take care of me, and he did.”

Given that solar energy is still a growing market, Saenz knew early on that he would have to be confident in the product he installs and extremely committed to his customers in order to succeed. “This isn’t the kind of business that takes off overnight,” Saenz says. “But, when you complete a project and are driving 120 miles home and you are tired and dirty, but really enthusiastic because you left seeing your customer so excited about their new system -that feeling is what keeps me going.”

Dr. Norris first looked into solar panels in 2005, but the project was not feasible from a financial standpoint at that point in time. Today, clients can expect to recoup between 60 and 70 percent of the cost of installation within the very first year thanks to available rebates, tax credits and savings on their monthly electricity bills. Dr. Norris, who also installed about 20 solar panels on his home, expects his system will pay for itself within seven years.

But, those rebates will not be around forever.

“CPS hasn’t given us any indication of when or how long from now those rebates will end,” says Saenz. “That’s why I think people who are even remotely interested in solar energy should take the time to look into it now while those funds exist.”

A registered solar installer with CPS Energy, Ecowatt Design files for all available rebates, obtains necessary city permits and seeks HOA approval on behalf of their clients.

For more information about solar energy and available rebates, contact Ecowatt Design at (210)-618-0050 or visit www.ecowattdesign.com/.

Federal tax refunds and rebates by local power companies, including CPS Energy, have definitely helped increase the demand for solar energy.

Call Today for an in-home estimate.

FREE Attic Breeze

210-618-0050 ecow a t t d e s i g n. c om Attic Breeze solar attic fan

when you purchase solar power system from Ecowatt Design.

Expires 7/15/2011

Visit Stone Oak Info.com for more coupon savings! I 5

INSIDE

OUTSIDE

ATTIC

GARAGE

18866 Stone Oak Pkwy. #103-60 San Antonio, Texas 78258

Call for a

FREE

Termite Inspection 7/15/2011

Each year in the U.S. termites do over $5 billion dollars in property damage.

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Expires Sept 30th, 2011 Cannot be used during holiday weekends.

Stay Have Your Dog me o with Us or at H u Either Way Yo

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First Time Customers Receive

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Attorney Ivan Ramirez helps clients organize their lives and finances

Bankruptcy. Estate planning. Business Law. Wills. Trusts.

J

ust the words alone can raise anxiety levels, while wadding through the legal process behind each of these topics can be positively overwhelming. Enter attorney and counselor at law Ivan Ramirez. A rising star within his profession, Ramirez is known for both his knowledge of the law and his uncanny ability to translate all that complicated legalese into layman’s terms.

“These are complex issues and a good attorney has to be able to explain the law in simplistic terms so the client understands,” says Ramirez. “Whether it’s debt relief, forming a new business or complex estate planning, I help my clients navigate the law so they will come out ahead in the end. At the end of the day I want my clients to be satisfied that I gave them a value-added service.”

A former teacher, Ramirez began his law career in 2007. In December of last year, he opened his solo practice, which

specializes in business law, bankruptcy and estate planning. “Or, as I tell my clients, ‘I can take care of your business from cradle to grave,’” Ramirez says.

Although bankruptcy cases are particularly emotional for the client, Ramirez finds great joy in helping others organize their lives and their finances.

“I have seen an increase in bankruptcy cases within the business world over the past year and maybe that is a sign of the times,” he says. “But, obtaining debt relief for my clients is a very satisfying part of my job. They are my happiest clients, and the ones that give me the biggest hugs at the end of the case because I have taken the weight of the world off their shoulders.

That’s what makes it worthwhile being in the practice.”

Ramirez has also become a source of help for many Mexican Nationals moving to San Antonio for either business or security reasons. “That part of my job really fell into my lap,” says Ramirez, who grew up in a Spanish-speaking home in Laredo, Texas and is fluent in Spanish. Today, Ramirez helps Mexican Nationals translate not only the English language, but American laws in regards to estate taxes, business formation and estate planning.

“My main focus is customer service,” he says. “It is very important for clients to feel comfortable working with their attorney. You have to establish a good relationship and you have to trust your lawyer.”

Contact the Law Office of Ivan Ramirez, PLLC at 448-7755 or visit www.ram-law.com for more information.

• Estate Planning • Bankruptcy • Business Transactions Ivan Ramirez, Esq. Phone: (210) 448-7755 Fax: (210) 448-7756 9901 IH 10 West, Ste. 800 San Antonio, TX 78230 ivan@ram-law.com

www.ram-law.com

Call (210) 448-7755 Mention this ad and receive your first hour of legal consultation FREE. ($100.00 value) Visit Stone Oak Info.com for more coupon savings! I 9

GOT PAIN! Stone Oak

Chiropractic Dr. Tina Grau, D.C.

THE NEW PARMAN STONE OAK LIBRARY WILL BE MORE THAN JUST ANOTHER BRANCH.

Call us about our

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(210)

545-2001

Offer Expires 7/15/2011

The free consult offered here does not apply to patients who participate in a federal program providing health care benefits or payments-such as, but not limited to, Medicare.

Dr. Tina Grau, D.C.

510 Med Court Suite 207 San Antonio, Texas 78258 Office: (210) 545-2001 www.stoneoakchiropractic.com www.ABCMiracles.com

Try the

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www.ThinAndHealthy.com

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r e m m u S ! s g n i v Sa CLEANERS 19239 Stone Oak Parkway At The Shops of Stone Oak In Same Center as Green Fields Market Corner of Huebner Rd.

210-495-5233

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Expires 7/15/2011

EVERYDAY LOW PRICE Laundered Shirts $1.75+ tax prepaid – Next Day Service

We are keeping our cost low to help you!

Any Garment Dry Cleaned & Pressed is at our everyday low price!

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Expires 7/15/2011

Visit Stone Oak Info.com for more coupon savings! I 11

Peaches Loves

Bling!

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