VirtualeHowTo

How to Avoid Getting Swine Flu

2009-05-04T03:40:00.001-07:00

Swine Flu - How To Protect Yourself Quickly & Easily by: Simon DodererThe guidelines state: INFORM / THE HIGHEST LEVEL / BASIC HYGIENE SOLUTIONS Swine Flu: The current issue of the swine flu, this is caused by an Influenza A type virus. This determines the characteristics, such as shape and make up of the virus. Byotrol from Northern Environmental kills this type of virus. It is the infections that are caused by the swine flu virus that are difficult to control/treat. Byocare Handmousse used on hard surfaces or hands kills the virus it does not treat the disease. Byotrol helps ‘prevent’ and protect – EN1500 with 30 minute and 16 hours control! This may not be as direct proof as we like but we can be very confident that Byotrol is effective against flu virus Below are some guidelines on our website – I have highlighted in red several of the many key features whereby simple, back to basic measures underpinned by the Byotrol Technology can help. Swine Flu - Byotrol Publishes Guide Lines To Help Businesses 27th Apr 2009 Pandemic Flu Policy & Contingency Plan 1. INTRODUCTION A Swine Flu ( influenza) pandemic has the potential to severely affect UK Business, employees and their families, and requires specific planning over and above that made for disasters It is recommended the planning focuses on: • Raising employees awareness of the threat of a pandemic and testing staff preparedness: • Maintaining health surveillance and hygiene measures: • Producing action plans that are specific to each of the business’s locations, taking into account local healthcare provision and regulatory systems governing drug licensing and stockpiling : and • Enhancing protection for high risk and vulnerable employees. 2 Background Pandemic influenza (flu) is a type of influenza that occurs every few decades and which spreads rapidly to affect most countries and regions around the world. Unlike the “ordinary” flu that occurs every winter in the UK, pandemic flu can occur at any time of year. Pandemic flu is much more serious than “ordinary” flu. As much as a quarter of the population may be affected – possibly more. Pandemic flu is likely to cause the same symptoms as ordinary flu but the symptoms may be more severe because nobody will have any immunity or protection against the particular virus. Swine influenza or “Swine Flu” is a contagious disease caused by mutation in influenza A viruses. Swine Flu - How To Protect Yourself Quickly & Easily 3 Planning for a PANDEMIC 3.1 The CEO should be the business’s designated pandemic coordinator and a pandemic response team from across the business should be set up and trained in clearly defined rolls. 3.2 The functions of the pandemic response team includes • Maintaining the team’s own awareness of global developments in Swine Flu (including guidance on containment strategies and vaccines) • Developing training and awareness materials for the business • Briefing the Management Board • Ensuring links are maintained with external stakeholders in planning for a pandemic flu (e.g. suppliers, customers and where relevant the Public) PANDEMIC RESPONSE Working practices and social distancing • Employees who are fit to return to work following an absence due to pandemic flu (and who have therefore developed immunity to the disease) might be considered for high-risk, essential roles. • The company should establish flexible working policies, enabling line managers to agree home working, different shift patterns, or relocation to a site more local to the employee’s home where appropriate. • Employees will be required to work at least one metre away from colleagues to ensure social distancing and managers will reconfigure work-site layouts to enable this to take place • Other social distancing responses are likely to include: o Absolutely no shared use of Telephones and mobiles o Advising employees to avoid face-to-face meetings and to use telephone and internet services instead, where possible o If this is not possible, meeting only in a large room and maintaining a distance of at least one metre between participants o Advising employees to avoid crowded places (lifts) or heavily populated gatherings (e.g. sporting events) o Advising employees to avoid travelling at busy periods on public transport • Essential workers who are totally reliant on public transport may be offered dedicated transport to and from work Infection Control • During a pandemic the business should seek to reduce the overall and specific risks to members of staff by taking appropriate infection control actions (e.g. strengthening guidance on hand washing, unnecessary contact such as hand shaking and isolataion of any member of staff with symptoms such as coughing) • Basic health protection advice including the following guidance: o Avoid close contact o Staying at home when sick or sickening o Covering completely with disposable tissues mouth and nose when sneezing and coughing sanitising hands afterwards o Avoiding touching eyes, nose and mouth • Additional protection measures will be taken to ensure that influenza does not spread through contaminated objects and surfaces, such as handles, railings and counters. Surfaces touched by hands will be cleaned at least daily using Byotrol products. • Staff with flu-like symptoms will be required to stay at home until the symptoms disappear and will be allowed in the workplace only in extreme circumstances • Staff developing symptoms at work will be accommodated in a designated isolation room while arrangements are made to transport them home. Precautions will be introduced for all those entering and leaving this room. • Swine Flu - How To Protect Yourself Quickly & Easily Staff at risk of developing influenza-related complications (e.g. pregnant workers and those with compromised immune systems) will be reassigned from high-risk work sites and locations in the event of a pandemic. Business and personal travel • Only essential business travel should be considered during a pandemic and procedures for approving travel need to be tightened, requiring authorisation from a senior manager • The pandemic response team should monitor travel plans and new procedures for notifying employees’ location during periods of business travel will be introduced in the event of a pandemic • Staff required to visit pandemic-affected areas on business will be provided with appropriate health advice and personal protective equipment (e.g. masks, Byotrol based handwipes) and employees will have the right to refuse to travel to such areas • Staff visiting affected areas for non-business purposes during a pandemic may need to be required to stay away from work for a period of quarantine on unpaid leave. 3.3 Goods services and functions of the business that are essential to its operations and survival will be defined and the Business will: • Carry out devolution planning: i.e. plan which services can be carried out by other sites: • Develop an order of succession: i.e. plan which services can be carried out by personnel other than those who normally given the task and train non-essential back-up staff to perform essential tasks • Stockpile small quantities of essential supplies, materials and equipment • Ensure that maintenance plans are up to date to guarantee that all equipment essential to the business’s operation is capable of sustained operation in the event of a pandemic • Prepare time lines for how long it will be possible for the Business to carry out its essential functions without critical supplies, personnel and equipment • Produce forecasts of employee sickness absence during a pandemic flu • Put in place policies to enable flexible working (e.g. home- working ) in the event of a pandemic flu: • Put in place a pandemic response team that will take steps to heighten awareness of the Business infection control procedures, particularly provisions covering hand hygiene: • Provide specific training for all employees and students on personal, workplace and family protection and actions to take as a pandemic develops; • Prepare employee support services, including grief counselling and psychiatric care ; • Ensure that adequate supplies of infection control materials (Byotrol mousse for hand hygiene, surface sprays, wipes, gloves and masks) are held in preparedness for a pandemic. The Byotrol hand hygiene programme is just one element of our ‘Hygiene Revolution’ whereby we can challenge and manage the Critical Control Points within food processing / preparation / service: Floors / Food Contact surfaces / Hands Product offering: Hand Hygiene / Skin care Unit Pack End user unit price Byocare Mousse 50ml 30 x 50ml £2.99 Byocare Mousse 600ml 12 x 600ml £8.50 Byocare Mousse 5L - re-fill 4 x 5L £16.00 Swine Flu - How To Protect Yourself Quickly & Easily FOOD MANUFACTURING For Food-processing, food-preparation and food-service there are complex hygiene issues such as:  Food preparation: deli, bakery, on site food prep: sandwiches etc Floors: HD Food Safe Degreaser/ food contact surface Byosan, Cleaner Sanitiser + (Ready for use), Byowipe (Byosan liquid inside)  Food storage, display and check out – floors, shelving, check-out conveyors Broad spectrum usage: Byowipe – kills and protects / multi surface usage People ‘hands’: one of the major contributing factor for food spoilage and pathogens – some statistics claim upto 80% can be attributed to poor hand hygiene (General public: circa 40% of men and 20% of women do not wash their hands after using the toilet) (Catering workers: circa 50% do not wash their hands prior to preparing food) Byocare – hand hygiene programme: soap, sanitiser, dispensers, training programme Prepared by Simon Doderer – http://www.nenviro.com with content from Byotrol PLC. Call 0800 808 7887 or email Info@nenviro.comAbout The AuthorSimon Doderer is managing Director and founder of http://www.nenviro.com. Dedicated to commercial solutions for the Environment.Visit the author's web site at:http://www.nenviro.com

My BMW has no REVERSE!

2009-03-07T06:04:00.000-08:00

BMW "No Reverse" Transmission Problem by: Joe Sirugo

An automatic transmission is just that- automatic, consequently most people tend to pay very little attention to it until a major problem rears its ugly head. Picture the scenario- you are driving along in the lap of luxury, the satellite radio blaring and the heated seats on. You’ve become accustomed to the comfort level and great driving experience brought to you by BMW. You decide to stop at the local convenience store on your way home to grab some ice cream for the kids and a bottle of water for yourself. Upon returning to your car, you start it up, check your rear view mirror, put the shifter in reverse and then the unthinkable happens- the engine just revs as if it is in neutral and the car goes nowhere! This article deals with the reasons behind an unexpected loss of reverse in certain BMW automatic transmission equipped vehicles, specifically the 3 series and 5 series vehicles that use the ZF5HP19 or “steptronic” transmission. This includes the popular 323i, 323ci, 325i, 328i, 330i, 525i, 528i, 530i, X3 and X5 models well as some others built in the 1999 to present model years. To eliminate confusion, this doesn’t apply to vehicles equipped with the GM 5L40 E transmission, just the ones with the sometimes problematic ZF5HP19. The 5L40 E has some issues of it’s own that are beyond the scope of this article but are certainly going to be the subject of another. The failure rate for these transmissions seems to be very high and is expected to become much more of a problem as time goes by. Typically, the vehicle is working perfectly while driving forward but when it is put in reverse there is a complete and permanent loss of movement to back up. Reverse is typically a major feat for any transmission to accomplish- imagine the demands that are placed on a gearbox as it is asked to reverse the torque of your engine so that you can back up your nearly 4000 pound vehicle. By far, the most common cause of the reverse problem in BMW’s is the failure of the “D-G” clutch drum. Specifically, the snap ring that retains the D or reverse clutch breaks out of the clutch drum resulting in an inability for the clutch pack to apply. The good news is that there is hope in regards to a proper repair. The factory has released an updated part that so far appears to be a permanent fix for this problem. In our testing and in conjunction with several hundred successful repairs at our facilities, the new part seems to be metallurgically superior in several ways. We have found that there is an improved radius area as well as slightly thicker casting. In addition to this, the grove that retains the snap ring is also relocated further away from the edge of the drum. With this issue addressed and attention to detail in several other areas of the ZF5HP19 unit, the transmission can be repaired to “better than new” condition by a competent transmission rebuilder / remanufacturer. In fact, when properly repaired, the ZF gearbox becomes quite robust and can provide an almost indefinite service life.
About The Author
Joe Sirugo o is co-owner of Trans Specialties and has been in the transmission repair industry for over 20 years. Visit his website- http://www.autotransparts.com for more info

The Neighbors' are Aholes!

2008-12-19T07:42:00.000-08:00

Difficult People: Harassing Neighbors by: Dr. Mark Lauderdale

“My neighbors are harassing me. How do you deal with difficult people like these?” I’ve been asked this question SEVERAL times now, so I thought I’d write an article on the topic. The word “harassment” is a very broad term. For different people it can mean anything from neighbors who are verbally abusive and deflating your tires to people who are just plain nosey. It’s a little like saying, “My dog is misbehaving”. You wouldn’t start right away by working on your dog’s “misbehavior” in general. You’d want to focus on the SPECIFIC forms of misbehavior that are causing a problem, such as jumping up on people, or barking too much, etc… So, the first thing to do is to identify the specific type of harassing behavior that is causing the problem. For the sake of discussion let’s say that your neighbors are frequently rude or disrespectful to you and your family. They use a "hit and run” form of verbal abuse. The next thing to do is… talk to them? (I can already hear you saying, “I tried that and it didn’t work!”) Let me clear about this… NO! The next thing to do has NOTHING to do with talking to them. In fact, jumping into action too quickly is often where people go wrong right off the bat. It’s almost guaranteed that you will DO or SAY the wrong things, which just make things WORSE. No, the next thing to do is IMAGINE… more specifically, to visualize the way you’d like things to be with your neighbor instead of the way things are. In other words, set your goal and visualize it. You might want to turn them into friends or you might want to have infrequent but respectful interactions. That’s ok. Just be very clear about your goal – as long as it’s constructive. So, let’s say that you don’t want to move away from the neighborhood and that what you REALLY want is for your neighbors to talk in a respectful way to you and your family. Now, since THIS is what you really want, you should make a conscious decision that everything you say or do from now on will move things toward this outcome… and furthermore, that everything THEY say or do ALSO becomes an opportunity for you to take things closer to that outcome. After you’ve imagined what a positive outcome might look like, you should then eliminate your anger, frustration and stress about the situation and feel calm, strong and confident about creating a positive change. You can’t produce a positive outcome if you’re sitting on negative, angry or hostile feelings. To shift your emotional state into strength and confidence, you can use the Wellspring Method at http://www.shrinkinabox.com/difficult-people/creating-change.htm which I created to help you successfully deal with difficult people and situations like this. Armed with a feeling of confidence and determination to produce a positive outcome with the difficult person, start imagining what would happen if you were to meet with your neighbor… play out ANY scenarios that come into your mind. There is not just ONE RIGHT WAY. You know your situation far better than I do and how your particular neighbor is likely to respond. You might start off by paying them a visit and saying, “I noticed that you seemed unhappy about something when we last spoke, so I thought I’d come over and find out what it is that’s bugging you…” It’s quite possible that they may not believe you and you may just get another rude response. But, you can persist… “Clearly something was bothering you and I’d really like to know what it is so that we can address the problem.” You want to persist and be genuinely concerned and curious, so that your neighbor actually starts to feel that you are interested in what their issue is. Persist until you REALLY understand why they are feeling the way they are… even if their concern is based on misinformation or an immature way of seeing things. Once you understand what their concern is (no matter how rudely they expressed it), you can then start to think of a solution that could address that concern. Of course, if you are addressing their genuine concern, then they will also become more receptive to a friendlier relationship without the disrespectful language. If there is really no underlying issue that is bothering them, or at least none that they will divulge to you, and they persist with rude language, you can take the approach of paying them a visit each and every time a rude episode occurs… each time approaching them with the same calm and genuine curiosity about what it is that is bugging them. The more rude they are, the more concerned and curious you can be. Of course, you would need to be able to do this calmly and confidently because pushing your buttons and getting you to react is what they are TRYING to do! If you continue with repeated discussions over an extended period of time, never retaliating or getting drawn into an argument and always pursuing the issues in great detail, the act of being disrespectful towards you will start to become a bit of a nuisance to your neighbor who will think twice about being rude next time. He’ll know that hurling another negative comment your way is just going to result in yet another long drawn out discussion in which the things that are bugging him will be put under the microscope for examination. There are only two outcomes… Either your neighbor will eventually reveal what is really bugging him or her, which you can then address through some kind of win-win solution, or, they will change their tune and avoid being rude in order to avoid another discussion with you. Learn more about dealing with difficult people and problem situations at: http://www.shrinkinabox.com/difficult-people/
About The Author
Mark Lauderdale MD FRCPC is a psychiatrist and author of “Secrets of Dealing with Difficult People” http://www.shrinkinabox.com/difficult-people/ which provides expert ideas, insights and tools for dealing with all types of difficult people confidently and effectively. Copyright 2008 Wellspring Personal Effectiveness Inc.

How to Clean and be Green

2008-05-13T12:16:00.001-07:00

Finding A Family-Friendly Degreaser Cleaner by: Vincent P Platania

Super dirty, grimy, and filthy ovens complete with built-up slime and heavily encrusted gunk requires an intensive, heavy-duty cleaning device. The problem is that many oven degreasers contain poisonous and even toxic chemicals. Moreover, most of these brutal chemicals do not, in fact, make a product’s cleaning power much better than those containing safer substances. Degreasers filled with harmful ingredients will not necessarily clean better than its less toxic counterpart, but they will make your home less safe, especially for small children. Manufacturers of cleaning products include harsh chemicals in order to please consumers who have been lead to believe that those very materials are needed to clean powerfully and effectively. Moreover, these harsh substances cause Unfortunately, many of these harsh chemicals produce several intolerable side effects. Many of these toxic substances emit intense odors generating indoor air pollution. For this reason, consumers need to ventilate their houses when cleaning as recommended on the products’ packages. Such pungent smells often leave consumers with such symptoms as headaches, dizziness, and nausea. Several studies have indicated that chemical inhalation can lead to serious, long-term health problems. Pregnant women should avoid using these poisonous products since these fumes may harm the fetus. Such harsh chemicals are not only harmful to people, they are damaging to the environment. In fact, many toxic products include government-sanctioned instructions on how to dispose of them. Heaven forbid if these unused substances leaked into our soil and water. To use such products, you need to wear rubber gloves to avoid skin contact. Rubber gloves are not biodegradable, and languish in landfills when thrown out. On an up note, citrus degreasers and other natural ingredients are just as effective cleaners as toxic chemicals, and do not have any harmful side effects. Safe, biodegradable, Degreaser cleaners are currently available. While you must still take some obvious precautions like keeping the products out of the reach of children, citric cleaners are nevertheless much safer than their chemical-laden counterparts. And many of these natural cleaners are packaged in biodegradable and recycled packaging. Most corporations manufacture citrus degreasers and other biodegradable degreaser cleaners not only because they help our health and the environment, but because they work extraordinarily well. Citrus cleaning products are usually made from corn with orange oils added for extra cleaning power and an agreeable scent. These ingredients enable the degreaser cleaner to lift and dissolve dirt and grime. Because citrus degreaser cleaners are safe and biodegradable, they can be used to clean more than just ovens, barbeques, or engines. Such products can also clean carpets, counters, stovetops, etc. Yet, you must always first read the directions on the label. Some of these instructions will tell you how to dilute the cleaner so that it works on bathtubs, showers, toilets, floors, grouts, tiles, and glass. The uses for degreaser cleaner are endless. You can be assured that effective and environmentally friendly degreaser cleaners will be around for a long time. Visit http://www.stanley-home-products.com/
About The Author
Vincent Platania represents the Stanley Home Products. Stanley Home Products has been in business since 1936, and offers high quality home and personal care products to keep your home and your body clean. Visit http://www.stanley-home-products.com/

How to Celebrate World Toilet Day

2007-11-19T06:50:00.000-08:00

In order to properly celebrate World Toilet Day, one must flush an object of your choice down a toilet while making a video.

Our Tribute to World Toilet Day. We flushed smilin' Bob down our local gas station toilet as our way of joining the celebration. So here is to Jon Crapper, the potty, the can, the commode, De Latrine. Later, historians may revere this as the porceline throne of modern man.

How to Cook a Turkey

2007-11-16T14:56:00.001-08:00

How to Cook a Bird This Thanksgiving
How to Prepare and Cook the Perfect Chicken and Turkey by: Kevin McCarthyPeople want to eat healthy foods today, and a good way to accomplish that is through poultry. There are some chicken cooking tips that can help you in the kitchen and protect your family as well. Here are a few of the best chicken cooking tips available. • You must take care to always wash your hands, knife, and cutting board in hot soapy water after preparing raw poultry. • You should never use the same utensils and cutting board for other ingredients without thoroughly washing them first and after use. This prevents cross contamination. • You should always marinate poultry in the refrigerator. Never leave it out in the open. • Do not use the poultry marinade for basting. • If the marinade is to be used for the basis of a sauce, bring it to a boil and boil for 2 minutes. • Never put cooked poultry on the same plate that was used to transport raw poultry. Again, this prevents cross contamination. Here are some chicken cooking tips for storing your poultry: • Fresh poultry is a very perishable food. You should not leave it out in the open air. Instead, wrap it in plastic as soon as you get it home from the store and always store it in the coldest part of your refrigerator. You should use it within two days; if this is not possible, place it in a freezer bag and freeze for up to three months. You should always freeze giblets and livers separately from the whole bird. • Cooked poultry dishes can be frozen. However, you should not freeze poultry dishes that contain mayonnaise or hard-boiled eggs. • Allow small poultry dishes to cool completely before wrapping and freezing them. Allow larger items to cool in the refrigerator and then wrap airtight and freeze. • You should never freeze stuffed poultry. Some of the most important chicken cooking tips involve proper thawing of the bird. It is especially important that the poultry be properly thawed before cooking. Allow it to thaw in the refrigerator while it is in the original wrapper. You can place it on a tray to catch any drips that may fall as it thaws. When thawing in the refrigerator is not possible because there is not enough time, there are two other alternatives. For rapid thawing, you can put the bird in watertight wrapping and then submerge in cold water. You should change the water frequently as this will help quicken the process. Smaller birds require about one to two hours. The other alternative is to leave the bird in its wrapper and put it into a heavy paper grocery bag. Close up the bag and put it into a cool room. You will need to check it frequently, and once the bird is thawed, you must cook it immediately. Now for the Turkey! Turkey is a long time favorite of many families and now there are some great cooking tips tricks that anyone can learn and use to better prepare these wonderful birds. Selecting the proper size: You should plan on about 3/4 pound per person for generous servings. You should understand that this will not leave much in leftovers. If you like to have more leftovers, plan on 1 to 1 1/2 pounds per person. Hens or Toms: It may surprise you but the only real difference between a hen and tom is the size. Hens are classified under 16 pounds and toms are over 16 lbs. A somewhat secret cooking tips tricks is that both will be a young turkey, just a few weeks old at the time of processing. They will be equally tender and moist. Roasting your bird: Remove the neck and giblets from the neck and body cavities. Rinse the turkey inside and out with cold water. If you want to stuff the bird, you should loosely stuff the body and neck cavities and then fasten the leg clamp back onto the legs. Cooking tips tricks: Place the turkey in a roasting pan with the plastic timer unobstructed. Cover with a lid, or fashion your own cover with a loose tent of foil. Remember to remove the cover for the last hour for browning. Cooking tips tricks for Roasting Times: Roast in a preheated, 325 degree Fahrenheit oven. Roasting will take about 15 minutes per pound if the turkey is not stuffed. Stuffed turkeys require an additional 1/2 to 1 hour cooking time. However, it is always best to follow the instructions that come with the stuffing and the turkey. You oven temperature may vary as well which will require you to adjust your time, either upward or downward. Cooking tips tricks for Basting: One of the most useful tools you can have is a suction basting tube. These inexpensive tools can make basting your turkey a snap and they can also help decrease the time that the oven door is open, which leads to losing oven heat. Baste your bird about every hour or so. This will help make it brown and tender.About The AuthorKevin McCarthy If you enjoyed this article then have a look at =>http://www.heavencooking.com/ for more cooking articles, information, tips & tricks. There’s even a free report on Master Chef insider tips for saving money on your cooking utensils and equipment.

Mosquitoes Suck..You!

2007-09-24T05:53:00.001-07:00

Bug Off: Protecting Your Garden from Mosquitoes by: Jennifer Jordan
For those of us who enjoy gardening, mosquitoes are a frequent pest. As they aim to feed on the nectar of flowers, gardens, to mosquitoes, are like all-you-can-eat buffets: we are open, come on in. This not only hurts your landscaping and ruins your garden, but it can also be detrimental to your health: mosquitoes are well known for spreading disease. You could ignore these facts, of course, and go on with your gardening and with your life in some kind of West Nile denial. But, when ignoring mosquitoes and the problems they cause proves futile, you may find yourself in need of a solution. Luckily, there are natural ways to get rid of your problem. Fill your Water with Fish and Frogs: Water, particularly stagnant water, is highly attractive to mosquitoes; it's where most mosquitoes lay their eggs. For this reason, having water in your backyard, such as a stream or a fountain, can leave you wasting away in mosquito-ville. Removing water from your backyard is one solution, but if you can't part with your pond, try adding in frogs, toads, and fish. These creatures feed on mosquitoes and larvae, helping to rid your water, your yard, and your garden, of these pests. Activating the food chain, this way of extermination is completely natural; many aquatic creatures dine by the mantra "mosquito, its what's for dinner." On shore, setting up a bird house or a bird feeder may also help control the mosquito population: mosquitoes make great snacks for our fine feathered friends. Use Garlic Spray: Just like blood sucking vampire, blood sucking insects also hate garlic. Perhaps they don't like the taste, perhaps they don't like the smell, or perhaps they once had a very bad run in with a pasta dish. Whatever the reason, garlic is one way to send mosquitoes on their way. Planting garlic, or showering your garden with garlic sprays and powders, might not deter every mosquito from entering your yard, but it's sure to discourage some. Just the presence of garlic has the potential to let mosquitoes know your garden is cloved, er, closed. Plant Marigolds: These vividly colored flowers are a beautiful and lively addition to any garden. But, unlike some flowers, they also have bug fighting characteristics. Marigolds produce an odor that mosquitoes don't like, and aim to avoid. Marigolds are very easy to grow and can thrive in any environment, with exception of the extreme cold. Yet, they aren't alone in their mosquito fighting mission: catnip, rosemary, and citronella grass are other plants known for telling mosquitoes to bug off. The above ideas should help you control your garden's mosquito population at least on some level. Wearing repellent, long sleeves and long pants can also aid your own personal protection. If all else fails, and you find mosquitoes just won't go away, you can find relief by simply taking your hand and relying on your own version of the SWAT team.
About The Author
Jennifer Jordan is the senior editor for http://www.etodoors.com. Someone who changes her mind every five minutes, her house is in a perpetual state of home improvement.

Removing Hail Damage From Your Car Body

2007-09-11T14:35:00.000-07:00

Mobile Paintless Dent Removal: The New Age Miracle Cure by: Steven Magill
PDR paintless dent removal: AMAZING miracle cure for dents. Ever had a hailstorm only to discover that it's taken its toll on your car via tiny dents all over it! Yes, time and again we have all faced some form of damage to the surface of our cars – and each time it happens, our heart breaks a little more. After all, we're all possessive about our cars – it's personal. It's yours. So what do you do next? So now you've had this dent in your car and you're looking for a method of fixing it. You could go the conventional way and call up the standard dent removal companies. But then imagine what your car would look like with varying hues of the same color at different places on the car surface? Hideous, right? That's where modern day technology comes to the rescue – it's called mobile paintless dent removal. It's efficient, effective and best of all you don't need to even lift a finger! This is a new technique that is slowly catching up among dent removal companies. It involves gentle massaging of the dents without any damage to surface paint. Why is mobile paintless dent removal so great? One reason why this new age technique works so great is because it never hurts the paint on your car! With highly sophisticated tools, the damage is addressed from its root cause – from behind the paint. That means no more sanding, no more painting over the surface and definitely no body filling needed! Mobile paintless dent removal involves carefully working upon each dent to restore it back to its original shape and size. In fact after the repair no one would ever be able to tell that your car suffered a dent! This technique is a highly skilled art – one that necessitates in-depth expertise and qualifications. Very few companies have the necessary expertise to carry it off but the few that do – they're well worth spending on. The best thing about mobile paintless dent removal is that these technicians will come to you – you will never need to go to them for repair work on your car. Origins of this method It all started in the early 1980s – when mobile paintless dent removal was still at its fledgling stages. In those times, it was restricted to only very small dents that could easily be removed. However, as this technique began to gain popularity, the PDR or Paintless Dent Removal technicians began trying it on bigger dents. Very soon they found that even huge dents could be completely eliminated without leaving a trace behind! Exceptions to the rule: scenarios where mobile paintless dent removal may not work Just as in any other case, even in this dent removal technique, there are certain situations where the method may not work as well as expected. The technique will not work if there happens to be a crack on the surface paint. It may be possible if there are edges. Most of the automobiles are suitable candidates for mobile paintless dent removal.
About The Author
Steve Magill, the managing director of DENT MASTERWALES LTD, believes that mobile dent repair services will take away your stress when you dent your car. Our services will help save you time and money, and at the same time provide complete satisfaction through an effective dent removal process. You can find more information on how to save money through PDR and dent repairs and at http://www.dentmasterwales.com

How to for Sprinkler Systems

2007-08-25T05:59:00.001-07:00

Sprinkler Layout Design With Spray Patterns by: Erik Zetterberg
So have you finally have given up on hand watering and want a in-ground system? Designing a sprinkler system may be easier than you think. In this short tutorial you will learn how to create a simple garden plan and then estimate how much conduit and sprinkler heads you will need for your project. Plotting your garden area First, find a some graph paper. If you don't have any you can Google "printable graph paper" and prnt the example images. Depending on the size of your yard, establish the scale by referring to each square as 2 or more feet. Next, you will want to measure and draw your house and patio areas. Be sure to include side walks and other obstructions like trees and garden borders as well. Locating your water source Once you have define these areas and your garden boundary you will need to locate your water source. For this DIY project we will be using your outside spigot as the water source. Locate these on your plan with an "X". Choosing a sprinkler head Now we will need to decide on what kind of sprinkler head to use. In this tutorial we have selected Rotors for our project. These are a rotating gear driven heads and are a great choice for large lawn areas. Rotor heads silently spray a water stream out to an average distance of 20 feet. They will minimize the amount of conduit required for you project. Creating spray templates Next, we will create a spray template. On a separate peice of graph paper draw 4 circles with a diameter (width of the circle) measuring 40 feet. Then cut each circle out with a pair of scissors. (note: see our predrawn sprinkler templates to skip this step) Then we need to cut one of the sprays in half and another in quarters for smaller areas. Since our Rotors allow adjustable spray angles we can keep certain areas dry by simply spraying outward. Tracing your spray patterns Start with areas like the edge of house, patios or edge of street and use the half circles. With the spray templates simply trace around them using a pencil. Each spray pattern should overlap at least 30% to ensure no areas in your lawn or garden will become dry. Once all half circles are drawn, fill in middle areas with full sprays and quarter spays where needed. Defining your watering zones Lastly, we need to draw in the conduit and create watering zones. Starting at your spigot, draw a gradual curve from one head to the next, making sure your conduit never overlaps. Be sure to avoid tight turns in your design. For this tutorial we will use 3 heads for each zone. By connecting a series of 3 heads together you are establishing one watering zone. Repeat this process to the remaining heads on your plan. Checking your Psi and Gpm You will also want to check your Psi and GPM levels. A call to your water company will give you a good idea of how good your water coverage will be. Other methods include using a pressure guage (it easily attaches to your faucet) and a gallon bucket (For example if it takes 7 seconds to fill a gallon bucket then divided 60 by 7 .. or 8.6 GPM) In Conclusion We hope this tutorial has given you a better understanding about DIY Sprinkler Irrigation Design and Planning. You may have discivered that planning for a sprinkler system is much easier than you had originally thought.
About The Author
Erik Zetterberg is the webmaster of http://www.lawnbeltusa.com - a Sprinkler Site for the DIYer.

Changing a Flat Tire

2006-12-15T03:56:00.000-08:00

What To Do When You Have Tire Blowout On The Road And How To Change A Flat Tire? by: Wil Yeo
Having flat tires is one common problem encountered by almost every car owner. As tires are your only contact between the car and the road, flat tire is something that you want to guard against. The major root cause of flat tire is the under inflation of the tires which is often a result gradual loss of tire pressure and on some instances, rapid loss of pressure due to impact or penetration of hard and sharp objects into the tires. The danger of having flat tires is that your vehicle may becomes wobbly and you may lost control of it and thus the possibility of encountering serious accidents. Following are some tips that will help you when your tire blowout: * First and foremost, when the tire blow out - you'll have to remain calm and do not panic. * Next, make sure that you grip your steering wheel firmly to gain better control of your vehicle. * Decelerate your vehicle and let it slowly comes to a halt, this is done by simply taking off your feet from the gas pedal. * Make sure you do not force the vehicle into going the direction you want by making any sudden turn of the steering wheel. Go along with the flow a little, slow down, turn on your signal light and work towards going to the break-down lane or to the side of the road as swiftly and as safely as possible. * Brake lightly to bring your car to a complete halt. * Once your car is stationary, turn on the hazard lights and / or lift up your car boot and hang a white clothe to warn other road users that your car is experiencing problem. * If you have the triangular reflective warning sign, place it at a distance (about 50 meters) behind the vehicle. Make sure this is carried out safely. By following the above steps, you have gotten yourself to a point of safety where you can calmly survey the situation and decide on the best actions to be taken, while making the road safer for other users. You now have two choices - seek professional help or do the tire change yourself. a. If you have a mobile phone - use it to contact your mechanics or get in touch with one of your friends to help you get the professional help that you needed. b. And if you prefer to change your tires, here's the guidelines: 1. Be very sure that there are more than enough safety distance between your vehicle and the road. If this is not possible - DO NOT PROCEED with the tire change. Stay away from your vehicle and put yourself in a safe place. You will be much better off in getting a tow truck to tow away your vehicle and replaces your flat tire. 2. Have a brief check on your spare tire - make sure that it is good enough for use. Make sure that your car is on firm and level ground for safety reason. 3. Take out your car jack and lug wrench from your car boot and read the instructions given on how to lift up your vehicle. 4. If your car comes with a wheel cover, remove it with a metal object like a screwdriver or your key to expose the lugs nuts of the wheel. 5. Loosen your lug nuts of the wheel before lifting up your vehicle - do the same for all the nuts for the affected wheel. Remember - clockwise direction to tighten and anti-clockwise to loosen. 6. Once all the nuts are loosen somewhat, it is time to jack the vehicle up at the recommended location where the jack can be placed to lift up the car, this piece of information is available by in the car owner's instruction manual. Now, totally loosen all the nuts and your wheel is ready to be removed from the car. 7. Remove the punctured wheel from your vehicle and replace it with your spare tire, and tighten the nuts - tight enough without having the wheels turning, further tightening will be done after the car jack is being removed. 8. Remove the car jack - further tighten the lug nuts using the lug wrench. To ensure that the nuts are properly tighten and maintain the right balance, make sure that you tighten the nuts in a sequential manner, and repeat the process. 9. Replace the wheel cap and keep your equipment and the blown tire. You are now done. Drive slowly to the nearest tire shop and have the tire replaced. Depending on how well worn are your existing tires, you may choose to replace two tires or all four tires as it is always a good practice to change all tires for better balance. Make sure you ask your mechanic to check the alignment of the car to ensure that there is no residual effect from the blown tire. Remember, never compromise safety. Getting into your car with the right mindset and with responsible behavior will serve you well a long, long way.
About The Author
Wil Yeo is a mechanical engineer by training and maintains the site http://www.avanigroup.com which features a unique patented anti theft tire pressure valve stem cap product. There site also gives away a handy guide entitled: Tire Maintenance Guide at http://www.avanigroup.com/Thanks.html. He can be contacted at wil[at]avanigroup.com.

Christmas Decorating

2006-11-28T00:54:00.000-08:00

Outdoor Christmas Decorations by: Adam Peters
Simpler is better when it comes to decorating outdoors. Outdoor Christmas decorations should be centered around your theme, rather than picking and choosing among several themes. Decorating outdoors can be done many different ways. The choices in outdoor Christmas decorations are overwhelming and you can see this in many people's outdoor displays. When it comes to decorating outside, sometimes you need to remember that less is more. Fo example, you will be overdressed if you wear your formal gown along with seven diamond bracelets and four diamond necklaces. In much the same way, you want to refrain from overdoing your yard during Christmas. Showing your Christmas spirit is great, but too many Christmas decorations can possibly detract from your outdoor decoration. It begins to be a problem when you start picking and choosing among all of the different choices available. It is best to have a few related outdoor Christmas decorations than many unrelated items, because it makes the whole yard look uncluttered and too busy. I have seen yards with revolving reindeer, Santa, his sleigh, lighted palm trees, icicle lighting, and even several of those blow-up decorations. This yard was overshadowed by all of these outdoor decorations and ended up looking busy and disturbing, rather than giving you that Christmas spirit. You may want to jump into your decorating with both feet, but with outdoor Christmas decorations it is best to refrain. You can use restraint in your outdoor Christmas decorations choices and help to make your yard festive, without turning it into the brightest spot in the neighborhood. To help yourself stay on track it is best to choose a theme and then stay with it. You don't want to put the Grinch on top of a manger scene. If you choose the nativity as your theme then choose traditional decorations over the characters. It will make the yard more cohesive and more interesting to your friends and family. Another thing to remember is that just because you have a certain decoration does not mean that you have to use it every year. You may love the Nutcracker fiber optic Christmas decoration that you have, but you want to do your yard in a more traditional nativity theme. You can just not use the Nutcracker set this year and save it for another Christmas. It is very exciting to decorate for the Christmas season. It can be difficult to tone it down because all of the decorations are so fun and interesting to look at, but you need to keep it simple. Keep in mind that the people passing your home only have a couple of seconds to see your entire yard. Simpler is better, especially when we are discussing outdoor Christmas decorations.
About The Author
Adam Peters is an online entrepreneur and writes for http://www.home-decorating-reviews.com . A free online magazine that carries articles on Christmas decoration, and a guide on xmas ornaments here http://www.home-decorating-reviews.com/magazine/christmas-decorating.html.

Using Miter Saws

2006-11-27T15:05:00.000-08:00

Miter Saws Framing The Way We Cut by: Jack Blacksmith
Back in the old days a miter saw held a blade that was attached to a box. The blade was perfectly angled to create 90 and 45 degree angles with a simple adjustment. This manual tool easily cut through frame, crown, or chair mouldings. It even made the cut when it came to exterior corners on baseboard mouldings. Perhaps that is why there are some people who still own and use this type of manual saw and find it perfectly acceptable. It’s All About the Power Today, it seems that power is where it’s at, even when it comes to basic tools. The greatest advantage to using a power saw is the cleanliness of the cut. A hand saw, no matter how skilled the craftsman is, still leaves the cut wood a bit more ragged than a power saw. And with the rising popularity of all power tools, there is not a significant cost difference between a manual miter saw and a basic power miter saw. When it comes to fancier versions of the miter saw, then you must have power. In general, a miter saw or radial saw with allow users to adjust the degree of the cut relative to the fence which guides the wood by a single degree. There are standard stops at the most common settings of 15, 30, 45, and 90 degrees. When wood is securely anchored against the fence, a 45 degree cut will perfectly match a corresponding 45 degree cut going in the opposite direction for the perfect mitered corner to frames or window mouldings. Another Angle to Miter Saws Beyond picture frames and crown moulding, there is a whole new angle to miter cuts that make table tops, counters and other furniture safer and more appealing. It is the compound miter saw. A compound cut gives counters and table tops a unique bevelled edge that rounds the sharp corners and makes them less likely to snag or scratch someone walking by. The gradual angles of the cut shape the edge and a little sanding smoothes it to perfection. Radial arm saws can create a similar effect. It just requires a couple of passes of the blade at different angles to complete the look. The Dewalt radial arm saw was a good model, but is no longer manufactured in the U.S. (Production stopped in 1985). However, this workhorse found in many of the best workshops can still be serviced throughout the country. A panel saw is the first step in projects such as cabinetry. It is designed to cut the face and sides of the cabinet by cutting large panels of plywood into the rectangles. Then the miter saw would be used to frame and face the front of the cabinet door or draw, usually made of a fine hardwood, so that there were bevelled edges and a complete decorative front. It is easy to see that a number of saws are used to make up a complete workshop. If you have to substitute a miter saw for another, then make the radial saw your choice.
About The Author
Focusing on news and information about power compound miter saw, Jack Blacksmith wrote mainly for http://www.insidewoodworking.com. You might come across his work over at http://www.insidewoodworking.com/mitersaws/index.html and various other sources for saws news.

Kitchen Remodeling

2006-11-22T09:09:00.000-08:00

Use A Contractor For Intricate Kitchen Remodeling by: Rob Carlton
ALmost everyone who undertakes some sort of improvement project on their home will end up using a contractor at some point. Although most of the jobs may be manageable by a handy individual, at some point expertise is going to be called for. Take, for example, kitchen remodeling. Although some jobs such as installing new sinks and new tile can be handled quite easily by the average handyman, installing cabinets is something that requires the sure hand and experience of a pro. The rigth contractor is worth every single penny she charges, but the wrong one can turn your project into a money draining nightmare. Here are some ideas when it comes to selecting a good contractor. Most really good contractors also obtain a lot of business skill. They may not handle the financial and accounting aspects of their business, but they do have very good managemenn skills and are able to find the right people to assist them with big jobs. They will also be able to provide fair and reasonable estimates for the job that you are looking to have done. The first place to look for a reliable contractor is through your friends and family. Ask them if they have had any work done recently, and who they used to do it. Find out if they were happy with the job. There are many people who will not be able to ask friends or family about recent contracting work, since they haven't had any done. In this case, you will have to start from ground zero. Before you hire the contractor you find in the Yellow Pages or on the Internet, make sure to ask them for a list of references. Don't worry about seeming suspicious; this is an expensive thing that you need to get done and you don't want to waste your money on subpar work. Good contractors are never shy about their past clients either; they will have a solid customer base that offers positive reviews. Referrals are the way they grow their businesses, and that is always in the back of the mind of every contractor. Before you contact the former clients, make sure to prepare a list of questions you would like to ask. Find out about the size of the project that was done, and what the budget was like. Ask if the person who did the work stayed within this budget or went over; if they went over, by how much? Also, be sure to inquire as to whether the schedule was met on time in a satisfactory manner. Remember that this is your project, and in most cases there will be no obligation to hire a licensed contractor. In fact, some of the best contractors out there do not have a license. If you do hire a licensed contractor, though, get the license number from them and do a background check. Contact business groups such as your local Better Business Bureau and see what they have to say. Check with city and state agencies and see if there are any outstanding complaints or impending actions against the company. Remember that it is not only contractors who are dishonest if you find some complaints, though; many clients are trying to get away with paying as little as possible and so will go to great lengths to get a deal. When interviewing the contractor, trust to your instincts. Remember to treat the individual as a professional, but watch for warning signs. Evasive answers to questions or a lot of excuses and explanations should set off warning bells in your head. Despite the bad press that is given broadly to a few individuals, the fact is that most contractors are upstanding and want to do the best job possible. Taking care in how you hire them will ensure that you have a good experience.
About The Author
Concentrating on the area of cabinets, Robert Carlton published primarily for http://www.kitchen-cabinets-tips.com. Sharing his passion in works (such as http://www.kitchen-cabinets-tips.com/kitchen-remodeling.html on kitchen remodeling ) he expressed his capability in the area.

Tropical Fish Tanks and Care

2006-04-11T12:19:00.000-07:00

Tropical Fish : Tank Basics by: John Mallon
Tropical Fish : Tank Basics
Aquarium fish are like pets and you have to know what you're doing and this article will cover one of the basics : what to look for when buying tropical fish, this article will cover the tank. Look for a tank that is big enough to store the tropical fish you want (keep note that some fish need bigger tanks as they need more place, so do your homework !) I'd suggest to go for a bigger tank because having some extra room for your tropical fish always a good idea. When you're in the store make sure to take some extra equipment with you cause you'll need it. I suggest getting the following equipment for your tank:
1. Heater
The heater is the most important part of a tropical tank. For most tropical fish, 25C is a good average. 4 watts per gallon is ok, but each heater will state the size aquaria it accommodate for. For the larger aquaria, it is often best to have two smaller heaters for a couple of reasons, one because should one break, u still have one to keep your tank going until u can replace it, and two should you have 1 big heater, and the thermostat got stuck on, it would raise the temperature of the tank far more and in less time than a smaller one would. All heaters now have a built in thermostat which turns the heater on and off when needed to keep the tank at a stable temperature, the heater should never be un-plugged.
2. Filter.
Best to check if the filter fits your tank. this is very important !.The size of the filter depends upon 3 factors :
- The tank size
- Number of aquarium fish
- Plants planted in the tank
There are lots of different types of filters available : internal filters, external filters, gravel filters and box filters (I advise to skip this one cause they only work for small tanks).
3. Gravel
The gravel is mainly for aesthetic purposes, but it also is vital if you are keeping live plants as they need a substrate of some sort to anchor them selves down with.
If you have a planted tank, then 2-3inches of gravel is advised, but if u have an unplanted tank, then u may use ½ - 2inches of gravel.
The gravel also holds some of the bacteria in the tank, and if the tank has an under gravel filter, then the gravel will contain nearly all of the bacteria in the tank.
These last 3 points are the basic equipment parts you’ll need to keep your fish healthy in your new tank. In my following articles I will cover the fish themselves and their basics.
I hope you learned something here and I will see you in my next article or on http://fishtropical.blogspot.com.
About The Author
John Mallon is a fish fanatic who has been taking care of them for over 15 years.

Woodworking

2006-04-03T11:28:00.000-07:00

Get the Most from Woodworking Tools with Some Useful Tricks of the Trade by: John Mann
Many of the great woodworkers have become skillful because they have had the opportunity to watch and learn from a pro. Undoubtedly, serving as an apprentice under a professional woodworking expert is the best way to hone your own skills but not everyone has this opportunity. However, if you have the drive and passion for woodworking, it is entirely possible to become highly skilled by simply reading about the subject. The following includes some useful tricks of the trade that will surely help you to get the most out of your woodworking tools. A woodworking expert is not born; it takes time and some useful hints.
Wood is the woodworker’s most important tool. Without wood, your woodworking tools would have no job and there could be no end product. The first trick to woodworking is knowing how to properly cut plywood, and that involves using the right tools and manipulating the wood in the appropriate way. Different cutting jobs require different blades. Blades differ depending on the number of teeth, the width, angle and the rake of the blade. Before cutting, assess which blade best suits your cutting needs and which one will help you to produce the cleanest cut possible. When you are ready to cut, score the cut first by running the plywood through your saw once, removing only a small piece. The next cut that you make will be much cleaner. To keep a clean line in your cut, use a router. Make sure that your router is fitted with a straight bit as this will help you to achieve a clean line. A pilot bit and a straight edge will also help produce a clean line. You may also want to consider purchasing a panel scoring setup. Some saws can be fitted with a plywood panel scoring setup that is most useful if you cut a lot of plywood. This setup consists of a smaller blade that first scores the surface of the plywood before the wood reaches the cutter.
Once you have your wood cut, it is necessary to sand down the rough edges. You may not realize it, but sandpaper is one of your important woodworking tools. Here are some helpful wood sanding hints. For easy handling, some woodworkers cut their sandpaper into smaller pieces if they have a sanding block or a finishing sander while others fold the sandpaper to rotating sides as it wears down. However, make sure that your sandpaper is not folded so that two abrasive sides touch as this will wear down the paper against itself during use. To prevent this, fold the paper so that the abrasive sides contact only the non-abrasive sides. This simply requires a single cut along half of the sheet.
Once all your wood is cut and well sanded, you are ready to build. Handling wood is not always easy though, but there are tricks that can help you to do the job right. Anyone who has ever tried to nail into the end of board knows that splitting can happen because as the nail is driven into the wood, the wood fibers are forced apart causing the grain to split. Experienced carpenters will flatten the tip of the nail with a hammer before driving it into the wood because a flattened tip will slice through the wood and crush the fibers rather than split them. This woodworking trick is most useful when installing molding and trim.
There are so many tricks of the trade to be learned when it comes to woodworking. You will find that as you begin to amass a larger knowledge of woodworking tips, your projects will start to look better, and you will be well on your way to becoming a woodworking expert. Woodworking professionals will tell you that there exists an important relationship between the tools you use and the wood you handle.
About The Author
John Mann is an experienced home renovator and webmaster. Visit his website Workbench Ideas (www.workbench-ideas.com) for workshop tips.

Training Dogs

2006-03-25T13:44:00.000-08:00

Dog Training Tips that Work! by: Armen T. Ghazarians
Dog training, the most simple acts often produce the best results. In any dog pack, the alpha sets the rules and the rest follow. Therefore, by establishing yourslef as the alpha, you can be sure that your obedience training sessions will be that much more productive. The following is a list of 8 simple things you can do to teach your new puppy or unruly dog that you are the alpha in your pack.
1. Never feed your dog from your plate while you're eating. A dog must learn that your are the alpha and that it can only eat when you are finished with your meal.
2. Never allow your dog on the sofa or on your bed. And if your dog sits on your path, gently shove it out of the way with your foot. By setting boundaries, you will instill in your dog that it must obey the alpha.
3. Never allow your dog to chew on your towels, socks, shoes, or clothing. Use bitter apple to discourage these behaviors.
4. NEVER HIT YOUR DOG FOR MISBEHAVING. Instead use the tone of your voice and a collar/leash to teach and make corrections.
5. Never allow a puppy to chew on your fingers. Otherwise, it will become a habit that will be very hard to break when it becomes an adult. Spray you hands and fingers with bitter apple and then allow the dog to proceed. The dog will learn not to bite your fingers without associating any negative thoughts about you as the alpha.
6. Never leave a hyper dog unexercised. Playing ball before you leave for work and after you return can help alleviate your dog's pent-up energy.
7. Never keep your dog alone in a yard for days at a times. Without proper socialization your dog will become aggressive towards other dogs as well as other humans. A dog needs contact with its own species in order to learn how to behave in a dog pack equally as well as it must learn to behave in a human pack. A dog left alone for long periods of time will believe itself to be the alpha and try to dictate to its master instead of the other way around.
8. Never allow your dog to jump on you or your guests. Its fun when your dog is a puppy, but it isn't fun when it becomes a 100lb behemoth. Practice with a collar and leash and set up situations where a neighbor rings your doorbell while your dog awaits their entrance. Make a sharp correction and command your dog to "sit" when as your neighbor enters the house. And, of course, don't forget to praise the dog as soon as it follows your command. Once the dog knows what to do, try the same thing off leash, but this time use a water spray bottle and spray your dogs face with water as punishment for jumping with a stern vocal correction of "NO". Proceed to praise your dog once again when your dog obeys your command. This way, it will learn to associate praise with correct action.
By following these steps, you will establish yourself as the alpha. And, you will have a head start in trainig your dog because it will have already learned to respect your authority as its leader.
About The Author
Armen T. Ghazarians offers advice and articles for those interested in training their dogs like the professionals. His blog http://www.newdogtrainingsecrets.com offers information regarding many aspects of professional Dog Training for anyone who is not a professional dog trainer.

Fix or replace bathtub?

2006-03-24T13:56:00.000-08:00

Bathtub Repairs FAQ by: Claire Bowes
A bath tub is a relaxing thing to have in one’s bathroom. After a very stressful day at work or at school, a person could just retire and relax at the comfort of his/her bath tub. It has proven its usefulness and most people who have it will spend a lot of money to make sure it is working properly and that it stays that way.
However, even if these people loved and took care of the tub, there will still be some problems as the bath tub grows old. Stains and cracks will show. Leaks will appear and faucets will not work. While some of these can be remedied easily, others will require help. Here are some questions most bath tub lover will ask about repairing their bath tubs.
Why Repair a Bath Tub When You Can Just Buy a Replacement?
This question is the most frequently asked question by most bath tub users. Bath tubs costs just around $100 and most of them can afford it. However, when they consider the cost of the demolition, removal and disposal of the tub plus plumbing then add the cost of setting tiles and flooring/carpentry involved, they might have an estimate of about $2000. This cost is too much when a repair will just cost them much less than that.
What is Bath Tub Restoration?
During years of use bath tubs tend to have stains and will probably have scratches here and there. Bath tub restoration includes taking those stains and scratches out. These can be done either by hired help or by yourself. Even though this can be done by untrained people, it is recommended to hire a trained person to do this for your bath tub.
Bath tub restoration involves washing the surface and applying a solvent. It will then be neutralized, etched and sandpapered. Bath tub restoration, when done properly will give your bathroom a new glow, making it look cleaner and brighter.
What is Bath Tub Refinishing?
After bath tub restoration, refinishing must be done to make it last longer and to require you to restore it less than necessary. Refinishing should be done by trained craftsmen as they use a special chemical called Aliphatic Acrylic Polyurethane Enamel. This job can be easily finished in a day so you should have your bath tub in less than a day.
What are Bath Tub Liners and Why Should I Think of Using Them?
Bath tub liners are custom-made to fit your bath tub. These liners will make sure that chipping and scratches on your tub is already history. A new bath tub liner is installed on a bath tub and it can be done a matter of hours. There is no additional cost as the plumbing, flooring and tiles are completely untouched.
Should You Do the Job Yourself or Should You Hire a Specialist?
A specialist will cause you more but repairs on your tub will last longer. Unless you do a very satisfactory job, it is recommended to ask for a specialist’s help as the cost of hiring one is worth than the cost of doing it again and the inconvenience it will bring you.
When Should I Consider Buying a New Tub?
Buying a new bath tub is only recommended when the total cost estimated by the specialist will cost you more than buying and reinstalling a new tub, then go for a new tub.
About The Author
Claire Bowes is a successful Webmaster and publisher of bath tubs & bathing. Claire provides more information on her site about Bathtub Repairs that you can research at home.
cbowes999@yahoo.com

Git 'er Done!

2006-03-21T14:20:00.000-08:00

How to Clean Your Bathroom in 15 Minutes by: Martha Matthews
I used to absolutely loath cleaning my bathrooms. It was so much work (or so I thought) that I would procrastinate until my husband would threaten to call the health department. One day, a friend of mine showed me this routine that has helped me maintain my sanity by getting this dirty job done quickly. She introduced me to the “15 Minute Bathroom Cleaning Routine” and my life has never been the same.
I was finally free from the drudgery of mildew and soap scum buildup. No more tooth paste petrified on my faucets. Gone was the black ring around the tub that looked like a well placed pinstripe. I was finally free to let the door stay open when company came over. Wow! My family didn’t even recognize the room. They were stunned. I can honestly say that this room is now my pride and joy. Now my friends marvel at my cleaning prowess.
My bathroom was so bad that it took a little extra effort the first time I used the routine, but after the initial deep cleaning, it was a breeze. You too can overcome the bathroom blues by following these simple and effective twelve steps.
1. Remove the knick knacks and place them in the hallway.
2. Remove the throw rugs and shake them out. Put them in the laundry to be cleaned if needed.
3. Sweep or vacuum the floor.
4. Spray the counter top and let your cleaner do the work.
5. Spray the mirror and wipe it down.
6. Spray the toilet with cleaner inside and out. Let the cleaner sit.
7. Go back to the counter top. Scrub and wipe it down.
8. Spray the bath tub and shower down (you may not need to do this every week if your bath tub doesn’t get that dirty).
9. Scrub the inside of the toilet with a brush. Flush the toilet to rinse the bowl. Wipe down the seat and rim of the bowl. Don’t forget the place behind the seat and the outside of the toilet bowl and base.
10. Scrub the tub down and rinse.
Hint: if you want to clean the shower curtain you can wash it by itself in the washing machine in cold water on the delicate cycle. Throw in a bath towel to help scrub the curtain clean. Remove it promptly and hang it back up in the shower to drip dry. Never put it in the dryer.
11. If you have linoleum or tile, mop the floor. If the room is small, you can spray your cleaner directly onto the floor and wipe it up with a sponge or cleaning cloth. Let dry for ten to fifteen minutes.
12. Put back the rugs and knick knacks. Check your toilet paper supply. Put out fresh towels.
The whole process should take fifteen minutes, not counting the time to let the floor dry. It will take even less time if you don’t have to clean the tub and shower. I only clean ours once a month because it doesn’t get that dirty because we use an after shower spray that keeps the soap scum from stick to the shower surface.
There are two keys to a fast clean up: 1) Let the cleaner sit long enough to loosen up the dirt and disinfect the surface. 2) Clean the bathroom every week. Pick a day that is your bathroom cleaning day and just do it. When you keep up on your cleaning it doesn’t become such an insurmountable project.
Cleaning supplies.
1) Utility caddy to carry your supplies. The dollar store usually has these.
2) Rubber cleaning gloves.
3) Scrubber and sponge combination designed for cleaning the bathroom.
4) Window cleaner.
5) All-purpose cleaner.
6) An old toothbrush to get at those hard to reach areas.
7) One roll of paper towels.
8) Pumice stone for hard water build up in the toilet bowl.
9) Toilet brush (unless you keep one in each bathroom like I do).
That’s it. Happy cleaning!
About The Author
Martha Matthews is the Executive Director of Christian-Homemaking.com, a web site with resources dedicated to helping Christian Homemakers organize and manage their home.

Summer Water Garden Plan

2006-03-18T20:33:00.000-08:00

Start Planning for Your Backyard Garden by: Gerry Fung
Water gardens are great focal points for any backyard.
With spring in the air, now is the time to start planning for your backyard garden. For many homeowners, a backyard pond is a perfect supplement to your existing layout. The trickling of water in the background is the ideal way to supplement the natural, serene and relaxing atmosphere that the outdoors should offer.
A pond or water garden will likely become the focal point for your entire backyard. Backyard ponds and water gardens will attract birds, butterflies, wildlife, and family members. Ponds are usually small and no larger than 3 to 4 feet in diameter, and often can be used to raise fish. At night-time, a garden pond can be lit up with both surrounding and submersible lighting. An extravagant light show can be produced by projecting underwater lighting directly onto trickling or falling water.
In the past, the installation of a water garden was a convoluted process that either involved the expense of a landscaper, or trial and error to perfect the art of pond installation. However, preformed pond kits are now available that can make pond installation relatively straightforward. Preformed pond kits are affordable, lessen the risk of mistakes, and come complete with all the accessories that you will need to complete a garden pond installation.
Before purchasing a preformed pond kit, make sure that it fulfils all of your requirements. How large of a pond are you looking for? Do you want to raise fish? Would you like water to trickle down a waterfall? How long is the warranty on the pond kit?
One preformed pond kit that comes highly recommended is the Algreen 180 gallon folding preformed pond kit. New to the Algreen line of products, this kit includes easy-to-follow instructions. The instructions minimize the effort required to install the pond, after a hole is dug. The pieces in the kit fit easily together and leave you ample flexibility to creatively position and landscape the area around the pond, according to your heart's desire.
The 180 gallon kit comes complete with both a preformed pond shell and a preformed watercourse that is manufactured from a revolutionary rubber/plastic composite (this composite material is guaranteed to be more durable and resist wear more than any other existing preformed pond kits). The kit includes a powerful 792 gallon-per-hour SuperFlo pump with flow control; this pump is used to feed varying flows of water to both the watercourse and the built-in fountain. The pump is purposely oversized to allow it to channel water to your watercourse and fountain, and to accommodate fish in your pond.
Up to 4 fountain heads are included with the kit, to allow you to vary your fountain according to your mood. An underwater light is also included free with the kit. This underwater light utilizes colored filters to shine luminous light from the bottom of your pond to accentuate the falling water from your fountain and/or your waterfall.
Small backyard garden ponds are usually low maintenance. The occasional debris from your pond can usually be trapped with a mechanical pre-filter, which is included with the SuperFlo pump. However, if you decide to raise fish in your pond, it is recommended that you increase your filtration capacity. Because the pump is purposely oversized, this can be easily accomplished by upgrading your pre-filter to a larger filtration device. Optional filtration devices include the mechanical and biological SuperFlo submersible filter, or the Algreen pressurized filter.
You will need to start planning for your water garden now in order to have it completed by spring. Before commencing any project, it is always recommended that you conduct research to learn as much as possible about the topic. Therefore, it is recommended that you use the early part of the season to read more about pond construction.
Read more about the 180 gallon granite preformed pond kit.
This article was provided courtesy of GardenSM.com.
About The Author
Gerry Fung is the Vice President of of GardenSM.comGardenSM.com.

Your Teenage Boys and That Drywall Repair

2006-03-02T06:18:00.000-08:00

Repairing a Hole in Drywall by: Andrew Seltz
I received a call this week from my church’s office manager saying we needed to have some repairs made before a visit from the building inspectors next week. One of the repairs was a hole in the drywall where a door handle had punched through the wall. The doorstop had broken and next thing you know there’s a repair job for the Go-To Guy.
Knowing how to do a patch like this is handy even when you’re not repairing damage. The first time I did one was when I installed phone and cable television service into an older home that my parents had purchased. My brother and I cut holes at the top and bottom of the wall to fish through the new wire, and then I patched up the holes and repainted and you’d never know the wall had been repaired. The same goes for running a new electrical wire or anything else that requires getting inside the wall.
If you don’t already know, a typical wall is mostly air. It is either 2×4 wood studs or metal studs that are placed every 16 inches on-center (when building walls you measure from the center of each stud and not the edges.) The surface is covered with drywall (a gypsum board covered with a heavy layer of paper) which is screwed or nailed to the studs. It’s quick to build and looks great, but can be easily damaged - especially when the builder uses 1/4 inch thick drywall instead of 1/2 inch or 3/4 inch (these are the standard thicknesses.)
When you have a damaged wall you need to replace the broken area with new drywall and then patch the seams and paint.
The supplies you’ll need for this project are:
* Drywall Saw * Utility Knife * Drywall piece large enough to fill the hole * 1×3 inch Lumber or pieces of Scrap Plywood for supports * Drywall Screws * Joint Compound * Mesh Fiberglass Drywall Tape * 6 inch or larger Spreader * Fine Grit Sand Paper or Drywall Sanding Screen * Drill with Drywall Bit
All of these supplies can be found at your local home center in the construction materials area near the drywall. If you have a small patch, they may give you a scrap of drywall so you won’t have to buy a full sheet. There are usually plenty of scraps laying around in various thicknesses.
Here’s the step-by-step process:
1. Cut a hole larger than the damaged area. Make the corners of the cut as square as possible to make it easier to cut the replacement patch. Use a drywall saw cut the hole
2. Cut several pieces of 1×3 inch wood or plywood scraps that are several inches taller than the hole. Place them in the wall near the edges of the hole and use drywall screws to secure the wood to the exisiting wall. (Tighten the screws until the heads are slightly below the surface but don’t completely tear through the paper. A drywall bit for your drill is designed to prevent overtightening. It’s not essetial, but recommended.) The point here is to create a good solid surface to attach the patch too. If you have a large opening you can put an additional support in the center.
3. Using a utility knife, cut a new patch piece that is slightly smaller than the hole. (To cut drywall, cut the paper on the finished side and then bend the board backward until the gypsum ’snaps.’ You’ll want to support the back along the cut so it breaks evenly. Once it has snapped, use the utility knife to cut the paper on the back.)
4. Insert the patch into the opening and securely attach it to the supports you installed using drywall screws. One screw at the top and bottom of each support should be sufficent. (Don’t put the screws too close to the edges or the gypsum will crumble.)
5. Now that the hole is filled you need to cover the seams. Apply fiberglass mesh tape over the seams. (The joint compound used to fill the seams is not strong and will crack if not reinforced.)
6. The last step is applying joint compound to the seams with a wide spreading knife Spread the joint compound over the screw holes and tape creating the smoothest surface you can. Don’t get too fussy at this stage. Just get it close. Let this dry overnight and then put on one more light coat. After this coat dries, smooth out any surface bumps with a light sanding.
Your wall is repaired, good as new. Put a coat of wall primer over the patch to seal the surface and then paint it to match the rest of the wall. It’s important to put on the primer, because raw drywall and joint compound, when painted, will dull the finish of the paint and give away your patch job.
Happy home repair,
The Go-To Guy
About The Author
Andrew Seltz's wide range of interests and experience have given him the reputation of being a Go-To Guy for his family, friends, and co-workers. Through his website, www.AndrewSeltz.com, he shares some of what he has learned through the years - from home improvement to video production.

Note: Try placing a wooden board at the same level as the doorknob hole left in the wall and just make it look like trim, or use steel or composite material if you have more than two boys in the house.

Aquariums

2006-02-24T09:12:00.000-08:00

Five steps to success with Saltwater Coral Reef Aquariums by: Chris Knowlton
Do you dream of watching the natural beauty of the undersea reef life while sitting in your living room?
Whether your goal is a nano reef tank or a 150 gallon aquarium with an ecosystem of coral and saltwater fish, the following five steps will lead you on your way to success.
1) Commit! Decide you are going to spend the $$ it takes to make a proper go of it. At a minimum, most tanks, (from 10 gal to 55 gal) take between $250 and $500 to get going. Can you do it cheaper? Yes, but usually not your first one. You have to know what you are doing and understand how things can and will go wrong before you can choose less expensive husbandry options and/or equipment. Save up if you have to, but count on that first tank being expensive.
Realize that this is not a short term commitment. And as much fun as it is to collect the coolest coral fragments out there and show them off to your friends, there WILL come a time when you are hauling all of those same 'frags' out of the tank and into temporary storage when your six year old cracks the side of the display tank with a pool ball or some other calamity occurs.
2) Study! Spend time on the internet, in books and watching nature shows on reefs BEFORE you get your animals. Understand the animals that you are going to keep and how they interact with each other. If you count on the LFS (Local Fish Store) or your buddy down the road to keep you out of trouble and don't do your homework.. You will fail. That is the one guarantee in this hobby. DO YOUR HOMEWORK.
The only way around this is to be able to afford to pay someone else to set-up and maintain your tank.
3) Mingle! (see 2 above) There are plenty of reef-keeping societies out there with lots of experience to help you along your way and teach you what you need to know. As long as you are doing your own homework, they are usually happy to help!
4) Keep an open mind! There is not just one way to keep a reef tank - no matter how loudly people on the various bulletin boards and forums out there might shout that there is. 5) Share! It is amazing how much help people are willing to give when they realize that you are offering a particularly nice specimen that they have always wanted. Equipment that they didn't even remember they had may magically appear or they might be willing to share a very nice piece of their own reef frag with you.
Trading frags not only is a great way to increase your variety, but it helps maintain genetic strains of corals (frags are also known as 'clones') that might otherwise die out in a single tank struck by the calamity mentioned in 1 above.
You can read 5 more Steps to Success by visiting www.KnowltonsReef.com (archive: June, 2005).
About The Author
Chris Knowlton is an avid fan of reef keeping and propagation. He maintains a nano tank and several large saltwater reef aquariums. Visit his blog at www.KnowltonsReef.com.

Beginners Acrylic Painting

2006-02-19T11:20:00.000-08:00

Beginners Guide on Acrylic Painting – How to Set Out Your Equipment for Easy Acrylic Painting by: Catherine Calder
OK you have all the things you need to begin acrylic painting, right? You have acrylic paints, brushes, painting surface, palette, and a container of water. Well, by taking a minute to set out your acrylic painting materials in an organized manner you will enjoy your painting session even more.
Ideally when you begin acrylic painting you will have a work space that is level and in a good light. Artificial light can make the colors look different when compared to natural light. It is a good idea to get full spectrum light bulbs from an art store if you have to paint in artificial light. This is a worthwhile investment.
Layout you palette, paints, brushes and water to the right hand side if you are right handed – or left if you are left handed. It is handy to have some paper towels too.
Acrylic Painting Tip
Try to get into the habit of placing the paints in the same position on the palette every time you paint. This will save you time – you wouldn’t be searching for a color if you always put it in the same position.
I like to group colors, like having all the blues together. It is most important to always put the white in the same place.
Tips on Placing Your Painting Materials
I position the palette next to me – I am right handed so it is to the right. Then the tubes of acrylic paint to the rear of the palette. I use a reservoir palette that has a space for the brushes, but if I didn’t I would have the reservoir for the brushes to the right of the palette.
I store the dry, clean brushes I’m not using in a jam jar – with the brush handle ends down so that the tips do not get bent out of shape. This is to the far right of all the other equipment.
I place the water container(s) to the rear of the painting area but within easy reach. The paper towel is there too.
Be sure to cover the work surface as any acrylic paint that dries on it will be difficult or impossible to remove.
And my Top Tip is to put any drink on the opposite side - away from the palette and paint. Otherwise you will end up cleaning your brush in your drink – and believe me it won’t add to the flavor!
About The Author
Catherine Calder is the author of The Acrylic Painting Course. The beginners guide on acrylic painting with step-by-step painting instructions and a free preview to completing your first painting.
Visit http://www.learnanddo.com/acrylic.asp to find out more.
ads@learnanddo.com

Making That Backyard Garden This Year

2006-02-14T06:38:00.000-08:00

How to Create a Backyard Oasis by: Kristen Fischer
As every homeowner is surely aware, a backyard can be transformed into a relaxing outdoor retreat. With some hard work and dedication, you can turn your simple backyard into a garden of delight. A garden pond is a wonderful way to bring new life to your yard and garden.
Garden ponds come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. The size of your garden pond will very much depend on your personal taste. While they do differ in shape and size, most garden ponds have similar components such as aquatic plants and fish. There are countless ways to approach your garden pond maintenance. In our experience, the best way to ensure the success of your garden pond is to strike a delicate balance between nature and technology.
While many people have elaborate pumping systems and waterfalls, they are not entirely necessary. For instance, certain types of fish can minimize any issues you may have regarding algae. Goldfish are extremely popular in outdoor garden ponds. There are over 100 varieties of goldfish to choose from, many of which have delightful colors and markings. Japanese Koi are also commonly used in garden ponds, but keep in mind that they need a lot of room.
The golden rule for introducing fish into your pond is to ensure that you have established all of the plant life first. Also be sure that the water is clear and balanced before you introduce the fish. There are many types of aquatic plant life that you can use in your garden pond, and they are divided into distinct categories. Oxygenators are essential, as they absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen as they grow. Water lilies can add some wonderfully beautiful colors to your pond. The other types include floaters, marginals, and marsh plants.
Nature itself can pose certain problems for outdoor garden ponds. For example, a neighborhood cat could easily make a meal of your prized Koi. More often than not, animals will use the pond as a source for drinking water only. Frogs and toads can also make a home in your pond. This is generally not a problem, unless they begin breeding. This can create a population explosion that your pond is not able to sustain. If this does happen, you should receive some professional advice. Alternately, you can visit our website for more information.
About The Author
Kristen Fischer is an avid gardener and garden pond enthusiast. When she is not singing to her flowers, she writes for gardenponds101.com – a wonderful online resource for information about garden ponds( http://www.gardenponds101.com/ ), pond fish( http://www.gardenponds101.com/options/pond-fish.aspx ), aquatic plants( http://www.gardenponds101.com/options/aquatic-plants.aspx ) and more.

How to Keep Your Car Like New

2006-02-12T16:46:00.000-08:00

Car Care Tips – How to Keep Your Car in Immaculate Condition by: Paul MacIver
There are several things you must do to keep your car in immaculate condition and retain its value. Apart from regular mechanical servicing and maintenance, your car must also be groomed regularly to keep it looking like new. This means more than simply putting it through the carwash each week. Although it takes a bit longer, you’ll find that hand grooming your car achieves a far better result. There’s no need to spend a lot of money on car care products, however you will need to buy a few. These are some tips I use every time I clean my car.
Exterior
Rinse your car down to get rid of excess dirt, and then wash it with a sponge and soapy water. Once you’ve washed the whole car, rinse it off and then dry it with a soft cloth. If you don’t dry your car afterwards, water droplets gather dust, and when they dry out, you’re left with many spots all over the body of the car. This is especially noticeable with dark colored cars.
Every month or so you should use a bug and tar removal product on the body of your car. There are many of these types of products available at most car care stores. A great product to go for is one which removes bugs, tar and other spots, while polishing the car’s surface at the same time.
Polishing and waxing your car regularly maintains the “shiny look” and also protects the paint from being damaged by the sun.
Always clean the wheels and shine the tires. If your car has alloy wheels, dirt shows up more easily and makes them look dull. You can buy wheel cleaning products which remove the build up of brake dust, but if you clean them each time you wash your car, you should only need to use water and a cloth. When shining the tires, I always use a spray-on tire shine which is quick and easy to use. This not only keeps them looking like new, but protects them from the sun and makes the whole car look magnificent.
For other external areas, use a surface protecting product which is designed to protect rubber, vinyl and plastic from the sun’s UV rays. This can be used on bumpers, rubber seals around doors and windows, and for the interior as well.
Interior
Purchase some car seat covers to protect your seats from getting worn out. They can easily be taken off and washed once in a while. I vacuum the seats and carpet every time I clean my car. Dirt and grit which falls deep into the carpet causes it to wear out quickly, so regular vacuuming is the best way to prevent this. Buying a set of floor mats will keep the majority of dirt from getting into your carpet.
Clean the inside of your car’s windows with a glass cleaning product and a soft cloth. I use a normal household glass cleaning spray for this and it seems to do the job. When cleaning the dashboard and other interior surfaces, be careful you don’t use a product that will damage them. Some vinyl and plastic surfaces can be ruined simply by using the wrong product when cleaning. Once cleaned, you can use a surface protecting spray on these areas also.
When you aren’t using your car, park it in the garage. This not only keeps it out of the weather, but also prevents it from getting dirty. If you don’t have access to a garage, consider buying a car cover. Protecting your car from the weather as much as possible will ensure it remains immaculate.
Go to http://seatcovers-online.info for information on car seat covers, car detailing products and vehicle covers.
About The Author
Paul MacIver is a car enthusiast, and writes about various vehicle-related topics for http://www.vehicle-covers.info. You are welcome to reprint this article only if this resource box is included, and links are intact.

How to Lower Your Utility Bill

2006-02-10T12:47:00.000-08:00

Save Money Cutting Your Home Energy Bill by: Dr. Deepak Dutta
Heating bills are rising up in every part of the country and the trend will continue because of World energy demands. The average US household expense on energy bills is estimated at 6% of the income in 2005, compared to 4% in 2003. Owners of efficient new houses spend considerably less than the people living in old houses. Financial burden due to increased energy expenses can be reduced by weatherizing and conserving.
Your house can be energy deficient in plumbing, insulation or heating. In many old houses, the biggest problem is not the cold air coming from windows but the air filtration from the basement due to floor joists and the structures supporting the floor. In an average American home, 50%-70% of the energy used goes to heating and cooling. If your house is built before 1980, it may no have adequate insulation. While most owners focus on attic insulation, they should not ignore the basement ceiling. Fiber glass is not a good insulation material as air flows right through it. Use spray foam or cellulose as an insulation materials for proper insulation.
Caulk and weather-strip all doors and windows that leak air. Look for all plumbing, ducting and electrical wiring the penetrates through exterior walls and seal those to prevent hot air leaking out. Keep the flue damper tightly closed when the fire place is not in use. If you are planning to change windows in your house, shop for insulating windows and install them as tight fitting as possible. You can use heavy duty clear plastic sheet to the inside of your window and seal them properly to prevent any leak.
Another areas where home owners can focus to reduce their energy bill is conservation. If you have an old thermostat, replace it with a new electronics control thermostat with digital readouts.. An electronics control thermostat is more precise than an dial type thermostat. Better, yet, is a programmable thermostat that you can program for the different hours of the day and night. Replace air filters regularly. If your house has a hot water radiator, bleed it once or twice during the winter season. If you don’t know how to do this, search in the Internet or get the help of a professional.
When you buy new appliances, look for the “Energy Star label. Energy Star labeled appliances are certified to be energy efficient. Most appliances now display a bright yellow and black Energy Guide label. These labels will tell you the average energy consumption cost of the appliance. While shopping for any appliance, do not forget to take into account this cost as another factor to evaluate before you make your final decision. You can find more energy tips at www.eere.energy.gov/consumer/tips.
About The Author
Dr. Deepak Dutta is the creator of http://www.semanticbay.com - an interactive social network website based on user shared text and picture contents on any topics. Website creators, publishers, and maintainers can promote their website at SemanticBay.com using website articles. Users can join for free, invite friends, maintain buddy lists, rate contents, comments on contents and earn points.