|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Brainstorming a project? Need an easy free cloud based brainstorming program? Try MindMeister
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Doors That Creep Shut
We have all had a door that just creeps opens or closes by itself. The solution was to place something heavy in front of the door to keep it where we wanted it. I have a simpler and permanent fix for that problem. All you have to do is to remove one of the hinge pins from the door hinge, lay it on a block of wood or concrete and using a hammer tap it in the center of the pin, bending it slightly. Once you have it bent reinsert it into the door hinge. The slight bend should create enough resistance to keep the door where you put it. If it still moves pull another pin out and repeat the process. Something to watch for when you remove the pin is it may have oil or grease on it which will get on your hands or the carpet if you drop the pin. Resist the urge to spray lubricant on the pin when you have it out, instead use a small amount of Vaseline to lubricate it before re-installing it.. Mission Accomplished!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
A New Exterior On Your Home For Free? Well almost....Have you been thinking the outside of your home needs a face-lift? Are you struggling with what it would look like, before you spend all that money? On this website you can choose a style of house that is like yours and then using the power of Ply Gems website see what a new exterior color and material such as siding, wood, stone would look like. Virtual reality comes to the exterior of your home. Give it a try Click for details
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Dimension Bible is for homeowners, remodelers and DIYers. It will become your home repair and remodeling Bible. Measurements and dimensions for plumbing, electrical, cabinetry, appliances, carpentry and many more items are outlined in an easy to read format. Also included are formulas to calculate area, volume, unit conversion tables, rafter and header span tables, exterior grading information, and much more. With plenty of room for your own personal notes on every page, this book will be invaluable to you. READ MORE
|
|
Buy your copy today and receive a free autographed personal message!Purchase Now and enter code AS20 and you will receive April Showers of savings.... 20% off your purchase.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Energy Saving Bulbs CFL vs LED
|
|
Energy savings covers a great deal of ground. Some of the ways require constant change, change the way you do things, and other ways require a one time change. Lets look at a one time change that can reflect substantial savings.
Let’s do a comparison of Edison’s favorite, the incandescent bulb, versus the new CFL .
Incandescent bulbs cost on average $0.50 apiece while CFL’s (compact fluorescent) cost on average $2.50 apiece. Quite a bit of difference, but the longevity of an incandescent bulb is on average 750 to 1000 hours, whereas the CFL is 10,000 to 15,000 hours. Pretty much a no brainer as to which one is the better bargain to purchase.
Now let’s look at the energy usage. A typical incandescent bulb you might have in a lamp is 60 watts while a similar CFL is 15 watts. That is a whopping 75% savings in watts used per bulb. What kind of savings can you expect if you were to change all the bulbs throughout your house?
To figure the savings we have to make certain assumptions. The average house has 30 bulbs, and average usage of 5 hours per day. With those assumptions you can save on average $6.00 per bulb per year. That is a household savings of approximately $180 per year just changing bulbs. The costs of the bulbs are already factored in.
Here is something to think about if you have a business, or commercial building. Lights are often on for 12 hours in a commercial environment so the average CFL will last 2 to 3 years. Wouldn't you rather pay someone once every 2.5 years rather than 2 or 3 times a year to change those bulbs? Also the longer the lights are on the more you save.
Now the real wave of the future is LED lights, although their cost is very high, but coming down, coming in at $25 to compare to our above examples. They run at about a tenth the cost of an incandescent and a little less than ½ of the CFL, coming in at a little less than $1.00 per bulb per year. LED’s are rated at 50,000 hours of usage, roughly 5 times that of a CFL.
Saying all that, before you all run out to change bulbs, know that the incandescent bulbs project light farther and colors are viewed better under them. So changing them in the hall may be acceptable but not in my favorite reading area or my home decorating business office.
One bonus of CFL’s or LED’s are if you are thinking about or have solar panels or other green energy sources the reduced wattage will reduce the amount of panels you need, and that can be a big savings.
I hope I have shed some light…. On a sometimes confusing subject.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Know The Cost Before You Call A Contractor ... 2015 Cost vs Value Report
|
|
|
As featured last month... An incredibly valuable report for everyone who is considering a remodeling project.
Access the 2015 report
here
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Your April Home Maintenance To Do List
|
|
|
|
|
Let Contractor John remind you when it is time to perform maintenance around your home. Our goal is to find and repair small problems before they become large very expensive repairs. Each month I will include a list of maintenance tasks for you to undertake that month. For Example this month; - Change rubber washers in your garden hoses. (Video How To Tip)
- Have your lawn mower blades sharpened and change the oil in it.
- Walk around the exterior of your house and check all the caulking areas that were damaged over the winter months. Even if you do not have a severe winter, this is good yearly maintenance. (Video How To Tip)
- Change batteries in smoke detectors, thermostat, and garage door keypad.
- Summerize your Snow-blower, by draining the gas, or by shutting off the gas line and running the snow-blower until the carburetor is empty and then adding Sta-Bil to the gas tank.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
A real handy tool for your drill. I have used one like this for years, and if the tip strips out, you can inexpensively replace just the tip. A must have for every toolbox. Fits in any drill. This 7 piece magnetic screwdriver guide set. A self-retracting sleeve holds screws, as long as four inches, straight and in place for easy fastening each and every time. This DEWALT magnetic drive guide set is compatible with all drills and all common household used screw sizes.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Bonus Product of the Month
|
|
|
If you have a hard time picking paint colors for you home, you are
going to LOVE this: A friend of mine just created a shortcut that allows you to find
the right color in *minutes*! It's called the Paint Color Cheat Sheets -
because it actually gives you the "right answers" in a paint color
deck.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rustic Recipes For The Whole Family
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
This month I am sharing several appetizer recopies with you. A couple things anyone (including guys who can't cook) can do. The first is absolutely delicious mini meatballs, and the second is bacon wrapped shrimp and an spicy orange marmalade dipping sauce. No-Fuss Mini Meatballs
This is a great appetizer for any size or type of gathering.
The ingredients may sound like a little weird, but trust me they are fabulous.
1 package (14 oz) frozen cooked meatballs, thawed
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
½ cup chili sauce
½ cup grape jelly
¼ cup Dijon mustard
In a skillet or Crockpot cook meatballs in the soy sauce
until heated through. Combine the chili sauce, jelly and mustard; pour over the
meatballs. Cook and stir until the jelly is melted. Reduce heat; cover and
simmer for 10 minutes. Yield about 2 dozen. Next a very simple Shrimp appetizerI
use 30 count (large) cooked shrimp, meaning approximately 30 to a pound
1 lb
bacon
1
box food toothpicks
1 12 oz jar of Orange Marmalade
1
Tablespoon Horseradish
Clean
shrimp and remove tails. Cut bacon slices in ½ and wrap each shrimp with ½ strip
of bacon and place on sheet pan with side to capture bacon grease. bake at 375
for 20 minutes or until bacon is cooked and crispy.
While
shrimp is cooking combine the jar of orange marmalade and horseradish, adjusting to your level of spice, in a dipping
bowl placed at the center of your serving platter.
When
shrimp are done remove from oven and place around dipping sauce serving platter
inserting toothpick in each shrimp.
Serve
and Enjoy……
|
|
Disclosure
Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are "affiliate links." This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."
|
|
|
|
|
