Managing Home Maintenance Costs

One of our big concerns about using energy and in particular wasting energy is when we see people sitting in their cars. They are waiting for someone idling their car. This is such a huge waste of energy. With the price of gasoline going up so much we thought it was time to write a post about this very common occurrence, idling your car. Perhaps a few people will read this post and think twice about idling their car again and maybe even save themselves some money as well as help the environment.

Idling Your Car – Save $ A Time and Place

There is a time and a place for idling your car. For example, if you live in a cold climate, you need to have your car warmed up. This will ensure the windshield is not covered with frost and so that you can see. If you are pulling a heavy trailer, you want to give your car’s engine a chance to warm up before placing it under a heavy load. Starting from a cold start and flooring the gas pedal on a cold engine is never a good thing to do. Since not all of the engine parts are up to operating temperature.

We decided to list some of the issues and reasons why you need to warm up an engine. But not let an engine idle for any length of time. If you agree or disagree or have other ideas about engine idling, please leave your comments.

New electric cars and the Toyota Prius solve this problem of idling since the engine is shut off while stopped at stop signs and at the curb.  Traditional powered vehicles still have this issue and we could all reduce our cost as well as pollution by allowing our vehicles to idle less.

Driving Warms the Car Faster than Idling.

For many their concern is not the health of the car, but simply your own creature comfort. It warms up faster if you just drive it since the engine is under load and working harder than it would while idling.

Ten Seconds Is All You Need.

After about ten seconds, you waste more money running the engine than restarting it. Switch the car off at the curb. You’ll be leaving money in your wallet and protecting the air in your community. If you live in a cold climate, obviously it will take longer for the car to warm up and clear the windshield of frost. However once it is warmed up there is no need to keep it running while waiting at the curb.

Idling Hurts the Car.

Idling forces an engine to operate in a very inefficient and gasoline-rich mode. Over time, it can degrade the engine’s performance and reduce mileage. Engines that idle a lot and are only driven in city traffic tend to build up more carbon deposits and sludge. You should change your oil more often to keep engine performance up.

Idling Costs Money.

Over a year of five minutes of daily idling (which causes incomplete combustion of fuel), it is  estimated that the operator of a V-8-engined car will waste 20 gallons of gasoline. Which not only produces 440 pounds of carbon dioxide but costs at least $60. Many people allow their cars to idle much longer than 5 minutes. While sitting at the curb waiting to pick someone up or even in line at take out fast food restaurants.

Idling in the Garage Can Kill You.

Idling a car in a garage, even with the door open, is dangerous. it xposes the driver to carbon monoxide and other noxious gases. If the garage is attached, those fumes can also enter the house.

Block Heaters Beat Remote Starters.

Remote starters can too easily cause people to warm up their cars for five to 15 minutes. Which is generally unnecessary. A block heater, which is designed to heat the engine can be used. It can cost under $30, on a timer set to start one to two hours before driving does the trick in very cold climates.

Quick Errands Aren’t Quick Enough.

We have all seen those people who leave their car running while they run into a store to quickly pick something up or drop off. Leaving your engine running is hard on your pocketbook. It produces greenhouse gas emissions and is an invitation to car thieves.

Idling is Bad for Your Health (and Your Neighbor’s Health)

One of the problems is that cars idle close to the curb, where pedestrians are walking. And when you have a child in a stroller, they are particularly close to the tailpipe. Studies show that children’s IQ levels are lower when they live near major roads with lots of traffic.

Save

The Automobile Club of Southern California has recently stated that as long as your vehicle has tires that are in good working condition, you would be able to have good fuel economy and extend the life of your vehicle as well. This is in accordance and with regards to the National Tire Safety Week which started just last April 23rd and would be continuing to the end of this week. The tire shown in this picture is definitely not in good working condition.  Your Tires Condition counts.

The front end needs to be aligned and maybe some tie rods replaced. This tire has severe wear and tear on the left hand side and the car probably pulls badly to the right as you are driving. Never mind about fuel economy, this driver needs to be concerned about the safety of his vehicle. He should be concerned about being able to stop quickly with out causing an accident.

Tires in Good Working Condition

So exactly what is “good working condition”? We have listed a few items that would be necessary for your tires to be considered in good working condition. They are as follows:

• Proper tire pressure, not over and not under inflated
• All four tires balanced properly
• No cuts, tears or obvious damage to the tire
• No premature wear and tear on one side of the tire or another
• At least 1/8 of an inch of tread on the tires and this is considered low
• Proper tires on the car, fitted for speed rating, size and width
• Tire age is not more than 6 years

The National Tire Safety Week was launched so as to assist drivers in understanding the basic tire care. Aside from this, the fact remains that there is still that need for proper tire maintenance.

From research completed, the statistics have shown that around 85 percent of drivers do not actually check their vehicle’s tire pressure properly or even at all.

Engineer Steve Mazor who is the Auto Club’s principal automotive engineer states, “Not knowing the condition of your vehicle’s tires is equal to pouring money down the drain. Proper tire inflation is necessary to for safe driving and to reduce gas costs.”

Your Tires Condition counts – Under Inflated Tires

He continue-s, “Under inflated tires can cut fuel economy by up to two percent per pound of pressure below the recommended level. They can cause your tires to run hot and they can prematurely wear out as well.

After every fill up, motorists should walk around their vehicles and check tires for uneven or excessive tread wear and proper inflation. Drivers can refer to their vehicle’s doorjamb or glove box for original specifications or the manufacturer of the replacement tire for tire pressure.”

As per statistics that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has, nearly one out of every three vehicles on the roads and highways has a significant under inflated tire. Aside from this fact is that there are some 600 fatalities and around 33,000 injuries that happen every year. These are results of low tire pressure related crashes.

Make it a Habit

It is an easy habit to get into. Before you start the car every morning, take a quick walk around the car. Check the tire pressure by observation, and if a tire looks low, check it with a tire pressure gauge. Once a week use a gauge to check the actual pressure and top up if needed.

Never over inflate since the tire pressure will increase as you use the car at high speeds. After you have done this a few times, you will quickly be able to assess whether a tire is low or not.

Benefits of Tire Maintenance

Although we have focused on tire condition and checking the inflation of tires, there are two primary reasons to check your tires. One is to gain better gas mileage. Your car will get the best gas mileage if your tires are properly inflated and balanced.  In addition tires that are well maintained have less tendency to have a blow out. If this happens at high speeds, you might lose control of the car causing far more serious consequences.

Feel free to leave comments about tire maintenance etc, to help our readers avoid accidents and gain better gas mileage.

Hardwood flooring really does add beauty to any home. Along with this, the durable surface will last a lifetime and is a great investment. Installing a hardwood floor can take a little hard work. But with some planning and tools, like hardwood floor nailers, the job can be much easier. Hardwood floor nailers are also dangerous. Make sure you follow all of the proper safety features when using them. The picture on the left is a typical hardwood floor nailer. There are many on the market. You should select one based on price and function. Take into account the amount of time you will use one. Sometimes renting a machine will be the less expensive option.

Should you Hire a Professional

Here is a little information about hardwood installation and the necessary tools to get the job done right. First, we do want to point out that if you are uncomfortable with laying a floor and do not do well-using tools or renovations, you probably should hire an expert. The job will be done well and it will be done quickly.  Spouses tend to get a little frustrated if you take weeks or months to get the job done and even more so if it is not done well.

Let the Wood Acclimatize

Anyone who has worked with wood before knows that humidity and moisture cause expansion. For this reason, it is important to let your wood accustom to their new environment by storing them indoors for a few days. This will give you a little time to prepare the work area and make sure you have all the right tools.

Preparing the Work Area

When you are installing hardwood over a large area, a hardwood floor nailer is essential to save time and effort. Ensuring a level, clean and dry sub-floor area is also a must. Mark the position of floor joists, the room centerline and a line marking the edge of the first boards along your starting wall on the vapor barrier you have laid down ahead of time. About 3/4 inch of expansion space should be left between the starting wall and the first row of boards. Wood will contract and expand. This expansion space will allow the floor to expand and you will not get buckling in your floor as a result. Then you are ready to begin.

Renting Hardwood Floor Nailers

Most consumers who are doing this kind of work themselves will only need a hardwood nailer for a few days and you may need it only one time. It does not make sense to purchase one. There are many equipment rental locations that will rent out power hardwood nailers at an hourly or daily rate. Take advantage of this service and save yourself some money.

There are manual nailers and powered nailers which drive the nails into the wood along the tongue and groove. Always rent a powered nailer. You will be exhausted after a few thousand nails other wise.

Get that First Row of Boards Right

The first row of boards is the most important row. If you have done your measuring and marking correctly your floor will be lined up properly with the walls etc. Take the time to measure several times to check your work.

The first row of boards can be fixed into place by either using nails about 1 inch from the side of the starting wall or glued into place at six-inch intervals. The glue used should allow for the natural expansion of the wood. This first row is also held into place with nails driven into the tongue at 45 degree angles by the nailer. Some people prefer to do this first row by hand but you can use the hardwood floor nailer if you prefer.

Check for Proper Alignment

Subsequent boards should be fixed into place and secured using the hardwood floor nailer. Always check for proper alignment along the way. Continue this until you reach the last few boards which should be secured by hand since the hardwood floor nailer will not be able to be used that close to a wall. After all this you will now be able to enjoy your beautiful new hardwood flooring.

Save

I recently starting considering whether I would upgrade my iPod to the latest version. It got me to wondering what are the issues associated with an upgrade. Also what about upgrading my cell phone to a smart phone at the same time. The costs that are pretty high. But I can also sell my existing iPod to recoup some of the expense of upgrading.

This Is What I Currently Have

First let me tell you what I have at the moment. I have an older Samsung flip phone which works well although the battery only lasts about three days before needing a charge. Other than that it works very well. I also have an iPod touch which is a year old, so it does not have the built in cameras. I purchased it with 32 G’s of memory and even with loads of pictures and music on it I am not even close to using all of the memory.

Now you may wonder why I just don’t upgrade to an iPhone. Well we live in Canada and the rates for cell service plus data service is ridiculous. That’s why with the iPod, I just use WiFi and the data does not cost me anything. Sure I have to find a WiFi site, however I have discovered that there are so many around that I always have access when I need it.

I am currently paying about $85 a month for 500 minutes of local and long distance service shared between two phones to Bell Mobility. I know this is high by USA levels, but that is what we are stuck with in Canada. This includes voice mail and text messaging. It does not include any data at all.

The best part is that I am coming to the end of my contract and I can now negotiate with Bell, my current provider and with Rogers who are the main competitors.

What Smart Phone Should I Upgrade to?

What I would like is a new Smart Phone, an iPhone 4 as an upgrade with data and voice at a much better price that what I am currently paying. I am used to the iPod and really like all of the current apps that I have. I would like the current configuration that I have on my iPod plus voice.

So I have to wait another month for my contract to end and then we will see what kind of deal Bell and Rogers will offer to me. Bell to keep me and Rogers to transfer me and pick me up as a new customer.

If I can get a new iPhone 4, then I will sell my iPod. I have seen them going for roughly $140 to $170 on Ebay and considering I have had it for one year and I paid $300 for it, this is not a bad deal.

Can Anyone Suggest a Better Approach?

If anyone has a better suggestion about how to get a better deal or what I should expect for a proposed offer for service, I would really like to hear your comments now. The end of May is my drop dead date for making a decision on a new phone of some kind. If they will not give me a good deal, then I might just keep what I have?

For more iPod touch information, click here.

Save

Save