Managing Home Maintenance Costs

One of the questions we received about our solar blanket series was “does a pool heat up faster with or without the solar blanket on”? The answer is clearly yes. If you live in a climate were you get a lot of sun the pool will heat very quickly and you will save lots of energy too! In fact if you have hot days and warm nights there is a good chance that you will not need to use your solar blanket all of the time. The pool will stay warm especially with warm summer nights without the solar blanket. There are other benefits as well to using a solar blanket. Here they are:

• Pool heats up faster
• Your pool water retains the heat during cool evenings and days
• Pool water evaporation is reduced
• Chemical depletion of chlorine is also reduced
• Protection of your liner from UV rays extends the life of your liner

Solar Blanket – Pool heats up faster

The pool definitely heats up faster with the solar blanket on than off. All you need to do to test this statement is leave the blanket on during the middle of the day and watch the temperature go up.

In fact we turn off the pool pump during the day to conserve electricity and the top foot of water in our pool actually gets hot. What a pleasant experience to get into a pool when the top foot of water is around 100 F and the rest of the pool is around 80 F! It is so great to float in the top foot of water and enjoy hot tub water without actually being in one. If you just float the water does not mix and just stays hot!

We will leave the solar blanket on the pool until around 1pm and then remove it to go swimming.  Of course if the kids or family want to swim earlier we don’t stop them but if we are not using the pool the solar blanket stays on to gain those extra degrees.

Pool water retains the heat during cool evenings and days

If you get a cool day or your evenings are cool, the temperature of the water will drop quickly in your pool. Leave your blanket on the pool to keep the heat from escaping during these cool hours. Monitor the chlorine levels closely to avoid build up of algae and shock the pool every few days. You will also use less chlorine as well.

Pool water evaporation is reduced

With the solar blanket on the pool the amount of evaporation from the pool is much less. You will find that you will have to add much less water to the pool due to evaporation during dry summer periods and hot sunny days. We once had so much evaporation that I thought there was a leak somewhere. As soon as I placed the solar blanket on the pool, I noticed much less evaporation of the pool water.

Chemical depletion of chlorine is also reduced

The same thing applies to depletion of the chlorine in the pool. With the suns rays unable to penetrate the pool water, the chlorine in the water remains to continue to do its job of fighting bacteria in the water.

Solar Blanket Protection of your line from UV rays

Your pool liner like all vinyls is subject to deterioration over time due to UV rays from the sun. With the solar blanket on, there are less rays hitting your liner which will allow it to last much longer. Of course you will have to replace your solar blanket every 3 to 5 years. Since it will deteriorate due to the chemicals and the suns rays.

But this is a much lower cost than replacing  the liner of a pool. Our liner is around 20 years old now. I maintain that it is solely due to the solar blanket. I have heard lots of people replacing the blanket after 10 years because the vinyl becomes brittle. It cracks from the constant sun. A new liner can cost five to ten thousand dollars depending on the size of the pool. A solar blanket will cost around $300, a big difference.

Solar blankets have a lot of advantages in addition to conserving electricity which is what this web site is all about. Your comments are welcome. for more solar related posts, click here.

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This is an easy task for most do it yourself consumers. You can save a little money and reduce the cost of homeownership.  Before we begin, always use strip-able wallpaper. I am not even sure that you can still purchase non-strip-able wallpaper. Spend the extra money, it is not much. Install the kind that is strip-able and Removing Strippable Wallpaper is so much easier when the time comes. You will really appreciate this advice if you ever have to remove that wallpaper.

This post is about removing wallpaper from your wall and making an easy job of it. I just spent the last two hours removing wallpaper in the front room of our house and it took me about two hours to do the entire room, thanks to our decision to use the strip-able kind. Even so, this particular wallpaper was more difficult than some, which I will explain in a moment. I have in past years removed non-strip-able wallpaper that was installed by other people and had a very difficult time removing it. Never again will I have to do this. I would not even buy a home with this kind of wallpaper.

The Basic Process for Removing Strippable Wallpaper

The basic process is to take a wet sponge and wipe a small area, perhaps a 2 foot by 8 foot section. Let the water soak in for about five minutes and then grab a corner and begin to pull it off the wall. If it comes easy, the paper will come off easily leaving little backing on the wall.

Next, take the same sponge and wipe the wall that you have just removed the wallpaper from. The remaining paper can be easily scraped off the wall using a scraper along with any wet glue that remains on the wall.

The last step is to again wipe the wall and clean off any remaining glue that may be left on the wall. If you are planning on painting the wall you may need to lightly sand the wall and apply primer to ensure great adhesion of the paint.

Harder to Remove Wall Paper

Some wallpapers have a heavy coating with a paper backing. Sometimes the water does not penetrate the outer layer of the wallpaper very well. In this case, it will probably come off the wall in two layers. The second layer of paper remaining on the wall. Once you have only regular paper left on the wall, apply water with the sponge again, and then scrape the wall after about 5 minutes.

This takes more time, but is very doable within a few hours. If you gouge the wall with your scraper you will have to patch it with a bit of drywall mud and then give it a light sanding prior to painting.

Non Strip-able Wall Paper

This kind of wallpaper should never be used. If you encounter this type, be prepared for lots of work. Use water as before and plan to do lots of scraping to remove the wall paper. Some times you may also have to use a little heat from a blow dryer to try to melt the glue, however, this will be a lot of work and take quite a bit of time.

Be careful that you do not accidentally cause a fire by making the paper so hot that it ignites.  I once had to remove this kind of wallpaper from a kitchen and it must have taken me two full days to get it all off. This stuff should not be on the market.

If you have suggestions about removing strippable wallpaper and saving people money, leave us a comment. Our readers will appreciate it.

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For consumers taking accountability for their own safety and that of their property, Burglar Deterrent Signs is one avenue to consider and falls within the realm of property management for residential consumers.

Placing Burglar Deterrent Signs in and around your home can be an inexpensive method of fending off some would be burglars. Let’s face it burglars are lazy and trying to make a living off of someone else and they are always going to take the easy road rather than have to deal with some level of difficulty. If the would be burglar is convinced that you have a rather loud sounding alarm installed in your home that is monitored, they might just move on to the next home and leave yours alone.

Even if you do not actually have an alarm system, it can be enough to make them think that you do have one. This is probably the most simple and least expensive way to protect your home. It will certainly keep out the opportunist but not the professional or someone who knows that you do not have an alarm system.

Burglar Deterrent Signs – Vicious Dog Signs

Most burglars want to avoid anything that will draw attention to them while they are in your home. Even those that are professional will avoid situations that attract attention from the neighbors or passersby.  Whether you have a dog or not, whether he is big or small is going to make most opportunistic burglars think twice. No one wants to attract a large dog or cause a dog to begin barking. It will wake someone in the home up or attract attention from nosy neighbors who keep an eye on things like that. So if you have a sign advertising a vicious dog, most burglars are going to leave your house alone in favor of easier targets.

Burglar Deterrent Signs – Alarm System Signs

Most opportunistic burglars will bypass a house that is alarmed. Signs indicating that there are alarms tell the burglar that this house is probably alarmed and monitored and most will just  move on to easier pickings. This is driven mainly by the level of fear they have for the police and ending up in jail. For most it does not matter whether the home is alarmed or not. Just make them think it is and it will deter the vast majority of burglars from homes and apartments

Professionals who might have watched your home for a few days may also find out that the signs are just that. Especially viscous dog signs if they never hear a dog barking.

Burglar Deterrent Signs – Monitored Alarm  System Signs

Like the dog situation your opportunistic burglar is not going to take a chance. They know that possibly three things are going to happen which increases the stress level of breaking into your home.

First the alarm is going to go off creating a lot of noise. This will warn the folks inside the home if any one is home. Second, if it is a monitored system, there may be cameras that can identify him or her. An armed response will be on the way. Third, some of the neighbors may  be alerted. They may come to investigate or at least take a look.

The professionals know that they have time to get in and out quickly. They will be inside your home for 5 minutes or less so this may not deter them. Most others will simply avoid your house and go into the neighbors. Why take the chance ?

Non Monitored Alarm Systems

The same applies to non monitored alarm systems. The only difference is that your intruder does not know that the system is not monitored. They will just move on. If they break in anyway, they will be gone inside of 5 minutes or less.

Were Should you Place Burglar Deterrent Signs

Many people don’t like to have signs since they feel that it takes away from the look of their home. There are small signs that if strategically placed will act as an excellent deterrent.

Think of the obvious locations were a burglar would break into your home. Place small burglar deterrent signs at these locations. Front doors, side doors, windows that are  near the ground and perhaps hidden from site from the neighbors. These small decals should be obvious to anyone attempting a break. While at the same time not taking away from the decor of your home.

Comments and ideas are welcome relative to burglar deterrent signs that you can place on your home. Spam comments are auto deleted.

Is anyone else out there tired of the mobility companies and their cell phone contracts? I am so sick and tired of being bribed into taking a long term contract. Just so that I can get a wireless phone or wireless smart phone for a reasonable price. I am ready to just buy my own phone to forgo cell phone contracts with a carrier.

Once again, I have just gone through the same process that I did two years ago to line up a new phone. The wireless companies price the phones or smart phones at a low price to attract you in the first place. Then they tell you, that you can only have the phone at that price if you are willing to sign up for a cell phone contract or at least two years!

Cell Phone Contracts – Company Marketing

This is the way they get you, because you have become emotionally attached to a new phone. Or the deal they are offering you is too good to pass up.  That’s what just happened to me. They offered me a much better deal than what I currently was receiving and a new phone as well which was what they were calling a smart phone light! The only way I was going to get the deal and the phone was to sign a cell phone contract for 3 years. Or pay a lot of money for service and for the phone I got for free!

Changing Your Contract

If you decide to change your contract or change your services during your contract period, most wireless companies will allow you to do this any time during the contract with out too much problem.

Some will even allow you to decrease the number of services that you are using and lower your monthly bill. Of course if you want to add more services to your plan, they will be more than willing to handle this for you as well.

Cancelling Your Contract

What they will not do is allow you to cancel your cell phone contract without a major penalty. This is were it gets costly. They will want you to pay the rest of the contract out.  Also pay for the discounted amount of the phone as well. In other words they are making it so expensive to get out of the contract that you will stick with them for the life of the contract.

Upgrading Your Phone During Your Contract

Most cell phone companies will allow you to change and or upgrade your device during the life of your contract. Many will even provide you with a free upgrade during this period as well, especially if you are a heavy user. But beware, these upgrades come at a price.

If you take a new phone, free of charge or at a nominal price you will be tied into a contract extension. So if you are planning to change carriers or make other major changes, be satisfied with your current plan. Let your cell phone contract run out.

Prepaid Services

The only true independence you can have from a cell phone carrier is to not have a cell phone contract. This is typically known as prepaid cell phone service. More and more customers are going this route. They will have the flexibility of changing carriers and cell phones whenever they feel like it. Sure it costs a bit more, but that is fine with them.

They have freedom to use as much or as little of their service as they wish from month to month. There is a limit on the type and kind of phones that you can usually use on prepaid contracts, so you also have to be satisfied with the selections that are available if you take this approach. For example the HTC Wildfire S is not available as part of a prepaid package as far as we are aware.

Are as bummed about cell phone contracts as I am? Why not leave us your comments about your experience. Spam comments are auto deleted.

For more suggestions on Mobile contracts, click here.

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Regardless of whether you purchase a new home with hardwood floors or you have just installed new hardwood floors in your home, you have a valuable and considerable investment in your home in hardwood. Most buyers are looking for hardwood flooring to be already installed when they buy a new home. They really do not consider hardwood floor upkeep requirements.

Keeping the hardwood floor clean and avoiding marks on the floor will go along way to maintaining your hardwood investment. Cleaning a hardwood floor is an important task with lots of benefits. It will help to maintain the natural beauty of your flooring and also extend the life of the floor, which saves you money in the long run. It will also help you avoid many headaches in the future. Here is a helpful guide to show you how to clean hardwood floor and make the most of your investment.

Why You Want to focus on Hardwood Floor Upkeep

Hardwood flooring is sensitive to heat and moisture but it is also sensitive to the harmful effects of dirt and grit. As dirt and particles work their way into hardwood surfaces they have a grinding effect as you walk on the floor, which is detrimental to the lifespan of the wood.The floor changes color, scratches and gradually the finish will be removed.

Who wants to have to sand a hardwood floor by hand?

Dirt and grime can scratch away at the surface of the wood, dulling it and taking away from the look of the surface. For these reasons it is important to know how to clean hardwood floor.

Cleaning the Hardwood Floor

But before you begin you will need a few tools. A soft fine-bristled broom, a vacuum with a hardwood safe attachment, along with a mop of your choice are essential.

Once you have everything you need we can get into how to clean your hardwood floor. You should have a routine in place for caring for your floors. This routine must include sweeping often with the fine-bristled broom in order to keep everyday dirt and dust from accumulating. Also, time should be taken to vacuum the floors at least once or twice a week. This will help to lift any sand or other abrasive particles that may want to settle in the floor cracks where they will do their damage.

When mopping your hardwood floors you should use a very dry-damp mop. This is because of the floor’s intolerance to excess water. Any extra water may seep down into the floor which is very harmful. This is practically everything you need to know on how to clean hardwood floor.

Avoid Women’s High Heels with Narrow Heel Points

We have had this situation and before we knew what happened there were little heel marks all over our floor. The women even asked us if it was ok to wear her shoes indoors. foolishly we said yes. What a mistake. We have not corrected the situation yet, but it will take some serious sanding and refinishing to fix this.

Do not allow people to wear their shoes inside your home on hardwood floors if you want to maintain the luster of your floors and avoid marking the hardwood on your floors.

As you can see, when finding out how to clean hardwood floor, there are only a few simple yet important steps. Cleaning hardwood is best done with regular care and attention. Once you have all of this in place, your floors will be long lasting and great looking.

Do you enjoy taking a corner or two a bit crazy once in a while? Or you have found that you needed to swerve to miss another car? You may find your car’s current handling performance a bit lacking. There are a number of things that affect the way a car handles corners including the width of the tires. Wide Tires vs Narrow Tires can make a difference. Improving some  of these elements may increase the handling capabilities of your car.

Sliding off the road:

One of key components to how well your car corners is the tires. Tire width and compound of the rubber play crucial roles in keeping your car from sliding off the road.  Wider tires have more surface area in contact with the road which will help to  improve traction in all sorts of conditions. Wider tires also have the unfortunate side effect of decreasing your gas mileage due to increased friction with the road. Many people find that after they install wider tires that they see their gas mileage go down by 50 miles per tank!

Car makers routinely put such skinny tires on their vehicles to improve gas mileage claims. Wider tires with low tread depth may also  turn into skis in winter driving conditions.

Stickier Tires

Installing stickier or softer tires will help your dry traction considerably. Softer and stickier tires will wear out much faster. Snow tires which are considered a soft tire and are excellent in cold winter conditions and will wear out much faster during hot summer conditions. They are softer so that they can conform to the hard ice surface of the road and bite into snow conditions. They also have much more tread on them that is deeper and can allow your tire to find traction in snow conditions.

High performance summer tires may also perform very poorly in wet and icy conditions,  since they are too hard and do not bend or adapt to the road conditions, which means you’ll probably want another set of tires for winter driving.

Wide Tires vs Narrow Tires

Wide tires often have a shorter side wall which will improve handling slightly when you go  around a corner at high speed  your tires will actually flop over sideways. If you have the shorter the side walls are the less likely  to let this happen, but unfortunately this also leads to a slightly rougher ride as there is less tire height to absorb bumps in the road.

Low profile tires are not mass produced and as a result you will find that the prices are much higher for a set of four tires.

Wide Tires vs Narrow Tires – Tire Size

Your speedometer is attached to your transmission, so regardless of what size of tire you have on your car your speedometer will register a specific speed based on the RPM’s of the transmission. I once borrowed a car and got a speeding ticket because the owner had installed oversize tires on his car. Although the speedometer registered that I was doing 60 miles an hour on the highway, I was actually doing 70 miles an hour.

He was not willing to pay for the ticket! If you are changing your tires from narrow to wide and not changing the diameter you should be ok, Going to low profile tires will change the registered speed on your speedometer. Note the changes and drive accordingly.

Body Roll:

Does your car feel like it is leaning over sideways when you tear around a turn? This is what is known as body roll. There are a couple of ways to deal with  this problem.

The easiest of which that is also the thing that has the least effect on ride comfort is to install a set of sway bars or anti-roll bars. They are usually thicker than the stock sway bars, which flex less and keep your car  from leaning as much during cornering. The difference these bars make can be tremendous. They can be installed yourself in a few hours and shouldn’t cost more than a few hundred dollars at most.

Another thing that affects body roll is your car’s center of gravity. The closer your car is to the ground the less effect the forces of cornering will have on it. Installing a set of lowering springs which bring your car an inch or two closer to the ground. This should improve handling considerably.

You should be aware though that putting lowering springs on your stock shocks will cause them to wear out faster. So it is recommended that you replace both at the same time to save money on labor in the future. Lowering springs also have a different spring rate than the stock springs. This modification will most likely result in a much stiffer ride than you’re used to.

Remember: Drive safe, wear your seat belt at all times, and have fun!