Sep 17, 2021 | Backyard
Taking care of your yard and garden is nothing but a pleasure. Let’s be fair, though. Who wants to splurge on all those great but oh-so-costly large gardening tools? In this guide, you’ll learn how to get the most out of basic and affordable small gardening tools.
Hire Professionals With Tools
If you feel that you need the power of large gardening tools but don’t want to spend $2,000 or more for a full set, you can simply hire a lawn and garden care professional for a national average of $129 ($48-$211) per hour. Hiring a pro will set you free from all the fuss with tool maintenance, storage, and, moreover, the work itself! For example, you can hire a backpack leaf blower operator only a few times in the fall and cut the maintenance and fuel costs. The same goes for heavy lawnmowers for large yards, hedge trimmers, and chainsaws for tree pruning. It’s always cheaper to hire someone if you don’t need to use a tool more often than average yard chores require.
Make the Most Out of Your Lawnmower
Every US household has at least one lawnmower. The fact is that almost any model can not only trim down the grass quickly but also mulch the fallen leaves every fall! This lets you save up and avoid getting an extra tool for mulching. If your lawnmower has a clipping collector, you can also use it to gather the fallen leaves, which sets you free from buying a leaf blower or vacuum.
Go Manual and DIY
If you have a relatively small average yard, you can accomplish a variety of projects using only the conventional manual tools and, of course, your hands! In fact, anything but lawn mowing can be done with these tools! Here are a few examples:
- Hedge trimmers = manual secateurs;
- Chainsaw = manual saw;
- Leaf blower = rakes;
- Mulcher = compost pile (very slow, but also effective);
- Weedeater = manual weeder.
Why Not Rake?
Manual raking hasn’t become outdated yet! With all those ergonomic rakes and proper techniques, you can quickly gather all the fallen leaves or prepare the soil for planting. Don’t underestimate this tool!
Craft a Grass Seeder
If you have a small or medium yard, you can get by without a grass seed! What you need is any plastic food container and a hot knife to make small holes in the bottom for the seeds to get through. Voilà! You have a perfect manual grass seeder that takes as much space as a plastic berry container can take.
Have a Gardening Day Party
Asking your kids, friends, and relatives to help you in the yard can be quite burdensome for everyone. Fortunately, there’s a way to make the process fun! Turn it into a gardening day party with music, beverages, competitions, and quizzes. It will not only make you all closer but also help you do all the important stuff around the yard faster and with fewer large tools involved.
Let It Go Wild
One of the biggest landscaping trends of the last few years is minimal trimming! The style allows you to let the trees, shrubs, and ornamentals grow without too much shaping. Just do the necessary trimming and let nature do the rest! Less trimming means that you can get by with the most affordable small tools, such as:
- Pruning shears;
- Trimming scissors;
- Secateurs with elongated handles.
Think Well
Your brain is the greatest and largest tool of all time! Look around and seek opportunities to get by without the help of costly tools, and you will be surprised by the number of effective options. You have the Internet, so always compare the pricing for tools and consider your needs realistically to avoid overpaying for stuff you don’t actually need.
Sep 6, 2021 | Home Improvement
Storms can be unpredictable, and so storms can badly damage your roof. For homeowners, it is difficult to recognize what kind of damage you encounter following an extreme storm. It does not matter the type of storm; all storms can cause damaged roofs and missing shingles.
The best thing you can do is to determine the steps in taking action following a severe storm. Doing the correct steps will make insurance claims and repairs fast. It can mean you get your house back to a secure and safe condition as quickly as possible.
Be sure to follow the steps when it comes to storm damage to your roof.
1. Estimate the Roof Damage – Do It Only When the Coast Becomes Clear
Hold the urge to check your roof until the storm has passed and the sky is clear. Icy or wet debris or spots on the roof can cause injuries, slip, or fall. Of course, you must also think about the more dangerous problems such as downed electricity lines and unstable roof surfaces.
Once you assure that the area is safe, go and assess the storm damage to your roof as best as you can. Scan everything thoroughly. It will help you talk about your needs with your roofing contractor and insurance agent immediately. Moreover, do the roof assessment during the daytime since it is difficult to assess what has happened without proper lighting. Then:
- Use binoculars to see clearly without needing to climb on top of the roof.
- Assess the size of the area and gather precise details about the damage.
- Take note of the exposed parts of the roof, especially looking for plywood, tarpaper, or ends of missing shingles.
- Identify any missing shingles and the seriousness of the damaged areas.
2. Start With Temporary Repairs to Minimize the Damage to Your Property
If your roof has experienced severe damage directly above your living space, you will have to take immediate actions to deter property damage from leaking water or falling debris.
- Put garbage bins or buckets under the leaks.
- Remove any valuable or treasured items away from the leaks.
- Place trash bags or plastic over furniture, rugs, and other stuff that may be under the leaks.
3. Contact Your Roofing Company or Insurance Company
You may be able to recognize for yourself if the storm damage to your roof is extreme enough to need a call to your insurance company. In most cases, it makes more sense to call your roofing contractor for repair. If the storm damage to your roof was widespread, it is an excellent idea to reach your insurance agent first. You may find that the roofing experts are busy managing emergencies.
Nevertheless, if you contact a roofing contractor, keep in mind that you may find traveling roofing teams. These roofing teams come around storm-damaged areas to get some clients. The problem with this is, when a homeowner is in a desperate situation, they take advantage of the frightened homeowners who need assistance right away.
A better idea is to pick a local, certified, qualified, and equipped roofing company that proves many experiences repairing roofs in your community. While they may have a lot of repairs in the face of extensive storm damage, a trusted and reputable roofing contractor will call you as soon as possible. They will let you know what help they can give and the necessary actions needed to do or at least refer to another reputable roofing company.
Pro Tip: Never Put off or Neglect Roof Damage
Even if you find ways to patch things up, especially the damage to your roof, it is significant to hire an expert roofing assessment and repair right away. While you may prevent a noticeable leak, there is no telling what kind of other damages could be occurring behind the scenes. The last thing you want is hidden leaks to create problems, like mold or structural damage in your home. It follows all the time after roof storm damage that does not get the proper professional repair.
Assure your home and roof are as secure and safe as possible by following through with professional roof inspections from a roofing company you can rely on and trust. At Rugged Roofing and Restoration, we are confident and proud to be one of the best in Richland Hills, TX. You can depend on us for the quality roofing services and a commitment to satisfy your family with our roof damage repair. Call us now to get help with your damaged roof. Let us repair it for you.
Aug 25, 2021 | Smart Home
Smart regulators have seen a colossal ascent in fame in the course of the most recent 3 years. Numerous energy providers have depicted savvy indoor regulators as the most ideal approach to control your gas and power supply. Anyway there are many individuals out there that actually don’t know precisely what these smart smart regulators are.
There are a tremendous assortment of savvy smart regulators that are at present accessible. This implies that it very well may be difficult to tell where to begin when considering getting one.
Understanding Smart Regulators
Smart regulators are intended to help you control your home’s focal warming distantly. Savvy smart regulators additionally offer provisions that permit you to tailor your focal warming to the particular necessities of your way of life. Regardless of whether this implies that your warming changes itself consequently as per the hour of day or when you take off from or go into your home, wireless thermostat from PTAC Inc. are intended to make your life simpler.
By utilizing a brilliant indoor regulator you can deal with your energy usage all the more effectively. Aside from running an energy correlation and changing to a more ideal arrangement, getting a smart indoor regulator is a standout amongst other approaches to get a good deal on your gas and power bills.
The Diversity Of This Tech
Ordinary smart regulators permit you to change the glow of your home. They typically do this through a dial or control cushion or some likeness thereof. Wireless smart regulators then again, provide you with a complete order of your home’s focal warming.
This implies that you will actually want to control your warming dependent on various variables. Savvy smart regulators permit you to change the degree of warming in your location on the hour of day, the external climate and who’s in your home. Wireless indoor regulators likewise offer you the capacity to control your focal warming distantly by utilizing your advanced cell or tablet.
Another component that smart indoor regulators offer is a showcase of your energy utilization continuously. This permits you to see precisely how much energy you are utilizing and choose if it’s important to your prerequisites.
Upsides Of Smart Regulators
Wireless regulators are an incredible method of checking your home’s gas and power use. With live data on how much energy you’re utilizing, it’s a splendid device for making your home more energy effective at utilizing the force that you’re paying for. This implies you can get a good deal on your gas and power bills.
Another benefit that savvy indoor regulators offer is solace. They permit you to work your warming distantly, utilizing a cell phone or tablet. This implies that on the off chance that you go to work or leave your home for any period, you can ensure that your warming is turned off while you’re out.
At the point when you’re coming back home you can just sign in on your telephone and turn it on once more. This implies that you can generally ensure your house is warm when you need it to be, without paying for warming a vacant house.
Last updated Aug 11, 2021 | Living Room
Are you in the market for a new living room set? Living room furniture can be quite the investment, and higher quality more durable materials can cost even more. If you want to buy furniture that will last for decades without spending a lot of money, waiting for a furniture sale is the way to go.
But when and where do you find these sales? Here is what you can expect so you can plan the right time to get your next living room set.
National Holidays
Americans love any excuse to party or shop, so national holidays are definitely on the list of when to get cheap furniture. Holidays like Labor Day, Memorial Day, and President’s Day are frequently honored by furniture stores.
Keep in mind that your local furniture stores are not the only ones to offer discounts on these holidays. In order to compete with local stores, most online furniture brands and stores offer additional sale discounts on these holidays as well.
Retail Holidays
Again, Americans love to shop so much that there are “holidays” specifically for holding sale events. Every industry and sector relating to retail honor these holidays, and furniture stores are no different. While some retailers offer sales at every possible opportunity, most furniture stores both online and off will offer sales on these universal retail holidays:
- President’s Day
- Memorial Day weekend
- Labor Day weekend
- Father’s Day
- Back to School
- Black Friday
- Small Business Saturday
- Cyber Monday
It is interesting to note that although the last weekend of November has always been filled with sales, the descriptors are fairly outdated. Most furniture retailers, regardless of business size, locality, or online presence, offer discounts throughout from Thanksgiving through the Monday after.
Clearance Sales at Seasonal Changes
Just as new clothing arrives in stores each season, so too do furniture collections. While clothing and other retailers offer clearance four seasons per year, furniture stores really only have two seasons. If you want to get the most options at the lowest prices, shop clearance sales at furniture stores in January and July. If you are looking for outdoor furniture, you may also look for clearance sales in late August.
Local clearance sales are not going to run for long, but they’ll get you the biggest discounts. Most brick and mortar furniture retailers have limited showroom and warehouse space. That means when the new collections begin to arrive, they are desperate to unload the previous season’s inventory.
However, online furniture stores offer clearance prices year-round, no sale event is needed. Because they have access to warehouses and wholesalers, online furniture retailers are able to offer clearance items until they sell. If you want the cheapest furniture, look at the oldest collections on the clearance section of a website.
Online Only Furniture Sales
Online furniture stores also offer another type of sale – sales on specific furniture brands. When online retailers are able to negotiate a lower inventory cost from major brands, they often pass those savings on to you through brand specific sales. You can frequently receive significant discounts if you are able to work with the brands on sale when you start your search.
Another perk of online furniture stores – they almost always offer free shipping. Your local store is sure to require an exorbitant delivery fee, if they offer delivery at all. Online stores will usually offer free delivery as part of the sale event, or just as a matter of policy for orders over a certain purchase amount.
Of course, if you don’t want to wait for one of these retail sale events or you don’t want to hunt around for the perfect living room furniture, check out online furniture stores. The living room sets you find there will be the same as you can find in furniture stores all over the country. But the prices are far lower, even without living room sets on sale.
Last updated Aug 7, 2021 | Kitchen
If a house is to be compared with a car, the kitchen would take the place of an engine. Kitchen is the heart of the entire house. The furnace where fuel is burnt to power the lines that feed the contents of the house. It all begins in the kitchen.
Having an advanced kitchen maintained with high hygiene standards will not only result in a more hassle free production of food, but also a more germ free environment ensuring no contamination of food.
Your health is linked with the kitchen and no element on this pale blue dot that we call Earth has more value. So if your kitchen is falling apart and is in dire need of renovation, do not delay it any further. Let’s get into some basic ideas of upgrading your kitchen without spreading a fortune.
Getting the Aesthetics Right
Let’s start with the physical properties of your kitchen. It is imperative to have an attractive place to dine in order to savor your sumptuous meal properly. Attention to detail is the keyword here.
Colors are associated with mood and your mood has a strong connection with your appetite. The color of the tiling used, appearance of kitchen accessories that are exposed such as the hood, material of fabrication of dining chairs and table and the feel it gives off, all of this blends in to have an impact on the mind of the person who is stationed within the kitchen.
The correct balance can induce hunger and comfort, hence boosting your appetite and positively impacting your health. People say function over form. In this case you cannot have function without form so due regard has to be given to the physical manifestations of the kitchen.
If you happen to be a resident of Bracknell, then look no further. Kitchen renovation in Bracknell happens to be a very simple procedure thanks to the presence of kitchen experts there who can do all the hard work for you without causing a strain on your pocket.
Conceal the Obvious
Our kitchens usually have a lot of accessories exposed to the external environment. Kitchen utensils, kitchen stands etc. are all usually out in the open. Some storage compartments used to store the various kitchen utensils that are always increasing in quantity tend to be an afterthought and they tend to stick out like a sore thumb when the kitchen is viewed as a whole. A red spoon storage cabinet will look rather absurd in a kitchen with wooden tiling and stainless steel ornaments.
Why not fix this solution while working on your kitchen. There are several ways to construct sleek mechanisms to conceal these storage options by blending them into the framework of the kitchen. Give it a go. You will realize clever engineering can go a long way in ensuring ingenious kitchen renovation.
An Extra Sink to Save the Day (From Contamination)
Kitchen cutlery when used tends to brim with all sorts of bacteria that can damage one’s health with the capacity of having severe consequences. How to avoid it? Well one rather cunning way of doing that is to construct a dirty kitchen by installing an extra sink that is situated in a different location, preferably discontinuous with the main kitchen. This creates a boundary between pristine clean surfaces of your kitchen and silverware that smells of salmonella infection.
Conclusion
Some major ways to improve your current state of kitchen have been mentioned above can ensure benefits of far ending nature that will surely manifest in the near future in the form of compliments from your guests and improved personal health. Eat healthy and stay healthy.
And where does health start from? A kitchen cleverly incarnated to suit the demands of the consumer in the departments of aesthetics and function. Everything is linked; you can’t have one without the other. Invest now on your kitchen renovation, invest now on your well-being.
Aug 2, 2021 | Pets
The use of a service dog is considered one of the most effective therapies for humans who have any disability. Service animals are designed to simplify the life of their owner and not to impose any restrictions, so they enjoy special benefits, including privileges while traveling.
The Mission of Service Animals
The basic objective of a service animal is the easement of the life of disabled people. This goal can be achieved in a variety of ways. Usually, service dogs work or perform tasks for people who have work-related inabilities and cannot fulfill their work duties. Also, service animals often become guides, alerts, and walking reliance for their owners.
Another benefit of a service dog is that it is taught to help its owner with household and daily assignments. For example, the animal can search for and bring to the handler required things, open doors and windows, press buttons, for example, to call the elevator or the panic button. In addition, the animal can be taught to remind its owner to take medicine or provide first aid if necessary. At the same time, service dogs supply their handlers with an emotional endorsement that is needed to cope with depression and other serious psychological disorders.
Who Can Get a Service Dog
The purchase and taking care of a service animal can be very costly. Therefore, it is better to find out whether a man’s dysfunction qualifies for a helper animal. The Americans with Disabilities Act has stated the list of impairments that make a person eligible for a service dog. For instance, humans with congenital or acquired blindness and deafness, patients with PTSD, diabetes, and cancer, autistic individuals, and those who suffer from seizures. It’s also taken into account how severe the patient is. At the same time, an individual must be able to take care of the animal, walk and feed it. If you have a letter from your mental health professionals you can Register Service Dog online on the MyServiceAnimal.
Service Animal for Physical Dysfunctions
This is the most widespread category of service animals that are very common in our time. The most familiar helper animal of this group is a guide dog. It is individually trained to help people with visual impairments navigate in the area and get to the destination safely and quickly, without the assistance of other people. Another extended kind of service animal succor people with hearing loss.
A service dog notifies its owner about extraneous sounds by using special signs. For instance, the animal reacts to a knock on a door, an alarm noise, a phone call, an alarm clock, or when someone calls its owner by name. There are also service dogs that succor men with mobility issues. With the help of a special harness, the dog can roll a wheelchair or become a prop for its owner while walking.
Service Animals for Mental and Emotional Disorders
Psychiatric service animals and emotional support animals are as substantial as other helper animals. An emotional support animal can be used as a therapy or extra psychological prop for people who suffer from depression, anxiety, PTSD, social disorder, and other poor mental health conditions.
The presence of a service dog increases the handler’s level of confidence, he or she feels less vulnerable but more safe and secure. Moreover, a service animal can be incredibly useful during panic or anxiety attacks by helping a human to calm down faster and also protecting the owner at times when he or she is most assailable.
Another benefit is that a service dog helps the handler to get rid of fears and phobias. This is especially relevant for veterans with PTSD and for air travelers who are afraid to fly. In general, it has been proven that animals have a positive effect on the well-being and emotional state of people who live nearby.
The Freedoms of a Service Animal
The main law governing the freedoms of service animals is the Americans with Disabilities Act. It establishes such privileges that service dogs enjoy as the ability to accompany their owner to any public place, including the cabin of a plane, and the ability to live with the owner in the apartment for free. Also, the law exempts handlers of service animals from paying pet fees.
In each specific field, for example, housing or traveling, there are additional acts that determine the rights not only of animals but also, for example, of the housing provider or air carrier. There is a special Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA) which states the conditions under which a passenger can transport a service dog in the cabin of an airplane.
Flying With a Service Dog
At least 48 hours before the date of your flight, you must complete a special form to authorize the carriage of a service animal and attach all documentation concerning your dysfunction and the dog. The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) will inform you when the decision to transport the animal will be made.
If you bought your ticket in less than 48 hours, you can fill out this form at the airport before boarding. In any case, you will receive the final permit for the carriage of a service dog in the cabin after it has been inspected by the airline employees. The animal should be clean, well-behaved, and have a valid size and weight.
There are also rules to be followed during the flight. Animals must be harnessed, leashed, and even wear a muzzle. They cannot eat from the tables and sit in the exit row or block the way to the emergency exit. A service animal shouldn’t occupy a seat in front or beside the owner but should be placed in the feet or under a seat in a special kennel. A dog must behave properly and do not pose a direct threat to the health or safety of others.
Possible Restrictions During Traveling With a Service Animal
In some cases, airlines may reject an application for the carriage of a service animal in the cabin. The most common reason for refusals is the laws on the import of animals that apply in the country where you are going. Therefore, it is better to study the laws of the required location in advance. You can find it easily on the airline website. Airlines always prioritize their reputation and the comfort of their passengers. That’s why if a dog is too big and heavy, an airline may ask you to wait for another flight with more free space in a plane or offer you to transport the animal as a pet.
There are some special rules for flights that last more than 8 hours. During that period of time animals may need relief. So, you have to prove that it won’t be necessary or that your kennel is applicable for animal relief. One more essential note, emotional support animals are not considered service animals by the DOT, so they are not allowed to fly in the cabin.
