Archive for July, 2011
Sunday, July 31st, 2011
 Nothing is as beautiful as white Christmas lights, however; they are not just for Christmas anymore. More and more we are seeing these lights used at weddings, special events and on patios and porches. There is no right or wrong way to use these lighting wonders. The only limitations are ones imagination.
At Christmas time there is something about these little lights. They glistening off the snow and it tends to give the whole area a holiday glow. Decorating a tree outdoors or twirling them around your railings, the uses are endless.
Here are some popular ways to use these white Christmas lights:
1. Evening dinning alfresco – They can light up the evening sky and create ambiance to your dinner party.
2. Romantic Bedroom – By wrapping these lights in netting, you can create a romantic environment in your
bedroom.
3. Light up Foliage – Use white Christmas lights in a real or fake plants or trees for warmth and a homey feel.
4. Grapevine Trees – Most people have grapevine trees on their porches. Wrapping these lights with some
ribbon and décor can make your home feel inviting.
5. Wedding Arches – It is becoming the normal thing to see beautiful floral trellises with the white Christmas
lights in them. It seems to add a whole other dimension to the focal point.
6. Wreathes – Nothing is as special as a Christmas Wreath hanging on the door. It seems they are just the
Perfect touch to a holiday home. Adding some elegant white Christmas lights, can make that wreath pop
with class and stand out among the neighbors.
No matter how you choose to use these white Christmas lights, the outcome with be the same. They provide a warm glow to whatever they touch. These lights are inexpensive and can come in battery operated or electric. Most retailers have caught on to their popularity and you can buy them year round.
Posted in Light Sets, White Wire Lights | No Comments »
Sunday, July 31st, 2011
 It seems like things have gotten more and more complicated over the past few years. For example, it used to be a fairly easy task to choose between canister vacuum cleaners and upright vacuum cleaners. If you wanted a durable vacuum cleaner that could be used on hard surfaces and had enough power to suck up your cat, then you chose a canister vacuum cleaner. If you wanted a vacuum cleaner that was best suited for your carpet, then you chose an upright vacuum. Things have changed however, due to the fact that the manufacturers of vacuum cleaners are trying to compete with each other by featuring models that have a more multipurpose design. That is all fine and dandy, but it also makes it increasingly difficult for a person to figure out which one best suits their needs. Today, we are going to cut to the heart of the matter and find out the pros and cons of each specific vacuum type.
The Pros and Cons of Canister Vacuum Cleaners
Cons: One of the primary cons of a canister vacuum is that they are usually more expensive. In fact, some models are so expensive you might feel like you need to take out a second mortgage out on your house. Okay, I’m being a little facetious but you get my point. Over the past few years the cost has come down, but on average they are more expensive than upright vacuums.
Pros: Canister vacuums are known for their work ethic. They often offer users a broad variety of tools which allow them to tackle a variety of chores such as hard to reach corners of the house and stairs. And yes, the popular impression of these type of vacuums is correct; They are better on hardwood floors.
The Pros and Cons Of Upright Vacuum Cleaners
Cons: One of the primary cons of upright vacuums is they often don’t have the power or the tool-set to handle specific jobs. While this is still true, many manufacturers are addressing this by adding increased horsepower and many cool tools such as headlights, dirt sensors and smart wider cleaning paths.
Pros: The primary advantage that these type of vacuums have over their canister cousins is price. These type of vacuums are simply the cheapest solution. They are also more compact, which makes them easier to carry up stairs or store in the closet. In my mind, this gives these type of vacuum cleaners the clear advantage.
Posted in Vacuum Cleaners | No Comments »
Saturday, July 30th, 2011
 The “Brown Marmorated Stink Bug” was accidentally introduced to the United States in 1996, and it has been a nuisance to homeowners ever since! Not only does the stink bug damage plants, during the summer months it produces offspring that enter homes in order to survive the winter months. Infiltrating houses through cracks in windows and foundations, homeowners often find large numbers of these pests during September and October. If squashed they release a noxious odor as a defense mechanism. The use of harmful insecticides isn’t always an attractive option – what are simple ways to create an effective stink bug trap?
Light Traps: Stink bugs are attracted to light. Light candles and place them in bowls of water. The stink bugs, attracted to the candle light, will drown. This is the simplest homemade stink bug trap.
Sticky Traps: Apply a sticky solution to brightly colored paper (preferably yellow), or purchase “sticky” bug traps and peel off the protective paper cover – place the traps on window sills, along baseboards, and under furniture. The glue will capture the stink bugs and they will be unable to get away.
Barrel with a Fish Bowl: Place a flashlight inside an overturned barrel. Fill a fish bowl with soapy water. Add a few squashed stink bugs. The light and the odor from the dead stink bugs draw more bugs in; they will drown in the soapy water.
Colorful Traps: For yet another effective stink bug trap, place tall yellow pipes filled with soapy water amid your plants – the stink bugs will walk right into your traps! The stink bugs will drown. Simply replace the water regularly.
Each stink bug trap mentioned here is appropriate for smaller infestations; a large scale stink bug infestation should be treated by a professional.
Tags: insects
Posted in Insect Control, Stink Bug Control | No Comments »
Saturday, July 30th, 2011
 If your home has gutters, you are all too aware of the problem of clogged gutters. Every spring, it’s time to set up the ladder and make the journey up to your gutters to remove soggy leaves and debris. And if you live in an area with lots of trees, you may even have to clean those gutters a couple of times a year. Otherwise, your home is susceptible to expensive damage such as water rot, insect infestations and mold. Unfortunately, climbing up on a ladder and cleaning gutters yourself is not only dangerous but sometimes impossible on two or three story houses.
Finally there is an alternative to gutter cleaning. Leaf Defier gutter guards are the intelligent solution to the problem of gutters that no longer perform properly. Leaf Defier gutter guards work with any new or existing house gutter system. Their patent-pending design allows water to freely flow into the gutter while preventing leaves from passing through the filter. Leaves sit on top, dry up and blow away effortlessly.
One of the most attractive features about Leaf Defier gutter guards is that, because they sit inside the valley of the gutter, they are not visible from the outside of the home. And because Leaf Defier gutter guards are treated with biocides, fungicides, and a UV inhibitor, you don’t ever have to worry about mold, fungus or sun degradation.
Contractor installed, Leaf Defier gutter guards slip under the gutter spikes and lay across the length of the existing gutter. There is no need to remove or adjust your existing gutter system.
If you are still risking your life to clear clogged gutters yourself, it’s time to make the move to Leaf Defier gutter guards.
Posted in Leaf Defier | No Comments »
Friday, July 29th, 2011
 The Leaf Defier doesn’t just “defy leaves” that wind up in a homeowner’s gutter, but protects the home against all kinds of damage. The product is made out of weather and heat resistant “multi-polymer.” Even during the worst storms, rainwater is allowed to simply flow through it and down the spout.
Leaves don’t have a chance to clog the gutter. Clogs allow water to accumulate and potentially damage the house by getting behind the walls or under the roof and causing rot. With Leaf Defier installed, leaves are washed away with the rain water. Or, if the leaves and other debris are dry, the wind will just blow them away.
This multi-polymer insert comes in four foot lengths and is simple to install, and doesn’t even need tools for installation. It just needs to be slipped under the gutter hooks and then fitted along the gutter’s length and width. Many gutters are about five to six inches deep, and Leaf Defier can be custom made to fit any gutter.
Because it’s treated with a biocide and a fungicide, unsightly and potentially toxic mold, mildew and other fungi are prevented from growing in a gutter installed with Leaf Defier. The product is also treated to resist sun damage. After many hours of testing alongside chemically coated and untreated urethane filters, Leaf Defier performed noticeably better. After 4500 hours of testing its surface degradation was just .09%. 4500 hours would correspond to five years of exposure to the elements. It’s also fire resistant. When methenamine tablets were ignited on a section of the multi-polymer and a section of one of the other fabrics, the fire burned right through the other fabric but hardly affected the Leaf Defier material at all.
Tags: gutters
Posted in Leaf Defier | No Comments »
Friday, July 29th, 2011
 Keeping pesky stink bugs away from your home can be easy with the use of stink bug traps. Many of these products work very simply and require little to work on behalf of the user, allowing them to eliminate these bugs completely. Taking the time to consider the different kinds of traps and how they work will ensure that a person chooses the right fit for their needs.
Stink bug traps come in a variety of forms, but there are a few types that stand out the most. A lot of people enjoy traps that last for 24 hours at a time. All that needs to be done is opening the packaging, read over the instructions, set it up, and wait. After 24 hours have passed, it is a good idea to check out the trap and clear it. Removing the old bugs and setting it up again will allow an individual to use it time and time again.
It is recommended for people to set up sting bug traps in a place they frequently visit. While this sounds obvious, it can be a bit more difficult said than done. Finding where the bugs are coming in takes some effort, but the results of setting traps there are worth it. If bugs are frequently visiting a backyard or windowsill garden, it is a good idea to set up some traps there.
After setting up the traps, stink bugs will likely begin to get trapped right away. Instead of just setting up a single type of trap, it is recommended to set up two different kinds. One is designed for the nymph, while others are designed for adults. The combination of the two stink bug traps in areas that they are attracted to will make the stink bug traps as effective as possible.
Tags: Stink Bugs
Posted in Insect Control, Stink Bug Control | No Comments »
Thursday, July 28th, 2011
In 2010, stink bug populations reached record numbers in 33 American states. The bug reached such great numbers, in fact, that it was deemed a national crisis. The insects wreak havoc on fruit and vegetable crops as well as food kept inside of the home. Rescue stink bug traps are the first weapon in the home owner’s arsenal against these pesky invaders.
 The stink bug life cycle looks something like this:
April and May – Adult insects emerge and lay eggs on the leaves of various plants and trees.
May thru August – Nymphs hatch and begin feeding on, and destroying, fruits and vegetables.
September and October – the insects have lost their food source and begin to seek their winter shelter inside of your home.
October thru April – Stink bugs live out the winter, typically in your attic, and become a nuisance in the early months of spring.
Rescue stink bug traps can help break the cycle of destruction caused by these bugs. When used in the summer, Rescue stink bug traps lure the insects into their cones from which they can’t escape. The trap lures all stages of stink bug, from nymphs to adults, helping to ensure that your home isn’t invaded in the fall.
Placement of the Rescue stink bug trap is essential in its functionality. Starting in July, the trap should be hung about 10 to 30 feet from your home, in foliage, to attract as many insects as possible. In the later summer months, or just at the beginning of the fall season, the trap should be moved to within 10 feet of your home to intercept those stink bugs that are thinking of moving indoors.
With proper use, Rescue stink bug traps will catch and kill the insects already invading your foliage, those thinking of making your yard their home and any that are considering moving into your house. By catching the bugs early, you’ll avoid the hassle of having to spend an entire spring season trying to get them out of your house.
Tags: Stink Bugs
Posted in Insect Control, Stink Bug Control | No Comments »
Thursday, July 28th, 2011
 It’s not that easy to go and search for vacuum cleaner filters these days. Of course, you can go to your large department stores to see what kind of vacuum cleaner filters they have to offer or if you have Internet access you can check there, too. There is also another consideration about selecting vacuum cleaner filters. Are you looking for name brand or for generic vacuum cleaner filters which are often lower in price?
If you are looking for quality versus quantity in vacuum cleaner filters, then you may want to stick with the one that fits your particular vacuum cleaner. However, if you are on a strict budget, then you may want to go with the generic kind of vacuum cleaner filters. The choice is all up to you in the end.
The first thing you should do is to make a price comparison of the kind of filter you are looking for in your vacuum. There are some vacuum cleaners that can only accept one kind of filter. Other vacuum cleaners have to have a top-notch filter or they will not perform to their best capacity. There are some vacuum cleaners like Kirby, for example, that only use the original brand filter. There are no generic filters for this brand of vacuum cleaner.
As was stated earlier, the choice is all up to you as to what kind of filter you will choose for your vacuum. Just remember to do your research before buying any filter for your vacuum cleaner.
Posted in Vacuum Accessories | No Comments »
Wednesday, July 27th, 2011
 Traditional gutter guards are a useful way to avoid cleaning gutters. Unfortunately, these handy gutter covers can be expensive. To complicate matters, gutter cover installation can be difficult. While most gutter covers are low profile, many individuals would prefer an even less obtrusive solution to cleaning gutters. Enter Leaf Defier gutter protection. Composed of a lightweight, open cell, polyurethane, Leaf Defier gutter protection is cost-effective and easy to install. Dirt and debris rest on top of the material until it is washed or blown away, while water streams through the open cell material and out the gutters exactly as it should. The Leaf Defier system is designed to fit directly into the gutter channel like a filter, resulting in gutter protection that is not visible from the ground level.
As noted above, Leaf Defier gutter protection is incredibly easy to install. The flexible material is simply slid under the existing gutter spikes and pulled into position. No hardware, tools, or additional tinkering is required!
While some may fear that such a simple system will not stand the test of time, that is definitely not the case. Leaf Defier gutter protection is composed of sturdy material that is built to withstand extreme weather. This material has been successfully tested in wind, heat, ice, cold, and heavy rain. Leaf Defier gutter protection has been treated with fungicide to help prevent the growth of mold, mildew, fungi, and moss.
Although many people simply avoid cleaning their gutters, this is not a wise option. Gutter build-up can result in gutters flowing into the foundation or against wood finishes that will rot when exposed to frequent streams of water. There is no need to risk such damage when Leaf Defier offers an inexpensive and easy to use solution.
Tags: gutters
Posted in Leaf Defier | No Comments »
Wednesday, July 27th, 2011
Clogging gutters are a nuisance that all home owners and business owners have to deal with sooner or later. There are many solutions offered, from gutter coverings to manually cleaning gutters by hand, but one of the most effective alternatives is found in the GutterBrush gutter guards system. All of the drawbacks associated with other alternatives are solved through the simplicity and effectiveness of the GutterBrush system.
 The Best Design
The simplicity of the design is one of the keys to the effectiveness of GutterBrush gutter guards, making them easy to install, even for those with no home-improvement experience at all. GutterBrush gutter guards merely slide into the gutter, requiring no cleaning, maintenance or modifications to the existing guttering or shingles. For those that wish to leave the installation to a professional, there is a list of endorsed installers on the GutterBrush website that can have the system in place for next to nothing, often in less than an hour or two.
Many models of gutter protections actually speed the clogging process by creating a build-up of debris that works its way into the gutter intact or blocks the flow of water from the outside. GutterBrush gutter guards stop debris, but the bristles allow them to stay up and out of the gutter, while leaving an unobstructed path for water flow underneath. The bristles trap and hold debris, such as leaves and sticks, and these are either blown out or decomposed over time, with larger objects being deflected over the gutters and off the roof completely.
Pride and Quality
GutterBrush gutter guards are made with pride in the United States, and this is backed up by a total-satisfaction guarantee. GutterBrush even allows for an entire, year-long evaluation period, where a complete refund is given to any unsatisfied customers. Knowing all of the options, assurances and savings available with GutterBrush gutter guards, there is no reason to consider any other options, without trying GutterBrush guards first.
Posted in GutterBrush Gutter Guard | No Comments »
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