Archive for September, 2011
Thursday, September 29th, 2011
From September to June, stink bugs invade homes, creating a problem. Killing them emits a foul odor- vacuuming really brings out the stink. Trap and release them outside; they’ll be back within a day. The only solution is to build a stink bug trap to eliminate them altogether.
Begin with two pieces of quarter inch plywood, two feet by three feet. Cut three pieces of furring strips, each three feet long. Staple one furring strip on top of each edge and the middle of one board. Secure the other board on top, creating two long, narrow chutes. This is the stink bug trap. Although not necessary, waterproof so the trap lasts through winter snows and spring rains.
Lean the stink bug trap against the side of the house with the highest concentration of bugs. Leave out overnight. In the morning, fill a bucket with a gallon of water and add a cup of ammonia. Shake the stink bug trap into the bucket. They can swim, but the ammonia kills them instantly.
This stink bug trap will allow the user to kill the pests by the hundreds every day. While no trap can eradicate them all, it does reduce their numbers greatly. Use one or more all around the house if necessary.
Since the stink bug trap is made from scrap wood (or even cardboard and scrap wood), use it inside mudrooms, porches, laundry rooms and wherever the bugs are found. Let everyone know the traps should be left alone so the bugs feel safe crawling in, until their final “swim.”
The best part of this trap is that no pesticides are used. It is safe around children, infants, pets and people with allergies. It costs little to nothing to make, and when built from wood, is reusable year after year.
Posted in Stink Bug Control | No Comments »
Wednesday, September 28th, 2011
Lighting a candle in a window is an age-old way of saying that you miss someone dearly. Unfortunately, it creates a hazard. Choose LED window candles instead, and turn it on or off as the mood suits. These candles will not ignite curtains, shades or anything else. While providing light, they emit no heat at all.
 LED window candles work by using a battery to power an LED light. LED stands for light emitting diode. These lights last for thousands of hours before burning out. Batteries range from button batteries to AAA batteries, both available at dollar stores.
Use LED window candles for your holiday display. Available as tea lights in votive candleholders, some flicker or give off a steady beam of light. Others change colors when turned on. Use as nightlights, or for romantic evenings.
Fill a candelabra or regular candlesticks with LED window candles instead. They emit no smoke, no odor and if tipped over, nothing happens. If dinner guests are late, turn them off and back on again. They never “burn down” like ordinary candles, so antique linens are safe.
For the holidays, choose LED window candles for your Christmas tree. Since the LED lights give off virtually no heat, this eliminates any fire danger. Choose clip on candleholders designed for LED use. Create priceless ambience with these exquisite lights.
LED window candles are perfect for indoor or outdoor use. RV’ers, campers, outdoor partygoers will appreciate the safety and beauty of flameless candles. Leave these on- the battery will simply drain and the light goes out.
Available in different sizes and shapes, these inexpensive candles will provide light and entertainment for years to come. Use several during power outages in front of a mirror to light a room safely. No more searching for matches in the dark.
Tags: LED
Posted in Battery, Electric & LED Window Candles | No Comments »
Tuesday, September 27th, 2011
 Stink bugs present a growing problem to both homeowners and gardeners all over America. Although they are harmless to humans and animals, they are smelly and annoying, and they breed rapidly. In spring and summer, they feed on and damage plants. During late fall and winter, they congregate inside of your home. They’re also responsible for widespread crop damage to soybeans, fruit trees and vegetables. Unfortunately, they are resistant to most common pesticides, making stink bug control difficult. Fortunately, there are other methods of control that are both safe, effective and inexpensive.
Diatomaceous earth is made from deposits of microscopic fossilized algae-like water plants. When used for stink bug control, is works as a desiccant, dehydrating the offending bugs to death. It is perfectly safe, and is ideal for use in attics, basements, garages and sheds.
Perhaps the best method of stink bug control is the use of predatory insects. The Trissolcus wasp, measuring a measly 2 millimeters, is a natural predator of the stink bug. They seek out the eggs and parasitize them by laying their own egg inside. Though the adults feed on plant nectar, their sole host is the eggs of the stink bug.
Spraying repellants for stink bug control, like hot pepper oil and neem oil, makes plants unpalatable for them. Neem oil has the added benefit of killing stink bugs eggs, preventing future generations from hatching.
As with most things, avoiding a problem before it starts is the best policy for stink bug control. To keep them out of your home, check for any places they might be using to get inside. Seal these entries with caulk or foam insulation. If you see them on the outside of your house, take a vacuum cleaner and suck them up. For prevention in the garden, do some regular weeding, since stink bugs like to use them for cover. If you have the time, go around to your plants and pluck stink bugs off and toss them into a container of water to drown them.
Posted in Stink Bug Control | No Comments »
Monday, September 26th, 2011
Keep the leaves out of your gutter with a system that can’t be seen from the ground and won’t detract from the look of your house. GutterStuff is designed to fit neatly inside your gutters, allowing them to stay free of debris and eliminating the dreaded gutter cleaning chore forever.
 GutterStuff is made from high quality foam. Typically cut into a triangular shape, it is fitted into your gutter to there is an open triangle in the bottom and the top is solid foam from the house fascia to the outer edge of the gutter. Leaves will sit on the foam and then blow harmlessly away. Large pieces of dirt will wash off with the next storm. Twigs will gently roll over it. The only items small enough to penetrate the foam will be small enough to be carried away with the water to the downspouts.
Because it fits neatly inside the gutter, GutterStuff can’t be seen from the street. It won’t look funny on your house and you’ll never have people asking about that “thing” on your gutters. It also won’t blow away in storms because there is no lip for wind to catch. It is secured inside your gutter where even high winds won’t bother it, allowing it to continue protecting your gutters from leaves and other debris.
Protected with germicide and resistant to ultraviolet rays, GutterStuff won’t mold, mildew or start to smell weird. The water will flow harmlessly through it, leaves will fall off to the side, and the sun won’t cause it to dry rot. Another benefit of this system is that it eliminates not only standing water but also mosquitoes.
GutterStuff is incredibly easy to install, requiring few additional tools. Maintenance is almost non-existent and it is designed to protect your gutters for many years before it requires replacement.
Posted in GutterStuff | No Comments »
Friday, September 23rd, 2011
Nothing adds warmth and beauty to a home like candles do during the holiday season, and nothing is safer and more versatile than electric window candles. With so many styles and options to choose from, decorating possibilities are endless. Listed below are three different types of popular electric window candles and a brief description of each.
 Traditional Bracket Candles
Traditional bracket candles easily mount in most any type of window. They contain a small bracket that slips underneath the closed window, holding the candle in place. Bracket candles usually feature white or off-white colored tapers and a brass, bronze or pewter base. They are available in single taper style or candelabra style. This type of candle can be found with a built-in sensor that automatically turns the lamp on and keeps it burning from dusk till dawn.
Chamber Candles
Electric chamber candles typically feature white colored tapers mounted on a round metal base with an attached thumb grip. These candles do not contain brackets. This style of candle resembles those used in colonial days and is usually found in single taper style.
Electric Drip Look Candles
Electric drip look candles typically contain white or off-white tapers that feature a life-like dripping wax design. These electric window candles are most often mounted on a metal base, usually brass, bronze or pewter, and sit in the window sill. This type of candle can be found in single taper style or candelabra style.
There are many other styles of electric window candles available. Some of the more modern styles are battery operated and feature flickering LED light bulbs. Electric window candles can be found in various colors with bases made from different types of wood, glass, metal and plastic.
Posted in Battery, Electric & LED Window Candles | No Comments »
Thursday, September 22nd, 2011
Battery window candles are a fun way to breathe some atmosphere into your home. Naturally, your home looks nice during the day. The grass is mowed and trees are trimmed. Flowers bloom beautifully in the full sunlight of the afternoon. But what happens after sunset, when the sun is no longer there to reveal your home’s beauty? Battery window candles can be an affordable and convenient way to enhance your home’s personality at night.
Window Candles are Affordable
Window candles are one of the most budget friendly ways to enhance your home’s outer appearance at night. For just a few dollars each, often between $5.00 and $15.00, you can have a decorative set of window candles. Even if the initial investment seems high, remember these candles will last for years to come.
Not only will your battery candles last for years, if not decades, but most today feature LED lighting. This green technology has a lower drain on the battery than traditional halogen bulbs do. Therefore, with modern battery candles, the batteries need replacing much more infrequently.
Battery Window Candles are Convenient
Powered by batteries, these candles can conveniently be placed anywhere in the home. Because there are no cords, they do not need to be within a close proximity to an outlet. The lack of a power cord creates a beautiful image indoors as well as outside.
If you are looking for an affordable, convenient way to add a touch of elegance to your home, consider battery window candles.
Posted in Battery, Electric & LED Window Candles | No Comments »
Wednesday, September 21st, 2011
 Stink bugs can be a menace to homeowners in a variety of ways. When they start to infest the area around your home, a stink bug trap can be an effective tool to help bring them under control.
One place that stink bugs can cause a great deal of damage is in the home garden. They can destroy your fruits, vegetables and even do damage to larger farm crops. This happens when the adults lay eggs on your garden plants in early spring, around April or May. When the young hatch during the summer, they feed on the plants destroying your crops and cause extensive damage. Having a stink bug trap near your garden can attract the adults before they are able to lay eggs. This stops the cycle before it gets started.
A stink bug trap can also benefit the inside of your home. Once the summer months have passed and cold weather sets in, these pests start to look for new shelter. Your home is often the destination, where they choose to spend the colder months in your home’s attic. Once spring time rolls around, stink bugs start to emerge from their hiding place to become an even greater nuisance in your home. Setting a stink bug trap in your attic can help to alleviate this problem.
By strategically placing stink bug traps around and in your home, you can protect yourself from these annoying insects. You can also prevent damage to your garden plants and keep them from settling in on your property.
Posted in Stink Bug Control | No Comments »
Tuesday, September 20th, 2011
Your home gutters are often a problem for homeowners, attracting leaves, sticks and other debris that can quickly clog them. Each year you have to ascend the ladder and clean them out, only to have to repeat the process after the next big storm goes through. This task is removed with GutterStuff, a foam filter insert that fits tightly into your home gutters.
It makes your yearly home maintenance a snap by removing the need to continually clean out your gutters. GutterStuff does this by providing a screen to keep debris from collecting in the gutter, while allowing the water to filter through to the bottom and run off as normal. It works better than the current screens you may have over your gutters, which don’t stand up as well over time to storms, rodents and other damaging elements.
Screens often decay over time from sun, rain and mildew which form on them from excess moisture. This product is resistant to mold and mildew, can withstand the sun’s rays and is not an attractive item to animals to chew on or destroy. GutterStuff protects your gutters from this kind of destruction on the inside as well. It is also safe to install on your home. It is resistant to fire from sparks that come in contact with it from an outdoor fire or grill.
Insects, such as mosquitoes, can be a nuisance during the summer months. They love to lay their eggs in standing water and swarm around these areas. Clogged gutters can collect water, making a ready home for these insects. GutterStuff removes this situation, as free moving water never collects in your gutter. With all of these advantages, installing this product in your home is a smart investment.
Posted in GutterStuff | No Comments »
Monday, September 19th, 2011
 There is nothing more tasteful and attractive than electric window candles in each window of a house. It is something that is very easy and inexpensive for the homeowner to set up.
A wide variety of electric window candles can be easily found at a nearby department store or easily online. Depending on the specific needs of the homeowner, there are many options. Some electric window candles are activated by light, so they will turn on at dusk and turn off at dawn. Others may be have a programmable timer that allows the homeowner to specifically set the time it will turn on and off. And finally, some candles are manually operated and include an on/ off switch.
Electric window candles also come in various mounting options. Some candles have adhesive bases that simply stick to the window sill, while other can be more permanently fastened down. There are also models that have a bracket that fits securely into the window and will hold the candle in place.
Having lighted candles in the windows does not have to be something that is only done around the holidays. Many families have these in their windows year-round as it creates a warm and welcoming look to the house.
Before purchasing electric window candles, it is important to check the location where all of the candles will be located. Since they will require an outlet, check to see where these are located in relation to the windows. For large bay windows, more than one candle will normally be used, so more outlets are required. Additional extension cords may need to be purchased when setting up all of the candles.
It is nice to have electric window candles displayed in every window at any time of the year. They are simple to set up and will surely be enjoyed by everyone onside and outside of the house.
Posted in Battery, Electric & LED Window Candles | No Comments »
Sunday, September 18th, 2011
 Cleaning your gutters is a tedious chore that nobody enjoys. It’s time consuming, it smells bad and climbing up those ladders several times a year is dangerous. There are many products available on the market to help keep your gutters clean, but most of them are expensive. Some of them are difficult to install and others are just plain unsightly. However, there is now a better solution for keeping your gutters clean throughout the year.
The Amazing GutterStuff
GutterStuff is a revolutionary product that is becoming more and more popular with homeowners all across the country. It’s affordable, easy to install and highly effective. Perhaps best of all, it is completely invisible from the ground so the look of your home will not be compromised.
Installation
This product is easily installed by the average homeowner. If you can reach your gutters comfortably you can install this product on your home. However, it can also be installed by a contractor if your gutters are uncomfortably high or you just don’t like ladders.
The Product
GutterStuff is made of a polyether foam that is designed to fit in the top of your gutter. The top will be covered by this foam while the bottom will be open for water movement. Leaves will sit on the top and then eventually be washed harmlessly off the roof while the water will easily move through to the clear channel underneath. In addition to blocking leaves, it will also block nuts, toys, seeds and branches from invading your clean gutters.
Invisible and Compatible
Because the foam fits inside the gutters, it can not be seen from the ground. GutterStuff is available for a range of gutter types including the K-style gutter, half-round and even custom gutters. Unlike other systems that are unsightly or won’t work with most gutters, this system is more compatible and will not detract for your home’s appearance.
GutterStuff is also designed to resist germ and mold. It is fire retardant and UV resistant, so it will last for many years. It also comes with a warranty so you can feel confident about the purchase.
Posted in GutterStuff | No Comments »
|
