Winter Ready

GREAT TIPS FOR GETTING YOUR HOUSE WINTER READY!

Ducts

It's the time of year when homes have their highest energy demand of the year. Heating accounts for 34% of all annual utility usage and is part of what makes an average home twice the emitter of carbon dioxide emissions as a vehicle. Here is a way to reduce the demand for expensive space heating.

Check the ducts. To ensure that as much warm air as possible is delivered through your central system, check the ductwork and wrap any leaks with duct mastic. Distribution losses (what's lost while air is transported from your furnace through ductwork to the vents) often amounts to 30%. So, sealing ductwork could increase efficiency and the warm air you receive considerably ... keeping you warmer and making your furnace work less.

More Tips for Weathering the Winter

• Consider using non-toxic de-icing substances such as clean clay cat litter, sand, or fireplace/stove ash to prevent hazardous waste from chemicals. Chemical de-icers can be hazardous to your pets, your trees and shrubs, and the environment. Antifreeze that leak from car engines and chemical snow melters on driveways, roads, and runways can pollute surface waters and groundwater through the soil. 

• Winterize your vehicle by checking your air filter and fluid levels, checking tires for tread wear and proper inflation, and checking the condition of your windshield wipers. Ensuring your vehicle is ready for weather changes will reduce damage, which prevents waste from broken parts, and will keep you safe on the road.

• If you have a wood-burning fireplace, save your ashes in a tin instead of throwing them away. Cold wood ashes can be mixed in your compost heap to create a valuable soil amendment that provides nutrients to your garden.

• Use electric snow removal products rather than gasoline-powered ones. While electric products consume energy, they do not emit greenhouse gases. As alternatives, use snow shovels, ice crackers, and brooms to clear snow from your sidewalk, porch, or driveway.

• Close the recycling loop. Many articles of clothing, such as jackets, scarves, gloves, and boots, are now made from recycled materials. Most fleece products are made from recycled plastic soda bottles, and certain clothing and shoe manufacturers use recycled cotton scraps and rubber tires to make their products.

• Winter storms often cause power outages. Prevent waste by keeping rechargeable batteries rather than disposable ones stored throughout your house with your flashlights. If you do use disposable batteries, prevent hazardous waste by buying batteries with low mercury content.

• Recycle old newspapers by making rolled paper logs for your fireplace. Roll newspaper sheets around a broom stick until your log is the desired size, then soak your log thoroughly in water. Dry the log overnight and use like ordinary wood. Always follow proper safety precautions when burning anything around your home.

• To make sure your heating system (boiler, furnace or heat pump) is operating at its most efficient, it is a good idea to have a contractor perform a routine check-up and any necessary maintenance on the equipment before freezing weather drives up your energy bill.

-Denea Duran

Content Credit: http://www.epa.gov/Region3/winter/#saving

Photo Credit: http://www.epa.gov/Region3/winter/#saving

Hilarious & Helpful Household Hints

Who says Fun Friday is the only day we can have fun? Check out these hilarious Household Hints brought to you by Gypsy Rose's World. Note: We have not tested these yet! (Yet.)

1. Budweiser beer conditions the hair.

2. Pam cooking spray will dry finger nail polish.

3. Cool whip will condition your hair in 15 min.

4. Mayonnaise will KILL LICE, it will also condition your hair.

5. Elmer’s Glue – paint on your face, allow it to dry, peel off and see the dead skin and blackheads if any.

6. Shiny Hair – use brewed Lipton Tea.

7. Sunburn – empty a large jar of Nestea into your bath water

8. Minor burn-Colgate or Crest toothpaste

9. Burn your tongue? Put sugar on it!

10. Arthritis? WD-40 Spray and rub in, kill insect stings too.

11. Bee stings – meat tenderizer.

12. Chigger bite – Preparation H.

13. Puffy eyes – Preparation H.

14. Paper cut – crazy glue or Chap Stick (glue is used instead of sutures at most hospitals).

15. Stinky feet – Jell-O!!

16. Athletes feet – cornstarch.

17. Fungus on toenails or fingernails – Vicks vapor rub.

18. Kool aid to clean dishwasher pipes. Just put in the detergent section and run a cycle, it will also clean a toilet.

19. Kool Aid can be used as a dye in paint also.

20. Kool aid in Dannon plain yogurt as a finger paint, your kids will love it and it won’t hurt them if they eat it!

21. Peanut butter – will get scratches out of CD’s! Wipe off with a coffee filter paper.

22. Sticking bicycle chain – Pam no-stick cooking spray.

23. Pam will also remove paint, and grease from your hands! Keep a can in your garage for your hubby.

24. Peanut butter will remove ink from the face of dolls.

25. When the doll clothes are hard to put on, sprinkle with cornstarch and watch them slide on.

26. Heavy dandruff – pour on the vinegar!

27. Body paint – Crisco mixed with food coloring. Heat the Crisco in the microwave, pour into an empty film container and mix with the food color of your choice!

28. Tie Dye T-shirt – mix a solution of Kool Aid in a container; tie a rubber band around a section of the t-shirt and soak.

29. Preserving a newspaper clipping – large bottle of club soda and 1/2 cup of milk of magnesia, soak for 20 minutes and let dry, will last for many years!

30. A Slinky will hold toast and CD’s!

31. To keep goggles and glasses from fogging, coat with Colgate toothpaste.

32. Wine stains, pour on the Morton salt and watch it absorb into the salt.

33. To remove wax – Take a paper towel and iron it over the wax stain, it will absorb into the towel.

34. Remove labels off glassware etc. Rub with peanut butter!

35. Baked on food -fill container with water, get a Bounce paper softener and the static from the Bounce towel will cause the baked on food to adhere to it. Soak overnight. Also: you can use 2 Efferdent tablets, soak overnight!

36. Crayon on the wall – Colgate toothpaste and brush it!

37. Dirty grout – Listerine.

38. Stains on clothes – Colgate.

39. Grass stains – Karo Syrup.

40. Grease Stains- Coca Cola, it will also remove grease stains from the driveway overnight. We know it will take corrosion from batteries!

41. Fleas in your carpet? 20 Mule Team Borax: sprinkle and let stand for 24 hours. Maybe this will work if you get them back again.

42. To keep FRESH FLOWERS longer Add a little Clorox, or 2 Bayer aspirin, or just use 7-up instead of water.

Well, like I said, we haven't tested these yet, but comment back if you try (or have tried) any of these! Let us know what works!

Photo Credit: Moody Mommy, Like a Warm Cup of Coffee, New Moon Journal, Little Jenny Wren, and Modern Vintage Homemaking.