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When you can’t find your weed eater, hammer, painting supplies or golf clubs, it’s time to take action. Instead of wasting another second searching for misplaced items in a disheveled garage, get it organized. You might even find extra space for that garage workshop you've always wanted.
Garages serve a variety of purposes, only one of which is housing the family car. Many homeowners use garages as workshops or even as game rooms, complete with full sound and entertainment systems. Others use them for band practice or to build their own music studios. One question you may wish to consider before embarking upon a project to turn your garage into something other than a car storage facility is whether or not your garage will effectively muffle sound to the point that it won't disrupt your family's life and the life of your neighbors.
Whether you have moved to a new garage or are simply rearranging your old one, having a practical layout is the key to enjoying your workspace. If you try to wing it or simply put things wherever they look good, you may find that you do not have the space you need to complete projects or even walk around comfortably -- you may not even be able to get out of your car. Lay out your garage ahead of time to ensure that you are preparing yourself for a fruitful future in your new space.
If a cat has taken up residency in the garage, it may be difficult to keep it from coming back if he can gain access. Unlike lost house cats, feral cats are usually fearful of people and will rarely allow someone to pick them up, much less come when called. The most effective way to remove the cat is to trap it.
Over time and with inclement weather conditions, bituminous parking garages can develop cracks. The damaged parking garage looks unsightly and allows water to drain through the cracks, speeding up erosion. Overlaying your parking garage involves coating it in new layer of bitumen that's 1.5 to 2.5 inches thick. The overlay will fill cracks and create a smooth surface and improve drainage and strength. Fix cracks prior to overlaying with sealant or the cracks will show through.
Children grow at a rapid pace, often no longer fitting into clothes that were fine six months before. Children also are prone to damaging their clothing, getting bored with items and forgetting they even own items stuck at the back of drawers. Plus, as children grow up, their tastes in clothes change as they develop a sense of personal style. So, every once in a while, parents must sort through children's clothing and get rid of old items.
Houses in certain parts of the country have U-shaped sewer traps installed in the main sewer line, usually in the cellar or basement area. The trap's shape keeps sewage waste in the bend at all times, but the waste is flushed out and replaced every time a toilet is flushed or a shower, tub, or sink is used. The two tops of the U bend have trap caps, which can be removed for access to the connecting household side or city side of the trap. Removing these caps, if stuck, is a simple process to carry out.
Drain clogs in the home can be incredibly frustrating but often easy to solve. Plunging at the source of the leak, or sending an auger down the plumbing tubes, is usually enough to remove most drain clogs. Sometimes after plunging and sending an auger snake through the pipes, the clog persists. This indicates that you may have a clog in the main drain preventing water from going down the pipes. Clearing a main drain is much like clearing any other drain.
Clay is one of the oldest crafting materials, so versatile it's been in use by artisans for centuries. Natural clay pots add an earthy touch to home decor, but you don't want them to get too earthy. Even decorative clay pots should be cleaned regularly. Abrasive cleaning agents may ruin natural clay pots and objects, which can be very porous. When properly cleaned, natural clay is long-wearing, safe and attractive.
Ponds are an ecosystem, a geographical feature and a manageable resource. Dredging a pond has to take all of these things plus your municipal zoning rules into consideration. While it may seem like a simple matter of dredging your own pond on your own property, sticky laws in regards to water tables and wetlands sometimes make this a not-so-simple process. Add to that the depth and nature of your pond, and dredging can be quite involved. Depending on the size of your pond and your needs, there are a variety of methods to get the job done.
Water lilies are flowering aquatic plants that add interest and visual appeal to ponds. These plants reproduce through seeds and rhizomes -- special underground stems that produce new plants -- and if left uncontrolled, quickly grow to take over ponds. This produces problems such as killing wildlife or other plants in the pond or negatively affecting the pond's aesthetic appeal. Various methods control water lilies in ponds and may be used in combination or alone to achieve results.
If you love to organize your office and you work with addresses often, then you may benefit from developing a file system in which you organize by street address. This kind of organization system would work well for someone working in city government, city planning or city road construction. You can cross-reference an alphabetical filing system with a street name system if this kind of detail would benefit your work.
A clogged furnace duct that fully or partially restricts the flow of hot air from the furnace to the living spaces within a home signifies a serious fire risk. If you have noticed a reduced amount of airflow to a particular heating vent, assume you have a blockage and take steps to remove the blockage from the duct. You should also clean your ducts yearly to prevent a buildup, even if you do not experience reduced airflow.
The purpose of a gutter is to carry water away from a building to a good drainage area. If gutters are not cleaned, material will build up in the gutter channel and water will overflow onto the building and foundation. Clean gutters by scooping out debris and then rinsing the gutter with a hose.
When moving out of a rental property or even leaving a home that has been sold to new owners, it is not only courteous but often necessary to clean the place before leaving. Many rental properties require that the home be cleaned thoroughly to retain a deposit that was paid when the individual first moved in. A rental contract might even ask renters to agree to clean the property before leaving. Instructions on just what to clean prior to moving out can make this task easier and more straightforward.
Cleaning is usually not on the top of anyone's list, so speed cleaning is efficient in getting the job done in a short period of time. The key to cleaning in a hurry is to be prepared before you start and stay focused. Once you designate a time to clean out the bedroom closet, make the most of that time to get it organized and clean so you can be done. Once you clean and organize the closet, spend a few minutes a week maintaining the order.
Gophers are rodents that are 5 to 7 inches long and typically brown or brownish gray with short tails, long front teeth and curved front claws used for digging. Gophers are classified as a pest because they destroy grass, feed on various plants and vegetation, and produce ugly mounds on your turf. The most effective way to control your gopher problem is using metal traps.
Onion bulbs store best in a cool area, but they cannot tolerate humidity. Overly moist air causes the bulbs to develop softened rot spots or begin sending out shoots, neither desirable during storage. A basement storage room provides the cool temperatures needed for long term onion storage. When possible, choose a basement area with a window or ventilation system to vent out the area so humidity doesn't buildup in the storage room. A dehumidifier in the basement also helps prevent moisture problems.
A reverse osmosis system is one of the best consumer-model filtration systems on the market. A reverse osmosis filter has a prefilter and a reverse osmosis filter. Water forces through the membrane of the filters and catches all large particles. Reverse osmosis systems are not hard to install but you will need to drill through your sink, which can be difficult.
Musicians love their instruments and typically keep them close by. Whether you're the musician or you have a teen that loves their drums and guitar, you need to find ways to decorate around those instruments. Bedroom ideas with a drum and guitar help you find ways to make those instruments a focal point of the room. Bring in other accessories and colors that complement the instruments.
Dust particles and pet hair in the air can cause clogging in the HVAC system filter and reduce the performance quality of other components. You should clean your HVAC system after a visual inspection of the system components indicates there is dust and dirt buildup. If it has been several years since the last time you cleaned the system, consider calling in a service professional.
Sprinkler systems may seem like a complex system of underground components to a novice, but they are actually a series of very basic parts that work together to spray water. One of these parts is the solenoid valve, located under each sprinkler nozzle. When the valve fails, water either does not come out or gushes out at far too fast a pace. Disassembling and replacing the valve is a straightforward process that requires only a few tools.
The CCR Powerlite is a type of snowblower made by the lawn and garden manufacturing company Toro. CCR Powerlites blow snow off of sidewalks and other areas with the help of an engine. Many working parts can stop a CCR Powerlite from working. Before starting your repair of a CCR Powerlite, read your owner's manual. Although all CCR Powerlites are similar, slight variations exist among the different versions available.
When you drop something precious down the drain of your sink, it's not necessarily time for panic. All sinks come with a sink trap, a U-shaped pipe located beneath the drain that serves to trap small objects that fall down the drain, as well as to create a water-based seal to prevent gasses from outside the sink flowing up the drain and into your home. Removing the sink trap is a simple process. With a few turns of a pipe wrench, the trap comes right off, allowing you to retrieve what's missing in a matter of minutes.
Like any object that comes into contact with food, refrigerators require cleaning. Dirty refrigerators are a breeding ground for germs and bacteria, so it is important to your well-being that you keep up on the interior maintenance of your refrigerator. If you own a Whirlpool refrigerator, there is no need for special cleaners or cleaning devices.
Vegetation is important for the health of a farm pond. It provides food for a variety of organisms that form the basis of the food chain. Vegetation also provides shade and protection for fish and amphibians. In a farm pond, the amount of surface that should ideally be covered with vegetation is 15 percent to 20 percent. Vegetation, including water lilies, can interfere with recreational activities, such as swimming, boating or fishing. Excessive dead vegetation adversely affects oxygen levels as it decays. Control measures for water lilies often include the application of herbicides.
Although 55-gallon drums are primarily used as containers for various products, they can be used in other ways as well. A 55-gallon plastic drum can be the basis for diverse DIY projects that range from constructing a piece of furniture out of a plastic drum to using the plastic drum as part of a homemade raft project. 55-gallon plastic drums can be purchased new or they can be recycled drums that formerly were used as storage containers.
The vast majority of sprinkler systems feature at least one sprinkler valve. The purpose of the valve is to act as an intermediary between the sprinklers and their water supply. When the valve is activated, it opens up this pathway and directs water to the sprinklers. Although you can operate these valves manually, they are most often activated by an electrical timing device. Sprinkler valves are fairly durable due to their basic design but they can get clogged with debris. Fortunately, removing a sprinkler valve generally takes only a few minutes.
If you are unable to unclog your sink or toilet using a plunger or sewer snake, the clog could exist somewhere along your main drain line. You must access your home's main clean-out to remove or flush the clog from the line. Locating your main clean-out could be difficult if you do not know where to look.
Over time your oven will get dirty from food drips and stains. Even though broilers are typically on the top of an oven, food can splash up on the broiler and make it dirty. Be careful when cleaning the pilot lights on a gas broiler, as you can damage them if you scrub them or apply too much pressure to them. Do not attempt to clean the broiler if your oven has a self-clean option, as the cleaning process might eventually damage the broiler.
Over time, junk can pile up in a home. We may not notice that this is happening, but we eventually realize that things seem to be piling up around us. We lose things and then waste time trying to find them. A cluttered home also can leave you feeling depressed or stressed, and the only way to get rid of these feelings is to "de-junk" the place. Getting the clutter in your home cleaned up is not difficult, but it can be a time-consuming project. But once it is accomplished it is worth the effort.
Clay pots require appropriate winter care to prevent cracking from the constant freezing and thawing. There are a few winterizing methods available, one of which is freezing the pots, so that they will not crack from freezing and thawing cycles. Freezing the pots differs depending on the specific pot and pot size, but there are ways to freeze the pots without damaging them.
A bread machine can be a time-saver as far as making bread, but it doesn't clean itself. Since it's a sensitive piece of electronic equipment, you can't submerge it in your sink, either, even though the bread dough doesn't always stay in the pan. If your dough escapes out into the baking chamber of the machine, it looks a lot more difficult to clean than it actually is. You also don't need special tools or a lot of time and effort to clean it, no matter how bad it looks.
Both oil and gas boiler produce soot. The soot should be cleaned from the boiler at least once per year, or when the soot builds up. This ensures that the boiler functions properly, while using the least amount of energy possible. After the soot is removed from the boiler, it should be properly disposed of.
Rubber trim is used to keep the seal around windows, doors and certain car parts secure. Rubber is great for this medium because of its durability and pliable nature. It can be fit into almost any area that needs sealing. The difficulty with rubber trim is that it can develop cracks from extremes in weather, use and age. Minimizing the wear and taking care of the trim will extend the life of your trim a long time.
With the recent decline of the housing market, people have begun to make money by cleaning trash out of foreclosure homes. Cleaning trash out of foreclosed homes is not a simple task. It's much more than ordinary housecleaning. People can leave rotted food, abandoned furniture, graffiti, flooded bathrooms and broken glass behind. Before cleaning out a foreclosure home, its important to develop a plan of attack.
The Toro CCR 2000 is a gas-powered snow blower used to clear roads and driveways. This snow blower has the ability to push snow up to 30 feet and can handle about 1,000 pounds of snow per minute. There are few things that you can take a look at if your CCR is not starting. Troubleshooting the problem will get your CCR 2000 back up and running so you can clear your home of snow.
Cedar chests, also called hope chests, are pieces of furniture that initially were made popular as wedding gifts for storing prized possessions including wedding gowns, family quilts and other soft fabrics. The chests are known for their ability to both protect and preserve contents by keeping out bugs and insects. Cedar chests are made with cedar wood, known for its distinct scent that repels problematic pests such as moths. Caring for a cedar chest involves cleaning the chest regularly.
"Junk" can refer to unused, unwanted or obsolete items or trash that clutters an area. It can provide a breeding ground for cockroaches and other insects, as well as rodents. Cleaning out junk can drastically improve the appearance and hygiene of your home.
Your garage is filled with all types of equipment and surfaces that need to be cleaned on a regular basis. Some types of substances or materials are a little trickier to clean than others. For example, if you get an oil spill in your garage, such as a motor oil spill, you can't just rinse it away as you could other substances. Because oil is flammable and can be potentially dangerous, you need to start cleaning it up as soon as the spill occurs.
Onions are a low-maintenance plant that is easy for home gardeners to grow. Once you harvest the onions, cure them properly so they will keep as long as possible. As long as you dry them in the correct way, your homegrown onions should last throughout the winter season. Harvesting your onions when the tops begin to fall over will ensure you are storing the freshest crop possible.
In order to clean out the pump on a front load washer, screws will have to be removed, and a pair of pliers may also be needed. Find out how items can collect in a washer pump with help from the president of a factory-authorized appliance service company in this free video on home appliances and washing machines.
The coconut is an intimidating fruit, with its rock-hard woody shell, keeping intruders from its sweet meat. With a little persistence and strategic maneuvering you can release the coconut water, cut open the coconut and use both the meat and decorative shell. On one end of each coconut are three soft spots, referred to as "eyes." Locate these eyes before proceeding.
The Wild Rose Detox is a health regimen that focuses on the detoxification of your body. Body detoxification entails the removal of toxins and impurities via a strict diet. The detox plan aims to thoroughly clean out the lymphatic system, colon, kidneys and liver. The duration of the detox program is 12 days. The main concept calls for avoidance of all junk foods.
Zip those home projects out in no time with well-organized and properly stored tools and other home maintenance equipment. Garden supplies, vehicle implements and liquids and home tools such as hammers, saws, nails and power equipment all benefit from proper care and storage. These items organized efficiently make home projects easy, and make clean up even easier.
Cleaning and organizing a bedroom walk-in closet may seem like an insurmountable challenge. Clothes barely clinging to hangers, sweatshirts bulging over the shelf and pants left unfolded in a heap all beg for your attention at once. Concentrating on tackling one issue at a time and following a predetermined plan of attack will help you reduce clutter, organize clothing and accessories and make choosing your outfit each day a pleasant and stress-free experience.
For many people who own septic systems, the waste is collected and processed through a septic tank, which then drains liquid waste into the soil. This is known as a drain field. Over time, septic systems can become full and back up causing all sorts of nasty problems. Aside from general maintenance of a septic system, it should be periodically pumped out to prevent any major problems that can result in costly repairs. Cleaning a drain field is a dirty job, but is essential to owning a septic system.
Clean-out plugs are installed at various points along a sewer line. Their purpose is to allow for access inside the pipe so that blockages can be removed more easily by inserting a sewer snake through the clean-out hole and into the pipe. The clean-outs are made of the same plastic material as the rest of the pipe---either PVC or ABS---and the cap is threaded to the clean-out for easy access. Though the caps can sometimes stick, removing them is a simple process that doesn't take much time.
Algae commonly occur in newly established preformed ponds. The unsightly green water is generally due to an unbalanced condition in the water. Draining the pond and starting over will basically extend the problem, as the algae will grow back. Excess nutrient levels in the water combined with ample sunlight provide the perfect environment for algae growth. Reducing the overall nutrient level or decreasing the amount of sunlight reaching the surface will minimize the algae growth.
Closets cannot hold everything you or your family have ever owned. Like a child's toy box or your kitchen junk drawer, your closets can become so cluttered that you can no longer use or enjoy the items in it. When broken, out-of-season or outgrown items have taken over your closet space, it is time to sort it into boxes and discard or donate what you cannot or will not use.
Cleaning and organizing your home can help make your life easier. However, one area that can be tough to get motivated to clean is your garage. This is mostly because your garage is not a part of your home that you actually live in. For this reason, it can be easy to forget about your garage when tackling large cleaning projects. But your garage might actually be storing very important items, such as lawn maintenance equipment and tools, and some delicate items, such as holiday decorations or family memorabilia. Cleaning up your messy garage can help organize your life as…
A broiler pan is a pan used for grilling. While a common barbecue grill is basically a metal grid, a broiler pan is a more complicated two-part option. A broiler pan consists of a drip pan at the bottom and a pan with slots at the top. When preparing in a broiler pan, the food gets cooked at a very high temperature and mostly from above. Since technically this type of preparing food isn't exactly grilling, it is usually called broiling.
Oster bread machines are designed to take the guesswork out of making homemade bread by automating the entire process. This allows you to turn out a perfect loaf every time you use your Oster bread machine, and it also simplifies the process of experimenting with different types of dough. Bread machines can be filled with the ingredients, left on overnight and programmed to automatically make a loaf of bread in the morning.
Having an outdoor pond can make a lovely addition to your home or farm. Ponds are often surrounded by beautiful landscape and eye-catching plant life. Ponds may also contain several different species of aquatic life. If you have a pond on your farm, besides the pleasure of enjoying it, care and cleaning is essential, including occasionally having to clean out debris.
An ash dump door is an access at the bottom of a chimney for removing ashes that were created while burning and soot removed when sweeping down the inside of the chimney. When burning, the ashes are pushed to the grate at the back of the fireplace and fall down to the access. The ash dump door on a masonry fireplace is located at the lowest level of the fireplace and may be on the inside or outside of the building.
Cleaning your freezer on a regular basis is essential to having a sanitary place in which to keep your frozen foods. If a package of meat has leaked in the freezer, leaving blood stains, the blood should be cleaned up in order to maintain your freezer's clean and sanitary appearance and condition.
Nothing is more annoying than discovering that your garage has been overtaken by water. Water enters garages in a variety of different ways, but most water enters by way of unprotected or unsealed roofs and doorways. If not removed from your garage in a timely manner, water can wreak havoc on your property by causing mildew and odor. Learning how to keep water out of your garage is essential if you want your garage to stay in good, working condition.
Earn extra cash by renting out a parking space in your garage or the entire garage. While those in urban areas can make more renting out a garage due to the lack of parking spaces in cities, those in suburbs or rural areas can have success renting out garage space to drivers, artists, carpenters or anyone needing a little extra space. Renting out a garage is not challenging but it may take some time to screen interested parties and advertise the space.
If you are like most homeowners, your garage is a catchall for every forgotten item. When in doubt as to where anything should be, you put it in the garage. You may be stumbling over piles of stuff that belonged to your mother, sibling, cousin, neighbor, and your old college roommate. To effectively get all of the junk out of your garage and finally get it organized, set aside an entire day and follow these tips.
A typical garage is usually full of clutter. There is often cardboard boxes of various sizes lined up against the wall, old sports equipment and tools. There can be odds and ends from years past that may have never seen the light of day. But the garage can be a fantastic room once you clear out the clutter and do some major remodeling work on it. Regardless of the purpose of the room, there are several things that must get accomplished before you can furnish it to suit your needs.
The first step in constructing a garage on a slope is to find out how much the land slopes over the length or width of the garage. Once you know that, you can construct a proper foundation that accommodates the slope. With the foundation in place there are no other considerations related to the slope, so you can build the garage using normally accepted building materials and practices.
The Dyson DC17 is an upright vacuum cleaner that, unlike the more popular models by the company, doesn't have the patented ball in the middle (instead it is wheel based). However, the Dyson DC17 does have the cyclone, bagless intake chamber where all of the dirt you vacuum up sits. Once you have finished vacuuming your floor with the Dyson DC17 you need to clean out the bagless chamber.
It is depressing to think about the hours spent looking for car keys, cell phones and wallets lost under the sea of chaos in the house. Oftentimes, homes go unorganized because owners feel defeated at just the sight of the clutter. Organizing and being neat is more of a lifestyle change than a arduous chore. While a person can clean up and organize any given mess, it takes consistent behavioral changes to keep the home organized and looking its best.
While a sandbox may provide hours of entertainment for children at a low cost, they can be breeding grounds for bacteria if not properly treated. To prolong the cleanliness of the play sand in your sandbox, keep the sandbox tightly covered when not in use, and shift the sand once a week so that the sand on the bottom moves to the top.
The dish washer vent, also known as an air gap, is a device that prevents dirty dishwater from your washer from being siphoned back into the water supply. Some municipalities require air gaps in new or existing dishwasher installations. Because the lines take all the waste water pumped out of the dishwasher, sometimes they can become clogged with food and other debris. In that case, you'll need to clean out the drain line on your dishwasher vent.
Over time refrigerators build up dirt and dust, which may hinder performance and increase energy use. A dusty refrigerator must work much harder to cool itself. Clean your refrigerator's exterior with a vacuum and use mild, soapy water on the interior. Amana recommends vacuuming the coils every other month.
One of the storage containers you may commonly use is a 55-gallon drum. If your 55-gallon drums are metal, however, moisture can cause them to rust. After enough time goes by, the rust can actually eat through the metal and render the drum useless as a container for liquids. The sun can bleach plastic 55-gallon drums, and heat can warp them into strange shapes. But you can take steps to ensure drums will last for the long haul.
A lawn sprinkler system is an important addition to any yard because it maintains a healthy evenly-green lawn with a minimum of work. Over time, however, due to dirt and debris clogging the sprinkler system, the sprinkler valves may need to be taken apart and cleaned. The sprinkler valves are very sensitive and can become clogged from a small piece of dirt, debris or a small insect. Sprinkler valves can also become damaged by wind-propelled debris or by an accidental impact with a lawn mower or weed eater. To keep your sprinkler system running efficiently, it's important to inspect and…
Fuel drums are designed to hold gasoline and oil heating fuel for boilers and steam plants. These drums are made of tough, high-grade steel, and to the homeowner with a lawn, garden and barbecue area, they present nearly unlimited opportunities for do-it-yourself projects. Flower drums, barbecue pits, smokers and other projects can be crafted from fuel drums. However, they must be cleaned before use, and this presents a few obstacles.
A Tecumseh carburetor is found on a Tecumseh engine. Tecumseh engines are used on machines such as mowers and tillers. When you are trying to get your Tecumseh engine running and it has fresh gas, a clean air filter and a good spark plug, then you will most likely need to clean the gummy, gas varnish out of the carburetor. Over time the float, valves and fuel bowl in the Tecumseh carburetor will get begin to gum up with debris and old gas and turn into what is called a varnish. You will need to clean out this varnish in…
Saving money on heating costs and not worrying about power failures are two good reasons for having a wood burning stove in your home. A supply of wood will help you weather any storm. A wood stove gives off a comfortable radiant heat that warms the room as well as creates a pleasant ambiance. Cleaning ashes from a wood burning stove takes only a small amount of effort and a few utensils.
A clog in a heating duct typically results from deposits by pests such as vermin and insects or a lack of regular duct maintenance. Cleaning the duct is extremely important to not only return the airflow, but also to expose a potential problem in your ductwork that may pose a health risk. Cleaning a clogged duct requires that you determine the state of your duct and attempt to dislodge the clog if possible. If dealing with health hazards or an unmanageable clog deep in the vent, enlist the assistance of a duct-cleaning specialist.
Cleaning a pond regularly is one of the best ways to prevent some of the common problems in a farm pond. The more silt, algae and fish waste accumulate on the pond bed, the more bacteria, insects and unwanted water life--and stench--you are going to have. A dirty pond can also become uninhabitable by fish, and accumulated waste means a shallower pond. Run a homemade dredge bucket through your farm pond a couple of times a year, and you'll probably find your pond maintaining a healthy level of cleanliness.
A leaking refrigerator could be a sign of a clogged drain tube. Self-defrosting refrigerators have a plastic tube to transport defrosted water from the freezer section to a drain pan under the evaporator coil at the bottom of the refrigerator. Heat from the coil evaporates this drain water. When the drain tube becomes clogged, the water may back up into the freezer or leak out elsewhere in the refrigerator.
A reverse osmosis (RO) unit can deliver clean, almost pure water to your countertop. Installation costs may make you hesitant to buy one if you are not a plumber. However, if you can use a power drill, you can probably install the unit yourself, save some money and throw away all those water bottles you've been carrying back and forth to the store.
Packaged HVAC units, which provide heating and cooling, are usually found of the rooftops of buildings. Each packaged HVAC unit contains a drain pan to collect condensation from the evaporator coil. From there the water flows out from a drain pipe out onto the roof. Occasionally, dirt and debris builds up in the drain pan, which can eventually plug the drain pipe opening and cause the drain pan to overflow and cause water damage in the building. To prevent this, you must occasionally clean out a drain pan in an Amana HVAC packaged unit. Cleaning is easy and will prevent…
Once in awhile you may see some gum stuck to the inside of your dryer. It could have gotten mixed up in the hamper or been in one of your children's pockets. No matter how it got there the important thing now is to remove it from your dryer. You have to be very careful to not put the wrong chemicals into the dryer. Before starting you want to make sure you remove the clothing from the dryer and that is completely cooled down.
Farm ponds serve multiple purposes, from fishing to recreation to livestock watering. A clean, healthy farm pond also may provide irrigation for wetlands crops and bog plants such as water lilies and marsh marigolds. Pond vegetation offers secluded nesting spots for wild ducks, geese and swans. Cleaning your farm pond by hand each spring allows you to observe the condition of your pond and keep the water aerated and flowing. By hand-cleaning your pond, you also protect the fragile ecosystem by working around water plants and vegetation that would typically be destroyed by mechanized cleaning.
Cleaning out a shed is a task that requires time and energy. While you may overlook the task or put it off, at some point the mess will accumulate to a point that you can't ignore. In this instance, it is important to devise a plan of attack that will allow you to clean the messy shed in the most efficient manner possible. By having the right cleaning supplies on hand and organizing effectively, this task can be done with a fair amount of ease.
Your garage doesn't have to be a messy, disorganized space. You can have a DIY great garage that is usable, clean and well-organized. With several tips from home organizer Patty Peterson, you can have a garage that is absolutely great.
Clay pots are decorative and attractive and an ideal medium for many plants and flowers. The porous properties of clay allow plants to breathe, help hinder over-watering and aid in protecting root systems in extreme temperatures. Ugly white buildup---or salt deposits---can mar the appearance of clay pots and may dehydrate root stems. Cleaning salt out of clay pots is important both for the health of your plant and to retain the beauty of your vessel.
If your pond is packed with weeds, algae and other growth, you must clean it to avoid problems with the safety of the pond. Ponds with too much plant material can become toxic because of the amount of decomposition taking place in the water. Weed overgrowth is usually the biggest problem with overpopulated ponds. There are different ways to clean up a pond, and each way can be better for some weeds than others.
Gophers are an animal rarely seen, as they live underground, but the damage they can do to lawns and gardens is very obvious. Gophers will tunnel through gardens eating the crops as they go, they will also push up dirt destroying the seedlings. Expensive lawns can be quickly turned into dirt patches when several gophers move in and begin to tunnel. The most effective way to rid your property of gophers and their damage is to trap them. The wire gopher trap is the common tool for this job.
Garages are usually square or rectangular in shape, so laying out the foundation is very straight forward. Nevertheless, careful and detailed planning is always required because once the slab is poured, it is permanent. Mistakes and/or bad choices can be costly. Also, there are local building codes and practices that must be followed. The garage will only be as strong as its foundation, so it is crucial that the foundation be built correctly.
Elderly parents may often find themselves in need of house-clearing help from their children, whether it's due to limited mobility or the move to an assisted living home. Taking on this task can be difficult due to sensitive emotions connected to self-sufficiency and the nostalgic value of possessions. To ensure a cleaning process that's both efficient and successful, it's a good idea to have a plan of action.
Your garage used to be a place to park your vehicle and work on projects like the dollhouse for your daughter or model car for your son. Now the garage is packed to the ceiling with boxes, discarded toys, a motorcycle that doesn't run and "when I get a chance" items you want to repair. You are now searching for a cheap way to clean out your home garage. There are ways to take control of the clutter and make some money at the same time.
A farm pond can be a beautiful addition to any rural landscape and often provides a local habitat for various waterfowl and fish species. Without proper farm pond management and water quality monitoring, a farm pond can become excessively dirty, murky and overgrown with aquatic vegetation. This may create an eyesore and can also smell bad. Clean out a farm pond to restore its natural beauty and keep it healthy.
Drain filters keep plumbing pipes clean by preventing debris from entering. The price of clear pipe lines is the occasional need to clean out the drain filter, a task that few homeowners would describe as pleasant. Pull on a pair of rubber gloves, and you can clean your drain filters quickly.
Old home water systems sometimes start filling up with sediment after years, with the water stream notably diminished. It's no coincidence that it's usually the hot water that's running slowest. The heat in the water can cause minerals and debris to coalesce and get stuck on the inner sides of the lines. There is an old plumber's trick for "backflushing" your system--essentially, running cold water backward through the hot water lines to loosen all that sediment, then expelling it at a low faucet.
Cleaning out a file cabinet filled with outdated files is a big job, especially if some of the files are for things purchased more than five or 10 years ago and are no longer useful. Files that are from buying, selling or renting, and that are with insurance and medical papers should be separated and looked through. Shred files before throwing them into the garbage.
Mark your calendar for an annual housecleaning. Donating toys, books or clothing to a shelter could help a family that is in need while allowing you to declutter and find space in your home.
Sink traps can become clogged with grease, hair and food particles over time. Physically cleaning out the trap is more efficient than pouring costly chemicals down the drain. Household septic systems can be adversely affected by the addition of these caustic chemicals. By following a few basic procedures, you can clean out a trap in a matter of minutes without the aid of chemicals.
Adding a clean-out to a septic line can prevent or mitigate numerous plumbing emergencies. A clean-out is simply a pipe that connects to the septic line on one end and is covered with a removable cap on the other. A home owner or plumber can use a clean-out to easily remove clogs or build-up in the septic line. Newer homes typically come with at least one septic line clean-out, but many older homes have none at all. Save hours of aggravation as well as costly repairs down the line by adding a clean-out to your old septic line.
If you have cleaned out likely clog sites inside the house and in individual drains but still have water backing up in your house, your main drain--the drain that leads from your house into the city's sewer system--may be clogged. If the main drain has been clogged by tree roots, there is little that you can do yourself to remove them without risking damaging the main drain pipe--you need to call a professional plumber. But if the main drain is simply clogged by debris, you might be able to remove it with the aid of a rented or purchased plumber's…
When cleaning out from under a bed, it is easiest to pull everything out first, then dust underneath and vacuum. Organize under the bed for more storage with tips from a professional house cleaner and organizer in this free video on housekeeping.
Cleaning out a closet is made easier by labeling what items go in what closet like a utility closet or coat closet. Keep closets clean and functional with tips from a professional house cleaner and organizer in this free video on housekeeping.
Remember when you first moved into your house and looked at all that space in the garage--and now it's just a memory? As with most of us, all that storage space has slowly shrunk over the years--now your car lives in the driveway and your garage resembles a junk store. But I know, clearing out the garage is no more fun than doing your taxes--face it though, you're gonna have to do it sometime--and spring is probably the best time. Here are some ways to go about organizing and clearing out your garage.
Sandblasting has existed for over one hundred years, created for a myriad of purposes. Over time, the invention itself has been tweaked and improved to meet the needs of our growing society. While it is an efficient way of cleaning surfaces and creating designs, there are also health risks involved. Knowing how to properly use a sandblaster and how to protect yourself in the process are vital.
The garage is one of the most used, yet most neglected, entrances of the home. Many people enter and exit their house through the garage more than they do through the front door. Painting your garage is an easy, inexpensive way to improve your living situation.
Most apartment complexes require a security deposit--the funds that they return to you when you move out. However, these funds may not find their way back to you if the apartment unit that you vacate requires repairs and serious cleaning. You may have been careful not to cause any damage, but if you leave the apartment dirty, the leasing office will deduct the cleaning service cost from your security deposit. Here are tips on how to make sure you get your security deposit back.
I'm not a pack rat. In fact, I have the need to obsessively purge unnecessary items. Mostly everything in my closet is something high-quality, something I love or a classic piece that I will use forever. If you are the opposite-here are some ways to "let go."
Learn how to lay out a second wall in your garage project in this free DIY garage remodel video.
Learn how to lay out a wall addition in your garage in this free DIY garage remodel video.
If the summer is over and your closet is full of winter clothes, learn how to clean out those old summer clothes with expert tips in this free house cleaning video.
Ever gone through your fridge, come across something, and the first thing that comes out of your mouth is "What is that?"? That's a clear sign that it is time to clean out the fridge. Sounds scary or at least a bit intimidating, but as long as you have a nose prepared for some interesting, not so pleasant smells and are ready to wash a few extra dishes, cleaning out the fridge and sanitizing everything to boot is pretty easy.
Oh the hassle of cleaning out your garage can be a mess sometimes. However if you take the time to do it right, cleaning it out will be easier than you think. In this "how to" article, it will show you a few ways to clean out your garage that will definitely make it easier.
When your movies start to skip scenes, freeze or become pixelated, it may be an indication that the DVD/CD player needs a cleaning. As a weekly activity, cleaning your DVD/CD player with a cleaning disc helps maintain performance and optimum viewing and listening levels. Read on to learn how to clean a DVD/CD player.
If you often feel overwhelmed and defeated just trying to keep up with the housework, you're not alone. Many people just don't know where to begin, what to do or how to do it and they wind up throwing in the towel before they even begin. All you really need is to establish a few weekly routines to help you simplify housework and organize what needs to be done, then just stick with them.
Never mind about "out of sight, out of mind" - the longer you leave the dust under your bed, the more it accumulates. This may be great news for dust mites, but it's bad news for anyone with allergies.
Don't be a junk-drawer junkie. Clean your drawers at least once a year to help keep your home organized and clutter-free.
A clean fireplace and chimney is your best defense against a dangerous chimney fire.
