Diatomaceous earth, or DE, is a white powder sold at gardening, hardware and home stores. It contains the microscopic bodies of single-celled sea creatures called diatoms and is often used to kill garden pests. DE is not a poison. It kills insects, such as the Colorado potato beetle, mechanically, by cutting their bodies and causing the insect to dehydrate. When used at the right time, DE is a very effective method of killing potato beetles.
Marble lends a touch of elegance and luxury to floors, stairs, furniture or even a fireplace mantel. Though this material is known for its beauty and strength, it also features a surprisingly porous surface, leaving it susceptible to stains. While rust and other metal stains can be tough to remove from marble, the Marble Institute of America suggests using an absorbent material, like diatomaceous earth, to draw rust stains out of marble.
Refinishing an old door can give it new life, but wood can be tough to work with as it ages, especially if it is an exterior door that has been exposed to the elements. Wood dries out over time, fading or darkening, becoming splintery or even developing surface cracks. Sanding your door is the best way to take off the damaged outer skin so that your new finish goes on smoothly. Sanding a door with molding is best done by hand to get into all of the small crevices.
Mold is a type of fungus that reproduces by releasing airborne spores. Mold typically grows well in essentially any location with a warm temperature and a good supply of water, so you can develop mold in your home after a simple problem like a leak or after severe damage, like flooding. There are a wide variety of species of mold. In homes, there are a few species that you are more likely to encounter, and if you find mold growing on your drywall, it's probably one of these species.
Taking long exposures requires you to take things like lighting and motion into consideration. Take long exposures with help from an experienced professional photographer in this free video clip.
As a pet owner, caring for your four-legged friend should be a part of your household's emergency planning. Losing track of your kitty during an emergency is a frightening and overwhelming experience. In the event of an earthquake, a little preparation makes a huge difference for you and your companion.
Knowing that if your teenager has a cell phone, you will always be accessible is a powerful draw for buying one according to an article, "Cellphones, Texting and Cell Phone Distractions " by Russell A. Sabella, Ph.D., published on Education.com. They also allow your teen to take photos, maintain calendars and surf the Internet. With any phone comes responsibility and it is appropriate to have your teen agree to a few cell phone rules before making her first call.
Pickett’s Charge, the High Tide of the Confederacy, Round Top and the Devil’s Den evoke the highs and lows of the battle of Gettysburg, but a proper exploration of the battlefield takes days. A reading of Michael Shaara’s “The Killer Angels” is a good introduction to the events of July 1863. Read the book, get an overview of the battle with a guided tour and then strike out on your own.
Mold is usually a black, brown or green film or fuzzy growth. While mold prefers to grow on organic material such as rotting food, it can also survive on nonliving materials such as tile, plastic, insulation and drywall. If you’ve found black mold on your plumbing fixtures, this may indicate a moisture problem in your home. You should clean mold immediately and identify and eliminate the cause.
Certain heavy metals are commonly found in a wide variety of different cosmetic foundation makeups. Find out about heavy metals that are found in cosmetic foundation with help from a certified raw food chef and detox specialist in this free video clip.
Carbon dioxide that is dissolved in water is very similar in concept to carbonated water or carbonated soda. Find out how carbon dioxide enters sea water with help from the manager of the Science Division at Jet Propulsion Laboratory in this free video clip.
Cell phones may not be able to read all types of digital image files. Convert pictures into a cell phone format with help from a computer professional in this free video clip.
Any well-stocked storm cellar needs to have a few specific things in the event of a tornado. Learn about things to pack in a storm cellar for a tornado with help from a certified firefighter in this free video clip.
The 2002 model year Mercruiser 8.1 L Cobalt 246 marine engine has both a closed cooling system that carries heat from the engine, and a seawater system that carries the heat away from the closed cooling system. There's an oddity, though -- the seawater pump is the borrowed from the Mercruiser 6.2 L gasoline engine, with which it shares the idea of using seawater to cool the coolant. The process to rebuild the system requires you do no more than remove the pump, replace the parts that need replacement and put the pump back into place.
It is hard to enjoy a soggy yard. Standing rainwater is not only a nuisance, but it can lead to odors and pose a health hazard. A storm drain is designed to channel the excess rain from your yard, paved streets, sidewalks and roofs to a more appropriate place. The French drain is the most common type of storm drain used for residential properties.
Lightning, an extension for the open-source Thunderbird application, allows you to manage calendars and sync them with calendar files stored on remote servers. While Lightning does support the traditional file-transfer protocol, it also allows you to use a Web-based distributed authoring and versioning server, or WebDAV. You can sync your local calendar with a calendar file stored on a WebDAV server by following a specific procedure.
Radon exposure is the second-leading cause of lung cancer in the United States, behind only smoking, and ahead of exposure to secondhand smoke. Radon is a naturally-occurring, radioactive gas. You cannot see, smell or taste radon. The only way to know if you live in an area with high radon levels is through testing. If you determine that your home has high levels of radon, there are several ways to treat the problem. If your home has a basement or slab on a grade foundation, you may be able to use the home's existing drainage system to clear your house…
If you want to know what your children or pets are doing while you are away, you can use an audio bug. If you don't want to spend a lot of money on a professional bug, modify a disposable cell phone to work as one. When your improvised bug is working, place it in the area you want to monitor. Using a bug to spy on someone is almost certainly illegal in your state, so limit its use to your own home.
Uploading e-cards and special greetings to a Cricket cell phone requires the Cricket subscriber to own a cell phone capable of receiving MMS messages. Without a compatible cell phone, the recipient can still view the message at Cricket's MMS website, although he can't respond to it. Whether you want to upload a greeting to cheer someone or invite him to a party, sending the message is a simple process.
A "heap check" error code often occurs on cell phones that have cameras, and prevents you from saving or taking pictures. This error is related to how an app uses the allocated temporary memory on your phone -- if the app utilizes more space than it should, the error message will appear.
Verizon is a mobile network provider with headquarters in the United States but international coverage. The reference ID is a feature of the support division of Verizon. To understand how this function works, you must know more about how they handle problems and what to do if you have issues with your cell-phone service.
Two programs facilitate streaming live broadcasts from a computer to a cell phone: Orb Caster and Veetle. Orb Caster, produced by Orb Networks, Inc., and Veetle are media-streaming services that, in addition to live broadcasting from a home computer, offer streaming of several forms of media, such as music and recorded videos. Both the cell phone and broadcast computer however, must be on the same local area network, or LAN.
Frequency modulation radio waves provide analog cellphones with the bandwidth needed to transmit voice content and data over a wireless network. FM radio waves cover a larger spectrum than amplitude modulation waves, making it possible for analog cellphones to create high-quality transmissions supporting voice and data content. As of January 2012, analog phones are mostly outdated, having given way to digital cellphone transmissions that use different modulation types for transmitting data digitally.
A standard cell phone runs on a low-power transmitter with a signal strength of 0.6 watts. Using an amplifier or external antenna, cell phone users can increase their signal strength to 3 watts. The differences between operating a cell phone at these two levels can be identified in four basic categories.
Sierra Wireless manufactured and branded the USB Lightning modem exclusively for AT&T. However, the Lightning modem can be unlocked to work on any other GSM wireless network carrier. You can unlock the AT&T USB Lightning modem from within the modem’s communication software or using software from Sierra Wireless.
Homeowners in earthquake-prone areas must remain alert for any threat to the structural integrity of their houses. One danger arises when houses that have short or "cripple" walls between their foundations and the sole plates for their exterior walls do not have any, or enough, anchor bolts. In an earthquake, the exterior wall may slide off the foundation. A good method of reinforcing the connection between the foundation and the exteriors walls involves placing anchor bolts around the entire perimeter of the crawl space.
The Samsung GT-S5230 allows you to change the default keyboard language through the main settings menu. By changing the default keyboard language to Greek, the virtual keyboard on your phone will automatically display Greek characters. Using this Greek keyboard, you can send messages in Greek through the phone's messages application.
You should always try to plan for the worst, especially when it comes to Mother Nature. Make storm precautions for appliances with help from a certified firefighter in this free video clip.
Cell phones, once simple devices, have transformed into handheld computers, with all the benefits as well as the downsides. Identity thieves aim to get their hands on your smartphone and its personal data, and malicious apps can add charges to your phone bill or steal your personal data. Phones are also vulnerable to eavesdropping, such as on public Wi-Fi networks. Protect yourself and your phone by knowing the risks.
Earthquake safe shelves and cabinets can be your first line of defense against disaster. Learn about earthquake safe shelves and cabinets with help from a certified construction manager and LEED accredited professional in this free video clip.
Audio quality is an issue with all cell phones, whether big or small. The combination of small cell phones' low power and a narrow range of frequencies affects call quality, while other audio features involving digital files are affected more by storage capacities. Although cell phones have audio limitations for phone calls and speaker phone volume, several small phones provide adequate storage and sound quality as playback devices through stereo systems.
Seismic retrofitting refers to the process of improving the structural support of a building to help it withstand earthquake tremors. While there is no way to guarantee a building won't be damaged during natural disasters such as earthquakes, the retrofitting process helps make a home safer for when such events occur. While overhauls to the foundation or walls should be done professionally to ensure a safe and proper job, stiffening the floors to better withstand vibration and impact is a feasible do-it-yourself project with the proper materials.
A heavy snow storm might give you an excuse to remain indoors for a couple of days. The snow might barricade your car in the driveway and completely cover your sidewalk and porch. Your city's Department of Transportation is responsible for clearing snow and ice from the roadways. But if heavy snow completely covers the opening of the storm drains in front of your house, you can assist the city by clearing snow from the drains. Keeping drain openings clear reduces the chances of flooding once the snow starts to melt.
The Samsung GT-S5230 cellphone features the ability to install keyboards in various languages including Greek. Installing the Greek keyboard allows you to send SMS messages using Greek characters, and the virtual Greek keyboard will automatically appear within the SMS messaging application, once you select Greek as the the default language from the S5230's main settings menu.
Turpentine, a product commonly used in paint and finish stripping, is a product of trees. This often harsh chemical is derived from pine wood chips. To produce turpentine, the chips are heated and the chemical is distilled. While still available in the marketplace, turpentine is no longer as commonly used as it once was, in part due to concerns that inhalation of turpentine fumes could have negative impacts on human health.
Infrared technology was a popular way to send and receive signals before the advent of Bluetooth technology. A Windows eHome infrared receiver is a preinstalled device on your computer that can receive infrared signals sent from a remote control or cell phone. EHome infrared can be especially useful if you use your PC as a media center to watch TV or DVDs. It can also be used to transfer data files and pictures from your cell phone to your PC.
When used properly, the components of your desktop or laptop -- such as the CPU, monitor or the cables connecting parts of it -- present no danger to you. However, when these pieces are improperly disposed of or incinerated, computer chips and other parts can release harmful, potentially toxic fumes.
The Samsung S5230, otherwise known as the Star, is a smartphone that uses the Samsung Touchwiz operating system. To use the Greek language on the Samsung S5230, you must install Greek as the default language from the phone's main settings menu. After installing the new language, all menus and settings will display in Greek.
A fading LCD on your Samsung Propel can make the device difficult to use even if you just want to make a phone call. The phone's sliding design adds one main point of failure for the LCD, but the LCD could be fading in and out for a variety of reasons.
Most of an American homeowner's energy costs -- 50 percent to 70 percent -- are attributable to heating and cooling the home, according to Michigan State University. Most homes in the United States, particularly older homes, are not well-insulated. But at least today homeowners are interested in making them more energy-efficient. Using foil-back insulation for energy savings is new to many people, but it is gaining in popularity, according to the Florida Solar Energy Center.
Many modern electronic devices, including MP3 players, cellphones and laptop computers, get their power from DC adaptors. Electronics cannot run directly from the 115-volt household alternating current, so they use an adaptor to convert AC into low-voltage DC. The input and output wattage ratings of adaptors ranges from about 4 watts to more than 100 watts; generally, the smaller the electronic device, the less wattage it consumes.
Most projects related to building or remodeling a home require multiple steps. This holds true for the process of applying decorative molding to interior surfaces. Finishing molding helps protect against potential problems like moisture damage. The finishing process requires minimal skill and only a handful of basic tools and supplies. Understanding the full nature of this process requires an understanding of trim and molding, the reasons for finishing trim and the types of finishes available.
Real estate listings like to treat everything about a building as if it’s the best thing you’ll ever hope to see. This includes “mid-century” architecture, furniture and appliances, which are those from the 1950s and 1960s in the United States. While this style has its admirers, not everyone is a fan, especially of exterior items such as fake stone siding.
The Society of the Plastics Industry, or SPI, establishes standards for the United States plastics industry. Among the SPI standards is one defining the degree of polish on the inner surfaces of the molds used to form plastic products. The SPI standards specify 12 grades of mold finish ranging from mirror-perfect to dull. Various companies offer illustrative sample kits consisting of steel discs or strips polished to the different SPI grades.
If you have one of the many LG phones in Verizon's arsenal, you should be able to flash it to work with the Cricket mobile network in a few minutes. Flashing overwrites the LG phone's programming so that it no longer recognizes Verizon's cell towers; instead, it connects to the Cricket mobile network. Flashing only works on the CDMA cellular network, which doesn't require the SIM cards used by the GSM networks to connect to the proper carrier's cell towers.
Earthquake outdoor power equipment, manufactured by Ardisam Inc., produces front-tine, rear-tine and mini-cultivating rototillers, among many other motor-driven garden implements. Several websites and publications have given many Earthquake tiller models positive reviews. Front-tine tillers are more difficult to use, as they require more upper body strength to propel, but they are less expensive than rear-tine tillers. Conversely, rear-tine tillers are easier to operate but cost more than front-tine tillers.
American Standard boilers are gas- or oil-fired appliances designed to provide heat during the cold winter months. These appliances are energy efficient and keep heating costs lower than traditional heating systems. Over time, leaks may occur in American Standard boilers that should be repaired before use.
Storm cellars are concrete or metal shelters built underground that protect you and your family from hurricane winds, tornadoes and flying debris. When it comes to installing a storm cellar, the proper placement of the unit directly relates to its effectiveness. Understanding where to put your storm cellar in relation to the foundation of your home requires an understanding of storm cellars, building codes and ideal storm cellar placement.
The roaming symbol on your cell phone is supposed to warn you that you are currently connected to a wireless network other than your wireless carrier's. If the symbol appears while in a geographical location where you are sure your carrier has coverage, you need to find out if it is just a display error or if your phone is no longer connecting to your wireless company's cell towers.
Clock synchronization represents an important consideration in the modern world, as keeping time standardized across various devices is required in order to transfer information at precise moments. There are several standards for keeping time and synchronizing clocks. Cell phone networks and the U.S. Naval Observatory Clock use the same time standard to ensure accuracy.