home repair tips
home repair tips

Your heat recovery ventilator (HRV) can help make your house a clean, healthy living environment, while keeping fuel bills down. But your HRV can’t do all this without your help.

It only takes seven simple steps to keep your HRV happy…

The Seven Steps to a Happy HRV

Step 1: Turn Off Your HRV
First, turn off your HRV and unplug it.

Step 2: Clean or Replace Air Filters
Dirty or clogged filters can lower ventilation efficiency. Try to clean your filters at least every two months. Filters in most new HRVs can be easily removed, cleaned with a vacuum cleaner, then washed with mild soap and water before being replaced. Older units have replaceable filters. If your HRV is easily accessible, this is a five-minute job.

Step 3: Check Outdoor Intake and Exhaust Hoods
Remove leaves, waste paper or other obstructions that may be blocking the outside vents of your HRV. Without this vital airflow, your HRV won’t function properly. During winter, clear any snow or frost buildup blocking outside vents.

Step 4: Inspect the Condensate Drain
Check to see if your HRV has a condensate drain — a pipe or plastic tube coming out of the bottom. If it does, slowly pour about two litres of warm, clean water in each drain pan inside the HRV to make sure it is flowing freely. If there’s a backup, clean the drain.

Step 5: Clean the Heat Exchange Core
Check your HRV owner’s manual for instructions on cleaning the heat exchange core. Vacuuming the core and washing it with soap and water will reduce dust that can build up inside the core.

Step 6: Clean Grilles and Inspect the Ductwork
Once a year, check the ductwork leading to and from your HRV. Remove and inspect the grilles covering the duct ends, then vacuum inside the ducts. If a more thorough cleaning is required, call your service technician.

Step 7: Service the Fans
Remove the dirt that has been accumulated on the blades by gently brushing them. Most new HRVs are designed to run continuously without lubrication, but older models require a few drops of proper motor lubricating oil in a designated oil intake. Check your manual for complete instructions.

Your HRV should be serviced annually. If you are not comfortable doing it yourself, contact a technician accredited by the Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Institute of Canada (HRAI). Make sure the technician you call has been trained by the manufacturer of your HRV.

Check Your HRV Balance: the Garbage Bag Test

HRVs need to be balanced, with the fresh air flow matching the exhaust flow. If you do not know if your HRV was balanced when installed or if you have changed or added HRV ducts, you may want to check the balance with the following simple procedure. This test will take about 10 minutes.

Use a large plastic bag, typically 1.2 m (48 in.) long. Untwist a wire coat hanger. Tape the wire to the mouth of the bag to keep it open. You now have a garbage bag air flow tester. Go outside to where your HRV ducts exit the foundation.

Step 1
Crush the bag flat and hold the opening tightly over the exhaust hood. The air flowing out of the hood will inflate the bag. Time the inflation. If the bag inflates in eight seconds or more, go to Step 2. If the bag inflates in less than eight seconds, turn your HRV to a lower speed, and repeat the test. Then go to Step 2.

Step 2
Swing the bag to inflate it and hold the opening against the wall around the HRV supply hood. The air going into the HRV will now deflate the bag. Time the deflation.

Figure 1 — Test your HRV balance with an inflated bag

If your HRV is balanced, air going into the HRV will balance the air coming out of the HRV.

The inflation and deflation times should be roughly equal. If you find that the bag inflates twice as fast as it deflates, for instance, your HRV is unbalanced. If you can’t see a problem with the filters that would cause such an imbalance, you should call a service person to test and adjust your HRV.

Please don’t ignore your HRV! Just a little bit of your time is all it takes to keep it running smoothly.

The easy maintenance program below can be taped directly onto your HRV. Simply check off each box as you complete the indicated task.

About the Author

John Carle
RE/MAX Real Estate Edmonton
102 12650 151 Ave
Edmonton, AB T5X 0A1
John@Knock-Knock.ca
http://www.knock-knock.ca
780-937-7534 / 780-701-9090

4J’s Plumbing 24/7 EMERGENCY SERVICE IMMEDIATE RESPONSE 805-302-9564

5.0 star rating 22 Reviews:

Posted on 12/28/2010
I hired 4J’s Plumbing to install a tankless water heater at my home. Jeremy is the owner of 4J’s and he did a terrific job. Jeremy was always prompt, hard working, and honest. He provided a spot-on estimate for the two day job, and included a “not to exceed” amount on the estimate itself. During the job he kept me informed of the status and had excellent communication skills. He went above and behind the call of duty by helping patch some drywall near the water heater in order to complete a thorough job. I would definitely recommend 4J’s to anyone looking for a great residential plumber.

Residential Plumbing Services Water Heaters / plumber services Bathtub / Toilet and Sink / Slab Leak / Septic tank Commercial Plumber Services Re-piping / plumber services : / Plumber / plumbing and Heating SystemsSlab Leak / Grease Trap / plumber cleaning services/ New Construction / plumber service: Septic Tank / Installation of plumber / plumbing and Heating Systems / Slab Leak

4J’s Plumbing and Drain Cleaning is committed in providing superior plumber service across the Ventura County. We ensure your complete satisfaction. We have over 8 years of our service experience and have been do plumbing all over Ventura County.

Please call us today at 805-302-9564 and guarantee your satesfaction in our work.

4J’s Plumbing and Drain Cleaning is a Licensed & Bonded Contractor serving residential & commercial customers in Ventura County since 2003. We offer plumbers services for all new construction and remodel projects. We also specialize in clearing drain lines, repairing slab leaks and water heater replacements.

4J’s Plumbing and Drain Cleaning is established, experienced Plumber. We have over 8 years of plumbing business which means we have a wealth of experience like no other which relates to great service to you.

Residential Services

Bathtub / Toilet and Sink / Slab Leak /

Commercial Services
Re-piping /: Drain Cleaning / Plumber / plumbing and Heating Systems / Slab Leak / Grease Trap / plumbers cleaning services/

New Construction

/: Installation of plumber / and Heating Systems. Residential Plumbing Services
Water Heaters / plumbing services
Bathtub / Toilet and Sink / Slab Leak / Septic tank
Commercial Plumber Services
Re-piping / plumbing services : Drain Cleaning / Plumber / plumbing and Heating Systems
Slab Leak / Septic tank / Grease Trap / plumbing cleaning services/ New Construction Plumber Services
Water Heaters / plumbing services: Septic Tank / Installation of plumber / plumbing and Heating Systems / Slab Leak

24/7 EMERGENCY SERVICE IMMEDIATE RESPONSE

Jeremy Duncan 311 Lafayette Dr.Oxnard, CA 93036

805-302-9564

http://bizallpro.com/plumber_oxnard

About the Author

4J’s Plumbing and Drain Cleaning is a Licensed & Bonded Plumbing Contractor serving residential & commercial customers in Ventura County since 2003. We offer plumbing for all new construction and remodel projects. We also specialize in clearing drain lines, repairing slab leaks and water heater replacements.

When inside a well-maintained log home, it is easy to forget about cold weather because of the warm fire and cozy atmosphere. With its thick log walls and the chinking between each log, little can be heard of the wind, rain, snow or other elements acting up outside. Log cabins provide a distinct hominess and sense of protection that is sought after by many American families. It is no wonder why these pre-colonial structures continue to be popular despite the introduction of more modern housing construction methods.

Today’s log homes are up to par with modern, brick and mortar houses. They can be equipped with all the amenities needed to live a modern-day lifestyle. When it comes to maintaining a log home, however, this activity requires a few operations, such as the improvement of chinking, which are unique to cabin care.

In order to keep the log home’s interior intact and protected from outside elements, chinking must be applied in between the log walls. In the old days, builders would use dried moss as chinking. Today’s more durable filling material can be compressed and stretched right into the little nooks and crannies of log walls. Before applying the chinking, it is recommended to apply a compatible log home stain, as this improves its adhesion.

Aside from chinking, tending to rotting areas in the log home is also important in log home maintenance. Depending on whether a simple cover-up or permanent repair treatment is required, wood rot repair epoxies can be applied to keep the decay from spreading.

Resource Box:

Western Log Home Supply provides all the essentials for log home maintenance, from chinking to rot repair epoxies. Run by Clyde Cremer, a graduate of the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Science and his son Jeff, the company helps people get their very own log home and aid in proper log chinking care and maintenance. For more information about the company and its products and services, visit http://www.westernloghomesupply.com or call 800-518-6256.

About the Author

Jeff Paul is a writer and copy editor who likes to share information on many different topics.

Any home owner who has had the worst luck in plumbing would attest who big of a deal it is when the plumbing fails. Experiencing floods due to clogged drainage is no laughing matter especially if it causes damage to the flooring, not to mention the carpet. In these cases, repairing the damaged facilities can be quite expensive; sometimes it would even reach thousands of dollars in expenses. This is why it is advisable that home owners check their plumbing system ever so often.

One of the causes of problems in the plumbing are clogged drainage. Though there are means to getting these drains unclogged, calling a professional help is still the best move because working on a plumbing system without the needed knowledge could only lead to more problems that may prove to be more costly. Contacting a plumbing service provider is just a matter of one phone call. Take for instance the Tampa plumbing providers. Tampa is one of the major cities in Florida and it is the home to a lot of people so you can expect it to have a number of plumbing systems.

Though most call the nearest Tampa plumbing only on occasions of severe problems and emergencies, the fact that some fail to realize is that it’s better to contact these Tampa plumbing service providers regularly to check on the pipelines. Some people don’t realize that one of the causes of leaks in the plumbing is corroded pipes and fittings. Some of these pipes need to be replaced because they are no longer fit to accommodate rushing waters because of corrosion. Granted that this is costly but wouldn’t it be more costly if the leaking and old pipes caused more damage to your homes and to your appliances.

If you’re uncertain whether your pipes need replacing, you can always call the nearest or your most trusted Tampa plumbing service providers. They can do a check up on your pipelines and your plumbing system and provide you with an assessment of the conditions of the pipelines.

Whatever your problems or concerns regarding your plumbing and pipelines, it’s not a good idea to fix them on your own, unless of course you have prior knowledge about plumbing. You may cause more problems when you try to deal with the problems on your own than the initial crisis you had with the plumbing. There’s no shame in calling a plumbing service provider with your concerns.

Visit Clean Water Florida for more information on water softeners tampa

About the Author

Plumbing services expert

Do you have a toilet that keeps you awake all hours of the night?
Does it gurgle, run and even flush by itself? The fix can be very simple with no need to even purchase new parts. Just turn off the water supplied by the valve that is located just behind and usually to the lower left of the toilet. Flush the toilet to drain the tank and remove pressure from the waterline. Now remove the tank lid and look inside to find the flush valve. With the water still off, remove the top of the valve either by removing 3 screws or by turning counter clockwise to unlock the tabs. There is a small rubber washer that seals the center waterway. That is normally the source of the problem. If the washer does not completely seal the hole, air and water will escape causing all kinds of annoying sounds. What keeps the washer from a complete seal is usually a little bit of sand or grit that is stuck in the valves water line. To remove it, simply place a cup over the hole in the valve. This will help to keep water from spilling all over the bathroom. Holding the cup in one hand, turn the water back on for a second. The sand or grit should blow out of the line and your problem is solved. Shut the water off, clean the rubber washer, and reinstall the parts that were removed. When everything is back together, test the toilet several times. If there is still a problem, check the flapper at the bottom of the tank. Water may be escaping here. This too can sometimes be fixed easily with no need for new parts. Just lift the flapper and clean the bottom of it as well as the outlet that it closes on. Many times the cause of seepage is just scum that has built up and is preventing a proper seal.
Of course there are those times when you will need to replace parts that are defective and just can’t be fixed. These parts, much like the toilet itself, are available in different levels of quality and price ranges. If you don’t intend on having to replace the toilet any time soon, buy a quality part. Even though it may cost twice as much as the inexpensive one on the same shelf, it will be well worth the peace of mind.

About the Author

Mike Kelly is a construction professional with 45 years experience in home building and home improvement. Owner of Mike Kelly Construction, he has served the Inland Empire of Southern California since 1981 and has managed the development of many communities for some of the premiere builders in Southern California and Arizona.

Maintaining proper food safety measures not only helps in serving tasty meals, but it is also important for the good health.

Food safety in simple words is the process of using various plans and resources to make sure that all kinds of foods are accurately stored and hygienically prepared for safe human consumption. The application of this practice starts from the purchase or the acquisition of various foodstuffs and ends with the exact storage of both prepared food items and the unmade leftover ingredients for the productive future usage. It is not necessary that these measures are only applicable in the commercial eating joints, as they can be easily bought into practice in the domestic atmosphere at the house level as well. This can bring along a good change in the taste surely on the positive side and thus, people can enjoy their meals with better satisfaction.

The following content includes some of the main suggestion in achieving these measures in the daily routine. Getting the foodstuffs contaminated through mixing them with one another is the prime reason for the wastage of food and it is the biggest concern of worry in terms of food safety. Contamination is also possible during extended storage period of certain food items such as the vegetables and meat. In order to avoid such situation, it is important to store these foodstuffs in proper conditions and some precautions such as freezers and hot temperature storing is apt for right storing methods.

The primary kitchen rules are basic, but they are very essential part for accurate methods and planning among the staffs and the workers of the kitchen. Sanitizing the cooking place and counters at a regular interval is one way of keeping food safe and intact. In addition, keeping the cutting bases clean and the tools such as the cutters and croppers free from germs are useful precautions for a tasty preparation of delicious dishes. Adding the spices in the food items is an integral portion of the cooking schedule and storing these ingredients in a proper manner is important for the accurate application of Food safety measures.

About the Author

The Author is a professional writer, presently writing for Odour control and Keep food fresh.

Should you do not know where to look, locating the best component for a broken vacuum might be a bit daunting inside the beginning. If you don’t know the model number of your Kenmore vacuum, and you do not know where to search for it, you may have some difficulty in the beginning. Nevertheless, this might be effortlessly solved. Most will detail this details either on the instruction booklet that’s shipped using the appliance, or if this has been lost, the internet can always be turned to. A easy search based on the data you do have will typically present the respective details that you need.

The Kenmore name is an established line that builds kitchen and residence appliances, and has been well-known over the past four decades. The appliance line that Kenmore builds has in fact voted within the past as America’s greatest appliance brand. It can be a well-selling line inside the marketplace nowadays. Even when it was built, it was common. Almost 10 years soon after its founding in 1927, Kenmore sold a massive practically 1 million Kenmore laundry appliances. These appliances served as reliable property appliances down by means of the years. Today, Kenmore has vacuums along with other appliances that are furnished and sold with contemporary day stylish appearance. They are generally energy efficient and are designed to work inside your property. These goods are generally sold by Sears, but are also sold inside your local residence appliance stores and centers. It really is still a major brand and is among the leading featured appliance retailers in the country.

Get probably the most out of your income and pick out the proper part. If you’re thinking about purchasing from on the internet sources, you should know that the shipping charges necessary may possibly be a bit high. Nevertheless, if all you’ll need is really a conveyor belt, chances are it won’t be that tough or pricey to ship. Look locally before you spend shipping costs, however.

You will find particular categories and types that your Kenmore vacuum component will probably fall into. This is crucial to be aware of when you’re searching for vacuum parts. This way, you’ll steer clear of error and realize that you’re getting just the right item for your requirements. 1 category is brushrollers. These are the attachment at the base that turns around and accumulates the carpet dirt. They will fit the vacuum according to the model number. Other items are rear wheels, brush strips, filters, and bags. Decide on the 1 that may fit your model number and get essentially the most from your buy.

Presently, there are numerous Kenmore vacuum parts offered on the web which will provide you top quality service and will fit your appliance according to its model number. You are able to uncover these numbers directly on the listings of the parts. If you’re a bit confused, don’t worry. You are able to just call the retailer of your option and ask for some aid in picking out the correct part. Because you’re getting their item, chances are they’ll be glad to assist you out. In the event you verify prior to you purchase, it is possible to prevent a lot of unnecessary hassle.

About the Author

There are a lot of places where you can find Kenmore Vacuum Parts online.

My blog has more detailed information on Kenmore Vacuum Parts, so feel free to check it out!

Hardwood floors are a prominent feature in both vintage homes and newly constructed ones. Homeowners consider hardwood to be the most desirable type of flooring, but it does require special care. Taking care of your floors will keep them looking brand new and help you avoid hardwood floor refinishing. One of the most important parts of caring for your floors is to clean them regularly. You must not only clean them well, but also use the right products to ensure no damage is done in the process.

Harsh chemicals and cleaning products can damage hardwood floors, often leading to floor refinishing. Using a dust mop to remove debris will help prevent scratches and nicks on your floors. It’s also important to limit moisture in the room. Humidity and even spills can warp floors, causing significant damage. Wipe up any spills right away and use a dehumidifier in especially humid rooms. This simple step can keep your floors in great shape for many years.

Another easy way to damage your floors is by dragging furniture across the floor’s surface. Pick up any furniture that must be moved around in the room to avoid damage done by scuffs from furniture. Many deep scratches and gouges are impossible to repair, even with hardwood floor refinishing. You should also use curtains and blinds to prevent prolonged sun exposure. Lengthy exposure to the sun can damage the floor’s surface and even change its color.

Cleaning solutions used to clean your hardwood floors should be those made especially for use on wood. Most major stores offer a selection of products that won’t damage your floors. If your floors have been damaged, hardwood floor refinishing might be the only way to repair the damage. Often minor scuffs can be taken care of with a quick repair done by a professional. Since you’ll want to enjoy your floors for many years to come, it’s important to follow these simple steps to keep them looking good as new.

About the Author

Brian Radesic is a hardwood flooring expert who has been in the flooring and home improvement industry for over 20 years. His attention to detail and professionalism set him apart from his competitors. Whether he is working in a residential or commercial venue, Brian Radesic takes great pride in his work and will refinish, repair, or install your floors as if he were installing them in his own home. To learn more on how he can help you, click here now.

Electronic water softeners are steadily becoming more and more popular. In fact, a lot of households now prefer the said softener over the traditional salt-based types and magnetic types. Here are some of the reasons why.

Because electric water softeners use electromagnetic waves instead of salts, these devices have no need for maintenance and have no continuing salt costs. They don’t use salts so you don’t have to keep on buying a fresh batch to reload your softener every time the sodium ions in the beads are completely used up. You also don’t have to take them apart for reloading or install them back after charging. After the initial installation, you don’t have to do anything else to them again; at least not for the next 5 to 20 years.

Compared to the magnetic types, electronic water softeners are not flow-dependent. This means that you don’t have to refit your water lines with smaller pipes just to make sure that the water flow slows down enough for the ions to be magnetized. This particular method is often more costly and often leads to clog ups. In contrast, electronic water softeners are installed in one particular portion of the pipe only, preferably the main line that delivers the water to your home, and are left alone. No retro-fitting required. No costly maintenance performed.

The more recent electronic water softeners are even programmed to send varying electromagnetic pulses that are enough to dissolve the existing scales in your pipes, water heaters, toilets, and faucets. The pulses travel to the pipes and re-dissolve the precipitates produced by previous, less-efficient water softeners. This leads to more efficient washing and flow of water in your whole system.

On the other hand, in order to not disturb other appliances in the house that use electromagnetic signals, like your radio and TV, the newest models operate only with a certain range.

About the Author

http://www.electronicwatersoftener.org

Common causes of fire in a community most likely is from our electrical faulty wiring and it is from our home
wiring. This is the major component of our electrical system that supplies all our electrical needs to some of
our appliances. This is the basic foundation of our load of electricity we get from an existing source of power line.
In order not for us to be worried about – we must secure good quality of wiring where our main load current
would pass before going down separately on each of our outlets.

This could be serious matter since – if you will imagine – the electricity that flows in your ceiling is considered
a fire, it is only on wire insulated that the fire runs. If you will not be using prescribe standard wire that
would stand the amount of load needed – our home wiring will melt down that would ignite fire.

There are some points and factors to be considered why you have to have a safe and secured supply of
electricity through our home wiring.
• Computer systems
• Pay TV cabling
• Video and sound
• Multiple phone lines
• Broadband Internet
• and much more

The very first thing you have to do if you would personally do your home wiring or installing an outlet is to
turn off on the particular circuit that you would be working at or to make it really safe turn off the whole
electricity by turning off the main circuit breaker. Try to double check by using your voltage tester to see if
there are no more electricity running on the connections you would be working with – this is to make it sure
that you would not be electrocuted.

Some of our old appliances would not function well though it would still run but could not save energy
anymore unlike the latest model – besides; some parts and accessories are already obsolete. Once an
accessories of an old devices becomes obsolete – most likely you would be having a hard time looking on that
certain accessories in order to make your old gadgets work again and surely that parts would be so
expensive because of its scarcity. Changing it with new model is risk free and much better in performing.
This would give you a better money saving and would guarantee to last longer.

One thing more to be remembered always; water is one of the best conductor of electricity. There were lots
of people died because of lack of information on this matter. Lots of people died in the rice field working
during rainy season at midst of thunder and lightning. One common places that most like lightning strike
anywhere in the higher, and wider space like rice field. If you are at the higher places during thunder and
lightning occurs – stay inside any shelter.

Also, to minimize electrical mishap one must have basic fundamental know-how – even just simple electricity.
This is to remind us the proper way – based on basic knowledge we acquired – how to do some electrical
job in easier and safer way. Ignorance on knowledge is not an excuse of whatever accident happened.

About the Author

John Daviz loves to write and tell stories about his reliable and
trusted home wiring professionals.
Contacting them is free of charge. Please visit their website at http://accurateelectriclongbeach.com/.