Swimming Pool Maintenance
Many people think that swimming pool maintenance is a whole lot of work. In reality, if you keep up on its cleaning every week, it is fairly easy and can add many hours of entertainment and enjoyment to everyone living in your home. There are basic things that must be done in order to keep it in clean condition. Here are some routine swimming pool maintenance tips to use so that you can have a sparkling, clean pool throughout the summer months.
Mike Silvester has a site http://greenpooltips.com/blog and has some great tips about circulation and filtration. He gives plenty of information so that you don’t need to hire a pool cleaning company. His information is worth taking a look.
- Make sure that your pool pump is working properly. There must be enough pressure for the pump to circulate the water and clean the pool properly. Check your pool pump manual for this information or ask your local pool supply store.
- Brush the pool walls and floor once a week. This is important to keep it free from algae and dirt.
- After brushing, let the water sit for a while so that any accumulated dirt or algae that you have just brushed away will settle to the bottom. It is better to do this with the pool pump off.
- Once settled, you need to vacuum the entire pool, both walls and floor.
- During the week, use a pool net to skim the top of the pool and to remove any leaves or debris that are sitting at the bottom of the pool in order to prevent stains.
- You must either test the water yourself or bring the water to your local pool supply store to be tested at least once a week. This is very important in order to keep the water clear and in good swimming condition. A test kit will have instructions for testing the water. If using a pool company, you must bring a small bottle of pool water for testing so they can tell you what is needed, if anything.
- Retest the pool water if you have had several days of rain. Rain tends to disturb the PH balance.
- If your water level is dropping and you suspect a leak, there are colored formula kits to use to find the leak. Many pool leaks occur at the skimmer box. An easy test is to use blue food coloring in the skimmer box to detect if the leak is located there. Pool supply stores sell underwater caulking and sealant for repairing small leaks.
- If there is black algae growing on the walls, you can remove the head with a pumice stone or chlorine tablet. If using a chlorine table, remember to wear gloves. Just scrape with the stone or tablet to knock off the algae head.
Today there are many pool cleaning systems available. You may be using salt or you may be using chlorine. The important thing is to remember to treat the water and add the necessary chemicals when needed. Remember, during the heat of the summer months, you may have to add additional chemicals and perform swimming pool maintenance more often.
If you have a pool and have some additional helpful tips for keeping it clean, please share them with us.
What’s On Your Credit Report
Do you know what is on your credit report? What do the banks and lender’s see? Are you telling them the truth?
Most people do not realize that there are many items besides credit accounts and credit scores that appear on a credit report. When I worked as a mortgage processor and underwriter, I examined these things to assure the integrity of the loan application. It is up to the lender to make sure that what is reported in black and white matches what someone has stated on their initial loan application. If there is a discrepancy found, be assured that it will be questioned. For this reason, a person should be honest and accurate when completing a loan application. Here are the things you need to know that your lender is checking on.
First - you name. Every credit report has a section that lists every name that you have used. Most times this can be explained just by examining it. These are known as AKAs, also known as. It usually happens for women who have married, or married and divorced. But you may be surprised to know that on many occasions, a man’s alias will show up as his wife’s maiden name. Also, another important error that occurs is the use of Jr., Sr., III. If you use this with your name, then make sure your application also has that attached to your name. If is wise and recommended that an individual use what is appearing on their driver’s license.
Second - residential address. Every credit report also has a section that lists all of your residential addresses with the years that you have lived there. Mortgages require a strict two year residential history. Often times, this must also be verified with a landlord. If it was a home that you previously owned, it would be verified with the mortgage account listed on your credit report and/or county records that are easily accessible over the internet. Many people just put down their current address and state that they are living there for two years. This will always be discovered upon with further examination of your credit report and, most definitely, you will be questioned. Be sure to list your two year residential history correctly on your initial application in order to avoid this scenario.
Third - employment. Another item that shows up on all credit reports is your employment history. Again, verifying employment with your employer is necessary and requires a two year history. If you are working somewhere for twenty-one months and state that you have been employed there for two years, it will come up and you will be required to disclose the necessary information. In addition, through the credit report, the lender can see how many jobs you have had over the years and if you were ever self employed. Again, be honest and specific when providing this information to your lender.
It is very important to fill out your initial loan application honestly. It should be as accurate as possible since this is probably the most important part of the whole venture. It will make the process go quicker and easier. You will get less phone calls from the lender’s office and ultimately, everyone will have less stress.
This has probably happened to a lot of people, so go ahead and share your experience with the rest of us.
Kitchen Supplies
You’re probably thinking that this is about gadgets and cookware. Well, since I’m Italian, it’s really about kitchen supplies for Italian cooking.
Each day there seems to be a new recipe being created for another Italian style dish. Browsing through recipe sites and television food channels, it always amazes me that everyone has started to add so many different ingredients to a very old style of cooking. Quite honestly, some of them are completely new to me. As an Italian American myself, my kitchen supplies are quite simple when it comes to ingredients and food staples for Italian cooking.
There are different styles of cooking Italian food. There is northern Italian food which closely resembles French food with creamy, white sauces. Then there is southern Italian food which is red sauces and clear sauces. The only style I am very familiar with is the southern Italian food style which I grew up with and have continued to cook throughout the years. This is still the traditional style of Italian cooking with my own family. With very few food staples always on hand, you can create these meals every day. Using these ingredients, each meal comes out with an authentic Italian food flavor. Another bonus is that these staples do not spoil but will last a long time and your Italian dishes will always tastes delicious.
Spices
Basil
Parsley
Black Pepper
Red Pepper Flakes
Oregano
Fennel Seeds
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
Salt (only needed if you use it - I never add salt to food)
Cheese
Mozzarella Cheese (always keep one in the freezer)
Pecorino Romano grating cheese - imported cheese which is made from sheep’s milk. This is a must have for flavor.
Other Items
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Vegetable Oil for frying
Red Wine Vinegar
Fresh Garlic and Fresh Onions (these can spoil if not used)
Cans of crushed, pureed and diced tomatoes for sauces
Small sliced pepperoni (can be kept frozen)
Bread crumbs (unseasoned)
Chick Peas
Cannellini Beans
Sweet Peas
Frozen bread dough (used for making pizza or stromboli)
Macaroni (different styles such as ziti and rigatoni)
Spaghetti
Italian Bread (keep in refrigerator or freezer)
With just these listed items, you can create great Italian food which is really very simple and inexpensive to make. Native Italians knew how to make meals that had tasty ingredients but yet cost very little. Also, an added bonus is that it is classic Mediterranean style cooking which has great health benefits. It also does not take a whole lot of time and effort to cook these meals. Some spaghetti dishes can be made in less than one-half hour.
So if you like Italian food, begin by stocking your pantry with these kitchen supplies for Italian cooking. Recipes are easy to understand, ingredients are easy to find and the food is delicious.
What other basic ingredients and kitchen supplies do you keep on hand? Share with everyone in the comments box below.
Garage Storage
Every once in a while we have to tackle the clutter that has built up in the garage. For some reason, anything we don’t want in the house ends up there and it can get quite messy. It’s really a great idea to create garage storage that is clean, neat and accessible. It will surely make your life much easier when you are looking for something. So let’s see how we can organize garage storage that is smart, neat and easy.
Overhead storage
There is a lot of wasted space up at the ceiling. Many times you can build a hanging shelf from the ceiling in the garage. This is actually placed above the garage door. It is great for storing extra pieces of wood and molding, window storm shutters or any other items that lay flat.
Cabinets
Install tall cabinets against the wall for storing hobby supplies and recreational items. If building these yourself, take advantage of all of the extra room and build them from floor to ceiling. Make sure that the shelves are adjustable. Keep a ladder in the garage so that you can get to the top shelves. If you plan on placing the cabinet against the back wall opposite the garage door, make sure that there is enough room for your vehicle to fit with the garage door closed.
Build cubby holes out of plywood and secure to studs. These are great for storing coolers, camping gear, boxes.
Labeling
To easily find things, label each cabinet shelf and drawer. You can also paint the cabinets with chalkboard paint and write on them with chalk which can easily be erased when rearranging.
Organizing
- Store items like screws, nuts and bolts, etc. in clear containers or bins so that you can easily identify what you are looking for. Recycle jars to do this. Also try this space saving idea; screw the top of a jar to the underside of a shelf and then screw on the jar.
- Use bins and drawers for larger items.
- Use pegboards to hang household and garden tools.
- Organize similar items together such as paint and paint brushes and rollers.
Workbench
Build a workbench in between two cabinets or create one with fold down legs. You will appreciate the space to work on repairs, hobbies or even gardening.
Grid Storage\
Use grid units to hang shovels, ladders, rakes. You can also use these to hang items such as skis and poles.
Bike Racks
Install a wall or ceiling bike rack.
The most efficient garage storage is to make use of all available space against all of the walls and the ceiling. Get everything off of the floor so that the floor is reserved for vehicles. There is so much garage storage available as long as it is orderly and not cluttered. Make good use of it.
Do you have other garage storage solutions that you can share with us? Please tell us using the comments section below.
Blog Carnival - Edition No. 2
Welcome to the June 18, 2008 edition of a Carnival of Everything Home. What a Carnival!! This carnival has brought 71 great submissions. Please take the time to visit each one. Remember to include a link back to this post. And welcome to my new website which has been giving me a little bit of a headache these days. I’ve been working on it everyday and just about every night so that it would be ready for this carnival that I promised everyone. Hopefully, by the next carnival I will have all of the kinks cleaned up (such as - the links are all there but the colors are not showing up). So go ahead and enjoy and get to know your fellow bloggers.
Keep a watch over at Blog Carnival for updates to the carnival. I may begin to host this twice per month since there are so many submissions. http://blogcarnival.com/bc/cprof_4093.html
GREEN LIVING
Mark Schauss presents What do the Numbers on Your Fruits and Vegetables Mean? posted at Toxic World Blog - Detoxify and Heal Your Body.
Lars presents Plant a Tree Today - How and why to plant a tree so that it grows fast and healthy! posted at InsightsandAdvice.com, saying, “How and WHY as a homeowner you should plant a tree TODAY!”
Sagar presents 100 Ways to Scale Down Your Life posted at EcoTrekker.
Busy Bee Kim presents 10 Easy Ways to Go Green posted at Busy Bee Lifestyle.
jay presents Everything you need to know about Fertilizer posted at Redz Landscaping.
nichole halsey presents Build this: Solar Food Dryer posted at Bad Human! Don’t take chemicals from strangers!.
GP presents Go Green to save Green posted at Innstyle Montana- Come on Inn, saying, “t’s no coincidence that most frugal people are environmentally conscious, and vice versa. Frugal lifestyle choices tend to be environmentally friendly choices. What a win - win.. for your pocketbook and the plane”
Kathy Hester (GeekyPoet) presents Grow your own lettuce posted at Geek, Poet, Housewife Wannabe. presents Save Money, Save the Planet posted at Healthy Savings.
Woman Divorce Support presents Using Organic Fertilizers For A Healthy Lawn | Spring Lawn Care - Lawn Care Tips posted at Lawn Care Tips, saying, “Many people want to have a beautiful lawn without all of the harmful effects of synthetic fertilizers.”
Eco-mama presents Natural Carpet Disinfectant & Deodoriser - The Power of Baking Soda posted at ecopolitan living, saying, “Multi-purpose, eco-friendly and economical Baking Soda - use this to clean your homes instead of chemical commercial products for a healthier lifestyle.”
Sara Ost presents 5 Bright Ideas to Save Energy posted at Sara Ost.
Sarah presents Why Is Proper Lawn Clipping Height So Important? | Spring Lawn Care - Lawn Care Tips posted at Lawn Care Tips, saying, “The importance of the clipping height of your lawn
Lovelyn presents Natural Spider Repellent posted at The Art of Balanced Living.
Tip Diva presents Tip Diva | Top Ten Tips - Reduce Your Water Usage posted at Tip Diva, saying, “Whether you live in an area with a water shortage or drought, or just want to be a little more green, here are ways you can reduce your water usage”
Teri presents Earth Friendly Cleaning posted at Teri’s Organic Garden, saying, “In this post you’ll find several recipes for handy - environmentally friendly cleaners that WORK!”
Stefanie S. presents 4 Non-toxic Products for Spring Cleaning posted at Focus Organic.com.
valereee presents Strawberry Preserves (no-pectin recipe) posted at Cincinnati Locavore, saying, “Make your own preserves from local berries — there are 2 secrets to no-pectin strawberry preserves!”
Jocelyn @ A Pondering Heart presents Pondür Me This Giveaway! posted at A Pondering Heart, saying, “I found a site called Pondur that carries organic baby clothes and I wanted to not only share, but give one away too!”
Sarah presents Ridding Your Lawn of Gophers, Moles and Other Rodents | Spring Lawn Care - Lawn Care Tips posted at Lawn Care Tips, saying, “If you’ve ever turned your ankle in a gopher hole, you know that these animal pests can be hazardous as well as make your lawn look unsightly.”
Maria presents Backyard Gardening: Frugal and Fun posted at Frugal Homesteading Blog. Growing some of your own food is green, frugal and fun. Here’s how to save money on your backyard garden.
FRUGAL
Rachel presents Top ten useful tips for in the kitchen posted at Bakedblog.com - a Mothers blog about baking, cooking, parenting, and enjoying all things in Life., saying, “Some of these tips are older, but they are all good and very useful!”
Brice Hogan presents How to Save $100 a Month posted at Financialzip.com.
Richard McLaughlin presents Shopping@UK.Shopping.com posted at Oh, the Places You’ll Go, saying, “I ran into a pretty cool site today for We Europeans, Shopping.com in the UK Searches a range of goods from computers, garden products, furniture, lingerie, jewelery & clothing - pretty much anything that you could want to buy, and they include product reviews both for the products reviewed and for the stores selling the product.”
James presents Being Frugal and Bargain Hunting posted at Ways To Simplify.
Dereck presents Want to be rich? Then shut up and listen posted at I Will Not Die.
Body For Life Results presents 5 Money Saving Tips To Help You Survive The Credit Crunch posted at Tame Your Debt.
HOME IMPROVEMENT
Praveen presents Tao of Simplicity: Clear the Clutter! posted at Tao of Simplicity.
Sagar presents 10 Most Beautiful, Unique and Amazing Celebrity Homes posted at International Listings Blog.
Linda W. presents Signs And Symptoms Of Dust Mite Allergies posted at The Eclectic Female, saying, “How to tell if you might be suffering from dust mite allergies.”
sarah presents Keep calm and carry on posted at SARAHSPY.
A Keeper’s Jackpot presents Spring Cleaning In Full Bloom posted at A Keeper’s Jackpot.
Woman Tribune presents The Ultimate Bed posted at Woman Tribune.
Amy L. presents Which Mattress Is Best For You? posted at Housekeeping Tips, saying, “Every year, thousands of people purchase mattresses, only to find that their new mattresses are as uncomfortable as the old ones.”
Amy L. presents Accessing Mattress Durability posted at Housekeeping Tips, saying, “If you’re going to spend money on a new mattress, you’ll want to know how long it’s going to last.”
Astrid Lee presents Why You Must Consider The Healing Powers of Colors When Choosing Color Schemes For Your Home posted at World Healing, saying, “Thanks to Home Improvement shows, home owners want their houses outfitted with just what they saw on television. However, perhaps before racing off to the paint shops, it may be best to take a look at color significance and their respective healing powers. An article for inspiration and insight into your world!”
Margaret Mary presents Sanderson Fabrics posted at The Earthly Paradise.
Amy L. presents Should You Buy a Mattress and a Box Spring Set? posted at Housekeeping Tips, saying, “Since most furniture stores sell mattresses and box springs as sets, you may have just assumed that you’ll need to buy a whole new bed if your mattress wears out.”
Andrew Caxton presents Coffee Tables Buying Tips posted at Home Decorating Reviews Blog.
Tip Diva presents Top Ten Tips - Stocking And Organizing A Medicine Cabinet posted at Tip Diva, saying, “Everyone should have a medicine cabinet in their homes in case of a sickness or an emergency. Here’s what to do to make sure you’re stocked and prepared”
Tip Diva presents Top Ten Tips - Getting Ready For Summer posted at Tip Diva, saying, “Temperatures have finally started creeping up and flowers are blooming everywhere. They can only mean one thing - summer is coming! Make sure you’re prepared before the season comes”
Tip Diva presents Tip Diva | Top Ten Tips - Cleaning A Room posted at Tip Diva, saying, “Ahh, spring. Flowers are blooming, spring is in the air - and for many, it’s a time to tidy up the house. Whether it’s a basement, bedroom, bathroom or garage, here are some tips to make the job easier”
Vera Lang presents posted at Be Safe Insure .com, saying, “Emergencies & natural disaster can happen everywhere. Prepare to be safe and well for when this happens. Besides immediate responsiveness to get out of danger, these Top 10 Disaster Preparation Steps can help you and your family to take care of yourselves.”
Jason presents Big Blue Box posted at Zola Jones Designs by Jason Loper, saying, “This blog often features posts about home decorating.”
Alanna presents Don’t Get Taken to the Cleaners by Carpet Cleaners posted at BBB Consumer Education.
Rt @ Real Muscle Online presents Better Work: How You Can Easily Simplify Your Workspace posted at The Daily Mind - Making the Daily Grind Meaningful, saying, “making your home office simple and clean”
George L Smyth presents One Minute How-To - How To Get Organized And Stay Motivated posted at George L Smyth, saying, “Paris Love explains the most important element to getting organized and maintaining that commitment.”
Vera Lang presents Tornado Preparedness: Tips for Family Safety posted at Be Safe Insure .com, saying, “Oh, not as sexy a topic as getting new tomatoes planted, this spring topic is however of value, as it well,, can save your life. With the arrival of spring comes the threat of severe weather and dangerous tornadoes that can strike without warning. Did you know: 1. More than 1000 tornadoes occur each year. At least 20 of those will be violent. 2. Tornadoes are most likely to strike between 5-7 p-m. 3. May and June have the most tornado activity …..”
REAL ESTATE
Michael. presents Rule to Grow Rich By #1: The Best Home Renovation posted at Michael Emilio.
Joe Manausa presents Open Houses - Did You Know? posted at Tallahassee Real Estate Blog, saying, “One technique that real estate professionals use to meet more buyers is to hold an “Open House” on a home for sale. Statistically, there is less than a 1% chance of selling that home due to the Open house, so you might wonder why do it at all.”
Joe Manausa presents Short Sale Advice posted at Tallahassee Real Estate Blog, saying, “Some Short Sale Advice If you own a home that is highly leveraged (read that to mean that you borrowed as much money on it as you could sometime in the past three years) and you need to move for one reason or another, you need to know that you basically have four options right now:”
Joe Manausa presents How To Analyze Real Estate - The Real Estate Stack posted at Tallahassee Real Estate Blog, saying, “the Real Estate Stack. This is the most basic of measurement models which allows an investor to take an investment and convert it to a mathematical model so that it can be compared with all other investment opportunities.”
Joe Manausa presents Frustrated Homeowners posted at Tallahassee Real Estate Blog, saying, “there are no “painless” solutions to the housing problems until inventories return to a more balanced level. So what should my frustrated homeowner do?”
OTHER
Theresa L. Twogood presents Big Picture Progressive Exposure posted at OLIN e-Book e-Publishing.
Madeleine Begun Kane presents A Squirrely Lesson posted at Mad Kane’s Humor Blog.
Sam Carrara presents 10th Wedding Anniversary posted at Sam Carrara’s Marketing Education.
Michael Snyder presents posted at Shattered Paradigm.
slee presents Building a Genius Baby…..One Language at a Time posted at Learning by Ear.
James D. Brausch presents posted at Lone Star Times.
David Cassell presents Keeping Your Study Skills Razor Sharp posted at selectcoursesblog.com.
Sheila Danzig presents Distance Learning Online: Educational Degree Programs that Benefit You posted at Degree Talk Blog.
Jose DeJesus MD presents Creating Incentives and Recognizing Excellence in Your Employees posted at Physician Entrepreneur.
Fiona Lohrenz presents The Big ‘No’! posted at Child Care Only.
Greg Laden presents Home Chemistry: A New Guide for Hobbyists and Home Schoolers posted at Greg Laden’s Blog.
AdmirableIndia.com presents Trip to Chikmagalur: Day 2: Trekking in Mullaiyanagiri, highest peak of Karnataka, Kalathgiri Falls and Raj Bhavan, Kemmangundi posted at AdmirableIndia.com.
Mike Remer presents Oh, Oh! Here Come the Holidays and the Cold Weather | My Path To Fitness Blog posted at My Path To Fitness Blog.
Brent Diggs presents Powersaw Poetry - A Toothsome Tale of Love posted at The Ominous Comma, saying, “A humorous poem dedicated to the fine art of yard improvement.”
James Brausch presents Measurements posted at Weight Loss Dude.
That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of a carnival of everything home using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.
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