April 2013 Archives - 8/17 - Talk Local Blog

Archive for April, 2013

Wednesday, April 17th, 2013

We all know that cardio exercises are good for the heart and a great way to get rid of that extra weight we’re sick of carrying around, but it’s hard to figure out which form of cardio is best for you.

Runners generally tend to be healthier than non-runners, but even still, they must decide the benefits of running on a treadmill vs track. Neither option is inherently better or worse than the other, but both have different benefits. A personal trainer might be able to tell you which best fits your unique needs.

Running On A Treadmill:

– You can track your speed and distance very easily on a treadmill. If your goal is to be able to run at a certain speed, a treadmill can help you start out. When you run on a treadmill, you set the speed to a certain number based on how many miles per hour you want to run. Speed “6,” for example, is running at six miles per hour. By doing this, you can insure that your training level is where you need it to be.

– Treadmills have pre-determined workout programs that might help you. Whether you’re trying to run intervals, get your heart rate up or focus on burning the most calories, you can usually find a treadmill program that meets your needs and keeps your workout regulated.

– Most treadmills come equipped with heart rate monitors. Although these are not 100% guaranteed and do not work as well as an individualized heart rate monitor, they do help you keep a general idea of how much your heart is working.

Running On A Track:

– If you hope to be a distance runner, or to compete in races, running on a track might be better for you. Wind resistance, varying inclines, and temperature all play into outdoor running. Running on a track (inside or outside) can help prepare you for that.

– Track running can help you build endurance on your own instead of relying on a treadmill to set the pace. This way, you can easily find your own natural pace by timing yourself and then work to run faster or further on your own terms.

– Running on a track is somewhat safer than a treadmill just because of the falling risk. If you fall on a treadmill, you risk injuring yourself if the treadmill keeps going. Falling on a track may hurt, but it’s a one-time type of injury.

Both of these options help you build endurance and improve your cardiac health. Running on a treadmill vs a track will help you stay in shape no matter what you choose.

Consult A Local Personal Trainer

If you need help with your fitness level, TalkLocal can connect you to the fitness professionals in your area. We take the work out of your search so you can focus on the healthy lifestyle you want and need.

Posted in Gyms & Fitness | No Comments »

Tips For Power Washing Vinyl Siding

Wednesday, April 17th, 2013

Before you decide to replace that dingy looking vinyl siding, consider the cheaper method of power washing. Often, vinyl siding only looks shabby because dirt or mildew has attached itself to the sides. A thorough cleaning can make the house look brand new, boosting its curb appeal.

Here are five tips for power washing vinyl siding:

1. Seal up all windows, doors and vents to prevent water from penetrating the house. Cover any electrical outlets that may be exposed as well.

2. Pre-wash. Soaking the area in warm water can greatly help the effectiveness of the cleaning detergent. It will loosen up dirt or mildew that has hardened to the surface.

3. Determine the type of debris on your siding. Mildew might be more difficult to remove than a light dusting of dirt. Spray a solution of bleach water on mildew prior to the cleaning. This will kill the fungus and help remove it more effectively.

4. Choose the right detergent. Not all detergents are created equally. Some are designed to clean driveways, fencing, or other household needs. If your detergent is not designed for siding, it may be too strong or too weak for your job.

5. Cover your plants. Many detergents may contain chemicals that are harmful to your flowers and shrubs. Cover them with a large sheet of plastic prior to washing.

Power washing your home is a relatively inexpensive way to give it a fresh look, and considering these tips for power washing vinyl siding prior to the cleaning will make sure your project is a success.

Need Extra Help?

If you are unsure if your home is a good candidate for this method of cleaning, or are worried you may not be able to get to the top stories of your home, you may need to call in an expert.

TalkLocal can put you in touch with a qualified handyman that lives in your area. Our service is absolutely free and you will be speaking to a professional in minutes.

Tags: power washing, power washing vinyl siding, vinyl siding
Posted in Handyman | No Comments »

Custom Built Computer Problems

Wednesday, April 17th, 2013

You’ve finished building your first computer, which means it’s smooth sailing from here, right? Not entirely true. There are a few common problems for custom built computers, especially if it’s the first one you’ve built. The suggestions below address some of the most common custom built computer problems, so you can enjoy a perfectly functioning machine — that you happened to build with your bare hands!

Custom Built Computer Problems…And Fixes

1. Check that the 4-pin or 8-pin CPU power connector is plugged in. This is also called the “12v ATX.” You computer receives its power through this connector.

2. Check that the power connectors are attached to the video card.

3. Ensure that the video card is properly attached.

4. Check that standoffs are installed in the appropriate place on the motherboard. A misplaced standoff can cause a short, which stops your computer from booting.

5. Check that the memory modules are properly attached.

6. Try starting your computer with only one RAM installed.

7. Ensure that you are using the right RAM slots for the motherboard.

8. Inspect the motherboard for bent pins.

9. Check that you plugged in the CPU fan.

10. Ensure that you turned on the power supply switch behind the PSU.

11. Look for any loose screws.

12. Check that there are no wires under the motherboard. The soldered wires can cause a short by cutting the insulation of other wires.

Get Professional Help

Custom built computer problems can be tricky to solve because of the unique combination of the computer’s components. When in doubt, have a professional take a look at your computer to diagnose your problem. TalkLocal can connect you directly to local computer repair services within minutes. Fill out an online service request and state your location, availability, and problem once –because nobody likes repeating their computer problems — and TalkLocal will find multiple service providers who can help you.

Posted in Computer Repair | No Comments »

Car Heater Hose Replacement

Wednesday, April 17th, 2013

As your car is running, the engine generates a lot of heat. In order to stop your vehicle from overheating, water and antifreeze are sent throughout your engine to help keep the system cool. If the car’s heater hose is faulty, it will need to be replaced immediately. A faulty heater hose can cause your car to overheat. Here are some tips for car heater hose replacement.

Car Heater Hose Replacement

1. The number one thing to do once you realize that your engine is overheating is to open up the hood and let the engine cool down by airing it out. Do not touch any part of the engine because it will be very hot. Wait as long as an hour so that you do not get burned trying to fix the problem.

2. Once the steam and smoke disperses check for any splits, tears, or leaks in the hoses.

3. If you find that there is a fault in the heater hose you will need to cut out the bad section. Clamp the hose on both ends of the leak and cut the tear out.

4. Now you will need to attach a coupling and apply coolant to is so it is lubricated. Insert the coupling into the hose at one end and tighten the clamp on it. Add a second clamp to the other end of the hose and push the two together.

5. Once the hose is together, tighten the clamps. The hose is fragile, so don’t be too violent with it.

6. Put more water into the radiator. This will allow you to drive to the closest service area.

Warning: The process described above is not a permanent fix, so do not drive more than 10 minutes. Find a service station to have your hose properly repaired or replaced.

Find A Mechanic

At this point you will need a mechanic. Use TalkLocal to find a reliable auto mechanic near you. Just tell use what you need, where you are, and your availability, and we’ll find the right mechanic for you, when you need them!

Posted in Auto Repair | 1 Comment »

New Roof Cost

Tuesday, April 16th, 2013

A new roof is one of those rainy-day fund type of costs that you may have to deal with. A storm that causes severe damage, a time-worn home; there are many things that can cause you to need a new roof. This is an expensive deal, and may vary depending on what type of replacement roof you are looking for.

Here is a simple guide to help you figure out your approximate new roof cost. Again, these are only estimates. A roofing contractor should be able to provide you with a more accurate estimate depending on your home and the type of roofing you’re looking for.

New Roof Cost Guide

For the purposes of this guide all costs will reference an estimate for a roof size of 1,700 to 2,100 square feet.

Who Is Doing the Roofing? The number one difference in new roof cost comes from whether or not you do the replacement by yourself. If you do decide to take on the task of roofing your own home, you will only face the cost of buying the materials. You will have to sacrifice a lot of time, but it may be worth it, as hiring a roofing contractor can be costly.

Replacing a roof of 1,700-2,100 square feet with asphalt shingles can cost between $680 and $3,700. If you hire a professional, the cost will run between $1,700 and $8,400.

Type of Materials Used: Another cost to consider is the quality and type of replacement shingles you want to use for your new roof. You can decide to use wood, tile, metal, slate, or asphalt. The choices are many. Wood shingles for our example house size will cost between $7,000 and $20,000 on your own. With re-roofers it can cost up from $12,500 to $19,000.

Tile roofing can run from $7,700 to $21,000 alone, and with professional help it rises to between $12,000 and $30,000.

Metal is more expensive, typically running $5,000-$21,000. Hired roofers will cost between $12,000 and $40,000.

Slate materials will cost you between $17,00 and $84,000 and even more if you want to have the roof installed for you.

Size and Shape Of Your Home: The cost of new roofing can be much higher if your roof is more than 1,700-2,100 square feet. Each section of the roof also adds costs, so if your home is irregularly-shaped, this could affect the cost of a new roof.

Get Estimates to Replace Your Roof

If you are looking to get new roofing for your home, speak with a roofing company to find out your new roof cost. TalkLocal with connect you with up to three roofing professionals in your area, who will be able to answer your questions about your new roof cost.

Posted in Roofers | No Comments »

Best Drinking Water Filter

Tuesday, April 16th, 2013

Spending money on bottled water can get ridiculous and prove to be a budget buster. At the same time, picking the best drinking water filter can get confusing and frustrating. There are certain aspects of a drinking water filter you want to make sure you understand before shopping around. Knowing a bit about what they do can make finding the best drinking water filter much easier and save you a lot of money in the long run. We’re here to tell you how to make sure you’re getting what you need from your filter.

Find Out What Is In Your Water First

Knowing what you need to filter out helps you narrow down your choices. You can learn about this through the Consumer Confidence Report that local facilities include in your monthly water bill and have available on demand. Different types of filters are more and less effective at removing different contaminants, so having this information will greatly help you.

Decide Which Filtration System Suits Your Needs

The current market boasts multiple filtration systems, including:

– Pitcher filters: These are pitchers that you can pour water into straight from the tap. The water goes through a removable filter before falling into the pitcher, which means it is already clean to drink when you are ready to pour from the filter. You may want a pitcher filter if you want to refrigerate your drinking water or keep filtered water separate from unfiltered water.

– Sink filters: This type of filter actually attaches to your sink’s nozzle. The water is immediately filtered when you lift the handle. In some designs, the water is only filtered if you press a specific button to send it through the filtration channel. This might suit your needs if you plan to use filtered water very often and don’t want to bother with refilling the pitcher every time.

– Handheld water bottle filters: These are just like typical, reusable water bottles that you can carry with you everywhere, but they have a filter inside that cleans your water before it hits your mouth.

– Figure out the life-span of your filter. Every filter will need to be changed and refreshed to insure that your water is as clean as possible. Some can last one month before requiring a change; others can last up to six months or more. Depending on the filter’s life span, the price may go up.

After answering these questions for yourself, you should be better prepared to shop for the best drinking water filter that suits your needs.

Have A Professional Look At Your Water Issues

If you need professional help picking out a filter or would prefer to have all of your home’s water filtered, TalkLocal can help you get those answers as well. Simply type your request into a form on our website and we’ll have area professionals contact you immediately, ready to help.

Posted in Appliances Repair | No Comments »

My Cat Keeps Throwing Up

Tuesday, April 16th, 2013

Pets can get sick for various reasons. Understanding your cat inside-out is crucial to its well-being. Before you call the vet screaming, “Help! My cat keeps throwing up!” you should learn the possible signs and causes of vomiting.

Possible Symptoms of Cat Throwing Up

Your cat will retch, heave, and expel any food that may be partially digested and covered in slimy mucus. A yellow liquid called bile will be present in the vomit. Look out for traces of blood in your cat’s vomit, as this could indicate more serious health issues such as ulcers or even cancer. Take a sample of the vomit to show the veterinarian. The doctor will likely run tests to better assess your cat’s situation.

Causes of Cat Throwing Up

Many conditions could cause your cat to throw up, so it is important that you are aware of the possibilities.

– Cancer

– Ulcers

– Tumors

– Gastritis

– Liver failure

– Heartworm disease

– Food allergies

– Stress/anxiety

Pay close attention to your cat’s symptoms so that you can speak to your veterinarian about why your cat is throwing up; film your cat, if necessary, especially if it is exhibiting unusual behavior.

Distinguish Between a Hairball and Vomit

A hairball will have several hair particles in it. A cat does not cough up hairballs very often. It depends on the length of their fur, shedding, grooming, if they swallow the hair, and how their stomachs react. The frequency of hairballs can range from once a week to once a month; it really depends on your cat.

Take Your Cat to A Veterinarian

If your cat is throwing up food or throwing up often, it is not a hairball, and you should contact your local veterinarian. TalkLocal will connect you with up to three, reputable veterinarians in your area, saving you the time and hassle of finding one yourself.

Posted in Veterinarians | No Comments »

Certain Laptop Keys Are Not Working

Tuesday, April 16th, 2013

Have you ever been in the middle of speed-typing an essay/email/cover letter when you realized that certain keys on your laptop’s keyboard are not working? When certain laptop keys are not working, it is likely not an issue with the entire keyboard, but more likely with those individual keys. We have some tips that may help when certain laptop keys are not working.

Certain Laptop Keys Are Not Working

1. It is recommend that you first buy a can of compressed air. Use this to spray down the keyboard to loosen and clean any dirt or food stuck under the keys preventing. By cleaning under the keys, you will clear anything under the keyboard that is disrupting your key strokes from going through.

2. If there are only several keys that are not responding, look at the manual of your computer and look at the keyboard section. If the manual states that keys can pop off the keyboard, pop off the affected keys with a flat-head screw driver, clean them, put them back on, and try using them again.

3. There is also a membrane under the keys in the keyboard. If the keys were pressed too hard, then the membrane may have been destroyed for several keys. If you are confident enough to open up the keyboard, you can buy a membrane that fits your keyboard and replace it.

4. There may also be a problem with the connector cable for the keyboard. If the cable is loose, it may disrupt a column or two of keys. When the keyboard is open, push the cable back in firmly and securely.

5. Try to plug in an external keyboard into the laptop with a USB cable. If the new keyboard works correctly, then it is evident that there is a problem with the original keyboard. If the second keyboard does not work correctly, there may be a problem with the computer and device manager. In this case, uninstall the driver then re-install it.

Additional Help

If you would like a computer repair technician to take a look at your faulty keyboard, just use TalkLocal. Just tell us what you need, where you are, and your availability, and we will find the right professionals, who will then call YOU directly, ready to help. Our service is fast and free, so try it out!

Posted in Computer Repair | No Comments »

TV Remote Buttons Not Working

Tuesday, April 16th, 2013

Are your TV remote buttons not working? There are many reasons why the buttons on a TV remote may not work, so keep reading to try and figure out why your remote isn’t working, and how you may be able to fix it.

TV Remote Buttons Not Working?

1. First check the batteries of your TV remote. Try replacing the batteries with the correct type of battery (AAA or AA) as well as checking to see if the batteries are good before placing them into the remote. If this doesn’t solve the problem, consider other aspects of the problem.

2. The signal from the remote might be not reaching the television. Ensure that there are no obstructions to the TV’s receiver which may be blocking the remote’s signal from reaching the TV. Blockages, especially metal or other electronic equipment signals, could hamper the signal from the television remote to the receiver – move the blockages (radios, metal decorations, etc) in order to improve the reception between the two devices.

3. Did you drop the remote or was it in contact with water recently? That implies that the board and wiring inside the remote may have been damaged, and the remote should be replaced. This could also indicate that the LED (the signal transmitter) may have been pushed inside the remote, trapping the signals inside the remote – if that is the case, simple adjust the LED back to its original position.

The television receiver may have been damaged – if you recall anything happening to the TV or its receiver, you should consider having a professional look at it. You may just want to consider buying a new receiver that can be hooked up to your television.

Additional Help

If you feel like you need professional help with your remote or TV, TalkLocal can help. We will connect you with up to three TV repair professionals in your area who will be able to help you!

Posted in TV Repair | No Comments »

Symptoms Of Kidney Failure In Dogs

Monday, April 15th, 2013

Kidney failure in dogs is usually hard to detect until a significant portion of the kidney is destroyed. The kidney will often try to cope with the remaining part, but eventually it won’t be able to keep up filtering waste chemicals from the dog’s bloodstream. Harmful chemicals that are a byproduct of the dog’s protein-heavy diet begin to build up in its bloodstream, such as ammonia, nitrogen, and acids. Symptoms of kidney failure in dogs (also known as uremia) are similar to those in cats, and can include:

– Apathy

– Depression

– Lethargy

– Loss of appetite

– A dry coat

– Vomiting

– Increased thirst

– Weight loss

– Diarrhea

– Constipation

– Frequent urination

– Blood in the urine

– Blindness

– Ammonia breath

– Ulcers in the mouth

– Brownish discoloration of the tongue

Treatments For Kidney Failure In Dogs

There is no treatment for chronic kidney failure, but a lifestyle adjusted to deal with kidney failure could lengthen and slow down the kidney failure’s progression. A diet with low amounts of protein, salt, phosphorus, and calcium is recommended for dogs with kidney failure. There are diets specially formulated for dogs with kidney failure, with high levels of potassium and polyunsaturated acids that have been proven to be beneficial to kidney health. However, these diets tend to be bland, so a bit of flavoring is often added to make it more appealing to dogs. A large supply of fresh water is also very important, as water will go through the dog’s body very quickly.

Find A Veterinarian

The most important thing you need to do if your dog is showing symptoms of kidney failure is to get it to a veterinarian. It’s very hard to determine how far the kidney failure has gone in your dog, and the precise treatment needed for a dog of your breed and size. Use TalkLocal to find a vet right now in just minutes, for free!

Posted in Veterinarians | No Comments »

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