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Thursday, February 7th, 2013

Mold is a naturally growing fungus, but discovering it in your home can have very dangerous consequences. In nature, it holds a beneficial purpose, but when trapped within the confines of warm and humid environments, such as in your basement or bathrooms, mold can grow exponentially, presenting serious health risks. If mold is touched or inhaled, it can lead to severe allergic reactions, heavy and muffled breathing, rashes, eye and throat irritation, coughing, and serious respiratory problems.

How to Remove Mold from Carpet

If you have discovered mold in your carpet, here’s what you can do to kill and remove it.

1. Locate the source of the problem. If you discover mold in areas where there are plumbing leaks and/or excessive moisture, this is another problem in itself, and a plumber should be contacted to fix any leak.

2. If the moldy area is small enough to handle on your own, the next step would be to acquire protective gear. This can include gloves, goggles and even protective masks to prevent inhalation.

3. Often times, the mold is coming from underneath the carpet as well. You may have to pull or cut up the carpet to get to the flooring underneath. Be sure to open some windows for ventilation during the cleaning (and drying) process.

4. Do a base cleaning of the carpet; use a steam cleaner containing water and cleaning detergent to scrub away the mold from the carpet. Be sure to suck up all of the water, and repeat the process until the water being sucked up is clear. Do the same with the flooring underneath.

5. Use a mixture of hypochlorite solution (household bleach) and water to further deep clean and disinfect the area. It is critical to not overcompensate on bleach, so try using a 1 cup per gallon ratio of water concentration. Let this solution set in for 10-15 minutes, and then use the steam cleaner again to completely suck up all the moisture.

6. One of the most important steps is the final one: drying. You have to be sure to let the carpet area dry completely, or else the mold will grow right back. Use a fan, a heater, open windows and even a dehumidifier to ensure the carpet is 100% dry. Check afterwards for any remaining mold.

Preventing mold growth in the future can be done by reducing the overall humidity in your home. Moist environments help mold thrive, so with the use of a dehumidifier, the risk of mold can be decreased significantly. In addition, avoid having carpet in those particularly moist areas, especially bathrooms and laundry rooms.

Additional Help

If the area is too big to conquer yourself, try contacting a professional. If you need a professional carpet cleaning service to help remove mold from carpet, try using TalkLocal to find one near you. TalkLocal is a free service that will connect you with top-quality carpet cleaners in your neighborhood, within minutes. Simply enter in your problem, location and availability and TalkLocal will contact multiple professionals, who will then call YOU directly, ready to help.

Posted in Carpet Cleaners | No Comments »

How to Prepare a Financial Audit

Wednesday, February 6th, 2013

All companies that are publicly traded are required to release a financial audit report to guarantee the accuracy of their financial statement. There are very specific guidelines for financial audit reports that you must follow. This article will help you learn how to prepare a financial audit report.

How to Prepare a Financial Audit Report

A financial audit report should be written like a business letter — clear and without excess flowery language. You must always use the standard format for a financial audit report, which is as follows:

1. Introduction

2. Responsibilities of Directors and Auditors

3. Basis of Opinion and the Opinion

Beginning of a Financial Audit Report

The title of your financial audit report should always be “Independent Auditor’s Report.”

In your heading, you should make sure to include the following:

– the name of your company

– the name of the author of the report

– the address of your company

Write an address to the shareholders and board of directors of your company. Although you want to make sure that it is directed towards all audiences, you should treat your readers as if they are intelligent and knowledgable about how the stock market works.

Introduction of a Financial Audit Report

All financial audit reports should have an introduction that contains the name of the corporation and year to which the audit pertains. The introduction should also make it clear to the readers where responsibility lies. It is the company’s responsibility to provide financial statements for the audit firm, and it is the audit firm’s responsibility to give their opinion based off of the financial statements provided by the company.

Basis of Opinion in a Financial Audit Report

The next portion should describe the basis of opinion. It should also be in a business style — descriptive, but without unnecessary flowery language. Make the reader knows that the audit was in accordance with Generally Accepted Audit Standards (GAAS). Also, make sure to include every type of information that was examined as part of the audit, as well as how the audit was conducted. The purpose of this paragraph is for the reader to feel your opinion is trustworthy and accurate.

Opinion Portion of a Financial Audit Report

The final portion of the financial audit report is the actual opinion. Your opinion should be clearly stated in the first sentence of this portion. It is important that this portion is very clear and you do not want to confuse the reader with convoluted business language.

Additional Help

If you need assistance in preparing your financial audit report, you can contact an accountant. With the help of TalkLocal, you can be on the phone in minutes with up to three high quality accountants in your area that are available when you are.

Posted in Accountants | No Comments »

Teeth Grinding Mouth Guard

Wednesday, February 6th, 2013

Bruxism, or teeth grinding, is common among many people. Generally, people are unaware they do it because they grind their teeth when they are asleep. Although there are a variety of causes, do not wait too long to find out why you do it. You should get a teeth grinding mouth guard as soon as possible to prevent further damage to your teeth. Talk to your dentist about your options.

Mouth Guards

There are many different types of mouth guards on the market. A good mouth guard is durable and comfortable. It should not restrict your breathing in any way so that you can protect your teeth while being able to function normally. A mouth guard will create a barrier between your upper and lower teeth, thus protecting them from each other.

Since most people grind their teeth while they sleep, it is likely that the mouth guard will be worn all night. Evening mouth guards are also known as nocturnal bite plates or bite splints. Many bacteria form in your mouth and around your mouth guard during sleep, so make sure you clean your mouth guard regularly. We recommend scrubbing it with a toothbrush and mild soap. You can also use denture cleaners, which can be purchased in any pharmacy.

Possible Causes of Bruxism

It is also important to try to address the cause of bruxism. Stress can cause teeth grinding. Try to find ways to relax through yoga, soothing music, deep breathing, and a good night’s sleep. If you are a teeth grinder, get a mouth guard as soon as possible. If left untreated, bruxism can lead to cracked teeth, which can give rise to more serious, painful dental problems.

Some recommended brands include SleepRight Mouth Guard, the Doctor’s Night Guard, and the SmartGuard Night Guard. If you see a dentist, they will likely give you a custom mouth guard that will be molded to your teeth and will be more suitable to your needs.

Additional Help

If you are in need of a mouth guard, or if you’re having issues with teeth grinding, get in touch with a dentist as soon as possible to prevent tooth damage. TalkLocal can help connect you in seconds with quality local dentists. We will connect you with up to three dentists in your area who will be able to help you when you need it.

Posted in Dentists | No Comments »

Where to Dispose of Paint

Wednesday, February 6th, 2013

For people who have just finished redecorating their home or refinishing their car, it can be confusing trying to find out where to dispose of paint. Paint can be a messy thing to throw away in the trash; one ripped bag can permanently damage belongings and release harmful fumes into the house or garage. There are also environmental concerns, as the chemicals in paint might be harmful to the ecosystem if disposed of in a land fill. There’s also the chance that old paint doesn’t need to be disposed of at all and can be reused by someone who has a similar project.

Oil-based Paints

If paint is oil-based, it is considered hazardous. It can’t be reused after it has been stored for a certain period of time. This type of paint is toxic and flammable, and oil paint that is very old can even contain lead. For this reason, these types of paints have to be taken to disposal locations that that accept Hazardous Household Waste (HWW). Some cities hold an annual event where people can drop off their HWW. By doing a quick internet search or contacting your town office, you can find a location that will accept your old paint.

Latex-based Paints

In contrast, latex and water-based paints are safer. They are not deemed HHW and can be reused after they have been stored. Unfortunately, many of these types of paints contained high levels of mercury before 1990, so they can’t be disposed of in liquid form. It’s harmful (and sometimes illegal) to pour latex paint into streams, rivers, or the ground, as they can make their way back into the things we eat. Latex paint should also never be burned or put out for normal garbage disposal. Instead, try reusing the paint for new projects or donating cans to charities that refurnish homes or revitalize communities. Many charities paint over graffiti on buildings, and they accept paint donations. If reuse is not an option, latex paint must be dried before being put out with regular garbage pickup. This can be done by leaving small quantities out to air-dry in the can or rolling out larger quantities on cardboard or paper.

Additional Help

If you have old paint cans you want to dispose of, but cannot figure out the proper place to do it, or if you simply have a very large quantity that needs disposing, try contacting a professional garbage removal service. TalkLocal will connect you with up to three high quality garbage removal services in your area who will be able to help you when you need it.

Posted in Garbage Removal | No Comments »

Reinstall Operating System on Toshiba Laptop Using Recovery Partition

Wednesday, February 6th, 2013

For whatever reason if you have changed the operating system of your Toshiba laptop and would like to return it back to its original factory settings, there are a few ways in which you can go about doing this. To use a recovery partition you can take the following steps.

How to Reinstall Operating System on Toshiba Laptop Using Recovery Partition

In order to reset the computer back to its original factory settings with the operating system it came with you should use a recovery partition.

1. Restart your computer. As it starts up again you should continuously hit the F8 key until the advanced boot option screen appears.

2. You can select “Repair Your Computer”, your country, and hit Okay.

3. The System Recovery Options Screen should appear and you can click on restore application.

4. Follow the on-screen instructions. When prompted, select the full factory recovery option. After a few minutes your recovery will be completed.

If this process does not work there is another way to reinstall the operating system on your Toshiba.

1. Turn your computer off and remove all plug ins such as the mouse, keyboard, USB’s, etc.

2. Hold down the zero button when you power your computer back up. You can release it when the recovery warning screen appears.

3. The screen should offer a choice of operating systems so you can select whichever you want. There will be a warning about how all data will be rewritten if you reinstall the OS. Just hit yes and continue.

4. The recovery wizard will open and you can select Recovery of Factory Software, and continue as directed.

Continuing Problems

If you still have problems with your computer and cannot seem to reinstall an operating system on your Toshiba laptop using the recovery partition you should attempt to seek professional help. Don’t know where to look? Use TalkLocal to be put in contact with reliable local businesses within minutes. Simply input the problem you are having along with your availability and TalkLocal will do the rest. You don’t have to do any work and you will be connected to an extremely knowledgeable IT service company who can help you solve your problems.

Posted in Computer Repair | 4 Comments »

How to Clean Varnished Furniture

Wednesday, February 6th, 2013

Has your varnished furniture lost its shine? Do you want to avoid re-varnishing your furniture, but do not know how to bring the shine back to it? Cleaning varnished furniture is easy and simple. All you need is some cleaning supplies and the furniture once again can look shiny and clean. Here are some simple tips on how to clean varnished furniture.

When dusting, use a soft and dry cloth to gently wipe the surface of the furniture. An old shirt is a readily available dusting cloth that is also easy to clean. Dust varnished furniture weekly to avoid accumulation of dust on the wood. Otherwise, a layer of dust could become caked into crevices and cracks in the wood.
On a lightly soiled surface, use a damp cloth and wipe the area. Water is normally sufficient for this, but teak oil can also be used to clean lightly soiled areas. When applying teak oil only use a quarter’s amount on a cloth. On heavily soiled areas, use mild soap on a damp cloth. Dry the area immediately after applying soap and water to prevent wood from absorbing the moisture.
Wax or polish the area after cleaning varnished furniture. Do not overuse polish or wax as it will cause buildup. For polish, avoid silicon, as it causes furniture to look dull.

Additional Help

If you’re having trouble keeping your varnished furniture look new, or if you don’t think you have the time to properly clean your varnished furniture on a regular basis, you might want to consider hiring a maid or cleaning service. TalkLocal can connect you with up to three professional cleaning services in your area who will be able to help you out!

Posted in Maid Services | No Comments »

Feeding Dogs Human Food

Tuesday, February 5th, 2013

Some pet owners are staunch advocates of no human food for dogs in any circumstance, while others believe that there is nothing wrong with feeding dogs human food once in a while. Not all human food is dangerous, but if you’re ever even slightly unsure, do not feed it to your dog. To help you remember what is unacceptable, here is a list of human food that is definitely dangerous for dogs to ingest:

– Alcohol

– Apple seeds

– Avocados: Haas avocados are fine and can be good for dogs. Other South American varieties of avocados, however, are poisonous to dogs.

– Cooked bones: They are more brittle than raw bones and can crack and rupture your dog’s stomach.

– Bread dough

– Caffeine

– Chocolate

– Coffee (grounds, beans, brewed)

– Corn cobs

– Eggs (raw)

– Fat trimmings

– Fish: Specifically, raw salmon can contain a parasite carrying a virus that only affects dogs.

– Garlic: It is beneficial in very small doses (such as garlic powder) for dogs over 20 pounds, but has the same dangerous effect as onions if fed in large quantities.

– Grapes

– Liver

– Milk/ice cream/dairy products

– Moldy foods

– Mushrooms/mushroom plants

– Nutmeg

– Nuts (macadamia nuts, walnuts, chestnuts, and more)

– Onions and onion powder

– Pits from peaches, plums, cherries & apricots

– Potato leaves/stems/green skins

– Raisins

– Rhubarb leaves

– Salt

– Tobacco & nicotine products

-Tomato plants/leaves/stems: However, the fruit is fine.

– Xylitol (found in sugar-free products)

Additional Help

If you think that your dog has consumed one of the above human foods, or if you’re wondering if you should feed your dog that piece of bologna or not, call your vet! If your dog is acting strange after eating something new, this might be an emergency, in which case you should use TalkLocal to get access to a qualified vet within minutes. We will connect you with up to three professionals in your area who will be able to help you when you need it.

Posted in Veterinarians | No Comments »

How to Remove Weeds from Backyard

Tuesday, February 5th, 2013

One of the most important steps in cleaning up your garden is locating and removing weeds. Not only are they not the most attractive plants, but they take up space that could be used for plants of your choosing. The serious issue with weeds is that they suck up the water and other nutrients from surrounding plants, hindering their growth. Thus, eliminating untamed weeds is a necessity.

How to Remove Weeds from Backyard

When removing weeds, it’s crucial to make sure that the entire root of the plant is taken out of the ground. If only the foliage is removed, the weed will stay put and will continue to grow and hog up the nutrients. If this happens, be sure to use a spade to get under the dirt to remove the root of the weed. Using herbicides should be the last option as they are harmful chemicals that can ruin plants you don’t want to destroy. In the future, if you want to have the easiest time removing weeds, try to start weeding as soon as possible; the more time they have to grow, the more difficult it will be to remove them.

Once you’ve removed your weeds, it is essential to add fertilizer or mulch to the area. This will aid in hindering the growth of even more weeds. Also, the more grass and other plants that flourish in your garden, the less space there will be for weeds to take over. Make sure you follow the package’s instructions for mulch or fertilizer, as adding too much can smother your plants, while adding too little still allows weeds to grow.

Additional Help

While these tasks may seem simple, they can become a nuisance after some time. If you would like a professional to assess your yard and remove weeds as part of a process to re-do your land, be sure to use TalkLocal to find an available landscaper for you. We will connect you with up to three professionals in your area who will be available to help you when you need it most.

Posted in Landscapers | No Comments »

My Tax Refund is Incorrect

Tuesday, February 5th, 2013

Getting your tax refund is a great feeling. You pay thousands of dollars to the government, so when you receive a little bit of that back, in return it brightens your day. But what happens when your tax refund is incorrect? If it’s more than what you thought you were getting it can be amazing, but when its lower than what you expected, you feel disheartened. So how do you correct the mistake?

Possible Reasons Your Tax Refund is Incorrect:

1) You owed a debt and part of your refund was used to pay it.

2) You made a mistake when preparing your tax return.

3) The IRS made a mistake.

The most annoying thing about tax refunds is that the IRS does not assume any responsibility for the taxpayer or their errors. You should make sure that everything on your forms is correct and double check for accuracy before signing and submitting your taxes.

What You Can Do if Your Tax Refund is Incorrect

If there is a problem with your tax refund then there are a few steps to take. You can wait and see if you get a letter in two weeks. The refunds you receive come in a lot faster than the letter that explains why your return was adjusted. If there was a change the IRS will send this letter explaining their actions.

If you want to talk to someone about your incorrect tax return you can all try calling 1-800-829-1040.

– When prompted press 2, and 2 again.

– You will be asked to type in your social security number and then you can press 1 two times to confirm that you entered it in correctly.

– Listen to the prompts, but do not take any actions.

– You can then just wait to be connected to a real life person. This process should take about 30 minutes but it is one of the only ways to get in contact with someone.

In the case that you cannot connect to someone in this manner you could also go online or on the phone and pretend that you want to pay your account. This will ensure that someone will be in touch to talk to you almost immediately because they are looking to make money.

Check the IRS’s website and go to the option about “where’s my refund” to see information about any delays or corrections on expected refunds.

Further Help

If you cannot seem to figure out what is wrong with your tax return you should seek professional help. Use TalkLocal to be put in contact with reliable local businesses within minutes. Simply input your problem and availability and TalkLocal will do the rest. Almost immediately you will be connected to tax company or accounting firm who can help you out.

Posted in Accountants | No Comments »

IP Address Conflict With Another System on the Network: Windows XP

Tuesday, February 5th, 2013

If you’ve seen the error “There is an IP address conflict with another system on the network,”, then you’re most likely having internet connectivity problems. Fortunately, this problem has a simple and easy fix.

Cause of the Problem:

Every single device connected to your router is assigned a unique IP address so that Windows XP will know how to communicate with the device. However, due to certain circumstances or changes to the network, it’s possible that the same IP address was assigned to multiple devices. When you boot up your computer, Windows XP requests the full table of IP addresses (most likely stored in a central location like your router) and checks whether or not there are conflicts. If there are conflicts, Windows XP’s protocols will detect and warn you accordingly.

Solving the Issue:

To solve the problem, the simplest solution is to ask your router to renew and reassign all the IP addresses on the network. In order to do this, just follow this simple 5-step procedure:

Bring up the command prompt. This can be achieved by going to the “Start” menu and selecting “Run”. When the Run window pops up, type in “cmd” (this and the following commands should be without quotes) and press OK.
Enter “ipconfig/all” and hit enter. This should bring up a list of all the IP addresses (and other information) for the devices installed in your computer.
Type in “ipconfig/flushdns” and hit enter. This command resets the cache that stores host names (that identify devices) and their corresponding IP addresses.
Enter “ipconfig/release” and hit enter. This command releases the IP addresses for all current network devices and adapters.
Type in “ipconfig/renew” and hit enter. This command automatically reassigns IP addresses to all DHCP configured devices. At this point, the problem should be solved, but if you want to be certain, you can type in “ipconfig/all” to check the list of IP addresses yourself.

Additional Help

If you don’t feel comfortable changing IP addresses or if you don’t understand exactly how to renew the DNS cache, you can always use TalkLocal to connect with highly quality local IT professionals immediately. We will connect you with up to three professionals in your area who will be able to help you when you need it.

Posted in Computer Repair | No Comments »

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