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Wednesday, December 11th, 2013

With the wintry season fast approaching, drivers start thinking about preparing their cars for snowy and icy roads. This means first installing snow tires. However, it’s not always clear for everybody why snow tires are important. Here’s a snow tire tutorial that will help you understand why you need snow tires.

What Are Snow Tires?

Also called winter tires, snow tires are specially designed tires for winter conditions. Snow tires have special features, which make them suitable for snow-covered roads and ice.

What Are the Particularities of Snow Tires?

Rubber Compound

Unlike regular tires, they are made of a special rubber compound, which has a superior performance in cold temperatures. Regular tires are less flexible than snow tires, which makes them become rigid when exposed to cold weather.

The rubber in snow tires keeps its elasticity even when temperatures drop significantly. This allows you to have better traction and more control over your vehicle on snow-covered roads.

Tire Tread

Snow tires have deeper treads, which allow them to have a much better grip on snowy and icy roads. They also have a wear indicator, which shows you when you need to replace your snow tires. If they’re worn out, snow tires can’t do their job properly.

Why Are Snow Tires Better Than All-Seasons?

All-season tires are designed for cold and wet weather conditions. If you live in an area with mild winters, all-season tires might be a good choice. However, for winter driving, specialists recommend snow tires.

Can I Use Only Two Tires or Do I Need Four?

The answer is to never use just two snow tires, because it’s dangerous. If you do that, your traction and road grip will be affected, because regular tires behave differently on snowy roads. Although buying four snow tires may seem like a more costly option at the moment, it’s a profitable investment over the long term, both financially and for safety reasons.

Need Assistance?

If you want to know more about snow tires or need the help of a mechanic, TalkLocal can connect you with reliable professionals in your area. Just give us a call. It’s free.

Tags: Snow Tire Tutorial
Posted in Snow Removal | No Comments »

Does Febreze Work?

Wednesday, December 11th, 2013

Numerous people who want to invest in the best housekeeping products are currently striving to find the best answer to the following question: Does Febreze work? In other words, can it really eliminate nasty odors in a highly effective manner, while ensuring a pleasant smell that lasts for the longest period of time?

How Febreze Works

In order to assess its effectiveness, first you have to know how Febreze was actually designed to work, from a chemical standpoint. The product was launched on the market in 1996 by Procter & Gamble, and its formula is based on one main component: Beta-Cyclodextrin.

Its Cyclodextrin molecule dissolves a part of the unpleasant odor from your environment. This means that the stinky molecules are still present, but can no longer connect with your olfactory receptors. Sometimes, the product deactivates the powerful odor or simply replaces it with an enjoyable fragrance.

According to different sources, Febreze’s formula also includes zinc chloride, a compound that is highly effective when it comes to giving nasty sulfur-based odors the boot, like rotten eggs, for instance. However, this ingredient is not listed on the label.

Does Febreze Really Work?

An article published by consumerreports.org indicated that Febreze can be a powerful ally if you want to neutralize a wide range of bad odors, including the ones coming from dead animals, dog fur, and pet waste. However, the results are temporary and not completely satisfactory.

In order to assess the effectiveness of Febreze Air Effects, a team of researches left an opened box of sardines and a significant amount of cat waste in a room for 4 hours. Afterwards, they ventilated the area, pulverized Febreze and invited blindfolded individuals inside the room.

The test results pointed in the same direction: Febreze managed to hide the smell for a limited period of time. Most participants managed to recognize the bad odors, and some of them refused to inhale.

Ask an Expert

Does Febreze work? Get the best answer to this question from a reputable provider of maid services. Find the best one by using TalkLocal, a free service designed to connect you with the best professionals in your area.

Tags: Does Febreze Work
Posted in Maid Services | No Comments »

Keep Paint Rollers from Drying Out

Wednesday, December 11th, 2013

Keeping a paint roller from drying out is an important concern for a painter. You can always wash your roller when you stop painting and then again, when you start it all over, but this means using a lot of water and it is not an economical solution. Let’s see how you can maintain your paint rollers ready to be used without consuming so much water.

How Can You Keep Paint Rollers from Drying Out?

The best solution is to freeze your paint roller.

You will need:

– a plastic, resealable bag

– a refrigerator

What you should do is wrap your paint roller carefully in a wet towel, and then put it cautiously in a simple plastic or resealable bag. Then put this bag in the refrigerator. It may seem strange, but it’s effective. Your paint roller will be fresh and ready to be used next time you start painting.

What Other Solution Is There?

You will need:

– smaller paint rollers

– a bucket

If you don’t like the idea of refrigerating your paint rollers, or if you don’t have enough space in your fridge, here is what you can also do in order to keep your paint rollers fresh: if your roller is not large, you can simply leave it submerged in the bucket you used. Cover the bucket until the next working session.

This is, evidently, a more practical and easier method, but it has the major inconvenient of not working for all types of paint rollers. Only smaller a paint roller can become completely submerged in a bucket and stay this way overnight or for several hours.

Need Help?

If you need assistance with painting in your house or other home improvement project, TalkLocal can put you into contact with the professionals you need. Give us a call and we will find the right painter for you.

Tags: Keep Paint Rollers from Drying Out
Posted in Painters | No Comments »

What to Do When a Laptop Screen Needs Replacing

Tuesday, December 10th, 2013

A cracked laptop screen is pretty much unusable. Regardless of how your laptop screen got broken, whether you dropped the laptop accidentally or someone carelessly winging something heavy around and hit the screen, the bottom-line is your laptop screen needs replacing.

The good thing is replacement is easy to do, and most laptops are built similarly. Thus, the same steps can be done by most people as long as they have two things: a replacement screen and a jeweler’s screwdriver. The task is as simple as removing a screw here and there and a few connectors. You can have your laptop restored in less than 30 minutes.

Here’s what to do when your laptop screen needs replacing:

1. Purchase a replacement screen from your local computer parts supplier. Make sure you get the correct panel.

2. Disassemble: To start, pry off the tiny piece of rubber that covers the screws of the screen bezel and then remove all the screws. Gently pry the bezel away from the frame of the display. You may need to pry out the clips with a small flathead screwdriver. You’ll then see that a metal frame secures the actual screen panel and that this frame is screwed in turn to the plastic display frame. Remove these, and then you can dislodge the back of the display.

3. Now, you will have access to the backside of the old screen panel (which is where the part number is located if you’re trying to determine which panel you need). At this point, take note of how the power and data cables are connected on your existing panel, since you want to replicate this setup on the replacement screen that you are about to install.

4. When you’ve noted where each connector is supposed to go, carefully take out the old connections and remove any piece of fixing tape.

5. Unscrew the broken panel and put it aside. Screw the replacement screen into place. Then, reconnect all the connectors based on the setup you noted earlier.

6. Lastly, turn the system on to test if the screen is working properly.

Need a Computer Repair Professional?

If your laptop screen needs replacing, but you’re not comfortable disassembling the screen yourself, you can always rely on a computer repair professional to help you. With the free service of TalkLocal, you can be matched within minutes with up to three qualified computer repair professionals in your area, so you can get your laptop screen back to the way it should be in no time.

Tags: Laptop Screen Needs Replacing
Posted in Computer Repair | No Comments »

How to Repair Wood Siding

Tuesday, December 10th, 2013

Damaged wood siding allows moisture to get inside exterior walls, causing the wood frame to rot. As soon as you see signs of damage, make sure to repair wood siding immediately. Fill in any crack, broken seams, or splits with butyl or silicone caulk. However, you may need to replace the siding on an entire wall if there are problems with several boards.

Repair Wood Siding Cracks

If you discover a crack in your home’s wood siding, all you need is waterproof glue to fix and mend any cracks or splits in the siding. Use a putty knife to carefully lift open the crack so you can apply the glue inside. Then, nail down the wood or tape it on both sides of the cracked area.

To mend horizontal cracks, apply glue, then fasten the wood with small-sized finishing nails tacked at an angle under the siding and along the crack. Then, bend the nails up to secure the wood siding pieces together until the glue has dried and set. When the glue has dried completely, remove the nails.

Finish the Repair Job

Once the cracks or holes in the wood siding have been filled, recreate the appearance of the wood grain so that the repaired area blends with the rest of the siding. Use a wire brush or the edge of a putty knife to gently rake the repaired area until the desired look is achieved.

Repair Wood Siding Popped Nail

If you see nails popping out in the wood siding of your house and they refuse to stay in place when hammered, the possible cause would be a rotten sheathing underneath the wood siding. It’s also possible there is an insect infestation in the said area. In this case, you need to investigate and get to the root of the problem first before attempting to do any repairs.

Need a Professional to Repair Wood Siding?

If you would like to hire a professional roofer to help you with wood siding repairs, just let TalkLocal find the right person for your need. We will match you with up to three pre-screened professionals in your area, so you can speak with qualified contractors today.

Tags: Repair Wood Siding
Posted in Roofers | No Comments »

Find Custom Suits Online

Tuesday, December 10th, 2013

Most fashion-forward men who love to wear classy clothing items on a daily basis have three main requirements when it comes to ordering custom suits online. They want their new suits to be well made, inexpensive, and 100% unique.

Clients also value fast shipping, a great deal, and would do everything it takes to play an active part in the creation process. So how could you possible identify the best provider of custom suits online?

Evaluate the Price-Quality Relationship

Price is an important element that usually says many things about the quality of a suit. Don’t expect to pay less than $199 for a premium product. A lower price could indicate that…

1) The tailor uses cheap, dissatisfying, imported fabrics

2) The suits are manufactured overseas, in factories where workers are underpaid and forced to work in 12-hour shifts for a couple of dollars per hour.

For quality custom suits online, be prepared to pay anywhere from $379 to $699 and up, if you count on a big budget.

Ask for Fabric Samples

Opt for a tailor who uses a great variety of fabrics, available in different patterns and colors. In this case, you could be able to choose the best designs, tailored to your specific aesthetic requirements. To avoid bad decisions, ask your tailor to send you a few fabric samples. This way, you could inspect the material and choose the right one for your next suit.

For a Perfect Fit, Create Your Own Suit Online

Numerous tailors know how to address the unique needs of their prospects: by allowing them to express their demands and their fashion sense in a creative manner. Clients are encouraged to design their favorite suit online, by customizing every single piece of the puzzle, including…

– The jacket

– The vest

– The pants

– The fabric, lapel, monogram, and embroidery

Need an Expert Opinion?

Even though most online tailor stores are extremely user-friendly, you might have a hard time trying to design your own suit. In this case, don’t hesitate to call the trendiest experts. Find a tailor in your area with help from TalkLocal, a free service that will connect you with the right professional right now.

Tags: Custom Suits Online
Posted in Tailors | No Comments »

How to Handle Tipping Cleaning Service

Tuesday, December 10th, 2013

There are no standard protocols when it comes to tipping cleaning service. Cleaning firms will say it is not a requirement and many cleaning professionals actually do not expect to be given tips all the time. Nonetheless, it can be hard to find reliable cleaning service these days, so when you do find such a service, one of the best ways to show your appreciation and encourage consistent excellent work is by giving a tip.

How Often Should You Tip?

It is your own prerogative how frequently you want to tip cleaning professionals. There are customers who tip every visit, while others are not even aware that they should ever tip at all. Again, cleaning crews normally do not expect to receive regular tips from customers, so don’t feel obligated to tip on every visit.

However, if the crew did an exceptionally good job, and you saw how hard they worked to vacuum every nook and cranny in your five-bedroom home, then it would really be nice if you would leave them a tip as a reward for that one instance. A common practice among homeowners is to give an annual tip, or a bonus during the holiday season, or on the person’s birthday, especially if the working relationship has already lasted several years.

How Much Tip is Adequate?

If you wish to tip a cleaning crew, the recommended amount is $5 per professional. Around the holidays, the amount of cash bonus given to house cleaning professionals varies greatly, with some customers giving an extra full month’s pay, while others give based on a certain percentage, say 20 to 30 percent of the service cost.

There are homeowners who will decide to give an extra pay worth two hours of work. Therefore, it really depends on what you can afford and wish to give.

Other Ways to Show Appreciation

Aside from tipping cleaning service, you can also show that you appreciate the people who clean your home by doing a range of thoughtful things for them, from giving them a gift on their birthday, giving food or buying meals, handing them a gift card, among others.

Looking for Professional Cleaning Service?

Whether this is your first time hiring a professional maid service or not, you want to make sure to hire a reputable service who you can welcome into your home with full confidence. Find trustworthy house cleaning professionals with the help of TalkLocal now.

Tags: Tipping Cleaning Service
Posted in Maid Services | No Comments »

Timberwolf Wood Stoves Care and Maintenance

Tuesday, December 10th, 2013

Timberwolf wood stoves are a traditional, but economical alternative for heating your home . They are masterfully made and crafted with care. These wood stoves make a cozy alternative to gas heating. Timberwolf wood stoves are also sturdy and durable.

The manufacturer provides a warranty with these stoves, so you can be confident about their reliability. It’s still important, however, to maintain your Timberwolf stove in order to enjoy years of use. Here are some guidelines for the proper maintenance of Timberwolf wood stoves.

Chimneys

Clean your chimneys at least once per year. However, you should check your chimney and chimney connector for any build-up weekly, until you know approximately when you have to clean it. Before you clean the chimney, disconnect the appliance. Replace any broken bricks if necessary.

Ash Removal Procedures

Allow ashes to accumulate to at least two to three inches deep before removal. Always leave an ash bed an inch or more thick in order to maintain of a hot bed of charcoal. The best way to dispose of ashes is to deposit them in a metal container with a snugly fitting lid.

The ash container can then be kept on the ground away from any combustible material. Once the ashes have cooled you can empty them from the container to finally dispose of them.

Ash Removal with Ash Drawer

To remove the ashes from a Timberwolf stove, first clear ash away from the ash plug. After that, use a poker to remove the ash plug. Use a rake to move the excess ashes into an ash drawer. However, the ash drawer should not be overfilled. The ashes should be no higher than the sides of the ash drawer. Remove the ash drawer and dispose of the ashes properly.

Need Help with Your Timberwolf Wood Stoves?

Contact TalkLocal today and we will locate a professional near you to help maintain your wood stove with ease!

Posted in Heating and Cooling | No Comments »

5 Tips When Buying Wood Patio Tiles

Monday, December 9th, 2013

These days, homeowners get the chance to choose from a plenitude of types of wood patio tiles. These products are extremely versatile, come in a great variety of shapes, colors, and sizes, and display different advantages and different price tags.

If you want to make an inspired decision and boost the appeal of your outdoor area by installing the very best wood patio tiles that you can afford, check out the following elements that you should consider, before making a purchase.

1) Durability Ratings

Patio tiles are not as cheap as you may be tempted to think. Most people can’t afford to buy products that need to be replaced every 2 years. So make sure you go in favor of premium types of wood designed to stand the test of time. Check the durability ratings of your favorite wood varieties by consulting the online info provided by the USDA Forest Service.

2) Superior Insect Attack Resistance

If wood-eating pests are one of your main concerns now, choose to purchase and install wood patio tiles that deter insects. Teak, for instance, contains natural oils that keep those pesky creatures at a distance and protect your investment in the long term.

3) Excellent Fire Rating

Thousands of home fires occur in the U.S. on an annual basis. Get ready to cope with the negative effects of a potential fire hazard by installing wood tiles made from a type of wood with an exceptional fire rating, like Ipe, for instance, which received the “A” rating from the National Fire Protection Association.

4) Aesthetic Requirements

Wood patio tiles are available in different colors, from light shades of gold to dark brown. However, all wood varieties change their color in time and turn silvery grey eventually. The difference is that some species age naturally in a graceful manner, while others require staining and time-consuming maintenance routines.

5) Environmental Concerns

Never purchase wood tiles that are the result of illegal logging activities. Always opt for responsibly harvested wood and for FSC certified products.

Ask an Expert

Don’t know which types of wood patio tiles would be more suitable for your property? Ask a competent landscaper. Use TalkLocal to identify the best professionals who live and work in your area, and profit from high-quality services 24/7.

Tags: wood patio tiles
Posted in Landscapers | No Comments »

The Ultimate Guide to Hot Tub Chemicals

Monday, December 9th, 2013

As you sit in your hot tub, letting go of the stress that has accumulated over the day, you notice particles of dirt starting to float above the water. You think about giving your hot tub or spa a much needed break. The first thing that comes to your mind is reading about the chemicals and the maintenance tips on keeping the spa or hot tub clean. This is a guide that can help you master spa maintenance.

Everything You Need to Know About Spa Chemicals

If you wish to make the most of your spa or hot tub, you need to be very particular about its maintenance and cleanliness. Spa or hot tub chemicals and filters are the two most important contributors in the health of a spa.

There are innumerable types of spa chemicals available on the market today. You need to understand that the functions of the spa chemical are linked to the sanitation and sparkle of the hot tub or spa. In order to maintain the spa or hot tub condition,s the chemical balance of the water inside these vessels should be checked every week.

Even though the chemicals are required for sanitizing the water, too much off the sanitizing chemical inside the water can make your skin feel itchy and also cause rashes. Therefore, while using these chemicals,you need to ensure that the ratio of the chemicals that you use is per the requirement of the capacity of the water in the spa.

Two of the most commonly used spa or hot tub chemical sanitizers are chlorine and bromine. While both are equally good in cleaning up the water, many people prefer bromine because it has a neutral odor. However, chlorine gives out a very unpleasant odor when used to clean spa or hot tub water.

Sanitizing chemicals for your hot tub or spa are available in different forms: granules, tablets, and liquids.

Spa Boss Chemicals and Their Use

Apart from sanitizing chemicals, you also require spa boss chemicals for the maintenance of your spas and filters. There are also other types of chemicals including pH balancers and test strips. Spa boss chemicals, however, are an important type that helps to balance the pH levels and alkaline levels of the water in the hot tub or spa.

Need Spa or Hot Tub Help?

Using the right spa chemicals for your hot tub or spa is essential for the overall health of your spa or hot tub. Be sure that you use the user manual for understanding the chemical requirement of your hot tub or spa. If you are preparing your hot tub or spa for a cleansing session, check out some tips from Master Spa. You can also win a free Chemicals and Filters supply by entering the giveaway contest being presently run.

If you want to find a hot tub professional in your area, just use TalkLocal. We’ll connect you with up to three professionals in your area in just minutes.

Tags: cleaning, hot tub, Jacuzzi, pool
Posted in Handyman | No Comments »

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