Do you think you have mold?
Do you think you have mold in your home? Let WestValleyHelp come in and check for you. We work with accredited labs to ensure there is nothing potentially dangerous in your home. Call us today at (866) 9-HELPER.
Save $150 by keeping your drains clean
PREVENTING CLOGS: Most people lack a fundamental understanding of how even simple clogs in their home take place. While most toilet clogs come from too much toilet paper in the flush, the vast majority of sink, shower and tub clogs come from a build up of soap scum and particulates combining into a solid mass. Every time we wash our hands, hair and bodies, soap scum is building in our pipes. This sticky residue is like a glue that holds smaller solids like hair and food particles in place.
One cheap and effective solution is to pour 1/2 cup of baking soda and 3 cups of white vinegar into your sink and let it sit for about 3 minutes. Baking soda (Sodium hydrogen carbonate ) is a terrific cleaning agent and helps get rid of foul odors. Vinegar contains acetic acid, which acts as an excellent organic solvent in removing organic buildup of crud in pipes. When you mix vinegar and baking soda you get bubbles. Why you may ask? Since vinegar is an acid and baking soda is a base, they undergo an acid-base reaction. When an acid and a base are mixed together, the result is that the acid and base neutralize each other to form water and a small amount of salt. In the case of vinegar and baking soda, the acetic acid and sodium hydrogen carbonate combine to form water, carbon dioxide (hence the bubbles), and sodium acetate – the perfect pipe cleaning solution.
After the bubbles finish, wait a few minutes then rinse it for another 3 minutes with very hot water and lemon juice. The hot water keeps oils moving down your pipes and the lemon juice gives your sink a fresh smell.
Lastly, and when ever possible, store oils and grease in jars and try not to put solids into your sink. I know garbage disposals promise effective waste management, but when we rely on them, we are asking for clogs
Cool your patio by 20-30 degrees this summer with water sipping misters
Cool your patio by 20-30 degrees this summer with water sipping misters
With average summer temperatures hovering around 94 degrees in the West Valley, locals are always looking for smart, cost effective ways to keep cool in the summer. More and more people are installing water sipping patio misters.
I know what you are thinking, “But we are in the middle of a drought!” Actually, modern misters use very little water per hour for the area they cool.
How much water do misters use? Of course that depends on the area you are cooling and the number of misting heads. For a 10’ x 20’ patio I would recommend approx. 8-12 misters. Misters create micro droplets and 10 – 12 will use approx. ½ to 1 gallon per hour. This means you can cool your patio at dinner time by up to 30 degrees for about 1/2 gallon to 1 gallon of water – that’s less than one toilet flush!
How does misting cool the air?
Misters create billions of micro droplets every second. When these droplets are introduced into an outdoor area, they quickly evaporate which requires energy. This energy is taken from the air in the form of heat and the result is a temperature reduction from 20-30 degrees – depending on the ambient temperature and the relative humidity of the air.
Best of all these systems are very inexpensive!
Basic systems can be purchased at Home Depot for $25 and plugged directly into your hose – easy and cheap!
When you consider the high energy cost of cost of cooling your home, water sipping misters can be a very inexpensive way to enjoy your patio in the West Valley.
Happy Homemaking
