Midland Hardware

	Winter is approaching “weather” we like or not. That was somewhat funny, right? Sorry, no more bad jokes playing off the word weather. I must discuss that dreaded heating bill from high energy costs and many ways to lower that cost. Some of you may have already heard of these tips, but I may throw in one or two you haven’t heard of. So let’s get started.
Even though it is quite obvious, lower your thermostat. By lowering your thermostat by just one degree can save you up to 3% off your heating cost. Lower your daytime temperature if your home is empty. Lower the thermostat to 55 degrees if you’re out of your home for the weekend. While sleeping 60 degrees is a much healthier temperature to sleep in than 70 degrees. Install a programmable thermostat that can be set to automatically turn heat up and down. Lower the thermostat on your water heater to 115 degrees. Heat only occupied areas of your home. Areas such as; the garage, basement, spare rooms, attics may have vents that can be closed. Open the vents in these areas 30 minutes before you plan on occupying to heat up. The doors to these areas may be drafty, use a rubber weather-strip tape on these. Exhaust Vents and Chimney letting heat out or letting cold air in. Bathroom exhaust fans being left of can pull large amounts of warm air out of the house. Oven or Stove exhaust fans can do the same especially if left on the high setting. Check your outside dryer vent to make sure it closes properly when not in use. Replace these outside exhaust vents for very little cost. Close the damper on your fireplace when not in use prevents heat loss and drafts. Use Mother Nature when she is available. Open your blinds and curtains on sun exposed windows and doors during the day. Close the blinds and curtains at night for an extra barrier against heat loss. Keep branches from bushes and trees pruned to prevent the sun being blocked. Adequate insulation where needed is crucial. Be sure your exterior walls and attic have the proper amount of insulation needed. This can be easily checked by feeling electrical outlets, switches, and light fixtures for drafts. Use pipe insulation on your hot water pipes to prevent heat loss where exposed to cold air. Insulate your warm air ducts where exposed to cold air. Cover your water heater with an insulating jacket, the water doesn’t have to be heated as much. Caulking, weather stripping, and insulation kits for windows can reduce cost drastically. Caulking windows with a caulk gun, although time consuming can stop drafts completely. A faster method is purchasing caulking cord; it is easily applied around windows with no tools. Weather stripping can help seal the window where caulk can’t be used. Apply weather stripping between the windows and frame so it shuts down on it. Window Insulating kits are great for really drafty windows. The film can be cut to fit any window and the tape adheres to most surfaces. The film can be heated by a hair dryer to get any wrinkles out and make the film crystal clear. Here are a few more tips that help in reducing heating costs as well. Replace your furnace filter, your furnace will run more efficiently and improves air quality. It is cheaper to use an electric blanket than to heat a whole room when freezing out. Dusty radiators and registers can reduce the amount of heat given off. Clean these often. Reverse your ceiling fans to draw air towards the ceiling in the winter. Switch back in summer.
	I hope the information provided helps answer some questions you may have had and also give you some other ideas for weatherproofing your home for winter. Below is a few videos on weatherproofing tips as well. Most of these quick inexpensive solutions mentioned can be purchased at midlandhardware.com; found here.
How to check for drafts and what to do if they exist.
More tips on getting ready for a cold winter. Enjoy!

	I remember the last time I went to paint there were several staples, nails and holes left over from last year’s holiday decorations. Thinking to myself it’s bad enough I have to spend my weekend painting but now I have several hours added to repairing all these holes and ripping out staples and nails, ugh. Then I stumbled upon a 3M product called Command Strips. It is an adhesive strip that adheres firmly to many surfaces and the best thing is it removes easily with no mess, no holes and no damage to the surface.
The Command Strips has many different products for any project whether it’s hanging a picture, organizing or hanging decorations, just to name a few. Also like I mentioned Command Strips adhere to many surfaces such as painted, stained or varnished wood, glass, tile, painted cinder block, plaster, metal, and wallboard. It is also amazing on how much one hook can hold weight wise. Now that I have established what Command Strips do and are for; let’s discuss some tips on using Command Strips. Because of the amazing values of leaving no damage and holding a lot of weight you cannot just use the Command Strips right out of the box for some projects. Below are some tips that can help you tremendously if haven’t used the product before. Usage on a freshly painted surface; 3M recommends waiting a week for paint to fully cure. Do not use Command Strips products on wallpaper. For wet areas special blue strips can be used for areas like the shower. The Command Strips must be applied with a temperature of above 50°F (10°C). If the temperature is below 50°F, you can heat the surface with a hair dryer before application. The Command Strips are not recommended above temperatures of 105°F (40°C). Extreme heat conditions and sunlight may cause the adhesive to eventually deteriorate. Wait one hour to ensure that the adhesive has had enough time to build strong adhesion to the wall or surface. Do not use household cleaners on the surface being used; they can leave behind a very thin layer of residue causing the Command Strips to not adhere properly.
	I hope the information provided helps answer some questions you may have had and also give you some other ideas for using the Command Strips . Below is a video from 3M on “Trouble Shooting”. If you’re interested in purchasing any of these products there is a great selection at Midland Hardware; found here.

	One of our biggest assets is our hands, if they are out of commission, then daily tasks and work slows to a halt. With winter approaching quickly so does dry, cracked, and split fingers. Ouch! Dry hands can be the result of many other sources, not just winter, such as constant washing, touching paper, cardboard, dust, and many other moisture absorbing activities. The leading skin therapy for people who work with their hands is O’Keeffe’s Working Hands .
O’Keeffe’s Working Hands is chemically different than any other hand-care product. O’Keeffe’s Working Hands is a very effective treatment specifically for your hands. The concentrated formula stimulates the skin’s natural repair process by hydrating skin, adjusting pH balance and retaining moisture. As confusing as this may sound, your hands need moisture to heal but not excessive water. Constant washing such as during Flu season can cause your hands to dry just as quickly as cold dry weather. O’Keeffe’s Working Hands uses glycerin, which moisturizes, and heals your skin from the bottom layer up.
	Recommended directions: Apply at bedtime and after shower or bath. Nighttime use is recommended. Skin temperature rises during sleep, resulting in increased circulation and healing. Mild stinging of damaged skin is normal. O’Keeffe’s Working Hands is extremely concentrated, and only requires a tiny bit to cover your hands. Ingredients: Water, Glycerin, Stearic Acid, Ammonium Stearate, Ammonium Borate, Paraffin, Hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, Allantoin, Diazolidinylurea, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate.

First let’s Define PPE : Personal protective equipment (PPE) refers to protective clothing, hard hats, goggles, or other garment or equipment designed to protect the wearer’s body from injury by blunt impacts, electrical hazards, heat, chemicals, and infection, for job-related occupational safety and health purposes, and in sports, martial arts, combat, etc.

Commonly in the workplace we acknowledge safety and are required to wear ear plugs, safety glasses, hard hats, respirators, and more. That’s in our working environment, what about our home environment? How many do it yourself-ers out there take the time to put on safety gear while doing their weekend projects? Not many of us, we all are guilty of being unsafe.

Common situations:

“I’m just cutting a few boards and the safety glasses get in my way”
“It’s really hot out and all that equipment just makes me sweat more”
“This really isn’t that loud, I don’t need ear plugs“
“I have been doing this for years, I haven’t lost a finger yet”

We all have heard or said at least one of these a time or two. So next time you are spending your weekend tearing the closet out for a bigger dream bathroom. Take the time to thinking about your safety and the safety of others working with you.

Weatherproofing your Home for Winter

3M Command Products

Dry, cracked, and split fingers. Ouch!

What is PPE? How can it help me?

Archives

Categories