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Archive for the ‘Home and Family’ Category

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A. Bailey Plumbing & Heating | A Bailey Plumbing | ABaileyPlumbing

In Home and Family on June 9, 2009 at 1:46 am

FIVE SIMPLE WAYS TO SAVE MONEY

by Chris Bailey, Master Plumber and Owner of A. Bailey Plumbing & Heating

Avoid high pressure showers: Too much pressure can be stressful, not just on yourself, but on your plumbing system too! High pressure showers not only cost more because of the extra water running down the drain, but too much force can actually wear on your fixtures. 60 – 80 psi is the recommended pressure. Anything higher may be costing you money.

Address leaky faucets immediately: Leaky faucets are more than an annoyance—they costing you money! A slow but steady drip can waste almost 50 gallons of water a day. Over the course of a year, that adds up to 18,250 gallons. And speaking of faucets, the latest styles are more than attractive. Look for new models that are designed to conserve water. You can use up to a 1/3 less water, depending on the faucet you choose.

Pay attention to foul odor when you turn on the hot water: It’s NOT hip to be funky when it comes to your water. If your water gives off a foul odor during the first few minutes of running the hot tap, it could be due to a faulty anode rod in your water heater. If the anode rod goes, corrosion results, which can eat away at the inside of your tank. Replacing the rod will extend the life of your water heater.

A running toilet could indicate a leak: Here’s a quick and easy way to test it yourself. Place a few drops of food coloring, powdered drink mix, or instant coffee in the TANK, not the bowl. Leave it undisturbed for 20 minutes. When you come back, check out the BOWL. It there’s any discoloration, you’ve got a confirmed leak.

Do you have repeated clogged drains? Snaking may no longer be the best solution. You may need high velocity water jetting to clear out all the clogs. At 4000 psi, this process literally blasts away years of accumulated scale, debris, hair, and grease build-up on the inside walls of the pipes, clearing them of blockages and avoiding pipe replacement.

To contact A. Bailey Plumbing for your plumbing needs call 732. 462. 4484

Or send an email to: info@abaileyplumbing.com

A. Bailey Plumbing & Heating is giving away a free Bradford White water heater to one lucky winner. All parts, labor and permit fees are included.

Interested entrants must take a picture of their current water heater, indicate the model and serial number, and send it to the company along with a brief explanation of why they should be chosen. Entries may be submitted to freewaterheater@yahoo.com, or mailed to the company’s headquarters in Freehold.

The winner’s “before and after” pictures will be posted on A. Bailey’s website.

For full details of the free water heater give-away, visit http://www.ABaileyPlumbing. com or call 800-392-3981.

All entries must be received by June 30.

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Carmack Moving and Storage | Robert Carmack | Carmack Moving and Storage

In Home and Family on June 4, 2009 at 4:52 pm

Carmack Moving and Storage – HELPING YOUR CHILDREN COPE WITH A MOVE

By Robert Carmack, Carmack Moving and Storage

School is out and families across America are preparing to pack up and move. Whether you are moving across the street or across the country moving can be especially stressful for children. Younger kids often become confused when their daily routine is disrupted, while teenagers fear the loss of old friends and dread the thought of making new ones in a strange school or neighborhood. There are steps you can take to help alleviate their fears and get them involved at the same time.

Demystify
It’s important for parents to provide children with as much information as possible and allow them to participate in discussions. This will give them a sense of control and help relieve anxiety. Talk about all of the positive aspects of their new home, school and neighborhood and explain that the new home, if given a fair chance, can be even better than the old one.

Exciting Adventure
For younger children, the move can be made into an exciting adventure. Suggest that your child to pack his or her own things, make sure to leave favorite toys out until the very end. You might even practice moving day ahead of time. A conversation could go something like this: “On Friday when we wake up, there will be a big truck in the driveway. We will have breakfast, then go into your room and show the movers which things to put on the truck. Then, after the truck is filled we will get in our car and go to our new home. Then we will tell the movers exactly where to put your things in your new room….” If your children are really young, consider hiring a baby-sitter while you pack, and also on moving day. But otherwise resist the temptation to send children away during the move. Participating will help them understand what’s happening and adjust more easily to their new surroundings.

Make it Fun
For older children, a move that involves leaving friends, sports teams and favorite hangouts behind can be hard. Help them say good-bye to friends by having a good-bye party. Emphasize how easy it is to keep in touch through e-mail, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, video chats and the telephone. Technology has made the world a smaller place and those moving can really benefit from these new tools.

Get Back to “Normal”
Once you are unpacked and settled in your new home, get back to familiar routines as soon as possible. If it is a tradition in your family to eat pizza on Friday nights or watch cartoons on Saturday mornings, continue the practice as soon as possible in your new home. Normal looks like different things to different people. What’s important is that your family embraces all of the good from the new surroundings while keeping up with the things that make your family unique.

After the Move
Finally, don’t take it personally if your kids blame you for the difficulty of a move. No matter how well you prepare them, expect them to be a little upset and give them some time to grieve. They will almost certainly grow to love their new home just as much as the old one.

Robert Carmack is the owner of Carmack Moving and Storage located in Chantilly, Virginia. With more than thirty years of experience in local and long haul national moving operations, Carmack Moving and Storage shares their insights from overseeing thousands of moves. Carmack Moving and Storage may be reached at 703-378-1616.

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Carmack Moving | Robert Carmack | Carmack Moving

In Home and Family on May 28, 2009 at 4:16 pm

Carmack Moving – TIPS FOR REDUCING THE STRESS OF A MAJOR MOVE

by Robert Carmack, Carmack Moving

Some of life’s simplest problems can end up being the biggest bother to solve. When it comes to moving, think simple. While professional movers such as Carmack Moving offer direction on how to plan for a move, it is still best to also think things through yourself. Once everything is packed up and ready to load, make sure the things you will need least are loaded on to the truck first. Simple common sense is needed when loading the truck. Place the box containing things like your best dishes on top of the box of books and not vice versa.

Think about the things you’ll need the first night in your new home. Pack items that serve your basic needs in a separate bag and carry it with you. Think about eating. Will your appliances be hooked up right away? Will there be a place to store food when you get there? You may even want to prepare a simple meal that you can heat and serve on your first night.

Remember to set aside items for each night you are in transition like clothes, a towel, prescription drugs, a toothbrush, and other personal items. Pack these in your car or somewhere that you can access them easily. And don’t forget plastic utensils, paper plates, paper towels, plastic cups, toilet paper, toiletries, trash bags, hand tools, a flashlight, first aid kit including pain relievers, pencil and paper, snacks, beverages, and re-closeable plastic bags.

Keep the stress level down. Take thirty minutes in the beginning of your move and address the simple issues. Thinking the basics through can avoid all of the oops! moments that can occur.

Robert Carmack is the owner of Carmack Moving located in Chantilly, Virginia. With more then thirty years of experience in light hauling, local moving, regional moving and long haul national moving operations Carmack Moving shares their insights from years of experience and overseeing thousands of moves. Carmack Moving may be reached at 703-378-1616.