Easy Tips For Avoiding Home Lockouts
Do you sometimes feel like you keep the local locksmith in business? Most people have made the mistake of locking themselves out of their homes a time or two. It’s annoying, but it happens. Unfortunately, however, there are some people who have a really bad habit of locking themselves out and who do it all too often. If that sounds like you, there are a few tips you can start following to reduce the likelihood of a lockout.
Leave Yourself a Permanent Note
Once you’ve closed the door behind you with your keys inside, there’s no going back from a lockout. You do have until the very moment that door closes to come to your senses, however.
To increase the chances of that happening, why not put a sticky note on or by the door you usually exit from? The sticky note can say something as simple as “Don’t forget your keys!” or just plain “Keys.”
Whatever the note says, if it reminds you to check for those keys before you leave, then you can put an end to lockouts.
Buy and Hide a Spare Key
Another thing that can help you to avoid lockouts is to have another copy of your house key handy. If you don’t have an extra copy, any local locksmith can easily make you one.
It’s not just having the copy that’s important, though. It’s what you do with it. If you have something that you always have with you, such as a wallet or an address book, you could slip the spare key inside for those “just in case” moments.
Or, you could take the tried-and-true approach of hiding the key somewhere in your yard. Just avoid placing it under the mat or in the mailbox. These hiding places are common and could cause your home to become an easy target for thieves.
If you have a nearby neighbor or friend you trust, you could give a copy of the key to him or her for safekeeping. Try to pick someone who is home a lot, though, because you don’t want to rely on someone who’s never around or hard to get in touch with.
Lock from the Outside
Many doors allow you to lock up your home from the outside. If yours does, get yourself into the habit of locking the door only once you step outside. If you can get used to this new routine, you can always have your keys handy, and you’ll always keep your home locked up tight.
If you really think this method could help you but you don’t have a suitable lock, ask your locksmith about installing a new lock. It’s usually a cheap and easy change. For more information, check out sites such as http://www.safecosecurity.com.
And, if you try these methods, and somehow a lockout still occurs, remember that your locksmith is always happy to help you out in a jam.
Read MoreHow to Patch Your Screens
Insects always have a way of destroying more than just your sanity. If you have ever gone after a fly or bee that made its way into your house, chances are you have cornered it onto a window and, in order to make sure and kill the inspect, you might have let loose with a solid and quick slap with a swatter or rolled up magazine. While you might have walked away victorious, there is a chance the window screen might not be so lucky. When this is the case, you need to determine if you can correct the problem yourself or if you need to have the screen repaired by a professional. For minor screen issues, it is possible to perform the window screen repair in Los Angeles CA on your own, with only a few tools.
Small Hole
If you have a pinhole tear along the window screen somewhere it is actually rather simple to correct. You just need to apply a few drops of instant adhesive onto the mesh and lightly push the torn screen back in place. You are also able to use an epoxy with a metal screen, if your screen is not fiberglass or nylon. Either way, wait a few minutes for the screen to drive, them wipe off any excess adhesive and your window screen is going to be as good as new.
Hole
So you have a larger hole that is not going to be corrected by a little bit of glue and you wouldd rather not use a slice of duct tape to cover the hole either. There is a way to patch the hole yourself though, so you do not need to bring in the professionals just yet. With a patching kit, cut out a patch that is just barely the same size of the hole (you want it slightly larger, but as close to the size of the hole as possible). Apply a light layer of fast drying glue along the edges of the patch and then press it into place. Make sure to avoid placing your fingers on the glue areas, otherwise your fingers are just going to remove the patch. You can use a low-tack painters tape to hold the patch in place for now. Now, let it dry and then, after a few hours (the longer you can wait the better), remove the tape and it is like new.
Read MoreHow to Handle Various Asphalt Pavement Problems
There are a few ways to accomplish asphalt repair in Minneapolis. The best one to use will depend on the size of the damaged area, and in some cases, the underlying cause of the problem. Here are some of the questions that need to be asked when approaching a repair project:
Is the problem a crack or a hole?
Is the pavement generally worn out?
Has the pavement delaminated?
Cracks and Holes
Cracks in asphalt tend to develop over time for a number of reasons. Wear, overload, and weather changes can all bring them about. Small cracks are usually filled with a pliable black substance that can expand and contract with changes in temperature and humidity. It never gets completely hard, so it’s more likely to maintain a good seal with the surrounding pavement. This keeps water from getting into the crack, expanding with cold weather, and worsening the crack.
Large cracks and holes can come from cracks that were once small, or they can result from things like impacts from bouncing semi-trucks. These need to be filled with a solid material that can provide the strength needed to withstand more use.
Worn Out Pavement
After many years, pavement can harden and crack in a number of ways. Often, it is simply worn out due to age, heavy traffic, or a combination of the two. Poor workmanship in building the surface can also be to blame, and in this case, failure will occur sooner than it should have. In all of these instances, there are far more than just a few cracks. Instead, there are hundreds or thousands.
The underlying structure of worn-out pavement has failed, and this is why it can crack all over the place. Therefore, it will usually need to be replaced to its full depth. Sometimes, a thick overlay can be used instead.
Delamination
This term refers to a condition when the top layer or layers of pavement separate from the rest and deteriorate. Fixing it requires the application of a new layer of asphalt on top of the remaining surface. It’s important to use products that provide a strong tack, or gripping power, in order to keep the problem from repeating itself. The underlying layers of pavement should be examined for problems before going ahead with repairs. If they have problems, they’ll need to be fixed or replaced as well. For more information, visit bitroads.com.
asphalt repair minneapolis
Read MoreEliminate High Heating And Cooling Bills: Get A Geothermal Heat Pump
If your heating and cooling bills are sky rocketing, a geothermal heat pump may be the answer to reduce utility costs. There are many advantages to installing this energy-efficient unit in your home, and an HVAC contractor can do the work for you.
The geothermal heat pump is going to pull hot air out of the home to keep the home cool in the summer, and use heat from the ground and the atmosphere to heat the home in the winter. Here are four great reasons to install one in your home.
Reduce Energy Consumption
After installing a geothermal heat pump, your furnace isn’t going to use as much electricity during the year because it won’t have to run as frequently. Your geothermal heat pump may be able to heat the home a great deal without assistance from the furnace, and the furnace will only come on when needed.
The department of energy reports some homeowners are able to reduce their energy consumption during the year by 50 percent. They also may be able to stop running their air conditioner.
Reduce Repair Costs
You shouldn’t have as many furnace or air conditioner repair costs, because the heat pump allows them to run less often. This saves you money over time, and it extends the life of the parts on your furnace or air conditioner. This may save you thousands of dollars in air conditioning and furnace repair and replacement costs.
Reduce Gas Consumption
The pump will lessen the amount of natural gas you use because the furnace won’t run as much, which saves you money. Conserving natural gas also benefits the planet a great deal.
Control Humidity
The heat pump works by extracting the moisture from the air in the home, which eliminates unnecessary moisture in the home. The unit has a humidistat to regulate the moisture levels. This helps avoid mold and mildew from developing.
Talk with a local HVAC contractor to find out what size unit you are going to need, and what type of rebate you can get for making a purchase. The government will reward your energy conservation with a tax rebate, and each state has different incentives.
Some homeowners found the geothermal heat pump reduced utility bills so much, that the pump paid for itself within five to seven years after installation. This unit is a great investment for your home because it increases home value, and increases resale potential for the future. Get an estimate and see how much you can save.
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