What are insulation R-Values all about anyway? The technical definition tends to be rather complicated, but simply put – the higher the insulation’s R-Value rating, the better the insulation will work to thermally retain heat. The R-Value varies according to the material that the insulation is made of and its thickness.

When considering the best insulation for homes, it’s also important to factor in the climate, local building codes, and perhaps most importantly, the ability to install the insulation product. For example, when building a new house, it’s possible to use any almost insulation available because of the ease of open access.

But remodeling or renovation renders this tactic a little more difficult. I have lots of practice remodeling and renovating older homes and believe me, sometimes it’s impossible to get access to certain areas in order to apply the insulation without totally opening up the walls.

In many of the older homes I’ve worked on, the best option has been to blow cellulose insulation into the walls through small drilled holes. While cellulose doesn’t necessarily have the very best R-Value of all types of insulation available, one thing is for sure – having some kind of insulation is absolutely better than having none at all.

Spray in foam is really popular these days in new construction for its ease of application and cost worthy effectiveness. Many formulas are soy based and engineered to be environmentally friendly themselves while helping lead to a greener home through saved energy costs at the same time. This type of insulation does require professional application.

Fiberglass batting insulation is probably the best for do it yourself installers, although it still requires practice to get a tight fit and proper seal. Usually installing fiberglass insulation in the attic or other exposed areas is relatively simple, but again, insulating a home’s walls will require open access.

Ultimately, if you’re getting sick and tired of ultra high winter heating costs, now is time to take action and do something about it. Just remember, no matter the R-Value, any insulation is an improvement over no insulation!

But did you know it’s actually still considered routine maintenance on many makes and models to service or repack wheel bearings every 30,000 or so miles? While even the dealer is only apt to cover this preventative repair perhaps only when doing brake jobs and the like, bad bearings can make for a heck of a problem later on if they go unchecked.

I’ve previously had bearings go bad before on my old Ford truck, but that’s been some time ago. When the same thing happened recently with my Chevy Silverado (you won’t miss the telltale shriek from the wheel), I figured I’d just drop it by the dealer and let them handle the problem.

Guess what? They wanted almost $900 to just replace the two front wheel bearings. No thanks! I was determined to do the repack myself. Now I’ve got to admit that I’m pretty frugal and fairly handy at the same time. I do some of the maintenance on my car when I can to save a buck or two.

If you’ve confident enough to do your own brake work, you won’t have much trouble learning how to repack wheel bearings. I know I didn’t.

In a nutshell, here are the steps:

· Remove the wheel.
· Remove the brake caliper.
· Remove the dust cap.
· Extract the cotter pin and dislodge the retainer ring.
· Loosen and remove the nut from the spindle.
· Pull away the hub assembly.
· Remove bearings and inspect.
· If they’re damaged, then replace.
· Otherwise, clean with a recommended solvent.
· Repack the bearings with grease (use a cone wheel packing tool)
· Begin reassembling in the reverse process of disassembly.
· Make sure everything is properly greased along the way.

To save time and getting grease all over yourself be sure to invest a wheel bearing packing tool. It is an inexpensive tool that can be picked up for under $10-$15.

It is a simple tool that consists of a hollow threaded shaft with a fixed cone on the bottom and a removable cone that screws up and down the shaft.

When it comes time to repack your bearings, you unscrew to top cone and place the bearing on the bottom cone. You screw to top cone down until it comes in contact with the bearing.

Next you attach a grease gun to the fitting on the top of the shaft. You squeeze the grease gun until the grease comes out of the roller bearing. You spin off the cone and apply grease to the outside of the bearings and you are done.

Be sure to cover the packing tool with a cloth or place it in a plastic bag to keep it clean.

If the steps don’t make much sense to you, that’s okay too… Just look for an automotive technician that works at affordable rates. While it’s a complicated job unless you’ve had some hands-on experience, it’s an easy routine task for most mechanics.

Apparently, batteries struggle more in the colder weather. That’s why when we buy car batteries, we’ll hear the term “cold cranking amps” time and time again as a measure of how they stand up to the dropping mercury and the strains resulting.

But did you know that many of the problems experienced have a lot to do with the way we jump start a battery? It’s true, jump starting batteries is very hard on the battery’s life due to the high surge of voltage entering the otherwise depleted battery cells.

Needless to say, I was rather surprised when my mechanic explained this to me. I mean, who would think that jump starting a dead battery actually reduces its life.

As a side note, jumping another vehicle’s battery can also cause severe damage to the sensitive circuitry of today’s modern car electronic systems. It’s just best to avoid the scenario altogether when possible.

How can the problems be avoided? Well, dead batteries just happen – it’s a fact of life. Basically, I would guide you towards using a trickle charger to slowly charge a dead battery overnight, or for a few hours even, to bring it back to life instead of causing yourself to have to buy a new one sooner than later.

Even though it’s a hassle, that’s exactly what I do. I’m frugal and would rather avoid having to replace things completely, but I worry even more about possible permanent damage to my car’s sensitive circuitry due to a battery jump start. I can slow charge a battery, but I wouldn’t even know where to begin when it comes to repairing a car that’s completely internally fried!

It is best to avoid the battery jump start and opt for slow charging instead – your battery and your wallet will thank you later!
 

Actually, one of the first things I learned when I started hanging our family portraits throughout our home was just how tricky the process is, especially without a second person to give you a hand.  Here are some strategies that should show you how to hang a picture properly.

How to Hang a Picture:  Getting the Proper Tools

Before you start trying to learn how to hand a picture properly, you need to gather the correct tools.  First, you need to decide the weight of the object you want to hang on the wall.  Most pictures are light enough that an ordinary nail will be sufficient for hanging, but a better choice is a wall hook.  These hooks are created to hold different weights of items so you’ll need to choose the right hook for the weight of your photo.  If you are trying to hang a portrait in a very heavy frame, then consider purchasing wood screws instead.  Obviously, you’ll need either a hammer or a screwdriver depending on the hanging method you choose.

Additionally, you’re going to need a good level.  Spend a little extra to get the models which offer the most useful features.  Remember you can get reusing that level for a long time so it’s worth the investment.  You’ll also need a stud finder, a tape measure, and a pencil.

How to Hang a Picture Properly – The Process

Once you’ve gathered all of your equipment you’ll need to decide where to hang the picture.  Having a second person around can come in handy at this stage because you can experiment with holding the picture against the wall until you find the best spot.  Remember to hang pictures at different heights depending on the furniture and other wall hangings.

After you select a spot, you’ll need to find the center mark.  If you want to center the picture over a piece of furniture, then measure the width of the furniture piece.  Otherwise, measure the width of the wall.  Mark the center with the pencil.  Now you’ll want to find the center mark on the picture you’ll be hanging.

Make sure to install the picture fastener you’ve chosen.  If you’re using wood screws, you’ll have to use the stud finder because those screws should be placed directly into the wall stud for extra strength.  You’ll want to avoid the studs if you’re using nails or hooks.

You can then hang the picture on the fastener.  Use the level to hang the picture correctly.

After you know how to hang a picture properly, you can experiment with placing pictures at different heights and in different positions relative to the furniture in your home.  Experimenting can help you create a unique feel to your photos.  For example, I’ve hung some of our children’s pictures in a stair step formation instead of in a vertical or horizontal row.  The different form makes the photo more visually interesting.

Changing Your Furnace Filters

The most frequent part of maintaining your furnace is changing the furnace air filters.  Most of these filters are fairly easy to reach and to replace so you don’t need to call out a professional.  Pull out your furnace’s maintenance book and read the section on filter replacement to find out which type of filter to use and how often to replace the filter.

Most disposable filters should be changed when you first start using your heating.  If you use your furnace continually, it’s a good idea to change out the filter every month.  When you don’t change your filter frequently enough, it can become clogged with dirt and debris.  As a result, your furnace won’t work as effectively or as efficiently.  In fact, if you’re already seeing high energy bills then changing your filters more frequently might be a good idea.

Not all furnace filters are disposable.  Some models only require cleaning.  Again, make sure you read the maintenance guide that came with your furnace to find out for sure.

Regardless of the type of filter, I would recommend cleaning the blower and other visible parts of the furnace every time you change the filter.  When these parts become too dirty, they can also affect the efficiency of your unit.  Some rags and a vacuum cleaner should be all the tools you need.  I’ve done this routinely with our current unit, which is fairly old, and it actually runs better than some of the newer units our neighbors have.

Other Furnace Servicing Needs

While changing your furnace filters regularly is probably the most common type of maintenance you’ll need to perform on your system, it’s probably not going to be all you need to do.   Some newer furnaces are fairly self-contained and require very little maintenance.  The bad news is that with these units the maintenance that is required must be done by a professional.  They just aren’t set up to make them easy for do-it-yourselfers to work with.

Older units don’t have the same problem.  You can more easily get in to do minor repairs or trouble shooting.  However, it’s a good idea to have those older units inspected periodically by a professional.  Carbon monoxide poisoning, for example, can be a problem with faulty older units.  Regularly inspections can also help you determine the remaining life of your unit.  Replacing your heating system can be costly so if you know your current unit only has another couple of years left then you can begin saving now to afford that replacement.

When it comes to your heating system, you should definitely be changing those furnace filters but it’s a good idea to call in professionals at least once a year to make sure everything is working correctly and that you can look forward to another toasty winter indoors.

After hearing that, we realized properly securing our domestic hot water tank was not something anyone should take lightly.

Other Good Reasons to Secure Your Hot Water Tank

We’ve already talked about one excellent reason to make sure your hot water tank is secure, but that’s only a problem if your system relies on natural gas.  Many don’t.  That doesn’t mean you don’t still have to be concerned.

If you think about your hot water tank, you know that it holds a good amount of water.  The actual capacity varies depending on the make and model but, on average, most tanks can hold about 50 gallons of water.  Considering the average weight of each of those gallons you’re talking about 400 pounds of water and that’s not even including the actual weight of the tank.  Can you imagine having something that weighs that much fall on you or one of your children or even a pet?  The results would definitely cause serious injury at the least.

Another good reason to secure your tank is that all of that stored water could be extremely useful in a bad situation.  If our friend, for example, had a secured tank and had been without water for a few days because of the earthquake, he could have tapped into that tank.  Most people don’t think about that.

How to Secure Your Hot Water Tank Properly

Now that you understand why you should secure your tank you should learn how to make sure it is properly secured.  You can buy kits and straps for this very purpose at most hardware stores.  Make sure to purchase only items that have been certified.  Poorly made pieces will end up breaking if the tank moves too much.

I have seen individuals use tie downs (straps you would use to secure items in the back of a pick-up) to secure their tanks, but I would recommend this only as a last resort.  Because most of these tie downs are made of nylon they could melt if allowed to come in contact with intense heat or flames.  You also would need to make sure they can support the weight of your full hot water tank.

If you’re in doubt, then I would recommend calling out an expert to check the security of your hot water tank.  Sure, you’ll have to pay for the visit but you’ll have the peace of mind of knowing your tank isn’t likely to tip over any time soon.

And as clumsy as I can be at times, I definitely consider myself fortunate. I had a shop teacher way back when at high school that persistently chided us to always keep the table saw blade set just 1/8 inch above the lumber we were cutting to prevent fingers from getting cut off.

Now if this seems like a simple solution, that’s because it is. Along with proper use of table saw blade guards and the metal guides, it really does help to prevent unwanted accidents.

In fact, I have my own survival story thanks to this tip. Getting a little carried away and probably being careless, I did manage to find the table saw blade once with my finger. Thank goodness I was using this 1/8 inch technique at the time – I managed to escape practically unscathed with just a minor knick to my finger.

Of course, another tip I can offer from lots of hands on experience is to sharpen or replace your table saw blades frequently. I’ve found that dull blades bind and kick back way more than brand new or freshly sharpened blades, reducing any potential possibility of injury quite a bit. Don’t forget to use the same caution with portable saws too.

Again, I know it’s easy to get carried away or just plain forgetful of good habits when using a saw, but I’ve learned to stop what I’m doing and think for a moment each and every time I step up to the saw. I like my fingers and my eyes just the way they are, after all!

I’ve gone through a few cordless drills but after much trial and error I found one that fits my needs perfectly. Now I’m not going to tell you what brand to buy, but I can give you some pointers to help you locate the right cordless drills for your needs.

Cordless Drills: Decide What You Need

Before you go to the hardware store or department store, have a good idea of how you could use cordless drills in your DIY plans. For example, if you’re going to do only a few minor jobs here and there, then you don’t need to shell out $300 for a top-of-the-line 18 volt piece of equipment. Save a few dollars and buy a cheaper model. It should get the job done.

Now if you’re planning some major cordless drilling projects, then it may be worth it for you to spend the extra now instead of having to buy new drills periodically. In the long run, you’ll probably end up saving money. Both Dewalt cordless drills and Makita cordless drills are brands I would recommend researching before you make a choice.

Regardless of whether you’ll be using your drill a lot of a little, you should go ahead and choose one in the 14.4 to 18 volt category. You’ll find a number of options with less, but the minimal savings won’t be worth the frustrations caused by the lower power. Weight isn’t a big difference either. Most of the 9.6 volt models weigh about the same as the 18 volt models so that shouldn’t be a factor in your decision.

Cordless Drills: Batteries

Obviously, one of the major appeals of cordless drills is that you won’t be tied down by a cord. On the down side, you will have to worry about losing battery power midway through a project which can be very annoying (I found this out when I was building a hutch as a surprise for my wife a few years ago).

My recommendation is that you choose a cordless drill that comes with a second battery so you can always have one charging while the other is in use. That method should prevent those types of problems from occurring.

While we’re talking about batteries, you should also remember to think about the cost of replacement batteries for your drill. These rechargeable batteries usually only last for about 500 recharges so eventually you may need a new one. Of course if you’re spending less than $100 you’ll probably just buy a new drill when this battery dies. If you’re spending more than that, you may want to take into consideration that cost of replacing the battery. Prices vary from $20 to $80 so this can be a deciding factor, especially if you’re planning to keep a cordless drill for a long period of time.

Remember you’re always better off choosing a big name brand for your cordless drills. These tools are likely to deliver better results and last longer even though they may cost a little more.

This event will be awesome. I am looking forward to going. Ian Lee at Ads-Links.com is having a contest and is giving away free tickets to the event. This would be a perfect time in my business to win the tickets. I am at a stale mate point and I want to take what I will learn at the Summit and apply it to my business so I can take it to the next level in 2008. I am going to take what I will learn at the event, apply it to my business so it can help me achieve my goals for 2008.

If you are an Internet marketer and want to learn more, I recommend checking out Affiliate Summit or Ian Lee’s internet marketing blog for more details.

As usual though, I discovered that replacing those doors was a bit trickier than I’d thought at first. In fact, just choosing the right doors was a challenge.

Choosing Materials for Residential Exterior Doors

Your exterior doors need to be chosen carefully for a couple of reasons. Unlike your interior doors, these doors are going to be exposed to the harshest things Mother Nature can throw at it. From hail to snow to wind, your door needs to be able to stand up to it for years.

Many doors, particularly in older homes, are made from wood. Wood can be very attractive, but it does pose some durability problems. For one, the weather conditions can warp the door meaning eventually it won’t fit as snugly into your doorway as before. The result is a reduction in energy efficiency because more air from outside can get into your home.

When you start looking at new doors, you’ll find that there are more energy efficient models available. The most cost-effective are probably the steel variety. They cost around $150 at the low end and can be painted so they match the rest of your home. The steel won’t warp, and they handle wear and tear pretty well. Fiberglass and composite doors are two other options. These cost $300 and up. They aren’t quite as energy efficient as steel, but they have a more upscale look. If you or your spouse hates the idea of a steel door, either of these options would be a better choice than wood.

Residential Exterior Doors & Safety

One of the big concerns when you are replacing exterior wooden doors on your home is safety. When I was door shopping, for example, I found a beautiful model that had lovely windows around the edges. Another shopper saw me admiring the door and warmed me against buying it. His son-in-law had installed the same door a few weeks earlier, then a burglar broke one of the glass panels, reached inside, unlocked the door, and robbed their family while they were away for the weekend.

Those windows are beautiful, and they do let plenty of light into your home. However, you have to weigh those benefits against the safety risks. Look for doors that might allow you to have both by placing the windows in strategic locations or by including other safety features. Remember that the glass could also be broken by a careless paperboy, a neighbor kid playing ball, or even a particularly bad storm.

My advice for buying residential exterior doors is to stick with metal, particularly steel. It’s affordable and durable. If you love the wood look and can afford a little more then give the composite or fiberglass versions a whirl. But never make your purchase without thinking about your home’s and your family’s safety.