Grasses are separated into cool & warm season varieties. Cool season grasses including bluegrass, annual & perennial ryegrass, & bent grass should be used in cooler climates. Cool-season grasses are usually blended in a seed mix than can be spread with a broadcast seeder. In warmer climates, use warm-season grasses including St. Augustine, Bermuda, centepede, & buffalo grass. Warm-season grasses are planted as singl-species plugs.

Some seeds need more water than others, but in general you can expect to do more watering if you live in an arid part of the country, (duh). If you live in a mixed climate you may need to blend warm & cool-season grasses for a successful lawn.

Most likely, the seed sold in stores in your area will grow there & will be marked for use in sunny or shaded areas. I have always had good luck with a mixture of rye & fescue in the Clarksville area, but you may want to check with the Co-op extension service or one of the local nurseries for your particular application. You can even take a soil sample to the Co-op for a free analysis to get a better idea of what your lawn may require. It’s getting that time of year so get a game plane together & get to work!

Tile manufacturers use a numerical value called a coefficient or friction, or COF, to rank how much traction a tile surface provides & in wet locations that number should be .60 or higher. manufacturers may not print the COF on the cartons & in that case it would be wise to ask about it. (Some building codes may even require a specific COF)

Some types of tile are too porous for use in a shower even if their size & texture seem appropriate. Natural clay pavers would let the water soak right through so they should be limited to dry areas.

Another factor is size, some floor tiles are available in up to 18×18, but that would be too large to conform to the slopes that are in most shower floor pans & would crack. I have seen larger tiles broken up & then laid on the floor in a mosaic fashion or you can use factory sheet mosaics that are flexible, form nicely to the floor pan & are quicker to install. Never use wall tiles in place of floor tile as they are not strong enough & will not last.

Only buy or fill up your car or truck in the early morning when the ground
temperature is still cold. Remember that all service stations have their storage
tanks buried below ground. The colder the ground the more dense the gasoline,
when it gets warmer gasoline expan ds, so buying in the afternoon or in the
evening….your gallon is not exactly a gallon. In the petroleum
business, the specific gravity and the temperature of the gasoline, diesel and
jet fuel, ethanol and other petroleum products plays an important role. A
1-degree rise in temperature is a big deal for this business. But the service
stations do not have temperature compensation at the pumps.

When you’re filling up do not squeeze the trigger of the nozzle to a fast mode.
If you look you will see that the trigger has three (3) stages: low, middle, and
high. In slow mode you should be pumping on low spe ed, thereby minimizing the
vapors that are created while you are pumping. All hoses at the pump have a
vapor return. If you are pumping on the fast rate, some of the liquid that goes
to your tank becomes vapor. Those vapors are being
sucked up and back into the underground storage tank so you’re getting less
worth for your money .

One of the most important tips is to fill up when your gas tank is HALF FULL or
HALF EMPTY. The reason for this is, the more gas you have in your tank the less
air occupying its empty space. Gasoline evaporates faster than you can imagine.
Gasoline storage tanks have an internal floating roof. This roof serves as zero
clearance between the gas and the atmosphere, so it minimizes the evaporation.
Unlike service stations, here where I work, every truck that we load is
temperature compensated so that every gallon is actually the exact amount.

Another reminder, if there is a gasoline truck pumping int o the storage tanks
when you stop to buy gas, DO NOT fill up–most likely the gasoline is being
stirred up as the gas is being delivered, and you might pick up some of the dirt
that normally settles on the bottom.

Hope this will help you get the most value for your money.

DO SHARE THESE TIPS WITH OTHERS!

Avoid damage with any deicer by following the application instructions & quickly removing the ice once melted from the area. Deicers are not intended to be used alone, they are meant to be an aid in the removal process. Here are 3 typs of deicers.

Sodium Chloride (NaCl)

• Irregularly shaped crystals
• Considered chemically safe for use on concrete, but may cause freeze-induced damage to other masonry
• Lowest effective temperature 20 degrees F.
• Leaves a white powdery residue when it dries

• Toxic to vegitation

Magnesium Chloride (MgCl2)

• Flake form less effective than pellets

• May cause freeze-induced damage to masonry

• Lowest effective temperature 5 degress F.

• Leaves no powdery residue

• Safer for humans, animals, vegitation, & environment, compared to other deicers

Calcium Chloride (CaCl2)

• Flake form less effective than pellets

• Poses least threat of freeze-induced damage to masonry

• Lowest effective temperature 25 degress F.

• Used as directed will not harm vegetation

• Leaves harmful residue on carpet, tile, shoes, etc.

 2. Avoid cutting yourself when slicing vegetables by getting someone else to hold while you chop.
 
  3. Avoid arguments with the Mrs. about lifting the toilet seat by using the sink.
 
  4. For high blood pressure sufferers: simply cut yourself and bleed for a few minutes, thus reducing the pressure in your veins. Remember to use
     a timer.
  5. A mouse trap, placed on top of your alarm clock, will prevent you from rolling over and going back to sleep after you hit the snooze button.
 
  6. If you have a bad cough, take a large dose of laxatives, then you’ll be afraid to cough.  

7. You only need two tools in life - WD-40 and Duct Tape. If it doesn’t move and should, use the WD-40. If it shouldn’t move and does, use the duct tape     

 8. Remember: Everyone seems normal until you get to know them.
 
      Daily Thought: SOME PEOPLE ARE LIKE SLINKIES. NOT REALLY GOOD FOR  ANYTHING BUT  BRING A SMILE TO YOUR FACE WHEN   PUSHED DOWN THE STAIRS                                                   

If you can’t fix it with a hammer, you’ve got an electrical problem.

You might want to put a pan, bowl or bucket under it to catch any water that may be spilled, let us know how it goes.

Arcs are those miniature lightning bolts that occur when microwaves are caught between two metal objects. The metal racks found in many microwave ovens won’t cause arcing by themselves, but metal such as a fork or foil placed near the rack or oven wall can cause arcing. Even the gold rim of a china cup can cause arcing, so make sure the cookware you use is microwave safe. Another source of arcing is the buildup of certain foods, such as tomato, on the walls of a microwave oven (a good argument for keeping your oven clean). When arcing occurs, turn off the oven immediately to prevent damage.

Another danger with microwave ovens is superheated water. If water is placed in a smooth container in a microwave oven, it can be heated well past it’s boiling point, yet remain still. When an object (a spoon, teabag, grains of sugar) disrupts the surface tension, the water boils violently in a small explosion that can cause severe injury. So always follow the oven instructions for heating or reheating water, & if ther is a chance the water has become superheated, let it cool at least a full minute before handling the cup.

Along with a host of other electronic devices, the energy generated by a microwave oven can cause a cardiac pacemaker to malfunction.

One misconception is that microwave ovens give off harmful radiation. The radiation from a microwave oven is no more dangerous than radiation from a television.

While this type of siding was made by numerous manufacturers, each company’s fiberboard siding is made in roughly the same manner and tends to have the same issues.

After this siding has been installed for some length of time, it tends to expand slightly. This causes the area around the nail heads to become damaged. This in turn allows moisture to penetrate into the siding and deteriorate it.

As the moisture level increases, the siding’s edges tend to expand. This expansion breaks the paint, which, in turn, allows rainwater to be absorbed by the siding causing a breakdown of the glue holding the wood fibers together. Deterioration of the siding increases as the moisture content of the siding rises.

Fiberboard siding also tends to expand and contract along its length, thus breaking the seal where the boards are joined together. This contraction breaks down the caulk that was applied during installation (hopefully), again leaving the siding vulnerable to water penetration.

It is critical that the caulking on this type siding be maintained in good condition. Also, regular repainting of the siding is an absolute must. Hand painting of the bottom of each course of the siding with a brush is the only way to ensure that the exposed fibers of the siding get sealed.

It may be possible to slow down the deterioration of fiberboard siding by regular painting and caulking; however, home owners should be aware that there will be problems with their siding in the future.

If you are building a new home or retrofitting an older one you can use either an outlet or circuit-breaker GFCI device.

A GFCI outlet, which costs 10-15 dollars, has it’s own built-in circuit breaker as well as a reset button. When installed properly, a GFCI outlet will protect all other outlets on the same circuit as long as the GFCI outlet is the first one on the circuit.

A GFCI circuit breaker, 30 + dollars, is an easier way to ensure that all the outlets & fixtures on any given branch circuit will be protected. GFCI breakers also function like standard breakers to protect against overloaded or short circuits.