Reduce, Reuse, Reprogram

Earth Day is April 22nd and we thought we’d give a friendly reminder on some simple things you can do in your own home to be more energy efficient:

• Don’t leave water running. That’s right, turn the faucet off while you’re brushing your teeth.
• Turn off lights and open the blinds to let in natural light.
• Recycle! Everything from pop cans to batteries to paper – it can all be recycled. You’ve probably made room in your garage after your spring cleaning. Save a space to collect those odds and ends and make a big trip to the recycling center.
• Reuse your plastic water bottles. (Think less dishes to wash).
• Reuse your plastic grocery bags - they make good trashcan liners, transporting things to the car, bringing home sweaty or wet clothes from the gym or pool, and trash bags for your car.
• Don’t purchase anything in styrofoam! Do you know how long it takes to biodegrade? 500 years! Let’s think cardboard!
• Set your air conditioning unit to 75 degrees, and  your  heating equipment between 66 and 68 degrees.
• Last, but not least, have a programmable thermostat installed in your home! The benefits include reduced energy costs, more comfort, and are environmentally because they are eco-friendly and do not contain any mercury.

With that being said, we’d like to offer you $20 off the installation of a programmable thermostat in celebration of Earth Day. Give us a call now, as this offer is only valid through April 22nd, 2011.

 Call and schedule your installation today!

Have you scheduled your spring Precision Tune-up yet?

Have you all been able to enjoy the beautiful sunshine the last few days? I sure hope so! Let’s hope that it is a preview of a warm, beautiful summer. Speaking of warm, when is the last time you had a precision tune-up on your heat pump or air conditioning unit? March is almost over and if we’re lucky that warm weather will be a regular part of our days very soon. Be sure to give us a call to set up an appointment for your precision tune-up today! This will help to avoid being too warm once these summer months are upon us. We look forward to hearing from you soon!

Recipes for a clean house

• For an all purpose cleaner that works on just about anything, mix ½ c. of vinegar, ¼ c. of baking soda, and a half gallon of water.
• Bathroom shower mold can be fought with one part hydrogen peroxide and 2 parts water put together in a spray bottle.  Spray onto mold and wait an hour before wiping off.
• Normal tub and tile cleaning can be done by simply using a sponge to scrub in baking soda and rinsing with water.
• To polish your furniture, add a few drops of lemon oil into a 1/2 cup warm water. Mix well and spray onto a soft cotton cloth. Cloth should only be slightly damp. Wipe furniture with the cloth, and finish by wiping once more using a dry soft cotton cloth.
• Toilet bowls can be cleaned with ¼ c. baking soda and a cup of vinegar poured directly into the bowl of the toilet. Let sit for a minute, scrub, and flush.
• To clean your windows or mirrors, mix 2 tsp of white vinegar with 1 liter of warm water in a spray bottle.  Spray onto windows and wipe off with newspaper.

1. Make a list of each room and what needs to be done in it.  You will feel great checking things off as you go along.
2. Add to your list anything that might not reside in a specific room—changing your furnace filter, sweeping your porch, changing the batteries in your smoke alarms, etc.
3. Make sure you have all your cleaning supplies on hand.  There is nothing worse than starting a project and then having to run to the store for something you forgot!
4. Listen to upbeat music as you clean.  You’ll go faster and can dance along as you’re scrubbing.  Trust us, it makes it much more fun.
5. Tackle one room at a time and work first on the room that will make you feel the best once it’s done.  Work from top to bottom in each room to ensure maximum cleanliness.

We hoped this helped get you jump started on your spring cleaning.   In a few weeks, we’ll also share some simple homemade cleaners you can make to replace the toxic ones you have in your cupboards.