Month: November 2010

Family Dentists: Making the Trip to the Dentist

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Not everyone loves going to the dentist. I know some of you may find this strange but really there are people you dread sitting in that chair and having their teeth cleaned. Often the dreaded dentist asks you a billion questions about your bleeding gums and flossing habits. Who wants to lie to them, not me? The dentist doesn’t have to be a dreadful place. In fact, many offices now specialize in techniques that allow patients to fully relax. Patients can watch TV, listen to music, or enjoy incense all in the name of getting people back into the dentist. Starting good habits when a person is young is key. If you grow up knowing it is a necessary step in your health you will be more apt to continue on the road to a healthy lifestyle. What ever your excuse now is the time to get in. Dentists can tell so much about your health from the state of your mouth. It is as important as a yearly physical. Below are some tips for healthy teeth. Follow these and going to the dentist will soon become less of a chore and instead be something you look forward to.

The first suggestion I have is fairly easy. Go to the store and purchase that kid friendly mouthwash. It has the ability to stain the areas on your teeth that have plaque build up. This is a great tool to begin with. You will want to brush and floss your teeth and again rinse with the mouthwash. You should see big improvement. Everyday it is important to try and keep up a routine where you brush and floss at least once a day, two times is even more favorable and recommended by most family dentists.

Another tip is to purchase a timer. Dentists recommend brushing for a full 2 minutes. This can seem like an eternity so it is best to have a way to measure the time so that you don’t skip out on valuable minutes each day. Four minutes a day is really only such a small fraction of your day and it could save you hours in the dentist’s office later.

Don’t brush too hard. That only leads to gum bleeding. Over brushing causes serious gum issues so just be consistent. A moderate brushing twice a day will sufficient. Otherwise you will end up with gums that recede and become sensitive to brush.

If you know the dentist is a place of stress for you bring a friend. Sometimes having someone to talk with and keep you calm really helps ease the anxiety. Another option is to bring a fidget so that you can keep your mind occupies with something other then what is going on in your mouth.

Drink bottled water with a fluoride treatment in it and avoid eating too much sugar. Use products to brush your teeth that contain fluoride and other products to strength your teeth and build healthy gums. Remember to also see the dentist every six months and replace your tooth brush every three. All of this will ease any dental problems you may be concerned with and get you on the road to a healthy smile.

A dentist visit should be an experience that you leave feeling good about. Your family dentist will do everything they can to make the experience one that is more enjoyable so that your teeth stay health and you keep making repeat visits. Mention to them your issues and give the dentist the opportunity to fix the anxiety you are feeling. In the long run you will save time and money by keeping up on the health of your mouth.

Cox Dentistry

Finding Good Computer Help

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What do you do when your computer stops running and you need computer help? It is the equivalent of taking your car to the repair shop. When you aren’t educated on the issue needing repair you basically trust your belongings to a total stranger. They could tell you anything, for any price and you would have to decide to trust this person’s judgment or not. How do you begin to find reliable, trustworthy computer help in your area? Waiting until you absolutely need the help is the worst idea. It is better to arm yourself with this knowledge early because by the time you need it’s too late. You need your computer fixed tomorrow because you have a huge presentation due at work. It is saved on your laptop and it is too late to figure out who can help you. You need to be prepared with that information ahead of time.

My first bit of advice is to research and locate a computer store before you need computer help. It is easier to take your time when you don’t actually need the computer fixed. In a last minute bind you often settle for someone who is below par because you just don’t have another choice. I know you don’t think computer problems will ever happen to you because you have anti-virus protection, you use surge protectors and you update programs but trust me when I say if you have a computer at some point you will need computer help. Technology is not fool proof and it goes with out saying that at some point it will fail and you will be in a bind searching for a reputable repair shop.

Start by asking around who your friends use for their computer repairs. Word of mouth is how most companies stay in business. If a friend or acquaintance is willing to refer you to someone they use then chances are that they have had good service from the computer repair shop and so will you. You can look into organizations such as the better business bureau and the chamber of commerce. Places like these deal with local business and would be able to tell you if there are complaints against the computer repair shop you are looking to go to for computer help.

When you do start researching different computer stores look into their policies. You will want to get a feel for there rates for labor, diagnostics, methods of payments and turn around time. It is also beneficial to find out what type of repairs the computer shop specializes in and what type of certifications the staff holds. You will want to find a shop where the technicians have certifications and continued education that supports their computer knowledge.

Find a computer shop that gives you options on your repairs. Find out if they offer only new parts or are there options to repair with slightly used parts? Make sure when dealing with the computer shops staff you feel comfortable to ask questions. Make sure you understand the answers to your questions. The staff should be patient in explaining the nature of your computer problems. They should also be willing to show you the issues with your computer. Hopefully this article will help you seek out computer help that you feel comfortable with and that best fits with your needs.

Creative Programs and Systems

Why Search Engine Placement Is Important for the Growth of your Business

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Website buyers often question if they really need the extra expense of search engine placement. Simply put the answer is yes. In order to get your website viewed ahead of the competition you really need to keep your company marketed in everyway possible. Search engine placement is so important to any company’s online business marketing. This article will explain that in order to maximize your website and online marketing you should be using search engine placement.

Rankings are everything when it comes to getting your website viewed. Recent studies have showed that upwards of ninety percent of all website traffic comes through a search engine. Every time a product or service is needed and you don’t know where to turn what do you do? I know personally I go to the internet and Google it. Websites are so important but getting the people to your website is even more important.

The great thing about search engine placement is that clients are already interested in the product or service you are advertising. You wouldn’t go out searching washing machine repairs if I didn’t them. You want to make sure your repair shop is the first one I lay eyes on if I am searching for one. As a consumer in need of something I am most likely going to call on the first website that land in my search. If your site is not placed within the first ten you should basically consider yourself invisible on the web.

Search engine placement is an easy issue to understand. Resolving it is another thing. Hire a professional will ensure you are hitting the target and your site is getting the traffic it should be. When you hire a website developer they should take search engine placement into consideration as it is as important as the websites design. Getting people to view the site is so important trust the website developer to make it pretty and user friendly while also using search engine placement to get the website viewed.

People nowadays are going straight to the web for any and all information they need. Word of mouth will give you growth in business but it will not sustain your business for the long haul. Consumers need to be able to search for your services and your company by plugging in one or two word phrases online. Ranking with in the top ten sites for your industry will help you maximize travel to your site. The extra expenses will pay for themselves each month by the increase in traffic generated by the extra traffic you will experience. Your businesses growth depends on your search engine rankings. Take this into account as much if not more than the actual design of your website.

Creative Programs and Systems

Quick Tips to Prevent House Fires

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No one wants to ever enlist the help of fire restoration professionals. The only way to do this is to prevent a fire from starting in the first place. The process of fire restoration is long and tedious and will consume your life for months. Follow these quick tips to prevent a fire in your home so that you can avoid that time lost in your life.

First and most important have and test fire alarms in your home. This will prevent a fire from going unnoticed and hopefully prevent major damage if one does occur. Most professionals that deal with fire and fire safety insist on checking alarms at least twice a year. Do a practice a drill with your family to ensure that everyone in your home knows where they should be and what they should do in the event of a fire. Change the batteries twice a year also. It will alleviate the future 1AM wake up call of the alarm chirping for batteries and the search for them that follows.

Do not allow people to smoke in your home and don’t do it yourself. Many fires start from a smoker who has carelessly disposed of ashes and cigarettes improperly. If you do smoke and allow people to smoke in your home use common sense. Never leave a cigarette unattended. Properly dispose of the leftover ashes outside of your home in a container that is kept at a distance from your home.

Fireplaces are another area that is on the list of fire starters. Have a professional out to inspect your chimney and fireplace before the start of the fall season. Debris left in the flu can ignite causing a small fire to smolder and eventually cause a disaster. When removing the ash from the chimney ensure it has cooled. Never put a warm bucket of ashes on your deck thinking it will cool and be fine. My neighbor did this and came home to see smoke billowing out from all of their vents and the deck engulfed in flames. The bucket did nothing but conduct the heat causing the wood deck to catch on fire. Be careful with fireplaces and keep all matches high where children aren’t tempted to start a fire on their own.

Candles are another bid deal in preventing your home from catching fire. You should never leave candles unattended. Not even the ones inside glass containers. Be vigilant in extinguishing all lit flames in your home before you leave the room or go to bed. If you make this habit it is less likely you will ever accidently forget to blow a candle out before you leave you home.

Lint from your dryer vents needs to be regularly checked, cleaned and vacuumed out. It is recommended that the lint be removed after each load is finished and that you vacuum the dryer vent area out once a month to prevent a build up of lint.

When you are having a fire outside of your home it is important to make sure to keep the fire a safe distance from your home. When burning leaves or having a campfire it is important to make sure that the area is semi moist to alleviate the spreading of fire. It is important to keep brush and dry leaves cleared for your home. Dry brush will only help spread a fire if one happened to start. They are a perfect igniter.

Another biggie is that you never should leave the stove top unattended. Not only is it a fire hazard but it is also a safety hazard to children. When food is boiling it is easy for the pot to boil over. If anything in the pot is flammable and it boils over it will ignite a fire in your kitchen.

Keep space heaters away from curtains and at least three feet away from walls and other flammable materials. Make sure to turn off all space heaters when you leave the room or house. It is like a candle but instead of a flame you have a coil. I would recommend that space heaters not be used at all but if you have to use them be careful and use caution.

Last but not least I will leave you with this one final tip in preventing fires from destroying your home and your pocketbook. Use common sense whenever fire, flame and ashes are involved. Keep a fire extinguisher in your home just in case and be cautious at all times. Your home is one of the biggest investments you will ever make and fire can destroy it in minutes.

TCI Restoration

Getting Rid of Mold in the Home: Mold Removal

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Mold is one of those words that send shivers down my spine. Mold isn’t a plant or an animal it is a fungi. In the proper environment mold will damage all types of materials. Prevention is the key aspect in getting mold in your home. Mold is hazardous in the home environment and is not easily removed. If it is too late for prevention you will need to take steps in proper removal. Be diligent not only about removing the mold but ensuring you have taken the proper steps for further mold infestations.

Molds are hazardous because they reproduce quickly. Spores get into the air and are hard to remove. When inhaled many mold spores can cause people to have respiratory issues. Other issues that mold causes are skin rashes and immune issues if exposed to for long periods of time. It is so important to remove and prevent mold in your home.

Preventing mold is fairly easy. It can be included in the regular maintenance of your home. Be on high alert for conditions that would lend themselves to the growth of mold. These situations can be as simple as a leaky faucet or as complicated as high humidity and condensation build up. Look for areas where mold is visible such as showers and tile for instance. Those are areas that attract mold. Keep areas clean with cleaner that is specially formulated to kill mold.

To properly clean mold that has made its way into your home the following tips are advised.

1) Eliminate Moisture: Clean and soak up as much of the water as you can. Hire a professional to come in with high powered fans and dehumidifiers.

2) Fix the Problem: Some issues are easier to spot than others. If you see mold growing in your attic it might take some research to find out how the moisture is getting in. You also need to find out why it is not being expelled correctly. However if the toilet leaks it is pretty obvious.

3) Clean Up: Start by wearing protective gear. Gloves, a face mask, long pants and a long shirt should keep you protected from minor mold cleanup. Make sure to use old clothing because you will want to throw it out after you are finished. Bring in the professionals if the area is too large. You may want to use a respirator.

4) Ventilate: Use a fan to circulate area outside. Make sure to open all windows and doors.

5) Cover and Turn Off: Turn off all air conditioners and heat sources. It would be best to close and cover all vents and ducts. Close the doors throughout the house to keep the airborne mold spores contained as much as possible.

6) Removal: All items that are porous should be removed and gotten rid of. Anything without a porous surface can be cleaned and kept.

7) Sanitize: Using a solution of 1 ½ cups of bleach to 1 gallon of boiling water to clean all areas. Let the solution set for about 15 minutes before wiping clean and rinsing.

8) Dry the Area: In order to make sure that the mold does not grow back you must make sure the entire area is thoroughly dried. Also, it is important to keep the area completely dry.

Prevention is the key to avoid having to remove mold in the first place. Maintenance and a watchful eye should avoid you from having to worry about major mold removal.

TCI Restoration

Cleaning Up After a Flood: Water Restoration

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Picture everything you own floating in a sea of grimy, muddy water. This is what happens when your home floods. Flooding doesn’t occur neatly. The water is never chlorinated. There is not time to adjust your most prized possessions. It just occurs fast and without warning. The water comes in the house like a rocket and leaves it in disarray. Not only are your belongings destroyed but you are left with bacteria growing like nobodies business and a very unstable home. The systems in your home such as heating & cooling will also be affected. Where do you go after your home floods? This article will guide you in the direction you need to begin after your home has been hit by a flood in regards to water restoration.

Your insurance company is where you should begin when anything happens to your home especially flooding and fire damage. Many times your home owners insurance will have a special policy included for flooding. Call your insurance provider to see what is covered and what is not. Water restoration is something most insurance companies are very familiar with. If you live in an area known to flood make sure you purchase special flood insurance through FEMA. If your policy does cover such disasters they will send an adjuster out. The adjuster will take pictures and note the damage and most likely assist you with a contact that will help you restore your home.

Starting the clean up process will be the next step. This process will be long and tedious but necessary for the long term health and safety of your family and home. First things first, clear as much debris as you can and throw it away. Consider renting a dumpster unit. Clear the dirt residue, loose building materials and things that can not be fixed in general. Don’t hold on to questionable items, replace them.

Disinfecting is the next step after you have cleared all the loose debris that can not be salvaged. Get a pair of rubber gloves that are heat resistant and boil some water. Add a ¼ cup of chlorine bleach to each gallon of boiling water. The mixture you will have will disinfect anything and everything. Make sure kids and pets are a safe distance away from this mixture and make sure to label it poisonous. Spray and disinfect every surface whether it was involved directly in the flood or not. The bacteria will find its way through your home so be thorough.

Go room by room through your home. Start in with all the major furniture and items that consume the most space in your home. All clothes, furniture, bedding and throw rugs should be placed in an area that they will be able to dry without humidity and weather getting to them. Furniture with cushions needs special attention. If mold sets in you will have even bigger an issue so being thorough is key, hire a professional cleaner.

Kitchens are a bit easier to take care of. Disinfection with the combination of hot water and bleach should be effective for dishes and glassware. Metal should be boiled in hot water for 15-20 minutes. The bleach mixture will ruin the finish. Clean and rinse all surface areas, such as cupboards, shelves and countertops.

Walls, electrical systems, heating & cooling systems and appliances are all areas that it is better to have a professional come out and handle. There are all types of issues that could go haywire so why have a firs on top of a flood. Leave these major repairs to a professional. Have everything with an electrical end checked out. Walls will have soaked up all sorts of moisture and most likely will need to be replaced to prevent mold from infesting your home. There just isn’t a good way to dry drywall and it isn’t that moisture resistant.

Floors are tricky. Most of the time the recommendation would be to remove and replace all flooring. It is difficult to completely and thoroughly clean and disinfect carpet, linoleum, wood or tile floors. The subfloor will often become so saturated that drying it without removal of the floor material on top would be nearly impossible.

Flooding allows bacteria, mold and mildew a perfect entrance into your home. If you take precautions and follow these tips you should avoid anymore issues than you already have with the flood alone. Hopefully, you will not experience flooding as it is one of the hardest jobs to clean up. If you do be prepared with thorough water restoration it will yield the best results.

TCI Restoration

Carpet Cleaners: A Necessary Expense

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It is so important to get your carpets cleaned at least once a year. Most carpet professionals will recommend a deep clean twice a year for the longevity of the carpet. Every six months schedule a professional to come out and evaluate the condition of your carpet. A carpet cleaners will be able to tell you whether or not a deep clean is necessary. If you want to ensure the life of your carpet it is best not to spare this expense. It will prove to add to the lifetime of your carpet.

There are many things we can do to increase the longevity of the carpet ourselves along with hiring a professional carpet cleaners twice a year. I would recommend that anyone with small children only purchase carpet that is stain protected. Stain protection offers resilience to spills by allowing liquid spills to puddle on the surface allowing time to clean up the spill before sinking into the carpet and padding. Inevitably some form of liquid will find its way into our children’s hands and onto the carpet.

If a spill does happen and the stain protection has done all that it could it is important to use a product especially designed for carpet to help with the removal of the stain. It is also important that you vacuum up any left over liquid with a shop vacuum to prevent the stain from rising to the surface through the padding once the original mess has been cleaned. When removing the stain try to blot the stain picking up any color and moisture you can. We often want to rub the stain but this is NOT an effective way to remove the stain permanently.

Another quick and easy technique to minimize dirt on your carpet is to use throw rugs. Rugs are designed for high traffic areas and allow for ease of washing that carpet doesn’t. Throw rugs used in high traffic areas will collect the large amount of dirt from traffic allowing us the carpet underneath to stay untouched.

If you have opted to have that look and feel of warm carpet in your home it is important to maintain the look and feel with regular cleaning of your carpet. Carpet cleaners will increase the longevity of your carpet. Clean fresh looking carpet will increase the initial feel of your home. If you walk into an environment with dirty carpet it changes how you feel about that environment entirely. Don’t allow your home to get bad vibes by letting your carpet get dingy and dirty. Have regular cleanings by a professional carpet cleaner to maximize the beauty and character of your carpet.

Professionals will recommend vacuuming your carpet at least every third day so that you keep dirt and dander from settling in. If dirt settles into your padding it will cause issues with the carpet for its lifetime so it is better to avoid that with regular vacuuming.

Saniglow

Carpet Cleaning After Flea Infestation

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Many people with pets have asked over the years how do you get rid of fleas if the house is infested. My answer is to always start with a professional carpet cleaning service. They will provide you with a fresh clean base to work with. The hot water and cleaner from their machines will destroy many of those pesky fleas and larvae. It will provide the base needed to eliminate fleas forever. Start with carpet cleaning and follow one or all of these tips to have a flea free home.

After your carpets have been thoroughly cleaned the next thing you need to do is manage the pet’s flea problem. This should be done in several steps. The most effective manner to get rid of fleas is of course prevention. Have your pet on an anti-flea and tick medicine prescribed by your vet. However if a pet finds their way to you already infested with fleas before you can get them to the vet bathe them in a flea shampoo. After you bathe them take a flea comb through their fur thoroughly. This should remove many of the dead fleas and should get the ones that managed to live through the bath. Make sure you properly dispose of any live fleas. One flea can easily reproduce a trillion off spring. One way to kill the fleas is in a bath of water and dish soap. Keep cleaning your carpets daily by vacuuming them until you are able to see the vet for the proper prescription for your animal.

If you still find yourself with a flea issue there are several other methods other than cleaning your carpets. You may try using an aerosol such as Ultracide Floor Spray which contains both an egg inhibitor and exterminates the fleas. Foggers also work well but are often unable to get underneath furniture where the little critters like to hide. A combination of foggers and aerosols would most likely work the best. I mention powders but am not as thrilled with them. My research in how clean and flea free they leave your carpet leaves me to question how well they work. Powders leave a chemical that children and pets could be breathing in as they lay around. The layer of dust that they leave is often unbearable. It is also beneficial to use a product such as an aerosol or fogger that contains an insect growth regulator. These leave the fleas unable to reproduce which is really the battle that needs to be won.

As mentioned earlier carpet cleaning alone will not be effective. In order to control and get rid of fleas a combination of methods is best. Start with cleaning your carpet and continue the flea free life by regular maintenance. Prevention will save you a lot of headaches in the long run. Once you discover you have a flea problem it is usually too late to take the easy road out. Good luck and good ridden to your fleas!

Saniglow

Going Crazy with Blinds

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So many types of blinds, so little time… When decorating your windows the choices in blinds are incredible. So depending on the budget, room location, blind purpose and decor you are going for there will be blinds for your needs.

Mini-blinds are the most inexpensive all types of blinds. The great part about mini-blinds is that you can use them for a year, they can collect dust, and you can afford to replace them the following year. The other nice thing about mini-blinds is that they measure to fit most windows and it is easy to shorten the length on them. There are plastic and aluminum blinds to choose from. Mini-blinds can be used in any room in your home and are good to block light. The one disadvantage is that they aren’t always the most attractive option so if you are looking for elegant or classic mini-blinds will not be the best option.

Another inexpensive option is to use faux wood blinds. They are a bit more expensive then mini-blinds but are more economical than wood. The great part about faux wood blinds is that they are easy to clean and resistant to water so they are really good for areas such as kitchens and baths. The problems that are found with faux blinds are that they are heavy. In order to balance the weight of the blinds more supports are used which creates more holes in the blinds. This will allow for more light to enter and since the main purpose of blinds is to keep light out this might detour some. Make sure to stick with faux wood blinds that are plastic the foam blinds that have the faux wood look are often very weak and don’t tend to be durable at all.

Real wood is pricier than faux wood but gives you something much more than money can buy. It is nice to have a warm, cozy feel with your blinds. That other nice thing is that often wood blinds can be made to match the moldings in your home or to each room specifically. They are also superior at blocking out light and are a lighter weight option over faux blinds.

You can also go with vertical blinds which come only in cloth or plastic. Vertical blinds are nice is that they are cut and measured to the exact size of your windows. They are a bit pricier than mini-blinds. Vertical blinds block out a lot of light and depending on the material used all light could be blocked. Fabric vertical blinds tend to darken rooms to a greater degree.

So the choice is yours. Think about the look and feel of the room you will putting your blinds in and decided from there. You can not go wrong with windows with blinds. Blinds are always a good option in resale, appeal, and durability.

Comfort Blinds

Purchasing Replacement Windows

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Don’t you hate shopping for things you know absolutely nothing about? It is time consuming, and tedious. It takes patience, research, and the drive to get the best product for the best deal. Never was it more important than when buying replacement windows. With so many types of windows, vendors, and installers you will have many opinions. It will take diligence on your part to really find out what is the best product for your situation. Look into why you are purchasing windows, what purpose the windows will serve, where they need to be replaced, who is going to do the job, and when you are going to do the project.

WHY: Why are you replacing your windows? There are many reasons to replace windows. You could be getting a draft which throws all of your energy savings out the window. Another reason is aesthetics. If you are getting ready to sell your home this will defiantly be a key way to add extra curb appeal. Safety is another key factor in replacing windows. If the safety locks are broken and not replaceable replacement window are a must. Children quickly learn how to operate windows. The last thing anyone wants is their child to open the window because the safety latches were not working and fall out. This is defiantly an avoidable situation with replacement windows.

WHAT: What is the purpose you want the windows to serve? Are they for high energy efficiency? You will want to look into the most efficient windows and the tax credits that follow in order to get the best deal on this type of window. If you are only interested in making the place look pretty and then selling it you might want to consider a more economical choice. Also, you need to know what look and feel you are going for. Do you like vinyl, wood, or aluminum? These are all things to consider when determining what window replacements to purchase.

WHERE: Does the entire house need replacement windows or are the just a few windows that need to be replaced. For instance, the entire house does not need windows if only one window is proving to leak air or one window has lost its safety features. This is important to consider because the cost of one window is substantially less than replacement windows for your entire home.

WHO: This is the tricky research part of the deal. Get at least three estimates on windows and three on labor and installation. I say go with your gut feeling on this. The price might be a tad higher form one contractor to another but it is important to feel comfortable with your contractor and window vendor. If they are not patient and don’t thoroughly answer your questions look elsewhere. Another recommendation is to speak to other consumers. References are free and vendors and installers should be more than willing to share this info. In the end I personally would go with the people who I, in my gut, felt the best with.

WHEN: The weather plays a big factor in window replacement. If you are doing your home the project may take a few days to finish. You will not want to be without sufficient weather blockers in the middle of winter or in the middle of the summer. Really think out the best time for the area that you live in to replace your windows.

Lastly, when you have followed all the steps above and you feel confident you know that you have crossed all your t’s and dotted your i’s sign on the dotted line and let the renovations begin.

Heatkeeper