David Nash

13 Aug 2018

5 Maintenance Tips for Common Household Appliances

Did your household appliance just whirl, sputter, and boom give up on you? No matter how hard you stare it down, you know that it is not coming back to life. It’s farewell time for this device and a welcome party for another to replace it. But, hang on, what about the bucks?

New appliances can shoot a hole in your budget with their pricey tags. Most of all, the ninja attack on your budget strikes as a bolt from the blue, unknown and unforeseen. Most homeowners invest between $173 and $379 on their kitchen appliances. On top of that, the share of kitchen gadgets chips in 10% of the total cost of a kitchen remodeling project.

If you’re lucky, you may still resuscitate your appliance. Home Adviser points out that the average repair cost is $201 in the US. That’s the average though. The repair cost can spike to anywhere near $350, or it could cost $50 on the low end.

However, you wouldn’t have to meet these expenses if you took some appliance maintenance measures. Let’s walk you through some of the best maintenance tips for common household appliances. These will not only help you save money but also boost the efficiency of the gadget.

1. Clean the refrigerator’s coils and gasket

Let’s begin with your fridge, which is your lifeline in the summers. A vital trick to extend its life is to clean it. You need to focus on two areas namely the gasket and coils. Firstly, clean the gasket periodically. The gasket is the plastic seal that runs between the fridge and its doors.

This plastic seal is responsible for conserving the cool air inside the refrigerator. It also helps save energy. Wipe the gaskets thoroughly to maintain its elasticity. Once you remove all the residue, coat the sticking layer with Vaseline. Be sure to use only a thin film of the lubricant.

Secondly, dirty fridge coils can restrict the appliance’s airflow, encouraging it to overheat. Dirt or dust on the coils can also result in a breakdown of the device. Service experts claim that almost half of their repair calls occur due to dirty coils. Start by removing your fridge’s front grille. Next, clean the coils with the help of a handheld vacuum.

Other tips for maintaining the health of your refrigerator include:

Clean your fridge completely at least once or twice in a year
Don’t put hot dishes directly in your fridge

2. Clean the oven with the correct cleaner

Following in the footsteps of a refrigerator, ovens also don’t work well without a proper seal. In fact, a non-sticky gasket can result in the loss of close to 20% of the oven’s heat. In this regard, it is best to keep the seal clean.

However, you should inspect the seal from time to time to learn of its condition. If you notice that the gasket is not doing its job despite cleaning it properly, it’s time to replace it. It is budget-friendly to spend on a new seal than on a new oven.

What’s more is that cleaning the overall oven is essential. Most of us go wrong in selecting the cleaner, which can lead to damage. The ideal cleaner depends on the type of oven that you use. It’s best to inquire about this when you first purchase it.

Generally, vinegar or warm water is a good choice. Some pro cleaning tips for your range or oven include:

Use soft cloths for cleaning
Don’t use overly harsh chemicals for cleaning
Apply the cleaner on the cloth before using it on the oven’s surface
Don’t spray around the knobs as that can lead to a short

I have a pretty good way to clean you microwave also. I use vinegar, but steam from water also works.

3. Don’t over under load the washing machine

In most cases, we think that we can save some time by loading some extra laundry in the machine. However, overloading a dryer or washer can culminate in damage to its moving parts such as belts, motors, and more.

Some of these repairs can be so expensive that you would want to change the machine altogether. This does not mean that you choose to add only small loads to your laundry partner. Small loads can exert strain on the drive components of the appliance.

Small loads are also the recipe for energy and water wastage. Thus, the best call is to add a moderate load in your washer as well as dryer. Some other maintenance tips entail:

Don’t put heavy objects on the washing machine
Check all the pockets before putting clothes in the washer
Use washing machine detergents instead of hand-washing detergents

4. Clean the dishwasher’s filter

Often a food-filled filter is a culprit behind a failing dishwasher. You need to pull out the lower rack to fix this. Then, remove the filter cover in the dishwasher and use a vacuum to clean the screen.

It is helpful to read the manual for correctly spotting the filter. Secondly, a clean gasket can be a problem here as well. Clean it regularly with water and soap for maintaining a watertight seal.

Lastly, don’t excessively pre-wash the dishes. Washed dishes are wet and a little soapy. This can cause the appliance to overseed and overflow. It can also leak on your kitchen floor. Hence, avoid over-washing the dishes in advance.

More dishwasher care tips include:

Position dishes upside down only
Clean the fat residues before loading them in a dishwasher
Remove any stickers from your utensils to prevent the filter from clogging

5. Clean the lint trap in the dryer

We have already discussed that it is best not to overload the clothing dryer. Apart from this tip, clean the lint trap in the dryer. You need to do this after every load. Chances are that you already do it. But, if you don’t, it is high time that you start doing so to add years to the dryer’s life.

Besides, go to the back of your house and clean the air exits. This is crucial to ensure that the vent is not clogged with lint. Don’t add dry or almost-dry sheets to your dryer. This can increase the chemical residue on the sensors in a dryer, leading to excess strain. These moisture sensors stop the dryer from over-drying clothes.

However, if chemical residue collects on them, the dryer can get damaged in the long haul. It is wise to clean the moisture sensor occasionally. Some other maintenance tricks include:

Remove the lint trap yearly and wash it
Don’t slam the appliance’s door
Use a vacuum to clean any stray lint on the floor and wall behind the dryer

Take home message

Despite these tips, you can still find yourself in a repair situation that may lead you to Dial an Appliance Man Edmonton. However, it is a better alternative than getting a new piece that can derail your budget for the month. It is best to follow these appliance maintenance tips though. Just a little care can go a long way in extending the performance and life of your everyday household appliances.

12 Aug 2018

How to Reset to Remove Tension and Shakiness When Shooting

How to Reset to Remove Shakiness and Tension When Shooting — Buy at Amazon

Some people can aim and shoot flawlessly, hitting their target instantly. Other people have hands that are so shaky; they will hit a target five-feet-away just a bit to the left.

“Steady as a rock” doesn’t always apply to everyone. While a little bit of shakiness might not be such a great deal, it is still bothersome.

The stronger the “shakes,” the higher are the chances of you missing your target – even if you previously locked on it.

Seems familiar to you?

If so, you probably want to know some tips on how to deal with this. It won’t be easy, as shakiness and tremors can have various causes – but as long as you narrow down on the cause, you should be able to make it more manageable.

In this article, you will find some tips on how to deal with tension and shakiness when shooting, whatever the cause of it.

Understanding the Shakes

The shooting shakes can have various forms. You can have steady hands when locking in on your target – and simply flinch when you pull the trigger. That is simply your body trying to anticipate what’s going to happen, preparing you for the shot. It may be because you’re nervous, so your body is trying to make you adjust.

The second type of shakiness is a bit more troublesome to deal with: shaking uncontrollably at all times. You may be shaking this way no matter if you are holding a gun or a sandwich. That’s just your body trying to give you a signal – one which you have to listen to.

What to Do About the Shakes

If you have ascertained that your shaking is not related to your inability to hold onto a target, then you might have a slight problem. Regardless of the causes, here are some ways for you to reset your ability to hold your target.

Learn the Fundamentals

You may not want to admit this, but if you continuously miss your shots, it may not be because you have shaky hands; you may just be very bad at trigger control or gripping the gun. In this case, you will simply have to work on the fundamentals.

This will take a lot of focus and practice (with your favorite pistol, every day perhaps). If you are practicing with a gun that has a laser target, it might give you a better idea of where your target is going – and what kind of tremor you have.

Focus on your target instead of the gun. Don’t turn shooting into a competition (hitting more targets that your friends do) and train your body to hit the target as much as possible. It won’t be easy, indeed – but none of us is born a genius.

Ignore the Shakiness

We know, easier said than done – but have you noticed that the more you focus on your shakiness and hand tension, the worse it gets? The more focused you are on your wobbling hands, the more focus you will lose on the target.

And considering that we are all human beings, we can’t really focus on more than one thing at once – at least not properly. So, to get a better, steady shot, you need to stop caring. You have to stop thinking about your hands going crazy, and you need to focus on the target zone. If you execute a good trigger press, the rest will eventually come.

Slow Down on the Caffeine

Caffeine will keep you awake and alert, so it’s understandable why you may want to have a cup every now and again. However, caffeine is also a stimulant – which will make you shake, no matter if you have regular tremors or not.

This may be bad news for you if you are a coffee addict enthusiast, but try limiting your caffeine intake. Instead of drinking 3-4 cups per day, keep it at just one cup. Ideally, you should quit completely – but if you don’t want to live in a world without coffee, a morning cup is just enough.

Strength Training

If you have weak arms, it’s obvious that you’ll start missing your targets. Shooting produces a lot of tension around the arms – so without the proper strength, you won’t be able to hold it steady.

Don’t just go with bench presses all the time. Train your arms, your shoulders, your hands and your core. Shooting requires that all your muscles “mingle” perfectly, reducing the tremor and providing you more balance. Regardless of the cause of the shakiness, strength training should make your core stronger – and it should make it much easier for you to hang onto your target.

Drink a Lot of Water

This is something that many of us tend to forget, but water helps our body function properly. If you already have tremors, dehydration will only make them worse – so make sure that you always have a water bottle at hand.

Reduce the Stress

Stress and anxiety can make anyone’s hands start shaking. While not all of us have the luxury of being completely stress-free, you can still make it more manageable.

First of all, try to get enough sleep. Most of the time, stress and sleep deprivation go hand in hand – and those two combined will lead to very shaky hands.

Secondly, you might want to try other alternative methods such as meditation. It has been proved that meditation can help reduce stress and calm your mind – no matter the cause. And all you will need is to practice it several minutes a day.

Final Thoughts

We all have good days and bad days – and we need to be at peace with that. Some days you feel steady, and other days you’re shooting at an object two feet from your target. You just need to understand that this can happen – and try to find the cause.

Take care of your body and make sure that you always practice. If you’re competent in handling a gun, eventually the tension and shakiness when shooting will go away (at least reduce to a unnoticeable amount)– which means no more missed shots.

8 Aug 2018

5 Ways to Make a Snare Trap (For Small Game)

Whether you are in a survival situation or catching food while you camp, knowing how to make a snare trap can go a long way in helping you out. Fortunately, there isn’t just one snare trap – there are many different kinds that help in different situations.

having the right tools tools will make buiklding snares easier, but it is really your knowledge on living off the land that drives success, below are 5 ways to make a snare trap that will help you catch small game.

1. Simple Snare Trap

To create this trap, you will need two sticks or a stick in a “Y” shape that you can stick into the ground. You may need to sharpen these sticks a bit so that they sink into the ground easier. If you are using two sticks, stick them into the ground about 2 to 3 inches apart from one another.

Then, you will need 3 smaller sticks. Two of these sticks will go horizontally on each side of the two sticks you placed in the ground. These will be used to keep the third smaller stick, or trigger, in place upright between them. From the trigger, you will have a length of string or wire leading to the engine of your trap. On the end of your string hanging from the trigger, tie this length into a noose.

As a final step, you will want to build a small ramp by leaning two larger sticks against the part of your trap you already built and use smaller sticks horizontally to create a semi-flat surface. Your noose, or snare loop, will go on top of this. Remember to camouflage it for the best results.

2. Trigger Snare

For the trigger snare, you will need two pegs, some wire and/or rope to make a leader line and noose loops, and a bent sapling to use as an engine. The two pegs should be able to hook onto each other so that both stand vertically. If you don’t have pegs, you can create them from a pair of thick sticks. Just like the last snare trap we looked at, one of these pegs or sticks must be sharp enough on the opposite end that it hooks onto the other one to stick into the ground securely.

You should use your rope to attach the top of the hook to your engine – the bent sapling. Then, you will want to attach the noose to the bottom end of the top stick that makes up the hook.

3. Squirrel Pole

This next snare is perfect if you are trying to snare squirrels. After all, squirrels are fast animals and it can take a little extra working to make sure you catch one in your trap. With a little work, though, this snare can be perfect for catching the small animals.

For the main portion of this snare, you will need a straight branch or tree of about 10 to 12 feet that you will lean against a standing tree at about a 45-degree angle. Next, you will need some wire to create the actual snare portion of the trap with. Each section of wire you use will be around 10 to 12 inches long.

When you create each noose, you will want to position it upward, so it would catch each squirrel as it ran down the branch. This is why you must use wire for this trap, any type of rope won’t be able to stick up to catch the squirrels. You can put as many of these as you want on the branch, in theory, but you won’t want any too close to the ends.

To catch a squirrel’s head, you won’t want the nooses to be right against the branch either. Instead, position them about an inch above it.

I have shared squirrel poles before, this is a pretty simple way to get a little extra food.

4. Snare for Fishing

If you are more interested in catching fish with your snare, that can be arranged as well. The easiest way to do this is to simply modify the trigger snare we went over earlier.

Getting started, you will follow all the same basic steps as you did creating the trigger snare. Instead of creating a noose, though, you will use a baited hook in line attached to the snare the same way the noose was. This will, naturally, extend into the water to bait fish.

Once the fish bites the bait, the snare will trigger, pulling the fish out of the water. You should be sure that you clear the area of anything that will accidentally trigger the trap. Since you are catching fish, you don’t need to worry about camouflaging the majority of the trap like other options on this list since your game won’t see it until it’s too late.

5. Drowning Snare

A drowning snare is a rather simple trap that, as the name suggests, kills the game it catches by drowning. This is great because it keeps the game you catch away from other animals and it keeps it out of the sun.

Creating this trap is pretty easy. All you need is a few sticks, a snare line, and a rock. Of course, you will need to do this near water deep enough to drown the game and a steep enough bank for the trap to work.

To start, you will want to tie the snare line to both the rock and the float stick. Make sure to add a noose as part of the actual trap. Then, prop the rock up with your second stick so that it will fall if any game runs through the snare. When the snare is triggered, the rock will plummet into the water, drowning the game. The float that you tied to the rock will signal where in the water your game is when you come back later.

8 Aug 2018

4 Tips for Keeping Your Children Safe and Healthy While Traveling

Kids Health and Safety during Long-Time Travel — Buy at Amazon

Are you planning to go on a trip with your family but worried about your kids health and safety? Well, that is totally natural.

Last year when I went on a family trip, a hundred thoughts went off in my mind regarding my kid’s safety. I was so worried that something bad might happen to my children while we are traveling.

The thing is that when you are at a new place you don’t know what to expect. You have no idea what dangerous event might take place.

There were a few times when I even though about canceling our trip. However, my husband reminded me that the tickets were quite expensive and sadly not refundable. So this is how we ended up actually going on our trip.

Now you must be wondering how I made sure that my kids were safe and sound. I have pinpointed a few tips that might help you if you are going on a long trip with your family.

Make sure to strictly stick to these tips to ensure that your kids remain safe and healthy.

Carry a Convertible Safety Seat

It must seem hard to carry a convertible car seat with you but trust me it is very important for the safety of your child especially if you are on a road trip. You never know how bumpy or even the road may be. You really don’t want to get your child hurt, right?

Convertible car seats are the best way to protect your kid who is under the age of 10 when going on a road trip. Even if you are traveling through an airplane, it is recommended to take a convertible safety seat with you.

You can also check out this review on the top trusted brands of safety seats 2018 to find a good convertible car seat at a very affordable price.

Keep Your Children Hydrated

Your child’s health matters a lot. You may take care of your child completely at home but when you are traveling you might forget about your child’s health as you would be so lost in trying out new fun things.

As you are at a new place you people might be taking part in a lot of physical activities such as exploring the place, going out for shopping, visiting the museum, trying out new food places, etc. But at the same time don’t forget to ensure that your kid is well hydrated.

Make sure to carry water bottles with you all the time and keep asking your kid to drink some water so that he or she remains hydrated.

Protection from the Sun

Going for a hike? Want to explore the streets of this new place? Go have fun! But don’t forget to keep yourself and your kid protected from the sun.

Now how can you do that? With the help of a sunscreen of course! Apply a good amount of sunscreen on your kid’s face, arms and legs before heading out in the sun as both the UVB and UVA rays coming from the sun can be harmful to your child.

Also, make sure that your kid is wearing full sleeves. You can also buy cute hats for your children to protect their eyes from direct sun contact. There are also many cute sunglasses for children, go grab them!

Stay Away Mosquitoes

This is one of the biggest problems that I and my family faced when we were on a road trip last year. As we camped in the woods for a while, we got attacked by a bunch of mosquitoes.

Careless me, I forgot to pack in a good mosquito repellant. Amazing, right? I definitely regret my decision of not packing a mosquito repellant.

Before you even think of going on a trip make sure to pack at least two bottles of mosquito repellants in your bag.

You can get both sprays and lotions to stay safe from a mosquito attack. Make sure to apply a good amount of mosquito repellant lotion on your kid’s skin when getting him or her ready.

You should also spray the mosquito spray in your hotel room or camping tent to make sure that every insect dies.

These are some of the tips that can help you in taking care of your child’s health. Being a mother myself, I know how important it is for us moms to make sure that our children are always safe and sound. So don’t forget to follow these tips when you go out on a trip with your family.

7 Aug 2018

6 Self Defense Moves from A Bodyguard

When working in the security industry, whether in the business or private sector, there are times when a security guard, bodyguard or a bouncer will not be able to carry a gun for protection. In reality, however, while a gun may certainly be the top choice for a weapon when working a security detail, most people already have weapons to use even if they might not realize yet how strong they really are. When faced with a situation where you need to survive or face a possibly fatal situation, it’s amazing how a person can find their inner strength.

If you are ever faced with a situation in a public place, one of the first things to remember is that you have a voice, so use it! Be loud and make as much noise as possible to get attention from anyone within earshot. This often not only distracts an attacker but can also make them flee the scene to avoid being caught. Another thing you should know is that the human body has quite a few vulnerable spots and these are important spots to remember so you can target them if you’re ever attacked. Sure, it’s a good idea to carry pepper spray, mace or even a taser to defend yourself, but you should know how to use your own body as a weapon as well.

These are some of the best vulnerable spots to target during a fight:

Eyes
Nose
Collar Bone
Groin
Ears
Throat
Shins
Adam’s Apple
Top of the Feet
Knees

Now that you know the body areas to target, let’s look at six moves you can make to stay safe during an attack and get away with your life.

Stay Calm!

Something that often messes a person up during an attack is panic. When faced with a possible physical attack, one of the best moves you can make is to remain calm and don’t let panic consume you. You need to be able to determine the right steps to take to avoid danger and when you stay calm, your head can think to guide your body to take the right defensive actions against the assailant.

Break Their Nose

With your palm open, hit your assailant with force to push the nose upwards with your hand. You’re going to need to really put your strength into this move to break the nose. The pain from the strike, even if the nose does not break, is often enough to cause a person to back away and can allow you time to exit the area or subdue the person until the police arrive. Keep in mind that while doing this, it’s still good to make noise!

Escape a Behind the Head Choke Hold

It can be terrifying to have someone grab you in a choke hold from behind your head. You have split seconds to respond and fend off the attack before possibly blacking out or worse. When you stay calm and work on not panicking, it’s possible to break free from behind the head choke hold but you must as quickly to do so. First, you need to raise your arm up fast all the way to the ear on the same side as the leg you choose to have bent behind you. Place the bent leg right behind the other leg quickly and begin to twist your body towards the side with the arm raised to your ear and with full force, direct all your weight onto the wrist of your assailant. Once free, be sure to take off quickly if there is an escape route or immediately dive into attacking the vulnerable areas of your attacker’s body.

Give Them a Good Kick to the Groin

Some people say to avoid kicking the groin because they say it doesn’t work. This depends on how you kick and how hard. You need to be in front of the attacker and kick directly in the center of your attacker’s legs. Don’t kick with your foot as you could cause damage to your own body by doing this and don’t use your knee as this can place you too close to the attacker. The best area of your body to use will be your shin. Shins are tough and when used at full force to kick a groin, you can bring an attacker to their knees and get away fast.

Float Like a Butterfly, Sting Like a Bee!

Muhammad Ali said it best when he coined that phrase and it simply means, keep moving! The more you move and the quicker you do so, the less chance of an assailant being able to land a hit directly on your body. This is a good tactic to consider when facing someone who wants to fight with their fists but be careful if the attacker has a gun or other weapon as moving around can spook them and cause them to become trigger happy. Take time while moving around to use your hands and legs and even your head to go for those vulnerable body spots and to make as much noise as possible.

Head Butt

If an assailant has you pushed against a wall, try to use your head to headbutt them directly to their chin if possible. This can work if they are taller than you as it forces their head back where you can then punch them in the throat and get away. Fight with all your might to strike those soft spots and work hard to get away. It is easy to hurt a head with a punch or kick, but since it is one of the hardest parts of your body, it is also a great body part to use to defend yourself during an attack.

Whether you are short or tall, big or small, knowing that you personally possess the tools to protect yourself can be a great piece of knowledge to have. There are many martial arts and self-defense classes offered nationwide and it’s a good idea to take classes if possible, so you can learn more steps to take for personal protection. Even if you carry a gun, there are often places that are gun free and it’s a good idea to know how to use your body as a weapon just in case you need to physically defend yourself against an attack.

Author: David Nash