If you want your garden to provide a sense of peace and tranquility, adding some simple Japanese style landscaping ideas will make your goal easy to accomplish. Whether you have a small patio garden or a huge landscape, you can incorporate Japanese style elements into your garden.

In general, Japanese style gardens do not contains a huge variety of plants or a rainbow of color. They are not perfectly symmetrical, nor lavish. They are, however, elegant and timeless and bring a welcomed break from the hustle and bustle of daily life in the modern world. They are places for meditation, contemplation, and thought. This style of garden is enclosed or screened from the outside world through the use of plants, fences, or berms.

Scale And Perspective

Look at the space you wish to use for your Japanese style garden. Scale and perspective are the main techniques used to create a sense of size, space and distance in the garden. You can achieve this through illusion, adding a false sense of perspective, by planting gradually smaller trees or plants farther from the focal point of the garden. If you have water features in your garden, choose the largest for the foreground. Water fountains or a water fall can be a very affordable way to add a peaceful sound to your Japanese style garden.

Add Japanese lanterns and pagodas to your garden, but be sure they are in proportion to the plants and other elements surrounding them.

Rocks in a Japanese style garden take on special meaning. They aren’t simply rocks or boulders but can be the backbone of your garden, around which other elements will fall into place. They represent islands, mountains, and holy places. A boulder can be partially buried to add mass, height, and a feeling of stability to the Japanese garden. Small stones can be used as the borders for pathways or to create the bottoms of water features. They can be used as stepping stones to actually create a path or to cross a small stream. If used to define a pathway, allow the path to wander rather than going in a straight line.

Sentinel Stone

Another use of stone in the [Japanese] style garden is the sentinel stone. This standing stone is used to symbolize warriors, deities, heroes and guardians. It is usually found at the entrance to a Japanese garden or at a major focal point where its presence will enhance the garden’s atmosphere. This type of stone can even be used in an otherwise flat Japanese landscape.

Choose a few Japanese style elements to include in your garden landscape to provide a peaceful place to sit and relax. An austere garden can easily be converted into a Japanese style garden with very low cost and a huge payoff in enjoyment

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If you’re trying to sell your home in today’s market, you may be faced with a lowball appraisal that could threaten a loan. Even the nicest houses are being downgraded, and if your area has had a lot of foreclosures, getting a good appraisal may be next to impossible. However, there are some great techniques that you can employ that can affect your appraisal value by more than 15%.

First, it is important to know where to start in your home. If you have a basement that is not yet finished, you may think that adding some rooms and living space down there will help your appraisal. In actuality, it is the above ground living space that is worth more, so you will want to focus your efforts on the first floor.

While painting, cleaning and generally keeping the house tidy can affect an appraisal, it won’t do much good if you’re looking for a big jump in the amount. What you need to do on the inside of your home is work on bringing in appliances and fixtures that are valuable, both in perception and in use. For example, adding a marble countertop to your kitchen will add more value than covering an old one with contact paper (and yes, that is pretty common.)

Likewise, completely redoing and remodeling your kitchen to include brand new stainless steel appliances will also bump your appraisal up. When you’re looking at the interior of your home, the focus needs to be on items that matter, such as those mentioned above. However, the interior is secondary to the exterior when it comes to a high appraisal value.

By focusing on the exterior of your property you can see a huge improvement in the overall appraisal amount. Landscaping alone can be responsible for a low or a high appraisal, depending on how it is done. According to a Gallup poll, landscaping can increase the overall value of a home by 7 to 15%. Let’s say your home is worth $250,000. The right landscaping has the potential to change that to $287,500 or more.

One tree can be worth anywhere from $1000 to $10,000, once it is mature. If you think about how little it takes to plant one tree, that is very impressive. So, your first focus should be on the yard area and your overall landscaping. Hiring a professional company can help, but most of these tasks can be completed on your own.

How your house looks will also have a big impact on the appraisal value. If it has been a few years since you painted, or your yard is full of junk, this will result in a lower appraisal. Your goal is to make your house look like a million bucks from the street, and this will help you get a higher appraisal. In addition, by focusing on that curb appeal, you’ll be much more likely to sell the home for the full amount that you need.

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Most of today’s homes have crawl spaces, but few of us ever venture up there. No one really likes to think of crawling up into that tight space, but there may be a few reasons to consider it. It is important to schedule an annual checkup for your crawlspace, since this can help you spot potential signs of trouble and get them stopped before they become larger issues. Let’s take a look at how to inspect your crawlspace for a very common problem and how to fight it.

If you live in a humid area, or your area gets a lot of rain, you may notice a mildew smell in the house that you can’t get rid of. Chances are, your crawlspaces have become damp and the mildew is forming up there. It is important to get rid of this problem as quickly as possible, since mold could also be forming inside that crawlspace. Take this opportunity to check your crawlspace and see what is going on up there.

Once you’ve determined that your crawlspace is indeed a bit damp, there are a few things that you will need to do. First, it is important to ventilate the area. Most crawlspaces are closed up all year round and little air can circulate through there. This creates the ideal breeding ground for mold and mildew spores. If your home does not have a vent, you will need to install one.

You can find appropriate vents at your local hardware store, and the process of installing them is quite easy. Locate a spot on an exterior wall and cut a hole through to the outside. Place the vent in, and properly secure it. You now have a way to get rid of that moisture buildup!

This will help, but you may also need to see what is causing dampness in your crawlspace. If the mildew is not severe, it may just be the side effect of living in a moist climate. If it is severe, chances are you may have a leak. You will need to inspect all the walls inside that crawlspace and look for any leaks that may be occurring. If you do find a leak, repair it immediately. Overtime, this can lead to serious water damage on your ceilings and walls.

Lastly, it is a very good idea to completely clean out your crawlspace. If you are storing excess insulation or even household items up there, remove them and find a new storage space. Insulation is a particularly nasty culprit when it comes to mildew and can be the source of a lot of mildew odor problems. If your crawlspace is permanently smelly, get fiberglass insulation that has a vapor barrier. Install this throughout the crawlspace, with the vapor barrier facing the top of the crawlspace. This will help keep the odors inside the space instead of in your home. This is a great solution if the damage has already been done and you need to get rid of the smell of mildew in your home.

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• Winter Care Tips and Precautions for Pets, People, Plants, and Possessions: Less Money, More Safety

Winter Care Tips and Precautions for Pets, People, Plants, and Possessions: Less Money, More Safety

By Vicki McClure Davidson

While it does get cold here in my region of Arizona during the winter, rarely does it get anywhere near freezing, especially during the day. While it doesn’t snow here in the Phoenix area, it does in the higher Arizona mountain regions.

We do get a few frost warnings for nights during December and January. So, the kids and I round up several large towels and old sheets and drape them over all my delicate, heat-loving plants. The next day, we remove them so the sun can warm the plants. That’s a big chunk of my hands-on winter care experience.

For folks in other parts of the country, it’s so much more time-intensive than that. A lot of precautions must be made before the first snow falls and continued thereafter.

Winter care tips to save money and keep your family, pets, home, vehicles, and outdoor plants better protected. | Photo credit: Public Domain Photos

Here are all sorts of inexpensive winterizing tips for dealing with extreme cold, heavy rain, snow, sleet, ice, fog, or blizzards. Many of these winter care tips can be used no matter where you live in the world. By following them, you’ll not only save money by preventing more costly repairs or replacements later, but you and your family will be safer.

Winter Care Hints & Tips

Family and Pets

• To protect your skin, and that of your family’s, from the ravages of winter cold, be sure to drink plenty of water to keep hydrated, always wear gloves when going outside, use plenty of moisturizer, put on protective lip balm, and apply a sunscreen of 15 SPF or more when going out during the day. The sun is still damaging to skin during the winter months, and is even more damaging when reflected off snow or ice. Be sure to put sunscreen on your children’s faces before they charge outside to have a snowball fight with friends. Inexpensive choices to seal in moisture in your face and hands are using a bit of petroleum jelly or baby oil. These work just as well, sometimes better, than pricey cosmetic-company creams. They also act as a block to the dehydrating effects of cold winds.
• If you or a family member is walking in a snowy area that has nearby vehicle traffic, you need to keep warm by dressing in layers, but you must also make sure that your hat or scarf doesn’t prevent you from hearing what’s around you. Snow drifts can act as sound blockers or sound absorbers, muffling the sounds of approaching motor vehicles. Wearing hats, ear muffs, and scarves that cover your ears also can distort or even eliminate these sounds. This is not to suggest that you should forgo wearing head protection when walking, but rather, be aware of the potential dangers they can impose on you and take action to be more aware of your surroundings and vehicles. Dart your eyes back and forth from your path to the street, as you would do from your rear view mirror to your side view mirror when driving your vehicle to continually assess what’s going on around you. If you’re listening to an iPod, turn the volume down. Better still, leave it at home. Being aware is cost-free to keeping you safe.
• Pets should be kept inside, except when taken out for walks and for exercise, when the temperatures outside drop low. However, if keeping your dog or cat inside the entire winter isn’t possible, let them out for only short periods during the day and supervise them whenever possible. If your pet spends a lot of time out in the cold, be aware that Spike or Fluffy will need more food than usual because keeping warm uses up a lot of body energy. If your pet’s water dish is kept outside, check it daily to make certain the water is fresh and not frozen. Use plastic food and water bowls outdoors rather than metal; when the temperature is low, your pet’s tongue can actually stick and freeze to the metal.

A protective coat or sweater for your short-haired dog when out in the bitter cold of winter is a cheap and prudent expense because it will keep him or her protected and more comfortable. | Photo credit: Dave Kellum, Flickr website, Creative Commons

• Short-haired dogs will benefit from wearing a protective doggie sweater or coat when taken for walks or exercising. Limit the time outdoors for older dogs if the temperature is below freezing.
• When on walks, protect your dog’s feet with some kind of waterproof dog booties, especially if you live in a snowy region. Snow can camouflage hidden rocks, sharp edges of broken branches, and other dangerous debris that your dog may step or leap on (especially in snow drifts or piles), necessitating a costly trip to the vet. Also, chemicals or salt used by the city to melt snow can be drying or cause allergic reactions if your dog’s bare feet are exposed to them for any length of time. Slush, icy water, and snow, in addition to it being just plain COLD, will dry out your dog’s foot pads. After each walk, check his or her feet to see if there are any cracks in the pads. A preventative, cheap method to keep the pads hydrated and supple is to apply a cream made for animals, like Bag Balm (helps soothe cuts, scratches, skin irritations, and paw abrasions) or Udder Cream (it’s available at any tack supply) every few days to protect the pads from developing painful cracking and possible bleeding, thus saving on expensive vet visits.
• If your dog is kept outside and you live in a cold region, he or she must have protection from the winter elements. A doghouse or other sleeping area that is outdoors must be dry and draft-free. Check the doghouse for leaks in the roof or cracks or loose boards in the walls; make repairs, if necessary, before winter sets in. The doghouse’s entrance should be covered with waterproof burlap or heavy plastic to keep snow, rain, and wind out. The interior must be large enough to allow the dog to sit and sleep comfortably, but small enough to be able to trap and retain the dog’s body heat. The floor of the doghouse shouldn’t sit on the cold ground. Be sure that it is raised a few inches off the ground. To better insulate it, cover the floor with cedar shavings or straw. The doghouse itself should be turned to face away from the wind—many people forget how frigid it can be with a significant wind chill. But as stated previously, it is much safer and healthier for your dog to be kept in your warm house with you and the family during the bitterly cold months of winter. He or she will be much happier, too.
• A major winter storm can be deadly, particularly if it lasts for several days. To make sure that you have the proper inventory of emergency supplies on hand, click here to go to the American Veterinary Medical Association’s website to read their emergency facts sheet for winter storms. The list is provided in Adobe Acrobat PDF format and provides valuable information not only for the members of your family, but for the family pets as well.

Home/Outdoor Plants/Yard

• Change your home’s furnace filter at the beginning of the fall season to save money. Filthy old furnace filters can block air flow and force the blower to work harder to pull air that’s needed to move the heat throughout your home. A fresh, clean furnace filter allows the air to move through freely. You should check your filter at least once a month and change it every three or four months. To test for replacement: If you hold the filter up to a light and can’t see much light passing through it, it is time for a filter change.
• Check all weatherstripping in your home before cold weather hits and replace if worn or damaged. Cold air seeping in will make your heating costs sky-rocket. For a few dollars of prevention, the savings is significant.
• When shoveling snow, spray nonstick vegetable spray on the snow shovel and the snow will slide off it easily. Be sure to pile all shoveled snow to the right of the driveway so that, later, a snow plow won’t undo your hard work. If you’re no longer in your 20s, there are some precautions you should take when shoveling snow. Make sure that the shovel is the right length. It should let you keep your back straight while you lift. If it’s too short, you’ll have to lean over while shoveling. Too long and the snow feels heavy. Lift small loads of snow, rather than large ones, to protect your back. Bend your knees. Keep your back straight and lift with your legs, not your back. Don’t twist and bend forward. The best time of day to shovel your driveway or sidewalk without hurting your back out is in the afternoon. You’re more likely to rupture a disk in the morning because they fill with fluid while you sleep. Also, the sun melts some of the snow, making it easier to lift. Another note is to step in the direction you’re throwing the snow and take frequent breaks. Gently walk around and straighten a bit to extend your lower back. If you have a history of heart trouble, do not shovel snow unless your doctor gives permission.
• Coating the outside of pipes during winter with WD-40 will help prevent freezing damage or pipe bursts.
• To protect your plants in the yard or garden, lay down layers of wet old newspapers followed by a layer of mulch around the plants. Recycling newspaper in this way is not only frugal, but it will help insulate the roots and keep them from freezing, as will the mulch. Both will help retain heat. The newspaper will also help keep down emerging weeds when spring arrives. Poke several holes in the newspaper before covering with mulch so that water can drain. In regions where freezing overnight temperatures are infrequent, tropical or desert plants need to be protected. Cover with fabric, like sheets, towels, or blankets, or pull container plants under patio roofs or awnings. Cold-sensitive container plants can be brought into the house or garage for protection.
• Some additional pro-active prevention can protect your trees and shrubs. If you live in a region that gets a lot of snow, be sure to gently brush off the branches of the shrubs and trees in your yard. Snow can be extremely heavy. A cubic foot of snow can weigh from seven pounds for snow that is new and dry, up to 30 pounds for old, compacted snow. Rain falling on accumulated snow will add more weight. Granted, small branches likely don’t support a cubic foot of snow, but larger ones with more girth or are close enough to other branches so as to “cradle” a large accumulation, most certainly can. When branches get wet and freeze, they can snap off from the added weight. Dormant plants are especially fragile and brittle, so be gentle and take care when removing snow from the branches.

• Watering your plants before a freeze will protect the plants’ roots from freezing. Water, even when frozen, is warmer than freezing air.

• Spray some WD-40 on the bottom of your garage door to keep it from sticking to the concrete during winter. Other applications that will help include petroleum jelly and baby oil.
• If you have an outdoor fountain, before freezing temperatures hit, be sure to thoroughly drain the fountain and, if possible, cover it to protect it from harsh winter conditions. This will extend the life of it because frozen water expands and can permanently damage the fountain if water is trapped and frozen.
• If you live in a rural area, install snow fences to reduce snow from drifting in roads and paths, which could block access to homes, barns, and animals’ feed and water.

Vehicles

• As winter approaches, inspect the tread depth on your vehicle’s tires. Put a penny headfirst between the treads. If you can see the top of Lincoln’s hair, it’s time to replace the tire. While you’re checking the tires, be sure to do the same with checking your spare tire.
• Check all rubber hoses and belts on your vehicle to be sure that they’re not damaged from the summer heat or old age. Coolant hoses wear from the inside out. Inspect for heavy cracks or chunking in the belts. If necessary, have a professional inspect all the hoses and belts.

There are many inexpensive, preventative steps you can take to protect your car or truck from the devastating, expensive damage of winter. | Photo credit: Ryan Greenberg, Flickr website, Creative Commons

• You can prevent ice from covering your windshields during a storm with these easy (and frugal) measures. If you’re traveling during a storm, once you’ve parked, put a large, flattened piece of cardboard or the floor mats from your car over the windshield, securing them under the wipers. When you’re ready to leave, gently crack the wipers free and remove the covering. Your windshield will be clear and ice-free, without any scraping. Another option to eliminating ice is putting large garbage bags that are taped together across the windshield, closed in the driver and front passenger doors. If you forget to cover your windshield, rather than buy an ice scraper, a heavy, sturdy plastic spatula or old credit card will make for an adequate ice scraper substitute.
• To keep your car or truck door locks from freezing during the winter, spray them with a little squirt of WD-40. Another option, if they should freeze, is to warm the vehicle key with a match or a lighter, then try putting it into the frozen lock, thawing your way in. You’ll have to do this several times. You can also try putting the key in as far as it will go, then burn a piece of twisted paper near the frozen lock and key.
• Check your vehicle’s antifreeze before winter sets in. The best ratio of antifreeze to water is 50/50. After adding any antifreeze to your vehicle, thoroughly clean up any spills. If your cat walks through a small spill of antifreeze and then licks its paws to clean them, that could be enough to kill it. Many animals like the smell and taste of antifreeze. Ingesting even a small amount can be deadly. Store antifreeze in tightly closed containers and store where pets and children cannot get to them.
• You can eliminate foggy windshields and car windows during the winter months. Buy an inexpensive chalkboard eraser and keep it in your vehicle’s glove compartment. When the windows fog up, rub them with the eraser. This method is great, working better than a cloth rag.
• In snowy regions of the country, snow and ice in the roads are melted by using vast quantities of salt. This salt can build-up under your car and create all sorts of havoc, including rust. For a DIY solution to remove the salt and mud from your undercarriage, try this on warm winter days or when the worst of the storm is over. Place a lawn sprinkler underneath the car and run it for half an hour. An easier, but more expensive, option is frequent trips to your local car wash to remove the salt. To get the tracked-in salt out of the car’s carpets and floor mats, wash them with a solution of one part vinegar and two parts water. The vinegar should break down the salty residue.
• A light coating of WD-40 will easily prevent your car’s antenna from freezing.
• Baby oil is a cheap and useful polish for vehicle hub caps, keeping them preserved and shiny. Don’t put too much on, though, as you don’t want them to become dirt magnets. Whatever dirt, mud, or salt does collect should wash off extremely easily.
• Assemble a winter emergency kit for the trunk of your vehicle. It should include a blanket, extra boots and gloves, jumper cables, an ice scraper, windshield washer fluid, a first-aid kit, flares, a small snow shovel, a flashlight, non-clumping kitty litter (for traction, should your vehicle get stuck in the snow), a small container of Vaseline, and bottled water. Tossing in a few packaged energy bars and beef jerky strips wouldn’t hurt, either, should you or your family be incapacitated or stuck for an extended period of time.

Sources:
American Veterinary Medical Association’s website, “Emergency Facts Sheet – Winter Storm,” (www.avma.org/disaster/responseguide/E_winter.pdf).
Henry J. Fishman, M.D., Shoveling Snow Painlessly – It Can Be Done… But Do You Really Want to Do It?, Consumer Affairs website, (www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2007/02/snow.html), February 14, 2007.
Humane Society of the United States website, “Protect Your Pet from Winter’s Woes,” (www.hsus.org/pets/pet_care/protect_your_pet_from_winters_woes.html).
Lyken Garner, Anne, “10 Top (Legal) Things to Do if You Find Yourself Left Holding a Bottle of Baby Oil,” (www.gomestic.com/Home/10-Top-Legal-Things-to-Do-If-You-Find-Yourself-Left-Holding-a-Bottle-of-Baby-Oil.185849).
Merel, Marc, Dog Hobbyist website, “Winter Time Warnings: Cold Weather Care for Your Dogs,” (www.doghobbyist.com/articles/DogHobbyist/WinterWarnings.html).
MinnSNOWta website, “Roof Razor,” (www.minnsnowta.com/snowloading.html).
WD-40 website, (www.wd40.com/).
Russell, Ellen, Do It Yourself website, “Winter Car Tips and Tricks for Easier Winter Driving,” (http://www.doityourself.com/stry/winterdrivingtips).

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Winter is the time to carry out some much needed lawn maintenance. Below are five tips you can think about as the big cold envelops your garden and lawn.

Maintenance Tip #1

As winter approaches, gradually lower the mowing height of your mower. Winter should begin without any young, tender growth that makes your lawn more appealing to winter diseases.

Besides, new growth on the lawn is vulnerable to dry out after the first winter winds come through, which will give you a brown winter lawn. So for the sake of lawn maintenance, as winter approaches, begin to gradually reduce the cutting height on your mower, until you are almost, but not quite, shaving the lawn. However, be sure to do this in several steps to avoid suddenly removing all the green leaf tissue and damaging the turf.

Winter Lawn Maintenance Tip #2

In late fall, be sure to give your lawn a final fertilization. Inactive during winter, your lawn won’t use the fertilizers immediately. Much like mammals bulking up for the cold, your lawn will store these nutrients in its root system and take full advantage of them at the first signs of spring.

Winter Lawn Maintenance Tip #3

Clear your lawn of any debris like logs, toys, or gardening equipment. Once snow comes, these objects can smother your grass, damage your turf, and leave your lawn more vulnerable to diseases.

Winter Lawn Maintenance Tip #4

Be sure to aerate your lawn before the first freeze. Thatch will only get worse with the affects of winter. A good aeration, along with a round of fertilization, will set the stage for bountiful spring growth.

Winter Lawn Maintenance Tip #5

Winter is a great time to learn more about your garden and your lawn in particular. Take this time to buy some lawn maintenance books and research the Internet for tips on how to keep a beautiful lawn and garden.

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It is an unfortunate situation that every year thousands of tradesman all over the country have their work vans broken into and all their tools stolen. These tools are often specialized and are very expensive, causing the tradesman to have to spend money on new tools and also lose trade in the mean time as they cannot do their work.Lets look at the top ways to keep your tools safe?

Remove the tools. Taking your tools out of your truck or van and into your house is the only way you can make certain they will not get taken. This of course may not stop your van being broken into but will stop you losing valuable items. However, people often stalk out a van for a while before they decide whether or not to break into it, so if you are seen to be taking your tools out every evening, there is less chance you will be a victim. However, for some people and trades this is just not a viable options and they need to use other tactics.

Sticker. Probably the cheapest way to deter criminals is to put a ‘no tools in this van’ sticker somewhere prominent. Most van leasing vans come with these on them already and they have much fewer cases of burglary. If you introduce all element of doubt into a thieves mind they are much less likely to risk a break in, opting for better odds elsewhere instead. In order for this to work however, you will need to hide your tools from view well

High security. Finding a van with good security is another great method. Citroen van leasing vans are well known for their security so these are a good choice. Tool thieves are well aware of which types of van just pop open and which require more time and skill. 99% of the time a thief will opt for the easiest target

For Citroen or Volkswagen Van Leasing please visit Crusader Vans

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Snow plow Abs Brake system-How does it work?

ABS) means antilock brake system , which is a safe and effective braking system. (ABS ) gives the driver the ability to maintain directional stability, control over steering, and in some situations, to help reduce stopping distances during emergency braking situation, particularly on wet and slippery or icy road surface. To gain this safety advantage, drivers NEED TO learn how to operate their ABS correctly. You want to make sure to read the owners manual of the vehicle you drive that is equipped with the ABS system. . ABS simply keeps your base brakes from locking up. In vehicles not equipped with ABS, the driver can manually pump the brakes to prevent wheel lockup

What does the ABS do to my brakes
What ABS does is very similar to a person pumping the brakes. It automatically changes the brake pressure in your truck’s brake lines to maintain maximum brake performance just before locking up the wheels. ABS does this very rapidly with electronics impulses in your brake system.

Why should I think it is important ?
As you know when your brakes lock up on wet and icy or slippery roads or at other times ,during a panic stop, you lose steering control and your vehicle can spin. Rear wheel ABS prevents wheel lockup so that your car stays in a straight line. If your car has ABS control on all four wheels, you also keep steering control. If you have steering control, it is possible to avoid a crash by steering around hazards if a complete stop cannot be accomplished in time So that’s why you should consider this a very important brake feature. When driving you may experience a rapid pulsation of the brake pedal–almost as if the brakes are pushing back at you. Sometimes the pedal could suddenly drop. Also, the valves in the ABS controller may make a noise that sounds like grinding or buzzing. In some cars you may feel a slight vibration–this means the ABS is working. It is important NOT to take your foot off the brake pedal when you hear noise or feel pulsations, but instead continue to apply firm pressure. Not all Abs systems are the same so make sure you read the ABS section in your vehicles owners manual.

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Why buy Led lights for my truck or car? Well. led lights are semiconductors, just like a computer chip in you r computer . When voltage is passed through them, they emit energy in the form of light. They are made with certain chemicals, that determine their light color. leds convert the majority of voltage passed through them to light, as opposed to other incandescent bulbs that produce light by energy heating them. But led can be up to 90% more efficient than traditional truck filament light bulbs

What s the cost to you? They can be more expensive than the traditional truck bulbs. But if you shop online you can get them for a fair price. The led light last a lot longer and use less voltage from the batteries. But most of all they are far more reliable then the old style filament bulbs. They run cooler and use less energy to work. They generally are sealed units so you do have to take tem apart and clean the sockets like you do some times with filament bulbs. I guess you can say it means less down time. When you are trucking time is money you do not want any down time.

Led rating: originally when LED bulbs came out there were no real standards, manufacturers would claim lifetimes of 100,000 hours with no real testing. Since then the standard has been to scale back to 50,000 hours so as not to over-state claims. (Beware of bulbs that are rated at 100,000 hours unless they state specifically Why they are rated at so high I would be wary of trusting this rating).Many of the manufacturers producing their 3rd generation LED bulbs are now starting to be more conservative and rating their bulbs at 35,000 hours, having gotten test results back from 1-2 years of testing. Rated at 35,000 hours, you can rest assured the manufacturer is not overstating their claims. Anything more than 50,000 hours… buyer beware or it could be BS.

The led lifespan led bulb may continue to be useful for several thousand hours past its stated lifetime. Unlike old-fashioned light bulbs, it is extremely rare for an led light to simply burn out. Rather, it will gradually fade over time, as the little diode start to fade ,but your truck light is still visible to on coming cars unlike filament bulbs that just quit.

How do you compare the led bulbs to each other? There are quite a few websites like our “Edgeolite.com” online that you can buy led bulbs. The problem is “how do you compare one bulb to another?” A quick way to do this is to calculate the lumens/watt, or , the total amount of light you get from the amount of electricity you put in. This is done by simply dividing the bulbs wattage by the stated number of lumens. Anything over 50 lumens/watt is good at the moment. 75 lumens/watt is very good while 100 lumens/watt is excellent. Keep in mind this is just a general comparison – some bulbs may be rated as brighter or dimmer than this.

At least this article gives you an idea of the measurement used for led lights. The other measurement I would use is the quality of the led light you buy. Is it designed to withstand the vast changes in the weather from being in the cold and wet to being extremely hot and dry. The quality of the lenses of the outer led is also something to consider and also the ability to mount it on your truck.

If you are interested in more information on this topic or would like to see the Edgeolite led lights simply click here. http://www.edgeolite.com/led-trucklights.html

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Be sure to keep walkways, driveways, rooftops clear

BY CHARLES DAVIS
cedavis@greenbaypressgazette.com

Children aren’t the only ones hoping to get on a good list for the holidays. Whether you’ve been naughty or nice, you should expect a visit from an area snow remover.

Signing up early for services can get you preferred treatment when your driveway starts to look like the frozen tundra. And if you dare take on Mother Nature by yourself, here are a few tips to keep you safe.

Early bird

Homeowners can sign up for one-time snow removal or seasonal service, said Matthew Kispert, owner of Sawyer’s Tree Service in De Pere. Seasonal subscribers can get Kispert to come out every time it snows at least one inch. They also can get a 10 percent discount, which can save $5 to $10 each time it snows.

“The best thing to do is plan ahead and get on our list before the snow storm,” he said.

Those on the seasonal list also get served before those who call the day of the storm.

Clear the path

Kispert comes equipped with snowblowers, and he shovels off driveways and sidewalks leading up to the home. He even takes care of edges leading to garages and can shovel off your porch.

“Salt is optional, but even the ones that don’t want it, if there’s bad spots, we put it in for free,” he said. A bad spot consists of ice patches on the sidewalk.

“Once in a while, people will have us clear a path for a dog,” he said.

Snow stretch

If the snow isn’t bad enough to call out professionals, be equipped for some taxing activity, said Jason Pienta, owner of Heartland Construction & Services in Green Bay.

“Just stretch out before you go shovel,” he said. “If you can’t grab your toes standing up, I don’t think you should be shoveling snow.”

Necessary tools include at least one good shovel, a snowblower if you can afford it and rock salt, Kispert said.

Each year, people report heart attacks while shoveling, so take breaks if you do it yourself. “We’re prepared to stand the wet, the cold, the windy conditions,” Kispert said. “We have the right equipment for it.”

Call of duty

You don’t have to be a lazy bum to call on snow removers. Many customers simply didn’t plan ahead or couldn’t “get the kids out of bed to shovel snow,” Kispert said. Other clients live out of town or aren’t physically able to do it.

Up on the rooftop

Refusing to remove the snow at all will have you feeling ho-hum during the holidays, Pienta said. Snow left on the roof can create ice in the gutters — known as ice dams — and work its way back into your shingles. When the ice melts, it can rain inside your home. “It’s a pretty big thing,” he said.

It’s also not a good idea to let snow pack down in your driveway. “It can damage the underside of your car if you drive it through snow,” Kispert said.

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• How to Remove Ice on a Driveway