Clean your Grill Regularly

If your grill has lava rocks turn them all over before lighting your grill then let it heat up. While it’s heating any build up of grease on the rocks will burn off, then once your grill is good and hot, scrub the grills with a grill brush to get rid of any build up left on them.

Minimize the Fat, Drain the Marinade

Flare ups on a clean grill are caused by fat dripping onto hot coals and igniting, so be sure to trim most (but not all) of the fat off your meat before grilling (a little fat prevents meat from drying out and adds flavor). Also drain any meat that has been marinated before putting the meat onto a hot grill.

Tend your Food

Never leave your grill unattended because even a small fire can turn a steak into a lump of coal in just a few minutes. Be sure to plan for flare ups by leaving some free space on your grill or on the warming shelves so you can move your meat any flare ups.

To locate your charcoal grill user’s manual,  gas grill user’s manual, or electric grill user’s manual, visit the ManualsOnline Library.

• Clean your freezer regularly.
• Check the temperature of your freezer. If it isn’t low enough, frost can build up. Your freezer’s temperature should be set at 0 degrees.
• Make sure the seals to your freezer door are in good shape. If you feel cold air when the freezer door is shut, change the seals. Clean them regularly to keep them in good condition.
• Limit the amount of times you open and close the freezer door. After grocery shopping, put all the frozen items in the freezer at the same time so you don’t have to open the door more than once.
• Use a dehumidifier if you have a stand-alone freezer. Humidity can cause frost build up.

To locate the freezer user’s manual or the refrigerator user’s manual for the model(s) you own, visit the ManualsOnline Library.

Perimeter fencing

Although specifics vary, in general properties with swimming pools need to be fenced on all four sides with a fence made from substantial materials such as steel, wood, chain link or vinyl. In addition, fences must be at least five feet high and have self-locking gates that latch on the inside and open outward. Additionally perimeter fences should be built low to the ground with narrow openings between the boards so a child can’t slip under or between them.

The fence design should be difficult to climb. For example, many municipalities don’t allow “good neighbor” fences because their offset boards are too easy to climb. If used, chain link fences need to have relatively small diamonds around 1 ½” to 2”.

Pool fencing

While perimeter fencing will prevent neighborhood children from getting into the pool, it unfortunately does little to prevent children living in the house from having access to the pool. History shows us that the majority of children killed or injured in home swimming pool accidents lived in the home, were often in the care of one or both of their parents, and had been out of sight for less than five minutes. Since constant vigilance is virtually impossible for even the best of parents, supplementing perimeter fencing with a fence surrounding the pool itself provides an extra measure of safety for children in homes with pools.

For many years, pool fencing was similar in design and materials to perimeter fencing, and while this type of fence definitely improves safety, it has a couple of obvious disadvantages – it’s permanent and the design may actually obscure vision into the pool area itself.

In recent years an alternative method of pool fencing – soft mesh fencing – has been gaining popularity.  Mesh fencing uses metal poles installed in 1 1/2” holes about 4′ or 5′ apart drilled into the pool deck to support a 4′ high mesh barrier extending all around the pool. The soft mesh fencing is very difficult for a young child to climb, while still allowing clear vision into the pool area itself. As well, since the steel poles are installed in holes drilled into the pool deck, they (and the mesh) can be removed when no children are around and the homeowners want more space around their pool.  Once a child is old enough to understand how dangerous water can be, the mesh pool fencing can be totally removed and the holes in the deck covered with vinyl caps.

To locate pool-related user’s manuals, visit the ManualsOnline Library.

Pumping Milk

Many women are wary of pumping and wonder how they’ll ever produce enough milk. However, a woman’s body is amazing – if you increase the demand for milk through pumping, it will be only a matter of days before the breasts supply more milk to meet that demand. Once a routine is established, the breasts will produce the perfect amount of milk that baby needs.

Another great concern for working mothers is pumping milk at their place of employment. Let’s be realistic, you cannot and should not have to pump milk in a bathroom stall – in order to produce milk you must relax. You’ll need a quiet, private area with a chair and electrical outlet. Some employers have pumping rooms for working moms, while others do not. However, almost all 50 states have laws that stipulate women have the right to an adequate space to pump their milk at work. If you feel you need support in approaching your employer about this, contact a breastfeeding advocate, such as La Leche League representative, and you’ll most likely be able to work out a suitable arrangement with your employer.

There is a wide variety of pumps to choose from, and you’ll want to make your selection carefully. Some pumps are designed for stay-at-home or work-at-home moms who are only separated from their baby on occasion. These pumps are usually manual, and only pump one breast at a time. Working moms should splurge a little and buy a double, electric pump with a carrying and storage case. This will allow you to transport everything together and makes milk collection and storage a breeze.

Storing Milk

Once you’ve collected all that milk, you’ll need to know how to store it. In general, the rules are:

• You can store it at room temperature for 4 to 8 hours.
• You can store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 or 3 days.
• You can store it in the freezer for up to 2 weeks in a freezer compartment located inside the refrigerator or for 3 to 4 months in a freezer that’s self-contained. Also, it’s very important that you never re-freeze milk. Once milk is thawed it must be used within 24 hours.

General Tips

• Preferably before you return to work, pump milk and stock pile it in your freezer. This will give you extra in case you experience a stress-related shortage as many women do near the end of a busy week.
• Pump the most in the morning – your milk supply is greatest at this time.
• Look at a picture of your baby while pumping; this will increase your milk flow.
• Keep milk you’ve pumped at work in a mini cooler, so you make sure it will stay fresh until you get home and get it to baby. Many professional grade pumps come with a cooler case.
• Never microwave your milk – this changes its chemical make up.

To locate the breast pump user’s manual for the model you own, visit the ManualsOnline Library.

Establishing a traditional garden

First decide if you want a vegetable or flower garden. New gardeners should start with a small garden that can be managed easily. Choose an area in your yard that gets at least 6 hours of sunlight. Don’t be dissuaded if most of your yard is shaded, some types of plants grow well in less sunlight. Keep in mind that a garden will need watering, so make sure a water source is nearby. Before planting, you will need to clear the ground and add compost to the soil.

Gardens started from young plants are easier to grow than ones started from seed. However, some plants are not difficult to start from seeds, so check with your local gardening center for the best choices.

When selecting plants, get ones that will survive in your climate. Planting season varies by variety. You’ll need to research the best time to plant.

Starting a container vegetable garden

City dwellers or those without much green space may consider starting a vegetable garden in containers.

Vegetables can be successfully grown in baskets, pots, and window boxes to name a few. You could start this type of garden on a roof, patio, sidewalk, or any other small space that gets lots of sunlight. Vegetables need 6 to 8 hours of sunlight each day.

When choosing containers, make sure they are opaque to prevent the sun from damaging the roots. The size of the container depends on the vegetable. For instance, shallow-rooted plants like herbs and spinach only need 6 to 8 inches of soil and can be planted in small pots. On the other hand, larger plants like tomatoes need more space. Choose containers with drainage holes and a quality potting mix that drains well.

Most gardening centers have knowledgeable staff that can help you choose the right vegetables for the size containers your space can accommodate.

Enjoying flower container gardens

Like container vegetable gardens, flower container gardens are good for small spaces. You can plant flowers in containers to add color and cheer inside or outside your home. They are easy to move and don’t require much space. They need at least 6 hours of sunlight, quality potting mix, and containers with drainage. Although container gardens need daily watering, be careful not to overwater your plants. This is a common way to kill them.

Growing plants upside down

If your traditional garden is being destroyed by animals or bugs, try upside-down gardening. It’s become very popular, especially for growing peppers, tomatoes, and cucumbers. You can make your own planters out of buckets or other large containers, or you can purchase commercially-available ones. Upside-down planters take up less space than traditional gardening. You won’t have to worry about weeds or pests.

This article’s just the tip of the iceberg for gardening information. Additional resources include gardening books, magazines, and local gardening centers.

For most lawns you should be looking for a general or all-purpose fertilizer containing a mixture of the three ingredients lawns needs to grow thick and healthy: Nitrogen for leaf production, Phosphorous to promote root growth, and Potassium for general growth.

Check the NPK ratio. All-purpose lawn fertilizers are packaged with the percentages of their three active ingredients—Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), and Potassium (K)—displayed right on the bag in the NPK order. For example, if you see a bag labeled 5-10-5, this means that 5% of the product is Nitrogen, 10% is Phosphorus, and 5% is Potassium.

Choose the ratio right NPK ratio for the season. In spring, lawns need lots of Nitrogen to grow green and healthy foliage, so a fertilizer high in Nitrogen is a good spring fertilizer. Choose a fertilizer high in phosphorus as a fall fertilizer since fall lawns need to build up their root systems in anticipation of winter. In other times of the year, look for a balanced fertilizer containing relatively equal amounts of each of element.

To locate a fertilizer spreader user’s manual for the model you own, visit the ManualsOnline Library.

Several manufacturers have launched PTFE and PFOA-free lines. Brands include Farberware’s Earth Pan, Starfrit, Cuisinart’s Green Gourmet and GreenPan, among others. Since “green” cookware is relatively new to the marketplace, experts agree that the options below make up the healthiest choices for pots, pans, and bakeware:

Stainless Steel

This scratch-resistant choice is durable and economical. Stainless steel browns food better than nonstick surfaces and won’t loose its shape. Since the metal is a poor heat conductor, look for pans with copper or aluminum cores.

You may have heard that aluminum has a possible link to Alzheimer’s Disease – don’t worry, the core of a quality stainless steel pan will be wedged between layers of steel and won’t come into contact with food.

There’s another benefit to cooking with stainless steel: the metal doesn’t react with food, making it a good choice for cooking with tomatoes and other acidic foods. The highest quality stainless steel available is 18/10.

Cast Iron

This type of cookware has been around forever and with good reason. Cast iron is extremely durable – you may even own a hand-me-down from your grandmother. The metal is ideal because it evenly distributes heat and cooks the entire contents of the pan at the same time. Cast iron can withstand very high heat and won’t warp. It’s great for searing food, but reacts with acidic foods.

Cast-iron cookware has come a long way over the years. In the past, all cast iron needed to be properly seasoned. Now, many pre-seasoned options are available. Unseasoned cast iron is still on the market, so be sure to check the label before buying – unless you don’t mind the extra maintenance.

If you’re looking for cast iron that cleans up easily, consider enameled cast iron. You can also get cast iron bakeware.

Glass, Ceramic, and Stoneware

Stoneware, glass, and ceramic make great choices for baking because you can cook and serve meals from the same dish. You can even freeze and microwave food in them.  All three long-lasting materials are nonporous and won’t retain odors.

Some people really like baking with stoneware because it evenly distributes heat.

Glass containers are inexpensive, making them a good alternative to portable plastic food storage. It doesn’t contain the chemical BPA or stain – great for bringing leftovers to work.

Since there are many safe alternatives to nonstick pots, pans, and bakeware, you can cook without worrying about potentially harmful chemicals. Happy cooking!

To locate cookware users manuals for various items you own, visit the ManualsOnline Library.

1) Buying your Bracket. Most televisions lack mounting equipment, so buying a separate wall bracket is often required.  Many sets require specific brackets, so check owner’s manual for requirements, and that the bracket will support set’s screen size and weight.  Also consider whether you want your television to swivel and tilt on its mount. 

2) Determining how to run the cables. You can hide cables by running the A/V cable through the wall and having an outlet installed behind set, or you can purchase a cable management raceway, which hides wires without having to thread them through walls.  Your television’s power cable is not safe to run behind a wall.

3) Considering the location of your television. Make sure you know what is behind the wall before drilling to avoid dangerous mistakes.  Brick and concrete walls require wall anchors of appropriate strength and walls with metal studs lack the strength to hold a television.  In addition, consider glare sources that might affect the picture.  The height of the television should hang at eye-level while seated, to avoid sitting at an awkward angle to view it.

4) Mounting the Bracket. Brackets generally come in two halves, one that affixes to the television and another that mounts onto the wall.  To mount the wall portion of the bracket, first find wooden studs in the wall.  To determine where you’ll hang the bracket, measure the height of the panel and use that measurement to mark where you want the middle and bottom of the panel to sit.  Then measure the distance from the bottom of the panel to the bottom of the bracket.  Now, use this measurement to go up from where you marked the bottom of the panel.  This is where the bottom of the bracket should sit.  From there, follow the manual to attach the bracket, checking that the mount is attached to the center of the studs and the bracket is level before securing.  Have an assistant hold the bracket as you secure it to ensure it remains level.

5) Preparing your television. To prevent damaging the screen, use the television’s prepackaged stand to keep it upright, or cover the glass with a blanket before laying it down or leaning it. The television section of most brackets have two pieces, so make sure the sides are lined up at the correct screw holes to keep the bracket level.  If you can’t find mounting holes on the television, they’re often hidden underneath plastic caps, which can be removed with a screwdriver.  Also, check that the screws used will not impede the swivel of the bracket, if it has that option.

6) Mounting the television. Mount the panel onto the bracket as shown in the manual, using your assistant to help lift and line up the television.  Once it’s in place, have your assistant hold the television and check to confirm the panel is level before securing.

7) Enjoying your work. Connect cables, turn it on, and enjoy your newly mounted flat panel television.

To locate the flat screen TV user’s manual for the model you own, visit the ManualsOnline Library.

What’s a heat pump?

If you aren’t familiar with heat pumps you’ll be surprised to hear you probably have one in your home right now. Your refrigerator is a heat pump that removes warm air from inside the unit and ‘pumps’ it out through your fridge vents, cooling the interior.

A heat pump controls your home’s interior climate exactly the same way. It works like a big refrigerator, using a compressed gas refrigerant that can either carry heat out of your home in the summer, or when you reverse the direction of the compressed gas coolant, bring heat in from the outside in the winter.

Can a heat pump actually heat my home?

The answer is – yes. Believe it or not, even when outside temperatures are below freezing, there is actually some warmth in the air that a heat pump can capture and bring inside. Unfortunately, the reality is that in areas where temperatures commonly fall below 40°F, there really isn’t enough heat in the air for a heat pump to use to keep your home comfortable by itself, so you’d need some form of supplemental heat, such as your existing furnace, on the coldest days.

But, good news if you live in an area where winter temperatures seldom stay below 40° F, a heat pump may be all you need to both heat and cool your home all year round.

Sounds too good to be true, what’s the downside?

As always, cost is a concern.  Heat pumps run on electricity so depending on the price of power in your area the year-round operating cost of a heat pump may be high. In addition, the cost to buy and install a heat pump is generally higher than the cost of a central air conditioner.

Another potential concern is equipment life.  While an air conditioner only runs in the summer and a furnace only in the winter, a heat pump runs all year round, meaning the equipment will wear faster and will likely require more maintenance.

Fortunately, there is some good news on cost. The government feels the energy efficiencies of heat pumps will benefit all of us and grants of up to 30% of the cost to install a heat pump (up to $1500) are available to consumers.  Details are available at the Energy Star Web site.

To locate the heat pump user’s manual for the model you own, visit the ManualsOnline Library.

Gas grills are fueled by liquid propane. The fuel is stored in refillable tanks. As long as the tank is full, gas grilling is extremely easy. Simply ignite the grill and start cooking. Unlike charcoal grills, there’s no lighter fluid to deal with and you don’t have to wait for the coals to heat up before cooking. Clean-up is easy too – just use a metal grill brush to scour the grate and you’re done. Gas grills are more expensive than charcoal grills, but charcoal will cost more than propane over time. One downside to grilling with gas – it won’t enhance the flavor of food.

Grilling with Charcoal

Charcoal grills need a little more prep work, but cooking with charcoal has its benefits. The hot heat from the charcoal will quickly sear meat and add a smoky flavor to food. Before you can grill, you need to light the charcoal and wait for it to heat up. The flame is more difficult to control than cooking with a gas grill. If you want to take it to the park or beach, a charcoal grill is easier to transport than gas.

There’s no wrong choice for choosing a grill. If you’re short on time, a gas grill might be the better option. If you have patience and want to bring out the smokiness of grilled food, choose charcoal.

To locate the user’s manual for your charcoal grill or gas grill, visit the ManualsOnline Library.