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Four Tips To Keep Your Kitchen Sink From Costing You Plumbing Repairs
The kitchen sink is one of the places in your home where plumbing and drain problems are most likely to occur. That’s because when you’re working with food and cleaning up your dishes and cooking utensils, there’s a lot more waste that can end up going down your drains and ruining your water flow.
Having a reliable sink plumbing Scarborough company you can call immediately is important to dealing with sink drain problems, but so is preventing them in the first place. There are four habits you’ll want to adhere to to keep your sink drains as clean as possible.
1. Do Not Send Any Greasy Food Down The Sink Period
One of the biggest inhibitors to a sink draining at all is a lot of grease getting stuck in it. Grease and oil already flow slow as it is, and as you might imagine, if they get sent down the drain they can pile up and become all sticky down there. Instead, you you should have greases and oils scraped off and discarded in the regular trash.
2. Don’t Allow Other Certain Messy Foods To Be Ground Into The Disposer
If you have a garbage disposal line running below your sink and you frequently use it to dispose of food scraps, be careful which kinds of foods you do so with. Egg shells, carrot peelings, potato skins and other similar foods may not be the best things to send down there. If you are disposing of something a little messier, it’s a good idea to thoroughly flush with cold water for a few minutes to get rid of it completely.
3. Check Your Faucet Handles, Aerator And Lines Going Into The Sink Often
Even in newer well-designed sinks, it’s possible for faucets, sprayers and sink handles to start leaking if a corrosion problem has happened. It could be problems in the kitchen causing it, or it could be lower level problems in the water line that cause corrosion of faucets and their handles. You may need to change out the aerator after several years, or you may need your water lines redone by a professional plumber to get the sink back in order.
4. Don’t Use The Highly Toxic Chemical Cleaner
The biggest mistake you could make in sink plumbing is using a highly toxic chemical drain cleaning formula. Drains were not meant to be cleaned by toxic chemicals because they usually don’t attack the food particles the way they’re supposed to, and they can cause significant health problems in the environment. If your water flow and drain problems can’t be resolved by any quick fixes you could do, you need to call a professional plumber immediately.
5 Ways To Prepare The Outside of Your Home For Movers
Many people do not know there are several things they can do to the outside of their home to make the movers job a little bit easier. One thing you will need to know is the size of the moving van or truck that will be coming, so you can get the job site ready. Here are the top five ways to get the outside of your property ready for the movers and their vehicles.
1. Street Parking
If you live in an apartment or do not have a big enough driveway, the driver may have to park on the street. If there is limited street parking or the road is very busy, you may want to make arrangements with your neighbors. Let them know what day and the time the moving company will be there, and plan to block the street parking early in the morning or the night before. You can use heavy boxes and brightly colored tape to section off the area, and write moving van on the boxes, so people will understand why you are blocking off the spaces.
2. Driveway
If the driver can access your home through a driveway, you will want to make sure any low hanging branches are cut down before they arrive. Trim back any foliage or bushes along the path also, so they have plenty of room to open their doors. Sweep and hose down the asphalt the day before. This will help track less dirt into the home, but give the pavement plenty of time to dry.
3. Sprinklers
Automatic sprinklers should be turned off before the move. It is not uncommon to forget about them until they turn on and start watering the crew and boxes, so set yourself a reminder to turn them off and to turn them back on when the time is right. If your lawn tends to stay damp all day, turn the system off the day before the movers arrive, so the working area is completely dry.
4. Gates
Measure the distance between the gateposts, and let the moving company know these dimensions. The posts will decrease the driveway access. The driver will need to know if the truck will fit past the gate. If you live in a gated community, make sure to be ready to let them in or prearrange their access at the entrance ahead of time. For those of you interested, the Matco website has more information available.
5. Animals
Kennel or corral any loose outdoor animals, even if they are friendly. The movers will want to work quickly and free from distractions. Pets can accidentally get in the way or lost in all the confusion. If the moving process is going to take a long time, consider taking your pet to a friend’s house or doggie daycare.
Top 4 Things You Need to Know About Cell Free DNA Testing
When you’re an expecting mother, the only thing you really and truly worry about is whether or not the child growing inside of you is healthy and developing correctly. However, due to extreme advances in modern technology within the last decade, it’s now possible to learn if there are any chromosomal abnormalities with the fetus long before they are born.
A cell free dna test is a great way to determine if your future child will have to face serious issues, allowing you to prepare properly ahead of time. Here are the top four things you need to know about this testing before you agree to have it done or decide to pass it up today.
1. What Can You Test for?
When you agree to take part in a prenatal DNA testing, you can rest assured knowing that you’ll be able to determine whether or not your developing baby has Down syndrome, trisomy 18, or trisomy 13.
While these are the standard screenings, your doctor may also use the test to look for triploidy, sex chromosome aneuploidy, microdeletion syndrome, and other single gene disorders if he or she believes there is a reason to do so.
2. When Can You Get the Test Done
A cell free DNA test can be performed on any pregnant woman after the 10-week mark. This is to make sure that the fetus has reached an acceptable age where the blood sample will be more accurate, in addition to guaranteeing that the pregnancy has a better chance of reaching term.
Women are much more susceptible to miscarriages during their first trimester, and placing them in a situation where they feel mistrust or guilt over that loss can be devastating. The best thing is to let this time pass as naturally as possible, continuing with further testing later on down the line.
3. What Can Affect the Results?
While this prenatal testing is considered to be extremely accurate, there are certain factors that can have an impact on the results, including the number of fetuses being carried by the mother, the weight of the mother, the use of donor eggs, being less than 10 weeks pregnant, and even having taken certain blood thinners.
Your doctor will know if any of these issues are a concern when it comes to your results and will be able to steer you in the best direction regarding your particular situation and circumstance.
4. How Is the Test Performed?
This DNA test is actually incredibly easy, despite everything you can learn from it. Just like when you have any other standard blood work done, a blood sample will be taken from the mother which will then be analyzed by a lab who will separate the fetal blood and the maternal blood, allowing them to check for specific chromosomal abnormalities.
The more you know about the conditions your child has, the better you’ll be able to prepare for their future. These tests can help parents make the right decisions regarding their future family, making them a great benefit to anyone who feels it may be necessary.
4 Tips for Selecting a Long-Distance Moving Company
Are you planning for a long-distance move? Do you want to find reliable Toronto Cross country movers who will deliver your belongings safely and securely to your new location? Planning a big move can be challenging and stressful. Read our tips below to help you find the perfect moving company that will help make your move a little less stressful.
1. Contact Three or More Companies to Receive an Estimate
Receiving multiple estimates from at least three companies is a good practice when you are having major repairs done on your home. It is also a good practice when you are selecting a long-distance moving company. Think about it, this will be a large expense, and you’ll be trusting these strangers with all of your belongings.
Hearing from multiple companies will allow you to compare prices, services, and to get a general feeling about the companies and how they operate. You may not end up choosing the company that provided you with the cheapest offer. You may decide that you feel more comfortable trusting all of your valuables with a different company due to their philosophy, values, or the overall impression they made.
2. Choose a Well-Established Company
While it would be great to help a new moving company to get started, it is generally a safer idea to hire a more established company. Movers who work for a company who has been around longer are more likely to be experienced with protecting and moving larger items, which will decrease the chance of your belongings getting damaged.
3. Select a Company That is Licensed and Insured
When you are looking for cross country movers, be sure to find a company that is licensed and insured. This will help protect you and your belongings. You will be able to trust that your belongings are protected. Additionally, if one of the movers becomes injured when moving furniture or boxes in your home, you won’t be liable for their medical bills.
4. Read Reviews from Past Customers
Last, but certainly not least, be sure to read reviews about the company you are considering hiring. Some business owners can put on a great song and dance. They may sound dependable and trustworthy. But, sometimes, this is all just a smoke screen; they may not be a company you’d actually want to give your business to. Reading through the reviews from past customers can help you determine whether they actually are dependable professionals who will take great care while transporting your belongings.
If you take a little time and do some research, you’ll be able to find great cross county movers who safely transport all of your treasured possessions.
5 Specific Concerns for Residential Moving
Most adults move several times in their lives, whether near or far. Some rent a truck and move their own belongings, but many hire a professional moving service. While there are various kinds of residential moving, depending on the home’s size and type of furnishings, a majority of people experience a similar process. However, there are several particular concerns to consider with moving from one home to another.
1. Clothes and Linens.
While it is perfectly fine to pack your clothing in a variety of bags, bins, or boxes for ready transport, some people feel that personal items should be handled by themselves. Similarly, bathroom and bedding linens are usually packed for the move, but they can be moved by the owners if preferred.
2. Draperies and Carpets.
Custom draperies are often left at the old residence, but standard window treatments may be moved to the new location. Depending on how they are installed, they might need to be taken apart and packed in marked boxes for easy identification at the new residence. Carpets are often handled by the professional movers, who use industry skills and packing equipment to ensure safe transit.
3. Built-In Furnishings.
Most types of built-in cabinetry like bookshelves, kitchen nook seating, and cupboards stay with the home when the occupants move away. But handmade items or those holding special memories can be disassembled, packed up, and taken to the new destination. Care should be given when packing such items to mark each piece and keep everything together. Outdoors, a children’s swing set or the family’s picnic table may be able to go to the new place as well.
4. Highly Personal Belongings.
Valuable jewelry, family heirlooms, or expensive antiques can be securely handled by professional movers who are experienced with residential moving Calgary. However, some people prefer to keep items with special meaning or family history with them instead of packing them into the moving van.
5. Rented Equipment.
Many kinds of rented equipment or furnishings, such as television or computer equipment, will be returned to the provider and re-rented for the new location if they are still needed. Medical equipment is typically handled the same way. However, certain types of furniture may be moved with the rest of the belongings and re-registered with the provider for the new address.
If questions arise about these or other items to be moved, consult the moving company in advance. They should be able to advise you how to pack a specialty item, whether you or the moving van transports it. Don’t wait until the last minute. Plan ahead to prevent last-minute anxiety.
