Household Tips, Updated last 2007-08-27

Spruce Up Your Mailbox: Mailboxes are unsightly. Consider adding color by planting a vine or some various flowers around the pole or post. 2006-12-22.

Are you addicted to talk radio or news shows? The poor level of Orlando's morning news programs is apalling. I used to set a wall timer for 5 am to record BBC World News Update onto a cassette tape that I could listen to while commuting. There is now a simpler solution using an iAudio's G3 MP3 player/recorder that can be automatically set to record off FM at any time. This is especially useful for those addicted to Coast to Coast which runs from 1 to 5 AM in many markets. Of course, the G3 can also be used to playback shows available as MP3 podcasts. Another alternative for the poor level of Orlando morning radio is Sirius or XM Radio. Unfortunately, XM has many of the same awful shock jocks spilling hate as in the local markets.

Tired of annoying phone calls? See the FCC site for information on placing yourself on the national list, other lists, and what course of action you can do against those who continue to violate your privacy, see http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/tcpa.html. Or, sign up your number with the National Do-Not-Call Registry or Florida Do Not Call.

Plumbing 101 Tips from the Friendly Plumber, this web site offers helpful tips on dishwasher, garbage disposals, and more. Thank you- Dutton Ashcraft, 2005-05-12.

Going Green

Cutting Greenhouse Gases and Your Energy Costs By Making Real Changes

As the UUU works toward being a greener place, it's worthwhile to take a look at what real changes we can make as individuals to put less stress on the planet. Specifically, CO2 polluttion from burning fossil fuels (natural gas, petroleum, and coal) are causing dramatic changes in our climate which can result in the planet tipping to a high temperature killing most life on the planet. Since human beings represent one such animal, it is suicide to continue on our present course, making the planet uninhabitable for our progeny. Here are a few practical things you can do to make a difference. There are more Ideas in this vein, see Dr. Marilyn Stewart's excellent talk given on 08-05-07in the audio section, and her handy What Can I Do sheet which can be posted up as a reminder. Note: If you have any other suggestions, please e-mail the webmaster at the bottom of this page.

1. Use Fluorescent Bulbs: Replace standard bulbs with fluorescent types, especially in areas that are on for long periods of time, such as those in the house, front porch or backyard. (Note: if you use these bulbs in an enclosed housing, use a plastic housing and drill a hole in the bottom of it to allow air circulation.) They cost more but last over five years and end up paying for themselves in less than two years. A fluorescent bulb which is "light equivalent" of a 75 watt incandescent bulb consumes only 20W. Fluorescent replacements cost about $5 each. For more information, see http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=cfls.pr_cfls.Updated 08/07
2. Turn Off Your Coffee Maker: Many of us love our coffee in the morning. Yet, a standard coffee maker often take close to 1000 watts of power, and they're often left on for hours, which puts a further strain on the A/C system. (Note: see http://easygreen.blogspot.com/2005/12/quick-green-starving-electricity.html.) The strange thing is that coffee is best served at room temperature, so it's better to turn off the pot after brewing. Don't believe me? Then listen to the experts and get a taste of what is considered the best coffees available here and as a podcast --> http://www.onpointradio.org/shows/2007/04/20070413_b_main.asp 08/07
3. Cut A/C Costs: Remember to have your system checked once a month for efficiency. Further, replace the air filter regularly, once every month or two. During the summer, increasing the thermostat by 1 degree fahrenheit cuts your energy bill by about 3 %- CR, Updated 08/07.
4. More Efficiency, Less Driving: Unfortunately, the executive and legislature branches have acted irresponsible concerning this pressing problem. As it is now, the majority of cars sold in America get less mileage than they did ten years ago. So what can be done? 08/07
   1. Drive smart.
      1. Don't take unecessary trips.
      2. When driving, let off the gas when the you know the light ahead is going to change to red. Why rush up, which decreases gas mileage while putting increased wear on your car's brakes? Often, you can save more gas by slowing down enough that your vehicle is still moving when the light turns green again.
   2. Maintain your car.
      1. If possible for your car, use a 5W30 oil to reduce friction.
      2. Maintain good tire pressure; lowered tire pressure increases tire drag.
      3. Keep air filters clean.
   3. Get an efficient car.
      1. Replace gas hogs such as SUVs with higher efficiency vehicles.
      2. Always, look at the EPA figures for any vehicle and consider buying one with a smaller engine and a manual transmission to increase mileage. Further, reduce fuel consumption by reducing unecessary trips.
5. Low Power Computers: Computers are often left on for many hours during the day. There are some simple things that can make a big difference.... 08/07
   1. Use an LCD flat panel versus a CRT type monitor: LCD monitors require on average 60% less power, see http://ergo.human.cornell.edu/Pub/LCD_vs_CRT_AH.pdf for an analysis.
   2. Buy high efficiency Power Supplies: When buying PC power supplies or complete desktop, insist on getting an 80Plus, see http://www.80plus.org/, approved power supply. Standard PC power supplies are rated for about 65% power efficiciency, whereas 80Plus supplies often acheive 85% efficiency. In simple terms, this difference in a 200W PC relates to an amazing savings of 40 Watts.
   3. S3 Standby Mode: Make sure your PC is either off or powered down into low power mode. You must be careful about this since Microsoft chose the much more power hungry mode of S1 versus S3 for its low power default mode in Windows XP. On a PC box in S3 mode, the machines fans should turn off when the PC is in standby. The difference in power consumption is hard to quantify but a standard PC in S1 mode could take 70 to 90 Watts in S1 versus 5 Watts in S3. All of this function requires a PC with the latest updates and a properly configured ACPI. See this link for more practical S3 information, http://www.exoid.com/?page_id=47
   4. Chose power efficient processors: Both Intel and AMD make power efficient models of their existing CPU's, it is important to buy one of these models. Plus, do not get hung up on the latest highest performance processors, since CPU performance is just one part of the computer's performance.
   5. Chose power efficient graphics cards: PC graphics cards often exceed the processing power of the PC's CPU. Many of these cards are fashionded for the high-end gamers. If you don't need that type of performance chose a business graphic card, for more info see this article --> http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/video/display/gpu-consumption2006.html.

Save Drinking Water & $$$:

As many UU's know, Florida's water aquifer is being depleted at a rapid rate. If this continues unabated, the cost of Florida's water will go much higher as the state switches to above ground water sources. 07/04

Conserve Water:

Earth has an abundance of water, unfortunately it is mostly saltwater (97%), frozen water, the polar caps and glaciers make up 2% leaving 1% of Earth's water for daily use by humans and animals. To put this in a smaller prespectis National Geographic's Nov. 1995 issues stated that "If all of Earth's water was condensed into a gallon jar, the amount of drinking water would be just over 1 tablespoon."

Droughts are a part of nature's cycle and everyone must do their part to conserve water any way they can. Currently 36 out of 50 states are in the process of seeking alternative water supplies to avert water shortages.

While we have the same amount of water as thousands of years ago, mankind is using more water for growing food, entertainment and landscaping.

Florida's 53 inches of rainfall is second in the nation, behind Louisiana at 55 inches. Actually we have a very wet season, May - October, followed by an extreamly dry period between November - April. Rain that is soaked into the ground is mostly soaked up by vegetation roots and released back into the air. Of the 53 inches of rainfall, 38 inches evaporates, 8 inches runs into lakes, rivers and oceans, 7 inches replenishes the aquifer annually.

The main source of water for Florida is the Floridan Aquifer. The water in this aquifer is estimated to be 50 to 26,000 years old. An excellent movie on this aquifer is "Water's Journey" currently being shown on WCEU Channel 15 Daytona Beach. If you have cable television you can see this aired at various times of the year, especially in April. One of the threats from over use (over pumping) of the aquifer is saltwater intrustion. (Attached is a file for attachment) USGS 1985 map of Florida's saltwater intrusion.

Florida has 27 of the 78 first magnitude springs in the nation. These springs are the best indication of what is happening with the aquifer than the monitoring wells utilities are required to have by the water management districts. A first magnitude spring will produce 64,600 gallons of water per day. The change of volume and pressure in these springs are indicators of changes in the aquifer.

How much water does the average homeowner use?

See water usage graphs!

Use water sensibly CALL BEFORE YOU DIG 800 432-4770 www.callsunshine.com
WHITE - Proposed excavation
PINK - Temporary survey markings
RED - Electric power lines,cables, conduit & lighting cables
YELLOW - Gas, oil, steam, petroleum or gaseous materials
ORANGE - Communication, alarm, signal lines, cables, conduit
BLUE - Potable water
PURPLE - Reclaimed water, irrigation and slurry lines
GREEN - Sewers and drain lines

Information above supplied by:
Eugenia (Gina) Wright
Courtesy of Orange County Utilities Water Division
9150 Curry Ford Road, 3rd floor
Orlando, FL 32825 Telephone: 407 254-9840 fax: 407 254-9848

Eugenia gave an engaging and important talk at the UUU on water use on August 10, 2003. Thanks Eugenia!

Don't over water your yard. When available, use recycled water, not drinking water. Either way, most homeowners use far too much water on their yards. Over watering weakens the grass as the roots do not penetrate deeper into the soil in search of water. I read this once and cut back on my watering and noticed the grass turning brown. This was due to the grass not having deep enough roots. It takes time for the grass to become accommodated. Of course, don't forget to fertilize (preferably just before a hard rain) and when necessary put something down to eradicate chinch bugs (a constant trouble in Florida). Remember also to plant low water usage plants. Our yard consist of St. Augustine grass and receives no added watering and yet maintains a healthy green look year long.
Better yet, Lose the Yard Many people are eliminating their grass and replacing it with native plants. This has the added benefits of conserving water, attracting songbirds, and eliminating harmful pesticides that eventually make their way into the the water table. 06/05
Take quick showers, not baths. Showers take on average 20 gallons (five minute shower) versus 40 for a bath. One way to reduce your water usage is to turn on the shower and rinse your hair and body. Next, shut off the water and lather up. Finally, turn back on the shower and rinse off. Use a water restriction device on shower heads. See Water Conservation, for more tips.
Fix any water leaks. It's hard to imagine that a small leak of just a few drops a minute can add up to hundreds of gallons over the average month which contains 43,000 minutes. So, pull off the top of your toilets and listen carefully for any leaks. Look under your sinks for water dripping onto floorboards. Besides saving water, you could be eliminating a future costly water damage repair.
Upgrade your appliances. Newer Energy Star dishwashers, front loader washing machines and low gallons per flush toilets can reduce your water usage. A 10-year old dishwasher replaced with an Energy Star rated dishwasher save 50% water usage and 25% energy A 5 gpf toilet replaced by a 1.6 gpf toilet save 18,600 gallons annually.
Score how well you've done. Using your monthly sewer bill, determine the number of gallons used per person in the household by dividing the total consumption by the number of people in your household and again by the number of days in the billing cycle. This figure may shock you and probably should. Average consumption rates are as listed below. Repeat this technique for the next full month aver implementing your water conservation measures to verify positive results.

When Cleaning the Shower... Remember when cleaning a shower or bath to clean the shower curtain with a 1:1 solution of bleach to remove mildew and grime. In a bath, one can easily soak it along with any other items that may have a mildew smell. 07/04

Of Mice & Rats: Often mice or rats will enter a garage when the door is open. If this has affected your home, don't use one of the many available poisons. The rodent will die somewhere and if you don't find it soon you'll live with rotting smells. Instead, use an old fashioned trap, preferably the type requiring no bait; you can leave the traps in permanently. Place the traps along shelves in heavily rodent traveled area. And, of course, don't place them where children could find them. 07/04

A Clean Refrigerator is a Clean Refrigerator: It is a good idea to pull out your refrigerator about once every five years or so and clean the evaporator coils near the bottom. These become covered in dust and this in turn reduces the electrical efficiency. Also, make sure to remove old food and place a box of baking soda inside to soak up normal smells, typically on a monthly basis. 07/04

Dryer Heating Element Failure: Dryer sheets can clog your dryer's lint filter causing premature heater element failure. The lint filter may appear clean but if you take it over a sink and add water, water will often puddle above it. If you use dryer sheets, clean the lint filter with some soapy water and an old toothbrush every 6 months. Another thing to look out for is lint clogging the exhaust vent. 08/05

Miscellaneous

Reduce Ear Infections: If you or your love ones are prone to ear infections, keep your ears dry after showers or swimming. Afterwards, place a couple drops of a 4:1 mixture of 70% alcohol and white vinegar (balances the pH closer to the inside of your ear) in each ear. My ear doctor sheepishly recommended this as an answer to my “isn't there something I can do to avoid getting ear infections?” question. It works so well I haven't had to see this doctor since. DeWayne can vouch for the effectiveness of this treatment.

Jelly fish blues: I was once stung by a Portuguese man of war after swimming into its tentacles at New Symrna beach. The pain was intense. A lifeguard put some ammonia on my skin but I felt no relief. A bystander went up to her condominium and returned with some meat tenderizer; the pain instantly receded after an application. 07/04

Protect your skin: I recommend daily use of a SPF 30 or higher moisturizer on your face, neck, and hands. Also, wear a broad rim hat whenever your outdoors. Don't be fooled, even during cloudy days dangerous UV exposure is still present. 07/04

Do It Yourself Oil Change Helper: At most marine dealers, they sell a product called Oil Boy (OB5) made by Tempo. You simply pull out your cars oil stick and shove a stiff hose down the orifice. You then pump the unit a few times and the oil comes out into a holding tank in about five minutes. This product works well and makes changing the oil a breeze. It eliminates having to remove the oil pan bolt or wind panels on the bottom of the car.

High Credit Card Rates: Many companies push their credit cards, including department stores which often have high APRs (Annual Percentage Rates) and large late fees. Consider switching banks to find a lower cost credit card. For more information on this topic, see http://www.usatoday.com/money/perfi/credit/2006-12-15-card-fees-usat_x.htm 12/06