Tag Archives: surge protectors

I Only Want It If It’s Not For Babies

My daughter has more toys than she knows what to do with. Between my family, my husband’s family, friends, and church members, she’s set for quite a while (and by a while, I mean until her first birthday). Most of the time, she is completely content to sit on the floor and pull toys out one-by-one from her toy basket. She turns them over in her hands, bangs them against each other, and, of course, chews on them. She’s content, that is, unless there is something else within her reach that is not a toy. It doesn’t really matter what … Continue reading →

Used Appliance, New Appliance: Ah, The Agony!

For the third time in four years, our dishwasher is broken. Our home came with a complement of not-really-working appliances, and in the last four years we have replaced our furnace, our toilets, our bathtub, our freezer, our washer, and our dryer. We’re also replaced countless other items around the house. As I ponder the potential demise of our dishwasher, I wonder about used and new appliances. I love to recycle, and reusing used appliances is certainly recycling. If someone is getting rid of a nearly-new appliance just to keep up with the next appliance fad, I’m happy about that. … Continue reading →

Guide to Recycling Electronics 3

In our household there are so many electronic devices that we rely on using to get through the day. But technology is always growing and changing, leaving many of our devices obsolete and in need of being upgraded or replaced. It is important to practice responsible recycling of electronics, for the health of our planet and even the health of ourselves. Let’s keep dangerous chemicals out of the mix with this guide to recycling electronics. Today, let’s talk about recycling cell phones and small electronic devices, such as MP3 players. Cell phones and small devices are some of the most … Continue reading →

Guide to Recycling Electronics 2

Does your household contribute to the vast amount of e-waste (electronic waste) that has become a big issue for our environment? All of those cool devices and wonders of technology today will probably wind up in a landfill tomorrow, leaching out toxic chemicals such as arsenic and lead. One way to help the world is to recycle our home electronics in a responsible way. Today let’s talk about televisions. Most households have more than one television. And now that high definition televisions (HDTV) are available, families are eager to upgrade. At the same time, those new HDTVs will one day … Continue reading →

Guide to Recycling Electronics

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, Americans toss out about 2 million tons of e-waste, that is electronic devices that are no longer useful. Computers and other electronics can actually provide hazards to the environment beyond just taking up space as trash. Electronic waste can leach all sorts of dangerous chemicals, such as arsenic, lead, mercury and other toxic elements. That is why it is so important to recycle electronics properly. Here is a guide for you to use. Let’s start with the biggest electronic impact to the environment, computers. More computers are tossed ever year over any other electronic … Continue reading →

Things You May Need for Your New Home

Moving into a new home or just finding yourself in need of a few things around the house? Here is a list of items that you will probably need after you close on your home. Window treatments The law varies by state as to the state of the window treatments. Some states require them to be left with the house, other states require them to be left if they are mounted or custom (venetian blinds and shutters count, curtains do not). Then again, even if they are included, you may not agree with the style. Sun and Snow Two big … Continue reading →

The Pros and Cons of a Large Refrigerator

When we moved to our new home, one of the options we had was whether or not to keep the refrigerator that was already here. We had to leave our old one at our old home for the new owners. The refrigerator that went with our new home was old and small, so the decision wasn’t too hard to make on letting it go. This meant that we needed to shop for a new refrigerator. Because we were starting from scratch, we could pretty much pick out whatever refrigerator we wanted, within a reasonable budget of course. One of my … Continue reading →

How Long Should Your Appliances Last?

When you have to repair or replace a fancy refrigerator only two years after you purchased the unit, it can be frustrating. Yet, the 1960s dryer that you inherited from your parents is still going strong. Are modern appliances not built as well? Do refrigerators die out faster than do dryers? There are a few different factors that may determine the life of your appliance. Electronic components such as sensors and computerized displays tend to be difficult to repair or replace and can also be the most likely parts of an appliance to fail. The simpler the better here. More … Continue reading →

What Color Should Your Kitchen Appliances Be?

Sometimes appliances can be inherited, such as when you buy your home. In that case, the color of the appliances are determined beforehand. Often when an appliance needs to be replaced, you stick with the same colors that you already have. But be aware that the color of your appliances an dictate any future upgrades to your kitchen, unless of course you are willing to install all new appliances, which can be costly. When we first moved into our current home, we needed a refrigerator. We decided to go with white, probably because we were so overwhelmed with all that … Continue reading →

Optimizing Your Refrigerator

Your refrigerator is one of the biggest energy hogs in your home. That is because of the compressor. It takes a lot of energy to run the motor and keep your food cool. It is estimated that as much as 20 percent of your home energy costs come from running your refrigerator. Knowing how to optimize its usage can really help you cut costs. here are some guidelines. We already know that packing food tightly in a freezer can reduce the amount of energy that is needed to keep everything at a frozen temperature. You can add ice or gallon … Continue reading →