December 2000 Newsletter

1. About Us & November's $100 winner!
2. December's $$ Saving Tip - Cleaning Ceramic Tile Floors
3. Lead based paints
4. How to easily remove old paint from hardware
5. Upcoming Affiliate Program & Our Sponsors
6. The monthly funny! :)

1. About Us & November's $100 winner!

Well folks - this is your last chance to get your renovations done before your family comes to visit this Christmas! Call our office or register your project on line and we will have interested contractors contact you to give you an estimate. We will also send you their company profile so that you can make a more informed decision.
Home-Work has expanded! Please welcome our new partner Shaun Tourigny! Shaun will be helping us expand our service within Calgary and bring Edmonton; our first new city on board this spring.
Congratulations to November's winner of $100 towards his renovation project!  The winner is Sam Logan!  If you receive this newsletter by e-mail, you are registered for each monthly draw. Best of luck!
You may have noticed that we have changed our web page address by taking out the hyphen.  This will make it easier for you to remember us.  Don't worry though, you can still link to us through our old web site address.

2. December's $$ Saving Tip - Cleaning Ceramic Tile Floors

You may find that even when you have washed your ceramic tile floor, that an unattractive film dries on it. You can help rectify this be not washing ceramic tiles with soap, especially if you have hard (high mineral content) water. Use vinegar instead. For ceramic tile, mix 1/4 cup white vinegar (more if very dirty) into one gallon of water. This solution removes most dirt without scrubbing and doesn't leave a film. Washing ceramic tiles with soap does not work very well in hard water areas, as it leaves an insoluble film. -- Michigan State University Extension.

3. Lead based paints

Any home built, or more specifically, painted, before 1978 may have lead-based paint. Lead-based paint becomes hazardous when it chips off or turns to dust. It can cause permanent side effects when inhaled or swallowed which can go so far as to impair intelligence. It's a big risk to everyone, especially young children.
Pregnant women and kids up to 6 years old are particularly at risk. Adverse effects include reading and hearing disabilities, hyperactivity and sterility.
Just as an example, a study was done in the U.S., which found that 74% (57 million) of all U.S. houses built before 1980 have some lead-based paint. Adding to that figure, the study said most homes built before 1960 have significant amounts of lead-based paint.
(Home-Time)

4. How to easily remove old paint on hardware

If you have moved into an older house you may find that the hinges, doorknobs and other metal fixtures have old paint caked on to them. This is a tricky thing to remove, but this solution may help.
Get a box of TSP (tri-sodium phosphate) cleaner and a big pot. Put your metal and glass parts in the kettle, and add enough water and TSP to cover them at least an inch below the surface. Simmer this on the stove for a few hours, and all the paint will come off. Make it a fairly strong solution, and watch that it doesn't boil over. Simmering a long time is what you want, boiling doesn't help. - This Old House  

5. Upcoming Affiliate Program & Our Sponsors 

In the near future, we will be implementing a program where by companies and individuals can become affiliates to Home-Work.  All you will need to do is contact our office or register your name and phone number online. Then, you will benefit from every job that is completed by one of our contractors through your referral.   You will be reimbursed by your choice of advertising credits on our web page, gift certificates or cash.  It's easy- just tell friends and family who are needing work done about our service!  They get free information and contractors interested in quoting on their job!
We currently have sponsoring companies that help promote our service.  Please find our more about them at: http://www.homeworkcanada.com/sponsors.htm
Pillar to Post Home Inspection, Remax House of Real Estate, AmeriSpec Home Inspection Services, Informative Home Inspections, Phantom Screens, High Security Lock Co., Realty World Tempo, Keaco Services.

6. The Monthly Funny :-)

Ladies, with the holidays coming, this is going to be a big help in selecting that special gift for the man in your life!
Rule #1:
When in doubt - buy him a cordless drill. It does not matter if he already has one. I have a friend who owns 17 and he has yet to complain. As a man, you can never have too many cordless drills. No one knows why. Think of it as women and their shoes?
Rule #2:
If you cannot afford a cordless drill, buy him anything with the word ratchet or socket in it. Men love saying those two words. "Hey, can I borrow your ratchet?” or "By-the-way, are you through with my 3/8-inch socket yet?" Again, no one knows why.
Rule #3:
It's hard to beat a really good wheelbarrow or an aluminum extension ladder. Never buy a real man a stepladder. It must be an extension ladder. No one knows why.

Best of luck! I know men aren't easy to buy for, but I guess neither are we!

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