January 2001 Newsletter

1. About Us & December's $100 winner!
2. January's $$ Saving Tip- Old newspapers & Keeping your thermostat clean
3. That new carpet smell- Is it bad for you?
4. Getting rid of furniture marks on carpet
5. Affiliate Program & Our Sponsors
6. The monthly funny! :)

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

Congratulations to December's winner of $100 towards his renovation project!  The winner is Richard Keller!  If you receive this e-mail, you are registered for each monthly draw. Best of luck!
We hope to see you at the Home-Expo at the Round-Up Center Stampede Park January 11-14th! Come and get some ideas for your renovation, then drop by our booth to say hi!
We are currently working on expanding into Edmonton and of course also expanding our business here in Calgary. As always, we are looking for good contractors, so if you have had a great experience with a local company, please drop us a line!
You may have also noticed that we have changed our web page address by taking out the hyphen. This will make it easier for you to remember us.  You can although, still link to us through our old web site address.

2. January's $$ Saving Tips- Old newspapers & Keeping your thermostat clean

A. Don't throw your old newspapers away if you have a wood-burning fireplace. You can use them to replace some of the wood that you would normally burn in your fireplace. You cannot burn an all newspaper log fire because some of the essential fire-burning components of wood are removed during the paper making process. Using all newspaper logs will just smolder. Use a maximum of two newspaper logs for each real log. The easiest method to make newspaper logs is to roll the newspaper by hand and tie it with a piece of string. Then wrap the middle and each end with wire to keep it rolled while it burns. Do not use the magazine sections with a lot of color ink on them. 

B. If you have an older wall thermostat (non-digital), it is important to keep it clean inside. Over time, a thin layer of dust can accumulate on the metal bimetallic temperature-sensing strip inside. This dust insulates the bimetallic strip from the temperature changes in your house. This causes uncomfortable and wasteful large temperature swings, as much as four degrees in some situations.
It is easy to clean out the thermostat. First snap off the cover and you will see the temperature-sensing strip inside. It often has a mercury filled bulb attached to it. Brush it off VERY GENTLY with a small soft brush. You will probably see a little slide lever inside with some numbers on it. Do not adjust it. It is a heat anticipator and only your furnace contractor should adjust it.
(Brought to you by Jim Dulley)

 3. That new carpet smell - Is it bad for you?

Some carpet may give off vapors (called out-gassing) that are considered toxic. Known as volatile organic compounds, VOCs are often described as a strong "new smell" which may be discomforting or harmful to some people.
How much a carpet out-gasses varies according to the blend of chemicals used at the mill. Two identical types of carpet from the same manufacturer may out-gas different amounts.
Carpet adhesives may also out-gas. However, both carpets and adhesives that don't out-gas are available; you may just need to shop around, compare, and do your own tests to find them.
Consider doing a simple test to see how out-gassing may effect you. Ask for a small piece cut directly off the roll you want to buy. Seal it in a jar and set it in a sunny windowsill for a day or two.
Open the jar and fan the opening with your hand. If the odor is strong -- resembling paint thinner or something worse -- or makes you feel ill, the potential for out-gassing may be a problem. It is recommended that you let any carpet out-gas in a detached garage or well-ventilated area for a day or two before installation.
(Bought to you by Home-Time http://www.hometime.com)

4. Getting rid of furniture marks in your carpet

One of our readers emailed us asking for an answer to getting rid of the indentations that are made by furniture being on the carpet over a long period of time. We contacted one of our listed carpet cleaning companies for an answer:Because the carpet has had weight on it for an extended period of time, the fibers in the carpet need to be restored to their once upright position. This is called restoring the memory of the fibers. You will need an iron – a steam iron will work the best – and a Popsicle stick.  Use the Popsicle stick to brush the fibers in the opposite direction in which they are now leaning. Follow this with an iron, being very careful not to have it at too high of a temperature or you could scorch the fibers.You will find that berber carpet will be the toughest to restore because of the tightness of the weave. If you have difficulty with berber, you may want to get in touch with us for professional help.

5. Affiliate Program & Our Sponsors 

We are currently implementing a program where by companies and individuals can become affiliates of Home-Work.  All you will need to do is contact our office or register your name and phone number online letting us know that you would like to promote our service. 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 also have sponsoring companies that help promote our service.  Please find our more about them at: http://www.home-workcanada.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 :-)

During the summer when the power mower was broken and wouldn't run, I kept hinting to my husband that he ought to get it fixed, but somehow the message never sunk in.
Finally I thought of a clever way to make the point. When my husband arrived home that day, he found me seated in the tall grass, busily snipping away with a tiny pair of sewing scissors. He watched silently for a while, and then went into the house.
He was gone only a few moments and when he came out again he handed me a toothbrush.
"When you finish cutting the grass," he said, "you might as well sweep the sidewalks."

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