Your Home Appliance Guide

Tips for Taking Care of Your Air Conditioner This Spring
Your air conditioner is just one of one of the most expensive devices in your house. As a result of that, it is very important that you carry out some routine maintenance on this piece of equipment. Taking good of your air conditioner will certainly make certain that it is running successfully while ensuring it will certainly keep running years down the road. due to the fact that air conditioning maintenance and repair costs often be insanely high, it is far better to take some actions to avoid failures from happening.

Adhere to these tips for looking after your air conditioner.

Suggestion 1:

Make sure that you examine your air conditioner hoses a minimum of 2 times per year. We recommend doing this in the spring and the autumn. Take a close look to determine if you are able to spot any kind of leaks in the hoses. If you do see a leak in the hose, you should grab a cost-effective leak repair kit from your neighborhood improvement store. You want to make certain that you deal with any type of leaks prior to they grow.


Suggestion 2:

Make sure you keep an eye on your compressor. The compressor is the outside unit for your air conditioner. You want to ensure that you get rid of any type of leaves, dust or particles from the top part of the compressor. The compressor is the most expensive component of the air conditioner unit. However considering that it is located outside, it typically get filthy. Ensure that you check it as well as wipe any debris once a month.

Suggestion 3:

Make certain you call an HVAC expert intermittently during the year. You should ask to clear out the ductwork for your air conditioner. This is a challenging work, so it's the do-it-yourselfer. Yet an extremely highly recommended HVAC pro will be able to clear out the ductwork as well as see to it that the entire device is still running well.

For more air conditioner tips, check out our 

Review sheet.

The Mini Refrigerator: A Dorm Room Essential
Many young adults embarking on a college education will consider purchasing a dorm refrigerator. These mini fridges are very convenient in that they are small, easy to fit into a dorm room, and do not use much electricity. Most of these appliances range from six-pack size (on the small end of the spectrum), up to 3.6 cubic feet (on the larger end of the spectrum). When a person is choosing which model would best suit his or her needs, what and how much will be stored in the refrigerator is something to consider. Another consideration should be whether or not portability is a factor. Further, lockable models are also available if security is an issue.

If an individual is planning to use the dorm refrigerator even after college is completed, a larger model may be in order. These larger mini fridges generally look like a regular refrigerator, but are anywhere from 1.7 cu ft--3.6 cubic feet. Weighing in at approximately 40 pounds, the 1.7 cu ft mini refrigerator most often has only one shelf and an ice box large enough to make ice cubes. The larger sizes often have more interior shelves, but the same type of ice box. One way a mini fridge can offer convenience later in life is serving as an extra refrigerator, perhaps in a garage or a game room. Currently the 1.7 cu ft Haier HNSB02 mini fridge is the best seller on the market, coming in at approximately $70.

A portable mini fridge in the six-pack size can also offer convenience as a dorm refrigerator. As an added bonus, this size of mini refrigerator can function in a vehicle for road trips, or on a desktop for a long day at the office. Generally this type of mini fridge is cased in plastic and has a carry handle. At this time, the best selling portable mini refrigerator of this type on the market is the Koolatron KWC 4 six-pack fridge, which is available from Amazon for approximately $40.

Whatever refrigeration needs a person may have, there is sure to be a mini fridge out there which fits the bill.

Should  You Buy an Elliptical Or Treadmill?
Have you been looking for treadmills for sale? Then you may have looked at elliptical trainers, those stationary exercise machines used to simulate walking, running and stair climbing without harming the joints. They reduce injuries related to impact, and then there are the treadmills which are also stationary and allow one to walk or run in place. These two devices represent two of the most popular fitness machines when used as aerobic workout tools.

While treadmills may be better known, the elliptical trainer is becoming popular, as well. There are advantages and disadvantages to each. Generally speaking, each one can contribute to the effectiveness of an aerobic workouts. When the time comes to choose between the two, one must determine their personal fitness goals.

Treadmill versus Elliptical

The elliptical trainer is surpassing the well known treadmill for sale in popularity because they are capable of adding variety to workout routines. There are a number of things that make them better suited to some, but the person who is dedicated to running a good treadmill may offer a better training experience. If you are training for a marathon, a treadmill may be the better choice.

An elliptical machine may still offer more than a great treadmill in the following ways.

• They offer total body workouts while treadmills only focus on the lower body.
• There is no impact with the ground.
• Ultimate cardio workout.
• Controlled, smooth and continuous motion.
• Offers a nice range of hip, and knee motion.
• Work the arms and legs with movable upper body handles.
• Works calf muscles and hamstrings with the motion of the forward and reversible pedals.
• Places less stress on the back, hips and knees.
• Minimizes aggravation of knee injuries.
• No overload of injuries.
• Best fitness machine to use for post-rehab

If you have decided to choose an elliptical trainer, don't think of this as a miracle working machine. Rather, it is a machine capable of helping you to look great if you maintain proper posture during exercise. So, if you are looking for a treadmill for sale, take a good look at the elliptical trainer first.

How to Increase Your Comfort While Reducing Your Utility Bills
You're certainly right if you assume summers have been getting hotter than usual lately. Since the year 1895 when the National Climatic Data Center started keeping records of the heat 2005 was the hottest year. These increasing temperatures, along with increasing energy prices, have made summer heat waves terrible.

The tips you are about to see below in this article will help you remain cool and save some money this summer time.

Each year the average American spends about $2,100 on electric bills every year for their home, with most of that electric bill coming from their air conditioning units. In order to make sure that you're not wasting any energy, it's a great idea to do an "energy audit."

Start by closely inspecting your household's doors, walls, and windows. Specifically, try to find any cracks that might be letting cool air to get out. Weather stripping or caulking is your best bet to seal up those leaks. Also, make certain you keep your drapes closed throughout the day to decrease the temperature inside your household. You may also think about planting trees outside of your windows to improve the shade.

The insulation in your attic area should also be inspected. Be sure that it's doing a great job regulating the temperature within your home. If don't have more than five inches of insulation you should add more.

It is also a good idea to hire an expert to inspect your A/C unit in order to make sure that it's working properly.

If you think you're house is too humid, you ought to take steps to lessen the moisture inside your house. Too much moisture could result in mildew and mold. You could hire an expert to inspect your household for too much humidity. If there is a lot of humidity in your home, they can find out if you have leaks that are adding to the amount of water in your house. Getting a dehumidifier is certainly the quickest way to lessen the amount of humidity in your house.

If you have an A/C unit that's more than fifteen years old, it could be time to get a brand new one. Get in contact with an HVAC professional to inspect your air conditioner if you're worried that it's getting old. The professionals could do a quick assessment in order to find out if you should buy a new unit or if you could get away with some repairs to the one you already have.

Finally, think about the energy ratings if you're acquiring a new air conditioning unit. The energy ratings are reported as the SEER rating. The newest A/C units have SEER ratings of 15+. When it comes to saving money on energy costs the air conditioners with an energy efficiency rating will save you the most money.

Tips for Taking Care of Your Air Conditioner
When it comes to maintenance central air conditioners are harder to maintain than units that are smaller. Due to the fact that the parts are bigger and there are more parts than smaller A/C units is why they are harder to maintain. If you have to maintain one, then there are some things you should know about.

Central Air Conditioning Units

The key thing that you ought to realize about central air conditioning systems is that they have a couple main components, which include the evaporator and the condenser. The condenser is usually positioned on the outside of a home and on a solid platform. The evaporator is  positioned in your house, normally inside various rooms.

Most of the time a central A/C is connected to the forced air system of a certain structure. What this means is that the same ducts are being utilized for distributing heat. A usual issue is when the air conditioner is really operating but the distribution system is not good. If your A/C system isn't cooling the way it should, this distributing system is a fantastic place to begin troubleshooting.

Expert Maintenance and Care

The evaporator and the condenser are usually closed and sealed tightly, which means that there are no parts on these units that are considered user-serviceable. A lot of the maintenance and care that ought to be accomplished on a central air conditioner unit ought to be done by experts. However, there are a number of easy things though that you could do by yourself without needing to call in a professional to do it.

Clean Out The Evaporator

You don't need any kind of expert assistance to clean out your evaporator. If you can access it easily, then it's something you could do totally on your own. If not, then you should reconsider opening it up.

You could clean the underside of the evaporator using a brush. You could pull it out a little if you have a tough time in getting to the far end. You only need to be careful when you're sliding it out so you don't bend anything.

It is a good idea to also clean out the tray on the bottom part of the evaporator. You must be certain that moisture doesn't accumulate there. You could put a little bit of bleach on the pan in order to stop the growth of the fungus.

Cleaning Out The Condenser

Because the condenser is usually positioned outdoors, you must make sure that it doesn't gather dust, leave and additional debris that could affect the functioning of the unit. You ought to consistently get rid of dirt and debris from the top half of the condenser. It is a good idea to also cut down grass that is probably growing around the unit.

You could buy a commercial coil cleanser in order for the condenser to be properly maintained. These commercial cleaners are on hand in home improvement stores or through the web. When you use these chemicals do your best to follow the directions of the manufacturers.

There are only some of the stuff you should consider when it comes to cleaning and maintaining central air conditioning units. These tips may help you with saving a bunch of money when it comes to maintaining your A/C properly.

Save Space with a Slimline Dishwasher
Small homes, town homes and condos often have small kitchens that can create space issues. Some people who have small kitchens make the decision to do without some of the more modern conveniences, like a dishwasher or microwave, just so that they can save space in these tight quarters. Of course, you do not have to have a microwave in order to cook food, just like a dishwasher is not necessary in order to wash your dishes. However, many people are extremely busy and the extra time it takes to hand wash dishes can be a burden. If you have limited kitchen space, you might be trying to choose between a portable dishwasher or a Slimline dishwasher because both of these help save space because they are smaller in size.

While these dishwashers are both designed to serve the same function, they come with very different prices, features and durability. A portable dishwasher is designed to be easy to move around, so it is easy to take with you if you move to another home. It is also generally priced very affordable, but with your money savings, you also lose many of the most convenient features of a dishwasher. These portable dishwashers are usually very basic and will wash your dishes, but without the added features that are standard on built-in or larger dishwashers.

Another option is the Slimline dishwasher. This is generally a higher-end model designed with many of the advanced features typically found in larger, built-in dishwashers. They are higher in price, with many models costing in the price range of about $1,500, depending on the particular features you want. These dishwashers are designed to work well with just about any kitchen décor and offer beautiful exterior finishes, such as wood veneers that match your cabinets, as well as white, black and even stainless steel. They are designed for efficiency and typically have modified doors and drawers so that they require less space in your kitchen, but also require less water and energy.

While a portable dishwasher and a Slimline dishwasher might seem very similar, in reality, they are very different.