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9 Features To Look For in a Dehumidifier

How do you pick a dehumidifier?

Of course you want a machine that takes the humidity out of the air. But what other bells and whistles do they come with? Are there different types of dehumidifiers or size options?

Here’s a layout of the different features that you can expect to get with a dehumidifier along with how you can best choose a dehumidifier based on your own needs.

1. Size

Dehumidifiers come in three sizes.

30 pint
50 pint
70 pint

What size dehumidifier you need is based on the size of square footage that you’re wanting to reduce the moisture in and the amount of humidity that you’re wanting to reduce.

Each size is also based on the optimal amount of square footage one can cover versus the minimal amount of square footage that it will be adequate in.

In other words, a 30 pints dehumidifier maybe adequate for 1500 ft if your level of humidity is not excessive.

But if you have an exceptionally high level of moisture in a room, then a 30 pint dehumidifier would be more suited to 500 square feet.

So in the case of a 30 pint dehumidifier, the average would be 1,000 ft.

So based on the same type of calculation:

A 50 pint dehumidifier it’s for an average square footage of 1500 ft. 2500 square feet for a list damp area and 1,000 ft for an extremely wet area.

A 70 pint dehumidifier
An average square footage of 2000.
Excessive moisture 1500 and lighter moisture 2500.

2. Programmable Humidistat.

Also called a hygrometer or just plain humidity gauge.

Whatever you want to call it, it is the difference between a dehumidifier that measures the moisture in the air and turns on and off accordingly and a dehumidifier that you set up manually.

A very nice extra feature.

dehumidifier

3.Automatic shut off

An automatic shut off will turn the machine off before it overflows. Some dehumidifiers will have an audible beep to let you know it’s time to empty the bucket.

Drainage spout. Dehumidifiers are sized by the size of their drainage tank.
The bigger the tank the bigger the area that it can effectively remove moisture in before the tank has to be emptied.
But another feature that you can get on a dehumidifier is a side drainage connection. This feature is so that you can hook up a garden hose or hard pipe it to drain outside into the garden for instance.

4.Mobility

Dehumidifiers can be a pretty bulky appliance weighing up to 40 lbs and even more. Getting a dehumidifier with casters so that the unit is easily pushed and pulled around is essential especially if you are moving it with the tank full to empty the water.

5.Auto defrost

Dehumidifiers operate the same way that a air conditioner does in that it drags warm air over refrigerated coils and captures the moisture from the air in the form of condensation.

And just like an air conditioner, when the temperature gets too low, the refrigerated coils can freeze over.

There are many circumstances like a damp basement that are not reliant on heat as a source of humidity. Like in the case of a wet basement, humidity can be high while the temperature is freezing.

Many dehumidifiers come with auto defrost so that the machine can be used in lower temperatures than the typical AC dehumidifier can run at.

The idea was simple, the machine runs till the coils freeze over, then the defroster kicks in to remove the ice.

Other types of defrost dehumidifiers simply power the compressor down and blow a fan across the coils.

6.Washable filters

Another way that dehumidifiers are similar to air conditioners is that they have a filter that has to be replaced periodically.
Purchasing a dehumidifier with a washable filter can remove the need and expense of purchasing filter replacements.

7. Noise Control

The noise that a dehumidifier produces is also an area that a dehumidifier is comparable to a window air conditioner.
Comparing dehumidifiers to find one that creates lower dBs is well worth it especially if you’re going to have a dehumidifier in the same room as the TV or if you are planning to edit a video or record sound in the same room with it.

8. Heat Control

Dehumidifiers, like a window conditioner, expel heat as it is running.

If you ever have walked behind an air conditioner while it is running, you have probably felt heat coming off of the machine. Dehumidifiers have the same type of heat coming off as they operate.

Since it is typically in the summer when the humidifiers are mostly needed, having Heat expelled from the rear of the unit is not exactly what you want.

Some dehumidifiers create less Heat in the process of removing moisture than others do.
Finding out how much heat a dehumidifier puts out is a must when you are researching what type of dehumidifier to buy.

9. Type of Dehumidifier

Finally if removing a lot of humidity from the air is not the most important thing for having a dehumidifier on your list, there is another type of dehumidifier that uses a chemical to adsorb humidity called a desiccant dehumidifier.

The benefit to this type of dehumidifier is that it is much quieter than the typical dehumidifier.

But the downside is that the chemical that it uses to adsorb the humidity has an aroma.

How to Stay Warm Without Heat or Electricity

Are you prepared for a power outage this winter? You never know when it’s going to snow so hard that you can’t leave your house and are possibly snowed in for several days. And what’s worse, electric lines can easily snap and leave you without electricity during a blizzard.

What do you do if you find yourself in that situation?

How do you stay warm without heat or electricity?

Generator
Gas heater
Battery Operated Heater
Fireplace
Put on Extra Layers of Clothing
Wrap Up in Blankets
Close Up any Part of the House You Don’t Need
Weather Seal Around Doors and Leaky Windows
Warm liquids and Hot soup
Open the Curtains and Let the Sunlight In
Huddle Up
Go to Grandma’s house or a shelter
Warm Bath

Hopefully this article is a before the fact type of article that succeeds in urging you to invest in a generator or gas heater of some sort.

1.Generator

When electricity goes out, having a emergency generator on hand is the best possible scenario. A portable generator is not only useful in emergencies, it is a great way to stay warm when you are on a camping trip or hike.

2.Gas heater

Having some sort of gas heater, whether it be propane or kerosene on hand if you are stuck in a situation with no electricity to heat your home is a lifesaver. Consider purchasing a indoor vent free propane heater. You stop a heater comes equipped with a oxygen sensor that will shut the machine off if it detects a lack of oxygen in the room and the risk of asphyxiation.

3.Battery operated heater

Just like you should keep a flashlight loaded with fresh batteries ready for such a Time as this, having a battery operated space heater and package of brand new batteries handy will get you out of a miserably cold situation and sustain you till you can get the power back on.

4.Fireplace

Keeping your fireplace stocked is a simple way of making sure that you have a way of keeping warm at the electricity goes out.

5.Thermal underwear

Long johns, thermal underwear, whatever your favorite way of referring to them is, can give you an extra layer of warmth , whether or not you are stuck in a cold house or you’re out on a job where there is no heat or electricity.

6.Put on extra layers of clothes

Lettering up is a great way to keep the warp insulated inside of your clothes. Remember that your feet and your head is where your body heat exits the fastest. Pay special attention to where extra socks and a toboggan to keep your body temperature at a safe place.

7. Blankets

Stocking up on blankets may seem like a waste of space until you find yourself in a situation where you need those blankets. Bundling up in a warm blanket is a excellent way of building up body heat in order to get and stay warm.

8.Close up the parts of the house you don’t need

If you find yourself with that electricity trying to warm up in your house, close the doors to any part of the house you don’t need. That will not only reduce the amount of area that needs heating, keeping everybody in the same room will combine everyone’s body heat.

9.Weather seal around doors and drafty windows.

Putting towels under the door and window seals will help keep cold air from pushing through the windows and the doors.

9.Drink warm beverages and eat hot soup

If you have a gas stove, a hot bowl of soup or warm tea can have a very warming effect on your body.

10.Open the curtains and let the sun in

During the day when the sun is out, open the shades and let the sun warm the room up. The sun coming through the window will have the extra benefit of the window magnifying it, and helping add some warmth to your home. In the same respect, close the drapes at night so that the cold night Air does not amplify through the Windows.

11. Huddle up.

Two bodies are better than one. If you have someone to huddle up with even if it’s a dog or a cat, the combination of bodies will cause an exponential rise in the amount of body heat you can generate.

12. Go to Grandma’s house or a shelter

Sometimes the best thing to do is just find a different place to get. If your home is too cold for you to safely stay then it might be time to find a shelter that will help you out during the excessive cold.

13. Warm bath

Assuming that you have a gas water heater, taking a hot bath is a great way to warm up quickly. The trick is to get dried off and into some jammies and under the covers before you get cooled off afterwards

What is Bleach and Baking Soda Good For? (and Not!)

What is Bleach and Baking Soda Good For? Bleach is a household cleanser that most people have around the house and baking soda is another item that people keep around the house.

Both of them have dozens of uses individually. But did you know that mixing bleach with baking soda is a safe use of both products to create an even more potent diy household cleaner then either can accomplish alone?

In this article, you will find out a few of the excellent applications for bleach and baking soda and you will also find out what it is not good for.

1. Bleach and baking soda for mold

Bleach is one of the best ways of killing mold in your shower but just spraying bleach on mold is hard to manage in a way that is effective enough to do a good job because it runs off and down the wall nearly as fast as you put it on.

But when you combine baking soda with bleach at a three to one baking soda to bleach ratio, you get a pasty, gritty, substance that can be wiped on the top of mold where it will stay.

Giving the bleach the time it needs to sit and kill the bacteria.

Afterwards the gritty paste is used as a scrubbing agent to help get the discoloration of mold out of the bath or shower.

2.Bleach and baking soda for white clothes

Bleach is pretty much the gold standard for getting stains out of white clothes.

But baking soda also has whitening properties that can get stains out of a white garment rather nicely too.

But out of the two, bleach is the clear winner.

But together, bleach and baking soda can make a very effective stain remover for white clothes because baking soda is a terrific odor remover that will help reduce the smell of bleach when they are mixed together, which is one of the main reasons people steer away from it.

Be sure to follow the instructions on the bleach bottle for proper water to bleach amounts.

3.Homemade grout cleaner

Bleach and baking soda is also a very effective homemade grout cleaner. Bleach is a very strong mold and bacteria disinfectant cleaner but it is not very useful when you’re trying to clean a wall with it because being a liquid it just runs off.

Grout is one of those problems that bleach is a very good remedy for because of its whitening properties. But it needs a thickening agent to keep it on the wall long enough to soak in and eliminate the bacteria and remove the stains.

By making a mixture of 3/4 cup of baking soda and 1/4 cup of bleach, you can rub the mixture on the grout and let it sit for as long as you want it to, though as little as 15 minutes is probably all it’s going to take. The baking soda gives it the abrasive quality it needs to be able to scrub the areas that don’t easily come off.

4.Bleach and baking soda for toilet bowls

A easy way to clean the ring out of a toilet bowl is to just pour a half gallon of bleach into the toilet and let it sit.

But sometimes, even with that level of concentrated bleach actively killing the bacteria in the toilet, you still need an abrasive element to finish getting the ring off of the toilet.

Baking soda can be added to bleach safely and used as a scouring agent to help get the ring out of the toilet and also help absorb some of the odor from the bleach.

5.Bleach and baking soda for drains

This is a bad one. Somehow bleach has made it to the top of household items that is recommended to pour down a drain when you have a clog. But the truth is, bleach will not do much of anything to clear out a clogged drain.

And after it is realized that it is not going to do anything to help with the clog, people tend to pour a different kind of cleaner down the drain.

The problem is, bleach has a list of things that it should never be mixed with, and some of those things or other items that people try to clear the drain out with.

The whole point is, pouring bleach down the drain is pretty much just asking for a poisonous combination to happen when someone else comes along and pours something else down the drain.

6.Bleach and baking soda for your pool

Bleach and baking soda can actually be used as a substitute for costly pool chemicals better purchase to kill algae and maintain pH.

Baking soda is also known as sodium bicarbonate. If you look on the list of ingredients contained in your alkalinity raising product, you’ll find that it is almost 100% sodium bicarbonate. And baking soda cost me your pennies compared and is something you probably already have in your refrigerator to soak up smells in it.

Unscented bleach at an 8.25% strength is a perfectly good substitute for granular chlorine.

Remember to wear rubber gloves and a mask anytime you’re using bleach.

Ventilation is very important when using bleach so prepare ahead of time to be able to keep the windows open and exhaust fans running.

You also want to be sure to wear old clothes that you don’t mind getting white spots on when using bleach, because it’s almost impossible to clean with bleach without getting at least a little bit of it on your clothes somewhere.

DIY Coil Cleaner

When is it Too Cold to Run Air Conditioner for Dehumidifying?

One of the functions of an air conditioner is that it simultaneously lowers the humidity inside of the house when it is running. But unfortunately as the temperature drops outside so does the performance of the AC as both a cooler and a dehumidifier.

WHEN IS IT TOO COLD TO RUN A AIR CONDITIONER?

Air conditioners and dehumidifiers are not meant to be run when the temperature is below 65° for any extended time.

There are two reasons for this.

1. Freezing up
2. Oil is to Thick

1. Freezing up
When the air outside is too cold, the warm air that would normally turn into condensation as it crosses over the cooling coils is too cool already and instead of forming condensation it turns to ice.

2. 2. Oil is to Thick
AC Compressors are made to work in warm weather which means that they require a thicker grade of oil. This is because when the temperature is warm, it thins down the oil to a good operating thickness. But when the temperature outside is not warm enough to thin the oil, it remains thick and does not supply the level of lubrication needed without causing a risk of damaging the air conditioning compressor.

Most of the time there is not any use for an air conditioner in the cool months. And turning the heater on helps dry the air out as fast or faster than a dehumidifier.

On the occasion you need to turn on the air conditioner in the winter for a few minutes, the risk of damaging it is minimal. But turning on the air conditioner and leaving it to cycle on and off is asking for problems.

If you have excessive moisture caused from a leak or flooding and need more than just a fan or a heater to help dry up the air in the winter months, dehumidifiers can be purchased that can be operated at much lower temperatures.

These dehumidifiers come in two different types.

1. Dehumidifier with defrost
2. Desiccant dehumidifier

1.Dehumidifier with Defrost

A Dehumidifier with defrost mode is exactly what it sounds like.

Since the standard dehumidifier runs exactly like a refrigerated air conditioning unit which pulls warm air over the AC coils and condenses it into a bucket or outside by the means of a garden hose.
Freezing over when the temperature is too low is a problem.
What’s the solution? Adding a defroster to the unit that cycles on and off keeping the cooling coils from freezing over.
These dehumidifiers are made with areas like a cold damp basement in mind.

2. Desiccant dehumidifier

Desiccant dehumidifiers work by the means of a chemical adsorber which is called a desiccant.

A desiccant can be as simple as a product cold “damprid” which is a product that comes in a small container that is opened and left to absorb moisture in a small area.

A desiccant dehumidifier is a little more complicated than that. The desiccant in a dehumidifier is not only used as an absorber it is also heated up to release humidity also.

A two-part process where humid air is pulled into the dehumidifier and absorbed, reheated into humidity form again and then caught in a tank as condensation.

Desiccant dehumidifiers do not have the capacity to pull large amounts of moisture out of the air like the regular refrigerated condensing units do.

In fact they have been described as a way to keep dry air dry.

This is probably a good point to tell you that the chemical that they use to adsorb air is the same chemical in gel packs and does have an odor.

Nevertheless there are some applications like condensation in the bathroom where a desiccant dehumidifier maybe preferred because it does not rely on a loud compressor running to do the job.

A desiccant dehumidifier can also be a good alternative and a damp basement is long as it is not excessively damp.

Again, running a compressor base dehumidifier can be pretty loud, definitely loud enough to interfere with the TV or sound and video recording.

But a desiccant dehumidifier is definitely not useful in a remedial flood damage type situation.

Recap

When is it too cold to run an air conditioner?

65°

When the temperature outside gets to about 65°, the air passing over the cooling coils on an air conditioner has a tendency to start freezing up. At that point not only will you not have AC, you do not have any of the dehumidifying properties of an AC either.

Another problem with running the AC in the winter is that the oil that is used in the AC compressor is a summer specific thicker grade that thins in warmer weather.

When the temperature outside is not warm enough, the oil does not thin out properly leaving the compressor to work without the proper lubrication which could mean eventual damage to your unit.

Are you going to turn your AC on and winter and have a complete breakdown? Probably not.

There are times when you you may need to turn on the air conditioner in the winter for a few minutes to make sure it works, in that kind of circumstances you should be fine.

If you are using your AC to dehumidify, the same problems exist.

High humidity usually comes with high heat so once the Heat has tapered off, the humidity tapers off too.

If you are having a problem with humidity inside of your house in the cool months, there may be moisture getting into the house through other means.

Dehumidifiers that work in cooler temperatures can be purchased.

For excessive humidity in the winter, dehumidifiers with defrosters and defrost mode are available to help pull the large amount of humidity from your air.

If humidity in the winter is only a casual problem whereas the windows are getting condensation or you have an art room that is too damp for your paint to dry, you might go with a desiccant dehumidifier instead.

Desiccant dehumidifiers use a chemical absorber that pulls a much lower level of humidity out of the air is much quieter than the typical dehumidifier.

and if you are going to use one in a small area like a arts and craft room, beware that the chemical used in these dehumidifiers does have a small odor.

Are Electric Heaters Bad For Your Health? Cross-Examination

Are Electric Heaters Bad For Your Health? I would have to admit that I am the first one that has a bit of apprehension when it comes to running an electric heater. Especially at night.

I can’t explain the fear other than maybe I am afraid that something is going to catch on fire if I leave it alone or fall asleep.

But I am not the only one that has an apprehension to electric heaters. Many people do.

Some of the most common worries are whether electric heaters can be bad for your health or if they can cause carbon monoxide poisoning or even cause cancer.

So are these fears based in any kind of reality or can they be put the rest using some basic logic?

First of all there’s all types of space heaters that run off electricity including fuel-based heaters that are equipped with an igniter that needs electricity to get started.

An electric space heater is more likely to be defined as a small heater that you plug in to warm a small space. A machine that is heating up coils that glow red and orange. And buzzing loudly as it does so.

So let’s take these concerns one at a time.

Are electric heaters bad for your health?

You could say that electric heaters are bad for your skin health. Because they do dry out the air.

But in truth, the whole humidifier industry is built around the ideal that heaters dry out the air during the winter months when the heater stays on so much and the windows stay closed.

Do space heaters or electric heaters dry out your skin or cause bloody noses or dry throat? Or any other dry symptom related to low humidity?

Probably.

But it’s a problem that is easily combated with a cool mist humidifier running in your home alongside any space heaters you have running.

There are also easy and natural ways to humidify your home like putting a bowl of water out into a room or just leaving the door to the bathroom open when you take a shower.

Can electric heaters produce carbon monoxide?

No. Carbon monoxide is an invisible gas found in fumes. Fumes that are produced by burning fuel.

There are types of heaters that do pose a risk of carbon monoxide poisoning because they do run primarily off of burning fuel. Fireplaces, furnaces, even kerosene lamps and heaters all work by burning fuel.

But electric heaters do not pose a risk of carbon monoxide poisoning because they simply do not run or heat the air by burning any type of fuel.

Do electric heaters cause cancer?

The ideal that an electric heater can cause cancer comes from the assumption that electric heaters create ultraviolet radiation.

But infrared space heaters do not create UV radiation but infrared Radiation. There is no scientific evidence that infrared radiation causes cancer.

Electric space heaters have grown leaps and bounds and now come with a variety of features like cool touch, safety shut off if the heater gets up against something or if a a item of clothing is thrown on it, and safety shut off for being tipped over.

Many of the worries like getting burned if you touch it or tipping it over and catching a fire are just not something that can take place with modern electric space heaters.

If you will follow a few basic rules there is no reason why your electric heater shouldn’t be absolutely safe.

1. Distance
Don’t run it around anything flammable. It probably goes without saying that you’re not going to run your space heater around gasoline but remember aerosol cans can be explosive when heated to a certain temperature. Certain fabrics can also be combustible because of plastics and nylons that are threaded in them.

2. Grounded Plug
Make sure that the outlet you have your electric heater plugged into is grounded. That means it has three prongs. Electric heaters are known for surging when they cycle on and off. If your heater is not properly grounded, you can be risking a fire.

3. Smoke Alarm
Make sure you have a smoke alarm and that you keep a fresh battery in it.
Regardless of whether you’re running a space heater or have lighted candles in the house, smoke alarms are a must to prevent a would-be fire.

4. Not a Dryer
Don’t use it to dry your clothes. Throwing any clothes on the space heater spells bad luck. Towels that have been used to wipe up greasy messes can be very hard to get completely clean and become a fire hazard if exposed to the type of heat that comes from an electric space heater.

5. Be Aware
Don’t leave it running when you’re not around. Of course there are times when you want to have a heater on before you get into the room so that the room has a chance to heat up, and those types of situations make sure you use the proper diligence to make sure you adhere to the best safety advice.

These days, smart plugs abound, that can give you the ability to turn your heater on from your smartphone or schedule it to come on or go off at a certain time.
If you need to fall asleep with your heater on, a timer or smart plug is an excellent way to have it power down during the night so you can get to sleep and rest easier knowing that you’re not in risk while you are asleep.

6. Safety Qualifications
Make sure you only use a heater that is in compliance with all the safety regulations and is certified by UL, ETL, or CSA.

After all, What is the alternative? Frostbite? Freezing your skivvies off all winter? We all got to have heat in the winter and if you live up north, you know how much having a space heater for your feet can make a difference.

But if you are using a gas heater, kerosene heater, propane heater, or even just a fireplace, these are the type of space heaters that have to be vented outdoors.

If you are using a space heater that requires any type of fuel, besides making sure that it is adequately ventilated, you should also make sure your carbon monoxide detector has a fresh battery. And if you do not have a carbon monoxide detector, they are fairly cheap, as low as 15 to $20 in some cases.

How Long Does it Take Spray Paint to Dry?

How long does it take spray paint to dry?

With a standard temperature of 65 to 85°, spray paint will be dry enough to add another coat after 5 minutes. To be completely dry, anywhere from an hour to 24 hours.

Of course, there are variables.

1. Thickness
2. Climate
3. Type of surface.

1. Thickness
The thickness you apply spray paint has a great deal with how long it’s going to take to dry. Generally it is better to put on one light coat at a time. A light coat will take much less time to dry and help you avoid drips.

(quick tip: if spray paint is dripping onto your fingers, you probably have your finger too far up on the nozzle. Try backing up a little bit.)

2. Climate.

Spray paint doesn’t fair too well and humid conditions, especially if it’s raining. Finding a dry area to paint in will help you speed up the process. If you’re stuck painting somewhere moist, you can use a hair dryer or heat gun on a low setting. Make sure you go back and forth across your area and don’t apply any heat to one area too long.

3. Type of surface.

A smooth surface is what you’re after for quit drying. If you’re trying to paint something that has a lot of pores or divots, you can expect a wait a little longer for it to dry.

How long does it take spray paint to dry on metal?

For your metal spray paint project, allow 36 to 48 hours to dry before using.
On metal, the best spray paint is going to be a rust proof enamel. Which also means it’s going to take longer to dry.

How long does it take spray paint to dry on wood?

10 to 15 minutes. Wood is much more porous and has a tendency to absorb. Which can make the drying time a little faster.

How long does it take spray paint to dry on plastic?

Spray paint on plastic takes approximately 20 to 30 minutes to dry.

If you are in a cool or humid area, it is not advised to use a heat gun to speed up the process. A heat gun could end up melting the plastic.

How long does it take spray paint to dry on cardboard?

24 hours before you add a second coat.
Cardboard takes a little more love to spray paint and requires a lot of patience to get right. Be sure to start our off with light coats or you will get the paper wet and be prepared to set it aside and do something else before you add another coat.

How long does it takes spray paint to dry on fabric?

Allow 72 hours to dry before you wear or use.
For fabric, you should make very light passes and let it dry in between passes to build up to a solid color.
Also, the quality of spray paint you use will make a big difference.
There are fabric spray paints available that will make your job much more successful than a cheap can of spray paint.

How long does it take spray paint to dry on glass?

24 hours to completely dry and 15 minutes between adding coats.
Glass as you can imagine, needs very light coats to avoid streaking and drips.

(quick tip) Shake the spray paint a full two minutes before using to avoid drips.
It’s on the directions of every can of spray paint but it is very seldom that you see somebody follow those directions. And it is amazing how much difference it makes when you do shake the can properly.

How long does it take spray paint to dry on paper?

24 hours. It is very easy to get too much spray paint on a piece of paper. In order to make it work, it takes very light passes that are allowed to dry completely before spraying again.

How long does it takes spray paint to dry on rubber?

24 hours. 30 minutes between second coat passes.

Rubber is a very porous surface. For that reason it takes more time to dry and more patience to get right.
If you don’t use a quality paint and give it the diligence it requires, you can expect it to come off pretty easy.

Conversely you can also purchase rubber spray paints that spray a layer of rubber as the paint. These are products like Flex seal the most often the weather sealing products rather than paint.

How long does it take spray paint to dry on canvas?

It’s important to use a primer on canvas.

Primer will take about 1 hour to dry.
Spray paint will dry on canvas using light coats enough for a second coat within 5 minutes.
It will take 1 to 2 hours to be fully dry.

How long does it take spray paint to dry on concrete?

It takes masonry spray paint 24 hours to dry.
Concrete absorb spray paint very easily and takes a few coats to get nice and dark.
You probably noticed how fast it takes spray paint to dry on your concrete when you’re trying to avoid spraying it.
If you’re doing a serious concrete painting job, there are better ways to paint concrete than spray paint.
You’ll want to start off with an epoxy seal and then by the correct paint that is made for external conditions.

How to make spray paint dry faster?

Spray paint needs a dry environment to get the best results out of it.

If you’re on a humid area and don’t have access to a dry area, there are a few things you can do to lower the humidity.

1. Space heater
2. Fans
3. Dehumidifier
4. Air conditioner
5. Charcoal briquettes
6. Hair dryers and heat guns

1. Running a space heater is an easy way to dry up a room but if the weather is humid, more heat may not be comfortable solution.

2. Placing fans, osculating around the room we’ll also help dry out the air.

3. Dehumidifiers are made to pull the moisture out of the air but they also expel heat out of the back as they’re working. So they may not be a great solution for summer unless you were thinking ahead and run the dehumidifier before you do your spray painting.

4. Air conditioning uses the same function as a dehumidifier to dry up the room. A great solution if it’s summer…

5. Charcoal briquettes or a great DIY solution to pulling moisture out of your art room. Putting charcoal briquettes in a few cans or containers around a room can help pull moisture out of the air and look very Arty if someone comes in and notices them.

6. Running a hair dryer or heat gun over the surface will help the paint dry faster. Make sure they are on low because they will push the paint and add ripples if you are not careful.
a heat gun is not recommended for certain surfaces like plastic and canvas because it will melt them very easily if you are not careful.

Homemade Floor Cleaner – My 6 Favorite Recipes

Keeping the floors clean is a necessary evil that none of us necessarily want to have to deal with.

And when it comes to the commercial floor cleaners available, there are other “evils” in the form of dangerous chemicals that are less than environmentally friendly, not to mention unfriendly to you and your families health.

Especially if you or someone in your family is already as a pre-existing allergy or sufferers from asthma.

There is also the issue of toxic residues that can be left behind on your floors after using commercial cleaners. Residues that you do not necessarily want your babies getting on their hands which will inevitably get into their mouth.

The good news is you probably already have everything you need in the house to make your own homemade floor cleaner. Not only make your own, but make a better version then you can get from The big box store.

Here is a list of 6 of my favorite homemade floor cleaning recipes.

1.”All Purpose” homemade floor cleaner

The first homemade floor cleaner is super awesome for cleaning linoleum. It is also great for cleaning vinyl flooring, laminates, tile, and hardwoods.

Ingredients:

Two cups of warm water
Half a cup of white vinegar
A quarter cup of rubbing alcohol
Three drops of non antibacterial dish soap. Don’t use Castile soap. Castile soap is oil-based and will leave your floor full of streaks.
And 5 to 10 drops of essential oil. (Peppermint is my favorite)

Simply mix it all together and pour it into a spray bottle. Or you can also just put it in your mop bucket, but I prefer a spray bottle because when I’m done I can just put the rest under the sink instead of dumping it out.

To use it simply, spray it on the floor or directly on your mop.

2. Homemade wood floor cleaner

This recipe has two versions one with vinegar and one without vinegar.

Homemade hardwood floor cleaner without vinegar

This recipe doubles as a floor polish that will leave your hardwood floors with a gorgeous all natural luster.

Ingredients:

A gallon of hot water
3/4 of a cup of olive oil
Half a cup of lemon juice

Mix all the ingredients into a bucket.
And with a wrong out mop, apply the solution to your floor. Allow your floor to completely dry.

And you’re finished. There’s no need to rinse it, the water and lemon does the cleaning, and the olive oil leaves polished Sheen.

3. How to clean hardwood floors with vinegar

A lot of people don’t want to use vinegar in their homemade floor recipes because of the acidity. But when you mix it with water it becomes a great additive to help cut through dirt and grime. Also Vinegar, like it does as a windshield cleaner, will leave a streak free appearance to your floor.

Ingredients:

Half a cup of white vinegar
A gallon of warm water
Three drops of essential oil (if you’re trying to emulate a household cleaner like pledge, try lemon essential oil to get a similar aroma effect)

That’s the full mop bucket recipe. If you want to put it in a spray bottle or use a refillable mop, reduce the water down to 16 oz and the vinegar down to about 3 tsp.

No need to rinse as the vinegar will give it a natural shine.

4. Homemade disinfectant floor cleaner

This recipe is not only a great bathroom floor cleaner, it also works great as a all-purpose bathroom cleaner they will not only clean your tiles and shower, will disinfect your bathroom is well.

Ingredients:

A gallon of hot water
1/4 cup of Borax

( if you never heard of Borax, it has an amazing amount of household uses besides homemade floor cleaner. You usually find it with the clothes detergent in the supermarket)

Fix the ingredients together and mop and shine your floor. In my opinion this is one of the best recipes for cleaning a marble floor.

5. Homemade laminate floor cleaner

Though laminate is one of the easiest types of floor to take care of, if you use the wrong cleaner to do the job, you can mess up the finish.

Ingredients:

5 oz of white vinegar
5 oz of rubbing alcohol
5 oz of distilled water
Three to five drops of essential oil

( lemon makes a great household scent, but you can also get a great spice smell from mixing lemon with orange and peppermint!)

Using this mixture and a spray bottle is a great way to be able to store it later.

6. Homemade vinegar floor cleaner

Ingredients:

2 tbsp of white vinegar
1 and 2/3 cups of baking soda
Half a cup of dish washing soap (liquid)
Half a cup of warm water

Mix the ingredients together. It’s a little more to mix than some of the other recipes because of the addition of dish soap and baking soda but it’s well worth it.

This homemade vinegar cleaner is not just for floors. It is equally effective at cleaning the toilet, the shower, and your mucky countertops.
It’s also a great stain remover for carpet.

Remember to rinse the floor well after using this DIY vinegar floor cleaner.

7. Strong homemade floor cleaner

If you find that all natural ingredients in your floor cleaner are not quite living up to your expectations, there is a version, that may be right down your alley.

Ingredients:

Water
Rubbing alcohol
Vinegar
A few drops of dish soap

This recipe mixes equal parts of the vinegar, water, and rubbing alcohol.

As you can imagine it can be quite strong to the nostrils.
You can also be very aggressive with certain surfaces.
The best ideal is to test it out on a small area before diving in.
You would not want to take the color out of something or take the finish off either.

Homemade floor cleaning is easy and convenient. And it gives you the Peace of mind of knowing that you don’t have harsh chemicals in your home they can make your family sick.

How to Reset Honeywell Thermostat – Touchscreen and Program

How to Reset Honeywell Thermostat

Most of us know the irritation of coming home to an extra hot or cold house only to find out that somebody has messed with the thermostat again.

Honeywell programmable touch screen thermostats ensure you are never “surprised” by the thermostat being changed again.

They also give you the advantage of being able to schedule when your heat and air comes on or stays off.

A great advantage for saving energy while you are at work or on vacation.

If you ever need a factory reset,
Resetting your Honeywell touch screen is a simple process.

But be warned “Factory reset” completely wiped all your previous setting including your WiFi password.

Honeywell Touchscreen Thermostat Reset Instructions

Menu- Preferences -Restore Defaults

Step 1. Press Menu -Located in the right hand top corner. Then use the up and down arrows to scroll down to “preferences”

Step 2. Press “Preferences”. Use the up and down arrows to scroll down to “Restore Factory Defaults”

Step 3. Press ” Restore Factory Defaults”
This will more than likely bring up a dialog box that ask you to confirm that you want to return all your settings to factory default.

Step 4. Press Yes.
You should see a message across the screen saying “Restoring factory default settings”
After about 10 seconds, the screen will go dark and the Honeywell logo will appear.

Step 5. As the thermostat resets a “please wait” message will appear on the screen.

Step 6. When you see a message asking you for your Wi-Fi details, your Honeywell touch screen thermostat has reset to factory and is ready to be freshly programmed.

Honeywell Programmable Thermostat Reset (non-touchscreen)

Step 1. Turn the thermostat off

Step 2. Look at your breaker box and flip the breaker that controls the thermostat to the off position.

Step 3. Remove the batteries

If you have the type of thermostat that has to be removed from the wall first to get the batteries out, remove the thermostat first

The easiest way to get it off the wall is to remove the batteries and hold the back plate against the wall through the battery compartment while you pull the front cover off with the other hand.

Step 4. Reinsert the batteries backwards so that the positive terminal on the battery is lined up with the negative terminal on the thermostat. Leave the batteries in for a few seconds, up to 7.

Step 5
Take the batteries back out and put them in the right way this time.
The display should come back on at this point.

The Honeywell thermostat is now freshly reset to factory.

How to Lower Humidity in a House?

What humidity level is uncomfortable?

As the old saying goes ” it’s not the heat, it’s the Humidity”

Most people have a hard time dealing with high humidity. The temperature can be somewhat mild but then humidity outside can make it feel extra hot. Andt at a certain time of the year, namely the late summer heading into fall, there are days when you can turn the air conditioner on and not even feel it because of the humidity in the air.

According to shorstmeyer.com, the humidity that most people start to feel uncomfortable is about 65% with the temperature at 90° outside.

Is 65 humidity high?

65% humidity is about the top of the scale before it becomes too miserable for most people. At 65%, according to the heat index, the temperature at 88 degrees feels more like 98°.

Is 70 percent humidity high?

70% humidity can make a 96° day feel like 126° outside. And at 70% humidity, dust mites and mold begin to be a real problem. For persons allergic to dust mites and mold spores 70% humidity can be more than hot, it can be a nightmare.

What causes high humidity in a house?

High humidity can begin in the house with the simplest everyday activities that you wouldn’t give too much of a thought to otherwise.

High humidity in the house can start from activities like:

1. Cooking – boiling water
2. Bathing – showering
3. Drying your clothes
4. Washing the dishes
5. Dirty AC filters
6. Setting the thermostat to “on” rather than Auto
7. Location-climate

Other reasons can include actual structure problems like:

1. Poor ventilation
2. Improper insulation
3. Weather stripping need replaced

How to lower humidity in house

1. Dehumidifier
2. Air Conditioning
3. Ventilation and exhaust fans
4. Heater
5. Dehumidifying plants
6. Fans
7. Shorter & Cooler showers
8. Change thermostat to “auto”
9. Crack the window
10. Charcoal dehumidifier
11. Rock Salt dehumidifier
12. Rice dehumidifier
13. Cat litter

1. Dehumidifier

Dehumidifiers are mobile devices that work almost entirely the same way that a air conditioner does to remove humidity except that it expels heat into the room rather than cool air.

Dehumidifiers are great for areas like a damp basement or an areas where there has been leaking pipes and or water damage.

Dehumidifiers reduce the moisture by pulling air over refrigerated coils that cause the moisture in the air to condense.

The moisture is then captured into a tank or ran outside with a garden hose.

2. Air conditioning

Air conditioners and dehumidifiers are essentially the same machine only the air conditioners are used to cool the air and dehumidify the air as a byproduct.

Air conditioning is one of the easiest and most effective ways of reducing the humidity inside of the home provided it’s a refrigerated unit that condenses the humidity into the air and moves it outside.
Other types of air conditioners called “swamp coolers” or “evaporative air coolers” will increase the humidity because they are basically fans blowing over water.

3. Ventilation and exhaust

The main rooms in the house that have exhaust fans are the rooms the create the most humidity. The bathroom and the kitchen.
Showers and baths will steam up the house quicker than anything. It’s important to keep the exhaust fan running while you are taking a shower or bath to reduce humidity damage to your structure as well as mildew and mold production.

The kitchen is also a room that creates a lot of humidity from cooking and boiling water. It’s important to keep a lid on your pots and have the exhaust fan running to reduce the humidity produced by simply cooking.

4. Heater

Though most of the time people notice the level of humidity in the air is during the summer, winter also has its fair share of humidity buildup inside of the home.

You probably noticed water droplets and condensation building up on the Windows during the winter.

One of the easiest things to do during the winter to reduce the humidity is simply running the heater. Hot dry air coming from the heater will naturally dry out the moisture in the air.

5. Dehumidifying plants

Plants are natural dehumidifiers. And some prefer more humidity than others.
Some house plants that you can put in your home to help reduce the humidity in the house are:
a. English ivy
b. Boston fern
c. Peace lily
d. Reed palm

6. Fans

Using fans positioned around the house is also a natural way to reduce the humidity. Having fans operating is a simple way to dry the air out.

7. Shorter and cooler showers

A simple way to keep your bathroom from becoming a steamy Haze is to turn the temperature down on the water and not run it as long.
Another word if you don’t like the steamy feeling in the room don’t produce the steam in the first place.

8. Change AC thermostat to auto

There are many proponents for keeping your air conditioning thermostat on the on position because helps keep the air more evenly cooled when the AC cycles off.
But the other side of that argument is that the condensation never gets a chance to drip out before it evaporates and gets blown back into the house as humidity.
Keeping your thermostat on “auto” will help the dehumidifying function of the AC work much better and save you money in the long run.

9. Crack the windows

Sometimes the easiest way to reduce the humidity inside is to crack the window and open the door.
Of course if the humidity outside is 90%, this is not going to work.
But if the inside of the house feels extra muggy, opening the windows and letting the air exchange will help freshen up the room and keep the humidity down.

The next four suggestions falls under the “home remedies for absorbing moisture” heading. These are products that you probably have around the house already that you may not have known were excellent for absorbing moisture and reducing the humidity in the air.

10. Charcoal dehumidifier

Charcoal is a natural dehumidifier that can be a super easy DIY project.
According to Readers digest, charcoal briquettes can be placed in a coffee can with hose punched into the lid and placed in humid areas to absorb moisture.

Placing charcoal briquettes in bookshelves that have glass doors is a librarians trick for keeping musty odors and mowed from getting inside of old books

11. Rock salt dehumidifier

If you have ever owned a pink Himalayan salt lamp, you have noticed that it appears to leak water.
But in actuality it is not leaking water but pulling moisture out of the air onto itself and dripping off.
The same concept can be used with rock salt.
The rock salt humidifier can be easily built by taking an everyday planting pot and filling it with rock salt. The planter works good because as the salt draws moisture to itself and leaks it has a place to leak into instead of the floor.

12. Rice dehumidifier

You’ve probably heard that if you drop your phone into the toilet you can throw it in some rice afterwards. I’m not sure I’ve ever known anyone that that is work for. But rice can definitely soak up moisture from the air over a period of time.
After all, you can put a cup of rice in a pan and fill it with water and the rice will practically absorb every bit of the water.
This is the same concept as placing small containers of rice around a room to help with humidity.

13. Cat litter dehumidifier

Kitty litter is excellent at absorbing moisture. Not only can it be used for your cats, it will also draw a moisture from the air.
An easy DIY cat litter dehumidifier is to fill a tube sock with kitty litter and hang it in the closet or wherever you’re having an issue with moisture.

One application is to hang it from the rear view mirror in your car, which can help keep your windshield from condensation building up on the inside.

Recap

Humidity is the difference the temperature being mild outside and insufferably hot.
At 65 and 70% humidity, the temperature can feel 20° hotter.
And when the humidity is at those levels, household allergens like dust mites rise in population considerably.

But when you have high humidity in your house, there are many things you can do to reduce the humidity including some easy do-it-yourself dehumidifiers that can be made with products you already have around the house.

Does Lysol Kill Mold Spores?

Does Lysol Kill Mold Spores? Mold is a variety of fungus that can decompose all sorts of carbon-based compounds. Anywhere there is low light and humidity, you’re bound to find mold growing somewhere in the vicinity.

And where you have mold, you also have mold spores floating around and looking for the next available food source.

Mold is everywhere and that’s not an exaggeration. But it only becomes a problem when it takes root in your home somewhere.

If you don’t catch it early, it can decompose your walls, floors, ceilings, etc. Anywhere in your home that predisposed to moisture.

Does Lysol kills mold?

Lysol is a brand of aerosol disinfectant that is extremely effective for killing mold and mold spores. And since it is one of the most widely used household cleaners, you may even have a can of it under your sink right now.

Why is Lysol so good at killing mold?

Bleach. That’s right, the secret ingredient is bleach. The cat is out of the bag.

To use Lysol to kill mold spores in your home, you should follow a few simple procedures to make sure that it is done right.

Step 1. Scrub the mold infected area with warm water and detergent using a heavy brush.

Step 2. Spray the Lysol directly upon the molded area till it is thoroughly soaked.

Step 3. Let it sit for 2 minutes. If you have a particularly severe case, leave the Lysol soaked into the area for at least 10 minutes.

Step 4. Scrub the area again to to break the mold loose from the surface.

Step 5. Wipe the area down with a clean washcloth.

Step 6. Thoroughly rinse the area with clean water.

Lysol Safety

Remember we are talking about cleaning mold and mold spores with Lysol, which contains bleach.

Not only can you get an adverse reaction to mold spores, you can also get a bad reaction to bleach if you are not careful.

To make sure that you do not come in contact with the mold and the bleach, goggles and rubber gloves should be employed.

Ventilation is also important. If possible, open the window. If you don’t have a exhaust or window to open, it’s a good idea to use a respirator so that you do not inhale mold spores or bleach fumes.

Step 7. Let it completely air dry.
Making sure it dries well is important so that mold isn’t invited to start growing there again.

Bleach vs vinegar for mold

If you don’t have Lysol which contains bleach in the house, there is a good chance you do have vinegar.

Vinegar is actually one of the best things to use to clean up mold. It is not only safer than using bleach, it is more effective at deeply penetrating the mold infected area.

The steps for using vinegar are very similar for using Lysol to clean mold.

Soak the area thoroughly with a vinegar and water mixture, then let it sit.
Then take a stiff brush and scrub the area.
Rinse it thoroughly with water and make sure it dries completely.

Mold prevention

Mold takes root anywhere there is dirt, moisture, and low light.

The key to preventing mold is to prevent moisture from building in the first place.

Things like leaky pipes, or drips should be taken care of immediately.

Bathroom should be outfitted with exhaust fans to pull the moisture out of the room.

Kitchen exhaust should also be employed to pull excess humidity out of the room when there is cooking going on.

And if you live in an area that has general heavier humidity, you may consider purchasing a dehumidifier.