Show Notes: National Barbecue Month

Welcome to National Barbecue Month!

You can barbecue anything. Meat. Veggies. Fruit even! Try a grilled peach with a little brown sugar. It’s a life-changing summer evening snack.

To round out this week’s show, we also discussed when you might need a building permit, the world’s most relaxing color, and gas safety tips.

And of course, (of course!) we answered your questions.

Read on for all that information and more!

When Do I Need a Building Permit?

NARI guides homeowners on remodeling project must-dos 

The summer season is considered the busiest time for home improvement projects, and the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) is reminding homeowners to understand rules regarding building permits before embarking on common remodeling projects. 

Although building codes vary from state to state, a permit is generally required for remodeling projects that involve changes to the building’s existing footprint, electrical system or plumbing. Adding new windows to existing walls usually requires a permit.

You are likely to need a permit for any project that goes beyond a simple repair or aesthetic upgrade such as: 

• adding supporting walls or taking down load-bearing walls, 
• an in-ground concrete pool or a porch/deck, 
• replacing the roof, 
• backyard shed or 
• concrete sidewalks, driveways and slabs 

Permits need to be obtained before the project gets under way.

If city officials spot a project without proper permits, work could be stopped until they are obtained, leaving you without a functioning kitchen or bathroom for weeks and a hefty fine. 

If you are using a professional contractor, it’s recommended to have them pull the necessary permits. City officials are likely to have a long list of questions that contractors are best qualified to answer. 

For more information about permits, find a remodeler in your area or visit RemodelingDoneRight.com.

 

Navy Blue as the World’s Most Relaxing Color  

People from all over the world were asked to describe their favorite colors and the feelings associated with them. 

The key to a relaxing, get-away-from-it-all bedroom might be more than a big cozy bed. According to a recent study, the secret to a calming room is actually navy blue—and there’s science to prove it. 

The University of Sussex and British papermaker G.F. Smith conducted research that concluded navy blue is the most relaxing color. The findings were part of a larger study called The World’s Favourite Colour Project in which several thousand people across the globe were asked to pick their favorite color. (The winning color was a saturated teal hue, later dubbed Marrs Green.) They were also asked to list how colors made them feel, and specify which emotion they associate with different hues. 

But when it comes to calmness or relaxation, blue and green immediately come to mind. After analyzing the associations, the researchers confirmed that “relax” was most commonly used to describe navy blue. 

 

We Say Hello to Billy in Paradise……………….. 

 

May is National BBQ Month! 

And National Hamburger Month!

May 28th Is National Brisket Day… and National Egg Month!  

 All the things our associate producer doesn’t celebrate…

I guess that means its time to clean the grill to cook hamburgers, smoke a brisket and make deviled eggs for your Memorial Day cookout! 

 

Clean Your Grill ASAP With This Vegetable 

Looking for a cheap and easy way to clean your grill? No chemicals or brushes are needed for this nifty, eco-friendly trick! 

Did you go a little heavy on that barbeque sauce during your last cookout? It’s okay, life happens, and the barbeque sauce is delicious. Plus, with this simple hack on how to clean your grill, you won’t have to worry about that caked on barbeque sauce much longer. This grilling hack doesn’t require a brush or aluminum foil (which yes, is a nifty way to also clean your grill, here’s how), but requires a simple vegetable:

An onion! 

That’s right, an onion can actually clean your grill in a precise and efficient manner, while also being an eco-friendly product for your food, grill and the environment. Numerous grillers rave about this simple trick, and how incredibly easy it is to do. 

So how do I clean my grill with an onion? 

Here’s all it takes: Cut an onion in half. Take your grilling fork and spear that onion on the skin side. Head over to your preheated grill (warming up the gunk on your grill helps to scrape it off) and rub the cut side of the onion on your grill. That’s it! 

Now if the barbeque sauce on that grill is too powerful to your onion, you can actually loosen it up with other natural ingredients. Try spraying lemon juice or white vinegar across the grates to dampen and separate the gunk off the grill. The acidity can actually help with the cleaning process, and will make cleaning the grill with that onion even easier than it was before. 

Why onions? 

Apparently, onions have antibacterial properties that can help with cleaning, especially with a messy outdoor grill. 

According to the National Onion Association, onions contain phytochemicals, which are various biologically active compounds that can be found in plants. The health-functional properties in these compounds actually include anticancer and antimicrobial activities. 

So why does this matter for the grill? For the antimicrobial activities, actually. An antimicrobial is an agent that can kill off microorganisms and stop growth, fighting bacteria and fungi. 

What do I do with the onion after? 

Simple! Throw it in the charcoal. It may sound completely crazy at first, but hear me out. When you add onions to the coals on your grill, you are giving your meat (or whatever else you are grilling) an extra flavor added onto the delicious char of a well-grilled meal. Plus, after using that onion you probably aren’t going to want to chop it up and throw it in your salad. Adding it to the grill makes the entire cleaning process eco-friendly, creating no trash and using natural products to clean up your grill. It’s a delicious  win-win! 

Now that your grill is clean and ready to cook a delicious meal, just make sure you keep an eye on these 16 ways you’re using your grill wrong. Don’t let all of that cleaning effort go to waste! 

 

Mike – the “Gas” Guy 

Subject: Gas safety  

Water Heaters 

Tankless Water heaters  

Many of us depend on natural gas to warm our homes, cook our food and heat our water—it is a clean, dependable natural resource. It can, however, be a safety hazard. Take the time to read how you can reduce the risk of natural gas accidents. 

 

Gas safety tips 

 Safety is our highest priority. Follow these safety tips to keep yourself and your family safe. 

• Never use a flashlight, match or candle to look for gas leaks, and never turn electric switches on or off if you suspect a gas leak. 
• Do not store flammable materials such as mops, brooms, laundry and newspapers near your water heater, furnace, oven, range or any gas appliance. 
• Do not store combustible materials such as paints, solvents and gasoline in the same room as your water heater, furnace, oven, range or any gas appliance. 
• Stock your kitchen with a fire extinguisher. 

• If a pilot light is out, shut off the gas at the appliance gas shutoff valve. Wait five minutes to let gas disperse before trying to relight the appliance pilot light. 
• Keep an adjustable pipe or crescent wrench or another similar tool near your main shutoff valve so you don’t have to search for one in times of emergency. 

Mentioned Links

• https://remodelingdoneright.nari.org/Homeowner-Resources/Questions-to-ask/When-do-I-need-a-permit
• https://www.bhg.com/news/navy-blue-relaxing-color/
• https://www.familyhandyman.com/grills/clean-your-grill-asap-with-this-vegetable/
• GAS SAFETY TIPS 
• HOW TO TURN OFF YOUR GAS 
• WHAT TO DO IF YOU SUSPECT A GAS LEAK 
• WHEN TO TURN OFF YOUR GAS 
• GAS RESTORATION / RELIGHT PROCESS 
• GAS APPLIANCE INFORMATION 
• SIGNS OF A GAS LEAK  

 

Caller question

Shirley asked for clarification on the ingredients in the oatmeal mouse poison. The other ingredient is plaster-of-paris. You mix the dry plaster-of-paris and oatmeal in one bowl. In another bowl nearby, you leave out some water. After the mice have eaten the dry oatmeal with plaster-of-paris, they’ll drink some water, which will activate the plaster.

 

~ Thank you~ 

A very special thank you to all of our callers! We live to answer your questions, so keep them coming! 

Thank you to our Technical Support: 

• Danny Bringer – Chief Engineer 
• Carol “Remodeling Babe” Carey – Executive Producer 
• Sam Reed – Associate Producer/Affiliate Relations 
• Rico Figliolioni – Digital Master

 

Thank you for tuning in to barbecue season! And check in next week for more cool tips! 

“National Barbecue Month” Show Notes for On The House with the Carey Brothers aired May 25, 2019. 

Missed our live show? Don’t worry! Because we have a podcast of the show. It’s the same thing we aired on the radio, but ready for you whenever and wherever you are! Check it out here. 

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