Show Notes: Concrete in Cold Weather, Warmup Your Home and Being Charitable without Money (12/7/13)

What the Carey Bros. are Talking About:

Songwriters write songs about being cold, we all complain about being cold, concrete gets cold, but we won’t be deterred by the temperature. Mike Major from Quikrete joined Morris and James with some simple information you need to work with concrete when the temperature dips. Morris’ favorite tip was to pour hot water into the hole you intend to fill with concrete, use warm water in the concrete mix and warm the rebar…who knew!

Kevin Comerford along with Bradley Bernard, “Comfort Consultants” from Service Champions Heating and Air Conditioning were in the On The House studio to help us warm up your home and help you save money at the same time. New innovations in the heating industry have come by leaps and bounds to make costly hearing and cooling less expensive and more efficient. Finding and sealing leaks is easier, better and finer filtration for homes can keep them as clean as an operating room. My favorite is the state of the art thermostats that can be controlled by voice or cellular device.

Sandy Robins reminded our listeners that there are other ways to give to your community or favorite charity besides money…if you love animals help out at your local animal shelter. For more information please see Sandy’s House Pet feature.

Thank to all our callers and listeners, you make the show! Congratulations to our Under The On The House Christmas Tree winners this week: Till, Mark, Roy, Harry, Rose, Ann, Lavonne, Dell and Greg

Websites mentioned on this week’s show:

• Quikrete – Concrete Coatings

• Whink -America’s Household Problem Solver

• Tape-Ease -The Ultimate Measuring Tape Assistant

• Service Champions Heating and Air Conditioning – 888 464-2779

Also:

HOLIDAY LIGHTS & ENERGY EFFICIENCY:
Before installing lights, check each set – new and old – for damaged sockets, loose connections and frayed or bare wires. Discard or replace damaged sets before using.

Never use more than three standard-sized sets of lights per extension cord.
Plug exterior lights into ground-fault interruptible (GFI) outlets only. If the home lacks outside GFI outlets, call an electrician to install them.
Six 100-bulb sets of large, incandescent bulbs (600 bulbs total) plugged in six hours every evening can add up to $80 to a monthly power bill.
By comparison, six 100-bulb sets of similarly styled light-emitting diode (LED) bulbs would increase a monthly power bill by only about $7. Using six 100-bulb sets of mini-LED bulbs would increase a monthly power bill by only $1
Dust your house light bulbs regularly, as dirt absorbs light and wastes energy.

Use smaller appliances, such as crock pots, toaster ovens and electric skillets whenever possible to save energy.

Change air filters regularly. A dirty air filter makes a heating system work harder, which uses more energy.

The thermostat is a real culprit of higher winter bills. To help save energy and money, select the lowest comfortable setting when home, and bump the thermostat down a degree or two when leaving home.
The ceiling fan in the home is a great way to stay cool in the summer – and warm in the winter. Simply set the fans to operate in a clockwise direction, which pushes warm air

WORKING WITH CONCRETE IN COLD WEATHER

• QUIKRETE invented pre-mixed packaged concrete more than 70 years and now manufacturers more than 200 building and home improvement products from more than 90 plants.
• Cold weather doesn’t prevent the use of concrete if the appropriate measures are taken—and that important when family members want to use their new holiday gifts: son wants to play on his new basketball goal, daughter wants play on her new sing set and wife wants you to get that storage shed built to eliminate clutter in the garage.
• Cold weather conditions with regards to concrete occur when 1) the average daily temperature is less than 40 degrees Fahrenheit 2), and the air temperature is not above 50 degrees Fahrenheit for more than 12 hours during any 24-hour period.
  • Steps for setting a post:
  • Beginning with site preparation, any snow, ice or standing water needs to be removed from the work area prior to pouring. Do not pour concrete over frozen ground.
  • Place concrete early in the day to take advantage of the heat produced by the sun during daylight hours.
  • Dig a hole that is three times the width of the post and one-third to a half the length of the post, and pour six inches of QUIKRETE All-Purpose Gravel into the bottom of the hole.
  • Put the post into the hole, level the post and fill the hole with QUIKRETE Fast-Setting Concrete Mix within three to four inches from the top of the hole.
  • Pour up to one gallon of water into the hole until is soaks into the QUIKRETE Fast Setting Concrete Mix and allow the concrete to set for 20 to 40 minutes.
  • Wait four hours before placing any heavy objects or allowing traffic.
• Steps for pouring a concrete slab:
  • Beginning with site preparation, any snow, ice or standing water needs to be removed from the work area prior to pouring. Do not pour concrete over frozen ground.
  • Place concrete early in the day to take advantage of the heat produced by the sun during daylight hours.
  • Use an air-entrained, fibered concrete, such as QUIKRETE Crack Resistant Concrete Mix, in the project. The special formulation of the concrete has superior freeze/thaw durability to help reduce cracking from drying shrinkage and spalling concrete. Alternative options are QUIKRETE 5000 Concrete Mix which gains strength quickly because of its high volume of cement or QUIKRETE Fast-Setting Concrete Mix because it sets quickly.
  • Keep the concrete in a warm area prior to mixing.
  • Incorporate the minimum amount of water necessary to achieve a workable mix. Use warm (less than 140 degrees Fahrenheit) water for mixing with the concrete.
  • The temperature of any items to be embedded in the concrete (rebar, wire mesh, etc.) needs to be above freezing before coming into contact with the fresh concrete.
  • Once poured, protect the concrete from freezing for a minimum of 3 days, through the use of insulated blankets, heaters, insulated forms, enclosures or loose straw layered between waterproof covers. Pay close attention to cover all edges and any protruding rebar.
  • After this protection is removed, apply a concrete sealer, such as QUIKRETE Waterproofing Sealer or QUIKRETE High
• Gloss Sealer to the concrete as a curing compound. The sealer will eliminate the need for water curing.
• Following initial placement, prevent any snow, ice or standing water from accumulating on the new slab for at least 7 days.
• For more project information, tips and how-to videos, visit www.QUIKRETE.com.
• Stay up on the home improvement trends by liking QUIKRETE on Facebook and following QUIKRETE on Twitter.

PROTECT AGAINST CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING

Because it is impossible to see, taste or smell, CO can cause illness, and even death, before you become aware it is a problem in your home. At low levels of exposure, CO can cause flu-like symptoms, such as headaches, dizziness, disorientation, nausea and fatigue. At higher levels of exposure, it can be fatal

Here are seven ways to help reduce your family’s exposure to Carbon Monoxide this winter:

1. Install a carbon monoxide detector outside all sleeping areas and be sure there is one on each floor of your home, as recommended by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). Carbon monoxide detectors are relatively inexpensive; they can be found at your local hardware store or you can purchase one directly from us. 925.463.1253.
2. If you already have CO detectors, change the batteries now and test them monthly.
3. Have your gas furnace tuned-up annually by a licensed professional. A Precision Tune-Up from Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning will not only clean your furnace and ensure it’s saving the maximum amount on energy bills, but it will also inspect for cracks and leaks to help keep you safe from CO produced by the furnace. If you have not already done so, please call 925.463.1253 now to schedule a furnace Precision Tune-Up and safety check, or schedule online.
4. Have all other gas appliances inspected annually to ensure they remain safe and properly adjusted—stoves, fireplaces, clothes dryers, water heaters and space heaters, to name a few.
5. Consider purchasing a vented space heater to replace an unvented one.
6. Use proper fuel in kerosene space heaters.
7. Install and use an exhaust fan vented to outdoors over gas stoves.
8. Open flues when fireplaces are in use.

More Information:
• On The House Mailing Lists – Receive all your favorite On The House Features in your e-mail box.

• Wet & Forget-The Ultimate Outdoor Moss, Mold, Mildew and Algae Stain Remover

• Consumer Product Safety Commission-Recalls and Product Safety Information

If you need any more information about today’s program, please contact us and we’ll try to help you find what you need. Thanks for listening to On The House with the Carey Brothers!

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