Weekend Snapshots: New Vacuum Cleaner Hoover Windtunnel

Yay! Our new vacuum cleaner has arrived.  I bought a Hoover Windtunnel Bagless Vacuum Cleaner to replace our 10-year-old Bissell one.  It has served us good long years but it was time to upgrade.

Hoover Windtunnel Bagless Vacuum cleaner

I was very excited about this new vacuum cleaner.  Even my darling daughter kept asking me when will it arrive so she can help me vacuum the carpets.  Hahaha!  Sweet girl.  Anyway, I bought this Hoover Windtunnel at Walmart.com.  I was scouting for good deals and great reviews about vacuum cleaners and this one has 4.5 rating at Walmart online and featured as the Best Seller.  From $149 price, it rolled back to $99.  I used my birthday cash to buy it.

Automatic Cord Rewind. I love!

Dirt gathered from first use.  In the master bedroom carpet.

System Check Indicator

I hope this vacuum will last more than 10 years.

One Of These Vacuum Cleaners Is On My Wishlist

Bissell Bagless Pet Vacuum

Hoover Windtunnel vacuum cleaner

*Images from Walmart.com

They Did A Great Job!

It was a great week this week.  Besides the pleasant weather, our AC outdoor compressor/condenser unit was fixed immediately on the day of the service call.  Now our house feels comfortably cool. A big thanks to the family-owned HVAC service here in our area.  They surely did a great job.  Fixing this type of equipment is not easy but only those who are skillful and knowledgeable can do the work.

If your air conditioning has a heating and cooling problem, contact an HVAC service right away.  And if you are living in or around North Dallas, contact Montgomery HVAC service company at www.montgomerySVC.com.

The Outdoor Central AC Unit Is Fixed

After two days of heat in the house, I am so thankful that the outdoor central AC compressor/condenser unit is fixed.  My dear husband called for service and before we left for an out of town trip this morning, a staff from the HVAC company came to check the unit.  After about an hour he said that the fan motor and the capacitor has to be replaced.  Glad it wasn't the condenser.  The estimated cost was between $300-$325 plus the service call fee of $70.

The person has to get the replacement parts and will come back to install them.  My husband came home this afternoon because my darling daughter and I were gone at noon heading to visit the grandparents.

While at the grandparents', my hubby called that the air-conditioning is running great again and it's cool in the house.  That was a good news!

Four Fans Are On

It is so darn hot in my house right now!!!  Four fans are actually on and working in their maximum capacity to help us cool down.  Two ceiling fans and two floor fans.

There is something wrong with our air-conditioning unit.  It was working and cooling fine until yesterday afternoon.  When my dear husband checked everything, he figured out that the fan blades of the outdoor central AC compressor/condenser unit were not spinning.  Oh dear!  Does it mean that we have to get a new one?  Hopefully not right now. We do not have a budget for home improvement right now.  As much as possible, we want to extend the service of this unit.

My hubby called for service to check on the unit and he said someone will come to our house tomorrow morning.  I hope they'll fix it soon.  But you know what?  We will consider whatever is best.

Give Your Washer And Dryer A Longer Life

Taking good care of our household items can help us save money.  Why?  Because we do not have to buy replacements for a long time or pay outrageous amount for repairs and stuff.   Household appliances, for example washer and dryer, can have a longer life if we know how to treat them with care.

We can extend the life our washer and dryer--and our clothes, too--by treating our appliances with care on laundry day.  Here's how:

• Clean the dryer's lin filter after every use.  Occasionally vacuum the chute that houses the filter.
• Unfasten the duct from the drer at least once a year and vacuum it.
• Cut down on drying time if your clothes consistently come out wrinkled.  That means you're overdrying.
• On nice days, skip the dryer completely by installing and using a clothesline.
• Avoid overloading your washing machine with comforters, rugs and large blankets.  Look in your owner's manual to learn how much weight your washer's tub can handle.
• Balance your load.  Washers can fail when heavy loads bang around in and unbalanced machine.
• Replace your incoming water intake hoses every five years, even if they look OK.  Older hoses are prone to bursting.

Also, we can save energy this way.

Source:  FarmersElectric.coop/Feb.2011

Still Needs Some Checking

Like I said before, I did try cleaning our dishwasher with the dishwasher cleaner that my father-in-law recommended.  Sure does the appliance got cleaned.  The limes and soap scums had been removed from the racks and the inside of the dishwasher.  Now the thing is, the cleaning is just for the dishwasher itself. On the other hand, I loaded dirty dishes in there and tried to run a cycle.  The dishes got very clean but the utensils did not look good.  There's still something stuck on them.  White film.  

My father-in-law said that there must be something in the water.  He asked if my husband has been checking the water heater.  Because the water heater, he said, should be checked periodically to see if there's something wrong with it that affects the running water in the house.  

As of the moment, I am sticking to running the dishwasher in Normal Cycle with lesser detergent.  Ah, what a pain. 

Cleaning The Dishwasher

We were having this problem with our dishwasher that it leaves soap scum on the glasses and plates after dish washing.  I was very upset about it.  My father-in-law recommended a dishwasher cleaner that he used and he said it was very effective.  Because minerals in the water build up in the dishwasher overtime, it will affect the performance of the appliance.  It may lead to films and soap scum on glasses and plates.

So I bought one from Walmart and tried the cleaner today.  Surely the dishwasher got cleaned and the racks felt smooth when I pulled them out and pushed back in.  My honey was surprised to see how clean the inside is.  Now we can't wait to try it. But we have to wait 'till the dishwasher is full of dirty dishes and silverware before we turn it on.  As soon as we do, I will let y'all know about the result.

How about you?  What dishwasher cleaner do you use?  Any tricks?  Tips and recommendations are highly appreciated.

Garage Door Didn't Open

My darling daughter and I went to the library this morning for the Toddler Story Time.  I take her there every Fridays because it is a one of the good ways to help develop her social skills and get her interested with books.  After the Story Time, we stopped at Walmart to do some grocery shopping.  I bought cold stuff like milk, juice, and kids yogurt.  Then we went home after.

At the turn going to our house, I got used to pushing the button of my garage door remote controller in the car.  But suddenly, it didn't open.  I tried again.  Didn't open.  I thought the batteries of my garage door remote control was drained.  So I entered the code in the panel.  Still the garage door didn't open.  I tried a few times but had no luck.  When I called my honey, he told me to try inputting the code again.  There was no response from the garage door. 

The front and back doors are locked in the inside (they have dead bolts).  Windows are locked too.  I had no choice but to go to my cousin's house and had the cold items temporarily placed in her fridge until my honey comes home.  He got home early and found a way to get in the house.  When the everything was fixed, my darling daughter and I went home.  My honey said that the garage breaker got tripped.  One reason is when there's an often power outage due to bad weather conditions.

It was really a disappointing and scary situation.  Thanks God it's fixed.  But there's another problem that needs a solution very soon. 

My Mom Needs A New Refrigerator

My mom and me at the apartment.  Taken during our vacation in the Philippines.

This is me and my mom at the apartment that they are renting right now.  It is a two-storey apartment with two bedrooms and one bath.  The size of the place is not that big.  Every section of is is very small.  But I am happy that my parents found a place to move in after that unpleasant incident two years ago.

In the photo, I was frying pork chops for lunch.  If you have noticed, the meat is big.  The cut was like an inch thick!  There's no exhaust fan in the kitchen so the smoke from the cooking was all over the house.  My mom said that it goes away quickly with the help of the breeze from the outside.  I saw that the refrigerator has spots of rust around it.  It looks really nasty and dirty.  My mom needs a new refrigerator.  Any sponsor?

A Joyful Fairy Visited My Home Today

Oh!  Thanks much to the Fairy Hobmother.  He came and visited my humble home and sprinkled some pixie dusts on here.  I am very happy because he granted my wish.  I have been a good girl you know.  As a stay-at-home mother and full time housewife, I do all the chores in the house.  And laundry is on the Top 5 in my priority list.  Working on the laundry using an energy efficient washing machine is worth doing.  And included in the Top 5 Washing Machines reviews, I am proud. 

So stay nice and cheerful.  The Fairy Hobmother is roaming around the blogosphere spreading joy and happiness.  Who knows, he will be in your doorsteps any minute now.  To help you catch his attention, follow him on twitter.com (@FairyHobmother).  For more chances, please leave a comment in this post together with your blogs letting him know he's welcome.

New Fan In The House

So my husband bought a home fan to help the air conditioner minimize its running.  The summer heat is unbearable, I know.  The heat makes a person irritable sometimes.  In our house, we decided to add a fan.  It helped though.  The air circulates better and the air-conditioner does not run frequently.

What I don't like about it is the noise.  Yeah.  I cannot concentrate with my work.  Well, we put the fan in the dining area and I my computer is on the table.  So I am actually beside the fan.  Hah!  I guess I have to get used to it now.

Fixed Home Equipment And Appliance

So the microwave oven is fixed.  My husband came home from work with new fuse.  He replaced fuse in the microwave.  For two days, it was an inconvenience for me to use the traditional oven to heat food for lunch and dinner at that time.  Gladly my hubby found out the problem and fixed it this evening while my baby and I were gone to a Bible Study.

The kitchen appliance is eight years old and, I think, it needed some maintenance.  We are not ready to buy new appliances for the house right now.  There are plenty of things in priority.  So the thought of replacing new microwave oven is, maybe or will be in the next few years.

We had three solved problems as far as home equipment is concerned.  The air-conditioning is working properly because there were parts replaced.  The leaking roof was fixed because a roofer replaced some shingles correctly.  And, the microwave oven is functioning great now because new fuse is installed.

Cheap boilers from British Gas Can Provide Ultimate Peace Of Mind

Cheap boilers is not a frequently heard term however cheap boilers from British Gas are most definitely easy to find if you are a residential customer who has taken advantage of the Homecare scheme.

There are many different Homecare plans that are available to residential customers so that there is something to suit all budget. Having Homecare in place reduces the cost of repairs and maintenance and in turn makes what can be an inefficient expensive boiler one of the cheap boilers from British Gas.

An inefficient boiler can be expensive. Not only will they break down more frequently but they will also use more energy than is necessary to perform their task. This will increase your gas and electricity usage which in turn will increase your energy bills. Ensuring that your heating system is well maintained by qualified engineers makes British Gas the smart choice.  Furthermore, they don’t just supply their own manufactured appliances.  British Gas provide a range of energy efficient heating systems, everything from Vaillant boilers to Worcester boilers is covered.

As well as saving money, having your boiler system regularly checked can save your life, and he lives of your family. A poorly maintained boiler can leak carbon monoxide which is deadly. Carbon monoxide poisoning kills and as the gas is scent and tasteless it is hard to detect. By having a gas safe engineer keep an eye on your boiler and by installing a British Gas carbon monoxide detector you can avoid disaster. It is important in this case to remember that British Gas boilers are not just cost efficient but safe.

By choosing Homecare from British Gas you are making your appliances work harder for you, saving money in the long-term and the short term on your gas and electricity bills. You are also cutting costs by not having to pay for expensive call out fees. Why choose expensive boilers when cheap boilers from British Gas can be much easier on the pocket? To find out more about Homecare visit the British Gas website.

Cleaning And Organizing Today

We'll have company tomorrow night.  My in-laws will be coming over for a wedding this weekend.  My husband's niece is getting married.  It is a once in lifetime event so everybody is attending.  I had to clean up and put the clutters away (except the toys my little one is playing with), so I am starting to make most of my time cleaning and organizing today.  

I already did my groceries for tomorrow's dinner.  My husband and I will talk about this weekend's menu.  I already changed sheets in the guest bedroom and done cleaning the carpet with my efficient vacuum cleaner.  Since Monday and Tuesday are laundry days for me, my washer and dryer are loaded while doing all these stuff at the same time.  Whew!  Being a housewife and a mom is not easy some times.

Problematic Night

What a problematic night.  All of a sudden the air-conditioning in our house is not working properly.  When my husband got home from work, he complained about the house being warm.  So he turned on the ceiling fan and adjusted the temperature of the air-condition.  Okay, so when he left for the grocery store to buy milk for our daughter, I noted that the air-con is running.  My husband was away for about 30 minutes and the air-con is still running that made me concern.  So I turned it off.

As soon as he came back from the grocery store, I told him that the air-conditioning kept on running for 30 minutes while he's gone.  And still the house is warm.  So, he found out that something's not right with the compressor.  After few minutes working outside or at the attic, the air becomes cool again.  Geez, it is always something.  The roof was fixed and now we have to call for service for the air-conditioning.  Bills coming again.

Maintenance Checks Routine For A Safer Home

When I was drying clothes few weeks ago, some of them did not dry well.  The dryer was taking too long to dry clothes.  My honey check both washer and dryer.  He said a total cleaning has to be done on the dryer.  Now, it is working fine.

Did you experience the same problem with your appliance?  Well here is  what you should do to keep your dryer functioning well.  In this very hot summer time, catching fire in the home is possible.  You probably peel the lint out of your clothes dryer's lint trap after every load of laundry.  But that is not enough to keep the appliance from posing a fire hazard to your home.  Below are few more maintenance checks to your laundry-day routine

• Notice how long it takes the dryer to dry your clothes.  If they are still damp at the end of a typical drying cycle, or it it is starting to take longer to dry clothes, your lint screen or exhaust duct maybe blocked.
• Clean the dryer vent and exhaust duct at least once a year.  The duct is the coil that sends the hot dryer air to the outdoors.  The vent is the hole where the hot air leaves the house.  Both can get clogged  with lint and overheat, send dirty, moist air back into your home, or even catch on fire.  You might have to disconnect the exhaust duct from the dryer and vent to remove the blockage.
• Clean the back of the dryer and sweep behind and underneath it regularly to remove accumulated lint.
• If your exhaust duct is plastic or foil, replace it with a rigid or corrugated, semirigid metal duct.  Plastic and foil are too flexible and trap lint easily.
• Avoid throwing gasoline-,oil- or chemical-soiled clothes and towels into the dryer.  Instead, wash them several times and line-dry them.  If you have to use the dryer for them, choose the lowest setting and remove them the minute the cycle is finished.  Even washed-and-dried clothes that have come into contact with volatile chemicals can ignite.  Best bet:  Consider the clothes ruined and safely dispose of them.

I hope these guide you to keep your laundry routine easy as well as maintaining the safety of your home.

Source:  Farmers Electric Coop

Brand New Television...Please.

Oh, not for now. 'Still have obligations to finish. Huge ones! *Even though this thing really aggravates us, we have to lengthen the string of patience. It is going on and off every time it is turned on. I can hear the sound but don't see nothing!

I hope the issue with the insurance and hospital billing department will get a complete, clear result so we know where we're at when it comes to payment. In this connection, a few plans lay ahead. *We need to get a new television! That's one.

Like I said, we have to finish these obligations before we can buy a brand new tv.

But, sponsors are welcome. :)

Digging In For A Pan

I cooked dinner this evening. It was just a simple pasta dish from my recipe calendar. As I was preparing, I had a hard time finding the skillet that I wanted to use. Inside my kitchen cabinets are cluttered pots and pans. I have to dig in there just to get one. So unorganized.

The idea of enclume pot racks comes to mind. But where will I put the rack? I have no space. And if I want it hanging, it is going to be a huge work. And I am not sure hanging enclume potracks will work for me. I like my pots and pans to be within my reach. Freestanding enclume pot rack might be nice.

Major Purchases on Black Friday

Guest post by Sally Gates

While most people are intent on doing their Christmas Shopping on Black Friday, I always spend the day shopping for expensive items like computers or television sets and whatnot because that's the only way you can save real money. I mean if you're saving 70% or whatever on an item that costs under $20, it's just not worth staying up all night lining up in front of a store in the freezing cold. That's like making $14 over 10 hours or something like that. If I'm going to go through the hassle of taking a day off from work and setting up camp, it better be for a major purchase that saves me tons and tons of money. Since I leave my home unattended all night long, I also have to make sure to set my home security alarm from Securitychoice.com/ before I go out to shop.

So anytime I have to make a major purchase, I hold out till Black Friday rolls around. Sometimes it takes some researching to find specific items that I'm looking for. Kitchen appliances are the number one thing I have difficulty finding. As I've found that most of the appliances available are fairly generic and not worth the cost. Basically, there is a reason why these items are on clearance. This year I'm probably going to be looking for a microwave as my current one appears to be on the fritz.