• ---------BETTER JUDGEMENTS--------- Better Judgements eZine Terria Judge, Realtor CRS, ABR, GRI, Broker Associate Better Judgements is a newsletter on home matters, from Terria Judge, your Garden City, KS real estate agent! Contact Terria Judge at 620-271-2129! Terria Judge Coldwell Banker, The Real Estate Shoppe, Inc. John P. Judge, Broker 1135 College Dr. Suite E Garden City, KS 67846 620-275-7421 x 223 http://terriajudge.com http://gardencityksrealestate.com http://gardencityrentals.com tjudge@gcnet.com Subscription Management at end of newsletter. Thanks for your subscription to Better Judgements, the newsletter from your Garden City Kansas Realtor, Terria Judge. ---------BETTER JUDGEMENTS--------- In this Issue ============= 1. New Listings 2. Article: How to Clean your Air Conditioner like a Pro 3. Article: Get More Heat from Your Same Ol' Fireplace with Simple Technique ---------BETTER JUDGEMENTS--------- Happy New Year everyone! You will notice that we didn't have a newsletter over the last couple of months. We were re-grouping and re-designing the content we're delivering in our newsletter. From now on, our articles will deliver timely information on home safety, home health, and home money matters. This is the news you can use--the important stuff to make your life safer and happier. If you have your own home home health, wealth and safety tips, send them to mit@funkyfranks.com. We'll try to feature a reader's corner in every issue! Thanks! New Listings ================== 1. 312 Kingman -- http://terriajudge.com/312kingman.html -2 bedrooms -Large laundry with cabinets -Sun room all enclosed -Sprinkler system -Main floor living Cute and cozy home with all that you need. Garages, sprinkler system, fenced yard, formal dining area with wood flooring. Great price! 2. 1919 Pioneer -- http://terriajudge.com/1919pioneer.html -3 Plus 1 Bedrooms -2 plus 1 baths -Cathedral ceiling -Gas Fireplace with wood mantel -Fenced backyard Garage is insulated and rocked. Extra parking area. Roll out shelves and large pantry in kitchen with raised oak cabinetry. --See all of Terria's listings at http://gardencityksrealestate.com! ---------BETTER JUDGEMENTS--------- How to Clean your Air Conditioner like a Pro by Donald Grummett February 2, 2005 Jack Frost is nipping at our nose and Santa Claus has just left. The eastern seaboard has just received their third blizzard for a total of over 125 cm (56 inches) of snow in one week. So, who in their right mind would be thinking about window air conditioners at this time of year? Call me crazy, but I am. It is a good time of year to start this project. Firstly, it keeps ones mind sharp for the coming spring. Plus, it allows you to try out those new tools you got for Christmas. Mainly though, it is a good winter project because by the time spring arrives you will be too busy to think about this job. Very little is required to clean a window air conditioner, except lots of patience. If patience is something you lack then it is a job you should turn over to the local appliance serviceman. Tools ---------------------- ·Tin can or container (old muffin tin works well also) ·Vacuum cleaner ·Long handled brush (an old toilet brush works well) ·Oil can ·Rags ·De-greaser or spray detergent ·Selection of screwdrivers (Philips, Flat bladed, 1/4" socket head) ·Fin tool (optional) ·New filter (if disposable type) Lets get started ----------- 1. Start by removing the filter from the front grille. If it is a disposable type simply replace it with a new one. Other types are made in a plastic frame and can be cleaned and reused. To clean a reusable type lay it flat in the sink and sprinkle surface with laundry detergent. Then cover with about one inch of hot water. Just enough so the filter is submerged. Soak for 15 minutes. Remove from water and rinse with warm water. Hang up to dry while proceeding to next step. 2. Next, remove the front grille from the main body of the air conditioner. They usually pivot on 2 spring clips at the bottom. It is usually removed by pulling the grille gently forward while pushing it down at the same time. If there is resistance then look for hidden screws. Look near the top edge of the grille or behind the control knob door. Once removed place the grille aside until later. 3. Carefully remove metal cover of air conditioner to expose inner workings. Once all the screws are removed lift the cover straight up. Do not let it hit the other parts as it can have sharp edges. This is where the old can comes in handy (ice cube container or muffin tin works well also). Use it to keep track of all the screws you will be removing. An air conditioner will often use a number of different types and sizes of screws. Segregate them from each other or confusion will result when we start reassembly. 4. Check the fan motor for any oil holes or oil plugs. If the motor has oil plugs they are usually rubber. Use caution when removing because the rubber may have become brittle. Often they will break off in the oil holes resulting in a blockage. If this occurs try to remove the broken plug by using a pin of the tip of a small screwdriver. Once the fan motor oil holes are exposed add a few drops of oil to each end of the motor body. Use a general purpose (3in1) oil or clean motor oil. A #30 oil is sufficient. The natural tendency is to over-oil. Too much lubrication is as bad as not enough. Therefore only 3 or 4 drops on both ends of the motor body is sufficient. Add the oil slowly, pausing a few seconds between each drop. If you add it too quickly over-lubrication will result. 5. Use the brush to remove surface dust and dirt from the evaporator (front fins). Use an up and down motion. Do not go side to side or allow the fins to be bent. The fins are very soft aluminum and can be damaged easily. Once surface dirt is removed, spray with de-greaser or cleaner. There is a good product on the market called HVAC cleaner. As the name implies it is meant for Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioner coil cleaning. If this is not available the Fantastic Spray cleaner used in kitchens and bathrooms works quite well. Let stand about 15 minutes or as per instructions on de-greaser can. This will allow cleaner to loosen any hidden dirt. Remove dirt and excess cleaner by slowly pouring warm water into fins. Do not allow the water to enter any electrical connections or components that may be near the coil. As an added precaution cover the motor with one of the cloth rags. to protect it from the water. Do not use any form of high pressure air or water because this can drive dirt farther into fins. Also, use extreme caution as these coils are filled with high pressure refrigerant. 6. Straighten any bent fins. Use a fin comb if available. If no fin comb then use something soft such as a Popsicle stick. Straightening the fins will increase the efficiency of the air flow through the coils. This adds to the overall cooling effect produced by the air conditioner. 7. Repeat steps 5 and 6 for the condenser (rear fins) coil. A plastic cowling usually surrounds the condenser fins. If so, check the top edge to see if it will lift or open. If it opens this will allow easier access to the condenser fins. Again use caution because the condenser coil is also filled with high pressure refrigerant. 8. Wipe any dirt buildup from both fan blades using a soft rag. Do not bend blades. This would cause a vibration that would harm the motor. 9. Vacuum all surfaces including front and back of grille assembly. Do not forget to vacuum underside of metal air conditioner cover. If the cover contains air holes clean them thoroughly. If necessary use a damp rag. 10. Drain any water left in the base and allow it to dry for few hours. When completely dry plug in air conditioner and test operation. If everything appears okay unplug and reassemble. Once reassembly is complete, retest operation to ensure replacing the cover has not affected anything. Adding the cover will tend to twist the frame and can cause interior parts to move out of alignment. This can cause the fan to become noisy. To correct for this problem remove the cover and realign to the main body of the air conditioner. Reinstall the cover and test for noises every time 2 or 3 additional screws are added to the cover. Finally, cover air conditioner with plastic wrap or an old blanket. Store in a warm dry area. Raise it from floor slightly by placing onto a couple of pieces of wood. This will protect the floor from the metal edges of the air conditioner, and also protect the air conditioner from moisture. You’re Finished ------------ Repeat this simple procedure every year. If you do, the machine will be ready for many more years of dependable service. Addendum ------------------- The filter inside the front grille should be removed and cleaned (as in step 1) every month throughout the cooling season. If you are a smoker it should be cleaned every week. Although the above procedure is for a window air conditioner, the same basic method is used to clean a central air system. Due to additional dangers inherent in the central air conditioner systems, they should be cleaned only by a professional service company. About the Author Copyright 2004 by Donald Grummett. All right reserved. Donald Grummett is an appliance service manager in Ottawa, Canada. In the trade over 30 years as both a technician, business owner, and technical trainer. For more information about appliances including FAQ, Stain guide, Recycling, and Newsletter visit http://www.mgservices.ca ---------BETTER JUDGEMENTS--------- Get More Heat from Your Same Ol' Fireplace with Simple Technique by Susan Penney For some people, a fireplace might as well be a video of flaming logs. Their primary interest is the welcoming ambiance a fireplace’s blaze presents. If, however, you expect your fireplace to provide heat in exchange for your log-carrying, fire-building efforts, (or in the case of gas logs, in exchange for your gas bill), it’s time to maximize your fireplace’s heat output. There are various contraptions designed to return more of a wood or gas fireplace’s heat into the room and stanch the flow of that precious heat from escaping up the chimney. Many of them involve fans and vents and considerable expense. But one of the most time-honored, hassle-free, and least expensive methods of increasing a fire’s heat output is making a comeback: the fireback. A fireback is a sheet of metal, sized in proportion to the fireplace, that’s placed against your back fireplace wall. Firebacks can be set on the hearth’s floor and just leaned against the back fireplace wall, but often they are secured by placing them in supporting braces which keep the fireback from sliding. Firebacks come in two main styles: the cast iron fireback and the stainless steel fireback. The traditional cast iron fireback, popular in earlier times and making a revival now, is a sheet of heavy, black, cast iron. Often they are cast with a design, such as a fleur de lis or eagle, to add a decorative touch to this functional fireplace accessory. The cast iron firebacks work on the same principle as heating radiators. The metal is heated (by hot water in the case of radiators and by the fire in the case of firebacks), and then that heat is radiated into the room. Although attractive and functional, the cast-iron firebacks are too heavy for many people to manage easily. Their weight also adds to their shipping costs, and therefore to their total price. A more modern fireback design, one that is growing in popularity, is made of a sheet of very gently curved, tempered stainless steel. These stainless steel firebacks warm your room in two ways. First, like the cast iron firebacks, they radiate the heat of the fire forward into the room. But they also reflect the heat, as well as the light, of the fire into the room. Stainless steel firebacks weigh only one-sixth as much as a similarly sized cast iron fireback, so they are easier to manage and less costly to ship. But their main appeal may be their price: They cost only a fraction as much as their cast iron cousins. Whereas a cast iron fireback, depending on size, can cost $250 to $700, the stainless steel versions usually go for $50 to $150. Both cast iron and stainless steel firebacks dramatically increase the room-warming capacity of your wood or gas fireplace fire. The addition of this simple fireplace accessory to your hearth can mean warmer toes and lower heating bills. About the Author Susan Penney appreciates simple ways to make our homes renewing spaces for our families. She invites you to visit http://www.FireplaceMall.com for fireplace accessories to serve your fire-less or your fire-filled fireplace. ---------BETTER JUDGEMENTS--------- This newsletter is compiled and published by Mitone Griffith, http://funkyfranks.com

  February 9th, 2005 at 5:32 pm

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