Monthly Archives: January 2015

Bad News: Pests are Evolving to Stay in Our Space

For years you have been treating your indoor cats with the same flea medication because it always worked. Then, one year, you noticed that the fleas were not instantly disappearing like they had in the past. Why? It is because pests of all kinds are able to adapt quickly to extermination products because pests love to infest the areas where humans, and non-pests, live.

How bad is it getting? If you read the news, you will see stories about mice and bedbug infestations in large cities that thought they had their pest problems licked. But instead of getting rid of the pests, they seem to be coming back in record numbers. The newest developments in pest control are not giving very encouraging news when it comes to allowing humans to occupy a space that is pest-free.
Pests
The Latest In Genetic Warfare
Genetically-altered crops are a big topic of discussion lately because many activist groups claim that we really do not know how dangerous these crops are to humans. According to Popular Science, the companies that grow genetically-altered crops used to have ways of keeping pests from destroying their precious product. But the pests are getting immune to the extensive efforts to keep them away from crops and the problem is getting worse.

In Brazil, there are fields of genetically-altered corn that used to be protected from caterpillars by plants that had a long history of killing corn-destroying caterpillars. But in recent years, farmers are noticing that the caterpillars are no longer dying because of the special plants and their corn is being destroyed. It only took a few years for caterpillars to develop an immunity to a plant that used to kill them instantly. That is some very fast evolution.

Evolution In Our Garbage
Mice can be some of the most destructive pests in large urban areas and they have been a source of frustration for a very long time. Scientists studying mice in New York City are starting to see mice that adapt not only to the methods used to remove them, but also to the conditions in which they are forced to live.

Mice that live in areas where there is garbage thrown everywhere have developed the ability to consume human garbage as a healthy source of food which allows them to survive in those conditions. Mice that live in other parts of the city where there is plenty of shrubbery and open spaces have developed more athletic bodies that allow them to move quickly from one area to the other. As the conditions around them change, the mice continue to evolve and become much more difficult to remove.
Pests
It Is Hard For Mankind To Keep Up
A study done my Michigan State University suggests that up to 500 types of common farm pests are able to adapt rapidly to chemicals and other methods used to destroy them. These species of insects and spiders develop a resistance to human chemicals and then they pass that ability to their offspring. The cycle continues and the evolution continues, which makes extermination almost impossible.

If you want to really keep your space free from pests, then you are going to need to alter your methods every so often to prevent pests from building up resistance. If you get complacent in your pest removal methods, then you should probably plan on making room for some new, furry roommates.

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Even Safe Drivers Get Hammered by High Car Insurance Rates

All your life people have been telling you that the best way to get good car insurance rates is to be a good driver. It sounds great in theory, but it is far from the truth. Even people with great driving records can get hammered with high car insurance premiums and it is often for reasons that they have created themselves. The important thing is to keep an eye on all of the elements that go into creating a low insurance premium and focus on reality, instead of relying in hearsay to get you great rates.
Insurance rates Your Credit Is A Problem
You can drive just fine, but you seem to have issues with paying your credit card bills and that is going to kill your ability to get a good insurance premium. According to FederalAutoLoan.com, a couple of the bigger insurance companies charge customers with bad credit double what they charge customers with good credit.

Is it fair? Well, nothing in life is fair, but this seems especially cruel for good drivers with bad credit. After all, your car insurance premium should be based on your ability to avoid making claims against your auto insurance and not how well you handle your finances. It can be frustrating when your inability to pay the Home Depot credit card bill on time costs you more for your car insurance.

Insurance Lapses
Insurance companies do not look kindly on drivers who allow their insurance to lapse before getting into a new policy. How long is too long for allowing your insurance to lapse? According to Kiplinger.com, 45 days is a long enough lapse to cause some insurance companies to not even give you a quote, even if you have never had an accident in your life.

Your Job Isn’t Good Enough
This one is going to be hard to believe, but your job could dictate whether or not you get the best kind of car insurance. According to Forbes.com, a study was done where a single woman who worked as a receptionist and had no accidents was pitted against an executive with a family and an accident on her record. Many of the larger insurance carriers gave the receptionist higher rates than the executive and the executive’s accident was her fault.

Insurance rates
Paying The Price For Your People
You may have never had an accident in your life, but if your age group has experienced an abnormally large amount of accidents over the past 12 months, then your rates are going up. CarsDirect.com says that insurance companies justify this increase by saying that they have to cover potential risks to be able to offer everyone coverage, but it just makes safe drivers wonder if paying attention while driving is even worth it.

You have never had a ticket and you have never even had so much as a fender bender in your life. By all rights, you should have the lowest car insurance premiums available, right? There are plenty of other factors that go into determining your insurance premiums and there is no guarantee that your great driving record is going to get you better rates than the person who has smacked into a telephone pole in the past year.

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4 Ways to Keep Your House Clean

Cleaning the house every week can become tedious and physically demanding. If you have a large family or any kind of physical ailment, then keeping up on the house cleaning can be difficult. But if you want to keep your family healthy, then keeping a clean house is essential.

When you get the right advice, it is not as difficult to keep your house clean as you may think. There are ways that you can stay ahead of house cleaning or keep house cleaning manageable enough to make sure that your home always looks great.
Cleaning
Set Up Footwear Collection Mats At The Door
A rather innovative homeowner posting on RealSimple.com suggests placing footwear mats inside and outside of home doorways to prevent people from tracking dirt into the house. By adopting a simple rule that all shoes and outside footwear should be left at the door, you can prevent the need for constantly sweeping your hardwood floors and limit the need to vacuum rugs considerably.

Get In The Habit Of Taking Care Of Chores As They Are Needed
Cleaning Housebeautiful.com recommends doing dishes as soon as they hit the sink to prevent them from piling up. Not only does this keep the house clean, but it also takes one huge job of washing the dishes and breaks it down into manageable pieces. Instead of spending hours washing dishes every weekend, you can take care of it immediately and eliminate the back-breaking work.

This also applies to tasks such as putting dirty clothes in the hamper, wiping up spills as they happen and putting clean laundry away as it comes out of the dryer. Instead of letting things pile up, you can take just a few minutes to take care of them and keep your house clean.

Spread Out Cleaning Tasks Over The Course Of The Week
One of the reasons that houses tend to look untidy is because trying to clean an entire house one day a week is a daunting task. Some homeowners would rather just live with the mess than attempting to tackle it all in one day. In the meantime, the mess gets larger.

If you treat your cleaning tasks like you do the chores that were just mentioned, then you can keep the house clean with what seems like a minimal amount of effort. Instead of washing the floors, cleaning the bathroom and scrubbing the kitchen on the same day, you should spread those three tasks out over three separate days and make the work go by much faster.

Have Designated Areas For Everything
Dining room tables tend to be collection areas for everything from winter coats to junk mail and it can all look very messy after just a couple of days. If you set your dining room table and then put up a coat rack for the coats, then you will start to get everyone in the habit of putting things where they need to go. You can also put a recycling bin in a prominent spot in the house and use it as the place to put junk mail. When everything has its proper place and the whole family gets used to putting things where they belong, then the house stays clean all week long.

To really keep your house clean, you need to hire professionals who can make sure that your home is always in order. Give us a call at (888) 513-7788 and we will help you to find a professional cleaning company in your area that you can trust and can work the hours you need them to. Let 24Hourly.com use our professional services to get you in touch with a cleaning company that will get you the results you want and deserve.

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6 Essential Tips for Healthy Teeth

When you attend to good dental health, you’re not only able to keep a nice smile, but you’re also likely to avoid the complications that can happen when your teeth and gums get neglected and infection sets in. Here are six ways you can do your part to keep your teeth healthy.
Dentist
Eat Foods High In Calcium
U.S. News and World Report reminds us that our teeth are primarily made of calcium, which makes calcium an important building block to good dental health. By eating foods that are high in calcium, such as cheese and yogurt, you give your body the nutrients it needs to keep your teeth healthy.

Keep Your Baby’s Teeth Healthy
Good dental health for your children starts when they are babies and is a critical part to ensuring that your child grows up healthy. When your baby drops their pacifier, always clean it with warm, soapy water before giving it back to your baby. This will stop the spread of bacteria that can cause dental health problems for your little one.

Brush For Your Children
Another good dental health tip for children comes from Reader’s Digest and deals with your child’s ability to properly brush their teeth and prevent the build-up of harmful bacteria. The reality is that your child is not able to properly brush their own teeth until they reach the age of six or seven, so you should brush your child’s teeth for them and show them how it is done.
Dentist
Drink A Lot Of Water
MouthHealthy.org recommends drinking water after every meal and throughout the course of the day to help keep harmful bacteria away from your teeth. By doing something as simple as drinking water several times a day, you can wash away potential dental health issues and keep that healthy smile.

Only Use Your Teeth For Chewing
When you are trying to open a bottle of soda and there isn’t a bottle opener around, you may think that using your teeth is a clever plan. The Better Health Channel says otherwise and says that we should only use our teeth to chew food. That means that opening bottles of soda, cracking open nuts and removing store labels from our clothing with our teeth are all really bad ideas.

Get Into A Good Routine
The medical experts at WebMD.com remind us that a routine of brushing our teeth twice and flossing once each day is a good habit to get into if we want to preserve the health of our teeth. Flossing is especially important because it removes the debris that gets stuck in between our teeth and can cause decay issues over a long period of time.

An important part of maintaining healthy teeth is to see a dentist twice a year and have the number for a good emergency dentist available when a crisis occurs. When you call us at (888) 513-7788, our experts will get you the information you need to find a reliable emergency dentist and keep your teeth healthy. At 24Hourly.com, we use our resources to help you to keep your smile bright and your teeth as healthy as possible.

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What are Smart Vents and How Can They Keep Your Home Warm?

It seems like every week there is some new and innovative technology product that is designed to help homeowners save money in one way or another. Some of the products are not the great investment they are advertised to be, but there are home products that can help you save money and change the way that your home utilizes energy. One of those innovative home products that every homeowner should look into is the smart vent and they can change the way your home feels in the winter and how your energy bill looks every month.
Smart vent What Is A Smart Vent?

The product experts at Consumer Reports describe smart vents as furnace vents that work directly with the furnace thermostat to help maintain a constant temperature in a house. A single-furnace home often has areas that are too cold or too hot, and it can also be frustrating to have complete rooms that are rarely used being kept at temperatures that feel higher than rooms which are used every day. The smart vent uses sensors to decide when to open and close the vents and when to redirect warm air flow in a room.

How Does A Smart Vent Work?
In homes that have more than one furnace, it is possible to set up control zones that help keep rooms at specific temperatures. But if all you have is one furnace, then setting up these energy-efficient zones can be difficult.

Smart vents can be used to set up comfort zones that can prevent wasting heat on rooms that are barely used, while insuring an even distribution of heat to the most commonly used rooms. The smart vent uses temperature and air pressure sensors to determine when it is time to open or close vents, and when warm air needs to be diverted to a different part of the room.
smart-vent-2
Types Of Smart Vents
At this point, there are two types of smart vent systems for homeowners to choose from. There are individual smart vents that communicate directly with the thermostat to maintain the proper temperature in different parts of the house. There is also a smart vent system that allows the homeowner to plug sensors into the electrical outlets in each room and then the sensors utilize the Internet to control smart vents in each room to maintain temperature.

Homeowners utilizing smart vents need to remember that the vents and sensors need to be free of any obstructions in order to do their jobs properly. That means that all furniture, drapes and other obstacles that commonly get placed in front of electrical outlets and furnace vents will need to be moved to accommodate the smart system.

To utilize smart vents properly, you need an experienced contractor who is an expert at installing and maintaining these kinds of products. When you call us at (888) 513-7788, we will help you find the perfect contractor who can install your smart vents and show you how to use them. At 24Hourly.com, our experts are ready to help you find the resources you need to get the latest in home efficiency technology.

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Connected Homes are Creating Security Concerns

Electronic gadgets and Internet-connected devices can make life easier and help you to access your personal information whenever you want. Each day, our smartphones, computers and other electronic gadgets collect the information they need to keep our lives easier and they store that information on the cloud for easy access. But who else can see that information? How secure is your personal data?

As the world becomes more reliant on cloud-based computing and electronic gadgets, personal information becomes more at risk. There are several security concerns you should be aware of as you add more and more Internet-enabled devices to your life.

Security A Broad Range Of Devices Can Be Affected
It can seem almost funny that an Internet hacker would take the time to try and gain control of your Internet-enabled blender, but the end game that the hacker has in mind is not quite as amusing. Insulin pumps, CPAP machines and other home medical devices can be at risk from hackers thanks to an increase in Internet connectivity.

According to USA Today, experts in the field of medical electronics are well aware of the risks posed by Internet-connected medical devices and are constantly taking steps to stay ahead of the hackers. Consumers can do their part by staying informed on any updates to their existing home medical equipment that will help keep out hackers and other people looking to cause trouble.

What About Those Security Cameras?
Forbes Magazine points out that, while it is convenient to be able to use Internet-enabled security cameras to keep an eye on our homes when we are at work or on vacation, those cameras are tempting targets for people who want to watch you when you are not expecting it. Viruses that access the built-in web cameras on laptops have been around for a while now and that idea is expanding to wireless, Internet-enabled security cameras and other wireless cameras.

Camera manufacturers are serious about keeping access secure for every wireless surveillance camera and laptop web camera available. Consumers should be sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions on securing their laptop web cameras, home surveillance cameras, the cameras on their smartphones and any other camera that could be used by others to deliver unauthorized images.
Security
Internet-Enabled Homes Require Major Security
The idea of being able to turn off the lights in your home or reset your home security system by using your smartphone is convenient and extremely helpful. It is important to work with security companies that understand how to keep out hackers and prevent anyone else from accessing your home security system. Consumers should also do research on apps that can turn appliances on and off in their homes through their smartphones to make sure that the app they are getting is safe.

You need to make sure that your data and Internet connections are completely secure, which means you need to find a reliable technology company that can offer you service day and night. That is why it is critical that you call us at (888) 513-7788 before you start broadcasting your personal information to a place where potentially anyone else can see it. At 24Hourly.com, we are the professionals who can help you to find the experts who can keep your information and your family secure.

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4 Ways to Ward Off Winter Drafts from Your Windows

Your windows are there to protect you from the outdoors, while allowing you to enjoy the natural light and create a view of your surroundings. During the winter, it can be easy to take our windows for granted and forget that they need all the help they can get in keep the winter drafts out of your home. Before the snow starts flying, there are steps you can take to make sure that your windows are better equipped to keep out the winter winds.

Drafts from your windows Use Your Drapes To Your Advantage
Moneytalksnews.com gives a good idea for maximizing indoor heat retention during the winter that is a simple as opening and closing your drapes. If you live in an area where it snows during the winter, then you need to have insulated drapes that can help protect your home from the cold.

At night, you should keep your drapes closed to keep out the cold air and keep the warm air inside your home from escaping. When the sun is shining during the day, open those drapes and let the warm sunshine in.

Make Sure Your Windows Are Closed
Sometimes the best solutions for your winter window needs are the simplest ones as well. If your home has windows with a bottom and top sash, then the Examiner recommends closing and securing the top sash.

If you check your windows and notice that your top sashes are not completely closed during the winter, then a lot of cold air is getting into your home that could be prevented. By closing your upper sash and then securing your window with the sash locks so the upper sash does not slide back down, you are keeping out the cold air and retaining the heat inside your home.

Caulk Around Your Windows
If you hold your hand over the outer frame of your windows, then you may feel a cold breeze getting through that is making your house colder than it should be and costing you money on your heating bills. The solution recommended by Fix.com to that problem is to get some caulk and fill in the gaps around the window frame to prevent the air from getting through.

Drafts from your windows
Use Plastic Window Film
You may have seen those plastic window film kits that are designed to help keep the cold air out of your home, but you may not understand how they work. You install the plastic sheeting and then use a hairdryer to help create a layer of air between the window and the plastic sheeting. That air acts as insulation and can help to keep your home nice and warm during the winter.

When it comes to protecting your home from the winter cold, you need to find a reliable contractor you can use to get the job done right. That is why you need to call us at (888) 513-7788 and let us find the perfect contractor for your home comfort and remodeling needs. At 24Hourly.com, we have the resources and experience to help you find the experts who can help you to stay home during the winter and keep your heating bills down.

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5 Plumbing Tips for Avoiding Cold Weather Catastrophes

The cold weather can play havoc with several systems in your home, especially your plumbing. If you live in an area where winter temperatures can get below freezing (or even below zero), then you need to take the necessary steps to protect your plumbing and avoid cold weather catastrophes altogether.
24 hour plumbing
Protect External Lines Before Winter Sets In
If you have a pool or sprinkler system in your yard, then the thought of your water supply lines bursting during the winter can make you cringe. Each pool and sprinkler system comes with a set of instructions on draining excess water to prepare those systems for winter. Be sure to drain your feed lines for your pool and sprinkler systems to prevent a mess when spring arrives.

Thermostat Settings When On Vacation
One plumbing tip that many people ignore is how to set their home thermostat to protect their pipes when they go away on vacation in the winter. You should set your thermostat no lower than 55 degrees to make sure that there is enough heat to prevent ice in your pipes.

Wrap Your Pipes With Insulation
If you have pipes in areas that are not heated by your furnace, then those pipes must be insulated to prevent a disaster. There are special fitted pieces of insulation you can use that will wrap around your pipes perfectly and create a protective layer against the cold. Other options include wrapping your pipes in heating tape or a heating coil that is powered by electricity to prevent the ice from settling in.

Thaw Pipes Slowly
A common reaction to frozen pipes is to bring out the blowtorch and start thawing the ice before the pipes burst. The problem with this approach is that it can damage the pipes and create even more problems that could be very expensive to fix. A good tip for thawing pipes is to wrap them in warm towels or thaw them using a hair dryer set at a warm, not hot, setting.
24 hour plumbing
Seal Basement Air Leaks
If you do not spend a lot of time in your basement, then you may not be aware of all of the air leaks that allow cold air to get in and freeze your pipes. Even if you have pipes near the furnace, an air leak through a basement window could freeze a pipe and cause a lot of damage. Go through your basement to seal the windows and make sure that the cold air cannot get in and create a plumbing catastrophe.

At 24Hourly.com, we can help you to find an emergency plumber who can take care of all of your frozen pipe issues quickly. You can use our online resources to find the plumber closest to you, or give us a call at (888) 513-7788 and one of our experts will get a plumber for you in a hurry. Don’t let winter destroy your plumbing and ruin your home. Give 24Hourly.com a call and let us get you the emergency plumbing help you need right now.

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What’s That Pain? A Guide to Toothaches and Ouches

You bite down on an apple and suddenly feel a screaming pain that goes shooting through your jaw. Your first inclination should be to contact 24Hourly.com to find a good sedation dentist in your area who can take your case immediately. You can help the dentist by being able to identify the pain and even give a possible source.

Dental pain can sneak up on you and make your life miserable. The more you know about that pain your mouth and jaw, the faster you can get the kind of treatment that will make the pain go away.

24 hourly dentist Tooth Decay
Tooth decay takes time to set in, but you will definitely feel it once you have it. Tooth decay begins with the wearing away of the enamel on your teeth. The enamel protects the material inside your tooth, called dentin, which surrounds and protects the sensitive nerve.

Substances such as soda pop and coffee wear away the enamel and leave the dentin to fend for itself. Without enamel to protect, the dentin decays and reveals the nerve. The result is excruciating pain that requires a filling, or possibly a root canal, to take care of.

Fractured Or Cracked Tooth
A cracked tooth can happen for a lot of reasons, but the most common reason is that you bite down into something that cracks the enamel and exposes the nerve. For example, if you are using a metal fork to eat and you mistakenly bite down into the fork, then you could crack your tooth and cause tremendous pain.

Infected Gums
Gingivitis is a condition that causes the inflammation of your gums through the untreated collection of bacteria. If you do not brush your teeth regularly, then you may get gingivitis. If you do not treat the gingivitis, then your gums could get infected and cause persistent and sharp pain. When your gums are infected the tooth, as well as the tissue around the tooth, become discolored and painful. If you do not get infected gums taken care of, then they can lead to more serious and potentially life-threatening infections.
24 hourly dentist
Abscessed Teeth
One of the more difficult dental issues to see coming is an abscessed tooth. A tooth that is abscessed has an infection around the nerve, but inside the enamel. If you have a persistent pain that does not seem to be coming from any particular tooth and you are unable to see any tooth decay when you look in the mirror, then you have an abscessed tooth that needs to be taken care of immediately.

The experts at 24Hourly.com can help you find a dentist fast either online, or when you call us (888) 513-7788. Dental emergencies can happen at any moment and you need to know that you have a resource available that can help you to hunt down an emergency dentist and get the attention that you need. With the help of the professionals at 24Hourly.com, you will be able to find the perfect emergency dentist and take care of that dental issue before it becomes a much more serious medical problem.

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3 Ways to Avoid Getting Ripped Off at the Dentist

We all trust our medical professionals with our very lives, but it still helps to be vigilant and make sure that you are getting the care you need and not paying for something you do not need. Most people already have an aversion to going to the dentist, but it is a bi-annual trip that we all must make for good health. However, your dentist may be ripping you off and you need to stay alert if you want to avoid paying for services you do not need.

24 hourly dentist Laser Caries Detector

Lasers always elicit images of high-tech equipment that is expensive to use, but extremely accurate and comfortable for the patient. A laser caries detector is a device that some dentists use in lieu of x-rays to help detect cavities and other dental issues. It sounds great, but it is unnecessary.

If your dentist is trying to get you to agree to a laser caries detector instead of a standard x-ray because the laser is more accurate and reduces your exposure to radiation, then your dentist is trying to rip you off. A laser caries detector is much less accurate than a standard x-ray and dental x-rays do not give off a dangerous level of radiation. Don’t be mesmerized by the laser and don’t agree to the higher costs.

Don’t Get All Of Your Fillings Replaced At Once
If you head to a new dentist and the new dentist tells you that you need all of your old fillings replaced, then you may want to find another new dentist. Medical watchdog groups and reputable dentists warn that many new dental patients get told they need a lot of work done by their new dentist, but that is rarely the case.

If you are visiting a new dentist due to pain, then you may need to get certain fillings redone or you may even need a root canal. But fillings are meant to last for a very long time and there is a good chance that your new dentist is trying to rip you off when they tell you that you need those fillings replaced.

Don’t Be Attracted By Coupons And Promotions
A good dentist builds their practice through referrals by satisfied patients and through referrals by other medical professionals. If you are going to a dentist who has this great promotion coming up for cosmetic services, then that dentist does not have your best interests at heart.

The constant presence of coupons and price promotions is more of a general red flag than anything specific. But you should be very wary of a dental professional who feels it is necessary to give out denture coupons to bring in more business.
24 hourly dentist
If you want to find a dentist you can trust, then talk to the experts at 24Hourly.com. In that moment when you are in pain and need a 24-hour emergency dentist, you could be susceptible to being ripped off by a less than reputable dentist. The experts at 24Hourly.com will help you to find a dentist you can rely on to get your work done and not pay more than you have to for your dental services.

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