2015 Spring Home Improvement

Page K2

CONTROL

Spring Home Improvement

Echo Journal, April 16, 2015 • Brainerd Dispatch, April 17, 2015

BY DONNA EVANS

It’s not long after the snow melts that those pesky, biting bugs of summer start showing up in the lakes area.

In late March, people were already reporting the ticks were out, and as soon as leaves start appearing on trees and shrubs, those flying-winged devils — those bugs more commonly called mosquitoes — will be disrupting outdoor activities.

These two creatures are more than just annoying. Tick bites can lead to anaplasmosis, ehrlichiosis, babesiosis and Lyme disease. There was a reported case of Powassan in Cass County.

Unfortunately, for those living or visiting

those pesky bugs of summer

the area, Crow Wing County has one of the highest numbers of reported cases of Lyme disease in the state.

And if you’re looking for the deadliest animal on the planet, look no further than the mosquito. According to the World Health Organization, mosquito-borne diseases are among the world’s leading causes of illness and death today.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has basic guidelines to avoid tick and mosquito bites. These guidelines include staying out of wooded and brushy areas, using repellents that contain 20 to 30 percent DEET, treating clothes with permethrin, and showering after being outdoors.

In addition, to help control mosquitoes, avoid outdoor activities in peak mosquito times – around dusk and dawn — if

possible. Mosquito-proof your home by making sure all screens are intact. It’s important to drain any areas of standing water, clean clogged gutters and remove any items in the yard that could hold water.

The Minnesota Extension Service recommends cutting weeds and tall grassy areas to reduce areas where mosquitoes like to hang around. It may also help to switch outdoor lighting from fluorescent or incandescent bulbs to sodium lights, which are less attractive to mosquitoes.

The American Mosquito Control Association encourages homeowners to drain any waterfilled containers; dress in light colored, loose fitting clothing; and defend yourself by using an EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) repellent. Repellents that are approved and See BUGS, Page K3

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From Page K2

recommended by the AMCA are products that contain DEET, Picardin and Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus.

But it takes more than just a few practical tasks to conquer ticks and mosquitoes.

Clayton "Buzz" Holznagel, owner of Mosquito Squad in Merrifield, said it takes a tiered approach to control these pesky bugs.

Mosquito Squad has a “5 T” approach to controlling pesky ticks and mosquitoes.

1. Tip: Reduce standing water to help cut down on mosquitoes. Tip over items such as toys, plant saucers, dog bowls and other items that contain standing water.

2. Toss: Remove and discard any excess grass, leaves, firewood and clippings that have accumulated in the yard.

3. Turn: Turn over large items, such as children’s wading pools and wheelbarrows that can contain large amounts of standing water.

4. Tarps: Check tarps. Any tarps that are not stretched tight, such as those over wood piles, sports vehicles or other items in the yard, may contain pools of water.

5. Treatment: The final step to having a mosquito free area is to use an effective mosquito treatment around the area.

Holznagel indicated that before Mosquito Squad begins treatment, a licensed technician surveys the area to be treated. They also look

at an aerial view to see any nearby areas that could harbor mosquitoes. Nothing can promise the total elimination of all mosquitoes and ticks. But Holznagel said the tiered approach can reduce these pesky critters by up to 90 percent.

“We begin in early spring by targeting ticks,” said Holznagel.

Tick control includes barrier sprays and tick tubes. These tubes are similar to toilet paper tubes and contain cotton doused with the chemical pesticide permethrin. The tubes are placed in areas where field mice are present, who take the treated cotton back to their nests. Mice are often hosts for ticks.

The chemical on the treated cotton kills the tick larvae that is often present in mice nests.

This step can greatly reduce the number of ticks present in an area.

Once foliage is out on trees and shrubs, prevention turns more toward eliminating mosquitoes. A chemical barrier is sprayed around the yard that becomes an invisible barrier, which kills existing mosquitoes and keeps others from entering the area. The spray also helps to eliminate any ticks that are present in the treated area.

Work is performed by technicians who are specially trained and are licensed by the Department of Agriculture in the use of chemicals. While spraying the area, the technicians survey the property and make note of any potential areas that may harbor See BUGS, Page K4

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Spring Home Improvement

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Spring Home Improvement

Echo Journal, April 16, 2015 • Brainerd Dispatch, April 17, 2015

Clean up brush piles that are around the yard. Piles of brush or leaves are attractive places for mosquitoes to rest and hide from predators.

From Page K3

mosquitoes. This work order is then left with the home or business owner so they are aware of potential problem areas and the necessary actions to take to help keep mosquitoes and ticks in check.

The main chemical used is permethrin, which is commonly used in pet sprays and recommend lice shampoos. If a homeowner desires a more natural treatment Mosquito Squad can use a solution based on essential oils.

To have the most protection, Holznagel recommends re-treating the area every 21 days if using the permethrin based spray or every 14 days if using the all natural spray. If treating an area for a special event, such as a wedding, Holnzagel recommends that the area be sprayed 24-48 hours before the occasion.

Any outdoor area, around homes, businesses, restaurants, parks, resorts and even stables can be treated. The only requirement is to stay out of the area for half an hour after it has been sprayed.

Lorri Kneeland of Brainerd has been a happy Mosquito Squad customer for over four years. “Their product works great, “ said Kneeland. “We have a white dog that always had ticks. Since we’ve been using Mosquito Squad to treat the area we have not seen one tick on her.”

Kneeland called Mosquito Squad as they would be bombarded by mosquitoes whenever they went to their compost bin in their backyard. Kneeland said after the area was treated they felt like they got their yard back from the bugs.

Sherry Rocholl, Black Diamond Equine Center in Crosby, has been having her

Mosquito facts

• Mosquitoes are known from as far back as the Triassic Period — 400 million years ago. They are known from North America from the Cretaceous — 100 million years ago. There are about 2,700 species of mosquito. There are 176 species in the United States.

• The average mosquito weighs about 2.5 milligrams.

• Mosquitoes find hosts by sight (they observe movement); by detecting infrared radiation emitted by warm bodies; and by chemical signals (mosquitoes are attracted to carbon dioxide and lactic acid, among other chemicals) at distances of 25 to 35 meters.

• Mosquitoes fly an estimated 1 to 1.5 miles per hour.

• Bigger people are often more attractive to mosquitoes because they are larger targets and they produce more mosquito attractants, namely CO2 and lactic acid.

• Active or fidgety people also produce more CO2 and lactic acid.

• Smelly feet are attractive to certain species of mosquitoes, as is Limburger cheese.

• Dark clothing has been shown to attract some species of mosquitoes more than lighter colored clothing.

• Movement increased mosquito biting up to 50 percent in some research tests.

• A full moon increased mosquito activity 500 percent in one study.

(Source: The American Mosquito Control Association)

outdoor areas, including her riding arena, sprayed for several years. Rocholl highly praised the services she received, “I love Mosquito Squad. While riding around in our outdoor indoor riding arena we do not have one mosquito.”

See BUGS, Page K5

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Echo Journal, April 16, 2015 • Brainerd Dispatch, April 17, 2015

Spring Home Improvement

Page K5

Put air ducts on spring cleaning checklist

Whether you were looking out your window at a blanket of snow or a grove of palm trees, March is the month when spring finally arrived. And traditionally, this is the time when homeowners begin to make a list of spring cleaning chores to prepare for warmer weather ahead.

Greg Arends with SERVPRO of Brainerd and Park Rapids suggests including heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) duct maintenance on your to-do list.

“At the very least, performing some simple maintenance on the ducts in your home will help your Mosquitoes love shallow pools of standing water. Make sure to tip over wading pools, HVAC system work at containers and other items that hold water where mosquitoes can breed. maximum efficiency,” said PHOTO BY DONNA EVANS Arends. “In some cases, it may highlight a problem you need to address.”

Arends offers the From Page K4 following guidelines based Mosquito Squad uses sprays that are as and individuals can also purchase sprays and on Environmental Protection gentle as possible. But if there is an area that treat their own yard. If using a commercial Agency (EPA) recommendations for routine a customer does not want treated, such as a spraying company, Holznagel suggests maintenance of the HVAC vegetable or wildflower garden, all the contacting the company as soon as possible system in your home: customer has to do is inform the technician as those peak times, such as 4th of July • Maintain filters: Use the weekend, will book up quickly. who will ensure that area is not treated. highest efficiency air filter

BUGS,

After the lakes area’s long winters, there is nothing more enjoyable than being out in the yard. If those pesky bugs are keeping you out of your yard, now’s the time to start making plans to defeat those pests. Following some basic guidelines and finding an effective control barrier will help you to turn the table on those biting bugs.

Donna Evans lives in Merrifield and is a freelance writer and website designer. She owns Plants to Your Door, a landscape nursery that specializes in hostas.

spots. If you see substantial standing water and/or debris in these pans, contact a qualified service professional immediately.

If your system includes an in-duct humidifier, be sure to follow manufacturer operating instructions.

For some homeowners, this routine maintenance may uncover evidence of a larger problem, like mold growth, rodent or insect infestation, or ducts so clogged with dust and debris that particles are being released into the home through air supply registers. Arends says this is the time to call in the professionals for an expert evaluation of the problem and, if necessary, a cleanup plan.

“Restoration and remediation specialists ... can help you determine how serious the problem is,” says Arends. “In many cases, routine maintenance is all that is required. But if the problem could pose a health threat to people living in the house, you need to call in the professionals.”

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Costs for treating an area will vary depending on the size. If a homeowner is treating their own yard, read the product’s label and it will tell you how big of an area it can treat. A commercial applicator will send out a technician, review the area and let you know the cost of treatment. When talking about a commercial application, Rocholl of Black Diamond Equine Center made the comment,”It is worth the money spent.”

There are several lawn and garden companies that provide mosquito spraying

recommended by the manufacturer of your HVAC system and change filters regularly. If your filters become clogged, change them more frequently.

Also, be sure you do not have any missing filters and that air cannot bypass filters through gaps around the filter holder.

• Minimize dust: Dust and vacuum your home regularly, using the highest efficiency filter bags your vacuum cleaner can take – preferably HEPA bags.

If you undertake dusty construction or renovation work in your home, seal off supply and return registers and do not turn your HVAC system on until you have cleaned up the dust.

• Clean cooling coils and drain pans: Cooling coils, which are designed to remove water from the air, can be a major source of moisture contamination that can lead to mold growth in your HVAC system.

Make sure that the drain pans under these coils drain properly and check any nearby insulation for wet

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Page K6

Spring Home Improvement

Echo Journal, April 16, 2015 • Brainerd Dispatch, April 17, 2015

BBB offers tips for hiring a professional organizer The start of spring and the promise of warmer weather to come kindles enthusiasm in many people to create more organized living and work spaces.

But when it comes time to actually do the work, we realize organization takes more patience than some of us have and a professional organizer might be helpful.

The Better Business Bureau (BBB) of Minnesota and North Dakota offers tips to home and business owners before hiring someone to come into their space to sort through valuables and confidential paperwork.

“Getting things organized can be a daunting task but one that often helps us feel much happier in our surroundings,” said Dana Badgerow, president and CEO of BBB of Minnesota and North Dakota. “It’s a good idea to be clear about what an organizer does — and doesn’t — do, and how he or she operates before you allow them access to your home or business.”

The following tips were

compiled by the BBB of Minnesota and North Dakota in consultation with the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO)-Minnesota Chapter: • Check out companies at bbb.org before signing a contract.

• Ask the organizer if they are a member of NAPO MN and about their credentials, experience and training.

• Find out if the organizer is insured.

• Ask the organizer to explain their process so you can gain a clear understanding of what they do and how they go about doing it.

• Ask how you can best prepare for a professional organizer to come to your home or workplace. Find out specifically what the organizer needs from you (you may need to commit personal time to get your home prepared for the organization process).

• Ask about the fee structure. Is it by the job or by the hour? Be clear about your budget and do not sign any contracts until you fully

understand what is or isn’t included in the service.

• Ask for clarification on what their services include; for example, purchasing of supplies for the organization process.

• Think about what kind of person you want to work with (example: Will you work best in a drill sergeant environment or with someone who treats you like a friend?). Ask the potential organizer about their style.

• Ask for an estimate on how long the projects you have in mind will take to complete. Inquire about what might change/modify the timeline.

• Find out how the organizer disposes of items removed from your home or office and if there are additional fees (are the items recycled, donated, shredded?). Make sure you feel comfortable with the plan, especially if items are personal or confidential in nature.

• You can also visit napomn.com to review their code of ethics and to search for an organizer.

Energy efficiency standards make refrigerators, freezers a smart buy It may be time to replace that old energyhog refrigerator or freezer.

U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) energy efficiency standards for refrigerators and freezers took effect Sept. 15, 2014. That means a new refrigerator purchased today will use about 25 percent less energy than most common refrigerator types.

Refrigerators that meet the 2014 standards will use 404 to 624 kilowatt hours (kWh) per year. Comparable units meeting the first standard set in 1978 use 2,248 to 2,951 kWh per year. So, if you replace that old 1970s or 1980s model with a new refrigerator, you will realize an electricity bill savings of $215 to $270 per year, according to the Appliance Standard Awareness Project.

With those savings, a new refrigerator costing $1,500 today would pay for itself via energy savings in about six years.

Consumers can save even more energy — an additional 10 percent — by selecting refrigerators bearing the Energy Star label.

What’s more, today’s more efficient refrigerators are bigger, have more features

such as automatic defrost and through-thedoor ice, and are cheaper than earlier models.

The new standards are a win-win for consumers and the environment. Over 30 years, the standards will save 4.8 quads of energy — or roughly enough to meet the total energy needs for one-fifth of all U.S. households for a year — and consumers will save $36 billion, according to the DOE. The standards will avoid about 344 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions, equivalent to annual greenhouse gas emissions of about 57.8 million automobiles.

When that new refrigerator arrives, take the old one out of service and recycle it.

Don’t sell it or put it in your basement or garage where it will continue to waste energy. Some electric utilities offer rebates for recycling your old refrigerator and for purchasing a new Energy Star unit. Some will remove your old fridge and pay you.

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Echo Journal, April 16, 2015 • Brainerd Dispatch, April 17, 2015

Spring Home Improvement

Page K7

Natural lawns: A green alternative to mowing, fertilizing, heavy maintenance So, I said to my husband, ‘I’d like to do something with this yard.’ He said, ‘You can do anything you want, but I don’t want anything to do with it.’”

Jansen contacted Hiniker, who helped her plan a more naturalized yard.

“Rather than move the northwoods out, I wanted to bring it in,” Jansen said.

“That was key to Bonnie because that’s really her thing.”

Hiniker killed the grass with a layer of newspaper and mulch, and then brought in plants like wild asters and geraniums, honeysuckles, irises, salvias and some less native plants. The end product was a full facelift. The patchy green lawn was transformed into a rainbow of wild flowers, including one very special variety.

“When they put in the new road on County Road 7, we got a permit to go in and rescue lady’s slippers. We brought back a truckload of them. They’ve grown beautifully here,” Jansen said.

Though her husband wanted nothing to do with creating the new yard, Jansen said he loves the ease of care. Her yard went from grass to low maintenance gardens that require only aaa

ABOVE: Norma Jansen's lawn upon moving to their Minnesota cabin was unhealthy due to the acidic, clay soil and dappled shade. Branches and pine needles also made mowing a chore.

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The Sunshine Garden crew installs a natural yard for Norma Jansen after killing most of the grass.

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Homeowners either love or hate yard work.

There’s the cost of gas for mowing, time spent raking and water used to keep lawns alive in the summer.

For those who don’t enjoy such chores, there is a surprising alternative. Go natural.

“You can easily reduce the amount of lawn you mow and make for a more interesting yard both to family or friends,” said Bonnie Hiniker of Sunshine Gardens of rural Backus. “You can spend more time fishing and less mowing.”

Short-cropped green grass is not a natural feature of Minnesota, and for that reason it takes a lot of work to keep it that way. Some landowners are turning to nature as a model for more natural lawns. After all, the wild plants in the woods are more suited to Minnesota than imported grass species.

“Neither fescue or bluegrass likes acidic soil, which we have naturally,” said Hiniker. “Rather than having to lime it to bring it up to proper pH for grass, we can just plant things that have been growing here for thousands of years and re-create the habitat for wildlife that we destroyed when we built our homes. These plants have evolved over the years to live well here. They have deeper roots than grass.”

Hiniker said those roots can be measured in feet rather than inches.

Acidic soil isn’t always the only thing preventing growth of healthy lawns in Minnesota. Sometimes land is sloped, bumpy, full of clay or shady. In those cases, someone who wants a stan-

dard lawn would have to level out their property with heavy machinery. They would have to clear trees and stumps, haul in black dirt or amend their soil to make it suitable for growth.

On the other hand, native Minnesota plants can be selected to suit all of those settings, and sometimes they save time and yearly yard work.

“Lawns are tough to keep alive, especially in shade and partial shade,” Hiniker said.

“It takes a lot of water to keep them green in the summer. Ordinarily, they go dormant in the summer without water and turn brown. With prairie planting, or wildflower and grass planting, they are more beautiful than a brown lawn and they will attract butterflies, hummingbirds and songbirds.”

When she and her husband moved to the shores of Woman Lake in 1999, Norma Jansen found that their front lawn was hampered by all of those problems. Rather than try to make grass work, they decided to say goodbye to grass and hello to wildlife.

“We were up here and had looked at the lawn,” Jansen said. “To me it wasn’t very lovely. The soil was clay so it would have been hard to do anything with it. Plus, the pine trees and pine needles.

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Echo Journal Staff Writer

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BY TRAVIS GRIMLER

Page K8

Echo Journal, April 16, 2015 • Brainerd Dispatch, April 17, 2015

From Page K7

a little pruning, a little fertilizer and mulch.

There isn’t even much weeding.

“It keeps out other weeds, because the plants have taken over enough. I really have minimum weeding to do,” Jansen said.

Because the plants in her yard are natural, they survive weather conditions, pests and other gardener’s banes that might kill grasses. They even form a colony that is somewhat self-sustaining.

“That’s another thing,” Jansen said. “If some of my plants have holes in them, I figure it’s a caterpillar that is doing something, hopefully something good. I rarely use any insecticides or even a lot of extra fertilizer. I mulch. I use compost and good layers of mulch. That adds a lot of nutrients, but it also holds water so you don’t have to water. The moisture is there. By now the plants have been in long enough they have pretty deep roots.”

Pure grass lawns, on the other hand, are prone to problems.

“It’s harder to keep a monoculture healthy.

They’ll get things like snow mold and leaf spots and they are generally hard to keep healthy. The turf grass doesn’t absorb the runoff as well as the deep rooted plants do,” Hiniker said. “They also don’t leave it very fertile, but there are some native plants that

add fertility to soil, like vetches, for instance.”

For Jansen, the garden was a good alternative to grass, especially due to the lake behind their home.

“You had to pick up branches and it just wasn’t attractive,” Jansen said. “It wasn’t in my heart to add fertilizer or try to do anything that wasn’t going to be good for the lake. I think if you live by the lake you have an obligation to take care of it.”

The benefits of such a natural lawn are abundant. There is less mowing, so less gas.

Less runoff and chemicals in water sources, and abundant habitat for birds, frogs and beneficial insects.

“Plants in the milkweed family are helpful in providing habitat for monarch butterflies. The only vegetation they eat is milkweed,” Hiniker said.

Some may worry that having taller plants The yard to the right of the Jansens' path looks entirely different following and more flowers can lead to pests or aller- installation of native plants.

SUBMITTED PHOTO gies, but it all depends on what native plants are chosen for your location.

“It’s probably better (allergies). I do have allergies, but I don’t have the grasses to put up with,” Jansen said.

“Some people are allergic to orchard grass or grandma grass. I’m particularly a person

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From Page K8

a who is allergic to that,” Hiniker said.

“There are more allergy free plants you can use. You want to stay away from things, maybe, in the daisy family. There are things like monarda that are good for butterflies and pollinators. They will result in a better garden pollination, too, if you have vegetables nearby.”

Pests can also be deterred by selective use of plants. Some have natural insecticides, tastes or odors that repel mosquitoes, ticks and other pests. Some repel deer. Many of them attract birds and other pest predators.

Ultimately, natural lawns come in so many customizable shapes and styles, that most issues can be avoided with planning.

Furthermore, there are many different types of natural lawns to choose from.

Hiniker said there are prairie blends, wild flower blends and edible plants.

“There are a lot of options,” Hiniker said.

“These days, when we are looking at California being in its fourth year of drought, we might want to consider growing some things we can eat more locally. There are vegetables that like shade, too, like lettuces and green beans will do better in partial shade. It’s fun to watch those things grow, but we can eat them as a bonus.”

There are even natural grasses if you want the appearance of a lawn with the advantages of native plants.

“There is a low mow mix available if they want to reduce mowing,” Hiniker said. “The disadvantage of just the grass mix is they don’t bring in birds and butterflies.

Wildflower grass mixes would. Some people just want all flowers and don’t want any grasses, and nature would do about 20 percent flowers and 80 percent grasses if you let it go, so you want to have some grasses in there. It’s good to choose the beauty of the grasses we like rather than leaving it to the luck of the draw of nature. We can pick grasses we like with pretty qualities.”

Natural lawns have so many different benefits, including aesthetic appearances, the attraction of songbirds, reduced maintenance and safety. On sloped properties, mowing can be both difficult and dangerous; but with natural plants, there is no need to mow.

With some research and help, naturalizing a lawn can be easy. Hiniker suggests first killing the lawn with 12 layers of newspaper and mulch. This should take two to three months. Then, choose locations for your plants every foot or so and either plant the

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Where there was once just stubborn green grass, an abundance of native flowers and grasses now attract birds and beneficial insects to the Jansens' lakefront property.

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started plants or seeds in those locations.

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Page K10

Spring Home Improvement

Echo Journal, April 16, 2015 • Brainerd Dispatch, April 17, 2015

How safe are your spring cleaning products?

When it’s time to deep clean, try inexpensive and healthier alternatives

BY JODIE TWEED

Do you know what types of chemicals are found in the cleaning products under your sink?

If you’re like most consumers, you probably don’t.

Companies aren’t required to disclose the contents of their cleaning products. Even products that are labeled as “non-toxic� or “natural� could still contain hazardous ingredients, according to the Environmental Working Group, which examined more than 2,000 cleaning products on the market in the United States and found that many contained ingredients linked to serious health problems.

If the smell of pine trees, lemons or bleach is what makes your home seem clean and fresh, it may be time to rethink what “clean� means to you. “The suds in our laundry soap are added just for show,� said Michelle Hoefs, program assistant at Happy Dancing Turtle in Pine River. “It’s been added to trick us into thinking it’s clean. It

suds up and smells good, so we think it’s clean.�

There are inexpensive and effective ways to spring clean your home that don’t involve chemicals that when used over time could affect the health of your family and cause harm to the environment.

Quinn Swanson, sustainability and stewardship coordinator at Happy Dancing Turtle, said she primarily uses vinegar, lemon and baking soda to clean her home.

Her favorite cleaning tool is to sprinkle her sinks and countertops with baking soda and scrub them with half of a lemon. Squeeze the lemon juice out and use the lemon as you would a sponge or wash rag. The rind can also be used as an effective scrubbing tool, said Swanson. “It works really well,� she said. “If you have mineral build-up, let the paste sit and then clean it up.�

Swanson said hot water mixed with a capful of vinegar has been a great wall cleaner for her. She also line dries many fabrics, including

Basic cleaners to have at home Baking soda: Allpurpose, non-toxic cleaner.

Cleans, deodorizes, scours, removes stains and softens water and fabrics.

Borax: A natural mineral that kills mold and bacteria. An alternative to bleach, it deodorizes, removes stains, boosts the cleaning power of soap, softens water, and cleans wallpaper, painted walls and floors.

Castille and vegetable oil-based soaps: Cleans everything.

Fels Naptha soap: A heavy-duty laundry soap that contains no detergents. It can be used as a stain remover, for poison ivy treatments and as a shower cleaner.

Hydrogen peroxide: Used as a disinfectant and can clean blood stains from fabrics.

Isopropyl alcohol: Used as a disinfectant.

Lemon juice: Effective against most household

bacteria, cuts through grease and removes perspiration and other stains from clothing. It can be used as a bleach alternative.

Salt: Used as an abrasive.

Soap: Unscented soap can be used as a liquid, flakes, powder or bar and can be used to clean nearly everything. Avoid soaps containing petroleum distillates.

Toothpaste: Can be used as a mild abrasive.

Vinegar: Cuts grease and removes stains, wax build-up, mildew and odors.

It can be used as a water softener. Be sure to use vinegar made from grain, not petroleum.

Washing soda: Cleans clothes, softens water, cuts grease and disinfects, cleans walls and tiles. Do not use on aluminum.

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now my fingers are all cracked. I think it’s easy to make that connection, that the cleaner must really be effective.�

Hoefs demonstrated how easy it is to make your own laundry detergent to moms at a Central Lakes Mothers of Preschoolers meeting at Lutheran Church of the Cross in Nisswa on April 6.

Hoefs noted that many of the ingredients are inexpensive to buy, and by making your own cleaning products and reusing your containers, you’re not buying more packaging that ends up being

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She also runs vinegar and water through her coffee pot twice, then just runs water for a couple of cycles to clean it out and remove stains and mineral deposits. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve come to view â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;cleanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; as having that crazy smell, whatever it might be, and weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re overpowering our cleaning challenges,â&#x20AC;? Swanson said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;You donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t need a bottle of Lysol spray if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve just spilled coffee. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re using these super bacteria killer cleaners and, unfortunately, it is making us more resistant to different antibiotics. I think we all fall into that mindset that I cleaned the bathtub and

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Echo Journal, April 16, 2015 • Brainerd Dispatch, April 17, 2015

CLEANERS,

From Page K10

packaging that ends up being thrown away.

She brought bins filled with castile soap flakes, baking soda and washing soda and Borax so everyone could bring home a sample of homemade laundry detergent. While there are several recipes available online, Hoefs’ homemade laundry detergent recipe called for 1 cup of grated Castile soap, one-half cup Borax, one-half cup of washing soda and one-

quarter cup of baking soda. Mix together and use one to three tablespoons per laundry load.

“It’s easier and healthier at home for everybody,” Hoefs said.

Her advice is to take baby steps if you want to start using healthier cleaning products at home. Find a homemade laundry detergent recipe you’d like to try and make that. If you’d rather not make your own cleaning products, then visit the Environmental Working Group website, www.ewg.org, and find out what are the safest cleaners and other products

Page K11

you can buy to use in your home.

Swanson said spring cleaning is also a great time of year to think about decluttering and simplifying your home. Host a garage sale or donate items you no longer use or don’t want. She said women in particular seem to hold on to clothing, even if they haven’t worn it for a long time. If you haven’t worn it in the past year, donate or sell it.

If you have less clutter, there is less to clean.

Jodie Tweed is a freelance writer who lives in Pequot Lakes.

Green spring cleaning tips Here are some suggestions on how to spring clean around your home, using many basic cleaning products you may already have in your home.

Kitchen Floors and counters: Use vinegar and water to clean most floor surfaces.

To disinfect counters, use 2 tablespoons of Borax, onequarter cup lemon juice and 2 cups of hot water.

Oven: Sprinkle baking soda or salt on a spill and wet with water if necessary.

For tough spills, sprinkle with baking soda and let sit overnight. Wipe off and scour with liquid soap.

Refrigerator: Use a mix of baking soda and water.

Clean with a wet cloth.

Drain cleaning: Mix one-half cup salt in four quarts of water. Heat and pour down the drain. For stronger clogs, pour onehalf cup baking soda then add one-half cup vinegar.

After 15 minutes, pour boiling water to clear residue.

Dishwasher: Mix equal parts of Borax and washing soda. Use more washing soda if you have hard water. For spot-free washing, add one cup vinegar to

color

the rinse compartment.

Laundry Room Static cling: Add one cup vinegar to the final rinse cycle and remove clothes when slightly damp.

Stains: Wet stains are easier to remove than dry stains. Try the following: • Blood: Use hydrogen peroxide.

• Sweat: Spray with white vinegar, apply liquid dish soap or ammonia.

• Dye or marker: Rub with vodka then flush with hot water.

• Ink: Push liquid detergent through the stain onto paper towels under clothing.

• Latex paint: Soak in cold water.

• Rust: Do not use chlorine bleach. Sprinkle salt on white garments, squeeze lemon juice on it and dry in the sun, or rub with cream of tartar and lemon juice.

• Grass: Soak in either glycerin or washing soda before washing.

Bleach: Substitute oxygen bleach for chlorine bleach. Sunlight is a natural bleach for clothing.

Laundry aides: Borax or washing soda can be added to the wash or dis-

tilled vinegar can be added to the rinse cycle to kill bacteria, soften water and remove detergent build-up.

You can also make your own homemade laundry detergent.

Bathroom Scouring powders: Use baking soda or dry table salt. Place on the surface, scour and rinse.

Mildew remover: Dissolve one-half cup vinegar with one-half cup Borax in warm water.

Toilet bowl cleaner: Sprinkle baking soda in the bowl and then squirt with vinegar and scour with a toilet brush. For stubborn stains, mix Borax and lemon juice into a paste to cover a stubborn toilet ring; let sit for two hours and then scrub thoroughly.

Shower heads: For metal shower heads, combine one-half cup white vinegar and one quarter water and completely submerge the shower head and boil for 15 minutes. For plastic shower heads, combine one pint white vinegar and one pint hot water and completely submerge the shower head and soak for about one hour.

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Rinse thoroughly with clean water. To clean grout, put three cups of baking soda into a medium-sized bowl and add one cup warm water. Mix into a smooth paste and scrub into grout with a sponge or toothbrush. Rinse thoroughly.

Plumbing fixtures: To clean stainless steel, chrome, fiberglass, ceramic, porcelain or enamel fixtures, dissolve two tablespoons of baking soda in one quart water. Wipe on fixtures and then rinse.

Hard lime deposits around faucets can be softened for easy removal by covering the deposits with vinegarsoaked paper towels. Leave the paper towels on for about one hour before cleaning. It leaves chrome clean and shiny.

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Echo Journal, April 16, 2015 • Brainerd Dispatch, April 17, 2015

Call 811 before you dig in your yard You don’t want to accidentally hit anything Inspectors on scene after a natural gas emergency hear it often: “I noticed a strange smell but didn’t know what it was so I didn’t do anything.”

That rotten-egg smell could mean there is a natural gas leak — and it could be deadly.

The best way to avoid an emergency or unintentionally striking an underground facility is to call 811 before you dig.

April is Safe Digging Month in Minnesota.

As winter-weary homeowners get ready to enjoy the warm weather and tackle their spring yard projects, the Minnesota Department of Public Safety Office of Pipeline Safety (MNOPS) reminds Minnesotans to call before they dig.

“When you’re planning your spring project do not forget to call 811 at least two business days prior to digging,” State Fire Marshal and MNOPS Director Bruce West said. “It’s a free service in place to protect you, your family and your community.”

Building a deck, planting a tree or replacing your mailbox can be dangerous if people don’t know what’s below before they start digging. Buried underground facilities — including electric and natural gas lines — can run inches from the surface and be easily damaged with household tools.

State law requires anyone excavating to notify Gopher State One Call (GSOC) at least two days before beginning a project so utility companies can mark the approximate

get

klicked

Take precautions Signs there may be a gas leak • A rotten-egg smell.

• Dirt or dust blowing from a hole in the ground.

• Blowing or hissing sounds.

• Dead vegetation.

If you suspect a natural gas leak • Stop digging and ensure everyone clears the area.

• Do not use electrical devices like light switches, phones or garage door openers.

• Call 911 from a safe location and alert your neighbors.

• Do not try to locate the source of the leak or shut off any natural gas valves. location of potentially hazardous underground facilities.

Digging without knowing the location of underground utilities increases the likelihood of unintentional damage, which can cause serious injuries, service disruptions and repair costs.

Call 811 first so you don’t have to call 911 later. Or go to the GSOC website and request underground utilities near the area you’re digging be marked.

Get an advanced energy audit It’s not too late to get that advanced home energy audit you’ve been promising yourself and make 2015 the year you start to save energy and cut your utility bill costs.

Many people assume there is little they can do to significantly reduce their energy use and increase the efficiency of their homes. In reality, there are many things that residents can do themselves and many other things they can hire others to do.

The Minnesota Department of Commerce strongly recommends having an advanced home energy assessment, or home energy audit, before embarking on home energy improvements or remodeling.

An assessment of how your house is functioning can help you decide what needs fixing, upgrading or replacing. It will identify some simple low-cost measures you can take,

such as weather-stripping doors or installing high efficiency light bulbs, and it will determine more expensive but costeffective measures, such as adding insulation to attics or walls and replacing furnaces or water heaters.

Energy audits will vary by price and the level of detail and types of tests provided. The most comprehensive energy assessment would include the following: • A review of energy bills to help assess home performance and identify opportunities for savings.

• A blower-door test to determine air leakage.

• Infrared scans of walls, attic and foundation to assess insulation levels and locate sources of air leaks.

• Efficiency and safety testing for combustion appliances (furnaces, boilers, gas fireplaces and water heaters) to ensure

they are operating properly and not contributing to indoor air concerns.

• A visual inspection for attic, wall, crawlspace, foundation, basement, window, door and roof problems.

Contact your gas or electric utility to arrange an energy assessment.

Neighborhood energy groups often partner with utilities to deliver energy audits. For instance, the Neighborhood Energy Connection works with Xcel Energy to perform audits, and the Center for Energy and Environment partners with Xcel Energy and CenterPoint Energy to provide a service called Home Energy Squad Enhanced.

For more information on home energy assessments and energy-saving improvements, check out the Minnesota Department of Commerce “Home Envelope” energy guide.

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Echo Journal, April 16, 2015 • Brainerd Dispatch, April 17, 2015

Keep your home cool — efficiently

BY DAN DETERMAN Echo Journal Staff Writer

Though we have only glimpsed them so far this spring, warm temperatures are right around the corner.

With those warm temperatures come warm homes and warm people often uncomfortably so.

It is during that time that up to 50 percent of your annual energy is consumed, simply by trying to keep your home comfortable. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, American homeowners spend roughly $11 billion every year to power their air conditioners.

When the temperature rises outside, many will go as long as they can before they reach for the air conditioner’s dial.

People can undertake a number of personal measures to keep cool - such as taking a cold shower or

wearing lighter clothing but the best defense against the heat, before flipping the switch on the air conditioner, is a properly working ceiling fan.

Ceiling fans are the most effective type of fan, because they effectively circulate the air in a room to create a draft throughout an entire room.

It is important to remember that fans cool people by creating a wind chill effect, but it will not cool off a room. There is little reason to keep a fan going in a room you are not occupying.

Also, using a ceiling fan in conjunction with an air conditioner allows people to set the thermostat roughly four degrees higher than they normally would without a reduction in comfort, according to the Department of Energy. Just

remember, the fan needs to be turning counter clockwise to cool the area.

But eventually, we will all hit that tipping point where the heat and humidity will get to us, and we need to turn on the air conditioner. After that, it is hard turn it off for the rest of the summer.

When that point is finally reached, Gordy Nelson of Advantage Heating and Cooling in Backus suggests individuals perform the most basic of maintenance tasks to keep your unit as efficient as possible.

“Probably the most important thing to remember is to keep your filter clean,” Nelson said. “We get a lot of service calls because of dirty filters.

You reduce the airflow, and the coil will freeze.”

Nelson also encourages

people to avoid setting their air conditioner too low, and try to muscle through a 74- or 75-degree home to save some money.

The smaller the difference between the temperatures outside the home and inside, the lower your energy bill will be.

Also, brush and grass clippings lodged in an outdoor unit can greatly affect its efficiency.

If your unit is older, it may be more efficient and cost effective (in the long run) to purchase a new model, as a new unit can be up to 15 percent more efficient.

But above all else, make sure a unit is working as it should.

“Keep the filter clean, and keep the outdoor coil clean,” Nelson said. “Keep brush and debris away from an outdoor unit.”

Spring Home Improvement

Page K13

Save energy with Energy Star Home Advisor Looking for an easy way to improve your home’s energy efficiency, comfort and value?

Check out the Energy Star Home Advisor, an online tool that can help you discover many ways to save energy and money. The Home Advisor will help create a profile of your home’s energy efficiency features, send you a list of customized energy-saving recommendations, help you learn about financial incentives and track your progress.

The Home Advisor provides three simple steps: • Create your home’s energy profile. In as little as five minutes, you can develop your My Energy Star profile page and get a place to store your energy data in one location.

• Get customized recommendations. Once you have a personalized profile page, you can view energysaving recommendations tailored to your needs as well as latest Energy Star

information on products.

• Improve your efficiency and track your results. You can build your own to-do list and gauge your impact. For instance, with each energysaving measure implemented, the Home Advisor will calculate and display how your actions are reducing your carbon footprint.

Each time you log into your My Energy Star profile page, it will alert you to “rewards” and other incentives that are available for your energy measures. For example, you may be eligible for rebates for CFL and LED bulbs, incentives for installing Energy Star appliances, rebates for high efficiency HVAC equipment and more.

Energy Star is a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency program that helps businesses and individuals save money and protect our climate through superior energy efficiency.

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Spring Home Improvement

Echo Journal, April 16, 2015 • Brainerd Dispatch, April 17, 2015

Simple tips to sell a home Real estate agents offer advice on improvements to lure homebuyers

BY CHARLY HALEY Forum News Service

Even when homes are selling well, real estate agents say it’s helpful to fix up a house before listing it for sale.

It’s not necessary to empty your wallet before selling your home, but a few small remodeling projects can improve your house’s value and its appeal to potential buyers, said Larry Hondl, real estate agent with Oxford Realty in Grand Forks, N.D. Local real estate agents listed the following areas of home improvement as most effective before listing your home for sale: Curb appeal Landscaping, outside paint, the front door and other aspects of a house someone can see from the street are important to improve because they’re the first impression for a potential buyer.

“Sometimes the curb appeal items will pay back the most,” said Blake Christianson, real estate agent at Greenberg Realty in Grand Forks.

Those first-impression improvements can be more elaborate, such as a new garage door or new windows, but they can also be simple, like a fresh coat of paint or just keeping the front yard clean, Hondl said.

Kitchen and bathrooms Inside the house, the real estate agents agreed the No. 1 spots people can invest their money for improvements are the kitchen and the bathrooms.

This could be as basic as new handles on cabinets,

new countertops or fresh paint, said Mike Marcotte, real estate agent with Coldwell Banker. He also suggested keeping these simple improvements neutral, such as beige or light gray paint, to appeal to the greatest number of potential buyers.

Bigger projects may include updated tile flooring or new sinks, Hondl said.

Updated light fixtures are also a good idea, he added.

Improving the kitchen and bathrooms tends to pay off because those rooms can be most difficult to improve because of plumbing and other factors, so a potential buyer tends to be happy when a kitchen or bathroom doesn’t need updates, Christianson said.

Simple fixes All three real estate agents warned against overspending while trying to improve your home for a sale.

Improvement projects must stay within the scope of your home’s original value, they said. For example, a $40,000 kitchen would be unrealistic on a $150,000 house, Hondl said.

A good rule of thumb is for homeowners to spend $1,000 per year for every $100,000 their home is worth, Hondl said. So, $3,000 worth of improvements per year is realistic for a $300,000 home.

Much of that could come from just maintaining your house, such as replacing a furnace when it breaks, he said.

“Your home is an invest-

ment, and most people want to protect their investment,” Hondl said.

If you’re unsure which home improvement projects will give you the most return when it comes time to sell, Marcotte suggested consulting a real estate agent.

Relatively inexpensive fixes that can be made throughout a home include: stripping old wallpaper, adding new paint or new light fixtures and replacing “blatantly obvious” problems, such as a missing lightswitch cover, Hondl said.

And free improvements that every homeowner should do before trying to sell a house include making sure your home is clean, keeping it uncluttered and maintaining your lawn, Hondl said.

Save energy by maintaining, repairing windows and doors Windows, doors and skylights are often a weak energy link in homes.

These spots can account for a significant portion of a home’s heat loss in the winter and heat gain in the summer.

Because new windows and doors are expensive, it is important to determine when repairs make sense and when replacement is the right choice.

Simple maintenance and inexpensive repairs can extend the life of windows and doors and delay the need for replacement. The following are some common window and door problems and fixes to improve the performance and durability of windows and doors: • Damaged components: Cracked or missing panes of glass in doors and windows are obvious locations for leakage and energy loss. Replacement is best, but sealing with caulking can be a good temporary fix. Older windows may use a glazing compound (putty) to hold the glass to the frame.

• Defective air-sealing. The gap between jamb and framing may be empty or stuffed with fiberglass insulation. Gently removing inside trim will reveal this space, allowing for application of a window and door spray foam product or caulking. A quick and inexpensive fix for leaky windows can

be the application of shrink-wrapped film on the inside.

• Loose or missing hardware.

Latches, hinges and the operating parts for crank-out windows can become loose or damaged. Often a simple tightening of screws will do the trick.

• Improper exterior flashing.

Properly installed flashing diverts water to the outside of the siding, preventing intrusion into the wall or window/door unit.

• Worn or damaged weatherstripping. The performance and durability of windows and doors is tied closely to weather-stripping. Installing effective weather-stripping will prevent air infiltration around windows and doors and conserve energy. You should weather-strip all doors that lead to unheated areas, such as the attic, garage, or unheated basement.

You can also improve the energy efficiency of existing windows by adding storm windows, replacing window sashes and installing window treatments or coverings.

For more information on repairing and replacing windows and doors, see the Home Energy Guide (pages 21-25).

Check out the U.S. Department of Energy web pages on windows, doors and skylights.

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Page K14

Echo Journal, April 16, 2015 • Brainerd Dispatch, April 17, 2015

Spring Home Improvement

Page K15

Five tips to save energy at home when you’re away on summer vacation Are you planning an extended summer vacation — one week, two weeks or more?

Before leaving town, there are several simple steps you can take to save energy in your home, and save money.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) offers the following tips: • Turn down the temperature on your water heater. Water heating accounts for up to 20 percent of annual energy costs in a Minnesota home. No sense heating the water if you are not home to use it.

Instead of the recommended setting of 120 degrees F, lower the temperature 10-20 degrees or turn the control knob to “vacation mode.”

• Set your thermostat (programmable or manual) at a higher temperature than usual.

Again, no sense cooling your home if you’re not there. The Environmental Protection Agency recommends setting your air conditioning system thermostat at 85 degrees so the AC will occasionally turn on to remove the humidity.

• Reduce standby power loads. Standby power, or the electric power consumed by electronics and appliances when they are switched off or in standby mode, costs the average U.S. household $100 per year. You can cut standby power by using power strips and turning them off when electronics and appliances are not in use, unplugging electronics when not in use, and using Energy Star products, which use less standby power. Some appliances, such as refrigerators and freezers, you will want to

keep on.

• Keep window shades and curtains drawn to help keep the house cool from the afternoon sun.

• Make sure all lights are turned off. For lights on a security timer, use energyefficient CFL or LED lights.

For a range of energy-saving tips, visit the DOE Energy Saver website or check out Consumer Energy Guides offered by the Minnesota Department of Commerce, Division of Energy Resources.

Commerce Department offers 10 basic no-cost or low-cost ways to stay cool, save energy, reduce emissions As we anticipate the hot days of summer with temperatures over 90 degrees, the Minnesota Department of Commerce, Division of Energy Resources reminds consumers of some simple no-cost or lowcost energy-saving tips to help keep cool, conserve energy and reduce utility bills.

“There are some basic steps we can all take to reduce our energy use over the hot summer months,” said Commerce Commissioner Mike Rothman. “These measures are kind to both our pocketbooks and the environment. Reducing energy use decreases carbon emissions from burning coal and petroleum products and this has a positive impact on our air and water quality.”

Check out the following 10 tips to keep cool, save money, and help prevent unnecessary power outages by easing high demand of electric power this summer: • Close curtains and blinds and pull shades during the hottest times of the day to keep the hot sun out.

• Set your thermostat to allow your house to be warmer than normal when you are away; when you are at home and need cooling, adjust your thermostat to 78 degrees (or higher), or to the highest setting that allows you to be safe and comfortable.

A programmable thermostat will make this easy.

• Keep doors and windows closed when cooling your home.

• Keep air conditioner coils clean and free of dust and dirt to increase the

efficiency and life of your air conditioner; replace filters regularly.

• Use fans to produce a wind-chill effect and reduce air conditioning demand; turn the fans off when not in the room.

• Enroll in utility energy-saving programs (such as air conditioning “saver” switches) to get discounts on summer electric bills.

• Use a microwave instead of an oven to cook; ovens take longer to cook and can make your house warmer, requiring more of your AC system.

• Wash only full loads of dishes and clothes; air dry dishes and dry clothes outside.

• Take short showers — with low-flow showerheads — instead of baths to reduce hot water use.

• Turn off lights, TVs, entertainment systems and computers and monitors when not needed or not in use.

Getting a home energy assessment requires a fee, but it is a first step to identifying a wide range of energy-saving measures. Gas or electric utilities can arrange energy assessments and often underwrite some of the cost.

For a host of summertime energy-saving tips, check out the U.S. Department of Energy’s Energy Saver website. Also, the Commerce Department’s Division of Energy Resources (DER) offers consumer energy guides that cover many energy-saving suggestions. Check out DER’s series of Minnesota Energy Tips.

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Page K16

Spring Home Improvement

Echo Journal, April 16, 2015 â&#x20AC;˘ Brainerd Dispatch, April 17, 2015

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