SERVING HENDRICKS COUNTY SINCE 1847
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MASTERING THE HOUSE Tim Paino
Owner/Inspector Heartland HouseMaster
useful tips for homeowners
The Clogged Drain One of those frustrating things in life is the clogged drain. There are several reasons that a drain may clog and accordingly, there are several ways to remedy the problem. The first and best remedy is to prevent the problem before it happens. Keeping items from going down the drain that may lead to a clog is always number one. Only flush things down a stool that will bio-degrade in manageable quantities. Too much of even a good thing can be more than our drainpipes can accept. Keep hair from going down the bathroom sink. If an occupant tends to use the sink to catch the hair that falls from their head, maybe a screen would help prevent it from going down the drain. Many times, the hair will become caught on the stopper mechanics in the drain, the hair then catches other products, and before long the sink is draining slowly. The first thing many of us grab is that plunger and start working the sink. There are two basic types of plungers, the sink or cup type that looks like a bowl turned upside down and the toilet plunger which has a flange added to sink plunger. You make sure the plunger has a tight seal to the sink, keeping the seal in place, make several quick strokes attempting to push the clog further down the drain. If the clog is cleared, you will want to follow this with some hot water to make sure all the leftover debris is washed away. The problem is the hair may be snarled around the stopper mechanics it then resists moving. The next step for the DIYer would be to remove the U-pipe, also referred to as the P-trap. Make sure you have something to catch the water and clog that will come pouring down once the trap has been loosened. You can always turn to the commercial drain clearing chemicals, but you can risk harming the fixtures or pipes with their harshness. A less abrasive approach would be baking soda and vinegar. This makes a great volcano for your grade school project or a good natural drain cleaner. After using the baking soda to help control the odors in your refrigerator, take a cup of baking soda and pour it down the drain. Immediately follow the baking soda with a cup of vinegar down the drain. Watch for a fizzing in the drain and five minutes after the fizzing stops, flush the drain with two quarts of hot water. Repeat this process until the clog clears. For that stubborn clog, try pouring a cup of baking soda and a half cup of salt down the drain and let the mixture stay in the drain overnight before flushing it with two cups of boiling water. Both are natural methods that will not harm your pipes nor the environment. It is even a good idea to use this process as regular maintenance for those drains that are problematic. Next is keeping that garbage disposal working for you. ______________________________________________
A Note From Bee Often times the parade committee has a hard time deciding who will Parade Marshal for the Brownsburg Fourth of July parade. The Parade Marshal should be someone who has contributed to the community. My husband was chosen as Parade Marshal in 2016. He had been on the parade committee for 30 years and chaired the parade committee for about 24 years. He was very active in the American Legion and on several town boards. Normally Nick Xenopoulos would have called him and asked him to be Parade Marshal. He left it up to our family. We had a family dinner and announced it to him. Of course, he was ecstatic to have received such an honor. We have a small family and a friend arranged for a special farm wagon pulled by a tractor to take all the family. He and I were driven by Dr. Sexton in his Bentley convertible. It was very special to see many of our friends along the parade route many of whom we had not seen in years. It was, and still is, so heart warming to see families pulling wagons with young children and whole families walking to the parade. With so many things changing let’s hope this never changes. Nick Xenopoulos with much hard work has managed to continue this tradition. Danny Nelson is going to be this year’s Parade Marshal.
The Republican
Voices
We offer Voices as a place to share a story, a memory, an idea, a comment, a criticism, or a solution. Contributors must include name, address & phone number.
ASK MR. TRAFFIC By Chet Skwarcan, PE, President/ Founder of Traffic Engineering, Inc. Chet@TrafficEngineering.com
Your Mental Health By Chase Cotton The Willow Center 317-852-3690
3 Easy Nature Moments that Benefit Your Mental Health Although many students welcome the summer season as a time of rest and recuperation, for most of us (adults) it is just another season of the daily “8 to 5 grind.” Perhaps you have felt it too, that sneaking thought of “I really don’t feel like it today,” or, “I wish the weekend would get here sooner!” These thoughts can actually be a sign of stress and burnout. The sunny heat on top of these feelings can seem almost oppressive! Despite the heat, there has never been a better time than now to get outside into nature in order to help reduce your stress and improve your mental health. Over the past several decades, multiple researchers have been studying the link between spending time in nature and our mental-emotional wellbeing. According to the American Psychological Association, some of the benefits include “improved attention, lower stress, better mood, reduced risk of psychiatric disorders and even upticks in empathy and cooperation.” However, as any adult may attest to, it takes time and intention for us to really commit to something that could be good for us. We are busy, busy, busy! Aside from work, there are chores to do, kids to take care of, and expectations to meet. How are we supposed to make time for something as “trivial” as improving our moods? It is best to start simple by identifying ways to integrate nature time into your daily routine. Here are 3 ways you can get outside this week to help improve your mental health: 1) The After-Dinner Walk – Before you get started on dishes, grab the dog and the kids and head out for a brief stroll around the block. According to a study in the UK of 20,000 adults, even as little as a 30-minute jaunt outdoors four days per week can lead to “significantly greater health and well-being.” 2) The Weekend Picnic – Although incorporating something physical like walking is ideal, even sedentary time outside is helpful for regulating the brain. Consider packing some PB&J sandwiches for lunch on Saturday and finding a nice shady spot at your local park to spend a few minutes just sitting and enjoying the green space. In a study published in 2019, “contact with nature is associated with increases in happiness, subjective well-being, positive affect, positive social interactions and a sense of meaning and purpose in life, as well as decreases in mental distress.” 3) The Mediation Moment – This one is perhaps the easiest for us to participate in. This week, consider taking your morning coffee or tea outside and give yourself 5-10 minutes of breathing time as the day starts. Yes, you may have to set your alarm a bit earlier, but these few minutes of focused breathing while outside in nature can make all the difference in how you feel that day. Spending time outside for the benefit of our mental health does not require expensive beach getaways or or remote, lengthy camping trips. By implementing these three simple nature moments into your weekly routines, you can help manage your daily stress and help prevent feelings of depression and anxiety. References: https://www.apa.org/monitor/2020/04/nurtured-nature _____________________________________________
Happy Independence Day from WYRZ!
Bee Jones ______________________________________________
Neither a borrower nor a lender be... William Shakespeare
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The Republican
P.O. Box 149, Danville, IN 46122 317-745-2777 therepublican@sbcglobal.net
Thursday, July 1, 2021
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Crash Course in Traffic Engineering Updated and Revised In its simplest form, traffic engineering involves three objectives. The first is identifying solutions to relieve existing traffic problems. The second is to anticipate future traffic and determine what improvements should be in place when the future arrives. The third is, well, I think we all know what the third one is... The first approach is reactive — the second one is proactive. Both are important. Both are necessary. Although preventing problems seems more prudent than fixing problems, not all traffic problems can be anticipated and some anticipated problems never materialize. In general, traffic tends to increase 1-2 percent per year no matter what. We’re not sure where this extra traffic comes from. Maybe something going on in the next town that we don’t know about or maybe there are just more cars on the road. In any case, history shows again and again: traffic increases. Eventually, this increase in traffic is “noticed” and improvements considered. The improvements generally involve optimizing and/or interconnecting traffic signals, adding turn lanes, roundabouts, improved connectivity, pavement markings or signage. There is a second type of traffic growth. This type is more easily identified as it is associated with a particular development — typically residential or commercial. The goal in this case is to maximize access for the development and minimize the impact to existing traffic in the area. Improvements in this case generally involve optimizing and/ or interconnecting traffic signals, adding turn lanes, roundabouts, improved connectivity, pavement markings or signage. The point is this, as much as thriving communities result in additional traffic, traffic solutions exist for existing problems as well as future problems. And if a future problem doesn’t become a problem? Well, in that case, don’t fix it. ______________________________________________
A Squirrel About Town By Archy Archy was describing the latest meeting of the Squirrel Salon, where the erudite of his species gathered to philosophize. “It was all about perception,” he explained. “How we see what we see and how we see what we can’t see.” That seemed reasonable enough, I thought. “Cattle crossings, for instance,” he continued. I was familiar with the subject, having seen many of the in-ground barriers with slated floor beams that were supposed to keep cows from walking across them. “They lack depth perception,” the squirrel went on. “To the cattle, it seems like a bottomless pit so they won’t try to cross it. It leaves the roadway open for farm vehicles without having to open and close gates.” “And how did that relate to humans?” I asked, assuming it would since most of the Squirrel Salon was spent in discussing human behavior. Archy raised a eyebrow. “Why poor perception is what keeps many humans from seeing what’s right in front of them,” he said. “Look around. Humans are always assuming a perception when there isn’t one. They like to think that an unseen force is holding them back from what’s on the other side of the fence. The majority of their perceptions lack depth. It’s how you use your vision,” Archy explained. “You have to recognize what’s right in front of you. Really look at it from all sides.” “The optimist sees the donut,” I said, “the pessimist sees the hole.” “Exactly,” said the squirrel. “Let’s go see if Red’s has any day-old donuts!
