Welcome to the Comfort Zone Blog

Grease and food splatter can turn your beautiful cabinets into a genuine kitchen nightmare. The easiest way to remove stubborn, stuck-on food build-up is by using mild detergent and mixture of water and vinegar. Use a soft bristled toothbrush to clean around door handles, drawer pulls, and cabinet faces then wipe away traces of the detergent with a combination of water and vinegar. Once clean shine the cabinets with fragrant orange oil. It will create a glossy shine and protect them from further attacks of grime.

Over time, natural stone counter tops such as granite can become exposed to spills which may cause stains. The best way to remove any stain is to determine its cause. If your stain is water based, use a mixture of baking soda and hydrogen peroxide to remove it. If your stain is oil based create a mixture of baking soda and water to form a paste. Apply the paste over the stained area and allow it to sit for several hours. For stubborn stains, leave the mixture on overnight. After time, rinse and dry the counter top and watch as your granite is restored!

Instead of pouring bleach-infused scouring powder into your sink, simply take a lime wedge and dab it in baking soda. Scrub the stainless sink in a circular motion and repeat as necessary. When completed rinse the area with warm water removing all of the baking soda.  Polish the sink with a soft, cotton towel until it shines.

Water mineral deposits can build up on the inside of your toilet causing it to be less effective by restricting the free flow of water from the tank to the bowl. This will lead to a weak and inconsistent flush.  To regain your flushing power use a common household funnel to pour a quart of white vinegar into the overflow tube (located in the back tank). Allow the vinegar to work inside your toilet overnight before flushing to dissolve and loosen the calcium hard water build ups. Repeat as necessary.

When temperatures drop an ice dam may form as snow melts off of your roof and refreezes in your gutters. This blockage can cause excessive unwanted water runoff, damage to your shingles or eaves, and even leaks in your ceiling. Ice dams may be prevented by keeping your entire roof the same temperature as your eaves with proper ventilation, additional insulation, and professionally sealed air ducts. Of course, if an ice dam has already formed, rock salt can be used to melt the ice and reestablish water flow.

Have you ever heard your toilet refill itself without being flushed? This is known to plumbers as a phantom flush and is caused by a slow leak from the tank into the bowl. This is a result of a bad flapper or flapper seat and can be repaired relatively inexpensively.

During your Thanksgiving Day feast preparation or clean-up never pour grease, oil, or liquid fat down your drain. Once cool, the waste will solidify and can cause a blockage.  Also, be sure to avoid disposing of egg shells, animal bones, and stringy or tough-peeled vegetables down your drain as they can cause a clog or may damage your garbage disposal.

Have a stripped, stubborn, or just plain stuck screw? Place a wide rubber band between the screw and the screw driver, then apply a slow but strong force as you turn. The rubber band will fill in the gaps of the stripped screw and allow you to loosen or completely remove it.

Compact Fluorescent Bulbs (CFLs) use about 75% less energy than traditional bulbs so it makes sense that many homeowners are installing them throughout their homes – but should they be used to replace the ordinary bulb in your garage door opener? While a CFL will not damage your opener and have about a 10x longer lifespan, the electrical interference from the CFL’s ballast may reduce the operating range of your transmitter.

When installing a new carbon monoxide detector or alarm in your home, remember that the device should be positioned at least 15 feet away from every fuel-burning appliance, placed outside every sleeping area on every level of your home, and replaced every 5 years. Keep these basic ideas in mind to create a safe atmosphere for your family.

You can prevent your bathroom mirror from fogging up after a steamy morning shower by applying a small amount of car wax to the mirror and buffing it with a soft cloth. As an alternative, you can use shaving cream or non-gel toothpaste in a similar fashion to create a protective fog-fighting barrier.

Go for the gold tin! If you’re looking to increase the speed of your daily ironing exercises try placing tin foil under your ironing board cover. The foil will reflect the heat back through the clothing smoothing wrinkles in record time by amplifying the heat that is normally absorbed into the ironing pad or board.

If you must water your outdoor plants during a heat wave it is best to do so as early in the morning as possible and never during the heat of the day. During hot days, plants are closed up tight to retain moisture and watering them can lead to plant disease.

When your D-I-Y weekend project comes to a standstill as a result of a rusted bolt or other hardware, try spraying the rust with vinegar or ammonia to remove it. For more serious cases, soak a cloth in vinegar and let it cover the metal for several minutes. It should eat away the rust and have your project back on track in no time.

If having ants in your home is not your idea of a summer picnic, seal any windows, doors, and other exterior cracks with caulk. This will create a barrier against ants from marching into your home and will be safer than alternative methods of extermination if you have children or pets. Plus, the new sealant will stop cool air from escaping.

Excessive Heat Warnings are put into effect when an extreme heat index reaches above 105 degrees F for three or more hours during two consecutive days. Pay attention to your local weather warnings and always take the proper precautions to stay safe during heat waves.

If you are grilling foods with sauces or rubs that contain sugar, keep your grill temperature below 265 degrees F. At this temperature sugar burns and so will your food. 

For the perfect balance of comfort and savings we suggest setting your programmable thermostat to 78 degrees in the summer. Keep in mind that if you prefer your home a bit cooler, every degree you lower the temperature will cost you on average 3% to 5% more on your utility bill.

Adhesives can often bleed through vinyl flooring creating unsightly yellow “bottom-up” stains. Before removing  and replacing the entire floor consider covering the area with new vinyl. The stains will not bleed through both layers and the original flooring will make a great underlayment.

Up to 40% of your cooling costs could be spent cooling air lost through gaps in your duct-work. If you own an older air conditioning system with older duct-work, examine your ducts for cracks, splits or bad connections and use foil tape to seal any openings. While this may seem like an easy fix, it is often temporary and it is always recommended to have a professional inspect your duct-work. A professional sealing will last longer and be more efficient.

Many homeowners believe that leaving a fan on when no one is home will cool a room. This is not true. Fans cool your skin but do not lower room temperature. When a fan circulates air in a room the air moves across your skin and you feel cooler even though the air temperature in the room remains the same. If you run a fan when no one is there to feel its benefits, the only thing you’re doing is wasting electricity.

Old food and disgusting grime are the perfect combination for a horrible smelling drain. Eliminate unwanted odors by pouring in a cup of baking soda and letting it sit for 20 minutes. After the baking soda absorbs the odors wash it down with acidic vinegar which will react with the baking soda causing it to bubble and clean the drain. Other stench-busting remedies include the use of essential oils and citrus peels such as lemons or oranges.

Be careful not to over pre-rinse your dirty dishes before loading your dishwasher. Doing so can waste water and energy and if no food remains for the detergent to attack, it can leave your glassware cloudy.

Put food coloring in your toilet tank. If the color seeps into the toilet bowl without flushing, you have a leak. Fixing it can save up to 1,000 gallons of wasted water per month and help you conserve water like a pro!

When purchasing a new water heater for your home, be sure the installation technicians are fully trained and certified. If your new water heater is oversized or undersized, you may find yourself paying higher than expected utility bills or not receiving the performance your home requires.

Many ceiling fans are equipped with a switch that reverses the direction of the fan’s blades. A counterclockwise rotation will produce a cool breeze while a clockwise rotation will help recirculate warm air that has pooled near the ceiling back into your living space. Making proper use of your ceiling fan during winter months can cut your heating costs as much as 10%!

If you suffer from allergies consider using electrostatic furnace filters. They may be more expensive than pleated or woven fiberglass filters but they also capture smaller particles and need less changing.