Rural Living

Last Updated on June 13th, 2019

Air Conditioning Maintenance – By keeping your air conditioner well-maintained, not only will you avoid costly repair bills in the long term, but it can help reduce your energy costs right away.

When an air conditioner is in disrepair or even when there’s just dirt built upon the components, it has to work a lot harder to keep working.

Each year, air conditioners will cost homeowners $29 billion a year– and that’s in energy costs alone.

When you figure in maintenance and replacements, that number can quickly end up being more than half a trillion dollars a year.

Whether you’re looking for air conditioning installation in Aurora, CO, or want to ensure that your current system lasts another decade, these are maintenance steps you should keep in mind.

Air Conditioning Maintenance

The savings you get will probably be worth a small investment, too.

Below are the steps you may want to take to keep your air conditioner well-maintained all year.

Check, Clean, and Replace AC Filters

Having new, clean filters can reduce the energy consumption of your air conditioner by as much as 15%, according to the US Department of Energy.

Clean filters make it much easier for air to pass through them.

This allows the machine to work more efficiently.

Choosing the right filter may be a bit of a chore if you haven’t replaced your screens in a while.

However, once you know what you need, finding your next replacement will be a breeze.

Depending on the type of filter you purchase and your environment, how often you need to change your filters will vary.

However, most filters for home AC units will need to be replaced once a month or once every four weeks.

Air Conditioning Maintenance Clean Out Vents, Drains, and Coils

Your unit should be kept as clean as possible both inside and out…including portable air conditioners.

Any type of dirt on a coil, fin, and in a vent can block airflow and end up costing you more and more over time.

Pets, plants near an outdoor unit, or living in a rural area may mean you need to spend more time maintaining these types of things.

After cleaning, it’s a good idea to inspect any vents for leaks or damage.

Weather and wildlife can cause problems with any ventilation or air conditioning system.

Check to make sure vents are solid, airflow is steady, and all fins are in their original positions.

The condensation drain should also be maintained once in a while.

Doing so can help prevent the formation of clogs that may lead to necessary, costly repairs.

If a clog does occur, and you don’t catch it quickly, water damage may lead to more than a cosmetic imperfection.

You could end up with a weak or collapsed floor, mold, or worse.

Professional AC Maintenance

Every few years it’s a good idea to bring in a professional to take care of tasks like these as well as some maintenance tasks you may not be able, trained, or comfortable enough to do yourself.

For example, a professional can check refrigerant levels and replace it, if needed.

They can also perform several tests with specialized equipment that can quickly check the efficiency of your unit.

Last Updated on June 11th, 2019

Rural Home – Size of America’s homes are shrinking, according to Business Insider, with higher construction costs and higher wages charged by builders affecting both city and rural homeowners alike.

Even if you have a sizeable rural home, new additions to the family, a change on your home business, or even a new hobby can require an extension of space.

Clever Ways to Extend the Space of Your Rural Home

From glass extensions to a dedicated cabin for guests or your home business, there are many ways to create contrasting yet complementary spaces that fit into the natural surrounds.

Let in the Light

Glass has been touted a ‘modern’ material since the 1970s, yet if this material has one appealing quality, it is its ability to complement any style – from art deco to traditional brick, and of course, simple minimalistic constructions.

If you have enough space on either side of your home, adding a sunroom with glazed glass and an insulated roof and wall will enable you to enjoy floods of natural light while staying warm.

For inspiration on how glass can be used to increase space, check out work by Koichi Takada Architects, who recently topped traditional brick archways in Sydney with a stunning round glass tower.

Extending Outdoor Space

Building an al fresco terrace with the help of a remote control pergola or constructing a permanent flat roof to cover your terraced space will enable you to create various additional spaces in your home.

One terrace can house three or more spaces, including a resting area, dining room, and TV area.

Ideally, this space should have glass sliding doors or moveable crystal walls, to keep you safe from the elements in cold or hot weather.

Terraces can be pushed further forward through the use of decking.

Cedar, pine, and wood are some of the most popular choices for wooden decks.

Investing in an Independent Log Cabin

Ample plots of lands can definitely benefit from a log cabin construction.

Depending on how you wish to use the space, your cabin can contain specific pictures that will enhance your working or living experience.

Understanding what goes into log cabin plans is key, as it will stop you from making mistakes that can be expensive to fix.

Important considerations to consider include the number of stories you need, how much light your cabin will need, and whether or not you will need a basement.

If your cabin will be used for anything other than storage, make natural light a priority.

Large windows, sliding doors, and atrium rooftop are just a few ways to up the appeal factor of your cabin.

Adding Height

High ceilings add major style to living areas, increasing volume considerably and relaxing the mind by opening up available space.

If you have an attic, you can probably raise the ceiling in the space beneath it.

If you have a stick roof, you may have to remove the existing roof and build a completely new one.

You should also inquire about any building regulations, since a permit may be necessary before you create more vertical space.

Most people who own rural homes have one luxury that urban dwellers crave: space.

By either extending your home or building an entirely new space on your land, you can create your own home office or guests house without breaking the bank.

To whiz your home into the future, vertical height is definitely the way to go, since it will significantly increase volume and create the airy, elegant look that is gracing luxury homes featured in home style magazines across the globe.

Last Updated on May 18th, 2019

The Right Fencing for your Property – At first glance, picking a fence may seem like a straightforward decision.

But a fence can make a huge difference to your house’s look and functionality.

Furthermore, picking the wrong fence for your area could end up in serious maintenance costs and possible issues later.

This is why it is not a decision to be taken lightly.

The best fencing for your land is…

With the variety of materials available today, it’s important to do your research and see which one will work best depending on your needs.

Let’s take a look at some of the things you should consider before installing a new fence.

Royalty Free Photo

How to Find the Right Fencing for your Property

What’s your Priority?

There are many reasons why you may want to install a fence.

You may just need something utilitarian that will keep pets in and nuisances out.

Others will want something that looks good and enhances curb appeal, while some people care about privacy and security first.

All these options will end up affecting your choice.

If you need privacy, then you can rule out materials like wrought iron immediately.

But you could consider a wooden or vinyl fence, though the distance between panels doesn’t always make vinyl fences the best option.

You should also know that not everyone likes a closed-out backyard, so if you were thinking of selling the property any time soon, you’ll have to take that into consideration as well.

The best solution is to work with a contractor that is familiar with all sorts of fences, like Northland Fence, for instance.

They’ll be able to give you the best options depending on what you’re looking for and could spot potential issues with your initial choice.

What About Maintenance?

The type of fence you choose will also have an influence on how much time and money you’ll have to spend to maintain it.

When it comes to fence materials, wood takes the most care since you’ll have to stain and repaint it regularly.

But they’re also said to be the most aesthetically pleasing to a lot of buyers when cared for properly.

Vinyl and aluminum, on the other hand, require much less maintenance and are popular with many homeowners for that reason.

However, repairing a wooden fence is much simpler than repairing a metal one.

If there’s a storm, for instance, and you lose a few boards on a wooden fence, you can find new ones easily that will match and blend in with the rest.

But if we’re talking about a whole section on an aluminum or vinyl fence, you might not even be able to find the original manufacturer.

Some even had to replace their whole fence for a small section because they couldn’t find something that matched, so keep that in mind.

Make Sure you Have your HOA’s Approval after You have Found the Right Fencing for your Property

Last, but not least, you have to first know if your choice is even approved by your homeowner’s association.

Some will have restrictions on certain materials and others will obligate you to pick one type of fencing only.

So, make sure that the fence’s material and height are in accordance with your HOA’s rules before you do anything.

Choosing a fence is an important buying decision and one you’ll possibly have to live with for years to come.

Whatever you do, make sure that you choose the right contractor to install for fence and don’t be afraid to ask them for a second opinion, as they’ll be more than happy to help.

Last Updated on June 16th, 2019

Eco-friendly Smart Home Devices – Every day we make small efforts to make a smaller impact on the environment.

Whether you go for reusable coffee mugs, skip the plastic straw, or bring your own tote bag to the market.

Even with these attempts to not put more waste into the world, many who are serious about the environment don’t feel fully satisfied just doing this.

As smart homes and home automation devices become more and more common, we have more opportunities to make greener choices.

Environmentalists write about the negative impacts technology has on our environment pretty frequently, but there are also options out there that can help us use less energy.

Automated devices can be made to be conscious of how much energy we use, while we won’t be able to monitor our own behaviors as easily.

Eco-friendly Smart Home Devices

Looking for new ways to help make your smart home more eco-friendly?

Here are a few different green devices for you to try.

PUR Bluetooth Ultimate Faucet Filtration System

This filter system fits right on your kitchen filter and removes 99% of lead in your water and over 70 other contaminants.

Cleaner water from the tap means you can stop buying bottled water and switch over to a reusable water bottle to reduce the amount of plastic you use.

PUR’s water filter also comes with an app to let you track how much water you’re using.

Nest Thermostat

Nest makes a variety of different thermostats and other devices, including security cameras and motion sensor alarms, to help you build an eco-friendly smart home.

Their thermostat learns your daily habits to set the temperature exactly how you need it.

It also studies what time you need your house heated and cooled, and how your house heats and cools itself so that it only works when it needs to.

The Nest thermostat can help you reduce the amount of energy you use daily and save on bills, they claim the device pays for itself after the first two years.

WeMo Insight Smart Plug

Smart plugs allow you to track how much energy your appliances are using, even appliances that regular appliances like fans or lamps that aren’t automated.

You can also use the plugs to turn your appliances on or off with Alexa or Google Assistant.

Finding out which appliances use the most energy can help you use them sparingly if, you’re able to.

Hydrao Shower Aloe

By using LED lights, this shower head lights up with different colors as you shower to show you how much water you’ve used.

With an app, you’re also able to set a limit of how much water you want to use each shower and get information on your water consumption.

This shower head also uses the water flow from your shower to power itself with a mini-turbine.

Philips Hue

These smart light bulbs are controlled by a timer that allows you to turn them off from anywhere when you aren’t using them.

You also have the option to dim the light bulbs as much as you’d like so that a room can still be lit up, but without using more energy than you need.

Rachio Smart Sprinkler Controller

It’s estimated that more than half of the water we use to take care of our lawns and gardens goes to waste, making it obvious that we’re in need of smart and eco-friendly watering systems.

The EPA WaterSense certified Rachio sprinkler system adjusts to the needs of your yard to accurately water it.

It takes into consideration your area, weather, and the types of plants you have to ensure that you’re only using as much water as you need.

Zera Food Recycler

This food composter lets you cut down on your food waste.

The Zera Food Recycler can reduce the amount of food scraps by up to two thirds in just 24 hours.

By composting your food, you’ll reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills and also gives you a homemade fertilizer.

The food recycler is fully automated and you can control it through an app.

Ring Solar Panel and Camera

If you’re looking for a new security system, Ring has one that entirely solar powered.

The device only needs a few hours of sunlight per day to work and stick on to the wall for an easy installment.

Robot Vacuum Cleaner

In addition to other eco-friendly smart home devices, you can invest in a robot vacuum cleaner.

Robot vacuums confer a number of benefits.

Many can be controlled through your WiFi.

Rather than needing to vacuum manually, you set the robot to work, and it roves around your apartment or home picking up dirt, dust, and lint.

There’s a WiFi-connecting robot vacuum available for any budget.

It’s ideal for cleaning the floors of your entire house, including carpets and areas thick with pet hair.

The vacuum cleaner is battery powered rather than running on your electricity.

It has an energy-saving design that’s environmentally friendly, and it’s made in the USA, so it complies with all environmental guidelines laid down by the US.

The robot comes with LaserSmart Wireless Technology for navigation, which means that it’s able to navigate the nooks and crannies of even oddly-shaped rooms.

Unlike randomly roving robots, it cleans the home in an efficient manner rather than treading over already-cleaned areas.

The vacuum’s D-shaped design allows it to move into tight corners and hard-to-reach places.

With the accompanying smartphone app, you can control the vacuum cleaner whether you’re in the same room, on a different floor, or even outside of the house.

Since it’s battery-powered, it uses significantly less energy than a standard vacuum that plugs into the wall.

The lithium battery provides up to 90 minutes of use per single charge.

As for performance, the robot vacuum cleaner comes with multiple features that make it ideal.

It’s made to deliver power cleaning through its spin-flow technology.

There’s a combo brush that can dislodge dirt and dust that’s caked into crevices or carpeting.

A high-performance filter helps the vacuum sort through debris, while the extra large dirt bin means that it can clean for a long time without needing emptying.

Last Updated on May 1st, 2019

Must Sees in Canada – We all know that Canada is a land filled with polite and friendly people.

As a traveler, we are aware that it’s the people that make our traveling worthwhile and memorable.

But if you think this 9.3 million plus kilometer land is all about maples and politeness then think again.

They are blessed with magnificent landscape, alluring bodies of water, and exciting activities.

They have most of the terrain you can think of from glaciers to beaches, from rainforest to rocky mountains.

A country deserved by seasoned travelers.

If you find yourself overwhelmed by the vastness of must-sees in Canada then let me help you out.

I’ll discuss four of my hand-picked destination in the beautiful Great White North.

Must Sees in Canada Travelers Love

Lake Simcoe

Around 50km or a 45-minute drive from the great city of Toronto, Lake Simcoe is a place to be when you think about water-related activities.

Known for its beautiful shores, clear water, and abundant fish, this lake needs to be on your must-see and visit list.

The lake covers about 52km of shoreline, perfect for swimming, boat riding, watersports, and fishing.

It is the perfect spot for anglers, from Canada even in the United States, due to its close proximity to nearby main cities and richness in variety of fish.

Only a handful of lakes in Canada have the same amount of abundance of fish species so remember to bring your trusty fishing gear if you want to encounter some trout, whitefish, smallmouth and largemouth bass, bowfin, northern pike and many more.

Banff

If you think experiencing a winter wonderland is all about visiting malls with white winter decorations or visiting a skating ring in downtown, then you need to know about Banff.

Banff National Park is the oldest national park in Canada, located in the province of Alberta.

It offers the most surreal winter wonderland experience anyone can wish for.

Its known for its icy landscape, breathtaking lakes, picturesque pine forest.

This national park has the best of the best the winter season can provide.

You can chill in the backcountry lodges and indulge yourself with some magnificent snowy mountain views or experience adrenaline in the chilling weather by playing activities such as hockey, skiing, ice skating or even dogsledding.

Remember to book your accommodation early because this park is considered one of the most visited national parks in North America with around three million visitors every year.

Niagara Falls

It should be no surprise that the Niagara Falls fall into this list.

With its majestic height, powerful might and beautifully epic plunge, failing to miss this spot is like failing to see Canada at all.

Niagara Falls is actually composed of three falls and divides the border between Canada and USA.

One of the falls and its biggest and most renowned is called Horseshoes Falls, also known as Canadian falls.

Majority of this fall is located in the Canadian border.

Seeing, living and breathing from a distance to appreciate this God-given nature may be enough but you can actually explore it a little bit more intimately by hopping in on a boat tour that will take you underneath its plunging waters.

In addition to that thrilling experience, there are many nearby child-friendly activities around and some impressive light show at night.

Victoria and Vancouver Island

You will probably be tired by the time you are done with Lake Simcoe, Banff and Niagara Falls.

Now it’s time for you to chill, relax and get your piece of mind.

Thankfully, there is a place in Canada called the Garden City, the city of Victoria in Vancouver Island.

Around 76 miles in the southwest of the bustling city of Vancouver, Victoria and Vancouver island is a getaway from all the noise, hustle and stress of modern life.

Going to the island leaves you with a number of good options, you can take a 4-hour trip by car or bus and ferry; or a 35-minute flight.

This place is filled with colonial architecture, glorious heritage buildings, mesmerizing gardens, and scenic harbor.

The streets in this city are teeming with street vendors, cafes, and restaurants.

Perfect for a relaxing but interesting walk.

The best way to get around and do sightseeing on the island is by bicycle.

The city of Victoria prides itself with plenty of cycle routes that any city in the country.

Canada is a charming country no matter the season.

They have great population diversity, friendly and warm people, amazing nature and exhilarating outdoor activities.

A true haven for seasoned travelers.

Last Updated on May 18th, 2019

Depending on where you live, pests are inevitable. When they are attacking your crops, you need to act fast.

Below are some of the best ways to get rid of possums and other menaces.

It’s important to be self-sufficient. Cultivating crops makes you less dependent on others.

One of the most important factors of a stable economy is that how much it is dependent on importing the necessary goods from outside.

You want to be sure possums and other animals aren’t undermining your efforts.

Best Ways to Get Rid of Possums

Possums leave urine and feces behind. They also have a strong scent.

They can do serious damage to a garden.

You will need to assess whether the damage has been done by possums or whether something else is after the crops.

One way to make sure that the culprit are possums is by measuring the hole they created as they need at least 3 inches to squeeze into it.

If it is a raccoon, the gap will be around 4 inches wide.

It is much harder to protect something as open as fields and it is as important as protecting your house from possums.

How to protect crops from possums

Possums need to be controlled because they can eat over 65 types of plants. They can completely destroy a farm full of crops in a matter of a few days.

They don’t need much to survive; a nesting place is enough as long as they have access to food.

You will find their nests in hollow logs, under masses of vegetation, or in trees.

Some people have tried installing a two-strand electric fence that has wires at 4 inches and at 12 inches.

This would help to not only protect the crop against possum but it would also protect the crops from damage caused by other pests.

Poly tape also works well for this purpose.

An electrical fence usually activates at dusk and remains on until dawn.

The Right Fencing for your Property
Wood or Vinyl Fencing – Which is the Best Choice

Trapping Possums

Sometimes you have to resort to catching possums and relocating them. This is the most economically friendly way and the most effective method as well.

However, it requires daily commitment as you will have to put food in the traps and check in often.

The minimum sized box for catching a possum should be 10 x 10 x 32 for traps that have single doors.

You could place the trap away from direct sunlight so that the possums do not suffer as much after being caught.

After catching them, you can release them off your property.

Killing the pests should be the last resort. However, it is another option.

Shooting Possums and Pest

Landowners can shoot possums if they are causing a significant damage to the crops or other things present on their property.

However, you can only shoot if it is in accordance with the laws and the regulations of your town.

After trapping them, you could kill them by applying one or two sharp blows to their heads right behind their ears.

Poison Possums

Since the damage done from possums can be severe, some places like New Zealand doesn’t allow them to be released and instead they have to be killed humanely.

The poison regulations differ depending on where you live.

A common and cost-efficient way is to use phosphorous as a poison. However, check with your area. This won’t be an option if you have pets or raise animals.

Call a professional

To find a safe and humane way to get rid of possums, raccoons, and other critters, you can call a professional. Professionals will be able to treat the nuisance safely and easily.

These are some of the ways on how to control possum that could really help you out.

Pest control for crops

There are over 6,000 types of species that can cause pest damage to gardens and crops.

However, the insects cannot travel very far and are limited to the accessible areas that take care of their biological and physical needs.

Some insects are pests only in some seasons, others cause crop damage throughout the year.

Natural methods to keep the pests away

Pests are a nuisance and can destroy your entire crop. This will cost you money but also the time you have put into it.

You could always go for professional help if you are worried that the pests would damage your crops. However, there are some things that you could do yourself that would keep the pests at bay and keep your plants safe.

Since these methods only keep the pest away and do not hurt them, it is the most humane way.

1.) Burn the crops that are diseased so that it doesn’t spread to other healthy plants.

2.) Mulch your crops regularly.

3.) Grow some plants around the crops to repel the pests.

How to use pesticides

Pesticides are poisonous. You should only use them if there is no other option left to protect your plants from the pests.

You should read the guidelines and only spray till the allowed limit.

Overusing pesticides could not only damage the plants but also could make the plants unsuitable for human consumption.

You also have to take care of other factors like not spraying into the soil or elsewhere.

Use the pesticides only on those plants on which the pesticide is intended to use.

These are the best ways to get rid of possums, raccoons and other critters.

Pests can be a real problem for farmers and landowners as they can destroy the hard work done over months in merely just a few days.

While trying to get rid of them, it is important that we adopt humane ways because the pests are just looking for ways to survive.

You could use different pieces of equipment and ways to capture possums and raccoons to get rid of them so they don’t damage your plants further.

Killing the pests or rodents should be the last resort when there is no other way to stop them.

But, if you plan beforehand, there should always be a way to avoid having to kill pests in order to save the crop.