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How To Childproof Your Garage Door

Malfunctioning garage doors can be very dangerous, especially to children. Fortunately, accidents involving garage doors can be avoided if you take the proper precautions.
Here are some good tips that will show you how to childproof your garage door.
Education
The first thing you must do is teach children how important it is to be careful around garage doors. They must know that they are not allowed to play with the garage door or the control panel.
If you have older children, you can teach them how to use the garage door properly. Your children should be taught to never go near the garage door when it is in motion. The garage door is held in place by springs and cables. If one of these parts is disturbed, it could cause the door to fall.
Safety Cables
All new garage doors are outfitted with safety cables. Most older models do not have them. Safety cables are cables that are placed in the center of the spring. If the spring does break, it will be caught on the cable and stabilized.
When the garage door is down, it causes tension in the springs. If the springs pop, the pieces that fly off can be a hazard to anyone who is around it. Make sure your garage doors have safety cables. If they do, you must make sure they are inspected on a regular basis.
Safety Sensor
Another safety mechanism that you must have is the safety sensor. The safety sensor is also known as the “electric eye.”
The safety sensor that stops your garage door if something passes in front of it.
If your garage door does not have a safety sensor, you will need to upgrade it. This means that you will need to install a brand new garage door system. Older garage doors cannot be retrofitted with a safety sensor.
The safety sensor is a sensor is placed about 6 inches from the ground. It is positioned in a way that points it towards the opening of the garage door.
If anything moves across the sensor’s beam, the door will immediately stop descending. This will decrease the chances that someone will have the garage door close on them.
Other Safety Mechanisms
You should also schedule regular inspections for your garage door. Make sure that annual maintenance is performed by service technicians. They can check to make sure that the safety features are working properly.
If you have an automatic garage door, you will need to do your due diligence in making sure that it is completely safe.
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May 12, 2018
Easy Garden Projects Ideas using Cheap, Recycled or Found Materials
If you are looking for different ways to add a creative look to your yard’s landscaping, you’ll be pleased to learn that there are a lot of ways you can go about adding a special touch to the yard that gives it your own vibe.
Best of all? These projects are cheap and don’t cost a lot of money! This article is full of great landscaping ideas you can make yourself.
Make your own stepping stones
Making your own stepping stones can be a lot of fun, and it allows you to place stepping stones around your property that have been personalized in a way that allows each of them to represent something special to you.
Stepping stones can easily be made in your kitchen with quick-drying cement and cake pans. Once you have the cement in the pans, you can decorate the stepping stones to give them the look you want.
This is where you can have the kids put their hand and/or feet print in them, write special messages on the surfaces with a sharp stick, place marbles or colored glass in them for a fantastic mosaic look, or decorate them in any other way.
Once they are dry, you can carefully remove them from the pans and place them around your yard to give it that great personalized touch. These would make for a great Father’s Day gift for old dad.
Use retired wheelbarrows as cheap flowerbeds
Keep an eye out for old wheelbarrows. You may have one somewhere on your property. You can also find that other people will be more than happy to give you their old wheelbarrows, just so they don’t have to worry about disposing of it themselves.
It will be a simple task to add potting soil to the wheelbarrow and plant flowers in it.
If you plant a lot of flowers in the wheelbarrow, then it will have a fantastic look to it where there are piles of bright and colorful flowers spilling out of it.
You can use more than one wheelbarrow, so you have several of them throughout your yard, each adding their own special touch to the landscape.
You can even paint the wheelbarrows any color you want so that you achieve the exact look you are trying to get for your yard.
Build a garden potting bench
If you have access to some old pallets this would be a good afternoon project.
You can use the bench to store watering cans, potting mix, hand tools, etc. where they will be needed most. No more lugging things out from the garage and you will get to enjoy gardnening more.

This video shows a really good looking bench as the finished product. Most everything is straight cuts so novice carpenters can build this too.
Make your own fire pit
There are a couple of ways you can go about making a fire pit in your yard. No matter the way you choose, the fire pit will add another element to your yard and will give you a social area where you and your family can gather to enjoy a warm fire and roast marshmallows without the need to pack everyone up in the car to go camping.
You can make a fire pit by digging the appropriately sized pit and placing medium-sized rocks all the way around the pit. By digging the fire pit deep enough, you won’t need to create a very high border with the rocks.
If you have dug a somewhat shallow hole, then you will need to go a bit higher with the rocks. You may want to use some cement to hold them in place. You can also make a fire pit by clearing out space so it’s just dirt exposed. Then, use masonry bricks and cement to create the pit.
Make a colored glass wind chime for the garden
You can make a fantastic looking wind chime to display on the porch of your home by using just a few items you may already have laying around your home.
You can gather pieces of colored broken glass that start out at about the size of a nickel and go up to the size of a half dollar or even a bit larger than that.
- Use a hot glue gun to glue fishing line to the tops of the pieces of glass.
- Cut the pieces of fishing line so they range from 8 inches in length to 10 inches in length.
- Tie the other need of the fishing line to a round wire you’ve made from a wire coat hanger.
- Tie four pieces of fishing line that are each 8 inches long around the wire ring.
- Use those strands of fishing line to hang the wind chime from a nail.
Really easy project: Make boot flower pots
You can turn old work boots into unique flower pots to place around your yard. It should be noted that these flower pots are the perfect size to place on or next to your porch.
Not only can you use work boots, but you can also use cowboy boots and any other type of boot that has a look you find appealing for this purpose.
To make the flower pot, you should spray the inside of the boot with a clear sealant to protect it from the development of mold and mildew.
Open the top of the boot and stretch the shoelace out to a generous proportion. Take a small flower pot that fits inside the neck of the boot and fill it with soil, then plant a tall type of flower in the pot.
Place the pot carefully inside the boot and set it right where you want it.
Make a simple tire trash can for the garden.
Image source: Backyard Boss
If you have tires laying around, then you can put them to good use in a way that prevents them from wasting space.
Take three or four of the tires and set them next to an area where you and your company tend to spend a lot of time. This would be the area of the yard where the most trash accumulates and the tires can be turned into an efficient trash container you can use.
Once you have the tires stacked, one on top of the other, you will take a black trash bag and place it down through the center of the tires. Wrap the lip of the garbage bag around the outside of the top tire.
Or, you can save an extra tire and place it on top of the bag to help hold it in place.
Decorate an old tree stump

Turn that eyesore of a stump into a new garden focal point. You can dress it up with flowers, create a fairy garden, or make it into something usable. The possibilities are endless.
Conclusion
Now that you have a few great ideas on some of the ways that you can add to the look of your yard, you’ll be able to get started on creating the look you want.
Take another good look around your entire yard, then step into your garage and look around at all the miscellaneous items you have laying around.
You’ll be surprised at just how many fantastic ideas you can come up with on your own, once you get in the mood.
May 8, 2018
Why are Lawn Mowers so Loud?

The reason that you cannot spell “mower” without “ow” is that “ow” is the sound that every ear must feel like screaming when a lawn is being mowed anywhere within a half-mile radius.
Also, the reason that you cannot spell “lawn mower” without “lower” is that “lower” is the volume setting that the ears of every neighbor desire when a lawn is being mowed.
But why are lawn mowers so darn loud?
The Reasons Lawn Mowers are Loud
First, to understand why lawn mowers reach such an uncomfortable noise level, you must understand what causes a sound to be made. Sounds are just vibrations of air.
And lawn mowers have small engines that often have small mufflers or no mufflers at all to absorb the sound waves that are created by the combustion of the engines.
Looks like Mr. Page next door is cutting his grass at 7:00am again.
No Financial Benefit for Manufacturers
But now you may be asking why manufacturers of lawn mowers do not make bigger mufflers for the engines in order to dampen the sound. To begin with, the larger mufflers translate into higher costs. And manufacturers have realized that a majority of people just assume that a lawn mower is supposed to be loud.
As a result, the manufacturers do not invest in the technology to dampen sound with larger mufflers because that would translate into having to charge a higher price than their competitors for their lawn mowers.
Despite the fact that technology is available to dampen the sounds that a lawn mower makes, one reason that lawn mowers remain loud is due to safety.
If a lawn mower was made to be super quiet, the operator of it or a bystander could assume that the lawn mower is not actually running. With blades capable of cutting off fingers and toes, it is probably a good idea for everyone nearby to be totally aware when a lawn mower is running.
Your Lawn Mower Could Need Repair
An engine that runs louder than normal is often a sign that maintenance needs to be done on the machine. Check that the muffler is still in good shape and not rusted or cracked. Also, be sure to replace the engine oil in your lawnmower every season.
Some mowers have a governor that regulates the engines RPM during higher loads. Sometimes this lever or spring can become stuck and stay in the full throttle position. Verify that it can move freely.
Can I Make my Lawn Mower Run Quieter?
One option is replacing the stock muffler with an aftermarket or custom option.
https://youtu.be/bmLpx4ooQFI
While adding a modified muffler is an option to reduce the sound of your lawn mower, that solution may be too costly or have less impact on the sound than you hoped that it would.
Also, it is difficult to find a modified muffler for your exact model of lawn mower. And if you try to weld your own without being a master designer and welder, you might just make the problem much worse.
Add Soundproofing to the Deck
One option you might explore is adding some sound-deafening material to your lawnmower.
Although this is typically done to cars or other vehicles, there’s no reason you can’t steal this idea.
It generally comes in sheets which you can then apply to the top of the deck. I have not tried this but in theory, it should provide some relief from that annoying clanging and banging.
Go Electric
Another option is to buy an electric mower rather than a mower with a gas-powered engine. Although an electric motor is typically not as loud as a gas-powered engine, an electric mower is usually still extremely loud.
The reason that electric mowers can still be loud is that not all of the sounds that a mower makes are generated by the engine.
A large part of the sounds that a mower makes come from the fast movement of the blades. The spinning of the blades that the engine creates causes the blades to act as a blower.
This blower function is necessary to push all of the grass clippings into a bag or out the side of the mower. While the blower function is practical, its resulting sound is not easy on the ears.
What Else Can I Do?
So now you may be asking if there is any way at all to achieve the beauty of a mowed lawn without waking up the entire neighborhood.
Buy a Reel Mower
Well, if you are not afraid of achieving an extreme workout when you mow, then the solution to the noise problem is simple: you can purchase a cylindrical mower that is not powered by an engine.
With a cylindrical push mower, the rotation of the blades is powered only by your muscles. So, assuming that you do not move with the speed of the Road Runner, you are not going to propel the blades so fast to make any noticeable noise.
However, keep in mind that the amount of energy needed to turn the blades on this type of contraption depends on the thickness of the grass that you are mowing.
Buy Ear Protection for Lawn Mowing
While this won’t help your neighbors peace and quiet, it will help your hearing. Repeated exposure to loud noise can cause permanent hearing loss. Something as simple as foam earplugs can work here.
Normally, when I am cutting grass I pop in my earbuds and listen to a podcast. It helps drown out the mower noise and I get entertained.
Because of the extreme noise that lawn mowers create, most cities have ordinances that prohibit residents from mowing at night or during early hours of the morning.
If you have ever tried to take a nap on the couch while your neighbor is mowing his or her yard, then you understand that mowing can cause a sound that is more of a nuisance than a group of college kids having a party.
So, the next time you think about pulling the cord to start the engine on your noisy lawn mower, consider wearing earplugs to protect your ears. And respect your napping neighbors.
May 7, 2018
14 Really Cool Outdoor Gifts for Dads for Father’s Day
Father’s Day is approaching quickly, so it’s time to start thinking about the perfect gift for this special occasion.
Although fathers appreciate traditional gifts emblazoned with “World’s Greatest Dad”, your special guy deserves something a little different this year.
If you pick something from this list of great outdoor gifts for your dad, you can give him something as unique as he is! Nothing boring like a plain old tie, jumper cables, or another dutch oven here.
These suggested gifts are especially ideal for the dad who loves working and playing outside:
1. King of the Grill 7pc BBQ Set

This is no ordinary set of grilling tools. This personalized nylon apron has special pockets to hold the included utensils: slotted spatula, BBQ fork, grip tongs, oven mitt and salt and pepper shakers.
Dad will have everything within reach while grilling. Add up to 10 characters for a cusom personalized name to go along with the already included “King of the Grill” phrase. Not only is this apron handy, it’s sure to make a great conversation piece!
Source: gifts.com
2. KanJam Disc Game (Perfect Gift for Dads Who Love Family Games)

Put a fun twist on a traditional game by playing KanJam. Rather than throwing the disc back and forth, KanJam requires teamwork and skill. Throw the disc in the target (kan) to score points in this 4 player game.
Everyone will have hours of fun with this portable backyard activity.
This is a good way to show off dad’s well-manicured lawn while playing a fun game with the family.
Source: Amazon
3. Bosch Power Box 360 – Good Present for Tech Dads

The sound is as powerful as the name! Kick off your Father’s Day party with this portable stereo. Bluetooth connectivity feature allows you to play your own music or stream from online four-way speakers and a subwoofer gives a listening range of up to 150 feet.
Use Bosch 18-volt batteries or plug it into a 120-volt AC outlet.
The Power Box 360 is also great for camping, job sites, and tailgate parties. A gift daddy won’t forget!
Source: Lowes
4. Makita 18V Brushless Cordless Router

Every man loves his power tools, especially convenient ones. Cords on a router can get snagged and become a nuisance.
Eliminate the annoyance with this model that features powerful, corded performance without the hassle of a cord.
This router also boasts smooth, precise cutting to meet the demands of the project. Safety on/off switch prevents accidental tool start-up.
Source: tylertool.com
5. Leatherman Tread Bracelet

Now, this is just plain cool. Dad can wear this stainless steel bracelet that doubles as a detachable toolset.
Forget running inside to grab the toolbox, he’ll have 29 unique tools literally on hand.
Useful tools such as a bottle opener, cutting book, and screwdrivers are just a few of what the Tread has to offer. You must see it to believe it, and it’s a must-have gadget for every guy! Buy this if your dad is into fishing.
Source: leatherman.com
6. Gorilla Carts Heavy Duty Poly Dump Cart

If your dad loves working in the yard, this dump cart (check price on Amazon) is a helpful friend. With a 1,200-pound hauling capacity, he’ll be sure to get even the bigger projects finished with ease.
Pull loads of dirt, mulch and other yard necessities with the steering handle, or hook it to the back of a lawn tractor for hauling distances.
This cart makes a helpful alternative to the traditional wheelbarrow with its sturdy, 4-wheel design.
Source: Amazon
7. Royal Dutch Hoe by Sneeboer

Weeds beware! If you know a dad who is a meticulous gardener, this unusual looking weeding tool is a must.
Unlike the conventional gardening hoe, the crown-shaped blade on this item cuts weeds and prevents them from sliding off.
The handle style is a pistol grip design for added comfort. Each tool is carefully hand-made for optimum quality.
Source: gardentoolcompany.com
8. Treo Camp Chair by Therm-A-Rest

Outdoorsmen will love this camp chair (check price on Amazon) that has been taken to a whole new level of convenience. Weighing in at just 2.5 pounds, this compact chair is made of Rip-Stop fabric and can support up to 250 pounds.
It folds up into its own tripod base and is built with a height that is easy to get in and out of.
Best for Sporty Dads
Whether he wants to camp, sit at a sports game, or just relax in his own backyard, your dad will love this lightweight, user-friendly seat.
Source: Amazon
9. Time Lapse Outdoor Camera
[amazon box=”B01K3YNXAQ” template=”horizontal”]
Imagine how much fun your dad will have doing some time-lapse photography in the garden or backyard. He can use this camera to show the growth and blooming of his prized roses. Or maybe he can use it to create a video of the different visitors that come to the backyard each day.
It’s waterproof and extremely durable so leaving it for long periods outside will be fine. It’s also simple to operate even for the most tech-challenged father out there.
So grab this camera and let your dad finally see how the squirrels are wiping out the bird feeder every day.
10. 48″ Workbench With Light – Less Expensive than you might think!

This workbench comes with a built-in 13 Watt fluorescent light so your father won’t have to work in the dark.
Heavy duty and durable, this bench also comes equipped with a 120V outlet for power tools, a pegboard for organizing, and shelves and drawers for extra storage.
The perfect workspace for the perfect guy!
Source: Amazon
11. Personalized Pocket Knife With Dad’s Name

A knife is an essential tool for almost every man. For Father’s Day this year, give your dad a knife that he knows is his.
The handle can be engraved with up to 10 characters so let’s hope your dad’s name isn’t Christopher! The box can also be personalized so it’s perfect for any occasion.
Source: Amazon
12. Home Weather Station – You Know Dads Love Talking About the Weather

If your dad is like mine, he considers himself more than just an amateur meteorologist.
With this weather station, your dad can now monitor wind speed, humidity, and outdoor temperature all from the comfort of home.
I guess now when he tells you to wear a coat or take an umbrella, you will need to listen!
Source: Amazon
13. Grilling Spices – Foodie Dads Will Love This Gift
[amazon box=”B00XCY3FJY” template=”horizontal”]
This spice set covers the gamut for anything you can cook on the grill. Everything from spicy habanero for steaks, burger seasoning, to island spices for a Caribbean flavor.
And if you are tight on cash, dad will still appreciate this affordable gift. He might even cook you up a steak when you visit!
14. The Indestructible Garden Hose

Dads love to take care of their lawns but no dad likes to deal with a crimping, cracking plastic hose.
For this Father’s Day, get your dad this stainless steel garden hose that is virtually indestructible.
Made from a special alloy it is resistant to freezing temperatures, kinking and punctures. So give your dad back his peaceful Sunday afternoons with this incredible garden hose.
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Father’s Day is Coming Up!
Father’s day is Sunday, June 19th, 2022. Use this list to get some good ideas for dad and get him something he will love and use.
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May 6, 2018
Garden Hose Maintenance Tips

Water hoses have long been an important part of maintaining a lawn or garden. The fact that they can supply vast quantities of water on demand to even the furthest reaches of a property makes them a truly valuable tool.
If you want to get the most from your hoses, however, it’s essential that you know how to properly care for them. Use the following garden hose maintenance tips to get longer life from your hoses.
Put Them Away
Keep your hoses rolled up when not in use.
One of the most common plights of hoses is being left on the ground. Although it’s more convenient to leave a hose lying on the ground than to roll it up properly, it’s generally not advised.
A hose that is left strewn about is easy for people to trip over and may be run over by lawn mowers and weed eaters. In addition, the rubber is highly vulnerable to decay from the elements.
If you leave your hoses out for extended periods, moisture and exposure to sunlight may lead to premature rotting or cracking.
Because a decent hose costs a lot of money, it’s recommended that you roll them up and store them in a safe place when you’re done with them.
Storage
One of the simplest ways of storing your hose is a wall-mounted reel.
There are many ways to store a hose. You can loop it easily over a bracket that has been fastened to a wall or fence post.
You can also attach it to a specially designed reel that allows you to effortlessly roll it up. Some will even do this automatically, saving you time and energy.
A hose reel is the most common way to store a hose. When you’re done with the hose, you can safely tuck it away simply by turning a handle.
A hose reel also makes it more convenient to store your hose once the gardening season is over.
A decorative hose pot will keep your backyard attractive and make your hoses last longer as they will be out of the harmful sunlight.
Keeping Kinks Away
Kinking hoses are a common complaint from gardeners and homeowners. Not only does this disturb water flow but it can also degrade the hose’s structural integrity.
With time, kinks tend to cause cracking, which can lead to leaks. Eventually, leaks can become so bad that they can result in a lack of sufficient water pressure, making the hose useless.
Take great care to wind up your hose evenly because staying in a kinked position for extended periods can dramatically reduce its useful life.
A couple of repair tips for your garden hoses
Leaks at the faucet
The first tip is to check the washer that’s inside the coupling that connects to the faucet. These rubber washers will crack or split after a couple of years of use.
Use a pair of needle-nose pliers or a small, flat blade screwdriver to remove the washer and replace it. You can pick up these washers at Home Depot for a around $1.00 for a pack of 10.
Repairing a crack or split
If you develop a leak or crack in your garden hose it is fairly simple to repair the damage. Grab a box cutter or a sharp knife and cut out the leaking section. Make sure the cut is straight and perpendicular to the hose.
You can pick up a brass connection fitting from either Home Depot or Lowe’s for the repair.
There should be two metal clamps with the connector. Unscrew the clamp so what is large enough to fit around the hose and put one on each side of the break. Push the hose back together and tighten the clamps securely. If the hose won’t fit you may need to heat it up over a lighter or open flame. The heat will allow the hose to expand so it’ll fit over the coupling.
Crushed Ends
If either end of your hose has been damaged by running over it with a car or heavy equipment and the coupling no longer fits on the faucet you can also buy a replacement end for it. The process is the same for installing as the coupling.
A Note About Soaker Hoses
The main difference between a soaker hose and a regular hose is that a soaker is constructed from porous rubber that lets a slow and steady trickle of water through.
They’re great tools for decreasing the amount of time and effort spent on manual watering, are more efficient than sprinklers and can be easily connected to a watering timer.
Unlike regular hoses, soaker hoses are meant to be left out in the elements for the duration of the growing season.
Take care of your hose and it will last you many summers.
However, it is recommended that they are put away during the winter months.
May 3, 2018
4 Tips for Planting New Trees

Whether you’re hoping for your own fruit or want to enjoy the fall colors of a sugar maple, there’s nothing quite like trees to add structure, character, and interest to your yard. Planting a tree isn’t difficult but like most things, it requires some planning ahead.
If you think a tree might be in your future, follow these four steps to give it the best chance at success.
Plan Ahead
Are you looking for shade or texture? Do you have a specific amount of room available? No one wants to plant a tree only to find it needs to be cut down ten years later due to interfering with power lines.
Look around your neighborhood. What kinds of trees seem to grow well in your area? Do a soil test. Is the soil in your growing area known to be especially sandy or high in acidity?
Your local nursery will stock trees that grow well in your area, but it always pays to be informed before you go.
Consider the Source
A young maple tree.
Try to purchase trees earlier in the summer if you can; avoid specimens that have been sitting out in a lot all season.
Check with the nursery staff to see whether your trees were grown locally or trucked in from thousands of miles away. Checking the condition of the tree will also give you a good indication of how it has been cared for. Are the leaves green and healthy?
Check the soil to see that it has been kept properly moist. A tree that is already stressed will have a much more difficult time establishing a root system when its planted and will be more vulnerable to disease.
When you’re happy with the care the trees have received, decide whether you want to purchase a potted or ball and burlap tree. Potted trees have the advantage of being more easily relocated but typically hold less soil which may have caused undue stress to the tree.
Ball and burlap trees are able to hold more soil but can be unwieldy and difficult to maneuver.
Not All Holes are Equal
Knowing what kind of hole you need to dig will give your tree the best chance at thriving in its new environment. Dig a hole about two to three times as wide as the root ball and about equal to its deep. Feel free to break up the surrounding soil to allow the roots to penetrate easier but don’t amend it with compost or fertilizer.
Trees that are planted in rich, loamy soil may not be as eager to venture out into the native ground which may hinder deep roots and eventually stunt its growth.
If your tree is in a pot, lay it carefully on the ground and roll it back and forth a few times until the roots loosen enough to remove it. Grasping the dislodged trunk and roots, place the tree in the hole and backfill with soil until the surrounding area is at ground level with the top.
If the root ball is covered in burlap, make sure to cut and remove the wires before placing it in the hole. Assuming the burlap is natural (it may not be), cut a few slits in the material and you can plant it right along with your tree.
Cover the soil around the trunk with mulch to preserve moisture and offer some protection during cooler temperatures.
Watering and Staking
As soon as your tree is planted make sure you apply a steady stream of water to the roots for about four to five minutes. Over the next six to twelve months ensure the soil remains damp but not soaking. It’s is a fact that most new trees die from over-watering rather than under-watering.
Many gardeners are divided over whether to stake a new tree or not. Many argue that trees shouldn’t be staked and by doing so you run the risk of weakening the tree, but if you’re planting on a hill or in a place the receives a lot of wind it’s still a good idea to give your new tree some support at least for the first year. Wherever you land on the issue, make sure you keep an eye on your tree while it’s getting established so you can catch any problems early on.
Think of planting a tree as making a long-term investment. After all, it will probably still be there after you and your house are gone. Being wise in both your tree selection and hole preparation is the key to maximizing both the health and life of your tree.
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April 29, 2018