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Daily Archives: June 3, 2020

Roofing Can Ruin Satellite Reception

There are circumstances that lead to getting a new roof. Storm damage, wind damage, hail damage or maybe to change appearances of a drab house. If you have a satellite don’t expect to have your crystal clear reception after the roofers get done.

Roofers will move your satellite. They may try to put it back where they found it, but the slightest move will throw off the satellite. It won’t work the same until it is moved back to the strongest position of reception.

Roofers may not mean to bring disorder upon your TV life, but they will. To the viewer they may not understand why distorted choppy screens continue. They may not know why they keep losing their signal. They may try to reboot their receiver by holding the power button down for ten seconds and then releasing it. They may unplug the power to their TV. The latter will reboot the receiver to.

Nothing done inside the house will work for the tortured TV addict. Picture reception can only be found while adjusting the satellite on the roof. This is a tricky procedure because the slightest turn could make a big difference. You could lose the satellite signal altogether or have a weaker signal coming through.

Satellite professionals are an option you can consider if you choose not to fix the problem on your own. They won’t come out for free so you’ll have to spend money on a solution that the lovable roofers caused.

Do-it-yourselfers can give it a whirl if they love fixing things and problem solving. First acquire the proper numbers for best reception at your zip code. Go to menu on your satellite and then push the button for system setup. Next push the point dish/signal button. Press the peak angles button once you are there. If you have dish 500 make sure the satellite is on 119 then type in your zip code.

By typing in your zip code you are given the number for an Azimuth Angle, Elevation Angle, and Skew Angle. Write the numbers down. Find a compass. The Azimuth Angle will give you the best course to the satellites in the sky. For instance, South might be the perfect direction. Think of it as right to left and vice versa. The Elevation Angle is the best angle from your residence. It is found by moving the satellite up and down. Use your compass to find the numbers you wrote down for each angle. The bolts for the angles are located behind the satellite. To move the satellite you will have to loosen the bolts.

To help in achievement of a strong signal you can view the signal strength on your TV or listen to the sounds of the signal strength. The higher pitched the sounds are the stronger your reception. The lower the sound the worse your reception will be. The signal strengths are found when you are at the point dish/signal page.

Stand on the side of your satellite when making any adjustments. You can block signals if you stand in front.

It is important to make adjustments in your satellite at regular intervals as there are chances of the connection getting weakened due to bad weather or natural disaster so one might have a Idaho (historical) map ready just so to shift base if problems persist.

Call your satellite provider for assistance if things get ugly. The phone lines are usually open twenty four hours a day.

Why Your Rental Units Are Empty

Having moved over six times in the last twelve years, I have done more than my fair share of apartment hunting. In this time, I have viewed over a hundred units, and over and over I have listened to tales of woe from the owners. They cannot understand why their units are sitting empty for months, even years, at a time. Some had obvious issues such as nearby noise, filth or damage in the unit, long flights of stairs, or ‘attractive nuisances’ such as churches or playgrounds nearby. But others suffered from far less-noticeable unwanted features that turned our decision against their unit. All of them are a waste of the potential client’s time and yours, if it is an issue they are unwilling to have in their home. Here are the three worst offenders.

Non-standard floor-plans should be disclosed in the initial advertisement. I’ve viewed units where you had to walk through the bathroom to enter the master bedroom, or through a bedroom to reach a kitchen. One apartment built on a top floor had a shower tucked under the steep slope of the roof, so that you had to sit in a shower-chair with a hand-held sprayer to bathe. There was no tub. Another unit had a bathroom in a hallway, shared by two other tenants with a communal cleaning schedule posted! While some tenants won’t mind a non-standard layout, others will completely reject your property because of them. Disclose them in your ad and save both of you the aggravation by using such phrases such as ‘interesting layout’, ‘shared bathroom’, or ‘unique space’.

Flooring can be another huge turn-off. Yes, that new, freshly-laid carpet is gorgeous. But if it is very light or very dark, I don’t want to deal with the hassles of keeping it immaculate. One unit I viewed was covered in white carpet and so heavily padded it felt spongy beneath my feet. It was lovely, but completely inappropriate and a liability. One dropped can of soda and it would have been ruined. Beautiful hardwood flooring can be a culprit as well. Tenants usually do not want to purchase area rugs to fit someone else’s property. They can be expensive and may not fit the rooms of their next dwelling. Left bare, floors can be cold, noisy and scuff easily. Neutral carpet that does not extend into the kitchen and bathroom is optimal. If you have no intention of changing the flooring, disclose it early, either in the ad or the initial call with phrasing such as ‘all exposed hardwood’ or ‘new white carpet throughout’.

Pets policy is perhaps most frustrating of all. Do not advertise a unit as ‘pet friendly’ and then wait for the viewing to announce only one pet is permitted, or that it is cats-only or dogs-only. If there is a maximum number of pets, disclose this either in the ad or during the initial phone inquiry. Conversely, do not advertise as ‘no pets’ if there are others in the building with pets. The dander and allergens can spread into the common stairwells or ventilation and cause life-threatening reactions. ‘No pets this unit’ is a far more fair statement. If changing a unit from ‘pet friendly’ to ‘no pets’ between tenants, the carpets must be replaced and the entire unit scrubbed with care.

Furthermore, to avoid any problems, it is important that you back up yourself with the necessary information or data about the current standing of properties. Websites like surveys-northeast.co.uk will help you find the best deal for you so you don’t have to be stressed and frustrated.

These are the three largest problems I’ve encountered in my search for housing. If property owners were more forthcoming about these issues, time and aggravation could be saved. And if your unit continues to sit idle, you may want to consider changing either the unit itself or the wording in your advertisements. Honesty from the beginning can help you in your quest to find the perfect tenant for your space!

Hummingbird Feeder- Make your Bird Pets Feel Royal

It is important to have basic general knowledge about many things happening around the world as only then can you hope to survive because if you aren’t aware of anything, how can you know about the many negative things going on in your own area?

When talking about general knowledge, it does not necessarily mean politics and entertainment but many other things as this is a huge subject that has to be studied and analyzed right from the basic roots.

Regarding knowledge, one doesn’t know how and where to begin as there are so many things to know about that include many topics that most individuals don’t even know that exist but in this case, we shall limit the discussion to a unique bird and a device pertaining to it.

Watch the Birdie

While most people might be aware of species like sparrows, eagles, parrots, crows, ducks, etc. very few know about the hummingbird as it is not mentioned very much in discussions except some vague references here and there.

This might sound odd but if you ask an average person to tell you all that he knows about the hummingbird, he won’t go beyond a few lines like it is the smallest bird in existence in terms of size and can fly backwards without any kind of issues.

But we are going to delve deeper into the lives of hummingbirds because it is important that other people should know more about this unique bird species otherwise they are depriving themselves of the opportunity of a lifetime.

Like human beings, hummingbirds also need the three basic necessities like food, water and oxygen to survive and they can’t eat it what we do as they can only stomach seeds and other bird treats.

They can consume things through the hummingbird feeder, which is a device that can store seeds and water for them to eat and drink as this is basically a container type device designed especially for them.

Best Models

Let us take a look at some of the best hummingbird feeders that have come out in 2020 until now so that it would give an idea for certain people on where to look:

First Nature 3055- It is important to put the stamp of the best feeder on a particular brand or model as they are all unique in their own way but this one usually tops the list as its red color attracts the hummingbirds, who are fond of anything red, they are lightweight and durable in nature.
HummZinger HighView- It is the runner-up in the list as it is considered the second best due to its easy to manage policy and lightweight structure that can be hanged anywhere around the house or garden so that the birds can fly down for a good meal of nectar
Shiny Art- It is made up of plastic and therefore vulnerable to breaking down more quickly but the design is nothing short of brilliant as the beautiful painting is made from glass with multicolored hues that attract the hummingbird immediately
Juegoal Hanging- It has a detachable cover at its surface with numerous ports through which the food can be inserted which requires cleaning at regular intervals

To conclude, these are some of the best hummingbird feeders to have come out this year that deserve a mention but you can definitely lookup for many other brands online that have been left out.

Hummingbirds are the gifts of nature along with many other domestic animals that make a garden or national park look so beautiful and enthralling that even a person who is averse to such things gets hooked.

Why Keeping a Higher Interest Rate Sometimes Makes Sense

Conventional wisdom often tells us that when given the choice of paying between debts, we should apply the payments to the highest yielding (i.e.-most expensive) interest rate debt. However, I think that is an antiquated way of handling your finances. Here’s why.

Let’s assume I gave you $20,000 that had to be applied towards debt. In your personal scenario “A” you could take the money and pay off a new acquired car note of $20,000 that bears an interest rate of 3.5%. The other option, scenario “B”, would be to take the $20,000 and pay down your $200,000 mortgage that bears an interest rate of 6.5%. Furthermore, if you made that down payment, it would allow you to reduce your current mortgage rate from 6.5% to 4.5%; a full 2% reduction! What would you choose?

I can tell you many of the people I speak to would quickly jump at the chance to reduce the mortgage so they could refinance. However, let’s actually look at the numbers and see what makes sense from a cash flow standpoint. You can use any standard loan amortization calculator on the internet to run these examples.

It is also important to carefully choose the money lender that you would seek help from. Most of these businesses really offer high interest rates for the amount of money that you borrow. So make sure to choose a reliable money lender to avoid any trouble and frustration in the future.

If you take a $200,000, fixed rate mortgage at 6.5%, the principal and interest payments are $1,264.14. Likewise, if you take a $20,000 auto loan at 3.5%, the principal and interest payments are $363.83. This gives you a grand monthly total for the two debts of $1,627.97. Now, let’s see what happens when we apply my generous $20,000 gift.

Under scenario A, the car note goes away, so you are left only with the monthly mortgage payment of $1,264.14. Under scenario B, the car note stays at $363.83. However, the new mortgage is now $180,000 fixed at a rate of 4.5%. This translates to a principal and interest payment of $912.03. This time, the grand monthly total for the two debts of $1,275.86.

How is this possible? You reduced your mortgage balance by $20,000 of higher interest debt and dropped your interest rate on the remaining balance by a full 2%! Yet you are still paying more money every month under Scenario B. It seems counterintuitive to keep a mortgage loan that has a higher interest rate and pay off a low rate car loan.

The key here is the amortization period of the loans. You are, without question, going to pay less interest on the mortgage over time. However, if you are look to maximize your monthly cash flow, it will almost always make more sense to eliminate shorter amortization loans. Reductions of long amortization period loans, even when substantially reducing the interest rate, simply don’t have the same impact. When you are developing your debt reduction plan, this is an important concept to remember.

How to Prepare For a Camping Trip

For those new to the camping experience, understanding how to prepare for living in the great outdoors can be complicating and frustrating. Knowing what to leave and what to bring along can often be the difference between a spiritual adventure and an awful nightmare.

First and foremost, make a list and check it twice. Of all the things you can do to prepare for a camping trip making a list is the easiest way to ensure that you’re bringing everything you’ll need. The length of your list will depend on the type of camping you’re going to do, where you’ll be camping, and the duration of your trip. This can range anywhere from a 10 day survival training course to a three week, luxurious stay in one of the many national parks around the U.S.

Upon making the list, divide the items you’re taking into categories. The categories will comprise of the items you’ll need for everyday living such as food, water, shelter, and proper clothing. You’ll want to bring some soap and a toothbrush to keep from offending the other campers with the many scents the human body can produce. Also, don’t forget the biodegradable, earth friendly toilet paper.

Deciding on what food to bring is easy when you break up the days into breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Three meals a day with plenty of liquids is all you’ll need. Factor in at least two liters of water a day for each person going. More water may be needed for strenuous activities like hiking or fishing. I like to pack a cooler with good food because eating well is half the fun of camping. A tip I learned a few years ago is to use a block of dry ice to keep food chilled. A 5 pound block will keep for days in a good cooler and it won’t water log the food when it melts. The dry ice vaporizes when it melts leaving no water in the bottom of the cooler as is the case with conventional, frozen water. Don’t store liquids with the dry ice, they will freeze thus becoming useless until they thaw. The assembling and disassembling of the camping tents for stargazing will be easy for the person. The cabins will be different for the staying of the family members and children. There will be lot of space for playing of games in the camp. The spending of the night will be effective for the person.

Being unsure of the weather is no excuse, keep an eye on the forecast for the time and location of your trip. Call the closest rangers office or get a hold of a local outfitter to get an update on the weather before you leave. Bring plenty of warm clothes for when weather conditions take a turn for the worse. If you pack a tent, bring along a footprint or tarp to keep the floor dry.

In cold weather, a sleeping pad is essential for insulating the cold ground beneath your bed. A few warm and clean articles of clothing will raise your comfort level and make your trip more enjoyable.

Keeping everything clean will save you work in the future. Wash your utensils and cookware after every meal to keep the food from drying to the surface and saving you some time on your next meal. Soap, a toothbrush, and other needed toiletry items can be stored together in a small bag for future use. Again, don’t forget the toilet paper and a small shovel to bury what you can’t take with you.