Household tips

Which Is Better: Artificial or Real Grass?

by Chris on July 29, 2011

As I walk around residential areas one thing I have started to see more and more is artificial grass. I have even seen builders put artificial grass on the nature strips in front of their show houses. (Can you still call them ‘nature strips’ with artificial grass?) Here are my thoughts on how they compare [...]

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Getting rid of graffiti on your property

by Chris on July 6, 2011

Some see graffiti as art, others perceive it as vandalism. Whatever the universal truth is, one fact is undeniable – graffiti is not good for your property. Why is graffiti bad for home owners and business owners? People associate graffiti with crime, and any neighborhood where it’s evident automatically leaves bad impression, it is seen [...]

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Keeping Your Home Warm, Efficient and Sustainable This Winter

by Chris on July 2, 2011

It really is freezing as temperatures drop to single digits, and the first thing we do is to turn on the heaters. In the back of our minds we are all too aware of the escalating energy costs and the large energy bill we will be receiving. Keeping your home warm, efficient and sustainable this [...]

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A few ideas for a great Neighbour Day

by Chris on March 21, 2011

At the risk of sounding obsessed with this event, I decided to write some more about the Neighbour Day because personally, I find it much needed, and worth spreading the word about. I’ve always been motivated by people who are blessed with the determination to make a difference. Andrew Heslop is one of these incredible [...]

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Do we really need a Neighbour Day?

by Chris on March 18, 2011

My neighbour in the house on the left is an old lady who is rarely seen outside. She’s not well and often a friend or two come and stay the night to keep her company when she is ill. My neighbours in the house on the right are a family with 2 young kids and [...]

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Solar Upgrade From A Basic System

by Chris on March 16, 2011

In a previous post I showed how I evaluated a basic 1.5kw system for my house in Victoria … But is it worth installing extra panels? Basically the government supports domestic solar installations up to 5kw although the most support is for systems up to 1.5kw. The effect is that the cost per kw for [...]

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Solar Electricity – Is It Worthwhile?

by Chris on March 10, 2011

There is a lot of marketing information around about Grid Connected Solar Panels but not many facts. Here’s how I evaluated a basic system for our house in a Melbourne Suburb. We use around 16kw hours (kwhr) of electricity per day which is fairly typical; For each 1kw of solar panels we can expect to [...]

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How to Run a Garage Sale

by Chris on February 25, 2011

If you find yourself in the need for some cash quick, you could literally be sitting on it. Take a look around the house. Do you have more than a broken record, some dusty plastic flowers, and an “I heart NY” coffee mug that you would like to part with? Let’s have a garage sale! [...]

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How Safe Is Rainwater?

by Chris on February 19, 2011

Millions of people have lived long healthy lives drinking rainwater but that doesn’t mean that rainwater is entirely pure, or completely safe for everyone. The following Chemicals are commonly found in rain: Hydrogen, Ammonium, Calcium, Magnesium, Potassium, Sodium, Sulfur Tetroxide, Nitrus Oxide, Chlorine, Fluorine, Lead, Iron, Bromine, Manganese, Vanadium, Aluminium. These chemicals are generally safe, [...]

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Combating mosquitoes in your property

by Chris on February 15, 2011

After recent rains mosquitoes quickly became a problem even in places that never had them before. While mosquito bites annoy most people, not everyone sees them as a threat – and perhaps we should take another look at these tiny insects and diseases they transmit. The main health concerns are related to Australian encephalitis, Dengue [...]

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Caught in a dispute with an energy provider? Here’s my story

by Chris on February 7, 2011

Have you ever moved home? Then I don’t need to tell you what a hectic period that is. A thousand and one thing to take care of, to think about, to consider, discuss and decide. It may sound very unfair, but even being very organized may not save you from mess-ups that are beyond your [...]

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