Monthly tips for homeowners
AZ Contractors 2 U provides on-going, dynamic access to information to help you complete your projects. Check back each month for the new Tip of the Month. Below is the archive of past tips.
August 2007
Cut Loads of Energy While Doing the Laundry. It's easy to cut your energy costs for laundry. About 80%-85% of the energy used for washing clothes is used to heat the water. You can reduce this cost by using less water by washing full loads and using cooler water and cold-water detergents - switching the temperature setting from hot to warm cuts a load's energy use in half. . If you are in the market for a new washer, look for the ENERGY STAR and read EnergyGuide labels. You can reduce drying costs as well: clean the lint filter after every load to improve air circulation, and don't over-dry clothes. Use the cool-down cycle to allow clothes to finish drying with residual heat. Also, periodically inspect your dryer vent to ensure it's not blocked. Consider buying a natural gas dryer, the cost per load is less than an electric dryer.
May 2007
Rye grass will start to die in early August when our temperatures get to around 100°F. Stop watering the grass for a couple of weeks to let it die out, and then begin watering again to awaken your dormant Bermuda summer grass.
April 2007
This is the time for spring cleaning. Time to clean windows, power wash driveways, trim trees and plants, and tune up air conditioner.
October 2006
Winter rye grass is usually planted in October. A general rule is that when the temperatures at night are consistently around the 60°F range, you are ready to plant. |
