#you don’t need to spend hundreds of dollars on that maintenance but

[morgenlich]

remembering a post on here that was talking about the evils of the skincare industry and mentioned being a camp counselor who regularly goes a few weeks a year without really even washing their face, talking about how they can literally be covered in dirt for days and their skin doesn’t react at all and it’s like. ok.

you can do that.

[posttexasstressdisorder]

The GOP’s 43-year tax-cuts-for-billionaires-while-we-ignore-the-needs-of-the-country grift has an analogy in condos and homes across America that might help voters understand how it works and how they’ve gotten away with it.

Fully 84 percent of all homes and apartments built and sold in 2022 came with a homeowner’s association (HOA), and an estimated 27 percent of all homeowners nationwide currently live in a property controlled by an HOA.

And many are very unhappy about the experience.

According to a survey by Rocket Mortgage, only 47 percent of HOA residents think their HOA has made their community better, only two-thirds (64%) believe their HOA “honestly handles its finances,” and one in ten people nationwide who have an HOA cite the HOA itself as their main reason for moving.

How and why is this?

Louise and I have lived in five communities with HOAs in two different states. Three (including where we now live) were well managed, kept up the community, and set aside money from the dues every month for the inevitable future maintenance. I was on the board of one of them. The other two ran, essentially, a shell game or reverse Ponzi scheme, which led us to eventually quit those communities and move.

READ: Deep-red 'Republican stronghold' thought to be 'easy win for Trump' is now a swing state

I remember attending a board meeting in one of those “shell game” HOA communities we’d lived in. There were multiple common-area maintenance issues needing attention, but a group who called themselves “low-tax conservatives” had run the board for over a twenty years.

There was almost nothing in reserves, so maintenance had been continuously postponed until things hit a crisis level. Then they’d hit us all with a series of “special one-time assessments” ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars to pay for the upkeep. They refused to raise the monthly HOA fee, referring to it as a tax, because, they said, they were “low-tax conservatives”; in fact, they were just cheapskates.

That HOA board had been, in the past and the present, stealing from future homeowners.

They did it so they could enjoy the community during the first 30 or so years — when maintenance costs were minimal — without setting aside money for the future, when things would rot or wear out and need replacement or upgrade.

For the first three decades, they were able to coast with $200/month in dues and no assessments; by the time we arrived when the units were pushing 35 years old, though, the assessments were hitting $3000 to $9000 a year, and, when the buildings’ roofs need repair (soon) it’ll be twice that amount or more.

Fortunately, once we saw the handwriting on that particular wall we were able to sell our condo and move to a well-run community. Americans, though, don’t have that option: Republicans have been running this same shell game or reverse Ponzi scheme against all of us (except the very rich) across the entire country ever since Reagan successfully pitched trickle-down economics to the nation in 1981.

If you’ve ever lived in one of these shell game HOA’s, you now perfectly understand Reaganomics and why it seems that America has deteriorated so badly over the past 40 years.

You could call it the disaster of pothole economics: all across America, roads, bridges, water systems, schools, and other vital public infrastructure have been underfunded and neglected ever since Reagan popularized the idea of “austerity” among Republicans.

In order to pay for the second most massive tax cut for the morbidly rich in history (Reagan cut the top tax bracket from 74% down to 25%), his administration cut spending on education, housing, roads and bridges, and pretty much every other aspect of America’s infrastructure. George W. Bush did the same thing, and Donald Trump tripled down on the scheme.

The result was a $51 trillion transfer of wealth — over a mere forty-three years — from the homes, retirement accounts, and savings of average working families into the money bins of the extremely wealthy. Thirty-four trillion of that transfer show up as our national debt, which was a mere $800 billion ($0.8 trillion) when Reagan first came into office and started this scam.

President Joe Biden and his Vice President, Kamala Harris, ran the first administration of either party to significantly repudiate Reagan’s neoliberalism by injecting trillions into rebuilding our nation (over 35,000 projects) while raising taxes on rich people and corporations to pay for it.

The result was immediately visible, just like in the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s: we now have the best economy on planet Earth with unemployment lower than any time since the 1960s (and lower than any time in history for women, Blacks, and Hispanics). Inflation has been at or below 0% for the past two months and is annually running around 3% (Reagan never got inflation below 4.1% in his entire 8 years); all across America we’re putting our rural areas, towns, and cities back together.

For the past forty years, Republicans and their administrations have focused almost entirely on taking cash away from working class people and handing it off to the billionaires who own and finance their party. At the top of the list of ways they did this was a series of five tax cuts for the morbidly rich and big corporations adding up to over $30 trillion since 1981.

But they’ve also been cutting spending to compensate for their tax breaks for the billionaire class: They blocked extending the child tax credit this year, throwing millions of American children back into poverty. They’ve fought lifting the cap on Social Security taxes so people making over $168,600 will begin paying on all of their income (millionaires and billionaires currently pay only a tiny fraction of the percentage to support Social Security that the rest of us do).

Fully 100% of congressional Republicans voted against Biden’s Build Back Better program that’s now putting America back together and his American Rescue Plan that lifted millions out of poverty and put millions more back to work. They successfully blocked the Paycheck Fairness Act that would have penalized employers for wage discrimination based on gender; they’ve refused to expand Medicaid in almost a dozen Red states; they even filibustered an attempt to raise the minimum wage from $7.25 to $10.10.

For the past forty-plus years, Republicans — just like these dysfunctional HOAs — have been stealing from America’s future; our infrastructure deficit alone is several trillion dollars, meaning Americans will be paying more in taxes to make up for all those decades of neglect.

Democrats want those tax increases to hit people earning over $400,000 a year; Republican tax proposals, on the other hand, mostly focus on increasing income taxes and fees on working class people while continuing or even expanding tax breaks for the very wealthy.

One of the “low tax” HOAs we used to live in, instead of raising their monthly fee or instituting an assessment, recently negotiated a million-dollar-plus 20-year loan with people’s properties as the collateral to fund painting and repairing serious rot on the buildings.

This should have been paid for with an increase in HOA fees twenty years ago, anticipating the future maintenance and upkeep needs.

But instead they kept the fee low, never built up a reserve, and are now borrowing from the bank. In other words, they’re continuing the all-too-common HOA board scam of requiring future generations to pay for current repairs, just like the GOP budget proposals we’ll see when they return from summer vacation in September will require future generations to pay for their past tax cuts.

It’s the equivalent of Reagan, Bush, and Trump jacking up the national debt to keep things glued together, forcing future generations to pay it off when the bill comes due, while their wealthy corporate funders rob us blind.

Homeowners across America are waking up to these toxic HOA boards, as social media sites for HOA members are forming and local homeowner uprisings are happening against boards, either replacing the board members or, in some cases, even suing them. Some states are even starting to require they build up reserves for future maintenance.

Hopefully, Americans will realize how successfully Republicans have inflicted this very same scam on voters and working class people over the past forty-plus years and vote the bums out this fall.

ALSO READ: Mike Johnson's now-deleted Trump social media post sparks controversy

[shabbytigers]

guys came to fix the cracked living room window, i didn’t think it was nearly bad enough to be making a difference but the living room is somewhat warmer than it was. however, they also identified a crack in the fucking building? that you can see daylight through??? next to a window in the sun porch. which rather explains why that end of the apartment remains icy cold 😭

i love and will defend the altbau aesthetic forever but i feel like the people who own these buildings are not enviable. once you have a lease here they can’t raise the rent much and i’m not sure how owners with long-term tenants from before the real estate market went up even manage, it takes colossal money to either 1. renovate this kind of building properly or 2. do the kind of maintenance work that an unrenovated building needs all the damn time such as fixing actual fucking cracks in the goddamn walls, and obviously you aren’t gonna make that kind of money back on rents that got set and capped at peanuts ten years ago, so what gives? is it just a sucking wound of a money pit?

*notices catastrophic undersupply of housing* huh

to be fair new developments do get built here and the math on those pencils out for landlording. you’ll spend more on mortgage and management than you get in rent, but after ten years the whole thing flips to tax advantaged so you end up better off—it’s not, like, insanely great, but there aren’t many investment options here and i can see how if you have money jonesing to go somewhere useful this might be somewhere to put it. i don’t Like most of the new developments but probably there are a few good architects idk and if you aren’t living there yourself it may not matter

but it seems legit financially nuts to own an unrenovated altbau! if you’re going to live in it yourself, okay, not a deeply clever money decision but an understandable one. i’d tolerate unreasonable risks and costs to live in my own place while saving to renovate it. but as a landlord? the proposition is ludicrous. every X months there’s some fucking fundamental infrastructural issue that’s got to be emergently remediated for massive amounts of money and meanwhile the tenant has been living in it for thirty years and is paying you eleven dollars a month, and like—even if you had a couple of hundred thousand to renovate the building, what’s your motivation to spend that money on renovating? you’ll still have the same eleven dollars a month tenant (or maybe now it’ll be nineteen dollars a month idk but i don’t think you can just raise to market because you renovated). you’ll be that much poorer but with fewer catastrophic phone calls. meh

(i cannot currently contemplate owning berlin real estate of any kind, but imagination is free)

[awakeningthevioletswithin]

I'm thinking of posting this on medium but I'm genuinely scared. I'd welcome thoughts.

I’m So Terrified To Tell These Stories But Something Needs To Be Said

The concept of victim blame always seemed to be presented as a phenomenon exclusively found in the arena of sexualized violence. As a survivor of several episodes of sexualized violence, I’ve found the experience repeated as the daughter of a deadbeat billionaire father and suffered exploitation by unscrupulous landlords. 

Victim blame has undeniably been experienced by many victims of sexual violence but rather than being a phenomenon of sexual violence, victim blame is a feature of any situation in which the perpetrator has a more political, economic, and/or social power than the victim. No one blames you if you buy a huge TV that’s stolen because you have demonstrated you are of the owning class. However, if you want your landlord to fix a leaky roof, you must justify why you don’t just move somewhere else without a leaky roof.

My father says on one of his own website bios his and assets are worth in excess of two billion dollars. He used addresses in South Africa and the Channel Islands. That my single mom in Denver, Colorado could not begin to navigate international family law is my father’s proof that he was not responsible for child support. So insulated by privilege provided by wealth, I am forced to defend that a father should pay child support. A father who has made hundred of millions in housing while I experienced a decade of housing insecurity and intermittent homelessness. 

Over the years I’ve received variously skeptical and accusatory questions about why my mom didn’t do this or I didn’t do that. The truth is neither of us could find an advocate. Would you want to enrage a billionaire? Would you go out on that limb? No one ever asks how he could live knowing his daughter was unhoused? My half siblings ask why my mom didn’t do something. They don’t confront our father and demand he do something, despite having 700 units in my city. 

The experience of being blamed in a situation I seemed to be powerless in was replicated again in my relationship with my landlord. In September of 2020, in the midst of the pandemic, eviction ban in effect, rent paid through October 5th, my landlord have my utilities cut at the street. I was given nothing in writing but was forced to vacate on the 18th of September. The inspector from the energy company never asked if I lived there. I tried to talk to the police, I was told it was a civil matter and I needed an attorney. I was unable to obtain a call back. No one wants to represent a tenant. 

I was “allowed” to say in a windowless room with a back breaking sectional in half a duplex shared by their adult son, the yard was also shared with another person so I had to coordinate for my dog’s pee breaks. I had been renting a two bed, two bath, single family with a yard, so the accommodations were not equal. 

They moved me into another property without any maintenance between tenants. I couldn’t move in until 6pm because the guy was still in the house. There was a period of 18 hours during which I was renting two houses and not allowed to occupy either and had current leases for neither. 

What had been an agreement to allow an elderly parent to sleep on my couch over the holidays became me providing 24/7 home healthcare because he had just had a “mild stroke” and he had been checked out of the hospital so he spend the holidays at home. Not only did I care for the stroke patient with dementia, I ended up coordinating the in home care professionals and entertaining the family. 

Around that time I fell in love for the first time. Being verbally abused by a man grappling with his own mortality in the company of relative strangers, at Christmas no less, was not ideal as a backdrop to our budding romance. He is a coffee guy and so I learned to make it but I don’t drink it. I made it for everyone. My landlord would visit with her father have an espresso, sometimes and then some breakfast that I made, and then do other things like prep another property. 

Why would anyone allow this? Was she paid? Did she get free rent? No. 

After Christmas, my beloved having vastly misjudged the power dynamics involved, gently informed my landlord that I wasn’t able to get any of my own work done and was too nice to say so. He also asked if she had a steam cleaner, this was because I was not comfortable laying down the law vis a vis use and changing of urinary and fecal incontinence products. He was able to do it but would belligerently insist it wasn’t necessary. Within 24 hours she was threatening housing. She was offended that I suggest my dog couch was soiled by her father, even though it’s why he was ostensibly not in her 5 bedroom home across the street.

I have talked that all through with a number of attorney’s intake people I’m asked again and again why didn’t I? Get help. I tried. I was unhoused from March 2019 to October 2019. My housing is everything to me. I am not being dramatic when I say I would rather die than lose my housing. That’s the answer. Why did I allow that and all the other horrifying things? Because of existential extortion. 

Power assures your destruction if you try to fight it. If you’re a victim of sexual violence you face further violation and there’s a like 90% chance the perpetrator won’t even be charged. Nor have people stopped blaming the victims of office harassment for the consequences suffered by their harassers. If you have a legitimate grievance against the billionaire class, you may not be a daughter but you could be a caterer that didn’t get paid for a society wedding or a gardener or a tenant, that you simply can’t afford justice. Maybe someone wields power like housing or income to get more. 

We as a society need to broaden our recognition of when victims of power abuses are demanded to justify how they’ve coped with their situation. The demand for explanations always seems to look down. Power does not expect questions and they rarely seem to come. 

Again I see parallels between my sets of experiences. When I had a particularly brutal encounter, I played nice all the way until he was in a lyft and via text for months after. I didn’t want him to come back. I also feared his confidence. I was sure that, despite him needing to hold me in place, his assuredness I wanted what happened would convince a third party. My mom she feared him taking me in spite, she convinced herself I was her choice so solely her responsibility and his marriage needed protecting. With my father, well the fact that he hasn’t treated me like one of his children has made people assume I’m lying. I’m something he has gotten away. The housing is an undecided struggle but terrifying none the less. 

I’ll leave you with image…Coffee guy left and never came back. He knew something was up and bailed before he had to know and pretend to care. I’d had a miscarriage and didn’t know how to talk about it because I hadn’t known prior to miscarrying I was pregnant. I couldn’t do anything for months. I missed that had once again conceived in our last days and then miscarried a second time. In one brief moment outside my landlord saw me and told me she missed the coffee in a way that made it clear she had wanted me to go on making her espressos. I’ll remind you I don’t drink coffee, the coffee stuff was his and I was grieving a pregnancy, my first love and a future that seemed so real to me I could see it when I closed my eyes. 

[fdoorsystem]

Why Placentia Homeowners Should Prioritize Garage Door Maintenance

As a homeowner in Placentia, maintaining the condition of your garage door might not be at the top of your to-do list—but it should be. Your garage door is one of the most used entryways into your home and plays a vital role in both security and curb appeal. Regular garage door maintenance can save you from expensive repairs, enhance your home’s overall safety, and increase the lifespan of your system. At First Rate Door Systems, we understand how important it is to keep your garage door functioning properly. In this article, we’ll explore why garage door maintenance is essential for homeowners in Placentia and how it can benefit you.

1. Prevents Costly Repairs and Replacements

Garage doors endure significant wear and tear over time due to frequent use, exposure to the elements, and the heavy lifting required by the system’s springs, cables, and motor. Without proper maintenance, small issues can turn into major problems, leading to costly repairs or even the need for a full replacement.

At First Rate Door Systems, we’ve seen how simple maintenance tasks—such as lubricating moving parts, tightening bolts, and inspecting cables—can prevent more severe issues down the road. A small investment in regular maintenance can help you avoid spending hundreds or even thousands of dollars on repairs or replacements.

2. Enhances Safety for Your Family

A malfunctioning garage door is not only inconvenient, but it can also pose a serious safety risk. Imagine your garage door suddenly falling or failing to open when you need to get your car out. If the door’s safety sensors are misaligned or if the springs break, the door may fall unexpectedly, leading to injury or damage.

Proper garage door maintenance, such as checking the safety features and testing the balance, can help keep your family and property safe. First Rate Door Systems conducts thorough safety checks to ensure your garage door operates smoothly and securely.

3. Increases Your Home’s Curb Appeal

Your garage door is one of the first things people notice when they look at your home. A well-maintained, clean garage door improves the overall curb appeal of your property, making it more attractive to potential buyers if you ever decide to sell.

Rust spots, cracks, and dents on your garage door can make your home appear neglected. By taking care of minor issues through regular maintenance, you’ll preserve the aesthetic appeal of your garage door, ensuring that it looks great and complements the rest of your home.

4. Prolongs the Life of Your Garage Door

Garage doors are an investment, and like any investment, you want to make sure they last as long as possible. A well-maintained garage door can last 15 to 30 years, depending on the quality of the materials and how well it’s cared for. However, if you neglect maintenance, that lifespan can be shortened dramatically.

Routine maintenance ensures that the door’s springs, tracks, and opener function at their best. First Rate Door Systems offers expert inspections and servicing to help you extend the life of your garage door system, so you don’t have to worry about premature breakdowns or expensive replacements.

5. Improves Efficiency and Saves Energy

If your garage is attached to your home, your garage door can have a direct impact on your energy bills. A garage door that is not properly insulated or sealed can let in drafts, making your heating and cooling system work harder. Over time, this can increase your energy costs.

Garage door maintenance includes checking the insulation and weatherstripping to ensure that your door is energy-efficient. A well-maintained garage door system can help regulate the temperature inside your garage, reducing the strain on your HVAC system and saving you money.

6. Protects Your Investment

Your garage door is a significant investment in your home, and taking care of it is essential to preserving that investment. The garage is not just for storing cars; it may also serve as additional living space, a workshop, or a storage area for valuable items. A garage door that malfunctions can not only prevent you from accessing your garage, but it can also put your belongings at risk.

Regular maintenance from First Rate Door Systems ensures that your garage door remains in optimal condition, protecting both your property and your peace of mind.

Call to Action:

Don’t wait until something goes wrong with your garage door. Prioritize regular maintenance to ensure that your garage door stays secure, functional, and efficient. If you’re a homeowner in Placentia, First Rate Door Systems is here to help with all your garage door maintenance needs. Our expert team is ready to provide you with high-quality service and peace of mind.

Contact First Rate Door Systems today to schedule a comprehensive garage door inspection and maintenance service. Keep your garage door in top shape for years to come—because your home deserves it!

First Rate Door Systems

140 W Orangethorpe Ave, Placentia, CA 92870

(714) 462-3641

[walnutridgelandscape]

The Least Expensive Commercial Landscaping Maintenance Services

Investing in commercial landscaping doesn’t have to bankrupt you.

With the right services, you’re not just spending money — you’re making a smart investment in your property that can pay off in big ways. 

If you want to boost visitorship, improve employee productivity, or even cut down on utility bills, the right landscaping choices can make a huge difference.

In this article, we break down commercial landscape maintenance pricing for the most important services, so you can see how much you can expect to spend on making your property presentable. 

1. Lawn Mowing and Basic Maintenance

Keeping your lawn neat and tidy is the foundation of good landscaping. Think of it as the first impression your property gives to clients and visitors.

On average, lawn mowing for commercial properties costs between $50 and $150 per acre for smaller spaces (less than 5 acres) and about $25 to $60 per acre for larger ones, according to homeguide.

Why it matters: A well-maintained lawn instantly elevates your property’s curb appeal, creating a professional and inviting atmosphere. First impressions matter, especially if you want to attract more visitors or tenants.

2. Fertilization and Weed Control

A lush, green lawn doesn’t happen by accident. Fertilization and weed control are the secret ingredients for keeping your turf healthy, vibrant, and maintained.

These services typically range from $150 to $400 for fertilization and $50 to $200 per application for weed control.

Why it matters: A healthy lawn isn’t just pretty to look at—it also creates a welcoming environment for everyone who steps onto your property. Plus, happier employees tend to be more productive, and who doesn’t want that?

3. Tree and Shrub Care

Don’t overlook the power of well-maintained trees and shrubs. They’re not just decorative; they’re functional too! Professional pruning or maintenance can cost $300 to $800 per tree or shrub, depending on their size and needs. 

Why it matters: Strategically placed trees can help lower cooling costs in the summer, while well-trimmed shrubs add polish to your landscaping. Oh, and they also boost your property’s overall value—win-win!

4. Mulching

Here’s a low-cost service with a big payoff: mulching. It not only keeps weeds in check and retains soil moisture but also gives your property a polished, professional look. 

The average cost of mulching is $90 per cubic yard, with the average residential lawn costing $180, according to Angi’s.

Why it matters: Think of mulch as the finishing touch on your landscaping. It’s functional, attractive, and cost-effective—a no-brainer for any property.

5. Irrigation System Maintenance

No one likes seeing sprinklers spraying sidewalks or wilting plants on hot days. Regular irrigation system maintenance ensures everything works as it should. 

One service call will typically cost a business hundreds of dollars. While costs depend on the system’s complexity, this is a worthwhile investment to prevent future repairs and water wastage.

Why it matters: A well-maintained irrigation system keeps your landscaping looking fresh while cutting down on water bills. It’s eco-friendly and budget-friendly.

What’s the ROI on Landscaping Maintenance?

Here’s the thing: spending money on landscaping is an investment. Here’s what you stand to gain as a business owner:

Increased Property Value: A great landscape can boost property values by up to 14% and, if you’re in the market, it can speed up the amount of time it takes to sell your property by up to six weeks.

Better Productivity: Beautiful green spaces have been shown to improve employee morale and productivity by reducing stress and boosting short-term memory.

Utility Savings: Strategic plantings can lower cooling costs in summer and block wind in winter, saving you on energy bills by 20% or more.

Final Thoughts

Commercial landscaping maintenance pricing doesn’t have to bankrupt you to make a big impact. 

Whether it’s keeping the lawn neat, investing in irrigation, or adding some mulch for that finishing touch, small changes can lead to big results. And the best part? You’ll see the returns in increased visitorship, happier employees, and a property you can truly be proud of.

Ready to make your landscape work harder for you? Start small, stay consistent, and watch your investment pay off.

[fastrateauto23]

How Car Brake Service Can Improve Fuel Efficiency

Have you ever felt like you’re constantly stopping by the gas station, even when you’re not driving much? It might not be your driving habits—it could be your brakes! Most people don’t realize it, but your car’s brake services system plays a sneaky role in determining how much fuel your car burns. Let’s dive into how keeping your brakes in tip-top shape can help you save money and drive more efficiently.

Understanding How Brakes and Fuel Efficiency Are Connected

Brakes and fuel efficiency might seem like they’re from two different worlds, but they’re more connected than you think.

Here’s the deal: when your brakes aren’t working as they should—whether they’re sticking, dragging, or just plain worn out—they create unnecessary resistance. This resistance forces your engine to work harder to move the car, guzzling up more fuel in the process.

Think of it like trying to jog while dragging a heavy bag behind you. You’d burn way more energy, right? The same principle applies to your car. Healthy brakes let your wheels spin freely when they’re not engaged, giving you smoother rides and better mileage.

Signs Your Brakes Might Be Affecting Fuel Efficiency

How can you tell if your brakes are the culprit behind your car’s poor fuel economy? Here are some red flags to watch out for:

Spongy or unresponsive brakes: If your brakes feel soft or unresponsive, they might not be operating efficiently, which could stress the engine.

Strange noises: Grinding, squealing, or screeching sounds? Those could indicate brake pads or rotors in trouble, indirectly impacting fuel efficiency.

Car pulling to one side: If your car tends to veer to one side while driving or braking, it could be a sign of uneven brake wear causing drag.

Burning smell after driving: That nasty odor might mean your brakes are overheating or sticking, leading to wasted fuel.

Catch these signs early, and you’ll save yourself from more than just a hit to your fuel economy—you’ll avoid costly repairs too.

The Role of Regular Brake Maintenance in Saving Fuel

Regular brake service isn’t just about avoiding annoying screeches or emergency repairs. It’s about ensuring your car operates efficiently as a whole.

When your brakes are well-maintained, they’ll:

Reduce drag: Healthy brakes won’t stick or create unnecessary resistance.

Improve coasting: You’ll glide farther on the same amount of fuel, especially during highway driving.

Extend tire life: Properly functioning brakes mean smoother stops and less wear on your tires, which also contributes to fuel savings.

A quick check-up or service from a trusted mechanic can make a world of difference. They’ll inspect, clean, and replace worn-out components, ensuring your brake system runs like a well-oiled machine.

Tips to Keep Your Brakes in Top Condition

Want to keep those brakes working perfectly? Here’s a handy checklist:

Check brake fluid regularly: Low or dirty brake fluid can mess with your system’s performance. Top it off or replace it as needed.

Pay attention to your driving habits: Avoid riding the brakes unnecessarily. Coasting to a stop is easier on your brakes and saves fuel.

Inspect brake pads and rotors: Worn-out pads or warped rotors can hurt your stopping power and fuel economy.

Schedule routine maintenance: A pro can spot and fix issues you might not notice.

Treat your brakes like the MVPs they are—because when they’re in good shape, your wallet (and your car) will thank you.

Cost vs. Savings: Why Brake Service Is Worth It

Yes, brake service costs money. But think about it: would you rather spend a bit now or deal with hefty repair bills and constant fuel fill-ups later?

Let’s break it down. Say you’re driving with dragging brakes. That could lower your fuel efficiency by 10% or more. Over time, that’s hundreds of dollars wasted on gas! Add in the potential costs of fixing damage caused by neglect, and it’s clear that regular maintenance is the smarter (and cheaper) choice.

The Bigger Picture: Benefits Beyond Fuel Efficiency

Improving fuel efficiency isn’t the only perk of keeping your brakes in check. You’ll also:

Enhance safety: Brakes are your car’s first line of defense. Faulty brakes can lead to accidents or costly damage.

Lower emissions: When your engine doesn’t have to overwork, it produces fewer pollutants, making your ride more eco-friendly.

Boost overall performance: A car with properly maintained brakes simply drives better.

It’s a win-win for you and the planet. Who wouldn’t want that?

Choosing the Right Brake Service Provider

Not all mechanics are created equal. When looking for someone to service your brakes, consider the following:

Reputation: Check reviews online or ask friends for recommendations.

Certifications: Look for ASE-certified mechanics—they know their stuff.

Transparency: A good shop will explain the issues and costs without pressuring you.

Convenience: Pick a shop that works with your schedule and is easy to get to.

At First Rate Auto in Milwaukee, WI, we specialize in top-notch brake services that keep your car running efficiently and safely.

Conclusion

Who knew your brakes could be the key to better gas mileage? By keeping your brake system in good shape, you’re not just saving fuel—you’re saving money, protecting the environment, and ensuring a safer ride.

So, the next time you’re tempted to skip that brake service appointment, think again. A little maintenance now can lead to big savings down the road. Ready to boost your car’s performance? Start by giving your brakes the attention they deserve.

First Rate Auto

5424 W State St, Milwaukee, WI 53208, United States

+14147743738

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[ezonedealau]

How a Car Scratches Pen Can Restore Your Car’s Shine

Owning a car is not just about transportation—it’s about pride. Whether it’s a sleek new model or a classic car, maintaining that flawless shine is important to many drivers. But no matter how careful you are, scratches are inevitable. 

These blemishes can tarnish the beauty of your car and leave you frustrated. Enter the car scratches pen—a simple yet effective tool designed to restore your car’s shine without the need for expensive repairs. In this blog, let’s explore how magic pen for car scratches works, its benefits, and how it can help bring back the glow your car deserves.

Understanding Car Scratches: The Basics

Before diving into how a car scratch pen can help, it’s important to understand the nature of car scratches. Not all scratches are the same, and they vary in depth:

Clear coat scratches: These are surface-level scratches that affect the top protective layer of your car’s paint. They don’t go deep and are often caused by minor impacts, such as brushing against tree branches or car washes.

Base coat scratches: These scratches penetrate the clear coat and affect the paint layer. They’re more noticeable as they expose the primer or base coat beneath the paint.

Primer scratches: These are deeper scratches that expose the primer beneath the paint. If left untreated, they can lead to rusting and more severe damage.

The good news is that many minor scratches, especially clear coat and light base coat scratches, can be easily addressed using a car scratches pen.

What is a Car Scratches Pen?

A car scratches pen, also known as a touch-up pen, is a convenient and cost-effective tool designed to fill in minor scratches and restore your car’s paint. It’s essentially a pen-shaped device filled with paint, designed to match your car’s colour. Car-scratched pens typically come in two forms:

Paint-only pens: These contain the paint colour that matches your car’s finish, allowing you to cover up the scratch with a thin layer of paint.

Clear coat pens: These pens contain a transparent liquid that restores the protective clear coat layer over your car’s paint.

How a Car Scratches Pen Works

Using a car scratches pen is incredibly simple, but it requires some preparation to ensure the best results. Here's how it works:

Clean the Area: Before using the scratches pen, clean the scratched area thoroughly with soap and water to remove dirt, debris, and any wax. If the surface isn’t clean, debris could get trapped under the paint, causing imperfections in the final finish.

Shake the Pen: Once the surface is clean and dry, shake the pen for 20-30 seconds to mix the paint inside the pen evenly. This ensures that the paint comes out smoothly without clumps or inconsistencies.

Apply the Pen to the Scratch: Gently press the tip of the pen against the scratch. For deeper scratches, you may need to apply multiple layers. It’s essential to be patient—apply thin, even strokes rather than attempting to fill the scratch with too much paint at once.

Let it Dry: Allow the paint to dry completely. Drying times may vary, but most pens take about 30 minutes for the paint to dry. For deeper scratches or multiple coats, allow up to an hour between applications.

Buff the Area: Once the paint has dried, use a microfiber cloth to buff the area gently. This will help blend the paint with the surrounding surface and restore the shine.

Benefits of Using a Car Scratches Pen

Cost-Effective Solution: One of the biggest advantages of using magic pen for car scratches is its affordability. Rather than spending hundreds of dollars on professional repair jobs, you can fix minor scratches at home for a fraction of the cost.

Easy to Use: The user-friendly design of the pen makes it accessible to anyone, even those with little to no experience in car maintenance. With simple instructions and no special tools required, it’s a convenient option for quick fixes.

Portable: A car scratches pen is compact and portable, making it easy to store in your glove box or garage. You can carry it with you and touch up scratches anytime, anywhere.

Prevents Further Damage: Minor scratches left untreated can worsen over time, leading to rust, peeling, or more expensive repairs. A car-scratched pen helps you address the problem early, preventing it from escalating.

Professional Finish: While a scratches pen is a DIY tool, it delivers professional-level results. If applied correctly, the repaired area will blend seamlessly with the rest of your car’s paint, leaving no visible trace of the scratch.

When a Car Scratches Pen Might Not Be Enough

Although car scratch pens are great for minor surface damage, they aren’t a miracle fix for all types of scratches. Deeper scratches that penetrate the metal or damage the primer may require more intensive repairs. Additionally, if the colour match isn’t perfect or the scratch is too large, it’s best to consult a professional for more advanced solutions like repainting or buffing.

Final Thoughts

A magic pen for car scratches is an affordable, easy-to-use tool that allows you to restore your car’s shine in just a few simple steps. Whether you’re dealing with a small scratch from a parking lot mishap or a scuff from a tree branch, a car scratches pen can help you get your vehicle looking like new again. While it’s not a solution for every type of damage, it’s a reliable and effective option for minor imperfections that could otherwise detract from your car’s appearance.

By incorporating a car scratches pen into your car maintenance routine, you’ll not only keep your car looking great but also protect it from further damage. So next time you notice a scratch, don’t panic—reach for your car scratches pen and watch your car’s shine return!

[georgesmith00x2]

Hydraulic Supply Alpharetta GA

Brake fluid is a subtype of hydraulic fluid with high boiling factor and coffee freezing point. Aircraft hydraulic fluid packages require unique care as they're vital to flight protection. Keeping those fluids unfastened from infection is the main problem.

Hydraulic transmissions need a distinct grade of mild Hydraulic Supply,The Story of Hydraulic Fluids Articles and manually shifted transmissions use a heavier gear oil much like that for rear axles to face up to heavy hundreds at the equipment. Multi-grade hydraulic fluid is designed to be free of heavy metals.

Powered with the aid of an everyday engine or electric powered motor, in those machines, hydraulic fluid is pumped to an excessive stress level and then moved during the machines by using specific actuators. The fluid in those machines is managed immediately or robotically with the aid of manipulate valves and then dispensed via hoses and tubes for numerous programs.

The pumped hydraulic fluid flows to the actuators or automobiles then returns to a reservoir in which the fluid is filtered and then re-pumped. The direction thru which the hydraulic fluid circulates is referred to as Hydraulic SupplyAlpharetta GA. Hydraulic circuits are specially of two types, Open Centre Circuit and Closed Centred Circuit.

Most of the hydraulic equipment are being used at production, production agencies, and constructing facilities. Where heavy device and products are produced or transported. There is smaller hydraulic gear that you are using at domestic. But, this isn’t the hydraulic equipment that we are speak me approximately. Today, we are speaking approximately the big gear, those which might be costing thousands of dollars to get repaired or changed.

One factor that they don’t bear in mind is the reality that if they don’t service the gear on a regular basis, it is going to break down a lot quicker. And, which means upkeep are going to be loads extra luxurious. Or, it breaks past upkeep and you want to update it. With doing ordinary protection, you're ensuring that the tools aren’t breaking and that you aren’t spending as plenty money on maintenance as wished. The final component that you want is to break the tools which you have paid a lot money for, just because you weren’t servicing it on a ordinary foundation.

The performance of Hydraulic Supply pump depends on the viscosity. Any version in viscosity affects the performance and overall performance. In important cases, pumps get damaged by any solid debris in hydraulic fluid. Hence a filtration machine is used to avert this harm. The hydraulic ram pumps are in large part utilized in manufacturing, construction and machining industry wherein they generally tend to result into enhanced efficiency and normal performance improvement of the entire gadget. Nowadays, pump production agencies use diverse substances to convey down put on changes and offer consistent performance. To ensure assured improvement, it is crucial to consider various factors while shopping for a hydraulic rampump inclusive of running stress, temperature and frequency. By adhering to these basics, you may without problems choose the proper pump on your desires.

[blogger2121212]

Cost-Saving Strategies With Cheap VoIP Services

Certain items in an office are easy to upgrade, such as computers and furniture; others, such as an office phone system, may prove more challenging.

VoIP systems offer the convenience of being upgraded remotely without replacing old hardware or wiring, plus many come with features to save money in the long run.

1. Reduce Your Calls

No matter if it’s cold calling or helping an irate customer, your phone quality is of utmost importance. An ideal VoIP system can significantly lower call costs while still guaranteeing clear communication.

VoIP services operate over your existing high-speed Internet connection, meaning you don’t require a separate landline to handle your business calls. Instead, use either your computer and software-based adapters or invest in an actual VoIP telephone that plugs directly into your broadband connection and operates like traditional phones.

2. Switch to a Cloud-Based Solution

Upgrade from traditional landlines to VoIP can be an instantaneous way of cutting costs. Unlike landlines which incur upfront investment and ongoing maintenance fees, VoIP allows calls to travel over data networks rather than analog phone lines, significantly cutting equipment and service costs (you won’t pay someone to show up with a repair truck!).

With certain systems like FluentStream, adding devices, features and extensions remotely and instantly allows you to scale your business without spending extra money on equipment or waiting for IT personnel to visit and assist. This enables you to expand without breaking the bank in terms of equipment costs or hiring IT specialists to do it for you.

3. Switch to a Virtual PBX

A private branch exchange (PBX) typically resides on-premise and requires IT teams to maintain the costly phone system hardware, while virtual PBXs operate through VoIP and allow businesses to cut costs on hardware costs by saving on maintenance.

Virtual PBXs not only save businesses money on costs but they can also enable employees to work remotely — creating savings of several hundred dollars per employee as the business no longer needs to cover expenses for gas, parking and public transit, nor spend time commuting themselves.

4. Look for a VoIP Provider with a Local Office

There are numerous ways for businesses to save money with VoIP services, but perhaps the key advantage lies in lower call rates that rely on internet rather than copper wire technology. This can make international calls significantly cheaper than with traditional telephony or mobile networks.

Businesses can save with business VoIP by eliminating maintenance costs. Software updates occur automatically and phones can be used on different devices — helping reduce the expense of purchasing and maintaining additional phones for telecommuting staff or global sales teams.

When looking for an economical business VoIP provider, be sure to select one with 24/7 customer service and robust security features. Free or low-cost providers often cut corners with security, leading to data breaches which could cost your business thousands or millions in financial loss as well as damage its reputation and customer base. RingCentral can be the ideal way to avoid these risks by offering secure solutions such as VoIP.

[propertymaintain]

The Time Has Come To Choose Reliable Maintenance Companies For Your Cheltenham Home

Ingenious Service Providers is the go-to company for commercial and residential property maintenance in Cheltenham.

Many families are choosing to postpone trips during the rainy season in their own country due to the increased danger of acquiring cholera. Especially if rain is forecast. Non-citizens who want to work from home but can't due to local regulations may want to consider buying a second house.

Purchasing a second home is expensive, particularly if you're moving to a country with high mortgage rates

The budget will be balanced if spending on transportation, education, and healthcare is cut or abolished, producing savings. Professionals in the sectors of heating, water, and hot water storage advocate opening windows and turning off devices like Televisions when they are not in use to save energy. The firm recommends the following as part of regular holiday home maintenance:

Budgeting and resource conservation should be given prime billing. Following the company's advise and making adjustments like using low-energy light bulbs and investing in high-efficiency equipment might save you hundreds of dollars annually. Think about all the money that has been thrown away on shoddy internet, HVAC, and hot water heater installations. Cheltenham Property Maintenance Services is available for your convenience at any time. Property Maintenance Services Cheltenham is here to aid you in locating the most competitive pricing available in the area. If you need Property Maintenance Services Cheltenham, there is no better company to call.

The existing level of humidity in the air has been recommended to be reduced by 20%. Many issues might arise when a house is empty for a long time. It may be difficult to remove the stains on the walls or the musty smell in the air if the problem is not addressed as soon as feasible. Keeping your home's air clean and fresh may be as simple as doing just one thing every day. To make ends meet (financially or otherwise), you may discover that you need a trustworthy neighbor's assistance while you're away from home.

Switching to an electric water heater might be the best choice if you have high utility costs. Spending a little extra now might wind up saving us money in the long run, according to Ariston's analysis. The author thinks that electrical boilers are great for vacation and rental houses due to their flexibility and convenience during installation. Since they don't use fossil fuels, these boilers help save the planet.

Use your lightning-fast Internet connection to its fullest potential. You might end up saving a lot of cash if you spend the time doing something that appears pointless at the moment. Scientific American reports on a research that suggests home electronics might help us understand the present and future effects of climate change. Before venturing out under hazardous conditions, travellers should make arrangements to stay in a safe area. Experts have concluded that the treasure is well worth the cost due to its high market value and inspirational effect.

About the Company: At CCS Property Maintenance in Cheltenham Gloucestershire our qualified and insured tradesmen provide an extensive range of maintenance services for both domestic and commercial properties.

[waterfiltergurus]

6 Ways a Water Softener Saves You Money

Water softeners aren't cheap. Cabinet-style systems cost at least $400, and the more sophisticated two-tank units start at $800. So when the initial investment is high, it's understandable that you want to know whether or not this upfront spend is worth it. In this guide, we've shared the top 6 ways that a water softener can save you money. 📌 Key Takeaways: - A water softener saves you money by maintaining efficient appliances, reducing your soap use and cleaning duties, and increasing the value of your home. - Installing a water softener in your home can help you save hundreds of dollars per year. 💲 How A Water Softener Saves Money: 6 Ways Keep reading to learn how you can start saving money after installing a water softener. 1. Reduced Spend On Cleaning Products The first money-saving benefit of a water softener is that it reduces your spend on cleaning products. Hard water forms scale build-up on faucets, shower heads, fixtures, and other water-using appliances. This can restrict water flow over time and just looks ugly - so you'll probably want to get rid of any scale that you can see. But limescale is very difficult to remove and often requires specialist products that cost more money. You can avoid paying for these when you install a water softener, since soft water doesn't produce any scale whatsoever. 2. Reduced Water Heating Bills Calcium buildup in your water heater can damage the heating element over time, leading to costly repairs. Plus, hard water limescale lines your water heater tank and acts as a layer of insulation, requiring a longer heating time to achieve the same water temperature - which, in turn, will increase your energy bills. Installing a softened water system is the best way to enjoy energy savings with your water heaters. Not only will you get longer use out of your water heating unit before it starts to degrade, but the unit will also heat water faster, so you can enjoy significant savings in the cold winter months. 3. Reduced Appliance Maintenance/Repair Spend Hard water reduces water flow, clogs appliances, and leaves a crusty buildup of minerals that can affect the efficiency of your washing machines and dishwashers, resulting in more frequent maintenance and repairs. You can eliminate the costs associated with inefficient and broken appliances by installing a hard water treatment system. Soft water doesn't produce scale, so you can enjoy the best performance from your high-efficiency appliances and avoid costly repairs and maintenance. 4. Reduced Spend On Soaps With hard water, you'll need to spend more money on laundry detergent and other laundry products. Hard water doesn't lather well with soap, so you'll need more soap for the job - meaning that you'll need to purchase detergent more often. A soft water system can help you save money on your laundry loads. You can use less fabric softener and detergent than you'd have to with hard water - and for better results. You should have softer clothes because your water contains no hard minerals that cause soap scum. On the subject of soap, you can spend less money on soaps for your dishwasher, plus shower gels and shampoos, for the same reason. 5. Increased Home Value Water softeners don't only help you save money - they can also help you make it. Having a water softener installed in your home is a selling point for potential buyers. It means they already have a built-in solution to their water hardness problems, without having to spend the time, money, and effort on installing a system themselves. Because of that, a water softener should help to increase your home's value if you ever decide to sell and move. 6. Reduced Time And Effort Time is money, after all. You could be doing something far more valuable than scrubbing your shower screens for half an hour to remove the limescale. By saving the time and effort that goes into cleaning the effects of hard water out of your home, a water softener lets you have more freedom over how you spend your waking hours - whether that's catching up on work, closing a business deal, or simply checking in with family. Related Content: - Ultimate Hard Water Treatment Solutions for Your Home - DIY Hard Water Softening: 8 Natural Methods You Need to Know - Do You Have Hard Water? 12 Telltale Signs to Look Out For 📑 Final Word A softened water treatment system can help you save hundreds of dollars every year. By preventing damage to your water heaters and other appliances, reducing your cleaning duties, and protecting your home's plumbing system, you can spend less money on cleaning products, appliance repairs, and soaps, and more on the things that matter to you. Read the full article

[cartercoplumbing]

Go with the Best Plumbing Company for All Your Plumbing Needs

The plumbing industry is constantly changing and evolving, so it’s no wonder that plumbing companies change their business models and offer different services. There are plenty of good, affordable plumbers out there who can help you with your plumbing needs. But what about the rest? Should you pick a company based on its reputation or follow a few simple tips? Here are some things to keep in mind when deciding which company to go with for your particular situation.

Pick a Company with a Good Reputation

If you’re going with a plumbing company, make sure they have a good reputation and are scheduled to work at your location. If they aren’t scheduled to work, ask if they can come by and perform an estimate. Some contractors will charge an hourly fee for the privilege of working at your home. If that’s the case, ask them to find another company. Some companies will offer an “open-hour” policy where they’ll work any hour they choose. In these types of companies, you don’t need to set up any worksite rules or hire any employees. If they don’t work at your home, ask them to reach out and check out other nearby businesses. Some plumbing companies will work evenings or on weekends, so verify if they’re available to work on those days too. When you decide which plumbing company to go with, discuss this with your plumber beforehand. If they don’t skimp on the work or charge extra for extra work, it can be a sign that they don’t have a good reputation. If you have to pay extra to work on weekends or other busy weekends, it can also be a sign that they’re not taking full advantage of their availability.

Set Up a Flexible Scheduled Maintenance Plan

Some plumbers offer flexible scheduling. This means they can work when you want them to work and on what day of the week. This is great if you need them to work on a certain day of the week and want them to work on other weekends as well. But if you’re working with a schedule that requires you to work on certain days of the week, you should probably go with a different plumbing company.

Explain the Service you Offer

This is critical when picking a plumbing company. You need to spell it out in a way that the customer will remember and trust. If you don’t, they won’t come back to your business. It’s that important. If they don’t know how to service your home, find a plumber who knows how to service it. You don’t need to spend a fortune on plumbing services. A good plumber can usually work for a few hundred dollars per month. If you’re looking at a low-cost plumber, look into their hourly rate. It doesn’t need to be the most expensive plumber in the world. It just needs to be good.

Look Into Their Cost Analysis

Cost is always an issue in plumbing. It’s the difference between doing the work for a cheaper rate or paying a higher rate for the Plumbing company. One company we work with said that their cost analysis paints a very accurate picture of their company’s costs. Another company said they prefer to use price quotes over costs because they give the price an insight into the entire project. Some companies use a percentage breakdown of their costs to help you understand how much work is involved in certain categories. Some companies will only ever show you the highest end of the cost spectrum. Some companies will show you the lowest end of the cost spectrum, sometimes even saying “free” for their services.

Bottom line

When it comes to choosing the right Plumbing company, there are certain things you should always keep in mind. Make sure you research the companies in detail before making a decision. Ask your plumber friends for recommendations. When in doubt, always get your advice before making a decision. Good luck!

[retellingthehobbit]

@pelahnar ahhh thank you!!

I think one of my biggest problems is that, especially early on, I’ve been poorly organized and failed to do the “boring” website organization/maintenance that makes a webcomic actually retain any readers. While some of my chapters get some attention in isolation, people often trouble have finding the rest of them, learning there are others, or following along. Which is my fault really XD.

I once had this mentality that I could just draw the pages, not worry about anything else, and people would figure out how to follow the comic on their own— but that’s not really how things work 😂. Even in my own experience, there are plenty of webcomics I’ve been unable to get into because it was too hard to figure out where they were being posted or how to follow along.

It took me a while to start crossposting to Webtoon and Ao3, and even years after starting to crosspost people still are surprised to learn the comic is on those sites. And I think it’s because I haven’t made that clear enough to people. It also took me far too long to put together a separate Tumblr sideblog distinct from my main blog, and then to have that blog contain a master list of links to the chapters in the pinned post. : P

I definitely need to make a website as a central hub for the comic, the way other artists do with their own comics, but. AHH. 😭. Designing a website is a lot of work. I would either need to spend weeks learning how to do that and putting it together, or Id need to spend at least a few hundred dollars hiring someone to build a website for this personal project that Im not making any money off. I’ve noticed that lots of webcomics I love partner with Hiveworks, which has an internal team that helps build well-formatted websites for artists so they don’t have to do it, but those kinds of partnerships aren’t reallly an option for a copyright-violating fancomic. (And technically, Webtoon can take down my comic for that reason at any time 😂.)

My other option is to use a site like comicfury, which has prebuilt webcomic websites— but comicfury could easily go under, the way similar websites have, and it would kind of defeat the point. The whole purpose of having a website is to have something you “own” that can’t be taken down on a whim; I’d hate to put in all this effort into a Comicfury site and then have it shut down.

(And i’ve tried Wordpress, but afaik their ‘webcomic’ themes are either all extremely outdated or don’t work anymore.)

It’s just so many things to manage? Posting on Webtoon, posting to the image hosting site I use for Ao3 embeds, Ao3 itself, and Tumblr; I have four Tumblr sideblogs; then then also other social media sites like Instagram and Tiktok 😆. Just the process of *uploading* a chapter of this comic takes hours! I’m aware that other people find ways to Automate posting but I haven’t.

Uploading to yet another website would be even more work, and I would only do it if it were my own website; but I can’t make my own website until I learn how or am willing/able to throw lots of money at someone; and anyway, alas that these evil days should be mine. So many things to organize, so many blogs to run!

I feel thin, sort of stretched, like butter scraped over too much bread. I need a hiatus, a very long hiatus….

….And when you combine the organizational problems with the fact that my update schedule is very inconsistent, it’s a wonder anyone has figured out how to follow this comic at all 🤣😂🤣🤣 I’m very thankful people are so determined.

One day I will bite the bullet and figure out how to make a website, but until then! My comic will just be around. I doubt it will ever be like a Real Webcomic until I get the organization down and make a Real website, but that’s just life sometimes

….I think some people might believe this fancomic is more popular than it is XD. One or two people have talked to me like this comic is very popular or something but it’s usually more like

Its more popular than a lot of webcomics but I want to stress that (from my side) this feels like a very small operation 😂, especially given the level of time I put into it. I’m not unhappy about that, because I don’t draw this to get popular! I draw it because I want to! I would draw it in a void! And I enjoy having a small enough reader group that I recognize familiar usernames who comment often, can reply to all comments, and can have conversations with individual people and stuff. but it is just a thing.

My point is that I’m not Sansukh or any other (deservedly) Uber-popular hobbit fanfic with thousands of subscribers, I’m still just a little guy, so I do appreciate every comment/share a lot! 😂

[ultimateaclrecovery]

This picture about sums up how well California is going for me.

I ordered shower hooks that were supposed to be here Saturday but they seem lost in shipment abyss, and the only ones in the store and like ten times more expensive.... so I did this.

But the real tragedy of the weekend was losing my keys. Either in my own purse or into the abyss to be miraclously places into my purse. Like seriously look at the size of my keys relative to the size of my purse even when shoved into a tiny pocket

I went pick up my order at target, was in the store for 15 mins and could not find them. Looked in my pockets, purse, retraced my steps. Took things out of my purse, stuck my hands in all the pockets everything just sort of flipping it upside and shaking it. Which is what it would’ve taken. Or god put them back in my purse. Because like seriously. I turned the target upside down trying to find them for like six hours, praying and wishing like crazy to find them because they don’t have spares for rental cars and my apartment keys were also on there. And I wasn’t yet in the maintenance request system. But in the end I had to call the rental company and get them to send out a tow truck. But I had waited too long trying to find them and the tow truck came after the store had closed. And the security guard who had helped me earlier waited with me which nice, but then he also hit on me which was not nice. Like dude you know how fucked I am right now just don’t.

Got to drive an hour to LAX in the middle seat of a pickup truck, and then driving my new rental car back I got stuck in the middle of a drag race. Was sitting the middle lane at a light and several cars with hazards in pulled up to the side and behind reving their engines. I just moved over to the right lane and luckily they just went by with out running me over.

And then when I finally get back to my apartment complex at one in the morning and resch for the garage door opener I pull out all my keys instead. I couldn’t believe it. I was furious and so relieved.

I feel like there’s a spiritually metaphor there but looking in all the wrong places, but not quite sure how to parse it. I did go to a local church that morning. (Instead of just watching my hometown church online like I usually do.)

In other fun cali things I get exactly zero cell service in my apartment and very little complex. And despite the fact the website claims WiFi in the common areas, I can’t find any and the manager won’t tell me about it even though I’ve emailed twice about it (in conjunction with other questions which got answered) and my WiFi doesn’t get installed until tomorrow.

And in extra fun, my tdy per diem rate is currently listed at the general Cali rate instead of the la one, which is over a hundred dollars a day lower. So I also get to go fix that but it means I won’t be able to submit my report for sun and today until next week, so won’t get any of it until 3 weeks, instead of getting a little in two weeks. (And like I can float but for fucks sake)

For further fun I left my credit card at the grocery store and had to go back and get it. Thank god they had it and it was super easy to get it back. Guy had a stack of probably like forty cards though so I guess at least I’m in good company there.

And then for the final disaster, work was zero percent prepared for me to be there today and I wasn’t even allowed on campus. I don’t need to be yet until I start testing, but I do need a badge to make my computer work soon and will need to be in eventually. And I was hoping to work on campus due to the whole not having WiFi thing. But alas. Only teared up a little on the phone with the hr lady after being told by badging that I couldn’t even get a temp badge.

But I have an appointment to get my real badge Thursday, and am now working (aka reading documents) at the library and I’m being added to the list that’s allowed on campus. So things are kind of working out but what a shit show.

Due to spending six’s hours searching at target Saturday I did zero unpacking and everything is still everywhere. And the boxes that I shipped that were supposed to get there Saturday now will hopefully be here today. So much chaos.

But in better news I found this awesome painting at goodwill for three dollars

Things may not be going well, but damn if I’m not (eventually) good at problem solving and forcing things to work out in the end.

[dengesixdilhun]

Repairing Your Own Air Conditioning System

When your central air conditioning system fails during a heat wave, you may have to wait days for an HVAC repair technician or an ac contractor to arrive, and you will almost certainly have to pay at least several hundred dollars for the repair to be completed. However, if you're comfortable working around electricity and are willing to spend about $50 on parts, you should be able to repair your air conditioning service yourself in about two hours and save approximately $225 in labor and parts markup.

Local HVAC repair technicians shared their best do-it-yourself AC fan repair and maintenance tips with us, which you can read below. These suggestions will assist you in resolving the most common "low cooling" and "no cooling" issues. You'll need a low-cost multimeter, a voltage sniffer, an assortment of insulated screwdrivers, and a socket set to complete this project. Note:

If these AC repairs don't work, at the very least you've covered the most common causes of failure, allowing your service technician to focus on the more difficult to diagnose problem. Furthermore, with the new parts, you will most likely enjoy many more years of trouble-free air conditioning. Here's how to get things started.

What is causing my air conditioner to fail to cool the house?

Check to see if the problem is with the furnace.

Make sure your thermostat is set to air conditioning mode and that the temperature setting is lower than normal. If the furnace fan starts to run, it means that the problem is not with the furnace. If the furnace fan does not operate, try resetting the circuit breaker for the furnace. If the fan still won't turn on, consult a professional because the solutions provided here will not work.

After that, inspect the outdoor condensing unit. The compressor (which makes a refrigerator-like sound) and the fan should be running at all times. If this is the case, proceed with the troubleshooting and repair procedures outlined here.

Caution: Make sure the power is turned off.

Before removing the outdoor disconnect or removing the access panel for the condensing unit, make sure the A/C and furnace breakers in the main electrical panel are turned off. Then, using a voltage tester, check the wires coming into the contactor to ensure that the power has been turned off completely.

Is your air conditioning not working?

The AC contactor (relay) and start/run capacitor(s) (as shown in the illustration below) are the most frequently failed components and are relatively inexpensive. As a result, it's a good idea to purchase and install those parts as soon as possible, especially if your air conditioning service unit is more than five years old. In addition, the condenser fan motor can fail, but it costs about $150 to replace, so wait until you're certain that's what's wrong before doing so.

Locate the nameplate on the condensing unit in order to purchase replacement parts (not your furnace). Make a note of the manufacturer, model, and serial number (or take a photo). You can purchase the parts at an appliance store, a furnace dealer, or on the internet.

https://t.co/L1gOcd5DMU

— Air Check Mechanical Service (@CheckMechanical) January 29, 2022