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Making a Better Cake

A cake is fun to bake and is featured in many events like weddings, birthdays, and other celebrations. Plus, they just taste good! There are some tricks to make a better cake that can help you as you learn this art.

Preheat the oven to help the cake rise properly.
Start with a recipe that matches your level of experience. Don’t attempt com0oex recipes that are almost guaranteed to fail if you are just starting.
Accurately measure ingredients to get the best results.

Common Baking Mistakes

You are definitely not the first cake baker that has had less than picture-perfect success when your cake flops. There are several reasons for recipes that do not work.

Too much liquid or dry ingredients can impact your cake by making it overly dense or dried out.
Improper mixing of the ingredients will make a cake tough or it can cause holes to form.
Cakes can stick to pans which will make them fall apart when taken out of the pan. Parchment and oiling pans are ways to avoid this.

Mastering Cake Baking

Learning to bake a better cake can take time, but after you master this culinary art you can make cakes and baked goods for events that will impress family and friends. There are an abundance of cake recipes available through various sources for beginner to advanced levels. The important thing is to relax and not get stressed if you make some mistakes. In time, you will be creating beautiful cakes with ease.

How To Clean Shower Head Easily Using A Few Easy Steps

Is your shower head dirty? Well, you probably are searching for how to clean shower head. By now, let us assume that you have already checked hundreds of places and have not found an accurate solution. Isn’t it? Well, don’t worry because we bring to you some of the best shower head cleaning hacks.

You might want to know how to clean shower head filter. It is advisable to follow the basic steps and other aspects. Furthermore, you should avoid stepping out with a dirty shower head. A dirty shower head will lead to messy hair and damaged hair quality. You surely do not want to be involved in the same. If you want to improve your hair quality, you need to use clean showerheads.

Cleaning shower heads

Your bathroom shower head is one of the main parts or spots of your home that you expect to be clean. It is not going to be doing self-cleaning. Hence, you need to break free from the general routine and follow the basic steps to make the shower heads appear clean.

You may want to use the easy shower head cleaning hacks. Cleaning the showerhead can be extremely tough if hard water builds over it. There are mineral deposits that may affect the water flow, thereby leading to blockages. If you notice many of these blockages, you need to clean these micro-jets. This will play an essential role in enhancing the shower cleaning experience.

Why should you regularly clean your showerheads?

Cleaning the showerhead must be the minor essential thing that you will want to do. We can always see dirty bathtubs, but we cannot see dirty showerheads. Since we cannot always see dirty showerheads, we don’t want to clean them.

Organic matter buildup and mineral deposits are some of the common buildups. These may eventually clog the pores, thereby having a negative impact on the water flow. If you suddenly notice the decrease in water pressure or irregular spray patterns, you should consider cleaning the showerheads.

Moreover, there are health factors to consider too for cleaning the showerheads. The showerheads are often required to be in a hot and humid environment. Hence, this kind of environment proves to be highly beneficial to the growth of germs. Moreover, it may also lead to slime buildup, which can cause irritants and affect the chlorine too.

Dirty or unclean showerheads may contain bacteria and pathogens, which can directly impact pulmonary disease. Furthermore, their unwanted growth will also lead to the growth of infections. When you turn on your hot shower, it paves the way for these bacterias’ easy movement, thereby making them more prone to be inhaled.

You need to be very careful while choosing the showerhead materials. Comparatively, plastic showerheads tend to attract more pathogens. Hence, you may want to use metal showerheads.

What leads to showerheads being dirty?

Before understanding how to clean showerheads, it is necessary to understand why shower heads are being dirty? The showerheads may get dirty due to various reasons. Some of these reasons include the following.

Deposition of dirty and tiny organic matter.
Accumulation of debris from the water.
Accumulation of slime and minerals from water.

No matter what type of water you are using (well or city), it is necessary to understand that all of these can damage your showerheads. Hence, it is crucial to fight and remove the microscopic items. If we clean the shower heads regularly, it becomes highly convenient to understand how to clean showerheads.

How to clean shower head?

There is no rigid method for cleaning the showerheads. The process for cleaning shower heads would entirely depend on the type of shower you have. Furthermore, you will also need to understand the amount of debris that is collected in the showerheads.

Some of the common ways to clean shower heads include the following.

Rub the nozzles

The first step towards cleaning the shower heads is rubbing the nozzles. If your shower head has many holes and is flexible, you should massage it and remove it.

If you rub the nozzles using your fingers, it becomes straightforward for you to remove the collected debris. This is the key step to understanding how to clean shower head filter. Apart from using your fingers, you can also use an old toothbrush for added advantages.

Nonetheless, it will only be effective for the short term. Hence, if you want to get long-term solutions, you will need to implement different techniques.

Clean shower head with vinegar

Many people prefer cleaning the showerhead using vinegar. However, you should avoid using harsh vinegar because it may end up damaging your shower head. Instead, according to expert advice, you should use white vinegar.

Make sure to use the acid in vinegar tactfully so that it can break down rust and lime. You can pour vinegar into a plastic bag and tie it to the showerhead. If you have basic and light stain issues, you will be able to remove them easily. Allow the mixture to hang in there for some time before removing it.

Once you are done cleaning the shower head, you should run hot water around it so that it can help to avoid stain and residue buildup. Furthermore, you may use an old toothbrush or toothpick to remove the stain.

Remove the showerhead and soak in vinegar

It is one of the best ways to remove the stain and residue buildup. This is one of the best ways to remove the excess buildup from showerheads.

You should remove or dismantle the showerhead and put it in a bucket of vinegar and warm water. Make sure to use white vinegar. It would help if you allowed it to soak for either overnight or three hours. Make sure to clean the showerhead with fingers or toothbrushes after removing them from that space. It is advisable to offer complete cleaning and rinsing using warm water.

You might want to follow expert advice to learn how to clean shower head. It is advisable to clean the shower heads with warm water after applying any harsh material to it to prevent corrosion.

Commercial Stove Hood Guide

Stove hoods are a vital piece of equipment for commercial kitchens. This guide will help you understand what a commercial stove hood does and why you may need one for your commercial kitchen.

What Stove Hoods Do

Stove hoods for restaurant supplies Bronx NY are installed above stoves and other cooking appliances in commercial kitchens. The hood’s main function to remove greasy and smokey air from the kitchen and transport it through ductwork to the outside of the building. The stove hood accomplishes this task by using a system of fans, filters and ductwork.

Types of Stove Hoods

Stove hoods come in two types. Non-grease hoods are intended for kitchens with equipment that only vents water vapor from cooking or washing dishes. Grease hoods are used for all other types of equipment. Grease hoods are more commonly used because they can handle both water vapor and other types of emissions.

Advantages of Having a Stove Hood

By removing greasy and smokey air, a stove hood can help keep your kitchen hoods cleaning and restaurant cleaner. This will make your customers happier because your restaurant will not smell like greasy food. It will also save you on labor costs because your employees will not spend as much time cleaning up greasy surfaces in the kitchen. Reducing the grease in the air of your kitchen also lowers your fire risk. Some commercial stove hoods also contain fire suppression equipment.

Maintenance Required

To maintain safety and efficient operation, the ventilation system needs to be regularly cleaned. How often the ventilation will require cleaning depends on the type of restaurant.

Who Needs a Stove Hood

State and local laws almost always require commercial restaurants to install stove hoods to meet fire safety requirements when they are using gas equipment. The laws governing the use of electric equipment vary from place to place and depend on the type of equipment being used. Some of the stricter counties may also require a hood to be installed over equipment such as dishwashers, steam tables and small kitchen equipment, such as panini presses. Most insurance providers also have requirements for restaurants to have stove hoods installed.

A commercial stove hood may be required to meet fire safety requirements in your area. Stove hoods also provide benefits to the cleanliness of your facility and can improve air quality and reduce cleaning costs. For these reasons, if you operate a commercial restaurant, you may need to consider having commercial stove hoods installed.

Supreme Vessel Sinks Created by Aquatica

A bathroom sink is an essential part of this room. While there can be a choice between a bathtub and shower, you will never find a fully functional and beautifully furnished bathroom without a sink. This furniture element is not just very practical – a nicely selected model can contribute a lot to the atmosphere of the whole space. One of the most popular choices for furnishing luxurious bathrooms is a vessel sink. This model was unique and not very common two decades ago. But now, while gaining popularity, such sinks remain chic and fashionable.

Aquatica is one of the best choices for picking a vessel sink. The catalog is full of options that will suit even the most refined taste. By selecting from numerous models, you can find the perfect design for your bathroom. In addition, these sinks will also fit nicely in other restrooms, such as those in the luxury restaurants and hotels. It is easy to choose a suitable model as they are manufactured in various sizes (10-19, 20-29, 30-39 inches), colors (black, white, brown, bronze, red, green, etc.) and shapes (round, oval, rectangular, or unconventional shape).

The Benefits of Choosing a Vessel Sink by Aquatica

Each sink manufactured by Aquatica has certain advantages. The main reason for such popularity is the incredible quality of materials and designs:

Supreme-quality material – Aquatica provides ceramic sinks as well as those made of AquateX and NeroX. They are known for their durability and convenience. These materials guarantee simple cleaning and nice looks even after a long time of usage.

Versatile designs – because of great customizability, there will be no issue in picking a model that will fit into your bathroom. You can select a sink for vanities of different sizes thanks to the variety of dimensions offered. The main criterion is the height of your surface that will need a vessel sink of a certain size.

How to Get a Free Quote from Roofing Companies in Your Area

When there is a problem with your roof, it immediately becomes an urgent issue. You can’t afford to leave a leak unrepaired or live with a damaged roof for very long. Sometimes, this can lead to a hasty hire of the first available contractor. While this is understandable, it is important to know what the different roofing companies in your area bring to the table.

We’ll tell you everything you need to know to get a free quote from roofing companies in your area, including what to look for, questions to ask, and things to know before getting a quote.

What To Look For When Getting a Quote From Roofing Companies

With so many different roofing companies out there, it can be hard to know where to begin when looking for a quote. Don’t get overwhelmed at this stage. There are some important things you can keep in mind to narrow down your search.

Start by taking a look at online reviews. See what kinds of experiences other customers had. This can help give you an idea of what to expect from different roofing companies. You may also get an idea of what they charge as compared to other roofing companies.

Things To Know Before You Get A Quote From Roofing Companies

Another thing to look for is what elements are included in the contractor’s bid. All of the quotes from roofing companies should include the following elements:

The terms of payment and the expected start and completion date
Both material and labor costs.
Any costs associated with permits or cleanup needs
Information on the quality and type of product they plan to use, including any warranties they provide.
Proof of roofing or contractor’s license (if required in your city or state)
Proof of both workmans’ compensation and liability insurance

If any of these are missing from the contractor’s quote, you should follow up on this. These are basic things you need to know so you can make an informed decision about your hire. They should already know this and should provide you with all of this information.

Questions To Ask Roofing Companies When Getting a Quote

Once you do reach out to a contractor, there are some questions you can and should ask. Getting answers to these, in the beginning, will help you make an informed decision about which contractor to hire.

How long has the company been in business?
When will they be able to start the job?
How long will it take for them to complete?
What precautions are in place for the safety of the workers and your home?
Will they need any permits for the job? Is there a cost associated with that?
Do they have any past customers that you can talk to?

You may also want to ask them about who will actually be doing the job. Some companies have employees that do the work, while others will hire sub-contractors. It is important to know this up front, as it could affect the quality of the job. If you’re able to visit a job site where the company is working already, that can be extremely helpful, as well.

Things To Watch Out For When Getting a Quote From Roofing Companies

We wanted to make sure we highlight a few red flags to watch out for when getting a bid from a contractor. These may not necessarily mean you’re dealing with a low-quality company, but they can be a sign that you should do some more research before making a decision. You’ll first want to Find Roofing Companies for Free.

Most importantly, never pay the full cost for the job up front. Most roofing contractors will not charge you more than 10% in a down payment if any cost at all. This is because the costs can change throughout the project depending on the specific work that’s needed.

You should also make sure that the company is able to provide proof of both licenses and insurance. We mentioned this before, but it is absolutely vital. You may not expect anything to go wrong, but you need to be prepared just in case. The last thing you want is for there to be an accident, but the contractor should be prepared for this.

Lastly, make sure the company is prepared and qualified for the needs of your specific job. Any decent roofing company should come and do an inspection of the damage before quoting you a price. You want to be sure that they are certified to do the specific work needed before you hire them.

Find Roofing Companies for Free

When it comes to actually getting quotes from the roofing companies in your area, the easiest way is with GetYourQuote.com. GYQ has an extensive network of contractors across a variety of industries. Each of them is pre-screened before being listed on GYQ for your peace of mind.

Not only that, but GYQ does the hard work for you. All you need to do is reach out to them with details of your project, and they can sift through all the different roofing companies in your area. After that, they reach out to you and let you know the best companies to choose from and can get a quote completely for free.

In addition, getting your quote through GetYourQuote.com means you’ll be getting some of the most competitive prices on the market. Regardless of the needs of your specific roofing project, GYQ can help match you with the perfect contractor for your needs.

Filtered Water: 5 Reasons You Absolutely Need a Water Filter in 2020

Are you thinking about investing in an at-home water filter?

Filtering water at home is becoming increasingly popular as consumers become more health-conscious and look to protect the environment from overusing plastic bottles.

The human body needs water, and most of us don’t drink nearly enough of it each day. Almost half of all Americans don’t drink the recommended four, eight-ounce glasses of water every day. Having a clean water source right in your home is an easy way to help your body stay happy and healthy and ensure that you’re getting enough water each day.

If you’re not convinced you need filtered water at home, keep reading to learn about some of the most significant benefits.

Five Reasons You Need Filtered Water In Your Home

Home water filters come in many different shapes and sizes. Some are pitchers that need to be refilled and stored in the fridge. Others are installed under your sink, such as Filtap, and make drinking filtered water as easy as grabbing a glass of tap water.

No matter which style of water filter you choose, there are tons of benefits you will start to experience right away. Some of the benefits you will notice include:

1. Reduce Your Risk of Disease

Even if you live in an area where tap water is safe to drink, you never know what could leak into your water supply.

A filtration system adds another layer of protection for you and your family, so you know the water you’re consuming is always safe and free from chemicals like chlorine and ammonia.

2. Protect Weaker Immune Systems

If anyone in your home has a weaker immune system, you should invest in an at-home water filter system to protect them. Water filters remove any contaminants found in tap water, which is ideal for people like the elderly, children and infants, and pregnant women. It’s also ideal for people with serious diseases.

3. Improve Taste and Smell

Some tap water has a very distinctive taste and smell from different minerals, and this can be very unappealing to some. A water filtration system removes particles that don’t need to be there, so you’re left with better-tasting water.

4. Saving Money

Not all of the benefits of getting a water filter are physical health benefits. If you love the taste of purified bottled water, you’re probably wasting a lot of money. By installing a water filter at home, you can likely save yourself thousands of dollars a year on the cost of bottled water alone.

5. Help the Environment

Reducing plastic water bottle use is another positive of switching to an in-home water filtration system. The more water you drink from home or with a reusable water bottle, the less damage you’re doing to the planet, even if you usually recycle your plastic bottles. Purchasing a water filter is an easy way to reduce your carbon footprint.

Learn More About Healthy Lifestyle Changes

Bringing filtered water into your home is one of the best investments you can make for both your short-term and long-term health. Purchasing a water filter is a small upfront cost when you think about how long it will last you.

If you’d like more information on other changes you can make to live an overall healthier life, make sure you check out the rest of our website.

Harmful Effects of Air Conditioner on Your Health

Do you use the air conditioner to just cool your home? An air conditioner is more than a cooling system and serves more than one purpose. Installing a new air conditioning unit in a home or office is also an investment. Discover interesting facts about why people install air conditioners in their home or office.

The AC Keeps Your Home Cool

Image by Flickr via USACE HQ

The primary function of an air conditioner is to keep your space cool in warm weather. According to the Guardian online, “nearly 200 US cities have seen record heat up to 105 degrees Fahrenheit.” More homeowners are relying on the air conditioner to set the temperament in their home. In fact, many air conditioners are forced to run at full capacity under extreme heat. If your air conditioner is expected to hold up under the increased usage, it must be running efficiently.

An Air Conditioner Promotes Clean Air

An air conditioner acts very similar to a filter by removing moisture and humid air from your home or office. Like a sponge, your AC absorbs the moist air. An inoperable or poorly operating air conditioner can be uncomfortable and create enough humidity for mold growth. Mold and mildew can also cause poor indoor air quality.

To resolve indoor air quality issues, it’s always best to hire a professional from Cutler Air to assess, repair, or replace your complete operating unit. To make adjustments to improve your air quality with your AC, clean your vents and improve your airflow. The air conditioner pulls in air from outside, cools it down, and distributes it to your home. Tiny particles like dust and dirt can quickly invade your AC filter. The experts suggest changing your air filter every six weeks to improve your indoor air quality .

Get Regular Maintenance On Your Air Conditioner

If you want to extend the life of your AC, it’s important to get the proper maintenance. For example, the winter is a great time to get routine maintenance on your air conditioner. In fact, during the off season, homeowners can find great prices on HVAC services. Trust an expert to have the knowledge and expertise to get your air conditioner running properly. More importantly, most professionals provide a warranty on their services to give you a peace of mind during a cooling emergency.

Conditions like asthma or respiratory breathing issues can make it difficult to comfortably use an air conditioner without triggering some of your symptoms. Keeping your unit clean and running properly is the key to better air quality, saving money, and getting the most out of your unit. While your air conditioner can be used to maintain your indoor air quality, you should never overload your unit to get it to function. A professional will have the tools to help you maximize the use of your AC and it keep it in top working order to set the comfort levels of your home or office.

Simple Ways To Improve The Air Quality In Your Home

As a homeowner, you clean your home to the best of your abilities to make sure your space is livable. However, sometimes we need to do a thorough clean and check for air pollutants in our home. Air pollutants are harmful since we breathe them in and they negatively affect our bodies. There are many medical illnesses that people develop because of these pollutants. If you continue to live in a home with poor air quality, the likeliness of you developing allergies, lung cancer, asthma, and other respiratory diseases increases. This is why it is important to use these simple ways to improve the air quality in your home.

1. Check for Leaks

If there are any leaks or places that have free-standing water in your home now is the time to eliminate them. You can do this by sealing any holes that may be present. This will help to reduce mold in your home. You want to eliminate the mold in your house because as stated by the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) people that are sensitive to mold can develop nasal stuffiness, throat irritation, coughing, wheezing, eye irritation, or, in some cases, skin irritation.

2. Read the Labels on Your Cleaning Supplies and Other Household Products

Image Via Flickr by kqedquest

According to the American Lung Association, some of the products that are used every day in households release dangerous chemicals such as VOC (volatile organic compounds). These types of chemicals being released are the cause of chronic respiratory problems, allergic reactions, and headaches. They can be found in items such as detergents, carpet cleaner, plastics, and more. It is important to read the labels of products before you buy. You want to make sure they either don’t contain or have a reduced amount of VOCs, irritants, fragrances, and other flammable ingredients.

3. Take Care of Your HVAC system

A great place to start improving your home’s air quality is your HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) system. You can clean and change the filters on your HVAC system about every three months. You can also call a Straightline Heating and Cooling professional to schedule a regular maintenance appointment. They can inspect your HVAC system thoroughly to ensure that it runs efficiently.

4. Let Nature into Your Home

Time to let nature in and one way is by bringing in house plants. At Live Science, it has been reported that the pores on the surface of a plant’s leaves can absorb gases such as VOCs. It is also necessary to improve your home’s ventilation. According to the United States EPA (Environmental Protection Agency), you can lower the air pollutants in your home by increasing the amount of outdoor air coming inside. Improving your air quality is as simple as opening a window, a door, or turning on a fan.

By controlling the amount of air pollutants in your home you can improve your air quality. You can do this by checking for leaks to get rid of mold, reading labels of household products, buying house plants, and taking care of your HVAC system. These are all simple steps that take a minimal amount of time to complete.

5 Ways You Can Keep Your Home’s Air Clean

If you’re getting more frequent colds, there could be many reasons why. The first thing you should look at is the amount of air pollution in your home. If there’s not enough air circulating in your home, you could have mold, or other pollutants in the air in your home causing you to get sick. Adding house plants, changing your air conditioner’s filter, installing an air cleaner, using a mechanical ventilator to improve ventilation, and moving your furniture around can help improve the air in your home. Surgi’s Heating & Air Conditioning also has a list of ways to improve air quality here.

5 Tips for Buying an HVAC System for Your Home

The HVAC system is complex and many homeowners do not understand how to buy the right system for their home. With so many features and benefits that come in the descriptions of products, it may seem daunting to start looking for a machine. However, buying one does not have to be difficult.

Here are five tips to follow to buy your next HVAC system:

1. Check the SEER, HSPF, and AFUF Ratings

When electricity bills are high, all you think about is how you could save money. SEER, HSPF,and AFUF ratings are designed to inform the buyer of the efficiency of the machines. If you check the SEER ratings, you will be able to find the latest energy-efficient machines that help offset your utility costs. Generally, higher ratings are assigned to machines that use more energy.

2. Make Sure You Know the Size of Your HVAC

You want to know the optimal size of your unit, so it does not bring problems later on. Again, it is a matter of being energy-efficient. Excessive or insufficient heating or cooling can change the quality of your indoor air. Insulation will prevent drafting in terms of unbalanced heat and cooling and consequently save you energy.

3. Invest in a Programmable Thermostat

Photo via Flickr by Dept of Energy Solar Decathlon

Knowing what temperature your home is set on can save you money. A programmable thermostat enables you to set the temperatures in the most energy-efficient way based on the usage of different parts of your home. The thermostat can help to maintain good indoor air quality. Investing in top-notch indoor air quality is wise.

4. Do an Analysis of Costs and Benefits

When buying a home, the prices of both the HVAC system and the home are evaluated. This is because the system’s installation cost can effect the buying process. For those who are not able to pay the mortgage, they thoughtlessly jump in for a system upgrade. See if the price of your home is sufficient to upgrade the system. Keep in mind that the furnace lasts 20 years compared to the conditioner which lasts 10 years.

See if there is any bad ductwork, as 30% of energy can be wasted through the ducts. Signs to look for are loose and broken parts that are condensed and dusty. In this case, you will be needing a device restoration, unless the previous owner had a dehumidifier installed.

5. Examine the Refrigerant

Refrigerants named R-22 were usually used for old homes. It is recommended that you buy a new device if your system uses this type. Stay healthy at home by choosing the right HVAC, as outdated refrigerants are not safe for your family.

As a new homeowner, you probably felt lost when you were told that you needed to have a unit installed or replaced. Use these tips to determine the appropriate system for your home and to keep your family safe and comfortable.