Thursday, June 10th, 2010
Cleaning and maintaining your swimming pool on a regular basis will allow you to enjoy a clean and healthy swimming pool for a long time. QwikBids has referred service providers for swimming pool maintenance and repair. If you live in “The Valley of the Sun” (Phoenix, Mesa, Scottsdale, Avondale, Tolleson, Chandler, Gilbert, Tempe, Glendale), get multiple quotes for your request at www.QwikBids.Com. Qwikbids is a FREE local service throughout the valley.
To help ensure your swimming pool is clean and clear for your family and friends to enjoy, focus on two areas:
- Maintaining or adjusting the chemical balance of the pool water.
- Removing debris and foreign particles from the swimming pool.
The chemical balance of swimming pool water cannot be maintained by adding pool chemicals only when we remember to. Pool water needs to be tested on a regular basis and adjusted in accordance to the results. The most common chemical used is chlorine. If used in large quantities, or if not maintained properly, chlorine may irritate the eyes and skin of swimmers. A swimming pool owner should also be aware of the proper maintenance instructions for the chemicals and follow the manufacturers’ instructions when applying chemicals to the pool.
To remove unwanted substances from your swimming pool, many rely on a water circulation and filtration system. Regular brushing and vacuuming of our swimming pools helps ensure a minimum of foreign material in the pool water. In addition, you also need to clean the filter itself and replace the filtration medium when necessary. A swimming pool filtration system uses the same basic principle of passing water through tiny channels. Particles larger than these channels are trapped and separated from the main body of the water. This process continues until all of the channels are blocked. At his time, the filter must then be cleaned and the cycle repeated.
Debris and suspended matter usually find their way to the bottom of a pool and may need to be removed by vacuuming. You may want to consider vacuuming as part of your regular maintenance. The swimming pool vacuum operates in a similar manner to the common household vacuum, except it draws water through the vacuum head instead of air. There are two ways this may be accomplished:
- One method employs a jet of water supplied by a garden hose to power the suction which draws the dirt into the head to be trapped in a cloth bag.
- The other method uses the suction power supplied by the filter which draws the debris and suspended matter from the pool floor for removal through the filter. When there is a considerable amount of debris to be removed, the filter valves should be adjusted so that the vacuumed water will bypass the filter and run to waste.
Don’t feel overwhelmed. Let QwikBids get you the service professionals who can take care of this or any other project you want done. QwikBids providers are already prescreened. In addition, you can remain anonymous until you choose a company with the best fit!
Tags: avondale, Chandler, chemical, chemicals, chlorine, Cleaning, filter, filtration, Free, Gilbert, Glendale, maintaining, maintenance, Mesa, Phoenix, pool, QwikBids, repair, Scottsdale, service, Swim, Swimming, Tempe, Tolleson, vacuum
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Friday, June 4th, 2010
In and around Phoenix, Scottsdale, Litchfield Park, Chandler, Mesa, Avondale, Gilbert, and Tolleson, many of the various types of palm trees are beginning to seed. It is that time of year; time to trim and prune your palm trees. When trimming your palm trees, or having this done by a professional, you want to wait until the pods seed to be sure you get all the seed pods in one trimming. Depending on the type of palm tree, this usually begins between the first and middle of June.
Only trim the brown drooping fronds on your palm. Do not trim off the ones that are still green; the tree needs them to collect sunlight to create chlorophyll for growth and best health. To prune palm trees the key care factor is that only the palm knows when a frond needs to be pruned off, and that is when it is dying (yellow or brown). As each new leaf opens, it will take the place of a dying leaf. The palm knows the exact amount of fronds needed for a healthy Palm Tree. When Palms reach their ultimate height, the fronds will decrease in size and the palm trees will decline and die. As a new frond emerges, the oldest frond dies. The age that a frond may attain will be determined by many factors including size of mature palm trees and number of fronds produced.
- Fertilizing established palms is an important way to keeping them vigorous.
- In Arizona, nitrogen is the most commonly deficient nutrient; when it’s missing, the older fronds turn yellow or pale green.
- Some palm trees show Magnesium deficiencies; causing a yellow band on older leaves, with central vein remaining green.
Remember, discolored leaves on your palm trees do not recover. Therefore, preventive fertilization is best. Your palm trees will look more attractive when they have adequate nutrients.
Discover the difference! Request multiple bids for the services you need – at no cost – and you may remain anonymous. Go to www.QwikBids.com today. Service providers compete for your business, and when the job is completed and you give feedback, QwikBids will donate $10 to the charity or non-profit of your choice.
Tags: avondale, Chandler, Gilbert, landscape, Litchfield Park, Mesa, palm trees, Phoenix, pod, pods, prune, Scottsdale, seed, Tolleson, trimming
Posted in Cathy's Clips | 3 Comments »
Tuesday, May 18th, 2010
Spring is a traditional time to clean and repair your home after the winter season. It is also the best time to have an HVAC (heating, ventilating and air conditioning) contractor perform an annual pre-summer inspection of your system. This will ensure that your cooling system will be working properly when the hot summer weather arrives.
According to ENERGY STAR, a typical contractor maintenance check-up should include the following:
- Change air filters on a regular basis. Dirty filters reduce system efficiency and increase costs.
- Check furnace system controls and thermostat. This will insure that the starting cycle is working properly so the unit keeps you comfortable when you are home and saves energy (and money) when you are away.
- Tighten the electrical connections and lubricate all HVAC moving parts. Faulty electrical connections and lack of adequate lubrication can reduce the life of the unit components. An improperly operating system can also cost you in the increased amount of electricity you use.
- Make sure the condensate drain is working properly. Not only can a plugged drain or pipe cause water damage, it can also affect the humidity levels in your home.
- Clean the evaporator and air conditioning coils. Dirty coils can cost you money. They reduce the system’s ability to cool the home so it must operate longer, leading to higher energy bills. Longer operating times also reduce the system’s life and increase the amount of energy needed to operate.
- Check air conditioner refrigerant level. Too much or too little refrigerant will affect system efficiency, increasing energy costs and system life.
- Make sure blower components are properly adjusted. ENERGY STAR? Guidelines indicate that airflow problems can reduce system efficiencies by up to 15 percent!
Don’t let the heat get to you. Look no further than QwikBids for your licensed service professional. Licensed professionals are ready to bid on your requests at just a moment’s notice.
Also, visit http://www.azcommerce.com/Energy for Arizona state rebates, energy programs, and upcoming energy related events.
Tags: AC repair, ac service, air conditioning repair, Glendale, HVAC, Mesa, Phoenix, Scottsdale
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Wednesday, August 12th, 2009
Qwik Hits!
Commitment to satisfaction doesn’t show itself every day, but at QwikBids, things are a little different. We believe that through registration with us, Service Providers are stating the obvious, “We’ll do whatever it takes to not only provide quality, but competitive pricing as well.
It came as no surprise then, a consumer was so impressed with their contractor they just had to let us know; and so, QwikBids wants you to know too!
“MS” writes, [The company I chose] “was fantastic. They were prompt, clean and did a fantastic job. We had several schedule changes and they were willing and able to accommodate us at the very last minute. I would recommend them to anyone who needs perfect craftsmanship at a very competitive price.”
Keep them coming consumers!
QwikBids is more than happy to share these experiences with our readers, Service Providers, and of course, customers who use our unique system to get the job done right!
Tags: AZ, Glendale, Mesa, Phoenix, quick bids, quickbids, QwikBids, Scottsdale
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Thursday, August 6th, 2009
By guest author Amy Wolff, CID
In addition to being the busiest time of year, the holiday season is the most popular time to entertain and make merry with family and friends. Seek out decorating inspiration that’s simple, yet adds warmth, cheer and style to your home! Some simple ideas to make your home more festive…
- Holiday Greenery: Add holly berries, evergreen boughs, and pine roping to banisters, doorways and centerpieces. Fill a large bowl with colored glass ornaments for tabletops and mantles. Easier still, faux evergreens are great looking, re-usable, and easy to find at craft stores.
- Holiday Scents: Use pine, gingerbread, sugarplum or peppermint scented candles or potpourri. Even grocery stores offer candles and “plug-in’s” with seasonal scents.
- Holiday Table Wrapping: Linens, placemats or runners add holiday flair to tables. Turn functional items like chairs, doors, banisters and plant containers into decorations by “wrapping” them in fabric and bows. Buy green, gold, red, blue, or silver linens without holiday themes and think about all the other occasions in which you can these!
- Holiday Sparkle: Use bead strands and candles to create a holiday glow. String the beads on light fixtures or over window treatments and watch them twinkle!
- Holiday Sounds: Have a diverse selection of festive holiday tunes to set the mood for a party – or even for yourself!
Decorate and Forget It!
The most important part of the party should be spending quality time with family and friends. Keep the holiday displays on the mantle instead of the dinner table so you won’t need to re-arrange for every meal. Get your decorating done early and simply, so you can sit down and enjoy the season!
Amy Wolff, CID, is nationally certified in the interior decorating profession through Certified Interior Decorators International (CIDI).
Tags: AZ, Glendale, Mesa, Phoenix, quick bids, quickbids, QwikBids, Scottsdale
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